Kohima and World War II

Kohima was an important location in the south east Asian arena during World War II. The war between Japan and the Allied armies was partly fought here. In fact NH 39 is built over the original road that was used to march on Imphal after capturing Kohima. The relics from WWII are preserved and displayed in the War Memorial alongside the Tribal Heritage Centre.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose spent time here and in Manipur training and developing the Indian National Army against the British in his own attempt at liberating India from British rule. In this attempt he had to join hands with the Japanese.

Another memorial from WWII is the catholic church on Garrison Hill. The church is another prominent land mark visible due to its prominent location. In fact, I can see it now from the window of my room in Hotel Grandeur. Built with financial assistance from the survivors of the Japanese soldiers who also died in Kohima along with the Indian and Britishsoldiers. The prayer on the plaque in Japanese and English is for World Peace.

The Naga Heritage

The only place where we can have a glimpse of the Tribal customs is in the Tribal Heritage Centre. Here, the culture of Nagaland is preserved intact in the Window to Nagaland area. There are sixteen different tribes in Nagaland with their own peculiar type of huts, ceremonial drums, head dress and art and culture. They have distinct languages too but by a common understanding they now speak Nagamese a combination of Assamese and Hindi. To see Nagaland captured in a single place one should visit The Heritage Centre during the Hornbill Festival in the first week of December. All the tribes assemble here at that time and display their dance, music and cuisine.

Kohima...Continued

The most prominent building in Kohima which is visible from almost anywhere in the city is the Nagaland Police Headquarters. This brightly painted blue and white building stands imposingly on a promontory overlooking the NH39. At first glance it could easily be mistaken for a star hotel with its long flight of steps and driveway leading to the main entrance. But the boldly painted title of the building would immediately dispel this doubt.

Perhaps Colonel Keating, the then Chief Commisioner of Assam, chose Kohima as the erstwhile headquarters of the Naga Hills, because of the Sky above Kohima, and not just for its strategic location.

The sky in Kohima is an uncanny shade of cornflower blue, so deep, so clear, it’s almost surreal. (I have seen the same or slightly deeper shade of blue in the heights above the Gulmarg valley…so it must be something to do with the altitude and total absence of airborne pollution.) The weather conditions must have influenced the decision for, on lazy summer days, when the sun gets a little too warm, there will still be a cool breeze rustling through the stoic Alder trees. Maybe it was all these and more—a far cry from the concrete skyline and asphalt jungle of the world outside. (Well, Kohima too seems to have acquired its own concrete skyline as I could see numerous concrete buildings clustered in the bowl of the valley. If this is not curbed or at least controlled as it is being done in Kodai, Tamilnadu, Kohima will become as congested as Shimla or Darjeeling.) This charming hilly hamlet offers visitors rare and vanishing vistas—of horizons beyond serried mountain peaks, of clouds bending to kiss these mountain tops, rolling hills of emerald green and Prussian blue, and at nights, the lights spread a sparkling carpet at one’s feet.

But if you think the people in Kohima to be dressed in tribal costumes, then you have to think again. The various tribes and especially the Angamis who inhabit Kohima and surroundings are completely anglicized and westernized. The young men and girls who strut about the roads would do any European fashion show proud with their latest designer clothes and accessories. They are mostly Christian, which means they have broken away from their tribal origins. They are regular church-goers, observe the sabaath strictly and have first names like Jack and John.

Kohima

Kohima is a nice hill station with houses and buildings perched on slopes on either side of the NH39. From the balcony of The Hotel Grandeur where I am lodged currently, I can see the profusion of roof tops, shops, churches and other structures spread in arrays on the slopes and the unending series of mountain ranges beyond. In fact the approach of dusk and dark provided an even more panoramic view of the town with lights blinking on buildings like fireflies and the almost full moon shining down on the scene.

From Imphal to Kohima

Camp at Kohima--Nagaland

The NH 39 from Imphal to Kohima passes through A district called Senapati. As we were informed that there was possibility of a five day bandh in Senapati District, Manipur from Saturday evening, we decided to leave today for Kohima. The NH 39 which passes right through Imphal goes to Kohima, Dimapur and then Gauhati in Assam which has replaced Shillong, Meghalaya as the nerve centre of the North East.

