SAY NO TO CHILD LABOUR- World Day against Child Labour- June 12, 2013

As the world today is celebrating ‘No Child Labour Day’ , the sound of the shrill call from a elite friend of the past resonanced in my ears loudly again-   “Rama-   Ekkada chachavey”….meaning Rama, where the hell have you died….

The just 10+ year old child ran to her ‘Madam’ side in a less than a minute and this fabulous rich civilized woman creature gave her a kick in her pit saying that she should stay in her sight all the time.  The little girl was embarrassed for I was there watching this happen …and as I tried stopping this so called friend.   The Madam gave the instructions to Rama to start pressing her legs as she stretched them on the coffee table from the sofa.  I felt like pushing her sofa upside down.. The poor little girl started to obey her silently for everything she was instructed to!.  

This is just one of the millions Rama’s who silently endure the pain of a heavy childhood, not see a penny of their earning which get sent to their parents in the villages,  fed on the leftovers and let to sleep on the floor even in chill winter nights.  These children help in domestic chores of cleaning, cooking and washing.  Few help the elders run errands for them.  Few are destined to be baby sitting all the times as mothers keep busy with kitty party’s and clubs and sometime genuine work schedules.   

Children working as child sex workers silently, not knowing of pregnancy and child birth, and subsequent consequences are another side of this sad story.  Children trafficked to other countries as domestic help and baby sitters, forbid of their rightful education and growing up years of childhood to enjoy, the poverty of the parents push them to the chores beyond their age. 

Millions of children work in remote villages in farms, silently inside the rooms of the factories,  do demeaning chores hidden inside the industries and sadly in the red light areas of the country doing jobs beyond their age and understanding.  

Construction laborers’, hotel waiters and cleaners, domestic helpers, courier boys, news paper boys, car cleaners,  workers in quarries and as wood cutters, cobblers, painters and potters.  These children do not know what is it like having a four square meal, a good night  comfortable sleep,  education and alphabets,  money and savings and no dreams of a sustainable future.  They get for the day, they eat and sleep what ever is possible and carry on with their lives.   By the time, they realize what they lost, they can never get back -  the precious childhood and hopes of education

 Thanks to the night schools and no child left behind campaigns, the children today are getting the required awareness and attention.  However, there is yet a larger segment of the society that is not careful of this menace between us.   Thoughtlessly employing children at any form of work is made illegal in most part of the world, but the law remained in the books far away from action. 

Time to say NO to Child Labour and put a strong end to this in our country.   Every child need to be set free to dream and dare to move in their lives with confidence and choice than be pushed to labour and burdened childhood.

World Milk Day -June 1st- But the other side on the fate of Cattle!- Cowu Cowu, Holy Cowu...No More Lovuuuu...Its just a business and bargains for the benefit for Man...with cruelty to Animals...No more Cow is a form of Goddess as we were taught!

Cows' Milk is for Calves-  Is it really?

