Geshundheit!!!!!

Oopss. No ... dont do it... not on this page....
Too much hype.. in my opinion...

Yesterday around 2,700 people died from malaria. Around ten people died from swine flu.
The last major flu pandemic, in 1968, killed around a million people.
Malaria kills a million people each and every year.

Ok..WHO says

A child dies of malaria every 30 seconds.
There were 247 million cases of malaria in 2006, causing nearly one million deaths, mostly among African children.
Malaria is preventable and curable.
Approximately half of the world's population is at risk of malaria, particularly those living in lower-income countries.
Travellers from malaria-free areas to disease "hot spots" are especially vulnerable to the disease.
Malaria takes an economic toll - cutting economic growth rates by as much as 1.3% in countries with high disease rates.

MEANWHILE

The three main seasonal flu strains COMBINED (H3N2, H1N1 and type B) cause 250,000 to 500,000 deaths a year globally (equivalent to 685 to 1,370 deaths per day) according to WHO



It's true that swine flu is highly infectious and that there's currently no vaccine. But, when you take away the hype, you've got a handful of deaths in one country from a variant of flu that's neither untreatable nor deadly.


NO NEED TO BE SORRY...

Upgrade to Version 3

Lot has happened after we got back from the Himalayas...

From Version 2 - Marriage Edition

to

Version 3 - Marriage Edition Enhanced.

We became "Mobile" compliant. :)

Now I know why they call it a 'Himalayan' Task

Yes!! these are hints .. but I would need to write a lot if I had to explain in detail about my most recent piligrimage trip that I undertook in the Garhwal regions of the Himalayas.. in search of the origin of Rivers Ganges and Yamuna, in search of the Shiv linga in the mountains of Kedarnath and Lord Vishnu at Badrinath......
Following is the day by day account

