The White Tiger – By Aravind Adiga
The moral of the story:
“Behind every success in life,there is a crime”
Rating 8/10
Deatils of the novel shall be posted soon!
A good book to read
Sreekumar
2009 ഡിസംബർ 5, ശനിയാഴ്ച
Some facts!
Some known & unknown facts 1. MOPED is the short term for 'Motorized Pedaling'.
2. POP MUSIC is 'Popular Music' shortened.
3. BUS is the short term for 'Omnibus' that means everybody.
4. FORTNIGHT comes from 'Fourteen Nights' (Two Weeks).
5. DRAWING ROOM was actually a 'withdrawing room' where people withdrew after Dinner. Later the prefix 'with' was dropped..
6. NEWS refers to information from Four directions N, E, W and S..
7. AG-MARK, which some products bear, stems from 'Agricultural Marketing'.
8. JOURNAL is a diary that tells about 'Journey for a day' during each Day's business.
9. QUEUE comes from 'Queen's Quest'. Long back a long row of people as waiting to see the Queen. Someone made the comment Queen's Quest..
10. TIPS come from 'To Insure Prompt Service'. In olden days to get Prompt service from servants in an inn, travelers used to drop coins in a Box on which was written 'To Insure Prompt Service'. This gave rise to the custom of Tips.
11. JEEP is a vehicle with unique Gear system. It was invented during World War II (1939-1945). It was named 'General Purpose Vehicle (GP)'.GP was changed into JEEP later.
12. Coca-Cola was originally green.
13. The most common name in the world is Mohammed..
14. The name of all the continents end with the same letter that they start with.
15. The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.
16. TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row ! of the keyboard.
17. Women blink nearly twice as much as men!!
18. You can't kill yourself by holding your breath.
19. It is impossible to lick your elbow.
20. People say "Bless you" when you sneeze because when you sneeze, your heart stops for a millisecond.
21. It is physically impossible for **** to look up into the sky.
22. The "sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick" is said to be the toughest tongue twister in the English language. * If you sneeze too hard, you can fracture a rib. If you try to suppress a sneeze, you can rupture a blood vessel in your head or neck and die.
23. Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history. o Spades - King David o Clubs - Alexander the Great, o Hearts – Charlemagne o Diamonds - Julius Caesar.
24. Horse Statue in a Park… · If a statue of a person in the park on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. · If the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in battle · If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.
25. What do bullet proof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser printers all have in common? Ans. - All invented by women.
26. A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.
27. A snail can sleep for three years.
28. All polar bears are left handed.
29. Butterflies taste with their feet.
30. Elephants are the only animals that can't jump.
31. In the last 4000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.
32. On average, people fear spiders more than they do death.
33. Shakespeare invented the word 'assassination' and 'bump'.
34. Stewardesses is the longest word typed with only the left hand.
35. The ant always falls over on its right side when intoxicated.
36. The electric chair was invented by a dentist.
37. The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.
38. Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over million descendants.
39. Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times.
40. The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.
41. Most lipstick contains fish scales.
42. Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different
2. POP MUSIC is 'Popular Music' shortened.
3. BUS is the short term for 'Omnibus' that means everybody.
4. FORTNIGHT comes from 'Fourteen Nights' (Two Weeks).
5. DRAWING ROOM was actually a 'withdrawing room' where people withdrew after Dinner. Later the prefix 'with' was dropped..
6. NEWS refers to information from Four directions N, E, W and S..
7. AG-MARK, which some products bear, stems from 'Agricultural Marketing'.
8. JOURNAL is a diary that tells about 'Journey for a day' during each Day's business.
9. QUEUE comes from 'Queen's Quest'. Long back a long row of people as waiting to see the Queen. Someone made the comment Queen's Quest..
10. TIPS come from 'To Insure Prompt Service'. In olden days to get Prompt service from servants in an inn, travelers used to drop coins in a Box on which was written 'To Insure Prompt Service'. This gave rise to the custom of Tips.
11. JEEP is a vehicle with unique Gear system. It was invented during World War II (1939-1945). It was named 'General Purpose Vehicle (GP)'.GP was changed into JEEP later.
12. Coca-Cola was originally green.
13. The most common name in the world is Mohammed..
14. The name of all the continents end with the same letter that they start with.
15. The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.
16. TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row ! of the keyboard.
17. Women blink nearly twice as much as men!!
18. You can't kill yourself by holding your breath.
19. It is impossible to lick your elbow.
20. People say "Bless you" when you sneeze because when you sneeze, your heart stops for a millisecond.
21. It is physically impossible for **** to look up into the sky.
22. The "sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick" is said to be the toughest tongue twister in the English language. * If you sneeze too hard, you can fracture a rib. If you try to suppress a sneeze, you can rupture a blood vessel in your head or neck and die.
23. Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history. o Spades - King David o Clubs - Alexander the Great, o Hearts – Charlemagne o Diamonds - Julius Caesar.
24. Horse Statue in a Park… · If a statue of a person in the park on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. · If the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in battle · If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.
25. What do bullet proof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser printers all have in common? Ans. - All invented by women.
26. A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.
27. A snail can sleep for three years.
28. All polar bears are left handed.
29. Butterflies taste with their feet.
30. Elephants are the only animals that can't jump.
31. In the last 4000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.
32. On average, people fear spiders more than they do death.
33. Shakespeare invented the word 'assassination' and 'bump'.
34. Stewardesses is the longest word typed with only the left hand.
35. The ant always falls over on its right side when intoxicated.
36. The electric chair was invented by a dentist.
37. The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.
38. Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over million descendants.
39. Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times.
40. The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.
41. Most lipstick contains fish scales.
42. Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different
My country, my life
19.11.2009
My Country, my life – LK Advani
Egregious – outstandingly bad
Moot – uncertain
Moot point – put forward a point for discussion
Swamp – area of boggy or marshy land
Harp on – keep on talking about something in a boring way
Queer – Strange / odd
Repudiate – refuse to accept or support
Iconoclastic – a person who attacks established customs & values
Harbinger – signals the approach of something
Convalescing – gradually getting better after an illness or injury
Despise – hate
Behest – in response to someone’s order
Deceased – recently dead
Ubiquitous – found everywhere
Acquiescence – ready to accept
Incarcerated – imprisoned
Ludicrous – absurd
Injunction – strong warning
Repeal – make a law no longer valid
Trepidation – nervousness
Luminary – influential person
Innocuous – harmless
Salutary – producing a good effect
Rapprochement – renewal of friendly relations between 2 groups / countries
Diatribe – speech or piece of writing forcefully attacking someone
Prerogative – right or privilege belonging to a particular group
Preemptive – take action so as to prevent something happening
Untenably – defend against criticism
Drub – beat repeatedly
Bogey – cause of fear, evil spirit
Canard – an unfounded rumor or story
Anathema – something that you hate
Calumny – making of false and damaging statement about someone
Pejorative – expressing contempt or disapproval
Obduracy – stubbornness
Ostracizing – exclude someone from, a society or group
Parlance – a way of speaking
Harking – recall on earlier period
Jettisoning – discard something
Obliterate – destroy
Whiff – puff of air or odour
Weal – A red swollen mark left on flesh by a blow or pressure
Aggrandizement – make more powerful
Sanctimonious – disapproving
Flagrant – unashamed
Venality – open to bribery
Sleaze – immoral
Iota – extremely small amount
Conscientious – careful and through in carry out on work or duty
Afoot – in preparation or progress
Sordid – dishonest or immoral
Epithet – most important quality
Capitulation – give into an opponent
Vacillate – keep changing mind
Opprobrium – harsh criticism
Dithering – indecisive
Marauder – make raid in search of things to steal
Subjugation – bring someone under control
Exchequer – royal or national treasury
Motif – pattern / design
Replete – filled or well supplied
Bewailing – very sad about
Affront – offend
Desecration – treat something sacred with violent disrespect
De facto – existing or happening
Countenanced – tolerated
Concoction – invent or devise a plan
Consecrated – make or declare something holy
Apocalyptic – having far reaching consequences
Pernicious – having a harmful effect
Hamlet – a small village
Tumultuous – roaring
Sordid – dishonest
Portended – be a sign or warning that something important or unpleasant is going to happen
Crux – the most important point that is being discussed
Buttress – strengthen / support
Erudite – knowledge learnt from reading / studying
Heed – pay attention to
Perfidy – disloyalty
Denouement – final part of a play in which matters are explained
Hyperbole – a way of speaking or writing that exaggerates things and is not meant to be understood literally
Exhortations – an appeal to someone strongly urging them to do something
Watershed – turning point in the state of affair
Hitherto – until this point in time
Demagogy – a political leader who appeals his people’s desires and prejudices rather than using reasoned arguments
Repudiation – refuse to accept or support
Petered – gradually come to an end
Propitious – favorable
Parley – meeting between enemies to discuss term for truce
Chagrin – feeling of disappointment
Ordain – make someone a priest or minister
Nefarious – bad or illegal
Goading – provoke someone to do something
Foment – stir up revolution or conflict
Pogrom – organized massacre of an ethnic group
Abating – become less severe
Harrowing – distress
Tardy – slow to act or respond
Obviate – remove or prevent a need or difficulty
Erstwhile – former
Compunction – a feeling of guilt about doing something wrong
Exigency – urgent need
Scuttling – cause a scheme to fail
Behest – in response to someone’s order
Bonhomie – good-natured friendliness
Sleaze – dishonest behavior
Buttress – support or strengthen
Bigotry – intolerance
Pliant – persuaded
Knaves – dishonest
“ A secular state is not a irreligious state” – Dr. S. Radhakrishnan
Succinctly – Clearly expressed
India’s answer to the question “who are we?” – Hindutva
Elucidation – Make clear, explain
If untouchability is not a sin, then nothing in the world is sin – Balasaheb Deoras
What kind of GDP growth do you want?
I would say that kind in which G stands for Good governance, D stands for development for all regions and P stands for protection for every citizen
To laugh often and love much, to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children, to earn the approbation of honest critics; to appreciate beauty; to give of one’s self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived – that is to have succeeded
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Unhappy men are all alike. Some wound they suffered long ago; some wish denied; some blow to pride; some kindling spark of love put out by scorn – or worse, indifference – cleaves to them or they do to it, and so they live each day within a shroud of yesterdays. The happy man doesn’t look back. He doesn’t look ahead. He lives in the present
But, there’s the rub. The present can never deliver one thing; meaning. The ways of happiness and meaning are not the same. To find happiness, a man need only live in the present; he need only live for the moment. But if he wants meaning – the meaning of his dreams, his secrets, his life – a man must rein habit the past, however dark and live for the future, however uncertain. This, nature dangles happiness and meaning before us all, insisting only that we choose between them.
For myself, I have chosen meaning. – LKA
India expects more from a group that has always over fulfilled its expectations
LKA about TATA Group
Memory is the diary we all carry about with us – Oscar Wilde
Poem from A.B. Vajpayee – at the age of 10
When have I desired that, after attaining freedom, I should enslave the world?
I have all along taught only how to control one’s own mind.
How many atrocities have I committed in the name of Ram & Krishna?
When did I commit carnages in home after home to convert others to Hinduism?
Will someone tell me how many mosques I break in Kabul?
My resolve has been to conquer not territories, but the hearts of millions of human beings
My body is Hindu, my mind is Hindu, my life is Hindu and the identity of my every blood vessel is Hindu
Another one from Vajpayee about Emergency:
Truth is battling against power
Justice against tyranny
Darkness has thrown a challenge
The last ray of light is vanishing
We have put everything at stake
Stop we now cannot / we might break, but we shall not bend
“This too shall pass”
In religion lies the vitality of India and so long as Hindu race do not forget the great inheritance of their forefathers, there is no power on earth to destroy them. Now a days, everybody blames those who constantly looking back to their past. It is said that so much looking back to the past is the cause of all India’s woes. To me, on the contrary, it seems that the opposite is true. So long as they forget the past, the Hindu nation remained in a style of stupor (nearly unconscious); and as soon as they have begun to look into their past, there is on every side a fresh manifestation of life. It is out of the past that the future has to be moulded, this past will become the future.
- Swami Vivekananda
The facts of present won’t sit still for a portrait. They are constantly vibrating, full of clutter & confusion – William Dixon
“ Freedom & hope do not go hand in hand. They can steal your freedom but can’t take away your hope”
“ Dictatorships cannot afford laughter because people may laugh at their dictator and that wouldn’t do”
“ God defend me from my friends; from my enemies, I can defend myself”- Proverb
Material and physical comfort without human freedom is sufficient only for the well-fed domestic animals & birds.It is not for men – Morarji Desai
Behavior of lemmings, the only species, among all those created by God, which was believed to commit mass suicide
There will be no end to the troubles of states or of humanity itself, till philosophers become kings in this world, or till those we now call king and rulers really and truly become philosophers, and the political power and philosophy thus come into the same hands - Plato
Being defeated is a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent – Marlyn Vos Savant
I am proud of our inheritance and our ancestors who gave intellectual and cultural preeminence to India? How do you feel about this past? Do you feel that you also shares in it and inheritors of it and therefore, proud of something that belongs to you as much as to me? Or do you feel alien to it and pass it by without understanding it or feeling that strange thrill that comes from the realization that we are the trustees and inheritors of this vast treasure?
