Ambimama - India

BLOG and Earning money

I was recently asked for advice from my friend ‘How to start a Blog’. And he did not want to spend. I suggested naturally Google free services to start a blog. And after a few days he asked me ‘Hey I did not receive any dollar Cheque from Google!! It really gave me a jolt and shock.

Blog is very special. I started it not for money. It gives me a place to express my opinions on various things happening in the world and the joy of writing and spending time. Many of are waiting every day almost to read what ever I write. Some times I run out of topics. And give them good links to read about World War II, how the Japanese have invented and grown (contrary to the thinking that US helped Japan out of Hiroshima guilt) and even growing good quality sprouts in home.

This month of June I intend to write really crazy and out of the world topics. Because of dry May when there was almost no article except video shots famous goals. In Amy I had a good vacation and did not have access to a system. And sure there will World Cup topics jokes and specials.

After my summer vacation at Bangalore I was returning by Brindavan Express to Chennai. As usual the reserved compartment was worse than unreserved(General Compartment).

There was a small child six months old. The family of the child was from Calcutta. They had come to conduct an open heart surgery for the child at Bangalore.

They were praising that BANGALORE has the best medical facilities. They had stayed for 37 days. But complained there was no good Bengali food. The head of the family was running ready-made garments industry. He said he gets all his good quality cotton needs from Bangladesh. And that Bangladesh is a much-improved country. And advised me to buy goods stamped with ‘Made in Bangladesh’. It’s good to appreciate the development of a neighboring country but to advice buying good from there.. Then I knew the reason.

He was young, Bengali and a Muslim. Naturally religion has more influence than on the nation!!

Now the climax. He was angry when some Satya Sai devotees were singing Bhajans. He objected that the child would get disturbed. But it was laughing and enjoying the Bhajans. Then he raised the point of Namaz time and immediately the devotees stopped the Bhajans. After 15 minutes, when Namaz was over, the child started crying. The mother of the child requested Sai devotees to start Bhajans. And they sang Sarva dharma bhajans, calling Allah and Jesus. The child stopped crying and went to sleep.

It was good to see real secularism and brotherhood. Hindus not only tolerate others but love the entire Universe, humans, trees and respect them as one with God. And sure there was a Satya Sai miracle – When bhajans were started rains came heavily and all of became cool inside and outside. We forgot to eat Masala Dosa and cutlets. And reached Chennai happily and peacefully.

Kicking is the known to humans even before they take birth. And loving mothers feel the joy of child kicking in their womb. It’s the most natural, predominant and lovable thing. The legs automatically co-ordinate what the brain’s orders. Or even without it for some great players like Pele, Maradaona, Beckenbaur, Leneaker, Platino and the like in my times.

The great stars do their mother proud. All the channels, magazines, and media are crazy about the event – WORLD CUP FOOTBALL. What am I to write?

Only thing that surprises me is that free kick. There are headers, scissor kicks, and bend it like kicks. But the free kicks – The goalie is the sufferer. No amount of calculation will help. Only guess work.

And what about goals missed? Only 3 or 4 out of ten goal tries gets converted into a goal. Like the cheetah that out of ten hunt runs gets it’s prey once or twice. It’s not easy. With all practice, professionalism, cheer from the crowd, only the goal scorer becomes a legend.

And this world cup – all of us know the details of teams and stars. And the Germany’s special hosting preparations. Only the ones not covered in news channels and media will appear here in this column. Good Kick and Great Joy!!

I know - it’s been a long gap and no substantial news from side. I was occupied with few personal commitments. One of them was helping my friend with his daughter’s marriage arrangements. A big budget plan - reworked and patched and reworked time and again to impress the groom and in-laws. Not a easy task, not easy at all.

The wedding got over last week and can’t wait to share my experiences.

Iyer visits Iyengar’s marriage and is treated well !

Or should I spell them as “Ayer” and “Ayengar”? :)

Tell me honestly, how often do we see a joint family closely knit with chitappa, Periyappa? If we draw a “Google trends” like graph for this then we would see a steep decline in the pattern of “closed family” ties. Joint family is long dead but atleast family used to show interest and spend time on weekends catching up with mamas and chittis and chitappas. These days people hardly have time to talk their own children! ha haa.

Back to marriage now, I really had a nice and lovely feeling in the Ahobila Matam’s SHADARI KALYANA MANDAPAM with my old college mates and WILD West Mambalam. We used to be the DONS and COWBOYS of the ’80s. We could rule and dictate terms. With the help of KUPPU the Great the eldest in the family. Yes we had a team who will fight the social rowdies, evacuate prostitute houses and defend the entire area by night patrolling.

There was trust, pure love and understanding at the stroke of an eye or hand wave to do things wanted at the marriage. So religiously and ritually conducted.

The MAPPILAI sudeeboy alias SUDHARSAN (Su _Best, Darshan _Inner view) had a few moments to share with me, regarding the way the marriage was performed to his satisfaction. He was more worried about the Vaideeham aspect as all his relatives and elders were quite orthodox rarely seen these days.

Normally Puliyodharai and Dhadiyonnam are famous in Iyengar’s marriages. And true to its tradition my friend Raghu, selected a good caterer (it was referred by his in law!!). Wait a minute, referred or ordered?