The road up to Senapati is fine. It stretches straight in the middle with the Sadar Hills on either side in the east and west. Occasionally the road curves as it climbs up an incline. A river with a small trickle of water in it flows along by the sidew of the road. As the altitude rises after Senapati, we say bye to the river valley and swing a bridge between to mountains to another mountain range on the way to Kohima. We had a light breakfast of Chow Mein and Momos at Senapati.

After Senapati till Maram. The road becomes pitted and extremely rough after this till Mao Gate. The ride is a bone wracking series of jolts and twists with dust flying everywhere.

The roads in Nagalad after Mao Gate are slightly better possibly since they are maintained by the BRTF.

The Govindaji Templ;e - Imphal

Before leaving Imphal, we visited the Govindaji temple near the Kangla palace. While many Manipurians seem to be Vaishnmavite or Bishnupriyam, the prevalent religion is Maitai a derivative of Oriental Budhism with Dragon worship etc., It was in recent history that a Bishnoi saint converted the kings of Manipur to Vaishnavism. Those Manipurians who converted at that time are called Bishnupriya. They wear a Y shaped mark in sandal paste on their head with the downward vertical in the Y extended over the bridge of the nose.

The temple has three shrines dedicated to Sri Krishna and Jagannathji. The idols are colorful and depicted in the North Indian style. The image of Garuda is seated, not directly in front of the idol (as it is in the South) but to the side. I thought the upturned beak and the reverential attitude struck a peculiar note. Directly opposite the main shrine is a many-pillared hall possibly for bajan and kirtan. Surrounding the main shrine are many smaller shrines.

I am now in Imphal, Manipur. I have written a lot about Manipur in another Blog. This photo was taken in a busy market area near Thangal Bazaar today morning. Imphal is a combination of the squalor of old Mumbai with the dirt and filth of the Howrah end of Kolkata. I am yet to see a pleasing and beautiful spot.

The gentleman standing next to me in Red and Black is Mr. Dwaraknath, a senior managerial person from the NGO I have come to audit here. He is a great person to travel with as he is widely traveled all over the country. I have traveled to other places like Jaipur, Lucknow and Indore with him and have learnt a very useful lesson from him. I have learnt to travel really light! From being a guy who lugs around three suitcases behind me for a two day trip, I have learnt to carry everything I need in rucksack behind my back! Continuous learning and improvement can happen in any sphere!

Manipur Trip

From the sky, Imphal seemed to sprawl out on a vast plain surrounded by mountains all around. Another feature that caught my attention while viewing Imphal from above was the long, straight and seemingly endless state highway that ran through the city and out of it towards the distant hills. The approach to Imphal is over mountains with ghat roads winding up the slopes. These mountains have to be crossed to reach any other state or city like Gauhati in Assam or Kohima/Dimapur in Nagaland. Thus Manipur is naturally secluded from the rest of India.

The weather is cool during the day and extremely cold at night. The sun sets very early in Imphal. After Arunachal Pradesh, this is arguably the most Eastern latitude in the Indian sub-continent. Thus technically Indian Standard Time may not work here. Imphal would be easily an hour and a half ahead of IST. So when it is 5:30 PM by my watch it is absolutely dark with the full moon shining bright here in Imphal. It seems more like 7:00 PM! Bangladesh which is West of Imphal is one and a half hours ahead of IST! But Manipur follows IST as it is part of India! Go figure!

The men are dressed in western style. But most women wear a wrap aroud garment called Fanek which is similar to the Kerala Mundu or Sarong. The Lungi-type garment is wrapped around the hip and tied together by a knot. Girls wear plain Faneks with zari or color borders. These are just lengths of cloth that are simply wound around. Married women and brides wear striped Faneks with elaborate knit work borders. These Faneks have their edges stitched together up to the middle with a slit thereafter. A swaeter or pull-over is worn above the Fanek and a dupatta or pallu is draped over it. The logic of this costume is obvious considering the cold climatic conditions. This dress allows women to wear comfortable warm sweaters while still maintain the traditional hindu dress.

