Life- As You Like It.

At the hyper market yesterday I saw a tin of food product, which had a new label and color scheme on it. I examined it   with interest and kept it back after a wistful look.   My wife saw this and  remarked “It’s over now, move on”.  She was referring to my role in a transaction related to that product with one of my previous employers.

Most employed individuals spend majority of their waking hours in pursuit of their livelihood. So it is natural that achievements in that sphere would be more visible or having a better recall.  But is this pursuit of livelihood an end in itself?  Is it not a means or a method to reach a larger goal we should have for our life?

One interesting view I remember reading is that the whole purpose of earning a living is to maximize the quality of our life outside the work area and our leisure time.    The question arises whether we even attempt to achieve these goals and  if so are we determined to pursue it consistently.

To amplify it further, have we wondered what would give us maximum joy if we were not compelled to earn our living? Suppose we won Rs. 5 crores in KBC (post tax slightly over Rs. 4 crores,  one can buy a two BHK flat in a far off suburb in Mumbai  and be left with a sum enough to lead a lower middle class existence) what would each of like to do with our lives?  To put it differently, what would we really like to do, if we had choices to exercise with our future?

Why do these questions arise? One reality of the “Shining India” is the long hours of work most of us put in, irrespective of which part of the country we are in. This coupled with long commute leave us little time to introspect long enough on anything significant (other than what groceries or vegetables to pick up, what the kids have demanded for their school project, what medicines to buy for mother/father etc.). In such circumstances, the desire to renew violin classes or go for swimming early in the morning slowly recedes from our thoughts. 

I spoke to a friend and former colleague today. He has an interesting story to tell. Few years back, he had informed me that his son dropped from a law degree course mid way and went to Los Angeles for studying music. His son has now settled in Himachal Pradesh and set up a recording studio.  My friend’s visits to HP have made him aware of the beauty and charm of that State and he too would not mind leaving Mumbai for good post retirement.   Now, this I felt is an exceptional case of knowing clearly what an individual wants out of life and taking courageous steps for it.

Gradual urbanization of India has created uniformity of aspirations. TV serials and internet has shrunk the world to, what we believe an understandable size. The converse of it is varying levels of erosion individual identity – in terms of language, culture, traditions. Conformity is the norm at least in official dressing- except in Government where we find cabinet ministers wearing ethnic dresses- P C Chidambaram has presented innumerable budgets wearing starched Dhoti and shirts.   Today ethnic dress is reserved for Traditional Day wherein awards are handed out for the best dressed person.

A fall out of this urbanization, economic growth and related aspiration is blurring of what a normal family life means. “Have you played a non competitive team game like kabaddi?” I heard this question being asked during a group discussion with today’s youth. The answer was ‘no’; in cities there is no space for playing such games. Forget about games, most children in their early teens spend their time shuttling between classes (IIT entrance), extracurricular activities (musical instruments are now popular) after school hours, which any way starts way too early.  What would such children know or learn about the day to day family life? Perhaps little. It is not uncommon to find 12 or 14 year old children unable to support their day to  day chores without  parental help. The question of participating in family’s day to day life in any way or understanding it becomes increasingly difficult as they enter the competitive educational arena.

The result seems to be that we may be developing good fodder for corporate/business life without developing the so called ‘soft skills’ needed to lead a life outside the work area. Perhaps this may be an extreme view or true for isolated situations.  But still looking at the world around us, it seems that it is preferable to work in a structured office environment where all facilities are available for call rather  than create a beautiful living environment in our living space.  For a house to become a home, every family member would need to put in sustained efforts. But today’s life makes it a difficult task.

I often ask myself why this is relevant. Why not accept that change is the only eternal truth? The question I ask to myself is  how much time we spent on ourselves in the real sense of the term (not in terms of self indulgence). Do we enjoy the early morning sun, do we relish reading the morning paper without scurrying thru it, do we gulp our breakfast or enjoy each morsel of it, do we start worrying about our day’s task in the office or go with a care free grin  on our face when we see our colleagues,  after reaching home are we able to sit with our family and speak about nothing important- just sharing what happened during the day,  would a parent love to make a new dish or a snack for the children or buy it from the nearby shop, do we have the spirit to run with our young children (or grandchild in my case) after reaching home or tell them a story before going to sleep and so on.

My experience is that it is the middle class population like us which falls in between the two worlds. The very rich are smart enough to know that enjoying the facilities of wealth is a transient pleasure and savor it whenever possible, the other end of the spectrum know the reality of life and enjoy each moment of pleasure which God and circumstances give them. The Middle Class lives in aspiration of a future which will bring all these pleasures. But does that future come? 

All of us have to introspect for an answer.

Village Boys Vs City Girls.

“City Girls are modern, social (more than required), do not respect elders, spent lot of money on cosmetics, would not adjust to village life”

“Village boys are old fashioned, chauvinistic have outdated notions, not in sync with modern times. They want their spouses to be like their mother”. (Loud claps at the last point)

I was watching a debate on the titled topic on a Tamil language T V Channel. On one side were arrayed the “village boys” dressed in white dhoti and white shirt (probably courtesy the TV Channel).  The “girls” were on the other side with varying dresses.

They were actually unmarried adults well into mid to late 20s. The women were said to work in “IT” companies (Information Technology companies).  The occupation of the men folk was not clear to me. The core of the debate was the conflict   between traditional values and modern thought and practices.

 Tamil Nadu is said to be a conservative State with a large agrarian and village base. Movies with village background are still popular. The words ‘Tamil Kalacharam” (Tamil Culture to put it loosely) is still used as an ultimate weapon for any unacceptable action or practice.  (We don’t heare of UP culture or Jharkand culture  being used as a weapon in a similar sense).  A major segment of the  population has rural roots.

I think the above debate and the individuals participating in it represent the changing economic face of India. The mobility of an otherwise limitedly mobile and insular populace –within and outside the State- and also influx from North India has created an  increased awareness of the world outside. There is a desire to be modern at least in the external sense, while at the same time conforming to the tradition which is present in an “on the face” basis.

One participant spoke of the informality prevailing in today’s Office (a superior can be addressed as ‘Hey Raj’). A male participant feared that a ‘City Girl’ would call his uncle or aunt similarly (hi Lallu – for Lalita Aunty or hi Ambi for Ambhi  uncle). The Village Boy was gravely mentioning the lack of respect for elders thereafter to the fury of the ‘City Girls’.  I thought that an insular population was getting exposed to outside world in  phases and reacting in at times in an uninformed manner.

A  realistic firsthand experience of village life is described in the following blog.

http://aussiegirlinindia.com/2012/01/09/life-in-the-indian-village/

My limited  experience  of village life is that while we have adapted to changing times swiftly, in some matters it is as though time has stood still for the last several centuries- if not millenniums .   I remember my wife whispering to me sternly to walk a few steps ahead of her when we were in her village (this was few decades earlier). I was amazed and embarrassed to follow this edict.  I then wondered what would happen if I was to hold her hand and walk in close contact thru her village with our eyes full of romance  on each other and so on. Perhaps things have changed now-somewhat.

