How men and women think

Today afternoon I received this mail from a friend asking me about my opinion about what a gift to her friend's fiance could be. The question and answers got to an interesting level and I decided to post this exchange here after seeking permission from her. This is how the conversation proceeded.

My friend:

"One of my friends is going to meet her fiance. He is of your age. She needs ideas of what to gift him. He is sober and likes traditional things like you. As far as what she has told me, his nature matches with yours. So tell me your ideas of any gift you would like to receive. :D

It's very urgent. So please tell me by tonight as per Indian time.

Cheers."

Prasad:

What's his nationality? Since you are sitting at across seven seas, I get this doubt! :D
Anyway, for sake of a quick answer I assume your friend is in India and her fiance is Indian. :-)

• Let her not buy an expensive gift.
• It can be something which he can keep with him or on the work table. e.g. pen, pen-set, pen stand, a photo frame (without photo or with a photo of his parents/family). Frame without photo will give him a subtle hint. He will invariably put her photo there. :D
• A greeting - handmade - does wonders.
• I also think of a ready made greeting with a personal message. Without a personal message, it may become mere a formality. Bigger the message more the positive impact!

Let me not confuse you with too many options. So I conclude. Wish your friend all the best on my behalf.

Warm regards"

My friend:

"wowwwwwwwwwwwwww :D

Sure. Thanks a lot.
By the way, just curious... why not an expensive gift? I told her get an expensive leather wallet for him. :D"

Prasad:

"Buying an expensive gift might give the guy impression that the girl is trying to show off her wealth, especially when the girl's family is better off financially than the guy's family. It will be a big turn off. I mean at least for me if I am pushed in such situation. Any way, the intentions, innocent or otherwise, become very clear by seeing how the girl presents the gift. :-) If the guy is convinced that there is no hidden purpose behind the expensive gift, he will accept it gleefully; he'll accept rather anything that comes for free. But I guess it is very subjective. :-)

Wallet itself is not a very expensive thing. Then wallet is not a gift I am very much fond of. Though I gladly received it when my sister gifted one to me.:D See, guys can be like that too!

Before that she had found my wallet in a weathered condition and had not sifted through it, thankfully so.

PS: This is becoming an interesting piece of article. Can I post it on my blog?"

My friend:

"Yes, yes! Sure!! :D Actually I have some more doubts since this very much reveals how men and women think.

For our subject, the guy lives in Delhi but is damn rich. My friend is from middle class. She says that she doesn't want to impress him an all, but gift him something which he will cherish for a long time. He also has told her, it seems, that he likes old things, like antique stuff. She is also thinking of a hand watch pretty much like the one Gandhiji used to have. But I influenced her with my wallet ideas. She is also thinking of the photo frame now. :D Her Mom suggests a shirt. :D Poor girl! But yes, you can write a blog post about this.

It's interesting to know how men and women think and also to know how men from different age group think. I guess you are from the next generation to me and my generation guys have different tastes as much as I see."

Prasad:

"Correction: I belong to a previous generation than that of yours. :D

Given the relatively humbler economical background of the girl, I believe she should not at all buy anything that is expensive for him. For once, the idea of an expensive gift for a rich is too much to afford for a middle class girl. Something like Rs 5999 for an Italian leather wallet! Middle class person will think of it as an obscene price. But given the situation of the girl, she will not find it that high and will try to stretch her finances and will end up in buying. Will that impress the guy? I am not sure. I believe a gift with a very personal touch, a gift which the girl has actually spent time with will be most valuable to the guy. The guy will remember it and preserve it for its shear simplicity.

Shirt is a common gift. There is a purpose behind gifting cloths to the would-be son-in-law which is to offer something that is utterly essential and also is very intimate. Cloths fulfill the purpose by fitting close to the body and also covering them. A kind of abstract idea. It is a very good one but is a common one. Well off guys have a lot of shirts, Ts, jeans at their disposal and they don't care for more unlike girls, who will be swept off their feet if they are presented with a sari or a beautiful dress. I don't want to label any of such inclinations good or bad, but this difference exists for sure. The shirt with other dress material can always be presented to the guy after the marriage."

