REFLEXIONS

Summer Memories

2021-03-25T10:40:00.001-07:00

The beaming balcony sunlight beckons me,

To bathe in the waning golden delight...

Struck by nostalgic thoughts aplenty,

I pen down my memories in the twilight...

Children playing without the pressures of school,

Forgetting all that was written on the blackboard;

Grinning sheepishly on becoming the 'April Fool',

Gulping hand-pressed juices sold down the road;

Tangy raw mango eaten with salt and spice,

As we get ready to meet our friendly cousins;

Hours of teasing and screaming, I reminisce,

Amidst serious moments of teen discussions...

Cuddling around granny to listen to thrilling stories,

As I run my fingers over her bulging hand veins;

Her imagination runs amok - fantasies, mysteries...

Forever in my heart as a raconteur, she reigns...

The light in my balcony is a fading beauty,

Who knows what lessons this year brings forth...

I continue to diligently discharge my duty,

Albeit without any formal, particular oath...

- Vaishnavi Prasad

Choose the Best or Fill in the Blanks?

2020-07-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

A couple of years ago, we had gone shopping to the neighborhood mall. My eight-year old daughter excitedly rummaged through the kids section and tried to touch and feel every dress. She picked a shimmering sequin top and showed it to me with a broad smile. I gave a firm 'NO'. She quietly left the spot. After a few minutes, I called her and asked, "Honey, which one of these do you like?". She touched one and walked away. I felt bad. On our way back home, I reopened the topic. "Why are you upset? I bought the dress you chose." Her reply changed my perception for life.

"When YOU CHOOSE a few things that YOU LIKE and expect me to pick one ONLY FROM THAT LOT, its YOUR CHOICE and not mine. If only you had allowed me to get the one I SHOWED, it would have been MY CHOICE."

All this time, I had thought that I was giving my daughter the freedom and right to choose from the shortlisted, best options. It never struck me that I was imposing my taste irrespective of the choice at the end of the decision. Imagine the situation in a middle-class Indian house a good three decades ago. Children were proud that they had a say in decisions concerning them - education, career, marriage etc. We always found it easier to choose the best from the given options than filling in the blanks. The reason being, we thought we could never conceive THE ONE BEST ANSWER ourselves. Interestingly, those questions never had just ONE BEST ANSWER...

Reminded of Robert Frost's 'The Road Not Taken', I would like to share an extract from the poem.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Today when we go out for shopping, I give my daughter an overview of the purpose of purchase. I let her bring in the options and reason out why I approve or disapprove something. "No sleeveless as its going to be winter"; "Too many green pants already at home"; "Navika has an entire collection of Geronimo which she happily lends, so any other book is fine". I still dish out my options but leave the final decision to her provided it meets the basic purpose. Toys or gifts have a budget and she could choose anything within the specified amount. Of course, a little over and above is always fine.

Well, what's your pick in life?
Choosing, filling or detailing?
This, that or something you would love to create all by yourself?

Search for Middle Ground

2019-10-14T00:16:00.000-07:00

Of late I seem to have a trouble,
Unable to decide the next course of action...
Plan A sounds ways too simple,
While plan B is rife with doubts on execution...
Should I continue with the current complacency
Or challenge my capabilities and try anew?
Do I conform with the 'keep-going' majority
Or stick to my 'unpopular-yet-original' point of view?

My perceptions of opportunities have become bipolar,
It looks either utterly utopian or grossly exploitative...
I don't share C's ideologies,
As they seem too naive.
Does that mean I agree with D's philosophies?
Oh no, I can only give a wry smile.
My sensibilities question everything today,
Unconvinced with explanations given by all and sundry...
Is there someone who could throw more light?
Or just to pacify this worrying soul,
Is there someone who's experiencing a similar plight?

You in Me

2019-08-18T23:48:00.000-07:00

Sun set after sun rise,
One year has passed since your demise...
My life book had lost its foreword,
But I knew I would grow stronger moving forward...
Today, I recognize your words in mine,
I seem to be traversing the same terrain...
When I explain logic behind my actions,
Or reason out permutations and combinations,
I use your words which made little sense then,
But weaves a complete picture now, end to end.
I assumed you would be hovering around me,
Only to realize there had occured a spiritual alchemy...
Mom,I have internalized you,
Visible only to the eyes of a few...
Mom, I see you in me,
Let's keep going - one, two, three...

March Musings

2019-03-05T20:57:00.001-08:00

As I rummaged hurriedly through the shelves of my kitchen,
I heard a strangely familiar tweet from the community garden.
I realized its that time of the year,
when birds migrate and oh what a music to the ear!
Their shrill shriek got me to my balcony,
And I searched for them uneasily.
Among the many annual visitors who throng that tree,
there were beautiful green parrots - exactly three.
Each year they come and peck on that pea pod,
What exactly it is - I know not.
My mother spotted them three years ago,
And bird watching became our favorite pastime instead of bingo.
Its been six months since she passed away for eternity,
I have tried looking for her divine presence in every possible opportunity.
This year, I expected the three parrots to be joined in by one more,
Who knows, my mother could be number four...
To my surprise, I find only two of them sitting there,
Perhaps, the third one, like my mother, left them forever...
Is this God's way of helping me come to terms with reality?
Is this precisely what we call an intervention of spirituality?

- Vaishnavi Prasad

Reflections on the Year that went by

2019-01-06T09:37:00.000-08:00

The earth has completed one full revolution marking the end of another year. 2018 was a year of challenges for me. I quit my job owing to my frequent illness and my guilt of spending lesser family time especially with my kid. Before donning the perfect mother hat, I had to take up the role of responsible daughter.

My mother was critically ill and we as a family tried our level best to bring her back to normalcy. Those days were busy rushing to hospital and helping mother in all ways possible. Nights were scary. As medical practitioners would call it, by God's grace, a medical miracle happened and she recovered. I returned to my routine, leaving her at home town. I had trouble sleeping at nights, thinking about her agony. She didn't last for more than a couple of months. After my mother passed away, there was a sudden calm and a surprising peace in me. I no longer had to worry out of helplessness. This serenity too was short - lived. The eerie silence made me act weird. I had always wondered how children without parents could be normal and playful. I now know the answer. As there is none to lend a shoulder to cry on or say a word of appreciation, one tries hard to make the best out of every celebratory mood.

The emptiness at the bottom of the heart did bother me. Also, my ailing grandmother whose memory was slowing fading away, was a case of concern. As a child of working mother, I had spent most of my holidays and vacation with my grandmother. I convinced myself that her nature to seek pleasure in little earthly delights would keep her going. During the last week of December, she passed away. Two significant people of my childhood were gone for good.

