you are suffering for any disease :)............

This is a sight now very common even in Tamil Nadu - a bunch of northies travelling in a home-made caravan, selling very "powerful" medicines that can cure "all diseases". You can see one on road-side, in a black tent with a board explaining the cures - this is one such picture, very funny!!

ARATI AURVEDIK CHIKITSA

You are suffering with any disease. Are not working
one your body. Because you are discourage. Lets come
to me and get and get healthy. Medicines were cured of
your disease we will take mony or gift from you. The
se are the diseases we are cured.
Gas trick, stomach pain, acidity, ulcer, urine unable
to come, stones are stored in the kidneys, heat, shankroid,
senses are weak. sugar, blood pressure, to be come
hypertension, lung diseases. 14 Types of diseases were
cured women diseases, white dots, egjima, skin diseases,
who become marriage and no childrens will be
ger childrens, phyles, liver diseases, elergy. t.b.
disease of lungs, all types of secret diseases
were cured from you, wee see the pulese and
give the exact medicines. First you have to check
the medicines and give the money.

To see the pulse fee 10 Rs.
The medicines will be provided by credit
if you are present govt. service certificate

India on Speed

Old Mahabalipuram Road
feb 2004
(OMR) is, in fact, a lot better today than what it was about one year ago. And things are bound to get better still. With a six-lane expressway project having received the all-clear, by the end of 2004 a drive on this road is expected to be as exciting as a weekend cruise on a luxury ship.

it is june 2007, and the "exciting weekend cruise" is limited to the stretch between Madhya Kailash and Tidel Park, after which the road has completely disappeared and became a dirt track, with big ditches filled with water rotting on either sides of the road (can water actually rot?).

Feb 2004:
Realtors say that thanks to this silicon-based commerce, land prices are shooting up like a bottle rocket. "Prices have doubled in the last two years or so," says Azeem Ahmed of Property Care. "Earlier, people bought land here as an investment, now they do so to live here."

"In areas close to Tidel Park, ground value ranges from Rs. 12 lakhs to 15 lakhs. Compare this with what it was six years ago - Rs. 4 lakhs to 5 lakhs. Other areas have also recorded steep run-ups. Ground prices in Sholinganallur now range from Rs. 6 lakhs to 8 lakhs. In Padur and Navallur, a ground sold at Rs. 1 lakh-1.5 lakhs four years ago. Now it sells at Rs. 4 lakhs-5 lakhs. Old Mahabalipuram Road's growth has been IT-centric all the way," explains M. M. Ahmed of Mariam & Co.

June 2007:
Ground value has trebled all along the highway in 3 years!!

MRTS
Feb 2004:
As of now, there is MRTS service from Beach Station to the Thiruvanmiyur-Taramani junction. It is said that before long the service would be extended to Velachery.
From Projects Monitor - http://www.projectsmonitor.com/detailnews.asp?newsid=4488
Work on the Thirumylai-Velachery project is expected to be completed by this year-end. (16/4/02)

June 2007:
Nothing has changed. and the stations still haven't been completed.
People's expectation: Work on the Thiruvanmiyur-Velachery project (Thiruvanmiyur is halfway between Thirumylai-Velachery) is expected to be completed by this year-end.

Flyovers
And, we've been waiting for the completion of Padi flyover for many years now, they constantly say it will be over by the end of this year. It's like the government is Sausage Charlie, and we the Turkish tell Charlie - "It was two years five years ago."

Non Resident Indian?

Sunita Williams - was born in USA to an Indian dad and a Slovenian mom, she is married to an American, she has been to India ONCE to visit her dad's family, her hobbies are running, swimming, biking, triathlons, windsurfing, snowboarding and bow hunting (none of which are encouraged among Indian girls. I might be wrong, maybe Indian girls outside India do this, though even football was prohibited for Jesminder Bhamra.) I don't find any other Indian connection - then why do the Indian media and Indians harp on her "Indian heritage"? Why don't I hear anything from the Slovenian side? She took The Bhagwad Gita, a Ganesha statue, Samosas, and Carniola sausages (a smoked sausage from Slovenia). She is also the 'third astronaut of Slovenian descent to fly to space after Ronald Sega and Jerry Linenger' (according to the Slovenian Government's website - http://www.ukom.gov.si/eng/slovenia/publications/slovenia-news/4057/4075/). Why have these been conveniently left out of all news reports? Is it because the "Indians" (we) are "ashamed" that their (our) "non-violent heritage" and "vegetarian culture" would be tarnished by someone eating "rajasik" non-vegetarian food? What's wrong with sharing their (our) pride with the Slovenians?

