vgopalakrishnan

[vgopalakrishnan]

Syrian conundrum in the West Asia

Syria is falling. Rapidly. The rebels backed by Turkiye have encircled Damascus, raising question mark about the authority of Bashar Al Assad, the Syrian dictator. Though, Bashar is ruling with iron fists, the regime seems to be on a shaky wicket due to widespread unpopularity of the dictator among the citizens. It is getting increasingly clear that the common man is no longer worried about the fate of Bashar, who may end up in a foreign soil sooner than later.

The Syrian conundrum is the latest recipe in the Middle East disaster, triggered by Israeli onslaught on Lebanon and Iran. With the rebels knocking at the doors of Damascus, the options for Bashar are dwindling with his two main backers, Iran and Russia are embroiled in their own problems. With little or no support expected from his backers, he may have no option other than fleeing to a friendly nation, maybe Iran or Russia for asylum. With Syria adding to the West Asian cup of woes, the World in that part is getting into a prolonged uncertainty with the war sirens getting active in the Middle East. 

Ever since Bashar took from his late father Hafez Al Assad, Syria has witnessed a sustained decline in every possible indicator and the economy is in a mess triggering widespread anger among the people there. Will a regime change, change the fortunes of Syria? Highly unlikely. Possibly the radical elements which are racing to take over Syria may make lives difficult for the ordinary Syrians, just the way Taliban has converted Afghanistan into a theocratic state. West Asia is embroiled in turmoil on multiple fronts leaving very little focus on Syria at the moment. 

In the end of the current turmoil, Syria will be one more in the list of rogue states with the radicals expected to run a medieval government by crushing the civil society and the liberties, which were practically non-existent in the current regime, but still had some semblance of it. 

V Gopalakrishnan

[vgopalakrishnan]

Why the World don't want wars

The World has been watching the war in Ukraine with pain and agony for over one year. Sadly the World could do nothing to end the war other than periodic calls to end the war by World leaders. Such calls have fallen in the dead ears of the aggressors. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has turned the once beautiful & prosperous nation into nothing less than a graveyard in a matter of year. Scores of people have lost lives; thousands have become permanently disabled. The beautiful cities have been destroyed beyond recognition. Properties have been reduced to rubble. Livelihoods of the common man have become bleak due to the non stop war raging within Ukraine. The economy is in shambles and it might take years for it to get corrected & repaired. More than anything else, the soldiers of both sides have become direct victims of the unending war, reducing their families into utter despair and disillusionment. War has had a catastrophic impact on the people and their future. It is easier to destroy but very hard to re-create what has been destroyed. The World has suffered innumerable times due to wars by mindless nations. Let humanity unite and call the warring nations to end the war. Let us put an end to this war which is against humanity in every possible way. Let peace prevail in the World without wars!

[vgopalakrishnan]

2023 - The road ahead for economy & financial markets...

As we step into the new Calendar year, it would be worthwhile to analyze the probable scenario, both in the economy as well as in the financial markets, in general. Year 2022 witnessed challenges on multiple fronts, largely driven by global factors and particularly contributed by the Russian Ukrainian stand off. The Russian Ukrainian stand off pushed the global economy to the brink, which was otherwise limping back to normalcy post Covid crisis. Inflation skyrocketed in many economies and India was not any exception.

With the experts predicting the war to get over in weeks turning out to be a hoax, the war is lingering on even after 10 months with no end of it in sight. Unprecedented jump in inflation led to equally unprecedented rate hikes by the global Central Banks. India too witnessed a spate of repo rate hikes over the months putting the spokes in the economic growth wheels, albeit in the short term.

As a consequence, global equities too witnessed a rough ride over the last several months. Elevated interest rates capped the flow of easy money into the emerging markets such as India. Despite turmoil in the foreign flows front, Indian equities weathered the global storm in a fairly efficient manner, thanks to the unending flows from the domestic investors. Retail investors driven mutual funds industry handled robust flow of funds on a steady basis, largely into the equity funds. Robust domestic fund flows compensated the outflows of the foreign investors, who turned skeptical on the rising interest rate front.

Road ahead in 2023

As we close 2022 and prepare to step into 2023, the challenges seem to be multi fold. Fresh wave of Covid infections in China and in the other parts of Asia has left the global economy in a deep state of worry. As the countries prepared to co-exist with Covid infection, the fresh wave doesn't augur well for a casual approach on the virus. India should not be unduly worried as the country handled the past Covid surge in a commendable manner. But if the virus wave causes disruptions in the economic activity by way of lockdowns, that could spell doom to the recovery process of the economic growth.

With the steady interest rate hike already slowing down the economic growth momentum, a fresh Covid wave could complicate the economic recovery process in the most parts of the World. In India, Inflation seems to be moderating to comfortable levels and that could potentially slow down the pace of rate hikes by RBI in the coming weeks and months. That said, the slowdown of rate hike can no way reignite the economic recovery process automatically until the pace of the economic activities gather on the back of strong demand.

One needs to wait and watch on the covid wave front as also the prolonged stand off between Russia and Ukraine. Until we firmly get out of these two scenarios as quickly as possible, the global economic recovery can be in real jeopardy due to these twin challenges. Equity markets, in general, may remain volatile tracking the global challenges. The stock market sentiment always acts as precursor to the unfolding economic challenges. One really cannot predict the exact outcomes on Russia Ukraine stand off & covid wave; but the challenges for the global economy seems to be mounting in 2023. And its our best hope that these challenges fizzle as soon as possible for us to march towards vibrant economic growth recovery.

V Gopalakrishnan

[vgopalakrishnan]

Kanavoor tales...

On a fine morning, Kanavoor, a tiny and a picturesque hamlet nestled in the midst of lush green paddy fields surrounded by the dense & thick forests in the foothills of the serene Western ghats appeared absolutely normal on the day break. Birds of all kinds started chirping and singing by making melodious sounds, providing a delightful listen for the people of the village. The pretty peahens in large numbers enchanted the watchers by spreading their beautiful bunch of feathers painted with charming colours. It was simply a gorgeous sight to see them dance with their feathers spread out. Uncared lazy cattle were loitering around the empty fields in search of their morning feed. 

The captivating pond in Kanavoor was brimming with fresh, pristine water adds life to the village. It has already become an enticingly natural habitat for the water birds and other species which flock the pond. The sight of the birds waiting for their prized catch in the pond appeared ecstatic. Colourful and beautiful lilies have filled up the pond, making it look like a woman draped in a magnificent floral saree. The quirky sounds of the beetles around the pond created an electrifying atmosphere. Beetles pestering the flowers for honey appeared like a naughty lover running around his sweetheart for his proposal. The soul stirring sounds of the folk songs sung by the women in unison in the nearby paddy fields have already started reverberating the environment. The bright flowers blossomed all over the village made it appear like a huge, flower decked garden. 

The local tea shop owned by chinnachamy, a place for debates and discussions about any topic under the Sun, is already filled with people for their morning tea along with the scanning of the daily newspapers. The blaring music of old film songs in Chinnachamy's tea shop is the first wake up call for the most villagers. Muneeswaran koil, the village's chief temple adjacent to the pond, with the tall life sized and imposing statue of village deity Muneeswaran decorated with flower garlands, had already started receiving people from nearby places. The loud devotional music played in the temple indicated the arrival of the auspicious season for the temple. 

