Tornado in Syria 

The destructive tornado starts as a gentle breeze. The hot air, being lighter goes up, but sometimes, cool air above acts as a shield preventing its natural upward movement. The hot air remains down, gets hotter due to (warm) earth’s surface, gains momentum, and starts whirling around. It gains energy by heating up further and breaks through cold air, spouting up. Then, the monstrous tornado begins to swallowing everything on the way, until it expends all its energy.

The “Arab Spring” started as a gentle breeze in Tunisia swept through many countries and still raging in Syria swallowing many lives, displacing millions of innocents.

The Beginning. May 2010

 26 years old, Mohamed Bouazizi left his home as usual to sell fruits and vegetables in the sidewalks of Tunis in Tunisia. He had been doing it, eking his living, earning close to a $ a day, barely enough to sustain his widowed mother and five of his kin. Three inspectors from the council have asked him to pay bribe. The amount demanded if paid, would leave him broke at least for that day. He refused.

 Then, one of the officers, a woman, Mrs. Faida Hamdy had slapped him, threw his cart and scales. He refused to yield.  She did not realise, at that time, the consequences - as how the rest of the world would pay for it. He ran to the council office to report to higher ups, but to no avail.

 Then, something stirred deep within; he picked up a can of petrol, poured over him, and ignited up into flames in front of the same council office.

With 90% burns, Mohamed Bouazizi died in the hospital within few days. This incident gained huge nation-wide sympathy among Tunisians, soon catapulted into revolution, bringing down the government eventually. This is the beginning of Arab Spring, which spread to neighbouring country, Egypt, toppling the Government. And, then to Yemen, resulted in civil war.

 Most of the Middle Eastern countries are oligarchical societies run by Royal families and not by elected governments. What King says will be the law.

Women are not respected and do not have basic freedom. They have to wear burkha or hijab in public. Any violation in conduct of dress will attract severe punishment, while men are  allowed to practice polygamy. Syria is one such country ruled by Al-Assad, wielding power for more than 2 decades. The Arab spring arrived here sometime in 2011.The tipping point was, when schoolchildren made a protest march in Derra (a Syrian city), Al- Assad deployed military and arrested them. The protests against arrests were peaceful, to begin with, from People of Syria, but four children were tortured for writing graffiti against the establishment. That led to revolt against the government, and the government responded angrily by opening fire, killing many people. Then, people wanted Al- Assad to step down. Al-Assad did not agree. However, some section of the people supported Al-Assad and some were against him. This was in 2011 when Arab spring found its roots everywhere in west Asia. Anti-establishment protests continued for two more years. Since the military is with Al-Assad, the rebels found themselves at the receiving end devoid of any weapons to fight against armed military.

Exactly, during that time, Al-Queda was on the verge of disintegration. The unrest in Syria breathed life into it. With a change in leadership, the erstwhile Al-Queda had re-framed as ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.) with changed ideology. The group’s new ideology is a caliphate (means Islamic state in the world with Calif as head) as Salafists of Sunni Muslims. That means even their brother Muslims, Shiias are enemies for them. The open secret is that ISIS has backing and financing from Sunni kingdom Saudi Arabia.  

ISIS had befriended the rebels in Syria to support them with military equipment – Guns, ammunition, etc to fight against Al- Assad. The rebels of Syria were caught between devil and deep Sea, Al-Assad or ISIS. They chose to join hands with ISIS, which was fatal. Rebels perhaps thought enemy’s enemy would be a friend. That was a blunder. And, that led to full blown civil war in Syria. Al-Assad vs innocent rebels supported by ISIS terrorists. By this, tyrant Al-Assad had become a good boy in the eyes of Russia deemed fighting against terrorist outfit ISIS. So, Russia started supporting King Al- Assad and began bombing ISIS. Meanwhile ISIS had occupied part of Syrian territory and started discarding revolting people or at best started using them as pawns.

