I'm kinda going slow here.. cos it is one of those times when I have classes all through..
But, I'm still very much here!
This is a sweet poem that I came across..
Fernanda, This is for you:
I´ve written imagining your encounter with a person in India as you are walking down the streets and the person is me :).
You come all the way smiling
I look at you
You wear a saree and sport a Pottu
You have a nose pendant
But you look distinct from a land very distant
Oh the beautiful lady I call in silence
Entranced by the svelte charm in front
The smile that has the warmth of the morning Sun
The grace that teaches the swan its gait
And the eyes that speak thy heart pristine
I forget myself...
As I'm lost in that silent eloquence
Lo! as you speak to me
I hear the unheard melodies of a distant land
Singing the language of this universe
Bringing the love of your country men
That competes with the beauty my eyes see!
And as you smile, speak, brush my hair in surprise and leave
I wonder about the moment that just passed
Is it just the ephemeral lightning that lighted up the night sky?
Is it just a mirage that I cannot grasp?
Is it just the morning dew that waits for the Sun's ray to become one with it?
And thinking about you I go
wondering and wondering...
.."Are there women Indian in a land so distant?..."
And wondering I smile at myself and salute the beauty of this world
This message was sent by Yoganand Saripalli to Fernanda Flaminio.
And I found it on Fernanda's homepage. Obviously, she was floored!!
Sunday, January 30, 2005
Thursday, January 27, 2005
Soul 'n Mate
It been quite sometime.. Thought I could start a discussion :)
What better topic than 'soul mates' ?!
Well.. let me get the ball rolling.. by trying to define them..
The idea of 'soul' is about something that is a part of you and me and everyone and which is supposed to be pure and immaculate and at a plane above one's body. This idea kinda goes together with rebirth.
And the idea of 'soulmates' is quite romantic... these are people who are made for each other and the connection is at the highest plane... their souls. This is supposed to connote bliss and celebration!
Well.. I'll tell you my personal opinions on the topic after hearing from you.
-Bhaskar
What better topic than 'soul mates' ?!
Well.. let me get the ball rolling.. by trying to define them..
The idea of 'soul' is about something that is a part of you and me and everyone and which is supposed to be pure and immaculate and at a plane above one's body. This idea kinda goes together with rebirth.
And the idea of 'soulmates' is quite romantic... these are people who are made for each other and the connection is at the highest plane... their souls. This is supposed to connote bliss and celebration!
Well.. I'll tell you my personal opinions on the topic after hearing from you.
-Bhaskar
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
No Title is a Title
Thankfully, the doc ruled out the presence of scissors/blade or any other foreign-body in my leg....! And it is getting better...played a game of cricket today ;)
BTW, Happy Republic Day.. Gantantra diwas ki aap sab ko hardik shubkamnayen!
I'm thinking of writing a love story... it could be yours! but more about that later...
Got news from my friend, SKK (of SUPW fame) that he is writing a script for a comedy drama that, if selected, could be relayed on SUN TV !!!
This what he has to tell you.. all his Khaitan fans..
[ The unit is called Abhinaya Creations and is currently producing the mega-serial called "Aadugiraan Kannan".
My script will act as a buffer between "Aadugiraan Kannan" and the next mega-serial. It will be a 12-15 episodes project (1 episode per week). Hopefully, things should work out fine and very soon, you might start hearing about "Krazy" Kichchaa!!! Honestly, I do not know whether I am even qualified enough to compare myself or compete with"Crazy". I am drawing courage from your reviews and feedbacks over the past few years, reviews from Atlanta Tamil Community, urging me to try my hand at Tamil Drama-Cinema and S.Ve.Shekhar's personal comments.
I will keep you guys posted.
Thanks for your moral ( and maaraala) support. ]
BTW, Happy Republic Day.. Gantantra diwas ki aap sab ko hardik shubkamnayen!
I'm thinking of writing a love story... it could be yours! but more about that later...
Got news from my friend, SKK (of SUPW fame) that he is writing a script for a comedy drama that, if selected, could be relayed on SUN TV !!!
This what he has to tell you.. all his Khaitan fans..
[ The unit is called Abhinaya Creations and is currently producing the mega-serial called "Aadugiraan Kannan".
My script will act as a buffer between "Aadugiraan Kannan" and the next mega-serial. It will be a 12-15 episodes project (1 episode per week). Hopefully, things should work out fine and very soon, you might start hearing about "Krazy" Kichchaa!!! Honestly, I do not know whether I am even qualified enough to compare myself or compete with"Crazy". I am drawing courage from your reviews and feedbacks over the past few years, reviews from Atlanta Tamil Community, urging me to try my hand at Tamil Drama-Cinema and S.Ve.Shekhar's personal comments.
I will keep you guys posted.
Thanks for your moral ( and maaraala) support. ]
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Whats that?
Last 29 days or so here on the hill-top and we are getting kinda nostalgic already! We had a great party the other night (friday night).. the PGP1 were hosting it for us PGP2 guys...
And for once, the music didnt stop until 6.30 in the morning!! We also succeeded in creating an enthusiastic fan-following for the song "Appadi Podu" from the movie, Gilli... you should've seen the vibes and the tempo.. dancing like crazy.. (hitherto reserved only for some of the punjabi songs here :)
But, Alas! I had to be very selective in dancing.. Playing cricket continuously on the concrete has left my knees in a bit of pain. I finally went to have an XRay done today.
And the report said "There is (a) small well defined radio opaque shadow in the post. joint; loose-body ?? (!!!!)". Oh my gawd, whats that? I didnt have any surgery done anytime... so it cant be a doctor's scissors or blade there... guess i'll have to wait and see what the doc says!
And for once, the music didnt stop until 6.30 in the morning!! We also succeeded in creating an enthusiastic fan-following for the song "Appadi Podu" from the movie, Gilli... you should've seen the vibes and the tempo.. dancing like crazy.. (hitherto reserved only for some of the punjabi songs here :)
But, Alas! I had to be very selective in dancing.. Playing cricket continuously on the concrete has left my knees in a bit of pain. I finally went to have an XRay done today.
And the report said "There is (a) small well defined radio opaque shadow in the post. joint; loose-body ?? (!!!!)". Oh my gawd, whats that? I didnt have any surgery done anytime... so it cant be a doctor's scissors or blade there... guess i'll have to wait and see what the doc says!
Friday, January 21, 2005
Up the date
Some updates for the day...
Seems there is some disturbance in Bangalore..
Nothing big… a bus burnt in malleswaram area.. and a couple of stone throwing incidents… But looks like the shops are closed…and many companies too.. (A Bandh had been called out earlier for the day in protest against an American evangelist conducting a 3-day session in the city.)
Hmmm... out here.. more movies on the prowl... notably..Kaakka Kaakka & Anbe Sivam.. will update you on them.
About our Marketing Fair.. UtsAha! that I was telling you..
Dainik Bhaskar reported that there were more than 1.25 lakh footfalls over the 2 days… Most stall owners said that this was the first fair (out of 6 fairs) in 6 months that they made a profit from… Chief Circle Officer of Reliance Telecom Ltd was elated by the turnout and said that this will definitely change the face of Smart…
ok then.. Catch ya!
Seems there is some disturbance in Bangalore..
