Author: veeskitchen

Posted in food as therapy...

Sweet Tomatoes: A sweet sensation!

Posted on by veeskitchen

fully loaded! my salad plate!

For the first time had a buffet lunch at Sweet Tomatoes in Arizona. My daughter’s recommendation. Its out and out American, and therefore I really expected junk food frankly! But what a surprise the restaurant was. Packed to full, it had queues waiting for the weekend lunch. As a vegetarian from birth, I could not have hoped for better. Like in some buffet lunches in restaurants back home in India, the salads took the place of pride. There were dozens to choose from: broccolis and carrots and lettuce and mushrooms and beans and cheese and others such as pasta and raisins with meat portions and sea food combinations. Toppings were interesting. The main course had the regular breads after soups. I settled for broccoli my favourite anyday. My drink was Hibiscus green tea. Everything in the restaurant is farm produce freshly procured. I have never had such a healthy restaurant meal in the US so far. The dessert was tapioca one for me which was not bad. I had to settle for vegan choices as I had to avoid egg content. Otherwise the desserts such as brownies looked droolworthy! Sadly I had to miss even some bread selections for the egg presence. Even so, I had my plateful! The buffet was more than sumptuous. We paid only $66 dollars for four of us and the baby of the family was not billed. The men had good portions of chicken. I wish I had discovered Sweet Tomatoes a lot earlier. Food is a big issue for me given my vegetarian bearings. Even in breads and deserts I have to avoid those with egg as ingredient. I am a fussy eater. So Sweet Tomatoes came like a blessing. Truly a godsend! I am a huge fan of American coffee already. Had my fill as usual. I like their roasts with hazel nuts and macadamia nuts. Highly recommended chain of restaurants in the US. Worth the wait for your table and more than worth the bill. Healthiest. Love my Buddha bowl always with yum salads and Italian seasonings even in India. Light on your stomach. But Sweet Tomatoes will be the best salad restaurant I have eaten at to this date in my life.

Buffet restaurants are always known for their signature starter salads. Sweet Tomatoes was no exception. Even if the main course that followed was equally a vast spread, the salads won hands down. You have to go here for the array of salads. The meat eaters rejoiced over the shrimps. The drinks were non alcoholic and non carbonated herbal teas with infusions of floral and fruity flavours.

Would as well use this space to record my displeasure at the way the Absolute Barbeque in Chennai has deteriorated. Been here nearly half a dozen times. Our Indian grills can be somewhat unhealthy. As a vegetarian, here too my choice is limited. But recently, was shocked to see the crowds cramped in their restaurant space jostling for a foothold as the business house has grown greediest to take in more orders/bookings than they can afford to. No respect to time-slots. For 12 to 2 noon booking, we got our table by 1.30. The place is no more hygienic and is devoid of any ambience. If its Doha, Absolute Barbeque will be sealed for good, never given licence ever to open again. Food safety inspectors do a great job here. Tables have to have decent gap between them ensuring at least a minimal privacy for diners. Its chaos in AB and we regretted having chosen this place for a party celebration. The waiters are overworked. Avoid at all costs. Buffets to me have lost their lustre these days.

Sweet tomatoes appeared like an apparition really! Its changing the way I think about buffets. In India, buffets mean fries and grills mostly. Slick with oil and can be even unappetizing! Just forget the calory count! Over-priced in gaudy restaurants. Not much to say about ambience in Sweet tomatoes and not at all for romantic candle-lit dinners or cozy birthday parties, but can appreciate their purpose and efforts.

Posted in Science Engineering Technology

Airport Showcasing: Building strong, Basement weak!

Posted on by veeskitchen

Airports need to be utility oriented, user friendly, serving the purpose. Nothing more nothing less. Airports are not a nation’s showcase.

Always wanted to record this about airports. We are having upgrades even in India. Chennai domestic and international got a facelift just recently. Far more efficient now and spacious. Quicker services. Apart from that I don’t look forward to aesthetics in airports. If something mild and extra is there conspicuously, its fine. Let us remember that airports need not have to be a statement. The promise lies outside the airport.

As I take my connecting flights all around Middle east, I get bedazzled by the expansion and luxury of the airports at Muscat, Abu Dhabi, Dubai etc. One word that comes to my mind is: unnecessary. Airports need to be functional basically that’s all. You don’t have to showcase your airports to world connoisseurs so forcefully trying to market your country. The green Changi airport at Singapore etc., are fine. May be the smaller nations with just a single or double airports feel the need to identify themselves to the world. With nearly 500 airports, a nation like India can hardly afford that.

Besides, after seeing the US airports stripped to the basics, I am all admiration for their business mind. There is NOT a single piece of art in them! No posh Chanel and Estee Lauder and other customs duty free shops. May be one or two maximum in rare few. Only the cafes and washrooms tucked back to back after every gate. The American airports handle heavy traffic flow compared to rest of the world. I like their connectivity within airport terminals using airlinks such as shuttle buses/trains. The shuttles give you an idea of the size of the airports and the volume of trade handled by them. One thing about them: noway you are made to climb stairs lugging your cabin bag. All the growth stories of America lie outside the airports. They leave it to you to find about their glory by yourselves than try trusting their supremacy on you right in the airport. There is no gloating commercial in the American airlines flights either telling you where to shop and how to relax on holiday in the city you are disembarking. MOST IMPORTANTLY NO RELIGIOUS PRAYER. I like even their short snacks of pretzels, biscuits and cranberry/apple juice with water/beer for shorter flights. Nothing fancy. I am reminded of the operational efficacy on shoestring budgets cutting costs when things are kept bare minimum. Sprawling airports with multiple terminals seeing a thousand flights take off and land with million footfalls every single day. Immigrations. Security. All handled quietly and efficiently.

