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Here’s How You Can Access Online Courses of 7 IITs. For Free….

October 9, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

The National Programme for Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL), an e-learning platform, is revolutionising the concept of internet based higher education in India.

Developed on the lines of the Open Courseware by Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to some extent, the National Programme for Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) is bringing some of the best teachers of the country together, enabling students to access courses on engineering, sciences, technology, management, humanities and more, free of cost, all across the globe.

Content on the platform is being used by many educational institutions. Faculty members are using it as part of their lesson plan to teach university curriculum, and students are using it to prepare for jobs and competitive exams.

Picture for representation only. Photo Credit: Flickr

NPTEL is a joint venture of seven IITs (Indian Institute of Technology) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc), funded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. The seven IITs include IIT Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras and Roorkee. It was developed with the aim of providing e-learning through course content in the form of web based supplements and video courses.

Up till Aug 2015, NPTEL had 420 web courses and 509 video courses, which can be accessed freely through the website nptel.ac.in. These include approximately 921 courses, and each course has about 40 video lectures, which are one hour long. There are online discussion forums as well where students can post and review questions. Courses are also accompanied by assignments, handouts, self-evaluations tasks, etc. Some of the disciplines include Aerospace Engineering, Biotechnology, Atmospheric Science, Chemical Engineering, Management, Humanities and Social Sciences, etc. There is no specific eligibility for the courses. The faculty member of a course may recommend some basic knowledge required for certain topics.

The video content is accessible free of cost. These videos can be downloaded through the official NPTEL website, in MP4, FLV and 3gp formats. They can also be streamed through the YouTube channel here. Students can obtain the video courses on hard disks as well, at the NPTEL office in IIT Madras.

The focus areas of the NPTEL project is to provide higher education, professional education, distance education and a continuous open learning atmosphere. It is a curriculum building exercise and the NPTEL content adheres to the syllabi of All India Council for Technical Education and the slightly modified curricula of major affiliating universities.

The courses are well structured and elaborate. Institutions are encouraged to build their own versions of NPTEL courses based on their curriculum using the NPTEL material available online. Thus the project is also meant to fill the gap between the current expertise level of faculty in institutions like IITs and IISc, and those in other engineering colleges across India.

Certification courses are also offered in association with industry partners like Aricent, NASSCOM and Google. These courses are offered 2 or 3 times every year. Students need to give an exam by paying a nominal fee, and after completion of the course, they get a certificate. Till August 2015, 7,267 students had received such certificates.

To know more about NPTEL, visit here.

Source….Tanaya Singh….www.thebetterindia.com

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Pictures of the Day…

October 8, 2015Natarajan1 Comment

Source….www.ba-bamail.com

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9 Smartphone Myths ….

October 8, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

If you own a smartphone, you know the struggle of battery-life and performance issues in older models. Most of us were also told that there are certain ways we should treat our devices in order to keep them working in peak condition, preserve battery, etc. You’ll be surprised to learn that some of the things we all think to be true are in fact myths:

Myth #1: Let the Battery Drain Before Recharging

Letting your battery drain completely to extend its life was true when manufacturers were still using NiCAD and NiMH batteries. These days smartphones use lithium-ion batteries, which will last longer if you keep them charged. Some experts still recommend letting your battery drain completely once every three months, but this will not extend its life, only help calibrate the phone’s measurement of the charge.

Myth #2: Better Components Mean Better Performance

You would think that buying the newest phone with the best high-end specifications will mean you’ll enjoy a fast device with more battery time than before, and on the surface – you’d be right. However, it was shown on several occasions that some 12-megapixel cameras produced lower quality photos compared to their 8-megapixel counterparts. Additionally, a phone may have better technology on paper compared to the competitor’s device, but performance may vary due to several factors, such as build quality, application compatibility, and more.

Myth #3: Overnight Charging is Bad for the Battery

This is yet another relic from older phones. Older batteries could not tell when they were full, which led to overcharging – a main cause for shorter battery lifespan. Modern devices monitor the battery’s charge levels and cut charging once it’s full, so there’s no need to worry about leaving your phone charging overnight.

Myth #4: Automatic Brightness Saves Battery

Modern smartphones usually come equipped with a light sensor that can automatically raise or lower the brightness of your screen according to lighting conditions. You may think that this component helps you save battery, but if you truly want to save battery, dim the screen manually, and only increase the brightness when necessary. The reason is that the sensor actually uses more power by communicating with the phone’s processor to decide on what the brightness should be.

Myth #5: Wi-Fi/Bluetooth Drain Your Battery

In earlier models, leaving the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or both switched on would drain your battery faster. While these transmitters do need power to function, newer generations use little-to-no power while not in active use. You’re still welcome to switch them on and off at will, but don’t expect to see a significant change in battery life.

Myth #6: Android Devices Are More Vulnerable

Apple’s iOS operating system, which powers their iPhones and iPads doesn’t allow you to install apps from anywhere other than Apple’s official App Store (Unless you’re using a “jailbroken” device). Android devices on the other hand, allow you to install apps from websites, and even download and install apps manually. While Android devices are actually more secure than iOS devices, they can still be vulnerable if you install applications from anywhere.

