We all dream. Every night - as we dim the light of perception - we enter the realm of the dream. In this dream state our imagination runs free with little or no interference from our conscious mind. In the morning, when we awaken and return to consciousness, we may bring with us a recollection of the wanderings of our imagination - we remember the dream. To dream is natural, it is a universal experience. As sleep research has shown even animal dreams. How we regard the dream, however, varies from culture to culture and from person to person.
Unfortunately most of us remain blissfully unaware of our dreams - we fail to remember them. Even if we do remember a dream it is typically dismissed as meaningless and unimportant. For those of us who do place an importance on dream it still remains a mystery. So what is a dream?
Originally the dream was held to be the voice of God. Most aboriginal cultures hold that the dream is sent by the Great Spirit and serves to offer advice and instruction.
This idea of the divinity of the dream can also to be found in ancient Egyptian and Greek society. The ancient Greeks constructed temples they called Asclepieions, where sick people were sent to be cured. It was believed that cures would be effected through divine grace by incubating dreams within the confines of the temple.
In the early part of this century, however, the dream was championed by two great psychologists, Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. For Freud the dream revealed that which the dreamer would rather keep hidden. By exploring the dream one was forced to face that which was suppressed and rejected within oneself.
Jung had another theory. Jung felt that the dream acted as a mirror for the ego - revealing that which was missing within the consciousness of the dreamer. For Jung the dream acted as a teacher and guide on the road toward wholeness.
The psyche, or mind, is made up of two distinct fields- the conscious and the unconscious mind. The conscious mind is also referred to as the ego. The ego, or conscious mind, represents our awareness and capacity for thought and self-reflection, whilst the unconscious houses our instinctive wisdom and patterns of behavior.
Active within the unconscious is a creative force which seeks consciousness - the unconscious seeks to be made known. This drive toward consciousness is the force of individuation - the force by which we come to realise our greater potential…. What is generally known as Dream!
The way of the dream offers an alternative. For the dream belongs to the twilight zone of consciousness - where the ego and the unconscious meet.The conscious element of the dream lies in its remembrance, the unconscious element lies in its mystery and perplexity. Half conscious, half unconscious, the dream acts as a bridge between the known and the unknown. To listen to the dream is to listen to the unconscious. Through doing so one relieves the need for the unconscious to force itself upon you.
Dreaming is one of the most fascinating experiences of the mind. At the same time it is one of the most perplexing. So often we know that a dream is trying to tell us something but still its meaning eludes us. Its language appears strange yet familiar. If our unconscious mind is trying to tell us something why doesn't it just come right out and say it? Why the puzzle instead of the picture?
Dreams are riddles rather than proclamations. They ask us a question hoping that we search and find the answer to ourselves. Dreams aim to broaden our mind, to teach us what is beyond our comprehension. If a dream were to speak directly to our present state of consciousness then all would be easily understood … yet nothing would be discovered. A dream is by necessity… a mystery.
To interpret your dreams is to travel this splendidly majestic road. Dreams offer us a passage into the unconscious; they give us a place to start. And it is damn useful because we can not sit and think… ok... So what is it that am not aware of?!
So how does one answer the riddle which the dream is? First of all it is not the obvious. With any dream, you admit that you’re vexed up. This is what signals to you that you’re in the right state to begin. The dream teaches us most when the mind is empty and free of preconceptions. Each dream is unique and must be approached in its own way. Dictionaries of symbols, dream books and various psychological theories offer us very little when it comes to the actual dream.
Next list all the components of the dream, be they people, places or circumstances. The third lap is most important. Next to each of the dream components write down all your associations to the dream elements. After this you may also amplify the dream. The verbatorical interpretation of dream is just the size of your palm.
Dream interpretation was taken up as part of psychoanalysis at the end of the 19th century; the perceived, manifest content of a dream is analyzed to reveal its latent meaning to the psyche of the dreamer.
A person, supposedly my friend had a very weird dream. She found herself being chased by a dog and then she fell from a cliff. This dream repeated itself for over a month. When after a month, she couldn’t handle the situation, she went to this psychologist. After reviewing her activities in the recent days, he came to a conclusion. Due to official problems she was facing from her manager, she was losing control and had tried to break away from the trauma by attempting suicide. After thorough counseling, she stopped getting such dreams.
The above condition was not a whole lot complex. Dr. Bharathi, Dream counselor with a private hospital narrates a case file where her patient was the key spectator of an act of unintended crime committed in her deep slumber. The patient was constantly dreaming about a dark alley where she sits and draws a sketch of a boy over and over again.She was suffering from part memory loss. After going through treatment for a period of about six months, she was able to get over with it. It so happened that during her visit to Shimla, with her gang of friends, in a skiing accident, her boyfriend accidentally fell down the mountain slope and in the process cut himself in a silver lining that was hung for electrical purpose. After she regained her consciousness, she had been in a state of shock and underwent treatment for another two months.
To quote a personal experience, I always had this feeling that I speak to an old lady in the dark in a room painted of stumps with red paint. She constantly babbles about a door which has to be opened using a silver key. Till date, I couldn’t figure out what it means. I have gone through my entire family lineage… hoping to find the lady’s portrait… just in case she was giving me a clue about a hidden treasure!!!
Well, you know when you have interpreted a dream correctly when you get an 'Aha!' reaction. Just like a riddle, all of a sudden you 'get it' and everything makes sense.
If you penetrate only part of the issue which the dream presents or slip up in your interpretation, then the unconscious will send a follow up dream. If you fail to interpret the dream entirely then it will often come again. This is the phenomenon of repetitive dreaming; since you didn't really listen the first time, the unconscious sends out the same message again… unless you find out what the heck it means!
One last but a very important point. Dreams aim to rebalance a partial or lopsided attitude. They serve to teach you a lesson. Externalize the internal by applying the dream to your everyday life. It is only in this way that you truly honor your dream.
Wednesday, 29 August 2007
Monday, 13 August 2007
Coffee to Cappuccino...
There are many ways to jumpstart a day. You can go and stand under a cold shower, have someone yell at you as if they were asking someone to send breakfast from a country which is millions of miles away….or you can walk like a zombie, doing your work with half baked concentration… mistaking your shaving cream for a tooth paste… or you could drink a cup of strong coffee.
However, these days coffee is not simply something that clears the mental cobwebs and gives people a bright eye and the courage to face another day. Coffee has become more than an emergency standby. It is now the beverage to be consumed many times in the course of a day.
Coffee when you wake up, coffee when you arrive to work, coffee during the first break, and another cup with lunch. And on and on it goes. Coffee all the time!!! Sometimes, it is justified too. If you have attended meetings, you know what it means. If you are in the speaker's position you need to be alert and not start yawning halfway through the presentation, coffee helps. If you are the audience and you sit there wishing you were a hundred miles away, fishing perhaps, and then coffee can provide that facade of alertness that makes everyone think you are really paying attention. In short, no matter what the occasion or need is, coffee has become a good old standby.
Over the last decade, you may have noticed something a little bit different. Your favorite coffee shop is now referring to itself as a café and the person serving you coffee is now referred to as a barista. Also, your simple order of a medium double has now become far more complicated. Between learning some basic Italian to order a drink that was once known as large, medium, or small, and between having to pick through a number of different coffee drinks with funny names, it can be a bit tough buying coffee.
Drinks like the cappuccino have become all the rage among coffee lovers and for good reason – the cappuccino is a sweet drink. Originating from Italy, the cappuccino has a sweet, smooth taste that is irresistible. A European staple, the cappuccino has burned itself into the Indian consciousness in the late 1990s due to its availability in specialty coffee bar chains like Barista or Café Coffee Day. Now, even McDonald’s is serving this delicious confection.
However, these days coffee is not simply something that clears the mental cobwebs and gives people a bright eye and the courage to face another day. Coffee has become more than an emergency standby. It is now the beverage to be consumed many times in the course of a day.
Coffee when you wake up, coffee when you arrive to work, coffee during the first break, and another cup with lunch. And on and on it goes. Coffee all the time!!! Sometimes, it is justified too. If you have attended meetings, you know what it means. If you are in the speaker's position you need to be alert and not start yawning halfway through the presentation, coffee helps. If you are the audience and you sit there wishing you were a hundred miles away, fishing perhaps, and then coffee can provide that facade of alertness that makes everyone think you are really paying attention. In short, no matter what the occasion or need is, coffee has become a good old standby.
Over the last decade, you may have noticed something a little bit different. Your favorite coffee shop is now referring to itself as a café and the person serving you coffee is now referred to as a barista. Also, your simple order of a medium double has now become far more complicated. Between learning some basic Italian to order a drink that was once known as large, medium, or small, and between having to pick through a number of different coffee drinks with funny names, it can be a bit tough buying coffee.
Drinks like the cappuccino have become all the rage among coffee lovers and for good reason – the cappuccino is a sweet drink. Originating from Italy, the cappuccino has a sweet, smooth taste that is irresistible. A European staple, the cappuccino has burned itself into the Indian consciousness in the late 1990s due to its availability in specialty coffee bar chains like Barista or Café Coffee Day. Now, even McDonald’s is serving this delicious confection.
