Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Winning Isn't Everything, There's More to it!

People imagine all sorts of terrible things about lawyers, as if they are unpredictable like toddlers.  When people meet a lawyer, there is one standard question that 's asked, "Do you win all your cases?"

I wonder how many patients ask this of surgeons and doctors. 
Do you want the truth when you ask that question or a reassurance of sorts? Maybe you just need to consider what winning means to you in the context of getting a lawyer to support your side of the story. If you want to win to destroy something, that's not winning, is it? If you want to win because injustice has been done to you, it is about creating trust in your version and through legal representation.

To me, winning is about creating trust between you and the lawyer, you and the opposite party and you persuading the judiciary that justice is on your side. When that happens, the win is that of justice, not of two warring lawyers as people tend to believe. To me, it's always about principles that you live by. Sometimes, it's important to win and make that your legacy of standing by what is just and fair.



Sunday, June 27, 2010

Don't Miss Lunch @ Hotel Travancore Palace



In March 2010, on a short visit to Kochi, my home town in Kerala, I visited the Travancore Palace (it's a traditional Kerala hotel). My father-in-law, Dr.C.R.Raghu, took us there as it is on the way to Cherthala and Alapuzha.  It's more than an hour's drive from Kochi but definitely worth it. Surrounded by lush greenery, authentic Kerala style paintings, old world charm and the spellbinding architecture of a traditional, Kerala style nallukettu, this is a place to unwind and relax. You won't find marble or granite floors sparkling here. You won't find brilliantly lit chandeliers and sparkling silver cutlery. Natural elements lend this place its best features. You can feel the breeze throughout the day and evening while you relax. The rains are sheer bliss as they fall through the open area of the nallukettu, becoming a visual delight. The light and air make it very airy to the extent that you don't need any other forms of light.


This is a place where you can find simplicity and elegance at one go. Best of all, the food is delicious, whether you are a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian.


We reached there past 11 pm and the photos we took hardly do justice to the grandeur of the place but do check these out. This is the traditional temple lamp that occupies a place of pride in the lush green lawns of the hotel. 




This picture shows the entrance that leads into the hotel.






 The following picture has three of us - Dr.C.R.Raghu, Adi and yes, that's me. The VIP in the picture is the golden bull. It is beautifully crafted and looks like an artistic masterpiece when you see it for real.






The painting shown below is just one of the many beautiful paintings that decorate the walls of the hotel's dining hall. Each painting comes with a clear title which helps us understand what the painting is trying to portray to the viewer.








Visit the Travancore Palace on a clear day and you will know what I mean when I say this place has old warm charm and lush greenery. You can spend time walking through the property, which is so beautifully maintained. If you are tempted to stay, do that. The rooms are very traditionally furnished and well kept with traditional artefacts. Whatever you decide, give this place a peek, it's worth it.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

FIFA Cup:: Which Team are You Supporting?

I have been watching the FIFA Cup 2010 with great interest. Which team are your supporting and why? Let's talk.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Don't Miss the Traditional Kerala Sadhya


A trip to Kerala is never complete without a traditional sadhya, that is served on a banana leaf. Kochi's BTH (Bharat Tourist Home) has a restaurant which offers the traditional sadhya on Sundays for guests. Naturally, people flock to this restaurant on Sundays to enjoy the traditonal meal which is priced very reasonably. 




Despite the long queue of families and the noisy canteen atmosphere, a visit to BTH is worth it if you are visiting Kochi.