Success and Failure

An important learning from 2012

God does not assure success;
but he helps us to accept and understand failure.

God on our side need not mean we will win every time;
it means His presence will ensure that we never feel dejected or depressed by failure.

IOCL Program on MaNAGERIAL sKILLS

13.12.2012

Conducted a program on Managerial Skills for the Executives of Indian Oil Corporation. It was quite well received. 98% of the participants rated my program as excellent. The rest gave Very Good.

Here are some pics:

Friends Forever Forum

I was invited by the Friends Forever Forum to address them on 9^th June 2012. The meeting was at The YWCA at Egmere. They were a small group of like-minded intellectuals who come together every second Saturday to discuss matters of common interest, interact with each other, have a nice dinner over further sparkling conversation and part with a sense of friendship and companionship. The members take turns to host the dinner. The speaker is either one of themselves or a guest like me is roped in to deliver a brief speech and lead the interaction.

  My good friend Dr. Radhika Nanwani is a member, and on 9^th June it was Dr. Radhika’s turn to be host. I was asked to speak on the topic Transformation. I explained how transformation at an individual level is possible by truly applying the fourth habit, Think Win/Win and the fifth habit Seek First to Understand and then to be Understood. When a person is willing to Transfoorm he automatically improves relationships and bondings as he is able to see things from a holistic perspective rather than the tunnel-vision that is induced by self-interest or obsessions. He also overcomes weaknesses like anger through a process of self-introspection.

I shared experiences from my own life when I had failed in relationships and how I used the Seven Habits to help me transform myself to become something somewhat better than my earlier self. But as we all agreed personal transformation is a continuous and never-ending journey.

Here is a gist of what I spoke. My actual speech was a longer and we had numerous interactions that took us down diverse paths.

Transformation means a change from one state to another state. It is preferable that the change should not be merely cosmetic or external but rather internal. In fact, transformation should be through growth and evolution. That is to say, it must be a positive movement from a lesser state of existence to a better and more preferable one.

Transformation becomes possible only if we accept that we are imperfect and are willing to listen to feedback about ourselves. Once we understand the expectations that others (especially our near and dear ones) have about us, we can attempt to transform into something better. We must accept that our current behavior is unacceptable; thereafter we may find approaches to transform ourselves.  In fact a willingness to transform proactively can result in better relationships with other people. We can become a better spouse, parent, employer, employee, friend and so on.

According to C S Lewis, growth is better than change. He says, “a tree grows by adding rings to itself; a train does not grow by going from one station to another.”

To quote the Bhagavad Gita:

“vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya  navani grhnati naro 'parani  tatha sarirani vihaya jirnany anyani samyati navani dehi”

This translates as follows:

As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly, the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.

Transformation is truly like the development of a bright and iridescent butterfly from an ugly caterpillar through the stage of being a chrysalis or pupa. Those of us who have read Jonathan Livingstone Seagull by Richard Bach can understand this.

As constant practice of thinking and contemplating on life continues, one would come to the unerring conclusion that this life itself is but one state and that death is merely a transformation from a gross to a subtle state of existence of the spirit.

Our lives should, thus, be a series of transformations. Each transformation should take us to a higher plane of existence. The ultimate goal of these successive transformations should be realization of God and becoming so luminous as to merge into his effulgence.Every religion has a name for this like Paradise, Nirvan or Moksh.

The Friends Forever Forum is open to all. The stress is on Friendship, so the atmosphere is non-judgmental and supportive. While divergent views are expressed, the tone is always polite and friendly. The idea is to learn and grow rather than influence others. I like the Friends Forever Forum and strongly recommend it to anyone who wants to spend an evening every month in relaxed intellectual conversation with friends. It is better not to go with an evangelistic motive. Your can  share your knowledge and views while at the same time you should be perfectly willing and able to listen, understand and value the inputs given by the other person.

Are bookshops going to become redundant?

Sitting in Hyderabad Airport doing something I always love to do. I am just outside the Airport Bookshop ordering books online. What astounds me is that the very same books that I could have bought at the shop for huge cover prices are available online at 40% below the cover price. It takes about a week for the online bookshop to supply my order. So what? I have saved so much money. I already have books to read on flight. These are books I would love to read; but not so desperately and immediately.

