Decision making ....... are we doing it....

"If you ever go bar hopping, who do you want to take with you? You want a slightly uglier version of yourself. Similar … but slightly uglier.” (Dan Ariely)

watch and hear this.......very interesting...

http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_asks_are_we_in_control_of_our_own_decisions.html

Cricket in RS!!

I admire Sachin tendulkar. Who will not? His achievement is exemplary and I wonder whether we will find such a skilled cricketer in the near future, in the country/world. He is the pride of our country.
I am not a cricket fan but I follow Sachin a bit.
He is a genius.....
His focused determination to scale heights and beat his own records successively is a master piece.
He has the perseverance, works hard with a single vision and focus.
He inspired many middle class aspirants into cricket.
It is a pleasure to watch him bat. He is so cool and composed and meets every ball with confidence.
You achieve this only by practice, practice and practice.
He breaths cricket.
Every citizen and galli of our country is proud of his achievements.
An MRF signatory is a role model and an icon to emulate for the youngsters.
Balancing family and cricket he has made splendid career of success.

Despite all this as a simple citizen of this country I just looked up the sky (the sun God) when I read the news of his nominations to the RS.
Within few seconds innumerable questions came into my mind;
Was this necessary?
What happens to his cricket career?
Why should he mix up cricket and politics?
If he wanted a post retirement job was this the only option?
Will he be able to handle the googly and fast ball from the politicians of different teams in the RS?
Which team will he join?
Of course he cannot be a captain because in real cricket he had declined.
Has he become tired of cricket?
He is just 39 why should he join so early?
It is an honor to be nominated to the RS but was it necessary to accept now?
He wants to do good to the society ... that is a great thought but is it possible only through a RS seat?
Was he com-puled to accept?
Will he be able to balance RS and cricket?
So and so forth.........
I am sure that there will be many and many more such questions in every citizen’s mind!!!

A self made independent man is always determined to set records in the cricket ground; probably the Master blaster is all set to create history in the RS.........
If that is so......... then it is a fabulous move and I, a silent admirer just look up the sky and request the Sun God to give him all the strength to succeed in this new arena.
Let us all wait and watch whether the present will create a history!!!

Wishing Sachin all the best.

Silence is not always right

Recently the Bofors surfaced again in the public domain. It is 25 years since this case was reported and investigated. There has not been any breakthrough and the criminals are walking free. The scam amount at that period was high but compared to 2G this figure has become negligible...

On the 26th April the Hindu carried an article in page 12 about the revelations of the whistle blower -- Mr Sten Lindstorm.

The last para in the article was very factual and thought of sharing this :

Mr Lindstorm says: "False closures of corruption bleed the system. Every day has to matter. When something like the scale and violence of Bofors happens, you begin to question your own faith as a professional and a human being. When you start losing faith, you begin to lose hope. When hope is lost, everything is lost. We cannot afford to let that happen. may be we will get no where, but silence cannot be the answer."

Fighting for justice the whistle blowers are tired. They are threatened, and face manipulation by the people with power. Does it mean that we need to be silent.
A fighter for war widows was not silent hence forth the President  withdrew from the Pune Post retirement residence.
Anna was not silent therefor we have some movement and vibrations happening in Lokpal.
The exposure of 2G scam is also a search for truth. We need to wait and see the outcome. whether we will see or the next generation will see only time has to say. Probably 2011 can be declared as an "year of scams"

Plan and strategically blow the whistle, because silence does not answer truth.

Interesting facts about Tamil Calender

§       The Indians developed a system of calenderers that encapsulates vast periods of time. For computing the age of the earth and various geological and other epochs, as well as the age of mankind, they still employ a Tamil calendar derived from ancient astronomical data, known as the Tirukkanida Panchanga (cf. The Secret Doctrine, 2:49-51).

§       This calendar contains a calculation of something over three hundred million years for the age of the present earth since sedimentation occurred, and a period of somewhat more than eighteen million years since the first appearance of our mankind.

§       The 10th Tamil month, called Thai, falls in mid-January each year. It is celebrated with much enthusiasm within the Tamil Community all over the world. Thai is marked by gifts of new clothing for family members and prayers to God for prosperity in the coming year. Thai and the fifth month Aavani are considered very auspicious for marriage and most marriages occur during these months.

