God’s Gender

I’m an agnostic. Yet, I cannot help but wonder the trail of thought in the human mind. Time and again, across all religions I know, people refer to God as HIM. Whether God exists inside each one of us or outside is in our perception. The interesting thing still being that both genders refer to God as HIM.

This must make me a maverick. I find God to be more of a HER, if a gender must to be assigned. I would’ve ideally just left it at something of a higher power without a gender but let’s just stick with this.

The masculine energy denotes aggression, power, and offense. But it is the feminine energy which is receptive, loving, caring and understanding. Every one of us has both attributes within. When we choose to balance the two, we are at peace with ourselves. While the masculine vibes are testosterone driven, the feminine soothes and keeps everyone rooted to their purpose. The feminine receptivity also teaches us to accept everything around for what they are and give everyone a chance to see themselves deep within.

Great wars have been fought over such fragility. These wars have been accepted and best sellers written. The marauders have always been men and hordes of innocent lives have been lost all to make a woman part of a harem. The thrill of the hunt seems to drive the male more than the actual spoil itself. These numerous glorified stories always have the same ending. Deaths and sacrifice romanticized to justify man’s killing.

We associate God with compassion. Pure love irrespective of any deed committed. Compassion is at the highest level of love where one feels grateful and wishes well for all others. This is one of the most powerful feminine traits for keeping peace and moving on the path of spirituality. Compassion alleviates suffering. It causes us to empathize with our fellow organisms. It is a natural feminine instinct and the virtue that we see in ourselves when we seek God and wish that God treats us the same way.

So perhaps God could be a SHE more often that not. Or is it just a reminder for us?

Deccan Trails – A versatile getaway

This is a gear headed post written by a hapless romantic. Read on to be confused.
The leviathan roared. As a grin spread across my face from ear to ear, I felt this white beast getting ready to chomp the 68 km meandering stretch to Deccan Trails. Jaggu was kind enough to loan me his Safari for the day’s trip that we had planned.

I pushed in the key and gleefully felt the engine rumbling to life. Having stocked enough food and water to last a small war, the 8 of us were ready to make the little trip. My better half sat next to me in the front and vanished inside the huge bucket seat. The rest were bundled behind. A nudge of the throttle and the beast grunted slowly out onto the main roads unwillingly. The traffic was stifling and city roads were clearly not for the Safari. Autos shifted chaotically like blobs of cholesterol blocking other traffic and RTC buses regurgitated venom from their horns to dissipate everything out of the way. I was getting irritated and my calves were cursing me for working them dry on the clutch.

But once we reached Langar House, the traffic thinned out and I had all my freedom to ride as I pleased. The grin reappeared on my face and I stepped on the gas. The double CAMS and 16 valves synched to pull the 2 ton monster away. A second later, the turbo charger kicked in and the needle touched a 100. I was reliving the Fast and the Furious. Sweaty palms and brows, mind and body is perfect unison as I veered past the other lowly 4 wheeled contraptions. The kids were overjoyed at flying so low over potholes but alas! It was not to be

A chatter that started slowly grew louder by the minute. It turned out to be frightened Uncle’s teeth who was also white knuckled as he held on tight for dear life and saw the roads and some of his life go by. My better half’s hot glare bore a hole in my temple and the message was clear. Decelerate or suffer the consequences. I looked mournfully at the beast who grunted his approval and settled down to a more sedate purr. Sigh.

The route was beautiful as greenery presented itself on both sides of the road. Pattering drizzles lent a warm, romantic welcome to our presence. We slowed down on the way to admire a small trough full of fields with the clouds and sun above showing off their preserved beauty. Even the beast quietened down in the face of nature and enjoyed the ride.

As we entered the Deccan Trails gate, the mood swung from boisterous to mellow. The canopy of trees welcomed us and the sunlight through the brush tickled our eyes. Our breathing slowed down as we looked forward to the next 24 hours in the hope of something magical happening. And it did for me.

