Live, Live with Prosperity
Principled Simplicity
M.B. Nirmal
Founder & Leader : ExNoRa
Management Trainer : Seventh Intelligence
Mr. Anandapadmanabhan was a born leader and was a living example
for today's youth. He aspired and worked hard to change the life of
today's youth, to make them more educated, prosperous, so that they
become worthy citizens of tomorrow's India.
He silently but meticulously taught among school children, that
simplicity is the best virtue to excel in life. Though the God of death has
being so cruel in taking away the life of our dear Anandapadmanabhan,
he lives forever in our minds inspiring us to lead a life with simplicity.
I dedicate this book with tears and fond remembrance, to the epitome
of simplicity, my friend Anandapadmanabhan.
Title: Live, Live with Prosperity
Principled simplicity
Author: M.B. Nirmal
Founder & Leader: ExNoRa
Management Trainer : Seventh Intelligence
Published by:
Seventh Intelligence Publications
20, Giriappa Salai, T. Nagar, Chennai 600017
Tel: 91- 44- 2815 33 77/ 2475 95 77/ 98400 34 900.
Email: mbnirmal@hotmail.com
Original
Tamil
book
titled,
"வாழுங்கள்,
வளத்துடன்
வாழுங்கள்
இலட்சிய
எளிமை", of the same author Mr. M.B. Nirmal
translated in English by 'REACH' J.Chandrasekaran
Forgetting gratitude is forbidden
I owe my heartfelt thanks to those who helped in the
original Tamil version:
Mrs. Lavanya Senthilkumar, who designed this book,
which is sure to create history, in the e-publishing
format.
'Navalar', Poet, 'Anagai' Mr. N. Sivan @ Sivalingam, who
is our ExNoRa Senator. He did proof reading and editing.
Mr. Shagul, of MOFA Enterprises, who computerized and
digitized the Tamil edition.
Mr. N.P. Manohar and Mr. P.G. Ramnath of Classic
Printers, who brought out the printed edition of the
Tamil book.
I dedicate…
I do not believe in the proverb, "to make or destroy, it is the woman's will". I
respect womanhood. I believe in another proverb whole heartedly, which says,
"Wife is the gift by the Almighty".
There is a turning point in every man's life. His appearance, life style, thinking,
dress code - all go for a change during his marriage, or soon after his marriage.
The changes are of different types.
A good wife reforms bad thugs. Good simpleton turning to bad habits after
marriage is also common. There are instances, where one could not withstand
the lavish life style of a spendthrift wife, making him earn money in unethical
means.
I remember an instance, when a bank officer, went to the jail to distribute
sweets to the prisoners. He was shocked to see his dear friend, a Government
official in higher position, among them! When asked about how he came here, he
said that he resorted to earn ill-gotten money to buy silk saris for his wife!
I, the author of this book, was simple ever since I grew up. After marriage,
simplicity took strong roots in my family. My wife, a Postgraduate practicing
medico, also practiced simplicity. At present, she is the Deputy Director of
Madras Medical College. Nevertheless, she ever made her position or fame
affect her path of simplicity. She naturally possesses simplicity as a jewel and
her nature astonishes me!
Most of the days she travels by public transport. She also buys the vegetables
and groceries required on her way back home. She cleans the home, sweeps the
floor without engaging any servants. She travels by II sleeper class only while
traveling by train. She checks the price of any commodity before she buys and
settles with the one with the lowest price tag. She never 'makes herself' up!
Extravagance is never in her vocabulary. She also gets along with others with
simplicity and straight forwardness.
I dedicate this book to my wife who is the simplest and modest woman in my
life. I am sure this book will bring happiness to countless people who will enjoy
reading this book and absorb the contents to enrich themselves and their life.
With love and gratitude.
M. B. Nirmal
Author
Live, Live in Prosperity
Principled simplicity
Simplicity as goal
ExNoRa M.B. Nirmal
Read this book once. Your live will change forever
and rise higher!
Money that controls the world
Even though there are many problems in the world, that varies from person to
person, country to country, the most common problem every one has is,
"MONEY" or the need for money. Money controls the world. Industries run,
business persons compete with each other, fights for positions and going for a
job - all are to generate money. Business is done for money. Some families strain
relationship for dowry issues, ending up in want of money. Man robs to get
money. Before the pyre's fire puts off, the heirs fight each other for want of a
share in the wealth of the deceased soul, again for money.
Money will plough down to the core of the earth
Men and money
What does money yield?
For the poor, next to oxygen, money matters. Money gets them food, cloth and
shelter. Money wipes away their sorrow.
For middle class folk, just to maintain their 'middle class' status, they need money! If
they have more money, they can buy a bigger house with more amenities. Can buy
car; go abroad; pay 'capitation' fees for higher studies; even though prohibitive, can
discreetly give dowry for a safe marriage for their daughters. Let them earn well, but
they should also learn to control their expenses and desires. Otherwise, they will
loose control over the swirl of greed and desire and will put them in a crisis.
For the rich: Rich too worry about money. How to safe guard the hard-earned
money? How to earn further ? On seeing some one richer, they yearn to beat them,
by adding few more crores to their kitty . These are few worries they carry. This
constant worry of making more and more money builds stress, which gives them
immense pain, and invites all diseases. These 'rich' diseases carry those filthy rich
people towards the ICU of a rich hospital. Then they eventually loose the body worth
crores for ‘want of money’ or the ‘thought of money.’
Is there any connection between money and happiness?
If some is to read what I said earlier, they will surely conclude that money is
everything. But great souls, saints, philosophers, patriots, freedom fighters, social
workers, nature lovers - all are in unison by thinking otherwise!
"There is NO CONNECTION between money and merry. And absolutely no connection
between money and mental peace," is what they say.
Is this true? Here are two true illustrations:
True incidents:
The poor rich man!
I went to a rich man's house. His house is in Chennai main city
which covers some acres together! There must be at least 15
rooms within his bungalow. Not less than five cars were lined in
his portico. A large door at the reception, on opening carries a
huge surprise . A big swimming pool awaits you, with a
springboard on its bank. You can dive into the water and come
out by the rising steps.
Small trolleys carry food for guests. The food is driven to the
guests' place, in these cars. They are converted to dining
tables, in a moment! A big tennis court, grand wooden carvings,
smooth silk carpets and many such jaw-dropping artifacts
decorate the bungalow. This book would is not enough if I have
to comment on everything I saw that day.
The owner of the bungalow knows me well. When I went there,
he was sitting in a sorrowful mood. I was with him for half an
hour. By then, two doctors had already checked him and left.
One was a cardiologist and the other a diabetes specialist.
I remembered many say that this man can do anything with the
money he possesses! What happened now? I slowly went near
him and enquired, "I always get surprised by the wealth you
have possessed, but now today, I feel very sorry for you.
What's really your problem?"
He replied, " I wish I lessen my burden by sharing my problems
with some one else.' Having said that, he talked with me for
about ten minutes.
I could summarize that as follows:
•
A week before, the income tax sleuths have raided his house, dug the
unaccounted money, and have raised an enquiry on him.
•
He recently came to know that one of his business partners had been
swindling huge sums of money for a long period, unnoticed!
•
On seeing his lavish life style, his factory workers have started asking for a
raise.
•
His son-in-law's tantrum had reached a crescendo. He had first received a
Honda car on persistent requests, and now he wants a Benz car, again!
•
He also came to know that both his sons have illicit affairs.
•
As he always thinks of his business, he has developed no attachment or
relationship with his wife.
All these things put together had made this man bed ridden and a pressure
driven wreck.
I suggested, “Sir, why don't you do some meditation, go for a cool swimming?
These would relax your mind, body and soul!” He retorted back, “I wish I
remove all the water and jump into the dry pool and commit suicide instead!"
I am known for giving solace to many parched souls but I could not muster
any reply for this man! I just bid bye and returned back, without uttering a
word more. The surprise element is that, when this man had a smaller unit,
he was happier as I saw him but as the unit grew in size, so grew his
worries, along!
The rich poor man!
The same day evening, I had another experience altogether. The dhobi Dhanakoti, who
lives near the slum next to my house, was sleeping peacefully. On hearing my vehicle's
sound, he woke up, came running to open the gate of my house, to allow the vehicle in.
I just enquired, “How’s life man?" He gleefully replied, “All in our family went to
Muniandi Villas for sumptuous Biriyani, saw a MGR movie and are back home. Our day
today went off happily!"
Dhanakoti, his wife Mookayi, their children, all wash the clothes of their customer's
outside their hut. They work hard throughout the day. They enjoy working hard. Their
hard work had made their arms muscular and strong. Morning 8 to 2 noon they wash
the clothes. Then they dry the clothes, have food, take some rest and after five in the
evening they start pressing the clothes and give the pressed ones to the clients' houses
and come back with the collected money. While on work, the tape recorder in their hut
belts out cinema songs continuously. After 7 pm, they all squat before the black & white
television and see all the programme non-stop. They laugh, clap hands and get so
involved with the comedy scenes they see and are immersed into the scenes
themselves! Every weekend they visit the Mari Amman temple. Being dhobis
themselves, they always sport well-washed, white linen. They always live happily.
Measure of happiness
If at all we try to measure the
happiness, through some fictional
'happiness
readometer",
the
mercury in it, would cross all
barriers and burst itself out! If we
use the same meter on the rich
man, I referred earlier, the mercury
would never rise to any level, and
would stay put as if it is frozen
forever!
The vision of truth
On seeing two different families the same day, a great truth dawned upon me.
Comparing these two families, I concluded that money and happiness have no
connection. Money and Mental peace have no connection. Moreover, to top this all, I felt
strongly, “Money and mental solace have no relationship at all!" These two instances
made me do a thorough research. The result is what you see, this book. If one
understands this book and its essence, the reader can get peace of mind, and happiness,
forever. Money do gives comfort. However, it is only 90% a physical aberration. The mind
never gets solace from money.
Earn
Let more of money be there. If you can earn more money the
righteous way, please go ahead. Earn as much as possible. Any
earning member should follow a strict methodology. That is why I
have this book before you. Not to stop you earning money. Let's
come to that important methodology one has to follow, after
earning hoards of money.
What can give you mental solace?
There are many answers for the above question. But what stands out is
just one reply, 'simplicity'. The more simple you live, the more happiness
and mental solace, you achieve. This is hundred percent true. Even if you
earn more money and possess more wealth, just desist and be simple.