Dairy Industry	India Stands No 1 in the world	Followed by USA
Investment: Rs 2242 Crores	Demand: 150 Million tonnes of Milk	Target Year: 2016-17
Result	Tragedy to Cows	Production through artificial insemination
Government Proposal	Increase Animal Husbandry , Dairying and Fisheries	Productivity enhancement Village Level Infrastructure growth Greater access to world markets
India is cattle capital of the world	324 Million herd	Result:  Pollution, Fodder demands and illegal business Cruelty to Animals
Myth-1	Cow is an Indian God, worshiped and protected. Valued as a family member and loved raising in homes	Reality :  Horror show of cruelty.   Cow slaughtering and milking is a big business
Myth-2	Milk is source of calcium	Reality:  Osteoporosis is caused due to consumption of milk and have more calcium in the diet -          There is no connection between bone health and consumption of milk
Myth 3	Cattle rearing is protecting of animals	Reality-  Cattle growing numbers for business is a bane to environment -          Bovines produce Methane when they pass gas -          Each Bovine produces anywhere between 100 Lt's- 500 litres of methane per day- equivalent to carbon dioxide emission from a car for one day -          Huge bovine population makes methane a dangerous pollutant Ecological imbalance: -          Producing fodder is a strain on scarce land and water resources -          Animal agriculture occupies 30% of earth’s land area -          Forested areas are let to graze or grow feed for farmed animals -          Effecting the cost of increase in prices of plant based diet -
Various ways of cruelty	1.        Artificial insemination 2.       Infertility due to 360 days of pregnancy 3.       Poor equipment 4.       Lack of proper training 5.       Calves are separated from the mothers the next day of their birth 6.       Cow and Calves don’t have a chance to experience the joys of motherhood to avoid the calves drinking off the full milk 7.       Bellows of thirsty calves go unnoticed 8.       Calves are treated as Replacement Stocks 9.       Increasing yield by injecting harmones like Oxytocin which is actually banned in India 10.   Hormonal injections result in abortions, mastitis, lower conception rate, calves in fact mortality, delayed puberty. 11.   Milk cows expected to give birth  to calves every year. 12.   50% of calves which are males are used to ploughing or butchered 13.   Sheltered in dark, cramped and acrid quarters 14.   Male calves are let to starve to death, thus suffering an early death 15.   Cows are kept pregnant almost 360 days in a year resulting in them drying up at the age of 6 or 7 instead of usual 14 years of their life span 16.   Milked overly, suffering from artificial insemination, hormonal injections and trauma of separation 17.   Trafficked for slaughtering under inhuman conditions 18.   Non milking cows are let to live on food from streets and plastic waste	Products: 1.       Skin is used for leather 2.       Cow leather is used to make seat covers, shoes, belts, purses,  pouches and sandals. 3.       Meat is used for domestic consumption and exports 4.       Calf leather has huge demand and calf meat called Veal is in high demand in Middle East 5.       Unborn calves meat is used for medicines 6.       Cattle’s heart tissues are used to rebuild livers 7.       Horns and Hoofs are used to make buttons, adhesives, plastics, pet food, plant food, shampoos and conditioners, boards, lamination paper, and plywood. 8.       Blood is used for making pasta, imitation eggs,  cake mixes,  dyes and inks,  adhesives,  minerals, medicines, and laboratory research materials 9.       Flesh is used for meat 10.   Tail is used for fertility treatment 11.   Bones used for whitening sugar and producing Gelatin, Charcoal, fertilizers and Glass 12.   Anti-aging creams and medicines are produced from cattle brains 13.   Hair is used to make air filters, Brushes, insulation, plaster and textiles 14.   Internal organs are used to make musical instruments, tennis racquet's strings, harmones, enzymes,  vitamins and surgical sutures other medicinal materials 15.   Milk is used to make adhesives,  plastics,  cosmetics and medicines 16.   Manure is used for fertilizers , nitrogen and phosphorous 17.   Skin is used to make gelatin,  flavorings,  emery boards, wallpapers, sheets, candies and confectionery 18.   Fat is used to make chewing gums, candies, detergents, fabric softeners, deos, shaving creams, perfume, pet food,  cosmetics, creams and lotions, crayons and paint, oils and lubricants,  bio diesel and plastics, waterproofing agents, cement,  ceramics, chalk , explosives,  fireworks,  matches, fertilizers, antifreeze, insulation's, linoleum, rubber,  textiles and medicines.
People Vs Vegans	Population of 1.2 Billion	400 Million Vegetarians only
Laws Governing slaughter houses	28 states have laws for protection legislation's	Less or no stringent laws in Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Lakshadweep, and largerly Kerala
Organizations fighting for Animal rights	1.       People for Cattle in India (PFCI)
Slaughter Houses	India- 3600 slaughter houses 9 Modern Abattoirs 171 Meat processing units	Illegal slaughter houses account to more than 30000 in India which are unregulated
India – Biggest Beef Exporter	16,80,0000 tonnes of beef and Veal exports followed by Brazil and Australian  in 2013 Forecast increase to record 2.16 million tonnes 1.24 Billions $s worth of beef exported in 2012 1.4 million tonnes of cattle legally slaughtered in 2012 nationwide	Key:  Government subsidies for increasing export market One dead animal is worth close to Rs. 30000 Tax payer money is used to give subsidies to gain export revenues in dairy products, leather and beef industries.
Solution	Plant based diet Production of protein rich plant based foods such as legumes, Soybeans, pulses, fruits, nuts using land and water resources that are other wise used to produce cattle feed	If we have to let the food on the plates of our children, then going Vegan is the only way!