What has definitely changed at least in some southern States like Kerala and Tamil Nadu is the large scale participation of women in economic activity across all strata. Increasingly the subservience/male domination exists- if at all-  more out of tradition or practice rather than necessity. Women also use it as an excuse- “I have to check with my husband”- to delay any decision.

My young cousin working in an IT major re-told one interesting experience. He has a female colleague who lives close to his house. In the office she is exuberant , articulate and mingles freely with all . One day he had to drop her at her house due to late sitting.  Her father was waiting to meet her at the bus stop. Her behavior in front of her father  made it seem that she had severely limited interaction with opposite gender in her workplace.  It seemed that this was the approach required  to survive in cultural gap  between the house and office.

In such a changing environment, it is a challenge for a young Indian to be clear about the choice of a spouse. My experience is that the emphasis is on  less relevant matters in human relationships (height, looks), locational aspects (relocation post marriage is “no no”), industry in which employed (IT boy/girl wants IT  boy/girl), sub sects within the same community and so on.  Probably this arises due to lack of appropriate opportunities  to interact with members of opposite gender on an equal basis for a reasonable length of time so  as to arrive at  a balanced  judgment on various aspects of man woman relationships.

There is a word used during the  “due diligence process” for  marriage alliances which captures its’ spirit very well – MANAPORUTTAM- that is ‘matching of minds- to translate it loosely.  This, I think, is vital in any marriage- whether arising out of love or arrangement. However, that requires better understanding of human relationships and not dwelling on less relevant factors discussed during debate.

Changing concepts of life

We came to Mumbai from a small village in Kannur district in Kerala in 1963. My parents had lived all their life in South India and this was their first exposure to the ‘Maximum City’. I was 6 years old and my elder brother was 11 years old. None of us knew Hindi or Marathi. From a Dhoti, shirt uniform , father had to transform to full suit . Mother wore the traditional 9 yard sari. She was then 38 years old,had and an emotional individual with fiery temper. She was highly religious and a protective mother as only a Scorpio woman can be. She had studied up to fourth standard and knew English in a limited manner, could read and write Malayalam and read Tamil.

She taught me, with ease, the English alphabets when we came to Mumbai. I somehow associate my comfort with this language because I learnt it from her.

My brother and I joined the same School. My branch of the School was a bit far off and I had to travel by School bus. My earliest memories are of my mother taking me to the building across the road where the school bus would stop. I used to be ill at frequent intervals . My mother used to be worried and in the evening she would be waiting where the bus would drop me off. Somehow this memory remains etched in mind.

Why is all this relevant today? I had a traditional upbringing. Milk after bath and prayers. Father , a patriarchal figure, was the bread winner and mother was home maker. Mother is always at home to care for us and father a distant figure and disciplinarian who had a fiery temper and great expectations from his children ( to achieve all that by passed him). Today, such an approach would not help. Parent’s relationship with children, especially of employed parents, is more complex. Employed mothers try to balance the traditional role (essayed above about my mother) and the modern one where “quality time” rather than quantity is emphasized. Fathers play a larger role. One of my colleagues takes leave during his children’s annual examinations. Tenth standard and twelfth standard exams are crucial and entails even three months or six months leave ( a colleague took six months break for such an exam).

Today’s life , at least in metros, does not lend itself to very stiff and formal relationship with progeny. Education, extracurricular activities demand continuous attention from both parents. Television brings aspirational products to the living room. Purchase of any durable- be it television, refrigerator, mobile phones- would involve children’s participation. Anecdotally, it is said that children with employed parents seek and receive expensive gifts. Children do become independent at an early age and know what they want. Parents are less of crutch and more of a support.

We sometimes see two extremes. One is where the father is living in “old world” ( ‘in our days 25 paisa used to get us one plate of ….’), and the other is the modern father who wears shorts, does not mind having a peg or two at home and so on. In between these two extremes, the causality is the way of life which was led earlier by the respective communities. The relevance of these traditions and customs in today’s context can be questioned. I believe that without these factors, a human being would have to be viewed in a vacuum. To put it differently, if a westernized way of life is taken as standard ( say Switzerland or Germany), would we be taken Swiss nationals or Germans if we dress and speak like them and live in India? It would be as absurd as Hilary Clinton wearing a Sari ( may be even a 9 yard sari ) and coming to Office. Would we take her as Indian by virtue of this dress? But that is what we are doing today in several contexts. (seems an annoying way of conveying a point, but then the intention is to provoke thought).

I am not against adapting to a global standard in any matter. But the underlying spirit behind each such mode of dress or thinking should be well understood. In UK or US a meeting fixed at 8 in the morning would start at 8 a.m. In India, while we would wear lounge suits at that hour in summer, if asked, it is doubtful, if any meeting would start at the hour fixed.

The net result is that we adapt partially. Europeans or Americans (as we call them) do not compromise on their way of life or celebration of festivals or vacations and other things they hold to be of value. I think we compromise on all these at times or many times.

Another feature is the role of grandparents in children’s life. Globally employed children bring in global pressures. Grand children born abroad to employed parents need attention (just like children born in India). The difference is that Ayahs are not available abroad. So we have very unlikely looking individuals who spend half of their post retired life in glamorous cities (San Francisco, New York, London, Dubai) tending to their grand children. My cousin calls it another form of IAS- Indian Ayah Service. The old individuals are chained to an empty house in a foreign country most of the time. They are unable to go out independently as local transport is quite limited (no BEST buses or local trains in most places) and payment is in expensive foreign currency which has to be obtained from children.

Another variation is grandparents rendering the same service in India itself. The reasons are same as above, the only variation is that the duty hours are limited. I try to imagine being brought up by my grandmother. She was quite old (at least 55 years older than me) and it does not seem logical now.

Grandparents have a role in molding the grandchildren ( I imagine that Shivam will be favourably influenced by Padma and I – though this is quite debatable). They have a standing which is irreplaceable. Their experience and adaptability (ability to mould into USA environment by Shesambal Mami and Ambhi Mama from Mam…..bur/Kode/llur..) is now time tested. But do they have the spirit to repeat what they did for their own children? To put it differently, would you after retirement, join an organsiation at entry level (Officer trainee) and work up wards for the next decade or so? This is what we are expecting grandparents to do with their grand children. God rations out patience, energy and effort required for bringing up children ( now the ration is less as most couples have one or two children- how many of us know couples with three children or more?) and it gets exhausted in due course. I feel that grandparents can only supplement parents and are no substitute for parental influence.

Our father’s continuing influence on our children and that of my brother is something we are proud of. My daughter and neice could take liberties with him which we could not and did not take. The only regret is that he was the only surviving grandparent my children could interact with. Others had left the scene before they could influence them. He set an example with his way of life which is hard to forget. He had his own failings, but his love for all of us was more overpowering and is still with us. He fulfilled a role which God sets for every grandparent- supplementing the parents role and setting an example at a stage of life where there was nothing left to prove to himself or to God.

