Our short trip to Sringeri and surrounding places.

Context:

L. Vasudev Prasad (LV – as he is fondly known in our group) invited us to his son’s wedding in Sringeri, scheduled for March 24th.

After some deliberation among the members, the final count was just seven of us (Nagesh (HSN), Prabhakar (NRP), Raghavendra (SGR), Ramesh Balaji (RB), Sujay (SG), Sathyateertha (BK), and yours truly) attending the wedding. BK mentioned he would make his own travel arrangements, as he planned to visit with his wife, Sudha. Therefore, it was left to the six of us to plan our trip. SG, from Mysuru, planned to join us at Hassan en route to Sringeri.

This was my third trip to Sringeri, the first in 1991 and the second in 2022.

Action:

On the 23rd morning, as scheduled, I got picked first at around 5:30. The vehicle was a Nissan Evalia—a not-so-bad choice for our 3-day trip, but since RB confirmed his attendance at the last minute, it precluded me from changing the vehicle. An adequate supply of water and other foodstuffs for our journey and return was loaded onto the vehicle.

We picked up HSN and RB at the appointed time and sped away to Nagarabhavi, where we picked up NRP before proceeding to Goragunte Paalya. The last passenger from Bengaluru, SGR, boarded here. In his haste and excitement, SGR had forgotten to retrieve his luggage from the cab that dropped him here and was unaware till we enquired as to where his luggage was. Fortunately, he called the driver of the cab, who noticed it too and came to drop it off in the next few minutes. It was sheer providence that the driver had noticed it, and he rushed to drop it before accepting any further trips.  

Thereafter, it was almost non-stop travel till Hassan (except for a pitstop for a coffee break in between), where we picked up SG from the Railway Station. So far, everything was as planned and we could stick to the timings to the tee. We had breakfast at Raama and proceeded to Kalasa.

          

Just for the heck of it, at Raama Hotel Hassan.                Kalaseshwara temple, Kalasa

     

The temple had just closed for the morning session. Nevertheless, we had the darshana of the Lord Kalaseshwara, as the doors had square openings. This temple is also known as Dakshin Kashi. The temple structure is of wood and pretty ancient, offering panoramic views from its hilltop locale. From here, crossing the Bhadra River, we went to our next destination, Horanadu. The weather was hot and humid, but it didn’t bother us in the AC vehicle. However, due to the overcast sky it appeared to rain anytime.

            

Horanadu Annapurneshwari Temple                              Scene outside the Temple   

The Temple of Annapurneshwari is an imposing one, and it is believed that this idol was installed by Sage Agasthya a long time ago. Legend goes that, according to Linga Purana, Lord Shiva infuriated Goddess Parvathi by saying that everything in this world is Maaya, including the food. Goddess created an illusion to teach the Lord a lesson and made Him beg for food for his children. Lord finally realised it, and Goddess appeared in the form of Annapurneshwari and offered food to the Lord.

It is said that people who pray here sincerely are bestowed with an abundance of food in their lives by the Goddess.

We had good food in the form of Prasada, a couple of us offered rice for the anna-daana had darshana of the imposing Goddess and left for our next destination – HariHara Pura where we stayed for the next two nights.           

Reaching this place just around 3:00pm, we checked into our rooms, rested a bit, and changed into the traditional costume of Dhoti, Kurta, and Shalya (which became our default dress for the next day as well). I must add that the rooms were quite comfortable. There are 3 AC rooms, but we opted for the non-AC ones. 

We then visited the Narasimha temple next door. Just before we went to the temple, we saw a huge and impressive idol of Hanuman set on a huge multistage pedestal. There is a museum of Ganesha that we couldn’t see as it was closed. The temple is on the banks of the Tunga River. Looking at the water flow and a few people bathing there, SG and I decided to come early next morning for a bath in the river – others didn’t show much interest.

   

          

Sri Narasimha Temple, Hari Hara Pura

The foundation of the Sthamba supporting the temple is supposed to have been installed by Sage Agasthya, who had worshipped the presiding deity Lord Lakshmi Narasimha. The idol appears to be of dark emerald, as the dark green is very distinct from the normal Saligrama idols. There is an idol of Goddess Sharada Parameshwari in the precinct. After offering our prayers there, we proceeded to the wedding venue, a good 20 km away in Sringeri.

Arriving here, we were warmly welcomed by LV and his wife, Sahana. We caught up with BK and his wife Sudha here. Though a bit late for a bite, we were forced to have some snacks and coffee. Met with other friends of LV and a few of his relatives. Around 8:30, it was time for dinner, and a sumptuous one at that. SG and I couldn’t do justice to this elaborate meal but tasted different veggies of the region. The Rasam (Saaru – as it is known in our side of the province) was indeed the crowning glory of the food served, not discounting others, though.

The Wedding Album Cover

    

                                                            Some snaps of the wedding eve

We reached our lodge in time to hit the bed. Exhausted as we were, sleep welcomed us instantly. The next morning, I woke SG up (he was my roommate, NRP and SGR holed up in the room next door while HSN and RB were in the other) and post completing our morning rituals, we treaded towards Tunga River. Thick fog had enveloped the surroundings, and visibility was poor.

A view of the Tunga River from the temple

We had to take the shortcut from inside the premises of the temple and, therefore, were forced to leave our footwear at the entrance. The walk to the river was just under 3-400 meters, and as we walked out of the temple premises, we realised how irritatingly painful it was to walk on the road without footwear. Small stone specks pressed against our soles and were causing an irritating pain. This reminded us of our childhood days when we never thought twice about running on the roads without footwear. Now, we have been pampered with the comforts of footwear and we found it extremely irritating to our soles.

