Trip to Gandikota Fort and Belum Caves : Incredible India : Explore the Unexplored. The Great Indian Heritage- Grand Canyon of India

Gandikota is an exotic location, called as India's grand canyon that cannot be challenged by anyone due to shining rocks and natural gorge formation with a bonus of beautiful fort complex with temples and mosque. Closer to that place is another exciting place called 'Belum Caves'. It is a natural underground cave (technically called 'cavern' spread over 3 KM but accessible only up to 1.5 KM now. AP tourism department has done a great job of creating a way with lights and air stations.

Quick Schedule - From Chennai

Day 1  06:00 AM - Leaving from Koyambedu , Breakfast at GRT, Tirutani  Lunch enroute, Gandikota Archealogy Museum, Fort visit includes (Madhava Perumal temple, Mosque, Granary, Jail, Ranganatha Swamy Temple, beautiful Gorge)-  overnight stay at Gandikota Haritha Hotel

Day 2 Sunday08:00 AM Finish breakfast and visit Tadapatri temples.  Visit Belum Caves and leave for Chennai. Stop at Vondimitta temple  By 11 PM Reach Chennai

Things to carry:

- Inside Belum Caves is hot. Please wear appropriate dress and footwear.
- Two bottles of water always
- Torch light

Few Pictures that speak millions words about this beautiful Grand Canyons of India.

 thank you Rootwalk for this amazing experience to my daughter and her friends ...here is another blog that talks about this beautiful place

http://www.rootwalk.com/2016/07/16/travelogue-chennai-to-indias-grand-canyon-and-indias-2nd-largest-underground-cave/

 

Turned 40 - Think 40

As an IBMer, 'Think 40'  is term each one of us really endear.  Today as I turned 40, I also thought it is the time to recollect and 'think 40' in life.   

40 people who touched my life...40 things I cherished....40 places I visited,   40 days I enjoyed...40 days I was sad and so,   40 poems that touched my heart,  40 books that I loved to read...40 movies that enjoyed..40 places I visited.....40 prayers!  40 Blessings!  40 ..40..40....The list goes on!

40 most cherished happenings in my life ....

1.  My Family -  Amma, Daddy, Bobby, Jailu, Raghu, Aishu,  CGK,  Vimal, Ajay and Akshat.   My world is concrete and closeknit.

2.  My Mentor-   Krishnan Vadivel...the man who sculptured my confidence and life for the path that is treading.. Had it not been for him in life, I would have been a failure.

3.  My Best Friends -   Mentioning few is impossible and would be disrespectful to others.   I cherish each one of them who made it into my life.   Each one touched me in their own way and I am with great pride in having them in life

4.  My Schools  -  St.Thereasa's Eluru...that gave birth to my knowledge...SCIMA - that made me understand the competition of the academic world.    To me  learning is fun...from St.Thereasas, SCIMA days to Vaishnava College, IWCA -SIRC,  IGNOU, PMI  to now KSLU....my learning had been an enriching experience.   

5.  My Passion -  my poetry.  

It is absolute meaningless scribbling to the world.  but to me it reflected my life..in its entirety and originality ...written for everything and anything that touched my life.
http://www.poemhunter.com/umasree-raghunath/biography/

6.  My mantra in life

'Neither prejudiced by the Past, not living in the fear of the future,  Live, Live the moment!'

7.  My Most peaceful destination

In India, it is Rishikesh.   In Abroad,  Forest Lawns, Glendale.  Both these places have a strange and soul stirring calmness and giving us the peace and wisdom of life

8.  My  Career
I don't work just for money.  To me enjoying the work is the way to happiness ...I had an amazing opportunities to work with great people and in great companies...Starting with Aptech-Asset, Dishnet DSL,  Manmar Technologies,  DSL Software,  ABN AMRO,  HP and now IBM.    What an amazing experience it is !

9.  My Best Travel Euphoria 

Visiting Niagara Falls on the eve of my daughter's 10th birthday.

10.  My Moment of gratitude

The day I touched the piece of land of my own first house...Tears swelled in happiness and absolute pride.

11.  My Most cherished Movie

'Mouna Ragam' in Tamil,  Sirivennela in Telugu and 'The Pursuit of Happiness' in English and DDLJ in Hindi.

12.  My Motto of life

Borrowed from my Alma Mater ' Love and Service'.

