Life at Dharwad

Onion plant and flowers

2012-01-22T00:11:00.001+05:30

mid November 2011 near Tirlapur

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Orchid on Mango tree

2012-01-15T00:37:00.002+05:30

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Succulent plant with white hair

2012-01-08T00:04:00.003+05:30

I'm assuming the plant to be a succulent even though older leaves in this plant are not really thick but not too thin either.

New leaves are born with a layer of white hair to protect them from insect attacks.

New leaves are tender and filled with sap. Without protection these leaves would be an easy source of food for some insects. The plant has developed a simple but effective defence mechanism. The hairs could be sticky which would prevent insects from reaching the leaves.

As the leaves grow and mature, the hairs are shed. Grown leaves are visible in the background.

Some varieties of cactus have similar protective system.

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Little White Flower

2012-01-01T00:01:00.000+05:30

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Hibiscus Yellow

2011-12-28T00:28:00.001+05:30

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Sunset

2011-12-22T16:12:00.002+05:30

December 17 2011, between Somapur and Dharwad

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ಕೊಕ್ಕರೆ ~ Indian Crane

2011-12-21T00:31:00.000+05:30

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Caterpillar with spikes

2011-12-17T00:04:00.000+05:30

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Daily Hibiscus

2011-12-14T00:14:00.000+05:30

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Plain Tiger under a mango leaf

2011-12-07T00:10:00.000+05:30

Sunday morning I was at uncle's place for breakfast. While poori and vegetables got ready I went for a walk in the mango garden behind the house looking for spiders. Exploring the trees, I spotted this beautiful creature. My first thought why was it upside down? I approached it slowly and hurriedly took few shots expecting it to flutter away.

The little friend was unperturbed. Perhaps it was still cold and trying to get warm. The Tiger was flapping its wings real slow ...may be flapping is not the right word. Probably it wanted sun light to fall on its body too.

The Tiger continued to move wings for couple of minutes.

Sun light passing through the Tiger's wings casts a gold hue on the mango leaf.

The Tiger is absolutely still now.

I was happy my presence did not disturb my little friend.

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more leaves

2011-11-30T00:19:00.000+05:30

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Croton Leaf

2011-11-29T11:10:00.001+05:30

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Cosmos

2011-11-25T00:20:00.000+05:30

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Anthurium

2011-11-22T10:16:00.002+05:30

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Gerbera

2011-11-10T00:01:00.000+05:30

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Leaf like flower

2011-10-26T00:13:00.001+05:30

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Hibiscus like flower

2011-10-24T00:08:00.000+05:30

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drawings by a little girl

2011-10-13T20:02:00.005+05:30

Boy, Duck and Hen; that's what they are according to the little one who drew these. I could get the boy and the hen but the peacock turned out to be a duck! These little ones leave me confused but smiling :)

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Farmer quote

2011-10-05T00:38:00.002+05:30

The very first quote, I'm seeing, related to farmers-

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways" - John F. Kennedy

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Tumhi Ho Mata

2011-10-01T03:11:00.002+05:30

A sweet devotional song which can melt hearts.

the little child's acting is so good!

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ದ್ರಿಸ್ಟಿ ಗೊಂಬೆ

2011-09-28T00:05:00.000+05:30

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White Gladiolus Dalenii

2011-09-21T00:14:00.000+05:30

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Kittur Rani Chennamma

2011-09-14T03:46:00.005+05:30

A neat little pencil sketch of Rani Chennamma by Nirupa Vernekar.

If you wish to see paintings by various artists, click on Kittur Rani Chennamma.

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Ganesha Habba 2011

2011-09-04T12:37:00.013+05:30

KCD Circle

Sanmatinagar

Haliyal Naka, near AIR

Allikeri Chawl

Subash Road

Gandhi Chowk

Daroga Oni Ravivarpet

Javalipet

Kamankatti

Basti Oni, Shukravarpet

Hosayellapur

Dhyamavangudi Oni, Hosayellapur

Valmiki Oni, Hosayellapur

Shivanandnagar

Sangam Circle

Line Bazar

Tikare Road

Laxmi Circle

Yemmikeri, Malmaddi

Hindi Prachar Sabha

Saptapur Baavi

University Circle

Jayanagar

Omnagar, near Kelgeri Lake

Samudaya Bhavan, Kelgeri

Dyamavangudi Oni, Kelgeri

Koppadkeri

Ganesha Temple, Maratha Colony

Hebballi Agasi

Qila

Durgadevi Gudi

Sai Baba Temple, Kelgeri Road

To see last year's Ganeshas, click on Ganesha Habba 2010.
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ತುಳಸಿ ಎಲೆ ಮತ್ತು ಹೂವು