Our irate minds were put to rest at the sight of the calmly flowing river. Sign boards requesting not to use soap in the river, were at various places. As we got down the steps, we could see an elderly person bathing in a conducive space and moved further ahead on the bank to not disturb him. Here, we readied ourselves for the dip in the river. The water was warm and inviting. The flow was regulated by the bunds built across the river at a couple of places. The water level was not deep and we could lie down on the river bed comfortably. Not satisfied, we went to the other place where the person was bathing earlier and waded into the waist deep water.

The fishes here were attacking our legs to eat the dead cells, and we enjoyed the free fish spa at this place. There were many fishes over a foot long in this place and were tickling our legs. The fog around gave a perfect backdrop as we could see a few kids at the other side of the river enjoying themselves, swimming, and playing in the water. After having our fill, we dried ourselves, clothed and went towards the restaurant for our morning cuppa.

By then, others had their cuppa as we readied ourselves to visit the wedding venue. Reaching here, we were ushered to have our breakfast – Hot Iddlies – accompanied with delicious chutney and sambar, Uppittu (Upma for the less conversant), Carrot Halwa, Avalakki (Poha, again for the less conversant) with curds washed down with excellent coffee, which we had a double dose of! With our stomachs full, we then concentrated on the wedding rituals (after all, this was the main purpose of our visit) till the time of Antarpata (supposed to be the groom and bride’s first meeting/sight of each other, before marriage – well, who cares for it these days ..).

This done, we went towards Kigga which houses the temple of Rishyashringeshwara. There is a deep history about this place that goes back to the Ramayana time. The temple has been rebuilt and has the style of Hoysala architecture. The presiding deities here are Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesh and Goddess Durga. The name Sringeri is a derivative of this place as it was called Sringa Giri, which became Sringeri over time.

    

Rishyashringa Temple and the history of the temple on the walls.

Close by there is Sirimane Waterfalls, sourced from the mountains of the Sahyadri range. One has to climb down around 80 steps to approach the falls that gently descend around 30-40 feet in height. SGR and HSN had a blast, bathing under the falls while we watched. There wasn’t much of a crowd as it was a weekday and the children’s exams were in full swing. I’m sure this place would be crowded if not for this.

        

Sirimane Waterfalls, where SGR and HSN had a lovely time bathing under the gentle flow.

After taking a few snaps here, we left for Sringeri as NRP insisted on having darshana of the presiding senior Acharya at this first established Matha by Adi Shankara. We had to hurry and reach Narasimha Vana, which is on the other side of Sringeri Temple, crossing the Tunga River. With the Sun God smiling on us, we had to walk briskly as the ground was roasting our soles. We were the last few devotees to have the darshana of the Acharya.

This done, we proceeded to the wedding venue in haste. The ceremonies were complete and the bridal couple were relaxed and were patient enough to pose for a few pics with us. BK and his wife were already having lunch, and they left for Bengaluru soon after.

             

Bride and the Groom

          

Some Photos from the Wedding

We waited for our turn to have lunch, and my, my, what a spread it was! A copious flow of a plethora of items were served by smiling ladies and not to mention the bride’s parents who cajoled us to have more of sweets and other savouries. Saaru, again, was the crowning glory of the spread. It appeared that the train of food varieties served never ended, what with different types of curries, veggies, tambulis (a typical Malenadu concoction), a couple of sweet items, and Gasagasey Payasa (a sweet porridge made from poppy seeds). After what seemed an eternity, we finally had our stomachs to the brim as we slowly waddled to wash our hands.

Bidding farewell to my friend LV, we were in no position to visit any place other than our beds for a snooze. We lazily ambled across to our rooms at the lodge and hit the bed, only to wake up after a couple of hours.

After our well-deserved siesta, we walked over to the restaurant at the end of the complex for our usual fix of coffee. A few of us had Kashaya (tea made from spices and milk), which was an excellent alternative to the traditional cuppa.

Our next place of visit was Shakatapura, a short drive from where we stayed. This temple is over 700 years old and is located on a huge expanse of ground on the banks of the Tunga River. It was established by the disciple of Sri Thotakacharya, who was one of the 4 original disciples of Adi Shankara. It underwent renovation over a decade ago and is a part of the Shankara Mata.

Huge idols of Ganesha and Subramanya flank the entrance to the temple. There are idols of Adi Shankara and his disciples flanking the second level of the entrance. The temple is quite majestic and Krishna, Lakshmi Narayana, Raja Rajeshwari, and Dattatreya are worshipped here. The place is quite serene and ideal for meditation.

     

     

       

      

     

Pictures of the beautiful Shakatapura Temple

We pushed off past Sringeri from this place, where NRP had a specific shop to buy banana chips and such other. We all tasted the excellent product samples and bought various stuff for our consumption, back at home. He wanted to see the Abhisheka to Chandramouleshwara, performed by Acharya in the evening. The rest of us were not appropriately dressed to attend and hence loitered around in Sringeri, window shopping, having dinner, and such. 

While Sujay and I were shopping for some spices, etc., we met a family from Mysuru who had settled in Bengaluru. We had a very good discussion on asafoetida (Hing - in the common dialect) and the sources that supply the shop. Also, I got to know the difference in honey that is commonly available in the Malenadu region. Nice conversation and very good information.

On NRP’s arrival from the pooja, we proceeded to our lodge for the night. Based on our earlier experience of bathing in the river, others expressed their desire to have a bath in the river the next day.

