Thiru Anantha Puram

Trivandrum has evolved from the word Thiru-Anantha-puram, which quite literally explains the posture that Lord Vishu lies on his serpent bed. By far, this has been my longest stay in my hometown.  Having always visited Trivandrum during vacation, I used to frequent the spots favoured by tourists.

 

This year, we decided to visit the around the city and the capture the places in a difference way.Have put together this collection:

Santhigiri Ashram

 

The Santhigiri Ashram is around 16 kms from our house on the MC Road.A picturesque and serene place, it is a must visit for people wanting to have a peaceful day. The highlight of the Ashram is the Lotus shaped sanctum sanctorum which contains the moral remains of the Ashram's founder.

 

 This is Varkala - Papanasam/Sivagiri. Considered as equivalent of Kasi, it has an amazing beach and a temple few metres from the shore.This shot above is of a stream that was running a few feet from the actual beach. The setting sun threw a good reflection and made a good shot :) Varkala is one of the most preferred tourist spots in Kerala. A 100km round trip on a sunday evening made this a trip to remember.


The Evergreen Shankumukham: For a change, this shot of Shankumkham is from the beach towards the road. Everytime we feel bored, we head to this beach. As kids we used to visit this beach primarily to ride cycle in the city's only Traffic park. If I remember right, a hour long rental of cycle used to cost Rs.2. You could say that this is the place that taught us to ride properly.. oh and the awesome cutlets we used to get!! Swapna should know this :) :) :)

 

How can one leave out KOVALAM!! Awesome place, ain't it? So here we go.. a collection of photos. We visited the Vizhinjam Lighthouse too this time when Vijay and Swapna came down this year.

 

 

Meenmutti and Ponmudi concludes the list of places we could travel to. Ponmudi is a hill station 57 km from our house. It is a hillstation with nothing on top other than the peak! No houses, no commercial establishments, nothing! Just Pristine greenery on all four sides. For the weary travellers there is on Kerala Tourism Development Corporation's cottages available for stay. Heard they are very pricey and hence even the foreign tourists prefer to take a taxi ride from trivandrum and returnt the same night. This was my first ever drive to a hill station and thankfully, had only 22 hairpin bends. 22!! with a full load on board and Avanthika with us too, I was a bit tensed. Thankfully, the scenery and the traffic-less road made it a drive to remember.

 

Meenmutti waterfall is 18 km downhill from Ponmudi. Once of the most well maintained public spaces I have ever seen. THere is even a deposit to be paid for all the plastic bottles we take inside the location. On return, if we have all the bottles intact, the deposit is returned, else there is a fine for littering too! In a nutshell, this is an awesome awesome place to visit! Abhilash, I think we ought to start our road trip from ponmudi. lets plan.     

 

Enroute Meenmutti, on our car, Christened The Road Runner :

 

 

Atop Ponmudi :

 

 

Mist covering the hilltop:

 

 

So, pack your bags, come home, we can drive to all this places again!

Petrol Petrol Everywhere

Mayawati has been trumped, Mumbai Indians have been thumped but what takes the cake is the sucker punch delivered with brutality on us.A hike of close to Rs.8 after adding the taxes, octri etc on petrol is the final blow. Not a big believer in the Jasmine revolution, now I think that is the only way to fight the most corrupted government that has ever ruled India.

Every city in the country now needs a Tahrir Square. The land of milk and honey has been done and dusted, it is just a land of scams and scamsters now. Bloody hell the audacity of this dimwit, nimcompoop government!! Presenting the already overloaded people with a price rise on the 3rd anniversary of its second term. I was among the lot who rejoiced when UPA came back to power. The promise was huge but the stats just prove that every single act the government has passed has come a cropper not to add the CWG, Coal, and the mother of all scams - 2G has all come under this rule.

Enough of the debates on News channels. Looks more like a choroegraphed WWE matches.I think for the first time the Hartal in my hometown is justified and God willing I will support it to the fullest.

Out with your pens brothers. Change is the need of the hour. ROLL BACK THE PETROL PRICE. STRIP THE MPs and PMs off their Salary.CONFISCATE THE BLACK MONEY ABROAD. MMS sir.. this is when we need you. Break your shackles for once please!! I still hold you and the team that framed the liberalization policy responsible for kindling the greed among the political class. Pls do something!!

An anguished, disheartened and a totally helpless Indian.