I hugged and thanked the beast (when no one was looking) for getting us safe and turned the engine off. With a sigh, the pistons burped to sleep and all was quiet.

We embarked slowly and made our way to the swings to settle down. The children began playing and as my thoughts drew me within, the voices seemed far away as nostalgia kicked in. Smiling within, I knew this experience was going to be different. The staff then served their famous hot pakodas and tea. Not wanting to stuff ourselves, my better half and I ate for the sake of tasting and a little while later, we made our way to the tents. Dusk was falling and I did not want to miss mother nature’s life reminders for anything.

On the little hill, the maidan welcomed us to enjoy nature. Settling into our tents took only 5 minutes as we could not miss the setting sun. We were soon out for a walk and later sat on the maidan to greet nature. The grandeur of all that was around warmed our hearts. The gentle breeze caressing our faces, the green carpet of flora all around, the chirping of birds as they went home made for a melancholy feel.

The clouds ambled along like pachyderms on the serengeti and the skies opened up for one last time before the sun went down. They say the sun is the brightest just before sunset. The sun and the sky complemented each other with beautiful shades of slate grey and orange as only nature can to show off the last collage of the evening. The setting sun here could fill a heart sensitive to the daily mysteries of life. If sunsets make you cry, this atmosphere is a perfect setting.

As we watched the sky turn from grey to black, the night came alive as we had long forgotten. The solitary bulb in the maidan came to life and insects attracted by the light kept dancing around with some occasionally burning themselves to death. All that we take for granted or frivolous has so much meaning on this great grid of life. Watching those insects accept their fate for just wanting to see the light pulled me deeper within myself. As if on cue, the rain began falling with a consoling touch. As the drops wandered and fell on our faces, the wind gently spoke and  reminded that all was happening as it should. There was a solitary creeper climbing on the support rod with its leaves swaying and giving in to the power of rain. No offending stance, just giving in to the rain, accepting its form.

I was shaken back to reality by a rumble of thunder. The rain stopped and fireflies roved in the dark as if to offer other life their precious light. Crickets and other insects voiced their love calls till they reached a crescendo which was music to the ears. The fragrance of earth and freshly cleaned leaves gave us the much needed reminder to slow down and search for our purpose in life by taking steps one at a time.

Dinner was served shortly. The staff and services are excellent for a place like this. Food was served in the dhaba style under the thatched huts. Phulkas, ghee, 2 sabzis, curd, a rice dish, papads and a sweet, all very well made and served with pride. The food was very tasty to say the least and in the dim lighting, our thoughts drifted away and we relished what we had in front of us. Dinner was over and we made our way back to the tents to see what nature had to offer us next.

A great secret about this place is the area above the rock climbing section. It is all of 3 stories high and sneaking in during the night to enjoy solitude is something which everyone has to experience. Be it solitude or with your lover in tow, the view from up there in the night gave us the tingles. Looking down, all I saw was the vastness of black and the sounds of the night so beautiful. Looking up, we saw the grandeur of the universe. All the stars winked from above and kept us engrossed for as long as we remembered. No words were needed. Only nature could fill our hearts with white flecks on a black canvas. We enjoyed this solitude of knowing that nature was always with us and returned to our tents hand in hand.

We put two chairs outside and began talking for over an hour. The atmosphere screamed with the wind whooshing in our ears and the tents flapping about. As the warm glow of the bulb radiated off my better half’s face, I was reminded of the first time we fell in love. Let me put it this way. If you believe in tickling your heart, this is as good a place as any so close by. I heard a little nightingale sing in my heart as I relived my first days of love. This is a beautiful place for lovers curling up together with a book to read and the wind reminding us of its presence on the flapping tent. Nothing to do, just be present and enjoy the company of your loved one. It was a blissful sleep later.

The glorious morning changed the mood entirely from romantic to energizer. Birds began chirping and it was time to capture the rising sun. Through the clouds, the sun played hide and seek. I managed to get a few snaps as below and it was then time for the easy trek.

