Mayur Channagere

2008-04-24T13:00:00.000+05:00

A man has to draw the line some where.Creativity, after all, is defined by what we forbid,more than what we permit

Photography for me is an art, a fragment of "Captive" time, of memory, to be cherished and shared. I started this Blog with the intention to capture my thought through meaningless rambling and Show case India through photographs and Photo stories..

Fashion Music Performances Photomentry

Thought Café
My Mindless rambling

To view more of my photos Click below

Gods must be crazy - an Madumalai Odyssey

2008-04-23T11:09:00.004+05:00

A movie that is strongly recommend every one to watch is “The Bucket List” – Jack Nicolson & Morgan Freeman. You might be wondering that is the relation between the title of this post and the movie… well the planning for this trip started after watching the movie…
All of us have been so tied up with our day to day work that we don’t sit back for a moment and think about our future… next steps or some where in space while we are fighting hard to meet our deadlines we forgot what it is to be free and what it feel like to dream… J

So we Rags, Nags & myself decided to take off some where for a weekend … a place where only thing you can hear is your thought, no cell phones, no laptops, no TV , just plain nature & wilderness. When we started to scout for a place, Madumalai was just right for this Adventure of self discovery.
The distance from Bangalore to Madumalai is approximately 6 hours by road, so we leave Bangalore on a Friday, Nags & Rags leave in the morning, and I was suppose to join them the same night. Mid way nags decides to return back to Bangalore and join me for a meeting in the evening. We finish our meeting & leave Bangalore at 9:30 pm that’s right at night thanks to sweet long hours at work, in Nags faithful Alto.
We had coved a good distance on the new Mysore road which is truly amazing and lady luck decides to have some fun with us at 12:00 in the night, that’s right we have a flat… well we change the tires and we hit the road… now just as we across Mysore and take the diversion to Madumali via bandipur be warned the road is not exactly what you call motorable and nags being nags did not want to venture into this part of the Bandipur with out a spare. He was being very considerate to the animals, he did not want to scare them with his scraffle look J .
Luckily we found a place to get our tire fixed & we hit the road after an hour… After many turns & back tracking our way we finally reach Madumalai forest check post. Nags had arranged our stay at the forest guest house, but what I did not expect is the local SI (sub inspector of police) waiting for us … no before you think other wise, we were Sarkari Guest for the weekend… a very nice gentle man Mr. Ramesh , welcomes us and shows us the way to the guest house.
It was around 3:30 by the time we reached it was pitch dark around the guest house to actually realize where we were. We hit the bed and get in a slumber sleep… unaware as to what was happening around us…
It was decided that we will not get up till late in the morning … the first sight when we saw when we stepped out of our guest house can only be described in one word “Heaven” we were surrounded by greenery trees tall trees on one side and as far as you can see you see the beautiful Nilgiris range and the only sound you could hear were that of the birds… It was wonderful to just sit in isolated corners.

After lunch we decided to just drive around find a nice water fall and talk and retrospect… well we found the right place… calm peaceful… well it was just too peaceful that we found a nice grassy place to lie down… and Zzzz Sleep…

I don’t know how long we slept… we hear some sound of leaves we looked up only to see some wild buffalos grazing near by and jumping into the cool water to cool them off… no u silly this is not the one,

the one below… and we went back to snooze but we all jumped out off our skin the minute we heard a sharp elephant shriek… well it sounded as if it not to far from the place we were… no questions asked we jumped grabbed our bags and ran.. Ran like there is no tomorrow… later we realized that we had ventured into the elephant territory. On our way back we passed by the elephant camp where the mahouts were taking the elephants out for their evening wash / dip in the stream near by. We got back to the guest house and chilled rest of the day enjoying the beautiful sunset…

Next day we decided that we will go for a nice long trek with all arrangements made we met up with our guide at 7:30 Am to start our trek. The trek lasted for a total of 4 hours, 4 kms one way to approximately 1800 FASL (feet above sea level) that is when we spoke out our bucket list… things that we want to do before we die… as we progressed inch by inch the conversation got interesting and I realized that one thing that bonds all three of us is the drive to achieve, innovate and be some one.
The trek was tough, having been desk bums for so long we were seriously out off shape… trust me we had given up many time and decided to give up in between and return but one thing that kept us going is what rags had said earlier ,

‘If I reach the top the adrenaline rush I will get of having conquered this will keep me going for quite some time with the faith that if I make up my mind I can achieve any thing…” so we kept pushing our selves to reach the top… with fresh air and greenery around us we reached the top. Once we reached the top the view from there was worth every thing that we endured to reach there… after having spent time there our guide suggested that we take another 15 min trek to a water fall near by to cool off before we trek back… we decided to take the offer … after 15 min trek we reached this beautiful fall totally isolated and hidden between the trees… no one had to say any thing… we stripped and jumped … very wrong move the water was so icy cold that we had to run out else we would have frozen our B**** there… After our body got used to the temperature we took a nice dip and we head back… as we came down the trail we were all refreshed.
We decided to stay back that evening the head back to Bangalore the next day morning, so we pitched our tent , no not in the forest but on top of the watch tower in our guest house not very adventures you might say but trust me you have wild elephants, bores and other animals hovering around, at 4:30 in the early morning our ever sensitive rags heard some sound near by decided that it is a Wild cat on prowl … well that was the second time during this trip that we ran … luckily this time it was indoor…
We left the guest house the next day morning and reached Bangalore late afternoon… all charged up and ready to take on the world…
One of the things on our Buck list is to make a difference in peoples lives & leave a stamp on this earth, when we are gone people are should say

“ I walked the same earth as Mayur, Rags & Nags”This Picture was take by Rags on our way back

Megadeth concert in Bangalore

2008-04-02T12:06:00.001+05:00

In continuation from my previous post on Rock n India … pictures featuring Megadeth …
Megadeth is an American thrash metal band led by founder, frontman, guitarist, and songwriter Dave Mustaine, the band line up for their India tour consisted of Dave Mustaine - guitar, lead vocals , Chris Broderick - guitar, backing vocals ,James Lomenzo - bass, backing vocals, Shawn Drover – drums.
Over the years, the Megadeth line up has changed, and with each change has come a new sound to Megadeth's many studio albums
After having waited the whole afternoon & the summer heat the crowd when absolutely wild when Mustaine & co took on to stage after Machine Heads.
Megadeth played some songs from Peace Sells, Rust in Peace, Countdown to Extinction, Youthanasia and Cryptic Writings apart from United Abominations
Also the crowd got a flavor with Mustaine playing the final solo & Chris played the Arabic solo, finger style and procured his plectrum back from thin air! and a large part of the crowd was just itching to sing Four Horsemen (if you did not know, 4 Horsemen actually happens to be Dave Mustaine’s composition). They resumed playing Holy Wars and hell was well and truly unleashed.
Strapped for time and fighting against a 10’o clock deadline, Megadeth rushed through a set that featured several songs from the band’s most popular album, 1990s ‘Rust in Peace’, with a few of the more well known tracks from 2007’s ‘United Abominations’.
Lead vocalist and guitarist Dave Mustaine however, almost totally drowned out second guitarist Chris Broderick; not a happy situation considering Broderick was playing over half of the guitar solos on Megadeth’s very intricate compositions. On the rare occasions when he could be heard clearly, Broderick sounded like the weakest link in Megadeth, no doubt a fallout of being the newest member, having joined early last month.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Machine Head – American Trash metal band…

