OXY-I-GEN

Singapore: Through her eyes

2012-01-20T14:51:00.001+05:30

Birdie has put up a new post on her Singapore Holidays. For a change, this time I am presenting to you Singapore through her eyes, not mine - Hope you enjoy this journey as much as we did :)

New beginnings :)

2012-01-12T11:47:00.004+05:30

Happy new beginnings and my love to the entire world. I wish this year brings happiness, good luck and health to all of you out there.

I have been away a little longer this time and have been wanting to get back here before winding up 2011 to share a few good thoughts. Was juggling too much that I couldn't step out even to take a deep breath. Gave a grand closure to the gone year by parking my research in a logical juncture, spent quality time with my daughter constructing a meticulous model, made a few new friendships some of them might last longer than I think. Found myself very welcome and completely at home in a few other departments, added a few important people more to my life, had a hurried but grand vacation in Singapore which was quite a blast for my little one. I was so wanting to wind up the year here in my blog, wanted to wish the friends I have made here in the past 3 years. Wanted to wish 'Swapna' because I am sure she would've dropped in to see if there is any update from me in the beginning of the year. And I wanted to begin the brand new year with all those unknown friends who are keeping a track of my 'not so happening' life. I had planned to make an announcement here around new year, a news that my daughter has already let half the world know - that she will be having a sibling by the middle of the year; that I will be a mom for the second time. That explains why I wasn't very active over here - was handling a pregnancy, my daughter's academics, home and academic research all with no external support. Was troubled by migraines, mood swings, heat flashes and funny hormones in the gone months but whenever I wasn't doing too well and looked into my daughter's eyes, I knew I would survive.

New year started on a high with a miraculous wild card entry into a competition that I very badly wanted to win, but had lost hope of getting even a participation. Ended up winning the competition and my model fetched me the first position and a prize money, big enough to cover my immediate research expenses. Another high was when my office folk got the news and joined my happiness by putting it up in a big way in appreciation board. Happy to know that I am fondly remembered even after staying away for two years. To complete it all, got an unexpected call from a very dear friend after 10 years. This friend of mine who I believe is a genius in disguise who would easily pass off as a simpleton by his humble mannerisms. In the years we were together, I had got a glimpse of his multiple talents and have wondered how someone can be so good in so many different fields. He called up after 10 years and when I accused him of not keeping in touch, he said he is neither a 'telephonic' person nor comfortable with the social networking sites. Then he surprised me by telling me that it doesn't mean that he doesn't keep track of friends and asked me why I haven't updated my blog recently!! This update is particularly for him and now I have an added reason to continue blogging. Happy new beginning to you, my friend, you are an inspiration and I clearly can see you reaching greater heights.

Happy new year to all my virtual friends, wishing you excellence and satisfaction, conviction and courage, love and peace, all with a topping of magic and music. May you all have an year long celebration.

Vow

2011-12-15T11:00:00.017+05:30

Unheard sighs and unshed tears

All the noise for going unheard

For dreams that didn't come true.

The wishes to spread out and go!

The urge to break heavy chains -

Crash the mirror with two sides.

Seek truth, breathe free; believe

That the best days are yet to come.

Vow to never bow, beg or borrow!

Not to take it out anywhere else

Live a life with pride and peace -

Work hard for the happy endings.

Will I survive?

2011-12-02T20:57:00.006+05:30

Will I have in me what it takes to weather the storm in the horizon,

Will my resilience, patience, faith be put to test a third time around,

Will I be crucified, abandoned, made to walk on fire, all to rise again?

Will I be saved by the kindness of heavens or goodness of my deeds?

Will mother earth take into her womb, my spirit that never dies!

Will she rain while I tear, will she split apart while my trial is on ..

Will I survive one more time - this mega game called "My Life"?

Under the Banyan Tree

2011-11-08T11:59:00.022+05:30

I found truth in it's purest form, under a river-side banyan tree that has stood there all my life, listening to the vedic chanting from the Goshalakrishna temple in my home-town. I found a rarest kind of truth when I stood in front of the 57 ft tall monolithic statue of Bahubali in Hassan district near Bangalore after my 2 decade long search. I experienced truth of the supreme nature while crossing Ganga near Calcutta, in that crowded little boat. Found truth all over again while hugging the tree of knowledge in Matri-Mandir Pondicherry. I recall the peaceful stillness while having the rice boiled in the hot springs at the foot-hills of Himalayas. I have had strange assurances every time Amma's eyes met mine. Living by the rules of the make-believe world, I still continue to be the Gods' favorite child whose every single wish gets granted, maybe after a little long wait. The signs of the Divine continue to reach me in unexpected ways assuring that love and righteousness prevail! I believe in the existence of truth that cannot be twisted or traded.

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

Now that life has made a full circle and is again going for another loop in time, I expect there would be lot of 'Rediscoveries' coming my way. Hence adding this new section to record them!

Whiling away

2011-11-03T12:56:00.004+05:30

So .... the current grand plan of life is to put my feet up and just while away. After all it was none less than Leonardo Da'Vinci who confessed "I have wasted time!!". I think it is now very important that I waste time, laze around and simply while away! Now that I've had this late but pleasant realization, someone's gonna have a tough time :)

A heart to heart affair

2011-11-03T12:13:00.013+05:30

'Lub dub lub dub' ... slow, steady, composed, confident. Little hearts have a wonderful way of connecting, that clearly conveys that it is the beginning of a life long 'heart to heart' affair.

************************************************************

Birdie turned 7 yesterday! Seven years of companionship grounded in love unconditional and trust complete. Girl, you make me so rich!

Leap of faith

2011-10-21T12:59:00.014+05:30

Another leap of faith

Reinventing frontiers

As a world less familiar

Unwinds, scares, excites!

"Why risk too high?"

'cos I like being me!.
----------------------------------------------------------------

Alter Ego!: That's been a long enough time!

I

2011-10-14T12:55:00.014+05:30

I follow no rule, choose no beaten track.

I make the world disappear, I create.

I create rhythm, resonance, radiance.

I create sound, substance, sky.

I am the creator, I ... !

Intellectual Block!

2011-10-14T11:09:00.007+05:30

Bull fighting with the intellectual block that is preventing the flow of creative energy! Need to be in charge of my time doing what I like doing most - Creative engagement in a logical process, enhancing my learning using time as the primary resource! Hope to jump out of this frustrating phase of staleness as soon as I can and get things moving again! I wish I had great minds for company! I wish I could take a week off and visit Istanbul!

Obituaries to my two favorite Steves!

2011-10-12T13:09:00.040+05:30

Steve Irwin, the wildlife expert from Australia was the darling of millions of animal lovers, conservationists and philanthropists across the world. Stevie lived life unlimited, king-size. He was born into a family that despised all norms and expectations of conventional living and grew up with the crocodiles and snakes in the Queensland reptile and flora Park, owned by his parents. He got Pythons as birthday gifts, croc-wrestled for fun, fed and loved the reptiles like family from a very young age; it was but natural that he inherited the family zoo. He was blessed when he fell in love and got married with Terri, an American naturalist, and spent honeymoon trapping crocodiles together continuing the daredevil lifestyle. Their kids shared their names with their favorite crocs and they lived one happy bunch, the animals and them! Who would've guessed Stevie, the crocodile hunter, (who would burst into tears every time a reptile died while in his care) would meet with the most unexpected death, underwater, by a sting ray barb piercing right through his BIG heart where the entire animal world had found its place! Stephen Robert "Steve" Irwin (22 February 1962 – 4 September 2006) died young at 44, leaving the world cold taking away all the warmth with him.

The other Steve who left us cold recently, changed the way the world computed, compiled, calculated, conversed and communicated. His journey from being an illegitimate child adopted into a humble family to the greatest innovator and entrepreneur of the century is all over the media. What makes him my hero are neither the products that he gifted us with nor the heights that he reached in his lifetime. I feel inspired by the high standards he set for himself, his relentless efforts to reach where he deserved to and the belief in self with which he turned odds into blessings! Steven Paul "Steve" Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011) died young at 56. Death came to him just months after he stepped down as CEO, Apple inc., appointing Tim Cook as his successor. He died a day after the first product launch by Apple inc. under Cook. His grant exit left even his competitors mourning as if they have lost their reference point. I bow to such spirit called life that could plan even death to suit the scheme! There is an amazing thing common in both Steves who actually operated in two entirely different and disconnected worlds. They had the brilliance of eternal youthfulness twinkling in their eyes, that added to their larger-than-life personalities. They lived young, died young, reminding us over and over - "life is when the stage is yours"!

Anger

2011-10-11T11:45:00.011+05:30

"She gets angry very fast. So I don't talk to her much. She is at home today. Don't know whether she will come to work or not. What to do madam, if she doesn't go to work, I will have to bear her food expenses!"

Her aunt works as household help at my house. The tall and atheletic seventeen year old girl was working in a neighbor's house looking after the children of the house till yesterday, when she came panicking that she lost her job. The otherwise confident looking girl looked shaken. I do not know the specific reason, but I uttered to her, "don't worry, I will take care". I called up a couple of friends who were on the look out for full time maids and fixed a good amount as salary. The girl met with them and then returned home, without committing! And today her aunt tells me, she is angry with everyone and she will not work. That would mean her aunt will have the bear the stay and food expenses, and that was worrisome matter for her. I asked her why the girl didn't accept the two jobs that I offered. I had considered good families who would treat her well and pay enough. The aunt said she was not able to talk to her as she gets angry very fast. Her dad had called from the village and she didn't talk to him. And that's when the story unfolded.

Her dad was expected to visit her in 2 weeks from now, for Diwali. But he was coming to collect the money that she earned. She was to give him 15,000 and that is when she lost her job. Her dad is building a house in the village and she is financing it by doing household work. She was good in studies, passed 10th grade with good marks, 3 years back. At the same time her dad started the house construction, ending her schooling. She came to Mumbai, stayed in the Ghatkopar slum with her widowed aunt and started working. The aunt continued, "Bohut guzza karti hai! (Gets very angry), she refused to talk to her dad yesterday. Last week she had told her dad that she is no longer giving him any money. She said it doesn't help her in anyway as the house will be eventually given to her elder brother. Bohut hoshiyar hai (very intelligent she is), she told her dad, since she is working for making the money, she should be getting the house atleast!". So that is why she yells at everyone, I realized when I joined the dots. She left schooling, worked for 3 years, has not saved a penny yet. She has been building her brother's life. She is angry ... and understandably so!

I am familiar with the kind of anger she experiences. The anger that stems from helplessness - the anger that you feel when you know you could've done something different and have reached somewhere better, if only you were allowed to!

Women!

'I DO'-NOT!

2011-10-10T13:54:00.020+05:30

'Soon to be 7' Birdie (returned from an engagement ceremony): Mom, I will skip my engagement and wedding.

Me: Fine, but why?!

Birdie (with all her logical assertiveness): I don't like to wear itchy clothes.

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

For reasons as valid as that, I think I better agree :)

Birdie!

2011-09-29T11:42:00.005+05:30

My Mother
This is what the birdie wrote about me for her school test :)

Paint them PINK!

2011-09-27T12:30:00.033+05:30

The innovation bug in me surfaces mostly when I cook. And sometimes it has created wonders! Today morning while making Dosas for breakfast and Mini Idlis for my daughter's lunch bag, I suddenly remembered an old fizzy drink tag line which was a 'big hit' among my friends while in my 10^thgrade - "Normal is Boring". I started thinking what could be better for a little girl than "Little White Idlis" poping out of her lunch box? And the answer was instantaneous. "Little PINK Idlis!'. Mixed dough with grated beet and look at the mouth watering result!

Made coconut chutney, the combination was delicious and looked all the more yummy! I could visualize all the girls in her class crowding around her lunch box so I packed a few extras too. Waiting for the rave review when she returns from school!

Click to find out few other reasons why I liked them PINK ;-)

FEAR

2011-09-23T12:41:00.012+05:30

Before I became my daughter's mom full time, I was my father's daughter for most of my life. My father has brought out the best in me and has done a terrific job handling my curiosity. Dad is in Kerala and not much of a 'phone person' to catch up over telephone conversations, I miss doing various home projects and going places with him. There are a few people in my current circle who are of his age who I closely associate or instantly connect with. The most endearing factor of the members of this small group is that they all remind me of him. I keep close track of their activities and interactions and feel secure just by having them within my reachable stretch. One such person whom I love and respect (he probably doesn't know that he means a lot to me) is suddenly in Intensive Care Unit following an angioplasty surgery. I pray for his speedy recovery.

Love Actually!

2011-09-14T12:14:00.044+05:30

It takes every girl a few decades before they realise that the chase for ‘true love’ is futile. Such dreamy creatures that they are, girls believe that there will be a perfect ending to their fairy tales, in which they are the princesses - their prince charmings will find them one day, get married and live happily ever after. Girls keep looking for the ‘perfect one’, start the dream trip on the magic carpet of love till one fine day, it collapses on to the unsurmountable reality. Then the learning begins, of simple lessons on practicality, managing expectations, taking care of one’s needs and keeping life simple. So my question is, ‘should the little girls be allowed to dream?’ Should they be introduced to the concept of true love and allowed to pursue it as the means and an end?

One might dismiss this thought by saying that the notion of ‘true love’ was sold to the little girls as part of the American dream. This is not for the Indian girls who are considered fortunate if given a chance to be born. Our girls don't get to think about love, because they struggle for nutrition, a good education, right to independent thinking and opinions. But is it actually true? What could explain the emotion of the widowed maid who at the dusk of her youth still holds close to her heart the memories of her first encounter with love? Why does the old woman next door still take her blind husband in his wheel chair out for an evening walk? What makes the birds flock as couples and fishes survive in pairs? Why is it that in our sacred books, the Gods always have their complementing better-halves?

