Nila Nila Va Va - Moon on 19/03

 Is the moon nearer to earth or is it just my camera bringing to closer to earth? My first successful shot at the moon on 19/03. Image slightly touched up

Snow as of 18-Dec 11:20 AM

It's already a foot of snow...

Right Decision - Time will say: Times of India acknowledges it...

August last week, after 3 years of mulling on a decision to buy a LCD TV, We made the decision to buy a LCD TV. As usual, I started browsing the net to find an appropriate TV. I remember and often repeat the incident that happened when I began my 'second' life i.e. starting to live on my own after the first job in Satyam. I was enjoying the IT salary class in India and planned nice furnitures, TV, bike etc. I got a nice Honda Passion motor bike and that gave me a 'freedom' of driving! I decided to buy furnitures to decorate the empty house - Gyan Darshan. I actually was staying for no rent at my Sister's place in Chennai. I thought why not decorate the houses with nice furnitures, so when my sister returned to India, I could leave them as 'presents'.

Anyway, my friend Shiva known for his saving abilities stepped into decision making on buying new furnitures.We also had to visit my maternal uncles' place in Beasent Nagar for helping some problem in his PC. Discussion turned to my idea about buying new furniture. My uncle who has traveled a lot, stacked some good ideas and thoughts too. My Uncle and Shiva influenced me heavily to reconsider my decision and made me buy a used Diwan. I would have spent a minimum of 10,000 Rs, but ended up spending up 1,300 Rs on buying the nice Diwan and 100 Rs for transporting the set. Shiva saw the ad on Adayar Times and thats how we ended up buying.

It became an important learning that too right at the beginning of my career. So almost every other purchasing decision had this learning back in the mind. The same learning influenced me. In the case of LCD TV, my wife was not keen too. With the little boy and my MBA, we had little time to spend on entertainment. However as i was about to finish my papers by Nov and the little one became manageable, buying a TV and Sony's offer convinced us. The climax was yet to play.

We found a nice 40 inch LCD TV, 100Mhz, Wifi, TV Stand, Blue-ray player  etc. from Sony on the web. However when we visited the showroom, Sony offered us a full 3D TV pack for a bit more extra on our budget. We withdrew and went into mulling. We analysed many things and couple of points blocked us.

1. When guests visit, what do we do for extra pairs of 3D glasses? just one costs around £80 and we usually have a lot of guests.

2. What about health risks? - Its completely a new technology and there wasn't a lot of research on such technologies. Especially what happens to eyes and our brains that are fooled to imagine them as 3D images. Also with young lad around, we did not take the risks and settled for a nice regular TV.

In 3 months time, i have an answer. Check this out..."3D TV can make you really sick"

Right Decision - Time will say: Times of India acknowledges it...

August last week, after 3 years of mulling on a decision to buy a LCD TV, We made the decision to buy a LCD TV. As usual, I started browsing the net to find an appropriate TV. I remember and often repeat the incident that happened when I began my 'second' life i.e. starting to live on my own after the first job in Satyam. I was enjoying the IT salary class in India and planned nice furnitures, TV, bike etc. I got a nice Honda Passion motor bike and that gave me a 'freedom' of driving! I decided to buy furnitures to decorate the empty house - Gyan Darshan. I actually was staying for no rent at my Sister's place in Chennai. I thought why not decorate the houses with nice furnitures, so when my sister returned to India, I could leave them as 'presents'.

Anyway, my friend Shiva known for his saving abilities stepped into decision making on buying new furnitures.We also had to visit my maternal uncles' place for helping some problem in his PC. Discussion turned to my idea about buying new furniture. My uncle who has traveled a bit is also known for his saving skills. Both Shiva & my Uncle influenced me heavily and made me buy a used Diwan. I would have spent a minimum of 10,000 Rs, but ended up spending up 1,300 Rs on buying the nice Diwan and 100 Rs for transporting the set. Shiva saw the ad on Adayar Times and thats how we ended up buying.

It became an important learning that too right at the beginning of my career. So almost every other purchasing decision had this learning back in the mind. The same learning influenced me. In the case of LCD TV, my wife was not keen too. With the little boy and my MBA, we had little time to spend on entertainment. However as i was about to finish my papers by Nov and the little one became manageable, buying a TV and Sony's offer convinced us. The climax was yet to play.