My friend:

"Agreed. :D Perfect! :)"

I must thank my friend for allowing me to post this conversation here, which I have done before posting this and also am doing it here. Thank you! :-)

eka mulaachi goshT

गेले अनेक दिवस डोक्यात एक कल्पना घोळत होती. ती म्हणजे दुसरी तिसरीत असताना अभ्यास न करणे, व्रात्यपणा करणे आणि त्याचा परिणाम म्हणून बाईंकडून किंवा सरांकडून रागावून घेणे अथवा छड्या खाणे, ही नित्याचीच बाब असते. हो, हो! माझा स्वत:चाही अनुभव कमी अधीक प्रमाणात असाच काहीतरी आहे. मान्य करायला काय हरकत आहे! तुमचा काय वेगळा होता काय? असो. तर मी म्हणत होतो की असे असताना शाळेबद्दल थोडीशी संमिश्र भावना लहानपणी असायची. त्याबद्दल दोन ओळी लिहायच्या असा विचार मनात घोळत होता. काल रात्री त्याला मूर्त स्वरुप द्यायचे ठरवले आणि त्या 'दोन ओळी' लिहून पूर्ण केल्या. त्या अशा...

एका मुलाची गोष्ट

ती पाहताच माझी शाळा
हृदयी जो धडका भरला
जणू बांधची वाटे फुटला
उरलेला धीरची सुटला

कारण की आठवते मजला
काही घोटाळाची झाला
गणिती पाठची दिधला
बाईंनी सोडविण्याला

खेळ-बाहुल्ल्या मधुनी
करण्याचा राहूनी गेला
नाही कारण द्यायायाला
काही उपाय नाही उरला
उरलेला धीरची सुटला

तो इतिहासाचा तास
तिथे सनावळी अनेक
पण स्मरणी नसेची एक
पडे प्रसंग समोर बाका
वर्गी गनिमाचाची धोका
हुरहूर वाटे मजला
उरलेला धीरची सुटला

दिले व्याकरणाचे पाठ
म्हणी घोका हा गृहपाठ
दिसे गुरुजींची छडी ताठ
म्हणती डोके हे की माठ?
आता तिच्याशी माझी गाठ
कसे उत्तर द्यावे त्यांला
प्रश्न भलता अवघड बनला
उरलेला धीरची सुटला

तोवर मज आठवली
ती देशपांड्यांची मनुली
अन वळलेली पाऊले
अलगद अशी थबकली

थांबूनी तेथे क्षणभर
शाळेकडेची वळली
तशी छडीची नी बाईंची
आठवण मागे सरली

पण हाय घातची झाला
वर्गाच्या दाराशीच
गुरुजींची पडली गाठ
ते पटकन झाले पुसते
अभ्यास करितशी का रे?
का हालवितो मुंडी नुसते?
का मुखीचा चंबू झाला?
मग मार असाची मिळाला
वाटे नकोची कळो कुणाला!

पण मनात मनुची गोष्ट
करी छडीचा घावही मस्त
असे म्हणून आत मी शिरलो
नकळत बाईंशीची भिडलो
मग क्रुद्ध बाईंनी केला
माझ्या पितरांचा उद्धार
समोर दिसला मजला
दिवसाचा भागाकार

कोप-याकडे मी वळता
सभोवार नजर ती फिरली
नजरेसच नाही पडली
ती देशपांड्यांची मनुली
कुठूनी बुद्धी सुचली
आणि शाळेवर मी आलो
झाला मोठा पश्चाताप
वर मनुचा राग अमाप

धरता धरता अंगठे
अश्रूंचा झाला पात
बैठका ही काढीवल्या
अहो मोजूनी त्याही सात
सारी पोरं फिदीफिदी हसली
इथे आमची स्वारी रुसली

मनु होती काल म्हणाली
आणीन हलवा उद्या डब्यातूनी
आणि ताईनी दिली तर
दोन मोरपिसे वहीतूनी

