Apostle of Peace

Born and died in India
yet left his mark
on nations  many
South Africa, America
Myanmar & many more...

Many free thinkers inspired
by this nonviolent Mahatma
his methods impacting work
of King, Mandela, Suukyi..

A lot of the teachings of apostle
trace back to the land of birth
the cradle of spirituality
where blossomed Gurus like
Ramakrishna, Ramana, Sree narayana..

Time overdue to reaffirm & declare
 the great message-
"Vasudeva kutumbakam"
a single global family..

Time long overdue
for the world to pay heed
to the words of the apostle
the apostle of peace!

PS: This poem was written on the focal theme "Vasdeva Kutumbakam" and recited by me at the Kafla International's 10th international writers festival, India held on 27-28 Dec 2014 in Thiruvananthapuram

Deep Down

Deep down, we are all the same
no matter what the differences
in skin- brown, white, black, off white
deep down we are all the same!

Deep down. we all want the same things..
love, respect, caring
a smile, a pat
yes, deep down humans globally
want the same things!

Deep down, a man
can never be happy
when a brother is starving
striving,grieving in another
part of the world

Deep down for individual happiness
 we need at  global level
happiness, health, wellbeing.....
smiles  on the face of man
And  mankind!

PS: This poem was written on the focal theme "Vasdeva Kutumbakam" of the Kafla International's 10th international writers festival, India

PK- Tribute to a movie

So much happiness
so much joy
watching this movie- PK
under the baton
of the Munnabhai captain-
the trusted & reliable Hirani-
Rajkumar Hirani!

Giggles and  chuckles
peals of laughter
escaped my body
merged with others
creating a roar
in the audi galore!

Satire and humour
the deadly combine
to poke fun
at Earthlings
who h've long lost
their nature-true nature
to God & God men!

They now fight, kill
and rob- all in the
name of their God & religion!

Amir to Saurabh
hero to villain
all actors play roles
 perfect to the T !

Kudos to the team
the entire team
full marks to them
for this beautiful film!

Mind

The vagaries of the mind-
difficult to fathom
flits in seconds from
one thought to another

Some thoughts positive
often times negative
presuming, assuming
and second guessing

Assigning motives
to happenings, incidents..
many why & what questions-
why he/she didn't smile at me?
acknowledge me...
perhaps didn't like
something I'd done ?
what could this mean to me..
our future transactions?

Said a wise one
" I am an old man and
  I have h'd many worries
many of which never happened!
 

Art of Acceptance

Fishing for compliments
like a plant in a desert
yet not knowing
what to do with it
when it comes...

" The cooking was great today!"
" Oh really ???, hardly paid any attention.."
"Wonderful shirt you are wearing!"
"Oh this?, an old one that I fished out.."
"Great job, well done"
"I did as usual, nothing special..."

With responses like these
what can be expected?
How many times
will a hand be offered
if not accepted in a handshake..

And when they stop coming
eventually they will
you are upset and complain
nobody cares for me
nobody values me!

KSS on the Occasion of World Diabetes day

On the occasion of the world diabetes day, our chief medical officer Dr Kumaran offered to do a knowledge sharing session on the "Diabetes Awareness & Education". World Diabetes Day (WDD) is observed every year on November 14 and  the campaign is led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and its member associations. It engages millions of people worldwide in diabetes advocacy and awareness.

We in the learning & development department jumped at the offer of the  CMO, given the fact that  one cannot know too much about a disease that is constantly growing and affecting all  sections of the population without any bias of age, sex or colour! Dr Kumaran described  diabetes as  a chronic  disease that "follows you like a shadow". He revealed that  by the year 2025,  six crore Indians are expected to be in the grip of this disease! Yet,with proper education & awareness one can lead a long life without complications.

Normally, in a talk of this nature many people may  assume that they already know most of what is required to be known about the disease as it is often discussed under the life style diseases along with hyper tension and obesity. Yet Dr Kumaran's presentation was not only informative but fine tuned for the audience - employees working in an Indian manufacturing industry. After the talk, there was opportunity for interaction & clarification by the audience.

At the outset, doctor  explained that diabetes is caused due to either the pancreas not producing enough insulin or the cells of the body not responding properly to the insulin produced. There are three main types of diabetes mellitus:

• Type 1 DM results from the body's failure to produce enough insulin. This form was previously referred to as "insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus" (IDDM) or "juvenile diabetes". The cause is unknown.
• Type 2 DM begins with insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to respond to insulin properly. As the disease progresses a lack of insulin may also develop. This form was previously referred to as "non insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus" (NIDDM) or "adult-onset diabetes". The primary cause is excessive body weight and not enough exercise.
• Gestational diabetes, is the third main form and occurs when pregnant women without a previous history of diabetes develop a high blood glucose level

Prevention and treatment involves a healthy diet, physical exercise, not using tobacco and maintaining   a normal body weight. Blood pressure control and proper foot care are also important for people with the disease. In this connection the doctor advised  weight control, restricting the  BMI to 23- 24 ( Normal is 18-25, over weight- 26 to 30, obese 30 to 39 and  a BMI of more than 40 being classified as morbid obesity ) . He also warned that a waist line of more than 40 inches is dangerous.  Apple obesity ie obesity above the waste is a matter of concern as against pear obesity( below the waste).According to him an increased waist line denotes  a decreased life line.

Dr Kumaran underscored the importance of education in arresting diabetes and opined that each patient or potential patient should assume the role of a medical student .  With respect to diet & nutrition, he suggested that 50% of a meal consist of vegetables ( 5 varieties of rainbow coloured vegetables that include yellow,orange,green & purple colours), 25% carbohydrates and 25% protiens.He advised to consume more of fibre based food to reduce the absorption of sugar and to restrict oil consumption to three spoons per day.Although olive oil is the best, it is advisable to consume a mix of different oils to get maximum benefits over a period.  In this connection, I liked the novel suggestions given by him for modifying the food regularly used by us, instead of advising some fancy food from abroad  viz  adding vegetables & pulses to your dosas, adding to your rotis various types of dhals/pulses, adding tomato & vegetables to  Samba wheat upuma and preferring vegetable chutneys to coconut or peanut chutneys.He suggested taking food in smaller quantity more number of times( morning,mid morn, Noon, Evening, night and bed time (milk,marie bicuits).