We found a nice 40 inch LCD TV, 100Mhz, Wifi, TV Stand, Blue-ray player  etc. from Sony on the web. However when we visited the showroom, Sony offered us a full 3D TV pack for a bit more extra on our budget. We withdrew and went into mulling. We analysed many things and couple of points blocked us.
1. When guests visit, what do we do for extra pairs of 3D glasses? just one costs around £80
2. What about health risks?

In 3 months time, i have an answer. Check this out..."3D TV can make you really sick"

Regular Breaker Rahul

I grew up hearing stories about Rahul's dad Rajiv how he wanted to change India and how he is to lead the country into a super-power. However I also heard stories that how he is interested more in technology than in politics and as a matter of fact not interested at all in entering into politics. But the Congress Chamchas' had to have someone with blue-blood to keep their interests secure. So Rajiv was made and sadly missed. Today 'they' understand the nuance that with Power comes more Responsibility (as Spiderman says...). How to be in power and limelight, but shrug responsibilities.

One section of media has a regular section on security breaker Rahul Gandhi. I don't understand what he is doing up there. I am told he strengthens grass roots and he plays wisely. btw why do we always paint politics as a game of chess and a matter of high canniness?

I was quite annoyed about the recent security breaker in UP and a second-class sleeper travel with 10 commandos. I was searching in google for such news in the past two years and actually he has been consistently doing this for the last 2-3 years.

Exam question: If one aspires to be a 'leader' of the nation (he will not be a direct PM but a remote PM), is it actually sensible to belittle your security teams by giving them a run?

What is the purpose of this hide and seek?

What if you actually stumble upon a situation that the 10 commandos around you couldn't help?

Let me analyse it purely from a security perspective:
I am about to play naive and assume that Rahul's intention is to break away from hassles of security and VVIP, that he doesn't fear life - that's easy: Write to the government and break free! No more security, no more news and you go free, wherever you like...

or let us assume that Rahul understands the need for security, but would like to mingle with crowd and understand the grass-root issues: This could also be done by arranging for spot Q&A with very little time for chamchas to massage the news - that is ask the local cong leader on the spot to assemble pockets of people who could be checked by security and allowed to interact, so the 'leader' could understand local issues. - in my defense, he has actually done this a few times where he meets students in locked up auditorium (why a locked up session?) and in Mar 2010 with a very short notice, he arrived at a wedding where the minimum security was given.

Over to Alternate thoughts...
or let us assume Rahul is interested in media-management: Hence break free especially when kids are around or in second class sleeper trains where 10 commandos are with you to protect etc.

or let us assume Rahul is actually dumb and doesn't understand the challenges of security and breaks once in a while. - if this be the case, then can't help an argument.

I can think of a few worthless scenarios, anyway not for today.

In the grand scheme of politics, one can only assume its media-management. Unfortunately the power of media and information is too great, so the alternate scenarios of his stunts come out very well. I can think of only one proverb in tamil 'Puli varadu, Puli varadhu ngra kadai oru naal unmaiyya puli varapohuthu' - (one day the tiger might actually come and get its prey). On a serious note, if he seriously aspires for the future of Indian premiership, this is quite worrisome as these acts highlight his IQ & EQ and what might be in store, if he becomes one.

News in 2030:

• Rahul gives a miss to Cabinet meeting!
  
• Parliament Finds Rahul sitting with Backbenchers
• Today Rahul lands a suprise, dressed as a security guard and standing next to speaker!
• Rahul does it again, his ministers complain to Sonia-Ji...
• Young (just 60+) Rahul's journey to Parliament was a surprise...
• Rahul breaking protocol leaves UN fuming
• Chinese delegation searches Rahul as he travels by world's fastest train (slept under the seat and missed the stop)
  

His chamchas will continue to say, what a rebel he is... Unfortunately gone are those days! (Hopefully, or we will find similar headlines about India)

Jog, Run and Kashmir...

Last week I started getting back to good health. I am on my sixth day of running. I couldn't believe myself as i struggled to run just few hundred yards, indicating my stamina. Today after a bad sinus headache, I decided to lay down for a good sleep. I was cranky after that nap and dull, but i decided not be a broke!

