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ಅಣ್ಣಾವ್ರು ಇದ್ದಿದ್ರೆ ಹೀಗಂದಿರೌರು.

ಮುತ್ತಿನಂಥ ಮಾತೊಂದು ಗೊತ್ತೇನಮ್ಮ
ನಿನಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತೇನಮ್ಮ
ನಾವು ಒಂದು ದಿನಕೆ
ಒಂದೇ ಪೋಸ್ಟು ಮಾಡಬೇಕು
ಲೈಕು ನೂರು ಇದ್ದರೂ
ಕಾಮೆಂಟ್ ಮಾತ್ರ
ಮೂರು ಸಾಕು.

Ancient Theater in Greece.

I had read that theater originated in Greece as early as in the 5th century BC. Thespis was the first person ever to appear on stage as an actor playing a character in a play (leading to actors being called Thespians). Euripides, Aeschylus and Sophocles are three ancient Greek tragedians from that period whose plays have survived. Antigone, Oedipus Rex and Medea are some of their pioneering works. They would play these 'Greek Tragedies' on the slopes of hills watched by thousands of viewers. It was nice to imagine being there when they performed these plays.

Last summer I got the opportunity to visit one such place. This is the picture of the ancient theater located on the slopes of the mountains in Delphi, Greece, It was originally built in the 4th century BC.

It is a mesmerizing experience to stand and walk in the place where theater originated more than 2000 years ago. The occasion of 'World Theater Day' brought back this memory.

Dostalgia

Yesterday my friend Vinay posted on FB asking where in the Bay area he can find set dosey similar to what we get in Bengaluru. That reminded me of my NCC parades on Saturday and Sunday mornings during my Pre University College days back in Bengaluru. In my College days I was a cadet in Armored Corps. I would go off to Malleswaram 18th Cross grounds early in the morning to take part in a 4 hour tiring NCC parade which involved march-pasts, standing in ATTENTION and once in a while the drill sergeant would order 'Stand at ease'.

After all the grilling NCC drill, they would give us a coupon for Rs 1.80 for 'New Krishna Cafe' at the intersection of 17th cross and 8th Main in Malleswaram - very close to MES college.

So walking back home from the parade ground I would stop at Sri Krishna Cafe. What could I get for Rs 1.80? As it turns out we could order a 'set dosey' with three thick porous Doseys for Rs 1.80. I would tell the 'hotel' clerk "set dosey. Parcel !! " .

The high light was that they would wrap the 3 Doseys in two layers of banana leaves with - get this - a generous serving of the most delicious gaTTi chutney (Thick Chutney) between the 2 banana leaves. Those banana leaves enhanced the taste of the Dosey and the Chutney by 200%.

I could not wait to go home and unwrap this dosey packet. The bliss of eating it made the 4 hour drill in the morning on an empty stomach and the 30 minute walk back home well worth the effort.

ನಿವೇದನೆ..

ಗುಲಾಬಿ ಪರಿಮಳ ಆಸ್ವಾದಿಸುವಾಗ ಮೂಗು ತರಚುವ ಮುಳ್ಳು,

ಸವಿರುಚಿಯ ನಡುವೆ ನಾಲಿಗೆ ಗೀಚುವ ಕಂಟಕ ಪೈನಾಪಲ್ನಲ್ಲೂ!

ಹೇ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಕರ್ತ, ಇದು ಯಾವ ರೀತಿಯ ತರ್ಕ?

ಇನ್ನು ಮುಂದಾದರೂ, ಸಕಲ ಜೀವರಾಶಿಯ ಸೃಜಿಸುವ ಮುನ್ನನಮ್ಮನ್ನೂ ಒಂದು ಮಾತು ಕೇಳುವುದು ಚೆನ್ನ

The Wire

A decade late to the game, I started watching HBO's 'The Wire' a few months back. It took me a couple of months to finish the 60 episode series. But it was well worth it. The first season started off as a police procedural which takes on the drug traffickers in the city of Baltimore in Maryland. It involved the cops trying to bring down drug dealers in the high rise projects of Baltimore. I thought the whole series was about drug dealers. But the show turned out to be more ambitious than that. It takes the lid off of the city of Baltimore and lays bare in elaborate detail the forces that makes the city what it is including law enforcement, poverty and life of crime, politics, education system, the working class of the city - all with the backdrop of the drug trade especially in the poorer and broken neighborhoods of the city. The show is engrossing and thrilling. I have been asked how it compares with Breaking Bad. Even though Breaking Bad was very exciting, it has many situations which are sometimes beyond the limits of plausibility. The Wire is an absolutely realistic portrayal of many walks of life but they are all within the realms of possibility. Even though it is the story of Baltimore, many critics have raved that it captures essence of any big city in the USA.