I am yet to rediscover my lost enthusiasm, although I seem to be trying hard to move on. I wish I come to terms with reality and find the bigger purpose of my life at the earliest.

Social Bane Called Silence

2018-09-17T23:27:00.000-07:00

If power perturbs you,

If positions disturb you,

Ponder over…

If safe play is your game,

If the bull is not for you to tame,

Ponder over…

If you silently pass by neighborhood bullies,

Yet shout out loud to be with ‘freedom’ allies,

Ponder over….

Positive thinking is not turning blind to negative happenings;

Being in the good books of many does not guarantee security…

No mother lets the child err willfully,

No friend ignores misdeeds willingly….

The spirit of togetherness is not just in celebrations,

It reflects and thrives in empathetic conversations…

If misunderstandings of a few are ignored,

It’s akin to supporting the accused…

Say ‘No’ to bullying and stand by the victim,

After all, integrity is the fruit of true wisdom.

Image courtesy: https://pixabay.com/en/misunderstanding-black-men-2421389/

Jungle bells, jungle bells, leopard on the way...

2016-02-12T08:32:00.001-08:00

News: A leopard was spotted inside Vibgyor high school campus in Bangalore through CCTV by a security guard on Sunday. Forest officials were immediately informed. After hours of hide and seek, the animal was tranquilized and taken away. In the process, a wildlife conservationist was attacked by the animal who was rushed to a nearby hospital and is recovering now.

2 days later...

I stay in an apartment pretty close to Vibgyor high where the notorious leopard incident took place. The second night after the incident, we could hear cracker bursting, people shouting and see fire lit up near the open fields . Rumor of three or more leopards sighted in the vicinity was spread which sent shivers down our spine. We locked ourselves inside from all sides. After a few minutes, my whatsapp was flooded with messages saying the feline was spotted just behind our compound wall. I couldnot sleep that day and for a couple of days thereafter. Although it was reported to be gossip mongering, I still wake up at the slightest disturbance outside our house during night time.

On a lighter note, we could not think of an alternative to a closer coexistence with nature than here. If only I had realized what people meant when they found our new community akin to a resort :(

Typical advertisements in the days to come could be on similar lines...

The 'Urban Woods' apartment - Relax yourself in your true abode with birds chirping, leopards visiting and snakes hissing around you....

The 'Universal' school - We provide holistic education to our children by not taking them closer to nature, but by bringing nature closer to them for a hands-on learning experience. Note: Our free snacks and sibling quota is a hit among animals as well, as observed in the video where a leopard was seen entering the kitchen while its family members were found staring at the classrooms with prying eyes.

The park - We offer jungle safari to our esteemed tourists who can venture out on an adventure walk during nights to spot some exquisite wildlife if you are lucky enough. Thrilling games such as 'sedate challenge' with a tranquilizer, ' catch me if you can' and 'Identify - leopard ya cheetah' can be played.

The ' TRACK IT' Contest - With many Information Technology companies round the corner, an IT contest will be conducted where technology has to be used to track 'It' using any technology such as GPS, where 'It' could be anything from a cute cheetah cub to a lost lion king.

MAARathon - As we emphasize on physical health, the shift from hackathons to marathons is inevitable. To make the run interesting, leopards will be placed at the start line for a memorable "MAARathon" experience.

Shopping - Heavy discounts on animal print dress will be available to celebrate wildlife conservation week. On the other hand, prices of pepper sprays, lathis, whistles are expected to increase following a surge in demand.

Let's learn to live in harmony with nature and thrive alongside wildlings watching over your window...

Salute Thee Blogger!

2015-11-19T09:22:00.002-08:00

When I started blogging in 2009, I was desperately seeking some form of communication with the outer world. After my first blog, there were a few technical glitches that dissuaded me from blogging. I returned after a couple of years in 2011 and took to this medium with passion. The more I explored reading fellow bloggers, the smaller I felt in stature in comparison with them. Nevertheless, I continued though at a snail's pace. Participating in contests, commenting on other blogs, it was an exciting journey. When I read inspiring stories of bloggers who had turned into sought after columnists in noted newspapers and magazines, I was motivated to try harder. I admit my ability to spontaneously spin out suitable articles is limited owing to minimal, irregular reading of books and magazines. But I managed to make a start.

Image Courtesy: https://www.flickr.com/photos/notionscapital/

After almost 6 years, I have transformed from a part time trainer to a freelance content writer. Interestingly, my last content writing job was through a friend who had read my blog. Over the years, I have evolved more as a person partly due to the exposure availed through blogs. People like Alka Gurha and Purba Ray are my inspirations as they stand out of the crowd through their quality driven content and unique individuality. At times, I had felt my presence at blogosphere was unwarranted for with brilliant writers like them. I had even taken a sabbatical and sat back to simply soak in the pleasure of reading their posts. Politics, Parenting, Homecare; I had everything on my platter whenever required.

Thankyou blogger for this wonderful platform. If not for you, I would have lost in the pages of a book seeking thumbs up for selfies and fake friendships. Looking forward to learn much more from you...

Art of Giving

2015-09-08T11:12:00.000-07:00

As I walk back home with my vegetable bag, I see many green tomatoes waiting to ripen in their balcony pots. Pigeons that once used to fly away at the slightest change in status quo, now boldly fight with one another to sit on the grill window. The crowded departmental store seems to seriously think of dedicating an exclusive row for organic cereals and pulses. Something is changing.

When I open Rediff news, all that captures my attention is this: 'X quits high paying corporate job to teach under privileged children'; 'Meet Y who is the reason behind the smile of tribal women in Assam'; 'Z returns to India to train youngsters of his village in entrepreneurship skills'. The Hindu daily features articles on people who have taken to reviving traditional art forms and engaging skilled local craftsmen. Something is changing.

Image Courtesy: www.behappy-2.com

We have Chotta Bheem and Hanuman for cartoon watching (despite the poor spoken English with mother tongue influence) in the place of Dora and Superman. Bookstores have more of Indian writing on mythological characters instead of Harry Potter and the like. Awareness on the need to construct houses with local sustainable green materials has increased. We segregate waste based on biodegradability. Handmade terra cotta or paper quilled jewellery is a fashion statement. Something is changing.

Our fast paced consumption pattern has slowed down as indicated by the vacant shops in empty malls. A sense of guilt has struck the masses. It's time to learn the art of giving to live peacefully. I know this is just the beginning and a long journey awaits us. Nevertheless, we have decided to start. Giving back to nature, country and mankind at large is a responsibility bestowed upon us. Learn to give so that your children live to give it back to theirs.