I hit the roads again and today i ran well and i was quite comfortable and completed probably a mile. A shame for regular runners but not for me. I was proud of myself. I overcame my sluggishness and procrastinations! I have been through a tough year mentally and physically. First 3-4 months of 2010 was a lot of flu and then later guests, travel etc. On top, I had my office chores and MBA. A lot to take on. I feel 2010 is almost over; mainly because at office, the plans for next 2-3 have been in progress for a while and it feels 2011 already.

Things have started looking better! My friend just called me over the weekend to say, he might buy his family home near mine which is great news to us. October feels a lot chilly comparatively for this time of an English year and weather. My in-laws are here and its some family time too.

These days not many things bother me, but a few things still do. Especially what i read in the paper (especially political sections). Having said that, Ms. Roy's comments are certainly not welcome. I acknowledge freedom of speech, but everything depends on comments and circumstances. If you drink grape juice in a vineyard, with very little or no doubt, one would say that you are tasting a wine not a grape juice. Same here, if Ms. Roy had aired those comments a few days back or later, or even when there was a lot of chaos (a few weeks back), it would have been okay. Sharing the dias, Ms. Roy shared her thoughts with a separatist. In this circumstance I pronounce her irresponsible and attention-seeker, limelight-grabber etc. She goes on to say that many people in Kashmir say that, yes many in Pakistan say that; however a lot more in India think otherwise. It is not about the number of people. Pakistan, India + Kashmir, Bangladesh share some cultural roots. It is a delicate issue, if you are a responsible journalist, why not do things in-camera with an outcome in mind? Why grab limelight?

Gandhi (I mean Mahatma) just did not talk! He had an action plan and delivered it. I am so frustrated with her as i see this as her trend. She did a similar thing with the naxal problem. She spent a day with them, narrated a dramatic story to the media and poof! Disappeared into ether? What was your value add? what was your contribution? at a time, where media is just momentary in its news and value, I see her sharing the same 'momentary' basics. No strategy, no action, plain talk! If you intend to play just a journalist, then so be it, but if you aspire for Suu Kyi, then play big. Don't just talk and aspire to play big.

Reminds me of a proverb - "Empty vessels make more noise" !!

Donate to thohur, if you wish.

Friends, I take it from my stats that a lot of people across the world have accessed the blog not sure if this was for upakarma or just a general inquistive visit. May I kindly remind and request that vedas don't belong to anyone, however we have had the gift through some of the gurus in sama vedic lineage. Sri Maharabhushanam of thohur currently runs a padasala and may i suggest that if sama vedins have downloaded the scanned copies to donate a bit of their earning towards sama veda samrakshana?

PS: He has never requested me or anyone to put these posts or request for donation. But I am doing it, so the vedas can be protected. He runs this padasala with kanchi mutt's aid and any extra bit is always useful.

His address: Sri Maharabhushanam, JSV Patasala, Thohur 613102

Sama Veda Upakarma

Most of us know the vedas have been in existence through word of mouth and not created by man. But little does the current generation know about its golden past, meanings and many other things. Same do I. What I learnt is also by word of mouth - through swara or sruiti. Rig, Yajur and Atharva Vedis (Ones who practise those sects) celebrated Avani Avittam recently. However for sama-vedikas are to celebrate on Sep 10th (this year). Sama-veda is well known for its musical foundation, is said to be the base for Indian music too. This veda has three sects - Jaimini, Gowthama and Ranaiana. I am aware that all these three sects are dwindling.

Few years ago, when my father retired he took up the hard task of publishing the sama-vedic daily karmas such as sandhyvandanam etc. It took him an year or so to complete the book which includes the karmic duties of a brahmacharyam as well as grihastha based on Jaimini Sama. He has also included things like 'abivadhinam' (introduction). Abivadhinam is a sanskrit term equivalent to Introduction. When an indvidual meets an elder, it is a way of introduction that outlines his ghotra, his lineage and the vedic association prior to prostrating to the elder. This book is a very good handbook that also gives basics on 'Pariseshanam' 'Agnihotra', Historical references to Sama Vedikas etc. etc. At the moment we have a couple of copies left and there is no master-copy to reprint it.

This year I decided to scan the book and host the link. If people wish to download and use for their sama-upakarma, they could. Also if you are a sama-vedi, please write to me and I will be happy to be in touch with you. My intention is to bring a samelan of Sama-vedis to propogate the knowledge.

Step 1 is an introduction to upakarma and what it means.

