Dear Gowri
Have I told you before that God speaks to me these days quite often....?? Not sure if you had brushed off the coincidences with Baba as rubbish...but believe me, he does keeps communicating quite often.
Many times when I intensely work and plan few things, few bottlenecks just move away on its own before even I plan on them (I can immediately get reminded of few official meetings and clashes between priorities.....but you will say IT HAPPENS TO EVERY ONE....Hmmmm)
Now let me tell you today morning God spoke to me in some glaring manner....YES.
Remember my kuppai posting.....? I was roaming couple of days back near my residence consciously taking the opposite direction of the road which I normally use to come to office. Just wanted to know how developed the road is....and the shops available....and of course, if there are some nice smiling faces to look at......(I mean common gender !!!)
Well, to my surprise, I found a big waste basket (very similar to our ONYX / NEEL METAL FANATIA) kept just within 25 metres from my home but in the opposite side of the road, by paradox. Immediately the thought about my "smart" question to the lady in the kuppai episode flashed in the mind. I really laughed at myself...AND also thanked God that she did not have the presence of mind (or knowledge about this ?) to tell me bluntly about this basket.....!!
Well, today morning.....WATCH CAREFULLY......I walked to office in this new route taking my big waste cover.....(yes, I discovered a new way to reach the main road taking the OPPOSITE DIRECTION too...I can demo you when you come to CBE) and as this thought about my earlier visit came to my mind. I was smiling at myself thinking this is a good subject to make a posting to you @ AGANDAM.
Well, believe me, I could not take a breath at the scene that happened....RIGHT in front of my eyes a big lorry (exactly like our ONYX) was about to lift up the big dust bin......and I paced up bit faster and gestured to the staff members that I want to add this one. The crew with typical CBE mindset....actually switched off the basket, waited for me, accepted my KUPPAI cover with both their hands ....and YES smiled at me broadly wishing me !!!
I felt happy at this message by GOD...as well as felt he spoke to me once again....
suchoo
ps:- I sincerely feel bad that I have not recorded down few other little instances where I enjoyed Baba speaking to me.....Really feel tragic about the loss to the web world.....Hmm...thats all you deserve....!! at least let me remember to capture them by scribbling in diary....
Apr 17, 2009
Addendum to my earlier musings on KUPPAI
Apr 4, 2009
** Moving OUT **
I have sold out this blog to Suchoo/Surendran ;) . I am moving out to my own blog - http://www.gowrisays.blogspot.com and let Suchoo have this blog for his independent self. Thank You.
Mar 30, 2009
Making of Managers - 22 :: "I become a Manager"
Dear Gowri
The mere fact that I am posting this one after two earlier postings on "transcendance" and "Moment of Bliss" could hint you that this news has not rushed too much into me....!! Exactly 6 months back it was strongly rumoured that I am going to take over at my old department as a manager...when my boss was moved else where. I know my boss sincerely tried for it (I still doubt that I did not get it because of his strong FAVOUR towards me) but I remained unperturbed. In fact some time earlier, I got so frustrated and dissappointed when I wrongly came to a conclusion I am going to get into my passion...training...!! It was quite a stupidity on imaging it guided by a mail from a trust worthy friend.
It was a poetic justice that the same friend (who reported to me) sent me an sms on wednesday congratulating me. Then the current manager of the earlier department wished me....and conveyed informally about the decision announced at the management meeting to all managers. To confirm it further, when I travelled with my current boss in his car in the evening, he too shook hands with me....and suggested me to wait for the All employee mail.
I hoped to have it on thursday (which is essentially GURU vaar....and I have started these days going to Baba temple on thursday evenings.....and have started enjoying the stillness amidst the jolt and crowd at the temple) but the mail never came.
On friday when I was having breakfast in the canteen, my mobile rung up and when I saw that it was one of my AGANDAM friends, I smiled to myself...YES the mail is OUT.....!! As I reached my desk, I had around 50 wishes in the mail box and there were quite a few at the new office reaching me and wishing me...(beware, this is the first managerial promotion at the new office). I smilingly shook hands with every one.....and thanked every single note that I received.
It was a long day on friday...and an unforgettable day.
This promotion (after 3 - 4 months) could mean some extra money, it also means an independent cubilcle much larger than the normal work station, it definitely means more previliges to take decisions and entry into management meetings.....Every single reality about the new role is triggering in my brain one by one.....!! MY God....I understand how much I had longed for this...only when I am getting it....!!
Good that I did not have this 6 months earlier. I still remember that I was quite shaky and not sure of myself....Today I am lot more wiser, much more sharp and pointed in my (official) communicatin and emotionally stable than my earlier days. I also realise that there is abundant room to improve further too...and I can make this as an opportunity as a self improvement tool more than serving scores of others who are going to report to me.
Well, the title of this series becomes really meaningful only from now on...I am now truely empowered to facilitate lot of managers for my organisation, , my country...and for my world.....!! I remember having renamed it in the context of becoming a trainer earlier....Now, I have more than one avenue to do it......!!
Krishnaarpanam....
Suchoo
Moment of Bliss - 24 :: An appreciation mail
Dear Gowri
It is quite natural for one to get lot of BEST WISHES mail when he gets a managerial promotion. It was not surprising for me to get around 80 - 100 notes expressing their happiness on the All employee mail that was triggered by 9.30 Am on friday.
While thanking them one by one, I was particularly enjoying "few" extra phrases in their Best Wishes mail like " you deserve it long back"...and "Delighted to see this mail"....from few of my friends. I was also noting that there was a good distribution of GRADES of people who had responded....
This particular note amused me. It was sent by a girl who has been working with me for nearly two years. Joined at the entry level, she has climbed up as a senior processor and worked with a team which is closely knitted to my operations where I worked earlier. We know each other quite well but never I can call this relationship as friendship OR has extended beyond smiles and basic courtesies. She - by co-incidence - has come to CBE thru' some other team where she joined after getting relieved from her old team AS I have moved to the project team from my erstwhile team. For that matter just one person had come to CBE from my old team who reported to me...and being as a focal point I have interacted with all the 100 staff at the new office....as the basic role until now had been to facilitate them and to settle down them in terms of infrastructure.
This girl about whom I had been describing is just one among the 100 and this small note that came from her made me realise how much I have impacted people around me and the number of admirers that I have. I am sure the messages about me and my style of functioning have reached my new team (which is 42 in number now which could touch more than 100 over a period of next 6 - 8 months) who was pin drop silent when I called them to the meeting room on friday....for a self introduction. Many of them are too young and was quite tongue tied unable to digest that some one who was supporting them administratively is taking over as their lead.....I am sure they talk to each other...and the expectations are going too high on me.
This note delighted me so much that I feel so confident about making little bit of changes in my overall personality and style....to cater to the new role and the demands of the position.
Well, I keep talking about the "note" but not even showing it, Huh ? Here it is....
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From: ABC
Sent: 27 March 2009 09:39
To: Surendran, Suren (V.)
Subject: Wishes
Just to spill my thought:
God has sowed the seed to give fruits.
All the best Suren.
Regards,
ABC
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Transcendance - 25 ::: Being "high"...
Prelude :: Though I have made lot of wierd postings until now, this could be the wierdest one unti now....Watch out...g
Dear Gowri
Being a practioner of pranayam yourself, I am sure you will understand the first para of this posting without much explanation. If you give a break to the breathing practise for some time and re-start after a while, the first few days will be basically for a warm up....and you get into your full rhythm only after a while. isn't it ? The same was very true with me too....and As I belong to 1997 batch, you can appreciate I had more number of slips and discontinuances than you.....and every other Isha meditator. I am not sure about how you take such gaps....and if you resolve feverishly that you will never skip practises again (do you ?), I have done it a thousand times....when ever I slid down when I am in a "snake".....only to recover gradually to my optimum energy level using yoga as a tool or rather a "ladder".....!!
In a way, I had theorically understood Sadhguru when he says that one does not DO yoga but it is a support system to be in yoga....!! He means YOGA as a state of mind which I can theorically appreciate as I had seen the glimpses of it during my highs....Do not mind confessing that there had been some super natural experiences to me once a while...which makes me never lose touch with my practises completely (there were instances where I did not do the basic breathing practise for couple of months too !!).
Now, why this bragging .....and why I am making it consciously in past tense ? YES, it appears that I have reached some level internally.....and though I was bit erratic in practise (not a long off....but since Mahashivarathri which was a month back, I had done just 50 % of the days only....), I seem to be in a mood that I am afraid is not quite a normal one for me until now. I am bit too involved in office these days....and I am feverishly completing few things in the project team (we call ourselves as center management team...these days) before I move on to operations...consequent to the management decision to promote me...The late sitting and coming early (couple of days I reached office around 6 AM not because of any work pressure but because of work excitement...) did not matter to me much....and I skipped not just the practises but also my cooking routine.....for several days. In the past one month, I have cooked for max 50 % of the days...and leaving out the chennai stay days, did not mind gulp the food available at the canteen....!!