Myth #7: Only Use the Original Charger

This myth is still propagated by phone manufacturers to get you to buy their chargers at a premium, instead of a knockoff. In fact, the accessory market is one of the most profitable for phone makers these days. Before buying, you should be aware that there is a difference between a poorly made knockoff charger and a replica charger from a reliable manufacturer. Using a cheap knockoff charger can be dangerous, and has caused fires and small explosions due to poor quality and use of substandard materials. But if you want to get a new charger for your phone, you don’t have to pay the manufacturer’s ridiculously high price, just opt for a reliable replacement from a reputable source.

Myth #8: People Want Smaller Phones

In the early days of cellphones, the devices were large, bulky and heavy, and were used for not much more than making calls and the occasional text message. During those years, consumers wanted smaller, lighter phones, which led to the development of very small cellphones. With the appearance of the smartphone, people suddenly could use their phones to play games, browse the internet, and more. This development meant that suddenly screen size became more important than device size. These days we’re seeing devices with 5” and 6” screens that can be a challenge to hold if you’ve got smaller hands, but offer greater comfort during use.

Myth #9: Close Background Apps to Boost Performance

Smartphones allow you to have programs running in the background to speed up multitasking, but more running programs use more battery, no? While true, you would be surprised to know that both Android and Apple devices don’t allow these background apps to use much of the phone’s resources at all. This myth has made many people, both tech-savvy and not, download “Task Killer” apps, which are designed to end any running tasks. These apps do their jobs, they terminate the apps you tell them to, but that does not mean they are actually improving your device’s performance or battery life.

Source….www,ba-bamail.com

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Message for the Day…” Follow the Righteous Way of Life to Reach the Road of Self Realisation…”

October 8, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Sathya Sai Baba

People everywhere are degrading themselves from their status as children of eternity (amrita-putra) to that of children of futility (anrita-putra)! Holding nectar in their grasp, they are drinking the poison of sensual pleasure. Neglecting the joy of contemplation of the fundamental divine reality of the universe, they are entangling themselves in the external trappings of this objective world of appearances. This immortal dharma (amrita-dharma) is described in the Upanishads, and since the Gita is the kernel of the Upanishads, the same is emphasized in the Gita too. The Gita teaches Arjuna to develop certain qualities that help the practice of the Atma Dharma (the righteousness that springs from the True Self). These are delineated in verses 13 to 20 of Chapter 12. The dharmic (righteous) way of life is like the very breath; it is the road to self-realization. Those who walk along it are dear to the Lord.

Prague Astronomical Clock: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know…This Historical Clock Turns 605 Today…9 Oct 2015…

October 8, 2015October 8, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

She doesn’t look a day over 600, but on October 9, the Prague astronomical clock celebrates its 605th birthday. To celebrate this joyous occasion, Google has put up a very nice Google Doodle.The company writes in the page about the drawing that “Despite over a half a millennium of wear and a brush with disaster in WWII, much of its original machinery remains intact, making it the oldest functioning clock of its kind in the world.” The company adds, “Today’s Doodle honors a magnificent achievement in medieval engineering and a cultural landmark whose symbolism, design, and intermittent repairs are a remarkable catalogue of Europe’s past.”

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Legend Says That the City of Prague Suffers if the Clock Is Neglected

According to Prague City Line, the entire city will suffer if the 605-year-old clock is ever neglected and falls into disrepair. The clock is located in the city’s famed Old Town Square. One of the clock’s symbols, a skeleton, which represents death, will nod its head when it deems that the device has been neglected and that it’s time for Prague to suffer.

2. The Clock Was Severely Damaged by the Nazis During the Prague Uprising

As the Allies cruised to victory in the final days of World War II in 1945, the Nazis began sabotaging their equipment as well the historical buildings of Prague. As a result, the clock didn’t function until 1948 when it was repaired.

3. You Can View the Inside of the Clock on Google Streetview

Thanks to Google, you don’t have to bring yourself all the way to Prague’s Old Town (but you should, it’s beautiful). You can view the inner workings of the clock on Google Street View.Obviously, you can also check out the outside area, too, and remind yourself why you should go to Prague.

4. One of the Clock’s Designers Was a Catholic Priest & a Scientist

The clock was first constructed in 1410 by two men, Mikulas of Kadan, and Catholic priest and scientist Jan Sindel. He was the astronomer in the duo with Mikulas being the more functional clockmaker. The influence of religion can be observed around the clock, with the 12 apostles, the skeleton representing death, as well as a miser carrying a bag of gold representing the deadly sin of greed.

5. The Clock Is Older Than Joan of Arc

The clock was functioning for two years before Joan of Arc was born. It’s nearly a century older than William Shakespeare. Not only that, but it’s fully 310 years older than the United States of America.

Source…. Paul Farrell

Here’s what it’s like to live in space….

October 8, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

A $US150-billion contraption floating 270 miles above Earth is one of the most impressive achievements of humankind.

