Rowdy's corner

Nothing but inspiring

2008-04-29T03:05:00.000-07:00

I came across this article which I thought was worth sharing. Here it is, for all those who believe in themselves Get inspired

Yes this blog is easy to read.

2008-04-08T10:12:00.001-07:00

The reading level of this blog is getting easier. Hope it reaches a wider strata of people

Remember our future is as good as Earth's future.

2008-03-08T05:01:00.000-08:00

It's been a long long time since I blogged anything and it really felt like eternity :). There were hundreds of issues/things I could've talked about like the Attukal Pongala- possibly the largest congregation of women in the world or India's famous win down under or the brutal killings in Kannur, a district of Kerala. And I was a bit busy with work and I felt like I needed a break. And then that break went on and on. Meanwhile I learnt calisthenics, pliometrics and read some real good books.
In fact I was fascinated by a presentation sent by a senior colleague about global warming. And I thought this was something worthy of sharing. I've been learning more about this menace since last year after I read an article in a magazine.We all know that the average temperature has been going up since Industrial revolution, the amount of green house gases emitted has multiplied by many folds. As I watched the presentation I was reminded of the movie 'Waterworld'. Yes water levels are rising alarmingly and it's been predicted that seas would rise by 1.5 -2M by 2025, possibly putting many lives in peril. The reluctance of U.S to sign the Kyoto protocol adds up to the misery as U.S alone produces half of the world's pollutants. I don't know how this is going to be tackled but I want everyone to be aware of the danger looming ahead. I want people to come out from their 'state of denial' and rise up to the challenges.

Remember our future is as good as Earth's future.

Happy New Year

2007-12-31T08:21:00.000-08:00

Yet another year is fading away and we are all awaiting the New year with great hopes. Hopes of a better tomorrow, joy, happiness all around.

Big congrats for those stuck to their resolutions. And those who couldn't..... no need to worry. There's always next time. :)

Resolutions or no resolutions, I wish you all great success, immense joy and pleasant surprises through out 2008.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

India booms ?

2007-11-05T10:03:00.000-08:00

Guys, It's been quite sometime since I blogged anything. Work pressure kept me tied down for the last one month or so. Now I'm back.

I came across an article by P. Sainath(Magsaysay award winning journalist)about India's perceived economical growth. Well, India is booming. The Stock markets are rocketing, IT is a super success story, Manufacturing going great guns, Indian companies acquiring much bigger global companies. Whatever news channel you watch or whatever magazines you flip over you come across such success stories that fills your heart with pride. But when the clouds of pride melt away you see the real picture. India was ranked 94th on Global Hunger Index out of 114 countries. This means India manages it's hunger very badly and thats true. I read sometime ago that people were starving to death in Orissa while food grains were rotting away in Food Corporation of India's go downs. And I saw no one from the government uttering a single word about this. Just think of what happened when the BSE SENSEX crashed. The Finance Minister came out with all kinds of assurances that India's growth story is intact and there is nothing to worry. And see how many share market investors are there? half a million or a million. Anyway there are millions starving away and nothing is being done about it.

What we see by India's growth is consolidation of wealth and not distribution. There is no trickle down effect as far I see. Yes you can't demand wealth has to be distributed uniformly in a democratic nation. But the government's apathy towards the downtrodden is criminal. I wonder what would be the picture 5 years down the line. A country of a few super rich people and a marginalized majority?. The challenge before the law makers is how to bring social equality. And I hope this time they don't fail us

Barking dogs seldom bite

2007-09-28T07:15:00.000-07:00

As my friend Quint said... Enough with the celebrations of winning the Twenty 20 WC. Its time to move on and I just thought of another issue which has been rocking the central boat for quite some time. Yes, its the Nuclear deal I'm talking about.Well I'm not detailing into pros and cons of the nuclear deal now. I just want to talk about the role of 'Left' in this matter.

