When Grammar Met Clarity

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Writing has always fascinated me. It’s such an interesting aspect of communication; you can pretty much convey anything you want, in any way you want. Even a grammatically incorrect sentence can carry its full meaning. Yet, somewhere along the way, we began mistaking good communication for intelligence. “Oh, he writes and speaks so well.  He must be smart.” Good communication can create a false sense of technical pride. I grew up believing that grammatical precision was the measure of knowledge. But in hindsight, that wasn’t entirely me; it was my teachers. They were absolutely particular that every sentence not only conveyed meaning, but also respected the sanctity of grammar. A misplaced article or preposition could invite the harshest of corrections. Yesterday, my wife and I were talking about writing and as all conversations these days eventually do, it veered toward our kids’ writing. We were laughing over Sahana’s recent schoolwork: a delightful mix of humor, dialogue, and im...
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Diwali wishes!

My last year's India trip definitely does not feel like a year ago. I had planned my trip in such a way that it coincided with Diwali, and it was well and truly worth it. Here goes some pictures from Diwali 2008 (all pictures taken in Malleswaram, Bangalore) and of course, wishing everyone a very happy Diwali 2009.






Diwali is the festival of lights. No wonder, you see the "Akashdeep" hanging out in abundance!












Flowers are overpriced during festivals, but who cares!












The little fella won't have a tough time selling his earthen ware. Earthen lamps, a common sight during any Indian festival, and during Diwali, you just have to see it to believe it












A neat line of bikes; all are sure shopping in Malleswaram 8th cross











Not very surprising to see the crowded 8th cross street!














The shopping spree continues indefinitely for the next few days










Almost anything and everything available in this little shop













The night is buzzing with activity with the firecrackers lighting up the city in style












A watchful little boy trying his luck with the "Bijli"

Comments

  1. ShubhikaOctober 10, 2009 at 6:18 AM

    So what are your plans for this Diwali?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Praveen KrishnanOctober 10, 2009 at 9:43 AM

    Nothing as of yet, Diwali is landing on a weekday as such!

    ReplyDelete
  3. ShubhikaOctober 11, 2009 at 8:45 AM

    nope its on saturday

    ReplyDelete
  4. KaminiOctober 14, 2009 at 2:19 PM

    These pictures made me feel so homesick!
    Happy Deepavali to you and your family.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Praveen KrishnanOctober 14, 2009 at 6:50 PM

    Thanks a lot Kamini and happy Diwali to you too!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Prashant PrabhuMarch 27, 2016 at 6:25 AM

    All that remains now is Nostalgia of world gone back...I miss the old Bangalore...

    ReplyDelete

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