Ensure your holidays are enjoyable experiences

Now and then, every one of us has the basic urge to break away from routines so that our days are different. Going away to a new destination or a favorite location helps us to fulfill this need and we return mentally and physically recharged. We enjoy the experiences, the enlightening interactions and the learning and pleasure of being one with the nature. Being able to enjoy late mornings and late nights, to go out dressed in your fine holiday clothing, to shop with gay abandon, eat in road side cafés and taste choice local recipes adds additional thrill to the whole adventure!

In order to ensure it becomes an enjoyable experience we must take some small steps well in advance. Most experienced travellers do all this as routine and if we follow in their footsteps we can be reasonably assured that our holidays will also become an enjoyable experience.

It is vital that one decides the location, month and days of travel well ahead. The preferable month to do this is in January for the obvious reasons. For most working people a six day get-away from Sunday to Saturday twice a year seems ideal. Of course there are exceptions, and when you go for package tours the days of tours are already fixed and you can select the one most suitable for you. In addition to your holiday plans, there is always the option of weekend breaks.

The very next assignment will be to undertake some research and collect all the information about the place you intend to go. This should cover: weather information, road maps, distances, routes, modes of travel, languages spoken and the political climate (eg. disturbances such as possible strikes). Details of information centres and tourist spots should be clearly listed so a decision can be made as to what to see and what to bypass! Linked to this is what you will need to take with you. It advisable to take two trolley/wheel bags of different sizes in addition to shoulder bags. The shoulder bags help to keep your hands free during daily outings whilst giving adequate storage space for extra cash, camera, water bottle, emergency medicine, towels/tissue papers and even some snacks! Do not overload your bags and leave adequate space for your holiday shopping and new purchases that you may buy during the trip. Why not pack an extra shopping bag too?

Before you leave your house or flat it advisable to check the doors and windows to make sure they are safely locked. Ensure that appliances such as the TV, music systems, audio video equipment, computer, gas and microwave are off or disconnected. However it is a good idea to keep the fridge running with some essential food which can come in handy when you return home.  It is not advisable to talk about your going away for a trip in wide circles. Better just to inform a selected and trusted few and one or two close neighbours or flat mates. Prepare a list of things to be attended to on return as a priority so that things arent forgotten. Charge your cell phone and camera and pack your daily needs (medicines/prescription and reading materials). It is wise to prepare a new telephone index with important contact numbers. It is a good idea to carry different modes of cash like travelers cheques, debit cards, hotel vouchers and credit cards and an extra lock and key which can come in handy in new locations. If carrying cash it is best to split the cash with your co traveler, this will then spread the risk and ensure cash safety and security. It is better to have separate covers with allocated money for each activity, it will make things easier and ensures better finance control.

In case you are using a hired car, make sure you get a reliable and reputed operator and ask for an experienced and senior driver. Treat him cordially with all the dignity and respect due to another passenger. Get his cell phone number and clearly spell out your rules for the journey: safety norms, speed limits, test his knowledge of the route and locations. Do not assume or take anything for granted. Also invite him to join in on refreshments that you have en-route as this will help create a better rapport. Let him know you have come for a peaceful holiday and the lesser the hiccups, the better it will be for all!

It is a good idea to leave your valuables and excess cash in the hotel’s locker or deposit it with the hotel and get a receipt. Enter the information in your personal diary and remember to inform your co-passenger on such essential and important the details. Do remember to collect back the same when checking out! A good idea is to plan for each day during the previous evening after dinner, when you are noting down the highlights of the day. In case you are planning to stay with friends, inform then in advance and ensure they are expecting you before you arrive at their house. Buy some small gifts for them and offer to share a part of their daily work load as this will always a nice gesture on your part. Remember to take their family out for dinner before you leave them and also post a nice thank you card for their hospitality.

It is worthwhile to buy some small and useful gifts for your friends back home. If you have a video camera, ensure you use it to capture moments of your trip as you will enjoy watching it once in a while, particularly when you need a bit of cheering up! It is very good medicine. Time your return home to be at least a couple of days early to your actual day of going back to work. This will give time to get back to your routines in comfort. Once you settle down, enjoy the pleasant job of handing over the gifts to your friends, sorting your holiday photographs, forwarding these to friends and perhaps writing your experiences down (or on to your blog!). Wait awhile before thinking about your next holiday for it will come sooner than you expect!

Travel opens up everyone and is a great panacea for the many issues affecting us. So do keep travelling and enjoy the experience. You will become a much admired and sought out person for you will have so much to share. A treasure of wealth which all can joy.

Reflections of a holiday in Ooty, Coonor and Coimbatore

“Every night as you go to sleep, your vision doesn’t sleep, your goals don’t sleep, your aspirations don’t sleep, your world doesn’t sleep. The power to make your dreams a reality is in your own hands. Make your move first and he will do the rest for you!”

Since January we had been thinking of going away for a long holiday for rest and quiet away from life’s routines. Considering the hot weather in Chennai from April to June, the preferred location was any nearby hill station with an elevation of over 4000 feet. Our inner mind also craved to complete the much aspired trips to family temples near Coimbatore. That settled it and Nilagiris was the choice.

