Chuci 楚辭 "Poetry of the South"

＜湘夫人＞
帝子降兮 北渚， 目眇眇兮 愁予．
嫋嫋兮 秋風， 洞庭波兮 木葉下．
白薠兮 騁望， 與佳期兮 夕張．
鳥萃兮 蘋中， 罾何為兮 木上．
沅有兮 醴有蘭，思公子兮 未敢言．
荒忽兮 遠望， 觀流水兮 潺湲．
麋何食兮 庭中？ 蛟何為兮 水裔？
朝馳余馬兮 江皋， 夕濟兮 西澨．
聞佳人兮 召予， 將騰駕兮 偕逝．
築室兮 水中， 葺之兮 荷蓋．
蓀壁兮 紫壇， 播芳椒兮 成堂．
桂棟兮 蘭橑， 辛夷楣兮 葯房．
罔薜荔兮 為帷， 擗蕙櫋兮 既張．
白玉兮 為鎮， 疏石蘭兮 為芳．
芷葺兮 荷屋， 繚之兮 杜衡．
合百草兮 實庭， 建芳馨兮 廡門．
九嶷繽兮 並迎， 靈之來兮 如雲．
捐余袂兮 江中， 遺余褋兮 醴浦．
搴汀洲兮 杜若， 將以遺兮 遠者．
時不可兮 驟得， 聊逍遙兮 容與．

http://www.chinaknowledge.de/Literature/Poetry/chuci.html

ವಿಮಲ್?

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તાલિબાન કાશ્મીર માટે નહીં લડે
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સૌથી વધારે દુખ વાજપેયીના કારણે થયુ : સોમનાથ ચેટર્જી
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જીડીપી વિકાસદર ઘટીને 5.3 ટકા રહ્યો
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અમેરિકા પાક.ને વધુ સૈન્ય મદદ આપશે
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સરકાર અમને જેલભેગા કરવા માંગે છે : મુલાયમ સિંહ
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26/11 માં સૈન્ય અધિકારીનો હાથ હોવાને પાક. સેનાનો ઈનકાર
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રોમાંચક મુકાબલામાં ભારતને હરાવી ન્યૂઝીલેન્ડનો શ્રેણી પર કબજો
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કેન્દ્રીય કર્મચારીઓના D.A.માં ૬ ટકા વધારો
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બીએસએનએલના કોલ દરમાં માર્ચથી ઘટાડો થશે
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અમદાવાદ સહિતનાં વધુ પાંચ એરપોર્ટ પર ડેવલપમેન્ટ ફી વસૂલાશે

ಹೌ'ಸ ಥಟ್

ಯಾಹೂ ಕನ್ನಡ

• ಶರಣಾಗದಿದ್ದರೆ ಕಠಿಣ ಕ್ರಮ: ಹಸೀನಾ ಎಚ್ಚರಿಕೆ
• ಪಾಕ್‌ಗೆ ಅರ್ಥವಾಗುವ ಭಾಷೆಯಲ್ಲೇ ಕಲಿಸಬೇಕು: ಮೋದಿ
• ಹಣದ ಕಂತೆ ಪ್ರದರ್ಶನ, ಅತ್ಯಂತ ಕೆಟ್ಟ ಕ್ಷಣ: ಚಟರ್ಜಿ
• ಬಾಂಗ್ಲಾದೇಶ: ಸೈನಿಕರ ಬಂಡಾಯಕ್ಕೆ 50 ಬಲಿ
• ಸ್ವಾಟ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ಅಲ್ ಖೈದಾ ಉಪಸ್ಥಿತಿ ಸಹಿಸಲಾರೆವು: ಪಾಕ್
• ಮಾಲಿನಿ ವಜಾಕ್ಕೆ ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ನಿರ್ಧಾರ
• ಗಣೇಶ್ ನಟನೆಯ ಉಲ್ಲಾಸದ ಹಾಡುಗಳು
• ಬಿಸಿಸಿಐ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ನ್ಯಾಯಾಲಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಕರಣ ದಾಖಲು: ಕಪಿಲ್
• ದೇವರ ಕೋಪಕ್ಕೆ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ ಗುರಿ: ಖರ್ಗೆ
• ಅರಣ್ಯ ಒತ್ತುವರಿ ಸಕ್ರಮ ಇಲ್ಲ: ಸಿಎಂ
• ಚಿಂದಿ ಮಗಾ ಚಿಂದಿಗೆ ಮಹೇಶ್ ನಿರ್ದೇಶಕ
• ಸಚಿವರಿಗೆ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ತಪಾಸಣೆಗೆ ಖರ್ಗೆ ಸಲಹೆ

My editorial in Intelligent Pune feb 27

Slumdog Millionaire is for every insensitive Indian
by Vinita Deshmukh
Intelligent Pune weekly tabloid, Feb 27

Amitabh Bachchan thrashed Slumdog Millionaire saying it has “projected India as a third-world, dirty underbelly developing nation and causes pain and disgust among nationalists and patriots. Let it be known that a murky underbelly exists and thrives even in the most developed nations. It’s just that the Slumdog Millionaire idea, authored by an Indian and conceived and cinematically put together by a westerner, gets creative global recognition.’’

