My Special Christmas

Few days before Christmas I read an article about the stories of Santa Claus told to children and how he surprises them with his gifts. I too had heard these stories many times, have seen couple of movies on the same themes. After reading that article I was wondering does Santa give gifts to some grown ups who are 30 + like me!!

A day before Christmas i.e. Friday 24th Dec. I took an off as I was fed up of the hectic office work which was giving lesser time to me for myself. This is an year end, plus in financial services that too in Life Insurance you are always dealing with loads of parameters to be achieved. Meet your targets, work on you Annual Operating Plan, Morning Meetings, Con-calls. After some time this all SUCKS and end up in migrane!!

I happened to call Vikram on Friday. He said he is going 2 days out of Bangalore on 25th early morning on his bike, alone. I asked his trip schedule. I was pretty much impressed and asked how come he is going alone. Couple of his other friends had promised to accompany him, but later could not join him. I said “Chalo, I will come lets go”. He said we will leave at 4.00 AM, I was like how is 4.00 AM possible in this chilling weather that too on a bike!! Finally I agreed for 4.30, as I had planned with Akka to go for movie Tees Maar Khan, 2nd Show on Friday. That stupid movie gave me headache and dint allow me to have sound sleep. I Slept at 2.00 AM only to receive Vikram's wake up call at 3.30 AM. He came sharp at 4.30 to my house at Vijaynagar. I took another 30 mins to pack my things and get myself wrapped tightly.

Finally his Royal Enfield  bike started from my house at 5.00 AM. After 30 mins we got down the new flyover to take deviation on Mangalore road, had tea and again started. From here the REAL journey started. The road is in shabby condition, tankers and buses were coming in opp direction at speed making it difficult to focus on road in dark and 2 kms later everything is covered with fog – the road too. We slowed down, I started laughing loud – things cannot get worse like this - all at a time. We still continued slowly, I should really appreciate this guy he was riding without any complaints. Finally he got momentum and we breezed ahead in the chilling weather. I had never experienced so much cold in my life even when I was completely packed, the last time was at Mount Titlis in Switzerland.

I have an old habit of drinking 1 litre water as soon as I get up early morning. This started giving me lots of trouble. Some every 30 mins I was asking Vikram to stop bike, so that I could leak.  Usually when you are driving on highways and have got the speed required for the journey you never feel like stopping your car or bike. Poor chap he never complained for the frequent beaks I was taking. However the most difficult part was the cold climate. I had hidden my arms in Jacket, I was wondering how he was driving without any gloves. After some 100 KM from bangalore we stopped for my leak again. It was around 6.30 in morning. As soon as we got down the bike, we saw our hands are fully frozen and numb. In fact his hands had almost turned green in cold weather. The most difficult one was for me, my fingers had become so numb that I was unable to unzip to leak out. Had to rub hands for few mins to make my fingers work properly. The ride continued after the leak.

By around 7.30 my stomach started growling for food. We reached the Kamat Upachar after Channaraya Pattana at 8.30. Hot poori followed by glass full of hot tea made our body warm. I switched off my cell after breakfast. We started at from there at 9.30. Luckily the raod from here was good and the enfield showed its real power, we zoomed past couple of towns to reach Sakaleshpur in an hour. From there the Ghat Section starts and all the road is green everywhere, I took out camera and started clicking everything I found green!!

Hardly 10 KMS from Sakaleshpur, the road wass all spoiled making Vikram cut the speed down. The roads are so bad due to heavy traffic, oil tankers moving from Mangalore to all parts of south India have made road worst for normal ppl like us. The complete stretch of 40KMS is ruined off and you will find all kinds of vehicle struggling to move ahead. Some potholes are as deep as 1 feet deep. There were couple of cars and lorries who have fallen off road and on the road too. GOD save the cars. Luckily we were on bike, we could avoid some. However to travel some 15-20 KMS in the worst roads of ghat drained us completely. We HAD to stop to rest.

Finally we managed to reach Dharmastala at 1.30 PM, 30 mins behind our plan. The whole temple town was full of people from all places, especially bangalore. I thought darshan is not at all possible today in this weekend crowd. As soon as we reached there, Vikram's common friend provided a room. As soon as I entered the room, I laid my back down, eyes closed. We had our bath once again and were privileged to be taken directly for darshan and prasada. It was worth the pain we took to travel. The prasada was really good and filling for us tired blokes!!