Nothing big… a bus burnt in malleswaram area.. and a couple of stone throwing incidents… But looks like the shops are closed…and many companies too.. (A Bandh had been called out earlier for the day in protest against an American evangelist conducting a 3-day session in the city.)
Hmmm... out here.. more movies on the prowl... notably..Kaakka Kaakka & Anbe Sivam.. will update you on them.
About our Marketing Fair.. UtsAha! that I was telling you..
Dainik Bhaskar reported that there were more than 1.25 lakh footfalls over the 2 days… Most stall owners said that this was the first fair (out of 6 fairs) in 6 months that they made a profit from… Chief Circle Officer of Reliance Telecom Ltd was elated by the turnout and said that this will definitely change the face of Smart…
ok then.. Catch ya!
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
S.U.P.W. No. 2
Hello! How was S.U.P.W. No.1? Do let me know your views and onions.. sorry opinions. We welcome any kind of feedback as long as it is positive and enthusiastic ;)
Are you hungry for more? Yeah.. I can understand that. Just make sure you digest this poem thoroughly.
It is time to serve you yet another delicacy from the Selected Useless Poetic Works by SKK.
Poem # 2: Psychological Indigestion
This poem brings out the emotional distress one faces when he/she becomes old. In poem # 1, Lord Labhakdas, the poet revisited his childhood....in this one, he travels into the future. This is called as the flashfront technique just like the flashback technique used in poem #1(readers of the movie mails might recall that this technique was used in one of the movies).
In this work, the poet compares himself with a poem and a monster and draws analogies, synonyms, antonyms, fill in the blanks, reading comprehensions etc between himself and the poem/monster. His thirst for knowledge becomes very obvious as one reads the poem.
He continues to question the society though not like he did in his first work. In any case, this poem binds human nature with animal instincts and serves as a platform for social reforms.
Please note the highly structured form of the poem:
the first line of every stanza addresses an issue, the second line is a question addressing this issue(though not immediately obvious),the third line tries to answer the question (with a tinge of sarcastic comedy attached) and the final line summarizes the whole stanza.
___________________________________________________
Psychological Indigestion
I'm a man of many talents....
But who cares if I don’t have a bank balance????
Oh no dear…. this is not nonchalance….
This, my friend, is a real challenge!!!!
Ulysses went around the world….
Did he fear he would become old????
Oh no dear…. he was so bold….
This, my friend, is a story often told!!!!
On top of the hill….
Do you think you’ll fit the bill????
Oh no dear…. nature will stand still….
This, my friend, is the thrill!!!!
Poems have been written all along….
Are many of them very long????
Oh no dear…. this one is not a song….
This, my friend, is King Kong!!!!
With courage and determination….
Can you reduce the tension????
Oh no dear…. I haven’t got my pension….
This, my friend, is somebody’s intention!!!!
This work can make you sick….
But do you see any risk????
Oh no dear…I’m not thick….
This, my friend, is the trick.
- SKK
_________________________________________________
The first stanza brings out the true emotions of the poet.....he emphasizes that if one doesn't have money...he/she is a mere waste. Talent is not given due respect but money is honored and revered. The poet says that if one doesn’t have money, then his/her very existence will be tough.....he says that life will become a big challenge then......
In the second stanze, the poet compares himself with the King Ulysses who went around the world in quest of knowledge. This is the famous flashfront technique...ie the poet goes forward in time and feels how it would be to be like King Ulysses. The poet says that each and every one has to read the story of this great King and try to be like him.
In the third stanza, the poet starts questioning the society just like he did in his first poem....but now, these are no acerbic comments but he merely tries to make the reader think. The inner meaning is as follows....."even if you become a great person and raise above all in society, it doesn’t imply that you are fit to do that job. If you screw up the job, then everything will be temporarily halted...the poet says that even this feeling of uneasiness is a thrill worth experiencing".
The next stanza has a very great inner meaning. Poems have been written all along.......means that for ages and ages, poets have written down poems questioning society and its moral, ethical, political, economic and human values. But no answers have been obtained for these questions. The poet is disturbed by this fact and wants to get all the answers at one go. The second line implies that the list of questions is very long and hence, nobody is ready to answer all of them. The third line drives home the point that even though the poet is lamenting about these unanswered questions, this particular poem is not to be counted along with the other ones....meaning that every question the poet poses...is answered by him at the end of each stanza.
The final line is probably the most moving one......the poet is his desperation to eliminate all wrong-doers decides to change into a giant ape and reform the society. This metamorphosis into an ape can be viewed in two different ways:
1. By becoming an ape, the poet can terrorize those who are at fault and rectify their defects.
2. By becoming an ape, the poet tends to set the human evolution slightly backwards to the primates stage so that we can avoid all the mistakes we have done and also get the answers to all the questions along the way.
The next stanza deals with the frustrations old people have to cope up with. The poet fears that when he grows old, people might start to look upon him as any other poet and avoid answering his questions. He also emphasizes the fact that blood is thicker than water...(can you tell how???).
Finally...the poet writes something very similar to what he did in his first work.....ie clarify that he is not mad or insane but a fully sane man who would like to get some questions answered.
___________________________________________________
The Reviews have not been published here for want of space. Having received thousands of rave reviews, we thought we wouldnt do justice by publishing only a few of them here.. !
Are you hungry for more? Yeah.. I can understand that. Just make sure you digest this poem thoroughly.
It is time to serve you yet another delicacy from the Selected Useless Poetic Works by SKK.
Poem # 2: Psychological Indigestion
This poem brings out the emotional distress one faces when he/she becomes old. In poem # 1, Lord Labhakdas, the poet revisited his childhood....in this one, he travels into the future. This is called as the flashfront technique just like the flashback technique used in poem #1(readers of the movie mails might recall that this technique was used in one of the movies).
In this work, the poet compares himself with a poem and a monster and draws analogies, synonyms, antonyms, fill in the blanks, reading comprehensions etc between himself and the poem/monster. His thirst for knowledge becomes very obvious as one reads the poem.
He continues to question the society though not like he did in his first work. In any case, this poem binds human nature with animal instincts and serves as a platform for social reforms.
Please note the highly structured form of the poem:
the first line of every stanza addresses an issue, the second line is a question addressing this issue(though not immediately obvious),the third line tries to answer the question (with a tinge of sarcastic comedy attached) and the final line summarizes the whole stanza.
___________________________________________________
Psychological Indigestion
I'm a man of many talents....
But who cares if I don’t have a bank balance????
Oh no dear…. this is not nonchalance….
This, my friend, is a real challenge!!!!
Ulysses went around the world….
Did he fear he would become old????
Oh no dear…. he was so bold….
This, my friend, is a story often told!!!!
On top of the hill….
Do you think you’ll fit the bill????
Oh no dear…. nature will stand still….
This, my friend, is the thrill!!!!
Poems have been written all along….
Are many of them very long????
Oh no dear…. this one is not a song….
This, my friend, is King Kong!!!!
With courage and determination….
Can you reduce the tension????
Oh no dear…. I haven’t got my pension….
This, my friend, is somebody’s intention!!!!
This work can make you sick….
But do you see any risk????
Oh no dear…I’m not thick….
This, my friend, is the trick.
- SKK
_________________________________________________
The first stanza brings out the true emotions of the poet.....he emphasizes that if one doesn't have money...he/she is a mere waste. Talent is not given due respect but money is honored and revered. The poet says that if one doesn’t have money, then his/her very existence will be tough.....he says that life will become a big challenge then......