It’s called the International Space Station (ISS), and a rotating astronaut crew has occupied it since 2000. The work of those astronauts has yielded some incredible scientific insights.

Astronaut is not a profession where you get to go home at the end of the day though. One ticket from Earth to the ISS costs about $US70 million, so normally each crew lives and works on the station for a six-month shift.

Right now NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko are in the middle of a year-long shift aboard the ISS. They will be the first humans to spend a consecutive year living in space.

But what is it like to actually live on the ISS?

The first step to living in space is getting there. All astronauts hitch a ride to the ISS on board a giant space shuttle that launches from Russia.

NASA

The shuttle takes astronauts all the way up to the ISS, which floats about 250 miles above the planet.

NASA

The station is a system of labs, living quarters, and control rooms, and it spans about the length of a football field. A rotating crew of six astronauts share the space.

NASA

The ISS is hurtling around the Earth at about 17,150 miles per hour. That extreme velocity puts the ISS in a constant free fall around the planet.

So everything on board experiences weightlessness, including the astronauts.

So they get around the station by floating. Which means sometimes it’s too hard to resist the temptation to strike a Superman pose.

NASA

Weightlessness causes a lot of weird problems though — the kind of problems we never experience here on Earth thanks to gravity.

NASA

For example, sweat doesn’t evaporate. Instead, it pools on astronauts’ bodies, so they are constantly toweling off sweat. You can see sweat droplets escape from this astronaut’s towel after he wipes his head.

If objects escape inside the ISS, they can float away, get lodged in equipment, and cause malfunctions.

For example, even small tasks like clipping your nails become a problem. Astronauts clip them near a vent, so that tiny pieces of nail don’t end up floating all over the station.

RAW Embed

Water is also difficult to manage. It likes to stick together in a big blob.

So washing and showering is a challenge. Astronauts squirt a few lines of water on their skin and hair and then use no-rinse soap and shampoo to clean themselves.

The station only gets resupplied every few months, so astronauts have to be mindful of their supplies. Luckily, over 90% of the water on board gets recycled and reused.

That includes everything from dirty wash water, water from astronauts’ breath, and yes, even urine is recycled. It’s all sent through this high-tech water filter on board.

YouTube/Canadian Space Agency

The water is perfectly safe to drink after it’s run through the filter (it’s actually cleaner than the water we drink on Earth), but many astronauts say they try not to think about it too much when they refill their water pouches.

YouTube/Canadian Space Agency

Getting back to that urine thing, ‘How do you go to the bathroom?’ is one of the most common questions astronauts get.

YouTube/ESA

If you’re going number one, it gets sucked into this tube through the yellow nozzle.

YouTube/ESA

Things are little more complicated when you need to go number two. There’s a tiny seat, a container for the waste, and a suction pump.

YouTube/ESA

Once you do your business and suction it away, you have to change out the ‘poop bag’ for the next person.

YouTube/ESA

Still, all the complications that come from weightlessness don’t get in the way of what astronauts are really there for. They spend most of their time working on various research projects and repairing the station.

NASA

Sometimes that even involves venturing out into the dangerous vacuum of space. Trips outside the station are called ‘spacewalks,’ and they take a lot of preparation and safety training.

NASA

One wrong move and an astronaut could just float off into the vacuum of space (like George Clooney in ‘Gravity’). They also have to watch for leaks in the spacesuits that protect them from the bitterly cold temperatures and radiation in space.

NASA

When they aren’t working, astronauts still have to stick to a pretty tight schedule. They have mandatory workouts so they don’t lose too much muscle mass in the weightless environment. (Since they don’t have to fight gravity, they get a lot less exercise while moving around.)

You can easily lift hundreds of pounds in a weightless environment, so astronauts have a cleverly designed machine for weight lifting.

After a good work out, you gonna eat. Space meals are stored in dehydrated packets. Once you add a little water, dinner is served.

And the menu isn’t half bad. Here’s an astronaut enjoying a milkshake.

NASA

After dinner it’s time for bed. The middle section of the station is where most of the crew sleeps. Labs and work spaces make up the rest of the structure, and the giant yellow panels collect sunlight to help power everything.

YouTube/Canadian Space Agency

Each astronaut has their own tiny room that includes a work space and a sleeping bag strapped to the wall. You can see on the screens that it appears astronaut Scott Kelly is chatting on Facebook.

NASA

Sleeping in space is hard to get used to since you don’t feel the sensation of lying down. Astronauts zip themselves into a sleeping bag every night so they don’t float around in their sleep.

And they have to keep careful track of their sleep schedule since days don’t pass the same on the ISS as they do on Earth. The station is whizzing around the planet so quickly that the crew sees about 16 sunrises and sunsets during a 24-hour Earth day.

NASA

When it’s time to return to Earth, a shuttle flies up to the station to pick up the astronauts. Then they parachute back down to Earth in a landing pod.

NASA

Astronauts are a little wobbly on their feet when they first land, but it doesn’t take long to readjust to a weighted environment.

