As a child, I remember how possessive I was about my polished, evil looking, wooden scale. When my mother used to be busy in the kitchen and dad used to be out for work, I would passionately hit the sofa seats pretending they were my students.
Yes, as every other child, I wanted to be a teacher. A teacher personified power, poise, knowledge - a conglomerate of attributes that i wanted to pursue.
My grandfather was a Math Professor. His sister, worked as a science teacher in a school and my aunt is a head of the department for math in a well established school in Delhi.They are gifted with patience and skill, I have gathered. This sort of a background might have influenced me to think so highly of teaching, as a profession.
I also happened to have some of the best teachers at school, who were not only knowledgeable about their subjects, but were also passionate about helping their students to attain great heights. They instilled in me, the values of hardwork, respect and ambition, which have shaped my life.
However, the best teacher I have ever had, is my dad.
When i recall those moments, I have spent with him, crunching numbers into my calculator, learning about fractions, discussing economy, I am filled with pride, for no particular reason. He used to be as passionate about getting an answer right, as i used to be, as a high school student. He used to be as nervous as I was, before an exam. We would plan out work, for a week and stick to schedules, then.We would cling on to difficult problems for ages, sometimes. We used to fight over methods. We used to engage in long discussions about math exams, once i was done with them.
When I became old enough to call myself,an adult, I realized, I have gained much more than problem solving capabilities and I crave to be what my father has been to me.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
EVIL
Guarded by the know-alls,
This world’s so beautiful
Flickering hope and discovery
And fire blazing through.
Here, the craving mind finds the altar,
Roars with pride, yet in symphony
Visualizes the pinnacle that none can see
And uplifts spirits and fancy.
Yet, in this path of the ultimate,
Crippled is the self
Subdued and assaulted
By the image of the righteous.
Then I wonder in horror- Is the evil in me or around?
Vicious thoughts then encompass my fragile mind
Sodden and lost- by whims,
It struggles to win ‘thee’
And everybody!
But they identify me, just as matter,
Pretending their values to be absolute.
They negate the existence of the ‘other’,
While their poverty stricken soul watches aghast.
Then I wonder in horror- Is the evil in me or around?
I dig up the graves of ugly wounds
Just to stare and gasp..
Load it with some more ‘red’
And watch the pain in motion.
Then I wonder in horror – Is the evil in me or around?
Then I wonder in horror – Is the evil in me or around?
This world’s so beautiful
Flickering hope and discovery
And fire blazing through.
Here, the craving mind finds the altar,
Roars with pride, yet in symphony
Visualizes the pinnacle that none can see
And uplifts spirits and fancy.
Yet, in this path of the ultimate,
Crippled is the self
Subdued and assaulted
By the image of the righteous.
Then I wonder in horror- Is the evil in me or around?
Vicious thoughts then encompass my fragile mind
Sodden and lost- by whims,
It struggles to win ‘thee’
And everybody!
But they identify me, just as matter,
Pretending their values to be absolute.
They negate the existence of the ‘other’,
While their poverty stricken soul watches aghast.
Then I wonder in horror- Is the evil in me or around?
I dig up the graves of ugly wounds
Just to stare and gasp..
Load it with some more ‘red’
And watch the pain in motion.
Then I wonder in horror – Is the evil in me or around?
Then I wonder in horror – Is the evil in me or around?
Nothingness
An abyss I see at a distance,
Mocking at the beam of light.
It knows not the splendid dream
It surrenders to the crave, within.
It nods in approval to the failed saints
Their penance count only in the heaven.
They rush, they pray, they give away in dismay
It’s poise strengthens the will to depart.
An abyss I see at a distance
Watching scornfully, the saga of survival.
It cares for its reign and so shall you see
While it provokes the serene mind.
It gathers dust and smoke under the sun,
And lauds the martyrs with contempt.
They reach the crest and fade away
So, it dances for the rueful song.
I stand and stare at the abyss
As it triumphs over me.
It is no more at a distance
It’s now fueling its glory.
Mocking at the beam of light.
It knows not the splendid dream
It surrenders to the crave, within.
It nods in approval to the failed saints
Their penance count only in the heaven.
They rush, they pray, they give away in dismay
It’s poise strengthens the will to depart.
An abyss I see at a distance
Watching scornfully, the saga of survival.
It cares for its reign and so shall you see
While it provokes the serene mind.
It gathers dust and smoke under the sun,
And lauds the martyrs with contempt.
They reach the crest and fade away
So, it dances for the rueful song.
