Let us find out whether the award returnees have real balls!

Much has been written about the farce of the so called 'famous' writers and film makers returning their awards, citing lack of Freedom and rising intolerance in the Country, under BJP rule.

Though the social media has panned all these hypocrites, and exposed them for the charlatans they are, the Government has been muted in its response, except for some hard hitting speeches by Arun Jaitley and Venkaiah Naidu.

I was surprised to see Rajnath Singh asking these 'worthies' to engage in a dialogue with the Government! Pray why?

It is noteworthy that the Congress party which orchestrated this award return drama, did not bother to stand by them.

Why didn't Sonia or Rahul not return the Bharat Ratnas awarded to Nehru, Indira and Rahul? We would have gladly accepted them, for they were all unworthy of getting the highest honour of the nation, in any case.

How I wish the Government had called the bluff of these writers and film makers!

They should have given them one weeks time to return the Citation, the Cash award with interest accrued till date, the cost of translating and printing their books by Sahitya Academy in many languages, and the Royalty paid to them so far. If they refused to do so, then cases should be filed against them under IPC 420 for cheating the public.

Now, THAT would have set the cat amongst the pigeons and we would have found out how many of these commie left pseudo liberals have real balls!

Good bye, my friend!

I am very sentimental, and am attached to personal belongings that have been with me for a long time, especially if they were with me during my difficult times.

I hang on to slippers and shoes till they are worn out, no matter whether I have couple of brand new ones already purchased and used sparingly.

Ditto with my tennis racquet or pen.

I hate to change my car, unless absolutely required nor house. There is a comfort in reaching out for something with which you are very comfortable.

It doesn't mean that I don't embrace newer things. Quite the contrary. It is just that I like to surround myself  or wear things which are comfortable.

It is why I was extremely sad when my old iphone ( I don't even remember the version - I think it is iphone 4), purchased in August 2011 finally decided that it has had enough of me and decided to malfunction. I have been urged by all around me to change to a newer version even 2 years ago, but I resisted. And this in an era where people change mobiles every 6 months!!

My IT supplier, who knows my habits, jokingly told me to go for iphone 6s, while light heatedly passing a remark "better take it, as it is the best bet to last ANOTHER 4 years!!"

So with a heavy heart, I have to bid good bye to a dear friend. You have been with me through times good and bad, and have been very reliable. On my part, I have treated you with respect, and even today, after 4 years and 3 months, you look as good as new. If only your power switch didn't malfunction!! Sigh!

Of Vows and Consequences

Ithihasams are replete with instances of many legends being forced to support adharma or a non rational act, just to uphold a promise given by them.

Take the case of Dasaradhan. He gave a boon to his wife Kaikeyi for showing presence of mind during a critical battle, which she redeemed at a later stage with tragic consequences. On the eve of Sreeraman's coronation as Crown Prince, she used the boon to insist that Dasaradhan banish Rama for 14 years to the jungle and to crown her son Bharathan as Crown Prince. Much against everyone's wish, including his Prajas, he had to accede to Kaikeyis wish and send Sreeraman to the Jungle. Did he forgo his responsibility to his Country and People for a boon given long ago, but was totally unjust and asked for a selfish purpose? Was his promise more worth than what was good for the Country?

Young Devavrata took a Bhishma Sapadham so that his aged father Shantanu can marry a young girl, Satyavathi. He relinquished his right to be the King and vowed to protect Hastinapuram against any usurper. Should he have done this to satisfy the whim of an aged man, who thought only about his personal pleasure? Did not the Country and people lose out the wisdom of a great warrior like Devavrata (Bhishma)? And much later, he was forced to side with the Kauravas, against Pandavas in the Kurukshetra war, thereby fighting against an Army that was waging a war for Dharma.

Karnan was known for his Dana Seelam. Indran, knowing fully well this sterling quality of Karna, comes in disguise and asks him to donate his Kavacham and Kundalam. Knowing his life will be in peril in the imminent War, Karnan does offer them as alms to Indra, thereby letting down himself, his close friend Duryodhana and the Kauravas. Karnan also gave a word to his mother Kunti that he will not kill any of his brothers other than Arjuna. Though he had chances to kill the other four, he let them off each time, honouring his word, but falls prey to Arjunans arrow in tragic circumstances. Another case of mistaken priorities perhaps?

While I am one for honouring one's word (what are we, if we cannot honour our words!), it should not be at the expense of the greater benefit to the mankind, or ones Country or ones Organization or ones Family.

Did not Krishna ask Yudhishtira to utter 'Aswathama hatha: Kunjara:' which ensured Drona keeping his Weapons down, so that Dhrishtadhyumnan can kill him? This turned the war in favour of Pandavas and greater good prevailed.

Success at last!

My father always accused me of not being tenacious enough. He was also unhappy I was not ambitious and a bit of an under achiever.

