Wake up,will Parents?

Every child on its first day of birth is neither good nor bad.It is the experiences that make it one way or the other.The society is cruel with its spoilt people,doing no good to a growing child. When I say spoilt people,I mean the people who give no time for their kids.  

Many would disagree with me when I say, people prioritize ambitions to love.When love is to be lost to win, I am afraid,almost all chose to lose love. Winning at all cost,makes the real world a tough place to live in. I don't quite believe in the 'survival of the fittest' theory for mankind in livelihood. That betrays peace and kills love. All this has had an effect on the outlook of the world. When people believe making money at all cost is right, the society wears a look of falsity of kindness upfront and the true look of hatred deep inside.

The world of marketing, politics and entertainment have a deep psychological impact on the society, especially on the way a child grows up to be. When these sectors play the game of money and competition,the virtues go for a toss. They would make the society believe in things that aren't.


Our actions are a result of 'how we are made to live', rather than 'how we really like to live'. Read on to digest this bitter fact.

The marketing world would make fashion the way they wish their products to sell. It is made to believe these days, if one doesn't exist on FB, they exist no more. I am due to credit the marketing efficiency to make us believe its so important. This demands a child as young as 10-12, to get back from school to log-in and make his presence felt on the so-made present day fashion, rather than to take his books for exams the next day. He being so young, I doubt desires to network all by himself without the push force of the society. The next case in point- a sports' bike maker injects in us, it is stylish only to ride at 100-120 kmph. The advertisements show all girls looking only at a rider flying past them, only to put the slow and careful riders to shame. Accidents happen, only in reality and not on ads.Wonder if, girls would actually like a speedy man, had not it was marketed so. Wonder if, guys would breeze past, had not it was marketed so.Again the culture of what is sensational, is clearly media driven. Hence, understandably fashion changes and so do people.

Looking beyond, the media and the entertainment world open the Pandora's box to a child's life. The 14 yr old child sees Rajnikant, throw up his cigarettes and his villain having a party time with at-least a dozen of party girls. Something tells the kid, this is how people celebrate. When he gets to his days of celebration, I don't think he would know a way to celebrate than what he saw from the movies. Again the motto of the movie is to sell itself than to teach the kid a bad lesson. If the child had been told it could celebrate better by sharing love with chocolates and mom's kisses,the society wouldn't have been so bad to live in. Money bound ambitions gaining priority over love amidst the society, needs no better justification than this.

The society wouldn't change unless we make it to. So the people whom I mean spoilt are required to assume a Herculean task to make the kids aware of what is right and what is not. They need to cull the time they spend for making money and devote it for their kids. After all, they owe much more than just quality time for their children. Under their squeeze and demand for money in life, more often than not, the parents speak the language of money at homes. That is when a child subconsciously takes money to be more important than anything under earth. So their cognizance of the above mentioned demons in the society, in the first case, becomes absolutely essential. Communicating what is love to their child should be the primary task of a parent. If this root cause is dealt with, kids grow better and subsequently the world would become a place of less regrets.

My parents who have made me understand exactly this, need a special mention. To them I dedicate this blog, which I believe should communicate to my readers what they did to me.

Cheers!!!

"When I would be 60"

It was yet another Monday morning when I had to wake up with my alarm to be on time for a long day ahead.The newspapers and a mug of coffee gave me a good fifteen minutes in the morning.Life was back to the everyday pressures right after.A hurried bath and a breakfast, marked just the start of the day ahead.The clock bang 9 am and it was time for me to start for work.That would mean I would only be back home by 7 in the evening for some quality family time.I would chat & smile with my colleagues all day,yet knowing they weren't the ones with whom I desired to be with for the best part of the day.A day after a day would go by routine,even as one was ever as eager for challenges but never knowing what success actually meant,never knowing the purpose of work.Needless to say, anger was just a vent of frustration of a mundane work day.Taming anger, when at its boiling best was a task equal to climbing the Mt.Everest.I wondered if the next forty years would go by just as mechanically as this.

One night before going to bed,a curious question sprang up in mind.I asked myself,  "How would I wish a day in my life to be when i would be 60".The answer to this question gave birth to this imagination of mine.I thought its worth a share.

The chilly morning of 2051 was a perfect setting for romance even for a sixty year old, me and my wife.My wife woke me up with warm words of me having a pleasant day ahead.The old man in me had to keep fit,and hence the recent idea to play a sport instead of a boring jog. Tennis and my friends were inseparable.The sixty year old friend club, by now had made it a habit to play every morning for an hour's time to begin the day.The mugs of milk energized me for the game, and my wife for a walk with the friends club ladies.My 25 year old son would come along occasionally if his friends were there to give him company for a game.Today,he did.