Now, the house was a big mess when I reached home exhausted on friday...and I looked around...where to start....(including few vessels in the kitchen sink for more than 3 days)....and decided to go and stay at Isha for entire saturday..... before I do my household chores. When I roamed about in the premises of Isha aimlessly...and sat under a tree to take up few decisive goals about the second quarter (I do this once a while...The first quarter, I was bit conservative not to take any goals as the primary goal was to settle down hasslefree at CBE ...the promotion was just a bonus !!), I was in a typical mood...that made me without a word within....and eyes bit moist without any big reason.
No pranayam for past three days...it did not matter....!! there were couple of known faces whom I know very well....it did not matter....!! the rock bench in which I was sitting cross legged writing my diary was not so comfortable...it did not simply matter....!! I eventually reached home only by 9 PM in the night....and started to work....fully charged....!!!
The real confirmation on my mood came only yesterday....by 7 PM. After working really like a dog.....cleaning up vessels, cooking and eating and cleaning up the vessels again (!!!), washing a huge volume of clothes in two instalments, cleaning up the home, purchasing provisions....cleaning up and arranging the kitchen....so much to do that the whole of yesterday I did not even sit for a minute (except when I ate the lunch....potato curry, kothamalli chutney, rasam....curd and naartha ilai podi) ....but it simply did not matter.
I went to Baba temple in the evening refreshing myself after an unforgettable good bath. While I stood in front of Baba, tears rolled from my eyes (which has happened many times when I am doing the practises regularly...and when my lungs are brimming with oxygen intak capacity) and it appeared to me like a flash that I have reached my "high" inspite of any external support like a Sadhuru Lecture OR my practises....
Yes, seems I arrive at the next gear.....!! Today morning, I got up at 3 AM so fresh though I slept only by 11.30 PM....prepared my lunch...and reached office as early as 6.45 AM.....!!
Wish to be here...at this level of intensity always.....!!
Suchoo
Mar 26, 2009
** I WILL NOT VOTE FOR CONGRESS **
We started with 18% quota on the whole and we all know where we stand now. The quota system is going to stay on for ever - thanks to the cheap and cunning politicians that we have. Quota - more than helping the downtrodden - is only helping the politicians to divide and exploit people. We have more caste based parties now than what we had in 1947 !! Congress, Mulayam, Mayawati, Laloo - everyone and ALL of them mastered the art of manipulating the votes based on caste. Please think before you vote to any one of them - because, you are only entrusting the life of our next generation into their hands. So, am I saying that other parties are not thriving on caste based politics?? Yes, everyone is - but not as worse as all the above. So, let us atleast try to delay the inevitable, if we cant avoid it. Well, I am NOT going to vote for Congress or any of the parties that support Congress in this elections.
Mar 23, 2009
** The IPL punch **
Mar 12, 2009
** Airtel CEO sells his entire stocks !! **
Airtel CEO, Mr Manoj Kohli, has sold his entire stock holdings with Airtel (123,000 shares) in open market (today - 11 Mar 2009). Another Satyam ??
Mar 11, 2009
Transcendance - 24 :: Living "wierd" but watchful
Prelude :: "That was a posting on my series quite after a long time. The last one was in Jan only. Am I becoming a "pudhuppondaatik kaaran"....enticing only "Agandam"....No suchoo no....".... Skip it...I was just talking aloud with my consciousness
Dear Gowri
Have you observed this around you ? There are people who have agendas for life.....always focussed on time management and very proud about being active in their lives. Such people do not tolerate wastage of human resources and always are on high energy. There are also another set of wierd people who go with the wind. Most of the times they are cheerful and never care to draw even a "to do" list for themselves...leave out bigger things like mission and vision.
Most of us - including you and me - cannot be cateogorized fully in any one of the category as we tend to waver between them. I do have a sense of guilt on those days when I enjoyed too much (think I have expressed this to you in some earlier occassions too). Similarly on days when I am too much oriented to my task list, at the end of day OR when situation go out of hand, I start wondering if there is any purpose in driving myself with a piece of paper.....and if it is much saner to be without any plan for the day....!!
I have explored and experimented on my time management skills (more than that self management !!) that it is not really a great wonder I am a good trainer today...and had some fabulous sessions on time management that I handled during 2008...which was purely volunteerly...!!! Yes, we speak with conviction when we have experience on the subject...what ever it is. The same goes true with spiritual people too who are able to make deep impact with us when they speak up....!!
Well, I had a unique experience of living bit wierd in the past 72 hours but at the same time watchful of my tasks.....thanks to my "home alone".....!! With virtually no one to question me or to get bothered about me, I have been living quite differently to blend the goods of both type of living and this posting fits nice ly into this Transcendance series.
Let me just give a glimpse of what I mean without going into every possible detail (see, I have a goal on conserving my energy and to express things crisply...on Jan 1st, you know).
Well I knew I am going to have a long day at office on monday as I had volunteered to HR to handle the induction modules of the FIRST new recruit at the new center. With no rep of HR available here, it was a delicate situation that we - as a company - had to face...on compromising the induction modules !! For that matter we have a 2 day induction modules which happens on most of Mon and Tues at Chennai....with first day chaired by HR and second day by battalion of teams...IT, IC, NBD, Payroll and also safety.
So, I had a net meeting with the person at HR on friday late evening and left home only by 9.30...to go thru various modues quickly (when I joined there was no such elaborate process...for that matter no induction at all).
So sensing that half of my day will go in this mon to wednesday, I decided to go to sleep at 5 PM in the evening (after seeing SLUM DOG MILLIONAIRE - matinee show). The beauty is that the whole thing was planned with my eyes closed on sunday morning itself...
So, to cut the long story short, I went to sleep at 5 PM and woke up at 3 Am (yes, I mean it), did my kriyas, prepared food and had my breakfast at 5 AM (yes I mean early morning) and reached office at 6.30 AM on monday. It was an action packed day that I was able to speak to my own boss (who sits just a wall away from me) only at 6.30 Pm in the evening...though we have been talking thru' email mode right through !! I stayed at office till 9.30 PM...and left home with lot more energy left with me.
IT was relatively normal day yesterday but quite significant as I scheduled some time with some experienced people to trigger them on process improvements (purely voluntary) and got a thanks note from one of them that it was a great session. So moved with their vocal feedback, I scheduled 45 minutes time with them on passing on my pearls of wisdom about PROCESS IMPROVEMENT...during next tuesday.
Well, after reaching home yesterday with full satisfaction of announcing AGANDAM, I did not have a wink of sleep out of my high energy (had half litre of hot hot milk for dinner..did not feel like eating at all). Then wrote a poem (which I will post this friday only....conserve energy young man......!!) in the midnight seeing the beutiful moon once a while from the window, then put down the list of tasks that I have to handle today ...and realised that unless I reach office bit early (just like monday) I cannot do justice to all the tasks.
Apart from my voluntary intiatives at office, there are quite a few things that I am supposed to do to handle the oncoming second batch of people...on next monday. SO I decided to sleep at 1.30 Am and got up at 4.30 AM and reached office today at 6 AM....and feverishly completing my tasks one by one...ticking off my diary...
So, gentleman, this pause is to vento out my "wierd" living which is nicely combined with watchful of what I am doing....That is why you get this posted at around 7.45 PM so as to tick off at least half a dozen tasks at office.
This also gave me a previlige to make a posting at jollymusings which is the ancenstral home of agandam.....!! How can we forget our roots and past....Can we ?? Will we ??
Suchoo
Mar 2, 2009
** India & Chief Election Commissioner **
President, Prathiba Patil, as expected and as recommended by the Ministry of Law - has turned down the recommendations of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Mr Gopalswami for sacking Navin Chawla. Navin Chawla will now go on to take the post of CEC from Apr/20 this year when Mr Gopalswami retires. Navin Chawla is a stooge of Congress party. Some of the accusations against him are very serious and still he his going to take over the coveted position. The accused and the judge are on the same side of the fence here. Navin Chawla is a puppet of the Congress party and the Congress headed Government went into and decided on allegations against him. Isn't this strange??? (Well, not if you are not an Indian or used to Indian politics and ways). Navin chawla was deliberately and very planted in to the Election Commission by the Congress party and they will be immensely benefitted by his taking over the reigns of the Election Commission. Satyameva Jayadhe (honesty triumphs) can NEVER be true in this land of Gandhi. Jai Hind.
** India, Slumdog Millionaire & Oscar **
We, over the past few days, have heard a lot of accusations on how Indian poverty is being sold abroad. Having seen the movie, I would say that there is not a single scene which is grossly misleading or inappropriate or being falsely depcited. Poverty, violence, beggar mafia - its all very much present and rampant in India. Those who bad mouth about the way India is being depcited in the film, should realise that it is the actual state that India is in. We can not just see the rosy side of India alone and turn blind eye towards the state a large proportion of Indian population lives in. Abject poverty and mindless caste-ridden violence have all been and are going to be part and parcel of India. Above all, the situation is getting worser and worser and ALL our political parties are only adding fuel to the fire. To finish up this write up, Slumdog Millionaire is a good movie (not the best) and the way India has been depicted in the movie is not far away from the reality/truth. Not to forget, to this movie has opened up a lot of avenues for Indian cinema technicians and artists.
