Indian Highways - The Killing Machines

Ever since I met with an accident in Jan-2014 on Chennai - Guntur highway near Gudur, I have been pondering on the road safety issues. I was lucky to esapce unscathed with damages to the car; and not to mention the cause of the accident is due to unsafe way of transporting metallic pipes on a luggage carrier which was racing behind my car. When the vehicles going before my car stopped suddenly, and so did I and so did the luggage carrier. But the iron pipes piled on the carrier pointing upward, untied, flew in air and landed on my car, a many of them. Breaking the window glasses and side view mirrors. It was only luck that made no pipe pierce through the rear glass and hit me, a narrow escape.

Allowing such unsafe transportation methods on the highways is only one aspect of how dangerous how Indian Highways could be. Below are my observations being a 2 years car user on the Indian highways.

1. Level crossings after blind turnings - Level crossings on highways are always dangerous and drivers are aware of it and keep the vehicle under contol, preparing to avoid the worst hit, if vehicles suddenly cross and block the way. But the danger multiplies by many times when such level crossisngs are immediately after the blind turnings. A simple sign board is not sufficient to avert the dangers. Such crossings should be removed with an underpass. 

2. Level Crossings after a Steep - The same issue with such crossings after a steep where there is zero visibility of what lies ahead. For an unsuspecting driver this could be very fatal.

3. Bushy Dividers - Don't get me wrong. Yes the plants on the dividers are a shield to high beam blinding lights from the vehicles on the other side of the road at nights. But there is a bigger problem with such bushes as the local cattle graze on them and suddenly jump on to the road causing accidents and loss of life. The poor creatures are at the risk as well. One of my family friends on a fateful day was riding a bike on the highway and when suddenly a buffalow came across the road from the divider bushes, he crashed onto it, his brain got damaged to such an extent that he has to learn everything from begining, starting from speech, identifying family memebers, basic math. It is such a painful state to see anybody in that state. Highways are not for cattle grazing. These things should not be allowed onto the highways where vehicles run faster. So many times people die in trying to avoid a hit to the cattle on the roads.

The people who design roads should employ common sense and foresee such fatalities and provide better road safety measures. When some politicians die in road accidents the govt. machinery wakes up for a while and promise to do many things to reduce the fatalities. After few days everybody forgets. 

The first thing to do is fix the bad road design. Close the dangerous level crossings and build under passes or over bridges. Close the sideways with mesh so that people don't drive on the wrong way, no cattle enters the roads to graze on the dividers. Strictly punish who transports things in dangerous manners without any concern for safety. Punish recklessness very strictly.

Educate the village dwellers where the highways passthrough. They are in complete oblivion of the consequences of reckeless driving and how dangerous it actually is for them as well as the commuters. Just avoid building highways through villages, just connect them with small separate roads. 

Last but not the least, make ABS and Airbags mandatory in all vehicles. Make it a must to put on seat belt, without which the car shouldn't move. Every four wheeler should be equipped with a warning system which warns the driver when he crosses the speed limit on a given road. Human life is so valuable, losing it on the roads is so terrible a thing to come to terms with.

Ebola, the Biggest Threat to India???

The news is abuzz with new Ebola cases getting reported from the developed parts of the world like US and Europe which are supposed to be better equipped to contain Ebola spread. The scary part of all these incidents is not Ebola itself but the lax in measures to contain the virus spread.

First this one Thomas Eric Duncan comes to US from Liberia and with in 4 days fell sick of Ebola and goes to a hospital, receives anti biotics and comes home despite the fact that he should have been isolated then itself. When he comes the second time he is isolated with inadequate gear and unclear protocol. The result is a nurse gets infected of Ebola. The worst of this is that another nurse who treated Mr. Duncan travelled to other places by air travel, with a possibility of infecting numerous others.

The unforgivable mistake is the lack of responsibility from the nurse who traveled by air despite knowing the risk and protocol which says a strict NO to travel for 21 days of incubation. And the authorities of CDC should be punished equally for not implementing the protocol strictly.

Recently I read an interview of Dr. Peter Piot who co-discovered Ebola virus. At one point he says that there are close to 40,000 Indians working in Ebola hit countries and if anyone of them catches the virus and goes to India the situation will be worse. This worries anybody who knows how dangerous Ebola is.

On an average an Indian interacts with many people in a given day and the festival season is a time of get-together. Looking at the population, it's interactions and the possibilities of virus spread, it is very scary to imagine what happens if Ebola enters India.

So what should India do in addition to the measures it's already taking?

Look at the travel history of all people coming to India through airways or waterways. If anybody had travelled to Ebola hit country in the last 21 days then he might be a potential carrier of the virus. Better isolate them.
Stop issuing Visas for people from Ebola hit countries temporarily till the virus is contained.
Stop goods imports from Ebola hit countries
Devise an Ebola response protocol and train medical workers ahead.  
Invest in Ebola vaccince development in collaboration with other countries.
Strict screening measures should be implemented at airports and ports.