I, for reason unknown, believe that the ‘Yin and Yang’ are fundamental; as much a reality as hunger and poverty. Hence this aspect of life should not be neglected or trivialized. Matters of heart, if sorted out first, methodically, with the right inputs from the brain, have the potential to create wonders. How else, should I believe, were the lovely lyrics and the melodious songs, beautiful paintings and marvelous sculptures, great poems and other works of art created? We wouldn't have had the Taj Mahal, if there was no scope for love on earth. The search, the exchange of smiles and skipping of heart beats seem to occur in most people's lives. The inevitable invariably happens if there are no opposing interventions. Then why is it a problem, ‘the pursuit of true love?’ Maybe it is the myth, and the over-idealism attributed to it that keep pushing it beyond the tipping point. And then, the beginning of collapse!

So is there a solution of sorts? A possible solution could be the shift of focus, it should not be as menial a pursuit as the search for true love. It should not be this constant look out for the complementing pair. It should not be to find the missing part either. There is no evil involved in such pursuits, just that ‘chances are high one will be left in a lurch’. So to avoid the risk, and to save time, let our little girls go a bit more fundamental and understand the intent behind the search for the perfect partner. The search is for completion, the search is for perfection, the search is also for fulfilment – all in the name of ‘true love’. So this could also be the focus of the pursuit - to first rise towards perfection and completion as a person and then set out for rising in love! I guess it will reduce a lot of heart breaks and wasted emotions plus there will be greater chances of attaining that much hyped fairy tale ending.

Debatable! But this's my take.

Why people buy gadgets

2011-09-04T11:49:00.003+05:30

People buy the most expensive gadgets for the following 3 reasons:

1. Ignorance 2. Ego 3. Laziness

(Introducing a new category 'Hubbism' for the sake of the entire world, just to record those pearls of wisdom by betterhalf which I mostly fail to understand)

Oh! Oh!

2011-09-03T11:21:00.002+05:30

I went to her dance class yesterday and as usual showed thumbs up to her while she was dancing. After we reached home she asked me why I keep coming to her dance class. To tease her in reply, I said I won't come from next class on. And she said, "thank you!".Oh oh! She wants to be left alone already. But is it time yet??

The journey continues...

2011-08-25T21:53:00.007+05:30

Today morning when hubby dropped me in the campus, I offered him a chai from the little snack bar near IDC. To my surprise, he accepted the offer. As we were having chai and thanking the luck that allows me to escape into this little piece of heaven right in the middle of the madness named Mumbai, a Professor walked in. I wished him as he had attended my research review but was doubtful whether he would remember me as he was from another department. To my surprise, he introduced me to his colleague "Meet L, the bamboo girl of XYZ'! If you want to own a bamboo house, she is the one who would build it for you!" That's when I remembered the journey that I am in... From being ABC's own green architect, to being XYZ's own Bamboo girl. From being Mr. BMN's green cell co-ordinator to being Prof. NCN's PhD student. The professor's remark was the first acknowledgement that I got for doing what I did. When I look back, I see an year well spent in the right direction. Hubby must have felt proud!

Crossing Over!

2011-08-21T21:16:00.004+05:30

Happy birthday to me!

I am crossing over - from being the oldest of the young crowd to being the youngest of the old crowd! I like it better now, thank God!

Happy birthday to me!

Quick thoughts on freedom, God and peace.

2011-08-17T14:29:00.014+05:30

There was a time when I valued freedom above all virtues. I used to boil my blood to safeguard freedom of thoughts, expression and action. I felt at that point, the biggest punishment for anyone would be to get locked up in a room with the key disposed in the Arabian Sea. But I seem to have grown out of it. I didn't know that virtues change with age. But it is true. I now know that "freedom" as we know it now, is not worth dying for since there is only one person who can take away my freedom. Me!

Somebody restricting my actions is not really restricting my freedom. I have the choice - whether to lose my freedom to that attempt of restriction. I can live without "freedom" as motherhood has taught me to work within constraints and still bring the best to the table. The confidence that allows one to lose one's freedom to bring out the best, can only be gained through experience. From that experience, I found satisfactory explanations to two unsettled issues in me. "Freedom" and "God".

The thought of being locked up in a dark room doesn't scare me anymore. I know as long as there is my heart beating, and brain cells glowing, there is nothing that cannot be unlocked. I had started to think that I lost my faith in God over the past few years. The die hard "religiosity" that I followed went for a toss when my faith was put to test. I wandered in my thoughts about God and couldn't actually put the missing pieces together. I think I am slowly rediscovering "God".

The new God is not the belief that I get when I tie a religious thread on my wrist or when I get holy water sprinkled on my head. 'God' for me, is the belief that has taken away my fear of closed doors. "God" is the belief in 'Self'. "God" is the ability to rise into a 'Godly' state of awareness. One should be able to take up challenging crises, work through it, arrive at positive solutions and implement them to solve the crises. That is the state of 'Godliness' to strive for and that's not different from what is supposedly the everyday business of "God".

Now you may ask me, "Well, having settled "freedom" and "God" what are your new pursuits, for looking at your writing, you seem to be quite a restless thinker?". Well, I sure am restless, and I am currently pursuing "peace". I have not got a grip on it. I am not able to set ground rules for establishing that quality in me. Call me "struggling", as I am nowhere close to peacefulness. How, Where, When? On this independence day I want to note down in my blog that there has been a serious shift in my virtues that happened over the past ten years. My "freedom" is no longer my prime concern, but my "peacefulness" is. The search is on...

Dealing with Contradictions

2011-08-12T23:54:00.012+05:30

I am dealing with contradictions at this point of my life and it is not something that is easily done. Too much is happening and I am caught in an odd kind of helplessness that results when one gets pulled in all directions for a prolonged period of time! Maybe it's again my habit of preparing for worst scenarios that's making me lose vision, or maybe it is the factual indication that things can't go smoothly for long. Whatever it is, I have to again pull myself together to keep working till I get out of this self created tunnel. All I can tell myself is that it was my choice to have things the way they are. I vividly remember how it felt when there was fire smoldering within, a few years ago. I hated it when I underutilized myself, and decided to "work to death rather than rust for the rest of my life." Sometimes, I need to remind myself, "Yeah, I made the choice; a long long time ago...". I pray that some Divine Grace be showered on me during this phase of trials and tribulations.

YOU are SIMPLY the BEST

2011-08-09T13:48:00.021+05:30

Happy friendship day to all my old and new found friends out there. Hope you all reconnected with the ones who meant most to you on "Friendship" day. Partly to be blamed is the over exposure through the social networking sites that have set new formats for friendships, I felt that 'friendship day' has lost its glory . We keep in touch with the whole pool of "facebook friends" with a pretty diluted kind of connect. I loved it better, few years back when I found my mail inbox flooded with mails from specific people addressed only to me. And thats when I realised that life is much better just by sharing the world with them.

When my daughter tied a white satin ribbon on my wrist on Saturday night telling that I am her first best friend, she made me feel very special :) All of Sunday, my little one spent time making paper friendship bands, colouring them and scribbling sweet reminders of her friendships, and I later realized it was time well-spent. Monday she returned from school with 14 friendship bands tied to her little wrist and showed it off with pride. The smile on her face was worth a fortune! I learnt a few things that day; that friends need your time. They need your appreciation and also acknowledgment. And they are your investment. The returns would be a hug, a smile, a walk in the garden, a phone call or a cup of coffee when you most need them.

I wish to thank all you lovely people for being there in whatever way you are, adding relevance to my being in this realm of time and space. Happily remembering all the wonderful times that we spent together, this song is just for you,
FRIENDS will be FRIENDS, by Queen

"Happy Friendship Day"

(This old BUDDY LIST has grown in the last two years and needs to be updated.)

Thank Gaud!!

2011-07-30T18:44:00.025+05:30

The master sculptor took four steps backward as to get a full view. He smiled, removed his spectacles, threw it onto the nearby table, pulled back the curls from his forehead and tied them into a bushy pony-tail. He suddenly became thoughtful and spoke softly to himself, "The scriptures say, that no work of art should be made absolutely perfect. But this one most definitely IS!".

He thought for a long second, walked up to his masterpiece and added an extra thumb to it's right hand. He smiled again as he breathed life into it.

Thank God For Hrithik Roshan!
(Check out the video on YouTube)

Eureka!

2011-07-29T21:55:00.001+05:30

I found what I was searching for. The best tip in parenting.

"Between the stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response.

In our response lies our growth and happiness."

I am writing it here so that I will be reminded till it sinks into the system.

Kid, You'll Move Mountains :)

2011-07-25T10:30:00.024+05:30

Went for our 4th annual monsoon trek on Saturday 23rd July with the IIT team to Lohagad.

Daughter trekked all the way casually chatting with Deepti, her favorite person at IIT. I overheard parts of their conversations.

Daughter to Deepti: "Deepti, when I grow up I will be a trader, living in Japan. I will come to Lohagad for camping. Then I will go to Mumbai, to Rajasthan, then to Kerala and Wayanad. From there I will go to Spain and take part in the tomatino festival. I would then go again to Japan and repeat this every year.... Deepti, where will you be?"

Deepti: I will be in Hyderabad. Will you come there?

Daughter: I will see. I am not sure about it now :-)

Dedicating the below lines of Dr Seuss to my little champion; planning to gift her the book.

"You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself

Any direction you choose.

You’re on your own. And

you know what you know.

And YOU are the guy who’ll

decide where to go."

"You’ll get mixed up,

of course, as you

already know.

You’ll get mixed up

with many strange birds

as you go.

So be sure when you step.

Step with care and great

tact and remember that...

...Life’s A Great

Balancing Act."

"And will you succeed?

Yes! You will, indeed!

(98 and ¾ percent

guaranteed.)

KID, YOU’LL MOVE

MOUNTAINS!"

Our first monsoon trek was to Kalsubhai when my daughter was a little less than 3 years old . We reached upto an iron bridge, covering almost 50%. Second was to Lohagad when she was almost 4.5 years where we did almost 80%. Third was to Siddhagad last year where we again did about 60%. This trek is her first trek, unassisted and completed, that too exactly 2 years after our first attempt (Saturday, 25th July 2009).
Chk the links below:
Lohagad: Previous trek.
Oh.. The Places You'll Go!

Divine Encounters

2011-07-21T14:43:00.015+05:30

"Forgot to tell you, but I saw a small gathering in front of B wing while I was stepping out yesterday morning. Looked like it happened the night before. I felt it was the Swamy downstairs. You may want to confirm", said hubby over phone. I called up the security cabin and confirmed. It was indeed the Swamiji downstairs. My daughter's friend, must be in his mid 70s, he came down to the B Wing lobby every day at 5.00 pm, in his wheelchair accompanied by his assistant. He used to stay till 6.00 pm and watch the kids play. May his soul rest in peace!

This is how it all started. About an year back, daughter came running to me saying that there is a Swamiji downstairs who is distributing sweets to the children. She said she got one too, but wanted to eat it after I agree. Thanks for our very own moral story sessions (Lemcy stories, which I will explain sometime in the future) that included one about why we shouldn't eat sweets given by strangers, she didn't eat it before asking me. She said the Swamy gave sweets only to the kids who recited the Gayatri Mantra correctly. I went downstairs with her, saw a feeble old man wearing saffron, with hair white like snow, sitting in a wheelchair. His assistant was standing by. I asked my daughter how long has he been there, she said he's been coming regularly for past few weeks and that he stays with his relatives in B wing. I allowed her to have the sweet.

I have seen him a few times after that, every time exactly at the same spot. And I noticed the line of children standing in front of him memorizing the Gayatri Mantra grew longer with time. I never had the courage to walk upto him and talk, but for some reason, I was never able to ignore him too. Sometimes, my daughter would break away in the middle of some interesting conversation saying that it is 5 pm and she would be right back in 10 minutes with a sweet in her mouth. Thats how it has been, on and off. Last weekend, while were going for an evening outing, I saw him again. Daughter ran to him, recited the Mantra and came back empty handed. yet smiling. She didnt complain. I showed him to hubby saying that it was the Swamiji I was referring to. I felt that there was a special glow to him, this time.

So when I got hubby's call, I started thinking of whether/how to tell my six year old! I e-mailed Pops (my reference guide for all earthly affairs) who replied that I could tell her that the Swamy wont be coming down as he has gone to meet his elders; and that he plans to stay there for a long time. Pops also told me of how to handle an emotional situation if she couldnt take it in easily. So I was well prepared what to tell her. Told her that Swamiji wont be coming to the lobby anymore and was caught by surprise by her question, "What, did he pass away? No wonder I was did not find him there these days. Tell me, when and how did this happen?". The promptness of her questions was something that I was not prepared for. I explained to her briefly and she listened carefully.

I asked her whether she was upset. She asked me, "What do you think?". She sat next to me in silence for few minutes, a silence I think I could decipher.

My two cents worth

2011-07-15T19:27:00.008+05:30

Wedding bells are ringing for a few lucky ones in my close vicinity. Found an excellent read on marriage, by Suson Dixon, who speaks based on experience that the health of a marriage depends on its purpose. Sharing the link with the good intention of helping all those eager/anxious 'wanna/gonna get married' s out there. Read the given article together, ten times before you prepare your wedding vows. Please find a mutually agreeable, good enough reason to go forward. Else go for it, only if you have the confidence that one of you can make the two of you work! That's my two cents worth, on relationship.

Wish you a holy matrimony.

Marriage - What's the point?

You're Still the One

2011-07-13T01:14:00.006+05:30

"Want you to know

That I have no clue

What I would do -

If I didn't have you

To run back into...."

