The Dark Knights

Off late, I've been writing a lot of flashback. The thing about nostalgia is that I have never had to think, to put it in words. Its like when you are drunk and you get going. And to kindle it, it takes not more than one IM in facebook by your buddy, like, "vaada thattukadayil povam" (Come on, Lets go to the Roadside Food Joint - in Malayalam). Well, Kanz pinged me today and Chiju Speaks follows. :)

There is a dark side to everyone. A subterfuge from all the normal stuff: studies, responsibilities or "relationship" tension - to mention a few. The side that assures you: there is life other than what is doctored. This is about the dark side of me and my fellow knights.

When all your world is asleep and you say, "Its just 4AM", thats when the Dark Knight in you is unleashed. Keeping count of the kick ass nights spent back in Coimbatore is impossible. Thanks to our university, we had at least 3 full months of semester vacation every year. Every night spent (or wasted) for exams were compensated during vacation.

Aashirwad Nights

We (Me & Dad) used to live in Aashirwad apartments for almost 1.5 years. We had a great terrace there. Hanging out in the terrace, sitting on topof the water tank facing the Nilgiris (Ooty Hills), combined studies (esp the Astrophysics exam night), the so many topics (from cinema to politics to technology to mokkais) and playing cards. I wish I could go there once more and live through it all over. So, the WE is actually Me, Dad, Vivek, Vibushan, JP, Vijay, Deepak, Anandh, Kanz, Raghul and an ocsasional someone.

 

Astrophysics Exam Night - The two guys on the right actually had Chemistry the next day!

Aashirwad, 29th April 2007

Race Course Walks

A walk around the Race Course, probably after a heavy dinner or before a night @ Aashirwad defines an hour plus of chatting, laughing, photographs, a mid-night coffee day visit and a fantastic ride back home. Life was great! :)

 

(Left to Right) - Deepak, JP, Vibu, Anandh, Vijay & Vivek

Race Course, 23rd September 2008

Counterstrike Nights

Laptops all around the room, LAN cables running haywire everywhere, a silent night that turns so violent and heavy once the earplugs are placed properly. Playing CS through the night with Dad's Buttermilk or Mountain Dew to boost the warriors at game can't get any better.

Sp@rrow? Should we plan up a counterstrike night before Vibu flies off? Probably during your 5-day vacation in Chennai?

 

Vibushan's place

After a sumptuous dinner from Aachi Mess, we came back to study for our Data Structures semester exam with lots of plans (to study of course) and little mood to do so. We were taken aback by the preparations Vibu's parents had made for us to sleep comfortably after studies. Little did they know that their son and his feckless friends are going to bet on who's gonna flunk tomorrow over a game of cards and sleep through the night.

We were playing cards (of course in the name of studies) on a Sunday afternoon (one dark afternoon). Vibu's dad opens the door all of a sudden and gives a very strong stare. "Bushan! Come here!", he says and the tone gets us instantly to pack up everything and prepare to leave, only to see Vibu bring a tray of tea and biscuits back into the room.

We broke down a very old but strong and big double bed. I know what you're thinking, but Vijay Krishnan was there too. Vivek (the only guy who found guts) told Vibu's dad and we realized why we were all closest to Vibushan's parents that day. :)

 

Vibu's place - and this is the bed we broke! :P

August 10th 2007

Can we live a life like that ever again?

Veyes Towers

Staying alone during college is fun. You move into a bachelors mansion and 2 months later Kannan, this guy from your class finds a room there too. A few post dinner chats in the terrace of the mansion and you find a great friend called Kanz who kindled you to write this post! :) Dude, I'm not filling up this space fully. You know why!

Magic Show

A video we shot for our Seniors' farewell. What we planned for 2 hours took us 2 months. We have spent hilarious nights for this. It did not come out as we thought it might. But, shouts to Deepak who, not only did the experiment, but also took us along. Not getting into the details here either.