Earning money is not a crime. Nevertheless, forgetting simplicity is a huge
mistake! When money beckons a man, we see that simplicity tends to
leave him.
Great men are simple. Simple men turn great.
The most renowned men in the world are all simple. List out the beacons who lead
a great, yet simple life. They may be from different class, kind, clan and
nationality. However, the common thread, which runs through all such names and
personalities, is 'simplicity'. Here is a sample list:
The great Gowthama was not famous as a Prince, but he became world famous,
after he became 'Buddha', leading a simple life, renouncing the charm of being a
prince.
Same way, Jesus, Mohammed the prophet, Confucius, Plato, Aristotle, Socrates,
Mother Teresa, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda, Arutperum
jyothi Ramalinga Adigal, Guru Nanak, Mahaveer, Leo Tolstoy, Bernard Shaw,
Albert Einstein, Poet Subramania Bharathi, 'Iron Man' Sardar Vallabhai Patel,
Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, Thiruvalluvar, Tamil poetess Avvaiyaar,
Rabindranath Tagore, Gopala Krishna Gokhale, Bala Gangadhara Tilak, Ramana,
Arabindo, Raghavendra Swami, Swaminarayan, Dr. Ambedkar, C.Rajaji, Karma
warrior Kamaraj, Kakkanji, Lalbahadur Sastri, Annadurai, the saint who ploughs
through your mind, 'Live prosperously' Mahan. Vethathiri Maharishi,… and so on.
If I again start listing such great souls of this soil, this book will be over flowing.
Most of them listed here came from affluent background, but adorned
simplicity. They never lived a pompous and rich life.
Gandhiji was from an affluent family and a Barrister from London. The
world hails him for not for his Barrister Law degree, but for his simple life
style, for living one among the masses, like a common person. He traveled
the length and breadth of our country; saw the plight of many poor
peasants wearing almost nothing except their loincloth. He too shed away
lavish clothing and wore just a dhoti and a small towel on his frail
shoulders. Even Winston Churchill ridiculed Gandhiji as, "Half naked fakir'
from India. However, it was not the well-dressed suit attired Churchill,
who won, but this so-called half naked man of India, Gandhiji!
A small girl told her mother, " Ma, leave me for serving the Church. Let me
become a nun!” Her mother refused saying, “You are still a small girl.
Become 18 and then you can decide on your life path." After years, the
girl, now a grown up woman, went to her mother again and retorted, "Ma,
leave me now. I am 18. Let me become a nun." The mother with tears
rolling down her eyes, allowed her daughter to join the monastery. What
is shocking is the fact that, after this incidence, the mother and daughter
never met again!
The young nun, who reached the shores of Calcutta, saw the poor and
downtrodden dying in the streets with no shelter, but for the sky as their
roof. Many were dying due to hunger, in footpaths. She sheds tears for
them. She goes to her seniors in the Church, asking them permission to
serve the mankind instead of serving the Lord.
She is an Albanian by birth, and white skinned. Will the locals accept her?
She immediately sheds away her nun robes and gowns, but wears simpler
sari, the Indian attire. Do you know which sari she chose to wear? The one
that is being worn by the sweepers of Calcutta, which just cost her
Rs.2.00. She is none other than the famous Mother of deprived, down
trodden and the beacon of hope of destitute, the founder of Missionaries
of Charity, Mother Teresa. Is there any other better example of a Great
person leading a simpler life, yet becoming famous?
The then Chief Minister of Tripura, Mr. Nirupan Chakraborthy was a
bachelor. After his tenure, he went to live in a small rented room, leaving
away the posh Government Bungalow. Do you want to know what he
carried along when he vacated the Government accommodation? A simple
trunk containing three sets of dresses!
The then Chief Minister of Kerala Namboodiripad, donated all his
ancestral property to his party, before entering politics.
The other Kerala Chief Minister Achyutha Menon was seen shopping like a
commoner, the next day his tenure ended. Even minister A. K. Anthony is
known for his simplicity even by his political oppositions.
A member of the parliament, holding various ministerial posts in the
erstwhile Madras state Shri. Kakkan was travelling by public bus. During
his last years, he could not even afford a private hospital and stayed in
the general ward of a Government Hospital.
Mr. Kamarajar, the 'King maker', who was known for his ability to select
the Prime ministerial candidate of India, was then the chief minister of
Tamilnadu. He did not own a small piece of land in this country, where we
know that politicians who hold even the smallest of smaller posts, having
Swiss accounts to save discreetly their ill-gotten money. Mr. Kamaraj did
not even have a savings account in his name. Perarignar Anna, also an
erstwhile Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu is known for his great literary
works, which were written by him squatting on plain floor. Rajaji was also
known for his simplistic life style.
Guljarilal Nanda, who was a minister for long period in the Central
Ministry, struggled in his late years unable to pay his room rent. He used
to stitch his torn cloth to wear them again.
Is there anyone greater than these Great men I mentioned? Did the
society boycott these men because they were simple? Even after their
death, they are remembered forever, as an epitome of simplicity. So,
shall we all agree that simplicity is not to be ridiculed but to be hailed?
The recent incumbent president, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam is a living
example for this generation. Similar to him, is also the current Prime
Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh. Both of them lead a very simple
life.
Advertisement Stunt and Show
The politicians today, and even the Religious Heads
advertise themselves. They keep themselves figuring in
tall digital banners and posters competing with the
skylines. Some of these even fall off and injure the
common public who walk gazing at those monstrous
cutouts! They encourage their so-called 'supporters'
and acclaim many 'titles' to themselves as prefixes and
suffices to their names. They celebrate their birthday
with pomp and extravagance.
Raise that comes with simplicity
The Great men we discussed earlier never did advertise
themselves. There was neither internet nor websites during their
days. No televisions or cell phones. In fact, there wasn’t that many
publications or newspapers like what we read today. In spite of
such short falls, they were famous. The whole world was familiar
with these names. What gave them fame is their simple life style,
their philosophy, their work and the path they lead. They not only
preached simplicity but also lead by example.
Live, live happily
There is a simple way to lead a happy life. That
is to lead a simple life and to proclaim that
simplicity will be the only motto to lead that
life.
Principled simplicity is the only way to lead a happy life
What is principled simplicity? What are the obstacles we face while observing
principled simplicity? What is the real way to live a cherished and peaceful life?
a
If one understands the objective of principled simplicity and give shape to it, there
cannot be a person better than you to lead the happier life. Again, what is this
principled simplicity?
a
Before understanding this concept, it is important to understand that you will face a
lot of obstacles while taking every effort to practice principled simplicity. In short, it is
this 'society' which stops you practicing principled simplicity. We never see things in our
own perspective. We always tend to handle any issue through the society's eye. What
does the society think? "What will happen if 'x' thinks so, 'y' may blame me, how do I
get fame and attention of the society or what will happen if the society shuns me for
my deed .." and so on…
a
Therefore, by constantly thinking what the society thinks, we loose our own thinking,
let our concerns to dilute and thought process to fade. We tend to bend ourselves to
the thinking of the society and thus become a victim of borrowed opinion, resulting in
tension and restlessness.
a
We blame the society and conduct ourselves, even though we do not like it. In fact, we
tend to become spendthrifts blaming the society, only to suffer and bear the brunt.
Neighbour Syndrome
Ninety percent of the population suffers from what is called as 'Neighbour
syndrome'. Do you remember the famous Tamil cinema song, "Aduthaathu
Ambujatha paartheyla? (அடுத்தாத்து அம்புஜத்த பார்த்ததளா?) This
explicitly explains how the singer envies her neighbour.
The very concern of what would be our neighbour’s opinion makes us do things
incorrectly. And the funniest part is here? Just to grab the attention of our
neighbour, to attract him or to overcome him in terms of others' attention, we
tend to do things differently than what is really ours.
The truth is that no neighbour has time to think of us, fathom or criticize us,
leave alone adulating or finding fault with. So, first and foremost, we should
come out of the lifeterm we impose on ourselves called as the 'neighbourhood
syndrome'. Instead of living our fullest life for ourselves, we start living for the
sake of entering our neighbour's heart or mind. In this context, neighbour
means, the surroundings and the society too.
The social uneasiness
How is our neighbour or the society responsible for us
shedding the simple life and falling prey for a pompous life?
Here are the reasons:
Will the society think that we have become paupers, having
lost all our wealth and property, if we lead a simple life?
Will they call us a 'miser'?
Will they declare us as ‘mad’?
Such unwarranted thoughts engulf us, and we resort to get
into a pompous life. Even if some one thinks like that, should
we really worry about it? Shouldn’t we decide how we live or
is it the neighbour or the society, which should decide our
destiny? Those who ridicule us, will they take care of us in
hard times? Will they come forward to pay off our loans? Will
they partake in our sorrows and pains? Will they share our
burden now or ever?
‘It is not bad to be poor in wealth, but it is certainly bad to
be poor in intellect’.
Prisoner of others' thoughts
Both the neighbours indulge in wealth accumulation and are under stress, thinking
that the other man would always think of us, the man next door! Both think that
the other man is watching his movements closely, avoid face-to-face contact, do
not talk with each other and spend their lives without fear, which is not worth
undergoing. We loose ourselves, our self-esteem, are trapped and fail to come out
openly with a clear thought and mind. We spend beyond our capacity to make the
other man appreciate and feel envious about us. One day, we will be burying
ourselves in deep depth of debt. It happens the same way in the other man's life
too. This unaccounted life game becomes a threat to us; others feel hatred towards
us and in fact avoid us. In front of our face, they hail us but behind our backs, they
shun us. Some evil-minded enemies go to the extent of giving a complaint against
us to the authorities, anonymously!
The movie, which detailed simplicity in an eloquent way
The director with a sharp brain who has made many movies to evoke the intelligence of the
society, by mixing both comedy and realism is none other than the Tamil Director
K.Balachander. He not only made commercial movies, but also ensured that they carried
social messages.
Extravagance and its suffering were well documented in the Tamil movie 'Bama Vijayam'.