Educate people about Ebola and how to identify the symptoms.

Hope for the best...

Side Effects of Sudden Wealth (Bangalore)

Ever since I relocated to Bellandur area in Bangalore a couple of years ago, I had been searching for the side effects of sudden wealth in people in general, Indians in particular. I recall some folk tales from the depths of my childhood memories related to the same but having a direct experience has different effects on me.

So the core of my quest translates to finding answers to the question "What happens to people's behavior, attitude, relationships and life style when they get sudden wealth?"

So I started a massive search campaign on internet. I did find some interesting answers but none of them could correlate to my current observation in India. So I decided to write up this article with my observations, small interviews and experiences with people who are lucky/unlucky to have got sudden wealth.

Before I start going into details, let me clarify what sudden wealth means in this context. Sudden wealth is a condition where one finds oneself with assets (lands, cash, realestate etc) worth millions of dollars in a very short period of time (could be days to a couple of years). No body knows how such condition could precipitate at any place in a given time. But in Bangalore, I could deduce this - Bangalore was subject to rapid development of IT and other related industries which brought a massive swath of land under economic zones. Ring roads appeared, IT hubs developed and this shooted the value of lands to stars. What were worthless pieces of barren lands a mere 1 decade ago are now worth multi million dollars.

As a consequence many things happened. Some people were subject to land grabbing, some people were subject to cheating, some people were subject to early sale pitches and some people's networth shooted to tens of millions of dollars. We are going to deal with the later kind of people here.

People who were once sweating for their daily bread a few years ago are now super rich, relatively overnight. From an observer perspective this brought some good and bad changes.

I met this lady once who claims she had 2 acre land just beside the ring road and who sold it when the land rate appreciated.
"They gave me 50 lakh rupees for 2 acres but now that same land costs around 100 crores" she told me.
"When did you sell?" I asked.
"10 years ago" she replied.
"Did you buy anything else from that money?" I enquired.
"I bought one apartment house, my son bought a car and we bought some agriculture land in our village. Thats all we have. But they cheated me and took my 100 crore land for just 50 lakh" she was groaning.

Clearly she conveniently missed the point that the said value of the land is the current market rate than the rate 10 years ago. She is perpetual agony that she sold the land for pennies. She is neither enjoying her new posessions nor let go of the past. Surely not the best life style.There are definitely many people like this lady. Afterall the values of lands in city keep on increasing every now and then.

On the other hand these people's living standards had improved, infact they metamorphosized into rich life style. Posh houses, luxury cars, expensive dressing. All their needs are met, luxuries are at their finger tips.

This sudden wealth also brought bloated egos and hazardous life styles. Drinking alcohol, the expensive kind, is a status symbol. Now their ego desparately want recognition. This desparation lead them to dysfunctional behaviours. They want to have more wealth than that some X. They want to have more dominace in the locality. They want to be talked about. They want to be looked upon as great.They want to be feared.

So when someone wants to enter a street with his vehicle, someone will stop and in an arrogant tone shout "this whole street is mine, don't bring your vehicle. If you park here I will cut the tyres". They wash the street and forbid anybody to come on bikes or cars. Yet these streets are owned by Corporation! They demand unreasonable rents and retort "if you want house give this much rent or go. No negotiation". An utter lack of concern for people around and lack any sensibility.

Like any other parents, they want their kids not to go through ordeals of life as they did, but this went to such an extent that lack of discipline at homes or schools made most of them rogues and some drug addicts.They dont want their properties to be split due to marriages so they marry off their sons and daughters in close relatives and extended families who are of same financial status. They spend millions of rupees on God's idols during festivals but never offer any help to the needy.

The humble beginnings are forgotten. They have everything but humility. Their company gives nothing but irritation. To understand the situation with reasoning and expectation of humility or such noble qualities will only disappoint one. The below quote shall give the courage to accept the truth that such pathetic people are a reality and they need our pity.

"Money and success don't change people; they merely amplify what is already there."

Early Morning Revelation

Its early 4:30 AM in the morning and I was sitting on my bed. The sound of barking dogs over the corner of the street is so loud that I wanted to go out and throw stones at them. But I didn’t, I have been used to it for 5 years.

“Am I really living?” I asked myself at these early hours. I am sad, I am depressed, I am directionless. Even after all these increments, promotions and bonuses, why my life feels empty? Why it is utterly boring and purposeless?

My whole life reeled before my eyes. I remember the days I were going to classes feeling I have no good outfits that the other guys are having. I remembered clearly how I had to bear ridiculous, sadistic behaviors of some of our famous lecturers. I remembered how I felt meaningless about this rat race called education- being top in the class. But there was a blink of hope.

