Nalini's Marriage -Initial Process

Dear Friends,
I was off for the last 12 days due to my first younger sister Nalini's marriage on Feb 19th at Palani.
From Feb 18th to Feb 22nd Evening, lot of activities happened, which i couldn't foresee at all.

the list of stuff happens at a typical arranged Kammavar Naidu ( Naicker) marriage around Palani is listed here.

I would like to split this post in to two parts where i want to list out the rituals as well as my personal experiences.

The very first and important step is , If both Boy and Girl's Family agrees, Horoscope matching happens. If both the families are Ok with this then the marriage is almost over. But nobody can predict the surety. the background check also happens here from both the sides.

Then the procedures starts here
1.The Boys Family visits the Girls House ( Here around 100 people visited my house. it costed me Rs13,000 for food and other arrangements)
2. The Girl's Family visits the Boy's House. We were just 30 while visiting their house
3. Engagement(Nichayathartham) or Uppumatruthal ( Exchanging the salt) happens.
Uppumatruthal is the traditional ritual at naidu's marriage. We also did that. Both the families exchange the salt(along with Lemon , vetrilai, paaku) in front of a God like a confirmation that this girl is engaged to this boy. We did this ritual at Patathu vinayakar temple in Palani on January 18th.
4. Next printing the invitation cards happens.this also happened on the same day at a nearby press in palani.
5. The Boy's side buys muhurtham saree and Thaali ( Mangal sutra)
for the girl. these two processes too happened on the same day ( Jan 18th)
6. The invitation card is first kept prayed in front of the Family god and as well as in front of their favorite gods. We went to Kongapatti ( My family god's name is Maaviti Ellammal Temple) and prayed her.
7. The first invitation card is presented to the Maternal Uncle. We went to my maternal uncle's house at periyakottai and presented the card. then we can invite anybody with out any order. Usually this takes about 10 to 15 days of time. a very hectic activity. You need to eat or drink at every place you visit. so stomach and throat upset is a expected result out of this process.

once all this over the marriage process starts

War !!

Yes Its really a war.
Living in the world is really like a war. Am i ready for the war ? . not yet, but i am preparing myself for the war.
Some people feel, the life is gifted, some fools like me think it is a war.

somebody says if you don't have sandals, be relaxed by looking at somebody who doesn't have legs.

All these thoughts are coming to me for couple of weeks.
the reason???
My appraisal time and my sister's marriage.

My Appraisal is screwed up very well and can not expect a decent hike this time.
Money is flowing like water for my sister's marriage.

Even with all these I need to concentrate on the work.

Yeah.. I borned to do that.

As Geethai says, only doing is my job. nothing else.

I don't know what to say ....

I did much better than anybody. still i was told i need to do well.
Well others do have 2 brains, i have only half brain. I don't think so.
I can do four people job in a day. that is my strength.
I can plan better than anybody in the world and execute flawlessly better than anybody else in the world.That is my strength.

Iam second to none .
Why should i be questioned by some morons??

I can run a company of 10,000 engineers. I can create a company of that magnitude.
I can design solutions which are better than any company in the world

Iam complaining about somebody. is it so??

but still its worth a learning in the life.
At least I learnt to speak up my mind. I always learn from mistakes I make.
any one more thing is Iam always reactive. not proactive.I must change this.
Iam 26 now.
still i have 34 years of time before i turn 60.
I honestly believe i have more time in career than my age right now.
Let me see what I can achieve in that.

ஆயிரத்தில் ஒருவன்

அன்பு நண்பர்களே,
நேற்று Tamilish Blog-இல் ஆயிரத்தில் ஒருவன் பற்றி நிறைய விமர்சனங்கள்.
சிலவை போற்றி - சிலவை தூற்றி .நான் எனக்கு நானே விமர்சகன்.
இரவு காட்சி பார்க்க நண்பர் ஜெயகணேஷ்-உடன் Multiplex சென்றேன்.

படம் 3 மணி நேரம் - 15 நிமிடம்.

ஒரு மிகச் சிறப்பான படம் பார்த்த சந்தோசம்.

Hats off to செல்வராகவன்.

S.P. பாலசந்தர், பாரதிராஜா, மணிரத்னம் வரிசையில் தமிழ் சினிமாவை அடுத்த நிலைக்கு கொண்டு செல்ல ஒரு டைரக்டர் வந்து விட்டான் என்ற சந்தோசம் இருந்தது படம் முடிந்த பிறகு.

நான் பாண்டியன், இருந்தும் நேற்று சோழன் வாழ விருப்பப்பட்டேன்.
அவ்வளவு உயிரோட்டமாக இருந்தது.

