EXPERIENCE THY NAME IS LIFE

Saturday, November 3, 2012

THE OTHER SIDE OF PROSPERITY INDEX

(Our locality is prospering. Residents no more worry about two square meals. Above all there is more to the mundane affairs of food, clothing and roofs.) Sample this: 1. Within a span of just two years four Unisex Saloons have come up in our locality not counting the numerous beauty parlors we already have both for men and women... The oldest one has two portions one for ladies and other for gents. The newest one has one open hall for both visible through the glass doors. This is women empowerment at its best where they can sit side by side with men and be pampered by male hair stylists and beauticians. Gone are the days for ‘Ladies only saloons’ may not as yet because I find more such ladies beauty parlors are opening. One such has just opened namely “SPLENDED BEAUTY STUDIO- YOUR BEAUTY SOLOTUION”. I guess the miss-spelled words are on the advice of some astrologer.(Yesterday on the eve of karwa chowth when wives fast for the welfare of their husbands, all the beauty parlors were crowded) 2. Every next lane has at least two boutiques dealing and designing ladies garments. Who says readymade garments will make tailors redundant? 3. The last five years have seen the opening of two liquor shops. And liquor shops are there, non-veg- snacks stalls cannot be far behind. It’s an office complex with some five or six banks around and a couple of shops. There is quite a big open space in the center of the complex which, in the evening when the sun goes down, turns into a bar for sundowners. With hidden support from the authorities, tables are laid in the open. Urchins become helpers and in addition to tips collect the empty bottles also. Once in a while, as an eye wash, some raids are conducted and then it is business as usual. 4. Almost every household has at least vehicle, two or four wheeler. Some have more. All ground floor houses on the road side have turned into business ventures of some kind. All Kothies (houses built on individual plots) with some exceptions have turned into high rises. God stopped creating land from the day of creation but continues creating people. All in all the density of population has gone up. More people and more vehicles have burdened the limited road space. Walking on the roads is a nightmare particularly when no one follows the traffic rules.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

RICHNESS IS WHEN YOU NEED NO MORE

RICHNESS IS WHEN YOU NEED NO MORE In 1923, eight of the wealthiest people in the world met. Their combined wealth, it is estimated, exceeded the wealth of the government of the United States at that time. These men certainly knew how to make a living and accumulate wealth. But let's examine what happened to them 25 years later. President of the largest steel company, Charles Schwab, lived on borrowed capital for five years before he died bankrupt. President of the largest gas company, Howard Hubson, went insane. One of the greatest commodity traders, Arthur Cutton, died insolvent. President of the New York Stock Exchange, Richard Whitney, was sent to jail. A member of the President's Cabinet, Albert Fall, was pardoned from jail to go home and die in peace. The greatest "bear" on Wall Street, Jessie Livermore, committed suicide. President of the world's greatest monopoly, Ivar Krueger, committed suicide. President of the Bank of International Settlement, Leon Fraser, committed suicide. What they forgot was how to make a life! Money in itself is not evil! Money provides food for the hungry, medicine for the sick, clothes for the needy. Money is only a medium of exchange. We need two kinds of education. One that teaches us how to make a living and one that teaches us how to live. There are people who are so engrossed in their professional life that they neglect their family, health, spiritual life and social responsibilities. If asked why they do this they would reply that they were doing it for their family. Our kids are sleeping when we leave home. They are sleeping when we come home. Twenty years later, we'll turn back, and they'll all be gone. Without water, a ship cannot move. The ship needs water, but if the water gets into the ship, the ship will face problems. What was once a means of living for the ship will now become a means of destruction. Similarly we live in a time where earning is a necessity but let not the earning enter our hearts, for what was once a means of living will be become a means of destruction. So take a moment and ask yourself....has water entered my ship? RICHNESS is not Earning More, Spending More Or Saving More, but "RICHNESS IS WHEN YOU NEED NO MORE" Have the best of weekends ahead... Once Again Please Remember The reality of Wealth: "RICHNESS IS WHEN YOU NEED NO MORE"

Saturday, August 25, 2012

IS LIFE JUST TICKING AWAY?