A faint hope that I can have real freedom and joy once I get my job and earn my own money. That I can enjoy the life of no more surrendering to people whom I hate and never wanted to see again. That I will have opportunities to grow.

Wait…. Did I say HOPE?

Sitting on my bed at these early hours, I realize that, that piece of small hope is missing for ever. The Bangalore city life – breathing dust, ever present traffic jams, sounds, over population, growing living costs and lowering living standards, scorching heat had forced that hope out of my life. I had been constantly fighting for my rights, fighting for my dignity, fighting for my personal freedom.

I lost my health, I have no rest, I have no peace. But still I am running after things to achieve believing someday I will live my dream life by achieving these goals and then, only then, I can be really happy. I set many of these “I will be happy once I achieve them” goals, achieved them and still the happiness is eluding me over the corner of the next achievement.

I do have happiness when I get something, when I achieve or posses something. But with time this happiness fades away as soon as the reason for it diminishes. And then my devil mind comes up with another exotic goal to get this missing happiness. By this time I understood the link b/n reason and happiness should be baseless, unreliable and not worthy of pursuing. Yet I am doing the same things again and again and hoping to get different results- happiness that stays with me forever. There is a word for such actions – insanity. But I am secure in the company of like minded people.

“Why can’t I be happy for no reason?” I confronted my own beliefs. Why should I have a reason, an accomplishment or possessing something to be happy? Why can’t I experience happiness without a reason? Yes, I can. I can be just happy for happiness sake. I don’t need to go after something and achieve it to be happy. Happiness doesn’t need any justification. It is acausal. Any time I can tune into that vibration and feel happy for no reason. I need not chase goals to get this. As this happiness has no reason it doesn’t go away.

Bingo…a revelation. These early hours of the morning are turning point for my life. I decided to be happy for no reason.

Be Happy For No Reason :-)

Why India is Still a Developing Country? (Funny Story)

Some days ago I received a rather funny but thought provoking e-mail forwarded by one of my friends. The theme of it is "Why India is Still a Developing Country?". This story gently touches the sensitive issues of reservations, license raj and other obstacles for growth present in Indian society. I asked myself many times the same question, being studied as "India is a developing country" some 25 years ago and still the lesson in school goes the same - India is a developing country. 

Well enjoy the story and think about it. Imagine how it would be after 50 years.

Old Story:

The Ant works hard in the withering heat all summer building its house and laying up supplies for the winter. The Grasshopper thinks the Ant is a fool and laughs dances plays the summer away. Come winter, the Ant is warm and well fed. The Grasshopper has no food or shelter so he dies out in the cold.

New Indian Version:

The Ant works hard in the withering heat all summer building its house and laying up supplies for the winter. The Grasshopper thinks the Ant's a fool and laughs dances plays the summer away. Come winter, the shivering Grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the Ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving. 

NDTV, BBC, CNN show up to provide pictures of the shivering Grasshopper next to a video of the Ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food.
The World is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be that this poor Grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?

Arundhati Roy stages a demonstration in front of the Ant's house. Medha Patkar goes on a fast along with other Grasshoppers demanding that Grasshoppers be relocated to warmer climates during winter . Mayawati states this as 'injustice' done on Minorities. Amnesty International and Koffi Annan criticize the Indian Government for not upholding the fundamental rights of the Grasshopper. 

The Internet is flooded with online petitions seeking support to theGrasshopper (many promising Heaven & Everlasting Peace for prompt support as against the wrath of God for non-compliance) . Opposition MPs stage a walkout. Left parties call for 'Bengal Bandh' in West Bengal and Kerala demanding a Judicial Enquiry. CPM in Kerala immediately passes a law preventing Ants from working hard in the heat so as to bring about equality of poverty among Ants and Grasshoppers. Lalu Prasad allocates one free coach to Grasshoppers on all Indian Railway Trains, aptly named as the 'Grasshopper Rath'.

Finally, the Judicial Committee drafts the 'Prevention of Terrorism Against Grasshoppers Act'[POTAGA], with effect from the beginning of the winter. Arjun Singh makes 'Special Reservation' for Grasshoppers in Educational Institutions in Government Services.
The Ant is fined for failing to comply with POTAGA and having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, it's home is confiscated by the Government and handed over to the Grasshopper in a ceremony covered by NDTV, BBC, CNN.

Arundhati Roy calls it 'A Triumph of Justice'.
Lalu calls it 'Socialistic Justice'.
CPM calls it the 'Revolutionary Resurgence of the Downtrodden'
Koffi Annan invites the Grasshopper to address the UN General Assembly.

Many years later...