Playing You're still the one, just for you!

Happy birthday, Love
Your worse half.

Back to Basics

2011-07-12T23:32:00.013+05:30

When I started "Oxy-I-Gen" in Sept 2008, it had a specific purpose. To communicate. To express. It was never intended for 'knowledge seeking and sharing'. It was to share the little things in life, which is what it actually did. It kept me grounded and sane, improved self reliance and kept my truths alive.

That's when the desire for professional discourse started to surface. To keep the energy flowing, to keep the work from getting stale, to meet self expectations and retain uniqueness. There was this pressing need to unbuild the popular myths about architecture as a profession. That is how "Arkitalks" took life in Sept 2009.

I am again at such a juncture, faced with the urge to create a knowledge based platform investigating "bamboo", my new found love. I am sure it is going to be as rewarding a journey just like the earlier two. Introducing to you with pleasure, "Back to Basics: Building with Bamboo" set for another enticing experience.

I don't wanna know!

2011-07-06T22:34:00.030+05:30

Come on, for God's sake, I really dont care!!

The last things I would want to know are the details of Aishwarya Rai's pregnancy!! And Abhishek Bachchan's temple offerings and Rakhi Sawant's prayers (blessings ?) for the expecting couple ... Last 10 days or so, I have been trying hard to skip (but invariably end up reading a few lines on..) the pregnancy related news while I flip through the daily news papers. The media's gone absolutely bonkers over this piece of information that has got neither social relevance nor entertainment value!

I get a daily update about Aishwarya's health in the FM Radio/TV channel, get bored and change to another channel only to listen to a heated argument on her chances of having twins. At my work desk, I log off mail box, only to find links with glossy images of the blushing couple hugging each other. I hear people betting on whether it will be a boy or a girl, at bus stops; I even get sms alerts, free of cost, on my mobile! By now I know everything from the date of conception to her mother in law's pregnency recipes. Give me a break, please! I DO NOT WANT TO KNOW any of these, I swear!

Let me put it this way - It is more like, the news's been chasing me even when I am taking no active interest and trying to avoid follow up. Living in Mumbai, how do I avoid such irritating information overload? In this information era, how do I excuse myself from being bombarded with irrelevant news? Do I have a choice ?

Little Girl Writer :)

2011-07-05T23:45:00.004+05:30

My six year old has written her 10 th post. Do check out the link to my daughter's blog, "MY BIRDIE'S NEST"
http://mybabybird.blogspot.com/

What women should do, perhaps?!

2011-07-02T12:34:00.047+05:30

I return to the 'most honest blog' to get out of my ill feelings over a recent incident! I was feeling irritated about gender disparity that's a social reality even in this modern age. There still aren't many men on earth who would like to hear the free thinking and opinions of a woman, loud and clear, especially if it is in conflict with their personal interests. And there is no point in waiting for the 'few good men' to emerge from heaven.

Women should work hard to raising themselves above social expectations, they should aim towards attaining a spectacular education, a balanced world view, a good sense of humour over and above developing all those super abilities allowing them to take care of themselves, the spouses, children, parents and other dependents. And yeah, be prepared to feel like the world is on your shoulders, cos, it actually is!!

Women should learn to handle their own expectations and also remember to throw away their emotional baggages from time to time. They should maintain a steady income source and secure some investment for future. They should practise charity as a virtue to gain strength from, and above all, keep their inner lights alive by pursuing a passion close to their hearts!

Not the easy way, may not be the only way, but it is my way, anyway!! And here I go again, keeping my right foot forward, with God (virtue and lots of luck) on my side. Urge all my girl friends to think over - Every woman trying to rise above the gender stereotyping, is not just doing good for themselves and their daughters, but also humbly contributing towards the gradual progress of women who are rightly referred to as the 'missing women'.

Do check the link below:
Many Faces Of Gender Inequality - An essay by Amartya Sen.

Ramblings

2011-06-21T19:19:00.013+05:30

Sis called to say that mom's at our old house where we grew up and was thinking about us. She said mom's remembering us as kids, and was thinking about instances like giving me a bath as a child. I wasn't an easy child as far as I remember, and what I have grown up into owes a great deal to the unending stream of patience and trust that my parents possessed! Wonder where it was rooted, must be what's known as love, unconditional!

As a reply to this, I yelled at sis to put her off, said such indulgence in old memories is a luxury that people like us don't deserve to have! We are supposed to set things right, every waking moment of the day. Emotions are killers to be battled off at all cost. I didnt let the conversation go on and told her to not lend ears to such talks... Yes, I knew I was rambling, knew I maybe wrong.

I haven't paid attention to such thoughts after I realized that they are not helping much! They drain energy. They make you feel sad and take pity on the current state of affairs. That fails you in pulling life together. And when that happens you end up burdening yourself and others around you! I do miss the naive girl I used to be, who believed in fairy tales and indulged in dreams, but changed myself for the better as that wasn't sustainable.

Now I do not encourage any thought that weakens me at the knees, as I wish to go forward, not backward. So that's what it has been all about! I remember my parents shifting to our new house in Trichur leaving behind our Alleppey home for 30 years. I didn't cry about it even for a day. True that I had a disturbed sleep that night - full of nightmares - but I woke up just fine. I didn't talk it out to anyone, not even to my parents or sis who made my 30 wonder years!

Yes, I call it an achievement. I live in today, so that the yesterdays are safely locked away for me to safeguard and take energy from. I pray that I build my tomorrows so strong, that I will be of help to the ones who showered tonnes of love without burdening me with expectations. My prayer is that this monsoon blesses me with a lightning of power to do all the things that I am supposed to do, get above ordinary and be there for the ones who need me most!

Mom, know that I wouldn't listen to you when you share your thought from the past because I, with all my shortcomings, am trying to build myself up, strong!! .. For me, for you, for all of us.

Much love and a bear hug,
Me!

Prayers :)

2011-06-21T17:04:00.022+05:30

A bad migraine day for mom. Baby, for a change, is in charge allowing mom to take rest. She tucks mom in the blanket, feels all grown up, sits on the bed - next to mom - with a book to read. Mom sleeps off.

Phone rings, baby picks up the call. It is a long pending call from Ruby, mom's friend (baby's best friend's mom). Mom overhears the rest of the conversation half awake. Baby tells her that mom's sleeping, asks whether she can convey the message. She continues, "No, I was joking to her in the class today morning. Mom has not yet given me a baby sister, she's still praying to God for one!!". Giggles on both ends of the phone, call ends!

Mom smiles thinking about the 'prayers' conversation that happened few days back, turns around and sleeps off. (Yeah, still praying to God :-))

An odd kind of mom

2011-06-15T13:39:00.019+05:30

Baby: Mamma, what is your favorite fruit?
Mom: Goose berry.
Baby: Mamma, your favorite vegetable?
Mom: Bitter gourd.
Baby: And who is your favorite child?
Mom: You!
---------------
Baby: You know, you are an odd kind of Mamma, but the best kind too!
Mom: :-)

It so rained!

2011-06-14T18:59:00.036+05:30

It was yet another beautiful rain that cleansed from within. Fell in love with the rain drops that washed away the weariness of years from my face. Love, like paradise, is always found only to be lost. Kept my eyes closed long enough knowing that the handful of love that rained, wouldn't be there when I opened my eyes! Then it rained so heavily that I knew, it was just another blinding rain.

The 'Alienated Tribal Land Restoration' Issue in Kerala

2011-04-21T11:28:00.010+05:30

This post is my study of the 50 year old, unsettled 'Tribal Land Issue' in Kerala. Quite an eye opener, this case is a clear demonstration of the disconnect that happens in the policy formulation, implementation and regulatory processes. Interesting exercise where layman's justice widely differs from the political justice!

WARNING: This write up is not for easy browsing, so read on with a bit of time in hand :)
*********************************************************************
The issue of alienated tribal land restoration
The northern and eastern hill districts of Kerala are home to various tribal groups. These tribal people, though they depended entirely on the forests for their food and livelihood, traditionally did not have the concept of land ownership. In their culture the land and the forest was a gift of Mother Nature to be enjoyed and protected by all. Over the years tribal lands were systematically taken over by “settler farmers” from other parts of the state, who were used to the concept of individual property ownership, and who understood the multi year value of land ownership. These settlers over time acquired possession of substantial portion of the tribal lands. Since the indigenous population did not understand the concept of ownership, there was probably no “original owner” for most of these settled lands, or the acquisition was done at throw away rates. By the 1950’s the Adivasis realized that this process would lead to the indigenous population loosing all rights on their traditional homeland, and started demanding restoration of their usage rights over forest land that had gone into private possession.

A series of interventions were made by the government of Kerala to ensure protection to Adivasi lands. As per the 1975 Act, Kerala's tribal people were assured that their alienated land would be restored to them and that all transactions of tribal land after January 1, 1960 would become invalid. About 8000 applications were filed by the tribal people but successive governments failed to implement the provisions of the Act. For all practical purposes, the bill remained invalid for 25 years due to increased pressure from the settler farmers on the government. Government amended the Act, first in 1996, and when it failed to get the President's assent, again in 1999 making only the transactions after 1985 invalid. Only 4,500 applications were filed after the 1999 Act. It is argued that not much land was alienated after 1985 and what the tribal people were eventually made eligible for was negligible compared to what they were entitled to.

The Kerala tribal people, in their multi-decade long war were so far seeking the restoration of land that was alienated from them over the years. Government legislation and court verdicts over the years were also aimed at reestablishing the Adivasis’ ownership rights. However overtime both parties have realized that undoing past transactions is not practical, especially when the current owners are in the majority and in a position of power. Hence recently Adivasis have dropped their demand for restoration of alienated land, and are asking for any equivalent land. They are demanding five acres of land for each landless tribal family. The government is in principal agreeable to this solution, however it wants to award only 1 acre per family, mainly citing unavailability of adequate land. Moreover the Adivasis want “equivalent land” in their traditional forests – however the government is offering available land, which tribal contend is almost barren and uncultivable. The most practical solution would probably be a combination of the above – award of usage rights in large tracts of protected forest and semi forest areas to tribal communities, combined with substantial government investment in developmental programmes aimed at integrating Adivasis into mainstream society.

Policy Interventions over the years
Nehru formed the ‘Girijan Cooperatives’ in 1956 to monitor the tribes' economic improvement, subsequent to which a commission known as the Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes was formed under the Chairmanship of U. N. Dhebar on 28th April, 1960. The Dhebar Commission's major recommendation was that all the tribal land alienated since January 26, 1950, the day the Indian constitution came into force, should be returned to their original rightful owners.

Though the Dhebar commission did make its recommendations in 1960, further steps were delayed indefinitely due to the pressure from the settler farmers. The settler farmers lobbied against government moves and used power and influence against immediate implementation of the recommendations. Meanwhile, the Kerala Land Reforms Act of 1963 helped the tenants to become owners of tenancy land. To appease the agitated settler farmers, amendments were done in 1969 in the ‘Kerala Land Reforms (Amendment) Act’ of 1963 that conferred tenant status to settler farmers who had acquired tribal lands. The implementation of ceiling on holding and re-distribution of surplus land came in to force from early 1970. Following the Land Reforms Act, alienation of tribal lands became severe in Kerala during the period 1972 – 1982. That was when ‘The Patent Act 1975’ came about invalidating transfer of Adivasi lands to non Adivasis. Further to this, ‘Policy of regularization of unauthorized occupation of forests and tribal lands by settler farmers’ was made by passing special rules.

A significant step towards the alienation of tribal land issue was the ‘The Kerala Scheduled Tribes (Restriction on Transfer of Lands and Restoration of Alienated Lands) Act, 1975’. The Act was unanimously passed by the Kerala Assembly, while C. Achutha Menon was Chief Minister and EMS Namboodiripad was the Opposition leader. Government supported it to the extend that the alienated tribal lands was declared to be considered as ‘stolen property’. It assured restoration of all the lands lost by the Kerala Adivasis from January 26, 1960, instead of 1950 as suggested by Debar Commission.

In July the same year, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi put forth a 20-Point Programme as part of the Emergency measures. It included restoration of alienated tribal lands back to the Adivasis and banning of about 14 Naxalite groups who were actively waging armed struggle in tribal belts throughout India. Also ‘The Kerala Scheduled Tribes (Restriction on Transfer of Lands and Restoration of Alienated Lands) Act, 1975’ got the mandatory assent of Indian Presient and was also included in the 9th Schedule of Indian Constitution on 5. November 11, 1975. After 1975, the Kerala Scheduled Tribes Act had remained dormant for 10 yrs under the successive UDF-LDF Governments of Kerala to implement the Act. Rules and regulations were standardized only by 1986 and it was again decided that all transactions from January 1, 1982 to 1986 would be treated as invalid. The retrospective effect was decided bypassing 1950 fixed by Debar Commission and 1960 by the parent Act.

In 1988, Dr. Nalla Thampi Thera of Mananthavadi, Wayanad, submitted petition before Kerala High Court pleading to instruct Kerala Government to implement the Tribal Land Act of 1975. The UDF Government led by K. Karunakaran seeked repeated extensions to scuttle implementation of the law. In April 1996 an attempt was made by the UDF Government to bring an Ordinance amending the 1975 Act. This was rejected by the Governor on the ground that it violated the election code. In May 1996, LDF Government led by E. K. Nayanar occupied power and an amendment of the Act followed in 1999.

