- gssuk.org

1
Sabha Address
G.S. Sabha (UK) Secretary
36 Woodstock Road
East Begbroke
Oxford OX5 1RG
Vani Address
Saraswath Vani Editor
Flat 2,Gable Lodge
Torrington Park Road
London N12 9TB
[email protected]
On the cover
13
Various Culture
3
Secretary Report
4
Editorial
5
Amchi Members News
6
Vani Cover Competition
11
Race for Life
11
My Journey to Paralympic
Games London 2012
12
Trip to Japan
12
Humorous experience of
Flat living
16
Cricket Tournament
16
Amchi Baby talk
Harmony in Oneness
Cover design
22
Courtesy :
Vani Cover
Competition
Winner
A festival of lights
Miss Sneha Mallya
14
Diwali
26
Amchi Humour
Laugh aloud !
Mumbai Marathon 2013
A challenging action for a worthy
cause .
7
15
Raindrop Campaign
Together we can turn raindrops into an
oasis .
17
Nurturing Confidence in
Children
19
English in Hindi
21
Your Questions My Answers
23
Rangoli
25
Amchi Randap
Extra Ordinary Feats by Ordinary People
A warm tribute to our dearest
Shri Seetharama Sarvothuma Kamath .
Disclaimer
The Saraswath Vani Editorial Committee and G.S. Sabha (UK) do not accept any responsibility
for any views expressed by individuals and/or parties in the Saraswath Vani. The Editorial
Committee reserves the right to exclude, edit and correct all material received for publication.
The Editorial Committee reserves the right to acknowledge or not, all correspondence received.
Unless specifically requested, articles will not be returned.
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SECRETARY’S REPORT
On behalf of the GS Sabha committee , I wish all my friends and family a very Happy Diwali . I also thank all those
members who attended the Diwali function on the 10th November and hope to meet you all in the forthcoming
events .
This year, the Annual Bank Holiday Week end was held on 25th-27th August, in the idyllic coastal town of North
Wales, Conwy. It was a complete success as always and all credit goes to the capable organizers (Dr. Vinod Gadiyar
& Mr. Sadananda Nayak), their support team and the 80 Sabha members who attended the meet, with appreciable
representation from both Gowda Saraswaths and Saraswat Samaj members.
It gives me immense pleasure to share my experience in the August Bank Holiday Weekend .
The event commenced with ‘Peta- pooja’ at lunch time with finger-licking, delicious Indian food organized by
Dr Vasudeva Kamath. Once most of the families had arrived, prayers and aarti of lord Ganesha were performed by
Mr Jayanarayan Bhat and Mrs Sujatha Bhat and then prasad was served. The customary ice-breaker session was
received well as it gave us all a chance to learn a bit more about each other. The entertainment committee consisting of
Mr Anand Shenoy, Mrs Sangeeta Shenoy and Mrs Shweta Nayak did a fabulous job making us all feel comfortable and
entertaining us with their innate sense of humour. The staff at the Youth Hostel was very friendly, helpful and even
put together a marvellous three-course dinner that night, which appeased even the fine-tuned Indian taste-buds. The
evening entertainment started off with a magic show by me and I was able to show some close-up card magic and
“mentalism” magic, which the audience seemed to enjoy thoroughly. Further entertainment was co-hosted by the very
talented team of Mrs Shweta Nayak, Mrs Sangeeta Shenoy and Mr Anand Shenoy and comprised team games
including some fiercely competitive antakshari. It was great to see the youngsters form friendships and organize fun
activities for themselves as well.
On the Sunday morning, mild rain did not deter the 35-strong team of amchigeles all geared up for the exciting gorgewalk. Equipped with wet-suits, life jackets and helmets and guided by experienced coaches, the team left on this
harrowing experience, which was quite enjoyable in retrospect. This adventure-trip culminated in a well deserved publunch in one of the picturesque towns nearby. Those Samaj-baandhavs who, for various reasons, were unable to
accompany the adventure-seekers, had an equally enjoyable time visiting the local fort and market place in Conwy and
other tourist attractions in the surrounding areas.
On Sunday evening, after a scrumptious barbecue, our intellectual needs were nurtured by two excellent talks from
Dr Satheesh Prabhu about oral cancer and from Mr Sadananda Nayak on his personal views on current taxation and
how to avoid tax. Both talks were very pertinent to our daily lives and were well received. This was followed by
another round of entertainment and it was a great pleasure to see the happy, smiling faces of all members enjoying
themselves.
On Monday morning, at breakfast, there was a sudden realisation that the much awaited
long weekend had ended all too quickly. Time certainly flies when we are having fun!
After a vote of thanks, a memorable photo session in the pattering rain and prolonged
good-byes, we all departed homewards with promises of meeting again soon .
With so much fun packed in a short 48 hours, this bank holiday weekend was a great
way to nurture our community spirit. While the organizing committee has worked very
hard to make this happen, credit should also go to the attendees who wholeheartedly
participated in the activities, took time to show their appreciation for the committee’s
hard work and refrained from criticising any minor short-comings!
We hope to meet again at a new venue next year. This event was such an enjoyable
experience that you just could not afford to miss it! Once again wishing all my fellow
members a very happy and a prosperous Diwali .
Mr. Jayavanth Kini
Secretary, G S Sabha, UK
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EDITORIAL
I wish a very happy Diwali to my dearest samaj bandhavas and bhaginis. Hope this Diwali brings in a lot of joy and
prosperity to all of you .
Diwali , being one of the most widely celebrated festival in India , has gained tremendous popularity all over the
world . Especially , in the international arena , Diwali celebrations play a pivotal role in bringing communities
together , offering an
exclusive platform for cultural exchange . I sometimes wonder why is Diwali so popular
amongst people of all age and creed . Well , I don't need to think hard to find the answers .
Diwali is a fun packed hamper comprising all the joyous elements of life . Colours, lights , sweets ,decking up the
house , dressing up in new clothes and finest jewellery, rituals, family gatherings , parties , firecrackers , gifts and a lot
more fun galore . But if we think deeper, there is more to the magnificent celebrations of this festival . Every day of
Diwali has an ancient tale , or historical event attached to it. All the traditions and rituals, that we celebrate ,are
linked to these legends . Life size characters , so artistically interwoven in these age old stories , are role models for
many and set forth the virtues for us to imbibe in order to live a fulfilling life .
Don’t you think that some of the most significant lessons in life come from stories, whether these be mythological or
the historical events of famous events or a personal account of individual experiences or the day to day summary of
incidents all around the globe ? I feel that stories not only enrich our knowledge but also expand our
spectrum of perception of the world outside and within us .
For me ,SaraswathVani is an excellent medium to share such stories , that can make a difference in my life and your
life . For me, every issue of Saraswath Vani is a baby step in the journey of the growth of our community . I
have included an array of STORIES spanning different phases of life each of them having a distinct flavour of
humour ,courage, adventure , aspiration or simply some vital information . I hope you will take time and read the various articles inside this issue . Very special thanks to the parents of our budding GSS stars for encouraging their children to share their creative designs for the Vani Cover competition . Special thanks to our secretary Mr Jayavanth
Kini to sponsor the prizes for the winner and the participants .
Thank s to our fellow members for sending me questions for our special Q&A session with Brahmachari Paritoshji . I
hope the answers will make you think deeper and broaden your understanding on the reality of life .
Lastly, it’s time for a confession !
Well, I would not have been able to even move an inch forward in publishing OUR Saraswath Vani , without the
relentless ,tireless and patient support of my fellow GSS members.
The unifying thread of oneness ,is what ties us together and enables us to weave every beautiful pearl of experience in
the necklace of our life .
So my dear friends ,as we all are ,a part of this big family , let’s gear up ourselves, wear our thinking hat ,take out our
writing pen, camera , ipad , laptop and start preparing for the forthcoming Winter issue of Saraswath Vani !!
Mrs Gauri Shanbhag
Saraswath Vani Editor
[email protected]
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Sneha Mallya
Sanjt Mallya
Anuja Shanbhag
Avani Shanbhag
Congratulations to our dearest our GSS stars
for participating in the Vani Cover
Competition .
Aadi Kamath
Congratulations !!!
Mr Sanjeet and Mrs Mansi
Kamath on the birth of a baby boy
on 28th July, 2012. Our blessings and
best wishes to your little boy,
Siddhant Kamath.
On 23rd July, after three long years spent as an undergraduate at UW
(University of Warwick), my degree finally came to an end and I graduated with an
upper second class in Mathematics. Although studying Mathematics at UW has been
demanding at times, I feel that the whole experience has really been worthwhile. I
acquired new skills and interests, made vast number of close friends and became
much more independent.
However, what I loved most about my time at UW was the great freedom
that my degree offered me. Unlike with many other university courses, Mathematics
at UW does not oblige you to follow a single fixed path. Once the foundations have
been covered, the choice remains solely in your hands as to where you will like to go
with your degree.
It was at this stage that
I found the course
surprisingly flexible in
both the range of
subjects and the quantity of material
available for study. I
could choose to
venture into economics,
philosophy, mathematical biology, physics and business. It
is for this reason that I
highly recommend
the course for anyone
with a strong interest in maths. You stand
to gain a great deal
just so long as you are
willing to put in
the time and the effort.
As the American
poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson, once said,
“Do not follow where
the path may lead.
Go, instead, where
there is no path
and leave a trail.”
Now it is my aspiration to apply my
knowledge of
mathematics to the field
of economics and
over the next two years,
I will pursue a
Masters Degree in Economics and International Finance at
UW.
By Mr Rajesh Mallya
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EXTRA ORDINARY FEATS
by
ORDINARY PEOPLE
This year ,on Nov 26th it will be 10 years since a very dear member of our GS Sabha(UK) parted
with us and left for his heavenly abode. This article is a tribute to a personality , whose contribution to the Amchigele residents in UK will be remembered forever.