பார்த்திபன் நடிப்பு மிக அருமை. அவர் நிறைய கேரக்டர் ரோல்கள் செய்ய வேண்டும். தமிழ் சினிமா ஒரு நல்ல நடிகரை மீண்டும் பயன்படுத்திக் கொள்ள வேண்டும்.
கார்த்தி ஒரு அற்புதமான நடிகர். மீண்டும் அதை நிருபித்து விட்டார்.
என்ன அருமையான முக பாவனைகள். அவர் கமலின் வாரிசாக வருவார் என்று நம்புகிறேன்.

ஆண்ட்ரியா கொள்ளை அழகு. செல்வராகவன் சோனியா அகர்வாலை divorce -செய்ததில் ஒரு நியாயம் இருக்கத்தானே செய்கிறது.

ஒரு ஆங்கில படத்தை மிஞ்சிய தமிழ் படம்.
சமீபத்தில் வந்த பேராண்மை மற்றும் ஆயிரத்தில் ஒருவன் ஆகிய படங்கள் தமிழ் சினிமாவை நிச்சயம் ஒரு புதிய பாதையில் கொண்டு செல்லும் என்பதில் ஐயமில்லை.

மறந்து விட்டேன் G.V.பிரகாஷ் music பற்றி எழுத.
இன்னொரு ஆஸ்கார் நிச்சயம் இந்த பையனுக்கு கிடைக்கும் எதிர்காலத்தில்.

எல்லோரும் சென்று படத்தை நல்ல theatre-இல் பாருங்கள்.

Hogenakkal Trip

Wish you all a Very Happy New Year !!!. May all your dreams come true in the New Year !!
So here is my first post in 2010. Though Some of posts are becoming like a Travelogue i believe its worth writing because of the enjoyment I had in theses places.
Last Thursday I was just mentioning about Hogenakkal to Stalin( My Colleague and Friend) at . He immediately asked me, " shall we go tomorrow?". I readily agreed.
We started around 8 .30 AM in Bangalore ( in Bus) and we took the route which should not be taken in the bus. We reached Hogenakkal around 1.30 PM.
Usually the way is Bangalore - Hosur- Krishnagiri- Dharmapuri- Pennagaram- Hogenakkal.
It takes around 4 to 4.30 Hrs to reach the place.
We took the way like Bangalore- Hosur-Royakottai-Palakodu-Pennagaram-Hogenakkal.
Though this route is shorter the buses usually stops at all these places for unusual time and makes your trip boring. The Former one is a NH7 till Dharmapuri, so you can have a comfortable ride in Car or in a Bus.
I believe we must have our own vehicle to reach there and it won't take more than 3 hours.

Things to do:
1. Coracle Ride: You should go for Coracle Ride . You can have a unforgettable time there if you are a first time visitor.
2. View from Hanging Bridge: You can have a fantastic view of the falls from the Hanging Bridge.
3. Oil Massage: You can try Oil Massage if you feel comfortable.
4. Bath: Main Falls and Cine Falls: these are the two falls available there. Main falls is fantastic. Cine falls is also good.
5. Fish Food: You can ask the Local women there to prepare Fish Fry and Fish Curry with
Rasam and Rice.

All the Five above mentioned items are must to do according to me.
As soon as you reach , People will start circling you for Coracle Ride, Oil Massage and Food Preparation. You should have good negotiating skills to get a better deal.
For coracle Ride settle for 60 Rs or 70 Rs per head for the full ride ( till Karnataka border).
You should also get tickets for Rs 10 per head. I believe you should not pay more. We did settle for Rs 60 , but at last we paid Rs 70 ourselves.

For Normal Massage it is 50 and for special Massage it is Rs 100. I went for special Massage for 100. If you are a group 4 or 5, you can negotiate. you may get 80 Rs per Head.

There will be many Local Women preparing Fish Fry and Food. You can ask them to prepare Fish Fry as well as Fish Curry. You can choose the fish you like in the market and hand over it to those women to prepare food. We bought 2.5 Kg of Fish for around Rs 300 and paid Rs 4o0 for the Rice, Fish Curry, Fish Fry and Rasam . This we paid for 5 people.They will buy the ingredients and prepare. this is not only for preparation.
I believe if you are visiting Hogenakkal, If you don't eat fish there, I would say its like visiting a temple, but not praying the presiding deity of the temple.
The place is not really hygienic, but it is a must to do at Hogenakkal.You can find a better place there to sit and eat
Some people complain that the place is not really hygenic. I also agree with it. Even I had this Question till I took bath.
Once I took a refreshing bath, I felt, If I keep talking like this, then Whats the fun in life??.
Explore and Enjoy whats available at any place instead of complaining.

