Durga's Random Thoughts.

So, these westerners ( yeah, we Indians do not really understand that 'West' actually means a set of 30-40 countries lying somewhere far away and not just a single place, but who cares! ;) ),  they have these very weird names. The first time I ever came to notice that, was when I read Samuel 'Beckett' 's Waiting for Godot . I mean who names their child Bucket?? :-0 And then I went on to meet Arnold Schwarzenegger. And I am like, here is this guy, who is totally against racism that he names himself (Or his parents do) Shwasss - e - nigger  (Shwas means breath). Breath like a nigger! See he wants to show solidarity and breath like the downtrodden of the past(?). Even if that was not right, who put a child through the agony of naming their child such a long and difficult name to spell? I imagine Arnold in LKG. While all the other kids are learning to write "My name is Job Cutt (note the extra T!) or Sam Wise or Aida Morph and here is this poor kid writing Arno...

This website lets you create "Chalis" (poor jokes) in Malayalam : http://www.chalimachine.com/, an initiative by a bunch of enthusiastic artists. Here are a few I made (Click on the images for a larger version):- Malayali's English Salt And Imagining what goes through my husband's mind when I ask him to taste stuff I make... Kettathum Kekkathathum! Hope you enjoyed! You can also upload your own images and work on them as well. The possibilities are virtually endless. Go ahead, make some chalis! Cheerz! Durga

The other day, I suddenly wanted to learn a new language. Not that my other languages didnt make a skid mark every time I try to form intelligible and engaging sentences out of them. Tamil, a language I learnt after 4 years in Tamil Nadu to speak to developers and convey ideas faster to them. And to make sure they are not speaking behind my back, in front of me. :P English, Hindi and Sanskrit, which KV(Kendriya Vidyalaya - the central government school in India) decided to engrave in every child who went through them. And my Malayalam, which, I came engraved on. Although I never received any formal education for Malayalam, it became my ego issue when mom made fun of me when I was a kid, that I did not know Malayalam. I learnt Malayalam from the Bible, trying to read and understand all words in there. Probably why I realized religions were all (at least the one basing themselves on this particular book I was reading) based on just hope. Unfortunately, now I am not able to use mu...

While I was browsing around in Twitter, I came across a tweet that mentioned that it has become easier now, to check the details of lands in Kerala. Although I was skeptical about it at first, I clicked on the mentioned link, nevertheless. http://erekha.kerala.gov.in/ The home page comes out as cold, dry and unpromising on the first look. But once I started clicking on each of those 'dry' links, I realized that it was more than just words. The links were clickable (contrary to the expectation on a government site, which if non-existent, would fatten the koshers of government 'servants') . Search page worked perfectly. FAQ clearly mentions what needs to be done. You can even buy services such as documents verification from the site. There is a checkout page for this and the rates are also provided online. If you want the document verification done, you have the application form as well, online. They have even mapped the number of entries in each of the blocks....

Meghamalhar. Manassariyathe paadunnu Meghamalhar. Ithalariyathe novunnu Poovithalkal. Arrival thumbinde munbinde Eenamayi Eriyunna vayikkol Naalamayi Innum, Naattil evideyo oru nertha Meghamalhar...

Confined to a room, She wrote again. The words of pain, The words of doom. Neither was she free when they were together, Nor now, when he left. Friends are gone, Moved on and on. Little left for a cheery hi. When she is hurt, It is all in the game. But never hurt them, Or suffer the storm. Why oh why, Did she choose this then? Why oh why, When the world was old? Why does everyone shove ideas down the throat? Where is that freedom she was promised? Where is the day of happiness and choice? Will her offspring be thrown in the same shackles? If yes, she told herself... She does not need to go on. She does not need to mourn. Let her be barren. And let her be the end!