2011-08-31T00:03:00.000+05:30

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White Anthurium

2011-08-24T00:53:00.002+05:30

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Spider on a leaf

2011-08-17T00:13:00.001+05:30

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Green with a touch of velvety Violet

2011-08-10T00:02:00.001+05:30

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Red Gladiolus Dalenii

2011-08-03T00:40:00.000+05:30

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Friendship Day Greetings

2011-08-01T13:34:00.000+05:30

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It's a kind of magic

2011-07-30T06:57:00.001+05:30

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White

2011-07-28T14:40:00.002+05:30

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Leaves

2011-07-20T00:44:00.000+05:30

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Ficus Krishnae Fruit

2011-07-07T16:55:00.004+05:30

These pictures were shot third week of June 2011.

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ಸಂಪಿಗೆ ~ Sampige ~ Michelia Champaca Magnoliaceae

2011-07-01T00:32:00.001+05:30

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ತುಂಬೆಹೂವು ಮತ್ತು ಜೇನುಹುಳ

2011-06-30T00:31:00.003+05:30

Tumbe flower is one of Lord Shiva's favorite flowers, a soft velvety single petal flower with a mild aroma. I think thumbe-gida is a wild plant.

A moment before I shot, the bee zipped into the frame.

The bee would hover at a point for couple of seconds. In a flash it would be hovering at a different point. This particular type of bee has superb control on its movement- stop, hover, move, stop, hover.

Probably that's the way it inspects a flower before settling on it to gather nectar.

Wonderful creature!

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Sunny afternoon in Rainy season

2011-06-23T01:56:00.000+05:30

Two Philosophies

2011-06-16T05:14:00.000+05:30

Mid 90s, I was introduced to Kaizen by Dad. What ever you are doing, can be done better. A print-out was stuck in the office. We actually started practicing it. Its a simple method for continuous improvement. Improvement is step by step, flows smoothly, no drastic changes. Kaizen is applicable to all aspects of life. It helps to; change for the better.

Early 90s, ever since I got Kinetic-Honda scooter I started learning about Honda. Everything about Honda was impressive. Mid 90s I heard about Honda philosophy: Be close to customers: Understand their needs: Exceeds their expectations. I adopted it at work. Though we could not exceed our customers' expectations, our products & services quality improved a great deal. Our clients were happier than before and we cut down on wasteful activities. By late 90s, our team was organized, confident and capable.

These two philosophies made a huge difference in my life. From another point of view, I may have not achieved much in life but the Kaizen and Honda philosophies have helped me achieve what I have until now.

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Tailed Jay

2011-06-09T00:17:00.001+05:30

Unlike Crimson Rose this butterfly was much more relaxed with a human close by.

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What is it?

2011-06-05T16:20:00.001+05:30

Black tea. Saturday or Sunday mornings, I have it in the veranda listening to birds and watching morning traffic ...mostly early morning walkers. Some tend to stare at my glass for few seconds. I wish I could know what they imagined.

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Lady Bug

2011-06-02T16:09:00.001+05:30

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ಗುಲಾಬಿ ಬಣ್ಣದ ದಾಸವಾಳ

2011-05-30T00:01:00.000+05:30

At mama's mango garden.

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Something For God To Do

2011-05-16T00:34:00.000+05:30

A close family member sent this by email.

If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do Not attempt to resolve it yourself! Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. I will get to it in MY TIME. All situations will be resolved, but in My time, not yours.

Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now.

If you find yourself stuck in traffic, don't despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.

Should you have a bad day at work; think of the man who has been out of work for years.

Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return.

Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children.

Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.

Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.

Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity.

Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; remember, things could be worse. You could be one of them!

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Technologies you should know about

2011-05-10T18:44:00.005+05:30

This morning, a colleague called me to inform that she was unable to access her work email but websites were opening. "I'm trying to connect since 7 'O clock. I'm not able to open any email account. What to do now?" Since I could log into my email, I guessed problem may not be with work email accounts. I suggested her to switch off/on modem, restart PC, and check. If problem persists call me. Few minutes later, I see her chat message. Wow, problem solved!

So, that's SOSO Technology in action. SOSO = Switch Off, Switch On. See it actually works for PCs, modems, printers, mobile phones, and many other electrical/electronic stuff most times unless the problem is serious.

