Corporate Retailing

Corporate Retailing

When we use word corporate an image of large industry, a big business hose, a MNC engaged in multiple trades is visualized in our minds. The waves of globalization and world trade are on the high tides and slowly but surely are on the way of taking control of every business and trade all over the globe, India is not an exceptional case, in fact being the second highest populated country is the prime object and field ground for the much desired boom in the sector, A spark can be seen in the eyes of corporate world all over the globe with the pronunciation of the country name. The domestic corporate sector has already started their efforts in the direction of getting benefited from the new way and style of business called “Retailing” and a new term “Corporate Retailing” is spreading it wings to kill the traditional retail markets of the country.

A few days back I got a SMS on my mobile about the inaugural discount offered by newly opened “Big Bazar” a departmental store in the city. I have tried to find out affect of this SMS campaign by the stores, in my friend circle I enquired almost 100 people and almost 90 said that they have read that. A high 60% people responded to it and visited the store though just 4% of the visited people purchase beyond the limit of offer and were eligible for the discount but it is also fact that a sounding high 56% people have spend some money at store for buying this or that. It is the clear picture of working strategy of the corporate houses when it comes to retailing.

Reports says that though in India only every fifth citizen is with the tendency of shopping but even then the retail market is showing a mouth watering annual growth of over 70%, The retail market which was sizing about Rs. 12,00, 000 carores at the beginning of the year 2006, went to touch Rs. 12,80,000 carores by the year end. In fact this Everest growth aspect attracting the corporate sector for an entrance in the retail market beside that some fundamental facts are also favoring their entrance in this non traditional sector of corporate world. India is the second largest in the production of fresh vegetables and fruits [contributing about 15% of fresh Fruits and about 11% of vegetable production of world]. Most of the farmers of the country are from the unorganized sector hence a very huge loss of these perishable food stuffs is the natural thing. About 40% of onion, 60% of Potato, 20% of lady finger, 10% of Banana and 15% of Tomato production get spoiled during the transaction from producer to customer. This might be the reason behind the real huge profit in this trade just imagine for per kg of lady finger we are paying over Rs. 20 but the producing former is getting only some thing between Rs. 4 to Rs. 5, it means there is profit of 400% to 500% which is shared by the City wholesaler, area wholesaler, semi wholesaler, retailer and hawkers.

With the entrance of corporate houses in this field the scene is changing, with the high investment capacities these corporate houses not only can prevent the valuable loss but being a direct buyer and seller can afford to make sure the availability of good stuff and comparatively low price for the end user. The best example which I can quote is the Hapus [Alphanso] Mangoes of Ratnagiri with a maximum life of 35 to 45 days but when Pentaloon entered this market what they have done, they have installed a processing unit there to increase the life of mangoes, so that they can sell these in between 60 to 70 days by keeping them fresh. Aggressive marketing tactics and focused advertisement are the tools which are helping these corporate to reach out to their destination of being undisputed kings of retail sector of market but this is happening at the cost of killing the unorganized retailer who even can’t think of compete ting with these big shots.

EMI – WEB

EMI – WEB

A few days back I was with one of my local friends at his shop,[our locality, which is as per the government papers is a village, from the business views point is, one among the biggest wholesale markets of south Maharashtra and as per the standard of living is not far behind the metros] when he was summoned on telephone by his wife asking him to come home immediately, at that time we were waiting for tea so he asked wife to keep ready tea and me to give him company to his home. We both went to his house and found that his 12 years old son was following Gandhi’s path of hunger strike to support his demand of car on his birth, which was just 3days away. As father promised that before the birthday they will have a brand new Maruti car so son took the food and we return back to shop after taking tea. All the distance of 5-7 minutes to shop I was thinking about the result of this false commitment because I was familiar with un matching financial status of my friend with the buying of a brand new car. I was with him for next about 50 minutes but every second my mind was trying to find out the answer for the situation that my friend has to face after 3 days. At last, before taking leave, I asked my friend about that. “Oh! Dear you are thinking about useless thing. I will fulfill my commitment.” looking at my surprised face, he kept on saying “Look! Tomorrow morning I will make a call to finance company, they will sanction a loan of 80-90% of the prize of car and by paying just 10-20% amount I will have the car.”