I stand and stare at the abyss
As it triumphs over me.
It is no more at a distance
It’s now fueling its glory.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
The Time Traveller
Through the flood of wanton sight,
he soars past the stars.
The one who challenges the might
of those who laughs at his scars.
He sails the vast blue skies,
free of space and time;
Desolate fury and fright he fights
to clean the seas of their slime.
Rays of light he strings in his bow
and battles against every chance,
Riding the void and every hollow,
to fill them with the shine of his lance.
The savior of fate and glory is he,
beholder of respect and fame;
He was, he is and he is to be:
The time traveller, or so is his claim!
he soars past the stars.
The one who challenges the might
of those who laughs at his scars.
He sails the vast blue skies,
free of space and time;
Desolate fury and fright he fights
to clean the seas of their slime.
Rays of light he strings in his bow
and battles against every chance,
Riding the void and every hollow,
to fill them with the shine of his lance.
The savior of fate and glory is he,
beholder of respect and fame;
He was, he is and he is to be:
The time traveller, or so is his claim!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Life, the Universe and Everything
If you are an atheist over the age of thirty, this article is not for you. This is because I believe that once you are thirty you have passed that critical age beyond which your opinions on matters such as these are so full of conviction that new ideas just bounce off you without causing so much as a dent.
Why do men today choose to not believe in God? We have these so called ‘rational thinkers’ and ‘men of science’ who publish papers after analyzing what they observe using the complicated process of absurdo ad reductum! This is a reasonable approach as far as the sciences of everyday occurrence go but when applied to something people witness after several lifetimes of devotion (or determination) it fails miserably. Again we come to the question - Why do men today choose to not believe in God? They think it is a problem in statistics. They ask half a billion people around the globe – Have you seen God? And they reply – No. There you have it – QED! No one has ever seen God: hence he doesn’t exist. It is, in fact a statistical problem. The sample space is too small; you need to ask this question to all humans on earth for several centuries before you get a reasonable number of people who say they have. The ratio will still be astonishingly small (No small thanks to the atheists).
The argument they propound has such a gaping fallacy. It is like wondering if a star of a certain brightness and mass exists somewhere across the universe. It is impossible to prove its existence unless you spend two billion dollars and thirty earth years in a spaceship. But suppose there is a willing astronaut and funding from some rich fool. The man travels across space, sees the star and returns when he is ninety. He proclaims to the world – I have seen the star; it really exists! Hardly anyone is ready to believe him. Where is the proof? How can we be sure his descriptions are to be trusted? The pictures he has here may have been taken in any other part of the universe. And so on…He gives up trying to convince them and says – If you want to know the truth, go find it yourself! Of course no one bothers with the effort. They are content with not believing. Today, we lack men of faith. Just have faith and put your heart and soul into it and you will achieve what you desire. You will see God - that’s what our forefathers said. It is well worth the effort.
Why do men today choose to not believe in God? We have these so called ‘rational thinkers’ and ‘men of science’ who publish papers after analyzing what they observe using the complicated process of absurdo ad reductum! This is a reasonable approach as far as the sciences of everyday occurrence go but when applied to something people witness after several lifetimes of devotion (or determination) it fails miserably. Again we come to the question - Why do men today choose to not believe in God? They think it is a problem in statistics. They ask half a billion people around the globe – Have you seen God? And they reply – No. There you have it – QED! No one has ever seen God: hence he doesn’t exist. It is, in fact a statistical problem. The sample space is too small; you need to ask this question to all humans on earth for several centuries before you get a reasonable number of people who say they have. The ratio will still be astonishingly small (No small thanks to the atheists).
The argument they propound has such a gaping fallacy. It is like wondering if a star of a certain brightness and mass exists somewhere across the universe. It is impossible to prove its existence unless you spend two billion dollars and thirty earth years in a spaceship. But suppose there is a willing astronaut and funding from some rich fool. The man travels across space, sees the star and returns when he is ninety. He proclaims to the world – I have seen the star; it really exists! Hardly anyone is ready to believe him. Where is the proof? How can we be sure his descriptions are to be trusted? The pictures he has here may have been taken in any other part of the universe. And so on…He gives up trying to convince them and says – If you want to know the truth, go find it yourself! Of course no one bothers with the effort. They are content with not believing. Today, we lack men of faith. Just have faith and put your heart and soul into it and you will achieve what you desire. You will see God - that’s what our forefathers said. It is well worth the effort.
Thief!
