Photo Speaks - Following the small steps

Photo Speaks - Following the small steps

No News edition 13 - a few Barbaric Thoughts

Dear Friends,

Welcome to read the 13th issue of No News. It has taken a longer time this time to come out with this issue. The title tries to convey the reason. The thoughts are all there, but it is all mixed up, like the meat coming out of a mincing machine. Activities happening around too does not differ. Day by day, the life and people around getting different. Are we also affected by the global recession? Some months ago, it was the turn of the environmentalists to cry about the global warming. But, the heat is on now with a much higher degree and severity that makes those environmental voices become no cries in the current context.

The week starts and ends at a much higher pace these days and I look forward to the Friday’s as it gives some time to catch up with the leftovers from print media collected over the week. Luckily, these days, the bulk has been reduced and what is available comes out with quality. For some time now, it has been a routine to visit my barber on this free day. The visit has multiple objectives. Muhammad bhai as I call him affectionately is a long timer in Abu Dhabi. With two wives and about 6 children living at his village home in Karachi, he has always some or other story to convey about what has happened during the week in the surrounding locality here and also in his home town. It is a one man show now, as he is waiting for his brother as his reliever to come back from Pakistan and take turn for him to start for his long holiday. However, it seems he has decided not to and Muhammad Bhai is helpless as he finds it difficult for a trustworthy handover. His small saloon is a union for some of his friends, who are now familiar to me and other regulars. One among them is Aslam, who is from Bangladesh. Aslam bhai comes to the shop to watch TV which is situated at one corner of the shop. The moment he enters the shop, Aslam bhai consider it as his own empire and takes possession of his weapon of mass alteration, i.e. the remote control of the TV. From then on, any customer within, will have to watch, one minute Pakistani news, the other minute a Bengali channel and then all the different channels of Zee and in between various Arabic channels. Probably, a problem with his hearing or deliberately not wanting to hear Muhammad bhai’s or others please to stop or reduce the volume, he will continue fiddling on the remote and then finally stops when he gets Sahara channel and the Ramayana or Mahabharata serial playing in it. It doesn’t matter what the previous days episode was, he finds some unknown pleasure in the conversation happening and then we could see him laughing his heart out. In between or at the end, if someone asks him, Aslam bhai, tell us what happened, where are we and what next? He will smile showing all his 20 odd teeth with a gentle answer, If I know, what will happen next, do you think, I will watch it this long? True to him, otherwise, he would have definitely changed the channel.

Many times, the same situation repeated, and I find certain realistic and sincere conversation happening in that Muhammad bhai’s small saloon touching my inner thoughts. While he continues solely with his job, his mobile phone rings repeatedly and looking at the number, he will tell us, this is my first wife and I will call her after I finish your job. He cuts the phone with a short answer in his local dialect. In few minutes again the phone rings and he answer in short sentences, in an altogether different tone for a little longer time with a brighter smile and glowing eyes. Brief but short and he keeps the phone and revert to us saying that it was his younger wife. On one occasion, a channel was showing how various states where getting ready for the forthcoming elections. In some context, they showed the martyrs of the Mumbai attack and among them the neatly cut NSG Commando Sandeep. Seeing him, and with a sigh, he tells me, Ramesh bhai, after certain age, it is only we, barbers, who get to touch the head of a person and pamper him the way ones parents does to a child in his childhood? Probably, he was missing his own children whom he has not seen for a longer time. Definitely, in many ways, Muhammad bhai helped me to open my eyes into un-explored directions each time I visited him.
Life goes on and it’s another bright and sunny morning and it is time to go to school. It is board exam time for my son and to revisit the thoughts of my schooling days and exam times and compare what is happening around now, I didn’t miss this opportunity of dropping my son to his exam centre. Children are the same everywhere, and many of them were seen tensed on the first day and teachers assisting them with last minute doubts and preparations. It was interesting to see many of them seeking blessings from their teachers and parents. With most of the subjects covered, it was the English Exams yesterday, and I found literally all of them very relaxed. What made more interesting thoughts was the conversational style happening around. It seems like most of them are talking in terms of Short Term Memory Loss happening to them, following the recent Hindi movie Gajini.
Wheels of my clock moves faster these days and evening we all gather to watch one particular show these days. It is currently on in the Amrita TV channel and is called Super Talent. Into it’s 3rd round, the show has gained considerable ground in terms of quality approach in presentation by the contestants and the subsequent reviews by elite panel of judges. It is giving it’s worth on time spent before going to bed.

Wining is not always possible. However, if we do not attempt, the probability of a win will be nowhere. In the recent times, I happened to come across two winners in lucky draws. One was a regular e-mail friend, a famous RJ, who won a lucky raffle in the recently concluded DSF draws. Another, happened to be a known person, who won an equally or more amount from a Duty Free Raffle. It is good to see both continuing their life and efforts promoting Positive vibes around. May god bless them to motivate many through their own simple ways.