Project Nights

Two different projects (5th sem & 8th sem), Two different teams, Two entirely different areas and Two similar things - 1) Fun 2) I did only documentation. :P

 

Vivek's Big Project Plan

Vivek's House, April 2008

The Last night

After packing up to Madurai, JP and Vibushan stayed at my place till 3AM in the morning to drop me and Anandh in the bus stand. We rode through Aashirwad, talking about all those great night-outs.

The knights separated that night. :(

Anyways, as I sit here, this night, looking back at all those moments, I'm tagging the knights who should definitely write right about this. :P

1) Vivek of Occam

2) Vibushan - The Gemini

3) JP & His Train of Thought

4) Kanz, Mayavi of Memories

5) Vijay Krishnan - He had a blog (don't know where it is)

6) Deepsman, the knight with a difference

7) Anandh (Dai, At least comment on this - or why don't you start a blog too?)

8) Raghul, My project mate :P

Guys, I know I haven't written in depth. I want all of you to fill the gaps. You all know where you have to. :P

Escape

This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 10; the tenth edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.

I was ignorant about the concept of the earth spinning around an axis. I was five years old. Anything that went circling used to get me to my nerves easily. For instance, the ceiling fan was my biggest nightmare if I woke up in the middle of the night. This supports the fact that I've never sat on any of the rides @ Exhibitions/Theme Parks or wherever. From the giant wheel to a simple Merry-Go-Around horse ride, everything had a phobia effect on me.

It was during those phobia days....

My mom, my sister, Murthy Uncle, Rajeev anna, Bhagyam Aunty and a few unknown relatives were standing around us. Rahul and me waved at them once, twice, thrice and every time we came near them, and moved away. We waved till our necks could twist and then turned away. BAM! They came into view again.

We were on a Merry-go-Around Swan Water ride for the age-group 3-5 years in SL World, Bombay (back then). I was proud to have overcome my fears and sat on this ride. I must confess that I sat on it only after I was assured that it goes around at a speed much less compared to how fast they push the Merry-go-Round @ School.

The ride went on for sometime with an occasional elevation of the compartment we were seated. I started looking into the water and it was such a treat. I was having a great time watching the patterns of ripples forming. Gradually, the ride came to a halt and the kids started getting down, one compartment at a time.

For a kid who had so many phobias, I was not the kind who was subtle. I had the mix of a criminal mastermind as well. So went my thoughts, "How nice it would be to step into the water? Chiju! This would be the best moment to do it". And I did it. When the turn came, Rahul did a good boy of holding the hand of the guy who was getting us out and stepped out. I casually put my leg on the other side and stepped into the water. Everything went fuzzy in the next few seconds.

What was I thinking? I'm gonna walk on water, or its not gonna be deep enough or I'm a child prodigy and have won Gold for swimming in the last Olympics. The truth is, I wasn't thinking at all. I just wanted to do it and went ahead.

There were shouts of surprise, fright and terror outside. As I started drowning I could hear all the voices that said "Chiju", "No", "Aiyaayo" etc. However, they became muffled sounds in a few seconds and I started struggling to come up. I'm sure some would have thought, "That's it!"

Then, the Hero (someone who worked there) jumped into the water. and got me out as if I was a tennis ball in a bucket of water. I hadn't passed out or anything. Though I did a lot of puking and had to go all the way home feeing sick. This is the story of My Escape! :P

The best part was when, one grandma came and asked me, "Indha pakkum kaala vekkarathukku, Andha pakkam vechutiya da kanna?" (You stepped on the water instead of stepping on the land by mistake right?) and I nodded as if I knew nothing! :)

PS:

1) Finally, Century! :) Dear Readers and Commentators - Thanks a lot. You people are the best! Keep Visiting. Keep Motivating. An I'll keep writing crap! :P

2) I wanted to write a Coimbatore Era - Part III for my 100th post. But, I had to escape. :P Sometime later.

The fellow Blog-a-Tonics who took part in this Blog-a-Ton and links to their respective posts can be checked here. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.

