The Verdict (Lok-Sabha elections in India)

Finally the wait is over. The many month long spectacle that was built up to shape the new government in the World’s most populous Democracy, finally climaxed today. And as most people would like it, it did climax in a very movie like finish with the popular party sweeping the elections with a historic majority and the incumbent getting worst ever defeat since its inception. 

In many fronts this is great news. Not that I ever cheered for the team that just won but because I have always been a firm believer of democracy and people’s power. Few popular beliefs that this verdict challenged and refuted (and a few good things that happened after many years)

a)    Common belief that votes are bought or results are forced; common man has no say was refuted. This election proved once again that the people always had the say, but they didn’t use their votes in a right way. In the past they had been hiding behind the caste, religion, region, tribe, community, fear etc. And wasting a great opportunity they had; but not this time.

b)    One party got absolute majority. Without emphasizing on who they are, the fact is that people made their choice and gave a clear verdict. Giving Power to just one, not sharing it in many (as that will always cause imbalance). Oh By the way last time that happened, I was still in my elementary school and didn’t even know what that term absolute majority may mean.

c)     Regional parties didn’t see much success. That was a big relief as with more smaller and regional players coming in a national assembly could never give them any constructive power, but sure can equip them with a lot of "Nuisance Value."

I have seen many comments on social media about people seeing it as religious agenda win (stated with arrogance regarding a certain religion) but in spite of a non supporter I think those statements do not reflect what the winner party has in mind (I hope they don’t). Some others hoping for commodities to get cheaper, again I don’t think that should be hoped for. The forward looking view should be that the commodities can stay at where they should be or get dearer but the whole nation prospers and develops a robust buying power. That is the model a developed nation should be  focused on, and that is the model last 15-20 years India is working towards, with great success. India has developed as a nation in last many years and that development should continue. The new government should act as a catalyst to further strengthen and expedite that growth.

People have votes wisely and handed a very potent verdict so now with that strength this government should deliver to a record breaking success.

All the best India you can wake up happy tomorrow knowing that you have done your part well (By giving the baton to one party after many years) now it is time to anticipate the “Good days ahead” as the new PM has tweeted!!!

Jai Hind!!!

The Elephant and the Blind men... Fable Retold (part 2)

.................... Continued from where it was left in part 1

RECAP from last part.....

However in a world light years away in distance and time; there were lots of Elephants and many blind people who would go in groups of 5 or 6 or 8 to “experience” the elephant. Unfortunately the wise-men in that world were usually meek or indifferent (many a times due to the past bruises received while trying to be otherwise)

So when the 6 blind men ‘saw’ the elephant in this world the argument started and the wise man silently witnessed. So the discussion after a few verbal bouts reached to one conclusion that the elephant is like a thin rope. Unfortunately the blind man (let us call him Mr. Z for easy reference) who could only feel the tail had the loudest voice in the group. Naturally he was most active and most persistent participant in the discussion. So the other 5 initially reluctantly accepted that the elephant is like a thin rope. However; now that they had accepted it; so eventually each one of them started believing that the elephant being a thin rope is the right interpretation of the anatomy of the elephant. Initially some challenged but were quietened by Mr. Z’s charisma (or loud voice) at first and then by the others who had slowly surrendered their beliefs to the confidence in the voice of Mr. Z. So eventually for good or for bad elephant was a creature that resembles a thin rope. Everything was fine till one day they were crossing the road as a group and an elephant cut loose from circus came running towards them. The whole ground shook under the mighty feet of the huge beast and people who could see screamed and asked them to brace as the enormous pachyderm were charging on them. However; they, by now “knew” strongly that elephant is nothing but a rope so the all tried to extend their hands towards the sound of charging elephant to grab "the Rope." All were soon crushed under the monumental limbs of the beast.

Moral of the story: The one with most charisma or the loudest voice may not always be right.

