Evening Hour - Readers Guild Reading Marathon

I had come to know about Evening Hour when I was bedridden for a while thanks to the nonstop back-to-back fractures between October '10 and Feb '11 through Siri.

Met Priyanka of EH over the phone and got some books through order, need to get a few more but got busy in the life.... err lazy in life.  A new set of books arrived in the local library, with a little push from Sireesha and her reviews on books, my love for reading came back full force.  Flipkart, is my new temple, yeah yeah it is!!! considering the discounts, the prompt service to this remote area, free shipping, a large repository of books and excellent service and support from the customer.

To be honest, our local "Graama Grandhaalayam" is one place which has kept me sane through my troubles, read all sort of junk, every single magazine that they got.. some very good books.Thanks to everyone mentioned above, I am back in the world of books that I love to read rather than pick from the ones I get from the local library.  I make sure that each kid I know has a membership in the library, which costs mere 50/- for lifetime and has a lot of kids books (the best gift one could give to a kid), a chance to explore the world in words and aim for whatever is best suited to her/his interests

Thanks to everyone mentioned above, I am back in the world of books that I love to read rather than pick from the ones I just get from the local library.  When Priyanka announced the Readers Guild Reading Marathon, I was the first to jump in joy.  With the shift in work place, training modules, rigorous grind of introduction various accounts, increased number of work hours, a cranky kid due to lack of attention from me, it most certainly is not going to be an easy task but I am all excited, made a list of books I need to read or re-read and go for it, not for the heck of it but because I know that is going to do a whole lot of good to me... that CAN DO feel!!!

This Summer Expand your horizons, Hone your reading skills, Read Books from new genres, Discuss writing styles, Write book reviews for the world to read, Meet authors, poets, n wannabes, All with a single ticket to EveningHour Library! Participate in Reader's Guild Reading-Marathon When you read 26 books and pen their reviews, You will be added to the Finishers Raffle! You will receive a certificate at the awards ceremony! Winner from the raffle will get a prize! Award Ceremony June 5th 2011 All with a single ticket to EveningHour library!

The FB link is here...
HERE..

The rules are simple... register self in the FB... pick a book of your choice, be it from the EH library or any place of your choice, read it, send a review to the mail box...

Rules
*****

There is no fee per se. If you are in Hyderabad, you can take our (EveningHour) membership for availing the books. But, if you are elsewhere, you could choose to get the books from your local library.

Regarding the list, any! Comics won't count for any age group. The size of the book has to be reasonable per the age group. For example, reading 25 page story book won't count for an adult while it is perfectly fine for a kid.

Come join me in this marathon which starts Tomorrow and ends on June 04... 26 books in 41 days, a tough task in the busy mechanical lives but for book lovers it would be a treat and a challenge worth undertaking..

I would love to see
Sunitha, Sandhya, Sirisha, Rajesh, Chandu (Neninthe), Sireesha and the rest of the gang to do it... Keerthi, you can do too if time permits with Vicky Pandu.. join me and do let me know you did okay!!!!!

Am all excited and all set.

Jaago re Jaago... another Sirivennela gem!!

One song that got me going and motivated for the tough grind ahead in the training.. errr... re-training modules for the new job... wish me luck for two different reasons, the other I will in the next post.. for now for the new job.

I accept unashamedly that I am a movie bug, they are kind of everything to me after the books :).. One movie I so wanted to watch for a while and then finally had to watch it on TV the other day is GHS, with shades of Chakde,  I like this one better.  By the way, I like Sumanth and his choice of movies, diverse and different and performance intense... Swathi was soooooo pencil thin and looked like a kid in front of him, I enjoyed my movie watching time after long and picked up a Sirivennela gem from the movie..


