Hobby Recreated

New Currency Symbol

Yipee… We have got our identity…
This is the day India has got its own monetary imprint. This has proved its major role and importance at the international market. The Indian government has given its approval for the currency symbol today, 15th July 2010.

The finance ministry has held contest nationwide for the currency symbol and the winning entry conceptualized by Mr. D. Udaya Kumar, a post graduate student of IIT has been approved. It has been said that it would take six months to be in use in India and would take two years for it to be recognized by other countries government. The symbol has the letter “Ra” from devangiri script which also looks like the roman letter “R” without the vertical stroke.
Till date, the rupee was in use by neighboring countries too like Pakistan, Maldives, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Indian currency was identified as INR. With this India is joining the exclusive group of countries with a unique symbol for its currency. India has been a lucrative market for the exporters worldwide with diversified products and services. As per the U.S Commercial Service, India is
- is one of only three countries that make its own supercomputers
- is the fourth largest economy in the world (measured in terms of purchasing power parity)
- is one of six countries that launch its own satellites
- 100 of the Fortune 500 have R & D facilities in India
- has the second largest group of software developers after the U.S.
- lists 6,600 companies on the Bombay Stock Exchange; only the NYSE has more
- is the world's largest producer of milk, and second largest producer of food, including fruits and vegetables
- sends more students to the U.S. colleges than any other country in the world.
- Indian pharmaceutical industry is the world's second largest after China.
India has gained a stable value, recovering from the financial crisis and its values 46.5 to dollar. Let’s hope this would give a remarkable lift for the Indian economy.

The Man behind Me:

The love for our mother never goes dry even after so many expressions. Having written about the greatness of mom, exuding all my love for her, I still have enormous to say. But they say that girls are daddy’s pet. Yes I am and how can I not share the highness of my dad? When people used to question me if I was mummies or daddy’s pet, it would respond with a reflex that am a Daddy’s girl. Though the closeness with my mom evolved with the passage of time, dad was my first companion.

It is the basic physics of opposite attracts that makes the world go around. Every soon to be dad would expect to have a little girl baby and the soon to be mom, the vice versa. He dears to see her little angel smile, besides the most powerful watts bulb, her smile is the everlasting flash that lights up his life. He teaches her to walk, and when the tiny nimble fingers wrap his index finger, he is run-off with pride and confidence. The sense of wholeness fulfills his mind when he thinks of his life with the amazing magic show of the fairy.

He might be the only bread maker in the family. Even though he is ignorant of the kid’s stuffs, he takes an extra mile to know about it and find the best for his daughter. Father plays an essential part in the child’s social stability, problem solving skills, and those activities which involves the left brain. The right brain is much active in female and so it is the father who activates the left brain of his fairy. In fact as proved by a study, the way in which a fatherless girl views the opposite sex in the outside world, moving with them is tainted. He is the source of the girl’s confidence to face this elusive world.

A belief prevails that, women are emotional than men, but the fact is men are much more attached and passionate; while women are pragmatic towards life. They are not very expressive as females. A Father knows not to measure the love he showers for his kid. Even without the outright demand, her father grants every wish of hers with just a cute little wink from her and he will be the happiest when his kid beams with joy.
He would be offended on seeing his kid is hurt by a thorn or a bump and to evacuate it, he will pounce on his spouse for being careless. He might be miles away from his family for official reasons, but he will make it mandatory to visit them during weekends, no matter the distance is. He would celebrate and appreciate you like no other in the world, here I have an experience, and I was in secondary level at school, had won an intra-school shuttle badminton tournament. Though my dad was away for work, he brought a whole bundle of chocolates to treat me. He never has a boundary for his love. He would buy a huge chocolate cake on asking for a piece of cake as a snack. He would never count his penny to bring in the joy.

He having experienced diverse people all through his life, his age and experience adds strength to our living today. You go to him sighting some problem, he will enunciate the facts in black and white, which might be piercing, but following his words will certainly lead us to a better living. His experience is our backbone today.

There were days when we would go around on leisurely walks holding your hands with no fear or anxiety of life. I had a person who would go to any extent to save me or make my day. Have learnt a million things from you dad. I would be the little companion to ride around the peaceful city on a beautiful weekend evening. You were the one who encouraged me when I was down with the fear to face a challenge, the one who would carry me to the hospital when I was bed-ridden at the odd hours, the one who showed the stronger side in me to face life with confidence.

There might have been times; when he would have been wounded by our words or actions. But every one of us will realize his importance at a certain juncture of life. This is an opportunity for me, and I am really blessed to have got you in my life and proud of you Pa, you have made my life today and really sorry if I had hurt you or I had put you through misery. Love you DAD.

In Search of the Dearest one.......

It was a beautiful day at home, enjoying the company of my parents, relatives nearby visiting our place along with stretched hour chats. It was bed time and each of us hit the bed at our convenient schedule. I was late that day too, because of late hour’s phone call from to be dear ones, browsing the net to pull in sleep in my eyes. My eyes started to shut down just as the monitor would flicker with the lack of sufficient power supply. I brushed my teeth and grasped my pillow tight to sleep. The minty flavor of the tooth-paste gave a pinch of freshness in me.

I started to stare at the ceiling above me, having lost myself in thoughts. I was halfway through my sleep and I woke up suddenly looking out for my mother who would usually sleep beside me. I hear a voice saying that she is not here. I am struck in a shock like that of a thunder which hits a tree to ashes. Was running all around our home looking out for her.

