Music to my ears

Some days back we had a small discussion on whether music distracts an employee while working.

Well, just thought of sharing a few thoughts on that.

I am one of those who are mild users (and I mean it in the true sense of the word) of music at work. The kind of music I listen to matters a lot too.

Having a research-oriented profile it’s important for me to concentrate and read between the lines. In case the music has nice lyrics and it’s one of my favorites, it will be difficult to focus on the task at hand. However, if it’s instrumental or heavy metal (No offence meant to Iron Maiden/Fans) there is no distraction. On the contrary it proves beneficial in keeping away all outside noise and allows me to focus on the project.

A nice gazal or a country number from John Denver (my personal fav…) will definitely go a long way in aiding your work. It helps you relax and soothes your already agitated nerves (Well ROD does that to you at times—wish I could be invisible at this point ;-) )

We generally have long days at work, which translates into a lot of yawns and sluggishness which reflects in our work. Well, besides a nice cup of coffee, peppy Punjabi beats or a Mambo No. 5 can lift your moods and WAKE YOU UP (Does this seem like an online diary already ;-) ?).

BY the way it’s scientifically proven that listening to music can reduce chronic pain and depression by up to a quarter (Source: Science Daily).

Well, enough said already, I guess it’s time to buy that attractive ear phone and shell some money for the iPod (even look alikes should do).

So at the cost of borrowing from a perky number … Get Jiggy with it people.

By Varun Kumar

Avalanche Biosphere Reserve, the Nilgiris

Date: September 20, 2008

Area: The Kundah East Forest (Madurai Range), Avalanche Biosphere Reserve (Estd: 2006), 10 km from Emerald and 36 km from Ooty near the Badaga Settlement

Temperature: 15–20 degree Celsius in the morning; 2–4 degree Celsius at night fall

Camera: Sony Cybershot with Zeiss M2B Lens Modifier DSC-H 50 10.1 MP, 18x OZ

Time: Early morning 5:00–7:00 o’clock; Late noon 4:30–6:00 o’clock; Late night 1:00–3:00 o’clock

Conditions: Drizzling, cloudy, misty and wind blowing at 40–60 miles/hr at the foothills

Height: 6526 Feet ASL

NOTE: This presentation includes the photos of a rare mountain tiger, a wild fox, a spotted deer (on the run) and a cliff vulture. © WWF-Ooty © The Nilgiris Wildlife and Nature Conservation Asscociation, Charring Cross, Udhagamandalam © Arunava Das (Fellow of WWF-Ooty).

I had been on a project visit to our base, called the Avalanche Biosphere Reserve, 36 km from Ooty. The place is named after the famous and the oldest hydel power plant of the Nilgiris, Avalanche Indo-Canadian Hydel Power Plant, strategically set up just on the steep foothills of the Doddabetta; it leads to the picturesque Avalanche Lake covered on all three sides by the Nilgiris dotted with Shola and Pine varieties of exotic plantations.

I am a part of the project entitled “The Study of Invasion of Exotic Varieties of Shola in the Nilgiris Grasslands” under Dr. Srinivasan from the University of Kentucky under the sponsorship of IUCN.

The temperature of the region was around 2–15 degree Celcius when I visited this place for research purpose. It is an untouched and unspoilt location in the Nilgiris. Here tourists are not allowed and that has come a long way in preserving the serenity of this area.



Fig: 1 A rare mountain tiger; I had shot this at the foothills of Doddabetta (Highest peak of the Nilgiri Mountain range). It had taken away a buffalo from the Avalanche Village (I was put up here) the previous day. There were little chances of finding it that day as it was already 2:00 o’ clock in the afternoon. Next day, at 5:00 o’ clock in the morning, braving the cold, mist, clouds and strong breeze, I set out for the forests. Luckily I saw the young male tiger in its early teens just a kilometer away from the dense undergrowth.


Fig: 2 The same tiger, getting finicky as I was approaching it.

Fig: 3 Sounded a roar, a warning as I went nearer.


Fig: 4 A wild fox shot at around 1:00 am on 21st September, 2008 on a Sunday.


Fig: 5 Cliff Vulture shot at dusk.


Fig: 6 A Spotted Deer on the run. Incidentally, it was being chased by a pack of wild dogs.