Movie:  Golconda High School

oka vittanam molakettatam sarikottagaa gamanichudaam
niluvettuga tala yettadam nerpendukade holi paatham
munivellatho meghaalane meetentagaa yedigaam manam
pasivaallala ee mattilo yennalilaaga padi vuntaam
vurike mana kanureppallo, veligiddaam rangula swapnam
idigo nee daaritu vundani, sureeduni raa rammandaam
jaago jaago re jaago

aakaasam nundi sootigaa dookeste vunna paatuga
yemautaanantu chinukalaa aagindaa bedurugaa
kanuke aa chinuku yerugaa, aa yere varada horuga
intintai yedigi antaagaa anterugani sandramaindigaa
sandeistunte atigaa samkalpam neraveradugaa
alochana kanna twaraga adugeddam aarambhamga
jaago jaago re jaago

ye pani mari asadhyame kade.. aaaa nijam mahaa rahasyamaa
vese padam padam pade pade padadosey savvallane yedurkomma
modalettaka munde mugise kadha kaade mana ee payanam
samaraaniki sye anagalige samsiddhatha pere vijayam
jaago jaago re jaago

Listen to it HERE

Another song


adugeste ande dooramlo hellohooo
adigo aa taaraa teeramlo chalohooo
atu choodu yenta thaluko, adi vacchi vaalenanuko
kanulinta yenta velugo chusukohoo
idhi neti aadamarupo, marunaati melukolupo
venuventa velli ipude telchuko
adugeste andhe dhuramlo

kondanta bhaaram kuda teliggaa anipistunde
gundello sandehaalem lekunte
gandaalo sudigundaalo vunte vuntaayanukunte
sandramlo saage naava natayam chestunnatuntunde
ee naava potunte, ye maargam ninu yenaadoo aaapadani
saradaagaa doosukelipo kadadaaka aagananuko
kalaganna repunipude kalusuko

Utsaaham parugulu teestu visraante vaddanukunte, aayaasam kooda yento haayele
poraatam kuda yedo aatalle kanbadutunte, gaayalu gatraa chalaa maamoole anipistaayante
nee gamyam yedainaa, vellalegaani rammante raadu kada
prati paata kotta malupe, prathi poota aasa merupe
prati chota gelupu pilupe telusuko 

idhi neti aadamarupo, marunaati melukolupo
venuventa velli ipude telchuko

Can any one beat Sirivennela in inspiring me in the language so simple and yet strong!!!

Things we take for granted...

There are so many things that we take for granted, sight is one of them.. use it judiciously both when with us and after us.

I remember the feeling when we gave my grandmother's eyes.. with her lifeless body in front of me and the choice, I chose yes because those will live on for another lifetime in two different people... i know a part of amma is still seeing the world I see and that is a huge comfort.

Some genuine questions out there....

I happened to check this on FB and felt some questions are genuine and whoever the Quick Indian Fox is has a point; however, I have a slightly different viewpoint... will put in my views when I find time to.. this is for quick reference to remind me I should..

Share in your views for sure.

Time for some mad music...100% Love

I happened to listen to the songs of 100% Love and must say, I liked them... ignoring the lyrics the music in the album is fun but the point is they are too clear to ignore.. on a serious note, some of the words that I would not want the kid to listen or enjoy, phew the paranoid momma syndrome showing its ugly hood again :(.

a square, b square is a song that I fell in love with instantly.. Devi Sri's voice and surprise to me Colors Swathi sang that song too, could figure it out easily though listening to her voice, liked the guy's version a bit better but Swathi's was relatively easier to understand.  This a square b square stuff is something that haunted in me school and college I **hate** math you see :(), but for a change I love it here :).  The other songs are catchy too but

Heard Nenu Naa Raakshasi too but not an impressive first feel, liked the theme song though... haunting but I think music that you need to listen more than once to get involved, something that kind of grows on you!!!... For the movie it has that curiosity factor after the much appreciated leader for Rana and considering that I consider him Smart, looking forward to see the movie.. DMD, I think I will give it a skip.. it is NNR for me and 100% also on the list considering that I kind of like that kid Chaitanya... the visuals feel fresh and good.

