Category: Uncategorized

Grew with milkbikis

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

A generation grew around this biscuit brand and rightly so, this particular biscuit label will crack with vivid tales. Milkbikies was one of the top popular biscuit brand in the pre- globalization era.

Long before the invasion of big and flashy brands it was milkbikis which ruled the glass boxes of all small stores and bakery shops. Yes, I remember how the owner of a small bakery in kunnkuzhy (where I lived) had neatly stacked in a glass box. Every now and then when my Mom sends to buy bakery products, this biscuit would be on the list.

Many years later…

Life has moved up and made changes abound. Many products in those glass boxes faded in the ravages of time. Often a chance glimpse of images spring backs to life the story lines behind it. One such product brought out to the current memory was that of MilkBikies. Well, I saw a picture of milkbikies in one of the blog posting. Seeing that, I too thought of venting my thoughts on the one time popular biscuit.

As I browsed other review sites I found many other commenting on this biscuit label and how they lost the taste of Milkbikis with the passage of time. Most of them seem to complain the low quality with which it was sold during the flag end of its years.

Somehow, tastes and liking changed. People started having more choices and those plain colored packages failed to find slots in those glass boxes. Yes, in the circle of life, things can pop up or fade out.. No questions asked?

Weight of my past

~ bjcharles ~ 3 Comments

I for one, have a peculiar way of handling with old and past memoirs. I’m not sure, if I stand bit unique when it comes to addressing my past thoughts.

It’s just that everything around me can spark out an old relic image of the days gone by. For instance I was walking in the park and while taking a bend, I saw the ground littered with the fruits of a particular tree. Yes, it had a prominent place in my childhood. I’m not sure of its name, it has a violet color and it’s tasty when very ripe. The sight of those fallen small berries took be back in time when I used to hop from one tree to another and spend my time plucking and eating. We had a line of such trees not very big, but gave abundant supply of these fruits during one particular season. I’ve forgotten which season it bloomed but remember all the events surrounding it.

Yes, every person has their old past tucked beneath the present exterior. But I feel, in my case, every thing comes back with a slight touch of pain, for I tend to think those days as the rosy days in my life, life free and young!. Yes, no credit cards to pay, no rental bills, no petrol bills.

Nostalgic waste… is it

It’s but futile to think of days rolled away, and sometimes I wish it’s no good to revisit those nostalgic moments…

In the words of Marquez, “dimming piles of nostalgic waste that life had accumulated in the heart,…..”

Yes, it’s good the visit back in time, but often it’s weight crushes on me causing me to think of the old lives, especially when things were simple rosy events and people consigned to the ravages of time…


Sometimes I wish I had people with whom I could share such intimate passages of time, but often I feel it’s better to store in the recess of my mind rather than rekindle those old fond memories..


Yes, everyone has a past to tackle, but sometimes I wonder if I carry too much of baggage …

Were ignorance is bliss….

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To what extend would you go to win a women’s heart. Combing from what was given in yesterday’s newspaper report, it seems the best tactic is to act pretty dumb.

Pretty surprising, but the report says it work far greater trying to be a macho man. Well then, all the dudes out there flashing on their IQ’s and EQ’s should now think plain dump.

“But we’ve found that self-deprecating humor is the most attractive of all. It is a risky form of humour because it can draw attention to one’s real faults thereby diminishing the self-deprecator’s status in the eyes of others. “

So, now I got to play a new set of cards on my sleeve in my battle to win the hearts of my raging colleagues..

Napier Museum, Trivandrum

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Napier Museum, Trivandrum kerala

Snap taken on the wee hours of the day. This place used to be my pitch to walk, jog and flirt … It’s at the heart of Trivandrum, a place that houses a Museum, zoo and a large expanse of flora and fauna. Call it an oasis for all the those in this town and the numerous visitors who come down to see the old edifice.

It’s an Historical place and it also house some odd artifacts. I think it is closed on Monday’s. Many a times I have come down here to spend my evenings with my friends, chatting worldly or mundane stuff and many a times I had coffee and snacks from the KTDC counter.

Every time I visit KTDC monopoly counter, I feel on how efficiently they mismanage this eating joint. Same bored counter staff, men behind the counter with no customer service touch points.. This is the only place in this vast compound where you get some refreshments and sadly this gold Pot for KTDC is wasted out.

KTDC counter at Napier museum

But why haven’t these suckers done any thing to provide a clean and a full fledged place. What all infinite opportunites are available to cater to the tastes of various nationalities and also people coming from other parts of India. When ever I have visited this place it only some odd cutlet and the usual coffee tea . At least they can come with a variety of ice creams, juice or even provide tender coconut water .

The KTDC has office very near to the park and so is Kerala Tourism park view office . Both would be chaired by some anointed IAS, and with the multitude of sarkari babus..

Are they dreaming from there or busy writing and re-writing some official notes that never seems to get over with.

It’s been more than a year since I had take to this place and by all probability it would offer the same food year after year… With many a reports of KTDC running into loss, making some slight changes in establishment right under their nose can be a good starter..

Well, I started to write this blog to talk about Napier museum and I ended up with something else. So be it, I’ll write more about my favorite park later and till then let’s chew on this…

God bless, God’s own country…

Chicken unplugged

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Chicken – Parts

What’s a comb, wattle, cape, hock, shank and webb? Where in the world will you find these elements?