SOSO Technology is the younger sibling of HLM Technology. HLM = Hathodi Leke Maar which translates to hit with a hammer. For slightly delicate items, a good rap with your palm will do. While SOSO is for electrical/electronic gadgets, HLM is for mechanical stuff like locks, clocks, toys, workshop gear, etc.

Satish, a long time friend of mine, was the one who introduced the term 'HLM Technology' mid 1990s. With four years of experience in IT field, I came up with a term 'SOSO Technology' Technologies existed, its only the terminologies we introduced.

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Flowers and Leaves

2011-05-09T00:46:00.000+05:30

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Spiders

2011-05-02T01:40:00.002+05:30

These shots were taken on my first shooting session Canon 550D. Deepak, Durga and I went exploring fields in a village near Bengaluru. It was one cold December morning. Insects are inactive in cold weather, the best time to photograph them. Spiders were plenty.

Beads of dew dot every millimeter of the web.

Some sort of beetle I guess. By the look of it, it must be real cold.

Durga's real good at spotting insects and birds. She would keep pointing us insect after insect but we could shoot all...

Durga looks out subjects while Deepak shoots a tiny insect camouflaged on Chikoo tree stem.

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Little girl and a crow

2011-04-26T02:08:00.000+05:30

A three & half year old, sitting in a balcony with her granny, was taking her own sweet time to finish one chapati. Granny was after the little one to eat her chapati quickly... ಬೇಗ್ ಬೇಗ್ ಚಪಾತಿ ತಿನ್ನು. A crow on a near by tree started kawing; kaw kaw kaw... kaw kaw kaw. Little one told her granny "see even that crow is asking me to eat... काव काव" Granny was all smiles :)

Probably that crow was waiting for the little one to throw the chapati out of the balcony and/or the little one was looking for crow's help to finish the chapati. These little ones are smart... not as innocent as they seem to be.

This is the same little friend of Sounds within.

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Husbands first...

2011-04-25T00:05:00.000+05:30

Got this one from my Dodappa.

Barbara Walters did a story on gender roles in Kabul, Afghanistan, several years before our involvement in the Afghan conflict. She noted that women customarily walked five paces behind their husbands.

She recently returned to Kabul, and observed that women still walk behind their husbands. Despite the overthrow of the oppressive Taliban regime, the women now seem to, and are happy to, maintain the old custom.

Ms. Walters approached one of the Afghani women and asked, "Why do you now seem happy with an old custom that you once tried so desperately to change?"

The woman looked Ms. Walters straight in the eyes, and without hesitation said, "Land Mines."

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Flowers: shapes and shades

2011-04-18T00:54:00.000+05:30

Honey bee framed

2011-04-11T16:24:00.008+05:30

I was framing the shot and ready to shoot, this bee buzzed in and got framed. The bee was there for just a moment. By the time I could take another shot it was gone.

I wake up, reach Karnataka University campus, walk around Botanical Garden, select a flower to shoot and the bee had to choose the same flower at the same moment! What a coincidence!

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ಶಿವನಿಗೆ ಬಿಲ್ವ ಏಕೆ ಮತ್ತು ಹೇಗೆ ಅರ್ಪಿಸಬೇಕು?

2011-04-10T00:37:00.002+05:30

This poster was pasted to a wall in Ulavi Basaveswara Gudi.

ಶಿವನಿಗೆ ಬಿಲ್ವ ಏಕೆ ಮತ್ತು ಹೇಗೆ ಅರ್ಪಿಸಬೇಕು? ~ Why and how to offer Bilva to Lord Shiva?