"The chill is in the nightly air", he mused
though t'was his heart that was cold,
As he set out on a forlorn path unused
towards that cursed house so old.
Two and forty years of age was he,
a good thirty more were they;
His masters were the village couple;
he was their servant by day.
Now upon his agile toes he slunk,
for the lighted window he made;
There by the lamp sat she
polishing the golden idol of its fade.
Smitten by greed was he at this
blinded by malign was he;
The thief in him leaped in joy
Now a murderer he was to be!
He raised the shaft and drew the knife
forward still he crept,
But alas! he missed his hold on it,
when onto the window sill he leapt!
Maybe it was the noise, or god above
that woke up the old man in the hall.
He snatched up his bow at once,
and thus at the traitor he shot, knife and all!
With a noiseless scream of pain he fell,
down to the realm of remorse he flew
Into dark, fading shades of hell;
as the world around him withdrew.
though t'was his heart that was cold,
As he set out on a forlorn path unused
towards that cursed house so old.
Two and forty years of age was he,
a good thirty more were they;
His masters were the village couple;
he was their servant by day.
Now upon his agile toes he slunk,
for the lighted window he made;
There by the lamp sat she
polishing the golden idol of its fade.
Smitten by greed was he at this
blinded by malign was he;
The thief in him leaped in joy
Now a murderer he was to be!
He raised the shaft and drew the knife
forward still he crept,
But alas! he missed his hold on it,
when onto the window sill he leapt!
Maybe it was the noise, or god above
that woke up the old man in the hall.
He snatched up his bow at once,
and thus at the traitor he shot, knife and all!
With a noiseless scream of pain he fell,
down to the realm of remorse he flew
Into dark, fading shades of hell;
as the world around him withdrew.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Under the Australian Sky
I met a doc- an Indian- Australian, in 'Canby'.Her husband, a researcher at my uni, works with AI,which is well beyond the boundaries that my commerce brain can take me.
This association, to say the least,has brought me
-close to the life, i have been curious about...
-brought me to understand 'bogons' ( somebody who is dressed pathetically, only good enough to drink n make merry) and 'cozzie' ( a swimming costume!!)
- appreciate the dark forests n scary bushes
- be conscious abt the running tap n the bushfires
- and most importantly, to be INDEPENDENT
Yesterday, I learnt how to fill up petrol into a car and wash it - something I would have never learnt in Bangalore.
I was also introduced to the concept of barbeque.. we went to the river side, paddled in the water, cooked food in the dark, ate without having the slightest clue about the bread, salad, tofu n cooked vegetables.... under the moonlight(while incessantly spraying the mosquito repellent.) The drive back home was absolutely refreshing but got me very very nostalgic. I quietly prayed and struck a deal with the moon. I promised him a rendevous with the one i love under the same sky.
I like the light that the first dawn is bringing in. I hope the warmth, does not turn into heat, though.
This association, to say the least,has brought me
-close to the life, i have been curious about...
-brought me to understand 'bogons' ( somebody who is dressed pathetically, only good enough to drink n make merry) and 'cozzie' ( a swimming costume!!)
- appreciate the dark forests n scary bushes
- be conscious abt the running tap n the bushfires
- and most importantly, to be INDEPENDENT
Yesterday, I learnt how to fill up petrol into a car and wash it - something I would have never learnt in Bangalore.
I was also introduced to the concept of barbeque.. we went to the river side, paddled in the water, cooked food in the dark, ate without having the slightest clue about the bread, salad, tofu n cooked vegetables.... under the moonlight(while incessantly spraying the mosquito repellent.) The drive back home was absolutely refreshing but got me very very nostalgic. I quietly prayed and struck a deal with the moon. I promised him a rendevous with the one i love under the same sky.
I like the light that the first dawn is bringing in. I hope the warmth, does not turn into heat, though.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
A high school essay: Mini Forest
There is a park near my house called 'mini-forest'. Having 4 sub-parks in all, mini-forest stretches from the outer ring road to the inner ring road. It has proved a boon for the residents of the J P Nagar 3rd phase locality, which is an otherwise not-so-green area. I have lived in this locality for most part of my life, yet never have seen a change so diverse in anything here, but this park.
The virgin park is one which had scores of eucalyptus trees. This version of the park is long gone now. The first hint of change came with the change of management of the 'tree-gardeners'. The new staff were better, and they had benches installed, a swanky green fence, and gates too. They cleared the park of the weeds, and cleared the ground for kids to play and cycle around. One could smell the fresh eucalyptus oil from the trees. This fragrance drew many old people and morning joggers. There was a time for kitty parties amongst the ladies, and a fun competition every month. We had won a rangoli competition once!