The game began.So did the gossips of the grannies as they started to walk around the court.

The game on our court was easy and fun as always.Meanwhile,it was quite the opposite with angry grunts and shouts of frustration on every lost point,at the second court where my son and his friends had a game.I kept an interested eye on their court as much as on ours.I was always eager in understanding what age would do to a person;how would different age people react to a similar situation.I had a perfect setting in front of my eyes for a real-time example to help me understand.On our court,I hit a ball across the net just shaving the base line.To take a call on where the ball pitched was left to our helpless eyes.Amazingly,almost the same had taken place on the court in which the young guns were playing.While in our case it was left to my opponent who was the closest to the ball landing to take a decision,in their case,was the exact opposite.The person who hit the ball was the farthest from the scene of action,shouted the ball pitched in play. Let alone where the ball actually pitched, the observations from the the young mind were emotion driven.

This scene opened up two thoughts.Firstly,what does success mean to people at different stages of their lives?.Secondly,was wanting to WIN coming in the way of holding ones' character in good shape?.

The young soul knows life is all about competition in this hugely populous world with scarce opportunities for the taking.It shall never mind to shout or even lie and cheat to win.No matter if a few hearts were hurt in the way.No matter if it wasn't fair,it shall learn to keep secrets of disgrace to it. After all,winning was everything for it.It defined Success as nothing more than "a materialistic goal",a reason hugely responsible for the route it took to succeed.Hence it always had people around it to FIGHT AGAINST.

The soul which has been this way for so long,when it reached its last few days,understood it need concerned people all around it all the time.After all,Winning wasn't everything to it.It began to understand the real meaning of Success.Success was redefined as "fulfillment of happiness".Happiness was in turn defined as "contentment of mind" and "harmony of our thoughts and action".It strictly said it would be happy only if  it didn't hurt any other souls on the way to happiness and success.It also said one must be true to oneself to ensure happiness and eventually as a result succeed.It believed if the soul was in harmony with words and deeds,it was happy and that was success.Hence it always had people around it to HELP OUT.

The reason for the differences in the two tennis courts is now nothing beyond obvious.Anger came out from a young soul which wanted to win that point.Concern for the opponents' view came out from the wiser soul which wanted happiness around,yet won hearts more importantly than just the tennis point.

Now I knew anger and its ill-quality character children are just traits of how one defines success.It now seemed not as difficult to control, as once climbing the Mt.Everest.

I also knew I had to come back to earth from a deep thought when my wife had finished her round of gossips and yelled "Its time to leave,DEAR".(Being my imagination, I have added a DEAR there,wonder if that would materialize even if the rest of the story does.Hopefully,it does)

On my way back home,I wondered if only anyone had told me how success should be defined,I would have lived a better life to be proud of.I didn't have to regret too much as my son had me to tell him just that, while walking back home.

My son started for office that day. As he came back and told me how different life has become,after redefining success at his work place.He said he was happier than ever before,even if maybe not immediately successful.My sixty year old imagination ended there.I am now back as the 20 year old with a NEW DEFINITION FOR SUCCESS, fully knowing I shall keep the values of my character well intact to eventually succeed,sure enough to live a life to be proud of as much as having written this blog!!!


Cheers!!!

Tour De Ooty!!!

The 12D classroom of DAV Matriculation school Mogappair had a sustained silence at that time of the day, when our computer science teacher, who happened to be our class teacher as well, was going on and on about C programming. The class normally remains that way, unless it breaks into uncontrollable laughter, when our ma'am, famous for her indifferent English, comes up with ugly one-liners spoiling the dignity of the language.That class of mine was quite famous for its proud naughtiness.Being so,we never looked for inspiration to disturb the flow of any teacher taking lessons.Hence, came up the topic of a class vacation, to shy our minds away from the hectic DAV study schedule.

           We always know with the packed academic schedule nothing more than a two day tour would be permitted for the 12th std students.Boys in the class shouted their desired tour destinations as girls murmured among themselves being the minority in our class of 40.

"OOTY" shouted one friend of mine from near my desk.

"BANGALORE da" suggested another, as he tried to convince some of his other friends.

Girls and the front benchers knew they wouldnt be given a chance to be listened to.

The class teacher's reply was fair,plain and simple as she signed off ,"I shall discuss with the other sections and give a confirmation on the plan of the tour"

In came the class teacher for her next computer science class on the next day.A few chirpy sounds here and there filled the air of the classroom as an excited friend of mine started, "where are we going for our 2 day tour? " looking eye to eye with ma'am almost as if he intended to scare her.

