Caravan 557 dated 21st November 2012

Teaching should be full of ideas instead of stuffed with facts. – Anon

Memory is a complicated thing, a relative to truth but not its twin. - BK

An Ode to Blogging..How to compose a blog?Well you need not slogWhile awaiting inspiration to strikeAnd perspiration fills your psycheThe process needn’t make you sink in the bog! Close your eyes for a momentListen to yourself – is it a lamentThen tune in to what’s happening around youSo much activity, just waiting for you to pick the cueAnd let the images transform into words on your parchment. Easiest is to share what’s going on externally around youPossibilities are immense as if standing in a long queueNext get in touch with your own circle of personsEvery person you meet has a story full of resonanceThat at next level touches you deep inside like residual dew. Start with sharing facts as the first actThen bring in emotions using your tactAnswering “what if..” to the situations emerging like a kaleidoscopeCreating new options – it’s like moving from despair to hope –Drama is all in the mind – to the stimulus respond and not just react. 

Tackle all the nine rasas to highlight emotion – as each has its place –Love, fear, anger, disgust, valour, laughter, sorrow, wonder & peaceAllow them to emerge and ventilateAnd your words shall oscillate and resonateWhat’s left is to edit, re-write, regurgitate. There are immense possibilities of garnishing – with variety applied wildlyAs presentation helps make it reader-friendlyUse technology (quotes, pics, toons, sketches) to reinforce mood and colourIt’s like a visit to the beauty parlourAnd hone your skills such that the product appeals widely. Here’s wishing you the bestBlog on with vitality and zestDon’t get bogged down in numbers – visits and comments –As when the dust settles down you’ll have your cherished momentsTo feel good about – and all that you’ve shared from your treasure chest.  The rewards you’ll earn are intrinsic onesRediscovering oneself sets the basic tonesBe authentic and open to feedbackAnd you’ll rise Phoenix-like even if there is a setbackBlogging is a great bridge between the inner and the external world.

By: Harsh Rai Puri

To visit my blog-page on Sulekha.com pl click on link below (my blog id is CaravanBPL)

http://rivr.sulekha.com/caravanbpl_1754545

Caravan 557

The most sophisticated people I know – inside they are all children. - Jim Henson

To understand a new idea, break an old habit. – Jean Toomer

Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired. - Martha Graham

I never learnt anything while I was talking. - Larry King

The reason I talk to myself is that I’m the only one whose answers I accept. - George Carlin

Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration an exhaustion… I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterwards. – Kurt Vonnegut

If I’ve learnt nothing else, it’s that time and practise equal achievement. - Andre Agassi

For an Olympic athlete, the Olympics are not every four years, they are every day. – A Bindra

Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are. - Chinese Proverb

Hard work spotlights the character of people: Some turn up in their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all. – Sam Ewing

Education is what survives when what has been learnt is forgotten. – BF Skinner

Education is when you read the fine print. Experience is what you get if you don’t. – Pete Seeger

CARAVAN 557

Laughter Bytes..

The barber’s hands were trembling and so he nicked my father’s cheek while giving him a shave. “See what too much liquor does,” snapped my father.“Yes sir,” the barber replied with a shrug, “it makes your skin tender.”

Sign in the window of a closed-down bookshop: “Words failed us.”

A pessimist looks at a donut and only sees the hole. - Anon

Just add injury….He had a mind so fine that no idea could violate it.

- TS EliotHe is the only genius with an IQ of 60

– Gore VidalThe problem with her is that she lacks the power of conversation but not the power of speech.

- George Bernard Shaw

Some folks seem to have descended from the chimpanzee later than others. – K Hubbard

Mulla Nasrudin went to the psychiatrist and asked if the good doctor could split his personality. "Split your personality?" asked the doctor. "Why in heaven's name do you want me to do a thing like

that?" "BECAUSE," said Nasrudin! "I AM SO LONESOME."

Caravan 557

Tagore poem transcreated by Kumud Biswas

Caravan 557

जी� हाँ��, लि�ख रहाँ� हूँ� ...बहुत कु� छ ! बहाँ�त बहाँ�त !!

ढ़े�र ढ़े�र सा� लि�ख रहाँ� हूँ� ! मगर , आप उसा� पढ़े नहाँ� प�ओग� ...

दे�ख नहाँ� साकु�ग�, उसा� आप !

देरअसा� ब�त यहाँ हाँ! किकु इन दिदेन% अपन� लि�ख�वट

आप भी� म) कुहाँ* पढ़े प�त� हूँ� किनय�न-र�ड पर उभीरत� प,लि-य% कु.

तरहाँ व� अग�� किकु क्षण ग�म हाँ� जी�त� हाँ)

चे�तन� कु� 'कु.-ब�ड2' पर व� बसा दे�-चे�र सा�कु3 ड तकु हाँ� दिटकुत� हाँ! ....

कुभी�-कुभी�र हाँ� अपन� इसा लि�ख�वट कु� कु�गज़ पर न�ट कुर पत� हूँ�

स्पन्देनशी�� सा,व�देन कु. क्षण-भी,ग�र �कि8य��

साहाँ�जीकुर उन्हाँ3 और तकु पहु�चे�न� !