Step 2 is the text for agni-krama. e.g. Samithdhanam for bramacharis or Owpasana for grihasthas

Step 3 is the text for Kamokarishin Japa, Maha-Sankalpam & finally yogyobhaveetham

Step 4 is the brhama-ygaya prayogam
btw (the zip files contain the pdfs which need to be rotated to read in a book mode)

Sanskrit equivalent for the year, month, day & star =
Vikruti-nama-Samvatsare (Vikruti named year)
Dhakishna-Ayne (When the earth is is on its southern sojourn)
Varusha-Rithu (Rainy Rithu)
Sraavana-Maase (Month)
Shukla-Paksha (Moon on Waxing State)
Thriuthiyam (Day - three)
Brihu-vasara (Friday)
Hastha Nakshthra (Star of Hastha)

(My friend partha has given london's location and I refer to his site for details)

So do why all this? Basically the tradition is that for six months from Avani to Thai months (Aug/Sep-Dec/Jan), one can learn vedas and then the next six months, it is said they should not learn BUT recite and memorise the ones that they have learnt. So when the next cycle starts, the vedas are to be begun again. However if someone does not do these kramas(duties), then to repent and re-initiate is through upakarma. Hence the importance of upakarma which is now referred as avani avittam. (If anyone wishes to have the full book, please write to me and I will photocopy and post it. - Appreciate if you can donate an amount to Thoohur pada sala in Trichy where Aacharyan Sri. Mahara Bhushnam teaches Sama Vedikas today.) I had been there a couple of years back and I got some videos. Will find and post them.

I intend to do properly this year and begin to learn vedas through CDs and online. People recommend to do through aacharyas and I am not gifted in the place where i live. However Vedas are set to be apourashya (not made by humans) and to be cognisicsed through sound. So I seek it through sound tracks online or through CD. I also intend to visit a near by temple and seek blessings from one of the priest to guide me. My intention is to make a start. Learning never ends, does it?

Quiet Zone - I found it.

After a few months of roller coaster rides, I am back to ground zero enjoying peace. When I say this, I am quite aware that in a week or so, I will have to climb again for another ride. But experience gives me the feeling, that I will start enjoying the rides and the scary part is over. Future rides are to give me scary moments, but I intend to apply them to come out successfully.

Pakistan floods, Disasters in Haiti, Wild fires in Russia, Chinese landslides, Recession, Shrinking Moon, do we have any good things going around?

It depends, I see we that have'nt started the world war-3 yet. Hey thats good news! Really is there something nice going around? I guess the ash clouds have gone, recession is not in the headlines anymore. Mr. Brown & Bush are names forgotten. Tony is giving 4mil back!!! Obama is setting up AfPak office. Infosys has been referred as chop-shop (I agree, but that should have been generalised to IT/BPO services companies and not single out infosys, also highlight US does trade with such chop-shops!). India chose to support Pak by offerring $5m (Do you know India off'd around $20M during the earthquakes?). So lots of nice things going on.

I started going back to my Kriya yoga setting aside my thoughts on Sri Sri, Nityananda et. all. Yoga is something that's been there for eons and one who shows light to you is a Guru and one art of living follower a young lady trusted me a complete stranger and guided me back into this yoga. So she could be a guru too. My search goes on. Incidentally another lady (not sure if she is young) from Srilanka has given me a few thoughts to think! I wrote to her and she responded very interestingly. So the search continues... the term 'search' reminds me of google. Would google seek the truth for me? Thats what Eric Schmidt intends to (refer his latest speech).

Another google thingy - I got a HTC desire a phone that I wished four years back. Though I had my requirements, HTC or Google never took them from me, but delivered one! With its help, I am back at my social networking. I spoke to quite a handful of my friends across the globe last week. It was all the way from India, Singapore, Australia, Europe and the US. (I don't have any friends in China or South America - worrying).

Anyway going back to the topic: Inspite of a 3 year old constantly needing my attention, (not to mention my dear wife too), I found a quiet zone, however the irony is this zone is filled with blood, pressure and a lot of knots - a zone you can find too. However I cannot reveal that! You got to find for yourself. Om Shanti!

