Trip to Tirupathi

I'm back from a trip to tirupathi and no prizes for guessing what this post is about.. but no i'm not going to write about my journey..
The photo is in memory of the helpful bus driver who pointed out picturesque scenery and slowed down the bus so that i can take pictures of the hills. Yet the hairpin bends never fail to push my heartbeat up. Sitting right beside the driver made it all the more worse.

The place is mystic and the journey arduous.. you go all the way up; wait for hours just to get a glimpse of the Lord; brave the crowd and get squeezed;...all aches are forgotten after darshan and you are already planning your next visit.. I don't know what draws me again and again to that place. When I am juggling with my daughter in the crowd and in the queue I vow not to come to this place any time soon and there I go within 6 months.
There is also another thing that people tell me about the darshan. People make a mental note of things that are bothering them and hope to put in an appeal to the Lord. By the time they set their eyes on Lord Balaji everything is forgotten. (standing in queue for hours also helps, I guess).
I've visited the place for umpteen times. Few changes came to my notice.
1. There are many windmills on the surrounding hills and I've heard that lately they have become a major source of power at Tirupati.
2. There are separate dispensing places for organic and inorganic wastes.
3. The place is litter free, no smoking zone and non-alcoholic zone. Many streets are declared 'no footwear' zones as well.
4. There are lot more public toilets and much better maintained than last time.
5. There are rules against any political activity on the sacred hills which are now decalred to be Hindu worship zone.
6. No darshan if u are wearing shorts and poojas only in traditional clothes.

Needless to say that I'm impressed. This is one place whose management never ceases to amaze me. There are lakhs of people visiting the place everyday through out the year. Never has one been turned down free prasadam, free meals, a roof to sleep under, a place to bathe, etc. Now add on free medical and emergency services to that list. If there are any boulders/ accidents on the hill path they are cleared in matter of couple of hours.
Technology is used wherever it can be, though there is scope for improvement. Solar and wind energy is also used. Of course being the richest temple also helps. Most of the hills are protected animal areas.
If all the environment friendly practices are implemented here it'll be a model governing place for all. Probably 'governing' is a wrong word. Will all due respects to Keynes and his theories, not having a government to meddle in your affairs helps sometimes.
Namo venkatesa! Namo tirumalesa!

Rainy evening

AAhhh rainy season and campus.. deadly combination...
Reminds me of whole lot of poets and poetry..
With all due respects to Robert Frost and his 'Stopping by the woods on a snowy evening' ..
(one of the best poems I've read..)

Here goes the poem.. 'Stopping by the woods on a rainy evening' :
(This is in the background of IIM campus)



Whose woods these are I know.
He has not watched these trees grow;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his trees below the rainbow.

My little daughter must think it queer
To stop without any reason near
Between the woods and wet buildings
One of the darkest evening of the year.

She gives my hand she's holding a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and hiss of a snake .

The campus is lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And lots to study before I sleep,
And lots to learn before I sleep.

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

Just a few clarifications...
1. The 'HE' in the initial four sentences refer to N.S. Ramaswamy the founder-Director of IIMB.. the one who planted the first trees on campus...
2. There are snakes and there are snakes on campus. Every ten feet on will find a snake's residence..
3. 'lots to learn' is a pun used for poetry.. i'm not sure how much i'm actually learning.. studying .. yes lots..

Gen XYZ

I have been dumbstruck with the way relationships are defined (or being undefined) these days. Friendship, love, companionship, etc nothing seems to be for life. The 'fast food' generation is into 'fast relationships' as well. Everything is happening at a crazy pace.

There was a time when people used to marry young. Now people start earning young. Have independence earlier. Choose partners earlier and separate earlier. And separate they will on the flimsiest cause (oh yeah! I find them flimsy). No one has any patience to give the partner a patient listening. Even friends move apart. All the relationships that used to be for life are now no longer so. Changing times ??? Changing partners has become as easy as changing vehicles/ jobs. Change – change everywhere.

No wonder it is leading to so much stress among all.

Recollect the yellow smiley stress balls. You squeeze it when you are stressed. It gains back its shape, you stress is released. That ball is like your home base where you have solid relationships to fall back on which give you emotional support by squeezing out the stress in you. If that relationship is not rock solid, it’ll break (so will the ball). These days lot many stress balls are breaking. People talk about increasing stress in professionals ..blah..blah.. I say the stress was always there. Just that it no longer has an outlet.

Yoga, gym, vacation etc are all temporary measures to decrease it. It is like taking a brufen for pain without understanding the cause. For those who have a stable circle of well-wishers there is no stress coz for them there always will be a person who will hear their troubles out. Such people are getting rarer.

On this eve of friendship day, I would suggest just one thing. Tie the bonds of friendship tighter. Do not let things like career, attitude, ego, status, money etc come in between. You’ll realize that they are unimportant as compared to the relationship you share with the person. Happy Friendship day!