This is just an example which show that how the trap of EMI is hunting its prey, though days are no more in the modern life, when people were working all the life for buying a flat or car. Today all the domestic appliances including Laptops are available on the installments, some companies are even went further and they are offering you tours and travel loans. This easy availability of finance boosts the purchasing powers of common man to a great extant, now as soon as young ones starts earning they thought of buying all the life comforts but many times this easy availability made them trapped into web of EMI , this fact can be supported by the figure that finance companies are forced to cease every 11th vehicle financed with two years from the date of finance due to non payment of EMI.

The most visible effect of the technological advance on the industry is the hyper productivity. Companies have to sell their products within a specific time frame to keep them away from the losses hence they always try to generate demands for the product and the installment facility is one step in that direction. Exchange offer is another way of boosting one’s product.


Benefits of Buying on the Installment

In fact consumer gets more benefits from this, if a few precautions are taken, first and most is the repaying capacities, never allow the EMI to go beyond 25% of your total earnings because as the loans are easy available so are the harsh ways of collection. A single non paid EMI will cost you something ranging from Rs. 250 to some thousands depending upon your EMI amount. Further in this era of hire and fire, possibilities are there for unemployment of few months. If you took this as investment than you can go in the right direction as in that case the difference will be only that instead of buying appliance after saving, you are buying first and saving [paying EMI] afterwards. Do remember your day to day life needs about 50% of your earnings and for securing future of self and kids you will have to invest at least one forth of your earnings.

Why EMI is a trap

Just consider you are buying a color television, shopkeeper will ask you to go for finance offer with no interest for one year, you agree for that but look at the following facts
1] You are not getting one full year but most of times it is eight months.
2] Finance is made on the companies M.R.P. , which is always much higher than the market price of the product , for example the same television that you have purchase for Rs. 16999/- with finance option is available in the market for almost 2500- 3000 less on cash purchase.
3] Finance company will charge you about Rs. 650- 900 as the loan processing charges.
4] It means you are paying about Rs. 3000-4000 extra for just eight months.
5] There are all chances that due to this easy availability will tempt you go for buying less useful or commodities used once in blue moon.

Jo Mange Thakur Aapane Te Soi Soi Devae

Jo Mange Thakur Aapane Te Soi Soi Devae

Gurbani says that God will give you what you ask for. Now the question that made me unstable was, what should I ask for granting? Mind and heart from floating from one to another and the confusion was going to become deeper and deeper because when I thought of wealth I remember the world concurring King was left the world empty handed, than I thought of fame but again found that time is against it because I realise that with time fame will fade out. Finally I thought to go back to Gurbani and try to find out what should I ask for?

My search ends with
Ek Naam Guru Koulun Mangle Sare Sukh Mil Jayange

Ask God for giving power of remembering him at every walk of life and you will be blessed with all the comforts, pleasure and happiness. Now I was satisfied and ready to meet with Waheguru so that I can put forward my asking before him, but before that eagerly awaited meeting, I went under the influence of another though physical comforts and desires are endless, fulfillment of one comfort/desire is intended to give birth to another comfort requirement/desire. Pleasure and happiness are states of the body and mind, when our body and mind are fluctuating with every moment of our existence on the earth how can be their one state will be constant and stable? This time before the confusion attacks me I turned to Gurbani to find out

Jis Hirdaya Vasiya So Sant Hua,
Mere Hirdaya Phera Pavo Guru,
[Oh! Lord, those become saints, in the inner of whose you are dwelling, so I request you to come and visit my inner one]

We are part of that unborn soul and prime object of our existence on the earth is to make efforts for the fusion with that one prime unborn soul. so friends now I am waiting for the Waheguru, with my asking for granting, If he meets you do convey him about my waiting, meanwhile I will also keep continue my prayer

Tudh Aage Ardas Humari, Jiu Pind Sabh Tera
Kah Nanak Sabh Teri Vadiyae Koi Navan Na Jane Mera.

