Bird Old Age Home- Acharappakam, 2 hours drive from Chennai- Needs Support

Service to the society is considered a service to God.  People live in a precarious situation.  Sense of insecurity prevails love and affections and passionate treatment are quite uncommon.  Under this background BIRD is rendering humanitarian service to the downtrodden rural people.

Birds Mission is to provide Total Health Care for needy people living in our villages.

The Bureau of Integrated Rural Development (BIRD)  is a registered 27/91 non-governmental Oranization and non profitable organization.  Since its inception in 1991, the organization has been active in the village of Acharappakkam and Chithamur blocks of Kancheepuram District, Tamil Nadu, India, providing assistance and services to the people of these villages

The Organization over the years has conducted several medical camps, eye camps and awareness campaigns on HIV/AIDS and has been rewarded by international community for its efforts

Birds Mission it to provide total care for the Aged and Handicapped

Eyecamps conducted have benefited numerous aged people having cataract problem.

At present, the organization runs and maintains and sustains the following:

1. Home for the aged destitutes
2.  Day Care Center for needy children
3.  Mobile Medical care unit

The Organization provides shelter, food, clothing, medicare to aged destitute and handicapped people.  100 kms from Chennai, 1km off the Chennai-Tindivanam Highway the home is located overlooking hills in the  Perumberkandigai Village, Thozhupedu Post- 603310, Kancheepuram District, Tamil Nadu.

They look towards help in trying to fulfill the hope for better tomorrow.

There are various ways by which we could contribute towards sustaining the aged people.  Needs of rice, dhall, cereals , oil, tea , clothes, medicines etc., on a regular basis or sponsors can provide a piece meal on any given day

Sponsoring of a meal will be as follows:

1. Full Day Meals- Rs 1500/-
2.  Lunch Only-  Rs 1000/-
3.  Breakfast Only-  Rs 750/-

Only Vegetarian food will be served.  All contributions to the organization are tax deductable under 80-G of the Income Tax Act., and the Organization is also registered under FCRA  with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

Future Plan

1.  Construction of the old age home in the site already in possession of the organization
2.  To expand the formation of women self help groups with a target of 100 groupds during this year with an ultimate object of forming a strong women federation
3.  Construction of creche for the children of landless agricultural and other women labourers
4.  To Purchase Van for running Mobile Medical Care Unit as well as emergency use of the old age home
5. To augment resources for drugs and medicines for running of mobile medical care services with an intention to cover more number of villages.

Organizations Financial Status:

The Organization is managing the financial affairs through local contributions with a meager government support in implementing the welfare programs.  The Organization will be thankful to the donors who will appreciate the mission and come forward to help them financially to do more service to the humanity.

Vision

1.  To upgrade the socio economic status of the people of downtrodden
2.  To create world of heaven where the old aged live with peace and comfort.
3.  To make the poor children to attain a noteable educational background for their betterment
4. Above all to preach spiritual values among the people to sink their differences and to live peacefully

Mission

By Rendering Selfless service with zest and zeal

For further information and details, please contact

The Secretary

Bureau of Integrated Rural Development (BIRD)

No 62, Karapgavinayagar Koil Street

Perumberkandiai Village

Thozhupedu Post-  603310

Kancheepuram District, Tamil Nadu, India

Phone :  9443152930

Email:  birdoldagehome@gmail.com

Cheques should be drawn in favour of 'Bureau of Integrated Rural Development'.

FOMO- The new disease in the block! Time to Say Good Bye!

The first thing I look upon when I wake up is to check my cell phone for any message and I jump out of my bed and get ready for a coffee with my morning newspaper. Inadvertently, my hands reach to the iThing around… Be it the iPad, iPhone or the nearest laptop, and my poor wireless blinks at me with tiring looks. Yeap, probably I would have shut it down just a few hours ago forcing myself to sleep.

The morning newspaper gives me its hate look… with all the dirty news of the world these days we are forced to chew in…
Accidents, political big wigs shamelessly screwing each other, children forgotten in cars,  parents committing suicide along with their innocent children, and women getting raped time and again, gang raped be her a child of 3 or a grand mom of 80, all they need is a hole to screw…  
Shameless perverts who roam around in this world even after such worst crimes.   

