East or West...!

The Sunday Express editorial described Panchabhuta Lingas this time - obviously, one of them was Akasha Linga - denoting space - Chidambaram Natarajar - who anyway has been my fantasy over the last couple years - there are several instances - life instances - when I needed affirmation from Natarajar, and I would see Him manifest through situations timed just perfectly right - after all - like our dear Nandhanar sang, Yen Appan Allava, Yen Thaayum Allava.

Anyways, through some home rearrangement and general decluttering efforts, our Natarajar at home, found His way on my work desk. Appa had kept Him safe in the pooja room, in the right direction.

Unlike Appa, I have zero sense of cardinal directions - except East and West, thanks to the Sun. I can only give directions with either left or right, and nothing beyond that. Appa's aptitude in topography was brilliant and beyond a point, perhaps annoying - because it wouldn't make any sense to a person who just knows left and right. He would speak geographical terms like second nature and utter words like furlong, when all I know is a few steps!

And so today, when waking up, I saw a golden paint in the sky and determined quickly that it was the East, that's a nobrainer. Well although it's a nobrainer, the mistake is, to not stop by, and take note of a simple sunrise through your own home's window. You don't really have to go to a fancy beach for getting clicks of the sunrise, making up for a social media feed. This is why we're not able to tell which is the East in your own house, because we just don't notice. 

Why was I looking for the East anyway - I wanted to my Natarajar, east-facing. Last night, I used the Compass app in my phone while placing the Natrajar, and it told me He was already east-facing. Today, the golden paint on the sky gave me a confirmation at 6.30am. Except Appa isn't physically around to appreciate my common sense - He's there with me as my moral compass, from all directions possible.

A lucky barter!

Chetta, how much for the paavaka, payar and mango — altogether 100/- rupees, said a street vegetable hawker, who puts up his stall twice a week. Only after I hung the bag of vegetables in my scooter did I realize that I only could pay through UPI, and that I hadn't brought my purse which had some liquid cash. I scanned his makeshift shop for a tiny box that would announce payments received, but none that I could scan for a payment! 

When asked how I'd pay him — without batting an eyelid, he coolly handed over 20/- rupees to me in turn, and pointed me to a lottery vending shop situated right opposite his makeshift shop; giving me a clear instruction — "hand over the 20/- rupees as liquid cash, and Gpay 100/- to the lottery vendor, and get me a lottery, I'll get it with blessings from your hands today!" I followed the instruction to the T and got back with my new purchase to hand over to the vegetable hawker. A fellow woman who had visited the shop, oblivious about the previous dealing between the vegetable hawker and me, was sharp with her comment — oh, so we can now barter with lottery tickets to buy veggies! Wow!

The lottery continues to be a harbinger of good fortune, while UPI payments happily coexist even in a so-called local village in Bharath!

Real is Rare

Amidst the buzz of quick commerce delivery apps that deliver bang on time, in no time, here's a refreshing tale of a humble courier...although courier is still widely used, it seems to have taken the role of a postal delivery. Receiving a speedpost makes it even more retro and would perhaps warrant a social media post!

Nevertheless... here's the courier tale. Not so popular for her skills and talent, almost always an unsung heroine, my cousin who lives in Bangalore, mindfully called me to collect my home address, not a whatsapp call or message, a regular phone call, asking for the address. Every detail like this needs to be called out because, real is rare these days. And so, I gave her my address. In less than 3 days, she called me back saying "hey, I've sent a courier to you, the parcel contains the paruppu podi that I made for you and your Amma, ask Amma not to take the trouble of making the podi, I've made it for you!" To top it further, this is stemming from feedback about her culinary skills when Amma and I were in Chennai at my aunt's place, where my cousin had already given a bottle of the paruppu podi when my aunt had visited Bangalore. So this paruppu podi is already doing the rounds amidst our family members and it is but natural for us to be appreciative of the person behind its making - my cousin: who is completely unassuming and naive. In fact, I had been meaning to call her and talk to her about the glory of her paruppu podi creation; that I got the chance to taste in Chennai (brought from Bangalore :)), but I forgot to call, amidst all the whatsapp and other inundation of work. My cousin though, thoughtfully sent me a message saying - "hey I heard you liked my paruppu podi..." and then the next thing we see in a few days is, my cousin visiting our home in Palakkad, as a surprise trip! She almost got ready to prepare the podi during her stay here, but couldn't get started with it. However, upon her return to Bangalore, she decided to prepare it there and send out a courier to us in Palakkad! This may sound very lay and common, but truly, real is rare, I repeat. 