Soon after lunch we left Dharmastala at 3.30 towards Kukke. We have to travel on the road back to Bangalore to take a deviation at Gundya on highway after traveling 40 KMS. We took a break there, ate boti had coffee and then off to Kukke Subramanya. At around 5.15 we reached there with one stop on Kumaradhara river Bridge for few snaps. We went for almost 5 - 6 lodges, almost each one was full, courtesy Bangaloreans. Nowadays which ever place you go on weekend, it may be Mysore, Ooty, Resorts in Pondy, Velur, Kodaikanal each of these places will be flooded by Bangaloreans.

Finally we got room in one lodge. First thing we did after entering room is we had HOT HOT WATER BATH. After bath I switched on my cell phone to find few msgs asking why my cell was switched off. In a moment I dozed off only to be woken up by Vikram at 8.30PM. By the time we had dinner and came back there were 3 more missed calls, and a threatening msg from a friend to answer her call!! I got piece of mind for switching off my cell. Immediately after the call, again I switched it off and went for sleep.

Early morning we got up at 5.30. By the time we had bath, got darshan and breakfast the time was 9.00. One thing I liked about Kukke Subramanya was the presence of power you will feel while seeing the deity. You will be in its hangover!!

The journey back was not much tiresome as the climate was cool and we were fresh. While on the way back I went back thinking about SANTA again and the gifts he gives on Christmas. I felt he chose to gift me my space and time for me myself, away from everything in Bangalore at places which were peaceful, calm and with greenery.  This gift rejuvenated me. I also got a bottle of red wine and chocolates from a friend the next day after coming to Bangalore.

Always we have specific wishes, we expect certain gifts, always these are on top of our minds. If we chose to shed down these and accept with open arms whatever is brought in front of us – we will definitely receive best of the gifts and we will become happy. I have received it during the Christmas by SANTA. And yes, SANTA does give gifts to some grown ups even though they are 30 + like me.

Your's

Raju Hiremath


Be a part of my FB page. Visit me on www.facebook.com/raju.hiremath7

Ashwini - Story of a CWG Gold winner

Indian women relay team has won Gold in 400 M relay - comprising a team of (L to R)  Ashwini Shetty, Mandip Kaur, Manjit Kaur & Sini Jose. Ashwini ran the cruicial 3rd leg in the finals.

 

Ashwini hails from Karantaka's coastal area. Coming from financially poor farmer's family in rural village of- Jansal, near Siddapura, Kundapur Taluk – Udupi district. Her father owns few acres of paddy growing farms which is again completely dependent on rains. In her childhood she used run around the cattle at home – taking them out for graging, to her father's fields. Running behind them she realised her speed and increased it herself running in school competions. She later started participating in inter-school, district level and many other local competitions; couple of which she won running on barefoot. On barefoot she went on to pursue her dreams of running in state level and national level games. Today India won GOLD after 50 yrears in a track event. Ashwini recalls “today everyone congratulate me on CWG Gold – but many do not know that when I used to participate in national competitions I did not even have good pair of shoes to run!!”

She also recalls today “bearing my travel and coaching expenses was a big challenge for me – we used to keep my mother's bangles at the Pawn Broker's for money”. To stay at Sports Hostel in Bangalore was another bigger challenge; when her father took a big call of pawning his farms to pay for her hostel fees and sports expenses. How many rural folk can take this big risk for their daughters career?

Like other athletes Ashwini also complains about the lack of sports facilities at the district and the rural level in our state. Lack of support from the government, from the sports authorities towards promising sports person is not reaching to the most deserving lot – especially the rural folk. When will the government hear their pleas? Coming from rural areas these guys know what is the real challenge for a sports person. For a sports person from India :- A real Challenge is not on the field; but it there outside till they get to reach the field. Almost every athlete of every sport apart from Cricket & tennis after winning in a major event endorse the same views of Ashwini. Even after all of them raising these issues, how much work has been done?

(A small excersise for you reading this – type in google “sports authotirites in India” you will find many. Then recollect how many sports we have won under these sports bodies)

Today Ashwini works as a ticket collector with South Western Railways. Had she not been encouraged by her employer with extended leave and Guaranteed Salary probably she would not have participated.

The blessed few, who manage to overcome all the obstacles and the hardships on their own have been able to excel in their field. Once they become successful in the events like now in CWG, the state governments announce few lakhs of rupees to the sports person and send out the garlanding snaps in Media!! Would the govt show the same care if they had lost even after participating in an international games? We all know what is the answer!! There are thousands of sports persons in India who could not manage to overcome their hardships like Ashwini. Again there are hundreds of them who could not win like Ashwini. Who is going to support them? Because of our bureaucracy, much of India's talent is lost out in the rural woods – we rather believe watching a reality show “India's Got Talent “ itself is the only platform where we can see and recognize the real Indian Talent.That's “A” clear picture of how realistic we ourselves are as citizens of this billion population country!!

