kannaDammana makkaLu.

Place: A mobile service center in Bangalore.

Me: Hello, nann mobilalli virus ide. tannashTakke message kaLsoke try maaDatte. Swalpa noDteera? (Hello, my mobile has a virus. Tries to send message on its own. Can you please take a look?)

Guy: Oh is it? there is no virus in it. Pressing menu key doesn't show a folder.

Me: Houda?.. naanu memory cardanna format maaDideeni. aadroo aa message bartaane iratte. (Is it? I formatted the memory card. Still I find that message showing up).

Guy: Then there must be a problem in phone memory only. You'll have to format the phone memory.

Me: Houda? yeshTaagbahudu?

Guy: two hundred rupees.

Just then, another guy comes with a soiled dress and a mobile in his hand.

another guy: saar, ninne mobile koTTidnalla repaerige. aagidya?
Guy: yaavdappa? ade 1100na? innerd gante bittkondu baa. swalpa late aagatte.

nAne kannaDa mAtADuvAga avnige kannaDa gothhiddoo English yake mAtADida ? idanna kannaDadavra atithi sathkaarada parAkAshTe anlo? alla nanna mukhada mele barediruva Anglabhaasheya chaaye anlo? )

(What made him speak English with me when I myself started in Kannada? Should I call it the hights of accommodating behavior of KannaDigas? or should I take it as the shade of English written on my face?)

Fact from a recent UN study: Kannada stands at place 28 when it comes to the list of languages which are on the verge of getting extinct.

Pocono Mountains trip...

This was done way back in June 2005. While browsing the photographs, found some of them.. so thought of sharing them. Pocono (pronounced Pokeno) mountains are a range of small mountains, with well laid roads through the woods. Thanks to Raja, Prameetha and Mukund for some of the photos. Comments about fotos just below them.. Shilpa, Prameetha, me and Raja are featured in this first foto. Mukund is behind the lens. Enjoy!

There are trails all along and you can stop the car, walk around, take pictures and even fish if u have the gear. One such thing above, though not complete with concrete trails. But we walked there and there is a trail now.. :D
There was a beautiful lake on the way, and a small deli (restaurant). It was some sort of live post card for us. Clean waters, green acres and blue skies... and not a electric pole in sight.. whoa..
One more from the same location.. this time with all of us..

There are camping sites and the place gives a real look and feel of being in the jungle, amidst nature. There are some private lakes and jungles too. There are lots of scenic spots along the way and you can chill out in the nature...




This one was on our way back, I guess on I-80. I hope the winding roads are visible in the blinding sun. This was just about a sunset time. Just love the greenery in NJ.
Another post card about 500-1000 ft above sea level... One of the most memorable pictures in my life.
We just stopped the car again near a creek and walked towards the wood. The waters are so clean you can even use it as a mirror.

One more of the trails. This time a top view...

This is all the pictures that I have. I wish I had the time to put all the pictures from my memory.. :P.. not that I have a photographic memory.