WORLD'S END

World's End is a fantastic location in Sri Lanka on the Horton Plains near Nuwara Eliya.  It is at an altitude of 6000 ft above sea level.  The only way to see the World's End is by trekking and for me and my wife it was the toughest walk in our lives so far.  We walked 9 kms stretch along the tough terrain and it took us a good six hours to complete the trekking.

We started walking at 8 a.m. and completed the entire stretch of walking by 2 p.m. in the afternoon.  We first reached the Mini World's End which is a fantastic view point.  As we were there before mid day there was no mist and the view was very clear.  We were told that the view is clear only in the mornings as there is too much of mist after mid day.

From there we walked further 2 kms to reach the World's End which is at a different mountain and gives the same view of the longest river in Sri Lanka the River Mahaweli.  There are no roads, no pavements, no interlock blocks to comfortably walk.  The entire stretch is walk into the jungle through the rocks, sand, slopes and steep terrain.  It was quite an exercise for the mind and body.  We were very careful in placing every step as the ground was completely uneven and hence it was extremely uncomfortable.

We thought that we have covered a great distance and reached more than half of the way but our guide told us that we had another 2 kms to walk to reach the Baker's Falls.  Reaching the Water Falls was really very tough as the path was very steep, slippery and very tricky with lot of rocks and stones.

We were extremely happy and delighted that we have seen the Mini World's End, World's End and also the Baker Falls.  That happiness and delight was short lived as the Guide told us that we have a 3.5 km walk back to the starting point.

The final stretch of 3.5 kms was through the mountains and valley.  It was very picturesque.  There are 20 Leopards and 3000 Samba Deers in the Horton Plains.  While walking back to the starting point we saw the corpse of a Samba Deer which was killed by a Leopard the previous day.

The guide told us that the Leopard will stay in the close vicinity as he takes about 10 - 15 days to completely eat the Samba Deer.  I was very scared as I kept thinking what I will do if the leopard suddenly appeared.  The guide told me not to worry as the Samba meat is far superior and tastier compared to mine and hence he said the Leopard will not do any harm to me.  I then realised that there is hardly any meat in my body as compared to the healthy and huge Samba Deer.

Finally reaching the starting point was really difficult particularly the last one kilometer walk.  Very strenuous and tiring indeed as we have never ever walked for 6 hours in our life in one day, that too on very tough and rugged terrain.

On the whole it was a very satisfying, unique and pleasurable experience.

It was a lovely experience of a lifetime.  Anybody visiting Sri Lanka should not miss visiting the Horton Plains.

T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
29th August 2013.

CROP CIRCLES

Crop Circles are huge designs that are formed on large stretches of farm lands.  Are these man-made? or do they suddenly appear overnight due to some work of extraterrestrial bodies?  These are huge patterns that are formed in the agricultural fields and are of perfect shape and unimaginably accurate dimensions.

The Crop Circles are not necessarily circular in shape.  It is a pattern created by flattening of the crop such as Wheat or Barley or Maize.

More than 25 countries have reported nearly 10,000 Crop Cirlces in the last third of the 20th Century and nearly 90% of them were located in Southern England.

The mere dimensions and size of the Crop Circles make them truly amazing and magnificent.  The Crop Circles became popular after the media reported them in 1980s from Hampshire and Wiltshire in England.  Apart from England there are several Crop Cirlces which are found in USA, Japan and Canada.

The shapes are really mind boggling when you look at them "Far from the Farm" as the true shape and pattern emerges when you go to a higher altitude to look at them.

Watch this video on the Earth going through the warm hole:



Whether these are man-made or not, these patterns are truly amazing and wonderful to look at.

It is not easy to create these patterns and shapes.  It is a phenomenon which has made me think deeply on the nature and the need to preserve nature.



T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
26th August 2013

GIVE AND TAKE POLICY

Give and Take is a good policy which signifies that you first give before you take.  I believe in Givers Gain Philosophy which is being followed in Business Network International (BNI).  The more you give you gain the most through the experience of giving.

We live in a world in which instead of giving and then taking people believe that others should give and they would always take.

Givers may think that they are losing by giving but actually they gain in the long run.  The takers would feel they are gaining when they take but eventually they would lose everything if they are only taking and not giving anything at all.