Having had a discussion with all our class teachers,our ma'am only had things to disclose to us. She beamed a bright smile as she exclaimed, "Students, I am pleasant to tell you all that, we would all be going on a vacation to OOTY for a couple of days on the 5th and 6th of August 2006". Yes,I know,it should have been "I am PLEASED to tell you...",yet that is our Computer science teacher's English for you. Can't fault her,guess she is not as comfortable with the English language as much as her C language.

"All interested students give me your names along with the tour fee by tomorrow.By the way get this confirmation form signed by your parents when you come tomorrow",she went on with her eloquence.

All was fine with my class guys.They knew it was their last school trip and had to make it big and memorable.Then came the dreaded statement from our teacher," Our principal would be joining us on the trip to make it a grand one"

It would only be an understandment if I say all of us were heart-broken when we heard that.Our principal wasnt any strict for us to fear so badly but was a "rambam" as beautiful tamil would call an elaborate person.Other than our princi we had our Physics ma'am, two Chemistry Sirs,Biology Sir and our dear class teacher along with us for the trip.

(Photo title : 3 jems of manners
 Photo description : From L to R - Principal,Physics Ma'am,Computer Ma'am)

Then came the day when we started for the trip.We were asked to assemble in the Central Railway station of chennai near our coach atleast 30 minutes prior to our train Blue mountain express' departure.Almost all of standard twelve students of my school (100 students for the trip) were there ready for their last school trip with bags packed with re-creative materials like walk-mans,card packs and delicious eatables.

Dad and Mom came to send me off at the railway station as they left saying "patramaa iru..kulirntha sweater ah potuko.."and stuff..More importantly they gave me some money to spend even as they warned me to spend judiciously.I got into the train as many other parents waved their hands to bid good bye to their wards.

Now the stage was set for big time fun.For all of us,we needed no better place than the train to kick-start our frolic.Chats and games had begun.Some tried to irritate the teachers who came along with some uncomfortable acts to their eyes.Many rather most of us were spell-bound seeking the attention our crushes.Girls were the high point of the trip for the boys,like it is for any of the school trips.For my friends who were committed then,it was almost an honeymoon trip with friends turning strangers.For the TO-BE ones,this was more than a perfect chance to impress one another better than in school circumstances.

I was in the middle of a chat with some of my buddies on whatelse but cricket and films.That was when ARR's Newyork Nagaram and Munbe Vaa were alternating on most of our ears.I peeped into the girls train cabin for a glimpse of my crush.So did many other friends.Should say vice versa happened too with a few peeps from them to our cabin as well.

The next morning woke us all up after a late night bed as the train reached Kovai.Two tour-buses picked us to start for ooty from there.The buses were seperate for boys and girls.A definite low point in the trip.

We got back the left behind sleep in the bus enroute to Ooty.It was just the start of the hills when both the buses stopped for our morning tea and refreshments.An occasional 'Hi' here and there were exchanged between the boys and girls.I was not to take a back seat in all this.Although I was always shy back then,I gathered courage to talk to some of my friends who were girls.My day was already made.Luckily I didn't have to worry for my sister's presence when I was upto all this, for she was a part of all my other school trips studying in the same school.(Should say my girl school friends have more than a soft corner for my sister than for me). Someothers who were photo-mad started to click already.

The buses then resumed its engines to reach Ooty by 9 in the morning.We were asked to directly head to the breakfast hall in the hotel SNOW PRINCESS where we stayed for the 2 days before any fresh-up.Food was veggie and good as always with DAV trips.As we took preferences for our room-mates,we were alloted rooms to accomodate 4 or 5 each.We had to settle in and get ready to start site-seeing (and yes in our student words CITE-seeing as well) as soon as possible.

We visited the botanical garden,pykara lake,pykara falls and the dottabeta over the two days.Pictures,cameras and smiles ruled in the botanical garden and at the city view point in dottabeta.In the lake we boated and tried a few unofficial clicks to picture the girls.I also remember one or two pictures I took there officially with some girls.They were childhood buddies whom I had made friends with when this boy and a girl thing wasnt something our age could differentiate.

In the pykara falls,we had a nice time pushing each others into water.For those who wonder, why we didnt cover more locations to see, was because we had teachers who went tired shouting at the back of us to leave the spot and get into the bus. We were never on time getting back into the bus. We also had the famous head count done each time we got into the bus.Those were all the petty parts of the school trip on a student's perspective.