For the moment, lets salute Ashwini and all the brave 101 medal winners of CWG – they have made it despite all their challenges.

Preetiya Parivala

When Shashi had come to Blore months 6 back from Mudalagi, he told me abt a new song which has become a big hit in our belgaum district. I told him it may be some shabber dange song or may be another double meaning drama by raju talikoti. He said "no, this is a descent one. You will like it". To keep his mood I said "ok, let me listen". Then he played it on his mobile. In the first two lines I could not resist laughing loudly "what a devdas song?" For which he said " ಮುತ್ತ್ಯಾ ಪೂರ್ತಿ ಕೇಳು ಆಮೇಲೆ ನಗು". {He calls me Muttya, i will tell this story sometime later}. And believe me as he said when I went on listening I started liking it. The lyrics was something which was sung in our north kannada style. Later I asked him to send that song to me. now it is in my mobile too.

After few months, one day I felt like sharing it on net with my friends from UK (Uttar Karnataka). So I just typed "Preetiya pariwala", to my surprise I found a video of the same song. Could not believe it!! For a rural janapada song to get it filmed is not which I have never heard. That day I posted it in my orkut profile. Within a week I started getting calls/scraps from my UK friends asking "where did u find it?" And they too liked it and later i sent over the mp3 song of the same to their email IDs.

Today I am posting it in my blog, hope you too will like it.
Kindly note: Just listen to the lyrics.

Your's
Raju Hiremath


Be a part of my FB page. Visit me on www.facebook.com/raju.hiremath7

Weekend in Ooty rain

A Josh of weekend off the job from Friday noon began to pale away by Saturday noon. After lunch, a glance on TOI's saturday edition of early 40+ pages was even boring, and also no good programmes on any of 100+ TV channels it was deifnately not going anywhere. I headed staright to sofa for small nap. A small nap became a great sleep for 3 hrs till 6.30, only to see 7 missed calls. Two of  them were from Siddya and Vicky. I called up the guys, they were planning to go to coffee day at Maddur. (Maddur Coffee day is one of my favorite hangout, we friends usually go there. You will enjoy the drive till there and just chilling over there is really COOL)

I insisted on going to any new movie, vicky said  its already 6.45 by now if you start searching for a movie ticket the time will be 12 midnight, better gear up  for coffee day. On a condition that he come to pick up me I said "yes".
We left siddya's place at around 8.00. Even a coffee day drive dint give much adrenalin push. Midway myself and Siddya started pulling Vicky's leg like if you can drive good, better drive till Ooty non-stop. Words on words, words on words - finally we started calling home - "Dont expect me for dinner, I am going to Ooty".

Finally we the adrenalin push - going to Ooty in rain.  Started off with "cool"drink till maddur Adigas. After dinner and getting out by 11.00, the next stop was Mysore. After a small stop to a hot tea near mysore bus-stand we staight away headed the Ooty road. By the time we reached the Bandipur gate it was 2.00AM. We were among the early birds to reach it. Sleeping in the car itself was not comfortable for me atleast, siddya was little better in the rear seat. After almost 45 mins of struggling I dozed off. At around 5.30 the sound of ppl made me get up. Vicky had already got up thrice in between. As I stepped out of car to stretch and have a small walk, wherever I see it was only vehicles piled up almost more than a KM and more all honking as the it neared 6.00AM.

At sharp 6.00 the gate was opened. A herd of almost 100+ deers in near Bandipur office welcomed us. We got to see few tuskers only at Madhumalai. By the time we came out of the reserve forest it started raining. A moring tea with a light was a feel good in such a cold climate. The real drive further after Gundlupet is what that is worth anything. With a continuous drizzle, fog and the chilling climate in midst of tea estates this is really a better " ಮುಂಗಾರು ಮಳೆ". Even scene, every sopt of a beauty the breaks were applied and after spending few mins there the journey would continue. We had close to 7 such stops from Gundlupet to Ooty. We entered Ooty at 9.15.

Ooty is completely different in rain. It was not raining heavily but a constant drizzle which is making the climate more chilly. Our's was a unplanned trip. With no extra clothes, no pull overs n nothingg - I can say we experienced the chilling weather  completly. Dodda Betta this time was much more different - with high speed winds, drizzling rain, fog - you bet the climate is freezing. Lots to say more abt this trip- I will add snaps and continue this soon.

ಮುಂಗಾರು ಮಳೆ new version

SACHIN 10DULKAR - A New IPL star!!

