Day 27 - Every Day Inspirations - Thiru Vi Ka Speakers Forum Chennai - Building leaders

On 26th January 2016,  Tuesday,  both  my husband and I were invited to be part of the inauguration of the 16th Branch of Thiru-Vi-Ka Speakers Forum in Chennai,  at Independence Day Park behind Valluvar Kottam.   Exnora and Walkers Association joined hands in support.

It was such a pleasant morning where lot of people of all age groups gathered.   There were guests of honour felicitating the function.  Few children queued up to speak about freedom fighters and India's Republic Day.   

Children and Elders took up turns to talk freely, happily and out of heart on the things that were closer to them.   After the flag hoisting on the eve of 67th Republic Day,  the guests gathered to celebrate the beginning of the speakers forum at this specific park.   This is a moment of celebration as this forum is a platform for all people, sharing and give and take knowledge.  There is no money motive or heirarchy of leadership in this forum.   This is the forum of the people, by the people and for the people.

The mantra of the speakers forum founded by Dr .R. Damodharan 13 years ago in Chennai is very simple.   Meet everyweek in the nearest park, encourage speakers and give them an opportunity to showcase talents, share knowledge, build a community of inspiring youngsters and prune them to be leaders.   

1.  The speakers can talk on any subject except criticizing Religion and  Politics

2.  Anyone can participate and speakers are free to talk on anything, except provoking speech on religions, political or radical topics

3.  Motive is to provide brief, clear and precise speech within 5 minutes given to each speaker

4.  All languages and all age groups are encourged

5.  They meet  at the local park (branch of Thiru-vi-ka Forum)  every week at the specific time and share knowledge.

6.  It has people from all walks of life - including lawyers, doctors, engineers, press people, teachers, auditors, accountants, students, IAS aspirants, government employees, home makers and all others.

7.  Every one is a member.  It continues as a forum of people

8.  Voluntary contributions help for the motivational gifts and organizing chairs, mikes etc needed for the forum.  There is no monetary motive in this whole exercise

9.  Free meetings attended by an average of 30 people in each park every week to conquer the fear of public speaking.

10.  Continued for years with the motive of making good speakers and thinkers to transform as leaders.  Energize them to meet the challenges of life

What this forum builds

1.  Excellent speakers - making introverts come out as extroverts

2.  Making Leaders with objectives of public speaking

3.  Building a network of like minded people 

4.  Creating a community with strong moral values 

5.  Importance of time, talk and words is enriched

6.  Develop communication skills and self-confidence

 

May God bless the endeavors of the self-less service and contribution of all forum members continue.  May this tribe increase as the forum slowly spreads to all the parks in Chennai.  

Long Live the inspiration for a better society. 

 

Day 26 - Every Day Inspirations - Celebrating India

Day 25- Every Day Inspirations - Reactions! They define who you are!

Reactions!   As a person I was very fond of them.  I always believed that for every action, there was an immediate and opposite reaction.  yes, it was a science theory we all learnt.  But over the years, I realized that my reactions were increasing the number of people who dislike me.   Few disowned me as I did react in the way they did not expect me to react.   I could not pretend to react in a way they wanted me to.  Whose fault?  No one's.

People loved me for my immediate and apt reactions too.  I was admired for being opinionated on everything happening around.  My judgmental thinking and values expressed were also admired.  

At the same time,  my reactions were becoming hyper active and straightforward.   They were getting filled with anger, frustration, intolerance against atrocities, greed,  cheating and people who deceive their own families - kith and kin.

Intolerant reactions to people who did things unjustified triggered back on me.  I became a quick enemy for reasons that could have been defused, had I not reacted.   Being expressive and vocal with reactions fetch you disturbing circumstances.  I was not immune to this.   

People who did everything bad, without being expressive at all, became good people.   Whereas, opposing such acts with strong reactions make us look evil.   Intentions doesn't matter.  But reactions do.    In the end, we are the losers.   It leaves us with disappointments, frustration and anger.  

You have to react.  But you should know the limits.  Being over reactive shows your weaknesses to others.   You are no more a puzzle to others for your limitations are shown openly.   You end up as a failure.  

For example, a mother keeps on shouting on a child for disobeying and not doing her homework daily.   The child calmly ignores the abuse and gives a deaf ear to her mother.  The day mother changes her reaction and gives a stern look in silence, that is when the child started to feel something more aggressive.   That was when the child actually felt the mother's nonacceptance.   The child did everything to change.   Just because the mother's reactions changed.