The Ant has since migrated to the US and set up a multi-billion dollar company in Silicon Valley, 100s of Grasshoppers still die of starvation despite reservation somewhere in India ,
...AND
As a result of losing lot of hard working Ants and feeding the grasshoppers, India is still a developing country...!!

The Noseless Kingdom

Few months back I went to Kerala to meet a Swamiji. I knew him through one of my NLP trainers. This swamiji is known for his wisdom and people say that when you sit with him you will become so calm and peaceful.


After making my travel plans and getting leaves in my company I set off to meet him.


When I got down at the place I called him and he came on an old bike to pick me up. He is wearing the traditional kashaya vasthras (orange clothes) and has a big beard. His hair was long so they were curling. Apart from that there were no other sighs that he is a Swami.

I greeted him and set off to the Ashram on his bike. The ashram was very near. After having one herbal tea I started talking to him. But I was disappointed that so many people were coming to talk to him and I am not getting enough time to speak with him personally.


Finally I got some time and we sat together in the chairs. I was silent and he was so calm. Very soon I started experiencing the bliss in the silence, in his presence. My mind became quite as if it has nothing to think about. My body calmed down. There was no anxiety in me (When ever I meet such spiritual people I usually become so anxious to ask so many things).


Slowly I started talking 'Swamiji, I am not happy with my life. While studying I thought, once I get a job then I will become happy. But that happiness still lures me.'


He didn't speak anything. After few moments he started telling this story.

'Once, there was a kingdom in India which was ruled by a good king and a wise and honest minister. The king had short temper. In his city, there was a spiritual man who was talking about bliss and mukthi. People were talking about this man that he always stays in eternal bliss and he is the only blessed one in the kingdom to have it.


The words reached the king and he was very puzzled that 'I am doing so many poojas and yagnas but I am not having that bliss. But this person doesn't do anything and yet he is having it'. He got very angry about this. One day he called the spiritual man and asked, 'Are you really enlightened? Are you really having bliss?'

The man said, 'Yes, Raja. I am enjoying eternal bliss'.

This king became very angry at this answer and ordered his soldiers to chop his nose off immediately. As he is the king, nobody dared to stop him. The soldiers chopped the man's nose.

As soon as the soldiers chopped off his nose, he started laughing bigger and dancing as if he can't bear the happiness. He started chanting mantras and laughing and dancing without caring about his bleeding nose.


Everybody there were wondering including the king about 'Why he is laughing and enjoying even though he lost his nose?'


Then one man from the mob posed the same question to the spiritual man. Then he answered 'My dear friend, my nose was the only obstacle for me to see GOD. And now its gone. Now I am seeing GOD directly. What else can give more happiness to me than this? No language on this earth can explain my eternal bliss. Oh mighty king, I thank you very much for this.'

Then another person interrupted 'Great swami, how can I get that same bliss now?'

The spiritual man replied 'Come and chop your nose off. You will see GOD here itself'. The person from the mob jumped forward and cut his nose immediately without a second thought. But to his surprise he is not seeing GOD.

Before he could raise that question, the spiritual person whispered in his ear: 'You are right. You are not seeing GOD. But if you don't do as what I am doing then these people will criticize you of being a sinful person. Apart from that you will be called a noseless person and life will not be easy for you. So just pretend as you are seeing GOD'. That person started acting as this spiritual person is doing. And the team of noseless people grew to 20 on the same day.


These noseless people started preaching about cutting the nose and becoming enlightened. They are attracting so many people. But nobody dared to say 'This is trash' as he will be rediculed and criticized. More over they lost their noses. So they started to build their team.


Soon majority of the populaion of the kingdom became noseless and are now 'Enlightened'.


One day the king couldn't resist himself to join this spiritual group by cutting his nose and seeing GOD. He told his minister about this. The minister replied 'O mighty king, give me some time and I will enquire the truth about this. And later you can take your decision. But the king said 'There are a number of people in that group. That should be true. I will give you one day. After that I will join them.'


The minister went to the spiritual person and chopped his nose off to test the reality about this. He realized what happened and why the people are pretending like this. As he is a wiseman, he decided to give the truth to the king. He set off to the palace. But the impatient king had already cut his nose.



You can imagine what happens to the kingdom under a noseless king and a noseless minister. With in few days there were nobody in the kingdom with a nose. And its called a noseless kingdom.

When swamiji finished this story so many things rang in my head. Aren't we living a false life like the noseless people?

I know this rings bells in your head. How many times did we fall prey to such traps? Traps set by other people and set by our own selves? We run after so many things things only to know that they do not givee happiness. We shift to new jobs just because we heard that the new job is really our dream work or the company is really the best. Isn't it whats happening in the corporate world?


Ofcourse different people will get different messages from this story.


If you like this, then please let me know, for it makes me happy to meet like people (like the noseless? :)).

Cheers
Guna