An action speaks better than a thousand words---Enter the dragon

                                                                      " When  you look  at the  moon pointing your  finger  dont concentrate  on the finger  ,  for  if you  do  ...you  will  miss out the glory  of the moon  "   ----spoken by none other than the great master  --Bruce Lee  in Enter  the Dragon  . This is  the  message  he gave  his student  in one  of the earlier scenes in the movie  Enter the dragon  ... 

                                                           Bruce  Lee was and still  remains  one  of the greatest  in martial art films  . His movies  Enter the Dragon , Return of the Dragon etc were great  box office successes .  In real life too  he  founded  his own version of martial arts the Jeet kune do  .His  movies  action sequences  were  quite realistic  and  even  when he faces multiple enemies who are armed  the  actions  are  shown  which emphasises the importance of speed and striking the vital points typical of a true martial arts system  .  

Another  aspect is the  plot  which is  put in such a way  that  the martial arts feels like  the  cream  in  the cake  .  This is in sharp contrast  of the many chinese martial arts films that were made  after  his death which  show  poor  quality action with a  thin thread of a plot  . 

                                                                          Enter  the dragon  is  set in an island  where  there is a tournament every year  in which all  the worlds martial artists come to  fight  .  It is organised by  Han  ,  who  uses it as  a  backdrop for his  drug business .  Its  upto Bruce lee  to help in the investigation by  going as a  martial  artist  in the pretext of participating in the competition  .  Bruce Lee  is joined by  Roper  and Williams who  are also martial artists who are  coming for the competition for their own reasons  .Though great  in their art  all  three  have  distinct  personalities  which  is  shown  to  good effect in the film  .  Like  Han  tells about  Roper  ----"  There  is  a  point beyond which  you will  not  go  beyond  "   . And  the  villains aide  is  Bolo  Yeung  .  I havent seen  yet such an  impressively built  villains aide  . 

                                                                       The villain Han  is  very  beautifully  characterised  showing  his great  personality  (read as cruel  yet  smooth  --- a  true  psychopath  )  .  This  gives  the plot  more  character as  Bruce  lee  , Roper and Williams are  against an enemy  who  is the  ultimate challenge  .  

If  you havent  seen this movie  please  see  it  unless you  hate  martial  art  movies  100  percent  ....

Even if  you do  ,  if  you see  it  will  teach you a few self defence  (rather  offence  )  tactics  .....

 

Best south indian food in the heart of north india and viceversa ..

Search  and you will  find  ................this  applies  to so many things  in life  ..  and  of course  applies  to our  basic need  ---FOOD  .  Ok  ...  so this  topic is  not about  how to  search and  find  food  for survival  ,  but  searching and finding South indian food in North india and  North indian food in South India  ...

For  the  last  four  years  i am travelling  all over  india  and  though  i  relish  almost  all the cuisines  of  my country ,  currently  my  favourite  is  South indian  food  .  Call it  homesickness or  the  back to square  one feeling after tasting  many of the cuisines  ,  nowadays  wherever i go  i make it  a  point  to  eat South indian  at least  on one day  .  And  that  search landed me at Saravana Bhavan  in Delhi  .  With  some  of  my  north indian friends  calling us  as  Lungiwalas  (i hope  jokingly  )  i  expected  a  small collection of lungiwalas  eating  rice  in this  heart of  Delhi , near Janpath  .  Boy  ... i  was  in for a shock  .  The  first  day  i  went there  i  saw  a  crowd  of around  30  people  and the entrance was not visible  .  It was  a very prominent hotel  but the entrance was covered  by  this  crowd of south indians ,north indians  ,  westerners all  waiting for their turn  to enter  this  place  .  That day  i  and my friend  had food from KFC  as  we were told we had to wait for an  hour  ...

