‘Puberty function of Ramya’; the signboard displayed the queasy plight of yet another young girl in Madras.
Considering that the celebration was in a star hotel, I assume that Ramya’s parents are rich; enough to have bought her education in an up market convent school. And the school would have instilled a set of social ethos in Ramya’s adolescent mind to aid her navigate the modern world.
I am disgusted at this tribal ritual and its perpetrators. The rigid caste system seems to have no qualms- rather revel- in mauling, under glaring lights, the fine strands of sensitivities of vernal girls.
When would the parents come of age?
Monday, July 21, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Education is the transmission of civilization
Karuppusami is my schoolmate. He was one of the top rankers in the school. He chose to join his father in agriculture in preference to college education.
Karupps is a rich farmer and commands social and political clout in his village. He is erudite and has an enviable range of interests from philosophy to American politics.
Over dinner, he was lamenting on an aspect that seems to have escaped the grasp of the self styled champions of low caste interests. Karupps’s argument is that while granting OBC quota in school admissions, the Govt. should not have interfered in the appointment of teachers. “How can you impart quality education to the BCs with teachers appointed on the basis of reservation instead of merit?”, he asked in angst. This flawed logic has led to ill- equipped teachers teaching students who need augmented help to get through education. The upper caste children are aided by parents at home and/or through expensive private tuitions.
In mock irony, Karupps concluded that the Brahmins should be drafted in the teaching service.
I quote Peter F Drucker.
“Teaching is the only major occupation of man for which we have not yet developed tools that make an average person capable of competence and performance. In teaching we rely on the ‘naturals,’ the ones who somehow know how to teach.”
Karupps is a rich farmer and commands social and political clout in his village. He is erudite and has an enviable range of interests from philosophy to American politics.
Over dinner, he was lamenting on an aspect that seems to have escaped the grasp of the self styled champions of low caste interests. Karupps’s argument is that while granting OBC quota in school admissions, the Govt. should not have interfered in the appointment of teachers. “How can you impart quality education to the BCs with teachers appointed on the basis of reservation instead of merit?”, he asked in angst. This flawed logic has led to ill- equipped teachers teaching students who need augmented help to get through education. The upper caste children are aided by parents at home and/or through expensive private tuitions.
In mock irony, Karupps concluded that the Brahmins should be drafted in the teaching service.
I quote Peter F Drucker.
“Teaching is the only major occupation of man for which we have not yet developed tools that make an average person capable of competence and performance. In teaching we rely on the ‘naturals,’ the ones who somehow know how to teach.”
Thursday, July 17, 2008
An idle mind is Gallup’s workshop
Last weekend, I chose to poll the members at the club lounge on their top of mind problems. The findings make for a real commentary on modern living and unemployment.
The four top concerns related to finding a good driver, cook, maid servant and baby sitter. Even the offer of a handsome salary – as much as 10k for a full time driver and 5k for a part time servant –is not attracting the right candidates, they lamented. They talked about attrition and poaching with the intensity of IT honchos!
With high unemployment levels, this phenomenon is indeed a paradox.
The mystery was unravelled yesterday. Our servant didn’t turn up for work and my wife tried to talk a beggar woman into sweeping the portico for a fee. The woman preferring to beg for Rs.2 than to earn Rs.10, walked away.
The income from begging must be sizable to afford this attitude. I am curious to know the average income of beggars in Madras and if it will attract tax.
The four top concerns related to finding a good driver, cook, maid servant and baby sitter. Even the offer of a handsome salary – as much as 10k for a full time driver and 5k for a part time servant –is not attracting the right candidates, they lamented. They talked about attrition and poaching with the intensity of IT honchos!
With high unemployment levels, this phenomenon is indeed a paradox.
The mystery was unravelled yesterday. Our servant didn’t turn up for work and my wife tried to talk a beggar woman into sweeping the portico for a fee. The woman preferring to beg for Rs.2 than to earn Rs.10, walked away.
The income from begging must be sizable to afford this attitude. I am curious to know the average income of beggars in Madras and if it will attract tax.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Curse of beauty!
I belong to a fairly well heeled social circle in Madras. Many of them are highly regarded professionals and scions of big industrialist families.
I attended a wedding last week. Looking around, I stumbled on to a mysterious discovery. The women behind these successful men, with rare exceptions, were very ordinary looking.
I wonder why the cream of the society has not married the glamour girls like models and film stars. While it is admissible to dream about them, at a stretch even have illicit liaisons, marrying the glam girls seems to be taboo. Surprisingly even the politicians shun them. The entire beauty pageant end up marrying the underworld dons.
It is not about diffidence to the professional success of these stars. Doctors, lawyers and professors are definitely in the preferred partner category.
Somehow the logic has set in; models and film stars are not chiseled to be good life mates. They are passable in private scrap books but definitely not in the marriage albums.
Their parents are well advised to advertise in the D company circles for eligible grooms!
I attended a wedding last week. Looking around, I stumbled on to a mysterious discovery. The women behind these successful men, with rare exceptions, were very ordinary looking.
I wonder why the cream of the society has not married the glamour girls like models and film stars. While it is admissible to dream about them, at a stretch even have illicit liaisons, marrying the glam girls seems to be taboo. Surprisingly even the politicians shun them. The entire beauty pageant end up marrying the underworld dons.
It is not about diffidence to the professional success of these stars. Doctors, lawyers and professors are definitely in the preferred partner category.
Somehow the logic has set in; models and film stars are not chiseled to be good life mates. They are passable in private scrap books but definitely not in the marriage albums.
Their parents are well advised to advertise in the D company circles for eligible grooms!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
How to become rich!
Shankara propounded Advaita, considered as the best treatise on Vedanta. Having expounded such a sublime philosophy, why did Shankara author the Kanakadhara Stotram, a DIY to attain material wealth; I have often wondered.
