I love travelling as it gives me an opportunity to meet people and discover places. Mostly my trips are to meet family and friends in India. Another opportunistic advantage I create is to cut down on time spent in the electronic media. I take my car out and travel to known and unknown places every day. Since I will be travelling, I have the option to connect and disconnect at will. Hence, I do click and share the places and events I come across with my parents and well wishers through social media. At the same time, I can judiciously dissociate myself from any unreasonably urgent tagged request for actions.
When I returned after such a trip and connected to wifi to see my message, I was surprised to see an important message requesting for assistance to find a speaker for the Martyrs’ Day event. The organisers wanted a UAE national to speak about his experiences of knowing or reading about Mahatma Gandhi and his priniciples.
Knowing the urgency and importance, I didn’t have a second thought to refer Sultan Al Hajji, an established toastmaster, administrator working in a reputed oil company and moreover a good humanitarian who speaks his mind out in a humorous way reaching the audience.
Back in Abu Dhabi and listening to him at the function addressing the audience at the packed Embassy of India auditorium, I realised, he knew more than what we know about Gandhiji and his values. The applause he received at the end of the speech and also by the congratulatory remarks from fellow speakers confirmed it.
We indeed need a world of non-violence and patience, and if possible filled with mirth and common sense. Ramesh Menon
I had the opportunity to attend three different public gatherings during the recent times.
The first one was a religious event with a huge participation of around 5000 attendees in an open auditorium. At the end of the full day long veda chanting session, the main priest, a septuagenarian with a fragile built walked towards the dais to address the gathering. As he stepped on, the crowd went in to a pin drop silence mode without even a single word requesting, either from the organizer or the speaker.
He talked in detail about the importance of learning during the olden days under the gurukula style. Probably aware of the influence of modern technology among children, he made it a point to emphasize on the aspects that were stressed in the earlier days, in particular, to create a keen attentive attitude when someone is speaking. The attendees of the gathering included elderly people as well as young graduates from a university. He did not use any audio visual tools to aid his talk.
“I term this union as the union of the past”.
The second forum was a gathering to address a group of 25 university students visiting the UAE from an American University. Boys and girls who are in the final year of the post graduate course were on a tour to understand business and economical models prevailing here. The speaker was a veteran administrator with several years of experience in all aspects of the oil and gas industry. He was an acknowledged toastmaster too.
During his speech and presentation the speaker was humorous and to the point and the students keenly followed him. End of the session, they had a question answer session and each one of them had meticulously jotted down pointers to clarify their individual doubts. In here, I found the audience using IPads to note down and also record using mobile phones whenever needed.
During the entire period, the audience kept themselves engaged in listening as well as interacting between themselves using modern technology.
“I term this union as the present”.
Now comes the third group. It was group of children who were invited to attend a weekend training session modeled to create their interest for higher studies. Parents were also included in it. The programme was conducted by a young engineer turned academician. It was a mixed crowd and after a few minutes I realized the audience and the speaker were in entirely different platforms. I could see the audience showing as if listening but in their own world chatting on social media or playing games!. What was funny to me was the fact that whenever the speaker had queries thrown to the audience, in particular children, I found them quick on their fingers and phones to find answers through google!
“I term this as the future”.
Time has changed. It is no longer possible to disengage one from the modern amenities that are easily available.
A walk in any of the modern malls, you will find families with children tagging along playing on the latest IPads or IPhones. No longer children require to wait till the next day to go to school to find answers to solve their probing mind! In fact, if we as adults have queries, they are faster than us to find solutions for each of them.
The observation does not end there. The pattern noticed in the second and third group highlighted above are very common these days. Very often we get to see people reading emails, texting, typing messages or even playing on their mobiles while attending meetings or conferences. The scenario may be witnessed and not rare when some people are seated on official chairs of large gatherings.
The need to remain connected is that intense that when one get used to it, becomes hugely indispensable to ignore!.
In the process many times the finer nuances of the talk or discussion happening is missed.