75%  of  dealing with diabetes rests with the patient. Apart from the focus on what one eats, attention should be given to the following:-

• Regular exercise of 45 minutes per day that includes stretch exercise, aerobic (walking, jogging,swimming) and anaerobic (weights)  exercises.
• Regular health check ups -once in three months to check  blood sugar viz fasting, post food consumption(PP) and HBA1c (an average in 3 month period). For diabetic patients, the fasting levels should be within 100 and 126, PP between 140 and 160  and a HBA1c of below 7%.
• Checking blood pressure periodically (120/80  is normal) as also cholesterol( total cholesterol < 200)
• An eye check up at least once in a year (17-18 maximum eye pressure)
• visit to dentist once a month
• Brushing teeth with fluoride tooth paste twice a day
• Dental floss instead of using tooth pick
• kidney function check once in six months
• Avoid tobacco- A single cigarette is known to contain 7000 chemicals!
• Keep the feet as clean as your face to avoid possibility of any infection entering
• Not cut the toe nails too deep
• Wear comfortable foot wear- Micro cellular (MCR) sandals with buckle
• Tread mill check  once in a year (by pass surgery would be required if  block in  3 vessels)
• Drink 5 litres of water per day
• Sleep 7 to 8 hours a day.
• Practice yoga & meditation
• Carry an ID card with you indicating the diabetic condition

Dr Kumaran concluded the session reminding the participants that  accepting responsibility & following the tips as above, can keep the five dreaded Pathys at bay ( Cardiomyopathy affecting heart, neuropathy affecting nerves, retinopathy affecting the eye, nephropathy affecting kidneys & dermopathy, affecting skin). He suggested utilizing the services of a comprehensive diabetic clinic so that all aspects of diabetes are addressed at a single window.The guidelines also ensure the health of your feet,teeth & other parts of the body which can be adversely affected  by uncontrolled diabetes.With that, it was curtains for a very informative & enlightening session and all the participants joined learning & Development in thanking the speaker for the kind and timely gesture!
 

Interview- Author's Lounge

Dear Readers

I  have been sharing the posts of all my three blogs ( www.hrdian.blogspot.com, www.corporatepoem.blogspot.com and www.rajeevianlinesandverses.blogspot.com)  in  "rate my literature.com"(RML) , a site devoted to featuring the writing of amateurs.

 Ms Padmaja  Iyengar (who along with her son Etentacles administers the site), interviewed me for her monthly feature "Author's Lounge which traces the writing journey of various writers who regularly contribute to RML. With her permission, I am sharing the link for your perusal..

http://www.ratemyliterature.com/magazine/read/authors-lounge--in-conversation-with-paddy--mn-rajeev-aka-rajeev_5586.html  ( presently this  site is down for maintenance)

Authors’ Lounge – In conversation with Paddy – M.N. Rajeev a.k.a. Rajeev Moothedath

 M.N. Rajeev (a.k.a. Rajeev Moothedath) is one of those rare persons who straddles a high profile corporate career and his passion for writing with equal ease. It is not every day that you see a busy corporate professional making time to read and appreciate amateur writers. Well, Rajeev does that and how well too! He reads all the blogs on RML and posts his well-considered feedback.

Rajeev deftly manages to write sensitive poetry and interesting HR-based articles with equal dexterity. His presentation of highly complex HR issues in simple terms that is understood even by a layman, speaks volumes of his writing and presentation skills. While in corporate parlance HRM refers to Human Resource Management, according to me, Rajeev is a double HRM specialist – Human Resource Management and Human Relations Management, concepts of which come across so well in his writes. Rajeev’s documentation skills too are noteworthy. He has shared on RML the details of many a corporate program that he has attended, of which he had apparently maintained meticulous notes to be recalled and presented as articles of great value to the reader.

                                                                                               

It would interest you all to know that he holds a key position in a leading automobile MNC in Chennai and is also a member of the Chennai Poets’ Circle.

Come, let’s discover together other facets of Rajeev’s career and personality!

1.  1  Hi Rajeev! Greetings from RML! And a warm welcome to the Authors’ Lounge! Please share something of your background and early life with us.

 Greetings to you Paddy and the RML fraternity .It is indeed a pleasure and privilege to be interviewed by you and to be featured in Authors’ Lounge.

 I was born in Ernakulam, Kerala and had my schooling in Kendriya vidyalaya Ernakulam. I feel it is my school that shaped my personality to a great extent as there was a lot of focus on co-curricular activities and not just on studies. This gave me the opportunity to participate in essay writing, debates, singing and acting in dramas. We were encouraged to read news during the morning assembly. We also had a good library from where we could borrow books and read magazines & journals.

Those days we were required to choose electives of study right from high school. I chose Economics, history & English Literature. This meant being exposed to Shakespeare’s Julius Ceaser, Thomas Hardy’s novel “Far from the madding crowd” and also to poetry of poets like Shelley, Keats, Thomas Gray, Alfred Lord Tennyson and others.

After schooling, I did graduation in economics and post-graduation in social work with specialization in personnel management (as HR was then called) from the reputed Madras School of social work. This opened the door to the corporate world and I joined as a management trainee in Visvesvaraya Iron & steel Ltd Bhadravati, Karnataka.  Later, I got LLB degree from Mysore University. Since then I have been working in the HR function in both the public & private sector companies. Presently I am the HOD of learning & development (training) department in an auto major MNC operating out of Chennai.

2.  2  Wow! a great start in life and an upwardly mobile professional career! Amidst all this, when and how did the writing bug bite you?