Watched Gaganam the other day.. felt the movie was rushed, amateur and not paid attention to, but still chalega considering it is an experiment in Telugu, one after Eenadu.

About Anna

A mail forward that has been doing rounds for a while.. a good quick refresher.. It is just the beginning.


10 things to know about Anna Hazare and Lok Pal Bill

1. Who is Anna Hazare
An ex-army man. Fought 1965 Indo-Pak War.

2. What's so special about him?
He built a village Ralegaon Siddhi in Ahamad Nagar district, Maharashtra.

3. So what?
This village is a self-sustained model village. Energy is produced in the village itself from solar power, biofuel and wind mills.

In 1975, it used to be a poverty clad village. Now it is one of the richest village in India. It has become a model for self-sustained, eco-friendly & harmonic village.

4. Ok,...?
This guy, Anna Hazare was awarded Padma Bhushan and is a known figure for his social activities.

5. Really, what is he fighting for?
He is supporting a cause, the amendment of a law to curb corruption in India.

6. How that can be possible?
He is advocating for a Bil, The Lok Pal Bill (The Citizen Ombudsman Bill), that will form an autonomous authority who will make politicians (ministers), beurocrats (IAS/IPS) accountable for their deeds.

7. It's an entirely new thing right..?
In 1972, the bill was proposed by then Law minister Mr. Shanti Bhushan. Since then it has been neglected by the politicians and some are trying to change the bill to suit thier theft (corruption).

8. Oh.. He is going on a hunger strike for that whole thing of passing a Bill ! How can that be possible in such a short span of time?
The first thing he is asking for is: the government should come forward and announce that the bill is going to be passed.
Next, they make a joint committee to DRAFT the LOK PAL BILL. 50% goverment participation and 50% public participation. Because you cant trust the government entirely for making such a bill which does not suit them.

9. Fine, What will happen when this bill is passed?
A LokPal will be appointed at the centre. He will have an autonomous charge, say like the Election Commission of India. In each and every state, Lokayukta will be appointed. The job is to bring all alleged party to trial in case of corruptions within 1 year. Within 2 years, the guilty will be punished. Not like, Bofors scam or Bhopal Gas Tragedy case, that has been going for last 25 years without any result.

10. Is he alone? Whoelse is there in the fight with Anna Hazare?
Baba Ramdev, Ex. IPS Kiran Bedi, Social Activist Swami Agnivesh, RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal and many more.  Prominent personalities like Aamir Khan, Kapil Dev are supporting his cause.

Ok, got it. What can I do?
At least we can spread the message……


Well, I did and take a personal vow to stay free of corruption and report it or try to stop it.. how about you?

To My Little Big Girl!!!

Chitti Kuttaai,

There are a lot of butterflies in my belly as I sit about typing this waiting for you to wake up on your BIG day, the day 2 years ago, that you came into this world from the womb and are here for a while to come.  This was the exact same feeling I had a couple of years ago, getting ready for the big event at the designated time they decided to separate you from me, cutting off the common cord we had but trust me to me, it is still there though no one can see it.. I feel it, something that connects you to me even when you are very much on your own.  Something that still tunes our minds and bodies, the little discomfort you have and I almost kind of have a reflex no matter where I am and what I am doing.  I go blank but I feel that blankness almost simultaneously.  It is no longer the blood that flows between us, it is the LOVE, the incredible connection, the strongest and most vital reason for life.

People may find it silly but I knew your existence from the very beginning and come to think of it, it is very very strange and even the doctor said so when I refused to take any medication in spite of being terribly sick until I find the result negative and when it did indeed turn out so.  The journey began a little earlier than when I could actually see you, that teeny tiny dot on the scanner screen at 5 weeks which could have been anything and the reality sunk in with the heartbeat at 6 weeks, loud, clear, resounding and REASSURING!!!  Trust me it has been a phenomenal voyage for both of us.

