Happy Ending To 2009 !!

dear friends

2009 is almost gone and the brand new 2010 is around the corner................

Inspite of the economic slow down, the price hike of essential commodities and the strong presence ( or should I say the deep routed..) of terrorism in our small beautiful 'Gods own country' , we all had an okay year... None of us wouldn't hv done exceptionally good in our chosen feilds... but it was not as bad as expected in the beginning of the year.

My heartfelt thanks to all of you for your support and encouragements. Without which, I wouldn't have continued my blogging.

I sincerely hope you all will continue to support me with your valuable comments and suggestions...

May I wish all of you a very happy , peaceful and safe 2010!!!

Trivandrum Zoo...What a disappointment ?!!

It has been ages since I hv visited Trivandrum as a tourist. During this x-mas holidays we have visited Trivandrum mainly to take my 5 year old nephew to the Zoo. He is a great fan of geographical & Animal planet channels and he wanted to visit Zoo to see all his dream animals alive. But when we went inside ,all the excitement gone...infact it was a great disappointment ! There was nothing to see, not even Elephants, the animal we see almost in all parts of Kerala!

I remember visiting zoo years back when i was a school girl. We were so excited to see various types of birds , smakes, animals.. the monkies, jirafs , zeebras, lions,tigers etc etc. Each student had to submit a tour report with the animal/bird/reptile details and also had to make a seperate album with the leaves of various types of tress in that big campus. That visit to zoo really was an informative and exciting experience.

But on my recent visit I could only see very few animals a Zeebra, Hypo, Rhyno...thats it. There are lots of deers around. No special birds, yeah, hv seen 1 ostrich... Only thing I liked about the place is the cleanliness.. unlike before, the place was quite clean.

I sincerely hope the Govt / concerned departments take necessary steps to bring enough animals to the zoo and also to take care the place / animals well.

Is our tourism restricted only to ayurvedam and back waters ???!!!

THIRUPATHI - The lord of Lakshmi........

I have been to one of the most ancient and spectacular place of pilgrimage in India , The Tirupathi Temple, last week. It really was a wonderful experience . Lord Venkiteswara is supposed to be the richest God in the world !

Approximately 50 – 75 thousand pilgrims are visiting Sri Venketeswara Temple every day. The Thirumala Thirupathi Devasthanams (TTD) maintains the place very well. Security measures are tight and good . The surroundings in and around the temple are unbelievably clean. TTD has organized efficient systems to ensure the , transportation, stay , food and smooth movement of the pilgrims. TTD generate the electricity required to run the township using wind mills and solar system. They do have 2 dams, Papavinasam and Kalyani , for meeting the water requirements. I also understand the flowers required for the Pooja is cultivated there itself.
The enchanting hills , the thick / dense forest and the cool air sooths your body and mind .The Tirumala Hill is 3200 ft above sea level, and is about 10.33 sq miles in area. It comprises seven peaks, Seshadri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrishabhadri, Narayanadri and Venkatadri. The temple is located on the seventh peak, Venkatadri (Venkata Hill). TTD is protecting the forest very well. In addition to the main temple ,there are many other small temples located inside the forest on top of the hill. Taxi services, jeep/cars , are available at a moderate cost to visit these temples.

TTD has a beautifuly maintained Museum which is worth watching. There are art forms, photos, musical instruments, curios , weapons ,ornaments and many more to watch. I have seen a beautiful art piece, a picture of Lord Venkateswara made of ancient coins, donated by the cine actor Sri Mohanlal.

In short , the visit to Thirupathi was a refreshing experience. The fresh green forest, pollution free cool refreshing air , clean surroundings and the small water falls…the hill station is truly a nice place to visit.

OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM......Praising whome ?? Interesting and astonishing...

This is interesting. .....and shocking.... . ........

Below quoted messeage I received from one of my freinds. I do not know the authenticity of the contents .

Quote

'Jana Gana Mana' - Just a thought for the National Anthem! How well do you know about it?

I have always wondered who is the ' adhinayak'and' bharat bhagya vidhata',whose praise we are singing.. I thought might be Motherland India! Our current National Anthem 'Jana Gana Mana'is sung throughout the country.

Did you know the following about our national anthem, I didn't.