Shri SEETHARAMA SARVOTHUMA KAMATH , fondly known as Kamathmam, is a very well
known name amongst most of our GSS members and amchi families in UK . But there are
many of us especially those who are new to the GSS family, who know very little about him. I
personally, have not been fortunate enough to meet him, but after talking to Sumitramai and
Subhash and listening to Kamathmam’s life experiences , I felt that I too had the privilege to
meet him through his memories. Although I am not a matured writer , and this may not be a
best summary of the life of such an amazing personality, I will still like to share few pages
from his life.
Shri Seetharama Sarvothuma Kamath , our dear
Kamathmam was born on 3rd January 1923 in Kolekadi. Kolekadi is a small village in Karnataka State,
about 40 kilometres north of Mangalore city . His father Shri Sarvothuma Kamath was a teacher. His
mother was Smt Radhabhai Kamath. Kamathmam
was the youngest of five children : Padmanabha,
Shusheela, Nannakka, Apparaya and Seetharama.
Village life in those days was much different from the
present times. There was no tap water or gas burner
or TV or refrigerator. Most of the houses had thatched
roofs and except for the major roads, the village
streets were sandy and rocky. Communication with
the outside world was only though letters and
telegram. The lifestyle was very simple and confined
to day to day work activities and occasional outings to temple or social
gatherings like marriage/thread ceremony or ‘theru’ etc. Social gatherings revolved around temple activities , like ‘theru’,
education was
very basic. All the children went to
primary and elementary school. Depending on the village, those who
wanted to go to a college had a long
commute to the nearest town. Kamathmam, like most of the local children, studied in the primary school
and later on went to an
elementary school. Education was of prime
importance to Kamathmam’s family.
His brother, Padmanabha, had established an elementary school in the name of Vidya
Pracharini School, in Kolekadi. After completing 10th
standard, Kamathmam taught in his brother’s school
for a year. Having one’s own family school and a
teaching job in hand might have been an attractive
proposition for a person to think about pursuing a career in teaching. But Kamathmam was like one of
those birds whose curiosity was not confined to the
exploration of the boundaries of the nest. His dreams
were like the magnificent flights of a bird, soaring in
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the open sky. Kamathmam moved to Mumbai in 1940
and studied a two year Radio Officer Course in St
Xavier’s College. By the time he completed his course,
India was at war with Nazi Germany and many Indian
troops were sent to Europe, Africa and Asia to fight
the forces of tyranny and aggression. The entire
country was torn apart in its own freedom struggle
against the British Raj and the bigger threat of Hitler
destroying the peace and welfare of millions of people.
The year was 1942 and in such challenging times of
political unrest and war, Kamathmam joined the British
Ministry of Information in Delhi as a Morse Code
operator. He worked there for two years and in 1945
he joined Tata Airlines in Chennai as a Radio Officer.
After World War II, in 1946, Tata Airlines was converted into a public company and renamed
Air-India Limited and
Kamathmam
joined Air India in Mumbai as a Radio Officer. This was the
beginning of his
life long dedicated service with Air India.
In 1947, Kamathmam was posted in London, becoming
probably the first of
our community to land in the UK. In
1948, after the
independence of India, the Government of India bought 49 %
stake in Air India and in 1953 ,Air India
was nationalised after the Government
bought another 2% of its shareholding.
Kamathmam had embarked on a career
path witnessing not only the expansion of Air India Ltd,
but also the growth of the aviation industry in India. In
those days, there were no direct flights to London unlike the modern times where one can travel to India in
8 hours. Initially, all flights to London Heathrow were
via Cairo or Beirut and Geneva or Rome or Paris.
Mumbai-Beirut-Rome-Paris London took 16-18 hours.
Soon other flight routes were opened to Aden, Nairobi,
New York, Hong Kong and Tokyo.
My readers might be wondering whether this is a story about Indian aviation history or Kamathmam. But I
felt like sharing few facts from the past simply to make us realise the contrasting features about life between
now and 50 years ago. Most of us who have chosen to lead a life overseas will be able to appreciate the
fact that although we lead much more stressful lives in the present days of endless choices, people like Kamathmam had a much more challenging life with very few choices.
Kamathmam, who had by now secured a stable and permanent job, was now an eligible bachelor and his
family had started thinking about getting him married. Kamathmam did not have to look too far to find himself a beautiful and loving bride. In July 1951,he got married to Sumitra Kamath. It was a mama ‘bhacchi
saurik’. Sumitramai was whisked from village life in Karnataka to the great metropolis of Mumbai. Later that
year she even visited London, when she accompanied Kamathmam on a short posting. This was a beginning of a new relationship , built on the foundation of trust , understanding and love.
Home was now in Juhu, Mumbai, in a colony that comprised other GSS members, some sadly now passed
away, including the Late Nagesh & Shanta Pai and Bhadri Acharya and his host of brothers and sisters. In
Juhu ,in September 1952 ,Sumitramai & Kamathmam were blessed with their son Suresh, followed in December 1953 by Subhash. Whilst Sumitramai (and later the boys) stayed in Juhu, Kamathmam was flying
all over world (well, wherever Air India flew) as a Radio Officer on Air India aeroplanes.
It may surprise many to learn that in those days, communication from ground to aeroplane was carried out
initially by Morse-code transmission (dot, dot, dot, dash, dash, dash, dot, dash, dot, dot) and, subsequently,
by Radio transmission. The Radio Officer was, therefore, an important member of the flight crew. All information to/from ground control and the flying crew passed
through him. In the mid-1950’s all this changed : the then
latest aeroplanes came equipped with headsets for the
pilots. The pilots were then able to communicate directly
with ground control. The Radio Officers were “grounded”
and many, including Kamathmam, were retrained and given jobs as Flight Despatchers. This involved collating information (weather conditions, distances to destinations,
fuel loads, etc) and plotting the routes.
Kamathmam’s job required him to relocate to different
countries. In 1955 the Kamath family moved to Rome,
where in April 195X their daughter, Surekha was born.
She holds the rare distinction of holding Birth Certificate
No 1, being the first Indian birth registered at the then newly established Indian Embassy in Rome. Then in
1960 the family lived for a year in Hong Kong, followed by six months back in Mumbai.
In 1961, Kamathmam was posted to London and the family established itself in their new home without
breaking ties with India, their native land. Nowadays, imagine a Indian family migrating to London : they are
well received by a multicultural and ethnically diverse society. Indian groceries are easily available in the
local supermarkets, Bollywood films are released in local cinemas. Anytime we miss our family we can call
back India using a cheap telephone card or even make free calls through the internet.
But starting a household in 1961 was no less than performing a trapeze act of swinging between the paradoxical values of English lifestyle and Amchi traditions. The cold climate (remember no central heating in
those days !!) and the equally cold and racist behaviour of the local community made Indians feel as if they
came from an alien planet.
It was very common to hear some road side hoody call an Indian ‘Paki’. The variety of vegetables was restricted to farm grown produce – imagine life with no vinegan, no bendhi, no
channa, no tendla, no dahl, no mangos, etc, only carrots, parsnips, potatoes, cabbages. A
“vegetarian” meal in a restaurant was Egg and Chips or a Cheese Salad. With hardly any
friends to talk to and practically no contact with family, but still Kamathmam and Sumitramai
very gracefully accepted the lifestyle and gradually gelled in with the English lifestyle.
The initial posting in 1961 was for three years but, in those days, Indians did NOT want to
come to this cold inhospitable country, and the posting was extended by four more years to
1968. By now the children were in full time schooling and Kamathmam decided that the family should settle in London. As a family unit living in different countries and adapting to different lifestyles made Kamathmam realize the difficulties in adjusting to different societies and
the need of support and help to settle down in a new place.
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Probably that is the reason that after so much travelling when he bought a house in 1965 in Hampton,
Kamathmam played an integral part in helping visitors from India. Living in London separated from all
family, leading a life in isolation, was the biggest challenge. However Kamathmam and Sumitramai
never got entrapped by the pangs of loneliness. In those days, travelling overseas was not as common
as it is now. So, whenever there was a person of any known (and sometimes unknown) contact visiting
UK, Kamathmam would kindly welcome them to stay in his house. His house became a focal point for
many, buzzing with guests from India either in transit or for short visits to UK. Kamathmam’s three children studied and socialized with a very ‘English’ circle of friends, but at home , they would very often
interact with guests from India. Every time there was a visitor from India, he/she would replenish to
stock of amchi food delicacies and also bring back a lot of gossip and tales about the events of people
back at homeland. What a unique and subtle way it was for children to not only get exposed to the Indian folks but also witness the generosity and loving nature of their parents who would so gracefully accommodate visitors from India. Their helpful and outgoing nature won them many friends few of whom
were Amchigele and few were known through his job.
In 1969, Kamathmam’s posting to London ended and he was transferred back to India. Other than a
few short postings (one to three months) and one long posting (1973-1976) in London, he was stationed in Mumbai until his retirement in 1981. Sumitramai was faced with the herculean task of singlehandedly looking after a family of three children. She found paid employment (for the fist time in her life)
with Richmond Council as a Data Processing Operator, for which she needed to be trained and she
supplemented the training with night school, where she learned typing and bookkeeping skills.