Got up at 6:00 am, and the 4 of us (NRP, SG, SGR, and I) trotted towards the river. HSN and RB were perhaps not in the mood to wake up so early, and hence, they didn’t come along with us.

The weather was nice, and there was no fog, unlike the previous day. We reached the banks of the river and didn’t wait for long to get into the water. While immersing in water and bathing, we had the fish doing their job of cleaning the dead cells from our feet and soles. The water was quite warm, and we had our fill bathing there.

After a refreshing bath, as we got out and dried our bodies, we could see the Sun peeking between the bushes yonder. It was quite a sight and we did capture this in our cell phone cameras. 

   

        

Captivating pictures of the Sunrise from the banks of the River Tunga

Once done, we meandered our way returning to our lodge. On the way, I saw a person chanting Sri Hari Vayu Stuti in front of the Lord Hanuman’s idol. I thought his face was familiar but didn’t give it much thought. While we were about to don our footwear, he called me by name, and then I realised it was Ravindra Andagar, whom I had been acquainted with during my days in South Africa. I had a good chat with him and his wife, remembering our days in that country, and waved them off.

Changing to our travel costumes, we had a quick breakfast at the adjoining restaurant and checked out of the lodge. On the return journey, our first stop was the Kamandalu Ganapathi temple near Koppa. The river Brahma Tirtha originates here in front of the Ganapathi Idol. It is a wonderful sight to see the water gushing out of the ground in front of the idol and flowing on to become a tributary of the Tunga River. The temple is in the midst of a jungle, which makes it even more exquisite.

                  

      

Pictures of Kamandalu Ganapathi Temple, near Koppa

As we hit the town, NRP took us to a Co-operative that collected, processed and sold Honey to various consumers, and we too bought some. We were told that the unit processes around 12-14 tons of honey a year. The person who was supervising the unit was kind enough to give us a quick tour, explaining the intricacies of the business. He said that they have over 3-4,000 Adivaasis as members of the Co-op, who bring in honey regularly. After passing quality tests, the raw honey is vacuumed into a receptacle where it undergoes multi-stage filtration to extricate impurities. The final product is bottled and sold.

  

Lamp Co-operative Society Ltd's Honey processing facility, Koppa.

Our next stop was Chikkamagaluru, where we had brunch at the Town Canteen. Each of us had a crisp Butter Masale Dose and a half and were quite full. Hereon, we pushed off to Hassan Bus Terminus, where we dropped off SG, bid farewell, and proceeded towards Bengaluru. On the way back, we had a pitstop at Swati restaurant complex for a cuppa. Dropping off SGR, NRP, HSN, and RB, I reached home a tad short of 8:00 pm. Dog tired, I hit the bed in no time, but not before unpacking and sorting off the clothes that needed a wash and stowing away the tote bag.

In a nutshell, it was a well-deserved, quick, and effective break from the mundane that was very much needed to recharge physically, mentally, and emotionally. That we had a wedding to attend was the icing on the cake.

Looking back, we would have loved if many more members of our group had joined us on this sojourn to Sringeri. Understandably, we all have our priorities, and I hope to see more members joining such trips in the future, given enough notice.

Thanks, LV and Sahana, for inviting us, Amit and Nagalakshmi, to have your destination wedding at the temple town! 

Weekly Point to Ponder! Part 1

A Compilation of My Thoughts!

I have been publishing my thoughts as 'This Week's Point to Ponder', since 2 June 2024, (save for the two weeks of my bereavement - in Jan-Feb) to a limited group on WhatsApp. 

While many of them are related to traffic anomalies, others are of general observation of the peoples' behaviour or the lack of it.

Most of these were widely acclaimed by members of my limited circulation group. This prompted me to keep writing about relevant topics. 

Below is a compilation of what has been written over the last 7 months.

Hope you will enjoy my thought-provoking 'Thoughts'!! 

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

Starting today, I will post a weekly Point to Ponder, just for the heck of it!

Here goes my first post:

A point to ponder:

Referring to the Indian style of driving on roads; Do you have to drive to the extreme right side of the road, to make a right turn?

I wonder how many of you have noticed this queer driving habit!!?

This week's Point to Ponder:

Again, with reference to driving on Indian roads; (two & three wheelers in particular), gone are the days of hand-signalling while making a turn, even indicators (possibly they think of it as optional extras) are not being used while making a turn!

Is it ignorance or arrogance (why should I let others know where I intend to turn?) that prevents them from signalling their intent to turn!?

Just thinking!!

This week's Point to Ponder!

With reference to many roads in Bengaluru; A number of Rumble Strips to act as Speed Breakers, have been installed.

A fair amount of them just before the curving roads. I would like to commend the brilliance (more, the lack of it) of Road Engineers who installed these.

Commonsense says that the traction of the vehicles will be compromised while negotiating such curved roads and more so when they are wet.

Agreed, commonsense says that vehicle drivers must exercise caution while negotiating the curves, too.

But won't our road users leave their commonsense back home before they hit the roads, lest they spend it unnecessarily on the roads? 😀

What do you say?

This week's Point to Ponder:

With reference to the potholes on and dimly lit (if at all) roads:

Many accidents on our roads are due to the pathetic road conditions like potholes, poorly lit roads and corners during dark hours.

Will the Government compensate the vehicle owners for the damage and the road users for their losses of life, injuries, work related hiccups, etc.?

Why does the media cast a blind eye in reporting these lacunae of the Government.

Maybe, they should use creative reporting of this issue in public interest.

