RANDOM THOUGHTS

      AADI  POORAM IN CANADA  _ 2025  THE TEMPLE AND THE RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES ASOCIATED WITH IT NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE ME IN CANADA . ONE REASON COULD BE THE PRESENCE OF A LARGE INDIAN DIASPORA AND THEIR DESIRE TO STAY CONNECTED TO THEIR ROOTS . A CHUNK OF SRILANKAN TAMILS WHO HAVE MADE IT THEIR HOME HERE ALSO CONTRIBUTE IN A LARGE MEASURE TO THIS . AADI POORAM CELEBRATIONS WERE ON A GRAND SCALE WITH THE AMMAN ALANGAARAM AND THE  NADASWARAM MUSIC TO GO WITH IT ADDING A DISTINCT FEEL AND AN AT HOME ATMOSPHERE  . ONE GOT A FEEL OF  MYLAPORE , MAMBALAM OR WHY EVEN RAVANASAMUDRAM  AT THE SIGHT OF THE LADIES IN MADISAAR AND OTHER ACCESSORIES TO GO WITH IT . THIS THOUGH  WAS AT SCARBOROUGH IN TORONTO . NO LESS ENCHANTING WAS THE GARUDA PANCHAMI KOLAM AND DECORATIONS AT THE SHRI RAGHAVENDRA TEMPLE IN GEORGETOWN NEAR BRAMPTON. One does hear unconfirmed reports of many of our Religious Places of Worship being used for other purposes back home ...

                  4 x 4 RUBIK MAGIC  The 4 x 4 Rubik Cube which I had bought at the Nilgiris Mall at Vadapalani just before leaving for Canada  purely as an afterthought came in very handy to pass the time .  Time was a commodity which I had in plenty after dropping off my Grandkid at the Preschool .  4 x 4 proved to be even tougher than the 3 x 3 and that too many times over ,  as this now  involved putting the  96 Peices in their correct Six Colour location as against the previous  54 Peices .  Hours of going into various online Tutorials in English Hindi and Tamil did add to more Confusion than help .  Reduction Method and Row by Row Methods cited in the Tutorial as two different ways to solve the Cube were of hardly any help , the Tutorial in Tamil by SATHIYA though  was a huge help . God Bless Her . Even as I was getting to know the hang of the thing ; the cube in hand accidently...

  FIRST TIME IN A NEW CONTINENT  !! Due to a very short time for our Airline Reservations , we chose the Ethiopian Airways as our Travel Partner from Chennai to Toronto .  CHENNAI - ADDIS ABABA - ROME - TORONTO  had quite a few things going against it . Nearly 5 hours of longer journey time due to the 10 Hour Transit at Addis Ababa . Being the first time that we were setting foot on the African Soil had its own totally unwanted but hidden fears .  Fears about Ethiopian Airways and Addis Ababa were totally misconceived . Chennai to Addis Ababa had only the two of us for a space of three , food was not bad . Addis Ababa is quite a big Airport with all the features of a Premium Airport anywhere else in the World . Ethiopian Airways in fact provided us with free accommodations and Dinner Coupons inside the City for our 10 hour transit . We however chose not to make use of the same for obvious reasons  Contrary to my imagination of a very hot stay of 10 hours at...

  3 STUDENTS KILLED AS TRAIN HITS SCHOOL          VAN NEAR CUDDALORE .  This mishap which killed 3 Students comes as a shock to everyone . Young lives lost due to totally unforeseen circumstances is a tragedy which we as Citizens should be seriously concerned and worried . All Our sympathies are with the parents and friends of those who have lost their near and dear ones and also to those who got injured in this accident .  The Headlines in the The Times Of India Newspaper  “ THREE STUDENTS KILLED AS TRAIN HITS SCHOOL VAN NEAR CUDDALORE “                      Made the reading highly controversial . Is it incumbent on the TRAIN PILOT in control of the Train travelling at near 100 KMPH to spot a School Van crossing a level Crossing without the Gate being closed and  to stop and prevent an Accident OR is it the Primary Duty of the School Van Driver to follow the Most Basic Road Rule of ...