The trendy ‘Coffee-world’ has probably been a real long evolution process but something which didn’t take that long to be recognized. Do you remember a time when coffee was served black with sugar on the side, no cream, flavors or any other such fancy alterations? Coffee was meant to give you with a good dose of energy and nothing else. Those small cups are still used to serve black coffee which is called espresso. Over the years a desire to enjoy the magic drink of coffee evolved into a desire for more than just the small espresso cup. People began to use larger cups and mugs to desire the quantity they desired.
Well… that was not the only thing that changed. In order to add color to that magic cup of coffee in our lives people started experimenting with different ingredients. This was the beginning of a whole new specialty coffee… a trendsetter.
Cappuccino, cafe latte, mochas, macchiato and all other coffee drinks that are different than the original black coffee are specialty coffee types. There are many different types of coffee creations like cinnamon, chocolate, hazelnut, caramel and vanilla flavored coffee… all this only to name a few. Only your imagination limits what you can invent as your own specialty coffee. You can put in anything you desire your coffee to taste like.
Does the experience of specialty coffee diminish over time? Not at all and if anything, it enhances the coffee experience by adding the extra spice or flavor for your enjoyment. Many people simply cannot have coffee just by itself. They find it too strong and overpowering thus, a bit of flavor helps them to enjoy a cup of coffee as well.
Regardless of how you take your coffee, black or with cream, flavored or plain, a cappuccino or a cafe latte, you have to admit that this wonderful drink has only improved our lives with its rich aromas and taste… morning, evening and night, whenever you desire. You do not have to have a day without coffee.
Eating the Indian Way….
India is not only famous of its multi-cultural and lingual phenomena but also for its mouth-watering multi-cuisines which are always a treat to the taste bud of every living human! The cuisines vary indifferently throughout the demography… reflecting the ethnic diversity… some of them playing with the sour buds, while some elusively pamper that part of your tongue which savors the sweet relics. Some have a totally indistinguishable taste… what we call as Khatta-meetha spicy punch!
Food is integral to any culture and, as a land that has experienced extensive immigration and intermingling through many millennia, the Indian subcontinent has benefited from numerous food influences. The diverse climate in the region, ranging from deep tropical to alpine, has also helped considerably broaden the set of ingredients readily available to the many schools of cookery in India. In many cases, food has become an indication of religious and social identity, with varying taboos and preferences which has also driven these groups to innovate extensively with the food sources that are deemed acceptable.
One strong influence over Indian foods is the longstanding vegetarianism within sections of India's Hindu and Jain communities. At 31%, slightly less than a third of Indians are vegetarians.
The most outstanding feature of the Indian way of food is that it uses almost everything it can find to garnish the plate and make it tasty. The staples of Indian cuisine are rice, atta and a variety of pulses, the most important of which are chana (Bengal gram), toor (yellow gram), urad (black gram) and mung (green gram).
Most Indian curries (gravy) are fried in vegetable oil. In North and West India, groundnut oil is traditionally been most popular for frying, while in Eastern India, Mustard oil is more commonly used. In South India, coconut oil is common. Hydrogenated vegetable oil, known as Vanaspati ghee, is also a popular cooking medium that replaces Desi ghee.
The most frequently used spices in Indian cuisine are chilli pepper, black mustard seed, cumin, turmeric, asafoetida, ginger, and garlic. Popular spice mixes are garam masala which is usually a powder of five or more dried spices, commonly comprised of cardamom, cinnamon and clove; and Goda Masala, a popular spice mix in Maharashtra. Some leaves are commonly used like tejpat (malabathrum), bay leaf, coriander leaf, fenugreek leaf and mint leaf for usually garnishing. The common use of curry leaves is typical of South Indian cuisine. In sweet dishes, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, saffron, and rose petal essence are used to bring the typical flavor.
North Indian cuisine is distinguished by the proportionally high use of dairy products; milk, paneer, ghee and yoghurt are all common ingredients. Gravies are typically dairy-based. Other common ingredients include chilies, saffron, and nuts.
North Indian cooking features the use of the tawa (griddle) for baking flat breads like roti and paratha, and tandoor for baking breads such as naan, kulcha and khakhra. Puri and bahtoora, which are deep fried in oil, are also common. Goat and lamb meats are favored ingredients of many northern Indian recipes.The samosa is a popular North Indian snack, and now commonly found in other parts of India, Central Asia and the Middle East.
The staple food of most of North India is a variety of lentils, vegetables, and roti. Popular dishes include gujiya, chaat, daal ki kachauri, jalebi, imarti, several types of pickles, murabba, sharbat, pana and aam papad. Popular sweets include gulab jamun, peda, rewdi, gajak, milk cake, bal mithai, kulfi, falooda, khaja, ras malai, and several varieties of laddu, barfi and halwa.
Some common North Indian foods such as the various kebabs and most of the meat dishes originated with Muslims advent into the country. Pakistan was part of North India prior to the partition of India. As a result, Pakistani cuisine is very similar to northern Indian cuisine.
East Indian cuisines make use of thickening agents such as cashew or poppy seed paste. Milk-based sweets are also very popular fare, being a particular specialty in Bengal and Orissa. Bangladeshi cuisine is very similar to East Indian cuisine. Fish and seafood are very popular in the coastal states of Orissa and West Bengal. Many of the sweet dishes now popular in Northern India initially originated in the Bengal region.
The South Indian staple breakfast item of Idly, Sambhar and Vada served on a banana leaf is a very famous delicacy. South Indian cuisine is distinguished by a greater emphasis on rice as the staple grain, the liberal use of coconut and particularly coconut oil and curry leaves, and the ubiquity of sambar and rasam.
South Indian cooking is more vegetarian-friendly. The dosa, idli, vada, bonda, and bajji are typical South Indian snacks. Andhra, Chettinad, Hyderabadi cuisine, Mangalorean, and Kerala cuisines each have distinct tastes and methods of cooking. In fact each of the South Indian states has a different way of preparing sambar; a connoisseur of South Indian food will very easily tell the difference between sambar from Kerala and sambar from Tamilnadu and 'pappu pulusu' in Andhra cuisine.
Saraswat cuisine forms an important part of coastal Konkani Indian cuisine. Poha is an important food item made from rice that originates in Western India.
Indian Cuisine in the West Britain has a particularly strong tradition of Indian cuisine that originates from the British Raj. At this time there were a few Indian restaurants in the richer parts of London that catered to British officers returning from their duties in India.
In the start of the 20th century there was a second phase in the development of Anglo-Indian cuisine, as families from countries such as Bangladesh migrated to London to look for work. Some of the earliest such restaurants were opened in Brick Lane in the East End of London, a place that is still famous for this type of cuisine.
In the late twentieth century Birmingham was the centre of growth of Balti houses, serving a newly developed style of cooking in a large, wok-like, pan, with a name sometimes attributed to the territory of Baltistan,. Indian food is now integral to the British diet. Chicken tikka massala is thought to be Britain's most popular dish.
Due to the large Indian community in South Africa, the cuisine of South Africa includes several Indian-origin dishes; some have evolved to become unique to South Africa, such as the bunny chow.
Beverages have become an integral part of the cuisines. Tea is a staple beverage throughout India; the finest varieties are grown in Darjeeling and Assam. It is generally prepared as masala chai, tea with a mixture of spices boiled in milk. The less popular coffee is largely served in South India. One of the finest varieties of Coffea arabica is grown around Mysore, Karnataka, and is marketed under the trade name "Mysore Nuggets". nimbu pani (lemonade), lassi, badam dood (milk with nuts and cardamom) & Chaach (made from curd/yogurt ) , sharbat and coconut water also have their a special place in the itenary. India also has many indigenous alcoholic beverages, including palm wine, fenny, bhang and Indian beer. Having Paan after you savor the dishes is a customary.
With every part of the lip smacking fare up to the mark and with completely filled stomach… it’s the Indian cuisine one has to turn to… to feel the elation of the taste bud and the contended heart.
Food is integral to any culture and, as a land that has experienced extensive immigration and intermingling through many millennia, the Indian subcontinent has benefited from numerous food influences. The diverse climate in the region, ranging from deep tropical to alpine, has also helped considerably broaden the set of ingredients readily available to the many schools of cookery in India. In many cases, food has become an indication of religious and social identity, with varying taboos and preferences which has also driven these groups to innovate extensively with the food sources that are deemed acceptable.
One strong influence over Indian foods is the longstanding vegetarianism within sections of India's Hindu and Jain communities. At 31%, slightly less than a third of Indians are vegetarians.
The most outstanding feature of the Indian way of food is that it uses almost everything it can find to garnish the plate and make it tasty. The staples of Indian cuisine are rice, atta and a variety of pulses, the most important of which are chana (Bengal gram), toor (yellow gram), urad (black gram) and mung (green gram).
Most Indian curries (gravy) are fried in vegetable oil. In North and West India, groundnut oil is traditionally been most popular for frying, while in Eastern India, Mustard oil is more commonly used. In South India, coconut oil is common. Hydrogenated vegetable oil, known as Vanaspati ghee, is also a popular cooking medium that replaces Desi ghee.