The 1975 Act was amended by government, for implementation in a way protecting the settler farmers not the suffering Adivasis. The new bill was put forth under the name Kerala restriction on transfer and restoration of lands to scheduled tribes, 1999 in which the word alienated was quietly dropped to protect the settler farmers. There was clearly a violation of civil rights act and the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes prevention of atrocities act 1989. So as a result of these two amendments in 1996 and 1999 there was a complete rewriting of the patent act as to abandon all tribal land rights. In August 9, 1996 the Principle Secretary for SC-ST Development informed the High Court through an affidavit about the Government’s inability to implement the 1975 Act due to organized resistance from the powerful encroacher-settlers in tribal belt.

On August 14, 1996 High Court gave firm direction to implement the Act within six weeks ending 30 September 1996. In September 1996, the LDF Government also tried to bring an Ordinance seeking to amend the 1975 Act which, too, was rejected by the Governor. In September 1996 the government applied undue pressure and threatened the Palakkad District Collector, Dr. W. R. Reddy, and preventing implementation of the law before the September 30 deadline set by High Court, especially in Attappadi tribal belt. On September 23, 1996, the Kerala Assembly passed the Kerala Scheduled Tribes (Restriction on Transfer of Land and Restoration of Alienated Lands) Amendment Bill, 1996 which scuttled the whole spirit of the 1975 parent Act. It held legal and valid all transactions of tribal land between 1960 to January 24, 1986.

Adivasis tried to assert their land rights and were crushed as done in Cheengeri (1995), Panavally (1997), and the series of state violence at Muthanga from 1999 to 2000. In October 4, 1996, the Ayyankali Pada group of Naxlites held Palakkad District Collector, Dr. W. R. Reddy, as hostage demanding withdrawal of the amendment bill and total implementation of the 1975 parent Act. The Adivasi demands were the total implementation of the 1975 Tribal Land Act and also the Scheduled Areas Act in Kerala to enable the tribals to govern their traditional tribal belt in true spirit of decentralisation of political and economic power as well as to deny land ownership rights in Tribal areas to non-Tribals from the plains. Following this, In 1999 and 2000 respectively, the High Court rejected both the 1996 and 1999 Amendment Bills.

On August 14, 2001, following starvation deaths in Adivasi belts, a group of Adivasis, supported by radical Naxalite groups, snatched food stuffs from the Government-owned mobile van at Noolpuzha area in Wayanad. It was this Noolpuzha incident which once again drew nation-wide attention to the unending plight of Adivasis in Kerala due to repeated State violations and which resulted in the present spate of agitations by different Adivasi bodies, including the ongoing one in front of the Secretariate led by Ms. C. K. Janu. Adivasi Dalit Samara Samiti negotiated a fresh pact after 48 day struggle in 2004. 37% Adivasi households are still landless and their struggle continues till date.

Possible reasons for the dissatisfactory outcome

This is a study of the Kerala Tribal land reforms issue and an effort to find out what the Kerala government did (or did not do), why they did it, and what difference did it make. It has probed into the 3 main factors of a 50 year long iterative policy process which failed miserably in doing justice to the intent. The social and economic conditions of the stake holders viz. the Adivasis and the settler farmers actually led to modifications of the policy multiple times and ended up with a complete disconnect from the desired effect. This was easy when the political system that is instrumental in policy framing, implementation and regulation, went against the commission’s recommendations and amended the act in favour of the powerful community of the two in dispute. The Main factors that affected the ‘alienated triabl land restoration’ policies are the socio economic disparities and power positions assumed by the interest groups. This is dynamics is evident in the figure given below.

The heart of the issue is the contention on property ownership. Adivasis contend that the tribal lands belonged to them collectively and hence it could not have been legally “sold” by anyone to the settler farmers. The settlers on the other hand assert twin rights to their land – tenancy rights and ownership rights. The government is caught in the middle – on one hand the validity of the Adivasis’ traditional hunter gatherer lifestyle is evident, but on the other hand it has a responsibility to protect individual property ownership of the current owners. The issue is made more complex by the fact that substantial time has elapsed between the original contentious transaction, and the period when redressal is being sought. Further the dynamics of power and influence of the two communities on democratically elected politicians is also very evident in this issue. The policy model in consideration falls in the category of incremental model. The Dhebar commission report was the first investigative intervention made by the government which resulted in a clear set of recommendations. Dhebar commission 1960 resulted in The Kerala Scheduled Tribes Act (restriction on transfer of lands and restoration of alienated land on or after Jan 1960) which imposed restriction on restriction on transfer of lands and restoration of alienated land on or after Jan 1960. There was no further action on the recommended path for the next 15 years as it created friction with the settlers and such with vested interests. Due to increasing pressure for action, the Patent Act 1975 came about invalidating of transfer of adivasi lands to non adivasis.

The Kerala scheduled tribes act, 1975 which clearly stated restoration of alienated land, remained dormant for 10 yrs. It was later amended by the successive governments twice, with relaxed effective dates of land transfer, each time. Successive governments twisted the issue beyond recognition and the amendment actually protected the settler farmers not the tribals. This is a good example where incremental model of policy was adopted to handle a complex situation where the government had to face the righteous demands of the tribals and also satisfy the powerful settlers, who had by then secured ownership of the land. The government acted in a way favoring the settlers and completely rewrote the act with every incremental intervention; this in itself is a clear evidence for the weakness of the ‘incremental approach’ in policy making.

References
1. http://ebookee.org/dl/Kerala-Development-Report-By-Government-of-India-Planning-Commission/
2.http://www.lawsofindia.org/statelaw/1921/TheKeralaScheduledTribesRestrictiononTransferofLandsandRestorationofAlienatedLandsAct1975.html
3. http://www.ambedkar.org/News/FactFiletb.htm
4. http://infochangeindia.org/200109096539/Other/Changemaker/C-K-Janu-Experience-is-my-guide.html
5. http://www.financialexpress.com/news/tribals-on-war-path-in-wayanad/73483/0
6. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/keyword/muthanga

Gender, Seasonality and Daily Activity

2011-03-27T11:12:00.014+05:30

Focus Group Discussion:

The findings are the result of a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) conducted in a certain Maharashtrian village of about 200 households, as part of my social science research. The focus was to find out gender perspectives on water availability for daily activities and other related issues. About 25 women of age groups ranging from 16 to 53 attended the FGD. There were a few girls who were trying to understand the discussions. The education level of the group ranged from 4th standard to 10th standard.

All the households represented by the participant women were primarily agricultural. They depended on rain fed single crop rice cultivation as their primary source for sustenance. The village women followed a homogenous lifestyle and routine where they took care of the household needs like cooking, cleaning, child rearing etc. They also did water collection, fire wood fetching and farming activities, oil seed collection etc. They do seasonal sustenance activities like papad making and vegetable gardening. Few take up additional income generating activities like stitching, emu rearing for nearby farms and making leaf plates.

It was found out that there was a direct relationship between seasonality and wake up time. The daily routine switched between two cycles on the basis of wake up time. In the months November to March, May, June, August and September, the women started their days at 5 am, while in the months March to May, June, July and October, they started their days at 4 am. They followed the 4 am cycles in certain months so as to accommodate farming and related activities and also seasonal extra activities vegetable gardening, oil seed collection, frying and splitting of seeds, giving for oil extraction.

Women and farming:

It is observed that women play an active role in farming. The labor intensive part of farming is mostly done by the women. Right from the seed generation through sowing to weeding and harvesting, the women in the household play a very crutial role. This is over and above their expected roles at home and also house preparation for harvest and post harvest activities. The exercise brought out clear evidence that there is severe gender disparity in the distribution of physical labor. All laborious activities are bestowed on the ‘weaker sex’; men assuming the role stereotype of the bread winner, for no specific reason have it much easier than the women in the household.

Women and water:

Making water available for the entire household through out the day is entirely the women’s responsibility. There are two wells and 4 hand pumps (2 are not working) near serving the village. The nearest well is at an average distance of 1.5 kms and the farthest one is 3 kms away. While water is available in the nearest well in the non summer months, in the dry summer season, the far away well becomes the primary source of water. While a few families do go to the river for washing clothes and bathing, the river water is not considered as a reliable source of water for most activities since the quality is poor.

Women fetch water from the wells two times a day, morning and evening. They make on an average, 7 to 10 morning trips to the well and carry water in 3 pots balanced over their heads. The evening requirement is lesser than the morning, accounting for 1 to 3 trips only. They carry about 30 litres per trip. On this basis, the average daily water requirement of the household is estimated as 300 to 350 litres. The same water is used for all purposes ranging from cleaning, cooking and drinking. The women of the household spend on an average 2 to 3 hours in water fetching and related activities.

Not even one percent of men helped the women in their water collection activity even in situations like child birth or illness. In cases where the women are absolutely unable to collect water, men made water available in tanks carried in bullock carts. During child birth, the mother in law or some close women relative did the water collection on the women’s behalf for about a week or two. There are cases where women resumed to such intensive household activities within 5 days after child birth. During menstrual cycles, women continued the water fetching activity or took help of their daughters, not sons. Women suffered from regular neck and back pains and long term diseases like spondylitis.

Waiting

2011-01-18T10:10:00.050+05:30

(*)

"....time went by

waiting,

for life to begin.

till one fine day,

the wait did end -
waiting,

but so'd life...."

My above lines are dedicated to a favorite Dickens character, Miss Havisham (Great Expectations, 1860-1861). The unfortunate yet notorious woman from the English Classic is a case study, a foresight and a message for all to remember. The wealthy spinster gets shackled to herself while stubbornly waiting for the lost life 'in an armchair, with an elbow resting on the table'.(*)

A lady in her mid-fifties, she lives in the familiarity of her wrecked mansion shut away from sun and wind. Dickens attributes to her a prematurely old look that is described as 'a cross between a waxwork and a skeleton, with moving eyes'. I believe there is a Miss Havisham locked away in most women, like caged birds waiting for release, postponing lives!

Picturesque Pichavaram

2011-01-11T11:37:00.033+05:30

The picturesque 'Pichavaram' in Kadalur district of Tamil Nadu, looked like a surreal setting from a Steven Spielberg movie presenting a whole new point of view. While exploring the mangrove forests, I had the same gripping feelings of ecstasy, mystery and anxiety that I experienced watching 'Avatar'. These pictures are my best efforts to capture the beauty that surrounded me. Imagine that you are listening to cuckoos, crickets and squirrels, chirping away to glory! And then, imagine a chilling silence ... followed by a sudden spooky squeal!!

E.N.J.O.Y the E.X.P.E.R.I.E.N.C.E!

Images from Chennai

2011-01-10T21:07:00.004+05:30

Experiencing Marina Beach

2011-01-10T21:03:00.003+05:30

Mystic Madurai - 1

2011-01-09T21:25:00.002+05:30

Mystic Madurai - 2

2011-01-09T21:21:00.004+05:30

Visit to Vandalur Zoo!

2011-01-09T15:42:00.007+05:30

The Decade Gone By!

2011-01-06T17:48:00.027+05:30

I wouldnt rate the decade gone by as one of my best. The first half was of mistakes and the second half was of adaptation. Hit the rock bottom and bounced back, then it was all about survival. Had nothing to begin with! I moulted off few vital layers and then was reborn as a 'mother'.

And that is what I have been, for the rest of the decade - My daughter's mother, most of the time! Sometimes wife, daughter, sister ... friend! And occasionally, maybe very rarely, an architect, a researcher, an artist, a photographer, a writer!

I began the bygone decade with nothing more than a brand new B Arch degree, but ended it with a lot in hand. A family to take care of, a household to run, a job to look after, a place to go. Also a handful of friends to count on and to care for! That's enough reason to be happy!

My resolution for 2011 is to realize Lord's presence in this new found land, want to feel beautiful and worthy, want to spent time in good company! Want to be writing and reading, want to be happy and peaceful! Need to have courage and confidence, to face the new decade and live it well! I pray for God's grace to get me going!

Lord! Hold me by my hand, lead me through the dark - little by little, step by step, day by day - till there is light. Till there is light - at the end of this very long tunnel lying ahead of me - through the brand new decade! Let us welcome this new year with open arms and hearts! Am on with it, are you too?

This man, Obama!

2010-12-10T08:37:00.007+05:30

Just a bit of news, that may be considered silly in my part of the world, but I felt like sharing.
Check out the links below:
No Smoking in White House
Obama quits smoking!

Obama impressed me, and the masses of India, during his India visit. Not just that he made the country (read, most of the country) happy, he managed to stay as human as can be during the entire visit! My hubby doesnt appreciate this viewpoint wholeheartedly, but he hasn't come up with valid reasons for disagreement so far :-) Even though I am not in a position to be conclusive about him, I should say I like him for his lively ways. This man works on himself and that is inspiring. He has the right mix of smartness, confidence and willpower that I think helped him work his way up from a humble beginning to the head of state.

Good habits!

2010-12-05T13:05:00.013+05:30

Yesterday, I spent the evening with my daughter, teaching her "Good habits" for her Social Science test scheduled next week.

She memorised all the good 'eating, sleeping, cleaning, dressing and school' habits. She also revised 'good behaviours'.

There was an exercise at the end of the lesson which asked the kids to identify a good habit that they noticed in someone.

My daughter answered after a moment's thought, "Mama, you always keep your promise".

I felt proud - What a wonderful trait to have!! And to earn such a character certificate from my 6 year old constant companion!? Absolutely awesome!

Ohh, the pleasures of motherhood!

Decision December!

2010-12-03T19:14:00.021+05:30

I dont take surprises very well, especially if they are unpleasant ones! Have this habit of preparing myself for the worst conditions. I keep telling myself the worst case scenarios well in advance of their occurances, and feel safe if I experienced part of the shock and bitterness beforehand!

Recently noticed that I appear to be in severe stress and tension, most of the time! Actually, it was brought to my definite notice by a certain clever someone! Later realised that I am practising severe intolerence with my little one, and there definitely has to be some connection between these two facts.