आज ती आलेली नाही
हलवान पिसे ही नाही
वर होई कानांची अन्
तळहातांची लाही लाही

थोड्या अवधी नंतरी
बाकावरी मोर्चा आमचा बसला
तिथे पिटपाट जनू फुदकला
कानी लागोनी हळुची म्हणाला
छकुली पहा ती लेल्यांची
बोलाविती आहे तुजला

तोवरी छोट्या सुट्टीची
घंटा ती घणघणली
आज डब्यात जम्मत आहे
धावत येता म्हणाली छकुली

ती अन् मी अन् जनू
बाहेर पाणी प्याया निघालो
भागाकारातील बाकी
नकळत विसरून गेलो
नकळत विसरून गेलो

***

Chennai MRTS

Mumbai and India will bounce back

In the wake of the ongoing terrorist attack in Mumbai, the most dastardly attack in India so far, it is clear that it is a tough time we, the Indians, are going through. My heart goes to all those innocent souls, Indians and foreign nationals, brave cops and commandos who've lost their life and those who have sustained life threatening injuries. But I feel that this tough time will pass and it is inevitable that Mumbai and India will brave this terror attack. And Mumbai and India will bounce back.

The whole world is condemning this attack on India and is showing solidarity to India's war on terror. We must be grateful for this gesture of the world community but I must state that this is our war and we have to fight our war with or without any support from others.

In response to the breaking news of the terror attacks in Mumbai on New York Times' website, I found the following noteworthy comment which I consider as a representative of world community's feelings towards the terrorism and its unfortunate impact on India, the largest democracy in the world.

32. November 26, 2008 5:04 pm, Link

For too long, this war on terrorism has been used in the US as a bludgeon to advocate a specific set of policies disproportionate to its risk and more in-line with the long-term interests of the Bush administration. It's not that, here in the US, we should not have been scared after 9/11, but maybe we were too scared, and gave up too much, to the point of hysteria. That overreaction lent itself to manipulation by those with disingenuous motives, and risked the sincere support of America's friends and allies.

Now India is being hit by terrorist attacks matched in drama and fear, if not yet in scale, to 9/11. India froze the assets of foreign terrorists suspects for the US after we were attacked 7 years ago. We responded with a weak and unfocused policy in the region, which included propping up a destabilizing dictatorship with India's tensest foreign relationship.

It's time America did right by India, and issued a statement of solidarity in light these attacks. It should not include a plan of action that the US takes, but instead a commitment of resources to help India investigate or go after the groups that perpetrate these crimes. The mandate should be qualified to free us from obligation to be involved or support unilateral activity on the part of India in territory it disputes with Pakistan, so that we're not rattling any cages. But in any case, it's time this war on terrorism meant something more than a cash hole, long lines at airports, and the Bush administration projecting its idea of force onto the 21st century. And it's time America meant something more to a country like India than an entity only slightly more troubling and dangerous as an enemy than as a friend.
— Pierce, Atlanta

Such comments also indicate a change of the perception of the world community towards India and in other words the realization of the ground facts about ground facts about the active involvement of India's neighbors in the terrorist activities withing India and also around the globe. India should realize that it is time to capitalize upon these positive sentiments.

Our democracy and the political system is like an elephant. An elephant walks slowly, changes its course slowly. But it is an intelligent animal too. The elephant becomes unstoppable for the wildest animals on the earth when it starts running with a motto and a mission in mind. I am sure that our system will become wiser with each such experience and start acting firmly and proactively to counter each of such attempts, to destabilize the integrity of the nation, and even to go further to eliminate this menace in its roots. Sooner is better.

MIP Lands on the Moon Surface

The first impression of Indian expedition is made on the moon by the successful landing of the Moon Impact Probe (MIP) over the moon surface at 8.31 pm. The probe was dropped from the Chandrayaan-I traveling in the moon orbit from a distance of approximately 100 km. During twenty two minutes descent towards the surface, MIP, with its four sides painted with tricolour, has taken pictures of the moon which will be made available on Saturday. I join all my fellow Indian citizens in the eagerness to see some of those pictures. It is also said that the landing and the subsequent tests taken up by MIP will help validate the landing systems which are being developed by ISRO. With the successful landing of MIP, India joins the USA, the erstwhile USSR and European Union to achieve this success. It is such a proud moment for our country and our scientist fraternity.