The month that passed by

2015-05-20T11:45:00.000-07:00

April-May seems to be a tough time for mothers. Those 60 days that were our childhood desires throughout the year turned out to be dreadful dreams. I had to agree on a few honest attempts made to spend quality time with the girl initially. She too was excited. Interest waned for the two of us as time passed. Nevertheless, we lazied around and now are waiting for the academic schedule to keep us on our feet in the coming months. To the more serious segment of the post, here goes my 'points to ponder' from these days.

I was browsing through the Internet on April 25th as usual when I saw a birthday doodle. Least interested, I continued. Minutes before exiting, my pointer indicated to the doodle and guess what?! It read 'happy birthday Vaishnavi'. I was more perplexed than pleased as Google was the last person (?) I expected to wish me on my birthday. When I returned from my visit to Madurai, home town, Google+ mailed, " Vaishnavi, you have a story to share". The entire journey pictures were chronologically arranged and displayed in slides. Now, I am not a very public person wanting to tell the world all I do. My Facebook account deletion 2 years ago justifies this (not considering the occasional logins through spouse account :). Are we becoming way too visible even without wanting to? Today's article in The Hindu titled 'The big data conundrum' throws more light on the topic. Right from the government's policies such as Aadhar card to internet requirements of personal details for every single transaction, validates the fact that 'you are being watched'. Beware folks, it's not just your dubsmash video that you upload in Fb that is seen, but also the secret birthday bash you celebrated in the pub with your chosen few.

"Whatsappening ?" I yelled of late. Yes, too much of whatsapping left me laughing over a few funny things. Too many groups and you lose account of the conversation loop. 'Congrats SI, You have lost weight' messaged AA. ' Thanks dear' came the reply. I was wondering why SI didnot look so to me when I met her yesterday. Later did I realize that it was SI from college group who had lost weight and AAs were numerous to rememember. The prompt commentor no matter what is posted ( I wonder if she ever reads , for the emoticons appear nanoseconds after the post), the benign wellwisher ( happy bday to A's cousin's daughter who is my Fb friend), the reposter ( copy paste copy paste, oops that was not meant for this group), the who-knows-who non-participant ( dude, who the hell added me here), the gracious greeter (today is the day, gm; if not today tomorrow, gn), the list goes on.

Not happy: Paula Cochrane has been hit with a staggering £1,200 phone bill after texting hundreds of smiley face emoticon symbols that weren't included in her 'unlimited' £31-a-month contract. Read full message from website.

Picture message from dailymail.co.uk

The power of advertising was seen again at home. An exclusive tamil message for those who understand.

ஐந்து வயது மகள் இரண்டு ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு நேச்சர் பவர் சோப்பு விளம்பரம் பார்த்து வாங்க சொன்னாள்; சிரித்தேன். ஒரு வருடம் முன்பு டேபிள் மேட் விளம்பரம் பார்த்து வாங்க சொன்னாள்; சிந்தித்தேன். இந்த வருடம் சென்னை அமிர்தா காலேஜ் ஆப் ஹோட்டல் மேனேஜ்மென்ட் விளம்பரம் பார்த்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறாள். ஷாக் ஆயிட்டேன் அவ்வ்வ்வ்வ்....

Happy digital living, readers!

Way to go, deary!

2015-03-27T10:27:00.000-07:00

Incident #1: I was busy helping my sister-in-law in Chennai to choreograph (if I can call that one) for a tamil song to be performed by the apartment boys on the occasion of new year's eve. There was a rap portion by Hard Kaur, and we were wondering who could be the right fit. I asked my daughter and she refused instantly. It's not easy to persuade her and I gave in. We kept practicing and my daughter kept watching. We decided to delete the rap portion but forgot to do so. The previous day I asked my daughter again and she agreed half-heartedly. The next evening, she took the stage by storm as she did it with much ease and natural style. I told her father who was in Bangalore. He asked her why she said no initially. Her answer stunned me. "Had I told mom that I would be doing it, she would have made me practice too hard and I didn't want to ruin my holidays dancing monotonously".

Incident #2: Daughter got selected for Spell Bee contest and I was rummaging through all relevant materials to practice. She would also have to talk for a given topic on the spot. I thought of a few expected ones and asked her what she would say on those. The answer was an immediate "I don't know". Patience mommy, I told myself. " Well, let me see what I would have told if I were you" I said. She listened without questioning and fell asleep in a few minutes. The day before her competition, I told her father to help her with some common topics as he was putting her to bed. "Daddy, don't listen to mommy. If you are going to talk about it, I am not going to listen, OK?" She said firmly. He threw a helpless glance at me as I stared at her. Next day after the contest, we got to know that the topic was one I had discussed. " Hey, did you tell about R, your close friend as we discussed the other day?", I jumped. "No.I talked about M " came the reply. She was not going to tell me what she had said.

Incident #3: Dance competition announced in school. I wanted to try. I downloaded 'Let it go' from the movie Frozen for it's inspiring lyrics. Although it was not a peppy dance number, I knew it suited my daughter best (I-me-myself type). As expected, she didn't like the song and the fact that she had to use props throughout the song made her frown. "Let's make a deal. You dance each line after I show you how to do it two times. Deal?" I asked. She nodded. As I danced, she lied down on the couch, legs stretched. I was getting irritated but had to do it. I dance twice, she does once and this was how it went on everyday. D-day arrived and she did it pretty well. Though she loves dancing, I know she isn't great. Surprisingly she won the first prize, more so because of the appropriate usage of props, song choice and timing, I felt.

During these incidents, she disliked one thing a lot. It was the word 'competition'. Whenever I said it, she showed disinterest. One day, she spelled out her fear. "Mom, what if I lose? Wont I get anything? They wont clap for me?" she asked. And the question "what if I lose?" reappeared several times. I found it a little too much for I had thought kids never feared failure. I had to reassure her and make her understand that trying with all might mattered, nothing else. And she did.

I know she isn't like me when I was young, trying to impress the one in the front. She does what she likes and never pretends. Many a times, I have felt sad for her carefree attitude. But sometimes I feel this is a better way to be happy. I wish she grows up with the right spirit and leads a life of her dreams. By the way, my daughter is 5 years now and is finishing her Jr.Kg.

Picture courtesy: marandarussell.com

What a comedy!

2015-02-08T03:39:00.000-08:00

To relax and refresh from the mundane routine, human beings could have resorted to comedy in the olden days. Irony, satire, self-deprecating humor, stand-up and now it has taken the form of a roast.
The recent AIB knockout live show broadcast on YouTube featured Karan Johar as the roast master with a panel of stand-up comedians attempting to roast Bollywood actors Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor. It was known as insult comedy wherein the humor intended at the roastees was absolutely outrageous and outright adult insult. There were controversies and discussions as to the language used and overall decency of the content. As I had watched a few live stand-up comedies and this had a prior warning, it did not irk me as much as my initial tryst with such genres. In fact, I found some interesting details that needs to be shared.