day 1 25th night 9 30 pmRainy- age profile - guide - start from karol bagh - to rishikesh - 220 kms - parata on the way
26th mornin 6 Am kovilur madam - good cook - self clean - take bath - ganges river- extremely cold- rapids - auto 20 per headto sivananda ashram - ganga maatha mutt - raam mandir and hanuman temple - ram jhoola and laxman jhoola - same bridge -- boat ride - 10 per head. rudraksh tree and gemology - nimbu paani - catch share auto - come back for lunch
pack up leave for BARKOT - mountains all the way - slightly precarious route - evening reach at 7 30 .. chauhan annexeokish room-- raste lena hai
27th morning - 5am - Yamontri - janki chatti breakfast - natuarlly - ponies- dolies - ascend to the glacier of yamnotriwinding pathways -strewn with horseshit - slippery - basket mode -walk - tea stalls - aalu paratha - 10 rs1.5 hrs trek. 6 Km from Jankichatti. Hot water springs take bath - darshan shrine - see the origin - headback 1.5 hrs of trek-xtremely tiring pony journey - watch your back-- reach Chauhan annexe after 2 hr journey - crash
28th morning - 8 30 AM pack off to UTTARKASHI - 100+ kms in 5 hrs - more precarious than yamnotri (3000+ m above sea level)on the way darshan at siva temple - naturally formed - steep ascend - crawl cave - see stalactites - hanuman gadhai- Crocodile - three shiv lingams - aadhiseshan and parvathi statue - naturally formed.- reach UK at 3 ish on the banks of river Bhagirathi - rapidly flowing - great speed- winding
visit temples - hanuman temple - kashi viswanath temple (supposed to be a suyambu thingy) - trishul amman temple - bhagirati river aarathi , market etc crash
29th morning - 4 30 AM start to Gangotri -one of the most treacherous drive ever.. gangnani - hotsprings - one way one vehicle one lane .. walked 1.5 kms from the parking lot - traffic jam - allys - native to the area. witnessed the place where Bagirath penanced. Bagirathi is very cold . freezing - prokshan and abishegamed. 4 hrs journey - 1.5 hrs to Gangnani and 2.5 hrs to the summit. hydel power plants - snow clad mountains.mountains mountains all the way .. jams again. walked all the way 2.5 kms to reach the bus - too cold a lunch at a supposedly scenic place called HARSIL - an army training site adjoining apple orchards with ICE water streams running nearby....
started to feel throat infections and catch cold
30th morning - 4 30 am - to SITAPUR... 300KMs - 7 hrs journey - via rudra prayag (explain meetingplace) - stay at JPG palace - sitapur - atm works at Guptkashi - get ready for the greater part of the journey- tehri dam - helicopter not workin - bad conditions - rested -
31st Morning - 7 30 departure to Gaurikund from Sitapur - reached gaurikund at 9 - doli - 4600 INR above 65Kgs... and 3500 below 65kgs... 80 for cushion and some charges doli started by 9 30 am. reached at 3:30 pm... a 6 hr trek.. bhojan 145 - tea 50 - stay beta 150 - return - bhojan 100 - other allowance - 100 - snow clad - extreme cold - foothills of the himalayas. sickness 200 fees - 80 medicines. good darshanticket 1000 for a family - explain trek road clad with horseshit/clay/water/horseurine+acidic substance- all the more copious water - water and air at their pristine form. cold bed wet bed ridden with moisture - 3/4 degree centrigrade - SAW KEDARESHWARAR - the first of the JYOTIRLINGAMS - A FETE ACCOMPLISHED.. though i would have relished it if i had done more trek/mehnet to see the sight, lord shiva was easy on me and gave me a lollipop of a journey. perhaps thats not what u need may be... if at all there is next time ... i should be able to trek.... blanket not getting warm at all.. chill parts of the coldbed kills... wind chills blowing across the room through uncovered crevices on the walls - no electricity at all.. very dim lite - 20 watts bulb - the whimsical weather HALFWAY BETWEEN THE GUTTER AND THE STARS - one way traffic on the ghat road - long line of vehicles ... aalu paratha - rotis are easily available but hot water is a hard commodity - extremely tired day but good darshan - tried to sleep -
1st morning - 6 AM - woke up - 7 30 descend. paid 500 for the kiddo and canteen- reached gaurikund at 12 30 Pm and waited at gaurishankar - restaurant- tea 6 rs.... as you ascend hte price also ascnends.. foot - 6 , rambada - 10 , mandal 12 ... got back to jpg palace at 2 30 PM.. lunched and slept and 5 pm went to TRIYOGINARAYAN temple supposedly marriage place of parvati and shiva. 15 rs for archana thattu and 100 per head for transport to that place -- 12 kms from Sitapur.. 30 mins journey. dinner and rest
2nd mornning -- 4 30 AM .... to BADRINATH.. via Joshimath and Pipalkoti..........chopta - a mini swiss kinda place.. had bfast and continued the journey - lunch at a roadside park. near vishnuprayag - beaware of the gate system at Auli. there are specific timings of the gate ( i remember one is near Hemkund and also near pipalkoti)... contraint of 1 side vehicle at specific times... we reach badrinath choultry (forgot the place) at 4 30 PM. Visited - Ganesh guha, vyasa guha - a 600m trek from the foothills of badrinath mountains and also that is the border of india - Visited the last tea shop of india in the Indo-china border (Mana - the last indian village) - patel shots... Bheem pul and origin of the underground river saraswati. Seems like there is a separate world 34 kms trekked from Badrinath shrine called Swarglok comparable to heaven ... no one wishes to return after being in there ... well its a myth,,,came back.. to take darshan of Badrinath main temple... huge q...a mile long easily.. 10 degrees better than kedarnath but..manageable... extreme crowd.. clogging at the entrance..9 30 the temple closes and we were at the griha at 9 10.. crushed and squeezed to our breath.. ..came back crashed after dinner..
3rd morning - 6 am relaxed - performecd kuber puja at the banks of the river alaknanda - Tapti kund the natural hot water spring at the temple premises.. GoK how there HW springs form at those freezing places. Washed at tapti kund.. jumped the q - thanks to our tourmates.. they did the hardpart of waiting in the 2 mile long q from 4 45 am in the morning... said GM to Badri and shopped and headed back to the room. Note.. ppl with knee /joint prpoblems may find the way to the temple a bit more trying and painful..so start early. 10 30 back BRUNCH and start the descent from 3000m to 290M HARIDWAR..for a night halt at Pipalkoti.. a 5 hr drive from badrinath....on the way .. Jyotirmath - the first peetam of adi sankaracharya... spatika ling - karpaga vriksham - Auli - make sure you time it and escape the gates - rested at PIPALKOTI - Him ANAND lodge
4th Morning - 4 30 am departure to HARIDWAR via - Vishnuprayag/Nandparayag/DEVA PRAYAG/-stopped at a petrol pump to take breakfast.. devaprayag alaknandna and bhagirathi. meet to form ganges. - Reach Hardiwar at 4 30 PM and took bath in the GANGES RIVER - rushed to rope way - 165 Rs - package trip to Manasa Devi temple - back 1 hr - dont take the long que note it.rushed back.. took a rickshaw - 10 perhead... to aarthi place at 7 20.. 7 30 aarthi starts --- extreeemely crowded.Waded through it after the aarthi in search of a fut fut.. 10 per head again... to Radharam moni baba ashram - a temp haltin place... only for punjabis.. 30 rooms 6 halls 6 kichtens .. and "okish" bathroom...not to undermine..but could ve been better,..
Had quick khana -extremely tired and boarded the bus back to DELHI .. donno wat happened for 6 hrs... my mom woke me up and we were in Delhi........................................