In the evening after dinner in the hotel on the first day we had some time together at a hall with a stage for showcasing of talents.We had girls and boys sitting in chairs as asked to and the teachers in the middle saying : "someone come up on stage and entertain". Being shy none volunteered.
Finally "Antakshari between the boys and the girls" said  princi in her own famous style.


Now that was something we guys can 'kumballoda kovindha',so we agreed and started.Laughs and whispers from one group filled the hall when the other group sang.Boys were looking for an opportunity to sing songs like " sight adipom,dum adipom..." and "alaga irukanga ponnunga alaga irukanga...".It all was a part of the memorable trip.

An early end to the second day of site-seeing was to make it to the train at 9 pm in coimbatore.The boys' bus journey down the hill had the usual dumb-c,dance moves to songs.Guess was the same case with the girls' bus as well.

We just about managed to get to the railway station by 8.30 and had packed dinner to help ourselves in the train.The return train journey was all about chats on memories of earlier school trips to Hyderabad,Kulu-Manali-Delhi,the special one of Pondy and glances of the snaps taken on digi-cams on this trip to Ooty.

All departed to their places once the train reached chennai central at 5 in the morning but not without a 'eye-contact bye' to friends of the opposite sex and a vocal bye to those of the same one.All these exchanges made our last school trip a memorable one.

We all knew that books and the board exams were there to scare us back to work at school.But we also knew that those two days of vacation with childhood friends whose age gave no room for their egos were one amongst the best days of our lives.Its hard to understand why this adulthood now isnt giving many such beautiful days
even when we go on a tour to the most exotic natural locations on planet earth.Maybe responsibilty,self-esteem and thirst for success are a curse on our lives now as an adult which wasnt there in our young days.

I am sure each one who is reading this would have had such a trip with your schoolmates.I am also sure each one of you all would agree that such days are hard to come by now as a grown up one.To bring all such days back in memory for a second or two is the motive of this blog of mine.Cheers!!!

The Chettinad Heritage

Architecture is an art which needs an interested eye to appreciate. Architecture for temples, palaces, in recent days malls, symbolizes the culture of that era and the thirst for art during that period. It is a result of the various needs and problems faced by the people concerned with that architecture. It stands as pillars of information on the way of life of our ancestors and will be for the generation to come.

The pages of history has enriched us with many brilliant art forms that have existed in ancient times.However,I felt the world didn't know enough about one culture and its architecture, which I am proud to be a part of now, after more than a century of years of its existence.

The story behind the excellent architecture of the chettinad houses is something, which I thought, I must share with my peers.

The beauty of our ancestral house struck me when I was a kid. Ever since, I have been shooting questions at my grand-dad,Mr.Nagappan.PL (I must say he is a very good narrater) to know enough about the history of my own culture and architecture.I doubt I know all after so many years of questionnaire.

The roots of such an architecture,i understood,was a combination of necessity and luxury.The place of our culture's origination was in the banks of cauvery,which was then called as POOMPUGAR (பூம்புகார்).With natural calamities in the form of floods driving them away,the chettiars moved to 18 villages in and around karaikudi.To this date,they still reside there with a community base of a meagre 10,00,000 people occupying respectable, high positions in the society.

It was the time when our freedom struggle gathered stream,our economy was poor,rather not ours at all.It was,then,in the early nineteen century,when most of the chettinad houses were built.That was when,the chettiars known for their trade, flocked to neighbouring countires for earning their money.They went to places like burma (myanmar),singapore,malaysia where tamil had a prominent presence.They traded with commodites and by giving small loans for jewellery as a security.They came back periodically on ships once in every 2 years.Meanwhile,their better halves(aachis) made the most from the agricultural lands they had for the family.

The money which came along when the men returned were more or less a luxury, if the agricultural rains were regular,hence were a source for the house to be built.That explains the reason behind different segments of a chettinad house and the different materials used to build each of the segments.The segments namely are mugappu(முகப்பு),first house,second house(courtyard)and the third house.Each time they returned they completed a segment with the materials such as teek,ivory which they brought from Burma, Malaysia in ships.

The frequently flooded locality of their place of origin,kaveripoompatnam near the river banks of cauvery made them learn their lessons of nature.That meant it was a necessity for them to raise their buildings by at least by a few feet at the entrance of the house,the mugappu.So there was a minimum of 7-8 stairs in every house with the exception of none.   

The 'mugappu' at the entrance is broad having long thinnais and pillars to serve cool breeze when there was no electricity then.The 'first house' was,rather still is,the most artistic part of the house.It has numerous pillars,an elevated ceiling,egg-coated paintings depicting life of my ancestors then,and a least count of 10 windows at a comfortable height to get fresh air for an afternoon nap.