Then came a stage when the gardeners and the management got tired with the general noise. The children broke fences, some broke windows of nearby houses with their games of cricket. Vandals snapped up twigs and branches and set them afire. The paths were strewn with eucalyptus leaves, and the management had the situation out of their hands.
With the change in Karnataka's political scene came the much needed breath of fresh air for the residents of J P Nagar. Kumaraswamy's house is close to mini-forest, and his wife is an avid naturalist. She was approached by a troop of J P Nagar housewives, and thus money was sanctioned for the improvement of the park. New fences were planted, old trees cut down, ground leveled and engineered for walking, lawns grown, cobblestone pathways built, keep-off-grass signs erected... this park had had a sea of change compared to its first humble beginnings.
One fine day, the park was thrown open to the public, with an inaugurating function hosted by the residents. Cakes and lemon squash were distributed, and the children never stopped smiling. The whole area was lit up with the newly installed lamps. Since then, there has been no looking back. Innovations were continued, and the park now has a yoga-area, a gym corner, a mini stage for small functions, a well maintained lawn cover, paths with benches and well maintained signs and a children's play area.
I too go jogging there every now and then with a friend. I hope this park continues to become better every year. Maybe some day in life, I will come here with my kids, take them to the play area. Sit on the bench there with my wife, and talk of old days, when I used to go jogging with my friend, talking about all the insane topics in our lives, and fighting about Mercedes and Bentleys and iMacs!
The virgin park is one which had scores of eucalyptus trees. This version of the park is long gone now. The first hint of change came with the change of management of the 'tree-gardeners'. The new staff were better, and they had benches installed, a swanky green fence, and gates too. They cleared the park of the weeds, and cleared the ground for kids to play and cycle around. One could smell the fresh eucalyptus oil from the trees. This fragrance drew many old people and morning joggers. There was a time for kitty parties amongst the ladies, and a fun competition every month. We had won a rangoli competition once!
Then came a stage when the gardeners and the management got tired with the general noise. The children broke fences, some broke windows of nearby houses with their games of cricket. Vandals snapped up twigs and branches and set them afire. The paths were strewn with eucalyptus leaves, and the management had the situation out of their hands.
With the change in Karnataka's political scene came the much needed breath of fresh air for the residents of J P Nagar. Kumaraswamy's house is close to mini-forest, and his wife is an avid naturalist. She was approached by a troop of J P Nagar housewives, and thus money was sanctioned for the improvement of the park. New fences were planted, old trees cut down, ground leveled and engineered for walking, lawns grown, cobblestone pathways built, keep-off-grass signs erected... this park had had a sea of change compared to its first humble beginnings.
One fine day, the park was thrown open to the public, with an inaugurating function hosted by the residents. Cakes and lemon squash were distributed, and the children never stopped smiling. The whole area was lit up with the newly installed lamps. Since then, there has been no looking back. Innovations were continued, and the park now has a yoga-area, a gym corner, a mini stage for small functions, a well maintained lawn cover, paths with benches and well maintained signs and a children's play area.
I too go jogging there every now and then with a friend. I hope this park continues to become better every year. Maybe some day in life, I will come here with my kids, take them to the play area. Sit on the bench there with my wife, and talk of old days, when I used to go jogging with my friend, talking about all the insane topics in our lives, and fighting about Mercedes and Bentleys and iMacs!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
My Grandmother: A 'Simple' Woman
There is freshness in old wine too. Take my grand mom for instance. Her ideas have always been out of the box, mainly because she had not a clue what the box was in the first place. A new saree for the bride- ask granny. Decoration of the 'green-room' at the wedding hall- granny's responsibility. She is older than most other grannys, with reference to my age of course, but I guess it's me that feels young when she's around.
But this has all changed. Granny has not been well for some time now. She had a violent attack of dehydration following a stomach upset, and she's never gotten better. This had even thrown the doctors into a spin, because there was little they could do to get such an aged body back on track. But miraculously, after struggling through stages of 'life' when she couldn't even crawl let alone walk on her own, she is healthy now.