The most frequently used spices in Indian cuisine are chilli pepper, black mustard seed, cumin, turmeric, asafoetida, ginger, and garlic. Popular spice mixes are garam masala which is usually a powder of five or more dried spices, commonly comprised of cardamom, cinnamon and clove; and Goda Masala, a popular spice mix in Maharashtra. Some leaves are commonly used like tejpat (malabathrum), bay leaf, coriander leaf, fenugreek leaf and mint leaf for usually garnishing. The common use of curry leaves is typical of South Indian cuisine. In sweet dishes, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, saffron, and rose petal essence are used to bring the typical flavor.
North Indian cuisine is distinguished by the proportionally high use of dairy products; milk, paneer, ghee and yoghurt are all common ingredients. Gravies are typically dairy-based. Other common ingredients include chilies, saffron, and nuts.
North Indian cooking features the use of the tawa (griddle) for baking flat breads like roti and paratha, and tandoor for baking breads such as naan, kulcha and khakhra. Puri and bahtoora, which are deep fried in oil, are also common. Goat and lamb meats are favored ingredients of many northern Indian recipes.The samosa is a popular North Indian snack, and now commonly found in other parts of India, Central Asia and the Middle East.
The staple food of most of North India is a variety of lentils, vegetables, and roti. Popular dishes include gujiya, chaat, daal ki kachauri, jalebi, imarti, several types of pickles, murabba, sharbat, pana and aam papad. Popular sweets include gulab jamun, peda, rewdi, gajak, milk cake, bal mithai, kulfi, falooda, khaja, ras malai, and several varieties of laddu, barfi and halwa.
Some common North Indian foods such as the various kebabs and most of the meat dishes originated with Muslims advent into the country. Pakistan was part of North India prior to the partition of India. As a result, Pakistani cuisine is very similar to northern Indian cuisine.
East Indian cuisines make use of thickening agents such as cashew or poppy seed paste. Milk-based sweets are also very popular fare, being a particular specialty in Bengal and Orissa. Bangladeshi cuisine is very similar to East Indian cuisine. Fish and seafood are very popular in the coastal states of Orissa and West Bengal. Many of the sweet dishes now popular in Northern India initially originated in the Bengal region.
The South Indian staple breakfast item of Idly, Sambhar and Vada served on a banana leaf is a very famous delicacy. South Indian cuisine is distinguished by a greater emphasis on rice as the staple grain, the liberal use of coconut and particularly coconut oil and curry leaves, and the ubiquity of sambar and rasam.
South Indian cooking is more vegetarian-friendly. The dosa, idli, vada, bonda, and bajji are typical South Indian snacks. Andhra, Chettinad, Hyderabadi cuisine, Mangalorean, and Kerala cuisines each have distinct tastes and methods of cooking. In fact each of the South Indian states has a different way of preparing sambar; a connoisseur of South Indian food will very easily tell the difference between sambar from Kerala and sambar from Tamilnadu and 'pappu pulusu' in Andhra cuisine.
Saraswat cuisine forms an important part of coastal Konkani Indian cuisine. Poha is an important food item made from rice that originates in Western India.
Indian Cuisine in the West Britain has a particularly strong tradition of Indian cuisine that originates from the British Raj. At this time there were a few Indian restaurants in the richer parts of London that catered to British officers returning from their duties in India.
In the start of the 20th century there was a second phase in the development of Anglo-Indian cuisine, as families from countries such as Bangladesh migrated to London to look for work. Some of the earliest such restaurants were opened in Brick Lane in the East End of London, a place that is still famous for this type of cuisine.
In the late twentieth century Birmingham was the centre of growth of Balti houses, serving a newly developed style of cooking in a large, wok-like, pan, with a name sometimes attributed to the territory of Baltistan,. Indian food is now integral to the British diet. Chicken tikka massala is thought to be Britain's most popular dish.
Due to the large Indian community in South Africa, the cuisine of South Africa includes several Indian-origin dishes; some have evolved to become unique to South Africa, such as the bunny chow.
Beverages have become an integral part of the cuisines. Tea is a staple beverage throughout India; the finest varieties are grown in Darjeeling and Assam. It is generally prepared as masala chai, tea with a mixture of spices boiled in milk. The less popular coffee is largely served in South India. One of the finest varieties of Coffea arabica is grown around Mysore, Karnataka, and is marketed under the trade name "Mysore Nuggets". nimbu pani (lemonade), lassi, badam dood (milk with nuts and cardamom) & Chaach (made from curd/yogurt ) , sharbat and coconut water also have their a special place in the itenary. India also has many indigenous alcoholic beverages, including palm wine, fenny, bhang and Indian beer. Having Paan after you savor the dishes is a customary.
With every part of the lip smacking fare up to the mark and with completely filled stomach… it’s the Indian cuisine one has to turn to… to feel the elation of the taste bud and the contended heart.
Thursday, 19 July 2007
I think i have overcome... i don know!!!!!!!1
People… I have this really huge doubt…why do I have to blog? [I heard that one can earn bucks by letting ads in one’s blogpage.. that s a different reason thoughJ]… ok… long time back I gave out a few reasons as to why I named my page as moksha-no revival… and seriously speaking… am still not sure I attained salvation… and well.. I have reasons to say so…
First... Am in my final year of graduation. And as of now... I have registered myself for campus placement. And am not even sure if I want to go for it. I mean... I want to work for a travel channel... do travel journalism... uncover solitary places that offer solace to heart, uncover super mysterious occurrences in some remote mahal in Rajasthan.. I mean.. This is life and it synomes with FUN. Right? But do u know the companies that are coming….? Hindu, New Indian Express, Vijay TV, Sun TV, Google, Infosys and the likes… this doesn’t sound like fun to me yaar…!
Second… I went to Madras University to find out about the diploma they are offering in Travel and Tourism management industry... And they asked me to come back after my final year results come!!!!!! This is something which I detest. How on earth am I going to make my resume look good???????.. And well... Am going to crack CAT this year… what a DRAB!!!
Third… I became the coordinator of placement cell voluntarily... Basically I wanted to know about every institute that comes over. And then I wanted to score an extra brownie. Also, help my friends identify the best company for them…
Holy Cow… Am supposed to attain salvation. But here I am… trying to get into all the “Worldly Pleasure” and then…what am I doing? Why does my mind always end up jumping from one branch to another [read MONKEY]…. And…Gosh!!!! I will never tirindify…
Ok! I was supposed to tell you al how I could never figure out why I wanted to blog… anyways... I hope I figure it out soon….
First... Am in my final year of graduation. And as of now... I have registered myself for campus placement. And am not even sure if I want to go for it. I mean... I want to work for a travel channel... do travel journalism... uncover solitary places that offer solace to heart, uncover super mysterious occurrences in some remote mahal in Rajasthan.. I mean.. This is life and it synomes with FUN. Right? But do u know the companies that are coming….? Hindu, New Indian Express, Vijay TV, Sun TV, Google, Infosys and the likes… this doesn’t sound like fun to me yaar…!
Second… I went to Madras University to find out about the diploma they are offering in Travel and Tourism management industry... And they asked me to come back after my final year results come!!!!!! This is something which I detest. How on earth am I going to make my resume look good???????.. And well... Am going to crack CAT this year… what a DRAB!!!
Third… I became the coordinator of placement cell voluntarily... Basically I wanted to know about every institute that comes over. And then I wanted to score an extra brownie. Also, help my friends identify the best company for them…
Holy Cow… Am supposed to attain salvation. But here I am… trying to get into all the “Worldly Pleasure” and then…what am I doing? Why does my mind always end up jumping from one branch to another [read MONKEY]…. And…Gosh!!!! I will never tirindify…
Ok! I was supposed to tell you al how I could never figure out why I wanted to blog… anyways... I hope I figure it out soon….
Wednesday, 18 July 2007
I shall overcome.....
i don have a clue why am blogging... actually.. i might know... but my aims and motives are not clear... but i can promise that i wil find out the reasons... vary soon!!!!!
meanwhile.. thanks to al u guys out there who are putting up with my TANTRUMS and.. well... :)
meanwhile.. thanks to al u guys out there who are putting up with my TANTRUMS and.. well... :)
Wednesday, 27 June 2007
Tuesday, 22 May 2007
love or lowe?
Well. This is not the first time am experiencing this;…. When during my 9th std holidays.. I had gone to Mysore palace… I had this strange feeling that I had been there already.. as in.. I knew every turn in that palace.. and I was so familiar with it tat.. I could even recognize the faces in the painting whom I haven even remembered studying in my history text books… I know… I have psychic powers… I can foresee certain stuffs in my dream… and well.. I can at least tell u what I had seen. And that some one has a problem.. and it actually happens… now.. I wonder if I started remembering my previous birth….
Ok,… but what I wanted to tell u al now.. is something entirely different.. Am actually in love. Love as in… love. Not Lowe. But the problem is tat he is not alive. He wasn’t alive when I was born. Its Ravi varma….. The famous artist. I happened to go to Trichy and Tanjore.. in the Tanjore palace… there is a separate place for displaying various artifacts of the veterans and the royalist…. I have given a detailed description of those in my previous blogs… but now, strange it might sound, I noticed a painting.. That of a woman, sitting on the banks of a river… not river exactly.. A lake... ya. U might it call it a lake. With her hair open… and looking into the open sky... with bright full moon shining… and what does she do.. What is she awaiting..? It s al a mystery… and it was an artwork of Ravi varma… that s not the end… or beginning of my love…
Few days later, here in Nanganallur, there was an exhibition.. Creations from Kashmir were in display. I went there with my mom… actually I noticed the exhibition when I went to the 32 ft hanuman temple.. Co-incidence… and let me tell you, it plays quite a havoc in your life.. I went around…Buying earrings and neck pieces… and al of a sudden.. what do I notice? The same painting.. of the same Ravi varma… a malayali… his paintings displayed in a kashmiri exhibition… tat was quite astounding…
co-incidence.!!!