Watch this interesting video by Prof.Grant who is also a very good magician:



My Experience of "Give and Take Policy" which I have seen in my interaction with various people over the last several years can be summarised as follows:

I GIVE money, you TAKE away my earnings
I GIVE my savings, you TAKE my peace of mind
I GIVE love, you TAKE your own time to reciprocate
I GIVE my time, you TAKE advantage of me
I GIVE kindness, you TAKE it as my weakness
I GIVE my efforts, you TAKE the benefits
I GIVE my brain power, you TAKE the value addition that flows
I GIVE in, you TAKE the lead
I GIVE my assets, you TAKE the income that flows
I GIVE because I believe in giving, you TAKE because you believe in only taking and not giving
I GIVE because I enjoy giving, you TAKE because you think I am stupid

Whatever be the experiences with people, I strongly believe in Givers Gain philosophy.  I will continue to GIVE and GIVE and GIVE.  What about you?

T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
11th August 2013

RETIRED LIFE

Retirement age is generally 60 and what does one do after retirement.  Some people do not retire at all and continue to work till they drop dead.  Some people indulge in social service and enjoy retired life.  Some people do nothing and enjoy life.  Some people watch TV serials from morning to night and read the whole newspaper including classified, matrimony, etc.  Some people retire from work and think that they have reached the end of their life and do nothing after retirement.

For some people life actually begins at retirement.  In the case of my parents a new life began after my father retired from work.

Over the last 10 years my parents have been spending their time in stitching different designs of dresses and other ornamental clothing for Hindu Temples.  My father Shri.T.R.Parthasarathy, who is 84 years old, takes care of the cutting of the canvas and velvet cloth whilst my mother Smt.Pushpa Parthasarathy, who is 78 years old, does the stitching.

The Priests of various temples bring the samples and then TRP and TPP swing into action to create a replica with some modifications in the design.

They both visit the shops in Parrys Corner in Chennai once a month to buy their raw materials and are very busy from morning 9 a.m. to evening 6 p.m. doing this service to various Hindu Temples.  Some of the items that they have done recently were available at home when I visited Chennai last week.  I have captured some of these in my iPhone:

Every day they are creating different designs and they devote all the time and energy in their pursuit to create these wonder handmade dress for the Gods and Godesses of various temples.  It is one way of serving the God and it gives them the requisite satisfaction and pleasure.

Over the last few years they have also taught their craft to various ladies in the neighborhood in Triplicane in Chennai.  Lot of people come seeking their help for creating these dresses and ornamental fittings and their never ending flow of new designs keeps them and their clients very happy.

This is a very unique service which is difficult to replicate or carry on as a legacy through the next generation.  I pray to God that they both live a long life with good health and continue to stay happy.

My father retired from work but is now enjoying his new engagement of creating handmade dresses for Hindu Temples and is very happy to be of assistance to my Mother.  Their bonding has gone to a different level over the last 10 years and I have come to know a new dimension to the so called "Retired Life".  Once you are Retired from work you can start a new Life and hence I think they coined it as Retired Life.

I am very proud of my parents and indeed fortunate to have born to this wonderful couple.

T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
9th August 2013

VASTU SHASTRA

VASTU PURUSHA MANDALA

Vastu Shastra is all about flow of energy.  In China they call it Feng Shui.  The layout of the house and placement of various things in the house is based on the flow of energy.  Vastu Shastra is entirely about the directional alignment in the house.  This will help in the proper and easy flow of energy.  When energy flows freely it helps in overall development and prosperity.

The concept of Vastu Shastra is based on the theory that the world comprises of five elements, viz., Earth, Water, Air, Fire and Space.  These five elements have an invisible and constant relationship.  Vastu Shastra combines all the five elements of nature and balances them with the person and the material in the house.  It takes advantage of the benefits bestowed by the five elements of nature to create a congenial living and working environment thereby facilitating spiritual well-being and paving the way for the enhanced health, wealth, prosperity and happiness.



Home is known as "Human Temple".  The Vastu Purusha is the cosmic man and is the presiding diety of any site.  He is depicted as lying on the site with the head in the northeast and legs in the southwest.  There are 45 gods and 32 outer deities in the Vastu Mandala.

