from Tiruchirappalli to Gainesville - Its been quite a year.

. The years that went by were always born in the same way for me . My parents used to wake me up to wishes of Happy New Year . I always used to visit the Pillaiyar Temple on Warren Road every new year . This year , things have changed . Whether for the good or the bad , is solely in my hands . So far , its mostly been for the good . I hope the coming year promises the same and i wouldn mind in the slightest if it gets better.

. Looking back , this year started in the same way the last four had started . Punctuated with the trip back to college on the Rockfort/Mangalore Expresses. For once , i was looking forward to a semester . It held little coursework and i had decided to devote most of my time to the final year project . Nothing against the previous semesters , but i never really felt comfortable in any of them . For once ,i could take and study the subjects i liked and carry out work which i loved . This was a huge criteria when i decided that i had to pursue a Masters . The semester was fun ,little tension and loads of memories . By luck , i managed to find a team of wonderful project mates. The next four months on the project were fun . Time mostly was dedicated to trips , hanging out with friends and short jaunts here and there .

. Wayanad was a special trip . Even though it was just three days, it signified pure unadulterated fun . I spent time with the people who had meant the most to me during my college life . The fact that we managed to pull it off without any glitch ,given the fact that were travelling as a huge group was a bit suprising :) . The short jaunts included weekday getaways to Meridien and weekend getaways to Thanjavur . In between them , we found time for a long planned trip to Mannargudi . It was different in many aspects and i will always remember the day i spent there .Not to forget Kodaikanal , the final trip of our life at NIT Trichy . It was just a day, but those memories were will always be there.

. The admits had started coming . I was confident about my chances , but it was a pleasent suprise when i got to know that the numbers were way beyond my expectations. I and my close friends knew that this was hardwork finally being paid handsomely in return . On the academic front , i was not performing too badly and was scoring well . But the project was still in the launchpad . We were kind finding it difficult to get ideas and some of us started questioning our reason behind doing actual research . But , collective effort is never wasted and finally we took off .

. The semester was rushing by fast and the farewells started to happen. Slowly the thoughts of leaving the place began to fill in . I am grateful to the place for the friends ,the people , a few brilliant teachers , the interaction and the good job it gave me . I will always go out and wear the alumnus of NIT Trichy mark on me proudly. The finals exams were on the horizon and we started working on the project in frenetic pace . We were true to the statement " That nobody is as lazy as Indians till the last three weeks and nobody is as efficient as them during the last three weeks " . Results were coming in thick and fast and we were happy with our progress.
The final exams and the project got over all left was the final hurrah.

. The goodbye's were never really the way i had visualized them. With one it was a long chat and warm hug at the end ; with another it was a quiet dinner . There was also a big get together over a dinner . Some just boarded their cars or took autos at the end of it and left . It all seemed a bit abrupt . But not of all them were without emotion . I cried a couple of times . Those tears were probably a reflection of the friendship we shared and continue to share . But , looking back at them ,its a bit strange that very few of them were laced with emotional moments. But , i took it as an encouraging sign that i will be meeting all of them again and again for sure .

. Back home , i had a few important decisions to make . My parents had left me to decide where i had to go for my Masters . Money was the major factor . I finally chose UF as i was being guaranteed 40% tuition waiver. I did have a better admit , but with no aid . People tended to argue that its better to take the other admit and that money will follow later . But , i dint want to force my parents to wait for the latter period . It was their money . They had already spent enough and more on me . Call it responsibility or whatever , this was a tough decision and i had to take it . Well the fact , wherever you study ,your hardwork and effort will never go unnoticed. I have been doing my best so far to keep working in this direction.

. However ,the issues i faced did not end there . Not many knew that UF had screwed up my I-20 and had printed my name wrongly. I had to order another new I-20. Which meant i had to wait till early July for my I-20 . My joining date was also approaching . The I-20 never seemed like coming and suddenly doubts were creeping into the firm stance i had taken earlier . But ,luckily , my parents unknowingly helped me to come through this tough period . They were the first generation in their respective families when it came to college .But both did not stop there , and went on to pursue higher and more specialized degrees . More than anything , this factor proved to be a major inspiration for me . It was a tough and difficult time i had to go through , but somehow i came through it . Destiny played a joke on me . My joining date and visa interview were on the same date , July 19th . The first thing i did after my visa interview was send in my rejection letter to the company .Its never an easy thing , rejecting the first company that had found you employable . But emotions set aside , its a decision i dont regret now.