2008-04-01T15:19:00.002+05:00

In continuation from my previous post on Rock n India … pictures featuring Machine Head – American Trash metal band…
Machine Head is an American heavy metal band that formed in 1992 in Oakland, California. Founded by singer and guitarist Robb Flynn and bassist Adam Duce, the band has been plagued by lineup changes and drug abuse since its inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn (vocals, guitar), Duce bass, Phil Demmel (guitar), and Dave McClain (drums).
The band leaned heavily on its latest album The Blackening, with a few songs thrown in from ‘Through The Ashes of The Empire’ and the debut, ‘Burn My Eyes’.

Rock n India - Featuring 7 indian bands + Megadeth, Machine heads

2008-04-01T15:00:00.001+05:00

“Rock n India” live in concert was a heavy metal music concert that took place in Bangalore in March. The rock show featured two of the biggest international metal bands and seven Indian bands. “Rock n India” concert featured US bands Megadeth, Machine Head and Indian bands Millennium, Pentagram, Junkyard Groove, Mother Jane, Thermal & a Quarter, Prestorika and Casino Blues.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

More pictures of Machine head & Megadeath do come back,

Marcia Barrett of Boney M in Bangalore

2008-04-01T12:45:00.000+05:00

Marcia Barrett of Boney M entertained Boney M fans at Palace Grounds – Bangalore. It was refreshing to listen to the original Boney M song for a change. Most of us are familiar with the remixes but listening to the original was some thing to experience.

Marcia was one of singers from the original Boney M Band from Germany formed by Frank Farian. The group gave some of the biggest hit like Daddy Cool, Rivers of Babylon, Rasputin, Ma Baker

Marcia & the group They performed a few of their chart busters, namely- Rivers of Babylon, Rasputin, Daddy cool, Ma Baker and Sunny.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Scorpions perform in Bangalore

2007-12-19T15:30:00.000+05:00

A stunning surprise package was boxed and tied and ready for unwrapping: the Scorpions, Germany’s most-successful international music export, rocked Bangalore for the second time on 16 dec 2007 at Palace grounds.

One lakh, fifty thousand watts of sound, 200 psychedelic lights, 50 tonnes of music instruments and a fanatical crowd -- that's the best way to describe the Scorpions concert. The legendary rock band performed to a moderate turnout in Bangalore on Sunday, as part of their Humanity Concert.

Klaus Mein set the mood with his deep vocals, while James Kottak stole the show with a power-packed performance on the drums.

"He is simply non-stop!" a fan in the crowd exclaimed.

Rudolf Shanker, Pawel Maciwoda and Mathias Jabs made magic with the guitar and sent the crowd into a tizzy each time they came forward and played.
Klaus Mein was at his best when he belted out the popular number, Rock You Like A Hurricane. The crowd sure rocked for this number. The band also sang new numbers from their latest album Humanity Hour-1 like Love is War, We Were Born to Fly and Love Will Keep Us Alive.

But when the band dished out old favourites like Send Me An Angel, Still Loving You and Winds of Change, the entire atmosphere changed with the crowd left begging for more.

The band also had its share of fun with the crowd. While Rudolf Shenker threw guitar picks into the crowd, Klaus Meine might have thrown at least a 100 drum sticks. Needless to say, chaos reigned as people tried to grab them.

In the end, it was quite clear that even after being in the music business for 40 years, Scorpions were still able to enthrall the audiences of different age groups. For Bangalore, Scorpions just became bigger on Sunday.

A frontal attack on the musical artery of rock fans all over the globe with their new album Humanity – Hour I. Thirty-five years after the release of their debut album Lonesome Crow, the Scorpions believe they have reached a new creative high in their impressive career.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Chivas Fashion Tour 2007 - Bangalore

2007-11-15T19:17:00.000+05:00

The world’s leading premium brand Chivas Regal brought together 12 of India’s leading designers for the first Chivas Fashion Tour that started in Mumbai on October 5th . The tour came to Bangalore from New Delhi with a spectacular showcase of designs and will end in Dubai on November 23rd. The Bangalore leg of the Chivas Fashion Tour was held in association with the Leela Palace Kempinski.

In Bangalore, Wendell Rodricks, Tarun Tahiliani, Manish Arora and Shantanu & Nikhil showcased their collections over two days.

Wendell Rodricks
The Wendell Rodricks signature style is unique in India, blending ancient Indian geometry with a relaxed Goan attitude. Using natural Indian fabrics, cut in a linear line, the silhouette is sheer, layered, draped and fluid.

The Wendell Rodricks Lounge Lizard collection for the Chivas Regal Fashion Tour is inspired by and aimed at the young lounge reveler. All over India, the concept of a lounge or club has emerged as an integral part of entertainment.
In the relaxed yet energetic ambience, clothing is young, sexy, sporty and yet cocktail. Using a colour palette including black, aubergine, deep olive and silver, the Lounge Lizard collection by Wendell Rodricks uses diverse fabric woven or treated with a technological edge: Velvet is woven with lycra. Organza is heat treated to form pleats. Silver is infused with stretch that does not ‘crack’ the silver

Shantanu and Nikhil
Kajal, black and smoldering, sensuous and innocent, defining wherever it goes is the theme of the collection Shantanu and Nikhil present.
The black smokiness and shadow play of kajal defines the look of the collection. Inspired by the intricate mass of colour that is black, the designers display a series of moods and moments which range from sensual to powerful to demure. The look represents the many different facets of this colour.

The silhouettes are modern with drapes that define the form. Delectable Indo-westerns, sensual saris and lehengas with defining drapes are the bulk of the collection.

Tarun Tahiliani

Tarun Tahiliani founded his design studio in 1990. His distinctive signature has since evolved as a fusion of textile detail, refined luxury, and meticulous tailoring. TT (as he is affectionately known) creates couture, diffusion, prêt-a-porter and accessory lines, which are Indian in their sensibility, yet international in their appeal.

But for the Tahiliani muse to attain such effortless chic, her designer first needed to explore the history of Indian Fashion -- which essentially entailed the embellishment of textile and the masterful way these endless, dreamy lengths of cloth were draped, tied, twisted and pulled over the body.

The clothes are worn by lovers of luxury around the world. Aishwarya Rai to Goldie Hawn to Jemima Khan to Minal Modi to Saif Ali Khan among many others.

