For the love and memories of Belfast . . .

 It's not quite often that you find a series that you might never notice otherwise if not for the striking name which has wonderful memories for you. How to get to Heaven from Belfast, a series streaming on Netflix caught my attention with the name Belfast. I along with two other research scholars had an opportunity to visit Queens' University, Belfast, Northern Ireland in the summer of 2010 as exchange students while we were doing our Ph. D. It was a lovely six-week programme where we interacted with many scholars, visited historical sites and generally soaked in the ambience of Belfast and some nearby places. We fell in love with the accent and the wry and straight faced Irish humour! We also observed many cultural nuances of the Irish and their strong community ties. Overall, it was a lovely experience. 

Now cutting back to the present . . .

Imagine my delight when while browsing through Netflix, I happened to see the word 'Belfast' - my mind immediately raced through the beautiful weeks of 2010. I started watching the series and discovered that it was a dark comedy thriller which was liberally sprinkled with Irish humour and local flavours of Belfast and nearby places. Listening to the accent was something that I enjoyed alongside the dark storyline of four friends, now three, attending the wake of the fourth friend. Until the fourth of fifth episode, one never actually catches the storyline but once you do so, it all perfectly aligns! in spite of the theme being quite dark and serious, the series is touted as a comedy series and so it is! I missed all my friends in Belfast and connected to some of them after watching the series. 

From 2010 to 2026, the memories and fun that Belfast had given me lights up my heart and mind and truly the series enabled me to revel in the wee time that we had spent in Northern Ireland!

Image courtesy: Internet

Will I ever be able to write a letter?

 For a while, after the colonisation of emails, WhatsApp and the like, I tried my best to write and receive letters. I did that for a while knowing fully well that I was trying to fight for something of the past that used to once fill me with joy. Some of the ways I did this was trying to write to friends and coaxing a reply out of them, passing notes in books and attempting hand-written notes whenever I could manage. As the colonisation spread rapidly, I was also affected. I stopped writing letters while still romanticising them and trying to act like a 'Save Letter-writing' warrior. Though I was still reminiscing letters and coaxing people to write letters to me, I did not write them. Whenever my mom sent any parcel from Chennai, she used to send some hand written notes of love and care; Sometimes my sister would also chip in few lines or write a paragraph. The note always made the cockles of my heart warm and goey with love. 

I reconciled to the fact that save these notes, there won't be any letters in the future. But I make sure that I talk about the joy of letter-writing to everyone and sundry and make them yearn for something they don't even know (referring to my students who have never written any letters ever). I feel fortunate that I was given this pleasure and that I experienced to the fullest possible in diverse ways - through pen friends across the globe, post-crossing, letters to students/friends/strangers who promised letters and so on. I still possess some of the letters and time to time read them not for its contents but for the warm feeling of something that used to exist but has passed away.

Recently, I watched a film, The Six Triple Eight on Netflix which was a drama based on the first all-black, all-female battalion in World War II. They had the formidable task of delivering 17 million pieces of mail in two months. Watching the film, my nostalgia for letters was triggered making me teary and longing for those days of yore when there were no emails and WhatsApp to convey messages. How those days kept us grounded yet anxious without making us restless. Well, the film was a lovely one where the joy of receiving mail after ages made the soldiers yelp with joy and tears. 

Two weeks ago, I tried coaxing someone who I met in a book group to write to me whenever they send me books. They agreed but doing something out of the blue is something that does not come easily for us and so I (the eternal optimist) have still not given up though the realists would thrash my hopes of getting a letter by post.

What are your thoughts on my hopes of getting/writing a letter?

An ode to Wikipedia

When we began our research, the first writing advice given by my supervisor then was that we should not quote/cite from Wikipedia. His reason was that since it was something where anyone could edit the content, the authenticity was questionable. That was impressed upon my mind and I gave the same advice to my students. I altered my stand a bit and told them that they could start off reading their basic information from Wikipedia and then follow it up with the references given on the same page towards the end. Of course they love their Wikipedia and the depth of information it offers and I cannot but accept that fact. Wikipedia is easy, basic and comprehensive and quite useful for a beginner who is seeking information on any topic. But the copyleft philosophy of the website is something that is quite impressive - free for all to edit, contribute and use.

Piqued by curiosity on being a Wikipedia editor, I signed to become an editor and voila! the process was quite an easy one. I began editing content and then realised that one cannot be frivolous about the additions and deletions. Since the content is out there for everyone to read and cite, there is a greater responsibility associated with the same, I concurred.

But this present post is a dedication of love to Wikipedia for certain pet peeves of mine. Here it goes: In the recent years, say five years or so, the availability of films on various platforms has been mushrooming at a quicker pace and these have enabled people like me to access many films which were hitherto inaccessible. While I watch these films, mid-way I pause and quickly change the tab to Wikipedia and read the entire plot of the film. I know that this dampens the thrill of watching the plot unfold but not for me. I know the plot but like to watch how it has been handled by the director. And here, Wikipedia is something that succinctly provides the content for me - Not IMDB which is limited in content but good in rating; not the reviews which are mostly one-sided and not useful to know the storyline. But Wikipedia gives out the spoilers and the other sundry stuff which is quite interesting to read and is a separate thrill altogether.

