tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-160651512024-03-14T18:21:56.899+05:30Mind T(h)readsShankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-16684092606837011382010-09-05T23:49:00.000+05:302010-09-05T23:49:46.477+05:30Random Notes from my China Trip - Part 2<div style="text-align: right;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4ibBVch5Si2OnrdWT4DCObMNLpDKNtnnqkMa23kn9e6XRrOs0m7At76mP3kfYPkF8sVSG-EqPvGz_tN4azjZqJVuhwmOE1wbHKkU_gMHLxrz1z56k5kE28Dh0cURguMRq-uS/s1600/01062010321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4ibBVch5Si2OnrdWT4DCObMNLpDKNtnnqkMa23kn9e6XRrOs0m7At76mP3kfYPkF8sVSG-EqPvGz_tN4azjZqJVuhwmOE1wbHKkU_gMHLxrz1z56k5kE28Dh0cURguMRq-uS/s320/01062010321.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Aching necks: Its easy to feel dwarfed in Shanghai.</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Psychedelic Shanghai - the city simply bowled me over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rightly called the Vertical City, Shanghai’s sky is pierced by super skyscrapers built in very elegant styles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While Beijing [rightly so?] gives the picture of a slightly strait-laced, conservative capital, Shanghai sways in style, and leaves the visitor with no doubt that it is the business + entertainment capital of China.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Styled in a typical Western European city’s fashion, the roads and by lanes of Shanghai are elegant, adorned with pretty flower gardens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The contrast to these docile gardens is provided by the super tall, all steel and glass buildings on either side of their road, their dizzying peaks disappearing somewhere into the clouds.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVeb-ZP5vWKRqEzqsGlwA7B1znbo3n9_GtUAmkwXdG3uOwxJTXEmrSA0bemyW1W05EG4mIWB9LjR7h8srxiOkn5wvjc1NHX-kFtIEaYUAJX_G7YfodKxWol34Ngzcj_lsqV6w/s1600/03062010346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVeb-ZP5vWKRqEzqsGlwA7B1znbo3n9_GtUAmkwXdG3uOwxJTXEmrSA0bemyW1W05EG4mIWB9LjR7h8srxiOkn5wvjc1NHX-kFtIEaYUAJX_G7YfodKxWol34Ngzcj_lsqV6w/s320/03062010346.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Roads to the future: Shanghai roads turn the<br />
scenery to one of Sci-fi movies</span></i> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Once the sun goes under the East China Sea, even the roads of Shanghai turn on the jazz.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The roads and the tall walls of these skyscrapers turn on their psychedelics, converting the sleek roads into a rave discotheque that’ll put the best clubs in LA to shame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The side embankments of roads, the trees, the buildings, anything and everything, start flashing their multi-coloured, change-as-you-blink, neon lights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you can shut the cynic in your brain and let the child in it take control, then you can very easily dupe yourself into believing that you’re in the futuristic New York of The Fifth Element. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Where the wives and girl friends can live happily ever after: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">An incident: A few days ago [after my China trip], one of my friends was talking about an expensive Gucci bag that he got for his wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That really amused me.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A quiz:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re in the airport to receive a friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see passengers arriving from several cities. How will you spot an Indian coming from Shanghai?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8jwgEuEsrBLBVQNzIedoqlMQmGRe3wj_c5QX1ks-eYtX7OcLaJU8lPYCOkfevKily8pDUlKOvM-kFS0xGNoKE9D3mldNW8q8N_PRl9Nf_XZX1DCYZBsWw-GwjDqBsPb41HAc/s1600/03062010354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8jwgEuEsrBLBVQNzIedoqlMQmGRe3wj_c5QX1ks-eYtX7OcLaJU8lPYCOkfevKily8pDUlKOvM-kFS0xGNoKE9D3mldNW8q8N_PRl9Nf_XZX1DCYZBsWw-GwjDqBsPb41HAc/s320/03062010354.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Merry-go-round: The Nanjing road is the perfect place to <br />
walk, eat, shop or to just watch the neons.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Everyone who had come for the workshop, and especially the ladies, was quivering with the thrill and excitement of shopping in Shanghai.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I too had expected that the prices would be cheaper in Shanghai, but that alone wasn’t the reason for the excitement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The excitement was about what you can get for, say 1000 RMB that you ‘invest’ in Shanghai and what you might get in other countries for the same money.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">So, all those fancy brands of handbags, luggage, apparels, socks, ties, vests and under garments [be sure to let the label show when you wear it],<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>footwear, jewellery, toys, electronics can be got so cheaply in Shanghai, which seems possible nowhere else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><br />
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</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cCQsyodQmwPfoa6g-99pWuSlw9luSSoxmyPjbZ51Ie7ENaZU2qJvQfWiBNXMbdXfAk4LEZ0fXw7_Uqz74Z0oOQcPOQlalSDz2BVn4GUvmCxdxLv20hA64ewYUAewY2nzdBw9/s1600/03062010356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cCQsyodQmwPfoa6g-99pWuSlw9luSSoxmyPjbZ51Ie7ENaZU2qJvQfWiBNXMbdXfAk4LEZ0fXw7_Uqz74Z0oOQcPOQlalSDz2BVn4GUvmCxdxLv20hA64ewYUAewY2nzdBw9/s320/03062010356.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Turn on the music: Shanghai shopping areas <br />
are brilliantly lit.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Of course, they’re all fake goods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But take this – I was told that there are grades in these fakes – C, B, A, A+ and so on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The shopkeepers will pledge on every grain of rice that they eat that an A+ merchandise is almost the original one – it’s just that you don’t buy it in one of those hi-fi retail shops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They turn the merchandise upside down, ask you to smell the leather, show the stitching and finishing, the trims and edges, make you feel the type of cloth and material used, show the authentic labels, the zippers and the danglers and assure you that you are buying the best product available.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, tell me which retail shop will take so much care and shower so much attention on you?!</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">The ladies, whom I accompanied in their shopping expedition, went berserk in this mela of all these fantastic goods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt like a fool [I’m sure the ladies thought of me so], not knowing any of the brands and not being able to appreciate the greatness of the brands that they so excitedly talked about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"></span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZRD6bWuviaDJKDwGjuO1WjF83f1IE7wKvUlnEV9lIJ-3a4x9aOK_kqo6QixMPV-Gy_l1sd5eOfwaFelgsROUNbC9VrE5EUZmraJ9PpZGQKjcQhYek5wcv93rTIK3bV3g_FFa/s1600/04062010427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZRD6bWuviaDJKDwGjuO1WjF83f1IE7wKvUlnEV9lIJ-3a4x9aOK_kqo6QixMPV-Gy_l1sd5eOfwaFelgsROUNbC9VrE5EUZmraJ9PpZGQKjcQhYek5wcv93rTIK3bV3g_FFa/s320/04062010427.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The night's always young: Places like Shincandi (not the right spelling) buzzes with active night life.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">When I saw every person flying out of Shanghai either carrying at least one branded luggage [women - Louis Vuitton handbags with the prominent L & V pattern; men - Swiss military suitcase or backpacks with the metal zippers jiggling] I felt even more foolish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when I reached home, my wife, my mom, my sister and every other possible person made me realize that I’m far bigger a fool than I can ever imagine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thanked God that my son is not old enough to articulate his views well enough.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">For the Gourmet:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Food in China can be very interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dishes such as Beijing duck are quite popular across the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think China is perhaps the one country where I have seen a wide variety of food in a matter of few days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it was not difficult to find vegetarian options in most restaurants [except for getting the message across].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyq_rk7FsB75W31uWKYNcZoV-emL3lP0qbifLtO4WXrInD2BHR66HWlN4FN2r9P_ehZZd06ELBIYyB0TrJyAb_Id3VPenYRMql5jXmZDkHgLiRCOhfp97RWAWlZ9KnE9Inw8u/s1600/03062010367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyq_rk7FsB75W31uWKYNcZoV-emL3lP0qbifLtO4WXrInD2BHR66HWlN4FN2r9P_ehZZd06ELBIYyB0TrJyAb_Id3VPenYRMql5jXmZDkHgLiRCOhfp97RWAWlZ9KnE9Inw8u/s320/03062010367.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Delicious: The Century Egg is a delicacy which you'll <br />
not find in Indian Chinese restaurants</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">I had a great time trying out different varieties of veggie dishes made of different varieties of mushrooms, seaweeds, bamboo shoots, different varieties of root vegetables [unfortunately I couldn’t get their names], lotus and lily stems, rice and tofu.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">Of course, the highlight was the preserved egg - I was completely fascinated by the transparent green and orange colour the egg had taken. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">And when I read the Wikipedia, I became even elated that I have really eaten an authentic, exotic dish.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">So, what is a preserved egg?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">This is what Wikipedia says:</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Century egg, also known as preserved egg, hundred-year egg, thousand-year egg, thousand-year-old egg, and millennium egg (or Pidan in<u> </u></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Mandarin</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">), is a </span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Chinese cuisine</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> ingredient made by preserving </span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">duck</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">, </span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">chicken</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> or </span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">quail</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">eggs</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> in a mixture of </span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">clay</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">, ash, </span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">salt</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">, </span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">lime</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">, and </span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">rice hulls</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> for several weeks to several months, depending on the method of processing. Through the process, the </span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">yolk</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> becomes a dark green, cream-like substance with a strong </span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">odor of sulphur</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> and </span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">ammonia</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">, while the </span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">white</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> becomes a dark brown, transparent jelly with little flavour.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span></span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLAn7KAnNtdMN3fn_Pe53I9fUrZXvDTZD-nczx0zUdhMs_QMtS3G-TBFeyqhgOnS3blJ1QkX1xChIAnRJO-vW5h1H0bKA9AZ11WCoTxv2lgi8S7qoIgOa_ICFi-EpzCmaHtJq/s1600/04062010385.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLAn7KAnNtdMN3fn_Pe53I9fUrZXvDTZD-nczx0zUdhMs_QMtS3G-TBFeyqhgOnS3blJ1QkX1xChIAnRJO-vW5h1H0bKA9AZ11WCoTxv2lgi8S7qoIgOa_ICFi-EpzCmaHtJq/s320/04062010385.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Light up to the Heavens: Pudong, the new Shanghai<br />
contributes to the magnificent skyline of Shanghai.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoListParagraph"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Read more<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Century_egg">here </a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">[the myth mentioned at the end of this section is just that – it’s a myth.]</span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"></span>And I found interesting items like bull frogs in most of the menus.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><span> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">Interestingly, I found three items to be the expensive items in any high end restaurant – bird’s nest [yes, it is really bird’s nest – in the literal sense], abalone [a marine snail of sorts] and shark fin.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><span> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">I had never heard of them before.</span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Vertical City: Shanghai, is not simply futuristic in its jazziness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is thinking of hard-to-imagine, futuristic concepts – concepts of sci-fi movies - whose purposes are far beyond than making the city look like a hep pub.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shanghai is one of the top cities in the world with a high population density.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXd-7J9teBI0RM1m-2rgxoaJjPG60ZvlSUE2BV-fUnu1JGscqtzOEWMOFFQlNLh0MsdZ9lU1WUpgtJ3XaTlp-0C0EgwgUPqbwq0Bf50xbLBabwrB2zuDbJF8cC9IhOK_O5iSTg/s1600/04062010418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXd-7J9teBI0RM1m-2rgxoaJjPG60ZvlSUE2BV-fUnu1JGscqtzOEWMOFFQlNLh0MsdZ9lU1WUpgtJ3XaTlp-0C0EgwgUPqbwq0Bf50xbLBabwrB2zuDbJF8cC9IhOK_O5iSTg/s320/04062010418.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Floating Paradises: The Puxi area on the other side of Huangpu still has <br />
beautiful remnants of the British and French settlements</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoListParagraph"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>The city attracts hordes of people from other parts of China, who come in search of a better life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The city struggles [albeit well concealed!] to expand and make space for these gushing population.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hence, being ‘Vertical’ is not just for reasons of style and aesthetics; it has plenty of utilitarian purposes as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, Shanghai is taking the idea of ‘Vertical City’ to a all new high – to the level of having a complete city - farmlands and orchards,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>apartments and villas with private gardens,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>hospitals and schools, market places and resorts all stacked one over the other.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">Thus, the trip turned out to be a fantastic experience.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">It changed my view of China upside down.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">I was pleasantly surprised when I saw feedback buttons [Very happy to very unhappy] in the immigration counters [another Olympics effect?].</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">After this visit, when I hear people talk about China and India as the two superpowers of Asia, putting both the countries in the same plane, I wince.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>India is still far, far away from reaching China’s present stage of development and economic growth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could be true that China’s development is not well balanced [incidentally, the top 20 fastest growing cities in the world are in China], but it is definite that the rulers of China have a strong focus to rule over the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Fareed Zakaria mentions in his book ‘<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Post-American-World-Fareed-Zakaria/dp/039306235X">T<span id="goog_631862293"></span>he Post American World<span id="goog_631862294"></span>’</a>, China has embraced the idea that the path to power is through markets and not [should I add 'just'?] empires.</span></div>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-34960956200989554842010-08-06T15:02:00.000+05:302010-08-06T15:02:02.360+05:30Random Notes from my China Trip - Part 1<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">China.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">I was not too enthusiastic about going there.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">There was just one reason - China is a large, populous country like India.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">This fact painted a picture of China resembling India with its crumbled infrastructure, inadequate space and insufficient resources.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I felt stupid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not because I considered that my notions about China could be wrong, but because I felt that these are not reasons for not taking interest in going to a country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, this notion and lack of interest did not make for a person influenced by present day economics, and an economics that is, beyond doubt, being shaped by this big country. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWWkaMGCKHwKvxSrOC4wCKMR0r26UzWA9V9Uo3Vqxpi-lH_YewHjVh-xMJpbPQNy-4bgKSr-YkdZrgSO4ujoHARyhIRN6lyoA6ojIDXZ7H5cauYCX1-qP6GF2OhZUHL3QPpFj/s1600/IMG_4121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWWkaMGCKHwKvxSrOC4wCKMR0r26UzWA9V9Uo3Vqxpi-lH_YewHjVh-xMJpbPQNy-4bgKSr-YkdZrgSO4ujoHARyhIRN6lyoA6ojIDXZ7H5cauYCX1-qP6GF2OhZUHL3QPpFj/s320/IMG_4121.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Not fair ground tents: Beijing's developments seem to be well-grounded <br />