That’s no excuse to looking straight into the movie, introspecting even long after you have seen it and admitting that all of us `haves’ feel rich and prosperous in this country, by looking through the plight of `have-nots’ who are in equally large number in this country. In Mumbai itself, nearly 50 per cent of citizens live in slums but occupy barely 8 per cent of the living space. In Pune too, 40 per cent of the population are slum dwellers. However, due to our wrong interpretation of Karmic philosophy that the sinners are born `poor’, we can drive without apparent guilt in our high end cars through slums - at best sneer at this pathetic neighbourhood for the stench they emanate, feel disgusted for the congestion they create and paradoxically feel triumphant and lucky in our minds about our affluence and the comfortable/luxurious surroundings we live in.

`Slumdog Millionaire’ has awakened the truth of the real Urban India candidly, without any exaggeration. While Bollywood mostly portrays a dazzling picture of life in the name of entertainment and page 3 epitomises this pompous lifestyle, `Slumdog’ hits the very conscience of every educated and prosperous Indian – I, mean, it should. That, it is evoking disdain not only from Big B, whose millions of fans who consider him as God live in that squalour but also many better off citizens of this country, proves that, an insensitive and arrogant frame of mind is second nature to most educated and well-to-do Indians.

We think, living in affluent housing socieites and bungalows means rubbing shoulders with status and class. However, `Slumdog’ hits the bull’s eye and tells you who you are actually rubbing shoulders with. A few examples (some unrelated to the movie) could be – you see a blind or maimed child beggar – through your car window – ever thought how inhumanly he could have been de-capacitated? Your wallet is pick-pocketed at the railway station or your shoes disappear from a public place. Ever thought who these thieves could be? You see mounds of garbage and streets full of litter? Ever thought it comes from our better-off neighbourhoods which can afford to buy all that is wrapped in plastic? We only hold ivory tower discussions of religious intolerance – ever thought how vulnerable slum dwellers are to this and the emotional and traumatic scars those children undergo?

So much like in the movie, we do not want to admit that a slum dweller can have an intellect and would instead like to frame him as a `cheater’ (like in the movie). We love to sabotage the poor becoming rich – like Kapoor attempted in the movie, as the host of `Who wants to be a milliionaire.’ We want the poor to be poor so that we can feel and live rich. The most stark example I came across is this – many affluent neighbourhoods in Pune do not want rag pickers – they spoil the look of the areas through their collection of non-biodegrable garbage in sacks on roadsides, they say. Worse, some said that `with domestic scrap selling business to the tune of Rs.12 crore per year (in Pune), why should the rag picker get it all free?’’

The wall of separation begins from childhood. Rich schools do not want poor children – they are protesting against the new education bill which makes it mandatory to have 25 per cent poor children in every class. Rich children are told that only parents who cannot afford it, send their children to schools on cycles. Rich children are told that parents who cannot afford education abroad, have to toil for scholarship, thus demeaning merit. Servants in rich houses are asked to call even a toddler of the rich family as `didi’ `dada.’ Rich kids can be seen abusing their servants in public gardens. Rich and influential people get `VIP’ darshan in public temples, at the expense of enormous inconvenience to a common devotee, who too comes with all devotion and obeisance. Rich kids grow up with the right of feeling superior – drivers, newspaperwallas, maids, plumbers, electricians, dhoba, chowkidar, kachrewali – all of who are indispensable to portray their prosperity, are treated as non-entities. Rich kids are not given lessons in social equality – they are busy being pampered with materialistic values and pleasures. How can they grow up with sensitivity to every strata of society?

Thus, Big B’s argument that such squalour exists in western countries and is hidden from public eye, holds no water at all. Because the fact is, it exists here just next to you. Unless we (individuals and government authorities) look at every slumdog as a human being who needs a life of dignity just as we, do, we will continue to brush off movies like `Slumdog Millionaire’ as a mode of sadistic pleasure of the rich nations.

Thank you Danny Boyle (director) and Vikas Sapru (bureacrat and original author) for opening our eyes though many would prefer to further close them. Sadism alone cannot get you Oscars – surely the message of human survival and the triumph in inhuman surroundings has pierced every heart!

Vinita Deshmukh
Editor
Intelligent Pune

From CURS to SLITHERY AND SLIMY CREATURES

NEWT
SALAMANDER

KOMODO

A newt is a salamander that lives in the water as an adult. Newts occur in the Pleurodelinae subfamily (family Salamandridae), found in North America, Europe and Asia. Newts metamorphose through three distinct developmental life stages, including aquatic larval, terrestrial juvenile, and aquatic adult. Some Ambystomatidae salamanders forgo metamorphosis and retain their aquatic juvenile form with gills, but they are not newts, they are neotines (Neoteny). The larvae leave the water as a terrestrial juvenile form called an eft. The adult form has a lizard-like body and is either aquatic or semi-aquatic.

