Meeting and Greeting People

For the past few months, I have had a chance to interact with people from many countries as well as overhear conversations of many foreign tourist. Its been a great experience. Each one has the different perspective about India, Indians, politics etc. A guy we met on a small town in Laos said "Indian, Bollywood, you guys dance well". Another guy we met immediately asked if we were in software profession. There are also facts that surprised me, like Indian kings had ruled South-east Asia many centuries back.

Many people also shared their experience traveling India. They were excited about the colors, culture and diversity. One of my hubby's colleague from Vietnam was puzzled how we are able to arrange weddings. Apparently, in Vietnam, the guests who are invited will have to confirm their presence and accordingly the arrangements are done. She was amazed that we don't restrict the number of guests or don't ask for any confirmation. Diversity of India is another overwhelming topic. Foreigners are taken aback by the different  languages, customs, food and culture. Even the foreign media when discussion Indian affairs mention our ability to co-exist in the multicultural and diverse environment.

Its not all praises, they are horrified by some social customs like the child marriage or caste system. Few also want to know about our views on India-Pakistan affair. Indian politics and economy is discussed heavily in foreign media. According to one foreigner, in India free food schema for school students is very encouraging, but in his country no such steps are taken to help people. But, while interacting with a person from a developed country, he mentioned how investing in India is difficult because of corruption. I have realized that among many countries I traveled this year, India is most economical.

What should I conclude from these interaction? Certainly, its mixed. But it has kindled in me a great patriotism toward my country. I want to travel to the corners of India and feel proud about the diversity we like in. I want to read Indian history which I hated in school. I just want to see India grow. 

Proud to be an Indian!!!

Small things for the Community

Courtesy - www.icicp.blogspot.com

There are times, we feel guilty seeing people participate in social awareness activities, when we were not able to show our support. Though we understood our responsibility towards the community and wanted to join them, there was some important situation/reason that stopped us. These obstacles don't have to stop us. If we run into a dead end, we don't stop and give-up. We turn around to find a different route.

As Napoleon Hill ones quotes “If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.” To support a cause, we can do small things that can make a big difference. Actions speak louder than words. I have tried to mention some small things that we can practice to do our part to the community. Please comments about the small things you do, so that we can practice them too.

Go Green – Save Trees
We have already reduced the usage of paper and limited the printout we take. We can go a little further by not throwing the waste paper in thrash. When we throw the paper in thrash, it mixes with the other waste like cooking waste and hence it cannot be recycled

Action: We can separate any paper product like the ticket printouts, bills, newspaper etc., and give it for recycle. We can also get little bucks on them if we give it to the paper-walas.

Say No to Plastic
Action: While shopping we can carry fancy “Go Green” cloth bags and avoid getting the polythene bags given in the shops. We can become the trend setter by doing this. People following us may even do the same while they shop next time.
Keep the city clean
We throw garbage on the streets because we know no one is gonna ask us. What if we lived in Singapore were throwing thrash on the ground is prohibited?
 Action: Lets imagine we are in Singapore and dispose waste in the nearby bin. Singapore is made beautiful by it people. Lets make our city beautiful
Don't Spit
Will we allow anyone to spit in our house? There are so many disease spreading because of that.
 Action: Spit in the dust bin.
Don't buy Diamond
We are moving up in life, diamonds have become a way to showcase it. The diamonds are unearthed by African slaves. Do we really want to spend money on sometime which has a tag of sorrow and humiliation attached to it.
 Action: Lets think twice before we buy diamonds. Watch "The Blood Diamond" movie.
No bulbs
The round bulbs we traditionally used emits a lot of CFL which intensifies the ozone hole and in turn affecting us with the “Climate change”
Action: Replace bulbs with power savers lights. We can also reduce the CFL emission by reducing the usage of A/C and fridge.
Don't Waste Food
We know how much we can eat. Then why take excess food and throw it in dust bin
 Action: We can take sufficient/less food first, complete that and go for more if hungry. Food is god. Wasting food is more sinful than killing someone. What is the use of poja, fast and prayers when we knowingly waste food that someone else can live on.

Lets practice these whenever possible however possible. Hope this post was of some use

A Catastrophe

Hi All,

I didn't want to interrupt my Singapore-Malaysia Vacation blog, but this post was important and should be shared. So, I forced myself to find a little time in my fully packed schedule [:(]. Here is the catastrophe.

It was around 10 AM Sunday morning. I was in the kitchen preparing breakfast. Suddenly I heard a loud blast outside. At once heard shriek cry of a women. I ran to the balcony to check-out what was going on. In the opposite street, four building to the left, I saw a lady sitting in the stair-case and crying. Then people from the floor below were running up to the 4Th floor of the building.

I thought it might be a cylinder blast. I didn't see any fire. But, saw people carrying buckets of water and hose pipe. Soon people from neighboring streets gathered. Many even went up to the 4Th floor to take the glimpse of the havoc. The atmosphere was tensed.

I went to my room, one floor above, to alarm my husband of the tragedy. He was already in the balcony and he informed that when he heard the blast, the electricity switched off and switched on after a while. He assumed it might be electric shock mishap. Soon, a car rushed to the building to take the casualty to the hospital.

First,one man walked down with the carpet covering him. It was little relief. Then we saw four people holding the corners of a carpet and carrying a person down. We didn't know whether the person was male or female, kid or adult. It was a disturbing sight. The car rushed them to the hospital.

After a while, my father in-law came up, he said they were electrocuted while setting up the DTH connection. We discussed for a while the possible reasons and then set off to do our daily work.

Later the day we heard many stories. We saw policemen and press investigating the event. Finally we heard from a neighbor, the true story:

The family had just moved in to the building two days back. Two men from the house were setting up the DTH connection. There is a High Density electrical line that passes very close to the building. During re-installation of the dish TV, they have tried to pass a cable between the HD lines. The cable had touched the HD line and hence electrocuted them. One person suffered 30% burns and other who was carried in the carpet suffered 60% burns. Both are hospitalized and under treatment.

Thank God, there was no death. But 60% burns isn't a good news either.

A gloomy day. But eye-opener for the hundreds who witness the catastrophe. I have tried to portray the events, believing it would bring alertness to more people. Please get an electrician while relocating. Is a few hundreds more precious than life?

Prayers for the injured and the family.