FOR AN INSULT TO BE CONSIDERED AS COMEDY, ITS GOTTA BE MUTUAL
Yes. That is a prerequisite and the show did complete justice to it. Not only did the panelists make fun of each other, but also the roasters were given the opportunity to mock at the panelists and the roast master. I insult you, you call me names and we laugh together like a .... well, that's it.

FUN IN THE FRONT
Criticize one in the front and praise him/her at the back goes an old adage. AIB Knockout ensured that most of the individuals who might get roasted along with the roastees like Deepika Padugone, Sonakshi Sinha, Alia Bhatt, occupied the front seats and were ridiculed generously. In doing so, you avoid being branded as backbiters.

One of the panelists, Aditi Mittal has to be congratulated for being in the panel itself as the single lady and for trying out some serious humor. To know why it is so, you can see my post here. Having said that, a few that didn't go too well needs a mention too. Though one appreciates humor intended at oneself, none ROFL. Ranveer's overreacting with not-so-funny facial expressions and gestures accompanied by Arjun Kapoor copying him seriously acted as spoilers. And Ranveer, didn't you learn from your panelists that you are not supposed to laugh at your own jokes though you might, at jokes on you? A little less of humor on racism, appearance substituted with more on personality sans cussing and gestures might have lessened the trouble the show had to undergo. Nevertheless, it was a trial in a traditional Indian context and it was pretty well executed. As to the controversies, I second Karan's tweet. You always have a choice dude.

Image courtesy: www.india.com

ரசிகன்

2014-12-17T21:29:00.004-08:00

போத்தீஸில் பர்ச்சேஸ் பண்ணேன் என்பதை காட்ட கட்டப்பை வைத்திருப்பது போல, ஜாக்கி ஜட்டி அணிந்திருப்பதை காட்ட ஜீன்ஸை இடுப்புக்கு கீழ் அணிந்துகொள்வதை போல, ரஜினி படம் ரிலீஸானவுடன் பார்த்தேன் என்பதை சொல்லிக்கொள்ள எல்லோரும், (அடியேனும் அடக்கம்) லிங்கா படம் பார்க்கின்றனர்.

தமிழ்நாட்டில் இருந்திருந்தால் ரஜினி படம் பார்க்க தியேட்டருக்கு 2 வாரங்கள் கழித்துதான் போக முடியும். மல்ட்டிப்பிளெக்ஸ் மெட்ரொ நகரங்ளில் முதல் நாள் முதல் ஷோ சாத்தியமான ஒன்றாகிவிட்டது. ரஜினியின் பிறந்த நாளன்று வெளியானதால், திரை விமர்சனத்தைவிட வாழ்த்துக்களையே தொலைக்காட்சி நிறுவனங்கள் ஒளிபரப்பின. லண்டனில் வசிக்கும் தோழி வாட்ஸ்ஸாப்பில் செய்தி அனுப்பினாள். "நான் தலைவரை வாழ்த்துவது டிவியில் வரும். மறக்காம பாருங்க". படம் எப்படி என்று கேட்டால், "அதை விடு, இதை பாரு" என பதில் வந்தது.

இன்னுமாடா இந்த உலகம் நம்மள நம்புது??

அந்த நிகழ்ச்சியில் உலகெங்கும் உள்ள தமிழ் மக்கள் ரஜினிக்கு பிறந்தநாள் வாழ்த்து தெரிவித்தனர். ஒரு குடும்பம் அமெரிக்காவில் அவருக்காக சிறப்பு பூஜை செய்கிறது. மற்றொரு பக்கம் நாசா விஞ்ஞானிகள் ரஜினியின் பக்தர்கள் என்கிறார்கள். இயக்குநர் அமீர், "உங்களை நம்பிட்டோம், எதாவது பண்ணுங்க" என்று கேட்கிறார். பாரதிய ஜனதா கட்சி, இதுதான் சரியான சந்தர்ப்பம் என அரசியலுக்கு அழைக்கிறது.

சாதாரண பேருந்து நடத்துநராக வாழ்க்கையைத் தொடங்கி, வில்லனாக நடித்து, கதாநாயகனாக உருவெடுத்து, சூப்பர்ஸ்டாரான ரஜினி, தன் வாழ்நாள் முழுவதும் பெரிதாக எதையும் திட்டமிட்டு செய்யவில்லை. அவரது இளவயது நண்பர்களே இன்றும் அவரின் நண்பர்கள். சின்ன சின்ன குறும்புகள், சேட்டைகள், அவ்வப்போது பார்ட்டி என மிக சாதாரண சந்தோஷங்களில் சிரிக்கிறார். படத்தில் மட்டுமே பன்ச் வசனங்கள் பேசிய தன்னை நம்பி இத்தனை பேரா என குழம்பி, இமயமலை செல்கிறார்; இறைவனை வழிபடுகிறார். அமைதியை காத்தால் அனைத்தையும் மறந்துவிடுவார்கள் என முயற்சி செய்கிறார். ஊஹும். மக்கள் விடுவதாயில்லை.அவர்களை ஏமாற்றவும் மனமில்லாமல் "கண்டிப்பா ஏதாவது பண்ணுவேன்" என உறுதியளித்து மீண்டும் எதிப்பார்ப்புக்களை எகிறவிடுகிறார். இன்னொரு பக்கம் பாரதிராஜா , "20 வருஷமாவா ஒருத்தரை அரசியலுக்கு கூப்பிடுவீங்க ?" என கொந்தழிக்கிறார். சீமான் "அரசியலுக்கு ரஜினி அவசியம் இல்லை" என்று சீறுகிறார். அந்த பாசமுள்ள மனிதன், மீசை வச்ச குழந்தை என்ன தான் செய்யும் ?!

"இவன் ரொம்ப நல்லவன்னு " சொல்லிட்டாடா !!

ரஜினிக்கு வேண்டுகோள் விடுக்கும் ரசிகனே, உனக்கு ஒரு வேண்டுகோள். அவரை அரசியலுக்கு அழைக்காமல், அவர் போக்கில் விட்டுவிடு. அவர் நமக்கானவர் அல்ல; நம்மில் ஒருவர். ரஜினிக்கும் ஒரு வேண்டுகோள். உன் எளிமைதான் எல்லோரையும் ஈர்த்திருக்கிறது. என்றாலும், மக்கள் உன்னை நம்பியதற்க்காக நற்காரியங்கள் சில பல செய்துவிடு. மதுபானங்களுக்கு எதிராக குரல் கொடு. பெண்களின் பாதுகாப்புக்கான போராட்டங்களில் பங்கெடு. முக்கியமாக உன் ரசிகர்களை தங்கள் தொழில்களில் கவனம் செலுத்தச்சொல்லு. உன் சொற்களும் செயல்களும் அவர்களுக்கு உற்சாகமும் நம்பிக்கையும் அளிக்கட்டும். நீயும் நிம்மதியாக நித்திரை கொள். இப்படிக்கு, உன் நலம் விரும்பி.

