Page1- Trying to find Neverland

What next? Argh. Don’t you just hate that question?

I Got into Media College based on a decision I made during the last term of school. But that kind of easy last minute decision-making is not going to do it this time and I know that for sure. One year from now, I will be done with college and then what? What do I really want to do? I fear the answer is “ I’m still thinking about it and I’m going to figure it out through the course of next year”. But that answer is no more valid I hear.

I walked into mum’s office today and asked her “What do you think I am going to do after I am done with college ma?” and she stared blankly at my face and said, “I don’t know, I have to think about it…” I finally picked myself up and asked her “amma, are you okay with me studying anywhere outside Chennai, within India?” Somehow I expected her to say “of course, its your decision” but she said “I need to talk to your dad about it, give us tonight and I will tell you tomorrow.” I said, “okay” with a face that I was trying so hard to keep happy. I also told her about the colleges I had in mind. And she said “okay I will get back to you.” and then I asked her “amma what if you say no and that I cant study away from here..? I need to find alternative colleges here also right?” and she turned to me with a look that I interpreted said “exactly that. Go figure tha t out”.

I walked out of the room and walked up the stairs, got into my room, put my bag aside and lay down on my bed and then slowly I began to realize that I was crying. I don’t know why, but I’m guessing it is that feeling of uncertainty that comes with youth, as people say.

All of a sudden being clueless upsets me, especially for a girl who decided to celebrate her confusions, as she had time. And time is what I don’t have right now. I was up until today never afraid of a blank page, but do I still feel the same way about blank pages, not knowing what to write about or what to write further? Questions are easy, answers are difficult. I am so desperately trying to give myself answers and just when I seem to be on the verge of finding something, my blood people don’t quite see what I see. Ironic right? Actually…no. Pathetic is the word for how I feel. Especially since all my friends know exactly what they are going to do after college.

Going with the flow was and is never my type. I believe in “prepare and fight head on” but I failed at what I believe in. I am not prepared and I don’t know what or whom I am fighting. Is it the pressure of turning 20 and racing towards adulthood that I am terrified of or is it the want not to disappoint people? Is it the feeling of growing into something that I have only seen other people become? I don’t know. All I know is I hate change and I hate having to grow up.

And all of a sudden I wish I was peter pan, who was young, is young, and always will be young. Forever.

-Sruthi Laya

AAT media college

http://cookielaya.blog.com/

Addressing the Atrocities

Addressing the Atrocities.

Addressing the Atrocities

On March 8^th, the students of Loyola College embarked on a fast demanding rights and justice for the Sri Lankan Tamils who are being treated brutally by the Sri Lankan army, the Tamils who have almost lost faith in God and who have forgotten the existence of peace. Agitations arose when the eight-member-ed team from Loyola was arrested by the TamilNadu police on 11^th. When common people thought that such tension among students can be put to an end by mere arrests by the police department, students from across the city proved everyone wrong by surprising them with a series of strikes commencing on 12^th March.

Similar to the current scenario, protests took place in the year 2009 in India, UK, Australia and Canada, urging the world leaders to bring a unanimous ceasefire agreements to the Sri Lankan Civil War which has been taking place for over 25 years. Even after the Civil War came to an end, at the end of the year, protests and demonstrations continued, demanding governments to undertake a war-crimes inspection in Sri Lanka.

In the year 1983, LTTE, the militant organization went against the Sri Lankan Government and demanded a separate Tamil state which led to the civil war that in which the Tamil Tigers were defeated by the Sri Lankan military forces. After many years of struggle and years of failed peace agreements, conflicts that centered on particular sects turned out to cause a Civil War in which 80000-100000 persons were killed and many more injured. Even international intervention couldn’t stop Eelam Wars ll and lll. It was a moment of happiness in Sri Lanka when LTTE leader Prabhakaran was declared dead on 18^th May 2009. Although it was a relief that the military operation was finally over, it was troubling that so many innocent civilians were killed in the course.