‘It’ has morphed into ‘She’

New Year has been quite hectic for various reasons. Partly health and rest other stuff. MBA has been keeping me on the hooks too. But that was my desire, so can't blame it. What has been highlighted very clearly is investment on health. I have not done much in the last few years. When I came into UK, I was around 67Kg and now just above my BMI. I don't prefer new year resolutions, anyway this year without even wishing one, I lost a few kg coz' of Noro. Then the flu… I did want to do a bit of jogging and I am now planning to start it soon. My son is just blossoming and he takes a bit of time and fat as well. His naughtiness doesn't get on my nerves, but his whining does. He has been like that only in the last few weeks very simply coz' of his health (at least my wife says so, I think it's his new found habit, trust me not from my gene). I mentioned about my missus, bless her. She is driving it carefully and has been affected by the cold as well. We keep debating about the health if it's because of humidity or poor investment or laziness or too much 'eat-out' or is it because of her cooking style etc. etc. I think it is because of the investment in health.

With spring around the corner, I wish to spring back to good health and wealth (!). Yeah I bought a new car – Kuga. My first new car, first SUV, a first Ford (as if I had hundred diff cars before), a first diesel, a first six-geared (I once forgot to use the sixth gear for quite a few miles in the motorway) and a first 'Chill' colour. The colour of 'Chill' reminds of a conversation I had with my friend and his wife. It was a discussion on the colour 'mauve'. It was a funny discussion though… Both are strong opinionated and hence you can see how the discussion can go. But it was nice and finally we gave up that a colour 'mauve' did exist! So what's this 'Chill' colour? It's a mix of silver, gold and gazke. Gazke is a secret ingredient very similar to what my wife uses in cooking. So looks like Ford has added 'Gazke' to its SUV colours and has made it special. Anyway if you really wanted to see the colour in person, please go to a nearby showroom (don't come over to my place – coz' the car would have been old and you really cannot see the 'Chill'). We took the 'Gazke' added Kuga over to temple, garlanded it and welcomed it to our family. It has become 'She'. Now you know the title of the blog. My dear Honda Accord was given a warm send-off, however 'She' did not turn into 'it'. By the way, we do we feminise ships, cars, buildings, counties? I am not a female chauvinist. I don't know why? I will tell, I am a happily married man and I am still enjoying life (though I had to put of my sanyasi plans – not coz' of latest revelations on Sun TV). May be opposite poles attract each other and since the car attracts me, psychologically I am associating with an opposite polarity. I don't know if Freud has theories about this.

In the meanwhile Sachin hit a double in ODI, as like with many, I had a gut feeling that day. I preferred Dravid coz' personally I liked Rahul's style (No I am not talking about the Rahul who dines in huts and travels in Mumbai metros). He is not around in the media these days. May be he is swimming somewhere with fishes showing his human side to him. I tried showing my human side one day by dropping a coin to someone in Paris airport (what was I doing in Paris, that's for a different day), but no media channels cared for me. Anyway I teased our Tharoorji on twitter; he did not fall for it. He has got a clout in twitter but not sure if he will be a Rahul. Anyways enough of my thoughts…

PS: The insurance company and creditors recorded the 'Chill' Kuga as 'Silver' J

Who controls me?

Happy new year to all! Its been a nice start to the year with snow and all the nice stuff. But this means the work is going to pile up and replay later. Its just that goal post is slightly moved... Ah about the title of this post: I am being controlled for sometime now by someone... Normally i always drive things (note: I am not a control freak). There are always situations that you can't control but you have ways to manage and get along... Guess who's this someone who is trying to outsmart or in other words keeping me in toes? No not my wife or my manager or my neighbour or my parents (they relinquished it long back)... as i mention my parents, you would have guessed, its my 2 year 2 month old son! He is all pervasive and omnipresent! The one who keeps me fully on toes, I plan something, he keeps coming up with new challenges... I have run teams of different sizes and challenges... This guy is a one man transformation programme. One thing for sure, I am getting better every day and gives new meaning everyday... He is oozing energy and i am sipping it rather than tiring out... I understand his dynamics and learn to interact with a two year old, i should proudly say 'he controls me now' not in the actual sense of controlling me, but he is just shaping me up as well as getting chiseled! Life is a beauty...

Fall or Autumn - time for "Insight"

If you have noticed, my summer has passed like a whirlwind. Be it office, family or at my Uni, I have worked very hard and 'smart' to deliver. Riding many horses at the same time has been a challenge, but I am getting better by inches. Fall or Autumn is a season of insight to me. Why do people have many words for the same thing? How could I do better? I know my goal, but there are many paths... which one should I choose?