Salamander is a common name of approximately 500 species of amphibians. They are typically characterized by slender bodies, short noses, and long tails. All known fossils and extinct species fall under the order Caudata, while sometimes the extant species are grouped together as the Urodela. Most salamanders have four front toes and five rear toes. Their moist skin usually makes them reliant on habitats in or near water, or under some protection (e.g., moist ground), often in a wetland. Some salamander species are fully aquatic throughout life, some take to the water intermittently, and some are entirely terrestrial as adults. Uniquely among vertebrates, they are capable of regenerating lost limbs, as well as other body parts.

The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is a species of lizard that inhabits the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang in Indonesia. A member of the monitor lizard family (Varanidae), it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to an average length of 2 to 3 metres (6.6 to 9.8 ft) and weighing around 70 kilograms (150 lb). Their unusual size is attributed to island gigantism, since there are no other carnivorous animals to fill the niche on the islands where they live, and also to the Komodo dragon's low metabolic rate. As a result of their size, these lizards dominate the ecosystems in which they live. Although Komodo dragons eat mostly carrion, they will also hunt and ambush prey including invertebrates, birds, and mammals.



The famous species Tyrannosaurus rex ('rex' meaning 'king' in Latin), commonly abbreviated to T. rex, is a fixture in popular culture around the world. It lived throughout what is now western North America, with a much wider range than other tyrannosaurids. Fossils of T. rex are found in a variety of rock formations dating to the last three million years of the Cretaceous Period, approximately 68 to 65 million years ago; it was among the last non-avian dinosaurs to exist prior to the Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event.

Thats' all folks on the LAGGARDLY , LAZY , LUMBERING, LECHEROUSLY LASCIVIOUS LIZARD'LY' LEGEND.......

How close can you get to your Dog?

It's Wise to get Close only when the Eyes are Closed

This is specially for Nargis, Alps and Vims who I know have dogs like me

After a long time I saw a movie which really bowled me over. It actually has a lot of similarity with my life, my family and my dog but I have a sneaking suspicion that these uncanny similarities would be universal to every family that adopts a dog.

The film follows the journalist couple from Miami-based newlyweds to Pennsylvania, where they combat the problems of parenthood in the midst of raising three children, while trying to keep alive the magic of their love life. Invariably there are arguments, fights, misunderstandings (the dog had to be “thrown out’ for a couple of days) parties, miscarriages and postpartum depression (though Jenifer Aniston shouts that she has no hormonal change problem).

Through this entire journey the boisterous and excitable Marley, the fawn coloured Labrador, is omnipresent - at times as a good and welcome supplement, at times as an irritant and at times as an out and out pest. There is one scene I really enjoyed a lot. The wife suspecting that the husband is a bit depressed on reaching the age of 40 decides to hot things up and after a candlelight conversation jumps into the swimming pool inviting her husband to bring back the youthful days. Our hero too jumps into the pool and just when things were really hotting up in jumps our Marley and paddles his way up to the couple!!!!

The Labrador however is always lovable and adorable- a trait that melts your heart. What I liked most is that the dog makes his way into your heart not because he is a good dog (you know the well mannered and decent types) but despite being the “worst” dog ever. My son was right when he later reiterated, “there are no good or bad dogs- there are only good or bad masters.”

It is the last part of the film that I really found it difficult to sit through. That is sit through without sniffing and actually crying. The delicate messages and themes that come out is really emotional especially those concerning the inevitability of death, “Age sneaks up on us all but it sneaks up on a dog with a swiftness that is both breathtaking and sobering.” The ageing and consequently the immobility and death of the dog is really heart wrenching.

Happy viewing. Though I am told the book is more emotional than the movie.

Appeal for Rishi Chawla

Sorry to post a damper on a happy and colourful blog. But this cause is very close to my heart. I have lost a son to a similar condition and my son now also has it. So I understand the problems of parents, particularly staying in India. There are still very few centers in India which can diagnose this condition (Vellore is probably the only reliable one) and there are only 5 to 6 centers in the world which tries to cure it by bone marrow/stem cell transplant. Here in UK the IVIG refered below is free, but I understand they are very expensive in $ terms. This condition is popularly known as the "bubble boy" syndrome due to the 2001 movie "bubble boy".

So I request all of you to please read the appeal at the link at the end and help Mrs Chawla in whatever way you can. And also if you could please forward the following to your friends with a personal note, it will be very helpful.