It had just rained in the early morning in Kanavoor, with the muddy roads left with kissing the puddles of rain waters all over the place. And the Sun has been shy and barely stepped out in Kanavoor, keeping the place absolutely cool & cozy against the backdrop of towering mountains of the ghats.

All of a sudden, the quiet village turned chaotic with people running around in groups adding commotion in the otherwise sleepy village. Villagers were seen rushing towards Periya Ayya, the village's headman and whose family, for generations, have been donning the role of village headmen, faithfully solving the aspirations and the problems of Kanavoor. He is also a godfather for many inquisitive and obedient villagers who seek his wise counsel ranging from family disputes to career opportunities. Periya Ayya, a landlord lives in Muneeswaran Koil street adjacent to the temple with his family. He is also the hereditary trustee of Muneeswaran koil, which again was managed by his ancestors across generations. 

Periya Ayya's household was shaken by the sudden and loud cries of the agitated villagers who had gathered outside Periya Ayya’s house, "Ayya, ayya please come out”. The distress call of the people disturbed Periya Ayya, who had just finished his morning chores and was sipping his tea glancing through the day’s newspaper. People in his house were glued to the television when the noise thundered them. Periya Ayya rushed out of his house only to see a group of distressed villagers standing out to seek his audience. Looking at the visibly outraged villagers, he clearly gauged something grave to have struck the village in the wee hours.

"What happened, why are you all looking so disturbed in the morning? Anything wrong?" asked Periya Ayya, looking at the distraught villagers.

Kanavoor tales to continue... 

[vgopalakrishnan]

9 Management lessons from India's SF defeat

The most richest Cricketing nation has the most poorest teams in terms of Cricket. Indian team's drubbing at the hands of English team left the fans & the fraternity stunned, grasping for answers for an embarrassing defeat. Though their debacle will be dissected & analyzed for future performances, the whole result can wide variety of management lessons which may be useful for the practitioners of business & management.

Let's see the key aspects which were found wanting in the Men in Blue's campaign in Australia -

Winning attitude - From the beginning, the winning attitude was missing from Team India. Their campaign had few pieces of luck favouring them. Unlike few teams which went into brink & came back very strongly, India never had the winning attitude. Business needs winning attitude. All the energies must be focused on getting the winning attitude.

Confidence - For the word go, the team lacked confidence despite winning a high profile match against Pakistan. The players appeared tentative throughout the series leading to a severe drubbing. Confidence is the foremost thing for any management practitioner. Confidence can be about anything - the products, the self & the company. Confidence should be felt in words, actions and appearance. The body language of Indian players at most times reflected the obvious nervousness which can undo any great performance potential. Have confidence in self & in service. Preparation - The outing showcased the poor planning of the team & its administration, which includes coaching staff & other enhancers. The team was ill-equipped to handle the high pressure event, barely scraping through in few matches. It clearly shows the preparation was woefully inadequate looking at the way the team struggled in crucial matches. Be prepared for any kind of business battle is a key learning from team India. If someone is prepared fully well, 90% of the goal is already met. 

Precision Planning - Planning is critical for any sport. Be it team sport or individual sport. Team India was terribly under planned if someone scans their performance throughout the series. They just did some 'in the situation' performance to bail themselves out in the league matches. Their poor planning was exposed in the semi final in no uncertain terms. Plan, plan & plan should be the key words for someone succeed in their business initiatives.  Plan A, B, C, D, E..... - Not just mere planning, but alternative plans should always be in place. Team India not only went unplanned, but they never had other plans to tap in case of situations. They just blinked when the pressure went on their head. For all the business practitioners, planning alone is not sufficient, but having plan A, B and so on is a must as many situations will alter the original plans.

Effortless execution - Whatever the planning & preparations are, the execution is key. Even assuming Team India planned & prepared well for their campaign, their disgraceful exit clearly showed they failed miserably in execution. For the business managers, execution is key. All kinds of planning & preparations are fine, but if they are not backed up strong execution, the project may fail just the way Indian team.

Team work - In a sport like Cricket, it is the team work which matters. No single individual is above the team & any successful campaign can only be team work oriented. If we look at some of the successful teams, their success emanates from synchronized team work. Indian team was a disaster in team work. It was all left to few players to home the team in most matches. Have a great team for a successful business venture.

Knowing your competitor - KYC is very important for any sport. Knowing the opponents & competitors, their strengths & weaknesses is key to success. Some of the best teams know their opponents like the back of their palm. Team India's homework is now under question on analyzing their competitors. For successful businesses, knowing the competitors & their moves is very important to outsmart them in the business battles. 

Don't take things for granted - India took things for granted in the World Cup. That was the message one gets if their actions are analyzed. Perhaps their sense of accountability is almost zero which makes them take things for granted. In business & management, taking things for granted is a big No No. One needs to sweat it out & make things happen for the self or for the team. Being accountable is key to avoid taking things for granted. 

Being in business & management, its important to draw lessons from sporting successes & failures. Team India's ignominious exit from the T20 WC has huge lessons to learn, not just for the sporting fraternity, but for all the management practitioners!

[vgopalakrishnan]

Rishi Sunak’s insurmountable challenges

Indians across the World erupted in joy when Rishi Sunak, an ethnic Indian, born and raised in the UK became the country's first ethnic Prime Minister. The irony was not lost when an Indian origin person became the leader of the country's former colonial masters since the Independence. Rishi has fought his way hard to reach 10, Downing street.

Having comprehensively lost to Liz Truss in the leadership race to succeed Boris Johnson, the quickly unfolding political drama handed over the crown to Rishi in dramatic circumstances. Ms Liz Truss's costly economic blunders, too quick and too uninspiring, landed her in soup, eventually losing the chair to her former challenger. Having won the chair after a battle which he started first by triggering the sudden and swift collapse of Boris Johnson's government, the challenges Rishi is facing are certainly insurmountable.

UK is still reeling under the Brexit fiasco with calls still emerging as recent as today for a better 're-negotiation'. it's worthwhile to note the comments of Guy Hands, a British billionaire & a Tory supporter calling for stiff re-negotiation failing which the UK could become the sick man of Europe. Rishi's challenges on Brexit are head on with various sections of British society blaming the past PMs for goofing up the Brexit issue & pushing the country into a perilous economic conditions.

Needless to say, the UK's economy is in turmoil given the twin blows it faced through Covid lockdowns and the Russian-Ukraine war, which is adding enormous amounts of pressure on economic growth & inflation management. Rishi Sunak's quick ascension to the top, post Truss's exit is solely on the hopes of better economic management, having been a fairly successful Chancellor of Exchequer during the Covid pandemic times. Even the renewed efforts of Boris Johnson to reclaim the PM's chair ended up in futile with the winds blowing clearly in favour of Rishi Sunak.

On the economic front, Rishi's triangular challenges are to tame the burgeoning deficit, controlling runaway inflation and bringing back economic growth. And all the three are easier said than done in the current turmoil marked by economic and political uncertainty in the UK. And he has already stated that the people of Britain should be bracing for some tough economic measures in the coming weeks.

