Premalekhanam (Love Letter)

Due to the hectic work over the weekend and the last few days, I was very very tired, last night. Honestly I didn’t know, when I got asleep last night. Morning, I woke up only by 10:00 am. By 11:00 switched on the TV and started having my Chappati and Mottacurry for the breakfast. Was simply browsing the channel, and it came to Kairali TV.

It was playing and old movie (Of early 80’s or mid – late 70’s movie). Somehow, I got a bit interested in movie. After sometime, I came to know it was a story by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer’s, PremaLekhanam.

It was the love story between Kesavan Nair, a bank employee working in a remote bank in a village in Kerala and Saramma, the house owner’s daughter, where Kesaven Nair had rented. The role played by Kesavan Nair was by M.G Soman (Late), a very efficient actor, and Swapna did the Role of Sarama. Both of them have done their part splendidly.

Sarama was staying with his father, who was most of the time drunken and with her stepmother, who harasses her in all ways. But Saramma was a very mature girl. She spends most of her time, cleaning the utensils and embroidering.

Kesavan Nair fells in love with her and writes a love letter (premalekhanam) to her. The lines of the Premalekhanam were too good, and this love letter is spoken throughout the story, apparently the title too. He always asks the reply for his premalekhanam to her, and she will say “nale aaktte”(let it be tomorrow).

Though she likes Kesavan Nair very much, she won’t reveal it to him. Whenever Kesavan Nair tells her about his love to her, she makes fun of her. Another interesting part in the movie is, she agrees to love him, on a condition that, he has to pay her for doing so, every month. So every month Kesavan nair has to pay an amount to her for her love. It continues for long. Finally. Kesavan Nair gets a job in a far of place. She persuades Sarama to come along with her. She replies the, it was not in the “Love agreement”. But finally he finds her in the railway station, ready to go with him to start a new life, after writing a letter to her father.

A beautiful movie, especially a beautiful story by the Great Basheer. The location and atmosphere, the movie was made was a typical kottayam, vazoor , surroundeed with rubber plantations and beautiful mist covered mountains. The story is fictionalized in the 1940’s

Basheer worte this story 1943, when he was jailed in Poojapura Central Jail, by the then Dewan, CP for writing something against his governance. Its a very funny love story, but indeed an excellent narration.

Of geeks and coders

Today afternoon, I was sitting in my desk, biting my nails, over a long running JBoss-Bpel issue. A few minutes back, my manager pinged me asking for an update on that issue. Suddenly, the new mail jinni came. I went to my inbox, and saw it was a mail by Naveen. Thought of reading it, to overcome my boredom. The mail looks like an article, posted by somebody, copy/pasted. It was very much true, related to the industry where I am get the bread of my life. Though I have seen a few articles of this interest, this one looks a more interesting. Blogging it for my buddies to read.

Recently, I had this discussion around the issue of qualification for a software developer. Indian IT services companies often issue recruitment ads asking for first class engineers from the best colleges in India. Notably the IITs. That was how some of the companies started. Then they climbed down, going to the best non IIT colleges. Then they climbed down and now almost any engineer with a first class can make it through to most companies.

There are many other companies who ask for best in class graduates. Some companies prefer NIIT graduates - who are not engineers, though many of them are engineers too.

Really, what is the level of qualification required to be a software developer? This is a funny question if you ask me, since it is like asking what qualification do you require to be a driver. To be a driver, you need no qualification. If you are an MA or a M Ed, well, good luck to you but that has no bearing on whether you get a driving licence or not. As long you can drive a vehicle well and convince the RTO inspector that you can, you get a licence and you can drive.

To be a coder, is exactly like that. In India many people (and companies) make us believe that you need a science background to learn coding. It is like asking for mechanical engineers when what you really want are drivers.

I have some of my friends as young as 8th standard who have waded knee deep into coding. I know of some who have created small tools and other patches even before they cleared their class Xth exams. I know of accountancy grads who are experts in coding/hacking. One of the guys who studied with me had created his own game - and he was not even a graduate - his dad has passed him a defunct PC which he had made good use of. Qualification - well nothing. Except that they loved doing what they did.

Google Jam is a step in the right direction. I wish service companies in India too tried and picked up geeks this way rather than a traditional formal-tie interview process. These are the geeks who will create more code juice and innovate - they may not follow coding standards though and geeks oten come with their own idiosyncracies - which service industries hate. But Google and Microsoft? They love 'em.