Centuries ago, Centuries later

Centuries ago, there lived a couple called Sorimbe and Avipaa, by the banks of the Ganges. They made a living out of the agriculture in the piece of land they had. Though, it was a hand-to-mouth kind of life, they lived contented and tried to save as much money they could. They were hard-working, truthful, helpful to the neighbors, thankful to whatever they had and fearful of God!

God was taking his yearly census of good, bad and ugly (appraisal); he noticed the good nature (kiss ass) in Sorimbe and Avipaa and decided to give them outstanding. So, he appeared in front of them and blessed them with good health, ample wealth and a donkey. As an appreciation for their addition in devotion, he broke the convention and gave them a promotion (Sorry for the TR mode); he told them to wish for a boon (performance appreciation). Avipaa, first thanked God for all that He had given them till now (feedback) and added that they wanted to have a child so that they can bestow all the care and love; God blessed them with a baby girl. He told them to name the girl as Nellaranma and the donkey as Hatalizethuhu.

With the health and wealth, Sorimbe expanded his farm (not farmville) and did the bread winning, meanwhile, Avipaa took care of Nellaranma and Hatalizethuhu. Soon, they prospered good enough that their farm grew to such an extent that they hired workers from the nearby villages. Eventually, there were no homes in the surrounding villages, that did not have earnings from Sorimbe's farm. Even Avipaa did an excellent job of bringing up Nellaranma to a beautiful young lady. Also, Hatalizethuhu was well-trained to help in the farm, for Sorimbe's transport to the market and other household work.

As their status grew, Avipaa only became more innocent and humble, whereas Sorimbe was becoming rude, selfish, lazy and greedy. He was treating the workers very badly by being a miser in giving them their wages, getting them to work so impractically hard and not considering their feelings. He had become so money-minded that he even got Hatalizethuhu to work thrice harder than before. When Avipaa noticed something and asked about it, Sorimbe used to lie and the innocent she is, believed it all.

One day, Avipaa reminded Sorimbe that it was high time that they got Nellaranma married. She suggested that he go and talk to the landlord of the nearby village, whose son seemed to a perfect match for her. Sorimbe was definitely not in a mood to get his lazy ass up and do the job. So, everyday, he gave Avipaa some reason or the other to keep pushing it away. Finally, one day, when Avipaa pressed so much, he replied that it was the month of Margazhi and it is bad to proceed with any good deeds till it got over. Months later, Nellaranma's marriage got fixed and when asked about the date for the marriage, Sorimbe, who did not want to start working soon for his daughter's marriage, said, performing marriages in the month of Aadi is not good omen.

The marriage happened, days passed by, Sorimbe(Somberi) kept becoming lazier, Avipaa(Apaavi) kept believing Sorimbe's stories, Nellaranma (Nallaneram) got married and went off to another place and Hatalizethuhu (Thalaiezhuthu) kept working harder but sincerely, though at some point it realized that it was God who predestined its life.

Centuries later, people still believe that Marriage (a fantastic thing) has to be put away during Aadi (July15th - August 15th). Infact, if you go through the checklist, man, its tiring (not to fix a date, just to read the checklist once). I was amazed at the fact that the registrar office is not busy at all during Margazhi (Dec15th - Jan15th) because its not good to buy houses during that time, or for that matter its even inauspicious to start working for the most auspicious things. People don't buy houses that has the gate straight opposite to a street or opening (they call it Moola Kuthu in Tamil). If you tell me that some drunken lorry driver is gonna come and gate crash, then probably it is a valid reason. These are just three weird things. Yet, there are so many million rules in this society. I just broke one rule today! :)

I just believe, there is no good time to do anything bad and no bad time to do anything good. What say? :P

Glossary (:P)

Somberi - Lazy

Apaavi - Innocent

Nallaneram - Good Time

Thalaiezhuthu - Fate

PS:

1) I saw the eclipse today for the first time in my life. It was so beautiful. Please get over the myth (if applicable) that its inauspicious to see the sun/moon during an eclipse. Of course, looking at it directly is not good for the eye. Use coolers or an x-ray film and look at it the next time. Its awesome! :)

2) This would be one of the bed-time stories for my kids, in future.