- Jawaharlal Nehru
Shivlinga is a symbol of Shiva Shakti union ,which is the source and sustainer of rhythm of life
After the demise of Mahatma Gandhi and sardar Patel,’secularism’ had come to mean allergy to Hinduism – Munshi
The cup of India has always overflowed
With the heady wine of truth
Even the philosophers from the west
Are her ardent devotees
There is something so sublime in her mysticism
That her star soars high above the constellations
There have been thousands of rulers in this land
But none can compare with Ram
The discerning ones proclaim him
The spiritual leader of India
His lamp gave the light of wisdom
Which outshone the radiance
Of the whole of humankind
Ram was valiant; Ram was bold, yielded deftly his sword
He cared for the poorest of poor
He was unmatched in love and compassion
- ALLAMA IQBAL
Oh God, Give me these boons, Never shall I shirk from doing good deeds, Never shall I fear when I go to fight with the enemy, And with surety, I shall attain victory – Guru Gobind Singh
“ Where there is rain, the world enjoys prosperity; when the king rules with justice, his subjects prosper” – Thiruvalluvar
“Tough times don’t last, tough men do”
My Country, my life – LK Advani
Egregious – outstandingly bad
Moot – uncertain
Moot point – put forward a point for discussion
Swamp – area of boggy or marshy land
Harp on – keep on talking about something in a boring way
Queer – Strange / odd
Repudiate – refuse to accept or support
Iconoclastic – a person who attacks established customs & values
Harbinger – signals the approach of something
Convalescing – gradually getting better after an illness or injury
Despise – hate
Behest – in response to someone’s order
Deceased – recently dead
Ubiquitous – found everywhere
Acquiescence – ready to accept
Incarcerated – imprisoned
Ludicrous – absurd
Injunction – strong warning
Repeal – make a law no longer valid
Trepidation – nervousness
Luminary – influential person
Innocuous – harmless
Salutary – producing a good effect
Rapprochement – renewal of friendly relations between 2 groups / countries
Diatribe – speech or piece of writing forcefully attacking someone
Prerogative – right or privilege belonging to a particular group
Preemptive – take action so as to prevent something happening
Untenably – defend against criticism
Drub – beat repeatedly
Bogey – cause of fear, evil spirit
Canard – an unfounded rumor or story
Anathema – something that you hate
Calumny – making of false and damaging statement about someone
Pejorative – expressing contempt or disapproval
Obduracy – stubbornness
Ostracizing – exclude someone from, a society or group
Parlance – a way of speaking
Harking – recall on earlier period
Jettisoning – discard something
Obliterate – destroy
Whiff – puff of air or odour
Weal – A red swollen mark left on flesh by a blow or pressure
Aggrandizement – make more powerful
Sanctimonious – disapproving
Flagrant – unashamed
Venality – open to bribery
Sleaze – immoral
Iota – extremely small amount
Conscientious – careful and through in carry out on work or duty
Afoot – in preparation or progress
Sordid – dishonest or immoral
Epithet – most important quality
Capitulation – give into an opponent
Vacillate – keep changing mind
Opprobrium – harsh criticism
Dithering – indecisive
Marauder – make raid in search of things to steal
Subjugation – bring someone under control
Exchequer – royal or national treasury
Motif – pattern / design
Replete – filled or well supplied
Bewailing – very sad about
Affront – offend
Desecration – treat something sacred with violent disrespect
De facto – existing or happening
Countenanced – tolerated
Concoction – invent or devise a plan
Consecrated – make or declare something holy
Apocalyptic – having far reaching consequences
Pernicious – having a harmful effect
Hamlet – a small village
Tumultuous – roaring
Sordid – dishonest
Portended – be a sign or warning that something important or unpleasant is going to happen
Crux – the most important point that is being discussed
Buttress – strengthen / support
Erudite – knowledge learnt from reading / studying
Heed – pay attention to
Perfidy – disloyalty
Denouement – final part of a play in which matters are explained
Hyperbole – a way of speaking or writing that exaggerates things and is not meant to be understood literally
Exhortations – an appeal to someone strongly urging them to do something
Watershed – turning point in the state of affair
Hitherto – until this point in time
Demagogy – a political leader who appeals his people’s desires and prejudices rather than using reasoned arguments
Repudiation – refuse to accept or support
Petered – gradually come to an end
Propitious – favorable
Parley – meeting between enemies to discuss term for truce
Chagrin – feeling of disappointment
Ordain – make someone a priest or minister
Nefarious – bad or illegal
Goading – provoke someone to do something
Foment – stir up revolution or conflict
Pogrom – organized massacre of an ethnic group
Abating – become less severe
Harrowing – distress
Tardy – slow to act or respond
Obviate – remove or prevent a need or difficulty
Erstwhile – former
Compunction – a feeling of guilt about doing something wrong
Exigency – urgent need
Scuttling – cause a scheme to fail
Behest – in response to someone’s order
Bonhomie – good-natured friendliness
Sleaze – dishonest behavior
Buttress – support or strengthen
Bigotry – intolerance
Pliant – persuaded
Knaves – dishonest
“ A secular state is not a irreligious state” – Dr. S. Radhakrishnan
Succinctly – Clearly expressed
India’s answer to the question “who are we?” – Hindutva
Elucidation – Make clear, explain
If untouchability is not a sin, then nothing in the world is sin – Balasaheb Deoras
What kind of GDP growth do you want?
I would say that kind in which G stands for Good governance, D stands for development for all regions and P stands for protection for every citizen
To laugh often and love much, to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children, to earn the approbation of honest critics; to appreciate beauty; to give of one’s self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived – that is to have succeeded
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Unhappy men are all alike. Some wound they suffered long ago; some wish denied; some blow to pride; some kindling spark of love put out by scorn – or worse, indifference – cleaves to them or they do to it, and so they live each day within a shroud of yesterdays. The happy man doesn’t look back. He doesn’t look ahead. He lives in the present
But, there’s the rub. The present can never deliver one thing; meaning. The ways of happiness and meaning are not the same. To find happiness, a man need only live in the present; he need only live for the moment. But if he wants meaning – the meaning of his dreams, his secrets, his life – a man must rein habit the past, however dark and live for the future, however uncertain. This, nature dangles happiness and meaning before us all, insisting only that we choose between them.
For myself, I have chosen meaning. – LKA
India expects more from a group that has always over fulfilled its expectations
LKA about TATA Group
Memory is the diary we all carry about with us – Oscar Wilde
Poem from A.B. Vajpayee – at the age of 10
When have I desired that, after attaining freedom, I should enslave the world?
I have all along taught only how to control one’s own mind.
How many atrocities have I committed in the name of Ram & Krishna?
When did I commit carnages in home after home to convert others to Hinduism?
Will someone tell me how many mosques I break in Kabul?
My resolve has been to conquer not territories, but the hearts of millions of human beings
My body is Hindu, my mind is Hindu, my life is Hindu and the identity of my every blood vessel is Hindu
Another one from Vajpayee about Emergency:
Truth is battling against power
Justice against tyranny
Darkness has thrown a challenge
The last ray of light is vanishing
We have put everything at stake
Stop we now cannot / we might break, but we shall not bend
“This too shall pass”
In religion lies the vitality of India and so long as Hindu race do not forget the great inheritance of their forefathers, there is no power on earth to destroy them. Now a days, everybody blames those who constantly looking back to their past. It is said that so much looking back to the past is the cause of all India’s woes. To me, on the contrary, it seems that the opposite is true. So long as they forget the past, the Hindu nation remained in a style of stupor (nearly unconscious); and as soon as they have begun to look into their past, there is on every side a fresh manifestation of life. It is out of the past that the future has to be moulded, this past will become the future.
- Swami Vivekananda
The facts of present won’t sit still for a portrait. They are constantly vibrating, full of clutter & confusion – William Dixon
“ Freedom & hope do not go hand in hand. They can steal your freedom but can’t take away your hope”
“ Dictatorships cannot afford laughter because people may laugh at their dictator and that wouldn’t do”
“ God defend me from my friends; from my enemies, I can defend myself”- Proverb
Material and physical comfort without human freedom is sufficient only for the well-fed domestic animals & birds.It is not for men – Morarji Desai
Behavior of lemmings, the only species, among all those created by God, which was believed to commit mass suicide
There will be no end to the troubles of states or of humanity itself, till philosophers become kings in this world, or till those we now call king and rulers really and truly become philosophers, and the political power and philosophy thus come into the same hands - Plato
Being defeated is a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent – Marlyn Vos Savant
I am proud of our inheritance and our ancestors who gave intellectual and cultural preeminence to India? How do you feel about this past? Do you feel that you also shares in it and inheritors of it and therefore, proud of something that belongs to you as much as to me? Or do you feel alien to it and pass it by without understanding it or feeling that strange thrill that comes from the realization that we are the trustees and inheritors of this vast treasure?
- Jawaharlal Nehru
Shivlinga is a symbol of Shiva Shakti union ,which is the source and sustainer of rhythm of life
After the demise of Mahatma Gandhi and sardar Patel,’secularism’ had come to mean allergy to Hinduism – Munshi
The cup of India has always overflowed
With the heady wine of truth
Even the philosophers from the west
Are her ardent devotees
There is something so sublime in her mysticism
That her star soars high above the constellations
There have been thousands of rulers in this land
But none can compare with Ram
The discerning ones proclaim him
The spiritual leader of India
His lamp gave the light of wisdom
Which outshone the radiance
Of the whole of humankind
Ram was valiant; Ram was bold, yielded deftly his sword
He cared for the poorest of poor
He was unmatched in love and compassion
- ALLAMA IQBAL
Oh God, Give me these boons, Never shall I shirk from doing good deeds, Never shall I fear when I go to fight with the enemy, And with surety, I shall attain victory – Guru Gobind Singh
“ Where there is rain, the world enjoys prosperity; when the king rules with justice, his subjects prosper” – Thiruvalluvar
“Tough times don’t last, tough men do”
2009 നവംബർ 15, ഞായറാഴ്ച
2009 നവംബർ 4, ബുധനാഴ്ച
2009 നവംബർ 3, ചൊവ്വാഴ്ച
Hello!
Hello!
By Linole Richie
I‘ve been alone with you inside my mind
And in my dreams,I kissed your lips
A thousand times
I sometimes see you pass outside my door
Hello, is it me you are looking for…
I can see it in your eyes
I can see it in your smile
You’re all I’ve ever wanted
And my arms are open wide
‘Cause you know just what to say
And you know just what to do
And I want to tell you so much
I love you
I long to see the sunlight in your hair
And tell you time and time again how much I care
Sometimes I feel my heart will overflow
Hello, I’ve just got to let you know
‘Cause I wonder where you are
And I wonder what you do
Are you somewhere feelin’ lonely…
Or is someone loving you?
Tell me how to win your heart
For I haven’t got a clue
But let me start by saying
I love you
By Linole Richie
I‘ve been alone with you inside my mind
And in my dreams,I kissed your lips
A thousand times
I sometimes see you pass outside my door
Hello, is it me you are looking for…
I can see it in your eyes
I can see it in your smile
You’re all I’ve ever wanted
And my arms are open wide
‘Cause you know just what to say
And you know just what to do
And I want to tell you so much
I love you
I long to see the sunlight in your hair
And tell you time and time again how much I care
Sometimes I feel my heart will overflow
Hello, I’ve just got to let you know
‘Cause I wonder where you are
And I wonder what you do
Are you somewhere feelin’ lonely…
Or is someone loving you?
Tell me how to win your heart
For I haven’t got a clue
But let me start by saying
I love you
അമ്മ
Something about mother..
I recently heard one short story from Mr. M. Jayachandran, music director, while watching Superstar 2 in Amrita TV
It goes like this..
One boy came home quite late and all drenched due to heavy downpour
His father: You will learn when you will have fever tomorrow. I don’t know when you learn to have some sense
His sister: Why can’t you wait at one of the waiting sheds and come home after the rain
His brother: You are an Idiot. You always do stupid things in your life
And finally his mother with a towel in her hand: The messy heavy rain and she started drying up his hair (the real Malayalam sentence was “ Nashichaa mazhaaa”) All except the mother were blaming the boy and the mother blaming the rain…
I recently heard one short story from Mr. M. Jayachandran, music director, while watching Superstar 2 in Amrita TV
It goes like this..