Source:  An thought provoking article in Hindu newspaper recently

Dark is Beautiful- Skin Color is still an issue. Why? (Inspired by the Dark is Beautiful Campaign)

In the darkness of sky, I find the brightest stars!

In the midst of the world, lies the darkest cores!

In the mountains, we find the darkest peaks!

In the depths of oceans, we find the rarest gems!

True....No one got a right in this world, to make you feel that your color of the skin is an issue.  You are beautiful in your own right.   The beauty of heart is more important than the color of the skin.  Everyone  knew this, however the society is still obsessed with fair people.   Fairness of skin is considered wanted, confident and attractive.   Even the darkest people have the beautiful outlook, however this is ignored.  

The shade of our skin takes over the strength of brains and will of our hearts.   Unfortunately, not only in India, but in many parts of the world, the cosmetic market is making, that the fairness is the thing that the world wants...  The advertising business and marketing world, creates a inferiority complex in the minds of not only adults but also children that being fair is important for existence.  What they don't care to understand is that it is hitting hard on the psychology of young minds and making them feel inferior, left behind and introverts in nature.   

Schools and colleges do not encourage dark skinned students to come front on the stage.... Dark skinned talents are pushed to back seat when it comes even for job interviews,  marriage proposals,  or today even adding to your friends list in Facebook.... Every person, is trying to put the best of display picture, Photoshoped and hiding their real self....Why is this crisis?  Why is the stigma still continuing even after having the Presidents of Nations who have darker shades of skin?   

O

Our beloved church in Glendale, where we enjoyed being
accepted and loved without any bias

Looks and appearance matters,  to some extent in the industry like Cinema and Media, however, the same industry saw success stories like Rajnikanth and Nandita Das and we still think talents are only in white skinned people.    Were we not called Brown people from times immemorial.   Why are we so obsessed with the Nations where they have people who are fairer.  In fact in those Nations, the people are trying to have tanned skin,  respecting our people equally and consider us one among them and respecting us for what we are and not for how we look...

Happy my favorites god are all dark!

My story is a classical example of this discrimination.  I was my dad's dearest daughter, as he always wanted me not to feel inferior when the whole world kept commenting that I am the darkest kid in the family....It was in fact, it was him and my class teacher Satyavathi teacher in 7th grade, who made me overcome this complex, and patted on my back and said that I should explore oratory, essay writing and be on stage playing my favorite dramas...However,  my younger sister got to act as angel and I always got the Three men from East, or the cattle, where my face is covered in the dramas.  But those days, I didn't even realize that my skin color was a problem.  I kept winning and it became a habit..and noting bothered me....

Solid Rock Relationship-  nothing comes in between

 As a teen, my mom always had the fear that I may not have a proper marriage proposals as I am short and dark among st our three sisters.   The first pinch of discrimination came in when my mother in law, sighed heavily that she got a dark girl for his handsome son....that was when the reality dawned on my face of adulthood.   I cried.  But it was my husband who stood behind me and said that the goodness of heart is million times better than the fairness of the face.   His statements that I am beautiful,  I have a very artistic features, and so on encouraged me to divert my attention towards positive things and ignore the nonsense comments around...

Happy Family....

When my child was born, I cried.  She was pink bundle of joy.  I could not believe that I can have the fairest baby in the world in my arms.  I thanked God that she will not have to endure the skin color complexes that I had to withstand and kept fighting all my life....

My mentors who encouraged me to be
good professional, no bias faced on my overseas
trips and happy I was just accepted as I am

Today, my thoughts, my achievements and self-contentment of being a blogger, writer, poet and a good professional and above all, being a happy wife, proud mom, sister, and daughter makes me overlook all the issues, I had to face due to my skin color.  

Trust me, I also tried every damn fairness cream in the market expecting overnight results and slowly realized that nothing is going to change by the fake promises made by the cosmetic companies.  

The change has to be within me, on how I look at myself in the mirror everyday. ..I can look and say, I am dark...and feel inferior...or I can take a look, give myself a strong  smile and say, that I am beautiful, both internally and externally.  The beauty is surely lies in the happiness of your mind and the sparkle in your eyes.    It is important how you feel about yourself than how the world feels about you...ultimately the world around you will change to the way you feel....... Beautiful in your own way!