Tensions between LTTE and Sri Lanka prevailed but just when people thought that things are pretty much under control, the sensitivities of students in Tamil Nadu heated up when a British broadcasting channel released pictures of Prabhakaran’s 12 year old son lying cold and dead after being shot on the chest five times by the Sri Lankan Army. Protests began, an initiative by Loyola College students that proved to be a kick start for other colleges to continue the strikes, gaining momentum. Initially, the main agenda behind the strikes was to get justice for the Sri Lankan Tamils but the strikes went on to oppose the Central Government as political parties started influencing these strikes.

“All we want is to declare Sri Lankan Army and the Rajapaksa Government as accused of genocide and we want the Indian Government to take necessary measures to ensure the bill be passed in favour of the Sri Lankan Tamils at a new sitting in the UN in September”, says Pushkin, a student from a Chennai based Law College. When asked why the strikes involved violence Pushkin claimed that only violence reaches the Central Government and peaceful protests would take the agenda nowhere. Opposing this, Mr.Ashok Xavier Gladstone, belonging to the department of social work, Loyola College said “violence and agitation is definitely not a key to a quick solution. Silent protests can gain as much attention as violence, except it takes time. Students are a lot distracted by what the media portrays and they do not have the patience to wait till silence protests gain impulse.”

A 30-year-old man died after setting himself ablaze in Chennai over Sri Lankan Tamils’ issue as protests continued against the island nation’s government across the state. He is the second person to immolate himself in the on-going protests. Such acts are often branded as acts of bravery. But what sort of bravery is this when people who call themselves sensitive over the issue immolate themselves rather than being a part of the situation and doing something about it until a solution is arrived at?

Mr.Gladstone feels that how much ever people fight for the rights of Tamils, how much ever support other countries give for the Tamil, there is no end to the situation for he thinks that if a chance was to come, it would have, many years ago and he strongly hopes that one day the public realizes that. One fails to understand that the scenario in Sri Lanka has become far better and that the Tamils across the country no more flee to neighboring countries as refugees. It is nice to see the socially aware students fight for the rights of a minority community but it is essential for them to also be politically aware of the situation.

-Aishvarya Gopalakrishnan

Ethiraj college

 

Boundaries that prevail

Most recently, I went on an industrial visit organised by my friends at college to Toyota
Kirloskar Bangalore. I learnt a lot on the journey, gained a lot of knowledge technical and
otherwise. I thought that it was worth sharing, so here goes.

After the industrial visit, I was permitted to visit a mall. One thing that dawned on me as
soon as I entered the mall was the flaunting of wealth. It was the most overt display of
wealth, size and grandeur humanely imaginable. For a long time, it would have impressed
me no end. It would have satisfied a teenager’s irrepressible necessity to flaunt wealth in
the name of appearing cool.

For some reason, that teenager did not feel all that high and mighty with his mom’s cash in
his wallet. I looked at the faces of the waiters, cashiers, workers alike and in those faces I
could see the unmistakable expression of disdain and revulsion as they bitterly served their
green customers.

At that point of time a realisation dawned on me, that there was a disparity and the
fact that I had failed to notice made me feel ashamed and slightly appalled at my own
nonchalance and ignorance. I thought of the situation back home in Chennai.

A single mall at the centre of poverty, words do not begin to explain the nature and the
cruelty of a system that feeds on its own. Citi centre mall stands amidst poverty, it stands
for the desiccation of wealth from the poor. There were many promises made at the time
of construction of this mall, promises of financial nature to enable the betterment of the
slums. None of those promises ever materialised, to the best of my knowledge. Not one
drop of the nectar of profit shared with the downtrodden. The conditions of the slums
surrounding malls are alarming.

Not just this specific mall, in India there is such disparity in wealth. The above is but one
example of the increasingly different financial nature of the different classes of society.
There has to be a mechanism to set this balance right, a channel to help the wealthy return
what they owe the less fortunate.

In today’s increasingly unforgiving world such a disparity will undoubtedly lead to conflict
and it will escalate into all out anarchy. It is time that the youth of this nation galvanise
it with hope, hope of a better tomorrow. Not only for themselves but also for the less
financially equipped. There is tempest on its way, the only course of action is prevention,
and there will be no hiding once it hits shore.

There is more disparity in wealth than ever before, more people with high end cell phones
and more people without food or clothing for their children. There has been a stark increase
in the wealth of a few privileged/lucky men. On the other hand there are countries in which
thousands upon thousands die in starvation.