With support and encouragement from Vivek, Vaishnavi, Arjuna and family friend Jaya, we planned an itinerary for two weeks. From then onwards the rest was only a question of preparation and execution which was fairly easy compared to earlier bridges we have had to cross!

We all have some favorite trains and mine happens to be the Nilagiri blue mountain train running between Chennai and Ooty. We instead drove from Mettupalayam as the hill train was cancelled (a small disappointment). However, the road trip was equally enjoyable with the comfort of breathing the wonderful smell of Eucalyptus as we started climbing through the hairpin bends, appreciating the special signals of our driver to other bus, car and lorry drivers- a very courteous lot!

We halted for an hour near a waterfall for breakfast and continued via Coonoor to reach Ooty. We stopped to buy some fresh vegetable and fruits from the city market enroute and then by lunchtime we checked in to the resort in the lovely Elk hills above the lake. A comfortable room with good furnishings facing the town, a small compact kitchen with all utilities: oven, fridge, utensils, shelves and wash basin. Geetha was quick to unpack and lost no time in busying herself in the kitchenette (as she had come well prepared from Chennai). A menu of Pongal, Sambar and Salad was ready in no time and was the first of very enjoyable meals.

In the early afternoon we went to the botanical gardens (formerly the Royal Botanical gardens) to see the galaxy of flowering plants and lovely decorations for the annual flower show which was scheduled in two days time. We saw vibrant salvia, asters, marygolds, dahlia, anthuriam, hoyhocks, roses, antirinum, sweetpeas, and button roses. We walked down to the Tibetan shops to buy sweaters and scarves (they sell good quality at reasonable prices) and on to commercial road to buy Amma’s favorite homemade chocolates and essential medicated oils. The air became cooler around 4 pm and so we enjoyed a hot cup of Nilagiri tea and biscuits.

During the following days we established a routine of morning walks, trips to Ramakrishna center for prayers and meditation and visits to selected tourist spots in the afternoon. We enjoyed the trips to the rose garden, wax museum, boat house near the lake, chellarams and flower shows. We also browsed and shopped in supermarkets, department stores, modern stores and the shops run by tribal-toddas. Lunch was had out in the Marwari hotel (good, simple food). We could watch the IPL 20 matches in our room and participated in games organised by resort people. We enjoyed a trip to a tea factory to see the process of tea manufacture, buy their special tea packets and joined in a group trip to viewpoints like the Pykkara hydro project. We regularly visited a nearby temple of Vinayaka, Durga, Amma, Navagraha and the hill God Muneeswarar to pray for the success of Arjuna’s Graduation, the winding up from Virginia, safe travel and settlement in Texas and the safe return of Vivek and Cathy to London. The regular feedback we received from Arjun kept us in a peaceful and happy frame of mind. God answered our prayers and we were proud of the role played by all members of the team. Good show!

We said good bye to Ooty on the morning of the seventh day and arrived in Coonor to check in to Hotel Vivek by midday. Here we had to evolve a different routine as there was no facility for cooking. The hotel was in upper Coonoor overlooking a tea estate, fairly close to Sims park and the market area, Bedford circle. The changes unfortunately gave a sore throat for myself and indigestion for Geetha. However with the help of a nice Lady doctor (Dr Chitra Devi originally from Coimbatore) we managed to get the correct diagnosis and medication.

Coonoor is a nice compact place, milder in climate compared to Ooty, a calm, quiet town surrounded by tea estates. It has many famous landmarks like the military academy, Madras regimental centre, needle factory, Ketty valley, Sims horticultural park, boarding schools and shopping malls selling hill products. We spent a lot of time walking around Bedford Circle and Sims park. We also managed a visit to Ketty valley to see a real-estate development covering over 30 acres, where a promoter from Bangalore was developing a layout and selling housing plots from 10 cents (one “cent” is 432 sq feet) to 20,30 and 50 cents. The site is 5 to 6 kilometres from Coonoor (midway between Coonoor and Ooty). The cost and registration of a 10 cent plot comes to 19 lacs and with the construction of a 1000 sq feet house it would come to 32 lacs! Unfortunately this costing does not fit with this writer’s dreams. The vision was to have nice big house in such a hill station in 4-5 acres of wooded land facing a valley. However, some day it will certainly happen!

After 5 lovely days in Coonoor we drove down to Coimbatore to check in at Hotel Sri Lakshmi at Gandhipuram. We had a 3 day plan here which included: a trip to Palakad Manapully Bagavathy temple, a trip to Marudamalai Muruga temple, Saibaba temple, Danavathri temple at Kottakal ayurvedic centre and a trip to Isayoga centre at Vellingiri hill. We managed all the trips very well with help from my friend at Coimbatore, Dr Raghunath, and concluded the visit by boarding the train to Chennai as per schedule. It was very satisfying to be able to thank God in our favorite temples for his support, help, directions and blessings to members of the family: TVR, Geetha, Penny and Bill.

Back at home we settled in immediately, but took a week to get adjusted to the weather! However, it’s a fact of life so no use complaining about it. We surprised our friends with gift packets and showed them the photos. They were happy for us and hoped and prayed that we get blessed with such holidays at least twice a year. For they say we deserve it, will it come true?