People can add an alphabet to the name or wear a gemstone towards fulfilling their greed. If the attempts fail, as they often do, they can blame the resident expert who advised them. But, if the Kanakadhara Stotram were to fail, wouldn’t it be a slur on the divine philosopher. The thought used to nag me.
I found the clarification in one of the speeches of HH Paramacharyal of Kanchi.
The anecdote starts with Adi Shankara knocking at the poor brahmin’s door for his daily biksha. Impoverished to just a rotten nellikai in the house, the Brahmin couple are embarrassed by their inability to oblige. Finally, for want of a better choice, they part with the nellikai with great discomfiture. Most raconteurs stop the anecdote at this point when Shankara, in benign appreciation, chants the Kanakadhara Stotram and the skies open up to shower gold coins.
Paramacharyal beseeches us to understand this ‘miracle’ in context. Gods shower wealth on those who pray, not for stockpiling but, for becoming a worthwhile conduit to the needy. In that sense, people who assume the role of ‘dispenser of wealth’ as their life’s calling will be blessed with abundant flow of wealth to assist them in their charitable dispositions.
Warren Buffet perhaps has the clearest understanding of Kanakadhara Stotram when he holds forth on ‘creative capitalism’ and walks his talk by donating billions to the B& M Gates Foundation
People can add an alphabet to the name or wear a gemstone towards fulfilling their greed. If the attempts fail, as they often do, they can blame the resident expert who advised them. But, if the Kanakadhara Stotram were to fail, wouldn’t it be a slur on the divine philosopher. The thought used to nag me.
I found the clarification in one of the speeches of HH Paramacharyal of Kanchi.
The anecdote starts with Adi Shankara knocking at the poor brahmin’s door for his daily biksha. Impoverished to just a rotten nellikai in the house, the Brahmin couple are embarrassed by their inability to oblige. Finally, for want of a better choice, they part with the nellikai with great discomfiture. Most raconteurs stop the anecdote at this point when Shankara, in benign appreciation, chants the Kanakadhara Stotram and the skies open up to shower gold coins.
Paramacharyal beseeches us to understand this ‘miracle’ in context. Gods shower wealth on those who pray, not for stockpiling but, for becoming a worthwhile conduit to the needy. In that sense, people who assume the role of ‘dispenser of wealth’ as their life’s calling will be blessed with abundant flow of wealth to assist them in their charitable dispositions.
Warren Buffet perhaps has the clearest understanding of Kanakadhara Stotram when he holds forth on ‘creative capitalism’ and walks his talk by donating billions to the B& M Gates Foundation
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Humour in uniform
Raja was my Regional Manager at Bombay. Indian Airlines had just then announced the introduction of Business class in the metro flights.
Raja promptly shot off a mail to KG, the Personnel Manager, with the newspaper clipping. The message was in the tone of ‘in case you didn’t know… time to amend the travel eligibility rules for the senior managers…’
The mail went under the ‘regular series’ and not under the ‘confidential’ marking. Raja was sure that he will be in the upgraded list and wanted the office to be impressed when the reply came.
KG’s reply came soon.
‘Thanks for sharing the news. Those entitled have already been informed’.
The office was indeed impressed…. by KG’s wit.
Raja promptly shot off a mail to KG, the Personnel Manager, with the newspaper clipping. The message was in the tone of ‘in case you didn’t know… time to amend the travel eligibility rules for the senior managers…’
The mail went under the ‘regular series’ and not under the ‘confidential’ marking. Raja was sure that he will be in the upgraded list and wanted the office to be impressed when the reply came.
KG’s reply came soon.
‘Thanks for sharing the news. Those entitled have already been informed’.
The office was indeed impressed…. by KG’s wit.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
“In my stars I am above thee”
I am not into politics and must confess to a large degree of naiveté in my political analysis.
The air is full of pundits discussing nuclear deal, inflation, outside support and trust motion.
I am not able to comprehend the electoral nuances and am being politely ignored at the club lounge. For long used to being the dispenser of wisdom on all topics fair and foul, this disability and the consequent neglect are driving me to depression.
I just discovered that I can draw on my school science knowledge and offer a rational explanation to this maddening process.
The theories that come to my mind are ‘Uncertainty Principle’ and ‘Topological Entropy’.
While the others may quote Rudy and Raja, I will trump them with Heisenberg, Bowen and Dinaburg.
Another contextual buzzword that baffles me is ‘secularism’.
Since I am unable to find a scientific elucidation for this ‘secular’ phenomenon, I have decided to categorize the political parties as, a la Malvalio, “some are born secular, some achieve secularism, and some have secularism thrust upon’em”.
I am all set for my weekend discourse at the club.
The air is full of pundits discussing nuclear deal, inflation, outside support and trust motion.
I am not able to comprehend the electoral nuances and am being politely ignored at the club lounge. For long used to being the dispenser of wisdom on all topics fair and foul, this disability and the consequent neglect are driving me to depression.
I just discovered that I can draw on my school science knowledge and offer a rational explanation to this maddening process.
The theories that come to my mind are ‘Uncertainty Principle’ and ‘Topological Entropy’.
While the others may quote Rudy and Raja, I will trump them with Heisenberg, Bowen and Dinaburg.
Another contextual buzzword that baffles me is ‘secularism’.
Since I am unable to find a scientific elucidation for this ‘secular’ phenomenon, I have decided to categorize the political parties as, a la Malvalio, “some are born secular, some achieve secularism, and some have secularism thrust upon’em”.
I am all set for my weekend discourse at the club.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
The cardinal line
Each religion has a cardinal line prescribing the minimum conditions that define its interface boundary. It could be a well written scripture like the Bible or the Koran or a collective conscience drawn from many scriptures as in Hinduism [like an open source movement].
The cardinal line is meant for the majority who do not have either the time & opportunity or the intellect & wisdom to contemplate transition towards the Ultimate Truth.
