A winning Rangoli design

When the participants of this winning team started adding the "Champankee" flower (I love its strong fragrance) to the left and right edges of the rangoli decoration at the competition during the Diwali celebrations at my client's place, I was only thinking that they were going to ruin it. But I was in for the surprise when I took the picture. The flowers actually made it look like a carpert. It stood out from the rest of the competition. The simple idea of placing the flowers made this design unique among other entries. Click on the pics to view them full-sized.

Here were the other entries. This one was from the freshers.

In my opinion, this next entry deserved second place.

Instead this one took second place.

Why it is called the Rhinocerous Beetle

Even on the last day at my home nature doesn't fail to please me. I found this rhinocerous beetle which I snapped immediately.

Here's another pic.



And in this one, the bug looks very similar to the animal it takes its "first" name from. Click the pics to view them full-sized.

Last days at my current home

That portion of the earth used to be mine.

My new buyer will take possession of my home in October. Luckily I found a place in the colony just a stone's throw away from my home. Whether I'll get to live in an independent home again, only time will tell.

Chaithu is a teen now

Just took this pic of him on his 12'th birthday this morning before he boarded his school bus.



He also gets his first mobile phone today.

Metallica in India, this October

The Thrash-metal giant whose fans number in the thousands or maybe even millions in India is on tour and will be visiting us in October. As things stand they will be performing in Delhi on the 28'th of October and then at Palace Grounds, Bangalore on the 30'th. Tickets are being sold at www.dnanetworks.com and www.ticketgenie.com. Get them before they are gone. Am I going? Donno but have never been a fan of Metallica like some of my friends are. Maybe I'll change my mind later.

Happy Onam!

Close to her 70's, waking up at 4:30 AM and arduously working on the "Pookalam" is something that my mother deserves to be commended for, when I can't do the same at my age. She was actually asking me to come and take a picture but I could do so only at around mid-day. The "Pookalam" was fairly fresh.

And here are the next gen beside Amma's Pookalam.

To all my readers, wish you a very Happy Onam!