[Oh! God, I pray you because whatever physical or mental I am, even my soul, all is yours. It is all your fame, how any body can know my name]

Forest of Relations

Forest of Relations


Human is still native of forest though we are having cement concrete constructed cities and houses, even still we are in the forest, it might make difference that this forest is not with variety of plants and animals just a single species is there and that is human. Psychologist say that human is social animal and can’t leave alone might be the reason forcing human to form various communities, societies, races and casts. Interestingly in all these forms of mutual living the connecting thread is “relations” , at every walk of life human goes under the influences and creates relations.

With the birth human gets relations like race, cast, nation and so on and growing age adds “Friends” a new relation, a more few year of time brings a new relation series in human life, this series called “in-law “ series, yet another mother enters in to human life as the “Mother-in-law”. In fact this relation asked and inspired me for this writing. I don’t know what real situations are in the Europe or in America about this an important relation of human life but in India this relation is the relation of respect and fear. Famous T V serial “Kiyoon Ki Saas Bhi Bahu Thi” is expressing sweets and sours of this relation since past few years. A very famous joke about the fears of this relation goes like this.

A death procession was going on the strange thing about was that all the men following the dead body were moving in proper lines like the military march, The orchestra was at the beginning and between the band and dead body was moving a garlanded dog. A villager visiting city was surprised to see all this so he asked the last man in the line about this and in reply moved to next in the line, subsequently he reached to man moving with dog, who replied “ This is dead body of my “Mother in law” she died due to biting of this dog”. “Will you please give me this dog for just one day?” was the next question of the villager for which he was suggested to go behind and wait in the line for his turn.

I don’t think I need to write more about this dangerous relation of human life, just read the following
MOTHER-IN-LAW:
When you rearrange the letters:
WOMAN HITLER

Electronic Fog

Electronic Fog
[Killer Fog]


Did you remember the recent bollywood film “Raj” or oldy “Woh Kaun thi” in both the films for hiding the spirit fog is used, this is the most common practice of movie makers to use the fog for suspense creation. We all are well familiar with this gaseous stage of water molecules with some other air pollutants forming an invisible wall and causing many road accidents especially in the winters. Sometimes this fog get mixed with some deadly elements like the black coal smokes or gases like sulphur dioxides which reacting with water vapors can form Sulphuric acid, such types of killer fogs observed at various places of the world like London [1952], Culham [1989] and Lagos, Nigeria [2005].

Since the decade’s mystery of Bermuda Triangle is challenging to quest of human beings though it is still behind the curtains, No body knows proper and suitable explanation for the elopement of ships and plans from this area from time to time. The probable answer to this is the electronic fog; a term given to malfunctioning of electronic and magnetic appliances above the earth surface by Rob MacGregor and Bruce Gernon in their book The Fog. According to reports Grenon with his father was flying over the Bahamas in his Bonanza A36 [as they were doing since 1967, and were used with flying conditions of Florida and Bahamas] went under a strength and deadly phenomenon on December 4, 1970. It was just over the 3 pm when they got the take-off order at the Andros town air port and soon were in the sky over the Bahamas, They saw a typical lenticular cloud over the ocean but strangely it was as low as 500 feet above the sea water, they were climbing at 1,000 feet per minute, soon they found [at 11,500 feet] when A 36 was speeding at maximum 195 miles per hour. It was breath holding for them that typical lenticular cloud has converted into abnormal shape forming a semicircle around them, the strange thing was that there were no lighting thunders only extraordinary bright white flash was illuminating surrounding area. Visibility was reduced to 4-5 miles from the 10 miles. This was happening with them after 27 minutes of flight near the Bimini Island. Soon they entered into narrow cloud tunnel [diameter about 200 feet] at the cautioning speed of 230 miles per hour. All the electronic and magnetic navigational instruments were malfunctioning. The compass was slowly spinning even as the airplane flew straight. There was no lighting or rain but visibility went down to about 2 miles and instead of blue sky, a dull, grayish white haze was on vision, preventing them from seeing ocean, the horizon or the sky, all this went for about three minutes. When they came out of breaking fog, they found themselves flying over Miami beach and watching clear blue sky all this forced them to land at Palm beach. Clock was ticking at 3:48 pm it means they have covered distance of about 250 miles in just 47 minutes instead of normal time of 75 minutes. They looked again and again to watches, might the time was wrapped during that gravitational force less situation within the cloud tunnel as during those three minutes they have traveled about 100 miles distance.

