HBD

Many many happy returns of the day krups. Have a Nice Happy Birthday.

For my unfotunate cousins who got "friended" by parents

http://myparentsjoinedfacebook.com/

A gift from Poonam

Poonam painted a T-shirt today for me, in line with my birding interests. Snaps below. The whole thing just took an hour and half. It is an advance birthday gift.

The bird in question is a 'Red Cardinal' which should explain the punch line. Just in case you are not aware, the pope is usually selected from one of the cardinals, who are high church officials- and they wear red dresses. Snap of the actual bird also below for comparison.

The Red Cardinal:

The T-shirt (close-up):

The T-shirt (long shot):

The t-shirt with the artist posing next to it:

And finally, a snap of me wearing it:

Thanks, Poonam :-)

kaboye kavulaku chitkalu

1. Think a thought.
2. Write what you feel.
3. Export and publish.
4. Sit back and enjoy the applause.
More tips later.

కవిత్యం.

కవిత్వం
పండిత రసిక జన రంజకమా ?
పామర జన మనో భంజకమా ?
'స్వ'భావ పరిచయమా?
ఎడ తెగని చర్చ
తెగని సమస్య .
ఎవరి పదచలనం
మన పద చలనం ఎద చలనం కలిగిస్తే
వారికే నా కరతాళం, కరచాలనం

PoeTREE dweller

వస్తుంది అందరికీ వేదాంతం--Everyone talks philosophy
కళ్ళ వెంట ధారాపాతం  ---there will be tears mushy
సమీపిస్తుంటే దేహాంతం--when the end of the bodily life is in sight
అందుకు ఇదే (58) దృష్టాంతం---this (58), is an example bright-right?



 జీవితం ఆద్యంతం --in this life from beginning to end
దొరకదు అందరికీ ప్రశాంతం--not all men (and women) get peace of mind
అందుకే ముఖ్యం శాంతం--that is why I say let us to tranquility bind
అనాయాసం గా ఉండాలి  మన అంతం -- finally we should have an easy way to wend


ప్రాసయే జీవిత పరమావధి? (కదా)- rhyme and rhythm we crave so bad
అందుకే సర్దు పదాలను! హతవిధీ --we adjust the lines to that end -oh God
దొరకటం లేదు నాకు వ్యవధి --I am TOO busy to put my pen to pad (Do you ever believe that old excuse?)
లేకుంటే రాయనా ఇలాంటివి రోజుకు పది --otherwise won't I ten such as this add (per day)


(చాలనుకుంటా ఈ ఎగతాళి వెధవది)--I think enough of this foolery and fad.


అందుకే --that is why


రావాలోయ్ భావావేశం --one should get real inspiration--like Gopal or Gouri may be
చెప్పాలోయ్ మనసు కవిత్వం --one should write from the heart
అకేషన్ కోసం రాసేది కపిత్వం (see title)--If you write for the occasion(or) parody, it is a fraud
మన (సు) కోసం రాసేదే నిలుస్తుంది నిత్యం--only the felt word will last forever.

Aditya's Book report

As part of homework, Aditya has to write two sentences about a book he reads every night. Last night, he read an Asterix book. The following is his report.

Sentence 1: Today I read Asterix and Obelix and the Laurel Wreath.

Sentence 2: This is about two friends who go to Rome to steal Julius Caesar's Laurel Wreath.

But wait, he does not want to write such a big sentence. He attempts to abbreviate with masterful reasoning.

Aditya: But mommy, why do I have to say "two"? I wrote the names of the friends already. So everyone knows its two.

Krupa: Ok

Aditya: I also need not say "go to Rome". Everyone knows Julius Caesar is in Rome.

Krupa: Ok

Aditya: Also, everyone calls Julius Caesar just "caesar".

Krupa: All right.

Aditya: Why do I have to say "Laurel Wreath"? It says so already in the title. I can write just Wreath.

Krupa: Ok


So, the final sentence ends up as "This is a story about friends who steal Caesar's wreath."

And Homework is Done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It only took 15 minutes to write two sentences.

Thankyou for all the wishes!!!

We had a party with a beautiful cake sponsored by SSV and Sudha followed by dinner at a Malaysian restaurant.

What is a MOTHER?

according to the current crop of youngsters, a mom is
Modern mom

Along similar (brooding) lines...

