The Gateway of India

WHY IS INDIA POOR..???

2009-04-27T12:01:00.001+05:30

I wonder why there is much abundance in some countries, and poverty and deprivation in others such as India. Why is it that these countries are in position to help us???
I think there is nothing mysterious about this. The historic fact is that people of these “developed” countries believed for many years that they must live a good life in a strong and prosperous nation. They ready to work hard for achieving their goal. They took risks. With great discipline, focus on their goal, and a strong work ethic, they worked so that their reality became aligned with their dreams. With a similar strong sense purpose, we too can achieve a good life for all the people in India. If there is determination to achieve the goal, man will always succeed.
Let me tell you a known fact. It explains how the determination to achieve the goal can work wonders. During the World War II, Japan was virtually destroyed. 54 Japanese cities were bombed and Tokyo reduced to rubble. Three million Japanese were killed and thousands died later of malnutrition. Until 1949, the economy was in deep trouble. Yet today, Japan is one of richest countries in the world. This was achieved, among other things by the sheer determination of the Japanese government and people.
But this was not the case with India. By the time the British left India we had all the requirements to head towards the development. But still we are not added into the list of the developed countries in the world. I think it will not be listed in the near future as well. The greatest danger to our achieving our goal comes from our own lack of confidence in our abilities. This danger is further increased when we allow ourselves o be distracted from our purpose of developing the country by this who seek to divide the people and spoil our sense of being one united nation in the quest of a common goal. We no longer think about the nation’s development.
India was a country which lives united in spite of having different traditions, cultures and religions. Is this unity seen in all parts of the country today?? I think the answer is a big “NO”. I personally think it is not because of the citizens of the nation but because of the political parties which make their living by talking about the religion and fighting for the recognition. But we still don’t think about it seriously.
Our loving former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam dreamt for a developed country by 2020. So, let’s think about the country seriously and help his dreams come true. It is all in our hands as we are the young India that he believes in and we are the leaders of tomorrow. However nothing will happen spontaneously, nor can be left to the government, planners, scientists or economists alone. Every one has a role to play. From the Vision 2020, this is what the youth of the country can do: “In addition to pursuing your studies, think positive about India’s future. Devote a few days in a month to do something better, something which will make you proud, something will make a poorer or suffering person’s life a little better. Try to help in creating a climate for the positive actions and rapid change for the better”. Don’t leave India for attaining the foreign brand. Be in India and serve for its upliftment.

ALL THE BEST…!!!

Power of Choices

2009-03-06T10:57:00.000+05:30

I was over whelmed by the interest shown by the readers about the story on the 'Power of Choices'. Thanks a lot for your interest. I had initially had one short story to emphasise the Power of Choices in one's life. Later i thought why not google and find out if people had have more real life stories, which i can quote in my post. I came across a site called unlimitedchoice and also found a story which i had read long back, which is also a powerful motivation.

To start with, what are Choices in our life. Choices are the our decisions which determine what we do with the situations which we encounter in our daily life. Simply put, the power of choice is the ability to take actions and responsibility for those actions. Its our decision of how we decide to respond to some situations. In one of the Personal development programs which i had attended, i liked one particular learning.

The difference between Action and reaction. When something happens with us, do we tend to act or react. There is a lot of difference between the two. Act is something which you do when you are in control. Reaction is something which happens when you are not in control and you do something just because you feel you have to do something. The way we decide to respond to life will determine how far we get.

Now about the story ....

Learnings from Rahman's OSCAR speech

2009-02-24T21:16:00.001+05:30

After reading the above line, if you are tempted to think that Iam going to write about some sermon, Iam sorry to disappoint you. The above words were spoken by Mr.Rahman in his acceptance speech while receiving the OSCAR for the much acclaimed movie "SlumDog Millionaire". Other than the fact that the awards has been a great great source of pride and happiness to over a billion Indians,it is also a testimony to Mr.Rahman's talent and humbleness. I can go on listing Rahman's musical wizardry skills, yet since many of my fellowmen have done that, i would like to share 3 things which stood out in his acceptance speech in the OSCARS award ceremony.

