Warrier's Collage on Sunday, August 6, 2023

Welcome To Warrier's COLLAGE On Sunday August 6, 2023 Collage Tips : https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/how-to-make-someone-feel-like-the-most-important-person-in-the-world-5-tips.html Some readers wanted to know how to make others feel important 🙏-Warrier Collage Message : Respect food https://youtu.be/8Fd8bJ8h-U0 A Collage Editorial Remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki August 6 cannot pass without remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Here's a write-up by scientists from the country which used nuclear device for the first time on August 6, 1945 : https://fas.org/publication/remembering-hiroshima-and-nagasaki-75-years-after/ Rewind to recall https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-53660059 Riddle* What is seen in the middle of March and April that can't be seen at the beginning or end of either month? *Borrowed from Better India, August 4, 2023 B Current Affairs History of the RBI : Volume 5 published https://m.rbi.org.in/Scripts/BS_ViewBulletin.aspx?Id=21930 Excerpts from the Article* by Dr. Ashutosh Raravikar This article takes a bird's eye view of the history of the Reserve Bank of India and unravels the treasure trove embodied therein. Spanning over five volumes, the Reserve Bank's history is an insightful account of its policies, operations and institutional evolution. During the journey, its public policy initiatives and institutional, structural and financial reforms transformed the Indian economy. It is not only an institutional history of India's central bank, but also a major part of India's economic and financial history. Presented in a lucid, interesting and analytical way, it is a precious repository of knowledge for everyone. Introduction The fifth volume in the series ‘The Reserve Bank of India’ has been recently published by the Reserve Bank. With this, a new milestone is reached, as India's central bank has completed the documentation of its history for 73 of its 88 years’ of existence, thereby throwing light on a major part of its life. This article presents an encapsulated view of the journey of the Reserve Bank and its contributions to the economy that left footprints on the sands of time. Section II explains the significance of recording history and outlines the developments in economic history. Section III takes stock of published histories of central banks across the world. Section IV explains the process of preparation of the Reserve Bank's history volumes and highlights their features. Section V summarises the content in the first four history volumes. Section VI elaborates on the latest fifth volume. Section VII gives the overall perspectives. Section VIII concludes." *Published in The RBI Bulletin, July 2023 (Several RBites have contributed to the publication of these comprehensive volumes. From Vimala Viswanathan to Narendra Jadhav and many more from among the RBI Family and outside) II Sustainable Kerala Model* The 14 page Space Marketing Feature captioned "Kerala Success Stories" that accompanied The Hindu Business Line on August 2, 2023 is a collector's item. Though it is also indicative of the current reality that anything positive gets more attention of Media Houses as revenue source, overall, the document is well edited and the coverage is informative. If this turns out to be a beginning and if other newspapers and state governments come together and bring out similar brochures periodically covering interesting development issues, they will improve the overall awareness about economic development. Perhaps, some short write-ups on Kerala's initiatives in conducting lotteries and chit funds and the development of cooperative movement in state as also the state's unique position in maintaining a prime position in plantation crops would have added spice to the otherwise exhaustive content of this beautiful compilation. M G Warrier Mumbai *Not published. C Cover Story Collage in Classroom Role of luck in personal finance https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/portfolio/personal-finance/consider-your-luck/article67138353.ece With identical income streams, family composition and lifestyle, we find, at the end of the day, some are financially more lucky than others. Just for fun, I read the above article* to find out what makes one more lucky than the other, while visible variables remain the same. Does management skills play a major role? Or, does personal luck dominate? If you are interested in the subject, may be to help someone else, just share your thoughts. Fund Management by Mutual Funds is just an example. There are several other investment/savings ideas. M G Warrier *If the link doesn't work for you, please see separate message. C V Subbaraman adds : I believe now, after being in the Stock Market and equity and bond market investment for over 40 years, that personal finance investment is a matter of 80 per cent luck and 20 per cent skill. This is not based on personal experience of myself but also learned from the experiences of friends who have exchanged ideas. Every one cannot be a "wizard" (wizardry alone does not play tho) or a Rakesh Jhunjhunwala. It is easy to step into the shoes of Ketan Parekh or Harshad Mehta. All those ads offering investment advice are allurements without any guarantee! That is one way of making money without any