By Arunava Das

HAPLESS BENGAL, If Not HOPELESS

This is in response to the “Brilliant Article”, People!!! No Thank You by Vijai G, put up on the EmPower Research blogsite. Nice to know that Bangalore also had mills that were regarded as spearheads of industry yesteryears. I come from a place known as Chandernagore (It’s a French Town on the banks of the Ganges, 30 km upstream from Kolkata). It’s famous for Red Curd (Laal Doi) and once also boasted of the erstwhile Gondalpara Jute Mills that along with Tribeni Tissues was a common name in every household not only in Bengal, but also in India. Now the former has been shut down and the latter is running in the midst of losses.

Bandel, 20 km from Chandernagore and 52 km from Kolkata by train, once boasted of the world-renowned Dunlop Tyres and Industries. Now it is in shambles.

Perhaps you have heard of Hindustan Motors that manufactures the Ambassador, still the most sought after car for its hardiness and extra comfortability, which is also running under losses. It is located at Hindmotor, a place 19 kms downstream Chandernagore.

The people of Bengal are frustrated because whenever she (Bengal) has tried to stand on her feet, she has been pecked by unwanted political vandalism. First it was the CPM, then came the Congress, briefly, and finally it is now a tug of war between Trinamool Congress and CPM.

God has given us one earth and we had drawn lines on it and divided the land into entities that belong to you and me. I am thankful of the fact that the moon is the satellite of the earth and is far away from us. If it would have been on earth, we would have divided it too.

Such articles bring out the disgust that the people of Bengal are facing. Sourav Ganguly recently pointed out that he wants his daughter to grow up and settle in Bengal only, but is doubtful as he says “I don’t want Sana to grow up and see there are no jobs in Bengal”.

And CPM-led coalition government in West Bengal is dreaming out of no-where of Sourav becoming the BRAND AMBASSADOR of HAPLESS BENGAL, IF NOT HOPELESS.

By Arunava Das

Fade Away…

Drops pelting down a broken pane
Leaves falling down an empty lane

Green fading away, Black creeping in
Good wilting away, doors open to sin

Empty stomach, makes no sound
The hungry heart cries out loud

Cry no more, these walls don’t hear
Shout no more, No one’s near

A drop of water, a sea of blood
The smell of sweat, the taste of mud

Soul searching within a crowd ? Don’t
There’s no music, there’s just sound

People moving fast, out of sight
Days drowning away into night

Yes, there will come the day I fear
Yet I don’t move, I stay right here

Tears pouring down withered eyes
Body lives on, soul dies...

Niyad

We Will Miss You Michael!

Michael Crichton, the author of the best selling thrillers like Jurassic Park and Andromeda Strain is no more. He was the one, who breathed life into something that we believed had gone forever. Michael created a world where life from a long forgotten past walks with the present. Thanks to Steven Spielberg, who made it on the big screen and we saw T-Rex walking on the street, very much alive and not just a pile of bone and rock.

As a teacher of anthropology, Michael believed that man should never play God and that everything has its space and time which must not be violated. He believed that nothing is gone forever, but if it is gone, maybe it is for a greater good.

As he is no more, I say, we will miss you Michael, but your vision will stay with us and will inspire us to think big and to believe that nothing is impossible.

By Arijit Goswami

Disabled!!! Nope, They Are Differently Abled

It is a misapprehension, if the handicapped are considered as disabled. They are not disabled in the true sense. By good fortune, they are blessed with some amazing capabilities and high spirits. They are perhaps unable to do things like a normal person. Nonetheless, they are capable of doing things in their own unique ways. They certainly are abled, but differently abled.

As a volunteer in an NGO (Non Governmental Organization), which provides accommodation and education to physically and visually challenged children, I felt several times that I am no better than any of them, though I am a normal person.

Handicapped people are mostly the ones who know exactly what sense and sensibility mean in real terms. Battling with physical impediments at every step of their life, they nevertheless come out eventually with the best of their abilities to withstand solely on their resoluteness to live on, come what may. They live with a sense of earnestness for a purpose in their life and at par with any other individual.

As a reader and scribe for blind students, I was really amazed when I noticed that they have a good capacity to grasp things and think strategically. Every time I greeted them, I would be delighted when they greeted me back addressing me by my name, merely hearing my voice. They can recognize a person by his/her voice when they meet him/her again, after a long time though. In fact, they have introduced me to a few places, which I didn’t know about before. When I asked them how they could make out a place without their eyesight, they said just by paying heed to the sounds that they hear in their surroundings. Incredibly, the NGO, where I am a volunteer, is run by three blind men with an able-bodied support.