Politically, Rishi will also be facing some tough times on managing the Tory seniors including the former PM Boris Johnson, who is still nursing a valid grudge against Rishi Sunak as he was solely instrumental in pushing Boris Johnson into brink with this unexpected resignation as Chancellor. Rishi's earlier loss to Liz Truss clearly indicated his non-preference among the rank and file of Tory party, which means he has to work really hard to convince them about the rightness of his choice by his party MPs.

Needless to say, the International scenario is as bleak as the domestic scenario for the incoming PM, Rishi Sunak. Rishi's leadership will be put to test on Brexit re-negotiation and with the other International agencies like the IMF, if at all the UK plans to seek financial aid from them. With the war between Russia & Ukraine headed as a prolonged affair, the emergency economic challenges like inflation will be on top of his 'to-do' list.

What could India expect from Rishi Sunak? - Just that he has an Indian ethnicity & married to an Indian billionaire's daughter, everything would be new for him as well as for the Indian establishment as his exchanges with India have been far and few all these years. Having said that, Indian leadership had a cherished working partnership with Boris Johnson, which they would hope to cultivate during Rishi's tenure as the UK's PM.

Rishi's elevation to 10 Downing street has come at a very crucial time for the UK, both domestically and Internationally. Only a political stability can lead to the UK’s economic recovery and the fast sliding global prestige. And to simply put, Rishi Sunak has been presented a crown of thorns on his head.

V Gopalakrishnan

[vgopalakrishnan]

The duo which unraveled Ponniyin Selvan ....

The late Kalki Krishnamurthy's Ponniyin Selvan, a captivating mix of history & imagination about Chozhas enthralled the readers when the historical story first appeared in his magazine Kalki as a weekly feature running into several years. The weekly feature kept the readers in the grip of never ending excitement waiting to grab the next weekly issue of the magazine. His absorbing story telling kept the audience spellbound during the entire period, from the first to the last issue.

For the very first time, through Kalki's descriptive words woven around a few generations of Chozha dynasty. the Tamizh readers could catch the glimpse of the ancient Chozhas' glory which earlier formed part of the rural folklore without much authentication. The accompanying drawings of the characters added more life and colour to the imagination of the author keeping the audience engrossed on the edge of their seats while reading the weekly feature. 

The author's imagination was at its eloquent best to recreate the story through the characters which took place almost a millennium back in the Chozha heartland of Thanjavur. He could vividly take the audience back to the Chozha era in an effortless manner which made the weekly feature, the most successful in his times. The weekly feature which later on became a compiled novel series also became a huge hit with the generations which missed the weekly features of the magazine which appeared in the 1950s. 

The riveting story which was adapted as a movie in 2022 has also created the same kind of excitement even in the modern times leaving the audience awestruck about the Chozha era happenings. Without doubt, there must be something extraordinary about the spectacular presentation of Kalki's portrayal of the events surrounding the royal family of the Chozhas which kept the audience enthralled in every format of its presentation over the last 70 years or so.

Kalki Krishnamurthy took the literary World by storm when his story first appeared in his weekly magazine providing the audience a 'never seen, never heard' story line exquisitely mingled with the Chozha history which was earlier communicated through random oral narrations, generations after generations, based on the hearsay. Many of the heroics of the ancient kings, particularly the Chozhas were always part of the folklore in & around the places where the kings ruled.  

The other reason for the readers to feel excited about the story was the non-existence of written historical experiences about Chozhas during the earlier part of 20th Century, a void effectively filled by Kalki Krishnamurthy through his Ponniyin Selvan.  Audience experienced an authentic narration of Chozha era events for the very first time in a print version.

Sitting in 2022 one would simply refuse to believe the fact that Chozha history & the history about Brahadeeshwara temple, the iconic symbol of Chozha architecture remained in the dark & was largely unknown, unraveled & unveiled for almost nine Centuries till the 20th Century. Despite the Chozha kingdom being ruled by Nayakas & Marathas for several Centuries post Chozha period, the history about Brihadeeswara remained locked in mystery. 

Yes, people till the 20th Century were not even aware about the emperor Raja Raja Chozha or his monumental Brihadeeshwara temple, for which he is been talked about, even after 1000 years since it was completed. The reason being, neither anyone actually cared to translate the inscriptions nor any had the ability to read & figure out the inscriptions which were meticulously recorded by Raja Raja Chozha across the length and breadth of the grandeur structure. 

V Venkayya and Eugen Hultzsch

But destiny had its own plans.  A chance meeting of two important historians in 1886 proved to be a turning point in unraveling the Chozha & Brihadeeswara temple history. V Venkayya, a school teacher turned epigraphist by hobby, met Eugen Hultzsch, a British appointed epigraphist. They both landed in Mamallapuram separately to study the stone inscriptions in the shore temples. Impressed by Venkayya's enthusiasm, Eugen Hultzsch invited him to join the government's epigraphy department to carry out the epigraphy works across various historical sites. Together they undertook an arduous mission to study & unravel the history of the land, particularly the South Indian. 

Over the years, among many sites, the duo also toiled hard and analysed the stone inscriptions of Brihadeeswara temple & finally concluded the ownership of the builder who was none other than the great Raja Raja Chozha. As they say, the rest is history. After their priceless discovery, it was just a matter of time before the entire Chozha history was mapped based on the stone inscriptions identified across various temples and other historical sites. By the turn of 20th Century, the Chozha history was firmly in its due place, thanks to the amazing efforts of Venkayya-Hultzsch. 

Before the duo's discovery of the inscriptions at Brihadeeswara temple, lots of rumours, unsubstantiated myths & imaginary stories surrounded Brihadeeswara temple about its builder & the origins as also the exact period of its construction. The duo effectively sealed those stories by declaring the exact history of the temple & its builder without an iota of doubt.

Their tireless efforts gave rise to further epigraphic and archaeological studies across various historical sites in & around Chozha dynasty, paving way for near completion of the study of Chozhas with authors like Neelakanta Shastri and Sadashiva Pandarathar taking up precise and detailed write ups on Chozha dynasty. And that triggered the enrapturing imagination of the novelists like Kalki Krishnamurthy who penned Ponniyin Selvan, kindling the curiosity of the history loving masses making it a fascinating & an all season compelling read about the Chozha dynasty. 

[vgopalakrishnan]

ராஜராஜன்/சோழர்கள் ஹிந்துக்களா?

ராஜராஜன் ஹிந்துவா அல்லது சோழர்கள் ஹிந்துக்களா என்ற மிக மிகக் கடினமான(?) கேள்விக்கு அவர்களின் சரித்திரமும்/சமயப் பணிகளுமே மிக எளிதாக பதில்களை அளிக்கிறது. ராஜராஜனை தெரிந்துகொள்ள அவன் சார்ந்த சோழ வம்சத்தையும் அவசியம் தெரிந்துகொள்ளவேண்டும்.