13.  My 'silence' seekers

Talking to myself about my dreams in my bathroom...trust me, it helps.. it is my way of understanding within

14. My most guilt moment
With my mother in law.   God will forgive me one day for this pain

15.  My most prideful moment

Receiving EWIT excellence award in Music Academy in 2008

16.  My favourite food

Ofcourse, Biryani.   And my mom's homemade kesari

17.  My best shot 
Gin and tonic with my best friends Sudha, Aravind and Micheal

18.  My most hillarious moments
With Manasi and Uday...always

19.   My most inspiring personality
There are many people, but can surely name a few like Maria, Ramesh Raja,  Amitava Ghosh and Shankar Narayanan in career,   Siddharth and Sarada Ramani.    My elder brother in law Krishnan Uday in family and my mother - with their strong determination and focus

20.  What relaxes me?
What else can it be than MS Amma songs in the morning 

21.  My favourite colour?
Blue , Red and White.     

22.  My favorite car?
Ofcourse I loved my Alto, the first car I brought in life and our I10 that my baby is now zooming me around.   I always dream and love to buy a Honda City  ,  again with no loans..will wait for that day

23.  My favorite vacation?
Trip to Taj Mahal and North India with family

24.  My faith?
100 %  secular.   Born Hindu, Educated in a Christian Missionary School and amazing falling in love with Muslim food.  

25.  My unique experience?
Lighting  the pyre fire of my father at the age of 15.  Taking a step away from the orthodox and religious constraints

26.  My most dreadful memory?
The fire accident in 2004 in my bedroom (rather call it a conspiracy)  where few seconds mattered between life and death with my 6 year old daughter.

27.  My most patient /perseverance moment?
Holding my husband as he disclosed about his illness during our first night.   We learnt to deal with adversities from that day together and convert them to opportunities.   Even today, I wonder where did I get that strength to manage that odd experience

28.   My most happiest moment in life?

The morning of May 13, when my mom gave me my pink bundle of joy in my hands....I cried in happiness 

29.  My most admiring moment in life?

Early hours of Jan 11, when I went into the OT and touched my little micky mouse Ajay and the way he reacted to the first human touch just few minutes out of the secured walls of his mother's womb.

30.  My most favorite moment of the recent times?

being called 'old amma' by Akshat as I couldnt take him calling me aunty...being his pedamma....sometimes I am really crazy

31.  My finest moment in literacy aspects?

Meeting Salman Rushdie in Los Angeles.   I was awestuck with the talent and confidence this man exhibits and inspires being strong in his belief and freedom of speech/ expression.  And also meeting Reza Aslan

32.  My saddest decision?
To abort my second child, for several reasons.  Having had to manage a sick and unemployed husband,  toddler, full time work, pressures of joint family, struggle to make both ends meet,  necessity to do higher studies.   It was a costliest decision that haunted me for several years on every Valentine day.  Today, I guess I overcame and no more 'Adithya' my unborn son is a nightmare to me.   I have laid him to rest and so does this decision.  

33. My wise decision ?  

It is very easy to quit in life and go.  But to stand and face the turbulence and sail against the wind is an amazing experience.  Today, after around 20 years, I strongly feel that my decision at the age of 20 to do everything possible to let my marriage survive is the wisest decision of all.   Honestly, taking the decision was easy but to make it work, needed everything of you to be put into every day life.   Today, we are not only the happiest couple but we are aging gracefully together and inspiring others around

34.  My books!

'Never Say Quit',  ' The Way you take it!'  and Kranthi novels.  co-authoring 'After the floods',  Love stories from Chennai as part of CBC...and this year, taking up the responsibility to co-author 'Siddharth's  autobiography.....

35.  My favourite line 

It is from none other than Kannadasan ...'Ethai kondu vandom, ethai kondu sella....'  

36.  My most 'show biz' moment!

Acting as 'Alamelu' Mami in 'Tenali Raghavan'  , tamil drama curated by Shristi dramas.    I loved myself !

37. My dream come true saga...

To be a lawyer in life.  It was my childhood dream...if not now, when kind of attitude and my passion for the subject is making me go for it....I will give my best being an advocate .

38.  My memorable experiences in media.

At the age of 14, annoucing the medical tips for pilgrims in Goshpata ghat in Rajamundry during Godavari pushkarams,   being a semi-finalist  in Chennai super mom's contest ,  winning chellamey chellam kids show with aishu in Jaya TV,  participating in 2 shows of Neeya Naana with Raghu,   Interview to Hindu after winning the Ewit award with Sudha Sastri  and many other few incidents

39.   Most remarkable achievement in 40 years of  my life

People!    -  My Family & Friends...especially my sisters and precious childhood

40.   My last wish would be to

go by my friend Cheran's golden words...' don't fret for what happened,  just think what next and keep moving'.....let the end come naturally, don't plan for it making life today miserable

Getting over being 39 iiiiissssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Starting September 2016,  I would be closed being called as in late 30's....winding up the glorious 39isssshhhhh and stepping into the 40 Club.    