In the second stanze, the poet compares himself with the King Ulysses who went around the world in quest of knowledge. This is the famous flashfront technique...ie the poet goes forward in time and feels how it would be to be like King Ulysses. The poet says that each and every one has to read the story of this great King and try to be like him.
In the third stanza, the poet starts questioning the society just like he did in his first poem....but now, these are no acerbic comments but he merely tries to make the reader think. The inner meaning is as follows....."even if you become a great person and raise above all in society, it doesn’t imply that you are fit to do that job. If you screw up the job, then everything will be temporarily halted...the poet says that even this feeling of uneasiness is a thrill worth experiencing".
The next stanza has a very great inner meaning. Poems have been written all along.......means that for ages and ages, poets have written down poems questioning society and its moral, ethical, political, economic and human values. But no answers have been obtained for these questions. The poet is disturbed by this fact and wants to get all the answers at one go. The second line implies that the list of questions is very long and hence, nobody is ready to answer all of them. The third line drives home the point that even though the poet is lamenting about these unanswered questions, this particular poem is not to be counted along with the other ones....meaning that every question the poet poses...is answered by him at the end of each stanza.
The final line is probably the most moving one......the poet is his desperation to eliminate all wrong-doers decides to change into a giant ape and reform the society. This metamorphosis into an ape can be viewed in two different ways:
1. By becoming an ape, the poet can terrorize those who are at fault and rectify their defects.
2. By becoming an ape, the poet tends to set the human evolution slightly backwards to the primates stage so that we can avoid all the mistakes we have done and also get the answers to all the questions along the way.
The next stanza deals with the frustrations old people have to cope up with. The poet fears that when he grows old, people might start to look upon him as any other poet and avoid answering his questions. He also emphasizes the fact that blood is thicker than water...(can you tell how???).
Finally...the poet writes something very similar to what he did in his first work.....ie clarify that he is not mad or insane but a fully sane man who would like to get some questions answered.
___________________________________________________
The Reviews have not been published here for want of space. Having received thousands of rave reviews, we thought we wouldnt do justice by publishing only a few of them here.. !
Scheduled..
I didnt have anything scheduled today. Took the time to go to the city and make some purchases and also had some amazing idlis, vadas and onion uttappams.. (yeah...Saravanaa's :)
Have seen 'Run', 'Kaadal', 'Nanda', 'Friends' & 'Attagaasam' and 'Euro Trip' in the previous 48 hours!! If you ask me, I would say Run is good, Kaadal and Nanda are above ok and the rest ok.
Then again, this is how my schedule for the next 3 days looks like..
Wednesday
9:00 pm A Bank PPT
Thursday
10:00 am A non-software service firm PPT
12 noon A Business Group PPT
2:00 pm A software company PPT
4.00pm CRM class
6:00 pm An ITES Company Lateral Process
Friday
9:00 am Another ITES Lateral Process
12 noon CRM class
2:00 pm An Consumer Durables firm PPT
9:00 pm A Pharma PPT
I'm not applying to the ITES companies. so, guess i'll have some more time for some more movies!?!
Have seen 'Run', 'Kaadal', 'Nanda', 'Friends' & 'Attagaasam' and 'Euro Trip' in the previous 48 hours!! If you ask me, I would say Run is good, Kaadal and Nanda are above ok and the rest ok.
Then again, this is how my schedule for the next 3 days looks like..
Wednesday
9:00 pm A Bank PPT
Thursday
10:00 am A non-software service firm PPT
12 noon A Business Group PPT
2:00 pm A software company PPT
4.00pm CRM class
6:00 pm An ITES Company Lateral Process
Friday
9:00 am Another ITES Lateral Process
12 noon CRM class
2:00 pm An Consumer Durables firm PPT
9:00 pm A Pharma PPT
I'm not applying to the ITES companies. so, guess i'll have some more time for some more movies!?!
Sunday, January 16, 2005
GREAT is the word..
UtsAha! 2005 was great :)
well.. it was only to be expected given that Indoreans dig entertainment on a sunday and that too when it rings-in the name of our Bschool. One of us was saying :
One thing that we missed taking along this time were our old spirals (BTO comes to mind most readily, dunno why), which would have been a great hit, I believe, given the adulation and respect the people have for anything related to IIM Indore. Just imagine giving your child some material that the students at an IIM study... Oh my gawd… This could have triggered stampedes…
You know what.. there were atleast 5 different 'educational institute' stalls at the venue.. learn english, french, and what not..
The games and the key chains and whatever 'free gifts' were a sell-out
Food was great.. as ever..
And the stage shows/antakshari compered by Jatinder were a mega-hit. He'll have to take up a couple more cellphones for sometime!
Would have to wait for sometime for any more updates.. Have a BIG submission and presentation on tuesday and havnt started my work yet.
ok then.. tata!!
-Bhaskar
well.. it was only to be expected given that Indoreans dig entertainment on a sunday and that too when it rings-in the name of our Bschool. One of us was saying :
One thing that we missed taking along this time were our old spirals (BTO comes to mind most readily, dunno why), which would have been a great hit, I believe, given the adulation and respect the people have for anything related to IIM Indore. Just imagine giving your child some material that the students at an IIM study... Oh my gawd… This could have triggered stampedes…
You know what.. there were atleast 5 different 'educational institute' stalls at the venue.. learn english, french, and what not..
The games and the key chains and whatever 'free gifts' were a sell-out
Food was great.. as ever..
And the stage shows/antakshari compered by Jatinder were a mega-hit. He'll have to take up a couple more cellphones for sometime!
Would have to wait for sometime for any more updates.. Have a BIG submission and presentation on tuesday and havnt started my work yet.
ok then.. tata!!
-Bhaskar
Friday, January 14, 2005
UtsAha! 2005 - "the Complete Family Mela"
Indore is known for its fairs and melas. Especially at this time of the year, one can find many many food festivals, exhibitions and melas. But, UtsAha! is different.. not only b'cos the organizers are students (participants, as we like to call ourselves) of a top B-school but also due to its nature and the focus on each and every member of the family.
Let me explain this further.. first about the 'complete family' part.
The setup has not just stalls of companies exhibiting their products and services but also live performances by troupes and bands, competitions like Mr. & Ms. Indore, Smart Indorean etc, a food zone, and a game zone for children and a game zone for adults.
But, what does all this have to do with a B-school?
The theme of the games is 'market research'. Each game maps a particular marketing problem. As part of our extra-curricular, we take up 'live' research and marketing projects from companies. Typically, these projects are about understanding the consumer behavior and their process of decision-making.. eg. 'what does the consumer look for before deciding and buying a mobile phone'.
These projects go through the usual life-cycle and we also design games to capture data about the various attributes and aspects of the research problem. And we run these games 'live' during these 2 days and collect actual and relevant data for our research. And then analyze and use that to address the business problem.
The Inaugural edition of UtsAha! was held on the 17th and 18th of January 2004. Though it was our first, our lack of experience did not stop the fair from becoming a phenomenal success with a total footfall of around 1 lakh people in just two days. With the event attracting people with diverse demographic profile, the fair succeeded in it objective of collecting unbiased data for the research projects that we carried out for our clients.