ब�प र� , किकुतन� म�श्कि;कु� हाँ! !

आप त� 'फो�र-किफोगर' म�लिसाकु -व�तन व��� उच्च-अलि>कु�र� ठहाँर�,

मन-हाँ�-मन त� हाँसा%ग� हाँ�,कु. भी�� यहाँ भी� कु�ई कु�म हुआ ,

कु. अन�प-शीन�प ख़य��% कु.

महाँ�न �फ्फो�जी� हाँ� कुरत� चे�� कु�ई - यहाँ भी� कु�ई कु�म हुआ भी�� !

These words were penned by legendary poet of people “Baba Nagarjuna”. Born on 30th June 1911 as Vaidya Nath Mishra in the village Satlakha, his mother’s village, he was fondly called Baba by his followers. Baba was known for his revolutionary ideas and unconventional lifestyle. His writings inspired generations and he was known for his candid and anti–establishment views.

Caravan 557

The Fourth Oath Hiraman the bullock cart driver was in a quandary. The introduction of mini-buses had eaten into his business – so much so that to feed himself and his stalwart four-legged companion he had had to sell off his small shanty and the cart was his make-shift home. Increasingly it was becoming difficult to earn enough to take care of their meager needs. There were few passengers (read riders) and they found his singing live folk songs a nuisance preferring to stay glued to the small contraptions called mobile phones – which when not glued as receiving ends on their owner’s ear was blaring off loud raucous music about Munni’s losing her name – for good or bad – it wasn’t very clear. A far cry from the times when Hiraman used to exhort people to speak the truth as after all everyone had to head for the Almighty’s abode one day; and nostalgic memories of Hira Bai creased his forehead as she exhorted her darling to imbibe some paan – the image shattered by the loud image on the chai-wallah’s portable TV wherein the Munni was selling chaini-chaini.. he shyly smiled to himself, telling himself Munni had come a long way from Chhaiyan chhaiyaan atop a train with that Ruk Ruk Khan.. the smile widening as he realized that he’d deserted the nautanki for good after Hira Bai’s exit from his life, and taken to the bioscope to a large measure.. and sitting in that semi-lit video theatre was fun…. Hiraman’s reverie was broken by someone nudging him. A soft voice called out, “gaadi-waaley Bhaiyya, are you free? Can you take me to the fashion technology institute recently opened? Gathering his act together Hiraman saw that it was a young girl – dressed more like the boys, it was really becoming difficult to make out whether it was a boy or a girl, they all dressed alike.. and said “Haanji, Chalengey naa!” The girl just had a back-pack and a pouch which she threw into the cart and climbed on the front-side with Hiraman and asked him to start. The jingle of her anklets diverted Hiraman’s attention and as they started moving the bullocks bells and the anklets started making a unique jugalbandi which made Hiraman break into song.. “Aaaj phir jeeney ki tamanna hai…” at which the girl started recording his voice on her mobile… The girl started shivering due to the chill of the late evening hours and seeing this Hiraman passed on the lohi lying in the cart to her (easy as all his belongings were an arm’s length away!) They reached the Institute and the girl said I’ll just be back and walked off with her backpack, mobile and the lohi.. and Hiraman continued to wait for her. As time passed and there was no sign he decided to go and look out for her, and tethering his cart to a an electric pole (in name only as that lane had not been electrified) he started moving out when his attention was caught by the pouch. It was rich blue velvet pouch and he thought of taking it along when it fell from his hand – the pocket opened and he saw a bundle of notes and some jewelry spread about – the sight of which accelerated his heart-beat. Talking to himself he picked up the stuff, put it back in the pouch, and started towards the building. There was nobody there – he went in and found an office open – he peeped in and said to the guard who was making a cup of tea, “Listen a girl just came with me, she’s not yet paid me and left this pouch in my cart.” The guard looked at him – and said, “The hostel is vacant – as the new batch is yet to join. “ And he had heard no one entering! Hiraman tried looking around but he also could not find any sign of inhabitation – which confused him fully! The guard looked at him with a sly eye – as if he had had a chillum too many… Hiraman stopped for a few seconds and came back to his cart, untied it and started back.. en route he checked the pouch again… and suddenly he saw the ornaments in a different light.. they were the ones Hira Bai was wearing when he had seen her last. That made him wonder if Hirabai had come to know of his plight and had arranged somehow to have the pouch given to him so that his days as a gypsy would end and again he would have a roof on his head? Pensively he came back to the tea vendor at the station and being old friends asked him “Bhaiyya do you remember Hira Bai?” To his surprise his friend answered “Kyon nahin Bhai! But there is sad news.. my cousin had come from the kasba today afternoon. Hirabai passed away yesterday afternoon after a brief illness at the government hospital. The strange thing was that all her belongings which she used to keep in a velvet pouch have not been found – they just disappeared.” Hiraman walked off slowly and muttering in his mind “I shall not take oaths any more. Hira Bai forgive me!! How I misjudged you.”