Airports need not have to be swanky at all. They need to be super functional that’s all. They need to cater to the transit passengers with seamless efficiency. Airports need not have to become advertisement for your home country. AIRPORTS ARE NOT A COUNTRY’S IDENTITY. Let the world discover you. I must say I enjoy the comforts of the transit airports. I fly a little around. My flying years may be drawing to a close slowly. But I am not the one to judge a country looking at their airport. The covid brought to end the on-plane marketing of luxury brands including those such as Swiss watches and Bvlgari etc., advertised in glossy inflight magazines that used to be so common until very recently. I really loved those mags and miss them! I noticed something else: gone are the days of butter and cheese going with bread! Governments can spend on their airline food instead of splurging on their airports.

I look forward to excellent washroom facilities in airport, charging points and if possible lounges, nothing more in airports. Once was stuck in Dxb (Dubai) airport for 12 hours. I was lucky it was Dubai airport as I could survive within airport and afford opting out of a night’s stay in a five star hotel at the expense of the airline. In last couple of years, using the lounges that I find are able to keep me less tired. One of the reasons for travel tiredness as I realize is that, eating less by way of airline food. I have a good appetite. So the lounge food completes my platter by supplementing to the airline food that is meagre. I have also made it a point these days to keep myself well hydrated during my travel times be it train or air travel. I therefore have regained strength on landing that I used to miss in the earlier years because I used to keep my fluid intake minimum. I used to hold my bladder. No more I do that. I have plenty of fluids, don’t shy about using the washrooms at regular intervals, eat sumptuously including at the lounge and eat again on landing on way home (if its Doha). That practically restores my energy levels. I recover fast from the flying sickness or tiredness, typical with many of us. More fluids most importantly. No holding bladder skipping fluids.

Another thing about the rated five star airports is that, sometimes the aprons are not ready in them when flights land early/later than scheduled time. They make you board their shuttles lugging your cabin bags climbing down steel stairs on foot from the planes after a long tiring journey. Once someone who wanted a wheelchair even questioned the cabin staff about the inconvenience. The steward then offered to carry their bags down the steel staircase to the waiting shuttle bus. The aero bridges are the most convenient way to alight from a flight for tired passengers. It is a must for wheelchair users. In what way are these so-called five star airports disabled-friend when you make senior passengers exit from flight down steel stairs carrying their bags. Then what is the point in boasting of world class airports. At the end of the day, passengers are left in the lurch when you don’t have ready aprons for incoming flights. Airports have to simply build as many aprons that’s all. If you are a rated airport, that is the least passengers may expect of you. I don’t know how airports get rated. But I can imagine, it is not a fair or free method.

Chennai International may be moving to somewhere 70 km away within next ten years. Looking forward to dedicated expressways like they have in Hyderabad – like a bubble – dedicated totally to airport traffic. All these years we had the luxury of flying out of the city from the heart of the city. In our senior years, we will have to travel a bit to board a flight out of Chennai. But its okay, the city is expanding beyond our imagination. Energy (from solar power) and services efficient: this is what I want from new Chennai international. Not chandeliers and duty free shopping.

In Tamil we say, துடைப்பக்கட்டைக்கு பட்டுகுஞ்சலம். Really gaudy airports with uncalled for luxury remind me of this! Just be travel efficient, that is enough. Airports are not our national museums. Or our barometer to measure culture and economy. Airports are just airports. May our airports be slick and efficient handling business and air travel business alone. The rest of the paraphernalia can stay away.

Posted in Food For Soul

Too much materialism can kill the spirit.

Posted on by veeskitchen

Too much materialism can backfire. Many don’t get it. What is there in too much money. While explaining our basic needs with regard to retirement, someone was telling me this: You may be making say for instance one lakh of rupees per month in service. But would you be spending your entire earnings? NO. Typically we Indians spend only 30 to 40% of our gross earnings and have the habit of saving/investing the huge chunk of the reminder. One reason Indians are getting richer is this. Frugal lifestyle and savings habit. So for 1 lac income earner, it means, he and his family can subsist on mere 30 k or 40 k per month which will be their monthly needs maximum except under unforeseen circumstances – good or bad. You learn to live within this money bracket. You train your tastes, expenses, spending style everything to stay within this expenditure band. Even if your income is to increase to say 2 lac per month, you are going to live within the same limits mostly. Your spending style may change but the percentage of savings is going to remain equally proportional to your past savings percentage. You stick to the same 30-40 or even say 50-60% spending bracket. Whatever strata of society you may belong to, you are going to go for major savings.

