HOWZZZ THAT………………………………………

This is not about Cricket and I am not appealing to the umpire in a cricket match for a decision be given against the batsman… but an appeal to my friends to see the absurdity of the country in the 21st Century by enforcing silly rules  to be followed by the residents.
Kuwait has banned the use of digital SLR camera in public and the news reported in Kuwaiti Times the local paper is as under.
Local News
Multi ministry camera ban frustrates artists
Published Date: November 20, 2010 By Abdullah Al-Qattan, Staff Writer
KUWAIT: After the ban three ministries placed on photography, most Kuwaiti youth are a bit confused about what to do with their cameras if they can't use them in public and why such laws were implemented in the first place. The Ministry of Information, Ministry of Social Affairs and Ministry of Finance recently came to the conclusion that photography should be used for journalism purposes only. This has resulted in the ban of Digital Single Lens Reflex Cameras (DSLRs) in public, on the streets and in malls .

What most Kuwaiti photographers have come to wonder is how such a decision could be reached by authorities, especially considering that digital cameras and cell phone cameras have the same abilities. What most people think of photography as a hobby has become a bit misguided due to the fact that the country has so little exposure to art. While using a DSLR, passersby may wonder if the camera is being used for the wrong reasons.

Mohammed Al-Eisa, who picked up photography as a hobby more than 10 years ago, said that he has decided to take photos of animals or still life due to the fact that these subjects don't mind having their picture taken and don't make a scene. "I started facing problems the very first day I bought my camera," Mohammed added.

What often happens is that a big black camera tends to worry people. Taking a picture of a stranger would seem like much less of an issue if you were using a more discreet camera or even a cell phone. Mariam Al-Fodiry said that she has faced similar problems with her hobby and that being a girl doesn't help at all. She said that in some cases it makes the problem even worse. "Switching to abstract and landscape photography was one the options I considered after getting into enough trouble," Mariam said.

Majed Al-Saqer said that sometimes people stop him while he is in his car with his camera, as if he were planning to kill someone with it. He said that he isn't sure what the real problem is, whether it is people taking photos of each other or the size of the camera.

This rule badly affects the Residents and tourists who are into casual photography …..gone are days when one could take pictures of unusual buildings, interesting public areas and post the same on the net or take part in a competition. From now any such photograph could get the person who has taken the picture in serious legal trouble with the law enforcement in Kuwait !!! No reasons for this ban has been elaborated to the general public and nor do I not think it will be done also in the near future . The residents and tourists alike have just have to follow the rules or bear with the consequences in the event they break that rule.
Possible reasons I can think is that pictures of women being taken by men without their knowledge and being circulated on the internet after processing the image through various editing software. But then these days almost every mobile phone have built-in cameras and they are not banned….. so the possible scenario reasoned by me can still take place !!! Well the art of photography can be bundled to the attics if you are going to Kuwait !!!

Your thoughts on this rule………………..


Hello …. Do I have the Permission to marry out of nationality !!!!!

Today was browsing the news on Oman Observer and this particular headlines on the news grabbed my attention for  it is pretty strange and unusual . For the first time in my 50 years of existence on this planet I came across a news where a government has imposed curbs on a Omani person to marry a person who is not a national  I know that in ancient times there were traditions to marry within family so that the family treasures and powers are retained within the family…(blue blood) and here now this is being flouted as a  protection to closely integrated society ( read the news below) by forcing to marry within the nationality. In other words outsiders are infidels who would or can spoil the society prevailing here… LoL a real joke as the ground realities are totally different

Again this rule does not totally bar the locals men to marry as certain loopholes are given within the law such as if his national wife is not able to fulfill her marriage obligations then he can take a non Omani wife. Now come to think of this stipulation, who is to ascertain that there has been no compliance by the wife. Further the rule mentions only a Omani male marrying a non Omani… what about a Omani woman wanting to marry a non Omani man??? 