The highly qualified educated coder who gets into the IT service industry today wants to "get out of coding" even as he sets foot in the industry - with the result that the industry is filled with (generally) low technical skills. The industry also "rewards" good coders with management positions with the result that they lose their technical skills and that is often seen as the only way to grow in the firm. (That last part is changing though the hiring is still done the old way.)

One point here is that good educational qualifications (ranging from any graduation to post graduation or an MBA) help in assessing whether a potential employee can create documentation, processes - but thats not the same as coding. What IT service companies do need is a mixture of low to medium end coding skills at the entry level followed by good communication, presentation and documentation skills at the next levels. Honestly, you need neither first class engineers nor first class graduates at the entry level in an IT service company. You do need a high level of presentation skills, negotiation skills, strategic thinking at a managerial level and beyond.

Coming back, coding is a fair bit about self interest, which is about the geek - someone who lives, talks and breathes code - and nobody can teach you to do that (not for code, not for music, not for blogging). This is for those whom computers (or central excise or dance) is a passion.

The other part is around technical training, which is for the NIITs and their ilk to milk. The engineering colleges should really get out of creating newer engineering streams for Information Technology (IT - this thing sells like crazy) and focus on creating engineers not coders.

Make no mistake, the uber technical chaps are highly regarded, paid as much as (if not far better -look at any core tech companies payscales) than uber domain guys and there will always be a continuous demand for technology professionals at all levels. And, once again, it does not matter what qualification you have as long as you have a licence to drive (or code).

ToBlog - Goa Trip

Last Weekend me along with my pals, went for a Goa trip. A few Photos need to be uploaded by Harish. Once uploaded will complete the blog.

TODO -> TOGET -->PICS
TOBLOG-----

Paintings in my mind

After wasting my weekend with 100% laziness, today after noon, I had an awesome Lunch with Aavoli Curry, Mooru curry (Weird combination aha, but I like this toomuch), Vendakka thoran & Cabbage Thoran, made by my mom. After my lunch, was watching “Salaam Namste” for some it. After sometime it got bored and I went to my room to get a quick nap. I switched on the music. I happened to hear an old song, called “I’ll be your everything”, by Tommy page.

Suddenly my memories went way long back . I remember the day, when I first heard this song. It should have been some where in the early 90’s. On a fine Saturday, when I went to my uncle’s house. I saw this filter applied, cassette cover, with a handsome guy. The cover had the name Tommy Page and the album name “Paintings in my mind”. With my uncle’s permission, I took that cassette to my home. I was really impressed by the song “You are my everything” & “Paintings in my mind”. After sometime, I lost that cassette, and had been longing to hear that since then. As this person was not a famous performer, it was hard to get his cassettes/CD in Trivandrum. This particular song was in the Billboard hits chart during the 1990’s. I think he is now the VP of some recording company.

A few years back, while working for TeN, I got a borrowed CD, which had this beautiful song. And now after more than a decade, I had thus wonderful Sunday afternoon hearing again the beautiful lines,

So long that I've waited for a girl
To come into my life and in my world
. . .
I’ll be your everything, your everything…

Dire Straits - Sultans Of Swing Live 1978

For quite sometime I was wandering to get this music video, Specifically this live in 1978. I am hardcore fan of Mark Knofler. His voice and guitar skills had always amazed me. The last guitar tabing of "sultans of swing" I wish I could do it some time down the line. I missed , when this master played on the streets of Bangalore, during the april of 2005.

Richard Parker & PI

In July, while I was I Munich, John-Browns (JB, everybody calls him like that) and Myself, went to a Biergarten to watch the Germany-Italy, semifinals. While enjoying the game, JB asked me, casually if I had read a book by the name “Life of PI”. I had heard of this book earlier from Sajith & Biju. He told me it was a good book, and asked me to read it.

Back in India, once when I saw JB online, suddenly I remembered about the book, but forgot the name. Asked JB, and he forwarded me the entire link of Amazon, with the book.

That evening, I went with Mom to Bigbazzar. I went to the bookstall, and enquired about the book. Fortunately, there was a discount and I got it for 175 Rs. That night I started the book. Initially, I read about the author (Yann Martel) notes. All his books, written prior to this novel, were flops. He had traveled extensively inside India, and hence his novel “Life of PI” is based on India guy and his family.

The story starts in Pondichery, with a 16 year guy named Piscine Patel (aka "Pi"). His father was the owner of zoo, and PI had lived his life with animals, and knew much more about animal psychology, and hence he was not an ordinary boy. The story ends in Mexico, with lots of twists/Agony/Fear. Initially in the novel, it was specified, the novel ends with happiness, but for me it was bit sad. I am not going deep into the novel, you should read it. The book has three parts. Part 1 –PI’s life in India. Part II, PI’s life in the ship, and his life on the life boat for 227 days. Part III The final part, the life after the survival.

