Year 2013 or the Number 13?

The last days of 2013. It’s always in these days we just do the counting’s of an year. How many good days? Which all days went wrong? The people I met, the one’s I lost. The stupid things I did and like that the list goes on… And by December 31^st we reach to a new resolution for the New Year, which most of us won’t practice for more than the first few weeks of January!

Here goes 2013. This one is for you.

Even though the days and nights still continues with the same duration, weeks and months passed too quickly. Before realizing its 2013, coldest and Newer January was over and February was on my door step with Valentine’s Day.  Hottest March, Happiest April, Holidaying May, Life is not so easy June, Rainy July, Winding up August, Jobber September, Working October, Interning November and the Busiest December. In total, 2013, you were a fast moving year.

2013, the year was first discussed by the number present in it- 13. The number’13’ is believed to be the unlucky number. The search for the story of number ‘13’ started when I noticed that hospitals run by Christian missionaries don’t have a room number with the number plate ‘13’. The first answer I got for my query regarding ‘13’ is that it is the unlucky number. And that answer was followed by some king’s name. Someone else told me the story of Jesus Christ’s Last Supper and told me that’s why people believe ‘13’ is unlucky. I still wonder do all these stories give us a strong base to believe that the number ‘13’ brings us unhappiness.

Have you ever checked what all specialties this number posses? I noted the first wonder of ‘13’, when I was in tenth standard. I still remember how our class teacher wrote it in our board and we continuously shouted ‘13’ and ‘B’. That was my first fascination for the number ‘13’, or for the numerals ‘1’ and ‘3‘. When the numbers 0 to 12, have their own names, the number ‘13’ comes with a compound name (Its name is a compound name of three and ten). The next fact about ‘13’ comes in writing. When the digits 0 to 12 are written as numerals, from 13 we need to spell it out (we can’t use ‘13’ in writing; instead we should use ‘thirteen’).

So with all these, obviously the number ‘13’ is a special number. Isn't it? What about the year 2013? Was it special for you? Or as our elders believe was this year unlucky for you? I didn't know what all had happened to the billions of the people in this world in 2013. And I hope nothing had gone wrong for anyone in this year. A number can’t never change your fate and can’t never bring you luck. What all happens in our life it have a purpose and believe in yourself and your god. Then you will believe Everything Happens for a Reason.

Ladies Coupe

Initially let me clarify, this write up doesn't have any resemblance with Anita Nair’s Ladies Coupe. Giving her all the title credits let me begin. This write up is about my experience travelling in a ladies coupe in a reasonable long distance.

Ladies Coupe. A small compartment reserved for ladies, which is usually attached to the tail end of a train. I have heard that it’s a different world when comparing with the other twenty or 20+ bogies preceding Ladies Coupe. Of course it is… Not even a vendor is concerned about the women souls there. My grievances are not over just by pointing out the absence of vendors. There are no good berths there. You may counter me by saying; it’s for the folks who travel a shorter distance. But I have seen good seats in passenger trains and why these uncomfortable seats in ladies coupe? From my experience, I met more than twenty ladies whose tickets are to the destination station and I hope they reached safe after travelling in an eight berth compartment for an overnight.

In between all these, I can’t end it without sharing the fun I had. When my friend suggested travelling in a Ladies Coupe, I totally disagreed with her and now thanks to her for giving me a unique experience.

We got into the Ladies Coupe by one O’ Clock at noon and the temperature outside was high. With all these rushes, spacelessness, heat, sweat and smell of jasmine flowers (we had some Tamil ladies in the coupe) we started our journey. The food which we bought, thinking we will have space to eat (as we used to have in sleeper coaches), somehow we had it and the lady sitting near to the window helped us to clean our hands.

Ladies Coupe was tightly packed. There were people from all walks of life. From the old lady who sat opposite to me to the small kid who cried in regular intervals, home makers to working women, school going kids to college students, continuously talking nanny to the silent old women, it was full of life. And most interestingly I had met some teenage girls and ladies reading ‘Mangalam’ weekly. In our theory classes of magazine journalism, we never paved attention to these weekly’s saying their era has came to an end, and here am witnessing people interestingly going through the pages!