Mar 1, 2009
** DMK Govt's achievements **
Dishing out freebies - do you call that achievement?? The Govt has done NOTHING to earn money. All the DMK govt has done so far is to dole out exchequer's money in a callous manner - in the name of freebies. Handing over Rs.2000/- to EVERY family in Tamil Nadu after the heavy rains last season is the icing on the cake. I saw people who own car and bungalows receive the money (if they do not collect, some body will swindle it anyway on their behalf). Latest mockery is to give a golden ring to ALL the babies that are born and being named in TAMIL !!
I do not know where and when will all this madness. At this rate, the deficit is going to get wider and wider and one day, this Govt will be in a position where it will not be able to pay monthly salary to the Govt employees (it was almost at that stage when this DMK govt completed its tenure last time, only to be revived later by Jayalalitha when she succeeded as Chief Minister).
Well... what matters to Mr Karunanidhi and his family is that they are getting richer and richer through deals, omissions and commissions !! So, who cares for the welfare of the State?? Does anybody ??
** Cricket - India & New Zealand (2009) **
At the time of writing this, India has already lost two T20 matches and hence the series 0-2. We have five one day matches and 3 tests to play. While I dont want to take a call in the Test series, all my instincts say that New Zealand will win atleast 3 of the one day matches and hence the series.
Feb 27, 2009
** Indians & Oscars **
I have never watched the Academy awards ceremony before - but, this time (2009), I was glued to TV to watch AR Rahman win two Oscar awards. It was really a proud moment. Indians winning awards in international arena is always a great feeling that leaves you proud and happy. AR Rahman, Resul Pookutty and Gulzaar made us proud with their award winning performances. Having said that, I do feel that AR Rahman has given even greater and memorable scores than what he has scored for the Slumdog Millionaire; but all those happened to be in Indian (language) movies and hence he missed out on getting Oscars. Right?
** Anarchy **
What should have been nipped in the bud is now grown up into a huge monstrous and poisonous tree. When one or two people were shouting on pitch of their voice, the Govt kept silent and infact encouraged them for cheap political benefits. The Govts inaction has encouraged a lot more to jump into the fray. I am talking about the voice raised over the support of LTTE (in the disguise of supporting Sri Lankan Tamils). The State, Tamil nadu has become a lawless state. The State Govt is totally ineptitude in solving the issue and the Central Govt is a silent and mute spectator in this case. LTTE is a poisonous organisation, to which we have already lost one of our prominent leader, Rajiv Gandhi. The DMK Govt was ruling the state when Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by LTTE in Tamil Nadu and again, the same DMK Govt is in power when once again the LTTE has roped in a lot of politicians to voice their support for the organisation. Karunanidhi has no time for the State and is content in solving his own domestic problems centered around his sons and daughters. The creaming on the cake was the High Court incident where lawyers and police faught a pitched battle on the Sri Lankan issue. Without getting into who is right and who was wrong - what do you call a set of people who pelt stones on police, burn down police vehicles and who burn down a police station ??? Well, in Tamil Nadu, you have the right to call them as "Lawyers". Surprisingly, the police folks are being widely criticised for resorting tough action. How do you handle hooliganism?? By Ahimsa??
Crores and crores of rupees were swindled in the Telecom deal by a DMK Minister. The Central Govt (read Congress) does nothing !! LTTE has started spreading its wings in Tamil Nadu once again and the Central Govt remains a mute spectator. These are just two incidents which highlights the total inefficiency of the Central Govt (Congress). Not to talk about the worst possible way the Govt handled so many other issues - starting from the Amarnath land row to the soft glove treatment of terrorists. Today DMK and Congress have become two pillars that wholly support corruption, nepotism and inefficiency. To save India and hence corrupt ridden states like TN, both these Govt should go. We have no other alternative.
Feb 6, 2009
Feedbacks on my Poems
Gowri, please go through a posting that you had made during our first month of blogging (Sep 2007)
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Suchoo,Your poem "Nich-Salanam" was really good. Phrasing the words and even above that, your flow of thoughts were astonishing. You are gifted. Ensure that you are saving and preserve all the poems that you write. We may have to publish it one day !!(..... typing the following after having spoken to you on tele.......)Yep, I am getting this poem posted to my office id, to check what others feel about this poem.-Gowri..
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Not sure if you had any feedbacks. Some times people do not bother to give feedbacks when they are timid natured and dont intend to hurt the poets !!
Well, as you know, now I have a collection of around 35 poems ...weeding out 2 dozen of them which are sub optimal / too personalised that "others" cannot appreciate it, I still have a dozen poems that I feel proud about.
Before this pride turns into head weight (tending to walk briskly like Bharathiyaar, huh ??), I wish to take feedbacks of some free lancers. I already gave a sample (5, I guess) to Bhanu Attimber but do not have the guts to "ask" for feedbacks...(you see, relationship is more important than feedbacks).
When I come home for my next vacation, will send you a ppt containing the best 12 ones putting them in some logical order / making a proper index and hyperlinking them together). May be you should get some feedbacks. Note, still I would like to have feedbacks only from some simple people AND honestly feel bit scary about approaching "poets - the real thing !!"
So, my chennai to do list is going up by one more...Hmmm.....!!
Suchoo
"Kuppai" posting !!
Dear Gowri
As I have been doing on several days in the past, I locked the main door of my house carrying a big polythene cover filled up with......kuppai. On the way to reach the main road, I pass through a big deserted ground where I have noticed that there are few piled up trash in some specific spots. Unable to find a dust bin any where closer to my residence, after some thoughts, I had followed the clue during my first week of stay I too safely kept my Kuppai Cover along with the other ones. (Mind you, in my earlier temporary accomodation, I used to dutifully walk towards the big dust bin - very similar to our Neel Metal at chennai - and put my wastes into it on the way to office).
Well, I did not have an iota of doubt about this (a well set process which is working fine needs no further clarifications, right ??) until today morning when a lady who watched me from a distance said to me some thing. I could not hear her properly and went bit closer to her (who was actually having a stroll with her big dog) to understand what she is telling about.....Following is the conversation that we had in the morning...Seeing my looks (!! that is, I was in uniform appa !!), she started off in English but later settled to Taminglish seeing that I am too fluent & arrogant for her......!! Well ....go on...
Me : What Madam ?
She : Seeing you others are also going to put their kuppai in this ground ?
Me : (with a smile) Please tell me Madam where is a dust bin. I will pick it from ground and put it there
She : You should have asked your neighbours before you dumped it here !
Me : Ok Madam, it is a mistake from my side. Now I am requesting you to let me know the location of the dust bin. I am new to this place and I started putting my kuppai here only after searching out for a dust bin all over.
She : Will you put your kuppai any where you want to ? See how the common place is becoming ugly and untidy...
Me : I dont say that....But seeing the earlier day kuppai bags are cleared I thought this is an arrangement that you people have here. Even at Madras, we have such understandings with the corporation in locations where dust bins are not provided. Please tell me where I should put the kuppai
She : (pointing out a Ditch similar to our Koovam - which is just 2 minutes walk from that place on the way to main road) Put it there....!!
Me : Pardon me, Do you mean this is your dust bin ?
She : Yes
Me : Sorry, I had mistaken the whole point....You were mainly concerned because I am leaving the place around your home ugly....So we can dump this ditch and make it more and more uglier.....?? Well, I can do it right now. (I pick up the bag and walk towards the Koovam and throw it inside)
She : (Nods her head back from a distance as I confirm from the ditch that I have "done")
Who knows, may be she will bring her hubby tomorrow to face a Ruffian from chennai....!!
Well, now this may seem to be a very simple and ordinary incident but when Governments report that they spend crores (and spend just in Lakhs) on massive clean up projects when things go life threatening....., I am amused at one more simple thing becoming big in course of time.
Now there are flurry of questions that I have in mind but the main ones that I wish to ask aloud is......."What is the right thing to be done ?". Even going by the organized efforts of collecting waste by agency in our cities, are we really having a convincing waste disposal system after collecting all the garbage.....What is the best way to dispose the waste under our practical conditions ? Is the "thidakkazhivu" and kazhivu melaanmai working really effective ? To rephrase the question, does the government has the technology to seperate thidak kazhivu from other kazhivu to do the needful ?
{Getting reminded, some time back, couple of my colleagues come from Europe whom I took to Tambaram home....On the way, they noticed huge smoke coming from the garbage burning at Pallikkaranai Marsh. I clarified them (without much expressions in my face) that we used to burn the garbage to have space for the next day's inflow....and introduced it as a "centralised garbage dumping ground for southern cheenai". Did not have an answer to their simple question - "will this not create air pollution ?".....}
Suchoo
Signing off the First month at CBE
Dear Gowri
Normally occupation / employment is referred to as many different ways by sullen and demoralised folk – "Kuppai Kottarathu", "Vayithu Pozhaippu", "Thalai ezhuthu" & so on. I am quite empathetic about such descriptions which come out of boredom , monotony, helplessness and frustrations at work. For that matter, me too had my spells of all negative feelings at work not too long ago! My dreams on early retirement from working is not because I am multi-skilled and I am raring to go (People say at the time of retirement, huh ? "will be doing things closer to heart that I always wanted to do !!"; On the contrary, it is an attempt to escape from the current reality which is not too overwhelming.
Well, with lot of pride as well as humility, I am glad to make this posting at the end of the first month at the new location of my office.