It is an interesting question. In view of the creative climate at school, I started writing when I was around twelve years. The first poem was shown to the class teacher who had edited it so much that it only vaguely resembled what I had originally written! Later when I was in class X, I send a poem to Indian Express. Those days we did not have separate children’s corner in newspapers. I received a regret reply stating that my writing showed promise but that I need to keep on writing to improve. Although, no publishing happened, I continued to write in a note book which I called “A book of hobby” that now included short stories as well .Our school had a competition for bringing out manuscript class magazines every year to which I regularly contributed. Later I contributed to the college magazines.

After starting work, the “Book of hobby had less and less entries. A poem would come on first wedding anniversary and another at the time of the birth of first child. The priorities had shifted unconsciously. During this period all writing skills were limited to office correspondence for which there was fair scope as I was then working in public sector.

Sometime around the year 2000, I developed an interest in writing articles on the corporate life, its priorities and challenges. Some of them were published in the management section- Avenues’ of the Deccan Herald,    leading newspaper from Bangalore. National Institute of Personnel Management, Mysore Chapter also published my articles in their annual magazines.

It was in September 2012 that I decided to write a blog on HR matters. After I had written a few posts, someone suggested that I make it available on Indi blogger for better readership. This proved true But more importantly, it exposed me to creative writing in the form of poetry, short stories etc which prompted me to resume poetry writing and start a separate blog for nonprofessional writing, touching on  general subjects. I also started a blog exclusively for corporate poems. Later another noble soul introduced me to RML and the warmth I received here was an inspiration to keep writing. Today, if I have been able to post more than 90 blogs it is on account of encouraging readers.

  

3.  3  That’s interesting! What is the difference you find when you write a profession-related piece and a literary piece like poetry? And which according to you is more difficult?

The spark is the same whether I am writing a professional article or creative poetry. It is just that a lot more time needs to be spent on the article as it tends to be longer. For me, a quicker output is possible when writing poetry. But the satisfaction one derives on completing either of the forms is the same.

4.    4 Here on RML, we have had the privilege of reading a good number of your professional HR based articles. Do you believe that the principles you speak of, can be applied to our day to day life too? If so how?

You may have noticed that most of my articles are related to the basic human nature like practicing core values, power of appreciation, civility in behaviour and power of storytelling to drive home a point. These can be applied with benefit as much in our personal lives as in a professional environment. As for example expressing appreciation & thanks to your wife for her wonderful cooking would make her happy as would an appreciated employee for work well done.

Disclosing more about yourself & seeking feedback from others (Johari window) will enhance trust whether at home or at work.

5   5  I for one know that you are a very committed and passionate corporate trainer. What motivated you to take up training? And how did you hone your training skills?

In the initial stage of my career I had the good fortune of being selected for a “Train the trainer” program. 21 of us got trained and were expected to train the remaining 520 executives of the company. This assignment was in addition to our regular work. I found myself enjoying this activity. Later, I volunteered for similar OD initiatives. One’s skill, confidence and comfort levels tend to go up over a period of time. I also got the opportunity to see many trainers at close quarters and appreciate the varying styles & its impact on the participants

6   6 How do you manage to divide time between your family, profession and writing? How do you prioritize?

Today, the children having grown up (both sons are working), do not demand much time. On the contrary, we have to demand time from them which they may prefer to spend with peers & friends!

Writing is mostly done in a few lines or para when I get the time & inspiration. When it adds up to a whole article, I publish in the blog/RML.

As ideas come to mind, I note them down in a small book to be developed later.

7   7  Do you read a lot? What kind of writing appeals to you? Who are your favourite writers?

I used to read a lot more than what I am doing presently. The interest & taste in the nature of books have also changed over the years. Enid Blyton books as a child, then P.G.Wodehouse, James Hadley Chase Erle Stanley Gardner (Perry Mason), Agatha Christie and Harold Robins. Over a period, the interest in fiction dwindled and I got drawn to books of Dale Carnegie, Norman Vincent Peale, Deepak Chopra, Wayne  Dyer, Brian Weiss(Many Lives, many masters), Louise Hay(You can heal your life),Dr Bernie Siegel(Love, Medicine, Miracles), Anita Moorjani(Dying to be me)  and James Redfield (Celestine Prophesy).

Simultaneously the books of management authors like Moid Siddiqui, Edward de Bono, Spencer Johnson, Dr Marshall Goldsmith. Kennath.H.Blanchard and others also interested me. I also read books on spirituality (Eckhart Tolle- Power of Now, Publications of Osho / Ramakrishna mission/ Ramana Maharshi/Brahmakumaris)

  8. What is your message to all the young writers out there, who are passionate about writing, but are caught up in their professional preoccupations and family pressures and commitments?

I only have a simple message for all the bright, talented youngsters who have an interest & flair for writing and are also working. Do not let what happened to me, happen to you.The profession should not put a break to your creative pursuits. Keep writing a few lines every day and before you know it, you would have a substantial body of work in writing over the years. The wonderful internet is today available to you. Therefore publishing & readership is not a problem. So make the most of it!

Forgiveness

Spiritual masters advice
to forgive and forget
for most of us though
this is a tough ask

A popular film line goes
"How easy to say 'forget'
easier it is, not to be
born on this earth"

Yet not forgiving would mean
pent up resentment
hurt,anger, pain ..
eating into one's depths
a breeding ground
for illness many!

the release frees us
from the burden of
their thoughts, their action
from living & reliving
the unpleasant, over & over again!

Forgiveness then, is not for them
not even because they deserve it
but for our own well being
health, peace of mind...

All Eggs in the same basket

When we put all our eggs
in one basket, the same basket
and God forbid something
happens to the basket
we go to pieces...

When we have held the 'family'
as the only purpose of living
and invested in it for years
a hurting action from a member-
and we go to pieces

When we have slogged day & night
on a career,ignoring health
family, social needs
then, a setback in promotion
a painful 360 degree feedback
and we go to pieces

When we have focused on
health for a life time
with punishing schedules, favouritefood denials
suddenly, diagnosed with disease serious
and we go to pieces

The seven areas of life
that include health, wealth
career,social, emotional
intellectual & spiritual
are distinct baskets to place our eggs
of efforts, hopes, aspirations
each equally important, none bigger
than the other...