Then runs my eyes to the new movies page, which I usually don’t watch, and to the new restaurants advertisements that I scroll through… Of course, I do make time for this and what attracts me the most is the happenings in my City- yes, Events!   For they help me to plan my “out of work & home” hours, as if it were another 8 hour routine in my life every week. Forget about the reminders from the secretary of the clubs I am associated with, sends me frequently about the meetings- General Body, Executive Committee and Projects… Yeah… >Projects Everywhere!

Amidst all this going on, I still feel the vacuum!  Is this a depressing condition?  I asked my doctor one day.    He says that my body and brain are fighting with each other and  my brain is not letting the body rest… Why is this so? 

I used to sit quietly and meditate for long. Laze on a weekend siesta with an old book, just to re-read the pages I loved… or just look around and do nothing, but give space for words to write my most cherished poems.  But in the last couple of years, things have changed.   When I feel vacuumed!  Seemingly left with nothing to do after finishing everything I “HAD” to do… I take the interesting part of every one’s lives today, the drama of the day to unfold.  What’s happening in the other people’s lives?   Who is going where?  What is that they got today?  Where are they heading to for the weekend?  Who is celebrating their birthday today …or who is having a sick moment, where I can hop in and say a regular Hello!

From the time Face Book took over people’s life, agriculture became virtual Farmville, and Twitter became Flash News and LinkedIn became permanent open live resume, Orkut became the first death in the social media, hotmail nailed underneath leaving behind yahoo and Gmail to take over and online banking became the mode of trade… My pages on poem hunter became my live storage of my scribbling uneasy lyrics, and eventually my blog became my outlet, an open diary and a solace… I am for sure most of us are suffering from the new disease - FOMO- the Fear of Missing Out!

Even people who were once upon a time, with “Who Cares” attitude, today silently watches the social media space and enjoy the fun of the drams unfolding on everyone’s walls each day.  

These silent sneekers are the people who do not post anything or comment on anyone’s posts, but who turn out to be the most frequent visitors, who are keeping track of everyone. 

Those who frequently post, find this as a medium of outlet or take this as a comfort factor that there is a whole world out there to share your life day after day… right from buying a fish, sleeping in the noon to organizing a event and being part of a larger cause…they type, they forget and leave the news for the rest of the world to eat the way they want to…like a banquet dinner to chew!   There are few people who still worry about the privacy of the information shared and keep it very restricted. Probably they are the one’s who are very cautious of the good-bad internet world and they actually enjoy a right balance of information, fun and the cyber space.  

Companies and Employers are keeping a close watch on the social media activity of the employees… Today it is made as part of the business conduct, that what you post is your responsibility and not that of your employers and advices for a social responsibility to whatever you vent in the free virtual world that is not completely organized and controlled.

However, it is very important to keep track of what you do and what you share.   One thing is frequent, posting good pictures is causing jealousy amongst our own set of family and friends… For those who are mostly indoors, feel left out when friends post pictures of vacations and out door activity.  Sometimes, frequent updates from few people irritate us as if they are over boarding us with unnecessary information.  Few updates are very knowledge oriented and welcomed by many.  Few events keep us informed and educative.  They make each one of us think

The quotations and moral messages come in every day from every corner of the world.  Even if few inspire us and follow even few of them, our lives will change for good.

Above all,   it is time to stop – the Fear of Missing Out

• Students are losing out on their study time to the time on internet
• Employees are getting distracted during their working hours on the stuff that is not so important to work
• Friends are feeling jealous and envious at time, and breaking relationships
• Families are getting united, at the same time frustrations are getting on top and creating havoc in most unexpected turn of events
• Communal violence and protests are sparking up with the wrong motivations and communities targeting all sides to influence those who are weak and vulnerable
• Humor is finding its new place and lot of things of things are educating people in terms of cartoon, same time it should not go over the thin line of control…as long as no body is targeted, insulted and injured in this process….social media will remain a blessing

 As we control the fear of missing out, we get to be more cautious about the time we spend on useless surfing, spending on unwanted search engines…and being excited on staying connected through any of the channels. Be it Face Book, Emails, Twitter, LinkedIn, Whatsapp! Tumbler, Hi5 or Instagram!.  

