Well, finally... something to write about. We, thats me and the wife, have decided to take a breather from the fire, sulphur and brimstone of corporate drudgery and enrich our lives with some south american culture. We arrived in Ecuador last night and looking forward to a few weeks of nature, history and a lot of very different food. We are heading out right now to a spot which is right on the equator... will let you all know how things turn out when we get back.

In Puerta Del Ray getting ready to set off for Culebra 

The lovely coast line stretches out behind us 

As I sat here in Detroit, MI and missed "India", it brought up the interesting question - What is "India" and what is it that I miss?

Is it the people - the chatwallahs at the markets plying their tasty treats in markets, the young kids standing at the street corners waiting for their school buses, the random cyclewallahs who consitute the teeming mass of people on any Indian road, the young professionals with their ties in their Maruti Zens who are in a hurry to go places, the auntijis as they haggle with the local sabziwallah...

Is it the language - the beautiful songs about the beatiful seasons, the exquisite facets of various kinds of love, the mighty rivers, breath-taking valleys and powerful mountains that abound in my country, the architecturally stunning craftsmanship of my country's temples? The ability of the language to accurately depict these beautiful elements of my country and evoke such strong feelings in me...

Is it the food - the unique mouth-watering treats that the wizards across the country can conjure up from the same raw materials available all over the world. The sheer breadth of culinary delight that is available to the everyday Indian is simply stunning and overwhelming to the first-timer. From the casual chats and bhelpuris to the more involved Bisibelabaths and Kazhis, the array is mouth-watering to say the least...

Is it the Cricket - the exhileration when Tendulkar rocks back and pulls Shoaib Akhtar over mid-wicket for a six, the adrenalin rush when Pathan swings the ball through the defences of a batsman, the sheer awe when Rahul goes down on one knee to cut a ball past the covers. When Ganguly runs out onto the pitch with his hairy torso, I am not repulsed but very proud to be Indian...

It is my parents - my sweet, caring and loving mother who watches out for my every need and has taken care of me throughout my life; a person who's life has revolved around me and my brother for as long as I can remember; her unfailing worry whenever I set out to do anything; her unerring, positive advice and guidance in every single aspect of my life. My gentle hard-working father who set out to give me all the possible opportunities in life; my father who travelled the globe spending time away from his family so that his family could have time together; my father who always led by example - an exemplary son and human being...

I dont think there is a single aspect that I can pick and call it "India" but it is a combination of all these factors which make my India the best place in the world!!!

I am currently back in India visting my folks - it is great to be back here. We celeberated Diwali for the first time in over 5 years back home with loads of crackers, sweets and most importantly - family!! I bought a whole bunch of crackers - laris, flowerpots, ground wheels, rockets and other assorted fireworks and we burst them all together as a family. My mother turned out to be the bravest of the parental lot - she was pooh-poohed at 300 walas and nonchalantly lit hydrogen bombs as a french aristocrat would light his cigarette and peer at it through his pince nez. It has been a super Diwali and one for the record books purely in terms of kgs of sweets consumed by the missus and myself. More to follow soon on this thread....

I guess I keep coming back to this blog from time to time....

But I have decided to be more dedicated and particular about posting to this log.

The other day....
I was thinking the other day about my grandmother (mother's mother) and what a really cool lady she is. She was the mother of 3 girls and 1 boy. She also raised another girl, who was the grand-daughter of my grandfather's first wife as her own. It's all very confusing (I know!!). But to raise this family without her husband and to have all of them become so successful in life is not a mean achievement. Each one of my cousins has done so well for themselves. The entire family has flourished and grown under her guidance. I am sure she had a lot of help from a large number of people and she had her share of luck too, but... it takes a lot of will power, strength and determination in those days to power through it all and get the family to its current position. CEOs of large corporations should take lessons from her...

Also, from a more personal perspective, I have come to Madras from Madurai on innumerable trips and she has always been there for me. As soon as she knew that I was coming, she would make my favourite - Murunka VethaKuyambu and Vendekai Curry!! She always knew all my favourite dishes - despite the fact that she had 10 grand daughters and grandsons. She would get me gifts and have me go out and eat at Saravanas each time I was at home.

Another facet of hers that amazed me was her perseverance in reading and discussing philosophy and mythology. Her interest in current affairs and its philosophical implications made for interesting discussions over hot dosas at dinner or lying down with my head in her lap in the afternoon. She would tell me stories of epic battles between mythical gods and demons with their magical powers and captivating situational dilemmas

My grandmother is now old and frail. She is restricted in her movements but is still upbeat about her life. She still reads avidly, listens to her music and talks to her children and grandchildren regularly.

I could write an entire book about my grandmother and it would not do her justice. This article is but a drop in the ocean of my experiences with her.

I hope she knows what I think of her and how much I love her. I am sure she is sitting in Madras right now and missing me...I for one am missing her a lot....

Its been a while since I wrote but here goes.....

I am not sure what it is about Hindi and Tamil movies that I feel so much at home with. I think I really miss the feelong of being at home. The US just does not feel like home. The smells, the chatter, the hustle-bustle - all of which go towards making me feel confortable. Above all, I guess I love the cultural colour and variegated beauty too much to try and live without it for too long. It is sad that my career and monetary objectives drag me this far from home. I think all of this aggravated since my wife is not with me as well. The romanticism in the hindi and tamil songs makes me long for her. The more I stay I here, the more it makes me appreciate India.

Yes - my country is poor, yes - it is polluted, yes - it is overpopulated and crowded, yes - it has a corrupt government....... but it is MY country and it is home !! I will always love it.

Watched the last quarter of the game on Sunday LA vs SA. Kobe is simply the master of Q4. Need to learn to stay in the moment from people like him. Amazing degrees of coolness under immense pressure. There is another game today back in our house - the staples center. Will be as exciting as ever. Completed prototype 4 yesterday - as exciting a day as ever. Went to this restaurant called the Bucca Di Beppos - family ishtyle. All food no fanfare. All (xcept Bimal and self) of us had Grappa one of the strongest liquors I have ever come across. The restaurant was lined with wine bottles on the roof. Interesting indeed...more later...