This time wrap might be the reason behind the vanishing of ships and planes in the area.

Spiritual World : Divine Hands

Divine Hands

Santa Ke Karj Aap Khaloiya
Har Kam Karavan Aaya Ram

These are the few lines from the living light Dhan Sri Gruru Granth Sahib Ji, which literally means
The one mighty universally accepted God is so merciful that for the work of devotee / saint he comes forward and perform every work on his own. God never leaves us alone in difficult times and always leads us to the destination of success, just we have to believe in him and leave ourselves at his will.

I recall a story narrated to us by our father Late Dr. Premchand Manghirmalani during our childhood.

There was a school teacher with a great unmatched faith in Gurbani. One day he was on his way to school when he saw some saints reciting Gurbani, as he was with time of about half an hour so he sit down to listen. Gurbani reciting of saints was so involving that teacher forgets about the time and school. When they finish Gurbani recitation it was almost closing time of the school. This has filled the heart of teacher with a kind of worry and fear, with heavy feet he covered the distance of place and school.

On reaching school teacher found that there was no body even the students were went back to their homes, any way he collected all his courage and entered into Principal’s office with a heart filled with fear, where all the teachers were seating. His fear got elevator when he listened “Where are you? We are searching for you? Even a peon is also sent to your house.” from the principal. “Sir, I was....” but his explanation was interrupted by principal “No, No! It is all right, you had brought the moment of pride for the school. You know our school was last on the list of inspection and authorities are pleased with your work such that they decided to award you the Best Teacher of the year. We all were waiting to narrate this good news and congratulate you.”

Just imagine the status of that surprised teacher, who was knowing that he was absent from the school.
Santa Ke Karj Aap Khaloiya
Har Kam Karavan Aaya Ram