ராஜராஜனுடைய மூதாதையர் அன்று பெயர் வைக்கப்படாத சனாதன தர்ம அல்லது ஹிந்து மதத்திற்கு ஆற்றிய தொண்டுகள் அநேகம் அநேகம். அவன் மூதாதையருள் குறிப்பிடும்படியான ஒரு முக்கியமானவர் சோழ மன்னன் கண்டராதித்தர் எனும் சிவஞான கண்டராதித்தர். அவர் மன்னன் ராஜராஜனுடைய பெரிய பாட்டன், அதாவது ராஜராஜனுடைய பாட்டனார் அரிஞ்சய சோழனின் பெரிய அன்னையின் மகன் தான் கண்டராதித்தர்.

தன் வாழ்நாள் முழுவதும் கண்டராதித்தர் ஒரு மிகச் சிறந்த சிவ பக்தனாக இருந்துள்ளார். இடைக்கால சோழ வம்சத்தின் மன்னனாக இருந்த அவர் ஒரு கட்டத்தில் ராஜபதவியை துறந்து ராஜ்ஜியத்தை தனது சிற்றன்னையின் மகன் அரிஞ்சய சோழனிடம் ஒப்படைத்துவிட்டு தன் மனைவி செம்பியன் மாதேவியை துணைக்கு அழைத்துக்கொண்டு சிவனடியாராக சென்றுவிட்டார்.

பல சிவ தலங்கள் சென்று ஈசனை வழிபட்டு ஆனந்தத்தில் திளைத்தார். இவரைச் சிவஞான கண்டராதித்தர் எனக் கல்வெட்டு கூறுகிறது. கொள்ளிடத்தின் அருகே உள்ள திருமழபாடிக்கு மேற்கே ஒன்றரை கி.மீ. தொலைவில் உள்ள ஊர் ஒன்று கண்டராதித்த சதுர்வேதிமங்கலம் என்ற பெயரால் வழங்கப்பெற்றது. அது இப்போது கண்டிராச்சியம் என வழங்குகிறது.  

சிவஞான கண்டராதித்தர் தில்லைக்கூத்தன் மேல் தில்லையில் அருளிய திருமுறை தொகுப்பு ஒன்பதாம் திருமுறையில் இடம்பெற்றுள்ளது. அந்த பாடல்களில் பல வரலாற்று செய்திகளை, அதிலும் குறிப்பாக தில்லை சார்ந்த செய்திகளை தருகிறார். அதில் ஒரு பாடல் -

ஓவா முத்தீ அஞ்சு வேள்வி    ஆறங்க நான்மறையோர் ஆவே படுப்பார் அந்த ணாளர்    ஆகுதி வேட்டுயர்வார் மூவா யிரவர் தங்க ளோடு    முன்னரங் கேறிநின்ற கோவே உன்றன் கூத்துக் காணக்    கூடுவ தென்றுகொலோ பாடலின் பொருள் -

என்றும் அணையாத முத்தீக்களையும், ஐவகை வேள்விகளையும், ஆறு அங்கங்களையும், நான்கு வேதங்களையும் முறையே வளர்த்து, நிகழ்த்தி, கற்று, ஓதும் அந்தணாளராய், பசுக்களின் நெய், ப��ல், தயிர் இவற்றை ஆகுதிகளாகச் சொரிந்து வேள்விகளை நிகழ்த்தி மேம்பட்ட மூவாயிரவர் வேதியரோடு, முன் ஒரு காலத்துப் பதஞ்சலி முனிவர் உன் கூத்தினைக்காண நாட்டிய அரங் காகிய திருச்சிற்றம்பலத்தில் எழுந்தருளிய பெருமானே! உன் திருக் கூத்தினைக் காணும் வாய்ப்பு அடியேனுக்கு என்று கிட்டுமோ? இந்தப் பாடலின் வழியே ஐவகை வேள்விகளை பற்றியும், ஆறு அங்கங்கள் மற்றும் நான்கு வேதங்களைக் கொண்டு மூவாயிரம் வேதியர்கள் தில்லை கூத்தனுக்கு யாகங்களை நடத்திய விஷயத்தை குறிப்பிடுகிறார்.

வேள்விகள், யாகங்கள் எல்லாம் சனாதன தர்மத்தின் அடையாளங்கள். அந்த அடையாளங்கள் சைவ மற்றும் வைணவ பூசைகளில் இன்று வரை இடம்பெறும் நிகழ்வுகள். இதிலிருந்து தெரிவது என்னவென்றால் சைவம், வைணவம் மற்றும் இதர பிரிவுகள் சனாதன தர்மம் எனும் ஆல மரத்தின் கிளைகள் என்பது தான்.

இனிமேலும் சோழன் ஹிந்துவா என்ற கேள்வி எழுந்தால் அதற்கு பதில் எள்ளி நகையாடுவது தான்.

வெ கோபாலகிருஷ்ணன்

[vgopalakrishnan]

Was Raja Raja Chozha, a Hindu?!

Was Raja Raja Chozha, a Hindu?!

This is a ridiculous question doing the rounds, questioning Raja Raja Chozha's Hinduness. Raja Raja Chozha, undoubtedly, was the most powerful emperor ever in Bharat. By sheer size & strength of his kingdom, Raja Raja Chozha remains the most successful emperor to have occupied the throne of the prosperous Chozha dynasty which ruled vast portions of Bharat & far East for several Centuries, before & after Raja Raja Chozha. 

Though his name is known for the monumental Brahadeeshwara temple at Thanjavur, a marvelous  temple structure for Lord Shiva, conceived & completed beyond our imagination, his valour was equally known through his military expeditions, far & wide, beyond Indian seas. He was also known for his acumen in administration of his kingdom when he brought many reforms including revenue & land reforms.

Before getting into his Hinduness, let's look at the socio-religious scenario during & before the times of Raja Raja Chozha, who lived approximately 1000 years before. Back then, most of the modern religions which exist now were not in wide practice. But,several branches of Sanatan Dharma were practiced by the inhabitants of the Bharata desha. That led to innumerable superstitions & Adi Sankara reformed the dharma by introducing Shan Matha concept for the faithfuls to adopt their own practices based on their choices & preferences. 

As we all know, our faith has never been started by a single individual nor it had a name for itself. The faith was referred to as Sanatan Dharma, reflecting the antiquity of the faith. Rig Veda remains to be oldest text in the World, which is estimated to be older than 10,000 years. The word Hindu has never been in vogue at any point of the time till the arrival of the Europeans. The British conceived the idea of Hindu to combine all the faiths within Sanatan Dharma into one for administrative purposes.  

The concept is simple, like a formation of a City. The Old Madras of the British times was a small one, but later on several villages like Mylapore, Saidapet, Guindy, Triplicane & many others were added to form one City called Madras. Same was the case with Hindusim, when the British combined all the sub-faiths into one single identity for administrative purposes. 

Raja Raja Chozha's ancestors -

To know more about Raja Raja's faith, one must take a glimpse of his ancestors & ancestry. His forefather one Vijayalaya alias Parakesari Varman established Chozha dynasty after defeating Mutharaiyars. On the belief that Goddess Nishumbasodhini, a ferocious form of Durga, was the inspiration for his success, Parakesari Varman established a temple in Thanjavur as soon as he made it as his Capital. Goddess Nishumbasodhini slayed the demons Shumban & Nishumban. The Goddess Nishumbasodhini was the family deity for the successive Chozha Kings who faithfully took her blessings before all major expeditions. 