Read the news excerpts below

Govt tightens curbs on Omanis marrying foreigners 

Fahad Al Mukrashi
23 November 2010 09:44:16 Oman Time

MUSCAT: The Primary Court is planning a crackdown on violators of the law that forbids Omanis from marrying foreign partners without the necessary permission from the authorities, a source at the Ministry of Interior said.
Oman had enforced a law in 2005 that stopped nationals from marrying non-Omanis. The government did not specify the reason for the law but many thought it was aimed at protecting the closely integrated local culture.
The government also forbids Omani men from marrying a foreign woman if he is still married to a local woman, unless his wife cannot fulfill her marriage obligations, the source said.
The law was later amended allowing Omanis to marry nationals of GCC states. It also permitted Omani citizens, who are disabled or elderly, to marry foreign nationals. The law has been relaxed recently to allow nationals to marry foreigners if they seek permission from the Ministry of Interior after many citizens complained.
The Ministry of Interior source also informed that many Omanis continue to marry foreign nationals without informing the authorities. Violators of the law, the source said, face a fine of up to RO2,000. The source confirmed that some Omanis find a loophole in the law by sponsoring their foreign spouses as company’s staff or marrying them while employed by another company.
“I was planning to get married to a foreigner two years back but I did not get the approval from the Ministry of Interior. I have to follow the law; although I love her desperately I am helpless?” an Omani man, who declined to be identified, bemoaned.
Omanis who are already married to foreign nationals need to apply to the Ministry of Interior and are then referred to the office of the public prosecutor. A court hearing will then be scheduled to decide the final verdict.

Who am I to complain about this rules??I am not an Omani nor do I want to marry one ( for I am happily married for 27 years) I just thought that it is a interesting news and I wanted to share with my friends on the net !!!!

Naked feeling at American and European airports .....

Air travel of yester years was so much easy with minimum fuss and security precautions, but with the advent of hijacking and terrorism it has become a cause of stress and headache to both the authorities and the traveler. With the introduction of full body scanners in various airports across United States of America and Europe for passengers travelling by air due heightened security being undertaken in the western countries against terrorist threat. This has started heated debates all around the world.

Seems like science fiction comics we used to read in our young days X-ray vision glass which used to allow people to see across walls and clothes…well these scanners are somewhat similar utilizing certain wavelengths of electromagnetic waves that can pierce the clothing but would bounce off the skin, any metallic content or banned substances like drugs or explosives. In other words the security personal would be viewing your nude picture irrespective of whatever the person wears trying to avoid prying eyes, from thick woolen dress or leather pants …the machine will display your naughty bit to persons on duty.

There is an intense outrage and debate taking place by traveling public as few images of the full body scanner taken by Marshals at a court house has been leaked to the internet ….nothing less of pornography in morbid sense for the images are not as it would be of taking picture of a naked person. However with so many images enhancing software like Adobe photo shop etc it becomes easier to convert these images to real life quality pictures.

In UK the full body scanner violates the Child pornography laws and hence air travelers below the age of 18 years are exempt from the scanning and discussions are being done to address this issue. Middle Eastern countries have refused the installation of full body scanners in the airport on religious grounds.

Now the question of governance of the imaging being done at airports... How does one control the release of the images stored on these machines and prevent copying of these images by any of the security personnel…a million dollar question which needs to be answered without creating any controversies!!!!

Further the usage of these scanners have also triggered health concerns though the authorities are playing down the fears of the public by stating that the dosages of exposure is within a safe level. The equipment manufacturers are stating that the radiation level is much less compared to a chest X Ray … and hence not dangerous (at least in theory). However few scientists say that since the low level radiation is allowed to bounce of the skin and not pass through the body… the skin could receive extra magnitude of the radiation than expected which might induce cancer or alter the DNA.

The only alternative and safe solution would be a full body frisking……………but this is a time consuming process prone to lots of heated arguments and possible litigations. People of different ethnicities from Asia and Middle East are viewed with prejudice and are treated with malice in most western countries these days and it creates a sense of unpleasantness in the minds of the travelers from those regions.

Your views on this controversial topic would enlightening and hence please live your comments

AGE GRACEFULLY

An Email from a friend about aging made me write this blog and would appreciate your views on the same.

For centuries human race has always had the fascination of beauty and youthfulness  and this is reflected in almost all tales written and legends which most of us would have read. The old and the withered are forgotten with time and are hardly written about !!! Today if we talk of aging, it is associated with a woman who is more conscious of aging than a man. I remember a saying in my younger days ( in later teens) “ Wine and women.. older the better” (now don’t get any wrong ideas)…..  If women are better when they are older then why is that it is a taboo to ask a woman her age !!!