Silver Screen : Bollywood : Humour

Sunday FunDay: Silver Screen Humour

Almost each and every Indian youth is living with the dreaming about the Mumbai. Just think of city, with the largest slam of Asia, A city with Chor Bazar, A city that never sleeps and most important a city where you found life speeding at every minute. Does the Indian youth gone mad for dreaming all about this? No friends, surely not, there is yet another face of Mumbai, that makes it land of Magic, Land of realizing dreams, an already built foundation for constructing your success building, Yes Friends Mumbai is native home of Hindi Films.
Hindi films have played a significant role in the social life of India since from very begining in 1931, but as this is our Sunday: FunDay, so we will limit our self with just one aspect comedy. As I can recall all was started with "Chalati Ka Nam Gadi" a film in which all the three famous bengali brothers, Ashok kumar, Anupkumar and Kishorekumar acted,tunes of "Ek Ladaki Bhigi bhagi Si" and "Panch rupaiya barah Aana" are still alive in many minds. Comedy of kishore was at its best, though he later acted in other comedy films like the "Padosan" with Sunil Datta and Sayara banu, along with other comic legend of hindi films Mahmood. In fact Johny walker [ Kazi Badruddin] was the first person who got success as the comedian in Indian cinema, it was the height of his acting as a drunked person that people forget his original name and started calling him with famous whisky brand Johny walkar. His memory craved comic actions in the songs like " Jane Kanhan Mera Jigar Gaya Ji" and " Sar Jo Tera Chakaraye " forced script writers for a special role for him.
In the 60's Mahmood become the undisputed King of comedy of the silver screen, he has defined comedy in his own imitable style, "Hum Kale hai to kiya hua Dilwale" and "Mahbooba Mahbooba Jalade Mera Chulha" are the some of the famous songs with his comic acting. it is tragedy of the life that even the serious efforts of comic charatcers are seen with humour, this is what happen with Mahmood when he tried to awake people about deadly Polio by his Film "Kunwara Baap". With the emergence of Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachan comedy become side lined in the Hindi films, though in the interim Gol Maal, [Amol Palekar and Utpal Datta], was realised and Jagdip and Asrani have played some memorable roles, who forget the dialouges like " Miyan Hamara Nam Surama Bhopali...." or " Hum Angrajoon ke Jamane ke Jailor Hain "...... from Sholay, Even the Amitabh has also featured in the all time comedy hit Film "Chupke Chupke".
Any writing on silver screen humour will be treated incomplete if Bhawan Dada's name is not there, he was the person who had given a new meaning to bollywood comedy people still copy him and still marriage dances are based on the dancing steps shown by him in the "Bholi Surat Dil Ke Khote......".
Present trand of comedy in hindi film was started with Govinda, though he acted in many comic films like "Dulhe Raja", "Raja Babu", "Aunty No. 1", "Coole No.1" and most recent" Bhagam Bhag" but he failed to get the recogination and comic status that has been achived by the Paresh Raval, Akashay kumar and Sunil Shetty from the "Hera Pheri". Thanks God Vasu Bhagnani has not reached the status of Mahmood as people got his message From "Lage Raho...." presented under the cover of comedy. In fact " Lage Raho...." is the first comic siqual of Indian silver screen, this and "Munna bhai..." has provided space for emergence of Sanjay Datta and Arshad Warasi as new comedy kings of bollywood. let us pray to God to extend this honeymoon of comedy and hindi films for a prolonged period so our stressful tensionable day to day life may have the showers of laughter from time to time.

How long to ignore

How long to ignore

Every platform of the world is being used by the speakers for alarming about the day by day lowering of the values in the human life, the situation is speeding from bad to worst. Our every media of mass communication is highlighted with news of rape, corruption, robbery and other crimes. Why our youth is finding it interesting to kill some one just for the sake of fun? Why there are no morals of conducts in the society? Is our vision of individuality responsible for that? Are we unable to justify our freedom of thoughts and social behavior? These were the few questions among the reasons that tempted me to go for this writing and search my inner self for the answers.

When I searched my heart and mind I found that since centuries it is the tradition that children are getting knowledge and wealth of their parents as heredity rights. In fact parents are encircled with the affection and greed of transferring their knowledge and physical wealth only to their children and during this process often forget that according to Hindu vision of life knowledge and monetary wealth [Laksmi] never remains with undeserving hands, though a scientific base can be provided for this human tendency but it is fact that this is not essential rule of ideal human behavior because in that case a foolish son will become owner of wisdom of the father. Wisdom and knowledge will become property of foolish person that will generate proud within them and they will start working for the lowering the morals of social behavior.

This is happening not only in India but almost in all parts of the world as a natural phenomenon. This affection and greed of the parents, that is working as the root cause of lowering the values and unmoral social behavior is the natural weakness of human beings is an on going natural reaction hence the treatment or the remedial process should also be on going. We are eating at regular interval daily to come over the weakness resulted from our day to day work but since the centuries we are ignoring the remedial process for this affection and greed. The best remedy for this is education and unfortunately our present education institutions are turned in to training centers, from where children are getting trained in the skills of earning instead of gaining the knowledge and wisdom. As long as this ignorance is in existence it is almost impossible for thinking about value respecting and well moral human society.

Dhan Sri Guru Nanak dev Sahib ji tried to establish a tradition by handing over their spiritual powers to Bhai Lahana [Second Sikh Guru, Guru Angad Dev Sahib] instead of own sons Baba Srichand and Baba lakhmichand [who were also spiritually developed]. In this era of economics and monetary powers it is almost hard to implement but surely it is within our reach to stop the ignorance of centuries with honest efforts of making our educational institutions the true place for gaining knowledge and sharpening the wisdom.