And what do you say?

This week's Point to Ponder:

Again, with reference to the traffic on Indian roads in general.

While waiting at the traffic signal🚦 I always wonder at those who keep honking.

Does their honking hasten the sequence of 🚦 to turn green?

Or, does the traffic in front of them split like the Red Sea, as it did for Moses?

I'm yet to find an answer to this rather queer behaviour of the vehicle drivers!!

What do you say?

This week's Point to Ponder!

Again, with reference to the driving habits on Indian roads, in general and on Bengaluru roads, in particular.

Wonder why many vehicle drivers (of 2, 3 and 4 wheelers) are averse to using headlights during dark hours?? 🤔

Are they worried that the power consumption of their vehicles will impact their electricity bills?? 🤔

Are they not scared of personal injuries to them or to other road users?

Do they think they are playing video games and lives can be reset or restarted or they can survive because they are Cats with 9 lives?

I'm yet to find answers to this enigmatic behaviour of such vehicle drivers!!

What do you say?

This week's Point to Ponder:

Again, with reference to the driving habits on Indian roads.

Gone are days when people used to switch on their headlights while driving on the wrong side of the road.

Vehicle drivers are so arrogant these days, as they blatantly drive on one way streets and on the wrong side of the roads, disregarding any laws or caring two hoots about the safety of the other road users, let alone their safety!

l wonder when our public realises these necessary corrections in their day-to-day civic activities that can make 'HAMARA BHARAT MAHAAN'!

What are your thoughts?

This week's Point to Ponder:

Using mobile phones while driving vehicles!

I can't overemphasise this disease (nay, pandemic), which is rampant amongst vehicle drivers.

I'm surprised (shocked) to see this disease is pervasive across all age and gender of vehicle drivers!! 🤦🏼‍♂️

I wonder if these errant drivers wouldn't mind risking their lives and that of other road users, over some frivolous call - while driving!! 🤔

What are your thoughts?

This week's Point to Ponder:

Ambulance Chasing to beat the traffic blues!

We have tornado 🌪️ chasers in the USA. However, we have a different creed of vehicle drivers who chase 🚑 on Indian roads!

Every time I see an 🚑 in the midst of heavy traffic, rushing to pick a patient or drop them off at the nearest 🏥, with siren blaring on the street, I see lot of 🏍️ and 🛺 chasing the 🚑, whether to beat the🚦or to save time in reaching their destination. 🤦🏼‍♂️

I wonder if these errant drivers realise that they are risking their lives and of the other road users, while chasing 🚑!? 🤔

What are your thoughts?

This week's Point to Ponder:

Teach them young!

Whenever I see parents escorting their children/wards to drop them off at school, etc. I see most of them (if on two wheelers) without helmets or driving on the wrong side of the road, with impunity! 🤦🏼‍♂️

Don't they realise that the first lesson they are teaching their children/wards, is to disregard the law of the land and to care two hoots about safety of self and that of others!? 🤔

Once the children grow into their teens or adults, the indiscipline engrained takes over their behaviour and attitude.

Why don't these erring people realise this basic human psychology!?

What are your thoughts?

This week's Point to Ponder:

Wearing seatbelts:

Often, we see only the drivers of the vehicles wearing seatbelts and not the front & rear passengers. What do they think? Are they immune from getting hurt, in the event of an accident?

On the contrary, they are the ones to get hurt fatally, most of the time, in the event of an accident; and more so, if in a head-on collision, the front passenger is a goner!!

Wonder how birdbrained, people can be, in ignoring basic safety requirements!? 🤔

What are your thoughts?

This week's Point to Ponder:

Influx of women villains in Indian Soapies:

Women villains have risen to celebrate gender equality in most of our Indian Soapies.

Is this what the viewers want or is this what the producers/directors project the women folk to be (maybe to settle a score with someone, elsewhere), is a conundrum.

Be that as it may, there is no regulatory guidance/supervision on what/what-not to be televised in this fragile environment engulfing our society.

The success or failure of Soapies is left to the mercy of the viewers' TRP.

Who is responsible for the irresponsible messages such soapies dispel to the viewers?

Are you thinking what I am thinking??

This week's Point to Ponder:

How about something related to Rhythm and Melody?

Ever noticed how your head sways side to side, involuntarily, when you are enjoying a melodious classical musical note?

And how your head jumps up and down, for the rhythmic musical note, from a Hard Rock or Heavy Metal!?

I have been wondering about this for decades now!! How about you?

Just thinking!!

This week's Point to Ponder:

How about cybercrime and the reasons for its thriving business:

Con-men/women have been conning people from time immemorial.

These days of smartphones and not-so-smart people using these phones are one of the reasons for the current day's increase in cybercrime.

They (cyber-criminals) come in all shapes and sizes including a plethora of service providers.

Seasonally, Income-tax refunds steal a march over other cyber-crimes.

Couriers, Customs Office, Deliveries from reputed mailorder companies, Banks, Investment opportunities in Stocks/Shares, etc are some of the other species of cyber-criminals.

Greed and making quick money is one of the main reasons for the gullible to fall prey to these criminals.

Ignorance of smartphone usage is another reason.

Whatever be the reasons, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Just a thought!!

This week's Point to Ponder:

How about something on Endemic Foodstuff:

These days, there is a lot of propaganda about growing foodstuff (particularly fruits and veggies) Alien (not endemic) to a particular region.

E.g. Many species of fruits and veggies endemic elsewhere in the world (say Dragon Fruit, Avocados, etc.) are lured to be grown by enticing farmers locally.

