Very casually I asked a colleague of mine how the New Year 2012 was going to be for him.
His reply floored me! He said he can say that only after 2 days (as the new year was 2 days away!).
Jokes apart, here's wishing all of us a very bright and prosperous new year 2012.
May the new year bring in a lot of joy, bestow good health and peace of mind, success and prosperity on all of of us.
Cheers!
Mahalakshmi
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Baby Names for BigB's Grand Daughter
When I read news that the Bachchan family was still searching for an unusual (read uncommon) name beginning with 'A' for the little girl baby born to son Abhishek and Aiswarya, I decided to contribute some. If that helps at all is to be seen when the baby is ultimately named.
Though the baby was born on 16th November this year which also happens to be my husband's birthday, till date they have not been able to zero in on any name!
Below is reproduced the post to Amitabh Bachchan affectionately called BigB on his blog site: bigb.bigadda.com
All of them are uncommon names of the Divine Mother, Bala Tripurasundari or Lalithamba.
Day 1330
334. Mahalakshmi says:
December 10, 2011 at 10:17 pm
Dear Bacchanji,
Wish to pass on these lovely names for the new joy and light of your life.
These are all names of Maa, the Supreme with their meanings.
1. Annadaa = sustainer of life. Giver of food.
2. Aanandakalika = dwells in everbody as the source of all bliss/enjoyment
3. Asobhanaa = always young and eternally beautiful
4. Anugraha = bestower of grace
5. Avyaktaa = goddess having the entire universe in potential state or ‘aham’
6. Akshamala = garland of letters from 'a' to 'ksa' which contain all mantras
7. Atigarvita = very dignified
8. Ajna or aagnyaa = the chakra between two eyebrows which controls all the indriyas
9. Ameya = immeasurable. Nothing with which to measure Her
10. Aprameya = none to measure her or nothing to measure her with
Best wishes to you and yours.
Cheers.
Mahalakshmi.
Chennai.
Though the baby was born on 16th November this year which also happens to be my husband's birthday, till date they have not been able to zero in on any name!
Below is reproduced the post to Amitabh Bachchan affectionately called BigB on his blog site: bigb.bigadda.com
All of them are uncommon names of the Divine Mother, Bala Tripurasundari or Lalithamba.
Day 1330
334. Mahalakshmi says:
December 10, 2011 at 10:17 pm
Dear Bacchanji,
Wish to pass on these lovely names for the new joy and light of your life.
These are all names of Maa, the Supreme with their meanings.
1. Annadaa = sustainer of life. Giver of food.
2. Aanandakalika = dwells in everbody as the source of all bliss/enjoyment
3. Asobhanaa = always young and eternally beautiful
4. Anugraha = bestower of grace
5. Avyaktaa = goddess having the entire universe in potential state or ‘aham’
6. Akshamala = garland of letters from 'a' to 'ksa' which contain all mantras
7. Atigarvita = very dignified
8. Ajna or aagnyaa = the chakra between two eyebrows which controls all the indriyas
9. Ameya = immeasurable. Nothing with which to measure Her
10. Aprameya = none to measure her or nothing to measure her with
Best wishes to you and yours.
Cheers.
Mahalakshmi.
Chennai.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
At The Kitchen
Kitchen work and cooking have many processes to follow.
These could confuse a beginner.
No amount of teaching gets the desired results unless one is constantly practicing.
Carelessness could spoil dishes at times but that is the only way to learn!
For us who have been at it for many decades now, these tasks are second nature.
When milk is boiled in large quantities, a portion is cooled in a separate container until it is just warm enough. A teaspoon of curds is then added to set it. Until milk turns into curds it should not be refrigerated.
Another portion of milk is kept aside for the noon's tea and this has to be absolutely cool before it is refrigerated for later use. If this is not done, the milk could curdle in the humid temperature of Chennai and render it useless for tea.
My husband who lends a helping hand at the kitchen is never able to understand why I don't follow the same rule for everything! I would insist that all dishes have to be covered with a lid and kept near the cooking counter to retain heat.
But when I am making chutneys, the shallow fried ingredients have to be kept open and under the fan to cool before passing them through the blender! When I think it is ready to be ground, I find the fan switched off and the dish covered, still hot!!
There are times when items to be covered are kept open and those that need to be cooled are neatly covered! Holy confusion arises and precious time is lost. These are funny situations!
There can be a mismatch when work is shared by two or more people unless processes are understood and each complements the other, otherwise it could turn out to be 'Laurel and Hardy' early in the morning.
Mahalakshmi.
These could confuse a beginner.
No amount of teaching gets the desired results unless one is constantly practicing.
Carelessness could spoil dishes at times but that is the only way to learn!
For us who have been at it for many decades now, these tasks are second nature.
When milk is boiled in large quantities, a portion is cooled in a separate container until it is just warm enough. A teaspoon of curds is then added to set it. Until milk turns into curds it should not be refrigerated.
Another portion of milk is kept aside for the noon's tea and this has to be absolutely cool before it is refrigerated for later use. If this is not done, the milk could curdle in the humid temperature of Chennai and render it useless for tea.
My husband who lends a helping hand at the kitchen is never able to understand why I don't follow the same rule for everything! I would insist that all dishes have to be covered with a lid and kept near the cooking counter to retain heat.
But when I am making chutneys, the shallow fried ingredients have to be kept open and under the fan to cool before passing them through the blender! When I think it is ready to be ground, I find the fan switched off and the dish covered, still hot!!
There are times when items to be covered are kept open and those that need to be cooled are neatly covered! Holy confusion arises and precious time is lost. These are funny situations!
There can be a mismatch when work is shared by two or more people unless processes are understood and each complements the other, otherwise it could turn out to be 'Laurel and Hardy' early in the morning.
Mahalakshmi.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Goodbye To Arun
Arun has been a keen follower of this blog site from early days.
Sad to learn today from a colleague that he is no more.
He died of a heart attack this morning at Pondicherry where he was the General Manager of the GRT Sunway Hotel. He was too young to die. He leaves behind his parents, wife and 2 kids.
It's all so sudden, it will perhaps take some time for this sad news to sink in.
He dropped in at the Chennai office a couple of months back to say hi to us.
I shall miss his comments to my write-ups.
May his soul rest in peace.
Mahalakshmi.
Sad to learn today from a colleague that he is no more.
He died of a heart attack this morning at Pondicherry where he was the General Manager of the GRT Sunway Hotel. He was too young to die. He leaves behind his parents, wife and 2 kids.
It's all so sudden, it will perhaps take some time for this sad news to sink in.
He dropped in at the Chennai office a couple of months back to say hi to us.
I shall miss his comments to my write-ups.
May his soul rest in peace.
Mahalakshmi.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
The Deer And Stag of IIT, Madras
I travel past the IIT, Madras on my way to office.
When the auto races past the IIT compound walls, I strain myself to see whether there are any deer peeping through the grilled iron fencing. Invariably I find two or three of them. At times I can see only a snout or two pairs of upright ears or a pair of those majestic horns as the lower half is a concrete wall and the upper half is a grilled iron fence.
It was sometime later I realized that there were people on this side of the road, feeding them with fruits and bread pieces. No wonder they come out of their safe habitat at the same time each day expecting food from regulars.
They are so trusting of humans. Sigh!
It is such a pleasure to see them.
Mahalakshmi.
Picture coutesy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Institute_of_Technology_Madras
When the auto races past the IIT compound walls, I strain myself to see whether there are any deer peeping through the grilled iron fencing. Invariably I find two or three of them. At times I can see only a snout or two pairs of upright ears or a pair of those majestic horns as the lower half is a concrete wall and the upper half is a grilled iron fence.
It was sometime later I realized that there were people on this side of the road, feeding them with fruits and bread pieces. No wonder they come out of their safe habitat at the same time each day expecting food from regulars.
They are so trusting of humans. Sigh!
It is such a pleasure to see them.
Mahalakshmi.
Picture coutesy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Institute_of_Technology_Madras
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
To Marry or Not To... Part 3
I had to go back in search of a blog I had written long time back on marrying the person you love.
I had written about 'To Marry Or Not To.. 2' on the 24th October, 2010.
Its about the same girl who remains unmarried to-date, whereas the boy got married and lives happily with his wife just next door.
I have been home for a couple of days getting a break from office. These two days were stressful as I could hear such outbursts from this depressed girl. She was fighting with her mother, father, her brother and his wife. The words she used were downright crass for all her close ones - the reason - they have all stopped her from getting married to her choice of man because he din't belong to their caste. I thought someone might call in the police to avoid any untoward incident as a result of all this free-for-all with so much banging of doors.
If the girl had married her man, despite whatever the family would have gone through, she may have been settled in her life.
The family ensured she din't go out un-escorted and the girl also din't have enough courage to walk out of her home to be with her man.
She is not allowed to go out much less work at a job. She is not allowed to walk around our complex. All this has made her life so miserable. She watches TV all day long. eats, sleeps and fights when she is upset about her life. Wonder whose victory is this and over whom?
How will they ever solve this perpetual problem. For now, they have packed her off with a relative for a few days but how long can this highly distressed girl remain in others' houses? One day she will come back home to the same story.
Its upsetting and truly disturbing. We are, yet we are not, part of it all.
Mahalakshmi.
I had written about 'To Marry Or Not To.. 2' on the 24th October, 2010.
Its about the same girl who remains unmarried to-date, whereas the boy got married and lives happily with his wife just next door.
I have been home for a couple of days getting a break from office. These two days were stressful as I could hear such outbursts from this depressed girl. She was fighting with her mother, father, her brother and his wife. The words she used were downright crass for all her close ones - the reason - they have all stopped her from getting married to her choice of man because he din't belong to their caste. I thought someone might call in the police to avoid any untoward incident as a result of all this free-for-all with so much banging of doors.
If the girl had married her man, despite whatever the family would have gone through, she may have been settled in her life.
The family ensured she din't go out un-escorted and the girl also din't have enough courage to walk out of her home to be with her man.
She is not allowed to go out much less work at a job. She is not allowed to walk around our complex. All this has made her life so miserable. She watches TV all day long. eats, sleeps and fights when she is upset about her life. Wonder whose victory is this and over whom?
How will they ever solve this perpetual problem. For now, they have packed her off with a relative for a few days but how long can this highly distressed girl remain in others' houses? One day she will come back home to the same story.
Its upsetting and truly disturbing. We are, yet we are not, part of it all.
Mahalakshmi.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
The Satsang
Last Sunday my husband and I were invited to attend a satsang which means a public gathering where people to share their knowledge through spiritual discourses, have young and upcoming artistes with a chance to perform, some mantra chanting, etc.
There was a keyboard player who played popular raga based film songs, besides two speakers that day. One talked about Karma and quoted the Bhagawat Gita extensively and the other spoke on the Siddhars of Thiruvannamalai - the famed hill where Ramana Maharshi spent most of his life.
This was largely attended by retired Tambrams short for tam(il)-brahm(ins). There were about 70 of them hearing it all out for a good 3 hours from 5pm to 8pm. Nice way to spend time, share one's knowledge with an interactive audience. But will I be able to sit through each month's last Sunday, I truly wonder. Once in a while this seems OK. And 30th Oct. 2011 was their 6th anniversary of holding such satsangs without a single break. That's no mean achievement.
Cheers for their sheer perseverance for sharing knowledge with others.
Mahalakshmi
There was a keyboard player who played popular raga based film songs, besides two speakers that day. One talked about Karma and quoted the Bhagawat Gita extensively and the other spoke on the Siddhars of Thiruvannamalai - the famed hill where Ramana Maharshi spent most of his life.
This was largely attended by retired Tambrams short for tam(il)-brahm(ins). There were about 70 of them hearing it all out for a good 3 hours from 5pm to 8pm. Nice way to spend time, share one's knowledge with an interactive audience. But will I be able to sit through each month's last Sunday, I truly wonder. Once in a while this seems OK. And 30th Oct. 2011 was their 6th anniversary of holding such satsangs without a single break. That's no mean achievement.
Cheers for their sheer perseverance for sharing knowledge with others.
Mahalakshmi
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Bus Journey
Boarded the Deluxe bus No. 47A to get to T.Nagar to work on a rainy day.
Buses are better on rainy days as all roads are flooded with dirty water. Moreover we don't get drenched with the other passing vehicles splashing dirty water on our office wear.
Deluxe service tickets are priced higher so the buses are not crowded and the seats are comfortable too.
Was disappointed to notice so much trash obviously lying uncleared since many days (highlighted in red under the seaters in front) even though it was 10.15am. I thought buses are swept clean at the bus depot itself before starting on the first trip of the day.
Another bus I traveled was so over-crowded with young boys hanging on the window railings with one foot on the foot board at the entrance and another left dangling freely. These boys perform all kinds of stunts in running buses to impress the ladies and girls who have a view as the ladies' seats are allocated the left side in all buses! Some have had falls quite serious and at times fatal. When will they learn that their lives are precious to their parents and not at all worth these silly antics to impress all and sundry on the heavily traffic ridden bumpy Chennai roads.
May they get enlightened enough not to risk their dear lives for any reason or person.
Mahalakshmi.
Buses are better on rainy days as all roads are flooded with dirty water. Moreover we don't get drenched with the other passing vehicles splashing dirty water on our office wear.
Deluxe service tickets are priced higher so the buses are not crowded and the seats are comfortable too.
Was disappointed to notice so much trash obviously lying uncleared since many days (highlighted in red under the seaters in front) even though it was 10.15am. I thought buses are swept clean at the bus depot itself before starting on the first trip of the day.
Another bus I traveled was so over-crowded with young boys hanging on the window railings with one foot on the foot board at the entrance and another left dangling freely. These boys perform all kinds of stunts in running buses to impress the ladies and girls who have a view as the ladies' seats are allocated the left side in all buses! Some have had falls quite serious and at times fatal. When will they learn that their lives are precious to their parents and not at all worth these silly antics to impress all and sundry on the heavily traffic ridden bumpy Chennai roads.
May they get enlightened enough not to risk their dear lives for any reason or person.
Mahalakshmi.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
The Making of Badam Halwa
Badam = Almonds. Halwa = Gooey Sweet. Diwali is a special time for us in our family. My dear mom was born on Diwali day in the year 1927.
I could not take her out on her birthday as there was office work to attend to. But I did manage to make the badam halwa day before yesterday. Well the process was the same. Only I wanted the sugar to be light so instead of 1:1:2 of Paste-of-Soaked-Almond-Ground-with-Milk:Ghee:Sugar I made it with the same ingredients but in 1:1:1 ratios.
It turned out to the right gooey consistency so I offered the first spoon to God and the same one to my mom for tasting. She pronounced the result which made my smile turn to a sour expression :( It was not sweet enough. I had no time to redo it as I was rushing off to office.
Yesterday before going to office I wanted to rectify the sweet, so added 1 more measure of sugar and had the whole thing going on fire again. The best thing with halwa is that you can put it back on fire and stir until you get it right even if you made a mistake the first time around!
This time it passed my mom's taste test. I was glad my mom did not want to compromise with lesser sweet in our traditional sweets like the badam halwa.