The 'second house',the courtyard has a open to the sun portion in its middle part for cooking purposes.The periphery of the open to sun portion has a low ceiling with numerous rooms, each for a specific purpose from pooja to bed.This portion of the 'second house' is provided with a second tier for storage purposes.

The 'third house' is the tail of the house built with a motive for recreation,has a back door for easy exit from such a big house.

Our house built in the year 1920,has been the place for numerous marriages and other occasions in the family.On a marriage day,the utility of the house changes to suit the guests which is practised even today.

The 'mugappu' becomes the place for the reception of guests.The 'first house' the place for male guests to occupy,the open portion of the 'second house',the coutyard becomes the place of marriage or the ceremony.The lower ceiled part in second house is for the females to be seated.The upper tier in it is for the display of the gifts which is a matter of pride even today.The 'Third house' is the place where food was served for the guests.

I am driven into a frenzy when I think the groom part of my marriage would happen in this same way in our 90 year old house @ pon.pudhupatty,my native village near pudhukottai.(In our community most part of the marriage takes place in the house of the bride.)

I guess calling it a house where any function in the family would be hosted holding a guest strength of about 500 people is an understatement.Thats why,maybe,these days they call it palaces.

These houses have been a special shooting spot for the film industry.As a matter of fact,around 200 films have been shot in these palaces including a french film recently,making it the first place in India for a foreign language film to be filmed.At this point,the first half of the movie 'pirivom sandhipom' needs a special mention for showcasing the architecture,our style of marriage(in a song) and our culture in the best possible way!!!

The present day attractions for the public to enjoy our culture is ample. Certain houses,have now been converted into restaurants serving food the authentic chettinad way with its ambience.The speciality of food in the chettinad culture needs no furthur proof than the number of restaurants with a chettinad based cuisine. Athiresam,vella paniyaram,kavanarisi,aadikool are just some of many delicacies from our part of the world. At the chettinad king's palace in kanadukattan village,a portion has been converted into a place of stay for the tourists who visit.That got the commercial name,the Chettinad mansion/ the Mansion house.

The cause for concern now has become the way we safeguard such authentic architecture.The natives of these houses have now moved to cities for living life, seeking commercial opportunities and only return for occasions such as festivals and marriages.What is to be worried is that,the unmanned palaces now have become a favoured hotspot for burglars.

Having said all this,I extend an invitation to all those who have read this, to visit our house and experience what my words have failed to convey about the house,its architecture and culture.I with due respect to my ancestors,dedicate this blog of mine to their work and part in history.

cheers,
nagappstheblogger!!!

I,me,myself...

'தான்' மட்டும் :

இவ்வுலகில் 'தான்' மட்டும் என்பதற்கு பெரிய இடம் எப்போதும் உண்டு.

'தான்' என்பதை தவிர்ப்பது எள்ளளவும் எளிதன்று ;
எச்சிந்தனை வரும்போதும் அது தன்னை சார்ந்ததாகவே இறிக்ககூடும்,இன்றி சிந்தனையிலே தோன்றாது.  

பயனின்றி ஒன்றை செய்வது, கற்பனையில் மட்டுமே என்று ஆயிட்று.

தன்னை பற்றிய சிந்தனையில்லை  என்றால் அது தனக்கு உதவும் வகையில் உள்ளவர் பற்றிய சிந்தனையாகவே இருக்கிறது.

மனிதன் சுயநலவாதிதான், சென்றகாலத்தில்!
                                                         இக்காலத்தில் !!
                                                         வரும்காலத்திலும் !!!

இதற்கு காரணங்கள் உண்டு ,
காரணம் இல்லாத காரியம் ஏது?

உலகின் இயக்கம் அதன் முதற்காரணம்;

புகழ்,பணம்,மதிப்பே 

பாசம்,அன்பு,நேசம் ஆகியவற்றை காட்டினும்  

பெரிதாக விரும்பப்படுகிறது.

பொறாமை,வெறுப்பு இதன் பிறப்புகளே!

"தான்" என்றதன் தீமைகளின் உயரமே,

அதை ஒழிப்பதன் கடினத்தின் உயரமாகும்.

சமுதாயத்தின்  அமைப்பு,

அதன் அவசியத்தை நெஞ்சில் ஆழமாக ஆணி போல் பதிக்கிறது .

'தான்' என்பதே அன்பின் தவிர்க்கமுடியாத விரோதி!
ஏன்னெனில் தன்னை விட இவ்வுலகில் யார் ஒருவனையும் ஒருவன் விரும்பிட முடியாது.