Tips on the Stock Market and Mutual Fund Investments

To succeed in the stock market on a long term basis you must set a limit to your ambition by hedging your gains suitably.

Some tips are:

- Have a realistic profit goal and start selling once your goal is achieved.

- Do not aim to sell at peak levels. You do not know what the peak price is until it starts sliding.

- Do not switch to junk stocks. These increase the risk of your portfolio dramatically.

- Switch to bonds with a good credit rating at an appropriate time.

Macro decisions:

- Is it the opportune time for equity investments? There are always booms and slumps, one should invest at the end of a slump and quit before the end of a boom

- Is there a particular industry or institution worth investing in at a certain time? There are “sunrise industries” such as, IT, Electronics, Pharmaceuticals, FMG, Petroleum, Transport, Banking, Housing and Real Estate. Examples of sunset industries include Jute.

- Possible long term gains can be seen in Wind, Solar, Bio-fuel energy companies and those involved in providing infrastructure.

- Differentiation can also made in terms of capital intensive industries (petroleum) and labour intensive industries (textiles).

- It is advisable to develop a good insight to the broad economics of industries and choose the right types.

Micro decisions:

- Choose the right company(ies) based on financial criteria, balance sheet analysis and non-financial areas such as management, reputation and track record.

- Decide on the right price as to whether it is attractive in the current market. The intrinsic worth of a share is assessed through a detailed analysis of a balance sheet

- Prudent investors will not put all their money in one or two scrips because the risk of such a concentration is too high. On the other hand if one diversifies too much the average performance of your portfolio will be mediocre. One has to strike a balance between the two. The portfolio should be reviewed periodically, shuffled and properly managed.

- Products coming from industries such as Telecoms, Cement, Steel, Aluminium, Engineering, Pharmaceuticals, Commercial vehicles, Petroleum products, Tourism, Hotels and domestic vehicles will be in demand with increasing urbanization. Companies which make products of mass consumption at low prices continue to do very well with the increasing population and the subsequent higher demand. It is advisable to watch the trend in consumption pattern of middle and lower middle class sectors and decide your options accordingly.

- Some sectors which are likely to struggle are Alloy Steel, Consumer Electronics, Textiles, Nylon and the Plastic Industries. Others are season specific and can fluctuate like gold , silver and silk and it is wiser to avoid these.

Mutual Funds:

The Mutual Fund industry has grown very rapidly with most of the established, reputed and well known companies, institutions and organizations floating Mutual Fund Divisions. They pool the savings of a large number of individuals and invest them in well researched stocks and portfolios.

- The investors employ the expertise of money mangers who mange their fund portfolio and decide when to buy and what to sell. Therefore this is a good alternative to ones self handling the share market.

- The risk is spread as the investment is both in equity and fixed incomes and tailor-made to the needs of the investor.

- The individual investor is also saved from the bother of chores such as ensuring the safe control of shares and encashing dividend warrants. Also if desired, the gains can be automatically reinvested which an individual investor is unlikely to do.

- Select a fund which permits the manager to switch from equity to bonds and vice versa depending upon the market.

- Do not panic if the fund’s quoted price does not change over a period.

- Study the performance of the fund in both bullish and bearish market conditions.

- Large funds are unlikely to beat the market average, but they are more consistent in their performance.

- Small funds can be nimble in he market and score higher gains when conditions are favorable, but such conditions are unlikely to happen every year.

- To avoid tax, buy shares in funds immediately after dividend is distributed, not before.

- Plan your investments on a regular or even monthly basis from the savings from your early years of employment. This principle of compounding will work favourably to your advantage.

- Do not put all your money in the same fund. Plan a manageable diversified portfolio.

- Do not invest heavily in one specific sector- the risk factor is high.

- Stay invested in Mutual Funds. Do not try and predict which stock or bond market will do better.

- Rebuild your fund portfolio. Throw in a few diversified equity funds for growth options, add a dash of specialty funds, an index fund, a PE fund, or a debt fund.

- Continuously monitor your fund’s performance. The risk that you are willing to take should primarily be based on your needs for fund generation and appreciation and how much you want your funds to earn over a period (say, 3 to 5 years). Think, take expert advice before you decide.

Time-tested money rules and tips

There are a few time-tested rules and strategies in money matters which have been formulated by experts in the field. Understanding and adopting them can help in making the right steps to safeguard our savings and to put them in a place where they will grow and multiply. This money will then come in very useful to meet our essentials of today, whilst ensuring adequate funds for retirement and rainy days.

Earnings and availability of funds have undergone a major change since the 90’s when compared to the 1950’s through to the 80’s. In the early days most working or salaried people received their major benefits at the time of retirement. This in a way was a blessing as it came in handy to meet the needs for retired life. Life remained simple, easily managed and peaceful.

Now times have changed, the young managers of the new generation receive salaries unheard of in our days. Many of them have seen only a buoyant economy. They spend on designer shoes, cars, clothing, foreign holidays, motor bikes and mobile phones (items which are often upgraded or replaced at least twice a year!)