Viewed  this way
life meaningful and  enriched
in ways so many..
a setback in one is balanced by the other
so, we no longer go to pieces!

More Indian than you think

I have always been a proud Indian. The pride was reinforced right from childhood when I studied in Kendriya Vidyalaya and on various occasions, we were reminded of our proud heritage. As for example the four houses in the school were named after heroes Ashoka,Tagore, Shivaji and Raman. Those days I used to day dream that India will regain its position among the comity of nations. By the time we were in college however, a little bit of disappointment and disillusionment had set in. I had even written a poem in Hindi recalling all the glories of the past and then asking “but how long will it take to bounce back?- The black beard is turning white…” Yet, in the heart of hearts there was this feeling that India will be back where it belongs, right at the top!

Since then, it has taken more than three decades for the sleeping giant to awaken.. yet awakened it has and how! As an economics student I had heard the lament so many times right through college that the population of India is its greatest stumbling block. Yet today the same population is seen as a strength Many countries view her as  an important market and are evincing more and more interest in India.Earlier also there was interest in India as a spiritual country. Now, the interest is for many more diverse reasons. The software professionals of India have made a mark world wide and recently a proud Prime minister Modi announced to the world of how the Indian scientists  successfully launched the Mangalyan to Mars at a cost that is less than that of a Hollywood movie on space travel.

In the game of cricket, India was for many years considered a light weight. both in terms of players' achievement as also in terms of the clout of BCCI (Board for control of cricket in India) at the level of ICC (International cricket council). In both areas there is a complete turnaround with the cash rich BCCI having a big say today  in ICC.Even when there was a general contempt for the song & dance routine of Indian commercial cinema, it has thrived over the years with a steady increase in interest in Indian movies. As for example Tamil Superstar  Rajanikant's films are very popular in Japan  and east Asia as are Hindi movies, particularly Shahrukh Khan's today in Europe & America..For all you know its influence could be seen in foreign films in future. Just as there is a craze among foreign cricket players to be part of the IPL (Indian premier League), more and more foreign actors are expressing their wish to be part of Bollywood.

With the globe having shrunk over the years, in the sense of nations having more & more exposure to each other, Asian food whether it is Chinese, Indian or Thai have gained popularity. Therefore the biriyani, kebab or idli, dosa have its fans all over the world,. The difference in the approach  to India and Indians is clearly visible. This is partly because of higher expectations Indians have from  themselves and also from others as a customer or consumer. In October 2011 when I went to Alabama in the US to attend our company's (Hyundai) global HRD conference, our team of three flew Lufthansa both ways. while we enjoyed the quiet efficiency of the airline and the staff, I personally missed our Indian food. Hence it was thrilling to see the recent Ad of the airline wherein a grandson tells his grand dad that they had boarded the wrong flight since tempting, sumptuous Indian  fare was being served! How i wished that this had happened in October 2011!

Historically, India was believed to be a very prosperous nation. Many travelers and invaders came in search of her.Other countries were discovered while in her pursuit.Not only in terms of wealth was she famous but also for culture and learning. The ancient universities of Nalanda and Thakshasila had many foreign students studying in them. 

Today,  the changing trend world wide tend to suggest that Indians and India are  inching towards the place they rightly belong. Yes, the world is becoming more Indian than you think!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrYhrZ3ppik   

One Year for Mourning- Book Review

I had the pleasure and privilege of attending the 7th Guntur International poetry festival in September and reciting my poems before an august audience of eminent poets. Soon after the inauguration, we had a book release ceremony wherein the latest books of some of the writers were released. That is how I became aware and was introduced to the book under review, "One year for mourning" by Ketaki Datta published by Partridge publishing. This is the author's second novel. She is an accomplished poet & short story writer.

The novel starts in a hospital with the protagonist's mother, Tapati fighting cancer. Mithi, the protagonist goes down the memory lane and all the characters associated with her mother's and her own life are brought alive before the readers. The life circumstances & deep innermost thoughts of the characters are all captured in the novel with a lot of detailing. So you have the story of a very talented sitar player,Tapati who does not pursue music big time in order to be home maker for her doctor husband and two children. Readers also get a peep in to the lives of her friend Rani, a doctor's wife who is frustrated that her husband cannot give her a child and gets involved with the sitar teacher. Her colourful past, the rejection & later acceptance by the husband on the condition that she give up her child (put in an orphanage) all provide for dramatic moments and interesting reading.

The lives- happiness, trials & tribulations of many other characters including that of the protagonist, her neighbour Sreejitha and her father are well etched out in the novel which gives the readers a feel of the Bengali culture and their way of life throughout the narrative. Being a poet, the author has included many beautiful lines of poetry, spontaneously merging in to the plot of the novel. Her literary background finds expression in the discussions on Rabindranath Tagore & Shakespeare. The novel has all the ingredients to ensure the attention of the readers- romance & love, passion & sex, boredom, pain in its various forms, family ties & obligations etc.
With her background of English literature, the author has enriched the novel with some sublime descriptions: To quote just a sample

" The tunes seemed to have wings on which they floated over the ripples of the river, the soothing breeze around and got wafted far off to spiral up to the mid sky, I felt"

"Days were calm. The sultriness of long sunny afternoons got washed off in the drizzle at night. Quite refreshing it was. In this hick town, days were divided into hot afternoons and mysterious rainy nights. My father used to take us to the river bed almost every Sunday to get a touch of the soothing breeze that would get transformed in to a heavy downpour by night. I was writing poems, taking a peek at my notes on Macbeth and Hard times and again the sadness infused by mom's sitar notes was laying it's spell on me."

