Teaching should be full of ideas instead of stuffed with facts.
– Anon
Memory is a complicated thing, a relative to truth but not its twin. - BK
An Ode to Blogging..
How to compose a blog?
Well you need not slog
While awaiting inspiration to strike
And perspiration fills your psyche
The process needn’t make you sink in the bog!
Close your eyes for a moment
Listen to yourself – is it a lament
Then tune in to what’s happening around you
So much activity, just waiting for you to pick the cue
And let the images transform into words on your parchment.
Easiest is to share what’s going on externally around you
Possibilities are immense as if standing in a long queue
Next get in touch with your own circle of persons
Every person you meet has a story full of resonance
That at next level touches you deep inside like residual dew.
Tackle all the nine rasas to highlight emotion – as each has its
place –
Love, fear, anger, disgust, valour, laughter, sorrow, wonder &
peace
Allow them to emerge and ventilate
And your words shall oscillate and resonate
What’s left is to edit, re-write, regurgitate.
There are immense possibilities of garnishing – with variety applied
Start with sharing facts as the first act
wildly
Then bring in emotions using your tact
As presentation helps make it reader-friendly
Answering “what if..” to the situations emerging like a kaleidoscope
Creating new options – it’s like moving from despair to hope – Use technology (quotes, pics, toons, sketches) to reinforce mood
colour
Drama is all in the mind – to the stimulus respond and not just and
react.
It’s like a visit to the beauty parlour
And hone your skills such that the product appeals widely.
To visit my blog-page on Sulekha.com
pl click on link below (my blog id is
CaravanBPL)
http://rivr.sulekha.com/caravanbpl_1754545
Here’s wishing you the best
Blog on with vitality and zest
Don’t get bogged down in numbers – visits and comments –
As when the dust settles down you’ll have your cherished moments
To feel good about – and all that you’ve shared from your treasure
chest.
The rewards you’ll earn are intrinsic ones
Rediscovering oneself sets the basic tones
By: Harsh Rai Puri
The most sophisticated people I know – inside they are all children. - Jim Henson
To understand a new idea, break an old habit. – Jean Toomer
Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired. - Martha Graham
I never learnt anything while I was talking. - Larry King
The reason I talk to myself is that I’m the only one whose answers I accept. - George Carlin
Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration an exhaustion… I myself prefer to laugh, since
there is less cleaning up to do afterwards. – Kurt Vonnegut
If I’ve learnt nothing else, it’s that time and practise equal achievement. - Andre Agassi
For an Olympic athlete, the Olympics are not every four years, they are every day. – A Bindra
Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are. - Chinese Proverb
Hard work spotlights the character of people: Some turn up in their sleeves, some
turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all. – Sam Ewing
Education is what survives when what has been learnt is forgotten. – BF Skinner
Education is when you read the fine print. Experience is what you get if you don’t. – Pete Seeger
The barber’s hands were trembling and so he nicked my father’s cheek while
giving him a shave. “See what too much liquor does,” snapped my father.
“Yes sir,” the barber replied with a shrug, “it makes your skin tender.”
Sign in the window of a closed-down bookshop: “Words failed us.”
A pessimist looks at a donut and only sees the hole. - Anon
Just add injury….
He had a mind so fine that no idea could violate it.
- TS Eliot
He is the only genius with an IQ of 60
– Gore Vidal
The problem with her is that she lacks the power of conversation but not the power of speech.
- George Bernard Shaw
Some folks seem to have descended from the chimpanzee later than others.
– K Hubbard
Mulla Nasrudin went to the psychiatrist and asked if the good doctor could split his personality.
"Split your personality?" asked the doctor. "Why in heaven's name do you want me to do a thing like that?"
"BECAUSE," said Nasrudin! "I AM SO LONESOME."
Tagore poem transcreated by Kumud Biswas
जी ह ,ाँ लिख रह हाँ ...बहुत कुछ ! बहोत बहोत !!
ढ़े र ढ़े र स लिख रह हाँ ! मगर , आप उस़े पढ नह ीं प ओग़े ...
द़े ख नह ीं सकोग़े, उस़े आप !
दरअसि ब त यह है कक इन ददनों अपनी लिख वट
आप भी मैं कहॉ पढ प त हाँ ननयोन-र ड पर उभरती पींक्ततयों की
तरह वो अगि़े कक क्षण गम
ु हो ज ती हैं
च़ेतन क़े 'की-बोडड' पर वो बस दो-च र स़ेकेंड तक ह दटकती है ....
कभी-कभ र ह अपनी इस लिख वट को क गज़ पर नोट कर पत हाँ
स्पन्दनशीि सींव़ेदन की क्षण-भींगुर िड़िय ाँ
सह़े जकर उन्हें और तक पहुाँच न !
ब प ऱे , ककतन मक्ु ककि है !