§       The fourth month Aadi is considered inauspicious, so weddings do not often fall in this month. Aadi is also the month of preparation for the next crop cycle by farmers. Therefore, farming communities avoid major events like weddings in this month. Those members of the Tamil community who don't actively contribute/participate in farming take advantage by having important functions like wedding in this month. For example, the business community prefers this month for weddings. Asdi is usually the worst month for business, although when businesses recently initiated Aadi discounts, this situation has changed significantly. Each Friday of this month is set aside for prayer and worship.https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ajax.com.calendar

§       Aadi is an inauspicious month for newlyweds because a woman who conceives in this month will have a difficult delivery in May, the hottest month in Tamil Nadu (Agni natchathiram [pinezu] last 7 days of Chitharai and [munezu] first 7 days of Vaigasi).?)

§       Purattaasi is when most of the non-vegetarian Tamil people fast from meat for a month. This faith can be considered similar to fasts undertaken by Muslims during Ramadan. Each Saturday of this month is set apart to venerate the planet Saturn.

§       Deepavali, is celebrated on the new moon day, in the seventh month Aipassi. The month of Aipassi is usually characterised by the North-East Monsoon in Tamil Nadu, which has given birth to a phrase, Aipassi Adai Mazhai meaning the "Non-stop Downpour".

§       Maargazhi falls in winter in Tamil Nadu, and is considered auspicious for unmarried women to find a groom. The Shaivite fast of Tiru-vembaavai and the Vaishnava fast of Tiru-paavai are also observed in this month.

§       The total number of days in a Tamil Calendar is an average 365 days and the days of the week are named similarly to those of the western calendar. The Vakiya Panchangam is employed for both sacred and civil calculations. The Trikanitha Panchangam is employed for astrological calculations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_calendar


https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ajax.com.calendar

Life Lessons

Life lessons shared by a friend --- a true story.....


We always believe we will live forever. Bad things always happen to others.

Only when things hit us bang on your head you realise... Life is so unpredictable....

My husband was an IT guy…all techie…And I am a chartered accountant…Awesome combination you may think…

Techie guy so everything is on his laptop…his to do list… his e-bill and his bank statements in his email… … He even maintained a folder which said IMPWDS…wherein he stored all login id and passwords for all his online accounts…And even his laptop had a password… Techie guy so all the passwords were alpha-numeric with a special character not an easy one to crack…Office policy said passwords needed to be changed every 30 days…So every time I accessed his laptop I would realise it’s a new password again… I would simply opt for asking him ‘What’s the latest password’ instead of taking the strain to memorise it.

You may think me being a Chartered Accountant would means everything is documented and filed properly… Alas many of my chartered accountant friends would agree that the precision we follow with our office documents and papers do not flow in to day to day home life… At office you have be epitome of Reliability / Competent / Diligent etc but… at home front there is always a tomorrow…

One fine morning my hubby expired in a bike accident on his way home from office…. He was just 33…His laptop with all his data crashed…everything on his hard disk wiped off…No folder of IMPWDS to refer back to…His mobile with all the numbers on it was smashed…But that was just the beginning… I realised I had lot to learn…

9 years married to one of the best human beings…with no kids…just the two of us to fall back on….but now I stood all alone and lost…

Being chartered accountant helped in more ways than one but it was not enough… I needed help…His saving bank accounts, his salary bank accounts had no nominee…On his insurance his mom was the nominee and it was almost 2 years back she had expired… but this was just a start…. I didn’t know the password to his email account where all his e-bill came…I didn’t know which expenses he paid by standing instructions…

His office front too was not easy… His department had changed recently…I didn't know his reporting boss name to start with…when had he last claimed his shift allowance…his mobile reimbursement…

The house we bought with all the excitement…on a loan…thought with our joint salary we could afford the EMI…when the home loans guys suggested insurance on the loan…we decided the instead of paying the premium the difference in the EMI on account of the insurance could be used pay towards prepayment of the loan and get the tenure down…We never thought what we would do if we have to live on a single salary…So now there was huge EMI to look into …

I realised I was in for a long haul…

Road accident case… so everywhere I needed a Death certificate, FIR report, Post Mortem report… For everything there were forms running into pages…indemnity bonds…notary…surety to stand up for you…No objections certificates from your co-heirs..

