Vande vandyam

"Vande vandyam sadaanandam.." used to come on TV on Chitramanjari, that was about 15 years back. I still clearly remember how much i was awed by this song. Now i get a chance to experience the song again here
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5-WChTOYCM

This is from a movie 'Sri Madhvacharya' from GV Iyer! I heard it has also won a national award.

Manthana

Monday to Friday, 10PM.

THE best serial i have seen in my life. You may recognize the director S.N.Sethuram (not Seetaram) who had acted in Seetaram's earlier serials, ya the short, pure-white-haired, smiling person.
One would wonder how Sethuram got so much depth in his scripts,dialogues. He seems like a genius to me, to be able to understand, analyse and express relationships. Many conversations are like lessons. Some would make you go down on your knees. We have now started audio-recording of the sessions from episode 50 onwards. I feel bad that i missed out on the earlier gems!

Some quotes :

72-1: Reddy to his servant Appajappa
ಅಪ್ಪಜಪ್ಪ, ವಿದ್ಯಾ ಅಂತ ವಂದ್ ಇಲ್ಲ, ಬುದ್ಧಿವಂತ ಅನ್ಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದೆ. ವಿದ್ಯಾವಂತರ್ ಜೊತೆ ಸೇರಿ ಸೇರಿ, ದಡ್ಡ ಆಗ್ಬಿಟ್ಟವ್ನೆ!

72-1: Reddy to Karibasappa
Income Tax Peon ಕರಿಬಸಪ್ಪ ಬೇಕು. ಬರೀ ಕರಿಬಸಪ್ಪ ತಕ್ಕೊಂಡ್ ನಾವೆನ್ ಮಾಡೊಣ! ಮಾರಮ್ಮನ್ ಗುಡಿ ಪೂಜಾರಪ್ಪ...ದ್ಯಾವಿ ಮೈ ಮಾಲೆ ಬರ್ತಾಳೆ, ಹೊಗಿ ಕಾಲಿಗ್ ಬೀಳ್ತೀವಿ, ನೈವೇದ್ಯ ಮಾಡ್ತೀವಿ... ಮಾರಮ್ಮ ತಿನ್ನಕ್ಕಿಲ್ಲ, ಪೂಜಾರಪ್ಪ ತಿಂತಾನೆ. ಆದರೇ ಮಾರಮ್ಮಂಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟಿದ್ದು, ಪೂಜಾರಪ್ಪಂಗ್ ಅಲ್ಲ! ತಿಳ್ಕ!

74-1: Reddy

ಸತ್ಯ ಹೇಳ್ಬಾರದು, ಒಂದ್ ಕಿತ ಹೇಳಿದ್ರೆ, ಅದನ್ನೆ ಮುಂದಕ್ಕೆ ಹೇಳ್ತಾ ಇರಬೇಕು. ಆಗಲೇ, ಜನ ನಮ್ಮನ್ನ ಸತ್ಯವಂತರು ಅಂತ ನಂಬೊದು! ಇಷ್ಟರ್ ಮ್ಯಾಲೆ, ನೀವ್ ಸತ್ಯ ಹೇಳಿ, ಸುಳ್ ಹೇಳಿ, ಜನಕ್ಕೆ ಏನ್ ಬೇಕೊ ಅದನ್ನ ಮಾತ್ರ ಅವರು ನಂಬೊದು.

74-1:
Professor : "ಬಹಳ ವಿಷಯ ತಿಳ್ಕೊಂಡಿದೀರಿ..."
Reddy : "Educationnu!...SSLC ಗೆ ನಿಲ್ಲಿಸಿಬಿಟ್ಟೆ ನೋಡಿ, ಅದೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಅಪ್ಪಜಪ್ಪ ಹೇಳ್ತಾ ಇರ್ತಾರೆ..ಯೆಜಮಾನರೆ, ನೀವು college ಗೆ ಹೊಗದಲೆ ಇರೋದೆ ಒಳ್ಳೇದ್ ಅಯ್ತು, ಹೋಗಿದ್ದಿದ್ದರೆ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಹೇಳ್ಕೊಟ್ಟಿದ್ದನ್ನ ಮಾತ್ರ ಕಲೀತಾ ಇದ್ದಿರಿ, ಈಗ ಹೋಗಲಿಲ್ಲವಲ್ಲ, ತಿಳ್ಕೊಂಡಷ್ಟು!"