Every living thing on this Universe has a definite aging process and it is quite natural over a period of time . Aging in humans is a multidimensional process of physical, psychological, and social change. Some dimensions of aging grow and expand over time, while others decline. Reaction time, for example, may slow with age, while knowledge of world events and wisdom may expand. Research shows that even late in life potential exists for physical, mental, and social growth and development. Aging is an important part of all human societies reflecting the biological changes that occur, but also reflecting cultural and societal conventions . Then why is that a human being is unable to digest the fact that  as the time marches on , we just keep getting older.

Most of us play a harmless  game...denying our age. We feel sensitive about our age as we grow older. Though it is just a way to deal with growing older, but the sooner one realizes that growing older is a mandatory process and inevitable..the happier one would be and age gracefully!!!

We read in news papers and magazines of various techniques to ward off wrinkles, grey hairs, cosmetic / plastic surgery to correct the sagging breasts or to make you look much younger than you are !!! Why are all these various means needs to be used… why not age gracefully as the artificial means does not extend you life span … it is just superficial !!!

Coming to think of the superficial ways to delay the aging is generally done by the people in the film and fashion industry, rich socialites who feel insecure in their respective field…. Thinking that a younger person would come along and take over their mantle and that would be the end of their life and career. Yes true that we have younger generations who are catching up quite fast in all fields of the life but then how long does one carry this charade of being ageless…. For it just changes your appearance but not the bodily functions and at times the procedure can go haywire leading to various complications

Common population also follow some of the cheaper superficial methods.. why even me… I used to color my hair to look black from the age of 21 to almost when I was 49 years… due an insecure feeling that I would not be able to catch the eye of a woman for she may think that I am old and also by insistence from family members !!! I know most people have used these superficial means at some point of their lives….. due peer pressures or to please their family members.

If we could get over the insecurity of getting old then I am sure each one of us would enjoy our life better. But then I have realized that you have to first accept the fact yourself  and Let yourself age and you will be able to see true beauty...not the beauty that comes from a cosmetic jar! "Aging gracefully is a matter of self esteem.". Now that I am over 50 years I have let the nature take its course and  have decided to age gracefully ……… its is painful too when a young beautiful woman across the super market aisle calls me an uncle too ….LoL .

Scientist all over the world are experimenting in anti aging medicine to extend the life expectancy by slowing or reversing the process of aging  by various means such as tissue rejuvenation with stem cells and molecular repairs along with organ replacement which will eventually enable humans to have indefinite lifespan. These are all still a theory and may become a reality in many years to come…. Science fiction of today may be the reality in future, but not for me at least in this generation !!!

"Age is just an issue of mind over matter..If you don't mind it…..it doesn’t matter at all!!"

I am pasting the contents of the mail sent by my friend which does bring out the joys of aging and am sure you would like it

I  would never trade my amazing life, my loving family , wonderful friends for less gray hair or a flatter belly.  As I've aged, I've become  kinder to myself, and less critical of  myself. I've become my own  friend. I don't chide myself for eating  that extra cookie, or for not  making my bed, or  buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio.  I am entitled to a treat, to be   messy, to be extravagant. I  have seen too many dear relatives and friends leave this world too soon; before they  understood the great freedom that comes with aging.
Whose  business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and  sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60  &70's, and if I, at the same time, wish  to weep over a lost love  ..... I will.

I  will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and  will dive into the waves with  abandon if I choose to, despite the  pitying glances from the jet set.  They too will get  old one day…..
I  know I am sometimes forgetful.  But there again, some  aspects of life is just as well forgotten. And I  eventually remember the important  things….
Sure,  over the years my heart has been broken.  How can your heart not   break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when  somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car?  But broken  hearts are  what give us strength and understanding and compassion.   A heart  never broken is pristine and sterile and will  never know the joy of  being imperfect.

I  am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to  have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my  face. So  many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn  silver.

As  you get older, it is easier to be positive.  You care less about   what other people think.  I don't question myself anymore.   I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So,  to answer your question, I like being old.  It has set me free.  I  like the person I have become.  I am not going to live forever, but while  I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could  have been,  or worrying about what will be.  And I shall eat dessert every single day  if I feel like it.

I know that what I have written no relevance to individuals choice of life but then give it a thought !!!

                           

              “Don't regret growing older..for it is a privilege denied to many."

40th National Day in Sultanate of Oman

Sultanate of Oman  celebrated its 40th National Day on 18 November with lots of pomp. Most cities in Oman are in array of colors as buildings and streets are lit up with decorative lighting.Sultan Qaboos began his rule on July 23, 1970, but the National Day is celebrated on November 18, which is his birthday.