I learnt other than your house, your land … your car, your bike are also your property... So what if you are the joint owner of the flat…you don’t become the owner just because your hubby is no more… So what if your hubby expired in the bike accident…and you are the nominee but if the bike is in a repairable condition …you have to get the bike transferred in your name to claim the insurance…And that was again not easy… the bike or car cannot be transferred in your name without going through a set of legal documents… Getting a Succession Certificate is another battle all together…

Then came the time you realise now you have to start changing all the bills, assets in your name…Your gas connection, electricity meter, your own house, your car, your investments and all sundries… And then change all the nominations where your own investments are concerned…And again a start of a new set of paperwork…

To say I was shaken…my whole life had just turned upside down was an understatement…You realise you don’t have time to morn and grieve for the person with whom you spend the best years of your life… because you are busy sorting all the paper work…

I realised then how much I took life for granted…I thought being a chartered accountant I am undergoing so many difficulties…what would have happened to someone who was house maker who wouldn’t understand this legal hotchpotch…

A sweet friend then told me dear this was not an end…you have no kids…your assets will be for all who stand to claim…after my hubby’s sudden death…I realised it was time I took life more seriously… I now needed to make a Will… I would have laughed if a few months back if he had asked me to make one…But now life had taken a twist…

Lessons learnt this hard way were meant to be shared…After all why should the people whom we love the most suffer after we are no more…Sorting some paperwork before we go will at least ease some of their grief…

1.      Check all your nominations...
It’s a usual practice to put a name (i.e in the first place if you have mentioned it) and royally forget about it. Most of us have named our parent as a nominee for investments, bank accounts opened before marriage. We have not changed the same even years after they are no longer there with us. Even your salary account usually has no nomination…. Kindly check all your Nominations…
-        Bank Accounts
-        Fixed Deposits, NSC
-        Bank Lockers
-        Demat Accounts
-        Insurance (Life, Bike or Car or Property)
-        Investments
-        PF & Pension Forms

2.      Passwords….
We have passwords for practically everything… Email accounts, Bank accounts, even for the laptop you use… What happens when your next in kin cannot access any of these simply because they do not know your password... Put it down on a paper…

3.      Investments…
Every year for tax purpose we do investments… Do we maintain a excel sheet about it… If so is it on the same laptop of which the password you had not shared… Where are those physical investments hard copy…

4.      Will…
Make a Will…I know you will smile even I would…had I not gone through all what I did…It would have made my life lot easier…a lot less paperwork…I wouldn’t had to provide an indemnity bond, get it notarised, ask surety to stand up, no objections certificates from others...

5.      Liabilities…
When you take a loan say for your house or car…Check out on all the what ifs…what if I am not there tomorrow…what if I loose my job…Will the EMI still be within my range…If not get an insurance on the loan…The people left behind will not have to worry on something as basic as their own house…

My battles has just begun...But let us at least try and make few changes so that our loved ones would not suffer after we go…We do not know what will happen in the future…But as the Scout motto goes: Be prepared
 

I am only a Mother

The Officer at the Driving License counter asked the lady, "What is your occupation?"

  

The woman seeking renewal of her license seemed to be puzzled. So the Officer said, "Ma'am, are you employed, have your own business or.....

  

The woman replied, "Oh, yes!! I have a full time occupation. I am a Mother"

   

The Officer said, "We don't have 'Mother' as an option for occupation. I will write it down as 'Housewife'. That takes care of all questions."

  

The above happened a long time ago, and was forgotten. Years later when I went to get my Driving License, the Public Relations Officer, a somewhat pompous woman asked in a rather authoritative tone, "Your occupation?"

   

I just had an inspiration and replied "I am a Researcher in the field of Child Development, Nutrition and Inter-personal Relationships".

  

The lady officer stared at me in amazement. I calmly repeated my statement and she wrote it down verbatim. Then, unable to conceal her curiosity, she politely asked "What exactly do you do in your profession, Ma'am?"

  

I was feeling good about having described my occupation so calmly and confidently. So I replied "My research projects have been going on for a number of years (Mothers never retire!!). My research is conducted in the laboratory as well as in the field. I have two bosses. (One is God and the other is my entire family). I have received two honors in this field. (A son and a daughter) My topic is considered to be the most difficult part of Sociology. (All Moms will agree!!). I have to work more than 14 hours every day. Sometimes even 24 hours are not enough and the challenges are tougher than many other professions. My compensation is in terms of mental satisfaction rather than money".

  

I could see that the officer was thoroughly impressed. After completing the licensing formalities, she came to the door to see me off.

  

This new viewpoint about my occupation made me feel much better on my way back home, where I was welcomed by my 5 year old Research Assistant at the door and my New Project (my 6 month old Baby) who was energetically practicing her 'Music'.