74-1: Reddy on complicating a income tax case
ಈಗ road ಇದ್ದಂಗೆ, ಸೀದ ಒಂದೆ road ಇತ್ತಾ, quality ಚೆನ್ನಗಿತ್ತಾ..ಒಂದೆ speedನಾಗೆ ಹೋಯ್ತದೆ, accident ಆಯ್ತದೆ. ಅದಕ್ಕೆ, road ಏಕ ಸೀದ ಒಂದೆ ಇರಕ್ಕಿಲ್ಲ್ರ.. ಅಲ್ಲಲ್ಲಿ road humps, accident ಕಮ್ಮಿ ಆಗ್ಲಿ ಅಂತ. Quality ಕೆಟ್ಟದಾಗಿತ್ತಾ, ಕಾಸ್ ಉಳೀತು, steel ಕಮ್ಮಿ, accident ಕಮ್ಮಿ.

74-2: Reddy talking about husband and wife
ಕಲ್ಲೊಂದ್ ದಿಕ್ಕು, ಮರಳ್ ಒಂದ್ ದಿಕ್ಕು, cement ಇನ್ನೆಲ್ಲೋ! concreet ಹೆಂಗ್ ಆಯ್ತದೆ!

74-2: Reddy
ಬುದ್ಧಿವಂತರು! ಇವರಿಗೆ ಪೋಲಿಸು, ಕಾನೂನು, ಕೋರ್ಟು, ಕಚೇರಿ ಅಂತ ತೋರಿಸಿದ್ರೆ ಓಡಾಡ್ಕೊಂಡ್ ಇರ್ತಾರೆ, ಓಡಾಡ್ಕೊಂಡ್ ಇರಲಿ ಬಿಡು..ತೆಳ್ಳಗೆ whisky ಕುಡ್ಕೊಂಡು ನಾವ್ ಮಲ್ಲಿಕ್ಕೊಳ್ಳೊಣ ಬಾ

74-3:
Shruti : "ಕಳ್ಳನ ಮಗಳನ್ನ ಮದುವೆ ಆಗ್ತಿದೀಯ"
Praveena: "ಇದರಲ್ಲಿ ಅವಳ ತಪ್ಪು ಇಲ್ಲವಲ್ಲ!"
Shruti : "ತ್ಯಾಗ ಅನ್ನೋದು ಇದಕ್ಕೆ. ಅದರ ಫಲಾನುಭವಿ ನಾನು. ಬದುಕಿನುದ್ದಕ್ಕೂ ಗೊತ್ತೊ ಗೊತ್ತಿಲ್ಲದೆ ನೊ ನೀನು ಅದನ್ನ ಆಡಿ ತೋರಿಸ್ತಿಯ, ಇಲ್ಲ ಮಾಡಿ ತೋರಿಸ್ತಿಯ. ಋಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಬದುಕೋದು ಕಷ್ಟ, ಋಣಿಯಾಗಿ ಬದುಕೋದರಲ್ಲಿ ಸುಖ ಎಲ್ಲಿರುತ್ತೆ, ಸಂತೋಷ ಎಲ್ಲಿರುತ್ತೆ? ಅಪ್ಪ, ಅಮ್ಮನ್ನ ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಬಾ-ಅಗಬಹುದು; ಇಲ್ಲ ಅಂದ್ಕೊ-ಅದ್ ಕಶ್ಟ"

74-3: Shruti to her mother, comparing her useless father to her prospective husband
ಸಾಕಿದ್ದು ಕಟುಕ ನೇ ಆದ್ರು, ಕುರಿಗೆ ನಂಬಿಕೆ ಅವ್ನ್ ಮೇಲೆ ಅಲ್ವಾ? ಇದು ಕಂಡದ್ದು, ಅದು ಕಾಣದ್ದು, ಕಂಡದ್ದರಲ್ಲಿ ಸುಖ ಇಲ್ಲ, ಅದು ಸರಿ ಇಲ್ಲ...ಸರಿ. ಕಾಣದ್ದರಲ್ಲಿ, ಸುಖ ಇದೆ, ಸರಿ ಇದೆ ಅಂತ ಹೇಗ್ ನಂಬ್ಲಿ?

