Warrier's Collage March 8, 2022

Welcome To Warrier's COLLAGE On Tuesday, March 8, 2022 Vazhakkula : Malayalam poem by Changampuzha* https://youtu.be/ZTqyRmdTHSM (Shaji Kurup shared a photo of a beautiful vazhakkula, which reminded me about this poem.... ) *See E for more Good Morning M G Warrier A Response C V Subbaraman Ref : D3 on March 7, 2022 After reading Vathsala Jayaraman's write up on meditation, I am reminded of my mother, aunts and sisters reciting every day several stotrams while doing their dailty chores. I used to wonder what kind of worship is this. Now I realise, they were doing real worship . Subbaraman (Jagdish Capoor, asked me, in a selection interview : "How you will lead?" My answer was : "By being an example myself" He asked me to elaborate. I said that was what I had been doing and given a chance, would continue to do! I couldn't elaborate more. I don't know why I remembered this now. I think, traditionally, we learn more from examples... 🙏-Warrier) B Current Affairs 1) Social Media : RBI guidance to staff* Advisory on Usage of Social Media HRMD, Central office on February 25, 2022 advised all members of the staff to verify the authenticity of the person before accepting friend requests and before communicating on social media and to adhere to the guidelines contained in the Reserve Bank's policy while using social media. The advisory was issued after fake profiles on social media (like Facebook, Instagram) of persons claiming to be working in various banks including the Reserve Bank, were reported. Cyber bots are used to create several such fake profiles using photographs sourced from the Internet with the aim of cheating gullible users. ‘Policy on Use of Social Media’ - Do's and Don'ts As per the HRMD circular on “Policy on use of Social Media” dated July 24, 2019, the staff have to adhere to the following Do's and Don'ts while using social media platforms. Do's a) Employees are permitted to use social media for the purpose of official communication subject to adherence to the social media policy guidelines. b) lf the employees identify themselves as an employee of Reserve Bank in any social media posting, they are required to include the following disclaimer, wherever possible, in a reasonably prominent place such as the profile space in the forum, "The views expressed are personal’. c) Personal dignity, privacy and personal rights of every individual should be respected. d) Employees should be aware that social media interaction might result in personal liability if their postings include confidential or copyrighted information. e) It is to be ensured that all communications on social media platform are in line with the Reserve Bank’s social media policy. Don'ts a) Social media should not be used in a manner that could be considered discriminatory, bullying, harassment, trolling or offending to any individual or group of individuals through posts or endorsements. b) Any official information or material that has come in the possession of employee during the course of their employment, whether confidential or otherwise should not be posted on social media without prior permission from the Reserve Bank. c) Personal information like telephone numbers, mailing addresses or email addresses of other employees or individuals associated or dealing with the Reserve Bank should not be posted on social media platform. d) Employees should not use the social media in any manner that would bring the organisation into disrepute or would tantamount to breach of confidentiality. e) The Reserve Bank's logo or any other image of the Reserve Bank should not be used on social media sites. f) The Reserve Bank's name should not be used to promote a cause or political party or candidate. g) Use of any photographs or videos taken on the Reserve Bank's premises or associated with the Reserve Bank's events without the express consent of the Reserve Bank should be avoided. h) The social media portals allowing access to outsiders without restriction should not be used for communication with fellow employees concerning official matters, except for the portals provided on EKP. i) Employees should not resort to any other action on the social media that impinges on their ability or that of a fellow employee to carry out official duties. *Source : RBI Newsletter February 2022 2) Media Response March 7, 2022 Controlling inflation* This refers to the article "RBI must start focusing on inflation control" (The Hindu Business Line, March 7). In the context of the unpredictable situation emerging from the gamble-like power play involving world powers, the caution has not come a day earlier. At least since the pandemic started stalling economic growth and started affecting common man's livelihood, in India, fiscal and monetary policies have been functioning in smooth harmony. Credit goes equally to the present RBI governor and the FM who trusted Team RBI. Though India cannot think of de-dolarization or for that matter excluding any other major currency for cross-country transactions, time is opportune to realign the constituents of our domestic reserves. There's no escape from digging out and mainstreaming domestic gold stock to make it part of productive assets in the system. This will bring down import bills and in the long term improve export income. M G Warrier Thiruvananthapuram *Published in The Hindu Business Line on March 8, 2022 https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article65201018.ece 3) Retirement benefits : Where do we stand? https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/columns/statistalk/indian-retirement-system-scores-low-on-global-pension-index/article37180563.ece The report shows that the minimum pension of Indians (as a % of average wage) will be the lowest across the nations. While it highlights that the system has some desirable features, India also has major weaknesses and/or omissions that need to be addressed. C Babusenan's Column Manipravalarm Rubi and coral are two kinds of precious stones, red in colour. If one makes a garland with these stones alternating, the end product will undoubtedly be beautiful, and one may find it difficult to say which is which. If, instead of precious stones, one proceeds to make a poem with a Tamil or Malayalam word (mani) followed by a Sanskrit word (pravaalam), then Tamil/Malayalam word followed by a Sanskrit word in that order, one will be writing poetry in a particular genre known as 'manipravaalam'. The quality, of course , depends on one's poetic gift. 