The evils of being spending beyond ones limits is well explained interlaced with comedy, by
showing how three middle class women fall prey to the glamour world and pretend to be
rich, eventually suffering themselves due to their own plight. None can forget the song,
'Varavu ettanaa, selavu patthaNaa' (வரவு எட்டணா, சசலவு பத்தணா). A
famous adage goes like this in Tamil, 'swell, suiting to the size of the finger', which implicitly
means spend suiting to your income'. In the beginning chapters, I had explained very clearly
how money is not important for happiness, by two live examples.
My parents were money-minting machines…!
The true son makes his father proud
By becoming a front-runner, in all claims...
is the meaning of a couplet of Poet Valluvar who also says in the same breadth the
duty of a father towards his son, in another one:
Father does his true duty by making himself
a role model to his son
An industrialist father and a leading medico mother both work tirelessly and
accumulate enormous wealth to their children, but they never spared time to spend
with their children. They always worried about the future but forgot the present
time. Out of the enormous interest they showed in making money not even an iota
was showered on the children. The children themselves had to seek appointment of
their father through his personal secretary!
The children yearned for parental love and affection. Soon, both the sons got
addicted to drugs and this went on undetected by their parents. The parents became
money-minting machines but had no love. When drug addiction became too severe,
the eldest son lost his life. The other son was saved miraculously by highest and most
expensive medical care! We come across many such instances in our daily lives.
There are women weeping for the plight of a child in the television serial, forgetting
about their own kin!
The adage 'father' is equally important as that of being named as an 'industrialist'.
Both have different work and different role to play. One complete man does both
jobs correctly. If he fails in his dual role, life will fail him!
The true incident mentioned above shows that he parents failed to understand the
minds of the children, in spite of them being clever enough to accumulate so much
wealth. Love and affection are also precious little things, which are essential in life.
Principled simplicity - a definition
Another saying goes like this: ‘As a cat burnt itself with hot tongs trying
to imitate the tiger stripes'. We should lead a life within our earning
capacity and should not fall a prey to the pomp and show outside. On
the contrary, we should observe how poor folk who earn less live
comfortably than we do.
'I wept for a pair of shoes and stopped when I saw a lame man walk
by' - is another proverb. This is what is aiming for simplicity. Decide
from today, to lead a simple life.
Aim for natural happiness.
The reason for you to lead a simple life is not that you
do not have money, but because you have decided to
live so. You are not broken. You are not a miser or
insane. You observe simplicity as you have that as one
of the aims in life. Simplicity is the path to happiness.
'Badge' - a symbol
A simple designer badge can demonstrate principled simplicity. This is how it looks:
Principled simplicity
This can be made in engraved letters either in metal or plastics and can be worn close to
your heart on your shirt pocket. This can be any language denoting the initials of principled
simplicity. You can wear a simple dhoti, or wear sandal slippers, but yet by seeing this
badge on your shirt people will look upon you, not tease or ridicule you. They will
understand that the simple life you have chosen is by choice and not by force or situation.
Principled simplicity is not a banned word! Those who see you with this badge will not
think bad about you, but will look upon you as a role model. Your value will raise amongst
them. Your style will spread like the fragrance of an incense stick to others around.
No 'badge' needed …
In fact, real masters with an aim of leading a simple life and who
lead as an example, do not really need any badge. Their dress,
their simple attire and their simple deeds are suffice to promote
the idea and the person.
Badge needed…
But let's think the other way. In case you are a simple man wearing
this badge. Anyone new to this concept, will surely approach you
out of curiosity. You can then start explaining the concept, the
virtues of simplicity. So the message spreads fast. So please wear
such badge whenever you go out. Spread simplicity, its virtues,
advantages and all the goodness it brings along with it. Keep
spreading the message. Do this NOW!
Hypnotizing and Subliminal Advertisements
Many advertisements come in television which attracts us, changes us, make us
mad, which conquer us, make us addicted. A finding from a Western research
says that some advertisements are produced in such a way, that they go deep
and get embedded into our minds. The characters, their dress, their style,
conversation, dialogue delivery, background score, all keep aside your
judgmental mind and start imposing the advertiser's ideas forcibly into your
brain. What next? You become like a keyed toy, go and buy the said commodity
or expensive thing without ever wanting it really. This is called 'subliminal'.
Those who see advertisements daily and also follow them strictly are sure to
become paupers and to the streets! Then their own life becomes fit to be a
screen play for another television serial!
Just do a 'small survey' immediately
Walk around your home with a paper and pen. Just jot down all the needy things
based on their use to you. Do not leave anything in your house. Everything you
see. Give 100 marks for those who are inseparable like gas, gas stove, light, fan
etc. Give lesser marks for things which are sparingly used. You will be surprised
that 90 % of the goods in your house being useless or in other words, which are
sparingly used. You may find surprisingly certain unwanted things filling your
almirah unopened! The unwanted stuff makes cockroaches dwell there. Most of
those unwanted things would have been purchased using credit cards and the
dues would also accumulate for nothing. More the interest in the bank, more
goes up your blood pressure!
A simple method to suppress the ‘urge to buy’
Let bygones be bygones. Let the future be good. Do you feel like
buying something you see at a friend’s place or see in an
advertisement? Do you feel the rush to buy at any cost? You
need to just do one thing. A self – test. Just for two minutes. Sit
in a chair. Relax and lean back then ask yourself the following
five questions and answer back yourself.
Those five questions:
Question 1: Is this thing very essential for me? Do I want it?
If the answer is ‘no’, it’s OK. On the other hand, if the answer is ‘yes’, you are inviting
trouble. Then go to the next question.
Question 2: Do I need it?
If the answer is ‘no’ again, you are fine. If the answer is ‘yes’, it means you are in
danger. Then go to the third question.
Question 3: Can I afford to buy it? Do I have the capacity to buy it?
It is pertinent to know before you answer this question, that you have the money to
buy that thing, well in your account. If you are going to get credit for the same, the
credit should again be reasonable. Can you repay the credit card company in time?
Ask this question too. If you have the capacity to re-pay the monthly installments, it
is fine. If you get a big ‘NO’ as an answer for all the questions, it is great, you are
free. But if you get a big ‘YES’ as an answer then YOU MUST go to answer question
number four.
Question 4: Can I lead my life without this?
This is an IMPORTANT question. Most of the things in our homes are not essentials in our
life. Still we accumulate them. We can easily say, ‘yes, this is not really an essential item in
my life or life style’. You can avoid buying such things immediately. Nothing will change or
life become abnormal if we stop buying that thing. If your answer for this question is again
a big ‘no’ you are again saved, but if your answer is ‘yes’, you have to answer the final fifth
question without fail and then may proceed with your purchase.
Question5: Can I postpone buying it?
By asking this vital question, you may postpone the purchase if needed, may be you may
cut down your desire of buying the product later, for ever, which does more good than
harm in long run.
These 5 wonder questions:
You will be surprised that after answering these vital wonder questions, you will
end up, not buying many unwanted things. You will be a true man using your sixth
sense, not getting carried away by advertisements. Your family welfare will be
safe. Simple life style will engulf you and you will walk with a raised head ever.
You will feel light – hearted. Savings will grow. All in your family together or alone
can undertake these self – examination. Better to do as a group.
Sixth ‘bonus’ question:
Still is your desire to buy more is not doused? Then this sixth question which
needs to penetrate your head and mind is:
‘ Does this affect the environment or will this purchase cause pollution?’
Good expense
Do you know the best expenditure in the world? It is spending to save!
Yes, this four lettered word ‘save’ saves you a lot. The more you spend on
saving, the more you gain.
Let others who are pompous and extravagant, weep around for their
misfortune.
We should remember a point. There are not less than 10 crore Indians
living under the sky, as their roof. They live, eat, deliver children and die
on footpaths. There are at least few crores of populace who starve
without a square meal a day! Many die due to starvation. More than that,
many tender hands of children toil and work hard in harsh conditions to
support their family!
There are so many underprivileged poor souls like the lame, blind, orphans,
destitute, discarded, aged, suppressed, women who resort to run brothels
for want of food, starvers who beg, those who do petty thefts as they do
not know how to earn their bread, and so on. Is it right on our path to
spend lavishly when our brethren are dying due to penury? Is it fair?
It is not the gold plate or aluminum plate which satisfies our hunger. It is
the food on the plate that fills our stomach.
Guilty conscience
More than making us feel rich, extravagance makes us feel pompous. The very feeling that we are
pompous will develop a guilty feeling in our mind and that also leads us to illness.
Way to lead a simple life
You want to lead an easy life? Be stronger yourself. Control the wavering mind. You want your life to
be a smooth sail? Be tough to yourself.
What a ostentatious nature?
There is a Tamil saying, “ An overnight filthy rich, holds an umbrella even for a midnight moon!’. It is
a fact that these ‘sudden rich and snobbish’ act worsens their normal life. A sudden rich man asked
the guy at the watch show room, not about the life of the watch, or its technicalities, but “ Which is
the most expensive watch in your showroom?”. He bought the costliest one. He did not buy for
himself but insisted the sales man that none other than him should wear that particular branded
watch, and must not be sold to any one else! “ As it is costlier, it shows more time than what is
normal!!” is a joke remarked on this incident. How snobbish and arrogant these filthy sudden rich
ones are!
Money intoxication!
A rich man had three children, who studied in the same school, but he chose to
send them to a near by school which was within two kilometer radius, by
individual car for each child! Separate drivers for each vehicle and brought them
back. Just near by is a slum area, where most children live in penury and most of
them have no clothes to wear or proper food to eat. Can’t the rich man cut
down on his expenses by sending all the three children to the school in one car?
The money thus saved could have been used to provide education for all the
downtrodden children in that slum. God will only bless those who live for
others.
Fetish for imported goods
There are many who boast of proclaiming, “I do not buy
anything local. All foreign make only!’. However pretentious they
are, can they remove the tag which is on them that they are only
locals, i.e., Indians!
Buy only Swedeshi goods
Many foreign goods, mostly unwanted goods, are adorning the shelves of our
shops. If you are not ready to give up the snobbish attitude, so be it. At least
listen to this simple advice. Do not buy foreign goods. Buy only Indian goods.
That would indirectly benefit our brethren and give job opportunity to our own
country men. Many houses will have their lights lit and we would save foreign
exchange to our country. Our country will also prosper and grow.
Just see this imaginary situation
You have two workers approaching you for help; a healthy cash-rich
worker from abroad and the other a poor labourer from India. You need
not help any of them. Just try to stick on to ‘Made in India’ tag. Just buy
Indian goods. That’s enough. This would be the best favour one could do
for saving the lives of the Indian worker. Take an oath, with immediate
effect as “ I would buy only Indian goods”.
