Mangalyaan - India's Mission Mars

We can pat ourselves for proving and achieving our technical ability by sending rocket to moon (the actual rocket science), but I really don't know if that's going to solve any of the common day to day problems that are plaguing our country. This is like developing a product (especially apt in software / IT industry), without knowing who the end-users are and whether the end-users actually exist. Our ancestors must have done a decent, accurate study about Mars capturing (documenting) through ancient scripts and it is enough we understand them instead of actually trying to debug. I am not trying to say (like may other views) that the money could have been used for some other purpose. I also didn't mean that we should do this after solving the existing problem which can never happen. I am pondering on why we are not thinking how our ancestors were able to predict without telescope and advanced technology like launching rockets? How they were able to design the panjangam by being on Earth? Will a rocket launch to Mars put an end to all scientific quest? It will not stop here and so we will become more dependent on advanced technology to predict movement of even the Sun & Moon. We have already proved our ability by launching Chandrayan. In the world of technology, there is no limit for advancement. It doesn't stop at any stage; that's the problem. Take example of TV and Mobile. We were all contend with CRT based TV watching Chitrahaar, Buniyaad, Malgudi Days; now we have HD 3-D finger touch technology. Its okay to have new technology to some extent. Now Mobiles drive our life; we are lost if we misplace our mobile. How the tribal groups in the Andaman were able to escape the Tsunami whereas we didn't know till the tsunami hit us. The tribal group did not have any advanced machine; they simply used the knowledge, vibrations and calculations to know. Okay, let me put it this way. ISRO is a Govt organization; the Govt can decide to do anything on the operations based on a consensus. If the Govt can allocate money for Chandrayan or Mars Mission and the money is not disturbed and misused, why can't that discipline be brought in other sector? Assume that there will be bribes, commissions for projects in the other sectors, but at least the end-users can be made happy by doing a small bit of work. If the Govt can do NREGA and claim it to be a success, why can't other sectors follow? There are still places without electricity connection, water connection and we are slowly killing our erstwhile backbone of agriculture, but we have to laud ourselves for this technical achievement. What a முரண்பாடு

Pharmacy & Cigarette

Only in countries like Indonesia, this kind of rare combination can be seen. This was taken in a super-market named 'Dewata' in Bali I was reminded of the dialogue from 'Thiruvilaiyaadal' (சேர்ந்தும் சேராமல் இருப்பது ?)

Pudumai Pithan (புதுமை பித்தன்), Pulamai Pithan (புலமை பித்தன் )

The former is a writer, critic of needless social rituals, outspoken and known for his short stories, translated works of famous foreign authors. The latter is a movie song lyricist, worked with MSV & Ilayaraja and gave us some of the memorable songs in Thamizh movies. Both are two different personalities and lived during different periods. Wiki mixed up these two especially in the page about Pulamai Pithan (mentioned him as Puthumai Pithan). Thank God, they didn't do this in the page for the other. After reading, for a brief period of time, I was a Pithan (பித்தன்) myself and then realized the typo.

Indian (Suburb) roads and spirituality connection

One aspect that is strikingly evident is the strong connection between the messages conveyed in various spiritual discourses and roads in the suburbs. All religion conveys the message that life is hardships that needs to be experienced and learned; hardships are part & parcel of the package and so one should neither brood over too much nor be over enthusiastic in positive results.

Keeping aside our highways which are mostly laid by private companies, look at the inner city roads laid by the respective corporations - always with pot-holes and thus providing ups & downs. The beautifully laid inner roads will be good for few days or months, but then one can see it turning into bad road in a few months. This also has contribution from other third party sources such as TNEB, BSNL, metro water and so on. I need not explain how bad roads become during rainy days So, if one learns resilience and understands that Indian (inner) roads just help one to discover the link to practical meaning of life, we have mentally prepared ourselves for worst scenario and can never feel frustrated. Only if we get used to positive optimism, we are bound to get dejected.

Amma Mineral Water

Its a known fact that Mineral water bottles contain no mineral. Its like Complan & many other beverage's claim (23 ஊட்ட சத்துக்கள் as one example). The tap water which many of us grown up drinking during schooling & college days (even though they didn't seem hygienic) still didn't cause any great epidemic (or disease or fever for that matter) and we were all hale & healthy and getting immunity built. Then city life changed the style of living and to help water companies grow, govt. started encouraging because no business can run without paying bribe / commission or "அன்பளிப்பு". Rather, If the govt. can provide clean drinking water in corporation kuzhaais (taps) and general water tanks, it would do a whole good thing for the state and the people. By doing this, they are invariably causing plastic waste to be created instead of avoiding plastics. We don't know the materials that go into the making of these plastics as they will be mostly cheap tenders and you-know-who to get the tender.