Mad with rage at not being understood, uncerainity as to how to go about and the extreme hormonal surges nothing.. NOTHING.. really worked in favor of us, as you grew inside, so did the fears but so did the confidence though at that point in time, it was masked with a whole lot of clumsy emotions.   Carrying you and raising you in the initial few months were a blur of extremes and the toughest, longest and the most tiring and draining roller coaster ride  of events for me but all through, it was you that were my strongest and weakest points, the highest and lowest points being related to you.

It was and is still not an easy thing to face you and be all that happy and pretend that world is an awesome place to be.  I have had my moments of wavering and swaying and staggering and cursing myself for the decision to stick on but let me be quick in reaffirming to you that never once were you felt undeserving, it was me who felt like I did not deserve you and the world not fit for your arrival.. you are and will always be that special to me.

I have enjoyed you thoroughly this year, with things falling into place, perspectives becoming more clearer, distractions much lesser and most of all me emerging a better person, most definitely than I was all the while.  I am a more relaxed parent as opposed to the paranoid mother I was the first year of your life with jumpy nerves and always on the guard.  The second year of yours saw me more organized, settled and relaxed with clear future goals and much more stronger resolution to keep things the way they are, providing you with the best calm clutter-free environment so vital for your foundation years.  Career wise too there have been some changes, a whole lot of adjustments but everything is worth the moments I get to spend with you and yes, we look at financial foothold a little later for now it is you and me and our time.

Well, I know everything I mentioned so far will go over the top at this point but there will come a time when you will understand and would want to actually know what goes through my mind at this very second and here it is for you.

It is tough to resist that tempting smile after a naughty deed and most of the times it is "us" together who end up doing stuff together so it just fine with me.  But I am the one who is to do the "disciplining" bit though let me tell you, I hate it to the core to raise my voice on you and your refusing to eat a single morsel running and jumping around the house saying No, no, noooooooooooooo is not helping  things either.  One more thing kid, I dont want you to be obedient kid I want you to be a happy, self-sufficient kid.  You need not always LISTEN to me other than at times like getting some nutrition that your growing body needs and yes STOP LICKING THAT FOOTWEAR AND CARRYING THEM AROUND AND PUTTING THOSE HANDS IN YOUR MOUTH... see, I need more restraint, I will get to it.. just give me some more time.  I hate screaming but end up doing it when I see you doing either of them, so please please please understand and yes God, grant me the patience to deal with it.. I know this is just the beginning and there are many more to come, so time to loosen up a bit.

The dancer in you pretty is much alive from your days in the womb and you sing along pretty decently too inventing your own steps much to my delight.. Our visits to Kuchipudi, the dances on TTD channel and the performances once in a while did ignite that passion to learn and kid, you are an amazing performer not because of the finesse of the art form but for the way you really really enjoy, retain the same zest in all things you do and life will bestow its best at your footsteps.

I am the one who wants to baby you a little longer but you are racing towards life to get it all with a lightening speed, there are times when I feel breathtakingly lonely when you no longer cling on to me and are on your own in your own world but then isnt that what I want you to do ultimately... well, maybe a little slower.  I am humbled by how much you give without expecting much, just a good job and a bit of undivided attention to whatever you are doing and you are in seventh heaven.  It is like you are an expert on what Geeta has to preach while I am still trying to grasp, let alone practice.

You have earned yourself some real loyal friends and must say they learn it from you, to stick to them, be so, 'cos they are the ones who tide you through it and stick on to you no matter what.  If you have one good friend and be one good friend to someone, you will have had it all in your lifetime, so work on it and never take them for granted.

I have all my life tried to look for someone to complete me but proved wrong time and again until I got that complete acceptance of me as a whole along with all my flaws giving me a feeling of worth and worthiness and security and that feeling of complete fullness I had not prior to experienced.  I am now totally aware of the fact that no feelings last for ever and they do keep changing so am cherishing each and every moment of my glory. Thanks for filling my life with light, while we are together looking for the light at the end of the tunnel, you are that inherent light within me that shows me the path to get to it..

