South Indian Weddings

Hellows and my long absence was primarily my wedding on the 23rd of March. While most brides seem to be nervous and so on, i must say i was also having a lot of fun as i enjoyed and appreciated the rituals. Most of the day passed in a whirlwind and before i knew it, we were Mr. and Mrs. Iyer!

I received an email from a friend which summarises most of the rituals in a Tamil Brahmin wedding. Have reproduced same here with some of our wedding pictures.

THE RITUALS AND THE RATIONALE

The Hindu Wedding Ceremony has a number of rituals and customs most of which are often labelled as superstitious or time wasting. It is believed to be nothing but rituals more rituals. But have we asked ourselves what a " Ritual " is? A ritual begins as a creative rational action to express a sentiment or idea – like the lighting of lamp to dispel darkness at twilight or folding of hands into a "Namaste" to greet an elder. As more and more people succeeding generation repeat the action it becomes a convention – then a RITUAL. A ritual is thus an action on which time has set its seal of approval.

The Ritual of the Hindu Wedding too is each symbolic of beautiful and noble sentiments. Unfortunately today many parents and couples perform them without an awareness of the rich meaning behind them.

A modest attempt has therefore been made to briefly describe the meaning and significance of the rituals of a Tamil Brahmin Wedding. Mostly this are applicable to any other Hindu section. For the elders, this information may be superfluous but it is hoped the younger generation, especially those yet to be married, may find this useful.

So let us take you around . . . . .

As you enter you see . . .

• Full-grown plantain trees tied to both the gateposts – Eternal tree of evergreen plenty for endless generations!
• Festoons overhead of mango leaves, and screw-pine petals that never fade!
• Notes of the Nadaswaram, the South Indian Shehnai!
• Kolam or Rangoli designs at the doorsteps – an artistic welcome!
• At threshold of the hall, sprinklings of rosewater, offerings of flower, sandal batter, sugar candy!

THE EVENING PREVIOUS TO THE MARRIAGE DAY

USHERING-IN OF THE BRIDEGROOM

On the evening prior to the wedding day, the bridegroom is to be brought in a procession from a temple in a flower decorated car. He is escorted by the bride’s parents, and welcome at the marriage mandap, which is the bride’s abode. Nadaswaram band leads the way along the streets, the flower decorated car jam-packed with children.

This is a social function, called JANA VASAM in South India and BARAAT in North India.

Through such a parade, public approval is sought of the groom, chosen by the family.

After reaching the marriage hall, there is a formal ceremony of betrothal.

ON THE WEDDING DAY

THE PRELIMINARY INVOCATION

‘GANAPATI PUJA’

As in an inauguration of any function so also in a marriage – Ganapati, the God of Initiation is invoked, to keep away all impediments.

‘NANDI DEVATA PUJA’
There are several presiding deities – the Nandi Devatas. To propitiate them, a leaf-laden branch of the pipal tree is installed, and an ablution with milk is performed by five Sumangalis (housewife, with husband living). This puja is followed by a presentation of a dhothi, and a saree to the marrying couple.

‘NAVAGRAHA PUJA’
This is performed to propitiate the nine astral planets that rule over man’s destiny.

VRATHAM
The marriage ceremonies begin with the Vratham performed separately by the bride and the groom. For the bride, it means the tying of the KAPPU – the holy thread on her wrist which is meant to ward off all evil spirits. It symbolises a kind of the protective armour for the bride. For the groom, the various Gods – Indra, Soma, Chandra, Agni. From there on, the groom prepares himself for a new chapter in his life as a householder or Grihasta. The days of his bachelorhood or brahmacharya are now over and the acceptance of this is all what the Vratham is about.

‘KASI YATRA’
This a very important part of the ceremony. Immediately after his student-life, the young bachelor has two alternatives before him – Married life ( Grihasta ) or asceticism ( Sanyas ). Being by nature escapist, he prefers the ascetic life to the tribulations of married life. He therefore ‘makes his way’ to kasi (VARANASI), complete with slippers, umbrella, bamboo fan etc. On his way, the bride’s father intervenes and advises him of the superiority of married life to ascetic life. He also promises to give him his daughter as companion to face the challenge of life. The umbrella is to remain with groom, to remind him in the future, of this advice.the real tradition.

‘VAAKU NICHAYA MUHOORTHAM’
At the marriage hall, the bride’s father and the bridegroom’s father facing each other, solemnise the final betrothal ceremony, the vedic priest chanting the relevant hymns-in which the names of the bride, the bridegroom, as well as the names of their three generations of ancestors, are cited in presence of friends, relatives, and invitees.

The manthras say : "O God Varuna, Be she harmless to my brothers and sisters! Oh Brihaspathi! May she no evil to her husband! O Lord Indra! Bless her to be a good guardian of her children! O Surya! Bless her with all wealths! "

EXCHANGE OF GARLANDS

The bride and the groom are lifted to the shoulders of their respective uncles; and in that position the two garland each other thrice for a complete union. A garland worn by a person, should not be used by another, ordain our shastras. Here the exchange of garlands symbolises their unification – as one soul in two bodies. It is inward acceptance by each of the very fragrance of the other.

‘OONCHAL’

SWING, RIDE AND SINGING OF LAALI

Then, the marrying couple is seated on a swing ( OONCHAL); they rock forth and back, as the ladies around sing – LAALI, songs to praise to the couple. The chains of the swing signify the eternal Karmic link with Almighty above; the to-and-fro motion represent the undulating sea-waves of life; yet, in mind and body they shall move in harmony unperturbed, steady and stable.

‘PAALIKAI’ SEEDS SOWING

This is fertility rite. Paalikais are earthen pots prepared a day earlier – pots spread at the base with hariali grass and Bael leaves (Vilvam); nine kinds of pre-soaked cereals are ceremonially sown in these pots by Sumangalis. After the marriage, the sprouted seedlings are released in a river or pool. This ritual invokes the blessings of the eight-direction-quartered guardian angles, for a healthy life and progeny to the couple.

‘VARA PUJA’

The feet of the bridegroom is washed in milk, and wiped off with silk.

Water, and lighted lamps are circulated around the swing in order to guard the couple against demons and ghosts.

