Raasukutty's

Tag: festival

  • Dublin – St Patrick’s Day

    Last weekend was St Patrick’s Day celebration in Dublin, CA. In 2019, when we moved here, we had visited the parade to view. This time it reminded us of the school days when we used to go with our parents and friends to the Stadium in Neyveli for Independence Day.

    There was a St. Patrick’s Day parade and this year, we did participate in the Parade supporting DUSL. There were floats, vintage cars, all the schools and business that participated. It was a fun event.

    DUSL – Parade

    The city had also organized a festival at the Civic Center. A mini carnival with Irish music, dance, tea, sweets and stalls. There was also lot of fun carnival rides for kids. The kids had good fun.

    On Sunday, we participated in the Shamrock 5k Fun Walk and Run. We were able to get the walk done with kids in 1:02 hours. Good timing considering we took almost 2 hours the previous year.

    Overall, a fun weekend.

  • Diwali

    I missed being at home most this Diwali. Usually, since school time, the biggest festival was Diwali. As kids, during lunch time, we used to discuss what crackers we got, 2 shot, 7 shot, fake atom bombs, fancy and novelties like parachute etc. It would start 2 or three weeks before the actual day. My parents used to take me and my sister for Diwali shopping(new clothes) during the Quarterly exam holidays. Well in advance before the crowd.

    Diwali had always been fun time for old and the kids alike. With Diwali, comes bonuses. My mother used to prepare all the snacks at home. I was always excused and allowed to have them even before we prayed; reason: I was just a kid. I used to be the first one to blast off the 50-100-200 walas in the street. It gives me  a sense of fulfillment of  celebrating Diwali. When I grew to be in the teens, we used to go to new releases on Diwali day. Then distribute sweets to friends.

    This year I missed all the fun. I roamed the streets to get to some shop that sell the firecrackers, but I could not find one. Maybe next year!

  • Halloween @ Kings Dominion

    Happy Halloween!

    This weekend was Halloween. I visited Kings Dominion (an amusement park closer to Richmond, VA). Being the first halloween that I was witnessing it was fun.

    First we had the thriller rides till it was about 8 PM, and then the halloween haunt started with the tagline “All your FEAR is here… “. Nice and funny scare zone, themed around harvest, burial grounds, dark groves and people trying to scare you with their costumes. The thing that was more scary was the other people in front getting frightened and falling down. Fun!

    I got scared when someone sitting in the bench, suddenly pushed a ‘Coke Bottle’ styled waste bin towards me…

    I really liked the vampires, they were beautiful just like those from Dracula movies, though they were not scary!

    On the whole, a funny, scary weekend!

  • Pongal

    Today is the Pongal Day! A harvest festival celebrated in our state in India. I am here in US, but I did make the sweet pongal, “Sakarai Pongal”. I will be missing the sugarcane and the total annular eclipse happening tomorrow.

    Here are some things that I remember from my childhood days.

    It began with the Pongal shopping. I used to go with my sister and dad to the Main Bazaar, in my hometown, Neyveli. They would have given the Pongal “bonus” for my dad, and so did every family in Neyveli. So everyone would be busy getting the bonus amount drained. The usually calm town of Neyveli will have small shops on the roads, selling clothes, fancy items and greeting cards.

    The greeting cards would not be Archies, but a post card sized, normal graphic depicting a pot of pongal and two sugarcanes. I used to buy and send it to my friends living in Neyveli. It was fun. Nowadays, we send emails. But I somehow feel that, the postcard had a personal touch. This is not me whining, I enjoy it even now.

    It was a nice occasion to celebrate. 3 days of holidays. Wow! It meant going to your native places, visiting relation’s home, getting together, gossiping, cinemas.

    Happy Pongal!

    PS: If someone has the old post card, can you please send me one?

  • Happy New Year 2010

    Wish you all a very Happy New Year 2010. Let this year bring prosperity and joy to all.

    This is the time to reflect back on what happened the previous year, and plan for the coming year.

    What happened in 2009?

    • Completed my one year in Sagitec.
    • Had been continuously writing on this blog.
    • Got my first ever proposal.
    • Accepted her as my better half.
    • Got my first onsite offer, to work in America.
    • Came to USA on a H1B permit and currently working.

    Wishes for 2010:

    • Get happily settled in life.
    • Get a new look for this site.
    • Get CowsNBulls game to the next level.
    • Learn a new language apart from C#, looking at python and ruby.
    • Live happily ever after.

    Once again, wish you all a very happy and a prosperous new year.

    • Valentine's Day

      One should experience and feel the feeling of being single on a Valentine’s day. This year again, I am still single. I have not met my soul mate yet. When the whole lot of your friends are sending you valentine day wishes, you see them going out with their beloved, enjoying the day, exchanging wishes, somewhere something is missing.

      I  went to office as usual. I wore ‘White & Pink’ combination (A color that signified nothing on St. Valentine’s day). By the end of the day, I was in tiruvanmiyur to meet my friends. And with sleep the day ended. Nothing eventful happened.

      What is that something missing? Why have I not met HER or have I met her and I missed noticing HER? Don’t I want to fall in love? Cupid has once again let me down.

      Waiting for these unanswered questions to be answered….