Bhaagyaadaa Lakshmi Baarammaa- an interpretation

                                              (Melukote Yadugiri Nacchiyaar or Lakshmi)

This Purandara Dasa song is nearly as famous as JagadOddhArana. Sung usually in Madhyamavati, this creates an auspicious atmosphere right away at home or in temples. it is a must-sing item in any South Indian wedding. It is included in any Dasa composition concert or any Carnatic concert held on Fridays, auspicious for Lakshmi. 

Here is a link to the MSS version. I give below the correct lyric as I understand it.

bhAgyAdA lakShmI bArammA nammammA nI sau
bhAgyAdA lakShmI bArammA

hejjaya mele hhejjeyanikkuta gejje kAlgaLa dhvaniya madutha
sajjana sAdhu pUjeya vELege majjigeyoLagina beNNeyante
(bhAgyAdA)

kanaka vrStiya kareyuta bAre manakE manadA siddhiya tOrE
dinakara kOTi tEjadi hoLeyuva janakarAyana kumAri begA
(bhAgyAdA)

attittalagalade bhaktara maneyali nitya mahOtsava nitya sumangaLa
satyava tOruta sAdhu sajjanara cittadi hoLeyuvA putthaLi gombe
(bhAgyAdA)

sankhye illAda bhAgyava koTTu kankaNa kaiya tiruvuta bAre
kunkumAnkite pankaja lOcane venkaTaramaNana binkada rANI
(bhAgyAdA)

sakkare tuppada kAluve harisi shukravArada pUjeya vELage
akkareyuLLa aLagiri rangana cokka purandara viThalana rANI
(bhAgyAdA)

The literal translation would be that this song is welcoming the gracious goddess of wealth and prosperity to come and reside in our home, showering us with gold, gifts and plenty. Lakshmi is also praised in the song as the consort of Rama (=Janaka's daughter Sita) and the consort of Vishnu.

Whilst our desiring and praying for plenty is a common enough theme for lots of Hindu prayers, I have often thought about what this song could mean to someone not craving for materal well-being. Does one still pray to Lakshmi then!? Like many other songs of Purandara Dasa, I believe this song also has two levels of meaning -the material and the spiritual. People who don't want to be bothered with the esoteric would be quite happy to pray for gold and goodies. But shall we look a little deeper here!?

In school, I was taught a shloka in the Sanskrit class. It went as "udyOginam purushasimham upaiti Lakshmi.." The idea was that when someone strove hard with focus and efficiency, Lakshmi or prosperity would smile on him. In fact the shloka admonishes one not to simply depend on Fate but to strive hard. Even if one fails then one wouldn't wonder if it was for want of trying. So the two necessary conditions for success are effort(preparedness) and grace(opportunity).

So opportunity knocks for the brave. And one can get immeasurably rich in worldly terms, as so many success stories illustrate. Everyone knows that being at the right time in the right place is important, and a good amount of luck seems to work in some people's favour. But unless one strives with focus and efficiency, one will also surely lose any such lucky windfall, again as so many real life stories tell us.

But is prosperity all of the material kind only? I am very much in agreement with Osho when he says that there is inner wealth and outer wealth. He says some are rich externally, but poor within. And vice versa. What he means is that if one cannot see the ultimate futility of material wealth in fulfilling the abiding goals of human existence, and pursues material wealth as the only goal all his life, one is poor within. So one stops running after external wealth when one aquires inner wealth. However, Osho agrees with Abraham Maslow that unless one finds material peace and prosperity, it is extremely unlikely or difficult to start working on inner richness. There are exceptional people like Kabir and Nachiketa who did not crave for material wealth despite their humble station in life. They had the rare insight to see that inner wealth and well-being were what really mattered and worked for it, not caring to better themselves in external terms. Such examples are the exceptions that prove the rule that inner poverty will go only after outer well-being. The more common model for an aspirant on the spiritual path is Buddha, born a rich prince only to see its futility and embrace the begging bowl and become a mendicant. So also the Hindu way of life which extols Dharma and Artha before Moksha.

Now let me give you the alternate, higher meaning of this prayer, in my own mind:

bhAgyAdA lakShmI bArammA nammammA nI sau
bhAgyAdA lakShmI bArammA

Oh mother of mine, goddess of prosperity, please enlighten me on the true meaning of prosperity! (Remember another word for prosperity is Aishwarya or the attribute of Ishwara=God! So unless one moves godward, there is no true prosperity).

--------

hejjaya mele hhejjeyanikkuta gejje kAlgaLa dhvaniya madutha
sajjana sAdhu pUjeya vELege majjigeyoLagina beNNeyante
(bhAgyAdA)

My godward path is made up of small steps, slow and steady. And the truth of the all-pervasive godhood will dawn on me much like the butter inherent in curd manifests itself when churned. That churning is the form of true seeking, true prayer, and may I be granted the inclination to true prayer. 

---------

kanaka vrStiya kareyuta bAre manakE manadA siddhiya tOrE
dinakara kOTi tEjadi hoLeyuva janakarAyana kumAri begA
(bhAgyAdA)

Oh mother mine, please show my mind its true potential, the potential to rise above the mundane and reach its fulfillment. 

---------

attittalagalade bhaktara maneyali nitya mahOtsava nitya sumangaLa
satyava tOruta sAdhu sajjanara cittadi hoLeyuvA putthaLi gombe
(bhAgyAdA)

Oh mother, once firmly established, my inner wealth will be so resplendent that I shall not swerve from the right path to godhood.