The following pictures are published by ISRO those are sent by MIP during its descent towards moon surface.

Footprints

One night a man had a dream.
He dreamed he was walking along the
beach with the Lord.
Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene, he noticed two sets of
footprints in the sand;
one belonging to him,
and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of his life flashed
before him, he looked back at the
footprints in the sand.
He noticed that many times along the
path of his life there was only one set
of footprints.
He also noticed that it happened at the
very lowest and saddest times in his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned
the Lord about it.
'Lord, you said that once I decided to follow
you, you'd walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life there is only
one set of footprints.
I don't understand why when I needed
you the most you would leave me.'
The Lord replied, 'My precious, precious child,
I love you and I would never leave you.
during your times of trial and suffering, when
you see only one set of footprints in the sand
it was then that I carried you.'


Trivia:

Ella H. Scharring-Hausen, Princeton Educator and Sunday School Teacher wrote the Footprints in the Sand poem June 6, 1922 at the age of 22. Its first line read 'One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.' Ella H. Scharring-Hausens poem is now public domain property according to the copyright law of 1909. The Footprints in the Sand poem was later rewritten with permission of its owner in April Passion Week 1963 by Ella H. Scharring-Hausen's great niece, Carolyn Joyce Carty, a six year old child prodigy.

The Footprints poem famous first line then became, 'One night a man had a dream.' This first line was written by Robert Louis Scharring-Hausen. Carolyn Joyce Carty revised the complete text into its present form, which has become known as the more popular version of the Footprints poem.

Well, this is just one version. The story of this famous poem doesn't end here. A little more search takes me to two more versions, with the similar meaning and message. One of them is penned by Mary Stevenson in 1936 and the other by Margaret Fishback Powers in 1964. It is also found that there is also one Burrell Webb who claims to have authored this poem in 1958 while he was distressed as his girlfriend left him.

Follow the blog through Follower's Widget

Blogger.com team has come up with one good widget. It enables you to follow new posts on my blog. This way it will save some of my energy to tell you that "hey, only recently I've updated my blog!". It also will help me to know about you. All that you have to do is to click on the "Follow this blog" on a small widget present in the sidebar and follow the instructions. If you're a blogger or have your own website, then you can expect some visitors jumping to your blog from the list of followers. Just in case you don't want to reveal your identity and still want to get updates about my blog, you can follow my posts anonymously.

I recently came across two very interesting and funny but insightful images while browsing web. The first one speaks volumes about the cricket mania prevailing in Indian subcontinent. The action of a protester hurling a stone is akin to a furious fast bowler and it seems as if the policeman is trying to punish the 'bowler' by sending his 'delivery' across the fence.

Image courtesy: eSakal.com

The second one is more about our addiction to the internet and it emphasizes the need to give internet a break once in a while.

Source unknown

awara hun - lyrics

आवारा हूँ, आवारा हूँ
या गर्दिश में हूँ
आसमान का तारा हूँ
आवारा हूँ ...

घरबार नहीं संसार नहीं
मुझ से किसी को प्यार नहीं
उस पार किसे से मिलने का इकरार नहीं
मुझ से किसी को प्यार नहीं
सुनसान नगर अनजान डगर का प्यारा हूँ
आवारा हूँ ...

आबाद नहीं बरबाद सही
गाता हूँ खुशी के गीत मगर
जख्मों से भरा सीना है मेरा
हसती है मगर ये मस्त नजर
दुनिया, दुनिया मैं तेरे तीर का
या तक़दीर का मारा हूँ
आवारा हूँ ...