Coloured globules of cooked rice are waved in circular motion, and thrown away – to propitiate the evil spirits.

‘KANYA DHAANAM’

The bride is made to sit on her father’s lap and is given away as gift by him, to the bridegroom.

On the girl’s head, a ring made with Kusa, the sacred grass called DARBHA, is placed, and over it, is placed a yoke; the Gold Mangal Sutra ( or THAALI ) is placed right on the aperture of the yoke, and water is poured through the aperture. The Mantras chanted at this time, say:

"Let this gold multiply your wealth! Let this water purify your married life, and may your prosperity increase. Offer yourself to your husband! "

The bride then is given an auspicious ablution, and an exclusive new KOORAI Saree is draped around her – this is done by the sister of the bridegroom.

To bride in her new saree, a belt made of reed-grass is tied around the waist. The manthras chant:

"She standeth here, pure before the holy fire, as one blessed with boons of a good mind, a healthy body, life-long companionship of her husband ( Sumangali Bhagyam ) and children with long life. She standeth as one who is avowed to stand by her husband virtuously. Be she tied with this red-grass rope, to the sacrament of marriage! "

Thanks giving vedic hymns follow to the celestial caretakers of her childhood: the Deities of SOMA, GANDHARVA and AGNI. Having attained nobility, the girl is now free to be given over to the care of the human – her man.

The Vedic concepts underlying this ritual is figuratively this: that in her infant stage, SOMA had given her coolness of the moon, and strength; in the next stage, GANDHARVA had given her bodily beauty; and lastly AGNI gave her passions.

The father of the bride, while offering his daughter chants: "I offer ye my daughter, a maiden virtuous, good-natured, very wise, decked with ornaments to the best of my ability-; that she shall guard the Dharma, Wealth, and Love! "

THE BRIDEGROOM’S ASSURANCE

Thus offering her daughter, her father gets a word of assurance three times that the bridegroom shall remain for ever her companion in joy and sorrow – in this life, and after death too!

‘KANKANA DHARANAM’
The bride ties a string fastened to a piece of turmeric, around the wrist of the bridegroom – to bind themselves by a religious vow. It is only after tying the Kankanam that the bridegroom gets the right to touch the bride. A little later, the bridegroom ties a Kankanam on the bride’s wrist.

‘MAANGALYA DHARANAM’
Next, timed to exact auspicious hour, is the tying of the Mangala Sutra ( Thaali ). The bride seated over a sheaf of grain-laden hay, looking eastward, and the bridegroom facing westward, ties the gold Mangala Sutra around the neck of the bride. As he does so, the Nadaswaram drums are beaten loud and fast, so as to muffle any inauspicious sounds at the critical hour. This is calledGetti Melam; as it sounds, the Sumangali ladies sing "GOURI KALYANAME, VAIBHOGAMAY! "

Three knots are tied – the first one by the bridegroom, the other two knots by his sister to make the bride a parts of the boy’s family. The Vedic hymn recited by the bridegroom when he ties the knot, is: " Praying the Almighty that I be blessed with a long life, I tie this knot around your neck, oh soubhaygavati, may providence bestow on you a fulfilling life of a ‘Sumangalis’ for a hundred years to come! "

‘PAANI GRAHANAM’

This means "holding hands". The groom holds the hand of the bride. The Manthras say: The Devas have offered you to me in order that I may live the life of a householder ( GRIHASTA ); we shall not part from each other even after we grow old! "

‘SAPTHA PADHI’

Holding the bride’s hand, the bridegroom walks seven steps with her. This is the most important part of the marriage ceremony, and only when they walk seven steps together ( i.e. perform SAPTHA PADHI ) is the marriage complete legally. The belief is that when one walks 7 steps with another, one becomes the another’s friend. The manthras recited then, mean: "Ye who have walked seven steps with me, become my companion, where by I acquire your friendship. We shall remain together inseparable. Let us make a vow together; we shall share love, share the same food, and share the strength, the same tastes. We shall be of one mind, we shall observe the vow together. I shall be the SAMA, you the RIG: I shall be the Upper World, you the earth; I shall be the SUKHILAM, you the HOLDER – together we shall live, beget children, and other riches, come thou, O sweet-worded girl! "

‘PRADHAANA HOMAM’
A crucial part of the wedding is the homage paid by the couple to AGNI, the fire- God. They circle around the fire, and feed it with ghee, and twigs of nine types of trees, as sacrificial fuel. The fumes that arise, are supposed to possess medicinal, curative and cleansing effects on the bodies of the couple.

AGNI, the mightiest power in the cosmos, the sacred purifier, the all-round benefactor, is deemed as a witness to the marriage (AGNI SAAKSHI )

TREADING ON THE GRINDSTONE

Holding the bride’s left foot toe, the bridegroom helps her tread on a grindstone kept on the right side of the fire. The Manthras says: "Mount up this stone. Let thy mind be roc-firm, unperturbed, by the trials and tribulations of life! "

SHOWING HER THE "ARUNDHATI " STAR
Next he shows her the Star ARUNDHATI ( of the SAPTHA RISHI Constellation ), as also DHRUVA the polestar. Arundhati, the wife of VASISHTA Mahrishi, is exemplified as an ideal wife, the embodiment of chastity. DHRUVA is the one who attained immortality through single-minded devotion and perseverance – virtues to be emulated through out married life.

‘LAAJA HOMAM’
This shall comprise the bride’s own offering to the sacrificial fire. As she is forbidden to do it herself, her brother helps her. He gives her a handful of parched rice grains which she hands to bridegroom who on her behalf, feeds it into the fire. Through this food offering, the bride seeks a long life for her husband, and propagation of the family. Participation of the bride’s family members indicates the continuance of links between the two families, even after marriage. The couple circle around the fire, three times, and the feeding of the fire with parched rice, is repeated thrice.

SHOWERING OF ‘AKSHADAI’
Akshadai, i.e. rice-grains coated with turmeric and saffron, are showered on the couple, by elders and invitees – as benediction.

‘GRIHA PRAVESAM’
Taking with her, fire from the Laaja Homam, the bride takes leave of her home, and enters the new home of her in-laws. The vedic hymns now sound likes the mother’s words of advice to her daughter: "Be the queen of your husband’s home. May your husband glorify your virtues; conduct yourself in such a way that you win your mother-in-law’s love, and be in the good books of your sister’s-in-law."