My cousin's courier packaging skills tells us a story, needless to talk about her culinary skills, which have never seen the light of social media or even a whatsapp status for that matter; at an age when even our morning coffee is decorated with great ado and posted in social media as though all others weren't paying too much attention to their morning beverage. 

Unpacking the podi was seamless - because the packaging was simply simple and brilliant! Any fool can complicate things, but to understand and do it simply, takes tons of patience, perseverance, consideration and love for the other. With almost print-like handwriting in a lovely majenta colored sketchpen writing, the contact and delivery info was neatly written. A different color was used for the From address, different from choosing a different font color in Word, you actually pick a different colored pen here in this activity!! 

2 layers of thick lamination paper that is used to cover notebooks made for the outer cover, with the right amount of cellotape, and careful non-use of stapler pins! For the inside was protected with a layer of ziplock cover that was actually zip-locked correctly without airblock, and was further cellotaped with small bits, for additional protection. I didn't have to spend time on releasing my fingers off of cellotape bits!

If someone can spend so much time just on the packaging, the courier delivery is needless to be talked about - she goes a step above, and asks me if I needed a pic of the AWB, so I could track! As predicted rightly by her, the courier arrived within the expected ETA and she even made it a point to check with me if we'd be home to receive it! Hats off to the attention to detail - all the way from collecting feedback about the podi up until delivering it to us! 

She deserves an appreciation post I thought, amidst all the standard templated hearts, gifs and stories, this podi tale, that was made very personal, didn't fail to leaving a lasting impact, unlike the shortlived virtual memories - for this one is real, and real is rare! This is simply pure love! Lots of love to you!

Thank you, dear Push (her short name :))!

Leaving you with a glimpse of her handwriting!

₹30/-

 

Almost like a wall-of-fame, bearing the remnants of the ₹30/- store. A couple weeks after the buzz of recording top sales, the outside of our apartment wall, bore this… the number 30 written in bright yellow… a wooden elephant artefact, and a shopping bag…purely coincidental!

This is a fancier version of a flea-market, for the products are all first-hand, brand-new. Prices that cannot be called cheap, for it could mean a compromise in quality. These are absolutely good-quality products, almost like the street-side version of a $1 dollar store. Priced as low as ₹30/-, you can pick any product from these street-side vendors, for just ₹30/- The products range from kitchen utility items for home, to other miscellaneous tools necessary for home needs like cleaning, gardening, bathroom needs, and what not! A loudspeaker preset with a recorded voice would go buzzing with the message – ₹30/- for anything you pick! At first, it gave me an impression that it’s a clearance sale towards the closing of the Kalpathi Ratholsavam**, and felt really bad for the amount of energy the street-hawkers had to expend, to sell their wares! I could hear the voice all the way inside my home, from our apartment gate! They were smart after-all, they had upgraded a notch above with their own kind of artificial intelligence – a loudspeaker with a pre-recorded voice! Of course, needless to say, they had UPI payment methods too, smart-technology, right in the middle of a heritage village – Kalpathi, in the district of Palakkad, Kerala.

Come Ratholsavam**, in Kalpathi, the streets are dotted with hawkers like these. I was particularly amazed at the ease of availability of products at such a low-cost, that aren’t really a clearance sale, but intended to be priced low, yet high on utility value. It had to be low-price, higher utility after all, else my Appa wouldn’t really want to indulge in buying a whole lot! The number of times he used to actually coach me on the actual prices of products that I bought online, just didn’t dawn on me, until I saw for myself that even Appa started engaging in buying a whole lot, something outside of the share-market! That was proof that he was right after all, if only we learnt to wait for the right opportunity, and cut-down on the impulsive buying behaviour, there’s a plethora of things you can lay your hands on, choose from a wider variety, and get the physical buying-experience, window-shopping included!