One boy came home quite late and all drenched due to heavy downpour
His father: You will learn when you will have fever tomorrow. I don’t know when you learn to have some sense
His sister: Why can’t you wait at one of the waiting sheds and come home after the rain
His brother: You are an Idiot. You always do stupid things in your life
And finally his mother with a towel in her hand: The messy heavy rain and she started drying up his hair (the real Malayalam sentence was “ Nashichaa mazhaaa”) All except the mother were blaming the boy and the mother blaming the rain…
2009 നവംബർ 2, തിങ്കളാഴ്ച
ഒരിടത്തൊരു ഫയല്വാന്
Oridathoru phayalwaan
Recently, I watched Padmarajan’s “Oridathoru phayalwaan” I think it is the fifth or sixth time I watch that movie. Every time, the story, direction and the acting skill by various actors fascinate me. But, the whole message from the movie changes with time. Now my understanding from that movie is that every thing in our life is money oriented and each and every talk between individuals revolves around how they can make use of the other person and achieve some comfortable life or future except the character by Ashokan. The storyboard really kept me in front of the TV on last Saturday till midnight. I strongly recommend the above movie as a must watch. The range Nedumudi Venu carries in his acting is immaculate.
& The Director P.Padmarajan.. No words to describe.
Recently, I watched Padmarajan’s “Oridathoru phayalwaan” I think it is the fifth or sixth time I watch that movie. Every time, the story, direction and the acting skill by various actors fascinate me. But, the whole message from the movie changes with time. Now my understanding from that movie is that every thing in our life is money oriented and each and every talk between individuals revolves around how they can make use of the other person and achieve some comfortable life or future except the character by Ashokan. The storyboard really kept me in front of the TV on last Saturday till midnight. I strongly recommend the above movie as a must watch. The range Nedumudi Venu carries in his acting is immaculate.
& The Director P.Padmarajan.. No words to describe.
2009 ഒക്ടോബർ 26, തിങ്കളാഴ്ച
Silence
My Secret in Silence
- Lorelei Pablo
You came into my life
Quietly, Simply, Placidly
And my words stood still...
I couldn't express in words
Or even simple gestures
The secret I kept in my heart.
So I loved in silence
Admired you from a distance
Dreamt of you afar.
I wanted to say I love you...
I wanted to say i care.
But cowardly, maybe, you'll laugh at me.
In silence then I will love you...
In silence then I will care...
- Lorelei Pablo
You came into my life
Quietly, Simply, Placidly
And my words stood still...
I couldn't express in words
Or even simple gestures
The secret I kept in my heart.
So I loved in silence
Admired you from a distance
Dreamt of you afar.
I wanted to say I love you...
I wanted to say i care.
But cowardly, maybe, you'll laugh at me.
In silence then I will love you...
In silence then I will care...
2009 ഒക്ടോബർ 17, ശനിയാഴ്ച
Life!
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will.
Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
15. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
16. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
17. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
18. It's never too late to have a happy childhood.. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
19. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
20. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
21. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
22. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
23. The most important sex organ is the brain.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
26. Always choose life.
27. Forgive everyone everything..
28. What other people think of you is none of your business.
29. Time heals almost everything. Give time time..
30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
31. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
32. Believe in miracles.
33. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
34. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
35. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young..
36. Your children get only one childhood.
37. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
38. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
39. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
40. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
41. The best is yet to come.
42. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
43. Yield.
44. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will.
Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
15. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
16. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
17. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
18. It's never too late to have a happy childhood.. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
19. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
20. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
21. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
22. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
23. The most important sex organ is the brain.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
26. Always choose life.
27. Forgive everyone everything..
28. What other people think of you is none of your business.
29. Time heals almost everything. Give time time..
30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
31. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
32. Believe in miracles.
33. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
34. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
35. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young..
36. Your children get only one childhood.
37. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
38. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
39. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
40. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
41. The best is yet to come.
42. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
43. Yield.
44. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.
2009 ഒക്ടോബർ 8, വ്യാഴാഴ്ച
നമുക്കു പാര്ക്കാന് മുന്തിരി തോപ്പുകള്.
"നമുക്കു ഗ്രാമങ്ങളില് പോയി രാപ്പാര്ക്കാം. അതി കാലത്തു എഴുനേറ്റു മുന്തിരി തോട്ടങ്ങളില് പോയി മുന്തിരി വള്ളി തളിര്ത്തു പൂവ് വിടരുകയും മാതള നാരകം പൂക്കുകയും ചെയ്തുവോ എന്ന് നോക്കാം. അവിടെ വെച്ചു ഞാന് നിനക്കെന്റെ പ്രേമം തരും..."
നമുക്കു പാര്ക്കാന് മുന്തിരി തോപ്പുകള്
ഒരു അതി ഗംഭീര പത്മരാജ ചിത്രം
ലോറി ഓടിക്കുന്ന നായകനും അതി ഗംഭീര തിരക്കഥയും...
മോഹന്ലാലും തിലകനും അഭിനയ മത്സരം
നമുക്കു പാര്ക്കാന് മുന്തിരി തോപ്പുകള്
ഒരു അതി ഗംഭീര പത്മരാജ ചിത്രം
ലോറി ഓടിക്കുന്ന നായകനും അതി ഗംഭീര തിരക്കഥയും...
മോഹന്ലാലും തിലകനും അഭിനയ മത്സരം
2009 ഒക്ടോബർ 7, ബുധനാഴ്ച
WHY SOME ENGINEERS ARE TERRORISTS
SHASHI THAROOR , 30th March 2008 Times of India
An IIT graduate — so the story goes — is walking near a pond one day when a frog speaks to him. "Kiss me," it says, "and i will turn into a beautiful princess." The IITian does a double-take, turns back to check if he has heard right, and sure enough, the frog repeats itself: "Kiss me and i will turn into a beautiful princess." He looks thoughtfully at the frog, picks it up and puts it into his pocket. A plaintive wail soon emerges: "Kiss me and i will turn into a beautiful princess." He ignores it and walks on. Soon the frog asks, "Aren't you going to kiss me?" The IIT guy stops, pulls the frog out of his pocket, and replies matter-of-factly: "I'm an engineer. I don't have time for a girlfriend. But a talking frog is cool." No prizes for guessing what a literature graduate would have done in the same situation! Such is the self-image of the engineer in India: rational, hard-working, self-disciplined, steady, focused on the results of his work. Parents pray for the smartest of their kids to become engineers. Any child with better than average marks in science at school is pushed towards the profession, sustained by peer pressure that convinces him there could be no higher aspiration. And no doubt for some there isn't. But that clearly isn't the whole story. Disturbing new research at Oxford University by sociologists Diego Gambetta and Steffen Hertog points to an intriguing — one might say worrying — correlation between engineering and terrorism. If that doesn't raise eyebrows at the IITs, nothing will. But consider the evidence: Osama bin Laden was a student of engineering. So were the star 9/11 kamikaze pilot Mohammed Atta, the alleged mastermind of that plot, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and their all-but-forgotten predecessor, the chief plotter of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, Ramzi Yousef. The Oxford scholars, after putting together educational biographies for some 300 known members of violent Islamist groups from 30 countries, concluded that a majority of these Islamist terrorists were not just highly educated, but a startling number of them are engineers. Indeed, according to Gambetta and Hertog, nearly half had studied engineering. A summary of their research in Foreign Policy magazine remarked that "across the Middle East and Southeast Asia, the share of engineers in violent Islamist groups was found to be at least nine times greater than what one might expect, given their proportion of the working male population." Is there something about engineering that makes its most proficient graduates vulnerable to the temptations of violent extremism? Gambetta and Hertog seem to think so. They have no patience for the more conventional possible explanation — that engineers might be sought after by terrorist groups for their technical expertise in making and blowing up things. Instead, they argue that the reason there are so many terrorist engineers is that the subject helps produce a mindset that makes one prone to radicalisation. Engineers consider themselves problem solvers, and when the world seems to present a problem, they look to engineering- type solutions to solve it. Engineering, Gambetta and Hertog suggest, predisposes its votaries to absolute and non-negotiable principles, and therefore to fundamentalism; it is a short step from appreciating the predictable laws of engineering to following an ideology or a creed that is infused with its own immutable laws. It is easy for engineers to become radicalised, the researchers argue, because they are attracted by the "intellectually clean, unambiguous, and all-encompassing" solutions that both the laws of engineering and radical Islam provide. According to Gambetta and Hertog, surveys in Canada, Egypt, and the US have proved over the years that engineers tend to be more devout, and more politically conservative, than the rest of the population. I'm not suggesting one should buy wholesale the conclusions of the Oxford researchers; I know a few engineers who wouldn't harm a fly, so i'd be wary of making any sweeping generalisations about an entire profession. But the study does seem to me to open the door to make a nowadays unfashionable case: the argument in favour of studying the humanities. I have always believed that the well-formed mind is preferable to the well-filled one, and it takes a knowledge of history and an appreciation of literature to form a mind that is capable of grappling with the diversity of human experience in a world devoid of certitudes. If terrorism is to be tackled and ended, we will have to deal with fear, rage and incomprehension that animates it. We will have to know each other better, learn to see ourselves as others see us, learn to recognise hatred and deal with its causes, learn to dispel fear, and above all just learn about each other. It is not the engineering mindset that facilitates such learning, but the vision of the humanities student. The mind is like a parachute — it functions best when it is open. It takes reading and learning about other peoples and cultures to open (and broaden) minds. Ignorance and lack of imagination remain the handmaidens of violence. Without extending our imagination, we cannot understand how peoples of other races, religions or languages share the same dreams, the same hopes. Without reading widely and broadening our minds, we cannot understand the myriad manifestations of the human condition, nor fully appreciate the universality of human aims and aspirations. Without the humanities, we cannot recognise that there is more than one side to a story, and more than one answer to a question. That, of course, is never true in engineering. Perhaps the solution lies in making it compulsory for every engineering student to take at least 20% of his courses in the humanities. Maybe then he might even kiss the frog.
An IIT graduate — so the story goes — is walking near a pond one day when a frog speaks to him. "Kiss me," it says, "and i will turn into a beautiful princess." The IITian does a double-take, turns back to check if he has heard right, and sure enough, the frog repeats itself: "Kiss me and i will turn into a beautiful princess." He looks thoughtfully at the frog, picks it up and puts it into his pocket. A plaintive wail soon emerges: "Kiss me and i will turn into a beautiful princess." He ignores it and walks on. Soon the frog asks, "Aren't you going to kiss me?" The IIT guy stops, pulls the frog out of his pocket, and replies matter-of-factly: "I'm an engineer. I don't have time for a girlfriend. But a talking frog is cool." No prizes for guessing what a literature graduate would have done in the same situation! Such is the self-image of the engineer in India: rational, hard-working, self-disciplined, steady, focused on the results of his work. Parents pray for the smartest of their kids to become engineers. Any child with better than average marks in science at school is pushed towards the profession, sustained by peer pressure that convinces him there could be no higher aspiration. And no doubt for some there isn't. But that clearly isn't the whole story. Disturbing new research at Oxford University by sociologists Diego Gambetta and Steffen Hertog points to an intriguing — one might say worrying — correlation between engineering and terrorism. If that doesn't raise eyebrows at the IITs, nothing will. But consider the evidence: Osama bin Laden was a student of engineering. So were the star 9/11 kamikaze pilot Mohammed Atta, the alleged mastermind of that plot, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and their all-but-forgotten predecessor, the chief plotter of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, Ramzi Yousef. The Oxford scholars, after putting together educational biographies for some 300 known members of violent Islamist groups from 30 countries, concluded that a majority of these Islamist terrorists were not just highly educated, but a startling number of them are engineers. Indeed, according to Gambetta and Hertog, nearly half had studied engineering. A summary of their research in Foreign Policy magazine remarked that "across the Middle East and Southeast Asia, the share of engineers in violent Islamist groups was found to be at least nine times greater than what one might expect, given their proportion of the working male population." Is there something about engineering that makes its most proficient graduates vulnerable to the temptations of violent extremism? Gambetta and Hertog seem to think so. They have no patience for the more conventional possible explanation — that engineers might be sought after by terrorist groups for their technical expertise in making and blowing up things. Instead, they argue that the reason there are so many terrorist engineers is that the subject helps produce a mindset that makes one prone to radicalisation. Engineers consider themselves problem solvers, and when the world seems to present a problem, they look to engineering- type solutions to solve it. Engineering, Gambetta and Hertog suggest, predisposes its votaries to absolute and non-negotiable principles, and therefore to fundamentalism; it is a short step from appreciating the predictable laws of engineering to following an ideology or a creed that is infused with its own immutable laws. It is easy for engineers to become radicalised, the researchers argue, because they are attracted by the "intellectually clean, unambiguous, and all-encompassing" solutions that both the laws of engineering and radical Islam provide. According to Gambetta and Hertog, surveys in Canada, Egypt, and the US have proved over the years that engineers tend to be more devout, and more politically conservative, than the rest of the population. I'm not suggesting one should buy wholesale the conclusions of the Oxford researchers; I know a few engineers who wouldn't harm a fly, so i'd be wary of making any sweeping generalisations about an entire profession. But the study does seem to me to open the door to make a nowadays unfashionable case: the argument in favour of studying the humanities. I have always believed that the well-formed mind is preferable to the well-filled one, and it takes a knowledge of history and an appreciation of literature to form a mind that is capable of grappling with the diversity of human experience in a world devoid of certitudes. If terrorism is to be tackled and ended, we will have to deal with fear, rage and incomprehension that animates it. We will have to know each other better, learn to see ourselves as others see us, learn to recognise hatred and deal with its causes, learn to dispel fear, and above all just learn about each other. It is not the engineering mindset that facilitates such learning, but the vision of the humanities student. The mind is like a parachute — it functions best when it is open. It takes reading and learning about other peoples and cultures to open (and broaden) minds. Ignorance and lack of imagination remain the handmaidens of violence. Without extending our imagination, we cannot understand how peoples of other races, religions or languages share the same dreams, the same hopes. Without reading widely and broadening our minds, we cannot understand the myriad manifestations of the human condition, nor fully appreciate the universality of human aims and aspirations. Without the humanities, we cannot recognise that there is more than one side to a story, and more than one answer to a question. That, of course, is never true in engineering. Perhaps the solution lies in making it compulsory for every engineering student to take at least 20% of his courses in the humanities. Maybe then he might even kiss the frog.
