Warrier's Collage on Sunday June 25, 2023

Welcome To Warrier's COLLAGE On Sunday June 25, 2023 Yoga Day 🙏 June 21, 2023 Good Morning Yoga Day was observed on June 21, 2023. A report : https://www.livemint.com/news/world/international-yoga-day-2023-live-updates-yoga-pm-modi-yoga-significance-history-theme-11687308821642.html A link for few minutes standing exercises which we had demonstrated and our daughter Reshmy Warrier had recorded and uploaded @YouTube two years ago given below : https://youtu.be/q_nsKip_VLw More than 1,500 views so far. Happy viewing Happy Birthday to all readers having Birthday during the week ending Saturday July 1, 2023. Ayurarogyasaukhyam 🙏 and Best Wishes for all. Conceding to the suggestion from readers, I've tried to reduce the size of Collage. Remember this if you find something missing. Nice Day M G Warrier Collage Editorial, June 25, 2023 Forgive, but never forget* This refers to the article "The Emergency should never be forgotten" (The Hindu Business Line, June 22). Beyond the annual ritual of remembering good and bad events, this is a timely reminder to "We The People" to remain eternally vigilant, guarding the spirit of Indian Constitution. The 21 months starting with June 25, 1975 marked a period in Indian history when India existed with the citizens not being aware of what was happening to their friends and relatives, leave alone the happenings in the neighbourhood and elsewhere in the country. That's just to give an idea about what the strange animal, the Emergency was and traumatic experience we went through. We are not sure, it will not repeat, because there's not yet a vaccine that immunises against greed and thirst for power. The only safeguard is eternal vigil of the people who are magnanimous in forgiveness, but seldom forget unreasonable victimization. M G Warrier Mumbai *Published on June 23, 2023 A Select Messages/Responses 1 V T Panchapagesan Dear Sri Warrier, Please continue sending collective messages from our friends once a week every SUNDAY, responding your views enabling the circle which will be in motion. Helps CREATING AN AWARENESS IN A COMMON PLATFORM. We have become Toxic by our attitude over the years. This needs to be periodically cleansed. Different views with interaction without arguments will build up, lifting our thoughts to a higher plane making our living worthy. Be Well, V T Panchapagesan F-3 Mahanadhi, SSM Residency Alapakkam, New Perungalathur Chennai 600063 +91-7550223055 (Mobile) 2 Sitendra Kumar Dear Shri Warrier, An all encompassing Collage consisting of scholarly , literary, humorous and informative articles. Shri Chittanand's apt description 'It is like refreshing breeze in the otherwise sultry atmosphere' tells all. The atmosphere in Delhi is really sultry with high humidity and heat. Your rating of 6+ for RBI pensioners is appropriate for the moment and would need drastic up gradation if the revised pension along with the arrears as expected is announced this month. The opposition by banks' unions in opposing the compromise settlements in case of willful defaulters is an exercise in futility and they need to be pragmatic. The mouth watering perspective of life by Ravindra Sangwai is commendable.One years for the sweets with the very mention of them in the Collage. Shri Warrier's contention that ' Still, there are certain areas craving for CEA's attention. Both central and state governments are overdependent on RBI and the banks for their market borrowings' is well understood and appreciated but with the political parties of various hues announcing freebies on the eve of elections, the fiscal profligacy is bound to drown the country with the hapless CEA watching the scenario as a helpless spectator. The husband-wife jokes are quite entertaining. Really a very worthwhile Collage which makes our day. Regards, Sitendra Kumar B From here and there While surfing the net for some information, stumbled upon this* : https://www.gutenberg.org/files/7176/7176-h/7176-h.htm Excerpts from the introduction to Leo Tolstoy 's letter by M K Gandhi : "The letter printed below is a translation of Tolstoy's letter written in Russian in reply to one from the Editor of Free Hindustan. After having passed from hand to hand, this letter at last came into my possession through a friend who asked me, as one much interested in Tolstoy's writings, whether I thought it worth publishing. I at once replied in the affirmative, and told him I should translate it myself into Gujarati and induce others' to translate and publish it in various Indian vernaculars." *Found interesting. So sharing. Media Response RBI Monetary Policy Committee* This refers to the report "Fight against inflation not over yet : RBI Governor" (The Hindu Business Line, June 23). Let me first go on record thanking former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan (2013-16) for handling the Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Committee report excellently well and, among other things, putting in place an expert professional body (MPC) to advise RBI on monetary policy formulation. Constraints of RBI in policy formulation are hidden in the minutes of the MPC meetings published after every meeting. However, in the recent past there is a change in the relationship between GOI and RBI for the better. Let's hope the harmony sustains and the live relationship between fiscal and monetary policies are nurtured to the advantage of country's economic growth. While making this observation I have in mind the support RBI received from GOI when inflation showed signals of remaining above the tolerance level for months in the recent past. M G Warrier Mumbai *Published on June 24, 2023 C Day-Break, Sunday June 18, 2023 Marginlands By Aarati Kumar-Rao Some days are like that. Something you read, someone's casual remark or a phone call take you somewhere you never thought you would be going that day. Physical going, can have constraints. But these can hijack your thoughts! This morning I was glancing through The Hindu Sunday Magazine. I got stuck at Arati Kumar-Rao's innocent smile. Divya Gandhi has interviewed her asking just two questions. Context : Arati's book Marginlands : Indian Landscapes on the Brink https://amzn.eu/d/7aNR77E 'A tour de force' – Robert Macfarlane 'Some of the best environmental writing I have read' – Amitav Ghosh 'Brilliant and evocative' – Pradip Krishen 'Luminously written' – Paul Salopek 'A book for the ages' – Ed Kashi AN ENVIRONMENTALIST’S JOURNEY THROUGH INDIA’S PRECIOUS YET VULNERABLE LANDSCAPES. In the boundless Thar, deemed a ‘wasteland’ by the authorities, miners bulldoze sand dunes guarding life-sustaining water. The Gangetic dolphin, once a thriving apex predator, struggles for survival as its riverine habitat is fragmented by dams and roiled by incessant shipping. Deep in the mangrove forests of the Sunderban, tigers prey on desperate crab-catchers. Encroachments on the Mumbai coastline unleash cataclysmic floods. Along the eroding beaches of Kerala, fishers live in fear of the sea swallowing them whole. As the spectre of climate change compounds these natural and human-induced disasters, India’s most endangered landscapes are pushed to the precipice of destruction. Arati Kumar-Rao journeys to these marginlands, listening intently to their inhabitants, paying close attention to each fissure, fold and ripple, as she documents the misguided decisions, wilfully ignored warnings and disregarded evidence that have brought us almost to a point of no return. But the land is still rich in ancient wisdom, and its cracks hold lessons that may yet aid us in undoing centuries of slow violence – so long as one is willing to attune their senses. Combining enthralling nature writing and journalism with immersive art and photography, Marginlands is an urgent, vital work by a passionate chronicler of our environment. Yes. I've placed an order with Amazon for a copy of the book. Expect delivery by evening. My response to the interview copied below M G Warrier June 18, 2023 Insight into the marginlands This refers to the brief interview with Arati Kumar-Rao (The Hindu, Sunday Magazine, June 18) Some days are like that. Something you read, someone's casual remark or a phone call take you somewhere you never thought you would be going that day. Physical going, can have constraints. But these can hijack your thoughts! This morning I was glancing through The Hindu Sunday Magazine. I got stuck at Arati Kumar-Rao's innocent smile. Divya Gandhi has interviewed her asking just two questions. The answers were elaborate enough for me to place an order for a copy of Arati's book "Marginlands : Indian Landscapes on the Brink" But the question "How many of us are ready to 'slow down, turn away from the spotlight and begin to notice what's in the shadows, in the quieter places?" will reverberate in our ears for sometime. M G Warrier Mumbai D Collage Cover Story : Vathsala Jayaraman Reasonable Vs Unreasonable “I wont stop for you … I can do without anybody. I have … my own spark of divine fire. I care for life, for humanity; and you are a part of it that has come my way and been built into my house. What more can you or anyone ask? If you can’t stand the coldness of my sort of life, and the strain of it, go back to the gutter.” Many people consider these words of Prof.Henry Higgins, the fascinating and adorably arrogant character in Pygmalion, spoken to the flower girl, Miss.Elisa Dolittle as truly reflective of the character of its author, Bernard Shaw himself. Continued at H E Collage Poetry : Franklin Misquith 1 Father's Day Though we are a little past this day, We can still say hip, hip, hurrah, hooday, Young folk look forward to this day, And celebrate it day, after day. All father's are good in every way, for as soon as we used to alight