On retirement, it is just that, your earnings come down to that 30-40% spending expenditure limit of yours. You won’t be having that buffer to spare, otherwise you are fine. So in retirement, with pension or with PF/Gratuity investments, you can still maintain the same standard of living that you are used to. You don’t have to sacrifice anything as you fear. What you shall be missing is only your SAVINGS PART. The savings from your service years is going to be your nest egg which shall be passing on to your legal heirs someday, should it remain unused by you. Well, this is how we Indians have lived for decades at least ever since the 9-5 routine became the standard norm of our society. With minor adjustments you will be fine on retirement. You will be aware of the non availability of the surplus that used to go into investments like in your working years. You will be factoring it in long before you retire in your scheme of things. You will retune yourself to ‘the new normal’ of sticking to within 30-40% range at mind level that you have been adhering to anyway.

So tell me what is the reason to work your head off ? You accumulate more, you make your sons lazy! The greatest incentive to go after our economic goals is poverty. This is why you see the sons not succeeding as well as the fathers even in Bollywood. The fathers never had the cushioning. The fathers had to toil at every step of their way to glory. The sons had it easy so the inspiration part was missing.

What happens when you build an empire with the massive savings and investments you stack up in your lifetime? You are going to live the rest of your life only on the same 30-40% income level that you are conditioned to mentally. The savings are going to go to your kids – and if they are used well, it is fine. Otherwise, the mere existence of the nest eggs can dull our children and kill their spirit. They are spoilt right before they are born. Hundred years earlier, we don’t know who lived in the space where we live today. What is going to happen to our fine jewelry.

I find too much materialism sickening really. I believe strongly in helping in whatever way ease someone’s life if we can. I believe in sharing your fruits a little at least in your own lifetime with poorer relatives, poorer friends or in general with the community you are part of. That plough back or giving it back is absolutely essential. Do something to pass on your life earnings in whatever shape to next generations who may benefit from it. That is the only legacy that is going to last long. Excess of anything must go into MEANINGFUL charity or strengthening of existing institutions that inculcate values such as schools, art or any kind of creativity that can engage future generations resourcefully, homes for the aged/destitute if we cannot create one ourselves. That improving of quality of life for fellow humans is a matchless service.

The leading Malaysian business tycoon, a billionaire Hindu of course and one of the richest in the world, Anand Krishnan who owns Maxis etc., had his son becoming a Buddhist monk, forsaking worldly pleasures at the age of 18.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/meet-ajahn-siripanyo-the-billionaires-son-who-gave-up-rs-40000-crore-to-become-a-monk/articleshow/101985978.cms?from=mdr

There is a limit to materialism. Now we have the younger generation opting out of marriage and parenthood fearing responsibilities. What will they do in their old age with the huge bank balance?

Our friends and relatives come home not because they are lacking for food. They are coming for that human warmth, which is what life is all about. Treat them well. Feeding people at home is one of the greatest punyas, the good karma of which shall be passing on to your children. ‘Aditi (guest) devo bhava’, we say in Sanskrit. God comes to your doorstep in the ‘roop’ of guests. IN our Mylapore home, nobody left without being fed. Our home was known for hospitality. People remember how my grandma FED people. Never regretted whatever my grandfather gave away for charity toward temples and institutions. Even when left with bare minimum we could still make it better in life. We Hindus have haldi-kumkum etc., at home for this reason: to feed the Sumangalis on auspicious occasions. I recall my grandma saying ‘elai vizhanum’ – which means ‘the (banana) leaf must fall (into garbage) from our home as much as possible. It meant we must host guests at home who eat heartily (the food we serve on banana leaf – typical south Indian custom). The tongue may not bless, but the stomach will. It is the blessings like these that save our children when times could get critical. Those of us who have made it against all odds know, our parents and grandparents saved us with their good deeds and good karma.

Positive vibes is about this really. This generosity, this broadmindedness, this empathy. Do your bit and don’t brag about it. Stay low key. Touch people’s lives. Let the business tycoons get filthy rich. They are going to take a million janams. Let us reduce our Karmic footprint on earth. One great way of doing this is by being sensitive enough to give help without being asked for it. Affect someone’s life in a way to totally transform it. Even those things as buttermilk distribution in hot sun in our Chennai streets is a great effort.

There is no point in always thinking in terms of I, ME, MYSELF, MY WIFE, MY KIDS. You are going to get a fresh batch of all of these in your next janam! I am sure, every Hindu believes in rebirths. Not all of us can become monks but we can lead a Dharmic life even within our family system. We call this LOUKEEKATHIL DHARMAM as my Guru would put it. You can lead the perfectly ‘loukeeka’ life which means familial life – eating well, enjoying life, admiring aesthetics such as art etc. But every single act of yours must be in pursuit of Dharma. All roads must lead to Dharma eventually. The order of things is: DHARMA, ARTHA, KAMA, MOKSHA. Lead a dharmic life, prosper with your hard work, enjoy life’s pleasures and then finally make your way to Moksha. This is how a Hindu life must be lived.

Hundred years later, in the nether waiting for your next janam and the carrying vehicle called a mother’s womb, you may wish you had lived differently! All the materialism of the world could make no sense. Our loukik dharmic life never dissuades anyone from making money and living a prosperous life. Its only what you are going to do with the wealth you are building that matters. ‘Immai, Marumai’ – we say, we must live well both in this janam and in the next. Do something that shall guarantee the next part.