Hence, these minimum conditions stress more on behavior than on attitude. The prescriptions constitute the dos and donts - rites, rituals, and moral codes.
Staying on the right side of the cardinal line allows people the leeway to define the individual way of life in context. For example one can be comfortable chanting the gayatri on way to work or do pujas with woolens in winter.
There are the inevitable debates on the rigor of adherence but the exchanges are rather civil because the protagonists know that they are essentially on the same side.
However the person who chooses to cross the inviolate clauses of the cardinal line subscribes to a life of misery.
Marrying out of religion is one such clause. It leaves the person out in the cold without reference points for guidance. I would advocate conversion to the spouse’s religion in such an instance. It is warmer to be inside some line than out.
This cardinal line theory also explains the shrill arguments of the outsider disparaging the insiders on the degree of their shift away from the pivotal coordinates. There is a vast difference from the secular posturing of the insiders and the outsiders.
The insider’s stance is an indulgence, an intellectual [though, in my pov, misguided] pastime and would effortlessly shift gear when it applies to self.
The outsider’s is the cry of a tormented soul. And my reply to that is ‘You may argue that I am inside only by a fraction but I am still inside and you are outside.’
The cardinal line is meant for the majority who do not have either the time & opportunity or the intellect & wisdom to contemplate transition towards the Ultimate Truth.
Hence, these minimum conditions stress more on behavior than on attitude. The prescriptions constitute the dos and donts - rites, rituals, and moral codes.
Staying on the right side of the cardinal line allows people the leeway to define the individual way of life in context. For example one can be comfortable chanting the gayatri on way to work or do pujas with woolens in winter.
There are the inevitable debates on the rigor of adherence but the exchanges are rather civil because the protagonists know that they are essentially on the same side.
However the person who chooses to cross the inviolate clauses of the cardinal line subscribes to a life of misery.
Marrying out of religion is one such clause. It leaves the person out in the cold without reference points for guidance. I would advocate conversion to the spouse’s religion in such an instance. It is warmer to be inside some line than out.
This cardinal line theory also explains the shrill arguments of the outsider disparaging the insiders on the degree of their shift away from the pivotal coordinates. There is a vast difference from the secular posturing of the insiders and the outsiders.
The insider’s stance is an indulgence, an intellectual [though, in my pov, misguided] pastime and would effortlessly shift gear when it applies to self.
The outsider’s is the cry of a tormented soul. And my reply to that is ‘You may argue that I am inside only by a fraction but I am still inside and you are outside.’
Monday, July 7, 2008
Mixing metaphors
I strongly feel that politicians, from ward councilors to MPs, should never be put in prison for their unlawful acts.
A politician at large is not as much of a threat to the common citizen as he is to the others in politics.
If X [fill in any politician that you know] walks the corridors free, he is a danger, sometimes even life threatening, to politicians in set Y [fill in the names of his opponents both in his party and outside].
My contention is that if X is in no way a threat to me, why should I pay to feed him in prison with my tax money. Let him be free to keep the Ys engaged in mortal combat.
X and the set Y are like apoptotic cells. Their programmed suicide is healthy for body politic.
Punishing them is inflicting necrosis. In contrast to apoptosis, necrotic cells cause escalating pain during degeneration and the eventual cleanup of cell debris is more difficult.
My vote is for the party that will constitutionalise legal immunity to the politicians.
A politician at large is not as much of a threat to the common citizen as he is to the others in politics.
If X [fill in any politician that you know] walks the corridors free, he is a danger, sometimes even life threatening, to politicians in set Y [fill in the names of his opponents both in his party and outside].
My contention is that if X is in no way a threat to me, why should I pay to feed him in prison with my tax money. Let him be free to keep the Ys engaged in mortal combat.
X and the set Y are like apoptotic cells. Their programmed suicide is healthy for body politic.
Punishing them is inflicting necrosis. In contrast to apoptosis, necrotic cells cause escalating pain during degeneration and the eventual cleanup of cell debris is more difficult.
My vote is for the party that will constitutionalise legal immunity to the politicians.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Spring and Autumn in Madras
Schools are closed for term break in the US and the children are all over Madras for their annual tryst with Tamil Brahmin culture.
It is also appraisal time for the parents. They have to win appreciation from the family elders for their accomplishment in educating the progeny on Brahmin sastras and sampradhayams. The children on parade promptly oblige and delight the grandparents with slokas and bharatnatyam steps. The atmosphere is wholesome and the air resonates with waves of pride and joy.
Sethu Iyer is gently rocking into siesta in the easy chair. Sita has gone shopping with Krish, Liz and Jay.
“Jay sounds good. Rueben Krishnan would have been embarrassing.” Sethu chuckles, “the toddler is bright and quick to grasp; just like his father, ahem, like his grandfather”. The thought tickles him to a whispery smile.
The bright rose color of the invitation disturbs his eye. Vasan’s grandson’s upanayanam is next week.
Sethu wakes up to a new reality.
His eyes turn to his father’s sepia on the wall. “appa, what did I do wrong?” his eyes swell and the mind comforts him in wry humor “after my time, we both will be hungry on amavasyas”.
Sipping a glass of water, Sethu drowns the lump in the throat. Working up some cheer, he gets ready to introduce Wren and Martin to Jay; “has a good vocabulary but needs to improve his grammar”.
It is also appraisal time for the parents. They have to win appreciation from the family elders for their accomplishment in educating the progeny on Brahmin sastras and sampradhayams. The children on parade promptly oblige and delight the grandparents with slokas and bharatnatyam steps. The atmosphere is wholesome and the air resonates with waves of pride and joy.
Sethu Iyer is gently rocking into siesta in the easy chair. Sita has gone shopping with Krish, Liz and Jay.
“Jay sounds good. Rueben Krishnan would have been embarrassing.” Sethu chuckles, “the toddler is bright and quick to grasp; just like his father, ahem, like his grandfather”. The thought tickles him to a whispery smile.