Some of the aspects of the novel that distracts the free flow of the narrative are use of words like "My mother" or "my father" number of times when it is clear from the context as to who is being referred to. Just the word "mother" or "father" would have been sufficient. The same can be said of use of the term "hick town" number of times instead of simply stating the name of the town, Hridayapur. The words 'forty winks' is used too many times, some times as a substitute for the word 'sleep ' although the former is meant to be used for a nap. In a novel format simpler words could have been preferred in place of 'loquacious', 'soliloquizing' 'vapid' and similar words requiring a dictionary nearby. Ketaki Datta, however is an amazing story teller with a lot of promise and one can expect even better creations from her pen in future.

Over all it is a fast paced novel that moves through various seasons of spring, summer, autumn. winter and spring once  again, after "One year of mourning" with an interesting  last line climax.

Ps:  The book can be procured from www.flipkart.com and www.amazon.com

 

It's Really Me

On a given day
I am on a roll
everything seems to be working for me
I look at a person and he is already smiling

I ask help from a colleague
and it's immediately given
all experiences pleasant
whether at work, the coffee shop
at the cinema or social scene

Yet on other days
I feel people ignoring me
are unfriendly & unhelpful
I am diffident to even seek help...

How can it be
that the same people behave
differently on different days
how can they be rude
and friendly to the same 'me'

with a little pondering
observation & introspection
I can now see
that it's all about me
and what I am feeling

If I am feeling down
nonenthused & exhausted
these get reflected
on my face & body-
frowning face, drooping shoulders
moving away, withdrawing..

No wonder then
they pick up the signals
and return to me
the same things I projected

So it's all about me
what I am thinking & feeling
it's not them
it's really me!

Grit, Challenge, Determination

Last night I saw the flick, Mary Kom
had tears in my eyes at the end of film
the audience rose spontaneously
as the national anthem played
in honour of the nation & Mary Kom

It hit me then, the simple truth
that achievements of Indians
more so of women
are so much more laudable
as they make it against heavy odds
poverty, sports federations
family pressures, cultural pressures!

and yet,but for the cricketeers
others are forgotten & fade away
some sell hard earned world medals
to make two ends meet...

I salute the makers,
the crew before & behind the camera
I salute Mary Kom
the gritty determined
five time world champion who
tasted success before & after marriage
even after motherhood!

Her saga of grit, challenge
and determination continues
as she eyes the championship
for the sixth time
come 2016...

Routine

It is killing me
up early-rush to work
repetitive tasks
eat, work,sleep,work,eat sleep
over and over
again and again
It sucks life out of  me...
what about you?

Shades of Love

As a young man then
listening to an experienced senior
I was in a  light hearted mood
felt what he was saying
was not of immediate significance

yet, he was in  all earnestness
explaining how love, its intensity
and meaning changed over a time & period
he started from  the beginning..

As a young couple
love meant excitement
yearning for a telephone call
and passionate letters
when away from each other

Later, with the arrival of children
the love got diffused & diverted
to the new VIP  members...
and he, the husband felt
a little  lost- a little ignored

With time...
The content in the letters changed
from "miss you so much dear!" to
"water the plants and
don't forget the monthly provisions
before my return."

These changes he concluded
are natural , to be expected
and to be accepted gracefully
the younger "me" then, was not convinced..

but he was very clear
unwavering in his view
wisdom of experience dancing on his brow
 Today with salt & peppered hair
 I can understand him
 his point of view  better

But what  of those
who lack similar maturity & acceptance
who  refuse to accept
the varying shades of love...?


 

Trust

We trust people
of whom we know a lot
we tend to be wary
of the unknown..

which is why
many feel that "a known devil
is better than an unknown angel"
This is the reason
we stick on to unhappy jobs
abusive marriages
manipulative friendships..

Yet, trust can be developed
with many more people
by disclosing more & more about us
to others-our backgrounds,likes,dislikes
priorities,aspirations & diappointments...

and also by seeking feedback
from others- what they honestly
 think about our behaviour
as exhibited on the job,at home
in social situations...

As you know more & more
you relax & begin to trust another
even if the person is not perfect
after all, you know the person well
you know what to expect, plus or minus
you can trust him/her!

Energy

I met a man today
so much of positivity..

After many years spent working
he had decided to take the plunge
in to full time social service
teach others yoga, with focus
not merely on the physical
but a lot on the spiritual
and inputs on kaya kalpa yoga as well

Discussions with him
was to be brief & to the point
just for exploring possibility
of utilising at our premises
the noble services on offer

But time flew while the talk flowed
for we were relaxed & unguarded
no planning & plotting was  required
to take this conversation forward
for it was effortless
enjoyable and fulfilling

As he took leave
I was feeling energized
every day we meet many people
interacting with some
leave our energy levels depleted
we feel exhausted..
while others like him leave us
 with high energy levels!
 

Choice

Fire is just fire
it is neutral
it is niether good or bad

One can use it to cook
use as light & warmth
in a dark cold forest
or use it to burn others
or self like the suicide bombers..

similar is the truth with poetry & the fine arts
can be used to lament, condemn
dwell on the dark sides of life
wallow in self pity..

One can also use fine art & writing
to exhort, motivate
focus on the rainbow & sunshine
rather than on the dark clouds.
the choice is yours...

Harmonious Happiness

Ms Mahalakshmi of Finance and her fiancé Karthick (who had worked earlier in the company in GA department) had come down to invite me for their wedding on 5th March 2012. They pointed out that 4^th March, the reception date was a Sunday, and so convenient to attend.

I was pondering over this. It is a fact that normally a function on a Sunday is an advantage. But this particular weekend, I would be out of station. How could I convey my regards & warm greetings to the young couple even when not being physically present?   Suddenly an idea came to my mind. What if I went back to my notes & shared the lines of wisdom imparted by Mr Sugi Sivam, noted speaker in Tamilnadu, during the “Newly married Couples” program organized by our ER department.