The jungle paths chosen were easy and playful. Along the way, blossoms showed off their vibrant colors. Slush and mud hugged our shoes. Thorns grazed us all reminding us that we’re not alone in this world and that timely pokes and pricks are needed from time to time. Few more photos of some beautiful flowers below.

The trek was completed in about 40 minutes and returning triumphant, everyone made their way down to breakfast. The morning sun rays gave everything a nostalgic feel.

Post breakfast which consisted of idlis, poha, chutney, sambar, tea etc, it was time to move a little and get the rusting body parts oiled. There is plenty for the mild adventure enthusiast here to do. From playing cricket or just running to rope climbing, rock climbing, burma bridge etc, there is lots that can be done to relieve the everyday stress.

Monkeying around like children is a beautiful thing to do as you lose sight of your ego and mental barriers. With few people to see us acting like children, it is a joy to let go and do something fun. Climb the ropes, sit on the rope hammock under the trees and feel nature’s blessing.

As they say, every happy story has a sad theme in it somewhere. The huge turkey at Deccan Trails was found to be a tad rude. Although many of the visitors kept their distance, we couldn’t help but feel for it. It turns out that this turkey lost its mate a few years ago. Out of loneliness and sorrow, it turned harsh. The nicest portrayal of humanity is that the staff here have neither killed it nor do they abuse it. The turkey is left alone but gently kept at bay by them. The small expressions of emotions towards any living thing is a great indicator of the service levels of this place.

One point of note here is that in most other places, all the adventure activities are charged extra. But here at Deccan Trails, everything is covered in your day’s rate. Helmets and safety gear are all provided by the staff who are polite, courteous and willing to let us do any activity as many times as we pleased. They are also genuinely concerned for our safety.

The tents are comfortable, down to earth, with a rustic flair. The attached baths are interestingly constructed, again clean. There were no odors in the tents. The best experience is cuddling up at night with the wind whistling in our ears and the canvas flapping wildly. The staff also keep a can of water outside each tent for the occupants.

Yes, one should make a visit to this place during or after the rains. Summer time sees this place turn into a bale of straw, hot and tiring. But the monsoons and the winters make this place glow.
There is something for everyone here. The romantics can wile away their time shedding tears over the sunsets and the greens. The adventure seekers can run, play, climb. The elders can just sit and reminisce their fond memories. The solitude seekers can walk around doing nothing yet just being there.

In the end, Deccan Trails is a must visit for anyone. The great levels of service, quality of food and concern displayed by staff along with the down to earth environment and the overall hygiene are welcoming. The rates are still a steal and we will going there soon.

I wish I was 27 again to feel the rush of first love, the butterflies in the stomach and the outpouring of the heart as the feeling surges up the body. Deccan Trails makes for a good nostalgic reminder. Please note that this is not a hill station or a resort. It is a great getaway at a fantastic price and so close to the city but in pure nature.

Tip & Thank

Who do you tip?

• I tip the exhausted hotel bike parking attendants. They have a thankless job of arranging bikes in the rain, sun, wind and sewerage
• I tip the doorman. They have to salute us even though we are not their masters.
• I tip the sweating courier boys. They run around to give you what you couldn’t have gotten anyway.
• I tip the dirty street kid selling balloons. My child enjoys the warmth of a car but not this equally darling child who stands in that pollution. 
• I tip the municipal workers who work in foul smells everyday. They clean up our crap and we don’t even notice them.

Who do you thank?

• I thank the angry kirana store owner. It brightens up his day.
• I thank the grumpy bank cashier. His face livens up to wish me back
• I thank our office maintenance chaps. They work in the background with no air conditioning to give it to us instead
• I thank customer service representatives. They fix my problems.
• I thank the security guards and police. They have to keep miscreants at bay for our sake.
• I thank my colleagues at work. I wouldn’t be here without them.
• I thank my family for keeping me happy. I wouldn’t be living my life without them.
• I thank my critics. They act as my mirror
• I thank the universe for making me, me.