NASA

Living on the ISS is no picnic, but it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. Most astronauts say they wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.

NASA

Source…… KELLY DICKERSON….. http://www.businessinsider,com.au

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This is the change London Heathrow Airport has been waiting for…

October 8, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

London’s Heathrow Airport is one of the busiest hubs in the world and serves as a major connecting point for traffic between Asia and Africa with North America.

As Britain’s main international airport, Heathrow has been working hard to upgrade its facilities. In recent years, the airport has opened two brand new terminal buildings and have conducted significant renovations to others.

However, the greatest constraint on the airport has been it’s lack of runways. Although more than 72 million passengers pass through Heathrow every year, the facility still operates using just two runways.

However, if Heathrow’s latest expansion plans are approved, things are about to change for airport.

At first, the airport wasn’t much to look at. Its passenger terminals were just tents.

Heathrow Airport

By the 1960s, the airport’s permanent terminal buildings entered service. Heathrow also abandoned its ‘Star of David’ layout, keeping only the northern and southern runways.

Heathrow development came just in time for the arrival of the jet set! Along with celebrities such as The Beatles and …

Today, the airport is the primary international hub serving London and much of England.

Flickr/Tony Hisgett

The airport is home to Virgin Atlantic Airways and …

Heathrow Airport

… British Airways.

… Terminal 5 facilities

But what hasn’t changed in the last half century are its two runways.

But that may be ready for an update if the Airport’s new expansion proposal is approved this December.

The expansion would include a third runway built at the north of the airport; it would increase Heathrow’s capacity from 470,000 flights a year to 740,000.

The airport also wants to build a new terminal to the west of Terminal 5.

The expansion would also dramatically alter Heathrow’s central terminal area.

The transformed central terminal area will feature new hotels, office buildings and …

… green space for passengers.

The new hotel facilities will be located just a few minutes away from the terminals.

The proposed development plan also calls for improvements to road and rail access to the airport.

The expansion of London Heathrow has been a contentious topic. Although there have been discussions about building a completely new airport for decades, the British government recommended improvements to Heathrow as the preferred way to increase airport capacity.

source….BENJAMIN ZHANG in http://www.businessinsider .com.au

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Why 5000 Books Travelled All the Way from USA to Find a Home in a Tiny Police Station in TN …

October 8, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Ever since the advent of the internet and e-books, printed books are of no value anywhere now.” So thought this US citizen who had books to give away. An ACP in Tirupur, India, disagreed. The books crossed the ocean and found a home in his police station.

Sometime in 2014, an India-born philanthropist from the US visited India, visiting Coimbatore and Tirupur in Tamil Nadu. In a light conversation with the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Tirupur, he mentioned that he wished to donate books for a children’s library in the area. Kids in the United States of America do not read books anymore, he said. They have access to reading material through e-books, which are easily available to them on any electronic device.

“At one time, if a school child wanted to find out information about something for a project, a trip to the central library in town was an essential requirement. Notes were made, rough pictures were drawn and, once home, all this information was put out on charts or on umpteen sheets of paper, which were neatly spiral bound before being submitted in school,” says Mr. Chakravarty, the father of a college-going girl from Coimbartore, who is also a friend of the ACP of Tirupur.

Today, even in developing countries, children have access to all kinds of information on electrical devices. Just having a smart phone is enough to log onto Google from anywhere — and all the data one would want is available online.

However, in the United States and other western countries, in particular, many children have stopped borrowing books from school libraries. There are some people who feel these books may be of use to children in small towns like Tirupur in Tamil Nadu.

It was in this context that the ACP in Tirupur was made the offer of books for a library.

“As soon as this particular philanthropist went back to the US after his Indian sojourn, he transported 5,000 books to Tirupur. Such beautiful books, such a lovely world of information,” says the ACP, who does not wish to be named. “All the policemen in the North Police Station, Tirupur, were spellbound seeing so many books.”

The policemen immediately got down to sorting out the books in various categories. They numbered every one of the books and almost 2,000 of them were donated to the Rotary Club right away.

Picture books were meant for very small children, larger books for older children, children’s novels, novels for adults, reference books on various subjects, some textbooks and even encyclopedias — there were all kinds of books.

These books seemed to have been picked up from the libraries of many American schools and sent to India with the hope that children here would find better use for them. –

Once the books were sorted and numbered, the ACP began looking for a place to set up a library. Unable to find a suitable location, he rearranged the furniture in the large hall in his police station and put shelves filled with books right in the middle of the room.

“Having set up the place, we contacted the principals of the local schools and told them about the library that we have here,” says the ACP. “School children have to bring with them a letter of permission from the principal of the school and we then allow them to borrow books. A register is maintained with information about the child and the books that he/she has borrowed. The borrower is allowed to keep the book for a period of fifteen days,” he adds.

“As soon as the police station opens in the morning, the library too is declared open, and it remains so until the police station closes for the day. Anyone can come and visit the library at any time on a working day,” says one of the constables at the police station.

During the day, when anyone at the police station is bored and find that they have time on their hands, they pick up a book from the library to flip through.