True, life has not been too much of a smooth ride, but the fact of the matter is that I have still been riding all along! So why is this anxiety ?! It was in this moment of realisation that I decided to find a way out of this unending, self propagating loop. I cannot be preparing myself for 'worse circumstances' that could possibly happen, thereby end up creating 'them' for me and my close ones!

Thats when I decided that I will change - change something about myself! I will not transfer stress to my child, I will practise 100% non violence towards her, how much ever she tests my patience. And I will do this for 21 days, this December!

Today is day 2 and have 'managed' (bit my tongue, hid my head under a pillow, locked myself away) to stick to the decision. Guys, this is sure one of the most difficult of my tests. The short tempered person that I am known to be, needs your support now more than ever before!

It is time for Research!

2010-12-03T12:11:00.008+05:30

It is time for research!

The word 'research' was coined in the 1740's. What does it mean ?

The act of 'research' means 'to search' or 'search again'. It means 'to make an extensive investigation into'.

If I look at 'research' as a product, it means 'diligent and systematic investigation into a subject in order to discover or revise facts, theories, applications'.

My 'diligent and systematic investigation' should be to understand 'facts, theories and applications' of Indian Urbanisation.

I have analysed the 'history' of Indian urbanisation thoroughly, also made a grip on 'facts'.

Need to refresh the 'theories' taught at IIT Kharagpur 7 years back, and to explore the 'applications'.

In layman's language, 'research' means 'hardwork'. Lets see how much of 'that' will I be putting in.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also, I need to 're-search' the person I used to be, before the 'great depression' and the 'descent of the dark dawn'

A special day!

2010-12-01T11:58:00.002+05:30

Today is a special day - first landmark reached at IITB. First semester over, complete with assignments, projects, submissions, presentations and written examinations.

I should say, a semester well spend! I was intellectually engaged, never bored and felt good all along! This is how I would prefer my life to be.

Mindless in Mumbai!

2010-11-16T19:04:00.002+05:30

I am not boundless! I have limits, and limitations!
I am 'Mindless in Mumbai'!

The Cotton Farmer's Children

2010-10-25T19:24:00.018+05:30

Back from yet another field trip on 'Sustainable energy sources and their utilization'. Went to a solar based "gooseberry drying facilty" in Dhule district, Maharashtra, run by an iitian and maintained by a poor cotton farmer. Went around the facility and peeped into the darkness of the farmer's hutment only to be caught by two pairs of deep little eyes!! The expressions on their beautiful faces had a universality, representive of all the underprevilaged children of our world.

Reminded me of one of the most amazing songs sung by Siya Roy, from Jagjit Singh's gazal album "Cry for Cry". Attaching the youtube link as well as the lyrics, along with the picture I clicked! The look in their eyes has refused to fade from my memory.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl1lRf5MQCA

Maa…

Maa sunao mujhe woh kahaani,

Jisme Raja na ho, na ho Raani….

Jo humaari tumharii katha ho,

Jo sabhi ke hriday ki vyatha ho…

Gandh jisme bhari ho dharaa ki,

Baat jisme na ho apsara ki,

Ho na pariyaan jahaan aasmaani…

Maa sunao mujhe woh kahani

Jisme Raaja na ho, na ho Raani…

Woh kahaani jo hansana sikhaa de,

Pet kii bhookh ko jo bhula de…

Jisme sach ki bhari chaandni ho,

Jisme umeed ki roshni ho,

Jisme na ho kahaani puraani…

Maa sunao mujhe woh kahani

Jisme Raaja na ho, na ho Raani…

NERO'S GUESTS: P. Sainath

2010-10-11T10:38:00.013+05:30

Lucky lives like ours should not get corrupted; its never too late to build right perspectives. Please watch and please pass on the message - among ourselves and our kids! Pray that this helps someone, somewhere!
----------------------------------------------------------------------

The link below compiles the work of journalist and rural affairs editor of The Hindu, P.Sainath, covering the travails of people affected by the continuing agrarian crisis in many parts of the country.

http://pragoti.org/node/4156

Women and Energy

2010-10-08T21:25:00.010+05:30

This is my review of a paper by Dr. Amulya K. N. Reddi, co-written with Srilatha Batliwala, in 1996 signifying the role of rural women in development as entrepreneurs of micro energy enterprises. Felt like sharing!

THE STUDY - Rural energy consumption pattern.

Coverage

Pura village, Karnataka
56 Households, 357 population
1977

Focus on Demand Side

Rural consumption patterns
Gender issues in energy utilization
Household energy use

Cooking,
Firewood gathering, & fetching water
Domestic lighting
Agriculture, Live stock, grazing
Small occupational industries

Energy Sources

Human
Animals, (Bullocks)
Fuel wood
Kerosene
Electricity

KEY CONCERNS
Higher share of contribution of human energy, that too by women.

1,17,000 “man-hours” against 1,33,000 “woman hours”
Less food intake
Health impacts due to the kind of work.

Gender Disadvantage

Social, economic, political position
Lesser access to energy due to social status.

Energy Scarcity Syndrome

Absence of labour saving appropriate technologies, mostly affects women and children.
Neglect of nutrition of the women / girl child

Developmental Impact

Agricultural mechanization and commercialization of industries convert “woman jobs” into “man jobs”

PUTTING WOMEN FIRST

IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE: Twin goals of energy

Basic human needs (food, shelter, water, fuel, health, education),
Access to productive resources

Quality of life is impacted by unmet energy needs.

Children employed for collecting fuel-wood and water
No time for school, particularly for girls
Demand for child labour results in larger families

Implementation of Rural Energy and Water Supply Utility based on a community biogas plant system

Energy efficient cooking,
Clean water supply
Domestic lighting increases productive hours
Better and “Hygienic” fertilizer as byproduct
Energy to industries employing women, delaying marriage age and health impacts

EMPOWERING WOMEN ENERGY ENTERPRISES

Women are natural, trained “energy managers”
Women should have equal opportunity to access energy, change processes, development programs
As victims of energy consumption patterns – they are biggest beneficiaries of energy interventions
Experience of milk cooperatives, SEWA, etc shows that women are better managers of enterprises

Women can play a crucial role in micro enterprises

Timely repayment of small loans, decision makers
Naturally predisposed towards sustainability

State, multilateral, charitable agencies should create support systems to promote women micro energy entrepreneurs:

Ensure choice
Access to technology, resources.

Training and financing

The Harappan Cities

2010-10-08T20:54:00.006+05:30

Sharing some interesting facts about the history of urbanisation in India that I compiled as part of my research on Indian cities.

Urbanisation in Prehistoric India (2350-1800 BC)
Perhaps the oldest of settlements are the Paleolithic and Neolithic settlements more than 4500 years old that originated borders of Afghanistan and Baluchistan. They were Agriculture based and domesticated animals. Then there were larger village settlements with distinct urban attributes like use of stone and metals for making tools, storage of food grain and domestication of animals, pottery and clothing in the Indus Valley.

Theories of origin
View 1: Diffusion of Idea
The urban living ideas came to Indus valley from Mesopotamia through chance migration. This is as per following factors.
1. This view explains the abrupt origin of civilization in Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa.
2. The Mesopotamian urban attributes such as wheel turned pottery, art of writing, agriculture practices, river side settlement etc as seen in Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa.

View 2: Independent origin
This suggest independent origin with diffusion of specific ideas like wheel turned pottery, extraction techniques of Copper from ore etc. This holds well when the following factors are considered.
1. Rain fed and natural flood based agricultural practices prevailed as against the elaborate irrigation system found in Mesopotamia.
2. Motifs, shapes, artistic works, pottery are all indigenous.
3. System of writing, coins, weights are different from Mesopotamian systems.
4. City structure is found different.

Harappan people and their culture
The Harappan people and culture are considered product of Indian subcontinent and foundation for the composite Indian culture. The race composed of Proto Australoid, Mongoloid and Alpine origin and a dominant proportion of Mediterranean race. Harappans existed 1000 years before early Aryans and Dravidians (also primarily Mediterranean) who lacked the sophistication of urban spatial planning present in the Harappan cities. There is minor diffusion of ideas seen in their settlements but that doesn’t suggest direct inheritance.

Primarily agrarian people, settled in fertile plains on river banks, they depended on natural irrigation and cultivated barley, wheat, peas, seasum, cotton and rice. They reared sheep, cattle, buffalo, dogs, camels, pigs. Copper and bronze were used for tool making. No iron was in use. Gold, silver and bronze jewellery and vessels were made. Terracotta art and cotton textile industry were in existence. Systems of weights and measurements based on binary and decimal systems are evident. Deity worship of Gods and goddesses prevailed.

Urban Morphology of Harappan cities
Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa developed in the banks of navigable rivers Indus and Ravi respectively. They covered 2 sqm and had a population of 30,000. Mohenjo-Daro being the older city was rebuilt 9 times in it 800 years. Harappa was developed as a second capital. The twin cities hosted fully developed urban societies supported by rural villages around large urban centre.

The prominent common features of the twin cities are as below:

1. The Citadel, or the real capital: Situated on high grounds, on west side of the river, with fortified walls, large structures, palatial residences of nobles and high priests, great bath and the granary.
2. Lower City: EW and NS alignment with grid iron streets showing definite hierarchy (14m to 3m widths), elaborate covered drainage (separate sewers and storm water drains) with maintenance manholes. Earth ware pipes from residences connected to the drainage system, collected in soak pits at low areas for partial purification, before letting out to the river. Residences had brick lined wells of 1m diameter.
3. Housing: single room to multi room residences, palatial structures with courtyards and outer walls, all made of fired bricks. Separate privies and baths were attached to houses.

Other Harappan Towns:
Lothal: Raised city. Houses had mud brick walls to escape flood. City was zoned into industries, commercial, residential areas. Traded ivory, cotton, warefare objects. Lost in floods from 2000 BC to 1900 BC

Kalibangan, Rajasthan: Inferior structure, Upper and lower cities, grid iron streets, no drainage, indicates lower status of towns and decline of urbanization. Another port town in Baluchistan: Dock yard, citadel and lower town. Small towns – No citadels, lower status in urban hierarchy. From Baluchistan to upper UP – few towns & cities – accounted for less than 5% of Harappan population

Urban Rural relationship in Harappan times:
Few large cities, number of small towns, very large number of rural villages. Mutual co-operation, no conflict of interest between city and country; Cities and villages have common language, religions, customs and belief, cultural. Cities had political and economic leadership.

Villages – agriculture & pottery, ordinary textile industry
Cities – centers of production of goods. Variety of goods, luxury items, rich clothes, artistic ware, metal works, tools. Class of people enjoyed luxury, responsible for welfare, security of entire society.

Decline of Harappan Cities (2400 BC – 1900 BC)
View 1: Pressure on available land and infrastructure due to population growth led to houses extending to streets, partitioning of houses, mixing residential/ and non residential uses, deterioration of infrastructure led to slow urban decline over a period of 2 centuries and ultimate abandonment. The eventual disappearance could be flood or invasive destruction. Weak agricultural technology, decline in land fertility, droughts, lack of agricultural surplus, overcrowding.

View 2: Invasion of early Aryans (references in Rigveda) who were village folk who were not did not revive cities. Baluchistan, invasion from S Russia. Harappans lacked defensive structures.

The Harappan cities came to an end by 1800 BC. The high sophistication attained during the Harappan times was never repeated thereafter.

10 Rules of Economics.

2010-09-20T17:02:00.007+05:30

During my school days, I was 'allergic' to economics. I hated it to the core and eventually started disliking all numerals intoto. And I would be dishonest if I took a stance that I never regretted about it. So, when I attended the lecture today afternoon in 'Development Economocs' I looked at it as a second chance.. to refresh the fundamentals that I never really cared for when they were introduced to me.

As a first step, I thought of looking up the '10 rules of Economics' By Greg Mankiw. It goes like this:

1) Everyone faces trade offs

2)The cost of something is what you give up to get it.

3)Rational people think at the margin

4)Everyone responds to incentives

5)Everyone benefits from trade

6)Markets are a good way to organize economic activity.

7)The government can sometimes improve market outcomes.

8)A country's standard of living depends on its ability to produce goods and services.

9)Prices rise as the government prints too much money.

10)Society faces a short-run trade off between inflation and unemployment.

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

I will need time to get this into my thinking system. Let it remain in the blog till then.

Exam Time and I'm LOVIN' It!

2010-09-15T09:33:00.013+05:30

Exams are here before I knew, while I was just soaking in the fact that I am back to academic life.

Exams have shaken up things a bit. I have 3 exams this semester, and a seminar to present. This one is the mid sem series! I am burning the mid light lamp already. Daughter is co-operative about Mama's "home works" and "evaluation tests". And she regularly checks how it goes. Hubby is encouraging - to the extend that he bought me a lovely eco-friendly gift for use in campus - a 'bicycle'!!

Will post pics of my bike in the next post. Right now I have some serious reading to do!

Solar Steam Cooking System, Shirdi, Maharashtra, India

2010-09-07T13:35:00.022+05:30

(Introducing a new section called "Appropriate technology" to share my assimilated learnings and relevant information on India specific technological solutions. Here goes my first post in this section)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Introduction:
The Solar Steam Cooking System installed at the Shirdi Sai Sansthan, Maharashtra in 2009 caters to the Sai Prasadalaya at the temple complex where the prasada is prepared for 30,000 visitors on a daily basis. It came as the result of the Sansthan looking out for innovative solutions for reducing overhead charges in the running of the temple complex. The enormous solar steam cooking system, capable of cooking 40,000-50,000 meals per day is also the World’s largest Solar Cooking facility. Another sizable one installed in India is at Tirumala Tirupati, designed to cook two meals for 15,000 persons in one day.