For all the talk of an evolved society, it is but a twisted utopian world of a few content with
their own gluttony.

This is something I have experienced myself, so here goes. I am walking on the road
earphones on with my smartphone in shorts and a t-shirt. The path I generally tread makes
me a sight of envy for the slum dwellers. I walk past person after person green with envy
and angry at their own plight. Most of them are wondering how the hell does, this kid get
the money for a fancy cell and outfit when I can barely afford education for my son.

I am but a student I have more than what a worker does. It is something that strikes me as
grossly wrong on so many different levels as it should you as well.

In India there are so many people and as a result the value of each person has gone down.
India may be the biggest democracy in the world but this one of the most hypocritical ideas
I have come across till now. Why? Well what is the point of democracy when more than
half the nation is still is still in the medieval age. There are parts of our country that lack
electricity, water and food. And I have the indecency to write this article with an S3 playing
music and the air conditioner at 22*degrees. See the funny side?

At least I have the decency to admit that I have not contributed a solution to the problem
and quite possibly contributing to its root cause. People should never use more than what
they need. This is the reason why nations are in starvation. I am only a student I hardly
expect a morally high sounding slightly confessional article to make a difference now. In
the very process of writing my feelings I have brought about alacrity in my mind on many a
problem in the Indian, let me not be selfish, the international society.

One man cannot gorge himself with a pile of riches, while another starves. I hope most
of you who read this article are able to come to the same conclusions I have. And that
sometime in the near future contribute to the solution whose making we have been party
to.

Ever heard of “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good

men do nothing.” (Edmund Burke).

By Vishnu Supreet

Women’s day Mayhem

On Women’s Day when many women across the country were being sexually assaulted, brutally beaten up by drunk husbands, cocooned in the hot kitchens and few even abandoned by their parents, various cities took to a positive vibe and celebrated the day, compensating for the loss of happiness in other women’s lives.

A women’s day pledge was administered at a function held in Thongum Poonga, Salem. Mr. Sandeep Nanduri distributed loan of Rs. 42 lakh to self-help groups and Rs. 60 lakh as assistance on rotation basis to them. Distribution of loans to the tune of Rs. 1.55 crore to 233 women Self Help Groups marked the celebrations in Namakkal. Rallies, meetings and cultural programmers marked the International Women’s Day celebrations in various parts of The Nilgiris on Friday. Coimbatore Regional General Insurance Employees’ Association also celebrated the day by conducting a seminar at Government College for Women in which problems of women in society and solutions were discussed.  To commemorate the day, Air India, for the second consecutive year, operated on Monday night an ultra long haul flight from Delhi to Toronto, with an all-woman crew.

Across Chennai, various competitions and games were held as part of Women’s Day and saw active participation by women from different backgrounds and of all age groups.

Women’s Day also saw sparks arising among youth on violence against women. It was also a day of mourning. The Delhi gang rape victim was granted the 2013 International Women of Courage Award in the US. Her heroic nature was talked about but she is no more and her nonexistence has been forgotten over the days. Women’s Day has become a platform for enjoyment but who explores the injustices faced by women in the society? Who takes steps to prevent the injustices faced by the uneducated sect of women? Who wants to eradicate the crime committed on women? The Day passes every other year but such questions remain unanswered. Women’s Day need not be a platform for finding the answers but it can be a platform for a change; a change that the country can witness and talk about for years, a change that needs to be made very soon.

-Aishvarya Gopalakrishnan

The Month of March

As the heat blanket spreads across Chennai, the month of March connotes the beginning of summer in Chennai. Now March is usually the month filled with whole lot of activities.  You can find on streets, lot of small scale business men trying to set up road side shops to make a quick buck. This is the time of the year where there is a rise in the sales of fruits especially Water Melons.

Every road would have a big umbrella underneath which these small scale businessmen set up their shops. Preventing them from the wrath of the sun, they cry out loud to sell their products. Tender Coconuts and Water Melons are the ones that tops their sale. In this dying heat, everyone finds time to make a pit stop to quench their parched throats with either of the two. 

This is also the time of the year when all the fresh juice shops are buzzing with people who are desperate to get their hands on the cold glass of juice. The crowd will never die down until the shopkeepers call it a day.