Hindu families generally have the concept of Kula Devata & Ishta Devata, whereby, the families are guided by their Kula Devata as well their own Ishta Devata. In the case of Raja Raja Chozha, he was guided by his Kula Devata Goddess Nishumbasodhini & his Ishta Devata Lord Shiva, for whom he built many temples including the iconic Brahadeeshwara temple. Raja Raja Chozha's illustrious son, the great Rajendra Chozha has recorded about his Kula Devata through a Sanskrit shloka in Thiruvalangadu Copper plates. 

Tiru-Murai Kanda Raja Raja Chozha (Raja Raja Chozha who discovered Tiru-Murais)

One of the greatest services by Raja Raja Chozha to Sanatan Dharma or Hindu faith was to discover the hidden or the lost ancient Tamizh poems on Lord Shiva sung by various Shaivite saints, which are called Tiru-Murais. During Raja Raja Chozha’s time, few families were singing these poems as taught by their forefathers. Curious by the way these poems were recited, Raja Raja Chozha enquired about these poems & wanted to see the entire volumes of these poems. But no one had any clue about the existence of other poems which were not in practice. 

During this time, a young divine boy at a place near Chidambaram became popular for having interacted with Lord Ganesha. Raja Raja Chozha sought the divine boy's assistance to trace the lost volumes of Tiru-Murais. The divine boy connected with Lord Ganesha, who informed the existence of the lost volumes of Tiru-Murais in a locked room inside Chidambaram Nataraja temple. Elated by this news, Raja Raja Chozha rushed to Chidambaram and with great difficulty retrieved the lost volumes of Tiru-Murais, most of which were already eaten by the pests. 

Retrieval of the lost Tiru-Murais proved to be a turning point for Shaivism in this part of the country. Shaivism flourished since then with Tiru-Murais being sung by the faithfuls of Shaivism to this date. By retrieving Tiru-Murais, he also did yeoman service to the language of Tamizh and the bhakti movement in Tamil Nadu. 

Raja Raja Chozha - Siva Paadha Sekaran

Despite being a glorious emperor in his times, Raja Raja Chozha wanted to be identified as a humble servant of Lord Shiva by calling himself as Shiva Paadha Sekaran, meaning person on whom the feet of Lord Shiva rests. Several murthis of Raja Raja Chozha indicating his humility & bhakthi can be found in various temples. 

Celebrated Shaivites are addressed as Nayanars or saints of Shaivism. Though Raja Raja Chozha never got the title of a Nayanar, for all his dedicated & selfless services to our dharma, particularly to Shaivism, he can be rightfully called as Raja Raja Chozha Nayanar. 

If Raja Raja Chozha was not a Hindu, then none of us are...

[vgopalakrishnan]

Yoga is a complete wellness process...

Humans are born in a standard prototype, irrespective of their faiths, nation, caste, creed & colour. And the human body has been evolving over the last several thousands of years as seen in various literary works. The height & weight, the other physical features of humans have vastly differed from what we see in the present times. That is part of the evolution process.

In the current context, the physical & mental structure of the people changes over the years due to various factors, largely to do with the changes in lifestyles & circumstances of the individuals. The physical & mental structure also undergoes changes owing to the inbuilt personal conditions with which they are born and also accumulate over the years. 

Our great Yogis & Rishis blessed by Aadhi Yogi Lord Shiva, discovered the divine secrets of our human body system through their remarkable insights. In fact, Saint Thirumoolar in his seminal work “Thirumanthiram” calls our body as walking temples.  

நடமாடக் கோயில் நம்பர்க்கு அங்குஆகா நடமாடக் கோயில் நம்பர்க்கு ஒன்று ஈயில்

Thirumoolar calls every human being as walking temple through these verses and has provided wealth of knowledge on our system. Through their far reaching insights the Yogis & Rishis introduced the system of Yoga & over the years spread it for the benefit of the mankind. The rationale is though the body structure cannot be changed, the functioning of the body system can be altered or set right through Yoga practices and that is the genesis of Yoga & Asanas. The balance of the body can be restored through Yogic practices.

For starters, Yoga, as it is being portrayed & marketed in the current times, is not about physical exercises alone. Of course, it is also to do with physical exercises, which is only one part of the process. A person to become a true Yogi has to maintain a well balanced Mind, Body & Soul if he/she wants to attain the realm of being a perfect Yogi. As the body & mind are closely connected like a circuit inside the body, Yoga addresses the both in a very synchronized manner. The X factor in Yogic practices is the concept of invisible soul which is unique to Hindu faith, while no other faith anywhere in the World believes in the concept & they reject the concept of rebirth also, Whereas Hinduism strongly believes in the theory of rebirth. 

Hinduism through various texts, particularly Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita reiterates the fact that mankind takes various births like a cycle and what we are now is only what we know as people are not aware of the past & the future. Only the Yogis had the capacity to look at the past & the future. 

While the modern gymnastic work outs & physical exercises merely address the physical well being, Yoga alone addresses the Triangle wellness incorporating the physical, mental & soul well being through a rigorous but yet a simple process. The process of involving asanas to work out each and every portion of the body to the minutest detail is the hallmark of Yogic practices. As the entire body is connected like a circuit for which every organ & every part has to do its rightful bit for the body to function seamlessly. 

Yoga asanas address these aspects through various asanas of which we are largely introduced only to handful asanas in the modern times. Of course, many of the asanas have to be strictly adhered to as prescribed by the Yogis & Rishis with the help of a trained Guru. Probably that is the reason why we are missing out on many asanas in the current times due to lack of in depth knowledge barring a few. Nevertheless, what we have got in the form of asanas is more than enough to handle our physical & mental wellness in a synchronized manner. 

Our breath is our pran or life; regulating our breath can regulate our pran is the most spectacular scientific discovery initiated by our great Rishis & Yogis thousands of years ago. The modern medical science & fraternity is in total agreement with this discovery that pranayama or breathing techniques enhance the physical & mental wellness in a significant manner. They also been proved to be curing some of the chronic health disorders. No wonder, the Westerners have embraced pranayama techniques to further their physical & mental wellness.

Yoga asanas in association with Surya namaskaras & prayers and breath control techniques address the triangular process of regulating our Mind, Body & Soul in a perfect manner. Yoga asanas also require a lot of discipline in our daily lives which include right food & proper rest to our body. Our ancient faith is also the only one in the World which categorizes people based on Gunas or characters and they are largely influenced by our food habits too. 

Trigunas, namely Satva, Tamas & Rajas have deep influence on our personalities, both physical & mental state and getting the right food combination can aid the Yogic practices very well. Yogis & Rishis are essentially Satviks, meaning their lifestyles including their thoughts & food habits are Satvik in nature. In essence, Yoga is all about getting our Mind, Body & Soul in perfect sync along with necessary adaptations to our lifestyles by following Satvik habits. WIthout following the full process, Yoga asanas may not give the desired results for the practitioners. The bottom line is - Yoga is not just physical exercise, but a process to enrich our systemic triangle, namely Mind, Body & Soul.