Here are few pictures of Salalah streets lit up for the National Day. This is the Clock Tower in the Airport Round about.

Decorative feature on each lamp post with colored serial lights. This is along the Al Rubat street

Along the Road leading to the Airport terminal.

Along Al Nadhah street  with painting of Sultan Qaboos taken in late evening.

Grand Mosque of Salalah lit up for the night










A HAPPY NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS TO ALL MY OMANI FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES.

Carnivorous Brahmin.... Lol

A comment by a friend on one of my notes regarding Camel meat  made me come up with these incidents in my life and the experience of having camel meat. We are from a middle class Brahmin family where non vegetarian food is abhorred and in more traditional families even the root vegetable and onions are not cooked at home. Since my parents were staying out of Tamilnadu  were not that traditional but then only vegetarian food including potatoes, Onions etc. However my mother used to make me drink milk and raw egg as I was puny looking boy those days and my my it was a punishment for I used to gag while drinking for the taste used to be bad....aahhh.

Friends during school days with whom I used to go hunting for birds using  catapult  and sometimes air rifle( whenever my friends brother was in town for he used to own one) and felled bird was cooked over fire and eaten by them and yet I never ventured trying eating non vegetarian food.

I was initiated to non vegetarian food by one of my hostel roommate during the first year of engineering. As you know Shivaratri festival is celebrated in Karnataka quite extensively there and during my first year there the mess closed down on that particular day so that the mess workers can conduct the pooja.  I was feeling very hungry and was not knowing how to quell the same and then one of my roommate who was a Srilankan Christian said that we could go the shop outside the campus and have some bread with meat. My hunger was too intense that I agreed and at the same time was thrilled that I am going to try non vegetarian dish. So off we went and he ordered chilly beef and bread slices.... seeing the dish I was in jitters but my friend coaxed me saying that it is good and just clear your mind and have the same. It was an experience chewing the rubbery beef...... my first no vegetarian dish at the age of 17. My second dish on the same day was fried crabs which I crunched and munched without any second thoughts for it was quite tasty...... and so started my carnivorous journey !!!  I even joined the non vegetarian mess few times during the course of my engineering studies ( because it was costlier than the vegetarian mess and my father used to send the same amount of money each month i.e. mess bill of around Rs 90.00 to 100.00 + 25.00 for other expenses)

In  the year 1981 I took up a job with a Bombay based construction firm having a township project at Baghdad .  Completed the joining formalities at Bombay and met my new friends with whom I was to travel on 6^th April 1981. Those days there was no direct flight to Baghdad on account of Iraq – Iran war and our option was to fly to Kuwait and from there drive down to Baghdad by road arranged by the airlines itself. We landed in Kuwait airport early hours of 7^th April and we were loitering around the transit lounge till such time the airlines arranged for a bus to take the passengers travelling to Baghdad. We were told that airlines will take care of food till such time we reach Baghdad but then Air India personnel hardly did anything to the nine of us except for a coffee and sandwich for breakfast at Kuwait and  box for each of us consisting of a sandwich, apple and a canned fruit juice for the onward travel which was to be just under 12 hours of drive.

As it normally happens we were held up in the Saffa border for over 6 hours and we had no clue of the reasons thereof as we did not understand the language (spoken) by the driver. Finally crossed the border into Iraq at about 9pm and already most passengers in the bus were hungry... the box was eaten for the lunch in afternoon and around 10.30 pm the bus stopped in  front of a single storey building and driver told us that we could get something to eat in sign language.  Entered the building we noticed that there were no tables and the driver along with his associate was sitting down on the earthen floor and was eating some kind of huge  roti taken out of a tandoor....... known as khaboos.

Well all of us sat down and we had to part with nearly 10 dollars in advance for food for all the nine of us. Once the payment done three bowls of meat curry was placed in front of us and fresh khaboos was just dumped beside us on the floor .Imagine our feelings that we need to eat the khaboos lying in mud...... well the Iraqis never even gave a thought... they just picked up the khaboos and dusted the same and started eating and we did the same .................. it does prove that a hungry man would eat anything. Surprisingly the curry and the meat was good and we enjoyed a hearty meal, however the meat was different. On enquiring we were told it is the camel’s meat ..... a delicacy in the Middle east. Again a different kind of experience compared to my initiation to being carnivorous !!!!!

