August 31, 2021

Politics and Society

Politics was an offshoot of the civilization when people lived together with a king or leader. It was also a necessity to protect their territory and livelihood. What started as a tool of the administration became the source of power during the latter part of history. In some regions of the world, the religions influenced the political decisions. Of late, many outfits have entered the arena, each claiming their ideologies to be superior. Though the methods have changed, the purpose remains the same; to serve the people and satisfy selfish motives. The modern politics have varied hues affecting us. The major impacts are highlighted here.


Freedom. The exploitation, suppression, and misdeeds of the dynasties and empires, led to the uprisings, revolutions, and the necessity for self-rule. The consciousness for civil rights and the emergence of political groups strengthened the desire for independence from the alien rulers. The classic example for this is the Indian freedom movement spearheaded by Indian National Congress. Many nations secured their freedom by the political method only. 


Protection of workers' rights is ensured by the pressure and agitation tactics of the trade unions and the political parties. Several long pending issues were settled though belatedly with the help of politics. The observation of Workers day on the first day of May every year points to the degree of achievement by the politics. The measures against exploitation, child labor, health hazards, and retrenchment are noteworthy.


Source of employment. In the absence of suitable jobs and alternate opportunities, many unemployed and under-employed have taken to the politics as their permanent means of livelihood. With perseverance and hard work, some reached the corridors of powers and tasted success, while some earned wealth through the follies and fluke.


Hereditary claim. Dynastic trends continue as the leaders desire to run the parties by appointing their children and grandchildren. This attitude is borne from the lust for power and money, and not for the sake of public welfare. Though these leaders preach democracy for others, they want to retain the party's control. The one raising voice against the leadership has to either face expulsion or personal intimidation.


Ground for revenge. Opponents form an alliance to topple the common enemy. Those expelled from the old party and suffered humiliation float the new groups or join the opposite group to avenge the rivals. Sometimes, even the factions within a party emerge out of ego and other interests.


Relationships fail. Family members join two political parties. To gain an upper hand, each employs different games and end up in personal enmity and partition of family. The youngest of the brothers used to liberally give gifts and support to the kids of the brothers and sisters, but later claimed the ownership of his mother's property, though the same was acquired with the earnings of the eldest brother.


Business loss. To win the votes, politicians jeopardize the national economy by announcing populist measures like freebies, loan waivers, concessions, and dilution of rules and systems. Public money and enterprises are the main victims of such bad politics.


Boost for indiscipline. Leaders set the example. The mistakes and motives of many politicians have encouraged the lower ranks and the members of the society to pursue the same. Corruption and other forms of misdeeds are rampant all over the world.


Good politicians strive for the welfare of the land they belong to. Though possessed of charisma and indisputable powers, they do not seek any favors or fame. Mahatma Gandhi steered India to get the independence, but he did not wish any post or power in the government of that country. Unless the leaders keep the national interest as their top priority, all the efforts to cleanse the politics will go in vain.


August 26, 2021

Know The Wisdom of Indian Traditions

 India is a land of rich cultures and wisdom. Yoga, Meditation, Nonviolence, and Secularism are some of the time-tested concepts that emerged from this subcontinent. There are numerous good customs and practices of the past influencing the lifestyles of the Indians. They all have solid principles and practical implications. So, the knowledgeable people do not discard but accept them as the ideal ways to live in harmony with the nature. Without understanding their value, some call them as 'Orthodoxy', 'Traditional', 'Unscientific', 'Religious' and 'Blind ideas.' The most popular and five practices are listed here to drive home their significance in our life.

Oil bath. Taking an oil bath once in a week, excepting the days of fasting is advised. This is done by smearing the sesame oil all over the body and bathing 15 minutes later. This method gives luster to the skin, reduces the body heat, and fills the pores in the skin lubricating and nourishing the hairs. Besides these benefits, a person will gain more health as he will eat properly out of hunger resulting from such baths. Fasting days are exempted as the person tends to end seek food after the bath. The oil massage in the modern world is an adaptation of this oil bath only.

Worship the SunSurya Namaskara is the familiar Sanskrit term used for this tradition. Every morning after the bath, a person will say a prayer to the Sun with folded hands and by facing it. This worship praises and requests the Sun for its source of energy and light to the world. Actually, this practice not only rejuvenates our eye sight through the sunlight's effect but strengthens our bones by gathering Vitamin-D. This method is followed in other countries but called by different names as Aerobic exercise and Sun bath.