Burden of Life

Life is not the express high way without any speed breaker and obstacles. Life is all about our capacity and ability of coping with the experiments of time with the human beings; all those who fail to standards set by the time are counted among the failures while the remaining few are crowned with the success. A common word that is being added to the modern human life even in the life of children is the burden and our socio economic atmosphere is adding to feel this burden very distinctly. Kids are feeling studies are burden, employee are feeling work is a burden and employers are with the burden of handling the employees. Women are not for behind as usual they are at an equal pressure of feeling the burden of house hold works. I will not be surprised if some bloggers complains about the burden of posting some blog posts daily. Why is this happening? Why our common works are turning a burden? This is because of

1. We forget the art of enjoying.

2. We are not familiar with the art of doing the jobs in the steps.

Being a science teacher I know the importance of step by step, this the key of reaching to solution of the given problem.

I recall a very short story once God has to shift his abode so he asked elephant to carry the loads that were the property but elephant refused because the load was too heavy and there was a considerable distance between the two places. God called all the livings one by one but every one refused because they thought that this load might prove a burden for them. Finally birds were summoned and they agreed to carry the load to the desired place but with the condition that the whole load must be divided into small pieces. A small piece of load was tied with the each leg of all the birds and they started to fly. All the livings watching this were surprised when they heard birds were singing. The singing was on and loads were transferred to desired place.

This is what we supposed to do with our burdens of life, we have to make it smaller, we have to give it wings to make it lighter and most importantly we have to learn the art of enjoying our work/ duty so we never feel it is a burden.

Blue Moon : A Natural Phenomenon

Blue Moon

It will happen once in blue moon Navjotsingh Sidhu not laughed at a thousand times listened joke [Reference: Laughter Challenge, one of the most famous hilarious T V show] . Once Pankaj the director of show, asked one of the candidates giving audition, “Dear, I am not able to see any laugh in your presentation.” Candidate replied “What is this sir that is siddhu’s job he will find that will make people laugh at appropriate place.” We are here not for a discussion this rare happening of literature blue moon but for the natural phenomenon that happen once in several years and this year is happening in the early hours of night of the 30th June and on basis of which this phrase “once in blue moon” came in existence.

Time period taken by the earth for completing one rotation arround the sun is called year and a year is divided in to twelve months. We are calculating month in two ways
Solar Month: one twelve part of a year this means 30 days, 10 hour, 29 minutes and 3.8 seconds.
Where as according to Indian colander, A solar month is defined as the interval required for the Sun's apparent longitude to increase by 30o, corresponding to the passage of the Sun through a zodiacal sign (rasi).
Lunar months are measures from one New Moon to the next.
1 lunar month = 29.53059 days

As lunar months are shorter than solar months hence it happens that over a specific time there will be a solar month with two full moon days and this phenomenon is called blue moon. A solar month is almost equal to 30.5 days and lunar month is equal to 29.5 days this difference suggest occurrence of blue moon once after every two and half year or about 41 times in a century. An interesting fact is that this blue moon is not for the Americans, as previous full moon day there was on the evening of 31st May and not on the 1st June.

Blue Moon and Human life

It is quite possible that when we talk of rare natural phenomenon, we also talks about effects of this phenomenon on the human life, as for as Blue moon is concerned it is sure to affects the life of coastal living human beings because moon also causes tides. As in modern times our life is become slave of technology and our relation to night sky is almost broken due to 24 hours on going electricity, beside that this is a coincident between the natural phenomenon of moon phases and human made calendar hence we can say human life remains unaffected from the blue moon. An interesting thing according to Islamic calendar there is nothing that can be called the blue moon, as each month of Islamic calendar starts with new crescent moon it means Full moon day will fall in the mid of the month and remove the chance of occurrence of two full moon days in a month.