Manish Arora
Manish Arora’s Spring/Summer 2008 collection draws its inspiration from the POP Art movement of the late 1950’s mixed with the defining silhouettes from the 1970’s. Each season, Manish Arora cleverly interprets fashion that is drawn from his Indian roots and modern international trends.

This season there is a myriad of inspirational references, including the Classical Indian Dancers, Gods, Parisian life, Toys, Indian and Japanese comics, disco and fluorescent colors that all collide to create a collection that is glamorous, wild and playful.

Key silhouettes include floor grazing dresses, capes, bell bottom pants, layered tops with unique shoulder details that add a youthful and edgy feel to the collection.

Vanessa-Mae & Nishat Ali Khan Perform

2007-09-02T11:10:00.000+05:00

Vanessa Mae in jugalbandi with Nishat Khan — this was one show Bengaluru’s socialites were ready to drop everything for. After a long wait, came on Nishat Khan, who proceeded to charm audiences. Eventually Vanessa Mae did come on, and all those who had patiently waited (and drunk themselves through several rounds of mojitos) were rewarded with some superlative music.

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Markets of Bangalore

2007-08-06T11:10:00.001+05:00

The earliest phase of the Dravidian civilization, of which Bangalore is a part, has been traced back to the 5th century BC and its origin is unclear. The earliest settlements in south India were mostly rural settlements and date back to the 2300-1800 BC. The city dates its traditional founding in 1537, when a pettah (combined residential quarters with shops and markets) was established, protected by a mud-walled fort located just to the south. Subsequently, most traces of the original fort, and its successors on the same location, have been lost. It did not occupy a prominent height of ground. In fact, the ground chosen actually was in a slight depression of landscape.

Although a few stone walls and other traces of fortifications remain, the major impression of the fort today is gained by its name, applied to a roadway and more widely, to the section of the city, whose small roads and lanes criss-cross the site. The pettah (now divided into two neighbourhoods called Cubbonpet and Chikpet) has persisted, its form little changed from that of centuries ago.

Narrow lanes and small, twisting alleys betray its ancient origins. Squeezed between Chikpet - Cubbonpet and the Fort the major market of Bangalore, called City Market, has grown up. The City market area is a very important heritage site of the city, the extended Stone Fort of Haider's period, Tipu's palace, and the Armory are prominent pages of Bangalore’s History.

Being one of the oldest markets in Bangalore, City market got the vibrancy of its own. Even though it fails to compete with the growing shopping malls here and there, still the livelihood and life in city market is commendable. City Market has been named as K R Market after the name of Mysore king Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV. This market is more than a century old and still so colorful and vibrant. The activities start there at dusk, much before the sun rise. One would hear the hue and busyness inside the market place at the early hours. Wholesalers, retailers, day-today business everything go in its highest pace. It is truly an experience being there at that time. I bet none of the shopping mall can have this kind of vibrancy and color and lives.

Following is a photo series of different market in Bangalore each market has a different flavor to offer to its viewer. I will be adding more pictures as is progress with this project. Do come back for more

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Project Yellow Hat

2007-07-06T11:10:00.001+05:00

I recently did a photomentry (photo documentary) called Project Yellow Hats...
Yellow hats are typically associated with construction work...
Bangalore - India also know as silicon valley of India has recently seen a boom in population in terms of ppl traveling from all over the country to work & cash in on the IT/BPO boom... with the increase in ppl numbers so has the vehicular count... to keep up with the rise in numbers the government is constructing fly overs & trying to improve the infrastructure in general... one such place is a high way called Hosur road... that leads to the IT hub where lot of IT & BPO companies are situated...

TO help the congestion they are constructing a fly over... please click on the below link to view some picture I shot in & around the construction work....

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Aerosmith Performs in Bangalore

2007-06-15T17:22:00.000+05:00

'Bad boys from Boston' - Steven Tyler and Gang arrived in Bangalore on 1 June for their maiden show in India Bangalore. True to their reputation they created enough exitement when they landed at the Bangalore Airport.

Dressed in leather pants topped with a black ganji, Tyler created a gypsy ensemble by adorning himself with yards of flowing leopard and batik print stoles, while a hard hat sat on his unkempt head. As time went by, he bared his stomach that screamed 'Lick me' in big bold black letters.

The Band started the show with 'Taste of India'... a song they dedicated to to the land of Snake charmers & Elephants...

"We had always wanted to play in India, which is fabulous not for the roaming elephants or the painting stuff that people put on their hands. We appreciate you for all the good reasons, and that is Kama Sutra!" - Steven Tayler...

The Crowd went back disapointed after a two hour performence for the band did not paly their all time hits like 'Crazy' or 'Jamie's got a gun'!.... But them left the crowd totally Amazed "read Amazing" with the energy they displayed inspit their age

Pondicherry --- Road trip

2007-04-01T15:49:00.000+05:00

It was a weekend that I have been waiting to take for a long time …. A weekend just to chill and do nothing….
Well like they say nothing comes for free… or with out pain…
Unlike many of the holidays we decided this time that we will plan thing in advance. So started the planning phase, given the fact that we have only a weekend we decided to select a place not too far and is drivable …. After short listing couple of place be decided that Pondicherry would be a good option… so we called our travel agent to find out if there are any good place that he can suggest (with in an affordable price range). With the place decided and booked and all done I was a happy man and also managed to earn some Browne points from my wife … who was thrilled by the fact that she can shop for the weekend and also during the weekend…
Like I said nothing come for free or with out pain… the evening before our scheduled departure got to know that there is a Tamil Nadu bandh (strike) and every thing will be closed from 6am to 6 pm… (For all the planning that I did)... checked with the resort, aurovile travel agent if any thing will be affected… got the assurance that every thing will be ok and should not affect any thing...
Well decided to leave early in the morning (5:00 am) to beat the traffic and only to be stopped at the tamilnadu border and sent back (almost felt like refugees trying to cross the border) by a land cop who refused to speak any thing but Tamil, for they were not letting any traffic cross the border had to return back… all disheartened, not to mention an angry wife….

However, after a long week of grueling work we left for Pondicherry. This time around we ensured that there was no strike, no traffic jams and any possibility of being sent back.
All packed and car gassed up, we hit the road at 5:30 am the sun was not yet up and the high way was just getting up. As we cruised along the Hosur high way listing to Aishwarya’s song from Dhoom 2 it slowly started to sink that we were on a holiday … after an hour or so of driving Priya started feeling hungry (she is an early bird you see unlike me who can go with out food for hours as long as I get my required sleep). We started to look for a Darshani (more like a South Indianised version of a fast food) well after a desperate hunt and unsuccessful attempts to find out if there is a place around we found a small little road side place “Kannamma’s tiffanies. As the name suggest it was run by a very sweet lady “Kannaama”, who had this big welcoming smile on her face when we walked in. This place too has a history she says – "I have been here for the last 20 years, I have seen tashildars come and go up”. Having freaked on the Hot hot idly and Dosa we started on toward Pondicherry.