Pollen in the Wind

I know not where I go. know not where I’ll be.
I trust the wind, my path she chose for me.
Millions of us, the potential of life
Pass through fields, torn with strife

All of us, in the wind we sway
Some of us die, others go astray
The chosen ones decide, where they fall
To beauty and grace, be trees so tall

I know no anger, jealousy or rage,
I’ll love you for always, though life’s a stage
I search for you, long to be warm
Close to your heart, away from scorn

Other than you, I need none
Maybe the wind, and maybe the sun
For my life is small, and before I’m thinned
Find you I shall, a pollen in the wind

A sign of being blessed

It was August 1997. The second year of my dicey MBA program. We had an inter college fest happening in Calcutta. A group of us from Hyderabad packed our bags and decided to try our hand in the festivities and competitions.

Gorging on bread omelets on most of the stations on the way, we reached Calcutta and were stunned by how humid the place was. We were put up in Salt Lake city and were having 4 baths a day to prevent ending up like a blob of organic matter.

Anyway, on to the next bit. My role in this group was to take part in the photography contest on the theme “Images of Calcutta”. For the next day, my only job was to shoot pictures of anything and everything in Calcutta. No digital cameras. Only the good old analogs.

On the penultimate day, we had time to go out for only one activity. The common consensus was to go to the Mahankali Mandir. Being the maverick, I decided to make a trip and seek the blessings of the great Mother Teresa. My train of thought reasoned that Mahankali would always be around and for always. And She would not mind if we skipped Her darshan this time. But a great soul like the Mother would not be around and this was possibly the only chance I would get. Little did I know that this would be one of my wisest decisions. But who’s to say that it was my decision. Perhaps the Almighty above too was of the same opinion. My four other friends thankfully resonated with my feeling and we set out to try and see Mother.

We reached the Missionaries of Charity in the late afternoon and were escorted inside. We were made to wait for only a short while. This simple building carried energies of monumental proportions over all those years percolated by the work of the Catholic Nuns. The feeling of being there is something which can only be felt. Words cannot describe being in the path of so much goodness even for that fleeting moment.

We were met by an elderly Sister who began quizzing us on the purpose of our visit. She found it a little hard to believe when we said we came from Hyderabad and wanted to only seek the Mother’s blessings. Our heart flew the next second when she said that the Mother was indeed inside. With trepidation and sweaty palms, we hoped to see her soon. But there was more questioning to be addressed. Only when we had completely convinced the Sister of our simple intentions did she reveal her purpose. Apparently, too many people come to see Mother to take her signature on recommendation documents for school, college or job applications. And the Mother being the Mother, she would sign on all of them. The Sisters had the unenviable job of sifting through the innocents, the faithful's and the conniving before letting them through.

We were then led to a room and asked to wait. In 5 minutes, the doors opened and THERE she was! It was the Mother being brought on a wheelchair. Here was a Bharat Ratna and a Nobel Peace Prize awardee. I remember shedding a tear in the presence of such a great saint. We have only read about her in books and seen her photos but being in her presence was something uncanny and holy. She had a glow about her even at the age of 87. The photo above is not tampered. But the glow still remains. We fell at her feet and sought her blessings. And then I laughed.

I almost fell down when she put her hand on my head. It was SO strong. She put her hand and pushed my head down so hard. Nothing prepared me for that amount of power from someone so aged. I stood up laughing at this rare moment.

We requested Mother for a photo. She normally would not consent but made an exception in our case. And there it was. She next gave each of us a Vatican dollar of Mother Mary which I wear today as a symbol of protection and guidance.

The importance of this photo sank in later because this photo was taken on 29-Aug-97. Mother passed away on 5-Sep-97; just a week later. In all probabilities, this might be the very LAST photo taken of hers and I have it. Thank you Mother for your darshan. Thank you for your blessings and the sign that it was all meant to be.

I ended up winning the first prize in the photography competition as my photo was picked out of a 100 photos.
Oh, the Sister who we met was Sister Nirmala, the current Mother of the Missionaries of Charity. Now how’s that for a bonus blessing!