படம் 1 உபயம் : andhrawishesh.com
படம் 2 உபயம்: funny-pictures.picphotos.net

INTEResting Story TELLAR

2014-11-20T21:53:00.001-08:00

When I intend to watch a movie, I avoid reading reviews, as they tend to give away the entire story sans climax. When Interstellar was released, I was told to read a few reviews as the director is known for handling multiple complex concepts in his movies, and understanding them completely, without the initial preparation would be tough. So, I did. Interestingly, none of the reviews dealt with the story in-depth but dwelt more on the director's personality, his style of narration and the emotional part of the film. After watching the movie yesterday, I realized that it was not the discretion of the review writers to hold back the complete story but just that it simply CANNOT BE RETOLD THE NOLAN WAY. Except for the elaborate detailing of the pilot's sojourn to the space (much of it was seen in the movie Gravity three dimensionally), Interstellar is worth the watch.So what am I going to write about? Only my takeaways from the movie.

Picture Courtesy: sciencefiction.com

THE HINDU dated November 16, 2014, published an interview of Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code and other bestselling novels. Here is an excerpt from it.

It is a way to live that he imbibed early in his life from his organist mother. His father was a mathematician. He recalls living with two different streams under one roof. “Science and religion always coexisted at home. It was like having two cars in my garage — one of the church with all the attendant beliefs; the other of logic, reason and maths. I had to balance the two. Initially, I was very close to my mother but, as I grew up, I started to question Noah’s Ark, the Adam and Eve story. I kind of started understanding my father more. However, the more questions I asked of science, the more religious it seemed to become. As a result, I ended up where I started!”

This describes exactly how I felt after watching the movie. Theoretical physics seems only like ratification of religious beliefs through mathematical models. For instance, the protagonist Cooper, in the movie names his daughter Murph, after the Murphy's law which states that 'Anything that can go wrong will go wrong'. Isn't that what we call FATE precisely?

When the movie suggests of the possibility of aliens initially but later brings it down to future beings of our own species who exist defying gravity if not time, I cannot control but think of REBIRTH AND THE SURVIVAL OF SOUL AFTER DEATH. If it will be possible for explorers to hibernate for decades without food and water, then it must have been possible for sages and saints to meditate for years.

Picture Courtesy:quotesvalley.com

Cooper desperately tries through a black hole,to push his daughter to stop him from letting her father, himself, go on his mission to the space.TARS, the robot reminds him that they were not there to alter the past. And that is KARMA, past actions of an individual influencing his/her future. Also, when he firmly believes in the reciprocation of his daughter's love to decode his communications and his daughter trusting his father to keep up his promise of returning, it melts down to the Biblical saying 'FAITH MOVES MOUNTAINS'.

I am not a very religious person but of late I have come to believe that our customs and practices did have a meaning in them. Sadly, that meaning was not passed over resulting in the questioning of its relevance in the modern contexts.

As for the true message of the movie, there was only one man who understood and even demonstrated it, to the audience in the movie theatre, and that was MY MAN! The movie lacked dance numbers, romantic music, overreacting expressive actors, all those elements that could have interested my four-and-a-half year-old daughter. So she had to pee to escape the boredom, not once or twice but four times during the two-and-a-half hour show. The father, an ardent lover of astrophysics, accompanied her. Message from the movie? The prime responsibility of a parent is to provide a secure environment for the child without fears of the future.

THE friend

2014-08-21T03:49:00.002-07:00

Two tiny eyes wavered as fast as they could trying to catch a glimpse of the second row in the fast approaching school bus. She was not there. As the bus neared, I found her seated in the third row as against the usual second row. I sighed and rushed to the bus not waiting for my father to bade goodbye.

When my parents proudly boast to the relatives that their daughter never cried to go to school, they donot realize that the credit had to be shared with my best buddy, Kayal, who guarded a seat with her bag and waited with a smile for me, to spend the rest of the school bus journey with momentous memories.

We talked about everything in detail, be it the silly school fight or debating on the existence of The Almighty. She was a voracious reader and I the perpetual questioner. We brainstormed and came to our own conclusions. Those were days of exploration through observation.

On the first day of grade I, the students were shuffled and luckily we were in the same class. Kayal wanted to be with those sent to a different class and cried inconsolably. The teacher sympathized and took her to that class. I felt left out. I could not do much but reserved my knowledge quests for the bus journeys.

Kayal's parents put her in a different school in grade VI. For another time, I felt lonely despite the cacophonous school bus. Suddenly she returned after a week. Kayal had not liked the new school and had come back. By now, we had grown up and had different friend circles. The next year, I was shifted to a different school. After one year, I too returned to my old school as nothing felt like second home than my old school. We both had drifted apart in different directions. I did not have anyone to confide in. There were caring friends, loving friends, supportive friends but none like her. There was no one to understand my motives exactly the way she did.

While in grade XI, we were back in the same class after a very long time. The void was refilled with joy and peace. We enacted a classic play, staged a political satire and even directed one on teacher's day. All only for a couple of years. Most of the students chose the obvious best college in the city while Kayal joined another and I failed miserably in persuading her to join mine.

Our interactions had been few and far between since then. However, we had been with each other on our testing times a well as ceremonial celebrations. When her father shed tears of joy on the day of her wedding, nobody noticed another pair of moist eyes
shedding copious tears of separation.

I always had wondered God's reason behind this hide and seek game in our friendship. Maybe it was to avoid familiarity breeding contempt. Or it was to strengthen our bond over the years. I don't know. Kayal has joined Whatsapp now and I am over-excited. Will we part again? So what? God has destined us to be friends for life which will reunite us, sooner or later.

Picture courtesy: wikihow.com

NATURE FOR AN EIGHT YEAR OLD

2014-07-24T06:36:00.003-07:00

My friend wanted me to write a poem on nature for her 3rd grade daughter's school assignment. As I had barely a few minutes to do this (she had to memorize and recite it as well), I was not sure how much can a child say about nature. So here it is, nature, from an 8 year old's view.

Picture courtesy: http://www.clker.com

NATURE

My dear trees, oceans, mountains,

Please pause for a moment to hear my concerns.

