Avatar - an visual extravaganza

How about going for "Avatar" tonight, asked Prashanth. I was seeing the trailers everywhere and anyhow it was much anticipated movie.....Cameroon's only movie after Titanic**, spent 10 years in making, developed a new language for "Na'vi's" etc etc etc. Instantly I said "Yes" and then asked Giju, a real movie geek (We also call him "walking movie encyclopedia"), anyway knowing what his answer would be and also pulled in Vaibhav. We all set out to watch the movie in the stormy, cold weather and managed to get the tickets for IMAX 3D show in the Gandhi seat (second row). I was very much excited about wearing those special glasses again. Long long ago, I had watched "My Dear Kuttichathan"(Chota chethan in Hindi) with those special fancy glasses. It was India's first 3D movie.I still remember vividly going to the theater , grabbing one of those glasses from the basket near the entrance.....

Anyway, once the movie started, we were lost in "Pandora" and instantly associated with Na'vi's. It was an extraordinary visual extravaganza. Its indeed a new "Avatar" for movies and full paisa vasool movie. James Cameroon has raised the bar for Sci-fi moving making and the movie proudly stands for one man's vision, dreams and perseverance. You won't stop admiring at the new technology. And coming to the story line.....yes, it is a guessable story. But the way, its narrated, you feel , you are one among the Na'vi's and humans are aliens. One cannot stop asking the question, why we humans are so greedy? Why do we break the chain of life? The interdependence of different species, their networking is so well pictured. Most I liked was creation of "bonding" between Na'vi's and different animals, tree roots etc. This is the first time I have ever seen using that concept. Wish I could also live in Pandora, go and touch the "tree of souls", talk to our ancestors, fly on "Ikran"......

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**Its funny how we acquire new interests. Before coming to Rotterdam, 4 years ago, Titanic was the only second English movie I had watched....I was a total illiterate when came to English movies, actors, directors etc. Never had imagined that, one day I would develop an interest and craving to watch and enjoy them. Well, lot of water has flown under the bridge and today I am even writing a post about a english movie in the blog :)

Sinterklaas

December 5^th, the Dutch celebrate the birthday of their friend from Spain, Sinterklaas (Sint Nicolaas). He comes from Spain with Zwarte Piet (Black Peter), brings gifts for children, adults go back to their early days lingering upon their childhood memories. There is festivity everywhere…..

Traditionally night before 5^th December, children keep their shoes near chimneys filled with some horse food anticipating to get their wished gift(s) from Sinterklaas who rides his horse over the rooftops and eavesdrops at the chimneys. Black Peter even enters homes through chimneys at night and takes the horse’s food from the shoes and exchange it for candy and other treats. Sinterklaas knows everything, so the children generally this time of the year behave well to get some good reward from Sinterklaas !!! When all these are happening, you can imagine children’s excitement. The next day morning, they run to their shoes to find their much-anticipated treasure!!!

According to tradition, especially the presents for adults, are nicely wrapped, and accompanied by a poem or rhyme in which the recipient of the gift is ‘roasted’. This in many cases is the icing on the event’s cake. Generally in families and also in the work place, they have a lottery system. Whose ever name you get, you have to write a poem/rhyme on him , signed as 'Sinterklaas' along with bringing him some nice present (you can also point our his/her shortcomings in a humorous way.....) and believe me the Dutch are terrific in writing rhymes, they are so quick and good at it!!!. (I too wish to take this tradition to India when I get back.)

Not being able to celebrate Sinterklaas last two years, and infected with festivity everywhere, this year I too wanted to gift all my lab colleagues. And I pretty much succeeded in writing rhymes for two people also….to my boss and a dear friend.

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My first ever rhymes in English

they are so childish

hope they are not borish

but definitely they are girlish :)

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(On Dies)

Elain calls him Romeo
Marisha calls him Comeo
For Labie’s he is the Supremo
He is the Schwann cell Hero

He is a passionate bio teacher
Who is also an avid reader
But, for microscope mis-user
He is a big terror!!!

He is sexy, but he likes spicy
For results he is thirsty,
though that doesn’t make him nerdy.
With cookies he keeps us happy.

At Erasmus he is “Onderzoeker”
For many he is an inspirer
He is Prof. Dies Meijer!!!
Guess what, Sinterklass brings him treasure

(Elain and Marisha are his wife and daughter, 'Labies' are lab members, ‘onderzoeker‘is researcher,in English, he has got sexiest group leader award in a cultural programme here)

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(On Martine)

She is sweet,
She is elegant
She is near
She is dear

She is a terrific mouse breeder
But also a patient listener
For fresher’s a warm welcomer
Ends up as a bench sharer

With red she looks so good
Talking with Niels she goes so high mood!!!
Always enjoyed her motherhood
Goes on bike to her neighborhood

She does lot of genotyping
though at times it is irritating
Her mornings are for driving
Which leaves her sleep craving
But She remains ever charming!!!
This is Sinterklass presenting…..