ಬಿಲ್ವಪತ್ರೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಶಿವತತ್ವವನ್ನು ಹೆಚ್ಚಿಗೆ ಆಕರ್ಷಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವ ಕ್ಷಮತೆ ಇರುವುದರಿಂದ ಶಿವನಿಗೆ ಬಿಲ್ವಪತ್ರೆಯನ್ನು ಅರ್ಪಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಬಿಲ್ವಪತ್ರೆಯನ್ನು (ತ್ರಿದಲ) ಶಿವಲಿಂಗದ ಮೇಲೆ ಕೆಳಮುಖವಾಗಿಟ್ಟು ಅದರ ತೊಟ್ಟು ಶಿವಲಿಂಗದ ಕಡೆ ಮತ್ತು ಅಗ್ರಬಾಗ ನಮ್ಮ ಕಡೆ ಬರುವಂತೆ ಅರ್ಪಿಸಬೇಕು. ಶಿವಲಿನ್ಗದೆ ಮೇಲೆ ಬಿಲ್ವಪತ್ರೆಯನ್ನು ಕೆಳಮುಖವಾಗಿಟ್ಟು ಅರ್ಪಿಸಿದರೆ ಅದರಿಂದ ನಿರ್ಗುಣ ಸ್ತರದಲ್ಲಿನ ಸ್ಪಂದನಗಳು ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಪ್ರಮಾಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರೆಕ್ಷೆಪಿಸಿ ಅವುಗಳಿಂದ ಭಕ್ತರಿಗೆ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಲಾಭವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಶಿವಲಿಂಗಕ್ಕೆ ಸಾದ್ಯವಾದಷ್ಟು ಎಳೆಯ ಬಿಲ್ವಪತ್ರೆಯನ್ನು ಅರ್ಪಿಸಬೇಕು. ತಾಜಾ ಬಿಲ್ವಪತ್ರೆ ಸಿಗದಿದ್ದರೆ ಉಪಯೋಗಿಸಿದ ಬಿಲ್ವಪತ್ರೆಯು ಆಗುತ್ತದೆ, ಆದರೆ ಸೋಮವಾರದ ಬಿಲ್ವಪತ್ರೆ ಮರುದಿನ ಆಗುವುದಿಲ್ಲ.

ಧರ್ಮಶಿಕ್ಷಣ ನೀಡುವ ಸನಾತನ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆ

ಸ್ತಳೀಯ ಸಂಪರ್ಕ: ೯೩೪೨೫೯೯೨೯೯, ೯೩೪೧೧೧೧೪೭೬, ೯೩೪೧೯೧೪೫೫೭

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Bamboo

2011-04-07T00:00:00.001+05:30

Bamboo- a simple, straight forward plant. Natures way of supplying pipes versatile enough to become houses, furniture, baskets, and many more useful objects to aid humans.

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Lilies: White, Orange and Pink

2011-03-30T00:47:00.002+05:30

The modest Rose puts forth a thorn,
The humble sheep a threat'ning horn:
While the Lily white shall in love delight,
Nor a thorn nor a threat stain her beauty bright.

- William Blake

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Crimson Rose

2011-03-28T18:45:00.009+05:30

After a Sunday afternoon nap, I was at Botanical Garden's nursery shotting flowers with a wide angle lens. I saw a big black & red butterfly fluttering around but I did not attempt to shoot it. Butterflies are active and alert at this time of the day, no chance of catching them for a picture. But I had a wish to shoot this lovely creature ...one good shot or even a bad one would make me happy.

I was done with shooting flowers. I thought I'll try birds and switched over to zoom lens. I shot a crow. As I came close to nursery exit, my black & red friend started circling me. Something in my mind told me, it will sit close by. Yes! It landed on a plant less then 4 feet from me. That's just outside the minimum range of the lens. I caught it in my view-finder, luckily the lens was in auto-focus, click-click, I got two. As I was about to click the third time, it vanished from the frame. I waited for few minutes... no, that's it. ASHTE. I checked the pictures in the camera screen, they looked great even though I knew some portions would be blurred.

The one above is the cropped copy. Here are the original shots but reduced from '5184 pixels x 3456 pixels' to '1200 x 800'.

Notice how the wings have moved between the two shots?

Crimson Rose (Atrophaneura hector) is a large swallowtail butterfly belonging to the subgenus Pachliopta (Roses) of the Red-bodied Swallowtails (genus Atrophaneura).

Thanks to the friend who found the name of this butterfly for me.

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How I sleep cool in summer?

2011-03-23T01:18:00.001+05:30

Over the last few years I've simplified my sleeping equipment to the basics. A 7' x 4' cotton mat (jamkhana), a bedspread, pillows, a cotswool blanket, and a mosquito net. I spread the mat on the floor, the bedspread on the mat and the mosquito net hangs by it's four corners. Believe me it's bliss inside. Body heat is absorbed by the floor, the net keeps the pesky mosquitoes away and the blanket is optional. In this is set up I do not even need a fan instead I keep windows open. Simple, right?

My thoughts on conventional setup:

if you depend on AC or cooler or fan, a power-cut is likely to disrupt your sleep
noise generated by AC/cooler/fan has an effect on your sleep and also your mind
mattresses insulates heat and you need AC/cooler/fan to cool you down

The thought of sleeping on hard surface could be uncomfortable but once you get used to it, you may never want to sleep on a mattress. I personally believe sleeping on hard surfaces helps improve blood circulation and reduce fat accumulation to an extent. Don't ask me how, but I feel it does. Also the temptation to oversleep gets curbed.