Smearing the Ash. Wearing the ash (Viboothi) made from the cow dung or sandal paste in the center of their foreheads after a bath or wash is the custom of many of the Hindus. This practice helps to mark the point of meditation and absorb the energy from the cosmos into our body. It is also believed that the third eye is in the forehead between the two eyebrows as a channel to link the humans spiritually to the Almighty. All these confirm that human being is actually God only. Moreover, this practice absorbs the excess water from the cavities of the skull, which means the risk of any infection or illness is prevented. Philosophically, the smearing of ash symbolically reminds a person that all human beings are bound to become that ash or soil one day, hence, get rid of the ego and superficiality.

Sit-ups. This is known as Thoppukaranam in Tamil. People do the sit-ups inside and near the temples with each hand holding the lower tips of opposite ears. It is done mostly in front of the shrines of God Ganesha. Actually, this helps to recharge the body through physical activity. Holding the ear lobes is an acupressure technique that activates both the hemispheres of the brain. Moreover, the alternation of squatting and standing positions during the sit-ups enhances the breathing and blood circulation which in turn reduces the risks of heart problems. 

Circumambulation . After saying prayers to any deity, worshippers will do move or walk around the shrine, called as Pradakshinam, minimum one round, by chanting the mantras praising that deity.  Angapradakshinam is the common word for this practice followed as a ritual in many Hindu temples. Devotees with wet clothes will prostrate on the ground and roll around the shrines as per their commitment to the god of their choice. These rituals also make the entire body exercise and relax while enabling mind power.

So, do not neglect the traditions and customs of the society. They have their own importance and relevance to the daily life. Why should we say' Hi or Hello' when meeting a person? This is a practice of extending courtesy and respect to others. Likewise, the traditions of the family and the society are meant for some purpose

August 23, 2021

Circumstances Decide Our Life

All humans are good at birth. The circumstances only shape and decide their future. Rain water is pure and colorless until it reaches the earth. However, it changes its nature depending on the places it reaches. It remains pure in a river, turns saltish in the sea, and loses its purity in a sewerage. The major circumstances having impacts on a person's life are discussed here below.


Family: The foundations of an individual's growth and character are determined by the moral and economic backgrounds of the family. It plays a crucial role during the formative stage of childhood. Because, a child grasps and learns everything from the attitude and action of those in the surrounding. The elders in general and the parents more specifically, contribute to the character in a person. Nuptial relationship, and incidents like the death, birth, etc., and also affect the future of an individual.


Friendship: Good friends guide a person in the right direction and remain with him during difficult times. A bad company spoils even a good person. Ramayana's author, though a Brahmin, became a dacoit through the bad friendship. Despite the best advice from the father, his son lost money in several businesses as his friend misguided him.


Education: This has a long-lasting effect on anybody's life. Literacy enhances the living standards of a person. Teachers and fellow students make or break the career of a person. It's the teacher who has a great impact on the pupil. The character, knowledge and interactions of a teacher leave deep imprints in the student's mind. Generally, a person gets moulded as a good citizen during the student life. Books that one reads change the future course of that person. 


Society: The political, religious, cultural and economic situations in a society impact the development among its members. The affluent lifestyle of the neighborhood induces a poor person to live rich by resorting to even illegal means like mafia, smuggling, theft, con acts, etc.. A great leader like Mahatma Gandhi made his followers lead a simple and honest life. The rituals of a religion prescribe the means and methods of living. Farmers quit the agriculture due to the uneconomic prices for their produce. The employees lead a marginal life when a factory winds up its operations. Unemployment forces many people to work in far away places or countries. Wars kill many people and cripple several others. History shows that Indian Emperor Ashoka won the Kalinga battle but at the cost of several lives. He realized the colossal crime done for the sake of victory and converted to Buddhism.


Accident: A dreaded robber Valmiki turned into a hermit upon meeting the heavenly Saint Narada, and later he wrote the world-renowned epic 'Ramayana.' The sudden demise of the breadwinner paralyzes a family. A child becomes an orphan when a train mishap kills his family. Accidents due to the blast in chemical factories and radiation from Nuclear plants leave many handicapped and dead.