The activity is not only along the footpath or the shops but extends till the temples too. A tradition or sentiment for the tenth and twelfth graders to hit the temples before writing their exam. So it’s very likely that the uncles and aunties can get past the student crowd to get a glance at the god on the morning of the exam. The scenario of anxious parents and even more anxious students holding their text books, giving a last minute glance oblivious to the surroundings, creating a havoc in the road is a common sight that cannot be missed in March.

With emotions tolling over, one still rants about the Chennai heat.

-Karthik Margabandu

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

Photo Courtesy- Yegnesh Tawker

Vishwaroopam – Movie Review

I don’t usually write this kind of posts, but this is no ordinary movie either !!. This is Dr. Kamal Hassan’s Magnum opus, Vishwaroopam. Dragged into controversy after controversy, it finally hit the screens day before yesterday in Tamil Nadu. I went to this movie with an empty head, but I came back awestruck. It was “Thaaru Maaru Over Gethu” ( Rough translation : Epic beyond Epicness ). I’m no Kamal Fan, But I have watched almost every other Kamal movie,(Thanks to my Mom,she’s a big fan), and this is ,by far his best Action-Thriller till date. Written, and directed by Kamal Hassan himself, Vishwaroopam’s on par with the other Hollywood Films, and it’s sure to create a feeling of euphoria as you walk out from the theatre.

This movie has got “Kamal Hassan” printed all over it .No wonder ,he’s called as ”Ulaganayagan Kamal Hassan”, Being the versatile Genius he is , he indulged himself in all aspects of the movie. He directed the movie, wrote the script, danced and sang almost all songs in this movie. Even after 50-plus years on screen, he is still incredibly enterprising and is raring to go. From being an effeminate Kathak dance teacher in New York to being a Jihadi fighting the NATO forces in Afghanistan or a dapper spy working for India, he pulls it off with sheer brilliance.

This movie is like no other Tamil movie, no . It has etched itself a nice place in Kollywood, creating a milestone in the Industry ,like I said, it’s on par with Hollywood movies, made with a whooping Budget of 95 Crores (second to Endhiran). This movie doesn’t have the usual filmy twists, a demanding script or punch-lines, but is packed with high powered live action, convincing combat sequences, original military hardware, impressive technical prowess and the star himself in at least three different get-ups. Kamal Hassan has given us an action-Thriller with a touch of class .Sanu Varghese‘s cinematography is a phenomenal factor,and he has fulfilled his task with utmost perfection . The kathak choreography byBirju Maharaj( I’ve had a chance to watch him perform live, this year in IIT) is pleasing and Kamal’s kathak dance in the first 45 minutes is even more pleasing to watch.

Rahul Bose, as a ruthless Al-Qaeda terrorist , and as Kamal’s friend ,turned enemy is convincing enough , Altough in the later half, he starts talking in a rather husky tone ( which reminded me of Batman from the Christopher Nolan adaptation). Nasser, as another Al-Qaeda leader , does justice to his role .He speaks Arabic throughout the whole movie, you’ll never believe him to be a Tamilian ,watch out for him in the sequel  . Pooja , who debuts in this movie , becomes rather irritating after the first half. Andrea , does her role with seamless brilliance as usual , Altough I was rather surprised that she didn’t sing in this movie .

Throughout the whole movie , I couldn’t find anything offensive against the Muslim’s in India .Even with a magnifying device, it is rather impossible to find portions that might offend Muslims. The bad guys in the film are not Muslims or even the stereotypes of radical Islamists. Instead, Kamal is quite specific about them – they are the Al-Qaeda terrorists.  It’s really surprising that a group of people were able to stop the screening of the movie in Tamil Nadu on such flimsy grounds.

Kamal’s movies knew no boundaries,  Today I crossed the Tamil Nadu Border to Kerala just to watch Kamal’s Vishwaroopam in Palakkad because in the Tamil Nadu release , they had muted 9 minutes from the movie , I wasn’t disappointed either. After watching the first one, I’ve a really good expectation on the sequel ( Watch out for the last five minutes in this movie ). Overall Kamal has not disappointed his fans at all , and he’s even managed to give us a blockbuster after so many controversys .