[vgopalakrishnan]

Let's celebrate the glorious heritage called 'Bharat'

No other civilization has timeless antiquity like our glorious & ancient civilization, without doubt. Many research studies to estimate the age of the Vedic civilization have been futile as none was able to pinpoint the exact time period or rather starting point of this civilization. For our civilization, Vedas, particularly Rig Veda, are the roots. Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the foremost freedom fighter and an impeccable scholar on Indic studies, made a gallant attempt to estimate the age of Rig Veda, the World’s oldest surviving text.

He used the astronomical references mentioned in Rig Vedic verses and estimated the age to be at least several thousands of years since Rig Veda came into being. His purpose of this monumental work was to prove the greatness of our civilization to the British who considered them to be of superior stock and considered Bharathiyas to be inferior stock. His timely research backed study exposed our greatness in the British era which also helped the fellow Indians who were in the darkness about our great civilization due to continuous invasion of the foreigners for almost a Millennium. To this day, Rig Veda remains to be the oldest text in the World and that alone can explain our rich heritage and its antiquity. 

Hindu Civilization or Bharathiya sanskriti excelled in every possible field since the Vedic days. The monumental and exquisite temple structures from Kanyakumari to Kashmir stand testimony to the architectural superiority of our grand heritage. To this day, many structures keep people, particularly the foreigners in awe with the way they have been built thousands of years back. The grand Big temple of Thanjavur still remains a mystery to the archaeologists about the way it has been raised given the tough terrain. And all these temple structures happened when there was zero technology to accurately raise these structures. 

But to the amazement of modern society, these structures have been a sight of ultimate perfection without any sign of even slightest errors. Such greatness has no parallel in any part of the World, for sure. If only our World history had been rightly portrayed, there would have been several dozens of temples already in the hall of fame as wonders of the World. And unfortunately, even the Indians haven't fully realized the greatness of our civilization and heritage, thanks to the modern history books which glorifies our brutal invaders who left the country plundered of its great culture and heritage. 

The shastras for temple construction and its ritualistic maintenance remains the most scientific documents ever produced by mankind. One should faithfully recall the great roles played by our legendary Kings like Cholas who built and nurtured these temples keeping them closer to their hearts. Not just the temples, but the greatness of our heritage cuts across all of those scientific and mathematical innovations and unfortunately many of which have gone unrecorded over the times. 

The structure of our languages, like Sanskrit, is the best in the World with above par excellence in its grammar and the overall structure. Our role in astronomy is as old as this civilization and we can proudly claim to be the first civilization to have declared the Sun to be the center of the solar system, with planets like Earth going around the Sun. Countless inventions have taken place over the years which have been systematically blacked out by the historians who owed their mysterious allegiance to the Western theorists. Let's realize that every aspect of Bharat is a heritage. And if there is one nation which can be counted as an embodiment of heritage and civilizational excellence, it can be none other than our great Bharat...

#WorldHeritageDay

[vgopalakrishnan]

Finding the equilibrium of physical and mental wellness

Innumerable research & studies over the years have attempted to find out & discover the secrets of getting the right balance of physical and mental well being. How do I get the right equilibrium between the physical and mental well being is the question which haunts many of us. As we get deeper and deeper into our inquiries, we end up getting too many 'solutions' so to say on this issue. While most of the modern theories speak & emphasize about physical wellness and its related rejuvenation & exercises like work outs, very few actually talk about the other aspects which are impacting our physical wellness. 

One's overall wellness is not just about the physical body but the overall wellness of the Body, Mind and Soul of which, the latter two go largely ignored. For someone to be physically healthy, it is important to get the mental balance in order, which is mostly ignored or considered to be insignificant. The reason could be, the physical body is something visible for us and for the others and that makes us conscious of the physical body to be kept in proper shape.

Most people also fail to realize that the root causes for imbalances in physical wellness are largely contributed by the mental wellness imbalances. And without the mental balance in place, it's impossible to get the physical wellness in balance, whatever be one's efforts are. In the modern world mired by fast paced lifestyles and very little time for personal care, we are on a constant look out for the best possible solutions to keep ourselves mentally happy and physically fit. Rapidly changing environments both work and homes, have altered our lifestyles drastically and that is driving people to look for elusive answers to keep themselves happy, both on mental and physical wellness.

Is there any key to achieve equilibrium on a wholesome basis?

Focusing on Mind, body and soul 

Our overall body structure has three important components which require proper attention on each of those components. Of course, the body, the look and feel of it, is on the agenda for most of us as it is visible to us and to the external world. People always seek guidance for weight reduction and want to aspire for optimal weight compared to the present state. Of course, the physical body’s imbalances also contribute to the health imbalances. There are quite a lot of videos 'advising' people on weight loss and reduction. But most importantly, people ignore the other two important components which are mind and body. 

Mind plays a very important role in shaping our psyche during our lifetimes. It is indeed the driving force on most of our thoughts and actions. Getting the mind under our control is the most important factor in determining our physical wellness. Having a weak mind can hamper the process of physical well being. Even to undergo rigorous regimen for physical well being, having a sound and a solid mind would enhance the process for better results. Else the mind hinders the physical wellness process by pouring in negative thoughts.

Mind wellness can be practiced by a host of tools such as meditation, Pranayama and other guided techniques which have the potential to enhance the mind wellness along with the physical wellness. Creating a ‘ME” space for focusing on personal wellness is extremely crucial to achieve the mental wellness. Remember, by doing the mind booster techniques one can gain a lot of control over the thoughts and actions arising out of a reckless mind. And if the mind remains reckless, physical wellness will always be a challenge. 

Soul is a factor which is invisible, intangible and mostly not recognized by people as it also has the influence of religious practices and beliefs. Soul is believed to have a binding influence on the overall characteristics of people, beyond physical and mental wellness. Deeper spiritual practices can help retrieve the soulfulness in our structure. Alternatively by helping, assisting people and doing unselfish service to the people & the society one can deeply enhance the soulfulness within us. 

For people who aspire for a wholesome wellness should look beyond just the physical wellness and equally focus on mental wellness and achieving the soulfulness. The proportion of efforts to enhance the wellness on all the three should be equal and should not attach too much of importance only on the physical wellness.

Getting the right equilibrium of Body, Mind and Soul is key to ensure overall wellness.

[vgopalakrishnan]

A little wonder called Kanjira in Carnatic music circuit

Carnatic music has evolved over the last several Centuries and witnessed a host of innovations in it. Everything right from the ragas, talas, singing variations, styles, musical instruments, the music has witnessed all of those welcome innovations and carried on with them. Such innovations led to perfection in the musical experience over the years, contributed by such out of the box thinkers in the field. 

One such little wonder and out of the box thinking quite literally has been Kanjira, a small hand held instrument which finds its place in many of the concerts over the last Century or so. The fascinating instrument has been making waves in the kucheris ever since it was invented. The instrument makes unique sounds beautifully blending with the kritis sung by vidwans. Even alone, the instrument makes for a wonderful listening experience over the years. 