This brings me back to the moot point of what we would like do with our lives- that is life which is not pledged to our present employer. An expatriate living in India had commented that most Indians do not have any hobbies (watching cricket or world cup soccer on TV is not counted) and do not place much value on their spare time. This statement is true as in most cases a passive activity is counted as hobby in India. If any one of us win Rs. 5 crores in KBC (just like that gentleman from Bihar- without the equivalent effort spread over several years) , do we know what to do? Would we go to a beach wearing a brief and stare at the sea for hours (seems silly, but if you live in a landlocked cold country, then you would know the value of this seemingly futile activity), or wear odd dresses and wander around Hungary or Bolivia or Rwanda with a backpack ? This also seems very unlikely.

More importantly, do we correctly value our time? We do not mind spending good portion of our waking hours in office. This , to the great consternation of our newly Indian MNCs, is not common abroad. The following article explains it well.

http://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/LettersfromLondon/entry/dunk-bite-choke-aka-acquisition

Another aspect of our life , which is somewhat ignored is that in our quest for good education and life, we miss out on teaching our children is how any household is or should be run. We need to look around us carefully to observe this. Are five or six year old kids able to eat independently without any external assistance or are they to be spoon fed in a literal sense? If they are bit more grown up, would they be able to make their own coffee or tea or would be helpless in the kitchen if parents or grandparents aren’t around? Do they require someone to pick up after them or do they clean up their belongings by themselves?

What annoys and angers me is that at public function many children and young teenagers/adults helplessly waddling over the food in front of them, not knowing how to consume it and then waste most of it. This is unlike the accepted concept abroad, where etiquette demands that we do not waste food whether at our own house or as guests.

Do our children know anything beyond studying for passing examinations and getting well paying jobs? To put it differently, do we develop well rounded human beings who contribute (not in a monetary sense) at work place and home? I find this to be an increasingly disturbing question as what is a normal way of life of any Indian family has no clear answers.

Yesterday, I saw two spectacled teenagers wearing half pants (shorts in today’s terminology), with overgrown curly hair, walking near the IIT Gate at Powai, Mumbai. I immediately concluded (perhaps wrongly) that they are IIT Students who are brilliant and hence they could wear half pants (which were earlier worn by male domestic servants in Mumbai ) and be a bit outlandish. Any way they mostly emigrate abroad and contribute elsewhere. So I should not worry about all that written earlier so far as such shining brilliance is concerned.

Do you agree with all of above (not just the previous para)? If you do, then you are very old. If you do not, then you are too young. If you agree somewhat, then you are an undecided Indian.
Do give your feedback.

THE SEVENTH SENSE

A Murugadoss is the latest claimant to being a creative movie king, straddling north and south India. His last offering “Ghajani” was immortalized (in movie lore) by Aamir Khan in Hindi and by Murugadoss in Tamil. His next offering “7aum Arivu” (Seventh Sense) was released yesterday (2011 Deepavali day).

In the list of duties of a caring husband , what comes somewhere at the top is to ambush the wife by booking tickets for a much awaited movie in advance and displaying them with flourish ( today it is the internet printout or the SMS Message to be displayed). Out of considerable experience (and a personal curiosity to see this movie as Ghajini had incredible stunts and I love stunt movies) I booked tickets in the nearby multiplex for a night show.

The movie stars Surya and Shruti Hasan- both children of established actors. The story starts 1600 years before with the hero being a master of martial arts, medicine, hypnotism who travels to China ( seems to be favourite destination in those days -probably Chinese visa was easier then) to teach these skills. In true filmi manner, he takes blessings of his family, rides off into the yonder alone on a striking horse. He travels thru rivers, valley, forests, deserts in the same horse. No servants or followers accompany him. He does incredible things – cures an infectious and fatal disease, throws out invaders with out of the world powers and is buried there. He is Bodhi Dharma- respected and venerated by Chinese. However, we Indians do not know these important aspects. The director shows some Indians (speaking Tamil) displaying ignorance of such glorious achievements of Bodhi Dharma, and some Chinese looking persons saying “yes- Kung Fu master”. I felt they were referring to some black belt film “Action Director” or “Stunt Master”. There are some startling references to Tamil being 20,000 (yes, twenty thousand years) old. The movie emphasizes the glorious achievements of “Tamils” in all these centuries which we, in ignorance, have not cared to know or understand.

I felt that the power to hypnotise still exists. Andimuthu Raja’s colleagues in Governments may , after seeing this movie (shown now with helpful English subtitles ) testify to Raja’s power in this field.

The villain is a Chinese Government Agent bent upon inflicting germ warfare on India and then giving cure for it after extracting some favours. The villain obviously has to look like a Chinese individual. However, for us any Mongoloid face would do. So a Thai artiste with knowledge of martial arts steps in. He has great powers in hypnotism. So he lands in India and does strange things. He injects a stray dog with some disease and wanders around trying to kill the hero ( at present he is a circus artiste) and heroine ( a genetic engineering scientist). In the middle of all this , the hero and heroine break out into modern songs in exotic foreign locales at pre-determined intervals ( villain is about to kill these two chaps, but then they have to sing a song before we come to know what would happen next).

Murugadoss, the director, is an ordinary looking individual of less than average height and slim body. No one would associate him with movies containing graphic violence and blood shed ( we imagine directors to be tall, well built with a dash and flamboyance). He overcomes this disadvantage by bringing gratuitous violence into the story. Any body who has seen Ghajani in Tamil would testify that it was incredibly violent with heavy impact on the viewer’s senses.

7 Aum Arivu does not fall behind. Blood spurts out of forehead, neck, cars and vans fly across roads towards the hero and slim heroine (due to their drivers being hypnotized by the evil Chinese villain) , who naturally escape. Policemen shoot each other on the instigation of this same evil villain who smiles with satisfaction ( what you would feel if you eat a great quality Pani Puri or Pav Bhaji). A great many people die before the hero defeats this villain is a fight to finish (finish the viewer’s senses – what is left of them). The film ends with a lecture by the circus artiste hero (who is a lineal descendant of Bodhi Dharma) espousing the wealth of knowledge which was in Tamil which has vanished in the mists of time.

The viewers were all emigrant Tamilians who were thirsting for a flavor of their mother tongue and the ethos and culture of their homeland. So to replicate that, there were whistles when the hero appeared on the scene, when the past glory of Tamil was explained by the heroine ( in very labored Tamil). The distinction between fiction and fact , the character in the movie and the actor playing that role seemed to be blurred for the viewers. There seems to be desperate need to hero-worship an individual (film stars like MGR, Rajanikant, Vijay etc.) , Tamil (as a language, culture, background ) to the exclusion of the larger context of our existence. There is a lot that could be written on this aspect. The comments of the worshippers of these stars found in various websites make sad reading and shows the ugly side of the hero-worship.