We are changing

Change is the name of time and as time is flowing without waiting for any thing to be happen or any body’s arrival or departure hence change is become constant but essential part of the life. With the time we are bound to observe and follow the change in our life style, our living standards and even in our thought process, but in this changing world few things are constant and unchanged, sunrise has not been affected by these changes the poor sun still prefer to rise in the east. Truth, honesty, politeness, sympathy, helping others were the basic qualities of being human and are still unchanged a lot. Still when we say marriage it means union of two individuals of opposite sex, though in the some countries a very few examples are set against it but in the wider sense meaning is unchanged, still we are with the firm mind of taking care of our children till they grow up.

Our social attitude went under the change in very huge way, our clothing is also on the same path, our meaning of education has also been altered and the most importantly our vision of humanity has been changed. Society, community, cities and ultimately Nations are developed from the basic unit called family. The effect of time on this basic unit are very much significant for the change in our social attitude, it was remote time when families were huge in population, parents, brothers and their children all were the part of the family. The family started to shrink in its membership strength and we are reaching to the attitude that not only grown up children but also the parents are on the way of developing thought that both are having different families. We are speeding on the way of making our helps a reciprocal action and found ourselves under the influence of this thought process whenever we help others.

Cloths which were designed to protect the human body from the adverse climatic situations are showing a drastic change. I read some where “ In the winter men wear more cloth to keep them warm and ladies wear less for same purpose” it seems that in our recent life only the winter season is left, might the changing time have changed all other seasons into winter.

Education that has made human most civilized and cultured among the all livings on the earth is also under the effects of changing time. Our vision to education is changing, education is no more gaining of knowledge, addition to wisdom and sharpening the creativity, it has changed to the vision of an ability to earn livelihood. We are on the way of becoming habituated of listening “You can’t understand this old man! Time is changing and for success we have to cope with this changing time.”

So for the time being it is good by from me and hope to meet all of you again when we both might have went under the changes generated by time after all we are changing.

Stop, Before you go for a joke

There are very few communities, who are present universally among the whole globe; Sikhs [Sardars] is one among these rare human beings. The hardworking and devoted community established by Dasam Pitah Dhan Sri Guru Govind Singh Sahib Ji is to give a separate identity to brave Hindus who were ready to scarify their life for protecting pride of self, community and ultimately of the nation. It is unfortunate to see that such a great community has become hot topic for the jokes and creating humour. I believe that if you read the following incident held with Jayant, friend of my e-friend Mihir at Delhi, surely you will think thousands times before opening a site related to santa Banta.

Stop, Before you go for a joke

In the Diwali vacation, Jayant and his couple of friends had gone to Delhi.They rented a taxi for local sight-seeing. The driver was an old Sardar, and boys being boys, Jayant and his pals began cracking Sardarji jokes, just to insinuate the old man.But to their surprise, the fellow remained unperturbed.At the end of the sight-seeing, they paid up the hire-charges. The Sardar returned the change. Moreover, he gave each one of them one rupee extra and said, (in Hindi, of course),''Son, since morning you have been telling Sardarji jokes. I listened to them all and let me tell you, some of them were in a very bad taste. Still, I don't mind coz I know that you are young blood and are yet to see the world. But I have just one request. Here I am giving you one rupee each. Give it to the first Sardar beggar that you come across in this city ."Jayant continued," That one rupee coin is still with me. I couldn't find a single Sardar begging on the streets of Delhi."Friends, we all love sardar jokes. But the fact of matter is that Sikhs are one of the most prosperous and diversified communities in the world. The secret behind their universal success, according to me, is their willingness to do any job with utmost dedication. A Sardar will drive a truck or set up a roadside garage or a dhaba, but he will never beg on the streets.


My related articles
Dasam Pitah : Dhan Sri Guru Govind Singh Ji
http://myarticleworld.blogspot.com/2007/01/dasam-pitah-dhan-sri-guru-govind-singh.html


Martyrdom Day of Nineth Sikh Guru Dhan Sri Guru Teg Bahadur
http://myarticleworld.blogspot.com/2006/11/martyrdom-day-of-nineth-sikh-guru-dhan.html

"ICE" In Case of Emergency

The increasing use of technology if filling human life with comforts and more comforts, A few decade ago it was hard to believe that a man can talk with family members while driving a car, those days are also went under the layers of history when mobile phones were be treated as the luxury good of Richy rich persons. The increasing use and penetration of mobiles can easily be projected from the fact that even in the country like India, where still about 35% of population is below the poverty line and literacy rate is below 50% the number of mobile users reads in a sounding eight digit number.