As Kalpathi gets ready for the next Ratholsavam, Appa, you’re not around, and it hurts badly. The mark you’ve left in the price assessment though, is indelible! Spend only on what’s required, learning to wait without getting impulsive, in case you want to do excess buying, wait for a time for the market to get bearish!

Reference on Kalpathi Ratholsavam:

** Kalpathi Ratholsavam (Kalpathi Chariot Festival) is an annual Hindu Temple festival in the Kalpathi of Palakkad in Kerala state, south India. The festival is at the Sri Visalakshi Sametha Sri Viswanatha Swamy temple where the deities are Lord Siva (Lord Viswanatha) and his consort Visalakshi, another name for Parvati.

The annual ten-day chariot festival conducted here during the month of November is one of the most remarkable festivals of Kerala. Vedic recitals and cultural programmes are held in the temple during the first four days of the festival. This is believed to be over 700 years old. On the last three days, thousands of devotees gather together to draw decorated temple chariots through the streets.

Bhoomi thodatha pillayin paatham

பூமி தொடாத பிள்ளையின் பாதம் (Bhoomi thodatha pillayin paatham) – loosely translated as – 

"feet of the baby that never touched the earth."

Madhavan and Shalini starrer Alaipayuthe's popular song – Pachai Nirame has the above line beautifully tucked in; to describe the color red, the poet skillfully employs this incomparable metaphor – with that of a baby's feet that has a light-red hue, feet that have not been seasoned yet by Bhooma Devi.

Until about a week ago, it's only the toes and the knees that had felt Bhooma Devi... and one day, lo and behold, Bhooma decided to spread her arms and hold the tiny feet firm, welcoming the child with all her warmth and love.

No support, nothing to hold on to, the feeling of independence, transforming as boundless joy!

My uncle reminded me about this puranic story in this context –

 

When child Prahladha told his father Hiranyakashipu about the nine types of Bhakthi – 

• Shravanam: Listening to the Lord's glories
• Kirtanam: Chanting the Lord's glories
• Smaranam: Remembering the Lord
• Pāda-sevanam: Serving the Lord's feet
• Arcanam: Worshiping the Lord
• Vandanam: Offering prayers to the Lord
• Dasyam: Considering oneself as an eternal servant of the Lord
• Sakhyam: Serving God in the mode of friendship
• Atma-Nivedanam: Completely surrendering oneself to God

Hiranyakashipu pushed Prahlada from a mountain. Bhoomadevi then caught Prahladha and asked what boon he wanted for which Prahladha selflessly answered: when small children like me fall on earth when they start walking on your surface, oh Bhooma Devi, You should protect them without hurting by making Your surface soft like that of a flower. This retelling of the puranic story makes it so apt to this narrative.

May you stand tall and rooted in everything you do, Niraamaya

May you learn to explore on your own, and may Bhooma Devi protect you, keeping you safe and secure.

Wishing you many more firsts!

A Manicuring affair!

Akin to manicured nails with pointy edges bearing yellow nail-paint 

Cream-colored stemmy fingers stacked closely  

Safely locked in beet-red, leafy envelopes 

The stems, bearing an almost exact semblance with human fingers, except they’re way thinner! 

Even the arch in the center is visible in every stemmy finger, as they stay closely stacked. 

Unboxing or Unleafing them, if you will...is a painstakingly rewarding process. 

The end goal is to catch the “kallan” (thief) and take it out tactically, without tearing the stemmy fingers apart too much!

Each stemmy finger is enclosed in a skin-colored leafy-case…

A tender spreading-apart of the stemmy fingers, would expose the “kallan” out right away! 

The “kallan” would stand out with a blackhead, amidst the other thin stems enclosed within, and it’s easy to identify! 

Each “kallan” is thus deftly taken out until all the stemmy fingers are freed of the black sheep amidst them! 

The beet-red leafy envelopes and the “kallans”are discarded! 

As the beet-red leafy envelopes get discarded one after another, layer after layer, 

The stemmy fingers continue to be discreetly hidden within the leafy envelopes, almost as if they’re caved-in with great protection. 

The stemmy fingers begin to look a lot whiter and tender, as the main stem is disrobed of all the leaves... 

