Roughly 150 years ago, a few Britishers decided to scale the high mountains that blocked their access to the sea coast on the west side of South India. In fact if they could cut through these mountains, they could reduce their journey to the vast Indian plateau by several days. During the years that followed many journeys were made over these mountains and the beauty and the cool weather of the Nilgiri forests beckoned the travellers to return every summer. Gradually a church was established and a small town began to form with mainly British population and some natives who worked as slaves to them.

Word gradually spread about the splendor of these mountains and many generals in the British army would come and visit this place. There was an urgent need for a lodging facility and hence a small hotel called High Clerc hotel cropped up. In 1901, this hotel also became a school run by missionaries for the children who were growing up there. It was a very secluded place high in the Palani hills and in fact it was so secluded that the school came to know that India had become independent only in late 1948 when a distict collector was surveying the area to make a map.

The small hotel had now become a full fledged school and in mid 70’s it became an international school. The name of the school is Kodaikanal International School which turned 101 years this month. It’s the school that I studied and spent some of the best years of my life. I’m sure we all are proud of our schools but I dare say none more than me. Click here to see my school.

Me: Wowww...it's so beautiful to see those swans flying towards the sunset.
She: What are swans?
Me: Swans are similar to ducks except they are pure white and very graceful. They blend beautifully against the background as the sun sets.
She: How does a sunset look like?
Me: Its really nice and pleasant to look at. It kind of sooths your feeling, as you see the red sun reflect itself on the river.
She: How does the red colour look like?
Me: ~blank mind~

How do you explain the colour red to a little girl who is born blind?

News headlines:

India Pakistan trade fire, 5 intruders killed.
Jawans trade fire with militants near Assam border, 2 killed
Islamic militants trade fire with BSF personnel.
Police trade fire with Veerappan gang.
Naxalites trade fire with Andhra police.

Looks like this is the only type of "trade" that is really thriving.

J. R. R. Tolkien in 'The Lord of the Rings' quizzes our minds with this thought provoking conversation:

"He deserves death", said Frodo.

Gandalf replies: ''Deserves it! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them ? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends."

-- The militants who attacked the Akshardham temple and massacred innocent people including little children, deserve death. Or should we be like Gandalf and let time be the judge?

I always enjoy being a little kid and much to my flatmates' dismay I spend most of my evenings playing video games or watching cartoons. Worse is when I play pranks on him but that's a different story.

Coming back to cartoons, my favourites were always the numerous Disney shows - involving Donald duck, chip munks, Goofy, Uncle scrooge and that gang. To be honest I never really enjoyed Mickey Mouse that much. Loads of others came in as I grew up - like Spiderman, Tintin, TopCats, X-Men but my all time favourite remains Tom and Jerry.

I think many thanks go to Fred Quimby the producer and Hannah & Barbara (creators) who I think enjoyed making the cartoons just as much as little kids enjoyed watching them. Its so easy to laugh at those two characters as they try to get the better of each other and most often Jerry won hands down. But a few times whenTom came out winning, I kind of felt good. I don't know about others, but I think Tom is more cute than Jerry and I really like the facial expressions he makes and the wicked ideas he comes up with.

Long live Tom and Jerry :-)

Is man a blunder of God or
Is God a blunder of man?
-Nietzsche

"With great power comes great responsibility"
-Spiderman (Peter Parker)

I somehow think its other way round:

"With great responsibility comes great power"