The man behind this instrument is one Shri Manpoondiya Pillai, a Palace servant in Pudukkottai who was also musically inclined but continued his Palace service to run his household. Carnatic music, those days of the 18th Century was well patronized by Royals and other wealthy individuals who encouraged vidwans of different genres. Many vidwans made their mark in their own space within the music eco-system during those days. Some of them went on to be identified with specific ragas and an example for that would be Shankarabharanam Narasaiah. Pillai grew up in those days when Carnatic music was still in the threshold of innovations and welcoming more additions into it. Pillai being a lantern bearer in the Palace was able to witness some of the finest musicians holding their concerts in Pudukkottai Palace darbar under the patronage of Tondamans.. 

At one point he was triggered to pursue his passion in percussion instruments and surrendered to a guru in Pudukkottai who was basically a Thavil Vidwan. Under his tutelage, Pillai made rapid inroads into the percussion instruments in a relatively short time owing to his prior experience in handling those instruments. His layam and the grasp was highly appreciated by his guru and he encouraged him to carve a niche for himself through a different percussion instrument as he knew the established Thavil groups may not include Pillai because of his lack of lineage in the field. Pillai started innovating with a hand held instrument by using various permutations and combinations before launching his unique instrument called Kanjira. His guru was enthralled with the sounds it created and advised Pillai to make a mark with that instrument. 

Pillai's journey with Kanjira started by meeting various vidwans for opportunities with the new instrument. He was initially put into a lot of Bhajan concerts which needed rhythmic sounds to support the high pitched bhajans which were very popular those days. Over the time, Pillai's talent got the attention of many vidwans and he eventually became a regular in many of their concerts. Listeners were mesmerized by the sounds Kanjira started making in the concerts and started accepting it as an instrument after initial hiccups. 

There were purists who, at first refused to recognize the new found instrument but eventually gave into its popularity. Pillai's fame grew quite naturally over the years before he retired in his home town before his passing away. After Pillai's discovery, Kanjira has become an integral part of kucheris in the music circuit with many taking up the instrument with utmost interest and devotion. Though it looks simple, the musician needs to handle the drumming with one hand with the other hand holding the instrument and that makes the job all the more challenging for the vidwans. But that also make this instrument very unique compared to the other percussion instruments.

[vgopalakrishnan]

The ‘organic’ disaster of Sri Lanka

Organic farming has been the buzz word over the last few years, with the environmentalists actively pitching for chemical-free, fertilizer-free organic farming using natural inputs for cultivation of crops. And sections of the population have been attempting organic farming on those prescribed lines. Then came the disaster in Sri Lanka, which is now in the threshold of witnessing extreme hunger due to food shortages across categories. India is exporting rice to Sri Lanka as a humanitarian gesture. Sri Lanka's botched attempts of switching entirely into organic farming almost overnight spelled doom for the country's agro sector, which has since then tail-spinned into a humanitarian crisis never witnessed in the recent years. Truly, the food crisis in Sri Lanka is man made, without doubt.

So, what went terribly wrong in Sri Lanka which is now staring at an unprecedented hunger at these times dominated by technological innovations? To begin with, Sri Lanka is a country which is dependent heavily on many essential items, including fertilizers which were the mainstay for the country's agro sector. So far, the country has been self-sufficient on food since the 1960s when the country migrated fully into chemical & conventional fertilizer usage. Over the last few years, struck by a pandemic, Sri Lanka decided to cut back some of the imports to save precious forex reserves and chemical fertilizers were one of the items in the list.

Coinciding with the election promise of moving over to organic farming, the country's administration made a blanket ban on the imports of chemical fertilizers which led to disastrous consequences by triggering massive food shortages across various categories. Food output fell drastically owing to the ban of fertilizers and the entire agriculture sector ran for cover after the ban of chemical fertilizers.

Tea sector, which is one the major export items too, went on a downhill after the fertilizer ban. Most of the stakeholders in the agricultural sector rued the fact that the migration into organic mode from conventional farm practices happened almost overnight without any foresight and planning. Most agriculturists had no idea about organic farming and the government failed to hand hold them on the transition. With the 'no fertilizer' policy firmly being imposed on the agricultural sector, the output nosedived leading to massive food shortages and consequent price rises due to food shortages. And that actually forced the country to import rice and other essential food items on a war footing which accelerated the economic downfall.

Lessons from the Sri Lankan 'organic model'

Don't rush into anything new, particularly on the food side, is the key takeaway from the Sri Lankan food crisis led by organic farming catastrophe. Organic farming is excellent on paper - chemicals free fertilizers, natural manures, healthy and organic food. But the model needs to be tested for mass production in countries like India which has to feed 140 Crore plus population. India went through a food crisis till the 1960s forcing rationing of rice and other food items. The green revolution unleashed in the 1960s reversed the trends by making India not only self-sufficient but also becoming an exporter of food grains.

And till now, despite several climate led crises, India continues to be in a healthy state as far as food security is concerned. Sri Lankan failed model of organic farming is an eye opener for countries like India, which cannot afford to have a food security crisis by hastily forcing into organic farming without proper investigations through various scientific models. Detailed studies are required to migrate albeit slowly and steadily into organic farming, failing which India too may face a food crisis much bigger and humongous when compared to Sri Lanka which has far lower number of people.

One has no doubts about the virtues of organic farming, at the same time one cannot be short sighted on the production of food grains required to feed crores of people in countries like India. Transition into organic farming needs far more deeper studies and that is the key lesson from the Sri Lankan disaster.

V Gopalakrishnan

[vgopalakrishnan]

The great water crisis...

Yet another World Water day has passed by but we are still grappling in the dark on handling the water crisis, which is real & threatening. In India, the Urban habitat could soon face an existential crisis if the water crisis is not tackled head on and found remedial actions on a war footing. Of course, the water crisis has to do a lot with the policies of the government & government agencies. 

Yet, the role of the citizens cannot be underrated or undermined as they are equally responsible for tackling the water crisis. Water preservation & conservation assumes a greater role in these times of climate change. Nature never fails to give us water & in fact it gives in abundance, but our sheer negligence & shortsightedness makes sure that we don't utilize nature's merciful gift. 

Urbanization process in Cities like Chennai has consumed a whole lot of water bodies which include the lakes, ponds & wells and other water body forms. Systematic destruction of water bodies causes man made disasters like deluge & floods. And in the process, we also fail to gather & collect the excess water as we lack storage capacities. Many times we have seen water going into the Ocean without being stored. Water crisis needs a very strong attention, both from the government & citizen sides, as the future looks bleak if the situation persists in the current form.

Let's look at the role of the governments (largely state) and civic bodies -

The responsibility of conservation, preservation & restoration of the water bodies squarely lay with the state government & civic bodies. Government & civic bodies need to work in tandem to restore & reclaim the lost water bodies which are the victims of land mafia in the name of urbanization. Many of the newly sprouted residential localities sit on the water bodies & those localities face the brunt of deluge even when the rains are normal. 

It's high time the government agencies make serious efforts to reclaim the lost water bodies which have been natural buffers for excess water for ages. The water bodies also formed the part of a wonderful eco-system giving lease of lives to flora & fauna. Chennai, for example, had a wonderful set of water bodies which included rivers, lakes & a man made canal which formed a wonderful eco-system helping the humans & other species in the process to thrive on them. Government with all seriousness should restore the dead rivers & canals to augment water storage capacities and also to provide a natural buffer to absorb excess waters.

