I have finally joined the gym to pull down but guess things are working the wrong way as I lost around 0.5 day before and today when I checked again.. gained one! So I am following a strict diet and blah blah .. oh! Life's totally depressing nowadays. Day before yesterday Jai Hind channel had come over to my place to shoot Mr. B.Sasikumar . They liked the upper hall of my house and thought that it would make a beautiful musical ambience for the shoot. I was in class the whole morning and was upset about not being able to witness the shoot but thankfully that day we were sent back home early and I could make it on time. Met up with my all time favourite Balabhaskar ji!! Also present were Gopan uncle, Kavalam sir, Rajasree Warrier, etc. The shoot went upto 5 in the evening and the anchor was nervous as it was her first time apparently. Sasikumar sir is absolutely chilled out and happens to know my very first Guru Shri. Ramesh K. Narayan in Muscat. He even remembers how he looks. You can have a good look at my house when the shoot is telecasted.

Yesterday I was invited to the drama written and directed by Soorya Krishnamurthy sir named 'Pulari'. It took place in Swathitirunal College and will be going on till the 15th. I never knew that he was a writer until he owned up that fact when I went to his place couple of weeks back. He was saying that he is a theatre person basically and music and dance is something he learns from the artists that take part in his tours! I don't think it will be right to explain the whole story here but the performances was superlative. Especially the Tea shop guy and the old man. All the other characters were too good but these two touched my heart. There would be no life in the play without the tea shop guy ! It's been a long time since I got to watch a play and was looking forward to this . I was worried if I wouldn't get the passes or not but surprisingly there were no passes required .. you just need to be an art lover ! I can't even use paisa vasool here !! :D So if you guys want to catch it there's still time till the 15th. Gates close by 6:55 sharp and the play starts at dot 7.

My lappy is formatted and is looking brand new. *so proud of it* ... It's mother board is totally messed up due to which my CD drive is damaged... so I am just leaving it that way but I really miss watching Friends. I used to keep watching them anytime I feel bored.. and now I'll have to catch it's reruns late night... For now.. adios amigo!

My Big Fat Sis Wedding

Finally!! All the phone calls and close whispers and the put-me-to-sleep-days were finally on the cards when my sister's fiancé landed here. The best part is the one inclusive of preparations for the big day. It's more fun than shopping... cos I ain't a shopaholic :) (In spite of being a girl). I was basically in charge of nothing not cos I was getting through a busy schedule but cos my dad (I assume) must have found me clumsy. Anyways I was all the more busy dieting and shedding kilos to look great (I am well aware of the fact that I am not the bride!!). In fact I and my sister were rivals cos I wanted to lose more than her and vice versa. You can call it fate if you want ... but she won... and as usual I am still plump :). Now when you read 'preparations' things that bounce into your mind are catering, lights, wedding hall, transport blah. But to me preparations were supposedly trying on costumes, testing the food prepared for the pre wedding guests and things similar to that. I am never going to grow up isn't it?

The day before the wedding, sis was busy posing for shots and so was I .FYI it is a day where a lot of invited (and uninvited) guests land up with gifts posing for the camera. Many of which I have never even heard of. And the worst part is when some guys you don't know turns up asking if you know them and we obviously nod expecting them not to ask you 'ok who am I?’. And that expectation totally cracks and to add fuel to fire you are stuck with absolutely no help. Food was fun ... it was the best cos that was the last dinner with my sister as a bachelor. Loads of fun, food and scary remarks like -uh-oh your getting married tomorrow, or - oh no!! With one guy forever! And etc.

Wedding day went super fast I must say. And carrying myself in that golden net sari was not the 8th wonder but yeps! Somewhere near that. Sadya was awesome except for one of the payasams made of banana apparently. I reached the reception hall late in the evening cos apparently it's fashionable for girls to reach late at parties :). Hogged some food and some hot caramel custard (which was yuck!) and then it was Barry Manilow's 'The lion sleeps tonight'...Zzzzzzzz

The next day a whole lot of people came over for lunch and obviously I had to sing songs and so did everyone except for dad who is still shy when it comes to singing in public... no wonder I still have stage fright. Mom says stage fright is my kooda porappu..but woteva...and there ends it all... and I apologize to all my blog readers for updating after a month.. but my only sister's wedding did keep me committed.....so back to singing and blogging and everything... Ciao

