Faith/ love... Jo Bhi Kaho...

'Aum Bhur Bhuva Swaha, Tat savitur varenyum,

Bhargo devasya dhi mahi, dhiyo yo na prachodayat'

It's the Gayathri mantra, which I had kind of crammed some weeks back. I was having trouble in sleeping and my mom had made me memorize these lines. I didn't fall asleep as soon as I said these sanskrit words whose meaning I was unware of. But the intensity of faith in which she told me had some how become communicable. Yaa, I too kind of got the same faith in these lines. And not soon after that, but yaa after few days I kind of slept really well. Morning, I went and kissed mom thank you. She told me if it had worked why don't you include it in your prayers every day. I told her,I will do. I went and googled about those lines. Yaa I could easily find out the translation of every word. But it wasn't like poetry which when read together made sense. But this much was apparent, it has something to do with mental strength. I went on to think, was it really because of these lines? Do these lines really play some sort of magic. If so people wouldn't go for tranquilizers, sleeping pills. One mantra, peaceful sleep, problem solved. America will no longer be called the prozac nation with all americans saying the Gayathri slogan. I thought of 3 idiots, the Aal Izz Well mania which has spread nation wide. After much cerebration, I suddenly realized my undisturbed slumber for the past few days actually had nothing to do with my recitation. Coz everytime I used to say these lines, my mind never used to translate the words so that I  get a complete feel of it and pray with my heart in it, not to mention I was far from a religious person. But yaa, when telling  these alien words I used to feel my mom's presence. I would remember the faith in which she taught me those lines. It wasn't faith. Was it? Wasn't it actually love? Or must be her faith, and my love. I also had an enlightenment that day, people aren't devoid of sleep, they are actually devoid of love or atleast they think they are. And love and fear can't co-exist. Well once that fear is gone, I can vouch on a lucid sleep.  And yaa my Gayathri devi can be none other than my mom:)

Royally unwinding...

For a girl who isn't much of a foodie, getting to hogg in the posh restaurants of Chennai in the name of treats and that too in a job which she hasn't still come in terms to, can be called what? LOL. If you have a PL like mine, no surprises here.  Gonna fly soon...dolar to INR calc!, return from onsite...wallet is heavy na?, quit job...that's great!, birthday... once in a yr!, confirmation...no more fresher!, or just that it's high time we went to some place other than office, it's party time then. Just in a weeks time  of joining my team, I had gone to Residential towers. And from then on, I would have visited nearly 10 such hotels in a matter of say just 8 months. And that too with the entire team. That's the apprehensive part of it all.       Hanging out with your friends is different from unwinding off with your team mates. You have to still remain professional. Now that's the last thing you would want to when you are partying. My PL puts it this way, just in office I am your PL and you have to take orders. (Point, he rarely orders in office too). It might sound bizarre, but I have never expected to survive this long in IT industry. Not because it is hard to, but coz it's hard for me to remain in a place where I don't see myself contributing to the teams growth. Now if I am saying that, I will also have to answer my Engineering degree disgustly looking at me and asking 'what the hell did you do for 4 years to have me?'. 'True boss, I didn't tell anything, I was just contemplating on 3 idiots movie... ';) Now where was I unwinding at.? Yaa after Residential, it was in Golden sun resort, ECR road. It was really good. The beach and the sun are something to die for. This time the rains in Chennai made me realize something, that I am someone who perfers summer to winter. When it's breezy it's fine, but when the sun goes out of sight, I kind of want it to come back. Friends call me junk when I share this with them. Then there were outings to Green park, Rain forest, Le Royal Meridien. At Green park, we shook hands with  director Muragadoss of Ghajini fame. Oh yaar, the guy was down to earth and my friend had soon noticed that he was wearing a costlier shirt than the director. The last restaurant I went to and should say the best till now was Basera hotel in ECR. The tables and chairs are wooden trunks, the restaurant is set up outdoors. We had lunched there. The food was awesome. Though I thought it's a place you should come with your dear one to dine. It will be best at twilight. This year I am looking forward for a trip to Pondy, Fisherman's Cove at ECR, a bangalore trip, and yaa want to go to some villages too. This time atleast with close friends, coz believe me it's an eerie feeling to unlax with your team always:)

Idhu sogam aanaalum, oru sugam...