The Muhurtham went off very well. Prior to that we all chanted (I kept mum as I forgot chanting, but remembered all the words) Sukthams, Sahasra namam thanks to the efforts of Sundaresan the Railways IYER. I am also an Aiyar (which is correct? Iyer or Aiyar –passport authorities know that). Any way we Iyers were not treated as outcastes but with great respect by one and all.

Before Nalangu there was the great joy of playing carom board and my friend Sachu and Sundaresan won, even though all the audience were motivating the opposite team with Vasu as the leader!!

And Nalangu was just fun and fantastic. Especially the girl singing VASIGARA and the boy responding that he can only play instruments. It was good fun.

Return Journey

Every good thing has to stop some where and the gret reunion courtsey:marriage had to come to a stop too. And Sundaresan and me had to leave for home with a heavy heart. At least we had the sweet and nostalgic memories to cherish for the days to come.

Money is everything - (?)

Expenses for food and other ceremonies apart, which I do not approve, the marriage was a well get-to-gather never witnessed anywhere else.

Even though I resist wastage and extravaganza in marriages, I have to get my daughter married soon. And I am sure I have to follow the same path as the world!! I am not a Bharathi who created history and love his songs. I am a normal human!!

I think people are misusing the phrase “normal human” to cover up for their inefficiency and cowardice. A “normal human” is not a oxymoron and does not mean you are excused from not doing what you are expected to do.

Junior Vasu

Nandakumar s/o Vasu is a nice, beautiful young Vasu. It’s all GENES, and Poorva Punya Phalam. And he sings nicely. More than the ladies who sang at Nalangu. Seeing at my friends’ Junior avatars makes me ponder on the beauty of God’s creation and the cylce of Live, Aging and eventual Death. . It’s a brilliant system and mostly flawless.

Finishing Note - Spare my ear-drums

I can’t but stop myself from mentioning one negative aspect of marriages these days. For heavens sake, “Please don’t make me deaf”.

People, what’s with the loud light music? It makes marriages look and sound like cabres and dance bars. (bad comparison, but thats my frustration)

Wait

God listend to my prayers and answered them too. There was no “Manmadha Rasa” at 200+ dB levels in this marriage. No aunties dancing around the stange in the name of “dapanguthu”. No youngsters trying to emulate a Dhanushor Vijay’s dance moves.

VADYAM -NADASWARAM

.. was played with a volume level that was not making me feel uncomfortable or scream at the coffee serving guy to give me a “sugarless” coffee. It added ambience to the the liveliness and joy brought about in marriages. The various ragas and melodies chosen and played by Nadaswaram (some say Nagaswaram) a saxophone like instrument creates moods proper for the occasion. There are melodies when starting the function, important ones like Mangalya Dharanam (Tying the Mangal Sutra as in Hindi), and the famous melody MANASA SANCHARARE after the Thali is tied.

The meaning is very deep. The marriage is the sacred bondage to bring forth to the world a rare human like the caliber of Rama, Arjuna, Bheema and the like – the saviour of the world of Dharma. And various mantras, rituals are performed to accomplish this.

And the accompanying Nadaswaram and the melody and raga chosen has a meaning. It was very well chosen and done at the marriage of Raghu’s daughter. (Raghu is a close friend of the our WILD West (Mambalam).

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=26734

We will fight them on the breaches

GOOGLE HAS confirmed that it will launch free spreadsheet and word-processing software online and take on Microsoft in one of its biggest markets.
Under the deal, Google will allow web users to access Sun’s OpenOffice from a toolbar.

The other day, when Sun’s Scott McNealy and his former employee now Google chief Eric Schmidt met up, Sun was wary about doing that.

When asked point blank, McNealy said it was something to be investigated. However Sun’s Australian spokesman Paul O’Connor was a little more forthright about the deal which he said was “huge”.

He bubbled that the deal was a wake-up call for Microsoft.

“At the moment most people are used to having to pay for software packages, but at the end of the day, the value is in the content and services – not in the software itself,” he said.

Google steps up offensive against Microsoft

Google Inc. took a step toward challenging Microsoft Corp.’s dominance of computer software with the announcement Tuesday of a collaboration agreement with Sun Microsystems Inc.

The move could lead to Google offering next-generation word processing, spreadsheet and collaboration tools that would take on Microsoft’s industry-leading Office suite of software.

But for now its significance may be mostly as a symbolic shot across Microsoft’s bow, signaling Google’s intention of attacking the world’s biggest software company head on.

Aside from a plan to offer Google’s toolbar program with downloads of Java software, details of the agreement were scant. Though it could lead to a new pipeline for Sun software to millions of computers, there was no firm commitment.

Some downplayed the announcement as a publicity stunt that probably would not have occurred had Google CEO Eric Schmidt not spent 14 years of his career working at Sun under CEO Scott McNealy.

The alliance would be a boon for Sun if Google had promised to buy some of the company’s sophisticated computers, but no ironclad commitments were announced.

“There really isn’t much depth to this partnership,” said industry analyst Rob Enderle.

“I think Eric is doing this as personal favor for Scott,” he said. “It provides a certain amount of press and visibility to Sun when there hasn’t been very many positive things going on at the company.”