2009 ഒക്ടോബർ 6, ചൊവ്വാഴ്ച
New words- Part 3
New words- Part 3
Abridge – shorten a text or film
Abrogate – cancel
Abrogated –cancel or do away with the law
Affront – offend
Anathema – something you hate
Apogee-highest point reached
Apposite – appropriate
Avowedly – openly state / confers
Beacon – a fire lit on the top of a hill as a signal
Blot – thing that spoils something good
Boorish – rough and bad memories
Cavalier – showing lack of real concern
Cohorts – a large band of people
Construed – interpret something in a particular way
Despised – hate or feel disgusted
Despotism – unlimited power
Diffidence – not having much self confidence
Eerily – strange & frightening
Elucidate – make clear, explain
Espionage – practice of spying
Eulogizing – praise someone high
Fang – tooth with which a snake injects poison
Flabbergasted – be greatly surprised
Flagrantly – very obvious and unashamed
Fulminations – protest strongly
Gross – vulgar
Harbinger – signal the approach of something
Haughtiness – arrogant & contemptuous of others
Heralded – publicly describe or announce
Hermit – saint
Hobgoblin – mischievous importance
Iconoclastic – a person who attacks established customs & values
Ignoble – dishonourable
Impunity – freedom from being punished or hurt
Inexorable – impossible to stop or prevent
Inexorably – impossible to stop or prevent
Insinuations – unpleasant hint or suggestion
Livid – furiously angry
Malady – disease or illness
Paranoia – a mental condition by which one feels that others are waiting to harm them
Penance – punishment given by a priest for having done wrong
Perched – sit or rest somewhere
Pernicious – having a harmful effect
Perpetuate –cause something to continue indefinitely
Phony – not genuine
Preposterous – outrageous
Promulgate – announce the official beginning of a new law
Propensity – tendency to believe in a particular way
Quash – put an end to
Rancour – bitter feeling / resentment
Rapacious – very greedy
Renascent – revival or re-birth
Repudiate – refuse to accept or support
Schism – division between 2 groups or within an organization
Scoffed – speak about something in a scornful way
Sordid – dishonest or immoral
Soured – unpleasantly stale
Temerity – excessive confidence or boldness
Temerity – excessive confidence or boldness
Tersely – using few words
Trammel – restrictions
Untenable – not able to be maintained
Upbraided – scolded
Venerated – respect someone highly
Verbiage – excessively detailed speech
Abridge – shorten a text or film
Abrogate – cancel
Abrogated –cancel or do away with the law
Affront – offend
Anathema – something you hate
Apogee-highest point reached
Apposite – appropriate
Avowedly – openly state / confers
Beacon – a fire lit on the top of a hill as a signal
Blot – thing that spoils something good
Boorish – rough and bad memories
Cavalier – showing lack of real concern
Cohorts – a large band of people
Construed – interpret something in a particular way
Despised – hate or feel disgusted
Despotism – unlimited power
Diffidence – not having much self confidence
Eerily – strange & frightening
Elucidate – make clear, explain
Espionage – practice of spying
Eulogizing – praise someone high
Fang – tooth with which a snake injects poison
Flabbergasted – be greatly surprised
Flagrantly – very obvious and unashamed
Fulminations – protest strongly
Gross – vulgar
Harbinger – signal the approach of something
Haughtiness – arrogant & contemptuous of others
Heralded – publicly describe or announce
Hermit – saint
Hobgoblin – mischievous importance
Iconoclastic – a person who attacks established customs & values
Ignoble – dishonourable
Impunity – freedom from being punished or hurt
Inexorable – impossible to stop or prevent
Inexorably – impossible to stop or prevent
Insinuations – unpleasant hint or suggestion
Livid – furiously angry
Malady – disease or illness
Paranoia – a mental condition by which one feels that others are waiting to harm them
Penance – punishment given by a priest for having done wrong
Perched – sit or rest somewhere
Pernicious – having a harmful effect
Perpetuate –cause something to continue indefinitely
Phony – not genuine
Preposterous – outrageous
Promulgate – announce the official beginning of a new law
Propensity – tendency to believe in a particular way
Quash – put an end to
Rancour – bitter feeling / resentment
Rapacious – very greedy
Renascent – revival or re-birth
Repudiate – refuse to accept or support
Schism – division between 2 groups or within an organization
Scoffed – speak about something in a scornful way
Sordid – dishonest or immoral
Soured – unpleasantly stale
Temerity – excessive confidence or boldness
Temerity – excessive confidence or boldness
Tersely – using few words
Trammel – restrictions
Untenable – not able to be maintained
Upbraided – scolded
Venerated – respect someone highly
Verbiage – excessively detailed speech
New words- Part 2
New words- Part 2
Abhorrent – unappealing
Naiveté – lack of experience, wisdom or judgment
Benevolence – well meaning & kindly
Cogency – logical, convincing
Sundered – split apart
Contemplation – look at thoughtfully, think about
Acquiesce – accept something without protest
Incarcerated – imprisoned
Malevolent – wishing to harm other people
Harrowing – very distressing
Incognito – having your true identity concealed
Firmament – heavens /sky
Cloak – cover or hide
Albeit – though
Annals – historical records
Intransigent – refusing to change views or behavior
Probity – honesty and decency
Abhorrent – unappealing
Naiveté – lack of experience, wisdom or judgment
Benevolence – well meaning & kindly
Cogency – logical, convincing
Sundered – split apart
Contemplation – look at thoughtfully, think about
Acquiesce – accept something without protest
Incarcerated – imprisoned
Malevolent – wishing to harm other people
Harrowing – very distressing
Incognito – having your true identity concealed
Firmament – heavens /sky
Cloak – cover or hide
Albeit – though
Annals – historical records
Intransigent – refusing to change views or behavior
Probity – honesty and decency
Some new words
Some new words:
Allude – mention in passing
Compendium – collection of information about a subject; collection of similar items
Innate- natural, in born
Erudite – showing knowledge gained from reading and study
Debilitating – severely weaken
Dichotomy – separation
Annulled – declared a law. Other legal contract to be no longer valid
Promulgation – announced the official beginning of a new law
Venerable – given great respect of age, wisdom or character
Sanctified – make something holy
Edifice – large imposing building
Envisaged – saw something as a possibility
Denouement – final part of a play / narrative in which matters are explained / resolved
Constellation – group of stars forming a recognized pattern
Candour – quality of being open & honest
Fervently – intensely passionate
Camaraderie – trust and friendship between people
Squalor – extremely dirty and unpleasant
Desolate – very unhappy
Tardy – late
Iniquitous – unfair
Milieu – social environment
Tumultuous – very loud, up roaring
Festoons – decorative chain of flowers
Enigma – mysterious person
Delude – flood
Connivance – inspire to do something wrong
Allude – mention in passing
Compendium – collection of information about a subject; collection of similar items
Innate- natural, in born
Erudite – showing knowledge gained from reading and study
Debilitating – severely weaken
Dichotomy – separation
Annulled – declared a law. Other legal contract to be no longer valid
Promulgation – announced the official beginning of a new law
Venerable – given great respect of age, wisdom or character
Sanctified – make something holy
Edifice – large imposing building
Envisaged – saw something as a possibility
Denouement – final part of a play / narrative in which matters are explained / resolved
Constellation – group of stars forming a recognized pattern
Candour – quality of being open & honest
Fervently – intensely passionate
Camaraderie – trust and friendship between people
Squalor – extremely dirty and unpleasant
Desolate – very unhappy
Tardy – late
Iniquitous – unfair
Milieu – social environment
Tumultuous – very loud, up roaring
Festoons – decorative chain of flowers
Enigma – mysterious person
Delude – flood
Connivance – inspire to do something wrong
2009 ഒക്ടോബർ 3, ശനിയാഴ്ച
My Country, My life – L.K. Advani – Part 2
My Country, My life – L.K. Advani – Part 2
What are you? Which in a more straight forward way meant ‘What is your caste’ – LKA
About 1957 election:
Of the 3 places I contested from, I forfeited my deposit in one (Mathura), lost by a thin margin in another (Lucknow) and won handsomely in the third (Balrampur)
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee
If a political leader wants to succeed in conflict prevention and resolution,he or she should develop six basic qualities. Keeping one’s ears to the ground through constant interaction with the masses, impartiality, sincerity, patience, fairness and firmness
- LKA
Free press can of course be good or bad, but most certainly without freedom, the press will never be anything but bad – Albert Camus, Nobel Laureate, French Novelist
The pursuit of happiness is linked not to one’s rights, but to one’s duties. The first duty that is enjoyed on an adult individual is to take care of one’s parents – LKA
No, I cannot do it. For there will be too much of ‘I’ in it which I dislike – Deendayalji
I will write about issues, not about myself – Deendayalji
Deendayalji’s utter inability and unwillingness to think about himself was of a kind that is unimaginable today – LKA
Communist mentality – “ Who ever is not with them being against them”
I (Nehru) will crush Jana Sangh to which Dr.Mookerjee retorted “And we will crush this crushing mentality of the PM
Nehru did not show Dr. Rajendra Prasad the respect he deserved both on account of the high constitutional office he held and his significant contribution to the freedom movement
Kosygm said to Shastri- You will have to give up Hajipir & Tithwa. Shastri had even retorted, In that case, you would have to talk to some other Prime Minister
To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right – Confucious 551-479 BC
The only CM who sent me back empty handed without contributing any amount to the Rock Memorial Fund (at Kanyakumari,Vivekananda Smarak) was the then Kerala CM, EMS. I can say this much about my abortive interview with him. It was like conversing with a sphinx. It was monologue all the way on my part. Only an empty stare from the other side – Eknath Ranade
I do not want to rest & rust. Life without work is like death to me – God will keep me as long as He wishes, let me work – Eknath Ranande
Let every man make known what kind of Government would command his respect and that will be one step toward obtaining it – Henry David Thoreau
Lord Macaulay’s remarks in his address to British parliament on 02 Feb 1835 –
I have traveled across length and breadth of India and I have not seen one single person who is a beggar, who is a thief. Such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such caliber, that I do not think that we could ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her cultural & spiritual heritage and, therefore, I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for if the Indians think that all that is foreign & English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self esteem, their native culture and they will become what we want them – a truly dominated nation
In life, we shall find many men
that are great, and some men that are good, but a very few men that are both great and good – Charles Celeb Cotton 18th Century English Writer
There is a quotation that says: “ The younger generation these days has no respect for elders. They are not carrying forward the traditions of the past. They are getting corrupted. Things were so good when we were young – Socrates
“So now you see that this complaint against the younger generation has been going on since the past 2000 yrs and it will continue in the future too”
A monotonous life lived without any purpose or direction, is not worth much. To achieve anything big in life, you should be prepared to risk your all and take a leap of faith for whatever they believed in – Deendayalji
A flower is what it is because of its petals, and the worth of the petals lies in remaining with the flower and adding to its beauty
Democracy has a habit of making itself generally disagreeable by asking the powers - that be at the most inconvenient moment whether they are the powers that ought to be
- James Russell Lowett, an American Poet
Change is the only constant
Conscience in the singular is a virtue where as, in the plural, it is a conspiracy. It is tantamount to indulging in collective indiscipline
The map of Indian subcontinent was redrawn with the birth of Bangladesh,the delivery being mid-wifed by India
History repeats itself first and second time as a farce – Karl Marx
India’s victory in 1971 war was quite simply the grandest hour in the annals of our Armed forces
Today, politics has ceased to be a means. It has become an end in itself. We have today people who are engaged in power politics rather than aim at political power with a view to achieving certain lofty social and natural objectives – Deeddayal Upadhyaya
Youdhishthira commanded Arjuna to go for the rescue of the Kauravas saying “ Between ourselves we are five and they are hundred. But before the enemy, we are hundred plus five”
Autocratic power everywhere entrenches itself and tends to perpetuate itself in the name of public good. History records that abuse of constitutional despotism inevitably leads to absolute despotism
- K. Subba Rao, Ex- Chief Justice of India
Freedom became one of the beacon lights of my life and it has remained so ever since. Freedom with the passing of years transcended the mere freedom of my country and embraced freedom of man everywhere and every sort of trammel- above all, it meant freedom of the human personality, freedom of the mind, freedom of the spirit. This freedom has become the passion of my life and I shall not see it compromised for bread, for security, for prosperity, for the glory of the state or for anything else.
