Tag: Random Musings.

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A Chain Of Events.


 

Heavy schedule. simultaneous appointments, and whirlwind travel,marked the day. The weather was pretty hot. The travel was quite unpleasant, punctuated by  both humidity and rugged route. But except for these discomforts, it was delightful. day from dawn to dusk. Meeting people ,exchanging pleasantries,were  a soothing experience, quiet away from the daily chores of official duties. A break of such a kind gives an assuaging tempo  to the overworked mind and rejuvenates the tired body.

Well. the day began with a quick shower.Had a quick dress up and proceeded to the house warming function of a good friend.I was  among the early visitors. The rituals were on and the warm reception they gave made me  feel very important .I had an opportunity to meet many familiar and unknowns. I picked up  few good  accomplice. The host did not allow me  to move out of the venue ,till the most vital formality was over. We were given a  delicious breakfast.

As the time for the next function was  approaching, I took leave  and dashed to the marriage of a relative’s daughter.I  had to cover 110 kms, and we did in an hour and a half , much faster than we usually do. The marriage was in progress. we were meted out with a grand welcome and treated with a sumptuous lunch. We blessed the bridal pair.

Another surprising and unexpected event took place. We were lead to enquire the birth of a grandaughter in the next house. Incidentally , the child happened to be my  grandchild born in January . I was  doubly happy . The in laws of my son, more so  their entire clan were overwhelmingly gracious . It turned out to be a memorable moment.

So , as course of event , I had a sequential chain , first a house warming function, then a wedding, finally a birth of a child. It is an  unexpected successive progress, but a very related and  an enchanting day .

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Abusing Society.


A society  is a group of humans.It is an economic, social, industrial infrastructure made up of a varied multitude of individuals.There is a subtle difference between society and culture.. Society is a disciplined arrangement of social relations, while culture is made up of beliefs and symbolic forms.

The distinction  in various  classes of  society, the disharmony in behaviour of  a different strata of society , that of the powerful and the powerless, rich and the poor, the discrimination of old and young, the alienation of the physically challenged  pose an abusive threat to society.

A  news clipping of a Passport issuing officer’s misuse of  her authority is amazing and nauseating at the same time.. She makes Rs  5millionper month ,by issuing emergency passports under the Tatkal scheme,  forming a nexus with a travel agent . She runs a parallel office in her home.The  CEO is  her husband, a nephew, of a Minister.This reflects the abuse of bureaucracy.

The next issue ,is the arrest of the former chairman of a nationalised bank, for sanctioning a loan to the most undeserving customer. The Chairman, it is rumoured acted on the behest of a powerful politician, now dead.It is an incident of a  thorough misuse of the high office

 The third episode is a most interesting. The highly melodramatic event stunt is the fasting schedule of the Chief Minister of Tamilnadu. He motored to the Marina , in the early hours , was wheeled to the portals of the Anna Samadhi. There was hushed buzz and a swished bustle. He was followed by his wife, his mistress, his paramour, his daughters, sons and nephews, along withe the batch of officials , all assembling at the wee hours , as the Chief minister is to undertake  fast against the military excess of the Sri Lankan government. A cosy cot was rolled over, and the Chief minister was placed in the bed, with his near and dear ones hovering over him. News flashed all over the state. His party men made similar feat in all major cities and towns. Television channels brought live relay  and in a matter of six hours , the chief minister has ended his fast, as the Central government prevailed over its counterpart to stop the war.What a colossal waste of money, time , energy and  abuse of administrative machinery .This is an outrageous attempt to brandish the super power wrested on the Chief Minister.

These are the most recent incidents that created a cumbersome apprehension  and a strangling evidence  that mar the society, corrupt the mind and disenchant the society .

  

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Over The Fence.


Sitting on the fence,

I see ,

Meadows, Mountains,

So beautiful.

Sitting on the fence,

I see,

Sheep,cows,

So graceful.

Sitting on the fence,

I see,

boys ,girls,

so playful.

Sitting on the fence,

I see ,

Men ,women,

So cheerful.

Sitting on the fence,

I see,

Land, sky,

So wonderful.

Sitting on the fence,

I see,

Friends ,foes,

So bashful.

Sitting on the fence,

I see,

Rich, poor,

So awful.

Sitting on the fence,

I see,

Old,invalid,

So  tearful.

Sitting on the fence,

I see,

Beast,bold,

So dreadful.

Sitting on the fence,

I see,

dark,doom

So frightful.

Sitting on the fence,

I see,

charm,gloom

So meaningful.