Not many would believe that I am turning 40 just this year. Yes.  My experiences made me look aged than what actually I am.   I don't shy away from those facts of life, that stirred me like a lemon in a drink in hand during a promenade,  squeezed me like a  sugar cane till the last drop of syrup from my pulp and those moments that built my jigsaw puzzles of life and those tears that shyly mingled with the romantic smiles that life threw at me...along with its beauty and evilness.

Honestly, I achieved nothing.  I have a whole big life ahead of me.  What I did so far will reflect in the years that going to come by.   I haven't taken care of my physical health...it  may resound loud and nosily in the coming years.   Mental wellness was often hindered by the stress,  the welcoming willingness of multi tasking and trying to do as if I am a Maa Kali..with multiple hands and heads to manage so many things at a time.   Often forgetting the fact that one thing at a time is worth a dime.      Spiritual enlightenment had its moments of vacuum where I had nothing to think, or waves of wisdom overflowing like a turbulent Tsunami...killing me in silence and storms overtaking each other.  Hope the 40 club wisdom gives me enough strength to handle this ups and downs....don't call me bipolar.  It is just the way I am made.  Naturally unnatural!

 

Loved traveling so much and enjoyed meeting people from all walks of life and going to places I have not been before.  I made friends and also foes as well, if not in equal numbers.   I don't regret having trusted people blindly or having hated few equally.   The acceptance of mistakes bring you a peace within.   It is not for anyone else...but to your own self!

I am so blessed with family who stood by me all the years of tragedy, trauma,  bad health, struggles and dire poverty as well...equally they enjoyed my successes, happy moments, achievements and wonderful memories.   I was also equally blessed with people who are not such a great blessing in this life but unfortunately called 'close' relations...I am better off being away from those who disturb my peace.  I don't mind making absolute strangers who turned wonderful friends and abundant well-wishers as part of my life, my family and my future.

Today I have wonderful  mentors who are shaping me up more than I can imagine.   Keeping me level headed, understanding my strengths and weaknesses and above all, keeping up the right focus and right thoughts to stay strong, stay wild with aspirations and not sleeping over my dreams.    If God would bless me with few more years in this life, it would certainly be to continue the giving back which we started in life.    

I have not asked God to give me what I have today and will not regret what ever he takes back.   For I came into this world with nothing..and going to go back empty handed.    What probably I would like to make the best of this journey is few good memories and leave few foot prints where at-least a few would want to walk on.....

'Ethai kondu vandthom, ethai kondu selllaaaaa.....'

Movie Review : Dharma Durai (2016 Film) - Absolute delight of the beauty of rural India. Must watch film :-)

When there is no hype in advertisement, you don't really expect a houseful of audience for a normal movie that too for a noon show on a 10th day of its release.  But this assumption proved wrong for 'Dharma Durai'.   Before I proceed with my analysis, I loved few comments from my husband who hardly expresses his opinions.   As we came out of the theater, he said that he is very happy that we saw a very beautiful movie after long time.   He also said that he want to see the same in big screen once again.   This reaction from audience is what makes a movie successful. 

Dharma Durai is a simple story with a gripping story line and amazing characters who portrayed the emotions with ease.  The beauty of this film is that a dusky hero carries it wholly with the story line with strong acting skills.  Another amazing beauty is that the female roles did fabulous job.  It is quite heartening to see women getting equal attention and screen space these days in Tamil movies instead of being used only as 'just there for songs and dances'...these women portray substance and go deep into their characters.

Radhika Sarathkumar is a classic example of how a veteran actor can transition herself into any character given to her.  She does it with charm, depth and absolute delight to watch her.  She reminded me of Manorama amma in few scenes.   As a mother in the movie, she does a brilliant balance to the character.   Those who have been seeing her since ages and off late on small screen would love to see the best of her acting in Dharma Durai once again.   

Vijay Sethupathi needs no mention.  He is not only the hero of the story but also the way he takes it with ease and perfection.  Simple looks, strong emotions, beautiful dialogue delivery,  very right body language conveys that we have an excellent actor here to stay in the Tamil movie industry.   Keep going Vijay....we audience love to watch you again and again.