---------

sankhye illAda bhAgyava koTTu kankaNa kaiya tiruvuta bAre
kunkumAnkite pankaja lOcane venkaTaramaNana binkada rANI
(bhAgyAdA)

All materal wealth is subject to counting, and that means it can grow as well as diminish. The true wealth is inner wealth, beyond measurement, beyond increase or decrease. It is self-complete and total.

---------

sakkare tuppada kAluve harisi shukravArada pUjeya vELage
akkareyuLLa aLagiri rangana cokka purandara viThalana rANI
(bhAgyAdA)

This godly nature is more sweet than any eatable, it is more lovable than any person. it is more beautiful than anything else. God is the true essence of all beauty, all prosperity, all love. That is your ultimate grace, oh mother! Please grant me that grace, please come home to my inner being.

----------

Three Highlighters

Have you read the two interesting books of Edward de Bono : Six Thinking Hats, and Six Action Shoes?
They neatly categorise situations and thought processes and action modes, which in turn help you to deal with your responses to situations better.

I have thought of my own threesome : Three Highlighters.

Have you noticed that the major issue in human communication is the issue of mistaking the words to be facts when they are actually opinions, and rumours to be facts or opinions? And how information, which should be largely facts, is obfuscated? Take this gossipy news item:

But when will Ranbir REALLY open up about Kat? RK keeps his cards close to his chest!Our 'Besharam' lover boy Ranbir Kapoor is a man of virtue, at least his recent actions with regards to his lady love indicate that he is. Ranbir has allegedly spilled the beans on his chemistry with Katrina Kaif and their pictures with her in a bikini while holidaying in Ibiza. He doesn’t deny seeing Kat, but has kept mum about their marriage prospects. However, he recently mentioned that he wants his children to play football. Does this mean family is on Ranbir Kapoor's mind?
However, it is possible that Daddy Rishi Kapoor will interfere in Ranbir's decision to get married. He has said, “My son can date anyone till he gets married!” It looks like RK is caught in a tug-of-war between his parents and his lady love.
Rumour has it that mommy Neetu Kapoor allegedly frowns upon her son’s relationship. An insider alleges she is suspicious of Kat’s somewhat questionable past in London and her initial struggling days in the industry. Will this relationship survive the scrutiny? Only time will tell.

Now this whole thing seems to be a factual scoop and makes exciting reading for people stuck in beauty parlours or dentist offices.

But if I were to highlight these words with pink for rumour, yellow for fact and green for the writer's opinion, here is how it will read:

Our 'Besharam' lover boy Ranbir Kapoor is a man of virtue, at least his recent actions with regards to his lady love indicate that he is. Ranbir has allegedly spilled the beans on his chemistry with Katrina Kaif and their pictures with her in a bikini while holidaying in Ibiza. He doesn’t deny seeing Kat, but has kept mum about their marriage prospects. However, he recently mentioned that he wants his children to play football. Does this mean family is on Ranbir Kapoor's mind?

However, it is possible that Daddy Rishi Kapoor will interfere in Ranbir's decision to get married. He has said, “My son can date anyone till he gets married!” It looks like RK is caught in a tug-of-war between his parents and his lady love. 

Rumour has it that mommy Neetu Kapoor allegedly frowns upon her son’s relationship. An insider alleges she is suspicious of Kat’s somewhat questionable past in London and her initial struggling days in the industry. Will this relationship survive the scrutiny? Only time will tell.

So whenever you read, or listen, use Three highlighters. That will help you to separate rumour, fact and opinion neatly!

Kashi - the Illustrious City

I simply share three screenshots, the first the cover of a fascinating book (2009, Cambridge Scholars Publishing). The second, its dedication, and the third, the lithograph done of the Kashi Kulpuldhara Talao ghat in by the incomparable James Prinsep done in 1834).

( You can download this from Wikipedia in original resolution 3487 x 2364 pixels)

Puranas: connecting the dots

Have you thought about why the Puranas are full of such a fascinating array of stories of gods, demons, men and life all around us? How the Puranas narrate all kinds of incredible happenings in a tsunami of emotions, ambitions, deeds of daring, conquests and dashed hopes? How rishis turn errant men and women into stones, ashes and worse? How a Bhagiratha struggles for eons to bring the divine river Ganga to earth? How heroes and heroines are born in strange circumstances to fulfill esoteric destinies!?

There is this expression - connecting the dots. As Steve Jobs says, one can develop a sense of fulfillment by connecting life's dots. Quoting his speech at Stanford:

"Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."

So Puranas help us to connect the dots. We encounter similar people and personality types in our everyday life, and we can imagine how these very people resemble the Puranic characters. But the Puranic narrative helps us to understand how these people will interact with one another and eventually with life at large. That gives us a unique sense of life and our own destiny.

Take the example of Ramayana. There is Rama, the powerful and rule-bound prince. There is Ravana, the powerful, rule-less and ruthless demon. Their story is made even more interesting by the sweet and helpless Sita, the scheming third wife Kaikeyi. The self-abnegating Bharata, the extraordinary Hanuman. The reckless Shurpanakha, the totally ineffectual Dasharatha. We may talk of curses. We may talk of twists of fate. We may talk of strokes of good luck and bad luck. But eventually the narrative simply connects the dots of possibilities and potentials with actualities, how life pans out. If we have the imagination, we will not take the story literally, but understand how it connects the dots!

If Puranas are so powerful, then we are lucky we had good story tellers in those rishis who narrated them. Imagine if they were like the TV Soap storytellers of today. These storywriters commit unpardonably bad acts of omission, commission, concocting coincidences and crazy occurrences, simply to prolong their employment contracts and the serials tenure= number of episodes. 

