PreKG admission in chennai schools

Four years back , I had posted about LKG admission in chennai schools . Now it is PreKG admission everywhere instead of LKG.

Most of the schools have started their own PreKG and we have chance to reserve our seats in their schools for LKG. Some of the schools do not call for LKG admission saying it is closed as it will be filled internally in the alumni and sibling quota.

We can not sit and relax once you get PreKG admission in schools. It does not guarantee LKG admission. LKG admission process has to be followed and your kid should be performing well in the PreKG. Yes. Your three year old should be able to tell her/his name , parents and sibling name, school name, tell some rhymes, identify basic colors, vegetables , fruits, alphabets etc and should be able to hold a crayon pencil and do coloring.

When it comes to school admission in some of the BIG reputed schools, people say that application form alone is not enough and we need to have additional form, i.e some VIP's recommendation letter, Or some source where you can approach the school and block your seat with big donation. If you do not have letter and don't prefer to go for second option, then you have to depend on luck, as some open seats are selected by lot from the huge set of applications.

You have lot of options open for the first kid, where as your choice will be just one for the second kid as most of parents want to put their kids in same school.

-- Dhanesh Amma

wire bag

Recently I came across an advertisement online, where a hand bag got my attention. I was surprised as the bag looked just like the wire bag which was used in household for normal market shopping during my childhood.

However, I could not locate this handbag in the shopping Not sure if this bag was made of the wire or some other fabric painted in this way.

My mother used to buy the wires and make the wire bag and my father had used it for taking his lunch to office in that bag.

-- Dhanesh Amma

What an idea sir ji...

Recently when we were back to home in bike with kids, a crow pooped on Dhanesh hand and on his pants. As we were very near to our home, we asked him to stay as such. We washed him on reaching home.

After a few minutes, Dhanesh came to us and asked, Why this crow did this way on road. It can go in toilet in its home right ? I replied him that Trees are their home and it does not have toilet in its nest. It just goes and some times it goes while flying too.

In our country not all houses have toilets and vidya balan madam is requesting everyone to construct toilet in home for hygine and not to use public places. 

Suddenly our junior came and said, the crow could have worn pampers, so that it would not have fell on his brothers hand.

How kids relate and talk?? Imagine a diaper for all birds.. I could not stop laughing..

--Dhanesh Amma.

Craft Work - 8

We were asked to prepare Hat in Deepak School. Below is the hat made out of chart paper. 

On seeing the hat, Dhanesh also wanted to prepare one himself. So another one made by him, with some help from me.

--Dhanesh Amma.

வாசல் கோலம் - பகுதி இரண்டு

மார்கழி மாதம், பனிக்காலம். அந்த அதிகாலை பனி உடலுக்கு நல்லது என்று, இந்த கலர் கோலம் போடும் வேலை போல. ஆண்களை போன்று பெண்கள் வெளியே செல்வது இல்லை .அதனால் வீட்டு வாசலில் அவர்களை கொஞ்சம் அதிக நேரம் இருக்க வைக்க ஆரம்பிக்கப்பட்டதாக இருக்கும். 

அந்த மாதம் மட்டும் அப்பாவை ஐந்து மணிக்கு எழுப்பி விட சொல்லி , கலர் கோலம் போடுவோம். பனியில் அந்த கொசு கடியில் வேலை நடக்கும். முடிந்தும், தெருவில் உள்ள ஒவ்வொரு வீட்டிலும் சென்று கோலம் பார்த்து அதில் பிடித்த கோலத்தை மனப்பாடம் செய்து, வீட்டிற்கு வந்ததும் கோல நோட்டில் போட்டு வைத்து  பின்னர் ஒரு நாள் வாசலில் போடுவோம். 

வருடம் செல்ல செல்ல , பனி அதிகமாக உள்ளது, கொசு கடி என்று சொல்லி காலை கலர் கோலம் இரவு கலர் கோலம் ஆனது. பல நேரம் பெரிய கோலம் போட அம்மாவை தான் கூப்பிடுவேன், கலர் அடிக்க நேரம் ஆகும் என்று காரணம் சொல்லி.

கலர் கோலம் 

கல்லூரி படிப்பு முடிந்ததும் இந்த தினக் கோலம் ,மார்கழி  கலர் கோலம் போடுவது  எல்லாம் கை விடப்பட்டது.  முந்தைய பதிவில் சொன்னது போல என்றாவது கோலம்  போடுவது தான். பிறந்த, புகுந்த வீட்டிலும் கலர் அடிப்பது (பண்டிகை போது ) மட்டுமே. சென்னையில் நான் கலர் கோல பொடி இது வரை வாங்கியது இல்லை.

ஆனால் இந்த வருடம், தானேஷ் விரும்பியதால் , கலர் கோல மாவு வாங்கி மாலையில் வீட்டு வாசலில் போட்டோம். வழக்கம்  போல மாடி வீட்டம்மா தான் கேட்டது. காலையில் கலர் கோலம்  போடாம , சாயந்திரம் போடுறன்னு. கேள்வி கேட்கும் அம்மா வீட்டிலேயே  சில நாள் ராத்திரி வாசல் பெருக்கி மாவு கல் அல்லது சாக் பீஸ் கோலம் போடுவாங்க. நான் பதில் கேள்வி கேட்கவில்லை. 

வாசகர்கள் பார்வைக்காக எங்கள் வீடு கோலம் 

என்னுடைய கை வண்ணத்தில் (சிகப்பு நிறம் தானேஷ் செய்தது )

தீபக் , தானேஷ் வண்ணம் தீட்டியது 

நானும் பெரிய கோலம் போட்டிருக்கேன் என்பதை காட்ட ஏதும் புகைப்படம் இல்லை. அப்பொழுது எங்கள் வீட்டில் கேமராவோ , கேமரா போனோ  கிடையாது. 