Facial expressions, it speaks a lot. And especially when I’m sitting alone nothing to do in particular, I used to be a good observer. In the journey also same thing happens. This time I don’t need to look outside the windows, I have a whole lot of world in front of me and I just need to sit and watch till I reach my station. When there is a feeling of relief, in the faces of ladies who sit the ones who stand where wiping their faces and looking around to find a place to sit. Relief changes to anxiety, eagerness, tired and desperate as the train started. Engaging phone conversations and the expressions they have… what their faces say when they complain to each other about their in-laws… when someone asks to move a little… to hold a bag or book… when seeing another crowd waiting in the next station for the train and obviously when they make the rush to get into the highly packed one… It’s worth watching and sometimes we will be having the same expressions as they have.

I still hold to the complains I have, at the same time I can’t forgot some innocent smiles I received in that journey which made me smile, leaving everything that runs in my mind for a few seconds. Those smiles were the best things happened for me in that journey and as I believe Everything Happens For a Reason.

#2EHFAR pics

#1EHFAR pics

മഴ

  

  മഴ. ഈ രണ്ടക്ഷരങ്ങളിൽ ഒത്തിരി കാര്യങ്ങൾ ഒളിച്ചിരിക്കുനുണ്ട്. ഓരോ വ്യക്തിയും ഈ രണ്ടാക്ഷരങ്ങളോട് കുട്ടുകുടുന്നത് പല വിധത്തിലായിരിക്കും. ചില൪ക്ക് സന്തോഷവും, ചിലർക്ക്‌ സങ്കടവും, മറ്റു ചില൪ക്ക് പ്രണയവും, വേ൪പാടും, വിരഹവും അങ്ങനെ എത്രയെത്ര വികാരങ്ങൾ ഈ രണ്ടക്ഷരം കുട്ടിവായിക്കുന്ന മഴ എന്ന  വാക്ക് നമുക്ക് നൽകുന്നു.

  മഴയോടുള്ള നമ്മുടെ കാഴ്ചപ്പാട്, നാം പ്രകൃതിയുടെ ഈ വരദാനത്തെ എങ്ങനെ ആസ്വദിക്കുന്നു എന്നനുസരിച്ചിരിക്കും. പ്രകൃതിയുടെ വരദാനം, പ്രകൃതിയുടെ ദുഖം, ആത്മാക്കളുടെ സന്തോഷം ഇതൊകെയാണ് ഭൂമിയിൽ മഴയായി പെയ്യുന്നത് എന്നൊകെ നമ്മൾ സൗകര്യപൂർവ്വം വിശ്വസിക്കുന്ന അന്ധവിശ്വാസങ്ങളാണ്. ശാസ്ത്രിയമായി മഴ എങ്ങനെ ഉണ്ടാകുമെന്ന് അറിയാമെങ്കിലും, കുറച്ചുകുടി നാം ആസ്വദിക്കുനത് ഈ തെറ്റിദ്ധാരണകളെതന്നെയാണ്.

എത്രയൊക്കെ വള൪ന്നാലും, എവിടെയൊക്കെ ജീവിച്ചാലും, മഴ മലയാളികളുടെ മനസ്സിൽ ഒരു നൊസ്റ്റാൾജിയ ഉണ൪ത്തുന്നുണട്. കുട്ടിക്കാലം മുതലുള്ള ഏവരുടെയും ഓ൪മ്മകളിൽ മഴ ഒഴിവാക്കനവാൻ പറ്റാത്ത ഒരു അവിഭാജ്യഘടകം തന്നെയാണ്. ആദ്യമായി മഴ നനഞ്ഞ് സ്കൂളിൽ പോകുന്നത് മുതൽ തുടങ്ങുന്ന ഓ൪മ്മകൽ, തൻറെ പ്രണയിനിയുടെ ഒപ്പം മഴ നനഞ്ഞത്‌ വരെ എത്തുമ്പോഴേക്കും മഴ ഓരോ മനുഷ്യനും സുഖമുള്ള അനുഭവമായി മാറിയിട്ടുണ്ടാവും.

ചിണുങ്ങി ചിണുങ്ങി പെയ്യാൻ മടിച്ചു നില്ക്കുന്ന മഴയും, ഒരേ താളത്തിൽ പെയ്യുന്ന ശാന്തമായ മഴയും, പ്രകൃതിയുടെ രൗദ്രത മുഴുവൻ ഉൾക്കൊണ്ട പേമാരിയും, നമ്മെ ഒരേ സമയം സന്തോഷിപ്പിക്കുകയും വിഷമിപ്പിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു. പ്രകൃതിയുടെ വേറെ ഏതെങ്കിലും ഒരു പ്രതിഭാസത്തെ നാം ഇത്രയധികം സ്നേഹിക്കുകയും കാത്തിരിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തിട്ടുണ്ടാവില്ല.