           Little Master - is getting ready for the final battle awaited anxiously since 45 days of IPL. No wonder , its quite eager to see the Chennai team lead by MSD, who is on the verge of becoming the most successful Indian captain after Sourav (Only statistically - both) and Mumbai lead by "Tendlya" whom we are seeing him play since we were kids. This is definately the "Clash of Titans". Whoever wins will be the first Indian IPL Captain to win the IPL trophy.

           IPL is the form of cricket which has mixed the glamour and surprises with  T-20 games. In surprises we saw how our RCB reached the bottom 7 in IPL-1 follwed by DC in rankings and the same teams ranking were upside down and both fought the  final of IPL-2. The way Ross Taylor became the favorite throughout karnataka by the time IPL2 ended, all we knew that he was only a Kiwi. That's it, he went on to become the falvour of RCB. Another surprise to spring out this year was how Yuvraj batted in IPL3, everybody knew why he did that before the newspapers wrote about it. Today half of Punjab has lost the trust on this guy, a typical spoilt brat. Not to forget how the old timers who resisted to be a part of Indian T20 team, citing their bodies can't compete with the youngsters contributed immensly for thier teams in all the versions of IPL. The major 3 and our Jumbo Anil are still looked up as benchmark by the youngsters even in T20, a game where they should have looked at like of Yuvaraj, Harbhajan (we still remember how he badmouthed on T Suman after taking his wicket  in a IPL3 league match). Is'nt Still there is a lot to learn from these bigges, apart from cricket?

          According to me, the most amazing part of IPL 3 is Sachin Tendulkar. His team was an average performing (and costliest) team in the first two editions.

With Sachin and Jayasuriya coming to open any team will definately have shivers. But this never happened, sachin was not at his best and jayasuriya was not as his usual apart from one or two matches. With Sachin, this team had become like Indian Cricket team in late 90s and early 2000s, where once this guy is back to pavilion everybody will fall in line to be back. Every team with sachin has its own advantages and disadvantages. We cant balme anybody for this, its all about psychology. Whole of India understands this psychology effect :)

         A team with Sachin Tendulkar is called one trick pony in west. Nobody expected this team to give a good performance this year, but  as surprise again, it did. And Sachin was leading from the front. Even when he dint contribute much, the rest rose to the occasion and delivered. A team what Sachin had dreamed of had been built and it was performing consistantly. He dint enjoy this kind of freedom for captaining India, probably because the stakes being too high to bat alone for the team and to again lead the rest 10 guys. Now he is more mature and firing all the cylinders. If you have noticed its been almost a year he is firing great guns, he is only scoring, scoring and scoring in all the forms of cricket - tests, ODI (as usual MSD is lucky this year too in appraisal) and IPL. Exaclyt a year and half ago, everybody wrote and went on commenting on the idiot box - "Sachin, its time up. You are getting old, retire now". Some even wrote obituaries about his carrier ending in a low. And later, it was a BANG! He is coming at his best in international cricket when he is becoming older. The runs of the past 12 months is infront of you. I am sure you have seen those matches.

       Lets be honest. When IPL 3 was about to start none of us expected his run marathon would continue here  too. As IPL started he continued his run marathon. Like an icing on cake, his team as a unit is performing consistantly and not falling like the cycles in cycle stand (source of these bold letters: Navjot Singh Sidhu). The way Sachin has filled the confidence in his team on and off the field, it is visible in their body language, this kind of change in a team can only be instilled and imparted on the minds only by the captain, which Sachin has done as a leader. (Our team was like them last year-courtesy Anil Kumble). When this team confronted us in Blore they displayed it in our home ground and again repeated the same with us in semis. In both the matches sachin's contribution by bat was less and more it was as a leader. Honestly I wanted our guys to qualify to semis, but somewhere in me I wanted Sachin's team to win, coz they deserved it. I always belive the honours should always go to those who perform consistantly, our guys were not consistant as a team in this edition of IPL. Now the opponents for MI in finals are the Chennai who are also not consistant in this edition, apart from Suresh Raina. The way they have entered the Semis was purely gifted by certain players in their last league match against KIV Punjab. We saw how Irfan left two catches and one run out chance of MSD. 

           My choice is Sachin Tendulkar's Mumbai Indians as the winner for IPL3 trophy. But all the editions have given a kind of contrasting results in finals. In IPL1 Chennai was the most consistant and well disciplined team, but the heroics of RR at end matches seized the cup from them. In IPL 2 RCB was all well throughout the tournament, but DC put whole karnataka in shock at the last two overs, which we had thought we will win easily. This year MI has done really good, and............ Lets see the finals. But still it will be nice if MI win the finals, because Sachin desevers this trophy,

        In the whole year of tireless cricket and superb performances in this age, and competing with the whole younger lot and with the international players as well, definately Sachin has become the star of Indian Premier League too.