Creative Director–Power of feelings

 

www.purpleheart.co.uk

This video has the capability to either rip your heart in two or implode it within your chest. The Creative Director of this video or the idea is a person who understands the meaning of human values and knows exactly where to hit humanity. It thrusts hidden emotions to the surface and halted me for a few seconds.

I had the privilege of working with a member of the creative team of Sista Saatchi & Saatchi (SS & S), Hyderabad back in 1997. SS&S was a company with a few big names under its belt and the best recall I have till date is how the Creative Director is worshipped in ad agency by some and hated by others.

Very often in an ad agency, associates down the hierarchy think that all it takes is one good idea. Some of them work under the Creative Director and then decide to start their own ad agency by taking away some business. Agreed. But coming up with that trump card of an idea requires wisdom and years of many failures in understanding people. Yes, failure. Because only in failure do you realize mistakes and fine tune your faculties and the mind to respect the purpose of man being put on this earth as the highest being of intelligence.

We take our 5 senses for granted. A friend of mine has anosmia. This means the “inability to smell”. This friend cannot smell a rose. Or any of the billion other fragrances for that matter. Ever wondered how this would be? This friend has no need to walk into a perfume store or cannot choose flowers for a loved one. Life is quite simple in a way but also so much missed.

If you’ve been racing till now, take a break to smell the roses (pun intended). Tell your loved ones how much you care for them. Go for a walk and give thanks to the universe for your existence. For we are a miniscule dot in this universe. And still so needed.

Childish = Childlike? No way!

 

Image: http://my.qoop.com/store/Amy-S-Nicolazzo-3751218405000160/Become-More-And-More-Innocent--Less-Knowledgeable--And-More-Childlike-qpps_173220318787385/#

This keeps coming up again and again. There is a world of difference between these two mentalities and the way they are interpreted. More often than not, a perception regarded is in the mind of the beholder.

Have you ever seen the face of a child in thought? Have you seen a child looking at a fire? The child knows something is off but still reaches out with his/her hand, those tiny perfectly formed fingers getting closer. There is some trepidation in the child’s face displaying eagerness as it delves into the unknown. Getting too close, the child realizes that the heat is increasing with every closing inch and finally when it is too hot to handle, he/she retreats.

It is the next moment that is the revealing one. The child displays a huge expression of understanding and pride on that cute little face for having learnt something new. It is this awareness in each of us which needs to be nurtured and kept on the top always. A childlike attitude is endearing, loving and lovable. It is devoid of any masks and makes one attractive to other people. It is very easy to fall in love with a childlike person. There is no need to tiptoe around them nor do they expect white lies.

A childlike person is also innocent and can be taken for a ride many many times. Pity the one who has the cruelty to do this for the childlike one knows no vengeance. Experimentation, simplicity and forthrightness are virtues of the childlike. But a childlike person is also deeply mature as there is a quiet understanding from within owed to the power of observation. It is this meld of love and maturity that is so precious.

A childish person on the other hand is naïve and immature. Childishness is expected in a child because the ego is still forming; the child is developing its own identity; the “I” is happening. Growing into an adult, there are expectations from society and one’s own self to mature and understand the millions of complex emotions working in nature. But a staunch refusal to see what’s ahead or adapt by pretending its not there makes for a childish nature.

Each of us was a child. No escaping that and no bypassing that. The soul of a child is to be retained in every aspect of our daily lives. When we work, play, talk, even clean a toilet. Approaching every activity with this first time innocence keeps your energy alive.

Be a child in the purest sense.

Silver Brook Estate – What a stay!

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There are some experiences that hit you in the face real hard. What we went through at the Silver Brook Estate was more of the love-hate type. Being put up at a Home Stay is a bit different from a resort. At a homestay, one is entirely at the mercy of the caretakers or managers of the place. A resort is atleast run by a management and concerns can be voiced better. Taking a risk on purely internet reviews on tripadvisor.in, we booked our stay in advance and arrived at the place with a bit of anxiety.

