Nano: The New Auto?

The Nano has hit the roads. And as you can see, it is very close to the Auto. :)

The similarity does not stop at size alone. The costs are comparable; in fact the Nano might even be cheaper to own than an auto-rickshaw. The cheapest Nano costs around Rs. 1,30,000 on road and the auto is not very distant from that figure. So, it might in fact be a better option that a prospective auto wala buys a Nano and runs the Nano as an auto.

On the one hand, you have more comfort; one can sit beside the driver rather than squeezing in "cattle-class" at the back. You have more safety, as there are no open sides or soft tops. More value, as you are protected from rain and paan (and may even have AC if the driver is enterprising enough). Roads where two/three-wheelers are prohibited are no longer a constraint.

On the other hand, they may not be as easy to flag down. Typical auto-navigation (read sudden U-turns) may not be possible because of the larger turning radius, which may be a good thing after all. Carriage of goods/luggage can also be a problem, as autos have a reputation of being able to carry a lot of things which cannot/may not be accommodated into a 'car'.

I do not know about CNG/LPG, but I do not see a significant difference in the fuel efficiency in the two when using normal fuel. The auto is known to give anywhere near 30 kmpl of petrol, while the Nano is said to return around 25 kmpl. A little math is required, perhaps, to work out a pricing model, where the Nano can be a little pricier than the auto, but still cheaper than a regular taxi. In fact, I think if LPG is considered, or for that matter, even diesel, the Nano can still be profitably used with the existing auto tariffs.

If it clicks, we may well see the Nano inherit the traditional black and yellow, hitherto worn proudly by the Auto and the Premier Padmini.

On Independence Day ...

... Orkut does a fine job of giving an Indian motif on its home page. Not quite unexpected, considering that India has one of its largest user base.

PS: And on Diwali, this.

And one more

You know I'm maha impressed with the Swedes, their innovation and the Slow Down Culture.

Here's one more. My good friend Beryle forwards me this. And she's asked me to thank her. (Thanks, Beryle). Before you ask, this is an ad in a Swedish magazine for some job openings in ABB, the automation giant.

It says, "Is your future in Beijing(Chinese script), Västerås(Swedish) or BengaLuru (KannaDa)?"

While we can all take pride in the fact that 'phoren log' did actually make the effort of putting in the name of the city in the language of the land, I cannot help but wonder - what if the idea was put forth by a kannaDiga, working away in an outsourced office in BengaLuru. :D

Being an also-ran

When I read about Mysore having its own half-marathon for Dasara, I gave myself a big high-five. About time, too, I thought. Having enjoyed running in the Hutch Pune Half Marathon, I proceeded to read about how the event was and the route covered. Sadly though, the event seemed to have fallen flat on its face.

The saddest thing is that there seems to have been no overseeing at all. Supervision seemed to have been removed from the agenda altogether. Take this - Mysore Marathan. First I thought some Maharashtrian runner must have given himself a name - "Mysore Maratha", but no, this really was the runner badge of the Mysore Marathon. And this in spite of sponsorship.

To top this, Star Of Mysore reports, "But unfortunately for the participants in this morning's half marathon such arrangements were not made, the traffic was not controlled in a proper manner and the marathon runners seemed disoriented. Some of the runners were almost knocked down by autos and cars that were overtaking from the wrong side. Some runners were confused as to which road they must take at certain junctions as the proper personnel
were not present to direct them."

(pic on left courtesy Star of Mysore)

I ask, what were the vehicles doing in the marathon lane :O Where was the police? You don't see the vehicles, say, when Devegowda passes through the city, do you?

While I agree it is very premature to compare it with the Pune International Marathon, the least the people-in-charge could have done is to get someone to go over the checklist. This is the time when the spotlight is on Mysore, when the world is looking at Mysore, when it is the cynosure of all eyes. When you organise events under a banner as grand as Mysooru Dasara, you just can't afford to go SO WRONG.

Events like this will not ensure Mysore the podium finish it deserves. It will at best, be an also-ran. I just hope visitors to Mysore don't base their opinion of the Dasara on this enormous faux pas.

Bliss

Last Sunday was a treat in itself.

If you discount the sole exception of Khushi, Mungaru maLe was the first KannaDa movie I watched in a theatre, after say 15 years. NanjunDi KalyaNa, starring Malasri and Raghavendra Rajkumar, was the last. I am quite critical when it comes to KannaDa cinema - chiefly because there is a lack of originality - most of the so-called hits in KannaDa cine world are usually remakes of other hits in Tamil and Telugu film industries. Agreed that there is no dearth of classic films like Nammoora Mandara Hoove, Amruthavarshini and America America, but a great majority of Kannada films are just chaff, with below par stories, loose direction and poor acting. Anyway, debates will never cease if I choose to dwell on that.

All I have to say is that I enjoyed Mungaru MaLe immensely. And the 45 minutes travel from Milton Keynes to Southall, London, having spent almost three times the ticket money on the travel, was redeemed in full. It was the first time in 4-5 months that I encountered so many people speaking KannaDa. So much so, that we had to consciously make an effort not to spring up any expletives, because otherwise, the kannaDa we speak at our bachelor pad is the one mothers tell their young children to avoid.

Apart from the movie, the other high point of Sunday was the food. I enjoyed an unlimited breakfast at Chennai Dosa. For three pounds and a half, you get unlimited helpings of idlis, uppittu, and pongal, followed by a dosa item of your choice AND a poori item. All of this packed in and followed up by a cup of rich filter coffee. Burp!!! And of course, pani-puri, and rasmalai at a Punjabi do at Southall. It is because of this reason, and this alone, that I am content, and not swearing abuses at her for time and again rambling about delectable Indian food. :-)

And unless something more interesting happens, the next few posts will be of the holiday in Belgium and Netherlands. The 2300 odd photos from all the four cameras are sorted and ready. Anyone offering free prints, please???