Tamanah often criticized being non-expressive, does a delightful acting in this movie.  She shows a great maturity in her role, got a wonderful style and carries herself with poise and beauty.  The scenes where she zooms across the village roads on her bike makes us want to see the picturesque again and again.   She brings life to the screen even in the serious of situations in the movie.

Aishwarya Rajesh once again proves that she is a perfect actress in making.  As Anbuselvi, you will fall in love with her acting and character in the movie.  She does it with such an ease that you can be sure that she has a long way to go in Tamil Cinema.   Probably she will take on other roles than being down to earth village type of roles where she already proved her acting in the highest order.  There is a mesmerizing beauty in her eyes and a charm which glows along with her acting.  

Srusti Dange does a decent job as a college student falling in love, believing in her friend to come home to discuss on marriage with her father and with a smile that is so broad and contending.  Way to go girl.

Every other character, including the brothers, sister and sister in law of Dharma,  Anbu selvi's father,  Profession Dr Kamaraj  (done by Rajesh)  and friend Gopal (Ganja Karupu )  give their best acting.  Rajesh's calm demeanour reminds us of his wonderful movie 'Andha Elzu Natkal'... Madhuvanthi Arun as the police officer also fits in for the role.  The little girl who acted as Dharma's niece also makes you love in fall with her character.

The BGM by Yuvan Shankar Raja is very lovely and the songs are so soothing with the village backdrop and the greenery that makes you fall in love with your country side again and again. M.Sukumar as Cinematographer gives us the best scenes reminding us of KB Sir's movie.  Variamuthu lyrics especially in Andipati song is very good.  Wonderful movie from Director Seenu Ramaswamy and this combination with Vijay Sethupathi worked once again and the product is a beautiful movie to the audience

I haven't gone into the story plot as there is a detailed description in wikipedia already on the same.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_Durai_%282016_film%29

My Rating would be :  4/5

Three Cheers to:

1.  Gripping story line and ease of characters

2.   Beautiful pictuarization

3.   Vijay Sethupathi and lovely social messages on need for medical support in rural villages,  stop dowry and abortions,

What could have been done better

1.  Editing

2.  Lip synchronization of dialogues in few places

3.  Could have not shown too much of alcoholism on the screen

Bottonline:   Please watch this movie in the big screen and enjoy the movie 

#DharmaDurai   #Moviereview   #2016TamilCinema

Round Table Discussion on: “The Recent Amendment of Maternity Act – Benefits and Challenges”

Round Table Discussion on:

“The Recent Amendment of Maternity Act – Benefits and Challenges”

5pm to 7pm, on Tuesday, 30th August 2016, Chennai

Organised by Empowering Women in IT (eWIT)

at  

Seminar Hall,

Computer Society of India

CIT Campus, 4th Cross Road, Taramani, Chennai - 600 113

(Situated in the opposite lane to Indira Nagar MRTS Railway Station,

about 100 meters away from Dr Dharmambal Government Women’s Polytechnic (WPT)

& Opposite to Film Institute & Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology)

Introduction:

The union government is set to increase the maternity leave for women employed in private firms from the existing 12 weeks to 26 weeks.. Following the Cabinet approving the amendment made to the Maternity Benefit Act, which aims to raise maternity leave for women from 12 to 26 weeks, the Rajya Sabha has passed the amendment on Thursday.

While it is almost welcoming news for working women there is also apprehension that a longer maternity leave may prompt companies to think twice to hire young women employees. Let us hear from the experts on the Benefits & Challenges on the recent changes of Maternity Act. Come, let us discuss, debate and find ways in which we get the best benefits and at the same time protect the interest of the companies thereby ensuring that the Gender parity is not affected in the work place.

Come and listen from experts!

Program

5:00pm – 5:30pm – Tea & Networking

5:30pm – 5:50pm – Welcome & Introduction

5:40pm – 6:40pm – Discussion

6:40pm – 6:50pm – Q&A

6:50pm – 7:00pm – Summation

Registration 
We request you to take advantage of this workshop by attending and/or nominating officials from your organization for this program.  You are requested to kindly confirm your participation and the nomination(s) from your organization through email to admin@ewit.co.in.  Pre Registration is a must.
*It is a Free session for eWIT members and partner organizations. 
*Registration fee of Rs.500/- will be charged for non-members. Non-member women can also become individual member by paying Rs.500/- (annual membership fee) to attend the sesson.
For any queries, please contact Tel: 044 – 42120706.
Registrations would be on a ‘first come first served’ basis hence we request you to send in your registration at the earliest.  
We look forward to your confirmation.