The first step:  Decided to spend just 15 minutes every day on personal mails, 15 mins of social media and spend rest of the day in old style…going out and talking to people than on SMS and phone,  playing games outdoor than on Xbox….chatting with neighbors’ over the real walls,   pruning a little garden than planting trees in Farmville,  and above all taking time for a cause than to support with 1000 likes on a face book page…and make the best use of  internet time to get out of this nonsense FOMO -   I will not let any disease to take over me. 

Defiantly FOMO-  Its time for you to GO!

Note:  All pictures are taken from Internet! Any copy right issues, please let me know-  Umasree Raghunath

Sonoware Lost and ProArtis Gained....Hurray...the paradise of fun went unplugged - Manmar Reunion @ MGM Sep 2013

Cranky....what....No  No...show the cheeks..we can see the alphabets...the right side got M and left side got V....Giggle go on, on flutters raising in the air..with smiles turning into loud laughters...thank god...these crazy people got huts of their own and let the remaining resort doze off in booze. and blend with the sounds of the sea just few meters away!

Here came the IT freaks....best world class tech geeks..into the world of their own...to unwind and unwrap the secrets of a lifetime...giving the founders a blemishing smilezzzzzzzz....whispering into the ears of each other...the less known secrets to the loudly uttered crazy jokes of the past...from ballooning the time into a rendezvous journey -  a time machine flying back to a decade of innocent times...that were not so very innocent as they seemed..... from the time 2 wonderful bio-medical engineers who joined...and of whom one is a beautiful damsel even today...as she slipped on the stairs with a sprain...20 odd boys left the coding as it is and ran to help her raise....one man gave a damn and walked away.....and later was the guy holding her hand as they walked together in a wedding binge ...a relationship of a lifetime!

The guy whose photographs-  yeap the passport size one's could only fit a A4 size sheets..is now emerged a new You....making people ask him where is half of him.....where is their wonderful and most loving Heavy!....the guy who could fit a Breakvan for travel...made people jumble up in amaze...as he climbed mountains high, ran trails new to find, and swam deeper depths than one can imagine...and above all..shaping up as a New You!  Making the factooo that nothing is impossible!

"Eppidi poyiniruku"  - dont ever dare to ask to this to our vulture conservationist and a born genius artist...and be shocked and faint with his spontaneous reply...-  Poda,,, Orey tannni aaaa poiyniruku..! 

Tall as his height and sales to his might....this one guy had every reason to roll over in wit and smile...and along with his friend called DR...dubai...R.... who could sell without even a product in hand,,make brouchers in train ....and sell the product even without a customer....that was the spirit of selling...that they could sell anything!  

Candid Moments!  Yes, as we moved to the beach...unfortunately with the black sands that stood as testimony to the poor ganeshas that were thrown into the sea...that made the beaches look like drains... the beautiful damsel of our union..started to speak about her new hobby and a possible venture....photography...the candid shots that make holes in the one's who requests the spots!....reminds us of Kamal Hassan's dance shots!

Moments that made the day...the past that had its blast...the divine charm of friendship that swayed in the air..what else can you ask for when you get 25 people together after 10 years...and make them recollect their past and share their present times and to hold together the bonding for the future..Yes, this was about the Manmar Reunion 2013-  after 20 years exactly on the day Manmar shaped up in 1993,..and eventually after 10 years when Manmar diluted with history leaving behind thousands of customers....and very useful and still used products in the health care industry.  

