Pharmacy & Cigarette

Only in countries like Indonesia, this kind of rare combination can be seen. This was taken in a super-market named 'Dewata' in Bali I was reminded of the dialogue from 'Thiruvilaiyaadal' (சேர்ந்தும் சேராமல் இருப்பது ?)

Pudumai Pithan (புதுமை பித்தன்), Pulamai Pithan (புலமை பித்தன் )

The former is a writer, critic of needless social rituals, outspoken and known for his short stories, translated works of famous foreign authors. The latter is a movie song lyricist, worked with MSV & Ilayaraja and gave us some of the memorable songs in Thamizh movies. Both are two different personalities and lived during different periods. Wiki mixed up these two especially in the page about Pulamai Pithan (mentioned him as Puthumai Pithan). Thank God, they didn't do this in the page for the other. After reading, for a brief period of time, I was a Pithan (பித்தன்) myself and then realized the typo.

Indian (Suburb) roads and spirituality connection

One aspect that is strikingly evident is the strong connection between the messages conveyed in various spiritual discourses and roads in the suburbs. All religion conveys the message that life is hardships that needs to be experienced and learned; hardships are part & parcel of the package and so one should neither brood over too much nor be over enthusiastic in positive results.

Keeping aside our highways which are mostly laid by private companies, look at the inner city roads laid by the respective corporations - always with pot-holes and thus providing ups & downs. The beautifully laid inner roads will be good for few days or months, but then one can see it turning into bad road in a few months. This also has contribution from other third party sources such as TNEB, BSNL, metro water and so on. I need not explain how bad roads become during rainy days So, if one learns resilience and understands that Indian (inner) roads just help one to discover the link to practical meaning of life, we have mentally prepared ourselves for worst scenario and can never feel frustrated. Only if we get used to positive optimism, we are bound to get dejected.

Amma Mineral Water

Its a known fact that Mineral water bottles contain no mineral. Its like Complan & many other beverage's claim (23 ஊட்ட சத்துக்கள் as one example). The tap water which many of us grown up drinking during schooling & college days (even though they didn't seem hygienic) still didn't cause any great epidemic (or disease or fever for that matter) and we were all hale & healthy and getting immunity built. Then city life changed the style of living and to help water companies grow, govt. started encouraging because no business can run without paying bribe / commission or "அன்பளிப்பு". Rather, If the govt. can provide clean drinking water in corporation kuzhaais (taps) and general water tanks, it would do a whole good thing for the state and the people. By doing this, they are invariably causing plastic waste to be created instead of avoiding plastics. We don't know the materials that go into the making of these plastics as they will be mostly cheap tenders and you-know-who to get the tender.