To begin with, India 's national anthem, Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka, was written by Rabindranath Tagore in honor of King George V and the Queen of England when they visited India in 1919. To honor their visit Pandit Motilal Nehru had the five stanzas included , which are in praise of the King and Queen.(And most of us think it is in the praise of our great motherland!! !)

In the original Bengali verses only those provinces that were under British rule,i.e . Punjab, Sindh,Gujarat ,Maratha etc. were mentioned. None of the princely states were recognized which are integral parts of India now Kashmir, Rajasthan, Andhra, Mysore or Kerala.

Neither the Indian Ocean nor the Arabian Sea was included, since they were directly under Portuguese rule at that time. The Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka implies that King George V is the lord of the masses and Bharata Bhagya Vidhata is 'the bestower of good fortune'.

Following is a translation of the five stanzas that glorify the King.

*First stanza:* (Indian) People wake up remembering your good name and ask for your blessings and they sing your glories. (Tava shubha name jaage; tava shubha aashish maage, gaaye tava jaya gaatha)

*Second stanza*: Around your throne people of all religions come and give their love and anxiously wait to hear your kind words..

*Third stanza:* Praise to the King for being the charioteer, for leading the ancient travelers beyond misery.

*Fourth stanza: *Drowned in the deep ignorance and suffering, poverty-stricken, unconscious country? Waiting for the wink of your eye and your mother's (the Queen's) true protection..

*Fifth stanza*: In your compassionate plans, the sleeping Bharat (India) will wake up. We bow down to your feet O' Queen, and glory to Rajeshwara (the King).

This whole poem does not indicate any love for the Motherland but depicts a bleak picture. When you sing Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka, whom are you glorifying? Certainly not the Motherland. Is it God? The poem does not indicate that. It is time now to understand the original purpose and the implication of this, rather than blindly sing as has been done the past fifty years.

So they can as well play Vande Mataram, which is a far better composition in praise of our Dear Motherland India

ALIBAUG – Green, fresh, quite ..Mumbaikers’mini Kerala

Radison resort Alibag villegers Mandva jetty

Alibaug, the beautiful coastal town of Maharashtra, allures its visitors with fresh air, hills, lakes and beaches. It is a great weekend getaway from the stressful city life. Hotels of various ranges are available for all categories of tourists. The pleasant climate and the quietness of the village is an added bonus. It is hard to believe that such a quite and beautiful place exists just an hour away from the maddening rush of Mumbai!!

Radisson Resort & Spa , the first international 5 star resort of Alibaug, is located in Krushalwal district, just about 110 km away from the Mumbai Airport (about 3 – 4 hours by road) and by sea , 45 minutes by boat (Rs 110 / person) from Gate way of India to Mandwa beach and from there about 21 km (20 – 25 minute) by road. It is owned by Radisson Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies owned by Carlson Hotels and has been developed in Alibaug by the Sahil Real Estate Group.

The luxurious property is set in 16 acres of landscaped greens along the banks of the Veshvi Lake at Gondhalpada , Just 1.5 kms from Alibaug Town. The natural beauty of landscaped gardens, reflection pools and the beautiful Sahyadri mountain ranges surrounds the Resort. The resort has a Thai and Balinese influence in its interiors and architectural design. In -house temple is another speciality of the property.

The rooms are well designed and spacious. Plenty of light enters the rooms through the glass windows which opens to the reflection pools / swimming pool in the middle of the property.If your room is in the ground floor, enjoy fresh air & sun light/or a drink /or a book by sitting on the seats provided or on steps of the 'sit outs'. You can even put your legs in the water and enjoy the quiteness.They also have suits and villas.

The food and beverage outlets include all day dining, regional speciality restaurant, pool bar, piano bar, Razzmaatazz(discotheque) etc. Aparanta , the all day restaurant, offers Indian, Mediterranean and international cuisine. Kokum & Spice is an all ladies service restaurant serving regional coastal cuisine and is open for dinner only. If you love the out doors, have dinner at Mangroves, the open-air restaurant surrounded by reflection pools.

The resort also has conference and meeting facilities and is an ideal venue for meetings, launches ,trainings etc. The big open lawns are good to organize weddings & cocktail parties. The gym is well equipped and the steam bath is just great. They also have a good library well stocked with books on Indian culture, art , music ,cinema , textiles, architecture etc.