I was witness to one such case the other day. It was an event organized to speak about Mahatma Gandhi on Martyr’s Day. A series of speakers were lined up including Emirati and Indian. The main speakers were Emiratis and they had done their homework well and talked with enthusiasm what inspired them towards Gandhi ji. Then came the turn of the speakers from India, who were supposed to be more knowledgeable than the foreign speakers! One by one each one of them talked quoting texts from here and there. None could evoke a true Gandhian spirit and patriotism. It was the chance of the last speaker and I thought at least he will not disappoint the audience. He started off well. Listening to him carefully, I noticed, he had jotted down points from each of the speakers. However, very soon I realized he was mixing up the thoughts and authors. By the end, it was a cocktail of erroneous quotes. I didn’t have to think further when I noticed him leaving the hall with three phones and an IPAD!. Of course, he was a busy person. In his eagerness, he did note down parts from here and there in his Ipad, however, in his compulsion to attend to chores on his phones, he messed up on actualities happening on the stage.
I am sure, the example above are not one off that you see in your day to day life. We get several instances when people, attending important meeting or public functions are totally pre-occupied with their mobiles doing several other things. In the process they fail in their objective of being there at that moment.
A keen attitude to listen is very essential and indeed it has come to a reality that we need to train ourselves to cut off and remain in the present!.
A time to unwind and touch base with nature. That’s what visit to my native village in Kerala is. Always and ever. It is an unbelievable experience. I do travel light, but at the same time do not! Confused?. I travel light on clothes and other items, but pack my bag with as many different cameras and lenses as possible. By now, the customs people are familiar with my bag and its contents. In fact, this time the officer who was screening my bag even asked me, do you have anything new that we have not seen so far?!
It is really interesting to walk around and see the nature as it is and at its best. With good amount of plantation, vegetation and water sources around, there is no dearth for birds, insects and other creatures.
On one such walk, I found this bird sitting and whistling in a beautiful voice. It reminded me of the poem “The Solitary Reaper” by William Wordsworth studied during my school days.
Do not miss out on any such opportunity, if ever you get. Unwind, explore and experience.
I am currently on holiday in India. During the stay with my parents, I realised how difficult is it now to get manual workers to handle certain jobs like harvesting of cocount, tamarind, pepper etc. My parents complained and I realized myself how difficult it was to get a manual labour now in Kerala. A guy came to pluck tamarind and pepper, after several calls and pleadings. He arrived at 11:00 am and did finish the job with the tamarind trees by around 2:00 pm and then had lunch and then looked at the pending jobs and said, I will come tomorrow. Now, I am tired. My mother asked him, what is your rate. He said Rs 700/-. No choice and no talks – we paid. Next day, he never turned up!.
Meeting friends and family, I reached Ernakulam. Even there the conversation lead from one to another and then to the exodus of workers from Bengal. Although many of them say that they are from West Bengal, looking at them, I believe they are migrants from Bangladesh. They are now the reliable source of manpower for physical labour in Kerala and many other states.
Our conversation went on and on and it was dusk time. We were sitting outside the home and suddenly I had a whistling sound and it was solitary first and then it became like an orchestra starting to perform. In a minute, I had to rush inside the home.
That was the arrival of the only punctual set of activists now in Kerala. The mosquitoes!. My cousin told me, they are the only group who are punctual now. They arrive sharp at 5:30 pm or maximum 6:00 pm. They are there to stay, whoever rules and whatever changes brought in!.
I am on a short holiday in India. Visiting my parents in Kerala and then travelling to Bangalore. On one hand, this is an unwinding process for me. But, on the other hand, it is a visit that is looked forward by my parents. They are old and although, these days, one can get any service done, there are some special things that, as parents, they prefer to have their children do it for them. With limited connectivity and with very weak internet connection, what more you can ask for, during your holiday. This is the time, I make it a point to revisit my village, where I grew up. Luckily, there are some spots which are as original as they were and the location captured is one such. During monsoon season, this paddy field will be flooded and small country boats will be ready for children to play around.
Children these days have different types of enjoyment options, but if ever you have an option to make them experience what you enjoyed during your childhood days, do not hesitate. Let them get a feel of it, at least.