‘NALUNGU’
The evening of the marriage day is the time to relax and play. The newly wed wife calls her husband for play, inviting him through a song. Much to the merriment of one and all gathered, there follows list of playful items: the bride anointing the groom’s feet with colour paste ; fanning him, showing him a mirror; breaking papads over each other’s head; wrenching the betel pack from each other’s hand; rolling the coconut from one to another as in ball-play; and so on. During these items, the ladies sing songs poking fun at the bride, groom and the in-laws.

These events brings out many qualities of the bride and the groom – sporting spirit, kindness, strength, co-operative nature etc.

THE NIGHT TIME HOMAMS

• THE JAYAATHI HOMAM – is performed to propitiate the Gandharvas and deities.

PRAVESA HOMAM – is done to solemnise the bride’s entry in to the husband’s home. The sacrificial fire is brought along by the bride.

SESHA HOMAM – is Fire oblation with the residual ghee, a little of which is sprinkled on the bride’s head four times.

THAAMBOOLA CHARVANAM & BALA DHAANAM
The girl’s brother gives the ceremonial first betel to the couple to chew. Certain other gifts are made to bless the couple

with children and long life.

MANGALA ARATHI
A solution of lime and turmeric powder, and in colour, is prepared on a plate, and circled around, and thrown away to ward off evil eye. This is done a number of times during the entire wedding ceremony, and at the end.

SHANTI MUHOORTHAM
The consummation of the marriage at night – the nuptials!

Nostalgia and train journeys part II

A lot has changed and now train journeys are also a preferred mode of transport at work, what with high cost and all..

One of my favorite co-passengers is a colleague of mine as we travelled often from Kolkata to Bhubaneshwar, or Kolkata to Vizag and back  by train.  He would be surprised at my choice of taking  the upper berth. We would chat about work, work on our laptop, discuss strategies and then decide to call it a day. In fact he would treat me a bit like a princess(i don't have a problem with that), as we used to get constant supply of tea and attention from the attendant right from lunch to dinner(in case it was a slightly longer journey)! These used to be so much more productive and restful than the plane rides for these short distances with equal number of time spent to and from the airports..

My most recent train trip was  to Mumbai. We travelled by the 1st class and had an A/c Coupe for two for ourselves. I must say that this was much needed as it gave us so much time to just un wind and be ourselves. Thankfully the phones didn't ring and there were no fires at work(what with it being Friday night and Saturday the whole day perhaps) The privacy adds to the romance of trains. I watched a beautiful movie, "The English Patient" and was really happy with the "me" time.

Oh yeah, add to that the familiar "chai coffee" sounds, the sights have changed as some of the fields seem to be missing and now seem barren and dry, the ghat sections now have bungalows dotting them..its no longer the same..

The best part is having family members coming to pick you up. Whats a journey without some old fashioned love and hugs on the station!Trust my family to do that..no matter when you land or arrive :-)

This train journey was memorable..and timeless. A part of me didn't want it to end..but i know we had reached our destination and we were here for another journey to begin....

Nostalgia and Train journeys..part I

Long distance train journeys  always meant end of exams and the start of long vacations. For us it meant going to Chennai or Kerala/Mangalore on holidays. Mostly it used to be Chennai as my grandparents lived there. 

The sights and sounds of the platforms at every stop, the Chaiyya-Coffee sounds, each station known for its own famous eats like Batata wadas from Karjat, Chikki from Lonavla, Aampapad from Renigunta/Guntakal, Coffee at Arakonnam..it was all just too good.. 

The packed lunches my mom made was super. While one may wonder why it tastes so good in a train or a picnic--were we more hungry ? or was it just the anticipation of something good! The jury is still out on that one..memories of  idlis soaked with molagapodi, The Puliyodarai, the Chapatti and Potato Masala, and my other favorite Pulao, would make me want to take a train journey again.

We used to also get in vegetables(boiled potatoes, Tomatoes, Cucumbers etc) for slicing and quickly making Veggie sandwiches. My mom brought Hot water in a flask, instant coffee and Milk powder(Have u ever tried eating milk powder and getting it stuck on the upper palate of the mouth ? BLISS) My moms coffee rocked and she was always prepared! I love the way she made every experience a kind of an extravagant indulgence for us..No wonder my dad hates travelling without her. 

As kids my brother and I loved the Mail trains which used to mean two nights in the trains, we loved trains that got delayed which meant more time in the train. We loved to stand by the door with our mom and enjoy the breeze hitting our faces. The sights of Fireflies and the undisturbed night sky where the stars shone like we could never see in the city. The paddy fields, the sunflowers, the children running and waving at passing trains, we used to wave back like old friends..

My favorite place was the upper berth. and most of the the fellow passengers used to marvel at the way i used to climb up quite deftly. I loved to lounge in with  comics and have my Mom supply all the food up to me :-) My brother on the other hand was a night hawk and stayed up all night watching train stations.

Making friends in the train was another fun thing to do..sharing lunches and conversation was so much interesting..and nope we did not fear not know about the biscuit bandits then(some group of thieves who offered drug laced biscuits to unsuspecting passengers and robbed them of their valuables. Shame) Which also brings to mind this interesting term in Tamil/Malayalam RAIL SNEHAM, which means friends we make in trains whom we don't necessarily keep in touch..but it lasts till the journey ends..Have often  wondered how come have NEVER met any of the fellow passengers again or recognised them if i did..

One thrill was watching the UP train go by as we were the DOWN train and vice versa..to see them in the next track and mock thinking, hey they are going back home or some such random thought..well our vacation was only beginning, so we could  !

The other thrill was at times getting down with DAD at some bigger junction(with the longer time stop) and watch the Engine Change. Don't ask why but it just seemed so fascinating.. Even watching the train wind through and see its engine from the door was such a joy! My brother used to know when it changed from Electric to Diesel and back ..

I remember as kids going to the ICF coach factory in Perumbur and loved the way the wagons were made..in fact we saw a glimpse of one of the LUXURY coaches of the palace on wheels, which i promised myself i would travel by one day.....

Will the humble Cloth Bag please stand up...