“Most of the constables have very limited knowledge of the English language. They may be able to understand a little, and may even be able to string a few words together to speak a sentence, but their reading and writing skills in English are virtually nil,” continues the constable.

However, flipping through books in any language, especially if they have pictures, is a real pleasure, and most people spend their spare time doing just that, he adds.

“It has been barely three months since the children have been coming here from the school nearby to borrow books,” says the ACP, “and it will take at least a year before we can evaluate how useful it is to have books donated from across the world for the benefit of our children.”

This library, at the Tirupur police station, is an experiment of sorts. If he finds that it is a success, with children gaining from the experience, the ACP proposes connecting with the philanthropist in the US again and getting him to donate some more books to establish other libraries in the state.

Source…..Aparna Menon….www.the betterindia.com

Natarajan

நண்பர்களை நம்பர்களாக்கும் வாட்ஸ்ஆப் வாழ்க்கையைத் துறந்த தருணம்…

October 8, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

“ஹலோ எழுத்தாளரே, எப்படி இருக்கிறீர்கள்?”

பழைய நண்பன் ஒருவனின் குரலை, காலையிலேயே கேட்க ஆச்சரியமாக இருந்தது. எனக்கும் பேச ஆசைதான். ஆனால் அதிகாலை நேரத்தில், பல மாதங்களுக்குப் பின்னர், பழைய நண்பனின் குரலைக் கேட்டால் எப்படி இருக்கும்? அதுவும் வருடத்துக்கு ஒரு தடவை (என்னுடைய பிறந்தநாளுக்கோ அல்லது அவனுடைய பிறந்தநாளுக்கோ), அதிகபட்சமாய் மூன்று நிமிடங்கள் பேசும் நண்பனின் குரல் அது!

பேராவலுடன் என்ன விஷயமாக இருக்கும் என்று யோசித்தேன். பெரியதாக ஒன்றுமில்லை. அவன் க்ரூப் அழைப்பை அனுப்பியதை நான் ஏற்றுக்கொள்ளவில்லை. அதனால்தான் கூப்பிட்டிருக்கிறான். சீரியஸான பல கேள்விகள் மற்றும் பதில்களுக்குப் பிறகு, அது ‘வாட்ஸ்ஆப் க்ரூப்’ என்பது புரிந்தது. அதில் என்னைத்தவிர எல்லா முன்னாள் வகுப்புத் தோழர்களும் இருக்கிறார்களாம். ”நீ மட்டும் அதில் இல்லை, அதன் சந்தோஷங்களில் கலந்துகொள்ளவில்லை” என்றான் அவன். என்னால் சிரிக்கமட்டுமே முடிந்தது.

முதன்முதலாக நான் ஒன்றரை வருடங்களுக்கு முன்னால் வாட்ஸ்ஆப்பில் நுழைந்தேன்; அதுவும் துளிகூட விருப்பமே இல்லாமல். தொழில்நுட்பத்தில் பின்தங்கி இருப்பதால், புதிதாக வரும் விஷயங்களைத் தெரிந்து கொள்வது கடினமாகி விடுகிறது. எனக்கு ஆர்க்குட் அறிமுகமான சமயத்தில், உலகமே ஃபேஸ்புக்கை நோக்கி நகரத்தொடங்கி இருந்தது. கஷ்டப்பட்டு ஃபேஸ்புக் அக்கவுண்டைத் திறந்தபோது, கூகுள் ப்ளஸ் வந்திருந்தது. அதுசரி டிவிட்டருக்கு என்ன ஆனது என்கிறீர்களா? கொஞ்ச நாளைக்கு அந்தப்பக்கம் போகாமலே இருப்போமே. அதனால் இயல்பாகவே வாட்ஸ்ஆப்பைப் பற்றிய எந்த அறிகுறியும் எனக்கு வரவில்லை. உறவுக்காரி ஒருத்தி அதை அறிமுகப்படுத்தி வைத்த பின்னரும், வாட்ஸ்ஆப் பற்றி பெரிதாக எதையும் யோசிக்கவில்லை.

சகாக்களின் நெருக்கடியை எந்த வயதிலும் பொறுத்துக்கொள்ள முடியாது. 35 வயதே ஆனாலும் கூட. என்னுடைய மருத்துவர், செவிலி, டெய்லர் என எல்லாருமே ‘இதை வாட்ஸ்ஆப் பண்ணி விடுங்கள்’ என்கின்றனர். அவர்கள் யாருமே வழக்கமான குறுஞ்செய்திகளை கண்டுகொள்வதாகக் கூடத் தெரிவதில்லை. நண்பர்கள் மற்றும் உறவினர்களின் பல மாத வற்புறுத்தலுக்குப் பின்னர், என்னுடைய மருத்துவரையும், கடைக்காரர்களையும் நோக்கி ஒரு பார்வையைச் செலுத்திவிட்டு, வாட்ஸ்ஆப்பில் நுழைந்தேன். ஒரு அழகான காலையில், உலகத்தையே பெருந்தன்மையுடன் பார்த்த தருணம் அது.