The bright rose color of the invitation disturbs his eye. Vasan’s grandson’s upanayanam is next week.
Sethu wakes up to a new reality.
His eyes turn to his father’s sepia on the wall. “appa, what did I do wrong?” his eyes swell and the mind comforts him in wry humor “after my time, we both will be hungry on amavasyas”.
Sipping a glass of water, Sethu drowns the lump in the throat. Working up some cheer, he gets ready to introduce Wren and Martin to Jay; “has a good vocabulary but needs to improve his grammar”.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Self- Respect Marriage
I attended a self- respect marriage in Madras recently.
This style of marriage is supposed to be symbolic of the Dravidian triumph over the Aryan inflicted rituals. It is also considered pretty chic by the political class.
The Aryan procedure constitutes chanting from the scriptures and exchanging marriage vows with Fire, the priests and relatives standing in evidence. Apparently, this process hurts the Dravidian sensibilities as it underscores obeisance to the scholars and elders.
The soul liberating self-respect fashion draws on the majesty of a Big White Chief to officiate and solemnize the marriage.
I have no issues with that. But, it offends my sensibilities having to listen to political harangues masquerading as marriage sermon.
Be that as it may.
The big fellah on this occasion was pleasantly drunk. Sporting a beatific smile, he greeted the invitees with folded hands in a gesture of humility and was helped on to the podium. After the ceremonial invocation to the leaders of the self-respect movement, he carried on to regale the audience by mixing up the names of the couple. His sozzled eyes couldn’t focus on the names in the invitation and he pronounced the groom’s parents as man and wife- to his credit, got his facts right. Quick to respond when the faux pas was pointed out by his aide holding him steady on feet, he added much mirth by blessing the bride’s father and the groom’s mother to live in matrimonial bliss. Mistaking the applause and the laughter as a tribute to his eloquence, he graciously thanked the audience and bowed out.
Not quite in the league of Gussie Fink-Nottle at the Market Snodsbury Grammar School, but must admit that the punter did pass muster.
Who said that self-respect marriages are not fun.
This style of marriage is supposed to be symbolic of the Dravidian triumph over the Aryan inflicted rituals. It is also considered pretty chic by the political class.
The Aryan procedure constitutes chanting from the scriptures and exchanging marriage vows with Fire, the priests and relatives standing in evidence. Apparently, this process hurts the Dravidian sensibilities as it underscores obeisance to the scholars and elders.
The soul liberating self-respect fashion draws on the majesty of a Big White Chief to officiate and solemnize the marriage.
I have no issues with that. But, it offends my sensibilities having to listen to political harangues masquerading as marriage sermon.
Be that as it may.
The big fellah on this occasion was pleasantly drunk. Sporting a beatific smile, he greeted the invitees with folded hands in a gesture of humility and was helped on to the podium. After the ceremonial invocation to the leaders of the self-respect movement, he carried on to regale the audience by mixing up the names of the couple. His sozzled eyes couldn’t focus on the names in the invitation and he pronounced the groom’s parents as man and wife- to his credit, got his facts right. Quick to respond when the faux pas was pointed out by his aide holding him steady on feet, he added much mirth by blessing the bride’s father and the groom’s mother to live in matrimonial bliss. Mistaking the applause and the laughter as a tribute to his eloquence, he graciously thanked the audience and bowed out.
Not quite in the league of Gussie Fink-Nottle at the Market Snodsbury Grammar School, but must admit that the punter did pass muster.
Who said that self-respect marriages are not fun.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Working hard !?-2
Like all consultants, I am also given to Matrix thinking. We love to explain the mysteries of the Firm and its Business through neatly constructed 2*2 matrices.
Here is a matrix reloaded on management appraisals.
Draw a matrix of ‘hard working’ * ’lazy’ and ’intelligent’ * ’dim wit’ and slot the employees into the four squares.
The ‘lazy’ * ’intelligent’ types are the A- Listers earmarked for senior management.
The ‘hard working’ * ’intelligent’ types are the best bets for promoting up to middle management.
The ‘lazy’ * ’dim wit’ types are to be retained at junior management to constitute a pool of sacrificial goats for the periodic downsizing exercises to pump up market sentiments.
The ‘hard working’ * ’dim wit’ are to be pink slipped straight away for they will work diligently to blunder.
Here is a matrix reloaded on management appraisals.
Draw a matrix of ‘hard working’ * ’lazy’ and ’intelligent’ * ’dim wit’ and slot the employees into the four squares.
The ‘lazy’ * ’intelligent’ types are the A- Listers earmarked for senior management.
The ‘hard working’ * ’intelligent’ types are the best bets for promoting up to middle management.
The ‘lazy’ * ’dim wit’ types are to be retained at junior management to constitute a pool of sacrificial goats for the periodic downsizing exercises to pump up market sentiments.
The ‘hard working’ * ’dim wit’ are to be pink slipped straight away for they will work diligently to blunder.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Working hard !?-1
I have met a lot people who tell me that they like to work hard. In job interviews, the avowal is more emphatic-“I enjoy hard work”.
Why would anyone want to work hard instead of curling up in the sofa with a favorite book or hanging out at the local with buddies?
The logic beats me.
I can understand a person who says that he works hard to make money. I can of course also understand people who work hard at their passion like artists.-in fact I envy them. But, ‘enjoying hard work’ – I am flummoxed.
I can only conclude, a la Sam Bahadur,” If anyone tells you he enjoys hard work, he is a liar or an algolagnist.”
Why would anyone want to work hard instead of curling up in the sofa with a favorite book or hanging out at the local with buddies?
The logic beats me.
I can understand a person who says that he works hard to make money. I can of course also understand people who work hard at their passion like artists.-in fact I envy them. But, ‘enjoying hard work’ – I am flummoxed.
I can only conclude, a la Sam Bahadur,” If anyone tells you he enjoys hard work, he is a liar or an algolagnist.”