आप तो 'फोर-कफगर' म लसक -व़ेतन व ि़े उच्च-अधिक र ठहऱे ,
मन-ह -मन तो हसोंग़े ह ,की भि यह भी कोई क म हुआ ,
की अन प-शन प ख़य िों की
मह न िफ्फ जी ह करत चि़े कोई - यह भी कोई क म हुआ भि !
These words were penned by legendary poet of people “Baba Nagarjuna”. Born on 30th June
1911 as Vaidya Nath Mishra in the village Satlakha, his mother’s village, he was fondly called
Baba by his followers. Baba was known for his revolutionary ideas and unconventional lifestyle.
His writings inspired generations and he was known for his candid and anti–establishment
views.
The Fourth Oath
Hiraman the bullock cart driver was in a quandary. The introduction of mini-buses had eaten into his business – so much so that to feed himself and his stalwart
four-legged companion he had had to sell off his small shanty and the cart was his make-shift home. Increasingly it was becoming difficult to earn enough to take
care of their meager needs. There were few passengers (read riders) and they found his singing live folk songs a nuisance preferring to stay glued to the small
contraptions called mobile phones – which when not glued as receiving ends on their owner’s ear was blaring off loud raucous music about Munni’s losing her
name – for good or bad – it wasn’t very clear. A far cry from the times when Hiraman used to exhort people to speak the truth as after all everyone had to head for
the Almighty’s abode one day; and nostalgic memories of Hira Bai creased his forehead as she exhorted her darling to imbibe some paan – the image shattered by
the loud image on the chai-wallah’s portable TV wherein the Munni was selling chaini-chaini.. he shyly smiled to himself, telling himself Munni had come a long
way from Chhaiyan chhaiyaan atop a train with that Ruk Ruk Khan.. the smile widening as he realized that he’d deserted the nautanki for good after Hira Bai’s exit
from his life, and taken to the bioscope to a large measure.. and sitting in that semi-lit video theatre was fun….
Hiraman’s reverie was broken by someone nudging him. A soft voice called out, “gaadi-waaley Bhaiyya, are you free? Can you take me to the fashion technology
institute recently opened? Gathering his act together Hiraman saw that it was a young girl – dressed more like the boys, it was really becoming difficult to make
out whether it was a boy or a girl, they all dressed alike.. and said “Haanji, Chalengey naa!”
The girl just had a back-pack and a pouch which she threw into the cart and climbed on the front-side with Hiraman and asked him to start. The jingle of her
anklets diverted Hiraman’s attention and as they started moving the bullocks bells and the anklets started making a unique jugalbandi which made Hiraman break
into song.. “Aaaj phir jeeney ki tamanna hai…” at which the girl started recording his voice on her mobile…
The girl started shivering due to the chill of the late evening hours and seeing this Hiraman passed on the lohi lying in the cart to her (easy as all his belongings
were an arm’s length away!)
They reached the Institute and the girl said I’ll just be back and walked off with her backpack, mobile and the lohi.. and Hiraman continued to wait for her. As time
passed and there was no sign he decided to go and look out for her, and tethering his cart to a an electric pole (in name only as that lane had not been electrified)
he started moving out when his attention was caught by the pouch. It was rich blue velvet pouch and he thought of taking it along when it fell from his hand – the
pocket opened and he saw a bundle of notes and some jewelry spread about – the sight of which accelerated his heart-beat. Talking to himself he picked up the
stuff, put it back in the pouch, and started towards the building. There was nobody there – he went in and found an office open – he peeped in and said to the
guard who was making a cup of tea, “Listen a girl just came with me, she’s not yet paid me and left this pouch in my cart.”
The guard looked at him – and said, “The hostel is vacant – as the new batch is yet to join. “ And he had heard no one entering!
Hiraman tried looking around but he also could not find any sign of inhabitation – which confused him fully! The guard looked at him with a sly eye – as if he had
had a chillum too many… Hiraman stopped for a few seconds and came back to his cart, untied it and started back.. en route he checked the pouch again… and
suddenly he saw the ornaments in a different light.. they were the ones Hira Bai was wearing when he had seen her last.
That made him wonder if Hirabai had come to know of his plight and had arranged somehow to have the pouch given to him so that his days as a gypsy would end
and again he would have a roof on his head?
Pensively he came back to the tea vendor at the station and being old friends asked him “Bhaiyya do you remember Hira Bai?” To his surprise his friend answered
“Kyon nahin Bhai! But there is sad news.. my cousin had come from the kasba today afternoon. Hirabai passed away yesterday afternoon after a brief illness at the
government hospital. The strange thing was that all her belongings which she used to keep in a velvet pouch have not been found – they just disappeared.”
Hiraman walked off slowly and muttering in his mind “I shall not take oaths any more. Hira Bai forgive me!! How I misjudged you.”
Inspired by: Teesri Kasam one of my favourite films
Afterword from the Editor…
Caravan 557 is being sent after a fairly longish break.. In the interim I
have been trying to visualise Caravan in a different light.. And this edition
is the an attempt in that direction (of course seeking your indulgence in
my including some of my own words – verse and prose).