In south Indian weddings one usually has a little giveaway bag also called "Muhurtam Pai" which contains a number of auspicious things like coconuts, betel leaves/nuts, Kumkumum and so on and these are given after the Wedding ceremony is completed.  In the old days these used to be given away in YELLOW and REd bags signifying Manjal/Kumkumum or Turmeric/Crimson which are auspicious for any wedding.

These bags are usually given at South Indian stores like Saree shops, Coffee Shops(who can forget the very typical LEO Coffee Bags) with the names of the shops. As these bags are re-used by so many of us while shopping for vegetables and the like, its an obvious reusable/recycleable item

Our wedding contractor said that since its OLD FASHIONED, we only have plastic bags that can be arranged. And the Jute bags were bloody expensive. While one can debate if that was the cost price or we were being deterred as he would rather have us going for the "very popular" Plastic bag, Thought i must try and source it from Chennai. The place where we claim to have NOT lost the love for tradition and all things OLD.

I went to Parry's Corner(basis some recommendations), the area near Olympic Card shop full of shops that wholesale Wedding/puja/Upanayanam type bags. All kinds of bags in plastic and thermocole like material, some crap material called NETLON even but NO cloth Bags!! The shop keepers tell me wistfully no one will have cloth bags in these stores and most people sourced only plastic and the ilk for auspicious functions. 

I finally found two stores(bless them) that actually made them in Cloth one was a very nondescript shop A. Anantha Krishna Chetty & Son(N.S.C. Bose Road) and another was S. N. Rao and Sons(Bunder street) who actually made cloth Bags and could deliver it in time for the wedding.

Had also tried sourcing it from one of our well known handloom kurta/home furnishing shops. While they said it would be INR 12 per piece(they made them out of Cut pieces) and needed a week to hand it over. It would be too late. But i would like to recomend that option in case one has enough time.

Then there is Cotton World(CWC), wherein you add INR 10 with your bill, and Cotton world adds inr 20 and your shopping gets packed in a cloth bag, the proceeds of which go to Child Relief & You(CRY). You can also buy them at INR 30 per piece.

Other sources I tried and failed was Co-optex! and the huge handloom exhibition that's on in EGMORE near CO-OPTEX. can you believe it, No cloth bags!

So what happened to the humble cloth Bag ? I still remember my grand moms and my mom using old curtains to remake Bags for shopping, cushions/pillow covers, as all households at some time or the other had a Merritt Singer Sewing machine. Why I still remember  bags made of my old School uniform skirts(with the sides upturned to get the non faded side) and we had Bags! 

I think I can safely say that, am a Fan of the humble cloth bag and glad it takes its rightful  place during a VERY important event in my life on 23rd March!

---
And here is an update after this. http://ecofriendlyindianhome.blogspot.in/2012/09/cloth-bags-anyone.html

Adventures on the arranged marriage journey

My folks applied for a few advertisements in the various websites. This was in Dec 2008. I had to meet about 3 of them. Had taken a week off in the end of December to spend some time on personal stuff that was being put off under some pretext or the other :

a) Annual Health Check up(some details of the harrowing experience was in my earlier post) and

b) meeting a few prospective grooms

Guy no 1. made for good reading on the Tamil mat advt. He had written back to my folks saying he is travelling via Chennai and can meet up with me. He initiated an email and I met him at Spencer's. He had a french beard and wore a Fab kurta. Was really tall. And he wanted to know where we could have lunch. 

We zeroed in on THE DHABA on RK Salai. I try not to read too much into conversations or analyse them too much. So i have some vague recollections of him talking about being a fan of Rajnikanth, talking about his family. We both did. We then decided to get somewhere for a lime soda or so. He played Massive Attack in his car. I liked the fact that he tried to research me online. *cool* 

We talked some more. He spoke about his grand mom. I thought that was really sweet.  As i kept trying to guess if there was something here or was this just another good first date(I think i must have had a record first dates). He dropped me at the beach(marina) where my folks were. He said he would come along to say hello.  Though surprised, i liked that he was not "afraid" to meet the folks and the signals that such a meeting might give. 

As i walked him to his car, he said he had a really good time and that he would need some time to take this forward. He asked me about what i felt. I admitted i felt the same(i did have my doubts, fears and god knows what else, i came up with to protect myself, i think). 

He was so open.  Something made me want to give him a HUG. and for that fleeting moment i felt that this was right, and i liked being there. And then of course rational Deepa took over and shooed away the gut feel to gibberish.  I said "nice hug" and he said "Thanks" 

We kept in touch thro chats. And that week i met two others. While a part of me, felt almost guilty for going out with the other two, it just seemd so irrational, that after one meeting i feel i should stay committed to guy no 1. I think that was another sign, about how I actually felt about him...

I met him again in Bangalore. While he came to drop me home, my brother said "as a guy, i can say from the way he is behaving,  he likes you" I needed some neutral perspective. But wasnt sure, since the man himself hadnt said anything..

Something happened on Pongal weekend in Bangalore. Was sitting out with my mother, saying  am really nervous, like  am going to write an exam or something..i think i like this guy a lot, and the problem is, I dont know why. My mom in all her sanity, did ask me to leave it to the gods to show me the right way. 

We drove around the whole day, he took me to IIS campus and spoke in Hindi which was very amusing...we shopped a bit and finally stopped at CAfe Coffee day in RT Nagar.  I still remember what he looked like while he showed me the seat next to him. I said that i was tired of being in charge and for a change would like someone else to make the move. He said "fair enough"(he says that a lot tho, along with the phrase "boat loads") and held my hand and said "Are you as sold one me as I am on you" i Nodded yes. 

While it left me a little confused if that was a proposal or not..I was to return that weekend again to Bangalore. If not him, I thought i would certainly propose. Whats the worse that could happen.

It was the 24th of Jan. He wore a maroon Kurta and i thought he looked very handsome. 

He proposed. It was so straight forward and yet so romantic..We walked up the hill to a temple and while we walked down, he said, there were several moments he wanted to say this and now we are at the bottom of the steps --Will u Marry me ?(he said it in Tamil) I said Yes. 

