My Thoughts! - by Prakash G.R.

It was the month of May in 2001. I came to this great city of Chennai for our placement profile distribution. That was a horrible experience. Wandering across the city in the hot sun and dust. It made me to hate this city. I was sweating like anything and took 2 bottles of slice, thrice a day while on the roads. During placements were over, I was very happy that I got job in a company which doesn’t have any branches in Chennai. Hughes had its main development center in Gurgaon and one more in Bangalore. During Jan 2002, we went to the Bangalore branch to personally meet the HR and say that we’ll not be coming for the project, as we have already committed in the college. After meeting them, we went to MG nearby. Sipping over a cup of coffee in the coffee day, I realized that I’ve fallen in love with this city. I was thinking for the reasons:

(*) Sakthi: I’ll give you a sample - “Machan, you know why I’ve a Lord Ganesha sticker in the head light? enna, accident aachunna, avaruku than mothalla adi padum. so accident aagama kaapatiduvar” !
(*) Bacardi: Yes, its something you won’t get it in the TN liquor shops You have to go to a bar/restaurant to have Bacardi, which is normally a costly option
(*) The climate: Its really cold, as it was in the month of Jan. I was told that even during summer, it will not be very sunny
(*) City of Youth: I could harlot see someone in their forties/fifties. Guess that more than 75% of the population will be under 30
(*) The colourfulness: You see lot of “cool” looking people - the one with beard and no mush, the one who wears a half-sleeve t-shirt over a full-hand shirt, etc. Although Chennai is a metro, you would rarely find these kind of fellows
(*) Pubs: Although I didn’t visit any pubs at that time, Bangalore was known well for its pubs
(*) Language: Bangalore is perhaps the only city in India, where you can survive without knowing its native language. Let it be Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, Telugu, English, the vendors will talk in that language. Its the only city where the localites are just around 20% of the population
(*) Radio City: Even in small shops, you get to hear this FM Channel. It plays mostly Hindi and English songs and its cool
(*) The voice in the railway station: I really, really, really love that sweet voice that greets you in the railway station. The moment I hear “Your kind attention pleeeeasssse”, I will forget myself for a moment and listen to the announcement. Remember the guys teasing me for that. Never mind. I really love it.

During my six month stay, I found few reasons to hate the city too:

(*) Hated Tamilians: The localites will simply hate you, because you are Tamil.
(*) Dog Sanctuary: Every street has at least a dozen dogs. I know that the fittest survives. But donno how all the dogs are fit and every dog survives. None of them are slim or seems to be starving. Where the hell they get food?
(*) Crime rate: Its too high. After loosing my purse, which was kept in the bedroom, to a thief, who ‘visited’ our home during early morning, while we were in the hall, I can definitely say that
(*) Bus: In buses, the places will be written only in Kannada - I’m not expecting them to write in Tamil, but at least Hindi/English!
(*) Traffic: The traffic is horrible and most of the people drive there without road sense. If you have a two wheeler, probably you will be driving on the platform at least once in a week!

Now that today the final patch is delivered, I’ll be going to Bangalore tomorrow. Let me see how things are changed after my 2 yrs life in this Kuvampatti. Yes, I’m going to drive to Bangalore

written by Prakash G.R.

For a long time, I’ve been looking at the hoardings on the road on. They have improved a lot now-a-days. Lot of creative work is put in them. Recently, I’m looking at the ones by Pondi Tourism all along the ECR. They express Pondi as a silent, slow and relaxing place where one can rejuvinate. The ones that I like very much:

• A watch & one arrow pointing to hour needle saying Chennai & the other arrow pointing to the minute needle saying Pondi
• WeekENDS at Pondichery (yes, here is where I suttified for the blog title)
• www.pondichery.calm
• PONDissssssHERY

The last two are displayed on the other side, so you see them when you come towards chennai

• Traffic jam? take a U turn
• You can always come back next weekend

Apart from the pondi ones, I simply luv the Kuber Jewellery one, which is kept in the Cathedral road - Mount road junction. There are three reasons for me to like it:

1. Asin looks great in the 1st picture
2. Asin looks great in the 2nd picture
3. Asin looks great in the 3rd picture

written by Prakash G.R.

Ha. That was a wonderful day. Actually during the afternoon got pissed off with the code and stuff. By 5PM, left the office and directly went to my cousin’s home and was playing with her kids. Called up guys and decided to go somewhere. By 7PM I left her home and went to sub-juns home. Hema, Yuva, Sandilya darling, Arun & Ashok joined me. Called up Vetti Prabhu but he said he is celebrating the new year with his school friends. ‘Good’ I said ‘I don’t have to see your face on the first day of an year’ Initially we decided to go to some resort in ECR. Only calling up we came to know that the Collector has ordered all the ECR resorts not to conduct any kind of functions during New Year’s Eve. So after a long discussion we went to Radha Park Inn for a dinner. Sadly Sandilya’s dad called him and asked him to come back home as he has to donate blood for some urgent need. I did miss him As the ball room was bit costly, we decided just to have dinner in the restaurant. Luckily when we went there it was 9.30 PM and since there is no much crowd in one of the ball rooms, they brought down the prices. So we are in!
The food was not so great, not up to the normal Radha Park Inn standards, but decent. There were few games and a dance performance by an externa group and of course they opened the dance floor for everyone. We were enjoying with those games, dances and everything - esp. teasing Hema for his new “venture”. He has to leave by 11.30 as his mom was alone. Surprisingly we got a call from Vetti Prabhu, for saying a HNY. When we asked where he is, he replied, Radha Park Inn !!! Hmmm. Fate. We have to see him on New Year He was in the bar with his school mates.
We came out and was thinking where to go. We decided to go to Marina. We drove to Marina only to find out every other inch a police man was standing and guarding the entire beach road. No one was allowed to go to the beach. We were stopped by the police, as we didn’t booze, we didn’t have any problem. We could see many people like us were coming in bikes and cars and going away with dissappointment. No place to wander after that. So straight away we went home. It was almost 3. Went bed and welcomed New Year

written by Prakash G.R.

Yesterday is the last Valentine’s Day that I enjoy as a bachelor - hopefully !

Morning, as usual went to office. Surfed the net and then chat with my friends. Then I went to CHES. I was very much impressed by the work of Dr. Manorama. Immediately, I decided to help. But donno in what way should I help. I’ve posted a request to Imaigal, hope to get positive replies from other members. I’ve posted mail to many of my friends too. Here is some info abt CHES:

(*) There are around 100 children in that org, who are HIV +
(*) They keep the children in the hospital and also they have a ashramam (which I didn’t visit) in a separate building
(*) The owner of the building doesn’t know that its going to be used for this, and he is strongly against this. He has gone to the court and won the case. Now they have appealed in high court and the case is going. So they are immediately in need of a new place and they can give a rent of 10k - 15 k per month
(*) They do get funds from govt/international orgs, but they are very limited. Rs. 20 for food/child/day which is not enough for obvious reasons
(*) They are having lot of other expenses too - they have started sending few children to school (Only the principal knows the fact that these children are HIV+ and no one else knows about this) They need money for this
(*) Recently they have started finding out foster parents to adopt the children. The foster parents are poor and they too have children. CHES has given them money for this child as well as for their own children
(*) They have more plans, but money is a primary need

If you are interested in helping them in some way or the other, you can mail me.

written by Prakash G.R.