Suffice it to say that there are thin layers between pride, arrogance and chauvinism. Also, the larger and closer context in which we live as Indians first and then in various sub-categories should be constantly considered.

Movie started late and hence ended late. The only family member (we were four of us watching the movie) looking refreshed after the movie was the one who had slept thru it with legs comfortably folded on the seats.

I wondered what the title meant. My son told me , it meant that the sixth sense is intuition and the seventh is DNA related (as the hero as the same DNA as Bodhi Dharma. Perhaps he is right.

If Tamil is 20,000 years old, I am sure Tamilians were all living in Thanjavur, Trichy, Tirunelveli or Kanchipuram then onwards. My ancestors too should have been around (they are a sturdy lot and “survivor” type). If only they had left their wealth of knowledge for all of us (as explained to us in the movie), then I would not have to struggle like this to earn a living. All this left over/spillover knowledge would have helped me to lead a good life, the way the hero Surya is shown ( he does not go back to being a circus artiste) in the movie.

Sigh.. if only reality aped movies….

SILK SARIS AND SHAMMI KAPOOR

Silk Saris and Shammi Kapoor

What is the right way to buy a silk sari (Kanchipuram variety)?

The least knowledgeable person (i.e. one who has the credit card) accompanies several excited women to a traditional shop where you squat uncomfortably on the mat laid on the ground in a small single gala shop. The salespersons are very patient (by dint of long experience of trying to sell to undecided and vacillating women) and strews expensive silk saris all over the mat in your front. After overcoming initial confusion (“I had this blue silk sari for my marriage – 18 years ago, I can’t repeat it”), women zero in on a few. This is where the stronger but patient and gentler sex steps in resolutely. (You would be staring helplessly at several confused women looking at similar looking saris for ages). The more intelligent and experienced ones look at a few of the selected ones with a critical look and suggest discarding a few of them. Then the remaining should be lovingly handled and with a far off look (the woman should imagine that the spouse is remembering when he first saw her as a maiden stepping into womanhood) order the woman to drape the sari and look at the mirror.

The trick is for the man also to look at the mirror along with the woman. This exercise is to be repeated with a few of the selections and after a secret look at the price, identify one sari in which you tell (in a whisper to her ear) that she would look gorgeous. Women have strong instinct and would look at you with doubtful eyes (wondering whether you know the difference between Rusk color and jamun color), but you should be able to convince her to select the one which you feel is the least damaging to your purse and to the woman’s appearance. Perhaps, you may by experience select the right one (saree I mean, as a man’s ability to select the right woman is at a huge discount).

I did all this couple of weeks back. The shopkeeper helpfully told us that he would complete the “falls and beeding” ( if you don’t know this is, then you are not married and should remain so) and we could collect it few days later. When we went to the shop, the sari was misplaced and we were perforce compelled to repeat the routine mentioned earlier. Both of us exclaimed that we had a better choice this time.

The shop is in Matunga (in Mumbai). It is where all emigrant Southies landed in last century. So it is still full of Udipi restaurants and lots of Gujaratis who love south Indian food. We had a choice of restaurants to go. Padma and I decided on Rama Nayak’s hotel near Aurora cinema, which serves only Idlis –yes only Idlis and coffee. It has over 20 varieties of Idli with their characteristics explained in the menu (unlike Thai or continental food where you wonder what ingredients it consists of). Rama Nayak started Udipi Hotels in Mumbai in 1920s and is quite well known in Mumbai. The Idlis we had were quite good and we were pleasantly surprised that a small hotel with 6 tables to serve only 24 seats and standing space for another ten persons could survive for many decades.

We then went to Shanmukhananda Auditorium where a Shammi Kapoor songs orchestra was scheduled. I had booked tickets in advance and dragged Padma with me. The Auditorium is the biggest in Mumbai with a capacity of around 3000 seats in ground, first and second floor. The program started in time to a sparsely occupied auditorium which filled up within the next 45 minutes. I looked around to gauge the response. Most were in beyond 40s (some came with walking sticks and some with their children holding their hands) and were nodding their heads enthusiastically and clapping in a disciplined manner. Anil Bajpai – one of the troupe- sings very well and is known for singing Mohd Rafi songs.

All of us had heard these songs several hundred times in the last few decades. But hearing them live weaves a magic. The tune whispers thru the music broad gauge of our brain and travels swiftly to the heart. Many older men and women (age being a comparative measure) lip sync the songs continually, and some portions of the songs evoke spontaneous applause. The long opening music of “aaja aaja” in Teesri Manzil is an eternal favorite. The drum beat is fascinating and coupled with guitar it simply creates an out of the world feeling. I have many times wondered how one or few human beings can create great music (whatever be the language or genre- film, classical, rock, blues etc.) through their imagination which etches a lasting impression in our souls.

The greatest reward that the world bestows is on new creations arising out of human intellect- painting, music, sculpture are some examples. The intrinsic value of the painting-canvas, paint, frame etc. may not be much. The value that the human imagination and intellect adds to it is hard to estimate at the time of creation or even many decades or centuries later. What today’s generation would more easily relate to in this category is Apple products –I Pad, IPod and so on.

The orchestra was not great, the singers other than Bajpai were competent but not of first grade. Totally thirty songs were sung. The mike broke down twice surprisingly. Padma and I felt that Golden Greats (run by another professional) is a better one. But some of the songs captured the original spirit very well. Shammi Kapoor was known for his efforts in injecting good music in his movies. Hard work always pays. Even after four or five decades, we find that the songs are sung by young persons who were not born when these songs were first heard by my generation. There must be something which touched these young individuals heartstrings when they first heard these songs. While such kind of singing has a huge commercial element to it, good music has a purity which the brain can recognize and the heart can admire at all times.

We had reached Matunga by local train. Train takes around 35 to 40 minutes from where we stay. Car travel can take at least an hour if not more, plus huge hassles for parking. The first class compartment was empty while going at 5 .00 p.m. Walking thru Matunga is a pleasure as there are lots of old memories which get refreshed. It is a lively place. Many old buildings are reconstructed now, however with little parking facility. It now has a dominant Gujarati community , with southies moving to inner suburbs in the last five decades.

While returning also we caught the local train. It was crowded and we had to skip one train. The next one had standing space for me. Padma travelled in the ladies compartment. Two young men were watching an English movie with subtitles and earphone in a lap top. I too watched it for some time. The hero seemed to have extraordinary powers which he later said emanated from his shoes. I then resumed reading my novel.

We got down and reached home within an hour or so of leaving the auditorium. It was a good evening, well spent. Good Silk Saree and Shammi Kapoor.

DISCOURSES AND THEIR IMPACT

Swami Udit Chaitanya is a persuasive and eloquent speaker. I and my family are hearing his discourses for the last few years. His philosophy is seemingly simple. God resides within us. We should seek him within ourselves so as to enhance or elevate our mind and thinking. Seeking God’s help to solve personal issues is futile. (Lord Rama and Lord Krishna had enough problems of their own during their sojourn in the earth. If they could not solve their own problems, how would they solve ours? ). The emphasis is no increasing mental strength to face the tsunamis during our existence.