The wheat halwa is one of my all-time favorites. Its called the Tirunelveli halwa too. This has to be made with 1:1:3 of Milk-of-Wheat:Ghee:Sugar! This one is such an addictive sweet that you tend to have spoon after spoon of wheat halwa before you even realize you have had too much of it. Your teeth ache from it more so if one has cavities yet you want to go on eating it. The taste of sugar, wheat and clarified butter make it taste so very divine.
Cheers.
Mahalakshmi.
I could not take her out on her birthday as there was office work to attend to. But I did manage to make the badam halwa day before yesterday. Well the process was the same. Only I wanted the sugar to be light so instead of 1:1:2 of Paste-of-Soaked-Almond-Ground-with-Milk:Ghee:Sugar I made it with the same ingredients but in 1:1:1 ratios.
It turned out to the right gooey consistency so I offered the first spoon to God and the same one to my mom for tasting. She pronounced the result which made my smile turn to a sour expression :( It was not sweet enough. I had no time to redo it as I was rushing off to office.
Yesterday before going to office I wanted to rectify the sweet, so added 1 more measure of sugar and had the whole thing going on fire again. The best thing with halwa is that you can put it back on fire and stir until you get it right even if you made a mistake the first time around!
This time it passed my mom's taste test. I was glad my mom did not want to compromise with lesser sweet in our traditional sweets like the badam halwa.
The wheat halwa is one of my all-time favorites. Its called the Tirunelveli halwa too. This has to be made with 1:1:3 of Milk-of-Wheat:Ghee:Sugar! This one is such an addictive sweet that you tend to have spoon after spoon of wheat halwa before you even realize you have had too much of it. Your teeth ache from it more so if one has cavities yet you want to go on eating it. The taste of sugar, wheat and clarified butter make it taste so very divine.
Cheers.
Mahalakshmi.
The Van Drivers Conference!
On the main road in Adyar, there is a stand for Carriage Vans. Though it is not a recognized parking place, the vans are stationed here all the time and people come here to hire these to transport anything locally.
Whenever I pass this road, I find a group of idle drivers chatting away to pass time. Two dogs also join this group. The dogs are treated as equals and food and tea is shared with these lovable creatures. One has a coat of salt and pepper all over with a white patch below, his eyes bright and defined as if with a black liner and another one has biscuit color coat of hair - both street dogs. The drivers love this pair. The dogs have the full freedom to rest inside any empty van if the sun is too hot or if it rains. At times I see these dogs dancing and wagging their tails so vigorously to the driver's endearments as if they understand every single word being spoken to them!!
This bonding between men and dogs is special and so very open. It makes me feel happy each time I pass that way. I look out for this conference of men and dogs at the venue - just opposite to the Vijaya Raja Kalyana Mandapam on the 1st Avenue Road, Adyar, Chennai.
I wish I could click a pic. Shall upload when I am able to.
Mahalakshmi
Whenever I pass this road, I find a group of idle drivers chatting away to pass time. Two dogs also join this group. The dogs are treated as equals and food and tea is shared with these lovable creatures. One has a coat of salt and pepper all over with a white patch below, his eyes bright and defined as if with a black liner and another one has biscuit color coat of hair - both street dogs. The drivers love this pair. The dogs have the full freedom to rest inside any empty van if the sun is too hot or if it rains. At times I see these dogs dancing and wagging their tails so vigorously to the driver's endearments as if they understand every single word being spoken to them!!
This bonding between men and dogs is special and so very open. It makes me feel happy each time I pass that way. I look out for this conference of men and dogs at the venue - just opposite to the Vijaya Raja Kalyana Mandapam on the 1st Avenue Road, Adyar, Chennai.
I wish I could click a pic. Shall upload when I am able to.
Mahalakshmi
BMW and T.Nagar, Chennai
The other day while travelling down to office meant passing through the main road in T.Nagar - Pondy Bazar. Added to the usual rush was the Diwali festival shopping crowd.
My auto was inching from one traffic signal to another. Out of the blue, the latest model of a black Mercedes Benz drove across vehicles at a cross road. All eyes were on that black beauty. Heads turned, eyes transfixed to the driver and then the car. None moved despite a lot of honking of horns at least until it moved well beyond everyone's sight!
Definitely it does mean a lot to drive in the best one around.
Its been a long time wish to drive around in a BMW. This is yet to come true.
There was a time when I thought I should at least hire the BMW once and take a round of the city in it! That day will come very soon as I am a die-hard optimist.
Happy Diwali.
May this festival of lights brighten our lives and bring us a lot of cheer, peace, good health and prosperity.
Mahalakshmi.
My auto was inching from one traffic signal to another. Out of the blue, the latest model of a black Mercedes Benz drove across vehicles at a cross road. All eyes were on that black beauty. Heads turned, eyes transfixed to the driver and then the car. None moved despite a lot of honking of horns at least until it moved well beyond everyone's sight!
Definitely it does mean a lot to drive in the best one around.
Its been a long time wish to drive around in a BMW. This is yet to come true.
There was a time when I thought I should at least hire the BMW once and take a round of the city in it! That day will come very soon as I am a die-hard optimist.
Happy Diwali.
May this festival of lights brighten our lives and bring us a lot of cheer, peace, good health and prosperity.
Mahalakshmi.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Going To School
Day before my husband and I had to visit his brother's place for a family function.
Brother has a grand daughter who goes to school since Vijaya Dasami, a day when small kids are admitted in pre-school just to get used to the idea of going to school. From 9am to whatever time a kid is comfortable with but not beyond 1.30pm.
The kid cries a lot to go to school. School time is tension time when all other members of the family are engaged with only one task of somehow sending the kid to school. As if on cue, at 8.30am there are any number of excuses why she will not get dressed or eat her breakfast!
But the mother is not in a mood to give up as she gets her free time only during the kid's school time!
All this struggle until the child reaches her 1st grade where the school will function from 9am to 3.30pm giving the parent more free time.
Then there's college, then going to work, getting married, raising a family and becoming a parent and coping with children and bringing them up.
Until next then.
Mahalakshmi
Brother has a grand daughter who goes to school since Vijaya Dasami, a day when small kids are admitted in pre-school just to get used to the idea of going to school. From 9am to whatever time a kid is comfortable with but not beyond 1.30pm.
The kid cries a lot to go to school. School time is tension time when all other members of the family are engaged with only one task of somehow sending the kid to school. As if on cue, at 8.30am there are any number of excuses why she will not get dressed or eat her breakfast!
But the mother is not in a mood to give up as she gets her free time only during the kid's school time!
All this struggle until the child reaches her 1st grade where the school will function from 9am to 3.30pm giving the parent more free time.
Then there's college, then going to work, getting married, raising a family and becoming a parent and coping with children and bringing them up.
Until next then.
Mahalakshmi
Friday, October 21, 2011
Deepavali - A Festival Of Lights
Deepavali is a festival of lights celebrated all over India.
Crackers are burst by one and all.
Sweets are made in all Hindu households and distributed among friends and relatives.
But these are days when sweets or gift hampers are bought across counters of shops which do brisk business during this important festival time.
This is a time when all working people get a bonus of about a month's pay which is spent in buying new clothes, crackers, sweets, etc for near and dear ones.
Today I had to take a bus to a distant place. Saw a poor labourer holding a huge packet of dolls. He was busy explaining to another co-passenger about how his daughter loved to have it and since he got his bonus yesterday he was taking it home even though he could ill-afford such a costly buy but this is once in a year and his child's happiness was a higher priority.
I can imagine the happiness on the child's face on seeing that big packet of dolls. I remembered my own childhood when my parents stitched us all new clothes and made sweets and snacks so elaborately. They were such fun filled days.
Left to myself, I will spend this festival of lights with just lighting a few lamps, listen to soft music and enjoy the quietness.
May we all be blessed on this festive occasion.
Happy Deepavali.
Mahalakshmi
Crackers are burst by one and all.
Sweets are made in all Hindu households and distributed among friends and relatives.
But these are days when sweets or gift hampers are bought across counters of shops which do brisk business during this important festival time.
This is a time when all working people get a bonus of about a month's pay which is spent in buying new clothes, crackers, sweets, etc for near and dear ones.
Today I had to take a bus to a distant place. Saw a poor labourer holding a huge packet of dolls. He was busy explaining to another co-passenger about how his daughter loved to have it and since he got his bonus yesterday he was taking it home even though he could ill-afford such a costly buy but this is once in a year and his child's happiness was a higher priority.
I can imagine the happiness on the child's face on seeing that big packet of dolls. I remembered my own childhood when my parents stitched us all new clothes and made sweets and snacks so elaborately. They were such fun filled days.
Left to myself, I will spend this festival of lights with just lighting a few lamps, listen to soft music and enjoy the quietness.
May we all be blessed on this festive occasion.
Happy Deepavali.
Mahalakshmi
Monday, October 17, 2011
Changing Times
Every human being undergoes a sea change every 30 years.
What we were so passionate about now does not appeal to us anymore.
Times change and humans change with the life experiences they encounter.
But why 30 years for changing?
The ancients believed that its got much to do with the cycle of Saturn which starts at 0 degrees and comes a full circle covering 360 degrees to yet again reach 0 once every 30 years. For those of you who are not too familiar with the zodiac signs, there are 12 signs in all, each sign comprising of 30 degrees making 12 x 30 all of 360 degrees. Saturn takes 30 years to do one round of 360 degrees.
There are many of us who could be sceptical about such things yet our sages gave us good reason to give it a second thought.
We undergo so much in a span of 30 years that we no longer hold dear what once we were so gung-ho about.
2 such cycles and we touch age 60 which is considered a crucial year in a human life apart from the normally accepted retirement age for many of us in India and elsewhere too I guess.
According to ancient Hindu wisdom, this is the age when each goes into what is called the Vanaprastha Ashram when a human is supposed to hand over the reins of control in the family to the nexgen so that he or she can become detached enough to dwell on the higher spiritual meaning of life and living. Vana means to move into a forest which is bereft of the material comforts we were so used to not so long back. An official retirement means leaving office or workplace, abdicating our control over our seat of power to the next in line.
My 2 cents!
By the way Saturn is about to transit from the zodiac sign of Virgo in which it was stationed for the past around 2 and 1/2 years, into the next sign of Libra around mid-November, 2011.
May it bring many positive changes in all of us.
Mahalakshmi.
What we were so passionate about now does not appeal to us anymore.
Times change and humans change with the life experiences they encounter.
But why 30 years for changing?
The ancients believed that its got much to do with the cycle of Saturn which starts at 0 degrees and comes a full circle covering 360 degrees to yet again reach 0 once every 30 years. For those of you who are not too familiar with the zodiac signs, there are 12 signs in all, each sign comprising of 30 degrees making 12 x 30 all of 360 degrees. Saturn takes 30 years to do one round of 360 degrees.
There are many of us who could be sceptical about such things yet our sages gave us good reason to give it a second thought.
We undergo so much in a span of 30 years that we no longer hold dear what once we were so gung-ho about.
2 such cycles and we touch age 60 which is considered a crucial year in a human life apart from the normally accepted retirement age for many of us in India and elsewhere too I guess.
According to ancient Hindu wisdom, this is the age when each goes into what is called the Vanaprastha Ashram when a human is supposed to hand over the reins of control in the family to the nexgen so that he or she can become detached enough to dwell on the higher spiritual meaning of life and living. Vana means to move into a forest which is bereft of the material comforts we were so used to not so long back. An official retirement means leaving office or workplace, abdicating our control over our seat of power to the next in line.
My 2 cents!
By the way Saturn is about to transit from the zodiac sign of Virgo in which it was stationed for the past around 2 and 1/2 years, into the next sign of Libra around mid-November, 2011.
May it bring many positive changes in all of us.
Mahalakshmi.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Steve Jobs
So many tributes have poured in for this one of a kind digital innovator.
He knew he was not going to live long and tried to live life to it's fullest.
Similar was the case of a friend's husband who had cancer and the doctors told him he had a couple of months more to live but he passed away on the day Steve did.
Such news saddens us and often makes us wonder whether this is what life is all about. The End.
Yes. Its about The End one day for all of us yet in our everyday living we hardly 'think' of it. Only when we are sick or hear of someone passing away do these thoughts cross our minds.
This then is the eternal truth. We all have to face our judgement day. Some too early, some later, some very late but we all have a date with our Maker for sure.
Some of us are mentally prepared for it, some get scared even thinking about the end, some don't have the time to think as living life itself occupies most of our time.
Each day is a gift to us. Let us use this gift to be happy and make others around us happy.
Mahalakshmi
He knew he was not going to live long and tried to live life to it's fullest.
Similar was the case of a friend's husband who had cancer and the doctors told him he had a couple of months more to live but he passed away on the day Steve did.
Such news saddens us and often makes us wonder whether this is what life is all about. The End.
Yes. Its about The End one day for all of us yet in our everyday living we hardly 'think' of it. Only when we are sick or hear of someone passing away do these thoughts cross our minds.
This then is the eternal truth. We all have to face our judgement day. Some too early, some later, some very late but we all have a date with our Maker for sure.
Some of us are mentally prepared for it, some get scared even thinking about the end, some don't have the time to think as living life itself occupies most of our time.
Each day is a gift to us. Let us use this gift to be happy and make others around us happy.
Mahalakshmi
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Packaging Air is Profitable!
Been to an exhibition sponsored by Inside Outside and Dignity Foundation at the Chennai Trade Centre, Nandambakkam.
There were several products on display and sale. Furniture, Bath fittings, Tiles, Homes, Insurance schemes, kitchen tools, eatables, food, etc.
Among them the stalls selling tandoori hot plates, roasted masala peanuts, crackers, etc. where eatables were freshly prepared at the stall itself and kept for the crowd to taste and buy. Needless to say these stalls were over-crowded with people. A set of 12 packs of roasted crackers were priced at Rs.120/- but were offered for a special discounted price of Rs.60/-. Almost everyone bought a dozen for Rs.60/-. The packs looked puffed up and could easily hold 100gms. of those ready-to-eat crackers. Once home we opened a pack each. Air escaped and when we peeped deep down we found just 25gms of it at the bottom! What a marketing strategy!!
Same goes for the famous Pepsico brand of 'Lays' Potato wafers. These packets are puffed with air like inflated balloons and there is so little of the potato chips at the bottom, its impossible to stop with just one pack.
A co-traveler showed us how cleverly Zandu balm (a pain balm for headaches, etc) was packaged. There was this tiny container within the usual bigger container bottle. The tiny one was filled with a quantity of the balm which was sufficient for only a few rubs but the container looked bigger.
These are just a few examples. I am sure there will be many more of such kind.
Air costs money too and we all thought it was absolutely free.
Mahalakshmi.
There were several products on display and sale. Furniture, Bath fittings, Tiles, Homes, Insurance schemes, kitchen tools, eatables, food, etc.
Among them the stalls selling tandoori hot plates, roasted masala peanuts, crackers, etc. where eatables were freshly prepared at the stall itself and kept for the crowd to taste and buy. Needless to say these stalls were over-crowded with people. A set of 12 packs of roasted crackers were priced at Rs.120/- but were offered for a special discounted price of Rs.60/-. Almost everyone bought a dozen for Rs.60/-. The packs looked puffed up and could easily hold 100gms. of those ready-to-eat crackers. Once home we opened a pack each. Air escaped and when we peeped deep down we found just 25gms of it at the bottom! What a marketing strategy!!