Now, UtsAha! 2005 starts today at 11am on Bal Vinay Mandir grounds, Indore. It will span across two days and promises pure and complete fun.
Be there to catch the action LIVE!!
Else you will have to settle for the visceral experience at my blog :)
[ http://www.iimi-utsaha.com/ ]
Let me explain this further.. first about the 'complete family' part.
The setup has not just stalls of companies exhibiting their products and services but also live performances by troupes and bands, competitions like Mr. & Ms. Indore, Smart Indorean etc, a food zone, and a game zone for children and a game zone for adults.
But, what does all this have to do with a B-school?
The theme of the games is 'market research'. Each game maps a particular marketing problem. As part of our extra-curricular, we take up 'live' research and marketing projects from companies. Typically, these projects are about understanding the consumer behavior and their process of decision-making.. eg. 'what does the consumer look for before deciding and buying a mobile phone'.
These projects go through the usual life-cycle and we also design games to capture data about the various attributes and aspects of the research problem. And we run these games 'live' during these 2 days and collect actual and relevant data for our research. And then analyze and use that to address the business problem.
The Inaugural edition of UtsAha! was held on the 17th and 18th of January 2004. Though it was our first, our lack of experience did not stop the fair from becoming a phenomenal success with a total footfall of around 1 lakh people in just two days. With the event attracting people with diverse demographic profile, the fair succeeded in it objective of collecting unbiased data for the research projects that we carried out for our clients.
Now, UtsAha! 2005 starts today at 11am on Bal Vinay Mandir grounds, Indore. It will span across two days and promises pure and complete fun.
Be there to catch the action LIVE!!
Else you will have to settle for the visceral experience at my blog :)
[ http://www.iimi-utsaha.com/ ]
Jallikattu Vs Bull-fighting
Happy Maattu Pongal to you!
Typically Tamil, this festival is for giving-our-thanks to the Cows and Bulls that helped the farmers in the harvest and in general.
Around this time, there is also a contest between the bulls and the brave. I don’t know how it exactly started but it does date back a long time in history. Jallikattu – taming the bull - WAS considered a heroic game of Tamilians and used to be an individual's game like the Bull-fighting in Spain. But, nowadays it has become a group game and one of entertainment.. being conducted even to this day at various places in TamilNadu, most famous of which is the one at Alanganallur.
[ http://www.chennaionline.com/pongal/jallikattu.asp
http://events.britishairways.com/sisp/?fx=event&event_id=80413
http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Asia/
India/photo93967.htm ]
A look at the above links is enough to show how today’s Jallikuttu is very different from the historic Jallikattu.
But then, there is a fundamental difference even between the historic Jallikattu and the Spanish bullfight.
Historic Jallikattu (as I know) is a test of strength. The fighter faces the bull, holds the bull by its horns and struggles / overpowers it.
But in bullfighting, the matador uses a red cloth and literally dances with the charging bull. It is a game of skill, ease and grace! (Once the bull is exhausted, only then does he use his knife to kill it.)
This difference, I’ve learnt, is profound. In life, there are people who (predominantly) go against the stream and struggle to succeed. And there are those who 'be' with the flow of life and live with ease and grace.
Typically Tamil, this festival is for giving-our-thanks to the Cows and Bulls that helped the farmers in the harvest and in general.
Around this time, there is also a contest between the bulls and the brave. I don’t know how it exactly started but it does date back a long time in history. Jallikattu – taming the bull - WAS considered a heroic game of Tamilians and used to be an individual's game like the Bull-fighting in Spain. But, nowadays it has become a group game and one of entertainment.. being conducted even to this day at various places in TamilNadu, most famous of which is the one at Alanganallur.
[ http://www.chennaionline.com/pongal/jallikattu.asp
http://events.britishairways.com/sisp/?fx=event&event_id=80413
http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Asia/
India/photo93967.htm ]
A look at the above links is enough to show how today’s Jallikuttu is very different from the historic Jallikattu.
But then, there is a fundamental difference even between the historic Jallikattu and the Spanish bullfight.
Historic Jallikattu (as I know) is a test of strength. The fighter faces the bull, holds the bull by its horns and struggles / overpowers it.
But in bullfighting, the matador uses a red cloth and literally dances with the charging bull. It is a game of skill, ease and grace! (Once the bull is exhausted, only then does he use his knife to kill it.)
This difference, I’ve learnt, is profound. In life, there are people who (predominantly) go against the stream and struggle to succeed. And there are those who 'be' with the flow of life and live with ease and grace.
Happy Pongal!
Iniya Pongal Nalvaazthukkal!!
We were determined to make our last pongal at Indore a very memorable one. What better way than through delicious food.
Through our contact at SICA (South Indian Cultural Association, Indore), we found out that the Saravanaa restaurant here has laid out an elaborate traditional (Pongal special) menu for dinner.
We sent out an invitation to all the tam guys here (attached below) and the entire gumbal of 22 people set out for Saravanaa. We even hired a qualis for the occasion. (This place is about 15-20 kms from our campus).
Just returned from the place now. Ammmazing food... on the traditional plaintain leaf.. sakkara pongal..sambar rice.. tamarind rice..lemon rice..coconut rice.. pineapple rasam..curd rice.. vadai..appalaam..jevvarisi payasam. Wheew!!
We are now going to watch Superstar Rajinikanth and Mammooty in Dhalapathi. A fitting Finale to a great day...
For the interested, the traditions and significance of Pongal festival:
http://www.bawarchi.com/festivals/pongal.html
http://www.salagram.net/parishad143.html
our invit!!
En iniya Tamizh makkale,
Indru pongal nannaaLai munnittu Saravana sitrundiyil iravu bojanam seyya vaareer!! Iravu 6:00 manikku naam ingirunthu purappaduvOm. Thangal varugayai min-anjal vazhiyaaga munnarivippu seyyavum. yaenenil naangal nam varugaiyai Saravana sitrundikku munnathaakave arivikka vendum.
Nandri,
Bhasky matrum Ram
Translation:
Dear Tamil people,
On this auspicious Pongal day, lets celebrate with dinner at Saravana Restaurant!! We’ll be starting by 6:00pm. Please confirm yr presence by mail so that we can inform the restaurant.
Thanks,
Bhasky and Ram
We were determined to make our last pongal at Indore a very memorable one. What better way than through delicious food.
Through our contact at SICA (South Indian Cultural Association, Indore), we found out that the Saravanaa restaurant here has laid out an elaborate traditional (Pongal special) menu for dinner.
We sent out an invitation to all the tam guys here (attached below) and the entire gumbal of 22 people set out for Saravanaa. We even hired a qualis for the occasion. (This place is about 15-20 kms from our campus).
Just returned from the place now. Ammmazing food... on the traditional plaintain leaf.. sakkara pongal..sambar rice.. tamarind rice..lemon rice..coconut rice.. pineapple rasam..curd rice.. vadai..appalaam..jevvarisi payasam. Wheew!!
We are now going to watch Superstar Rajinikanth and Mammooty in Dhalapathi. A fitting Finale to a great day...
For the interested, the traditions and significance of Pongal festival:
http://www.bawarchi.com/festivals/pongal.html
http://www.salagram.net/parishad143.html
our invit!!
