THE 'BLESSED-IF-YOU-BUY-JEWELLERY' DAY

I have received in my mail an invitation to go and buy jewellery on this auspicious day, Akshaya Tritaya, so that I will be blessed. .........I saw that some jewellery shop had invited Kerala chendai players with their typical hypnotic beat to lure shoppers into spending at their shop. And we have begun to feel that we will be cursed if we don’t buy jewellery on Akshaya Tritaya. More here

Agni V and a riddle

In July 2009, shortly after Dr. Tessy Thomas was appointed as Director of Agni V Project, I had written about it under the title Tessy Thomas: A star of space science. That had a fairly good readership. With the recent successful trial of Agni V missile, the interest in this piece has revived. I am getting quite a few visitors....http://parayilat.blogspot.in/2012/04/agni-v-and-riddle.html

The Charm Of Being In A Government Job

http://rajabasu.blogspot.in/2012/04/charm-of-being-in-government-job.html

Working for the government has a charm of its own, which can be felt only by the concerned people. A person working in the corporate sector may enjoy a heavy pay package and a glossy lifestyle, but he can never access the feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment enjoyed by a person working in a responsible government position.  More

I am over 40

I need not disclose where exactly this 40 stands, not unless I reach 50!

FLYING THE LAKE AMPHIBIOUS AIRCRAFT

This is a Blog about my experiences flying the Lake 250 Amphibious Aircraft. Maybe I should have titled it as "Mysorean Flying on water!"The videos are fun to watch although an amateur attempt using the phone! The Blog shows water landings and take offs from lakes and canals, some high speed on water movements and landing at airport too. This is the LINK to the Blog and videos. Enjoy!

Walking – An Easy But Effective Exercise

I feel many will agree with me that it is really a very easy but effective exercise. Unlike many other forms of physical exercises, walking can be started and practiced by almost every person irrespective of body fitness level and age. More

Vishu 2012

http://parayilat.blogspot.in/2012/04/vishu-2012.html

The No. 7 Train

Languages clash on engrossed cell phones
That are unmindful of public space.
Black and brown shoes rest in different pairs of legs;
Keep their distance like respectful strangers.
-GG
Read the complete poem here

Who runs a newspaper ?

Going by the  incidence of   ad. alone  front page  in  newspapers nowadays  I would suggest  re-designation of  editor  as  ad-itor.  Gone are the days when the front page was reserved for news ....More

Three great former Indian hockey stars honoured in London

http://parayilat.blogspot.in/2012/04/three-great-former-indian-hockey-stars.html

Happy Easter

Here is a bunny to greet you.
http://parayilat.blogspot.in/2012/04/happy-easter.html

Last Supper, Leonardo Da Vinci, Sara Hussain

The Last Supper, which was immortalized by Da Vinci, took place on Maundy Thursday....http://parayilat.blogspot.in/2012/04/last-supper-leonardo-da-vinci-sara.html

Finding Irshad - a Google-yuga saga

I blogged about him – Irshad Mia, where are you ? – in the hope that if Irshad or someone who knew of his current whereabouts were to read my piece in DadiNani , he or she would know where to find me. This was my way of sending a message-in-the-bottle, tossed out into cyberspace...More

Song translation and review

DevAnand and Waheeda take romance to another level in this song from the 1970 Hindi film, Prem Pujari. See, listen, read the translation, and enjoy.

Read my new post.

Photos: Ixora coccinea?

http://parayilat.blogspot.in/2012/04/photos-ixora-coccinea.html

Gen. VK Singh issue: Battles with duds or the real thing?

http://parayilat.blogspot.in/2012/03/gen-vk-singh-issue-battles-with-duds-or.html

There is no war on, but Gen. VK Singh is creating battles for him to fight. The age row was over when the Supreme Court did not support his stand. But the Army Chief maintains that the Date of Birth (DoB) issue was brought up by interested parties because he “cracked down on corruption”....

Murderers, Rapists and Looters

Murderers, rapists and looters sitting in Parliament: Arvind Kejriwal


This statement from Kejriwal seems to have hit a raw spot but is there any truth in it?


http://under-the-tree-of-tranquility.blogspot.com/2012/03/murderers-rapists-and-looters.html

The Shockingly Surprising Experience At Noida Police Station

Today (20th March 2012) I had to visit a police station in Noida (U.P.). While I have nothing against the police personnel whom I had to interact with, what I found shockingly surprising was how every official work in a Noida police station is conducted in Hindi, with absolutely no option for English (even if a work entails a visitor who is not conversant in Hindi). More

Islands in the Sun

http://parayilat.blogspot.in/2012/03/islands-in-sun.html

Islands are fascinating. In the photo given below you can see two small ones. Islets, really. They are so tiny that normal maps show them. Of the four types of islands, continental, oceanic, coral and inland, these beauties belong to the last group.

Lilies of Olavaipe

http://parayilat.blogspot.in/2012/03/lilies-of-olavaipe.html

Cancer Drug Priced Rs. 284,428 Is Now Available At Rs. 8880

The most notable thing is that Natco will be selling the drug at a price which is very much within the reach of common people (Rs. 8880), in a stark contrast to the price of Nexavar sold by Bayer (Rs. 284,428 ) which is miles beyond the reach of ordinary people. More

Cricket: Goodbye Mr. Dravid

http://parayilat.blogspot.in/2012/03/cricket-goodbye-mr-dravid.html

Chin up Indians! We have reasons to be proud!

Even if you despair at times, do remember that your votes are the most valuable in this world!

Kabul calling

This was in 1967, when I was 29, unattached, and doing Europe overland. We were seven – a mixed group, aged between 10 and 50 – traveling in a 12-seater van on a London-Delhi run. Because of a nationality issue with Pakistan, Kabul turned out to be the end of the road for me...More...

The coding of dress

Another women’s day has passed and I wonder how many women around the world has yet again been asked to adhere to codes.

http://under-the-tree-of-tranquility.blogspot.com/2012/03/coding-of-dress.html

SEVAI for Dinner

By now Mami would be in full form. She would ask for a big banana leaf which she would clean and spread on the floor in front of the hole in the wall. She would place the stool with the Seva Nazhi on the leaf. Placing the steamed dough balls one at a time in the lower part of the Nazhi, Mami, with all her power, would press down on the dough ball with the upper part. We children would shout with joy as thin strands of the Sevai would start falling on the green banana leaf. More here

MEDA

Panel by panel -- including the wooden floor, the doors, the veranda railings -- as also the rafters of the ceiling and the red tiles of the roof, were dismanhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giftled, packed and trucked to the Khet, where it was then reassembled. It took a team of six Asaris (carpenters), their leader a veteran traditional temple builder, more than two months to do the reassembly.......Read more here

Cinema: Makaramanju, Lenin Rajendran presenting Raja Ravi Varma

http://parayilat.blogspot.in/2012/03/cinema-makaramanju-lenin-rajendran.html

Makaramanju is an allegorical presentation of certain segments of the Royal Painter’s life and his creation depicting of the mythological parting of King Paruravas and Apsaras Urvashi. The raja falls in love with Sugandha Bhai, his model for Urvasi. The painter alternates as the king, and the model as Urvashi. There is a continuing interchange between the eras of Ravi Varma and Pururavas, and the characters.

Raghubir Singh: Catching the breeze

Read what this photo said to me on Life Rules

A childhood with grandpa

At home grandpa, a retired cop, ran our household of three – that is, grandma and me – a bit like a police training establishment. I had a time-table for meals, play, study, and sleep. The only grace-time (when I could do whatever I felt like) was when grandpa had his afternoon snooze....More