Nellore, Andhra

Nellore looks peaceful these days. After the Telegana bill passed in the parliament, security forces were deployed at every corner of the state. In Nellore too we can see them at every main junction.

Peace prevailed.

Lost for long

Let me share a wonderful experience I had while I was working in Saudi Arabia in the early 2000's. I was with a dairy company called Al Marai, doing extremely well and happy with life. In Saudi as you know, there were not much entertainment and I was leading a very monkish life when the satellite channels on TV happened to me.Even though I was working there for awhile then, it was only in that period I could afford to have a TV and a dish antenna without hurting the money I sent home to my parents every month. Till then, my imaginative world was the English books I have read and the English movies I have seen in India. The world outside and the people and their language and culture has always fascinated me. So naturally, you can guess, how happy and excited I was when the satellite channel offered me the whole new world of European TV.

I remember, some times I have spent my whole weekend just watching TV, the documentaries, serials, movies and news without ever being bored. I even tried to learn some new languages much to the ire of my colleagues who thought it was a glorious waste of time, I should be trying to pick up some new accounting qualification like ICMA, which the Irish company I was working for was encouraging all of us to do whole heartedly.

In one of the channels, I don't remember exactly which one Arte or TV5 or DW, HRT or the many Italian channels, in one of them they used to show a movie about Arabs or with some Arab back ground which I used to enjoy very much. Since I did not understand the language, I did not know what the movie was about, which language they were playing it in, the only thing I know was it has so much of stories within the movie in different cultural context and I liked it very much.

After my time was up in Saudi and during my rest of the travels, I kept searching for that movie, even in these later years, most of the art stuff which I have come across and learned about was basically from the search for this movie. Sadly, I never came across the movie, which was dear to me not only for the movie itself, but for the time of my life, which I used to have when both my parents were alive.

Surprisingly, can you believe, I stumbled on the very movie Yesterday while reading a blog www.atomiccaravan.blogspot.in

It is Paolo Pasoloni's "Arabian Nights".

:)

It also made me realise, I am way out of the main stream when it comes to keeping myself updated about the world I live in.

History

Medival History

Amazing how some good hearts have stored information for all to use. I was recently compiling notes on Indian history and was amazed by the quantity of information available.

New Year

Arvind Kejriwal is new hope. India trying to break free from the conventional stereotypes of politics and trying to do something different. We need this kind of creative and original thinking in all walks of life. The existing and age old political parties will redefine themselves and come back with a different perspective which will be very good for India, they will. Perhaps thats the greatness of India.

I am hopeful and looking forward to a new India, emerging as a Nation and model for the world.

My recent inclination for the historical studies is certainly influencing my thoughts for the spirit of India to break free and be what it once was.   

Comedy in life

Jerry Seinfeld makes one laugh. Without sex or swearing he does it neatly. Jerry Seinfeld talkshow was one of my favourite on Tv when Star plus recast the show here in India.

He has stopped his regular shows and has moved on to something very new and creative. That is the best part of him, he loves his craft and keeps learning and reinvent it very creatively. That is also what keeps him going.


Comedians in the car

Nellore

Komala Vilasam, near the Gandhi Bommallu on the Grand Trunk Road is a good place to eat. Nellore has some wonderful vegetarian restaurants. Komala vilasam is a nice little place where we can have budget Dosas, Idlis and other south Indian breakfast and snacks in a very clean ambience. Self served and no chairs it is one of my favourite eating place at Nellore.

Just a few yards away from the Komala Vilasam is Sasi's C class shop. He is from Trichur and one of my first friends at Nellore. A pleasant man who spends most of the day in his shop at the cross road corner doing business. His hards work and attitude to work is indeed an inspiration for me.

The unity day relating to Sardar Vallabhai Patel, who united nearly 561 princely states to the Indian Union was celebrated in Nellore too. I did not know what it was about when I saw so many school children near the town hall. I came to know the significance only after reading "The Hindu" newspaper later in the day. 

Bay of Bengal

Most of my living years I have spent by the Arabian Sea. Moving to Nellore for a license porgram has given me the chance to taste the life by Bay of Bengal. We escaped the raging fury of Cyclone Phalin which land crashed on Odisha Coast mostly and Helen which hit 100kms away from us. Lehar too was supposed to devastate Nellore but we escaped as it hit little away from us.

It makes me wonder how life would have been pre advanced technology enhanced weather forecasting by the Bay of Bengal.