Sudu sumbat, kaingeh mampat - Don't drink & dream on streets

Kudi, kudiyai kedukkum - that's a phrase that we are all familiar. While consuming alcohol is a personal choice/matter, the result after excessive drinking session can sometime create public nuisance. Many times, while walking along the city corridors, we come across people from our community sleeping on the walkway, usually after heavy drinking sessions.

Its shameful to see people from all walks of life showing their disgust at our community, when these sort of drunkards found lying in the middle of the corridor, even in daytime. No one seems to be bothered, in fact we all think, why we should be bothered anyway.

Probably, the next time we see any of them slumbering under the sweltering sun on walkways, we should get ice cold water in a plastic bag and smash it on their face, walk away before he sees you ;)

Territory marking by non-animals (number ottings & promotings)

[Disclaimer : this article is not to offend anyone, I wrote because I'm offended by ugly graffiti tak menjadi]

Sunday noon, not much to do, camera and bike key in hand. Took a quick 15 minutes ride around the (used to be notoriously) famous Air Panas / Hot Spring, Setapak. 

This place was marked as 'Black Area' in the 80's and early 90's due to rampant crime and gangsterism cases. When a large number of residents were evicted and placed in many highrise flats around KL, this place begin to feel safer, with less number of gang activities. In the 2000s, a number of public housing projects brought back large number of residents to Setapak.

With that, there's re-birth of gang activities, only this time by a larger group of 'kuchi brats' with spray can running around in EX5 bike like rabid dogs, with petrol filled using pocket money 'donated' by parents. Majority of these brats are in the age region between 14-25, sometimes include '7 donkey aged' (ezhu kaluthai vayasu) youth around 30s. Anyway, most of them wouldn't be able to contribute any tax money due to their pay grade. But, 'bantha-ku mattum koreichal hair irukathu'. 

Young idiots think that, if they have a number, they become gangster. Yes, there are larger (organized) group of gangster that used the numbers, but they don't go around town flashing placard claiming they are gangsters. It would be like walking around with this:

In just 15 minutes of ride around the 1KM radius from Jalan Air Panas, we can witness the creative ideas of marking territory by these so called 'gangsters'. Initially you might not suspect the markings on the walls, sign boards and longkangs as gang sign, but after seeing many such badly painted signs, you'll knock your head on the nearby fire hydrant, thinking why they're doing this. Let's look at the pics :

Common word used : TOP

 Someone didn't think its lucky number

Bigger 0, 8 inside .. wow

 then comes this number, obviously another team crossed them out

 this lift is proudly sponsored by 36 team.

they can't seem to make up their mind : 36? 360? 306? ennadah solleh varinggeh?

when they spray 36, we spray 08 .. alamak silap, now looks like 0XX8!

rival teams taking over large signboards, conclusion: they are not tall enough

TOP means what? on top of what? below got what? what what what??

 more crossing out

 this is creative spraying, masking number 36, so it look 08. Looks B8 lah!

 another creative idea.

 then comes, design convergence .. wow 24 in single stroke!! add Hidup. Then mati dalam lokap?

Finally, combi of number & shape. 91?

Don't forget, modifying the the Sanskrit Ohm into 36
(image from cumidanciki.com)

After seeing all this, it looks like our teen gangs are following the territory marking behavior of animals:

 normal marking

karat marking

murattu marking!

Teens who are just growing mustache and pubic hair now must belong to any numbered gang. Then they can proudly go around saying, "nambe number machi, hidup" reply, "ama machi nambe number than top". Then they draw numbers on books, school furniture, wall etc. Then they become gangsters?? Huh?? Ennadah seiringeh?? Number oturuven publicity panni sonthama talayileh mannei vari potuka mattaanda!! Wallet-leh rendu 100 velli notu iruka paru? Illeyah, appadina unaku peru gangster illeh, vetti payeh!!

Teens who get into this early dream of becoming gangsters will either be graduating in jail, become drug addict at nearby pasar, killed by rival gang or die in accident. Then their parents will scream by the casket "yean maganuku onnumeh teriyathu!! aven kuttalingeh keduthutangeh!!".

At the funeral, they fight like dogs in heat. 

(Actual picture of fight between 2 gang at a 'number' youth funeral)

 

Numbers, at least if got 4 digits, we can use for 4D permutation. What to do? What to say? Number ottings ... valkai umbings.

2013 Tour of Kolkata

This year we landed in Kolkata, purely because our Colombo flights were cancelled. Despite not knowing the local language and prevailing monsoon season, we managed to visit this oldest city in India, which used to be the capital before Delhi.

3/4 of the gang on train, Don on private limo.

 This is how typically Kolkata is, not much different from other Indian cities

We were amused by the vegetarian symbol found on Carlsberg bottle, in an all vege restaurant.

The gang!

Checking the map before walking, around 200 meters away!

Fire safety at hotel, is HUGE!

Kalighat Kali Temple

With your friendly neighborhood terrorist!

Typical snacks found all over Kolkata, mini pooris with dahl, eaten on stacked 'leave plate'.

The ward of negative energy, hang this around (not on your neck).

Inside a 'food stall', waiting for Pandit with our hotel manager.

Food stall interior, eat at your own risk.

The gang waiting.

After visiting Kalighat Kali temple & Mother (Theresa) House

Monsoon season at Kolkata

A very beautiful cathedral.

Victoria's Memorial

Belur Math (Ramakrishna Math & Mission) along the Ganges river. We ended up here without any plans, I believe its for a reason. Photography is strictly prohibited, but somehow I got permission to shoot the place, after blessings from the VP Swami Smarananandaji.

Dakshineswar Kali temple

The gang at Dakshineswar Kali temple

Reenactment of a stupid fight scene between a local and temple guard.

Flying poori dough into hot pan, open kitchen.

Open kitchen, in front of the shops.

Ancestral home of the Swami Vivekananda.

A very brief visit to this place got me interested to read and know more about the great Swami Vivekananda.

The majestic Vidyasagar Setu bridge across great Ganges river. This shot took 2 hours to compose and shoot, as there many boats plying under the bridge, it took me many shots before getting the right timing with no boats in frame.

The shops are raided by these 2!

Bengali cotton materials.

Waiting for tea ordered by Shan at the only Chennai Dhaba (stall)

Tambi waiting for tea.

Innum konjam, Cheers!

And now for the food exploration ...

Briyanis

Briyani

Good chinese food found in Kolkata

Lamb briyani!!

Chicken, lamb & prawn briyani with chicken tikka butter masala.