Mrs Rubby Chawla, is faced with a crisis. Her only surviving son Rishi (15 years) suffers from Primary Immunodeficiency Disorder (PID). She lost two sons to this genetic disorder. Rishi has been undergoing IVIG therapy since he was 3 yrs old.Suddenly the prices of IVIG medicines have hit the roof. It costs her nearly Rs 75,000 for a monthly dose of medicines. She cannot afford it, as her husband is in the process of setting up a bakery business in Bhubaneswar.The boy is otherwise fine and active like other schoolgoing kids.
Please read the appeal on this web-page. The details of how you can help her you can find here. http://appealrishichawla.wordpress.com

rajasthan collage

well folks i am back after a long holiday in rajasthan 4 our 25th anniv - faiyaz u and me seem 2 have got married arnd the same
time- so belated gud wishes . i am an amateur lenswoman but rajas was so butiful that even my pics will b ok. will sign off now -
thanks 2 vimal i got 2 talk 2 arun, bani and surprise - sushmita whose dotter stays very near where gayatri is - pssst sush also has an unlisted no ( my mo said private no calling ) so maybe she is the new mata hari.

1 Scar on Freida Bags 8 Oscars!

The 'Art' of bagging 'Aat' @ the Oscars is truly commendable!
It all boils down to Danny Boyle....Bravo!

Silver Jubilee Wedding Anniversary

We celebrated our Silver Jubilee Anniversary a few days back, 25 years but it feels like.....

Hi everyone
do you'll remember me?ARUNA JOSHI,but now i am manisha kulkarni.vinita and i are sisters.I stay in pune. let me introduce myself. After my graduation from R.D.college BBSR , igot married and settled in pune. Ihave 2 daughters and 1 son. both my daughters have got married and my son is doing his 2nd year dip. in civil . i lost my husband in an accident 10 years back. he was acivil engineer. anyway life must go on and have to accept what ever is in your destiny. at that time alpana and aunty had come to meet me. before that also once we had met in pune. now i have opened a boutique at my place and is known as manisha's creations. iopened it just 1 year back.i keep myself busy. hope no one is bored by my introuction

Check this out...

Check this out: http://stvcsbrahmapur.com/

Sports Day at SVC

Our school teachers. Remember them?
Middle row, on Right is Ms.Brenda. She taught our class.
Other teachers are from the junior classes...
This photograph was taken during the sports day.

Sarita, is that you?

Probably that's Sarita on left... Picture is not too clear...
Also unable to make out the other person...

Mukund Rathod

I am sure all old timers of Berhampur would remember Hind Ready Made Stores on Urban Bank Road. Well, Mukund's father started that store way back in the 60's. Its a prominent store even at this point of time...
In school, Mukund was junior to me so senior folks like Tas and others may not be able to place him. The photograph on left was taken by me (probably...1984) in Mumbai where we both moved over for further studies. On right is a recent picture of Mukund with his family. Mukund is a businessman and currently stationed in Berhampur. He reads the Blog regularly but not too keen on Blogging... Drag him into our Blog, folks!

Ashok & Bhabani

Sheila...

Apart from Sheila, can you recognize some more familiar faces in the background?

Kya Style Hai...

That's our dear friend Naresh (R) and on left is Basant Soni.
This is a repeat photograph on the blog but a different view.
I fail to remember the year.... probably 1976... a play called 'Statue'...

Trip down the Valentine Lane

Valentine's Day facts and figures
The lovers' holiday traces its roots to raucous annual Roman festivals where men stripped naked, grabbed goat- or dog-skin whips, and spanked young maidens in hopes of increasing their fertility.
In the Middle Ages, there was a belief that the first unmarried person of the opposite sex you met on the morning of St. Valentine's Day would become your spouse.
The first Valentine gift was sent by Duke of Orleans to his wife, after he was captured in 1415 and was a prisoner in the Tower of London following the Battle of Agincourt.
Valentine's Day cards – mostly handwritten notes – gained popularity in the U.S. during the Revolutionary War. Mass production started in the early 1900s.
Hallmark began selling cards in 1913. Since then the market for Valentine's Day cards has increased beyond lovers to include parents, children, siblings, and friends.
About 190 million cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine's Day the second-most popular greeting-card giving occasion.
65 percent of households send greeting cards on Valentine's Day.
73 percent of Valentine Day flowers are bought by men, while women buy 23 percent of Valentine flowers.
About 45.8 percent of U.S. consumers will exchange Valentine's Day candy. About 75 percent of is from sales of chocolate
Americans will spend about $14.7 billion in retail sales on Valentine's Day in the United States.
The average U.S. consumer is expected to spend $103 on Valentine's Day gifts, meals, and entertainment, down from $123 per person in 2008.
For details, see "Valentine's Day Facts: Gifts, History, and Love Science" on National Geographic.com

check out this 1926 news item of Valentine's Day

Dear Friends
do check this link of the times newspaper of January 19, 1926 on Valentine's Day.Ignore the other two news items on that page
cheers and Happy Vanelntine's Day
Vinita

http://archive.timesonline.co.uk/tol/viewArticle.arc?pageId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1926-01-19-15&articleId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1926-01-19-15-016