than just being the side effects of Olympics</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There was also this mild concern to do with language and communication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was told that it would be hard to get through only with English.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, what happens if I go somewhere and get lost?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Well, my concerns turned out to be unscientific, biased and completely unfounded. They were as conveniently bigoted as the notion of considering all Westerners as people with loose morals. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I felt stupid for qualifying my stupidity<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as that associated with my ‘irrational feelings of not taking interest’, whereas my stupidity was in fact, genuine stupidity -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>pure lack of knowledge and know-how.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">China just left me gaping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trip became memorable, for all the right reasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The following are some random notes on my experiences:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Mind your Language: Lesson 1:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Language is definitely a problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You cannot ask your way around; not all signs are in English; even the [5-star] hotel staff might not interpret your English correctly [and you theirs].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So it is essential that you anticipate your most frequent queries and responses and have them written in Chinese.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep a copy of this sheet with you always.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most hotels give you their address card in Chinese with the phrase: ‘Take me to my home’ written in Chinese.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOzSydyxJG3XhL-5MNtf29d3iWrGgCFTKDfhyOs1Xms9PbFLTur8WLvptc5u73yWehS3yCsDg6oPDqQItFrrrPfxelLDzslLtrM2JjYS2dgpAQEDfDHho-dQuteENYmn4p0nHs/s1600/31052010315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOzSydyxJG3XhL-5MNtf29d3iWrGgCFTKDfhyOs1Xms9PbFLTur8WLvptc5u73yWehS3yCsDg6oPDqQItFrrrPfxelLDzslLtrM2JjYS2dgpAQEDfDHho-dQuteENYmn4p0nHs/s320/31052010315.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">The Climb to the top: Beijing's infrastructure vouches<br />
for China's ascendancy to the ranks of superpowers</span><br />
</i></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Mind your Language: Lesson 2: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be careful when you attempt to speak Chinese names, such as those of your destinations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chinese seems to be a language, in which, every fine change in pronunciation/ diction can twist a word to carry a different meaning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be quite unfortunate if your taxi driver hears your ‘Chin’ as a ‘Cheen’ or as a ‘Ching’ or as a ‘Jin’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My overconfidence with Chinese names provided me a [of course, paid] tour of Shanghai that I did not really intend to take.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Maximum City: I had more apprehensions about Beijing than about Shanghai.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow, it felt that Beijing is too much into the deep [good 2000 Km up north Shanghai, it’s the real mainland China], that I can manage in Shanghai, but in Beijing… hmm… doubtful. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, I did not have much expectation from the city – capitals are not always the most exciting of places [exception: Paris?].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Beijing just shattered my notions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I was expecting, at the maximum, a city comparable to Delhi [Delhi, I hear is better, except for the weather], Beijing just fumbled me with its size, infrastructure and facilities [Marriot Beijing was more posh, cozy and stylish than Marriot Shanghai].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was especially impressed with the roads - All the roads are far broader – much richer than their Indian counterparts, lined with trees, well-tended rose bushes (!) and tall, stylish buildings.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It definitely gave the picture of a bold, dominant economy that China has become.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though, some of these developments can be attributed to the Olympics, it doesn’t look as if these are just recent developments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The city seems to have planned its infrastructure long ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0YNOwbxjbOwssah_kvNNvJO7Pr2cISYiv92k2GxvGfR6wuRWRwPt2jsYDUNd1HR_MRI_704qkSslUP_VeBURTT3FgzGOnNEDwxAsuV9p30GbVftVGe45Neu-KJtNsFbRF7-0/s1600/IMG_4212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0YNOwbxjbOwssah_kvNNvJO7Pr2cISYiv92k2GxvGfR6wuRWRwPt2jsYDUNd1HR_MRI_704qkSslUP_VeBURTT3FgzGOnNEDwxAsuV9p30GbVftVGe45Neu-KJtNsFbRF7-0/s320/IMG_4212.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Holistic?: China's economic growth might not be <br />
well distributed, but so is India's.</span></span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I visited a public sector customer in Beijing and it was time again to correct my assumptions about China.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I had imagined a place that will most likely resemble the headquarters of one of the public sectors in India, this one was absolutely efficient and gave the picture that it is all about business – clean, neat, modern and highly professional. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The line of plush conference rooms with high tech projection systems, though could be considered superficial evidences of sophistication, in this case, just became subtle statements of the default classiness of the organization. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Language Again: This meeting also made me realize that Chinese is a complete language in that one can conduct discussions about technology and science completely in Chinese.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though I couldn’t participate in conversations directly [as they were all in Chinese], I was fishing for facial expressions and the occasional English word that I thought would pop up now and then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could neither discern the facial expressions nor scoop English words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was awestruck to know that words such as browser, compatibility, UI technology, bandwidth etc can be expressed purely in Chinese.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that it is possible to find equivalents for such words in, say Tamil or Hindi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even then, how much of this ‘native language’ words is used in conversations?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>[And whether it is worthwhile to have higher education in our native languages is a question worthy of a separate discussion.]<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3be86wxBfFuWXXTrDOC4Okdn_GHT4C_eLGrO4_yuizoZM4GS5KeqYJjPSjwX4LyzBou-o8kXEAgLws2lpFitikqHt_IDONEbw_OuF3D6uN9vTKEqFOXL3-MehFFmABgroPCFr/s1600/03062010359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3be86wxBfFuWXXTrDOC4Okdn_GHT4C_eLGrO4_yuizoZM4GS5KeqYJjPSjwX4LyzBou-o8kXEAgLws2lpFitikqHt_IDONEbw_OuF3D6uN9vTKEqFOXL3-MehFFmABgroPCFr/s320/03062010359.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Balanced: The country of 1.5 billion is the world's largest <br />
producer and world's 2nd largest consumer</span></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Beijing Traffic: The city of 22 million is estimated to be running a staggering 4.2 million cars – a number, to the growing concern of everyone, is growing at a steady pace [an interesting statistics says that 2214 new vehicles hit Beijing roads everyday].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every road seems to be clogged with traffic, irrespective of whether it’s a peak or an off-peak hour [and in spite of the broad and better roads].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Beijing municipality is trying several alternatives such as having ‘no-car days’, congestion tax, higher parking fee etc, but to no avail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Road trips in Beijing are taken with buffer hours calculated considering the traffic jams. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every major road has traffic congestion indicators, but they can’t be of much help if one’s main route, as well as all alternative routes is clogged.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That Cloud of Puff: A big irksome factor in Beijing is public smoking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tinge of tobacco can always be felt in the air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since public smoking is allowed, and since the air has a vague trace of nicotine [or did I imagine that?], there’s no point in someone excusing themselves and either not smoking or trying to let the puff out in a different direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure this will be annoying even to an avid smoker – or perhaps a week in Beijing roads could be an effective therapy session for such smokers to quit smoking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add to this acrid atmosphere, a dash of the exhaust gases from the voluminous Beijing traffic, and you would have experienced the notorious Beijing pollution. How do people cope up with such levels of pollution?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get a Chinese perspective of weather and pollution in this interesting NYT <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/09/world/asia/09iht-letter.html?_r=1">article</a>.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>To To be continued...</i></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-40164903195178948152010-05-27T19:51:00.001+05:302010-05-28T10:37:46.767+05:30Meenakshi - in The Age of Kali<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">I am curious to know how outsiders perceive India – us and our culture. Because they, like children who spot rainbows in oil spillages, can sometimes reveal things that miss our senses. Their views may not be always akin to ‘finding rainbows’. They can also be like the newcomer’s wrinkling of nose at the stench of the <i>Kovum</i> river, and his bewilderment at people who carry on with life on its banks, indifferent or insensitive to this stench [V.S. Naipaul’s variety].<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Nevertheless, these authors, not very surprisingly, reveal fascinating things about our world that we simply didn’t bother to find about. Most of the times, their perspectives are thought-provoking, making us wonder why things are so. But sometimes, their perspectives seem to stem from stereotypical biases or assumptions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNRDlPH1k7Ubo28JIscCiZG7TD1VurlqXODuTBZaNb06i7gqw7d-amz4EJZmWNUIwDMlX2DbejPIqNtPRpqPz7azR7LFn_deyBQjDT8wxDxC8Pry0AKFb3h4xkwek9WTQNqVwY/s1600/ageofkali.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNRDlPH1k7Ubo28JIscCiZG7TD1VurlqXODuTBZaNb06i7gqw7d-amz4EJZmWNUIwDMlX2DbejPIqNtPRpqPz7azR7LFn_deyBQjDT8wxDxC8Pry0AKFb3h4xkwek9WTQNqVwY/s200/ageofkali.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Last weekend, I got hold of a copy of William Dalrymple’s ‘<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Age-Kali-Indian-Travels-Encounters/dp/1864501723/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1274967882&sr=8-1">Age of Kali</a>’. The book makes an interesting read with topics as light and frothy as Shobha De and her Bombay socialite evenings and as serious and grim as Sri Lankan turmoil. Though the anecdotes and experiences are nearly a decade old, they still have relevance today. And as always, its always fascinating to look at the past and wonder at the way things have panned out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">On browsing the TOC, a particular chapter caught my attention immediately – At the Court of the Fish-eyed </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Goddess – as it was about the temple of Madurai, a topic close to my heart, and it’s Goddess Meenakshi. I read this chapter first.</span></div><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">It is a well written, entertaining chapter that makes for a good reading. Unlike other chapters, it is not as much about history [mostly sad or nostalgic, in retrospection] or contemporary struggles [in the age of Kali] as it is about some charming and endearing customs and traditions of the very old Madurai temple. The chapter is backed by good research about the ancient city, its history, and the stories around it. The array of references is impressive - such as <i>Silappadikaram</i>, <i>Maduraikkangji </i>[The Garland of Madurai], <i>Thiruvilayadal </i>etc. The chapter has a very descriptive narration of a Madurai’s boat festival in the Tamil month of <i>Thai</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOwGPKsUW0UD5GjkSmSuMxrVajmaubmnEPPX9DL1MoXfQ9SU24MDhWD72PJxT2EZQZFpjb0GywiHqkivyCM4tZT2ZxuJv8vhp43kDfruHp_3fDiDAbl7pJxKSyaxPc0IXZ3mGA/s1600/MaduraiTemple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOwGPKsUW0UD5GjkSmSuMxrVajmaubmnEPPX9DL1MoXfQ9SU24MDhWD72PJxT2EZQZFpjb0GywiHqkivyCM4tZT2ZxuJv8vhp43kDfruHp_3fDiDAbl7pJxKSyaxPc0IXZ3mGA/s320/MaduraiTemple.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">But a theme which I felt was recurring or that was always present as background made be wonder why Western authors think of Hindu temples as, somehow and mostly, reflections of Indians’ views about [or obsession with] sex and procreation? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">This perspective of Mr. Dalrymple, to me, is very evident as is the <i>fecundity</i> of the Madurai temple to him. To him, every aspect of the temple evidently reflects its <i>fecundity</i> – to quote the author ‘<i>It is as if Meenakshi’s fertility is such that every inch of the stonework is organically sprouting with supernatural forms…</i>’. [The full chapter can be read <a href="http://www.travelintelligence.com/travel-writing/court-fish-eyed-goddess-queen">here</a>.]<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The use of fecundity and fertility, that too several times in the chapter, is fine. But, somehow, it feels as if the word is used to indicate only one form of fertility – of the type of bearing and rearing children.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hwnkpCOJGjbHIBRMoZSSZmDsnO99r_eRFv5cILxHLG2IWZmAQV-hnochwKXgOl0cPVQ7GbmcL0mzFA06lEaLDv1YB04Iyvhgtl2MeYXLwf2pj2cZDFCz0pExjyrNFPFFl_5d/s1600/Meenakshi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hwnkpCOJGjbHIBRMoZSSZmDsnO99r_eRFv5cILxHLG2IWZmAQV-hnochwKXgOl0cPVQ7GbmcL0mzFA06lEaLDv1YB04Iyvhgtl2MeYXLwf2pj2cZDFCz0pExjyrNFPFFl_5d/s320/Meenakshi.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">It appears as if every devotee comes to the temple only to be blessed with a bounty of progeny. Very coincidentally [and perhaps conveniently?], the author meets a man in the temple, who had come all the way from Kerala, on foot, just so that the Goddess with her ‘<i>much energy and power’</i> bestow him with six children [the author discovers that the man already has three children and his wife wants no more.]. The author also witnesses a marriage ceremony where the bride is led to worship a figurine of a heavily-pregnant <i>yakshini</i> who is depicted in the act of giving birth [The author notes how the yakshini’s breasts and navel have been smeared with vermilion and kunkuma powder.]<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Of course, the author is ever more convinced of the temple’s purposes when he sees people tying threads to the banyan tree in the temple courtyard.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Several other customs at the temple also clearly indicate this nature of the temple:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"></div><ul><li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The retiring of Gods to their bedchamber ritual [<i>pazhzhiyarai - பள்ளியறை </i>ritual], when Mennakshi’s nose-jewel is removed so that it doesn’t irritate her consort Sundareshwara in their love-act</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">-<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The Thai boat festival [<i>Thai theppam thiruvizha -தை தெப்பம் திருவிழா </i>] which is Meenakshi’s act of seduction of Sundareshwara [and which she’s considered to achieve late in night of that festival].</span></li>