There could be thousands of people who sleep on hard surfaces, yet I thought I should share the experience. Final thought- this setup is cool and green.

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Full Moon

2011-03-19T21:27:00.003+05:30

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Lichens

2011-03-16T00:17:00.000+05:30

Must be Physcia millegrana, a foliose lichen.

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Walking with Johnnie

2011-03-09T00:01:00.005+05:30

Even though I stay away from alcoholic drinks, I liked this advert. Watch it, you'll like it.

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Vegetable and Fruit shops

2011-03-02T00:01:00.000+05:30

The one I visit regularly for my kitchen needs.

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Dragon Fly

2011-02-23T00:01:00.003+05:30

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Pigeon nest

2011-02-16T00:01:00.002+05:30

Some time January 2011.

The first time I ever saw a pigeon nest.

That was from the left

...and from the right.

With my new Canon 550D.

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Seashells from Sindhudurg

2011-02-09T00:01:00.001+05:30

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Insects... by Canon

2011-02-02T00:01:00.001+05:30

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Flowers: January

2011-01-26T00:01:00.005+05:30

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And they say Kashmir belongs to them

2011-01-19T01:01:00.001+05:30

Got this by email.

An ingenious example of speech and politics occurred recently in the United Nations Assembly that made the world community smile.

A representative from India began:

'Before beginning my speech I want to tell you something about Rishi Kashyapof Kashmir, after whom Kashmir is named.

When he struck a rock and it brought forth water, he thought, 'What a good opportunity to have a bath.'

He removed his clothes, put them aside on the rock and entered the water.

When he got out and wanted to dress, his clothes had vanished. A Pakistani had stolen them.'

The Pakistani representative present in the United Nations Assembly on hearing this, jumped up furiously and shouted, 'What are you talking about? The Pakistanis weren't even there then. There was no Pakistan!'

The Indian representative smiled and said, 'And now that we have made that clear' , I will begin my speech.

"And they say Kashmir belongs to them"

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Art by Durga

2011-01-12T01:01:00.000+05:30

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New Year Card

2011-01-05T08:07:00.000+05:30

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lazy to work, active to relax

2010-12-22T01:11:00.000+05:30

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Sea-shells and Sea-plants

2010-12-15T01:11:00.003+05:30

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Skeleton of a leaf

2010-12-08T01:11:00.004+05:30

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ನಿನ್ನ ಉಡುಪು ನನ್ನದು

2010-12-01T01:01:00.000+05:30

I flipped head over heels for this song when I heard it on AIR on Children's Day.

Nanna Udupu Ninnadu by G K Venkatesh.

Great singing by Master Lohith!

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AIR goes silent for the first time

2010-11-25T08:44:00.003+05:30

I thought AIR had changed the frequency until I read Deccan Herald Wednesday morning.

Fot the first time in 55 years the radio waves fell silent acoss the state with the All India Radio going off teh air on Tuesday, reports DHNS from Bangalore. Reason: All employees of AIR went on a strike seeking a repeal of the Prasarbharathi Founders Day.

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6 months worth dirt gets washed off

2010-11-24T01:11:00.005+05:30

Sunday, I was determined to get my car cleaned; inside, outside, top and bottom. The mudguards had accumulated a inch thick layer of dirt over 6 months. I was the first customer of the day at 9-30 AM at JK Auto Service Station.

Vinay sprayed kerosene to the engine parts.

Then the wash.

Good job, it took over 2 hours to get the car cleaned. The car felt clean, lighter and few noises at the back had stopped after the wash.

JK Auto Service Station, about 250m from Dasankoppa Circle, Kelgeri Road, Dharwad. Vinay is the owner, you can contact him on 9880864586.

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Bhanuvara Madhyana at Botanical Garden

2010-11-17T01:11:00.003+05:30

A reddish brown dragonfly was a slippery customer, it took off before I could take picture.

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My favorite advert

2010-11-11T08:12:00.003+05:30

A 6 year old (that's my guess) telling his dad what he'll do when he grows up.

I'll join the army and hit enemies
I'll become a doctor and stitch patients
I'll become Sachin and hit sixers
I'll drive a Formula 1 car vrrrrooooooooooooo........

IOC sponsors Jayamala, a VivadaBharati show dedicated to Indian Army soldiers serving to protect our nation.