I love photography and I believe
Every photo clicked is a history. One will never be able to re-create that precious moment.
It is my cultivated nature to keep smiling whatever situation I am in. The routine to office is almost the same pattern every day. Going down the building, I meet my watchman, then the car wash guy and then the municipality gardeners.
My day begins with a short conversation and hello to them and then off to my office in my car. May be as I travel daily at a particular time, I get to see familiar faces on the wheels in adjacent cars.
People rushing to office applying the last-minute touches to their tie or a final makeup touches by a woman lady driver, is almost regular to witness. At the parking in the office again, I meet the same faces, starting with the security staff at the basement and then at the entrance of the office, followed by the coffee boy. They reciprocate with a smile.
One day, I was really tense and somehow, I forgot the smile, all through my journey. At office too, I forgot to greet and smile. The day passed by somehow and by next morning, I had recouped and then carried the same smile and routine.
The coffee boy followed me and asked what happened the earlier day. “We get motivated by your smile and small wishes, but yesterday, it was not there and it affected us also.”
It was then I realised the value of that gesture. Knowingly or unknowingly, I was passing on something that was infectious to those whom I met and valued it.
Whatever be the financial or worldly situation around us, let there be no recession when it comes to spreading goodwill and a sweet smile. Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit Gulf Today online.
I also see this regularly in front of Abu Dhabi Mall but in my view, Mushrif Mall is better placed than the other malls in terms of parking options.
There are two reasons causing this problem at Mushrif Mall. One is the lack of training and education for taxi drivers to not block traffic.
Even if they know that there is no space for them, they will often still squeeze in, ending up either blocking other vehicles entering the mall parking area or even creating the dangerous situation of placing them in the path of the speeding vehicles on the road.
If the taxi companies won’t train their drivers, the mall authorities should have security staff controlling the area.
The second and most important point is the lack of patience by all drivers. When a vehicle – whether it is a taxi or a private car – is trying to park, the drivers behind express their impatience rather than giving them a little bit of time.
We need to develop a culture of patience and harmony.
Welcome to read a new edition of Mind Speaks titled Mmm….To write or not to write.
Although, I have been coming out to you through various forms, “Mind Speaks” through “No News” is one special section of my creativity that I cherish doing periodically. It is similar to asking anyone interested in cricket about the beauty and enjoyment of playing and following a Test match. This gives me sufficiently large space to promote what I am promoting all the time in a detailed way than what I do every day. Of course, it all comes to certain small and mundane things of creativity, safety, social values or “whatever”, as someone could leisurely write and read off.
Inspire: No matter if the world stand still, continue with what you are doing. This is what I am trying to do these days. I do it from within, for my own enjoyment. As you see it, I do not do what I don’t enjoy and here is another edition of No News detailing those simple efforts in my own way.
I always believe that an individual’s life must benefit society. There should be some social purpose along with personal. Otherwise, according to me it remains meaningless. We are all in some way or another, blessed with worldly fortunes of different kind. Do not remain contended at that point.
I am in a hibernation mode during the last few days. There are some life realities which are disturbing me. Those are the current financial situation that is happening to some of my friends and known contacts. They may not be the only one in that situation in this current times of difficulties. Everyone is suffering. My humble suggestion to all those who are in that state, is to communicate with friends and family. It can bring out solutions. Do not wait till you run out of options and dig deep yourself in to tougher times with no possible escape route. Especially to young boys and girls. These days, the advantage of easy communication is turning out to be a real disadvantage. Whatsapp, Snapchat…. you name it and you have it as many as you wish! It is just because the conversation is very short and it may not convey the triviality of the situation you are in. At times, due to the large quantities of messages, the receiver may tend to ignore it totally or quick read it and reply in short. This is dangerous. If ever you feel you are not comfortable with your life situation, take time to meet those whom you trust, talk to them in person and try and find solutions how you can come out of it as a winner.
Eid holidays, a bit of travel here and there, and rest of the time working on a dream project. As usual and as I say, I am playing it in my mind, fine tuning it. A musical fusion programme to be presented to a large audience in the 1st week of October. The invocation has already been done to the lord and I am sure it will materialise well.