Browsing in bookshops is definitely cool! But buying there is definitely uncool!

Actually the online browsing experience is awesome as every title is at your fingertip and a search away! At Landmark you have to request the sullen and surly TATA employee for the title you want and wait pathetically while he asks around apathetically and returns with the usual, "sorry sir or madam (as the case maybe! Because he's too busy to notice anyway!) It is not available.

Online book shopping allows you to search different editions and compare prices If you don't want to buy you can put it on your wishlist and later buy it.

Finally, the payment can be made on delivery! (At least on Flipkart and Homeshop18 it is possible.)

Odyssey has suspended its 360 website! In fact I was an Odyssey customer online till my 14 year old son put me on to flipkart. Then I discovered Home Shop 18 and put him on to it!

Landmark is the same snooty entity online too and the prices are not at all competitive. No wonder they are forced to sell books at discount by putting them in 3 for 2 and 2 for 1 bundles. Why don't they simply accept that the book selling business is going online and work on a friendly on line presence.

Finally as of now and for the record Homeshop 18 is the cheapest in India! Check it out! May be they are cutting their own throat!

But why should we care! Happy online book shoppuing!

Beyond Auditing

CA G Narayanaswamy’s Autobiography was released yesterday at a function at the Sivakami Pethichi Auditorium. Usually at most book releases, the function starts as and when enough people arrive. For Beyond Auditing, the hall was packed about half an hour before the appointed time! The function started exactly on time. This, by itself, was an indicator of the tremendous importance of the event.

The luminaries on the dias included Dr. M S Swaminathan, The Father of India’s Green Revolution who released the book. Mr. B.S.Raghavan, IAS (Retd.) presided over the meeting. Mr. Era. Sezhiyan, Ex-MP, Mr. K. Vaidyanathan, Editor, Dinamani                          and Mr. S. Gurumurthy, FCA, Columnist felicitated. The function was organized by the Rajaji Centre for Public Affairs and D Rangaswamy Academy for Fiscal Research.

On returning from the function I went out for dinner with my wife. On return, being an insomniac I decided to dip into the book which I had purchased at the stall immediately after the release. Believe me, I was enthralled by the book! It was a page-turner that kept me going and suddenly I found I had travelled with GN, the author from his school days in Kumbakonam to his taking up practice in Madras! The book is as gripping as a Jeffrey Archer novel. The story of an impoverished kumbakonam boy who goes on to become a highly influential Chartered Accountant and Public Figure is endearing and interesting. I kept turning the pages eager to know what happens next as GN relates anecdotes involving his contemporaries who were all men of influence and reputation in their respective fields. If this book had been written as a novel in Tamil it would need a writer of Balakumaran’s skill to tell it!

But GN tells his story like a true accountant. Without a trace of hyperbole! The words are so matter-of-fact yet, they evoke emotions that strike at the very root of one’s soul. Every one who believes in the value of values will find themselves relating to GN’s story.

GN says, “one need not boast of one’s poverty striken past, nether should one forget or be ashamed of the same.” This is a classic example of the balanced approach that epitomizes the profession of accountancy.

This is not mean self-congratulatory retelling of GN’s achievements. It is a veritable chronicle of our times and a vital document that historians in furture times will rely on to get a better understanding of the events described by GN from first-hand experience.

The book should be a must-read for every Chartered Accountant. Every page will make everyone of us proud to belong to the same profession that can count this colossus in its list of members! GN is truly the Charteres Accountant’s Chartered Accountant!

 In fact every Indian who wants to make meaning out of this mindless morass that our country has become should read this book to get their bearings straight on their journey through life. GN is a beacon light standing tall and proud showing us both the way ahead as well as the dangers that will beset greed and falsehood.

Here is a giant among men who shows the way not by command but by example and a quintessentially Gandhian humility that is gentle yet strong!