Anti Valentine Day

To all those opposing valentine's day because it's supposedly corrupts "indian culture"::

Kaaman Pandigai is our Valentine’s Day
Wednesday February 14 2007 09:45 IST
CHENNAI: With Valentine’s Day gaining increasing popularity in the last few years, it would be interesting to know that Tamil culture and literature have celebrated love and given importance to Manmada or Kaama (Cupid) and his lady love Rathi from time immemorial.

There are references in ancient Tamil literature to celebrations of love in the form of Indran Pandigai or Indran Tiruvizha and Kaaman Pandigai or Kaaman Tiruvizha.

Kaaman Pandigai and Indran Pandigai have several similarities to the Valentine’s Day celebrations.

Not only these festivals glorify love, they are celebrated in the month of February. Dr Navaneethakrishnan, retired professor in Tamil folk studies at Madurai Kamaraj University, says Indiran Pandigai used to be held even during the time of Raja Sarfoji who came from Maharashtra to south India.

“When Kaama was burnt by Lord Shiva, Parvati protested his action and said Kaama had to be alive for people to find happiness in love,” he says.

Eminent folk singer Pushpavanam Kuppusamy says Kaaman Tiruvizha is a 10-day celebration when villagers get together and offer prayers to Lord Manmatha. “In the month of February, even today, in some places in Thanjavur district, people go to the Manmatha temple and offer prayers. Devotees are given poree and kadalai” he says.

The significance of this celebration, he says, is that love unites the families of a village.

On similar lines is the Indran Pandigai which also is celebrated in February to welcome spring.

“The Indran Pandigai has a lot to do with ecology and environment,” claims Dr Navaneethakrishnan. “Indra Vizha is usually celebrated to pray for rain which brings prosperity which in turn will make people happy and contribute to a full family life,” he adds.

“Holi and Bhogi are also closely connected with celebration of love,” claims Sukhi Sivam, a well-known Tamil scholar.

However, Bharathi Thirumagan, daughter of Villu Paatu vidwan, Subbu Armugam, suggests there is a story in the Silapadigaram that relates to the festival. “Sage Agathiyar instructs Thoonkayil erindha thoditol Chemabayan Raja to celebrate Indran Vizha for 28 days which will ensure a happy life for the people of the kingdom failing which the saduka bootham and naalangadi bootham will destroy the kingdom.”

“These festivals propagated love,” she adds.

There are also references to Indran Pandigai being celebrated with fervour by couples on the banks of the rivers. They enjoyed the beauty of nature in each other’s company during this festival, it is said. “Kaveri Poompattinam was a place where many couples enjoyed the scenic beauty,” points out G Premeela, HOD, Music Department, University of Madras.

‘In the north, they celebrate Vasanth Utsav. The festival dates back to the era when Lord Krishna along with Gopikas celebrated spring with colours and flowers,” she says.It is thus clear that the celebrations are just not limited to lovers or couples. They propagate love as such and the joy love brings for all of us. They glorify the beauty of love and nature.

So, i put the whole article...

Two sentences stand out prominently...

>>> Devotees are given poree and kadalai
>>> Indran Pandigai being celebrated with fervour by couples on the banks of the rivers

Not to mention the stories of playboy god Krishna. If Krishna is not part of "Indian culture," what else is?

I don't like V-day myself, but to appease all those RSS/BJP/VHP/SS type goons who want to eliminate this, instead of a "foreign" valentine's day, I recommend having an annual pilgrimage to Kajuraho, like the annual muslim pilgrimage to Mecca or the Kumbh Mela.

Linkedin Bug

I got one invite from some guy, and when I clicked on the invite, instead of going to MY linkedin page, it accidently logged in with his name, and showed me everything of his!! I don't want someone to access my stuff when I send them an invitation. Hope the folks at Linkedin correct it soon!