North is ruled by the god of Wealth - Kubera
South is ruled by lord of death - Yama
East is ruled by Solar Diety - Indra
West is ruled by lord of Water - Varuna
Center is ruled by creator of the universe - Brahma

The Southeast corner is known as Agni Moola - the fire diety
The Northwest corner is known as Vayu Moola - the god of winds
The Northeast corner is the Eshanya Moola - ruled by lord Shiva
The Southwest corner is ruled by ancestors - Pitru

The chart below shows the ideal placement of different utilities and requirements in the house:

Many people think that following Vastu Shastra is superstitious but it is a science which works on flow of energy.  There is scientific proof on the benefits that the people living in the house would derive from following the Vastu Shastra.

Nowadays most of us are not living in independent houses and we are confined to our pigeon holes called Apartment.  Vastu Shastra cannot be fully and properly complied in an apartment and hence certain balancing has to be done.  The balancing act is done through placement of Fish Tanks, Mirror, Wind Chimes and Pyramids in the house at the appropriate locations.

To lead a life with good health, wealth, peace and happiness it is better to follow the Vastu Shastr and most importantly seek professional help.

T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
7th August 2013

SUSPENDED FOOD

Suspended Food is a new concept that is catching up all over the world.  When you go to a restaurant you order food for two and eat your share.  The other share is reserved for a person who needs the food and cannot afford to pay for the same.

It all began nearly 100 years ago in Italy with the "caffe sospeso" which means "Suspended Coffee".  The customer will pay twice for one espresso, instructing the baristo to record the extra amount.  Paid items would then remain in the logbook until someone less fortunate would come and ask for something to drink. They would then be served the coffee for free.

It is a fantastic system that works on goodwill whereby the donors would never meet the beneficiaries.

Starbucks adopted the campaign recently and took the concept of "Suspended Coffee" across the world.

The Good Samaritans in Singapore have started a facebook campaign through a fb page "chope food for the needy".  It will allow people to reserve food in the food court and hawker stalls around the city and the food will be served to the needy.

The concept of "Suspended Food" has caught on well in Hongkong as well.  Watch this video:

While feeding yourself and treating yourself to a good lunch you end up paying for food which is reserved for someone who needs it and does not have the means to pay.  You do not know who that someone is and will never get to know or identify.  It is a great feeling to do something for someone whom you dont know and will never be able to identify and meet.

While it is a fantastic concept the real challenge is in implementing it and ensuring that the purpose is served well.  If the restaurant that I frequent is willing to do this in a credible way, I will have no hesitation to pay for two meals every time I go there to have a meal.

T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
31st July 2013

EXPERT

Who is an Expert?  Who can be an Expert?  Nowadays everybody is claiming to be an Expert in something or the other.  I was wondering how one can become an Expert? or when one can claim to be an Expert?

Why do you want to be an Expert?  If the objective is to reach a leadership position in the chosen field then it is important to gain the in-depth knowledge and expertise.

The most important and the first investment to be made by someone wanting to be an Expert is time and energy.  If the time is not allocated for upgrading the knowledge and gaining expertise then it would never be possible for one to become an Expert.

First to become an Expert there has to be a proper and positive Mindset.  The positive mindset will lead to professionalism and help gain further knowledge.  An open mind to upgrade and improve the knowledge base as well as the technical skills in the chosen field is the key to success.  This will also help to build the will power and self motivation to achieve greater heights.

Regular and sustained practice will help to perfect what we have chosen to do.  Through practice and repeated execution of the chosen task experience will be gained and thereby the expertise will automatically be gathered.

Positive Mindset to get the expertise and rigorous practice alone will not help us to become an Expert.  It is extremely important to build a network with the best in the chosen field and get feedback from them.  The feedback that we get from the Industry Peers who are best in what they do will also help us to constantly improve and get to appropriate bench-marking.  Over a period of time instead of bench-marking with the best we will become the best to be bench-marked by others.

Above all you should love what you are doing.  People expect a high level of substance, experience and knowledge which should get coupled with passion.  We will be passionate about our chosen field only when we form a love for what we do.  An expert will have a passion and a deep love for the chosen activity or skill or field.

To stay an Expert it is important to indulge in Continuous Education.  Reading, Writing, Speaking and consulting on the chosen area will help to stay focused.  Focus and ability to dig deeper into the chosen field will eventually help us to stay as an Expert for a long long time.

Each one of us is capable of becoming an Expert.

T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
16th July 2013.