</ul><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">And so on and so forth.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The chapter repeatedly highlights and makes references to the great <i>fertility </i>and <i>irresistible sexuality</i> of Meenakshi and the <i>spectacular and addictive sex</i> between her and Sundareshwara.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">At one point in the chapter, the author concludes that the whole focus of Meenakshi’s followers is in her union with Sundareshwara. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The views are almost close to giving a ‘pagan’ colour to the concept of this Goddess and her worship for fertility. [Note: I do not intend to demean paganism. In fact, I don’t know much about it, except from some snippets that I have caught in WWW. It appears that sex is included in some forms of worship, especially, when wishing for fertility and virility, which is what I wanted to indicate in this context.]<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">These views, at times, are very irritating.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELg7bP2E_IjrJkti5l8NsEt6LSZmLtQpU7UKvvHOhkoAhiLxsGyJ3rQYLWlrqxKGRK5FgScVZ0WpixwPU7d-16gR6-WHw6hx3bOmPAGljg6t78FHDpqHyM2tGSocq9v32YsCg/s1600/ThaiTheppam.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELg7bP2E_IjrJkti5l8NsEt6LSZmLtQpU7UKvvHOhkoAhiLxsGyJ3rQYLWlrqxKGRK5FgScVZ0WpixwPU7d-16gR6-WHw6hx3bOmPAGljg6t78FHDpqHyM2tGSocq9v32YsCg/s320/ThaiTheppam.gif" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">It can be very easily generalized, without erring, that any God in any religion, and especially in Hinduism is associated with fecundity [in the general sense]. And especially, Goddesses are considered as the source of all prosperity [Durga – for strength, valour and victory; Lakshmi – for all material and spiritual wealth, Saraswathi – for knowledge, wisdom and intellect]. In Hinduism [again, as in any other religion], Goddesses are seen as the powerful, yet loving and kind mother who will never say no to their children and will deploy all her power to get what their children want. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">So there’s nothing specific about Madurai temple and <i>fecundity</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Madurai temple is dedicated to Meenakshi and as rightly noted by Mr.Dalrymple, Sundareshwara takes a back seat [But Lord Shiva is said to have enacted all his 64 divine plays or <i>Thiruvizhayadal [திருவிளையாடல் ]</i> in Madurai, and hence he too has a great significance]. It is considered that Madurai was ruled by Meenakshi, the wise and chivalrous daughter of the Pandya king. Meenakshi is still considered the Empress of Mandurai, ruling the kingdom along with Sundareshwara. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">That way, the temple can be considered to uphold femininity. But it is not the kind of femininity that is used to allure the male to procreate. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Every aspect or ritual of the temple, be it the banyan tree with strings of wishes for offsprings, the <i>pazhiyarai </i>ritual, the boat festivals – these are not specific to the Madurai temple. They can be found in several, if not almost all, South Indian temples.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Does that mean all temples reflect the single-minded purpose of Indians to procreate? Not really. These rituals [for instance, retiring to bedchamber] mostly stem from worshipping Gods in human forms – forms which are conceivable, believable and approachable for a common man.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">It is the same God who is looked up to by some for genetic pollination and some others for spiritual and intellectual fertilization, with the same fervour. The former might outnumber the latter. Nevertheless, judging the value or purpose of an instrument by the most observable usage would be a mistake.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[Perhaps, judging Mr. Darlymple as above wouldn’t be correct. He is most likely to have gotten these details and impressions from the ‘local and native’ Indians.]<o:p></o:p></span></div>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-16460784625646073852010-05-18T23:41:00.006+05:302010-05-19T13:50:09.750+05:30Bliss as Sweet as Appam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">Why fiddle in a long queue for hours, get caught in a hooting horde, get squeezed between sweaty bods, loose your peace of mind to the disrespectful guards and the chiding priests, only to be dissatisfied with the fleeting glimpse of the deity for whom you travelled so much? By the time you get to reach the sanctum sanctorum, if you think retrospectively, you will realize that there’s not much trace of <i>bhakthi</i> left, that you had reserved for the God.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[Some of my friends might argue why ever go to the temples and get into all this trouble. And my answer is that I simply love the magic of old temples.]<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Or perhaps, I shouldn’t generalize. But this was the experience of my family when we visited Sri Rangam a few months ago. I had just visited this temple once when I was in my fourth standard. The beautiful island, with its majestic temple g<i>opuram</i> rising above the coconut sea, always used to allure me every time I crossed Trichy (Thiruchirappalli). When a friend of us scheduled her marriage in Trichy, I thought that this is the great opportunity that I had been waiting for to do a temple tour of Trichy, Thanjavur and Kumbakonam.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijuHRRlbEfAi5zWJ0O8A6wOkbKv81zLcLl6a5aaSUQr6gK6JFrKDrRka0nqUmRXhWpc6wW0zCHSs5BgO296vcqaM1o5QGTvZb1L9IJ3bSe4qop3BEj6SGRNULSnqJDYybXwjmo/s1600/SriRangam_GopuramsinHaze.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijuHRRlbEfAi5zWJ0O8A6wOkbKv81zLcLl6a5aaSUQr6gK6JFrKDrRka0nqUmRXhWpc6wW0zCHSs5BgO296vcqaM1o5QGTvZb1L9IJ3bSe4qop3BEj6SGRNULSnqJDYybXwjmo/s400/SriRangam_GopuramsinHaze.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td 8.0p;="" ;font-size:="" align="center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Holy smoke: The Gopurams of Sri Rangam temple are tall </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">and majestic.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">No doubt the temple is vast and beautiful. The layers and layers of wide <i>praharams</i> and the innumerable shrines of beautiful deities are so fascinating. As much as the age of the temple and the miraculous stories that surround it, the chaste and devoted <i>iyengars</i> who visit the temple inspire a sense of respect for the temple and make the place even more rare and precious – as if the place has a quality that you would revere, and feel shy to touch and feel.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Those who spoiled this fantastic experience were the temple authoritie and the priests. The authorities had some amazing rules that’ll defy the ones you can find in Catch-22. And the pujaris were very discourteous to people who looked less affluent, while they chased the better looking ones with donation tickets. These are worthy of a separate post. And this state of affairs is not uncommon these days in any big, established temples.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">At the end of the day, all I remember are the broad, brilliant eyes of Ranganathar in the divine lights of the inner shrine.</span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACciXbKSvru5rmdqekq43ZrUKvaj-JspeMktdsYdL-z_DvQFJwbROQ6AL4x4eqpSfNKSNVvfdNnsxGKgBQzWl2ywAXoB2d3itb3yf0xqbBAjVTnIf0UkMiBqYOoA0zZfEEai2/s1600/Kallanai_Kaveri_BirdFormation.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACciXbKSvru5rmdqekq43ZrUKvaj-JspeMktdsYdL-z_DvQFJwbROQ6AL4x4eqpSfNKSNVvfdNnsxGKgBQzWl2ywAXoB2d3itb3yf0xqbBAjVTnIf0UkMiBqYOoA0zZfEEai2/s400/Kallanai_Kaveri_BirdFormation.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Just a speck for the time bird: Kollidam as seen in Kallanai.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">The very next day, I had a darshan of the God in a different place, in a more peaceful setting, with just mystical soundlessness as the background.</span></div><br />
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<tr><td 8.0p;="" ;font-size:="" align="center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUUYeSRF-IincYZTUrGO1xK6x_gjpdxOsIY9C2FjvVTC460Zk2-mfb_bZgdkYV_AfO3lvJflEI3gKTIySKPBSZwuqIvAG4l9_hIdQd66psqSRocDrTx_C69JeWRuABjEpst44/s1600/IMG_3932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUUYeSRF-IincYZTUrGO1xK6x_gjpdxOsIY9C2FjvVTC460Zk2-mfb_bZgdkYV_AfO3lvJflEI3gKTIySKPBSZwuqIvAG4l9_hIdQd66psqSRocDrTx_C69JeWRuABjEpst44/s400/IMG_3932.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Divinity in simplicity: Koviladi Appakkudathan temple is </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">charmingly quaint and calm</span>.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">This heart warming experience was at Thirupernagar, also called as Koviladi [the place that's just about an <i>adi-kal</i> distance from Sri Rangam], just about 15 -20 kms from Trichy, on the way to Thiruvaiyyar.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">To give further indications to its location, Koviladi is on the way from Trichy to Thirukkattupalli [a slightly better known Shaivite town and should be even better known for people who have read Kalki's Ponniyin Selvan].</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">The route itself is scenic [at least in early summer!] and courses through the rich Thanjavur delta of paddy fields and criss-crosses the great Kollidam, river. It passes through the Grand Anaicut or Kallani, the great reservoir on Cauvery, built by the early Cholas. One gets to see how the river is part and parcel of everyday lives of people here.</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">In Koviladi, Lord Vishnu, reclines in his Adisehsa bed, as he does in Sri Rangam. He’s known by the name Thiru Appakkudathan or Appala Ranganathan. The name follows from this story: <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">A king once was cursed by the Sage Dhurvasa and to be liberated, was asked to feed a lakh people at this <i>kshetram</i>. One day, when the king was engaged in such an <i>annadhana</i>, Lord Vishnu came to him, disguised as a Brahmin. The Brahmin consumed all the food that had been prepared. When the perplexed king, asked the Brahmin, what could suppress his hunger, the Brahmin said that a pot (kudam) of <i>appam</i> would do the miracle. So the king did, and lo his curse was removed. Lord Vishnu showed himself and continued to reside in this temple. To this day, <i>appam</i> is offered to the Lord as <i>neivedhyam</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">It is also considered the place where Sage Markandeya was blessed by Lord Vishnu and was relieved of the curse of dying at the age of 16. The sage can be seen at the feet of the Lord in the shrine. It is also considered the place where the Lord squashed Indra's pride.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">In the shrine, one can partake the Lord, in his full glory, from head to feet, without the disturbance from the chiding priests and the impatient crowd. The Lord is charming and could be seen resting his right hand on a silver pot, which is meant to be the pot of <i>appams</i>. The Lord is accompanied by Goddess Lakshmi, known as Kamalvalli.</span></div><table style="float: left; font-style: italic; margin: 0px 10px 5px 0px;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDRzx-aOyRgyyJT449T2pEdq_QvHhqqOHI59pyF64X_eJI_yj52U4zcjkqSKvK-YmiTU43qCEWqMa6tisBSkYVrRGFgw1cKIQda6SmCg5AkJ18KrWQ_0CpEiHHRgbWc_ZOTFvx/s1600/IMG_3934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDRzx-aOyRgyyJT449T2pEdq_QvHhqqOHI59pyF64X_eJI_yj52U4zcjkqSKvK-YmiTU43qCEWqMa6tisBSkYVrRGFgw1cKIQda6SmCg5AkJ18KrWQ_0CpEiHHRgbWc_ZOTFvx/s400/IMG_3934.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td 8.0p;="" ;font-size:="" align="center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">The fallen God: The temple though was undergoing renovation, </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">lacks maintenance</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">The young <i>bhattar</i> (priest) at the temple, explained the <i>thalapuranam</i> (the story of the place) in clear, detailed manner. He sang several <i>pasurams</i> on the presiding deity, in his golden voice and charmed us with his sincerity and devotion to the temple. I forgot his name, but I think it could be Srinivasa Bhattar (as I see in this <a href="http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2007/11/108-divya-desam-koviladi-appakudathaan.html">blog</a>).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><a name='more'></a></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The experience was divine and I felt that the temple gave the devotee what he really intends to get from such a place – mind at ease, heart at peace.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Despite such a fantastic experience, it could be seen that the temple doesn’t attract many pilgrims. Though the temple was getting renovated at the time we visited and was soon about to see its <i>khumbabishekam</i>, it could be seen that it was not well maintained. Or rather, it couldn’t be well maintained, either due to lack of funds, or manpower, or both.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">And this makes me ask all those questions that you see in the first paragraph. I wonder why we throng over-crowded, ‘popular’ temples, while ignoring such great places. Looks like, these days (or for that matter, any day), even Gods and temples need advertisements.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Nevertheless, for those who seek a closer, more personal encounter with divinity, I suggest that you visit Koviladi.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">Follow this route to Koviladi:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Tiruchirapalli,+Tamil+Nadu,+India&daddr=Thiruvaiyaru,+Tamil+Nadu,+India&geocode=FcrWpAAdAdmwBCmtza7yD_WqOzGmrrvtOyzgbQ%3B&hl=en&mra=ls&sll=10.80289,78.698753&sspn=0.364217,0.617294&ie=UTF8&ll=10.803631,78.700562&spn=0.236066,0.291824&z=11&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-71846190952319671812010-05-10T14:12:00.000+05:302010-05-10T14:12:35.730+05:30Ad Hominem<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My friend Vijay TV's (VTV) recent blog <a href="http://vijaytv.blogspot.com/2010/05/virginity-nothing-sacred-or-scary-about.html">post </a>prompted me to write a few lines on it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Like him, I never thought I'd write on this subject.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But unlike him, I didn't bother to write, because I was, simply not bothered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I will not contest VTV's sentiments towards this issue. That's not the problem at all […though I read Kushboo's statement differently.]<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But what piqued me, was his rationale in defending his sentiment which reaches the ultimate conclusion that Kushboo should shut up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Because she's from the cinema industry, which according to VTV, is the biggest sex industry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And people who come from such an industry - presumably, people with loose morals, do not have a stand to comment on such topics.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My question, then, VTV, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is, had the statement been made by someone outside the film industry, let’s say N Ram or<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sachin Tendulkar (whom I’m sure, you’d have some respect for), <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>would it have been more acceptable or carried more credibility?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If not, I guess you’re falling in trap of the classical logical fallacy.<o:p></o:p></span></div></span></span>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-29082207841360735532010-05-04T16:21:00.004+05:302010-05-05T14:45:26.154+05:30Invitations to the Dream World<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Read this beautiful <a href="http://arunima.blogspot.com/2010/04/lullaby-tha-tha-thabungton.html">lullaby </a>in one of the blogs that I read regularly and was charmed by the innocently simple, beautiful and hopeful lines.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lullabies are the most soothing songs of this earth. It’s blissful to catch a scene of a mother singing to her baby, making the little one sleep:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The night is cool, and the earth is wet. Sounds have ceased and the world is at rest. Save the cicadas', there’s no other sound. Stars are winking and the moon’s playing hide and seek. The deeply scented night flowers have bloomed somewhere, filling the air with mystique. And then you hear the mother singing to her child. This is heaven.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lullabies are about all beautiful in the universe – the moon, the stars, flowers, birds, mountains, oceans, and other wonderful things. They make a person dream and imagine, hope and believe in the goodness of life.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">They might, sometimes, carry a tinge of sadness, a subtle reference to the plights and sufferings of the mother or the family or the clan itself. They might be loaded with the parent’s own longings, unfulfilled dreams and wishes. This is the flavour that most lullaby songs in Indian movies carry (for e.g. the classic ‘<a href="http://www.musicplug.in/songs.php?movieid=220">Malarnthum malaratha</a>’ (Paasamalar) with some magnificent lyrics from Kannadhasan, or the very poignant ‘<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyBmG9ZZnLM">Thendrale…thendrale</a>’ (Kadhal Desam) by ARR, in the recent times ).