The Here and Now

Verily the Cosmos resides in the Flesh

The Flesh is inside the Cosmos

Thus intertwined and oft intersecting

All that we have is the HERE and NOW;

It is ALL that we can OWN

Sum of ALL that we can KNOW.

Sreesri

Rose of Ridwan

1st May 2012



I was invited to be the Chief Guest at the Ridwan celebration of the Locakl Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'i s of Chennai. Ridwan is the Birthday of the founder of the Baha'i Faith  known as the Ba'b.


Bahai'sm is a new religion founded in Iran that promotes Unity of Religions and Manifestations.
The Baha'is are a peaceful community that does good to society and promotes tolerance.

The Lotus Temple in New Delhi

Baha'u'llah (1817-1892) is the Prophet of the Baha'i Faith. He is regarded by Baha'is as the most recent Divine Teacher in the line of the Messengers of God that have enlightened the peoples of the earth with their divine teachings. These include Divine Teachers such as Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster, Christ and Muhammad. The central theme of Baha'u'llah's message is that humanity is one single race and that the day has come for its unification into one global society. The principal challenge facing the peoples of the earth, as perceived by Baha'u'llah, is to accept their oneness and, to assist the processes of unification of the entire human race and to thereby carry forward an ever-advancing civilization. For more information on Baha'is in India visit www.bahai.in 

The LSA of the Chennai Baha'is gives the Rose of Ridwan Awards to people who have served the community. This time the Awards were given away at Satyalok, Porur, Chennai. I was the Chief Guest. The Awards were presented to the following:

• Mr. V Arun for his efforts in saving Oliver Ridley Turtles on the East Coast Road stretch of beach. (An unassuming youngster who was silent yet smiling throughout the function.)
• Ms. Aparna Nagesh for her contribution to dancing and culture. (An elusive lady who, like Cinderalla, had to rush immediately after receiving her award.
• Mr. P R Krishnamachari for his contributions through the Single Teachers School. (A great Philanthophist. We discovered many links through Freemasonry and Lionism)
• Mrs. Jalandhara a famous telugu writer for her contribution to literature. (Her daughter Dr. Madhavi and her troupe performed an exquisite dance drama on the Science and Religion.)
• Mr. Ramasubramaniyam a social activist and founder of Samanvaya who is engaged in promoting eco-friendly technology. (He is famous for his info-talks on food safety and danger of fast food culture.) To know more visit www.samanvaya.com
• Mr. Saify Saria for his service to society through his zero violation of Mind concept. To know more visit zvmworld.com
• The Rolling Shield went to  Ekam Foundation represented by the humble and ever-smiling Dr. Sailakshmi. To know more  visit www.ekamoneness.org

I delivered a talk on Bahai'sm and my experiences right from 1987 when I had heard Mr. L Rasheed. One thing that impressed me about this religion is its extreme tolerance and willingnesss to accept the Truth in all Religions while rejecting falsehood and superstition wherever it is. 

The Dance Drama that followed showed how ScIeNce can become SIN and REliGiOn can become EGO!

The ambience in Satyalok gardens was so nice and the gentle evening breeze made the open air arrangement cool and comfortable. Our lungs could enjoy the expanding influence of the fresh air and pure oxygen of the open spaces.

Adam Asbond, the Co-founder of Apple Computers was raised in Tamilnadu, Thiruvannamalai as his parents were devotees of Ramana Maharishi.
He says, "The day Indians learn to have pride in their own country, the day they work together as Indians they will move out of their third world status and become one of the world's industrial powers."

PRAYER

O Lord in your infinite wisdom and mercy you must have a role for me in your Grand Design.

Whatever it may be enable me to play that role to my fullest capability.

Imbue me with courage that I may take those decisions that will lead me through the paths of Justice, Truth and Righteousness and away from selfishness and malice.

Mahabalipuram—A walking Tour

15.01.2012

The whole of Chennai is gearing up for celebrating Pongal. A long-long weekend--a carnival of fun and frolic for the masses-- Nobody feels like working. Spent a relaxed day at Mahabalipuram with a group of relatives-by-marriage at the Indeco Resort.