It's been long I wrote something in my page. Kind of bored to pen today also. But couldn't stop writing down the lines I am listening to now and which I have been humming for more than a week now. Maalai neram, mazhai thurram kaalam enn jennalin orrum nitkiren from Aayirathil Oruvan. Awe-struck actually. I heard from my friend that Selvaraghavan has himself penned the lyrics. I have heard songs which are full of life. This song is a step above that, should I say full of soul? Down the memory lane there are lots of moments we treasure, and there are equal moments we want to forget. Somebody has told, 'Past doesn't exist, it's just in memories and to think otherwise is to invite a mess'. Yaa it might be true, but director Selva, time and again comes with creations romancing the past. The key factor about Selva's certain songs are that they are just taken from the memory lane and without any adulteration presented. Who can forget Ninaithu ninaithu paarthen or Oru nallil vaazhkai.? It's so much real, it is so much of soul, it is so much of YOU. For all those non-fictional people listening to Maalai neram in Andrea's awesome voice and dropping a tear or two on your pillow covers... It's ok, you can move on... you must be lucky to have felt it:) Un karam korkayil, ninnaivu orr aayiram, Numm irru karam pirrigayil, ninnaivu nooru aayiram. Kadhalil vizhindu idhayam, meezhka mudiyadhadha Kanavil thulaindha nijangal, meendum thirumbadhadha. Oru kaalayil nee illai, thedavum manam varavillai, Pirindhadhum, purindhadhu, naan ennai izhandhen enna... Idhu sogam aanal oru sugam, nenjin ulle parravidum, Naam paazhagiya kaalam paravasam,anbe...Idham tharume... Tamil literature is beautiful, wish I could study to read and write properly. :)

The K factor!

Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham is a movie which I haven't written into a DVD. I like to watch this movie once in a year and relish it totally. And whenever I watch it there is one particular scene I look for. The scene where Roshan (Hrithik) enters Rahul's(Sharukh) house. Roshan with his eyes full on seeing his brother. (I like when boys cry, coz they rarely do:)Hrithik and Sharukh have acted it out brilliantly. And ofcourse Karan Johar's hang on relationship movies. I think this is his best. And the sad version of the title song played in the background. There is this yearning in the voice of the singer. Too good. 'Jism tu, jaan mai, tera pehchaan mai. Milke bhi na mile ye hai kaisa bharam. Ye hai tere karam, kabhi khushi kabhi gham'. Enjoy the scene.

This goes to my Dad

When someone pens the  innermost feelings esp that of a relationship, thats exactly when you appreciate the power of literature. A song from a malyalam movie 'Satyam Sivam Sundaram'. A dedication to the memories of my Dad. I am sure it will be lost in translation. But I have come to know this, the songs with the most touching lyrics can't be translated. Languages here become incompatible.  

Sooryanaay thazhuki urakkamunarthumen
Achaneyaanenikkishtam

( Like the touch of the morning sun rays he wakes me up, it's my dad whom I like the most)
Njanonnu karayumbol ariyaathe
urukumen achaneyaanenikkishtam 

(When I cry he unknowingly melts, it's my dad whom I like the most)

Kalledukkum kali thumbiye pole
Orupaadu novukalkkidayilum
Punchiri chiraku vidarthumen achan

(Like the playful grasshopper which lifts stones, with so much problems inside he still manages to smile(spread wings of laughter), it's my dad whom I like the most)

Ennumen pusthaka thaalil mayangunna
Nanma than peeliyaanachan

(Dad is the peacock feather of goodness which rests inside my book pages)
Kadalaassu thoniye polente
Baalyathil ozhukunnorormayaanachan

(Dad is that drifting remembrance like those flating paper boats in my childhood) 
Udalaarnna karunyam achan
Kai vanna bhaagyamaanachan

(You are the embodiment of true love,Dad you are the luck that came my way)

Ariyillenikkethu vaakkinaal achane
Vaazhthumennariyilla innum

(I don't know with what words can I wish you Dad)
Ezhuthumee snehaaksharangalkum appuram
Anupama sankalpam achan

(Just that beyond the loving words, you are that incomparable imagination)
Anayaatha deepamaanachan
Kaanunna dhaivamaanachan

(You are the light that never dims, Dad you are the God I can see)

Shalini...

'Shalini Ajith' is still a favorite. She has this next door girl looks, a hairdo that she carries so well which I haven't seen in any other heroine so far. Though she has got married and has quit the industry long back, no one seems to have forgotten the Alaipayuthey girl. Thanks to Mani Ratnam. Few days back I had changed my orkut display picture to a Shalini pic. Guess wat, friend requests are pouring in to an otherwise disregarded profile. Hahaha:)

Well this is the pic. 

Jaane Tu Mera Kya Hain.?

Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, this movie's music and lyrics are in so sync with the storyline. I guess the director Abbas itself has written the lyrics too. It's so much in lay man's terms, that any teenager can relate to. And Guru's music, the masti in 'Pappu can't dance' or the solitude in 'Kahin Tho Hogi Woh', I simply run out of words when I try to describe what I feel. The other lovely song in the movie which has two versions to it 'Jaane tu mera kya hain'. When you start loving the person who you thought was just your bestest friend, that's the song. I love the Aditi version. I have always believed a boy and a gal can remain best friends but this song somehow with it's lyrics and it's haunting music proves me wrong. To hate it or love it, I don't know. But this song just gets the better of me.

' Ye dosthi humko yakeen tha,  dosthi aur kuchch bhi nahi tha

  Ye kaisa dardh naya sa, kyon dhil laghtha toota toota sa?

  Janne dhil jaana kaise mai ne na jaana, ke pyaar yahi hai, ye jaane tu ya jaane na'