This may be good in the short term but over a longer period, this may hurt the soil that is used to grow staples.

Wonder any research has been done on this subject ⁉️

Just a thought!!

This week's Point to Ponder:

How about Gaming Apps and Cybercrimes and their relation to the increased Disposable Incomes:

Gaming Apps (including online gambling apps) and cybercrimes have increased in direct proportion to the increased disposable incomes.

Statistics prove that the winning generally, is always skewed towards the gaming or betting companies, leaving most participants as losers.

Betting companies are making it big and it is ironical that our Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has a main sponsor in Dream 11 (a gaming/betting company). Extensive and unabated advertisements, by these companies (despite the regulatory caveats) showcasing their products is akin to the proverbial attraction of the moth to flame.

Why is there no regulation on gambling ads, just the way Alcohol ads are banned (though they resort to surrogate advertising, for propaganda)?   

Just a thought!!

This week’s Point to Ponder:

Back to Basics.

During our childhood days in the 1960s and 70s, we were brainwashed by FMCG Companies, not to use many of the time-tested staples and instead start using their much-researched (?) plethora of products.

A case in point – Charcoal and Common Salt for the use as tooth powder, a mix of which was a time-tested product for clean and white teeth, or a twig of neem that used to be stone-crushed or chewed at the ends (to extract and gulp down the juice of neem that is very healthy) while the brush-like end of the twig cleaned the teeth.

Many such items, relegated to the background, are being brought to the fore by many FMCG companies having realised the qualities (medicinal or utility) of such and other basic materials. Another case in point – the same company that had propagated against use of Charcoal and Common Salt in the 1960s and 70s is extensively adding these to their toothpaste, in modified form and stressing on the healthy resaons for its use.

Our Vedic system has discovered and prescribed many such items – Turmeric, Ginger, Honey, Sandalwood, Spices, etc., for a variety of ailments that are being re-researched by the TNC (Trans National Companies) and trying to preach the converted.

Yet, many of us still deny the benefits of such time-tested products unless they are preached by some foreign company/source.

Just a thought!

This Week’s Point to Ponder:

Even actors playing villainous characters in the movies, will want to play good character roles eventually, in the later years of their career:

Many examples can be seen of such actors moving away from negative roles; and finding new life in different, refreshing character roles and this is prevalent across different Woods in the film industry, as we know in India – Bollywood, Kollywood, Tollywood, Sandalwood, etc.

Maybe these villains also realise that Truth and Goodness will eventually prevail, over Evil or perhaps, they want to project better optics in front of ‘God’ and the ‘Viewer Gods’ to prove that you can’t be evil forever, or even better, they want to mentor younger villains and fade away from villainy?

Whatever the reason; else why for instance, would the notorious Pran, Premnath, Ajit, Kader Khan, or Amrish Puri (and the list goes on) in the Bollywood industry, switch over 180° from their hard-earned images of villains, into good character roles and even to that of a hero in a few cases, as we have seen in the South-Indian Woods?

Or is it due to the ‘Theory of Diminishing Marginal Utility’ (as we know in Economics) of getting saturated with their predominant image?

Just a thought!

This Week’s Point to Ponder:

The influx of unseasonal vegetables and fruits and its possible impact on consumers’ health:

These days, better usage of fertilizers and chemicals, logistics, and availability of cold/storage facilities have increased agro-product productivity.

Indiscriminate use of the inputs and greed of earning a quick buck has brought an influx of unseasonal veggies and fruits into the market.

For instance – Watermelon, a summer fruit is available throughout the year these days. Cowpeas (Avarekayi, as we call them in Kannada) have traditionally been a crop of the winter season, but are available just in the midst of summer.

On my return to India in 2018, I was flabbergasted to see Cowpeas being sold in August. When I checked with the greengrocer about this unseasonal availability of this veggie, he politely told me not to buy this as it is poison (unseasonal and therefore harmful to health).

This simple knowledge is known to even the laymen but we, the consumers, would like to appease our tastebuds disregarding our health. We are agnostic of how the consumption of unseasonal veggies and fruits is impacting our health – bit by bit. 

If there is no demand for such unseasonal items, who will grow and supply the Poison as my greengrocer alluded to?

Just a thought!

This Week’s Point to Ponder:

Installation of mini wind turbine generators alongside the tracks of Metro Rail, across the country:

The draft of wind created by the movement of Metro Trains, alongside or on the ground between tracks due to its movement (except on platforms), can easily be converted into electric energy if appropriate wind turbines are installed alongside the tracks or on the ground level of each of the tracks of the Metro Rail.

Sufficient energy can be generated thus and if stored/utilised properly, this may be enough to run the escalators/elevators or to light up the Metro Station.

If the powers that be, can explore this opportunity to harness the energy from the gush of wind freely available whenever a Metro Train passes every time it travels on the track, it can go a long way in generating sufficient energy to power the Metro Station.

I am sure maintenance of these mini turbines may pose a challenge but we can always have different ways and means to mitigate the challenge.

Just a Thought!

This Week's Point to Ponder:

Trend of unabated violence in recent movies:

To name a few recent movies that have highlighted violence as the mainstream of their stories; KGF, Jailor, Animal, Salar, etc.

Wonder why so much of violence is depicted and are the CBFC (Central Board of Film Censors) members licking lollypops offered by the producers of these movies, while turning a blind eye to the atrocities depicted⁉️

The public who views these movies and are inspired to emulate violence with impunity and without using their grey matter, are collectively termed as intolerant and the Government is blamed by the same fraternity, who depict violence on the silver screen!!