It seems that when one knows too much and understands too well (of human frailties maybe), somberness is the result- as reflected in G Babai's and G Pinni's recent posts. Came across this quote from Byron yesterday, which seems to say much the same:

Sorrow is knowledge; they who know the most

Must mourn the deepest o'er the fatal truth,

The Tree of Knowledge is not that of Life.

But then, I would also counter that viewpoint with this 2-liner from Ogden Nash:

When I consider how my life is spent,

I hardly ever repent.

58 (on 25/08/2010)

పుట్టినట్లుంది--- మొన్న
అమ్మో! ఇన్నాల్లయ్యిందా---నిన్న
ఇంకెంనాల్లో ----నేడు
ఉందొ లేదో రేపు

కరిగిపోతున్నది వయసు
విరిగిపోతున్నది మనసు



Behold I cannot
Values and relationships crumbling
Me and My mounting

For "me" the bell tolls!
merry- go-round of life never stalls


सौख्येना जीवनं (Soukhyena jeevanam--live life comfortably)
अनायेसेना मरणं (anayesena maranam-- die an easy death)
अन्तर्यामी त्वमेव सरनाम (Antaryamee twameva saranam--o inner being, God, you are the refuge)
याचितं भव सागर तरणं (Yachitam bhava sagara taranam--I beg you to take me across the sea of this world)


दुनिया है इक रंग रंग (the world is a stage colourful)
रहते कुछ दिन संग संग (stay together for some time)
जब होता ये सब भंग भंग (when the show is over)
आदमी बनता नंग अनंग (The being becomes a naked nonbeing)

ఈ బహు భాషా చౌచౌ
hope, conveys, my mind somehow.

GOWRI

రాఖీ.

బస్టాపులో రాక్షస ఇంద్రులు
వెయ్యి కళ్ళతో
అంగాంగ వర్ణన
వర్ణనాతీతం

తాకిడిని తడిమే చేతులని
భరిస్తూ సహిస్తూ
బస్సు ప్రయాణం
ప్రతిరోజూ ఆలస్యం
ఆడవారి ఉద్యోగం
నాకందుకే అసహ్యం
చిన్నబాసు భాష్యం

లోపలనే సంతకం
బహిరంగ రహస్యం
యజమాని లోకువగా అపహాస్యం
గుడ్లనీరు నోటకొంగు కుక్కుకొని
అవమానం భరించే అసహాయత్వం
ఎందుకిలా చచ్చింది మానవత్వం

కట్టించండి వీరిచే రక్షాబంధనం
కట్నంగా కోపాగ్నిని రగిలించే ఇంధనం
ఎదిరించే శక్తీ
వెట్టి నించి విముక్తి

సహనంతో ప్రేమతో సేవతో
ఒళ్ళు తుడిచి పుళ్లు కడిగి
మందుపూసి కట్టుకట్టి
మాత్ర వేసి సేద తీర్చి
నయిటిన్గేల్ వెళుతుంటే
వయోభేదం లేని రోగులు
ముసలినక్క
యువకకుక్క
ద్వందార్థ భాషణం
అత్యంత దారుణం
ఈ మానసికరోగుల కు
ఉన్న నాలికకు మందేసి
కొండనాలిక పోగొట్టాలి
చితక్కొట్టి విరక్కొట్టి
రాఖీలు వీరిచే కట్టించాలి

కాలేజీ వయసులోనే
మారేజీ ప్రపోసల్
తన మానాన తను వెళితే
తన నాన్నకు తను చెబితే
నువ్వేం చేశావని గద్దించి
తల వంచుకు నడవమని
తనలోనే ఏడవమని
తండ్రి తరహా
తల్లి సలహా

గొంతు కోసి
యాసిడ్ పోసి
గుండెకు గాయం చేసే
ఈవ్ టీసర్స్ ఆట కట్టించే
బ్రేవ్ సోల్జర్స్ కు
కట్టండి రాఖీలు

అన్నదమ్ముల రక్షణ శిక్షణ
వదినామరదళ్ళ సంరక్షణ ఆదరణ
అక్కాచెల్లెళ్ళ అనురాగం అభిమానం
సుగంధ చందనం
రక్షాబంధనం

Gross Neglect

In spite of the fact that I DID add it to the calendar,I do not get any wishes of "no more returns of the day".
Injustice in deed indeed.

"GRE"

tips anyone?!!

p.s-nanna wants a job in walmart(nepotism) for two years when I'm in US as well (Fingers crossed).
three of us will come back together.

"RAKSHABANDHAN"

Happy Rakhi festival to all the anna(s) in the family! =]
---mrudula and lavanya.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY"

many many HAPPY returns of the day krupa....
--gopal babai and family.