A regular visit to orphanages and homes for destitute and special schools for kids born with a range of debilitating physical and mental disabilities – can totally change you at heart. Those who do not understand the purpose of life will learn their hardest lessons on reality then. Its a must for everyone to step into these most blessed places of God every now and then. It can have a huge impact on your psyche. I don’t believe in keeping everything to ourselves. Yes, of course, we must first take care of ourselves and we don’t have to cut corners to take care of others. Beyond that, we have to do our bit to causes. Too much of anything is poison and this first applies to money. Also this is a reason why star kids are bored to the extent of taking to doping.

Why is religious faith important: You can break down complex faith into blocks of simpler logic. Faith keeps repeating boring messages underscoring the virtues of charity and righteousness. May be that can get stuck into some dumb heads?! Where there is no discouragement to vices by way of religious worship in family life, materialism shall assume mammoth proportions of significance. Success in life will sadly get equated success in material life. NOw those who lead the society with their material acquisitions are only calling the shots. They decide the governments. And this becomes the vicious cycle. It is so banal because there is nothing in this lifecycle other than physical satiation in every way. There is no scope for enriching the soul, the mind. This is the reason for rapid rise in mental health issues of late. Caring and sharing are in our blood: human beings are social animals basically. We herded that way for millennia before we settled down in institutions of marriage and civil societies with culture and laid-down code of morals. Nurturing our genetic traits of sharing is therefore crucial for our very existence.

EVen an autowalah in Chennai makes 1000 bucks easily if he drives for 6-8 hours in the city. My regular one says he makes 2 k everyday without having to join hands with Uber or Ola. Money making is not exactly difficult. What you do with that money is the question. Use your resources to make planet earth a little bit better place to live in than how you found it. Giving a helping hand to fellow humans, playing your part in protecting nature and environment, sustaining institutions of academics, arts, skills and providing for upkeep of the children of the lesser god, those destitute and those underprivileged and sick and poor and those special kids – is what will be the legacy you leave behind. You may not be remembered long after you are gone, but what you help grow will have your name printed on the wind that shall stay forever. Enjoy your life full quota, but take care of your Karma footprint.

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Inspiration comes from various sources. A friend’s brother who was doing exceptionally well in the US returned to India and is engaged wholly in social service catering to 500 meals a day for children’s hospitals besides rendering other humanitarian services. From lifting the Gods in temple festivals to attending to invalid elderly living alone, their team is paying yeoman service to society that cannot be measured in financial terms. We call this ‘vana prastham’ in Hindu Dharma. Over 60 or when the Hindu parents would become grandparents, in ancient Bharat/India, the older people would leave their homes and make their way through forests substisting on bare minimum such as fruit and root vegetables there for survival until death came to them by way of a wild animal attack of disease or natural calamity such as river flooding. During this time, their aspiration is to seek ‘nirvana’ or ‘moksha’ as they hone their spiritual quotient. This after-60 part of a Hindu life used to be entirely devoted to seeking ‘liberation’ which is how our ancestors lived for centuries. That much detachment they purposely developed giving up material pleasures for the supreme bliss of getting eliminated from the birth cycle.To me what my friend’s brother and his wife are doing is modern day Vanaprastham. Not all of us are after money ruthlessly. Our society needs atmas like them to show us what is the point of taking this birth as a human being. :Pre-occupation with sensory pleasures in this mature age is not going to do us good. It means we never grew up. We choose to live by our own set standards that define us. Loukeekathil Dharma: I am seeing this at a very advanced level with my own eyes. Get influenced by right things in life. Leave a mark but don’t expect others to acknowledge the part you played in the scheme of things. Those who plant coconut trees and mango trees are not doing it for themselves. They are doing it for the future genertions remember. We are sitting under such a shady banyan tree that was planted by our forefathers.

Posted in Food For Soul

Mithai shop or the Honey comb.

Posted on by veeskitchen

Beautiful piece by the RK Mission Mutt monk where he compared human minds to the fly hovering over the sweet displayed in the mithai shop and also to the bee going for only the honey gathered in the honey comb. The sweet shop invites flies that may sit on the sweets, then fly to the drain or sewer from where they may return to the sweet soiled, so on and so forth. The honeybees never go to the sewer. They have just the coveted honey that is just for them. Their odyssey is between the sweet smelling flowers blooming under a cheerful sun, to gather the nectar for their complex yet incredible honey comb that’s all.

Even though the swamiji used the simile to explain how a mature mind will stay in control than wandering from here to there, focused on higher goals in life, guess we may use the analogy for all of us especially women. I am still a Hindu, an Indian middle class nari who lives by the unwritten code of my conservative society. While I believe in equality of sexes, and women from my place have gone on to accomplish at global stage and mark our presence, I would still like to say, its always upto the women. Its for us to be the mithai shop sweet exposed and available for the dirty common fly or be the elusive honey that only the honey bee that does not feast on the sewer can have access to. Our mothers strictly belonged to the honey category. Values have started eroding from our generation. Our next is gone for a toss! Even for writing this piece I may be labeled a ‘sexist!’

Some of us women are not being rude or blunt. We don’t sell our soul that’s all.