Firstly: His words "Mere paas ma hai meaning My mother is here, I have her blessings", is something which definitely would have made his mother very proud. I would like to point out to the extent his mother had an affect on him, the fact that Parents play a very important role in the up bringing of their child. Its a known fact that parents care for their kids. But the caring has to be such that it emphasises more on values and character rather than fulfilling the child fanciful wishes...

Parents who inculcate values and character in their kids ensure that the child grows up to a responsible and a good human being. Contrast it with the sad fact in today's world where parents are too busy with their life's to give enough time to their kids. Some assume that giving a lot of money to satisfy the child wish will keep him happy. This couldnt be farther from truth. The child needs good quality time with his/her parents so as to become a good human being. Not that, exceptions doesnt exist. Yet in the majority, the more the parents care and spend time for/with their children, the child is moulded to a greater precision, and Rahman's words bear testimony to the fact.

Secondly, his words "Ella Pughazhum Eraivanukke, which means "All my success and achievements are dedicated to God, God is great." This not only points out the humble nature of Rahman but also the fact that no matter how high one goes, one must keep in mind that their feet are firmly set in the ground. With lots of publicity and gala, its easy to get into the feeling of incredibleness and to lose one's head. Yet, the people who keep on making/creating new records are the one who never forgot that their achievements is a amalgamation of many people's effort and are always grateful for it. Hats off to the humble nature of Rahman.

Thirdly, his words ""All my life I had two choices - between love and hate and I chose love," reflects the power of choices in one's life. I have an interesting story to relate about how the choices we make determine our destiny. I will share it in my upcoming post. Coming back to Rahman's word, i have no idea about what Rahman choices he had and what he choosed, maybe we have to wait for Rahman to come up with his auto-biography... Yet one thing i have learnt from his above lines was this.

Initially i had a thought that giving OSCAR to Rahman for his music composition for SlumDog Millionaire is like mocking his previous compositions. Any ardent fan of Mr.Rahman will bear testimony to the fact that there are numerous composition of Rahman which are far better than his recent one. Yet we get an OSCAR for this one because this one has been produced and directed by a foreign entity. Our previous nominations "Lagaan","Taare Zameen Par" which should have fetched an OSCAR could have been over looked !! In one way, I was holding a negative perception of the whole incident. As in i have a choice to look at Rahman's OSCAR nomination with pride and i also have an option to criticise the delayed OSCAR award.

But as Rahman had said "Choice between love and hate, and choosing love has brought him where he stood", the same goes with our life. No matter how the circumstances are, choosing love not only spreads harmony but also inspires an individual to go for his highest potential. Its like when you embrace the world,the world embraces you. There is a lot more to the above words than what appears. So my Hats off to Mr.Rahman for making me look at the things at the right perspective.

Finally, my sincere and heartfelt congratulations to Mr.Resul Pookutty for making India proud. Hopefully, this marks a beginning of a new age where Indian cinematic talent will be recognized all over the world.

God Bless all.

Something to think about...................