I had earned a small victory over the Governmental red tape today. I was no longer 'merely a Mother', instead I was now a highly placed functionary in a service vital for mankind - Motherhood!!

'Mother' – Isn't it a great title, fit to be added to the nameplate on the door!! By this standard, Grandmothers deserve to be called 'Senior Research Officers', and Great Grandmothers qualify as 'Research Directors'. Aunts and other Ladies of that age group can be called 'Research Facilitators'.

  

Please share this with all Mothers & Would-be-Mothers, Grandmothers, Great Grandmothers, all Ladies currently holding posts Like Didi-Tai-Chachi-Mami-Mausi-Bua...... They will all shower you with blessings and life will be happier.

Beautiful letter written by a father to his son & Daughters too

Following is a letter to his son from a renowned Hong Kong TV broadcaster/Child Psychologist. The words are actually applicable to all of us, young or old. All parents can use this in their teachings to their children.

Dear son ,

I am writing this to you for 3 reasons

1. Life, fortune and mishaps are unpredictable; nobody knows how long he lives. Some words are better said early.

2. I am your father, and if I don't tell you these, no one else will.

3. What is written is based on my own personal experiences that perhaps could save you a lot of unnecessary heartaches.

Remember the following as you go through life

1. Do not bear grudge towards those who are not good to you. No one has the responsibility of treating you well, except your mother and I. To those who are good to you, you have to treasure it and be thankful, and ALSO you have to be cautious, because, everyone has a motive for every move. When a person is good to you, it does not mean he really likes you. You have to be careful, don't hastily regard him as a real friend.

2. No one is indispensable, nothing in the world that you must possess. Once you understand this idea, it would be easier for you to go through life when people around you don't want you anymore, or when you lose what/who you love most.

3. Life is short. When you waste your life today, tomorrow you would find that life is leaving you. The earlier you treasure your life, the better you enjoy life.

4. Love is but a transient feeling, and this feeling would fade with time and with one's mood. If your so called loved one leaves you, be patient, time will wash away your aches and sadness. Don't over exaggerate the beauty and sweetness of love, and don't over exaggerate the sadness of falling out of love.

5. A lot of successful people did not receive a good education, that does not mean that you can be successful by not studying hard! Whatever knowledge you gain is your weapon in life. One can go from rags to riches, but one has to start from some rags!

6. I do not expect you to financially support me when I am old, neither would I financially support your whole life. My responsibility as a supporter ends when you are grown up. After that, you decide whether you want to travel in a public transport or in your limousine, whether rich or poor.

7. You honour your words, but don't expect others to be so. You can be good to people, but don't expect people to be good to you. If you don't understand this, you would end up with unnecessary troubles.

8. I have bought lotteries for umpteen years, but I never strike any prize. That shows if you want to be rich, you have to work hard! There is no free lunch!

9. No matter how much time I have with you, let's treasure the time we have together. We do not know if we would meet again in our next life.

Regards,
 *Your Dad

ஆய கலைகள் 64

 ஆய கலைகள் அறுபத்து நான்கு’ என்று கேள்விப்பட்டிருப்பீர்கள்.அந்த அறுபத்துநான்கு கலைகள் என்னென்ன என்பதைத்தெரிந்தவர்கள் மிகக் குறைவே. என் நண்பர் இந்திராசெளந்தர்ராஜன் அவர்களிடம் ஒருமுறை கேட்டபோது அந்தஅறுபத்து நான்கு கலைகளையும் பட்டியலிட்டுச் சொன்னார்.பிரமிப்பாக இருந்தது எனக்கு. உங்களுக்காக அவற்றை இங்கேதருகிறேன்.

1. ‌முதலில் எழுதப் பழகும் மொழியின் அட்சரங்கள், 2. லிகிதம், 3.கணிதம், 4. வேதம், 5. புராணம், 6. வியாகரணம், 7. ஜோதிடம், 8.தர்ம சாஸ்திரம், 9. யோக சாஸ்திரம், 10. நீதி சாஸ்திரம்,
...
11. மந்திர சாஸ்திரம், 12. நிமித்த சாஸ்திரம், 13. சிற்ப சாஸ்திரம், 14. வைத்ய சாஸ்திரம், 15. சாமுத்ரிகா லட்சணம், 16. சப்தப்பிரம்மம், 17. காவியம், 18. அலங்காரம், 19. வாக்கு வன்மை, 20.கூத்து,