</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Even then, they leave a final word of consolation to the wounded, instil the belief that things would be alright and that tomorrow would be a grand new day.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">There are many beautiful lullabies composed in Carnatic music, mainly sung to a deity – be it Rama or Krishna - ‘<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KtNf1Nact8">Jo Jo Achchuthananda Jo Jo Mukunda</a>’ by MSS comes to my mind immediately. Someone wondered why these lullabies are always for Gods and not for Goddesses. It could be that we see all Goddesses as mothers, and mothers are not meant to sleep, but keep vigil on their young ones. Some gender bias here?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Switching back to the topic of lullabies –When I started digging for lullabies in Tamil, I came across this beautiful one –a popular one:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">கண்ணான கண்ணுறங்கு என் கண்மணியே!</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="TA" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">கானமயிலுறங்கு என் பூமணியே! </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="TA" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">பொன்னான பொழுதுறங்கு என் வெண்மணியே! </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="TA" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">பூமரத்து வண்டுறங்கு என் விண் நிலவே! </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="TA" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">செண்டாட பூமலரும் வண்டாட தேன்வடியும்! </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="TA" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">வண்டாடும் பொய்கையினில் ! </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="TA" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">வந்தாடும் அன்ன ஊஞ்சல்! </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="TA" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">அன்ன ஊஞ்சல் போலிருக்கும் என் மண் ஒளியே! </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="TA" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">அருங்கிளியே தேன்மழையே திருவாசகமே நீயுறங்கு!</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="TA" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Each word in this song paints a beautiful picture or sows a marvellous thought – either calling out to the little child with the simplest of endearments such as a parrot or a peacock or taking the affection to a higher level by comparing the child to a song of great wisdom (</span></span></span><span lang="TA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">திருவாசகமே</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">)</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Here’s how I translated this song (with doles of creative liberty(!)):</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>My vision, apple of my eye,</i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Peacock dancing to an overcast sky,</i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>My precious jewel, my flawless pearl,<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Fluttering butterfly on a flowery trail,<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Moon of my clear night skies<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Time to rest, close your eyes.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><i><br />
</i></b></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small;"><i>Oh, the li’l bud grows a honeyed flower,</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Beckoning the merry bee,<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>That dances over lotus flowers<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Where sways the swan, see.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><i><br />
</i></b></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small;"><i>Oh, the one swaying like the swan,</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Light of my mind, my dawn<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Sweet parrot, my nectar rain,<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Song of rarest wisdom, one can find, <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Time to rest, may you sleep.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small;">These are great words to invite sleep and step into the realms of dreams.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small;">So, what happened to such beautiful lullabies these days?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">P.S. To be fair to Parvathy, she sings great many a deal of devotional songs to Pranav and to be fair to myself, I sing lots of film songs to him </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">J</span></span></span></div>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-1166146503986722482010-03-08T21:52:00.002+05:302010-03-08T21:58:17.985+05:30How dreams are squashed<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The past week has been a period of highs and lows that immediately followed the highs, that eventually ended in a harrowing climax.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">This is to do with my dear FLL team of five.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">This super team was selected to compete in the Taiwan International Championship.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The issue of </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">travel expenses was very altruistically taken care of</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">by my company.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The CR team was extremely generous and agile to negotiate and get funds for us.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">This was just fantastic, as our company usually sponsored the team that came first.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">When we broke the kids, the kids were super excited.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The school - the headmaster and the teachers, also appeared excited, but with some reservation.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Why?</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">They also wanted to check if one of them can also travel to Taiwan (of course, the headmaster gets the priority). </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The reason is that they wanted to ensure the safety of the kids.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">This is extremely essential, as this is the kids' first international travel - You know, how parents became extremely anxious even for a short trip out of school.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">This seemed fine, though there was no real need for the teachers to travel, as we three mentors would be accompanying the kids anyway.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">'Oh great!', said the headmaster, 'so your company will pay for the teacher as well, right?'</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Oh yeah, so that’s how it was?!</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">But that’s not possible – the teachers have, technically, no role in the FLL competition.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">And these teachers, absolutely had no role, except that they allowed the kids to participate in the competition.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We told the teachers that this would not be difficult.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">They weren’t pleased:</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Hmm, well in that case, things will be difficult.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">You see, these parents are extremely anxious about their kids.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">And this is an international trip, travel by air (to note:</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">None of the teachers have travelled in flights), so they might not really agree.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">("Teacher, you remember the trip to Mysore and the 150 odd phone calls that came to us from parents, when something wrong happened to some kid?" Well, that just indicates that you aren't the right person to take care of kids isn't it?! Wrong example, perhaps?!)<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">And in fact, we already have 'tried convincing' the parents.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The first question that they asked was in fact, 'Sir, are you also travelling? Or is Madam travelling? If not, we don’t want to send our kids.' <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">(The madam is always with a long, rounded stick with which she knocks on students’ heads.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Parents want her to be the kids’ guardian?</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Oh perhaps, she uses the stick to rattle students' brains and put it good work?!)<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We told them - see, we are not travelling.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">But that’s not something to worry about, as the company guys are going. But don't hold us responsible for all the (bad) things that might happen in Taiwan. We can't also ask the company people as we're completely out of the picture (That's some great convincing!).<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">So its not us, you see.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We're all happy for our kids.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">But the parents will not let the kids travel without us ("Teacher, you remember the trip to....")<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The teachers’ intention was clearly very clear.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">They were asking us what’s in there for them.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We tried speaking to the parents.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">They turned out to be people in the landscape that the teachers had painted. But I wouldn’t blame them, as it was apparent that the teachers have very clearly impressed on them their motivations(One of the teachers who tried convincing the parents was promptly asked if he didn’t have a class to attend to (instead of spoiling the fortune for the great teachers).)</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">There, that was how an opportunity that has all the potential to change the lives of five kids forever, was grounded down, because of a group of teachers wanted to have a free take-off.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">So, what became of those people in that noble profession of teaching?</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Don’t I consider some of my teachers, if not all, as not just subject experts, but teachers of life-lessons? Didn't I want to emulate them?</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Is it not true that I still remember them with admiration and respect and as persons of great personal integrity?!</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">What happened to all of them?</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">What happened to the idea of ‘Maatha, Pitha, Guru, Deivam’?</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Somehow, it’s very difficult to accept the teachers’ wish as that of people who have never had the opportunity to travel abroad and let this go.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Especially, when these teachers had never made any effort to understand this competition; even when the India finals happened in our own office campus, just a few minutes away from the school. If they had earlier thought that their responsibility stopped with allowing the kids to participate, I guess they should stick to that responsibility now as well.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">It was so heart-breaking to see the excitement in the kids’ face fade into a sad helplessness.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I might</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">get pas this experience , but I do pray that they break out of this shroud and the path, of following their parents, </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">of becoming daily wage labourers.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">PS:</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I have skipped the episodes where we tried taking up the case of the teachers with our benefactors in our company.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">They didn’t see any reason (very rightly so) why the company should sponsor.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I have skipped the number of iterations we had with the school. Today, the CR department advised us to stop– they felt that the teachers might trouble the kids in the future, even if we coerce them to let them go now.</span></span></span></p>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-65340814523611884712010-02-28T22:28:00.007+05:302010-03-08T21:58:35.313+05:30Full many a flower is born to blush unseen..<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tl2-bEoFOwvjLlJNwoxNLpiuchszgXeNaXrI0Oq_zN0ys9wXfmDSXNoberVCcigf23Fj1Dh8K4NGvy8-LjoctHL7C5eUge9VDXJaalcNNfGwDIZmNgiz8x-HSVsnEYLckFVh/s1600-h/30012010093.jpg"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Sometime ago, I had the opportunity of training 5 kids for the FLL robotics competition, along with two other colleagues (What's FLL?).<br /></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Since it’s a robotics competition, competing kids/ teams need a flair for computer programming, concepts of motors, gears, sensors etc.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">And it needs loads of creativity to evolve approaches and design a robot to accomplish the mission. </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Given this skill set, teams are typically formed with kids in their 6</span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">th</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">, 7</span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">th</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> or 8</span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">th</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> standards, and who have exposure to computers (usually have computers at home and probably play a Nintendo or an Xbox).</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The competition also requires them to be fluent and confident articulators. </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Therefore, it’s not unexpected that the contest is usually between kids from schools of the upper echelon. </span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgECK4KHBWtAD5LwrWVjzbah1p0svIT8em-Kus-85oZlo87f291k7pffX2nM9vbHPrKqZVAxdG0Be3vfQjnSHXLHDWP10XisjGWHEjIC1pei91UPfwoi7MgzRe_oaFgQg5toJeQ/s320/27012010073.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443341066027083314" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">However, we decided that we will not go the road oft travelled – we wanted to give this exposure to young students who wouldn't otherwise have access to such things as computers, robotics and programming.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">So we formed our team with five young students from class 6 and 7, from a Government school, located in a small village-like locality behind our office campus.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The school caters to the nearby community of, mostly, daily wage labourers working in the huge and multitude constructions happening around.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Some of them work as cleaners and other such jobs in my office. </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The school was not badly maintained.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The teachers intended well.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">But yes, they had limitations to what they could wish and aspire for their children.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The kids chosen for our team did not have exposure to computers or programming.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">This, we had somehow expected.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Since the school was a Kannada-medium school, they couldn’t speak much English as well.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">This was a problem, as two of us, including me cannot go beyond ‘Kannada gothuilla’.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Nevertheless, we decided to give this a try. </span></span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPV_264TVwaXpIaSr-x9PxFWJDOko2IGvRNUhWxDk7QYOhPy_0UIscsJoR7Mbzs7kGXiystnIED6ETYkEvBH-nrYWx-gYMz9TUFkE_5Q9Qo9Z6mt-9tCxB3hamcAzu9iGXuLZ/s320/30012010080.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443341084705506242" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We devised a three-fold curriculum to train the kids on basics of computers, basic English and presentation skills and of course, the robotics programming.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Amid several disruptions to our coaching (due to personal and official reasons), we ploughed ahead, slowly, but definitely not steadily.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The kids became quite familiar with computers (we used to watch other FLL videos in Youtube.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">And that became their favourite website!). They became adept in making ‘speeches’ – very often surprising us with little snippets that added that extra zing and acumen to their presentations.