Grandfather says it is'nt raining as it used to, these days;

Neighbour uncle worries about the scorching heat waves;

I know not what they mean,

But I understand, what is now is'nt like what had been.

Mother tells about the small chirping morning sparrows,

Which I have seen, only in library books that I borrow.

Father talks about dwindling numbers of tigers,

For me, a mere comparison of facts and figures.

We must nurture our nature,

Says my teacher.

I promise to keep you clean, green and in tact my dears,

Donot make me mumble over your absence, in my later years.

An ode to orkut

2014-07-16T09:29:00.001-07:00

Dear Orkut,

It's been years since I interacted through you with my friends and family members. Today, a mail from you made me realize that I can only interact with you for one last time before you expire on September 30, 2014.

Orkut, you, had been our first window to the now buzzing social networking sites. When a friend introduced you to me, little did I know that this will change the way I am going to spend time in the future. I had just finished my school and did not have much of contacts to get back in touch with. However my seniors whom I admired as role models could be approached; mere acquaintances for years became close buddies. A personalized message made me feel important. I as a person had an identity to reckon. What a boon you were to people who wanted to say million things but were shy facing others!

I had played games like anthakshari, riddles and puzzles earlier but imagine playing all these online with people whom you don't even know?! I mean, I had never played a game without knowing the players though attempted some, not knowing even the rules :) But this was exciting than anything else. Forum discussions helped me share my views on various topics. I also learnt different ways of looking at a half-filled glass.

You had your ways of tricking us and I was no exception falling prey to it. I chanced upon ( okay okay say searched for) the profile of my favorite television anchor and found his name with a single letter misspelt. Too busy poor lad, I thought. After waiting anxiously for a couple of days , he accepted my friends request and I was on cloud nine! When I asked him about his profile photo which looked like a younger him, he casually said it was a recent picture. After chatting, I came to know that he was actually the brother of the celebrity whose name rhymed with his sibling and face resembling the celeb very much! And there ended my silly searches for big heads!

Marriages are made in heaven. You showed people that relationships could begin with Orkut. Interestingly, I decided to break one such marriage proposal through you. As I was not ready for marriage, I searched for the profile being considered by parents, found it, made pretty sure that it was the right guy and decided to tell him a no if the proposal was accepted by my family. Luckily horoscopes didn't match and I didn't have to take that extreme step. On a serious note, Orkut taught there was a way, of letting others know your say ! No fairness cream or stylish two-wheeler could do that in today's distant lives. You gave us the courage and confidence to express ourselves better.

People accuse you of not changing with time but that's fine. Pioneers only share blue prints. Initiators only inspire once. We have taken to different forms of social networking and virtual connectivity but without you, this would not have happened. The unlimited availability of networking has resulted in a slow down of our online activities. We no longer develop goosebumps like we did, when we opened you in closed browsing center cubicles. The restricted ones linger for long in our minds. So will you, Orkut. We may not miss you but will remember you forever as the one who transformed our social networking experiences to the next generation platform.

Love you!

Picture courtesy: indianexpress.com

The break

2014-03-06T05:58:00.002-08:00

I know I was out of blogging for a long time and that too without the slightest botheration to see if my blog really exists still. But no regrets this time.

My cook had fallen sick and did not turn up since December. I had to experiment on a daily basis and guess what, I started to fall in love with the much dreaded art of cooking. My older posts on culinary experiments will tell you how much I fear mathematics and cooking, though I know I am not bad but only lack interest in them. From starters to stuffed parathas, chutneys to cakes, I tried them all and fared above expectations. Apart from that, a few home town visits, friends get-together and that's it.

Moreover, the winter ensured I was not going to stay awake after mid night to go back to my blog.
So now that spring has started spreading its smile, I am feeling better and waiting to write more of all that I had missed in the last three months.

Meanwhile, there are a few interesting incidents that I felt like sharing. See if these random three interests you.

1. I have this quirky habit of observing people and playing the guess-their-ethnicity game. No, don't mistake me for a racist or being judgmental. I only try understanding similar patterns among people of particular regions and try reasoning them out. For instance, when Malayalis use 'b' in the place of 'p' or Tamilians conveniently substitute 'aa' for 'ae', its because of the lack of these phonetic alphabets in their mother tongues. You get me now? I also try guessing their place of origin through common predominant physical features. I am sure many women are ace at it. The other day while watching a movie, there was a foreigner passing by next to the hero and I yelled "he's french!" My husband stared and started laughing loudly. I thought to myself, was I going overboard in guessing?!

2. Childhood secrets were the most surprising, at the same time most sincerely kept ones. We listened with pleasure to the hushed whispers and pretended to ignore those that were not shared, though secretly we wished to be part of that serious secret business. Today when I told my daughter not to play in sand with her friend, they nodded and mumbled to each other, "Dont tell aloud. Use the code word". Five-year-olds using CODE WORDS?? The tech era has no secrets to unravel but only codes to decipher, I realized.

3. After a very long time, I awed at the sight of a puppy. As a child, I was crazy of them. Years of grooming and taming ( I meant myself) taught me to think about hygiene, dangers of dog bites and so on before touching puppies. More now, I was afraid of infections that could pass over to my family. The madness was lost. I could not believe the child in me was back for a few seconds. Do we think way too far to feel guilty of enjoying today's little joys, be it pets, rain or chocolate? I am still wondering.

“For in every adult there dwells the child that was, and in every child there lies the adult that will be.”
― John Connolly, The Book of Lost Things

Keep pondering until the next post, sitting back sipping your cup of tea on this spring day.

Picture courtesy: http://imgarcade.com

எழுத்தின் விதை

2013-11-26T09:50:00.000-08:00

எழுத்துக்கள் எண்ணங்களின் வெளிப்பாடு;
எதிரியை எதிர்க்க இயலாதபோது இதயத்திற்கு
இதம் தரும் ஆறுதல் தாலாட்டு.

எழுத்துக்கள் பகிர்தலுக்கான முயற்சி;
உணர்ச்சிகளை ஊரார்க்கு உணர்த்தப் பயன்படும்
ஓர் சிறந்த கருவி.

வட்டியும் முதலுமாக, மறக்க நினைத்து, வேடிக்கைப் பார்க்க
எனக்கும் ஆசைதான்.
என்ன செய்வது ?
என்னை நீங்கள் படிக்க
நான் ராஜூ முருகனாகவோ மாரி செல்வராஜாகவோ முத்துக்குமாராகவோ
இருக்க வேண்டுமே...

என் வாழ்க்கை நாடகத்தின் கதாப்பாத்திரங்கள்
என் வார்த்தைகளின் விதைகளாகி, விருட்சமாக வளர்ந்து,
இன்று விழுதுகளாக என்னோடு பயணிக்கின்றனர்.