I know I can go on and on and on and on...so, on this day my daughter.. here is a wish that you get everything that you desire and most importantly that you DESERVE.

Love you sweettoo pie..

and in your language.. you have done a very good job (clap, clap, high five, super!!), siya baby bangaam.. bhale pandu baby.. and most of all, you are amma's little trukkaai chichkaai,... her little cuddly bundle who is no longer a bundle and in fact quite a handful :)))...

madly in love which kind of seems to be getting deeper each day..
yours forever,
amma, aaaaaaaaani daaling, meemaaw or whatever that you blabber :).

Anna!!! Let the Wave Turn To Be A Tsunami Washing Out Corruption...

I have come across so many people, noble and working for varied reasons when in prep for civils but all I remember of those names is what they have done, which year, the numbers, the statistics, the plans, bills, years.. for the general studies coverage more than an actual interest in the person as such.. and Anna Hazare.. is one such individual...

I have read about The Model Village and dreamt of doing the same to my village but if I put to practice, at least 0.01% of those racing thoughts I guess I would make a lot more difference that I only seem to speak of.    I start doing something at a very very very tiny level and get worked up if the benefactors say something or do not respect the work I am trying to do and then give it up for a while, never a concrete decision to go and give it my best.. maybe I am searching for reasons not to do it or delay it further.  Because for sure, he must have faced them too and the fact that he has overcome them itself is a proof that anyone can.

Fight against corruption, a tirade against all odds.. where basic things do not get done if we want to get them done properly, the right to information which is not seen half of the times.

Empowerment of villages, the grass roots and corruption free backing to that cause will surely be a giant leap in getting India from DEVELOPING nation to a DEVELOPED nation status.

For small things like RTI (right to information) which takes almost 60 yrs. to come into place after independence and then with a lot of opposition and political pressure from all corners, if and if we were to carry on a silent protest Lokpal Bill will never ever get passed.

Time to take a tiny step to a big movement.. no talk.. just ACTION.

Go Anna Go.. We are with you...

It is not just the match and cup and all the fancy stuff we care about.. WE, THE YOUTH OF INDIA support you.. JUST GO.. DO NOT GIVE IT UP... ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING FOR A BETTER WORLD FOR THE GENERATION NEXT.


SPREAD THE FIRE.. BURN THE DEMON!!!!!

CSAAM - Exploration.. Abuse???

I just could not get this out of my system nor could I tell this to anyone.  It left me in a state of shock which I am yet to come out from.  It takes my everything to come out about it and put it in words in a way that it makes sense to me and to the readers, that is the least to say about its impact.

On one of my numerous trips to Gdw, for system related stuff, I had to drop an address proof for my secondary broadband NetConnect activation.  I had to feed the kid and pat her to her afternoon nap before I go out and by the time I reached the place, as luck would have it the guy had just  gone for lunch considering it was the power-cut time (12 p.m. to 2 p.m.) which left me no option but to wait outside the shop situated in the NTR stadium in the shade for that guy to return after placing him a call on his mobile to trace him out.  It happened then, nearly a month ago.

There were 2 kids aged between maybe 8 to 12 years at the max.  They were real dirty kids with the most disheveled appearance, bodies that have not been washed for days, hair maybe for months... clothes, that barely covered their bodies leaving them semi-naked, maybe never.. they were that bad.  My heart went out for them and I shifted places from one end to another end just to talk to them to see if they had their lunch and talk to them as to where they were from and usually sweet talk to them about hygiene and see if my talking to them would help them at least a bit.

