oct. 2nd

Today, he was cleaned from head to toe and was garlanded for the first time since last Jan 30th. Patriotic songs reverberated all around. Long lectures were given about his services and sacrifices for the nation. From next day, the crow and pegion droppings were back all over him.........till the next Jan 30th.

AVS

30 years up the line

2 days back he was made the GM of the company

4 years back he won the patent for a path breaking invention in the field of Biomechanics

6 years back he had a baby boy

8 years bach he got married to Elizabeth

10 years back he met a girl named Beth in a college where he was giving a lecture

12 years back he resigned from MICRON due to ideology conflicts and joined NANS

14 years back he graduated with gold medal

16 years back he was presented with a customised automated vehicle for his conveyance by the Dean of the college

18 years back only Mahatma Institute of Technology came forward to offer him a seat for BE

20 years back he won the judicial case for admit in regular colleges

22 years back he was discharged from hospital

24 years back he spoke with vocal aid

26 years back he woke up from comatose

28 years back he was paralised from neck to down after a fatal road mishap where he lost his family

30 years back he was just another high school graduate

AVS

zindagi ke safar

"Let's just be friends".

Her words entered through my ears went all the way down to my heart, impersonated as a double edged dagger and cut my heart into two. My precious 3 years in college was wasted for her. Inumerable phone calls, greeting cards, flowers, gifts.........all in vain.Life no longer meant anything to me.Just as when I was about to empty a bottle of sleeping pills , the phone rang.

"Hey yaar, did you see that new junior in our college. She is damn hot, dude!!!"

Lets give life another chance, isnt it?

AVS

the resumption

After a lay off of over 3 months, the classes are about to resume. Days of hibernation and long sleeps now to be replaced by days and nights of toiling and night outs.
When I look back I am quite happy that I spent the summer break exactly the way I wanted- doing nothing worth mentioning or recollecting-lots of movies, lots of food, lots of sleep. Just the way I had perceived.
I am eagerly looking forward to this quarter, especially the exam week.........tats when I will be flying back to India!! wow! exam week has never been so exciting !!
I have one more course to complete my requirements.A final minute intervention by my advisor has made me rethink the course to take.
Now, I need to brush up my books, calcy etc.Might have to visit that sacred room which I have been avoiding for quite sometime now- the library.
Yet another fall quarter, yet another beginning. Hope I will be able to scramble through this quarter too.

Om Sahana Vavatu Sahanau Bhunaktu
Sahaveeryam Karavavahai
Tejas Vinavati Tamastuma vidhwishavahai
Om Shanti Shanti Shantihi

AVS

love ke liye saala kuch be karega

News can be baffling or indigestable at times;but not as outrageous as this one. Can't envision to what extend people go to get their love!

AVS

tiny tale

We were the ideal couple in that village.Our life had redefined the term succes for the people of the village. We never had any fights, no quarrels..not even an animated conversation.Even the most envious of our neighbours couldnt spot even a spark of disagreement from our house."Couples should be like this","They are the best couple in the world " went the remarks of the people.All looked upto us with awe and respect. Our 2 bedroom apartment was the centre of attaraction in the whole village. Surprising no one knew that we slept in differnt rooms.

AVS

trivia

Question:

What is 6'1" tall, 189 lbs, walks on 2 feet and is dumb enough to get into troubles which are not even remotely related to him

Answer:

Aravind Subramani

AVS

personal record

I created a personnal recored. Had a tele conversation for contineous 4 hrs. 11.30 pm to 3.30 am!
Way to go Aravind!

AVS

moved out

I moved out. Exactly one year-365 days-later I moved to a new apartment......again!The whole of last weekend was lost moving out stuffs from old apartment and dumbing them in the new place. Now a kind of nostagia is creeping in me.Its been a year full of experiences: good, bad and ugly; lots of happiness, some disappointments, achievements, failures etc.More than anything else, I learned to live alone! be on my own. Learned what lif can be like in a foreign land.Learned how to cook (and still carrying it out with a good success rate). If i am asked to recollect any year of my life, this year would be there in my shortlist!