Instead of asking others to change, how we react to circumstances if changed, will in the long run bring the results we seek.   Reactions of anger,  abuse, quarrel and struggle gives no room for positive energies.   The way we defuse and use our reactions define who we are !

 

 

 

Day 24- Every Day Inspirations - Beauty - Color of Thoughts!

Beauty

It is a beautiful word

making this world a better place

Beauty of the heart

Is in the kindness we show

Beauty of the mind

Is in the thoughts we sow

Beauty of the life

Is in the way we let life go

Beauty of the family

Is in the togetherness we hold

Beauty of the child

Is in the way it is raised

Beauty of the friendship

Is in the depth of bonding we hold

Beauty is in the religion

That respects every other creed

Beauty of the language

In the songs that are made

Beauty of the society

Is in the inclusions we make

Beauty of the soul

Is in the way our thoughts take

Yes, Beauty

is Just not a word

But a Way of Life we make!

 

Day 23 - Every Day Inspirations -Gratitude

Gratitude.   This is one of the most powerful words in the world.  It makes a difference.  It drives you with compassion.  It makes you to be thankful to what you received in life.  It does wonders when used right. 

I would like to share a short story on gratitude.    I will go with my regular protagonist  Paru.

Paru was a young mother to a six month old infant baby, when her husband lost his job.  After endless attempts, her husband could not get a job which would feed her family.   Being a graduate herself, she was feeling not only helpless but also frustrated that she is not able to support the family.  

When she asked her mother in law for support to buy few essentials for her baby, her mother-in-law sharply asked her to sell her jewellery and get what she wants.  It was a blow on her face.  That's when she decided to take up a job herself.  Accepting the challenge to find opportunities in adversities is a woman's strength always.   

Sooner than later, things changed as she took up a job and she could afford basic necessities to her family by herself.  Instead of being annoyed by the rejection of her inlaws to help,  Paru felt thankful to her mother-in-law for having shown her a way to make her own life.  Had it not been for that gratitude, Paru would have remained a dejected woman in life with no way to move forward and would have been sitting at home, brooding over her destiny.

Gratitude happens from unknown corners of life.  We need to be thankful not only for our success but also for our failures.  For they are the best lessons.    We need to be always thankful to God, our parents, our teachers and all those people and circumstances that made us survive.  

Thank you is not just another magical word.  It is a feeling.  It is an essence of good living.  

 

Day 22 - Every Day Inspirations - Teach For India - Nationwide Initiative towards Child Education

India is a growing economy, however millions of our fellow Indians continue to languish in poverty.

One of the biggest reasons for this is the lack of education. Lack of this common right has deprived large sections of our society of even the most basic of human rights. A recent UN report on education released stated that India still has the largest number of illiterate adults in the world. In fact, did you know that over half of the illiterate adults live in just four countries: Bangladesh, China, India and Pakistan. Appalling isn’t it ?

“There are currently 7.5 million children out of school in India. Of those who attend school, 50% will drop out before Class V. Underlining that poverty is a critical factor that blocks access to education, it quotes a 2005 survey that in India the poorest 20 per cent were over three times more likely to be out of school than children from the richest 20 per cent.”

Teach For India is a nationwide movement that aims to bridge the educational gap in India by placing promising college graduates and young professionals in low-income government & private schools to teach full-time for two years. The organization’s mission is to build a movement of leaders who will eliminate inequity in education and meet the vision that ‘One day all children will receive an excellent education.’ While, it’s a low paying job that requires a full time commitment, the experience is worth its weight in gold. It does need a two year commitment from you so don’t apply if you’re not sure. 

As part of Positive India, we are making good advance in cutting down the school drop-outs.   Various government led programs coupled with wonderful initiatives by Corporates and NGOs are making a wide difference bringing in great impact in getting children back to schools.

Teach for India is an initiative conceptualized and led by the Times of India group and is present in five Indian cities - Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai. It is also a part of the ‘Teach for All’ network which comprises of similar organizations in 26 other countries.

And you never know that the cure to cancer / AIDS and other such diseases, which can’t be treated, could be trapped in the mind of someone who can't afford or hasn't had an opportunity to get an education! You could be the one to find that bright star and start his / her journey towards finding the cure!

For more information on the program and applying do log on to www.teachforindia.org.