So through my notes, I journey back to the 18th  of February 2010- This is what he said then:

1)       Do not give room for a third person to enter into your married life- not even your mother, brother or sister

2)      Accept certain things which form the core or basic nature of your partner. Don’t try to change him or her in this aspect. As for example your partner is very religious & you don’t like this.

3)      Retain the closeness & attraction that you feel for each other till the end

4)      Problems arise because of the many expectations you have from the partner. Instead practice acceptance

5)      Never compare your spouse with anyone else. Can you compare a Rose with a Lily? Each flower is  unique & beautiful in its own way

6)      His advice to husbands: when you come home tired from office, wife tells about a lot of problems, just listen to it silently

7)      The moments of love is the only thing that remains at the end of life

8)      You can’t love anybody if you keep looking for limitations /faults  in the other

9)      When you go out with your wife, give undivided attention to her and don’t focus on friends  or other people

10)  Avoid being self centered; keep the wellbeing of spouse always in mind.

 It is my belief that these are pearls of wisdom from a distinguished personality who has been guiding many people over the years. I wished the young couple all the best. I had put it up in knowledge management site of our company intranet so that many more could benefit. Now, I am publishing it in my blog with the prayer that  my readers enjoy harmonious happiness in their lives.

 

Ramanujan - Movie Review

yesterday I  had the privilege
of watching the biopic
'Ramanujan' on the silver screen
a story of the trials, tribulations
success, glory & pain
of the mathematical genius..
Srinivasa ramanujan

lived every moment
along with the protagonist
as he moved from childhood to adulthood
his brillance as a child and later..
maths craze, bordering on madness
financial struggles, rejection

marriage, fleeting,stolen moments of love
pains of seperation and journey to UK
alienation in culture,food, climate
yet unstinted support from Hardy, the mentor  professor
falling prey to the dreaded tuberculosis
Glory atlast - declared fellow of the Royal Society

Return to India to a tumultuous welcome
some moments again with the beloved spouse
TB's victory & world's loss
of a genius at 32!
his findings serving many disciplines
like computers as late as in 2012


Whom do I thank
for enlightening us on a great son..
for making this Indian  proud
to share citizenship with a genius-
the writer Director gnana Rajasekaran?
the wonderful technicians behind camera?
or the perfect cast of Abhinay Vaddi, suhasini,Bhama& others?

And what rating can I give
a cinema so balanced
no number relevant
for saluting this  work
on  the man of numbers
a must see for all  Indians!


 

Evening of Life

I thought I would make a telephone call to Gopal. It had been a long time since I had talked to him. I called his number; it rang a number of times but there was no response. Two days later, I tried once again, with the same result. A week later, I attempted a third time. As no one picked up the phone this time as well, I decided to go down and meet Gopal at his residence. When I reached and rang the calling bell, Sandeep, the youngest son of Gopal, opened the front door. “Is your father at home?” I asked, soon after entering the house. He gave me a strange look. “You don’t know? Father expired two months back. We had given information about it in two leading newspapers.”  I was shocked to hear that. I had been out of station around that time and had somehow not heard about it.

Gopal’s wife walked in and joined in the conversation. They seemed to be very matter of fact about the whole thing. As the discussion progressed, Sandeep said, “Father never bothered about anything, except about his own needs. He wanted to eat and sleep well, particularly looking forward to the non-vegetarian preparations at the week end.” I was surprised to hear that. After all, he had as the sole breadwinner brought up four children. Sandeep dismissed my observation on these lines with a smile “I know dad’s friends think a hell of a lot of him. For us, he was nothing special. You should see the amount of financial and other support parents give their children. Uncle, I know you would have done a lot for your children!”

I was a little embarrassed. I could not claim to have done anything extraordinary for my two sons except provide the normal sound education. Not wanting to listen more of such talk, I hurriedly took leave. “Keep visiting uncle” called out Sandeep as I stepped on to the street. In my mind though, I kind of knew that this would be my last visit to this place, given the fact that my friend no longer lived there. As I trudged along on the street pensively, memories came flooding into my mind, of our association and the various activities that we had engaged in together over the years…. Memory of the last time I had met Gopal came rushing in like a flash.  His face had been troubled; he wanted to tell me something, but was holding himself back. I had encouraged and cajoled him to speak. Yet when Gopal completed his tale, I did not know what to say.

 Gopal had been a colleague in a previous company and had retired 8 years ago. We were meeting after a long time. He had seen many ups and downs in a working career of over 35 years. He started as a clerk, worked his way up and was a manager at the time of retirement. During this period, in the home front he focused completely on the education & wellbeing of his four children. He had the satisfaction of seeing all the four doing well, three of them boys, engineers and the girl a dentist. After retirement, he was living with one of the sons in Chennai, the others working in other parts of the country. His earning was a monthly pension under the company's pension scheme.

Gopal had shared with me about the small, little ways his son was seemingly humiliating him.... A diabetic, he needs to go for periodic checkups. Recently, his son accompanied him but soon disappeared at the hospital. The consultation fee was to be paid at the cash counter before meeting the doctor. He searched for his son, Sanjeev but he was nowhere near the counter at the reception. He later found him standing in a corner far away and had to request him to pay the fee.

When he finally met the doctor, he advised him to take three dozes of an injection to avoid kidney complications. Each of the doze would cost Rs 1500/. Sanjeev said he would cross check with other hospitals & confirm whether this procedure was absolutely necessary and whether a less expensive medicinal doze was available. He had a doubt that the doctor was suggesting unnecessary procedures. Now, one and half months had passed and still there was no sign of Sanjeev taking him for the injection. Gopal had reminded him 3 to 4 times but he didn’t seem to pay attention. Now he didn’t know what to do. His eldest son was coming from Kolkata next week. Perhaps he should tell him of his plight and seek his help...