The story is the survival of PI in a lifeboat with a 400+ lbs weighing Bengal Tiger, named Richard parker. PI survived in the boat along with his pal, Richard Parker for 227 days, controlling the Tiger with a whistle. He ate raw fish, Turtles and other sea food. The tiger got this strange name, due to a mistake made by the Indian media, at the time when this tiger, when he was a cub was caught by a hunter, by the name Richard parker.

Until I finish the book, I never knew this was a fiction. However, after completing the book, I did do a research on this. Infact this book was inspired to Yann Martel, based on a true story of a German, who survived in a boat with a panther. The book also won the 2002 booker prize award. Night Shyamalan, had initially an idea of making this story a film. But due to the twists in the Story and the he himself thinks ,that making this story into a movie is not easy as narrating it, and hence dropped the idea. This a good book, worth reading. To me, I like Richard parker, more than PI, in this novel.

Coorg Trip - Aug-4-2006

For quite some time, going for a trip with my buddies, had crept into my mind. But it never happened though. During an usual weekend gathering, during mid July 06, Jean, Anshad and myself put a plan to go to koorg. The following week, I discussed this with Ajo and Benoy. Harish also agreed for the trip. So we finalized the trip, and planned to start on Friday, August 4th. A 12 seater tempo traveller was booked from Yathra travels. The final members for the team were: Anish, Ajo, Anshad, Bino, Jean, Harsih, Rasim and myself.

So finally the day arrived. I left office early, by 4:00 pm and reached madiwalla by 4:15.
Anish had arrived from Chennai, Friday morning itself. So Jean and anshad took leave that day. Ajo had some compoff, so he too was available free that day. Benoy and Shabeer dropped the trip in the last minute. We persuaded Benoy as much as we can, but with no luck. He was too dissolved in the work as if he was doing(I don’t know what the hell he is doing there). This was my first meeting with Anish. Indeed a good guy. Same frequency as our’s. The rest of the guys reached Madiwalla(Ajo's) house by around6:00 Pm, after their busy hectic week.

Raseem was getting married a week after this trip. We were at first reluctant to take Raseem along, keeping his marriage in mind. But he was too interested, and finally we took him. A cool guy!

Though Bino was my pre-degree colleague, we hardly spoke to each other at college during that time. This tour made us more close to each other. Binoo’s mails were floating along with the group mail(A group mail list we created for this tour, through which we planned and put in ideas). But I never thought this Bino was this old “Alavaladhi”, who studied with me 10 yrs back. On seeing each other for the first time, on the day of the journey this was the words exchanged:

Bino: “Evanaaaa…Njaaann varunilla :-D”

Me: “Eeee thendiyooo, njaanum varunillaaa :-D”

This tour bought in old memories, which were slowly perishing from my mind, my good
'O’l arts college life.

As my birthday was on 2nd Aug, we celebrated my belated birthday, by washing me with Beer and Cake.

We started from madiwalla by around 6:45 Pm. We kept on fueling ourselves with occasionally hot sips. After almost an hour we reached mysore road, due to the hectic bloody Bangalore traffic. We mad  our first halt near a railway track. We asked the driver(an excellent guy) to increase the music volume. Had some hot sips, and danced to the tune. Again we started the journey. After an hour, we halted at a roadside dabba, to have our Dinner.

There we started introducing ourselves, as people like, Anish, Bino and Rasim were not familiar to much of the gang. The introduction started with my boring introduction. I still remember people yawning, hearing my introduction :) It was alike an art film, honestly :))))After having the food, we entered the kitchen of the dhaba, and cut a few chilies, marking our entry. Then after collecting some charcoals from the dabba, we left. The night was too chilling. We sang a few bharani songs and played antakshari, until we reached Coorg. Whenever we had range, we tried calling a person called d Pooviah, where we have arranged the home stay(Courtesy to Vinod and Smita)

On the way we had another halt. It was near a farm house, almost 10 Km deviated from Sreerangapatna. After having some pegs from there, we finally reached the place. On reaching the place, we again called Pooviah. he came and took us to the place, where he has arranged the stay. The place was a three bedroom attached house. With neatly furnished beds, with two extra beds in the hall, which was too big. There were Chess/Cards kept. Water were also made available for drinking. Some old magazines were kept there for reading. All bedrooms had attached bathrooms, with geysers.