Can I wrap my life in an Envelope?

Last one year had been tremendously stressful with frequent runs to the medicos to fix one thing or the other. In my doc's words, my body seems to be not running faster as my mind does and heart wants....and hence the conflict.


After my happy return home to Chennai, at the end of 2011, I made a resolution (rather a stupid one) to keep doing as much as I can- work, family, hobbies, travel, social work, poetry, blogging, making new friends, finding old and missing one’s, not to miss any social events- be it a marriage, new born, engagement or even attending funerals. Of course, travelling and working like a log glued to the cushion forever, and becoming a Big Strong Couch Potato was as well in my unwritten agenda. I have brought back the family to run on the tracks of the Indian Roads - thanks to the visa screw up...none to be blamed than me! And ugh...the poor daughter-dad duo had no choice but to cling on to my boggy of doggy-woozy aspirations.

People, who knew me well, knew me this way all through my life...but at sometime, I peeped into the bathroom in silence and looked at the mirror in dismay. Oh No! It’s not me anymore. I am aging....Common, give me a break- Aging! Yeah may be in thoughts and mind! Its not me any more truly and that's the main reason for my health issues.

I always have this problem- with the train of thoughts and a rare phenomenon called 'what next?' phobia. I have not heeded to the warning signs of my husband to slow down and kept running madly every day- Work is inevitable....taking care of family is responsibility....running behind my child on her studies, manners and managing her Teen Tantrums is a Parental duty....with all this, I wanted to do something else every day.

Learning kept my mind active...Madly certifications became passion. Poetry is in blood and it spring's out at the most unexpected times....however,...I joined few groups in Chennai......Social Service to Orphanages and Old age homes.....I very much loved doing it....Conservation and Nature care....tree plantations, temple clean ups, trekking, running, cycling, helping Marathons, Trailtons, and every event in the city.... I was enjoying my life and was there!

As we were gearing up for the old friends meet as part of the 75 Years of our school this year, and getting in touch with old friends some after 2 decades of missing...there came a shocker. Losing a friend to a car accident was devastating. Attending her ceremony was an emotionally hard and physically draining. I collapsed. Docs gave list of names to the unknown friend who invaded my life since last one month....hands cried in pain of injections and body felt like running away to an unknown territory where there is no pain, sleeplessness and thoughts. When you get closer to death and regain your life...your perception of life changes. I started to think what would happen to my family in case I am gone... a very natural thought that too when you get really ill and critical.

After a weeks of completely glued to my bed, with my policeman and his assistant keeping a close watch on me 24*7, I got my space. The moment my husband went to work after 3 weeks of bearing with my groaning and gloating, I jumped out of my bed.

I pulled out my insurance file, started checking on my financials, nominations, planning to write a will, keep all contacts listed in my diary, and wanted to keep an Envelope with the title 'In case of my death!'.

'In case of my death'- wanted this envelope to contain, what my family should do in case of my eventuality....later only I realized, what damn it is going to be for me after I am gone and why the hell they should be guided by what I wanted them to do! - Selfish Indian Mentality!

I wanted to write about the details of how my funeral should be, who all should attend, my bank account details, my friends and relatives details, do's and don't list to my family, all other things I kept feeling important to me as I pass away - Again- what if I was gone suddenly in an accident. Should we not be organized and live life like every day is a last day in life in this present unpleasant world of uncertainties. Again a negative way of looking at life!

Then, came a pang of wisdom. what should my family do with the 30 odd diaries I scribbled for most of my years and poems, books, paintings, clothes...and I now felt that envelope would not be enough...Probably I need a folder!

Folder will have sections- on what my daughter should aspire to become as per her wishes, my dreams about her marriage... my plans for my husband , donation of my eyes and organs,...sharing of my assets with my preferred NGOs and how my family should react when I am gone...and all this.......Is it not Madness!

Though everyone should plan their rites of passage....as Kalpana Mohan writes in India currents.... there is no way one can plan life after its gone! Its outside your Internal Line of Control- Things would change, circumstances and reactions would as well change...people and their thoughts of life would change...so what is that you are trying to manage after you are gone as well!