In the occupied territory, ISIS started collecting taxes, water and electricity cess from people and that is their revenue. Now Syria is part ruled by Al-Assad and part by IsIs. Common people who started as rebels with a cause are now facing the tyranny of ISIS. ISIS, the scoundrels had begun committing atrocities on women - using them as sex slaves or even selling them like commodities. Since Syrian people are suffering from both sides, they started fleeing the country for safety to nearby Turkey, Lebanon and to Europe.

In this scenario, Paris with recent terrorists attack joined Russia and bombed Raqqa, the headquarters of ISIS in Syria. Britain forced to join them. GOP is criticizing President Obama for his uncommitted stand on Syria. In my opinion, the ambivalence is understandable. Rectitude can never be measured on a scale, and to side the lesser evil over bigger bully. Rather, the central theme must be to protect human values and action must be towards saving the innocent Syrians who have been suffering between two wrongs.

It is four years since onset of war in Syria. So far, 60 million people, half of them children are misplaced. Over 100,000 killed in the war, over 35,000 drowned while illegally crossing Mediterranean Sea. Neighbouring Islamic countries – Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran and Turkey all wish to end the war but it is their second priority*. Every one of them have their ulterior interests in Syria, clearly laid out – Sunni domination for Saudi, Denouncing Kurds(another rebel group) for Turkey, Shiia resurgence for Iraq…..With so many emotions at stake, the end seems unlikely in near future.

The Arab Spring, the Tornado is yet to expend all its energy.

* Recently, Turkey, Russian alley in Syrian war, shot down Russian fighter plane on the ground it entered (incursion) Turkey’s air space – too silly, that left whole world perplexed. It is because Turkey perceives Russian actions in Syria are not in tune with their interests. Too complicated. Is n’t it?

 ----------------------------------------------

---

 [V1]

New Year Resolution

The days are numbered for ushering the New Year. Time to flip the last page of the calendar so dearly kept so far. Time to buy and exchange greeting cards. Time to party and guzzle few drinks. Time to welcome the New Year with lots of hope.

This is also time for one more habit bound ritual, taking New Year resolutions. We have plenty of choice here like spread of the New Year party. Quitting smoking, Exercise as part of fitness regime, implementing a dietary routine to lose few pounds, improving vocabulary, the archaic list goes on. Statistically, most of the New Year resolutions never see the light of the day after 3^rd week in January. No surprise. We all know about it.

We don’t have to run to psychologists to know the reasons behind the failures. The change desired is so steep; simply, cannot be sustained without steely determination.

Some of the resolutions are the urgent needs of an individual - life and death kind of, like quitting smoking or alcohol. Strictly speaking, one need not tag them to the onset of the New Year to begin implementing. New Year does not bring any special airwaves to breath-in, to succeed. Isn’t it?

I have a solution from my personal experience.

I took to smoking for fun as a student and soon it entrenched in my psyche, so deep I became an addict. Over a dozen years, I could feel my body asking for nicotine in every 25 to 30 minutes and I cannot hold but to light a cigarette to douse it. Fortunately, before it could affect my health, I realised and quit. Yes - I dropped it as if it’s a burning coal. I never felt the urge from then on and many of my friends called me lucky for giving up on a whim. It taught me a major lesson- habit is a thought. It will be with you as long as you entertain it. If you don’t entertain the thought, it deserts you. That is the secret. Same holds good to acquire a good habit – hold on to that habit-thought unceasingly.

Some dirty habits are community based. One such bad habit we all collectively, unknowingly indulged is, degrading the climate. We insulted and bruised her to the limit in our eagerness to conquer her. We are digging up, every ounce of her innards, burning and rejoicing. It has been continuing from last two centuries. We threw the uncivilised dirt in to the air, we cannot see and so we never noticed it. Of late, we started feeling it.

Until recently, she was silent and we took it as our victory. When reactions are surfacing, we are clueless and are beyond our comprehension. We need to mend our ways with steely Resolution. It is the time to end this dirty habit and protect mother earth’s fineries. It is the time to keep entertaining the thought of mother earth at every event of our life. Serious thought must precede the action.

The resolution has been taken collectively well ahead of New Year in Paris.

