What's Ahead?

It is human nature to be curious about the future. As we get close to the end of this gloomy year 2009, predictions for 2010 are pouring in from various sources. How far these predictions will come true is anybody's guess. Take a look at some the predictions made ten years ago for 2010:

• "Smellyvision' ... technology will be available to plant microchips loaded with chemicals into our TVs so we can enjoy the aromas that go with fashion, cookery, travel and gardening."
  

• "Kids' dolls, trucks and other toys will use artificial intelligence to talk and "evolve" with your child as he grows, a process you'll be able to track dramatically with holographic photos."
  

• "Land line phones will be a thing of the past."
  

• "There will probably be a single international currency."
  

One thing seems most likely - 3D television will enter the market with both Sky and Panasonic indicating that they will release 3D TVs.

While most of us are concerned about what's ahead in 2010, it is amusing to read the following past predictions on technology in an interesting article in WSJ.

2005: "Next Christmas, the iPod will be dead, finished, gone, kaput" - Sir Alan Sugar, British entrepreneur.

1981: " No one will need more than 637 kb of memory for a personal computer" - Bill Gates

1977: " There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home" - Ken Olsen, founder of mainframe-producer Digital Equipment Corpn.

1959: "The world potential for copying machines is 5,000 at most" - IBM executives to the eventual founders of Xerox.

1946: "Television won't be able to hold on to any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night," Darryl Zanuck, 20th Century Fox.

Whether predictions come true or not, they certainly provide entertainment to many of us. Let's enjoy them.

Wishing everybody a very Happy New Year!

Six Questions and Answers

Going through life's good and bad times, I have often asked many questions to myself. I am sure many others do the same, especially when facing tough times. I have short-listed six commonly asked questions and tried to answer them drawing from my own experience and some advice taken from the internet. Here they go:

Q1. Sometimes not succeeding fast like others seems to hurt me. What should I do?

Success is a measure as decided by others. Satisfaction is a measure as decided by you. Knowing the road ahead (direction) is more satisfying than knowing you rode ahead of others. You work with the compass. Let others work with the clock.

Q2. In tough times, how do I stay motivated?

Always count your blessings, not what you are missing. Be happy at what life has offered you such as a decent living, good health, a family, good friends. Always look at how far you have come in life rather than how far you have to go. Believe in yourself strongly.

Q3. Why do I have to face problems?

Problems are "Purposeful Roadblocks Offering Beneficial Lessons (to) Enhance Mental Strength."

Inner strength comes from struggle and endurance, not when you are free from problems.

Experience is a hard teacher. She gives the test first and the lessons afterwards. Consider problems as opportunities for learning. So, face problems to get experience and knowledge.

Q4. But why me?

When people suffer they ask, "why me?" When they prosper, they never ask "Why me". Everyone wishes to have truth on their side, but few want to be on the side of the truth.

Remember you are not the only one with problems in this vast world. There are people in far worse situations.

Q5. Why has life become complicated now?

Stop analyzing life. Just take it as it comes to you and live it. Probing it and analysis is what makes it complicated. You are worrying because you are analyzing. Worrying has become a habit with many people. That's why they are not happy.

Avoid whiners and associate with people who think and talk positively.

Q6. How can I get the best out of life?

Face your past without regret. No point in crying over spilt milk. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear.

The Melodious Month of Margazhi

December 16, 2009.

Today is the first day of Margazhi - the Tamil month that begins in the middle of December. Legends speak about Margazhi as the favourite month of the Gods. Many temples open up quite early in the morning for the ritual worship and devotees singing in praise of the Lord.

Margazhi also marks the end of the rainy days in parts of South India and the beginning of the Carnatic Music Season. In Chennai, the day typically starts with melodious carnatic music from the radio and television stations. Newspapers and magazines talk of music on their front pages. Sabhas announce a series of music, dance and other cultural programs by well-known artists. Bhajan groups become hyper-active with early morning Bhajan singing in a street procession. In some places, streets get decorated with colorful kolams decked with flowers. The whole month is full of celebrations and gaiety.