Environment: Any change in the climate affects the lifestyle of a territory. People migrate to other places when a drought or earthquake occurs. Unfavorable weather conditions render the fishermen's life pathetic. A hurricane leaves a ship passenger lonely in an uninhabited island.


Workplace: The nature and duration of work affect the mindset of a person. People occupying high ranks do not have time even to eat and sleep properly, and thereby invite problems of health and peace. Some people find their new life partners in the office to change their life itself.


Whatever be the circumstances, a person of a sound and balanced mind keeps cool and tries to take advantage of each situation and comes out successfully.


August 19, 2021

Humor: Essential Ingredient for Happy Life

Humor rejuvenates our life like the humus doing to the soil. Seldom you can find people without it. Humor is the thing, next only to the Advice; a person can share with even a stranger. Some people have a natural instinct of humor that made them great hits. Charlie Chaplin is one such personality. However, the presence of mind and timely delivery of words or actions, make a huge difference in creating the humor. Spontaneity and skill also determine its quality.

Sense of humor exists in each one of us. Rarely, we appreciate and develop it as we have many other preoccupations. Let's refresh this valuable sense by reading jokes, watching cartoons, etc.. Humor and laughter are complementary in nature, but the latter is the product of the first one. 


Types of Humor: Two types exist as Verbal and Visual humor. Comic books come under the first category. Comedy movies, puppet shows, and cartoons belong to the second type. The visual variety generally evokes instant laughter from the audience, whereas the verbal type produces a smile in the reader or listener. What is humorous to one person, may not be same to another. A cartoon movie makes a kid laugh though the elders shrug it off as nothing. Nevertheless, silent actions of Laurel and Hardy attract the adults also.


Benefits of Humor: The benefits a person derives from humor are manifold.1) Relaxes during tense situations. 2) Relieves from stress and anguish. 3) Enhances creativity and efficiency and 4) Increases the lifespan. The social advantages are 1) Bonding with friends and relatives 2) Cohesiveness in the workforce 3) Greater problem-solving ability and productivity and 4) Reinforcement of general relationships.


You can join a Humor club in your locality to enlarge your social connections and enhance the health of yourself and others. The great author and humorist Mark Twain once remarked as "Humor is Mankind's greatest blessing." Henry Ward Beecher, a great social reformer and speaker said, "A person without s sense of humor is like a wagon without springs. It's jolted by every pebble on the road."


Some sample jokes are presented here for your viewing.


1. During the Intermission of a movie show, I met a friend. He asked, "Came for the movie?" I replied, "No! No! Just to meet you."


2. Wife: You tell a man something, it goes in one ear and comes out of the other.

    Man: If you tell a woman something, it goes in both ears and comes out of the mouth.


3. Son: Dad, how much does it cost to get married?

Father: I never calculated; I am still paying for it!


Remember, Humor makes our life simple and enjoyable. And the most important, it fosters friendship and unites the people irrespective of their creed, faith, and nationality. In short, it augurs well for a Happy and healthy life to everybody.


August 16, 2021

8 Toughest Jobs in the World

Each person makes a contribution to the society. Some get paid while some don't. Such contribution can be through a profession, job, or business. Even leading a county's governance is a job. Managing one's home and any social service is not reckoned here as they are of special nature and invaluable as well. Depending on the nature of work, jobs are generally classified as White-collared and Blue-collared jobs. When a job requires more of mind power, it is a white type; Doctor, Engineer and Manager are examples for this. Any work that requires physical strength is branded as blue collar type. Whatever the category, there are some jobs that involve greater risks and troubles. Based on the hardship involved, the following are the most difficult jobs in the world.

Driver: Driving any vehicle, including an airplane requires much concentration and care for the passengers on board. It becomes a burden when the machine develops snags or breaks down during a trip. Especially, the drivers of vehicles plying in the rough terrain and extreme weather conditions face more hardship. 


Traffic Police: Managing and regulating the traffic flow is a horrible job. That too during the peak hours and in the busy crossroads, it warrants patience and presence of mind. In the event of any accident or any emergency, swift action is desired. A traffic regulator should not lose his cool in the hot summer and needs to be hot when a traveler violates the rules.


Sanitation job: The Persons engaged in sewerage cleaning, garbage disposal, butchery, and mortuary, need tolerance, health and courage. They indirectly contribute to the health and happiness of the society. Suspension of their work for even a day will make a town unlivable.