New place.....its been just 3 days there ,may be thats y i am not feeling that apnapan.Good job by my roomies, house looks stylish and tidy.lets see how long (or should i say, how short?) it stays this way. With about 8 'temps' roaming in the house 24x7, i 'm doubtful about the longevity! (as if it would be all great without them! But i love to find excuses, isnt that fun?) But I havent found a place for my personnal stuffs.........may be a work for the next weekend!

A new beginning - new partners, new expenses, new compromises.Hope this year is also gonna be as good as my first year in cincinnati!

New Address:

Aravind Subramani

3138 Bishop Street, Apt #2

Cincinnati, OH 45220

AVS

song of the day

Every day morning I wake up with a song playing in my mind. And the whole day I would be humming it or it would be playing on an endless loop in my head.

Zindagi Ke Safar Mein Guzar Jaate Hain Jo Makaam
Vo Phir Nahin Aate, Vo Phir Nahin Aate
Phool Khilte Hain, Log Milte Hain
Phool Khilte Hain, Log Milte Hain Magar
Patjhad Mein Jo Phool Murjha Jaate Hain
Vo Baharon Ke Aane Se Khilte Nahin
Kuchh Log Ik Roz Jo Bichhad Jaate Hain
Vo Hazaron Ke Aane Se Milte Nahin
Umra Bhar Chahe Koi Pukaara Kare Unka Naam
Vo Phir Nahin Aate, Vo Phir Nahin Aate
Zindagi Ke Safar Mein...
Aankh Dhokha Hai, Kya Bharosa Hai
Aankh Dhokha Hai, Kya Bharosa Hai Suno
Doston Shaq Dosti Ka Dushman Hai
Apne Dil Mein Ise Ghar Banane Na Do
Kal Tadapna Pade Yaad Mein Jinki
Rok Lo Rooth Kar Unko Jaane Na Do
Baad Mein Pyaar Ke Chahe Bhejo Hazaron Salaam
Vo Phir Nahin Aate, Vo Phir Nahin Aate
Zindagi Ke Safar Mein...
Subah Aati Hai, Shaam Jaati Hai
Subah Aati Hai, Shaam Jaati Hai Yunhi
Vaqt Chalta Hi Rehta Hai Rukta Nahin
Ek Pal Mein Ye Aage Nikal Jaata Hai
Aadmi Theek Se Dekh Paata Nahin
Aur Pardey Pe Manzar Badal Jaata Hai
Ek Baar Chale Jaate Hain Jo Din-Raat Subah-O-Shaam
Vo Phir Nahin Aate, Vo Phir Nahin Aate
Zindagi Ke Safar Mein..

This is the one which was 'on air' in my head today.Interestingly this is the most recurred song. Infact this is the one which comes to my mind first when i think of my favorate songs.What appealed to me most abt this song is the lyrics........very meaningful lines and (on a philosophical note) quite relevent to the society and people as a whole.
More revelent for me today coz I realised the value of time and the real implications of the lines today! "Vaqt Chalta Hi Rehta Hai Rukta Nahin"............learned it the hard way today!

AVS

so are they named

Interesting piece of news.When i read the heading I thought it was yet another case of faulty voter's list.Being an ardent cricket fan myself, I cannot say whether I wont be doing something like this........but i can assure I wont take the names like this! may be sourav,rahul,sachin...............sounds better,doesnt it!

i lost

I was very proud of it. But i lost it.All my friends envied me for this.I lost it.I have aloways boasted about it.But, now have i lost it. I have been stripped of my pride, my......my precious! .I have changed. My outlook has changed.I am no longer the original ME. I am dependent now.I am lost.I am dejected.
I have been deprived of it
(i know i am making a heavy weather out of it and going a bit over the top.......i valued it that much!)