The drive to Pondicherry from Bangalore is approx 280 km via Krishnagiri . The road is good except for few bad patches along the way. One vehicle that will have a smooth ride...is the Cart .. you will find quite a few of them esp during the month of April - May with the harvest season.

Since we drove down we stopped at every possible place.
One such stop that we did was this field, with beautiful green harvest and a scare crow sticking out. We took the liberty of walking into the field and I started snapping out to glory not realizing that I had attracted the attention of the farmer. He saw us from a distance for some time wondering our fascination with the scare crow.
On talking to him I gathered that he I owns this piece of land that we had encroached on and his name was Kuppaswamy.

Tailing behind him was his daughter Meera. Who was so shy that she refused to stay still in one place and was constantly running behind her father for cover.
From there we head down to Gingi Fort which is about 60 km before Pondicherry. The Drive through this streach is beautiful....As you drive past the fort you can see it majestically standing on top of the Hill Krishna Giri. On digging further we realized that this fort has a rich history. It dates back before the Vijay Nagar Empire. I was originally built by the Nayaks of Gingi. Later ruled & fortified further by the Vijayanagar kings, the Moguls, the French & finally the English who destroyed the fort like every thing else in India.

We finally reached Pondicherry and decided to visit Aurovile before we head out to the resort. Aurovile is again a beautiful place to spend your time. It is famous for its architecture style. Every thing here has a very earthy feel to it, for they have consciously used only natural resources. One can totally freak out on two things shopping for all the shopoholics and second thing is the food (French cuisine).

Then we head down to the resort. It took us some time locate the place for it was located far away from the main road by the beach. In the evening we decided to head down into the city to enjoy a bit of the French architecture and French Flavor.
The area around Sri Aurobindo Ashram and the French Consulate is beautiful… one can walk around this place for hours together and the peace and quietness.
Not to far from the ashram is "Vysyal Street”, it is one of the oldest surviving streets in Pondicherry. This area is on the other side where the non Anglo – French settlers lived. (In other words Indians). The houses around this area still have the old Pondicherry feel, with central court yards & sit outs. Even to this day you find old people meeting up in the evenings to catch up on the local gossip.

All in All if you truly want tojust chill out Have a Beer by the Sea and hog till you and eat no more and just to unwind you know where to head....
more Snippets of Pondicherry through these Photos ……

Iron Maiden – Eddfest - Bangalore

2007-03-28T10:49:00.000+05:00

It was an evening where the dress code was “BLACK” , Long Hair & Body piercing…. It was an evening Bangalore has been waiting for 13 year… the day Iron Maiden performs on bangalore soil …. March 17 2007 will be the date that will go down in the history of bangalore.

The opening act was by FTN , Parikrama – who played all their original numbers for a change and I should say it was a pretty good performance. The third act was by Laura Harris – Iron maiden’s very own Steve Harris’s daughter.

And finally the moment every one was waiting when Iron Maiden took the stage. They started out with three tracks from their latest album, “Different World”, “These Colours Don’t Run” and “Brighter Than a Thousand Suns”. Bruce proceeded to dedicate the next number Wrathchild” to Moksha’s deceased vocalist, Leon , who was instrumental in keeping Iron maiden alive in India.

They went on to play Death On The Road’ “A Matter Of Life And Death”. “The Trooper”, “2 Minutes To Midnight”, “Iron Maiden” and “Run To The Hills” “Fear Of The Dark”, “Hallowed Be Thy Name”, “The Evil That Men Do” .

The Band was in fine form and would give any teenager a complex in terms of energy. All in all it was one hell of a show…

The the best part of the whole concert for me was my Picture was publised on the official website of "Iron Maiden"...

www.ironmaiden.com/index.php?categoryid=8&p2_articleid=451

Jean-Luc Ponty - Jazz Show

2007-02-15T11:50:00.000+05:00

Jean-Luc Ponty is a pioneer and undisputed master of violin in the arena of jazz and rock. He is widely regarded as an innovator who has applied his unique visionary spin that has expanded the vocabulary of modern music.

He was joined by his band members William Lecomte (keyboards), Guy Nsangué Akwa (bass), Thierry Arpino (drums) and Moustapha Cissé (percussion) for superb performances on 10 Feb in Bangalore.

Perfect Picture

2007-01-31T20:15:00.000+05:00

Perfect Family

A perfect Picture....

Kathakali

2007-01-29T18:56:00.000+05:00

Kathakali is the classical dance-drama of Kerala, South India, which dates from the 17th century and is rooted in Hindu mythology. Kathakali has a unique combination of literature, music, painting, acting and dance.

Ganjam Jewelers & Yumi Katsura Fashion show

2006-12-29T12:02:00.000+05:00

Ganjam Jewelers of Bangalore recently show cased their new collection. The designs were designed by "Yumi Katsura".

Yumi Katsura ss a pioneer of bridal fashion, Ms. Katsura is always at the forefront of this industry. She continues to realize dreams of the wedding through worldwide bridal events. So that she has become known "Missionary of Bridal".

She staged bridal collection show throughout Japan as well as in such foreign locations as New York, Los Angeles, Paris, London, Barcelona, Monaco, Moscow, Bucharest, Singapore, Jakarta, Bombay, New Delhi, Honolulu, Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, Dalian, New Delhi, Bangalore, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Ho-chi-minh.

Blender's Pride Fashion Show 2006 - Bangalore India

2006-12-04T20:46:00.001+05:00

With an impressive line up of 14 of India's best designers, the Blenders Pride Fashion Tour kick started at Kolkata on October 6 and ended on November 26 with Bangalore as the last stop.

Regarded as India's only lifestyle multi-city fashion event, the Blenders Pride Fashion Tour (BPFT,2006) featured Aki Narula,Aparna Chandra, Ashish Soni, Malini Ramani, Manish Malhotra,Nandita Mahtani, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Ranna Gill, Rocky S, Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna, Sabyasachi Mukerjee, Shantanu and Nikhil Mehra, Suneet Varma and Tarun Tahiliani.

To match the best designers are also India's best models such as Monikangana Dutta, Carol Gracias, Sonalika Sahay, Jessie Randhawa, Michelle Innes, Indrani Dasgupta, Niketan Madhok amongst others.

Below pictures highlight works of two designers Malini Ramani and Rocky S

Malini Ramani: What is effervescence without a spot of funk and what is Malini Ramani without a large measure of both? Meet the designer who dares to put her joie de vivre firmly on the style radar. Fashion's very own enfant terrible Malini Ramani has always defied rules to create with the courage of conviction - the conviction to follow the dictates of her heart. A quintessential rebel without a pause, for Malini the endeavour is to constantly push the envelope by breaking away from the obvious and adding a dash of cheer to the mundane. Little wonder then that her ensembles are always original, bursting with zest in a happy medley of colours, cuts and cascades of shimmer.