Military job: Men in uniform keep vigil amid the unfriendly terrain and climatic conditions to guard the national sovereignty. They sacrifice lives and forego the pleasures to protect the civilians' freedom. For most of their life, they stay isolated from their kith and kin. Especially, when the exigency arises, even those went on leave have to report for the duty.


Mining: Those engaged in subterranean and submarine tunnelling and construction works, not only suffer from occupational hazards but risk their precious lives. In the event of landslides, earthquakes, and continental shifts, there is no foolproof system available to protect them. 


Marketing: This is yet another job requiring tremendous patience and perseverance to achieve the expected results. Without travel, skillful communication, and repeated efforts, success in marketing is not possible. An executive of a drug company waited for over two hours as the doctor was busy in attending the patients. 


Administration: This means shouldering responsibility for the growth and prosperity in a congenial way. People look at the power and perks of a country's President or Prime Minister but never visualize their pains and efforts. Many administrators and executives have little time to relax or spend time on the self.


Graveyard keeper: For any onlooker, this job seems to be easy. Nevertheless, it demands great patience and skill to perform when many corpses are in a queue. The yard keeper bears the offending smoke from the crematorium and musters courage to confront the loneliness of night.


Therefore, never mind what job you are in, do it wholeheartedly.


August 11, 2021

Do It Now

‘What is due now, can be done tomorrow ' is a familiar mindset that links each one of us. Yes, it provides temporary relief to us. However, to secure a happy life, we should remove that instinct. Procrastination is like a disease spoiling a person’s life. We all suffer from it in varying degrees throughout the life. Many people do not understand its repercussions on themselves. Lost opportunities, frustrations, regrets, depressions, etc. are the effects of procrastination. Nature has no place for such aberrations in its system but corrects them through punishment. If a monkey remains idle without searching its food, starvation is obvious. When the heart dozes off due to fatigue, life is lost.

The major hurdle to a person's progress is the laziness manifesting as procrastination. If our mind and body are trained like an athlete, through a strict regimen of practice, the tendency to postpone gets reduced. Time is another major cause for procrastination. On many occasions, we face the shortage of time to resolve issues requiring immediate attention. This sort of situation arises mainly due to the improper planning and execution. Third important reason is the individuals preference for pleasure to the duty. Naturally, they put off even an urgent task with some excuse.


When an idea  pops up in your mind, do not put off but get it done then and there. However, if more than one idea dawn, note them down for subsequent execution. Do remember to complete them without much delay. As we put such ideas into action, all sorts of doubts are likely to emerge about their success and our abilities. Never mind them but ignore with determination. Shun the thought of failure and keep moving forward.


Eight steps for averting procrastination and effective utilization of time are given here. 1. Sort out and retain the issues that can be worked or resolved. 2. Arrange them in the descending order of importance and time. 3. Delegate the works to complete in the order of priority. 4. Perform with faith and conviction. 5. Review the progress at regular intervals. 6. Analyze the shortcomings to take corrective steps. 7. Learn from the mistakes to gain experience and expertise. 8. Consult others during times of emergency and ambiguity.


There are occasions when procrastination is desirable and valuable as well. In times of dilemmas, one should postpone taking a decision. Incurring a liability should be deferred by managing in other ways. Bad ideas and actions should be avoided through one pretext or other. Judging a person's capacity or character should not be done by one incident or record. Rather, we must postpone such assessment for observing the future performance.  


August 7, 2021

Never Ever Assume Things

A driver with an accident-free record can make mistakes and end up in an accident. Persons with good demeanor can also commit crimes. Do not think a money conscious person will repay any money owed to others. Do not take the enemy's strength for granted to make the wrong move. The person steering a car need not be the owner, but a driver or even a thief. Neither all those dressed well are civilized nor the people clad in simple clothes lack discipline. Don't conclude that all educated people will be wise and smart. Not all doctors will diagnose and cure the illness. 

A person in a house need not be the owner as it could be the tenant or a servant or a stranger. After the field inspection of a palatial house, an investigating agency presented a report to a bank by quoting the lessee as the owner of the property. The bank sold the security in an auction to realize the money lent to the lessee. Later, the actual owner filed a criminal case against the bank for negligence and wrong action of selling his property.  