Technology:

The system comprises of 73 rooftop-mounted reflective dishes of 16 square meters each which concentrate sunlight on receivers that contain water. The water is converted into high pressure steam, which is piped down to the divine kitchen for cooking purposes. The dishes are manually aligned to the sun every morning and after which they auto-rotate during the day as to maintain constant focus with the sun. During evenings and prolonged periods of inclement weather, LPG powered steam boilers are used. It was installed by Gadhia Solar Energy Systems Pvt. Ltd. who has adapted the German technology for use in India, and has installed 50 such systems of varying sizes over the past two decades.

Economics:

Prior to installation of the System, the Central government had declared Shirdi as a ‘Solar City’. Hence government encouraged the initiative and subsidies were provided which reduced the cost from $30,000 to $170, 000. The solar steam cooking system helped reduce the LPG use by roughly 100,000 kilograms annually. The saving by the LPG reductions accounts to an annual saving of approximately $45,000 and the payback period is not more than three to four years.

Appropriateness:

The solar cooker was first developed about 20 years ago. This technology failed to meet rural cooking requirements despite cost savings for two reasons:

i) The solar stove was most powerful during mid-day and early afternoon, whereas the villagers cooked their big meals in the morning and at night.

ii) The stove only allowed boiling or slow-cooking only whereas Indian cooking requires frequent temperature manipulation and flipping and turning.

Solar steam Technology has found commercial uses and also mass cooking applications like the Shirdi and Tirumalai examples. The Shirdi Sai Sansthan installation has no imported components. All components were manufactured by local machinery and labour.

Monsoon Magic

2010-08-28T15:13:00.002+05:30

-----------------------------------------------------------------
As promised, here I share with you my humble attempts to capture the monsoon magic in God's own Kerala.

Butterflies!

2010-08-26T21:48:00.017+05:30

Posting a few butterfly pictures I clicked on my birthday @ Amrutham, Trichur. 'Amrutham' has a very organic garden - simple and sober - with nothing spectacular about it. All these pretty little fluttering wings were having fun. The best part was that I didnt hunt for them anywhere. They were all there, all the time, just in our front yard. Check the link for a view of the garden.

http://arkitalks.blogspot.com/2010/03/amrutham-full-of-life.html

All the pictures are of different butterflies. There were many more that I couldnt click; especially miss a very beautiful one with a single yellow spot in the centre of its black wings. Some of the pictures below were clicked by my 5 yr old, while I was on phone answering birthday calls. It was a very enriching experience and something you could count in as 'REAL FUN' on a birthday!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2010-08-21T16:41:00.009+05:30

Happy Birthday To Me!

This birthday is different in many ways! The only birthday note that I wrote this year is for myself! I didnt cut cake; didnt do the things I would've normally done! For a change this year, I am in the laid back village named 'Rappal' in Trichur, Kerala, photographing butterflies!

Tomorrow is 'Onam'. Kerala is her greenest around this time of the year as monsoon is thinking of taking a short break. Plants are bearing blooms in dozens. All bugs, bees and butterfiles are busy intoxicating themselves with nectar. Ask me how it feels ? Next to heaven! More, when I wake up from this dream!

Love,
LS

Pingali Venkayya - The Man behind the Tricolour!

2010-08-15T10:53:00.004+05:30

Pingali Venkayya (August 2, 1876 - July 4, 1963) is considered "the designer" of the Indian national flag. He was born in Bhatlapenumarru, near Masulipatnam (present day Machilipatnam of Andhra Pradesh, India). After high school at Machlipatnam, he went to Colombo to complete his Senior Cambridge. On returning to India, he worked as a railway guard, then as a government employee at Bellary, and later moved to Lahore to join the Anglo-Vedic College to study Urdu and Japanese.

He was an accomplished person on many fronts. He was immensely knowledgeable in geology and obtained a doctorate in it. He was an authority on diamond mining in Andhra Pradesh and was popularly known as 'Diamond Venkayya'. He also specialised in agriculture and spent most of his fortune in experimenting with ginger plantations in Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh. He served in the British Indian army during the Anglo-Boer wars in South Africa. It was there he came in contact with Mahatma Gandhi and was influenced by his ideology.

During the National conference of Indian National congress at Kakinada, he suggested that we should have a flag of our own. Gandhi liked this idea and said it would be good if he could come up with a design. During the National conference at Vijayawada, he proposed the Tricolour with a charkha at the middle. Gandhi liked the flag and this was later adopted as the National flag of India with the Ashok Chakra at the centre.

(Source Wikipedia)

With FREEDOM, comes ...

2010-08-15T10:36:00.013+05:30

With Freedom comes Responsibility.

Responsiblity to exercise, with discretion.

A gift to be guarded and passed on,

With sense and sensibility -

A sense to value, take pride in.

The sensibility to not deny or misuse.

With Freedom comes Great Responsibility!

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

"Happy Independence Day"

Sustainability and Education: The India Model

2010-08-11T21:37:00.034+05:30

Here is a thought that surfaced during my field trip. I wouldn't have stumbled upon this idea if I were anywhere else in the world! This thought occured to me while I stayed put in the lone hut to escape heavy rain, right in the middle of nowhere!

3 generations co-habited with 15 cattle - big and small, a dog and 2 dozen chicken in an 8m X 10m single room house in perfect harmony. They grew their own food, drank the river water - the 'representative rural poor' of India! No money, no electricity, no education, no specialised health care. Why do they need it ? I couldnt find a good enough reason why! So here is my proposal for a three step "sustainability model" for India. I am not being sarcastic at all, I believe in this!

The Three Tier Education Model for Sustainable India

1. Educate for export to whichever corner of the world possible, our enlightened demanding high quality population resource. (Educating the Intellectuals)

2. Teach the remaining ones to manage aspirations. (Educating the Ordinary)

3. Teach their kids fundamentals of green living in schools. (Educating for the Future)

IITs and IIMs (we need more of such institutes) are doing a favour by aiding training and export of quality brain to countries with resources (who says brain drain is bad!). India doesnt really need all these thriving high IQ high maintenance people. We trade them off to countries who can afford to sustain them with the hope that some day they will invest back home for the ones left behind - one percent salary, maybe!

Brain Gym!

2010-08-10T20:30:00.011+05:30

Thats what I find myself in - "The Brain Gym"!

Tons of stimulii getting the unused parts of the brain to work, jumping from one topic to the other. New methodologies to follow, principles to evolve and skills to bring back to life .. Yes, I am exercising my intellect quite a bit here!

I am finding it difficult to switch back to the normal mode, even after I reach home. Job was not like this! What got done in office used to stay there, most of the time. Never carried work home! Now, I do! And the side effects are also obvious. I am growing absent minded, I am forgetful of my child's commitments and I am preoccupied, almost every waking moment.

And I am tired! I almost lost my purse (dropped it while getting out of the rickshaw, someone found it and told me), dropped my ATM card at the bank, paid extra bucks to my maid by mistake, lost my notebook which has points from five six lectures that I attended and religiously noted down. Not a good sign at all!

Another danger I see ahead is that I might not be blogging as much. Earlier, this was where I used to brain gym! And escape from staleness and routine. That's not the case now! Infact, I am just eager to share with you a rare experience from my field trip last week end - the closest that I have gone, to adventure.. But I can't! Because I am tired of the work out.

How will I share with you interesting stuff ? Anyone with an idea ?

I am falling in LOVE!

2010-07-28T10:49:00.020+05:30

It's a new life, raining heavily, in the IIT campus ........... ! And I am falling in love with it! A campus full of trees, bicycles and cute 'tum tum' buses! Food joints, Book stores, libraries! Small markets and banks. It is a place free of pollution, noise and glare! Then you walk briskly along the long corridor as to not get late for the 8 o clock lecture, there is the wetness of rain everywhere. Wet clothes, wet umbrellas, wet class rooms!

Last week was the beginning of a lot! New faces, welcome sessions, orientation programs, in the institute as well as department. There were bright faces all round and that I think is one of the many things that pulls me back to campus. The brightness in the eyes of people, which you rarely get to find outside. Other than class evaluations, there is no people's judgement hanging above every head like the Damocles' sword!

Among other animals, there are panthers which are regularly spotted here, and the campus is casual about it. Nobody questions their presence. No one panics, they just send out best practices to avoid encounter and provocation. The campus is at peace with them! There are warnings and cases of swine flu, so are the regular vaccination sessions arranged in the campus clinics and hospitals. Again, no panic!

The students here are very diverse in their socio-cultural and educational backgrounds, degrees of exposure and age groups. There are freshers coming out of home towns for the very first time. There are the families (and even extended families) of first timers lobbied in the academic section, distinctly proud, of their wards! There are also the ones who have returned after years of industry experience. They are here for reasons of their own. And there are a few ones who've been in the campus, loving it to extend that they never stepped out ever!

The gone week was all of filling forms, submitting documents, paying fees, buying note books ...! Took me back, in time. I attended my first lecture in Research Methodologies. I attended a few student presentations. I visited the Central Library and the Convocation Hall. Walked around the campus alone! I now need friends, to make the picture complete. There is acceptance; there is space. There is above all, a sense of belonging!

It is here, now! And it is true. It is like falling in love .. all over again!

A Tool so Cool!

2010-07-15T20:49:00.004+05:30

I came across this cool link which does some analysis about the author based on the writings on blogs!

It says I belong to the "mechanics" category!!

It says so about the writer that I am:

The Mechanics are the independent and problem-solving type. They are especially attuned to the demands of the moment and are highly skilled at seeing and fixing what needs to be fixed. They generally prefer to think things out for themselves and often avoid inter-personal conflicts.

The Mechanics enjoy working together with other independent and highly skilled people and often like seek fun and action both in their work and personal life. They enjoy adventure and risk such as in driving race cars or working as policemen and firefighters.

Here is the link to the site, fellow bloggers!! Have Fun!

http://typealyzer.com/

Up To Me!

2010-07-15T14:49:00.010+05:30

Today I enrolled officially as a researcher at IITB. Was sitting in the convocation hall attending the registration event this morning and something felt ' JUST RIGHT'.

It's hard to explain this but I felt like I belonged, kind of destined to do what I will have to do!

It wasn't very exciting, joyful or even pleasant, but the whole experience felt like charted out for me. Something told me that I had to be there and that is the reason I was there.

It was a special kind of feeling, that I was being taken care of, that I was protected, guided. There was no worry, there was no hurry! I remembered my daughter's school song!

"Rain maybe falling and lightning fills the sky,

But the sun is rising 'cos God is on my side"

And if it is meant to be, then it is upto me!

Life Changes Color !!

2010-07-14T21:48:00.043+05:30

Life Changes Color time to time. Take for eg., Birthdays!

***********************************************************************

It all starts with the first birthday of the first baby where the preparations begin a month early. Second birthday will be a brand new theme with balloons and butterflies and the little one would just about realise that there is some thing happening on his/her behalf.

Third and forth are when the child actually enjoys the party, music, friends and fun. Fifth and sixth, the child will wait in anticipation, start a count down, plan for the party, demand what she/he wants as gift, maybe even fix the venue too. By then they know what to expect!

Then they start feeling the whole cake cutting business a bit childish. But they would still long for the colas that they get to drink. In the teens, it becomes a private affair, maybe, one run off the mill birthday with parents and a more awaited, exciting one with dear friends.

Post teens, if they manage to hook in a partner of preference, then its all about him/her. The pink roses or the wrist watches take priority over everything else! An evening together, a movie followed by dinner, that would sum it up. (I dont quite agree with the young blooded FM RJs and MTV VJs who mass-bambard the idea that sex is a must at this stage!)

They get hitched, get married and the first birthday after wedding is again on the spouse who is all hearts, bunks office, just to be with the significant other. They dine out drink wine, have a holiday and spend personal time which is often refered to as, "quality time"! By the next birthday, they wouldve expanded their family and have 3 birthdays an year, to pull through.

Young and healthy still they manage with the whole affair of birthdays. But it becomes a little over board when they complete the family picture by adding one more birthday to it. And one has to remember the grant parents', parents', uncles-aunts', siblings', friends' birthdays too, which call for atleast a call, if not a card, gift or a visit!!

Now that the family is complete, the work load is increased and the pressure is at its peak, one starts postponing/preponing/clubbing/skipping birthday celebrations for convenience and etc. One fine day, the mother decides not to celebrate her birthday anymore to avoid the herculean task of getting every one around a single cake!!

By then a process is established, very clinically, and rest of the birthdays are done with ease! After all, one has been doing this for quite a while. The children grow up, have their own children and the story repeats from here!

***********************************************************************

Take another example - Wedding anniversaries - that will be another interesting story and will prove the theory all over again!! Yeah!! Life Changes Colors - some you like, some you dont!! It keeps changing color for sure, but Life NEVER LOSES Color....!

HKH region

2010-06-30T12:03:00.002+05:30

Here is information about the HKH region.

http://geoportal.icimod.org/InteractiveMapping/HKHConservationPortal/

The Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region extends 3,500 km over all or part of eight countries from Afghanistan in the west to Myanmar in the east.