I must mention that Manipuri women are fair and quite attractive. I did not see much obesity even among senior matrons, possibly because of their active lifestyle. The sino-mongoloid features of the Manipuris is due to the fact that the Maitheyi group claim to be descended from Thailand out of a set of Thais who migrated here via Burma.

The entire place is desolated after 7:00 PM. This is partly due to the weather and partly duew to the ever-present threat of insurgents. In fact every problem in Manipur is traced to insurgency and consequent disruption of normal life. The BSF soldiers standing silently at every street corner reminded me of my visit to Srinagar in September 09. The whole place resembles Nazi occupied France in WW II.

There is no supply in Imphal almost throughout the day. For example, there are areas where power is on for two hours in the morning and four hours in the evening on alternate days!

But amidst all this fear and uncertainty the local Manipuris are a carefree insouciant lot who go about their life with energy and verve.

The men are engaged in the national pursuit of idling and sunning themselves in street corners and in front of the houses. The women work constantly and are the mainstay of this community. So much so that the Thangal Bazaar and Paowna Bazaar (so named after local freedom fighters are actually called Ima Bazaar or Mother Market acknowledging the important position that women hold in Manipuri society. I bought a nice Naga shawl and Faneks for my wife and daughter in the Thangal Bazaar.

Manipur, a beautiful state set in a verdant valley in the midst of mountains should attract more international and domestic tourists. But this is not happening at all inspite of the extraordinary amount of money being pumped into the state by the Indian Government.

A Gripe about Indigo

I am now in Imphal, the capital of Manipur, a small state in the North East. I traveled from Chennai to Kolkata and thereafter to Imphal with a stop over at Agartala. Indigo runs in this sector. The flight was comfortable, but I do wish the Air Hostesses would not be so distant with passengers. There was a time, when the Indigo girls would actually spend a couple of minutes chatting or sharing thoughts with passengers. The word hostess loses its meaning once they start behaving like this.

About my Native Place

26.01.2010

Although I was born in Chennai and grew up here throughout, my roots are in North-arcot district. My Grand-father moved out of Palasur a remote village about 6 kilometers from Polur near Thiruvannamalai. He came to Chennai after completing his eighth standard (this was before Independence when eighth standard was a high qualification!) He underwent teachers training and became a teacher in high school.

People from North-arcot are fiercely proud of our lineage, possibly because there is nothing for us to boast about. The land being dry and devoid of natural and perennial rivers like Cauvery or Tamaraparani, we take pride in our humble origins, integrity, honesty, hospitality and above all a rough and ready attitude that always calls a spade a spade. Although most of us or our parents or grandparents moved out to Chennai or Bangalore to find their fortunes, We are still a closely knit group and still try to to avoid marital alliances outside of families from our own district! So much so that as late as early nineties there was an active North-Arcot District Association in New Jersey, USA!

While we don’t have any link with Palasur or even North-Arcot, we still make a pilgrimage to the temple of our family deity (Kula Deivam) every year. This custom which had declined for some time was revived by my wife (incidentally a lady from Palghat, Kerala.) This is because Palghat Brahmins are assiduous about visiting their family Kaavu or shrine every year. My wife’s family Kaavu is the Meen Kulathi Amman Kaavu in Pallasena, in Kerala. As a sincere Hindu daughter-in-law my wife is extremely careful to ensure that the traditions of her In-law’s house are never let down.

So, every 26^th January being Republic Day which is a public Holiday and incidentally my Birthday we travel to Pudur in Chengam Thaluk, Thiruvannamalai district. (NA is now split into Vellore and Thiruvannamalai). The temple is situated on the Polur-Chengam road. In those days it was an isolated spot. A shrine situated in a neem grove. The deity, a manifestation of Goddess Durga is Maariamman an Ellai Deivaam or Border deity that protects the good and punishes the bad. The temple is run by hereditary Pujaris who are not Brahmins. The main idol is aroopam and swayambhu i.e. it has no shape or form and was not made by men but a manifestation.