The 20,000 sq feet magnificently designed Mandara Spa at the Radisson, Alibaug,(a part of the prestigious Mspa International, Thailad), is said to be the largest spa in Asia. The spa , which is surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens and clear blue waters, offers an array of therapies to pamper the guests. They have exclusive weekend packages, 2 nights & 3 days , where the guests can avail choice of special massages, therapies, yoga /meditation sessions etc.

The Radisson Resort & Spa is a beautiful destination for a vacation where you can just relax in the quite large breezy open spaces or read a book sitting by the side of the pool or visit the beaches or historical forts near by.

For those who are interested, the contact details are as under.
Radisson Resorts & Spa
Alibaug - 402209
Maharashtra,India.
Tel - +91-2141-277777/227777
Fax - +91-2141-277799
Web - www.radisson.com/alibaugin

Unable to post pictures due to technical reasons. Shall try to post them on Monday

Slumdog Millionaire ….The Oscar nominated ….Golden Globe Winner

I liked the movie!

It’s a beautifully taken fantasy ……...about a Mumbai teenager, who grew up in the slums, becomes a contestant on a TV Show (Indian version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?")… with glimpses of realism .....events from his life history which explain why he knows the answers……………………

Good actors ….good acting.…. good music ( well done Rahman…we are proud of you...hope/wish you bring Oscar to India)…good picturisation …. Sizzling , positive, fighting energy ……

Unlike ‘Salam Bombay’ which also picturise Mumbai’s slum life , this movie ends with ,a positive note , a smile on your face. I will never forget the last scene of ‘Salam Bombay’ , that helpless little boy’s crying face. It always pains……

About the controversy of projecting (shining) India’s slum face, the mission (or the prime aim )of this movie is not to project India as an emerging economy , but to sell the picture worldwide . I think the makers succeeded in a great deal. Have seen similar criticism when movies like Water , Fire ,1947(Earth), Salam Bombay..etc were made. Why are we so scared of the truths ? Why should we run away from them ? Will this running away from the naked realities will help us any way ?? I doubt.....

SATYAM - All glitters are not gold ..

The old proverb , all glitters are not gold , is apt for Satyam today. Till yesterday, Satyam was the rising star in the international business horizon ( 4th biggest in India !!) and today , like a meteor, fallen down dead ! It is the unbelievable fall of Mr Ramalinga Raju from riches to rags.

All the IT companies use various filters to check on the credibility of the newly recruted employess. They are so very particular about the applicant's personal / profesional/educational /medical background. Only after back ground checks, using high- fy privet agencies, they do issue the appointment letter. My doubt is , shouldn't be there any check on the so called directors and top officers of these IT companies ? From the satyam experience, i think the govt. must impliment it and as the stake holders we have the right to demand. Afterall its our money they are playing with.

On channel 'Times Now' yestarday viewed report on Satayam fraud ( or is it Ramalingam fraud??) and understand there is a proposal to bail out Satyam. And i'm strongly oppose the proposal why b'coz, it is obvious that the directors , all or most of them, have been cheating the world for almost 7 years and hv eaten up about 7000 crores. (The most worrying part is that , if Mr Raju hadn't disclosed about this fraud through his letter, noone would have known about it !! where are our regulatory mechanisms ??)Why should we bail out such first rated frauds ? Morover, due to various tax relaxation allowed for the IT firms, they were not been paying tax (?!!). Why should we taxpayers shell out our hard earned money to safeguard such frauds mis-deeds? Ofcourse, there are 53,000 employees future to be concedered and the poor shareholders money also to be protected. I'm sure there will be other corporates interested in buying the sick Satyam ( L&T has already shown some interest). And why not confiscate the directors' properties to recover the money? Why govt. is so keen on bailing out Satyam ? Havn't seen such kind of concerns on the employees of any other companies, big or small, sick or closed units, before!!.

Anyway , my dear IT industry lovers, before joining the company (how ever big they are) check on the credibility of the direcotrs ( indeed its an herculian task...but what else to do..) . And don't you feel its always better to start something of your own than depending on such frauds ??? Think loud...