Answer my friend is right in front of you. Downloaded this picture and learn on … So, which part you like the most? Breast or the thigh or back?? or r u a neck freak !!

Monday blues…

~ bjcharles ~ 1 Comment

a new monday and last monday of this month. Will all resources drained, I forward to my pay cheque. Not that it can help me all much, but it’s a hope and fodder for few more days.

Contemplating over the dead weekend, I look back of many things I could have done and what I had failed to do. Why do I have this feeling? Well, when will I come out of the weekend delighted to step on the week ahead?

Don’t know, but I think I have to learn and try to act on those lines to reach such thoughfull feeling. Office got to made more exciting, something to look forward to…

How? Yes, answer my friend is blowing in the wind…

Jilted by terror strikes

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Serial blasts Black Day for India

Saturday, 26th, a day that has been marred by a series of blasts all around Ahmedabad. Stitting at Cafe’ day at Cambridge Layout, I was watching how the news was unfolding on this bad tragedy. How can a common fella like me react to such gastly acts. Is it just an act of some section of Muslim
community or it is a backlash of some thing we all have created.

For me the whole day didn’t present with a glory weekend feeling. With a drained salary account, there was nothing I could cheer about and nothing chilled I could think of. On top of that the inert fear of another blast episode kept me closer to home, ie Cafe day @ cambridge layout.

“Memories of my melancholy whores”

Sitting at the smoking zone of Cafe’ day, I started reading the short novel by Marquez, “Memories of my melancholy whores”. With in few pages into this book, it took on very blatant style of his favorite expression about sex and women….

Well I like this bold expression like , ” I have never gone to bed with a women I didn’t pay, and the few who weren’t’ in that profession I persuaded, by argument, by force, to take money…….

“The year, I turned Nienty, I wanted to give myself the gift of a night of wild love with an adolescent virgin. “….

Got to finish this book on Sunday, I was narrating few lines to my lady and she just passed it as only of usual pranks and about how the books spoke like my nasty thoughts….

Electronic Eye – A good way out

Coming back to blasts and such incidents, I bet these authorities has to wake up and put more electronic security devices at all the important locations. I wonder why Bangalore a city which has so much IT firms has failed to do these basis security measures.

If such snoopy devices were placed earlier it would been very easy for the cops to locate these sick minds. I hope at least these incidents will prompt them to look for such deterrent measures.

To a hopeful weekend…

~ bjcharles ~ 1 Comment

It’s closer to weekend and I’m signing off from my work place. Friday nights are usually sought after with pub visits and loud music, but today the blast has rocketed those hopes. Got to reach home safe and dry.

This weekend I plan to any classic or sleazy movies from my collection. let’s see how it goes…

Choices less and rosy days gone by – Doordarshan era

~ bjcharles ~ 1 Comment

Doordarshan – Old legacy

Looking back, what are the poignant images of the Doordarshan era. It’s a story started with the 82 Asiad and going up to the early or mid 90’s.

Asiad 82 – Appu era

Starting with Asiad, I can remember the vividly of how one sports commentator who announces the programs. One of my schoolmate Sammuel a backbencher used to imitate the way this anchor spoke.

World this week – Pranoy Roy

And coming to the other years, I can remember how I would yearn for more choices in T.V. I used to wait for Friday to see “World this week” by Pranap Roy. His program opened up the world in that 30 minutes and I used to wait to the end of this show to see the newsmakers, and other short clippings of music.

Another program was Malgudi days with its characteristics, tan…. Tone. It was a wonderfully created serial, which takes to the sleepy village of Malgudi.

Then comes Startrek, UFO program, Sherlock homes, . I think these used to the Sunday special.

Yes, Chitrahar was a great hit in those days, but not to me, since Hindi dance songs were not on my view list.

Crowd around the T.V

Also remember how Malayalam movies were beamed on Saturday’s and how the streets wore a deserted look on those sat evenings. People used to cut beach outings and the whole family glued to the box. . Another aspect of that era, is that only few houses had T.V and rightly so all the neighborhood gathered to the house to watch the T.V.

Prospecting from living room
Well I had one friend who did what was best of those youthful occasions. Along with the neighborers folk, there were a large number of local dames who came to watch the T.V from his living room. That presented a host of opportunities to know more than ever and he had a couple of tales weaved around those power cut times . In short it was a productive gathering for him …

Old T.V market leaders and todays …

Well what are the T.V boxes ruling the market. Keltron Solid state, Dyanora, Western, Solidiare. I often wonder how these big names failed to keep with the market changes.. Now as you know it’s a whole list of global brands.

There are more to be told and retold about Doordarshan era, but so much for today. I can hear the Friday bells ringing down….

Got to pack and hit home – A day when serial bombs have gone off in Bangalore.

Sigh of relief..

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a great relief to the nation and for the congress. Relief b’cos no one wants an early election and for the congress it was by hook or crook the tables were reversed.

I’m sure both sides has their share of horse trading and with Congress on the drivers seat was high up on the stakes.

So, what’s with the bad boys , the Left. What’s their strategy now. Comrades must be busy is some dingy bars licking their battle wounds!

I bet they have come out as the looser of the lot and in the coming election I wonder how these spoilt brats are going to come with. As a nation we have some more time to prepare for a comprehensive election and I bet it will be a fair battle for all the players ….