-Jayaprakash Narayan
Article 352 of Indian constitution – Clause for Emergency
I could not believe my ears when Indira Gandhi said that the country needed to be saved from a massive conspiracy by the opposition – LKA
Nation is more important than democracy. We felt that the country has developed a disease and if is to be cured soon, it has to be given a dose of medicine. The child may sometime cry and we may have to say “ Take the medicine, otherwise you will not get cured.” So we gave this bitter medicine (emergency) to the nation. Now when the child suffers, the mother suffers too. Thus we are not very pleased to take this step. We were also sad.
- Indira Gandhi on Emergency
If a person jailed during the Emergency is shot down by those in the authority for personal reasons, do you mean to suggest that his associates have no judicial remedy?? The attorney General is said to have replied,” I don’t feel happy saying this, but legally Lordship, that is precisely the position
A vigorous opposition, a free press & an independent judiciary are the three essential features of democracy
The hallmark of every dictatorial regime is that it is never honest and transparent with its own people
The relationship between the assassin and the victim is deep and enduring. Death only openly and finally brings them together. Of course, there are tyrants who turn virtually everyone in a country into a prospective assassin and leaders who build bastions against their assassination in the minds of men, there by reducing the circle of prospective assassins to the microscopic group of psychopaths & the mentally ill – LKA
A dictator must fool all the people all the time and there is only one way to do that, he must also fool himself _ William Somerset Maugham
I think the public sector should function only in competition with the private sector and where it cannot function in competition with the private sector,it should be allowed to die a natural death – Sanjay Gandhi
What are you? Which in a more straight forward way meant ‘What is your caste’ – LKA
About 1957 election:
Of the 3 places I contested from, I forfeited my deposit in one (Mathura), lost by a thin margin in another (Lucknow) and won handsomely in the third (Balrampur)
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee
If a political leader wants to succeed in conflict prevention and resolution,he or she should develop six basic qualities. Keeping one’s ears to the ground through constant interaction with the masses, impartiality, sincerity, patience, fairness and firmness
- LKA
Free press can of course be good or bad, but most certainly without freedom, the press will never be anything but bad – Albert Camus, Nobel Laureate, French Novelist
The pursuit of happiness is linked not to one’s rights, but to one’s duties. The first duty that is enjoyed on an adult individual is to take care of one’s parents – LKA
No, I cannot do it. For there will be too much of ‘I’ in it which I dislike – Deendayalji
I will write about issues, not about myself – Deendayalji
Deendayalji’s utter inability and unwillingness to think about himself was of a kind that is unimaginable today – LKA
Communist mentality – “ Who ever is not with them being against them”
I (Nehru) will crush Jana Sangh to which Dr.Mookerjee retorted “And we will crush this crushing mentality of the PM
Nehru did not show Dr. Rajendra Prasad the respect he deserved both on account of the high constitutional office he held and his significant contribution to the freedom movement
Kosygm said to Shastri- You will have to give up Hajipir & Tithwa. Shastri had even retorted, In that case, you would have to talk to some other Prime Minister
To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right – Confucious 551-479 BC
The only CM who sent me back empty handed without contributing any amount to the Rock Memorial Fund (at Kanyakumari,Vivekananda Smarak) was the then Kerala CM, EMS. I can say this much about my abortive interview with him. It was like conversing with a sphinx. It was monologue all the way on my part. Only an empty stare from the other side – Eknath Ranade
I do not want to rest & rust. Life without work is like death to me – God will keep me as long as He wishes, let me work – Eknath Ranande
Let every man make known what kind of Government would command his respect and that will be one step toward obtaining it – Henry David Thoreau
Lord Macaulay’s remarks in his address to British parliament on 02 Feb 1835 –
I have traveled across length and breadth of India and I have not seen one single person who is a beggar, who is a thief. Such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such caliber, that I do not think that we could ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her cultural & spiritual heritage and, therefore, I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for if the Indians think that all that is foreign & English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self esteem, their native culture and they will become what we want them – a truly dominated nation
In life, we shall find many men
that are great, and some men that are good, but a very few men that are both great and good – Charles Celeb Cotton 18th Century English Writer
There is a quotation that says: “ The younger generation these days has no respect for elders. They are not carrying forward the traditions of the past. They are getting corrupted. Things were so good when we were young – Socrates
“So now you see that this complaint against the younger generation has been going on since the past 2000 yrs and it will continue in the future too”
A monotonous life lived without any purpose or direction, is not worth much. To achieve anything big in life, you should be prepared to risk your all and take a leap of faith for whatever they believed in – Deendayalji
A flower is what it is because of its petals, and the worth of the petals lies in remaining with the flower and adding to its beauty
Democracy has a habit of making itself generally disagreeable by asking the powers - that be at the most inconvenient moment whether they are the powers that ought to be
- James Russell Lowett, an American Poet
Change is the only constant
Conscience in the singular is a virtue where as, in the plural, it is a conspiracy. It is tantamount to indulging in collective indiscipline
The map of Indian subcontinent was redrawn with the birth of Bangladesh,the delivery being mid-wifed by India
History repeats itself first and second time as a farce – Karl Marx
India’s victory in 1971 war was quite simply the grandest hour in the annals of our Armed forces
Today, politics has ceased to be a means. It has become an end in itself. We have today people who are engaged in power politics rather than aim at political power with a view to achieving certain lofty social and natural objectives – Deeddayal Upadhyaya
Youdhishthira commanded Arjuna to go for the rescue of the Kauravas saying “ Between ourselves we are five and they are hundred. But before the enemy, we are hundred plus five”
Autocratic power everywhere entrenches itself and tends to perpetuate itself in the name of public good. History records that abuse of constitutional despotism inevitably leads to absolute despotism
- K. Subba Rao, Ex- Chief Justice of India
Freedom became one of the beacon lights of my life and it has remained so ever since. Freedom with the passing of years transcended the mere freedom of my country and embraced freedom of man everywhere and every sort of trammel- above all, it meant freedom of the human personality, freedom of the mind, freedom of the spirit. This freedom has become the passion of my life and I shall not see it compromised for bread, for security, for prosperity, for the glory of the state or for anything else.
-Jayaprakash Narayan
Article 352 of Indian constitution – Clause for Emergency
I could not believe my ears when Indira Gandhi said that the country needed to be saved from a massive conspiracy by the opposition – LKA
Nation is more important than democracy. We felt that the country has developed a disease and if is to be cured soon, it has to be given a dose of medicine. The child may sometime cry and we may have to say “ Take the medicine, otherwise you will not get cured.” So we gave this bitter medicine (emergency) to the nation. Now when the child suffers, the mother suffers too. Thus we are not very pleased to take this step. We were also sad.
- Indira Gandhi on Emergency
If a person jailed during the Emergency is shot down by those in the authority for personal reasons, do you mean to suggest that his associates have no judicial remedy?? The attorney General is said to have replied,” I don’t feel happy saying this, but legally Lordship, that is precisely the position
A vigorous opposition, a free press & an independent judiciary are the three essential features of democracy
The hallmark of every dictatorial regime is that it is never honest and transparent with its own people
The relationship between the assassin and the victim is deep and enduring. Death only openly and finally brings them together. Of course, there are tyrants who turn virtually everyone in a country into a prospective assassin and leaders who build bastions against their assassination in the minds of men, there by reducing the circle of prospective assassins to the microscopic group of psychopaths & the mentally ill – LKA
A dictator must fool all the people all the time and there is only one way to do that, he must also fool himself _ William Somerset Maugham
I think the public sector should function only in competition with the private sector and where it cannot function in competition with the private sector,it should be allowed to die a natural death – Sanjay Gandhi
2009 ഒക്ടോബർ 2, വെള്ളിയാഴ്ച
Gandhi Jayanthi
Gandhi Jayanthi
Belated Gandhi Jayanthi wishes to all my friends!!
“My life, My message” – Gandhiji.
Can any of the Modern Gandhi or any politician bravely make a statement like what was mentioned by the one & only Gandhiji.
I happened to visit one of the Mont blanc stores in a shopping mall adjacent to my home and happened to notice “Gandhi Limited Edition Pens”. The external finishes look like “khadi cloth texture” and in the nib engraved Gandhi’s face and the cost of the pens are as follows:
BallPoint pens “Gandhi Limited Edition” – AED 10,000.00 (IRS 130,000.00 approx)
Fountain pens” Gandhi Limited Edition” – AED 13,500.00 (IRS 175,000.00 approx)
Where as the cost of normal Mont blanc pens ranges between AED 1000.00 to say AED3, 500.00
Gandhiji too become a very expensive sellable brand name in this Global market
- Hey Ram………
Belated Gandhi Jayanthi wishes to all my friends!!
“My life, My message” – Gandhiji.
Can any of the Modern Gandhi or any politician bravely make a statement like what was mentioned by the one & only Gandhiji.
I happened to visit one of the Mont blanc stores in a shopping mall adjacent to my home and happened to notice “Gandhi Limited Edition Pens”. The external finishes look like “khadi cloth texture” and in the nib engraved Gandhi’s face and the cost of the pens are as follows:
BallPoint pens “Gandhi Limited Edition” – AED 10,000.00 (IRS 130,000.00 approx)
Fountain pens” Gandhi Limited Edition” – AED 13,500.00 (IRS 175,000.00 approx)
Where as the cost of normal Mont blanc pens ranges between AED 1000.00 to say AED3, 500.00
Gandhiji too become a very expensive sellable brand name in this Global market
- Hey Ram………
2009 സെപ്റ്റംബർ 30, ബുധനാഴ്ച
CHILDREN – By Khalil Gibran, Lebanese poet
CHILDREN – By Khalil Gibran, Lebanese poet
Your children are not your children
They are the sons and daughters of life’s longing for itself
They come through you but not from you
You may give them your love, but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts
You may house their bodies but not souls
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow
Which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams
You may strive to be like them,
But seek not to make them like you
For life goes not backward or tarries with yesterday
You are the bow from which your children
As living arrows are send forth
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite
And He bends you with his might
That His arrows may go swift and far
Let our bending in the archer’s hand be of gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
So He loves also the bow that is stable
Your children are not your children
They are the sons and daughters of life’s longing for itself
They come through you but not from you
You may give them your love, but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts
You may house their bodies but not souls
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow
Which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams
You may strive to be like them,
But seek not to make them like you
For life goes not backward or tarries with yesterday
You are the bow from which your children
As living arrows are send forth
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite
And He bends you with his might
That His arrows may go swift and far
Let our bending in the archer’s hand be of gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
So He loves also the bow that is stable
2009 സെപ്റ്റംബർ 29, ചൊവ്വാഴ്ച
My Country, My Life- Part1
My Country My Life – By L.K. Advani
A well narrated Indian history and politics from a legend . Fantastic language and very impressive writing. The whole book is divided into 5 phases (5 phases of his life) and described the indian politics,the details of various freedom fighters,politicians etc..
Very informative and I used to keep my Oxford dictionary with me while reading the above book.
Have a look at the following,which I learnt from the above book:
I am what I am today principally because of the values and tradition that I acquired from RSS – LK Advani
Every significant event has its own predestined time of occurrence
Advani- Born in Karachi and lived in Sindh for the first 20 years of his life
Advani left Karachi for good in 12 September 1947.
A more assertive leadership could perhaps have succeded in bringing these districts to India,in which case India’s western boundary could have stretched right upto the sacred Sindhu river. Sadly,that did not happen
Arab muslims who had settled along the coast,as in Kerala,had their mosques
Nadir Shah looted the country once.British loot us every day. Every year wealth to the tune of 4.5 million dollars is being drained out,sucking our very blood – Sindh times
Our object will be to sacrifice married bliss for the joy of serving the country – Jai Hind Party
Let positive,strong,helpful thoughts enter into your brains from very childhood.Lay yourself open to these thoughts and not to weakening and paralysing ones
Curiosity kills the cat
Bombay, a city with which Karachi shares close historical ties and many common characterestics
Our mother passed away when I was just 13 and Sheela,only 7 – Advani
Time had inevitably taken its toll leaving me to muse,sadly,about the transience (last only for short time) of human life
When the door opens and lets the future in!!
Kindled the fire of patriotism in me
You receive so much from society but what are you giving back? Is’nt it your duty to do so? Is’nt it our responsibility to liberate our motherland??
