KET , IPL+NANO

Hi,

 i presume you would have  this humorous quote ---'The more studying you do for the exam, the less sure you are as to which answer they want",!! well , fortunately I didn't face this situation when I went to take up my KET ( key English test ) exam conducted as a part of the ESOL exams by British Council . An exam that tests your English at a basic level including Reading , Writing, Listening and Speaking . Honestly , it was the first exam that was meticulously conducted and sophisticated too . I was amazed to see the listening test being conducted so efficiently through the use of headsets based on an Infrared technique,  I was forced to take up the examination at Chennai as the number of students from Bangalore had been few , so apparently they couldn't fix a center here . The assessment test went on wonderfully , at least for me!! For more information on this you can visit the website www.britishcouncil.org/india. 

An event that had the top billing during this week was of course the IPL being moved out of India , or as Times of India correctly quoted it  " NRIPL"!!! The reasons are well known to us . The IPL may be a source of entertainment during this time of recession but is this whole fuss and drama surrounding it worth it at all ? The owners spend millions of dollars bidding each player when people are losing jobs every minute  I personally feel . it can be prudently used . for example business owners may use it for  giving bonuses to  their  employees . After all there is only one winner at the end of the gamble. 

Another headlines was the arrival of the TATA nano . A much awaited car that is affordable and has the comfort of a 4 wheeler , really good . But when I think of it's effects in Bangalore city , i am filled with dread . Imagine some 100 + nano's lined up together in already narrow ( thanks to the "helping" METRO constructon )   yet important place like MG road .  The congestion is just going to swell . I hope that the project is completed as soon as possible  for it will provide respite to victims of it's construction , like me . 

Also i would like to add that today completes 1 year since i finished my 1oth standard math board exam . A subject that i hated , loathed , despised  and all other synonyms !!! as a matter of fact i feel creepy and jittery even after a  year when I think of the tension before D- day !!!

 

 anyway , Happy driving ( with the nano) !!!

bye !!!

visit to shiridi

hi , 

Nothing helps unwind like a trip to a nice , calm place !! well , our family( which includes my dad , mom and bro ) went to visit Shiridi to offer religious prayers . Shiridi is a small town , about 0.5 hours from a village called  Kopergaon , Maharashtra. We are in the habit of going there every year during this time . This time things were very different . There was heightened security , the routes were changed ( There were rules concerning entry and exit through specific gates , no handbags were allowed , we were not allowed to touch the samadi too  ) and there was a swell   in the number of people who had come to seek Shirdi Baba's blessings . This is perplexing because 2 years ago , the crowd wasn't as suffocating as this . This can partly be attributed to the rise in the number of serials featuring life and teachings  of Baba . On the 15th March , there were atleast 150,000 in the temple , party because it was a sunday and because  and that was the fifth day ofthe festival  Holi  ( an important day where even Baba used to play Holi )  We waited in the queue for at least 2 hours but had a memorable Darshan in the sanctum sanctorum . We didn't expect such a crowd and were taken aback .Shiridi has become another Tirupati . It has become more like a commercial spot and has lost it religious purpose . It is very saddening to see this . 

We also visited Khandoba temple just 15 minuted from the main Shiridi temple , but not many people know of  this . It was the place where Mahalsapati ( one of the devotees of Sai Baba first saw and beckoned to him saying " Aao Sai "( In English it translates to come sai ) . We also wanted to visit Rahata ( where Baba stayed for a year) but were unable to do so due to constaint of time .  

Shiridi is truly a magical place where miracles happen , well at least happened to us , many times too . So if you ever get an opportunity to go there please visit it . 

I would also like to reflect upon the lack of civic sense by some people .  Once they reach their destination , they leave all the unwanted stuff like banana skin , uneaten food  , water bottles etc back in the train and fail to understand that it needs  be used by other people too(  this was done by elite people who travel in 2nd A/C). Can't they take 5 minutes to clean it up ?? these people, clearly ,are literate but not educated . 

so ... develop an attitude that would benefit everybody !!

until next time

BYE!!!

osars , bid

hi ,

My sinciere apologies for not wrirting in for two weeks . My schedule had been too hectic leaving me virtually no time to bog down my thoughts . It's also interesting to note the density of news made within this period of time . 

The newspapers were splashed with the images of this and the media was on it's heels monitoring every event unfolding - The oscars 

Slumdog millionaire won the oscar for best movie while Mr.Rahman bagged the oscar for the original song , jai ho , which features in the same movie , truly a proud moment for all of us !! But could we have won this most coveted award without the pillar of a British director ? what made this movie stand out from all the other "biggies" like curious case of benjamin button , or milk ?? I , personally feel that this historic moment could not have been created without a English director . What else could explain this better than the rejection of better movies like Lagaan or TZP . Did we deserve to win an Oscar by depicting the penury of India ?

though the winning of the best documentary " smile pinki " was justified  , slumdog millionaire could have done less . Mr . Rahman too admits that "jai ho" was not his best creation .But it is remarkable to note the journey of two kids , who barely know to brush their teeth , undertaking this errand and facing the entire world with grace and simplicity . I wonder if they would believe that they stood in front of  entire Hollywood , once they become a little older !!!!!

The other big event which dominated the headlines was the auction of "bapu's" belongings , But Mr Mallaya, the superman of the day,  the highest bidder reckons to present these to the government . now why would this be ?? 

Well , I am  looking forward to seeing " pink panther 2 " featuring Humorous Steve Martin and trying to finish john grisham's " the appeal ". 

Until next time 

Gracias !!