2009-02-02T16:37:00.003+05:30

I always wished that people around me should be happy and should be free from all sorts of troubles and worries,but do you think it is possible to keep people around us happy.I always have the habit of making fun and joking in front of friends,but who knows someone around you may be having some problem.Every day as the sun shines ,the problems in life increases.In this small world we are much frustrated that every second we think about ourself and our family members and not about others.There are millions of people in India below poverty line and others who just dont know what they are doing and take life as it is.People don't know how difficult it is to live in a city like Mumbai,Chennai or may be Delhi.They come from their village to cities in search of jobs .If they don't find any job ,then they get into activities that may not be accepted.I am an Engineering student from Mumbai and I always wish to help poor people ,I could not see people begging just for the sake of living.I know a place called Kurla where there are around 20 to 30 people who sit aside the ticket counter and beg for money .Some people carry small babies just for asking money .
Sometime I often feel ,how lucky we are to get a beautiful life ,our parents just give us things that we would never expect ,there are many who love us and take care of us but what about these people ,they live in such an extreme condition .New born babies who are known to be free from tensions are being used as a resource for begging in India,what will these innocent kids know?.Its even worse when I see a 16 year old kid carrying a 5 day old baby.I used to get shocked and as of now I am used to all such things.An Aunt of mine was so generous that she used to give 2 Rs to these beggars and imagine giving 2 rupees not only to a single beggar but to all present in that particular place.I asked her why do you do all such things,she replied with an answer that inspired me a lot.She told me that we have people to look after us and at times there are people who understand us and help us at times ,but for these innocent people there is no one to help them and they don't even know what they are doing.If they'd knew what they are doing ?they themself would be dissappointed. Everday I go to my college by train.It is the mean by which all people in mumbai get to their work place,college,schools etc.Train is another place for these people to get into their job.I remember a lady with two kids who may be around 4 and 2 years old singing songs in second class railway compartments.The mom used to sing and the two kids used to ask every one for money.We always used to travel in group and we group of friends always make fun of people present around us.When these kids used to come to used to ask money then we would just close our eyes as if we were sleeping.I sometimes felt bad doing this and I never expect to do such things ,so I used to give them 1 rs .The kids used to give a smile and go back for their collection.I would rather feel that I have made a child smile.What exactly are we Indians doing??
Beggars in UK and other countries are not called beggars because they don't beg and they impress people by playing some nice musics or may be dance and get some money from the mobs.But on contrary here in India when did beggars do such things?? they were just lazy sittin at railway stations ,traffic signals and markets and just chanting "allah ke naam pe do rupaiyya de do sir" which means please give me 2 rs by the name of allah .Even almighty allah would not suggest them to beg.Try to be innovative ..just come with a new idea and one day even they will be happy.Lets see how the goverment approaches with this thing and please dont neglect those people and help them .Because even they are Indians and it is the responsiblity of every Indian to help his fellow citizen. It is something to think about...................

(This is written after seeing the condition of beggars in Mumbai especially in Kurla region )

Thanks a lot Vinay ,for the invite.

I, a traditional Indian girl

2009-02-02T10:21:00.006+05:30

I came into this world,

with closed tender fist,

with an unsure gait.

I was given a cute black mark,

on the corner of my forehead,

I was given a sacred locket,

around my neck

-to save me from evil eyes.

I was taught to touch my elders' feet,

blessings are saviours they said.

I grew up and was given curd,

every time I went for a test.

Chanting of hymns, chimes of temple bell,

blissful incense, and flowers fresh,

became a part of all my mornings.

The golden lamp near the tulsi plant,

the rangoli, the colors, the lords,

slowly defined my evenings.

The automatic folding of hands,

while passing by a temple,

the smile when you meet someone new,

the politeness with elders,

the love for youngers,

the kajal and the bindi,

flowers in long beautiful locks,

the bangles and anklet,

marked my understanding of adorn.

Trust but not a blind one,

hope and faith in unison,

I was given the keys to strength.

not to enter a house with slippers on,

a natural blush when complimented,

sweet words of encouragement,

and respect for everyone's rights,

tolerance and concern for others around,

were gifted to me gradually.

I learned to understand emotions,

and the power of voice modulation,

the meaning of silence and words.

A hug to steal away the pain

and a dance of joy,

sweets to mark celebration,

earning respect for oneself,

learning the art of composure,

I was growing intellectually and morally.

I know you will agree,

that there is no end to this saga.

I have lived it,

and I have loved it.

I - an integral part of India.

I - a Traditional Indian Girl,

......and proudly so!

P.S. thank you so much Leo for making me a part of this intellectual space. I am so happy contributing my first few words to "The Gateway of India".

The Gateway of India !!