ROCKY S : A trendsetter in his own rights, Rocky is one of the few Indian designers concentrating on western wear in a vivid way. His brilliant creations for distinguished clientele have lent a hand in his slow and steady rise as a film costumier. ROCKY S was also the first designer to design for both celebrity and the common man.

Hampi Utsav

2006-11-14T20:28:00.000+05:00

In March 2002, the Government of India has announced that Hampi would be developed as an international destination centre. The State Govt will constitute a Hampi World Heritage Area Management Authority for integrated development and conservation of Hampi. The Hampi Festival was organized by the Government of Karnataka in November to recreate the grandeur of the bygone era. They had various event spread over 5 different stages located in between the HAMPI ruins. They had events covering dances, plays, musical performances, Kusti (wrestling) and the finale was a grand parade (procession). Through this photo log I have tried to capture the sprit of Hampi and the festival. Request you to view and please leave your comments and suggestions.

Hampi Utsav : a photo journey

2006-11-13T17:41:00.000+05:00

HAMPI, the seat of the famed VIJAYANAGARA empire was the capital of the largest empire in post-mogul India, covering several states. The empire reigned supreme under Krishnadevaraya, the Emperor. The Vijayanagara empire stretched over at least three states - Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh. The destruction of Vijayanagar by marauding Moghul invaders was sudden, shocking and absolute. They reduced the city to ruins amid scenes of savage massacre and horrors beggaring description.
Although in ruins today, this capital city once boasted riches known far beyond the shores of India. The ruins of Hampi of the 14th Century lies scattered in about 26 sq. km area, amidst giant boulders and vegetation. Protected by the tempestuous river Tungabhadra in the north and rocky granite ridges on the other three sides, the ruins silently narrate the story of grandeur splendor and fabulous wealth. The splendid remains of palaces and gateways of the broken city tells a tale of men infinite talent and power of creativity together with his capacity for senseless destruction.
Saint Vidyaranya established the seat of Vijayanagara empire in 1336 A.D, with the help of his devotee disciples Hakka and Bukka. The empire later became famous for its support towards renovation/reconstruction of temples through out India. It also became renowned for re-establishment of Indian culture, its support for music, art and literature. With the prime purpose of caring for the people and their welfare, this empire stretched physically covering Karnataka, Andhra and Maharashtra and became a by-word for golden rule.

EUPHORIA… THE BAND… the BASICS… & its DREAMS

2006-09-10T19:53:00.000+05:00

EUPHORIA… THE BAND… the BASICS… & its DREAMS
... The state of high! The state in a psychological disorder called hypomania (the first stage of mania).

Back in 1998 HIND ROCK wasn't coined as a phrase or as a hype line (they hate the hype), but it is an attitude, an identity, a movement that EUPHORIA took upon themselves to show that sometimes Rock can be Right! And now it is!! The best is yet to come... but then, what is the best??" Aah… life and its mysteries.

Today, EUPHORIA has created a home for itself in the hearts of music aficionados and supporters (They hate the term fan! Fans are on ceilings). The non believers still find excuses but… “they are the challenge!”

Sep 2006 the band performed @ Infosys – Banglaore Campus….. they Rocked their fans with their numbers ……

2006-09-07T18:54:00.000+05:00

Frames of mind an photography exhibition by Bangalore Photography Club

2006-04-19T14:56:00.000+05:00

Bangalore Photography Club, is having its first Annual photography exhibition

“ frames of mind ”

A Photography Rendezvous
Frames of Mind is exciting platter with breath taking photographic works from professional and hobby photographers. A Presentation of emotions and Passions caught through our lens.

"Bangalore Photography Club", is an association formed in 1999, is today a 150 plus group of energetic amateur, aspiring professional, professional, as well as photography enthusiasts, all from different walks of life.

The club endeavors to bring the best out of each member in their peruse of photography as a hobby or a profession. The club is also a platform fro members to discuss and know about the best and latest in the world of photography and Photography equipment and technology.

Some of the feature of the Club are : –
1.“ Member Mentor” a concept where amateur photographers are personally mentored by professional photographers.
2.BPC Website, a platform where in each members can post his works, get comments and suggestions from the group, without having to meet up personally !
3.The website also serves are a study center for members to learn and post the latest developments in the photography equipment and technology from around the world
4.The Club also serves are a resource center to guide its members on best equipments , access to best labs in town, leads for professional assignments and enquires.

Please vist the Exhibition

On
Apirl 28 & 29, 2006.
Venue : Chirtra Kala Parishat,

Kumarkrupa Road , Bangalore
From 11 am to 7 pm

For more information about the club please visit

www.bangalorephotographyclub.com

Or mail

info@bangalorephotographyclub.com

Charminar - Hyderabad - India

2006-02-13T19:24:00.000+05:00

Charminar, a splendid piece of architecture standing in the heart of the hyderabad city built by Quli Qutub Shah, in 1591. This magnificent monument is the unique symbol of Hyderabad. Charminar is often called as "The Arc de triomphe of the East". It is considered as the legendary masterpiece of Qutub Shahi's.

Charminar derives its name from four intricately carved minarets, The four graceful minarets literally meaning 'Four Minars', soar to a height of 48.7m each, above the ground. It is located amidst the colourful shops of Lad Bazaar with its glittering traditional bangles in the old city. Enormous in its size, this imposing monument of India exudes a charm that is more than 400 years old.

Jethro Tull -Performs at IIM Bangalore

2006-02-11T12:27:00.000+05:00

Tull formed in 1968 out of the amalgamation of the John Evan Band and McGregor's Engine, two blues-based local UK groups. Still enjoying a lengthy and ongoing career, Jethro Tull has released 30 albums, selling more than 60 million copies since the band first performed at London's famous Marquee club.

After undertaking more than 2500 concerts in 40 countries throughout three decades, Tull plays typically 100 concerts each year to longstanding, as well as new fans worldwide. He performed at IIM – Bangalore in Feb 2006. True to Tull style the show was packed with energy in a true Jethro Tull Style….

Unless life be guided by Love Unconfined

2005-12-02T16:37:00.000+05:00

Unless life be guided by Love Unconfined
It can’t redeem the pledge made to life divine

Life is an accident of such an amazing kind,
Like how me and you met which is strange of kind,

At such a stage of closeness has love arrived ,
Even heart and eyes of little use it finds.

What a strong bond, love and beauty bind,
You may set them apart, the heart remains combined.

Some times we reach such a stage in the path of love,
Though we stand face to face, we can’t unlock our mind.

I cant express how much my heart that was the centre of your gaze,
That I haven’t yet else where engaged.

That lamp that you had lighted in my heart
That lamp is still aflame, un dimmed, un hazed.