கோலம் போடுவதும் , கலர் கோலம் போடுவதும் எனக்கு பிடிக்கும் தான். ஆனால்  அதற்காக அதை என்னுடைய தினசரி கட்டாய வேலையாக அல்லது கடமையாக ஏற்க மனம் வருவது இல்லை. வாசலில் கோலம் இருந்தா தான் சாமி வீட்டுக்கு வரும் என்பதில் எனக்கு உடன்பாடு இல்லை. வாசல்  பெருக்கி , கழுவுவதோடு சரி. எனக்கு தோன்றும் தினங்களில் மற்றும் விஷேச நாட்களின்  போது கோலம் போடுவேன். 

இந்த சென்னையில் என்னை கேள்வி கேட்பார் இல்லை. ஒரு வேளை பின்னாளில் நான் ஊர் பக்கம் நிரந்தரமாக  தங்குவதாக இருந்தால், ஊருக்காக தினமும் கோலம் போடலாம்.

வாசல் கோலம் பதிவு நிறைவு பெற்றது 

-- தானேஷ் அம்மா 

குட்டி குறும்பு [14] - எனக்கு மீசை வேணும்

இந்த குறும்பு தீபக் செய்தது. அப்பா மாதிரியே தானும் பேன்ட் ஷர்ட் போடணும். பாக்கெட்ல பேனா வச்சுக்கணும் . கூலிங் கிளாஸ் போடணும்னு சேட்டை தான்.

ஒரு நாள் இரவு தூங்க செல்லும் முன், தானேஷ் அப்பா , தீபக்கிற்கு முத்தம் கொடுத்தாரு. அப்பா முகத்தையே உற்று பார்த்தவன் , அழ ஆரம்பிச்சுட்டான். ஏன் தம்பி அழற என்று கேட்டதற்கு அழுதுகொண்டே "அப்பா கிட்ட இருக்க மாதிரி எனக்கு இது இல்லைன்னு " மீசையை தொட்டு காண்பித்தான். 

அதன் பெயர் கூட தெரியாது. எங்களுக்கு சிரிப்பு தான் வந்தது. இது மீசை. நீ வளர்ந்ததும் வரும். அண்ணாக்கும் இல்லை பாரு என்றோம்.

சமாதானம் ஆகி தூங்கினான். அடுத்த நாள் காலை , அப்பாவிடம் ஓடி , தொட்டு காட்டி இது பேர் என்ன என்றான். மீசை என்றதும், மறுபடி எனக்கு மீசை வேணும் புராணம் ஆரம்பித்தான். நீ வளர்ந்ததும் வரும் என்றோம். இப்பவே வேணும் என்றான்.  என் மீசையை எடுத்துக்கோ என்றதும் பிடித்து இழுக்க ஆரம்பித்து விட்டான். உடனே விலகி, இது வராது , நீ வளர்ந்ததும் உனக்கும் வரும் என்றார். அவனை சமாதனப்படுத்த, மை பென்சில் மூலம் மீசை வரைந்து கண்ணாடியில் பார்க்க சொன்னோம். அது அவனுக்கு பிடிக்க வில்லை.அழிக்க சொல்லி விட்டான்.

ஒரு வாரம் முழுதும் அப்பாவை பார்க்கும் போது  , எனக்கு மீசை வேணும் என்பது கண்டிப்பாக இருக்கும். ஒரு வழியாக பின்னர் அந்த கேள்வி நின்றது.

-- தானேஷ் அம்மா

வாசல் கோலம்

காலை , மாலை ரெண்டு வேளையும் வீட்டு வாசலில்  கோலம் போடுவதை தமிழ் நாட்டில, பல வீடுகளில் இன்னைக்கும் ஒரு கடமையா செய்து வருகிறார்கள் 

எனக்கு  தெரிந்து வாசல் கோலம் இரு வகை . புள்ளி வைத்தது , புள்ளி வைக்காதது. புள்ளி  வைத்த கோலம், மேலும் இரு பிரிவு கொண்டது. சிக்கு கோலம் மற்றும்  பூ அல்லது படக் கோலம் 

புள்ளி வைக்காத கோலம் 

புள்ளி வைத்த கோலம் (சிக்கு கோலம் )

புள்ளி வைத்த கோலம் (படக்  கோலம் )

புள்ளி வைத்த கோலத்திலும்  நேர் புள்ளி ,ஊடு புள்ளி என்று இரு வகை கோலம் உண்டு.

 கோலத்துக்கும் எனக்கும் ஒரு காலத்தில் (பள்ளி  பருவத்தில் ) சம்பந்தம் இருந்தது. கோல  புத்தகம் , கோல நோட்டு கையுமா  இருந்திருக்கேன். கொஞ்ச காலத்திற்கு தினமும் காலை மாலை என இருவேளையும் வாசலில் கோலம் போடுவது என் கடமைகளில் ஒன்றாக இருந்தது. 

பாக்யராஜ் சார் படத்தில தாங்க , வயசு பொண்ணுங்க குளித்து , பளிச்சுன்னு உடை மற்றும் தலை கொண்டை (மறக்காம கொண்டைய சுத்தி துண்டு ) போட்டு காலை ஐந்து மணிக்கே கோலம் போடுவாங்க. அந்த கோலத்தை பார்க்க பார்க்க ஹீரோ(?) வருவாரு, அதுவும் சைகிளில்.அதை பத்தி பேச ஆரம்பிச்சா தலைப்பு மாறி போயிடும். கோலத்துக்கு வருவோம்.

என்னுடைய காலை கோலம்  என்றால் , ஐந்து மணி எல்லாம் கிடையாது. பல நேரம் அது ஏழு மணியாக தான் இருக்கும். பல பேருக்கு அது பள்ளி கூடம் அல்லது வேலைக்கு செல்லும் நேரம். அவர்கள் நான் கோலம் போடுவதை பார்க்கும் போது, கோவமாக வரும்.அனாலும் என்னால் சீக்கிரம் எழுந்து , குளித்து ரெடியாகி கோலம் போட முடிந்தது இல்லை. 