The extravagance that’s makes you loose your mind
Let me narrate an interesting story to illustrate how obsessed we are with money and an
extravagant life. A rich man gifted a dog to his son. The son and the dog became inseparable
and were play mates. One day unfortunately the boy sees the dog motionless and still. He wept
profusely and asked his father to get back the dog its life. The father tried to console his son
but failed. He said he will buy a similar one, but the son was adamant and went on crying. The
father changed the track and proclaimed, “See, let’s do one thing. We will have a grand burial
for your pet dog. The body will be carried in a chariot bedecked with garlands, driven by
horses. A band will lead the way. After burial, we will have a grand feast for all who attended
the cremation. The boy’s face lit up! He was happy and was about to get ready for the
‘cremation’. Then, the unexpected happened! The dog, which was actually unconscious, leapt
back to life! The boy had a rude shock! He was expecting a feast and not the dog back to life.
He immediately yelled to his gardener. “Hey, kill that dog!”
I need not elaborate any further on this story. We all live like this, mindlessly. We are possessed
with extravagance. We avoid being simple and end up simply loosing all good things in life. At
times we are forced to live so and when such an attitude dominates our mind, we are forced to
become cruel against others too.
Why simplicity? Here are some reasons:
• Lavish life forces us towards debt.
• Dowry deaths, cruelty, bribery, robbery, all happen due to the desire for
a lavish life
• This extravagance and desire to buy unwanted things make producers
produce such unwarranted and unwanted goods in plenty. This in turn
spoils the nature. The world will become a grave yard in the next
generation. Natural resources will perish, and the earth will become
barren.
• The more we buy useless things, the more they are produced. Due to
increased production, pollution increases which in turn spoils our soil,
air, earth and sea.
• More scrap and solid waste accumulates, due to the unrelated use of useless
things and discharge. The packing boxes, film covers, the thermocole or
styrofoam packing's, paper, all add to the waste. We end up spending money
for solid waste management and disposal.
• The vehicles which carry the waste pollute the air, sound as well as the land.
• The place were the waste is dumped also become a waste land, useless for
irrigation, agriculture, in short useless for habitation. We also are loosing
more of our lakes and ponds, which are used as dumping yards for the waste
managers.
• Diseases spread due to the waste. We spend money to cure diseases. The
medical expense in the city life has become inevitable.
• Luxury invites danger. Boot-leggers and criminals target people who own
luxury cars. Thieves target those who flash their wealth.
• Many women who walk like a show piece bedecked with jewelry also become
victims of murder and theft.
What does simplicity give us?
Simplicity gives mental peace and solace.
Simplicity gives fulfillment in life.
Simplicity uplifts the standard of our life.
Simple men are always held in high esteem in the society
A well deserved peaceful life, less expenses, adores us. Savings always saves us.
Simplicity brings us all together. If simplicity becomes a common goal for all, the
other unwanted differences in caste, creed, money, economics, etc., all of them
will take a back seat. Simplicity should be your breadth. If so, happiness will
surrender at your feet. If not, you will be at the mercy of the demon called debt
money.
Most of the work we were once doing physically are now taken care of machines. All
exercises are now gone. Grinding and pounding using hands, sweeping and cleaning
the floor using wet cloth with our hands, use mug and bucket to bath, washing
clothes by hand in a river bed, all have become bygones. The simpler exercises we
do are now totally not practiced. We do not stand up to switch off a running
television. We use remote control button! Only thing which you cannot operate
using a remote control is your own brethren. We have invited body ache and pains
by avoiding the smaller exercises we used to do once upon a time. What do we do
to reduce the pain? We run to a gym. We pour money there and try out all kinds of
exercises in all types of awkward looking machines! What a farce! Should we not
feel ashamed of this? Exercise is the only thing which you should do yourself. You
cannot assign that task to some one else.
In short, we have reduced body motions by buying machines for every possible
work. We have reduced normal exercises. We pay and join a gym! Then make the
body sweat. What a shame! We waste money as well as time.
Principled Simplicity – here is the plan
• Make a badge like what you see here. Or like what I showed in the earlier
pages.
• Live and lead a simple life and set yourself as a leading example
• Preach simplicity wherever possible. Call for gatherings to discuss
simplicity. Talk to school children stressing the need to be simple.
Become a messenger to spread the benefits of simplicity.
• Give this book to all known friends, relatives and well wishers. Gift this
on any occasion to them.
• Make such badges and also sell it to them.
Principled Simplicity – here is the plan
• Please save the money saved by practicing principled simplicity in a bank.
Use that to give quality education for children. Get them good books to
read.
• All simple folk observe a walkathon wearing simpler dresses.
• Four friends can come together to start the ‘Principled Simplicity Club’.
• Meet twice at least a month to work out strategies to live simpler. Take
wise decisions to cut costs and live happily.
• We resort not to talk to others and gain money to become rich. We
become aloof. Instead, we can become a member of this ‘principled
simplicity club’ and share our experiences and knowledge with others to
make them also live simple.
Principled Simplicity – here is the plan
• Make more members join this unique but purposeful club.
• Talk in public forum, schools, colleges in appropriate stage and gatherings,
the advantages of simple living. Create more clubs over there.
• Start such simplicity clubs in multi-storied buildings and on roads. Inform
us. We will publish and popularize your club.
• Simplicity makes us save money. We can save this money and utilize a
portion of that to donate to people who need it. Buy food, cloth and books
to the needy and poor. If possible try to build shelters for the under
privileged
• Share others joy as well as their sorrows. If you share their joy your joy
doubles. If you share their sorrow, their sorrow will be halved.
• We need clean mind and control to lead a simple life. Take efforts to gain a
One logical question of yours
You may ask, ‘if all start observing simplicity, will not the industry
fall down? Will not many factories which produce goods for the
buyers, close down? Many may lose jobs!’ – Yes this is a meaningful
question. Simplicity does not mean being a miser. One should
always buy what we consider is very essential and avoid buying nonessential things. The result is, essential goods production will go up.
Production of unwanted things will go down. Industries would then
resort to make only those commodity which are very essential to
mankind and avoid doing lavish, unwanted, goods of extravagance.
What are essential goods?
Food, water, shelter, clothes or dress, medicine and education are the
essential needs of a man. If principled simplicity is observed by one and all
sincerely, savings will grow; social awareness and work will improve, health
standards will increase. Quality goods which are essential would be
produced more and would also pave way for exports and earn foreign
exchange for our country. Very few industry would loose business, but
many new ones will spring up. By and large economy would not perish or
diminish, but will cherish along with simple living.
The natural resources are not omnipresent and immortal. We may usurp all
of them one day. By practicing ‘principled simplicity’ one will be forced to
use the natural resources only for producing essential goods. Depletion of
nature will reduce. This is the best use and benefit for simple living.
The money thus saved by living simple, can be utilized to serve the poor
and needy.
If savings increase
If savings improve, the banks can utilize the money as its
resources for lending for many useful purposes. Job
opportunity for many will spring up. Here is a sample
list:
• Barren land can become cultivable land.
• Rivers can be embedded.
• Ponds can be deepened and cleaned.
• Wells can be bored.
• Trees can be planted
• We can reconserve and grow forests
• Can cultivate vegetable garden
• Can start medicinal herbs cultivation
• Can create parks
• Can make money out of waste
• Can do rain water harvesting
• Can stop erosion of natural resources
• Can reduce pollution
• Can build hospitals
• Can use the money for more social cause and work
So we can make such countless efforts by creating more
and more jobs within ourselves as shown above.
Do not forget…
‘We are spending and ending natural resources, but are hardly
spending human resources properly’.
Let’s learn and take an oath to increasingly use human
resources and save natural resources.
Let us follow ‘Principled Simplicity’ to achieve this.
So, we now know, that production increases. We also know that
those produce will be essential and useful. The investments
would change from one industry to the other. Overall, a healthy
world would beckon us.
Dear Parents…
You teach your child how to read, write, compete, pray, conduct him or
herself. Is that all needed for one to lead a complete life? Where will
they live if the land, water and air they need, is under threat? There
would be a huge shortage of natural resources in near future. Land, air
and water would be polluted to unimaginable levels. (Join ExNoRa
forums to save earth and control pollution)
No money can save your future generation. Only principled simplicity can
save their lives. You should follow that and
teach your children and
others too. Encourage your child to follow principled simplicity. Teach
them the skills to adopt simplicity.
Old story and a new definition
A king wanted to conduct a great yagna, a ceremony. He wished all his
subjects participate in it and ordered each of them to donate one litre of
milk for the ceremony. He was observing them with pride, obeying him,
pouring litre after litre into the big vessel kept for that purpose. Later,
when the king opened the vessel, he was shocked to see the vessel full of
water! Each citizen though to himself, “ When others pour milk, what
would happen if only I pour a litre of water as my contribution? It will get
mixed and go unnoticed”. To everyone's surprise, all of them had cheated
themselves and the king by pouring only water and no milk!
Old story and a new definition
We can take this story as an example for a different reason. Do not think,
all should start leading a simple life. You start first. You be the leader. Do
not wonder “ why should I bother or worry about extravagance? Why not
others?” Rather, start leading a simpler life yourself. Think, “All good things
begin with me.” Follow the beautiful philosophy of ‘principled simplicity’.
I would remind you the words of Martin Luther King again…
“ The problems we see around us are not caused by evil men. It is because
of those good men who remain silent!”. Break that silence. Do social work.
Give voice to the concerned.
Lavish Children
We can understand the reason for why simple living is
important, in a different way.
If one understands, how extravagance spoils the minds of
children, we will appreciate the need to live simpler. The
reason to bring uniforms in schools is to avoid disparity. If
one child wears a two thousand rupees worth dress and
another child wearing a fifty rupees worth dress, parity
crops up. The poor child will get affected mentally and
psychologically and may feel depressed where as the rich
ones may become arrogant and flashy. This in turn would
affect the child’s morale and hence his/ her studies. Such
differences may turn the child to a criminal too. Hence,
uniforms were brought into practice at schools.