இறந்த காலத்தின் கால்தடங்களை மறைத்து,
எதிர் கால கனவை நோக்கி,
இன்றைய நாளை நகர்த்திச் செல்லும்
இன்னுமோர் சிட்டுக்குருவி இது.

- வைஷ்ணவி பிரசாத் .

Diwali delights

2013-11-08T12:07:00.001-08:00

It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.

Nelson Mandela

This diwali season was busier than usual for two reasons: travel and guests. Mumbai beckoned us and we could not resist visiting the city weeks before diwali. Along came our parents and sibling after the visit. Shopping and people, do I need more to celebrate a festival?

After the guests had left, there was hardly a gap of 4 days for diwali and we had not heard anything about diwali celebration in the apartment. The interest and unity among the residents had decreased year on year and now had almost reached saturation. I was too tired to ask for anything until my neighbor dropped into my house. "vaishnavi, what are doing this time for diwali ? ", she asked. "no idea" I shrugged. All were aware of the indifference in the apartment functioning and the new manager did little to improve it.

For the last five years, I had been actively involved in the organizing of diwali celebration and now if it had to happen, I had to start it all alone. My energy levels had drained in the last few weeks but one question was sufficient to ponder over and begin with the preparations. What is the point of staying in a community and not getting together even once in a year? I decided to give it a try.

A message to all known apartment friends asking them to assemble for a meeting to decide on diwali celebration was sent. A word with the association treasurer made it clear that funds can be utilized to certain extent though nobody is ready to take it forward. Around 10 of us gathered and discussed. 5 of us took responsibilities for fund mobilization, gift purchasing, food arrangements and so on. I had to collect funds and make the seating and sound arrangements. For purchasing crackers, we needed men volunteers. I requested my husband to join another neighbor and he obliged despite being annoyed for not being able to go to our home town this diwali. Every volunteer did their part sincerely.

Diwali arrived and I was tensed as the celebration had to go as planned. We had ball passing game for kids, balloon bursting game for men, gift snatching game for women and tombola for all. A full-fledged meal arrived and we happily gobbled it. Crackers were bursted and thus the day ended as expected.

Image : wikipedia

This time, I felt the need to propose a vote of thanks. With due credits, the organizers were applauded. Also, the need to attend meetings and discuss issues was stressed. I felt a sense of satisfaction at the end of the day. Here is a small thought shared on celebrations.

Festivals were meant for sharing and caring,
As we needed a reason to celebrate living.

Sweets, gifts and diwali lights,
To Those stressed souls come as delights.

What is the purpose of remembering traditions
If one cannot respect and reciprocate others' emotions?

After all, isn't it time we opened our doors to let light enter?
Isn't it time we broadened our minds for a bigger shelter?

Come, let us get together,
If not today, then it is never!

Motherhood lessons sundry - part 3

2013-09-21T13:38:00.000-07:00

Having discussed the two important lessons of motherhood from my experiences here and here, it's time to have a look at the miscellaneous lessons (pardon me, unable to avoid the terms sundry and miscellaneous, being a business management student) learnt.

Stereotyping: I go to the toy shop and the shop keeper asks for the age and gender of the child. I tell him. "Girl child aged 3? We have got a new kitchen set and doll house mam" comes the reply. I purposefully avoid it. I had mostly dressed up my girl in t-shirts and pants until she was two considering the cold weather in Bangalore. Try what may, I failed in keeping my daughter away from stereotypes. The environment influenced her or it was instinct, I don't know. Blue color and cars fascinate boys while pink color and dolls interest girls, naturally. On second thought I felt there was nothing wrong in a boy behaving like a boy and a girl being like one. However, it is our duty to teach them that boys can cook while girls do become firefighters as well.

Image courtesy : openclipart.org

"Mamma, can I wear that pink frock today?" she asks. I take a deep breathe and nod with a smile.

Over and again: "Do you want me to read the story of Cinderella again? But you had been reading it from last week."

"Daddy, why dont we sing boogie woogie? " (Not again! Daddy escapes with the excuse of having a meeting)

"Mamma, I want only idlis for lunch. Please"

Image courtesy: booksicals.com

Do these statements sound familiar? Well, I can empathize with you. Children seem to have a taste for a particular thing and like to stick on to it till they get bored. It's as if they enjoy it thoroughly and finally discard it, only to get back to it after a full cycle. Though offering varieties are important, it is fine if they donot want it for some time.

Eat out: I being a over-concerned mother,used to pack dal chawal for my daughter when we went out. My friends were extra happy if I was coming as their kids would also get home made food, sometimes even snacks from home! When the child was 2, she refused to take a single bite after knowing that she was fed the same old stuff while we relished on colorful eatables. As we introduced her to outside food, she started liking the experience though her intake was less. If she is not allowed to choose when everybody chose, she might never develop a liking for food, I thought. Now, my girl happily hops into restaurants while I proudly flaunt the imported mini hand bag!

Image courtesy:sodahead.com

Milestone developments: "My son can say hippopotamus from the age of one year two months" preened an acquaintance."Really?", I sounded impressed though I felt the father in the camera advertisement asking his two year old son to repeat Czechoslovakia seemed more reasonable.

Image courtesy:fisherpricemoms.ca

"I trained my daughter for potty at the age of two" said another mother. I felt guilty. But my daughter did learn it a little later. Every child has a pace of learning which differs for various skills. Although I say this, I admit that I cannot help feeling bad when my child is not doing as much as the other kids. But I have seen that patience and constant encouragement lead to positive changes. Next time when I hear a mother boasting "my seven year old helps me chop vegetables ", I must try not telling, " Could you please send her home for some time? My husband is not well since yesterday."

Motherhood lessons - part 2

2013-09-21T13:00:00.003-07:00

I had discussed about the first phase of motherhood, looking after a newborn in the previous post. My second phase was more of disengagement and self sympathy. I felt I had given too much and had forgotten to look after myself. I decided to take out time to relax and enjoy along with babysitting. Initially, it served as a big relief and boosted my morale. Slowly, the leisure activities and main work swapped. I insisted on finishing the daily bit of relaxation prior to other tasks. I began avoiding playing with the child. As I was desperately waiting to get her into school, it became more easier to reduce conversations with her thinking she has many other people outside to talk to.

After a few months, the child's attitude changed. She became adamant, angry and less sociable. I thought of it as part of growing up and ignored. Only when the problem persisted, I felt something was wrong. Then I knew it was more of my fault. Lesson learnt:

THE CHILD NEEDS ATTENTION AT ALL PHASES OF HIS/HER LIFE.