And it is the need of the hour, rather every second, to entertain the thought of restraint by each one of us to silence pleasure seeking soul within and start leading the life from private luxuries to sharing with the public -  otherwise, the years, if not days, will soon be numbered.

Best Wishes for a Happy and Prosperous New Year for mother earth’s sake.

-------------------------

Temples in Mulbagal

“Mulbagal” is a small, bucolic border town in Karnataka, about 55 miles away from Bangalore, on the way to Tirupathi. A sleepy town, time runs slow here and occasionally stops too. Here, every day is just a copy of the previous day. Sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening, the only cosmic event that occurs daily in Mulbagal: nothing more special happens that cries for anyone’s attention.

Rewind 350 years backward, Mudalabagilu was an important administrative outpost of erstwhile Princely Mysore State. Mudalabagilu means, in native Kannada, Eastern Street, an entry door to Mysuru State. In fact, it was so for Vijayanagar Empire too. As a gateway, it was a busy town verifying the identity of people entering the kingdom and checking of material movements, in and out. However, trampled by time, Emperors have faded, kingdoms have faded and so the importance of Mudalabagilu. The name itself went thru several distortions in time, and perhaps deemed so trivial, nobody bothered to notice it even. Eventually, it is Mulbagal, today.

If you are wondering why I am talking about an insignificant town, is that, it houses many historic temples and I visited two of them last Friday. While my Verna car was passing thru the main street, we halted to enquire about the way to the temple, I found, three young guys, leaning on their stationary cycles, leisurely talking about something I cannot even guess, but must be a mundane topic, as they readily responded and guided us.

Anjeneya Temple.

Information available about temple is very sketchy. No records of, when and who built it. No inscriptions on the temple walls.

The two priests in Anjaneya temple, wearing ceremonious white “Dhoti” with green and red boarder, befitting their priestly duty welcomed us.

  Then, one of them performed routinely, what is expected – took the copper plate with lighted oil lamp and circled it around the main deity Anjeneya and brought it back along with few tulasi leaves as Prasad. The granite statue is close to 12 feet height and around four feet width. Here, Anjeneya is depicted, holding a knife in one hand and his main weapon “Gada” in the other hand. It is very pleasant standing close to the deity and praying, unlike in other temples, where the deity is located deep inside the sanctum sanctorum, barring the entry of public.

When asked about the significance of the temple, the priest narrated the story. Arjuna, after winning the epic Kurukshetra war, came here to pray Hanuman. Thanks giving to Hanuman for having stood as badge on his ensign that fluttered atop his chariot, protecting him throughout the war.  Arjuna installed and consecrated the deity, legend says.

Since Hanuman is inseparable from Vishnu, the premises also houses Varadaraja and Rama temples, believed to have been consecrated by Sage Vasishta. It is said that Great Sage Bhrugu, one of the seven grand sages visited the temple.

It is impossible to verify the veracity of these claims; however, historians confirmed that the temple was built around 1200 AD. 

Someswara Temple.

I wonder why some Shiva temples are known as Someswara Temples; Som is another name of Chandra, the moon. Since Shiva wears moon on his head, is also called Someswar. It is Shiva’s one of many names – accepted, but my doubt persists, yet.

The Someswara temple in Mulbagal is constructed in 12^th century, coinciding with Chola period.

Locals believe the Shiv Linga is swayambu – manifested on its own.

The priest claimed to be new to this temple and could not throw any light about the temple origins. Contended with darshan, we left the temple.

I saw a notice near the main gate, a pale green board with white colour letters, declaring the temple status as protected monument by Karnataka Archaeology Department. Immediately after my return, I had written to Director of Archaeology dept. seeking more information on the temple origins. Hopeful to get interesting reply.

It took almost three hours to reach back home covering 55 miles, wading thru the thick Bangalore traffic.

------------------

Taj Mahal.

I had been visiting Delhi periodically for the last 15 years but never attempted to visit nearby Agra and Taj Mahal. Indifference towards monument?  No. Languid disposition? Yes. Anyway, I had to make it along with my Japanese colleges coming from Tokyo.