I have heard about love at first sight. Some friends of mine are no exception.. they have fallen head over heels for a person… that too just after a small glimpse. I used to tease them, pull their legs… there is a saying in Tamil…you can feel the pain of headache and fever only when it comes and attacks you…[not perfect translation though]. I felt the pang of that stupid pain when I saw that painting again here. It was terrible.. of all the things, why should that painting be displayed in al dimensions? In all possible combinations? That s what is called co incidence… I just fell in love with that painting. Anyways I went home…
Just the following week, my best friend, srikanth was celebrating his birthday. And what else could make a pleasant gift than that painting? Thankfully he has taste in arts and stuffs. So the very next day, I sneaked to that place and bought that painting… but the yarn doesn’t end there. My curiosity was kindled and I went online.. Started checking out facts about him.. His paintings and his expressions in them.. so serene.. so mysterious… Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa doesn’t stand a chance next to varma s art… and I slowly started liking his strokes.. so smooth, creating a transfix.. and that s how I fell in love with him… maybe I can call it affection.. Or more wisely put.. a patron of his… but emotionally.. I feel it s just plain love.
Ok,… but what I wanted to tell u al now.. is something entirely different.. Am actually in love. Love as in… love. Not Lowe. But the problem is tat he is not alive. He wasn’t alive when I was born. Its Ravi varma….. The famous artist. I happened to go to Trichy and Tanjore.. in the Tanjore palace… there is a separate place for displaying various artifacts of the veterans and the royalist…. I have given a detailed description of those in my previous blogs… but now, strange it might sound, I noticed a painting.. That of a woman, sitting on the banks of a river… not river exactly.. A lake... ya. U might it call it a lake. With her hair open… and looking into the open sky... with bright full moon shining… and what does she do.. What is she awaiting..? It s al a mystery… and it was an artwork of Ravi varma… that s not the end… or beginning of my love…
Few days later, here in Nanganallur, there was an exhibition.. Creations from Kashmir were in display. I went there with my mom… actually I noticed the exhibition when I went to the 32 ft hanuman temple.. Co-incidence… and let me tell you, it plays quite a havoc in your life.. I went around…Buying earrings and neck pieces… and al of a sudden.. what do I notice? The same painting.. of the same Ravi varma… a malayali… his paintings displayed in a kashmiri exhibition… tat was quite astounding…
co-incidence.!!!
I have heard about love at first sight. Some friends of mine are no exception.. they have fallen head over heels for a person… that too just after a small glimpse. I used to tease them, pull their legs… there is a saying in Tamil…you can feel the pain of headache and fever only when it comes and attacks you…[not perfect translation though]. I felt the pang of that stupid pain when I saw that painting again here. It was terrible.. of all the things, why should that painting be displayed in al dimensions? In all possible combinations? That s what is called co incidence… I just fell in love with that painting. Anyways I went home…
Just the following week, my best friend, srikanth was celebrating his birthday. And what else could make a pleasant gift than that painting? Thankfully he has taste in arts and stuffs. So the very next day, I sneaked to that place and bought that painting… but the yarn doesn’t end there. My curiosity was kindled and I went online.. Started checking out facts about him.. His paintings and his expressions in them.. so serene.. so mysterious… Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa doesn’t stand a chance next to varma s art… and I slowly started liking his strokes.. so smooth, creating a transfix.. and that s how I fell in love with him… maybe I can call it affection.. Or more wisely put.. a patron of his… but emotionally.. I feel it s just plain love.
Thursday, 12 April 2007
Periya Koil.....
The following article has it s source from the book Tanjai periya Koil published by the state archaeology centre
Periya Koil!!!
Rajaraja Cholan, the Great Chola king built The Bragatheeswarar (Peruvudaiyar) Temple, also known as Big Temple. "In the twenty-fifth year of Rajaraja Cholan (A.D 1009-10) on the 257th day of the year the king handed over the copper pot for the finial at the top of the Vimana". It weighed about 235 lbs., and was overlaid with gold plate of weight of 292.5 Kalanju or nearly 35 lbs.
Layout
Rajarajeswaram, as the temple was named by its founder, fills a large portion of the small fort (Sivaganga Fort), encircled by moat on the east and west, the Grand Anaicut Channel (Putharu) on the south and by the Sivaganga Garden on the north. The temple entrance has an imposing gateway on the east, on either sides of which stand two small shrines dedicated to Ganapathi and Murugan and further through there is another Gopuram 90 feet high. This way leads into an outer court.
A second and magnificent Gopuram further leads into the main court in which the temple is built. The inner court is about 500 feet long and 250 feet broad, is well paved with brick and stone. The court is surrounded on all sides by a cloister. The western and northern wings have Siva lingams consecrated therein and there are paintings over these walls depicting sixty-four Nayanmars, sacred sport of Siva. The outer measurement of the temple is 793 feet by 397 feet.
Main Shrine
The main shrine of Sri Brihadisvara, the Great God - a Sanskrit rendering of the original tamil name Peruvudaiyar- stands at the western end of the main court. It comprises of five divisions -
1. Garbhagriha or the Sanctum Sactorum and the corridor around it
2. Ardhana-Mandapam
3. Maha-Mandapam with the open aisles
4. Stapana-Mandapam with the shrine of Sri Thyagarajar
5. Narthana-Mandapam for the temple paraphernalia and where the servant wait; and
6. Vadya-Mandapam and portico for the musicians.
Main shrine has three portals named Keralantakan, Rasarasan and Thiru-Anukkan. These portals are guarded by Dwarapalikas or the guardians of the gate. They are of huge proportions and of exquisite workmanship. There are several sets like these in the temple, of which seven of them are 18 feet by 8 feet. They are all monolith, and some are of very high artistic merit, especially at the entrance of Sri Subramanya temple.
The Sivalinga of Sri Brihadisvara is probably the grandest in existence. This image was originally called Adavallan (the one who is good in Dance). Another name was Dakshina-Meru Vitanken. Both the names occur in Thiruvisaipa as the names of the deity are as same as in Chidambaram Temple. This possibly indicates that the Saiva creed derived its support at the time mainly from Chidambaram. Rajaraja Cholan calls the image Rajarajeswaramudaiyar - The Lord of Rajarajeswaram. The tower over the shrine is named Dakshina-Meru after the abode of Lord Shiva at Kailasam, the Uttara-Meru.
Sri Thyagaraja, also called Vitankar, worshiped within a portion of Stapana-Manadapam, is the patron deity of Cholas. The legend goes that their mythical progenitor Chola Muchukuntan helped Indra against the asuras, for which help, he was presented with seven images of Thyagaraja, which he installed in the seven holy places of Thiruvarur, Thiru-nagai-karonam, Thiru-kkareyil, Thirukolili, Thirumaraikadu, Thirunallaru and Thiruvamur which are known as Sapta-Vitanka-Kshetras. Rajaraja Cholan was a devout worshiper of Sri Thyagaraja at Thiruvarur where he built this great temple; and, consecrated Sri Thyagaraja at Thanjavur also, as a mark of his own piety and in commemoration of the exploits of his celebrated ancestor.
The great Vimana is of the Dravidian style of architecture. It rises to a height of about 216 feet, a tower of fourteen storeys, finely decorated with pilasters, niches and images of gods of the Hindu pantheon. The basement of the structure which supports the tower is 96 feet square. The sikhara or cupolic dome is octagonal in shape and crowns the Vimana.
The gilded Kalasa or finial, over dome is 12.5 feet high. It is believed that the sikhara and the stupi does not throw on the ground. The dome rests on a single block of granite, of 25.5 feet square. Two Nandis, each measuring 6.5 feet by 5.5 feet beautify each corner of the stone which is estimated to weigh about 80 tons, and is believed to have been conveyed to the top of the tower by means of a inclined plane commencing from Sarapallam (scaffold-hollow), four miles north-east of the city.
Sub Shrines
Shrine of Sri Subramanya in the northwest corner, Shrine of Goddess Sri Brihannayagi, Sri Chandeeswara Shrine, Shrine of Ganapathy, Shrine of Nataraja in the north eastern corner, the colossal monolith figure on Nandhi, the sacred bull, in the central courtyard and the Shrine of Karuvurar.
The Great Nandhi
The Nandi within is elaborately worked and the Nayak Mandapam is massive and striking. The Nandhi is 12 feet high, 19.5 feet long and 18.25 feet wide. The Nandhi is a monolith weighing about 25 tons and the stone is said to have come from a bed of Gneiss at the foot of Pachaimalai near Perambalur. Another version is that the stone was brought over from the bed of the River Narmada in the north. There is a tradition that the Nandhi is growing in size with the progress of time. It was feared it might become too large for the Mandapam erected over it and a nail was driven into the back of it, and since, its size has remained stationery. Two portrait statuesques on the front pillars of the Nandhi Mandapam are pointed out as those of Sevappanayakan (the first Nayak ruler) and of his son Achyutappa Nayak.