I am still not ambitious and believe firmly in Nishkama Karma.

Though early in life I got things easily without putting in the hard yards, the last decade and a half has taught me many lessons, and the results were not quite in line with my efforts. I had to struggle for even small successes, which never came when I wanted, but after a prolonged struggle. So much so that when the goal was finally attained, the feeling is one of relief than joy.

Today is one such day.

I conceived a big project in 2010 for my Company and thought it will become a reality in 2011. Everyone associated with the project gave it up for good by 2012 but I kept it alive. It was sheer obstinacy at times. I was ridiculed and I could sense people making snide remarks behind my back. Finally there was array of hope on 1st January 2015. Again hopes rose, only to fall by April. But I plodded on, made painful progress step by small step and finally, last weekend everything fell in place and today a new company with a Capital of OMR 500,000 was finally registered to manage a OMR 4 million project. This company will offer Drilling Tools on Rental and the Investing Partner is a very successful businessman and a real gentleman, which augurs well for the future.

I should be feeling on top of the world but I am just too tired. But there is a satisfaction in this tiredness.

This journey of 5 years taught me patience, perseverance, tenacity and the value of plain honest hard work.

And it was pure Nishkama karma.

My father is no more, having died in 2004. But I am sure from somewhere up there he must be feeling content in his own enigmatic, understated way.

A Few Unasked Questions in Indian Politics - 1

Aravind Kejriwal pulled out of the Coalition Government with Congress after 49 days, citing Congress not backing him to get the majority for passing the Jan Lokpal Bill. Now that he has a 67/70 majority for the past 7 months, why is he not even talking about Jan Lokpal?

Why is everyone giving so much importance to AAP, when it rules only Delhi, which is a truncated State at worst, and a glorified Municipality at worst?

Similarly, why is so much space given to Congress party, which has only 44 members in the Lok Sabha?

Communist Party of India, whether Marxist or not, is virtually wiped out in India. But still they have a say in everything which is tom tomed by the Media. Why should be suffer non entities like Sitaram Yechury, Brinda Karat or Prakash Karat who cannot influence even 1% of the national voters?

We have followed the British system of Parliam

entary Democracy. Why have we not adopted their system of having primaries to elect candidates to stand for election in a Constituency?

We used to have a single days polling 30 years ago, and prior to the introduction of Electronic Voting Machines, and results announced the very next day. Why should we have the elections spread over 2 months, and counting done only 3-5 days after the last day of polling?

Why are we not taxing Agriculture income? There are farmers who are multi millionaires who get away without paying tax. Why?

What is the true meaning of Secularism?

Why do we talk of only Muslims and Christians when we mention Minorities? What about the true Minorities - the Parsis, Jains, Sikhs etc? Why should we have only a Muslim Minister for the post of Minister of Minority Affairs always?

Why are we not modernizing the Judiciary? Why are there so many vacancies in various Courts? When will we get to see a Case being tried in less than 3 years?

Why should Supreme Court which should focus on only mainly high level Appeals interfering in simple domestic violence case like that of Somnath Bharthi or giving anticipatory bail to Teesta Setalvad, thereby wasting their precious time?.....................to be contd............

Pattu Noolil Vazha Naaru Cherkaruthu (Dont try to add Plantain Thread to Silk Thread)

Once upon a time, a young boy called Prabhakaran was learning the Sasthrams in Gurukulavasam Sampradayam. Despite being exceptionally gifted, the Guru used to be extremely tough with him, though to lesser gifted students he was patience personified. The Guru used to abuse and beat Prabhakaran. Though baffled, Prabhakaran bore all these sufferings and ignomy with dignity and became versatile in all Sasthrams. Even though the time for him to complete his education was over, the Guru did not let him go. One day the Guru beat him on the thigh so harshly that it started bleeding. Prabhakaran couldnt take it any longer and went away from his classes for the day. Hurt, he wanted to take reprisal on the Cruel Guru and managed to find a place in the loft above the Gurus bedroom with a big stone, with the avowed purpose of killing him in the night. In the night, he heard the Guru remorsefully tell his wife that he was being tough on Prabhakar, only because he was exceptionally talented, and he didnt want him to be complacent, which he feared would happen, if he were to praise him. Hearing this, Prabhakaran was overcome with grief, and falls on the feet of the Guru, but revealing to him that he had intended to kill him. Though the Guru pardoned him, Prabhakaran took the issue of his intention to murder his Guru to a court of learned people, and sought a suitable punishment. Since even thinking of harming a Guru is unthinkable, murder was unpardonable in their eyes. The punishment given to him was to cover himself with rice husk (Umi) and set fire to it, slowly burning himself to death. Prabhakaran accepted the punishment and set about to carry it out. While he was slowly being burned to death, he thought "My this janmam is ending now. Let me at least create something eulogizing the God, which will be my contribution to my Guru and to the World' Thus he started creating and reciting the poem 'Sree Krishna Vilasam'. The brilliant poem was never completed. When he reached the 12th Sargam, his body got completely burnt and the last verse was 'Pasya Priye Konkana....."