The traffic in Delhi until we reached Delhi-Agra highway, was anything but chaotic, however the drive on highway was very comfortable. But, then, the way to Taj in Agra, the city that housed symbol of love, is through unhygienic surroundings and dirty roads - over flowing open drains or stench of left overs of human uncivility.

In contrast, no sooner we crossed the huge red gate, Taj Mahal stood majestically. This white shining edifice is breathtakingly beautiful. With its four-ornamental and guardian pillars, Taj Mahal is truly a gem in India’s diadem. Now I regret my earlier indolence of delaying the visit. It is made of special white marble of high quality; some of it was brought from Persia.

Shah Jahan, the grandson of Akbar   built Taj in memory of his loving and departed wife, Mumtaj Mahal. Mumtaj was his third wife and died while delivering his 14^th child. The grieving Shah Jahan built the mausoleum as an expression of his love that houses tombs of Mumtaj and his, later. So much adoration for a woman and love! Great! Deffinitely, he had strained relations with all future widowers and husbands.

The construction of Taj started in the year 1642 and took 20 years to complete with skilled artisans from India and other parts of Asia. Around 1000 elephants toiled during 2-decade long construction; aiding human imagination, it is said.

The pathways to Taj from main gate are through well-maintained gardens.

When once I stood next to Taj, I realized its huge size, but hardly interesting, may be, because the symbol of love is out of single frame of sight. The fine and intricate artwork on marble is a commentary on the skill of artisans.

One rumour has been running thru the history of Taj that Shah Jahan had killed or chopped off hands of artisans who built Taj, preventing them to replicate it. Thus, he desired his creation to be unique and single. A man who built embodiment of Love, could he be so ruthless? I doubt.

8

 In its close to 400 years of existence, Taj weathered ravages of time, onslaught of rebels and wrath of a brutally insensitive British governor whose  vain attempts to auction off Taj, not once, but twice, left the  monument intact.

British humourist and writer Edward Lear once described, after visiting Taj, "Henceforth, let the inhabitants of the world be divided into two classes - them as has seen the Taj Mahal, and them as hasn't."

Though there are other equally great monuments in Agra, I left the city next day morning, back to Bangalore – contended, for the time being, to be on the Taj side of the world.
------

Quality - the art of Virtual tools

Excellence is always shrouded with mystery. Any attempt to express or measure it, in practical terms is like defining the abstract. And best management practices are no different however scientific they are.

Over the years, the way business is being carried out, has become complex and its dependency on 3^rd party tools is more evident than ever before. Can we imagine running an organization without MS office? “Hunger” for betterment is not enough but reach and deployment of such tools have become bare necessity of trade.

For any progressive group, the topic will always be, how  to enhance the quality by deploying new and powerful software tools. Now, plans are afoot in all organizations to integrate the systems, from field to boardrooms, to run  on one string and most of it is expected to be on “cloud”, thus adding a “Omnipresent” dimension to    team members to poll or process  information  in real time mode, of course to the benefit of customers. The end result is expected to be nothing less than excellence  from "Virtual world."

However, I never expected that my euphoric thoughts on “Virtual tools” would take a beating by seemingly unconnected event, in the last week-end.

I had to accompany a friend of mine to Halebid and Belur temples, located around 90 km away, on the north-western side of Bangalore. The temples depict Hoyasala architecture and legend of the land says, in 10^th century, under the patronage of a generous king, the master sculptor “Jakkanacharya” and his able team carved out masterpieces of sculpture and build these temples. The experts described the temple as "supreme climax of Indian architecture". The temple walls are decorated with statues depicting various events of life - a wedding, a romancing couple, a warrior and various aspects of God - all are finely carved out of black granite and brimming with life. The bottom of the wall has a border with elephants standing in line holding the tail of front one with trunk. The guide was telling, though all elephants are look alike, close observation reveals, no two are of same design. The kingpin is the statue of a woman “looking into mirror” .The artist finely embedded her feelings as well. The woman is examining her make up while holding a mirror in hand. She is not happy with her “mascara” or colour of lipstick, perhaps, she is bit irritated by noticing  fine lapses - maybe she is getting ready to meet her man friend soon and understandably the occasion calls for better preparation. All these feelings are manifesting and vivid even after 1000 years - as if, this fine piece of art is quietly talking to me. And that’s the commentary on the esoteric craftsmanship. My guide went on saying, all stone blocks are not suitable but a chosen few and sculptors are masters of Science of evaluating the quality of stone.