The late 1960’s and early 1970’s witnessed a massive influx of Indian origin people migrating from East
Africa. It was at this time that there was a first mass wave of
medical recruitment from the Indian Sub continent . By now, the
Kamath family had strong ties with all the Amchi families, most
of them being doctors and scattered around the UK. Pot parties
and family gatherings during festive occasions became a trend
and an exclusive opportunity to create an Amchi ambience. In
1981 Kamathmam retired from Air India and returned to join his
family in Hampton. He had more time to devout to his family
and social life. By now the Amchi friends around UK had turned
into an extended family. As more and more Amchigele migrated
to UK, the family expanded. The core GS families who used to
meet regularly now started exploring the options of adding more
value to this special bond of friendship. Many of the GS families
like Kamathmam had gone through similar experiences and
challenges of acclimatising to a new community. Every time they met they would discuss the need to
establish a formal structure to not only strengthen the ties of the existing GS community, but make
ways for the future generations to mix and mingle amongst the Amchi community and retain our culture
and tradition.
In 1987, the Gowda Saraswath Sabha UK charity was established and Kamathmam was elected the
first Chairman and Dr Sudhakar Rao the first Secretary. Kamathmam continued as chairman for 10
years until 1996. Fortified with the backing of an excellent committee and fellow GS friends, he continued to serve the GS Sabha UK with full vigour and passion making every Sabha event a memorable
and enjoyable experience.
In October 2002, Kamathmam travelled to India to visit his family and friends. He was visiting a greatnephew in Karwar, when on the afternoon of 26th November, Kamathmam suffered a fatal heart attack
and bid farewell to his physical body .
During his entire life time he lived every ordinary moment of his life in an extraordinary way. Kamathmam lived for 79 years and died only once on the last day of his life . Is it not an extraordinary feat ?
We all have a choice to live every moment and embrace all those situations and circumstances with
never ending enthusiasm. This attitude makes every ordinary person accomplish extra ordinary feats
just like Kamathmam.
My sincere and deepest homage to a gentleman of such a profound nature and fortitude. We will
forever be indebted to him for playing a significant role in bringing us Amchigele families together.
Pranam to our dearest Kamathmam on behalf of the GS Sabha UK
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FULL PAGE Pnb ad
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This year, on the 14th of July, a rainy Sunday morning, the
three of us, myself, my daughter Nanda and daughter-inlaw Kirthi made our way to Regent’s Park. We were taking
part in the 'Race for Life', a 5 km walk/jog/run for
CANCER Research. Before it started, we warmed up with
hundreds of other participants to a Zumba tune. Then, we
were off !!! Despite the rain and mud we made our way
around the course and finished with smiles on our faces.
What impressed me most was the enthusiasm of all the
ladies who were taking part. There were runners, joggers,
walkers and mums with baby buggies taking part. Many
were running in memory of their loved ones who were
affected by cancer. In spite of the devastating effect cancer
might have had on many, everyone taking part were on an
upbeat mood and were raising money for a worthwhile
cause.
I took up the race initially as a reason to get fit. But after
seeing and hearing others’ stories, I feel proud that I took
part in such a good cause. There are hundreds of race-forlife events across the country each year, so if any other
ladies want to get fit, have fun and raise a little money for a
good cause...have a go next year.
My sincere thanks to G S Sabha for the charity
donation of £150/- for our RACE for LIFE Walk. I also want to
thank the Sabha Members who, by their own initiative,
sponsored us. We raised a sum of
£400/- for Cancer Research UK. I
had never done a charity run / walk in
the past and this particular walk gave
me a sense of direction. Hopefully I
would do this as a yearly activity and
get myself involved in such other
charity fund raising activities.
R
A
C
E
F
O
R
L
I
F
E
Written by Mrs Sujatha Bhat
MY JOURNEY TO PARALYMPIC GAMES
LONDON 2012
I am sharing a little of my experience as a volunteer at the Paralympics games, London 2012 - Opening and Closing
ceremonies.
Paralympics Games is a major international multi – sport event involving athletes with a range of disabilities. I feel I was
privileged to be a part of such an event. It was a great opportunity for me; I will never forget this experience.
After the auditions in February 2012, I was selected as a Marshall at both the opening and closing ceremonies. The
rehearsals for the events were held at East Dagenham at the Stratford Stadium. It was quite hectic and tiring but great fun
and it gave me an opportunity to meet people from different parts of the world. It also gave me a chance to see the dress
rehearsals of the Olympic opening ceremony.
The games started with the opening ceremony starring the disabled acrobats, injured soldiers and Prof. Stephen Hawking.
As a Marshall at this event, I had to learn quite a few dance moves to perform throughout the ceremony and then to
welcome the athletes to their designated areas. In spite a gruelling schedule and lot of hard work, I got a sense of achievement performing at the event.
I was thrilled to be part of the spectacular final which had world famous groups like Cold Play, Rihanna and Jay-Z taking
part. Seeing them at the rehearsals and getting their autographs was exciting and fun. It felt amazing to take part in an
international event that was watched
by millions of people around the world.
I am really grateful to my husband,
Nitin, who always made it a point to accompany
me to rehearsals-site and come back
again to pick me up. The two
certificates I have received for my
volunteering have a place of pride
in my heart..........
Written by Mrs Kirthi Bhat
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It was four in the morning on 16th August
and three bleary-eyed, intrepid travellers met at Heathrow airport.
We were about to embark on an 11 hour journey to the land of the
rising sun, also known as Japan. My two friends and I had spent
months planning this three week adventure and now that the
moment had finally arrived for us to begin our trip, I must admit, it
was exhilarating. Having spent the last two years studying Japanese, I was keen to apply my knowledge of the language and get a
real insight into this remarkable country.
We began our travels in Tokyo, roaming through the various
districts of the city and trying the local cuisine. At first glance,
Japanese food may appear to be very strange to a foreigner,
especially since a lot of the delicacies in Japan involve eating some
form of raw meat. For instance, one particularly popular dish in
Japan is called ‘Sashimi’, which is very fresh raw meat or fish cut
into thin slices. Throughout Japan, you can try Sashimi ranging
from raw chicken and octopus through to horse meat (that's right
folks, horse meat!).
One of the many reasons why I was keen to travel to Japan was to
climb Mt. Fuji, located in the Yamanashi prefecture. Three years
ago, I had attempted to climb Mt. Fuji with a friend of mine, but
due to adverse weather conditions, we were told there was no
chance that anyone would be allowed to go up. Ever since then, I
HUMOROUS
have always told myself that one day, I would return to Japan and
finally conquer the peak of the mountain. Thus as our journey
across Japan drew to a close, the only thing that remained was to
attempt Mt. Fuji.
Traditionally, climbers trek up Mt. Fuji in the night in order to
reach the summit of the mountain for the majestic sunrise. Thus,
we arrived at the base of Mt. Fuji at nine o’clock with our
backpacks containing only vital supplies of food and water. The
climb itself was incredibly strenuous. All around us we could see
people struggling to make their way up, breathing through oxygen
masks as they tried to reassure each other. There were many
moments where I felt I was close to giving up but nonetheless I
strived on. Finally after eight hours of hiking, we made it to the top,
just in time for the most beautiful sight I have ever seen . The majestic view of the sun rise above the clouds
left me dumbfounded .At that moment of witnessing the peak of nature’s beauty , all I could
feel was a sense of gratitude to be blessed
with a life to achieve every height that I ever
have dreamed of .
Written by Mr Rajesh Mallya
EXPERIENCES
OF
FLAT LIVING
Well…what I meant here by flat culture was the Flat/Apartment-living etiquette in a metro city Chennai, which could as well
be any other metro/mega city for that matter!
This is not a bird-eye-view but 360-degree view ground-up!
Some of us might have already been owners or tenants of flats – it is a déjà vu feeling and for others it differs from
independent houses and some others yet to stay in flats…nevertheless, this will serve as an “eye-opener” or “eye-popper”
whatever you say…with tips regarding the dos and don’ts!
Few of them below may sound very funny or sarcastic overstatements but as a matter of fact , they very much exist and
should be taken in a lighter vein, not forgetting the need for corrective action.
Firstly regarding the types of residents/neighbours – they come in so many varieties!
Types of people (mainly residents) in the gated community Though I hate using the term “Gated community”, which sounds like not used freely but who cares ? It is more heard of &
fashionable term these days(pun intended !).
Quarrelsome – Some who put wet clothes outside on balcony grill and hangers during afternoons so that the dripping
water (at times coloured) drips on the clothes put for drying by the hapless resident below!
Gossip mongers – Busy with eavesdropping and gossip-mongering around in the gated community for fun or as they
don’t have anything worthwhile to do with a sadistic bent of mind. God only knows!
Honkers - They blow horns (twice sometimes) at main gate and inside the complex (especially during the night times
so as to disturb the security guards from their deep slumber) so that others know that they got habituated to using
horn all the time!!! They have fancy security devices fitted in their cars which give off a wailing siren during
lightening thunder or even when a passer-by’s dog barks for that matter! (you know what I mean! If you remember
Abraham Lincoln's words – “When I speak… let no dog bark”!)
Heavy cookers - Kitchen cooking fumes coming out from the carelessly extended kitchen exhaust pipe thereby filling
the service area, kitchen and bathroom of the above flat. Due to heavy Masala or non-veg frying/cooking daily, the
veggie residents in the above, surrounding flats are put to untold suffocation and not able to cook with interest due to
such fumes.
12
Staff-misusers - They engage security/house-keeping staff for their personal errands by calling the
security phone booth number from intercom incessantly - whether fisherman, vegetable/flower vendor
woman, ironman, ‘Raddiwala’(junk collector) etc. Better to take a morning walk to get a breath of fresh air
( without stink around…hopefully… if your locality is so in this stinking city Chennai!) For any maintenance related issue, contact EC member/Office bearers of association and do not pull up security staff
(except when someone gets stuck in the lift during power cut!).
Disturbers - Those engaging carpenters/plumbers late evening or at times late in the night so as to maintain
un cordial relationship with their neighbours more so with those who live above/below/adjacent to their flat!