. So began the preparation for the journey to a foreign land which held a lot of promise . After some hectic shopping , a few last minute goodbyes and frantic visits to relatives and temples , everything was ready. I could not come to confront my parents during my send off at the airport ,as i was afraid that they might break down.Strange enough , they had their emotions under control and it was i who broke down. Thus it all began !!!

. America !!! I had so many images and ideas about this place , before i came over .Some had been shattered and some were proved correct . But , on the whole its a nation which welcomes everybody wholeheartedly. I did not find it that difficult to adjust over here . Maybe because of the fact , i had mostly met the right kind of people . Every new step was fun and it was soon starting to become a great experience , both academic and otherwise .

. Finally , i had the freedom to choose the subjects i wanted to learn . With all respects to the indian education system , i certainly believe the system over here is more useful and efficient . Importance to imbibing and understanding concepts is stressed and a lot of attention is given to the application of these concepts .Rote learning , which sadly is still rooted in India will not take one far over here . I was lucky enough to find a wonderful professor to work under . But ,graduate life was not without its stress. It had begun to take a toll on me both mentally and physically . Sometimes , i hardly used to sleep for two or three hours and sometimes not even that . My body did break down quite a few times . But , at the end the perseverance and hardwork did pay off . My belief that hardwork will never go unnoticed was strengthened even more.

. Midway through the semester , the convocation was held at NITT . It was great to see the photos on facebook , but at the same time a kind of irritation that i couldn attend my graduation ceremony . It was great to see all my close friends ,decked in those yellow gowns and flashing their degree certificates . It was a major milestone in each and every one of our lifes . My degree certificate was mailed to me . It was a strange feeling to know that four years of hardwork and learning finally boiled down to a few square areas of rectangular sheet. My mom told me that i was only the third professional degree holder in my family after my two cousin sisters . It was something to be really proud off , but at the same time ,it was something to live upto. Both my parents held masters and doctoral degrees in arts and science. I was just halfway there.

.Coming to other things, i made it a point to keep in touch with my friends back home. It goes without saying that i call and skype my parents daily . I kept my friends informed about whatever was happening out here and it was great to know what was happening at their end too .The weekend phone calls were always something i looked forward to. If half-yearly resolutions are valid , then i think i have kept this one properly :) . Again , something to be proud of .

. Gainesville is a charming little university town. I have settled pretty well into its life over here. I have good roommates ,which unfortunately was not the case for everybody . Yes, there was friction , but we were prepared and we had time for each other to sort it out . With one semester over and with some good academic performances and research work to boot , i am currently looking forward to the next one .

. Looking back at this year , there was definitely more good than bad . At sometimes , i had displayed remarkable levels of maturity and responsibility . I had taken the right decisions in many an issue . Its a year that i can be proud of .

. Looking ahead , i hope the new year brings more of the same and provides more challenges for me . Whatever happens , i know this year will go a long way in shaping my life . All the more reason why i am looking forward to it . And as far as resolutions go , i really dont have any . I used to take a few , but never really kept them . As one good friend pointed out , do something properly over the course of a whole year and declare that as your resolution at the end. Its a new year , so definitely its the time for new ideas :)

Wish you all a happy and prosperous new year !!!

The Rustle of the Leaves !!!

"""As the sun sets across the ever

darkening sky ;

I sat waiting for her reply .

The days grew long ;

The nights grew short ;

as every passing second

was measured by the beat

of my thumping heart...

Never knew that time held torture ;

as i knew my feelings needed

a stitch and a suture ;

The falling leaves reminded me of

the good and the bad ;

that life could be as green as

the spring;

and as brown as a piece of wood ;

Never had a single word carried so much weight ..

Never had a single word carried such significance...

Never had a single word meant so much...