2008-12-29T12:17:00.003+05:30

Hello to all the readers of the Gateway of India. When Sid had invited me to join this post, I had no second thoughts about joining. Apart from the brilliant hue filled page, what struck me most was the Impact it can have in the blog ville. One of the impressive point is that it is been initiated by youngsters. People who have read my blog, would know about my passion for the Indian Dream, and i will always continue to echo the point that the youngsters have a major role to play in the Indian Dream. Coming back to the page name "Gateway of India", it was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Bombay, prior to the Delhi Durbar, in December 1911.

In this age of modernism when we are drifting more towards the Western civilization, this thought struck me that the Gateway of India can serve as the Gateway to the Great Indian culture and traditions. There are so many things which we ought to know about our country, which we dont know. Iam myself ignorant of many things about our country yet when i learn about the great leaders, their principles, the priceless wisdom left by the sages etc. it just brings along a surging pride about our Nation and thats the reason people abroad still respect our country.

Today India is considered as a Developing Nation which along with China will dominate the World's Political stage in times to come. Added to it,the fast growing middle class with high spendin power plus a huge scope for Infrastructure development had made us an ideal destination for many FDI's and FII's(Foreign Direct Investment and Foreign Institutional Investor's).

Amid the recession gloom which is prevailing and making a mockery of the economic conditions of many nations, we are less affected by it. And more , we are expected to grow by 6-8 % , where in USA , Japan themselves will grow by 2-3%. So here we are INDIANS sailing in a safe path, destined for a Bright Future. Amidst all this, something surprising is happening. We are quite unaware of the leakage which threatens to challenge our very existence. i.e, in our rush to become Modern, we are happily oblivious of our historical heritage and our traditions.

There is a saying that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of the arms or the scale of its wealth, but from the enduring power of its ideals. Though not visible, its the invisible cord which runs deep and binds us together as a Nation. But i fear that as we become busy in the rush towards Modern era, we are diverting away from the Ideals of our country. With some people who are supposed to govern us, busy in filling up their coffers and more concerned with petty issues, and playing the secularist agenda to divide us and garner votes, we might lose track the right path.

We might be going back to the dark ages , though not literally but in a modern virtual sense.,. God forbid the day, when People become too Modern to value Ideals, for without Ideals, the very foundation of any empire,Nationality,community can not/will not stand. It will come crushing down anytime.

So my sincere request to everyone reading this, Dont let go the ideals which our country is based on. There are uncertain times in coming days, yet hope is not lost. Only if we realise the need of the hour and react accordingly.And here comes the role of the youngsters. In living the Indian Dream and in preserving the foundations of the Nations. Let us be the Gateway to the Modern SuperPower India.

God Bless All.

ITS JUST A LITTLE SPAN OF LIFE....!!!!

2008-12-17T10:20:00.003+05:30

**P.S. this is a bit long post. still read it with heart.

It's not Blah...blah...blah...this time!!!! something serious about the most important time of our lives. A time when we learn, when we enjoy the beauty of our life. we play in the rain, run along the stream, write on the slates, read aloud, leave boats in the tub of water....and what not??? everything. This is the time when we really enjoyed our lives. we knew only this kind of childhood.

but today this is not the case. there are two kinds of childhood. one has only happiness while the other is buried in sorrow. we see children carrying colorful bags and going to school and also we get to see children working in the roadside hotels. we see children enjoying in the amusement parks and we see some of them cleaning roads leading to the park. The saddest problem our country is facing today is CHILD LABOR.