Lift/Door Slammers - They slam the shutters of the lifts (showing their anger or frustration; we all know
that the Lifts are old… ultimately you will have to suffer by climbing the stairs up & down) and so close and
open gently ensuring that the grill shutters are locked properly and the pleasant voice of “Please close the
door” ceases. Otherwise, the association might be forced to replace the pleasant voice with harsh sound
alarm that runs you up to close the lift door!
We should do our bit in maintaining a peaceful co-existence with harmonious living and making this a
better place to live!
Written by Mr Yogesh S. Kamath,
Chennai
VARIOUS CULTURES
HARMONY AND ONENESS
ship Lord Venkateshwara and Sabarimala to worship Shree
Ayyappa.
Secondly, we visited Kyoto where it was “Matsuri” time.
Matsuri is the Japanese word for festival. In Japan festivals are
usually sponsored by a local Shrine or Temple and can be
secular. We visited the local Shinto temple and the parade next
morning. The atmosphere reminded me of “Kodial Theru”
with a Japanese twist. All young girls in their grand Kimonos
and the boys in their fineries were walking around eyeing each
other. The temple courtyard and the surrounding streets were
full of food stalls, “karti-baddi” stalls etc. There were traditional Japanese Drummers beating their drums accompanied
by the dancers. There was also a play being enacted. The important element of the festival, next morning, was the procession in which the local shrine’s deity was carried through the
town in a palanquin. This is the only time in the year the deity
leaves the shrine to be carried around town. The festival also
featured many decorated floats, which are pulled through the
town, accompanied by drum and flute music. This reminded
me of the “palki” procession around Hindu temples .
Now to conclude, beginning of September 2012, I attended a
discourse on Bhaja Govindam by Swami Swaroopananda of
Chinmaya Mission and it reaffirmed
my thought that different cultures
have similarity in them.
He said “one common identity
eliminates the differences and
brings about a bond between
one another. There is
difference between
the cultures etc. But when you
see oneness in each one there is
Harmony and Love amongst all”.
While reading the articles in the last issue of Saraswath Vani
about Samskara and Shravan Maas, I thought how every culture around the world has its own religious traditions that people follow. At the same time how similar they can be if one
looks closely. This in turn reminded me of my visit to Japan
with my daughter Nanda in August 2001. We went
backpacking around the Japanese islands and wanted to see the
Japanese way of life. I, personally being brought up in a Hindu
family in India, was surprised to see the similarities of traditions between these two countries . There are two distinct incidents I would like to share with all .
One of them is, when we undertook the climb of Mount Fuji.
Mt Fuji (Fujisan) at 3776 meters is the highest mountain in
Japan. It is a dormant volcano which last erupted in 1708. It is
no surprise that the nearly perfectly shaped volcano has been
worshipped as a sacred mountain. Mt Fuji is named for the
Buddhist fire goddess Fuchi and is sacred to the Shinto goddess Sengen-Sama whose shrine is found at the summit. July –
August is the Mount Fuji climbing season. The peak of the
climbing season is mid august which is Obon Week – annual
Buddhist event to commemorate one’s ancestors. At this time
one may have to stand in queues at some passages. It was a
pilgrimage for many of the climbers as we saw them tying the
sacred ribbons they had brought with them to the shrine
Written by Mrs Sujatha Bhat
gates. This reminded me of the climbing of Tirumala to wor-
13
MUMBAI MARATHON
20 JANUARY 2013
Mike Fonelli, a running coach in America says that you need to divide a
marathon run into three segments. The first part you have to run with your
mind; the second part is run with your personality and the last part is run
with your heart. I believe that to be an apt description of how it feels to run
a marathon. It is agony. It is painful and exhilarating all at the same time.
The thirst you feel in your throat and the burning in your lungs is gone
within minutes of the finish. The pain in your legs goes within days, and
the feeling of glory and exhilaration as you cross the finish line is never
forgotten.
Running has physiological and psychological advantages. It reduces stress,
lifts your mood, burns calories, gives you energy and fights anxiety; it’s a
journey of self-discovery and you enjoy nature and its elements. It is also a
sport that needs no subscriptions, expensive training regimes or a minimum
level of fitness. In truth, it is available to everyone.
The first time I applied for a place was in the first London Marathon in
1982. Unfortunately, I did not get picked. It was inspirational to watch.
Subsequent applications were also rejected. I somehow lost the urge to run
until only recently. In 2010 I ran the London Marathon for a charity,
Barnardos. It was fabulous. I was surprised, as much as everyone who
knew me, to finish. The only people who had faith in me were my children.
It took me a week to recover afterwards but I will never forget the experience. After that I did a few half marathons and in 2012, the Olympic year
for London, I ran my second marathon for the Neuro Foundation. This
time, it was easier. I knew what to expect and managed the run well. I had
not done very much training apart a couple of half marathons a few months
earlier and I improved on my time. Recovery time, unbelievably, was one
day!
I have been fascinated by the Mumbai Marathon since I heard about it from
my niece, Radhika Ubhayakar, who lives in Mumbai. I have applied on
two previous occasions, got places but did not go because I was unsure of
myself and my fitness as well as certain work place issues. This time, I
have decided to show up and hopefully complete it regardless of time. I
would be happy to run the marathon for my own pleasure and challenge
but I have come to believe that if I am going to do something challenging
in life then it is worth doing it for a good cause. One of my friends said,
that the reason she sponsored me in the London Marathon was that she
could enjoy the moment of even though she was not doing it .
As an audience when you see sportsmen and women perform and succeed,
you do tend to share the victory. I would like to think that everyone who
sponsors me in my challenge will get the chance to share the experience
and be inspired to try do something for themselves.
As I looked for a worthwhile charity to raise funds for I came across the
charity started by Rohini and Gurdeep Rathor. They started the UK arm of
the charity, Raindrop Campaign (http://raindropcampaign.org/ ) after
visiting India and seeing all the good work the charity has been doing for
many years, devoted to bring education to the tribal and poor children with
their own challenges. I know that people with physical difficulties have a
much harder time living in poverty than anyone else. The charity in India is
called the Punyatma Prabhakar Sharma Seva Mandal
(http://punyatma.org/).
I believe that charity should be an important part in everyone’s lives and
without the act of giving, our lives are poorer for it.
I am grateful for everyone who supports the cause and I hope that my running the Mumbai Marathon, will raise the spirits for everyone and perhaps
inspire others to have a go.
Anyone wishing to sponsor me and raise funds for the Raindrop Campaign
can do so through the following link http://charitygiving.co.uk/
rohitsthalekar
Written by Mr Rohit Sthalekar
14
raindrop
campaign
Changing lives through education
In May 2011, I celebrated my twentieth year of life
in UK. Living in a developed and affluent Welfare
State country where basic needs of citizens are taken care of , it is easy to forget just how hard life is
for so many people back in India. Fate decides
whom we are born to and in what circumstances.
But is it fair, that one’s birth conditions and circumstances determine the rest of an individual’s
life? The adverse disparity between the wealthy
and the desolate poverty is there for us to see every
time we step off the plane in India. To bridge the
gap between the “haves” and “have not’s” is a very
challenging tasks . Donations to charity are very
often tinged with cynicism. ‘Can we be sure the
money is reaching the cause it was intended for?’
Doubtful attitude of donors ‘what difference will it
make – won’t it be like a raindrop in a parched desert?’
But then I came across a family run charity called
Punyatma Prabhakar Sharma Seva Mandal a few
years ago. I cannot even remember how I came to
be acquainted with them but over the years I
followed their work and had email contact with
Smt. Shitala Pandit, the Managing Trustee of
Punyatma. The charity has for over twenty five
years been helping bring education to children of
underprivileged families in remote parts of India.
Their latest project in Igatpuri is a boarding school
for about 100 children with special needs and is
their most ambitious so far. After several invitations to visit the school, I finally took the plunge in
August 2011 and whilst in India with my family, I
visited the school. I admit I did so with trepidation.
I wasn't sure if I could control my emotions when
I would meet all the children in the school ,
not to overrule the anxiety as to how would my two
children at that time aged 7 and 11 would react when
they would visit the school .
As it happened, it was a touching experience , at the
same time a life affirming and inspiring event. Most of
all, I was impressed by the courage and dedication of
the staff at the school. These young men and women
were working tirelessly for a paltry Rs 1,400 per month
( £20 a month). When I asked why they were paid so
little I was told that because the school was entirely
charity funded, they could not afford to pay more even
though they very much wanted to. The downside of this
was that the turnover of staff was high, but can we
blame them?
After that day I could not get the images of those children out of my head. I saw my own children in their
eyes and imagined how they were coping away from
their families, becoming attached to teachers only to
lose them a year or more later - all because there is not
enough funding. This was the beginning of Raindrop
Campaign. What started as a fund raising campaign
morphed into a small charity ,whose purpose was to
help change lives through education by tapping into donors here in the UK. Our current focus is on the school
in Igatpuri – to improve the welfare of both the teachers
and the children. It is our intention that the charity
remains focused and low cost so virtually every penny
donated reaches the cause it was intended for.
To find out more about Raindrop Campaign and
Punyatma please visit www.raindropcampaign.org and
www.punyatma.org.
Written by Smt Rohini Rathour
15
The annual Cricket tournament
was held in the famous venue, Deer Park, at Richmond and here
is the gist of the press report on the Konkani Cricket Cup held on
21st July 2012, released by the Chairman on the occasion.
There were about 35 participants including experienced players
like Archit (aged 15 months), Mitali (2 years), Abhyuday (3
years), Avigna (5 years), Anay (3 years), Akilesh, Nikita and
Sanjana (not necessarily in the order of seniority or rankings).
While these experienced players were in charge of full ground,
sound and running, the ladies team decided to act as nonviewing spectators.