As night set in ;

my questions still lingered ;

I felt sorrounded ;

with no way out

I knew i could shout ;

for help;

but afraid at the same time;

not sure what she will

think about me ;

As the night went on;

the questions found a voice of their own ;

"Am i right?"

"Or was it pure hindsight?"

"Can i be wrong?"

"Or was it just the effect of a single song?"

The night grew sleepless ;

the ruffle of the leaves ;

a flicker of happiness

running through them ;

at the momentary wisp of life

that passed through them ;

Funny that they are always there ;

yet you need the wind ;

for them to rustle ;

for you to notice them ;

Should i shout;

Should i scream;

Should i cry;

Or am i a coward

if i do so;

As night walked away from dawn;

my emotions tugged at each other.

I looked out ;

as the orange rays of the rising sun;

gave birth to a new day and a new sky

As i walked to my doorstep ;

what lay there left me on a high..

fingers trembling , i picked up

her reply."""

As She Waits For Him !!!

""" .... with glassy eyes ;

she stared deep into the horizon ;

brows forrowed with expectation

and exhaustion ;

a mind filled with mist

and confusion ;

she looked at the sea

and beyond ;

no sign of a sail ;

no sign of a ship ;

memories still young ;

those thoughts and hopes to which

she desperately clung

to ;

the mark of the wedding ring

still fresh on her finger ;

she continued to look

at the sea

searching for signs of

him and love ;

Her mind casts back to times

when dunes and sands ;

meant beaches and fun

and not blood and guns ;

The sun shined on her face ;

as his touch lingered on her ;

she earned for more

as laughter echoed ;

she looked up to see a

bright and smiling face

which promised more ;

a future

a life

happiness and more ;

But , then the letter arrived

as the clarions called for him ;

Happiness wavered

and flickered ;

like a candle wick out of

length ;

as gloom descended on her

she remembered

his final touch ;

his final kiss ;

as he turned around

and waved ;

her ring felt heavier by

the second ;

CRACK !!!

A twig had fallen

from a nearby tree ;

enough to force her

out of her reverie ;

She looked around

and wiped those misty eyes ;

and cast their gaze

on the seas

and the horizon beyond ;

her heart earning

and beating for him ;

as she waited for him ... """

This piece of writing is heavily inspired by Meena Kandasamy's collection of poems " POINT BLANK " .

Shahjahan on the Taj Mahal

Should guilty seek asylum here,
Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin.
Should a sinner make his way to this mansion,
All his past sins are to be washed away.
The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs;
And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes.
In this world this edifice has been made;
To display thereby the creator's glory.

"Raju Anna , Rendu Kalaki, Oru Patoora , Oru Half Gobi"

.How i wish i could keep uttering those lines , day in ,day out . If there's something i miss from college , its got to be Bamboos, Raju Anna (eat)al.

.Those wooden tables with plastic chairs used to be a great backdrop to unwind , let your hair loose ( for girls and some guys too ) , loose your inhibitions and network. Little did i know that these shacks will become an integral part of my life in NITT.

. Those steaming , buttery naans , masala kulchas , pbm , aloo masala , tangri , butter chicken , kalakis , dosa , patoora ,gobi 65,panneer 65, egg biryani , fried rice ... :( :( :( ...
All at dirt cheap prices too :) :) :)

. Wish i could just sit in those one of those plastic chairs now, dine on those wooden tables ,watch the traffic along NH 67, mokkai potufy with the junta from GB 21 , GB 22 and do small talk ..

Some sights and sounds will never fade ...

Paravai Muniamma and etal

I am in a country whose current obsession are three starry-eyed teeny boppers filled with raging hormones and loads of shady ideas . Demi Lovato , Justin Beiber and Miley Cyrus. The guys froth at the sight of Lovato and Cyrus and so do the girls when they come across Beiber. Their breakups are front page news, the underwear brand they wear sells like hot cakes and a bed bug bite on them is a national calamity . Ok i know , i am giving remba too much build up . But still , most of you would agree that some of the stuff above is true . I agree that they are ridiculously talented , but one just hopes that they act a bit more responsibly , given the gargantuan fan following they enjoy .