गीतकार: शैलेन्द्र
गायक: मुकेश
संगीतकार: शंकर जयकिशन
चित्रपट: आवारा (१९५१)

hoyto tumari jonno - Manna Dey

I liked this song from Bengali movie 'Teen Bhubner Parey' the moment I first listened to it. Then I watched the video and to my delight it was picturised on Tanuja, one of my favorite actresses. Actually it is a love song where Soumitra, veteran Bengali actor, expresses his feelings to Tanuja on screen. Based on the western beats, the solo song is a silent and melodious affair. And should I tell how Manna Dey has sung this song? This song easily fits into some of the best songs Mannada has ever sung. The camera steadily moves and shows expressions of the pair beautifully. Picturisation itself is worth many accolades. I could not understand the meaning of the song word by word. I could not wait till my friend sent the literal translation of the song though I could find the lyrics, transliterated in English script, from internet. From the translation I can say that the song has very intensely expressed the state of the hero's mind. Now with help of the friend, I have corrected the lyrics and put them into Devanagari script. I have taken maximum possible care to produce the correct pronunciation of words. But errors are bound to be present and I am open to the suggestions.




हॉयतो तोमारी जंनो
होयेछी प्रेमे जे बाँनो
जानी तुमी अनोंनो
आशार हाथ बढाय

जोदी कोखॉनो एकांते
चेयेछी तोमाय जांते
शुरू थेके शेष प्रांते
छूटे छूटे गेछीताय

आमी जे निजेई मत्तो
जानी ना तोमार शर्तो
जोदी बा घोटे अनोर्थो
तोबूओ तुमाये चाय

हॉयतो तोमारी जंनो ...

हाहा... आ हां... आहां... हं हं हं ... आ आ आ ... आ...

आमी जे दुरंतो
दुचोखे अनंतो
झॉडेर दिगांतो जुडेइ श्वोप्नो छोडाय

(तुमी तॉ बॉलॉनी मंदों
तोबू केनो प्रतिबोंधो) (२)
एखोना मोनेर दंधो
शब छेडे चोलो जाय

हॉयतो तोमारी जंनो
होयेछी प्रेमे जे बाँनो
जानी तुमी अनोंनो
आशार हाथ बढाय

जोदी कोखॉनो एकांते
चेयेछी तोमाय जांते
शुरू थेके शेष प्रांते
छुते छुते गेछीताय
... ...

pahile quiz (first quiz)

नुकतच आमच्या इथल्या मुलांसाठी चाचणी परिक्षा - क्वीझ - घेण्यात आली. बहुतेक जणांना याची सवय असते पण पहिल्या वर्षातील मुलांना हा अनुभव पहिलाच असतो. आणि हा अनुभव मनात थोडी धाकधूक, थोडी उत्कंठा निर्माण करणारा असतो. या अनुभवावर विचार करता करता काही ओळी सुचल्या. त्यामध्ये नंतर थोडी भर पडली आणि एकूण या प्रकाराने एका नादकाव्याचे रूप घेतले. ते इथे सादर करीत आहे.


पहिलं क्वीझ
आकाशात वीज
पावसात भीज
खाटेवर नीज

पहिलं क्वीझ
भीतीचे बीज
घोकम्पट्टी
वर्षाचे लीज

पहिलं क्वीझ *
मरतोय मीच
मनीच होई
कष्टाचं चीज

पहिलं क्वीझ #
उगाच झीज
जुन्या ब्रेडला
नवीन चीज

पहिलं क्वीझ
मेंदूची झीज
कशास करशी
उगाच टीज

पहिलं क्वीझ
समोर चंगीझ
आणि वर म्हणे
बी ऍट इझ

पहिलं क्वीझ
प्रश्न सोळा
फोड भोपळा
इति चंगीझ

पहिलं क्वीझ
मोकळं रान
मोडे मान
फुटे काळीज

पहिलं क्वीझ *
प्रश्न मीच
धडपडतोय अजून
दूर क्षितीज

पहिलं क्वीझ
कड कड टप टप
तड तड ठप ठप
सांडे वीज

पहिलं क्वीझ
यस यस नो नो
यस यस नो नो
यस इट इज!