Your's
Raju Hiremath

Please Note: I am not a big fan of Sachin Tendulkar, but I am of Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble. This blog is because of his work he has done on field all these years and still he contributes well tirelessly, without complaining. Lets appretiate the Little master with whom we have grown up seeing him.

Save the Girl child

People always pray for a boy, not for a girl,

Blessings of elders are for male, not for female

BUT in need of wealth, people pray to ma LAXMI,

For success in education, people pray to ma SARSWATI,

For removal of tension, people pray to ma AMBAJI &

to escape from evil,people pray to maa KALI.

Now tell me,

why do people hesitate to have a FEMALE IN FAMILY even in these days,

while those whom they pray during troubles are FEMALES?

Save girl child. Spread this to all your near and dear ones. If you dont spread this msg,

nothing will happen to u,

your life willl be as normal as it is now,

you wont get any curse if u ignore this.

But, spreading it will surely spread the beautiful msg of 'SAVING THE GIRL CHILD'...

so spread it to your frnds only if u feel like contributng to the cause for saving the little angels.!

IPL - Indian Premier League

               The current IPL edition has started and I am sure you are glued to your TV as soon as you freshn up after a completing another mundane day at office. The day when IPL was started as an answer to the rebellious Chandra Group's T-20 game format, no body expected it to attract us apart from the big players from our Indian Team. As usual the glamour world of Bollywood followed cricket players here too. Bollywood beauties and cricket players are really un seperable since the days of Gary Sobers to Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi to  Viv Richards to Ravi Shastri to Imran Khan, bollywood stars have followed cricket players everywhere. even if they dont follow cricket. You may not know half of these old flings now. The only difference in the current scenario is even Shah Rukh Khan is in the group of bollywood girls.  LAWS OF ATTRACTION, YOU CAN SAY!!  :)

               When IPL was launched on the lines of English Premier League (football), we hardly understood the tournament format and the team composition. The main thing highlighted was who was which player was paid how many crores!!

           As the game unfolded, we thronged infront of the TV to see the stars and most importantly to see players of different nations playing with our Indian team players celebrating together on a fall of wicket, like Mathew hayden and MS Dhoni jumping in joy when Bhajji is out. Or say when Gilchrist, laxman and Symonds jumping in joy when Ricky Ponting aks Punter is sent back to pavilion. What we had never ever imagined started happening in our television at our home and we were Aww!! Welcome to Indian  Premier League.

             In the first edition after every ball was bowled the cameras would turn to owner celebs. Infact the celebs ruled the TRPs  more than the players and the game in the first edition. For instance, in the first edition few men followed Kings XI Punjab only to see Preity Jinta hug her team players tightly till they suffocated.  Sometimes she used to wait near the boundary lines to catch hold them even when the guys were busy feilding. With two more editions following it, today the game rules more than their celeb owners. Today nobody cares much for Preity Jinta, Shilpa or Shah Rukh - all people are interested now is how their teams are playing.  The only exeption you can note here is Vijay Mallya. He was there for the initial few games in first edition like the others, after seeing his test team's performance in 20-20 matches he flew safely to his Edinburg Castle only to fly whole night to see the game when the same test team entered the finals in 2nd edition at SA. 

              The way IPL is moulding itself is really amazing. When 20-20 games were introduced in India, it was said and followed the it is the game of younsgters and our famous trio opted out of the team thinking in the same way. And today the most successful players are 30 plus players like Dravid, Kallis, Ganguly, Sachin, Vaas, Jayavardhane,  Hayden, Jaysuriya and our favorite Jumbo Anil Kumble. People laughed when these so called aged players started being part of IPL 1st edition. Today the same bunch of old shoulers are the most bankable and succesfull so far. I am really impressed with their performance, especially our Jumbo a lot. Until he took over captaincy of the team of test players from Kevin Pieterson, the team was not cared, I completely ignored  and never followed a single game of the team of the city where I live in, until Anil turned around the same guys into a match winning team and the team which was ranked 7th out of 8 in the 1st edition went out to challenge the title at finals. Is'nt is amazing? Same players, same team, same conditions performed differntly under the leadership of a different man who had retired from cricket. That's Anil Kumble for you and he is 39!