WE are getting married in BOM on 23rd March

As for all those adventures on the arranged marriage journey, only helps me appreciate the experience. It all adds up and was worth the wait. And a "HA-HA" to all those who said i need to "tone down my expectations".  I always knew(although at times doubted) if there was someone at the other side of the spectrum searching for me, as i him. Turns out I was right and we met when the time and place was right. 

His name is Sriram Thiagarajan, and right now, I have no recollection of a life  before i met him...

Stop and Smell the roses...

Reflecting over the weekends on myriad things that occupy my mind. And during my walk one of the things i notice is the sound of the breeze, the birds, the fragrances of the new buds..and i think to myself..do i need to be on a beach or a park ONLY to stop and smell the roses? I often used to try to recollect a poem, we had in school..Leisure by W. H Davies..

Leisure

WHAT is this life if, full of care,We have no time to stand and stare?—
No time to stand beneath the boughs,And stare as long as sheep and cows:
No time to see, when woods we pass,Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:
No time to see, in broad daylight,Streams full of stars, like skies at night:
No time to turn at Beauty's glance,And watch her feet, how they can dance:
No time to wait till her mouth can Enrich that smile her eyes began?
A poor life this if, full of care,We have no time to stand and stare.

How true...and along the same lines...Recd this very interesting mail from a friend.

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousand of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk. A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars. Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people.

The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour:
Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context? One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

Hospitals and health check ups

While it has been recommended that after a certain age one must go for regular health check ups, this is one thing i have been putting off for a while. in an attempt to exhaust the remaining vacation/leave for the year(else same gets lapsed) had decided to invest some time on health check ups..

The Apollo at Greams road, Chennai is certainly state of the art and has almost an intimidating look feel about it..right from the reception/when the application forms are updated to the the various counters where the relevant health checks are done, it seemed to be quite professional but at the same time not very "patient" friendly.

One of the things that really  caught my eye was the number of health conscious people, as more and more corporates pay for their employees' annual  health check up.  There were all kinds of patients, and what was interesting was the influx of Bangladeshi health tourism.(infact Apollo even had some of their boards in Bangla, add to that the industry of small bengali eateries outside on Greams road)

People of all kinds, young, old, children either coming in for themselves or for visiting loved ones. What was really touching was that hospitals and health problems usually bring the family together. For example the elderly gent who was helping this elderly woman(his wife) as they walked in together for their check ups, or the father with the daughter (child, about 8 years), who seems to be squinting and needed glasses..the tension and relief on the faces of worried family members, was heart rending.  As for me, i know I was putting up a brave front, altho am quite a wuss when it comes to Doctors and needles, i was sure as hell glad my mother accompanied me. (bless her)

Now for the hospital..

What was good :

1. Infrastructure : Facilities, the seating area, toilets/drinking water area etc was quite neat and didn't have the "old hospital" phenol plus Dettol odour. quite pleasant in fact.
2. Right from the various tests, and meeting various doctors it was quite an experience. As more and more tests were completed i could only heave a sigh of relief that i will soon find out, albeit two days later what the results were.
3. The doctors in particular had impeccable manners. (why am i impressed? well its because have seen my share of crabby doctors who seriously need a lesson, on at least handling the patients fears, patiently) even While reading out the results(which were normal, FYI), there was always some good advise say for  example on how to address some of these stress related issues..by working out and eating healthy etc..very impressive. 

What could be corrected by Apollo

1. An example, when they know they will have time say for only 100 forms that day, why release more forms ? i had to come in almost 3 days in a row for completing the entire check up..
2. Some of the staff while being friendly there are also others who are totally uncaring for your fears, or the reason the patient is there(its only a health test no less, but doesn't mean they treat patients like cattle herd) 
3. Its very important to manage patient(customer) expectations here. Why not tell me in advance that this can take 2-3 days for just testing ? 
4. There is no briefing in the beginning as to how the tests are done, what comes after what and so on..its like a treasure hunt. Finish one, go to counter number 4, who will in turn as you to go to counter 5 after the test and so on and so forth. 
5. Counter no 9 was the worst, the one with the Gynaec department. Couldn't the staff be more trained especially while handling women patients who are there for some "obvious" reasons.  I saw my file being forgotten by this dunce of a lady staff, who was busy gossiping with some other fellow staff. Am sure my blood pressure must have shot up just looking at the way the in adept staff was handling patients. NO first come first serve, it seemed they had their own "illogical logic"

Lets just say, its not enough if they wear sarees and dress up like the Trident Hilton hotel staff itself, but the service was less than desirable, and didn't seem like value for money. 

Happy new year

This year on new years eve we went for a Tamil comedy play by "Crazy mohan" and then dinner at Saravanna Bhavan. We reached home by 23:00 hours and ushered in the new year at home. As my Bro was in Bombay, we wished each other at the stroke of midnight....well it was not very different from other nights..except for the fireworks...

While i have never been in the habit of making new years resolutions, this year it timed well with my annual health check up. So the focus of the year is health.

• Eating healthier
• Exercising
• Relax more
• Spend time with family
• Lesser time on the COMP/PC/LAoptop(my eyes have been suffering)

Well that kinda sums it up..Will review in 3 months to see where i am on this ..

New years day was ofcourse spent smsing/chatting with loved ones, and visits to the temples. Was a good start I might add...

Dentists and the like...

Ever notice how dentists drag on a process over three or four sittings ? My mother recently had a searing pain in her wisdom tooth and after checking with JUST DIAL(or ASk me services) we came across a local dentist near my place(off St. Marys road) We walked in and the dentist suggested extraction or Root canal treatment. We decided on Root CANAL(RC) .

The treatment started. My mother from what i know her is very brave and has a high threshold of pain, but at that moment i could hear her whimpering..i ran in to see what was the problem and see that the dentist was consoling her saying it will hurt a little..like WHAT! i knew something was not right. When we left the dentist it was still hurting all the way home..

My mom came home only to whimper and decide to sleep..i couldnt take it. have seen her go thro RC even earlier and it never hurt her like this..

First of all i don't know if it should hurt as much, and second of all, the dentists response(altho she seemed empathetic)  seemed like a response i couldn't deal with.  Any dental treatment these days shouldn't/doesn't hurt. They have their share of numbing injections and the like, so whats the excuse.. 