More on the love-hate thing now. We love our host Revathy who ensured that our family had the most fabulous stay ever at a hill station. And we also hate her for making us miss the experience so much. So there you go. Revathy and Yogesh are the owners of Silver Brook Estate which has 4 rooms and a cottage in their 5 acre estate. While we did not have the pleasure of meeting Yogesh, we did enjoy our 3 days interacting with Revathy and her loyal team. Every wish of ours was accommodated to the maximum possible extent. This post is a way of thanking them all.

More on the facilities now.

 

Location

The estate is just off the Kadagal bus-stop to the right. It is situated in a calm, peaceful surrounding with a tiny brook running in the estate. As we went in summer, the brook was just trickling. I'm sure the flow will be much better after the monsoons.

The estate is a bit away from any civilisation which lends it a feel of the perfect getaway. The surroundings are only the forests and the birds which chirp loudly at dawn offering the best wakeup call. Madikeri town is about 6 kms away but the whole point of such a place is to stay away from civilisation and recharge. The only disappointment for us was the lack of a mountain view. I'm a fan of nature in all her glory when she shows me mountains and valleys. Silver Brook does not offer this but the point is too minor to be picked taking everything else into account.

 

Rooms

Now this is where everything falls together. The cottage and rooms are simply a wonderful combination of a home away from home. One step inside the cottage and you understand the passion and commitment with which the entire structure has been put together. Yogesh and Revathi are fans of the Chettiar architecture and all furniture and interiors have been ornately blended together. If you are a fan of ancient south Indian architecture, this place will be pleasantly nostalgic. The sitting area furniture, the heath, tables, wall decorations have all been painfully hand-picked to lend a warm welcome.

The well stacked library to suit all from the fun-loving to the eclectic. The photos will speak for themselves.

The bathrooms come with the soap, hand towels and bath towels. So there was no need to carry any of those.

As the morning sun diffuses through the glass tiles into the room, there is a gentle but evergrowing brightness that tickles the eyelids. The beds, the linen, the bathroom, the towels; everything has been put together with so much thought. There are complimentary tea and coffee bags for that occasional cup if you need it. The staff also supply these beverages at reasonable intervals.

There are 4 rooms and 1 large cottage which form the entire "resort". The atmosphere of the entire building is lively and open. Everything is spic and span. We did not encounter the ubiquitous cockroach, ants or lizards during our three and a half day stay.

There are also games available for play. Badminton, Cricket, Chess and Boardgames are available for people with children. Even otherwise, there is tons of space for children to run around and have fun.

 

Service

Exemplary service levels. And Silver Brook stands tall. The team present here are polite, courteous and are strictly no-nonsense. Revathy is a wonderful host whose perky attitude gets even the most introverted to open up. It was a pleasure interacting and exchanging ideas with someone who is well informed of almost everything.

As this is a homestay, there is no concept of room service. We just had to step out and ask the staff what we wanted. They always responded with a "Yes" and gave us our extra pillow for the kids, an extra towel if needed. I pestered the staff for a Rin soap, an iron box, a tennis ball, tea, water, coffee, a bottle etc. Each request was attended to with a smile. The request for a Rin soap did attract a surprised look though.

For those in need of a tour in and around Madikeri, there are arrangements made from the homestay itself. They also offer pick up and drop services from and to Mysore. So there is no need to have your own transportation unless it is really essential.

 

Food

A very clean kitchen. The food was excellent. That's it. Just excellent. No elaborate buffet spreads with 12 items. It was always just more than the right amount. 5 Veg dishes and one non-veg dish for lunch and dinner. Less oil, less salt, less spice. No stomach upsets, no heaviness, no heartburn. Enough for the palate to feel light yet easy on the insides. We are very picky eaters when it comes to calories and Revathy's team did not disappoint. We enjoyed everything that was served. Breakfast was a fun affair, lunch was melancholy and dinner was full of camaraderie.

The food served was a mix of North and South Indian. The chefs prepare the meals based on the type of people staying at that point of time. This is very thoughtful of them. Children were practically given a free hand to mess everything up and the staff responded by just going about their job with a smile.