There are some extremely ugly serials wherein a bad man becomes good, gets murdered, and another  bad man as an imposter takes his place. They both look the same, act the same, but one is the duplicate. And hapless heroines get married to the wrong men all the time, thanks to the schemes of absolutely wicked other women.

Someone was seeing a popular serial. Seeing that a lovely young character simply missed the chance of telling others an essential piece of fact by a whole week, thereby prolonging everyone's misery, they screamed, "oh why doesn't Anandi tell it out just now... Why do it a whole week too late..!!!!" I said, "because the story writer was waiting for his bonus."

When man nurtures nature

India's defective gene: attitude to women

First things first. I don't think this is just India's problem. Other cultures, definitely as I have found in literature from the Far East, the major Semitic religions, and Hollywood movies, have depicted in various ways similar issues. But I shall confine myself to India because that's my intent here.

I strongly feel Indian culture and civilization has been unable to develop a viable attitude to man-woman  relationships or the role of woman in society. One can argue that the problem exists because of wrong attitudes to man's role. But I feel the issues are much more easy to enumerate about women. Hence this post. 

Perhaps we can look at a woman's life in three phases. That of the girl. That of the woman. And finally of the mother.

Girl-Woman

From ancient legends even to the TV soaps of today, it seems a girl grows up to marry and raise a family. She is VERY clearly cut out in India to grow up to be beautiful, well-mannered, artistic, cheerful and finally marry into a worthy family and bring them good luck. 

There are stories in Ramayana and Mahabharata where young girls were hot-tempered, intelligent and adventurous. They did not have happy marriages. They had a lot of adventure, but lots of trouble. Take Kunti. As a youngster, she served a sage well and he gave her five boons, to call up Gods to come and give her children.She called Surya, Dharma, Vayu, Indra, and Ashwani twins, and got six children. Her marriage to the human Pandu was ill-fated. The rest is the story of Mahabharata, where her sons had to fight a terrible war to claim their rights.

There is also the story of Draupadi, who was born from fire. She had a swayamvara, her hand was won by Arjuna. But she had to marry and live with five brothers. As if this was not enough, she had to suffer miseries all her life.

I show here a wonderful Raslila Phad painting on cloth. Yes, Radha and gopis were divine lovers of God Krishna. That is the eternal dream of every woman. But it immediately throws us back to this topic of a defective Indian gene, since I feel such a poetic conception could emerge only from our defective genes! Mira, Andal, Akkamahadevi all fit the same mould.

Stories of Sita, Shakuntala, Damayanti, Subhadra, all show that one great way for a woman to progress in life is to marry a man whom you love, but surely that is not a recipe for happy marriage or great motherhood. Because all of them had huge troubles in their lives. 

Sita is a wonderful case in point. Her husband was the epitome of righteousness. His brother was also a hero showing great devotion to her. She went to the forest, and when her husband went missing, she couldn't bring herself to trust her brother in law. She thought he was secretly lusting for her! She paid the price, being abducted by a lecherous demon. Her husband went and killed him, but refused to accept her back as his wife unless she went through a trial by fire. Afterwards, he found it inconvenient to have her as the queen since she was not a role model for the home-bound woman. And so on. What a story!!!!!

One can argue that legends highlight exceptional stories to make a point, and the average girl may actually have a great life although she is not interesting enough to be the protagonist in legends. Maybe. I can't argue. But despite some great exceptional stories of Gargi, Maitreyi etc, venerable scholarly Vedic women, I do see a clear pattern that a woman's principal role from girlhood has been depicted in India as one of a home-maker.

There is nothing wrong with that. Even in nature, the female of the tribe raises the family and holds them together. How will the species perpetuate otherwise? But by doing this, the female is clearly defined as for a special role in society. 

The problem turns out when you go out and educate girls to become doctors, lawyers, CEO's, journalists, social activists, and career women. How will you now reconcile the changed social circumstances they face with the code, I call it genetic code, that expects them to be only home-makers?

Mother

Inconvenient stories even here. Kunti has to go to elaborate lengths to secure from Karna boons to save her 'legal' children. One can argue that she was punishing Karna's wrong choice of company, but in the first place if she had not abandoned him, he would not have been in such circumstances!

Take Dasharatha's three wives. One is a helpless onlooker when her son is wrongfully sent to the forest. The second is even more helpless since her son follows his elder brother. The third is a young, beautiful woman who uses her hold on her husband to secure boons to help her own son by wronging the eldest, rightful heir to the throne. A case of great calamity due to a mother's miscalculation follows.

What about Krishna's mother Devaki? She was imprisoned just after marriage as her demonic brother heard an oracle that his end would come from her eighth son. Things came about exactly that way, but she lost her first seven new borns to the sword and her eighth son did all his delightful childhood pranks in someone else's home, while she rotted in prison. 

A mother is to suffer. However silently. For her son. (No significant stories of daughter).

Now how about how about the Goddess, the ultimate role for a woman?

Goddess

Lakshmi was born during the churning of the ocean by gods and demons. She was extraordinarily beautiful, ready for marriage. She was immediately asked to select a husband. She chose Vishnu, and lived happily ever afterwards. Can't be a role model for anyone really.

Parvathi has been incarnated just to do penance and win Shiva as her husband. Lots of difficulties come in the way, including Shiva burning down Cupid for hinting at reciprocating her love. But after they are happily married, there are many stories of how she did wonderful things, at the instance of her husband. But one story stands out. Ravana comes to Kailas, and instead of asking for Jyotirlinga as a boon from Shiva, lusts after and covets Parvathi. He wants her to marry him. Some hilarious twists happen, until finally Parvathi is safely back with Shiva. 

