Caughted...

The other day I was waiting in front of a shop for a friend. Waiting is not really my cup of tea, so I just try to find out some way to not just wait. And you might know by now the first thing that I do when Im bored. Good that I found some reason to snap this shot. Well find it out for yourself. I bet you'll laugh when you do!

Ocean View Terrace

This past week has been quite busy with traveling from coast to coast on roads to rails. The above snap was from the terrace of my bro Pandu's home in Vyzag (AKA Visakhapatnam). His sister got married on Friday. I had to rush back home after that to go to Chennai for Siddhu's interview. The kid passed the written test and got admitted in the Hindu Senior Secondary School, Adyar, Chennai (Sorry, I dont know the pin code!).

 Came back only yesterday. In my travels in bus and on train I met a few interesting people a cloth merchant, a journalist from a news channel, an aspiring aeronautical student from IIT Madras and a CRPF serviceman. They all were pretty interesting to know about.

I remembered my friend Prakash's philosophy of why he doesnt read books...when there are so many people around, why read books!

Tarot Parrot

Chances are you might have encountered atleast one time this scene in India, and probably have been in the hot seat just to see what lies ahead for you. Welcome to the tarot reading parrots of India. From big cities to remote villages one can find men carrying a small wooden cage with thin bars sitting in the shade of a tree on a straw mat. In front are the tarot cards spread in a black jack style, so much that you get tempted to sit and try a hand out. Not for the game though. You sit and give your hand while he tries out your luck. He opens the cage and a beautiful parrot comes out, picks up a card and rushes into the cage as if its too shy to come out of home. I dont know how they train these parrots but they get addicted to those cages biting on a half guava which occupies half of the cage. Its really ironic. Thats the reason I have never been in the hot seat. Although I have seen people trying it out and most of the time the man speaks almost the same stuff about miseries, friendship, betrayal etc. Seems people have unity in something after all.

Repati Pourulu...(Tomorrow's Citizens)!

Good to know that tomorrow's citizens include Swami Vivekananda, Mother Teresa, Meera Bai. The regular doctors, lawyers ( Spidy seems to have some law suit and seeking a lawyer in the corner). Lord Krishna is hiding from Meera Bai behind an Angel while Swami Vivekanand watches. Well Meera Bai herself is an angel. And I guess thats Ms India (may be) talking to a tribal guy or is it the "go veggy" style guy. Mother Teresa is talking to a doctor, probably advising on how to take care of people without treatment. Micheal Jackson is seeking police protection in the corner away from others. Too bad my favorite citizen Batman has been pushed out of the view..can you find him? 

                Alright, enough of "see n tell" class notes. This is from my nephew Siddhu's fancy dress competition in school last year. I wasnt expecting so much diversity (in Unity) and neither was Siddhu, although he seriously wanted to dressup. In the last minute he had a regular tshirt and jeans and his guitar, supposedly a HERO look. Dont know who won the competition, but trust me they were all winners in my jury!!

Walking Away...

Last week I was in Chennai. There was one other person who was more excited than I was. Siddhu my nephew had his first experience of a night train journey, out of state travel, the beach sand .... I mean after all hes only half a decade old. I had to cross more than two decades to touch the sand in the beach back in 2000. It was fun seeing his reactions ranging from uncontrollable laughter to extreme excitement to mild fear to tearful send off (to the exam hall !).  Yeah , he had to attend a test in a school there. It sounds pretty unexciting to hear that they'll be moving to Chennai soon. I'll miss him big time. My day is incomplete with out seeing Siddhu and his sister Vaishu. I might move there too...just to finish my day!