            I am hard core Royal Challenger Bangalore fan now, thanks to Jumbo. Dont be surprised if you see me cheering for our boys at M Chinnaswamy stadium. Anil Kumble, apart frombeing a captain, even as a player he has contributed the best for the team. He is very stingy in giving runs and he likes to take more than what he gives. Less runs, more wickets from game to game. (He is also a gentleman even off the field, I met him accidentally in London last year, intentionally I spoke in Kannada  asking for an autograph for my sis, with a smile on his face he said "ಆಯಿತು pen ಕೊಡಿ " and after giving his autograph he said ಅವರಿಗೆ ಫೋಟೋ ತೋರಿಸಲ್ವಾ? and voluntarily obliged for a snap with me )

          None of us ever imagined that Royal Challengers would transform like this, even their owner Vijay Mallya. Now Mr Mallya is busy doing what he is famous for, with the players of his team, partying hard!! Now these guys are really lucky to be in Vijay Mallya's party. LOL :)

         With another one month of gala extravaganza of IPL continuing to entertain and exite, I am sure you will enjoy the game. End of the day none of the owners, no franchise, no team, no player wins - it is only the game of cricket that wins. Maja madi..... but, dont forget to cheer for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. 

Your's

Raju Hiremath  

            

Holi - Pride Colors of North Karnataka

Another holi passed by day before yesterday. Nothing much to say abt it.

On Holi I received this SMS from Shivu reading: Videshdali iddare, desha maribeda Deshadali iddare rajya marayabeda Rajyadali iddare, jille marayabeda Jilleyali iddare, taluka marayabeda Taluka nalli iddare, Bagalkot Holi marey beda. HAPPY HOLI 

This msg from him took me in flashback, like how we play holi in north karnatka. Starting from childhood till I passed out my graduation from Bagalkot in 2002, I have wonderful memories of playing holi. In childhood, holi was restricted to our own street then as we grew - it went upto freinds house and then streets. On these days, only once in a year I had the priviledge of having breakfast without having taking bath, as my dad is particular about not having any food without bath. After breakfast we would be out  of house as early as 7.00 AM and go on playing till noon until we felt hungry. The moment we went home to fill stomach, we would be pulled away to bathroom for bath. Dad used to say, thats it for today! Only later, fresh clothes would be given and food would be served. After having food we were supposed to be only at home, with dad having vigil on us. There are instances when I have ran away after having bath on fresh clothes to play again only to return back to get a nice whacking  from dad :)

As I grew up we started accompanying bigger boys to steal wood or wooden items in and around neighbourhood, we were like chota spies to check who has kept wooden things in their compound. Based on this the hunt, we used to sneak that night to take it away. This chori would start atleast a week before till the midnight of holi beginning day. The colleceted logs of wood will be burnt as pyre for kamanna. This would be burnt exactly at 12 midnight and the whole neighbourhood would gather to see this and some families would mark their presence on their roofs. Only after this we would go to sleep.  The next day morning families would take a piece of buring log to burn Kadle on it - to be shared with everyone at home. I dont remeber why they did it.

As I grew, I stopped coming home for lunch during holi as mom used to secretly give me money to eat outside :) and the games of colors would continue till late evening. It so happened once that I came back home only at night - I am sure you would have guessed what happened to me later after reaching home!! 

The next couple of days after holi would be only about discussions with friends on how we played and who's hands and ears still had color. Whoever still had more color on his ears and fingers would keep on boasting about it for a week. I never got a chance to have colour stains on me as my dad used to rub off the colors from my body as if he was bathing a buffalo. This used to be holi fun atleast till we reached 7th std.

Once we reached highschool holi became a slight different game. Everything increased, from the quantity of colors and the extent we played was taken to next level. Some of our freinds would display their talents of beating halagi (small drum) in rythm, some used to bring their father's bikes and we would roam on bikes.. shouting " kamannana makkao, kalla s...e makallo"

As my dad was in government service he would get tranferred on every 3 or 4 years, this brought me the opportunity to play holi in many places like Muddebihal - Bijapur (the most till date), hubli, bhatkal, dharwad, belgaum(ajja's home) and my fav holi of bagalkot.