Much later, the legendary Poet Kalidasan tried to complete the Poem. He took off from where Prabhakara Kavi left off 'Pasya Priye Konkana' by adding the word 'Bhoomi bhagaan'. At that time there was a divine voice (asareeri) "Pattu noolinondu vazha naaru echu koottan purappadenda" (dont try to add plantain thread to silk thread). Kalidasan was a genius, and one can imagine how good Prabhakara Kavi was by this incident. A peeved Kalidasan stopped his attempt to complete Sree Krishna Vilasam, and to this day it stays unfinished. Kalidasan felt a bit of jealousy and inferiority complex at this, and vowed to create one like this and thus was born 'Kumara Sambhavam', Prabhakara Kavi started his Poem with 'Asthisrayarassa thara sumeru nama', while Kalidasan commenced Kumarasambhavam with ' Asthyutharasyam Dishi Devathathma Himalayo Nama Nagaadhi Raja:'

The long and short of it is that it doesnt pay to add Plantain thread to a Silk Thread. But we continue to do so in many areas and in many countries with disastrous results.

I was reminded of this story when I see the Brazilian Football team of today. As an avid fan of Brazilian football of the 1980s when they played with the Latin American flair and swagger, so aesthetically pleasing, with wonderful results to show, I am dismayed at their current status. All their top players play in the more straitjacketed European football, which gets reflected in the Brazillian national teams performance on the field. They have tried, with disastrous consequences, merging the drab European Style (Vazhanaaru) to their Natural Style (Silk Thread), and the result is there for all to see.

Ditto with Indian Hockey. With the advent of Astro Turf, we went for a series of European coaches to adopt the ugly physical European style, and in the end we are neither here or there.

The Cricket Team almost fell into the same path. Wright, Chappel, Kirsten and Fletcher tried to mould India to another Australia or England, with emphasis on system than natural talent. Fortunately for India, our Silk threads ( players like Sachin, Ganguly, Dravid, Laxman, Kohli, Kumble, Zaheer) were much superior and we didnt lose out like our hockey team. Now it has dawned on the powers that be that it doesnt pay to buy Vazhanaaru coaches by paying huge sums from abroad.

We do see this in many Organizations. A team of brilliant people (pattu nool) will be saddled with a few mediocre ones (Vazha naaru) bringing down creativity and productivity

Kalidasan was wise enough to stop on hearing the Asareeri, but our Vazhanaaru people chug on merrily,........ and there lies the tragedy.

Astrology and Newton's Law of Gravity - Interesting

I was reading the Force of Gravity between two objects on a Science Text Book, where it was mentioned that

Fgravity  is directly proportional to the Product of Their Masses and Inversely Proportional to the Square of the Distance between them

F = G*(M1M2/D*D), where G is the Gravitational Constant

It set me thinking.

Can we extend this principle to our Astrology, which is based on the impact of each planet on us (who lives in Earth) or rather their Gravitational Attractions and Mass?

Guru / Sukran			Rahu
Ravi/Kujan /Sani/Budhan	RAASI CHART
			Lagnam
Ketu	Maandi		Chandran

We know that Sun, Moon, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Mars, Mercury - in that order, has the influence in descending order on our life as per our Astrology.

I did some research and my findings are as follows, which is astonishing to say the least. The Mass of Each Planet is in the First Column, and the Distance in AU (1 AU = Distance from Sun to Earth = 149,600,000 Kms) in the second column, and their Force of Gravity on the last. I leave it to you to wonder at the wisdom of our Forefathers. Also this explains why they did not take into consideration the impact of Uranus and Neptune (Many a Skeptic of Astrology has raised this query saying our Solar System has 7 planets other than Earth (Pluto excluded) but our Astrological chart don't take into account Uranus and Neptune). It is also clear why we attach so much importance to the movement of Sun, Moon and mainly Jupiter.

	Mass 1021 Kg	Distance in AU	D2	F=KM1M2/D2
Sun	1,988,550,000	1	1	11,878,802,280,000
Moon	74	0.00257	0.0000066049	66,474,829,293
Jupiter	1,898,600	4.2	17.64	642,940,871
Venus	4,868	0.28	0.0784	370,911,796
Saturn	568,460	8.52	72.5904	46,779,638
Mars	641	0.52	0.2704	14,160,790
Mercury	330	0.61	0.3721	5,297,737
Uranus	86,832	18.21	331.6041	1,564,214
Netptune	102,430	29.09	846.2281	723,063
Earth	5,973