Well, so I am armed with the exact storyline possessing full knowledge of the killer, the twists and other giveaways and I watch the film - with the same intensity if I were watching without knowing the storyline. And , Wikipedia has always been my faithful ally except in some cases where the information furnished is short and just a peek into the plot.

Well, Wikipedia is definitely the go-to place for me when it comes to reading film's storylines and spoilers.

Raising a toast to the humble Wiki and here's to many more Spoiler Alerts!

All images are from Wikipedia - the copyleft website!

Orange is the new . . . return to boredom

This post is part of the Chennai Bloggers Club's CBC VIBGYOR BLOG TAG 2 where some of us will write a post on the colours of VIBGYOR each day starting 1st of May to the 7th of May, 2020.

The colour theme for today's post is Orange. 


The colour Orange invariably, of late, reminds me of the series, 'Orange is the new Black.' It was quite a hyped series which streams on Netflix. I saw a few seasons until I became quite bored of the episodes. Series appeal to me in the initial few seasons but after a certain point, I tend to give up. Netflix still reminds me to complete the series but I do not think that I would. It was for the same reason that I gave up on 'LOST,' another gripping series which kept me engaged for quite some time. And then dead people started reappearing in different timelines and I was thoroughly distracted, pausing now and then to view other tabs. But I must say that these series momentarily take your mind off certain aspects of life that you wish to temporarily forget.

'LOST' was a case like that for me. I was undergoing some crazy situations which troubled and stole my peace of mind. 'LOST' found me and made me lose my pain - It was a drug that I willingly administered to myself without the guilt of time and work. I was on long leave and could indulge myself how much ever I had willed. But then things began getting better and 'LOST' became a slow drag that I started avoiding. Now even Netflix has taken it off air.


Coming back to 'Orange is the new Black,' it tells the story of a woman named Piper who goes to jail for possessing drugs and the series is about her experience in prison with diverse inmates who are both crazy and wild. It is easy to get caught in their travails and motions of life and for some time, I was a voyeur to their lives. Then slowly the episodes started getting the better of me. The same lesbian-drugs-power-politics-affairs-scandals and so on started doing the rounds and I gave up. I must say that I'm in great awe of everyone who has the will to complete the series that they start watching. I could complete only series with limited episodes such as 'Sex Education,' 'YOU,' 'Lust Stories' and 'Four More Shots Please.' I, of course did not much enjoy 'Four More . . .' nevertheless I completed it because it was short.

Please do visit the blogs of Kaushik, Clement, Kumutha and Pratip who are also
participants of the #CBCVIBGYORBLOGTAG2.

RASPUTIN and his shenanigans

Ra Ra Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen
There was a cat that really was gone
Ra ra Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
It was a shame how he carried on

~ Boney M

My introduction to Rasputin was through the popular pop group Boney M. I liked the ring of the tune especially, "Ra Ra Rasputin . . ." The lyrics were equally tantalising, "Lover of the Russian Queen." But then when one is in her rambunctious teens, the truth behind the lyrics is not given much thought. But the song stayed on in the mind and the Bible I used to read those days had an introduction to the books of the Bible; I think it was in a short introduction to the book of Proverbs, that I again came across the name Rasputin as an example of a misleading counselor of the Romanav dynasty. 

Those days there was no Wikipedia or Google to fall back upon and hence the curiosity remained unquenchable. Forgotten. 

Then Netflix happened and it was screening, The Last Czars and in passing I heard the name Rasputin in the trailer! Boy, was I excited! I was quite elated. And then I began watching the bloody history of Nicholas, the last monarch of Russia before Communism took over. But Rasputin, the notorious monk was the one who stole the series and of course, the history of Russia as well. He was a sensual monk given to hedonistic pleasures and loved sex, orgies and women. According to him, sex was purging oneself out of the sins and hence advocated free sex and pleasures of the body - a Russian version of Osho, if I may say! 

His spell over the royal family - the King and the Queen is notable because he comes to their palace as a healer of the only son - the heir to the dynasty who was suffering from Hemophilia, which was kept a secret from the extended family and the country since the heir could not be a sick person. 

Rasputin had charisma, style and a mesmerising quality that made women swoon over him and like it always happens, the women were the ones who made him popular. He was a monk unlike any stereotypical monk and knew how to force his way anywhere he wanted.

Alas! Along with followers, he also had several enemies and was assassinated by one of the members of the royal household, which did not come as a surprise. But he did live the grand sensual life which was the envy of many.

So, the interest kindled by Boney M came a full circle via Netflix and that was a satisfying feeling.

History, is interesting, I learned quite late in life.