21. நடனம், 22. வீணை இசை, 23. புல்லாங்குழல் வாசிப்பு, 24.மிருதங்க இசை, 25. தாளம், 26. ஆயுதப் பயிற்சி, 27. ரத்னப்பரீட்சை, 28. கனகப் பரீட்சை (தங்கம் எது என அறிதல்), 29.யானை ஏற்றமும் ஜாதி அறிதலும், 30. குதிரை ஏற்றமும் ஜாதிஅறிதலும்,

31. ரத சாஸ்திரம், 32. பூமியறிதல், 33. போர்முறை சாஸ்திரம்மற்றும் தந்திரம், 34. மற்போர் சாஸ்திரம், 35. வசீகரித்தல், 36.உச்சாடனம், 37. பகை மூட்டுதல், 38. காம சாஸ்திரம், 39.மோகனம், 40. ஆகர்ஷணம்,

41. ரஸவாதம், 42. கந்தர்வ ரகசியம், 43. மிருக பாஷையறிவு, 44.துயர் மாற்றுதல், 45. நாடி சாஸ்திரம், 46. விஷம் நீக்கும்சாஸ்திரம், 47. களவு, 48. மறைந்துரைதல், 49. ஆகாயப்பிரவேசம், 50. விண் நடமாட்டம்,

51. கூடு விட்டுக் கூடு பாய்தல், 52. அரூபமாதல், 53. இந்திரஜாலம், 54. மகேந்திர ஜாலம், 55. அக்னி ஸ்தம்பனம், 56. ஜலஸ்தம்பனம், 57. வாயு ஸ்தம்பனம், 58. கண்கட்டு வித்தை, 59.வாய் கட்டும் வித்தை, 60. சுக்கில ஸ்தம்பனம், 61. சுன்னஸ்தம்பனம், 62. வாள் வித்தை, 63. ஆன்மாவைக்கட்டுப்படுத்துதல், 64. இசை.

It is not about money alone...

In 1923, one of the world's most successful financiers met at Chicago's Edgewater Beach Hotel. Financially, they literally 'held the world by the tail'. Anything that money could buy was within their grasp; they were RICH-RICH-RICH! Look at their names and the positions they held: 

CHARLES SCHWAB was President of the largest steel company. 

SAMUEL INSULL was President of the largest electric utility company.

 
HOWARD HOPSON was President of the largest gas company. 

ARTHUR CUTTEN was the great what speculator. 

RICHARD WHITNEY was President of the New York Stock Exchange.
 
ALBERT FALL was Secretary of Interior in President Harding's Cabinet.
 
LEON FRASER was President of the Bank of International Settlements. 


JESSE LIVERMORE was the greatest 'bear' on Wall Street. 

IVAR KRUGER was head of the world's largest monopoly. 

We must admit, that here were gathered a group of the world's most successful men of the time: Men who had found the secret of making Money. 
Now let us see where these very men were 25 years later in 1948: 

CHARLES SCHWAB lived on borrowed money for five years and died bankrupt. 

SAMUEL INSULL dies a fugitive from justice and penniless in a foreign land. 

HOWARD HOPSON turned insane. 

ARTHUR CUTTEN died insolvent abroad. 

RICHARD WHITNEY was just released from the Sing Sing Penitentiary. 

ALBERT FALL was pardoned from prison so he could die at home - broke. 

LEON FRASER committed suicide. 

JESSE LIVERMORE committed suicide. 

IVAR KRUGER committed suicide. 

What happened in 25 years? They were brilliant in their respective field. 
They mastered the art of making money and the art of enjoying material life, but never learned HOW TO LIVE! 
A vast amount of their talent and potential went down the drain! 
Their lives were out of BALANCE! 
Do we know HOW TO LIVE A BALANCED LIFE? 
Do we know the PURPOSE and then place the foundation of our lives on VALUES which last, bound to make life worth living and help achieve the purpose. 
All this give a meaning to life, to live or otherwise we are just spending time here. 
We are always getting ready to live, but never living. 
  
No one ever finds life worth living - one has to make it worth living - Anonymous

It is just gratitude....

This is a story which I thought it is worth sharing  

This about Mr. Zavaray Poonawala who is a well-known industrialist in Pune. He had this driver named Ganga Datt with him for the last 30 years on his limousine, which was originally owned by Acharya Rajneesh.