Indira Gandhi during Emergency: Nation is more important than democracy
Advani was Minister of Information and Broadcasting in Morarji Desai’s government
Indeed,dynasticism is now part of the “basic structure” of congress
Ayodhya movement opened my eyes to the deep-rooted influence of religion in the lives of hindus of all castes and sects across the country
We have been unable to provide clean drinking water to hundreds of millions of our citizens,more than half of our population
What can be more shaming than to read that many infants in our tribal areas die of malnutrition??
Duty, Dedication & Discipline – Three principles that I learnt before I started my life as a political activist – LKA
About partion,LKA says – “ What an accursed (horrible) fate mine is..”
Join RSS. It is a good organisation which teaches patriotism& discipline to young men – LKA
Mother,had’nt you taught me from Bhagavad Gita that the soul is indistructible??
- Hemu Kalani hanged by Brits in 1943
Freedom is the birthright of every nation – Bala Gangadhara Tilak
My pre-partition memories of Karachi have always been that of a tidy neat city – LKA
The word hindu is clearly derived from Sindhu,the old as well as the present India name for the Indus. From this Sindhu came the words Hindu & Hindustan as wellas Indus & India – Discovery of India by Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru
Congress leaders believe that India would get her independence by sending memorandums & petitions to the British.RSS seniors would tell us “ we don’t think that the British are going to go away so cheaply”
Two nation theory first fell on my ears,it felt as if I had touched a live wire – LKA
Without a well organised population and without a voluntary force at its core consisting of individuals strong in character and imbued with the spirit of sacrifice,nothing tangible can be achieved – LKA
“Learn to listen more and talk less,express your opinion in clear and concise terms; but don’t challenge others in an argument beyond a point even if you know that the other person is in the wrong. Nine times out of ten,an argument ends with each of the contestents more firmly convinced than ever that he is absolutely right.Once you have made your point and your friends doesn’t agree,what is the point in stretching the argument? If you can’t convince him,simply keep quiet.
A man convinced against his will
Is of the same opinion still
Instead of condemning people,let’s try to understand. To know all is to forgive all. God himself does not propose to judge man until the end of his days. Why should you & I?Human beings do not change the way they live simply by listening to other’s advice. They have to realise the need for change themselves”
How to win friends and influence people – by Dale Carnegie
Godward passion transmuted to manward love.People read Gita as a pious act and for a little peace of mind.We never realised that this is a book of intense practicality.
- Swami Vivekananda
I have committed the biggest blunder in creating Pakistan and would like to go to Delhi & tell Nehru to forget the follies of the past and become friends again – Jinnah
Largest ever cross migration of population in human history – LKA about partition
One hindu woman posed question to Nehru- “Partitions take place in all families,property changes hands,but it is all arranged peacefully. Why this butchery,loot and abductions? Could you not do it the sensible way families divide?”
India is the world’s most ancient civilization,yet one of its youngest nations.Much of the paradox found everywhere in India is the product of her inextricable antiquity and youth.
British Prime Minister Clement Atlee had announced on 20 Feb 1947 that His Majesty’s Government intended to transfer power to Indians in a united or partitioned India by June 1948. Mount Batton arrived in india in 1947. In a maddening short span of 5 months,he completed the task of dividing India in 1947.
I am however convinced that the partition riots were to a large extent, avoidable – LKA
Uncertainity often results in suspicion,which turns neighbour against neighbour more so in a communally charged atmosphere
They made me aware of the harsh realities of life faced by millions of my countrymen and also imparted a welcome discipline to my daily habits – LKA
Generations to come will scarce (rarely found) believe that such a one as this walked the earth in flesh and blood – Tribute to Mahatma Gandhi by Albert Einstein
I was shell shocked is an understatement. What had impressed me most about Gandhiji was his absolute honesty and purity of his personality – LKA
The sangh might not believe in Ahimsa but neither did it advocate aggression.The swayam sevaks were only taught the art of self defence
If the teeth were to bite the tongue, do we pull out the teeth? Even those who have done injustice to us are our own people. So, we must forget and forgive
A lie repeated hundred times becomes a truth – Goebbels
To call RSS anti-secular is to show one’s ignorance of what is secularism stands for and what the RSS stands for – LKA
We must be able to show that India is not only in theory,but also in fact,a country where hindus,muslims,christians & everyonewill be able to live without fear and with equality of rights.That is the constitution that we hae framed and which we propose to apply rigourously & scrupulously – Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookharjee
Our goodness or inaction has been interpreted as weakness by Pakistan.It has made Pakistan more and more intransigent (refusing to change views or behaviour)
India was the motherland of our race and Sanskrit,the mother of Europe’s languages,she was the mother of our philosophy,mother,through the Arabs,of much of our mathematics,mother through the Buddha,of the ideals embodied in Christianity,mother through village community,of self government and democracy. Mother India is in many ways the mother of all of us
- Will Durant “The Story of Philosophy”
To be continued..
A well narrated Indian history and politics from a legend . Fantastic language and very impressive writing. The whole book is divided into 5 phases (5 phases of his life) and described the indian politics,the details of various freedom fighters,politicians etc..
Very informative and I used to keep my Oxford dictionary with me while reading the above book.
Have a look at the following,which I learnt from the above book:
I am what I am today principally because of the values and tradition that I acquired from RSS – LK Advani
Every significant event has its own predestined time of occurrence
Advani- Born in Karachi and lived in Sindh for the first 20 years of his life
Advani left Karachi for good in 12 September 1947.
A more assertive leadership could perhaps have succeded in bringing these districts to India,in which case India’s western boundary could have stretched right upto the sacred Sindhu river. Sadly,that did not happen
Arab muslims who had settled along the coast,as in Kerala,had their mosques
Nadir Shah looted the country once.British loot us every day. Every year wealth to the tune of 4.5 million dollars is being drained out,sucking our very blood – Sindh times
Our object will be to sacrifice married bliss for the joy of serving the country – Jai Hind Party
Let positive,strong,helpful thoughts enter into your brains from very childhood.Lay yourself open to these thoughts and not to weakening and paralysing ones
Curiosity kills the cat
Bombay, a city with which Karachi shares close historical ties and many common characterestics
Our mother passed away when I was just 13 and Sheela,only 7 – Advani
Time had inevitably taken its toll leaving me to muse,sadly,about the transience (last only for short time) of human life
When the door opens and lets the future in!!
Kindled the fire of patriotism in me
You receive so much from society but what are you giving back? Is’nt it your duty to do so? Is’nt it our responsibility to liberate our motherland??
Indira Gandhi during Emergency: Nation is more important than democracy
Advani was Minister of Information and Broadcasting in Morarji Desai’s government
Indeed,dynasticism is now part of the “basic structure” of congress
Ayodhya movement opened my eyes to the deep-rooted influence of religion in the lives of hindus of all castes and sects across the country
We have been unable to provide clean drinking water to hundreds of millions of our citizens,more than half of our population
What can be more shaming than to read that many infants in our tribal areas die of malnutrition??
Duty, Dedication & Discipline – Three principles that I learnt before I started my life as a political activist – LKA
About partion,LKA says – “ What an accursed (horrible) fate mine is..”
Join RSS. It is a good organisation which teaches patriotism& discipline to young men – LKA
Mother,had’nt you taught me from Bhagavad Gita that the soul is indistructible??
- Hemu Kalani hanged by Brits in 1943
Freedom is the birthright of every nation – Bala Gangadhara Tilak
My pre-partition memories of Karachi have always been that of a tidy neat city – LKA
The word hindu is clearly derived from Sindhu,the old as well as the present India name for the Indus. From this Sindhu came the words Hindu & Hindustan as wellas Indus & India – Discovery of India by Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru
Congress leaders believe that India would get her independence by sending memorandums & petitions to the British.RSS seniors would tell us “ we don’t think that the British are going to go away so cheaply”
Two nation theory first fell on my ears,it felt as if I had touched a live wire – LKA
Without a well organised population and without a voluntary force at its core consisting of individuals strong in character and imbued with the spirit of sacrifice,nothing tangible can be achieved – LKA
“Learn to listen more and talk less,express your opinion in clear and concise terms; but don’t challenge others in an argument beyond a point even if you know that the other person is in the wrong. Nine times out of ten,an argument ends with each of the contestents more firmly convinced than ever that he is absolutely right.Once you have made your point and your friends doesn’t agree,what is the point in stretching the argument? If you can’t convince him,simply keep quiet.
A man convinced against his will
Is of the same opinion still
Instead of condemning people,let’s try to understand. To know all is to forgive all. God himself does not propose to judge man until the end of his days. Why should you & I?Human beings do not change the way they live simply by listening to other’s advice. They have to realise the need for change themselves”
How to win friends and influence people – by Dale Carnegie
Godward passion transmuted to manward love.People read Gita as a pious act and for a little peace of mind.We never realised that this is a book of intense practicality.
- Swami Vivekananda
I have committed the biggest blunder in creating Pakistan and would like to go to Delhi & tell Nehru to forget the follies of the past and become friends again – Jinnah
Largest ever cross migration of population in human history – LKA about partition
One hindu woman posed question to Nehru- “Partitions take place in all families,property changes hands,but it is all arranged peacefully. Why this butchery,loot and abductions? Could you not do it the sensible way families divide?”
India is the world’s most ancient civilization,yet one of its youngest nations.Much of the paradox found everywhere in India is the product of her inextricable antiquity and youth.
British Prime Minister Clement Atlee had announced on 20 Feb 1947 that His Majesty’s Government intended to transfer power to Indians in a united or partitioned India by June 1948. Mount Batton arrived in india in 1947. In a maddening short span of 5 months,he completed the task of dividing India in 1947.
I am however convinced that the partition riots were to a large extent, avoidable – LKA
Uncertainity often results in suspicion,which turns neighbour against neighbour more so in a communally charged atmosphere
They made me aware of the harsh realities of life faced by millions of my countrymen and also imparted a welcome discipline to my daily habits – LKA
Generations to come will scarce (rarely found) believe that such a one as this walked the earth in flesh and blood – Tribute to Mahatma Gandhi by Albert Einstein
I was shell shocked is an understatement. What had impressed me most about Gandhiji was his absolute honesty and purity of his personality – LKA
The sangh might not believe in Ahimsa but neither did it advocate aggression.The swayam sevaks were only taught the art of self defence
If the teeth were to bite the tongue, do we pull out the teeth? Even those who have done injustice to us are our own people. So, we must forget and forgive
A lie repeated hundred times becomes a truth – Goebbels
To call RSS anti-secular is to show one’s ignorance of what is secularism stands for and what the RSS stands for – LKA
We must be able to show that India is not only in theory,but also in fact,a country where hindus,muslims,christians & everyonewill be able to live without fear and with equality of rights.That is the constitution that we hae framed and which we propose to apply rigourously & scrupulously – Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookharjee
Our goodness or inaction has been interpreted as weakness by Pakistan.It has made Pakistan more and more intransigent (refusing to change views or behaviour)
India was the motherland of our race and Sanskrit,the mother of Europe’s languages,she was the mother of our philosophy,mother,through the Arabs,of much of our mathematics,mother through the Buddha,of the ideals embodied in Christianity,mother through village community,of self government and democracy. Mother India is in many ways the mother of all of us
- Will Durant “The Story of Philosophy”
To be continued..
2009 സെപ്റ്റംബർ 13, ഞായറാഴ്ച
Life's Mysteries - By Osho
08.09.2009
Completed reading “Life's Mysteries” – An introduction to the teachings of Osho forwarded by Khushwant Singh.
Very impressive book. Very much informative.
A few notes from the above book as attached:
Osho
Never Born – Never Died
Only visited this planet Earth between December 11,1931 – January 19,1991
A few basic truths have to be recognized. One is that nobody is born for another.The second is that nobody is here to fulfil your ideals of how he should be. The third is that you are master of your own love and you can give as much as you want- but you cannot demand love from the other person,because nobody is a slave.
Love is greed he affirmed tracing its origin to Sanskrit word lobha – greed.
Osho has his own therapy to overcome tension:
And you will be surprised that if you approach any part of your body,it listens,it follows you – it is your body! With closed eyes, go inside your body from the toe to the headsearching for any place where there is a tension.And then talk to that part as you talk to your friend.Let it be a dialogue between you and your body.Tell it to relax, and tell it tthere is nothing to fear.Don’t be afraid.I am here to take care and you can relax.Slowly slowly you will learn the knack of it and then the body becomes relaxed.
What is important and unimportant?
That which can be taken by death is unimportant and that which cannot be taken by death is important. Except meditation,nothing is important
You will be taking with you only whatsoever awareness you have attained; that is your only real wealth
To me death is not the end of life but the very crescendo of life,the very climax.It is the ultimate of life.If you have lived rightly,if you have lived moment to moment totally,if you have squeezed out the whole juice of life,your death will be the ultimate orgasm – Osho
Life has no aim other than itself because life is another name of God.