Durga, created by the gods to fight the terrible demons, is all fire and brimstone. The Goddess Durga once (here I quote...) takes form as Ambika, the beautiful Divine Energy. Lured by Her celestial beauty, demons Shumbha and Nishumbha,send a marriage proposal to Her, to which She replies, "Only a man who can defeat Me in war will be accepted by Me as My Husband." There indeed is a terrible war but she kills the demons. This story is enacted in every Durga Puja every year as the Goddess is the eternal saviour. This story clearly identifies the flip flop we have between woman and goddess. A good case of the defective gene. So the conception of the Goddess is merely a therapy for India's defective gene!!!!

But coming to the defective gene, if you read Laitha Sahasranama, the first several verses fully describe the physical beauty of the goddess. The poet is doing the same job as Ravana did when he met Sita alone in the forest (read Valmiki Ramayana).  But soon afterwards, this poet shifts gear and says she is so great that Vishnu or Narayana took the ten avataras by emerging from her finger nails.  To my impartial reading, the author is simply displaying the Indian defective gene. I mention also Saundarya Lahari as another example.

We flip flop by deifying women to displaying the defective gene. No wonder from saints to bus drivers and police constables, we commit so many atrocities against women. How we  treat aged women, poor and abandoned, is another story.

Na Mein Dharmi

(Please excuse my mistakes in Hindi)

Na mein dharmi na adharmi mein to bharatvasi hoon

duniya bhar  mein  bharat desh ko unchi sthan mein dekhta  hoon  || na mein ||

Shaala kaalej se le kar aaj tak mein aise hi rahta hoon

Desh ki abhiman dil mein rakhte khote sikke chalaata hoon           || na mein ||

Mandir mein bhagvan ko rishwat shraddhaa se  mein  chadhataa hoon

Kaam kaaj mein jo bhi milta IT se usko  chipaata hoon                     || na mein ||

Bharat Maata ki Jai bolte mahilaa per atyaachaar sahta hoon

Daridra Narayan ko poojte garib logon se door rahta hoon            || na mein ||

Anna Hazare-ji  ko maante Tiharvasiyon ko vote daalta hoon

Sanskriti parampara samarthan karte videsh mein chaakri dhoondta hoon   || na mein ||

The starting words are taken from a Kabir doha.

Looking Busy

Smart or not

Saw this research data in ET today. Can only laugh!

Hyper-loop

Find a billionaire to float an idea and it will feature in every paper and TV show and blog and website in hours!
Travelling in impossibly packed Bombay locals in 1988 I had written a piece on how the future of transport would involve moving people in tubes like capsules stacked in a bundle much like electrons or photons flow in a cable. That is pretty much the Hyperloop. And guess what,  with five inch touch screens and bluetooth, Wifi and google glass the passengers won't need much elbow room either. No centrespread to unfurl in your neighbour's face you see!

Those annoying ads in Y!Mail, GMail and webpages

I have been sick of the sudden burst of ads in my desktop Yahoo Mail, Gmail and Internet pages.
So I decided to do something about it.
Here is what I did:
1. Went to Yahoo Mail options and selected Opt Out for "Interest-based Ads". See below:

Then I went to Google Chrome Store and installed the two applications below:

Now it looks like I have got rid of all my ads! ( I have blacked out areas of my email details)

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF IDLI

Stop Press August 15, 2013

The President of India is pleased to promulgate an ordinance today to create a series of elite institutions under the name Indian Institute of Idli (III). These institutions will become the driving force behind India's march to world dominance in the next 1000 years. Obviously III's will far surpass the name and fame of the erstwhile IIT's, which were created to manufacture a number of bright engineering graduates to migrate to the United States and other countries to earn a lot of money and send their parents and grand parents monthly maintenance so that they could eat their idlis with full satisfaction back home knowing that their children and grand children viz. the IIT star alumni would be eating Idlis in their respective countries in all kinds of weather like snow, sleet, sun, and so on. 

World renowned economists, scientists, movie stars and popular writers like Chetan Bhagat have hailed the government's move with whole-hearted appreciation for the wonderful development plan of the UPA government. The BJP under NaMo has welcomed the move stating that this idea was mooted by Vajapayee in 2002 as the only way for India to claim its past glory of the Vedic age by going back to its roots and encouraging people to switch from modern western junk foods to wholesome pristine Idlis. NaMo has also commented that Mahatma Gandhi, Gujarat's gift to India, was an ardent believer in Idli as it was the only cuisine which upheld the timeless values of Truth and Non-violence. 

Buddha, Mahaveera, Hanuman and Rama have been mentioned in Indian scriptures as being very fond of Idlis. On the other hand, among rakshasas and asuras, 'Idli' was a pejorative term since they equated Idli to weak, ineffectual and indecisive men whose lives were filled with zeroes (Indian ancients were equally familiar with Idli and Zero, you see).

Jairam Ramesh, an IIT alumnus himself, has stated that III is a masterly idea under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi. She has stated that Idli has been documented even in Roman civilization as an import from India.