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Banta Singh at his Best

2010-11-04T17:25:00.002+05:30

Earlier this week, I got an email from my Dodappa (Dad's elder brother).

This particular joke won an award for the best joke in a competition held in Britain.

Banta Singh walks into a bar in London, orders 3 glasses of beer and sits in the backyard of the room, drinking a sip out of each one in turn.

When he finishes, he comes back to the bar counter and orders 3 more. The bartender asks him, "You know, beer goes flat after I fill it in the glass; it would taste better if you buy one at a time."

Banta Singh replies, "Well, you see, I have two brothers. One is in Dubai , the other in Canada and I'm here in London . When they left home, we promised that we'll drink this way to remember the days when we drank together."

The bartender admits this is a nice custom and leaves it there.

Banta Singh became a regular in the bar and would always drink the same way. He'd order 3 Beers and drink them in turn.

One day, he came in and ordered only 2 beers. All the other regulars notice and fall silent.

When he comes back to the bar for the second round, the bar tender says, "I don't want to intrude on your grief, but I wanted to offer my sincere condolences on your great loss."

Banta Singh looked confused for a moment, and then he laughs.... "Oh, no,"

He said, "Everyone's fine; both my brothers are alive. The only thing is . .

I have quit drinking"!!!

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Flowers grown at home

2010-11-03T17:38:00.002+05:30

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Morning sky in golden light

2010-10-27T01:11:00.000+05:30

Sept 21st morning- mist descended on Dharwad. Day was hot and hunid.

Sept 22nd early morning- heavy thunder storm, rain poured for almost 3 hours nonstop. Air was fresh & clear free from dust. Golden light from the rising Sun bathed the remaining clouds and a wonderful rainbow formed on the western sky.

...probably clouds blocked sunlight when I shot this picture.

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Change of name: Moon to Sun

2010-10-20T01:11:00.000+05:30

Name changed from Chandrakala to Suriyakala.

I found this amusing.

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M B A

2010-10-13T01:11:00.001+05:30

Few observations-

Grand plans
Talk big
Zero results

M.B.A. = Mediocre But Arrogant

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Sounds within

2010-10-06T08:37:00.003+05:30

About two weeks back I remembered an incident which happened years ago when dad was still with us.

I pressed my palms flat against my ears, shutting out all outside sounds to it and held them in place. A second or two later I realized I could still hear something ...a deep hum, like sound of river flowing in a distance. I'd asked dad what the sound was and the answer was- that's the sound of blood flowing inside you. Wow! I closed my ears and kept listening to the sound...

I asked few of my colleagues and friends to close their ears with their palm and tell what they could hear. Some said nothing. Some they did hear something but did not know what it was.

I'd also asked a special friend- a little girl who's going to be 3 years next month -to try it. First answer was 'don't know'. When asked again the little one's answer was 'washing machine'. What a smart answer that was!

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Power of Dreams

2010-09-29T18:57:00.002+05:30

Do watch this video ...it's worth the time.

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An old philosopher's axiom

2010-09-29T01:11:00.001+05:30

Health is the greatest possession,
Contentment is the greatest treasure,
Confidence is the greatest friend,
Non-being is the greatest joy.

...quoted in The Six Sacred Stones.

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Saturday afternoon colors at Botanical Garden

2010-09-22T01:11:00.003+05:30

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little poem on Ganesha

2010-09-15T16:21:00.003+05:30

ಗಣೇಶ ಬಂದ

ಕಾಯ್ ಕಡಬು ತಿಂದಾ

ಚಿಕ್ ಕೆರೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಬಿದ್ದಾ

ದೊಡ್ ಕೆರೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಎದ್ದಾ

a poem i learnt as a school-going kid

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Ganesha Habba 2010

2010-09-14T00:01:00.000+05:30

^ Line Bazar

Omnagar, near Kelgeri Lake

^ Tikare Road

^ Kelgeri village

^ Vegetable Market

^ Subash Road

^ Saptapur

^ Sanmatinagar

^ Sangam Threatre

^ Laxmi Theatre

^ Karnatak College

^ near Dattatreya Temple

^ near AIR main gate

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Siddheshwar & Company (Hubli)

2010-09-08T01:11:00.006+05:30

As a kid, I remember seeing "Siddheshwar" on cash tables in restaurants. I would show that to dad and say "...see my name." Hoteliers, jewelers and all types of business people know one name- Siddheshwar -to keep their valuables safe and secure. The brand name Siddheshwar has a seriously strong reputation- just like it's safes. In fact I know people who are totally loyal to the brand. You want a safe? It has to be Siddheshwar.