What’s left of this arduous effort is a bunch of neatly manicured fingers and nails 

And a pointy bouquet-like mainframe, against which all these leafy envelopes and stemmy fingers chose to stay put and rested.  

They’re all ready to be chopped into fine pieces for a tasty side-dish, along with a meal of rice! 

My paternal grandma used to reduce this task to nothing but having to identify the kallan, making it sound like a game, invoking interest in the activity. 

She used to say – if you take the “kallan” out, I’ll give you the “vennai” (butter)! 

Child-like delight in awaiting the butter until the end, only to realize that it’s not the real butter after all, 

But a spongy portion with a particular taste that’s pretty much acquired! 

A look back into one’s own fingers would show a dark expression of the stain from the plush banana flower, that was just manicured, after all! 

Your own hands would yearn for a manicure, thanks to coconut oil, that would do the trick of stain-removal! 

The Vazhai Poo / Banana Flower is a testament to tough chopping and vegetable-handling techniques! 

Such a pleasure doing this work, to watch creation in every hidden leafy corner! 

 

Because it’s not always Black and White.

 

Because it’s not always Black and White.

Everything isn't either black or white, nor does it belong to the gray color scale. If all instructions were followed to the T by everyone, with the things they do, then there would be no scope for improvement, the world would be perfect, wouldn't it?

Consider this, all of us have access to internet, and of course google is the Guru, so much so that Guru Poornima wishes are dedicated to Google. Fair. But would everyone know the hack of what to google when in the search bar? Isn't it the keywords that make the difference? I mean that's how boolean search is a basis for most search logic. Same with ChatGPT, so there's no real need to fear about AI taking away jobs, if we did our jobs right to begin with.

So, if we'd like to be successful in the age of IOT, the HOW of things need to be looked into, rather than just the WHAT. There's a famous quote that says - "It's not what you do, it's how you do it."

Statements that generalize a person's efforts are such a put-off and are a sign of absolute lack of empathy.  When you hear something like - "everyone does it probably the same way," you know for sure that the person hasn't paid an iota of attention to the level of detail you put in, to the day-to-day work.

Just because someone is carrying something very well, doesn't mean it isn't heavy. If you pay closer attention, you will certainly understand the nuances that make them not just "appear" successful, but really successful.

It's perhaps because they are diligently trying to put in efforts to learn while on the task,

It’s perhaps because they have diligently developed 3 different types of intelligence : emotional, spiritual and cultural.

It’s perhaps because they’re excellent communicators,

It’s perhaps because they don't procrastinate, because it's the thief of time,

It's perhaps because they're disciplined,

It's perhaps because they're more efficient in managing time,

It's perhaps they're very good with networking with people,

It's perhaps because of a dozen other things, which we're not privy to.

Whatever it may be, but just from the outside, never assume it's either black or white or probably a gray scale. For all you know, it could be a whole new color palette. That’s how Purple has been one of my favourites, lately. I've learned to accept there could be subtler nuances and more color combinations, which could bring out the best in us, both literally and figuratively!

One minor alteration in the way we do things could perhaps be the game changer. 

Leaving you with a thought, before you are tempted to generalise people's efforts, the next time:

A nice story about effort vs. skill – a good reminder that in many areas of work/life, time and outcome aren’t always aligned. A giant ship’s engine failed. The ship’s owners tried one ‘professional’ after another but none of them could figure out how to fix the broken engine.

Then they brought in a man who had been fixing ships since he was young. He carried a large bag of tools with him and when he arrived immediately went to work. He inspected the engine very carefully, top to bottom. Two of the ship’s owners were there watching this man, hoping he would know what to do. After looking things over, the old man reached into his bag and pulled out a small hammer. He gently tapped something. Instantly, the engine lurched into life. He carefully put his hammer away and the engine was fixed!!!

A week later, the owners received an invoice from the old man for $10,000.

What?! the owners exclaimed. “He hardly did anything..!!!”.

So they wrote to the man; “Please send us an itemized invoice.”

The man sent an invoice that read:

 Tapping with a hammer………………….. $2.00

 Knowing where to tap…………………….. $9,998.00

 Effort is important but experience and knowing where to direct that effort makes all the difference.