I called the number on the card again and this time the head dentist answered. He asked us to come back to the dispensary to look at the tooth again. We went back and thankfully he re-did the RC and this time with NO pain. 

yes yes, it does take 3 sittings or so(including the cap) but it surely didn't hurt thereafter.

All I can say is, don't just bear the pain if the dentist says its normal. Cause it isn't! And it only proves that the earlier dentist didn't know their job that well..

List of Books that will never be written

1. Aamir Khan “ Names for your pet dogs and other attention seeking exercises” Foreword by all the BIGG BOSS losers.
2. Pakistan on “How to Get along  with neighbours and other fun stuff”. A Foreword by China
3. Raj Thakarey on “ How to apply vanishing cream and just vanish during a crisis” a Foreword by Balasaheb.
4. M. Karunanidhi “Nepotism and Polygamy be banned” A foreword by the Maran Brothers
5. Rajnikanth “ How to avoid procrastination and join Politics ” a Foreword by Vijaykanth and Chiranjeevi
6. Sonia Gandhi “Turning a blind eye to Christian conversions” A foreword by RSS
7. Mallika Sherwat “Lessons in dressing up and acting “ Foreword by Mallaika Arora, Namitha, and Rakhi Sawant
8. Shahrukh Khan “Make up tricks to look like Michael Jackson” A foreword by Michael Jackson
9. Salman Khan on “Drive safe and be friendly at parties” a Foreword by Puru Rajkumar, Navjoth Sidhu
10. Rekha on “How to age gracefully” with a foreword from the over made up Vyjanthimala Bali
11. Achutanandan on “How to say the right thing at the right place and time” Foreword by R R Patil and Sarah Palin
12. Sarah Palin on “Spend wisely, save Wisely” a foreword by American Auto Makers
13. Maharashtra Police "How to be prepared for any situation" a foreword by Netas who keep them busy for personal errands
14. Media on " How to report news that affects only the RICH" a foreword by all the newspapers that did not report attacks on Assam, or Chennai floods during the MUMBAI Terror reporting.
15. Music Director Pritam " Make your own Music, Copying is a Shame" a foreword by Bappi Lahiri and Anu Mallick
16. Pakistan on "Caught Red handed? How to blame it on the DOG, and other strategies" Foreword by Afghanistan and China

Political Bloopers, Gaffes, Quotes and more Stupidity

Thot of collating a small collection of some of the stupidest things said/done by our politicians

• Robbery is common.
  o Original: Daketi to hota rahta hai.
  o Laloo Yadav Answering to the issue of railway security" ("Laloo girds up for his big day", The Hindu, July 06, 2004. URL accessed on 2006-05-08.)
  
  
• "We must learn to be still in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose." Indira Gandhi.
  
• Indian Railways is the responsibility of Lord Vishwakarma. So is the safety of passengers... It is His duty, not mine. I have been forced to don His mantle.
  o Laloo Prasad Yadav Reacting to increasing number of train mishaps, Patna ("Boarding a train? Pray to God", The Times of India, July 02, 2004)
  
• In response to the Sethusamudam controversy, Karunanidhi questioned the existence of Hindu god Rama. He asked
  “ Some say there was a person over 17 lakh years ago. His name was Rama. Do not touch the bridge (Ramar Sethu) constructed by him. Who is this Rama? From which engineering college did he graduate? Is there any proof for this?[17] ”
  
• I work so much. If I don't get all the comforts, I will turn mad.
  Laloo Prasad Yadav Responding to the criticism of his adversaries that he always travelled in a salon. (July 3, 2004 The Times of India)
  
• A few years back, as the Louisiana legislature was arguing a bill to prevent flooding, state Rep. Sherman Copelin Jr. said, "This is the most important bill of the session. . . . I have not read the bill."
  
• Alaska Gov. Walter Hickel once justified a plan to kill hundreds of wolves by saying, "You just can't let nature run wild."
  
• "I would never approach a small-breasted woman." -- President Clinton, denying that he had sexually harassed Kathleen Willey
  
  
• "I think that gay marriage should be between a man and a woman." – Schwarzenegger
  
  
• "I think incest can be handled as a family matter within the family." -- Jay Dickey Jr., U.S. representative from Arkansas
  
  
• "I have said that I'm not running and I'm having a great time being pres — being a first-term senator." —Hilary Clinton on her presidential ambitions
  
  
• "I'm the mayor, I can do whatever I want until the courts tell me I can't.'" --Sarah Palin, as quoted by former City Council Member Nick Carney, after he raised objections about the $50,000 she spent renovating the mayor's office without approval of the city council
  
  

Retirement age in politics?

Ever thought about how come only OLDER/retired politicos are running a country that has 500 million youth under the age of 25? Who can forget photos and video clips of our aged politicians being caught, yawning, sleeping/dozing in meetings, or stumbling/falling and being helped to even walk…

It is common knowledge that our tax money is used not only for Z category security for them, but also for sending them and their family overseas for medical treatment ?? WT**.

Do politicians have no retirement age? Why?

1. Uttaranchal’s Narain Dutt Tiwari no longer appears to be able to cope with the rigours of the job. There were tales galore in government circles about how the septuagenarian finds it hard to keep awake during official meetings, and how his attention span has shrunk so much that he forgets the names of his aides, a la former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Ram Prakash Gupta.

Some time ago senior central government officers attending a meeting presided over by Tiwari were aghast to find the CM dozing off in mid-sentence.

2. Underlining the need for changing the image of the "ugly Indian politician", senior BJP leader L K Advani on Tuesday said one way of making this possible was by encouraging more young people to join politics.

"I tell my fellow politicians, particularly those belonging to my own party, that it is our duty to erase this image of the 'ugly Indian politician'....it is necessary for the best and the brightest among the youth to join politics and serve the nation," Advani said.

He was speaking at a seminar on "National Values Crisis and its Redressal" organised by the Foundation for Restoration of National Values.

The 81-year-old leader cited Transparency International's annual reports where India ranks high in the corruption index and the United Nations report in which India ranks low in the Human Development Index. He held responsible the lack of professionalism among politicians as the reason for this state of affairs.

