Tuesday, August 28, 2012

'Mobile' Madness


It was a cloudy afternoon. A slight rain had washed over the city and the clouds were threatening to burst (Though as is usual every year, they did not). I was slowly making my way towards my house trying to stick to that 'non-existent' footpath, jumping over the small puddles of water that had formed and trying to avoid the numerous holes, mud and garbage. That short stretch to my home literally felt like crossing the fabled 'Seven Seas and Seven Mountains'. I was cursing the fate of the poor Chennaite, having to endure such troubles, when a voice rang out slightly behind me, near my right ear - "Chee, Poda Panni" (you pig !). I was startled. Who would scold me like that in broad day light and right on a busy road !

I turned around and noticed a woman, about 30 yrs old, leaning on the gate of a house and giggling looking at something straight ahead of her. The fact that I'm standing right in front of her, looking at her, did not seem to register in her mind at all. "Did I suddenly become invisible?", I wondered. Again, she went on talking, "Nee Eppavume Ippadithaan" (You're always like this).

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Memorable London

The London 2012 Olympic Games are just about to conclude. More than 15 days of pure action with over 10,000 athletes competing in many different sporting events. As usual, the big sporting nations have amassed medals. The list of their medal winners alone extends to several pages in the official website. After a losing the top spot to China in 2008, USA has reclaimed the top spot in the medals table with 105 medals (including 45 Gold medals). China comes next with 87 medals (including 38 Gold). The Host UK has won a record haul of 29 Gold medals to come third in the table.


Wednesday, August 08, 2012

Right or Wrong?

"Namma Singari Sarakku Nalla Sarakku
Chumma Gummunu eruthu Kicku enakku" 
- blared our television in our living room.

I'm sitting with my parents, grandfather and an elderly uncle visiting us, watching a popular television show, when this song sequence made me squirm uneasily in my seat. I'm not uneasy only because of the raunchy (is it the right word?) lyrics, but also because of the person singing them. The song is being sung by a small kid probably about 7 or 8 years old. He has still not shed his baby talk and is not even able to pronounce the lyrics clearly. But here he is, on stage, in a popular musical contest singing this song. Only a few minutes back, another small girl sang, "Sorgam Madhuvile..."