IS LIFE JUST TICKING AWAY? I am approaching my 72nd year on this planet earth and I am wondering IS LIFE JUST TICKING AWAY OR HAVE I BEEN IN A POSITION TO ASSIGN SOME MEANING TO IT? AM I SILENTLY WAITING TO FADE AWAY? It is said that a lion after covering some distance looks back, pauses and walks on majestically. On the other hand other animals just keep walking or running, pausing and looking back only when there is no perceived threat. As a human I too had my fair share of love, anger and worries. Did I have time and inclination to look back, review and proceed or did I simply kept walking and running away from threats and pitfalls? There were moments of love and when the whole creation seemed to be in love. Even the birds, trees, rivers and stars were singing love songs. When one is love, an unexplainable feeling, he /she experiences a different kind of bliss. The whole universe seems to be collaborating with and sharing in that bliss. Love has many manifestations. Sometimes passion, infatuation or even natural affection is confused as love and I had all of them. I had also the moments of being in love with myself. I had no conflict with what I am, who I am and how I am. There were moments of desperation too but they were external circumstances. I crossed the situation by simply convincing myself that these circumstances were of my own making and I have to share the burden too. I continuously reviewed my equation with others and tried to balance it with best of my capabilities. Many a times I failed. Many a times I lost the love of someone whom I had taken for granted. Many a times I was loved by strangers too. Despite all misunderstandings and misgivings, love won. Without love, I would not be a human. I got angry with or without reasons. I tried my best to be calm and composed in all circumstances but failed. There was something inside which did not agree with my efforts and I fell prey to temptations and luxuries of being angry. At times I was angry on myself for my weaknesses. I was angry with myself for my strengths too. I despised myself for being too principled and theoretical in a practical world. I was angry on others for their indifference towards me, for their too much of reliance on me or for using me. I was aware that anger is corroding me but I somehow could not resist. On hind side I feel anger is necessary as it helps you to vent your true feelings. It helps removing the false curtains of civility and mannerism you have hanged around you. It was also just human to be angry. The worrying part is the most difficult part. It was easy to love and ask to be loved. It was easy to be angry and ask for forgiveness. But it was not easy not to worry. There were worries of all shades. Worries borne out of sickness of self or someone in the family, worries relating to job or finances and worries about children and their future. There were worries of the past affecting the present. There were worries of future making the present irrelevant. Worries of all sorts followed as a shadow of my own. There were worries of the past on which there was no control then and no control now but they still followed. I tried to get rid of them, at times taking unpredicted turns to dodge but they were too powerful. Worries of future thankfully did not come true but worries of the past were real. One could make plans for future worries but what about worries of the past particularly when your own people keep on reminding you of your follies and the resultant misfortunes of the present. You are not allowed to forget of the mistakes of your past, never. Worries of the present are as important but can be tackled with experience from the past. You do not have to commit blunders every now and then on the same issue! I think the worries were just a prelude to proactive actions to be taken to ward off against real or perceived uncertainties. It helped as is evident from the carefree life I am leading today. In this context all those worries were worth the trouble. Looking back I can say with utmost certainty that I was just a human. The life would have been meaningless without love, anger and worries. Life would have been monotonous without the thrills of unpredictables. Love, anger and worries add spice to life. Without love, anger and worries life would be just ticking away. Life is not ticking away because of the number of years lived and to be lived but because of the years lived without love, anger and worries. Life is mix of so many emotions, wonderful !

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

VALLEY OF FLOWERS- UTTARAKHAND

“ High in the Himalayan ranges of Garhwal hills of Uttaranchal lies an enchanted Valley.” About 600 kilometers from Delhi, in the Chamoli district of Uttaranchal can be found The Valley of Flowers, a breathtaking array of over 500 different species of wild flowers spread over an area of 87.5 km². It is situated a height of 11,000 feet to 14,000 feet above the sea level in the Western Himalayas. This mysterious valley was hidden from the outside world, with only locals frequenting the place. Initially, it was avoided by the shepherds who believed this magical valley to be the celestial playground of the Gods, nymphs and fairies. The Valley was discovered by Frank Smith, a mountaineer, botanist and an explorer who came across it quite accidentally in 1931. He was so captivated by its outstanding beauty, which was in its full bloom at the time that he wrote a book about it called “Valley of Flowers”. Thus, the Valley remained a secret no more much to the delight of nature enthusiasts all over the world. The Valley itself is flanked on either side by imposing peaks, capped with snow. It is divided into two sections due to the Pushpawati River which cuts through the valley. The major portion of this valley is on its right bank and is every trekker’s dream come true. The entire trek from Govindghat to the valley via Ghangharia is a feast to the eyes. The Valley of flowers changes color almost every day, as it blooms with hundreds of new different flowers along with the changing shades of the old flowers as time passes by. It has been acknowledged by botanists, mountaineers and nature lovers as one of the most picturesque high altitude valleys in the world. It was only in 1982 that an area of 8,950 hectares of the valley was declared a National Park. In July 2005, it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. This is mainly due to the fact that the valley contains so much rich diversified fauna within its area especially as it is a meeting point of Zanskar, Himalayan ranges and Eastern and Western Himalayas. The importance of this beautiful valley is furthered as many endangered flower species and medicinal plants can be found here. From November to May, the valley is covered in a bed of snow but the flora here is well adapted to the harsh climatic conditions. The best time to visit the Valley of Flowers is in the months of July and August after the snow has melted. The flowers are in full bloom during this time, giving you ample opportunity to enjoy the never ending charm of this place.