Inspired by: Teesri Kasam one of my favourite films

Caravan 557

Caravan 557

Afterword from the Editor…

Caravan 557 is being sent after a fairly longish break.. In the interim I have been trying to visualise Caravan in a different light.. And this edition is the an attempt in that direction (of course seeking your indulgence in my including some of my own words – verse and prose).

Retirement has been a mixed blessing – I have a lot of time to pursue my passions of teaching, reading and writing, and dollops of introspection.. I’d also like to thank many of you for your emails (and specially AK Sinha, Ghanshyam Chitlangia & Gaurav Sharma for personally calling up) to enquire about the issuance of the next edition. I seek your feedback and ideas (and original contributions too – no email forwards please).

Those who are ex-members of BHEL Bhopal family I’d like to inform them about the nascent Sampark Portal – available on the BHEL Bhopal website www.bhelbhopal.com – launched in September 2012 - and request them to visit it.

Some Haikus for you…life was stilla wave of longingcrashed on the shore…

With warm and sincere regards~Harsh Rai Puri

Bhopal/ 09425604159

i gatherunbundled memorieswhich scattered at dusk

the clash of cymbalsheralds arrivalin the wake of departure

BHELBhopal; EMRP; Trichy; Haridwar; RC Puram Hyderabad; Jhansi; Ranipet; ISG; EDN; Corporate Office; PEM; CQ; Power Sector (NR, WR, ER, SR, PMG); IS; IO; TBG; CIT; HRDI; Corporate R&D; Piping Centre, Chennai;

Ex-BHEL : Retired members from across the corporation

Other OrganisationsNTPC, NHPC, IOCL, BPCL, GAIL, HEC, ONGC, CRISIL, MTNL, Reliance Industries, John Crane Ltd, IBM, TCS, WIPRO, Microsoft, Tech Mahindra, TCES Ltd, Madras Fertilizers, REVA, Bharat Electronics, ITI, Escorts, Orchid Pharma, Enercon India, NFL, Hero Honda, Hindalco, SK Insurance Mktg, Gulf Oil, Innova, Sona Group, Pepsico, Microinks, Templeton, Sonadih Cement, Saraswati Engg, Indian Navy, Reliance Communications, AIMA, INSSAN, GSFC, FDA (Bhopal), Beck India, Mico Bosch, Blue Star, ADCO (Dubai), SAB Miller, Brightflex (Taiwan), Emirates Neon (Sharjah), Temenos India, TASMAC, Mahindra & Mahindra, IPCL, Accenture, TATA Auto Comp Systems Ltd (Hinjewadi), Pune; Radisson MBD Hotel (Noida), Primus Telecommunications India Limited (Delhi); Dr Reddy’s Foundation (CSR wing of Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Hyderabad); Bharat Pumps & Compressors; Tyco Valves; Siemens Ltd; DLF; Indore Mgmt Association; Sona e-Design and Technologies Ltd., Gurgaon ; Delphi TVS; Shell Technology India, Bangalore; Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts, B’lore; Regional Director of Apprentice Training, Kanpur; Aristocrat Luggage; LMI Baroda; BARC; Tata Power; Everest Industries, Nashik; Micromatic Grinding Ltd, Ghaziabad; Blue Star; Yes Bank; Birla Cement; CTI, Kanpur; JSW Energy Ltd; Varroc Engg, Aurangabad; Vodaphone; Alstom; ING Vysa Life Insurance Co; Videocon; Vardhman Grp; HCL; Henkel India; BVC; Tata Metalics; Reliance Power Ltd; Reliance Infrastructure Ltd; Husco Intl, Pune; Mantrana Consulting; L&T Infotech; Bharat Forge; SNC Lavalin Engg. India Pvt. Ltd.; Roop Polymers, Sohna; Govt of WB; Vaibhava Placements, Nashik; NIPM(WR); Sadelmi India Power Pvt Ltd; BARC, Tarapur; Bharat Oman Refineries Ltd; Karmayog Engineers, Nashik; IDMAT; Ratnagiri Gas & Power Ltd; OTPC; Datatrack; HMT; Sterling Industries, Nashik; ex-MPEB Bhopal; Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan;

Educational InstitutionsBITS, Pilani; UBS, Chandigarh; AIM, Guwahati; RKDF Group, Bhopal; Amity, Noida; PIMR,Indore; ICFAI;

IIM-I; IIM-L; MDI, Gurgaon; Jason School of Business, Coimbatore; NPTI, Durgapur; BIST Bhopal; JIET, Jodhpur; ATTMA, Madurai; (& My Ex-BITS, Pilani & UBS Chandigarh Alumni)

ProfessionalsDoctors, Freelancers/Management Consultants (from India & abroad)

Students

Most of my life I have given of myself, and in return I have received love in abundance.

Life hasn’t been a bed of roses.

And yet, quite often,

I’ve had roses out of season.

- Ruskin Bond

Caravan 557

To remember, as such, is neither good nor bad; it’s what one remembers that makes

the difference. – Antonio Gala

I am available as a faculty resource – for a broad spectrum of programmes –please contact for more details on hr.puri@gmail.com and/or mobile no 09425604159