“Yaar endru purigiradhaa
Ivan thee endru therigiradhaa
Thadaigalai vendrey sarithiram padaithavan
Niyabagam varudkiradhaa”.

-Gautam Somappa

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

http://awalkdownthememorylane.wordpress.com/

Unsaid Love

He unlocked his mobile,
For the hundreth time,
Just to see the wallpaper,
and say,”I love you”
Her beautiful face,
Dusky yet glowing,

Eyes that no one could refuse,
A smile so charming,
A nose that cannot be man-made
Everything about her,
Is so perfect,

Even her attitude,
Which was contrasting to the others,
So, the first time he saw her,
He was already in ‘something’
With her.

But the thing is,
If she was 10 in a scale upto 10,
He was tending to zero,
No wonder,
She had many guys,

Waiting to just meet her,
Just because she was beautiful.
Lucky, some of them were,
She dated them.
Even some, strangely,

She dated again and again.
He felt agony in that fact.
In a few weeks, she was getting married.
He did not want to think of that
With a surge of sadness and mild indignant anger,
He thought to himself,
She didnot even send him an invitation

But then ofcourse, he thought,
She hardly even knew him
He thought of breaking into the marriage,
But hey wait, he thought,
If he broke in,

that would cause her unhappiness,
Partly the reason,
Also he would be ‘thrashed’
No, he did not want that,
At least let her be happy,

He thought to himself.
It was all his fault,
He should have approached her at the begining,
While at college,
While she was innocent,

Before she got the ‘job’,
Now, he felt angry,
With himself and jealous,
For having lost her,
To some moron,
Yes, moron (to his eyes!)

He felt,
No one could care for her,
Like he would,
If given a chance.
He wouldn’t and can’t
Forget her

For the years to come,
But alas,
That will remain forever as a dream,
Because she is an actress!! 😛

Akash Govindarajan

Loyola College

http://akashgovind.blogspot.in/

The Cliched Love Story

It was a cold morning, not only the climate but also the things that were going to unfurl. I couldn’t wake up for I never slept. The reason being outrageous possessiveness.

 

I kind of felt uncomfortable in meeting her but nevertheless I got ready. Clad in best tee and jean from my unwashed collection, I decided to make a move to the cafeteria for my impatience was nagging and eating me alive though I was going to be an hour early. I asked the cheta there for a coffee giving him a ten rupee note for 6 bucks coffee. Collecting the coffee and the  change I kept to my usual place. Sitting down and staring into the void, I had this pale as a corpse expression in my face.

 

My brain was flipping through the pages of the novel of my past four-and-a-half months of life. Seeing that I no option left than to wait, I was brain storming my past and here is how it happened,

 

“It was my fourth year of college. The year began well for I never imagined I would get placed but miracles do happen and it did. As usual I skipped breakfast at the mess and headed towards the cafeteria to have a decent meal. Also there is nothing better than a morning’s coffee at the cafeteria.

 

Walking all the way, I headed straight to the billing counter without having to look at the menu for I became a regular here over the period. There wasn’t much of a queue and I stood behind two girls. The aroma of coffee was already refreshing my mind. The two girls were in a hurry I suppose; they forgot their change and headed to get food.

 

The cheta at the counter kept calling them but they simply walked away. Getting my bill and their change I went after them to give their change.  And that’s when I met her for the first time.

 

Neha was her name which I didn’t know at that instance. Anyways I walked up to them and explained what had happened and gave them their change. They thanked me and smiled and introduced themselves making me do the same. I told them I hadn’t grabbed my food and forced myself out of an awkward conversation.

 

I met her again the very next day at the cafeteria. She was having cornflakes from what I could see in distance. After coming a bit closer, I bid her a hi and walked to the billing counter and placed my order. After having got the food, I was searching for a place to sit and that’s when she called me to sit with her.

 

I had this long weird walk to the table and pulled a chair and sat opposite to her. She started asking me questions and that was the start to our first of many conversations that were soon to follow. She was indeed attractive.  She was in the third year which meant she was my junior. I couldn’t help notice how her hair covered her eyes  every time she bent to feed herself a spoonful of cornflakes making sure the milk doesn’t spill on her uniform. ( Yes uniform :|)

 

We exchanged numbers and left the cafeteria. I promised myself that I would get to know her. Being in fourth year meant lot of free hours and lot of time to spend either in my room or in the cafeteria looking at people and munching.