Space Scientists have taken time off from India's Mars Lander mission to list the technological benefits of Idlis:

1. Idli is the most efficiently cooked food article in the world.
2. The soaking, grinding, fermenting and subsequent batch steaming makes the carbon footprint of Idli the least in the world as the different steps increase efficiency.
3. India's surplus rice and lentil production, 30% of which is being lost in poor storage and transportation methods, can be better leveraged via the Aadhar scheme by transferring the required grains to citizens directly with minimum wastage and by efficient packaging of requisite quantities.
4. CFTRI Mysore has developed techniques to prepare good Idlis with even lower quality rice and dal. 
5. Marwari traders have reported that good Idlis can be made even with 10% adulteration with stones since the grinding stone will take care of pulverization.
6. III's will teach technology, science, art, history and geography of Idlis to all the students, enrolled through an open policy of admissions with no caste, creed o gender bias.
7. The education cycle of 16 years will be reduced to eight years, according to the plan proposed by NaMo.
8. III's will create new methods of preparing Idlis using efficient solar cookers.
9. The Idli batter grinders will use geothermal engines and reduce the carbon footprint further.
10. India's (especially Gujarat's) malnutrition problem will go away since ONLY NINE well-made Idlis of good composition and texture will meet all the daily nutritional needs of Individual adult males and females.
11. Idlis will not be served plain but with a variety of accompaniments like chutneys and pickles which will be supplied directly via Aadhar scheme from mass-production factories which will also employ alternative forms of energy.
12. Idlis will replace costly and unhealthy items like sweets and chocolates during festivals like Diwali and Christmas.

Please read the Idli suprabhata (https://rsachi.blogspot.com/2010/10/idli-suprabhata.html)

Making Kids More Creative

We all complain that our kids spend too much time watching TV, having scraps (between siblings) and generally spending time in an uncreative way. We also see that parents and grandparents ply the children with a constant flow of gifts and toys and eats and treats so much that we are redefining the conspicuous consumption culture. Witness the  explosion of kids shops all around Bangalore.

It is not rare that a modest birthday bash would set back the parents about 20K Rs. these days.

Well, I am all for birthday parties and cakes and gifts. Nothing wrong about making a kid feel special!!

Here is something a grandmother did when she took her grandkids to their cousins' birthday bash recently. She made-of course,  with the active participation of her grandkids- a biscuit, cake and gems train! They brought it over to the party and I wonder how those kids resisted the temptation to vandalise it and eat it themselves on the way!  That creation was appropriately placed between the birthday cakes.

That worthy lady's effort is what I call creativity. And children's creativity being nurtured.

More power to creative parents and grandparents, because that will encourage kids to become more creative too!!!!!

Rupee in Trouble

This morning, I was aghast looking at the headlined story in The Economic Times about Chidambaram's antics in reviving the Indian economy. I was not aghast at his antics, but at the graphic accompanying it. It showed a progressively ageing and shrinking Mahatma Gandhi. It might have been a clever idea of a photoshopper wrongly employed in the ET art department. But it was cheap and unforgivable to feature the Father of the Nation in a situation we have inherited by steadily abandoning all the virtues he extolled from the time he wrote his seminal work Hind Swaraj.

Gandhi wrote Hind Swaraj long back while on a ship to South Africa, writing frenzily so he would not miss recording his various ideas on uplifting the poor. The only clever thing our politicians and economists have done in this area is to revise the PowerPoint slides and graphs about the Indian BPL figures.

Well, if this ET thing was bad, let me tell you something else which was worse. I once met a big Sardarji tycoon in Chandigarh. He was running a large number of schools and colleges, and he had become stinkingly rich. When the subject of corruption came up in our conversation, he said that he was all for it. He said that if there was anyone to blame for corruption, it was Mahatma Gandhi. You see, he is constantly smiling at you from the Indian currency notes, reminding you that money is the most important thing in life and morals be damned!!!! And being the Father of the Nation, he deserves all our respect to be paid by accepting bribes.

I also recently read that Pakistan's secret printing presses that are busy in counterfeiting Indian currency notes are getting some Pak. governmental support nowadays because the counterfeit Indian rupees do not profit them enough any more, also givens their rising printing and circulating costs. That is because of the poor exchange rate they get for the free-falling Indian rupee. They say they no longer print 500 INR notes but only 1000 INR notes.

I just heard an Osho joke about Mulla Nasruddin. Mulla buys a lottery ticket, and wins a fortune. When he goes to claim his sum, the shopkeeper gives him a big wad of notes. Mulla starts counting and examining each note carefully. The shopkeeper is angry and asks, 'what Mulla, do you suspect my notes to be counterfeit?' Mulla apologizes, 'no friend, I just want to make sure I am not getting back any of MY notes that I bought the lottery ticket with'. Those notes he had brought from Pakistan.

We are a whole society pursuing counterfeit values.

Narasimha atop Melkote hill

Science helps - how

Top 10 Ways to Perfect Your Daily Routine with the Power of Science - http://pulse.me/s/olPQy

Ode to Coffee

Oh heavenly brew that awakens man's creative core,
In forest and desert, on mountain and shore,
Across land and culture of every hue,
From Mysore to Timbuktu.

Those that savour you
are the salt of the earth.
Indeed they have discovered
Life's true worth.

Let milk and honey for others be,
but from daybreak to dinner-
The way you invigorate me
Makes you truly the winner.

From today's ET (click to open)

Whither Innovation?

Today's ET features a fine article by someone living in the world of design and innovation. When will our GD Naidus, Bajajs and Tata Nano-makers start making an impact with their design and make their mark, as our folks did centuries ago, with their weaves and jewels?

Madame Curie: greatness uncorrupted by fame

DH today features a fine article about a two-time Nobel winner, an indomitable scientific spirit and a lady who won despite so many prejudices against women.

Water matters

Found these lovely tips in the coffee room.  Worth remembering and following!

The six tastes in food

Taken from this website:

http://www.ayurvedaamritvani.com/ayurvedic-diet.html

An ideal diet, according to Ayurveda incorporates the six tastes prescribed in the literature and 
comprises a wide variety of fresh fruits, grains and milk.