In my life, I have faced several obstacles. However, I did not deter from life goals. What inspired me were some simple steps of encouragement or support from those whom I regularly interact with in several community issues. Like, the words of one of my friend, who calls me at the middle of the night and tells me, there is a problem with the check-in system at the airport. I have identified corrective solutions for it, and have taken pictures of the present conditions. Please help me to submit it to the right authorities, so that the conditions could be improved in future. Or my friend, who write to me with photos saying that in his area, there are no playgrounds for children. But there is an open space which could be converted to a small playground. How do we go about it? Or another one more interesting sms from a friend – “I am seeing a series of unwarranted activities happening in my area and feel ashamed to remain quiet. What do we do to resolve it? Or even the more pressing and timely pathetic conditions of the roads in Banglore! Driving on those road, even during my short visits and short duration, I pity those who have to commute daily to work on those roads!
Why we as a community tend to live with such situations and do not raise our voice collectively to have the responsible authorities create a commutable road network? Our time is money and time has come to stop ignoring it forever and live with it. One relief is that not all are keeping their eyes, ears and mouth closed to such situations.
There are inspiring gestures that shows that people silently acknowledge me for the constructive social efforts that are being diligently carried out for the last few years.
In any case, small action leads to bigger joyous happening. Yes, the journey began in a small and singular way is gaining momentum and reaching bigger and wider regions and masses.
Create an attitude at heart with intentions of welfare and selflessness added to it. This is the prime thought when there is some action happening from my side. In our epics, stories indicate how man’s mind reacts to others’ happiness and sorrows. Instead of feeling jealous about others’ prosperity one should feel happy and join him in his success. Similarly, one should show concern when encountering others in distress and try to give them solace. While noticing someone drowning in a river one rushes to save him spontaneously without deliberating whether he is one’s friend or enemy. Likewise our heart must automatically sympathise with the distressed. Good fortune and happiness in this life is due to God’s grace and meant for sharing with others not for one’s edification only. Broadmindedness, concern for others and selflessness are virtues which should be inculcated in children from an early age. Man’s intellect has its limitations and he cannot know everything on his own or learn only from his experience. So, it is always good to look at elders or experienced for guidance and inspirations to mould one’s life to a suitable format. One should not have reservation about learning from others and in the realm of learning, age should not be a deterrent. History has shown several examples of elderly person seeking knowledge from young and mastering important values and virtues in the process.
Utilise your talent or knowledge without inhibition and if you have a good or bad experience, taking cue from this note, do take a few minutes of your time to share it so that it becomes an added learning example for many.
It was Onam, the harvest festival of Keralites on Friday. I attended a traditional Onam lunch. It is always a great feeling taking part in such cultural activities.
The main attraction of the celebration was the traditional Onam feast, ie. Sadhya. A sumptuous lunch with a long list of curries served on a plantain leaf. All in traditional style.
As we were having the lunch, one of the dignitaries was addressing the crowd. He mentioned the value of money. These days we are hearing of several people affected by huge financial problems. Rich and ordinary alike are suffering because of poor financial planning.
His speech reminded me of KV Shamsudheen’s untiring community effort to teach the general public about the perils of bad money management and the importance of systematic financial planning in life.
Money is precious. Handle it carefully. It is hard to earn and easy to lose.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit Gulf Today Online
Now comes the third group. It was group of children who were invited to attend a weekend training session modeled to create their interest for higher studies. Parents were also included in it. The programme was conducted by a young engineer turned academician. It was a mixed crowd and after a few minutes I realized the audience and the speaker were in entirely different platforms. I could see the audience showing as if listening but in their own world chatting on social media or playing games!. What was funny to me was the fact that whenever the speaker had queries thrown to the audience, in particular children, I found them quick on their fingers and phones to find answers through google!
That was the arrival of the only punctual set of activists now in Kerala. The mosquitoes!. My cousin told me, they are the only group who are punctual now. They arrive sharp at 5:30 pm or maximum 6:00 pm. They are there to stay, whoever rules and whatever changes brought in!.
ClicksandWrites 
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