   ചാ൪ളി ചാപ്ലിൻറെ പ്രശസ്തമായ വാചകങ്ങൾ കടമെടുക്കട്ടെ, "I always like walking in the rain, so no one can see me crying.". ഏവരും മഴയിൽ നടക്കാനിഷ്ട്ടപ്പെടുന്നതിന്റെ മറ്റൊരു കാരണം ഇതാകുമോ? ഏതായാലും മഴ നമ്മുടെ സങ്കടങ്ങലെയെല്ലാം കഴുകി കളഞ്ഞ് സന്തോഷകരമായ പുതിയ നാളെയെ സമ്മാനിക്കട്ടെ എന്ന് നമുക്ക് പ്രാ൪ത്ഥിക്കാം...

When Indian English Writing goes DESI...

Each and everyone, the adults, is always complaining that the youngsters are not reading, they are just behind electronic gadgets and internet. Even when the compliant goes on and on, through the side of it a revolution is taking place. a new set of Indian authors is coming up with their books. When it is difficult for new authors to find publishers, certain publishers are looking for new authors and publishing their works.

Before getting into the trends, lets have a glimpse into the history of Indian English Literature (IEL). IEL refers to the body of works by writers in India who wrote in English language and whose native or co-native language could be one member of the Indian diaspora. IEL is creatively recent in history, it is one and half centuries old. The first book written by an Indian in English was by 'Sake Dean Mahomet' in 1973, in England. And in its middle stages we can note the name of R. K. Narayan, who created the fiction of Malgudi, Salman Rushdie, Jumpa Lahiri, Arundati Roy etc. In the present IEL, the authors Chetan Bhagat, Amish, Manu Joseph, Aravind Adiga, Ravinder singh have got readers world wide.

Coming to the present scenario, Indian English Literature is rich with a bunch of new young writers, whose books are sold in the first days of publishing and who make a huge profit to their publishers and to themselves by selling their creativity. When we look into this topic, we can take the travel in two aspects. one through the creative side and other through its marketing side.

The creative side, India is the land of stories, from myths to the smallest incident in college life is novelized in IEL. Before Chetan Bhagat, IEL was more based on family, true stories, and always it had some morale. But from 2004 (Chetan's Five Point Someone published in 2004), the stories' plot changed... More college life stories of 'techy students; started to rule IEL. Even though Chetan's writings have the potential to motivate us, it also took us to the immoral college life of three engineering students. It was the first book, which portraited the story with all the Masalas. With the huge success of Five Point Someone, so many authors came with the similiar themes and all the books were sold, due to its low prices in the market. Chetan Bhagat, who was an alimini of IIT Delhi and IIM Ahemadabad opened a new 'Corporate' plot for the writers. Later we saw many IIT's and IIM's coming to write, and in total the critics told, they are coming to literature, because of their call for passion. We have Durjoy Dutta, Ravinder Singh, and some more names to add in the list. And the list is expanding.

The marketing technique used by these authors is very simple. We can look into Amish's trick of selling his first book. He was not even sure about the acceptance of his book by the readers as it is based on Puranas. So before two or three weeks of publishing he supplied the first two chapters of his novel in every book shop and asked the cashier to give it to every person who comes to the cash counter. And it became so simple for him to sell his books. The Shiva Trilogy by Amish is the fastest selling book series in the history of Indian publishing. The authors who are also aluminis from diferent B- Schools of India, doesn't need the help of any market experts to promote their books; they know how to market it and sell it. That is why the books are becoming a huge sucess financially.

Before concluding, we must look into the language of the new Indian English books. In simple words, its going Desi. The use of Hindi language is increasing more and more in the novels. This act of giving Desi touch, gives a more conversational feeling to the reader as well as it creates an interest to read more.

For more than a decade, a period bookend by Arundati Roy's Booker Prize success in 1997 with The God Of Small Things and Aravind Adiga's similar achievement, India has been enjoying an English language boom. A new buoyant middle- class, better traveled, more curious and with more disposable income has been devouring books like never before. In India, the growth seems more obviously apparent in the sheer variety of genres that now fill the shelves. There is more fiction, non fiction and travel writing than ever before. Almost every year now it appears there is a new trend in writing. Different style, language plot will evolve by time. We just have to get the passion call to pen it down. Let the spring of Indian English Writing remains forever.As we believe, Everything Happens For A Reason.