On reaching, Anshad, Jean, bino and me started playing 28. it was almost 3:30. We played till 4:30. After that, me and Bino, started speaking about the life after Govt Art's colleage. After some time, we knew it was dawn, 6:0 am. Then we went to have some rest. By 10 woke up. Took a fast bath. The others, except Jean, Ajo and me, went to have and get breakfast. We saw an middle-aged lady sweeping and cleaning the courtyard of her home.

After having two koorgi masala dosa, we started the trip to explore rest of Koorg. We targeted for Thalkaveri. It’s believed as the origin of the river cauvery. Both sides of the road were plantations of coffee and cardomom. We made the second halt, in a place, where it was marked 3700 FT. The place was so chilling, and there was a very mild shower. We spend some time there, enjoying the heights. After making some two halts for coffee and some early morning pegs, we reached madikavere, after an hours journey. It was raining heavily, but it really made us enjoyable. We enjoyed madikavare, in the rain. Man, you wont believe, in madijkavare, due to the heavy mist and rain, we were not ale to even see each other. In madikavare, there was a place, which has some 334 steps, where its believed, Lord Brahma meditated. Anish, Harish, Ajo , anshad and myself, climbed the steps and reached the holy spot.. Awesome experience.

We came down from Thalkaveri,and had lunch in a mallu hotel(Most koorgis know Malayalam and a lot of mallu population can be found in Koorg).After having our lunch, we raced to the next place, Abbey falls.

On reaching abbey falls, everyone was exited, to see lots of beautiful Fraulin's. “Abbey falls rocks”. Due t the rains the falls looked a bit violent. We spent hours there. We also went near the falls and took some snaps. Ajo and harish were like shooting stars, targeting the fraulin’s around. We were the last group to leave Abbey falls. It was almost 6:30 We rode about 1 km from the falls, and halted in a beautiful place to have some sip of the drinks.

From abbey, we went to the RajaSeat. This place was infact a park. It was the place,where the king used to spent the evenings. The place was really in an elevated position. from the edge, we could see most off koorg, and the winding roads. It was very dark, when we reached this beautiful spot. But in spite of the mist and darkness, we were able to make out the beauty. There, our Anish got a new name called "Nambi aliyan"(From here onwards, he will be known as nambi). Nambi, was following a bunch of grils from Abbey falls. He was wearing a Jacket, which almost reached over his knees(sathyam paranjal patty chandayku pooya poole undu :-D) Those girls were from tamilnadu. They when reached near nambi, one of the girsl spoke 'Enna ninappu, paathal M.N nambiyar mathiri irukku" Almost , everybody of us, knew tamil and there was a burst of laughter, and Nambi got this beautiful name "nambi"

We left from raja seat, and reached our rest house. Just 100 mts away from the place, Ajo,
anshad and me got down from the vehicle. We went to a chicken stall to get chicken for
the barbecue. I asked Ajo and Ansahd to get the chicken, ordered the butcher to cut it
Exactly as we wanted. I went to a nearby Internet cafe, to check some important mails.
We bought the chicken, soda, snacks and went to the rest house. Jean mixed the Masala with salt and oil. After that me and jean cut the chickn into four apprx equal sizes. Using the chicken the mixed masala and borrowed pepper powder we marinated the chicken. Set the fire, using the charcoal we bought from the hotel, lat day. We got a portable charcoal stove from the neighbor. We lit it using the charcoal, Placed the chicken on top of it, and poured rum over the chicken, the chicken started burning. To be honest, it was splendid and off course, tasted good. Whenever the chicken was taken out form the fire, and put in the plate, Harish and Bino attacked the chicken, like they have not seen food for almost a decade :-D. Only chicken bones(that too crushed like sand) we re left in the plates, in seconds.

After this yangnjam, Harish started with his semi classical number from chitram. Followed by Ajo Binoo, myself( :)) . Everybody sang. We even sang "pallikettu sabarimalyku" This was indeed a terrific experience. The night was enjoyed like anything. Even our dirver joined and he enjoed. By 1:00, one by one each guys started sleeping. I was the last to sleep.

Next day by 8:00 everybody woke. We paid the bills and left to a museum. It was a quite place, with some old guns, Double barrels, swords, cannon's etc. There was also some medals and Trophies, presented to our old, general , General Karriappa. It was 6^th aug. “Friend ship day” Got lots of calls and SMS wishing friendship day. And All of us were happy, as were able to have a good memoir for the friendship day.