கோலம் போடு என்று என் அம்மா சொன்னால் , அது மூன்று உள் வேலை  கொண்டது. வாசல் பெருக்க (விளக்கமாறு  / துடைப்பம் கொண்டு  கூட்டுதல் ), நீர் தெளித்து கழுவுதல் , கோலம் போடுதல்.

 லீவில்  ஊருக்கு  போனா  பாட்டி , "முத்தம் தெளிச்சியா?" ன்னு கேட்பாங்க. ஊருக்கு ஊரு இந்த பேச்சு மாறும். இன்னமும் நாகர் கோவில் பக்கம் எல்லாம் இப்படித்தான் கேப்பாங்க. உண்மையில் முற்றம் (வாசல்) என்னும்  வார்த்தை  தான் கால போக்கில் மாறி முத்தம் ஆயிற்று. 

சென்னை வந்ததும் , ஒரு அம்மா வந்து கேட்டது. "முறை வாசல் செய்ய ஆள் வேண்டுமா ? " எனக்கு புரிய வில்லை. அப்படின்னா என்ன என்று கேட்டேன். காலை மாலை இரு வேலையும் கோலம் போடுவதை தான் முறை வாசல் என்று சொல்கிறார்கள் என்று விளக்கம் அறிந்தேன். "முறை  வாசல்"  என்பது "முத்தம் தெளித்தல்" என்பதை விட தேவலை என்று தோன்றியது. 

நாகர்கோவிலின் சுத்த தமிழ் கால போக்கில் கலப்படம் ஆனதை பற்றி தனியாக ஒரு பதிவு போடலாம்.

அந்த காலத்தில் பச்சை அரிசி மாவில் கோலம் போட்டதாக சொல்கிறார்கள். நான் கோலம் போட்டது சுண்ணாம்பு கல்லில் இருந்து பொடி செய்யப்பட்ட மாவில் தான். மண்ணில் இருக்கும் எறும்பு போன்ற ஜீவன்களுக்காக பச்சை அரிசி மாவு  கலந்து மண் தரையில் கோலம் போடுபவர்களும் உண்டு.ஆனால் இப்பொழுது பல வீடுகளில் வாசல்  சிமெண்டு தரை தான். மொசைக் தரையாக இருப்பின் பலர் கோலம் பெயிண்ட் செய்து விடுகிறார்கள் அல்லது கோல  ஸ்டிக்கர் வாங்கி ஒட்டி விடுகிறார்கள்.

இன்றும் , நாங்கள் குடி இருக்கும் வீடும், தெருவில் இருந்து  உள்ளே இருப்பதால் நான் கோலம் போடுவது இல்லை. தோன்றினால் சில நேரம் மாலையில் போடுவேன். கோலம் போட்டு பழக்கம் இருந்தாலும் என்னுடைய கோலங்கள் என்றும் முழுமையான திருத்தத்துடன் இருந்ந்தது இல்லை. நோட்டில் போடுவது போன்று அழகாக வந்தது இல்லை. அதுவும் நான் கோலம் போட தயங்க காரணம்.  

சென்னையில் பல வீடுகளில் கோலம் போடுவது "அவுட் சோர்ஸ்" செய்யபடுகிறது. எனக்கு இது ஒன்றும் புதிது அல்ல. ஏனெனில்  எங்கள் வீட்டிலேயே பாத்திரம் விளக்கும் அம்மாவிடம் அந்த வேலை பின்னர் கொடுக்கப்பட்டது. நான் சந்தோஷம் அடைந்த நேரம் அது . பலர் பார்க்க ஏழு மணிக்கு கோலம் போட தேவை இல்லை. இருந்தும் மார்கழி மாதம் முழுவதும் கோலம் போடுவது எங்களுடையது. 

இந்த பதிவு  மிக நீளமாக போவதால் மார்கழி கோலம் பற்றிய பதிவை அடுத்ததாக, வாசல் கோலம் - பகுதி இரண்டு - ஆக  போடுகிறேன்.

-- தானேஷ் அம்மா

Video Games -part 2

When I wrote the post Video Games I did not expect that , I would land up writing part 2 for it.

The need for part 2 came , when I came across some of the games in play store in my android phone. Some of the games which I have played in child hood as board and real games have come today as mobile app.

Before the arrival of mobile games , I had come across only chess game in computer

I used to play the chess board game with my dad, sister and some neighbors

When I started playing Dos and Windows game in my home PC, I  got chess game. I used to compete against the computer in chess game. I had enjoyed playing when there is no one to play chess with me.

Now the chess game is also available in android app.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.aifactory.chessfree&hl=en

Some of my child hood games with its name and images also have come in mobile app.

Aadu-puli-attam (goat , tiger game). I have not played much in this game. I don't remember how to play this game now. May be I will re-collect when some one tells me how to play.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=visu.suni.snakesandladders10by10&hl=en

Brainvita game. I have enjoyed playing this game. After several attempts , I had won this game by reaching to one marble.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.elevate&hl=en

Chinese Checkers. I have not got chance to play this game with six players, Only I have played as 2 player game.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sohomob.android.chinese_checkers

Pallanguzhi (Bantumi) game. My mother got us a similar fish shaped one as stated in this picture. 

Enjoyed playing with it as single player / two player.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=atomicpineapple.bantumi.free&hl=en

Snake and Ladder game. There were several version of the game. But my favourite version is this. Having a Lengthy snake in box number 99 and which comes down to box number 5. If we hit on the box 99 , we have to make our journey again from box number 5. Some of the player withdrew from the game if they see that they land up on this box number 99.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.whiture.apps.ludov2.free&hl=en

Scrabble: Word building game.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ea.game.scrabblemattel_bv&hl=en

The only benefit with the mobile games is that, it does not require additional player. The mobile takes care of it. Since I have played these games in real, I do not like to play them in the app.