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">They had also lots of presence of mind to include changes that we suggested, very naturally in their presentations. </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">By the time it was time for the India finals, we were confident that we will put up a very decent performance.</span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDcVX3zSAPGvAkzGzQ9KXDr5NF6_0Ri8BgLcDI4gEr9Cx9QR1FpwsK23pJS0nz0yUq9gEl3V_Cv1WQorvnxfnFFr5QtHv3zp3QMD09O1LL1tvr08e8VasmGomveksE9NnLBBBY/s320/DSC_5175.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443341097042455730" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px; " /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">But the competition day turned out to be even greater an experience.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The kids sizzled with their performance.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">They zipped through the team work evaluation, technical presentation, as well as the project presentation.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">In each of these rounds, they were well received by the judges, who were impressed by the kids’ brilliance. </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Our robot too, in spite of some initial hiccups with the light sensor, ultimately accomplished all the tasks for which it had been designed. </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We realized that our team was on par with many other contesting teams.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Our team also became a favourite with the crowd.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ecTZnLCbpcoVJmcfRcV5gy1WW3L0C7DiVjNFtk00qKamlHHL15xUFeYT_joacg61TirnUkE4AYwOzF-jQ_BtLiJowFmhx1fKB5-Gv99Njc6fjAGn64Q7xOiic0QjYIx0fS1v/s320/30012010085.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443341078268747826" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span></span>We were informed that we are one of the top contenders for the top four awards.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Despite strong competition from other teams, the sentiment was so loud and positive that we were very hopeful that we will walk away with at least one of the awards.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">But we didn’t win any. </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We felt disappointed, especially for the kids, who were very hopeful that they would win. They were hoping to travel by flights and see more of the World.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">But I was happy and content for several reasons.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The kids now understood computers, programming and robotics.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">They could understand simple English conversations and reply back.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">They had broken several boundaries and set a higher aspiration for their school.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Recently, we had been to their school and the reception we got made us feel very humble.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We were treated like celebrities – the entire school was assembled, we were felicitated and every child in the school wanted to shake hands with us.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">More than that, we three coaches had matured by a huge measure.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Several times during our coaching, we were limited by our own ‘admission to reality’ that we had been extremely idealistic in selecting kids from such a background.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Often we had to fight off our own disbelief that we will not get anywhere.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">And what helped us in fighting this attitude, was the kids’ intelligence, energy and enthusiasm.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">They were as bright and enthusiastic as we wanted them to be, grasping new knowledge, as they say in Tamil, as camphor catches fire. (During the India finals, they were quite impressed with another team singing Queen’s ‘We will rock you’.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">They wanted to learn that song and sing like them.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">So they did!)</span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tl2-bEoFOwvjLlJNwoxNLpiuchszgXeNaXrI0Oq_zN0ys9wXfmDSXNoberVCcigf23Fj1Dh8K4NGvy8-LjoctHL7C5eUge9VDXJaalcNNfGwDIZmNgiz8x-HSVsnEYLckFVh/s320/30012010093.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443343241817101746" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">And they were never apologetic or coy about their economic conditions.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">They were aware of their background but never carried it with them.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">They had higher aspirations and wanted much from life. </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">This, I’m sure, will take them higher.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I hope and pray that they stay and grow like this, and get all the right opportunities and never have to ‘blush unseen and waste their sweetness on the desert air’.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The twist:</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I just got to know last week that my team has been selected for the FLL event in Taiwan in April (It looks like we stood 4</span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">th</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> in the overall India ranking.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Not bad at all!) </span></span></span></p></div>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-3288765499970573592009-12-11T15:31:00.005+05:302010-03-08T21:59:44.259+05:30A male child?<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Today I wanted to write about a friend whom I meet almost everyday and have become friends besides the difference in age.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This is my auto man - not my own auto - and not his own auto too. He has a rented auto which I take to go to office almost everyday. He usually tells where all he had been on the previous day, how his day was and usually ends with a note on some kid. He tells me that whenever he sees a small kid he remembers my son who stands in the balcony (to wave a bye to me) and looking at the dogs in the street and never at me. He keeps telling me how difficult it is to manage a kid at home and makes me thank my support structure back home almost immediately.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">He should be twice my age, and has 7 kids. He told me today how it felt to lose his father about 2 weeks ago. He was fighting tears when he said, 'I am not sure, my 2 sons, who left our family, will ever think of me like how I think of my dad. I am working as hard as he worked, I love my family as much, yet I may not die his death'. I had to console him - think of your school going kids, you will feel better. Then he said, ' Yes I keep thinking of them, my last 2 daughters are going to school. I had put them in a good school thinking my sons will help me. But no one is there now. I sold my auto to get my 3 daughters married'. He continued, 'my father was bed ridden for 20 years, yet we treated him with respect. My eye sight is diminishing and I dont drive in the evenings, but if I can my girls can study better. My wife cries for days together when she gets to see any wedding. She remembers her 2 sons and thinks that she has missed their weddings. Looking at her, I sometimes think, if I am gone, what will she do. But she says, if she is gone, no one will look after me. She is right. My mother took care of my father until the last moment and was asking allah to take him away for his suffering was too much. Allah listened to her. May be I will land up someday like that and my wife will offer the same prayer. Allah, keep my wife safe for only she will pray for me'. He did not speak for a while. I dint know what I should say. It is difficult to console someone who is frustrated yet cannot give up. I muttered something like, a girl child is better, atleast she will take care of you. Then he said, what I think truly reflects a generation's thought process - only the girl is my daughter. Her husband is not a member in my family and will never become. My sons are mine, but when they get married, their wives don't belong to my family. The tragedy is even after marriage the girl will remain my daughter, but my son will be gone forever. Either way guys fail to make parents happy.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I thought, it is not true always, but did not tell him.</span></span></div>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-57889405438203654922009-11-02T17:50:00.011+05:302009-11-02T22:22:08.102+05:30Good Riding!<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:myriad-pro, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Welcome to the TED fellows </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Interview. This time we are interacting with Aparna Wilder, the co-founder of Global Rickshaw and Wildkumar Movies. She has found a life partner and business partner in Shivraj Shantakumar, who received MTV India’s Best Music Video Award for 2009. While Aparna was in graduate school studying for a career in the non-profit sector, she and her husband decided to collaborate “…to make short, entertaining films that could inspire change.” Global Rickshaw has produced a score of films over the past three years, drawing upon professional film production talent to promote the messages of non-profit organizations. You can read about her, her venture, how does she look at her achievements so far and her plans for the future here. And yes, join me in wishing Aparna, the very best.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><img src="http://www.globalrickshaw.com/uploads/3/0/0/2/3002966/4046088.jpg?395x267" alt="Picture" /></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; "><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">1.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">What is the defining moment in your career that made you chose short film making? </span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; "><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">I am an accidental film maker.</span></span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">The story goes that I was studying for a career in the non-profit sector. During my graduate school summer internship with Unicef, I was writing a case study on the sex ratio in Maharashtra and one of my team members was shooting a documentary to accompany our report. The documentary covered great subject material, but the film was technically flawed and not shot in a way that would appeal to people outside of the NGO sector. Shivraj (my now husband who has been working in the film industry for nearly a dozen years) and I decided that we could create something much better together. We decided that we could make great films for NGOs, non-profits, and socially responsible businesses that were interesting, informative, visually appealing, and fun to watch. We also make music videos, television commercials, and corporate films under our company wildkumar moving pictures private limited.</span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; "><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">2.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Why this name - Global Rickshaw?</span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; "><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Global because we strive to be global citizens and would like to make films that appeal to global audiences. And rickshaw because it is a mode of transportation that is used in many parts of the world by people from various social classes. And the combination, well, it sounds like fun!</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; "><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">3.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Is making commercial films and ads mutually exclusive to making film films with a cause? </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">We try to bring our technical and artistic background from commercial film making to public service announcements and other films made for the NGO sector. I would not say they are mutually exclusive though I would say the trend is to separate the two. For us, films are entertainment. And if a film can say something that might encourage a viewer to think about something for even a few seconds, well, that is the most we can ask for!</span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">4.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">How do know that a particular short film has achieved its objective? Does the creator's satisfaction come primarily from the creation or from the impact?</span></span></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Success really depends on the purpose behind the film – Is it to encourage donations? Build awareness? Teach a lesson? Encourage behavior change? We are satisfied if we are able to create a product the organizations we collaborate with are able to use towards furthering their message. And each film is a learning experience for us as film makers. </span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">5.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">How do you tick an idea for a film? What thought process do you go through?</span></span></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">We work backwards and try to determine what should the film achieve. Then we try and brainstorm with several of our creative peers to figure out how we can come up with a concept that supports that end goal.</span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">6.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">How has been the reach for your films? Have you been able to gain audience attention when it is put along with mainstream cinema or TV channels? Is the message taken like a postcard with feel good thoughts or as a slap right in the face of reality?</span></span></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Several of our films have played on TV both in India and in the U.S. But thus far, our work is most easily accessed on the internet. We are looking forward to extending our audience with each and every film we make.</span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">7.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Today we see for a lot of commercial ads and also social ads, celebrities are used. While it attracts attention , how much do you agree with this trend? Have you used celebrities in any of your project? How was it different for you if you have used?</span></span></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Celebrity spokespeople are a great way to raise awareness around a cause. It is trendy because it makes some noise around an issue but can also be good PR for a celebrity. We have seldom worked with big names for global rickshaw projects, though I am not against the idea. I think it really just depends on the project, topic, and nature of the film.</span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">8.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">How are you sustaining your business? What is your revenue model?</span></span></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Depending on the needs of the project, we work with an organization to work within a budget that they can accommodate. We also support our global rickshaw projects with technical know-how and professional expertise from our commercial work through our company wildkumar moving pictures pvt ltd. When we can, we also try to write for project-specific funding to help cover the costs of the films that we are excited to make on our own.</span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">9.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">According to you what is the essence of short film making? What are the ingredients of an ideal short film according to you?</span></span></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">A short film can be anything! The important ingredients are a good concept and strong execution.</span></span></span></div><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></div></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">10.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">How do you inspire your team?</span></span></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Enthusiasm is the best way to motivate and inspire the people around me.</span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">11.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">How does it help to have your life partner as a partner in your business? How does it hinder?</span></span></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">It is difficult and challenging but also the greatest gift to be able to share your work and passion with the person you love.</span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">12.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">What would you like to say to those youngsters who have bright ideas and want to make it big in the media, but have not got the right avenues?</span></span></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Volunteer your time and ideas to people who you admire. Help build your skill set without pushing your own agenda but always keep your priorities straight. Every opportunity is a chance to learn and redefine your goals and aspirations.</span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">13.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">What does being a TED fellow mean to you? How do you plan to leverage this?