from the bus, Daily they gave us a kiss and a tight hug without any fuss, Each one's father is like no other, When we step into home with kisses they smother. Our Father's helped us with our studies, They were like our school buddies. I still lovingly remember our loving though a bit strict Dad, Though at that time we managed to do without an I Pad. In most families there were many sons and daughters, But we had no swimming pool, else we would swim around like otters. We all still mourn and miss our Dad, But always think of him as a loving lad. 2 World Refugee Day We are all in one way or the other a refugee, Our home is a place of refuge be it a palace or a stable, As we'll as our planet on which we live and have our being, But most of all, the Lord's Heart is our permanent dwelling. So with pride our soul, mind, and body should with love be swelling, If well are well in all respects our entire being 'll like a rose be smelling, We should all endeavour that in any respect we don't fall short in spelling, But because of this or any other shortcoming or handicap, at others tis better to refrain from yelling, Instead, it is better we prove for each other to be a Blessing, He sat little kids on his lap and showed that we are all in need of some caressing. F World Last Week Yoga Day Special A Poem By Franklin Misquith There is no better form of exercise than YOGA, You won't succumb to any form of ROGA. Start each day with Yoga, And nothing will implode. But because of this, do not hoard, You may turn into a toad, And unnecessarily burdened with a heavy load, Which each and every one of us can ill afford, Let us follow His pathway, And we can all plumb the whole universe and get away. World Music Day June 21, 2023 https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/online-music-programme-on-world-music-day/article66990167.ece Know More https://www.livemint.com/news/india/world-music-day-2023-date-history-significance-wishes-and-all-you-need-to-know-11687317174399.html Happy Music Day 🎵 🎶 G Sense of direction Quoted in Marginlands By Aarati Kumar-Rao Prologue Gathering string It may be that when we no longer know what to do we have come to our real work, and that when we no longer know which way to go we have begun our real journey. Wendell Berry Standing by winds H Continued from D He was one writer who was as much disliked as he was adored! The hatred even assumed murderous proportions as seen in the following limerick : He was disliked more for some of his hard hitting home truths as "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man". But after reading Shaw, I ran through my mind the pictures of all the unreasonable men and women that I had encountered during my turbulent voyage through life and, to my utter surprise, found how correct he was. Some of the most adamant and most unreasonable friends of mine in the college are making waves now . They always made the most unreasonable demands and were able to get what they wanted. In fact, looking back today, several improvements in the amenities provided at the hostel and the college were solely due to their persistent and unreasonable demands. In Tamil there is a saying that only a crying (unreasonable?) child gets the milk. We often tend to confuse complacency with reasonableness. If you tend to accept everything, whether you like it or not, without an iota of protest, you are called a reasonable man. If union leaders, for example, get the best of bargain from a management, they call the management very reasonable. But if the management acts tough and puts the Company’s corporate goal ahead of every other consideration in arriving at a decision, they are branded unreasonable. A ready-yielding management called "reasonable" or a tough-acting one branded "unreasonable". Who will take the company forward? It is a logical conclusion. Isn't it? In every sphere of life, a demanding person gets more attention. There is always a flurry of activity around such people whether it is an aircraft, restaurant, theatre or saloon. But considering the overall improvement he brings about, it is a small price to pay to be branded "unreasonable". What say you? You are right that only crying babies will get milk and only if you make demands will you get noticed. It is not enough you work you need to make the boss take notice. Unless the husband gets a taste of bad outside food, not so good food at somoene's else's place he will never appreciate your effort.!! I think, one should not be “consistently” complacent ! Then you are taken for granted, very often! The saying goes that empty vessels make noise. But to be heard, some noise has to be made or you are just “walked over”. Normally in many houses women object to many things and men seem to be ok with the negatives, but ultimately enjoy the benefits of the woman's shoutings. While we know that only people who demand get any attention, why most of