Bagalkot holi is the one which has kept me mesmerised till date. The first day I saw it I felt that -Bagalkot is a mecca of holi in north karnataka. Nobody plays like that. I played holi for 3 years there during my graduation days. It is played almost for a week (In many places of North Karnataka its played for a week; I dont think nobody have played like it is in Bagalkot). Apart from the usual colors and enjoying on holi this is an extenision of imagination. This is how it is played:

A group of friends will hire a tracktor or bullock cart for 3 days. The day starts as usual with group of friends from early morning till 11 AM or 12 PM. Post which the group will go their respective vehicles and load it with barrels, which in turn will be loaded with color waters. Later everyone boards their tractor or bullock cart. Atleast a minimum of 100 vehicles will be ready in the town and assebmle at two points - in the half on either side like 3 kms apart.  Then the procession starts on either side with both of them approaching each other. The whole town will assemble in these roads where this procession passes and ladies and family striclty on the rooftops. As the procession starts this color water will be thrown with mugs on the people standing on the streets. If anybody says something or objects for this, he is pulled out to the vehicle, dipped in the drum and then thrown back on the street :) Hence people rarely object - apart from some drunkards! The people on roofs will not be just watching you they will do the same thing what we are doing on street, throw color water on you and you cannot miss it. And girls, they would throw water bombs on us. If you had ever teased any girl in campus and you are passing in front of her house, she would gather her whole family on rooftop to target you with her water bombs. And sometimes eggs and tomatoes do fly from those girls and their bachcha gangs. After all girls deserve a chance to take revenge on boys, atleast once in a year on holi. I have seen some boys running away from being present in front of particular girl's house.  

As both the sides approach each other then the real fun starts. You are supposed to throw water on the people coming from other side and they will do the same to you. Hence, NO MERCY! There is a particular way you throw water, if you throw it in that way its gonna hurt the person badly, very badly, so you should be lucky if you can duck quick. Else, the pain is all yours!!! In this melee you will get a chance to meet people whom you secretly hate or your opposite college groups and also whom you ever had quarreled in campus. So you got a lucky chance to treat them with something special; a barrel of water with huge ice blocks is kept specially for them, which will be like a chilled water by noon! Ever felt the pain of chilled water??? Even when this all is hapenning nobody quarrels about being hit or anything. The only thing is you got to say is " ninno_na" and go forward and forget it. He too will forget it and soon we become friends!!

Irrespective of being a Hindu or a Muslim everyone plays holi together and everyone enjoys it. You will only see the smile of people's faces throughout the town, irrespective of they are in the vehicle or they are standing by or they are on their rooftops. EACH AND EVERY SOUL ENJOYS HOLI! 

The whole procession goes on till evening 4 or sometimes 5.30. This would be recorded by the local cable guy and telecast that night. And we used to ensure that when the telecast stars, we would slowly sneak away from home to freinds rooms to STUDY.

People from surrounding hubli-dharwad, bijapur belgaum would come to see the way holi is played in Bagalkot. In first year I was like a spectator on streets, and the next two years I was on the vehicle throwing color water! Those three years are like a golden holi moments which I will never ever forget in my life.  Year 2002 was the last time I played there, same year July I came to bangalore to purse my MBA and life just went on.

Today when I recollect how we used to play in those days, a smile appears on face automatically. The way  we stole woods, lighting the fire to "Kamanna" at midnight strike,  the way we left home early morning and play whole day. Like me our generation has done this atleast for 22 years of their life. Out of this I will keep the holi at Bagalkot - distinct. BAGALKOT HOIL IS SPECIAL FOR ME.

In 2002 Aug, half of the bagalkot town got submerged when people were asleep midnight. Major part of the city vanished or got waste in the stagnant water - thanks to backwaters of Krishna river of Almatti Dam. Hence, nowadays holi is not played like how we used to play. In other words, the color in holi is missing at Bagalkot. I was lucky to have seen the golden era of Holi there.

Today all of my fiends are in Bangalore, starting from  my KG freinds of Muddebihal to degree friends from Bagalkot. We all simply go to office, work for our deadlines - come home and rest on Holi. In fact holi in bangalore is nothing as we have seen at our places. That itself kills 90% of the zeal to play holi. No wonder, if kids of my generation in future become dumbstuck when we tell them how we played holi when we were of their age.

After my initial years at Bangalore, I had a wish to play holi in Bagalkot again with the same bunch of freinds! Slowly its fading like a color being washed again and again...... !!!

Every year as Holi approaches I keep telling my colleagues and my other friends about the wonderful holi we friends have played all our life - especially the Bagalkot Holi, the way I am told you now.

Happy holi!!

Your's

Raju Hiremath


Be a part of my FB page. Visit me on www.facebook.com/raju.hiremath7

Vishnuvardhan - A new journey into our lives

         I woke up moring to see my Mom and sis watching TV in low volume. I said myself what's interesting on TV so early coz their soap operas start only at night 8.00 PM. With interest, and with a sarcastic smile on face I turned to the TV. On TV I saw Vishnuvardhan's snap and below written was 1950-2009. Immediately a reporter started her work which she had left before. Sis said "this early moring" Suddenly I took my mobile which was lying besides me. The screen was blinking "11 messages received". Each SMS had only one message to convey!!!