The Frescos
The Chola frescos painting discovered in 1931 by Mr.S.K.Govindasamy of Annamalai University within the circumambulatory corridor Aradhana Mandapam are of great interest. These are the first Chola specimen's discovered. The passage of the corridor is dark and the enthusiast finds the walls on either side covered with two layers of paintings from floor to ceiling. Those of the upper layer are of the Nayak period, as certain labels in Telugu characters mentioned the names of Sevappa, Achyutappa and others. The Chola frescos lie underneath. An ardent spirit of saivism is expressed in the Chola frescos. They probably synchronised with the completion of the temple by Rajaraja Cholan. Saivism was at its height at that time and the Cholas were predominently of that faith.
Layout
Rajarajeswaram, as the temple was named by its founder, fills a large portion of the small fort (Sivaganga Fort), encircled by moat on the east and west, the Grand Anaicut Channel (Putharu) on the south and by the Sivaganga Garden on the north. The temple entrance has an imposing gateway on the east, on either sides of which stand two small shrines dedicated to Ganapathi and Murugan and further through there is another Gopuram 90 feet high. This way leads into an outer court.
A second and magnificent Gopuram further leads into the main court in which the temple is built. The inner court is about 500 feet long and 250 feet broad, is well paved with brick and stone. The court is surrounded on all sides by a cloister. The western and northern wings have Siva lingams consecrated therein and there are paintings over these walls depicting sixty-four Nayanmars, sacred sport of Siva. The outer measurement of the temple is 793 feet by 397 feet.
Main Shrine
The main shrine of Sri Brihadisvara, the Great God - a Sanskrit rendering of the original tamil name Peruvudaiyar- stands at the western end of the main court. It comprises of five divisions -
1. Garbhagriha or the Sanctum Sactorum and the corridor around it
2. Ardhana-Mandapam
3. Maha-Mandapam with the open aisles
4. Stapana-Mandapam with the shrine of Sri Thyagarajar
5. Narthana-Mandapam for the temple paraphernalia and where the servant wait; and
6. Vadya-Mandapam and portico for the musicians.
Main shrine has three portals named Keralantakan, Rasarasan and Thiru-Anukkan. These portals are guarded by Dwarapalikas or the guardians of the gate. They are of huge proportions and of exquisite workmanship. There are several sets like these in the temple, of which seven of them are 18 feet by 8 feet. They are all monolith, and some are of very high artistic merit, especially at the entrance of Sri Subramanya temple.
The Sivalinga of Sri Brihadisvara is probably the grandest in existence. This image was originally called Adavallan (the one who is good in Dance). Another name was Dakshina-Meru Vitanken. Both the names occur in Thiruvisaipa as the names of the deity are as same as in Chidambaram Temple. This possibly indicates that the Saiva creed derived its support at the time mainly from Chidambaram. Rajaraja Cholan calls the image Rajarajeswaramudaiyar - The Lord of Rajarajeswaram. The tower over the shrine is named Dakshina-Meru after the abode of Lord Shiva at Kailasam, the Uttara-Meru.
Sri Thyagaraja, also called Vitankar, worshiped within a portion of Stapana-Manadapam, is the patron deity of Cholas. The legend goes that their mythical progenitor Chola Muchukuntan helped Indra against the asuras, for which help, he was presented with seven images of Thyagaraja, which he installed in the seven holy places of Thiruvarur, Thiru-nagai-karonam, Thiru-kkareyil, Thirukolili, Thirumaraikadu, Thirunallaru and Thiruvamur which are known as Sapta-Vitanka-Kshetras. Rajaraja Cholan was a devout worshiper of Sri Thyagaraja at Thiruvarur where he built this great temple; and, consecrated Sri Thyagaraja at Thanjavur also, as a mark of his own piety and in commemoration of the exploits of his celebrated ancestor.
The great Vimana is of the Dravidian style of architecture. It rises to a height of about 216 feet, a tower of fourteen storeys, finely decorated with pilasters, niches and images of gods of the Hindu pantheon. The basement of the structure which supports the tower is 96 feet square. The sikhara or cupolic dome is octagonal in shape and crowns the Vimana.
The gilded Kalasa or finial, over dome is 12.5 feet high. It is believed that the sikhara and the stupi does not throw on the ground. The dome rests on a single block of granite, of 25.5 feet square. Two Nandis, each measuring 6.5 feet by 5.5 feet beautify each corner of the stone which is estimated to weigh about 80 tons, and is believed to have been conveyed to the top of the tower by means of a inclined plane commencing from Sarapallam (scaffold-hollow), four miles north-east of the city.
Sub Shrines
Shrine of Sri Subramanya in the northwest corner, Shrine of Goddess Sri Brihannayagi, Sri Chandeeswara Shrine, Shrine of Ganapathy, Shrine of Nataraja in the north eastern corner, the colossal monolith figure on Nandhi, the sacred bull, in the central courtyard and the Shrine of Karuvurar.
The Great Nandhi
The Nandi within is elaborately worked and the Nayak Mandapam is massive and striking. The Nandhi is 12 feet high, 19.5 feet long and 18.25 feet wide. The Nandhi is a monolith weighing about 25 tons and the stone is said to have come from a bed of Gneiss at the foot of Pachaimalai near Perambalur. Another version is that the stone was brought over from the bed of the River Narmada in the north. There is a tradition that the Nandhi is growing in size with the progress of time. It was feared it might become too large for the Mandapam erected over it and a nail was driven into the back of it, and since, its size has remained stationery. Two portrait statuesques on the front pillars of the Nandhi Mandapam are pointed out as those of Sevappanayakan (the first Nayak ruler) and of his son Achyutappa Nayak.
The Frescos
The Chola frescos painting discovered in 1931 by Mr.S.K.Govindasamy of Annamalai University within the circumambulatory corridor Aradhana Mandapam are of great interest. These are the first Chola specimen's discovered. The passage of the corridor is dark and the enthusiast finds the walls on either side covered with two layers of paintings from floor to ceiling. Those of the upper layer are of the Nayak period, as certain labels in Telugu characters mentioned the names of Sevappa, Achyutappa and others. The Chola frescos lie underneath. An ardent spirit of saivism is expressed in the Chola frescos. They probably synchronised with the completion of the temple by Rajaraja Cholan. Saivism was at its height at that time and the Cholas were predominently of that faith.
Tanjore travel..:)
Tanjore Palace
The Palace, on the east main street is a series of large and rambling buildings of fine masonry, built partly by the Nayakkars around 1550 AD and partly by the Marathas. The entrance is by way of a large quadrangular courtyard. The encircling walls are pierced by big gateways to the north and east. The courtyard leads to a many-pillared hall. A small inner courtyard gives access to a large one.
On the southern side of the third quadrangle is a vimana like building, 190 feet high with eight storey and it is the Goodagopuram. This was the palace watchtower and the armory of the Thanjavur Kings till 1855 A.D.
The two Durbar Halls of the Nayakkars and the Marathas and the Raja Sarafoji Saraswathi Mahal Library are the chief sights of the Palace. The Saraswathi Mahal Library has remarkable collection of about 30,433 sanskrit and other vernacular palm leaf manuscripts and 6,426 printed volumes, besides a large number of journals. The library is the effort of the three hundred years of collections by the Nayak and Mahratta kings.
Madamaligai is the tower, which rises from the palace roof beyond the Goodagopuram. It has six storeys. It is believed that this was built by Nayakkar ruler to enable him worship Sri Ranganatha of Srirangam every mid-day. This many storied tower was destroyed by lightning and was subsequently repaired and preserved.
The Sangita Mahal or the Music Hall is a miniature of the surviving court of Thirumalai Nayakkar.
Tanjore Museum
A remarkable collection of South Indian sculptures and paintings is housed in the old palace buildings at Thanjavur (Tanjore)...
Within the museum there is a gallery with a representative collection of stone sculpture from the Pallava, Chola, Pandya and Nayaka periods. Another gallery contains samples of the characteristic glass paintings of Tanjore. There are two principal traditions in this style of painting in South India, especially in Thanjavur. Every Hindu home is supposed to have a prayer room, where the family deity is installed after the house is built. These household images of gods and goddesses are in bronze, silver or clay painted pictures.
The paintings are done on wood, using a variety of colours, and to enhance the pictures, details of jewellery and clothing are added by attaching gold leaf, paper, semi-precious and precious gems.
This museum is however best known for its bronze sculpture collection, of rare artistic quality. The Kalyanasundaramurti ( Tiruvengadu district, early Chola), the images of Shiva and Parvati at the time of their marriage, is truly a masterpiece, one of India's finest bronzes of all time.
Saraswati Mahal Libraray
This library has one of the most important oriental manuscript collections, in India. Established around 1700 AD, the library contains a collection of over 44,000 palm leaf, and paper manuscripts in Indian and European languages. Over eighty percent of its manuscripts are in sanskrit, many on palm leaves and are very unique. The Tamil work includes treatises on medicine, and commentaries on works from the Sangam period, all lipis, pictorial depiction of Ramayana and Mahabharata, miniature books and lineage of the sarafoji kings.