Role of the citizens -

The primary role of the citizens is to be "AWARE" that we are in a crisis. Many of us hardly realize the perils of a water crisis as we are not exposed to such a scenario in the past. But people should realize we are heading into a water crisis in the coming years. As the urban habitat is on a constant expansion, whatever water bodies remain will be under threat of being encroached. Citizens need to be vigilant on these issues which eventually fall upon them in case of a crisis. 

People should also be responsible while handling the water by way of reducing the usage, minimizing the wastage and using the water judiciously for their personal purposes. More than the adults, the kids should be aware of the crisis as they would be the ones who face the brunt when a water crisis strikes. Citizens should also work with the government & civic bodies to constantly put pressure on these issues through various forums.

Nature has always been benevolent through various ways & means. And water is one such resource which has been given to us graciously by nature. It is our responsibility to treat water with utmost respect & value and make every effort to preserve and conserve through our initiatives. If we fail to do so, the perils are waiting at our doorstep to strike. Better late than never perfectly applies to our impending water crisis and today is the day to start our efforts to avert the crisis. Science may have alternatives to every other thing, but there is no alternative to water we use.

Gopal.

[vgopalakrishnan]

Let the principles of Ahimsa prevail in the World.

With the World gasping for breath owing to the Russian - Ukrainian crisis which has already put the World in a turmoil throwing up massive humanitarian and economic crises of greater magnitude. In such a scenario, the World clearly lacks a body or an entity with finest wisdom to bring the war to an end with a wise counsel.

Though wars have been happening since the time immemorial and may happen till the World ceases to exist, the yudh dharma or war righteousness is something which is clearly missing in the modern times. Wars are an option with the countries when every other option on the negotiation table fails and the situations collapse irrevocably. Wars in the modern times by the Western powers, particularly the present war by Russia on Ukraine speaks volumes about the personal egos & breakdown of yudh dharma by not resolving issues through negotiations & dialogues.

Russia and the World had ample opportunities over the time to work out a lasting solution to avert a war which unfortunately fell apart. When wars are triggered by personal egos than overall interests, it defies the yudh dharma in most cases, as the personalities overpower the righteousness in such wars. Some nations in the West are clearly relishing the war of Russia on Ukraine for their strategic purposes, but the war has already taken a huge toll on the people and on the countries.

In the World mired by conflicts, clashes, wars & invasions by the Western Civilization, ancient Bharat offers some pearls of wisdom for the rulers & nations alike. And for some wise counsel, what can be better than Mahabharata for such words of wisdom during the times of conflicts. Mahabharata is about a war being thrust on Pandavas by Kauravas which could have otherwise been prevented by negotiations, only if the Kauravas accepted the peace proposals.

But the inevitable happened & the epic stands out as the most important document for governance & Raj Dharma. Two of its chapters, Shanti parva & Anushasana parva offer some deep insights on governance & Raj dharma. Though Mahatma Gandhi popularized the concept of ahimsa during the freedom fight, the theory of ahimsa was propounded in Mahabharata, an epic which showcases the perils of going for a war and that too for frivolous reasons.

Bhishma, the wisest man with his loads of wisdom talks eloquently about the principles of ahimsa or compassion which is relevant now and perhaps deeper studies are required to imbibe those timeless principles in the modern days filled with conflicts & wars based on personal ego clashes.

अहिंसा परमॊ धर्मस तथाहिंसा परॊ दमः अहिंसा परमं दानम अहिंसा परमस तपः अहिंसा परमॊ यज्ञस तथाहिंसा परं बलम अहिंसा परमं मित्रम अहिंसा परमं सुखम अहिंसा परमं सत्यम अहिंसा परमं श्रुतम् ||

Ahimsa is the highest virtue, Ahimsa is the highest self-control; Ahimsa is the greatest gift, Ahimsa is the best suffering; Ahimsa is the highest sacrifice, Ahimsa is the finest strength; Ahimsa is the greatest friend, Ahimsa is the greatest happiness; Ahimsa is the highest truth, Ahimsa is the greatest teaching...

Greatest act of bravery is not about fighting in the war, but displaying the principles of ahimsa to avert a war.

Let peace prevail in this World based on our ancient pearls of wisdom!

Gopal.

[vgopalakrishnan]

Corporation council elections are over - The road ahead...

The ULB elections have taken place after almost a decade and it will be appropriate to discuss the ‘road ahead’ in an actual sense, looking at the condition of our roads. After a long time the city is poised to get local representation through ward Councillors. Voting turnout had been abysmal in almost all the wards in Chennai and as also in Tamil Nadu. Though its difficult to pinpoint the exact reasons for the low turnout, lack of awareness about the local bodies & their functions could be one of the key reasons for the public apathy in the electioneering process. 

Many of the new & first timers were not well guided & enlightened about the local body system & its functioning. Nevertheless, now that the council is in place with a Mayor & Deputy Mayor(s) to be installed in the due course of time, it is important for the citizens to know and understand the local body system & how they are different from the MLA & MP system of representation. 

For the starters, MPs have a large area of coverage covering almost 6 MLA constituencies. MLAs cover larger number of wards in their constituencies leaving the micro coverage of areas at the hands of the ward Councillors. Ward Councillors were elected in the recent ULB polls & once they assume offices they are expected to cover the localities & areas under their purview.

From a citizen's point of view, ward Councillor is the closest people's representative who is empowered and authorized to micro manage even the smallest of the by-lanes in a ward. Even the ordinary civic issues can only be effectively addressed by a ward Councillor, as his/her bigger counterparts such as MLAs & MPs may not be able to address the micro issues in the ward coverage areas.

How to make the best out of a ward Councillor?

Effective grievance mechanism - This is the foremost expectation a citizen should have from a ward Councillor. Public grievances like civic & other related issues should be raised with the ward Councillors through the appropriate channels for effective redressal of issues. It doesn't matter how small the civic issue is, as it is well within the purview of a ward Councillor. Citizens must constantly highlight the need for an effective grievance mechanism which must ensure timely redressal of issues.

Collective approach - 74th amendment of Constitution mandates creation of ward committees to enhance the public delivery system within the local bodies. Ward committees need to be created with the representation of the people from the wards. For variety of reasons, ward committees are not being encouraged by the political system. Instead, the citizens must unite & create local associations/forums to effectively represent the grievances of the public and take it to the ward Councillors. 

Accountability - All along it had been left to the officials of the Corporation/local body officials to redress the public grievances on civic issues. After a long time, we are getting elected representatives who are accountable as they are voted by people, unlike the officials who are employees of the Corporation. Ensuring proper accountability from the elected Councillors is paramount as it is their duty to ensure the same.

Issues - Of course, every area in a ward will have its own issues, big or small, which may be civic or non-civic related in nature. It becomes the singular responsibility of the elected Councillors to quickly address the public grievances, effectively and efficiently. With more power to the people through social media, public grievances can no longer be taken for granted. Shout out from the roof top about your civic concerns. 

Now that the election process is over and we have elected Councillors in place, lets be united & put up a united effort to address the civic issues in our wards. Let’s all ensure our voices are heard loud & clear in the historic Ripon building’s council chambers. 

Cheers!

Gopal