Manmar had the privilege of being the best IT product company and was way ahead of their times. penetrating into the ultrasound market like no other player....they expanded their wings into health care by catering to the OEMs like GE, Siemens, Philips and Toshiba to name a few.  With best of Products like Sonoware, Proartis , ProArtis Xpert, Echo,  Cupid and ProCath to name few...their reach was far and wide...with a vibrant sales force and committed service team across India and Abroad..Manmar found a place in the History of IT in Tamil Nadu...Even today, people who worked their in the past feel connected, for the small company grew into a highly process oriented and a really cherished product company and unfortunately,  due to few wrong moves...it went into the history of times.  What remains today is the unbelievable intellect..that is wide spread still in the health care domain and entrepreneurs who dream big and made it into areas of OBG, Radiology, Tele-medicines,  Medical Imaging and Documentation, and lot more.   

Now on the Reunion of Marmarties that happened at MGM Beach Resorts on 28^th and 29^th of Sep 2013-   Update from Ravindran Padmanaban:

This re-union was a excellent trip to nostalgia, as Umasree described in her blog. We had some great talk, chitchat with friends, games, swim, food finally not to leave the booze. Glad to see age has taken a toll on all of us, but by heart we have the same enthusiasm and feeling. I wish this event could happen every year on September 4th Week (Bala suggested), so our calenders keep this marked permanently. My family had a great week-end.

We need your feedbacks as well for a better event next time. Please upload all your photos, this will motivate our friends to warmup for the next event. Had a never ending laughter treatment for almost 18 hours with all you guys. Thanks for all your presence, it was a great moment for my family aswell.

The Grand re-union happened MGM Beach Resorts Mahabalipuram, around 25 people across South India came, we have great fun. Soon we will update this Group with photos. The good news is, we have passed a friendly resolution to have this event will happen every year 4th Week of September. So don't worry guys who have missed - we would love to see you guys next year. Keep watching this forum for frequent updates.

 I will post more pictures once our Official Candid Photographer sends me her pictures!

 

Why are Reunions Important?

A trip to nostalgia, now and then is good for the spirit-  Dan Bartolovic

From the time FaceBook started getting family and friends back together in the virtual world,  things have changed for many.  The social media made people not only make new friends and new dreams, but it also brought back the memories of the past, and the people who were of it , a great part!

 Many have stopped making friends, and found the comfort of finding their old one's.   Many felt the need to relate to their past and make peace with it.  Many have crossed several hurdles and painful days that they look back at memories with a sigh of relief.   Many have come across people whom they would not want to be in touch in life..and took forward with the lessons learned.  

However, one thing remained growing.   People and their connectivity to the people of their Pasts...Be it school, college, sports friends, colleagues,  book club readers,  charity partners, pool club partners or even walkers together.    

Reunion is not a new term.  It has been there since times immemorial.  But with the kind of stressful pace with lives, many people have forgotten the roots.   Relatively in India, the get-together of families happen for all good and bad occasions and for all festivals very frequently.    Even in this kind of a culture, time became a rare commodity.  

People found excuses wide enough to keep away from what is close to their hearts.  One reason - fear, fear of the past and the anxiety of the future.   Competitiveness of the world brought in bigger comparisons with wider horizons to reach.  Ultimately, we are in the world; children buy time from their parents and the same Parents get neglected as they grow old and useless.  Everything has a direct cause and effect.   Then why reunions.

Reunions are the ties that bind.  As life grows and takes it own path, many of us move on with our own roads to travel.  Some of us run, some walk, some crawl and some drag.  Despite all this, the starting of the road remains the same however be the journey called life.  There are certain things that remain common and related for ever.  The bonding, the friendship, the care, the concerns and the times shared become more important to look towards a future with promises.  

People from our childhood reflect our dreams as a child, aspirations as a teen and focus as adults.  What does not come in the way of this path is how much you achieved in your journey...the roots remain the same.  The bonding is not scared of the new branches of life that emerged as we grow older.   Every one goes through ups and downs..but when it comes to reunions, there is warmth of understanding...a time to rejoice and a memory to recollect...and future to share.

Reunions basically show how we were in the past, how much we made of the time we spent at a particular place and how many of people's lives we touched in this journey. Be it a simple family reunion, or a friends get-together or school or office reunion...the joy is immense, expectations flutter in us making us feel good and bit awkward for certain embarrassing moments that would have been probably a gossip of the past....however,  with the age and maturity comes a reflection of joy in reunions.   Nothing of the past ever hurts unless it has got to be with two particular individuals..but as a group, the reunions are the time to introspect into our own selves and the happiness.