Even though it is a crime to recruit children below 14yrs of age, it seems like no one is actually concerned about the law. As a result of this, around 20 million children are working to earn them their food and help their families. people who put them to work say its "their FATE" but is it so??? there are poor parents who give birth to a bunch of them and don't find any means to feed them and of course, cant afford to send them to school. Instead they force them to work and their livelihood and help them too. Is it the mistake of the children to be born in a family who cant afford for a day meal or a little education???

while this is the case of children working under a roof, there are lot many others who don't have it too.....and we call them STREET CHILDREN. they pick thrown away papers and covers in the hot sun, beg at every door step and a bus station, get wet in the rain yet don't rest anywhere. no good food to eat nor good dress to wear...but they never complain. they stand at the school gate seeing the rest of the children study but then remember their work again. this is the childhood they are enjoying. they never complain it to be the mistake of their parents or anyone else in the world.

there are lot many NGO's working to eliminate child labor and street children problem in India but what's the use when the people here are not concerned about it or if the government never tend to think about this problem.

if this is the problem with the children of the poor section of the country, there are children who are still not enjoying the beauty of childhood. they are asked to study their subject, by-heart the rhymes and yes, learn some new things every day, and finally on a Sunday there are hobby classes, Abacus classes waiting for them. they don't like doing them. they want to play with their friends and enjoy the beauty of childhood. but which parent in the world is concerned about all these??? they just want their child to be the winner even thought after knowing that only "ONE" can win.

Childhood is a very small span of life and so lets come together to eliminate these problems and give a wonderful time to the little world.

CONCLUDE IT YOURSELF...!!!

2008-12-11T22:16:00.002+05:30

THE HEADING SEEMS DIFFERENT, BUT STILL THAT IS THE SITUATION WHICH I AM FACING NOW..LET ME KNOW THE CONCLUSION WITH YOUR COMMENT....

Let me start the topic with some question. dont just skip the questions. read them properly adn think about it ok.
well to start with...what do u wish to have in ur lunch today??? a Pizza or a Burger or some Pasta or some Indian food like Parantha or a south Indian Thali???? what do you wish to eat???? i dont know or either i dont wish to know wat your answer is....but still select an answer before reading the next lines.

for example u have selected a Pizza for ur lunch today and ordered it from the Pizza Hut. u got it delivered to u after the 30 minutes and then u finally sit and open the Pizza box for a yummy pizza. u have a bite of it and u then feel that it doesnot taste as u wished it wud be. so, wat do u do????

let me gues it for instance...u directly go to the dustbin and throw the pizza there and give away two/three curses to the someone who prepared it and atleast one of them to urself for having ordered a Pizza. this is the case not onlywith the Pizza but also with any ther option for your lunch.

HMMMM.,
we human beings are leading a very great life. almost all of u reading this post are leading a life that gives you a perfect three times a day meal.Am i right??? i think i am right. we sit in the AC room and feel sad for the Not Good tasting Burger or a Pizza. we complain our mom for not cooking tasty food or curse the baker for not preparing it properly. we select different meal everyday and everytime we take it. but did u ever think of those people who hardly get one meal a day??? did u ever think wat do they eat??? i think u will anser it a NO...right...!!! this is where we stand. we dont thin about any one else atleast in the matter of food but still we are not satisfied with wat we have.

SOME BASIC FACTS....
Approximately, 7million children per year loose their life as they were hungry.Experts tell us that as many as 1 billion human beings - one out of five on our planet - are under-nourished and go to bed hungry each night. Not each month, not each week, but each day, 19,000 people die of hunger and hunger-related diseases. That is 13 people every minute of every hour of every day.The worst earthquake in modern history killed 242,000 people in China in 1976. Hunger kills that many every 12 days.There are villages in India where 85% of the families have experienced the loss of at least one child. This is the situation of the whole world.
LET ME TEL YOU ABOUT A PLACE....

there is a place where the food crisis had pushed them towards starvation. Their only business resembles the thriving pottery. In a dusty courtyard women mould clay and water into hundreds of little platters and lay them out to harden in the Carabbean sun. This is the situation in HAITI. the mud cakes are baked not for selling to the customers but to feed their own chilfren. seems ridiculous....but it is a fact. cildren there survive on mud cakesand it is not for taste and nutrion but because they are the cheapest and increasingly only way to fill bellies. every mother fights very hard to breast feed her child.