I am excited to include and inform that quality initiatives are taking a high rate of acceptance from the authorities as well as the news media these days. Government authorities and suggestions sites like www.abudhabi.ae, Dubai Municipality Have Your Say programmes, Dubai RTA, Road Transport Authority of Abu Dhabi, and the news media like THE National and GULF NEWS are coming out with many new initiatives to promote participation of general public and to get their views and suggestions for overall improvement in the society around. Why not spare a few minutes and visit these portals and be a part of the society and it’s progress.

My thoughts are getting complex each time I take my car out on the street. Even with all the campaigns happening, stricter fines and points, some are continuing to seek wild pleasure in showing their might on the street. With cigarette on one hand and phone on the other and legs up or even a child on the lap safety doesn’t seem to be nearer. I feel, they will learn only by getting a chance to visit for themselves the casualty departments of hospitals. Spread the word around, follow the speeding rules do not use mobiles while driving and reach home safe be the mantra to follow.
God Bless and have a great week-end.

Ramesh Menon
19032009
www.talentshare.blogspot.com
e-mail: team1dubai@gmail.com

Photo Speaks - Getting ready for a race

GULF NEWS initiative - Shaping the future of news

In the recent times, GULF NEWS has been coming out with a renewed vigor, innovation and initiatives each day. As I mentioned here earlier, Your Turn page and the Community reporter column is getting popular amongst it's readers. It is an opportunity I marked to express my comments to any particular activitiy, which normally may go un-reported. It was also an opportunity I saw to evaluate my writing and photography skills. Each time, I send in an item of news or photo, I was sure, I am competing with numerous others within and outside the country and it gave me pleasure to see it in print, if ever it gets published and also consider more competitive approach for the next time, and look for minor errors which could have avoided an elimination.

I am sure that this opportunity will be happily grabbed with both the hands by many new readers in the coming days. I take this opportunity to congratulate the winners of February 2009:

1st - Mr. Saleh Yahya Farah

2nd - Mr. Vadasseril P. Abraham

3rd - Mr. Loic T

and all the other contributors for giving readers a chance to read the newspaper in their own language.

I also take this opportunity to congratulate the news editor Anupa Kurian and Deputy Editor Sanya Nayeem and an excellent team of members for bringing out beautiful prints each day with wonderful prominence for the news and presenters.

God Bless, and continue to sustain this good momentum all throughout.

Ramesh Menon

15032009

in

Indo Arab Cultural Festival - Mobile phone photography contest winners and photos

3rd Indo Arab Cultural Festival - closing ceremony at KSC Abu Dhabi

Just one person can make a difference

Just one person can make a difference


The on-going road development works and the parking worries give me occasional opportunities these days to travel by the Abu Dhabi Bus or Taxi during office hours and outside. I consider this as an opportunity to move away from my driving responsibilities and also from the crazy road behaviours for some time and opportunistically utilise the view and life around from a different angle and height. However, many times, these waiting, ends up in frustration looking at the senseless behaviour of fellow road users to rush in for the taxi or the bus, irrespective of others who have been waiting there before them. Like the situation in the movie Saveage Harvest, it reminds me of a predatory instinct in human being each time it happens. However, a chance drive to a city suburb in Ajman on a Friday afternoon made me realise it is not the case everywhere. I was waiting after a sumptuous lunch from a restaurant inside my car and noticed this act of decency by a group of ordinary passengers most of them labourers working in camps. As usual, my camera did not miss the opportunity of recording a series of precious acts and opportunity for me to promote TQM and Positive Thinking values around. Watching them, I thought, how good it be, if the same social conscience and sense prevailed with the fellow users in the more cosmopolitan cities like Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Immediately after the visit, I send the story to Gulf News for their new section Community Report, with a different version. Yeah, English is one language which we can manipulate according to our moods and swings. Thank you Gulf News for accepting it and continuing to allow me to test my writing skills. Together, it proves, You too can make Us create a world of difference.

The photos will tell you the complete story.

QUEUE PLEASE and Have a great week-end.


Ramesh Menon
05 03 2009

And the Summer is here

3rd Indo Arab Cultural Festival 26th February to 7th March 2009, Abu Dhabi

3rd Indo Arab Cultural Festival organized by Kerala Social Centre Abu Dhabi started yesterday evening with a grand opening. The festival will be held from 26th February till 7th March 2009.