I find this a frightening idea. I have survived so far by believing that my frequent visits to temples (near and far) and prayers turned the tide during difficult times. Now I am being convinced that God is a silent and perhaps inactive spectator to our vicissitudes. The corollary to this approach would be that while I could continue to make more PPTs to God in Sanskrit, matters would take their own course- with little or no inputs from God.

Actually the prayers recited in Sanskrit slokas sound impressive, but if recited in English or any other language the results would be less impressive. An English translation of one Para of Purushasuktha is given below.

Om= Name of God = World. Experienced as a+u+m.
Experience of waking state is “a’, dream is “u”,
sleep/death is “m”

Sahasra seershaa purushah=God has 1000 (a very large number) of heads.
Because all heads belong to the world=God

Sahasrakshah sahasra path =1000 eyes, 1000 feet. All eyes, feet belong to
God=world

Sa bhoomim viswato vritvaa=Covers the earth from all sides as sky/space

Atyatishtat dasaangulam=Yet he exceeds by 10 digits the whole world.
(exceeds finite space and time)

The real purpose is to understand and digest these prayers and not recite them unknowingly expecting some divine benediction.

While the above approach appeals to logic, the fact still remains that chanting sukthams and similar Sanskrit prayers, especially by a large and coordinated group, arrests our attention- physical and mental. Anyone who has learnt these chants (whatever is the age) starts repeating it mentally. The fact that some of these represent the earliest human record of prayers which were given from generation to generation orally is a testimony of their value and strength. (In today’s parlance – sustainability or Sustainable Development).

Progression in chronological age brings in external changes. But the mind can still retain its youth and strength. (not my original idea, but borrowed from Swamiji). Good example is Narayana Murthy. No one would call him an old fogey or one having out dated ideas. His achievement is to create a sustainable organization which has a huge ripple effect. Another example is Late H T Parekh. After retirement from ICICI , he created HDFC in 1977, at a time when Housing Finance was unknown. I know it because, I was newly married and was looking for my own house in early 80s. So age has nothing to do with freshness of approach or thinking by an individual.

What next? Is a question which gnaws at the back of my mind. If we are fully responsible for our actions and their results, then the sense of responsibility increases significantly (somewhat like boss telling a subordinate that you are on your own on this project, I have nothing to do with it). I wonder what the goal that I desire to achieve is and whether the efforts to reach it are worth it. It is nice to think that there is a fate (Lord Brahma or some other responsible God has a supercomputer which ordains what would happen to me and I could ascribe all actions and results to it) and my life moves according to it. Some paths are one way , some no entry and some you have to definitely pass thru .
Several years back, I used to visit electronic shops to look at latest TVs and Home Theatre systems and ask their prices. After some such visits, my wife refused to accompany me inside the shops for such visits. After I purchased the TVs and Home Theatre systems I desired, I would still look at those shops with longing- that is longing for something to look forward to.

Life is somewhat like that. There should always be something to look forward to. There is a tomorrow which will make a difference to my life and to others. Once that tomorrow holds only bleakness and lots of empty place, then the next cycle should start.

How would that start? According to Swamiji (the one referred to above) the life inside us represents some form of energy which is on continuous journey- thru human bodies. Once this journey ends (trains reaches VT station or Madras Central then the engine is separated from bogies), then another begins.
I find this appealing as under any circumstances, there is something to look forward to.

Do you agree?

RANDOM MUSINGS

What is the reason for child marriage? It seems post puberty marriage requires atonement by donating one cow for each monthly cycle a woman passes through till marriage . This looks like an after thought/personal belief of some old man who knew Sanskrit and had the ability to introduce it in a convincing portion of some ancient manuscript. If this were to be implemented today, then we would have to look at donating an Aarey Milk Colony (Government of Maharashtra’s diary) or Mahanand ( a cooperative diary) on a regular basis.

This seems too much. No one needs this many cows. So we would use the modern alternative to Go Daan (donation of cow). Get a UP chap living in the vicinity to bring his cow, hold the tail of the cow and stroke it three times and then give a coconut along with betel leaf and supari to the UP chap along with some money. Since a diary has to be given, get three cows and multiply the money in an equivalent manner.

K hails from Tamil Nadu and has maintained his roots in spite of working all over India . He can add mirch masala to any event and describe it in a witty and arresting manner. He was describing how in olden times the “fitness” of the bride and groom for any marriage is ascertained. Most inhabitants of villages use the nearby river or tank for taking bath. The groom undergoes a close, but discreet visual inspection (especially during Aviniavittam- annual festival relating to our Poonal- sacred thread) to ensure that he meets with the essential “requirements” of a martial contract.

The bride inspection is a more tricky affair. They have no Avini Avittam (women do not wear sacred thread) and any way river/tank inspection by outsiders may not be feasible or practical. So at the time of marriage, the groom’s sister has been given the responsibility to assist in wearing the formal sari. This is an occasion for inspection and ‘quality check”. The sister comes out and gives a discreet approval to whom – that I do not know. I cannot imagine that any groom will hover in tension at that juncture for any high sign from sister. Perhaps, the groom in those times has to follow the orders. The high sign could be to parents or some busy body who had undergone such an experience.

This seems to be an earthy and robust way of ascertaining fitness of persons who have little or no idea about each other. If it is extended to today, it would be extension of pulling the hair experience which I had described in another blog.

Religion along with education is big business today. Some of them are quite good at what they aim and achieve. One of them is Swami Udit Chaitanya. He propounds an interesting concept. It runs somewhat like this. God is within each human being. The soul residing within each body is what distinguishes a live person and a corpse. It should be our endeavour to enhance the soul’s quality in all ways (Ambassador car to at least Benz if not Porsche or Bently). The words he uses is elevate the mind to a higher plane where the earthly concerns do not sway the mind ( children’s education, annual bonus, birthday present for spouse, boss’s goodwill or lack of it) . We should slowly insulate our mind from these concerns and focus on the divinity residing within us.

The more interesting concept he propounds is that God is not going assist in solving the problem you lay before Him. If you are made to stand in one place (in lieu of God) for three hours and listen to all the problems of the earthly beings passing in front of you, at some stage you would give up if you have to retain sanity. (Doctors are taught not to get emotionally involved with the sufferings of their patients). Similarly God would not ensure that your child would pass IIT entrance and get admission. The child has to strive for it. Your prayers would assist you in becoming a better human being so as to assist the child in reaching this goal.

