Chaitanya

Monday, March 13, 2017

304. Ridley Run.

This was my first ever experience of running a marathon. On March 4, 2017 (Saturday), two of my friends, who are also a part of the Little Journalist organization, and I went to S10 Health in Guindy to collect our BiB. There, we collected our chest numbers and t – shirts. Then, the people there asked us to do some fitness exercises, so that we would be fit and ready for the next day’s run. We finished our exercises and came out. Hafiz uncle, who was the head of the Little Journalist organization, told us the way to the Palavakkam beach, where we would run the marathon called ‘Ridley Run’ the next day.

The next day – March 5, 2017 (Sunday), I woke up at 4:00 a.m and started dressing. My friends and I had planned to go in my friend’s car together. We started from their house at 4:45 a.m and reached there at 5:30 a.m. I had made some questions ready the day before itself because, as we are a part of the Little Journalist group, we had to take interviews from people who had also took part in the run. My friends and I planned to run 5 km.

We started to run. At first, it was easy. But then, when there was only ½ km to finish the run, I became tired and started to walk. We collected our medals, certificates and breakfast and started taking interviews. My classmate and I took interviews together.

At first, we took an interview from two women. They wouldn’t tell them names. They had come from somewhere far. They felt that the run was really good. They also thought that the aim of the run was excellent. They had run 5kms. They had come to know about this run from a friend of theirs.

Then we took interview from a family consisting of a mother, a father and a little boy. They felt that this run was interesting. The mother had run 1 km along with her son. My friend asked the little boy what was the aim of the run. His mother encouraged him to answer, and he told us that the aim was to save turltes. We congratulated him for saying the right answer. The kid also felt very excited and happy. This was the first time running, like me. The mother also told us that if there would be other events like this in the future, she would be happy to participate.

Then we interviewed another little boy, Adithya, who was with his mother and aunt. They were a part of the Chennai Runners group, so they got the information from the site itself. The boy was only 3 ½ years old. He had run 1 km. He also told that he would run again, if there are any events like this.

Thus, our experince of taking interviews came to an end. This was such a memorable day in my life. I too, would be happy to participate again, if there are any other events.

Image result for ridley run 2017 palavakkam beach

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Monday, February 20, 2017

303. The 'Harry Potter' series.

At first, I did not like the Harry Potter series. The cover of the book made me think, ‘Who will read all this?!’ But thanks to my mother, this series have become my all – time favorite series.

I often go to a library called Eloor Lending Library and borrow books from there. One day, my mother told me to have a change and switch over from the kids’ section and start reading books written for teenagers. Then she gave me the first book of the series ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’. On seeing the book, I refused and went back to the kids’ section. But something urged me to start reading the ‘Harry Potter’ book. So, I borrowed the book and came home.

The first few pages were a little boring. But afterwards, right from when Harry Potter receives his admission letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, it became very interesting. After reading the first book, I was very eager to read the rest of the books.

The author, J.K.Rowling, has an extremely brilliant mind, which enables her to take the readers to another world, the magical world. Harry Potter, an orphan, was a great wizard. He himself did not know this fact until he was 11 – years – old. There are eight books in this series. The villain of the series is Voldemort. He is neither human nor ghost. He was the one who killed Harry’s parents. In all the books, except the third book ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ and the eighth book ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’, Harry fights Voldemort and in the seventh book, kills Voldemort and wins The Battle Of Hogwarts. The third book is about Harry finding his godfather, Sirius Black, who was the best friend of his father, James Potter. The eighth book features the next generation of Harry Potter. The first book to the seventh book feature Harry’s adventures in his seven years at Hogwarts. The series inspired me a lot. It gave me self – confidence to do anything without the help of others, even though Harry is an orphan, he decided to avenge the murder of his parents. So he fought Voldemort alone until the end.

The movies are not as convincing as the books, but still they are really good. Harry Potter has many friends at Hogwarts, but his best friends were Ron and Hermione. They help him till the end.

I love the series, although I don’t like some characters in it. I am deeply attached with the Harry Potter series. I appreciate J.K.Rowling for authoring such excellent books and I also encourage her to write more and more great books like these.

Image result for harry potter characters

302. Parents during exams.

Usually during exams, children are stressed out. As for parents, they are the ones whom children depend on. They must give the needed confidence and full support and try their best to make the children stress – free.

Some parents put over – pressure on children and always make them study the lessons by – heart. Children are scared of the pressure from parents. Some parents talk only about competition and marks. It makes children nervous.

Parents need to spend some of their time sitting with children and giving them the support. That makes children perform well in exams. But, parents must not make children study for 2 hours or more in one go. Children can take breaks and go out and get fresh air every 40 minutes or one hour but they must have self – control.

Exam pressure is one of the leading causes for depression amongst teenagers. Parents should try to prevent that. They must not demotivate children, instead they must motivate them.

301. My book - release photos.

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

300. My Book Release Function.

Today was September 30, 2016. Today, my second translated book, ‘Sweet Stories for Tiny Tots’ was going to be released. For the book release function, my grandparents have also come from our native. So, the morning session was a discussion between the people who were going to get the awards in the evening and the people. For it, I wore a pink lehanga. It was from 10:00am to 12:00pm. By the time it was 11:00, my sister got bored and she went home with my father. At 12:00pm, when it finished, I was introduced to writers and translators. We had lunch there and came home for changing our dresses. I wore a white – and – pink top and skirt. The program was from 5:30pm to 9:00pm. We went there at 5:00pm. Then all our relatives and friends came for the function. They called the Chief Guest, the people who were getting the awards, the aunty whose book was also going to be released and me to the stage. First itself, my book was released. The person who was receiving it was a translator named Shanta Dutt. Then, her book was released. Then, one by one, the people got their awards. Then, the people who organized the awards got special awards and at last, the people who released their books, that is, me and Shanta Dutt aunty also got special awards. I even got cash prize and an award from the publication which published my book. Then, when it was time to go home, everybody came and introduced themselves to me and congratulated me. Even my friends and relatives congratulated. Then we ate dinner in a hotel and went home. It was a very good experience. All these had inspired me to write and translate more books.