There could be other games in mobile which we played in childhood too but the above listed are the ones which I remember right now.

-- Dhanesh Amma

Kids grow very fast than what we think....

When Dhanesh was one year old, Before Christmas, many houses had stars with light. He liked them and wanted to have one. It's too early to convince him that we don't do that. So I bought a small star , used a night lamp bulb and hung the star in bedroom. He enjoyed watching it every day.

This became a practice in our home every year. The star was hung in hall and Deepak also started enjoying it.

This year when I hung it, Dhanesh asked me, only Christians celebrate Christmas, why do we tie this star inside our house?

I then explained him what had happened when he was one year old. He then asked , when we will remove it? I replied him telling as it is hung now, lets remove after new year. 

Above photo taken today before it was removed. It will go on for hibernation for a year. If Deepak does not ask for it next year, it will go for hibernation for ever.

-- Dhanesh Amma

Bicycle

Have you read about my post on Tricycle ? If not click here


My paternal grand father and my spouse's maternal grandfather were running rental cycle shop at home as additional job. However I had not been lucky enough to see them in person. I got to see the photos of the grandpas, but not the cycle shops.

In those days, affording a bicycle is very costly and people take rental bicycle based on hours. I had also learnt cycling in rental bicycle only.

I got my first bicycle upon completing my standard ten. It is still lying in my home at native. I hope in few years, Dhanesh will be able to use it.

Dhanesh is lucky enough to get his bicycle when he was just four years old. He was continuously requesting his grandfather for bicycle. My father went to shop with my brother and got the one below.

Dhanesh got upset, as he was not taken to shop and not allowed to see and select the one he liked. My father preferred to buy the quality one and select as the shop fellow will not come for bargain if the kids are adamant to buy the cycle. Initially Dhanesh did not like the color saying as Pink is for girls. We convinced him saying this cycle is quality one and other cycles in shop was not good.

My father, having experienced in his father's cycle shop, does all the repairs of his and my bicycle by himself. puncture fixing, tube change, seat change or what ever it is. Me and my sister used to watch it when ever he does the puncture fixing work. It is equally important to know the minor repair works also , in addition to riding on any vehicle, be it bicycle or bike or car or other.

This generation kids, want to ride on bike before they step on to college. They don't prefer to pick up their bicycle after that.

--Dhanesh Amma

Tricycle

I remember riding on my tricycle with my my younger sister when I was young. It was a two seat-er. However I do not remember when and where it was bought and where it is now. I did not have passion for cycling so I did not bother much.

Now, we have a tricycle at home which was bought for Dhanesh by his grand father before he could walk and run steady.

The same cycle is used by his brother Deepak now. In this five years time the pedal of the cycle has been changed thrice.

The pedal gets damaged soon as the kids pedal them fast and hit on wall. They also invert the cycle and sit on rod to pedal the front wheel with hands. Good that spares are available in market otherwise we had to replace tricycle every time.

Last time, while we were returning from the shop with the spare pedal , one man asked where this spare is available as his grand son tricycle also having the same issue. 

Though Dhanesh is grown up and rides on bicycle, he is fond of this tricycle and uses it still. I only hope Deepak also shifts to bicycle soon and  the tricycle does not require addition pedal change.

--Dhanesh Amma

Flying Fan toys

Kids get bored easily. They need variety of toys every day. Recently I got these below toys at nearby shop, which would make kids busy for a while.

They were called as flying fan.

Hold the fan between your palms with the fan blades on top.,Give a twist to the stick by moving your right hand and release to see the fan to raise top and come down with swirl.

Hold the stick with your left hand and use your right hand and push the small piece upwards to see the fan raising up with full speed and slide down with swirl.

--Dhanesh Amma

Video Games

This post is written as SPGR has invited me to blog on it..


I was introduced to video games in Trichy Super Bazaar by my dad. The place which will be covered by most of the men and boys. I had not seen girls in that shop when ever i visited.  The shop appearance was well described by SPGR already. I think the shop charged one rupee for an hour. A long wait for the turn and my dad used to play in it. I was given chance to play towards the end of one hour duration.  I had played the shooting game there.After few such visits, I got bored in long waiting and not interested to be among crowd of boys, stopped going with my dad.

Then my father got us a brick video game as shown in the above picture. We have played in this for hours. 

When we got the computer at home, we installed many games and played in it. Mario, Prince, Aladdin Dave , Wolf , that's all I remember now. Out of these games, I had completed Aladdin and Wolf.

Out of above listed games, Aladdin is my favorite. The game is colorful and enjoyable one. 

Later, I have got chances to play games online. My favorite is book worm. 

After a while, I was introduced to Zynga's FarmVille,  which I lost interest in playing as it required co-players. 

I forgot to mention that I have played many games in the mobiles I had so far. Below are some of them which I liked.

 snake game     

galaxy balls (a type of brick game)

      ninja's fruit cut game

Now , I have option to download and play games in mobile, but for sake of Dhanesh and Deepak, I am forced to uninstall them after few attempt of playing.

These games are addicting, that it eats hours of our time. 

Now, the gaming zone at the big shopping mall suck thousand rupees in just one hour, as each game work only for few minutes and they charge 25 to 50 rupees for each game. They call it as gaming zone. Actually they should rename it as Casino, as most of them are lottery based and issue tickets based on numbers. The tickets cannot be redeemed as cash, but for toys or added to account for playing the games again. 

-- Dhanesh Amma

'துப்பாக்கி'யா, 'கத்தி'யா

நேத்து கத்தி படம் பார்த்தேங்க... படத்த பத்தி கமெண்ட் சொல்லனும்னா அது மொன்ன கத்தி தாங்க. 

