Going through a BombScare

Good Day!!

How is to be through a BOMB SCARE..??? have you ever been through it?? or even thought of it?? I hope most of the people would have just seen it in Movies and TV...:-)... I have actually been through it.

It was the summer of hatred in Bangalore,Karnataka, when regionalism was conspicous in the air. It was 2004 June and I was new to bangalore by about 6 months...with a very scant knowledge of Kannada. Bangalore being the youngest metropolis in India has a high percentage of outside popluation and naturally other language movies like Hindi and Tamil obviously fared well than Kannada movies....which were a far cry from the professional aproach of tamil and hindi cinema.. The kannada film producers saw an oppurtunity and raised hue and cry about the supposedly step-motherly treatment given to kannada movies by the theatre owners and insisted the government that non-kannada movies be banned for a seven week ban from the date of their original release...a so called moratorium...this sparked a huge protest from the theatre owners in Bangalore...leading a few theatres shutting down...there was tension in the air where ever the non kannada movies played and it was visible...

This being the situation, there was this remake of the now famous MunnaiBhai MBBS in tamil with KamalHaasan in the lead role and I was very curious to watch this hilarious flick after seeing the effortless rendering by Sanjay Dutt...So my friend and me went to a theatre which was in the old bangalore area....we got the tickets..I was the first to get the tickets for that show..I was quite happy infact looking forward to that movie..as it was close to three months since I saw a tamil movie in theatre....That was the first day of the movie and first show of that film in the theatre for that day and they were cleaning the theatre and I was hoping they would open the door gates atleast 30 mins before the show...but the wait continued till fifteen minutes after the slated time of the show...but no signs of neither the management opening the show nor informing us of what is happening and I was getting wild as usual when I am not informed of what I should be...:-)....

Another 15 minutes and then comes the slightest hint and I find a couple of Police Officers, Inspectors I guess... coming in their famed Yellow bikes...another beeline of 4 officers come in another 15 minutes and I am kind of taking grasp of the situation trying to relate things in space!!!!....and then comes the final pointer a sniffer dog is planted into the scene and there creeps in panic in the faces of the anxious people..and the buzz word spreads and as we are trained in such sequences..through a spate of movies..;-)...we guess that there should have been a bomb threat call and hence the delay in the show....And as ever we were able to relate this incident to the 7 week moratorium for non kannada movies..more so because this broke the convention and was released before the moratorium ended.....

Me and my friend were in a catch 22 situation of whether we should stay on to see the movie or escape from the scene!!!...were not exactly sure as to what to do.....we wanted to buy time...bought it..and finally..after another 30 mins...the security gates were opened and people were let in after the police cleared the place of any bomb..:-)

But I was not exactly convinced..(being a person who will not get convinced of any matter unless I check it for myself..)..but still the temptation and passion for movies pulled me right into the theatre.

Into the movie deeply engrossed was I, but then there was a lateral thought line about the hoax call....how could one get rid of that??? The split personality ( if I can use that word now!!) in me trotted out...one wanting to see the movie completely..the other to run away as soon as possible...and move away from the threat...

But then a third thought process intruded and reminded me that Danger was there in every minute of life...what if the Bus I go after this meets with an accident??? or any thing unexpected that can happen???..what not ..all these negative thoughts were playing their part one after the other..in no particular order...again and again..though I was completely impressed with the way the movie was made..laughed my way out of the theatre. I could have moved out of the theatre immediately after the hoax call was informed..but then there is no thrill in living such a life and I wouldn't have been richer with this rare experience....but then there was alluring danger which I was ready to part with...but by the end of the movie..I learnt a very good lesson that Danger Lies in Every Walk of Life...in every minute...It is upto how we look at it and how much of importance we give to be bothering about it!! Keep doing what you feel is right..be true to your heart and leave the rest to the ubiquitous.


Rajesh

Serena Williams and Grit

Good Day!!!

People who had a chance to watch the Australian Open Women's Finals (Serena Williams Vs Lindsay Davenport) would certainly agree with my comments and appreciate it. It was one match which people who dont belive in themselves should watch. They would certainly start believing in Self Confidence atleast..!!!!

Such was the comeback Williams staged at the Rod Laver Arena, truly historic in my perspective. The match started in the most uncharacteristic fashion for Serena, on the very first serve from Davenport, a complete miss from the champion. The game continued that way for another 15 minutes or so, with very few rallies and Davenport winning comfortably..she must have thought it to be a cakewalk..which wasn't to be....

Around this time, williams felt uncomfortable with her back and had to be treated in less than 30 minutes of the women's finals. She was even taken into the changeroom for treatment. Soon after serena's return, davenport took the first set 6-2. The second set too started with the now familiar davenport domination. Her serve was impeccable and returns precise and very good looking. The Top seed davenport almost was the winner with a set and a half in her kitty already. But it was Williams who was her opponent, the never say die young lady. Serena struggled until the mid of the second set in a very well played game right in the midway of the set. After which Serena stepped up the pedestal and went into top gear and never allowed the top seed to comeback into the match, winning nine straight games and taking the coveted trophy with her.