Same goes for the famous Pepsico brand of 'Lays' Potato wafers. These packets are puffed with air like inflated balloons and there is so little of the potato chips at the bottom, its impossible to stop with just one pack.
A co-traveler showed us how cleverly Zandu balm (a pain balm for headaches, etc) was packaged. There was this tiny container within the usual bigger container bottle. The tiny one was filled with a quantity of the balm which was sufficient for only a few rubs but the container looked bigger.
These are just a few examples. I am sure there will be many more of such kind.
Air costs money too and we all thought it was absolutely free.
Mahalakshmi.
Friday, September 9, 2011
My Maternal Aunt's Centenary Birthday
My mother had two elder sisters. We called both our maternal aunts 'perima' as both were elder to our mother.
We used to prefix their names and called mother's eldest sister as 'school perima' because she was a school teacher by profession and another elder sister as 'aaspatri perima' because she was the head matron at the Government Hospital, Secunderabad. Aaspatri in Tamil means hospital.
It is school perima's birthday today (9th September).
School perima was very close to our family as she was to other relatives. She had married and was childless. She had to leave her matrimonial home due to some unavoidable circumstances. She was educated up to 10th Standard in those days.
My grandfather was a visionary even in the late 1920s. He wished to see his daughters financially independent and did everything possible to make them so.
He took my school perima to Benares to educate her further. She passed some exams in Hindi from the Benares University and joined as a teacher in the Keyes Girls' High School, Secunderabad. She worked for a record 3 and odd decades until she retired. She was a very dedicated teacher. She used to take special classes for the weaker students during lunch hours so that they could somehow pass their exams and these classes were for free.
Her methods of teaching arithmatic was quite unique in those days. She would bring leaves, twigs, burnt match sticks, dry tamarind seeds into the class room to teach students addition, division, fractions, subtraction by actual demonstrations.
Apart from all this she was a kind and humble human being. It was rare for her to say negative things about others. She would mention any positive trait even of the people who used to criticize her relentlessly. She was our own Mother Theresa.
After her retirement, she settled down with my eldest sister's family at Kalpakkam to help looking after my sister's young children while my sister pursued her career actively as an engineer. Hers was a selfless act. No conditions were attached to any help that she offered others. She would account for every single paisa and never kept anything for herself when entrusted with money for household expenses. She got her pension and had that rare self-pride in not touching other's money for whatever reason. On the other hand she used to help others with her money.
I could go on and on about her life of sacrifice for all our families. So many incidents of sacrifice come to my mind that I could write a whole book on her life. She has earned our love and respect for eternity and occupies a very, very special place in our hearts. We salute her and always remember her each day for something or the other.
This is her centenary birth year. She died at a ripe old age 87 years. A life well lived for herself as well as in the service of others.
Perima, wherever you are, you still lead us on the right path to this day. You were a living example of the joy we get in helping others unconditionally.
May your soul continue to guide and bless us.
Mahalakshmi.
We used to prefix their names and called mother's eldest sister as 'school perima' because she was a school teacher by profession and another elder sister as 'aaspatri perima' because she was the head matron at the Government Hospital, Secunderabad. Aaspatri in Tamil means hospital.
It is school perima's birthday today (9th September).
School perima was very close to our family as she was to other relatives. She had married and was childless. She had to leave her matrimonial home due to some unavoidable circumstances. She was educated up to 10th Standard in those days.
My grandfather was a visionary even in the late 1920s. He wished to see his daughters financially independent and did everything possible to make them so.
He took my school perima to Benares to educate her further. She passed some exams in Hindi from the Benares University and joined as a teacher in the Keyes Girls' High School, Secunderabad. She worked for a record 3 and odd decades until she retired. She was a very dedicated teacher. She used to take special classes for the weaker students during lunch hours so that they could somehow pass their exams and these classes were for free.
Her methods of teaching arithmatic was quite unique in those days. She would bring leaves, twigs, burnt match sticks, dry tamarind seeds into the class room to teach students addition, division, fractions, subtraction by actual demonstrations.
Apart from all this she was a kind and humble human being. It was rare for her to say negative things about others. She would mention any positive trait even of the people who used to criticize her relentlessly. She was our own Mother Theresa.
After her retirement, she settled down with my eldest sister's family at Kalpakkam to help looking after my sister's young children while my sister pursued her career actively as an engineer. Hers was a selfless act. No conditions were attached to any help that she offered others. She would account for every single paisa and never kept anything for herself when entrusted with money for household expenses. She got her pension and had that rare self-pride in not touching other's money for whatever reason. On the other hand she used to help others with her money.
I could go on and on about her life of sacrifice for all our families. So many incidents of sacrifice come to my mind that I could write a whole book on her life. She has earned our love and respect for eternity and occupies a very, very special place in our hearts. We salute her and always remember her each day for something or the other.
This is her centenary birth year. She died at a ripe old age 87 years. A life well lived for herself as well as in the service of others.
Perima, wherever you are, you still lead us on the right path to this day. You were a living example of the joy we get in helping others unconditionally.
May your soul continue to guide and bless us.
Mahalakshmi.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Dilemma Either Way
We hear about lot of young people not getting jobs for long.
This leads to certain situations at home and outside.
People at home do not tolerate unemployed youngsters.
To avoid taunts, they go out which also attracts unpleasant comments about how irresponsibly they are roaming around wasting their time.
Most would like to stay at home to avoid comments from outsiders but cannot bear to put up with comments from within the family.
Either way its a dilemma for them not knowing which way to turn, which way to go, how best to respond to embarrassing queries from all and sundry.
Dilemma until they find a job. The spirit is to keep trying until one succeeds. There is always light at the end of the tunnel or should we say there is always light after dark!
That reminds me of the father-son-donkey story.
Father and son once set to the market towing their donkey along.
People walking by comment that the boy could ride the donkey instead of walking.
Down the lane some comment about the donkey's load.
Some time later, another passerby comments why both father and son should not ride the donkey.
Others laugh and pity the donkey and suggest that the poor donkey should be carried by the father and son instead of carrying them!
Until they reach the market they go through all this.
Who's right we will never know. But we know one thing for sure.
People will comment any which way. Do your thing as best as you feel is right for you.
Do not take comments to heart but do learn from them as there may be something to learn out of it.
Mahalakshmi.
This leads to certain situations at home and outside.
People at home do not tolerate unemployed youngsters.
To avoid taunts, they go out which also attracts unpleasant comments about how irresponsibly they are roaming around wasting their time.
Most would like to stay at home to avoid comments from outsiders but cannot bear to put up with comments from within the family.
Either way its a dilemma for them not knowing which way to turn, which way to go, how best to respond to embarrassing queries from all and sundry.
Dilemma until they find a job. The spirit is to keep trying until one succeeds. There is always light at the end of the tunnel or should we say there is always light after dark!
That reminds me of the father-son-donkey story.
Father and son once set to the market towing their donkey along.
People walking by comment that the boy could ride the donkey instead of walking.
Down the lane some comment about the donkey's load.
Some time later, another passerby comments why both father and son should not ride the donkey.
Others laugh and pity the donkey and suggest that the poor donkey should be carried by the father and son instead of carrying them!
Until they reach the market they go through all this.
Who's right we will never know. But we know one thing for sure.
People will comment any which way. Do your thing as best as you feel is right for you.
Do not take comments to heart but do learn from them as there may be something to learn out of it.
Mahalakshmi.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
TV Remote and Control
How does a TV remote connect with control?
From very long time I have been observing families watching TV together.
There are many channels on offer and each one loves to watch his choice of channel. But they all get to watch only a certain channel at certain times of the day or night.
You can easily guess who's in control if you see who holds the remote in hand. He gets to control what others will see!
That was in the past. Now are days when all houses have 2 TV sets and our house is no exception to this phenomenon.
We both (husband and I)enjoy music competitions like Super Singer 3 on Vijay TV, the Japanese channel NHK is beyond compare in program quality and topics covered like nature, food, Japanese architecture, travel, inventions, business ideas, etc. The KBC, a Korean channel which used to air serials like 'Emperor of the Sea' and a very popular serial 'Flowers Over Boys' which kept us spell bound for story content and visuals and then there were true stories about life of immigrants, food, travel, etc. both these were hanked out unceremoniously not so long time back by Sun Direct. It was not so easy not to watch these two channels for sheer content alone and so full of knowledge about so many things of interest. These two channels never aired advertisements in between.
But my aged mother loves to watch her favorite serials on Sun TV at the same time. So we had to buy another set with a dedicated set top box so that she can watch what she likes.
There will come a time when there will be as many TV sets in a house as there are members just so that all of them can have total control over their TV remote!
Mahalakshmi
From very long time I have been observing families watching TV together.
There are many channels on offer and each one loves to watch his choice of channel. But they all get to watch only a certain channel at certain times of the day or night.
You can easily guess who's in control if you see who holds the remote in hand. He gets to control what others will see!
That was in the past. Now are days when all houses have 2 TV sets and our house is no exception to this phenomenon.
We both (husband and I)enjoy music competitions like Super Singer 3 on Vijay TV, the Japanese channel NHK is beyond compare in program quality and topics covered like nature, food, Japanese architecture, travel, inventions, business ideas, etc. The KBC, a Korean channel which used to air serials like 'Emperor of the Sea' and a very popular serial 'Flowers Over Boys' which kept us spell bound for story content and visuals and then there were true stories about life of immigrants, food, travel, etc. both these were hanked out unceremoniously not so long time back by Sun Direct. It was not so easy not to watch these two channels for sheer content alone and so full of knowledge about so many things of interest. These two channels never aired advertisements in between.
But my aged mother loves to watch her favorite serials on Sun TV at the same time. So we had to buy another set with a dedicated set top box so that she can watch what she likes.
There will come a time when there will be as many TV sets in a house as there are members just so that all of them can have total control over their TV remote!
Mahalakshmi
Friday, August 26, 2011
Windows & Ventilation At Satara
Satara near Pune in Maharashtra is a wonderful place nestled among the western ghats(range of mountains).
One thing that struck me at Satara were the windows fixed everywhere. Most of them were of the sliding types.
There were double railings. The inner rail was fitted with sliding glass panes. The outer had lesser number of sliding frames of fine mesh panes. If one were to open the glass window, the mesh window would move into place as a cover from the second railing automatically! No portion would be left open! Fine Mesh will allow a good cover as well as enough air traffic!
Even at a height of 12 feet (just below the ceiling), the walls had a lengthy 6" gap running from one end to the other. A 12 feet wall's 6" gap would then have 4 divisions in which 3 glass strips of 3' each and 1 mesh strip of 3' would be fitted into metal frames and fixed. On the opposite wall 1 strip of mesh and 3 glass strips would be fitted to allow for cross ventilation as well as to let in light.
Not an insect entered our place unless the door was kept open.
When I enquired with the owner about such window types, he said due to hilly region all around, snakes were too many as were rodents though he hurriedly added that they have never harmed humans so far.
Such window types would effectively keep them out even while letting in light and air. This seemed to be a wonderful way to deal with such local problems. Invention is indeed the mother of necessity!
Cheers!
Mahalakshmi
One thing that struck me at Satara were the windows fixed everywhere. Most of them were of the sliding types.
There were double railings. The inner rail was fitted with sliding glass panes. The outer had lesser number of sliding frames of fine mesh panes. If one were to open the glass window, the mesh window would move into place as a cover from the second railing automatically! No portion would be left open! Fine Mesh will allow a good cover as well as enough air traffic!
Even at a height of 12 feet (just below the ceiling), the walls had a lengthy 6" gap running from one end to the other. A 12 feet wall's 6" gap would then have 4 divisions in which 3 glass strips of 3' each and 1 mesh strip of 3' would be fitted into metal frames and fixed. On the opposite wall 1 strip of mesh and 3 glass strips would be fitted to allow for cross ventilation as well as to let in light.
Not an insect entered our place unless the door was kept open.
When I enquired with the owner about such window types, he said due to hilly region all around, snakes were too many as were rodents though he hurriedly added that they have never harmed humans so far.
Such window types would effectively keep them out even while letting in light and air. This seemed to be a wonderful way to deal with such local problems. Invention is indeed the mother of necessity!
Cheers!
Mahalakshmi
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Saabu Vada At Satara
We decided to have tea at a decent looking hotel near the Natraj flyover.
The waiter came with 4 cups of hot steaming masala chai which was refreshing. He asked us if we would have anything else. We said no and were about to move out when I noticed him serving some fat odd looking vadas in a plate. I asked him what it was and was told it was the saabu vada which is a special during the month of Shravana for those who fast (vrat).
I promptly ordered for a plate of those for each of us. They were piping hot and came with a bowl of sweet curd. These deep fried vadas were made of saabudana, mildly salted with just a few green chilli bits, some green corriander and cummin seeds. They were heavenly to taste. Crisp outer and soft inner core and big in size. 3 of them could easily fill the stomach.
I din't ask for the recipe but could guess it was a special saabudaana (jevvarisi in Tamil) which was used for these vadas.
Some tastes linger and this was one of them.
Mahalakshmi.
The waiter came with 4 cups of hot steaming masala chai which was refreshing. He asked us if we would have anything else. We said no and were about to move out when I noticed him serving some fat odd looking vadas in a plate. I asked him what it was and was told it was the saabu vada which is a special during the month of Shravana for those who fast (vrat).
I promptly ordered for a plate of those for each of us. They were piping hot and came with a bowl of sweet curd. These deep fried vadas were made of saabudana, mildly salted with just a few green chilli bits, some green corriander and cummin seeds. They were heavenly to taste. Crisp outer and soft inner core and big in size. 3 of them could easily fill the stomach.
I din't ask for the recipe but could guess it was a special saabudaana (jevvarisi in Tamil) which was used for these vadas.
Some tastes linger and this was one of them.
Mahalakshmi.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Food For Thought
Yesterday a lady had come with some problem and wanted my counselling.
First the problem:
Lady is a widow. Has a married daughter who has delivered a baby recently.
Facilities at the lady's home were inadequate for post child birth care.
Lady's mother, a retired pensioner, lives all by herself in a rented house. The mother asked them to move into her house for a couple of months.
It is a custom in India to take care of the mother and child for the initial 3 month period.
Lady said her own mother is not treating her properly ever since they moved into her house temporarily. She is tortured with temper tantrums and has no rest, has to slog the whole day looking after the baby, her weak daughter plus what surprised her the most was her mother who has turned so demanding, rude and has asked them out! Unable to bear this any longer she has started looking for an alternate accommodation for 2 months but decided to come to me for help and advice anyway.
Seemingly these appear to be unconnected but I asked some leading questions and got the answers from the lady as the session progressed.
Q: Who spends, how much and for what.
A: Lady bears half of all household expenses while the other half is passed on to her pensioner mother.
(I said, "Bingo! This is where everything went wrong for you"!!).
