||Agni Skalana Sandhaghdharipu Varga Pralya Radha Chatrapathi
Madhyamdhina Samudhyath Kirana Vidyuddhumani Khani Chatrapathi
Thajjem Thajjenu Thadhim Dhirana Dhim Dhim Thakita Nata Chatrapathi
Urvii Valaya Sambhavyavara Swacchanda Gunadhi…||

||Khumbhi Nikara Khumbhastha Guru Khumbhi Valaya Pathi Chatrapathi
Jhanjha Pavana Garvapahara Vindhyadri Samadruthi Chatrapathi
Chanda Prabala Doardhandajitha Dhurdhanda Bhata Tathi Chatrapathi
Shatru Prakara Vicchedakara Bheema Arjuna Prathi…||

||Dhig Dhig Vijaya Dhanka Ninada Ghantarava Tusshhitha Chatrpathi
Sangha Svajana Vidrohi Gana Vidhwamsa Vratamati Chatrapathi
Aarthatrana Dhustadhyumna Kshaatra Spuurthi Dhidhiti, Bheemakshmapathi,Shiksha Smruthi Sthapathi….||

If I asked you to connect the above stotram to a king, two movies and a city, I bet that even my very learned quizzing friends would be stumped. This is stuff you don’t learn by watching ‘Paanchvi Fail‘ but instead hanging out with his holiness ‘Baba Bangali‘. These Sanskrit chants were used by the music director Keeravani(M.M.Kreem to people residing above the Vindhyas) as the theme for a so-called-hit film starring ‘young rebel star’ Prabhas. The second movie that it connects to is the latest disaster from ‘Ilaya Dalapathy’ Vijay called ‘Kuruvi’. At first, I had no idea of Vijay’s new film and thought that ‘Kuruvi’ was a B-grade flick cashing on a very lovable character from a brilliant film called ‘Anjathey‘. Confused? well let the master explain.

It turns out that Kuruvi is an under-the-table name for people who travel abroad carrying goodies in their check-in baggage and thus saving both parties (exporter/importer) on custom duty and unwanted taxation. If you ask me they are white-collar smugglers in short, Vijay plays the role of one such guy(duh!) and you need some chyawanprash if you haven’t figured it by now. Let’s not talk about the film for this isn’t a review and I want you to suffer the ordeal yourselves! At the stroke of midnight on new years eve, if someone swings
across
the Petronas
towers wearing a
Zorro cape
like a trapeze artistsomeone swings across the Petronas towers wearing a Zorro cape like a trapeze artist with a beautiful maiden(who looks absolutely stunning) in hand, then how do you feel? If you have this strong urge to whistle and dance in the aisles applauding the extraordinary feat of your matinee idol, then this movie is exactly made for you. Here comes the connection to the previous paragraph, the second half of Kuruvi is the first half of the film mentioned above. They are not similar or inspired from types, but straight frame-to-frame dump types. Lets not compare the towering screen presence of Prabhas to the diminutive Vijay, as I don’t want to be spammed by fans of either star.

Now for the third connection, the Telugu movie starring Prabhas was titled ‘Chatrapathi‘. Chatrapathi literally translates into Chatra(roof/umbrella) and Pati(Lord/husband). For this reason there is a guy standing behind Prabhas holding an umbrella(It is a brilliant scene mind you!) as he champions the cause of the exploited refugees. The great Maratha ruler ‘Shivaji‘ had assumed the title of Chatrapathi for he provided shelter to his needy subjects and protected them from repeated attacks by Muslim rulers. More on Shivaji’s valor and prowess here and here. Growing up in Bombay(that is how it is for me!) as a kid, I’ve heard numerous stories of how his wit helped him upstage multiple attempts on his life by the Muslim rulers and also about his innovative and successful capture of various forts. If you don’t have an iota of what I am talking about then try this and this. Also I think there is something that connects kings, temples and umbrellas for there is an umbrella raising event during the Thrissur Pooram festival.

Lastly for the fourth connection, the Maharashtra government has supposedly approved a proposal to erect a 300ft Shivaji statue off the Mumbai coast on a man-made island. With estimates going over $4.5million Mumbai’s answer to the Statue of Liberty doesn’t seem like the smartest move made by the govt. The so called voice-of-marathwada has avoided commenting on the issue and has chosen to stay mum. I would rather see the 100yr old drains of Mumbai relaid as opposed to watching Shivaji’s heroics in an open-air-theater with an attached park, museum and cafeteria. I won’t be surprised if this proposal inspires the Tamil Nadu govt. What better than a tussle between the AIADMK and the DMK on whether to put up a MGR or Annadurai statue. Imagine a new statue every 5 years depending on who comes to power! I’d be surprised if the current party presidents erect their statues instead. Personally I feel that Amma comes the closest to Ms.Liberty, only that the statue would have to be 300ft wide! However in an attempt to be in-sync with Shivaji, the Tamil Nadu govt may arrive on a consensus candidate and that being the brave warrior Veerapandiya Kattabomman. Only if they didn’t give him the face of the great actor who portrayed the title role in the film, for that would open a Pandora’s box!