Instead, I can realign my world, happy that I got another chance to be alive and greet the world again with a smile. Take it slow but steadily do what gives me happiness... Concentrate on my priorities, manage my schedules better... keep important people in life in tact than knowing about 1000 friends on Facebook who are just acquaintances and not really friends.....keep life on a positive note and teach family to survive in your absence than to make them controlled after you are gone! - Crazy Woman- It’s me!

First take care of family, job, close friends and above all - Health. Do what all possible to keep you active both physically and mentally - take on walking , reading good books, listening to music, eating proper home made simple food on time, stopping junk eating and sodas... go for regular health check ups and follow prescriptions religiously , do meditation and stay grounded than flying with the plane of thoughts- a promotion from the train of thoughts I always had from my childhood....Probably this wisdom dawned on me lately- thankfully never too late!

Yes, I know now- Life is not just wrapping it up in an envelope- It is the way you take it- The way you live life to the fullest- not necessarily King -Size but surely peacefully, healthy and happy life is all in your hands

Thanks to this gyan of enlightenment that started with the thought of my Envelope!

Thanks- A Poem dedicated to my dear friend

This poem was originally written in Telugu and was a tribute to my dear friend Srujana whom we missed in a freaky car accident a month ago.  Her death was as devastating as possible and her memories are as glorious as we could cherish.  Her family published the poem titled ' Krutagnathalu' means thanks in Telugu and I made a simple effort to translate the same in English ......

Thanks

Thanks to the five cosmic elements of Nature;  Water, Wind, Fire, Earth & Sky

Thanks to the entire creation, and thanks to the creator

Thanks to the parents, thanks to our teachers,

Thanks to the thought of expressing thanks,  within me, a big thanks

Thanks to those who troubled me and whom I troubled,

Thanks to the forgiveness that was taught

Thanks to the ignorance

For creating the thirst for knowledge

Thanks to the failures,

For teaching the lessons of success

Thanks to the problems in life

For giving strength to finding right solutions

Thanks to the loneliness and lackness

For being the reason to be strong and together

Thanks to the every thanks

For letting me appreciate the greatness of gratitude, life and thanks

- A Tribute to Maganti (Chava) Srujana Choudary

Life is Beautiful....... Srujana....

Sevai Karangal- A special pool of love and service thats flowering in Chennai

Around an year back, my friend and colleague Vadi introduced me to his friend Thilak.  A simple and soft man with a great vision,  simple aspirations to bring in smiles in under privileged children and elderly,  a calm person but with strong convictions.   Slowly as we started understanding what Sevai Karangal is...we realized its way beyond a typical NGO.  

It has its wings flying high above the clouds...and shining hard with the new sunshine adding every single day... I can only be glad to be associated with this team of committed, hardworking professional, who find time to spend their way of contributing to the society.    

What makes them special is the variety of things they do to contribute to the society..... Sevai Karangal 'Chankya' project of educating underprivileged children started reaping results with Yazhini securing Medical Seat on merit at Madurai Medical college and lot more to follow.  Book distribution is part of it, and Home of Hope is just an example

Old age homes started having visits from full time professional who spent their time with the elderly giving hope and love, spreading joy and sharing sorrows.... Sahaya Illam is one of the pet projects.  for all their celebrations

SIP home, the home for HIV kids and children of HIV positive parents, is a destination of hope.  This home which usually is a far reach for normal society, is a regularly visited home to spend joy and provide relief and support to the beautiful garden of children

If education, support, medical aid, and festivals food distribution is one part, the next part is the consciousness towards environment and happy outings.     Be it fortnightly tree plantation around Retteri area in Chennai or pruning and growing them and repeat visits to ensure the trees are growing as planned.

Trekking is a passion for this group and taking children on social treks is fun, a responsibility and educative way of preserving our environment.   Running , Walking and Cycling events are all where you can find a volunteer from Sevai Karangal waving their hands extending help.  They are also a very special part of the most famous Chennai Trekking Club now having more than 18000 enthusiasts and still growing...