ஆரம்பத்தில் வாட்ஸ்ஆப்பில் எதுவுமே எனக்குப் புரியவில்லை. அது என்ன என்று தெரிந்துகொள்ளவே பல நாட்களானது. நிலத்தை, உடையை, ஏன் அழகை வாங்கச் சொல்லிக் கூவும் விளம்பரங்களை மட்டுமே கண்டுபிடிக்க முடிந்தது. சம்பந்தமே இல்லாத க்ரூப்புகளில் இணைக்கப்பட்டேன். நாய்க்குட்டிகள், பூனை, குழந்தை, சமயத்தில் பன்றிக்குட்டிகளின் படங்கள் மட்டுமே அதில் பகிரப்பட்டன. நான் புதிதாகச் சேர்ந்ததற்கான எந்த அடையாளமும் அதில் காண்பிக்கப்படவில்லை.

”உன்னுடைய வருகையை முதலில் அறிவிக்க வேண்டும்” என்றாள் ஒருத்தி. எனது முதல் நிலைத்தகவலை அதில் இட்டேன். “தவலை இப்போது கிணற்றின் வெளியே வந்துவிட்டது!” என்று. அந்த யுக்தி பலித்தது. ”பைத்தியம், அது தவலை இல்லை; தவளை” என்று ஏராளமான செய்திகள் வந்து குவிந்தன. தொடர்ந்த சில நாட்களில் வருடக்கணக்காக என்னுடைய நண்பர்களாக இருந்தவர்கள், போனில் வெறும் நம்பர்களாகிப் போனார்கள். செல்பேசியின் திரையை விட்டு கண்ணை எடுக்காத போதை, என்னை மெல்ல மெல்ல ஆக்கிரமித்தது.

ஸ்மார்ட் போனையோ அல்லது சமூக ஊடகங்களையோ நான் எதிர்த்ததற்கான முக்கியக் காரணமே, உள்ளங்கையில் மறைந்துவிடும் ஒற்றைச் சாதனம் நம்மை அடிமையாக்கிவிடக் கூடாது என்பதற்காகத்தான். உண்மையான உலகத்தை விட்டுவிட்டு மெய்நிகர் உலகத்தில் வாழ்வதை என்னால் ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள முடிந்திருக்கவில்லை. ஆனால் எதை நினைத்து பயந்தேனோ அது நன்றாகவே நடந்தது.

ஒரு சில மாதங்களிலேயே, எதுவும் பேசுவதற்கு இல்லாத நிலையிலிருந்து, பேசுவதற்கும், எழுதுவதற்கும், டைப்புவதற்கும் ஏகப்பட்ட விஷயங்கள் குவிந்தன. வீட்டு வேலைகளை தள்ளிப்போட்டேன். தூக்கம் குறைந்தது; கணவரையும், வீட்டையும் சேர்த்து குழந்தைகளையும் புறக்கணித்தேன். செல்பேசியோடு சேர்ந்து உறங்கி, அதனுடனேயே எழுந்தேன். சில நேரங்களில் தூக்கத்திற்கு இடையில் விழித்து போனைப் பார்க்கத் தொடங்கினேன். செல்பேசியை விட்டுத் தள்ளி இருக்கும் சமயங்களில்கூட, அதன் ஞாபகமாகவே இருந்தது. இவைகளோடு இன்னொரு முக்கியமான நிகழ்வும் நடந்தது.

குறுஞ்செய்தி அனுப்புவது, பகிர்ந்துகொள்வது, பேசுவது, அழுவது, சிரிப்பது என எல்லாமே மெய்நிகர் உலகத்தில் மட்டுமே நடந்தது. அன்றாட வாழ்க்கைப் பேச்சுகள் வெகுவாகக் குறைந்திருந்தன. இனி இதைப் பற்றிச் சொல்வதற்கு எதுவுமில்லை என்றுதான் நினைக்கிறேன்.

ஒருமுறை, நெடு நாட்களுக்குப் பிறகு, என்னுடைய நண்பனைப் பார்த்தேன். வெகு நேரம் இருவரும் எதுவுமே பேசவில்லை. அவன் போனையே நோண்டிக் கொண்டிருக்க, நான் வானத்தையே வெறித்துக் கொண்டிருந்தேன். அந்த நொடியில்தான் இந்த வலையில் இருந்து வெளியே வரவேண்டும் என்று முடிவு செய்தேன்.