My granny is the best. This I do not just say in the tone of any man who'd of course feel that his own granny is the best. It is a matter of acute disbelief to the doctor who treated her, that my granny has reached a stage of health she is in now. Not going into details of her medical progress (which I do not know properly myself), I'd say it was her habits that came to her rescue. She was never a one who had skipped a meal. She always brushed her teeth, though toothpaste was unheard of in her time. She kept matters of life just as she felt they should be- short and simple. She had had several children, but never went through a lean phase even during her menopause. She was always a person who one could count on to cheer him up, because she liked to talk things in the light of God, and actually convince a person of things like that through sheer innocence of belief.
If I am asked to sum up in a line what I have learnt of life through my granny, I'd say its 'simplicity of thought'. Never complicate things if they can be solved through simple means. This alone can lead to peace of mind in our old age, and keep us from feeling guilty of having done something wrong, long after we have lost the means to correct it.
But this has all changed. Granny has not been well for some time now. She had a violent attack of dehydration following a stomach upset, and she's never gotten better. This had even thrown the doctors into a spin, because there was little they could do to get such an aged body back on track. But miraculously, after struggling through stages of 'life' when she couldn't even crawl let alone walk on her own, she is healthy now.
My granny is the best. This I do not just say in the tone of any man who'd of course feel that his own granny is the best. It is a matter of acute disbelief to the doctor who treated her, that my granny has reached a stage of health she is in now. Not going into details of her medical progress (which I do not know properly myself), I'd say it was her habits that came to her rescue. She was never a one who had skipped a meal. She always brushed her teeth, though toothpaste was unheard of in her time. She kept matters of life just as she felt they should be- short and simple. She had had several children, but never went through a lean phase even during her menopause. She was always a person who one could count on to cheer him up, because she liked to talk things in the light of God, and actually convince a person of things like that through sheer innocence of belief.
If I am asked to sum up in a line what I have learnt of life through my granny, I'd say its 'simplicity of thought'. Never complicate things if they can be solved through simple means. This alone can lead to peace of mind in our old age, and keep us from feeling guilty of having done something wrong, long after we have lost the means to correct it.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
MaNaGE as a MANAGER
Carlson, a Spanish researcher and a pioneer in management came up with a study to understand managerial behavioral patterns.He documented several aspects of a manager's functions and their impacts.
I found that his study and those of his colleagues were extremely relevant to what i had observed in my work environment.
Researchers have observed that there is a gap between that which the classical management theories advocate and what is practical and routine for a manager. For example, there is more to a manager's functions than just planning, organizing, coordinating, directing, staffing, controlling and coordinating.It is more like pilot training, where job training is essential, inspite of the involvement of the theoritical aspects.
Carlson talks about the number of interruptions that a manager has to face during his work and the nature of the work load. I can easily link this phenomenon with the manager of accounts in SBT. He had very little undisturbed time to carry out his routine activities ( daily transactions), thanks to the number of people lining up in front of his desk for various payments. This meant, he had even lesser time to direct people around him, monitor or allocate resources effectiently.
I completely agree with Carlson where he mentions how this could affect the job as well as the individual. As per his analysis, this phenomenon could lead to 'intellectual isolation' and affect his family and personal life.
Managing is more about being responsive, rather than analytical -Stewart, another management guru mentions. But i believe, it is all about multitasking. It is about being able to compartmentalize not only resources, but one's brain to accomadate several aspects of the work in an organization.
In fact, this ideaology could be utilized in daily lives as students, or mothers, or while carrying out different responsibilites in differenct chairs.
I found that his study and those of his colleagues were extremely relevant to what i had observed in my work environment.
Researchers have observed that there is a gap between that which the classical management theories advocate and what is practical and routine for a manager. For example, there is more to a manager's functions than just planning, organizing, coordinating, directing, staffing, controlling and coordinating.It is more like pilot training, where job training is essential, inspite of the involvement of the theoritical aspects.
Carlson talks about the number of interruptions that a manager has to face during his work and the nature of the work load. I can easily link this phenomenon with the manager of accounts in SBT. He had very little undisturbed time to carry out his routine activities ( daily transactions), thanks to the number of people lining up in front of his desk for various payments. This meant, he had even lesser time to direct people around him, monitor or allocate resources effectiently.
I completely agree with Carlson where he mentions how this could affect the job as well as the individual. As per his analysis, this phenomenon could lead to 'intellectual isolation' and affect his family and personal life.
Managing is more about being responsive, rather than analytical -Stewart, another management guru mentions. But i believe, it is all about multitasking. It is about being able to compartmentalize not only resources, but one's brain to accomadate several aspects of the work in an organization.
In fact, this ideaology could be utilized in daily lives as students, or mothers, or while carrying out different responsibilites in differenct chairs.
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