This resulted into carrying on the full responsibility of play on
the shoulders of remaining youth members of the Sabha including Andy, Raj, Sachin, Vikram, Achal, Jayanarayan,
Sadananda, Jayavanth, Anil and Naresh (not necessarily in
the order of their cricket world ranking). On account of having
too many candidates, two teams were formed. Again, due to
many teams, rules had to be rewritten. Obviously, there was
delay to start the match.
It was decided that after the round robin games, top two teams
(out of two teams) would play the final and it the winner would
be based on best-of-three matches.
Now comes the result - one game was drawn and out of other
two games, each team won one game. Thus, both the teams were
winners. Since both the teams cannot be winners, the winning
team was decided by a committee comprising of Andy and
Jayavanth (it was not clear whether our constitution provide for
the formation of this committee). Since both belonged to Andy’s
team, the result was predictable (not necessarily fixed) and the
other team headed by Sachin was declared the winner and the
team headed by Andy was declared the runner up. The same
committee decided the other winners. Sachin was adjudged best
batsman, Raj the best bowler and Anil Kamat the all-rounder.
There were some more performers who have not been able to get
the prizes and let me discuss a few of them :
1> Our non-playing captains namely Archit, Anay,
Abyuday and Mitali- who never made it to the pitch to disturb
the game.
2> Sadananda- who remained not out in the second game. He
remained not only the slowest batsman, but also missed the century marginally by only 94 runs.
3> Akilesh- who played for both the teams (though without
scoring)
4> Jayavanth- who managed to bowl maximum wide and also
achieved hat-tricks of wide. (Vikram’s claim that he too
achieved hat-tricks in wide and that he bowled more wide ball
deliveries than Jayavanth is yet to be authenticated)
5> Jayanarayan and Sujata- who managed to win the heart of
the people present through famous Edgware Watermelon
(watermelon -not necessarily born and bred in Edgware).
6> Nitin and Kirthi- who celebrated their first wedding anniversary on the day and distributed cakes to thousands of participants (though the total was numbered about 35).
7> Usha, Smita, Nisha ……. – who brought delicious Puliyogore
made from Authentic Indian rice (Usha claims that the tamarind was also authentic Indian).
8> Chitra, Andy’s mother and Nisha’s mother who acted as
ground umpires (as they never got up from the ground),
9>Aruna (Polthel) – who made every possible effort to divert the
attention of her husband, Naresh, from cricket (not necessarily
successful).
10> Akshata and Sonia – who allowed their children free from
their attention (not necessarily for the first time)
11> Anjali- the GSB youth co-ordinator who allowed all the
youth on their own.
12> Last, but not the least, Nagesh Pai who was declared the
best umpire of the day (out of one umpire).
Written by Mr Sadananda Nayak
AMCHI BABY TALK.......Konkani Style
We all have done it......revert to a special language when in the company of babies and toddlers. But, when you think about
it, did the babies really teach you this language or are you responsible for introducing these words in the vocabulary of our
little ones ? I wonder.......
Here are some of the words from Baby Talk which usually consist of two or three similar syllables being put together.
Duddu = Milk ; Nunnu = Milk ; Kokko = Rice ; Bobbo = Dosa ;Mammam = Snack/food ;
Memme = Fish phappa, chocho = clothing ; peppe = outing ; Jijji = Dirty ; Sussu = Wee ;
Ghongo = Bogey man ;
These are some of the words I could remember.
Hope fellow GSB’s will contribute more words of Baby Talk from their families.
Written by Mrs Sabitha Pai
16
Most parents want their children to grow into confident,
independent adults who make a difference to society.
Whatever your child’s talents or interests, you play a vital
role in helping them to develop their confidence and encouraging them to aim high.
Confidence helps us deal with the challenges in life. If we
are confident, we believe in our abilities and feel hopeful
that we can achieve our goals. We are also more willing
to try new things and this helps us to learn. Having confidence also means we are more likely to feel comfortable
with ourselves and that we have something worthwhile to
give.
KidsHealth explains: “Healthy self-esteem is like a
‘D
child’s armour against the challenges of the world. Kids
who know their strengths and weaknesses and feel good
about themselves seem to have an easier time handling
conflicts and resisting negative pressures.” They also note
that “kids with low self-esteem can find challenges to be
sources of major anxiety and frustration. Those who think
poorly of themselves have a hard time finding solutions to
problems.” A child’s self-esteem develops from infancy
and is moulded by experiences throughout their life. This
confidence is affected by both achievement and how
much a child feels loved and supported. There are numerous practical things parents can do to show they believe in
their child and to promote self-esteem.
on't be afraid to fail. Don't waste energy trying to cover up failure. Learn from
your failures and go on to the next challenge. It's OK. If you're not failing, you're not
growing.’ - H. Stanley Judd
What is a confident child?
Confidence means slightly different things to different people. Here we are talking about children who:
•
believe in their own ability to do things
•
have a genuine sense of their own worth
•
take responsibility for their actions
•
feel optimistic about life.
Some children may seem naturally more confident than others, but confidence isn’t fixed. It can grow and develop. And if it does, children are more likely to have fulfilling lives.
Confidence is not about how we behave on the outside – it is about our inner feelings of self-belief. One confident
child may be very popular, willing to speak up in class or even act on stage. Another confident child may sit quietly in class and have a couple of close friends. So, two confident children may appear very different. But they are
both able and willing to learn new things. Both will try hard because they will be optimistic about what they can
do. Confidence is contagious! Research has shown that teachers with high confidence in their teaching ability create confident pupils. Parents who have confidence in their ability as a parent improve their children’s self-beliefs
and capabilities.
( Reference from Connecticut: Information Age Publishing. How to help children to be more confident )
‘A
dults face the critical challenge of making the positive self-beliefs of youngsters
automatic and habitual as early as possible. After all, good habits are as hard to break
as are bad habits.’ - Frank Pajares
How to improve children’s beliefs in their own ability to do things ?
View children and young people as capable and let them know it. Be careful not to say things like "you're
really not musical" or "you can’t do math" or "you can’t spell" or "you're not sporty at all." You really don’t
know how a child will develop, but saying these things can dramatically affect a child’s self-belief and
therefore may affect their motivation to try. For example, many adults won’t attempt sports because of a
teacher’s or parent’s fleeting comment about their not being sporty when they were young.
Set tasks with the right level of challenge for a child’s skill level.
17
‘I
t isn't sufficient just to want - you've got to ask
yourself what are you going to do to get the things
you want .’ -Richard D. Rosen
Take time to show genuine interest in what they are doing. Show you are interested in them and their work.
Ask them questions about what they are doing. Giving attention to a child on a one-to-one basis can be a
powerful way of improving a child’s confidence. Perhaps you can remember a personal comment from a
teacher or a parent that left a lasting impression on your life?
Be positive about failure! Help children to see the values of mistakes and failure, and that they are steps to
success.
Make sure any criticism is constructive. Describe the behaviour, not the person. Be very careful about using
the words 'always' and 'never', for example "You’re always late" or "You never get your work in on time."
Are these statements really true? If not, you are just encouraging pessimistic thinking.
When a child has difficulty with a subject at school, such as spelling, parents should be careful about wellmeaning statements such as "oh don’t feel bad, it runs in the family, I couldn’t spell to save my life." The
child may give up because she thinks there’s no chance they can improve. She may even think it’s
admirable to be poor at spelling. Instead, a parent can say "It will be great if you can improve at spelling so
that you can help me to spell better."
Help a child who doubts their obvious abilities, for example math or dancing, by continually reminding
them of their successes in that area. Believe in a child’s potential. Self-beliefs that go slightly beyond what
a child can actually achieve are the most likely to help them try hard and persevere.
‘B
e who you are, not someone else’.- Caitlin Robb, 11 years
How to improve children's sense of responsibility for their actions ?
Support older children to plan and organise their schoolwork effectively, but give them the responsibility of
getting it done. Make sure they have a quiet space with no distractions where they can work. Try to avoid
telling them what to do and when to do it as this will not help improve their sense of responsibility.
Encourage children to think before they act and to pause before reacting. The best way to teach them how
to do this is to do it yourself. So when something happens that makes you angry or upset, pause and take a
few breaths before you respond. Make a conscious choice about how you want to respond in this situation.
For example, you don’t have to let a bad day at work spoil your evening. You can choose not to let it affect
you.
Use proactive language yourself to help children learn to be proactive. This will show them how to take
responsibility for their lives. Say things like: "I choose", "I prefer", "I can do better than that" instead of
things like: "I can’t", "I must" or "that’s just the way I am."
Teach children to take the initiative to make things happen instead of waiting for them to happen.
Teach children to be proactive by helping them to think about solutions and options instead of problems
and barriers.
Encourage children to take responsibility for themselves as early as possible. For example, provide toddlers
and very young children with equipment they can handle by themselves, like low coat hooks, plastic drink
tumblers, etc. Children develop feelings of competence when they can care for their own needs.
Expect older children to help out at school or in the home. They can help with preparing meals or cleaning
and tidying up. This will help them to feel they are contributing as well as developing skills for use as they
get older. Show your appreciation by telling them how much they have helped you or saved you some time.
Avoid rewarding with pocket money or treats as they need to learn to take personal responsibility for their
own self-care and for the care of the family.
Contributed by Mrs Kiran Rao
18
There are many English words spoken in a very
unlikely English pronunciation;
Coffee: became “Kaapi or Kaafi”; Copy became also
“Kaapi” or “photo Kaapi”; Flower better understood
when said as “Fla-aver”, dogs as “dags”.