When u look at these three , i am reminded of people close , back home. Folk artists have never really got the right end of the stick , in India. Appreciation has been far from coming and the remuneration still farther off . Come to think of it, these are not those people who sign record labels with Sony BMG or Warner Brothers. They are people who come out of remote villages , sing songs to kill their boredom while working on paddy fields and hardly have the means to support their daily lives .

There's this lady full of youth , yet ripe with age , who sang and danced her way into many of our hearts . Paravai Muniamma , enjoys a cult status and has one of the biggest fan followings when it comes to folk artists . Her rendition of "Singam Pola Nadathu Varan Chella Perandi " in the Vikram starrer " Dhool " scorched charts all over Tamil Nadu for almost a year . She has never looked back since then. Whether it be rending out foot tapping numbers on movies or on live stage shows or combining with Vivek to dish out comedy with social relevance , she has taken the much needed recognition for folk artists to the next level . One just hopes , her popularity keeps on increasing , for the betterment of folk artists in Tamil Nadu and for the revival of a dying breed.

But , interestingly she was not the first . Kollangudi Karupaaye , was one of the first entrants into Tamil Cinema ,when it comes to folk music . However, she could gain only limited success and was reduced to playing minor roles in many movies. I bet many of you dont even know who she is . Well , neither could i find a picture of her on Google Images nor could i find a related video of her on Youtube . Says a lot , doesn it .

But , yes , all is not doom and gloom . There has been help extended , from some quarters. People outside the area of tamil folk music have been trying their best to popularize it . One prime example is that of Vijayalakshmi Navaneethakrishnan and her group . If you dont know her, she comes on television once every year during Pongal . Yes, thats the limited reach she has . Really famous for her "Dhink Chak Dhink Chak " song , she has been invited abroad to perform including Omaha in the United States. Finally, some light at the end of the tunnel .

A much more popular couple popularizing Tamil folk music worldwide ,are Anitha and Pushpavanam Kuppuswamy . Many of you would have seen these two on stage shows all over India and around the world . For those who haven , here is a video of their interview . An example of two people , who have dedicated their life to the betterment of Tamil folk music and its associated artistes. Not suprising, when you consider that it was their love for folk music ,which brought them together . I take a bow to them . More recently , he has been seen on the Vijay TV talk show " Vaanga Pesalam " , trying the best he can to popularize this art form . And as a small dedication to him from my side ,heres a song " Kaathadi Pola Endi Enna Suthure " from the movie "Maayavi " ,which i absolutely adore .

One more person , who comes to my mind is Revathi Shankaran . I was lucky enough to meet her when i was doing my 12th standard in school . She was the chief guest for the interschool cultural fest . An amazing folk artist , with a brilliant smile to accompany her amazing voice, she's one of my long time favourites .

But , despite all this , the bottomline is folk music is a dying variety in India. Folk artistes are dwindling by the day . And with most of us switching to fusion , western , metal and rock , one has to think what lays ahead for folk music and the people who practice it . One can only hope that more people like Paravai Muniamma come up and take the onus .

This post is in a small way a dedication to this wonderful art form and my love for these artists.

Conversations :) :) :)

Finally , the wheels are in motion . Classes have started and UF is in its full splendour. Students everywhere . Loads of them . The probability that you will have a conversation with atleast one non-Indian per day is one.

Lets leave conversations by the side ,for sometime , shall we . You tend to have a lot of monologued style talk when you are in the US . Right from the RTS driver who i wish in the morning to the counter guy at the CiCi's Pizza where i sometimes head out for dinner . And yes , the best place for doing small talk is on those boring RTS rides to and from the university .

One classic example is that of Nathan . He's a sophomore in Psychology at UF . This happened last Thursday ,when i was returning home on Route 12 . Nathan here, had not closed his water bottle properly ,so when he swung his backpack around , its contents were all over my tee . What started as a series of sorry's and no issues , developed into a superb conversation on India , Arlington ( thats where he comes from ) , calamari , broccoli and soccer. Yes ,soccer !!! One of the very few Americans who follow that sport. Great conversations need not happen over coffee ( a dig at some ' cheap and very inexpensive coffee chain back home ' ) , even a bus ride is enough.