“Taste” means “Rasa”. It is the sensation perceived by the tongue. Each taste is due to predominance
 of 2 great elements. Each taste has an effect on the body as well as mind. The basic principle of diet
 in Ayurveda is that physical changes as well as mental effects can be observed after consumption 
of different food types. In this way, food can directly and indirectly affect the three doshas of 
an individual. We can achieve a balance in these three doshas by regulating diet.

Madhura (Sweet)

Honey - Image: Courtesy Wikipedia

Madhura means very appealing, pleasant or very sweet. Sweet taste is due to the Water and
 Earth elements. The sweet taste shows qualities or gunas such as cooling, heavy and unctuous.

Physical effects: The sweet taste is related to strength and stability of the body. It pacifies the 
Vata and Pitta doshas. However, an excess of sweet can aggravate Kapha dosha. Sweet 
taste is homologous to body since birth; small babies enjoy the sweet taste of breast milk. 
Food with sweet taste is wholesome; it promotes longevity when consumed in moderation.
 It enhances the growth of all seven tissue-elements. It is beneficial to the health of skin, senses
 and general growth of the body.

Psychological effects: Sweet taste is very pleasant and exhibits pronounced satisfying and 
gratifying effects. It increases cheerfulness, love and compassion. It gives the feeling of love 
but if consumed in excess, it increases greed and attachment.

Adverse effects: If a person consumes excess sweet food, then his Kapha dosha aggravates. 
It can lead to many diseases like obesity, diabetes, lethargy, increased cholesterol etc.

Source: Foods with sweet taste include sugar, honey, sugarcane juice, maple syrup and 
dates to name a few. Foods like rice, wheat, milk and fruits like mango and grapes are also 
good source of sweetness.

Amla (Sour)

Lemons - Image: Courtesy Wikipedia

Amla  means sour taste and is made up of Earth and Fire elements. This taste has qualities
 like lightness, hot and unctuous.

Physical effects: Sour taste increases the digestive power. It exhibits a sharp taste, which 
stimulates salivation and increases the appetite. It pacifies Vata but increases Pitta and Kapha. 
 It promotes strength and stability of tissue-elements. It regulates peristalsis; it regulates 
downward movement of vata and helps in the digestion of food.

Psychological effects: Sour taste is very sharp. It brings alertness to the mind and increases 
attention. It is responsible for bringing appreciation but if consumed in excess it brings out 
hate, jealousy.

Adverse effects: If a person consumes excess food with sour taste, then he will 
experience symptoms like excess thirst, hyperacidity and heartburn. A number of other
 diseases like loss of skin tone, hyperacidity, skin rashes, gastritis and ulcerative colitis.

Source: Citrus fruits like limes, lemons and oranges are good examples of amla food.
 Other food products include sour cream, yogurt, vinegar & fermented food.

Lavana (Salty)

Salt - Image: Courtesy USA Today

Lavana means salty taste and it primarily gives relish to the food. Salty taste is due 
to the predominance of Water and Fire element. Salty taste exhibits qualities like oily, 
heavy and hydrophilic in nature. Salty taste pacifies Vata but increases Pitta and Kapha.

Physical effects: Salty taste has a laxative effect and it removes obstruction from the 
channels (srotas). It liquefies mucus and clears the channels. Apart from this, it improves 
digestion and increases salivation. It balances the blood pressure by maintaining electrolytes
 in the body. It gives muscles strength.

Psychological effects: Salty taste enhances the taste of food so one can enjoy it. This taste
 brings interest and enthusiasm. Hence, generally people show a kind of addiction to the 
salty things.

Adverse effects: Excess consumption of Salty foods causes ill effects like premature 
graying of hair, wrinkles, baldness and inflammatory diseases. It causes water retention 
leading to edema and increase in blood pressure. It also increases Pitta dosha leading to
 hyperacidity.

Source: Sea salt, rock salt and table salt and predominant sources for salty taste. 
Apart from this, consumption of salty food like salted chips, salted nuts also act as sources of this taste.

Katu (Pungent)

Red Cayenne Pepper - Image: Courtesy Wikipedia

Katu means pungent or very hot taste. It shows predominance of Fire and Air elements. 
Pungent food shows qualities like hot, dry and light nature.  Pungent taste pacifies Kapha 
but it aggravates Pitta and Vata.

Physical effects: Pungent taste improves digestion. It stimulates the digestive fire (Agni)
 in the body. It improves circulations and clears the channels. It has an anti-spasmodic 
action. It causes instant watering of eyes and nose if consumed directly.  It produces heat
 in the body and breaks clots in the circulation.

Psychological effects: Pungent taste also has sharp and penetrating effects on the mind. 
It aids the clarity of mind, increases attention and brings clarity of perception.

Adverse effects: Pungent food, if consumed in excess causes irritation and inflammation 
and leads to aggravation of Pitta. It destroys virility. It can cause diarrhea, peptic ulcers, 
giddiness, insomnia and some skin conditions.

Source: Chili pepper, cayenne pepper, habanera pepper and black pepper are sources
 of this taste. Apart from this, spices such as mustard, ginger, garlic and onion are also pungent in taste.

Tikta (Bitter)

Bitter Groud - Image: Courtesy Wikipedia

Tikta meaning bitter taste produces a very unpleasant taste in mouth. In spite of its 
unpleasant taste, it is important to incorporate this taste in our meal. Bitter taste 
shows predominance of Air and Ether elements.  It is cool, dry and light in character.

Physical effects: It demonstrates a strong wormicidal action. It has appetizing effects
 and reduces burning sensation. It gives firmness to the skin and muscles and
 reduces skin diseases by its anti-inflammatory effects. It also demonstrates a cleansing effect.