AVS

this day last year

This day. 16th of aug. exacty one year since i landed in US. In this nation of million dreams and hopes. Aug. 15th was independence day for both of us: India and me. 58th for her and 1st for me.This day last year is quite vivid in my mind.In my heart, in my soul. Sun TV was telecasting PKS and i was all set to see it atleast then.Since i was done with all my 'adieus' and had received all my 'bon voyages' i was expecting a quiet departure from india. But it was not to be. I had chosen the wrong day to see PKS.My anna and manni and pattimars where right there in my house in the morning. I was quite happy to see them having know how rarely they used to get out of the house.Another surprise followed when BM came around lunch time.It is more significant given that he was visiting our house for the first time.I was really happy.PKS was totally out of my mind by them.I am not a emotional or sentimental person. I believe in the silent expressions of compassion or care or love or u-name-it.But it was hard for me to keep my composure when N came al the way from kalady to present me a t-shirt. The day i thought would pass like a whisker was never ending,and u bet i loved every moment of it.All i can remember after that day is today. when i write this first year anniversery remark.I dont know how well i would remember any other day in my life. But i bet 15th aug. 2004 is there to stay alive for some while from now.

While on 15th aug.............as i was going on with my swatantradinaashamsakal to all i started feeling guilty. the thought of what have i done for my country creeped up in my mind? I would like to think aloud here: really..........what have i done for my country? have i done anything? could i have done anything? or what all could i have done? I have no answer! Feeling quite low. More than not doing anything for india, its the feeling of this thought coming only now hurts me more (tat shows i was negligent about my country when i was there) The only excuse (lame, it may be) i could come up with is : well, i havent done anything particularly good for the country.But again, i havent done any harm too! seems for the time being this is good enough reason to satiate the guitl in me.

quite a weekend

A pretty better weekend went by.C and P flew down here from utah.And thankfully i got a chance to go out of cincinnati(quite an accomplishment given my laziness and my love for being static).Had a fun 2 days. Went to dayton air firce museum.A funtabulous place to go.Saw an Imax movie there about a space lab being erected.Just got a bity philosophical and inferior thinking how much the world has advanced and i am still grumble for trivial things.Also changed my ultimate fantacy : from earning salary without working to living in space-floating around in zero g..........weightless,egoless(see, became a bit more sensible and realistic! this one is atleast possible,if not for me!)

And surpirse!!!!!!!!!!!!( well, not for anyone else,but me!) decided to go to india in dec.!It was just a matter of one day.Gave C and P long lecture y i wont be going to india and what i am planning to instead in dec. And all and made them convince that its not all that bad not going to india . And the very next day called them up to say i blocked ticket to india.Uh! many a times i am an enigma to myself.....quite an incomprehensible being! As i have told before, i am highly whimsical! Anyways, people here were more surprised when i said initially that i am not going to india.Difference in perspections and priorities u c!

anwarthanamam

what happens when u rent a car,with ur friends,over the weekend for driving practice?

what happens when u skip a whole day's practice hoping to make it up the next day?

what happens when 5 mins into ur driving,u bang the car against a wooden fence?

what happens if u jam the door and screw up the practice of others?

............u get a new nick...........'screw' driver !!

AVS

a quirky thought

One doesn't live to die. You live to live. You don't look forward to the day u die.You know how much time you have spent;but not sure how much more.You know how much of the available quota has been exhausted.So, isn't it more appropriate to say that I have died 24 yrs of my life rather than I have lived 24 yrs of my life ?

AVS

a confession

I wish life had a rewind button
To correct the mistakes already done
To repent for the faults commited
To pacify those who were affected
I wish I hadn't suspected
When I missed the expected
I wish I hadnt ruined her image
An act of outrage, even at that age
I wish I hadn't let the pet
When it was for me to get
I wish I had paid a visit
When all I did was idly sit
I wish I hadnt dragged the stool
Gosh! I was quite a fool
I wish I hadn't thrown the slate
It missed her; thank my good fate!
I wish I had had the food
I was quite a crapy dude!
I wish life had a rewind button
To feel myself a better person

AVS

top 5 hindi movies

I am a movie buff. Not many movies in hindi, malayalam, tamil and english can claim to have left the theatre without receiving a mentioning from me. I though I watch all sort of movies (many a times, just for the heck of watching!) I have a proclivity for good, meaningful, offbeat............or in one word ......hatke movies. I am starting a series listing my all time favorate 5 movies from each language (though i have mentioned it a series, I don’t guarantee when the next segment will be posted).In this edition I am listing my favorite hindi films of all time.