Four heavily armed Soviet HIND helicopters flew over us,
the BBC TV team in Kabul in 1987. The noise and threat
these choppers posed was awesome. Next to me an Afghan
started throwing stones at two boys running towards us and
shouting in Phustu. Two words stuck in my mind,
“Dho Bach cha ....” and I understood those two words as they
were directed to the boys. I am not sure if those words
amongst others came into the Hindi language from Afghanistan or the other way round. I am sure many English words
came into Hindi during the British Colonial rule of India of
over 300 years. Briefly, there are four aspects to this assimilation of English into Hindi, which I shall look into very briefly.
Firstly many Hindi words started dying out from lack of usage, when English words were better understood in day to
day conversations. Words like “Hawai Jahaz” (Air Ship) was
replaced by aeroplanes. Houses have windows or “Khidkees”
in Hindi. In these days of computers, “Khidkees” were updated to “Windows” and so better understood in verbal usage.
“Cheeni” became sugar!
Bus, Hotel, Taxi, Tomato (a), Rail, Train, Airport,
Computer, Film, Television, Radio, Doctor, Hospital, Whisky, Credit card, and Potato as “Batata”(instead of “Aloo”).
Some words do not imply what they say: Hotel can also mean
a restaurant; Sir does not mean British Knighthood, but a
form of respectful address.
Other words mean something different:
Club: To merge or put together;
Expire: to die, in reference to one’s family member.
Loose motion: Diarrhoea.
Marketing: gone to the market to buy groceries.
Mess: a dining hall or an eating place, as in Colleges
Universities or the Armed Forces.
Pant: Trousers. Perhaps short form for Pantaloon (Hindi
word for their baggy trousers)
Prepone: To bring something forward in time, as opposed to
postpone.
Redressal: Redress, reparation, remedy.
Shift: to relocate
Stepney: Spare tyre.
Thirdly, the introduction of English words in Hindi saw the
start of a new Indian language which you can hear these days
Secondly, English was the main language of British Governin India, and commonly known as Hinglish. The grammar of
ment in India and also for their Commerce. Many English
either language did not impact much with each other. Old
words – see a few below – are used in Hindi and understood as English phrases still alive in India have a different meaning
a Hindi words and this practice continues to this day.
or application.
Let’s look at a few here:
“Please do the needful”, meaning please act as required/as necessary.
“You will be intimated shortly”: you will be informed soon.
“What is your good name”: A question to someone Superior.
“carrying”: Pregnant,
“cent percent”: 100 percent
“Coaching classes and tutorials”: Cram or specialized school.
“dearness allowance”: payment given to employees to compensate for cost Inflation.
“eve teasing”: verbal sexual harassment of women.
“acting pricey”: showing off, acting hard to get.
“break up”: breakdown.
“out of station”: Out of town.
“pass out”: Graduated from University or Military Institutes.
“tight slap”: Hard slap to someone.
“time pass”: pastime, whiling away one’s time in leisure.
“time waste”: a waste of time; time waster: one who wastes time.
“under scanner” used by the Indian Press: meaning under investigation.
“where are you put up”: where are you currently staying?
“where do you stay”: where do you stay?; where’s your house?;
19
Finally figure out this conversation between a father and son when the son is preparing to return to
UK.
“Your Uncle is coming at eight tomorrow morning. Don’t time waste. Be ready. He has a big
car now, so no need for Auto or to take the Stepney out of taxi. He is in Service. Aunty is out
of station, visiting her co sister. You put luggage in the Dickie but make sure to go to the
Laterine before leaving. On way, stop at hotel and have morning tiffin. Wash hands, don’t
forget. Railway station, make sure you go on Chennai Mail. Three classes. Third class, NoNo.
Second class sleeper, good but you going in A/c. OK? Make sure correct boogie with your
name on side. Show ticket to TC and find your seat. Put luggage near you and keep close eye.
No tension. OK son. Safe journey. Write everyday to your mother. Don’t forget.”
Check this Hinglish conversation with a big smile………..Killer English (Killerrrrrrrrrrrrr English)
Principal to student... : “Tomorrow call your parents especially mother and father” (Any other options???)
Class teacher once said : “Pick up the paper and fall in the dustbin!!!” (Who??? paper or student???)
Once Hindi teacher said ...“I'm going out of the world to America …” (hmmm...interesting!)
“DON'T TRY TO TALK IN FRONT OF MY BACK…” (Topsyturvy)
Don't laugh at the back benches...otherwise teeth and all will be fallen down..... (Grrr....this person needs Basic Communication Skills Class Room Training)
It was very hot in the afternoon when the teacher entered. She tried to switch the fan on, but there was some problem.
And then she said, “why is fan not oning” (ing form of on) (New Discovery)
Teacher in a furious mood... “Write down your name and father of your name!!” (Excuse me...)
“Shhh... quiet... the principal is revolving around college” (Gr8...is he a satellite or sumthing???)
“I'll illustrate what I have in my mind” said the professor and erased the board (What an illustration...I like this professor)
“Will you hang that calendar or else I'll HANG MYSELF” (Well, you can proceed, would U like to leave a note behind
as well...)
LIBRARIAN SCOLDED ,“ IF U WILL TALK AGAIN, I WILL KNEEL DOWN OUTSIDE” (That will be better....)
Chemistry HOD told us... “My aim is to study my son and marry my daughter” (No Comments...!!!)
“Why are you looking at the monkeys outside when I am in the class?!” (Because we want to check similarities :-) )
Lab assistant said this when my friend wrote wrong code... “I understand. You understand. Computer how understand??” (In terms of 1's n 0's)
Seeing the principal passing by, the teacher told the noisy class, “Keep quiet, the principal has passed away”(2 minz of
silence)
The master told the students who were notorious. “Hey, from tomorrow onwards you both come together separately” (Make it possible and I will reward my life time savings...)
Master to his students “Do you know? I have 2 daughters. Both are girls!!!” (You need some counselling dude...)
Master to his students by pointing his scooter that is parked under a tree, “See there, My scooter is understanding the
tree!!!” (Wow... )
Master rocks again, “Okay guys, all of you stand in a straight circle!” (Wow what an oxymoron...)
Written By Mr Bob Prabhu
20
YOUR QUESTIONS
MY ANSWERS
Q1) One question that comes up in my mind is about life after death. I felt a déjà vu when I visited Subrahmanya a
couple of years back for the first time; I felt I had been there before and as if I had met one of the elderly priest before.
Does that mean something?
It may have reminded you of another place with similar features that you visited earlier. I know you are looking for a deeper
answer than that ,but the process of Karma and rebirth is not something very glamorous or even mystical. It is simply a keen
observation of our Rishis who saw that we are not mere physical blobs of matter but life-sparks distinct to matter. When we
inquire, we can easily discover that I am not this body but something deeper. Just as a light bulb has no illumination of its
own, this body has no consciousness or life of its own. If therefore we see light flowing through the bulb or life flowing through
this body, it is only possible if there is something other than the bulb and something other than the body. Once this is clear in
our mind, the idea of rebirth or life after death becomes very clear. Death is the separation from the conscious being from the
inert body! But what happens then? Some say you go elsewhere, to another realm, some say we come back. The great
Vedic masters dived deep within and discovered the answers to these mysteries. There is a law functioning whereby we go to
different births, including human again according to our actions and our knowledge or intentions. So we may go to other
realms for some time, but most of us have unfinished business here, so we come back to exhaust our tendencies and to reap
the rewards for our past action. In the process, we collect new business and carry on again at the end of this life too. So the
story is never ending until we realise who we are and what we are seeking is our own true home which is the ‘Self’ , ‘Aatma’,
the Soul , the pure and supreme Consciousness.
Q2) In life we very often come across situations that need us to make a choice to act on the basis of emotion or logic . And in spite of giving a lot of thought, sometimes our choices prove wrong ? Either we are too insensitive or we
are too emotional. What is the right action to be taken at such times ?
The basis of our decisions should therefore be based on Dharma, not merely our own thinking or feeling. We often do what we
like, not what is right. Where do we learn about Dharma? From the scriptures and the Guru. It is so important to have a
guide in our lives so that we gain a sense of objectivity and clarity. Guru does not always mean a spiritual teacher in orange. It
means an elder, a well wisher who has been where you have been and with a kind and generous heart is willing to guide.
Take advice, don't believe you know it all and then act. Many times this is the best solution. If scriptures and Guru are not
available then look at what the best people have done in your situation in history and in the present. If even after doing this it is
not clear, pray to God with an honest and sincere heart and seek His guidance. With this prayerful attitude, make your decision
understanding that His guidance and protection are always with you. These are the ways of coming to a decision.
Q3) What is the difference between faith and blind worship ?
Faith is belief backed by logic. The idea that God exists is a belief. When I study the scriptures and logically understand what
the scriptures mean by God, where He is, what is my relationship with Him and how I can discover Him then again I say God
exists, but now I understand what it means. True faith is about understanding. Blind worship is only a sentiment. True faith
stays firm, blind worship is wavering. True faith encourages questions, blind worship fears questioning. True faith encourages
discussion, blind worship encourages ritualism and superstitions without questioning them. In short there is a chasm of
difference between them.
Q4) Very often when two individuals fall in love it is said that love is blind ? So is our love for the divine also blind ?
Love between people can be blind because we lose objectivity and stop seeing the other side of the person. We are infatuated
with one aspect of the personality and so miss out on their true behaviour and nature and it is only when the infatuation has
come down that the truth of a person is revealed. This is very often seen before and after a couple gets married. But love for
God is free of all these flaws firstly because there is no other side to God. He is love and purity which are endless. Once we
have tasted a drop of the salty water of the ocean, we know the taste of the ocean. In the same way, once we have tasted the
love of God we know that He is love and love alone. There is no change in that, because that is His nature. So in there can be
no blind love for God because that is only possible if there is something hidden from sight. Just as honey cannot hide its
sweetness and never fails to give its sweetness to the one tasting it, one who loves His nature will experience peace and
happiness.