1. Afghanistan

2. Bangladesh

3. Bhutan

4. China

5. India

6. Myanmar

7. Nepal

8. Pakistan

It is the source of ten Large Asian River Systems

1. Amu Darya

2. Indus

3. Ganges

4. Brahmaputra (Yarlungtsanpo)

5. Irrawaddy

6. Salween (Nu)

7. Mekong (Lancang)

8. Yangtse (Jinsha)

9. Yellow River (Huanghe)

10. Tarim (Dayan)

Ten highest mountain peaks in the region

Name -- Height (m) -- Location -- Lower slopes -- Other names

Everest -- 8,848 (snow)8,844 (rock) -- Nepal China/Nepal -- Sagarmatha, Chomolungma

K2 -- 8,611 -- Pakistan China/Pakistan -- Mt. Godwin-Austen, Qialogeli

Kangchenjunga -- 8,586 -- Nepal/India -- Nepal/India -- Kanchenjunga, Khangchendzonga

Lhotse -- 8,516 -- Nepal -- China/Nepal --

Makalu -- 8,462 -- Nepal -- China/Nepal -- Kumba karna

Cho Oyu -- 8,201 -- Nepal -- China/Nepal --

Dhaulagiri -- 8,167 -- Nepal -- _ --

Manaslu -- 8,156 -- Nepal -- _ -- Kutang

Nanga Parbat -- 8,125 -- Pakistan -- _ -- Killer Mountain

Annapurna -- 8,091 -- Nepal -- _ --

Highest peaks in countries

Country -- Peak -- Height (m)

Afghanistan -- Nowshāk -- 7,482

Bangladesh -- Tajingdong (Bijoy) -- 1,280

Bhutan -- Gangkhar Puensum -- 7,541

China -- Xixabangma -- 8,010

India -- Kangchenjunga -- 8,586

Myanmar -- Hkakabao Raz -- 5,881

Nepal -- Everest (Sagarmatha) -- 8,848/8,844 (rock)

Pakistan -- K2 -- 8,611

Mountain ranges

Range -- Countries

Ganhdise Shan -- China

Hengduan Shan -- China, Myanmar

Himalaya -- Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan

Hindu Kush -- Afghanistan, Pakistan

Karakoram -- China, India, Pakistan

Kulun Shan -- China

Nyainqentanglha Shan -- China

Pamir -- Afghanistan, Pakistan, China

Qiantang Plateau -- China

Qilian Shan -- China

Tanggula -- China

Tien Shan -- China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

The ten major river basins of the Himalayan region

Rivers Basin -- Area (sq.km) -- Countries -- Population (X 1000) -- Pop density (per sq.km)

Amu Darya -- 534,739 -- Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan -- 20,855 -- 39

Brahmaputra -- 651,335 -- China, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh -- 118,543 -- 182

Ganges -- 1,016,124 -- India, Nepal, China, Bangladesh -- 407,466 -- 401

Indus -- 1,081,718 -- China, India, Pakistan -- 178,483 165

Irrawaddy -- 413,710 -- Myanmar -- 32,683 -- 79

Mekong -- 805,604 -- China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam -- 57,198 -- 71

Salween -- 271,914 -- China, Myanmar, Thailand -- 5,982 -- 22

Tarim -- 1,152,448 -- Kyrgyzstan, China -- 8,067 -- 7

Yangtze -- 1,722,193 -- China -- 368,549 -- 214

Yellow -- 944,970 -- China -- 147,415 -- 156

Work Updates

2010-06-30T11:14:00.004+05:30

I am currently working a rainwater drainage scheme for part of a building I designed.
I love the proportions of this building and the client loves the look.
The big dome is going to be a big challenge for my engineer colleagues.

Other than this, I am also reading up about the Hindu Kush Himalayan regions, the geographic, socio-ecomonic and climatic features. Will keep posting as I go forward on this.

The SURPRISE Bundles Of JOY!

2010-06-25T11:23:00.016+05:30

I was waiting in the hospital lobby with my daughter to make a Saturday morning appointment for her pending immunization! We were not hoping for anything interesting to happen in this setting and were generally waiting for our turn. That’s when my daughter found them passing by!

My daughter’s eyes were wide and twinkling, and she dragged me to them, and I was wondering what the whole issue was! All I could see was some soft bundled stuff being carried, I was not expecting two little ones safely tucked and packed to perfection just beginning to face the world! The cuddly twosome was being escorted out of the hospital by the Australian couple who were well into their fifties.

There they were - a little boy and a little girl - sleeping tight on their tenth day of arrival. The couple was so excited showing off the babies to my daughter. They told her that she too was so small few years back when she first arrived. They added the tiny baby girl would one day grow up like her, into a little princess, stealing her dad’s heart away! Before we knew it, we were part of their joy! I wondered where the lucky parents were!

We went our ways after a while and scheduled our appointment with the pediatrician. On our way out we found them in the waiting lounge. They waved at us and my daughter again went running to them. Conner and Tennessee were still asleep. The couple asked us to wait if we weren’t not in a hurry, as they waited for their cab. My daughter was beaming as she watched the little ones sleep.

I asked about the babies’ parents and the couples were all smiles. That’s when the story unfolded … They were the proud parents to the lovely angels!!! The babies were born in India with the help of a surrogate mother. They came two weeks early, spend their first five days in the incubator and are now with their ‘parents’. And they will be ready to fly back home in a months’ time.

They wanted to have a baby for the past 7 years, went to many places and found themselves lucky in India. They feel blessed as their prayers were answered here, and they got double of what they asked for! They don’t mind the fact that they can’t exchange hands as both have one to take care! The girl is under her dad's care and the boy under his mom's! They take turns in their 'stay awake' times thereby, keep the parents awake literally the whole day!

And they are excited - about getting to stay awake day and night staring at the beautiful faces, about going home with the premies’ in a 16 hr flight, about their family back home ready and waiting. The babies’ nursery, complete with cribs, blankets, pillows, toys and decors are all set and their 3 elder brothers and one sister will be answering the door bells. The youngest of their siblings is the twenty year old girl who is most excited (and for good reason) about her much awaited welcome break - a baby sister!

Now that’s something I would definitely call “EXCITEMENT”!! I could see the sparkle of celebration in their eyes in anticipation of a perfect home coming! Felt happy for all of them, but by that time I had a problem in hand, to solve. My daughter had already raised the question, "Mama, what is the meaning of surrogate mother?". And I knew immediately - that was a tough one to answer!!

May God bless the little ones, the new parents, their BIG family and the surrogate mother!
------------------------------------------
Found these links, Dec 2010
http://in.yfittopostblog.com/2010/12/01/indian-surrogates-uteruses-for-rent/
http://www.marieclaire.com/world-reports/news/international/surrogate-mothers-india?link=emb&dom=yah_life&src=syn&con=blog_marieclaire&mag=mar

BMI or Be Myself ?!

2010-06-18T11:02:00.004+05:30

Yesterday, I ‘google’d for a BMI calculator after a long while! My annual health check indicated that I am a borderline case and need to shed a few pounds to come in the ideal weight category. I had been comfortable with myself and never had this extra weight felt in my head till now. So never bothered to take action, just maintained a good lifestyle and healthy eating habits. Yesterday I filled in the details and found that I am the border line. I was a deadly 25.7, where as I should’ve been well under 25!! That would mean shedding few pounds to get into the safe zone!

I sat down thinking where to fit in regular exercise. I didn’t have the time to pull out from my busy mornings for burning calories, as my daughter would miss her school bus if I did. I couldn’t do it in the evenings, where I will have to cut down on my little meaningful interactions and story times with her. I couldn’t fit in an exercise schedule last evening, as that’s when I take her through the wonderous world of knowledge, little by little! After she sleeps?? I can’t lose the feeling of satisfaction snuggling next to her for sleep! Where to fit in those 'sweat it out' workouts, I wondered!

So yesterday when I went to sleep, I had this revolving thought within. I asked my little one whether her mama looks fat, for which she replied, “Mama, you look VERY good! And what I like most is your little kangaroo pouch from where I was born! I smiled and told myself, “What matters is what you, and the ones who matter, think about you”. As long as I don’t feel the ‘overweight’ inside my head, as long as I am eating responsibly, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and not remaining lethargic for long continuous hours, I need not bother much.

I was happy and convinced - but I might fit in a 'mom n daughter' work out session somewhere, sometime!! And I slept off peacefully with the knowledge that I am loved by my loved ones, just the way I am!

Thank GOD for MONSOON!

2010-06-15T12:24:00.013+05:30

Bombay is getting wet, little by little, this time. The evening shower was good yesterday accompanied by the spectacular fireworks of nature. The window panes were hazy and we were cozy inside our home sipping hot tea. What more can I ask for!!?

You would agree with me that the changed look of “Oxy-I-Gen” is perfect for the season. I am still waiting for that unending rain to begin; we get caught indoors, not being able to step out the whole day - when man feels humbled by nature.

Ours is a country where the demand exceeds supply most of the time. India has surplus only in few things, viz. men, babies, cell phones, movies, cricket, critiques, rituals, religion, advices, opinions, smart solutions and monsoon showers!! Out of which, I am most thankful for the last one!

http://oxy-i-gen.blogspot.com/2009/02/rain.html
This is one of my favorite posts and was written at the onset of last year’s rains. It has fully captured my love for rain. After reading it I think I have not much to add! I thank God for Monsoon, the downpour in its plentitude.

Happy Rains, Indians!

My little wish!

2010-06-07T12:13:00.004+05:30

I feel things are about to change. I don’t know how!! And I am feeling very uncomfortable about it all!

It could just be the rain that is about to start. It could be a new friend; a life changing decision. Or it could be me, finding my lost direction. I really don’t know!!

I don’t know how, but I know one thing for sure – that things are about to change. Will I handle change well?! Well, I have no past records!!

Change of seasons gave me migraines. Change of phases found me struggling, change of places left me pining. I always un-welcomed change in the past!

I don’t want to feel alone when things around me change! God, this time at least grant my little wish??!!

UNHEARD MELODIES!

2010-05-31T10:47:00.010+05:30

I am like, caught in a cloud, an air bubble or a mirage. I know when I come out of this, things will no longer be the same.

There is a deeper knowledge that I am headed right, but I still remember the things that I would’ve done if I weren’t taking this different tread. I so live architecture and love designs; these 4 + years will rip me off couple of dozens of buildings that I could point to! It will be entirely on me about how innovative I can get with the design! Will I miss this chance? So will it turn out to be a wrong move!?

The guiding force has been telling me to go ahead! I have always been led by this force through crucial decisions. I’ve occasionally regretted, but things have sorted out in the longer run. This time also, it has happened with dream like quality that I cannot ignore the guiding force that’s taken me through this sequence of events. Something tells me that it is time for me to throw things away to go a different way and I am on the verge of doing it!

Yes, I am unsure of what is ahead and what I might lose! I feel nervous, but I know I should take the chance. Life is such; we feel that we have been missing out on something to get some other thing. So, I have learnt to tell myself, it is okay, to lose the things you lose! It is fine, if you don’t make the most of things. It is to be expected, that not everything will turn out to be good. It is but right, to take such calculated risks!

I went about talking to people looking for answers. And someone helped me with a convincing argument – 'The fact that you are good at something is reason enough for you to leave it'. It is no different from the great quote from the great poet of love, John Keats, “Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter”. I know this is the one line that I keep whispering to myself.

And here I am! going ahead with nothing except my urge to create; all set to find the sweetness of some unheard melodies!

How reliable, Who reliable!

2010-05-17T14:57:00.003+05:30

Assume our mind is like a calculator.

I ask for x+y, I will get the answer for x+y. That doesnt mean x-y, x * y, x/y etc didnt exist or couldn't be computed. If I want to hear the “rights” about a person, I will hear his “rights”. And if I want to hear the “wrongs” about a person, I will hear just that. What if the mind is telling you what you want to hear!

How reliable is the “mind”?

My Building of the year!

2010-05-14T17:02:00.001+05:30

Back to School!

2010-05-14T09:16:00.019+05:30

A new beginning - Moment of Joy, Hope and Aspiration! A fresh start yet again! Am changing the course of my life one more time. Like I always did. Had this in me from a very young age - when life settles into a stale routine, I shift to something new. Here I'm taking a new direction. Freshness, kind of excites me!

Have been into sustainable solutions and green engineering for quite sometime now. I have held this as a core value. Partly due to attitude and partly due to lack of research, bulk of the available solutions are mostly surface treatments, not core interventions. I have done my bit in the area so as to arrive at interesting solutions but that, I realise, is not enough.

I interacted with many eminent architects during this period. Many held a bleeding heart within, but wished for more time in hand to devote to promotion of green principles. This caught me thinking!! Soon I knew that I need to learn more about the issues and take up research in this area.

So, after 7 years in job, I am returning to the campus. I am joining a PhD program in IIT Bombay and will be working in the field of sustainable development models for small town areas. I will be researching about climate change, environment and development. I will be analysing how the sustainability, economics and socio-cultural factors vary on a case to case basis and why!

Yup! I am back to school - Will miss my monthly paychecks for sure :) Friends, Wish me luck. Say that I have courage. Pray that I turn my world around and hit the gold. Hope that I find the right soultions! They say "A rolling stone gathers no moss", I say "What's so great about moss anyway"! Will wait and see!

Design Disasters!

2010-05-03T10:41:00.001+05:30

It would be wrong if I said, I always got it right! Here are few of my design disasters!

The SWASTIK house!

2010-04-28T10:45:00.001+05:30

The SWASTIK house - A recent residence design

Admin and guest house

2010-04-27T13:34:00.001+05:30

A building that came along!

My planning projects

2010-04-24T16:23:00.001+05:30

(All images are copyright protected)

We DO Care!

2010-04-06T13:41:00.018+05:30

I am trying to establish the fact that there is a role for every one to play in the direction of creating a 'greener globe' for ourselves. Well, I wish to focus on integrating emerging green building standards in the construction sector with land-use and development models tuned to an Indian semi-urban and rural context. Remind you to read this in context, I am a key player of the construction industry - "The Archtiect - Planner". So this is where I would contribute.

Large scale construction is inevitable as the fruits of India’s rapid economic development filters down to the wider population. Current green building technologies and standards are optimized for high density urban environments in temperate climates where these originated from. My experience in developing LEED certified buildings over the last three years has convinced me that we need to invest in developing India specific green building initiatives that address the local context and leverage local technologies, resources, craftsmenship.