It is the right season for the lover of Carnatic music - a form of music that takes the music lover to ecstasy and stirs the deepest wells of emotion. Most of Carnatic music blends into devotion (Bhakti). Its melody is something that has to be experienced over a period of time; and Margazhi is the best month to enjoy the melody of this divine music. Over 50,000 listeners assemble in various halls in and around Chennai to listen to thousands of concerts by hundreds of musicians - all in the few weeks of Margazhi rightly called as the "Music Season" or just "Season." a matter of a few weeks. The Season has now become one of the world’s largest musical events.

In recent years, technology has enabled to share the melodious music with people living in various parts of the world. Through satellites and the internet, music lovers can enjoy the melodious music sitting in their homes thousands of miles away from the performers. Digital systems, mp3 players, sophisticated sound systems and online downloads are great blessings to the present day communities - something our ancestors missed.

Another trend that I see in recent years is the growing interest and participation by younger people in music programs. There are many teenagers entering the world of Carnatic music.

Carnatic follows a melodic system based on seven primary notes (12 tonal positions including the flats and sharps). The stress is on melody, the pleasant sensation coming together from different pitches called Ragams following a set of rules or "grammar of the music." However, a ragam is much more than this. Singers inject life into the Ragam through a technique called gamakam, the shaking of a note to sound neighbouring microtones. So, a ragam does not progress as a discrete series of individual notes but in a smoothly gliding journey from one note to another. And it must be learnt, by practice and dedicated listening. Estimates indicate there are over 34,000 ragas. Only a few hundred are sung regularly.

Enjoy the melodious Carnatic music in this glorious month of Margazhi. If you are not a fan of Carnatic music, why not make a beginning now?

Humour in Politics

I just heard this in today's news. In Maharashtra, one of the Thackeray clans called a political rival a 'rat' and the other retorted 'you are a snake', it was reported. It seems the Chief Minister called one of the Thackeray clans as 'frog' meaning `shouts only during election time.'

In good old days, rivalry and political humor had a different class. They were gentle yet very powerful. I can recall a couple of examples.

In the UK, SUN and POST were two popular tabloids in those days. For some unknown provocation, POST in its column called SUN as a dog. This was repeated many times and readers of SUN wanted suitable reply from the management of SUN. Finally SUN in its first page assuaged the readers, by the following statement.

"It does not really matter whatever the name others attribute to SUN but the attitude of SUN remains like any DOG towards any POST."

In the British Parliament, Winston Churchill and Lady Astor never got along. Their insults at each other are well-known.

Once Lady Astor told Churchill: "If you were my husband, i would give you poison." Churchill retorted: "If you were my wife, madam, I would gladly drink it!"

At a dinner party, Churchill had too much to drink. Looking at him, Lady Astor said: "Mr. Prime Minister, I believe you are quite drunk!"

Churchill replied: "I am, Madam. But you are very ugly and tomorrow morning I shall be indisputably sober. But you will still be ugly."

Another instance of humor is an exchange between Winston Churchill and George Bernard Shaw.

Shaw had written a new play, and sent Churchill two tickets to the opening night performance, along with a note reading, "Here are two tickets to my new play. Bring a friend, if you have one." Churchill, ever the wag, replied immediately with the following missive: " I'm sorry, but I can't make it to the opening night performance. Please send me tickets to the second performance, if there is one."

Present day political humor is something like fighting between two teenagers.

Visit to Maharajapuram and Bhaskararajapuram

April 2009: On Chitra Pournami Day, Vidya and I visited Maharajapuram and Bhaskararajpuram in South India. We left Chennai early in the morning and drove the 'Santro' on the national highway to Tiruchy. Enroute, we had two brief stopovers - the first one at Neyveli Township where we prayed at the Bhuvaneswari Temple, and the next one at Vaitheeswaran Koil for lunch at the Hotel Sathabhishekam.