These “money rules” are:

• Start investing early. Most young Indians do not really start investing early enough. The day you start earning is the day you must start investing, it is the time when you have few financial responsibilities and plenty of time on your hands. Use the magic of compounding to your advantage- for example on a tax free public provident fund, an investment of Rs 70000 annually from the age 25 years, gives Rs 1.4 crores, although your investment is only Rs 10.5 lacs. Plan and allocate 25% of your income for savings and investment. Plan and budget your expenditure from the available funds in the remaining 75% of your income.

• Over time, equity investments give the best returns. The notion is that a risky investment gets substantially diluted when you operate with the same fund managers who are experts in mutual funds. The answer is a diversified mutual fund to further reduce the risks.

• Do not invest just to save taxes. Save money and invest it to meet your financial goals. Look at risks, liquidity, returns and taxes before you make a decision. All forms of investments come with some risk, some are transparent, some are not. Equity shares are risky in the short term, but less so in the long term.

• Treat insurance and investment separately. Insurance must be bought to only give your dependents financial security and reduce taxes to some extent. Here also opt for term insurance, because it gives financial security at the lowest costs. Most agents lure you in to buying unit linked plans with much higher premiums and no assured returns. So be careful here.

• Get proper advice and educate yourself. Investing fruitfully is all about education. Family members do not always make good financial advisers! Find a good certified financial planner, demand more of them and ask the right questions.

• Good books to read: “The Intelligent Investor” by Benjamin Graham and “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert T. Kiyosaki. There are also recommended magazines like Money Today, Mutual Fund Insight and leading financial papers.

• Please understand that credit card debt is expensive. Most credit cards charge up to 2.95 % interest per month – that is a whopping 42% per year –do we need it? A bank loan to offset credit card debt is far cheaper.

Get talented with 21 money tips

1. Never lose control of your assets as long as you live. Think twice before you give a power of attorney, or write property away even for your nearest and dearest. Relationships can change over time, so it is better and wiser to will it instead.
2. Write a will. It is not unlucky. It will ensure your assets reach the person or causes you want them to reach. Most people unfortunately postpone writing one, or never do so.
3. Share financial information with your spouse and encourage her/him to take joint charge of affairs.
4. Not all Banks are “as safe as a Bank”. Your money is safest in public sector banks.
5. Keep track of every transaction yourself. Check bills, account statements and computer entries. Do not go by bank or credit card statements alone.
6. If you buy gold ask for Bureau of Indian Standards [BIS] hall mark or applicable standards. One can get easily shortchanged on purity.
7. You no longer have to buy gold to invest in gold. Buy in to a gold exchange traded fund. This way you can’t be robbed of the gold, you don’t have to worry about storing it, and there is no wealth tax or long term capital gains tax.
8. Don’t fall for very high interest rates when you take a fixed deposit. If you are offered incredible high rates, it’s only because others don’t trust them enough to lend them money .The higher the interest rates, the greater will be the chance of losing all your money. Post office term deposits are absolutely safe.
9. You can save up to 2.5% commission if you buy mutual funds directly from the fund’s office instead of buying through an agent (who often gives no advice!).
10. Buying shares online is usually cheaper and faster than buying from a broker. And you get to have more control.
11. Initial public offerings [I POS] of shares aren’t always cheap or as good. Patience is the key, the stock market may you offer a much lower price.
12. You may voluntarily contribute any amount from your salary to your company EPF every month. This way you can take away much more tax money when you retire.
13. As far as possible, don’t withdraw money from your EPF. Keep it as your retirement nest egg. Transfer the balance to your new employer.
14. Read about tax deductions. There are many on the expense of treatment of disabled parents and special tax concessions for senior citizens. Donations to certain charities are often overlooked.
15. Debit cards that don’t require a pin for shopping are not as secure as those that requires a pin. Anybody who finds it may use it at a shop
16. If your credit card, that is lost or stolen, gets used fraudulently, refuse to pay up for somebody else’s spending and contest such charges. The merchant who sold the goods should have checked the signature as per his agreement with the card issuer. In most countries abroad, cards with the same logos as in India offer ‘zero liability’ to the cardholder in case of fraud, even if you did not report the loss of a card. Most card companies are not offering this to Indian customers only because we are not questioning such discrimination.
17. Make a note of whether our credit card offers accident and disability insurance. Reports say there are fewer claims on such insurences, because many card holders are not aware of it.
18. A zero percent loan is never what it claims. You get no discounts; you pay things like processing fees, delivery charges, and service tax. Watch out for hidden interests.
19. Shares can be stolen from your demat account. Check your account frequently. You can have it frozen against any debit, if you don’t plan to sell soon.
20. If you own shares that pay dividends, a good growth strategy is to re-invest all dividends back into more shares. If they are mutual funds, choose a dividend re-investment plan.
21. Systematic investment plans in equities work on “rupee cost averaging”. But they don’t always give you gains as claimed. However it makes you invest regularly which is a good habit.

Happiness unlimited

At times, during moments of reflection, I recall the days spent with my parents during school and college years and the times I visited Coimbatore with my wife Geetha. Appa and Amma lived in Coimbatore town, in a locality called Saibaba, a colony near the hills of the famous Marudhamalai. There they had lived 30 years and therefore the house and people who have lived there remain in my thoughts each time I take this journey.