Retirement has been a mixed blessing – I have a lot of time to pursue my
passions of teaching, reading and writing, and dollops of introspection.. I’d
also like to thank many of you for your emails (and specially AK Sinha,
Ghanshyam Chitlangia & Gaurav Sharma for personally calling up) to
enquire about the issuance of the next edition. I seek your feedback and
ideas (and original contributions too – no email forwards please).
Those who are ex-members of BHEL Bhopal family I’d like to inform them
about the nascent Sampark Portal – available on the BHEL Bhopal website
www.bhelbhopal.com – launched in September 2012 - and request them to
visit it.
Some
Haikus for you… the clash of cymbals
i gather
unbundled memories
heralds arrival
life was still
which scattered at dusk
in the wake of departure
a wave of longing
crashed on the shore…
With warm and sincere regards
~Harsh Rai Puri
Most of my life I have given of
myself, and in return I have
received love in abundance.
Life hasn’t been a bed of roses.
And yet, quite often,
I’ve had roses out of season.
- Ruskin Bond
To remember, as such, is neither good nor
bad; it’s what one remembers that makes
the difference.
– Antonio Gala
BHEL
Bhopal; EMRP; Trichy; Haridwar; RC Puram Hyderabad; Jhansi; Ranipet; ISG; EDN; Corporate Office;
PEM; CQ; Power Sector (NR, WR, ER, SR, PMG); IS; IO; TBG; CIT; HRDI; Corporate R&D; Piping Centre,
Chennai;
Ex-BHEL : Retired members from across the corporation
Other Organisations
NTPC, NHPC, IOCL, BPCL, GAIL, HEC, ONGC, CRISIL, MTNL, Reliance Industries, John Crane Ltd, IBM,
TCS, WIPRO, Microsoft, Tech Mahindra, TCES Ltd, Madras Fertilizers, REVA, Bharat Electronics, ITI,
Escorts, Orchid Pharma, Enercon India, NFL, Hero Honda, Hindalco, SK Insurance Mktg, Gulf Oil,
Innova, Sona Group, Pepsico, Microinks, Templeton, Sonadih Cement, Saraswati Engg, Indian Navy,
Reliance Communications, AIMA, INSSAN, GSFC, FDA (Bhopal), Beck India, Mico Bosch, Blue Star,
ADCO (Dubai), SAB Miller, Brightflex (Taiwan), Emirates Neon (Sharjah), Temenos India, TASMAC,
Mahindra & Mahindra, IPCL, Accenture, TATA Auto Comp Systems Ltd (Hinjewadi), Pune; Radisson
MBD Hotel (Noida), Primus Telecommunications India Limited (Delhi); Dr Reddy’s Foundation (CSR
wing of Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Hyderabad); Bharat Pumps & Compressors; Tyco Valves; Siemens
Ltd; DLF; Indore Mgmt Association; Sona e-Design and Technologies Ltd., Gurgaon ; Delphi TVS; Shell
Technology India, Bangalore; Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts, B’lore; Regional Director of Apprentice
Training, Kanpur; Aristocrat Luggage; LMI Baroda; BARC; Tata Power; Everest Industries, Nashik;
Micromatic Grinding Ltd, Ghaziabad; Blue Star; Yes Bank; Birla Cement; CTI, Kanpur; JSW Energy Ltd;
Varroc Engg, Aurangabad; Vodaphone; Alstom; ING Vysa Life Insurance Co; Videocon; Vardhman Grp;
HCL; Henkel India; BVC; Tata Metalics; Reliance Power Ltd; Reliance Infrastructure Ltd; Husco Intl,
Pune; Mantrana Consulting; L&T Infotech; Bharat Forge; SNC Lavalin Engg. India Pvt. Ltd.; Roop
Polymers, Sohna; Govt of WB; Vaibhava Placements, Nashik; NIPM(WR); Sadelmi India Power Pvt Ltd;
BARC, Tarapur; Bharat Oman Refineries Ltd; Karmayog Engineers, Nashik; IDMAT; Ratnagiri Gas &
Power Ltd; OTPC; Datatrack; HMT; Sterling Industries, Nashik; ex-MPEB Bhopal; Bhartiya Vidya
Bhawan;
Educational Institutions
BITS, Pilani; UBS, Chandigarh; AIM, Guwahati; RKDF Group, Bhopal; Amity, Noida; PIMR,Indore;
ICFAI; IIM-I; IIM-L; MDI, Gurgaon; Jason School of Business, Coimbatore; NPTI, Durgapur; BIST Bhopal;
JIET, Jodhpur; ATTMA, Madurai; (& My Ex-BITS, Pilani & UBS Chandigarh Alumni)
Professionals
Doctors, Freelancers/Management Consultants (from India & abroad)
Students
I am available as a faculty resource – for a broad spectrum of programmes –
please contact for more details on hr.puri@gmail.com and/or mobile no 09425604159