Ganga Datt passed away recently and at that time Mr. Poonawala was in Mumbai for some important work.As soon as he heard the news; he canceled all his meetings, requested the driver's family to await him for the cremation and came back to Pune immediately by a helicopter.

On reaching Pune, he asked the limo to be decorated with flowers as he wished Ganga Datt should be taken in the same car which he himself had driven since the beginning. When Ganga Datt's family agreed to his wishes, he himself drove Ganga Datt from his home up to the ghat on his last journey. 

When asked about it, Mr. Poonawala replied that Ganga Datt had served him day and night, and he could at least do this being eternally grateful to him. He further added that Ganga Datt rose up from poverty and educated both his children very well. His daughter is a Chartered accountant and that is so commendable. 

His comment in the end, is the essence of a successful life in all aspects:

Everybody earns money which is nothing unusual in that, but we should always be grateful to those people who contribute to our success.

An inspiring example of humility....

Very Touching Story

Floor maid at the Tewksbury Institute

Dr. Frank Mayfield was touring Tewksbury Institute when, on his way out, he accidentally collided with an elderly floor maid. To cover the awkward moment Dr. Mayfield started asking questions.

"How long have you worked here?"

"I've worked here almost since the place opened," the maid replied.

"What can you tell me about the history of this place?" he asked.

"I don't think I can tell you anything, but I could show you something."

With that, she took his hand and led him down to the basement under the oldest section of the building. She pointed to one of what looked like small prison cells, their iron bars rusted with age, and said, "That's the cage where they used to keep Annie Sullivan."

"Who's Annie?" the doctor asked.

Annie was a young girl who was brought in here because she was incorrigible. Nobody could do anything with her. She'd bite and scream and throw her food at people. The doctors and nurses couldn't even examine her or anything. I'd see them trying with her spitting and scratching at them.

"I was only a few years younger than her myself and I used to think, 'I sure would hate to be locked up in a cage like that.' I wanted to help her, but I didn't have any idea what I could do. I mean, if the doctors and nurses couldn't help her, what could someone like me do?

"I didn't know what else to do, so I just baked her some brownies one night after work. The next day I brought them in. I walked carefully to her cage and said, 'Annie I baked these brownies just for you. I'll put them right here on the floor and you can come and get them if you want.'

"Then I got out of there just as fast as I could because I was afraid she might throw them at me. But she didn't. She actually took the brownies and ate them. After that, she was just a little bit nicer to me when I was around. And sometimes I'd talk to her. Once, I even got her laughing.

"One of the nurses noticed this and she told the doctor. They asked me if I'd help them with Annie. I said I would if I could. So that's how it came about that. Every time they wanted to see Annie or examine her, I went into the cage first and explained and calmed her down and held her hand. This is how they discovered that Annie was almost blind."

After they'd been working with her for about a year and it was tough sledding with Annie, the Perkins institute for the Blind opened its doors. They were able to help her and she went on to study and she became a teacher herself.

Annie came back to the Tewksbury Institute to visit, and to see what she could do to help out. At first, the Director didn't say anything and then he thought about a letter he'd just received. A man had written to him about his daughter. She was absolutely unruly almost like an animal. She was blind and deaf as well as 'deranged.' He was at his wit's end, but he didn't want to put her in an asylum. So he wrote the Institute to ask if they knew of anyone who would come to his house and work with his daughter.

And that is how Annie Sullivan became the lifelong companion of Helen Keller.

When Helen Keller received the Nobel Prize, she was asked who had the greatest impact on her life and she said, "Annie Sullivan."

But Annie said, "No, Helen. The woman who had the greatest influence on both our lives was a floor maid at the Tewksbury Institute."

Author Unknown

Palghat Iyers ....Very hilarious

This was forwarded to me to my email, the writer is very creative:Enjoy......

Letting my imagination run wild, I was thinking how it would be if Palakkad Iyers start an airline! So here are some of my thoughts. Others can contribute too! Headquarters: Palakkad, of course! Insignia: The logo of the airline will be panchapatram & Uddharini! The tails of all the aircrafts will carry this sign. Inaugural flight: PI 108 from Palakkad to Chennai! (108 is a significant no. for us) Crew: The entire aircraft crew will be PIs. The stewards and stewardesses will be clad in soman/angavasthram and 9 yards podavai respectively.  