       8.00 AM Dec 30 2009 was the time in my life I woke up to see a shock from by bed, for the first of its kind!!!

      This is how I came to know Vishnu passed away. For one hour I dint even move from my bed without taking my eyes from TV. For the first time I hated telivision, which make us sad without any notice, like what does the death. I am not a big fan or a follower of Vishnu. Its been years I watched his movie in theatre. Apthamitra was the last one. Infact my sis is a big fan of him. I was a big fan of Dr Raj, as I used to enjoy his movies since childhood. There are only couple ofVishnu's films which I remember to be impressed a lot. His first movie which I saw was "Bandhana". I dont remember how old I was when that movie was released. I was bribed by my sis and dad who gave Rs.200/- each in those days to come to movie with them. I went for money, this was the first movie which made me sad. I dint understand the story then. The only thing I told my friends next day at school was "there is song in which all coulur are put on a girl  and  Vishnu falls often while singing a song as if he was not well that day and he dies at the end". That's all I understood, and I forgot that money too.

     As I grew up I have read how he entered film industry, how he declared himself and entered with a big bang in the name of Ramachari and grow up as a big star. I saw that movie for the first time when I was almost 20yrs old!! I was impressed and wondered why nobody told me about this movie all these days.

    

     That's what has happened to him all these years. Irrespect of his work he has done in this film industry nobody spoke it, nobody appretiated. He was always looked like an outsider even till recently. Amlost everybody never showed him the love, he belonged!!! May be that's one among the reason why he choose to be too involved in spirituality.

     Around 6 yrs back I had a chance to go through his career path written in a weekly. His complete life journey from his acting in coleges, his love with north indian girl whom he still searched in the crowds of mumbai, his venture into cinema, everything was mentoned. The day he enthusiastically first met his screen idol  in between breaks who was also shooting in the same studio where he was donning the colours as Ramachari. His screen idol had already heard the positive vibes about a new guy from Mysore called Sampath Kumar who was acting in Putanna's new film. As Sampath went to him and introduced himself and said "I am Kumar from mysore, I am a big fan of your's". This star listens to this and turns away his face. Insecurity??? This stars people dint want this guy challege and take his place. This star's name haunted this Kumar for rest of his life, with or without the Star's awareness about it.  However Vishnu dint take that place, instead he created a distinct place for himself in the industry, in our lives. The day when I saw the same Star giving kiss to Vishnu on his cheeks oftenly on a stage during a cremony around 4 yrs back, I was happy to see them together, ambi was also with them. Like me all kannadigas saw it on screen. Again like me, somewhere in their mind they have felt the same happiness which I felt, because they too loved them both and wished to see them together.

                  This was the last time I saw these two stars "Shining", and enjoying each others presence.

        Indeed I was upset when Dr Rajkumar died. But I dint feel like he is no more. And whenever I saw him on screen I never felt sad. And I was his big fan and have seen most of his films. But this death of Vishnu was not tolerable somehow. They way ambi was crying on his close friend's death, it made tears roll out of my eyes. Till this day wherever I see his photos hoardings put up. Few words come out " you should not have gone so soon". I havent seen much of his movies of late. Nowadays I get to see them on weekends on all channels, where there are certain dialogues which are of his spiritual way of talking. After growing 30 yrs old now, tears rolled first time from my eyes seeing a scene of movie "mathad mathad mallige' where he resists to eat anything and one of his co-actor says "enadru tinno, ninna kalkoloke namgyarigu manasilla". Without my knowledge tears rolled out. (I dont even rememeber when I had last shed my tears).

       Apart from being an actor there was something in Vishnu, which attracted us towards him. Its called a charihma, persona, whatever............. Whenever I am seeing his hoardings lately I utter "ninu ishtu bega hogbardittu"!!!

       He was liked and loved by most of the  people, who themselves dint know about it and realised it only when he passed away, just like me!! This is ridiculous for me to realised that I am loving him more after his death. Everytime I watch him on screen now I watch him without blinking my eyes, with love. Without my knowledge he is impressing me day by day. This makes me feel both sad and happy.  This is what came to my mind now "Death  sometimes takes away everything and makes feel like life is empty and sometimes it shows what we really are within us and what it can be filled with". Why do we always love more those whom we loose?

     Vishnu I love you.

Your's
RajuHiremath


Be a part of my FB page. Visit me on www.facebook.com/raju.hiremath7