Happy Valentine's Day

Here are some sure fire ways on how you can beat recession and the moral police on Valentine's Day and let your own heart do the talking.
• Instead of the prosaic red roses, why not be a little imaginative and get a potted plant with a pretty flower or some wild flowers collected from a meadow or a park?
• Words sound much better when they are heartfelt and come from within. Speaking out what you feel will be cherished by your loved one. However, if you are really keen on giving a card, fashion one yourself. All the love that you pour into it while making it, is well worth the pain and is much more valuable than those false, over priced, mushy, cards you get in the market.
• A candlelit dinner in a restaurant, on every V-Day, sounds so cliché and boring. I've got a tip you’ll never tire of thanking me for! Why not ‘cook’ up a storm at home? Put on your aprons, whip up a meal of the dishes both of you love, set a table for two with candles, romantic music, champagne n all and see how the magic unfolds. On an after thought, you can actually include your kids in too, because after all love is what family is all about and Valentine's Day is a celebration of love. (safer for the older kids to be at home than fall prey to the likes of the Sri Ram Sene goons!...how I abhor them...on the flip side, however, I'm neither an advocate of the Pink Chaddi Campaign nor of the Pub-bharo Andolan...find both in bad taste)
The fun and excitement of cooking together, the disasters in the process and the efforts at salvaging the meal, the laughter, the friendly banter and the ribbing will not only make the meal taste heavenly but will also add to the enchantment and make the day a truly memorable one.
Happy Valentine's Day Blog Doston.

Happy Silver Anniversary Alps & Jayant

Dearest Alps & Jayant,
On your Silver Anniversary
We looked around for the best thing to gift you,
but couldn't find any.,..
For we realised that you already have the "best"...
'EACH OTHER"
Here's wishing you "Happy 25 years of togetherness
& many more precious memories".

Hope you have a great time today & always.
Good luck & God bless,

From all of us at the SVC Blog.

Finally...Arun Writes

Folks, Udaya has promised us a copy of this paper if we email her our address...

Historical info on BAM/ Ganjam

Folks,
Here is some information on the silk city that I got from a website http://ganjam.nic.in/calender_events.htm. Most of the info dates back to periods before my parents were even born, and perhaps they were un-aware of so much data.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS PERTAINING TO THE DISTRICT FOR LAST 100 YEARS FROM ITS INCEPTION
1766:
Though Orissa was occupied by British on 1803 , Ganjam district was taken away from Oriya range to Madras Presidency by British Govt.
1817:
Paik meeting - Ganjam range - Jiranga, Guma, Rayagada, Labanyagada leaders took the load
1870:
Katinga Raja Venkatas Dev organized fisrst Oriya meeting at Rasulkunda put-forth demand for separation of Ganjam from Madras Presidency and amalgation in Orissa
1890:
Oriya language is allowed in Southern Orissa, Court , Collectorate in Govt. Offices .
1896:
First Oriya Graduate of Southern Orissa Shyma Sundar Rajguru published English Weekly - 1896
1899:
Ganjam Odiya periodical Ganjam Odia "Hitabadini" published by Pandit Gadadhare Bidyabhusan from Berhampur during -1899
1901:
Ganjam Jatiya Samiti was promed by Khallikote Raja Hari Hara Mardharaj a Rambha Palace.
1902:
Khallikote Raja Hari Hara Mardharaj patronized to publish " Prajabandhu" from Rambha Palace.( Editor was - Nilamani Bidyaratna on 1902)
1903:
Oriya medium was allowed in Educational Institution in Ganjam and Southern Orissa.
1904:
Bhagirathi Was Editor published "Prajamita" on 1904.
1906:
Dec'26th & 27th - Fourth annual session of Utkal Sammilani at Berhampur Kanika Raja presided over the meeting.
1907:
Badakhemundi Raja Krupamaya Dev patronized to publish "guna Darpan" on 1907.
1909:
Utkal Deepika monthly magazine published from Belaguntha Laxmi by Ramachandra Rath on 1909.
1912:
April' 6th & 7th - Eighth Annual session of Utkal Sammilani held at Berhampur.
1913:
Parala Gajapati Maharaja Krishna Chandra Dev ascended on the throne of Parala.
1913:
Sasni Bhusan Rath published "ASHA"weekly 1913 upto 1928.
1914:
Dec'26th & 27th - Tenth Utkal Sammilani was held at Paralakhemundi, Jeypore Rajkabi Vikram Dev erma presided over the 10th session for three days.
1921:
March'30th & 31th - Father of Nation visited Ganjam, Berhampur and addressed for freedom movement at Barracks ground.
1927:
2nd time bapuji visited Berhampur, Aska, Gobara, Bhanjanagar, Kodala, Kabisuryanagar, Polasara, Khallikote and Rambha.
1930
June.
Udagye mandir formed at Berhampur by freedom fighters under the supervision of Banchhanidhi Patnaik & Ramalingam Sarala Devi, Sashi Bhusan Rath, Iswar Sahu, Harihara Patnaik,Banamali Maharara were arrested.
1930:
Salt Non-Co-operation movement at Humma, Ganjam.
Smt. Sarala Devi, Niranjan Patnaik, Debakar Patnaik, Radhakrishna Biswasray were arrested by British Govt.
1931:
First round Table conference at Londan, Maharaja Krishna Chandra Gajapati of Parala represented.
1935:
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru visited Ganjam, Aska, Balisira, Kodala, Khallikote & Berhampur to address for freedom Movement.
1936:
First April. - Separate Orissa State Formed
1.4.1937:
First Orissa Prime Minister Maharaja Krishna Chandra Gajapati
1.7.1937:
Biswanath Das
1943:
March'29th - The Tribal leader of Koraput Great Freedom fighter Saheed Laxman Nayak was hanged at Berhampur Circle Jail.
1946:
January'20th - Gandhiji last visited to Berhampur to address people.
1967:
Foundation Day of Berhampur University on 2nd Jan. 1967.
1978:
OSCOM Chatrapur Unit of Matikhala was established on 1978.
1990:
November 3rd and 4th ;severe flood damaged the Ganjam district.
1991:
5th Sept ; Total literacy campaign of Ganjam was launched by the than C.M. of Orissa late Biju Patnaik at Berhampur Stadium and after one year Ganjam District declared as total literate district in Orissa.
1992:
Part Sub-Division of Ganjam district was amputed from main land of Ganjam and formed as a new district "GAJAPATI"
1993:
All India Radio Station was established at Berhampur on 1st April, 1993.
1999:
Super Cyclone was occurred in Ganjam district on 17th & 18th October,1999