Uniformity in uniforms
There is a big school campus named, ‘Church Park’ in the heart of
Chennai city. It had three schools running within its campus, namely the
Sacred Heart, St. Ursula's and St. Andrews. The first school is for the
rich, whose children wore Pale Green uniform, the second school is for
the middle class who wore light blue uniforms and the third one was
run for the poor, whose children were identified by their brown
uniform. But among the common public and between the children, the
parity in uniforms showcased their economic status, thus bringing an
upheaval in their minds and attitudes. The management came to know
of this and made a good decision of changing the uniform for all the
schools into dark green uniform, thus bringing the parity to an end.
That year the school were able to see a marked change in their end
results!
This? or That?
People who have insufficient earnings and who aspire to
live beyond their means should read this:
This
or
That?
-Air conditioner
- Fan
- VCD
-Tape recorder
- Refrigerator
- Earthen Pot
- Swanky car
- Motor cycle, cycle
- Palatious bungalow
- Simple flat
When we buy those listed above on the left hand side, one eventually will
get the following without asking for it:
Loan burden above ones head
Sleepless nights
Hidden life fearing for the creditors
Diseases due to mental pressure
Cases in court
When one tries to get all the good things in life, which are surely beyond
his capacity, he is sure of inviting the problems mentioned above.
Instead, if one lives with a contented life, with those shown in the right
hand side of the comparison above, we can understand that one attains:
Reasonable bank balance,
Sound sleep
Walking head held high
Healthy mind, body and soul.
So it is for you to decide which path you should tread.
The physical sweat is off and mental heat is on!
A simple man, fell into the trap of lavishness. He bought all
goods in his life in installments. TV, DVD, Fridge, Air
conditioner, all except peace. He murmured later, “ I slept well
without air conditioner before. Now, I have lost my sleep and
have built mental pressure. My physical sweat is out but the
internal mental heat is ON!” Those who sold to him waited for
his installments, later only to know that this man had become
insolvent!
Marriage and Pomp
Thirumagal Marriage Scheme:
Many who resort to simpler life,
surprisingly try to show off their wealthiness, when it comes to the
marriage of their daughter or son. A famous bank brought a scheme called
‘Thirumagal’ Marriage scheme in Tamilnadu. This acclaimed widespread
appreciation among the masses. Once a girl child is born, a certain amount
of fixed deposit or money to be paid in installments and that would earn a
sizeable amount by the time the girl becomes grown up and become
suitable for marriage, say at the age of twenty.
Thirumagal Marriage solvency scheme!
Many whop resort to put their weight around a marriage
and take loans and spend very much beyond their capability
end up paying high interest to the lenders and become
worried for their life! The girl who got married also spends
sleepless nights, thinking of her unfortunate parents who
had ended up in loans and are suffering for making her get
married. Should one throw money this way just for ‘a day’s
show?’. Cannot we think of conducting the marriage by
simpler means? We should think seriously and stop this
menace. We should act constructively.
A good change!
Twenty years ago, marriages were conducted for five or three
days at a stretch, ending up in feasting for all three times, all the
days, wherein an enormous amount were spent on food and
lavishing parties. Nowadays these system are gone and many
conduct the reception function on the very same day evening of
the marriage. This is an excellent ‘time and cost’ saving idea.
Unwanted pompous expenses
Let us come back to discuss the marriage
expenses. Normally in South India, the
reception expenses are Bourne by the groom's
family and the marriage expenses by the
bride’s family. Most of the money is spent on
clothes,
jewellery,
Decorations and food.
Marriage
Hall
rental,
Wasted food is money that goes waste!
Keep the expenses to prepare the food aside for this discussion.
Think of those wasted or thrown out after the marriage feasts are
over. You will be for a rude shock! There is always a maximum limit
one can consume at a time. But we see in most cases, the marriage
feast consists of varieties of food fed much beyond ones eating
capacity. Eventually not all food that is served in eaten and they get
thrown out in the dust bin. Many items would not be liked by you,
but before you could spell it out or refuse, the item in question
would have been served to you!
Food that gets wasted within the kitchen
Worser situation, is when the food that gets cooked and not being
served. That constitutes another 20- 50% food sometimes! One may
predict for an example, say one thousand guests and prepare food
accordingly. But due to unforeseen circumstances, only five hundred
would have attended the feast. What happens? The remaining fifty
percentage of the food goes unserved, and waste! One should
remember that we cannot produce even one grain by any magic! We
have to at least wait for full six months to get the crop of this grain!
Need of the hour: One schedule marriage
Why cannot marriage become a one evening affair? Why can’t all the functions be
conducted at one time, say either in the morning or in the evening? Many
neighbouring states, Christians and many north Indians conduct marriages only in
the evening. If we have to conduct only in the morning, why not conduct it in a
temple, and have a feast during night elsewhere? Why to waste rental money hiring
the mandaps or halls for two full days? Why should so much food go waste? How
many poor citizens in our country go without food the whole day? How many sleep
with a wet cloth on their belly to ward off hunger? Who is going to become angry on
you if you do not spend on multi-period feasts? Those who over feed themselves in
the marriages get stomach aches as they are full but in another corner, a hungry
man also gets stomach ache as his stomach has not felt food for many days!
Here is an alternative
If hospitality and serving others are your sole aim,
then do this way. Just prepare more food on the
marriage day and send them to orphanages, call
poor people around and feed them sumptuously.
Those deprived children will have at least some
good food and also will whole heartedly bless those
who fed them. The workers and cooks also get
employment due to your generosity. The principled
simplicity club members will surely help you to
conduct such marriage feasts, if you approach us.
One feast which made one feel sad…
I happened to attend a rich family marriage recently. The food was served in
buffet style, the vessels with all delicacies were kept in rows one after the other
both catering south Indian as well as Northern dishes. Guests were free to
serve themselves, any quantity they want. After the food was over, all types of
betel leaf ‘paan’ was served with the same vigour, as they served the food. The
guests too were unrelenting. They made way for the paan to go in and had a
gulp of that too. Alas, I could overhear two speaking to themselves: “ Should he
show off his money this way?” There is a limit to be flashy. This limit got broke
here in this dinner. The guests may feel that what happened was not fair in
many counts… I would reinstate my opinion: Marriages should be conducted in
a simple way.
A doctor’s great advice
A doctor once told me, “One day marriage feast cuts down your
life, by a day. Yes, of course! What is prepared to satiate only your
taste buds end up in creating a commotion inside and would also
invite all illness. The tongue may wager happily, but what about
your heart, liver and digestive system? They may wail! The host
spends a lot and the guest has no use of this lavish food, except
for increasing his appetite and satisfy ones taste buds. Then why
go for such unwanted lavishness? Here are few ideas to
overcome this problem:
Ideas
• Conduct the marriage just in one period of the day, i.e., either morning or in the
evening.
• Feed only once.
• Prepare few items that would satisfy the taste buds and are also good for health.
Just serve only those limited items to the guests. That too, in the buffet system.
The guests themselves will choose and have only those items they want to eat and
not waste anything else.
• The food plate should not be too big. Shouldn't be too small too! It should be of
medium size. Many attractive items may pull the guest towards them and irk the
desire in him/ her to have more. Many would fill their plates with those temptive
items and end up wasting them. So, better go for nominal or medium sized plates.
• If there is a display of the items to be served, as we do in hotels, one can make
the guest ask for only those he wishes to eat and avoid serving all items to the
guest.
The problems which multiply
Those who serve are in a hurry. They want to finish their task faster. They
have every reason to hurry up things. The next batch of guests would be
waiting for their turn to occupy the seats in the dining hall! Worse, they
would stand behind the one who is eating. The guest while eating does not
feel comfortable as he is put under pressure to finish fast. The food which
turns up unused or untouched land in garbage fills. The flies and mosquitoes
cover that area and we can see a bad smell or odour emanate from the
waste food pile which also is a generator of all germs! One may even
observe some slums near the marriage hall. The one who is over fed and the
one who has not seen food at all, both suffer with stomach ache. This book
finds a way out to eliminate both stomach aches, by the tool ‘principled
simplicity’. Is that OK?
Here is a simple plan
• Every village should have a social welfare scheme
• The volunteers of ‘principled simplicity’ can also run this in
their name. Those who follow ‘principled simplicity’ will be
called as ‘principled simplicists’. By following this scheme, no
food goes waste. The excess and unwanted cooked food, would
be shared with those who have no square meal a day.
• This scheme can be named as ‘principled simplicity scheme’.
Meet the parents of the groom and the bride groom separately.
Explain the evils of spending more and convince them for
adopting a simpler strategy.
• Create a forum for observing this ‘principled simplicity
scheme’. You can do this in three ways:
Scheme one:
• Go with separate bags to the marriage halls. After food is served,
go to each guest and request them to drop any items they feel
they cannot eat, into the bag. Please see to that, each bag or
food does not get mixed; otherwise the beneficiary may not like
the mixed food!
• To do this in a better way, one may keep a paper plate besides
each leaf. The following message should be printed on that plate:
‘ We join you in wishing the marriage couple, for a long happy married life.
If you feel that you may not eat any of the served items, kindly leave it
them on this paper plate kept aside for that purpose. We would collect,
segregate and serve them to the poor and deprived. The wishes of those,
who get the food by this small gesture also would wish the married couple a
happy married life, if we jointly do this; you will also get the blessings of
unknown starving brethren who would wish this donor a happy life.”
- ‘principled simplicity’ forum
Without making any fuss or drawing the attention of the guests, collect the
food and take it to the nearby slum or to an orphanage and distribute to
them. Similarly the food cooked in excess, that goes waste without being
served, straight from the kitchen can also be collected to be fed to poor
people.
Scheme two:
Try to get a three wheeler donated to your forum by any famous
company. Preferably a motorized one; Keep the closed vessels in
that vehicle while serving. After the marriage feast is over, the
remains can be taken in the same vessels and be served to the
needy.
Scheme three:
Have a daily collection system, wherein you may collect the leftovers and excess
food from hotels and hostels which can also be given to the poor.
None needs money to conduct the above said schemes. What we need is to spare
some effort and time. By sparing few minutes aside for such noble cause, you may
wipe off few drops of tears from a poor soul.
There is no dearth of such schemes. The benefits of these schemes are:
• We avoid wasting food
• The food goes to the needy and the deprived ones. You will be hailed as one who
gave life to many by feeding them at least once in a day.
• You do not need any money for these schemes.
• What you need is some human heart, time, effort and a socially inclined mind.