'Leelaathilakam,' a 14th Century work in Sanskrit, defines it as 'Bhaashaa Samskrita Yogo Manipravaala'. There is a beautiful definition in Tamil : 'Tamil mani sumskrita pavazham kokkinten vrithamaana chennoolmel'. (the thread is also red in colour). There exists a very rich treasure of Manipravaalam' poetry in Malayalam literature. It must be so in Tamil too. In the late 19th century, there was a revival of Manipravaalam' in Malayalam, spearheaded by a very prominent poet who earned the sobriquet 'Kerala Kalidasa' by his able translation of Saakuntalam. He was Keralavarma Valia Koil Thampuran, a member of the royal family of Travancore. His predilection for the Sanskrit word was quite well-known and he immortalized it with his sandesakaavya 'Mayoora Sandesam' (message through the peacock) on the lines of Kalidasa's 'Meghadootha'(message through the cloud). It is regarded as a model of Manipravaalam' (now rubi and coral need not alternate; there can be more corals) In those days, poets used to converse in verse and, worse still, they wrote letters in verse. Once Thampuran happened to meet a famous Namboodiri at the Vaikkom Shiva temple. He asked: "Hey, vipravarya Bhavadaagamanam viseshaal Aavi prayoga Sakatam vazhi aayirikkaam? " (Oh, great Brahmin, I presume that you came by a vehicle drawn by steam?) Please note that, in this versified enquiry, hardly three words are in Malayalam and all the others are in Sanskrit. The great Brahmin replied thus : "Theevandi keri Eranaakulam etthi pinne Kevanchiyaanavide Ninnividam vareykkum." (Reached Ernakulam by train and, from there upto here, journeyed by country boat) Please also note that there is not a single Sanskrit word in the reply. . D Miscellany 1) Steve Jobs : From Adam to Newton to Steve Jobs... 🍎 played different roles 🙏-Warrier ttps://medium.com/macoclock/how-much-did-coming-to-india-contribute-to-steve-jobs-endeavour-to-shape-apple-into-what-it-is-6c01b6054113 Read an article, get one link free We long for free things : Vathsala Jayaraman Chennai There used to be a joke that women don't mind spending in thousands if they get even a small kerchief for free. When we got supply of milk from the milk vendor women never failed to ask for 'kosuru' or kosuru karuvepillai and kothamalli from the vegetable vendor. All the Pazhamuthir Solai shops in Chennai give a lot of karuveppilai free to attract customers. It is a marketing strategy to dispose unsold products as free ( though a definite price is attached). The concept of 'free talk time', free hours of nternet, free calls, buy two, one day's free stay for two nights and a day in a travel package'. How many fill their stomachs to the bursting full with the 'free' breakfast given in big hotels and avoid a big chunk of expense for the rest of the day! Athithi Satkar, even in Tamil Sangam period included 'free gift' of the house owner's wife for a day or two to the guest. That was not considered dearth of chastity and women willingly had agreed to the practice. There are several versions of the story of Ahalya. One of them states that Indra was a guest to Sage Gauthama and as per practice prevailing those days he asked Ahalya to keep company to Indra. Of course they give other explanations to giving curse to Ahalya to turn into a stone--with the good intention of giving salvation to Ahalya from the hands--nay--feet of Rama. From Gods to Sages, human beings to animals and birds -every one is going after something 'free'. I don't know whether it is in the genes of Indians alone or all human beings, in general. I have studied in history books that Britishers took advantage of this attitude and started providing free passes for railway travel for specified number of trips ( always extended by manipulation), free accommodation to Railway employees (operational side) with tiled houses near the stations and very luxurious fully furnished homes to senior railway officers with a spectacular garden, swimming pool etc. Many Engg graduates those days joined Railways for these benefits and even after retirement they get around Rs 80 thousands as pension. Now there is 'free buy' everywhere in politics as a vote catching strategy. Students upto 12th Std in Tamilnadu get everything free-notebooks, books, cycle, laptop and a free meal. We are fully aware that the intention is evidently the building of a political image rather than the development of the state or nation .Why should there be a hue and cry? The phone bill was exceptionally high. Man called a family meeting to discuss. Dad : This is unacceptable. I don't use home phone, I use my work phone. Mum : Me too. I hardly use home phone. I use my company's phone Son : I use my office mobile, I never use the home phone. All of them shocked and together looked at the maid who's patiently listening to them. Maid : "What? So we all use our work phones. What's the Big deal?? The human creation itself is such that it has an inbuilt mechanism ( a free gift of God) for automatic metabolism, absorption and assimilation. While we accept everything that comes free to us in the form of material pleasures or divine blessings or luck or fortune, we never accept one thing--A THOUGHT FREE MIND. Vathsala Jayaraman E Malayalam Literature Changampuzha https://www.angelfire.com/ca/pollayil/poems.html "VAZHAKKULA" OR "THE PLANTAIN BUNCH" - BY CHANGAMPUZHA Translated from the original by: Mr P J SUNNY Changampuzha was one who firmly believed in the fact that literature can never be severed from society. I t is history that many poets, who since then became famous, have been attracted to this novel method of poetry initiated by Changampuzha even though they differ in approach and content. 'Vazhakkula' can be said to be the fore-runner of Vyloppilly's 'Kudiyozhikkal'. It was in Changampuzha that the miserable voice of 'the weak and forlorn' was first heard. Till then it was the heroes and heroines who crowned the pages of legends that ruled over the world of poetry. But Changampuzha lifted to ethereal heights the common people at the bottom of our society by projecting them as heroes and heroines. The poetic rhythm and language of this translation suits the original and the translator Mr.Sunny has every reason to be proud of his work. F Recipes with raw bananas https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/raw-banana-recipes/ Collection of 15 raw banana recipes. raw banana or plantain or vazhakkai is widely used in Indian cuisine, especially in South Indian states and eastern Indian states. Like coconut and chana dal plant, the entire banana plant is used in various ways. E.g banana leaves are used to serve food and make an eco friendly disposable option. Banana flower and banana stem are also used in making various recipes. Banana fibre is used to make plates, bowls and also fabric.