The artificial stones make us believe them as the real gems. Many robberies and thefts capitalize on this weakness. The fake items are kept behind the original object to mislead the onlooker. A major fraud of embezzlement came to light when the cash holdings were checked in a bank's currency office. Though the storage boxes had the original currency notes on the top, the counterfeit notes were found at the bottom. 


All looking white cannot be the milk or toddy. A person may consume a soft drink in bar, but that doesn't make him a bad guy. Whoever is seen at the police station cannot be the culprits. A casual visitor to the court cannot be assumed as a lawyer or judge. Assuming a dead person as sleeping is an error in judgement. The possession of vast wealth does not make the owner rich. There are people who live in palaces, but lead a poor life for lack of income. A rich business owner filed for insolvency to avoid the attachment of his assets and estate and escape from the recovery proceedings of another business that lent money to him.


When there is any sickness, many seek the Internet to interpret their symptoms and  decide their ailment. Out of fear, one fellow spent a huge amount for a CAT scan and took the report to a specialist who said, " Nothing to worry. it's an ordinary sinusitis problem." Thus, online diagnosis can go wrong, upsetting the net users psychologically. The anxiety generated by visiting the medical websites is called as ' Cyberchondria.'


By simply assigning the works to the employees and subordinates, no business can expect the desired results. The management needs to monitor and control the activities at regular intervals. Not only the money and time are wasted, but the reputation also suffers. A prudent driver should not assume that everyone on the road will behave properly. A traveler shall not assume the new place will have all facilities.


Therefore, do not presume anything before making any judgement. It's the prerogative of the theorists to formulate the ideas with all assumptions. Lethargy is a common excuse for making assumptions. For any good purpose, we can assume, but not for bad acts. For instance, donation to a charity is made on the expectation that it will reach the needy.


August 2, 2021

Never Lose Your Identity

 History shows that great leaders and scholars had maintained their identity throughout their life. That gave them charisma and followers. Identity crisis arises for three main reasons; the sheepish mentality, lack of individuality and intense competition. With the unique talents and skills only, a person can shine and set an exemplary record in his chosen field. For instance, Charlie Chaplin created his own brand of comedy that conveyed the life’s hard reality. Nobody can imitate him, because any originality has only one life. In India, a Tamil actor maintained a revolutionary image throughout his film career to spread the good things of life and became the darling of the masses. Later on, he became the Chief Minister of the Tamilnadu state. Here, the significance of keeping an identity is highlighted.

Education. Right from the kindergarten to the college level, parents decide the educational need of their wards purely based on the status, market demand, and income prospects. Actually, education is thrust on the kids without caring for the individual capacity and aptitude. Many a times, English is preferred over the mother tongue as the former has the global presence and acceptance.

Profession and business. Many people simply copy the methods and practices of those already proved in the field. People seek foreign employment and settle abroad forgetting the roots in the home country. People are ready to give up their originality for the sake of promotions, money, and other favors. 

Medicine. The value of traditional and indigenous medication has been forgotten as the Allopathy is squeezed to favor the products of MNCs made part of other medicines. In fact, the efficacy and wholesome effects of the local systems like Siddha, Ayurveda, Unani, Homeopathy, etc. are sidelined. They are shown as unscientific and made supplementary to the English medicine.

Lifestyle. Copying the lifestyles and cultures of others leads to more harm. One must understand the values of the native lifestyle. For instance, the use of cell phones is proved to harm human health. Yoga remains the best for physical and mental fitness. However, copying the good things is advisable. An ordinary man cannot afford an affluent life. 

Religion. Renouncing one’s own religion just for worldly reasons like status, money, and power makes him very mean. Such a person will not only lose the identity, but credibility in the society.

History. Generally, the past events are twisted to the advantage of the previous rulers. The British scripted India’s history based on their convenience and perceptions by concealing the facts and truths. The present rulers of a nation  boast of their leaders as champions of society relegating the greatest achievements and sacrifices of other leaders in the background.

Food and Health. Depending on the physical and mental make-ups, a person should decide his eating and other habits for good health and happiness. A diabetic man must refrain from eating sugary dishes instead of getting tempted by the indiscriminate consumption by a stranger. 

Imitating anything leads to the loss of one’s identity per se. Sometimes it invites dangers too. Do not compromise your individuality, because it earns you recognition from others. That is possible only when you do good to others. So, explore your individuality with a positive attitude. Definitely, it rewards though belatedly.