What an irony?

Just a thought!

This Week’s Point to Ponder:

How about something on Agrivoltaics?

Agrivoltaics is the dual use of land for solar energy production and agriculture. The technique was first conceived by Adolf Goetzberger and Armin Zastrow in 1981. Many agricultural activities can be combined with solar, including plant crops, livestock, greenhouses, and wild plants to provide pollinator support.

Suppose we can influence the farmers, through their co-operatives or influencers in their villages, to install these solar panels over the vegetables or other such crops needing shaded environments and animal shelters. In that case, they can exploit the abundant sunshine blessed by nature and generate enough electricity to power their villages.

Despite a higher initial cost (as reduced by the subsidies available), it is worth the trouble to generate green and clean energy.

Just a thought!

This Week's Point to Ponder:

How about AI & its influence/impact on jobs:

With the advent of AI (Artificial Intelligence) in many if not most repetitive jobs already in the Western Countries, it is just a matter of time for its impact to be felt in our parts of the World🌍!!

I happened to converse with my Uber driver a couple of months ago in how his business is performing post COVID and the impact from the Work from Home initiative.

He said (transliterating), What Sar, our business has already been under, due to the above reasons and I understand someone with less brain has come out with automatic program that will cut out many jobs. Why couldn't they think about the impact this could have on the world of employment? Crime will increase and so will many other ills in the society!

Why did they hit their leg on the axe, instead of the proverbial axe falling on their leg???

What a profound statement from a common man⁉️

Just a thought on what we can expect in future!

This Week’s Point to Ponder:

The Case of Adjourned Cases!

Why the ‘Brief’ can’t be brief!

The way cases are piling up in our courts by the day, it reminds of the mythological character ‘Raktabeejasur’. For every case closed on any given day, thousands are freshly being filed.

This being the situation, the common belief is that a civil case takes at least 2-3 decades to settle, if at all.

Adjournments, for legitimate reasons, can be accepted. But, if this is for the sole purpose of stalling the case, as lawyers and their clients commonly resort to, then there must be a process to give a maximum number of adjournments and then decide on the case.

Hearing the matters too, must be done in total for the day planned and there must be a criminal action taken by the Court against the erring parties. The time given for the case hearings must be strictly adhered to by the parties and their advocates.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) must be used to determine similar cases that are pending and compare them with disposed-off cases. Once similarities are determined, these cases may be disposed of in the same manner as the original case. Agreed, this will result in a huge loss of revenue to the legal fraternity, but it will ease a lot of burden on our overburdened Judicial system. I’m sure over 60% of the cases currently being dealt with in our courts will fall under this category.

In short, the judicial procedure regarding languishing cases must be revamped urgently.    

Just a thought!

This Week’s Point to Ponder:

Bartering Precious Time for Playing with Smartphones!

How the Smartphones have usurped our time, unbeknownst to us!

These days, phones (specifically, Smartphones) rule the roost and are the origin of many a fight, argument, debate or indifference has cropped up even between the best of friends, relatives, kith and kin, parents and children and even between loving and caring spouses.

The core reason for this is the time spent by a person on the smartphone and the feeling it gives the other party of being ignored, neglected, or brushed aside as an insignificant presence of a body.

The other day, while attending my friend's son's wedding, I could see an elderly lady watching some reels on her Facebook page, totally oblivious to the ceremony going on!

Can't we discipline ourselves or have self-control/restraint over our indulgence with smartphones?

No wonder phones have become smart, leaving those who use/abuse them as DUDS!

Just a thought!

This Week's Point to Ponder:

How about the (Un)Holy Nexus between Health, Insurance & Unhealthy Food Industry⁉️

Last week I read somewhere that Rs.350 Billion was generated by the food ordering companies like Swiggy, Zomato, etc.

Similarly, the revenues generated by the Medical Health industry are in Trillions.

Not to be left behind, the revenues of the Medical Health Insurance industry too, is in the range of Billions, if not Trillions.

We all know about the impact one industry has on the other two.

Yet, it is such an irony that no action is taken by any of the Four Estates that serve as pillars of the society, for the general good of its citizens!!

I fully understand that food is a personal choice but the impact of wrong food, on the society has a 🦋 effect on various stakeholders.

Just a thought!

This Week's Point to Ponder:

Westernising Indian Consumer Habits – one habit at a time!

How about the invasion of Black Friday, Cyber Monday and other Days to lure shoppers to buy even unnecessary things?

Remember, we hardly used greeting cards till Archies & Hallmark (multinational card companies) started the trend of naming the days to signify an occasion. So much so that there was a beeline of naïve or egoistic consumers at their stores for any or all rhyme/s or reason/s, parting their hard-earned moolah!

Now that the middle class is bestowed with both – excess disposable surpluses and exposure to the culture and habits of Western Countries (via travel, education, work-related, etc.), it is all the more imperative for companies like Amazon, Zara, H&M and their likes, who have opened their shops in India, to lure and milk this class, which constitutes a major percentage of their clientele.

But how to lure them? Bring in the popular ideas prevalent in their countries; like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Friend’s Day, Daughter’s Day, Black Friday for all and sundry items and Cyber Monday for Electronic Equipment sale!! Cool! This is in addition to our traditional Sale Seasons like Ugadi, Shravan, Gowri-Ganesh, Dusshera, Deepavali and Christmas.

Perineal milking of money from consumers, Zindabad!

Just a thought!

This Week's Point to Ponder:

Nexus between usage of preservatives and ill-health!