Maharajapuram is my ancestral village in Tamil Nadu. The well-known musician family of Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer hails from this village. The village is located near Thirukodikaval in Thanjavur District. There is a small but beautiful Vishnudurga temple in this village. Unlike most Durga idols that have ten hands, the stone idol in this temple has just four hands with Shanku and Chakram as seen on Vishnu. I am not sure how old this temple is. According to an inscription at the temple, Sage Durvaasar worshipped the Vishnudurga at this location. If this is to be believed, the temple has to be several thousands years old. We were blessed to witness abhishekam, floral decoration and archanai to the deity. We prayed to Vishnudurga for the welfare of all.

The adjacent village is Bhaskararajapuram. This is the village where the great scholar Bhaskara Raya lived. Bhaskara_Raya (1690-1785) is considered an authority on questions pertaining to the worship of the Mother Goddess (Shakti) in Hinduism .The worship of Shakti involves numerous mantras and coded passages. Bhaskara Raya was well-versed in these mantras. His writings number more than 40 and range from Vedanta to poems of devotion and from logic and grammar to the Science of Tantra. His masterpieces include three books: Varivasya Rahasyam, Sowbhagya Bhaskaram and Sethu Bandham - considered to be the holy triad on the worship of the Mother Goddess. The first is a scientific commentary on Sri Vidya mantra and worship. The second is a commentary on Lalita sahasranama. The third is a deeper technical treatise on Tantric practice.

Bhaskara Raya was born in Maharashtra, India. His father was a great scholar who initiated his son in scholarly traditions at an early age. He was taken to Kashi (Benares) and put under the tutelege of a renowned Pundit. He was initiated into the Sri Vidya Mantra and Upasana (Worship) by Guru Shiva Dutta Shukla of Surat. Later he toured the Gujarat region and won a debate against several scholars of the Madhva tradition.

A disciple king of Shivaji who was then ruling Thanjavur invited him to the South and gifted him a whole village on the banks of the Cauvery river. Bhaskara Raya made that village his headquarters for the rest of his life. It later came to be known as Bhaskara-raja-puram. He was challenged by many pundits but none could defeat him.

Today, a magnificent building stands in baskarajapuram in memory of the great Bhaskara Raya. It is a befitting tribute to his scholarship.

The Power of Placebo

Some research studies have confirmed that a fake treatment, made from an inactive substance like holy water, sugar, or saline solution, can have what is called a "placebo effect." It can sometimes improve a patient's condition simply because the person has a strong belief and expectation that it will be helpful.

The word 'placebo' seems to have originated from the Latin for "I will please." The placebo effect is an illogical phenomenon in which a physiologically inert treatment improves a patient's condition. It seems to work because of belief that it will work.

Belief is known to be a very powerful force. People have benefited a lot from belief. When kids get hurt or have some minor ailment, they believe the loving parents can provide the best treatment, even if it is just a fake.

I know of at least one case of an adult - a lady patient who had refused to undergo surgery until she got the 'vibhooti' prasadam from her Guru. A few days later, after she applied the 'vibhooti', the symptoms of the disease vanished. The doctors who treating her were simply stunned. The patient was cured without an operation.

My grandfather was a doctor who practised with the famous Dr. Rangachari in Madras. Though he was an allopath by profession, he took a deep interest in homeopathy and took up many cases of patients who were advocated surgery by Dr. Rangachari. He treated them with homeopathy and cured them without surgery. I am not sure of the secret in the treatment but I guess the patient's belief in the doctor and the treatment led to the improvement.

When I was a kid, occasionally I developed rashes on my skin - perhaps it was due to some insect bites. My mother used to take me to an old lady for treating the rashes through what she called "mantrikkal." The old lady used to apply some 'vibhooti' on the affected portion and chant some mantras. Lo and behold, the rashes were gone after some time.

I have also heard from some of the Sai Baba devotees that the Baba Vibhooti has done wonders and saved many people. How does it work? Is it just the unshakeable belief in Baba or there is some thing more to it. Frankly, I don't know the answer. Perhaps, you know better.

Amma, Anbulla Amma!

February 4 - Today is my 40th wedding anniversary. I sought the blessings of my parents. I thought about my dear Amma. She was instrumental in arranging my marriage. When I became an eligible bachelor, my mother wanted me to marry a girl from a large family with many siblings. Her logic was that girls from large families tend to be hard-working, have better inter-personal skills and know the value of money. She was absolutely right.