Meghmalhar

Is the name of my new home in Kowdiar. I've been waiting since months to shift and finally the day has come. A mission finally accomplished. We did the paalu kaachal in Trivandrum style. First the 'vaastu pooja’, then the ganapati homam which was followed by a small griha pravesh pooja. Mom had to carry the lamp and sister was given the pot of milk. The milk which was considered very auspicious because it was the first milk given by a cow that gave birth to her calf few days back. Superstitions...but they all sound so fancy! I was, finally as the youngest given a bamboo sheet which contained vegetables of each kind. I was very young during the house warming of my first home in Trissur. There, all we did was heat some milk in a steel pan and wait for it to flow out. And *Tadaa* the house is inaugurated. But here things are done more emotionally, out of devotion. Not only house warming. Whether it is something as complicated as a marriage or something as simple as a welcome function for a new born baby, things are always celebrated is a big way out here. Sometimes it is overwhelming and sometimes it can get onto my nerves. Anyways ...entering into my house everyone's favourite 'room' is mine :D
Breakfast was simple with idli, vada, sambhar and chutney. Then some ghup shupping and chit chatting led to 'kumbhasaranam'- sleeping. Earlier I was discussing about how I am going to kill time till lunch but then it was sorted out..After the mighty nap all of us went straight to the dining where we had the traditional food served on banana leaf of course. After which all of us hogged on some parippu vadas. Hardly any space and my food pipe were protesting against any more entry of the unhealthy oily snack that I had to lose and stop the eating game. Game?? Did I just say game? OH my! You never know ...always have tendencies to play with things I love. Nevertheless, almost went through an eating competition.

Right now I am just finished with ending pooja which is devoted to the Goddess. All's well that ends well. So far so good...All cousins will be staying over and right now I am going to get back to my game...Oops! Dinner I meant.

Happy Vishu!

Everytime I used to come to India during my summer vacations.. i.e. around June-August, by the end of the hols I used to be gloomy about getting back to school and the usual stuff. And to add salt to injury , my cousins kept bragging about the good time they have celebrating Vishu. And that used to get me J to some extent cos for us Vishu in Oman was just seeing the kani and getting the vishu kaineetam and ofcourse the sadya -typical food served on the banana leaf.It's usually held on a low-key affair basis. As crackers are banned in the desert , even thinking of them is like commiting a sin. So when my cousins spoke about how they burst crackers and blah blah I kept envying them. And finally as I am in India this time , I was waiting to celebrate the festival. Having done all the preparations on the eve I also asked my uncle to get some crackers.. after all first time right!!

In the morning mom, as per tradition, woke me up to view the beautiful kani she had decorated and soon after that my favourite part - kaineetam. Had one of the best sadyas of my life . Now , just waiting for my relatives to come home today for more kaineetam.. I'm lovin' it !

*HAPPY VISHU TO ALL*

My running nose is getting worse day by day..looks like it's all set to run for the marathon :D And the medicines i am taking three times a day are apparently hunger-inducing types. So I guess I'll hit a century if I continue with a diet of this kind. Meanwhile having an awesome time in Oman. Lot of memories refreshed and many yet to be refreshed.Had great plans of recording songs and uploading them at surmitr,but in vain.

The weather is pretty unpredictable nowdays.The mornings can get as hot as me :) and in the evenings we can expect a fraction of the Niagra falls.And it has to be this weather change that initiated the cold in me.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a properous New Year

In the midst of my rehearsals, I had to commit myself to something I've been looking forward to for a long time- my home.When architect Shankar entered all he said was 'cute' and spoke about the positive energy he experienced when he got inside.After having a look at the house on a whole I told him about the extensions I intended to make.It's alwayz been my dream to have a 'musical room' and with Shankar full of innovative plans , I was all set to make my dream come true at any cost.

Shankar's ideas are alwayz expensive but brilliant.He wanted to blend Indian designs with the country ones.I was a little hesitant cos I felt that making a home is not like doing a 'jugalbandhi' in musical terms.So he kept thinking and I kept refusing.Then came the master plan(It was a vision I had at that point)- having steps commencing after the bedroom into the entrance of my musical room.With the Veena on the side and the sony system right at the centre and the perfect combination of furniture and curtains my dream would come into existance.And when the guests arrive they can park their vehicles in the underground parking space and not to forget the swing at the right hand corner of the sloping lawn!He said everything is possible if money is not a problem.And I smiled :)I just wished I had a magic wand.

All goes well that ends well.. so if everything ends well you may get the chance to view it at snapshots.At present I am just hunting for some musical names for my home.Some names thats crossed my mind were Geet,Sargam, Surmitr, Sangam ,Meghmalhar, Andolika.Do suggest some names..till then ciao!