Enter the month of May. Ramya and me were in a cab and she pulled out an interesting read from her TMDB (தமிழ் மூவிஸ் data base) . She said

நடிகர் திலகம் சிவாஜி கணேசன் நடித்த 'அவன் தான் மனிதன்' படத்திற்குப் பாடல் எழுத கவிஞர் கண்ணதாசனை ஒப்பந்தம் செய்தனர்.

விளையாட்டுப் புத்தியுள்ள கண்ணதாசன் பாடல் எழுதுவதில் தாமதம் செய்துவிட்டால் என்ன செய்வது என்று எண்ணிய தயாரிப்பாளர்கள் அவரைக் காணும்போதெல்லாம் மே (1973 ல்) மாதம் சிங்கப்பூரில் படப்பிடிப்பு இருப்பதை நினைவூட்டியவாறே இருந்தனர். இது கண்ணதாசனுக்கு சற்றே எரிச்சலூட்டினாலும் மறுத்து ஏதும் சொல்லாமலிருந்தார்.

ஒரு வழியாக பாடல்களை எழுதியும் கொடுத்தார். தயாரிப்பாளர்களிடமும் இசையமைப்பாளர் எம்.எஸ்.விஸ்வநாதனிடமும் ஒரு பாடலில் தனிக்கவனம் கொள்ளுமாறு கூறி விட்டுச் சென்றார்.

"ஆட்டுவித்தால் யார் ஒருவன்...", "மனிதன் நினைப்பதுண்டு...", "எங்கிருந்தோ ஒரு குரல் வந்தது...", "அன்பு நடமாடும் கலைக்கூடமே..." இவற்றுள் கவிஞர் எதை, ஏன் குறிப்பிட்டார் என்று அனைவரும் தலையைப் பிய்த்துக்கொள்ள, எம்.எஸ்.வி. காரணத்தைக் கண்டுபிடித்தார்.

அந்தப்பாடல் "அன்பு நடமாடும் கலைக்கூடமே..."

விஷயம் என்னவென்றால், அந்தப்பாடலின் ஒவ்வொரு வரியும் 'மே' என்று முடியுமாறு எழுதியிருந்தார் கவிஞர்

Ok barring one line ....

அன்பு நடமாடும் கலைக்கூடமே...
ஆசை மழை மேகமே...
கண்ணில் விளையாடும் எழில் வண்ணமே...
கன்னித் தமிழ் மன்றமே...