I find this a frightening concept as it seems to indicate that I am responsible for solving my problems and God (like the Chairman of the Company I serve) can only smile at you from a distance and wave hand (if He feels like it). Why do thousands of devotees stand in line at Siddhi Vinayak Temple (a very popular temple in Mumbai and a must for each tourist) each Tuesday, if similar results can be achieved during a less crowded day? I remember my brother dragging me to this temple on Tuesdays when we were kids and the temple was much smaller and far less crowded. He used to make me remove the foot wear and keep it at a distance from the temple and stand on hot floor in the afternoon. I used to chide him that we won’t get more punya for getting our soles burnt. Perhaps I was tuned to right philosophy from my child hood.
I end this blog with a joke I read and enjoyed.
Funniest Divorce Letter ever
Dear Wife:

I’m writing you this letter to tell you that I’m leaving you forever. I’ve been a good man to you for seven years and I have nothing to show for it. These last two weeks have been hell. Your boss called to tell me that you quit your job today and that was the last straw. Last week, you came home and didn’t even notice that I had a new haircut,had cooked your favorite meal and even wore a brand new pair of silk boxers. You ate in two minutes, and went straight to sleep after watching all of your soaps. You don’t tell me you love me anymore; you don’t want anything that connects us as husband and wife.

Either you’re cheating on me or you don’t love me anymore; whatever the case, I’m gone.

Your EX-Husband

P.S. Don’t try to find me. Your SISTER and I are moving away to Assam together! Have a great life!

Dear Ex-Husband,

Nothing has made my day more than receiving your letter.

It’s true that you and I have been married for seven years, although a good man is a far cry from what you’ve been. I watch my soaps so much because they drown out your constant whining and griping. Too bad that doesn’t work.

I DID notice when you got a hair cut last week, but the first thing that came to mind was ‘You look just like a girl!’ Since my mother raised me not to say anything if you can’t say something nice, I didn’t comment. And when you cooked my favorite meal, you must have gotten me confused with MY SISTER, because I stopped eating pork seven years ago. About those new silk boxers: I turned away from you because the $49.99 price tag was still on them, and I prayed that it was a coincidence that my sister had just borrowed fifty dollars from me that morning.

After all of this, I still loved you and felt that we could work it out. So when I hit the lotto for ten million dollars, I quit my job and bought us two tickets to Jamaica. But then I got home you were gone. Everything happens for a reason, I guess. I hope you have the fulfilling life you always wanted.

My lawyer said that the letter you wrote ensures you won’t get a dime from me.

So take care.
Signed,
Your Ex-Wife,
Rich As Hell and Free!
P.S. I don’t know if I ever told you this, but my sister Carla was born Carl. I hope that’s not a problem.

RANDOM MUSINGS

What is the reason for child marriage? It seems post puberty marriage requires atonement by donating one cow for each monthly cycle a woman passes through till marriage . This looks like an after thought/personal belief of some old man who knew Sanskrit and had the ability to introduce it in a convincing portion of some ancient manuscript. If this were to be implemented today, then we would have to look at donating an Aarey Milk Colony (Government of Maharashtra’s diary) or Mahanand ( a cooperative diary) on a regular basis.

This seems too much. No one needs this many cows. So we would use the modern alternative to Go Daan (donation of cow). Get a UP chap living in the vicinity to bring his cow, hold the tail of the cow and stroke it three times and then give a coconut along with betel leaf and supari to the UP chap along with some money. Since a diary has to be given, get three cows and multiply the money in an equivalent manner.

K hails from Tamil Nadu and has maintained his roots in spite of working all over India . He can add mirch masala to any event and describe it in a witty and arresting manner. He was describing how in olden times the “fitness” of the bride and groom for any marriage is ascertained. Most inhabitants of villages use the nearby river or tank for taking bath. The groom undergoes a close, but discreet visual inspection (especially during Aviniavittam- annual festival relating to our Poonal- sacred thread) to ensure that he meets with the essential “requirements” of a martial contract.

The bride inspection is a more tricky affair. They have no Avini Avittam (women do not wear sacred thread) and any way river/tank inspection by outsiders may not be feasible or practical. So at the time of marriage, the groom’s sister has been given the responsibility to assist in wearing the formal sari. This is an occasion for inspection and ‘quality check”. The sister comes out and gives a discreet approval to whom – that I do not know. I cannot imagine that any groom will hover in tension at that juncture for any high sign from sister. Perhaps, the groom in those times has to follow the orders. The high sign could be to parents or some busy body who had undergone such an experience.

This seems to be an earthy and robust way of ascertaining fitness of persons who have little or no idea about each other. If it is extended to today, it would be extension of pulling the hair experience which I had described in another blog.

Religion along with education is big business today. Some of them are quite good at what they aim and achieve. One of them is Swami Udit Chaitanya. He propounds an interesting concept. It runs somewhat like this. God is within each human being. The soul residing within each body is what distinguishes a live person and a corpse. It should be our endeavour to enhance the soul’s quality in all ways (Ambassador car to at least Benz if not Porsche or Bently). The words he uses is elevate the mind to a higher plane where the earthly concerns do not sway the mind ( children’s education, annual bonus, birthday present for spouse, boss’s goodwill or lack of it) . We should slowly insulate our mind from these concerns and focus on the divinity residing within us.

The more interesting concept he propounds is that God is not going assist in solving the problem you lay before Him. If you are made to stand in one place (in lieu of God) for three hours and listen to all the problems of the earthly beings passing in front of you, at some stage you would give up if you have to retain sanity. (Doctors are taught not to get emotionally involved with the sufferings of their patients). Similarly God would not ensure that your child would pass IIT entrance and get admission. The child has to strive for it. Your prayers would assist you in becoming a better human being so as to assist the child in reaching this goal.

I find this a frightening concept as it seems to indicate that I am responsible for solving my problems and God (like the Chairman of the Company I serve) can only smile at you from a distance and wave hand (if He feels like it). Why do thousands of devotees stand in line at Siddhi Vinayak Temple (a very popular temple in Mumbai and a must for each tourist) each Tuesday, if similar results can be achieved during a less crowded day? I remember my brother dragging me to this temple on Tuesdays when we were kids and the temple was much smaller and far less crowded. He used to make me remove the foot wear and keep it at a distance from the temple and stand on hot floor in the afternoon. I used to chide him that we won’t get more punya for getting our soles burnt. Perhaps I was tuned to right philosophy from my child hood.
I end this blog with a joke I read and enjoyed.
Funniest Divorce Letter ever
Dear Wife:

I’m writing you this letter to tell you that I’m leaving you forever. I’ve been a good man to you for seven years and I have nothing to show for it. These last two weeks have been hell. Your boss called to tell me that you quit your job today and that was the last straw. Last week, you came home and didn’t even notice that I had a new haircut,had cooked your favorite meal and even wore a brand new pair of silk boxers. You ate in two minutes, and went straight to sleep after watching all of your soaps. You don’t tell me you love me anymore; you don’t want anything that connects us as husband and wife.

Either you’re cheating on me or you don’t love me anymore; whatever the case, I’m gone.

Your EX-Husband

P.S. Don’t try to find me. Your SISTER and I are moving away to Assam together! Have a great life!

Dear Ex-Husband,

Nothing has made my day more than receiving your letter.

It’s true that you and I have been married for seven years, although a good man is a far cry from what you’ve been. I watch my soaps so much because they drown out your constant whining and griping. Too bad that doesn’t work.