They lived a life of care and concern, love and companionship, with a spirit of give and take and supportive friendship. Each had a well structured daily routine which did not encroach upon the time and space of the other. In general there was overall peace and contentment as their wants and needs were limited and they were happy with what they had. This was a prime reason for their peaceful days.

One of their key activities in a routine day would be to discuss recent issues, topics or news that had come from their children or grand-children (which numbered twenty plus!). The welfare of the family was always in their minds and how they could give possible support and help for the needy. A letter, a phone call, or a message from any one of us became the day’s topic for them. An announcement of a visit from any one of the members of the family became a message of joy, and preparation and plans would begin immediately. My mother was a well organised person and had even earned the nickname “Manager” (from my brother Das) which gives credit to her status as a person expert in managing many portfolios.

My memories go back to my school days at Ambalavayal in Wyanad, Kerala. I had managed fairly above average grades and had even won special prizes for outstanding performances. These awards were given during school functions and my parents would always be there to cheer and appreciate me. Appa, being a chief physician of our hospital, was a well known and popular personality and therefore his son winning prizes was special to many! Such days were very special for them and I enjoyed seeing their pride and happiness as they talked about me to their friends and well wishers, as if their son had won a very great prize. My enjoyment at seeing their happiness laid the foundation for other achievements in my college days. Many ranks, first marks, distinctions and medals came to me out of their encouragement, cheer and joy. But behind all this were sacrifices they had made and the extraordinary support they had given; examples of which are too numerous to list. I was duty bound to pay them back with achievements to bring cheer and happiness to their faces.

It was my habit to bring home a basket of hill vegetables from Ooty, where I served as an agricultural officer in the State Department of Agriculture following my graduation. I knew both of them liked good vegetables and Amma enjoyed the job of sorting and storing them in an orderly fashion. Amma’s close friends also received a share. Appa would say that half the Ooty vegetable market had come home! It saved them the trouble of going to market for two weeks and this gave me lot of satisfaction. Amma would cook her special dishes for me during such trips. Simple, small acts can bring in very satisfying results to all concerned.

During our holiday trips to Coimbatore, we used to stop over on the way at Annapoorna Hotel to buy my parents’ favourite breakfast dishes. Appa liked rice, thair vada and karapoondhi and Amma enjoyed masala dosai, poori and vegetable rice. It saved them time in the kitchen and all of us used to enjoy the breakfast whilst catching up with news. Our next session would invariably be the gift session of the special items which we gave to them with joy. We enjoyed the radiance in their faces and appa would say I must have spent a fortune! However, what we gave was nothing to compared to what we had received from them.

Another aspect which I remember still, was my practice to send a money order to Appa every month and also during special occasions like festivals and birthdays. I knew this money would be very useful for them, but what gave me more joy was to hear Amma describing the scene when the postman came home to deliver the money order. As per Appa’s practice, he would receive the postman well, carefully check the money order, taking his time to sign the receipt and count the cash, and would then offer a tip to the post man with happiness. Amma would have to wait patiently all the time for the completion of this ritual! They would immediately write thanking me and would include all the news from home. Such acts of gratitude go a long way to help and guide us in our daily lives. Behind us and the things we do are our parents good wishes and whole hearted blessings.

My wife, Geetha, planned with me to buy the useful small items which would make their days better. So we started saving for months ahead before our trips home. We enjoyed buying these items from local supermarkets during our trips, much to the delight of our parents. Money does bring happiness sometimes when used wisely.

The time to say farewell was always hard, but the joy continued till the last hours prior to our departure. Amma would make food for the train journey, all my favourite items: coconut rice with a side dish of fried vadams, idli with podi, curd rice and home made pickle. Foods cooked with love and care will always turn out well.

Lasting happiness comes from simple acts of love and care. The value of these get enhanced when you give them to your near and dear ones, particularly your parents. Remembering this and praying to them will greatly help us in our lives, for they will continue to bless us all the time, either with us now, or in heaven. So why not make the most of it as early as possible? Opportunities of this kind do not come twice.

Born to live free

Homo Sapiens are said to be the species to which all modern human beings belong, with the same characteristic needs and desires. In most cases these needs form the shape of a pyramid. In the base of the pyramid lie the foundation needs. For example, survival followed by food needs, protection and preservation. Then comes the need to relate, bond, marry and procreate. These are closely linked with the process to compete, territorial rights and establish one’s station in society.

During these processes we experience éclat highs, crushing downfalls, mediocre middles and all are dovetailed with intense emotions of joy and sorrow. Any effort to predict the timing and duration of such happenings is a futile exercise, and one is better off accepting these things as they come in and to make the best of it. This journey is akin to travel on a long distance train, wherein we have distances to travel, or in a theatre where we have roles to play, where we come across new experiences and different interactions. These experience get stored in our memory, only to surface when we need (and also when we do not need!).

Then comes a period which calls for reflection or looking back. This commonly happens around the age of 45 or so. Many would become satisfied with their growth and achievements and would only aim to protect the same. However this is not the same for a select few. They feel the urge to give back some good or positive contribution to the society which helped them to attain this status. It could be an establishment of centres of learning, schools, colleges or of health care centres, hospitals and research centres for solutions to common problems affecting many. Similarly, some could look to welfare homes to providing shelter and food for the aged.