What I ended up seeing and listening to, instead, is something that will be etched in my memory for ever.  From far, I thought the kids were horsing around, roughhousing or monkeying around like the other kids their age but in reality the boy kid was uttering some choicest of abuses, telling her what he is trying to do to her and that he loves her, mounting on her, kissing and biting the girl to which the girl was giggling away and God knows what he was up to because I kind of was paralyzed as realization stuck me.  When I pulled myself together and screamed at the kids to get up and come to me to talk to me, another shocker followed.. the boy kid got up to shout back "is this your place.. go mind your business." By then I had lost all the senses, could not utter a word, just stood there with my feet rooted to the ground and weighing like a ton or so to even lift up and reach them.  Then, the shopkeeper next to the place where the kids were came from lunch and asked me what the problem was and shoo'd the kids away, I can NEVER forget the look of hatred in the kids' eyes before they left the place cursing me and when the people around me asked me as to why I was too shaken and visibly pale and shocked, I had no answer but to cry, sob heavily and feel like a moron doing that.

This was something I could not tell anyone, I kind of felt ashamed to put in words.. why?? I dont really know.

What could I have told the kids if I gathered my senses, could they have understood the consequences of what they were trying to do even if I tell them.  How would I even start talking to them.  What is it that lead to such a situation.  Who was responsible for all this.  How come the kids who had nothing to wear, hardly anything to eat think about anything but food and hunger and for God's sake where is their childhood??  If I call it exploration of things they happen to see maybe day in day out from the place they come from or the places they happen to visit in search of seeking alms.. then what is abuse??  So many questions???  These very thoughts shook my entire being, questioning the morals of the society and a lot more things.

This is also a sort of CSA but how do we tackle it.. where do we begin the change.

It is not a big deal sighting such things in the remote areas, talking about it, doing it in semi public is not as shameful an act in the downtrodden and the economically weaker sections as it is for the middle class and the lower middle class group or putting it this way, the more civilized group.  When I came back to the village for good and see the drunken group, men and women included get undressed on the roads in a state of stupor to be chased away by the villagers, I felt it was all real dirty but then gradually I had come to terms with it that no matter how much we try to preach, they only end up abusing us that it is none of their business and for a woman to go and kind of dare to even look at them is unheard of in the village.  I did not too until the incident mentioned above but NOW I have decided to speak, mildly, properly and wildly and violently if need be immaterial to the fact as to what I would be termed as by my co-villagers who set out rules for the "so-called respected lady's dos and donts" on the need not to expose their primal desire in front of the kids, those kids who know nothing than the basic needs food shelter and clothing who, I now begin to realize, consider Sex as yet another need that has to be satisfied just like the other three.

Here, I am concerned about who is the predator and who is the prey.. it is most definitely a form of abuse and falls under the category of CSA and a problem maybe more specific to uneducated lot.  When our children, who we very well protected, sheltered and cared for become victims of abuse there is no saying about the class of people I am talking about.  Is shooing them away from that spot and shouting at them or beating them black and blue and launching into a verbal assault when we sight them the only thing that can be offered to them?

I have looked at the Suggested Topics in the blog and realize there is so much more.  It is just the beginning, this drive is making people aware of things but the awareness is pertained to the educated, those who can read, those who have net connectivity, those who have time to spare from the busy routine what about those kids???? A million dollar question for me... but then again, one thing at a time, let us tackle it the way we can to begin with and then get into deeper issues.

Now that I am out with it, this post took around 5 hrs to come about, there is still so much of haziness in thought, so much of anger, so much of despair, so much of a feeling that I cannot really put in words.  I realize I need to talk, I realize I need to share, I realize I need to DO SOMETHING and how and what is something that needs a little more time I guess.

CSA Month

In a country where talking about sex between consenting elders is a taboo, I can only imagine what it would be to mention about the child sexual abuse which very happens but kept buried under many many many layers out of shame, out of misguided beliefs leaving the kids scarred and fending for selves, finding their own solution to it.. if not always, most of the times.

I had done a post on this quite some time ago HERE... back then when certain thoughts used to occupy my mind and scare me out of my wits...

