The Copenhagen summit and the Himalayan glaciers melting only highlight the apprehension, global leaders are living with.
The earthquake at Haiti or the Tsunami, are apparent results of deforestation and global warming. Rise of concrete jungles, increasing carbon emissions, misuse of waste all, well contributing to the screw ups.
Millions are spent on election campaigns and another few on self promotion through posters and hoardings. And on speeches and promises that only last till the voting day.
Tigers soon will be extinct and so will be mankind. We need to act promptly. It’s time to come together for a cause to save you and I. Begin in a small way; begin tree plantations with your family, colleagues and friends.
Tree plantations, if an organizational effort; will go a long way. Let us not depend on our politicians, let’s contribute for our well being, it’s an investment with a guaranteed ROI.
Promote reforestation and Aforestation by gifting saplings on birthdays, anniversaries, housewarming’s etc. Your organizations Reward & recognition program could well be used for the right cause. If possible use renewable energy and use re-cycled papers, pens, pencil etc.
Carry your cloth bag for grocery and avoid plastic. Please dump the chocolate wrappers and tissues in a bin and not on the road.
Treat the city and country as your home.
If you could forward this to your HR teams to organize a reforestation/afforestation drive; it would be a great beginning for your tomorrow.
Folks! Tree plantation is just one of the many things you could possibly do to help our planet.
Enjoy your efforts in making this world green, enjoy life!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Spiritually Yours!
In this world of drudgery, the perpetual hunt for desires and wants, the world with its secretive demarcation of classes, the race for strength and nuclear equipped nations, where money and status become the ultimate dream and the myth of social acceptance is born, we tend to forget our own selves.
We forget, life is a journey and miss the beauty that it has to offer. We fail to see opportunities that life gives us every moment.
I spent some haunting time with hospitalisation in 2008, recuperating from Takayasu disease. My hospitalisation and the never heard of disease had everyone including friends in a tizzy. Doctors, prayers, gods..well all connections were being made to ensure my speedy recovery. One such high connection was made by my wife’s maternal aunt (Mrs. Sushila Bala) – If I get out of the hospital and recover to be fit and fine again, I would visit Sabarimala the abode of Lord Aiyappa and to turn this to reality my wife’s maternal uncle (Mr. Sukumar Nair), a regular visitor to this shrine offered me to join him on his next visit. Now, all these were moving at Mach 4 or may be faster.
The pilgrimage to Sabarimala is generally undertaken in a group, headed by a “Guruswamy” and ours was headed by Mr. Suresh Gupta – a blessed individual with 25 years, perhaps more enlightening journeys to Sabarimala.
To seek the blessings of the Lord, one needs to undergo 42 days of austerity – (Well I do not intend to sound like a congress man), includes abstaining from intoxicating substances, sex, meat, social gatherings to even eating onions. Your day starts with chanting the 108 names of Lord Aiyappa and ditto in the evening. Sundays were spent visiting temples. Ok! Now all these sound like a religious fanatic.
In fact, I started this blog to share information of the places I went en-route Sabarimala and the things that I did there. However, on second thoughts, I wish to share the learning, teaching and the experience received from the Guruswami and the millions of people.
Discipline and focus are two things that are so difficult to follow and keep vision on. In these 42 days,my biggest attainments were these two. It started of very casually with my early morning regime. I had no schedule time whatsoever and this trip first put punctuality into perspective and what that meant was having a schedule.
I was always someone with lot of ideas, alas, the symbolic bulb lit and fused in seconds. I began focusing on things that had relevance. If this happens, will this impact me anyway, if No, don’t bother, please leave that un-wanted luggage and move on. Someone told me, “If you need water to drink, don’t bother to select a good looking glass; the glass does not quench your thirst”.
Socio-economic status and the whims and fancies attached to it beat me. I always enjoyed going to the best of restaurants, wearing the best of brands and yes having the best of affordable cars. During these 42 days, consciousness dawned, I was engaged in none of the activities, “I enjoyed”, yet I am so fulfilled, happy and have the time of the world for my little daughter.
We tend to forget our dear ones in our selfish race to climb the corporate ladder or perhaps achieving our goals. Anger, frustration, quarrels and many more such things become a part of you. We leave behind so many of our loved ones in our journey to the top.
The sea of people in Sabarimala and the steep climb up was nothing less than being captivated in a drum with one small opening to breathe. Our group comprised of 14 swamis (that’s what every pilgrim is called – he is treated equivalent to the lord) of various age groups. My brother-in-law (Adithya Nair) and I were pretty quick and moved ahead, with the rest of the group trailing. We wanted to reach the top (The shrine is on top of seven mountains)and how could we, without the rest of the team members. They were slow and we understood and this time from their point of view. They were not as fast as us, because of their age, physique or health. The joy of ensuring, everyone was safe and able to take the next step does not fade away even today.