पहिलं क्वीझ
आकाशात वीज
पावसात भीज
खाटेवर नीज

***

* सहाय्य : अभिजीत कुलकर्णी
# सहाय्य: गिरीश कुलकर्णी

***

maajha bolaNa maajha chaalaN - Sandeep Khare

माझ बोलण, माझ चालण, माझ हसण, माझ वागण (३)
उन सावलीच्या परी, कधी नकोस हवस (२)
तुम्ही म्हणाल तस, हो हो तुम्ही म्हणाल तस, ह ह तुम्ही म्हणाल तस, हो हो तुम्ही म्हणाल तस

(कधी वाटते म्हणावे, गीत केवळ आजचे
आणि डोळ्यांच्या तळ्यात, दीप सोडावे कालचे) (२)
कुणी वाहती तळ्यात, कुणी हळव्या डोळ्यात (२)
तुम्ही कासावीस, हो हो तुम्ही कासावीस, ह ह तुम्ही म्हणाल तस, हो तुम्ही म्हणाल तस

(दिसभर आसावलो, एका कवड्याश्यासाठी
सांज ढळता ढळता, ऊन पोचल दाराशी) (२)
आता सावलीच्या ओठी, येड्या ऊनाची बासरी (२)
गाण येडपिस, हो हो गाण येडपिस, हो हो तुम्ही म्हणाल तस, हो हो तुम्ही म्हणाल तस

(पैलतीर गाठताना, आले ध्यानी गेला धीर
पार पोचताच झाला, पैलतीर ऐलतीर) (२)
(जीव कोणत्या काठचा, कुण्या नाहीश्या गावचा) (२)
आता म्हणाल तस, हो हो आता म्हणाल तस, हो हो तुम्ही म्हणाल तस, हा हा तुम्ही म्हणाल तस

माझ बोलण ...

शब्द: संदीप खरे
"दिवस असे की"

man talyaat malyaat - Sandeep Khare

मन तळ्यात मळ्यात, जाईच्या कळ्यात (२)
मन नाजुकशी मोतिमाळ (२) तुझ्या नाजुकश्या गळ्यात
मन तळ्यात ...

पुरी चाहुलींचे मृ गजळ (३)
वाजे पाचोळा मृ गी कश्यात ||१||
मन तळ्यात ...

इथे वार्‍या ला सांगतो गाणी, माझे राणी
इथे वार्‍या ला सांगतो गाणी
आणि झुळूक तुझ्या मनात ||२||
मन तळ्यात ...

भिडू लागे रात्र अंगाला गे, हो ... हो!
भिडू लागे रात्र अंगाला गे
तुझ्या नखाची कोर नभात ||३||
मन तळ्यात ...

माझ्या नयनी नक्षत्र तारा (३)
अन चांद तुझ्या डोळ्यात ||४||
मन तळ्यात मळ्यात, जाईच्या कळ्यात

शब्द: संदीप खरे
"दिवस असे की"

MRTS

Mass Rapid Transit System

A panned photograph of a local train leaving Velachery Station traveling towards North Chennai caught while we were experimenting with new camera Santosh had acquired recently.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel XT (350 D)
Exposure: 1/15 s, f/5.6, ISO 100

Sarvatmaka Sarveshwara

An humble attempt to sing Bhairavi to conclude a musical program by Marathi Mitra Mandal IIT Madras at Maharashtra Mandal Chennai during Ganeshotsav 2006. Shri. Rajendra Sakhale accompanying on tabla.

सर्वात्मका सर्वेश्वरा, गंगाधरा शिवसुंदरा।
जे जे जगी जगते तया, माझे म्हणा करूणा करा॥
आदित्य या तिमिरात व्हा, ऋग्वेद या हॄदयात व्हा।
स्रुजनत्व द्या, द्या आर्यता, अनुदारिता दुरिताहरा॥
सर्वात्मका सर्वेश्वरा॥



English Translation of Sarvatmaka Sarveshwara

kase saratil saye - Sandeep Khare

कसे सरतील सये, माझ्याविना दिस तुझे सरताना आणि सांग सलतील ना?
गुलाबाची फुलं दोनं, रोज रात्री डोळ्यावर मुसू मुसू पाणी सांग भरतील ना?