They are fascinating and brilliant minds of whom one should feel proud. Although the handicapped suffer from physical deficiency, they usually are good in certain fields like music, dance, arts, sports and so on. They have their own efficiency. I have seen good singers, good dancers and a good cricketer among the visually challenged.

There are good artists among the physically challenged. Shekar Nayak, a visually challenged student of the organization, participated in Blind World Cup Cricket Tournament in Pakistan. Shekar was bestowed with ‘man of the match’ and ‘man of the series’ for his accomplishments on the pitch at the tournament held in 2002. He is considered to be a man of an amiable and cheerful spirit.

With the help of a screen reading software program called JAWS, the blind can easily access the computer as well. Since this program reads the text that is on the computer screen, the blind can manipulate it to an extreme, using a key board and external speakers. They can access the Internet as well as a normal person does. Trust me, I usually receive emails from them.

One of my close friends, Sharadha D, blind by birth, did her diploma in ‘Industrial Relations and Personnel Management’ after completing her graduation in arts. Recently, she has been appointed as Assistant Human Resources Manager by a firm in India. I am really proud of her.

She is the most amazing person I have ever met. She is someone with high spirits and optimism. Sharadha says, “I never feel down that I am blind. I am happy for what I am. Like every living being on earth has its own nature, this is my nature. I think that my disability is an opportunity for me to take my life as a challenge.” She is a good dancer too, and has given several group and solo performances in India and Australia.

These differently abled people stand as ideals for the able-bodied, who tend to give up on life, failing to cope with the mere obstacles of day-to-day life. They teach us how to live and love our life, getting over hard times.

I take pride in saying that another friend of mine named Sunil, who was abandoned as a child with crippled arms, is now running an NGO for orphans all by himself. Sunil says that he knows the pain of being forsaken. And he wants to give those abandoned children all the love and care that he never got from his parents.

They are equally trying their best to carve a niche for themselves in this highly competitive society. Yet, all their efforts often go down the drain in this snobbish and self-centered world. These poor people are regarded as vulnerable and subjected to social exclusion. They have been through life at its worst, facing thousands of rebukes and dismays, seeking one kind heart.

They are desperately in need of love, support and care from normal people like us. They need someone who can pat them on the back as a sign of appreciation, share their good and bad times and give them hope and courage to move ahead. If there is someone to inspire them with confidence, they will lead their life with cheers and reach higher peaks, for sure. One should help them feel good about themselves.

A loving hand and concern can ease the suffering and soothe the pain. LOVE is a wonderful sight which the blind can see, a language which the dumb can speak, a clear sound which the deaf can hear. A helping heart and loving soul gives meaning to one’s life.

I say, “Love doesn’t lie in beauty. Beauty itself lies in love.”

If you have a heart, help these people. Love them unconditionally. Make them feel that there is someone who understands and supports them in this world. But never belittle their abilities and hurt their feelings with rude words. Encourage them by cheering them.

The gratefulness they bestow upon someone who helps them is admirable. They express overwhelmed gratitude for any care and love we give them, and offer the privilege of holding a cherished position in their heart till their last breath.

Anytime, anywhere, be the first to give a hand to those in need of help, no matter who the person is. Helping someone in need gives immense pleasure. Offering help is a real worship of God, rather than attending rituals and contributing money to religious services.

An individual who cannot give love to others is a cripple, indeed – crippled of heart and soul.

By Padmashri Basineni

iPhone Nano – I can afford it!!!

This might become the news of the year for the iPhone buffs. iPhone might bring out a smaller version this Christmas.

Here is what Daily Mail had to say:

Apple is about to launch a ‘nano’ version of the hugely successful iPhone. It is expected to be in the shops in time for Christmas. The product will be launched in the UK at up to £150 for pay-as-you-go customers by O2, the mobile phone group owned by Spain’s Telefonica. ‘This will be a big one,’ said an industry source.

iPhone nano is expected to have all the features of its big brother iPhone, except the Internet access.

Another report on MaCNN says – One claim hints that the iPhone nano will feature a touch wheel on the back and display on the front so that numbers will be dialed from behind. Sources also speculate that “a cut-down version, with the candy bar shape of iPod nano music players, would be a huge hit as a Christmas gift.”

But for now, it’s just a rumor. There has been no official declaration from Apple related to the launch of iPhone nano.

By Ashok Subramaniam