Posted in Interests

Bill Gates vs Magnus Carlsen

Posted on by veeskitchen

Really enjoyed their match hahaha! Lasted some 12.2 seconds! Highly satisfying to note that I am equal to Bill Gates at least in this one department or may probably be even better (by a whisker only)! I too have no strategy up my sleeve, make my moves without thinking hard! Besides, these blitzes get my heart pounding. I get stressed by Chess which is why I have reduced my playing. Open for 20 min or 30 min tournaments. Not that I am a rated player hahaha! My range is only from 720 to maximum 1150. If i am lucky I sail upto 1100. If I am on bear mode, I fall drastically and touch new lows. Used to play online regularly for years. Play my sis who plays lot better chess. She is the winner always. My childhood friend Harsha has a rating of 1600 which is the highest of someone known to me when it comes to chess. Anyway enjoy the coup:

Will it be possible for me to play a game of chess with Bill Gates! We may be evenly matched!

Posted in Economic

GDP matters over GDP Per Capita

Posted on by veeskitchen

The Gross Domestic Product GDP of a nation matters over the individual Per Capital Income (GDP Per capita). GDP is networth of a nation often in fact underestimated, typically as in the case of India. Per capita income is income per head. Oil based economies boast of highest PCIs in the world. Whereas USA, China, India, Germany, France, Russia and Japan are the leading world economies when it comes to sum total Gross domestic product.

INdia is very much underestimated in this list. America holds world’s largest bullion reserves and China is a feverish buyer for sometime now. But the gold held by Hindu temples and Hindu homes never is accounted for, which may exceed entire gold holdings of America and China and Middle east put together. Hindu temples are immensely wealthy flush with diamonds and gold coins and gold jewelry. Indian homes hold caches of gold and diamond jewelry passed over for generations as well as designer ones from present. Official bullion holding by govt of India may be far less.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimdobson/2015/11/13/a-one-trillion-dollar-hidden-treasure-chamber-is-discovered-at-indias-sree-padmanabhaswam-temple/?sh

https://www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/the-1-trillion-padmanabhaswamy-temple-treasure

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/tirupati-temple-s-assets-include-over-10-tonnes-of-gold-cash-worth-rs-15938cr-101667732525942.html

https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/temples-hold-about-4-000-tonnes-of-gold-116032400306_1.html

https://www.mygoldguide.in/4-breath-taking-gold-temples-india

Golden Mahalakshmi temple at Sri Puram, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.

India is dotted with architectural marvels – our Hindu temples – millions of them, most of which are easily 2000 years old. These ancient sculptural feats hold within them panchaloka (5 metal), brass, bronze, silver statues worth billions of dollars. Most expensive silks of the world Benarasi and Kanjivaram are woven in India. World’s best mangoes grow in India. We are the world’s largest exporters of rice, wheat, milk, poultry products, beef. We export softwares and hardwares and automobiles and cell phones. Local manufacturing is strong. Even oil and gas are mined in India but we import both to cater to our industrial and domestic needs. We in India are looking forward to fossil fuel free world – that will forever liberate us from dependency on our oil imports. We welcome the green era with electric cars. That is bound to do wonders for a nation like India. These are the reasons I believe India is rightfully the 3rd largest economy in the world (not taking into account our natural resources, our farm bounties, our rivers, our mountains etc. One of the most blessed nations in the world that is timeless and ageless: that is my Bharat, India. We, some 1.3 billion Indians, share our motherland with native lions, tigers (highest count in the world again), Asian elephants and myriad species of other wildlife (including India’s own exclusive single horned rhinos) and flora and fauna and the avian families. Who will put a bill on all of this?)

Gulf nations are very tiny compared to vast countries like India or America or Canada or China or Russia. So concentration of wealth is in one or two or three cities that make them look richer. In my country India, wealth is SPREAD. Widespread. INdia’s wealth is not constituted out of her natural resources such as oil and gas. India’s wealth is MANMADE – acquired with the hardwork and dedication of our masses.

Which is why, its the GDP of nations that matters. The wholesome output of an entire nation and its share in the world market matters over individual per capita income. Even if we compute PCIs, at least two Indians are among the world’s 20 richest: the Ambanis and the Adanis. Adanis are among the world’s top 10. Their wealth is entirely based on production oriented manufacturing industries.

The quality of wealth, the ways and means of acquisition of wealth – all these matter. The wealth of India also lies in the manuscripts in Sanskrit, Tamil etc., that date back by thousands of years.

There is a deliberate miscalculation of dates and wrongful and willful misrepresentation of history and wars. This was the biggest mischief committed by the British. For instance, the British put the date of Adi Shankaracharya by 7th century CE. Whereas Hindu history reveals that Adi Shankara turned the river Poorna with his pleas and prayers so that his mother could have her ritual bath every day in her old age. Carbon dating now points to river Poorna diverging from original course to 3rd century BCE – which means the British made a huge error of judgment in charting Adi Shankara’s birth and history. Hindu history is easily 10000 years old. Most Hindu saints were born before the birth of Christ. Tamil and Sanskrit literature we read even today are from 500 BCE minimum. Advance grammar and standard of prose and poetry can have no precedence.

Our GDP also may include our railway networks, airports, shipping, defence, space industry, infrastructure including highways, investments in tech parks, metros in every city, mining, farming, fishing etc. World economies hardly take into account such a grand picture.

Only nation on earth to have Brahmos missiles now exported to the Phillipines:

India’s space agency ISRO, a chief contribution to Indian economy, launching for foreign clients:

India’s software exports:

Worth of Indian railway network alone:

https://www.ibef.org/industry/indian-railways

Indian economy is very diverse. We don’t keep all eggs in one basket. Our pharmaceutical industry, health care industry, textiles, food industry, dairy, leather industry everything is a high performer. In Information technology (IT(n we are pioneers.