 Source:  http://www.collegeokplease.com

Day 21 - Every Day Inspirations - 6 Pack Band - India's First Transgender Band

The 6 Pack Band comprises six transgender singers hailing from India’s ‘Hijra’ community. It’s an initiative created and driven by Y-Films, the youth wing of Yash Raj Films, to help further the cause of gender equality in India. 

True to this spirit, the Brooke Bond Red Label 6 Pack Band celebrates togetherness by depicting a more welcoming world.   Thanks to Celebrities like Sonu Nigam and Anushka Sharma, who stood by these people in brining out the the best of talents...no matter what gender they belong to.  

Saluting the spirit of inclusion.

Giving equal status to the deprived

Mixing the trangenders in mainstream society

Recognising them as equal humans

No matter, how they look 

No offense on how they USED to behave

They need a platform to refine

A paradigm shift in lives that define

The spirit of India, our pride of Freedom

The Glory of recognition, the real stardom!

Day 20- Every Day Inspirations - The Seed you plant is the Shoot you get!

As we instill in us, good thoughts; they lead to good days

The more of positive vibes; makes us more optimistic!

As we involve ourselves in good deeds, good things rays

Making our lives, meaningful and enjoyable in mystic!

What we think, often, is what we are made in the end!

The life we live, is mostly reflects on the type of our friends!

Those who go beyond the boundaries of differences

And could see the sunlight just under the wide sky

Those who cross the borders of pain and suffering with smiles

And could see the stars even in the darkest canopy

Are the one's who are sowing the seeds of bamboo

that takes time to grow within, but raises to shoot at once

It takes years of waiting, watering, sunlight and air,

And when it raises, it raises high into the wider skies

It is the power of the perseverance and persistent try

When you seed good thoughts, you do reap a good life

It is the power of the wisdom and gentle soul to rejoice

Living in the spirit of self enriching goals and inner joys

 

Day 19 - Every Day Inspirations - Implant an invisible Filter in Mind!

One thing that is offered in this world free of cost,  free of asking,  free of everything is 'ADVICE'.    In short, it means, advertising their own thoughts thinking as wise.   How sweet of me to realize this... ofcourse late.  But wise me!

This advertising wise....starts from the time we start doing anything in life.   Admission of a child to school,  each one you know gives their own view of what a good school is, how good ratings it have, how proud you should be to get admission there and what not.   Poor me over-powered by these 'advices' is now more confused.  

If you planning to get wedding,  the rain of advices start with a storm.  How you should behave, how traditional the family should be, how to choose a spouse, what to expect...blah blah blah...Hey common,  Am I getting married or you?   Let me think!

The same continues as you getting in college, getting into career,  moving to a new neighbourhood,  writing a book,  starting a business and what not.   People stop poking their noses into your business.   

It is upto you, whether you take them or ignore.   Doing what you think is right for you only helps.   

The biggest of rainfall of advices start pouring in when someone ends up in separation, divorce,  loss of a job or property, or meet with an accident, or loses someone close in life.    

The sad part is even the healing and grieving process is not immune to the advices.    Other people fail to understand how much they infact cause pain and grief than healing.    Only when you know to install an invisible filter in your mind to ignore what is not needed and unnecessary comments, suggestions and free advices, you will be able to take proper unbiased decisions what is right for life

It is not that we should not listen.  We should.  We should also know to filter what will do good for us and accept them modestly and ignore what is unwanted with poise and move on.

After all, it is your life, and you are strong and confident to deal with all situations in life.  When you want, you can always ask.  

You have the right to lead the life as you want.  Stay Firm!  Stay Confident.   Implant an invisible filter in your mind.  It makes your life free from undue influences and unwanted heart aches!

 

Day 18- Every Day Inspirations - The Story of the Cup and the Needle - Don't Waste Food

Tiruvalluvar, the renowned Tamil Saint, who has written the immortal work called 'Tirukural' used to keep by his side a needle and small cup filled with water when he sat for meals.  

When a host asked him on why he insisted having these two place by the side of the plate.  He said, 'Food should not be wasted.  Every grain is precious.  Sometimes, stray grains of cooked rice or stray pieces of cooked vegetables fall off the place or away from it, while I eat.  I lift them off the floor, with help of this needle and stir them in water to clean them, and eat them. 

What an amazing lesson this is, for those who waste more than they consume. 

You can buy food, have resources to go for a large meal or buffet but have no right to waste the food on the plate...for the resources are not just yours! 