Break up should have been 2/3rds of expenses for the lady and her daughter and 1/3rd for the lady's mother and not 50-50 (leaving the new born out of all this).
Q: Who pays the rent?
A: The pensioner mother is paying the rent. I was trying to point this out saying her mother's burden then was more than 50%.
Lady is financially weak, but has a job. Her daughter is also working and must be getting maternal leave with salary. The son-in-law is also earning. Lady has borrowed some money for the delivery and post delivery expenses.
My solution for this problem was as follows:
During such times getting a decent shelter with security is a big deal.
Mother has offered a place to stay which is itself an act of kindness.
If she were to hunt for a house now, she would have to shell out rents plus the caution deposit.
Think over these facts and from today itself refuse to pass on any share in the expenses to your mother. Tell her you love her too much to even think of burdening her with bills.
Express your love and gratitude to your mother for offering help when you and your daughter needed it the most.
By this the elderly person will feel the affection and the atmosphere will turn positive for everyone. No more temper tantrums.
The daughter is watching all this.
Set a good example to your daughter as your own time to face a similar situation is round the corner.
It is through such practical and positive actions that we become role models for our nexgen.
Lady got upset when she heard the solution to this problem.
This is an example of how and why problems crop up.
There is so much joy in giving and doing for our own as well as for others.
Money will come and money will go but pleasant memories, good times, timely help, unconditional love and affection stay on forever. Unfortunately, these are the hardest to come by! That's the whole truth.
Mahalakshmi
First the problem:
Lady is a widow. Has a married daughter who has delivered a baby recently.
Facilities at the lady's home were inadequate for post child birth care.
Lady's mother, a retired pensioner, lives all by herself in a rented house. The mother asked them to move into her house for a couple of months.
It is a custom in India to take care of the mother and child for the initial 3 month period.
Lady said her own mother is not treating her properly ever since they moved into her house temporarily. She is tortured with temper tantrums and has no rest, has to slog the whole day looking after the baby, her weak daughter plus what surprised her the most was her mother who has turned so demanding, rude and has asked them out! Unable to bear this any longer she has started looking for an alternate accommodation for 2 months but decided to come to me for help and advice anyway.
Seemingly these appear to be unconnected but I asked some leading questions and got the answers from the lady as the session progressed.
Q: Who spends, how much and for what.
A: Lady bears half of all household expenses while the other half is passed on to her pensioner mother.
(I said, "Bingo! This is where everything went wrong for you"!!).
Break up should have been 2/3rds of expenses for the lady and her daughter and 1/3rd for the lady's mother and not 50-50 (leaving the new born out of all this).
Q: Who pays the rent?
A: The pensioner mother is paying the rent. I was trying to point this out saying her mother's burden then was more than 50%.
Lady is financially weak, but has a job. Her daughter is also working and must be getting maternal leave with salary. The son-in-law is also earning. Lady has borrowed some money for the delivery and post delivery expenses.
My solution for this problem was as follows:
During such times getting a decent shelter with security is a big deal.
Mother has offered a place to stay which is itself an act of kindness.
If she were to hunt for a house now, she would have to shell out rents plus the caution deposit.
Think over these facts and from today itself refuse to pass on any share in the expenses to your mother. Tell her you love her too much to even think of burdening her with bills.
Express your love and gratitude to your mother for offering help when you and your daughter needed it the most.
By this the elderly person will feel the affection and the atmosphere will turn positive for everyone. No more temper tantrums.
The daughter is watching all this.
Set a good example to your daughter as your own time to face a similar situation is round the corner.
It is through such practical and positive actions that we become role models for our nexgen.
Lady got upset when she heard the solution to this problem.
This is an example of how and why problems crop up.
There is so much joy in giving and doing for our own as well as for others.
Money will come and money will go but pleasant memories, good times, timely help, unconditional love and affection stay on forever. Unfortunately, these are the hardest to come by! That's the whole truth.
Mahalakshmi
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Taking Medicines Regularly
We had to spend time waiting in a taxi which we had engaged to go in and around visiting Kolhapur.
The taxi driver was an elderly man of about 75 years.
We passed our waiting time in the taxi by talking to him about the local markets, vegetarian hotels, clothes, kolhapuri chappals, the ancient and famous Mahalakshmi temple...and his children, his having lunch in the taxi itself on some busy days.
He said he has 3 daughters and a son, all married and with grown up kids. He told us he was staying with the son, daughter-in-law and their only son.
Where was his wife then? He said she passed away 12 years back.
I asked him what happened to her and was he there at that time.
He said he was very much with her. Both had had dinner and were sitting and chatting. All of a sudden she started complaining of acute pain in both her hands and legs. Even in that pain she had given her son's phone number and asked her husband to call over their son and daughter-in-law immediately. They rushed and began pressing her legs and hands. Later took her to a hospital where the doctor began testing her. Alas before any treatment could be administered, she had a massive heart attack and passed away. She was just 54 years old, he said. When I remarked that it was quite a young age to die, he told me that his father-in-law and wife's elder sister too died at 54! He wondered whether it was some family curse. I said it could be due to some other reason and asked whether there was something else that stressed her or was she on regular medicines for any ailment like BP, Heart or sugar complaint?
Yes she was taking BP drugs everyday.
Minutes before her death she was talking about their only son who was married but unemployed, roaming around, borrowing money from his mother on the sly for his expenses and wondered whether he will get alright, if at all.
I enquired whether she took those drugs regularly as per the doctor's advice?
He revealed that she had secretly given her son, the money kept aside for buying her medicines and how she had stopped taking her BP medicines for a week prior to her death. She had hidden that fact from her husband and used to complain often about some dizziness and pain during that last week.
Later he sold his cloth shop to buy 2 taxis. One for himself and one for his son to eke out a living. Now his son is responsible and takes care of his family and his aged father too. The mother is no more to see this! In fact there were two taxis waiting at the stand, but we engaged the elderly man's taxi. If we had hired the son's taxi, we would have been treated to a different version of the same story at least how fortunate he and his wife were to have pressed her hands and legs minutes before his mother's death.
The rate we fixed for the round trip was Rs.500/- but he grinned so I gave him an extra Rs.100/- which was purely for the story session! He had unburdened himself and I my purse!
A similar incident occurred to a relative of mine. He died because he neglected taking his regular medicines for just 2 days due to some function at home (leading to irregular and delayed meals) for which he paid with his life.
It is due to neglect to take medicines on time and regularly, 'if' the doctor advises the same for BP, heart condition or sugar complaint as stopping them for any reason could prove fatal. These are prescribed for life long for long life!
Mahalakshmi.
The taxi driver was an elderly man of about 75 years.
We passed our waiting time in the taxi by talking to him about the local markets, vegetarian hotels, clothes, kolhapuri chappals, the ancient and famous Mahalakshmi temple...and his children, his having lunch in the taxi itself on some busy days.
He said he has 3 daughters and a son, all married and with grown up kids. He told us he was staying with the son, daughter-in-law and their only son.
Where was his wife then? He said she passed away 12 years back.
I asked him what happened to her and was he there at that time.
He said he was very much with her. Both had had dinner and were sitting and chatting. All of a sudden she started complaining of acute pain in both her hands and legs. Even in that pain she had given her son's phone number and asked her husband to call over their son and daughter-in-law immediately. They rushed and began pressing her legs and hands. Later took her to a hospital where the doctor began testing her. Alas before any treatment could be administered, she had a massive heart attack and passed away. She was just 54 years old, he said. When I remarked that it was quite a young age to die, he told me that his father-in-law and wife's elder sister too died at 54! He wondered whether it was some family curse. I said it could be due to some other reason and asked whether there was something else that stressed her or was she on regular medicines for any ailment like BP, Heart or sugar complaint?
Yes she was taking BP drugs everyday.
Minutes before her death she was talking about their only son who was married but unemployed, roaming around, borrowing money from his mother on the sly for his expenses and wondered whether he will get alright, if at all.
I enquired whether she took those drugs regularly as per the doctor's advice?
He revealed that she had secretly given her son, the money kept aside for buying her medicines and how she had stopped taking her BP medicines for a week prior to her death. She had hidden that fact from her husband and used to complain often about some dizziness and pain during that last week.
Later he sold his cloth shop to buy 2 taxis. One for himself and one for his son to eke out a living. Now his son is responsible and takes care of his family and his aged father too. The mother is no more to see this! In fact there were two taxis waiting at the stand, but we engaged the elderly man's taxi. If we had hired the son's taxi, we would have been treated to a different version of the same story at least how fortunate he and his wife were to have pressed her hands and legs minutes before his mother's death.
The rate we fixed for the round trip was Rs.500/- but he grinned so I gave him an extra Rs.100/- which was purely for the story session! He had unburdened himself and I my purse!
A similar incident occurred to a relative of mine. He died because he neglected taking his regular medicines for just 2 days due to some function at home (leading to irregular and delayed meals) for which he paid with his life.
It is due to neglect to take medicines on time and regularly, 'if' the doctor advises the same for BP, heart condition or sugar complaint as stopping them for any reason could prove fatal. These are prescribed for life long for long life!
Mahalakshmi.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Indispensable
Men may come and men may go but the company goes on forever! This phrase is used to describe how men (and women) are not indispensable.
Work anywhere will go on, even though it may take time, effort, some stumbling, some healing, etc., to get on. It also gives others a chance to prove themselves through such new openings/opportunities. Make way for the down-in-line to prove themselves. Also they need to gain experience even if they need to by stumbling and bumbling!
We hear such good words at the farewell parties when someone is retiring, leaving job, etc. that he or she will be sorely missed, that the person has been indispensable and what will the organization do without him now. But experience tells us that we are fools to even believe such things that the organization will crumble once we leave our jobs. There will be someone who will take on our work - whether that someone is up to the mark or not will take time to tell. Still there is someone who is trying to step in to continue from where we left work.
The organization may have been running before we made our entry. We make a difference to our jobs in the way we best can. Someone else may come in and deliver better or worse goods than us! Soon the company or organization will not have time even to think about us and that's the truth.
It is wrong to assume that we are the only ones who carry the burden on our shoulders and it is because of us that the show runs. How far from the truth!
Today is the last working day for the Infosys founder, Narayana Murthy. Work at Infosys will go on as usual, I am sure, even though he will be missed. His role play has now come to an end as far as the company is concerned. The worth of the company stands at $6 Billion today. It may become $600bln or may also get reduced to $.6bln. He has contributed such a lot not only to his company but to his state, his country and the world of IT. Yet he is a very philosophical man to understand that as soon as he leaves the company he founded and ran for many years will not crumble upon his exit! He seems to be a level-headed person and a karma yogi.
So with human lives. We see around us how a spouse is left alone due to the other's death or due to separation. Maybe for a while, memories will haunt intensely, with time that intensity also gets diluted. Life does not stop for the surviving spouse. One learns to move on by getting more occupied with his or her work or developing a new hobby or interest. This helps to control the mind from dwelling too much upon any sad event often which does no one any good - not for the living and never for the departed, anyway.
The human mind needs to get diverted away from revisiting pain or painful situations for one's own good.
Has life and living ever stopped if the father passed away. Has life come to an end if the mother passes away? Someone else (relatives like grandfather, granny, an uncle or an aunt) often takes over some responsibility to fill the lacuna.
And we think we are indispensable and we are the ones who run the show. Sigh!
Mahalakshmi.
Work anywhere will go on, even though it may take time, effort, some stumbling, some healing, etc., to get on. It also gives others a chance to prove themselves through such new openings/opportunities. Make way for the down-in-line to prove themselves. Also they need to gain experience even if they need to by stumbling and bumbling!
We hear such good words at the farewell parties when someone is retiring, leaving job, etc. that he or she will be sorely missed, that the person has been indispensable and what will the organization do without him now. But experience tells us that we are fools to even believe such things that the organization will crumble once we leave our jobs. There will be someone who will take on our work - whether that someone is up to the mark or not will take time to tell. Still there is someone who is trying to step in to continue from where we left work.
The organization may have been running before we made our entry. We make a difference to our jobs in the way we best can. Someone else may come in and deliver better or worse goods than us! Soon the company or organization will not have time even to think about us and that's the truth.
It is wrong to assume that we are the only ones who carry the burden on our shoulders and it is because of us that the show runs. How far from the truth!
Today is the last working day for the Infosys founder, Narayana Murthy. Work at Infosys will go on as usual, I am sure, even though he will be missed. His role play has now come to an end as far as the company is concerned. The worth of the company stands at $6 Billion today. It may become $600bln or may also get reduced to $.6bln. He has contributed such a lot not only to his company but to his state, his country and the world of IT. Yet he is a very philosophical man to understand that as soon as he leaves the company he founded and ran for many years will not crumble upon his exit! He seems to be a level-headed person and a karma yogi.
So with human lives. We see around us how a spouse is left alone due to the other's death or due to separation. Maybe for a while, memories will haunt intensely, with time that intensity also gets diluted. Life does not stop for the surviving spouse. One learns to move on by getting more occupied with his or her work or developing a new hobby or interest. This helps to control the mind from dwelling too much upon any sad event often which does no one any good - not for the living and never for the departed, anyway.
The human mind needs to get diverted away from revisiting pain or painful situations for one's own good.
Has life and living ever stopped if the father passed away. Has life come to an end if the mother passes away? Someone else (relatives like grandfather, granny, an uncle or an aunt) often takes over some responsibility to fill the lacuna.
And we think we are indispensable and we are the ones who run the show. Sigh!
Mahalakshmi.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Trip To Satara
Out of circulation for 2 weeks!
Reason was a trip to Satara.
Satara is approximately 124 Km from Pune and nestled in the western ghats.
The weather is similar to Ooty and Kodaikanal. Mahabaleshwar is just 47 Kms from Satara. Mahabaleshwar is a hill resort and famous spot for bollywood shootings. But we could not go there due to constant drizzle.
Besides a cool climate, this place is blessed with fresh air. I loved the just-plucked fresh vegetables from near by farms, brought to the market only towards evening each day. You just had to put the knife and the vegetables would get cut like it were a piece of butter! That tender each one was. I went crazy cooking most vegetables I could lay my hands on, as our family was put up in a company guest house with full kitchen facilities. The cow's milk was good. Its Ghee was even better. So was the malai paneer with which I made some of our family's favorite dishes like aloo-gobi-paneer, paneer-methi, stuffed paneer paranthas and mutter-paneer. It was sad that I found out about fresh paneer too late otherwise, it would have been paneer this or paneer that, all through our stay. Thank God the family escaped the paneer over-do punishment!!
The view from our first floor rooms was too good. Each morning we would wake up to the sight of misty clouds floating over lush green mountains. There would be drizzle but never a heavy down pour. The few minus about this place was that no tar roads are laid except the main thoroughfares resulting in too much slush all over. On top perhaps due to the cold weather, everybody would spit freely on the roads, anywhere and everywhere!!
The area is full of greenery and trees housing parrots, pigeons, sparrows, etc., which could be seen from close quarters. We shot some pictures which I am going to share.
My elderly cousin from Hyderabad gave me a hint to visit the Chinna Chidambaram, the famed Nataraja Temple built by the Maha Periyavaal, Sri Chandrashekhar Swamigal of Shankara Madom, Kanchipuram. I was fortunate to visit it and also recite the Lalitha Sahasranamam as an offering on a Friday to the Divine Mother.