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Irony
It is very difficult to find a person to share your happiness. Even the best of friends turn too busy to ride along your wave of joy. God is the only and ideal person who would be genuinely delighted to chew the cud of your bliss.
By contrast, almost everybody is too eager to hear about your misery. You tap the person seated next to you in the train and he is all ears to your problems. Soon people across the aisle also join in and before you can say ‘ohmygod’, this self appointed committee is seriously debating alternatives to solve your issue. Everyone turns into a boy scout wanting to do his good deed for the day!
Therefore it stands to reason that we should share our joy with God and sorrow with people.
But we often do just the reverse!
By contrast, almost everybody is too eager to hear about your misery. You tap the person seated next to you in the train and he is all ears to your problems. Soon people across the aisle also join in and before you can say ‘ohmygod’, this self appointed committee is seriously debating alternatives to solve your issue. Everyone turns into a boy scout wanting to do his good deed for the day!
Therefore it stands to reason that we should share our joy with God and sorrow with people.
But we often do just the reverse!
Monday, June 30, 2008
I shot the sheriff…
Periyar ‘shot at the sheriff’ [due apologies to Eric Clapton]. That’s his monumental blunder.
Irrelevance of an idol god is high level philosophy that only evolved souls can grasp. In that sense, one can argue that Shankara ‘shot the sheriff’ with advaita. Normal people need a working philosophy that allows for a god to be present at temples, and ready and willing to be pleased through ritualistic prayers.
Periyar sought to destroy ritualism without giving an alternative. That was indeed a tall ney an impossible calling for the feeble witted DK crowd. Only followers of a Shankara or a Ramana would even contemplate living without the support mechanism of rites and rituals.
After decades, Periyar has been reduced to a pitiable monument pointing his hand at Sri Ranganatha. ‘The moving finger writes and having writ’ has moved on to witness millions of Dravidians piercing the tongue with arrows and walking on fire in a never before frenzy.
Recently, there has been en effort to prop up this failed legacy of warped atheism through the cinema medium. If it succeeds, I forecast a decade of double digit CAGR for platform temples and job opportunities for priests.
Sporting a “kudumi’ may not be just fashion but also make sound business sense!
Irrelevance of an idol god is high level philosophy that only evolved souls can grasp. In that sense, one can argue that Shankara ‘shot the sheriff’ with advaita. Normal people need a working philosophy that allows for a god to be present at temples, and ready and willing to be pleased through ritualistic prayers.
Periyar sought to destroy ritualism without giving an alternative. That was indeed a tall ney an impossible calling for the feeble witted DK crowd. Only followers of a Shankara or a Ramana would even contemplate living without the support mechanism of rites and rituals.
After decades, Periyar has been reduced to a pitiable monument pointing his hand at Sri Ranganatha. ‘The moving finger writes and having writ’ has moved on to witness millions of Dravidians piercing the tongue with arrows and walking on fire in a never before frenzy.
Recently, there has been en effort to prop up this failed legacy of warped atheism through the cinema medium. If it succeeds, I forecast a decade of double digit CAGR for platform temples and job opportunities for priests.
Sporting a “kudumi’ may not be just fashion but also make sound business sense!
Friday, June 27, 2008
God as Sheriff
Religion does a remarkable job of policing the society.
India is still a relatively safe place only because a vast majority of the billion people have faith in God. Given the sparse and that too corrupt police, no self respecting Indian is enamored by the ‘majesty of law’.
‘Love of God’ went out of fashion after Meera’s era to be replaced by ‘Fear of God’.
God’s retribution, either in this life or the next [depending on one’s philosophical outlook], is what restrains the mainstream Indians from sinning.
That’s why I endorse Sharon Stone’s take on the China earthquake as ‘karma for Tibet’. I don’t think even a nuclear threat can have such a chastising effect.
Kushboo missed a quote op when the tsunami hit the TN shores!
India is still a relatively safe place only because a vast majority of the billion people have faith in God. Given the sparse and that too corrupt police, no self respecting Indian is enamored by the ‘majesty of law’.
‘Love of God’ went out of fashion after Meera’s era to be replaced by ‘Fear of God’.
God’s retribution, either in this life or the next [depending on one’s philosophical outlook], is what restrains the mainstream Indians from sinning.
That’s why I endorse Sharon Stone’s take on the China earthquake as ‘karma for Tibet’. I don’t think even a nuclear threat can have such a chastising effect.
Kushboo missed a quote op when the tsunami hit the TN shores!
A safe locality to live-2
Rocky, my neighbor’s son died in a car accident recently.
What a tragedy.
He had gone out with his friends for a celebration party. They had passed the third quiz of the second term in school. Befitting the academic achievement, they had partied- just a score of highballs- at a posh downtown pub. On the way back home, the new concrete road divider rammed into their car. Rocky died on the spot. A piece of the car debris spun across the road on to the pavement and killed a man sleeping on the pavement.
The civic administration should be impeached for this gross negligence. “Why weren’t there people on the divider on that fateful night?” we ask of the negligent bureaucracy. The scumbags are allowed to sleep on the pavements to cushion the swerving cars from the impact of the roadside walls. Now that a piece of concrete has been put up in the middle of the road, some of the wretched beggars ought to have been diverted to the new sleeping place. Because of this callousness, Rocky couldn’t slow down the car before hitting the divider.
But, Rocky’s father is an influential person. He spent a small fortune on the funeral rites to ensure that Rocky goes to heaven. Apparently heaven also has a judiciary and police that need to be fixed. So, he has also contracted with a well known ‘tanrtik’ to engage the best lawyer in heaven and diffuse the case with ‘evidence’ to get Rocky out of trouble.
The snag is that we can’t witness the proceedings from here and arrange for the news channels to live- telecast in ‘breaking news’. However, Rocky’s mother-with her ‘the impossible just takes a little longer for the Chopras’ attitude- is ready with the designer outfit, a well rehearsed speech on her son’s playful and innocent nature, and glycerin.