Brahmachari Paritosh Chaitanya, Acharya of the Chinmaya Mission, is based in the UK at
our Hendon centre. Paritoshji holds weekly classes for all sections
of the community from youth to adults.
Very often we have questions based upon the bigger picture of
life . Our Vedic scriptures have answers to all such questions and
it is pleasure to bring out the second article in our Question and
answer series to answer such questions .I hope we will be able to
benefit from this section of Q& A with Paritoshji .
Please give your feedback and send in your questions to
[email protected] so that I can get Paritoshji to answer
the questions and share those answers in the forth coming issue.
21
For Hindus , Diwali is one of the most important
festivals of the year and is celebrated in families
by performing traditional activities together in
home. Diwali is the short form of Deepavali (Deep
means lamp and valli means row), so Deepavali
means “row of lamps”. Every community has its
own custom made version to celebrate Diwali . It
is a festival spanned across a period of five days
to celebrate various events.
Every day has a ritual and an interesting story
based on an event that makes each day unique .
First Day Dhanteras
The festival, known Dhantrayshi" or "Dhanvantari
Triodasi".The word Dhan means wealth
and Teras means 13th day as per Hindu calendar.
It is celebrated on the thirteenth lunar day of
Krishna paksha (dark fortnight) in the Hindu calendar month of Ashwin.
As per legend, a prince (King Hima’s son) was
doomed to die of a snake-bite on this day, but his
wife did not allow him to sleep. She laid out heaps
of gold before her husband’s chamber, lit up many
lamps all over the place and sang songs in the
praise of Lord . When the god of death Yama arrived there in the disguise of a serpent, his eyes
were blinded by the dazzle of those brilliant lamps
and he could not enter the prince's chamber. So
he climbed on top of the gold heap and sat there
the whole night listening to the melodious songs.
In the morning, he quietly sneaked away. Thus
the young wife saved her husband from the
clutches of death. Since then this day of Dhanteras came to be known as the day of
"Yamadeepdaan" and lamps are kept burning
throughout the night to pray to Yamaraja , the
god of Death.
According to another popular legend, during Samudra Manthan , when the Gods demons churned
the ocean for Amrita or nectar (the physician of
the Gods and an incarnation of Vishnu) emerged
carrying a jar of the elixir on the day of
Dhanteras.
As Dhanteras is associated with the worship of
Goddess Lakshmi, people draw small footprints
with rice flour and vermilion powder throughout
the house right from the entrance (indicating the
22
arrival of Goddess Lakshmi). As Dhantrayodashi
or Dhanteras is considered very auspicious, people shop for gold, silver and some utensils. To celebrate the auspicious arrival of Goddess Lakshmi,
the homes of people are illuminated by oil lamps,
which are lit throughout the night. Lakshmi Puja is
also an important part of the Dhanteras celebrations. The Lakshmi-Puja is performed at midnight.
Devotional songs, in praise of Goddess Lakshmi,
are sung by the people. Goddess Lakshmi is offered Naivedya of sweets, which serve as the auspicious Prasad of the Goddess. In many parts of
South India, there is a tradition of cow worship by
the farmers (on Dhanteras). For farmers, cows
signify wealth and are considered to be incarnations of Goddess Lakshmi. Bengali people worship
owl as it is the vehicle of Lakshmi (Ulookavaahini).
Second Day Narak Chathurthi
One famous story behind the celebrations of
Chhoti Diwali or Narak Chaturdashi is about the
demon king Narakasur who was ruler of
Pragjyotishpur, a province to the South of Nepal.
During a war, he defeated Lord Indra and
snatched away the magnificent earrings of Mother
Goddess Aditi who was not only the ruler of Suraloka but also a relative of Lord Krishna's wife,
Satyabhama who prayed to Lord Krishna to empower her so that she could destroy Narakasur.
Lord Krishna empowered Satyabhama to fight
with Narakasur and himself became the charioteer
of her 'Ratha' in the battlefield. Thus, by the grace
of Lord Krishna Satyabhama beheaded Narakasur
on a day before to Narak Chaturdashi and recovered the precious earrings of Mother Goddess
Aditi. Lord Krishna smeared his forehead with this
demon king's blood and had bath on returning
home to wash away the blood. Since then, there
is a custom to take bath before sunrise on the day
of Narak Chaturdashi, especially in the state of
Maharashtra. As long as the ritual of bath takes
place, deafening sound of crackers and fireworks
could be heard so that the children enjoy bathing.
People apply kumkum paste on their heads
symbolising Narakasur’s blood. It is said that the
mother of the Narakasura, Bhoodevi, declared
that the death of her son should not be a day of
mourning but an occasion for celebrations. Since
then people celebrate Chhoti Diwali at dusk with
joy and fun every year.
Another legend is about King Bali, who was a king
of the netherworld. His power and increasing influence posed a threat to the security of all 'Devatas'
so they prayed Lord Vishnu to help them out. Lord
Vishnu went to King Bali in the guise of a shortheight 'Brahmin', who is known as incarnation of
'Batu Waman', and begged to give him only that
much area of land that he could cover with in three
steps. King Bali proudly granted him his wish; that
very moment that short-heighted 'Brahmin' disappeared and there was almighty Lord Vishnu in place
of him. In his first step, Lord Vishnu covered the
heaven and in the second step the earth and asked
King Bali where to put his third step. Then King Bali
offered his head to Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu put his
third step on his head and pushed him deep into
the underground. But at the same time being impressed by his generosity Lord Vishnu gave King
Bali the lamp of knowledge and allowed him to return to earth once a year to light millions of lamps.
Third Day
The third day of the festival of Diwali is the most
important day of Lakshmi-puja and is entirely devoted to the propitiation of Goddess Lakshmi. On
this very day sun enters his second course and
passes Libra which is represented by the balance or
scale. Hence, this design of Libra is believed to
have suggested the balancing of account books and
their closing. Despite the fact that this day falls on
an amavasya day it is regarded as the most auspicious.
Lakshmi Pooja, or the worship of the goddess of
wealth, is the main event on Diwali in North and
West India. It is extremely important to keep the
house spotlessly clean and pure on Diwali. This is
also the reason why the broom is worshiped on this
day with offerings of haldi and kumkum (turmeric
and vermilion). Lamps are lit in the evening to welcome the goddess. They are believed to light up
Her path.
One of the most interesting customs, which characterises this festival of Diwali, is the indulgence of
gambling, especially on a large scale in North India.
It is believed that Goddess Parvati played dice with
her husband, Lord Shiva on this day and she decreed that whosoever gambled on Diwali night
would prosper throughout the ensuring year. This
tradition of playing cards- flush and rummy with
stakes on this particular day continues even today.
Fourth day
On the day after the Lakshmi Puja, most families
celebrate the new year by dressing in new clothes,
wearing jewellery and visiting family members and
business colleagues to give them sweets, dry fruits
and gifts.
On this day, Govardhan Pooja is performed. As per
Vishnu-Puran, the people of Gokul used to celebrate a festival in honour of Lord Indra and worshipped him after the end of every monsoon season. But one particular year the young Krishna
stopped them from offering prayers to Lord Indra
who in terrific anger sent a deluge to submerge
Gokul. But Krishna saved his Gokul by lifting up the
Govardhan Mountain and holding it over the people
as an umbrella.
This day is also observed as Annakoot and prayers
are offered in the temples. In temples especially
in Mathura and Nathadwara, the deities are given
milk bath, dressed in shining attires with ornaments of dazzling diamonds, pearls, rubies and
other precious stones.
Fifth day The festival of Bhau-beej or Bhai
Dooj or Bhai Phota is celebrated by Hindus on the
last day of the five-day-long Diwali festival. On this
day, sisters pray for their brothers to have long and
happy lives by performing the Tika ceremony, and
brothers make gifts to their sisters.
Long time back, Surya, the sun God, was married
to a beautiful princess called Samjna . In course of
a year, she gave birth to twins. The twins were
named Yama, and Varni or Yamuna, and they grew
up together. However, Samjna, after some time,
unable to bear the brilliance of her husband, decided to go back to earth. However, she left her shadow, Chhaya, her exact replica, behind, so that to
Surya, it would appear that she is still there. However, Chhaya turned out to be a cruel stepmother
and was very unkind to the twins. She soon gave
birth to her own children, and convinced Surya to
drive out Samjna’s twins from the heaven. Varni
fell to earth and became the river Yamuna, and Yama went to the underworld (hell) and became the
King of Death. Years passed. Varni married a handsome prince and was happy in her life but she
missed her brother wanted to see him. Yama, too,
missed his sister and decided one day to visit her.
After hearing the news of her brother's visit, Varni
prepared a great feast in his honour. It was two
days after Diwali, so her home was already decorated. Yama, too, was delighted by his sister's loving welcome, and brother and sister spent a pleasant evening in each other's company, after their
long period of separation. When it was time for Yama to return to his kingdom in hell, he turned to
his sister and said, "Dear Varni, you have welcomed me so lovingly. But I did not bring you a
gift. Ask, therefore, for something and it will be
yours." So in return, Varni asked from him that all
brothers should remember their sisters on this day
and visit them if they can, and that, on this day, all
sisters should pray for the happiness of their brothers. This is how the custom of Bhai-dooj, or BhaiPhonta, came into practice. Also, on this day, after
killing Narakasur, Krishna went to his sister Subhadra who welcomed him with the lamp, flowers
and sweets, and marked his forehead with holy
protective spot.
23
Bhai Duj is celebrated also because on this day, Bhagawaan Mahavir
found nirvana, his brother Raja Nandivardhan was distressed because he
missed him and was comforted by his sister Sudarshana. Since then,
women have been revered during this festival.