My wish to visit the famed Kolhapur's Mahalakshmi temple also came true and I could sing the Mahalakshmi Ashtakam in HER divine presence inside the premises which was another high for me. Lesser crowd than usual made it possible.
Having left my elderly mother alone for a full 13 days was indeed worrisome, yet all of us sisters kept talking to her on the cell. I had also made arrangements with my neighbour to visit her at least twice a day. She did that wonderfully well because I and my husband have never hesitated to help her whenever there was a chance to help them. The servant also never let me down. My mother has always been the independent type and she must have loved to be on her own and do her things her way for 2 weeks! In fact when we arrived, she prepared crisp dosas with very good chutney and sambar. It was heaven to be back home and see mother. I have never been away from her for longer than 1 or 2 days at a time.
Mahalakshmi.
Reason was a trip to Satara.
Satara is approximately 124 Km from Pune and nestled in the western ghats.
The weather is similar to Ooty and Kodaikanal. Mahabaleshwar is just 47 Kms from Satara. Mahabaleshwar is a hill resort and famous spot for bollywood shootings. But we could not go there due to constant drizzle.
Besides a cool climate, this place is blessed with fresh air. I loved the just-plucked fresh vegetables from near by farms, brought to the market only towards evening each day. You just had to put the knife and the vegetables would get cut like it were a piece of butter! That tender each one was. I went crazy cooking most vegetables I could lay my hands on, as our family was put up in a company guest house with full kitchen facilities. The cow's milk was good. Its Ghee was even better. So was the malai paneer with which I made some of our family's favorite dishes like aloo-gobi-paneer, paneer-methi, stuffed paneer paranthas and mutter-paneer. It was sad that I found out about fresh paneer too late otherwise, it would have been paneer this or paneer that, all through our stay. Thank God the family escaped the paneer over-do punishment!!
The view from our first floor rooms was too good. Each morning we would wake up to the sight of misty clouds floating over lush green mountains. There would be drizzle but never a heavy down pour. The few minus about this place was that no tar roads are laid except the main thoroughfares resulting in too much slush all over. On top perhaps due to the cold weather, everybody would spit freely on the roads, anywhere and everywhere!!
The area is full of greenery and trees housing parrots, pigeons, sparrows, etc., which could be seen from close quarters. We shot some pictures which I am going to share.
My elderly cousin from Hyderabad gave me a hint to visit the Chinna Chidambaram, the famed Nataraja Temple built by the Maha Periyavaal, Sri Chandrashekhar Swamigal of Shankara Madom, Kanchipuram. I was fortunate to visit it and also recite the Lalitha Sahasranamam as an offering on a Friday to the Divine Mother.
My wish to visit the famed Kolhapur's Mahalakshmi temple also came true and I could sing the Mahalakshmi Ashtakam in HER divine presence inside the premises which was another high for me. Lesser crowd than usual made it possible.
Having left my elderly mother alone for a full 13 days was indeed worrisome, yet all of us sisters kept talking to her on the cell. I had also made arrangements with my neighbour to visit her at least twice a day. She did that wonderfully well because I and my husband have never hesitated to help her whenever there was a chance to help them. The servant also never let me down. My mother has always been the independent type and she must have loved to be on her own and do her things her way for 2 weeks! In fact when we arrived, she prepared crisp dosas with very good chutney and sambar. It was heaven to be back home and see mother. I have never been away from her for longer than 1 or 2 days at a time.
Mahalakshmi.
Trip To Satara
Out of circulation for 2 weeks!
Reason was a trip to Satara. Its approximately 95 Km from Pune. It is nestled in the western ghats.
The weather is similar to Ooty and Kodaikanal. Mahabaleshwar is just 40 Kms from Satara. Mahabaleshwar is a hill resort and famous spot for bollywood shootings. But we could not go there due to constant drizzle.
Besides a cool climate, this place is blessed with fresh air. I loved the just-plucked fresh vegetables. The milk was fresh and good too. I went crazy cooking most vegetables I could lay my hands on as our family was put up in a company guest house with full kitchen facilities. The view from our first floor rooms was too good. Each morning we woke up to the sight of misty clouds floating over lush green mountains.
The area is full of greenery and trees which house parrots, piegons, sparrows, etc., which we could see from close quarters. We shot some pictures which I am going to share.
Reason was a trip to Satara. Its approximately 95 Km from Pune. It is nestled in the western ghats.
The weather is similar to Ooty and Kodaikanal. Mahabaleshwar is just 40 Kms from Satara. Mahabaleshwar is a hill resort and famous spot for bollywood shootings. But we could not go there due to constant drizzle.
Besides a cool climate, this place is blessed with fresh air. I loved the just-plucked fresh vegetables. The milk was fresh and good too. I went crazy cooking most vegetables I could lay my hands on as our family was put up in a company guest house with full kitchen facilities. The view from our first floor rooms was too good. Each morning we woke up to the sight of misty clouds floating over lush green mountains.
The area is full of greenery and trees which house parrots, piegons, sparrows, etc., which we could see from close quarters. We shot some pictures which I am going to share.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Learning To Make Sweet Poli
Soon after my marriage I used to watch my mother-in-law in action in the kitchen. She would be in-charge. I loved whatever she cooked. Especially the sweet polis were a melt-in-the-mouth.
For special occasions I would assist her in preparing this sweet dish. I did learn about the ingredients, the process, the finale, etc., but the polis would never turn out as soft as hers whenever I tried it on my own. Its edges would be thick.
But after many years I did manage to learn the secret from her.
Now for that incident followed by her recipe!
Once my mother-in-law was visiting us and wanted to have polis. So I started the process while she simply watched from the sidelines. When the first one was ready, I proudly gave it to her for tasting and saw her actually frowning!
It was thick. I tried the second, the third, the fourth and still she kept telling me,
"Roll it thinner than that". I got so wild with frustration over her repeated comments, that I just put the rolling pin down. I wanted to walk away from the kitchen!
She must have sensed my displeasure and quietly took charge and started rolling the poli while it was my turn to watch her. It was as if she was coaxing it to spread thinner and thinner until it was almost the size of a thick paper!! She was persistent about that.
She shallow fried them one by one. I tasted one of hers and knew why she had frowned. They were such wonderful delights and soft, melt-in-mouths that no one could stop with just one!!
That day I learnt what it was to know something really well. In fact this is what expertise in 'anything' is all about.
That moment she was not the mother-in-law nor was I her daughter-in-law. It was the teacher and the taught. It was one among my most beautiful learning experiences.
As always, I appreciated and thanked her for showing me how to make them much better. Both were happy to have shared this deep bonding that day. Earlier too I had learnt to make so many dishes from her.
It is a combination of the right ingredients, the process, the tips which are more important for a dish to come out well. The patience to perfect it with practice until one gets it right also helps.
Now for the recipe: (try a smaller quantity first. Can try larger quantities when one feels confident by trying it out several times. I know this advice is misplaced in these days of diabetes, calories, etc!)
Now for the recipe.
For the dough:
100gms refined flour.
A pinch of salt.
A pinch of turmeric powder to get the yellow color.
50ml of gingely oil.
2 to 3 teaspoons of water (strictly optional)
Mix all the above except water and ply into a soft dough. (Keep it covered and leave it alone for at least 3 to 4 hours. Your fingers may get very oily but never mind, as its the grease which will make the polis softer when it is shallow fried later.
For the Filling:
1. 10 cardamoms, de-skinned and powdered.
2. 100gms sugar or jaggery. (Jaggery will mean, melting it in less water, filtering the scum, sand, etc.). I prefer sugar as its less messy and more tasty.
3. 100gms of bengal gram dal.
To dry roast the dal until it gives out an aroma and turns golden brown. Wash and soak in water for 20 minutes. Then pressure cook until soft. When cool, drain all the water and blend only the cooked dal into a thick even paste. Now add the sugar 'n' spice and blend all of them well.
Heat a thick bottomed kadai and thicken this paste until it turns dry or turns into a dough-like consistency.
Make equal sized balls from the dough. About 10 to 12 of them.
Make as many from the filling also and keep it separately.
Take a plastic sheet, grease it with oil, place a portion of dough in the centre, cover it with a transparent plastic sheet, spread the dough with fingers (or rolling pin if possible). Slowly peel off the upper plastic sheet and place a portion of the filling in the centre and fold in the edges, covering it from all sides. The filling should not be visible to the eye at all. Place the plastic sheet and flatten it to, as thin a poli as possible. This is by far the 'trickiest' and most difficult part.
One can use rice flour as dust to help roll it thinner on a clean, dry flat surface like the granite kitchen slab, if one is not comfortable using greasy plastic sheets.
Heat a hot plate or tawa and cook it by gently turning it both sides alternately and quickly. Remember a poli cooks very fast. When light brown spots begin appearing, spread ghee over the surface and edges. When done, fold it and serve hot or cold.
Has a shelf life of more than 2 weeks if water is not used at all to make the dough.
Tastes heavenly and could be very addictive.
Enjoy.
Mahalakshmi
For special occasions I would assist her in preparing this sweet dish. I did learn about the ingredients, the process, the finale, etc., but the polis would never turn out as soft as hers whenever I tried it on my own. Its edges would be thick.
But after many years I did manage to learn the secret from her.
Now for that incident followed by her recipe!
Once my mother-in-law was visiting us and wanted to have polis. So I started the process while she simply watched from the sidelines. When the first one was ready, I proudly gave it to her for tasting and saw her actually frowning!
It was thick. I tried the second, the third, the fourth and still she kept telling me,
"Roll it thinner than that". I got so wild with frustration over her repeated comments, that I just put the rolling pin down. I wanted to walk away from the kitchen!
She must have sensed my displeasure and quietly took charge and started rolling the poli while it was my turn to watch her. It was as if she was coaxing it to spread thinner and thinner until it was almost the size of a thick paper!! She was persistent about that.
She shallow fried them one by one. I tasted one of hers and knew why she had frowned. They were such wonderful delights and soft, melt-in-mouths that no one could stop with just one!!
That day I learnt what it was to know something really well. In fact this is what expertise in 'anything' is all about.
That moment she was not the mother-in-law nor was I her daughter-in-law. It was the teacher and the taught. It was one among my most beautiful learning experiences.
As always, I appreciated and thanked her for showing me how to make them much better. Both were happy to have shared this deep bonding that day. Earlier too I had learnt to make so many dishes from her.
It is a combination of the right ingredients, the process, the tips which are more important for a dish to come out well. The patience to perfect it with practice until one gets it right also helps.
Now for the recipe: (try a smaller quantity first. Can try larger quantities when one feels confident by trying it out several times. I know this advice is misplaced in these days of diabetes, calories, etc!)
Now for the recipe.
For the dough:
100gms refined flour.
A pinch of salt.
A pinch of turmeric powder to get the yellow color.
50ml of gingely oil.
2 to 3 teaspoons of water (strictly optional)
Mix all the above except water and ply into a soft dough. (Keep it covered and leave it alone for at least 3 to 4 hours. Your fingers may get very oily but never mind, as its the grease which will make the polis softer when it is shallow fried later.
For the Filling:
1. 10 cardamoms, de-skinned and powdered.
2. 100gms sugar or jaggery. (Jaggery will mean, melting it in less water, filtering the scum, sand, etc.). I prefer sugar as its less messy and more tasty.
3. 100gms of bengal gram dal.
To dry roast the dal until it gives out an aroma and turns golden brown. Wash and soak in water for 20 minutes. Then pressure cook until soft. When cool, drain all the water and blend only the cooked dal into a thick even paste. Now add the sugar 'n' spice and blend all of them well.
Heat a thick bottomed kadai and thicken this paste until it turns dry or turns into a dough-like consistency.
Make equal sized balls from the dough. About 10 to 12 of them.
Make as many from the filling also and keep it separately.
Take a plastic sheet, grease it with oil, place a portion of dough in the centre, cover it with a transparent plastic sheet, spread the dough with fingers (or rolling pin if possible). Slowly peel off the upper plastic sheet and place a portion of the filling in the centre and fold in the edges, covering it from all sides. The filling should not be visible to the eye at all. Place the plastic sheet and flatten it to, as thin a poli as possible. This is by far the 'trickiest' and most difficult part.
One can use rice flour as dust to help roll it thinner on a clean, dry flat surface like the granite kitchen slab, if one is not comfortable using greasy plastic sheets.
Heat a hot plate or tawa and cook it by gently turning it both sides alternately and quickly. Remember a poli cooks very fast. When light brown spots begin appearing, spread ghee over the surface and edges. When done, fold it and serve hot or cold.
Has a shelf life of more than 2 weeks if water is not used at all to make the dough.
Tastes heavenly and could be very addictive.
Enjoy.
Mahalakshmi
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Problems and Solutions
Real time problems need real time solutions which answers are not so easy to find in books.
All the theory we may have learnt at school and college may not come in handy most times.
There is neither a right way nor a wrong way with problem solving.
The most successful way of solving a problem which I know of from experience, is to sound out very trusted and close ones for their opinion.
Their way of looking at the same problem may differ. They could offer a third dimension.
A via media solution could then be worked out after hearing them out patiently.
80% of opinions may not work out, yet when opinions are sought the sense of participation itself is the reward (and a learning experience). This is the first step.
When a solution is actioned, one has to wait for the results to show. This is the second step.
With time everyone settles down to hear and being heard.
The best solution may not work out in practical terms.
The leader among the group invariably emerges. He or she may be young or old. It's the problem solving ability which has to be respected.
We get to read about such instances in our ancient texts where rishis and yogis engage in 'tarka' (holding healthy arguments or discussions with mutual respect, to arrive at the right answer). All these wise men have been known to respect each others' opinions or views even though they may prefer to strongly, but respectfully, disagree with each other! What an ideal situation!!
Cut back to the modern age where one hears more often than not, "Tarkam pannade. Naan solratha kel", (meaning, don't argue, just do as I say). Lot depends on who is saying this.
If the person who says this, happens to be a wise and an experienced one, its better to follow his advice.
Most times, experience has won hands down over knowledge of theory, combined with little or no practical experience. Perhaps because 'experience' has tread the path long time back and knows which pitfalls to avoid and how best to safeguard 'or' because of learning through other people's 'experience'!
Mahalakshmi.
All the theory we may have learnt at school and college may not come in handy most times.
There is neither a right way nor a wrong way with problem solving.
The most successful way of solving a problem which I know of from experience, is to sound out very trusted and close ones for their opinion.
Their way of looking at the same problem may differ. They could offer a third dimension.
A via media solution could then be worked out after hearing them out patiently.
80% of opinions may not work out, yet when opinions are sought the sense of participation itself is the reward (and a learning experience). This is the first step.
When a solution is actioned, one has to wait for the results to show. This is the second step.
With time everyone settles down to hear and being heard.
The best solution may not work out in practical terms.
The leader among the group invariably emerges. He or she may be young or old. It's the problem solving ability which has to be respected.