The temple has clay images of Horses and Elephants outside which are offerings from devotees. In those days these were reddish brick images. To day I could see brightly colored images made of steel and concrete. Such images can be dotted all over Tamilnadu outside Maariamman and Muneeswaran temples.

We return via Thiruvannamalai passing through paddy fields and fields with sun flowers blooming in yellow splendour.

Kannur Visit (24.01.2010)

Went to the Muthappan temple at Parasinnikadavu. The temple is situated on the banks of a huge river stretching easily two kilometers from bank to bank.

I was in time to see the two Theyyams who are regular here. One was a horrific bearded entity who was seated and the other a short stout personification fully painted yellow with a coconut bark tied around his mouth like a snout.

Muthappan the presiding deity is a manifestation of Kaal Bhairav. The life-like sculptures of two black dogs indicated that the God being worshipped was Bhairav. Dogs are the familiars of this punitive God who becomes a force of destructiuon to protect the pure and innocent.

Theyyam

After reading William Dalrymple’s recent book Nine Lives which describes the experiences of a Theyyam dancer, I was curious to see them perform. This was made possible as in the evening at the Dinner, we were entertained by Theyyam dancers who danced with all the paraphernalia of that dance form. Theyyam (derived from Daivam or God in Sanskrit) are essentially individuals (invariably men) who are possessed by a deity while performing the ritual dance in the traditional costume and face paint. Held by some to be a Dravidian tradition that has survived Aryanization of the South, Theyyams are invariably dalits or uintouchables. When possessed, these dalits are virtually considered to be Gods and even chaste Namboodris would fall at their feet.

Kannur Trip

Kannur Trip (23.01.2010)

I was in Kannur for the Annual Investiture Meet of the Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India. I stayed at the Malabar Residency, a decent hotel quite near the venue as well as the Railway Station. Kannur does not have an Airport yet. The nearest airport is Kozhikode.

I visited a few temples. On the way to these temples we passed a large river with a bridge across. This is at Valapattinam. The same river passes by the Kaavu of Muthappan at Parasinnikadavu.

Trichambaram Temple

The main deity here is Lord Sree Krishnan. The temple is reached by steps leading down from the road. There is a small shrine for Devi outside the Nada. This shrine is set in middle of a rectangular pool with a causeway leading to it. Nearby is an attractive temple tank with red lotus flowers floatring on the emerald greenish water.

Parasinnikadavu, famous for Muthappan temple is on the way.

Beyond lies the town of Telliparamba. The famous Rajarajeswara temple is here. It is to be norted that only men are allowed inside this temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Women are not allowed inside except at 08:00 PM when it is belived that the deity Shiva is out at Cherukunnu with his consort the Devi at Cherukunnu!. The calm and quiet temple shrine is divine. The wall brackets are intricately carved images of deities and animals.

The temple is pretty ancient and like many edifices in North Malabar is built with the dark brown Laterite stones peculiar to this area.

As my driver Rejith advised that it is customary for visitors to Shri Rajarjeshwara temple to visit the Cherukunnu Temple, I went there next. This is another quaint old temple dedicated to Shree Krishnan and Devi Annapoorneshwari.

Another GMCS Batch

I am conducting the General Management and Communication Skills Programme for another batch of young Chartered Accountants. While all of them are important, some are more memoreable than the others:

For example…

Saket— the gentle and thoughtful person who is quite willing to share his views openly and clearly. Having graduated in 2004, he has decided to acquire the membership at last. He works for ICICI Bank. Thanks to him, our sessions became more interactive and frank.

Shakthi Ambalini— a brash outspoken but very friendly and a bit sensitive. She thinks I am “an elderly person!” She is quite ambitious but would be well advised to adapt to circumstances.

Imran—thoughtful and quite involved. Adds relavant points.

Aishwarya Bhatt—a pert and professional young lady who is both considerate and efficient.

Arun—The five times rank holder. Has obtained ranks in CIMA too! He shared many of his techniques and methods for preparation.