The other critical challenge to climate change comes from increasing urbanization. With almost 80% of the population living in non urban environments, we need ensure that developmental models prevent large scale migration of rural population to urban centers. A practical aspect of this is that industrialization of the heartland should be encouraged with an emphasis on ecologically sensitive development models. I have tried to create a base model for green architecture which I use as a starting framework to guide my design.

My experience has taught me that even minor interventions can significantly improve the overall ecological design of industrial setups. A structured framework for industrial design in semi-urban and rural environments would encourage wider adoption of these models. I aspire to work on development models for the metropolis of developing countries based on the “smart growth” principles that could help to reduce wastage of resources and climate impacts.

Similarly, there is an area that all of us can identify and operate. My 5 yr old daughter reminds me to switch off the lights in unoccupied rooms. She remembers to not tear and throw paper around. She recycles gift wraps. She "knows" that "any waste" will eventually "harm the polar bears"! (She does not know how exactly the harm happens) So bringing it all back to the disappearing species, Man! We need them around! They are absolutely adorable :)

Some useful links from a response to the mail thread to my earlier post. For those who are ready to check the facts

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v461/n7263/full/461472a.html
http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2007/05/start-here/
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11462
http://www.350.org/about/science
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/feb/01/climate-emails-sceptics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqz3R1NpXzM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLBE5QAYXp8
http://210.193.216.98/cps/rde/papp/techAdvice:techAdvice/http://www.pnas.org/content/105/36/13252.full
http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2010/02/ipcc-errors-facts-and-spin/#more-2832
This is from a response to my friend's post http://gnanes.blogspot.com/2010/04/hoax.html.

The Sixth Great Extinction Event - The End is near!

2010-03-23T12:58:00.066+05:30

“I saw faces turning, eyes widening, breaths stopping. I saw kids holding hands, women chanting, men marching ... and I woke up in a pool of sweat - WILL I SAVE THE WORLD?! Will someone? ... Please?”

*********************************************************************************

I had a dream a few days back. I had gone to bed with a heavy heart, after realizing that a good news that I was longing to hear is not to be expected at all. I had acted cool and had shut down all thoughts to deal with the disappointment. And that’s how I slept off. While sleeping I got caught in a totally unrelated dream, maybe evoked by the self imposed, silencing stillness to my thoughts. I dreamt that I had gone to my daughter’s school for the PTA meeting. I finished talking to her class teacher and on the way back, I saw all the parents assembled in the school ground around an unoccupied podium. Somebody prompted me to address the crowd. What I saw next was something like a TV clipping from the great Obama campaign.

I was on a large stage with a flood of people in front of me - Some were willing to stay; some ready to leave! My daughter was there, standing next to me. I went on like this, “…… I know we are all melting; melting under the hot morning sun, here in our children’s school ground. Remember the times when we had morning assemblies in our school grounds, when we were young? It never used to feel so burning hot back then! This heat that is melting us is neither a stand alone occurance nor a surprising development - we always knew where we were headed; only that we chose to ignore. Now if we plan to enjoy our retired lives watching our grand children playing outdoors... please pause! Stop whatever you are doing and pay attention … to the changes that our earth is going through..!”

*********************************************************************************
The end is nearer than we all think. Many plant and animal species will not survive this climate change that we are experiencing. It is not just the Tiger, the Polar Bear, Panda, Rhino, the River Dolphin or the Blue Whale who are going to be erased in the next 50 years, almost half of all the living species will not have a place on earth that is suitable for their habitation, hence be extinct by end of this century.. Oh Yes! this will be witnessed by our children and grandchildren even though we would’ve luckily managed to escape from this scene of our own crime!

What we are living through is the sixth great extinction event, the most deadly and dreaded one after the beginning of life on our earth! We are the single most contributors to what is referred to as this “Holocene extinction event”, where the loss of bio diversity is greatly induced by habitat degradation due to pollution, over exploitation of nature’s resources and human induced climate change. Though this started long time ago, the phenomenon of human-induced species extinction is at its worst over the past two decades and it is headed for nothing less than a disaster. The impact of such mass extinction will be hard for us to even deliberate now!

*********************************************************************************
This disappearing species of animals and plants, this fragile blanket of life covering the earth is responsible for everything that we own and care for. Right from food, clothing and housing, all the latest of our indulgence and sophisticated gadgets are here only because of them. They are our existence. We've got to save them!

SHAME to FAME!

2010-03-17T12:37:00.043+05:30

Having talked about Rahul Gandhi in my previous post, I am tempted to make a comparison of another young man who has gone through similar situations and also shares his name! He is none other than Rahul Mahajan. No, I am not turning bitchy here, just that I have a point to make – and I promise to keep this as clean as I can!

Late Mr. Pramod (Father) Mahajan was a prominent Indian politician and was one of the identified successors of the aged BJP leadership. He was shot to death in mid 2006 by his brother over a family dispute. Rahul (Son) Mahajan is a trained pilot and earlier worked with the Indian Airlines. He is now transformed into a reality TV 'entertainer' and eyes out for a key role in Indian politics.

Jr. Mahajan was hospitalized for drug overdose, days after his father’s death. On recovery, he was arrested for illegal drug possession and consumption. He married his 12 years’ girlfriend co-pilot just after 2 months of his father’s death, only to divorce the next year. The visibility that he gained by these got him into the “BIG BOSS” reality show where he showcased his 'talents' yet another time.

He later took the torch from the cheesy Rakhi Sawant and did a Swayamvar on reality TV, where he married a scantly clad 21 year old wanna-be model who claims to have loved him ever since she was 5! Rahul Mahajan with all his short-comings, has managed to remain in news ever since his father's death, even if it is for all the wrong reasons! I would say the lame rose to fame treading a path of shame!

All I can add to this is 'the world is a very funny place'!

Amrutham - Full of life!

2010-03-15T21:17:00.001+05:30

(Photo series: "Amrutham" in the sunshine)

Revisited AMRUTHAM after about an year! Was humbled to see how light and life have taken over the design..

Architecture is incomplete if the elements of nature and life are not factored in!

RAHUL GANDHI - A Sweet Revenge!

2010-02-25T13:53:00.042+05:30

I have been wanting to write a few lines on Rahul Gandhi ever since his entry into active politics, the Dalit episodes in UP, his addressing of college students all over India, the Mumbai local train travels etc! The time happens to be NOW!

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

I had just completed Grade 10th when Rajeev Gandhi was shot dead at Sri Perumbathur and that incident thoroughly shook me up. I mourned his death like a personal loss and even wrote an obituary for him in my diary. It was hard to believe that the charismatic young prime minister who was the face of India for the rest of the world met with such a tragic ending! I felt strongly about the two tender kids and their foreigner mother who would have to live without him!

I followed Priyanka’s marriage, Sonia’s rejection of Prime Ministership and Rahul’s emergence as a youth icon, holding the baton for youth congress and felt as if i were reading a fairy tale! It is amusing to see Rahul emerge from the shy reserved boy into a leader with visions of a consolidated India, capable of inspiring the intelligent youth to take the steering of our country - that too in a critical period while we visualize in the horizon, the rise of India as a super power!

It is almost been a decade and a half after Rajeev Gandhi assasination. Now when I read about Rahul and see his pictures with the same dimpled smile as Rajeev, it appears surreal! Almost like a movie on rebirth and revenge along the same lines as ‘Karz’, where Rishi Kapoor takes a rebirth to track down his murderers .. or the newer ‘Kaho Na Pyar Hai’, where the NRI Hritik Roshan completes the half spelt story of his murdered ‘humshakal’. The only difference is that the young Gandhi's is "too sweet" a revenge!

Good going, Mister! You have enough reasons already to make your father proud!

My Li'l Red Ridin' Hood!

2010-01-12T10:25:00.020+05:30

My little one goes to school during the first half of the day. The first thing she does after reaching home is making her routine call to my work phone. Yesterday I asked her not to call as I would be in a meeting, unable to pick up calls. But when it was time for her call, I excused myself from the meeting for a few minutes, called home hoping to hear the few sentences that I loved to hear. She told that she is busy wrapping a gift for her grandmother and kept the phone. With that knowledge, I went back into the meeting.

Evening I came late and she had gone to her friend’s house. I had a particularly long day and thought of resting for some time. When I was about to stretch my back I saw on my bed, a gift covered with a red glittering wrapping paper, adorned with princess' stickers, fixed with a perfect bow - all salvaged from her last birthday’s gifts and reused. I was happy to note that my daughter has imbibed from me the fundamental rules of reuse and recycle.

I picked up the present, it was lighter in weight than I expected, and peeped inside through the corner which was not properly covered. I wouldn’t have guessed in my wildest dreams what she had found suitable for her grandmother, and I couldn’t stop smiling in that moment of discovery. It was my home-wear sandals, ready to be gifted to her grandmother!!

I had bought those sandals about two weeks back as I loved its glitter strap and the purple lines. My daughter took it away the day I bought it saying she was the one who stayed at home longer, so she would use it... While sitting idly at home, waiting for my call wearing those BIG sandals that are almost double her foot size, my little red riding hood would’ve felt lost in the woods, missed hugging her grandmother, would’ve remembered her visit last winter when her granny struggled to walk on the cold floor...

And she would’ve decided to wrap it up immediately...!

My New Year Gift to You!

2009-12-31T19:00:00.008+05:30

Back I am on the eve of new year, to wish the world a great new start, with freshness in body, mind and soul, goodness in feelings, thoughts and actions, success in material and spiritual ways. Let’s welcome 2010 together.

I am here, also to share with you the glimpses of our trip to the land of deserts, dance, music, forts, festivals, food, colors, crafts and camels – our journey into the wild and the wilderness! I admit that I am in an overwhelmed state of mind when I think about the task I am about to commence – take you through the enigma we experienced in our 8 days in Rajasthan!

Here is my New Year Gift to You! ENJOY!

Happy Holidays

2009-12-18T11:09:00.019+05:30

Before I take off for my vacation in Rajasthan, I felt the instant urge to update my blogs. I havent been adding much to these two spaces, I had too many things to care at home and work, not to mention our regular turns of winter fever, and cough competition that was going on at home.

But here I am once again, dragged by my love for this intimate adobe, to save a few of my private thoughts ... even when I am most convinced that there are not too many who read them, a fact that no longer bothers me a bit.

I cleared an exam which was on my agenda for 2009. Cant say how proud I am about this 'achievement', but it has sure turned out to be 'handy at work'. A dream project that I have been guarding from concept through detailing to construction, is in its final lapse for completiton. Guess this will be a very beautiful New Year Gift.

There are a few submission deadlines at work to be closed. Then, I have my daughter's annual concert to attend today. She is representing the 'State of Maharashtra' all dressed up like a traditional Marati lady. The costumes are ready, and waiting. It is going to be FUN.

Tomorrow, my daughter and I will get 'Mehendi' put on our hands to get into the Holiday mood. Packing and Shopping for the Rajasthan trip is to be done, before we take off from Mumbai on Sunday. Planning to do travel sketches this time, do some photography and enjoy the deserts.. All excited about life in general.

There are a few posts that have been planned after I return. Putting it down so that I will do it for sure. First will be here, on OXY-I-GEN, about my travel expereinces. I plan to share some pictures too. Then, I have a post to make the Goan Houses and Rajasthan Havelis. And I need to write about the Copenhagen climate summit. These two will be published in "ARKITALKS", http://www.arkitalks.blogspot.com/

Meanwhile, I wish you all a very merry X mas, enjoy the joy of giving. Hopefully I will be back here to wish you a Brand New Year, but not taking chances, wishing the entire world a great new beginning this New Year!! Enjoy

A dash of COLOR!

2009-11-25T10:07:00.001+05:30

Indians love colors to the extend that we have festivals just to celebrate them. Not sure whether it is an Indian trait, I even dream in colors. This particular post on "Arkitalks" is aimed at bringing out the significant role that color plays in Architecture.

Featuring one of my residential projects that recently got a dash of color on it.

Before

After

(AMRUTHAM, Trichur, Kerala - Built in 2009)

Let's celebrate with Pops, here on Oxy-I-gen!

2009-11-20T14:18:00.010+05:30

A very special friend celebrated his birthday this week. I will not try to describe the fine human that he is.. believe it is beyond words. Also, there can be no better occassion than his birthday, to celebrate the event of Oxy-I-Gen crossing 100 posts! My 'Post No. 101' is dedicated to my friendship with Pops!

People move in and out of our lives..But some people are just to stay, and for no reason particular. Al is one such person who has kept my belief in unconditional friendship that goes beyond age, gender or nationality. I have evolved into a better person because of our six years of friendship.

Inspiration, confidence and courage - he instilled all these in me when I went took the tiring tests of time. And he has been there to cheer in my every little success, ever since! Happy birthday Pops, wish you a wonderful year of magic, music, fun and life...!

Let's celebrate your birthday and our friendship right here, on Oxy-I-Gen!

Handy Design Tool

2009-11-17T13:30:00.001+05:30

Forerunners

2009-11-17T12:01:00.001+05:30

"The Masters" of my trade!

2009-11-17T09:54:00.001+05:30

Bill F. Baker, SOM

2009-11-13T10:06:00.001+05:30

"When I was a young structural designer, one of the experienced architects came over and chewed me out for designing a stair that was fine functionally, but was quite ugly. He told me that a structural engineer should design a structure so that the architect feels bad if he has to cover it up"

-Bill F. Baker, SOM.

(The Burj, Dubai, world's tallest building, 108 floors, 818m height, "Fritz Leonhardt Prize", 2009)

http://www.som.com/content.cfm/william_f_baker