Statistics say that Chetan Bhagat is the most sold Indian author now. I am so very happy for him!! But I am not too sure as to how many of them have truly understood his books. Take Mighty Mayawati's latest brainwave! She has put forth a case of Quadra-fucation of UP. Definitely a bad hangover after reading (or hearing about??) CB's 2 states!!! Chetan Bhagat better run for cover!! Controversies these days seem to be the birth right of all celebrities. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a hue and cry that Chetan Bhagat's 2 states has influenced her decision!!

Okay. Enough kidding.

Mayawati has announced her decision to split UP into 4 smaller states, after having "obtained clearance" from her "Cabinet". Yeah right. If there was a cabinet and if there were ministers who would disagree with her. What nonsense! Am wondering what the Iron Man of India would be thinking if he were alive now. He toiled hard to get India unified and now he is seeing his work being dismantled systematically. Telengana, Gorkhaland, now 4 for UP... spare a thought for the kids learning Geography!! And what about us the quizzers who love to keep every google-able detail in our brains?? Mayaji, at least ensure that the names of the states being planned have a pan-India flavor.. We in south India will have trouble pronouncing Paschimmanchal and are bound to confuse with Poorvanchal and Uttaranchal!

Brr...Czechoslovakia seems so easy!!

Go Occupy

Occupy your mind that is. Austerity measures is the new karma for Governments all over the world.(You know what Karma is.)Greece and Italy have new goverments. Euro is on a shaky ground. Crude is on a high and the stock exchanges are melting.Above all, the US is seeing an unprecedented movement. The Occupy movement. US folks are asking the Wall street to cut down their golden parchutes and handshakes for the sake of bringing the cost down.

As usual the greatest, top most selling writer of our times, Ms. Arundhati Roy has spoken supporting the movement.Imagine, Ms.Roy delivering such a lecture when our Indian economy is booming, well for the wrong reasons. Inflation is on the stairway to heaven while the dollar is appreciating against the rupee to the great happiness of all my onsite friends :) Unfortunately, it does have a dark side to it. The government is Stuck in a moment it cannot get out of. But, the show must go on. The only way to over come this is to be Comfortably numb.

A Momentary lapse of reason from the Goverment has sent the inflation sky high, adding Another brick in the wall to the common man's life. The delicate sound of thunder is Echoeing on The Wall as the Division bell of the classes is clearly sounded. While we suffer silently, all those Smooth Criminals are attaining Nirvana. Its true that They dont really care for us.But remember, We are the champions and we will rock you pretty soon! Try as you might to Beat it down, The Moment is not far away.

Get over it you biggies, these are Money for Nothing. The change is now Blowing in the Wind.Its a Brave new World out there as We are the Brothers in Arms who have no Fear of the dark. The Final Count down has begun to Run Free on the Open Road, to Change the World.

This is it!Lets come together to stop them from taking the Highway to Hell, after all its a One World!

{Just for fun :) :) :)}

Latte, Espresso, Cappuccino and Filter Kaapi

It was a HUGGE surprise when our company decided to replace its old powder based coffee and hot (milk based) bevarages vending machine with  "branded" Cafe Coffee Day machines. The highlight? Freshly ground coffee bean based Latte, Espresso and Cappuccino and fresh milk to go with it!!

All of a sudden the exciting aroma of ground coffee is permeating our module. Paper cups got replaced with Stylish Mugs. The coffee break timings are reprogrammed as "As we come into office", "one hour before lunch", "one hour after lunch", "snack time coffe" and "just as we leave".

Each break has us flaunting a cappuccino or a latte or an espresso. Adventurous few did try mixing coffee and tea!! Well you can't blame them right? If we mix coffee and chocolate and call it as Chococcino or Mocha, guess CofTea is acceptable too!

This has been in practice for a good month and a half now. This is when the flavor gets used to and you are tired of telling your friends that "Oh I just had my double espresso coz its a night out today". Today, I honestly needed that shot and that is when I realized something:

Latte : This is nothing but Milk coffee, typically given to 5-6 years old in Tambram household

Cappuccino: A slightly stronger coffe where the Coffee "Dicoction" goes in first and milk is added next. Given till we reach college.

Espresso: Lol this is the best. Known as "Kattan Kaapi" in Downsouth TN and Kerala, a "Dicoction only" kaapi which is taken by people who cannot afford milk!!

Just not able to stop smiling at my cup of Double espresso + Milk .. ohh sorry.. my Double strong Filter Kaapi.

I'm loving it!