Yes !! I arrived here on 6th Jan and this month had been one of the most eventful and blissful period that I can recall from my recent memory.
First things first, there was absolutely no depression spell as I was fully engaged for most of the days including week ends….and the things that I miss physically (Computer, my favourite spots at Chennai, Hotel HSB to name a few….Sorry, forgot my dear family !!) do not matter enough to brude about – considering the positive things that I am enjoying here.
Being alone and doing all the household works does not bore / tire me too much (at least until now) and I am enjoying the fun of getting organized one by one. For that matter, I never had any miseries of a stranger in a new city (Not sure when my poem "Anniyam" is going to be released, Hmm…..No time for dreaming yaar !!).
All things like reaching my temporary house, finding a new house, shifting and arranging the home, getting used to various routes, shopping, getting introduced to neighbours and new acquaintances, planning the week ends and Chennai visits…….!! Well in the same breath, let me also confess that I had been in a cocoon for so long time that to get bored or monotonous with this phase of life is going to take some more time.
I do have an interesting phase at office where I have the privilege to be involved and take a closer look of things taking shape in the final stages of the fit outs of the building and participating in some of the activities with lot of coordination and follow ups with Chennai. Since I am aware that this phase is too temporary, before the place gets filled up with the Transferred employees, enjoying every single day becomes lot more colourful.
Last but not the least, for a while Magic Man Baba disappeared from my life who seem to gently tap into my day to day routine quite frequently making his presence felt too often. There was a phase (from Sep to Dec) when I did not get reminded about him as much as the earlier 6 months as I was undergoing a huge depression spell and with mind getting lighter and heart free from any negative feelings, he reaches me once a while, reminding that he too travelled along with me when I reached this city. (Did I tell you, I visited a big Baba temple here twice so far – Even reaching the temple was itself so smooth and interesting which I can define as a "miracle"….Well, perhaps you are making faces on my weird imaginations !!)
Well, the above points account for the "pride" element, but I also stated "humility" that I feel in the earlier part of this posting, huh ?
Well, I had to stay close to 16 hours in a day at Appolo, Chennai doing virtually nothing, it did not disturb me much…. I lost my purse here with quite a heavy amount, I did not get bothered much more than making a posting out of it…..My time management skills are put to extreme tests during my Chennai visit, I take it in my stride….I am at times getting reminded of the un-writtten poem and a one pager that is half way through for my office friends, I am not perturbed much….!! Beginning to understand the "circle of concern" and "circle of influence" in much better way these days and learning the art of eating in bite size chunks….!! While I am a bit intense on getting my "to do" list reduced and keep it in manageable size, I also enjoy the whole process of self management these days – without feeling any pressure within.
Going back to the first sentence of this mail, my next posting is on "kuppai kottarathu"…..which was a small incident that happened today morning. As usual, the small incident triggered some big thoughts and kept me busy while I walked down briskly from the main road to our office (once the teams come from Chennai, we will have a pick up and drop – until then I am "enjoying" the public bus journey and the 1.5 KM walk to office from Main Road. Don’t want to take the mobike daily to office)
Stay tuned to the next posting on "kuppai" !!
Suchoo
Jan 30, 2009
** January 2009 **
This is the first posting of mine for the blog this year. Well, I have reasons for abstaining from blogging for the past 30 days !! I decided to take the Sun Solaris Certification exam this year and had my exams scheduled for Jan/27. I was seriously preparing for the exams and I have cleared the first paper (hooray!!). Now, I need to prepare and appear for the second paper and then I would be a SCSA (Sun Certified Solaris Administrator). Well, lets hope that I get to finish it and get the certification soon.
There were quite a few things that happened in the past 30 days which are of immense importance to
Firstly the Satyam scam. Satyam story goes on to show how one man’s greed can take down the whole nation – and it cannot be better explained than this episode. Ramalinga Raju has let down his nation, his employees and his family. The big question mark on the whole episode is on the Auditing and the Auditors. Auditing – done over the past few years on Satyam has become a laughing stuff. Auditors are supposed to find the frauds being committed by their Patrons !! They are being paid by the same organization/persons against whom they are supposed to find faults. This client/patron hierarchy/chain becomes too compromising and undermines the whole “Audit” concept. Ultimately, Auditors lead their patrons on a path where they are being professionally aided and helped to do a perfect crime and safely (well, mostly) get away from law. When it comes to the question of very big and reputed firms – Auditors never would try to cross the lines for they would lose a lucrative Patron. This is what has happened in Satyam’s case. We urgently need to address this arrangement. Having said that, whatever we try to do – “திà®°ுடனாய் பாà®°்த்து திà®°ுந்தாவிட்டால் திà®°ுட்டை à®’à®´ிக்க à®®ுடியாது" (unless thieves mend their methods,thievery cannot be stopped ). More than any thing else, its time
Talking about the society takes me to the next topic – “Slumdog Billionaire”. AR Rahman winning the Golden Globe award and being nominated for Oscars definitely makes us all proud. But, I personally feel that he has scored a lot of even better and wonderful tunes than what he has won this award for (the song “Jai Ho”). Not scoring for English movies before could be the only reason that has stopped him from getting such awards before. Well, lets hope he gets lot of such awards and make us all proud.
The discussion on “Slumdog Billionaire” cannot end here as we also hear a lot of criticism about the movie – about selling Indian poverty abroad. While I have not seen the movie so far, my present opinion is that poverty, robbery, terrorism, etc., all exist in
Another important topic is
Talking about terrorism and
Unfortunately lot of civilians - hapless people, kids, old aged were all caught in the cross-fire and have been killed. Such loses can never be compensated by any means. My heart goes to all those families. Having said that, this should make the terrorists realize their folly and I do not vouch to the argument that Govts should stop attacking terrorists. Terrorists organization like Hamas, Al Qaida and LTTE have to be given a sever blow and they should be erased of the face of this universe. The world should speak in one voice against TERRORISM without giving any creed/religion color to it.
My final topic of this posting will be on local politics (Tamil Nadu). The comments of Election Commissioner on Thirumangalam bye-election is worth noting. He has said that Tamil Nadu fares worse than
Jan 24, 2009
Moment of bliss - 23 ::: "Too many infact"
Dear Gowri
Though - by coincidence - I got the internet connection at my desktop on my last day at office before this vacation, I have a self imposed rule that I will not post "musings" from office....One reason is that I tend to go on rampage wasting too much time (too much of any thing......??) and another thing is that I expect not so much idle time from now on at office with max time which may be blessed just sufficient for just viewing the favourite sites....!!
Well, since Jan 1st I have started writing Diary quite meticulously and recording lot of blissful moments as well as few mistakes done in communication (many times over-doing !!) and also special milestones. Getting a "cosy" little home for me right on the first day of my house search, the way I settled down at the new place (though first 2 - 3 days I was coughing profousely due to change of climate), the isha visits, finding the Baba temple and visiting it twice so far, getting used to bus routes....there were lot of little littel adventures that I really enjoyed in the process of settling down. At my temporary home, for this fortnight until now, I had half dozen cows for the neighbour who happened to supply fresh cow milk to me.....every day....and it was just heavenly to drink the fresh cow milk really hot added with some Boost and sugar....!! Further, I also was having a nice time with the beautiful looking calves which were tied up close to my compound...Their initial resistance and fear gradually turning to indifference towards me and my attempts to touch and massage them..{I eventually wanted them to become friendly but unfortunately had to move this wonderful home}.
So, with all my moments of bliss nicely recorded in my personal diary (I had stopped this for a while during last year after getting into this blog....Now I realize that on day to day basis, spending 10 minutes on a one page is much more handy than sitting in front of computer which can be just a periodic affair).....All I would like to state in this posting that "I had too many moments of bliss in the past fortnight"...
Only wish it increases lot more during the next innings....
Suchoo
Transcendance - 23 ::: My body becomes lot more flexible....
Dear Gowri
If you are capable of scanning thru' my written words in this blog, I would have expressed my regret on my body shape and the laziness that I have in physical exercises which is stagnating my personal development. Though so much importance should not be given for things that are not our cup of tea, let me confess that I had been bruding so much on not improving on the percieved areas of my weakness.
I am getting up these days at 4 AM and doing my 1 and half hour session of physical exercises meticulously before pranayam these days....and really feeling a big change that I have never been blessed until now. I can see a distinct lightness in the body and the malleability to a great extend for the first time ....as I have never tried the physical exercises for three continuous days until now...
Sadhguru used to say, that our bondage is indeed our doorway to our next stage of growth. The theoritical understanding was always there.....but for the first time, I am getting the experiential meaning of it.....!! Particularly today was unforgettable as I was still able to get up quite casually at 4 AM though I slept only by 12 Last night.....!! Wish to sustain this intensity until the physical exercises become a part of my personality and my body becomes like......simran.... (I adore her more than sarath kumar or arjun).....!!
Krishnaarpanam...
suchoo
Making of Manager - 21 ::: "Reaching inch by inch"
Dear Gowri
The first fortnight in the new location of my office saw me getting closer to my boss; As a coincidence, even on Thursday when I boarded the train to chennai, I was involved in an abstract healthy discussion with him on how to take a stand on a particular issue when he expressed his feeling that I had erred in one of my statement in a particular email.