What a pity.
What a tragedy.
He had gone out with his friends for a celebration party. They had passed the third quiz of the second term in school. Befitting the academic achievement, they had partied- just a score of highballs- at a posh downtown pub. On the way back home, the new concrete road divider rammed into their car. Rocky died on the spot. A piece of the car debris spun across the road on to the pavement and killed a man sleeping on the pavement.
The civic administration should be impeached for this gross negligence. “Why weren’t there people on the divider on that fateful night?” we ask of the negligent bureaucracy. The scumbags are allowed to sleep on the pavements to cushion the swerving cars from the impact of the roadside walls. Now that a piece of concrete has been put up in the middle of the road, some of the wretched beggars ought to have been diverted to the new sleeping place. Because of this callousness, Rocky couldn’t slow down the car before hitting the divider.
But, Rocky’s father is an influential person. He spent a small fortune on the funeral rites to ensure that Rocky goes to heaven. Apparently heaven also has a judiciary and police that need to be fixed. So, he has also contracted with a well known ‘tanrtik’ to engage the best lawyer in heaven and diffuse the case with ‘evidence’ to get Rocky out of trouble.
The snag is that we can’t witness the proceedings from here and arrange for the news channels to live- telecast in ‘breaking news’. However, Rocky’s mother-with her ‘the impossible just takes a little longer for the Chopras’ attitude- is ready with the designer outfit, a well rehearsed speech on her son’s playful and innocent nature, and glycerin.
What a pity.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
A safe locality to live-1
I live in a classy neighborhood. All the residents here boast of marque pedigree and, are wealthy and politically connected.
It is a safe place. We keep our delinquent flock protected inside our locality, away from the clutches of the draconian IPC. The IPC is meant to rein in the Indians living in the slums outside and not –us-the Chiefs.
However we are not that dumb. We know that the police can not be trusted to keep our deranged kin in the cooler to keep them out of mischief and so take adequate precaution. For instance, I politely decline the request from the actor in the next street when asks me to keep in safe custody a couple of rifles. I have also alerted the womenfolk in the family not to accept a car lift if offered by the grandson of the Industrialist who lives next door. My daughter of course, has already decided not to tempt fate with a dentist appointment.
It is kind of strange that the slums are safe because the police snare away the problem kids so that the rest of the folks can live in safety while we deftly work around the law and struggle with our own monsters inside our boundary walls.
The cost of self defense is pretty steep in the classy hamlets!!
It is a safe place. We keep our delinquent flock protected inside our locality, away from the clutches of the draconian IPC. The IPC is meant to rein in the Indians living in the slums outside and not –us-the Chiefs.
However we are not that dumb. We know that the police can not be trusted to keep our deranged kin in the cooler to keep them out of mischief and so take adequate precaution. For instance, I politely decline the request from the actor in the next street when asks me to keep in safe custody a couple of rifles. I have also alerted the womenfolk in the family not to accept a car lift if offered by the grandson of the Industrialist who lives next door. My daughter of course, has already decided not to tempt fate with a dentist appointment.
It is kind of strange that the slums are safe because the police snare away the problem kids so that the rest of the folks can live in safety while we deftly work around the law and struggle with our own monsters inside our boundary walls.
The cost of self defense is pretty steep in the classy hamlets!!
Monday, June 9, 2008
Reference Groups and Jealousy-2
Srini’s reaction is not unique. Most of us create a reference group of people we know and engage in a zero sum game with them. So, on every occasion that any of them succeed, we feel deprived of our chance to gain, and are driven to impotent anger and jealousy. However our inner mind tells us that jealousy is a negative thought which should be eschewed. We therefore redeem ourselves by our positive reactions to people outwith the reference group.
Srini would hence be charitable in his countenance to both Bill Gates and a beggar.
In short, Bill Gates’s private jet doesn’t disturb our sleep as much as the neighbor’s new Santro! And a beggar’s misery doesn’t make us happy as much as the neighbor’s misfortune!!
There are two ways of tackling this negativity. The obvious way is to erase the reference group. But it is easier said than done. We need social coordinates to position our lives so as to define,measure and respond to our relative successes and failures.
I will share the second way that works for me.
A simple set of 2 posers with honest answers:
1] Would it be 'me' if not 'him'?
The answer exposes the fallacy of the zero sum hypothesis.
2] What should I do to achieve like he has?
The answer gives the recipe for success.
Srini would hence be charitable in his countenance to both Bill Gates and a beggar.
In short, Bill Gates’s private jet doesn’t disturb our sleep as much as the neighbor’s new Santro! And a beggar’s misery doesn’t make us happy as much as the neighbor’s misfortune!!
There are two ways of tackling this negativity. The obvious way is to erase the reference group. But it is easier said than done. We need social coordinates to position our lives so as to define,measure and respond to our relative successes and failures.
I will share the second way that works for me.
A simple set of 2 posers with honest answers:
1] Would it be 'me' if not 'him'?
The answer exposes the fallacy of the zero sum hypothesis.
2] What should I do to achieve like he has?
The answer gives the recipe for success.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Reference Group and Jealousy-1
About 25 years back, I attained a rare insight sitting on a bar stool in the clubhouse next to my colleague Ram.
In the crowded lounge overlooking the bar, a game of Housie was on. By all visible and audible evidence, the punters were having a fun time.
Suddenly, Srini, the Chief Manager blew in thru the glass door and ordered loud for his pet poison. Visibly agitated, he didn’t need a ‘wassup’ to open his heart out. ‘Look at the grin on this Venkat’s face’, pointing out thru the glass, he whined ‘he won the prize –of 20 rupees-; has the devil’s luck’.
After few more drinks and many more explanations for Venkat’s good luck, Srini shuffled away.