The Left which has a major say in the central government took strong exception to the stand of Prime minister to not discuss the matter in the parliament had left many a people wondering whether is this the beginning of the end for the UPA government. But the Left has only flattered to deceive in this matter. They started making much noise about the '123 agreement', the Hyde Act and crying that India would lose its sovereignty blah blah. If you see the behavior of the left brigade through out its history, it has always sought to be iconoclastic and radical but failed to do so. It acted as British informants during the Quit India movement, openly supported the Chinese during the Chinese invasion in 1962 and now this. They always think that they are a different breed and believes that they are the sole representatives of Indian Public even though the truth tells a different story.

There is one demand which I found very valid was to have a dialogue on the deal, still the actions followed by the Left were childish and immature to the core. Ranting and raving cannot fool the people in this age. They were left in a quandary with the prime minister taking a very brave, obstinate stand and even challenging the Left to withdraw support to the government. They know they just can't bring down the government because that'd give the BJP a chance to ride the Ram Sethu issue and recapture power. The problem with the communists they accept their mistakes after pretty long times which make them look like a bunch of clowns. Now it seems like the initial enthusiasm of the Left has gone and they are trying to save their skin while making a noise or two once in a while. Well I really like the Left a lot because it always gives a chance to smile at the current political scenario in India.But this time it had taken it a bit far. Here is my $0.02 to Prakash Karat. If you can't do it stop barking.

Hip Hip Hooray

2007-09-26T00:42:00.000-07:00

Whoa!!!! Finally we did it. India just won the World Twenty20 cricket championships by defeating arch rivals Pakistan in the finals by a very narrow margin. It's been 24 years since we had won a world cup of cricket and this somehow soothed the frayed souls of a population for whom cricket is a religion and players GODS. Even though the victory came in a much abbreviated form of cricket, it's a moment to cherish forever.

Well this is a very deserved win and what I liked the most about the team was the majority of the players came from small time, rather obscure towns. This is clearly a welcome change which augurs well for the future of cricket as well as India. Why India because now more and more people from small time towns will follow their dreams without any inhibitions and that can bring only glory to the country in whatever field they choose to be in.

Meanwhile this is time to rejoice and let me say this words aloud
HIP HIP HOORAY

Just great.

2007-09-20T01:03:00.000-07:00

Yet another inspiring story. I feel this is the new face of India. Gone are the days when people chose, rather unwillingly, to succumb to their fate when faced with tragedies. The new generation just believes they are the makers of their destinies and that's way the it has to be. I see the future is just bright...

Salutes to the young lady. May your tribe increase.

Oh Bihar don't you have tears?.

2007-09-18T11:59:00.000-07:00

I was quite happy when Mr. Nitish Kumar won the elections dethroning the 15 yr old 'misrule' of Laloo-Rabri combine in late 2005. I thought that would pave the way for the progress of a state which had great history, abundant natural resources but sadly featured last in almost all developmental indices and had the worst law and order situation- less said is the better. But I was proved wrong by some shocking incidents which took place in a space of 30 days.

First came the shocking video of a man, an alleged chain snatcher, beaten black and blue by a mob and later dragged along a motor cycle by- who else a police man- left many a people hang their heads in shame. And the way the TV channels and press celebrated the incident was as deplorable as the incident was. Then came the news of gouging out of eyes of 3 motor cycle thieves by an angry mob which left a chill down my spine. Then the most dastardly act happened only last week. Ten alleged robbers were clubbed to death by yet another angry mob.
These three incidents effectively portrays the state of law and order situation in the state of Bihar.

I was shocked by the turn of events but not sad. Instead fear was the feeling I had after these incidents and it left me reeling with many questions.
How could people be so inhumane?
How could the police turn a blind eye towards what was happening right under their noses?
How could the media celebrate such stories showing visuals repeatedly without any remorse?
How could people in large numbers have such criminal psyche?
How could Mr. Nitish Kumar be criminally impassive in executing his duties?

