What’s with this song I’m addicted to?!
I even adopt a single lyric from it as the post title?!

That too on the eve of one of my college semester exams, bugger though, I’m not sorry.

“Rummaging for answers in the pages,
living in a den of theives,
and it’s con-ta-gio-US!”

The Digital Age.

Gone are the days when people you used to know, used perfectly spelt words which would be such glory to words such as ‘Great’ which now, idiosyncratically has changed to a much shorter version of ‘Gr8′, but conveys the same meaning.

All the time I used to text and chat through my cell phone or through Instant Messaging, but not once did I ever think about the dying art of Letter writing.

Words nowadays, have different forms of expressions. E-mail, Texts, Blogs.. you name it, you got it.

Except Letters.

One can’t help but wonder about the dying art, and still passively enough we all hate to do Letter writing in English question papers. Ironic isn’t it, how we always like to talk and express ourselves well, but we don’t do it well on paper and neither can we write a good letter.

I heard a quote once, It went like this.

“Never underestimate the power of a well written letter”

Well, I haven’t written a letter in quite a long time and I’ve never received one in a long time either except the monthly postcards from college on the days I have bunked.

It’s slowly becoming obsolete and it’s despicable to see such a great art which has been one of the main forms of communication, right from the days of the early English Aristocracy slowly dwindling in its popularity.

I tell you, the anxiety of waiting for a letter can’t be matched by anything. Neither does the joy of getting one which is specially addressed to you in this Digital age.

Simple and soothing but Exciting nevertheless.

After a heartfelt chat with my Best Friend, I realized Life has so much more to offer!

I really didn’t understand the depth of actions and what happens when you do certain things that affect certain views in certain people, until she told me the true effects of misguided actions.

You never really know what can happen to you when you undergo change, both in the mind and the body, but it isn’t always the change for good, as I realized.

Thankfully, I had her to point out them to me so that I could inculcate them into me too and not be much of a spaz. And because I was willing to listen, which most people aren’t.

I’m not saying everyone is averse to change, there are a few who are.

Life is all about change and Change is Good!

Arrogance, Raconteur, Nagging, Over actions and reactions,  Assumptions, they don’t lead you anywhere.

I learnt it, the hard way and She only reiterated it more =)

Willingness makes all the difference.

Working things out by talking, is the best way to iron out differences, according to me.

Thanks, you Dog!

Love:

I never knew Love was a guy who trusted God to right the wrongs in him.

I never knew Love meant learning so much from someone else.

I never knew Love was waiting and waiting and waiting.

I never knew Love was “Hey, ‘Morning Sweetheart. Have a great day ahead!“

I never knew Love was longing to see the sunlight in your hair.

I never knew Love was Dates gone horribly wrong but a perfect “Hey, you look stunning“

I never knew Love was the smile I can’t wipe off my face, when I call or when get off the phone with you.

I never knew Love was this feeling welling up inside me every time I think of you.

I never knew Love was hearing your name and smiling to myself.

I never knew Love was so uncertain.

Then again,

Heartbreak:

I never knew Heartbreak was looking up at the stars in the sky, screaming and ranting out loud.

I never knew Heartbreak was thinking about you every minute of everyday.

I never knew Heartbreak was lying awake half the night thinking of you.

I never knew Heartbreak was excitement when you text me, only to be disappointed again.

I never knew Heartbreak was missing you so much that it hurts to even think.

I never knew Heartbreak was total agony.

I never knew Heartbreak was wondering if you even cared.

The CHICKEN BIRIYANI !

The Wonderful, The Best, The Appetizing, The JUST !

If I was a knight, on my way to battle, I’d paint my shield with the words “” TEJAS – THE BIRIYANI LOVER “”

I wouldn’t settle for any other words !

Honestly speaking, if  i am in front of an enemy who has his sword to my throat and asks me to pray and ask for something from god, you know what i’d ask for?

Yeah, you got it right !!

Seriously speaking, lets traverse back to the origin of the biriyani, shall we ?

Together, you and me, shall wander the wilderness.

Savour the journey & end it with your “BOTTOMLESS PIT “”  craving for the sight of a hot, steaming biryani, I say!

COME !

The HISTORY of THE BIRYANI :

Biryani originated in Persia and might have taken couple of different routes to arrive in India

Biryani is derived from the Farsi word ‘Birian’. Based on the name, and cooking style (Dum), one can conclude that the dish originated in Persia and/or Arabia. It could have come from Persia via Afghanistan to North India. It could have also been brought by the Arab traders via Arabian sea to Calicut. We know the history little better during 1800 to 1900. During Mogul empire, Lucknow was known as Awadh, giving rise to Awadhi Biryani. In 1856, British deposed Nawab Wajid Ali Shah in Calcutta, giving rise to Calcutta Biryani. Aurangzeb installed Nizam-ul-mulk as the Asfa Jahi ruler of Hyderabad, as well as a ‘Nawab of Arcot’ to oversee Aaru Kaadu region (Six Forrests) south of Hyderabad. These moves gave rise to Hyderabadi Biryani and Arcot Biryani. The Biryani spread to Mysore by Tipu Sultan of Carnatic. Needless to say it was a royal dish for Nawabs and Nizams. They hired vegetarian Hindus as bookkeepers leading to the development of Tahiri Biryani.