Another extravagance…
Other than food, people also spend a lot on marriage
costumes and dresses, jewellery and attires. Most of them
would not wear their marriage suit or special sari ever again
in their life. Then why go for such costly dresses, which cannot
be worn afterwards? After years, it would be only good
enough to be given in exchange for buy stainless steel
utensils! Should we really spend such huge amount of money
for a dress which we would wear only once in life time? Is it
not worthy to save the money which would go waste? All
saved is as good as an earning, is it not?
Is it a poster or a marriage invitation???
There is one more unwanted expense in a marriage. The wedding cards.
People resort to print very costly, lavish cards. Some we find of sizes more
than a feet! People who receive develop an aversion to such a show and
glamour.
In our seventh intelligence symposiums and workshops, we display some
twenty different invitations as exhibits. The biggest among them was almost
one foot long and the single card cost was Rs.100/- several years ago. There
was a tiny card among those exhibits too. This was just two inches long and
two inches wide! When we asked most of the attendees to pick the card they
liked most, almost 80% of them picked this smaller card. What we learnt from
that was that pomp, glamour and size does not attract a reader, but simple
and neat ones do attract readers! So here is a humble request we put forth:
Please make simpler cards for marriages, birthdays or any other occasions.
Avoid wasting paper. Trees are cut to make papers. We can save our mother
earth from destruction. You please do not be instrumental for destructing
the trees, indirectly. Use only recycled papers to print invitations.
The most important view point.
If you want to use the opportunity of a marriage to feed many? If so, then
hire an economically priced chowltry or a hall, only to feed the poor. They
all will eat and bless the married couple. You will also feel satisfied. Please
do not forget that the best of donations is feeding the poor.
Do not gift cloth to those who already possess big ward
robes
People who find it difficult to choose what to wear from the
best they have in their almirah which is
full, need not be
gifted clothes again. Instead, we can gift some cotton clothes
to the needy and the deprived section of the society.
Here is some food for thought. An elderly man advised a group
of poor people, “Wash and wear even though it is a rag,”.
Hesitantly a young woman came near him and enquired, “I
agree, but what to wear when the rag is drying?” so, is the
situation of many in our country. Better donate and make
others donate too. Through ‘principled simplicity’ spread true
love, spread humanity.
Wedding gift
We do not go empty handed to a wedding. Also, we do not come back empty handed. But
let’s plan the gifts, both ways. The gift should be a memorable, not just a ritualistic one.
There is a system in the Western countries. Those who intend to gift, openly inform the
wedding couple about the budget they plan to gift and would enquire what the couple
intend to buy with that. Then they jointly decide the best usable gift which makes both
the giver and the beneficiary happy. We can also follow that.
Many give similar items as wedding gifts. There is no use of such items. The only use is,
we again tend to give away one among those received, as a wedding gift to someone else!
Like, money, there are many useless gift articles which make circles among marriages.
If you feel your gift should be useful, simply why not gift a cheque to the couple? If you
want a fancy gift, you may give a ‘gift cheque’ that are available in all banks, printed
with floral decorations.
Gift the gifts as service to God
A well known philanthropist, Mr. N.K.T. Muthu was known for his charitable
attitude. People were surprised that when his son got married, he never
mentioned in the wedding card that gifts need be avoided. So they had no other
way, but to carry expensive gifts to the marriage. To the surprise of all, there was
a small counter near the marriage dais. It was marked as ‘Helping hands’ the
name of a well known orphanage. All who went to the marriage with gifts, were
guided straight to that counter and the volunteers there happily received the
gifts as donation! The donors now knew where the gifts were going. They felt
blessed and happy. So were the marriage couple, their relatives and last but not
the least, were the beneficiaries, of the ‘Helping hands’ orphanage.
Here is Vellore Srinivasan’s excellent gift scheme
Vellore Srinivasan is one among the youth as dreamt by Swami Vivekananda. If we get another
ninety nine Srinivasans, I am sure India will attain the Numero Uno status amongst all nations!
Go to the city of Vellore, in India, to know more about this young gentleman, Srinivasan. You
will be surprised, seeing him. This best task master, the right brained Srinivasan has
implemented one of the best wedding gifts scheme, I have ever seen.
The male calves are shunned by the owners, as they do not yield milk. These are sold to
butchers for meat. Srinivasan and his men adopt such hapless calves and breed them in their
farm. The green waste and leaves thrown from hotels and restaurants, hostels are collected
as fodder to these calves. The calves excrete cow dung. The cow dung in turn is converted to
bio-manure and bio- fertilizer! So, by usefully converting all discards – the calf, the wasteland
and the excreta as bio-manures, he conserves the environment and also saves the lives of the
calves. What a noble and innovative thought! The master mind to adopt the calves is one Mr.
Satheesh, who follows the principles of the great Saint Ramalinga Adigal, who preached, “See
the Great light, through love” i.e., Love is God. These lucky calves do face death one day,
naturally with age and not by butchery.
A very unique wedding gift
You can donate funds to Vellore Exnora, in India to save the calves. To adopt one such calf,
you need to pay Rs. 500/- and another Rs.500/- for the maintenance of the calf, totaling to
Rs.1000/- The cheques can be drawn in favour of:
Exnora Green Cross – Vellore,
#16, Sainathapuram
Natesa Mudaliar Street, Vellore.
Tamilnadu, India.
The donors can also give a certificate appreciating the wedding couple as follows:
Groom: Bride:
Date:
Day:
Place:
We wish the couple a happy married life. Let the almighty shower the choicest blessings on
them. On behalf of this lovely couple, we announce through this appreciation certificate, that
we have donated Rs. One thousand favouring Exnora Green Cross, Vellore, to save the lives
of male calves they adopt and rear.
(signed)
The donor’s name
This certificate can be presented to the couple on stage.
Save trees as wedding gift
On similar lines, ExNoRa also has a Save tree scheme as a wedding gift. We in ExNoRa encourage planting trees
as a grand scheme. In last two hundred years, we have lost more than 90% of the trees we had. To compensate
the loss, each one of us should plant at least one tree a day! As mentioned earlier, money towards tree planting
can be donated to ExNoRa and the certificate in that effect be given to the married couple, as follows:
Groom:
Bride:
Date:
Day:
Place:
We wish the couple a happy married life. Let the almighty shower the choicest blessings on them. On behalf of
this lovely couple, we announce through this appreciation certificate, that we have donated Rs. ______
favouring ExNoRa for their ‘ Save Trees project”.
(signed)
The donor’s name
This certificate can be presented to the couple on stage.
Those who wish to sponsor or donate for this ‘Save Trees’ project, can contact:
The General Secretary,
Exnora international
#20, Giriappa Street
T. Nagar, Chennai 600017
Tel: 91-44- 2475 9477/ 2815 3377
Such certificates can be also be framed and gifted.
The couple themselves can support such causes
The couple themselves can support both the schemes
mentioned above. They can announce those who intend to
gift, about these schemes and encourage donors to
support ExNoRa and give the certificates to them as gift,
which they would cherish for ever. How happy they may
feel when they recollect that they could collect a sizeable
amount towards conservation of nature and animals? The
donors’ name can also be announced in public system so
that this good message spreads far and wide.
Saplings in place of coconut
Instead of coconuts being given as a thanks giving gift, in marriages, one
can give away tree or plant saplings to the guests. Tree saplings are ones
like mango, neem and coconut, but plant saplings are those like vegetable
plants, ornamental plants which can be grown in limited space like flats,
apartments, etc. (To get the full details of all plants read my book “Enjoy
and make other happy)
Keep four colours of recycled bags:
Green: Sapling that can be grown in homes
Blue: Saplings suitable for planting on common places, road side etc.
Yellow: Vegetable saplings that can be grown in pots and indoors
Purple: Ornamental plant saplings that can be grown indoors.
We can ask the guests to choose among these types. The bag will have the
details of how to plant and maintain the sapling. These saplings mostly are
economical than the coconuts we normally give away for guests who
attend marriages.
How many marriages are happening around! How many attend these
marriages. Imagine that all of them resort to such useful cause, the whole
world would turn into a garden! Instead of blindly following rituals and
system for the sake of doing, just think and act sensibly and work for the
upliftment of the society and save nature.
Other miscellaneous expenses in a marriage
Dresses, music party, decorations etc.
Alternate for the dress
People spend lavishly for dresses. Simple yet elegant dress can be worn. Dresses
which reflect Indian culture and add a respect to the attired can be tried. The
marriage hall, big musical band procession, the crackers, car, marriage vessels, high
voltage arc lights, aren't they rented? If some one want a posh dress or a floral gear,
they can rent such dresses too! The decorations and embellishments can also be
simpler. The money thus saved can be spent on gifting uniforms for poor children.
The money we normally spend for the grooms wedding coat and suit can
accommodate the expenses of almost fifty school uniforms!
May be if you have a budget of ten lakhs for a marriage, you may
end up spending only three lakhs by following the simpler way.
Save
The balance seven lakhs can be deposited in a bank in the
name of the couple. Would they curse you for this? Certainly
not. On the contrary they will feel happy. The pomp and show
will also be avoided. The money thus saved can be handy
throughout their lives in case of emergencies.
• The money will make the couple plan and live comfortably.
Will help them in admitting their children in a good school
• Will help as safe money or deposit for their children's’ higher
studies
• Will allow them to help the poor and needy
Principled Simplicity statement
Those who conduct a marriage in a simple and an economic manner, need
not bother about what the world tells at them. May be you can print on
the card with the heading, “Principled Simple Marriage” . The banner
which displays the wedding couple name can also bear a tag line below as,
“ Principled Simple marriage”
Spread the message of ‘principled simplicity’ easily
• Those who practice the ‘principled simplicity’ model, should practice this
whole-heartedly and should adopt simplicity in all actions and deeds.
• The ‘Principled Simplicity’ badge can be worn by them always.
• They can print the message of ‘principled simplicity’ in the other side of
their regular business / visiting cards.
• “Are you eager to know what ‘principled simplicity is? Ask me now!!!” can
be printed on that card.
• Even home and office entrance doors can have a board proclaiming
‘principled simplicity’.
On the whole, we should feel concerned about the happenings around us, to
save the environment, our society we should adopt this ‘principled simplicity’
whole heartedly and also preach this to others too. Only by doing this, we are
making the earth a safe haven for our future generations.