It builds a platform where we feel assured in life that we have people who care for us and whom we care.  Reunions make simple affirmations to the fact that how much ever faster the world may go, there are still roots that get stayed grounded.   The memories of first love, first friend, first job, first school medal, first certificate,  first child....and the list goes on...gets shared...gets filled in the air.  After all, what made Facebook successful is the factor that it brought this possibility of virtual reunion of the world, people and their emotions.

We had a 50th year of Inner Wheel Club of Madras South, where we cherished meeting the charter members, first President of the club and all the past presidents and members which means that over the period of 5 decades the thread of friendship and service continued and remained alive.

After 22 years, when a group of friends met in my hometown to grieve together at the loss of a school friend who made our childhood brighter with her dance performances, we had mixed emotions.  The emotion of celebrating her life and our reunion, and the sadness of her loss and meeting at the wrong time..however...the reunion had a meaning...togetherness at times of need.

After 10 years, when colleagues of Manmar Technologies are planning to meet over this weekend at MGM beach resorts, I am excited... the excitement is like that of a child coming back home from a hostel...or a worker returning home from an on site assignment ....probably the group knows how many challenges most of us have crossed....the group shared the glorious days of IT and also have seen the worst hit recessions that sunk the corporate that was once the highest tax payer in the state.  The group was small and successful, talented and motivated...all high in spirits and aims...together in friendship and bonding....supportive and caring..and hence the reunion surely has a meaning.     

This is the time to relive the memories of the past....and rejoice every bit of it for a night and then create wonderful memories for the future to hold tight till we meet again.............until then..its just ...See You Soon and Never a Good Bye to the Real Friendships that stand strong forever!

Global Delivery Framework of Operating Systems and Defect Prevention Process

 Operating Systems include

1. Value of Delivery Catalog
2. Document SLAs and tools
3. Administrative and Ticketing, functional systems
4. Operational Accountability Model has 4 classifications 
1.  Shared Service Delivery
2. Full Service Delivery
3. Virtual Teams
4. Out- Tasking
5. Fragmentation has 4 process types that impact pool's efficiency
1. Sub Optimal allocation of activities
2.  Duplication of activities by sending Geo and data collections
3. Gaps between providing service lines
4. unclear ownerships  as perform and assist

Operating Systems - Defect Prevention Process and Overview

1. Systematic and proactive approach to improve production and quality
2. Reducing defects and defects quality and production issues and instances of defects
3. Global clearing house to manage knowledge management
4. The core objective is Delivery Excellence

Defect Types are:

1. High volume defects including incidents, calls and frequency
2. High Impacting defects including failed change requests,  major outages and severity 1 and 2 tickets
3. Latent (Residual) defects - existing one with less impact and use of auto tracking tools

Defect Prevention Lifecycle includes

1.  Identify-  Defect categorization
1. Failure class
2. Symptoms
3. Cause 
2.  Analyze  
1. The causes
2. Pareto analysis 80:20
3. Fishbone diagram
4. Process Behavior Analysis using 5 why analysis
3. Solutioning
1. Permanent fixes with time and cost
2. Work arounds
4. Implementation
5. Validate and Test
6. Share

Defect Prevention Process Metrics:

1. Number of defects- Open, on going, closed, known
2. RCA ongoing or completed
3. solution implemented - closed on with or without solution
4. Defect Prevention process includes
1. Defect aggregation
2. Defect trend analysis and accounting
3. Potential investigation and proactive investigation
4. Resolving issues
5. RCA approval and submission
5. Performance Management System
1. Metrics - weekly, monthly, daily No. of PCRs - RED, Amber and Green RAG status
2. Visual communication using visual boards and dashboards
3. Performance dialogue
6. Monthly metrics include
1. Projects closed out of budget/ schedule
2. PM hours vs Project Hours for normalized projects
3. Visual boards with 
1. values - accurate, no funding of data , achievements, clear, precise, needed info
2. projected highlights and low lights
4. Performance dialogues
1. Daily Morning Hurdles - DMH
2. Weekly cadence meetings 
3. PBA reviews
4. Exceptions meetings
5. New Metrics meetings etc