I wish I had wings as that of a unicorn so that I can reach various places in a jiffy. It was fear and anxiety filled in my eyes, fear of losing her, deep thoughts of her love and affection flash my mind as I run. Tears were ready to drip down my cheeks as I was unable to imbibe the news heard. Suddenly I am out of my sleep and I wake up looking for her beside me. Then I recognized the reality of time and I was miles and miles away from her with my husband beside me. It is not at our home with my parents, it is my new life. Though my mind woke up from the illusion, tears drenched my cheeks after this horrible dream on the early hours of the day. Am not superstitious one, but I do believe that dreams have a reflection of our minds and predict the future. No sooner did I wake up, I browsed the internet about the dream of death. To my sense of relief, it stated as a good sign in most cases. I could not come out of this dream for a long time. I wish this turns out to be a good one for you mom, blessing you with a long and healthy life. Mom, I might be thousands of miles away from you, but my mind always keeps thinking about you. I mean that I want to be near you, spend time with you and be your source of happiness. I Love you so much and I Miss you MOM.

Diminishing Identity

NOTE: "This entry is not to hurt anyone. It is just my perspective"

There had been days when girls were yearning to have mangal sutra around their neck, kum kum or sindhoor on top of their forehead, I mean waiting to get married. They had pictured these as a symbol of beauty besides it being the symbol of identity of married women. By the tradition of South India, Mangal sutra and the toe ring had been the sacred ornament. In these days of the stylish era, it is being worn as just an ornament. How many of us know its importance and preserve it? So why is the toe ring worn?? Are we wearing for the purpose of it?

In the words of my Granny,” In olden days, girls wore mangal sutra and the guys wore the toe ring. While commuting on roads, the women wore mangal sutra visible to others and to walk on the street heading downwards, and men would wear the toe ring, so when a married women catches a sight of a man with ring on his toe, she would move away and the guy on looking at the mangal sutra would give her way to go.”

In those days, a toe ring were made only of silver and as gold was considered as the form of goddess Lakshmi, so was looked upon as a disrespect to wear it below the waist. But which is not deliberated in the world of fashion today.

We always like to have pleasant sounds at our house. For example the wind chimes which produce a melodious rhythm, fills s with joy. Similarly, there is a common belief that clashing sound of toe rings chases away evil spirit and brings wellness for the family members.

There is also another belief on medical insight on wearing toe ring is that it regularizes the menstrual cycle of married women. A specific nerve from the second toe connects uterus and heart. So while walking, friction caused by this nerve gives energy to reproductive organs.

This toe ring is gifted to the bride by her uncle after the sacrificial rites, who has a significant importance in the her life. After this, the groom holds the bride’s big toe and takes seven steps to affirm their relationship as friends for life.

So with all these significance in it, do all of us practice and cherish its values? Here is a little comparison with a foreign culture, the English ones. If a guy or girl finds their soul mate, they get to know them in person, understand them, go around dating and stuff till they magically decide to hold their hands. But when asking for her hand, the guy approaches her with a ring and asks, “Will you marry me?” on a perfect evening in all due respects. And the girl on deciding to marry the guy wears the ring as a symbol of love and an identity of their relationship all through their lifetime together. They do have their identity where ever they go irrespective of their lifestyle.

These days, toe rings have become an ornament rather than an identity. Let we not be too orthodox and walk with our heads facing down on roads but it is our duty to preserve our tradition and culture. So wearing it in silver or gold or enameled is not the concern, wearing it is of great importance and will give us the pride of carrying our tradition in whichever lifestyle we be.

Kaju Almond Katli

I made this for my Hubby's Birthday. It came out well that people commented it tastes like the one from the sweet stall. Thanks to all.. Here is the recepie.

Ingredients:

Equal amount of cashew and almond (here 1:1)
2 cups of sugar
2 cups of water
Sliced almond - to garnish


Procedure:
- Soak almond in water and peel the skin
- Grind them into fine powder (as it s wet, it will leave some pieces unground)
- grind the cashew finely (as dry)
- Mix these and roast them in medium fire till it gives out aroma and colour changes to light golden brown
- Romove it from the heat and keep it aside
- Boil water and add sugar to it for about 15 min setting haet as high (till slight kambi padham, it s one thread syrup)
- In another vessel, preferably the coated one, add the mixture and add the syrup while it s hot and stir it in medium fire.
- Continue stirring till it comes as whole (surrundu vara varaikkum)
- Put it on a greased plate and let it cool
- Once it is half way cool, u can make it into desired shape..
- Slice almonds and decorate it on each piece.


Do try this and post your experience. Thanks for reading :)

I Just Turned Back:

The years have just turned two fold since I came out of college. As I converse with my friends, they say about their career, situations at home and, we gossip just as we did when we were in college. It is truly hard to believe that time is the one and only factor that never stops for anything, may it be our laziness, relationships, sentiments, whatever…

We would have had a completely different standpoint of life during that stage, dreaming most of the time though we might have piles of assignments to be completed, and chit chatting with friends for long hours over absolute nothing. It’s hard to believe our viewpoint of life has completely changed for each one of us from that. People say we see the real world after college. That’s very true indeed. All our dreams don’t come true, for some of us only a few of it, and for some none of it. A few ones’ carrier might change, a few don’t get anything called a career, and a few just accept the one coming along their way. Just as we evoke the sensational life of college days with our friends, we get drenched in the sensitivity of misplaced at present. Soon either of the conversationalists drags us into reality and wonder saying, “Just three years before, we were worrying about our internals, resolving our tiff with the roomie, but now we have become more responsible with no time to look back”.

This is absolute truth, now when I speak with my friends, I speak about my accomplishments in the kitchen and they speak about the pending deployment plans. Crazy life, for ex: It flings two friends who were class mates, studying the same notes into extremely discordant paths. That was certainly the “Spring Season” of our lives.