All I have to say is I love you !!!!
More then these words can SAY…

Knowledge power

2005-11-30T16:20:00.000+05:00

One hell of a Cracker

2005-11-02T17:28:00.000+05:00

Color

2005-10-28T11:49:00.000+05:00

Marwar Fashion Show

2005-10-17T15:21:00.000+05:00

My Morning is imcomplete without you

2005-09-26T13:17:00.000+05:00

I open my eyes lazily, wondering if i should get out of the bed, the sun rays filtering through the half shut blinds. The idea of getting back to the rat race puts me of, then some where I hear a sound, Sound of water boiling, sound of steam whistling out.
Then all of a sudden my senses are filled by the with the sweet aroma of Coffee.
That's when i realize, that there are few things in life like Coffee that are worth getting out of bed for.

2005-09-26T13:16:00.000+05:00

To all you Coffee Lovers - Filter Coffee from South India

Flowers

2005-09-23T16:45:00.000+05:00

Beauty's indifference is but a pose

2005-09-16T14:01:00.000+05:00

Dear to us, no doubt, is beauty's every grace .
But, we fall specially for a simple face.

How can tulip and rose be compared with you,
Weak are these metaphors to illustrate your grace.

The night of separation too has come aglow,
Are these the tears of sorrow or bits of moon ablaze.

The fire of love is such a hell, the sight of heaven which displays,
Beauty's indifference is but a pose, she drops no hint , yet insinuates ....

Rothang Pass

2005-09-15T20:01:00.000+05:00

Rothang Pass

Two wedding and an anniversary...

2005-09-14T15:08:00.000+05:00

Month of August was a very busy month... I had to attend two wedding and of course my own first wedding anniversary...

One wedding that I attended was that of my very close friend Sumanth. I have known Sumanth for last... 24 years.... We were neighbors, Class mates in School, high school, college. He got married to Vasavi on the 22nd August 2005, same day as my wedding anniversary, only a year later.

Sumant - Vasavi

Second wedding that I attended was of Bala with Jayashree. The train journey to a place called Walajahpet - Tamilnadu , about 4 hours from Bangalore - India. The train journey was great, inspite of the temperatures being like.... 48 degrees or some thing. But the whole marriage ritual was great, both Bala and Jayashree were looking really absolutely fabulous in their traditional outfits.

Bala - Jayashree

In between all this wedding and anniversary business, I started thinking about this marriage business,

Marriage is not a ritual or an end.

It is a long, intricate,

Intimate dance together.

And nothing matters more

Than your own sense of balance

And your choice of partner. .

... And by end of all I would say all three of us, Sumanth , Bala and myself have made the Right choice....... I wish both the couples the very best of luck.

2005-09-13T21:38:00.000+05:00

Room with a View

Land

2005-09-13T20:04:00.000+05:00

land

Journey

2005-09-12T14:14:00.000+05:00

Journey

Colours

2005-09-09T20:55:00.000+05:00

2005-09-09T16:04:00.000+05:00

Srirangapatana - Ranganatha Swamy Temple

Conversation

2005-09-09T13:46:00.000+05:00

Picture by Raghav

For years I have held converses with some one in my thought,
For long has a picture lodged with in my head,
I had held it all through as dear as life,
My desire will weep for me for years,
I too once drank the drought from the fountain of life,
I too slept for long in peace sheltered by the flask,
For long did I stroll about in gardens and groves,
For long could I smell my rose in the roses of the park,
Even if reduced to ashes, like the wind borne dust,
For years I will love you always.

Life breezes by...

2005-09-08T21:35:00.000+05:00

Life breezes by...

Lips

2005-09-08T15:08:00.000+05:00

Your lips speak soft sweetness
Your touch a cool caress
I am lost in your magic
My heart beats within your chest
I think of you each morning
And dream of you each night
I think of your arms being around me
And cannot express my delight
Never have I fallen
But I am quickly on my way
You hold a heart in your hands
That has never before been given away

Better future

2005-09-07T18:52:00.000+05:00

Last year I visited this school near Bannergata national Park. They had organized a show in celebration of Independence day.
Couple of years back, this school did not have any basic facilities, the students were sitting on the floor, the black boards were in their worst possible state, the passing rate was low and drop out rate high.

Later, one of the clubs (Rotary Mid town) adopted this school and started providing basic facilities, like benches and black boards, Mid day meal, new class rooms and now recently a computer lab.
As a result of all this effort, pass percentage increased and there was a drastic reduction in Drop put rate, Mid day meal was as a matter of fact, an incentive for many of them to come back to school.

I think more and more such clubs should come forward and take such initiateves, to build a better India.

Intoxication

2005-09-07T15:13:00.000+05:00

If I drunk a little,
Why this furor?
I haven’t robbed any one,
Nor have I forced open a door.
I am not concerned with wine,
Which the heart detest,
The wine distilled with in the heart,
Is what my heart adores.
There he says; “Deliver the bowl”
Here I say “Endure”
What a queer heart he has,
What a heart I hold.
Every gain owes its’ glow,
To the light divine,
Every breath that we breathe,
His presence underscores.
A blot staining the suns face,
Mysterious are the natures way.

COMPANY

2005-09-06T18:59:00.000+05:00

Saintly eyelids look at flowers,
But not for me,
Come around my friend
There will be no entertainment
I want company
I don’t care if we don’t talk.
If we chip our teeth on groundnuts
Or watch
The luminous hand of time pass
I don’t care.
But beware
The milk turns sour
Bread turns green
And the fruits are consumed by microorganisms

In a symbiosis of neurosis
Doing something cheap

Why wait

To liberate this party state.

This border line case

Tending towards inactivity

And disorganization

So come my friend

Come around and frown.

I like the way you ware your eyebrows

Every time you find me this way.

MASK !!

2005-08-31T11:35:00.000+05:00

Don’t be fooled by me,
Don’t be fooled by the face I wear,
For I wear a Mask, a thousand masks.
Masks that I am afraid to take off,
And none of them is me.

Pretending is an art that’s second nature to me.
But don’t be fooled.
I give you the impression that I am secure,
That Confidence is my name & Coolness is my game.
That the water’s calm and I am in command,
And that I need no one.

My surface may seem smooth,
But my surface is my MASK.
Ever varying & ever concealing.
But, beneath lies confusion & fear and aloneness.
But I hide this; I don’t want any one to know it.

Each time you are kind and gentle & encouraging,
Each time you try to understand because you really care.
My heart begins to grow wings, very small wings.
But Wings!!!!

Who am I? You may wonder,
I am some one you know very well
For I am every man you meet……

Foresight..

2005-08-30T14:41:00.000+05:00

I was in one of those shitty moods this whole week I don't know why....
I thought one way to cheer myself was to just go back and ready my old journals and refresh myself and it worked.