Psychological effects: Bitter taste helps to withhold the mind and senses from objects of desire.

Adverse effects: Bitter food consumed in excess will produce adverse effects on the body. 
Further, this taste exhibits spermicidal effects. Excess consumption of bitter taste leads to 
loss of strength and energy and increased Vata dosha.

Source: Sources of this taste are bitter gourd and bitter melon. Herbs like neem
 (Azadirecta Indica) are also bitter in taste.

Kashaya (Astringent)

Bananas - Image: Courtesy Wikipedia

Kashaya means astringent taste that occurs due to the predominance of Air and
 Ether elements. It is heavy, dry and cooling in nature. It gives an immediate drying
 sensation in mouth on consumption.

Physical effects: By its drying property, kashaya absorbs water and helps in binding
 stools. It constricts the different channels of the body. It purifies blood by its anti-inflammatory
 effects. It reduces Pitta and Kapha but it increases Vata dosha in the body.

Psychological effects: Astringent substances help the mind to become collected
 or organized. But excess consumption of this taste causes insomnia, anxiety and depression.

Adverse effects: Excess use of astringent food causes choking sensation and difficulty
 in speaking. It causes constipation along with distension of abdomen. It affects the 
sperm count and can even reduce the sex drive. Prolonged consumption may lead to 
emaciation of the body.

Source: Unripe banana, chickpeas, alum and okra are good sources of astringent taste.

Nature's art is the best!

Here is a snap of a delightful wonder of a plant in the nearby public park. Watch Nature's art - how the leaves are tucked in better than the best origami. How we can't make out whether it is a flower or a leaf!

What life has taught me

I read a short piece by a great saint about what life had taught him. He referred to a few small episodes which left a deep imprint of learning on him. I started to think, what has life taught me?

I list a few:

       ( taken at butterfly garden, Singapore)

1. Be bold, be enthusiastic, be quick. 
2. You can get a lot more done than you think.
3. We think of ourselves as YouTube videos, constantly changing and evolving with time. We think of others instead as Picasa photos, static and unchanging. The reality is that like us, others also constantly change.
4. NOBODY= no saint, no astrologer, no self-proclaimed master knows the total reality. 
5. Reality is supreme, sacrosanct, and cares for none. I mean, it is not obliged to anyone.
6. We are all constantly searching for something outside. Actually the ultimate truth and happiness are both within us. I mean within me.
7. Looking for a mantra? Forget it. Every mantra is a process of self-hypnosis, living in your own web. Connecting with Reality is the only mantra.
8. Everyone gets a chance, everyone can be happy. It is NOT a Zero-Sum game.
9. Writing what life has taught me is somewhat silly. Because learning cannot ever end or be complete.
10. Be open. Be truthful. Be loving and be giving. 
11. The biggest recipe for unhappiness is to expect the other to be perfect in loving and giving as I expect them to be or do.

What lovely place is this?

Monterosso el Mare, Italy 

I won't reveal my secret way to search Google fast, but let me tell you it took me less than one minute.

I am a Googlu!!!!

Instant Expert Noodles or Googlus

I am not saying anything new here. From NaMo to Obama,  everyone swears by the power of Google. And if you are smart enough to get a smart phone and save 22 days of time waste every year,  you would also know the power of Google.

The last time,  or an important time I used google to win something, was in Sept. 2008. I was part of a team activity set up by GE along the Seine river in Paris. We were teams in different boats who were sailing up and down and getting clues to a treasure hunt.  The last and toughest was a question about when Peugeot Citroen closed their factory that we could see along the Seine, some time in 80's.

Nobody could find out that answer from their boats even though that derelict factory was staring at us from the bank. Well, I had an iPhone with 3G courtesy Telstra.  I found the answer in about 10 sec. And our team won.

That is the trouble with google. You think you're an expert just because you could just google something and find out some factoid which you can throw at everyone.

I call you, if you are one such insufferable human, an Instant Expert Noodle. Named after the Top Ramen inventor who gave the tired factory-worker Japanese noodles that were  hot,  tasty and ready in a few minutes. Instant Nirvana.

But as you know,  all haikus are not born equal,  especially the google kind.

There is also a mystique about IEN's.  They are going to replace gurus.  So i call them googlus.  In fact some of our new gurus are IEN's anyway.

Let me find out what place this is....

What tennis teaches us

Today I read this article first published by NYT on how Djokovic was discovered and trained by a great woman, Jelena Gencic. That was the period when a war was raging and lives were getting wiped out in their midst:

“I went to practice with Novak and three other boys,” Gencic said in Belgrade in 2010. “There were many other boys and girls, and when they were on the tennis court, they don’t think about bombs. That’s the point of, the reason of, practicing. You don’t think about that.”

Gencic remembered picking practice sites based on where the bombs had fallen the night before, reasoning that NATO would not bomb the same place again.

“I could feel it in my house; it was terrible,” she said. “My sister was very hurt by the bombs and 16 months later she died.”

But the tone of that interview was surprisingly not bitter. Though Gencic expressed regret that she had lost touch with Djokovic at that stage and expressed resentment toward Srdjan for not keeping her better informed, she remembered the eight years they did spend in each other’s frequent company with great tenderness.

“Oh, special boy, that boy was unbelievable,” she said. “Very intelligent. He knew very well what to do, how much to do. He listens, and every word it was, ‘Please tell me again.’ And I’d say, ‘Did you understand me?’ And he would say, ‘Yes, but please, tell me again.’ He wanted to be so sure.” UNQUOTE

This woman died a few days ago, with an unfulfilled wish to touch and hold the French Open trophy along with her pupil after he would win it one day. I believe Djokovic was given the news of her passing after an important match and broke down...