துப்பாக்கி ஹிட் ஆனதாலே கதிரேசன்  கத்தி-யானார், இருந்தாலும் வெறும் டைட்டில் வச்சு படம் ஓடுறது இல்லியே...

நான் படத்த பத்தி பேச வரலைங்க...படம் பார்த்த இடத்தை பத்தி தாங்க பேச வந்தேன்...

சென்னைல, "வான நடை" மாலில் உள்ள தியேட்டர்ல தாங்க படம் பார்த்தோம்.  ஒரு டிக்கெட் 120 ரூபாய் . டிக்கெட் கவுன்ட்டர்ல பாக்ஸ் புல்லா 10 ரூபாய் சாக்லேட் வச்சிருக்காங்க . மூணு டிக்கெட் கேட்டு 500 ரூபாய் கொடுத்தா மீதி 140 ரூபாய் தராம , 120 ரூபாய் , இரண்டு  10 ரூபாய் சாக்லேட் தராங்க. சாக்லேட்  வேண்டாம் பணம் தாங்க என்றால் , சில்லறை இல்லை 60 ரூபாய் கொடுங்க என்கிறார். சில்லறை கொடுத்து டிக்கெட் வாங்கினோம் .

டிக்கெட் காண்பித்தால் தான் , தியேட்டர் உள்ளே விடுவார்கள். உள்ளே ஏகப்பட்ட செக்யூரிட்டி செக்கிங் . பெண்களுக்கு தனி செக்யூரிட்டி செக். ஹன்ட்பாக் செக் பண்ணனும் என்றார்கள் . 

நான் கூட துப்பாக்கி , கத்தி இருக்கானு செக் பண்றாங்கன்னு நினைச்சேன். அனால் கேமரா , ஸ்நாக்ஸ் இருக்கான்னு கேட்டாங்க. இல்லைன்னு சொன்னதும் விட்டுட்டாங்க. 

குழந்தைகளுடன் செல்வதனாலும் பிஸ்கட் கூட அனுமதிப்பது இல்லை. அட்லீஸ்ட் வாட்டர் பாட்டில் அனுமதிக்கிறார்கள், அதுவும் குழந்தைகளுடன் சென்றால். 

சின்ன  வயசுல அப்பா அம்மா கூட , 70 எம் எம் ல படம் பார்க்க போகும்போது ஒரு கவர் நிறைய தீனி கொண்டுபோவோம் . அதை தீர்த்துட்டு பிரேக் டைம்ல அப்பா கிட்ட  பாப்கார்ன் , சம்சா , முறுக்கு எல்லாம் வாங்கி வர சொல்லுவோம். நம்ம ராஜ்கிரண் பாடுறது போல "அது  ஒரு அழகிய கனா காலம்..." தாங்க...

ஆனா , இப்போ உள்ளே ஸ்நாக்ஸ்  அனுமதிப்பது இல்லை (டிக்கெட் விற்பவன் கொடுக்கும் சில்லறை(?) சாக்லேட் தவிர). உள்ளே விற்கும் ஒரு பாப்கார்ன் கப்  150 ரூபாய் . ஒரு பப்ஸ் 70 ரூபாய் 

எதிர்காலத்தில், டிக்கெட் வேணும்னா , ஸ்நாக் கண்டிப்பா வாங்கனும்னு சொல்லுவாங்க போல. 

டிக்கெட் வாங்குவதில்  இருந்து , உள்ளே விற்கும் ஸ்நாக் என்று எல்லா இடத்திலும் , நம்மிடம் இருந்து பல மடங்கு பணம் பெறுகிறார்கள். ஆனாலும் நாம் ஏதோ இலவச  சேவை பெறுவது போல கஸ்டமர் கவனிப்பு. 

உன்னை யாரும் இங்க வர சொல்லலை. நீயா தான் வந்த. இஷ்டம் இருந்தா இரு, இல்லனா போ அப்படிங்கற நிலை தான். ஆனாலும் கூட்டம் அள்ளுது பெரிய ஸ்க்ரீன்ல படம் பார்க்குறதுக்கு.

-- தானேஷ் அம்மா  

Vaikalama ulagathoda oru bet...

Recently I saw an advertisement which made me to laugh out loud.

The lady was telling that their fairness cream was best. They are betting against world countries best fairness creams and their product won the bet.

She was telling that, we are betting against best fairness creams of Dubai, Singapore, Japan and results was much impressing with their product. First I got a doubt, why fairness cream are necessary in a country like Japan, where most of them would be fair enough.

Then I told myself, may be those country are manufacturing and selling product in India. By telling it repeatedly in advertisement, they want to force in viewers mind that their product is the best fairness cream.

Particular fairness cream is not new. It exists in market for decades. When I was a little girl, some of my aunts were using it regularly. Other relatives would ask them, if it really works. Those aunts have replied saying that it does and also suggest others to buy and use it. Now after me observing them after a decade, I would conclude that fairness is not provided by the cream at all. May be it provides a coating to the face and we might look little bright while using it.

By nature, we south Indians are neither fair nor dark. Why don't people allow us to be ourselves. They just want to make us feel guilty that we are not fair enough and force to buy and use something which will do nothing. 

Recently they have started to advertise fairness cream for men also. When my aunt's used the fairness cream, Uncle's at home would say that it is just waste of money. I don't know what Uncle's of this generation are saying now.


-- Dhanesh Amma.

குட்டி குறும்பு [13] - பாட்டி உன் வயசு என்ன ?

லீவில் ஊரில் இருந்த  போது , தானேஷ் , பாட்டியிடம் "பாட்டி உன் வயசு என்ன ?"  என்று கேட்டான் .