Day 17 - Every Day Inspirations - Four Essential Things in Life

Life makes itself beautiful when you concentrate on  FOUR ESSENTIALS :

1.  Food
2.  Sleep
3.  Happiness
4.  Attitude

These four are inter-related.   

Who knows to listen to their body, and go light on the stomach, focus on the food we consume, not worrying about calories but on what we really need, nutrients that keep our energies in charge... is the one who know to control the body- which is the store house of our life.   The day the body stops to function, we cease to exist in this world.  So listening to our body and its warnings and signs and our food habits make what we are outwardly ..towards healthy body with a healthy mind.

Sleep  -  I envy those who can sleep immediately once they get to bed.   I also envy those who sleep just the time that the body wants... Average of 6-8 hours of continuous, undisturbed and nightmare free sleep.   Sleep gives you the energy you need, absorbs the food intake and balances your metabolism.  Sleep also gives you revived thinking and calmness of mind and soul.  Your thoughts, dreams, strength and energy depends on how well you sleep...So sleep on time.  Sleep in right posture,  sleep for needed hours and sleep well!

Happiness.   This is the difficult essential to maintain always in our chaotic world.  But those who could smile and say all is well, doing all times, no matter how much life threatens you, are the one's who know to live happily.  Happiness is the stage of several things, peace, prayer, contentment, social life, concentration and also focus on the things that you need.  Only the happy mind can make happy things.  Even if you have everything in life, and still not happy, it is as bad as not having anything.   Happiness is key to success.

Attitude.  This is the base of how a person is valued in the society.  Those who do not possess the right attitude may still survive, may still succeed, may still be happy, healthy and sleep well.  But they definitely are the people who will pay the price one day.  People would like to keep away from people with wrong attitude.  It is like bacteria.  It hurts.  It reoccurs to haunt.  It is in built and not realized many a time by the person who possess a bad attitude.  The one with the good attitude wins over everybody and will be the STAR in their own right!  


AHFS....is just a mantra for life...Attitude, Happiness, Food and Sleep.   Have them in right quantity with utmost quality for the best of life to live.  After all..we have just one life to live fully.

Day 16- Every Day Inspirations - The Story of a Traditional Sport - Yes, I support Jallikattu

The sport of taming an Ox is called Jalli Kattu.   This is a traditional sport of Tamil Nadu, India and also a very popular sport during the festival of Pongal (Harvest)  and enjoyed on the Mattu Pongal day.   

This is of a specific Indian Breed of Oxes, used for transportation, farming and agriculture and breeding of Indian cattle.  The cattle is not found in any of the forests in India today.  Most of them are reared as domestic animals and as part of the families in India.  

Kurinji, Mullai, Marudham raised cattle and used them in fields.  The need to use the cattle in fields was identified in our olden days.  And there was need to tame the otherwise wild and bullish oxen for this purpose.   So the process of overcoming on the powers of ox, and getting them trained to support farming was a practice.   This art in the long run, became a brave sport. 

Prizes were given to the brave youngsters who tamed these animals and it was also a tradition to get girls married in the villages to the winners of this sport.   When a girl child was born, they also used to adopt of calf and then raise it along with the girl.  During the finalization of wedding, who ever could tame the grown up ox, would be selected as the girl's suitor.  

The name of this is called 'Eluvadar'.   The coins used to be tied to the horns of the ox.  With the sounds of the coins during the sport,  this brave sport was named as 'JalliKattu'...the sounds.

Eludarvar is Tamil's traditional sport, and protecting the bravery of Tamils, Traditions and sporting event.  

Only Indian Indigenious cattle alone can produce A2 milk that is used as the best milk in the world. And Jessy milk for A1 milk.  There is a great demand for our cattle.

The food security raised its arms towards more scaring export market for beef and leather than the sport enjoyed one day in a year in the state of Tamil Nadu.   Tamilians are the one who introduced the use of fertilized manure from the Ox excretes that saved our organic farming from chemical fertilizers.

In the land where we worship, cows as goddess and maintain our cattle as family members, giving them names and place to stay in harmony with mankind, where is the question of merciless killing of these animals.    The Indus Valley Civilization - stone age image depict this as the Oldest Sport in the world - Owned by Tamilians

Natural farming-  a modern, cost effective and nature healing way of agriculture is supported with the participation of Indian Cattle in farms.    Medicinal values of indigenous breed excretes is also wide known. 