Next  time  on my visit  to delhi  i went to the  place  this  time  not on a  weekend  ,  and  we were  able to get  a seat  .  The  ambience was nice  ...  clean  and  prompt service.  All  the  South indian delicacies were  there  ---Dosa  ,  Oothappam ,  Curd rice , south indian thaali  ..... and lots more  .  True to its  authenticity  the taste was excellent  and at par  with the Annapoorna  hotel of  Coimbatore  (  famous for their  family dosa  )  and  hotels of Chennai  .  My colleague was insisting  on ordering  Rasam  the  south indian  soup .  That was addictive  and  we  downed at least  two glasses  .  prices  are  reasonable  and  a  meal  for two  will  cost  approximately  300 -400  rs  .  (including  drinks ---:)  drinks means lassi , buttermilk ,rasam  etc  )   . Thaali  is  good  too  and they serve  the  thaali  of tamil nadu cuisine  .  So  all in all  this  restaurant  is one  of the  best  places  to  go in  delhi  if you want  authentic  south indian food  . 

What about  the best  north  indian food  in South  india  ?  Im sorry  that  i  havent  found  any  till  date .that  serves  the  Roti  like  they give in north india  ....except  for  Gangotree  around 100  metres  from US embassy  of Chennai  where  they give awesome chaats  .  The  pani poori or golgappa there was the best  i have ever had  (  they put around  8-9  powders  in it  )  in addition to sweet chutney and the paani  . 

                                                                 

land adventure ...calicut to cochin on a bike

Its  not  an adventure  ....  but  a  travel .  One  day  while  i was  in  Calicut  (kozhikode )  i  felt  like paying my  relatives  a  visit  .  Only  problem was  my relatives  stayed  250  kms  away  .  So  where is  the  problem as long as  there  is  petrol  in the tank  and  hot blood  in my arteries  .  I was ready  in  jeans  and  T  shirt  ( long distance should  be in jeans  though my  bike is  not  a  Harley  Davidson  .  )  Again  no  food supplies  .  (  You  are  in kerala gods own country  so  no  need  to carry food supplies  ...  there  are  enough  fruits  in this gods country  ----fruits  meaning    the  local wayside   restaurants  )   . Vroom... off  i  go   ...  Its  a lazy  afternoon and  the  highways  are not  crowded  .  The  tacho  and speedo  climbs  steadily  to 100  kmph  .  My  friend  is  my  Kawasaki  bajaj  100  a   distant  relative  of  all the  ninjas  .  Though  a  distant relative  she  has enough  grunt in her  to  be the queen of kerala roads .  And speeds  beyond  100  kmph  is not practical  in keralas roads  where some potholes are  big enough to plant   a  coconut tree  .   Ok,  so  my  journey  had  its  goodtimes  when  the  cruising speed was near 100  with  great stretches  near  kuttipuram  etc  and  i passed  through  many  small  and big towns  .  There was  Kottakkal  where  there is world famous  ayurvedic  hospital  .  Kuttipuram  where there is one of the  first  muslim  private  engineering colleges in the state  .  I  had  a  halt at  the  town of trichur , the  land of the famous trichur pooram  where  more than  100  elephants  gather  for the festival  .  Anyway  when  i travelled  it  was  not festival time  and  trichur was  my halting  point  for  rejuvenating  my hot blood  ----late  lunch  .... the  biriyani,  chicken  fry  of sapphire  hotel near  railway station was really  good  .  Light  on the purse and great  on the stomach  ...

Also  on the  way  i stopped  to cool  the  engine  as well as  take  in  the  beautiful  site  of Bharathapuzha  one  of  the  famous rivers in kerala the banks of which has  the famous  kerala  kalamandalam  where  they  teach  all  the unique arts of kerala including kathakali  . 

After  riding  for  a  long  time  .....  my  backs  are  slightly aching  ....  my  companion  the  100  cc  kawasaki  bajaj  is  not  at  all tired  .... we  reach  alwaye  ...  I  rode  straight  to one of my relatives  house  at the  banks of periyar  river  .  (  Is  it that  all people  in kerala  stay near  the  rivers  ???  )  But  unfortunately she was not at home  .  I am  little  disappointed as  she was the  one who always complained that i dont visit her compared to  others  ..  Better  luck next time  ... 