Causes are abundant., their care for the society is plenty, their hard work is abundant, and their love for the less privileged is just too valuable.  Wishing Thilak, his wife Dhana and the entire Sevai Karangal gang abundant happiness in all their endeavours, success in their projects, love spread beyond the extended hands of help and may god bless them with loads of opportunities to serve and succeed to carry on with peace and hope.   Joining hands ....all along....

Happy 5th Anniversary dear team:-)  God bless you all.....

When the thoughts wander away!

Sitting through the night

Working at my desk

The thoughts seem to be flowing

And forced me to muse away for a while

Running behind the miles that need to leap

With the dreams that still need to reap

There can be no rest to this mind

Amidst the thoughts of happiness and kind

As I make my life more meaningful

And make the journey full of ups and downs

I enjoy my ride with an inbuilt pride

Every day dawns to me as a new bride

Every action makes me enjoy its notion

Feeding a hungry dog on a picnic

Or listening to the elderly on a Sunday noon

And sometimes watching my child grow

And admiring the teen life and reliving my own

Or just care taking my mom in the hospital

Just calling a friend and making her smile

Wishing an old forgotten man a good morning

Smiling at a stranger on my way to the office

Stopping by and dropping a coin for a temple box

Every small thing makes it life in a big way

As I sat in Nagala, forgetting the world around

And the fishes that gave me kiss’s to my feet

The stones that spoke stories of an unending era

The natural bliss of lake, mountains and trees

What else can you ask for in life to rejoice?

As I take a morning bus and visit a home

Hold the youngest child in my arms and let her sleep

A child in me awakens for the warmth of my mother

As I talk to the teenaged kids who aspire to be great

And feed their aged and poor parents, the dreams

I love them for their aspirations, and wishes to come true

A young orphan law student fighting for her rights

The activist in me awakens to a new dawn of lights

The world is a just the place on how you make it

Just sit, sleep, eat and die, and can be no one and nothing

Or make it big, in the smallest ways you can by loving life

As I pour water to my plants and talk to them, my girl giggles

I tell her, I am not mad, but the plants do understand my words

The flowers and fragrance they give me is plenty

The love I share by growing them and taking care is bounty

My man tells me to slow down in life, and take it bit by bit

But, I feel that time lost is time never gained. And I can’t rest

My mind is full of thoughts for the actions next and next

The quest is big to make my life the very best and lest I rest

As my health gives me jerks at times to slow down, I do so

Yet the mind musters courage to regain the strength to run again

The run is a never ending marathon, full of glorified simple tasks

To admire the unsung heroes of every day life and respect them

Enabling women and weak around me to make a bit more than I can

And spreading the message of hope, faith and love and service

What else can we do as human beings in this restless world?

Than to be tolerant and teach humbleness and lessons to live in peace

To My Dad, with Love- Poem dedicated all fathers in this world

It has been 45 days since the year began and the writer's block hit me hard this time, not giving time and space to write the most precious article to begin with in the year.  A reader's comment provoked me to make a beginning....to start posting again..so that I would get rid of my block and start thinking, musing,,,fretting and freely going on with my thoughts in my precious blog.  Thanks to the anonymous reader for the comment asking me to write again.....

This Poem was written on 9th Jan 2013 and getting its placeholder now....

To my dad, with love.....


Years pass by, silently into the serenity you left behind,
Tears yet shed, for having lost a wonderful dad...a person known to be very kind.
Looking behind the two decades that slipped,
Not a day where we forgot or not dearly missed.
Your dreams, that make us to aspire more....
The wisdom you injected in us in galore.....
Feelings of love, care, emotions and service
Thoughts of simple living and high thinking....
That you taught us when were kids
will be surely passed on to our generations
For, it is the biggest wealth we had, and
possibly the biggest we can give
21 years.  Are you really gone from this world?
For I felt your divine presence and words told
When ever I had no where to go, I know for
sure where I can look upon and speak
Suddenly and surely, I heard answers back
and blessings uncounted and unimagined in track
Yes Daddy, I feel you still, besides me ever
guiding us, and letting us walk
take those simple steps of life slowly but truly
in the direction set by you unwither by the winds
Love you Daddy, Miss you Too!

Specially got it here on Valentine's day to remember the man who taught us what real love in life is and the meaning of sharing it with the world around us!