In memory of a loved one

Sharing a poem  that was written by a loved one for 2009 but is relevant for  this year and the coming ones.....

Adieu sweet 2009 Adieu

A wonderful year has come to pass,
That started out as a lovely lass
There were phases that were paced
And dashes that dazed;
But now she ages out with grace,
And I ponder at her mysterious ways;

Our lives we led,
Upon individual paths we sped;
Unaware of the invisible thread
That would bind us, not too far ahead;

Through technology, did we connect,
Our diverse lives, destined to intersect,
As memories sprung back alive,
We swarmed like bees back to the hive;

And as we woke into a collective dream
From the forties, time travelled into the teen
Forgetting present pleasure and pain
As we became children once again

There was music, there was mirth,
Of topics & discussions, no dearth,
Photos we exchanged, and jabs we traded,
And unearthed life snapshots, once faded;

As we mixed and mingled into her being and her breath,
In equanimity, she doled out life and death
We cheered, We mourned, We played,
We laughed, We writhed, We prayed,
All we did, basking in her grace,
As she melted away into timespace;

Life's path has taken a distinctive turn,
From which, there can be no return
And while we go about our ways,
In us, we find our getaways;

So this year, as I remember
From January through December,
In my thoughts as I commute,
This lady, I cannot but admire and Salute;

For while there will be more memories to be mined,
In her, our Past and Present have been forever intertwined.

Twin City Of Erode - Pallipalayam

What is it about little towns and villages that is so intriguing and stimulating ? Dunno , its one of those things that you can't put your finger on and say yes this why!!!!  

So why this place Pallipalayam ...
May be because its the birth place of the Mathematician Ramanujam .... no i would run for miles ..... me and math are miles apart. 

Is it because the "Pallipalayam chicken" is world famous....  believe me I have friends who speak passionately about it ...... 

Could it be the fascination for the cotton veshtii's ( Dhothi ) Lungi's and colorful Sarees that are so tactfully woven ... a hmmm 

 It must be the long tresses of Cauvery, touching many a lives with her warmth and serenity. 

 Or could it be the fertile pastures ....... ( or the lack of it )
None of the above ....

Simple ... I was threatened to write  by some of the locals who think global who were keen to bring their hometown to the limelight.

         "Oh whats in a name" people say  - yet so much thought goes into naming something( or someone) .... 'Palli' - dwelling also  knowledge centre and 'Palayam' a place where civilizations are nurtured. 

                                                                  Cauvery- Pallipalayam (பள்ளிபாளையம்) 

It was when I met some interesting people from this town  it got me thinking...

 How many quaint little settlements  have we lost (losing) to modernization ....

Are there any ' Pallipalyam-ites '(home sick for their world famous chicken curry and mutton biyrani)
out there who can share some sizzling facts?

Life's happenings........

Do you wonder why sometimes? 


once a friend said  ......

Macchi,(common slang in tamil  - something like Bro ) this is life, a double edged knife !

If memories were matter,  

then some I would hold with cupped hands

and some I would  let slip through

Machi this is life. a double edged knife !

If memories I could choose, 

then some I would grab,

and some I would lose

But machi this is life. a double edged knife !

hmmmmmm... keeps me wondering..... whats life about . what makes us tick ? whats makes us the way we are ... 

Philosophical eh !

Train journey down the western ghats

I am no writer by any standards , but this journey has kindled me to write and walk through memory lane . ...
New years's eve and there I was hopping into a train - hmmm what was I thinking ... people don't do this ... not me for sure . Party with friends, make resolutions (with so much conviction) , that we almost never keep is the norm.
This was different in many ways.
The train was packed , so I was really not alone.  Settled down dreaming about the place that so many people have raved about and recommended.

Rumbling slowly the train left Coimbatore Junction . It was late into the night,  tried to peer outside the window , spotting the distant lights of the city and beyond. The dark skies sprinkled with stars and the moon peeking from behind a fluffy cloud , contemplating .. my ears were picking up the sounds of the vendors earnestly selling their merchandise , those that lured the kids into buying the chocolates, chips and soda and those that sold tea, kaapi and somsaas.  As it neared midnight the older folks retired while the young and agile kept awake to scream "Happy New year"!, since without that the new born  would not arrive.
I retired amongst that mild chaos which is the usual scene on an Indian train. The early morning  sun, still awaited his wake up call , while I woke up to the call of the chai wala.  Checked the time, quickly freshened up , picked my bags and hopped off on to the platform of Mangalore Junction at the wee hours of the morn. Although one would hope to savor the fresh air , I was prepared for the fragrance that the train station had to offer. Waited on the not so busy platform for the local train to crawl in , anticipating  this mesmerizing route that  she was about to reveal . For this, I was unprepared to receive and experience.
The curtains rose and lo and behold...  awestruck by the spectacular mountains and the tunnels that she passed through , not realizing this was just the beginning . I sat down with my legs dangling at the door step letting the breeze brush me gently . She took me through forests and fields , never knew that it added so much character to the topography of mother earth.
The long winding rivers, with  the fishermen topped with their little bamboo hats  drifting across on narrow catamarans. The coconut trees that were woven alongside the water , who would have thought that just a few green leaves and a water body with a clear blue roof over their head  could transport one to heaven.  
Slowly passing through the villages , watching the little hands waving out with earnestness and the  smiles that are etched in your memory.
Made little friends who shared their candy and listening to the tunes rendered by these innocent souls.... i couldn't ask for more. ...

Finally this  journey through serenity came to an end for the day - wanting to rest she stopped her tracks in  Madgaon  - Goa!!!!


I could share my experience of Goa....  but how about sharing your thoughts.......

Treasures Of Timbuktu - Mali

Pokemom

Who is a Pokemom?  A nickname given by a child to a Mom who is caring and doting !!!!! 
You really believed that? Not Pocket Mom's ( Monsters ) either . 
What ever it means, right now its just the apt name for my blog  - at least my friends seem to think so. 


Some one asked me a long time ago , do you blog? I said what? whats Blog? I said there is nothing called blog, thats gibberish. I asked is that an acronym ? 


Yes ! Big Load Of Gossip. I like that definition . A tech savvy way of gossiping.


So here  I am BLOG - ing . 




Has any one asked you this question "where are you going?" and when you are not in a mood to answer or if you want to say some place exotic and mysterious  then you come up with "Timbuktu"


There is actually a city by that name , located in the African nation of Mali, near the Niger river. Although we associate the city with distance and mystery today , it was well known in the 14th century. I have always been intrigued by this place but have never been there. 


Is there any one amongst you who has been intrigued by this place or has visited this place?