SO WAT ARE U THINKING NOW??? WILL U EVER AGAIN THINK ABOUT THE TASTE OF OUR FOOD??? WILL YOU THROW ANY EATABLES INTO THE DUSTBIN???.......AND I DONT HAVE ANY MORE WORDS SO THAT I CAN CONCLUDE THIS POST....CONCLUDE IT YOURSELF WITH YOUR OWN THOUGHTS.

"HOW CAN MY MOTHER BE HAPPY??"

2008-12-03T14:16:00.004+05:30

HEY FRIENDS,
i am very new to this blog and i wish i can do enough justice to share my thoughts... here goes my first post here and hope you will like it...!!!

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India is not the same country now as it was before. There are lot many problems which are squeezing all the joys out of her. Though she was divided, she never complained. But today, when her children are suffering, she can no more bear it. Be it the fight among the religions or the poverty and unemployment, it is she who is suffering. I think I have now got a chance to put my feeling of my mother by weaving the words together. But I am still confused about where to start about this monumental topic.

To start with, the major problem faced by most of the Indians today is POVERTY. Since its independence, the issue of poverty within India has remained a prevalent concern.
Millions of people in India are unable to meet these basic standards or at least in a position to have a complete meal once a day. It is a situation people want to escape. It gives rise to a feeling of a discrepancy between what one has and what one should have. But no one is really concerned about it. The rich are getting richer while the poor are getting poorer day by day. If her children are suffering this way with hunger, how can a mother be happy?

If this is the case of the poor, there are lot many others who are going to join them in the near future and the reason is UNEMPLOYMENT. Though the country's enormous size and its ancient traditions may be disadvantageous, it is up to its people to turn them advantageous. If Singapore and Korea can shine, how much more would India be capable of? But this is not the situation. There are lot many youngsters who completed their education working very hard, yet don’t get to earn. But in the recent past, there were at least jobs for those with some computer knowledge but now, the economy has dropped and so, the jobs went off too. If her talented children are struggling to find their living, how can a mother be happy?

Leaving all the above problems behind, some go to the doors of their future yet don’t cross it. After they reach the place, they don’t get to cross that entrance and the reason is CORRUPTION. May it be by the government bodies or the private sectors, corruption is always there every where in the country. When people are struggling to make their mother proud, there are many others as well who are just living on their hard owned money. If her children are getting such a corrupted blood, how can a mother be happy?

If the mother is angry with this blood, she is also crying for the same. She doesn’t know when she has to miss a child of hers. TERRORISM is making the blood flow on the streets of the country, and we blame each others’ societies for doing so. Lot many innocent lives are shot dead and many others are living deadly lives but this never stopped. If she is loosing her children daily then how can a mother be happy?

I want to make my mother happy. Want her to see her children having a meal three times a day, to see her children earn their livelihood, to see her children bearing well blood and last but not the least, to see her children living happily together under her arms. But what can I do??

Though this question was tricky always, I decided that I am going to make my mother happy. There will be a day when there will be no more poverty, no more unemployment, no more corruption and yes, no more terrorism in my motherland.

I believe “Million miles of journey starts with a single step” and so I wish it will be "US" taking this first step and making India happy. Lets hope that lot many others will follow us to build a better and then a best country because, HOPE IS WHAT IS MAKING ALL OF US LIVE. So, let’s hope for the best. And make our mother the most happiest in the world.

P.S. I have my other blog dedicated for the country all this month....you can have a look here.

Take flight...

2008-10-23T23:56:00.004+05:30

A developing Nation.
A potential super power.
A sleeping tiger.
And the very famous tag line… India Poised.

Does it all stop there? We know we are capable. We know we have potential. We know we are poised. Why not take flight?
We do not have to do great things, just simple things that will have bigger effects in the course of time.
Here are some things that any of us can do.

1.Vote. It is a right. Exercise it. As I read somewhere,
"Bad leaders are elected by good people who don’t vote.”