The Perils of Facebook

I came across this article on the perils of facebook.
I think it would be worthwhile to advice our children about the dangers of social networking sites...some lessons for us in it too.
So here goes...
http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=e007cc70-247a-4641-a8f7-62cefd36ca5d

I - Touch

Guyyon aur Behanon,

In my opinion Three different categories of people Exist

1) They Touch your Heart

2) They Touch every other Part except your Heart!

3) They Touch your Heart and all other Parts!

Guys, I suppose I belong to the third - Do you know which Category you fall into?

BUT's (Beauties), Agar ‘AB’ aur ‘FAB’ mein RAB dikhta hain toh - It’s Fine!
Magar agar SAB mein RAB Dikhta hain!
Toh Yaara main Kya Karoon?

This is for Arun

Dear Arun,
Your posts are like magic. It takes me to a different world... A world where this piece of music takes me...
You are a very gifted writer...
God Bless
Vimal

2007: woh kaagaz kee kashti woh baarish ka mausam

On the first of January 2007 Tasneem, a fresh entrant, went on a trip down memory lane. She is new to the wonderland of the blog and is bowled over by this technological marvel. She writes that in all the years she was in Bangalore she knew nothing about Miss Shamim, Stanely and others. It is only when she lands in Canada she comes to know about it.

A quick telecon with Miss Shamim and Tasneem gets floored by the fact that her Miss remembers her as a “bright and chubby girl.” She nostalgically recollects the doll in sister Rosalie’s office, trips to Rambha, Gopalpur and Sonepur and now for some strange reason thinks Stanely and Henry are not brothers! Yeh shuruat toe ekdum filmi hai.

Day two is a revelation. Now it is the turn of Vinita to open her heart and pen a poem. Excerpts:


The whispers of the heart had to be rudely quietened….
The fragrance of that feeling still remains afresh….
That first crush which never rushed out of my heart but still remains
Hidden like a precious pearl in a shell !

Obviously, Zindagi kay kuch gam bayaan naheen hotey, bas ahesas kiye jaaten hain.( Hey.. a case of statistician trying to become a philosopher)

Venu appears on the 5th of January and says, “Hey guys the new version is troublesome”. He has an update too, “ I can create new postings but cannot post comments”. Faiyaz too agrees. Vimal, the architect, keeps quiet.

On 7th of Jan, Alps comes in and plans for a re-union sometime after “ June, 7th ”.

There is glamour too for along with Vinita sipping a cuppa tea is Shobha De. Vinita blogs another touching poem about the flight of the ‘birds’ from the nest.

Faiyaz goes back to school and finds that the see-saw is broken, so he blogs:

See saw ho yah dil ho
Aakhir toot jataa hai.

The blog is well and truly on a roll. But wait a minute, life is not all that simple:

Kabhie khusie kabhi gam,
Kabhi yaadon ki baraat,
toe kabhi, tanhai ki gabrahaat.