Of course Novak is an unbelievable competitor and the top talent in tennis today. It is so Significant for me how tennis becomes a paradigm for life itself, with all its challenges, and how with the help of a life coach we can achieve our goals relentlessly.

There is also a synonym for relentless.  That is Nadal.  And today again, I read Nirmal Shekar write about him in the Hindu:

Ah, paying attention! What a simple thing, you might think. But it is, in fact, a difficult practice, a seriously endangered process of cultural learning in an age when your senses are bombarded all the time by all kinds of distractions.

In the event, it was with an anguished sense of nostalgia that I remembered my teacher’s words from another age, on Friday.

Watching Rafael Nadal pay attention to the moment, especially when it happens to be a passage of play charged with meaning, is like watching a great scientist — perhaps on the verge of a Nobel-deserving discovery — pace his laboratory, solitary and single-minded.

Living in the now, being present all the time — these are not just quasi-philosophical clichés that have turned many life coaches, especially of Asian origin, into celebrity multi-millionaires in Silicon Valley and Hollywood. UNQUOTE

I wish the likes of Federer, Djokovic, and my favourite, Nadal well. They are the exemplars of what is excellence in every breath.

High time they did this co-marketing!!!

Guys, I was just thinking. Days are tough and marketing budgets are getting cut day after day!!

And there are so many products that are bought by the same sets of  people, depending on demographics. So why don't we think of co-marketing and co-placement of products?

To explain my idea, here are some examples that come readily to mind:

THE TOWN's BIGGEST AND BEST BURGER ----------XXXL CLOTHING for the large hearted, large waisted!!!

The town's  best Texan steak, large, succulent, and rich red meat --------Free Creatinine test in this walk-in Lab for master health check-ups!!!!!!

Only CEO's PLEASE for our latest and best Bond suits. ----- try this Isabgol for constipation!!!!!!!!!!

Tips on Creativity

I copy below this set of tips on jump-starting your creativity by Nellie Akalp of Corp.net, that I just read in pulse.com:      .

BY NELLIE AKALP1 day ago

Whether you want to design a new product, devise a tagline for a client or solve a scheduling problem, creative thinking gives you an undeniable edge. However, we can't just summon creativity on a whim; when we need it most, it's nowhere to be seen.

If you’re in need of more outside-the-box, inventive thinking at work, here are five ways to boost your creativity.

1. Ditch the quiet office.

Unlike detail-oriented, analytical thinking, creativity thrives amidst moderate distraction. That’s why it’s so hard to get the creative juices flowing when you shut the door and block out all distractions.

Researchers at the University of Illinois found that a moderate level of ambient noise induces “process disfluency.” In short, distractions disrupt the flow of thought, leading to more abstract, broader and creative thinking. Researchers also found that noise had to be at a moderate level (around 70 decibels, the equivalent of a radio/TV in the background or someone running a vacuum cleaner) to enhance creativity. Lower or higher levels did not have positive impacts on creativity.

If you’re attempting to think of a creative solution, try distracting yourself by working at a café or park bench.

2. Silence the inner critic.

Whenever we churn out something out-of-the-ordinary, we open ourselves to scrutiny and criticism. In many cases, our own inner critic is the most effective at shooting things down. It’s hard to be creative when you’re constantly worried that x, y or z won’t be good enough.

When children draw, they don’t worry about making mistakes; they take risks, do their own thing and have fun. Yet if most adults picked up a sketchpad, they would start thinking, "That doesn’t look right," "that’s not good enough" from the very beginning.

The inner critic tightens your mind and blocks creative flow, so find any way to silence this negative voice. For example, give yourself permission to brainstorm by automatically writing down ideas as you think of them — then worry later whether they're any good.

3. Experiment with your work environment.

While the distractions of cafés and park benches can help inspire creativity, try to make changes in your workspace itself. For example, studies have shown that the complexity and interchanging notes of Mozart’s sonatas and other classical music can have a positive (albeit short-term) impact on spatial reasoning skills and creative thinking.

In addition to music, you can experiment with color. A 2009 study at the University of British of Columbia found the color blue led to more relaxed and creative thinking, while red boosted performance on more detail-oriented tasks like proofreading.

"Thanks to stop signs, emergency vehicles and teachers' red pens, we associate red with danger, mistakes and caution," said Juliet Zhu, author of the study. "The avoidance motivation, or heightened state, that red activates makes us vigilant and thus helps us perform tasks where careful attention is required to produce a right or wrong answer.

“Through associations with the sky, the ocean and water, most people associate blue with openness, peace and tranquility. The benign cues make people feel safe about being creative and exploratory,” Zhu added.

4. Sift out the busy work.

If your days, weeks and months are packed with “getting things done,” you’re not leaving any time to experiment. Google famously lets its employees use 20% of their workweeks to pursue special projects.

Considering that strategy has worked out pretty well for Google, you might want to try something similar for yourself. Try to carve out some free time every day (even if it’s just 10-20 minutes) to step away from the computer or other obligations and let yourself think.

5. Branch out beyond your comfort zone.

Steve Jobs once said, “A lot of people in our industry haven't had very diverse experiences. So they don't have enough dots to connect, and they end up with very linear solutions.” Sometimes the best path to creative and inventive thinking is to be intentional about experiencing new things in life.

If you’re experiencing a creative block, try picking up a magazine you wouldn’t normally read, have lunch with a friend in a different field or attend an event way outside your industry. Since you don’t know where an idea will come from, feel free to look anywhere and everywhere for your next source of inspiration.