Is the whole world getting married... !!??

In the last few months atleast a dozen of my friends got married - what is the matter with folks out there?

I've seen it happen to one of my colleagues - from the moment he got married, he's walked the razor's edge.
He does that fine balancing act between buying groceries for home and solving some uber complex math problem everyday. I've seen him stay up nights, working and hacking away at a keyboard just to get some sensible numbers on a screen while still not forgetting to sms his sweetheart every 30 mins because she feels lonely at home. Ask him anytime and he'll advise you not to marry ..... ever !
But then there I times when I see them together and there's that momentary glint in both their eyes and a feeling of bliss on their faces which makes me wonder ! Perhaps even this marriage has something special which misses the onlooker's eye .... May all my friends find that something to keep them and their marriages going lifelong.

Cheers !!

Indian rhythm in Finland

The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra (HPO), the first professional symphony orchestra to be founded in the Nordic countries in 1882, recently collaborated with mridangam vidwan Guru Karaikkudi Mani and his Sruthi Laya percussion ensemble in January this year.
Titled ‘Never Stop!', the composition was by the renowned Finnish composer Eero Hämeenniemi. It was a Helsinki Philharmonic commission to be played by Sruthi Laya and the HPO.
The world premiere of the work was held on January 20 at Finlandia Hall and was broadcast live all over Finland.
Passion for Carnatic music
Hämeenniemi, a friend of Karaikkudi Mani and a lover of Carnatic music, and his Finnish NADA chamber ensemble, have been regularly working with Mani.
The 1951-born Hämeenniemi has composed works in almost all the main genres of Western classical music and jazz. Hämeenniemi has also made a name for himself as a writer and columnist, and as the pianist and composer of the NADA ensemble led by him.
‘Never Stop!' is a work lasting half an hour for four percussion instruments and symphony orchestra. The soloist in the premiere was a group of four percussionists led by Guru Karaikkudi Mani but later can be performed by other ensembles.
Structurally, the work began with an extremely loud rhythmic motif repeated a number of times throughout the work, both as such and in a more or less varied form.

Talking about his composition, Hämeenniemi has this to say, “The work is divided into five movements performed without a break, each with a tempo of its own that gets faster from one to the next. The whole of the solo group plays in the first and fifth movements, but in the others one percussion instrument dominates at a time, though with the occasional support of the others.
“In the second movement the solo is entrusted to a ganjira tambourine. For each solo instrument, I have sought to find the section of the orchestra that to my mind best supports it, and the ganjira is frequently partnered by strings. Towards the end of the movement the strings gradually come to a halt while the soloist gains more and more momentum.
“The third movement is dominated first by the ghatam. Entering at the end of the movement is the chenda. In the fourth movement, the king of South Indian percussion instruments, the mridangam is accompanied by the full orchestra.
“The movements are linked by percussion passages in which the players make the carefully controlled metric modulation from one tempo to the next. Mani Sir and the other soloists at the premiere executed these transitions within the structural confines provided by me.

“I have been infinitely impressed by the players' ability and desire to adapt to musical thought processes they have never before encountered. Mani Sir chooses his projects with infinite care and is famous for performing with only a few outstanding artists in India. But when he does agree to take part in a project, he does so with utmost intensity.”

Article posted in The Hindu daily

Avatar with my roomies

Avatar !!! The much awaited movie, I wanted watch in a big screen and finally on 18th december, I was invited to see it with my friends @ Finnkino 3D, Helsinki. Wow!!! I have always resented missing the original Star Wars on the big screen (the movie against which all other cinematic goundbreakers are measured). I was fortunate enough to catch some awe-inspiring "man" movies, like Tim Burton's Batman, the epic Braveheart, and the movies 300 and Gladiator. I saw both Titanic and Passion of the Christ both at theaters. I have never, however, been able to catch a truly pivotal, era-definitive movie at the theater - 3D, until tonight.

Okay, to be fair, let me define pivotal, or rather give examples. Try to think back to these times... do you remember what Pixar did for animated movies? Or what The Matrix did for action and fighting sequences? Or what Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon did for martial arts flicks? Each of these mentioned had one thing in common: they pushed the envelope. They raised the bar. Their producers and directors stepped way out of the box to create new standards in their movies' respective genres.

In the same way that the Wizard of Oz broke the boundaries of color films forever, so Avatar does for graphically-enhanced, visually-stimulating movies to follow. Avatar is an absolute must-see before it leaves the theaters.

It was fun to be along with a group of buddies to watch this movie.

Waterfall @ Monkey falls - for the first time.

Never in my life (before I visited valparai), I had got a chance to bath under a water fall and a pond, since I was born and brought up in a urban city except you can find artifical waterfall and pond in a theme/amusement parks. During my trip to Valparai, it was my first ever waterfall experience.