En iniya Tamizh makkale,
Indru pongal nannaaLai munnittu Saravana sitrundiyil iravu bojanam seyya vaareer!! Iravu 6:00 manikku naam ingirunthu purappaduvOm. Thangal varugayai min-anjal vazhiyaaga munnarivippu seyyavum. yaenenil naangal nam varugaiyai Saravana sitrundikku munnathaakave arivikka vendum.
Nandri,
Bhasky matrum Ram
Translation:
Dear Tamil people,
On this auspicious Pongal day, lets celebrate with dinner at Saravana Restaurant!! We’ll be starting by 6:00pm. Please confirm yr presence by mail so that we can inform the restaurant.
Thanks,
Bhasky and Ram
Thursday, January 13, 2005
Ennui !
After another week of activity, I'm having a couple of days of nothingness! on campus. Though this is a welcome break, breaks are not always so. Especially if it is a little long, usually at the end of such a break, I end up feeling low and dry. I never thought much about this, but, now that I did, I realized that for me nothing is as satisfying as a task well accomplished or a work well done. I'm not sure if everyone feels this way and how much of this has been the influence of the work culture at the IIM Indore, but that is a different issue.
But that led to thoughts... about the colossal waste that boredom or avoiding boredom can lead to. Some people can go to any extent to get over the boredom. Think of the million dollar parties! The booming entertainment industry throughout the world has definitely at least something to do with this. Not to mention the crores and crores of money washed away in drinks and liquor....
-Bhaskar
But that led to thoughts... about the colossal waste that boredom or avoiding boredom can lead to. Some people can go to any extent to get over the boredom. Think of the million dollar parties! The booming entertainment industry throughout the world has definitely at least something to do with this. Not to mention the crores and crores of money washed away in drinks and liquor....
-Bhaskar
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
S.U.P.W. No. 1
Hey Doods!
I promised you some humour, didnt I? This is the first in the series of S.U.P.W. - Selected Useless Poetic Works by SKK.
SKK is another dosthu who also 'kuppa kottufied' (only this Kuppai is bio-engineered while ours was CMOS and 1's & 0's based) along with us at IIT Kgp. I dont have to say anything more... This poem would speak volumes and volumes of him. Now, without taking any more of your time...I present here...
Poem # 1: Lord Labhakdas
Lord Labhakdas is about general life, as one finds it or does not find it. In this poem, the poet explores the depths of human emotions and suggests a way of escaping from the day-to-day tensions and compressions. In this way, the poet bridges life and death. The very principle by which the modern day society functions is questioned. _____________________________________________________
My life started when I was born.. ….
So many days have gone..
I had a friend named John….
And in chess, I moved a pawn.
The tire caught fire….
Because the wire was near..
I was here…
but.. I had fear….
I can draw a square….
And can climb higher…
My eyes are filled with tear(s)…
Since you are my peer!!!!
Do I breathe to live or live to breathe???
Do I eat to live or live to eat????
Do I work hard or hardly work???
Do I do right things or things right???
Questions… Questions… everywhere….
Answers… Answers…. nowhere….
Finding answers is my goal....
Even if I have to go to the pole...
My pants were a bit short of length…
But that didn’t alter my strength….
After ninth, I studied in class tenth….
And after that in class eleventh…
You can ask me why I’m so dumb….
Oh no…. that won’t make me numb…
In fact, I have two thumb(s)…
And that makes me jump.
- SKK
_____________________________________________________
Summary
The author of this poem is deeply distressed and frustrated with the way the society functions. In the first stanza, he talks about his childhood days. He had a childhood friend named John with whom he used to play chess. He compares the game of chess (which is extremely challenging) with life. He says that it's been ages since he played chess ....he longs to go back in time and relive his childhood.
In the second stanza, he recalls an accident in which he loses his friend. He feels that he did not do enough to prevent the accident. The line "I can draw a square" means that he wants to go and lock himself in a 4X4 room as a self-imposed punishment for his failure to prevent the accident. The phrase "can climb higher" means that he will eventually die and reach heaven and meet his friend there.
In the third stanza, the author questions each and every thing he sees or does....he has become so sarcastic and cynical (because of the loss of his friend) that he starts questioning everything....even questions.....he feels that if he finds an answer or multiple answers to the questions, he will be able to redefine human values. This stanza, albeit short, has profound implications on the society. This takes into account the socio-economic-political situations of the modern day society with special emphasis on the weather conditions at the North Pole i.e the author compares day-to-day life with the extremities and vagaries of nature.
In the next stanza, the author revisits his childhood days yet again. Here, he describes one situation that totally changed his outlook on life. He says that just because the pants are short doesn't mean that one has to cut his legs off. In other words, there are other solutions to the problem at hand..... The words tenth and eleventh are of great significance. Ten has the two digits 1 and 0 in it.....1 stands for "+" and 0 signifies "-".In other words, life is full of positives and negatives. In eleven, there are two 1s, which means that if one is mature enough, the 0s can be converted into 1s.
To put it in more simple words....."IF FATE HANDS YOU A LEMON, MAKE LEMONADE OUT OF IT".
In the concluding stanza, the poet admits that he has been criticized in the past for his view of thinking.....he says that no matter what anyone says or writes, he will continue to question every aspect of life and try to find answers to them. _____________________________________________________
Reviews on "Lord Labhakdas"
** stupendous...marvelous...absolutely fantastic.....SKK has truly crossed every barrier.
- DAILY REEL dated 11th JAN,2002.
** truly an amazing work of art....we feel that we are not qualified enough to describe SKK or his epic.....
- THURSDAY TIMES dated 12th JAN,2002.
** stunning......being an engineer and a psychiatrist, I can definitely say that SKK's IQ is greater than 13,000.His mind works in the turbulent zone.....
- Dr.Kaththiri Gajaa in a letter to THE MANDU dated 12th JAN,2002.
** if Shakespeare were alive today, he will cry till death.
- NUT-LOOSE-AT-NIGHT dated 12th JAN,2002.
**I now believe that God exists.....
- Dr.PEELA PERUMAL, atheist and agnostic in a personal letter to SKK dated 11th Jan,2002.
** oh SKK....we bow before your talent....
- DAILY GALEEJ dated 13th JAN,2002. ____________________________________________________
PS: Again.. his email id is available only after some preliminary screening... may be i'll conduct GDs and/or interview rounds also..
- Bhaskar
I promised you some humour, didnt I? This is the first in the series of S.U.P.W. - Selected Useless Poetic Works by SKK.
SKK is another dosthu who also 'kuppa kottufied' (only this Kuppai is bio-engineered while ours was CMOS and 1's & 0's based) along with us at IIT Kgp. I dont have to say anything more... This poem would speak volumes and volumes of him. Now, without taking any more of your time...I present here...
Poem # 1: Lord Labhakdas
Lord Labhakdas is about general life, as one finds it or does not find it. In this poem, the poet explores the depths of human emotions and suggests a way of escaping from the day-to-day tensions and compressions. In this way, the poet bridges life and death. The very principle by which the modern day society functions is questioned. _____________________________________________________
My life started when I was born.. ….
So many days have gone..
I had a friend named John….
And in chess, I moved a pawn.
The tire caught fire….
Because the wire was near..
I was here…
but.. I had fear….
I can draw a square….
And can climb higher…
My eyes are filled with tear(s)…
Since you are my peer!!!!
Do I breathe to live or live to breathe???
Do I eat to live or live to eat????