The relationship is still not personal and not really close in any manner - this is inspite of travelling with him in his car for most of the days and we share some jokes at office and while travelling. He still maintains lot of courtesy and consciously formal with me (as he is with every one around him) but it was nice to hear from him on my last day at the new office that....he is guiding me on various things as I am reaching my next position shortly in the organisation and not to construe his words / advices any way to dominate me....!!
I always had a luck with "bosses" and genuinely considered them as my Gurus....Not just in this organisation where I have reported to 4 different people so far, I am getting also reminded about my earlier bosses in different organizations. When I worked in Delhi, I had a gentle and soft boss who literally shed tears out of his happiness (I am not exagerrating !!) when I told him that I have cleared my professional exam pending papers...Apparently he got reminded that he never could complete this qualification and was blessing me at least to reach greater heights with the qualification that I earned. The next boss in the French company still is in touch with me once a while and has a sort of reverence for me due to my ISHA inclinations and the balance in life...(At least he perceives so !!). At this organisation too, I had different type of personalities as bosses but this one is very relevant for me in current situation. He nicely mentors me giving me the worth that I deserve and keeping me at the right spot so that I can grow faster....
With so much of words, it could be difficult for you to believe that I speak very less at office with him BUT always find some time to be bit informal too....though it has a cap....
YES, to wear the Manager "cap" I need to be very conscious and cautious too....and learning a lot of ethics and being bit more refined from this gentleman....!!
Getting close to 5 years in this organization, I have a feeling that my second innings could be much longer with the right vibes that is around me and my frame of mind .....!! Yes, exciting days are ahead and my evolution inch by inch....is so enjoyable process more than what it could mean to me and our family materially...!!
Krishnaarpanam....
suchoo
Second serving on ...."A wednesday"
Dearest Gowi
Suchoo back again with another (damn) serious musings with lot of energy and enthusiasm !!While it is quite an irony by itself (I mean to have such stuff @ blog titled "Jolly musings"), let me also clarify at this stage that during the brief & very successful fist fortnight at coimbatore, I had been quite meticulous on the area where I have to improve – taking care of the physical fitness; was getting up at 4 AM on most of the days for Hatha yoga and Surya Namaskar…..
I can now see the deadly connection between the energy levels, the control of mind and the cheerful spirit though I had only a theoretical understanding about the same until now. In fact after being quite active yesterday and sleeping bit later than usual, I was able to get up at 4 AM dot today morning without much irritation and sleepiness hanging in eyes for my physical exercises session just because the body got a good taste of being fit and has started beginning to see the point of compromise…..(between briskness and more sleep) and I just allowed it to get up and going….Who says only bad vices are addictive ??
You are wondering now why I had to be quite “active” on a holiday particularly after coming home after a fortnight….Huh ? Well, one of my activities was seeing “a Wednesday” for the fourth time and before you conclude seeing a cinema is just a relaxation, I want you to reconsider your decision on how intense I could be watching a movie (not this one, any film for that matter) and it should be construed as an “activity” but definitely not a “work” or a “pain” or “karma”….
Well, Had you ever had urinary infection in your life ? I had serious bouts of this peculiar disease (I meant “dis-ease” {Courtesy ::: Sadhguru}) during my childhood and until I was in my higher secondary school I had many sleepless nights suffering with pain and restlessness when ever I had some thing hot on the prior night (Like Tomato pickle or cut mango pickle for eg). Unable to resist the temptation of tongue, I had even decided to “have” the U.I on few days – you must be amused !! Well, over a period of time as I got smarter, I discovered couple of tablets that relieves me from this disease and I used to proactively take them before going to sleep (of course after enjoying the feast of tomato pickle…..or so !!). Yes, I was able to be in touch with truth even when I was quite young…If we cannot compromise on a particular thing (in my case, hot and delicious food), we need to compromise on lot of other things (taking tablets, deciding to have UI and so on).
Now, why this bragging ? Very similar to this unique disease where you find your own urine coming out in trickles, I had few more thoughts to share on “a Wednesday” ….which I am presenting herewith. Don’t want to spoil the original posting by including these points along with it....and hence this separate posting. Now, please do not get irritated (I know you too have a breaking point)..
I am neither trying to prove any thing, nor I am considering you to be naïve and dull ….and it is also a fact that I have too many other things to be done in the next three days. I consider this as a part my duty to put these points down in this dedicated space for me…..and it is quite difficult for me to speak any thing in relative terms….if this is the most important thing amongst the activities that I want to do….I do rate this activity at par with the Kpuram stay tonight and talking to my amma, Pizza at Gayathri’s home tomorrow by 3 PM, Swimming session tomorrow evening along with you, meeting couple of my school friends “somehow” during the Tambaram stay…..and couple of other works to be completed on the Republic day before I bid good bye to Chennai……
I will be delighted to have your feedback on this posting too (like how you gave a long one after reading my earlier posting on “a Wednesday”….). As I have already mentioned to you, I do not normally expect a feedback for my postings and you may please consider this a request just to let me know if these specific points struck you too when you watch (mean, watched, watch and will be watching) the film by yourself…..In return will be glad enough to receive some more points that was not covered by our earlier sharing with each other when we saw the film together AND these two postings….Are the ground rules of this posting clear….Please go on….
“A Wednesday” - The sequel....!!
Why a musings on this subject once again…?? (that is over and above the anology of Urinary infection)
Before jumping to specific points let me add couple of points on this favourite question for me that takes us closer to truth in all our pursuits. First of all, “a Wednesday” is bound to happen week after week because it is NOT “the Wednesday” !! Further, I just could not hold myself without getting excitedly scribbling few more things that I seemingly missed out in my earlier experience though I sincerely consider that even earlier I was equally intense. The big difference was that the earlier posting was more extempore without any aid for my memory but this time I helped myself with a scribbling pad , a pen and the remote (just to “pause” when I had to write). Now, before you brush me off that I am bit “too much” please read through and get reminded of the request made in the last para of the earlier section. Please be aware that I am going bit chronologically as per the sequence of my scribblings and will cover few macro level points towards the end…
(1) Intro of Inspector Jai singh ….Telling his wife to give a call….Inspite of being in such difficult profession by himself, this shows how genuine he is towards the innocence and peace at home. This also reminds me the concept of Karma Yoga – as doing the life-threatening incidents at the career at the intense level dispassionately (Mind you…The same person also says that he does not mind getting killed to the IG when he was asked to find out the bombs in next 10 minutes).
(2) The Hero who complains to Anupam on his phone call threat……the way Inspector Jai Singh responds when the hero hugs quite unexpectedly…..I was thrilled to see that Jai singh behaves as exactly as one behaves in front of boss. He gets startled for a second but gathers himself and keeps himself in right posture in front of the boss. Well done Jai…
(3) The other inspector (or sub inspector ?? I have to watch again !!) Arif and the way he is introduced (before the informer arrives in the scene)….Busily playing video game in the mobile while mouth is chewing the gum…To show how much he is used to dealing with gripping things while remaining casual…..!! Some times a moment of a scene speaks more than volumes of words….
(4) Again, on Arif, the way he understands the complaint made by the informer, gives him the necessary “treatment” to facilitate his hospitalization and giving a solution to him just with a simple question “what is the number of the security guard” & the way he follows up on the response with his “action” ..?? Astounding……Should we really talk so much….?
(5) Lets come to Shambhuji / the electric Baba….After a thorough rehearsel, the manner he delivers the “dialogue” quite aggressively and after finishing the first part of the same, the way he turns towards Naina and smiles broadly like a kid….just like a kid…..cho chweet….
(6) The way shambhuji keeps smiling at the camera when Naina summarized towards the end….with a pride and awareness of his being in limelight….!!
(7) Intro of Anupam Kher…reading paper – rather quickly glancing when he gets the unfortunate phone call….the speed at which he reads - I felt – on how quickly they have do their QII activities before they get any unexpected work of the day….Am I bit too imaginative ??
(8) Arif while hitting the Security guard who does ill to the family of the informer without even a single word on why he is beating up….Should any explanation be given for filthy acts ? ….Punish him straight….and make him repent out of his pain….!!
(9) Nasrudhin shah after his first talk with a deliberate slowness and a nice BG (will come to BG later) removes the sim card and puts in inside a dust bin…..How nicely the camera is placed at the bottom of dust bin…I got bit philosophical on the angle of camera in this shot….”at times we should be ready to accept the filth thrown upon us IF we decide to be of some utility / we work with some purpose”….How ‘s that ??
(10) I think the way the CM role is handled…the process on how to approach him even in emergencies (Anupham Kher just checks his availability when he gets the first call), and the manner all the swivel chairs turn up towards the phone when the CM comes on the line. This person has played the CM’s role quite effectively and I felt he added great value to the overall story and giving some respect to the legislature…the manner he nicely delegates the responsibility after hearing Anupham kher on “unlimited responsibility”……by giving a simple instruction to his Home Minister “I should not have any complaints from prakash”…Superb…..They always say, power comes only when we take responsibility….The whole sequence of this scene was depictive of it…..from the elobaration of the extend of responsibility by Anupham and then requesting for power…and then having it granted. This particular piece is also well handled in later stage when Anupham gives an instruction to one of his men that “this is special order of CM”….showing us that it was only a “delegation” of power and cannot become “decentralized”…!! Can Pakistan be more saner with this model instead of the PMs of the past one after the other dying either unnaturally or mysteriously ??