Mindsets, Behaviors and Capabilities Overview

 Mindsets,  Behaviors and Capabilities Overview  depends mainly on Changes and Growth :-)

1. Type of Influencing are 4 types
1. Role model for leaders to be followed
2. Understanding for commitment
3. Provide skills and competencies
4. Align system and structures
2. Model of Enrollment
1. Initiator - Critical
2. Earlier Engagement - Critical
3. Middle Engagement -  Focus Area
4. Last engagement - Focus Area
5. Slug - Ignore
6. Die Hards - Ignore
3. Poor performance depends on
1. Reactive management
2. Limited people development
3. Low morale
4. Firefighting mindset
5. Poor communication and Silo's mindset
4. Mindset, Behaviour, Capabilities - Leveraging insights using 
1. Survey
2. Interviews
3. Workshops and Roundtables
5. Lean mindset drives typical lean behaviors
1. Collaboration 
2. Team Orientation
3. Personal responsibility
4. Quality First
5. Proactive continual improvement
6. Problem Solving
7. Flexibility
8. Cross Training
9. Empowerment
10. Initiatives

What is Process Behaviour Analysis?

 Process behavior analysis includes

1. Variations 
1. Common cause variation
2. Exception causes
3. Upper limited - Upper natural process limit - UNPL
   
4. Lower Limit- Lower natural process limit - LNPL
5. Date Points 
1. Mean - Green : UNPL and LNPL
   
2. Voice of process higher than UNPL
3. Voice of Customer 
4. Moving Range - standard deviation - difference between 2 consecutive data points
5. UNPL = Mean + 2.66 * MR  (Moving Range)
6. LNPL=  Mean- 2.66 * MR Average
6. Exceptions to variations 
1. Outside natural process limits
2. Consecutive run of 8 points below or above the average
3. Trends - Up or Down with 6 consecutive increase or decrease
4. Non-random behavior
7. Field and Forum approach for implementation of Global Delivery Framework
1. Depends on Change Agent
2. Engagement Management
3. Associates
4. Values Stream Maps - Source and flow of work identified.  Identify time motion change with non value adds 
5. All these would be deployment team
6. Mid implementation review by core teams (MIR)
8. MIR representation where we are where we are to be?
9. Inflate transition for implementation with second approach
10. Commercial approach for transition
11. CAB Cadence by core team

An Iconic Symbol of Madras

To me personally, the sight of Chennai begins with the train slowly crawling like a caterpillar into the cocoon filled with the aromas that are only emulated in Madras city, then flies out with the essence of freedom as we step out of this place to be on our own self, which ever way you want, be it traditional, orthodox, conventional or sophisticated, modern and as a fashion fiesta.    Yes, it is the one and only Madras Central Station.  That transports just not people and parcels, but also life time stories of happiness, hopes, faith, history stories, talents , resources and also the stories of sadness and respect.  

The station shares with us the glory of the past and the hopes of the future.  Right from being the center stage in the struggle for Freedom in the Independence Era to the today’s rural youth migrating for better tomorrows with hopes and faith of survival in the city and supporting to the families back home.   The glory is immense and the hope is deep.

Madras Central, as we fondly called is between the civic authority office which is another historically significant landmark of Chennai- Ripon Building and opposite to the Chennai Government Hospital that caters to the medical needs of thousands of people who come to the city in search of better medical care and health care needs of various kinds.  Designed by George Harding, this beautifully designed Railway station stands tall even after 139 years of construction built in 1873 and renovations done in 1959 and 1998, still adhering to the needs of everyone who wants to come to Madras.    The station received electricity in the year 1931 and from then it is tucked happily to support transport to the City’s every corner with the suburban railways and beach.  Madras Central supports the cause of its existence with grace and glory with every passing day.