Do I work hard or hardly work???
Do I do right things or things right???
Questions… Questions… everywhere….
Answers… Answers…. nowhere….
Finding answers is my goal....
Even if I have to go to the pole...
My pants were a bit short of length…
But that didn’t alter my strength….
After ninth, I studied in class tenth….
And after that in class eleventh…
You can ask me why I’m so dumb….
Oh no…. that won’t make me numb…
In fact, I have two thumb(s)…
And that makes me jump.
- SKK
_____________________________________________________
Summary
The author of this poem is deeply distressed and frustrated with the way the society functions. In the first stanza, he talks about his childhood days. He had a childhood friend named John with whom he used to play chess. He compares the game of chess (which is extremely challenging) with life. He says that it's been ages since he played chess ....he longs to go back in time and relive his childhood.
In the second stanza, he recalls an accident in which he loses his friend. He feels that he did not do enough to prevent the accident. The line "I can draw a square" means that he wants to go and lock himself in a 4X4 room as a self-imposed punishment for his failure to prevent the accident. The phrase "can climb higher" means that he will eventually die and reach heaven and meet his friend there.
In the third stanza, the author questions each and every thing he sees or does....he has become so sarcastic and cynical (because of the loss of his friend) that he starts questioning everything....even questions.....he feels that if he finds an answer or multiple answers to the questions, he will be able to redefine human values. This stanza, albeit short, has profound implications on the society. This takes into account the socio-economic-political situations of the modern day society with special emphasis on the weather conditions at the North Pole i.e the author compares day-to-day life with the extremities and vagaries of nature.
In the next stanza, the author revisits his childhood days yet again. Here, he describes one situation that totally changed his outlook on life. He says that just because the pants are short doesn't mean that one has to cut his legs off. In other words, there are other solutions to the problem at hand..... The words tenth and eleventh are of great significance. Ten has the two digits 1 and 0 in it.....1 stands for "+" and 0 signifies "-".In other words, life is full of positives and negatives. In eleven, there are two 1s, which means that if one is mature enough, the 0s can be converted into 1s.
To put it in more simple words....."IF FATE HANDS YOU A LEMON, MAKE LEMONADE OUT OF IT".
In the concluding stanza, the poet admits that he has been criticized in the past for his view of thinking.....he says that no matter what anyone says or writes, he will continue to question every aspect of life and try to find answers to them. _____________________________________________________
Reviews on "Lord Labhakdas"
** stupendous...marvelous...absolutely fantastic.....SKK has truly crossed every barrier.
- DAILY REEL dated 11th JAN,2002.
** truly an amazing work of art....we feel that we are not qualified enough to describe SKK or his epic.....
- THURSDAY TIMES dated 12th JAN,2002.
** stunning......being an engineer and a psychiatrist, I can definitely say that SKK's IQ is greater than 13,000.His mind works in the turbulent zone.....
- Dr.Kaththiri Gajaa in a letter to THE MANDU dated 12th JAN,2002.
** if Shakespeare were alive today, he will cry till death.
- NUT-LOOSE-AT-NIGHT dated 12th JAN,2002.
**I now believe that God exists.....
- Dr.PEELA PERUMAL, atheist and agnostic in a personal letter to SKK dated 11th Jan,2002.
** oh SKK....we bow before your talent....
- DAILY GALEEJ dated 13th JAN,2002. ____________________________________________________
PS: Again.. his email id is available only after some preliminary screening... may be i'll conduct GDs and/or interview rounds also..
- Bhaskar
Saturday, January 08, 2005
Voila!
The first year guys are back from their term break. We guys in the campus have been having a very nice and peaceful time for sometime. Not anymore ;)
Hmm! these guys have got some yummy sweets and some vcds/dvds too. Saw Aayutha Ezhuthu for the first time (saw it with Jam). Guess I'll have to watch it another 3 - 4 times before I get the complete hang of the movie. All through the movie, I was getting flashbacks of the hindi version, Yuva and of course, Kareena! (Kareena was amazing in that, dont you think?!) The part by Trisha when she comes back from Sivakasi is in my TOMA. (Top of the Mind Awareness/Recall)
Hmm! these guys have got some yummy sweets and some vcds/dvds too. Saw Aayutha Ezhuthu for the first time (saw it with Jam). Guess I'll have to watch it another 3 - 4 times before I get the complete hang of the movie. All through the movie, I was getting flashbacks of the hindi version, Yuva and of course, Kareena! (Kareena was amazing in that, dont you think?!) The part by Trisha when she comes back from Sivakasi is in my TOMA. (Top of the Mind Awareness/Recall)
Reverse brain drain, philosophy, etc
This is an excerpt from an email I received from Venky, one of my friends from IIT Kgp. We 'kuppa kottufied' together for four sweet years before destiny took us in two different directions. He is an amazing guy with remarkable energy and sense of humour who can also be pretty serious when called for (this is one such occasion!). He's now in New York doing research.
The full text of the email and his email id available only on request :)
[Talking abt humour, I've some masterpieces to share... Watch this space!!]
We are all in the same boat. We are fortunate that our exposure and experiences and raising have eventually lead to such maturity of thought. There is absolutely no iota of doubt that making money and enjoying what money can buy will wear out soon for all of us. It is indeed the correct time to plan for a more meaningful existence.
Fortunately for us, several really really smart people grappled with such questions all their lives for hundreds of years. There are elaborate recordings of their thoughts and extensive interpretations of their writings. The highest thought of the best people has been amalgamated into Indian philosophy (and am sure into other cultures and religions as well). I am intentionally evading the word religion as it is still a terrible turn-off for many. But please do not let this interweaving of religion, spirituality and culture let you ignore the marvels of human thought and intelligence that lie waiting to be discovered. Rest assured that even this inter-weaving was a master-stroke, a super-smart way of helping the feeble human mind not lose its way in a world of distractions.But that is an issue you can defer.
I urge you to read about the lives of some really smart, educated, accomplished, world renowned Indians who experienced what you and I are experiencing, and then about the spiritual transformations they underwent and how they better understood the world and life after that.I am not proselytizing. I was fortunate to be pointed to some books and I am just mentioning some of them here. Different books appeal to different people at different points in their life. If you have access to a public library (or the UT-Austin one), just go pick up 6-7 books and read all their introductions. Then read whichever book appeals to you. If none of them do, try more books.Anyway, here are some suggestions:
Fiction: Best Place to Start
RK Narayan's English Teacher, My Days
Somerset Maugham's Razor's Edge
Siddhartha by Herman Hesse
Biographies of Very Intelligent People:
1. Aurobindo Ghosh (also wrote some inspiring pieces about India when he was a freedom fighter)
2. Rabindranath Tagore
3. Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramhansa Yogananda: an excellent realvery human account of his life from an ordinary child to his transformation into a yogi. No he is not yet another fake hindu prophet !
4. Read about Swami Vivekananda: totally skeptical disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa
Another line of pursuit is to ask "so what is all this fuss of hinduism ?". There have lived many great very wise people (as is to be expected if a culture / civilization is several thousand years old) who have painstakingly provided answers to these questions. You will find many commentaries on epics, fundamentals of hindu philosophy, etc... easily on the net too. That can help you put in perspective religion, culture and spirituality.