</span></span></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">I love TED and I learn something new from each TEDtalk. It is super exciting to be selected as a fellow and I am very excited to learn about what other people around me are doing. I am looking forward to hearing some incredible talks, meeting new and interesting people, and of course, soak in the TED experience live! This is a fabulous opportunity and I am very excited.</span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">14.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">If you are given a chance to start your life from the beginning what will you do differently?</span></span></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Absolutely nothing. I think life is full of twists and turns and I try to make the most out of every opportunity that comes my way!</span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">15.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Where do you see yourself and Global Autorickshaw in the future?</span></span></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">I hope that global rickshaw will be collaborating with fabulous organizations in the future to make awesome media – public service announcements, music videos and short films for years to come. My hope is that one day we will be able to make films that inform or encourage awareness about issues that could help guide policy decisions in the future.</span></span></span></b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-Times New Roman";mso-bidi-language:TAfont-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Aparna Wilder can be followed in twitter @globalrickshaw</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;line-height: normal; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Her organization's website is http://www.globalrickshaw.com</span></span></b></p></span><p></p><div><br /></div><p></p></span>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-56687152290185421182009-10-25T22:34:00.003+05:302009-10-28T10:01:54.669+05:30Motherly Care at Vaatsalya<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">This is the second TED fellow whose interview is here. This time we are talking to Dr.Ashwin Naik. The last time when I had a smile on my face when speaking about doctors is when I saw Munnabhai MBBS. When I researched about Dr.Ashwin Naik and his venture Vaatsalya I felt how unfair I was to the Doctor Community. Politicians, cricketers, Software professionals, or even film actors can’t bring about a change that a Doctor or Teacher can. Vaatsalya is Dr.Ashwin’s way to change the face of the semi-urban and rural </span></span></span><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">India</span></span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> in terms of affordable healthcare. You will definitely feel a sense of responsibility towards changing this World for good, after you read his views. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><img src="http://www.expresshealthcare.in/200906/20090621.jpg" /></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">It is an often overlooked fact that 80% of Healthcare centres are present primarily in urban areas while 70% of the population is in rural areas. How did you sense this need?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">I grew up in small towns across </span></span></span><st1:country-region st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">India</span></span></span></st1:country-region><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> (Haryana, Maharashtra and Karnataka), My parents still live in a small town in </span></span></span><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">North Karnataka</span></span></span></st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">. Having grown up in small town surroundings and then studied and worked in Metros in </span></span></span><st1:country-region st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">India</span></span></span></st1:country-region><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> and the </span></span></span><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">US</span></span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">, the disparity in healthcare facilities in urban and rural areas was always at the back of my mind. Most of my medical college classmates have graduated with advanced specialist degrees and the opportunities to go back to their hometowns and establish their practice was limited. When I sensed that there is a gap that we can fill and also build a sustainable venture, we got to work on the business plan.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Your previous organization is trying to have genomic maps to the problems of cancer. In my humble opinion, it is much more an intellectual stimulation to work for such companies. How did you come to terms with putting aside an intellectual calling and coming into a social calling?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">If you truly believe that what you do will change the world for the better, in a small way, its equally intellectually stimulating, be it genomic research to decode the human genome, or to identify cancer diagnostics or to save lives of sick babies in small town India. Of course, it took a lot of time for my family to digest the fact that, the fat paycheck is gone.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">What did you perceive as risks when you started this venture? I am sure the risks would have taken a new form today. How did you tackle the old ones and what are the new ones?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">The risks that we anticipated were funding, doctors to join us and financial viability of such a venture. Considering that we were the first private company in India to focus exclusively on non-metro, non-urban areas and to plan on building a network of hospitals, all these risks were daunting. Fortunately, we found early backers in Aavishkaar, an early stage venture fund out of </span></span></span><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Bombay</span></span></span></st1:place></st1:city><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">, who took the risk with us and put in the seed capital. Subsequently we got additional funding from Seedfund and Oasis Fund. Initially, we tapped into networks from our medical college (both Veerendra Hiremanth, co founder and myself studied at </span></span></span><st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Karnatak</span></span></span></st1:placename><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span><st1:placename st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Medical</span></span></span></st1:placename><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span><st1:placetype st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">College</span></span></span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">), so the medical degree came in handy to convince some doctors. Eventually, after some false starts, we were able to figure out a model, and how to scale it up.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">As we grow, now our challenge is to ensure that the same level of care and standards is maintained through out the organisation. We are now planning to expand to neighboring states and that brings its own challenges, of standardising systems and processes. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">It was highly unexpected that your target segment will ever use the internet and much more unlikely that a facebook / twitter is even known to them. But a strong participation is seen in your websites / online accounts. How did this idea come and how has it improved your productivity?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Our social media involvement is primarily directed towards attracting talent (medical and non-medical) to our company. It allows us to create a continuous connect with potential employees, doctors and other team members who get to know us better, understand our culture and hopefully will join us. It also helps us to create networks within our organisation as the average age of our team members is 24yrs, and they are our ambassadors to the world.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">I am sure that tie-up with micro financing institutions and micro insurance institutions is definitely in the anvil. How is it coming along?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">We are in the initial phases of planning various pilot projects for a long term solution. At this point, we are acting as service providers to beneficiaries of Micro Finance Institutions who are covered by micro health insurance. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Low cost is sometimes interpreted as low quality. How did you tackle this?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Its very important for hospitals to build the element of trust with the customer and her family. Low cost is not an USP in the healthcare field, its affordable cost while maintaining high quality of service. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">We heard uproars from the medical community when 2 years of service in rural areas was made compulsory. How do you view this situation in the specific context of employee retention? How are you managing to find talent and retaining the same?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Even though 50% of our customer base comes from rural </span></span></span><st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">India</span></span></span></st1:country-region></st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">, all our hospitals are located in district level towns. While it is still difficult to attract specialists to work at our hospitals, its not as bad as rural hospitals. We ensure that we provide the right working environment, the right incentive and the opportunity to play a leadership role for each of our team members at the hospital or corporate level. This helps us to attract and retain the right kind of people to us, who love challenges and will put their heart and soul into getting things done. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">I am sure you will have plans to go public, when you have more number of hospitals, may be across all </span></span></span><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">South India</span></span></span></st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">. When are you planning to reach that target?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">We are taking it one step at a time. We have significant presence in Karnataka with 9 hospitals, 550+ beds and 500+ employees. Our immediate plans are to expand to </span></span></span><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Maharashtra</span></span></span></st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> and Andhra Pradesh.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">As a person, you must have felt - yes, this is what I wanted to do - kind of feeling many times. What will be the moment that you would put down first in this category?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">I feel it when I see the passion in the eyes of my team mates. Its very satisfying when you notice that the spark you have ignited is now spread across the organisation. And you realise it from unexpected corners, eg. I got a call recently from one of the nurses at our hospitals saying that we should provide small blankets to new born babies so that their mothers can keep them warm once they go back home. Being part of an organisation where every team member takes initiative and ownership to spread the spirit of Vaatsalya is immensely satisfying.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">What TED means to you? What is that one idea that you will stand up for anytime? Why is that idea so important to you?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">TED always meant "imagination and change" to me. The one idea that i will stand up for is that we have to leave the world a better place than how we found it. I have always believed that it is within our reach and imagination to change what can be improved. It is important for me because by choosing to change something for the better, our entire life become purpose driven. Purpose creates passion and passion can move mountains.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Follow Dr.Ashwin Naik in his Blogspot - </span></span></span><a href="http://ashwinnaik.com/blog/?p=22"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">http://ashwinnaik.com/blog/?p=22</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> and twitter </span></span></span><a href="http://twitter.com/ashwinnaik"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">http://twitter.com/ashwinnaik</span></span></span></a></p>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-27769207617015868742009-10-25T22:14:00.006+05:302009-10-28T10:08:22.230+05:30The story of babajobs - Episode II<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Interview with TED Fellow Sean Blagsvedt, founder & CEO babajobs.com - Episode II</span></b></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">We continue our interview with Sean on babajobs, his business model, partners and more…</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">I get your point. How do you plan to expand your partner network? Have you thought about partnering with existing networks like Bangalore One for getting mentors?</span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u2:p></u2:p></span></span><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">We are definitely looking at partners. We are talking to a lot of telcos, handset providers and also MFIs (Micro Financing Institutions). Telcos and handset providers are different kind of partners, whereas we look at MFIs for giving us the mentors and also spread the word in the job seeker world. A lot of job seekers come through them. And a person who has taken a MFI loan automatically becomes a job seeker with trustworthy credentials.</span></span></span></i></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u2:p></u2:p></span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic; font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">We have already partnered with IDEA and Reliance and partnerships with other companies are in the anvil. We are looking at them to provide job alerts as a value added service.</span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p>Handset makers can play a different role as partners. They can provide an application that will run in their handset and enable the mobile owners to search for better paying jobs more easily. You know, Nokia offers an </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">application to farmers that will alert the farmers on the price for the produce in the nearby markets. Such applications make a handset more attractive . Also Handset makers are looking at this segment now, because the existing segment will saturate sometime soon and they need to have a new pipeline.</span></span></span></i></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p>I see that you are trying to work with every link in your distribution chain. Does make sense. What are your key learning in this venture? How did you learn and how have you changed?</span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Two things: First and foremost - Look at the market. Keep focusing on the market. Sell what they want and not what you think they want. The example here - We initially overestimated the impact of social networking on getting a job. So we created babalife and babajobs. We analyzed and found that most of the jobs were negotiated based on the price rather than on the social network. We took a sample of 130 jobs and found that they have got 20.1% better pay and without any social network background. So we are kind of retiring babalife. We are pulling resources from babalife and putting more resources on to babajobs.</span></span></span></i></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p>The second key learning is - Our good intention cannot screw up the system. Initially we did not show the current salary of the job seeker in the search results. We thought that the employer will shortlist on lowest salary only and not consider other factors. But what we found was that employers called up job seekers and offered them less salary than what the job seekers were getting already. It defeated the purpose of our venture. So we decided to show the salary.</span></span></span></i></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p>Yes. At the end, it is a matter of price. Your team must be putting in a lot of hard work. You deserve those laurels that I see on lot of articles in every media. How are you managing to find the talent and how do you retain them?</span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Thank you. Actually it is not that difficult here to get good talent. Our mission motivates people. We have applicants from babajobs and the vacancies get filled easily. The prime reason is that there is a mission and accomplishing that makes them stay with us.</span></span></span></i></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p>In these days of recession every company is seeing a downward trend in attrition, for other reasons. In your case it is different and is more sustainable too. Good luck. What’s your plan for the coming years?</span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><st1:place st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Lot</span></span></span></i></span></st1:place></st1:place><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">of partnerships. And we are looking at going international too.</span></span></span></i></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p>Ok Sean, something out of Babajobs. What’s your favorite pastime? How are you unwinding yourself?