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Story of Raju -A Fairy Tale


A few months back there was a man  who lived like a  Maharajah?  His  style of living excelled the designation of the Emperor of all Emperors.

He  still owns 66 palatial bungalows all over the world. – short of 34 to make a hundred..

He has 1000 suits in his wardrobe—What for?

He has 321 pairs of shoes——-  but has  only two feet.

He has a retinue of cars  ————-may be uncountable.

He has donated 2 tonnes of gold to various temples—-2000 kilograms , a meagre weight for His Excellency Ramalinga Raju , Maharaja of  Satyam.

Rewinding the scene , back to the 1980’s Ramalinga Raju was a man with  very limited means. He was just another Indian , whom you meet across the street, whom you encounter in the cross roads, and whom you ignore as a passerby.

Raju become a Raja  overnight.He took grounds and built an outsourcing company with shareholder’s money. He made geometric progressions . He  worked out stupendous  business. He kept  the stake holders in the best of humour. He paid them well. They put in their hard earned money into his Satyam computer. They were bewitched by his charm. They were happy with his performance. They further invested in his company. His company grew, so did his personality. His company flourished, so did his wealth. His company spread its wings, so did his rapport. His company rose to the top slot, so did he. He became an Emperor of  the empire built with ordinary people’s funds. 

His rise is amazing. His wealth is alarming. His wardrobe is stunning. His collection of shoes is amusing. His donation to temples is stupefying.His manipulation is extremely disturbing.

His manoeuvre of accounts, his fudging  of details, his rigging of documents, and his sudden disclosure of his misappropriation ,all baffle us and make us gape with an unbelievable stigma.

They lived happily everafter is the normal ending of every faiiry tale.But this particular fairy tale has a different conclusion. Raju and his brother are  behind the bars and will live happily hereafter there.

 

 

 

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A Little More Magnanimity.


The best in us can be transcribed in many noble deeds and helpful indications.Being good at heart  is a loving  edict. But extending the generosity is a beautiful event.

Many of us are kind . Many of us are compassionate. Many of us are liberal. Many of us are large hearted. These are all but abstract condiments. Feeling is different from doing. Experiencing is alien from performing.

How many of us involve  ourselves in social emancipation?How many of us take up to help the needy? How many of us organise rehabilitation centre for the victims of natural fury?

Well, to engage in such humanitarian consideration, we do need a big background and loads of money.The minimum requirements  are a thought and the impulse to help others. The initiative dwindles , if we do not swing into immediate action. As the desire to help others crystallises  in our mind ,we must jump into it and   execute it. Deliberation leads to procrastination ,which in turn proceeds to denial.

A kind word to a child, a pep talk to an invalid,a caressing touch to a  bruised person, a gentle lead to the  visually challenged, an impressionistic sign language to the  hearing impaired, a writing module for the taciturn, and an allowance to the mentally retarded, will go a long way to create a congenial .carousing environment.

A gentle direction to the physically handicapped, a fresh attestation to the downtrodden, a multiple mandatory affirmation for the depressed ,will evoke a magnificent marvel and an extraordinary exhilaration .

Shall  we all try to effuse a little more magnanimity ,when occasions compel us?

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Benevolence


A friend  I know,

Talks less,

Does more,

Thinks ahead,

Works  tirelessly.

Helps others,

Restricts gossip,

Partakes in gloom,

Participates in glory,

Persuades good cause,

Dissuades  bad thoughts,

Opens out facts

Drives away fiction,

 Signals best omen’,

Dispels worst fear,

Promises faith,

Excludes illusion,

Behests  salutations,

Forbids disrespect,

Weighs concern,

Rejects hatred,

Calls attention,

Controls dissent,

Forgives  faults,

Revives amity,

Inspects affirmity,

Refuses negation,

Assumes humility,

Ignores audacity,

Invites honesty,

Retorts lies,

Insists shrewdity,

Irks rudity,

Levels  veracity,

Balances oddity,

My friend, you are,

An embodiment of Benevolence.

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Can You Measure?


Can you measure?

The fathom of the mind,

The depth of the heart,

The magnitude of  desire..

The incorrigibility of fraud,

The impudence of deceit,

The garishness of self conceit,

The appetite of gluttony

The hideousness of sorcery,

The indulgence of arrogance,

The invigoration of warfare,

The circumvention of  imposture

The velocity of greed,

The solemenity of grace ,

The vicissitude of environment,

The  despondency of the vagrant,

The repertoire of intelligence,

Nay , not , I presume.