 It is so iconic and prominent that it is the only landmark that featured in several movies and novels, and written widely about and used by million people every single day to travel and business.  This Gothic Revival style building is the house of 15  platforms and been declared as a Heritage Site in Madras.  The 136 ft Clock tower stands tall  in the main building and having four faces chimes every quarter hour and at the top of the hour.

Madras Central is also iconic to the city trade and business for it transports including the inland and sea fish,  postal and courier services, goods transport, minerals, coal, oil and petroleum products, timber and steel and loads of medical supplies, clothes, construction material, and several goods get transported through this major hub for transportation and communication services.    

Early pictures of Chennai Central show that this place is definitely an identity for the Madras City and remains tall with its significance and predominant iconic status even today.  Long live Madras Central with its glory and sounds of the clock tower clicking away happily into our future generations….

The Rhythm of our heart!

Learning to know the rhythm of our hearts
Is the greatest known art
There is a silence in which you slide
To know the happiness and tides
For the inner walls of your thoughts
Know how far you can manage the arts
The art of love, in this life called new
The art of life, in this love we renew
The love for oneself, is the best of all
For you know that there can be never a fall
The radiances of your eyes that you see
Can only glow when you feel the fantasy
The dreams that you always dare to dream
The life walks that you take not as cream
But as an ever pounding flow of waves
That touch you at every turn life takes
The songs that you sing with in you
May not be loud and can just be few
Yet, the passion it brings to the mind
The beauty of life, that is of its own kind
Where is the end to this inner happiness
As you can stop by, and listen to you beats
Closing the tired eyes for a moment
And you can relive every thought in instant
That can just make you sing the song!
The song that is of just known to your heart all along!

Inspirational Quotations - Written by Umasree Raghunath

Note :-)  These quotes were written as the leaves of the time faded into the books of history in my life..and these are totally out of my experiences, learning's, beating, testing of time, tides of fate, failures and success stories, ups and downs and so on.....You can use them as needed provided, the due credit is given below the quote to the author..for all information here is copy righted!


"In their sacrifice, remains our security....In their success...lives our freedom...In their courage,....deems our dreams of future India...In crisis and battles...we can only look upon them-  A true Salute to our Soldier's at our Nation's Borders!"  
-   Umasree Raghunath


"If life gives you a chance, please live it to the fullest with no envy, no greed, no ignorance and no pride...but with sheer humility and happiness"
 -   Umasree Raghunath

"Time to stop bulldozing off our heritage...If we don't stop this , tomorrow there will be no history remaining to our future generations....except for a city filled with concrete jungles and plastic trees.."
 -   Umasree Raghunath 


"Only wish we recognize the real heroes in life...Time to salute our Army and understand they are the one's who are running in times of need....not our greedy politicians, costly cricketers and cosy cinema stars.....Time to learn our lessons!"
 -   Umasree Raghunath 


"What is that we are leaving behind for our children to clean up?-  The Entire Planet with garbage!?!"
 -   Umasree Raghunath  


"A stone turns to be the most beautiful sculpture only after it gets the maximum hits...likewise...the one who turns adversities into opportunities is the one who makes success stories.."
 -   Umasree Raghunath  


Burn resentment not just crackers, Light the mind not just diyas. Feast on gratitude not just sweets,Gift praise not just presents 
- Sevai Karangal



"Dreams can never distant themselves from you when you hold them with all your heart......and what you dare to dream is what you actually get   "
-   Umasree Raghunath  


  

Madras to me is .....

Madras to me is…..

Madras to me is a home for ever…as a child who was born outside Madras and used to frequently visit the city for all vacations was a place of excitement all the time.  As I grew up to a teen, my dreams weaved around the city that I loved watching, especially for the serene beauty of the marina beach, eating sundal and muruku along with sipping hot ginger tea.  The waves aroused the lyrics of my heart to write verses that would jump between the beauty of the Bay of Bengal, the long shore line and music in the air.   One day, I thought, I should make it to the city to live in it for ever.   I wanted to dream big, make it big and grow with my Madras and its lovely dreams.