And last not but the least. I never heard a comment from the intelligentsia who so frequently raise much hue and cry about "nothings"

Shame on you Bihar. Shame on you Nitish Kumar. Shame on me.

Success = ?

2007-09-15T21:42:00.000-07:00

I've always wondered what makes people successful, what's that "thing" which separates success and failure. Is it an exotic idea they pursued or is it luck or is it attitude?. You can find thousands of ways which define success, but the one that matters is self belief. Nothing but self belief. I came across an article which was so inspiring and thought I should share it. Folks kindly share if you heard similar stories or have a different point of view. Have a nice sunday :)

To be Rama or not to be Rama........

2007-09-13T01:56:00.000-07:00

I just couldn't stop myself from laughing my head off when I heard this news and reactions to it. Yeah its true that there is no historical evidence of Ram or "Ramar Sethu" but what about the religious backlash the news is going to create ?. The Hindu fundamentalists would see this as a heaven sent opportunity to whip up the communal passion because they believe elections are round the corner. Meanwhile it'd be interesting to see how the Congress tackles the issue as the party, I believe, is in a quandary. They just can't support or reject the affidavit given by ASI. I think the coming days would be really unraveling and you could see political "oneupmanship" among the parties.

I'd rather be concerned about the ecological impact of the project because it's definitely going to affect the marine flora and fauna found in the Palk straits, most of the species being endangered ones. And the economical importance of the project(it is going to shorten the sailing time for ships bound for Tuticorin port) cannot be neglected. Well the shipping channel wouldn't be bringing the mother-ships as the proposed draught doesn't allow that, still it should be economically viable as most of the ships sailing there can utilize the shortest pass thus saving valuable money. I do hope that this would materialize causing minimal damage to the marine ecology that is so rare there.

Now back to the religious front. The historical evidence of Hindu gods cannot be determined by usual methods because you probably wouldn't find any historical documents on that. And for a long time we see history interwoven with mythology and it's really difficult to see where History ends and mythology starts or vice versa. I remember reading a book written by eminent historian A.L.Basham. The views propagated by him are informative as well as controversial. What I mean by controversial is the view on Ram and Krishna would really ruffle many a feather. You know Ram has been worshiped only since 10th century A.D. rather Bhagavad Gita was added to Maha Bharata only around 800 A.D. These are views which would really hurt some one but that's the way History is created. You either can believe it or rubbish it. I felt nothing but curiosity to explore further and the journey still continues with occasional hiccups.

As I write this, just got the news that the government has decided to withdraw the affidavit which rather passes the ball back to the Hindu gang. Well I don't see an answer to this imbroglio which is slowly brewing to a major storm and will it end up as a storm in a tea cup or be a whirlwind...... only time will tell...

United we stand........

2007-09-11T00:28:00.000-07:00

Brave sons of India

2007-09-08T02:01:00.000-07:00

Does a man cry?.... Yes, when stories like these are heard.

I felt a lump in my throat when I went through an article on Captain Harshan's life. It is touching as well as shattering. And it's quite appalling to see the way society and higher ups there forget the supreme sacrifices of these finest sons of India. No wonder when our psyches are diabolically influenced by the bunch of pseudo seculars who make umpteen cries about the human rights violations of terrorists and criminals and conveniently choose not to acknowledge the truth, the sacrifices which hold India together as a nation.

I salute you and you will be an inspiration for generations to come. And I'm proud to have lived in your times. May your soul rest in peace......