After the high of January (27 blogs and a staggering 475 comments), Feb comes as a rude anti-climax.

There are only two blogs, one by Stanely (recommending the film Guru) and one by Faiyaz ( a pix of a plant) and fifteen comments. Guru had interesting comments. Faiyaz saying it meant: Glad You Responded Ultimately. Tas said it was over-rated and when Stan wanted to know from Venu on what his take was on the film he suggested that he had seen a telugu film “Desamuduru” which he can review. Stan backed out!!!!!

Tas felt that the lack of response was all due to writer’s cramps.

Of the eight blogs in March six were from Faiyaz and one each from Stan and Sarita. Stan was busy training and Sarita was down with Chicken-pox. Everyone had a remedy for her from neem leaves, green coconut water, potassium permanganate and believe it or not the recommended reading by Dr. Stanely Bhai MBBS, for a speedy recovery from chicken pox, included Anna Kareenena, War & Peace and 100 years of Solitude!!!

Seeing the poor response in March, Faiyaz blogs pix of a leafless tree and wonders where have all the bloggers gone? “Patta Nahin” he answers himself. And no prizes for guessing the number of comments this pix and its creative copy received- a grand zero.

April is marginally better with ten blogs and fifty-four comments. We get to see two Vanis courtesy Vims. One is Vani the other Shivani. Vims also blogs photos of Calcutta street life including the yummy yummy jhaal moori. Though I whish it was not just one collage but individual pictures so that one could enjoy the full glory of Calcutta.

The big news is of course the launch of Intelligent Pune (IP). Vinita says that now she is free and can regularly blog. She promises to mend the “severed” ties. Faiyaaz as usual thinks that IP stands for Irfan Pathan who has probably moved out of Baroda and re-launched himself from Pune!! A case of reverse swing?

Sarita is fit and fine. Faiyaz has an interesting remedy for her chicken pox kay daag: Surf Excel.

It is also birthday time for Nargis but she herself is not there in the blog to respond to the good wishes showered on her.

Of the 12 blogs in May, Faiyaaz had five of them while Venu chipped in with three. It was a month of birthdays and marriages. Faiyaaz Bachchan’s birthday was remembered by his bachpan key dost. While Venu, in a flashy orange shirt was seen in marriage ceremonies. He also started the mystery series by posting a lady’s pix which was immediately identified as Indira Singh. Louis announced that he is back from “Kala Pani” and so would blog more but like Vinita’s announcement earlier such promises were never backed up by action. In all there were sixty nine comments during the month.

The 8 blogs in June and the 40 comments centered around AB’s Cheene kum hai and the vote for Taj campaign. Faiyaaz had an interesting one on the 5th of June. At 2PM, 3mins and 4 seconds the time and date read as 02:03:04, 05.06.07. Luckily he got one comment for that observation. So can I now make it ek do teen chaar paanch chey saat?

Things are so bad that on 7th of June Faiyaaz not only blogs a pix of ties but also is the first one to comment on it!!!! Now that’s a unique record.

If you think that things would turn for the better then you are in for a big shock. There are 4 blogs in July and all four were from Faiyaz. It got 7 comments out which four of them were again from Faiyaaz himself. There is a cute pix of two boats on a restaurant table with Faiyaaz going nostalgic about kaagaz kee kashti, baarish ka paani and bachpan key din.

There are three blogs in August and 11 comments. And I will pick Sarita’s comment on one of the postings made by Faiyaz as the all time great comment of the year. Sarita writes, “Hey faiyaz, long time no postings…. Dina angry?”.

Someone please enlighten this humble statistician how have the numbers stacked up against Faiyaaz? I remember my favourite song from Muqqadar Ka Sikander: Wafa jo na kee toe zafaa bhee na keejay

There were a total of seven blogs and 14 comments in the month of September. Six of them were from Faiyaz and one from Venu. While October saw things slide further: 4 blogs and 9 comments. Faiyaz created a world record. Eleven consecutive blogs from September to November!!! And all the blogs in October to his credit. Dhoni bhaiyaa kaisan baaa?

Stan surfaces in November. He has just met Sister Rosalie in Paralakhemundi and also breaks the good news of Henry’s marriage. There were a total of 3 blogs and 3 comments in November.

December witnessed 4 blogs and 9 comments dedicated to wishing Henry all the very best or saying merry Christmas.

So that’s the way the 85 blogs and 475 comments went in the year 2007….

And now for the presentation ceremony:

Man of the Match: Faiyaaz Ali Bachachan.
Man of the series: Vims (For creating a blog and then disappearing for ages).
Impact players: Tasneem and Venu.
Best Pix of the Year: Faiyaaz Ali Bachachan (Two boats on a dining table)
Best poem of the year: Vinita
The One blog wonder: Dr. Alps “Re-union” Gadgil.
The best resident doctor: Stanely bhai MBBS
Best Comment of the year: Sarita on Faiyaaz’s irregular blogging habits.