A few years ago, I asked my dad (who is a staunch believer in God) about polytheism and his view on it...Hinduism is a way of life or a religion of religions, so practising a way is such a challenge if your roots belong to it. His view was quite simple. Let us say you want to go to destination A and if it has 10 routes, travelling by route 1 for 5 miles and route 2 for 4 miles and route 3 for 3 miles won't take you to A. But all routes do take you to A. All roads lead to same destination. The message was 'You have to choose a way AND stick to it'. Very important is the AND clause. I have been riding many horses but not many paths, but I am now at the junction of many paths. The situation reminds me of Robert Frost's 'Road Not Taken'. I have to choose one! Languages do have different words for same thing, religions have many paths to same God. I choose simple words to describe complex things, so is simplicity the best option? A conjecture.

Family tree is getting rusty, the roots need my support or do i yearn for support from the roots? A Banyan tree symbolises my position. I am an 'aerial prop' trying to reach the roots and not yet there, but will be there one day. Is the prop supporting the tree or the prop wishing to take support from the root? Science says that these props become trunks and are indistinguishable. But thoughts question the logic "the props do they support the roots or take support by growing to the roots?"

Don't get me wrong, I am not melancholic, this is an insight into the path that should be taken. I am strong, sound and resolute to achieve! Readers have asked me on the absence of thoughts, actually they are never absent, just silent.

So what did i do the last fours months? Assignments for the Uni, family time, extended family time, moving houses. Ah! that reminds me that i am sitting in a developed world where it has taken 2 months for the telecom company to provision a broadband for me. I am not joking, in fact i should say it has taken me 3 months. I called TalkTalk on Aug 14th to mention i am moving houses (I moved on Sep 20th), they disconnected me on Sep 10th and i got my broadband on Nov 3rd. What a service! I called, tweaked, poked and finally gave up! you have to win some and loose some... I ordered a slow mobile broadband and ploughed through my way...Life now is a bliss with the super fast 4Mb broadband!!!

I imagine what if one day the internet goes down? (post for a different day)...

It's been four months

Last four months flew. May, June, July, August have gone like a wind. I watched the Indian general elections, some great cricket by England, return of Dravid, best of all was a five day trip to Scotland. In the last six years, I had reserved Scotland for a special occassion and i chose to spend it with my family. I enjoyed driving to core, the sceneries still stand in my mind. Mountains, lakes and pure nature, yes pure nature. We stayed in a wooden house, and just behind the house the rivers from the glen ebbs, sand gushes into the valleys. Such a sight and relaxation. One day we walked up on the Glen Navis and interestingly i tried some of stunts and got caught into a swamp and had to jump of the marsh by leaving the shoes and trekk up bare foot.

Big news is in the four months, i completed two of my courses in Global Energy MBA@WBS in first class but couldn't secure my honours which was a big disappointment. However with the commitments to family, busy work schedule and guests as well as a good summer, i focused and made hay! I also started getting up early to play Tennis daily in the morning. This brings my memories from Neyveli where i started my tennis but never excelled in it. I tried many sports in my schooling, but focused into Volleyball later and played some good games. I remember that our school rarely won matches in south zone tournaments, where we had won the first round but lost the next and turned back home. However we set trends and i still do in my own ways, in things that i do... I always cherished tennis but could never play to the level. This summer has opened up the avenue but long way to go.

In a fortnight we are moving home and new opportunities await.

Skanda Save our Souls

I wish I was not part of this global mess and the Tamil nonsense going around. In my previous post, I mentioned that I shall write about SkandaVale, my trip and my feelings, thoughts. I am so sad at my heart and thoughts when I look to the images of sea and human sea in North east Sri Lanka.

I wanted to express my thoughts as how Skandan or Lord Murugan a Tamil God is reigning in Wales (Part of UK), where as Tamils have been led into this gory war. We had a lot to say about us as a race (though I strongly condemn any race based support or theories); Tamils were the one to write best of most subjects and today we beg for food and shelter.

As a humanitarian disaster is awaiting, I am going to blame no one but just us. 'Thirukural' classic couplets of wisdom - were from Tamil, many many works and many many achievements were part of our tradition - Today we are what we are. This goes for any set of humans - when Gandhi showed us the way of peaceful protests, we took war, when People gave us chances, we ignored them - when others followed our theology, we threw them away, when world benefited from our experience, we shut our eyes and ears to our own folktales - so we are where we are today.