(Image Courtesy: uberdesi)

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I’ve just written to Ratan Tata asking him to not to go ahead with building a port in Dhamra, Orissa, dangerously close to one of the world’s largest sea turtle nesting grounds for the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle. I think its a good idea for Mr. Tata to move the port to another location rather than endanger the turtles.

By living up to the Tatas’ environmental legacy, Ratan won’t just save the highly-endangered Olive Ridley Turtles, he will also end up making Tata a better company.

The only problem is that I can’t bring about that change alone. I need help from lots of people, especially you.

The story so far: The TATA’s are building a steel port with govt clearance and it was certified that the port site is not frequented by the turtles. They say that “the port is fully committed to the cause of the environment and are associating with the best wildlife conservation organization to safe guard the interests of wildlife and wildlife habitat”(ya right!). It is also believed that the TATA’s are only part of the infrastructure along with Larsen & Toubro. The port is actually being built by the Dharma Port Company and will be owned by the state Govt upon completion. Various environmental groups have raised their voices over the fact that the port is less than 5 km from the Bhitarkanika Sanctuary, India’s second largest mangrove forest, and less than 15 km from the turtle nesting beaches at Gahirmatha Sanctuary. It is also believed that the port site itself is also a breeding ground for horse-shoe crabs, as well as rare species of reptiles and amphibians.

Greenpeace activists have also taken up the cause and have been waging a war against the authorities for the last two years. According to them, “The enormous amount of dredging required for the port (about 60 million cubic meters) and the landfilling alone will permanently damage the habitats of some rare species of snakes, frogs and crabs”.

Ashish Fernandes has been campaigning against the port and was even jailed in 2006. He has served as the assistant editor of the Sanctuary magazine and wrote an open letter to Ratan Tata which can be found below.

Dear Mr.Tata,

The TATA name is today omnipresent in India, through a choice of affordable products and has today grown from a national giant into an international financial player. At the same time, you insist that the TATA group has a firm commitment to environmental justice and sustainable development. I am writing to ask you to demonstrate that the TATA Group does indeed have such a commitment and it does not put profits above environmental and social well being.

I am disappointed with the way TATA Steel has conducted itself on the Dhamra port issue in Orissa. There has for some time been clear proof of the irreversible effects that this huge port will have on the highly-endangered endangered Olive Ridley turtles. What is even more distressing to me is that you had clearly promised to abandon the port if evidence of turtle presence was ever unearthed, yet this promise is now not being kept. Not just that, despite the simple fact that ports can be shifted while turtle nesting grounds can not, TATA Steel continues to build the Dhamra port.

I have been a follower of the TATA story and role you are looking to play in shaping modern India. Surely a decision to protect the Dhamra area and shift your port to an alternative environmentally-benign site will be more in keeping with the image that the TATAs project, and the legacy left by men such as JRD TATA, than the current position you have adopted?

I earnestly urge you to look at alternative locations for the Dhamra port. Such a decision will raise the TATA standing in my eyes and, I am sure, in the eyes of millions of Indians, not to mention an increasing global audience.

The online petition can be found here.

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This strip reminded me of my Cryptology class for which I was the TA with an enrollment of 70+ students. Weekly assignments were horrible as I spent more time grading them than the students may have spent on searching for the solutions. Exams were the worst with me having to evaluate their solutions to award partial points. It feel so good to see the right answers but these partial points we a killer. One had to go through all the steps and spot the error and then award some points for the number of correct steps.

I tried being as impartial as could be, even though i disliked a few students in the class. But every time I spent in excess of two hours grading, I would think of the plight of my school teachers who had to grade reams of answer sheets, coupled with the Mesopotamian script of kids like me! Would love to hear of the experiences any of you may have had writing or grading exams…..

PS: I still love watching G.I.Joe on youtube!

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Aug 14th at 9:30PM, Suresh set out to E.I.U, Charleston,IL in a 97 model Toyota RAV4 by road along with a friend of his Nishant Etala. He was supposed to stop in Nashville for the night and continue to drive to Illinois the next day. At around 11:30PM, On I-75 just after exit-353 having crossed Georgia into Tennessee, a 18 wheeler ran into them. An unfortunate accident that left Nishant dead, and Suresh badly injured. Suresh was rushed to Erlanger Hospital. Doctors at Erlanger Hospital worked relentless pumping 10 bottles of blood, opening belly and sewing the flowing blood stream until they managed to save his life.

His friends have set up a website to raise money. Suresh does not have medical insurance and Erlanger Hospital has discharged him due to lack of insurance. My school never allowed international students to enroll in classes without insurance, but I’ve heard similar instances in other schools where students have bent the rules to skip insurance.

Now,The Telegu Assocation of Metro Atlanta(TAMA) is involved in helping him and you can make contributions on the website or write them a check.

Students, please drive carefully and don’t bend the rules to reduce tuition. Pass this info to your friends and lets try to save our fellow student.

• Please take full insurance while renting a car(something which we never do)
• Always take health insurance and keep your insurance cards handy
• While driving long distances alone, call your friends regularly to let them know which exits you crossed.

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समझ में आया बच्चे? ……..

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Fountainasia: An infection that urges college students to take evening walks to a nearby fountain & spend hours washing their feet in the water.

Freefoodiacs: A group of people who maintain a separate calender to mark free trips, lunches, dinners etc.

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4D’s dope, dames dollars n death

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