நான் ஆர்வமாக இருந்தேன் . அம்மா என்ன பதில் சொல்வார்கள் என்று. உடனே பதில் வந்தது. "பொண்ணுங்க  கிட்ட வயசு  கேட்க கூடாது " 

உடனே நான் தாணுவிடம், அம்மா வயசு உனக்கு தெரியும் இல்ல என்றேன் . ஆமாம் என்றான்.

நான் பிறந்த போது பாட்டி வயசு முப்பது. இப்போ என் வயசையும் , பாட்டியின் அந்த வயதையும் கூட்டினால் , பாட்டியின் வயசு தெரியும் என்றேன் .  தாணு நோட்டு பென்சில்  எடுத்து கணக்கு போட்டு கண்டு பிடிச்சிட்டான்.

உடனே, யாரு  கேட்டாலும் , அம்மா,  பாட்டி வயசு சொல்லக்கூடாது சரியா என்றேன்.

ஷப்பா, பேபியானாலும்  பாட்டியானாலும் பொண்ணுங்க  பொண்ணுங்க தான் .

-- தானேஷ் அம்மா

Craft Work - 7

Use out of waste: A cat made from old discarded CD's.

-- Dhanesh Amma

Craft Work - 6

This was done by Dhanesh as practice for his Origami competition to be held at school.

Note: This "candy box" made without scissors and glue.

-- Dhanesh Amma

Craft Work - 5

Use out of waste: An octopus made from nine old black socks.

--Dhanesh Amma

Craft work - 4

Use out of waste: A chain made from the juice straw. A favourite pass time for Dhanesh at home.

-- Dhanesh Amma

DD and Me

When TV started entering people houses, every one would know what DD means.

It's nothing but DoorDarshan, India's national broadcaster. Every one would talk about what's this week special movie over the weekend. DD News, DD  programs etc.

I had also waited for watching tamil songs which would be played after the list of Hindi songs and the turn of Tamil movie to be telecast-ed in the best state language movies

Now, this generation does not knew about this channel as lots and lots of other channels have come.

DD of DoorDharshan has been replaced by TV anchor DD of Divya Dharshini.

I recently had a thought of changing my blog name Dhanesh Amma to DD's Mom , being a mother of Dhanesh & Deepak. Immediately felt, It would be referring Divya Dharshinis mom. On the other hand, Motherhood was got first by Dhanesh only. So thought , let the blog to remain as Dhanesh Amma itself.

--Dhanesh Amma

Craft work - 3

Teddy made from the cleaning foam. A play toy for sometime at home for Dhanesh and Deepak before it is put to actual use.

--Dhanesh Amma

World sparrow day- March 20

We are happy this year to save a little sparrow which was fallen from roof. View details here

--Dhanesh Amma.

Craft work - 2

Use out of waste: Pen stand made from Thermocol packing box

--Dhanesh Amma

New year complements

During the last week of the year 2013, most of the shops will give the new year calender as complements. Either the daily or monthly sheets will be given with the banner for their shop advertisement.

This time, we had been in trichy and went to thambu chetti shop in main guard gate. 

After the shopping is over, we just asked if new year calender is there. The salesman said yes and packed the calender too. 

We reached home and opened it. To our surprise, it was from Kolkata, provided by a rubber company.  It was not helpful for us, as the holidays were mentioned based on the north Indian festival and poojas.

We could have kept mouth shut and come home, than to ask for calender and get a stuff like below

--Dhanesh Amma

Craft work - 1

Use out of waste: Made from vegetables and fruits packing netted carry bags.

--Dhanesh Amma

Sparrows at our home in chennai

Last year I had posted about sparrows at our home, which you can read it here

This year, we had  two great days living with little sparrow at our home. It happened a month back.

One morning, we saw the little sparrow at floor. As usual we thought , it must be dead, as it had fell down from nearly seven to eight feet height, but luckily it was alive. Also , the bird was able to walk and run.

Dhanesh and Deepak were most happy to see it. We tried to give water to bird and try to feed something, but bird did not accept to open the mouth.

After some time, the parent birds came. It started to chirp and fly searching for the missing little one. We were thinking that bird would not identify the little one on floor, but these days sparrows are clever. It found the little one running on floor and started to feed it. The parent birds were initially scared of us, but got courage to remain there, as we are not harming them. Day time passed on , and danger is the night time, as cats visit the balcony. So we placed the little bird on a packing box , preparing a bed for it with torn news paper. Kept it on a height where cat's can't reach.

  Parent bird

Morning we took it out and put that back in floor. Now the bird started to walk and run much better. It had a nice time walking around the balcony.

Around afternoon, the parent bird, came inside our house and chirped to called us. We went out to balcony and saw that little bird was missing. Clever bird, either it thought we took little one somewhere or wanted to help it in finding the small bird.

We searched and found the little one near another balcony and brought it back to floor. Again the bird started to run and move around the places. Since the passage had drainage holes. we kept the bird in packing box. When the parent bird come and give sound, we would take the little one out of box and then parent bird would feed the little one.

once the feeding is over, we would put it back to box. We also gave time to little one for flying. By evening it started to fly a height of a step in a staircase.

same procedure followed for night time as previous day.

The little bird

A video clip of the little bird running

Next day, the little one wanted to go out of house as it found that parent birds are going out after feeding. We had to watch it frequently to bring it back to home and keep it in box. In the evening, we had placed bird out of box for feeding and after some time, when I came out to put it in box, it was missing. The little one was taken out of home by the parents. we could see the parent birds chirping in nearby abandoned place where human movement is not there.

Dhanesh and Deepak were upset to see little bird missing, but we consoled them saying, it has gone with parents, then only it will learn to survive and learn flying.


--Dhanesh Amma.

குட்டி குறும்பு [12] - சிறுவர்களும் இருட்டும்

தாணு முதல் பட அனுபவத்தின் போது நடந்தது இது . படம் ஆரம்பம் ஆகும்  முன் எல்லா விளக்கும் அணைக்கப்பட்டது. உடனே தாணு "அம்மா கரண்ட்டு போய்டுச்சு " என்று சத்தமாக சொன்னான். சுற்றி  இருந்தவர்கள் சிரித்து விட்டார்கள். 