Please let us stop blaming others. At this hour, I wish history repeats again - Similar to the Kalinga War, let us see the carnage we have unleashed on ourselves, let us become the king Ashoka and seek peace.

I quote from the Edicts of Ashoka (Rock 13):

"Ashoka had seen the bloodshed with his own eyes. He felt that he was the cause of the destruction.

Ashoka's response to the Kalinga War is recorded in the Edicts of Ashoka. According to some of these (Rock Edict XIII and Minor Rock Edict I), the Kalinga War prompted Ashoka, already a non-engaged Buddhist, to devote the rest of his life to Ahimsa (non-violence) and to Dhamma-Vijaya (victory through Dhamma). Following the conquest of Kalinga, Ashoka ended the military expansion of the empire, and led the empire through more than 40 years of relative peace, harmony and prosperity.

Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Priyadarsi, conquered the Kalingas eight years after his coronation. One hundred and fifty thousand were deported, one hundred thousand were killed and many more died (from other causes). After the Kalingas had been conquered, Beloved-of-the-Gods came to feel a strong inclination towards the Dhamma, a love for the Dhamma and for instruction in Dhamma. Now Beloved-of-the-Gods feels deep remorse for having conquered the Kalingas."

The country of waterfalls...

Everyone looks for a refreshing break and a few really get the refresh. Software & Hardwares have a refresh cycle of 3 years, used to be 10 a decade back, 5 a few years back and now the companies want to refresh hardwares every three years! As usual my thoughts wander...

Easter breaks have always been kind to me, for a few years in row i spent that break in city of love and life - Paris. This time we drove to the country of falls - 'Brecon Beacons'. Mellte river near the village Pontneddfechan humbles the boulders and trees as well as the men who visit the place. Experience is something you can try to capture using photos and words, yet when it is real it can be surreal! Welsh names and sounds can be a lot harder if one is not exposed to the language and i am one among those that are unexposed. The image next to the write-up is the H shaped severn river one on M4.

For a start we toured around a small hilltop in opposite direction searching the falls. Our understanding of the maps was completely wrong and we figured out the right direction. Finally we drove to the spot and started trekking. The river was quite subtle and it was more like a brook. By then I had already mentioned to my partner that that brook would be the one to show wonders as a waterfall. If you keep trekking you will find a lot more fantastic falls. Its just that with a 17 month baby on your shoulders, you will pause and think twice to trek more; simply because you need to trek back to your base camp :)

The water and nature just humbled me and remained me again what mother nature is (btw why do we not address nature as father nature?) A small brook more like a dripping pee slowly gathers to become falls. But on the way the brook crushes the trees and big mountains to twigs and pebbles. Can we protect and preserve it for our future?Late in the afternoon we proceeded to tour around the national park and headed towards the brecon information centre. The drive displayed some fantastic mountain views and we just sat there in the car with mouths shut tightly but minds wide open with awe!

The next day we planned for SkandaVale. I need to do a separate post on this and indeed needs a post on its own, as i have a lot of thoughts around that trip. A bit political as well...

"He is just a Phenomenon"

Sharad is a great guy, he has some fabulous records under his belt in the domain that he works. He is a regular guy to the office, doesn't crave for attention, at the same instance not a push-over - he fights for what he believes, a cool head and has been a saviour many times in his 13 long year career. He took roles what his team demanded and gave 200% always irrespective of what others said. People around him wondered if he had any emotions at all.

I will pose a scenario; Imagine you give 200% to your team and sweat every bit, yes literally sweat to success, but you have a contemporary in the office who is just a genius and hogs the limelight; still you do your job and give your best - isn't that a great character? One day he was given the top job in the office and he takes that as well with humility and leads through a difficult time. When every thing was going well, (not really well though - results weren't as expected but not poor at the same time) he threw the hat in, but did not quit, and went back to be a soldier and still led from front.

Isn't he a great example for leadership? C'mon imagine if you go through such a shiny career, can you keep cool head and can you be composed in such a way that people wonder if you are a wall or a man? This man is a big big role model for me. Words can't describe this guy, he is just a phenomenon.

I take the occasion today to salute him as he reaches yet another milestone in the office! I am sure you will be interested to know him.