வணக்கத்துடன்,

விக்னேஷ் நாகப்பன்.அ

A FANS' CRY

It is that time of the year,when even the country's politics in mass media itself has taken a back seat.It is the time when the country's production is down by as much as one-fifth, by the reduction in manhours spent @ work by its citizens.It is time when movies wait for a better day to be released.It is a time when students give a damn for even the board exams.It is the time when a billion people pray for 11 blue dressed men.

Yes!!! It is the time of the CRICKET WORLD CUP in INDIA.

At this time,one can witness brick walls collapsing in a stampede for tickets,intense betting,TV channels giving cricketers microphones more often than they wud have a bat in hand,advertisement companies finding the acting skills in cricketers better than in bollywood jargons,Corporates running shot of money to compete with each other to sign brand contracts with players having star value.

Cricket can never be called a game atleast when India is in the picture.Which once was "eleven thousand fools following 11 men"  has now become "eleven crore 'not so fools' dying for 11 men" .Cricket they say is a RELIGION in itself.Atleast in this religion,there is no need to fight on who the GOD is.When they discuss cricket on business conferences,placement interviews,parties and even classrooms can it still be called a 'GAME'.If there is an unarguable reply to any question as 'NO',it is for this one.

Cricket not being a game,arguably a religion,what exactly is it? For me,cricket is nothing more than a BUSINESS.There comes the sad part for cricket and its FANS.

Cricket is the trade commodity,cricketers are the barter form of it.BCCI more than the ICC the business owners.ICC the watchman of the business office.People-The so called FANS, the customers.

A tournament hosting as many as 6 minnows with hardly any competitve cricket behind them is hard to sustain interest with its fans.How in world reality can you expect a canada to win over a 3 time defending champion australia.Leave alone the result, would that game drive any interest amongst the fans.Would the stadium have audience but the 2 umpires? Yet they telecast the same match in two channels with 2 different language commentry reaping advertisement revenues for the tournament package.The inner cricket fan voice in me says unless the organisers build the quality of the GAME and widen the number of international participants, their BUSINESS out of the game is going to be confined to the 9 to 10 countries which are @ it now,or may be in the long run even die, with the reason being the sameness of the product.

Organisers would never mind this.I wonder if the very thought to promote the game further would ever cross their minds, when they are generating more revenues than the fiscal targets, from the game easily.All the want from the tournament is India to go all the way for them to have the TV TRPs high to keep the marketing investors happy.India matches would have a full capacity of mad audience.Schedule that on a weekend,expect black money from the ticket sales to fund the board in the host nation.Do they need anything more? Why would they bother if fans dont show up for a match btw ireland and holland on a neutral venue?

The television company telecasting the event would have the same match in 3 of its channels, earn 24 lakh of rupees for each of  the 10 secs in an advertisement.The maths that I know tells me they earn 144 crores from ads in one channel for one match.They arent bothered about the intensity of the match, as it is only the package of a tournament for which they price the ads.One or two interesting games does it for them to bid for telecast rights spending millions and earn them back creating an eyewash among the die-hards of the game.

The brands never have a problem either,if their products sell.They know a Pepsi is sold not for its quality but for Sachin endorsing it. 

Neither does the cricketers need to worry,rather they get the best bargain out of the tournament.They would sign up contracts of 200 cr with a particular consortium as its brand ambassador.The duration of the contract would not be more than the time frame of the tournament.The former players are not to be left out in this.They would charge a few thousands for interviews and columns in mass media which are quite in number nowadays.Does money comes more easy to anybody else.I am made to think if only I had played the same game for my country, rather than at the flat opposite my house, I would almost have had money on trees to pluck from.Not to mention the girl fan following these cricketers get,for that atleast, may be if not for the money, I regret .

WE are the 'Poor Fans',not the FOOLS as the above proverb once said.We follow the game for the quality in it.We like it when the game gets to a nail-bitter.We pray,We cry,We celebrate as if we were a part of it.We buy a BOOST bottle cos Sachin says it is his secret of energy.

We swap our concentration in studies with that on cricket for the Love for witnessing the way the greats play the game.We know seeing a SACHIN's cover drive would make our day.We know they may get crores and crores of money,but we get the pleasure of viewing it,which equals.

ALL THAT WE SAY TO the game's administrators is 'WE LOVE THE GAME, DON'T LOSE US FOR MONEY'.We give you the money.Take care of us properly.Make CRICKET even more competitive and exciting.Have atleast 25 odd countries with different cricketing cultures battle with the same intensity and expertness on the game.It is boring to just see 9 odd countries competing on a genuine basis repeatedly.