So it really shocks me that those in the west see only what they want to see like the Indian slums and put us down. The truth is: INDIA IS THE THIRD RICHEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD after China and the US.

UK story is over since long. One reason for BBC to degrade India by propaganda is this: bitter envy. Dear BBC, even the Kohinoor of your Buckingham palace is originally STOLEN from Hindu temple of Mother Badrakali in Warrangal in India. UK lived a fancy rich life with stolen wealth from India, Asia, Africa. Now Brits are high on welfare aren’t they!

India is an all round robust economy, very well balanced. We look forward to shifting over completely to green gases in 10=20 years that shall cut down our oil and gas (fossil fuel) consumption. This can do wonders for the Indian economy and our environment.

My nation also exports GLOBAL CEOS!

THE GLOBAL CEOS FROM INDIA:

Posted in Books

Goat Days

Posted on by veeskitchen

Updated: May 11, 2024

I can’t help thinking about the spirit of our men who work in some of world’s harshest conditions to make life better for their beloved ones back home. I hear all the time about those working in oil rigs etc., at a 70 C temperature in peak summers. Rest of us can fly to our vacations because of these men.

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Happened to read this online although never got to watch ‘Aadujeevitham.’ Its heartwrenching real life story based in Saudi. It suffices to say that until this day, we have Najeebs still suffering for no fault of theirs in Arab states. This Najeeb was lucky to get liberated after all his ordeals. Its a miracle he survived not only his master but also the harsh living conditions and his adventurous escape panning the most horrid and arid deserts of the world, one fine day. His trek through this uninhabitable scorching sand dunes lasts for weeks. His goat days unwittingly prepare him for this desert voyage just like his underwater tough existence prepared him for his goat days. His mental balance is admirable and his physical fitness cannot be underestimated given the poor nutrition he ingests by way of sparse food intake. Finally his freedom from the Saudi jail becomes the true godsend. It crushes our heart to learn that he has been held as illegal labourer after all by his employer, without a proper licence. Through all this I could not help noting how devoted Najeeb is. How he pins every responsibility on Allah and pardons every single offender with a grace that is extremely rare to find. He only bemoans his own fate never someone to come up with accusations. Its a big takeaway for me really. In short, Najeeb comes across as a very sweet soul. For the kind of torment he is subject to, anyone could be ending his life or ending up like his predecessor buried beneath the desert soil. For a soft creature, Najeeb also comes across contrastingly as an emotionally intelligent person who learns how to wait it out patiently and when to play his cards smartly. He makes his calculated moves avoiding risks. His calm acceptance of his situation, resigning to reality and then working doggedly but quietly towards a solution speaks volume about his strength of character. Even the book is a very reluctant version of the statement pried out of real life Najeeb after repeated appeals by the author. Najeeb’s personality is also enhanced from the fact that he is not glorifying his heroic adventure but wants to stay low key.

Only yesterday, I was reading about the Kerala maid sentenced to death in Yemen, because in her attempt to flee from her torturous employer, she had to end his life. What drives the employees to such a sad state of affairs losing self-control. What brings out their wrath. In the circumstances it helps to remember those like Najeeb who retained his sanity and wisdom under most trying conditions. Its his life saver.

Those in the lowest levels of hierarchy sometimes undergo the worst experiences in middle east. Their semi-skilled state makes it easier for exploitative employers to manipulate them and use them to their advantage. I hear many sob stories emanating from the Middle east. But the Goat days by Benyamin which was originally penned in Malayalam is a nightmare unlike anything I have come across. HOwever let not some unfortunate cases let you imagine the worst about gulf states. YOu have to remember that millions of Indians also at the same time make it good here and happily make the GCC nations their second home. Even in Malaysia, a friend’s employers took possession of the family passports as far back as in the year 1997. And this was that of a working professional. Legally its an offence in all these countries trying to strip of their employees of their basic human rights. Expats first much educate themselves about their own rights. Secondly, always stay connected with the embassy at least online. Staying in touch with the NRI community is a must for your own safety. Thirdly, air your grievances immediately and seek solutions. Or spread the word. Appraise someone of your living conditions. Have your communication channels open for instance with the local grocery, your co-workers etc. IF something is fishy, REPORT to the embassy or High commission or fellow NRIs. It may save you from tricky situations. Keep your family updated and equip your family to act on behalf of you if they don’t hear from you.

Again, we find Indians as top CEOS of banks and hypermarket chains and industrial houses in the middle east. Even hospitals and academies and schools and other businesses are founded and managed and headed by Indian nationals. We don’t find Indian labour much because, INdian labour is supposedly expensive. Even 25 years back in Malaysia I was told that Indian labour is unaffordable, so the cheaper alternatives such as Pakistanis, Bangladeshis were the options. Semi-skilled labourers like aircon technicians, plumbers, electrical workers, supervisors etc., may be the lowest rung of Indians employed in the gulf states. You can’t even find fellow Indians as billing clerks or selling garments and lipsticks in the malls. To that extent, the Indian employment levels have improved and gone far ahead. Indian medicos are most sought after. Indian restaurants are the most crowded. Normally we have only mostly good stories to relate. Very few unfortunate cases are out there calling for our attention.