2.Not depending on the municipality to keep our areas clean. Gather people on a weekend and sweep the place clean. Keep a trash bag handy, or use a public trash can.

3.Volunteer for community service frequently.

4.Walk short distances. If you must use a vehicle, use a cycle or an e-bike. I know one person cannot change things, but it is a start.

5.Become a citizen journalist. Report to newspapers, what happens in the locality.

6.Find out one change that is necessary in the country; find out if you can do something about it. Team up with like minded people for the same.

7.Questions your grandparents about heritage and culture. Make sure you follow family traditions.

8.Recycle. There are many ways. Google and learn.

9.Do a good deed or an act of kindness just to know what it feels like.

10.Get to know your neighbors.

Good citizenship goes beyond just doing the above, it is all about striving persistently to make the country a better place to live in.

Change......

2008-10-20T13:10:00.001+05:30

Wassup there, Readers?

Its been a while since I wrote anything.

3 Months in Fact.

Now that I’ve got the chance, let me Introduce you to this Blog. I’m going to describe to you guys and gals just what this blog really means to me.
Firstly, Welcome. Welcome To ‘The Gateway of India’. It’s a pleasure to have you guys here, readers as well as contributors. Here’s a special Thanks to Vinay, my best blog buddy, for his help to make this blog a reality.
Judging from some of the previous posts, I’ve come to see that patrons of this blog have come to think of this blog to be a Tourism based website. To me, the Original intent of this blog, was (And Still is) to bring to your mind’s eye, the real India which we, The People of India, would like to see. It’s a blog that lists out the best qualities of our Indian culture, in an unbiased and simple way. This blog also aims at pointing out all the undesirable elements in our field of vision, which are hindering the development of our Nation, in more ways than one. This is what I feel, is necessary now.

A simple question
which I’m sure many of you ask yourselves, as do I, is this:
Even after 60 years of Independence, why is it that our nation is still called a Developing Country?
The answer to this question, I think, lies within us.

Are we not capable enough?
To hell with Hypocrisy. Answer me this, folks:
Are we not able bodied enough to build a nation strong enough to withstand the threats of Terrorism and Overdependence? Are we still unworthy of the Fame and glory that A nation as old and as cultured as ours should Enjoy? Then, out of all the dark clouds of confusion, one ray of light rips through, with mind numbing intensity.

This is the Wake Up Call.

Its time for Generation NOW, to take care of this. Its our time now. Those who are skeptical, read this: We have been waiting for a great leader to be born, a personality that may never come, I know not. But the one thing that I do know, is that its time to stop waiting, and start doing all the things that we expected of our great leader.
Its time to BECOME the ‘Great Leader’. Every one of us has that spark. Now is the time to use it to light the flame.
People want the system to change. Speak out and be heard, then. How do you expect the country to change, if you’re going to keep your Ideas to yourself?
Lets BECOME the change. Who can dare stop the progress, if we unite? What can terrorism dream to achieve, if we fight against it as one?

Together, we are a force to reckon with.
I’d love to hear your views regarding this matter. Speak out. Lets see how unified we really are.
Ciao
:)

Uncharted Prodigy

2008-10-11T16:38:00.006+05:30

Well let me thank Siddarth and Vinay in the first place for making me the co editor of this blog. Thank you guys :).

Welcome to Coimbatore, the Manchester of Tamilnadu. "Coimbatore" , the name would ring bells for people in the milling and foundry sectors and certainly wouldn't mean a thing to others until recently. The city is now the new IT hub of Tamilnadu. What I am going to throw light on here is a place called the Isha Yoga center. If you think I am going to teach you some asanas or insist the goodness of yoga, you are certainly wrong :D

This place, is some 15 kms away from the hustle and bustle of Coimbatore situated near the Ghats(mountain ranges). It is a place of scenic and serenic beauty. One thing that people visiting Isha will never forget about it is the cleanliness of the place and the decorum maintained inside.