5 all time favorite hindi films (need not be in the given order):

1) GOLMAAL
Director: Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Cast : Amol Palekar, Utpal Dutt etc
An evergreen comedy. Saw the best of performance from Amol Palekar and Utpal Dutt. Even after having watched it for like 5 times, I can still see this film even without an iota of boredom. An example of how to make an unadulterated, clean comedy film. Amol Palekar was might have got typecasted after this film. My favorite character in the movie was Laxman Prasad Sharma aka Lucky. A movie which showed how a good comedy can be made without going over the top.

2) LAGAAN
Director: Ashatosh Gowarikar
Cast : Aamir Khan, Gracy Singh etc
Should I say anything about this movie? An international stuff! This movie blended two of my (in tat case, almost 90% of indians’) passion –cricket and movie. Kudos to Aamir and Ashatosh for showing the guts to make a movie like this. This movie is so etched that I can play as many re-runs as I want in my mind.

3) BORDER
Director: J.P. Dutta
Cast : Sunny Deol, Akshay Khanna, Sunil Shetty etc
One of the best war films ever made in India. I just love this movie and wont mind seeing it for the 11th time! It may not have been the most authentic of movies, but for the shear patriotism and the performance it showcased, it remains my favorite. The acting of Akshay Khanna and Sunil Shetty was a revelation. Sandese aate hai…………is my favorite song till date (it has a nostalgic feel to him which has been accentuated after coming to US, a same feel as I have for chitti aayi hai……). This movie leaves a small burn in my heart every time I see it. I was so moved by this movie that I mentioned it as the inspiration for wanting to join army during my interview for army recruitment ( gosh…..how insane I would have been to say so? “Stupidty, thy name is Aravind”)

4) ANAND
Director: Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Cast : Rajesh Khanna, Amithab Bachchan etc
An all time classic. No wonder seeing who the director was! It is the only film in which I liked Rajesh Khanna. This film showed how to present a tragic story without being melodramatic. The most wonderful of songs just added to the glory of this film. With the minimum of cast, this movie just conveyed the biggest of messages- live your life!

5) KOSHISH
Director: Gulzar
Cast : Kishore Kumar, Jaya Bachchan etc
A beautifully narrated tale of a mute and deaf couple. Wonderfully portrayed by Sanjeev Kumar and Jaya Bachchan. This is one movie which I would not want to see many time! First movie which affected me emotionally. It showed that language or dialogues are not always a must to convey an emotion or message.

Also, I would like to mention the names of few more films like Dil Chahta Hai, Munnabhai MBBS, Black, almost all RGV movies etc. There are some more movies which I have liked, when I think of my fav. , these r the ones which comes to my mind first.

You would have noticed tat my list is dominated by old movies. Yeah, so what!
I won’t mind even if u call me ‘generation W living in generation Z’ (which, infact, a friend of mine had exclaimed!)

AVS

whim

I tend to spent a hell lot of times to decide upon something and on some instances i just become impulsive.True of a real scorpio,I can say i tend to be ( to my own astonishment) whimsical at times .It took me 2 weeks and opinion of a dozen to decide NOT to buy an mp3 player. but it too me just 2 days to decide to appear for GRE. This intro. was meant just as a self-justification for buying a tennis racket.yeah ,i got one for myself!!well,my family and close friends wud be as surprised as me to hear this (i am proudly ashamed to say tat i am one of the best kanjapisinari u can come across.Given tat, me spending money on something which i havent ,ever, even touched before is quite unlikely of me.I have always wanted to play tennis (tats the only sport i knw well after my first love -cricket) but never got a chance to play when in india. even after landing in US, i cudnt play as i cudnt find an opponent of my 'calibre' .......all those who played were pretty decent in it....i was the only 'tennis virgin' around.so, when S told he had not played tennis and is planning to buy a racket,i didnt even care to think.......immediately left with him and ended up buying one! it was just a matter of 2 minutes to decide!now, i have one,i am excited ..........have to play whenever possible.........i know this fancy may not last long,but as long as it lasts,i wanna do it!

AVS

choti si kahani

"Alliance invited from parents of well mannered,good looking,god fearing,modern yet traditional and homely girl.Should be atleast 5'6" and not more than 5'11",should have a permanent job and should be willing to relocate".This was his parents' demand. He ended up marrying 3 girls........ couldn't find all these in one!

AVS