 

I kept bumping into her often; at first it was all unplanned but soon after we started texting, it became otherwise.

 

I kept calling her to the cafeteria but not very often because I didn’t want her to think I was hitting on her already which I clearly was not. Or was I?

 

She had issues in the beginning meeting regularly but she came every time I called her which made me feel she had a thing towards me. But my inner voice which had never popped up till then made me think she was just obligated to come for I was her senior.

 

She started getting friendlier and comfortable than how she was initially. She started conversations through texts and I thought this was progress. But I never did expect any progress. Wait, now do I like her? It was strange. I never openly succumbed my feelings to love but this was different altogether. I was happy around her.

 

One day I was in my class and my phone vibrated. I read the text under the professor’s nose and it read, “Cafe 4:30? 🙂 🙂 :)”

My hand was shivering and I started to sweat. I was able to feel my skin’s temperature rise. She called me to the cafe for the first time and I was wondering why. Controlling my excitement, I simply sent a yes.

 

Later that evening I met her and she ordered coffee for both of us and we both sat opposite to each other sipping the coffee. She asked me all of a sudden as to what my plans for her birthday were. I was puzzled. I thought it was her birthday and that I didn’t know. I apologised shamelessly for wishing late and she started laughing.

 

Her birthday was the following day and she was as surprised and a bit disappointed that I didn’t even know her birthday. That’s when I actually realised I had feelings for this girl. Just 4 and a half months and here I was being consumed by feelings towards a girl.

 

I didn’t make any special arrangements for her birthday for I didn’t want to be all cheesy. I wrote a birthday letter hoping she would like it. I called her exactly at the stroke of 12 to find the line busy. I was disappointed much. I kept trying again and again only to find the line busy. I gave up in frustration and slept in anger.

 

 

My alarm rang an hour earlier and only after five to six rings did I realise it was a phone call. I lazily picked up the phone and to my surprise, it was Neha. The minute I heard her voice, I found myself startled. She reckoned we meet at the cafe around 8 for breakfast. I told her okay and kept the phone without even wishing her a happy birthday.“

 

It was like being awoken from a dream. I saw her standing before me clad in a beautiful white salwar making her look more gorgeous than ever. She was wearing bangles and her nails were painted in red. I had never paid heed to many details but now they were right in front of my eyes and I couldn’t help but notice how pretty she looked.

 

I wished her a happy birthday and gave her the letter and a huge bar of toblerone. She smiled and whispered, “thanks”, brushing her hair from her face.

 

We sat next to each other with our plates and started talking. She kept getting prettier and I couldn’t help but fall for her. When I was about to confess my feelings for her, She apologised.

 

She was like, ” I saw your missed calls. I am sorry the line was busy and that you couldn’t wish. In fact a lot of people had called but to their dismay, I couldn’t return even one of them except for yours.”

 

I assured her it was not a problem and out of curiosity I asked her who she was talking to and her reply trickled a tear from my eye and it fell into my coffee. 

 

“My boyfriend!”, was her reply.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: This work is purely fictional. Resemblance to any person alive or dead is coincidental. 

 

-Karthik Margabandu

(Regional Head, Chennai)

http://inkkheart.blogspot.in/

The beginning :)

Everyone has that one friend who is given more priority among others.
You tend to admire that person. You share all your secrets with them. You begin to become possessive over them. You hate anyone who talks bad about them. You cannot live a life without them around you.
You fight, argue, irritate , but you would not be able to go to bed without apologizing or hugging each other. They support you whatsoever and you do the same, without having any second thoughts. They have your back throughout.

You start to wonder, what is so special about this person.

Is there supposed to be a particular reason for this person to be special?
The person himself/herself is a precious little gift of your life. You treasure them throughout your life.

This is to that one friend who has been with me throughout all the hard times, who has given me a lot of wonderful memories to catch up to, and who inspired me in writing this 🙂

 -Meena Priya

SRM

http://meenapriya1593.blogspot.in/