(Niels is her partner, everyday morning at 5 she takes her swimming champion son for swimming, bike means cycle here)

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In my first year, my labmate had presented me with a chocolate and a poem. Infact I was very moved with it. It was my first winter in Holland, it was wet, windy and cold, but this nice gesture filled me with so much of pleasure. This is the poem.

Dear Noorie,

Holland is wet and cold,

And still you came here, which I think is very bold,

All new things around you,

Of which you not knew,

Dutch food is not too hot,

So you don’t eat that a lot,

I brought you a gift,

So unwrap it now swift,

And see what I got you this year,

Hope you will enjoy it, my dear.

Groeten

Sint en Piet

Jai Jawaan, Jai kisan

Jai Jawaan, Jai kisan.... remember this??? A famous slogan by our late Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shashtri. What brought me to recall this slogan? Well, the story goes as follows.

In my short visit to India a month back, I got a lucky chance to pay yet another extremely short visit to a village by name "Kanakamajalu". It is situated in greenery filled Sullia taluk of South Kanara district of Karnataka. One day when I was just browsing through a local newspaper, one small news article captured my attention - "Kala gramavaagi kanakamajalu" (literal translation means kanakamajalu as art village). It was an event wherein the whole village was converted as an outdoor canvas or art gallery. The school compound, trees, house walls etc all these turn as a canvas for the artists and the artistes generally make use of locally available materials (even waste materials like plastic) to create the art. Many years back (I think in 1993), Sonangeri, yet another small village from the same taluk was shot to fame by hosting art event like this. I still remember reading about it and vividly remember the artwork, wishing to go there. Well, this is around 16 years back and I hadn't got to visit Sonangeri that time. But now, I was residing very near to Kanakamajalu and I didn't want to miss yet another chance. Luckily, annadevru (Srivatsa) offered to drive us to the village. There we were wondering where to start and whom to ask (the event was already over). Again, as luck by chance, we met one of Mr.Lakshminarayana, one of the organizer and state youth award winner. He was happy to show around the art pieces. The event was organized by "kanakamajlu yuvaka mandala" (youth organization). I thoroughly enjoyed watching them, hearing to the theme or idea behind that art….

More than anything, I felt like saluting the members of that youth organization. Most of them are farmers and also either work elsewhere or study. Everyday they have to manage the daily chores in their farms, yet still have the enthusiasm and zeal to arrange and participate in such events. And this is not their first. In the past, they have actively organized movie shows, sports, vanamahostav etc etc. Such events not only bring together the people, but also create awareness and help to invent new talents. These youth organizations, women self help groups (SHG’s) have always amazed me. Will write about the SHG’s I have come across sometimes in future posts. Their works and contributions to the building of the society are just commendable.

"Jai jawaan, jai kisan" (jawaan here refers to young people).

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When I googled "kanakamajlu" I got pleasantly surprised to see a blog dedicated to this youth organization. Not even in my dreams, I had imagined to see a blog dedicated to one youth organization of a remote village (No offense here…). I was soooooooo wrong. Life is full of surprises. So, for more pictures, visit the below site.

http://yuvakanakamajalu.blogspot.com/

Our heroes

Last week, mind was depressed. Just recalling how the killers went on death havoc in railway station and even in hospital, watching Fareed Zakaria show in CNN where the recorded voice of the terrorist leader was telecasted, had left me in a bizarre state. Then posted the question in the blog "Where is the end or where is the new beginning"?

Is it true that when one door closes, several other doors open...or saying like "there is light at the end of the tunnel". Atleast i felt so.
Just the next day of sad anniversary of 26/11, CNN heros of 2009 were awarded with a memento and cash prize to continue their social work. It was absolutely moving and awe inspiring to watch that programme. Here there were bunch of people, just ordinary common people who had brought "change" in thousands of lives. Its worthwhile to go through their stories. Anyone interested read "CNN heroes".

At the end of the programme Carrie Underwood swept the audience through her inspirational song "Change". This song, about fools who believe they can change the world, was so fitting. Her performance was absolutely amazing. That's what heroes are all about. They are people who, in the face of hopelessness, have hope and give hope.
As one of the awardee said, world is so full heroes....