us prefer to remain silent sufferers? I have also observed another category who make all the noise outside including their work places but they remain tongue tied at home like S.Ve.Sekar's Veetla Eli Velila Puli! I believe in 'the hour producing the man'. Wherever there is such confusion, someone comes to restore order and discipline but what I do not understand that why such people draw criticism from the more docile around him despite the fact that they also get the benefit of those people's action. It may be perhaps to overcome the feeling of our own incompetence and inability to plunge into action! It is possible that the moral of the story of the naanal(grass) and maram(tree) has left an indelible impression on many. Unreasonable people sound like they are not nice to be around with.. I think to voice our thoughts or opinions or to have our say is not unreasonable. It is definetly reasonable expectation to be allowed to voice oneself. But sometimes a meek voice does not carry one further like a loud one can and would and will do. I think the point is , "How street-smart ,unrelenting and persisting people can make more contribution than ever-adjusting and contented people?" we may like to highlight "How an unreasonable husband can force his wife to follow his rules? Or how an autocractic leader can dictacte his rule though his unresonable moves" I think in life , which spans few decades, it very important to see success as a wholesome thing, and not as "spur of the moment event". When "Unreasonable" tag is associated with something, we assume it to be negative and self-consuming. Having unrelenting will for an unperceived change in society can never be same as having "Unreasonable wish to appease one 's own mental flaws". Reasonable people adapt themselves to the world. Unreasonable people attempt to adapt the world to themselves. All progress, therefore, depends on unreasonable people... I always wondered about GBShaw's this quote to the extent was he arrogant in quoting thus...but he was right in his own right... What is unreasonable...being not relenting to other??,being strong in what you think is right?? Have you seen the Unreasonable Man - A documentary on Nader, the man General motors wanted to silence at any cost...if not for his being unreasonable, car safety would not have got the importance that it gets today.... what is reasonable and what is not depends far more on what is in your mind than on the state of mind of the person whom you are observing. But, when you are in certain places, you feel better when you know there are a few noisier unreasonable men there Unreasonableness need not be considered a negative trait always. Sometimes we are forced to be unreasonable when we realise that we are being taken for a ride. Some people can not speak out under any circumstances even when they face atrocities being committed. I would rather call these people unreasonable! Bernard Shaw certainly was more human than he wanted us to believe! It was alright for Milton to have said things like 'They also serve who stand and wait' having been born exactly 400 years ago. Milton's personal life itself did not bear any testimony to what he said. In today's context, the people who stand and wait really serve those who are in a rush by allowing them to overtake them! We have heard about that Cromwellian sentiment of trusting in God and keeping the gun powder dry. But only people who can not help themselves make emergency calls for His Divine Intervention. This discussion thread on reasonableness and unreasonableness of people around us brings up a very important point. Mr.Sam Pitroda, Adviser to the Prime Minister for Technology Mission when Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister was once asked, "how the Indians are taking the lead in this world on technology?". He replied, "It is because they have learned to live in a difficult environment both in India and overseas and adapt quickly to the new requirements. They are very patient and silently change themselves to the new environment. In technology, anyone who needs to succeed should have this trait and hence the Indians are the leaders in this market." On the other hand, it is this patience that had taken the politicians to get away with dictating what they intend to do to the people for next 5 years instead of asking them what needs to be done by the government. Corruption is rampant because of this patient attitude. If people were questioning this attitude of the politicians and if they had the fear that they would be summarily rejected by the people, they would not have dared to do things and feel confident that they could bury things under the carpet. My point is to be unreasonable when we see an issue on righteousness and be reasonable which falls within the parameter that we can call as genuine human error/mistake. There is no one size fits all. Vathsala Jayaraman