Menu: The snacks menu will have idli, vadai, adai, bajji, bonda, dosa etc, served on different days. On festival days, the relevant food will be served. Kali/puzhukku on Tiruvadirai, appam/pori on Karthigai and so on. The beverages will include panakam on Sree Rama Navami day.  Announcement: The cabin announcement will be in PI Tamil followed by English as is the standard practice. The announcement in PI Tamil will run like this: Ellarum vango. Naanakkum Bhagyalakshmi, intha flight la cabin crew chief. Intha plane no. PI 108 Palakkad lenthu Chennaikku porathu. Porathukku ekadesam oru manikoor aakum. Intha flight la ongalukku pidicha palaharam ellam vilambuva. 

Intha plane parappikkarathu Capt. Ananthanarayanan aakkum. Avar kooda Capt. Gopalakrishnanum irukkaan. Cabin crew ellarum nanna namma bashai pesuva. Ongalukku ethavathu venamana engale kooppudungo. Udane varuvom. Ellarum nanna sukhichundu pongo!  International Flights: The first international service will be from Palakkad to New York. Flight No. PI 1008. (another no. of significance to us)

The announcement will be on the same lines as domestic flight. But being a long haul flight of about 18 hrs, will additionally have the following too: Intha flight 18 manikoor edukkum. Athinale aarukkavathu paduthukkanamana jamakkalam/thalagani kidakkum. andhyavandhanam pannandavalukku panchapathram/uddharini kidakkum. 

On Amavasai days, for those who need, Vadhyar service will be available for performing tharpanam!

Business and first class passengers will receive compliments: velli panchapatram/uddharini. 

But also to maintain tradition, the miniskirt wil have jarigai and hostess willl have mali poo on head wid kungumam and metti and stuff. and the seats will be alotted according to the gothram...so that the passengers can find their long lost relatives.... the seats won hav numbers...as in 3 A,B ,C...it'll hav da names of places....lik 3 kodavayoor, 5 perembavoor etc he entertainment system will have live proceedings of the poojais of kula deivams .. and seats can be allotted according to that also

Another part of the initial annoucement should be: "kulimuri yum kakkoosum pinnaltha side la mathram thaan irrikku, kettela? athu ennathinaala-na... minbhagathila antha edam naangal kovil kettiyurukkom - left la pillayar kovil, right la bhagavathy kaavu. chapadarathika minnala kovil-kku poyittu vaango"  At the end before landing "ippo palakkad la eranga porom, ayyo bhayangara choodu appa velila. flight-lendu erangaratta complimentary visheri eduthukango. rombha santhosham neengal flightla vandel. oru last vishayam - vera flight-leyum kovil kettara kaaryam baaki irukku, therinchida? enna.. kaiya toranthu subhikshama donate pannungo ennu request. sheri. "Sambharam will be served throughout in long haul flights! 

In international flights, the duty free carts will sell pattu podavai and jewellery items! 

n flight la tapes will play rudra japam...those who want cn put the earfones on n njoy

Would the food be served on a banana leaf? Also duty free goods much include Maghzni, Chaka varati, etc...snack items Would the food be served on a banana leaf? Also duty free goods much include Maghzni, Chaka varati, etc...snack items there will be a big maa-kolam at the door of the flight.... tradition... pookolam during onam... In long haul flights, to prevent deep vein thrombosis, dhanvantharam kuzhambu will be provided to each passenger in a small bottle!  The stewards will teach some of the guys who're interested how to do sandhyavandanam, before the flight takes off. No flights will leave during rahu kalam. The following will be provided in the toilets: umikkari - pallu thekka irkkili - nakku vadikka vibhooti  nice idea, im in for the cabin crew.. and my dad suggsted that along wid the intro of captain , u can mention his gothram.. like capt ramasubramoniam , haritha gothram!.. the captain would recite the the enitre "abhivade" so his name gothram etc.... eveything will be mentioned. Oh and men who r in their vrathams for Shabarimalai will have a seprate class by itself alled Sanidhanam Class...No Air Hostess to letch at ..probably men will serve them.. Ony black mundu allowed...They will be seated seperately frm women... again no bird watchin...Complimentary Items in Food : Nayee Payasam directly from shabari malai...Free Shabarimalai Instruction guide for Kannis....Palakkad Iyer Airlines (PIA) has taken delivery of its first Airbus 380 aircraft. The aircraft was flown in from Toulouse, France by Capt. Gopalakrishnan and his team. The aircraft was accorded a rousing reception at Palakkad International Airport on arrival. The welcome included poorna kumbham by Doraiswamy Vadhyar and party, to the accompaniment of nadaswaram. 