In the decades and years gone by, the incidence of cancer and other related diseases was unknown and unheard of. These could have been prevalent then but ‘ignorance of its presence was a bliss’.

In the second half of the 20th century, when the production of Agricultural Products started reaching record levels year after year, there came the need to store and preserve these for longer periods of time. Enter the ‘use of preservatives’ as a norm for ‘storing and preserving’ in addition to pesticides and fertilizers to prevent loss due to pests and improve the yield from agricultural activities.

On the other hand, medical and health fields started evolving, and various research was conducted and is continuously being conducted on preservatives and their potential impacts on health, particularly on different forms of cancer.

All these have resulted in collateral damage to human health and severe impact due to cancer and other ailments.

Just a thought!

This Week’s Point to Ponder:

Waqf Act and its implications.

I know I am stirring a hornet’s nest here.

Power-hungry politicians have brought out this act of Law, in favour of a particular community. Where was the need for this?

Is it hard to understand that before all the invasions and demolitions by the ‘invaders and conquerors’, the whole country belonged to the original inhabitants?

Why has the government of that day brought out laws to side with a particular community while the majority is left to suck their thumbs?

Such laws are more divisive and should be thwarted at the initial process itself, by all political parties who claim to be secular.

Now, to balance this inequality, the powers at the helm must promulgate similar laws to protect the lands of the original inhabitants!

In short, we will end up creating mountains out of molehills!

Just a thought!

This Week’s Point to Ponder:

Hyacinth Beans (Avarey Kayi, as we call in Kannada) sans the proverbial Characteristic Aroma (Sogadu, again in Kannada).

In the past, if a household was peeling Avarey Kayi, the whole street would get the aroma of freshly peeled beans. Also, the bean pods were harvested only during the winter months of December to February. Due to the presence of overnight and early morning dew, there used to be an oily coat on the pods that used to stick to your hands and fingers when you touched/handled them.

In the last few years, the aroma has gone missing and so has the oily coat on pods, sold in the market. Further, these oil-less and aroma-less Avarey Kayi are available in all seasons. (Check the dated yet relevant article https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/avarekai-appears-but-sans-sogadu/article7956302.ece)

Understandably, the aroma of Avarey Kayi is overpowering but where was the need to genetically modify these lovely beans and strip off its Sogadu, resulting in the loss of its Sobagu (Glamour, Elegance or Charm – in English)?

Effectively, we are fed hyacinth beans that taste bland like a stand-alone potato.

What can be done to bring the Sobagu back to our poor Sogadu Avarey Kayi now?

Just a thought!

This Week’s Point to Ponder:

Encroachment of Footpaths by Hawkers, Two-wheeler Traffic & Illegally Parked Vehicles – In Bengaluru’s context.

Footpath, as the name suggests, is a safe passageway for those foot commuters. Alas, this doesn’t fit the definition of footpath anymore. If anything, footpaths are used for all and sundry activities, other than their main purpose.

We have hawkers usurping this precious space, so foot travellers have to intelligently dodge the obstruction caused by these illegal occupants, all the while being aware of the two-wheeler community, who also use footpaths as if they are their fathers’ property to circumvent the crowded traffic snarls.

Another menace is that of shopkeepers, who use this space for their advertisement boards, if there is enough space after parking their vehicles.

This epidemic is prevalent across the city of Bengaluru and I am sure this is the same in many other cities too.

The business-friendly (??) governing authorities look the other side when someone raises this issue.

Be that as it may, days are not far for the citizens in taking the law into their own hands, to beat this menace.

Just a thought!

This Week’s Point to Ponder:

BMTC freebies for Ladies – time wasted by the Conductor in issuing free tickets.

I sometimes travel using public transport – BMTC bus as in Bengaluru.

My two cents, on the crowd management and issuing tickets to passengers by the conductor.

The Congress party running the Government in Karnataka has been benevolent in making bus travel free for all the ladies in the State, a mandate on which they won the elections (Sic!).

I suggest that a ticketing contraption be installed near the front door of the bus from where ladies normally board, so that they can show their ID to the driver and tear a ticket while entering the bus itself, thereby the time of the conductor can be better utilised for issuing tickets to the ‘paying male passengers’!

Just a thought!

This Week’s Point to Ponder:

LED Headlights - used in the Automobile industry and its impact on human eyes.

The rampant use of LED (Light Emitting Diode) headlights in the automobile industry needs to be checked by the authorities as is the dire need to regulate the market fitters of the headlights to the vehicles. As you age or, should you have an eye condition, your eyes battle to get used to the headlights of oncoming traffic, particularly at night.

It is all fine for the safety of the vehicle’s occupants but what about those in the oncoming traffic and more of the two-wheeler drivers.

LED lights, despite their advantages, have many disadvantages. Two of them are;

Concentration – its light is not dispersed evenly but concentrated on the axis. It appears dim but suddenly can turn blinding brilliance to the oncoming driver's eyes when the line of sight of this light syncs.

Too Blue – Compared with the conventional halogen lights replaced by these LEDs, the bluer spectrum of these lights impairs the night-adapted vision of the human eye to a far greater extent as pupil size is strongly correlated to the blue light than the yellow shade of halogens.

Studies in the EU, UK, and USA have proved the harm to the eyes of humans and animals caused by the use of LED lighting in automobiles and other lighting.  

Will the powers that be – Central and State Ministries concerned with Transportation, Human Resources, Health and Animal Husbandry, take the necessary steps to initiate regulations related to the use of LED lights, particularly in Automobiles? This will do a lot of good to senior citizens and children in keeping their vision healthy!