There is a big cast of interesting characters played to perfection by the actors. Snoop, Bubbles, Carcetti, Lester, Stinger are just a few of the unforgettable characters.

It is being touted 'The best show ever'. It is not an exaggeration.

ಅಣ್ಣಾವ್ರಿಗೆ ಅಲರ್ಜಿ

ಅಣ್ಣಾವ್ರಿಗೆ ಅಲರ್ಜಿ

ಈಗ ನಮ್ಮೂರಲ್ಲಿ ಅಲರ್ಜಿ ಸೀಜನ್ನು. ಹೀಗಿರಲು ನನ್ನ ಸ್ನೇಹಿತ ವಿನಯ್, ವರನಟ, ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರ ಕಣ್ಮಣಿ, ಅಣ್ಣಾವ್ರಿಗೇನಾದ್ರು ಅಲರ್ಜಿ ಆಗಿದ್ರೆ ಹೇಗಿರುತ್ತಿತ್ತು ಅಂತ ವಿಚಾರ ತೆಗೆದ್ರು. ಅ ಪ್ರೇರಣೆಯಿಂದ, 'ಎಲ್ಲೆಲ್ಲಿ ನೋಡಲಿ ಅಕ್ಷೀ ಎನ್ನುತ್ತಿರುವ ಸೀನನ್ನೆ ಕಾಣುವೆ' ಅನಿಸುವ ಈ ವಾತಾವರಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಮೂಡಿದ ಈ ಕಲ್ಪನೆ, ಅಭಿಮಾನಿ ದೇವರುಗಳಿಗೆ ಅರ್ಪಿತ .....

ಬಬ್ರುವಾಹನ: ಏನು ಪಾರ್ಥ, ಆಂ... ಹೆಹೆ, ಕೆಂಗಣ್ಣಿನಿಂದ ಕೆಕ್ಕರಿಸಿ ನೋಡಿ ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಗೆಲ್ಲಲಾರೆ...ಅಲರ್ಜಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಶರಣಾದ ನಿನಗೆ ಆ ಶಕ್ತಿ ಇನ್ನಿಲ್ಲ.

ಅರ್ಜುನ: ಮದಾಂಧ! ವಸಂತ ಕಾಲ ಬಂದಾಗ ಪರಾಗ ಸ್ಪರ್ಷವಾಗಲೇ ಬೇಕು, ಕಣ್ಣು ಕೆಂಪಾಗಲೇ ಬೇಕು ಎಂದು ತಿಳಿಯದ ಮೂರ್ಖ. ಅತಲ, ವಿತಲ, ಸುತಲ, ತಲಾತಲ, ರಸಾತಲ, ಮಹಾತಲ, ಪಾತಾಳ ಲೋಕಗಳಲಿ ಅಲರ್ಜಿಗಳ ಸದೆಬಡಿದ ಈ ಅರ್ಜುನನ ನಾಸಿಕ ಬಲದ ಪರಾಕ್ರಮ ನಿನಗೇನು ತಿಳಿದಿದೆಯೋ

ಬ: ಅಹ್ಹಹ್ಹಹ್ಹ ... ಯಾರು ತಿಳಿಯರು ನಿನ್ನ ನಾಸಿಕಬಲದ ಪರಾಕ್ರಮಾ. ಆ ಆ ಆ ಆ

ಚೈತ್ರದೋಳ್ ಆರ್ಜಿಸಿದ ಆ ನಿನ್ನ ಅಲರ್ಜಿಗಳ ಗೆದ್ದ ಮರ್ಮ..ಆಂ ಆಂ

ಎಲ್ಲದಕೂ ಕಾರಣವೂ ಫ್ರೀ ಕ್ಲಾರಿಟಿನ್ ಪರಮಾತ್ಮ......

ಹಗಲೆರಡು ಇರುಳೆರಡು ಗುಳಿಗೆಗಳು ಮೇ ಸೇರಿ

ನೆಮ್ಮದಿ ತಂದಿತ್ತ ಆ ಮದ್ದು ನಂದನ

ಅದಿಲ್ಲದೇ ಬಂದ ನೀನು ಒಂಟಿ ಸೀನಿಗೆ ಸಮಾನ ಆಂ ಆಂ ಆಂ