Ram turned to me and said ‘This is life. Since Srini has Venkat in the reference group, he gets jealous and annoyed at Venkat's good fortune. Were it to be a mere beggar winning the national lottery, Srini would have been at his expansive best and held forth on how the providence chose to smile on the poor beggar; why such people deserve lucky breaks ..blah blah’
In the crowded lounge overlooking the bar, a game of Housie was on. By all visible and audible evidence, the punters were having a fun time.
Suddenly, Srini, the Chief Manager blew in thru the glass door and ordered loud for his pet poison. Visibly agitated, he didn’t need a ‘wassup’ to open his heart out. ‘Look at the grin on this Venkat’s face’, pointing out thru the glass, he whined ‘he won the prize –of 20 rupees-; has the devil’s luck’.
After few more drinks and many more explanations for Venkat’s good luck, Srini shuffled away.
Ram turned to me and said ‘This is life. Since Srini has Venkat in the reference group, he gets jealous and annoyed at Venkat's good fortune. Were it to be a mere beggar winning the national lottery, Srini would have been at his expansive best and held forth on how the providence chose to smile on the poor beggar; why such people deserve lucky breaks ..blah blah’
Friday, June 6, 2008
Thank Kollywood!
Thank the Tamil movie industry, for they will continue to glorify/institutionalize some enduring themes/working philosophies such as:
1] You go to college to make fun of teachers and indulge in rowdism [the tamilian variant of good, clean fun].
2] If you are a rowdy [not an engineer or a doctor], rich and beautiful girls will fall in love with you.
3] After initial resistance, the power of “love” will force your in-laws to accept the marriage and you will inherit their wealth.
4] Honour killing is acceptable, ney, the revered way of preserving the clan heritage.
5] All politicians and policemen are corrupt. [art imitates life !]
6] Faith in God [not the “who am I “variety but the spiritual/spirituous dance with wet clinging yellow saris!!]
“Suspension of disbelief” is an unknown concept to the tamil movie fans who see real life in reel life. Therefore, Kollywood will forever keep the cinema fed and led youth in a dreamy stupor [till they wake up in mid-life and for want of any other option become auto drivers!] and away from mainstream competition.
So, if you are able and willing, Tamil Nadu is the happening place, for Kollywood would spirit away much of the competition. Why worry about reservations and quotas?
1] You go to college to make fun of teachers and indulge in rowdism [the tamilian variant of good, clean fun].
2] If you are a rowdy [not an engineer or a doctor], rich and beautiful girls will fall in love with you.
3] After initial resistance, the power of “love” will force your in-laws to accept the marriage and you will inherit their wealth.
4] Honour killing is acceptable, ney, the revered way of preserving the clan heritage.
5] All politicians and policemen are corrupt. [art imitates life !]
6] Faith in God [not the “who am I “variety but the spiritual/spirituous dance with wet clinging yellow saris!!]
“Suspension of disbelief” is an unknown concept to the tamil movie fans who see real life in reel life. Therefore, Kollywood will forever keep the cinema fed and led youth in a dreamy stupor [till they wake up in mid-life and for want of any other option become auto drivers!] and away from mainstream competition.
So, if you are able and willing, Tamil Nadu is the happening place, for Kollywood would spirit away much of the competition. Why worry about reservations and quotas?
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Career in IT – the charm is gone
A lot of engineering graduates aspire to make their careers in the IT industry seeking to ride the gravy train.
Is the charm still there? A reality check.
IT’s adrenalin charged growth is already showing signs of plateauing. By 2015, it would be a fairly mature industry and would be subject to the business economics of volume, cost control, competitive margins etc. What would it mean for a software engineer joining now?
There are essentially three operational wings to an IT company.
1] low end maintenance: characterized by large numbers of employees and a near flat hierarchy [equivalent to workers to supervisor ratio in the shop floor]. So chances of promotion are limited. In any case, one really can’t grow into the top management levels through this route. And the acquired skills and experience will be of minimal value to other disciplines, thereby stifling any break out options.
2] customizing applications: with proliferation of vertical specific solutions, reusable components and machine generated code, this wing will go the same way as maintenance.
3] high end consulting led assignments: This wing will be the focus area of growth. The discriminating skills and background required are management education,a high level appreciation of IT and deep industry knowledge. At senior levels, there would also be lateral recruitments from the industry domains as well. Hence, the software engineers can’t easily aspire for senior management positions.[even a highly skilled mason will be hard put to become an architect!]
In summary, in a few years, the software engineers, who by then would be in their early thirties, would be stuck in a stagnant career path with only modest remuneration to boot.
Sensible long term options are careers in stable sectors such as manufacturing and infra structure or moderately risky emergent sectors such as bio/ nano technology. These are better options for sustained career growth leading upto senior management positions and higher cumulative remuneration over the working life span.
Is the charm still there? A reality check.
IT’s adrenalin charged growth is already showing signs of plateauing. By 2015, it would be a fairly mature industry and would be subject to the business economics of volume, cost control, competitive margins etc. What would it mean for a software engineer joining now?
There are essentially three operational wings to an IT company.
1] low end maintenance: characterized by large numbers of employees and a near flat hierarchy [equivalent to workers to supervisor ratio in the shop floor]. So chances of promotion are limited. In any case, one really can’t grow into the top management levels through this route. And the acquired skills and experience will be of minimal value to other disciplines, thereby stifling any break out options.
2] customizing applications: with proliferation of vertical specific solutions, reusable components and machine generated code, this wing will go the same way as maintenance.
3] high end consulting led assignments: This wing will be the focus area of growth. The discriminating skills and background required are management education,a high level appreciation of IT and deep industry knowledge. At senior levels, there would also be lateral recruitments from the industry domains as well. Hence, the software engineers can’t easily aspire for senior management positions.[even a highly skilled mason will be hard put to become an architect!]
In summary, in a few years, the software engineers, who by then would be in their early thirties, would be stuck in a stagnant career path with only modest remuneration to boot.