Communication Skills Programme-Manali Petro

Conducted a full-day program on Communication Skills and Supervisory Development for the Executives of Manali Petro Chemicals Limited. Tis was again a bunch of young and energetic executives who were highly enthusiastic and participated quite interactively. The average age was twenty-five to twenty-six years.

I covered concepts like Barrrriers, Filters and Listening skills. The Geometric Shapes activity was very useful for understanding the nuances of communication and its attributes.

The feedback was heartening. On the whole, a satisfying day.

Corporate Etiquette

Conducted a programme on Corporate Etiquette for the executives of Larsen & Toubro. These were not freshers but a group of reasonably experienced engineers who were quite energetic and interactive. I enjoyed sharing the nuances of grooming and manners witth them.

But I definitely and emphatically made the point that while external appearance is important for making positive first impressions, an internal clarity as to values and integrity was also an essential root to corporate success.

The role play on specific inter personal situations was well demonstrated. I could understand why organizational cultures such those prevailing at L&T can enable high performance and team co ordination.

Mrs. Amala, the HR co-ordinator was extremely supportive and helped make the session relevant t o the audience. Another lady who impressed me was Ms. Lakshana who has done her MBA from IIPM. Mr. Murali was also adding a lot of value to the session.

Lodge Family Day

17.01.2010

My Masonic Lodge Celebrated its Family Day at t he Madras Boat Club today. This is a photo capturing me along with RajTilak a senior member of the Lodge in a relaxed mood in the balcony abutting the Stroke Side Hall. Behind us is the panorama of the Adyar river flowing towards the creek.

Marriage

This may seem a bit Cynical but, my experience has shown that all marriages have problems; the difference is always a question of degree.

Whether you agree or disagree, I suggest you ponder on this before reacting.

Detachment - A Conceptual Framework

The Five Levels of Detachment are as follows:

Level I

Postponement of Enjoyment

• Moderation

Level II

Total Control over Sense Organs and Mind

• The body as Chariot and Senses as Horses are fully in the Charioteer's control

Level III

Realization of One's own Mortality

• The search for the route to immortality truly begins here

Level IV

Surrender of Ego

• Identification with the Body, Mind, Intellect stops

Level V

Oneness with the Supreme

• This is also called Samadhi

Most of us are unable to cross over from Level III to Level IV.

the Route from Level I to Level V is through the benefit opf Knowledge, Humility and Love.

Pongal -- Long Weekend

Today is the Tamilian Harvest festival of Pongal. With an intervening Saturday off, Tamilians have Four whole days to celebrate! So we are heading for a long weekend!

Well Kudi Makkal can now go on a binge and have fun. I am sure the city will be a nightmare on Saturday which is Kaanum Pongal when the citizenry don their finery and infest the beaches, parks and other public places.

Well...Happy Pongal and all that I suppose...!

Stiff Upper Lip Man...Grin and Bear it!

Suggestion for Expanding something at Chennai Airport

Returned to Chennai by Kingfisher Red flight. During the flight, I wanted to use the wash. As the flight was landing, the Air Hostess forbade me from doing this.

On landing at Chennai I promptly rushed to the Gent's wash room where there was a queue four deep for every urinal!

Please empathize with me by imagining my predicament for a moment; waiting behind three other people for my turn! I am sure we looked silly standing in rows of five like rifle marksmen lined up for a shoot. After the first line finshes discharging the ammunition, the next line eagerly shuffles forward and so on.... Thus we stood alert and ready with our rifles to get into action the minute we got our chance...!

They are expanding so many things at Chennai Airport...why not the number of Gent's urinals?

Mundane Moments in Pune

There are many quaint period architectural pieces in Pune. Here is the arch of the King Edward Madical Hospital gate.

Dagdu Seth Halwai Ganapathy

View of the Road from my room

12 th and 13th January

I was at Pune on work.

The traffic at Pune is erratic. Anyone who is bold ands fast can move forward. The more reticent have to wait and watch. Signals have no meaning, relevance or acceptance.