Surely it is not advisable to store number of relatives in order of relations, like father[dad], Husband[hubby] or wife etc. because in case you lost of handset these can be misused but it is also a fact in the case of emergency know one knows , which number to dial from the various numbers stores in your mobile to inform about you. It might be an accident or a heart attack to which you can meet at any moment of this speedy life.For this reason, we must have one or more telephone numbers stored under the name ICE (In case of Emergency) in our mobile phones.

Recently, the concept of "ICE" is catching up quickly. It is simple, an important method of contact during emergency situations. As cell phones are carried by majority of the population, just store the number of a contact person or person who should be contacted at during emergency as "ICE" (meaning In Case of Emergency). The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found that when they went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but they didn't know which number to call.He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name for this purpose.Following a disaster in London , the East Anglican Ambulance Service has launched a national "In case of Emergency (ICE)" campaign. In an emergency situation, Emergency Service personnel and hospital staff would then be able to quickly contact your next of kin, by simply dialing the number stored as "ICE". It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest. For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2 and ICE3 etc. A great idea that will make a difference!

Let's spread the concept of ICE by storing an ICE number in our mobile phones today, no dear not today but just now itself. I believe by this time your hands become busy in punching the number in your handset.

Reading of Bgagvad-Geeta even without knowing Sanskrit

Its said that what is use of reading or learning the things which we can't understand because these things are of no use for us as we will not be able to use them without understanding them but the reality is not the same. In India a Hindi saying goes like "Rasari aavat javat sil par hot nishan" meaning the continuously on going and out coming rope is certain to leave marks even on the stones. Have you ever thought it is possible to create mark on stones? but this is the reality and need not any proof. The rope we use to dig the water from well, leaves its marks on the stones with time. The same thing happens with us, when we read any of our religious holly book or book of knowledge, though at the time of reading we might not understand it or even unable to say a single word about it as soon as we close it. My view point will be supported and illustrated with the following short story.


An old Farmer lived on a farm in the mountains with his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his Bhagavad Geeta. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could. One day the grandson asked, "Grandpa! I try to read the Bhagavad Geeta just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bhagavad Geeta do?"

The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, "Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water."

The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, "You'll have to move a little faster next time” and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead.

The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house. The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, “See Grandpa, it's useless!"

"So you think it is useless?" The old man said, "Look at the basket."
The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out.

"Son, that's what happens when you read the Bhagavad Geeta. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out. That is the work of Lord Krishna in our lives."

Foot Prints of God

It was a normal day of the life, when in the fading lights of sun set I looked at the sands of my life sea shore and become satisfied after founding two pairs of foot prints going as usual [either horizontal or vertical] on the same line. The life was on the run, day were turning into months and months were on the way of making years, seasons were following one another, all of sudden I found that at a few patches of time there is just one foot print instead of usual two, so I summoned the God and enquired about it.

“Have you ever thought about the patches of the times when you are seeing alone foot prints?” God asked me.

“Yes”; I replied “Those are the times when my life goes under suffering and pains.”

“Did you ever paid attention towards the depth of foot prints?” was the God’s next question.

“Yes sir, I can say that when ever they are in the pair the foot prints are with less depth and light impressions, but when it comes to painful and suffering time of my life, the weight of worries makes my feet heavy and foot prints become alone with more depth and with a clear impression.” I replied.

“No son”, God told me; “here you are making a mistake, I had never left you alone. When the times of suffering and pains came, I am there to carry you, that’s why during those times you see the foot prints alone with more depth and more clear impressions”

So if God in not visible in our life, his foot prints are missing from the sand of our life sea shore, even then he is present with us, we just need to develop the sense for identifying his presence.