Wednesday, 11 April 2007
My first trip....
Tittai
When the world was submerged under water during the pralayam... this place remained aloof and vashishtar prayed here during this time.. hence.. Tittai!
There are two famous temple here...vashishteshwarar and Navaneethakrishnan-panchamukha aanjaneyar temple.
Vashishteshwarar Temple
This Shivastalam is also known as Therur or Ratha puram. The name Thittai comes from the temple's location on sand dunes between the Vennar and Vettar rivers. Tenkudittittai is also known as Vilvaranyam, Vasishtasramam, Dhenupuri. It is located at a distance of about 3 km from Thanjavur. Ten Kudi Tittai is considered the 15th in the series of Tevara Stalams in the Chola kingdom located south of the river Kaveri.
There are two famous temple here...vashishteshwarar and Navaneethakrishnan-panchamukha aanjaneyar temple.
Vashishteshwarar Temple
This Shivastalam is also known as Therur or Ratha puram. The name Thittai comes from the temple's location on sand dunes between the Vennar and Vettar rivers. Tenkudittittai is also known as Vilvaranyam, Vasishtasramam, Dhenupuri. It is located at a distance of about 3 km from Thanjavur. Ten Kudi Tittai is considered the 15th in the series of Tevara Stalams in the Chola kingdom located south of the river Kaveri.
This east-facing temple enshrines Shiva in the form of a Shivalingam with horizontal markings. The temple is designed such that a drop of water falls on the Shivalingam once 25 few seconds. There are two stones... suryakanthakal and chandrakanthakal stiffened over the vimana.. these two stones capture moist from air and gives it back in the form of water droplets directly over the lingam, every 25 minutes. This is the nithyabhishekam.
Images of Nartana Ganapati, Dakshinamurthy, Lingodbhava, Bhrahma and Durga adorn the niches. Ulaganayaki's shrine faces the south. Across from the Ambal shrine is a mandapam with carvings of the 12 zodiac signs. There is a separate shrine dedicated to Jupiter. There are also shrines to Surya, Ganesha, Kali, Balasubramanya, Nataraja and Gajalakshmi.
The Vedas, Renukadevi, Vasishtar, Gowtama, Adi Seshan, Kamadhenu and Vishnu are said to have worshipped here. Legend also has it that this shrine surfaced on a mound between the rivers Vennaar and Vettaar. The name Therur or Rathapuram arises from the legend of the chariot of a king by name Sumali being stuck in the dunes here. Legend also has it that the dunes here emerged at the end of the deluge and that Shiva appeared here in the form of a Swayambhu Lingam.
Six worship services are carried out each day. The annual festival at Tenkuditittai is celebrated in the month of Aries. The annual Bhrammotsavam at Tiruvittakkudi is celebrated in the month of Vaikasi (Taurus), where the chariot procession happens on the 9th day, and the glass palanquin Saptastana festival occurs on the 12th day. The Saptastanams here are Tenkudittittai, Vennaaru, Tanjaipureeswarar, Gudalur, Kadapadappai, Punnainallur and Poomalai Naaganathar.
Another striking character of the temple is displayed on 25,26 and 27th of panguni month(april) when sun’s rays directly fall on the lingam during the sunrise and the rest of the temple is in dark...[I got to see it].. and this place is also famous as a guru Thalam.
Navaneethakrishnan-panchamukha aanjaneyar Temple
The panchamukha aanjaneyar is very powerful. If one has any grievances, he can simply write it in a paper, tie it around a full coconut and do an archanai for the god.. and within prescribed time, the complaint is done with. The pujari has a special power of talking with the god.. he is a hanuman upasakar...
The panchamukha aanjaneyar is very powerful. If one has any grievances, he can simply write it in a paper, tie it around a full coconut and do an archanai for the god.. and within prescribed time, the complaint is done with. The pujari has a special power of talking with the god.. he is a hanuman upasakar...
ummmm... my travelogue
Hey people.... I had gone for a very looooooooooooooong vacation... ummm... Ok. For some 5 days to Trichy. My mama is staying there. So I jus thought... why don’t I go there, do a bit of exploring... A bit of sight seeing... a bit of sight adichifying.. And of course a loooot of traveling!
So... I will give a brief write up about the places in and around trichy... have a look... of course... I do have their pics... u can check out my album for it... :)
How to reach Trichy?
Bus services
Trichy is well connected to various parts of Tamil Nadu, by private and public bus services. The (chathram) bus station, near Rock Fort temple, runs local and mofussil (city-to-city) bus services, which connect people to nearby towns and villages. Bus services are frequent, once every two to five minutes.
Trichy is also well-connected to the other cities of Tamil Nadu, southern Karnataka and Kerala through private charter buses.
The central bus station runs long distance services to major cities of the State and South India such as Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Bangalore, Erode, Thiruvananthapuram and Tirupathi.
Railway
Trichy is the hub of Southern Railway's operation to connect this central part of Tamil Nadu to various parts of India, notably regions in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Bengal, Maharastra, Karnataka, Delhi, and Madhya Pradesh. Trichy Railway Junction has five branches leading to Madurai, Rameswaram, Erode, Tanjore and Chennai.
Airport
Trichy has an international airport about seven kilometers from the city, which operates flights to Indian cities, territories, and neighboring countries (Sri Lanka, Singapore).
Nowadays, flights are operated to Gulf countries such as Sharjah, Fujairah, and UAE, and to Kuwait.
So... I will give a brief write up about the places in and around trichy... have a look... of course... I do have their pics... u can check out my album for it... :)
How to reach Trichy?
Bus services
Trichy is well connected to various parts of Tamil Nadu, by private and public bus services. The (chathram) bus station, near Rock Fort temple, runs local and mofussil (city-to-city) bus services, which connect people to nearby towns and villages. Bus services are frequent, once every two to five minutes.
Trichy is also well-connected to the other cities of Tamil Nadu, southern Karnataka and Kerala through private charter buses.
The central bus station runs long distance services to major cities of the State and South India such as Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Bangalore, Erode, Thiruvananthapuram and Tirupathi.
Railway
Trichy is the hub of Southern Railway's operation to connect this central part of Tamil Nadu to various parts of India, notably regions in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Bengal, Maharastra, Karnataka, Delhi, and Madhya Pradesh. Trichy Railway Junction has five branches leading to Madurai, Rameswaram, Erode, Tanjore and Chennai.
Airport
Trichy has an international airport about seven kilometers from the city, which operates flights to Indian cities, territories, and neighboring countries (Sri Lanka, Singapore).
Nowadays, flights are operated to Gulf countries such as Sharjah, Fujairah, and UAE, and to Kuwait.
Wednesday, 21 March 2007
Designing your Career...
Jewellery designing
Fascination for adornment of self is as old as the history of humankind.
Jewellery design for centuries has been the domain of artisans who gained and passed on the expertise to their progeny. The Indian gem and jewellery industry accounts for nearly 43 percent of the world's total exports and is the second major foreign exchange earner for the country. Master craftsmen with their own distinctive and traditional designs and patterns have raptured not just the domestic market but have gained appreciation and acceptance the world over. The profession has become highly skilled and mechanised though unskilled labour still forms a large part of the workforce.
Today jewellery design as a career is steadily grabbing international attention. India has produced award-winning jewellery and accessory designers. India is the largest consumer of gold amounting to about one-third to one-fourth of the world production. Marked at Rs 40,000 crore, it is an ever-growing industry.
Where to study these courses?
There are various institutions across the country. Few institutes offer diploma and certificate courses too.
National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) offers courses in Accessory Design. NIFT centers in Delhi and Kolkata, SNTT Women’s University in association with PV Polytechnic offers courses in Jewellery Design and Jewellery Manufacturing.
Dr. Dharmambal Govt. Women’s Polytechnic College, Tharamani, Chennai also offers classes in Jewellery Designing. This is the only course conducted by the Govt. in the area of Jewellery Technology. The World Gold Council has sponsored 48 lakhs to this College, which enrolls men as well as women in this course. To get trained in technology for Gold Jewellery manufacturing, one can join the one-year training lessons. The training fee will be Rs. 15,000. The various phases of the training will include- Basic metallurgy, assess jewellery and stone jewellery and fining the hallmark purity of the Gold.
There are courses for Jewellery designing through Computers (3 Months), evaluating the hallmark value of gold (3 Weeks), polishing (1 Week), Casting technology (2 Months), Embedding stones (2 Months). One can also learn Jewellery Promotion Management and Jewellery Project Management in a short period.
Technology in Jewellery Production and Designing
When you walk into a jewellery store, you usually end up buying what is on display. What if you want a particular design with specific stones cut to your liking with desired shine? That could be possible soon as more and more jewelers fall on technology to inspire new designs sought by customers. While that vision is a few years away, jewellery designing has pretty much come out of the closet: It is no longer a trade carried out by semi-literate goldsmiths in family vaults. Instead, jewellery designers are using nifty software and computer-aided designs to create exquisite pieces.