In the evening I visited the Saras Bagh Ganapathy Mandir. The temple is situated on an elevated platform amidst a park. The park itself is sunk below the ground level. To reach the temple, you have to first climb down two levels, walk towards the Temple and again climb a wide flight of stairs.

The charming Ganapathy idol is set iun a small shrine. As in most of north India the sanctum is clearly visible from the prayer hall. We were there in time for the evening Aarthi.

The distant hills surrounding Pune including the one with a Parvathy Mandir can be seen from the park.

We then visited the well known Dagdu Seth Halwai Ganapathy Mandir. The colorful and larger-than-life image of the elephant headed God can be seen right from the road.

Who is ever Alone?

11.01.2010 18:30 Hrs

I am sitting here, alone on the dimly lit lawn of the Madras Boat Club, contemplating the paradox that’s human life. The sodium vapour lamps on the distant bridge over the Cooum are reflected as wavering strips of light on the dark waters. The fug from the Cooum gently wafts in on the evening breeze. I am alone as mine host has gone up to vote at the AGM of the club. But,

Who is ever alone, who has with him his cell phone?

The gentle rumble of the MRTS train as it moves across the bridge is heard occasionally. The lighted strips that are railway carriages move to and fro at frequent intervals.

I am not at peace with myself; but the world is always at peace with itself. If only I can align myself to this universal peace...

Three Idiots--All is well

Watched Three Idiots at Sathyam. A great movie full of pure fun and wisdom. The shots in Ladhak and enroute to Shimla and Manali are great. All is Well may become the new Mantra for 2010.Almost the entire movie has been shot at Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. I had recently visited IIMB campus to meet my old student Mr. Prasanna Venkatesh who gave me a guided tour of the 150acre campus. He was frequently pointing out places where he said Three Idiots had been shot. I could now relate to this when I saw the movie. The campus is low slung and gothic in design with vines and creepers overhanging the walls.

Here are some pics I took of the sombre corridors of IIMB.

Role -Goal Analysis

Last week was spent handling training sessions for the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India addressing budding CAs on issues like Professional Ethics and Changing Roles. I covered Goal Setting on the 7th. I was explaining Role-Goal Analysis and as part of the inputs, I shared my own Mission Statement, which I had crafted and Drafted as part of my Seven Habits Practice in 1999.

I was implementing the second habit, Begin With the End in Mind in 1998 and I had defined my mission for myself clearly identifying the End in Mind. This Mission Statement was subjected to an extreme review and re-evaluation in 2009. I am using 2010 to pause and reorient it, whereever necessary or expedient. This redefinition is more in the nature of adding a few roles and widening the scope of certain others.

At the ICAI programme one of the participants asked me how I had defined my role towards my Employees especially the Articled Clerks. Actually, there was nothing in my Mission statement on this!

I assured her that I will address this issue later and thanked her for the input. As I kept contemplating on this, I relaized that the Role Goal statement I had crafted for my childrenn was almost the same as the one I would have for my employees in all the organizations that I run. My attitude towards employees is that of a benevolent despot. An indulgent parent who is not unduly strict but expects discipline and performance that is above average! Who always recognizes performance with Reward and Recognition. So, the Role I would like to play towards my employees is the same as that I would like to (and I hope I am) play with my children. I wish them well, I enable their performance and will reward achievement every time.

True Greatness

The quality of a life is a measure of the intensity of the impact of a person. True greatness is not about making an impact when we are there, but in continuing to make an Impact when we are no more.

Democracy--The Cradle of Inspirational Leadership

No Democracy can by itself assure progress. Progress is achieved by effective people lead by Inspirational Leaders. It should be the goal of every Democracy to to ensure that Inspirational Leaders are given the opportunity to lead.

Democracy provides climate and environment that nurtures and develops Inspirational Leaders. But, sometimes truly great inspirational leaders emerge only during tiomes of autocracy and dictatorship. This is a Paradox.

Why is it that almost all Democracies have failed to produce truly Inspirational Leaders?

How do we know an Inspirational Leader when we meet him or her? What are the metrics?

Are they Objective or Subjective?