(11) Akash, the inspector who handles the tracking of telephone lines (of course the “outdated ones”) had a good and equal role to play like Jai and Arif which I missed out completely earlier. To add, he is the one who explains the background of the 4 terrorists to the IG…but since I was glued to the terrorist clippings, did not recognize the role of Akash….!! The way this gentleman smiles without reducing the respect levels…when the wrong phone call (credit card) lands up and the manner he introduces the Hacker…While Jai and Arif done their part in outdoors, Akash plays his indoor role to the perfection. Well done, my boy !!
(12) I learnt the power of courtesies in communication like a jolt….Not able to be specific on this point as there were more than one instance when one of the deputies coming to the IG and saying “excuse me sir”….and giving a pause within which Anupam switches his thoughts from the current subject and moves with lot of focus towards the new information…and handling it….So, courtesy is not essentially to be nice rather it is a pre requisite for our message / communication to be handled nicely…(it is most effective if we give a pause –as is required for the occasion)
(13) I made a mockery on the functioning style of the government office with one constable asking for a signature when a mission of finding a bomb was carried out in the police station – in my earlier posting. My sharp eyes observed this time that Jai was dutifully obeying the constable on his procedures…!! When he does not complain…WHY SHOULD I….& WHO AM I ????
(14) The trafficker of the explosives after getting so much of beating from Anupham kher literally keeps his hands in his chest to confess that he does know any thing more….signifying that he is telling the truth. He appears quite pitiable but we reverse our feelings very soon when he urinates upon seeing arif..right in the chair while sitting. WHICH MEANS…..these thugs may appear to be genuine but still there is some more juice (I don’t mean his urine) left with them…..
(15) The introduction of the terrorists by Akash….in ISI formerly Al queda formerly Lakshar…..!!...these people hopping from one organization to other (of course like minded organizations..thats different) reminded me of my BPO comrades who keep jumping from one organization to other….A matured mind does not keep hopping like a grasshopper or flutter the feathers like a butterfly….For that matter one reason for India so rich in culture is because the civilization and people refinement happened here owing to people’s settling down in this place for centuries (courtesy :: Sadhguru)….perhaps due to good climate, natural wealth and other reasons….Stability is the key for evolving….!! (IS some body telling me that Prabhakar and Osama are settled in an organization as bosses for a long time…???)
(16) The way Anupham stares into the eyes of the home minister after giving instruction to Jai on finding out the bomb in next 10 minutes….without telling in words “this is the way we work”……Just few seconds back, the Home minister was trying to suggest some thing to Anupham about the stiff goal that they have….Poor home minister…
(17) Quality of leadership in Anupham’s portrayal….The way his whole body becomes relaxed and calm when he tells “relax boys…” followed by the message that the terrorist would not have intended to have a bomb blast but just to build credibility…. YES it is important we become the change what we want to be!!
Of course the next shot is the snifer dogs and the bomb squad in action. Without relaxed minds, such hectic and time bound actions do not emanate….
(18) When the bus containing the four terrorist slowly rolls in the main road, few extra moments of the top angle showing the birds fluttering in the air…..was telling me the carefree birds enjoying themselves totally unaware about the fateful bus that was in the road below….(this has a touch of my thought on my earlier posting about 1600 Rs cash loss…When I was becoming wiser with this episode, my boss was sitting without any awareness about me and my wisdom OR stupidity…..its very similar to that incident and my description earlier !!)
(19) Inside the bus, Arif gets impatient with the chat amongst the terrorists and releases the lock of his revolver. The difference in personalities between Jai and Arif has been handled carefully…may be because Jai is a familiy man and Arif…We are not sure….!! To add further, when the terrorist jokes “what shall we do with these two ??:”, the pale face of Jai (unsure of how to react) and then gathering a smile and look towards Arif just to pacify Arif that “its all joke only…don’t get tensed up again”….!! This point is about the consistency of portrayal of characters. Good job….!!
(20) Coming to same point above, Nasrudhin playing as cool as cucumber…with his lazy gaze fixed at the horizon and coffee, breakfast enjoying…..gets tensed up just once that too very mildly when he hears Ismail is not yet dead. It is more an upset of his plan than any tension…..Each character is like a sculpture in the right hands…..!!
(21) I was particularly shocked at the dialogue when I watched the film this time “today bomb is most valuable thing to the common man”…..So much to be perceived….!!
(22) The exact reason for the whole plot of Nasrudhin comes only after constant questioning by Anupham. Though he (Nasrudhin) says that he is neither sentimental nor emotional, he is quite upset with the death of a mate in his train though he is not a sort of “soul” mate…..which could make it much more emotional upset for him. I got reminded about what I read some time back that soldiers normally fight aggressively more out of the memory of the loss of their friends than for patriotic reasons…..Patriotism is abstract…while loss of a friend / mate is a physical reality !!
(23) The declaration by Nasrudhin on why he is doing the act that “he is doing it for himself”…..It struck me that the terrorists who upset the society for the heinous crimes for a purpose like religion or others’ orders….!! A common man does most unreasonable things too at times only for himself…..and still some times it could become revolutionary…..(I am getting reminded of your blasting on me some time back on being unpatriotic and self centered at Vanagiri…..Well, no arguments here….!!)
(24) The CM’s last scene when he talks of the course of action ….Do we have any other way ?? and so on…was more a talk with consciousness with Anupham doing the role of CM’s consciousness….and just responding to the extend that is required for decision making of CM….
(25) After the decision CM leaves the hall briskly followed by his two colleagues to attend to other priorities….As mentioned earlier, I got a respect for top posts of any organization by watching this film……!!
(26) The whole irony of the story is the disappointment for Naina…While promised of “most memorable day of her life” she ends up reporting a stray incident when the terrorists were shot dead in the “regular” process of the police… I have a feeling that Naina was disappointed that it was not such a great news…as I assume she does not know the full story. Some times, It happens like this…the most memorable things pass of while we are completely unaware about it….!!
(27) Ismail claiming that he is not afraid of dying and gets startled to see the revolvers in the two mens’ hands…and then goes on justifying on why he should live…..!! DIALOGUES to the minimum…..Great….
(28) Arif after getting a shot in his arm from Jai…I observed only now….tells “why you did not tell me earlier?”…..for which Jai replies “no time”….My god, Does that mean Arif grasps the instruction of Anupham so well and gets the wound as a matter of his duty and part of the extempored operations….I am just shuddering at the mere imagination……!!
(29) In the last scene, when Nasrudhin "begs our pardon" and clearly utters "mather chod"....I felt that Censor did not even feel like cutting the word as they got synch with the film....It was - to me - as if Nasrudhin was apologising to the Censor Board to bear with him for the word as it was "needed" for the scene and thats why it was left scotfree.....
(30) Last but not the least, on few other aspects of the film overall….For the first time I noticed the coordination between camera and music in this film during the Nasrudhin shots in open terrace when the camera just moves around him, comes towards him or moves away from him and the BG heightening the impact of the the sight.
The Rerecording too is a miracle…and still I am amused at when the music is played in the background with Nasrudhin shah spells his dialogues in the last scene…some times only his voice is heard …some times music is also heard….You never can feel the music extraneous or miss it….! It happens when every one is so involved..the film maker and the audience…Understandable…
Coming to Camera, the slow motion for a bit followed by normal speed of camera when the terrorists are being released…is a sample of how nicely slow motion has been used….(we use it when the hero jumps in the air only to land on the head of the mottai boss !!)
The dialogues…..How nicely Nasrudhin communicates about the bomb planted in the police station…(not tom dick harry…..telephone booth….)
To conclude this section, I also thoroughly enjoyed the war between the two main personalities…Think I made a brief mention about this in my earlier posting too but I felt some refinement in my thought about this fight that the same is more tilted towards Nasrudhin’s favour ….while ultimately Anupam takes the superiority with one powerful glance and keeping the whole case within himself sharing only with us….(like how I am writing my postings in a blog…just as a paradox). All the blushes (for eg, Anupham telling Nasrudhin shah “aisaa nahi hai”..when Nasrudhin asks a point blank question if Anupam came to a conclusion that An aam aadhmi will not do such things ??) and frustrations, I feel Anupham won at the end with his steel like glance into Nasrudhin’s eyes when he introduces himself to the latter.
If you are under the impression that this posting has reached its end, you are terribly mistaken. Its time I record few subtle things which were interesting for me but I could not really understand completely. Perhaps, may be they are not really subtle and I am only imagining !!….I never know.
Let me post 4 such points below before I talk about few areas of improvements in the film to make a fitting end for this long posting….