accountability or responsibility. Does any dietician or health adviser give gurarantee of disease free life or longevity? Any investment is a risk one has to take. It is mostly luck. When some times one is lucky, one may just not lose money even if one does not make money! Mutual Funds have very experienced fund managers, yet some of the best funds are losers and do not give even SB interest rates; they flop. Those who invest in most of the mutual funds just want others to take the risk for investors' sake: it does not make a wise proposition. Subbaraman Bonus : Badrinarayanan recalls some laws Common Law: Sharing good thoughts allowed even though copyright is there!! Badrinarayanan🙏🙏 Murphy's First Law for Wives : If you ask your husband to pick up five items at the store and then you add one more as an afterthought, he will forget two of the first five. Kauffman's Paradox of the Corporation : The less important you are to the corporation, the more your absence is noticed. The Salary Axiom: The pay raise is just large enough to increase your taxes and just small enough to have no effect on your take-home pay. Miller's Law of Insurance: Insurance covers everything except what happens. First Law of Living: As soon as you start doing what you always wanted to be doing, you'll want to be doing something else. Weiner's Law of Libraries: There are no answers, only cross-references. Isaac's Strange Rule of Staleness: Any food that starts out hard will soften when stale. Any food that starts out soft will harden when stale. The Grocery Bag Law: The candy bar you planned to eat on the way home from the market is always hidden at the bottom of the grocery bag. And Here goes the last one !! Lampner's Law of Employment: When leaving work late, you will go unnoticed. When you leave work early, you will meet the boss in the parking lot !!! (Copyright: Dr.Dennis Pearce) S. Thyagarajan M 629 Sent from my iPhone D Collage Columns 1 Babusenan's Column : I The prophecy that went magnificently wrong The prophecy that went magnificently wrong Kottarakkara Thampuran, the father of the Kadhakali dance, was, in his younger days, quite ignorant of Sanskrit, unlike other youngsters of the royal families in Travancore. Once he was compelled to visit a relative's house to participate in a function where custom required that one should talk in Sanskrit only. Thampuran's mother taught him to say only this much: 'Mayaa kim karthavyam?' ( what am I to do?) On reaching there, he asked: "Mayakim karthavyam?" In his ignorance, he could not differentiate between 'maya' and 'mayaa'. The reply was a sharp rebuke: "Deerkhochaaranam karthavyam." When this story was narrated in the 8th standard by our favourite Malayalam teacher, my mind unwound in the reverse order. My father was a Tarka Mahopaadhyaaya in Sanskrit, but, somehow, he failed in his attempt to get a job of his liking. In his utter despair, he abandoned logic and took a view not to allow any of his sons to study 'the language of the gods 'and I ,being his eldest son, naturally became the first victim of his decision. This explains how I happened to come to this place,from the capital city, too big for a feudal village, but too small for a township. I was adopted as the son of my childless uncle who ran a successful general stores in the place. I was lucky in that no aunt, unless childless, would have loved a lazy fellow like me. I was poor at sports, fair at studies and good at music- a shade better than good at the last one. I had an excellent throat and could sing any song. M. K. Thiyagaraja Bhagavathar's film 'Haridas' was the rage at the time and I knew many of its songs. One day, while on my way to the school, encouraged by the emptiness on the way, I started singing aloud the very popular song' Annayum thanthayum thane'.I noticed the person listening to it only on finishing the first couple of lines. In utter embarrassment, I ran as fast as I could. The next day, I saw that person waiting for me. He was a very dark person, dressed in spotlessly white shirt and dhothi and with a brilliant smile. "Are you not Bhargavan's nephew? " he asked. "That is my house." He pointed to a house."Tomorrow is a holiday. You come with a note book and pencil in the morning. I will teach you a few songs" He put me at ease and asked me to sing one or two songs. I song with gusto'Krishnaa, Mukundaa, Murarey', MS's 'Bruhi Mukundethi' and again MKT's 'Manmatha leelaye'. When I sang the last song, he smiled and asked : "Do you know the raga of this song?" "No, sir," I said." It is a beautiful raga called 'Charukesi'. All film songs are based on some raga or the other or even mixing of ragas. You sing well. Your voice is good. Your sruthi is faultless. These are nature -given gifts." Then he opened a very neatly kept note book and taught me a couple of songs from it. That made me a hero in the school. When I passed matriculation, I insisted that I should be allowed to join the Music Academy. My uncle took me to his friend. My 'dark Guru' thought for some time and said." This fellow sings well, no doubt. But he does not have the stamina for hard work without which one cannot become an established singer. He has secured good marks. Let him straightaway join S N College, Kollam. See, Bhargava, my case. I studied, in great depth, Carnatic music. You know very well where I stand now". He said with a sad smile."I am destined to be forgotten." He was right in the first. But, in the second, he was certainly wrong,' magnificently' wrong. For, he was the great music composer Paravoor G Devarajan. II Grief ad nauseam If you ask a diligent student of western philosophy to name a few American philosophers, he is unlikely to miss Charles Peirce, John Dewey, William James, George Santayana and Josiah Royce. Most of them belonged to the Pragmatic school. It means this : If you happened to meet one of them and said : "I am bringing two great Indian ideas 'Lokaa samasthaa sukhino bhavanthu' and 'Vasudhaiva kutumbakam', he would respond : "Okay, fine words, but not amenable to practical application. We, as a class of philosophers, will not accept ideas which cannot be implemented. That is why we are called Pragmatists. 