ஆனால் அது அத்தனை சுலபமாக இருக்கவில்லை. வாட்ஸ்ஆப்பினுள் நுழையாமல், தனியாக அமர்ந்து, சுவர்களையே கொஞ்ச நேரம் பார்த்தவாறு அமர்ந்திருந்தேன். ‘அங்கே அவர்கள் எல்லோரும் பேசுவார்கள்; சிரிப்பார்கள்; சண்டை போட்டு ரசிப்பார்கள்’ என்று தோன்றியது. உண்மையே இல்லாத மெய்நிகர் உலகம் என்னைக் கவர்ந்து இழுத்துக்கொண்டே இருந்தது. ஆனால் அதற்கு திரும்பிவிட வேண்டும் என்ற எண்ணம் வரும்போதெல்லாம், புத்தகம் படித்தேன்; கேக் தயாரித்தேன்; பேசாமல் தவறவிட்டிருந்தவர்களிடம் பேசினேன். அடிக்கடி அம்மா, மாமியாரின் நலம் விசாரித்தேன். கிசுகிசு பேசத் தோன்றிய போதெல்லாம், என் பெண்களுடன் கதை பேசினேன்.

ஒரு வழியாக அந்த மாய உலகில் இருந்து வெளியே வந்துவிட்டேன். என் நண்பர்கள், உறவினர்கள், பக்கத்து வீட்டுக்காரர்கள் என எல்லோரிடமும் இயல்பாகப் பேச முடிந்தது. வழக்கமான அழைப்புகள் தொடர்ந்து வந்து கொண்டேதான் இருந்தது. முன்னர் பேசியதைவிட இன்னும் தெளிவாக, ஆழமாக, அழகாக பேச முடிந்தது. அன்று தொடங்கி இப்பொழுது வரைக்கும், எல்லா சந்தோஷங்களையும் நிஜ உலகத்திலேயே பெற்றுக் கொள்கிறேன்.

அனுபுதி கிருஷ்ணா

தமிழில்: க.சே.ரமணி பிரபா தேவி….www.tamil.thehindu.com

Natarajan

Ten legendary eateries in Madras you simply cannot miss …

October 8, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

It is Madras Day – the day a city celebrates its birthday. And what is a birthday without a party and great food? So along with a friend and a foodie Vasudevan, I decided to get all nostalgic and celebrate by heading to some of the oldest eateries in the city that we personally like and recommend.

I am not too much of a lunch or a dinner person, but as a kid, it is the tiffin that has always fascinated me. So I decided to stick to just places we would go for breakfast or for a quick evening meal. While I have been to some of these eateries since childhood – food, being a great favourite of both my parents, it is Vasudevan who curated the list.

We just went to two areas mainly – Mylapore and Sowcarpet with a stop over at Triplicane. This is by no means an exhaustive list and we hope to add to it as we go by.

We also looked at eateries which are fairly old and are favourites with almost every citizen of Madras. The only street vendor we include is Amudha’s Bhajji stall in Mylapore. I dont think there is a name for the stall, but Amudha is in demand. She has an entire set up in Mylapore, near Kapaleeshwar temple on the road and she is flocked by people, even before she prepares her dough. I met her during the Myalpore Festival and I decided to feature her here.

Amudha at her bhajji stall

All these eateries mean more to us than just food. They have a story, a memory locked inside them. I am sure that all of you resonate with the thought as well. So let the emotions flow like the sambar as we go on this first food trail of Madras or Chennai as we know it today as we go on this tiffin trail.

Ratna Cafe, Triplicane

Our first stop of the day is to Triplicane, an area that fascinates me immensely for its heritage, its architecture, its melange of cultures and the food. I want to stop at the Parthasarathy temple for a quick darshan and the puliodharai, but we are a bit late. So we say a silent prayer and continue to one of the oldest eateries in Triplicane, a landmark by itself – Ratna Cafe.

Started in 1948 by a man from Mathura, Triloknath Gupta, the family still manage this very popular eatery. –

Idly at Ratna Cafe

If there is one moment that defines our breakfast in Ratna Cafe, it is this – the waiter brings a contraption that looks like a saucepan and he pours the hot red sambar on the fluffy white idlis, until they are soaked in it. We order a plate of idli and vadai and top it with a plate of crispy golden brown ghee roast dosai, on the recommendation of a friend, Giridhar on Twitter.

The menu is packed in the evenings with so many dishes to choose from. A board announces the same right at the entrance.

Rayar’s Mess, Mylapore

Our next halt. One of the oldest and humble abodes which is very popular with most citizens of Madras, the Rayar’s Mess which has been around for more than 75 years in Mylapore. If there is one dish that is the signature dish, it is the kara chutney. Every foodie, including my father and his friends swear by it. Vasudevan specifically likes the over fermented super soft idlis which literally melts in the mouth.

Breakfast at Rayar’s Mess is usually idli, vadai, pongal served with a variety of chutneys, including the famous kara chutney, sambar and molagai podi. Top it up with filter kaapi. This is what I call elaipotta tiffin (tiffin served on a banana leaf).

Rayar Mess Tiffin

The eatery comes alive in the evening with bondas, rava dosai, kal dosai, adai, vadai, a variety of sweets and more dishes.

We speak to Kumar, the third generation owner, whose grandfather Srinivasa Rao started this. They were Kannadigas who had settled in Tamil Nadu ages ago and it reflects in the food – the recipes are probably the best of both worlds.

Karpagambal Mess, Mylapore

It feels like you are entering a temple. Right from the rangoli or the kolam on the steps to the large pictures of Gods and Goddesses on the walls to the various podis (powder) and pickles that is sold, everything about Karpagambal Mess is an ode to tradition.