Except man,the whole existence trusts only in life.There is no other God and there is no other temple.There is no holy scripture
Our whole upbringing is such that it goes against pleasure,against joy,against the sense of humour,against rejoicing in small things of life – singing a song or dancing or playing flute.Nobody is going to call you a saint because you play the flute beautifully except me – Osho..
Receptivity is a state of no-mind
The less you think, the more you are!
In reality, nothing ever repeats
Love is both. It is rich and painful.It is agony & ecstacy because love is the meeting of earth and the sky,of the known and the unknown,of the visible and invisible
Religion has given many things to the world;homosexuality is one of them.All kind of perversions…
It is a fundemental law of life that love brings you to deeper and deeper dissatisfactions.
Love and love more deeply, Suffer and suffer more deeply. Love totally and suffer totally because this is how the impure gold passes through fire and becomes pure gold.
Be like two pillars that support the same roof,but don’t start possessing the other,leave the other independent. Support the same roof – that roof is love – Kahlil Gibran says
Our emphasis will be on verbs,not nouns; avoid nouns as much as possible. In language you cannot avoid,but in life avoid because life is a verb. It is not love,loving. It is not relationship,it is relating,it is not a song,it is singing,it is not a dance,it is dancing
Life knows no fulpoints; commas are okay,but not full points. Resting places are okay,but no destination.
Meditate- Without it,nothing is possible
With it,nothing is impossible
Laughter is part of the highest consciousness achieved by man
& Seriousness is a disease
Although it is just foam,without that foam those waves will look naked
The whiteness of the foam gives a beauty, a life, a certain dance to the wave.
Each effort will become better and better and better ,more and more perfect,but never perfect.
Silence is beautiful – but silence does not mean seriousness.
God never created ordinary persons
Life is significant and there is no purpose in it. It is purposeless significance, like a song or a dance
There is no need to postpone celebration. Immediately,right at this moment you can celebrate
You are,you are not to become..
To me,when a child is happy,jumping,the whole family should be happy and jumping with the child.And when the child is ill,care should be taken of the child but no sympathy should be shown.Care is okay; sympathy, no.
The child should be the first,the priority should be his!
Learn to laugh with the flowers and the stars and you will feel a strange weightlessness coming into your being..as if you have grown wings and you can fly.
The calculative mind is a desert like phenomenon and the non calculative mind is a garden.Birds sing there and flowers bloom…it is a totally different world.
The house is full of guests and the host is missing.You have all the things of the world but you are not.A tremendous misery is the outcome.You have all the pleasures,all the money,all that man has ever dremt of and in the end of centuries of effort,suddenly you find you don’t exist.Your inside is hollow,there is nobody.
It is starange. If everybody is serving everybody else.Why should I not serve myself,you serve yourself? Why create this complexity and make it a burden- that I should serve others and wait for them to serve me?
Duty is a four-letter dirty word.
Make it a point that your life has to be a life of love, and if out of love you respond,that I call responsibility. If you love,you are bound to respond;there is no burden. Duty is a burden.
Love can cancel gravity,love can cancel burden.Out of love any response is beautiful.Without love,responsibility is ugly and simply shows that you have a mind of a slave.
Youw ill have to listen your heart and go with it, whatever the cost-it is always cheap.Whatever you have to lose,lose; but if you have been listening to the heart,you will be the winner in the end,victory is yours.
Responsibility helps you to become more and more free. And only a person who knows the taste of freedom, who knows the beauty of responsibility, is worthy of calling himself a human being; otherwise you are camels and nothing more..
I don’t accept the idea of Mahatma Gandhi that Briton is responsible for India’s slavery. India itself is responsible for its slavery. Otherwise, just in a single hour,all the British people can be thrown into the ocean.India just has to understand that freedom is our birthright.
Everybody wants to be dependent; everybody wants somebody to take responsibility. In freedom, you are responsible for every act,every thought,every movement. You cannot dump anything on anybody else
The indications that you are on right path are very simple: your tensions will start disappearing,you will become more and more cool, you will become more and more calm,you will find beauty in things which you have never ever conceived could be beautiful.
You will feel life not as a problem but as a gift, as a blessing, as a benediction.
Sitting in a public bus or in a railway train,when you have nothing to do just close your eyes.It will save your eyes being tired from looking outside and it will give you time enough to watch yourself. Those moments will become moments of the most beautiful experience.
You don’t know how much you are holding in and that is the cause of tension.
Man can rise above gods and fall below animals.Man has a great spectrum. From lowest to highest,man is a ladder.
People have a certain tendency to be respectful about the dead.The longer they are dead,the more respectful they become. So, I am giving you a recipe; if you want to become respectable,be dead and everybody will be respectful to you…
The ego is a comparison.
Self-respect and pride are non-comparative.
In ego, you are always comparing. I am superior to others, I am better than you, I am higher than you, I am holier than you – I am a saint and you are a sinner..
Self-respect is respect without comparison. Pride is dignity.
I am against ego, but not against pride, not against self-respect. Those are the most important human qualities.
Ego is the root cause of all fear in you. A man who is ego less is also fearless.
Death comes and destroys the whole fiction of your name, your fame. The death comes simply and effaces all;not even footprints are left. Whatsoever we go on making out of our life is nothing but writing on water – not even on sand, but on water. You have not even written it and it is gone.You cannot even read it; before you could read it, it is gone.
Never ask “who is my real friend?’ Ask, “Am I a real friend to somebody?” That is the right question.Always be concerned with yourself
The proverb is “A friend in need is a friend indeed”. But deep down,that is greed.That is not friendship, that is not love.You want to use the other as a means and no man is a means,every man is an end unto himself.
Friendship is the highest form of love.In love, some lust is bound to be there,in friendship,all lust disappears.In friendship nothing gross remains;it becomes absolutely subtle.
A friend always feels grateful to those people who allow him to love them, to give them whatsoever he has got.
There is not much difference between truth and a lie.the only difference is that truth is a lie repeated so often that you have forgotten that it is a lie – Hitler
Have you ever said hello to a tree? Try it and one day you will be surprised;the tree also say hello to you in her tongue.
So on and so forth…………….
Osho goes on!!!
Fantastic book to read.
Completed reading “Life's Mysteries” – An introduction to the teachings of Osho forwarded by Khushwant Singh.
Very impressive book. Very much informative.
A few notes from the above book as attached:
Osho
Never Born – Never Died
Only visited this planet Earth between December 11,1931 – January 19,1991
A few basic truths have to be recognized. One is that nobody is born for another.The second is that nobody is here to fulfil your ideals of how he should be. The third is that you are master of your own love and you can give as much as you want- but you cannot demand love from the other person,because nobody is a slave.
Love is greed he affirmed tracing its origin to Sanskrit word lobha – greed.
Osho has his own therapy to overcome tension:
And you will be surprised that if you approach any part of your body,it listens,it follows you – it is your body! With closed eyes, go inside your body from the toe to the headsearching for any place where there is a tension.And then talk to that part as you talk to your friend.Let it be a dialogue between you and your body.Tell it to relax, and tell it tthere is nothing to fear.Don’t be afraid.I am here to take care and you can relax.Slowly slowly you will learn the knack of it and then the body becomes relaxed.
What is important and unimportant?
That which can be taken by death is unimportant and that which cannot be taken by death is important. Except meditation,nothing is important
You will be taking with you only whatsoever awareness you have attained; that is your only real wealth
To me death is not the end of life but the very crescendo of life,the very climax.It is the ultimate of life.If you have lived rightly,if you have lived moment to moment totally,if you have squeezed out the whole juice of life,your death will be the ultimate orgasm – Osho
Life has no aim other than itself because life is another name of God.
Except man,the whole existence trusts only in life.There is no other God and there is no other temple.There is no holy scripture
Our whole upbringing is such that it goes against pleasure,against joy,against the sense of humour,against rejoicing in small things of life – singing a song or dancing or playing flute.Nobody is going to call you a saint because you play the flute beautifully except me – Osho..
Receptivity is a state of no-mind
The less you think, the more you are!
In reality, nothing ever repeats
Love is both. It is rich and painful.It is agony & ecstacy because love is the meeting of earth and the sky,of the known and the unknown,of the visible and invisible
Religion has given many things to the world;homosexuality is one of them.All kind of perversions…
It is a fundemental law of life that love brings you to deeper and deeper dissatisfactions.
Love and love more deeply, Suffer and suffer more deeply. Love totally and suffer totally because this is how the impure gold passes through fire and becomes pure gold.
Be like two pillars that support the same roof,but don’t start possessing the other,leave the other independent. Support the same roof – that roof is love – Kahlil Gibran says
Our emphasis will be on verbs,not nouns; avoid nouns as much as possible. In language you cannot avoid,but in life avoid because life is a verb. It is not love,loving. It is not relationship,it is relating,it is not a song,it is singing,it is not a dance,it is dancing
Life knows no fulpoints; commas are okay,but not full points. Resting places are okay,but no destination.
Meditate- Without it,nothing is possible
With it,nothing is impossible
Laughter is part of the highest consciousness achieved by man
& Seriousness is a disease
Although it is just foam,without that foam those waves will look naked
The whiteness of the foam gives a beauty, a life, a certain dance to the wave.
Each effort will become better and better and better ,more and more perfect,but never perfect.
Silence is beautiful – but silence does not mean seriousness.
God never created ordinary persons
Life is significant and there is no purpose in it. It is purposeless significance, like a song or a dance
There is no need to postpone celebration. Immediately,right at this moment you can celebrate
You are,you are not to become..
To me,when a child is happy,jumping,the whole family should be happy and jumping with the child.And when the child is ill,care should be taken of the child but no sympathy should be shown.Care is okay; sympathy, no.
The child should be the first,the priority should be his!
Learn to laugh with the flowers and the stars and you will feel a strange weightlessness coming into your being..as if you have grown wings and you can fly.
The calculative mind is a desert like phenomenon and the non calculative mind is a garden.Birds sing there and flowers bloom…it is a totally different world.
The house is full of guests and the host is missing.You have all the things of the world but you are not.A tremendous misery is the outcome.You have all the pleasures,all the money,all that man has ever dremt of and in the end of centuries of effort,suddenly you find you don’t exist.Your inside is hollow,there is nobody.
It is starange. If everybody is serving everybody else.Why should I not serve myself,you serve yourself? Why create this complexity and make it a burden- that I should serve others and wait for them to serve me?
Duty is a four-letter dirty word.
Make it a point that your life has to be a life of love, and if out of love you respond,that I call responsibility. If you love,you are bound to respond;there is no burden. Duty is a burden.
Love can cancel gravity,love can cancel burden.Out of love any response is beautiful.Without love,responsibility is ugly and simply shows that you have a mind of a slave.
Youw ill have to listen your heart and go with it, whatever the cost-it is always cheap.Whatever you have to lose,lose; but if you have been listening to the heart,you will be the winner in the end,victory is yours.
Responsibility helps you to become more and more free. And only a person who knows the taste of freedom, who knows the beauty of responsibility, is worthy of calling himself a human being; otherwise you are camels and nothing more..
I don’t accept the idea of Mahatma Gandhi that Briton is responsible for India’s slavery. India itself is responsible for its slavery. Otherwise, just in a single hour,all the British people can be thrown into the ocean.India just has to understand that freedom is our birthright.
Everybody wants to be dependent; everybody wants somebody to take responsibility. In freedom, you are responsible for every act,every thought,every movement. You cannot dump anything on anybody else
The indications that you are on right path are very simple: your tensions will start disappearing,you will become more and more cool, you will become more and more calm,you will find beauty in things which you have never ever conceived could be beautiful.
You will feel life not as a problem but as a gift, as a blessing, as a benediction.
Sitting in a public bus or in a railway train,when you have nothing to do just close your eyes.It will save your eyes being tired from looking outside and it will give you time enough to watch yourself. Those moments will become moments of the most beautiful experience.
You don’t know how much you are holding in and that is the cause of tension.
Man can rise above gods and fall below animals.Man has a great spectrum. From lowest to highest,man is a ladder.
People have a certain tendency to be respectful about the dead.The longer they are dead,the more respectful they become. So, I am giving you a recipe; if you want to become respectable,be dead and everybody will be respectful to you…
The ego is a comparison.
Self-respect and pride are non-comparative.
In ego, you are always comparing. I am superior to others, I am better than you, I am higher than you, I am holier than you – I am a saint and you are a sinner..
Self-respect is respect without comparison. Pride is dignity.
I am against ego, but not against pride, not against self-respect. Those are the most important human qualities.
Ego is the root cause of all fear in you. A man who is ego less is also fearless.
Death comes and destroys the whole fiction of your name, your fame. The death comes simply and effaces all;not even footprints are left. Whatsoever we go on making out of our life is nothing but writing on water – not even on sand, but on water. You have not even written it and it is gone.You cannot even read it; before you could read it, it is gone.
Never ask “who is my real friend?’ Ask, “Am I a real friend to somebody?” That is the right question.Always be concerned with yourself
The proverb is “A friend in need is a friend indeed”. But deep down,that is greed.That is not friendship, that is not love.You want to use the other as a means and no man is a means,every man is an end unto himself.