We get to read about such instances in our ancient texts where rishis and yogis engage in 'tarka' (holding healthy arguments or discussions with mutual respect, to arrive at the right answer). All these wise men have been known to respect each others' opinions or views even though they may prefer to strongly, but respectfully, disagree with each other! What an ideal situation!!
Cut back to the modern age where one hears more often than not, "Tarkam pannade. Naan solratha kel", (meaning, don't argue, just do as I say). Lot depends on who is saying this.
If the person who says this, happens to be a wise and an experienced one, its better to follow his advice.
Most times, experience has won hands down over knowledge of theory, combined with little or no practical experience. Perhaps because 'experience' has tread the path long time back and knows which pitfalls to avoid and how best to safeguard 'or' because of learning through other people's 'experience'!
Mahalakshmi.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Trip To Madurai
This trip to Madurai was a memorable one in many ways.
Wanted to stay in the GRT Regency, Madurai. Two relatives suggested a very old and popular hotel existing from years ago - Neww College House.
My paternal uncle had got married when I was about 14 years old and during our visit to Madurai we had stayed in a very popular hotel some 30 odd years back and I have always wished I could somehow locate that hotel in our annual trips to the temple city but could not. Will this trip prove lucky?
We were directed to walk a few yards from the railway station to locate this hotel. Sure enough it was very near. We booked 2 AC rooms (#70 and 71) which were just behind the reservation counter. Then as I looked around, the layout came back to me. Yes this was the very hotel we all had stayed so many years ago. We had parked all our family cars (Fiat) in the huge inner courtyard of this hotel.
Besides nostalgia, there was not much else to remember for the one day we stayed there! The AC won't work until the room boy juggled with the switch. We wanted to wash our feet and when we turned on the tap, it came off! It was quite a task to fix it right back. The flush simply refused to oblige. Off I ran to the other room to check how it was there. #71's flush worked but there was no hygiene tap. We were 4 of us, but there were only 3 drinking glasses. It was a good 2 hours before the room boy handed us one. Except for 2 bath towels there were no other room supplies to boast of.
The next morning, half the day was spent at the temple, offering rose garlands and singing the Lalitha Sahasranamam in an isolated hall which housed the Meenakshi-Kalayana Sundareshwarar temple which was closed. As if in answer to my prayers the doors to the temple opened as I finished singing HER praises.
As we came out we saw so many Japanese, Americans and Britons, all wearing brand new dhotis with traditional borders. They were all clicking pictures of the lone elephant, who kept blessing anyone who could spare some money for her upkeep.
Soon it was lunch time. Friends had recommended lunch at the Sri Ram Vilas Mess. We took an auto which took us straight to the hotel. This was another 15 year old messing facility. The food was piping hot, fresh and good.
On a banana leaf, we were served a beetroot poriyal, cauliflower-peas koottu, tomato soup, curd pacchadi, semiya payasam, mango pickle, rasam, appalam, sambar, fine ponni rice. The meal was very simple with minimum oil and no masala in any dish. All for Rs.50 per person.
We walked along the way in search of the irruttu kadai halwa. The shop had shut down sometime back. Yet there was another one - The Prema Vilas, Town Hall Road - selling some very good tirunelveli halwa. Off we went there and picked up a kg of it.
After a few hours of restful sleep, it was time to have dinner and rush back to the room to pack up and leave. Dinner was at Bombay Hotel which advertised Rajastani, Gujrati, UP and Bombay meals but we had no choice as only Rajasthani was served. Dishes served were cluster beans masala curry, kadhi - a curd based liquid dish, dal, green chilli deep fried with a light masala, mango pickle, curds, piping hot umlimited phulkas and plain rice. This too was simple and tasty at Rs.60 per plate.
This was a fulfilling and peaceful trip.
Mahalakshmi.
Wanted to stay in the GRT Regency, Madurai. Two relatives suggested a very old and popular hotel existing from years ago - Neww College House.
My paternal uncle had got married when I was about 14 years old and during our visit to Madurai we had stayed in a very popular hotel some 30 odd years back and I have always wished I could somehow locate that hotel in our annual trips to the temple city but could not. Will this trip prove lucky?
We were directed to walk a few yards from the railway station to locate this hotel. Sure enough it was very near. We booked 2 AC rooms (#70 and 71) which were just behind the reservation counter. Then as I looked around, the layout came back to me. Yes this was the very hotel we all had stayed so many years ago. We had parked all our family cars (Fiat) in the huge inner courtyard of this hotel.
Besides nostalgia, there was not much else to remember for the one day we stayed there! The AC won't work until the room boy juggled with the switch. We wanted to wash our feet and when we turned on the tap, it came off! It was quite a task to fix it right back. The flush simply refused to oblige. Off I ran to the other room to check how it was there. #71's flush worked but there was no hygiene tap. We were 4 of us, but there were only 3 drinking glasses. It was a good 2 hours before the room boy handed us one. Except for 2 bath towels there were no other room supplies to boast of.
The next morning, half the day was spent at the temple, offering rose garlands and singing the Lalitha Sahasranamam in an isolated hall which housed the Meenakshi-Kalayana Sundareshwarar temple which was closed. As if in answer to my prayers the doors to the temple opened as I finished singing HER praises.
As we came out we saw so many Japanese, Americans and Britons, all wearing brand new dhotis with traditional borders. They were all clicking pictures of the lone elephant, who kept blessing anyone who could spare some money for her upkeep.
Soon it was lunch time. Friends had recommended lunch at the Sri Ram Vilas Mess. We took an auto which took us straight to the hotel. This was another 15 year old messing facility. The food was piping hot, fresh and good.
On a banana leaf, we were served a beetroot poriyal, cauliflower-peas koottu, tomato soup, curd pacchadi, semiya payasam, mango pickle, rasam, appalam, sambar, fine ponni rice. The meal was very simple with minimum oil and no masala in any dish. All for Rs.50 per person.
We walked along the way in search of the irruttu kadai halwa. The shop had shut down sometime back. Yet there was another one - The Prema Vilas, Town Hall Road - selling some very good tirunelveli halwa. Off we went there and picked up a kg of it.
After a few hours of restful sleep, it was time to have dinner and rush back to the room to pack up and leave. Dinner was at Bombay Hotel which advertised Rajastani, Gujrati, UP and Bombay meals but we had no choice as only Rajasthani was served. Dishes served were cluster beans masala curry, kadhi - a curd based liquid dish, dal, green chilli deep fried with a light masala, mango pickle, curds, piping hot umlimited phulkas and plain rice. This too was simple and tasty at Rs.60 per plate.
This was a fulfilling and peaceful trip.
Mahalakshmi.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Native Place
The common question asked after people are introduced to each other is, "What is your native place?" This means from which place/village do you come from (read ancestral village).
"Native place" in India is an equivalent of "The weather is good..." in UK. It is like breaking ice.
It gladdens many hearts when they hear their home towns or villages mentioned by total strangers at chance meetings. There is a special bonding and bonhomie after that as if they belong to the same family! Even if they don't belong to the same village, it is alright as the conversation centres for a few more minutes about what the place is famous for, like the Kumbakonam Degree Kaapi, Madurai Malli, Idli and the Irruttu Kadai Halwa, Tirunelveli Halwa, Palakkad Samayal, etc.
Among Tambrams (Tamilian Brahmins) some of the popular places mentioned are
Tanjavur, especially the Ganapathi Agraharam (this temple is desolate except for pious NRIs who manage to juggle time to visit it and carry back the tough modakam/kuzhakatai which has a long shelf life. In fact there are many NRIs who support the temple financially, through their generous donations), Kumbakonam, Madurai, Tirunelveli - Kalladakurichi, Ambasamudram, North Arcot, Coimbatore, Palakkad, etc., etc.
People have moved far away in pursuit of careers.
In cities like Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, native places make for faster bonding and creating an easier working atmosphere.
Visiting native villages is a big event for many of us if we were born and brought up there.
For those of us whose parents or grand parents themselves have shifted base, could just mean an overnight visit to the family diety (Kula Daivam) where traditional family rituals are performed.
After nearly two and half years, we plan to visit Madurai this week, to seek the blessings of Meenakshi Amman and Sundareshwarar and offer dark pink rose garlands which has been an age old family tradition on my in-laws side.
May The Divine Pair bless us all.
Mahalakshmi
"Native place" in India is an equivalent of "The weather is good..." in UK. It is like breaking ice.
It gladdens many hearts when they hear their home towns or villages mentioned by total strangers at chance meetings. There is a special bonding and bonhomie after that as if they belong to the same family! Even if they don't belong to the same village, it is alright as the conversation centres for a few more minutes about what the place is famous for, like the Kumbakonam Degree Kaapi, Madurai Malli, Idli and the Irruttu Kadai Halwa, Tirunelveli Halwa, Palakkad Samayal, etc.
Among Tambrams (Tamilian Brahmins) some of the popular places mentioned are
Tanjavur, especially the Ganapathi Agraharam (this temple is desolate except for pious NRIs who manage to juggle time to visit it and carry back the tough modakam/kuzhakatai which has a long shelf life. In fact there are many NRIs who support the temple financially, through their generous donations), Kumbakonam, Madurai, Tirunelveli - Kalladakurichi, Ambasamudram, North Arcot, Coimbatore, Palakkad, etc., etc.
People have moved far away in pursuit of careers.
In cities like Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, native places make for faster bonding and creating an easier working atmosphere.
Visiting native villages is a big event for many of us if we were born and brought up there.
For those of us whose parents or grand parents themselves have shifted base, could just mean an overnight visit to the family diety (Kula Daivam) where traditional family rituals are performed.
After nearly two and half years, we plan to visit Madurai this week, to seek the blessings of Meenakshi Amman and Sundareshwarar and offer dark pink rose garlands which has been an age old family tradition on my in-laws side.
May The Divine Pair bless us all.
Mahalakshmi
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
The First Ranker Part 2
"The giver is one but the takers are as many. How they take it and what value they add to it, is what matters to succeed in life".
This is where I ended about the teacher and the taught in Part 1.
Schools and colleges are where most of us compete for marks to the best of our ability. Many of us may not have topped in most exams. I did in about 4 or 5 subjects while at school and when I was doing my Law degree. What thrill it was. What swelling with pride for our efforts bearing just fruits. If I rested in past glory I would be pushed to 2nd and 3rd and down the line in the next exams! Such was the discipline and dedication required throughout studentship. These were measurable and comparable with other classmates.
Having said all the above, with life and practicality it was something else totally!
Like one could land a good job with the qualifications. At work all those marks never seemed to help!! The theory part and the practical were so different to deal with even though some subjects like accounts where it is much of practicals even while one is learning at school.
I know of many who were really good at studies but had mediocre jobs and din't do much career-wise.
Yet there were others who were really average or even below average who made it really good at their careers.
Theory Vs. Practicals it is with life and living too! Easier to score marks in theory with some discipline. When it comes to practicals it's a different ball game altogether - we go along as it comes.
Cheers.
Mahalakshmi.
This is where I ended about the teacher and the taught in Part 1.
Schools and colleges are where most of us compete for marks to the best of our ability. Many of us may not have topped in most exams. I did in about 4 or 5 subjects while at school and when I was doing my Law degree. What thrill it was. What swelling with pride for our efforts bearing just fruits. If I rested in past glory I would be pushed to 2nd and 3rd and down the line in the next exams! Such was the discipline and dedication required throughout studentship. These were measurable and comparable with other classmates.
Having said all the above, with life and practicality it was something else totally!
Like one could land a good job with the qualifications. At work all those marks never seemed to help!! The theory part and the practical were so different to deal with even though some subjects like accounts where it is much of practicals even while one is learning at school.
I know of many who were really good at studies but had mediocre jobs and din't do much career-wise.
Yet there were others who were really average or even below average who made it really good at their careers.
Theory Vs. Practicals it is with life and living too! Easier to score marks in theory with some discipline. When it comes to practicals it's a different ball game altogether - we go along as it comes.
Cheers.
Mahalakshmi.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
My Freehand Kolams - Part 3
6 more of my creations.
Kolam 13
Kolam - 14
Kolam 15
Kolam 16
Kolam 17
Mahalakshmi
Kolam 13
Kolam - 14
Kolam 15
Kolam 16
Kolam 17
Mahalakshmi
My Freehand Kolams - Part 2
More of my creations.
Kolam 7
Kolam 8
Kolam 9
Kolam 10
Kolam 11
Kolam 12
Mahalakshmi
Kolam 7
Kolam 8
Kolam 9
Kolam 10
Kolam 11
Kolam 12
Mahalakshmi
My Freehand Kolams 1
I will let my freehand kolams speak for themselves today. They have all been created early each morning and have adorned our doorstep till the next morning.
Whatever came to my mind that moment, transformed into some of the most amateurish kolams ever!! Were my ancestors from tribal land :D I love tribal art and it shows!
Have a look and enjoy if possible. I should thank my son Vasant who takes these pictures, each day, on his mobile without forgetting. And my husband for brightening the patterns which were not visible to the eye on black stone. He turned the black stone into white!!
I shall treat you to some more of these in my next blog. Don't go away :D
Kolam 1
Kolam 2
Kolam 3
Kolam 4
Kolam 5
Kolam 6
Mahalakshmi
Whatever came to my mind that moment, transformed into some of the most amateurish kolams ever!! Were my ancestors from tribal land :D I love tribal art and it shows!
Have a look and enjoy if possible. I should thank my son Vasant who takes these pictures, each day, on his mobile without forgetting. And my husband for brightening the patterns which were not visible to the eye on black stone. He turned the black stone into white!!
I shall treat you to some more of these in my next blog. Don't go away :D
Kolam 1
Kolam 2
Kolam 3
Kolam 4
Kolam 5
Kolam 6
Mahalakshmi
Sunday, July 10, 2011
The First Ranker Part 1
A class in a school or college, has on an average 30 students.
The teacher teaches the 30 students.
It is the same subject, the same 30 students, taught at the same time, in the same style yet only one student gets the top marks!
Is it the teacher or the taught who should get the credit for top marks? And what happened to those other 29 students? Why could they not score top marks when they too were exposed to the same class, same teacher, subject, teaching style...
The giver is one but the takers are as many. How they take it and what value they add to it, is what matters to succeed in life.
Mahalakshmi.
The teacher teaches the 30 students.
It is the same subject, the same 30 students, taught at the same time, in the same style yet only one student gets the top marks!
Is it the teacher or the taught who should get the credit for top marks? And what happened to those other 29 students? Why could they not score top marks when they too were exposed to the same class, same teacher, subject, teaching style...
The giver is one but the takers are as many. How they take it and what value they add to it, is what matters to succeed in life.
Mahalakshmi.
The Carpenter And His Drinking Habit
There is a carpenter who had done a lot of projects for known people.
After a long time he made an appearance at someone's place.
There, the lady asked about his current projects. She also questioned him about his picking up the drinking habit while on some outstation work.
What I din't expect was the carpenter's honest confession about his taking to drinks after a day's hard labor. The reason he gave was, new friends at the new place, who used to constantly take him along. Without a drink he could not sleep at nights. With no one to question and no family around to stop him, it soon became a habit.
His wife was worried about his new habit and his health. Once back home, his wife took charge and made him quit drinking.