Bye Bye Rainmaker

This week is my last week as an employee of Rainmaker Systems.

I will be joining Walmart on September 27th after a well deserved break and a long trip to DisneyWorld.

Back to school

After a hectic yet relaxing summer, it is back to the grind this week for Aditya.

From student to teacher (of sorts)

In 3 of the last 6 bird watching trips, I have been drafted as a 'experienced' birder, leading groups of school kids and even adults on introductory bird trips. Considering that I started birdwatching only in January 2010, I found this pretty funny. But in those 6 months, I have  sighted and can recognize about 110 different birds in and around Bangalore, which ain't too bad. Of course, I can only recognize them, whereas the experts usually know all about them (Latin names, feeding/breeding/nesting habits etc). 

Yesterday too, a couple of others and I led a group of school children to an early AM bird watching trip. There were several nice things about that trip:

1. The trip was to Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra (popularly known as GKVK), which is an agricultural university in Bangalore. If you loves greenery, this is the place for you. Stretched over an enormous area (3 KM wide, 6 KM long), this place is full of trees or planted areas. Satellite snap below- notice the big contrast with the urban area around it. Thank God people had the sense to make our universities green havens with wide boundaries

2. The kids belong to a school run by an NGO called Parikrama in Bangalore. They run several schools in Bangalore for low income families' kids. They are doing a grand job with these children, considering that they are disciplined, articulate, good with English and attentive to details. 

3. These children belong to the Nature Club of the school. So it was a trip not just about birds, but plants, insects etc. The kids were genuinely interested and this sort of outing is probably going to be a regular thing. Consider the fact that the kids took the extra effort to be at the place by 7 AM, all bathed and dressed for school instead of lounging around in bed till the last moment! If I choose to, I can get to be a regular part of school nature club activities, which for some reason I am really liking.

All in all, bird watching is opening up new positive experiences for me. I recommend it strongly to all in the family.

GKVK:

Nostalgia

 First disco songs we heard!
Disco Deewane
Boom Boom
Nazia Hassan also sang the song "Aap Jaisa Koyee" from Qurbani. (In fact that song came first and the albums came next.)

కిష్టప్ప కిష్టం

పసి పాపడి చిరునవ్వు
పసి వాడని పువ్వు

తామరాకుపై నీటిబొట్టు
కూచిపూడి చీరకట్టు

ప్రణయంలో వెన్నెల హాయి
ప్రళయంలో వట పత్రశాయి

శీతాకాలపు తొలి తెలిమంచు
తెల్ల జరీ చీర సరిగంచు

దసరా శలవుల తర్వాత వీధిబడి
సరదా తగవుల తర్వాత అమ్మ వొడి

అమ్మ వొడి వెచ్చదనం
నారుమడి పచ్చదనం

ఏదైనా అత్యల్పం కారణం విపరీత వాగ్యుద్ధం
ఏమైనా శింగంపల్లి తోరణం ఆప్యాయతాబద్ధం

FOR Sarada, Gopal and SVN ----For the Next Gen for future reference--

Highly relevant now. I have often heard complaints, real and quaint from our own family members. The changing world, peer pressure and "keeping up with Joneses" have made a cell phone in the hand of a kid, a reality and the SMS has crept in. What now? See this survey.



Texting while driving and “sexting” are two practices PARENTS warn their KIDS against, but may be doing themselves, according to the new LG Text Ed Survey from LG Mobile Phones and TRU Research.

"This approach to child-rearing doesn't cut it, especially with teenagers," said Dr. Charles Sophy, a child and family psychiatrist and advisory council member for the LG Text Ed effort.

"Kids are extremely observant. All it takes is ONE exception to the rule and they'll latch onto it, thus negating much of your hard work.”

Note: “Sexting” as defined here can involve sending, receiving, or forwarding sexually-related text, but not necessarily graphic photos/images.
Fortunately, there is a great deal of good news in the survey, as families as a whole say texting is helping them get closer to each other. And it seems that teens actually do want parents to check in on them via text when they're out of the house.

The survey was conducted online and featured 1,017 teens and 1,049 parents of teens taking part.

THE RESULTS

1. 28 percent of parents admit to engaging in some form of “sexting.”

2. 43 percent of teens admit to engaging in “sexting” in some way. (note: I do not believe that our kids do it. See below.) 