Now  the  final  leg  of  the journey is  a  breeze  ...  on the way  i saw  apollo tyres  one of the  leading tyre  manufacturing companies  in the country  ...my companion checked whether  his " shoes  "  (tyres  )are  made by apollo  ...After  sometime i joined  the  traffic of  cochin  ... and  rode  towards  my dads younger sisters  house  .  And  there  i met  my uncle  , my aunt  and  their family  .  Though  this  journey  may  be  very small  compared  to the  "harley  davidson journeys  "  in the  US  or  for  that  matter  "  Che  Gueveras  epic journey  through south  america in his bike  "   the  fact  remains  that  for  me  i  travelled  one  third  of the  length  of  kerala  in half  a  day  ....and  it  was  the  first  long  journey  for  my  little  beast  the  kawasaki kb 100  ....

P.S:  Return journey  was escorted  for my  Kawasaki  .... my uncle  decided that  travelling  in a bike  is  too dangerous  in the highways  and  told  he will  "  send  it"  .  i  agreed  because for me  my adventure  was over  .  No  one  minds  a  helicopter  journey  once you  reach the  top of everest  .  ....  The  bike  reached  me in   a  covered  truck  after  2 weeks  .  

little adventures .....on water and land

Life  is  an adventure  or  a  journey  ....  Thats  a truth  and  philosophy  but  this  time  i am going to describe  two  mini  adventures  i  did  a  few years  back  .   It  was  when i was working in north  kerala  as a  radiologist  .  Many weekends  i used to  go to trivandrum to see  my parents  . But  some weekends  i  was the equivalent  of  "home alone  "  in my apartment  .  So  one sunday morning  after  a  quick  breakfast  i decided  to visit  one  of my  staff  .   Going by  land  was  boring  . So i decided  to  go by the  next means of transport  ---water  .  She  had told me that  her  house  was near  the  badagara  river  and had given me rough directions .  No  google  maps in those good old days  .  I  went  to  a  shop  where  i used  to have  tea once in a while  and the shopkeeper  had  a  boat  .  Boat  in the sense that  the  driver  is yourself  and  there  is no motor. Basically  a  traditional  small  "vallam  "  approximately 8 ft  by  2 ft  .  and  i had  to row  all the way  .  He  gave me his boat  and  i  the  lone  rower set  out  alone on my  solo journey .  In retrospect  i think  i should have stocked food supplies  because  the  total  journey  to base camp  took  approximately  7  hours  .  Initially  it was  simple  ....  i kept  on rowing  enjoying the  natural beauty  on either side  of  river  .  Then i realised  there were  two  problems  ...one  i  was  moving slowly inspite  of  rigorous  rowing  .   Later  i knew  that  i was  rowing against  the tide  as  the  river  was  approximately  3  kms  from the  ocean   .  Another  problem  was  i underestimated  the distance  to  her  house  .  Anyway  once started  there was no turning back  ....  Soon i  reached   a  bridge  rather  under  a  bridge  .  Some people  were  fishing there  and  i smiled  and  waved at  them  . But  the  funny part  was  even after  waving  they were  in the  same  position  even after  ten minutes  .  I realised  that  inspite of my  vigorous  rowing  the  tide  and  currents  near  the  bridge pillars were  making my  absolute displacement zero . Luckily i  was able  to steer  the  boat  away from the  pillars  were  the currents  were too strong  . 
Heat  stroke-----  i  was  lucky  again  ---  i never  thought  about the total  exposure to the midday suns heat while i was rowing  continuosly  .  Luckily  i  didnt get any  heat stroke  .  Rowing  continued  and  suddenly the river  became  double the  size  and  split into two  .  We  are  used  to highways  were there are  boards kept showing directions and people are around  .  But  in a river where is  the board and  who will  give the directions  .  Luckily  i  saw  a  person in the distant bank  and  i  rowed  and reached them. They gave me  directions  and  soon  (rather after another  2 hours  )  i  saw  my  small boat  swayed  by  the  waves  and  in the  distance  i could see  the arabian sea  .   My  journey  had not ended  .  In true kerala  style  i  rowed  to the nearest  bank  , tied  my  boat  to  a coconut tree and  drank  3  bottles of  soda  from the nearest  coconut leaf thatched shop  .  Nice  villagers  they  told  me  the  way  to my staffs  house  through  land  ...  i  then asked  the way  through water  also  as  i  had to park  my  "vehicle"  .
It  was  very close  in a small canal  connected  to the river  .  I  tied  the boat  again  and visited  her  and her family  .  They were surprised  to see the  visitor  coming  in  a  boat  .   I  had  a sumptuous  kerala  lunch at her home  and   talked about  the  local  news  with her  father  ...
By  around  3  pm  i   again started  rowing  back  to my  base camp  .  This journey was uneventful  because  i  had  now  been used to rowing  and  knew  my route  clearly  like an expert highwayman  .
When  the  sun  started  to set  i  reached the  teashop  where  the  owner  was anxiously waiting for my return  .  What  was supposed to be  a  2  hour  journey  ultimately  took  the whole day  ....Nice  man   he  didnt scold  me  even though he was  very worried  .....And  for  me  i am content with  my  small adventure   in the  land  of  Northern ballads  ....Badagara  ....