It is kind of a temple cum meditation center. Well the central attraction here is the Linga inside a doom shaped monument. Trust me, I was told that the central monument was built without using cement. There is another linga inside a place called Thirth Kunt (where the holy water falls from the mountains). The linga inside this pool is made of Mercury the only one of its kind in India, save rest of the world. I was neither able to capture the main Linga nor the Mercury Linga since photos where prohibited in that province. The photo here is of the 3 ishwara murthis depicting various moods of Lord Shiva. Behind is the doom that I was talking about. Above the doom is another Linga made of some holy fluid.

And if you still think the article will not be complete without a word about the Isha yoga foundation, then here is the link :D

http://www.ishafoundation.org/

Cheers!
Nan ;)

A Temple Town, The Himalayas of the South and A Picnic...!!

2008-10-10T20:39:00.002+05:30

Well, I did not picture myself to post so soon....but on the bright side, it gives Sid some time to create his masterpiece. I'll inaugurate the Gateway with a tour guide post. Really awesome place guys, u should check it out sometime.

On the last saturday of September, me and my classmates decided to say good riddance to college for the day and go for a class trip to few places. Well, we started out at 1am, and that night was awesome, no sleep and the fun just continued with songs and games and movies etc. At 4 in the morning, we reached the temple town of Nanjanagud, 25 kms from Mysore city. Situated on the banks of the Kapila river, to see the temple in the light of the rising sun, was just so awesome. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Inside the temple, the other deities that are worshipped ar Ganesha, Subramanya, Parvati, Hanuman, Nandi to name a few. It was a well worth visit, and I do intend to go there again soon.

From there, our next stop was the Gopalswamy Hills, also known as the Himavad Gopalswamy Betta, situated 75 kms from Mysore City. It is situated at a height of 1454m and is extensively wooded, giving it the name Himalayas of the South. Even though we reached at nearly noon, there was still a bit of fog. As our bus climbed up the hill, the view was just awesome. We trekked all the way to the bottom again. We could see a few snakes on the way also. Serene beauty it is. Perfect place for hiking actually but you may need to be a great biker, if u plan to take your bike up there. To negotiate the twisting turning road is in itself a big task. Again, there is a temple dedicated to Gopalaswamy, or Lord Krishna. Legend has it, that Lord Krishna, pleased by the penance of Agasthya muni, blessed the place and promised to live there.

Last stop on the way back home, was Talkad...a great place on the banks of the Cauvery river, for a picnic. If you wish to, you can wade through neck deep waters and walk to the other side of the river in summers. You can also hire coracles and take a short trip on the river. Talkad also hosts some historical temples just a short walk from the riverbank, recently unearthed by archeological department. The water you see here are surprisingly deep turquoise like the sea. Though we did not have enough time to visit more places, if you do have the time, you can visit places like Shivanasamudram or KRS dam. For a one day outing, I can tell you, the combination was just perfect. It was a day one can never forget. Hope you do visit someday.

Till next time...Bye, hope you visit it and have a nice time.

(PS: my pics of Talkad were lost...i couldn't find any anywhere that can match mine...sorry...)

Welcome to the Gateway

2008-10-10T18:08:00.002+05:30

Well, a second attempt at a joint blog, by me and my good friend Siddharth(a.k.a RiverSoul)... after Envisioned Reality which did not work out too well.

The Gateway is our views of India. Where it is shining, where it could shine. Where to visit? What things can amaze you about this nation. Where it is great and where it is not. Well, you get the picture....Anyone willing to contribute to this blog, may leave a comment on one of my blogs. Either Sid or I will get back to you regarding it.

Credits...

Blog Name: My Idea!!

Blog Header: My Idea!!

Blog Template Editing: Me!!

Riversoul: Nil, Zilch!!! :) Kidding bro... the implementation of my header idea in such wonderful fashion is the best and biggest contribution of all....Come on, its one of the best I feel...!! I loved it...really I did RiverSoul...!!

Well, Sid will start off with the posting soon...possibly tomorrow....aurevoir, cheers...