'Pragma' is a Greek word meaning'a thing done'; 'a fact'. " William James, George Santayana and Josiah Royce adorned the philosophy department of Harvard University, not as one following the other, but all together, at the beginning of the last century, swelling Harvardians with pride. But then the tragedy fell. William James died. George Santayana left Harvard for good and settled in Europe( He was, by birth, a Spaniard). Royce suffered a severe stroke that compelled him to give up teaching. Pride thus gave room to sorrow. This was the situation when Bertrand Russell reached Harvard in 1914 to teach. Each professor he met had to tell the sad story of the philosophy department's loss, in the same words, in the same tone and with the same facial expression. Russell got somewhat fed-up. When the last man he met opened his mouth to say the same thing, Russell stopped him and said in a single breath : "The philosophy department has suffered a heavy loss recently Prof. William James passed away, Prof. Santayana has settled permanently in Europe and Prof. Royce has suffered a severe stroke". He nodded his head : "Exactly, Prof. Russell. The philosophy department has suffered a heavy loss...... 2 Vathsala Jayaraman's Column : Empty Nest Empty nest There were days when my home used to be filled with laughter, arguments, fights, jokes and loads of mischief. Books used to be strewn all over the home. You can't even find the pairs of shoes together. On many occasions my husband had been about to start to office with two different varieties of slippers. Pens and books all over, and clothes messing the rooms, thrown on the beds. and I used to shout at them to tidy up their mess. Continued at H E Collage Books : 1 M G Warrier is reading "I'm Ok, You're Ok" second time after a while : https://amzn.eu/d/egts9AI Book Discription @ Amazon says : "This practical guide to Transactional Analysis is a unique approach to solving your problems. Hundreds of thousands of people have found this phenomenal breakthrough in psychotherapy a turning point in their lives. In sensible non-technical language, one of the world's best psychiatrists, Thomas A Harris, explains how to gain control of yourself, your relationships and your future - no matter what happened in the past. This is the self-help book that will really change your life - for good." In one of the RBI programmes I had received a copy of this book from the Program Coordinator S S Shroff. I had preserved it till recently and had given away to a guest in Thiruvananthapuram this year. Today I have ordered another copy today. Transactional Analysis is an interesting subject. Know More : https://www.mindtools.com/ayjtd4p/transactional-analysis Back to I'm Ok, You're OK. The book uses Transactional Analysis as tool to explain the assertions the author wants to make about the working on human mind. I received my copy of the book from Amazon. I don't know why they are continuing with the same small fonts which they used in the first edition decades ago. I may use a magnifying glass for reading the portions I need to refresh. Bonus I I think, I am! I Think, I am! : Teaching Kids the Power of Affirmations https://amzn.eu/d/ht6Fyci Through this book - newly repackaged with a fresh format and cover - children can learn and understand the powerful idea that they have control over their thoughts and words, and in turn, what happens in their life. Louise Hay was fond of saying: 'Your thoughts create your life!' Within the pages of I Think, I Am! kids will discover the difference between negative thoughts and positive affirmations. Fun illustrations by Manuela Schwarz adorn simple directions for how to make the change from negative thoughts and words to those that are positive. The happiness and confidence that come from this ability is something children will carry with them their entire lives! II History of... The Reserve Bank of India: Volume 5: Volume 5, 1997–2008 https://amzn.eu/d/3h5gYQm F Media Response : 1 Restore trust in governance This refers to the report "SC asks for complete break up of crimes as Manipur claims 6000 FIRs registered" (The Hindu Business Line, August 1). Extraordinary situations call for extraordinary initiatives to ensure timely purveyal of justice, and more importantly restoring peace and harmony. These are times when the three limbs of governance, namely the legislature, executive and the judiciary need to work in harmony. Perhaps the intentions are visible in the Apex Court initiative. But, when communication is weak for obvious reasons, if public is not convinced about the efforts to restore