Keerai Vadai at Karpagambal Mess

My earliest memory to the place was when it I could not say no to a sweet, Vasudevan recommends kasi halwa, but we finally have wheat halwa. There is also rich badam halwa for those who want to binge further. We stop right here as we have another six more eateries to visit.

Mami’s Mess, Mylapore

Next to Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Mylapore is another famous eatery, popular with old timers and the young alike Mami’s Mess. Vasudevan and another friend on twitter – Degreekaapi recommends that we head there to taste thavala vada. But we are unlucky. However our appetite is satiated with the bhajjis and bondas around. Customers flock to buy Kozhukattai, a sweet dumpling made with rice flour filled with wheat and coconut. Although it was renovated recently it is still more than 50 years old.

Bondas at Maami Mess

The dish according to us, that you must eat here is keerai vadai. Vasudevan is also tempted by the vazhai poo adai served with avial, which is absolutely delicious.

Vasantha Mami apparently came from a small little village called Alvarkurichi in Tirunelveli which is very close to our ancestral village and she started this eatery in Mylapore. Her sons take care of it now.

Jannal Bhajji Kadai, Mylapore

Bhajji Kadai was not open

In a little lane around the Kapaleeshwar temple is a small green grilled window on the wall that serves sinfully delicious bhajjis. You stand here and eat to your heart’s fill, be it bhajjis or upma or idlis. Sadly they were shut as they had a wedding in the family. Vasudevan says the Vazhakkai Bhajji is extremely good and my parents are a bit disappointed that I cannot not buy some bhajjis for home, but then, there is always another time.

Kalathi Stall, Mylapore

All in the same vicinity, it is very easy to miss this little news mart, a small shop hidden by trees. The headlines here scream of Rajinikanth and Sachin Tendulkar but what it does not scream about is the recipe of the rose milk which Mani and his family has safely guarded for over 80 years and sells it here fresh. I gulp glasses while Vasudevan buys the rose essence . A couple of women get off their two wheeler to drink panner soda, another speciality. Mani says celebrities have flocked to his shop.

Rosemilk at Kalathi Stall

Novelty Tea House, Mint Street

It is almost dark when we reach Mint Street and walking down the mini streets of Broadway and Parrys Corner is a delight in itself. As we navigate pedestrians, cows, cycle rickshaws, autos, tempos and cars, we find ourselves wondering if we are in Old Delhi or even Ahmedabad. Sowcarpet is one of the oldest locales in Chennai and my father who used to work here knows almost every eatery in the lanes.

Pudhina Dosa at Novelty

We head to Novelty Tea House at the recommendation of my uncle, Kannan and a mutual friend of Vasudevan and mine on Facebook – Sreemathy Mohan. The pudhina onion dosai is what she recommended and that is what we order. I definitely recommend it as well along with the pav bhajji.

Novelty Tea House started as a tea stall in the late 50s by Chandrakant Moolchand Shah and it is now managed by the third generation. They do have branches everywhere, but do not miss the oldest eatery in Mint Street. The atmosphere is an experience in itself.

Mehta’s Vada Pav, Mint Street

There is a branch near my house near Purasaiwalkam but Vasudevan tells me that the the original should not be missed. So in a little stall, barely enough to house a man and his delicacies, is one of the oldest stalls here which sells vada pav and mirchi bhajji. Bhavin Mehta who has been here for more than 50 years proudly says that his is the best. Vasudevan agrees . And you thought, Madras is all about idli and dosai.

Kachoris at Mehtas

Kakada Ramprasad, Mint Street

I know of them since I was a kid as my father used to bring sweets and savouries home. Yet, when I land there today I am surprised to find a huge building, selling everything from jalebis to fafdas, chaats to badam milk. We decide to try out two of their most famous specialities – the aalu tikki chaat and the hot hot jalebis. I am a loss for words. You just have to eat it, sorry, devour it to experience it.

Aloo Tikki at Kakada Ramprasad

Anmol Lassi, Mint Street

They say eat, drink and be merry. We are eating and we are merry, but the drink is missing. So next door to Kakada Ramprasad, is the a former wrestler who speaks flawless Tamil with a great sense of humour, who came to Chennai from Patiala 27 years ago. The board says “Anmol Mohit Patiala, specialist in Kesar Lassi.” He also serves masala butter milk . He says he stands here everyday from morning till night, except on Sundays. ” My wife will divorce me otherwise, ” he says with a laugh as we gulp down the cold icy lassi down our throats.

Kesar Lassi

And finally the rains tumble down as we want to explore more eateries, but we run for cover and walk down the lanes to digest the entire spread from morning. I probably have to starve for the next couple of days and run miles to burn the calories, but then my love affair with Madras just got deeper. Bon appetite and enjoy the many flavours of the city.

If you have not visited all these stalls, you have not lived Madras yet. -!!!!!!!

This was originally posted here.

Source…..Lakshmi Sharath….www.thenewsminute.com

natarajan