3. Only 11 percent of parents think their teens have taken part in “sexting.”

4. 44 percent of parents admit to texting and driving.

5. 45 percent of teens admit to texting and driving; just 4 percent of parents believe their teens ever text while     driving. 


6. 42 percent of parents admit to texting someone while at the dinner table;69 percent of teens admit to the
     same.

7. 38 percent of parents admit to texting during the middle of the night; 83 percent of teens admit to the same.

8. 90 percent of texting parents feel closer to their teenaged child or children as a result of the medium.

9. 42 percent of texting parents say the medium has increased the frequency of communications between
    parent and teen.

10. 58 percent of teens say that being able to text their parents makes them feel closer to them; 83 percent of
      teens prefer their parents check in with them via text.

value of friendship and relations!

adk family in news!
Pantulu and family

60, 125

On occasion of Independence Day,  a snippet of our history:
This year, Indian celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Republic, and the 125th anniversary of the Indian National Congress. The INC was the single most instrumental body in gaining independence for India, comprising of giants like Patel, Nehru, Rajaji, Kriplani and Azad. This institution underwent two pivotal transformations before it could become the effective body that shook the British Empire.

Transformation 1- An ideological split: The INC was founded by the British (Hume), as a body evidently subservient to the British Raj. Well meaning Indians got to play at Government without any impact to the British. All this changed in the 23rd session of the Congress in 1907. The unrest building up against the British Raj bubbled up in the session, with the nationalist faction wanting the INC to adopt Swaraj as a goal. They were up against the Moderates, who wanted to solve the problems by petitioning the British Raj. This classic struggle resulted in a tumultuous (chappals flew!) session, resulting in the first ever split of the INC. The nationalists, led by Tilak, took away most of the delegates and declared Swaraj as an objective, which changed the hue of history in the decades to come. On that day, to quote the article: The Bengalee of Surendranath Bannerji bore this headline: “The Congress is Dead — Long Live the Congress.” You will find the highly riveting account of that session here:

http://www.hindu.com/mag/2007/12/30/stories/2007123050120400.htm

This was the first and only split of the INC on the basis of ideology. In the article, there is a moving narration about how Mr Gokhale, though a moderate, sought to protect the Nationalist Tilak from the ire of the mob that stormed the stage. Ideologies differed, but these intellectuals valued those differences.

Transformation 2- Man with a vision: Despite its advances, the INC remained an urban elite movement. Its transformation to a nation wide force required one catalyst: Gandhi. Ramachandra Guha addresses it neatly in his article http://indiatogether.org/2010/jan/rgh-gandhi.htm

Gandhiji achieved this in three ways, to quote from the article:

First, he encouraged the Congress to function in the vernacular, building up provincial committees that operated in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Oriya and in other languages of the people. 


Next, he brought in peasants and women, two groups that had previously been excluded from the proceedings. 


Third, he campaigned to abolish untouchability and to promote Hindu-Muslim harmony, seeking to answer the charge that the Congress was a party of banias and Brahmins. 


Fourth, he worked to nurture a second rung of political leadership that would work with him in deepening the social base of the Congress and make it truly representative of the nation-in-the-making.

In a later part of the article:

The Republic of India came into being through the patient work of countless men and women. The Congress party was likewise a collective enterprise. That said, it was one Indian, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who did most to ensure that our political system would be based on democracy and pluralism. It was the same man who did most to make the Congress party a truly national institution.


A salute to those visionaries on this occasion!

thanks

thaning one and all for the sweet wishes

Happy Birthday VISWAM

Many happy returns of the day.
Congratulations on successful completion of GOLDEN JUBILEE
------Gopal and family.

Ideal Theme

I (only)deal
the (lonely)me
-----------------


The man infront of me,known but grown wayward
He will taunt me withdrawn and haggard

Fixes me with fearless stare
Transfixed I regress there
The past sleepless ,restless daze
The future hopeless,peaceless maze

Reflects with piercing look
All the contours my age took

Now enquires, brows quizically
How I acquired those physically

Before he gathers damnable evidence
I hope to my aid will come providence
(though I donot believe in God)

I want to ravage and do him every damage
Iam a savage, he is my mirror image.



Is following me whereever I go
Just like my alter ego

Watching ,matching every sortie I make
Working , warning in reverie and awake

I try pulling the strings of that puppet
But its not shadow theatre stuff it

Its invain boxing him or boxing with him
Hes only my shadow Iam shadow boxing.