Malcolm Gladwell in Blink -- Talkative Bore?

Man is a Pattern Maker and a Pattern Seeker. Pattern Seeking happens when we prejudge people on the basis of their dress, appearance or voice. This is the subject of Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

I am not much impressed by the author’s style which is more like the pseudo-research articles featured in “Readers Digest” than anything else.

No doubt, a conversational style is a great advantage but when it is devoid of meaningful conclusions, we end up not knowing what make of the whole thing. It is like listening to a well-read but talkative friend who is fascinating at times but often threatens to become a bore.

The Gyan that I could eke out of this “best-seller is as follows:

a) We make snap judgments based on first impressions.

b) The brain is a able to process all the inputs quickly and deliver conclusions much before Logical analysis based on thinking does. This is called thin slicing which is deriving deep conclusions by studying the object or situation for a very small period of time. “Experts” and Professionals” like food tasters, art experts, coaches and lawyers thin slice a lot as they have trained themselves to do this. They are right but don’t know why.

c) Non-Experts (read you and I) are not good at this as we arrive at wrong conclusions based on the experience of the first two minutes. (So blind testing of Coke and Pepsi can never give conclusive evidence on taste because real consumers don’t drink blindfold. They are exposed to visual signals like design of bottle, colour texture etc., But isn’t this old stuff?)

d) Our eyes often lie (Wow, how original!) We should be willing to discount the prejudices based on first impressions by learning to use and trust inputs through all the sense-organs.

These simple (Obvious?) truths are elaborately explained using numerous examples from real life.

The shackles of Certitude

Man is a pattern Maker and a Pattern Seeker. For example, I take the same route for my morning walk and if I am thinking too deeply during the perambulation, I follow the pre-determined path automatically. The comfort and convenience of the known makes it the consistent choice.

When will I break away from these shackles of certiutude?

Lifelong Learning

If you believe in Karma Theory (as I do) then, everything in our life is ordained. Then what's the fun in life?

The fun is in deciphering the message and the learning behind the things that happen to us.

33rd Chennai Book Fair

I visited the 33^rd Chennai Book Fair yesterday. The venue at St. George Anglo Indian Hr Sec. School, which has become a regular now is definitely a great choice. But, the parking arrangements and entry exit logic could be more streamlined. Especially on Sundays. I escaped the main rush by going early.

The stall arrangement is both utilitarian and aesthetic. The aisles are wide and the Pavilions and cross cuts in between enable a diffusion of the crowd. It also facilitates returning back to a stall to buy a book after having a second thought.

Another good feature (I don’t know if this is the first time) is the Catalogue of Participants with stall numbers. I suggest that in addition to the single telephone no. Which is included, they can also give the address, or at least the website. (Who doesn’t have a website or blog today?)

As usual I bought only Tamil books. I, especially, liked a book titled “Oviyam” by an Artist Mr. Pugazhendhi. The book explains, in simple and lucid Tamil, the Elements and Principles of Art. The author gives the English term for the technical words used. This enables a better understanding and internalization of the corresponding Tamil word. The colour plates and figures enhance our appreciation of the subject.

The visitors are of many kinds—Bibliomaniacs like me who come because books are their greatest joy; Parents who wish to enhance their children’s knowledge; Activists who see the printed word as one more medium to communicate their concerns and anger; Artists and actors who know that books are the fountainhead of creativity...and so on.

While on this, I could not help but ponder on the fate of books printed on paper or similar surfaces. The popularity of Fairs like these seem to indicate that books have a long life ahead. Especially original works of fiction and literature. Nevertheless, I am unable to understand the utility of heavily bound encyclopaedae, dictionaries and other reference books with the ubiquitous availability of so much information on the Net coupled with a Search Engine technology that can bring related knowledge together fast and to our seat.

For example, using Google you can find out in a minute who wrote a poem if you know or have even a single line or phrase from. Poetry anthologies, books on quotations, Joke books etc., are therefore headed for extinction.