Sensible long term options are careers in stable sectors such as manufacturing and infra structure or moderately risky emergent sectors such as bio/ nano technology. These are better options for sustained career growth leading upto senior management positions and higher cumulative remuneration over the working life span.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Periyar is God for Tambrahms !
The Tamil Brahmins today are financially better placed than they were in the early seventies. I grew up in an agraharam and have witnessed the dramatic rise in the prosperity of hundreds of families.
The biggest benefactor to the Brahmins has been the Periyar founded DK [the word is used to describe all the Dravidian parties] and its variants. To appease the OBCs during election campaigns, the party had to always choose short fixes and not proffer long term solutions. [giving fish and teaching to fish]
As a result, the reservations in education and jobs were ill timed and tremendously helped the Brahmins.
Let me elaborate.
1] In the early seventies, the Brahmins were financially weaker [even the few jamindar families had come to grief by then due to the land ceiling act]. The only dominance they had was in education and Govt. jobs.DK in their bid to capture power showed up the positions held by the Brahmins in the Govt. as a symbol of Brahmin hegemony that extended beyond the agraharams.And offered appeasement to the OBCs by way of job reservation in the Govt.
The best tactic against the Brahmins should have been to keep them in a state of sufficiency by not closing the door to the Govt. jobs.[ the most poorly paid and no real sense of power either; the only way to make money is to become corrupt which over a period of time eats into the moral fabric of the community ; how does one discipline the community into any moral framework with blatantly ill gotten wealth -which also needs to be invested in shady investments or investments thru illegal routes -which in turn ensures that one gets more and more tied to the criminals.]
DK should have encouraged the OBCs to compete better in academics. Instead it offered the “fish”, the job, by the reservation policy. This ensured two things:
1, the OBCs didn’t concentrate on studies
2, The state govt got to be increasingly staffed with mediocre people and the irony is that numerically the largest customer block for the state govt are the OBCs themselves.
As a result, Brahmins got into [right thru 70s,80s and 90s] the IITS, RECs IIMs and all the top colleges with little or no competition from the OBCs and went on to the private sector in droves resulting in large number of families transitioning into the middle /upper income class.
2] By late eighties, when the OBCs realized that the private sector is the better proposition and that there is no way of reserving jobs therein by a Govt fiat , the pressure was back on the DK for yet another quick fix.
DK seizing on this opportunity, painted a picture of Brahmin’s affluence as being due to the education system and the education reservation binge started.
Reservation in the few govt colleges could not help in a significant manner. Therefore, DK resorted to starting new engineering colleges [the irony being that these colleges are mostly owned by the OBCs , make money by selling the seats at a premium to the OBCs and admit the Brahmins under the merit category at Govt. fixed fees ! i.e the OBCs are paying for the education of deserving Brahmins !!!]. The small FC quota on a larger base was enough to take in the left out Brahmin candidates. Because of the value system that stressed on education, they excelled and continue to get the best of the private sector jobs. The IT industry for instance has become almost an extension of the agraharam.[ Today, there is hardly any Brahmin home with out a close relative in the US !.]
Ergo, Periyar’s photo deserves pride of place in the grateful Tamil Brahmin homes!!!
The biggest benefactor to the Brahmins has been the Periyar founded DK [the word is used to describe all the Dravidian parties] and its variants. To appease the OBCs during election campaigns, the party had to always choose short fixes and not proffer long term solutions. [giving fish and teaching to fish]
As a result, the reservations in education and jobs were ill timed and tremendously helped the Brahmins.
Let me elaborate.
1] In the early seventies, the Brahmins were financially weaker [even the few jamindar families had come to grief by then due to the land ceiling act]. The only dominance they had was in education and Govt. jobs.DK in their bid to capture power showed up the positions held by the Brahmins in the Govt. as a symbol of Brahmin hegemony that extended beyond the agraharams.And offered appeasement to the OBCs by way of job reservation in the Govt.
The best tactic against the Brahmins should have been to keep them in a state of sufficiency by not closing the door to the Govt. jobs.[ the most poorly paid and no real sense of power either; the only way to make money is to become corrupt which over a period of time eats into the moral fabric of the community ; how does one discipline the community into any moral framework with blatantly ill gotten wealth -which also needs to be invested in shady investments or investments thru illegal routes -which in turn ensures that one gets more and more tied to the criminals.]
DK should have encouraged the OBCs to compete better in academics. Instead it offered the “fish”, the job, by the reservation policy. This ensured two things:
1, the OBCs didn’t concentrate on studies
2, The state govt got to be increasingly staffed with mediocre people and the irony is that numerically the largest customer block for the state govt are the OBCs themselves.
As a result, Brahmins got into [right thru 70s,80s and 90s] the IITS, RECs IIMs and all the top colleges with little or no competition from the OBCs and went on to the private sector in droves resulting in large number of families transitioning into the middle /upper income class.
2] By late eighties, when the OBCs realized that the private sector is the better proposition and that there is no way of reserving jobs therein by a Govt fiat , the pressure was back on the DK for yet another quick fix.
DK seizing on this opportunity, painted a picture of Brahmin’s affluence as being due to the education system and the education reservation binge started.
Reservation in the few govt colleges could not help in a significant manner. Therefore, DK resorted to starting new engineering colleges [the irony being that these colleges are mostly owned by the OBCs , make money by selling the seats at a premium to the OBCs and admit the Brahmins under the merit category at Govt. fixed fees ! i.e the OBCs are paying for the education of deserving Brahmins !!!]. The small FC quota on a larger base was enough to take in the left out Brahmin candidates. Because of the value system that stressed on education, they excelled and continue to get the best of the private sector jobs. The IT industry for instance has become almost an extension of the agraharam.[ Today, there is hardly any Brahmin home with out a close relative in the US !.]
Ergo, Periyar’s photo deserves pride of place in the grateful Tamil Brahmin homes!!!
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