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Frenzied Activity With Immense Happiness.


Unusually , today , I was in midst of bustling programmes. Mostly , my life style  is most simple, hardly any outdoor chores, no domestic duties , just reading, writing  with music on the background.

My domestic staff, who are with me for nearly a decade, took a holiday, to celebrate Pongal. The kitchen ,which was for some time away from my control ,had to be attended to, as I had to prepare breakfast, and the Pongal, with all the alibis relating to it.

I woke up early in he morning. Skipping my appointment with the newspapers, I dashed into the  kitchen. I had to make a thorough study of everything there, as I had neglected it for long. Surveying the area , I was into the job. Cutting vegetables, preparing chutney and the soft idlis for breakfast, putting kolam in the Pooja , and in the courtyard, to keep Pongal. I was three in one. I was in the kitchen , in the court yard and attending the regular phone calls. Within two hours , everything was done. I arranged for the Pooja. My husband reminded me of the visit to the temple. I  hopped into the car, and had a darshan of Goddess Meenakshi.

The pooja at home was over with much modesty. We had a sumptuous feast.  It has come to a gala finish , I thought, but no the most hard pressed job was  still awaiting , that of cleaning the vessels and  clearing the mess.My heart sank, my knees gave a shooting pain, my body was too much exhausted.But still, I had to accomplish the chore. So did  I.

I moved back to my reclining chair . I was about to doze off, when I got a message that two of my projects have been approved and I am into certain prospective clientele.

The reward  was extremely satisfying and the physical exertion though lurking,had subsided  to a tolerable level.

It was a beautiful day.

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Slumdog Millionaire- fine shoot.


Danny Boyle’s  price shoot is  a cute combination of myth and reality, of transcendental and ordinary. It is an unconventional film , funny ,sad , exhilarating .

The slum kids  act with great ease , almost depicting the slum life in seventies and eighties.Their acting is so intense  that tears gush up and there is enormous perfection.Boyle’s direction keeps the audience in gripping hooks. Boyle is extremely dynamic  and enrapturing.

Jamal Malik , is a street urchin , who is one question away from  quizzing which has a price tag of 20 million rupees. The quizzer, the police and the onlookers are puzzled ,as how this slum dweller is able to come out with exact answers.Jamal comes out with his life ,  delivers the poignant  loss of his love Latika , and  the sordid tale of his growing up with his brother  Salim in Mumbai.

How can an eighteen year old boy , brought up in the streets answer such difficult quizzing?. This is the main plot of the film. The boy ,with no formal education ,without proper brought up ,acquires wisdom through experience ,and deftly answers the questions with guesses and lifelines.The film is an aesthetic triumph. It may sound unbelievable apparently, but virtually most plausible.

It is realistic outlook, the presentation is almost exact spot on and a melodrama. It is a seamless narration. The grim mumbai slums get an uplift by deploying humour.

The music is brilliant. A.R.Rehman excels in setting up the musical cliche.The music complements the narrative.The resonant sounds accents  the jarring noise and discordant aerial shots .Rehman has won satellite award.He has done India proud.

Slumdog Millionaire will receive many more honours including the Oscar.

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Pongal


South India is humming with activities, as Pongal ,the harvesting festival is fast approaching.

Pongal falls on the first day of Thai or more so on January 14th.

The festival is a thanks giving to Nature, for her bounty.

It  marks the beginning of Uttrayana, the sun’s movement northwards for a six month period.Makar Sankaranthi refers to the entry of Sun  into Makara (Capricorn).

The  Tamil word Pongal  means boiling over, which signifies prosperity.In Andhra and Karnataka it is called as Makara Sankranthi.

Many legends  relate to Pongal. The first day of Pongal is reminiscent of Lord Krishna  lifting the Govardhana mountain on his little finger to save the people from being washed away.The third day is celebrated, as Lord Shiva asked Nandi ito deliver the message to have oil bathevery day, and food once a month. Nandi mixed up , the whole issue,and said that take food daily, and have oil bath once a month.Shiva was displeased , and asked Nandi to stay back on earth,and help the people to grow more grains.

Alanganallur Jallikattu is associated with Pongal.It is  a bull taming sport. An agiated bull is made to run in the open arena. Youngsters , to display their valour, chase it ,and control it by knocking it down  with the aid of its horns.Betting, is also common during the game.It is a dangerous play and results in deaths and injuries.

Pongal is a combination of rituals, thanksgiving and sport. This festival denotes prosperity, brings cheer and spreads gratitude.