Having done this, one can also begin to focus beyond. As a result, the highest point of the pyramid comes into view. The search takes one beyond for a basic understanding of “self” and the purpose of one’s birth in the larger scheme of things. We realise that accumulated emotions of anger, hatred, negative thoughts and unfulfilled expectations have no place in the format now. We begin to appreciate the value of fellow feeling, care and concern to all humans and other living forms. This gives the power and ability to attract peace and happiness for one’s self and also share with the needy. Opportunities are sought to ventilate one’s experiences through reflection in writing, visual forms or addresses to select forums. These will benefit many and in the process obtain solutions and answers to unanswered questions .

To be born as human is a special gift of God. It is said that this is achieved after many years of prior births, different forms and shapes which are considered lower in ranking of differentiation and rationalisation. With this comes a responsibility and a need to respect and support the needy beyond self and own family! The satisfaction, joy and happiness one can get as a result of this altered thinking process has to be experienced to understand the difference. This is far higher in quantum and value as compared to accumulated wealth, fame and power. This is possible and achievable and the only requirement is a will and a determination, both of which are possible and attainable provided we make the first move. God will take care of the rest with his continued support and guidance. As they say, the earth is full of opportunities –for doing good also!

Chennai is now a favoured destination

Chennai becomes a very special city for tourists and locals during the months of November, December, and January. A fusion [ called Sangamum in Tamil] happens. There is music in the air, Carnatic songs and clasical keerthanas are sung by exponents in concert halls accompanied by instrumental musicians on violin, Mirdangam and Ganjira. Dance presentations such as Bharat Natyam, Kutchupudi, and Odessy take place. So do drama and theatre festivals, craft, art expositions, book exhibitions, Pongal festival , magic shows and circus shows. You name it, its all there, reflecting our culture and heritage. The mild weather prevailing during these months encourage our participation and involvement.

These are special months for the deeply religious. The Tamil months of Kathigai and Margazhi are considered very auspicious. Devotees of Muruga and Ayyappa undertake their Padayathra trip to the hills after the austerity days. The fronts of houses are decorated with Ramgoli and lamps. Sisters pray for the welfare of their brothers and brothers in turn give presents and gifts!

The state sponsored Trade and Tourism fair takes place in the city with stalls of departments, industries, traders and special organizations. In addition there are eateries, fun games, special promotions of furniture, household and electrical items such as air-conditioners, TVs and cars all in the comfort of the trade centre. Expositions of exclusive handicraft items, village artisan’s products, clay products, leather and brass wares can also be found on show!

We have heard of the Dubai and Singapore shopping festivals and now we have a Chennai shopping festival too. During the last week of December and first week of January most of the department stores come out with unbelievable discount offers for all products of home use. It’s a great shopping phase for all middle class people and many save up during the year to avail these offers! They share information with friends and it is a fun time, a happy phase for all, as new products come home much to the merriment of all concerned. It is also a two sided coin as the benefit goes both to buyers and sellers.

Pongal is the harvest festival which is celebrated with prayers and thanksgiving to the Sun. This is followed by thanksgiving to the bulls and cows (our farmer’s friends). These are big annual events in the villages and smaller towns of Tamil Nadu.

We also have an annual cultural event conducted by students of IIT called Sarang. Music performances [Indian and western], dance shows, clay modeling, crosswords and plate painting are some of the events. Then there is the Mega Book Exhibition with over 150 stalls displaying the latest and most famous books in the market.

The annual conference of Theosophists is conducted in spacious premises in Adyar. Delegates come world over for the conference, discussions, groups and meetings. The Festival of Kalashetra gets underway with wonderful dance dramas and music performances, beautifully presented in open air and indoor auditoriums. We also have the Chennai Sangamam Shows wherein artists from rural South India come in groups to present at various events. These are a fascinating reflection of village arts, dances, music on drums and is a state promoted project to revive and help village artisans.

We get the opportunity to hear the lectures of well known speakers like Swami Dyanandha, Swami Boomanandha, Swami Paramarthananda, Nochur Venkatramanji, Swami Sudhananda and others. Specific chapters of the Bhagavad Gita are taken up for weeks of presentations in auditoriums. Each day’s session would be a maximum of two hours, and each are very useful teachings and rare opportunities to correct our living styles and attitudes.

In addition to all this many special events take place such as the Heritage Walks. Groups of people are taken around the historic places of Chennai escorted by a guide. Places to be seen include forts, palaces, ancient churches, temples, museums and Adyar Creek. There are tree walks in the Guindy National Park for schools students. Then there is the turtle walk which takes place on full moon days along the coast during the egg laying season, which all age groups participate in.

Rarely does one get such opportunities to witness as many events in three months! Chennai is very popular and is catching the eye of everyone in India as well as people from overseas. The festival has evolved and is run by local people for the benefit of everyone! This trend is likely to continue in the coming years on a much bigger scale and will invite tourist groups from all over to come to India and Chennai.