The wide bodied aircraft can carry 520 passengers and a crew of 24. This aircraft will be used on PIAs prime route, Palakkad to New York. The aircraft sports the traditional panchapatram-udharini insignia on its tail.

Cherry blossom

It is just fantastic......
I have a dream to visit this place..... you also do not miss it.

http://www.livemint.com/SectionPages/Gallery.aspx?NavId=81

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu894odxaIw&feature=related

"The Present of the Past"

I have written some interesting quotes from book "The Presence of the Past - Morphic Resonance and habits of nature" by Rupert Sheldrake

"The say that habit is second to nature. Who knows but nature is only first habit?"

"Hypothesis of formative causation: The nature of things depends on field, called morphic fields. Each kind of natural system has its own kind of field: there is an insulin field, a swallow field and so on. Such field shape all the different kinds of atom, molecules, crystals, living organism, societies, customers and habits of mind."

"Even a vacuum has ceased to be an empty void; it has become a seething ocean of energy, producing countless vibrating particles all the time and taking them back again. A vacuum is not inert and featureless, but alive with throbbing energy and vitality."

"Static solutions were impossible -- Eistein discovered."

"We experience the evolutionary process directly in  our own lives: the world around us is changing as it have never changed before. Stretching back behind the changes that we ourselves have seen is the evolution of modern civilization, itself rooted in earlier civilization and more primitive forms of society. Beyond these is along mysterious period of pre- historic humanity; further back still, are apelike ancestors ; beyond them, more primitive mammals, then reptiles, then fish, then primitive vertebrates, then perhaps some sort of worm, right back to single cells, to microbes and ultimately to the first living cells on the earth. Beyond these we go back into a chemical realm of molecules and crystals, and finally to atoms and sub atomic particles. This is evolutionary lineage."

"Organism inherit only the inherited characteristics of their ancestors; they cannot inherit any characteristics that their adaptation to the environment or through the development of new habits."

He quotes Bertrand Russell, " Man is the product of causes which had no prevision of the end they were achieving; that this origin, his growth, his hopes and fears, his loves and beliefs are but the outcome of accidental collisions of atoms; that no fire, no heroism, no intensity of thought and feeling can preserve an individual life beyond the grave; that all the labor of the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noon day brightness of human genius, are destined to extinction in the vast death of the solar system; and that the whole temple of man's achievement must inevitably be buried beneath the debris of a universe in ruins-- all these things if not quite beyond dispute are yet so nearly certain that no philosophy which rejects them can hope to stand. Only with the scaffolding of these truth, only on the firm foundation of unyielding despair, can the soul's habitation henceforth be built. 

"Man must at  last wake out of his millennial dream and discover his total solitude, his fundamental isolation. He must realize that like a gypsy  he live on the boundary of an alien world that is deaf to his music and as indifferent to his opes as it is to his suffering and his crimes."

"Intelligent information processing must come into existence in the Universe, and once it comes into existence, it will never die out."

"Memory in life and habit is the fundamental characteristic of life. Life is that property of matter where by it can remember -- matter which can remember is living, matter which cannot remember is dead. Matter is absolute being"

"Reason came to be regarded as he highest aspect of the soul, that which is not only closest to the divine, but actually participates in the divine nature."

"Souls contain within themselves the goals of the development and the behavior of living organism; they give them their forms and purpose, and are the source of their purpose activity."

"The changeable qualities that we actually experience are at a lower level reality; they do not so truly exist. God created the world in accordance with numerical harmonies and that is why he made the human mind in such a way that it could truly know only by means of quantity. mathematical knowledge was certain and true.

In mathematical sciences, geometry was the science of resting bodies, and physics the science of moving bodies in mathematical space. Mathematical relationships seem to express strangely timeless truth, valid everywhere and forever."

"The majority of men do not think of GOD as an infinite and incomprehensible being and the sole author from whom all being flow; they go not further than the letters of his name."

"GOD is eternal and infinite , omnipotent and omniscient; that is his duration reaches from eternity to eternity; his presence from infinity to infinity; he governs all things and knows all things that are and can be done....... He endures for ever and is everywhere present; and by existing always and everywhere , he constitutes duration and space.......he is all similar, all eye, all ear, all brain, all arm, all power  to perceive, to understand, to act; but in a manner not at all human,........... in a manner utterly unknown to us."