75-2: Kshama
ಚಿಕ್ಕ ವಯಸ್ಸಿಂದ ಅಭ್ಯಾಸ ಆಗಿದೆ aunty, ಹಠ ಮಾಡದೆ ನಂಗೆ ಏನು ಸಿಗಲ್ಲ, ಅಮ್ಮ ಇದ್ದರೆ ಮಗುಗೆ ಹಸಿವೆ ಅಯ್ತು-ಗೊತ್ತಾಗುತ್ತೆ, ಬೇರೆಯವರಿಗೆ ಹೇಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಗುತ್ತೆ? ತಾತಂಗೆ ಹಸಿವೆ ಆದ್ರೆ ನನಗ್ ಊಟ!

75-2: Nandini
ಯಾರು ಯಾರಿಗು ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣವಾಗಿ ಅರ್ಥ ಅಗೊಲ್ಲ, ಅರ್ಥ ಮಡ್ಕೊಂಡಿದೀವಿ ಅನ್ನೋದು ಒಂದು ಅನಿಸಿಕೆ ಅಷ್ಟೆ, ಎಲ್ಲರು ನಮ್ಮ ನಮ್ಮ ಸೌಕರ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ಎಷ್ಟು ಬೇಕೊ ಅಷ್ಟು ಮಾತ್ರ ಅರ್ಥ ಮಡ್ಕೋತೀವಿ

75-3: Shruti to her mother, after her wedding plans were broken
ಅಮ್ಮ, ಕಲೀಲಿಲ್ಲ ಬದುಕು ನಿನ್ ಮಗಳು. ಕಲೀಲಿಲ್ಲ ನಡ್ಯೋದು. ಎಷ್ಟ್ ದಿನ ಅಮ್ಮ ಆಗಿರಕ್ಕೆ ಸಾಧ್ಯ ನೊ ಅಷ್ಟ್ ದಿನ ಮಗಳಾಗ್ಬಿಡ್ತೀನಿ. ಸಾಕಾದ್ ದಿನ ಹೇಳು, ನಾನ್ ಅಮ್ಮ ಅಗ್ತೀನಿ, ನೀನ್ ಮಗಳಾಗು. ಹೇಳ್ಕೊಡ್ತೀನಿ, ನಾನ್ ಬಾಲ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಲ್ತಿದ್ದನ್ನ, ನೀನ್ ಮರತಿದ್ದನ್ನ: ಕುಂಟೆ ಬಿಲ್ಲೆ, ಆಡೊಣ, ಆಗೊಮ್ಮೆ, ಈಗೊಮ್ಮೆ

There are just a few..will compile a bigger list in a separate location later.

World Cup 2007 - Indian Loss (or Gain?)

India lost to Srilanka and are virtually out of the World Cup.
This image on Cricinfo says it. Dravid with a dropped shoulder, waiting for the next batsman. Something makes him look even thinner. This crying Wall is touching. The coach kept on repeating the same reason : 'We were not good enough'. Look at this funny interview. It is funny because the same questions were aimed at Greg again and again. It would be nice to say that the repeated questioning was silly, but look underneath, the press were wanting the coach to talk...talk more...say something which is catchy enough to be put in the papers.

A normal cricket fan like me would get bored to see the Imran khans, Sreekanths chatting away to glory on the NDTV, CNN-IBN and the like. Today, out of the blue, after more than 2 months of cricket "shows", asked public how they felt and "what was the reason for the defeat". Weren't they able to figure out the strengths/weaknessess even after so many shows?

Reality is that we want to talk cricket, talk so much cricket that selecting, planning, execution, discipline of cricket takes a backseat. Everyone is a cricket expert, take these:

• Why the hell was Agarkar included in the team!
• Why wasn't Kumble included!
• The standard one : Tendulkar should be scrapped! ( not the orkut one)
• You hit Vaas 20 runs in an over and they will not let him bowl again till the end of the innings
• India cannot chase maan!
• Let them come back, see how they will be shoed!
• The entire thing is fixed

It may take a week and things will be back to normal. Sanity. The best result is that people would talk less about cricket. People will go to bed early. Hopefully, they will get time to read better stuff. The frustrating helplessness amidst wishful thinking would be spared. Wives at home would be happy. I should say, we will be leading better lives. Which would have got lost had India continued playing in the Super eights. (Or am I too optimistic/pessimistic? Should I wait for Bangladesh vs Bermuda?) Strangely, Optimisim and pessimism seem to be very near each other.

While the BCCI learns how to make the team "good enough", we can take a break. BTW, am hopeful of a great game between Australia and South Africa today. And from this world cup, hope the team learns to learn...again wishful?

Failed to book Railway tickets online?