Lack of acknowledgement by parents affects the child's development. I have increased my interactions with her. Earlier, a family outing was seen as an opportunity to spend time with the spouse while the child enjoyed observing the surroundings. Now, it's also a time to interact with the kid and help widen her horizons.

Picture courtesy: thebabyshow.co.uk

"Baby, that is a museum where old artifacts are kept. We can go one day" , I told her though I was very sure that she would not understand it.
After a few seconds, she replied' " mamma, is it the same museum that Peppa pig visits with her family?"
I was surprised that she could recollect and relate it with a cartoon seen long back.
I was happy that I had taken the right decision.

Better late than never, right?

Motherhood lessons - part 1

2013-09-21T12:54:00.001-07:00

DISCLAIMER: The author of this post is not an expert in parenting and only intends to share her learnings as a mother till date. The lessons learnt are subject to alteration based on her experiences in the coming years. The author cannot be held responsible for the same.

Motherhood, the most divine status bestowed upon a woman, transforms her and takes her into a roller coaster ride, hiding and revealing all that was unknown to her. This is my story of it and and I guess most of us do have something in common to agree with it.

Efforts vs results: The baby is born and like most of the mothers, I beam with pride and joy to see the little one sleeping peacefully. Not for long, though. Baby girl had taken amniotic fluid and had to be under the doctor's supervision for 24 hours. When she arrives with an injected wrist, the tiny hand with bandaid as she was fed through it for a day, my hear sinks and tears roll down the cheeks. She is fine for now. Evening becomes night and now starts the journey of motherhood!

She screams, cries, nobody knows why. I feed her and sway her but she whines the moment I let hold of her. Time I took up the challenge. I , mother of X, swear that I would strive hard to be the best mother on earth. The sacrifices begin. Sleep, food, clothing all adapted to suit her needs. Still she cries. Neighbors and family members curse the mother for not looking after the child properly. Doctor simply call her ' colic baby' . Now, why isn't my research on parenting all these months, helping me solve this issue? As months pass by, the child calms down. Too many methods adopted making it difficult to name one that attributed to the solving of the problem.

Picture courtesy:welladjustedbabies.com

I can see the child's growth and development being directly proportional to my efforts. I put in more efforts hoping for better results, and I did get it until she was 12 months. I had one more challenge. As a kid being a poor and fussy eater myself , I had decided to do all that I could to ensure that she was NOT like me. I wanted to see her as the ideal chubby Amul baby of yesteryear and not the skinny barbie girl! The day she learnt to say 'NO', the results began declining. I tried hard, all shortcuts but the results were short-lived. Later I realized my mistake and the takeaway being:

THE CHILD IS NOT AN INANIMATE OBJECT WHICH CAN BE MANIPULATED TO PRODUCE RESULTS.

Yes, like us, they had a body and a mind of their own. And their food habits are influenced by the parents habits both consciously and unconsciously. If I donot eat apple, I may not buy it often, and consecutively when the child is offered it once in a while, she may refuse it. "She is always a fussy eater. Never eats fruits".We conveniently reason it out. However, the child might love bananas, and will demand one everyday. This doesnot mean that we need not try feeding the child with all possible healthy options. Try your best even if the result is not proportional to the efforts. My eating habits changed when I grew up and all the health benefits my mother had listed with each food was remembered and followed (a few permanently deleted from memory:).

Believe me, you never know when your words would strike the right chord but they will fetch you results some day.

Sop in shopping 2030

2013-09-14T07:10:00.000-07:00

Trends in shopping have evolved over time, keeping pace with changes in tastes and technology.
The advent of electronic media paved way to smart shopping trends such as online shopping and home deliveries. What next is the question that beseech marketers. Here are a few probabilities that could take shape in the future of shopping some seventeen years down the lane.

Vending machines: The usage of vending machines in India has been primarily limited to CVMs ie. Coffee Vending Machines, Condom Vending Machines or Cash vending Automated Teller Machines. Though vending machines are available for various products across the world such as the bicycle tubes vending machine in Germany or the book vending machine in the United Kingdom, it has not been very successful everywhere. If CVMs are possible, then there could be AVMs, BVMs, extending upto ZVMs, right? An improvisation would be Brand Vending Machines.

Rice Vending Machine in Japan

Suppose every brand, like the banks, maintain accounts of customers pertaining to their purchases. If I am in urgent need of product X of brand Y, I could use the brand's vending machines located in different places and purchase using the brand card. Adding to it, the proposed technology by experts in the field such as Cisco where virtual product trial is possible could make it more attractive.Installation of Artificial Intelligence systems to track down the products used by celebrities of your choice and those that could suit your personality could be an added advantage.

Customised entertainment: We live in an entertainment era, seeking fun and frolic in all our activities. Play schools, office outings, video games, 4d theaters are all a result of this need. Product and service customization are common today. Moving one step forward, entertainment could equally be customized. I could experiment with listening to Justin Bieber singing 'why this kolaveri' or Madonna shaking to 'Jalebi bai' with the help of technology. Also, one could gift entertainment vouchers where celebrities would exclusively perform to personal favorites. For instance, the famous magician Dynamo might perform exclusively on a virtual platform to YOU (of course at a cost)!

Why this Kolaveri?!!

Portable homes: The boom in realty sector coupled with the availability of amenities inside the gated communities made people feel the need to buy flats. Builders marketed their houses as situated in the heart of the city or with advanced amenities such as shopping malls, swimming pools, sports clubs inside the community. Still, we wanted more options. Now, instead of making all the facilities fixed inside your house, how would you like being transported along with your home to the place of your choice?

Home Home Go Away, Come Again Another Day!

The concept of portable homes is not new. The oldest mobile home dates back to the 1950s. Because of non-durability and other factors, it was not an option considered by many. But today, our busy lives and the craving for variety in every aspect of lifestyle choices could make it a hit.
Imagine it is the end of the financial year and you are forced to stay in office for days. The better option could be shifting your house near to you place of work. The long annual holidays leave you and your kid feel bored. Why not shift the house adjacent to the best park in the city? And when it is shopping season raining discounts everywhere, wouldn't the women love to shift themselves closer to the shopping centers? However, this involves consideration of many aspects such as space allocation based on demand and pricing,on seasonal basis.

These are only a few possibilities that could bring about a radical change in the way we shop in 2030. Inventions and constant innovations in technology may provide more opportunities to cater to the shopping needs of the people. One thing is for sure, the need for more will never fade thereby welcoming all positive paradigm shifts in shopping trends.

Image courtesy : wikipedia

This post is written for 'The future of shopping' contest by Indiblogger, in association with ebay.in.