Indian women have now moved over the 'Y' mania, flaunting designs like snake and oval shaped and chokers studded with colored stones. Tools like gemological microscopes, builders, matrix and polariscopes have enabled jewellery designers to experiment with intricate motifs and give a plethora of choice to women.
Technology is also available for production control, supply chains and inventory management. “Automatic setup, advanced software and technical expertise increases the efficiency of workers by almost five times and reduces discrepancies by about 50-70%. Because of this the finished product is of better quality and can compete with international designs", says Roshanlal of Nakoda Thangamaligai.
Jewel CAD (computer aided design) and CAM (computer aided manufacturing) -- 3D modeling systems -- `matrix’ and `rhinoceros’ are some of the software’s that are commonly used by jewellery designers. These software’s are imported from Italy, Germany, and costs around Rs. 10,000 to Rs 40,000. The final product is then obtained as per the specification and data fed in the computer.
Eternity ring designs are quick and easy with a more advanced, interactive Eternity Ring Builder that draws upon every gem available in the program. Set the shape, size, number, and order of gems and then define gem spacing and other dimensions of the band.
Software that helps enlarge the 3 D versions when creating complex and baroque designs and models comes with a timer attached that automatically records the time spent on a particular project. The greatest impact of utilisation of such technology is time saving. Up gradation of technology saves about 40-60% of time that is spent on moulding and casting a piece of jewel.
Job Opportunities
The job opportunities are immense in this arena. There are placements and campus interviews for students from reputed institutions. Some people may also start their own shop. There are job opportunities in various banks as appraiser. One can also join as marketing head in various firms. Reputed MNCs like TATA have also started recruiting people in this plethora. Exporting Jewelry has become a major revenue Market for our Economy.
Fascination for adornment of self is as old as the history of humankind.
Jewellery design for centuries has been the domain of artisans who gained and passed on the expertise to their progeny. The Indian gem and jewellery industry accounts for nearly 43 percent of the world's total exports and is the second major foreign exchange earner for the country. Master craftsmen with their own distinctive and traditional designs and patterns have raptured not just the domestic market but have gained appreciation and acceptance the world over. The profession has become highly skilled and mechanised though unskilled labour still forms a large part of the workforce.
Today jewellery design as a career is steadily grabbing international attention. India has produced award-winning jewellery and accessory designers. India is the largest consumer of gold amounting to about one-third to one-fourth of the world production. Marked at Rs 40,000 crore, it is an ever-growing industry.
Where to study these courses?
There are various institutions across the country. Few institutes offer diploma and certificate courses too.
National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) offers courses in Accessory Design. NIFT centers in Delhi and Kolkata, SNTT Women’s University in association with PV Polytechnic offers courses in Jewellery Design and Jewellery Manufacturing.
Dr. Dharmambal Govt. Women’s Polytechnic College, Tharamani, Chennai also offers classes in Jewellery Designing. This is the only course conducted by the Govt. in the area of Jewellery Technology. The World Gold Council has sponsored 48 lakhs to this College, which enrolls men as well as women in this course. To get trained in technology for Gold Jewellery manufacturing, one can join the one-year training lessons. The training fee will be Rs. 15,000. The various phases of the training will include- Basic metallurgy, assess jewellery and stone jewellery and fining the hallmark purity of the Gold.
There are courses for Jewellery designing through Computers (3 Months), evaluating the hallmark value of gold (3 Weeks), polishing (1 Week), Casting technology (2 Months), Embedding stones (2 Months). One can also learn Jewellery Promotion Management and Jewellery Project Management in a short period.
Technology in Jewellery Production and Designing
When you walk into a jewellery store, you usually end up buying what is on display. What if you want a particular design with specific stones cut to your liking with desired shine? That could be possible soon as more and more jewelers fall on technology to inspire new designs sought by customers. While that vision is a few years away, jewellery designing has pretty much come out of the closet: It is no longer a trade carried out by semi-literate goldsmiths in family vaults. Instead, jewellery designers are using nifty software and computer-aided designs to create exquisite pieces.
Indian women have now moved over the 'Y' mania, flaunting designs like snake and oval shaped and chokers studded with colored stones. Tools like gemological microscopes, builders, matrix and polariscopes have enabled jewellery designers to experiment with intricate motifs and give a plethora of choice to women.
Technology is also available for production control, supply chains and inventory management. “Automatic setup, advanced software and technical expertise increases the efficiency of workers by almost five times and reduces discrepancies by about 50-70%. Because of this the finished product is of better quality and can compete with international designs", says Roshanlal of Nakoda Thangamaligai.
Jewel CAD (computer aided design) and CAM (computer aided manufacturing) -- 3D modeling systems -- `matrix’ and `rhinoceros’ are some of the software’s that are commonly used by jewellery designers. These software’s are imported from Italy, Germany, and costs around Rs. 10,000 to Rs 40,000. The final product is then obtained as per the specification and data fed in the computer.
Eternity ring designs are quick and easy with a more advanced, interactive Eternity Ring Builder that draws upon every gem available in the program. Set the shape, size, number, and order of gems and then define gem spacing and other dimensions of the band.
Software that helps enlarge the 3 D versions when creating complex and baroque designs and models comes with a timer attached that automatically records the time spent on a particular project. The greatest impact of utilisation of such technology is time saving. Up gradation of technology saves about 40-60% of time that is spent on moulding and casting a piece of jewel.
Job Opportunities
The job opportunities are immense in this arena. There are placements and campus interviews for students from reputed institutions. Some people may also start their own shop. There are job opportunities in various banks as appraiser. One can also join as marketing head in various firms. Reputed MNCs like TATA have also started recruiting people in this plethora. Exporting Jewelry has become a major revenue Market for our Economy.
Investing in arts....
In May 2004, Picasso's 1904 oil painting, Garçon à la pipe (Boy with a pipe), sold at Sotheby's in New York for $104m (£58m), becoming the most expensive painting ever sold at auction. The fact that the picture had sold in 1950 for $30,000 inevitably strengthened the popular notion that art has become an attractive investment opportunity. The more spectacular gains in art values in recent decades have spawned a new sector within the financial services industry - that of art investment analysis.Art has taken on a new identity as an "asset class" similar to stocks and bonds. But while a masterpiece on the drawing-room wall arguably brings a little more social cachet and visual pleasure than shares in, say, Nokia or Cisco Systems, many people in the art world worry that the aesthetic content of a work of art can become overshadowed by the intoxicating aura of its dollar value.
In the colorful world of art, the business of investing is black and white. You buy a piece of artwork, and hope the artist's work goes up in value. Experts say you might not need to wait long. It can happen within hours of your purchase. Investing in art is investing in your own aesthetic. You have to want to live with the artwork, but you also have to educate yourself on the business end. In addition, you have to be careful, because tax laws are constructed in a way where if you buy art as an investment, you cannot 'derive pleasure' from it. In other words, it cannot hang in your home. Just lock it in a vault.investing in art is the hottest trend prevailing worldwide and turning into a fine art by itself. In addition, the investment market has touched the Indian shores and is playing up to the art galleries in metros like Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai. With its wide range of ancient, modern abstracts and contemporary paintings available in mixed media Indian art itself is finding connoisseurs worldwide. An eclectic showcase of colorful artworks in pure forms and in mixed media is currently floating in the market waiting to become big investments in the near future. Artists, art dealers and investors all over the world are trying to cracking the code of the value of priceless masterpieces and their resale value.
Investing in Art is on the threshold of becoming a sunrise industry for art dealers. While investment is a heady decision and buying a painting is choice of the heart it is not quite clear as of now if an art lover, for the sake of art would want to resell for a higher price. Until about ten years ago, art investment was unheard of. Rarely does it happen that a masterpiece unearthed from an obscure flea market, sold in an art gallery for cheap is later resold ten times its value.
Now, you have to find out how you can invest in art. Ask yourself,” am I interested in art?” This may seem like a basic question, but too often novices enter the art market without a passion for the medium. The result is that they make poor choices and end up with pieces they don't even like. To find out how far you are knowledgeable about this business, if you took an art history course in college, then good for you. However, don't think that your knowledge begins and ends there. The art world is like any other market, it lives on what is happening today and it hunts for what will happen tomorrow.One way to find out what kind of art lover you are is by visiting galleries and art museums. Museums will give you an indication of the field; galleries will tell you what is going on in the world of art right now. Think of galleries and shows as the marketplace; you must attend them to know what is going on. As a bonus, gallery staff can usually answer many of your questions -- but keep in mind, they are salespeople.
When it comes to art, or any investment for that matter, it is easy to think that you know what you are doing. After all, you see the success of some and you think, why not me? Art, like property, has a lot to do with business, but even more to do with the buyer's taste. Experience plays an important role in this investment process. While a first time buyer isn’t likely to understand how and why the market swings on taste, he isn't necessarily at a disadvantage. Perhaps the best way to insure your investment is by purchasing something you like. Art prices rise and fall, so if you buy something that you like, you will be able to live with it through the lean years.
A.R. Murugadas, an art investor, who has made huge bucks in the process says, “Trading in art is similar in some ways to dealing in other commodities -- it is subject to the market pressures of supply and demand. However, art prices vary with other, sometimes arbitrary, factors -- including aesthetics, authenticity, condition and rarity.”