மாதவி கொடிப் பூவின் இதழோரமே...
மயக்கும் மதுச்சாரமே...
மஞ்சள் வெயில் போலும் மலர் வண்ண முகமே...
மன்னர் குலத் தங்கமே...
பச்சை மலைத் தோட்ட மணியாரமே...
பாடும் புது ராகமே...

வெள்ளலைக் கடலாடும் பொன்னாரமே...
விளக்கின் ஒளி வெள்ளமே...
செல்லும் இடம்தோறும் புகழ் சேர்க்கும் தவமே...
எங்கள் குல மன்னனே...
இன்று கவிபாடும் என் செல்வமே...
என்றும் என் தெய்வமே...

மாநிலம் எல்லாமும் நம் இல்லமே...
மக்கள் நம் சொந்தமே...
காணும் நிலம் எங்கும் தமிழ் பாடும் மனமே...
உலகம் நமதாகுமே...
அன்றுக் கவி வேந்தன் சொல்வண்ணமே...
யாவும் உறவாகுமே...

Interesting it was ... கவிஞர் குசும்பு

தமிழில் blog செய்ய வேண்டும் என்று வெகு நாள் நினைத்திருந்தேன். இன்று தான் தெரிந்தது உபயம் எனது contacts.


இந்த போடோ ஓமன் என்ற நாட்டில் எடுத்தது. நம்ம ஊர்ல ஆடு மாடு தான் ரோடு கிராஸ் செய்ய பார்த்திருக்கிறோம் ... ஆனா இங்கு ...

Aint worth it

Every1 is after it.... Invented by man.... regarded as the root cause of all evil today... ( i second with Floyd)

You having too much of it does nt mean anything.... for example...

In Zimbabwe, even the low income workers are billionaires. Good news? Not quite.

The inflation rate in Zimbabwe is now about 4 million percent, according to Yahoo!News. This is the highest inflation rate in the world.

What does a 4 million percent inflation rate mean in practical terms?

The threshold milk price reached $4.37 per gallon due to the rising costs of diesel used in the trucks that transport milk to grocery stores. The threshold price is the maximum price retailers are allowed to charge and is based on the price the Federal government pays the farmers for milk.

Now compare the United States milk cost with the milk cost in Zimbabwe. While Americans complain about milk costing over $4 per gallon, a mere pint of milk in Zimbabwe costs 3 billion Zimbabwe dollars, according to Yahoo!News, or 24 billion dollars per gallon. While 3 billion Zimbabwe dollars are only worth about 30 cents in United States dollars, imagine having to carry 3 billion dollars to the store to buy that pint of milk.

Customers walking into a store in Zimbabwe to buy the equivalent of $100 United States dollars in groceries would need to carry along nearly a trillion dollars to pay for those groceries. Does that mean that a Zimbabwean out to buy a television, a computer, or a car needs to go in search of a wheelbarrow first- to carry the necessary cash?


Phew!!! AND 'Zimbawe' borders with SA where it costs 6 Rands per gallon....

Harsh Reality

Whatever you say, poverty still looms in our country. Even though facades of sophistication try to shadow them they still raise their ugly heads.

Having said that let it be known that a third world murky underbelly exists and thrives even in the most developed nations. Just that this film got a global recognition and limelite fell on the wrong part of the depiction.. See Satya by RGV for more details ;)

As one of the mumbaikars pointed out "a breathing snapshot of the city that is always stripped of its warmth when depicted in the news".

The movie 'Slumdog Millionaire' vividly describes the harsh reality faced by the slum dwellers of Dharawi representing the 'greater' part of India. This particular scene clipping above will say it all.. Will leave it for the reader to ponder.

The child artists have done extremely well, Rahman's O saya depicts the escape of the 'mumbai local' to escape into world that they yearn for. Leaves us to think.. is money the only means to achieve what we 'want' (not need)... where does destiny intersect ... is it true that 'everything is pre-written'