I am now reading The Gospel of Sri Ramkrishna: a very rare very detailed account by one of his disciples of the complete life of SriRamakrishna. Please do not start here :)) .......
-Venky
The full text of the email and his email id available only on request :)
[Talking abt humour, I've some masterpieces to share... Watch this space!!]
We are all in the same boat. We are fortunate that our exposure and experiences and raising have eventually lead to such maturity of thought. There is absolutely no iota of doubt that making money and enjoying what money can buy will wear out soon for all of us. It is indeed the correct time to plan for a more meaningful existence.
Fortunately for us, several really really smart people grappled with such questions all their lives for hundreds of years. There are elaborate recordings of their thoughts and extensive interpretations of their writings. The highest thought of the best people has been amalgamated into Indian philosophy (and am sure into other cultures and religions as well). I am intentionally evading the word religion as it is still a terrible turn-off for many. But please do not let this interweaving of religion, spirituality and culture let you ignore the marvels of human thought and intelligence that lie waiting to be discovered. Rest assured that even this inter-weaving was a master-stroke, a super-smart way of helping the feeble human mind not lose its way in a world of distractions.But that is an issue you can defer.
I urge you to read about the lives of some really smart, educated, accomplished, world renowned Indians who experienced what you and I are experiencing, and then about the spiritual transformations they underwent and how they better understood the world and life after that.I am not proselytizing. I was fortunate to be pointed to some books and I am just mentioning some of them here. Different books appeal to different people at different points in their life. If you have access to a public library (or the UT-Austin one), just go pick up 6-7 books and read all their introductions. Then read whichever book appeals to you. If none of them do, try more books.Anyway, here are some suggestions:
Fiction: Best Place to Start
RK Narayan's English Teacher, My Days
Somerset Maugham's Razor's Edge
Siddhartha by Herman Hesse
Biographies of Very Intelligent People:
1. Aurobindo Ghosh (also wrote some inspiring pieces about India when he was a freedom fighter)
2. Rabindranath Tagore
3. Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramhansa Yogananda: an excellent realvery human account of his life from an ordinary child to his transformation into a yogi. No he is not yet another fake hindu prophet !
4. Read about Swami Vivekananda: totally skeptical disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa
Another line of pursuit is to ask "so what is all this fuss of hinduism ?". There have lived many great very wise people (as is to be expected if a culture / civilization is several thousand years old) who have painstakingly provided answers to these questions. You will find many commentaries on epics, fundamentals of hindu philosophy, etc... easily on the net too. That can help you put in perspective religion, culture and spirituality.
I am now reading The Gospel of Sri Ramkrishna: a very rare very detailed account by one of his disciples of the complete life of SriRamakrishna. Please do not start here :)) .......
-Venky
Friday, January 07, 2005
What did I tell you?
Just y'day I was telling you about Indian stock markets and some bears at work. And today, this is what I find in the capitalmarkets news. (Anyway, guess it'll be difficult to prove the wrong doings)
07-Jan-2005 14:16
Showcause notices issued for markets fall
Finance Minister P Chidambaram has said that core entities have been issued showcause notices for the way the markets fell on Monday, May 17, 2004, reports CNBC-TV18.
Declining to name the entities, Sebi Chairman GN Bajpai said the names of those who have been issued showcause notices will only be released if they are found guilty.
Chidambaram also said that the fall in the markets was quite usual. But, disagreeing with Chidambaram, Bajpai said it was quite unusual for the markets to have fallen so sharply.
Both the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Finance Minister P Chidambaram are in Mumbai on the occasion of 'Pravasi Diwas.'
07-Jan-2005 14:16
Showcause notices issued for markets fall
Finance Minister P Chidambaram has said that core entities have been issued showcause notices for the way the markets fell on Monday, May 17, 2004, reports CNBC-TV18.
Declining to name the entities, Sebi Chairman GN Bajpai said the names of those who have been issued showcause notices will only be released if they are found guilty.
Chidambaram also said that the fall in the markets was quite usual. But, disagreeing with Chidambaram, Bajpai said it was quite unusual for the markets to have fallen so sharply.
Both the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Finance Minister P Chidambaram are in Mumbai on the occasion of 'Pravasi Diwas.'
Thursday, January 06, 2005
Nothing lasts forever..
No.. I'm not talking about the Sidney Sheldon novel by the same name.. this is about the Indian stock market's so called bull streak.
After my last post, the Sensex took an almost 300 point swing and finally ending with a 192 point drop. Almost 7-8% of the value of my portfolio was wiped-off in the day. It is said that Alan Greenspan made some statement to the effect that interest rates in the US should be going up and the bears that were waiting for some such bad news added fuel to the fire saying that the FII inflows will vanish and some such things.
Today, again the markets were pretty volatile with the sensex losing about 95 pts (roughly 1.5%). It was a 150 point swing during the day. Another 3-4% loss for me today.
I get a feeling that the brokers are the primary beneficiaries in any volatile market. The volumes have at the least tripled. It seems the turnover today was Rs 25,981.47 crore (Rs 259.81 billion). A considerable portion of this money will go in as commission. They should also be making a lot of money in day trades on such swings. And they can have the best pick of the tumbling stocks. In fact, yesterday for the major part, I could not even enter into my ICICI Demat account because of the huge traffic on the site. I'm sure these guys will have privileged access during such times.
Anyway, I had diluted some of my profits before the new year to cover my short-term cash requirements. So, I'm not too bothered.
And you know what.. There is another colleague here who is supposed to be managing a huge equity investment portfolio.. in lakhs (that is huuuge by my standards :) He had a gloomy face and was saying that it’s been bad. Hmm... that is actually consoling! ;)
After my last post, the Sensex took an almost 300 point swing and finally ending with a 192 point drop. Almost 7-8% of the value of my portfolio was wiped-off in the day. It is said that Alan Greenspan made some statement to the effect that interest rates in the US should be going up and the bears that were waiting for some such bad news added fuel to the fire saying that the FII inflows will vanish and some such things.
Today, again the markets were pretty volatile with the sensex losing about 95 pts (roughly 1.5%). It was a 150 point swing during the day. Another 3-4% loss for me today.
I get a feeling that the brokers are the primary beneficiaries in any volatile market. The volumes have at the least tripled. It seems the turnover today was Rs 25,981.47 crore (Rs 259.81 billion). A considerable portion of this money will go in as commission. They should also be making a lot of money in day trades on such swings. And they can have the best pick of the tumbling stocks. In fact, yesterday for the major part, I could not even enter into my ICICI Demat account because of the huge traffic on the site. I'm sure these guys will have privileged access during such times.
Anyway, I had diluted some of my profits before the new year to cover my short-term cash requirements. So, I'm not too bothered.
And you know what.. There is another colleague here who is supposed to be managing a huge equity investment portfolio.. in lakhs (that is huuuge by my standards :) He had a gloomy face and was saying that it’s been bad. Hmm... that is actually consoling! ;)
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
Which side are you?
In the stock market, there is nothing like an inherently bad stock. You just have a wrong position.. like.. going short when the stock is gaining ground.
Likeways, your position might make all the difference to your career. The world is slowly aligning itself across two paradigms.
Quoting Bruce Nussbaum of Businessweek:"Allow me to make my one and only New Year's prediction for 2005: The emergence of China and India will force every single major corporation in America, Europe, and Japan to choose one of two competitive strategies. They'll have to attract customers by offering either low-cost, low-value goods and services, or innovate and create new high-cost, high-value products and services."