While going thorough my journals I found this piece I had jotted down, called

Foresight..
Foresight is not LUCK. It is always the result of Hard Work . It is never guess work,
It is knowing your environment, so well that the right moves are instinctive. Most important whether in making the most of favorable circumstances or the minimization of bad
Foresight always produces results

I dont recollect when i wrote this but made of sense...

Independence Day

2005-08-26T14:28:00.000+05:00

Independence Day

2005-08-25T14:27:00.000+05:00

India recently celebrated it 58th year of Independence. In these 58 years we have come a long way. We have seen the economic boom, wars, and natural calamities like floods, earth quakes, and famine. Governments have come and gone loads of other things.

In spite of the economic boom, we can still see a sharp contrast between the rich (Economically Stable, thanks to all the banks who are providing the Credit card facility) and the poor. So this independence day I decided to capture few of those moments that high light these contrast.

This picture above captured my attention the Our own Desi Marlboro Man (cig pack in his hand) and the contrast of a kid trying to cash in on the Independence day euphoria. The Body Language in both the pictures says a lot, Gal in the above picture and Man in the picture to the right, his line of sight and the hand on his hip, like I am superior.....

Again in this picture I have tried to shows the contrast, the school kids and and gal must of more or less same age.....

More pics on http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2121724916

Jai Hind

An Ode to Nice Guys

2005-08-24T15:04:00.000+05:00

This rant was written for the Wharton Undergraduate Journal. This is long but Hilarious....

An Ode to Nice Guys

This is a tribute to the nice guys. The nice guys that finish last, that never become more than friends, that endure hours of whining and bitching about what assholes guys are, while disproving the very point. This is dedicated to those guys who always provide a shoulder to lean on but restrain themselves to tentative hugs, those guys who hold open doors and give reassuring pats on the back and sit patiently outside the changing room at department stores. This is in honor of the guys that obligingly reiterate how cute/beautiful/smart/funny/sexy their female friends are at the appropriate moment, because they know most girls need that litany of support. This is in honor of the guys with open minds, with laid-back attitudes, with honest concern. This is in honor of the guys who respect a girl’s every facet, from her privacy to her theology to her clothing style.

This is for the guys who escort their drunk, bewildered female friends back from parties and never take advantage once they’re at her door, for the guys who accompany girls to bars as buffers against the rest of the creepy male population, for the guys who know a girl is fishing for compliments but give them out anyway, for the guys who always play by the rules in a game where the rules favor cheaters, for the guys who are accredited as boyfriend material but somehow don’t end up being boyfriends, for all the nice guys who are overlooked, underestimated, and unappreciated, for all the nice guys who are manipulated, misled, and unjustly abandoned, this is for you.

This is for that time she left 40 urgent messages on your cell phone, and when you called her back, she spent three hours painstakingly dissecting two sentences her boyfriend said to her over dinner. And even though you thought her boyfriend was a chump and a jerk, you assured her that it was all ok and she shouldn’t worry about it. This is for that time she interrupted the best killing spree you’d ever orchestrated in GTA3 to rant about a rumor that romantically linked her and the guy she thinks is the most repulsive person in the world. And even though you thought it was immature and you had nothing against the guy, you paused the game for two hours and helped her concoct a counter-rumor to spread around the floor. This is also for that time she didn’t have a date, so after numerous vows that there was nothing “serious” between the two of you, she dragged you to a party where you knew nobody, the beer was awful, and she flirted shamelessly with you, justifying each fit of reckless teasing by announcing to everyone: “oh, but we’re just friends!” And even though you were invited purely as a symbolic warm body for her ego, you went anyways. Because you’re nice like that.

The nice guys don’t often get credit where credit is due. And perhaps more disturbing, the nice guys don’t seem to get laid as often as they should. And I wish I could logically explain this trend, but I can’t. From what I have observed on campus and what I have learned from talking to friends at other schools and in the workplace, the only conclusion I can form is that many girls are just illogical, manipulative bitches. Many of them claim they just want to date a nice guy, but when presented with such a specimen, they say irrational, confusing things such as “oh, he’s too nice to date” or “he would be a good boyfriend but he’s not for me” or “he already puts up with so much from me, I couldn’t possibly ask him out!” or the most frustrating of all: “no, it would ruin our friendship.” Yet, they continue to lament the lack of datable men in the world, and they expect their too-nice-to-date male friends to sympathize and apologize for the men that are jerks. Sorry, guys, girls like that are beyond my ability to fathom. I can’t figure out why the connection breaks down between what they say (I want a nice guy!) and what they do (I’m going to sleep with this complete ass now!). But one thing I can do, is say that the nice-guy-finishes-last phenomenon doesn’t last forever. There are definitely many girls who grow out of that train of thought and realize they should be dating the nice guys, not taking them for granted. The tricky part is finding those girls, and even trickier, finding the ones that are single.

So, until those girls are found, I propose a toast to all the nice guys. You know who you are, and I know you’re sick of hearing yourself described as ubiquitously nice. But the truth of the matter is, the world needs your patience in the department store, your holding open of doors, your party escorting services, your propensity to be a sucker for a pretty smile. For all the crazy, inane, absurd things you tolerate, for all the situations where you are the faceless, nameless hero, my accolades, my acknowledgement, and my gratitude go out to you. You do have credibility in this society, and your well deserved vindication is coming.

BPOs are now moving to villages

2005-08-23T21:56:00.000+05:00

I read this article by Nelson Vinod Moses on Indian BPOs and makes me feel proud to be an Indian.

Kizhanur is like any other village in Tamil Nadu's Thiruvallur district, surrounded by paddy fields and grazing cows. But look closely at No:1 Sivan Koil street which is awash with a new phenomenon -- a business process outsourcing version of ITC's e-choupal.
Chida Soft is a village BPO, doing coding on legal paper for an US client. It is run by entrepreneur Sharmila, 25, who supervises the Kizhanur franchisee of Lason India, part of the $170 million Lason Inc, US, an end-to-end outsourcing company that has a presence in the healthcare and publishing industries. Sharmila has provided the real estate, while Lason has invested in the hardware and training.