Excerpts of the inaugural function held on Thursday, 26th February 2009 at the Kerala Social Centre premises in Abu Dhabi








More videos and photo uploads follows:

Sri Sudhir Kumar Shetty giving his felicitation speech



Performance Satyana Rangeela by a group of Rajasthani singers







Release of Pravasi – an internal magazine by Kerala Social Centre Abu Dhabi




Sri C Radhakrishnan giving his felicitation speech



Sri D Raja, MP, giving his speech during the inaugural function



Mrs K Ajitha, giving her speech during the inaugural function

Maha Shivarathri - the Universal Pati-Patni Day

Today is Maha Shivratri.

These days, we blindly follow several different types of days, for eg: Valentines day, mothers day, fathers day, friendship day, no-smoking day and the list goes on and on. When we look at it Shivarathri is the truly traditional family day or pati-patni day, as I term it. Because, from the ancient times, devoted wife's pray and observe fast on this day for the well being of their husband and children and vice-versa, husband's observe religious rituals and prayers like chanting Rudram and chamakam to give grace and prosperity to the well being of own family and the society.

There are many stories associated with Shivaratri and its origins.

One is about lord shiva drinking a poison and he held it in his throat by binding it with a snake. The throat became blue due to the poison (Thus Lord Shiva is also known as Neelakantha) and Shiva remained unharmed. In another story, it is said that the whole world was once facing destruction and the Goddess Parvati worshiped her husband Shiva to save it. Parvati named the night for the worship of Iswara by mortals Maha-Sivaratri, or the great night of Siva. After creation was complete, Parvati asked Shiva of which rituals pleased him the most. The Lord replied that the 14th night of the new moon, during the month of Maagha, is my most favourite day. It is known as Shivaratri. Parvati repeated these words to her friends, from whom the word spread over all creation. Another story is about a hunter. Lubdhaka, a poor tribal man and a devotee of Shiva, once went into the deep forests to collect firewood. At nightfall, he became lost and could not find his way home. In the darkness, Lubdhaka climbed a bel tree, and sought safety and shelter in its branches until dawn. All night, he could hear the growls of tigers and wild animals, and was too frightened to leave the tree. In order to keep himself awake, he plucked one leaf at a time from the tree and then dropped it, while chanting the name of Shiva. By sunrise, he had dropped thousands of leaves on to a Shiva lingam, which he had not seen in the darkness. Lubdhaka's all-night worship pleased Shiva. By the grace of Shiva the tigers and wild animals went away, and Lubdhaka not only survived but was rewarded with 'divine bliss'.

While most Hindu festivals are celebrated during the day, Mahashivratri is celebrated during the night and day that come just before the new moon. Each new moon is dedicated to Shiva, but Mahashivratri is especially important because it is the night when he danced the 'Tandav', his cosmic dance. It also celebrates the wedding of Shiva and Sati, the mother divine. Night represents evil, injustice, ignorance, sin, violence, and misfortune. Tradition says that Shiva, like his symbol the new moon, appeared in order to save the world from darkness and ignorance, before the world entered complete darkness. Those who observe the Mahashivratri fast only break their fast the next morning, and eat the prasad offered to Shiva. Young girls observe the fast and worship Shiva so that he may bless them with good husbands. They sing devotional songs in praise of the lord, and holy texts are chanted throughout the night. The pandits in the temples perform the puja according to the scriptures. This is done four times during the night.

Dedication:

On this auspicious day, I would like to dedicate to our global forum a painting named Shivasakthi. It is also a dedication to all the loving mother's, wife's and sisters and also to all our fellow brothers for keeping our tradition and values always high, wherever we are.

I would like to also add a few words about this painting. This is created purely using powerpoint tools and it was done as a result of a few minutes of quite time at a small temple near REC Chathamangalam, Calicut. On that particular monsoon evening (somewhere in 1995), it happened to be that there was no power in that area, and the darshan of the deity at the time during deeparadhana created an everlasting memory in my mind. The decoration of the Devi idol, simple and small, by the melshanti (priest) was simply superb. I added to it a similar devotion at another temple, which is Avittathur Mahadeva temple. And the result is this creation – Shivasakthi.
At both these places, the time available by the melshanthis to decorate the idols during the time the sanctum sanctorum closed for pooja, is barely 10 minutes or so. And imagine yourself the result when the doors are opened. It is the epitomisation of the ultimate sraddha, the dedication and devotion to provide us a blissful presence. Can you imagine them practising this art somewhere else? Or re-doing it, if a little more of water has been added to the chandan and kunkum or bhasmam they mix in order to create these decorations.!!

There are many unsung heroes and these are a few among them. And it is also my way of tribute to the many who remain within the four walls of our own religious boundaries, who do not get to watch or listen to any of the niceties which we are blessed with.