I DID notice when you got a hair cut last week, but the first thing that came to mind was ‘You look just like a girl!’ Since my mother raised me not to say anything if you can’t say something nice, I didn’t comment. And when you cooked my favorite meal, you must have gotten me confused with MY SISTER, because I stopped eating pork seven years ago. About those new silk boxers: I turned away from you because the $49.99 price tag was still on them, and I prayed that it was a coincidence that my sister had just borrowed fifty dollars from me that morning.

After all of this, I still loved you and felt that we could work it out. So when I hit the lotto for ten million dollars, I quit my job and bought us two tickets to Jamaica. But then I got home you were gone. Everything happens for a reason, I guess. I hope you have the fulfilling life you always wanted.

My lawyer said that the letter you wrote ensures you won’t get a dime from me.

So take care.
Signed,
Your Ex-Wife,
Rich As Hell and Free!
P.S. I don’t know if I ever told you this, but my sister Carla was born Carl. I hope that’s not a problem.

2010- The year thereafter.

If I ask your impressions of 2005 or 2007 you will recall one or two major changes which occurred in your life in that year. It is as though the rest of the year has passed by in a blur. Is our life is so uneventful that it is difficult to highlight few instances of rejoicing and disappointments? Well, my belief is that human brain has its own “Record Retention Policy” which transfers most items to trash for deletion after 30 days.

What happened this year to my life? Well, Priya walked into our life thru an innocuous e mail in the middle of March 2010. Her father sent her horoscope for matching with that of my son Anand. God has His own version of Marriage Game where He decides on which horoscopes would match with each other. One Saturday evening Anand went and met Priya at a Coffee Shop and spent three hours together. The modern day Coffee Shop owners run their shops by remote control. So the owners did not observe that in three hours only two coffees were drunk in those three hours. They got engaged in August and the marriage took place on Nov. 8th.

Priya is the latest addition to our growing family, the last entrant being Shivam (who came into this world and our family over three years back at night 1.30 with a happy smile and a promise of many mischief –planned and unplanned). Priya has an easy smile, ablity to engage any one in conversation and to hold on her own in any company or crowd. She does not let on that she has left whatever she is familiar with during the last quarter century of existence in this world and bravely walked into a new environment. I look back to what my daughter went thru few years back when she got married and shifted over 1500 kms away and understand the effort and courage required to begin this new phase of life. How does one say welcome to such a new member of the family? We say it with our hearts and gestures which remain indelible for all of us.

Shivam started formal schooling from June 2010. It is a surprise to us that he remains stationary at one place for any length of time His teacher said he exasperated them in the early days, but now he is a leading student in that class. He is 3 years old. The schooling is not of a formal sense of reading and writing. It is from 9 to 3.30 and keeps them engaged by all sorts of interesting activity- singing, dancing, drawing, rhymes, storytelling, and group interaction. I believe that the group dynamics arising out of 20 or 30 children of same age playing together helps in their emotional and intellectual growth. I wish I could be a fly on the wall observing what he does for six hours away from the family. Devi and Kannan have put in practice what is the known wisdom for bringing up children. It is reflected in what my nephew Anand described fearless nature in Shivam.

Anand – my son- and I had changed our jobs within a month of each other. Along with the job, he had changed the profile radically. He was starting afresh in a line for which he had great qualifications and no experience. I joined a large company forming part of a very larger group.

I would leave Anand to tell his own story when he can and wants to. He went thru a painful transition and process of self realization. He rarely let thru his pain come through the firewalls he had built around him. Whenever little he displayed made me feel helpless. As a professional, I realized that this is part of growing up process. As a father, I felt helpless and wished he were a small kid whom I could alleviate the pain in some way. The tide turned and now he has role which could exploit his skills suitably.

My experience reminded me of a familiar joke. Referring to a difficult experience, one person tells another, the first six months are difficult. Then what happens asks the other person. The reply is that thereafter you get used to it. Having switched jobs several times in my thirty five year working life, there are few illusions left about human beings or organizations. Jobs are like arranged marriages. Go with little expectations, you won’t be disappointed. But then, human beings have infinite capacity to surprise and continue to do so. As the Chinese curse goes “May you live in interesting times” seems to be appropriate.

Indians have converted marriage arrangements into a complex process which makes even arranging a Manipuri dance of a herd of elephants look simple. There are lots of steps – each of which can be minor or major- depending upon view point of the individual. The bride and groom are expected to stare at each other with moony looks or giggle or laugh sitting in a corner while elders negotiate various issues – the way US Government would have negotiated Obama’s India visit. Women love all this while men wonder helplessly whether their job is only to open the purse strings.

Marriage deserves a separate blog. Anand being the tallest and 29 year old last baby of the family of my brother and I, his marriage was eagerly looked forward. The marriages of his brother and two sisters had taken place during the preceding eight years. So the entire elephant dance (each being a different variation) was not unknown. Hence the enjoyment was with knowledge and expectation. The marriage was a huge affair with large attendance, good fun and lasting memories.
The year end brings with it several birthdays and, marriage anniversaries. Birthdays are reminders of the life lived so far and as we grow older a gentle reminder that if there is a beginning, then there is finish line also. For employed persons like me, another not so gentle reminder is the swiftly approaching retirement age, when our earning capacity drops like a cow which ceases to produce milk.

I wonder what would I do post retirement? My ego tells me that my infinite experience and wisdom would have great or at least some value. My brain sardonically says that I should seriously look at learning Upanishads, religious books and concentrate on elevating my mind to higher plane. I wonder, whether I could tell my boss that the mistakes (“big goof up” as he not so kindly put it) I am responsible for are due to my efforts in elevating my mind rather than focus on such prosaic things. Being a much younger individual, he may pull out my personal file and make unsuitable comments. So I am refraining from even thinking in this direction during office hours.

I took lot of photos of flowers growing in our terrace. I know they are impressive (as they have to be). My son suggests that I put it on my face book site for display to a wider audience. I will do it one of these days.

Padma and I have entered into our 33rd year of married bliss. We started our life together when the world had recognized our adult status only from a physical sense (I had mustache). We had not even smiled at each other (forget about mooning or giggling) or conversed. We held hands for the first time, when the priest ordered us to do so. (hold it gently was the admonition and not let all the yearning for a female company go into the gesture), talked for the first time in tonga going to the Kasi Vishwanatha Temple, Benares (where we got married), held each other in our arms on the Shanti Muhurtam occasion (first night for ignorant ) and in these three decades tried to retain romance despite many odds.

During visits to several houses for marriage invitation, what was striking was the love that I witnessed between couples well into their 70s and 80s. Marriage of half a decade or thereabouts had not dulled the relationship. One of them held hands and when they sat together their love and mutual dependence was very evident. None of them had easy lives. Love has nothing to do with youth or age. It is a state of mind for individuals who matter a lot of to you.

What does the rest of the year and 2011 hold for us? God may be busy drawing up the list for next year for all of us (this year’s was drawn and issued in unreadable ink on Dec. 31, 2009).