Life and Living - A Holistic View

All of us have come in to this world as a gift of God, to learn, explore, and to try and understand the million things unknown to us. An opportunity given equally to all human beings, to live every moment to the best of your ability and in such a way that it is also beneficial to other human beings, your society, country, world and yourself! When you live your life only for yourself and your family, you encircle yourself like a frog in a well, with limited opportunity to grow beyond. In the process you don’t get to realize and grow to your full potential.

When you begin to think of others, closely related and connected to your present, then you will begin to realize something else, which is the truth in a totally different dimension. This is the God with whose grace you are born, your parents and family members who have helped your growth and development, your teachers and guides who have shaped your career, the organizations and the country who have given you the opportunities and the list goes on. Suddenly a question will come to your mind as to how and in what way you are going to return the help, show your gratitude and give back to all of them. You then will begin to see the truth and will prepare a plan of action to give back, reach out and help. While doing so you will experience a unique and special feeling which can not be put in words. That becomes your path of Dharma. In the process you will elevate yourself to a higher plane, a feeling of bliss, joy and happiness experienced by the great Saints and devotees.

The will to win should become our secondary nature. Dream big, stretch your abilities and capacities and discover your hidden potential. Never be daunted by failures, accept every minus as a stepping stone for achieving a plus and see the difference. Life is full of opportunities, there are enough treasures to fill everyone’s pocket. Seek and fill your pocket, leave a pathway and legacy for others to follow. Life is an opportunity (you only live once and not twice!) and its up to you to make good use of it for time and tide gone will not come back for you. If we analyze the “what we can” achievements we will find that they have been achieved with a courage to imagine and a boldness to dream.

All proposals for success depend on unreasonable men, unreasonable not in terms of mindless rebellion, but in terms of continuously trying to adapt the world to their vision. In the process one must strive for excellence or even perfection in any task, however small, and never be satisfied with the second best. Always remember we should be opportunity seekers and never become opportunists!

We all generally have three distinct phases in our lives. The most enjoyed childhood and formative years: joyful moments and experiences, days of joy and happiness and day’s unhappiness and pain-a phase of vigor and vibrant days. Having enjoyed this, it is our duty to provide the needed opportunity and support for our children also to get these experiences, something which all treasure, so as to recall and live back. This will give us the recharge to go on with the present.

In the middle years we channel all our resources and energy to reach our goal and direction in our chosen career and field, to provide the basics for the family, to help the growth and development of our kin and in the process create opportunities for others. This can be a help to meet their basic needs of food, health, education, work/employment and housing. Being married to a person with a similar approach, understanding, faith and direction gets us a life partner, friend, philosopher and guide. We will establish a close bondage with another soul who will be with us as we enter the next phase.

I do not like to call this a “retired phase”, for there is no such thing as retirement, this is a period of more opportunities. To do all the things which one could not do earlier for reasons of time or opportunity. So we have to plan ourselves for this phase. This is also the time to live very well, for you owe it to your wife and the wife owes it to her husband! Life after retirement is worth living and there is plenty to do. Unwind with your hobbies, be a gardener, an educationist, a social worker, a writer (all your experiences), a social activist to support the causes of the downtrodden, a painter, learn a new language, travel to all the places you have wanted to, visit orphanages, senior citizen homes, understand their problems and extend whatever help possible and be a supportive senior (may be a grandpa or grandma) who has the time and resources to solve the problems of the young. There is no limit to what you can do for happiness in old age depends on your own mental make up. Never be worried about health problems, get your health check ups regularly, take your regular medicines, do your daily reading, walking, meditation, spend time with family and above all be smiling and cheerful- create a welcome home for all. Even in your “retirement”!

We all love to be remembered. As we remember our elders, so we like ourselves to be remembered. The experiences and memories we leave behind are the ones which will stay a long time to guide and cheer our following generations, now and in the days to come.

Life restarts at sixty

The coming of sixty years denotes the beginning of a very personal, exciting phase of life. It is very challenging and equally thrilling because to make it a success or failure depends greatly on your mental framework and attitude. The positive factor here being your own achievements in the past 60 years, God wants you to live this phase still better and therefore this opportunity has been given to you! An opportunity to catch up with all that you could not do, for whatever reasons, they do not matter now, for what matters is here is the chance, better make good use of it!

In order to make a success of this important activity one needs to shake off and shed a few things. The computer savvy among you will understand if I say erase or delete here! Foremost in this list are words like AGE and RETIREMENT. Age has never been a yardstick to measure one’s personality/attitude/or abilities. Ageing is a part of nature or growing up and has many positives which offer immense benefit. In real life there is nothing called retirement from all. It is a word coined by those escapists who want to hide in their own web or cocoon. Like self pity all these thoughts can trigger negative emotions and they rightly deserve to be tossed in to a dustbin or moved to the delete section! We see many people nearing sixty starting to give over importance to their health problems or ailments and will only talk about this most of the time. This neither helps them, the ailment or the listener! In fact this can be their favorite topic for all occasions which psychologists would term as attention seeking techniques. So why join the band wagon? Be different, live your sickness cheerfully with the support of medicines, Yoga, and meditation. Think of the millions who have much more serious ailments, but who live better than you. In fact they can make others laugh, so where is the problem? It remains well hidden in our mental framework, fuelled by unrealistic and unknown perceptions.