It was the result of a great heart and discipline that gave Williams the courage and power to overcome the opponent within her, in more than one way.

We, in our normal life can draw a lot of parallel from the game, this particular game of Tennis. We would be better off not counting ourselves offf too early, try our best till the end, who knows, we might as well achieve what the younger of the Williams achieved, in our own walks of life..!!!!

Think over it...you might strike gold!!!!

Bye,
Rajesh Prakasam

Indian Cricket 2004

Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous new year, full of joyous moments and nothing else!! This is a look back on the indian cricket team's performance in the year 2004. For all practical purposes, 2004 was nothing but a dull patch, a feeble shadow of the mighty past of 2003. There may be differing views, saying India won the series in Pakistan....and good show in Bangladesh, but for close watchers, it was nothing but slip shod performance from the Men in Blue.The Pakistan series can be taken as an extension of 2003 as the Indians were in the same vigour and form, whatever you may call it. With the so called "Much Wanted Break" for the guys, they seem to have lost their basics and we were begining to see familiar performances akin to what we were seeing in Pre-Ganguly era( If I can call it that way..) they were never able to live up to their promise.

The Asia Cup, ICC Champions Trophy, Netherlands Videocon Cup, Natwest Challenge all reiterated the same in unequivocal terms..that the DAYS are GONE. This fact was validated later at the end of the year... from the appalling statistic that Indian Batting XI never managed to cross 250 in an ODI until the Bangladesh tour....where they crossed 300..courtesy the defeat to Bangladesh the previous match..:-(......

But there were positives as well for India XI in 2004, like Anil Kumble becoming the Highest Wicket taker in Tests for India, bowled I would at the best in his life time (remember his bowling in Australia); Sehwag dethroning Laxman for the highest test scores...and the most important carry forward I would say is the find of IRFAN PATHAN...what a bowler for India, I got a chance to see him bowl at the Bangalore test against Australia (though it was not great that match!!!)..but I could see what India can expect from this 19 year old...he has another good 10 + years for India if manages to stay fit; Also if you look keenly we also have a worthy third spinner in Murali Karthik; sadly Parthiv had to miss out of the race as he failed to do what he was hired to do primarily....:-(


Let's hope 2005 is a better one like its ODD predecessor for India..and builds up nicely for other events to come up before the all important 2007 world cup(its too far....but still.....)

cheers,
Rajesh Prakasam

President Abdul Kalam's Words..

In connection to yday's writeup, quoting President Abdul Kalam's words from "The Hindu" ....

The President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, called for a tsunami warning system along the entire Indian coastline on the lines of the one in the 27 Pacific nations, safeguarding them from distant source tsunamis.

``We can either have an Indian control centre that is connected to the Pacific tsunami warning centre or an indigenous integrated technological solution as a long term disaster management option,'' he suggested, addressing students of the University of Hyderabad from New Delhi over a videoconference, at its ninth convocation here on Tuesday.

In the 1970s, India had kept away from the Pacific tsunami warning system, which gives significant advance notice of the impending disaster to as many as 27 nations today, sometimes as much as three full hours.

``After an earthquake occurs beneath the seabed, it takes three hours for the dynamic waves of great height to build up. All communities within a three-hour travel time from the epicentre of the earthquake can be evacuated to safety thanks to the tsunami warning system. This only means that technologically there is a solution,'' Mr. Kalam said.

bye,
Rajesh

Tsunami

Tsunami has created waves in and out of the sea......demolishing lives in thousands and leaving millions homeless and making them wonder "what in the world has happened??"......

The perspective is by an Indian..a South Indian at that....where TamilNadu is considered the Safety Abode....relatively free from communal riots, natural calamities!! This has caught tamilians unawares...completely off-guard...till this day...fourth day after the disaster..people still are locating their relatives, friends...I have heard second hand information about the dreaded wave....which has completely washed a Hospital, Church, et all in a place called Kalpakkam( famous for the Nuclear Reactor), near chennai...in the process washing out one of my friend's friend, who was a doctor on DUTY on that day....I wonder what kind of a design does nature have in mind???


I also had a point to ponder, whether the meteorological department in TamilNadu could have predicted this..and saved atleast those who unassumingly came to the beach to relax on that sunday morning....

At this time of grief...we Humans...should contribute to this....by whatever means possible...There are hundreds of ways u can contribute...If u are in India, you can send in ur contributions to THE HINDU or TIMES GROUP.....or any other charity organisation......avenues that just flashed in my mind..

please do your bit.....that could help redeem some lost faith.....

Interested on knowing about the Tsunami...

http://www.geophys.washington.edu/tsunami/intro.html


Bye,
Rajesh

My First Post

Hey...Folks......


My first blog entry....!!!! quite excited..about..this..:-) ... look out for some interesting stuff in this blog spot....


Rajesh