On 15^th January I took a walking tour of Mahabalipuram. The walk commenced on the sea shore at 6.00AM and we took a sweeping semi-circle across th

e bus stand near the Vishnu temple and after seeing the famous arjun’s Penance bas relief we walked along the hill face and past the two light houses (old and new). Thereafter we took a sharp left to reach the Five Raths, a group of monolithic temples in the form of chariots reputedly for the Five Pandav princes and their consort Draupadi.

Mahabalipuram is an ancient tamil port and derives its name, Mammallpuram from Narasimhavarma Pallavan, who was named Mamalla, meaning great wrestler due to his prowess in wrestling (Malyuddham). His father Mahendravarman was a patron of sculpture and under his rule Mammallpuram was a sculptor’s colony where master sculptors including Amarar Kalki’s fictional creation Aayanar Sirpi, worked and taught their disciples. A little distance south of the Arjun’s Penance freize is another which is half finished and unformed. This leads us to conclude that the sculpture work at Mahabalipuram is no more than practice work done by apprentice sculptors who, on completion of training moved on to places where temples are being conducted. Possibly a group of these settled down in Thanjavur and possinbly their descesndants were the architects and designers of the later chola masterpieces of Temple architecture.

Relaxed man--Obviously not married

Some girls make a man go mad by refusing to marry him;

the rest of them do it the other way.

Bird Watching in Kodagu Valley

The Kodagu Valley resort is a veritable birdwatchers’ paradise. Almost all balconies overlook dense tree-covered ravines, the avian fancier need do no more than sit on the balcony and keep his eyes open. I saw an Indian or a Malabar Grey Hornbill on the tall tree next to our balcony. The bird was quite large with curved beak and black and white tail.

Indian Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros birostris) Common Grey Hornbill R Kite- overall greyish brown plumage; with an enormous black and white beak that is curved downward, surmounted by the casque; long graduate tail, with a black and white tip. In the female, casque is smaller.Seen in the dry deciduous forest, along with other frugivorous birds in the fruiting season. Flight, graceful and undulating from one tree to the other, in the typical follow-the-leader pattern Voice: Noisy, made of shrill squeaking notes and some screams plus a loud cackling ke.ke.kke.kkae…Nesting March-June.Eggs:2-3 dull white.

Malabar Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros griseus) R Kite- similar to 146; yellow-orange bill; casque on the beak missing; white streaks on head, throat and breast; white tipped black tail except central feather. Voice: distinct, loud, puerile ayein.And loud cackling ke.ke.kke.kkae. Calls. Habits,Nesting ,Eggs similar to 146.

Courtesy: Feathered Jewels of Coorg Dr. S V Narasimhan

Sunset at Raja's Seat

This is a popular tourist destination in Mercara. It consists of a viewpoint with a nice park attached to it. Though a bit touristy, one should not miss the glorious view of the sun sinking slowly into the hillside from this vantage point.

The ideal time to visit Raja’s Seat is around 5.30 PM. As the sun moves down the western horizon, the sky slowly turns reddish. We remember the words of the popular cinema song…”Oh, this is a glorious golden evening time… the sky-maid blushes deep red as she changes dress….!” Initially the horizon is pleasantly tinted pink and violet and as the blazing sun dips over the mountains in the distance, the sky turns maroon, carmine and finally an angry red when the sun finally disappears from view on the west. The whole event, this daily immolation of the sun on the mountain-peak happens over a matter of ten to fifteen minutes. As in all hilly regions, there is no distinct twilight; night swiftly engulfs the Kodagu valley and the whole area is at once plunged into darkness except for those pockets where man has, through electric lights created artificial islands of brightness.

Scotland of the East

A Daytrip to Mercara

Later in the day, we made a trip to Madikeri town. Madikeri is a small

planter’s town in the heart of the Kodagu hills. The Koduva people who were the earliest settlors in this region are a warlike race and take great pride in their prowess in battle and combat. The “Peechekathi” a short dagger with chain which is stuck into a strip of brocade cloth tied around the midriff is a common symbol of Koduva martial pride!