Survival of a believer

2007-07-22T10:14:00.000-07:00

"Njandukalude naattil oridavela - Chandramathi"

I just finished a book by the eminent writer Chandramathi. The book is not a work of fiction but talks about her fight and survival against a rare type of cancer. The writer who had gone through trials and tribulations of the dreaded disease has beautifully expressed her life during that phase. It's full of hope which radiates to the reader. This book makes the reader think about love, life, hope, despair, triumph and might even kick off an introspection. It teaches you how to cope and fight against not just the dreaded disease but the life's unexpected setbacks. Every chapter starts with an one-liner or a famous quote which is deeply thought provoking. The book successfully emphasizes the importance of having a family, faith in god in one's life. I recommend it highly to anyone who's going through a low phase as this work of heart and soul definitely instills confidence and the will to fight in the mind. I'm sure there will be a definite difference in life after you read this

Thank you ma'am for the inspiring piece of work

Fakes all around the place - A tribute

2007-07-21T11:08:00.000-07:00

I guess there is an amount of "fakeness" in every (Every ??? or may be most) human being. You take a look at the world and you can see a lot of fakes moving around in all shapes and sizes, You check out things in the market and you see fakes there also. Once I'd a conversation with a friend about the most desirable companies in IT sector. As we were talking about various things like HR practices, back ground checking, the pay packages, the usual blah blah, he made an interesting revelation that a prominent MNC bank doesn't care even if they find out their employees had produced fake experience certificates. Well this made me think a little bit deep into the matter and I just couldn't find a plausible explanation for that. Then I turned my eyes to the nature, the universe and I could see analogies there also like clouds looming up in the horizon threatening a downpour and the a couple of minutes later revealing a brilliant blue sky. I had an introspection and then found out that there is some "fakeness" in myself also. This saddened and amused me at the same time. Sadness because it was a hit on my ego. Amusement came from the fact that I'd been accepted by the world without any apprehensions. I just realized that the world doesn't have any problems in dealing with fakes. It's just like the other side of the coin, like black and white, like life and death, like love and hatred etc... you just can find zillions of analogies. So I just started thinking about the people around me and came across a specimen case who I thought was quite a natural(frankly speaking I don't like judging people because judging brings in inevitable comparisons which are just a waste of time and energy and keeps your mind off the track from the goal) but was actually a fake wearing the garb of a liberal, secular person. It was disgusting to say the least. He sure is a talented person but trying to be a "jack of all trades" is not just his cup of tea. I could see the poison filled fangs in that smile and intolerance he shows when someone criticizes him. And that was a revelation which left me reeling. I thought about this but nothing came out except the raw admiration to the guy's ability to fake. Hats off pal for carrying of that image of a natural.

As darkness looms ahead,
I could feel the chill of the poison filling my heart
Oh the great lord of fake
Surrender I do to you
Rein in my heart
Rein in my heart.

The pseudo-secular class

2007-07-19T21:29:00.000-07:00

It's been quite a fashion to be branded as a secular in India and we see people doing anything to get that label, the popular being 'Hindu bashing'. The media especially the English ones accentuate this thought by their selective picking and highlighting of incidents where minority persecution is done by Hindu fundamentalists. And they do turn a blind eye towards the incidents where members of minority community are the crime perpetrators. This is pure double standards and actions by these elite strata of society goes a great deal in polarizing people on basis of religion and poses a great threat to the social fabric of the country. Unfortunately this has been taking place unabatedly for the past few decades and if you analyze the growth of BJP you can be sure of how much this class has contributed to its growth by their policies.
Taking a look at the "secular" class of India would throw some interesting details. Their jumping to the fore on Hindu atrocities including Gujarat riots(which is a permanent blot on face of India), molestation of Christian nuns, vandalism against artists etc which are really admirable, but if someone points out their criminal silence on the matters like the plight of Kashmiri Pandits, 1984 sikh riots, Christian insurgency in the North-East he is branded as a fundamentalist and the whole lot raises in unison to rip the person. I guess these "seculars" have a penchant to be in the limelight forever and best way for that seems to be the bashing of Hindus . However they don't realize that their one sided rantings help only in polarizing the country on basis of religion and it is driving the country to a terrible catastrophy. I wonder where this is headed to and how long India can hold on to the secular fabric that is so admired and celebrated through out the world.

Hi All

2006-08-24T23:41:00.000-07:00

me new to blogging.just wanted to say "Hi " before I start off. So here it goes

"Hi to all u ppl out there. Have a nice day"

Rowdy