Like I said earlier, this world we are talking about had many blind men and many elephants and least concerned “wise-men”

So on a different day in this world a different set of blind men were introduced to the elephant. And the people being blind were again subject to just a specific characteristic and the same debate started. There was a "Mr. Z" in this group too, but some others had heard about a group of blind men who were trampled by an elephant while they followed a Mr. Z and this Mr. Z was not too different. So they started discussing and trying to keep the out-spoken one at bay. The one who had felt the abdomen and thought the elephant to be a wall, just whispered to the one who had felt the feet, “So you think it is like a pillar and I think it is like a wall, may be it is like a fort with walls and pillars.”  “That sounds so right!” The other one complied. So they asked for a vote and decide democratically. So while the other ideas were split 1 per person, these two guys collaborated and decided that elephant is like a fort. As luck would have it after they all had developed complete confidence that elephant is like a fort; they were charged by an elephant. People with eyes screamed and asked them to run for safety as an elephant was charging towards them. But why would they run? They knew that  a "Fort" can’t walk or run; so the people with eye must have been mistaken. Alas! the fate of these was no different than the 1st group.

Moral of the story: Democratic decisions can be better than autocratic ones but still not always bring the best outcome

And again this is not the end of the story, because no story should end till everything is right, happy and festive so wait for the next installment of the story maybe tonight… 

To Be continued…………

Part 1: http://nuancesofbeing.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-elephant-and-blind-men-fable-retold.html
Part 3: http://nuancesofbeing.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-elephant-and-blind-men-fable-retold_18.html

The Elephant and the Blind men... Fable Retold (part 1)

The 6 blind men were shown an elephant. The one close to the trunk experienced Elephant to be just like a Thick branch of a tree. The one close to the ears thought that Elephant is like huge fans blowing gusts of air. The one who felt the legs claimed that the elephant is like a huge pillar. There was one who could touch the tusk and decided that elephant is much like a smooth pipe made of marble.  The one who could touch the tail was sure that the elephant is just like a thin rope and then the one standing right next to the torso understood that elephant was like the big wall of the fort……

Most of us have heard the story and know what the “wise man” did to make them understand and fit the pieces together.

However in a world far-far away and a time many decades ahead (or may be behind) there were lots of Elephants and many blind people who would go in groups of 5 or 6 or 8 to “experience” the elephant. Unfortunately the wise-men in that world were usually meek or indifferent (many a times due to the past bruises received while trying to be otherwise)

........... To Be continued

Note: This is just the prologue to the story that I want to share, next part of the fable re-told tomorrow

PART 2: http://nuancesofbeing.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-elephant-and-blind-men-fable-retold_15.html

PART 3: http://nuancesofbeing.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-elephant-and-blind-men-fable-retold_18.html

बड़े की तुलना

मारने से बचाने वाला  हमेशा बड़ा होता है। 

ऐसा कई बार सुना है, और सच भी है; लकिन एक हि तुलना क्यूँ और भी तो ऐसी परिस्तिथियाँ हैं जिन में बहुत साफ़ दीखता है कि कौन बढ़ा है. ऐसी ही कुछ तुलनाये जोड़ के लिख रहा हुँ । और आखिरी कुछ पंक्तिया थोड़ा अधिक सोच के लिखी है। शायद अच्छी लगें ॥ 

मारने से बचाने वाला 

हमेशा बड़ा होता है। 

रेंगने वाले से दौड़ने वाला 

तोड़ने वाले से जोड़ने वाला 

हमेशा बड़ा होता है 

छीनने वाले से दिलाने वाला 

मांगने वाले से खिलाने वाला 

हमेशा बड़ा होता है 

रुलाने वाले से हँसाने वाला 

सब में बाँट के खाने वाला 

हमेशा बड़ा होता है 

डराने वाले से हिम्मत बढ़ाने वाला 

मझधार से किनारे तक लाने वाला 

हमेशा बड़ा होता है 

रूठ जाये हम भी सोचा कुछ बार मगर 

रोक लिया खुद को, कि थी हमको यह ख़बर 

रूठने वाले लाख खुद को बड़ा माने;   

पर रूठने वाले से मनाने वाला 

हमेशा बड़ा होता है |  

The Blacksmith

Recently I had an opportunity to see a blacksmith work. Mesmerized; I looked at the strong metal being softened and shaped as the blacksmith desired.

That was an assortment of The Elements right in front of my eyes

The Fire – To burn the iron and make it red hot and soft and then even hotter to amber and yellow-orange (not white as white hot iron will be almost molten and not manageable by the blacksmiths tools and tongs.)