Here was a simple man. There was no hemming and hawing about such a sensitive issue. He answered a personal question quite honestly and naturally without getting upset or angry.
Now he avoids taking up outstation orders if he can and prefers to work in the city.
Good for his health, his family and good for his purse.
Mahalakshmi
After a long time he made an appearance at someone's place.
There, the lady asked about his current projects. She also questioned him about his picking up the drinking habit while on some outstation work.
What I din't expect was the carpenter's honest confession about his taking to drinks after a day's hard labor. The reason he gave was, new friends at the new place, who used to constantly take him along. Without a drink he could not sleep at nights. With no one to question and no family around to stop him, it soon became a habit.
His wife was worried about his new habit and his health. Once back home, his wife took charge and made him quit drinking.
Here was a simple man. There was no hemming and hawing about such a sensitive issue. He answered a personal question quite honestly and naturally without getting upset or angry.
Now he avoids taking up outstation orders if he can and prefers to work in the city.
Good for his health, his family and good for his purse.
Mahalakshmi
Friday, July 1, 2011
Actor Riyaz Khan
Until I write about this incident, I can't rest!
I was passing the Cenotaph Road on my way to office by auto.
Due to traffic congestion the auto had to slow down a bit.
I watched a dashing young man, alighting from his red car after parking it in the bay of Wescare Towers, a few buildings before the Padma Apollo Cancer Hospitals. This young man was very well groomed and was wearing a bright red shirt. He looked so handsome and dashing.
He looked at me and I could not place him at all in those few seconds. But he seemed so familiar and yet not from anyone I know personally. Only after I reached the Nandanam Traffic Junction, I realized he was the actor Riyaz Khan.
Then I thought of how show biz people always look their best. They are so presentable. They take a lot of care in good grooming. Their hair styles are just for their kind of face, the clothes which are among the best, fit them so well. They have a shine to their skin which they must be taking good care of anyways. They look fit as they gym or exercise to keep in shape always.
For quite some time now, I have been planning a movie script with actors Prakash Raj and Meera Jasmine in the lead roles. I have worked out a part for Riyaz Khan as well in the story, after seeing him that day, in passing. In my mind's eye I have seen the picture several times now. Prakash Raj is a powerful actor. Jasmine is tender and portrays her roles so sensitively. Added to her great acting skills is her beauty. Her eyes convey so much without a word spoken. Once I have my script ready I shall wish God to take care of seeing it come alive on the screen!
One of my three projects will be to start writing this script and that will be soon after I am through with the present one which ends on 15th July. The scenes are rushing through my mind, too often now. I have got to download it all on paper before it evaporates into thin air! I realize it's a long way to go before seeing my story unfold on the large screen. I do not know anyone from the film industry. As raw as raw can be!! Yet nothing prevents me from having stars in my eyes :D
I need all the luck and good wishes I can garner. God bless me.
Mahalakshmi
I was passing the Cenotaph Road on my way to office by auto.
Due to traffic congestion the auto had to slow down a bit.
I watched a dashing young man, alighting from his red car after parking it in the bay of Wescare Towers, a few buildings before the Padma Apollo Cancer Hospitals. This young man was very well groomed and was wearing a bright red shirt. He looked so handsome and dashing.
He looked at me and I could not place him at all in those few seconds. But he seemed so familiar and yet not from anyone I know personally. Only after I reached the Nandanam Traffic Junction, I realized he was the actor Riyaz Khan.
Then I thought of how show biz people always look their best. They are so presentable. They take a lot of care in good grooming. Their hair styles are just for their kind of face, the clothes which are among the best, fit them so well. They have a shine to their skin which they must be taking good care of anyways. They look fit as they gym or exercise to keep in shape always.
For quite some time now, I have been planning a movie script with actors Prakash Raj and Meera Jasmine in the lead roles. I have worked out a part for Riyaz Khan as well in the story, after seeing him that day, in passing. In my mind's eye I have seen the picture several times now. Prakash Raj is a powerful actor. Jasmine is tender and portrays her roles so sensitively. Added to her great acting skills is her beauty. Her eyes convey so much without a word spoken. Once I have my script ready I shall wish God to take care of seeing it come alive on the screen!
One of my three projects will be to start writing this script and that will be soon after I am through with the present one which ends on 15th July. The scenes are rushing through my mind, too often now. I have got to download it all on paper before it evaporates into thin air! I realize it's a long way to go before seeing my story unfold on the large screen. I do not know anyone from the film industry. As raw as raw can be!! Yet nothing prevents me from having stars in my eyes :D
I need all the luck and good wishes I can garner. God bless me.
Mahalakshmi
Thursday, June 30, 2011
The Zha Cafe, Chennai
Zha is a slippery Tamil alphabet which is difficult to pronounce even among some Tamilians!
I pass by a newly opened cafe called the Zha Cafe, in Sastri Nagar, Adyar, Chennai quite often, but seldom got inside to have a peek. The sign board cleverly displays the name 'Zha', in Tamil too, alongside to dispel any doubts about such an unusual name.
A power cut in an office where a meeting was to take place got shifted to this cafe, giving me a wonderful reason to check out the place.
The meeting was interesting too, as the other 4 were all enthusiastic young men, raring to get started on a web company which is about to be launched very soon.
Each ordered his drink. I went for iced lemon tea. It came in a tall glass, all froth at the top. The taste was just right, light and refreshing for the humid noon time. Then came along a platter of hot, crispy, banana flower vada (Vaazhaipoo vadai, a Tanjore speciality). It was simply gorgeous. A melt-in-the-mouth with a slight hint of roasted sesame seeds here and there.
Tea and snacks later, went around the rooms in the cafe. This place has got that rare, homely feel about it. An old house, left undisturbed, except that the rooms have become separate dining areas with interesting and different types of backdrops for each, such as toys in one room, a table running down right from the false ceiling with a large snake and ladder board game displayed all over the surface along the length. Yet another room was done with things from the world of cinema; single chairs whose covers were embossed with labels such as, heroine, hero, director, villain, etc. and sitting on the shelves of this room were film roll cans, CDs, an old typewriter, etc. There's privacy, different styles of seating arrangements - High, low, boat shaped, all of which makes the place interesting and informal.
It scores high on taste too though it is just the tip of the iceberg.
Should visit another day to try out their special dishes. I am sure that will be very soon. :D
Cheers!
Mahalakshmi
I pass by a newly opened cafe called the Zha Cafe, in Sastri Nagar, Adyar, Chennai quite often, but seldom got inside to have a peek. The sign board cleverly displays the name 'Zha', in Tamil too, alongside to dispel any doubts about such an unusual name.
A power cut in an office where a meeting was to take place got shifted to this cafe, giving me a wonderful reason to check out the place.
The meeting was interesting too, as the other 4 were all enthusiastic young men, raring to get started on a web company which is about to be launched very soon.
Each ordered his drink. I went for iced lemon tea. It came in a tall glass, all froth at the top. The taste was just right, light and refreshing for the humid noon time. Then came along a platter of hot, crispy, banana flower vada (Vaazhaipoo vadai, a Tanjore speciality). It was simply gorgeous. A melt-in-the-mouth with a slight hint of roasted sesame seeds here and there.
Tea and snacks later, went around the rooms in the cafe. This place has got that rare, homely feel about it. An old house, left undisturbed, except that the rooms have become separate dining areas with interesting and different types of backdrops for each, such as toys in one room, a table running down right from the false ceiling with a large snake and ladder board game displayed all over the surface along the length. Yet another room was done with things from the world of cinema; single chairs whose covers were embossed with labels such as, heroine, hero, director, villain, etc. and sitting on the shelves of this room were film roll cans, CDs, an old typewriter, etc. There's privacy, different styles of seating arrangements - High, low, boat shaped, all of which makes the place interesting and informal.
It scores high on taste too though it is just the tip of the iceberg.
Should visit another day to try out their special dishes. I am sure that will be very soon. :D
Cheers!
Mahalakshmi
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Mr.N.Murali of The Hindu
Today's The Hindu, put up a photo plus news about Mr.N.Murali getting elected as President of The Music Academy, Chennai.
Reading about this great man brought back pleasant memories of a meeting with him, (he is now the Senior Managing Director of Kasturi & Sons) in the mid- 1990s and came back feeling so good about this gem of a person. He was such a thorough gentleman and listened so patiently to what I had to say, though I was meeting him for the first time and knew nothing of him or his background at that time at all.
The meeting lasted about 20 minutes and he asked another person to guide me to their newsprint section to get more details for a project I was doing then, for a market survey company called MARG.
Very rarely do we come across people who treat women with so much respect. His family, culture and class showed in his simplicity and humility. Such are self-realized people for whom outward shows do not matter. They wear their titles and positions so lightly without any airs about them. What struck me the most was his treating others as humans despite his position in one of India's leading newspapers.
Though more than 15 years have passed by and the meeting din't last more than 20 minutes, yet this memory has lingered on for me as a most cherished one, though I must have been one among the so many, meeting him that busy day. Yet I came away feeling so good about myself. I think it's all about the respect the other gives us that makes us feel so good.
Alas! God makes such gentlemen in limited editions.
Mahalakshmi.
Reading about this great man brought back pleasant memories of a meeting with him, (he is now the Senior Managing Director of Kasturi & Sons) in the mid- 1990s and came back feeling so good about this gem of a person. He was such a thorough gentleman and listened so patiently to what I had to say, though I was meeting him for the first time and knew nothing of him or his background at that time at all.
The meeting lasted about 20 minutes and he asked another person to guide me to their newsprint section to get more details for a project I was doing then, for a market survey company called MARG.
Very rarely do we come across people who treat women with so much respect. His family, culture and class showed in his simplicity and humility. Such are self-realized people for whom outward shows do not matter. They wear their titles and positions so lightly without any airs about them. What struck me the most was his treating others as humans despite his position in one of India's leading newspapers.
Though more than 15 years have passed by and the meeting din't last more than 20 minutes, yet this memory has lingered on for me as a most cherished one, though I must have been one among the so many, meeting him that busy day. Yet I came away feeling so good about myself. I think it's all about the respect the other gives us that makes us feel so good.
Alas! God makes such gentlemen in limited editions.
Mahalakshmi.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Auto Driver Part 2
Yesterday's auto ride was the worst of its kind!
I was busy chanting the morning prayers but the auto driver was applying too many brakes and with sudden jerks. I got alert and watched what made him jerk the auto to a halt all of a sudden and so many times.
This driver was clearly not for women riding scooters, cars or walking along the roads!
He would drive the auto dangerously close to the ladies walking along or close to a lady's scooter or car and watch her frightened and at times angry reaction. I could feel that he was getting cheap thrills by doing this but it was plain harassment for women drivers.
I saw many of them glaring at this fellow. quite a few times it would have ended in an accident if the auto's brakes were to fail at the nick of the moment. My wrists and hands started aching from holding on tightly to the iron bar to prevent my nose or teeth from breaking a few bones here and there!
When I asked him to be careful while driving he started a never-ending argument and I had to shout at him several times before I reached my destination. Whew! Was I relieved and thankful to God that I reached safely in one piece!
After a very long time I saw such base tendencies like this at close quarters. Wished I was never seated in such an auto ever.
May God put some sense into his head for good.
Mahalakshmi.
I was busy chanting the morning prayers but the auto driver was applying too many brakes and with sudden jerks. I got alert and watched what made him jerk the auto to a halt all of a sudden and so many times.
This driver was clearly not for women riding scooters, cars or walking along the roads!
He would drive the auto dangerously close to the ladies walking along or close to a lady's scooter or car and watch her frightened and at times angry reaction. I could feel that he was getting cheap thrills by doing this but it was plain harassment for women drivers.
I saw many of them glaring at this fellow. quite a few times it would have ended in an accident if the auto's brakes were to fail at the nick of the moment. My wrists and hands started aching from holding on tightly to the iron bar to prevent my nose or teeth from breaking a few bones here and there!
When I asked him to be careful while driving he started a never-ending argument and I had to shout at him several times before I reached my destination. Whew! Was I relieved and thankful to God that I reached safely in one piece!
After a very long time I saw such base tendencies like this at close quarters. Wished I was never seated in such an auto ever.
May God put some sense into his head for good.
Mahalakshmi.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Conversation With Auto Driver
Daily I have to engage an auto to commute to work. Spend nearly 40 minutes for one trip of which 20 minutes are spent in finishing my prayers for the day. In the remaining 20 minutes I catch up with the life and times of the auto driver of the day.
Yesterday's had a picture of Kalaingar M.Karunanidhi, ex-CM of Tamil Nadu, stuck prominently on his auto's wind shield.
I informed him that in the day's newspaper, the topic of how every auto driver in town is busy sticking pictures of the present CM J.Jayalalithaa and her political mentor, MGR in place of DMK chief and ex-CM now that he is out of the hot seat.
He said the reason for him retaining that picture was due to his really liking Kalaingar. I asked him the reasons for liking him - whether for his policies or film scripting or film dialogues or poetry. He said the ex-CM had done a lot for the common man and improved the state to a new high during his tenure. He cited the samacheer kalvi, solving the water crisis for Chennai, providing benefits to the poor, low cost rice and grocery items through the public distribution system, the 108 free transport service on call for accident victims as well as for emergency cases. He mentioned that president Obama acknowledged that this was a great free service which is not available free of cost, even in the United States. Besides he felt that the Kalaingar should not have allowed A.Raja to get arrested for a mere 200 crores when other parties at the centre have done off with a 5 digit in crores!
I laughed and pointed out that the law has done what it should do, whether the person is high or low in rank.
20 minutes went past like one minute. As I alighted, the auto driver wanted to keep on talking about his favorite leader, not allowing me to go into the office so quickly. I had to excuse myself as it was getting late for office.
Mahalakshmi
Yesterday's had a picture of Kalaingar M.Karunanidhi, ex-CM of Tamil Nadu, stuck prominently on his auto's wind shield.
I informed him that in the day's newspaper, the topic of how every auto driver in town is busy sticking pictures of the present CM J.Jayalalithaa and her political mentor, MGR in place of DMK chief and ex-CM now that he is out of the hot seat.
He said the reason for him retaining that picture was due to his really liking Kalaingar. I asked him the reasons for liking him - whether for his policies or film scripting or film dialogues or poetry. He said the ex-CM had done a lot for the common man and improved the state to a new high during his tenure. He cited the samacheer kalvi, solving the water crisis for Chennai, providing benefits to the poor, low cost rice and grocery items through the public distribution system, the 108 free transport service on call for accident victims as well as for emergency cases. He mentioned that president Obama acknowledged that this was a great free service which is not available free of cost, even in the United States. Besides he felt that the Kalaingar should not have allowed A.Raja to get arrested for a mere 200 crores when other parties at the centre have done off with a 5 digit in crores!
I laughed and pointed out that the law has done what it should do, whether the person is high or low in rank.
20 minutes went past like one minute. As I alighted, the auto driver wanted to keep on talking about his favorite leader, not allowing me to go into the office so quickly. I had to excuse myself as it was getting late for office.
Mahalakshmi
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Chain Snatching
Here is the picture of a design drawn for Monday.