Two years back, ever since I stepped into online marketing, I noticed few Indian brands which have been in the market for decades. The ones which I have seen and been with are Mysore Sandal Soap, Cycle Brand Agabathi, Monkey Brand Tooth Powder, Thakur Pedha of Dharwad and of course Siddheshwar. One of my colleagues, Chetan from Hubli was in contact with the owner and we planned a visit.

That's the factory building.

Neelakantappa Kammar, the founder started manufacturing safes at home in 1918. A natural talent, with a keen sense for quality, expanded the business over the decades. Today the company is head by the founder's grandson Raviraj Kammar, son of Late Guruputrappa Kammar.

The company makes a variety of safes- Hotel Cash Table, Temple Model, Sarafi Safe for jewelers, Burglar Proof Safes, Fire Proof Safes, etc.

A Hotel Cash Table. We learnt from Shivanand Hadanur, a senior clerk, that blue is the standard color.

The brand logo in steel.

We went around the shop floor starting with shaping machines and lathes. Most of the machines are pretty old. In fact one of the lathes is supposed to be 80 years old.

He's one of the two turners. Lathe operators are called turners.

This is a Shearing Machine, an imported model. There were other machines like bending machine, rolling machine, etc. - all imported few decades ago. One of the names- F.J.Edwards Ltd. London NW1.

A strong room door. Many banks are this company's customer.

The master sheet metal workers. These are the hands which shape the safes. Most of the work is manually done. In fact I was trying to locate a drawing, a vernier caliper, a height gauge... no. Nothing. This is amazing! While I was into manufacturing I could not imagine a moment without drawings, digital caliper, depth gauge, etc. These guys are truly amazing. In fact I saw numbers scribbled on floors or half-made products. I felt I was transported back to 1940 or 50s.

What ever the technology, the quality is not questionable. A dial lock or a number lock unit. This is manufactured here. Again most of the work is manual.

And this is the master lock maker, at his work place. The simple desk is the origin of one of the best locks. Locks which no one else except this master can open.

Lock & Keys. Why four keys? This lock operates with two keys- 1 and 2. Safes with this locking unit need both keys to lock or unlock. These are 10 lever keys- not very easy to duplicate. These were the biggest keys I had ever seen.

This is another strong room door in the making for a customer in Karnataka. Once finished the whole assembly could weigh around 3000kg. I wonder what would be size of the strong room to have a door of this size.

The tour was... what to say... never mind. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I was happy to be walking on a shop floor among machines and metal and metal-workers.

We said bye to Raviraj, Shivanand, Shadakshrayya, Basavantappa and few other members of this legendary organization I had come in contact with. I call it legendary because it's considered as a University for Safes & Locks, place where hundreds of people learnt the art of lock making.

I wish to see this brand for the years to come.

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Creative error

2010-09-01T01:12:00.000+05:30

One of the resumes, "female" was typed as fe-male.

I wondered, someday if I would see femail.

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Asters

2010-08-26T17:48:00.003+05:30

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Dharwad a major textile manufacturing center?

2010-08-25T01:11:00.002+05:30

That was news to me when I read Malabar Days. This interesting blog by Nick Balmer, a descendant of a British officer who was incharge of Dharwad jail, gives you a glimpse into textile manufacturing activity in Dharwad and Hubli 180 years ago.

Industries related to textiles in this region I know are; Garag where khadi is woven in two handloom units at Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Samyukta Sangha and Bhoruka Textiles Limited at Sattur.

Apart from these two there's nothing (I know) that can connect Dharwad to textile manufacturing. I spoke to few long-time residents of Dharwad and learnt that there were people who were into textile business many years ago and many such merchants shifted to gold trading.

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Spell as you speak

2010-08-23T01:11:00.000+05:30

Some years ago, in Manish complex, right above the elevator button I saw a hand-written sale notice of household items posted by a resident, an Iranian who was planning to move back to Iran. One of the items was "Cut". Few minutes of thinking, could not figure out what "Cut" could be. I decided to check with the Irani. I rang his door bell, he himself answered.

me: I saw your list of items. What is "cut"?

Irani: Cut... you sleep on it ...cut ...bed.

me: Oh! You mean cot?

Irani: Yes yes cut. You interested to buy my cut? Good condition.

me: No thanks!

:)

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Ulavi Basaveswara Temple

2010-08-18T01:08:00.001+05:30

A peaceful temple. It's silent here most times.