The Air – To feed the fire and make it more ferocious to ensure that the strength of iron succumbs to the heat and iron softens to being a malleable object and surrenders to be shaped as the blacksmith wants

The Water –  To cool the iron; after it is being shaped to blacksmith’s desire. The cooling in water brings the confidence and the strength back to the iron that had been softened by the heat

The Ether – That was where the smoke from the furnace and the heated iron flow into as the hammer struck the softened metal

The earth – The coal in the furnace feeding the fire and the metal all around and the clay to soften edges was the earth displayed all around.

Along with the elements was the Master, the Blacksmith himself; heating the iron to optimum level of heat and softness. Hot enough that it does not break when the hammer falls and also it does not become too soft to just give away under the blows.

All five elements working in tandem as per the Master’s plan. And the Master; the Blacksmith drawing, bending, upsetting, punching (**) and strongly yet meticulously forging useful and beautiful things out of the dull bars of iron, the “black metal” as the ancestors would call it.

The heat and the smoke and the smell of burning coal were in the air, it was somewhat stuffy and sticky in that workshop. But I guess I witnessed something great and very powerful in each blow. I could hear the music of the well-orchestrated almost rhythmic blows of the hammer on the yellow-orange iron. That was the music of creation.

For me that was the Zen moment of realization telling why it was important for the blacksmith to subject the metal to the heat before the form shaping blows of the hammer. Explaining Why parents have to be stern with their children from time to time during the growing years. And Clarifying why life is subjected to the hardships from time to time by the master Blacksmith. 

(** various steps in the process of metal forging)

Are we there YET?

………………….Are we there YET?

Sweet yet annoying question. Many of us must have heard from the back seat of the car, while driving; usually out of town, at times even during local trips. Once you have covered almost 80% of the journey but those last 20% remain and the frequency and annoyance of the question increases. “Are we there yet?”

If you are a parent you know what I am talking about. If you are not a parent, you may remember asking that question to your parents as a kid.

We do something similar in our lives forget how much we have traveled already, forget the 80% covered and feel good about that, we whine about the 20% left and even doubt how difficult and tiring it might be to reach to the destination.

And in one of those moments if you are shown a map with details on where you started from? Someone reminds you of the obstacles that you crossed on the road many miles ago? Would you not feel good? Wouldn’t it be nice, an occasional reminder on the hurdles that were left behind. To get an occasional pat on the back for persistence and diligence needed to drive so many miles; an occasional rendezvous with the memory of fun and enjoyment during the past driving; an occasional talk about the food on the last "pit stop" taken at a roadside fast food joint.

That is what I experienced in one of the days when the frequency, the annoyance of the overbearing question; “are we there yet?” had started pushing me to insanity. (I have been asking that to myself again and again regarding my life journey.) I met not one but two co-travelers from the past years. From two different stretches of the journey. Both from two different stages, two different land marks in my life and that reminded me on where I had started and how far I have come till now. And there flashed some moments that really make me deserve a pat on the back.

I am basking in the glory of the journey completed so far, giving a mental pat on the back and encouraging to start again. I know after this pit stop when the rubber hits the road, the heat, the anger, the frustration and the fatigue will start coming back. And I will again ask, “Am I there yet?” but that is not this moment. This moment I know I have covered a long way. So I am relaxing and rehearsing the answer for whenever I ask that question again to myself.

“No we are not there yet, but eventually we will be and then we may miss the road and the drive and all that the road had offered when we are there. So now that we are moving, let us enjoy what the road is offering (even the pot-holes) and the enjoying will ascertain that we are there sooner than we think.”

Marathon Vs Sprint (A Race is a Race...really?)

“But running is running and the goal for a runner is to run faster than one’s opponents to win the race, how different it can be for different types of races.” I was embarrassed witness of this conversation. (Embarrassed; as I accompanied the person who was saying this.) I, even with no experience in races or any track and field kind sports knew the baselessness of this plea that my companion was making. The person we were talking to was the athletics coach in the local kids club and we were talking about getting some coaching for our kids. I was more interested in marathons and him looking at a 200 meter sprint for his children. The coach had been helplessly trying to explain that preparing for a Marathon and preparing for a 100-200 meter race are two very different things. But the person I was with was not even ready to understand with a supplication that “a race is a race.”