3. In Tamil Nadu M.K. Stalin is the youthful face of the DMK, the leader of the youth wing, who recently became a grandfather! But then, there’s no contradiction here because by the standards of Indian politics, Stalin at 53 is a young man … look at the any political party and it the same story, the men and women leading India’s march in the 21st century are all getting on in the years.

These old warriors are the ones who are taking decisions that will decide the fate of young India. If sometimes, we bemoan the slow pace of reforms …the archaic nature of politics in this country please remember that the people who still define policy here grew up in another age and by the looks of things there is no room for the younger lot yet. (Excerpt from http://www.myindiareport.in/2007/11/19/old-politicians-move-over/)

4. Assam: Gogoi turns 74, contemplates retirement : On the occasion of his 74th birthday, Assam CM Tarun Gogoi, in a statement said that he is under intense pressure from his family to retire from politics. He believes the younger generation has great potential and should join politics.. KUDOS!

5. Remember A-Chutanandan? The CM of kerala who can barely walk on his own ? Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, who turned 85 last month, was caught napping on three occasions while he was briefing the media after the weekly cabinet meeting here Wednesday. Achuthanandan dozed off thrice while reading out the cabinet decisions during the press briefing.
On two occasions his personal assistant came on to the dias and Achuthanandan woke up and once again started reading his notes.

Achuthanandan was woken up from his slumber for the third time when a journalist asked him a question.
Sensing that he had been caught napping, Achuthanandan said: “I am stopping in between (my speech) so that all of you can write properly.”

Really ?? How funny.

6) Interesting link with pictures(well not just Indian)
http://webpoori.blogspot.com/2008/04/top-sleepy-politicians-of-world.html

7) And another one on a similar note

http://greatbong.net/2005/04/26/old-age-and-the-politician/

RIch politicos, fast cars, lavish weddings and TV Tamasha

So, who is financing our politicians ?

A) Mayawati all poised to be the new PM ??: After the recent disclosure that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has assets worth Rs. 52 crore (Rs. 520 million), a leftist politician was quoted by Hindustan Times as saying, on conditions of anonymity, that this sum represented only a small fraction of her total wealth. What is noteworthy about the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader's transformation from humble beginnings into an extremely rich person is the short period in which she achieved this feat. It has been calculated that her wealth increased by 400 per cent in the last three years.
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/court-issues-notice-to-mayawati-in-income-tax-case_10033724.html

HOW ??? AND WHOSE MONEY IS THIS ???

b) As for Raj Takeray, how does he afford an AUDI ?

Raj as a MNS chief , is also a moonlighting businessman, dabbling in real estate. He now has considerable stakes in construction companies in Maharashtra and Dubai.

Anyone remember the Ramesh Kini Case??
Kini's landlord, Laxmikant Shah, was trying to get Kini out of the flat. He (Shah) happened to be a close friend of Raj Thackeray. One evening, Ramesh Kini was found dead in a cinema theatre in Pune. His wife told the police that her husband was regularly threatened by Shah, Raj Thackeray and another Sena man called Ashutosh Rane. She said Ramesh had left home saying he was going to the Shiv Sena office. The next thing she knew was that he was found dead in Pune. Raj was questioned by the CID while Shah and Rane were arrested. Soon, Saamna growled a warning from Shiv Sena to the government and the CM addressed the assembly saying that Raj was innocent. The status of the case - Verdict by an additional sessions court in 2002 - Shah and his son were acquitted for want of evidence.

Many believe the turning point in Raj's career as a Shiv Sainik was the Ramesh Kini murder of 1996, in which Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena leader and key Raj aide Ashutosh Rane was a co-accused. Raj was exonerated by the CBI and never charged and Rane was discharged in 2002 for want of evidence. But the whispers of a scandal had done damage. The man found dead in a Pune cinema hall, after all, was a middle-class Maharashtrian.

Kohinoor and other land sale scams : The 4.9 acre Kohinoor Mill No. 3 was on auctioned at Rs. 421 crores to a joint venture floated by the son of former Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi, Unmesh, and other Shiv Sena leaders.

The tenders for the mill were opened in the afternoon, according to National Textile Corporation (NTC) sources. Mr. Joshi's Kohinoor Projects Company along with Matoshree Realtors Private Limited, of which Sena leader Raj Thackeray is a director, bid for the Mill land financed by Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Limited (IL&FS), according to Rajan Shirodkar of Matoshree Realtors. Their venture, Kohinoor Consolidated Transport Network (CTN) Limited, with a bid of Rs. 421 crores, was the highest bidder.

Is anyone asking WHERE IS THE MONEY COMING FROM ???

C) Karunanidhi and the Marans : Sources said Karunanidhi is peeved with the Marans and the Sun Group for being critical about the state Government and Dayanidhi’s successor in the Telecom Ministry, A Raja, who is embroiled in a multi-crore spectrum allocation controversy. The visual and print media owned by Sun Group had alleged that Raja went against a TRAI order on auctioning all spectrum.

Anyone questioning how come relatives and friends/associates of Ministers are the ones having access to start news channels, sattelite TV network, and so on ? for more details on the "family tree" and some light into the nepotism http://www.arasiyaltalk.com/CategoryView,category,DMK.aspx

d) J Jayalalitha : AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa was preparing a 'dossier' on the 'wrongdoings' of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's family which she plans to place it before the people during the next Lok Sabha polls. In a statement, she appealed to those who had information and documentation on the 'wrongdoings' of Karunanidhi's family to give it to her to help her in preparing the dossier.She accused the family of 'consolidating its fortunes for the next ten generations at a time when people are burdened by 'unprecedented' inflation and farming activities have touched the 'nadir.' She also accused the Centre of aiding the family and said 'it (Centre) is so preoccupied with its own survival that it could not care less about what its allies are doing''.

What is she on about ? no one has forgotten the lavish wedding she held for her "foster son's" marriage nor the televised raid on her Shoe and saree collection
http://www.4to40.com/recordbook/index.asp?id=254&category=human

So where did the money come from and who is counting ??? Is the Income Tax department even watching over our politicians ?

Mad dogs and Martyrs

Bad enough we lose one of our brave NSG commandos to the terrorists, worse is having politicos making their “condolences” a very public affair. Its like some Page 3 Party. Every politico giving sound bytes to popular news channels. Ensuring they have an entourage of new reporters, security personnel, sniffer dogs, other sychophants. WHY ? All this just to SEE and be SEEN as the first ones to offer LIP service. Nothing More, Nothing Less.