</span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Yes, I have a lot of them. I work with Industrial bodies like NASSCOM. Then work on community building, connect with Americans in</span></span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></i></span><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">India</span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span></i></span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">. I am a very people oriented person and I keep interacting with people on different levels and on different subjects. Yes, I have pet animals too.</span></span></span></i></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p>If given a chance to restart your life from the beginning, what will you do differently?</span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">I think staying abroad / staying away from hometown makes one more sensitive to humanity. I would have chosen to stay abroad early in my career. It would have enabled me to start this venture even earlier.</span></span></span></i></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p>What does being a TED fellow mean to you?</span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">TED inspired me because of their excellent track record of amazing speakers who are there for a purpose and are extremely good at their purpose. So it means a lot to interact with those super individuals obviously to improve myself and to get motivated.</span></span></span></i></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p>Thanks Sean for your time and interest. I will keep you posted with links of other interviews too. Good luck.</span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Pleasure is mine. I look forward to knowing about the other TED fellows.</span></span></span></i></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p>Sean can be followed in twitter –</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></span><span><a href="http://twitter.com/babajob"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">http://twitter.com/babajob</span></span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">His blog is -</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></span><span><a href="http://seanblagsvedt.blogspot.com/"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">http://seanblagsvedt.blogspot.com/</span></span></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-67949598458798082622009-10-25T21:15:00.010+05:302009-10-28T10:11:59.292+05:30The story of babajobs - Episode I<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Interview with TED Fellow, Sean Blagsvedt, founder & CEO babajobs.com - Episode I</span></span></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1308/701700343_eec1929378.jpg" alt="Sean Blagsvedt by Jace." /></span></span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"></span></span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Do you remember how you hired your household help, cook, driver or a baby sitter? For most of us the experience could be almost the same. </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">We ask our neighbors to suggest one; we</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">put in a word to the apartment watchman; we inform our friends in the city and seek their advice. </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">We could have also contacted an agency which provides such services.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Well, could you ever really say, that you are a competitive employer or that you truly verified their credentials and their salary claims? </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Do you even know the actual going price for the job that you are offering, in your locality?</span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">If you’re an employer from a software company searching for employees, then there are comfortable answers to these questions. </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">But what about the informal sector of domestic help and services?</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Well there is</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></span><span><a href="http://www.babajobs.com/"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">babajobs.com</span></span></span></span></a></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Babajobs is a job board for all prospective informal sector employees looking for jobs and employers who are seeking such services. </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">The man behind this fantastic idea is Sean Blagsvedt.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">When I got to know that I have to interview him, I was pretty curious to find out how this model works. </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">I was curious, how and why Sean, an American by birth, got to start this venture in </span></span><st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">India</span></span></st1:country-region></st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Sean has an illustrious career and an infectious spirit. He is someone who has applied a proven solution to an ignored segment and is truly making a change. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">He says technology's primary principle should be to elevate the standards, the standards of living. With over 3,00,000 jobs advertised and over 50000 seekers registered, all with in 1 year in business, he can say with pride, he is on track to accomplish the mission.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Sean was recently selected as a TED follow, and very agreeably, joined the list of great visionaries and thought leaders of our age. </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">It was interesting to listen to him speak about this venture.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Following are the excerpts from the interview. </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">I intend publishing them in 2 episodes: </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p></span></span><u1:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Babajobs had its origins with your idea of linkedin for informal sector of employees. Who heard about this first and what was the reaction? How did you assemble the team?</span></span></u1:p></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p>Babajobs started with an idea when I was working with Microsoft. As part of the team that I worked for, we were looking at how Technology can be utilized in an effective fashion for social issues. Thats when we came across a paper based on the research of 3500 families in Rajasthan. The paper analyses how families get in and out of poverty. The drive to get a family out of poverty came with a Job. Usually the poor people get their jobs by some reference. It is an informal social networking. I looked at a possible solution for this through technology. The solution meant digitizing of all jobs, digitizing the job seekers information and this solution will make finding a job much easier. And then I kept looking for the like minded people who will be able to validate the idea, contribute on execution and so on.</span></span></span></i></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p></span></span><u1:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">How long did it take for you to bring the idea into fruition?</span></span></u1:p></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Almost 3 years.</span></span></span></i></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p>Why in</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></span><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">India</span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">?</span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Because I was already living in</span></span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></i></span><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">India</span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span></i></span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">and I liked living here. The market was existing already - the target segment - people not extensively educated and looking for a better paying job in the vicinity is definitely big here. There was a need and I thought I had a possible solution. And</span></span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></i></span><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">India</span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span></i></span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">was the hub where developing a software solution is much easier. In the</span></span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></i></span><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">United States</span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span></i></span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">which is the other place I could have done this, this kind of site would be used by the immigrants. However the numbers is nowhere near</span></span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span></span></i></span><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">India</span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region></span></i></span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">.</span></span></span></i></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p>It is good to know that you like being here. How are you managing this language diversity? Particularly your target segment is full of people from different linguistic background.</span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">We are having multilingual postings already. We support Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi. But when we see people who are using mobile, looking at SMS and so on the need to give in other languages is usually minimal. Those who anyway come to a mentor for looking at vacancies anyway will get the details translated to them by the mentor. So again the need is minimal. What is a definite plus is to have a voice over portal and not simply a call center that we currently have. We are working on that portal and will soon be ready.</span></span></span></i></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p>Whenever we look at hiring someone who is going to be at home, may be in our absence too, security is a big concern. How are you able to gain the confidence of employers?</span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">We offer different services for this. These offers are of course based on the employer's requirement. For those job seekers who come to us, either to our office or to our mentors, we look at a set of documents, scan them, take a photo and update the profile. We encourage putting up lot of references. These references will in fact enable them to get better pay. Apart from the references, for specific jobs like taking care of children, if the employers ask, we also do additional verification. However for jobs, for example the jobs in retail industry during this festival period, employers dont look at verification with so much importance.</span></span></span></i></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><u1:p></u1:p> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat: initial;background-attachment:initial;-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial;background-position:initial initial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">We will continue with Sean in the next episode...</span></span></span></p> <u1:p></u1:p></span><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-15153452993327279502009-10-22T23:25:00.003+05:302009-10-22T23:35:31.329+05:30Whats up?I have a purpose today and thats why I entered this blog. This is truly a wonderful opportunity that I got and I want it share it. I am part of the 15 member team formed by the well-known Kiruba Shankar. We are doing an amazing project. We are interviewing TED fellows and publishing them in our blogs, and in general the web. Each one has taken about 5 fellows each and are researching about them, framing our own questions and at the end we put it up here.<div><br /></div><div>I am done with 2 interviews and I cant tell you how much I am excited about them. All the 5 fellows are exceptional. The first 2 I have taken are working in the Pyramid's bottom. Visions followed by appropriate actions result in nothing but wonders. I will present my interviews one by one and I hope you will be inspired as I am. I hope that I have transpired their thought process. </div><div><br /></div><div>Any feedback and suggestions are welcome. </div><div><br /></div><div>Parvathy</div>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-71779085614737507472009-10-22T23:13:00.005+05:302009-10-22T23:24:59.206+05:30Fresh and RefreshedOk I have joined Shankar in this blog as a co-author today. 2 reasons why I decided to join him - 1. His blog lost life just before he got his wife, that is me :-) I think he did not want to impress me any more. 2. I wanted a podium. We thought atleast one of us would probably update and keep this alive. <div><br /></div><div>Well I reasoned it out for myself! From now on, it is the treads of 2 minds united in letter and spirit.</div>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-1155885129848942892006-08-18T12:26:00.000+05:302006-08-18T12:47:00.106+05:30Newyork nagaram urangum..<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1020/1511/1600/Dove_RajPhoto.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1020/1511/400/Dove_RajPhoto.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Oh! Solitude! The romanticism of loneliness is so very addictive!! Watching rain pitter-patter over the atrium roof of my office's indoor garden, on a cold evening, with ARR crooning in the background was fantastic!<br /><br />'Newyork nagaram..' has been ringing in my ears for the past few days. Great work from Rahman after not-so-many-great-works in the recent past!</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I'm sure this song is going to trigger pathos in all those guys (esp. bachelors) out of India, on onsite assignments : )<br />It kindled memories of my days in KL, when sometimes I used to think of home, with rain and lightning ravaging over the cityscape on dark, bleak evenings.<br /><br />Today, I was so inspired to translate the song in English - so here's my take on the first few lines; the photo was taken by my friend Raj in US - it just fits the mood very well.<br /><br /></span><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In the cold, sleep-swept city nights,<br />On forlorn, clammy, quieted streets,<br />Wintry wind from the sea, descends;<br />My desolation unwinds, it darkens.<br /><br />Trapped I'm, a despondent candle light<br />Within my glass chambers, I flicker.<br />My solitude, my unspoken plight<br />Alone, deprived – I suffer.</span></em></div>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-1147778789620888542006-05-16T16:46:00.000+05:302006-05-16T16:56:29.640+05:30Change!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Change! Change yourself!<br /><br />Got to get this list of of random positive traits which we can cultivate in ourselves. I really don't have an appetite for such 'How to become..' kind of stuff - partly because they make you feel that you're not really good enough and the steps they suggest are not really feasible (anyway, I haven't tried any..). But I found this list to be amazingly simple and actually, quite nice.<br /><br />So here's the deal: I've decided to practice 3 of these habits in the next 1 week or so and see how it makes a difference to me (yeah, I'm interested first in myself!). But I'll choose those which I currently have or do.<br /><br />I'd very much like the readers of this post also to do so and come back with how different or how not very different they felt afterwards. Pls. do (note: each dotted one is a separate trait):<br /><br />• Have a firm handshake. • Look people in the eye. • Sing in the shower. • Own a great stereo system.<br /><br />• If in a fight, hit first and hit hard. • Keep secrets. • Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen everyday. • Always accept an outstretched hand. • Be brave. Even if you're not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference.<br /><br />• Whistle. • Avoid sarcastic remarks. • Choose your life's mate carefully. From this one decision will come 90 percent of all your happiness or misery. • Make it a habit to do nice things for people who will never find out. • Lend only those books you never care to see again.<br /><br />• Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all that they have. • When playing games with children, let them win. • Give peoples a second chance, but not a third. • Be romantic. • Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know. • Loosen up. Relax. Except for rare life-and-death matters, nothing is as important as it first seems.<br /><br />• Don’t allow the phone to interrupt important moments. It's there for your convenience, not the caller's. • Be a good loser. • Be a good winner. • Think twice before burdening a friend with a secret. • When someone hugs you, let them be the first to let go.<br /><br />• Be modest. A lot was accomplished before you were born. • Keep it simple. • Beware of the person who has nothing to lose. • Don’t burn bridges. You'll be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river. • Live your life so that your epitaph could read, No Regrets<br /><br />• Be bold and courageous. When you look back on life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the one's you did. • Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them. • Remember no one makes it alone. Have a grateful heart and be quick to acknowledge those who helped you. • Take charge of your attitude. Don't let someone else choose it for you • Visit friends and relatives when they are in hospital; you need only stay a few minutes.<br /><br />• Once in a while, take the scenic route. • Send a lot of Valentine cards. Sign them, 'Someone who thinks you're terrific.' • Answer the phone with enthusiasm and energy in your voice. • Keep a note pad and pencil on your bed-side table. Million-dollar ideas sometimes strike at 3 a.m. • Show respect for everyone who works for a living, regardless of how trivial their job. • Send your loved ones flowers. Think of a reason later.