malayalam film avalude raavugal

Raakenthu  kiranangal  oli veeshiyilla..... a  song  from the  film ,Avalude Raavugal ,  remembered as one  of the  first  Adults  only  film in malayalam mainstream cinema  .  I  can imagine  the  uproar  that must have  occured when this film was released  in the early 80s  when kerala soceity  was  much more conservative than the  present  . Its the  story  of  a  woman  (  actress  Seema  has  this role  )  who  is a  prostitute  and  the  many  characters  in her  life  ---her  brother  ,  her  lover  , her  clients etc and  her  relationships with them   .   Though  it was a film which became famous  for the "wrong" reasons  i   found the  film  interesting  on many counts  . 

For  once  it  had a  plot  which  many  films of 2000s  can only dream about  .  The  central character  played by  actress seema  does  great  justice to her  role  .  It  tells about  the  impact  various  incidents  has on her life  .  Though  it tells of  a  despicable profession  ,prostitution  the  movie  brings  out the human  being  behind  the  scene  with  all the emotions  be  it  the  intense  affection she has for her  brother  ,  her  romance  with  the person she loves and her  revenge ( mild spoiler ahead  )   .  In  one of the scenes  she  denies  one  of her  clients  access to her services  .  According to her  "  Irrespective  of  caste  ,creed  or  anything  for that  matter  i  give  my  services  to  anyone  .  But  i  am  denying  you  it  as  revenge  for what  you have  done  " .  Seemingly simple , that  shows  you  dont  have  to kill  or maim   for  exacting  a revenge  ....A  prostitutes  revenge  can  be  as  simple as denying access to her service  which  she  gives  to  the  worst wretch  . 

The  male  actors  are  overshadowed  by  the  powerful  role  of the woman protagonist  that  also  is  a  difference  from the bulk of male dominated films of  that  era    .  The  director was I. V .Sasi  .    The musical  score  raagenthukiranangal  was  also  unique in its tune and tempo  though  the  scene  depicted  for  the  music was  true  to its  "A"  rating  . 

This  film  is also  mentioned  in another movie  where  Sreenivasan visits  Seema   and  says  he has seen Avalude raavugal  many  times  .  This  indirectly  touches  on the  impact this  film  made  on the conservative mindset  of malayalis  .  But  for me  ,  this  film  stands for the strong story  and  the  great  acting  that  makes avalude raavugal a must watch  for any film critic  . 

autobiography

These days  everyone  is writing  an autobiography  .  Yes  ,  an year  back  my  father  was asked  to digitise an autobiography  of a friend  before  its  print publication  .  His  friend  was not a writer  or  a  famous man  but an ordinary  man who has  done a  few unique things  .  And  india  being a free country  he  had the write  to express  himself  through an autobiography  just like  i  am writing  this blog  ....