Just a thought!

This Week’s Point to Ponder!

We all live 100 years! However, this lifespan isn’t the same for different human beings!

Having lost my youngest brother 9 days ago, who was aged just 52 years and turning 53 on the day after, it made me think that isn’t we all destined/designed to live 100 years!?

Then, I consoled myself with this Point of View – Converse to that in a competitive exam where the passing threshold is determined based on the best result, which is considered as 100% and the rest are relatively graded as a percentile, the span of every human being’s life is 100% but in terms of years of such life, it is relatively graded to the number of years they live, equivalent to 100 years!

Just a thought!

This Week’s Point to Ponder!

Height of Irony: Dream 11 – a gaming and betting entity, sponsoring the Indian Cricket Teams!?

What an irony that a gaming company is one of the main sponsors of the Indian Cricket Teams?

Is the BCCI so desperate for sponsorships that it had to compromise by allowing a betting company to sponsor its prestigious teams (Men's and Women's)?

Isn't it a case of the fence eating the grass? On what moral ground can the Board decide on players, caught in any form of betting? Can the Government of India de-recognise BCCI for allowing the tacit legalisation of betting?

Just a thought!

This Week’s Point to Ponder!

How about something on Pseudo-Intellectuals!?

This species is Omnipresent these days, particularly in our country, possibly in every city and below are just a few examples of how and where to find them.

Just venture onto the streets and there they are, creating chaos in the streets with their driving skills (or the lack of it), haphazard parking of vehicles, driving on the wrong side of the road or on the pavements, driving on the road with their friend alongside on another vehicle – yapping along without a care in the world while holding the traffic behind them to ransom.

These specimens even try to wiggle through the traffic (particularly if they are on two-wheelers), more often than not without a protective helmet and don't observe any traffic rules while Red at traffic lights means Green to them and don’t be surprised if they are busy chatting on their cell phones too!

Then again, these days we have a few of them engrossed on their palmtops (aka Mobiles) while going about their normal work, without a care in the world or for the others around them. They can be the ones causing accidents while/or being victims in such accidents.

Quite a few of them jump the queue at every possible place as if their time is extremely precious and others can wait for their turn.

They are the same species when in a foreign country, they follow the rules and practices of that country to the Tee, but the moment they return, they reboot and revert to their old habits while they dare to lecture their kith and kin about the discipline they followed in those countries and how our country lacks such a culture.

How can we get rid of this species or get them to drop ‘Pseudo’ from their family name and behave normally?

Just a thought!

 

Catch them Young!

Child Prodigies!

"Catch them Young" - This adage is more relevant to those child prodigies who exhibit their innate knowledge and skills at a very young age.

They have excelled in Music (including playing Musical Instruments), Art, Mathematics, Languages, Sports, etc., from a tender age. If their knowledge can be nurtured and channeled in the right direction, it will go a long way toward making them the best in their field as they gradually grow up.

I had an opportunity of listening to my doctor’s 4-year-old son, blabbering out the names of the capital cities (of most countries across the world) and to say the least, I was gobsmacked! This was way back in the late 90s when I was posted in Mumbai.

Child prodigies in the Musical world need no special introduction as we have too many examples, both in the Eastern and Western world.

These days, due to the proliferation of social media and encouragement from the parents and wards of such prodigies, instances of exhibiting their talent have become easier than it was, in the decades gone by.

The context of my writing:

I regularly walk in the park opposite my apartment. There is a badminton court and is frequented by the players of the sports club. On the evening of 24th December last year, my attention was drawn to a small boy around 4 years old, playing with his mother under the floodlights.

The mother was hitting the shuttlecock at a perfect level for the boy to strike it effortlessly, time and time again, without faltering or missing out on his shot. What a sight it was, to behold!

             

Thereafter, I kept seeing them play most evenings despite the lack of artificial lights. The boy’s handling of the racquet and his effortless play lingered on in my mind. I wondered where and how this tiny kid could generate such power to hit the shuttlecock across the net for his mother to reach!

Determined to tell his story in my blog, I approached his mother, introduced myself, and sought her permission to do a story on him. She agreed to it and said her name was Manasa. Her son’s name was Sughosh, and he was 3½ years old.

I was sent a couple of video clippings (I couldn't upload and enable playing of it on this blog due to some technical issues) where Sughosh was playing with his father Sandeep, in the courts of Nova Badminton Academy nearby and mentioned that they take him to this place regularly.  

One evening, I met Sandeep and talked about how they identified Sughosh's talent for this racquet game. He mentioned that they have been bringing him to the park regularly since he was a toddler. There he was, watching the game played by his father and other players with rapt attention. He started handling the racquet as soon as he could hold on to it, and it was then that the parents noticed his prowess.

        

For a boy of his age; where his peers would be very happy playing with slides and swings in the park, this kid is of a different creed! He would still play with slides and swings but after his share of playing badminton. 

One look at him while he plays shows his passion and drive for this sport. Badminton, like any sport, demands unwavering dedication and perseverance and I have no doubt that Sughosh's inner strength and ambition will fuel his reaching the goal of perfection and being the best in this sport. 

 

           

I’m sure Sughosh’s parents (Manasa and Sandeep) have already charted out his course for the future. 

I conclude by saying that his talent must be chiseled and channeled with the help of the right professional coach and guide. As he hones his skill in this game, he will definitely bring laurels to the state and the country!

I wish Sughosh and his parents, all of the very best! 

(Pictures courtesy and Published with permission from Sughosh's parents - Sandeep and Manasa)