Gold chain snatching has become a growing menace in Chennai. Rise in gold prices are also partly responsible for this.
Many women and men are continuing to lose their gold chains and other jewelery to daring daylight snatchers.
There are so many such cases reported each and every day. The common factor is women walking alone on deserted roads. Even if they were to be accompanied by their husbands, it does not deter these dare devils.
Men on bike watch women who wear gold chains and approach them as if to enquire about some vague address and commit this crime.
The trauma of such incident apart, many complaints to the police have not led to recovery of jewelery nor do the culprits get caught.
How can we stop this menace?
Only one solution can be there.
The women and men should cease to wear gold. There will be no gold to snatch so this crime will come down if all women unite in taking this precaution for their own safety.
How can the government or police help in protecting an individual's gold chains? Also how careful can anyone be all the time for their valuables. This will result in some kind of paranoia.
It is the individuals who can definitely rectify this situation.
Mahalakshmi.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
The Sick And Nos(e)y Dog
A street dog on our very busy street is quite sick. His desperate need is to find some calm and shady place to rest.
He keeps shifting from this to that side of the road trying to avoid direct sunlight.
His senses have become sharper trying to find an open gate through which he could sneak into any of the numerous flats lining our busy street. Many a times he has surprised us with his presence under the staircase, in the backyard, near the motor room...
Ours is one of the widest with grill gates. Though we use only one entrance which has a bolt to keep unwanted visitors from coming in.
Whoever finds him tries to shoo him away but only for while until someone opens and just closes without bolting the gate. I wanted to know his modus operendi and watched him in action for a couple of days. He would sit at a distance, strategically across the road facing our gate. Whenever someone is at the gate, he watches and waits until they are gone. Then he slowly ambles his way to the gate and noses it open and lets himself in!
It was as if he was trying to punish anyone for being careless or lazy in not bolting the gate.
I found there was no use trying to chase the dog away, getting nervous about his presence. The only solution lay in educating people to latch the gate after them. Only that would deter the dog from entering our premises effectively. Alas we do not have a watchman to do it for us either.
Since I am off work for a couple of days, I took it upon myself to do something about it.
I have trained my ears to pick up the sound of opening of the gate and rush to our road-facing window through which I ask people to latch the gate after them so that the dog does not come in. This is my new job. Our complex has six flats and I have requested all members big and small besides regular visitors like the flower vendor, milkman, newspaper man, servants, salesmen, postman... who have all got to be reminded of this new activity. The dog knows that it is not welcome inside our premises, finding the gate closed, yet this one is a patient animal which keeps trying to get in!
Stray and irritable dogs are allowed to roam around freely on most streets. At times they chase cyclists who have to lift their legs high up to avoid getting bitten and yet have enough balance to cycle away fast from such a menace. At times you find a pack of them chasing innocent citizens. Their barks become unbearable at some times and you can deduce that some rag pickers are in the vicinity with their dirty sacks flung over their shoulders and a stick in hand to rummage the garbage.
Stray, sick and vicious dogs are a health hazard for us humans. They could harm unsuspecting people walking on roads. The municipality seems to be preoccupied with better jobs than these.
I feel bad for such dogs. I feel bad for all of us who could be their next target.
When someone rings up the Blue Cross for taking away such sick animals, they have always come up with a stock reply that they do not have enough space to take in additions right now.
It is indeed a sad plight for all us creatures.
Mahalakshmi.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Color of Skin
This incident took place some 30 years back when I was employed in the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
Part of my job involved receiving foreign scientists and taking them around our project areas.
A lady scientist (foreigner) was due to arrive, so I along with another lady colleague went to receive her at the airport. She arrived. The moment she got down we all introduced ourselves to her as was the customary thing to do.
In the car I had to sit next to her and I found her discomfiture in sitting with me! I could feel that somehow my tan skin was the cause against her white skin. She sat as much away from me as the car's small interior would permit.
Soon enough we reached our destination. I was relieved more than perhaps her that her ordeal was over.
She refreshed herself and came out to be taken around our projects. I was the one who would explain things to her. I acted as natural as possible and started explaining to her the solar distillation plants, the gobar gas plant, the low cost chulha, etc., etc. Time went by, she was asking me questions and I was clarifying her doubts. Soon we both had forgotten that our skins were of different colors or that we belonged to different countries or races! All that mattered was our sharing of interesting facts about appropriate technology and renewable sources of energy...
That day I realized something important. We may belong to different countries, races... but only until we start sharing our knowledge.
The false feeling of superiority vanishes the moment knowledge or lack of it, comes out into the open, be it in any field of work.
I deliberately kept away on the day she was to leave, but she came in search of me to bid farewell and after the 'see you soons' she lovingly slipped a wrapped gift into my hands. It was a big bar of the fruit and nuts chocolate which I loved and still do. Perhaps this was her way of saying, 'sorry, for hurting your feelings'.
I could only smile looking at the sweet parting!!
Mahalakshmi
Part of my job involved receiving foreign scientists and taking them around our project areas.
A lady scientist (foreigner) was due to arrive, so I along with another lady colleague went to receive her at the airport. She arrived. The moment she got down we all introduced ourselves to her as was the customary thing to do.
In the car I had to sit next to her and I found her discomfiture in sitting with me! I could feel that somehow my tan skin was the cause against her white skin. She sat as much away from me as the car's small interior would permit.
Soon enough we reached our destination. I was relieved more than perhaps her that her ordeal was over.
She refreshed herself and came out to be taken around our projects. I was the one who would explain things to her. I acted as natural as possible and started explaining to her the solar distillation plants, the gobar gas plant, the low cost chulha, etc., etc. Time went by, she was asking me questions and I was clarifying her doubts. Soon we both had forgotten that our skins were of different colors or that we belonged to different countries or races! All that mattered was our sharing of interesting facts about appropriate technology and renewable sources of energy...
That day I realized something important. We may belong to different countries, races... but only until we start sharing our knowledge.
The false feeling of superiority vanishes the moment knowledge or lack of it, comes out into the open, be it in any field of work.
I deliberately kept away on the day she was to leave, but she came in search of me to bid farewell and after the 'see you soons' she lovingly slipped a wrapped gift into my hands. It was a big bar of the fruit and nuts chocolate which I loved and still do. Perhaps this was her way of saying, 'sorry, for hurting your feelings'.
I could only smile looking at the sweet parting!!
Mahalakshmi
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Survival Instinct
We have often read and seen baby turtles hatch out of their eggs, struggle to walk those few hundred meters to the sea to get a life, literally. It's a question of life and death, so soon after they are born. It must be really tough to keep moving against all odds. The hunting birds, the stray animals on the beach, humans with criminal intent are all danger signs for these young animals.
A lot of awareness campaigns are taking place., We see a lot of youngsters wait patiently for many hours at the beach, until eggs are hatched and actually carry these creatures to the sea to see them off safely. Are we intervening nature or ensuring an animal's safety?
My kitchen wall is tiled. This morning, a baby lizard was trying to cross the tiles length from this end to that. He kept on slipping a little, only to pull himself up again and again. I stopped all work to see whether he could make it to his new home in a crevice in the corner-most tile far away. He took quite some time running that race. He did and I was so happy to see him succeed. I wish he has learnt never to creep on slippery surfaces but to choose walls. With some experience he will do well. We all love to see those who succeed.
All of us struggle for one thing or the other in life. The focus is to keep moving.
Cheers!
Mahalakshmi.
A lot of awareness campaigns are taking place., We see a lot of youngsters wait patiently for many hours at the beach, until eggs are hatched and actually carry these creatures to the sea to see them off safely. Are we intervening nature or ensuring an animal's safety?
My kitchen wall is tiled. This morning, a baby lizard was trying to cross the tiles length from this end to that. He kept on slipping a little, only to pull himself up again and again. I stopped all work to see whether he could make it to his new home in a crevice in the corner-most tile far away. He took quite some time running that race. He did and I was so happy to see him succeed. I wish he has learnt never to creep on slippery surfaces but to choose walls. With some experience he will do well. We all love to see those who succeed.
All of us struggle for one thing or the other in life. The focus is to keep moving.
Cheers!
Mahalakshmi.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Appraisals
I hear a lot of this talked about in many contexts.
Every employee worth his two cents awaits eagerly for the results to come out!
Feels like each is sitting on the edge of the chair. Well it's a question of honor, status, performance or vice versa for all the three factors.
Since it's an annual feature around this time in most organizations, one can expect mixed reactions from members of staff.
Even if there are set standards and parameters in place to carry out these appraisals to look professional (read impartial), there will still be some disgruntled voices heard due to expectations not being met.
Such a tricky thing the human mind is. Till the last minute the mind hopes for the best. When the results are known, it becomes a Kurukshetra (the name of the battle ground where the Pandavas and the Kauravas fought - Epic Mahabharata) of emotions.
The resultant pay hike and/enhanced designation can be broadly classified as below:
1. Only nominal pay hike
2. Nominal pay hike but an enhanced designation
3. Good pay hike
4. Good pay with an enhanced designation
5. Fantastic pay hike with a prestigious designation to match
1. Only nominal pay hike -
Means you are where you were but some hike to factor in the rising cost of living has been put in place. Such guys will feverishly start looking for new openings and sound generally bitter about life until they find a better opportunity. They may not change their jobs due to reasons of continuing to work for a brand name in the same sector or due to a hassle-free transportation or due to matters of the heart or may be due to familiarity with surroundings/work schedules or plainly due to fear of the unknown.
There may be many more but these come to my mind as I key in.
2. Nominal pay hike but an enhanced designation -
Means you are ok. You can do better. So not much pay hike but an enhanced designation to boost up an otherwise sagging morale. If this guy is rich and lives by titles alone, he will be a happy soul, otherwise this one too will start searching for jobs sooner or later with the new designation prominently flashed on his CV! He feels better than Case No.1 until he gets out of the present organization, i.e.
3. Good pay hike -
Good going. Means your performance is appreciated by the management but you should improve further to go into the next slot.
4. Good pay with an enhanced designation -
Reminds me of the cat who just had cream! Lucky guy. You have got what any working individual always wants!! After all everyone works for the moolah and the mala (garland, not some girl by that name), anyday.
5. Fantastic pay hike with a prestigious designation to match
*This is the stuff dreams are made of.
*Mother's blessings.
*Fulfilling father's ambition.
*Grandma's topic forever.
*Spouse's pride until next appraisal time;
*Kids joy - dreaming of bigger pocket money and exotic holidays during vacations;
*The envy of some relatives.
*Envious colleagues (What has he got which I don't have; God is blind; Good people are never recognized for their good work; Wondered why butter was always in short supply)
But do you think this guy will stick to the same place? He will try his very best to be made the chief of all he surveys! After all he has tasted success and someone high up knows he's got what it takes. This is the motivation he has always needed to look for an even better and bigger slot.
It is common knowledge that there is an exodus from organizations after appraisals are made public through official channels.
Remember appraisals have meant movement for at least 5 to 10% of the employees. If movement is inter-city then there could be less issues. If it is inter-state or international then from one place to another for the working class could mean a different set of planning altogether - it usually throws the family life out of that big open window;
if his wife is willing and working/not working, she agrees to accompany him to his new place,
if they have school-going kids who are in a good school near their own little heaven, then there are two sets of expenses, besides those travel expenses to catch up with one another,to be contended with each month - one for the master and one for the dame who lives with the kids.
Some self-explaining combos for this word:
Raise
Up-rise-al
raise-(h)ell
The one who remains unaffected by any of the above and puts his heart and soul into work, leaving the fruits of his labour to the master above, in good faith and utmost trust, is indeed the true karma yogi. We have less of those!!
Cheers
Mahalakshmi
Every employee worth his two cents awaits eagerly for the results to come out!
Feels like each is sitting on the edge of the chair. Well it's a question of honor, status, performance or vice versa for all the three factors.
Since it's an annual feature around this time in most organizations, one can expect mixed reactions from members of staff.
Even if there are set standards and parameters in place to carry out these appraisals to look professional (read impartial), there will still be some disgruntled voices heard due to expectations not being met.
Such a tricky thing the human mind is. Till the last minute the mind hopes for the best. When the results are known, it becomes a Kurukshetra (the name of the battle ground where the Pandavas and the Kauravas fought - Epic Mahabharata) of emotions.
The resultant pay hike and/enhanced designation can be broadly classified as below:
1. Only nominal pay hike
2. Nominal pay hike but an enhanced designation
3. Good pay hike
4. Good pay with an enhanced designation
5. Fantastic pay hike with a prestigious designation to match
1. Only nominal pay hike -
Means you are where you were but some hike to factor in the rising cost of living has been put in place. Such guys will feverishly start looking for new openings and sound generally bitter about life until they find a better opportunity. They may not change their jobs due to reasons of continuing to work for a brand name in the same sector or due to a hassle-free transportation or due to matters of the heart or may be due to familiarity with surroundings/work schedules or plainly due to fear of the unknown.
There may be many more but these come to my mind as I key in.
2. Nominal pay hike but an enhanced designation -
Means you are ok. You can do better. So not much pay hike but an enhanced designation to boost up an otherwise sagging morale. If this guy is rich and lives by titles alone, he will be a happy soul, otherwise this one too will start searching for jobs sooner or later with the new designation prominently flashed on his CV! He feels better than Case No.1 until he gets out of the present organization, i.e.
3. Good pay hike -
Good going. Means your performance is appreciated by the management but you should improve further to go into the next slot.
4. Good pay with an enhanced designation -
Reminds me of the cat who just had cream! Lucky guy. You have got what any working individual always wants!! After all everyone works for the moolah and the mala (garland, not some girl by that name), anyday.
5. Fantastic pay hike with a prestigious designation to match
*This is the stuff dreams are made of.
*Mother's blessings.
*Fulfilling father's ambition.
*Grandma's topic forever.
*Spouse's pride until next appraisal time;
*Kids joy - dreaming of bigger pocket money and exotic holidays during vacations;
*The envy of some relatives.
*Envious colleagues (What has he got which I don't have; God is blind; Good people are never recognized for their good work; Wondered why butter was always in short supply)
But do you think this guy will stick to the same place? He will try his very best to be made the chief of all he surveys! After all he has tasted success and someone high up knows he's got what it takes. This is the motivation he has always needed to look for an even better and bigger slot.
It is common knowledge that there is an exodus from organizations after appraisals are made public through official channels.
Remember appraisals have meant movement for at least 5 to 10% of the employees. If movement is inter-city then there could be less issues. If it is inter-state or international then from one place to another for the working class could mean a different set of planning altogether - it usually throws the family life out of that big open window;
if his wife is willing and working/not working, she agrees to accompany him to his new place,
if they have school-going kids who are in a good school near their own little heaven, then there are two sets of expenses, besides those travel expenses to catch up with one another,to be contended with each month - one for the master and one for the dame who lives with the kids.
Some self-explaining combos for this word:
Raise
Up-rise-al
raise-(h)ell
The one who remains unaffected by any of the above and puts his heart and soul into work, leaving the fruits of his labour to the master above, in good faith and utmost trust, is indeed the true karma yogi. We have less of those!!
Cheers
Mahalakshmi
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