It is said that Monday is Lord Shiva's day. Monday mornings on my way to office, I stop here for a minute to pray. It would be good way to start the week with Lord Shiva's blessings.

This temple seems to be an old one. Going back to the days when walking, bullock carts and horses were the only modes of transportation, traveling pilgrims would live under this shelter. They would spend few days and then move on to another temple.

Four pillars would mark one compartment which would be occupied by a family. Every compartment had a nest in the wall for an oil lamp. The floral painting and the text on the wall are of course recent additions. Every compartment has one proverb.

The temple is well maintained and who ever is in charge takes real good care. This temple has four elephants- two big ones outside at the entrance and two small ones at the inner temple entrance. This particular elephant looks as though it's angry...

This is a Bilva Patri tree. It is said that Lord Shiva likes Bilva Patri leaves and it's quite common to see at least one tree in every Shiva temple's premises.

There's also an ancient mango tree, two or three tamarind trees and plenty of coconut trees. And I'll mention about birds which live amongst these trees. If you are a resident of Dharwad and not been here, do make it a point to see this temple. You'll like it.

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Sunday afternoon at Botanical Gardens

2010-08-11T01:46:00.000+05:30

Heard on BBC2

2010-08-10T11:26:00.001+05:30

Briton Becomes First To Walk Amazon River

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Insects 'eye' saw

2010-08-04T01:23:00.000+05:30

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Tapovan

2010-07-28T01:03:00.002+05:30

I was in high school (mid 80s) when I first heard about Sri Kumara Swamiji and Tapovan. I remember coming here few times with granny, mom, Deepak, Suresh mama and cousins. As far as I remember, I saw Swamiji just one time. Praveen, my mom's brother, had told me that Swamiji could read our minds just by looking at our faces. I was... what to say ...little nervous about facing Swamiji. He was the most gentle person I'd ever seen.

That's the room he used to spend most of his time meditating. Devotees would wait outside this little room to get a chance to see and speak to this great saint. I remember sitting there waiting for Swamiji to emerge from the room. He would be seated on the little platform while he spoke to the devotees. People would come here asking for advice on several problems. We too were here to seek advice to improve my parents' strained relationship. Swamiji had suggested dad should feed sajji grains to sparrows every morning for few months. I wondered how that could help and many years later realized how it worked. Watching little birds hop and pick grains thrown at them had a calming effect on a troubled mind. Many years later I picked the habit of feed pigeons at Manish Complex.

Going back to childhood days, I remember Deepi, Suresh mama and two little cousins spend a week or so here at Sumeru, living quarters for devotees. Deepak had described how much fun it was. It seems they would wake around 5AM, take cold bath, say prayers and do Yoga. I was happy not to been there ...cold bath at 5AM! Madness! Food would be served in the kitchen. Memories are sketchy ...an aged woman did the cooking, something like that. Many years later I realized the spiritual benefits of this routine. Though I never did Yoga, I've been taking cold bath for many years now. A two minute after bath prayer is a part of my routine for the last few years.

The Divine Temple is a meditation hall for devotees. Strict rules apply to those who wish to meditate inside. Devotees are supposed to take a bath, dress in fresh white clothes, write "HE PRABHO PRASEED AUM" 1008 times to qualify for an entry into The Divine Temple. I asked the caretaker I wanted to experience it. He asked me to write my name and contact number in a register. I would be contacted for my turn. I asked for a tentative date. Caretaker's words left me dumbfounded- may be two years. Wow! I'm still waiting for that call.

Back those days Tapovan was 4kms away from Dharwad. Today, the city is grown that far slowly swallowing the ashram...

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Riddle i created

2010-07-23T13:19:00.004+05:30

What is that one can give but does not have?
What is that one can take but cannot keep?

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heard on Breakfast with Chris Evans, BBC2

2010-07-21T01:02:00.000+05:30

A chicken was walking on London streets and bumped into James Bond.

James Bond introduces himself "I'm Bond, James Bond."

The chicken responds back "I'm Ken, Chic Ken."

:)

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Is this Love?

2010-07-14T01:30:00.000+05:30

Trees are there standing peacefully providing fresh air, shade and what not.

And look at how it gets paid back.

Why did this tree have to suffer for these vandals' love?

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Sunday afternoon at Botanical Garden

2010-07-12T11:06:00.002+05:30

This year's rainy season reminds me of Year 2000 ...failed monsoon rains. Many plants in Botanical Garden's greenhouse looked dull because of lack of water.

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