There were a few things i learnt from these conversations !!! Americans no more think of India as a country of snake charmers ,and they tend to believe that cricket is the only sport we play. The second can get a bit irritating after some period of time . Slapping imagery on people is not the best idea. Its a bit like , you show a photo of a Chinese and a car accident , and ask "What do you think " (Source : Russell Peters :P ) .

My only non-Tamil speaking roommate came across this guy called Kevin from Texas( again ) , on the day of the University Orientation. He's a freshman in Geology. My roommate and he hit it off brilliantly , and made good conversation . Conversations between people of two different backgrounds can go a long way in exchange of cultural ethos , ideas and at the same time clear up a lot of false imagery and cliched assumptions.

I experienced this personally. Last Wednesday , i was revising a few handouts ,sitting in the Computer Lab of the ECE Department . Happenstance, i was at the same time watching a video of the song " Adiye Kolluthey " from Vaaranam Aayiram. An American undergrad sitting next to me ( I presumed so because , he had been ranting about how Circuits 1 ,an undergrad ECE course was so boring ) . He must have been so bugged with the material he was trying to read, he kind of peeped into my console . He tapped me on my shoulder and was like " Is that a song on UC Berkeley ? " . I was suprised but managed a reply , and said thats a song from a Tamil movie and he was like " Can i listen ? " . So i gave him my earphones . Five minutes later , he quipped " That he could not understand anything , but he loved the music Indians dish out " . He also listens to a lot of Norah Jones, Anoushka Shankar , Jay Sean and adores the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack. Not a lot of Indian music out there, u would tend to argue , but you cant miss out on the Indian connection. He also loves MIA , but she is a Srilankan . He had a class to rush to and i forgot to ask his name . But ,again , it was a moment in which i felt something burning inside me . That fire of pride you experience, when you get recognized for something .

Moving on , i also had the chance to meet up with a few expats. The event was a pizza tasting ceremony , organized by the Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship of US . Its an organization , akin to the Pentecostal Mission in India , and encourages Christians and non-Christians ,to take up reading the Bible and other scriptures. I shamelessly accept , that the free food was the main pull :P . But it also turned out to be a chance to meet Sony , Erin and Arun . It was interesting speaking to them . Most of them were born in Kerala and then had moved to USA .We also met a guy from South America who mentioned that his dad had been to India . He was kind enough to text his dad and ask him where he had gone in India. Turned out to be "Manipur " . Not the first place that will come to your mind , i believe .As i said , great conversations can happen anywhere and over anything.You just need a place where you and he/she feels comfortable .

More recently, yesterday , there was this 'accident'al meeting . As i was getting off the 12 at the McCarty , a cyclist did not notice the bus door opening and he almost crashed into me . He braked hard and his bike swerved . Luckily he was not hurt ,except for a few minor scratches . I quickly went to check if he was ok and helped him out and said a sorry. He was like " No issues and it was my bad " . However , his bike's front tire had been torn ,when he had braked hard . So i helped him out ,carry his bike to the cycle shop behind Reitz Union. On the way, we were talking about the university , the balmy Monday weather , the upcoming football weekend and so on. Turns out that Alex was in his senior year in Business Administration. What started off as a screech , turned out to be quite a good chitchat .

There are many more . The one with Ankoor at Bank of America , the ones i have with my professor every Tuesday's and Thursday's . Even the doubts you ask in a way are conversations. Sometimes , the professor might even ask you to come and meet him after the class , if he finds your question good enough . So , keep asking questions :) . Thats the only way you will learn a lot of stuff over here.

Never be afraid to put your foot out first . Extend your hand first wherever and whenever you can , take initiative and ask questions . It will help you in meeting a lot of new people and set up a brilliant network . Networking is a huge way to land interns and jobs . Sometimes , LinkedIn is not the only solution ;) .

Hope i come across more people , who dont close their water bottles and cyclists who dont notice bus doors :P.

Happy Talking :)

PS : Though i have used people's names without their knowledge, i did not mean it in any offensive context .