Reason and meaning of Eid Al Adha ( Festival of Sacrifice)

Even though i have spent considerable amount of time in Gulf i have never ever given a thought about the Eid Al Adha and there is so much to the history and traditions of the lands in Middle East. In fact yesterday I saw the English movie " The Message " on the TV which got me thinking about this festival. Holidays are announced here from the 15th November on account of Eid Al Adha ( Bakrid as we know it) for 5 days.... and it has given me lots of time to relax and  think about the various aspects of life and my surrounding.So I decided to know more about Eil Al Adha and started reading few blogs i follow and on the net and also share with you all.

Are you aware that this is Eid is being celebrated to mark Ibrahim's( Abraham) willingness to sacrifice his first born son Ismail ( Ismael)  to the god as an act of obedience and devotion. God then seeing that Ibrahim was bent upon carrying out his order was pleased and requested Ibrahim to substitute the son with a ram. Hence Muslims all over the world would sacrifice a goat on this day to commemorate the ultimate act of sacrifice by Ibrahim by laying down the life of the dearest and loved one to please Allah.The meat from the sacrificed lamb is divided in three portions... one for family, one for friends and relatives and the third for poor and needy.

Muslims from world over undertake pilgrimage to Mecca during this time( between 8th day and 12 days of the last month of Islamic calender Dhu Al Hijja)  and these have been undertaken for thousands of years from the time of Ibrahim. Traditionally a devotee has to go around the Kaaba several times,run back and forth between the hills of Al Safa and Al Marwa, drink water from Zamzam spring ( It is said that Angel Gabriel struck the ground and the spring Zamzam rushed out when Ibrahim was coming to Mecca from Palestine and Ismail was dying of thirst),got to the plains of Mount Arafat and stand vigil and then throw stones at the pillar symbolizing the stoning of the devil. Pilgrims then have to shave their heads and conduct the ritual sacrifice on the day of the Eid.

I was watching BBC yesterday and i was told that over 2 million devotee have assembled to conduct the above rituals and because of such a huge crowd most of the rituals would have been shortened  for it would be near to impossible for everyone to carry out the ritual as practiced in the earlier times.

Date of Eid varies each year as per the Gregorian calender since the Islamic calender is based on a lunar month and each month starts only after siting of the moon.... hence it advances each year by 10-12 days as per Gregorian calender. One thing has always puzzled me as regards to different dates on which Eid al Fitr or Eid Al Adha is celebrated in various countries. These are modern times with instant communication through telephony or through internet and the moon sighting can be shared between countries and the festival could be celebrated the same day world over.... but no generally you would see that Eid is celebrated one day later in India..... reason given is that the moon sighting committee has to personally see the moon quadrant.

Eid Mubarak to all my Muslim friend !!!!!!

Well i think i have written nothing new this festival , for scores of people, historians and blogger's have written almost identically but the only thing is that my friend would now the meaning and tradition behind the Eid celebration !!
An interesting fact i read on the net is that there is a  similar story in Christianity and Judaism but then Abraham selects his second son Isaac not the elder son Ishmael.So interlinked are these three religion which only proves that there is one God !!

Pets ...... an induviduals choice and liking !!!!

Look around you and you would have noticed or read of people having  all kinds of pets, ordinary animals to an exotic one, birds of different kinds, reptiles like snakes, alligator or an insects too. Having a pet is not to show off to your friends or your neighbours but for your personal self. A moment with your pet  calms you down and washes away the stress and anger which may have accumulated within you during the course of the day. Most pets impart lots of love to their owners but some of them may be dangerous and their actions may cause bodily harm to the owner and yet the owners treat them with lots of love and care .

I have always loved to have various animal/birds as pet during my growing years but then after marriage had to adjust to not having any pets at home because of my spouse. When I was 3 years old  staying in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan  we used to have an Alsatian (German Sheppard) called Sheba and it’s been told by my parents that the dog used to sleep beside me in the bed... don’t remember the same as it is nearly half a century back. While my father was transferred we had to give away Sheba to a family friend.

From then on I have been having one pet or the other till I went to college and I have had Parrot, Myna, Cats and so forth .The interesting pets I have had were the squirrel and a white rat. My uncle and his friends used to come to our house during the weekend ( all working in Air force) to spend some time with us and one particular day found that one of my uncle’s friend had something moving around within his tucked shirt and slowly peeping out of the collar....the moment i saw the squirrel I also wanted to have one as a pet . To train a squirrel you need to have them with you when they are very young so that they get used to you and your smell... otherwise they are a pretty shy lot and awww they bite quite sharply. Though I got a squirrel that had not even its eyes open, she has bitten me enough times. I had the squirrel as pet for over an year and one fine day she met her mate and vanished from my life.... Born free live free I suppose !!!