Outsourcing and India: Complete Coverage

The result? One of India's first BPOs in a village that is run by a resident and employs locals. "Other than IT infrastructure, a BPO does not require good roads or houses. All it needs is abundant people," explains Pradeep Nevatia, managing director, Lason.
The initiative termed 'Lason Village BPO' is to be extended to five more locations in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka by the end of 2005.
Most of those employed by Chida Soft have passed class 10 or above. "I have finished my twelfth standard and was doing typewriting. I am doing well here and have the support of my family. In the beginning it was difficult, but now it is alright," says Poongodi P, one of the 10 girls employed here. She gets Rs 2,000 a month, something she wouldn't have dreamed of earlier. She plans to acquire a Bachelor of Arts degree through a correspondence course.
The Kizhanur centre employs 15 people who work in three eight-hour shifts. Their work involves coding, keying in data and auditing legal publishing work. Having undergone a 10-day training programme by the Lason team, the employees have been generating quality levels of over 99 per cent.
The raw data that they receive get converted into coded data, which are then physically taken to Lason as there is no Internet connectivity. The data are coded according to a style sheet, the rules of which have been devised by Lason's tech team in Chennai.
Though legally the centre is not part of Lason, it is an inherent piece of its future growth strategy. It believes that out of the four cost components that bleeds a BPO, the price increase in communication equipment and hardware will continue, something that both the government or the industry cannot contain. However, what is within the industry's reach is controlling the cost of infrastructure and people.
To set up a 50 PC-equipped BPO facility in a city costs upwards of Rs 30 lakh (Rs 3 million). In a village, with low infrastructure investments, the costs are a tenth of this. Also, recruitment, training, transportation and food costs are minimal and the high attrition rates and rampant absenteeism that plague city-based BPOs are conspicuous by their absence.
Another company, which has been bridging the digital divide between urban and rural Indian since 2001 is the Delhi-based Datamation group. As part of a unique private-public partnership, it involves non-government organisations to hire and train a work force from under-privileged sections of society. But unlike Lason, the Datamation group owns and operates all the BPO centres it runs.
"We employ about 40-50 individuals in Kuppam (Andhra Pradesh) and in about five to six villages in Uttar Pradesh. The work is primarily data entry and data processing. The employees may lacking English speaking skills but they make up with their sincerity and desire to learn," says Chetan Sharma, founder of the Datamation group.
The guiding philosophy for the initiative comes from a not-for-profit society called Datamation Foundation Trust, while the commercial end is fronted by the Datamation group.
Datamation has also operated Hewlett-Packard's rural BPO initiative since February 2000. The five to six member team that it has there is expected to grow to about 15 in the next three months. The BPO initiative is part of HP's bigger project called HP i-Community in Kuppam, a community of 320,000 people in four villages.
The i-community project includes tele-medicine, turning rural women into entrepreneurs using digital photography, setting up a public grievance system, an online farming information system, an electronic employment exchange solution, among other things.
But setting up operations in a rural area might prove difficult for most BPOs. Lason is following a decentralised business associate model. A central tech team located at its Chennai office delegates parts of projects to about 60-odd centres in and around Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.
"About two years back we anticipated a need and went to class B towns and developed a site in Pondicherry and Kanchipuram. Some components of the project which call for low skill sets have to be done in villages, or the work will go to China or the Philippines," adds Nevatia.
The central hub in Chennai employs about 1,000 for the core of the outsourcing activities. The rest is distributed across 60 centres employing 5,000 personnel.
"We went to where the employees were coming from and asked our people to manage it. But we found out that it's better to engage entrepreneurs who will invest in the business because the sense of ownership enhances productivity," points out Nevatia.
So while entrepreneurs invest in infrastructure and hardware, Lason takes ownership of the entire hiring process, training and development and remotely manages and monitors the entire proceedings.
To give it a separate identity, entrepreneurs are given the freedom to brand their operations separately, but Lason ensures that the infrastructure and the systems and processes to be followed are standardised. Lason estimates that 30 per cent of the $25 million revenues that it earned in 2004 came from the smaller centres.
Before moving to villages, Lason moved to tier 2 cities three years ago. It currently employs 300 people in Pondicherry and 400 in Kanchipuram. The complexity of the work outsourced to these centres has increased in the past three years, as have quality and productivity levels.
At the moment, Lason Village BPO and Datamation's vision maybe just experiments. But in two years the shift to rural areas may become more of a necessity, as the BPO industry will be embroiled in a grim survival game. Countries like China, Philippines and Poland will try to copy India's low cost, plenty skilled labour BPO model.
All the other IT and ITES companies are still trying to get their tier two city strategy right. It's only a matter of time before they are also bitten by the village bug.

West is getting not Bangalored they are Indianed...
Jai hind

Birds

2005-08-19T21:59:00.000+05:00

Recently, the bird in the above picture , built a nest in my garden. Few days later I realized that it had laid 4 eggs.
It was so amazing to watch these birds. A week or two later all 4 eggs hatched. I tried to take pictures in every stage, but not wanting to disturbs them I did not dare to go close. However, I managed to get some decent snaps, few days later after they grew.

I had to wait (with out moving or making any noise) for like eternity, to get this picture. The mother (I presume) was so cautious, It would fly in and out like 100 times before it came down to feed.

These were shot couple of days before they flew out of their nest.

I wish I was there to capture their first flight.

Rain

2005-08-18T12:40:00.000+05:00

I like to watch the rain
From the train window at night
Gleaming from no where
Joining The flowing complexity
Of wet payment
Of mixing light running
I love to see from blackness a brief spark
The art work of light and night
The rain turns the empty stall
Into a fancy architecture
The house fronts keep their secrets
Their calm mystery .

I wrote this piece while traveling on London Tube couple of years back. It is really funny to think back. At the time I wrote this , it had been close to a year since I landed in London to do my higher studies. It was end of my second semester, whole gang (close to 15) was traveling down to Central London to celebrate . With a whole bunch around me with all the excitement, there I was missing home (India), family and friends. When you are in this state , you tend to observe and you find peace and joy in almost the most simple thing -- like Rain

Eyes

2005-08-17T16:00:00.000+05:00

Look into my eyes you see no pain....You see no happiness ....
For your camara will not capture it...
Listen to my heart...
You will hear what I want to say ....

I took this photograph some where in the Bangalore City Market (to be precise in Flower market). The old man in the picture captured my attention not because of his face but his attitude and the surrounding.... He was sitting in an old Ambi (ambassador) taxi Black and yellow, with a Beddi and had a smile.

For more pics on people vist : http://www.imagestation.com/album/index.html?id=3402380093

Five Point Some one....

2005-08-16T20:57:00.000+05:00

I was reading the book "Five point some one"- by Chetan Bhagat. This book is about 3 friends who join IIT,and from the very first day they start screwing up on every thing.I would say this come close to Dil Chatha hai. Some where in every page that I read, it reminds me about my collage days.

Guys, there is a constant smile on my face when i am reading this book.

Nags (http://thoughtfire.blogspot.com) and Arun, you guys will kill me if i even mention how i relate to the incidents in this book.
Man some where we lost our innocence, in our hurry to make big bucks and run up corporate ladder, we stopped enjoying the simple pleasure of life.
I think we should stop every now and then and smell a flower or just enjoy simple things in life.

What you mean to me

2005-08-15T20:43:00.000+05:00

You are not the air that I breathe,
You are the sweet scent that drifts upon it,
You are not the sounds that I hear,
You are the music of my life,
You are not the food that I need,
You are the nourishment of my soul,
You are not my will to survive,
You are my reason for living.
It is with you that I experience the wonders of the world
It is with you that I triumph over the challenges in my path
It is your partnership that will lead me to the fulfillment of my dreams
It is your friendship that guides me as I grow and learn.