Though  i just glanced  through  those  pages  , i found  that book could  be an interesting read for those people who knew him at the very least  .   Similarly  i  bought  and  read  the  autobiographies  of my favourite malayalam author  poonathil kunjabdulla  called  nashtajathakam in malayalam  .  True  to his  writing style  and  his  vast experiences  it was  an interesting read  .  The  thing which  fascinated  me was the  bare all  narration style  which is  typical of poonathil  stories  like  marunnu  .  This  narration style is  also  reflected  in his autobiography  .  Another  autobiography  by  gracy  the  malayalam writer  is also  quite  candid  in the  way  she  expresses  her  life  and  her  myriad  emotions  .  In  one  of the chapters  she  describes  a journey from her sisters  house  long after  the sun has  set  .  She describes  the circumstances  under which she  has to leave  her sisters house at that odd hour  .The  way  is  dark  and no one  is there  on the road  .  She  hears  a  footstep  behind her  and  turning around  she  saw a mongrel  dog  following her  without  harming her  from her sisters house  to her  house  .  She  tells us  that  though her sibling  had  no  problem  in sending her  off late  night   ,  a  dog had  the goodwill to give her  company  in her  journey  albeit  protecting  her from the  bad elements  . 

The  latest  i have  read  is by  rosemary  a malayalam poet  whom i  know  personally.  Hers   is not an autobiography but a series  of incidents  which she  observed  during her life journey  .  The chapter on "  the  treasure  guarding  angels "  and  many others  rang many a  bell  of people  i too have  seen in life  who  have  lot  of  wealth  but  neither  spend a penny on themselves  or  for others  . 

Though  i have not read  a  lot many  autobiographies  these  three  gave  me  a  lot  of  satisfaction  .  It  gave  me  knowledge  that  many  of the  thoughts  i had  about  people  which are  not expressed  are  candidly described  by these writers  . And  will i  write  an autobiography  ?  Why should i  , when  i  have  my  computer  and my blog  ..

meru cabs .....driven by a manager

Last  week i was  in  delhi  and  during  one  day  after  a late  exit  from the  office  called  for the  radio taxi meru  .  Usually  they send  an sms  telling  when the cab will arrive  but nowadays  the driver  calls  us  20 minutes  prior to pickup  .  Being  "excellent  " with telling directions  i answered  the driver  nevertheless  and then gave  the mobile  to my  colleague  so that he could  provide him with directions to delhi office  . 
My  friend  as well as  myself  were  amazed  at the  excellent  english  he  was speaking  .  I  also  noticed that compared  to usual meru drivers  who were  very  courteous  this guy  had  an air of authority  in his voice  (  not  rude  just  an air of  aurthority  like  a senior  company  official  )   .

In the cab  after  sometime  we started  to talk  and after  a few minutes  i asked  him  what  he did before  he joined  meru  .  I  had guessed  it right  ... he was indeed a senior  manager  who worked for a natural gas company  rendered  jobless  due to  closing down of the company  . The earnings at meru  are  decent  .  But  i  was thinking  and  also agreed  with  him  that  it was  destiny  that  made him where  he is now  .  And  i  felt  thankful  to the same destiny  that  i  am  in the rear  seat  of the  car   .  

This  incident  also  made  me remember  an incident  where  i  was  teaching  for  a week  at  a  big  hospital  at  tamil nadu  .  It  was an enjoyable experience with  the  owner  of the  hospital  ,  a padmasree won doctor  who was  a  great  host .  On  the  last day  when i was about to leave  , he asked  me  to join an annadaan ceremony  in which  he  used  to  serve  the  peon ,sweeper etc  of the  hospital  free  midday meals on behalf of the hospital  . My  role was to physically  serve  the  rice  to the  waiting  people  . 

After  serving  a few people  he called me  and asked  me  how  did it feel  .  I  told him  i felt wonderful  . 

Then  he asked me  which side  of the  rice  i was in  .  I  didnt understand the  question  .  Later  on i  realised  what he  meant  . His  point  was  it  was destiny  that  made  me serve  the  rice  to the  needy  rather  than  being  a  needy  person  with  a  bowl waiting for a free meal . 

I  think  we  should  be  happy  for  what  we  get  for  it could  have been much worse  .  Its  partly our hardwork but  the  bulk  of what we  get  is  destiny  .  Our  job is to make  the  best use  of it  .