(a) Nasrudhin talking to wife over phone on the open terrace on the opening scene….with the back towards camera and him facing the world below….with only voice heard by us….Not sure if it means some thing…
(b) When Nasrudhin tells about the 4 terrorist names and adds that they are in different jails…he gazes around the city…I felt like may be he is symbolically telling parellelly OR may be it’s a casual mannerism….Not too sure
(c) “copy that” was the order issued by Anupam Kher when he receives the message from Jai that “bomb mil gayaa”…..!! This is more a lack of understanding due to technicality
(d) Last but not the least, I am not sure why Nasrudhin at the end of the “operation” hurries up down the terrace in unusual speed which is highly contradicting his portrayal until now…..Is it just to make us think for a while when he stands still for a while before coming up once again to pick up his bag…? Or is it to avoid the “thud” noise of the bomb planted within the dust bin….??
Now, let me move to few areas of improvements / slips according to me…May be, you have some thing to say on them….Further, these could be the case of wrong understanding from my side…(see, I am a picture of perfect humility in front of Neeraj !!). Please note that I am not just complaining but also giving a suggestion how it could be handled….! (that’s how a critic should be right ??)
(i) I felt that the shape of the bag that Nasrudhin carries does not resemble a bag that we normally use a “subzi”…instead of making it difficult for us to understand that it is a subzi bag (falling of tomato), I feel it is not too much coarse to have (have it heavy if it is justified for the anupham’s dialogue….”is it very heavy ?? want a lift ?”)a normal koodai with vegetables and palak quite visible from outside….
(ii) As we discussed already, keeping a J&K bag at railway station just to arouse some curiosity in us without any lead about it later on. Similarly, the word “bastard” used to describe Nasrudhin by Anupham in the opening scene….again was done only to arouse curiousity….
May be the former could have been justified by a simple dialogue some where in Nasrudhin’s utterances and the latter could be just a gentle childing by Anupam more out admiration than his anger.
(iii) Nasrudhin’s Bhibi voice was bit artificial in the sense that it was slightly misfit to his appearance. It was too feminine, courteous and definitely very young…..I would have tried a voice that is coarse, ignorant and very loud and impatient…..to push Nasrudin’s role a notch more higher
(iv) There was a slip in terms of editing….During the intro scene of Jai, he was found walking with his family at the railway station at the same time (we have to assume so, right ?) when Anupam is handling the “HERO”. The Anupam’s scene was in fact cut in between to introduce Jai. After hearing out the Hero, Anupam calls Jai in….By the time, Jai had left the family into the train, chided a constable who took money from a Taxi Driver on the way and have reached the station….!! I felt the scene could have been continous (I mean the Hero with Anupab) AFTER introducing Jai.
(v) Last but not the least, Why do Anupam rush towards the high rise building which is construction with a decided hurry, taking his pistol in his pocket as if he has to be available for the “last” meeting with Nasrudhin….It was a needless cinematic touch to make the nice natural film bit dramatic. IS there no other way this could have been handled….(Nasrudhin tells his wife when she asks if he has met any friend, as “not sure”)….
Well, I vouch that there will be no more mails neither on “A Wednesday” from me nor on any other mail. I once remember some one asking Cho (think in some interview at television) on why he wasted his genius as a critic of politics which is no heaven and analyzing people and their decisions which is relatively not upto his level of IQ, he gave an emotional response that he has seen people of various realms (Cinema, Drama, Law, Politics, Religion and Publications) and did not ever think that political analysis is any way a waste of his energy….as people , their decisions & his guesses on them are always interesting for him.
In the same vein, let me conclude by stating that these 8 pages which had cost me around 2 ½ hours totally is too precious to me and is a nice tool for me to reach my eventual peaceful state…..!! Thanks for being with me…if at all you were with me till this word.
Krishnaarpanam….
Jan 20, 2009
Why write poems ?
Dear Gowri
Prelude : I mentally wrote this on Jan 1st itself but some how it escaped my priority and got further postponed due to my move to new location at office. We (three of us) are sharing a computer kept in a meeting room as the construction activity is not yet over (meaning the interiors); It was dust all over until last week end and only from today we are blessed with A/C as dust free environment is guaranteed by the Architect from now on....Like all good times, difficult times too has to come to an end, right ?? So, here I put in black and white on my serious thoughts about my recent discovery of poem writing skills....here you go....!!
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The power of WHY ?
There are six basic words in English that are interrogative....WHAT, WHO, WHY, HOW, WHEN & WHERE. No doubt What and Who are the first questions to be asked to seek any clarity....but they are particularly relevant in physical realm. When we step into abstract subjects and things that are bit deeper and complex, then WHY becomes an important interrogation lest our search may become directionless. It is a golden question that seeks to clarify the purpose of any thing that we think and we do....and it establishes a deep connection with reality and our true craving on the subject. Relatively speaking, HOW is a lighter interrogation as it is more about details or the procedure to seek the answer to WHY. Let us leave out WHEN and WHERE which are essentially descriptive interrogations that sets the basic physical premises for our search or longing.
Let us get back to WHY now !! Yes, all great persons in various walk of life had vision about themselves and the things that they want to create....and history proves us that they eventually created thier vision...bringing their abstract thoughts to practical reality. Most of the visionaries, particularly in the modern world corporate context, meticulously frame a mission statement putting their abstract vision into language. Mission statement is a road map for one's vision and essentially answers the WHY question for any human initative. It is critically important to determine the WHY clearly because while it gives the testimony that any initiative is close to one's heart and pursued out of passion & not out of any external pressure, it also clearly lays down the premises of the initiative....giving us a clear DOs and DONTs in order to be more effective and conserve our energies.
Having taken up writing POEMS approx 2 years back (I vividly remember my first poem which was penned on Madhoo's 6th birthday...she had her 8th birthday celebrated last month), it was more fun and excitement until I penned my 50th poem. Having started observing the consistency and the frequency of my writing (which is on an average at least one a month) and also seeing a pattern in the poem writing process (Midnight urges !!) and more importantly the themes of most of the poems, I am feel convinced that I determine my WHY question on poem writing clearly so that it takes the most appropriate shape and reaches its peak - to the extend it is destined so......!! This will also help me as a process of self introspection which is going to improve the quality of my future writings even more.....
Well, I am essentially a frog well and infact bit averse to knowledge about the external world..Very few of my age will have the guts to state openly that they do not care to read the news papers - leave alone, not having interest to keep updated on share market, cricket, politics....and happenings at their own profession. I dont recommend my way to the younger generation and definitely will not encourage my own daughter to become like me...as I doubt if she will be enough lucky to still hang around in the world earning a salary that can take care of her and her family in the future!! Though I try to consciously learn things here and there (For eg, I read through the letter of the Satyam's erstwhile chairman (?) about the financial anomolies that happened .......again and again quite sincerely), still updating and being fit is not becoming a sort of natural process for me......!!
Now, this long self description justifies why my poems do not have wide range of subjects (I remember making a factual mistake in a hycoo about Benazir Bhutto...that she was a president and not a PM......). I keep writing about little things just because I dont know any thing bigger to write about.....!! conversely, these little things keep me enough engaged that I do not have time or interest for so called big things that others around me seem to be interested.....
With my strong urge to express and share my thoughts and feelings get clubbed with my ability to enjoy little things and simple practical experiences, they get formed as poems....Perhaps, I am convinced that most of the poems were just waiting to be written by me....You can freely (!!) get reminded about your filled up bladder on a particular unfortunate day when you hunted for a place to urinate.....and relieved yourself....!! This is the best analogy that I can give when I think of the circumstances I wrote Agandam, thithikkude, MRTS and thurmaranam......!!
Well, WHY poems ? think this question got answered to some extend in the earlier para. To add up further, I can clearly see that poem is the best form of expression conserving the energy and time......particularly for a poor soul like me who is full of verbalization.....!! I have experienced a meditation like peace after writing poems which never happens if I talk a lot with people around me. I am able to identify my thirst for brevity lot more these days particularly my latest poem ...Paravai....!! I am going to be focussed on this as a goal from 2009 onwards as a steady march towards my fulfilment.....!!
On the areas that I need to be cautious on my poem writing, I note with some concern that all my poems were written in midnights....(midnight devils ??) and invariably I feel bit tired and restless on the subsequent day - not to mention the tantrums of Anoo when she caught me red handed busily writing when she is in her second innings of sleeping !! I only wish if I am able to consciously practise writing & discover some time in day time too.....!! It is going to be quite impossible to make this change completely but it is a challenge that I should take on my shoulders.
Coming to the next area of improvement, most of my poems are subjective and extremely personally referrable !! This is one reason why I have hesitation in sharing my poems with few people who I think can enjoy my writings as it will defeat the whole purpose of my poems...The exact words and few puns in the poems need an elaborate explanation to these people to put them in the rythem....and understand the situation of the poem. So, I am going to ensure maximum objectivity possible in my poems from now on ....In other words, though the KARU of the poem springs from a personal experience, I will ensure to select right words that may be appealing for a stranger and which has the potential to trigger his own personal experience and relate himself to the poem....Tough goal indeed..but I wish to try this from now on...In Paravai, my latest poem, I tried it but it was not appreciated and understood by the two readers (bechaara) as they got mixed it up with my descriptions about swimming though unfortunately the poem got nothing to do with swimming....Perhaps, I am trying to talk too many subjects at the same time...