Suddenly, amidst great art, I was pushed into reverie - what tools these artists had had about 1000 years ago? Power drills, steel files or computers to check the design?? They had most rudimentary iron hammer and a pencil of metal to chip out, bits of granite – and the outcome is a stupendous art and stood ravages of time, reflecting their glory even after centuries! They had spacious imagination and high degree of skill coupled with determination. And under the heat of their will to succeed, even hard granite softened and took the desired shape. By sheer discipline, they had earned the passwords to “That” Operating System to invoke these virtual tools at will. Perhaps, that’s the secret behind those eternal masterpieces.

What really are today’s “Performance – enhancers”? Computers or Fine tools or Hunger for higher performance or mix of all? Or something that deeply enshrined within our psyche?

___________________________

With Shiva at Tiruvannamalaialai  

It is always my wish that I will be all alone in any temple, its surroundings are clean, also wish that inner precincts of temple are calm and silent; and the priest is cordial enough to allow me to pray at ease instead pushing me out of sanctum sanctorum.

None of these wishes will ever come true in Thiruvannamalai Temple.

And yet, and yet, and yet: you will be at peace with yourself by having darshan of Annamalaiyar - That is Arunachala Shiva. The consort of Arunachaleswar is “Apithakuchamba”, the mother aspect of Parvathi.

The temple is located in sprawling 25-acre compound with four large towers (Rajagopurams) in all cardinal directions. The main entrance to the temple is from eastern tower.

The seventh century Jnana Sambhadhar mentioned about Thiruvannamalai temple in his Thevarms (Verses). And it was patronised by successive rulers of Chola, Pallava, Vijayanagar, Hoyasala dynasties thereafter. Thus, the temple is sanctified by eons of worship.

The backdrop of temple is the Holy Hill Arunachala. The spiritual grandeur of Arunachala is deeply rooted in mythology. As legend goes, once Brahma and Vishnu had a bitter argument claiming the supremacy over each other - the creator or the Sustainer; who is mightier or great?

A typical ego clash and ensuing one-up-man ship. Then, Lord Shiva appeared as a column of light and tested them to find out the ends of the column. Brahma went up flying along the column of light while Vishnu went down burrowing the earth. Both failed and subdued in presence of greater Power. Then, Lord Shiva as a gesture of benediction, the column of light, condescended as hill for the benefit of mankind. Since the colour of flame is crimson red  ”Aruna” and the hill is “achala (Insentient)- it is Arunachala- reflecting the true aspect of God – “Dynamic Inertia.”

As seen while going round the Hill

Shiva manifested and is worshipped   as five elements - panchabhutas – Arunachala as fire, in Chidambaram as Akash (space or ether), in Kalahasthi as air, in Kanchi as earth (Ekambareswar) and Jumbukeshwar as Water. These are important pilgrimages of Lord Shiva.

No sooner, one enters the town of Thiruvannamalai, it is the holy hill that beckons - the peace that emanates is quite palpable even for an agnostic. That is the power of Holy Hill Arunachala.

Once Parvathi playfully closed the eyes of Shiva in their home garden in Kailash. Though it was a brief second in Kailash, it translated into ages for terrestrial realms and plunged them into darkness. Realizing the impending calamity, Shiva opened his spiritual eye and saved them. To redeem the sin, thus accrued by her act, Parvathi had come down to Mount Arunachala and undertook penance. Shiva graced her and to end such future separations from her, He offered half body and became “Arthnareeswara”. Signifying this divine act, there is “Arthanareeswara Temple on the eastern slopes of Arunachala.