Sixty therefore is not the time to withdraw from life, on the contrary with our background and experiences in life, we can be much sought after persons. This is the time when one is free from routine family obligations, job pressures, and is at peace with one’s self! Double blessed are those who have an understanding spouse with similar perceptions of life. The love, peace, and joy one experiences kindles our imagination. As a result creativity blossoms and spritual awareness is pronounced with deeper insights in to life. We become balanced, content with minimum essential needs and wants. As a result a great spectrum of happiness emanates within you, which you only can experience and enjoy! In this stage and phase the imbalances of daily life will hardly make a dent in you as you learn to forgive and forget.

We are now free to explore all that life has to offer! Be it a new hobby, learning a language, music, writing, travelling to new locations, gardening, cooking new recipies, painting, mountaineering, exploring jungles, learning yoga, meditation, enrolling for voluntary social work, giving a helping hand to orphanages/senior citizens homes….the list is limitless! Sixty is certainly not the time to abandon your desires or interests; rather it is the ideal time to pursue your long cherished dreams, passions and past times. Listen to your voice and out will come a long list of things undone for many reasons and now is the opportunity. Remember most of the Nobel Prize winners in all fields are veterans.

So sixty is not the end! It’s a renewal or a new beginning. Accept the realities, but do not succumb to them. Ageing is inevitable, as is the associated symptoms such as absent mindedness, but this does not affect our creativity, mental acumen, shrewdness or discerning ability. Like our body which needs a dose of physical activity and exercise to stay fit, our mind must also be kept engaged, kept stimulated and rejuvenated with new things which we enjoy doing. Sixty is the right time to reassess our life and plans and act to fill up the gaps to the greatest extent. We have handy tools like the computer, internet, Dish TVs, cell phones and a big range of electronic gadgets which helps us to connect to people far and wide, to such an extent that loneliness will become a forgotten word.

We can become achievers even after sixty, for achievers are not born, they are made! It is not through inheritance, family lineage, connections or support. History tells us such back door entries have never sustained nor celebrated the joy of achievement. This is the time to gain and to give. Senior citizens are much cared and sought after in countries like India, Japan and China for they have so much to give. The paths they have travelled are milestones and directions to the emerging younger generations. This will direct them to achieve a balanced life with a good foundation on spiritual wisdom, build a super structure adapting to current needs and never to sway to temporary swings and attractions. Like a land mark, you will live a life well lived and well remembered.

Badrinath Kedarnath Yatra

Located in the mountains of Utter Pradesh [Garhwal and Kumaon] is the holy shrine Badrinath.

Badrinath is the abode of Lord Vishnu, cradled in the twin mountains of Nar and Narayan. On the left is the river Alaknanda and at one time the spot was carpeted with badries [wild berries] and hence the name badrivan .

The present temple was built about two centuries ago. There are 15 idols, the principal idol represents Vishnu in a meditative posture. The temple was built by Aadhi Sankara and has 3 sections: the Garba Graha (sanctum sanctorum), Darsan Mandap (for poojas/archanas) and Shoba Mandap (for devotees to assemble).

Other attractions are the natural thermal springs on the banks of the river, which are said to have medicinal properties. There is also Lake Hemkund [43 kms] near the valley of flowers. Along its shore is the sacred Sikh shrine where Guru Govind Singh is unified with God.

The best time to visit is between May and October, with May to August being optimum (cool during the day and cold at night).

Kedarnath is the holy abode of Lord Siva, one of the 12 Jothir lingas in the country, located at an altitude of 3584 metres on the head of the river Mandakini. This is one of the holiest pilgrimages for Hindus and the temple built by Aadhi Sankara is said to be over 1000 years old with a Garba Graha for worship and a mandab for the assembly of visitors.

According to the legend, Lord Siva wished to elude the Pandavas who had come to seek penitence for having killed their kin in the battle of Kurushetra. Siva took refuge in Kedarnath in the form of a bull. Bhima found Siva among the herds and grabbed him from the hind quarters. What remains in the shrine of Kedarnath is the rear end of the bull, with the rest of the body scattered throughout the Garhwall. Lord Siva dived in to the ground leaving behind him a hump on the surface. This conical protrusion is worshipped as the idol, it is the main site of worship in Panch Keda Temple.

There are 4 other Kedars –Tunganath, Rudra nath, Madya Maheswar, and Kalpeswar. All these are in mountain meadows at higher altitudes than Kedarnath.

Other attractions close by are:

• Chorabari [2 kms]-a small lake with floating ice
• Vasuki tall [6kms]- a picturesque lake
• Gaurikund [14 kms] trekking base to Kedarnath-hot springs
• Som Pryag [ 20 kms ] –confluence of two rivers-som ganga and mandakini
• Gupta Kasi-[49 kms] temples of Ardha Nareeswarar and Viswanath
• Ukshi nath-[60 kms] winter home of deity of Kedarnath
• Agasthya muni [73kma] famous temple dedicated to sage Agasthya
• Chadra shila [93 kms] the peaks provide a rare view of snow clad peaks/forests/meadows
• Deoria tall [68 kms] a beautiful lake