രണ്ടാമൂഴം

ആദ്യ കാഴ്ചയിൽ തന്നെ പ്രണയം തോന്നിയ നഗരം. അനന്തപുരി. അന്ന്  തിരിച്ചുപോരാൻ നിന്നപ്പോൾ, ഒരു ജീവിതം മുഴുവൻ അവിടെ നിന്നെ പ്രണയിച്ചു ജീവിക്കാൻ കൊതിച്ചതാണ് . അത്രയേറ എന്നെ മോഹിപ്പിച്ച നഗരമേ, നിന്റെ അരികിലേക്ക്  ഞാൻ വരികയാണ്‌, ഒരിക്കൽ  കൂടി.

കഴിഞ്ഞ ഡിസംബറിൽ ആദ്യമായി തിരുവനന്തപുരത്ത് എത്തിയപ്പോൾ ആദ്യം തന്നെ ഇഷ്ടം തോന്നിയത്  റയിൽവേ സ്റ്റേഷന്റെ അടുത്തുള്ള അമ്പലത്തിനോടാണ് . ഒരു പോസിറ്റീവ്  എനർജി. പിന്നെയുള്ള മൂന്നു ദിവസങ്ങൽ, സിനിമകൾ ആസ്വദിക്കുന്നതിന്റെ കൂടെ തിരുവനന്തപുരം നഗരത്തെ കൂടി അറിയുകയായിരുന്നു. വ്യത്യസ്തമായ സംസ്കാരം, മനുഷ്യർ ഇതൊക്കെ കണ്ടെങ്കിലും, ഒരു  മാധ്യമ വിദ്യാർഥിയായി ആഘോഷിച്ച  മൂന്നു ദിവസങ്ങളായിരുന്നു അത്.

മറക്കാനാവാത്ത ഒരുപാടു ഓർമകൾ സമ്മാനിച്ച നഗരമേ, നിന്റെ അടുത്തേക്ക്  ഒരിക്കൽ കൂടി, ഞാൻ, നിന്റെ പ്രണയിനി തിരിച്ചെത്തുകയാണ്. അന്ന്  തിരിച്ചുവരാൻ മടിച്ചുനിന്ന എന്നോട് , നിനക്ക് ഇവിടം ഇഷ്ടമായെങ്കിൽ ഇവിടുത്തെ ചാത്തന്മാർ നിന്നെ തിരികെ കൊണ്ടുവരും എന്ന് എന്റെ സുഹൃത്ത്‌  കളിയായി പറയുകയുണ്ടായി. ഈ തവണ, എന്തായാലും ചാത്തന്മാരുടെ സഹായമില്ലാതെയാണ്  വരവ് . ഒരു പരീക്ഷ എഴുതാൻ. മാധ്യമ വിദ്യാർഥി എന്ന ലേബലിൽ നിന്ന് മാധ്യമ പ്രവർത്തക എന്നതിലേക്ക്  മാറാൻ വേണ്ടിയുള്ള ഒരു പ്രവേശന പരീക്ഷ. സംഭവം നടത്തുന്നത്  കേരളത്തിലെ ഒരു മുന്തിയ സ്ഥാപനം ആയതുകൊണ്ടു തന്നെ പ്രതീക്ഷകൾ അങ്ങ്  ആകാശത്തോളമാണ് .

പരീക്ഷയുടെ കാര്യമെന്താകും എന്നൊന്നും എനികറിയില്ല. എന്തായാലും, എന്റെ പ്രണയമേ, നാളെ ഞാൻ നിന്റെ അടുക്കലേക്ക്  വരികയാണ് . കുറച്ചു നേരത്തേക്കാണെങ്കിലും, നിന്റെ കൂടെ സമയം ചെലവഴിക്കാൻ, നിന്റെ ഒപ്പം നടക്കാൻ, കാത്തിരിക്കുന്നു... ഒരു ജീവിതം സ്നേഹിച്ചു ജീവിക്കാനും...

The First Post!

A blog of mine... can't state it as a dream or aim. Actually I was working on it for more than four or five months. Wrote so many articles and write up's. but, none of them gave me a self confidence to start posting.
When our dear Gilbert sir, asked us on everyday "what about your own blog?", I simply sits there and smile. I was confused about what to tell him. Even after being a final semester journalism and communication student, that I'm not confident to post my write up's. oh! no, that's too bad. Sir, that's why I smiled when you asks that. And today, if am making this first step, its only because of you. And because of the trust you keep on each of us!!!
The First Post is dedicated to my parents(the love of my life), my sister( the best friend & critic), sangu(the best bro), my friends, some best ladies i have in my life as my teachers and to the one special person who made me believe that Everything happens for a reason.