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Monday, August 15, 2016

299. Basketball zonal level.

The date was August 5^th, the day of basketball zonal level. I and my friend were among the main five players. We were in the juniors’ category. We were practicing hard for the zonal level from two weeks before the date. Four different schools were there, Vidyodaya matriculation academy (VMA), Vidyodaya girls’ higher secondary school (VGHSS), Lady Andal and Good Shepherd. We were playing on behalf of VMA as it was our school. Three schools, VMA, Lady Andal and Good Shepherd were wearing red jerseys. Our school players were wearing white or any other color shorts. I was wearing red shorts. Then I realized that players from Good Shepherd were also wearing my same shorts. I thought that they will get confused and will throw the ball to me during the game, but unfortunately, they were not our opponents.

Our school did not have super – senior category. So, while VGHSS was playing with Good Shepherd, players from our school and VGHSS cheered for them. And at last, VGHSS won the match. Crescent school came for only super – seniors’ category as our school did not have it. They played with Lady Andal and Lady Andal was the school which won the match.

Next was the seniors’ category. While they were playing with VGHSS, we did not watch the game and were practicing for our category, which was next. We were competing against Lady Andal!! We started playing. One of the five players was standing simply and was not at all playing. The three players who were playing very well were me, two girls named Janani, the team leader and Yuvashree.

Once, my friend got the ball. When a girl from the other team asked for it, she simply gave it. Everybody started scolding her. Then again, she got the ball and went to put in the wrong basket! Thank God, the ball did not go in. The PET teacher started shouting at her. But, at last, guess who won?? Lady Andal! They put 7 baskets but we put only one.

Janani started to cry. Everybody consoled her. Then, our school took the resolution that for the next zonal, we will practice really hard and win to go for the district level. But, participation is important, isn’t it? And thus, it was a great experience for me!!

Image result for basketball junior school girls india

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Sunday, August 14, 2016

298. Trip to Chokhi Dhani.

The date was 11^th August, Thursday. It was a very special day. We were going for our trip on that day. We were going to Chokhi Dhani. That was a place of Rajasthani culture. It was at Sri Perumbuthur. We went to our school at 7:30 am. It was a little difficult to wake up that early, but I managed to do it. We started from our school at 8:00 am.

Songs were put in the bus and we all were dancing. That time, a girl fell down and was hurt. So, the bus was stopped for some time to take her to the hospital. That time also we were dancing. We reached there at 10 am. My partner was a girl called G.L.Varsheni.

When we reached there, a Rajasthani girl kept bindhi for all of us. There were chats, sweets and lemonades given for us. Then we saw the big pool, were there was boating. The teachers did not allow us to go. Then we went into a cave, where in the middle was a statue of Sai Baba. Then, we went on a maze, where there was a small open – air building, where there was an entrance, an exit and many closed areas. We struggled and somehow got out of the maze. I put on my sunglasses and cap as it was very sunny.

Then, a woman, dressed in black lehanga, who had many pots on her head, started dancing. She amazed us. First, she tapped her legs on tumblers, balancing very well. Then, she tapped her legs on the blunt side of iron nails. She also tapped on the blunt side of two knives. And at last, she tapped her legs on pieces of glass!! But, not a single drop of blood came from her legs. After that, she kept two blades on a tumbler. She then bent backwards and took them in both her eyes. Everybody got nervous. But, she coolly took them out from her eyes. Everybody applauded.

We went to the place where they sold handicrafts and cool drinks. There was a cool drink called ice – gola. It was a small cup of ice. The ice was dipped into any flavor. There was a big crowd in front of the shop, but no one bought it. I was the first to buy. When I tasted mango flavor, it was very nice. The crowd saw me tasting it and all of them rushed to buy the ice – gola. Me and my friend played games like basketball, bowling, tumbler – hitting, balloon – shooting, archery, etc.

Then we went for putting mehandi. There were two women, who were putting mehandi. They were putting beautifully. I put my mehandi and went to join my friends, who were playing snakes and ladders, in which there was a small ground painted like the board of the game and a dice made of cushion. We started playing. We enjoyed it.

Then, it was time for lunch. After lunch, the teachers made us go for the camel ride, three at a time. I was sitting in the front, Varsheni in the middle and another girl in the back. The camel started to go. It shook. We all became scared and screamed. We went one round and got down. It was an enjoyable experience.

Then, our lunch group, which consisted of five girls, started playing in the maze, three runners and two catchers. Sometimes, I got separated from the rest of them. By the time they find me, another girl will get separated. We enjoyed very, very well. Then, we played in the slide. When I and one of my friends, Varsha, went, we did not have any problems. When I went with another friend also, it was very nice. But when I went with a fat friend of mine, she occupied all the space and I did not get any space, and while sliding down also, the hot slide scratched my right sock and it tore. Then we swinged four at a time, on the big swing.

Ice water was given by the people of Chokhi Dhani. As it was very hot, I and my friends poured it own our faces.

The time came for leaving. That time, I bought kulfi. It was very tasty. It did not taste like ordinary kulfi. Then, as a gift, the people gave us small pots, which smashed and broke for most of us while coming in the bus. It was a very enjoyable trip.