Everything comes with a ‘risk factor’. As in any other business proposition, it is important to whet the fake from the original, a masterpiece from mundane, oil painted canvas from an acrylic. To minimize risks of bad investments avoid buying genuine fake paintings, as reselling them is tough. Like a picture, a painting speaks a thousand words and makes billions for the investor. For any painting to command that priceless ness, get adequate knowledge first from the art world. Art magazines and gallery newsletters, online guidance is some ways to prepare oneself before investing in art. Like any investment, art is a gamble. Do your research. Buy what you love because even though it might go through a transitory devaluation, the intrinsic value of the work is still there.
In the colorful world of art, the business of investing is black and white. You buy a piece of artwork, and hope the artist's work goes up in value. Experts say you might not need to wait long. It can happen within hours of your purchase. Investing in art is investing in your own aesthetic. You have to want to live with the artwork, but you also have to educate yourself on the business end. In addition, you have to be careful, because tax laws are constructed in a way where if you buy art as an investment, you cannot 'derive pleasure' from it. In other words, it cannot hang in your home. Just lock it in a vault.investing in art is the hottest trend prevailing worldwide and turning into a fine art by itself. In addition, the investment market has touched the Indian shores and is playing up to the art galleries in metros like Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai. With its wide range of ancient, modern abstracts and contemporary paintings available in mixed media Indian art itself is finding connoisseurs worldwide. An eclectic showcase of colorful artworks in pure forms and in mixed media is currently floating in the market waiting to become big investments in the near future. Artists, art dealers and investors all over the world are trying to cracking the code of the value of priceless masterpieces and their resale value.
Investing in Art is on the threshold of becoming a sunrise industry for art dealers. While investment is a heady decision and buying a painting is choice of the heart it is not quite clear as of now if an art lover, for the sake of art would want to resell for a higher price. Until about ten years ago, art investment was unheard of. Rarely does it happen that a masterpiece unearthed from an obscure flea market, sold in an art gallery for cheap is later resold ten times its value.
Now, you have to find out how you can invest in art. Ask yourself,” am I interested in art?” This may seem like a basic question, but too often novices enter the art market without a passion for the medium. The result is that they make poor choices and end up with pieces they don't even like. To find out how far you are knowledgeable about this business, if you took an art history course in college, then good for you. However, don't think that your knowledge begins and ends there. The art world is like any other market, it lives on what is happening today and it hunts for what will happen tomorrow.One way to find out what kind of art lover you are is by visiting galleries and art museums. Museums will give you an indication of the field; galleries will tell you what is going on in the world of art right now. Think of galleries and shows as the marketplace; you must attend them to know what is going on. As a bonus, gallery staff can usually answer many of your questions -- but keep in mind, they are salespeople.
When it comes to art, or any investment for that matter, it is easy to think that you know what you are doing. After all, you see the success of some and you think, why not me? Art, like property, has a lot to do with business, but even more to do with the buyer's taste. Experience plays an important role in this investment process. While a first time buyer isn’t likely to understand how and why the market swings on taste, he isn't necessarily at a disadvantage. Perhaps the best way to insure your investment is by purchasing something you like. Art prices rise and fall, so if you buy something that you like, you will be able to live with it through the lean years.
A.R. Murugadas, an art investor, who has made huge bucks in the process says, “Trading in art is similar in some ways to dealing in other commodities -- it is subject to the market pressures of supply and demand. However, art prices vary with other, sometimes arbitrary, factors -- including aesthetics, authenticity, condition and rarity.”
Everything comes with a ‘risk factor’. As in any other business proposition, it is important to whet the fake from the original, a masterpiece from mundane, oil painted canvas from an acrylic. To minimize risks of bad investments avoid buying genuine fake paintings, as reselling them is tough. Like a picture, a painting speaks a thousand words and makes billions for the investor. For any painting to command that priceless ness, get adequate knowledge first from the art world. Art magazines and gallery newsletters, online guidance is some ways to prepare oneself before investing in art. Like any investment, art is a gamble. Do your research. Buy what you love because even though it might go through a transitory devaluation, the intrinsic value of the work is still there.
Nishabd---Speechless
Some Love stories are never meant to be understood... indeed it is true. Ram Gopal Varma’s film Nishabd, with all its strength and shortcomings, is a piece of quality cinema that talks openly and unabashedly about things and emotions that many would prefer to be flounced under the carpet.
The public may not be kind to this movie. After all, there is no song, no item numbers, no acts of heroism. There is serenity in the quality of the picture. You may feel close to the locations but still... why will u care? The editing is an art. Still, do not care because the story line is something, which may be considered obscene (!!!)
Bodies’ age, feelings don’t. ‘Nishabd’ is the story of a 60-year-old photographer (Amitabh Bachchan) who gets attracted to an 18-year-old girl (Jiah Khan) who is a friend of his daughter. It is the story of mutual love between two people with a huge age gap between them. It is a moving tale of a man torn between his emotions and rationality, between his heart and his mind, between his family and himself as a person. The man listens to his heart, concedes to the girl that he is in love with her. He admits to his wife (Revathy) that he has developed feelings for a girl the age of his daughter. And by doing so he loses the respect of his wife and his daughter.This is the rationale presented by the movie’s 60-year-old protagonist while explaining his attraction towards a teenager. This attraction, though not uncommon, is seldom expressed in real life. And those who express it mostly end up like the protagonist of ‘Nishabd’.
The movie rests solely on the dependable shoulders of Amitabh Bachchan. If not for him, ‘Nishabd’ would have ended up as a average product. His dialogues in the film are plain, but it is the way he delivers them that lends the impact. Many things about his character remain vocally unsaid, but it is his expressions and his glances that make them explicit. He brings out the inner conflict of his character in his body language, his eyes and his expressions. Briefly, it is a performance worth saluting.Jiah Khan is perfectly suited to her role of a girl quite careless about the way she is dressed. There is a sexual undertone to her character in the film but it does not cross the finer line of glamour and obscenity. And her performance of it is not bad for a first timer.
Revathy’s acting is natural. Nasser (as her brother in the film) is effective.‘Nishabd’ goes to prove that Ram Gopal Varma has not lost his magic touch. The eccentric filmmaker is truly the master of his craft. The cinematography and the camera angles are superb.
For all those who love art with amendment, this is the movie!!
The public may not be kind to this movie. After all, there is no song, no item numbers, no acts of heroism. There is serenity in the quality of the picture. You may feel close to the locations but still... why will u care? The editing is an art. Still, do not care because the story line is something, which may be considered obscene (!!!)
Bodies’ age, feelings don’t. ‘Nishabd’ is the story of a 60-year-old photographer (Amitabh Bachchan) who gets attracted to an 18-year-old girl (Jiah Khan) who is a friend of his daughter. It is the story of mutual love between two people with a huge age gap between them. It is a moving tale of a man torn between his emotions and rationality, between his heart and his mind, between his family and himself as a person. The man listens to his heart, concedes to the girl that he is in love with her. He admits to his wife (Revathy) that he has developed feelings for a girl the age of his daughter. And by doing so he loses the respect of his wife and his daughter.This is the rationale presented by the movie’s 60-year-old protagonist while explaining his attraction towards a teenager. This attraction, though not uncommon, is seldom expressed in real life. And those who express it mostly end up like the protagonist of ‘Nishabd’.
The movie rests solely on the dependable shoulders of Amitabh Bachchan. If not for him, ‘Nishabd’ would have ended up as a average product. His dialogues in the film are plain, but it is the way he delivers them that lends the impact. Many things about his character remain vocally unsaid, but it is his expressions and his glances that make them explicit. He brings out the inner conflict of his character in his body language, his eyes and his expressions. Briefly, it is a performance worth saluting.Jiah Khan is perfectly suited to her role of a girl quite careless about the way she is dressed. There is a sexual undertone to her character in the film but it does not cross the finer line of glamour and obscenity. And her performance of it is not bad for a first timer.
Revathy’s acting is natural. Nasser (as her brother in the film) is effective.‘Nishabd’ goes to prove that Ram Gopal Varma has not lost his magic touch. The eccentric filmmaker is truly the master of his craft. The cinematography and the camera angles are superb.
For all those who love art with amendment, this is the movie!!
Tuesday, 9 January 2007
New post!!??
hi all...
i know tat i haven blogged for a long time... and my friend.. sharaevasmiling.. reminded tat to me. now tat i have logged in, i think i better post something valid. but as u al know, i am a girl wit conflicting mood, i consider it safe to be mute. ok. if u r confused, it s jus a subtle way of letting u ppl know... AM DANGEROUSLY LAZY AND I WIL COME UP WIT A NICE BLOG... UMMM... IN FEW DAYS(god knows wen it is going to be!!!!).. till then... Happy New Year :)
i know tat i haven blogged for a long time... and my friend.. sharaevasmiling.. reminded tat to me. now tat i have logged in, i think i better post something valid. but as u al know, i am a girl wit conflicting mood, i consider it safe to be mute. ok. if u r confused, it s jus a subtle way of letting u ppl know... AM DANGEROUSLY LAZY AND I WIL COME UP WIT A NICE BLOG... UMMM... IN FEW DAYS(god knows wen it is going to be!!!!).. till then... Happy New Year :)
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