I refuse to give any information regarding the specifics of each dish as this should be a surprise to those visiting Silver Brook Estate.

 

Conclusion?

We miss our stay so much that there's no question of where we're going back again. One look at the guest book gave us all the insight into the sheer variety of people who visit this wonderful homestay, from all over the globe. At such reasonable rates along with the company of so many humane individuals, I'd be hard pressed to think of a better place. We're going back for sure. Sometime.  

Gender Discrimination

 

While its interesting to see many advertisements drawing controversy as racial or discriminatory, this one ad seems to have gotten away with almost murder. The Sculler's ad very clearly states "The taller the girl you're with, the greater the discount you get". Its an outright insult on the girl's biological personality.

So if a guy has a not-so-tall girl with him, its the girl's fault. This has got to be one of the most gender discriminatory ads against women and surprisingly, not even a women's rights or a women's lib organization did anything about it.

What will they think of next? Bigger discounts for bigger waist sizes? Or fairer discounts for fairer skin colour?

Amazon.com Customer Service

 

Placed an order on amazon.com from India to deliver stuff worth $50 to a friend in the US returning to India soon. I read the terms and conditions carefully about shipping methods and rates and chose the Free Super Saver Delivery because I thought there was ample time.

I missed seeing the part where it mentioned that there is a time gap from
the order date to the shipping date. The shipping date is decided on the type
of delivery method chosen and my choice meant that shipping would commence only about a week later as the items would be sent as one single package when they were all available. This put me in a predicament because this delay of one week would cause the items to get returned as my friend would have returned to India.

I mailed amazon describing what I’d done and agreed to pay extra for faster shipping. I received a mail in about 4 hours that the shipping method would be changed to 2-day shipping at no extra cost to enable me to receive my items.

This kind of service just blew me away. I normally wouldn’t have expected
such a quick response for a $50 value. But this commitment and action has
obliged to amazon.com for sure hereafter.

The items were packaged separately and delivered today even as I post this
blog. I sincerely thank Amazon.com for their fantastic customer service. Even
more so because they did it free of charge when I was willing to pay extra for
MY mistake. Two thumbs’ up from this loyal customer.

I just wish amazon.com shipped to India. But with our archaic customs
rules, many packages may only get lost or confiscated and customers would take their ire out on amazon.com instead of the government officials. Maybe amazon can include another validation and disclaimer for items shipped to India. But it just wouldn’t be the same.

Thank you amazon.

B-Twin Bike Mirror

	Got this mirror from Krish of www.thebikeaffair.com for my Trek 4300. Note that these mirrors are made for mounting on the left side of the handlebar. We in India ride on the left of the road and so need the mirror to be mounted on the right side of the handlebar.
No fret. This was only too easily resolved by removing the mirror support screw and turning the mirror the other way as shown in the photo.

Fitting

Mounting the mirror was a 2 minute job. Took a blade and cut a hole in the handlebar grip smaller than the diameter of the mirror mount so that the fit would be snug. Pushed it into the handlebar and turned the mounting screw to fit it just tight.

Trial

The initial ride with this mirror was very good. Jumped off a kerb and it stayed in place. Went over a few bad roads and it still stayed in place without flopping down. The quality of the mirror is well above average and visibility on the road is excellent. The mirror can be turned to suit almost all angles of viewing based on the rider’s height and angle. The plastic used is very good and the mirror itself is made of unbreakable acrylic plastic (unless a car runs over it in case of a fall). There was no image distortion. Highly recommended.

The ICFAI tryst

11 years have passed since I passed out from the PGDBA course from ICFAI, Hyderabad. Looking back today, I wanted to write as objectively as possible about my experience and my opinion of the PGDBA course.

The College
The college was one building with the two batches crammed into it. There wasn’t anything to speak off regarding infrastructure. The building was centrally air conditioned but was severely tested when the class was full with 72 students. The computer lab too was small with a few machines. Nothing great to boast of.

