End of yet another blogging space

There are about half a dozen posts i have copy pasted here today. Why? cos i m told my space on the office blog will not be there anymore. So. that means end of an era:-) these are the only ones i like... im preservin.
now starts a new me.. one that is with movies and omg. lets wait and see what i write.

till then........good nite

It’s Raining, Folks

The skies have turned a dark shade of grey. Thunder rumbles in the distance. Lightning streaks – like a little kid playing with a new LED torch – in the dark evening skies. And occasionally, when the sun god makes a visit just before the end of the day, the skies burst in a play of colours. This is the rainy season the whole of India waits for. The monsoon is here.

Much has been said, written and talked about these seasonal winds which bring with them the bountiful rains, which accounts for more than 80% of the total rainfall the country gets. A few days delay, a drop in the quantity of rains – anything and everything affects the economy and everyday life of this vibrant country.  Perhaps no one else has summed up how much our nation depends on these seasonal rains as Will Durant has in his book ‘The Story of Civilisations’. Says the writer ‘When the monsoon fails to blow, India starves, and dreams of nirvana,’ and we can’t agree more.

Here is how the monsoon affects the economy.

Maybe that explains why tracking the monsoon is very crucial to the country. Here is some dedicated people set out to do it.

But for now, let me leave the economic impact behind and tell you why I like it when it rains. It is time say goodbye to the hot and sweltering summer sun.  Green is back. The sun lights up the clouds – sometimes erupting into a cheery rainbow.  The roadside flowers – the name of which I do not know – bloom. Kids trot to schools in colourful rain coats and umbrellas.  It takes me down memory lane – to the days we used to make paper boats, then set them sailing down the drains which form on every street during the rains.

Everywhere, there is renewed vigor. A promise for a better tomorrow. And as for me, it is time to curl up with a hot cup of coffee and samosas and just say thanks to the rain gods for showering their blessings.

Rock on With ‘Avial’

For me – a Malayali by birth and a foodie by nature, ‘avial’  has always been a lip-smacking dish my mom made on special occasions.  And then came a day, when a friend introduced me to an alternative rock band called Avial. A Malayali band? And that too, rock? The skeptic in me could not accept it. How could the long and ‘not so friendly’ Malayalam words blend into rock? With those apprehensions I looked them up on the net. The very first song I heard titled ‘Nada Nada’ got me to sit up and take them seriously. Catch ‘Avial’ live here.

After the introductory ‘Nada Nada’ came ‘Chekele,’ a song which is inspired by the rustic lifestyle of the state. By the time I reached their  ’Njaan Ara’,  a soul-stirring ballad, I was impressed. ‘Aadu Pambe’ took me down memory lane and the fast-paced ‘Aranda’ got even me swaying to their rhythm – and I don’t even dance. ‘Ettam Pattu’ had that  touch of nostalgia to it.  The ease with which the band handled the different numbers left me awestruck. It spoke of the band’s versatility.  And I was convinced that band sure had music running in their veins.  With their rendition of ‘Karukarakarmukil’ penned by Kavalam Narayana Panicker, I was hooked. At office or at home, Avial was the one band I was listening to in an endless loop.

You can read more about the band, the many firsts they have to their credit, the band bio and more hereand here.

Avial is a dish I can’t get enough of –  and now it holds good for the band’s songs, too. The next album is coming soon, says the lead singer, Tony John. Till then, there is ‘Nada Nada’ to keep me going