There was a time when we did not have TVs. We lived and lived well..Then the TV came to India (sometime around 1965-66). There used to be only one channel (Doordarshan) and the trnsmission was in black and white. Only New Delhi had TV, then Bombay (I refuse to call the city Mumbai). The last programme was 10pm news in English. On Saturdays we had Chitrahaar and on Sundays we had a movie. Once a week we had a programme called Fire Ball XL5, a futuristic series. Once a week we had Lucille Ball entertaining us and I loved that show. Then of-course we had the regular Krishi Darshan which we did not understand anything about. I still don't understand what is Kharif ki fasal (???).
We kids used to look at the top of the neighbourhood homes to see which one had an antena. Once we spotted the antena, we would simply walk up to the home, take off our shoes at the door, say Namaste Uncle or Aunty and place ourselves on any square foot of space available on the floor in front of the TV. Knowing the family was not important. The hosts were always generous and never refused entry, even if they had a house full of unknown kids.
Indians like all humanity went on an aquisition trail. After TV came color TV, then tape recorders, then stereos, then computers, then TV had 50 channels, then CDs came then VCD players and then DVD players, then mobile phones and now 3G and what have you...
And now we have the Blackberry and iPod, iPad and iTab.
I must admit that my life has become much more relaxed and convenient because of all the gadgets. I am 53, and I am in touch with work even while I am at the golf course.
Some of my friends lament the loss of simple and good old times when we did not have "All These Things" and were still happy!
I am celebrating the present and "All These Things" and the other wonders that humans will bring in the future so that I can enjoy life and live every moment more than the last one....
Happy Vaisakhi and Happy Every Day of The Rest of Your Life...Enjoy all these things...
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
The Volcano and Kabir Das...
A volcano has erupted in the Eyjafjallajokull (will someone please tell me how this is pronounced?) glacier in southern Iceland, sending huge amounts of volcanic ash into the atmosphere, which has caused almost half the flights over Europe, (especially Northern Europe) to be cancelled. There may be no flights taking off or landing for the next 3 days.
Naturally, this will have a serious effect on not just the economy of affected countries and destination countries, but also on personal lives. People will miss occasions that they need to be near their dear and loved ones. They may miss business and other opportunities that may never repeat themselves.
Reminds me of what Kabir (Indian mystic and poet) once said.
Kaal kare to aaj kar, aaj kare so ab. Pal mein parlay hoyegee, bahuri karego kab?
Translation : What you may do tomorrow do it today, what you want to do today do it now. What will you do if in a second there may be the end of the world.....
(or too late to do anything)…..?
In the business world, Microsoft’s Bill Gates has written a good book called “Business at the speed of thought”.
Read it friends. And read Kabir too. He was not a corporate person, but who says that management is the exclusive domain of managers? Our mothers managed a full household very well, in time, within budgets and with very limited resources etc...
Shed all procrastination friends. Life is short and time is a wealth that we continue to lose, never gaining…..Go out, work, travel, enjoy…
Naturally, this will have a serious effect on not just the economy of affected countries and destination countries, but also on personal lives. People will miss occasions that they need to be near their dear and loved ones. They may miss business and other opportunities that may never repeat themselves.
Reminds me of what Kabir (Indian mystic and poet) once said.
Kaal kare to aaj kar, aaj kare so ab. Pal mein parlay hoyegee, bahuri karego kab?
Translation : What you may do tomorrow do it today, what you want to do today do it now. What will you do if in a second there may be the end of the world.....
(or too late to do anything)…..?
In the business world, Microsoft’s Bill Gates has written a good book called “Business at the speed of thought”.
Read it friends. And read Kabir too. He was not a corporate person, but who says that management is the exclusive domain of managers? Our mothers managed a full household very well, in time, within budgets and with very limited resources etc...
Shed all procrastination friends. Life is short and time is a wealth that we continue to lose, never gaining…..Go out, work, travel, enjoy…
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Cellphones and Toilets...
Times of India reports that Indians have 545 million cellphones and the number is growing faster than anywhere in the world.
However, only 31% of the population has access to toilets.
Congress/ BJP / BSP / JP etc.. all you dumbo political parties,...are you listening???
How can India become anything important on world scale when 70% of the public (750 million people) is defeacating or urinating in public or behind trees?
Despicable.....to say the least.
However, only 31% of the population has access to toilets.