What do I want for 2011? Well just survive and withstand what is in store for us- both the best and not so best and good. Learn new things and thoughts which have evaded us so long. Elevate the mind as Swami Udit Chaitanya reminds us tirelessly in Asianet and Surya TV every morning. Read new books which leave a lasting impression. Watch some of the DVDs we have purchased.

When we would learn to enjoy small pleasures of life? A beautiful sunrise, a flower in full bloom, a child joyously exploring the world for the first time, an interesting story well told, a beautifully written autobiography, a well made movie, or reading a book like Gone with the Wind or The Bourne Identity for the first time. I plan to do all this in the coming year and the years thereafter.

EDUCATION AND INSTITUTION

Education and Institution
Forty seven white and grey haired folks walked into the seventh standard class room at 11 a.m and sat in free seating format. Three of them sat in the podium. One of them started reading about last year’s similar event. The audience sat in attention listening to the recital.

What were forty seven old men doing in a seventh standard class room? Well, it was a Sunday morning and all these persons were members of the organization running the School and it was the Annual General Meeting. The meeting started, as said above, with reading out last year’s minutes. Why anyone should be interested in what happened a year back? Beats me. We Indians love our past (rich heritage, glory, culture & so on) more than the present or future. So we should read last year’s minutes religiously at all such meetings.

The School is several decades and was started by persons from our community- first generation emigrants to Mumbai from Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The Institution expanded to cater to the various cultural needs of our community across all age groups- oral and instrumental music, dance, and religious classes for older generation. The infrastructure was and is put to use during the maximum portion of the day including holidays. It is an impressive use of available infrastructure with typical middle class thrift.

The President took the audience through the year’s achievements which were several. All the senior and senior looking citizens dutifully clapped. He explained the difficulty in getting good teachers. He pointed out with heartfelt feeling about the lack of student applications from our community. He exhorted the members to increase the percentage of participation from our community. In many ways, this represents the mobility of our community as immigrants in this beautiful city. More of this later.

I believe that the mike kept near the elevated stage fascinates certain types of human beings. An ordinary human being becomes a tiger. One gentleman derived great pleasure pointing out his right to speak on each of the Report – and then spoke on most of them. Some of them were trivial and others of some importance. Most speakers reveled in exhibiting their knowledge of accounts or past affiliation to the Institution. Human attention span is short and flits from one place to another like butter fly. I felt it would be better to focus on few vital points rather than go all over the place

Two points were quite interesting. First is about participation from our community which has declined over the years. The waves of emigration to metros started in 1930s- during the recession. There was no looking back thereafter. The first generation emigrants (like my father) held close to their background, culture and environment and tried to re-create it around their life. Also economically, they were just surviving. This institution met the needs of this class.

The next generation grew up trying to understand a cultural ethos which they were experiencing more by parental example rather than thru the society in they lived. So the outlook broadened and aspirations started getting modified. Convent schools represented a cosmopolitan, English speaking milieu and became more attractive. Today, schools have become big business. Government grants are passé. There are enough parents to shell out a few lakhs per annum as school fees. The emigration wave from our community has ceased long back. South India is equally or even more attractive destination for life or work or both. So who would go to an aided school? This is something today’s parents have to answer.

My two children studied in this Institution.

The second interesting issue is teachers. The Government requirement is quixotic. The first three years remuneration for teachers is fixed at Rs. 3000. Thereafter they are fixed in a grade which is attractive. The Rs. 3,000 limit continues till the teacher attains an experience of twelve years. Then lateral induction would ensure seniority. Another aspect I learnt was that earlier seniority was subjected wise, now it is related to date of joining. This creates heart burn and litigation. I asked the President why not move away from the aid and seek market linked fees and get the best teachers. He replied, surprisingly, that – yes, that is possible. The primary school fees – which is unregulated- is market linked and is increased by ten percent each year.

Education – especially school education- is big business. The notion that education is a gift from God and teachers should have that view is quite antiquated. Teachers live in the same society as ourselves and have the same aspirations for themselves and their family. It is ridiculous to expect that we would have an LCD TV and that a school teacher would buy a second hand 29” flat TV at lower price or retain an old black and white mobile phone for at least six years. We have to pay for good education. Otherwise, we pay for tuition, guide books (Navneet Guides are still around; they have a huge printing press in Gujarat). So the total cost of good education attains a certain level.

Next, subsidies have to be targeted. My son paid fees of Rs. 10 for tenth standard and my daughter paid nothing as girls do not have to pay fees. I did not need this subsidy.

Market linked education fees has its drawbacks as is witnessed by the increasing parental resistance in Mumbai for fee hikes by some schools. This has resulted in some Governmental/ judicial intervention.

Another aspect is equating a same or similar kind of education based on different levels of numerical and literary skills and little else. A vast and diverse country like India needs a proper amalgam of basic formal education beyond which a person can chose between further formal education (which is expensive in real terms) and a trade or vocation based education. There is need for both sets of persons. I do not understand the logic of every one having to choose between science, commerce or arts (in that order). The good news is that a newer pattern where vocational/ trade education is becoming relevant is emerging.

Going back to the basic point, one question I ask many parents is that whether they would like their children to aspire to be a school teacher? No one has said yes to me.

What about the IIT Professors. Do they draw more that what their students get as their starting pay? Don’t we all see this contradiction? IIT is now falling short of faculty. It goes back to the basic point that we have to pay (or someone has to pay) to get a good quality education.

IIMS, Harvard and Stanford attract the best of talents. IIM gets 1.60 lacs or more application for around 2600 seats from within India and Harvard/Stanford attracts six to eight applications per seat (as compared to several thousand per seat for IIM) from all over the world. The latter charge a fortune to complete a two year MBA (over Rs. One crore at least), the former – few lakhs. Whey IIMs wanted to raise it by some decent percentage; several players jumped into the fray and torpedoed the idea. Net result, there are only few IIMs and IITs and thousands of applications per seats. It goes back to the basic issue of any worthwhile endeavor has to be self sustaining. Charity and subsidy can go only this far and no further.
Does this mean that only the rich can afford good education? Certainly not. Instead of subsidizing all the 3000 or so IIM students, only those who need support need to be subsidized. The same amount of funds can go much farther. One example of wrong kind of subsidy which is visible to us (but ignored) on a daily basis is diesel price. The cost of diesel which is charged for a BMW or Audi or Bentley is same as that paid by a poor farmer. The popularity of diesel vehicles in India is due to this wrongly targeted subsidy.

The biggest irony I found in the whole exercise was that a school with 3500 students (up to 12th standard) was run by mostly retired persons who were dedicated to the institution. The Committee members and students represented two opposite ends of the spectrum of life with the oldest persons running an Institution for the society’s youngest members. It is a tribute to the Indian society that mostly unknown and very ordinary persons create, nurture and sustain the most important institution of a society- a school. This is true not only of this Institution, but many others spread across the country.
Any views?

Anjeneyan