My Itinerary would be:
1.Start Banagalore by 6 AM & reach Dharmapuri around 9 PM.
2.Please find Hotel Ponni near the Bus stand for Breakfast for Real Tamilnadu Style Idli, Dosai, Poori and Pongal. If you go by bus this is a must to do.
3.There are plenty of buses to reach Hogenakkal from there.Reach Hogenakkal around 11 AM.
4. Go for Coracle Ride .This would take around 1 to 1.30 hours ( Pics and Views on the way)
5. In the mean time , you should also find a women to prepare Fish Food.Negotiate a deal, buy fish and ask her to prepare food. This I believe you should even before you go for coracle ride.
6. Once the coracle ride is over, Go for Oil Massage, Wait for more than 30 Min to get the full benefit of Oil massage, and take bath.
7. So around 2 to 3 PM, you can go for Lunch.
8. Then you can go for Hanging Bridge and also walk to the other side of the bridge if you wish too.
9. You can leave the place by around 6 PM.
10. You can come home for Dinner.

Take as much as time you wish to do every single Activity

When I went there first time, My friend in Hosur arranged everything. Fish Fry was ready and a man was waiting there to take us for the coracle ride. It was so good. As soon as we reached there, we bought Fish for curry and handed over it to the women. Fish fry was already ready and took the fish fry for coracle ride, while riding we also enjoyed the fish.

This time, My friend reached there an hour earlier and had a deal for Fish Food with the help of a Local Friend.
I took a wonderful bath and prayed My Favorite GOD "Lord Murugan" there on river shore near the falls ( there was a small temple).

I started my New Year with refreshing thoughts and full energy.

I wish I go there at least once in every 6 months.

You will never forget the fish food there and It will make you to visit the place next time.

People will never get bored there and always wants to go there next time.


Have a Happy trip to Hogenakkal !!!

-R.Gurusamy

Idli Vadai Inc. (இட்லி வடை கம்பெனி...)

Hi Friends,
As every Tamilian in the world Iam very fond of my traditional food, Idli, vadai and Pongal. Who ever visits Tamilnadu won't leave with out tasting these three food.

I rarely ate in hotels, till I completed my +2, may be less than 20 times for the good number of 1o years. In college days, another 50 times (max...)I would have had the food in the hotels.
I moved to Bangalore a good five years ago. I didn't like the Idli, Vada Sambhar served here in the Sagar hotels. I really had very tough time in the first couple of years, but now I love the food served here (Kara bath, Idli vada, Rava Idli and Rava Dosa ) like I love Tamil Idli, Vadai, though the later is not at all comparable with the previous one.

For the last 5 years,when ever I used to visit Tamilnadu (to my native, or to Chennai or to any other place) the very first thing I order is Pongal, vadai. then I may have a dosai or Poori, if my stomach permits.

I would say the Pongal is the best food in the world.what do you say??

For Dinner I always love Parotas(Parathas in cities) and onion Uthappam served in small road side eateries. They are always awesome. I never like to eat food in small hotels fearing their hygenic only till I found the Parotas are the best with Salna in the small hotels.( Curry served for Parota in Tamilnadu is called Salna in small road side eateries.).

I tried to be a Vegetarion for the first couple of years in Bangalore but stopped it because whenever I visit my relatives or other friends they had to prepare Veg separately for me, which I felt was not good as Iam not doing justice for the affection they show towards me. Usually i eat Non Veg once a month usually even less than that. So I thought i will eat Non Veg whenever there is no Veg food or some one feels I should eat. other wise Iam a Vegetarian.

My father is a Non Veg Lover. My mother prepares a really tasty biriyani. My sisters are also Non veg Lovers. We used to have chicken's in our house. So We used to eat non Veg once in 20 - 30 days. In a Village that was OK i felt. but only in cities I see people eat too much Non Veg. mostly every Sunday People eat Non Veg. (many people eat even more)
During my childhood days I had a peculiar issue. I don't like to eat chicken Piece,but like Chicken Curry. So I won't touch Chicken Piece. Still I continue my childhood legacy many times though i eat chicken piece some times if there are no alternative. But I like egg omelet mainly my own preparation.

My father liked pongal also.I forgot to mention that I did not like Pongal too in my childhood. I cried many times asking my mother to prepare some other food for me. I did not like the Pepper which is in Pongal fearing the spicy taste it produced. Some times i even protested with out eating pongal.

Now a days whenever I visit Tamilnadu I will search for a best Iyer hotel to order Pongal vadai for Breakfast and Madurai based hotel for Dinner.If Pongal is not there, i feel very sad and will settle for Dosas.
In many Tamilnadu hotels, the vadai is usually served separately. If the vadai is served with Pongal or Idli, many people will quarrel with waiters saying who asked him to serve vadai with the pongal.the Waiters will ask the guest whether they want Vadai to be served to them?. I even remember that My father and me once asked the waiter to take back the vadai.It happens now also.I feel its because Tamilians are very cost centric and don't like to spend money on unnecessary things. But now I order 2 - 3 vadais for my breakfast. See How I have changed.