Diwali is also a very special occasion for the Sikh . In 1577, the foundation
stone of the Golden Temple at Amritsar was laid on Diwali. In 1619, the
sixth Sikh Guru Hargobind, who was held by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir, was released from the Gwalior fort along with 52 kings.
Thus Diwali is celebrated throughout India with devotion and enthusiasm .
Contributed by Mr Kiran Pai
RANGOLI
Rangoli
is a colourful design traditionally made on the floor
near the entrance to a house to
welcome guests. At Diwali, Hindus
draw bright Rangoli patterns to
invite goddess Lakshmi to enter
their homes. It is believed that
Rangoli wards off evil spirits. The
original colour for Rangoli used is
white but people have changed to
more colourful and bright colours.
Actually, the word Rangoli
comes from the two words
“Valli” meaning row, so
colours. It was actually
time, it got shortened to
Rangoli is done by women,
part in it sometimes. Ranometric shapes, deity immal or human figure devery elaborate designs
The base material is usually
dry flour, to which Sindoor
(vermilion), Haldi
“Rang” meaning colour and
Rangoli means a row of
called “Rangavalli”, but with
“Rangoli”. Also traditionally,
but nowadays, even men take
goli designs can be simple gepressions, floral designs , anisigns .They can also become
crafted by numerous people.
dry or wet granulated rice or
(turmeric) and other natural colours
are mixed. Nowadays, chemical colours are also used. Other materials
include coloured sand , flowers ,
grains, beads and coloured stones
etc . On the Diwali festival people
usually make various Rangoli patterns between which they place oil
lamps (diyas).
Rangoli patterns designed by Mrs Yuvika Pai
24
AMCHI RANDAP
CHURMUNDO
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
2 Cups wheat flour
2 Cups besan
2 1/2 Cups powdered sugar
1 Cup ghee
2 Teaspoons cardamom
powder
1 Handful of raisins
1.
Heat ghee in a pan and add besan ,a little at a time ,stirring
all the time.
Roast it till it gives off a nice flavour.
Add the wheat flour and mix well, smashing any lumps
that form against the sides of the pan.
Roast this mixture on a slow fire, stirring constantly,
removing lumps.
When the mixture gives off ghee and gets a wet look,
turn off the heat and allow to cool.
After the mixture cools a little, add the raisins and cardamom powder.
When the mixture is absolutely cold, add the sugar powder
and mix well removing lumps.
Make laddoos by applying sufficient pressure to bind the mixture together.
Store these Churmundo in an airtight container.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Notes: This mixture can be made and
stored in advance, making the laddoos only
when desired. The shelf life of this is about
2 to 3 weeks.
8.
9.
NARAYAN KATAR
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
1.
Sift the flour with soda.
2 1/2 Cups plain fine flour
2.
Melt the ghee and add the powdered sugar and beat well in a food
1/2 Cup rice flour
processor.
1 1/2 Cups powdered sugar
3.
Add the cardamom powder, crushed saffron and sift flour.
1 Cup ghee
4.
Make a nice dough, adding extra ghee if required.
A big pinch of soda bi-carb
5.
The dough should not break when made into a ball and
2 Teaspoons cardamom powder
flattened.
Few strands of saffron soaked in a 6.
Heat the oven to 180º C.
teaspoon of hot milk and crushed well 7.
Make small balls, flatten slightly and place them on a
lightly greased non-stick baking tray.
8.
The balls should be spaced out evenly on the baking
tray.
9.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
10.
They should be well puffed with cracks on the surface.
11.
Allow to cool slightly before taking them off the tray and store the
Narayan katar in airtight container.
KAJU KATRI
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
250 Grams cashew nuts powdered
500 Grams sugar
200 ml water
1 to 2 Teaspoons ghee
1 Teaspoons cardamom powder
A little saffron crushed in hot milk
(optional)
Vark (silver paper) (optional)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Place the sugar in a pan, add water and heat stirring occasionally to make a sugar syrup.
The sugar syrup should be of a three string consistency.
Turn heat to low, add the cashew nut powder, the other flavourings, and the ghee.
The mixture should have the consistency of a ball of dough.
Place this ball on a lightly greased surface like a worktop
and roll out evenly.
Add Vark and allow to cool.
Cut into diagonal pieces and store the Kaju katris in an
airtight container.
Recipes by Mrs Shambhavi Kamath
25
R
U
O
M
U
H
I
AMCH
The difference!
A mechanic was removing a cylinder head from the
Sharabi sharab se tang aa gaya aur khali botlain todnay laga
engine of a Harley Davidson motorcycle when he
Ek todi…………Teri waja se meri nokri chali gai
spotted a well-known heart surgeon in his shop.
Doosri todi……Teri waja se mera ghar tabah hua
The mechanic shouted across the garage, "Hey, doc,
Teesri todi…….Teri waja se mujhy BV chod kar chali gai
can I ask you a question?"
4th one uthayi to wo bhari hui thi !!!!!
The surgeon a bit surprised, walked over to the
Usay rakh kar bola
mechanic working on the motorcycle.
TU SIDE PE HOJA MERE YAAR TERA KOI KASOOR NAHI. The mechanic straightened up, wiped his hands on
a rag and asked, "So Doc, look at this engine. I open
its heart, take the valves out, fix 'em, put 'em back
TEACHER: If you have 12 chocolate sweets and
in, and when I finish, it works just like new. So how
you give 3 to Juliet, 4 to Sandra and 5 to Elizabeth.
come I get such a small salary and you get the realWhat will you get little Johnny ?
ly big bucks, when you and I are doing basically the
JOHNNY : 3 new girlfriends ma'am!...
same work?"
(An hindi joke for our hindi love)
The surgeon paused, smiled and leaned over, and
whispered to the mechanic...
"Try doing it with the engine running"
Honest MEN
Must-read for every man and of course woman (to understand man):
If a female is reading this article then just realise the value of a man; and if its a male then feel proud of after reading it!
"One day, while a woodcutter was cutting a branch of a tree above a river, his axe fell into the river. When he cried out,
Bhagwaan appeared and asked, "Why are you crying?"
The woodcutter replied that his axe has fallen into water, and he needed the axe to make his living.
Bhagwaan went down into the water and reappeared with a golden axe. "Is this your axe?" Bhagwaan asked.
The woodcutter replied, "No."
Bhagwaan again went down and came up with a silver Axe. "Is this your axe?" Bhagwaan asked.
Again, the woodcutter replied, "No."
Bhagwaan went down again and came up with an iron Axe. "Is this your axe?" Bhagwaan asked.
The woodcutter replied, "Yes."
Bhagwaan was pleased with the man's honesty and gave him all three axes to keep, and the woodcutter went home happy.
Some time later, the woodcutter was walking with his wife along the riverbank, and his wife fell into the river. When he
cried out, Bhagwaan again appeared and asked him, "Why are you crying?"
"Oh Bhagwaan, my wife has fallen into the water!"
Bhagwaan went down into the water and came up with Aishwarya Rai "Is this your wife?" Bhagwaan asked.
"Yes," cried the woodcutter.
Bhagwaan was furious. "You lied! That is not true!"
The woodcutter replied, "Oh, forgive me, Bhagwaan. It is a misunderstanding. You see, if I had said 'no' to Aishwarya Rai,
You would have come up with Priyanka Chopra. Then if I said 'no' to her, you would have come up with my wife . Had I
then said 'yes,' you would have given me all three. Bhagwaan, I am a poor man, and am not able to take care of all three
wives, so THAT'S why I said yes to Aishwarya Rai ."
So: Whenever a man lies, it is for a good and honest reason, and for the benefit of others.
JEWS IN INDIAN RESTAURANT....
Two Jewish men, Sid and Al, were sitting in a Indian restaurant in New York .. Sid asked Al, 'Are there any Jewish people
of our faith born and raised in India ?'
Al replied, 'I don't know, let's just ask our waiter.' When the waiter came by, Al asked him, 'Are there any Indian Jews?' The
waiter said, 'I don't know, I ask Cook saheb..' He returned from the kitchen in a few minutes and said, 'No sir, no Indian
Jews.' Al wasn't really satisfied with that and asked, 'Are you absolutely sure?' The waiter, realizing he was dealing
with 'foreigners' gave the expected answer, 'I will check again,' and went back into the kitchen. While the
waiter was away in the kitchen, Sid said, 'I find it hard to believe that there are no Jews in India.
Our people are scattered everywhere.' The waiter returned and said, 'Cook saheb says there
are no Indian Jews.' 'Are you certain?' Al asked once again, 'I just can't believe there are
no Indian Jews!' Listen! I asked EVERYONE,' replied the frustrated waiter.
'All we have are Mango Jews, Pineapple Jews, Orange Jews, coconut
Jews & Tomato Jews! ‐ No Indian Jews !!!.
26
Talking to an intelligent!
A little girl was on a long distance flight.
Her co passenger was a parliamentarian.
He wanted to speak to somebody.
Can't keep his mouth shut, you see.
So he asked the little girl, 'Do you want to talk? The flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger.'
The girl who had just started to read her book, replied to the total stranger ...'What would you want TO TALK about?'
'Oh I don't know,' said the MP ...'We can talk about global warming, health care reforms, stimulus packages...!' as he smiled smugly.
The little girl said, ' OK let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow and a deer all eat the same stuff - grass.
Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, but a horse produces clumps.
Why do you suppose that is?'
The MP, visibly surprise at her intelligence thinks about it and says, ' Hmmm, I have no idea'
To which the little girl replies 'Do you really feel qualified to discuss global warming, universal health-care, or the economy, when you
don't know shit?' And then she went back to reading her book..
Collected from Web.
Mr. Sheshagiri Mallya
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