As he was sharing with me his problems & feelings, Gopal's voice broke a number of times. “You know," he told me "This Sanjeev was an introvert, could not speak English well and lacked in self-confidence. I went and fought & cajoled a premier college in the city to accept him. I had also arranged private tuitions in the subjects he was weak. Today he has blossomed in to a very confident young man. He is earning a handsome salary in a software company. He has a wife & a little girl who is going to play school. He has no other commitments. Yet, he is reluctant to help me in times of need...."As mentioned earlier, I did not know what to tell Gopal or how to console him... I mumbled something like "It is sad. Children should show more care..." I had waved to Gopal and moved on with a heavy heart.

Now as I walked further away from Gopal's residence, the same thoughts came to my mind. "Today's employee is tomorrow's retired employee. I wonder what fate awaits me in a couple of years...."

Success

What is success? ...
nobody really knows
for many it is
to attain what everyone seems to want...
everyone seem to be striving for...
what everyone  believe to be 'success'

so becoming a sought after doctor
a national team cricketeer, top executive
popular actor or sports person
is deemed  'success'

though most follow the herd, the popular mood
some prefer engaging in
what comes naturally to them...
what gives them a lot of happiness
a lot of satisfaction...

so you have unknown actors
seemingly, wasting a life time
doing drama on  stage
social workers  working quietly
in slums or mental hospitals
away from the limelight
oblivious of the limelight

Even in  organizations
while most are anxious
about moving up the ladder
any which way...
 these few can be found
who are content & energized
doing the thing they love best...oblivious
 of the action, drama around

They, the ones who are different
may be called 'failures'
by those,going by the usual known  definition
of success....
yet they would'nt mind or be bothered
as they never aspired for apples
having sowed orange seeds...

They are content
 being their own person-
like that 'unsuccessful' singer
who chose- to be trapped not
in the society graded  role of a doctor, supreme..



 

Film Review- Yamirruka Bhayamey....(YIB)

I am venturing out on a review in verses
review of a regional movie
review of a Tamil movie
on ghosts and the supernatural
Yamirruka bhayamey..."when I am here
there's nothing but fear!"

We have heard of the famous
 horror films, filled with suspense
thrill and fear...
Hitchcock & Dracula films, omen, exorcist..
Indian ones of Ramsay brothers
classics like Madhumathi & Bhargavi nilayam..

Of late however,ennui has set in
"So what's new?"is the question
in the  viewers'mind  with
neither the visuals or the strange sounds
failing to impact them

instead of fear, it is a chuckle
that escapes the viewers..
any suspense lost amidst
cat calls from the audience
horror movies in fact  have
turned out to be comedies!

But YIB surprises
it starts of as a comedy
nobody is taken seriously
no famous actor playing
the hero,heroine or support cast

moving from beginning in smooth
 everyday comic situations
there's of course oomph & some glamour
through the two girls who give company
to hero & friends in a long abandoned villa..

suddenly we are shook up
from slumber by unexpected
twists and turns
from light hearted to suspense
from comedy to fear...
and not viceversa!

YIB impressed...
I must confess
and I will now look out
for work of the director, Deekay
4 out of 5 is a just and fair rating
for this novel ghost movie
that could be a trend setter!

East or West RML is the Best!

           I say 'hello' on the phone -if 

           do not get the return hello

            most of the times

           how then will I know

           that I have been heard ?

            even if being heard

           wouldn't any one stop talking?

           if no return hello is forthcoming

           for a long time.. It's the same with creativity......

           In RML  the hellos from many

           gets your juices surging

           if  from no other, rest assured

           the fairy, the guardian angel will respond-

           to you, me,  everyone!

           In a century, when no time for hello

           even from spouses, siblings,
           children or parents

           RML beckons like, an oasis

           a haven in a hapless world

           which is why for many, it's home sweet home

           a home away from home.

         Yes, for sharing thoughts, for a pat & a chat

         east or west

         RML is the best!

Please Note:-

RateMyLiterature.com is a hobby site (network) for literature lovers from around the world. It provides an opportunity for amateurs to publish their work (poetry, limericks, short stories, essays & articles), invite comments / feedback and get recognized. It also provides an opportunity to network with like minded people who share your passion of writing.....

reference made in the poem to the'Guardian angel' is paddy who not only writes in the blog but keeps it running with administrative support from her son, etentacles.



            Toddler turns Two

Two years!  -  A wonderful landmark
Two years of joy, creativity
Two years of opportunity
support to many-
to blossom, make friends
leave a mark

Greetings to the B'day babe!
Salutations to the parents!
It's celebrations time..
joyous time for us all
the creators, the created
and all those who visit the home
the home away from home!

Trap

One by one they were trapped
seduced by the glitz & glamour
They moved in only to be enveloped by the
swamp from which there was no escape

even if some manage
 to come out
can they be the same
carefree selves again
be the natural spontaneous
 people they once were?

yes, It is sad to be
caught in a swamp
particularly when creativity
is the victim

Yet, many years ago
Kunjan Nambiar the satirist
refused a king's directive to write poetry
on  'Deepastampam' - a temple flag pole
while many wrote for the money
he said- "Deepastampam mahascharyam
 namukkum kittanam panam"
translated it reads
"The flag pole is a great wonder
I also should get money!"

Blessings & best Wishes

In this sweet month of March
I received the good news from friends
that there was a change in their status
one had become a proud  father
while two others happy grandparents

My heart warmed up to the little ones
a prayer sprang up in my heart
may they have a  pollution free
prosperous and peaceful lives in the future
better than we  their countrymen have in 2014

May they live in an India
where all the people have opportunities
to pursue vocations of their choice
may they in their lives have leaders & statesmen
who constantly strive for the welfare of the people

May they live in an India
which has a common ethos
of being an Indian and Indian alone
with love for each other
from north to south, east to west
unity in diversity in the
truest sense of the words

may they live in an India
that is the envy of the whole world
not merely for its prosperity
but its spirituality, brotherhood
equality and love

Yes, little ones may you grow & bloom in those times
when mother India is beaming again
resplendent in all her glory!