At that time I had asked a lot of people their inputs and Kiran  had responded instantly too.  She now has put in efforts to put together along with a few other bloggers this awesome awareness thing and no denial about the fact that I am relieved that it is not just a figment of my fertile imagination and that the problem actually exists and in what magnitude???.  I follow it closely and soak everything in now, not as a paranoid mom that I once was (or still am) but as a keen observer of the happenings in the society keeping the aside the fact that I have been through the phase of childhood, the scars and all and a mother of a daughter who, if not protected, has every risk of falling prey to the psychos lurking around... those sweet elders who scar the life of those tiny souls.

Watch out for the kids who know something is wrong but cant point a finger on it, watch out for elders who take an advantage of this helplessness of the kids.. try your best to retain the childhood the same it ought to be and not scarred and confused.

One very disturbing incident that happened around a month ago, something that I happened to witness is something that I cannot shake off my mind and gives me shivers and that very deep pit-like feeling in my stomach, that urge to puke it out of the system.. I guess I need some time to let it all out.. I am sure I will one of these days, when I can get myself to do it.. I need to re-group my thoughts and put it across.

Be a part of CSAAM, join hands in letting those tiny buds bloom naturally...

Loving the Moment

Hammayya deggarundi world cup gelipinchesaanu.. ainaa naademundilendi maastaaru pillalu kooda nenu cheppinattu aadesaaru.. manchi future undi vaallaki asala :)))... ento mandu kottakundaane kallu taagina koti typelo undi naa paristiti, ainaa naa praanaaniki adokkate takkuva..

Jumping, diving, creeping, crawling, running, screaming, swearing whatever they did it was all a delight to see the restricted run rate in the early Lankan batting... then the disbelief at how they bashed and thrashed the last 5 overs, then the shocking dismissal of Sehwag and Sachin following too soon after dropped me from that high to the deepest depression and disbelief... Being away from the match related stuff for the past nearly 10 to 15 yrs, I did not know much about Gambhir or Virat or the new ones, just hoped that he does some miracle and brings us back in to the match which seemingly slipped in front of our eyes...ball after ball, prayer after prayer... silently screaming within, afraid to make a sound as if it would distract the batsman....phew, never a dull moment... the cheer comment BLEED BLUE did not work so we got more specific.. Bleed the lighter shade of blue to bring in more clarity to our prayers :).... dirty dancing on the streets and the rallies after the win even in the village, the crackers... aye baboooooooooooooooye.

Loved every single bit of the match.. it came to a point where I was left to bite the fingers chewing off the nails which are usually nonexistent beyond the root... and like Chandu aptly said, the stomach was a sanctuary of butterflies, millions of them in fact... stopped breathing when waiting for the result from the third umpire, prayed real bad for the bowlers of the Lankan team to err and give away runs for Indian batsmen to hit nothing less than a 4, screams, shouts, total silence... Indo-Pak match appudu kasepu kunuku teeste match better formloki vacchesindi, so naa vantu krushigaa Indian batting appudu oka mini-sleep esi lecha and of course, it did work because I see Gambhir in great form and India still holding strong with consistent performance...

gunde gontulo kottukodam ante ento last 2 overslo telisindi, dhak dhak dhak dhak sound oori chivari daaka vinipinchenta gattigaa, kshanam kooda relax avvakundaa choosina match.. the Baap of all the matches I have ever watched.. the truly deserving, top class unmatched performance.

I kind of had this gut feeling when the kid chose Srilanka as her choice of winner when I gave her a choice..
Me -- Naanu India gelichi? Srilanka Gelicihi?
Kid -- Siya pandu India, cheelanka gelichi.. (she thinks anything related India means it is for Siya pandu and everything else is the other choice provided).
Me -- Nijamgaane Chee Lanka, say that India will win, just wish India good luck...
Kid -- Vaddu Amma... Cheelankaa gelichi.. siya baby India.

I stopped correcting the kid because the previous match she chose Pakistan gelichi and after seeing their fate, I just wished she maintains her stand throughout... and yes, I make her wear blue and by default do not wear anything that is blue in color to keep blues away... can go on and on and on... dont know what has worked in favor but we did win...