(May be that is why we feel club games {ipl teams}are more exciting.)

This is a GAME too INCREDIBLE to be confined within 10 countries who actively participate.The generated huge ransom must be spent on countries coming up on their game.'Create new markets', in business terms. 

To all those FANS who feel LIFE is CRICKET,I delicate this blog to, representing them.

From dawn to dusk @ 7 to 10

I was on my way back from school after a normal day of 2nd standard impositions for handwriting in SBOA,chennai.I got back home,took the evening snack and sat to study with mom doing the teaching and me the reciting.On the verge of completing the portions for the day,mom started to tell me this:

"next year nee hostel poi padikapora"

All I knew about an hostel then was that I will be all alone without my parents and more importantly my sister around.I was super thrilled to know that I would now be able to escape from the routine of mom's knocks and pinches while studies.I thought life was all going to be so easy without my sister's demand for my things.

Dad got back from office and knew his plan of sending his son to a boarding school went down well with me.He, then,told me I was going to be studying in MONFORT School,Yercaud.He passed me the brochure of the school.I was even more excited this time,as i saw the beauty of the school in pictures.Dad always knew a boarding school was the place for me to build character,be independent and lead life on my own terms.The reason for him to think so,was obvious, for he was in a hostel when he was young as well.

Then came the day,

The day,when I had to join the school arrived.We,the four of us,took the train,the yercaud express which now is a testimony to my school journeys.We got to the school,and then to the cot allocated for me in the dormetry. Mom spread my bed,arranged my cupboard and said "this is how it should stay when I come over next time".My sister was speechless and saw the proceedings with some bitterness in leaving me there for she wouldnt have someone to fight with back home.I began to know life was not going to be a joy ride,ironical to what I taught, it was going to be, when I heard it the first time.

My dad spoke to the warden Brother Simon."My son is for you to take care of".For me it had more meaning than what English language had taught me.Tears locked my eyes.I tried my best not to cry when my parents were there.They bid bye with kisses.I couldn't hide my tears.

The moment they left I went into a room where all new comers were,cried out for the first time in life for a reason more significant than a chocolate.I had got all my lessons of LOVE then, at the age of 7.

Studies were always better with head knocks and pinches than with silence in a classroom.Cricket was always better on a house opposite mine than big open playfield.Waking up with mom's alarm at 7 am to catch the school bus on 7.20 am was always better than a 5.45 siren in the dormetry and a 6 o'clock cane whack for a 6.30 morning study.

Amid all the home sickness I had in my 3 years stay at monfort,I must say I learnt to be independent as my dad envisaged I would.I learnt to keep time with the routine in place.I knew how to fold my clothes,cook noodles with just hot water and manage the pocket money given to me.My mom needn't be there for my bath anymore.I always kept my cupboard neat,earned a prize for the 'cleanest cupboard in the dormetry'  as well.I learnt to FAIL in exams without having no body to recite to.I had the food shared with 7 other people in the table.Table manners came along.If I can speak english now,i learnt it there back in montfort.

If any memories of montfort ever linger,it will be me wanting to skip the swimming classes on a wednesday afternoon with intense cold temperatures of an hill station.I dreaded that until I learnt swimming during the summer vacations of the ninth standard.Another close memory is the letters I wrote to my parents every sunday morning.Dad told me he has them treasured more than the money he has with him today.But,its a pity he hasn't shown me them. I would love to see it sometime again after decades.

The weekly English movies,the prize night,the sports days,the sunday morning walk to the Sacred heart high school, all remains fresh till date.I had my cousin there for company as he joined me there for his fifth standard.I studied till 5th standard there until the hill climate in yercaud decided to cut short my stay in montfort throwing me ill with spells of chicken pox and jaundice.

Its a faint memory I have of my friends there.I caught up with one close montfort friend Niranjan Raj after exactly ten years on facebook.Talking to him was really nostalgic.Looking forward to catch up with others if it so happens.

The dawn to dusk from age 7 to 10 has made me cry for home sickness,made me count days for me to get back home but looking back, those days have shaped me as an individual whom I am now.Cry,love and self stays the way those days had defined them.To those days I treasure, I dedicate this blog of mine to.

cheers,

nagappstheblogger!!!

The phenomenon called GIRLS

The world for some is so beautiful coz of a phenomenon called girls; On the contrary,the world is NOT so beautiful for many others coz of the same.Girls are better known to be complex prototypes of God whom God himself has a tough time understanding.