Update: The screening was courtesy the Europe Kannada Sangha. Its still a fledgling, but shows a lot of promise, judging by the Ugadi celebrations and the movie screening. Last heard, there was still a waiting list of 100-150 kannaDigas, eager to see the movie, but lacking a screen. The sangha has an orkut community here and a new blog here.

Update 2: The movie screening was carried by a kannaDa newspaper. :)

And here is a video of the most famous dialogue of the movie.

Mysore and Me

Adi publishes my comment on Anu's post here. Thanks a ton, Adi, you have spared me of converting yet another comment of mine into a post.

Anu wrote this at a time where I had made it a point that I will not convert my post-length comments on others' blogs into posts on my own blog. And as much as I wanted to write about Mysore and my love for it, I stopped myself. I would still have written about it, another day, but then, it would not have been verbatim.

So go ahead, and read all about my love for Mysore, here and here.

Viky avarinda modalane ardhashataka...

Ok, this is my fiftieth post here. In order to make it special, this is in vernacular.

eega kelawu dina keLage, nanu nanna friend na keLde..."Enappa samachara bengaLooru hegide?". awa reply maaDida "Lo Viky, bengaLooru poorti kelawu jeevanada sathyagaLu rounDu hoDitaide".

nanu shake aade...yoonu yavaglinda jeevana, tatva anta hoda anta...amele mail bantu...

jeevanada sathyagaLu : aagatto? aagalvo?

1. bus hodre bus sTanDu alle irutte, adre cycle hodre, sTanDu jotege hogatte.
2. neenu bussalli hattidru, bussu ninmele hattidru, ticket thagoLodu neene.
3. ticket thagonDu oLage hogodu 'cinema theatre', oLage hogi ticket thagoLodu 'operation theatre'.
4. cellnalli BALANCE illa andre CALL maDakke agalla, manushyange CALL illa andre BALANCE maDakke agalla.
5. train eshTe faaaasTagi hodru, kone bogie barodu konegene.
6. cream biscuit madhya cream iratte, adre beNNe biscuit madhya beNNe iratta?
7. naayige naalakku kaale irabahudu, adre adikke kaal mele kaalu haki koothkoLakke agatta?
8. soLLe kachchidre 'aane kaalu' barutte...adre aane kachchdre 'soLLe kaalu' barutta?
9. hattu iruve seri ondu aane na kachbahudu...aadre hattu aane seri ondu iruve na kachchake agatta?

adu haage irli biDi, nange idella sumaru SMSgaLu bantu....along with 'suryange torcha?', 'saraswatige tuitionna?' thara messages. ella odi sumaru maja bantu...adre yelladikkintha maja bandiddu namma AYHAY dialogue gaLalli....(AYHAY anta nanna roomie, ille pune li biddu vaddaDtidda, eega London nalli Thames neeralli snana maDtane...bere nu eno maDtane, adre adirli)

hmm, onsala ayhay sakkat chaLi li walking hogidnante. thara-thara naDugiso chaLi li avanige allello dooradalli ondu bajji-gaDi kaaNtu. "ohoho" ankonDu ayhay gaaDi kaDe hoda....eNNe banDli pakka meNsinkai, baLekai aloogeDDe ella bajji ittu...
ayhay - "saar, bisi en ide?"
bajji-awa - "saar, takshNakke, eNNe bisi ide".

ayhay alle flaatu.

onsala aytalla, sumne irbeku taane. illa. huDuk-buddhi elli hogatte? hoda namma krishna bakery kaDe ge. shelf nalli line agi jentuppada bottle iTTiddru. togobekagiddu one pound breaddu. taleharTege keLda -
ayhay - "saar, jentuppaddu bottle eshTu beeLatte?"
bakery-awa - "en saar heege keLtira? beeLsidre ella beeLatte."

hangandidde taDa, breaddu etkonDu oDu...

Sadly, inonsolpa "gems" collect maDoNa anno ashtralli London ge relocate agbiTTidane...irli...en barode ilwa? bandre mataDode ilwa? awanu mataDidmele innenu...avnu heLodu hechcho, nanu illi bariyodu hechcho?

PS: title nalli modalanedu yake andre nanu eraDu mooru kaDe baritini....God willing, and Me willing, nanu allu on fifty hoDitini....

Homecoming

She was waiting for him. It had been long since he had passed her way, by visiting or otherwise. Her love had accumulated over time, and was threatening to spill from her eyes. Longing was taking a toll on her. Then he came. Like a wayward son returning home, he came into her folds, and her brimming love broke all restraint and out came the tears, like a torrential deluge, as she welcomed him back.

I reached Mysore today. And three days of overcast clouds rained in all their splendour.

Salvation...Liberty...Moksha

karmoDa maLeyagi suridaga, kaNNa hanige mukti

marada hakki mari rekke beesidare, adara garige mukti

yadeya novu haaDagi hommidare bhaavakke bandhamukti

endu aadevu naavu mukta mukta mukta...?

The opening lines of a popular kannaDa TV serial MUKTA, these lines have so much meaning in them that I keep going back to them again and again. Especially nowadays.

karmoDa maLeyagi suridaga, kaNNa hanige mukti

when the black clouds descend as droplets of rain, it meets the tear-drop in the eye, and thus the tear-drop attains salvation.

marada hakki mari rekke beesidare, adara garige mukti

when the young bird on the tree, flutters its wings and flies, the branch which supported it hitherto, attains salvation.

yadeya novu haaDagi hommidare bhaavakke bandhamukti

when the pain in the heart, bursts out as a song, the 'thought' behind the pain attains salvation.

endu aadevu naavu mukta mukta mukta...?

on what fortunate day do we attain salvation?