Those like Najeeb must have ended up in the sorry state because of the cunning of some unscrupulous recruitment agents. Indian govt banned Indian women from working as maids since long. Those Indian ladies who find employment in foreign countries as househelp do it illegally. You cannot find INdian women working as housemaids in any part of the world. However poverty may push some women to get work visa in one category and work as housemaids in reality. Same may be true about Najeebs of middle east. Those who end up in such tragic situations must have violated the stipulated norms of Indian government for NRI workers.

You are talking about Najeeb. What about the Kerala women and women from Pakistan, Nepal etc., who end up in the red light districts of Dubai etc. Women don’t get employment permit generally in the gulf states. They are eligible to work only as nurses in hospitals or teachers. Other working women in middle east normally are on dependent visas of their husbands. From the point of employment, their visa status may change. But we hear stories of Kerala women getting work visas in gulf states and ending up in forced prostitution. Once they go into that line, there can be no turning back. Although I have not directly come across any such case, these news keep floating in NRI circles always. Women are the worst victims. They may be recruited as staff nurse but be held as hostage and introduced to flesh trade as bonded labour. Fearing persecution of the society, they resign to their destiny. Women must double check their employer credibility before taking up an oversees job. But again, these are semi-literate, semi-skilled women dying to make a killing in middle east. They won’t listen to words of wisdom.

This book fascinated me as we have made middle east our second home in last some 15+ years. NRI now since 1997-98 although I keep shuttling between Chennai and middle east. There is good and bad everywhere, is all I can say.

I have to round up the review (if I can call that) with the observation that I find it really strange that someone like Najeeb who is the son of the soil living so close to the holy abode of Lord Aiyappa must be a follower of Islam. It really makes no sense to me at all. Some countries like the Philippines for instance have no god so they have embraced Christianity in total. Bharat is the cradle of human civilization. Hindu Dharma is the mother religion for other faiths that are too new. If you have to find god in the deserts of Arabia forgetting your local deities, then I guess everything you do has to be removed from reality. The master of Najeeb is the reality check for Indian muslims. Kerala people are obsessed with gulf money. Although we ourselves may have made our livelihood from middle eastern job, I am very proud of the fact that my home state Tamil Nadu contributes to LOCAL ECONOMY and those in my state have built their lives from contributing to domestic growth paying taxes. Kerala is superficial in everyway. No local glory. Shut out the gulf channels. They are finished. Tamil Nadu on the other hand like the other states of India, is economically independent. We have a robust and well oiled machinery of manufacturing and production line and employment systems that guarantee the livelihood of millions. We create job opportunities and engage the masses productively which is important in the long run to maintain balance and prosperity. Overdependency on foreign sources can make you vulnerable to transitions at a later stage. Loyalty of Kerala muslims is NOT to Allah but for the dirhams that come with their middle-eastern positions. Life is much easier. But remember, there are millions of Hindus who also make a living in middle east, entirely employed on MERIT basis. These Hindus are mere employees and their loyalty shall always be with Dharma and India. You don’t have to become the slave to your employer. You can retain your dignity. It irritated me to read how Najeeb for no reason other than Islam tolerated the utterly inhumane treatment meted out to him. Would the same Najeeb have put up with his situation had his master been a Hindu and the setting was somewhere in Rajastan in India?

That is why I say, nobody can be loyal to India the way we Hindus are. Nobody can love India the way Hindus will. And nobody can bomb India and damage-destroy India the way Indian muslims can! Nobody can betray India like the Indian muslims would – not even the Indian christians. The Indian christians are an educated lot. They use their brains. There was also this news yesterday in the media: of how 10 Indian muslims set fire to forest reserves in Uttarkhand. If anyone is capable of this kind of sabotage to the mother country where they eat their food, sleep on the earth and breath the air, it is the muslim ummah. Loyalty and gratitude have no meaning in their dictionary. If world is taking a critical view of the muslims, its not without reasons.

REading the Goat days, my heart ached because I am human and human suffering does not make me differentiate between people. I find Najeeb to be an exemplery character. His is a beautiful soul. It does not matter to me whether he is muslim or Hindu. But it also pained me to note that so much of a Kerala muslim’s faith, loyalty, gratitude etc., lies with the merciless Arab to who he will remain nothing but the underdog forsaking dignity. Converts are the worst hypocrites you may come across.

Having said that, hats off to the Indian embassy. So many nations don’t care. But India takes best care of her citizens in whichever part of the world they may be. We have even insurance covers now. A tremendous spade work was done in this regard by Smt Sushma Swaraj who was our external minister. Last heard, even rich arab sheikhs now prefer enrolling their kids in Indian CBSE schools that charge a single digit fraction of the kind of fees levied by international schools. And kids attending Indian schools have the competitive edge like none other. You also see the Hindu mandir coming up in Abu Dhabi. There are two sides to every coin. But being an Indian citizen, you know you are in far more advantageous position than other nationalities. If a Najeeb still happens, its because of the foolishness of individuals in which governments have no role to play.

Posted in Political

Onion Politics.