"He served the country well," said the father of slain NSG Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan in a choked voice while his mother caressed the face of her only son who died fighting the militants in Mumbai. The poignant moment when every Indian’s heart went out to his grieving mother sat next to the body touching the cold forehead of her son and seemed reluctant to leave him while his grief-stricken father K Unnikrishnan looked on.

Who is Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan?

Shaheed Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan was serving the Indian army in the cream of the crop National Security Guard and was assigned to the Special Action Group (SAG) of NSG on January 2007. This 31 year old brave man was born in Cheruvannur - Kozhikode district, Kerala on March 17, 1977 from where his family migrated to Bangalore and was settled there. Major Sandeep was the only son of retired ISRO officer Mr. K. Unnikrishnan and Mrs. Dhanalakshmi,

“Major Unnikrishnan rescued an injured commando before he was hit,” Director-General of NSG J.K. Dutt said after he announced ‘mission accomplished’ at the Taj and quoted the slain major as telling his crack team, “Do not come up, I will handle them.” Excerpts from http://www.orkutheroes.com/majorsandeep/

Now the politicos and their Tamasha : Faced with criticism for delay in showing respect to slain NSG commando Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan on Sunday called on the soldier's family members, but a depressed father of Sandeep declined to accept his condolences.

The chief minister asked “Is there a rule that the chief ministers of Kerala and Karnataka should be there at the same time? After a pause, the chief minister went on to say “If it had not been Sandeep’s house, not even a dog would have glanced that way.”
Then Mr. CM, please respond why were police sniffer dogs sent into the house when security personnel came there ahead of your visit to perform their duties.

PLEASE resign if you cannot apologise. You can’t even walk on your own, how are you even a leader? At first we had scant respect, now we have our contempt.

Yes it is true we wouldn’t have even known about Major Sandeep if it wasn’t for Operation Black Tornado or his martyrdom. He would have been just another nameless/faceless soldier many of whom we don’t even hear of as they lose their lives protecting our borders.

We can’t bring back their son. The least we can do is to show some mercy and allow the family to grieve in private.

Another case of that of Hemant Karkare the ATS chief: His widow was offered 1 crore in compensation by Narendara Modi(WTF??). She refused to accept it. A Slap on his face and all politicos who think they can get away with such public announcements. India is no mood for lip service from Politicians.

Fool us once, Shame on you! Fool us twice, Shame on us. We just dont seem to learn and continue to vote for the "lesser of two evils" in any political campaign.

Mumbai Terror Attacks

My initial reactions to smses from friends and family to check the new channels was one of bewilderment. What was it ? another bombing ? More middle class lives lost ? which means some mundane speeches from useless politicos, some sops thrown in say INR 10000, or less as compensation for “victims” it just doesn’t make sense…

After 9/11 can we remember ANY such incident in the USA ? NO! Because there was a complete crack down on terror. Yes its more annoying to strip to the minimum at airports when we are being checked in the USA, but hey at least we know we are safe.

It dawned upon me. that once again we are a city victimised and helpless. Yes now that this news also affects westerners is the only reason it warrants such attention. Imagine a bomb blast in Agartala, or even rain storms in Chennai,(70 lives lost) nope, no coverage

When our own countrymen and politicians don’t care about the people its that much easier to strike terror. We are vulnerable. I don’t feel safe in my country. My own city.

Our own media is like a bunch of vultures waiting to feast on such news. Sometimes one wonders if these are the eyes thro which the terrorists can see and watch our every counter move ?

A few points

1> IN fact I had no faith that our portly Policemen could actually take on terrorists. They look like who have all their lives(bar a few) lived on hafta/ and other money. Paunchy and totally out of shape. They should be suspended till they get into shape.

2> Bravehearts like Karkare, Kamte and Salaskar are all victims of POOR infrastructure. We are responsible for their death. Did you see what gear Karakare had while going to to combat the terrorists ? He had no chance. IT hardly seemed like a bullet proof vest. Our police seemed to be fumbling at the CST scene. They had no chance. Set up against AK 47s and what have yous?

3> Untill the army was called in, I had no faith that we could get through this. Not affiliated to any region.location./politico. They are agile, and very task oriented. NO time to give sound bites to TV. . Kudos you guys. May your tribe increase. And as one of the news channels

4> As for Maharashtra Napun**k Sena, where are you now ? oh son of soil ?? why cant your activists come up to assist the police ? At the most you will call a bandh after all this is over. Shame!

5> Why couldn’t we just take the help of the ISRAEL govt ? they are any way adept at handling such situation.

6) Atleast NDTV and TIMES did some of the “better” reporting. Not the best, just some of the better ones, in comparison to tabloid television like India TV, AAJ TAk with their ridiculous voice modulations etc…Just give us the news. Not YOUR personal views. Be sensitive to the victims, Don’t harass them for interviews. Have a heart!

How can we counter terrorism?

1) Arrange for Baggage scanners at Hotels/Sniffer dogs at all times.

2) Same arrangement at large junction railway stations across the country .National and local. AT ALL TIMES. Not just a week before some holiday

3) Introduce Military training compulsory for the youth. Perhaps with Israel/or USA. Men and women alike. In situations like this, we need every head count we can have

4) Better infrastructure to our police men. Better equipped with guns and ammunition. None of those pathetic WWII pistols please. Its like we are setting them up as targets for terrorists, who are better equipped. Can we blame citizens deciding to take up arms ? its because we are NOT convinced we can be saved by our own POLICE FORCE!

5) Fitter policemen. Fire the out of shape, panchy ones. Get them to be watchmen at buildings instead. Even the Private Security firms have better security officers,

6) Mock drills and test simulations for Police and citizens in schools, colleges, cinema halls etc so that we know how to deal with such a situation.

7) Guard our waters. One boat hijacked in Gujarat and we are unaware of it ? Now thats the boat they use to come to gateway of India. What kind of coast guards are there ?

8) We are such an IT savvy country. Use hackers to hack into satelline phone networks of these terrorists.

Be alert at all times. Give us faith in our Police and Army that indeed we are Safe.