I know most of us would be aware of Indian Railways introducing online reservation. I guess many would also be aware of a nagging problem in the site : As we proceed to Confirm the reservation, it gives an error
'unable to retreive due to communication error'
and would not continue :(

The railways support has the following solution:
Open new IE>> Tools>>Internet options>>Delete cookies>> Delete internet temporary files and delete all off line contents>> Clear history>>Click OK.

I tried deleting just the temporary files and found that i didn't the error :)
Try your luck!

BTW, KSRTC have also introduced online ticket booking supporting SBI accounts, other banks should have it soon as well. Haven't tried that yet http://www.ksrtc.in/AWATAROnline/

Handwriting Font!

Never knew font creation was so easy!

I know some people were glad using keyboards that they would never have to write by hand again. But handwriting fonts give a personal touch. And you wouldn't want to write in somebody else's handwriting font :)
Steps :

1. On a sheet of paper, Write all the characters that you see on the keyboard. Use a marker( since it has to be thick). The size of your characters should be about the size of a 72 size font
2. Scan it
3. Cut images out of each character
4. Use Font Creator to create your font.
5. You will have to play with it to get the sizes, distance between characters right.

Here is what I got. You can get the font here :

A month ago

It was Sankranti. A kid on E-tv was singing 'Kannanchina ee maatali'. One would wonderwhat his real age was! On a nearby news channel, they declared that Aishwarya andAbhishek had got engaged. They were hoping to hear that the Bachchans would have Aish stop acting, or atleast I did. On second thoughts, when had she really started acting?
But I was so glad for other reasons. An evening earlier, on route from Chikmaglur toHassan, the sun set magnificiently, next to the lush green fields making everything near it look beautiful. The music was great, the road was smooth, it was lovely. Shubha's eyes would have looked at me and smiled. Behind the driver, a quote from DVG was put up, making everybody read it again and again:






A few hours before we were at Hiremaglur. The place became famous only after Kannan who is a priest at the Venkateshwara temple there. It was 'maTa maTa madhyanna'. He was the only person in the big temple, with sounds of nothing but the swooshing wind, leaves and incoherent chirps of birds.
Kannan was cleaning the temple himself. We were fortunate to find him, as he travels a lot. Just because of us, he reopened the temple and performed pooja. He is a very pleasant and jovial person to talk to, even more than what we see on TV. He has an indomitable spirit in everything that he does, making people become his fan. He told us the story of Lal bahadur Shastryji's humanity and simplicity even when he was a union minister. He now writes to Samyukta Karnataka. The reasons were obvious for stopping writing for Vijayakarnataka.BTW, have you observed that VK has started to have lot of spelling mistakes!
The entire temple has wonderful quotes on its walls. They are named 'guDi chellida nuDi'. Right before you enter it, a saying goes :








I also like another one of his :











On the way back, maava was showing a 15-acre land which was sold in 1950s for 22.5rupees!

A day before, HirekoLale lake lay amidst the coffee plantations. Her water untouched,except by the wind. Standing on a hut over a radial bridge, it looked as if we weremoving on a boat. A big banyan tree swept on one side with plenty of soft grass andloads of shade. We were very happy to be there. The sun had again set in grandeur on Ratnagiri bore(read it borey). Children and adults would sit on a toy train which would take them round the hillock. A musical fountain would dance in the backdrop of distant mountains.
I loved it!

Pimple Theory ... Continued

Vasu wrote a Pimple Theory here. As i commented, it went on for too long...so posted it here
Initially, they would say that somebody is thinking of you when you had pimples just to make you feel better !
But i liked Vasu's nonsense talk ;) and would like to continue :

• Wouldn't you add weights to it? 8 bit? 3 bit? For ex: If somebody is thinking about you strongly, a bigger pimple and smaller otherwise* What would have happened if the pimple bursts ;)? Is it that the person has burst out laughing/crying or vomitted? or did something else ;)
• Map 'what a person is thinking about you' to 'location of pimple' For ex: If on forehead...she(hopefully) is thinking about your head...and so on..that would be interesting ;). I cannot give more examples here
• Alternatively, If the pimple comes in the same spot again, there is a conflict...It could be, a) the same person is thinking about you on the same thing b) a new person is thinking about you on the same thing
• You can point to a pimple which has been there for a long time and say 'She likes me so much' LOL!
• If the pimple turns red, it is either that she is blushing or she is angry at you
• But there is a basic question here. How do you determine the sex of the person ?? Surely, you cannot be non-biased! Or is it?