சமீபத்தில் , மதியம்  உணவருந்த ஏ சி ஹோட்டல்  சென்றோம். தீபக் உடனே " அம்மா லைட் போடலை " என்று கூற , அனைவர் பார்வையும் எங்கள் பக்கம்.

லைட்  போட மாட்டார்கள் என்று சொன்ன பிறகே அமைதியானான்.

-- தானேஷ் அம்மா

What cats and dogs think ?

This is not something new on cats and dogs. This is something which most would have observed.

Some like cats and some like dogs. Very strangely, few like both of these and have in home as pet animals.

During my childhood days, myself and my sister wanted to have pet animals at home, but my mother does not like pets at home. Luckily we got chance to grow cats at home for some time and observed dogs at neighbor house.

Initially I liked cats over dogs, reason was simple. cat keeps the environment clean, where as dog makes it dirty.

Both the animals move close with humans, but what they think is different.

Cat Thinks:
 They pet me, They feed me, They shelter me and they love me. I must be God.

Dog thinks:
They pet me, They feed me, They shelter me and they love me. They must be God.

After observing this, I started to feel Dog was better, as it is loyal to master, showing love and affection, and despite that it helps in alerting in danger etc.

I feel that , humans also think like cats and dogs. Mostly human think like Dogs and few think like Cats.

If you don't agree with me, then you belong to the cat way of thinking :-)

-- Dhanesh Amma

Teddy Collection

I had been silent for past few months. Even now, I don't know what to start or where to start. So Just posting the picture of our teddy collection.

Looks cute isn't it ? out of the teddy's the bigger and small sandal-red teddy are musical ones. They Sing happy birthday music when we press it.


--Dhanesh Amma

My Grand ma

Mostly I get chance to visit my grandma during my summer vacation. She is more of a strict person those days. Grand ma house was on the main road. It is almost house arrest for us, as we can't play outside home. She wont allow us, as there are chances that we would want to cross road and get injured.

I had not shown much interest in visiting my native for various reason. Mainly the water and food taste much differ from the regular one which i have almost for rest of the year. Next we don't get chance to watch tv. Visit to distant relatives house with my parents were a boring one for me.

The other one big challenge was that, grand ma house did not have a bathroom. In those days, men, women and kids have the habit of taking bath in river. So only toilets were present in the houses. Each house was built in traditional kerala type. Back side of house will have open roof. They call it thotti or thodam , roof is kept open with iron rods. Sun light and rain fall into the back side of house.

If women and kids can't go to river means, they take bath in that thodam. I don't prefer bath in river but I can't bath in thodam for one reason. If the main door and next door are kept open, view of road is open and people who walk on road and who travel in bus can see us taking bath.

I would refuse to take bath there, and my mother would convince saying you are still a kid. My grandma who would be busy at home in preparing food for us, would be in kitchen. I would close all door and get ready for bath and my grand ma would keep the door open and go out to buy some vegetables. I would call my mother and ask her to close door again and again. Luckily these issues were solved in couple of years as we started to stay in uncle home and take bath in morning where bathroom were present.

Uncle home had a big water tank. Since we can't go in morning , we packed dresses and would go in late evening after dinner , sleep in night, morning wake up , take bath and come back to grandma house. Grand ma used to convince telling water is sufficient here and we can get bore water from nearby house etc. She was feeling sad that we are not staying with her.

I was happy that I got escaped from open bathroom. Staying in grand ma home or uncle home had not made much difference for me. My grand ma does not spend much time with me. It is not like she does not love to move with grand kids, but she does not have much time for it. She would be busy the entire day with house chores.

I had not known much details about my grand ma other than her name and age. Now I feel , I have missed spending time with her during my child hood days. Now she is very old and she cannot speak much, I do not want to disturb her.

Grand ma is a mother of ten kids. Five boys and Five girls. Hmm.. i used to think whether she had been a  baby making machine or what. The challenge is not just delivering kids, but bringing them up. Surely she had done tremendous effort, in that  no washing machine, mixer , grinder age. That physical work had actually given her strength.

My father used to tell that , they had hen at home and the eggs of hen would be given to kids on rotation. There is no chance of giving eggs to all kids at a time.

Life at her age was not that complicated like now, where we run school after school for admission. Still she gave education to all of her kids and they were settled well.

Gone are the days and it can't be back. I had missed interacting with my Grand ma.

What all I have described here is about my paternal grand mother. Almost my interaction with maternal grand mother is also the same.

--Dhanesh Amma

Sparrows at our home in chennai

The house we stay currently is bit old type. They have the ventilation in balcony walls with holes. The sparrow come and lay eggs there. Their houses are left untouched as they come in for every season.

It is a lovely morning to wake up and hear the chirps of the sparrow. 

Last year, the bird hatched few eggs. We heard the additional count of chirps and the parent sparrow was feeding the little ones. We could see only the head part of the sparrows.

If the bird tries to fly before its feathers are well grown, it fall down from the roof and eventually dies. Last time, one such bird fell down, but survived to live. Parent bird was searching for its little one in nest and kept on making sound. Below is the little bird picture captured at that time.

 

We took great effort in putting it back to its nest, but after half an hour it again tried to fly and fell down.

I also came to know from neighbors that, once fell down means, the elder bird will not take the little one though it is put back in nest. I am not sure how far it is true, but as the bird fell from such height again and again, it is tough to survive.

This year, sparrows were lucky I believe. No such bad incident like last year.

I was lucky enough to see the parent bird watching the little one learning to fly. Below is the captured images.