<br /><br />• Make someone's day by paying the toll for the person in the car behind you. • Become someone's hero. • Marry only for love. • Count your blessings. • Compliment the meal when you're a guest in someone's home. • Wave at the children on a school bus. • Remember that 80 per cent of the success in any job is based on your ability to deal with people. • Don’t expect life to be fair<br /></span>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-1144836377937598142006-04-12T15:34:00.000+05:302006-04-12T15:36:17.960+05:30Krishna<a href="http://colourchaos.blogspot.com"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1020/1511/400/12Krishna.0.jpg" border="0" /></a>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-1139893532033009892006-02-14T10:34:00.000+05:302006-02-14T10:35:32.046+05:30Kebab mein Haddi<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">'Pooja vezhai-la karadi' in Tamil, literally means the bear that broke into a Shiva pooja, causing havoc to the peace and tranquility.<br /><br />'Kebab mein haddi' in Hindi, is much more a common phrase - the bone that almost broke your teeth when you were happily chewing a juicy piece of meat.<br /><br />Y'day's travel to office put me in one of those embarrassing situations, where I unwillingly became the haddi. I was in the bus stop at the correct time, but the bus seemed to have been too very punctual to leave earlier. So a bunch of us who had missed it, tried to catch it in NGEF junction (we sometimes do it, when we miss the bus). So, took an auto there, and waited for an eternity in vain, inhaling all those obnoxious exhaust fumes. Finally, we decided to take autos to office. We were 5. So 3 took one, and I and another friend of mine took another.<br /><br />The road we take to office (old Madras Road) is notorious for its traffic jams and we were as usual stuck in one. There was a car just ahead of us and we could spot our company's sticker in the rear window. We decided that it should be some guy from office and on a close look, we found to our luck (?!) that it's one of my team mates. There was a girl with him in the front - we thought it should be some other friend of his. So we decided to cut the auto there and take a lift - free of dust & grime, and of course free of cost… he..he..he.<br /><br />So my friend got to pay the auto guy, while I ran to the car quickly amidst all the traffic, lest it should not start moving. When I reached the car, I saw quite a fantastic picture. The girl (who happened to be his wife) was feeding him breakfast, while the guy was happily eating. At such a lovely, picture-perfect moment, I tapped on their front window. I was horrified at my own action, given the scene inside, but my brain had already planned the action of banging his doors and wasn't quick enough to decipher the scene and take a different action. <br /><br />The poor guy had to open the door and let me in. I can't forget the bewildered expression on his wife's face. She managed to conceal the tiffin box somewhere. And my colleague should have received the shock of his life, when my friend rushed inside, after paying the auto guy. I was too too embarrassed to speak or even apologize to him. I was just looking for some place to hide my face - all I could do was to keep intensely staring outside. All the while the FM station, all ready for Valentine’s day, was churning out romantic numbers one after the another – ‘Jaanam Dekhlo.. mit gayi dhooriyan….’ How ironic! Pass hokke bhi dhoor (Near, but yet far!). I can’t imagine what would have gone inside the couple’s minds.<br /><br />My colleague dropped his wife in her office. Did I hear her bang the door or no?! Later on, I apologized to the guy profusely. He was cool, but still I felt so bad for having disturbed their breakfast routine.<br /><br />I'm sure the guy didn't have breakfast - and when we came to office, we said 'Hey, you carry on! We'll just have our breakfast and come.' Hah! I'm sure he'd have wished to knock us down!<br /><br />P.S. But I made up for the blotch today. I bought a box of sweets as a symbol of truce. Moreover, I was worried that the same thing might happen someday to me. So thought I’d do my prayachitta!<br /><br />And wish you all a very happy Valentine’s!</span>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-1139234408468219272006-02-06T19:26:00.000+05:302006-02-06T19:30:08.490+05:30CAN Conquer CANcer<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The blog contest promoted by Connexions, came to an end - actually a good time back - 2 weeks?!<br /><br />And frankly, to my dismay, my entry didn't figure even in the special mention category.<br /><br />I had decidedly been different in my approach towards the whole thing. Instead of lending a supporting hand to a cancer patient, I wanted him to stand on his own and beat it to death.<br /><br />So, I had put in my entry in the form of a letter to a friend. It was rather cool, urging the guy to get up and face the world.<br /><br />But when the results were out, I found that my post was too cool, in fact, it was rather cold. The humane touch was lost in the midst of the style and suaveness.<br /><br />Nevertheless, I was really moved by the other entries, which own accolades. They really were touching, real and sensitive and without any touch of cosmetics.<br /><br />The moral of the story is: Truth doesn't need glamour.<br /><br />You can get to see the entries, which won the contest <a href="http://www.connexionsonline.biz/conxw/ican/index.php?cccid=results">here</a>.</span>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-1138980182482723892006-02-03T20:47:00.000+05:302006-02-03T20:53:02.503+05:30Short-sighted<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1020/1511/1600/1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1020/1511/400/1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>Like a spider moving within its web flank(s),<br /> Trapped in its web, in a merry-go-round fashion,<br />Like the little fish in a small glass tank,<br /> Moving within its walls - its own ocean.<br /><br />Like the shrunken world of a candle light,<br /> A ball of light suspended in the silent dark;<br />Incessant, like the second hand's flight<br /> Round and round, in the old wall clock.<br /><br />Like the ball of sun, huge, yet caught,<br /> The big white light, tricked into a drop of dew;<br />Like the path of my anguished breath, in & out<br /> My world is now small - just thoughts of you.</em></span>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-1137506242090304112006-01-17T19:16:00.000+05:302006-01-17T19:27:22.100+05:30One-second Dream<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1020/1511/1600/09.gif"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1020/1511/400/09.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />This is my latest addition to my painting blog.<br /><br />I managed to get a few regular visitors (oh yeah?! how many?!) to my RnB (i.e. 'rants & blabbering' , more sophisticatedly called mind treads) blog, but not that many to my painting blog, which is quite surprising - to me, my paintings are of better quality than my 'r&b'.<br /><br />Is it that people fail to notice the additional links on the side?! Or they get too tired by the time they finish taking a 1-min ride of my rnb blog?! Or do they consider the blog to be a 'RnB' with the only advantage of it being a visual one?!<br /><br />Anyway, some generous spirits like Smyta had shown signs of visiting the blog and had brought it to my notice that the comments section is not enabled.<br /><br />So, I've enabled comments in all my posts now - so whatever it is that you feel, r (rubbish) or b (brilliant), you're welcome to share with me..<br /><br />Click on the painting to visit the blog..Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-1136527114791596122006-01-06T11:22:00.000+05:302006-01-06T11:28:34.803+05:30The guy who played to my youth...<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">When 'Roja' was released, the people of TN opened up with a jolt to a different kind of music - mellifluous, like a song carried to the ears by a fresh morning breeze when you're walking thru' a green paddy field..<br /><br /><br />Then came a different kind of a shake-up - 'Chikku Bukku Chikku Bukku..' moved even the most rustic into the pshycadyllic blinding lights of high voltage techno beats!<br /><br />Right then on, A R Rehman has been causing people to sway - sometimes blissfully lost to the outside world with the most ethereal melodies and at other times, 'just in' and in pace with the world, with his hep and fast numbers, as if the whole word is just a discotheque.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1020/1511/1600/ap-05.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1020/1511/200/ap-05.jpg" border="0" /></a>A R Rehman is truly a phenomenon who changed the definitions of music. He walked-in right at the time when Indian market (let’s say, software!) was coming of age, the future looked bright and the Indian youth were waking up to a whole new world of possibilities and were looking for brands and identities that'll suit them in the new world.<br /><br />There was a time when I used to wait for that one song of A R Rehman that'll be featured in 'Oliyum Ozhiyum' in DD. His fast numbers were the talk of the school.<br /><br />In my college days, his songs were a perfect foil to express the feelings of that age - the heady hangover of more freedom, the first brush with romance et<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1020/1511/1600/ap_1.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1020/1511/200/ap_1.jpg" border="0" /></a> al. The deep connotations of Vairamuthu's lyrics, tuned to the most soulful music made many evenings gone in a hazy daze towards the setting sun. Songs such as 'Uyire..'(Bombay), 'Vennilave..' (Minsara kanavu), 'Narumugaye..' (Iruvar) hinted at unfelt feelings of romance and new love. They were too well accentuated with fantastic picturizations by the likes of Mani Ratnam and Rajiv Menon.<br /><br />During my PG days, ARR's music, became still closer - the process of growing up into a more matured adult, becoming confident than ever before, becoming more comfortable with the realities of the world, seeking out for more mature relationships, being more affluent and being on my own - all happened to the tunes of his music. The new outlook towards life was perfectly symbolized 'Mangalayum Thandunane..' to the beats of rock drums.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1020/1511/1600/ap_3.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 241px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 82px" height="82" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1020/1511/200/ap_3.jpg" width="638" border="0" /></a>Yes, Illayraja is always close to heart, but it’s also true that Illayaraja saw his dusky days after ARR's arrival. He brought in with him new sounds, new tunes and new singers - To Hariharan to Udit Narayan to Shankar Mahadevan to Sadhana Sargam and many more...<br /><br />Nowadays, I find ARR's music to be clichéd, having the same kind of beats, tunes and instrumentation. Probably, it’s again a process of growing up or just say, getting older. Nevertheless, I cling on to his music that livened up my more youthful days and eagerly catch on to his latest ones. That way, he has played to a very important phase in my life.<br /><br />And today's is his b'day and I'm sure hundreds and thousands of people like me would thank him for his music and would like to wish him a happy b'day and a very long life!<br /><br />Hope he continues to play the fiddle for many more youngster's dreams for a very long time!! Happy B’day Dude!</span>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-1135856881730047562005-12-29T17:16:00.000+05:302005-12-29T17:18:01.733+05:30Get Up!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>Hi,</em></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>Its so clichéd to say 'I'll be there for you'... it's so overused right from 'Friends' title song to the latest insurance ad!<br /><br />Otherwise, I could start by telling some inspiring stories of how people overcame all odds with sheer persistence; yeah, I can talk of Lance Armstrong. Nevertheless, you've always been smarter (sometimes, I'm honest!) and you'd know all these.<br /><br />No, these stories are for one who has lost all hope in life, who is like a frail creeper looking for something to hold on...<br /><br />You're not that kind. You've never leaned on anyone (You'd rather flunk in the exam than copy from me!). I wish I had your tenacity many a times.<br /><br />Man, you are a fantastic person, who could find quick solutions to the weirdest of Shankuntala Devi's puzzles and to those of girlfriends, who could appreciate 'chai' with Bach's classical. A guy who can talk of Indian economy as well as Mallika Sherawat's and who is sensitive to realize a tear drop even before it's born and later make a joke of it to make us see the lighter side of the whole thing.<br /><br />Have you stopped thinking how good you're? Are you giving me that hollow, wry laugh? Don't. Self-pity doesn't suit you.<br /><br />Why me of all people - Is it what you're asking?<br /><br />Yes, I wouldn't be able to answer that. I wouldn't ask you to ponder on those millions suffering in this world - their pain is no salve to yours.<br /><br />Still, your question is unnecessary. Yes, things could've been better, but why make it worse by worrying about something, which has happened, out of no fault of yours? Haven't you talked of 'the circle of influence' - mind only things that are in our control?!<br /><br />In a way, your situation has made you more aware of this beautiful world - You seem to be taking more time now reading dew drops on grass blades than the morning paper (Or were you searching for your glasses?!).<br /><br />You know how it feels to be hurt and bruised badly, when you're galloping. You now know what pain is all about.<br /><br />He wins who knows his opponent better. Aren't you then, the best available to let another person not suffer the same?<br /><br />We've reached a rough patch in our journey. Let's think of getting out of here. And if we can also put a sign to warn others of this wrong turn, then it's a job well-done!<br /><br />Now, get up, show me that fantastic smile of yours, so that I can fool others that someone switched on the lighthouse during the day hours...<br /><br />Hey, can’t help but saying it - I’ll be there for you…,<br /><br />P.S. You've not contracted some virus from some alien that you'll turn into one, the next day. What you've is very much curable with today's science. I would've told you this earlier, but I know that you'd know all this and might say ‘Hey, don't preach'.<br /><br />Mmm... I wonder if this letter was really necessary... think you'll be wondering if I've gone nuts…<br /><br /></em></span><a href="http://www.connexionsonline.biz/conxw/ican/" target="_blank"><img height="60" alt="CAN Conquer CANcer initiative" src="http://www.connexionsonline.biz/banners/ccc12060.gif" width="120" border="0" /></a>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16065151.post-1135768197005382082005-12-28T16:39:00.000+05:302005-12-28T16:41:02.833+05:30Good Work Pays...<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">What's the advantage of using clean, environment-friendly fuel?<br /> </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Yes, of course, you protect your environment by cutting down on harmful gas emissions.<br /><br />However, that's too obvious to write something about. But, what if you get paid for using clean fuels such as solar energy?! That's what this is all about!<br /><br />A Kyoto protocol mandate requires the member nations to reduce their emissions of 6 major greenhouse gases. The alternative to reducing their own emissions is to investigate and promote reductions by other developing nations.<br /><br />Here is where the benefit is. The energy conserved by using, for instance, solar power and the resultant low (or no) CO2 emission is now quantified and are certified to be traded as Carbon Credits or Certified Emission Reductions (CERs).<br /><br />So if you are an institution that uses clean fuel, you can gain CERs and can trade it with an institution which is on a lookout for ways of complying with the protocol.<br /><br />A Gujarat based firm, Gadhia Solar Energy Systems Pvt. Ltd., which has installed solar steam cooking systems, is about to enter into a emission reduction purchase agreement with the German Government for the sale of CERs worth 5.5K tonnes till 2012 for 12 euros a tonne.<br /><br />Another German travel Agency, Atomsfair has introduced the concept of issuing carbon-neutral tickets to its travelers. The idea is that the CO2 emitted during the travel is compensated by supporting such environmental-friendly projects such as that of Gadhia.<br /><br />It's good to know many religious institutions such as Thirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), Sringeri Mutt etc actively use solar power for large volume cooking. A host of educational institutions is also engaged in this, for instance, Sathyabhama in Chennai.<br /><br />But the question is, how good is it that a developed nation continues to emit all harmful gases, but promotes reduction in other countries?! <br /><br />On a second thought, is it like looting a temple and then paying off a small portion of it as a donation for the temple renovation fund?!<br /><br />OK, you can read more about this in 'The Hindu', dated 26 Dec 2005.<br /><br />But it's nice to know that there are some allowances for doing a good work.<br /><br />Not very sure if this will be my last post for this new year, if so, I guess it's nice to end this year's posts with something as good as CER initiatives.<br /><br />Wish you all a great, pollution-free, healthy years ahead!!</span>Shankar & Parvathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505346180210412641noreply@blogger.com1