Its invading my mind and heart like locust
Just pervading guilt and disgust

I try to perpetrate violence emulating voldemort
It perpetuates nerve string violins stimulating bold and smart

I know its right
How can i fight

It cries foul whenever I move
Its my soul whereever can I shove




Iam an elderly desparado
seeking eldorado
Tra la la I am coming shangrila
Helloa caught in devilish tentacula
Iam searching for utopia
All the same reaching siberia

NEVER ENDING PHOBIA.
NEVER MENDING MANIA

house husband

Do not find fault with the grumpy house husbands.it is the testosterone in the male that makes them aggressive to protect their"" PRIDE"(lions)
Dads 1.Srm time.Mee Naanna vasthadu
2.Sln timeMee Naannaku cheptha
3.Ssv time Mee Ammaku cheptha
4.JrSsv time Naanna Ammaku cheptha

నన్ను గుర్తు pattava

The best way to take vengence is MISRECOGNISING as some one obnoxious.Ikanoretharu.

In continuation to Gopal babai's poem....

Gauri Pinni on the day of Sreenu's reception announced that it is Gopal Babai's birthday. Every one was hunting for babai, and the situation was as he mentioned in the poem. Babai gets flustered and comes and sits with all of us .



The below photo says "Who is that person to whom just now I talked looks familiar"



All of us sitting and enjoying and having fun :)

getting( balder-dash ) it.

In continuation of krips musings.
Face is vaguely familiar.You forgot him.He knows.He attacks with vengeance.Lacing your face with an apologetic smile,you give up and face him. Mundu oka ra tharvatha oka ra prathi word ki. here goes:-

Ye'ra' gurthu pattavat'ra'.Nenevaro cheppara. (struggle with bad memory.)
Ademiti. marchi poledu.
Ayithe evaro cheppu.? mischivous grin.
Accept defeat.Search for saviour Viswam who is as usual attending to sweets.
sarera x ni. Bathakhani.Who is where.
Hunger for torture not sated. Next imminent,unbearable,unwanted(u can add unlimited un tho starting adjectives} question .
Yera what happened to your hair? You used to have a stylish mop.
Embarassed. Appudu edo theliyaka.I was young ,ignorant,innocent.------ Mutter mutter. silly.

Total body scan. lavayyavu. Bojja kooda vachinde.
Neekenduku? Manasulo.
paiki. Iam doing some walking and exercises.
You can call Godsend, lucky charm.Manna.
Viswam enters. Era gadida kodaka maa annanu yedipisthunnava.Suththi.Recently"blah blah blah."

Torturer becomes tortured and disappears.

The role reversal

One interesting dynamic shift happening as a consequence of this downturn is the rise of the "house husband". I personally know 2 people who have taken on the non-traditional role of the stay home dad.

Any comments from the past dads ( I mean dads with grown up kids), current dads and future dads?

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/38628278/ns/today-parenting/

27 and Counting

A long journey, a fruitful journey.
Started on August 12, 1983 and continuing on.
A flower in Florida and another in Vizag.
Journey on Gopal and Vijaya, Our best wishes for you.
SLN and Gouri

Many Happy Returns of the Day

To Gopal Babai! Hope this next year brings forth more posts from you, babai.

marriage anniversary

many happy returns of the day
-to sreenivas&sudha singampalli
--to srinivas singampalli & sudha gunturu -- ssv

The 3 Rs: Old wisdom in a new age

The mantra for anyone who is concerned about the amount of waste and pollution we are creating is the 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse & Recycle. In the latest edition of the magazine Eternal Bhoomi (an excellent mag that I recommend strongly), I came across this nice Buddhist tale that best symbolizes this principle:

A monk approached the Buddha for a new woolen shawl (Angarkha).

"What happened to your old shawl?", asked the Buddha.
"It got worn out, so I used it as a bed sheet", replied the monk.
"What happened to your old bed sheet?", inquired the Buddha.
"The old bed sheet was worn out too. So I cut it up and made it into a pillow cover", replied the monk.
"But what happened to your old pillow cover?" asked the Buddha.
"My head had rubbed on it a million times and made a big hole in it. So I used it as a foot mat", replied the monk.

The Buddha was not entirely satisfied. Probing further, he asked, "But what did you do with your old foot mat?"

The monk replied with folded hands, "Master, the old foot mat was frayed with repeated use. Its warp and weft had become loose. So I collected the fibres and braided them in a wick. Later I burnt the cotton wick in the oil lamp."

The Buddha smiled after listening to the monk and gave him a new shawl.