Summer holidays (1998)

"You have two months holidays: for one and half months we are going to Kerala"said Geetha to her sons. twelve year old Arun and nine year old Varun. "No amma,we are not going"said both of them in unison. "We don't want to go.We want to play with all our friends here.Besides, we will miss all our favourite programs on cartoon network as there is no cable TV in grandma's place."

Arun and varun are living with their parents at the National games housing complex in Bangalore.Being a huge complex with number of families, they had many friends to play.Naturally they did not want to go to Kerala which was also a hotter & sultry place.

"This time we are not only going to Perunbavoor to see grandma & Grandpa.We are also going to Pudukad."
"We are not coming"
"But everyone will be there.Abhishek and abhinandan are coming from Mumbai. Swetha from Vadodara,Ramesh & shyam from Chennai, Akhilesh & malathi from Ernakulam......"
"Abishek will be there?"asked the younger one falteringly.
"I am certainly not going said Arun firmly."

Geetha was mentioning the names of all her cousins'children hoping that her sons would change their minds about going to Kerala for the holidays.However she found that they were not budging an inch from their stand.She was reminded of the summer of 1969 when she herself had refused to go to her mother's ancestral home in Pudukad during the holidays.But her mother had simply ordered that "she jolly well had to go whether she liked it or not!"
Pudukad was not a big town but it had a couple of cinema theaters, shops, green fields and tiled factories with long chimneys.Geetha's grandfather owned a tile factory and was engaged in agriculture near his big ancestral home.

Amidst protests,Geetha landed up in Pudukad to be greeted by her many cousins.Her mother had six sisters and one brother.Her uncle was only nine years older than her and the youngest aunt just six years older.And what a summer that had turned out to be ! A summer holiday packed with so many lively incidents that she was actually sorry she had to return to Perumbavoor after the holidays.

Geetha called both her sons "When Amma was 8 years old, I also refused to go to Pudukad" she began......   "Since your uncle Ramesh and I were the only two kids in our house and Ramesh studied in a boarding school, I grew up mostly alone.So I was shy & uncomfortable with people, even with my cousins."
"Did Ramesh uncle come with you on that holiday?" asked Varun
"Oh yes, he had come directly from the hostel for the holidays.In fact he was making fun of me for all the protests"
"What happened on the first day?" Arun was curious
"On the first day I kept mostly to myself but by two days I was enjoying the games with my cousins.During the mornings after breakfast we roamed about in the fields,climbed mango & guava trees."
"Did you pluck mangoes?"
"Oh yes! we liked it raw with salt & chilly powder.We also ate the ripe guavas. At 11 o'clock we girls used to come back and help our aunts and the servants  with the cooking. Oh, it was such fun,so many of us sitting in circles and shelling peas. Leela  aunty was a great cook.She enjoyed feeding us with different delicacy each day.While in my house, we prepared only vegetarian food, here there was mouth watering fish, meat and special veg dishes to choose from."
"How about Radha Grandma? "
"Oh she used to love fun & entertainment.In the evenings at 7 she would make all of us sit in a big circle.Then one by one we had to sing, dance or mono act. She also liked story telling.We children used to go behind her and wait patiently until she was ready to begin her wonderful stories of kings, queens, princes and ghosts.....
But Kusuma aunty would not let us start the evening entertainment until all of us washed our face,hands & feet and sat down to recite prayers for at least half an hour. She also arranged two visits to Guruvayoor Krishna temple during our stay of two months."

"Did you have fun all the time Amma ?" asked Varun

"Well, it was mostly fun but we got in to trouble as well.One day four of us children wanted to bathe in the pond. Prema aunty who is normally quiet by nature offered to come with us. Apart from 8 year old me,there was 7 year old Asha and , 5 year olds Unni and Rajesh. Prema aunty sat on the steps leading to the family pond and watched us  with her one year old baby in her lap.
All of a sudden. Asha started going down.Unni who was the nearest tried to catch her but he also started sinking.There was panic all around and all of us started crying loudly. Prema aunty left the baby on the ground and jumped."
"Then what happened?!"asked both the boys in unison
"She managed to pull both of them out.She pressed their belly and a lot of water came flowing down from their mouths! "
"And then?"
"And when we went home , all of us got a solid scolding for being careless. You know, Amma got in to another trouble during that holiday.....
There was a pet cat kitty who was very cute & liked by everyone.One day after playing with her I put kitty in a wooden cupboard upstairs,locked it and took the key with me.After that I forgot all about kitty and was playing with the cousins.After about two hours grandfather was asking,"Where is Kitty? She seems to be not around." Suddenly I remembered.And boys, was I scared! I was looking frantically for the keys but could not find them.I had lost it somewhere!Grandpa was getting more & more angry and impatient.
slowly, with faltering steps, I went to Kusuma aunty and told her the whole story.As the cupboard could not be opened ,Grandpa called a carpenter who broke open the door & rescued Kitty.But Grandpa was very angry.He turned around and gave a stinging slap to my youngest aunt, 14 year old Rema. I felt very bad and sorry for her.It was as if Grandpa had slapped me. I went out to the terrace and wept inconsolably..."
"Amma, you were a very naughty girl!" said Varun
"And a little bit of a buddhu as well. You know, our uncle Govind was the pampered one, being the only brother among so many sisters.And he often played pranks on all of us.One day he asked us to look closely at the smoke coming out of the chimney of the tile factory.As we looked, he said  "The smoke is coming from the cigarette of a rakshasa (demon) who lives below." Being a simpleton, I believed him for a long time, although now & then doubts would arise in my mind  as to whether this was really true. "
"Ha. ha ha you were tricked Amma.you were tricked!" said Varun

"Hey, just a minute, looks like Achan has returned from the office"said Arun.
Both the boys ran to the front door to greet their father. "Acha... our holidays will begin soon.Please book our tickets to Kerala immediately.Otherwise the tickets for the Kanyakumari Express will get sold out!"
Their father Rakesh smiled  and asked in surprise "Hey, why this sudden excitement boys for going to Kerala?"
"That's our little secret, isn't it boys? said Geetha and winked at them.