One legend has it that Timor, the lame brought it down from Kazakhstan via Afghanistan to Northern  India. According to another legend, Mumtaz Mahal (the beauty who sleeps in Taj Mahal) concocted this dish as a “complete meal” to feed the army. Yet, some say the dish really originated in West Asia. The Nomads would burry an earthen pot full of meat, rice and spices in a pit, eventually the pot was dug up and there was the Biryani ( oh wow ! so much for its freshness ! ) .

Preferred choice choice for meat is  leg of Telangana goat. The meat is marinated in a paste of with Papaya ( ughhhh !!! ), whole-milk yogurt and spices. Thereafter, the meat may be cooked.

Traditionally, the leg of goat was used to make Biryani. Now a days, depending on the region and restaurant, one can find Biryani made with Mutton, Lamb, Beef, Chicken, Fish, and Prawns.

WELL WHAT MAKES A GOOD BIRYANI ???!!!!!

Everyone has their own little list.

My list is simple and in order of priority, follows:

1. Aroma. It must have both sweet fragrance and herbal warm aroma.
2. It should be Savory, but not very spicy.
3. Finally, it should meet the age old test. Pop it into your mouth and snack on it for a bit, decide whether you’d like Raitha (yogurt with onions and cucumber) or chips or gravy to go with it.

Well, personally I eat whatever comes my way.

Anything that walks, runs, flies etc etc, except cockroaches.

The MOST ANNOYING word on this planet, by far. It’s absolutely equal to utter callousness and diffidence.

Yeah, Whatever

You can see it being used everyday, day to day such that it becomes such a drag on the person who tends to listen to it. So, annoying that it drives them to shut their ears and blind themselves to its use impervious to the damage of the speaker’s vocabulary. Unable to chastize for fear of being indifferent and insensitive, much like the word.

How ironic!

The word has become popular with its usage coming from commonness and from Movies which glorify it. If you can believe it, it signifies everything ranging from total apathy to the end of any sort of discussion.

It is one of the most irritating, agitating, vacillating, maddening and infuriating words present in the English diction.

It conforms to boredom, irritable demeanor, indifference, callousness, haughty and a very irritating aspect called diffidence.

Oh please!

I, for one, thoroughly condemn its use and it ought to be chucked into the words out of vogue.

Guessed what this post is about, yes, Reality TV!

Indians, as we all are, in awe with the western skin, we cannot help but gape whenever we see them.

So naturally, we ape.

The advent of Reality shows like Big Brother……. ( I don’t watch them)

okay, now that you know one, let me just say that, we’ve just taken it into view and put it into effect here in India.

I’m not saying its bad or anything, i mean Change is good! Still what I mean to say is, although we may have brought our own Desi versions of Fear Factor etc etc, there is still an overdose of crassness and an overtone of seduction in the advertising.

Don’t ask me how, don’t ask me why, its just that. I don’t like an overt show of vulgarity with every second word being ” **** “, ain’t my cuppa tea, ya’ll.

Maybe those who do read this, ya’ll could be HUGE fans of this stuff, but to those who join the league of no-reality-tv, this’s one’s up.

Go running if you want some adrenaline rush!

Besides, watching slick haired buggers cussing every person (including the host!) really pushes my thoughts to what Indians do.

Maybe SRK is right “ek sou das million log jab saath mein hain, to kuch acha hi hoga“.

AYE AYE!

Tea, yes TEA!

Coffee Day can scream out all they like that Coffee is the one that makes someone’s day, But the sweet truth is that those who haven’t tried Tea, don’t know the real reason why World over Tea is preferred  over Coffee.

Oh hell, it’s not because of the Health benefits that I prefer Tea over the Black Brew but because its one of the most Noble, Distinguished and Aristocratic drink ever since the time of the British and the Spanish Inquisition.

No, I’ve not joined the “Jaago Re” bandwagon, but merely voicing out the quiescent thoughts of a man who enjoys his daily Cup’pa.

A bar of dark chocolate or some crackers & scones to go along with it?

I was so jobless once, that i decided to make the most shameful act of my life public.
I Googled “Why are TN colleges strict?”
In Particular, My College, Sri Sai Ram Engineering College
P.S: I Can’t even find a picture of my college, everything throws up a Forbidden 404 error….hmmm

Ok, now that you have read the title, you should know that this post ends on a happy note!

First of all, this one happened on a recent visit to the So called “Electronic Hub” of South India, RITCHIE STREET !

I was on a mission to purchase a few items for my PC and for my Laptop.

Firstly the thing, was that I got to The “Theru” after much oogling, swerving and criss-crossing the traffic leading up to Mount Road in a manner that would have put Valentino Rossi to shame (I’m a rather imaptient Driver, you see)

Link Wray and his Ray men couldn’t have composed a better Rumble song for Pulp Fiction than the local Thagaradabbas were doing on the roadside with their coherent chants over the mad traffic din.

I was travelling in the criss-cross fashion when one fellow rolled down the window of his car and in true mafia style, screamed “na, ootla sollitu vandhutiya?” (“Did you tell home that you were gonna die on the road?”)

For which i replied “Watha, pathu pa, vandiya engayo poi vuda pora”. (“Watch it, Otherwise you’ll be on the median”) Flabbergasted, he kept muttering (as seen through the corner of my eye)

Anyway, i got to The Tea Shop where i usually park my Vandi without a scratch on Avanti (My Access’s chweet name)

Down the road leading to the innumerable number of shops, i bought us the ADSL Splitter and the Screener.

Kelambi Vandutriken…one fellow starts to pull my hand towards his shop selling a lot of wares..

Striken, i cried out the Title.

Maybe he wanted the Studds helmet or the Splitter, That remains a mystery