My mother was right in many ways. Born and raised in an agricultural family, she had only primary education in a village. She was married very young when my father was still in the college. Her family life started some years later after my father got his first job in Madras.

What my mother lacked in formal education, she made up by her extraordinary personal qualities. She had terrific mental courage, a quick presence of mind, and above all, a great attitude towards fellow humans. Looking back, I think she had some of the most admirable qualities for a human being. I never realized these in my younger days.

She made friends very quickly. Mere acquaintances in travel or public gatherings became long-time friends. Even those who despised her eventually became her life-long friends. She had the knack of uniting people and managing them to accomplish a common goal. Her secret - she took real interest in people and helped them overcome their problems.

Unmindful of her own frail health, she cared for others, specially in times of their distress. She never cared about her own comforts. She kept awake many nights to be at the bedside of her sick kids, hospitalized friends, and suffering relatives.

Thanks to my mother's match-making efforts, many young people got married. As an efficient go-between, she helped mend strained relationships with her communication skills and convincing logic. She helped to reunite broken couples. I remember distinctly how she revived the cancelled engagement of one of my cousins.

She was fond of me and very proud of her family. Whenever I felt low, she was a source of great encouragement to me. Her most important strength was the unshakeable faith in the Almighty. She used to regularly sing bhajans, recite Vishnu Sahasranamam, and write thousands of times "Sri Rama Jayam" in a note book. She never missed celebrating festivals.

My dear Amma - do you know how much I miss you? Though it is many years since you left this world, you continue to inspire me with your love and deeds. Koti namaskarams to you.

In Memory Of My Dear Father

December 9, 2008: This morning, I performed the "shraddham" for my father at the Aurora temple. It is a kind of "Thanksgiving" ritual performed once a year to remember the dead ancestors and pray for the welfare of their souls. I feel indebted to my ancestors for my birth, body, knowledge, and wealth. The least I can do is to remember them once a year through the shraddham ritual.

Memory of my dear father lingers in me everyday though it is over 15 years since he passed away.

My father was not particularly orthodox but when it came to the annual shraddam ceremony, he was a stickler. Every year, on the day previous to the shraddham, he used to clear all the furniture in the living room and prepare it for the elaborate rituals and feast to follow the next day. He will bathe early, count and keep the cash ready to offer to the priest and the invited guests. I guess he too, like me, often remembered how his parents cared for him in his childhood.

Unlike me who changed many jobs, my father worked hard all his life at the same job in a hazardous chemical factory. He felt happy and secure with his government job and never even thought of a career change. He led a simple life with clean habits and never had a desire for luxuries of any kind. He had a buoyant personality with ready wit that could make anybody laugh.

My father was not rich but the love he had for his children and grandchildren was abundant. I distinctly remember how he had bought for me brand new school books (those books had a special scent!), lovingly wrapped each them in brown paper and glued labels on them with my name. Many years later, he continued to do the same for his grand kids too!

When I won a merit scholarship in the first term of my college, he was so proud of me. He presented me a beautiful 'Henri-Sandoz' swiss watch specially procured from one of his friends who dealt with scarce foreign items. I rarely took the watch off my wrist.

The second term scholarship made way for my first bicycle - a brand new, sleek 'Sen-Raleigh' with oil-filled crank case, back carrier, dynamo lights et al. Like a proud peacock strutting around, I used to ride on it even for performing small errands to my mother. Often, I used to carry my kid brother for fun rides, though it was not fun at all times. Once, while I was racing the bike, he pressed the front brakes so hard that it resulted in a sudden somersault of him, me and the bike in the same order.

Thinking back, I was very lucky. Under the love and affection of my dear parents, I was fortunate to spend very happy childhood days.

Later, in my career days, my father was always there to encourage me during my lowest moments. His favourite advice - "Don't be chicken-hearted. Things will work out well for you."

I loved my father more than anyone. He influenced me in so many ways, and I feel it is my duty to express my love and gratitude for him through the 'shraddham' ceremony.

I really miss my dear Dad...