Congress/ BJP / BSP / JP etc.. all you dumbo political parties,...are you listening???
How can India become anything important on world scale when 70% of the public (750 million people) is defeacating or urinating in public or behind trees?
Despicable.....to say the least.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Is it Just a Game ???
Museum of Cricket……
Yesterday was the last day of my working holiday (if there is such a thing) in Melbourne, Australia. To cap the holiday, all of us visited the world famous MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) and the MCG museum. While the grounds have been used for Aussie Cricket, Football and even Beatles and Madonna concerts, it remains the single most important venue for Australian cricket. And Cricket was what we were interested in. After all it is the greatest religion in India.
It was fitting timing as IPL3 is on and cricket fever is high all over the world. While we were late and could just see the grand stadium (it seats 110,000 fans) from a few meters away, we did spend a lot of time in the museum.
Trust the Aussies to create such a beautiful and informative edifice to the game of Cricket. From 1838 when 5 settlers registered the MCC (Melbourne Cricket Club), till date, they have collected everything of relevance to the game from Aussie point of view and displayed it for all to see. I was surprised to see that these pioneering guys had already printed the first rulebook in 1841.
3D video presentations have been added lately and you may just be fooled into believing that Shane Warne is being interviewed live a few meters away from you. That is if you did not know that he is in India leading his team in IPL….
There are too many items on display to list or even talk about.
But I would like to throw a question. In the richest game in India, whose players have broken all records (except Sir Don Bradman’s scoring average of 99+), where sponsors pay Billions of Rupees and Hundreds of Millions of Dollars per season, why can’t someone, especially BCCI (the richest Cricket body in the world) build something like MCG museum?
Because Indians don’t take things seriously….Lot of talk and no action. If there is action, it is substandard.
If it is just a game, why take it so seriously? If it is not just a game, do as the Aussies have done. Take it very, very, very seriously. Do something to honour our greats. From Ranjit Singh Ji and Duleep Singh Ji to Nari Contractor to Ajit Wadekar to Prassanna to Bedi to Gavasker to Kapil and Sachin and Yuvraj and all those who beat the Aussies to pulp many times if not regularly.
While Indians (players and businessmen alike) enrich themselves from this amazing game, does anyone think that it may be time to give something back so that the future generations remember what we accomplished?
Wake up BCCI!!!!
Yesterday was the last day of my working holiday (if there is such a thing) in Melbourne, Australia. To cap the holiday, all of us visited the world famous MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) and the MCG museum. While the grounds have been used for Aussie Cricket, Football and even Beatles and Madonna concerts, it remains the single most important venue for Australian cricket. And Cricket was what we were interested in. After all it is the greatest religion in India.
It was fitting timing as IPL3 is on and cricket fever is high all over the world. While we were late and could just see the grand stadium (it seats 110,000 fans) from a few meters away, we did spend a lot of time in the museum.
Trust the Aussies to create such a beautiful and informative edifice to the game of Cricket. From 1838 when 5 settlers registered the MCC (Melbourne Cricket Club), till date, they have collected everything of relevance to the game from Aussie point of view and displayed it for all to see. I was surprised to see that these pioneering guys had already printed the first rulebook in 1841.
3D video presentations have been added lately and you may just be fooled into believing that Shane Warne is being interviewed live a few meters away from you. That is if you did not know that he is in India leading his team in IPL….
There are too many items on display to list or even talk about.
But I would like to throw a question. In the richest game in India, whose players have broken all records (except Sir Don Bradman’s scoring average of 99+), where sponsors pay Billions of Rupees and Hundreds of Millions of Dollars per season, why can’t someone, especially BCCI (the richest Cricket body in the world) build something like MCG museum?
Because Indians don’t take things seriously….Lot of talk and no action. If there is action, it is substandard.
If it is just a game, why take it so seriously? If it is not just a game, do as the Aussies have done. Take it very, very, very seriously. Do something to honour our greats. From Ranjit Singh Ji and Duleep Singh Ji to Nari Contractor to Ajit Wadekar to Prassanna to Bedi to Gavasker to Kapil and Sachin and Yuvraj and all those who beat the Aussies to pulp many times if not regularly.
While Indians (players and businessmen alike) enrich themselves from this amazing game, does anyone think that it may be time to give something back so that the future generations remember what we accomplished?
Wake up BCCI!!!!
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