From there we said adieu to Koorg, and drove for the next destination. A kind of sanctuary. I don’t know the name of the place. It was beautiful, with hanging bridges, deer's and an angry lake(because the dam was opened due to the rain). Due to this, there was no boat riding. But I told everybody adamantly, we wont have any boat ride, as it was too risky. There we fed the deer’s, and climbed an aerumadam. Took some pics. After sometime, it started raining, so we entered a small restaurant, and ordered some omelets. It was delaying too much, so took only the half of the order, and left from the place, after buying some honey and coffee powder.

After an hours journey from there, we reached the Buddhist monastery(Tibetan). Wont
believe we have such a place in India. They have made everything like Tibet. We can find Buddhist monks everywhere, wearing their traditional dress and riding macho bikes like Enfield and Pulzar. We roamed around the place, and as it was time for lunch,Unanimously, we choose to have lunch the Tibetan way. We had Momo, noodles(using the stick) etc. Though it didn’t taste great, it was a different experience. From there, we went to the Tibetan bazaar. There they had lots of Tibetan craftworks, toys, dress. We bought some Good Knives, just for the sake of remembrance. There was a sexy lady there,who was selling some antiques. Some of these guys even bought three knives from that shop(Not naming :) )

By afternoon we left the place. We made a halt in beautiful countryside. Finished the rest
of the pegs, And left from there. We continued the introduction. We continued the songs
and anthakshari. By evening we halted at a mallu hotel and had the food. By 9:00 PM we
reached back at madiwalla. Sad goodbyes to everybody, saying "See you next at Goa “(We have planned for the Goa trip for 29th sep, in the same vehicle and same gang)

In the way back we had a couple more introductions. Out of those, the introduction of Anshad was the most humorous. Anshad, during the schooldays, was having a very strange hobby. He tamed and kept Doves with him as pets. he was saying some tjargons about Doves(pravu), like, the doves will fly away from their nest and raom around the whole day, and comes back to the exact location. he even told a story about one of his dove, which he had bought from Aalapuzha, flew back to the previous owners place, from Trivandrum (Anshad's home). Due to his freak hobby, this guy was loosing concentration in his studies, and hence his Bapa, sold all his dove, while he was in 10th std. After the exam, the results were out, he got distinction. This was what anshad told: "result vannu ..adutha divasam veetil koodu vannu". After that, Anshad got the name Pravu****.

Wow! What a trip!. To be honest, this was the best trip I ever had till now. This was what everybody who participated in this trip also said. It almost took 2-3 days to relive ourselves for the trip’s memories. What gave us from the trip? A bunch of new friends and the intimacy of the existing friendship increased. We made a wow, to have a trip ever two months, as this trip a huge success.

Munich - Courage revealed

The Israeli's are the people whom I admire the most, in my life. Its due to a mixture of sympathy,courage and their wisdom. I have always been fascinated by the secret wars and counter terrorism of the IDF & Mossad.

I was really delighted to know , when the news first came out, about Spielberg's idea of making a film based on the post munich massacre(Where 11 Isralei Athletes, were brutally murdered using grenades and automatic weapons) by a terrorist group or sypathisers of PLO called Black september. The film is based on a book Vengeance : The True Story of an Israeli Counter-Terrorist Team . As I had read many articles, regarding the Mosssad and Sayeret Matkal(The best elite commando force of Israel), I am really longing to see this movie.

Though I have not seen the movie, nor have read any reviews, but this movie would be worth to watching. Its about the Israle's reply to the PLO & Black September. The Mossad forms a group of agents, who are to track down each and every terrorists invloved in the Munich massacre. The beautiful part is, they were indeed able to kill 8 of the conspirators/Invlovers. Remaining 1 died naturally, two were assasinated(Not confirmed, if by mossad).

During this operation, Sayeret Matkal had played a vital role in the "Operation Spring of youth", were the Mossad along with Sayeret Matkal commandos, made surprise assault on three Terrorists dominated placess in Lisbon, where they were able to wipe 3 main leaders of PLO, and another 100 terrorists.

Still dont know the dates, when its being released in Bangalore. Was cheking the IMDB charts, but to my surprise, it has been dropped from 6th position last week to 11 position this week. But, I thing, people who are not aware of the Mossad and its secret wars, wont find it interesting.

Other Major Israeli Operation, worth to be known:

1. Sayeret Matkal Assult on Green Island
2. Operation Jonathan or Raid on Entebbe
In respct of Col Jonathan Netyanahu, one of the best Officiers Mossad had, unfortuntely the only victim who died in this operation, which was led by him, killed by Ugandan Militiry, shot in the back