  

The love for the city only grew stronger over the years as I started exploring the ancient temples with great historic values and lessons.  The architecture and the significant beliefs blended so well, that they mesmerize you when you enter the temple sanatoriums.   The smell of the jasmine flowers swaying on the neatly plaited hair of the women clad in beautiful madisaru (Brahmin way of wearing sarees) made me feel the fragrances around me.   The smell of filter coffee made my every morning in Madras a delight, especially when I could get a chance to have it at Madras Café or Eshwaran coffee.   From the big Solidaire TV advertisements in the Mount Road, to the War Cemetery near Ramapuram, Madras gave its share of stories to a writer in me.

Namma Madras, later Singara Chennai, what ever it may be called as the time goes…to me it reminds me of the stories of Madras Presidency that my grand mother happily shared with me of those days of freedom struggle.  Her memory of running to the Marina beach from the Wellington College for Women’s hostel to see the great revolutionary freedom fighter Netaji is unforgettable.   The pain she shared on the Madras Presidency being divided as Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in early 1960’s reminded me of the governance of the land, and how much people of Madras loved being in its arms. 

The lush greens Guindy National Park was such an excitement to us a children, and seeing the creepy snakes beside in the Snake Park made me jump in fear, joy and screams.   The ecological balance of the city remained undisturbed for several decades, with all types of birds still flocking to Vedantangal and Pulicat lakes which are within an hours drive from my beloved city.

The streets of the city are decorated with the kolams, the ancient art form that is drawn with rice powder by hands, early in the morning; on the roads even today welcome the Sun God to our homes with pleasure.   Girls going to schools and colleges in half sarees and boys in their traditional white dhoties are always a dressing delight thought it lost its zeal along with the time.

The pleasure of Kutcheries – hearing carnatic demi-gods ring the bells of the heaven on earth during Margazhi month can be found no where else in this world.   Madras to me is the god’s chosen place for those who want to emulate themselves with divinity, tranquility and inner beauty.

The day beginning with the filter coffee in the traditional tumbler-dabbara combination, with the boy on the cycle throwing the early morning news paper is the right way to begin a day.   Watching the ladies praying to the Tulsi plants in their backyards, happily drawing designs of kolams (which actually have a scientific pattern and also act as feeding insects in the ground) makes you feel warm.   What else can you ask for breakfast than a streaming Sambar with Hot Idlies or Ghee Pongal with Vada’s.?   Mouth-waters as I write about it...and feel like going to the nearest Ratna Café or Saravana Bhavan. 

The aroma of traditional Chennai chettinadu samayal (cooking) with a right blend of spices and rice’s makes your lunch exotic.   Finishing it with Pal Payasam (Sweet Milk Porridge) and Vettalapakku makes you feel good for an afternoon nap.  

An evening pleasant walk in the beach or a long drive across the East Coast Road is only a pleasure to experience.  

Madras to me signifies the old British architecture…reminiscences of the past and beauty of our land.  The Napier Bridge,  Eliot’s Beach Symbol, the Central Station, Kalas Mahal,  Rippon Building, Museum Theatre,  The Dutch Cemetery and the World War II memorial, the St. Thomas Mount Church, Connemara Library, Mount Road Higginbotham’s,  Police station,  and Egmore Museum.   Icehouse today stands as a symbol of visit of Swami Vivekananda who stayed for 9 days in Chennai and spread the message of universal brotherhood and all religions leads towards on Supreme God. 

The transformation of Madras to Chennai, also symbolically represented the growth markets, emergence of the industrialization, vast expansion of modernizations, growth in hospitality and information technology sectors, and also provided world class education and health care.   This means that it gave us an ample space to lead the life the way we want to live...with loads of opportunities and choices.  

Despite all the changes, the city went through and would go through in the near future; to me this city remains my same old Madras, nalla Madras.   LIC building, Marina Beach, Idly-Sambar, Kapaleswar Temple, Parthasarathy temple, Music Academy, Mount Road, Gemini Flyover, AVM Studios and watching the movie in IIT Open Air Theatre would always be my favorites.    

Madras to me is not just a home, but a way of life. 

I Love You Madras!  I love you Chennai!  Namma Madras- Nalla Madras....