Valparai a beautiful hill station lies high up above the ranges of Annamalai, above 3500 ft from sea level. We had to cross 40 Hairpin bends to reach the destination. We drove a car, from Coimbatore to Valparai, on the half way we felt tiring and as we entered Valparai, Monkey falls welcomed us. Monkey falls is almost at the foot of Valparai. Local here say that a trip to Valparai is not complete without a bathe at monkey falls. We got down the car and amazed by the beauty of the place, we were happy to spend some time there in the monkey falls. And yes, there will be 1000's of Monkeys around...so Beware! We then had to climb some rocks and came to a flat open plain shaded by huge trees, we walked across this plain and the whole area was rocky, green, lush and so silent and we saw this little opening through some bamboo and there it was this pool and water rushing down into it from a height i could not make out, the water just seemed to be falling out of the sky. It just really took my breath away. This place is a delight to eyes of water lovers, one cannot resist getting drenched there. My mind initially saying NO to get drenched in a waterfall, honestly I was bit scary and hesitant, when I heard the sound of water gushing from high skies. I later made up my mind to experience this new adventure. I was surprised to see small kids enjoying there. I said to myself let me try this ! There was around 25-30 members already taking bath. I changed my clothes and walked towards the area where people stood still and enjoyed the bath. The first time when the water poured on me, it felt like as though some rocks are hitting upon my head, the force of the water (cannot measure it) was carrying my whole body away. I was enjoying every moment along with my friends who are like experts trying new things to make themselves feel unique from others and I was like holding them every moment. I can’t remember how long we all stood there, but I experienced something energizing me and felt totally fresh, like a new day in my life.

ToTen Million Fire flies...

I can't sleep knowing tunes like these exist! i just had to blog it. Owl city is officially my current obsession, next to Beyonce or Coldplay.

listen to Rainbow Veins - Owl City

to ten million fireflies, i'm weird 'cause i hate goodbyes...-
(fireflies - owl city)

Hot, Hotter, Hottest Chennai

September 19th 09, I landed Chennai for the first time after 1 ½ years. After a tiring journey all the way from Helsinki via Delhi made me go crazy. Once I came out of the airport the first thing I felt was the burning skin... AHHH.. it was the Chennai Heat! This feeling lasted few minute until I got a taxi, to my home. Same old Chennai people, chaos everywhere, horns, some complicated brigdes, bumpy roads, tea kadai, stinking Adyar bridge, bus, cycles, traffic, new constructions, slums, wow I m in Chennai... Warm welcome from my parents, tasting moms food, my favorite foods, surprising grand parents on my arrival and meeting friends was how my first day at chennai started. I was telling stories to my parents about my personal and work experience at Finland. A few minutes later I realized, how the time fly by. It look like, it was only that day when I completed my degree and joined too up my career in a software industry. I wished to god to put a small speedbreaker to the time for next 3 weeks, so at the end I dont realize that 3 weeks passed by in a jiffy :)

Met my school friends, staff and college mates in the initial days and almost each and every day I spend my time with area mates. Most of my time I spent in Korattur and my own house. On the first weekday I promised to visit my office (which was now changed to a different location) which was very far far far away from city and it takes 2 ½ hrs to reach by corporate bus from my home. It was a beautiful morning as day started the charm was disturbed by increasing traffic, pollution and noise. It was a delight to see my old team mates and friends in office. Souveniers and momentos gave them feel there was some one back from onsite. I had to end my day late in the night, due to some pending task at office.

Since it was a weekday, I had to call my friends over phone and chat with them and met only very few people and close ones during my stay. It was a festive season in India, I got an opportunity to experience Durga Pooja once again, at Chennai almost at all famous venues where they are held. I rented a car and took my parents and grand parents to all the pooja celebration venues. A visit to Valparai (a small hill station 500 kms from Chennai) and Pollachi, was a mindblowing trip with my friends. A 3 days tour to Valparai was planned just 2 days before we departed. We took a bus from Chennai to Coimbatore from where we drove a car, high up above the ranges of Annamalai, above 3500 ft from sea level. before we could drove through the 40 hair pin bends, i was taken to a waterfall near the roads. Bathe in a waterfall was my first experience. I thought Valparai would be a small remote village, but its quite big. This is not only for bachelors, but a perfect get away for family too. Myself along with my 5 friends had a awesome time, making fun, teasing each other, boozing (I dont booze :)), playing cards and get to taste a typical south indian hill station dishes at hotels and road side shops. Clean air, lush green tea estates, glorious landscapes, crystal clear water, least-explored places, and unforgettable moments – These are memories that you will come back with.

Riding bike in chennai was first thing I wanted to do, but felt a bit out of control after a long time, I got the touch in 2-3 rides with my friends... Didn't get car to drive myself, this time :( I was deighted to attend my sweet buddies marriage at chennai having a heavy briyani lunch during the feast. Spent most of evenings staying at my friends house and roaming in and around city on roads and bikes. Many of my friends visited me at my home during my last 2 days of vacation. When my parents and some friends came along to say goodbye at the airport and felt a bit emotional. On the whole it was a very sweet and short vacation filled with all goodies and goodies.

Going Home

I said to someone the other evening "I want to go home". And thinking about it later, realised I didn't quite know what I meant..wonder how many people actually do. Those who do know, are really quite lucky.