trust in governance, a joint effort to convince the victims of tragic incidents of violence that the nation and the government are behind them should precede legalities and procedures. M G Warrier Mumbai 2 RRBs' performance This refers to the report "South RRBs' performance is better than national average : FM" (The Hindu Business Line, August 5). Perhaps the statement could be generalized about most of the grassroots level institutions including cooperatives and gram panchayats. But that doesn't give much room for celebration because institutional system with people's participation has been working better in the south traditionally, whereas most of well-managed corporates are provided leadership from the north. However the cooperatives and RRBs, of late, have a temptation to mimick corporates and the bigger PSUs to improve their margins by migrating to urban areas and changing the mix of their clientele. At least for some more time they will need support and guidance to continue to perform their traditional roles. M G Warrier Mumbai G Collage Poetry : Anthithiri* By Edassery Govindan Nayar THE EVENING LAMP EDASSERI The Sun reached unƟmely The evening seashore, one day. Intense sprinƟng of the day, The green horses lay coughing up blood. 1 At the veranda of the first home, The Sun God saw a grandma. “Reached at dusk, exhausted; Can you offer a liƩle space For me to take rest for a while?” “No…No; if you stay back Where will the vain darkness roost. I shouldn’t betray my tradiƟons By leƫng in the shining light.” Ignominy, the Deity lowered his face. He then passed through the grand entrance Asked the frivolous woman, changing Wet clothes at the South veranda. “Reached at dusk, exhausted; Can you offer a liƩle space For me to take rest for a while?” Covering her bosom with arms crossed She said coyly, “If you stay back, then the Quiet and serene blue night won’t come. If the blue night doesn’t come, My husband will not arrive. Why then did I unfurl my costume, Scented with fragrant pandanus?” 2 A bit more Ɵred, the Deity mused; ‘Is it darkness that people cherish!’ His right fingers ran a few Ɵmes On the thrice wound sacred thread, 3 That lay across his chest. Too Ɵred, the Deity trudged, Sidestepping the paƟo. At the North of the NaalukeƩu 4 He saw an adorable young girl Like a blooming jasmine plant. Face and legs washed clean Bhasma applied on the forehead, 5 She was all smiles, unhesitant, Like a profusion of compassion! “Can you kindly extend your finger-Ɵp As a support for me to walk?” The Sun God could never ever Retrace his own path! The girl was moved instantly by afflicƟon, A feeling of alienaƟon remained though; Maybe, she has read about the father of Karna! 6 Nevertheless, she took a firm decision Considering the Dharma of this period To retain shining light in this world! Out of a torn-out part of her soul, She spun a wick; doused it in oil, Then placed in a brass Diya. 7 She helped the Sun God to walk Holding on to the Ɵp of the wick, 8 Like an elder sister helping Baby brother to take the first few steps. She emerged from the NaalukeƩu Along with the trudging Deity. Grandma, as she stood on the veranda, Prayed with her hands folded. Praying for union with her husband The married young woman stood Blissfully, with her bowed down head. The deity whom the beetles, those who blow Conch in the jasmine blooms, praise intensely; 9 The Deity known to be pleased instantly, Was then installed by the young girl On the raised plaƞorm of the sacred Tulsi. 10 Even the vainest of pride, That puts-off prevailing light Will bow before you youngsters Holding the shining evening lamp. Anthithhiri, Diya or Evening lamp is a type of small bronze oil lamp lit at dusk for prayer or worship. Light is analogy for knowledge and wisdom. The poem lauds the liƩle girl for her act of generosity and faith that saved the world from eternal darkness. She represents a new generaƟon willing to challenge tradiƟons and to embrace changes. 1. Green Horses – As per Bramhanda Purana, Matsya Purana, Vayu Purana etc., the Sun is travelling in a single wheeled chariot swiŌly drawn by Tawny (greenish yellow) horses, seven in numbers. 2. Fragrant Pandanus – Pandan leaves have nice fragrance and are kept in wooden dress boxes by the women. It also has anƟbacterial and anƟfungal properƟes. 3. Thrice wound sacred thread – Sacred white thread (Janeu) is generally worn by a Brahmin. Three coƩon threads will be wound together to make a single sacred thread. It is common for Brahmins to pass their fingers on the thread, when in distress or engaged in deep thought! 4. NaalukeƩu – is the ancestral, fairly large house of Nair community, consisƟng of various 5. Bhasma – is an ash obtained through incineraƟon and is applied by devotees mainly on their forehead. 6. Karna’s father – Reference is to the story told in the great epic Mahabharat. With the help of the mantra that sage Durvasa provided to KunƟ, as a reward for her hospitality, she could invoke any God of her choice to have their child. KunƟ was not married at that Ɵme, But, out of curiosity, she invoked the Sun God. Once the Deity appeared, KunƟ pleaded with him to leave her. The Sun God told her that once invoked, he cannot go back without giving KunƟ, the boon. And that was the child Karna. Google ‘Karna’ for more details. 