During one of the visit to Air force station during a fete being conducted ,there were lots of games being conducted by the airmen and one particular game was Rat racing.... it is actually  a wooden box with glass topping having 8 tracks meter and half in length. One side of the track was a gate covering the entrance to the track. White rats ( looking similar to guinea pigs) were in their enclosure each having their number tagged and bet are place somewhat similar to horse races.... but on a much slower pace. These races went on for quite some time and at the time of winding up the fete the stall owner, a friend of my uncle handed over one of these rats to me and said that they make nice pets. Well I brought the rat home and had this as a pet for over year and half ... finally the rat died at a ripe old age.

One pet I always wanted was a monkey but then my parents would never allow it... so the next best thing I got home, which looked like a monkey but lot timid and slow moving is Slender Loris.... bought off Kuruvikaran  ( Indian gypsy) for 50 paisa in 1968. All was well and initially mom did not comment on the choice of pet.... then comes the house maid who started shrieking the moment she saw this on my neck and she told my mother that this animal brings bad luck to the home it stays........ so the same day I was asked to let go of the Slender Loris !!! Felt bad and am sure it would have made a lovely pet !!!

When most of us were grown up and I was working out of the country and one of my sister studying in Delhi, my mother used to feel very lonely so my father got her a Pomeranian pup and she was named Tanya.. she was the joy of the house full of fun but then fate had a cruel outcome. I was recently married and my wife has never ever had pets at home.... one day Tanya in a playful mood started running behind my wife who ran helter skelter  to avoid being licked and in the process knocked the dining chair over which hit Tanya on the head... Poor pup went limp for it damaged all the functions of the limbs.. so Tanya was bedridden for over 8 months and i still remember the times my mother used to carry Tanya to the veterinary Hospital hoping for miracle to happen and Tanya starts living her normal life. Even when she was lying around she used to wag her tail and look at us with so much love !!! Can never forget the moment when the doctors advised us to put her to sleep since it was not fair on our part to keep an immobilised dog. My mom could not bear the loss so the same day we bought home another similar Pomeranian  and she was also christened as Tanya. Well Tanya was with us for over 8 years and during the course of stay we also added one of Tanya’s litter to the household and she was named Soniya. 

 Soniya departed first due to illness and then Tanya due to old age ... it was then my mother did not want any more pets as she had no more tears left in her to mourn for loss in future. So much attachment to Tanya and Soniya...... that my parents always said that Tanya is their third daughter and Soniya their grandchild. It is a great feeling since dogs give unconditional love unlike us !!!!!!

Both my daughters love pets and due to constant pestering my wife conceded to have a pet dog at home.... more so to avoid my children going over to my neighbours place to play with the dogs or to play with the pups of the street dog which was quite friendly with us. The condition was that the dog would not be allowed to move round the house freely.  We accepted to the conditions with a thought that we would be able to bend the rules at a later date.... so came Christopher to our lives and home , a Doberman pup 3 months old. It was fun when the pup was growing up.. and had pay a hefty price to my wife since Christopher used to sharpen his growing teeth on the Sofa and he used to love cuddling on the sofa. Had to revamp and repair the Sofa set once he stopped gnawing the wooden legs.

As Christopher grew he became quite powerful that only me or my father could take him for a walk... when my elder daughter took him out he just dragged on the chain so much that she let go and sudden freedom made him run around for more than two hours before he came back. My mother almost fell down trying to hold on to his tugging chains.As a grown up dog Christopher never had freedom of being chainless within the home and he was constantly chained in my parents room.

My work involved regular travels to Bangalore and each day to take Christopher out for a walk was taking toll on my father and my wife and it was then decided we will give him to someone who would give Christopher his freedom and also love him. My daughters class mates uncle living out of town had a huge farm and he was looking for a guard dog and we decided to hand over him to them. My father, myself and my daughters went to the station to see Christopher off to Trichy where is very happy... lots of freedom and lots of love.

I now have taken a vow that if I have pets at home they would be completely free... no chains except while going out on walk... this means I cannot have a pet at home !!!