Posted on by veeskitchen

Missed the Indian onions in Doha in last few months. Never settle for the Chinese. Sudan onion was there along with a few more. But there is simply no substitute to the great Indian onion! Spicy with its natural pungent odour, for garam masala gravies and for hot, simmering Indian curry, there can be no better alternative. Others come sweetish. Even as I was wondering why the famous fiery Indian onion was conspicuous by its absence, it registered in me that the Indian Lok Sabha elections were scheduled for April-May! Onion price rise turns masses against ruling government! Onion is emotion for India! Smart move by the Modi govt stopping onion export so foreign countries including the GCC nations had to switch over to other secondary options. Not only the Indian onion, a few more specifically Indian things sought out by international shoppers went missing from the supermarket shelves since the year beginning. Finally as phase by phase the elections are on, the onion is released by the Indian govt for supply in the overseas markets.

Posted in Lateral Thinking

Validation is for Attention seekers.

Posted on by veeskitchen

Why for some of us validation or proving a point NEVER matters:

LOved this whatsapp forward:

When Valmiki completed his Ramayana, Narada wasn’t impressed. ‘It is good, but Hanuman’s is better’, he said.

‘Hanuman has written the Ramayana too!’, Valmiki didn’t like this at all, and wondered whose Ramayana was better.

So he set out to find Hanuman.

In Kadali-vana, grove of plantains, he found Ramayana inscribed on seven broad leaves of a banana tree.

He read it and found it to be perfect. The most exquisite choice of grammar and vocabulary, metre and melody. He couldn’t help himself. He started to cry.

‘Is it so bad?’ asked Hanuman..

‘No, it is so good’, said Valmiki..

‘Then why are you crying?’ asked Hanuman.

‘Because after reading your Ramayana no one will read my Ramayana,’ replied Valmiki.

Hearing this Hanuman simply tore up the seven banana leaves stating
“Now no one will ever read Hanuman’s Ramayana.'”

Valmiki was shocked to see this action of Hanuman and asked him why he did this, Hanuman said, ‘You need your Ramayana more than I need mine.

You wrote your Ramayana so that the world remembers Valmiki;
I wrote my Ramayana so that I remember Ram.’

At that moment he realized how he had been consumed by the desire for validation through his work.

He had not used the work to liberate himself from the fear of invalidation.

He had not appreciated the essence of Ram’s tale to unknot his mind.

His Ramayana was a product of ambition;
but
Hanuman’s Ramayana was a product of pure devotion & affection.

That’s why Hanuman’s Ramayana sounded so much better.

That is when Valmiki realized that “Greater than Ram …. is the name of Ram!”

There are people like Hanuman who don’t want to be famous. They just do their jobs and fulfill their purpose.

There are many unsung “Hanumans” in our life too, our spouse, mother, father, friends, let’s remember them and be grateful to all.

In this world, where everyone is highlighting his work and seeking validation, let us just do our karma because he who matters, the almighty God, knows without telling him and in the end, it is actually just he who matters.

⚜️ Jai Shri Rami⚜️

Posted in Lateral Thinking

Humanity is the real God or Realization.

Posted on by veeskitchen

I saw this video on a Pakistan girl given the Indian heart. Humanity wins that’s all. I come down heavily on Islamic terrorism and on Christian conversion mafia but my peeves are for real causes. So far as basic me is concerned, humanity counts over racial, linguistic, geographical and religious divides. I have to thank my foreign residence chiefly for crossing that bridge that not many of my friends can and not even extraordinarily religious and god people who I have known in my life can. If anything is good about me, I would say, this ability to be able to look at human as just a human without any kind of identity tag. So when I see this Dr Balakrishnan who says he treated the teen from Pakistan from his pocket because she was like a daughter to him, I can completely agree with him. Really brought tears to my eyes. Plus, I have friends who boast constantly that they treat everyone equal and that they gave food to their maid in their home or gifted her nicely. What I don’t tell them is that, respect or equality lies in not giving lunch to your maid or inviting her to Navrathri golu. Respect is really return-respect: that these friends have to brace themselves and eat at their maid’s home if it comes to that. You must NOT have that mental block in you that can prevent you from treating someone as equal or worthy of your respect. To me this is what humanity is really. Respect and equality are NOT one way street. You cannot think about God all the time and actually think some people of to be unworthy of your respect. My perception of faith and spirituality happens to be vastly different from others in my circle. Nowadays I confine sharing of my beliefs to selected couple of friends who have the maturity to assimilate how I view things and why. Over years so I see drifting from everyone – although I am not sure whether its good or bad. Sometimes I feel you are lucky if you can get along with the herd than have some out-of-box thinking. Invite people home ONLY if you ready to eat at their dining table.

This is a beautiful video. One of the positives after a long time. Yesterday I was watching a video on love jehad in which a young muslim man repeatedly stabs to death a Hindu college girl for turning down his love proposal. Happened very recently in Karnataka. I felt such a surge of rage and intense hatred. But today this comes like a balm to our heart. Kudos to fellow Hindus who remind us that, whoever others are, let us be us. Just us. There can be no Shiva where the elephant corridor is stolen or destroyed leading to a quicker extinction of the species.

Extinction is sometimes good and preferable though. It means you don’t become the broiler chicken species or the cattle species impregnated within a month after delivering the calf by IVF and milked litres with painful injections. Any race or religion that multiplies mindlessly will meet with this kind of fate at one point of time when million men have to jostle for space and billion hands may be reaching out for every single morsel of food. Is that what we Hindus want to be? One of those weary pair of hands by the turn of the century? Go extinct instead, with honour and having lived well in your prime. Let history record us for our quality not quantity.