Think Tank

2010 was the worst of the times; 2010 was the best of the times. This is how I will remember the year which is passing by. This year, I set to lose a lot – things that took years to come into shape. And then, bringing true the wisdom which asked to carry on with [...]

One fine morning, I realized that Airtel had changed its logo. The new logo propped up everywhere in the city in a matter of a week. At first glance, I didn’t like it. On second thoughts I criticized Bharti for the extravaganza (consider the cost of changing the logos and hoardings all across the nation; [...]

One of my colleagues tells his story from the childhood days. He was very bad in studies and when caught to some difficult question, he would become philosophical and would give vaguely thoughtful answers which even the teachers won’t be able to make solve. This strategy of his, worked. The confused teachers often asked him [...]

Caste Politics is perhaps the ugliest part of Indian democracy. Those leaders who claim to be supporting the weakest, often are those who grab their opportunities away, all in the name of political vote banks.  
Caste based reservations in jobs and in schools and colleges was a very bad idea to start with. That is why [...]

In a very positive note, government of Bangladesh has decided to honor 226 Indians for their crucial support to the country during 1971 Liberation War. As this TOI news tells:  
Bangladesh to honour 226 Indians for role in 1971 ‘Liberation War’ 
Bangladesh will honour some 500 foreigners, including 226 Indians, for their crucial support to the country’s [...]

When Hanumaan went to Lanka to find Seeta ji, he saw her sitting below a tree. Then the dreadful Raavan comes and tries to convince Seeta to accept and marry him. Seeta answers him very confidently, asking him to return her to Raam and ask for his forgiveness. But when Raavan is gone, his servant [...]

There is a very interesting episode where Ravana’s spies are captured and brought before Raam. How does he react?
= Mercy, Confidence or Statesmanship? =
The Rakshasa spies assumed the shape of Vaanaras and coming to Raama’s camp and mixing with the other Vaanaras looked all around. But Vibheeshana, discovering their disguise, caught hold of them [...]

Many world religions give too much importance to us ‘surrendering’ to God’s will. At one place in the Ramayana, Lord Ram also shows the same attitude. Though his gesture also shows his royal lineage and dharma of a king; we can think more on the lines to come up with our conclusions.
= Surrender to [...]

How our desires bring so many misfortunes to us; can be evident from one episode of Ramayana.
= Contentment as Bliss =
When Maareech in the form of a stag went near Seeta and caught her attention, Seeta called Raama and Lakshamana and showed the stag to them. Lakshamana saw the wonderful mesmerising stag and said, [...]

It is very interesting to read a part where C.Rajgopalachari explains how we can find inspirations from the Ramayana in more ways than we do.
= Interpretations of Ramayana =
Those who regard the Raamayana as an allegory interpret Seeta as the individual soul and Raama as the Supreme Being. God seeks and pursues the human [...]

It is very interesting to see what Raama thought of Raavana.  
What Rama thought of Ravana 
When Raavana was killed, Vibheeshana started lamenting seeing his brother’s body fallen on the ground. Raama spoke:  
“Raavana fought like a true warrior and fell fighting like a hero! Death has washed his sins. It calls for no mourning. Raavana has entered [...]

We often wonder at the relation or distinction between God and Nature. Here is an important portion which comments on the same.  
Nature and God 
There is a principle expounded here. As Raama stood bow in hand, the ocean god bowed before him with clasped hands and said:  
“Dear Raamachandra! Earth, air, ether, water, fire – these five [...]

Many of us know the incidents from Ramayana depending of the stories we heard from others. Instead of leaving things for chance and error, I think it would be interesting to read the sequence of events and read the exact words which are used in Ramayana.
= Conflict of Duties and Our Choices =
To take [...]

Many of us must still be mystified with the episode in Raam’s life story where he is shown to be deserting his wife Seeta. It is shown that he did that in order to fulfil his duty as a king; after his subjects object to his acceptance of Seeta who lived in the captivity of [...]

Recently released ‘Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader’ is a movie which I would not have visited on my own. But my wife loved it and hence we had to watch it. I expected the movie to be made up of some fairy tales and imaginative explorations. But a part of it [...]

Last weekend, we went to a specialty restaurant near Jama Masjid in Delhi. The restaurant was very close to the Masjid and we could see people on its stairs. Then I noticed something. There were big posters fixed on the walls of the Masjid, which said, “Kahin Hum Bhool Na Jayen (Let us not Forget) [...]

We were shopping in the Karol Baug market in Delhi, and stopped to have momos which are my wife’s favorite. Suddenly a boy came up to me and asked me to get my shoe polished. “Kara lo na saab”, (Please get it polished, Sir) he kept on insisting for a shoe-polish. “Only Rs 5”, he [...]

‘Outliers: The Story of Success’   
By: Malcolm Gladwell  
Little, Brown and Company  
ISBN 9780316017923  
‘Outliers’ is a wonderful book which can change our opinion on how we see success and the successful. The bottom-line of what the author wants to say is that the successful don’t become so only because of either their talent or their hard labour. [...]

For the past few months, I stayed in Hyderabad. Though I lived in the outskirts, I did see places of worth visiting in the city and got a feel of the city. I found the city very friendly, peaceful and calm. There is no language problem for the Hindi speaking, as most of the locals [...]

Our flight was about to land in some time. Now land started to get visible from the window. I saw Mumbai. It seemed so tiny. As the plane got nearer to the land, now roads and buildings became visible. Nearer; and people could also be seen.
Our earth is only a small planet rotating around [...]