In 2010, we can be sure of only one thing...Technology will keep on changing...there are no comfortable certainties. Book fair 2015 may feature only E Books which can be read comfortably through an eye-friendly, hand-held device. Audio books may become so common place that our brothers and sisters who prefer aural inputs to the printed word would be able to listen to the great classics and not be “left out” of the wonderful experience of having read Dickens or Dumas or Kalki.

Parenting

People who became parents in the sixties and seventies have no doubts or qualms about their abilities as parents or about their rights and expectations as such. They were entitled to be obeyed. Children had no choices then. You did what you were told. Sometimes you had options...like what colour to wear...and so on. “Parenting” was not a concept that people ever spoke about...except the rich...who could afford the psychiatrists, and, who needed them.

The children of the Sixties and Seventies, who are the parents of today are continuously in doubt about their “Parenting “ skills. They read books, attend seminars, try to spend “Value Time” with their children and end up becoming more confused.

It would be easy to brush away the whole concept of learning to be a parent as a non-starter. But, sometimes there is need to understand the issues before addressing them.

Here is a poem from “A handbook on Parenting” by Dr. C. S. Raju and Mr. T.V. Shivakumar, my good friend, fellow-trainer and authority on Parenting:

Tone of Voice

It is not what you say,

But the manner in which you say it;

It is not only the language you use,

But the tobne in which you convey it.

“Come here!” I sharply said,

And the child cowered and wept;

“Come here” I said gently with a smile,

And straight to my lap he crept.

Words may be mild and fair,

But the words may pierce like a dart;

Words may be soft as the summer air,

But the tone may break my heart.

Words come from the mind,

And grow by study and art;

But tone leaps from the inner self,

Revealing the state of the heart

For if you want behaviour to change,

Of this you must be aware;

More than words, it is the Tone of your voice

Which communicates how much you care.

Don’t you agree that this is a great advice not only in parenting but for every situation in life?

In High Places

I am ushering in Year Twenty Ten at Yercaud! I am at the Sterling Resorts Property. While Yercaud is not the top Hill Station destination i n the south, it does have its attractions. The Sterling Resorts property is quite cool. Situated next to the Ladies Seat view point, the balconies onevery unit in the resort provide a great view of the slopes of the hill. In fact, the resort is visible from the winding road climbing up to Yercaud.

I am sitting in the balcony of my room and looking down at a marvellous panorama spread out in the darkness below. I feel as if I am in outer space gazing down at the stars twinkling below like a handful of scintillating precious stones casually thrown on a dark velvet cloth. To the south, the city of Salem is outlined in lights. On my left, the headlights of cars climbing up the hill, shine bright and then dim as the vehicles take the twisting hairpin bends on the last leg of their climb.

This morning I saw clouds rising up from the valley li

ke shaving foam in a bowl and slowly moving up the hill to become wispy clouds above the sum

mits of the distant range of mountains.

Later, a couple of monkeys managed to squeeze in thr

ough our wind

o

ws and

took away a whole packet of Marie biscuits and Cheese! They, then, proceeded to feast on these goodies right in front of our eyes. My wife and daughter bemoaned the loss while my son

was more philosophical and asked them to console themselves by considering it an offering (albeit involuntary) to Hanumanji, the Monkey God.

I use these New Year Breaks to examine, Janus like, the past as well as the present. I present a personal Annual Report to myself! Why not? The purpose of an Annual Report is to take stock and move forward. New Years Day gives me this opportunity. So I prepare a report similar to that presented by Chairmen of Corporations to their Boards. I account for the past 365 days allotted to me and ask myself, what I had done to deserve being allowed to live for the next 365. Did I improve myself? My Family? My Organization? The community where I live?

Thereafter I prepare plans to bridge the gap between Goals and actual performance. This is the Execution Gap that Stephen Covey speaks about. Finally, a prayer to the Almighty for his support in converting these dreams to reality.

We spend the evenings strolling on the narrow roads around the resort. This evening, we went to the Raja Rajeswari Temple and thereafter to the Servaroyan Temple. The Temple, which is a cave shrine, on a windy plateau ,is dedicated to Servaroyan a local deity, who is considerd an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the saviour.