This has been a life changing moment for me. It gives me immense pleasure today when I connect back to so many of my childhood friends, relatives and for that matter my family as well. This phase of the journey has educated me to spare a moment to think from others points of view and most of the ills like Anger, frustration and so on, do not exist.
My focus was to see the lord and during the process, even with hardships, I enjoyed the teachings and the very meaning of Life.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank every person associated with this yatra, my parents, in-laws, wife, kid and not to forget Sushila aunty and Suku Mama for the wonderful experience.
Apologise for not mentioning all the swamis who contributed to this experience, nevertheless, they are appreciated and cherished
We forget, life is a journey and miss the beauty that it has to offer. We fail to see opportunities that life gives us every moment.
I spent some haunting time with hospitalisation in 2008, recuperating from Takayasu disease. My hospitalisation and the never heard of disease had everyone including friends in a tizzy. Doctors, prayers, gods..well all connections were being made to ensure my speedy recovery. One such high connection was made by my wife’s maternal aunt (Mrs. Sushila Bala) – If I get out of the hospital and recover to be fit and fine again, I would visit Sabarimala the abode of Lord Aiyappa and to turn this to reality my wife’s maternal uncle (Mr. Sukumar Nair), a regular visitor to this shrine offered me to join him on his next visit. Now, all these were moving at Mach 4 or may be faster.
The pilgrimage to Sabarimala is generally undertaken in a group, headed by a “Guruswamy” and ours was headed by Mr. Suresh Gupta – a blessed individual with 25 years, perhaps more enlightening journeys to Sabarimala.
To seek the blessings of the Lord, one needs to undergo 42 days of austerity – (Well I do not intend to sound like a congress man), includes abstaining from intoxicating substances, sex, meat, social gatherings to even eating onions. Your day starts with chanting the 108 names of Lord Aiyappa and ditto in the evening. Sundays were spent visiting temples. Ok! Now all these sound like a religious fanatic.
In fact, I started this blog to share information of the places I went en-route Sabarimala and the things that I did there. However, on second thoughts, I wish to share the learning, teaching and the experience received from the Guruswami and the millions of people.
Discipline and focus are two things that are so difficult to follow and keep vision on. In these 42 days,my biggest attainments were these two. It started of very casually with my early morning regime. I had no schedule time whatsoever and this trip first put punctuality into perspective and what that meant was having a schedule.
I was always someone with lot of ideas, alas, the symbolic bulb lit and fused in seconds. I began focusing on things that had relevance. If this happens, will this impact me anyway, if No, don’t bother, please leave that un-wanted luggage and move on. Someone told me, “If you need water to drink, don’t bother to select a good looking glass; the glass does not quench your thirst”.
Socio-economic status and the whims and fancies attached to it beat me. I always enjoyed going to the best of restaurants, wearing the best of brands and yes having the best of affordable cars. During these 42 days, consciousness dawned, I was engaged in none of the activities, “I enjoyed”, yet I am so fulfilled, happy and have the time of the world for my little daughter.
We tend to forget our dear ones in our selfish race to climb the corporate ladder or perhaps achieving our goals. Anger, frustration, quarrels and many more such things become a part of you. We leave behind so many of our loved ones in our journey to the top.
The sea of people in Sabarimala and the steep climb up was nothing less than being captivated in a drum with one small opening to breathe. Our group comprised of 14 swamis (that’s what every pilgrim is called – he is treated equivalent to the lord) of various age groups. My brother-in-law (Adithya Nair) and I were pretty quick and moved ahead, with the rest of the group trailing. We wanted to reach the top (The shrine is on top of seven mountains)and how could we, without the rest of the team members. They were slow and we understood and this time from their point of view. They were not as fast as us, because of their age, physique or health. The joy of ensuring, everyone was safe and able to take the next step does not fade away even today.
This has been a life changing moment for me. It gives me immense pleasure today when I connect back to so many of my childhood friends, relatives and for that matter my family as well. This phase of the journey has educated me to spare a moment to think from others points of view and most of the ills like Anger, frustration and so on, do not exist.
My focus was to see the lord and during the process, even with hardships, I enjoyed the teachings and the very meaning of Life.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank every person associated with this yatra, my parents, in-laws, wife, kid and not to forget Sushila aunty and Suku Mama for the wonderful experience.
Apologise for not mentioning all the swamis who contributed to this experience, nevertheless, they are appreciated and cherished
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