I love Lays and out of all the 6 flavors, I love the taste of India :))... gulping down litres of soda, munching down Lays, tensed and tensed... we made it to the CUP.. the dream, the mania that gripped the nation including our household...

Typical Indian kada.. papam chacchi chedi chaavu tappi kannu lottapoyina typelo tayarayyi.. aragadeesi iragadeesi brammaandam baddalayyetattu team antaa aadeste nenu naa kooturu credit kottestunnaam :)...

Broken Gambhir's bat, crampy Dhoni's body.. the wonderfully understated and truly deserved captain's inning performance and the accepting speech in which he answers everyone or rather silences everyone..... now that the cup is in hands no one really gave him credit in the acceptance speeches or on the ground for that matter but it is undeniably his show all through... , I loved his choice of not sending Yuvi right after Kohli, he most certainly would have gotten Gambhir out with his extra enthu (my feeling it is).. barring the decision to pick Sreesanth everything was fine and maybe he had reasons for that too and like he said he had to answer himself before he shut up everyone around him.. loved that ice cool man.. under that tremendous pressure.. tension seemed miles away from him... calm and aggressive at the same time...love every single thing....he went all out and he got it  for us...

Sachin, the master blaster, perhaps his last world cup event, truly deserves it dedicated to him...  Though not in this particular final decider match, he had been a consistent performer over many years.

appudeppudo maa taatalu netulu taagaaru maa mootulu vaasana choodandi typelo 28 ella naati world cup mucchatlu cheppukuni cheppukuni visugocchesina ee taraaniki saripadinanta aanandam... varasa petti Aussieski malle hatrick kotteyyaali world cups lo ani oka balamaina korika... :).

and last but not the least... the FB cheering invite from Chandu & Hema and the way we connected across the globe, mind blowing... I actually stopped posting cheer comments on the profile because each time I wished for something the exact opposite happened some serious anti-jinxing needs to be done you see...

Even my mom tried to stay awake but could not.. but she wanted to be informed of the Indian Victory which she said would be praying for in her sleep.. sigh :).

the kid's friends came about after the match jumping the walls not waiting for me to open the gates because they did not want to miss the happiness and neither did I... the happiness in their faces, their chest a few inches or maybe a few feet wider with pride... awesome... could not resist shaking and waking up the kid to whisper our victory to her, who just smiled and slept of saying Siya Baby India, Sachin, Dhoni.. Jai Ho.. (yeah, I taught her that.. any man in blue is Sachin or Dhoni for her) and some one with colored hair is Maaaaaaalinga .................. what a day!!!!  I guess the hangover would at least stay on for a week...

me and kirkit...

It has been a while since I saw any match on TV in India...have not even seen a couple of overs let alone a match all these years and suddenly something changes and the world cup bug bit me hard and am hooked on to the match like never before...

back with old cricket quirks.. and my superstitions about the game..

I remember the time  when

***I kept going to the loo just because each time I went there was a wicket gone.. yeah I did that.. was that crazy or maybe am still...
***I bribed the God with a coconut if the team wins.
***I oohed and aahed when Jadeja kept jumping in the field and was really proud of the fact that he had the most muddiest whites (yeah way before we shifted to blue) on the ground.
***Kapil, Vengsarkar.. then Jadeja, Kumble and Srinath... were the crushes :), the poster men or whatever.

and then the game slowly faded in my life and got busy playing the gamble called life.

India and Pakistan match, the kid said Pakistan gelichi and I kept teaching her India gelichi which she adamantly refused to of course and now she says Srilanka gelichi and I dont really mind 'cos I know it is a good sign considering my quirks and superstitions...

and it is all the more fun watching it with Chandu, Hema and the gang from the West ;).. thanks to the FB.

So, Go India Go... we are here to cheer you... bleed whatever color but get the cup okay~!!!!!