Last but not the least, I need to read a lot from this year onwards, at least particularly good quality poems to write better. I clearly understand that I am not in the level of realised persons (like Sadhguru) who openly claim that they speak from their own experiences. When I can understand and appreciate "a wednesday", I am sure capable of understanding lot more qualitative creative works....and other art forms....!! Reading more poems and thoughts of others is rather an urgent need before I drain out completely.....!! I am quite confident that I can relate any thing that I read to my own realities and connect them in different spheres to add more value to the book knowledge....
Well, my latest poem "anniyam" is in the offing....it will be released in due course....!! I wish I make use of this powerful tool to elevate myself during the years to come and create a ripple in the mind of people around me.....!!
Krishnaarpanam.....// Suchoo
Transcendance 22 :: My Realisations of today
Prelude : Well, Though I have written around 40 poems until now in the past 2 years, my favourite & the closest to my heart is the small poem titled "Agandam" !
I distinctly remember that I typed it out in a frenzy at around 10.30 PM and sms-ed to you. I even remember that I followed it up with another such short poem the next morning at 4.30 AM (not one …but two).
Leaving out the background and the structure of this small cute (am I too boastful ?) poem, it is some thing that I keep getting reminded quite often as it is nothing but truth – at least for me. You once said – in your feedback to my latest poems – that I am becoming a true poet as I am capable of writing poem from day to day events…..!! Well, in fact you are both right and wrong in your statement….!! For me, the reality about this cute little poem (Agandam) is that I get triggered about it quite often from day to day experiences……Some times converses hold good too !
Well , I am not going to say once again that this musings is going to be quite long….(you are accustomed to it by now, I am sure)....All I can say is that it could be lot more gripping than my earlier musings and I pray it is so interesting that you don’t even feel like taking a break until you finish thru' the end…..
This will also be another testimony of what I exactly mean by all these lines I have written above.
Incident in nutshell : My purse containing Rs.1600 (exactly) was stolen when I was travelling in a public bus today morning
Incident in detail : It happened today morning say around 9 AM while I was travelling to office in Public Bus. I normally join my boss who travels by his car to office as I was fortunately placed in my current temporary residence in his enroute. Being the last day at my current residence and considering the punctuality of the my boss, today, I wanted to travel by public bus today (& reach office bit later than usual!) and gave a SMS to my boss early in the morning to the effect. I had really enjoyed the privacy and independence of my first fortnight stay at Coimbatore and was actually feeling grateful for my current home.
{Planning to shift to my relatively permanent home tomorrow}
I had to take a bus for a 10 minute ride to the Main Bus stand and from there I should take another bus to reach my office which is half hour journey. Last week end, I had spotted a "Madurai idli shop" close to the main bus stand and my today's plan includes having my naashtha at this spot….(mind you, I have been consistently cooking and eating all these days here…..!!).
The bus which I took to reach the Main Bus stand was too crowded and I had to push through my way to climb up the stairs to avoid foot board travelling. While I reached for my purse to purchase a ticket, I had no other way other than to open it publicly as I did not keep the necessary coins ready in my shirt pocket (which I normally do). The 500 Rs notes obviously displayed Mahatma's radiant smile which must have attracted some one – who in all probability could even be a novice in his trade!! Well, within few minutes, intuitively when I reached for my back pocket, YES…it was gone. The tail piece of the story is that I reached office without having any breakfast
Incidentally this is the first time (pray it is the last time too) such an incident is happening to me though I am normally absent minded and bit careless. (by "incident" I actually mean losing money; How can I forget my visit to police station at Gothenburg when I lost my passport "just like that" in my Sweden visit during 2006 ?
Post script : Remember the article written by T.T.Rangarajan on his (eight) realizations on the eve of the 100th issue of Frozen thoughts & the learning's that he had in the 8 years of the existence of this magazine. This article which I literally typed out for my friends was also sent you, was mind boggling to me and I was craving seeing at his brevity and clarity of expression which is eluding me. I am always blessed (cursed ?) with too many words and was quite suffocated to read this article which is made with minimum possible words though he sought to share his profound wisdom.
I am trying some thing very similar inspired by this particular article. Unfortunately, I cannot make it so nicely and crisply like him and should compromise with giving some amount of details about this morning incident in the earlier paragraphs so that the "distortions" in understanding could be minimized if not arrested completely !!
Well, though this section is titled as "post script", does it actually sound like a prelude for the next section ?? Its always like that….an end leads to another beginning ! Here you go…..
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My Realisations @ Rs.1600 Theft dated 20th Jan 2009 ©
When the fact dawned upon me that my purse was stolen, the first impulsive feeling that I had was "even at Coimbatore ? "… With the nice humble people that I have always come across in this city, having this question in mind was almost an involuntary reaction which I recollect now so vividly.
I REALISE that good and bad always exist together and one's opinion about any thing is just the summation of his total personal experiences that he had about any subject. Sometimes, the tragedy is one tends to form an opinion based on what he has read and heard from others but still, unfortunately the opinions formed sticks to him so deeply as if it is his own personal experience. There is just no point fighting with others on the opinions expressed…it is just a feeling expressed and nothing to do with what I feel on the subject.
When an untoward incident like theft happens, why do we get so shocked? Technically speaking, we are robbed off the utility of any thing which is robbed off from us. I REALISE that loss of currency notes shock us to the maximum extent as they represent the abstract potential rather than a factual utility.
While fumbling to reach the purse to get the coins in the bus, I had without any big reason pulled out a Rs.10 Note along with the needed coin and kept in my shirt pocket. I was lucky to have this money at least with me to continue my travel to the office though I had to skip my planned breakfast in a hotel. I REALISE that the value of Rs.10 which I got with me by sheer luck is much more than the value of Rs.1600 which I gave away to a thief, though unwillingly.
I was able to recover back from the loss of money within a minute. Without trying to advertise it (not out of shame or self consciousness, it was more out of accepting the reality), I was trying to look around the faces around me unable to pinpoint the black sheep. Eventually in my second bus journey, I was able to enjoy the chill air of this city and the warm friendly smile of the person sitting next to me. I REALISE that our feelings and emotions can all be steered the way we want and the manner we prioritize things about our life. In a way, our true self reveals quite calmly only in such unexpected incidents.
I was wondering if I should tell this to Anoo casually after I reach chennai in a relaxed mood but brushed off the thought immediately. This is not a huge amount that is going to destroy our lives and definitely I cannot allow this to spoil the precious 4 days I am going to be with them. Considering the manner the incident and the "loss" will be perceived by her, I decided to HOLD BACK the incident within me. I REALISE the power and pleasure of holding back – whether it is words in the form of explanations or emotions taking the most physical form of semen…..HOLDING BACK seems to be a wiser option whenever feasible.
While I decide to hold back this incident from my near and dear, with my perennial urge to share it, I am posting this in the Web for any one to read ! , I REALISE the paradox in life some times which we have to consciously enjoy. – like the co existence of Moodam and mudhirchi….
On Jan 1st when I musing about things to be done and new initiatives to be taken up for 2009 (which I meticulously think about every year, though I might not see through them during the course of the year, which is a different matter altogether), I had intuitively taken a goal of buying a Bicycle for me (Even written it in a Goal Tracker sheet). I was triggered again on this goal during last week when my boss made a mention to me that from the location where I am going to stay in this city, there is a nice short cut to reach our office which can skip the busy highways through out the 6 km distance. Now, do I call this a coincidence that I am going to rigorously go ahead with my wish triggered by this incident? We will have a bus to pick up but it is going to be a rudimentary service for the whole of 2009 until the minimum number of mass joins the company for regular services. I REALISE that if we want to connect things we can connect the whole eternity into a web & if we don’t want to, we can laugh at any thing and every thing as a coincidence.
I wanted to have breakfast at a food joint today morning but ended up walking 1 and half kilometre from the bus stand to office with empty stomach. I REALISE that every single thing that we wish need not happen exactly the way we want. The best thing is to smile at those things which happened our way & laugh off at things that did not work our way. Well, I will be wise enough to have lunch bit earlier than usual today.
As an irony (or it is a tragedy), my boss picked me up in his car while I was walking towards the office. He knew nothing that happened and I did not tell him either. He never knew that it is not the same person who used to sit beside him every day for the past fortnight and that today I have become bit wiser. I REALISE that so much can happen to one individual while others may have a drab and plain day. For that matter, I could have had a peaceful incident-free day some time earlier when my boss got wiser on some specific day.
While travelling in the bus towards office, I saw an old frail lady with hunch back who was struggling to sit down in the ground as she realised that our bus will not take her to her destination. I was looking at her for few moments when the bus was still in that bus stop and in a particular moment both our eyes met. Suddenly it struck me that I am much better off than this lady who cannot even raise her head normally to see the bright blue sky in the day and the lovely nice moon in the nights. I REALISE that comparison is a great stress buster and mental reliever for mankind and though we should be wise enough to be sure that we are all unique, still we need to get connected to people around us frequently and compare all the good that has been blessed upon me.
While I am damn sure that I did not have more money than Rs.1600, I still carry a doubt if my Debit Card is also lost…by any chance. Though I am 99.99 % sure that it is safe in my suitcase at home, still I am not going to be relieved of this nagging in the mind until I reach home and verify it for myself. I REALISE that nothing comes to an end in life. While this posting comes to an end with a physical full stop at the end of this statement, life is always a COMMA and human lives can become saner with this basic understanding.
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