पावसाच्या धारा धारा, मोजताना दिस सारा, रितेरिते मन तुझे उरे,
ओठभर हसे हसे, उरातून वेडेपिसे, खोल खोल कोण आंत झुरे.
आता जरा अळीमिळी, तुझी माझी व्यथा निळी, सोसताना सुखावून हसशील ना?
गुलाबाची फुलं दोनं, रोज रात्री डोळ्यावर मुसू मुसू पाणी सांग भरतील ना?

कोण तुझ्या सौधातून, उभे असे सामसूम, चिडीचूप सुनसान दिवा,
आता सांज ढळेलच, आणि पुन्हा छळेलच, नभातून गोरा चांदवा.
चांदण्यांचे कोटी कण, आठवांचे ओले सण, रोज रोज नीजभर भरतील ना?
गुलाबाची फुलं दोनं, रोज रात्री डोळ्यावर मुसू मुसू पाणी सांग भरतील ना?

इथे दूर देशी, माझ्या सुन्या खिडकीच्यापाशी, झडे सर कांचभर तडा,
तूच तूच तूझ्या तूझ्या, तूझी तूझी तूझे तूझे, सारा सारा तुझा तुझा सदा.
पडे माझ्या वाटेतून, आणि मग काट्यातून, जातांनाही पायभर मखमल ना?
गुलाबाची फुलं दोनं, रोज रात्री डोळ्यावर मुसू मुसू पाणी सांग भरतील ना?

आता नाही बोलायाचे, जरा जरा जगायाचे माळूनिया अबोलीची फुले,
देहभर हलू देत विजेवर डुलू देत, तुझ्या माझ्या विरहाचे झुले.
जरा घन झुरू दे ना, वारा गुदमरू दे ना, तेंव्हा मग धरा सारी भिजवेल ना?
गुलाबाची फुलं दोनं, रोज रात्री डोळ्यावर मुसू मुसू पाणी सांग भरतील ना?

शब्द : संदीप खरे

Rally WRC Jumping Complilation

Hinduism for US police

The Chicago police uses this video to sensitise its force.

Chile’s Chaiten volcano spews lava, blasts ash 20 kilometres into sky

Mastering the art of finding joy from small things is the secret of the happiness!

I reached the mess, which is just across, to have breakfast only be greeted by Suresh. He reminded me that it was Mahashivaraatrie yesterday and that was the day when I had been voted the hostel affairs secretary. I greeted him trying to recall if it was Mahashivaraatrie on the day of elections that year. I remembered in a moment that the same Suresh had wished me good luck on the morning of the elections mentioning that it was an auspicious day and that it would bring only success. His blessings rendered the fruits and the end of the day saw me garnering most number of votes in a triangular contest. If my contesting elections with another Suresh, MS scholar for another post, was an important event for the cause of active participation of post-graduate students in organising various events at IIT Madras campus then my winning the election was beginning of a new chapter in my life that put me in a different perspective of result orientedness. It turned out to be an exciting roller-coaster ride, an experience which I could not have otherwise.

Suresh, the cook, didn't exactly remember which post I was contesting for. Actually I was elected as the general secretary of the IITM's student body. But I'll miss the point if I ponder over the post I had held. On the election day and on the days before it, Suresh sure had learnt that it was something unusual for the phd scholars he had seen and he had seen plenty in the twenty plus odd years he had spent in cooking in the hostel mess. He has sensed an extra charge in general atmosphere in the hostel and elsewhere. On the night of elections, he had come to me and had congratulated me for the win. And today morning when he reminded me about Mahashivaraatrie and told me that I had forgotten the day, the whole thing flashed before my eyes. Smile on his face was as bright as it could be and smile on my face too was as big as it could be. Amused by his gesture, I wished him a great day. What a start for otherwise-an-ordinary day!

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