Somedays back When I had gone for lunch with my Colleagues for a nearby Andra Mess as earlier I started bluffing about Idli Vada. They told me to start a company called Gurusamy Inc and start selling Idli Vadai. That's how this blog was born and I had some serious thoughts about Idli Vadais.

I firmly believe that Dosa's are the better than Pizzas and Idli Vadai is much better than Burgers.

If I have enough money in the future I will create a company called Idli Vadai Inc, and will have branches all over the world and will serve Idli,Pongal, vadai and Dosas. I will even hire Mckinsey for consulting and Britney spears (or some one popular like her in that time) to do a Add Video for my Idli Vadai Inc. I will directly compete with Mc Donalad's, SubWays and Dominos and Pizza Corners.

Iam sure if it happens the World love Idli, Vadai and Pongal than any other western Junks.

You know one more thing. Idli is a half digested food which can be feed to a one year baby. I heard this from some friend or from a Doctor.

By the way I am also an decent Tamil Cook. I can prepare a decent Tamil meal and especially Pongal and Sambhar.

Reach out to me if you want to taste the Pongal . I can prepare it for you.

If you are in Bangalore visit Adayar Anandha Bhavan or any other Tamil Hotels and reply me If My observation about Pongal , Idli vadai and Dosai is wrong???

Some Tamil Hotels I have visited in Bangalore:
1. Adayar Ananda Bhavan Koramangla and BTM (Udupi Garden)
2. Cauvery , Madiwala (Behind Aiyappan Temple)
3. A small Road side eatery in Wilsen Garden called Kuppusamy)
4. Anjappar In Koramangla for Non Veg
5. I heard about Annachi in Indhra Nagar (but never visited)
6. Malgudi - (not worth for the money you pay)

There was one small Chettinad hotel behind Motorola Marathahalli office. there too food was Ok , but the Hygiene and Ambiance was horrible.

Couple of days back I saw a new small Chettinad hotel in front of Multiplex in Marathahalli. I must visit there next time when I go to Marathahalli.


Cheers,
R.Gurusamy.

ஆதலினால் காதல் செய்வீர்

என்ன ஒரு அருமையான தலைப்பு.

ஆம். கேட்டவுடனேயே மனம் சிலிர்க்கிறது இல்லையா ???

நான் படிக்கும் blog- களில் ஒரு அருமையான blog -இது http://mathavaraj.blogspot.com

அவரது கருத்துக்கள் மிக ஆழமானவை .பல சமயங்களில் நான் வியந்தது உண்டு அவரது கட்டுரைகளை கண்டு.

இன்று படித்த "ஆதலினால் காதல் செய்வீர் " blog மிக மிக அருமை.

ஆண் பெண் உறவை ஆதி காலத்திலிருந்து மிக விரிவாக எழுதி உள்ளார்.
காதல் என்பது பற்றி உங்கள் எண்ணம் மாறும்.

http://mathavaraj.blogspot.com/2009/10/blog-post_2055.html

நேரம் கிடைக்கும் போது இவரது blog -ஐ படியுங்கள்.
நல்ல கருத்துக்கள் நிறைய உள்ளன.

நானும் காதலிப்பேன் கல்யாணம் ஆன பின்.

தென்கச்சி சுவாமிநாதன்

நான் பார்க்க விரும்பிய நபர்களில் மிக முக்கியமானவர் அமரர் திரு தென்கச்சி கோ. சுவாமிநாதன் அவர்கள்.
துத்துக்குடி வானொலியில் அதிகாலை 5.30 மணிக்கு (i forgot the correct time) அவர் பேசியது இன்னும் என் மனத்தில் அப்படியே இருக்கிறது.
அவர் பேச்சை கேட்கவே பல நாள் நான் அதிகாலையில் எழுந்தது உண்டு.

அவரது கதைகளை என்னால் மறக்கவே முடியாது.

அவர் மறைந்தார் என்பதை என்னால் ஏற்கவே முடியவில்லை.

தமிழ்நாடு ஒரு சிறந்த பேச்சாளரை இழந்து விட்டது.

அவர் ஒரு சிறந்த "Motivator" கூட.

அவர் ஒரு உண்மையான தமிழ் மகன். ஒரு அழகிய தமிழ் மகன்.

முடிந்தால் அவரது பேச்சுகளை DVD -யில் வெளியிட்டு வருங்கால குழந்தைகளுக்கு கிடைக்க செய்ய வேண்டும்.

வாழ்க அவரது தொண்டு !!

அவர் ஆன்மா சாந்தி அடைய ஆண்டவனை வேண்டுகிறேன்.

அவருக்கு என் மரியாதைகள் !!