Coorg is dubbed “The Scotland of India.” The Koduvas like the Scotsmen are martial and alwaysready for battle. The Scottish tartan is, here, reproduced in the long coat tied at the midriff with a brocade sash.

Our first stop was at the Abbey falls. The waterfall is accessed by a steep winding path going down. On reaching the bottom we could glimpse the falls cascading down from the higher slopes to a pool and thence as a rivulet possibly headed to join and feed the main Cauvery which has its source quite nearby at Thala-Cauvery.

Thereafter we made it to the fort with its moss-covered walls and battlements. A panoramic view of Mercara is obtained from the viewing platform on the battlements. The buildings used by the British Governor are now the Deputy Collector’s offices. The latticed balcony with the statuettes of a pair of white horses as bracket supports is a nice architectural feature of the building.

The Omkaareshwar Temple dedicated to Mahadevwas our next halt. The whitewashed walls of the buildings; four minarets with globular domes on top and the central dome (as against the typical Hindu Pagoda) give a distinctly Islamic feel to the temple. It is either an extreme arab influence through inadequate supply of craftsmen or a planned attempt at camouflaging the temple from possible Islamic attempts to demolish it as an attack against idolatory.

This temple is similar in design to the shiva temple at Mangeshkar in Goa.The huge temple tank with a central mandap housing the Nandi (a seated bull placed at the entrance of Shiva Temples facing the Lord);the narrow and steep flight of stairs leading to the Gopura Dwar and the structure of the sanctum sanctorum itself are similar. This must be a konkan style or influence as the Mangeshkar temple is quite typically Konkani. The western stretch of the Konkan and Malabar coasts is a mix and clash of cultures from Surat in the north to Trivandrum in the extreme south. These Costal regions are rich in tradition, cuisine and cuture that often overlap.

Maercara

My son, Srivatsan feeding the baby elephant

29.12.2012

I Woke up to the rustling of leaves in the breeze. As I opened the windows of our bedroom, the chill kodagu-hill-breeze brushed my face sending a pleasant tingle down my spine. The dense foliage around our building is home to a host of birds. Their fluttering and chirping are a constant background music for our morning activities. The silence of the forest and the bird song which occasionally disturb the intense stillness, tend to calm the mind and prepare it for challenges.

In the afternoon we had a sumptuous buffet lunch on a large balcony in the main restaurant. The balcony overlooks a portion of the coffee plantation.

The route from Mysore to Mercara passes through the Dubhare elephant sanctuary somewhat similar to pinnewala in Srilanka. Though we did not go there, we did see a small baby elephant which is still being fed by bottle. The poor animal has been orphaned and has been saved and brought here for caring.

On our return from Mercara we visited Byleguppe, the largest Tibetan settlement in India. The Golden Temple of Buddha at the Namdroling monastery is a wonderful sight with the three towering images of the Buddha and his disciples covered in gold filigree.

The Tibetan settlement has a nice placid artificial lake with hills in the distance.

Kodagu Valley

27.12.2012

I am here at Madikeri (or Mercara) with my family on my customary annual retreat to process the year gone by and plan for the one ahead.

The Club Mahindra Kodagu Valley Resort is nestled in a pleasant valley about seven kilometers from Madikeri town. The resort is a sylvan paradise. The absolute minimum numbers of trees have been cut to accommodate corgi-style huge two-storey buildings.

It is rightly called Kodagu Valley as it is situated at the rim of a deep ravine or valley which was formerly a full-fledged coffee plantation! (Coffee bushes are still around!)

The place is virtually bungalows inside a genuine functioning coffee estate!

The resort is an Ecotel certified resort.The accommodation is situated on the higher slopes the rest of the slopes are given over to forest and coffee plantation! So we get an opportunity to walk along forest trails and mountain paths in close proximity to the resort.

The accommodation is literally hidden by the denste foliage of the trees that loom over them. From our balcony we could gaze down at the roots of the massive trees that rear up towards the sky!

From the terrace of our building or from the raised promontory at the mouth of the valley called “the mound”, the only thing that catches the eye is the dense and verdant tree cover all around. The property is huge and well-designed. Exploratory walks around the resort are mini-adventures of discovery.