Use and get the benefits
New Year Greetings and Principled Simplicity
Did you receive lots of cards from your friends and relatives this new year? Please
keep them safe. At the end of the year. Sign on it and mark, “Dear _____, I was
remembering you and your kind gesture throughout this year, wishes for the new
year!” Send it back to the same friend! It will be an unique remembrance and he will
surely not think that you are a miser. It saves money, and prevents trees being cut to
make paper. In fact, the friend/ relative will respect you much beyond than what was
expected from them, as you have remembered them throughout the year. May be he
will follow suit and send you the same old card again, the next year. By doing so, you
both save trees, yet cherish and nurture friendship or relationship.
Which is the best?
Threatening pomp of the filthy rich
I happened to go the bungalow of a very rich
man. His house was decorated with the best
of carpets, tiles, paints, furniture, chandeliers,
etc. But I observed cob-webs around, dust and
some food plates thrown beside the costliest
sofas around. I felt that even though this man
wanted to display his wealth, he could not
maintain and keep the premises clean.
Soothing simplicity
The very next week I happened to go to an ex-hockey player, an
Anglo-Indian gentleman at Perambur. His house was small, with
modest decoration and furnishings. But the walls were white
and clean. There was this writing , “GOD IS LOVE” hanging on
the wall. Apart from wooden chairs, a simple wooden bench
adorned the corner space of the hall, which was covered with
an embroidered linen, clean and pressed. To my surprise, the
bench had a small bottle atop, with some clean water and a
money plant grown in it! In the centre, they had a small table,
which again was covered with a decorative cloth, again topped
up with a small bouquet of fresh pretty flowers and grass kept
in a jar. Normal bamboos and cane twigs had been converted to
decorative pieces which hung on the walls. These I was told
were hand made by the lady of the house!
This or that?
I just could not hold myself comparing these two houses. The few minutes
I sat in the bungalow mentioned earlier, made me feel like hell and
lasting, but here in this ex-player’s house, the full hour I sat just went of
like a minute! The house etched a permanent memory as a fresh and an
happy habitat in my mind forever!
You can also compare these two houses. You do not need money, to have a
serene and soothing atmosphere and decoration. What one need is a clean
and calm environment. Just pouring in money cannot decorate your house,
If it is maintained improperly and kept untidy, the house will be a hell. But
a simple ten rupee worth vase or an artifact which can make the house a
wonderland, but only if we keep it right and clean. Simple and elegant are
the key words.
Do not envy your neighbour or do not get competing with him in
accumulating wealth. You should also not be the example for other money
mongers or extravagant persons. May be think otherwise. You and your
neighbour, both can read this book on ‘principled simplicity’, discuss and
adopt this method for a simple and elegant life. Compete in saving. Live
and let live together. Succeeding this success, spread the word around
your place, your village or area. Develop the methodology to improve the
standards of our fellow brethren and try to save nature and its
constituents for our future generation. Live and while leaving, leave
behind such healthy environment for the future.
Start this journey of living the life with vigor armed with the strategy of
‘principled simplicity’. Come on! Soon!
Principled Simplicity
What should we do next?
Hope you have completed reading this book on ‘principled
simplicity’. Extravagance or simplicity – which one to choose?
I know your mind is wavering, but it is normal. Without a
judge to hear both the sides of the debate, I know your heart
must be parted with two opinions.
If the man and the woman in a family are of opposite nature,
one a spendthrift and the other a simple one, there is surely
bound to be a rift and sparks. I have tried to put my best
thoughts forward through this book, with suitable examples
and anecdotes to make all in a family adopt the ‘principled
simplicity’. In what ever angle we see life or a situation, we
are clear that simplicity scores over all other phenomena and
is a must for all to adopt.
If we follow that
Victory! Victory! Victory! Victory! Victory! Victory! Victory! Victory!
Victory!
Follows us. Yes. Nine victories are scored over by just using the mantra of
success. These nine are:
Victory to the environment
Victory for the restoration of natural resources
Victory to a planned and economic life
Victory for savings
Victory to your own ‘money purse’!
Victory to the serene and calm hearts
Victory to the health of all concerned
Victory for the family welfare
Above all, those who adopt ‘principled simplicity’ can live without fear and
guilt.
What you need to just do is to, become a ‘principled simplicity’ immediately. And become
the spokesperson for this model too. Share the ideas and stories illustrated in this book
with all and everyone. Wherever you go, become a symbol of simplicity. Speak in
gatherings, schools and colleges and among friends, relatives on this subject. Buy and gift
this book to as many as you can. Try to add this into the syllabus of schools.
It is beneficial to adopt this strategy. Your family can also adopt and benefit. Be patient
enough to educate others on this policy. Teach them simplicity with smile. Start the
‘principled simplicity forum’ in your place and work cohesively with others to reach more
milestones.
The ‘principled simplicity’ badge should be worn always and every where we go. Not only
wear but preach it to others. At least four to five persons should become a simplicist like
you after each passing day.
The ‘principled simplicity forum or club
This club should be started in each and very hamlet, village,
town and city. The members would be called as ‘principled
simplicists’. Their messages spread to all working offices,
public places, industries, schools and colleges. The message
should spread among all habitats.
The in-charge
The principled simplicity forum or club will have office
bearers to have account of all work done and money
involved. This is mandatory.
Leader
Deputy leader
Secretary
Joint Secretary
Treasurer
Director – Public relations and communications
Director – Branches in offices - establishment
Director – Branches in educational institutions –
establishment
Director – Public service
Director – Simplicity – Strategy Research
Director – Civic ExNoRa growth
Registration
Those who have started this ‘Principled
Simplicity Forum’ elsewhere
should get registered with the Head office
of the “Principled Simplicity Forum’ in Chennai
by sending details of
• Their constitution
• The names of persons involved
• The details of how and when it was started
• The contact details of all office bearers,
members and their resumes.
• The details of branches and their functions
Meetings
• The members should meet at least once in a
month and discuss strategies and experiences on
how one can adopt simplicity and how to spread
this message further. You may discuss on the
extravagance and spending attitudes, the
methods to prevent it, the methods to prevent
the urge to spend, how to control children
becoming spendthrifts and so on…
• In each meeting a NEW PRINCIPLED SIMPLICIST
should be identified and honoured or
appreciated in public.
• There is no need to insist that the meeting
should also conducted in a simple way
• It can happen below the shades of a big tree, in a
class room or in a park. No meetings in hotels
and rented places.
Report
Monthly Action Report should be submitted to the H.O regularly.
We all should join hands, practice ‘Principled Simplicity’ and make our heritage and
culture driven lives a good one, everlasting one, so that we give back our motherland
what she deserves best.
Those who want the badges for becoming a member in ‘Principled simplicity forum’
can contact the ExNoRa head office in the following address:
Principled Simplicity Forum
C/o. ExNoRa International
20, Giriappa Road, T. Nagar
Chennai 6000 017
Tel: 91- 44 – 2815 3377, 2475 9477.
Email: mbnirmal@hotmail.com, mbnirmal@yahoo.com
Some quotable quotes
Hey those who crib and wander in search of money
What use it has after the spirit leaves your mortal body?
-Avvayar (tamil poetess of sangam age)
Do have money making as your motto. Spend money to gather goodness.
-Oliver Wendell Holmes
Money can buy the skin, not the pulp. It can fetch money but cannot fetch
hunger; can buy medicines, not cure; will gather men to share, not friends;
will get workers, not faithfulness; will
get amusing days but not eternal
peace and happiness.
-Henrique Ibson
Some quotable quotes
The greedy never possess money. The spendthrift looses money faster than anything
else
-Ben Johnson
Business can bring money; but friendship never brings it
-Jane Austin
To be clean, compact and true, we do not need money.
Do not spend your efforts on earning money, but for yearning service to nation
Coins and currency are not real money. Work is wealth. The one who has energy to
work is really the rich one.
-Mahatma Gandhi
The money angel had made many a millionaires and had spoilt many more.
- Robert Smith
Some men sometimes make fake money. At times, some fake money makes fake men.
- Sydney Harris
Inspite of knowing money can beget many things, if one averts money, it is equivalent to like
emptiness. To avoid real needs is weakness. Those who value money correctly and are
always be ready to spend it on their duty, kindness, donation, is truly ethical.
- Senankur
If you know how to use money, it is your slave. Otherwise, you become its slave.
- Horus
To buy anything close to our soul, we need no money
- Henry David Thoreau
The difference between the respect we give to the one who had made himself a true man
and to the other who had just made himself a rich man is very wide and incomparable
- Diana Maria Mulak
Money and time or life’s biggest burden. Those who have got either of this,
beyond their capacity to spend, suffer.
- Samuel Johnson
Money is a faithful servant but a horrible boss
- Dominique Bohairs
The intelligent should have money in his brain, not in his heart.
Jonathan Swift
If you make money your God, it will become a devil to control you
- Henry Fielding
There is some blind faith in all desires; in money we have it much more.
- Robert Sweth
Till one grows, one remains faithful and obedient. Once one gets a better pay
master, they change sides.
- Snequa
There is only one category who suffer a lot in crisis, than the poorest of poor. The
most rich!
- Clairence Derro
It is easy to disguise wealth. It is difficult to cover up poverty. It is easy to hide a thousand
dollar gold, but difficult to cover up a small hole in our shirts.
- Charles, Koltten
The money I spend for myself are burdens like rock around the neck. But what I spend for
others, are like angels; they make me fly.
- Ruswell D.Hitchcock
Money is like a manure. If not spread, it does not yield fruit.
- Francis Bakon
Earn as much as you can
Save as much as you can
Give as much as you can
- John Wesley
The root cause of destruction is not money, but greed. Money beyond the need, greed,
causes all trouble.
- Nathaniel Hawthorn
What Stars and destiny cannot do, money does to buy love
-Samues Butler
Money beget money
- Jewish proverb
One you fight it out to earn money, character goes away
- Jewish proverb
Do the money you get selling flowers give fragrance? Or do the money you earn selling
meat stink?
Ten men behind – money and behind - a mad man
Does the money we get selling a dog, barks?
It is better to sell camphor and earn money, than selling liquor to earn the same
Even the dead corpse opens its mouth when it hears ‘money’
A spear goes 8 feet long; money goes much beyond, below the earth
– Tamil sayings
We can just get meat and food with money; Do not think that money is your aim,
everything and anything in your body and soul.