Click here to know more about Sharad

Great Saved the world - Job done!

Many of them mocked, I was one among them. But the world leaders apparently agreed to save the world. This was an apprentice, where everyone got HIRED! As i moved through the traffic this morning, I imagined how it would be if Sir Alan Sugar made an episode with the G20 leaders fighting to be his apprentice. The French president did not play ball, same with the German chancellor, Chinese were ready to help but wanted them as the project manager for all the episodes and make the Chinese currency as the bill to pay the winner, Indians as usual talked about policies and procedures, Obama in his usual style patted the browns, allowed him to lead the team, but stole the limelight when the draw was announced and everyone of them were Hired to play the BANKER! 

Imagination helped me brighten up! The answer is pay the trillion now and grow the debt; If by any chance the plan failed...(Believe me, I am an optimist)

"Ring a-ring o' roses, A pocketful of posies. a-tissue!, a-tissue!. We all fall down" 

G20 - Garbage 20 "£$€¥₩руб"

The G20 was originally set up as an informal group in 1999, following the financial crisis in Asia. Their aim was to encourage international co-operation between finance ministers and central bankers. This summit in London potential costs amount to £20m, where as the one in Japan costed $285m (2008) and the Germany costed €92m(2004). THIS IS THE HIGHEST SECURITY EXPENSE in BRITISH HISTORY!

For an argument sake, if these summits had happened over video conferencing facility, we would have more money to spend today. Background work could have happened as it happens today and the key heads could have sat across the table before a best possible high-speed video line and all these money we spend could have been reduced to a pittance. People would have faced no hardship as they go to their day jobs, petty shops would be kept open, execs could have worn their suits, most importantly, Mother Nature would have been more green! Consider the emissions from the flights to & fro between the 19 countries to UK!

Ok At least let us wait to see if the result is positive; the overarching feeling is this summit will be a flop :(

Proceeds of dogs sales, don't bark!

That's a proverb in Tamil; What the old folks mean is if you sell a dog, the cash proceeds don't bark... i.e. you may steal a dog, sell it and no one would know the source of the income... Proverbs seldom turn false. Yesterday i witnessed it. Liquor tycoon Mallya bought Gandhi's personal artifacts in an auction, gifts to Indian government! Gandhi who stood against three things, drinks, deceit, non-veg food would have definitely disliked Mallya buying his artifacts in the auction. He was so anti to drinks and a liquor baron has bought and gifted the items to government but has done so coz' he is Indian. Bull!

I think its one another publicity act... My blog titles that thoughts never belong to one individual and the writer in the article i linked above, has expressed a similar view on this subject. or is it the hundredth monkey phenomenon?

Its New Year Today

Happy new year to all. (Today Jan 21 2009) The official new year starts for Obama followers! Hurray Obama has taken reins, not to worry everything will be hunky dorry from now on - No it won't be - at least to me. I was away on a trip home, came back, fell ill, got the boy into day care, fell ill, got better, fell ill, son's not liking the day care, son's the agenda on my mind and until he settles not even Obama for the matter Osama can help me. O! Rama can you?

Torn between the pros & cons of day care, the pros & cons of modern style of parenting, the pros & cons of traditional ways of parenting, I am all cranky, in fact cranky than the boy himself. So can Obama save me? That's how our 21st century brains are. How could we dream of one man saving the world for us? it could be he is infusing hope blah blah, but fundamentally the human mind is so conditioned that they have tried out many forms of government and have gone back to Monarchic ways.

Until the day we all, i say again - we all understand that 'team works' its going to be Deja vu even in 521st century. I don't deny his raise to where he is, what he has gone through - to be honest his meteroic raise has infused hope in me too (blind)... I will be a slave to him, if in his 3rd day of the office he makes a law to get the bonus back from fat cats. C'mon on one end the bankers have taken all their bonuses and made their money. Economy is doomed, the ordinary man is asked to work again! The UK spends millions sorry billions sorry trillions in getting the banks back, instead if they had given 200,000£ to citizens with good credit report with a surity that these citizens should make more money and invest in banks, we all would have invested in houses, cars, better stuff and the economy would be in better state; whereas now our money (from taxes) is invested to insure our own mortgage repayment protection plans!

Can we all grow up? O!Rama bless Obama, Osama & Citizens of MamaMia world.