7. Diya – is a small bronze oil lamp, used to light wicks soaked in oil. These are generally used in rituals and also in houses in the morning and evening before prayers. In the original poem, the word ‘Sneham’ is used in place of oil with the dual meaning of oil and love! I couldn’t find a single word in English language that has both the meanings. 8. To walk, holding on to the Ɵp of the wick – provides a beauƟful analogy. The fire at the Ɵp of the wick of the evening lamp is supposed to be the Sun God himself. 9. As they blow conch in the jasmine blooms – As the jasmine bloom at dusk, the beetles gather. They make humming sound resembling the sound of a conch. 10. Tulsi – is a sacred plant in India. Its leaves are an integral part of rituals. It has medicinal properƟes as well. Generally, Tulsi will be planted on raised plaƞorms to keep its purity. ----------------------- * Poem “Anthithhiri” in Malayalam was published in Deshabhimani Onam Special issue in 1970. Translated by Asokakumar Edasseri – 31.07.2023 H Continued from D2 In the morning : One will wake up and say : Appa, I can't find a certain book ... I can't find my sticker tilakam or hair band. And the other one will say : Amma, where's my homework, I forgot to complete my homework. Everyone used to ask about their lost possessions. My son used to be very confident that Amma can find any hide out. "Take care of your stuff, be responsible, you have to grow up; I won't go with u to your university!" Come Deepavali, my son would fire all the crackers immediately and take one by one from his sister's share. My daughter would gladly give away every thing. Come birth day. We have never even remembered our birth days. My son was a voracious reader. He would get Rs 300/ from my husband and purchase valuable books. My daughter would read books from his collection and get a fine dress for her. I used to prepare sweet and savouries in huge quantities during Deepavali. Invariably they would take curd rice with mixture everyday. Vinayaka Chaturthi Day-my son took special interest in doing mothakam cups so soft.-with one condition that he should be given the same no of mothakams he prepared. On every occasion. Come March, I used to make vadams in the open terrace. My son and daughter were fond of vadam maavu with salt, chilies and lemon taste. 30% of the tasty pasty maavu (cooked rice flour)would be taken by them reducing my job to prepare vadams. How nice seeing them having a handful of vadam mavu in their hands and licking them to the last bit and take tumblers of ice water. The marina beach no more attracts us. My son was much much fond of 'merry go round' and on each occasion he chose to ride at least 4 times. He liked beach bajjis a lot. Now all the cupboards have only a few pieces of clothes in them. And what remains is the smell of memories that lingers in the air. Yesterday I was seeing the photo albums of 1985, my daughter with pattu pavadai and Davani and my son riding on horses in kashmir. How my daughter screamed when the horse took a wrong step into a deep gorge and the guide took care. Each one is special. The memories will fill the empty ache in my heart. My daughter loves filter coffee-freshly made. She would keep part of coffee beneath her lap so that it does not get cooled by fan. She would take sip by sip for 10 long mts. I used to tease her "When you grow old, you won't have time to sip coffee until it gets cold. Today there is no one to taste coffee. The vadam mavu remains untasted yesterday. My son's favourite dishes are thiruvathirai kali and mixed vegetable koottu and nonbu adai. In US I used to prepare Kali and nonbu adai on ordinary days. All I have now is the memory of their laughs and their mischief and their warm hugs. All cupboards are empty. No one asks me to find out misplaced things. There is no one to misplace. All cupboards have only a few pieces of clothes. 32 years back, the same march 29th, my daughter had her monthly periods. After the public exam she threw away her geometry box with great anger as she has done one two mark question wrong. The geometry box fell on the cupboard containing lot of clothes. My MIL grew agitated because the entire clothes got polluted and she immersed all the clothes in water, and dried them all over mottai madi( open terrace) including parapet walls. Neighbours suspected some untoward death had taken place in our house. As I returned home the house was in a mess and my daughter explained everything. I did not know whom to blame. My MIL too felt bad. She felt that as an elderly woman she should have been more patient and conveyed regret over the happenings. That was my great MIL. Today my house is clean and organized and everything is in its place, and it is calm and peaceful. But it is like a desert with no life in it. Do not become angry with your kids about the mess. One day they will leave you, just like they left me . Every time they come to visit and they spend time with us, when they are ready to leave, they pull their bags and it is, as if they tug my heart along with it. They close the door behind them and then I stand still and think of the many times I shouted at them to close the doors. Here I am today, closing my own doors. Nobody opens it besides me. Each one gone to a different city or a different country. All left to find their own path in life. They have grown up and I wished that they could stay with me forever. Oh God,Take care of them, wherever they are" Vathsala Jayaraman