No one has the patience these days, and to add ease to it, we have a wonderful creation called remote control. It makes things easy for our wandering minds to switch from one programme to another and to refrain from keeping focussed on one. We undergo severe rituals and follow procedures for many days and ultimately visit our favourite temples and the moment we are in front of the deity, we close our eyes and fall into deep prayers. At this moment, we go back to the old thoughts, photos etc, forgetting about the opportunity to meet the real lord who is in front of us in full – paadadi kesham. And we are pushed away for someone else to do his minutes or seconds of closed eye prayers. The moment you close your eyes, you forget your objectives. So, open your eyes, look at the realities, and react to it. As the prayer song "Geet nahi, Sur nahi, phir bhi mem gavoom", in this spiritual sphere of mental peace and inner joy, the responsibility for success or failure is entirely one's own.

God bless and have a great time blogging.

Ramesh Menon
23022009

Ways to relax

Cleaner environment

The other day, I was writing about the effort - continued effort by the Abu Dhabi Municipality service to keep the city surroundings neat and clean. This picture proves it all. Congratulations to all those un-sung heroes who work day and night to make this possible.

Lost Valentine

This was a scene I noticed while walking towards my office on 15th February morning. Surprised to see the gift item on top of the waste bin, I thought myself, either these celebrations have only life this much (one night stand - as they call it) or people here are yet safe from the economic recession happening around. Otherwise, at any normal cost, this prize item will value around AED 50 or above. Walking past, I consoled myself, no this is not a current one, this is an old one thrown, when someone got a new one on this Valentine's Day. For me, love is immortal.

It's OJRA re times at Abu Dhabi

From 15th February 2009 Abu Dhabi Bus service is no more free. However, they have introduced an economically viable pricing system for public to travel taking tickets on a daily, monthly basis. The daily/monthly coupons are called OJRA. From the rush within the bus, it seems public find it convenient and useful to travel by these buses, even if they have to pay. So, it's OJRA re time in Abu Dhabi.

World Recession Day - 15 February

World Recession Day - 15 February

Why not? Just suddenly this thought came to me. Many are affected by recession and joining the un-employment group. Even then, crazy about these artificially created days, we tend to explore the width and breadth of our purse and credit/debit cards - just for the sake of it. An article written by Sri Joy Mathews of Amrita TV in his blog, prompted me to create this special day tomorrow. Enjoy and celebrate World Recession Day tomorrow.

Do we need these special occasions to remember our mother, father, children and loving wife? It is a daily affair and it should be the case.

So, wish your friend, relative, brother and sister a Happy World Recession Day tomorrow – 15 February. A warning of the realities of things happening around and a siren of the alarming economically tougher days ahead till the global situation is accustomed and worked over by all.

Towards a cleaner and beautiful environment

Vow!! What a nice view. You must be thinking while looking at the picture immediately below. It was taken from the newly built pedestrian bridge on a Friday morning as soon as it was installed for the use of residents in Tourist Club Area Abu Dhabi.

A casual walk that morning, and it's beauty did not last long. I was really shocked to see the amount of garbage thrown on top of it.

Garbage items thrown carelessly everywhere. How is it possible to create an un-healthy environment so soon. That was my question? A few days passed and I found the amount of garbage increasing. As always, reacting to such issues, I tried to contact the relevant authorities. It didn't turn out to be a waste of effort.


Report in Gulf News - Your Turn community report page.

In an hours time after my email to the Abu Dhabi Municipality authority, the area was totally clean and they were reciprocative to my added request of initiating appropriate guidelines and notices to warn general public of use and misuse.

Thank you Gulf News, THE NATIONAL, ABU DHABI MUNICIPALITY and WWW.ABUDHABI.AE.

It is a different view altogether and happier environment for the public. All the more, we know now, you are live and respond to the well being of the residents.

Dual Responsibility in road safety

Pathan's attack on Sri Lanka

Pathan brothers created a historical win for India in todays T20 match against Sri Lanka. Or this historical moment was created long long ago when Yousuf Pathan (November 17, 1982) and Irfan Pathan (October 27, 1984) were born. Watching the match today, I strongly felt and as it proved or re-assured myself, while history is that item in our life which is written and meant to be read later on, destiny is what we create our self. The terrorist act of these two Pathans (this is what the Sri Lankans will have to say tonight) on the Sri Lankan pitch today was one thing that they carved out. Strong conviction to win the game and never budge attitude changed the course of action when things were looking extremely bad from Indian teams perspective this evening. Yousuf Pathan came out and played once again what Dhoni expected him to do and trusted him to do keeping his calm and cool self, and playing along with him, Irfan Pathan quickly improved himself to a greater height of perfection making us believe that hitting sixes are as simple as what he was doing tonight. Probably this moment of history was pre-written the moment they both were born to their proud parents. Let this momentum continue. Chak De India, objective of the Team and the country is more important than self.

Fittingly Dhoni concluded his post-match press statement by saying "It is not enough by having talent. It has to be tempered - International cricket is not just about talent. It's what you do with it." In a way, this statement is applicable in every field of life.