- Ramakrishna Paramahamsa
How
mannever
maketh
money,
how heItspends
– is the true
test for the conduct of a man
Money
fools
anyone.
just exposes
fools
- James Moffet
Money is the new form of slavery. In other forms, at least there lies a human relationship
The
only way to double your money is this – Just fold it into two and keep
between the master and the servant. With money, no humanity exists. That’s’ the only
difference.
it in your pocket
- Leo Tolstoy
- Frank Huebert
The money earned by a characterless man
Is like the milk spoilt with a drop of butter
The root cause of all evils is the greed for money
- Thirukkural
The use of money is in spending it
-St. Paul
The
warsays
demon
the world
hell’s entrance in 1914. After that money
One who
he canput
do anything
within
money
can also do anything for money.
has taken that responsibility. It is time to declare both war and money as
Ithe
havemost
got cows
and ones
goats. and
All are
wishing
‘good morning!’
insane
jail
themmeinside
for ever.
- Lloyd
Money has never given happiness to man; there is no element of joy in money;
theGeorge
more
one possesses money, the more he wants it. Money does not flow to vacuum. It creates
Money
is the reason to be good to the good men, and reason to be bad to
only more vacuum. If it solves one need, it creates many more others.
the evil men
- Benjamin Franklin
- Filo
You
buy money,
anything
God owns
Howcannot
man maketh
howthat
he spends
– is the true test for the conduct of a man
- James
Moffet
– Dertoolian
Money
the new
formour
of slavery.
In other
forms,
least there
liesmoney
a human relationship
We
areisgiving
away
freedom
to pay
theat price
to get
between the master and the servant. With money, no humanity exists. That’s’ the only
- Robert Louis Stevenson
difference.
- Leo Tolstoy
The money earned by a characterless man
Is like the
withIfayou
dropdo
of butter
Money
is milk
likespoilt
limbs.
not use it, you may loose it.
- Thirukkural
Henry Ford
The use of money is in spending it
Once I had money and a friend. I believed my friend and gave him money. I
One who says he can do anything with money
can also and
do anything
money.Now I have lost both money and my friend.
waited
asked for
it back.
I have got cows and goats. All are wishing me ‘good morning!’
- Somebody
Thanking you all!
Money has never given happiness to man; there is no element of joy in money; the more
one possesses money, the more he wants it. Money does not flow to vacuum. It creates
only more vacuum. If it solves one need, it creates many more others.
Compiled by: (Late) K. Diraviam
Poompuhar press, 63, Broadway, Chennai 600108.
- Benjamin Franklin
Other thought provoking books authored by M. B. Nirmal
Title
Language
Price (Rs)
Failures as stepping stones
Tamil
35/-
Say and win
Tamil
50/-
Change and do change
Tamil
25/-
Raise and make others rise!
Tamil
25/-
Enjoy and make other enjoy
Tamil
40/-
Take bribe – on – on and on…!
Tamil
30/-
Kill, kill… do away with bribery
Tamil
30/-
Sarvasakthee
Tamil
40/-
7th intelligence prayer
Tamil
25/-
Maa (religious tolerance)
Tamil
30/-
Live, live in abundance
Tamil
30/-
( A book on all plants, trees)
Other thought provoking books authored by M. B. Nirmal
Title
Language
Price (Rs)
Experiences abroad- Hongkong
Tamil
35/-
To live safe…
Tamil
30/-
Walking body exercise
Tamil
30/-
Tamil
30/-
Problems are gifts
Tamil
30/-
Water wealth
Tamil
20/-
Principled simplicity
English
10/-
Model area
English
50/-
Model home
English
30/-
Veg-edge
English
25/-
New horizon, new earth (social
investment)
Audios:
1. Relax
Tamil
60/- *
2. Relax
English
60/- *
3. Health
English
60/- *
4. Health
Tamil
60/- *
5. Combined study (for students)
English
60/-
Available with explanatory notes. Magazines appreciate this effort. Medical Practitioners
Recommend; The Sick get cured by listening.
Note: Wholesalers and retailers get discount on the above prices
ORDER FORM
Please send the following book/ books to my address:
My name:
My address:
My contact details:
My email:
I have enclosed the DD/cheque for amount Rs._________ towards purchase of the above
books.
Signature
To
Seventh Sense Publications
20, Giriappa Road, T. Nagar
Chennai 6000 17.
Tel: 91-44-28153377/2475 9477
The forums Mr. M.B. Nirmal had started
ExNoRa International
ExNoRa is appreciated by all media as the fastest growing service
organization. Has got the United nations award (UNCHS). Every one in
their respective area keep their surroundings clean, organic wastes are
converted to fuel. Paper recycling, planting trees, making pavement
gardens, living safe, waste water management, stopping pollution at
all levels, bringing together all NGO s are the various facets of this
organization. Apart from this, the organization involves, old persons,
women and children into its services and uplifts every society.
Students are taught exclusively on environmental science. Due to the
relentless efforts of ExNoRa for all these years, many ugly ducklings
have become swans (Many worst areas have become a paradise).
Fifth Pillar
If we conduct a survey among Indians, on which one is to be opposed the one which
will score above others is ‘bribery’. The reason for our country to lag behind many
smaller nations is its corruption index. Had the money received been accounted for,
India would have surely become a super power by now. So, this forum was created
to raise awareness and encourage participation to eliminate bribe from our system
and hence called as ‘Fifth Pillar’.
Rules are made by the first pillar, i.e., the Parliament
The rules are implemented and are brought to action by the offices, i.e.,
administration, officers in the Government offices. They are the second pillar.
The Judiciary oversees as to
constitutes the third pillar.
whether the law is maintained in all aspects. It
Fifth Pillar
The watch dog for all the above is the fourth pillar which is the press and media.
Do the constitution by which this country is built like a fortress, need a fifth pillar?
Yes, it is essential. If any of the above pillar develops cracks, we add a support and
that will be this fifth pillar, run by the people.
This is the bribery abolition forum wing of ExNoRa. The best of all forums would be
the one which runs with volunteers. This service is done without expecting any
returns. The reason for the British to go out of our country was Gandhiji’s selfless
service and a silent war against Lordship. It was sacrifice and service to the society
that raked the relentless workers of our homeland to fight together against the evil
forces. And then we got independence. This independence created the four pillars
for the society. The aim is to set up voluntary organizations in each hamlet, fight
against the bribery of this country and develop a transparent nation. So, was formed
this fifth pillar.
Maa
Motherhood surpasses religion, caste, creed and animosity between men.
Mother’s love is the greatest of all love. Some men too possess heart of a
mother. So to inculcate mother’s heart among our people, Maa was started.
None are enemies to others. Some environmental irregularities, degradation
of the system, diseases, violence, are few of the common enemy we should
fight against. Mankind will survive if love pervades all. So join ‘Maa’ to spread
the message of kindness and love.
We need patriotism: If all have the heart of a mother, we can spread
harmony among ourselves. Hatred will perish. Relentless Patriotism is the
need of the hour. We all should give priority to patriotism; love for our
country. We should all keep aside our divisions based on caste, creed and
religion and join hands for a peace loving, uniform nation, with patriotic
fervour and heads held high.
Sarvasakthee
The worst enemy in any home is liquor. We see toddy shops and
liquor bars every where around. Brainless poor folk and even the
wealthy rich can be seen on roads, after consuming liquor. Many
women loose their mangal sutra and peace because of their
husbands turning drunkards. These men resort to many
evildoings as liquor blurs their mind and vision. Their future and
that of their children has become a big question mark. Women
and families affected by this menace can join hands and can save
themselves from this economical crisis and can live as a cohesive
unit. They can formulate strategies to eliminate liquor from their
husbands’ lives. So this alcoholic anonymous group is called as
Sarvasakthee
Principled simplicity
In today’s modern world, what people have almost forgot, is simplicity. India’s
leaders, many of them have lead the country because of their clear vision and
simplicity. Gandhiji, Vivekananda, Mother Teresa and many others are
luminaries who lead their life with simplicity and became the torch bearers of
this nation. Many illegal acts like murder, dowry practice and thefts are caused
because of greed and desire. Just for the sake of what ones neighbour thinks,
man resorts to buy all unwanted things. He ends up buying beyond his
capacity and gets life time imprisonment in debts and legal notices. Just to
maintain a pseudo-status in the society, people spend beyond their limits. To
stop this and make people lead a principled simple life, this forum was started.
If men wear badges marked as ‘Principled Simplicity’, none would resort to
ridicule him, rather try to follow him. He would become the epitome of
simplicity and straight forwardness. He is not a miser, but a wise spender.
He is not insane, but intelligent. There are many who have joined
this forum to lead a simple life and also spread the message to others.
Students Power forum
Students power is like a silent dynamo. If students unite, the
country would unite. The society can be chiseled to a beautiful
icon only if the students turn themselves as chisels to the cause.
Students power forum should be started in each schools and
colleges. Each student to strive to keep his surroundings clean
and tidy by joining hands with Civic ExNoRa groups near by. All
the above forums can cumulatively form a stronger, richer and
ethical society.
Those who wish to join these forums can contact:
M.B.Nirmal
Founder, Chief – ExNoRa International
Trainer – Seventh Intelligence
20,Giriappa Road, T. Nagar, Chennai 600017.
India. Tel: 91- 44- 2815 33 77/ 2475 95 77/ 98400 34 900.
Email: mbnirmal@hotmail.com, mbnirmal@yahoo.com,
mbnirmal@gmail.com
Details to be furnished:
Name:
Educational Qualifications/Division:
Address:
email:
To
Mr.M.B.Nirmal
Founder, Chief – Exnora International
Trainer – Seventh Intelligence
20,Giriappa Road, T. Nagar, Chennai 600017.
Contact number/s:
date:__________
Dear Sir,
I wish to join and know more about the below mentioned forums. Kindly guide me to know how to join your forums as
a volunteer.
Tick what is appropriate (√)
(
(
(
(
(
) Street ExNoRa
) Youth ExNoRa
) Principled Simplicity
) ExNoRa Innovators Club
) Students Power forum
(
(
(
(
(
) 5th bPillar
) Ag
) Veg-Edge
) Maa
) ‘I’ Club
I am eagerly awaiting your response in this regard.
Thanking you
Yours truly,
(Signature)