Anagrams

DORMITORY:
When you rearrange the letters:
DIRTY ROOM

PRESBYTERIAN:
When you rearrange the letters:
BEST IN PRAYER

ASTRONOMER:
When you rearrange the letters:
MOON STARER

DESPERATION:
When you rearrange the letters:
A ROPE ENDS IT

THE EYES:
When you rearrange the letters:
THEY SEE

GEORGE BUSH:
When you rearrange the letters:
HE BUGS GORE

THE MORSE CODE:
When you rearrange the letters:
HERE COME DOTS

SLOT MACHINES:
When you rearrange the letters:
CASH LOST IN ME

ANIMOSITY:
When you rearrange the letters:
IS NO AMITY

ELECTION RESULTS:
When you rearrange the letters:
LIES - LET'S RECOUNT

SNOOZE ALARMS:
When you rearrange the letters:
AS! NO MORE Z 'S

A DECIMAL POINT:
When you rearrange the letters:
I'M A DOT IN PLACE

THE EARTHQUAKES:
When you rearrange the letters:
THAT QUEER SHAKE

ELEVEN PLUS TWO:
When you rearrange the letters:
TWELVE PLUS ONE

MOTHER-IN-LAW:
When you rearrange the letters:
WOMAN HITLER

I turned 50 on Feb 3 had a blast!

Good friend Mohan Agashe danced non-stop, the other guy, my hubby


Grandson Arjun gives a broad smile as he loves cakes - with his Mom Rhheeya and grandfather Vishwas

My good friend and leading event manager of Pune, Sameera Singh.

The party was hosted at SOUL, a charming restaurant at Koregaon Park.

Carnival in Goa

Year 2008: I covered the carnival in Goa.
Next stop: The carnival at Rio de Janeiro ;-)

Interesting Read - Don't Lie (Pun Intended)

Mom comes to visit her son Kumar for dinner.....who lives with a girl roommate Sunita. During the course of the meal, his mother couldn't help but notice how pretty Kumar's, roommate was. She had long been suspicious of a relationship between the two, and this had only made her more curious.Over the course of the evening, while watching the two interact, she started to wonder if there was more between Kumar and his roommate than met the eye. Reading his mom's thoughts, Kumar volunteered, "I know what you must be thinking, but I assure you, Sunita and I are just roommates."

About a week later, Sunita came to Kumar saying, "Ever since your mother came to dinner, I've been unable to find the silver chutney jar.You don't suppose she took it, do you?" Kumar said, "Well, I doubt it, but I'll email her, just to be sure."

So he sat down and wrote:

Dear Mother,

I'm not saying that you 'did' take the chutney jar from my house, I'm not saying that you 'did not' take the chutney jar.But the fact remains that it has been missing ever since you were here for dinner.Love, Kumar

Several days later, Kumar received an email from his mother which read:

Dear Son,

I'm not saying that you 'do' sleep with Sunita, and I'm not saying that 'you do not' sleep with Sunita. But the fact remains that if she was sleeping in her OWN bed, she would have found the chutney jar by now under the pillow...Love Mom.

Lesson of the day: Don't Lie to Your Mother...........especially if she is an Indian !

Cell phone Lingo and emoticons

Dear Friends

All of you have been SMS ing and doing things akin, but days on together what baffled me were the eerie and undecipherable colons, dashes and chain brackets. Finally the encryption unravelled: Just rotate clockwise the smiley once or crane your neck leftwards for the actual picture .......
:-) standard smiley face
:-)) really happy
:->more power
:-] jovial happiness
:-( sad face
:-(( really sad
:-< very sad
:-[ annoyed
8-0 shocked
:-/ skeptical
:-1 indifferent
:-* kissing
:-x kiss
(-) beer mug
\-/ cup of tea
(101)hamburger
+:-) doctor
:-)B dolly parton ( richly endowed)
Well folks , all thats for today !

Jee Hau (Sania) – Jai Ho(Mahesh)!

That’s the Way – Mahe(sh) Way!
Please Notes: Sa(nia) Ma(hesh) Pa(es)

¿ǝuoƃ sɹǝƃƃolq ǝɥʇ llɐ ǝʌɐɥ ǝɹǝɥʍ

lɐɯıʌ ˙˙˙ʎɐp ʇɐǝɹƃ ɐ ǝʌɐɥ ¡¡olɐʞıu ıɥq ǝʎıl ǝʞ ƃolq ǝɯıʇ ɐpoɥʇ 'ɹɐɐʎ olɐɥɔ ˙˙˙ʎsnq ʎɹǝʌ ǝq oʇ sɯǝǝs ǝuoʎɹǝʌǝ ¿ɐnɥ ɐʎʞ ¡ƃolq ǝɥʇ uo sʇsod ʍǝu ou ǝɯıʇ ƃuol 'sʞloɟ ıɥ