The news of Smuggling Indian Bull sperm out of India is also not a strange news.   Brazil is the world's largest producer of Milk and beef  in the world.  It would be fascinating to know that 1 bull from India was auctioned at Rs 1 crore.  60 bulls were exported to Brazil for the strength of the breed that we are failing to protect in India.   

In Tamil, it means cattle is a sign of prosperity.  The false representation of such cattle as wild animals and in the fake propaganda against Jallikattu affecting the assets and customers of Tamil Nadu.  

Where is the justice in stopping this traditional sport alone?   

Elephants are used in temples and all over Kerala for lifting logs and other activities.   Army has a battalion of horses, camels and dogs.   There is thriving market for leather goods.   Rats, rabbits and other animals are used for clinical trails.   If all this can sustain, then the continuation of Jallikattu should not be banned.

From one of my friend who is owner of 5 such oxes, that participate in Jalli Kattu,  the ban is a sentimental blow of the villages who long for the day of this sport.   The cattles are not put into any kind of intoxication, use of drugs or alcohal.   There are strict rules for the players / sportsmen also who get into the jallikattu arena.   

If this sport is injurious to our men, then every other sport like wrestling, weightlifting,  cricket and every other sport which has probability of physical injuries are also risky.     Can we ban them?  For that will put a big hole in the pockets of the politicians and business men who are behind the screens.  

 Here in Jallikattu, it is the common man with sentiments and traditions fighting more than his might against the courts and rules, self-proclaims animal activists  instead of the sporting oxen!  Irony!

Day 15 - Every Day Inspirations - Spirit of Chennai City

Amidst the flow of water all around,
The sea of humanity surged into action.

As the floods raised above our heads,
Young minds and old gems joined together.

Volunteering is no more a business of few,
It became the blood line of Chennai.

Food, clothing, huts, books, everything
Washed away with the piled dirt of the land.

With that, washed away the negative thoughts
Of religion or caste, rich or poor, old or young.

Our only motto was to serve, was to arise
Again amidst the storms that lashed us.

Thousands lost their homes and livelihood,
Shelters opened up to rescue and revive.

Army, Police, City Corporation, Air force,
Hospitals, Temples & Mosques, Homes...
Everything was for everyone just to survive.

Despite the odds, people rushed to work;
We moved places to keep up the client delight.
What come may, Chennai stands tall!!

The spirit of Chennai is here to stay
For long, for all and for happily ever after!

Day 14- Every Day Inspirations - Time for Digital Detox

Fasting used to help us get a physical detox once in a while.  It used to provide a balanced metabolism and build in right immune system.     

But today, we are so much overloaded with technology and gleaming gadgets.   No one walks around without a mobile in hand or pocket and without heads phones hanging over.  People keep talking in air as they walk, run, jog, sit, eat, and sleep.  They are talking into the phone…ignoring who is around you.  

I love technology and I make a living working for one of the largest technology company.   I am not an exception to this addiction.  Sometimes, instead of the gadgets serving or helping me, they have become my energy consuming devices taking away my precious time and thoughts.   Creative forwards are killing my own creativity and thinking.  I am enjoying the repeated memes and endless shares.  

This unending connectivity gives me no time to connect within, with my hobbies, with my friends over a coffee table, with a paper-book in hand.   It is challenge…I feel totally lost without internet, without my phone beeping on messages and if I don’t get calls for half day, I start feeling desperate that the world has forgotten me.  

Thanks to the recent floods in Chennai, that thrashed this syndrome of virtual connectivity restlessness…no messengers worked, Skype was at sky distance, mails flooded the mailbox and not our heads, and Facebook and Twitter didn’t flood me for 5 days.  

I don’t dare to take the pledge of continuing this disconnect from the world, but I realized that it is time to start keeping things in control.  Start with few hours of digital detox every day.   Probably, I would talk to my neighbor aunty over the compound wall, than wishing her happy birthday on the Facebook Wall…

Mails can wait, unless someone’s roof is on fire.   Stop my followers and likes on pictures on the net.   I will give myself a chance to reconnect within. 

Not typing ‘Om’ hundred times on internet page, but to sit devotional in the puja room and fold my hands and say my prayer loudly.   Instead of sharing pictures of sweets and cakes, probably I will carry a cake at 12 in the night on a friend’s birthday.

Instead of repeated promises to get fit, I now need to tie my shoes and take the first few steps in the nearby park.    Yes, I have to start living.  Not just in the virtual world.   I need a digital detox for sure.  And if not now, When?   If not I, who?