Fees
I’d say fairly exorbitant. I was lucky to have paid only about a lakh for the two years combined for tuition fees. This naturally does not include the cost of boarding and lodging in the city. Since the colleges was located in prime area, most of us had to look for accommodation in and around which was expensive too. I believe the tuition fees in 2009 is somewhere around 9 lakhs which according to me is very, very expensive. Below in this post is explained why I feel it is too expensive.

Curriculum
No bones about this. The curriculum is one of the best. Great detail was paid to the finance specialization and a huge gamut was covered with importance given to case studies. The pressure was kept on us all the time and we had to study hard to stay above water.

Faculty
Just like most other Tier II colleges, the faculty is a mix. There were some outstanding professors and some average ones which is an acceptable mix. The level of expression varied but most of the onus is on the student which is the way it should be. An MBA degree is more a reflection of the ability of the person to handle pressure and find solutions to problems utilizing all the skills available to him/her. In this respect, any hardworking individual thinking out of the box is capable of carving a niche in a career. The faculty of the institute plays a role in encouraging and bringing out the best in each student through self realization. The faculty at ICFAI is as capable or as incapable as one may deem after comparing to any other management institution.


Placement
Since most of the branches of ICFAI are located in prime cities or metros, the placement will be reasonable for a Tier II college. Most industries especially the service oriented industry operate out of major cities and the proximity to these industries makes campus recruitments a bit easier for corporate HR. However, through the process of natural selection, the grade of the students is decided by HR when they compare the selected percentage of students from the numbers who have taken the test. For example, CAT or IIT attracts the maximum number of eligible candidates taking the exams. This naturally means that the pass percentage is much tougher and the cream de la crème are accepted into the institutes for study.

ICFAI may not enjoy such a privilege. The numbers taking the exam are far lesser than CAT and the fees of 9 lakhs for an unrecognized course could be another point against.

Value
Without going into too much math, we can assume that an education loan of 9 lakhs plus interest of perhaps 10% would mean a net outflow of well above 10 lakhs. This means that the MBA grad has to, just has to, get a job that pays enough to service an education loan EMI of atleast Rs. 15,000 per month. This further translates into a job necessity that pays a gross salary of at least 3.5 lakhs per annum to take care of the EMI plus living expenses. By the time the education loan is paid, it could be years before the individual can think of buying other assets such as a car or a house.

The pressure starts right from the day the last exam has been written. The sheer number of students passing out of the ICFAI MBA course each year is so high that they have to compete with other institutes for the same available jobs and may not have the risk appetite to start small as the loan burden is already sitting on their shoulders.

Other points
When I tried immigrating to New Zealand and the UK in 2001, I discovered that my ICFAI PGDBA degree was equivalent to toilet paper. The institute was NOT recognized and I had no points awarded for my PGDBA academics. My better half had secured more points than me inspite of not being an MBA and so we had to apply with her as the principal applicant and with myself as the accompanying spouse. I’m not sure if the scene has changed now but from what I know, ICFAI has no AICTE recognition. This means the degree will still not fetch any points during the immigration eligibility process.

Conclusion
This post is my opinion and my opinion alone. With the passage of time, the circumstances could change rendering my points irrelevant. But at this point of time, I feel that the job prospects for an ICFAI MBA after dolling out such high fees is not worth the risk. It is always better to secure a job after graduation and then apply for an MBA from a Tier I college as this will at the very least enrich your CV for life.

An MBA is more about preparing a person for a management role or atleast infuse a level of professionalism. Most of the times, the student has this capability within already through life's experiences. An MBA just bring this latent ability to the surface for prospective employers to see. The ICFAI course just achieves this. Nothing more.

CECRI - Life as a student

Its been 14 years since I passed out of my Engineering college. Looking back now, I realize how much my alma mater taught me.

From CECRI

I stumbled upon this photo of the batch of 1995 of which I am proud to be a part. Those of you who come to this blog and see these photos will certainly appreciate how much we have changed and how much we enjoyed during those 4 golden years. For these are the years which will never come back to us.