If somebody asks me to give a one liner on girls,i wud say "have them around for some fun and lots of tears".let me make it crystal clear the some fun i mentioned is well worth the lots of tears that comes along with them.God is supreme jus cos he hides joy in sorrow and sorrow in joy.Girls his trumpcard to exercise that duty of his.

Sometimes we feel we can die for the love we get from a girl.Someother times we feel it is better to kill the same girl for the curse she has brought into our life.Life looks super complicated when girls are around.When i sat down to think why that was so,i found,girls arent so complex to understand.The prime reason for this notion being girls are so instable in their decisions.They take in 100 mind questions to pick what they want.Although debatable,it remains a fact that girls arent contented.It is that which is the root cause for all their miseries and henceforth for the people around them.When one realises what all girls are all about there is no question of girls being a Da Vinci code.

The lesser sex,these days the men,are what they are primarily because of the so called lesser sex-the women.A female's love is what drives a boy mad for serving her desires and helping him achieve things.Thats why i am a very big fan of the proverb "Behind every successful man there is a women".

In a nutshell if a women is this efficient to give and take love,she is twice as efficient in giving bundles of problems.Without taking any credit from them,it is not them but their love that is compounding the problem in hand.Only when we know it is not her whom we are gonna miss but her love we feel heartbroken.So there is no point in blaming girls for the mishaps.If one deserves her love,he surely deserves the pain which she comes along with as well.

I have always had this question in mind-'what wud life be like without any girls in this world'.I have come up with different answers for the same question on different occasions.I recently figured the true generalised answer to the question.It wud surely hav had no surprises,hence giving us no interest in such a life.God knew life would be life(so unpredictable),only when there were girls for the surprises.Whats life without million surprises a day.So the bottomline is "U want to have them or not,U definitely cant ignore them".

All things said and done,i ll have to say,however strenuous life ahead might be with tis phenomenon in my life,i am all excited to find the one for me and fight a million battles of love with her.To whom else can i delicate tis blog of mine but to that to be special one in my life.

cheers!!!
nagappstheblogger

The meaning of my life-CRICKET.

Life is something which needs a lifetime for us to understand and realize. But to feel it, may take just a second or an instance. In that sense, CRICKET is life for me. Yet,I didn't mean to play cricket all my life and be professional at it.I knew it was my life in terms of the pleasure the game had to offer on a personal front and make me feel life and thereby, help realize it.

From fun to fights,cricket has taught me all.

I knew what was fun, when i played cricket on four feet crawling.
I knew what was joy, when i heard the sound of  the ball hitting my bat.
I knew what was passion, when my friend was no more a friend in cricket-the sport.
I knew what was madness, when i cried for hours for my mom to buy me an indian cricket jersey.
I knew what was arrogance, when i didnt want to lose for any reason.
I knew what was determination, when i stood firm after physical blows yielding blood.
I knew what was love, when my team mate hugged me.
I knew what was pain, when i had to take my books with my friends playing just outside my window.
I knew what was support, when my batting partner wispered "hit the ball to orbit, its easy as it can get".
I knew what was victory, when i was dejected after a lost game.
I knew what was defeat, when i saw my oppenents in the shame of losing.
I knew what was boredam,when my peers werent there to bowl me a ball.

I knew life, when i knew cricket.

Dedicated to karthick.pl,raja and rajamani with whom I literally spent every day of my childhood, playing cricket.

Inviting-the techy way

hey guys!!!

Life is jus gr8 when a function is in sight.It is all fun with family and friends around.Its the occasion when photo albums are made,based on which memoirs are churned out.The air of joy would be something one would like to keep with them for a lifetime.These functions come as a reward of sorts, to the sweat of the host family to have earned the respect of their close circle.Its more significant, as such occasions come only once a blue moon.

YES! its one such occasion.Its the house warming ceremony of our new house in annanagar chennai.

Invitations are one sweet memory of any function one hosts.I wanted to invite ALL of YOU to the grahapravasam of our new house in a different way.After all, life is fun only when we surprise and be surprised by others.I had always wanted to blog regularly and leave my perspective of things.I always had a passion to write.Only that the lazy bird in me refused to sit up for regular blogging.In the event of inviting peers in a different techy way,my lazy self found a way for my debut as a blogger.I request all u ppl, to visit my blog page regularly and read all my blogs.Blogging, I assure u wud be frequent from now on.

Hence,hereby i invite all u soulful hearts to come and bless us.

Date:24th january,2011
Time:9.40 to10.20
Address:
Old no:63,New no:2,G2-maxis presidium
L-block,24th street,Annanagar East
chennai-102

regards and cheers,

nagappstheblogger!!!