( From the article Getting Schooled in Innovation Businessweek, Jan2005 )
Now, it is not about the place. But the question is: are you poised right?
- Bhaskar
Likeways, your position might make all the difference to your career. The world is slowly aligning itself across two paradigms.
Quoting Bruce Nussbaum of Businessweek:"Allow me to make my one and only New Year's prediction for 2005: The emergence of China and India will force every single major corporation in America, Europe, and Japan to choose one of two competitive strategies. They'll have to attract customers by offering either low-cost, low-value goods and services, or innovate and create new high-cost, high-value products and services."
( From the article Getting Schooled in Innovation Businessweek, Jan2005 )
Now, it is not about the place. But the question is: are you poised right?
- Bhaskar
Bull Streak
Whew!!!!! The past five sessions on the stock market has been great for me. Over the time, one of my stocks Glenmark Pharma has risen by over 35% and another IDBI Bank has risen over 40%. With Glenmark, the board is meeting on this 6th to decide about issuance of bonus shares. I realized (a bit late?) that I should be buying some more of the stock since the price band has shifted up [tenets of value investing :) ] and picked up a few more today.
I am bullish on Glenmark for the long-term. The company has licensed out a molecule for treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and asthma to US-based Forest Labs Inc. in a deal worth up to $ 190 million in Sep 2004. The company has sharpened its focus on research and development (R&D) activities and is expected to step-up investment in the area of basic research. Currently, it employs over 100 scientists focusing on asthma, diabetes and obesity. In fact, I personally heard Dr. Anji Reddy of Dr. Reddys Labs in his speech at IIM Bangalore saying that this company is doing some great work on innovation.
IDBI Bank is set to merge with IDBI and the board is going to decide about the stock swap ratio this month. Since IDBI Bank has a better asset portfolio and lesser NPAs, punters are expecting the ratio to be favorable to the bank.
Now yet another stock in the IT - hardware sector, DLink has risen 15% over two days - yesterday and today! I suspect this is in anticipation of good quarterly results as also due to removal of many hardware components off the import duty list.
But.. you know what? Even this unabated Bull Run leaves me queasy. When I first saw Glenmark hitting the 10% upper circuit on two consecutive days, I didnt know what was happening. You might say 'so what if you didnt know why...if it is rising it is good'. But heh.. if I dont know why, then I also dont know how long and when.. when should I get out?!
Uncertainty...uncertainty.. Thats the name of the game!
I am bullish on Glenmark for the long-term. The company has licensed out a molecule for treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and asthma to US-based Forest Labs Inc. in a deal worth up to $ 190 million in Sep 2004. The company has sharpened its focus on research and development (R&D) activities and is expected to step-up investment in the area of basic research. Currently, it employs over 100 scientists focusing on asthma, diabetes and obesity. In fact, I personally heard Dr. Anji Reddy of Dr. Reddys Labs in his speech at IIM Bangalore saying that this company is doing some great work on innovation.
IDBI Bank is set to merge with IDBI and the board is going to decide about the stock swap ratio this month. Since IDBI Bank has a better asset portfolio and lesser NPAs, punters are expecting the ratio to be favorable to the bank.
Now yet another stock in the IT - hardware sector, DLink has risen 15% over two days - yesterday and today! I suspect this is in anticipation of good quarterly results as also due to removal of many hardware components off the import duty list.
But.. you know what? Even this unabated Bull Run leaves me queasy. When I first saw Glenmark hitting the 10% upper circuit on two consecutive days, I didnt know what was happening. You might say 'so what if you didnt know why...if it is rising it is good'. But heh.. if I dont know why, then I also dont know how long and when.. when should I get out?!
Uncertainty...uncertainty.. Thats the name of the game!
Monday, January 03, 2005
Love
This is a nice one that I found. I can say that this post in a way inspired my blogging adventure.
Love...
It blooms with mutual admiration and respect...
It thrives on sharing and compromising...
It mellows to warmth and companionship...
It dies only with death...
this phenomenon called 'love'
Love is stabilizing... like an anchor...
It disturbs only when its not mutual...
going haywire like a boat without sails...
Hmmm.....
Courtesy: Maalika (www.maalika.blogspot.com)
Love...
It blooms with mutual admiration and respect...
It thrives on sharing and compromising...
It mellows to warmth and companionship...
It dies only with death...
this phenomenon called 'love'
Love is stabilizing... like an anchor...
It disturbs only when its not mutual...
going haywire like a boat without sails...
Hmmm.....
Courtesy: Maalika (www.maalika.blogspot.com)
Blog World.. Here I Come!!!
Finally I'm stepping into the blog blog world! This day, the fourth day of the year of 2005, 4.50am IST, is the day.
For almost a year now, I had been in the stands watching and wondering at the Blog World.
Over the time, my mental picture of it has varied between the big bad world to the bold brazen world to the bright beautiful world. Initially, I was saying that this is just another way of escaping from the real world. It seemed like a way of showing, expressing and finally, owning up one's dark side. Now, just the other day, I was actually telling one of my friends that it is a kind of silent revolution. I am surprised at the way so many of the chennai (read software) guys are taking to blogging and are actually being quite decent at that.
Now, why am I blogging?
May be I just want to have a share of the revolution. May be I just want another outlet to express myself. May be I would like to pursue this like an alternative to diary writing that I thought I would have some day. May be I can use this to channelize my thoughts better. May be I have quite a lot of time on hand these days and I dont know what to do. May it is a combination of all this and more...
Anyway, "Hello World!"
[ Well.. this is my equivalent of a 'Hello World' software program that typically every (almost) programming language book starts with. ]
To end, I would like to dedicate this effort to the three blogs that are open on my comp currently:
http://www.sangama.blogspot.com
http://somethingijuswrote.blogspot.com
http://www.maalika.blogspot.com
plus my friend Sodhi's web page
http://www.geocities.com/ejatinder/
and all the PGP1 Tam makkal!!
cheers!
Bhaskar
For almost a year now, I had been in the stands watching and wondering at the Blog World.
Over the time, my mental picture of it has varied between the big bad world to the bold brazen world to the bright beautiful world. Initially, I was saying that this is just another way of escaping from the real world. It seemed like a way of showing, expressing and finally, owning up one's dark side. Now, just the other day, I was actually telling one of my friends that it is a kind of silent revolution. I am surprised at the way so many of the chennai (read software) guys are taking to blogging and are actually being quite decent at that.
Now, why am I blogging?
May be I just want to have a share of the revolution. May be I just want another outlet to express myself. May be I would like to pursue this like an alternative to diary writing that I thought I would have some day. May be I can use this to channelize my thoughts better. May be I have quite a lot of time on hand these days and I dont know what to do. May it is a combination of all this and more...
Anyway, "Hello World!"
[ Well.. this is my equivalent of a 'Hello World' software program that typically every (almost) programming language book starts with. ]
To end, I would like to dedicate this effort to the three blogs that are open on my comp currently:
http://www.sangama.blogspot.com
http://somethingijuswrote.blogspot.com
http://www.maalika.blogspot.com
plus my friend Sodhi's web page
http://www.geocities.com/ejatinder/
and all the PGP1 Tam makkal!!
cheers!
Bhaskar
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