Friendship is the highest form of love.In love, some lust is bound to be there,in friendship,all lust disappears.In friendship nothing gross remains;it becomes absolutely subtle.
A friend always feels grateful to those people who allow him to love them, to give them whatsoever he has got.
There is not much difference between truth and a lie.the only difference is that truth is a lie repeated so often that you have forgotten that it is a lie – Hitler
Have you ever said hello to a tree? Try it and one day you will be surprised;the tree also say hello to you in her tongue.
So on and so forth…………….
Osho goes on!!!
Fantastic book to read.
2009 സെപ്റ്റംബർ 9, ബുധനാഴ്ച
2009 സെപ്റ്റംബർ 6, ഞായറാഴ്ച
Onam
02.09.2009
Wow!..One more onam in my life. Had a good shave and bath. Wore “ona kodi” and went to office. Worked till 1.00pm and went to collect Renu from her office. Then we took kids from Baby sitting and visited Prasannan chettan’s house. As usual,it was really a grand ona sadya with 2 types of payassams. I like the sambaar and avail of chechy very much. We presented onakkodi to all there and chechy expressed her dissatisfaction on that. She does not like all these formalities. Anyways, we had a good time there and back to home by around 5.00pm. Renu & kids had a good sleep from 5.30 till 8.00 while I was browsing various channels and with Osho’s new book.
I am really addicted to Osho’s way of presenting various issues in our life. He is I think one of the best philosophers the world has ever produced. I can read any other books with the kids’s noise and TV switched on, but not Osho’s.I need total silence at home when I read Osho’s books. I am indeed fortunate to have books written by him with me.
We had dosa with sambar for the dinner and I slept at around 12.30 mid night. Saji George called me at 11.30 night to wish onam. He sounded very “happy”.
Kids were happy with new books, skirt& blouse, toys and “mulla poovu”
Note:
While coming back from office I saw one accident spot at Emirates road with police and ambulances around. I saw one body in a stretcher that was quite disturbing to me. There was an accident between one truck and a mini bus and the driver of the truck died on the spot. Life just goes away in a fraction of a second..and we all running around..I don’t know for what???
Wow!..One more onam in my life. Had a good shave and bath. Wore “ona kodi” and went to office. Worked till 1.00pm and went to collect Renu from her office. Then we took kids from Baby sitting and visited Prasannan chettan’s house. As usual,it was really a grand ona sadya with 2 types of payassams. I like the sambaar and avail of chechy very much. We presented onakkodi to all there and chechy expressed her dissatisfaction on that. She does not like all these formalities. Anyways, we had a good time there and back to home by around 5.00pm. Renu & kids had a good sleep from 5.30 till 8.00 while I was browsing various channels and with Osho’s new book.
I am really addicted to Osho’s way of presenting various issues in our life. He is I think one of the best philosophers the world has ever produced. I can read any other books with the kids’s noise and TV switched on, but not Osho’s.I need total silence at home when I read Osho’s books. I am indeed fortunate to have books written by him with me.
We had dosa with sambar for the dinner and I slept at around 12.30 mid night. Saji George called me at 11.30 night to wish onam. He sounded very “happy”.
Kids were happy with new books, skirt& blouse, toys and “mulla poovu”
Note:
While coming back from office I saw one accident spot at Emirates road with police and ambulances around. I saw one body in a stretcher that was quite disturbing to me. There was an accident between one truck and a mini bus and the driver of the truck died on the spot. Life just goes away in a fraction of a second..and we all running around..I don’t know for what???
2009 സെപ്റ്റംബർ 3, വ്യാഴാഴ്ച
Five point someone & Pravasam
23.08.2009
Read the book “five point someone” by Chetan Bhagat. As mentioned in the cover page of the book, it clearly indicates what NOT to do at IIT. Since the has some kind of similarity with my Engineering course, it was quite interesting. I felt the story as a real one and not out of imagination. From my personal experience, the friendships at college days will not have much of relevance once you grow up. Each individual has priorities in his life than the intimacy of friendship during our study time. This is my personal view and quite a few friends are of exception in my life. Anyway, it was an interesting book, thou not for serious reading. I can give say 65 /100 as rating
08.08.2009:Completed reading “Pravasam” by Mukundan. Wonderful,I can say.Clearly depicting life of various expatriates at different parts of the world and linked in a very natural way. Fabulous writing by Mukundan and we will sit on that novel till we reach the last page. I can give 85/100. All expats should read this.
Read the book “five point someone” by Chetan Bhagat. As mentioned in the cover page of the book, it clearly indicates what NOT to do at IIT. Since the has some kind of similarity with my Engineering course, it was quite interesting. I felt the story as a real one and not out of imagination. From my personal experience, the friendships at college days will not have much of relevance once you grow up. Each individual has priorities in his life than the intimacy of friendship during our study time. This is my personal view and quite a few friends are of exception in my life. Anyway, it was an interesting book, thou not for serious reading. I can give say 65 /100 as rating
08.08.2009:Completed reading “Pravasam” by Mukundan. Wonderful,I can say.Clearly depicting life of various expatriates at different parts of the world and linked in a very natural way. Fabulous writing by Mukundan and we will sit on that novel till we reach the last page. I can give 85/100. All expats should read this.
2009 ഓഗസ്റ്റ് 20, വ്യാഴാഴ്ച
7/5/09- 5.45 am. Normal daily chore. Keshu as usual not finishing his oats. Renu was shouting for quite sometime and at the end she called (or shouted??) me to sort the issue out. I was in toilet, having my daily shave (which I hate most) came out and started shouting at him. Slaps at his back, not one, two or three. Four slaps. The boy was weeping for quite sometime. I too cried at my heart. Before entering his school bus, he told his mother that he will sit at window seat and will wave his hand and he wants his mother to wave him back.
Asked in the evening how he felt when I beat him, he replied, “I thought you would not beat me”. Were you angry on acha at that time I asked, the poor boy replied – “I was sad” – Again I cried silently with a dry smile on my face
Footnote: And to be honest, it is indeed a very difficult procedure to finish a cup of oats in the early morning (or at any time) even for adults. Such a horrible drink to have in the morning keeps the boy so boring / irritating and he tries to delay so that he can leave some quantity back in his cup due to bus timing. I too prefer to have a black coffee in the morning. But what to do. Healthy meal preferred by the homemaker.
11.05.2009
Wife mentioned about the wedding anniversary of her friend today (my daughter’s music teacher). She met her while taking kids to bus stop in the morning. What she mentioned was that on the wedding anniversary days, she and her husband watch their wedding CD in the morning. She mentioned that at that time (while taking kids to school) in the morning, the “thalikettu” over and all are going to take lunch. Good way of celebrating wedding anniversary, Isnt?
14.05.2009
After a walk and some kind of exercise at the near by park on a weekend, we walked back home. While coming back, I was holding Keshu’s hand and he was talking continuously (He is a chatter box). In order to break that, I told him that we boys (!!) should walk with head up and with confidence (trying to improve the confidence level of that kid, which I lack). I tried to convey that to him one more time. The boy did not reply. I asked him why he is quiet. No response… I asked again, why are you quiet??
Then with a naughty smile on his face, he replied, he does not have mouth & his mouth went to India.
He might have thought that my comments do not deserve a reply. This boy is unpredictable…
Footnote: The alphonso mango that we purchased from Mega Mall that day was very sweet. I think mangoes are the best fruits. When I called amma on Friday, she mentioned that there are plenty of sweet mangoes at our home and achan distributing those to the visitors there….
14.05.2009
Started reading “The better man” by Ms. Anita Nair. Completed around 50 odd pages. Interesting novel. A look back to one’s life with a Kerala background. Infact, the cover pages of certain books attract me. I never heard about Anita Nair and her style of writing. But, once I looked at the cover page, I was impressed. I just looked at the overall tread of the story at back and thought of buying that. Very interesting so far.
16.05.2009
Election results. It was weekend off for me and I woke up early in the morning. From the first hour itself, it was quite clear that Congress is progressing well ahead of others. Good to have a stable government and a severe blow to the communists back in Kerala. I was very tense about Ernakulam results.. Finally KV Thomas won with a margin of 11K votes. Thank God! I don’t know why I hate that girl. Her body language shows that she is not suited for any form of parliamentary positions. Hopefully, Shashi Tharoor will be the External Affairs Minister and AK Anthony, Vayalar Ravi & E.Ahmad will have cabinet ranks. In the afternoon, again back to “the better man”..
28.05.2009
Completed reading ‘The better man’. Not so great, but a good book to read. Describes the thinking of a chronic bachelor. The main substance of the novel is at the last few pages. Can give 70 / 100, I guess.
Asked in the evening how he felt when I beat him, he replied, “I thought you would not beat me”. Were you angry on acha at that time I asked, the poor boy replied – “I was sad” – Again I cried silently with a dry smile on my face
Footnote: And to be honest, it is indeed a very difficult procedure to finish a cup of oats in the early morning (or at any time) even for adults. Such a horrible drink to have in the morning keeps the boy so boring / irritating and he tries to delay so that he can leave some quantity back in his cup due to bus timing. I too prefer to have a black coffee in the morning. But what to do. Healthy meal preferred by the homemaker.
11.05.2009
Wife mentioned about the wedding anniversary of her friend today (my daughter’s music teacher). She met her while taking kids to bus stop in the morning. What she mentioned was that on the wedding anniversary days, she and her husband watch their wedding CD in the morning. She mentioned that at that time (while taking kids to school) in the morning, the “thalikettu” over and all are going to take lunch. Good way of celebrating wedding anniversary, Isnt?
14.05.2009
After a walk and some kind of exercise at the near by park on a weekend, we walked back home. While coming back, I was holding Keshu’s hand and he was talking continuously (He is a chatter box). In order to break that, I told him that we boys (!!) should walk with head up and with confidence (trying to improve the confidence level of that kid, which I lack). I tried to convey that to him one more time. The boy did not reply. I asked him why he is quiet. No response… I asked again, why are you quiet??
Then with a naughty smile on his face, he replied, he does not have mouth & his mouth went to India.
He might have thought that my comments do not deserve a reply. This boy is unpredictable…
Footnote: The alphonso mango that we purchased from Mega Mall that day was very sweet. I think mangoes are the best fruits. When I called amma on Friday, she mentioned that there are plenty of sweet mangoes at our home and achan distributing those to the visitors there….
14.05.2009
Started reading “The better man” by Ms. Anita Nair. Completed around 50 odd pages. Interesting novel. A look back to one’s life with a Kerala background. Infact, the cover pages of certain books attract me. I never heard about Anita Nair and her style of writing. But, once I looked at the cover page, I was impressed. I just looked at the overall tread of the story at back and thought of buying that. Very interesting so far.
16.05.2009
Election results. It was weekend off for me and I woke up early in the morning. From the first hour itself, it was quite clear that Congress is progressing well ahead of others. Good to have a stable government and a severe blow to the communists back in Kerala. I was very tense about Ernakulam results.. Finally KV Thomas won with a margin of 11K votes. Thank God! I don’t know why I hate that girl. Her body language shows that she is not suited for any form of parliamentary positions. Hopefully, Shashi Tharoor will be the External Affairs Minister and AK Anthony, Vayalar Ravi & E.Ahmad will have cabinet ranks. In the afternoon, again back to “the better man”..
28.05.2009
Completed reading ‘The better man’. Not so great, but a good book to read. Describes the thinking of a chronic bachelor. The main substance of the novel is at the last few pages. Can give 70 / 100, I guess.
2009 മേയ് 10, ഞായറാഴ്ച
ഡെയിലി Digest
7/5/09- 5.45 am.
Normal daily chore. Keshu as usual not finishing his oats. Renu was shouting as usual and at the end she called (or shouted??) me to sort the issue out. I was in toilet, having my daily shave (which I hate most) came out and started shouting at him. Slaps at his back, not one, two or three. Four slaps. The boy was weeping for quite sometime. I too cried at my heart. Before entering his school bus, he told his mother that he will sit at window seat and will wave his hand and he wants his mother to wave him back.
Asked in the evening how he felt when I beat him, he replied, “I thought you would not beat me”. Were you angry on acha at that time I asked, the poor boy replied – “I was sad” – Again I cried silently with a dry smile on my face
Normal daily chore. Keshu as usual not finishing his oats. Renu was shouting as usual and at the end she called (or shouted??) me to sort the issue out. I was in toilet, having my daily shave (which I hate most) came out and started shouting at him. Slaps at his back, not one, two or three. Four slaps. The boy was weeping for quite sometime. I too cried at my heart. Before entering his school bus, he told his mother that he will sit at window seat and will wave his hand and he wants his mother to wave him back.
Asked in the evening how he felt when I beat him, he replied, “I thought you would not beat me”. Were you angry on acha at that time I asked, the poor boy replied – “I was sad” – Again I cried silently with a dry smile on my face
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