Arthanareeswara Temple - Shiva as half  man and half woman 

Venkatraman, a runaway lad of sixteen, who later became a world teacher, Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi lived on Arunachala Hill over 50 years. He extolled the glory of Arunachala in many vernacular Tamil verses, together known as “Arunachala Stuti Panchakam”- Five Gems in praise of Arunachala. He reemphasized the importance of circumambulation of the holy hill, a distance of 8 miles, in one’s spiritual quest. Devotees go round the hill, in bare foot, chanting various names of Shiva, a spiritual practice followed over the centuries. Ramana Ashram is another must visit place in Tiruvannamalai.

Of all festivals that Temple celebrates, the major one is Karthigai Deepam. A lamp is lit in a cauldron on top of the hill on full moon day in the month Karthigai, generally falls in November-December. The lamp is called Mahadeepam. More than 25 lac devotees gather to witness Mahadeepam every year.

In Ramanashram

Devotees doing Giripradakshina

If you can visit the Temple, go round the hill, visit the Ramana Ashram and witness Mahadeepam all in one breadth is a sure way of winning spiritual grand slam.

 How to Reach: Tiruvannamalai  is well connected by road from Bangalore and Chennai. A 5-hour drive.

Where to Stay: Fortunately, it is a place to suit every wallet. Many budget hotels are available. I recommend Ramana Towers if you are going with your family.

In love with Niagara Falls

The world is full of wonders. Some are man-made and some are nature’s gift to mankind. While former reflect ingenious and creative effort of man like in Great Pyramids and Taj Mahal, the latter takes you straight into the lap of Mother Nature. Niagara Falls is one such natural wonder. Here water falls from 20 story building height and that too in colossal volume - 600,000 litres in one second – that number doesn’t mean anything unless we correlate it with  facts of life. Bangalore city needs 250 million gallons of water every day. And that falls in Niagara in mere 25 minutes.  What entire Bangalore city needs in one year, that amount of water flows down in just 7 days in Niagara. That’s it. And it is Mother Nature’s handicraft.

Comfort Inn, the hotel where we checked in Niagara Falls, lived up to its name. It was around 6 ‘O’ clock, on that pleasant summer evening of August, we reached the hotel. In northern hemisphere, the summer days are very long and with sun shining, the evening was still young. A very pleasant weather, in contrast to muggy days of Philadelphia, and it took 7 hours by car to reach this pleasant spot. In fact, the nip in the air made us to huddle on to our wind cheaters. And we have decided to explore Niagara that very moment.

Walking thru state park of Niagara abutting our hotel, we saw, at a distance gigantic falls throwing mist into the air while roaring down. A mild evening drizzle added colours by splashing rainbow on the eastern sky. So wonderful. First time, I felt the nature, I heard the nature and I saw in its pristine form.

Almost at the neck of the falls, the Niagara River gets divided into three streams - one major and two small forming islands. So, there are 3 falls and collectively, are called Niagara Falls. The two are on American side and hence American falls. The major one is in between, dividing US and Canada. And that is 330 meters long and over period of time falling water eroded the middle of the cliff making it now look like horse shoe, hence Horseshoe Falls. The American falls are relatively very small. As the falling water gets lathered up, frothy and looks like a white veil of a Bride, hence one of them is called Bridal Veil Falls. Into this island we walked from State park. We have gone down to “cave of the wind”, the foot of Bridal Veil Falls. Though you wear rain coat, you will be soaked in the mist: spilling and spattering of falling water surely thrills you.

Next day, donning complimentary blue rain coats, we boarded “Maid of the Mist”, the boat that took us straight to basin of the Horseshoe Falls. Standing on the top deck facing the fall is memorable. The mist drenches one from head to toe. That moment one loses to nature willingly and completely: momentarily, you forget where you are.

On our way back, we bought souvenirs – a T- shirt and a tote bag. I am sure the memories of Niagara Falls lasts much longer than these man made items.

Bridal Veil Falls

In the Niagara State Park

On Maid of the Mist

Bridal Veil Fall from Maid of the Mist.