Deep inside I was cursing myself for coming with this guy whom I didn’t even know well. Seeing some signs of annoyance at the coach’s face I tried to start explaining by saying, “Yes a race is a race, but for a shorter sprint all you need is strength and speed which become lot less significant needs for a marathon. A marathon is essentially a play of endurance and stamina.” I don’t know if he understood, but he nodded and so did the coach. I was happy at least I had made the coach aware that I am saner than the other participant.

How could someone be this naive that a race is a race? I was still thinking even after I got back home. I would never think like that, never! Not in any thing. But then my thoughts stood challenged. I have seen this all around me and that is how we all live every day. Same attitude in every walk of life, “A Race is a Race.”

I thought of myself and parents like me looking at kid’s test score and getting worried at scoring low in one test or getting excited at them scoring great in one test. Great 100 meter run my child. Excellent! no doubt this is a long Marathon but a race is a race and you have shown good speed in the 100M part of it. A marathon is just many 100 meter races bundled together. How Naive? Build endurance and stamina and strength in your legs because one or a few spells of 100meter (good or bad) will mean nothing in the Marathon that stretches ahead. So train for the longer haul. Gain knowledge and success will follow. How many times do we give them similar coaching?

I remember meeting with my friend last month for dinner. He is a business development lead with an IT organization. He was very worried at his team missing the monthly sales target back to back two months, so he mentioned that he had asked them to drop chasing the “big-Fish” and fill up the quota with low hanging fruits. Go on big fish chase only after the monthly targets are met. He told me was his unyielding commandment to his team. As I don’t want to see any heads rolling, he had added his justification. Now thinking about it I can see the compulsion he has implanted in his team to win every single 100meter piece of the marathon. And however justified his words appeared at the time when we spoke, now I wish I could tell him that he is setting up his team (or a major part of that) to lose steam much before the finish line. And may be when the bucket is full with fish gathered from near the shore the “Big Fish” might have already taken some other bait or swam too far?  

My last week’s meeting with my personal banker was another thing I thought of. This person is newly appointed by my bank to provide “special service” to the people who have their salary direct deposits with the bank for more than 5 years. He mentioned that there are not too many of such customers and the bank wants to take good care of them hence appointing a dedicated person for that. I was happy at that gesture from the bank. However within first 5 minutes of the conversation he had made clear that his job was to meet with each of those customers and document the meetings within 3 months of his stepping on the role. He didn’t offer me any answers or any help or any support. Just seeing me in his office had fulfilled his job’s need to meet me and he wanted the meeting to end soon. Once I realized his need,  I thanked him for his time and walked out of his office. This is a typical case of someone asked to run a marathon but also asked to ensure that each 100meter are a win (at meeting everyone with in the 1^st quarter) so he clearly didn’t have the marathon (ensuring strengthened relation with the long time customers) in his mind while he was sprinting hard to win the 100Meter portion (meeting everyone once). By the time he refocuses on the marathon, half of the runners might already be on the other side of the line (switched to his competition; as I might be one of them) or he would have lost steam (reputation with people that he is supposed to deal with, as he certainly can strike me off his fan list)

The examples kept on coming and I saw my life as a medley of people, situations, institution and systems that imbibes and preach the “A Race is a race” lesson over and over again.

Now I thank the person who had earlier annoyed me with his “a Race is a race” mindset.  Not that I have started thinking that he was right, but thanked him for showing how gullible we are in day to day life. And how ignorant are we of our own preaching.

Many a times when I see something and write about it, I try to sum up with a suggestion or my opinion on a solution. However in this situation I do not have any thoughts or ideas. All I can say is that as the phrase goes; “When there is an elephant in the room, introduce it.” To me I just saw the elephant in the room, it was nicely camouflaged   in the settings of the room that it was easy to ignore. But since I saw an elephant (or I think I saw an elephant) so I have introduced it.

Tell me if you know what should be done of this elephant? Or tell me if I have been hallucinating and there isn’t any beast in the room. But I think you will also agree that “A race is not just a race”