Little bird                                                                                                                                    Parent bird

--Dhanesh Amma

Dhanu's Policy

I have the habit of telling about Dhanu's conversation with me, to his did. Recently, when i told what Dhanu told me, Dhanu interrupted and told, not to tell dad what he told me.

I was thinking that he was quite shy to hear that. After that in another occation, when his dad told me about his conversation with Dhanu during his bike trip, Dhanu said, I told already not to tell others what i speak.

He also does not like me saying about him to neighbour or others even though it is about his positive side.

Hmmm... I am not sure what he will say when he comes to know about my blog and what ever I have spoken about him. especially the kutti kurumbu series.

I believe, I have some five more years for him to know about this blogging and to understand about his mom and dad blog. By that time, he would have forgotten what he had spoke, when he was a kid. I believe, he would be happy that we have recorded his childhood memories and it would bring up smile on his face when he reads them.

--Dhanesh Amma

நிலா சிநேகம்

மழலை பருவத்தில் அன்னை
அறிமுகம் செய்தாள் உன்னை

நிலா என்று சொல்லி அமுதூட்டினாள்
நம் சிநேகம்  ஆரம்பித்தது அன்று

ஆதவனிடம்  இருந்து  இரவல் வாங்கி
அம்புலி நீ அழகாய் தோன்றினாய் 

தனிமை மறக்க என்னுடன் நடந்தாய்
என்னை மகிழ்விக்க கண்ணாமூச்சி ஆடினாய்

சில நாள் கோபம் கொண்டு
சந்திக்க மறுப்பாய்

சில நாள் மகிழ்ச்சி  கொண்டு
முழு மதியாய் சிரிப்பாய்

இன்றும் அதே சிநேகத்துடன்
என் மகனுடன் நீ... 

-- தானேஷ் அம்மா 

My pizza experience(s)

It happened a decade ago, I was invited for a job treat of one of colleague. It was decided that lunch at pizza hut in nungambakkam. I have heard that pizza's are costly. Of course treat are aimed at high budget of the sponsor-er.

I was kind of thrilled, as it will be my first attempt for pizza. People were discussing, if pizza will give a feeling of full stomach. We were informed that , pizza hut sells the pasta's and it is not that costly as pizza's.

A table was booked and we reached the venue on time. We had a look at the different pasta's and fresh vegetable salads. I did not want to give a try on those, as it was much like different form of noodles and macroni's which i had tasted already. We ordered for pizza and waited for it to come. They gave normal water and asked if we need mineral water. Since people preferred chill water, it was ordered. They then started to keep plates, spoon, fork and blunt knife (This is for cutting the pizza).

There came the most awaited pizza. To be frank, it was not that easy to eat the pizza. I had a tough time in cutting the pizza with knife. The big pizza already had the cut lines for making our work easy, yet the pie cannot be eaten as such with the help of fork. We were struggling with knife and fork.

After few minutes, one of my lady collegue said, I am going to eat with hands. she kept the knife and fork down and took out a pie with hand and started eating. After her, some took her way and others remained to use the fork and knife telling this is how we are supposed to eat pizza.

I forgot to mention about one more important thing here. They had the tomato sauce, chilli flakes and the pepper flakes for adding flavor on top of pizza.


After that, I have had quiet a few experiences with pizza at office for birthday treats. It was ordered and delivered at office. We all had it using hands. It was more like, eating the puff with tomato sauce on paper plate.

Years after that, i got chance to eat pizza out at anna nagar with my spouse. Dhanu missed the chance as he was at native with his grand parents.  Two things were missing there. First being drinking water and second was knife and fork. People either ordered for bottle water or cool drink to replace the normal water.
We wanted  normal water and it arrived after several requests.

Next, we had our next pizza experience in our native, at Domino's. I was surprised when our ordered items arrived. It was all packed in the boxes as I could see when it was delivered at office. They call it as Take away. We can either have it there or take home and eat. In addition to the pizza and pasta's they were selling ice-cream and chocolate cakes. It was a happy dinner time with family member's.

Recently, due to pestering from Dhanu, we had visited pizza hut in kilpauk for dinner. We ordered for "Meal for 2" (1 Medium pizza, 4 pieces garlic bread with a cup of pepsi). At the billing counter , A message was  stuck saying "Sorry, We have stopped giving tomato sauce". We asked them, if we have to pay and buy the tomato sauce. The billing person said, No sir, we are adding the sauce to the pizza so it is not necessary for buying sauce. It was also packed as it is for Take away. No water, fork and knife.

We can have a grand non-veg feast for three, for the amount we had spent for "Meal for 2" pizza. But Dhanu was happy to have the pizza than the Indian food we had bought home for dinner. Still I told him that , pizza should not be had frequently and not to demand as he did this time.

--Dhanesh Amma

Photo of Tom & Jerry

The real tom and jerry cannot replace my favourite Walt Disney's tom and jerry show.

-- Dhanesh Amma

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Here's english version for Non-Tamil readers.

Gandhi Struggled for Country,

Country is Struggling for Gandhi Currency.

--Dhanesh Amma

Movies watched in year 2012

I had watched many movies in year 2012, however below are the ones released in year 2012 and I have watched in the same year 2012.

Amazing spider man (3D)
  Watched this movie in theater with Dhanu. He enjoyed the movie with 3D experience. I was upset as the movie was not the continuity of the previous spider man series.

Naan - Ee
  Watched this movie in our home theater with Dhanu and two SIL's in native. Enjoyed much.

Merina
 Watched this movie in our home theater. Boring one..

Sundara pandiyan
  Watched this movie in our home theater. Ok type.

Naan
   Watched this movie in our home theater. Good
  
Thuppakki 
   Watched this movie in theater with Deepu (his first movie in theater).  Movie was good.

Naduvula konjam pakkatha kaanom
  Watched this in theater with Dhanu and Parents. Much like a budget documentary film. A serious story , but attempted to take in comedy style.



--Dhanesh Amma