What happens when we stop learning?

Learning is a continuous process, a process that one must continue till the end of life. To be successful in life, one must continue to learn. This is what every sane person will accept and every successful person says. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, a renowned personality in my lifetime, was always seen either teaching what he already learned or reading and learning what he didn’t know. He said "Learning gives creativity, creativity leads to thinking, thinking provides knowledge, knowledge makes you great". This is the process of life and evolution.

Then, what happens if one stops learning? When you stop learning, you are as good as dead. I would like to explain this with a recent example.

Virat Kohli, the famous cricketer and the present Indian test captain, rose to stardom very fast and everybody was expecting him to be the next super star of Indian Cricket after Sachin Tendulkar. He was selected as the captain of Indian Test Team that was to tour Bangladesh sometime back. When the team was leaving to Bangladesh, he was asked by a reporter, what new techniques he learned as a captain to beat Bangladesh, he replied “There is nothing more to learn. We have learned everything. Only we have to put in to practise, what we have learned”. India lost the series to Bangladesh, for the first time ever in the history of cricket.

Again he was appointed as the Captain of Indian Team for series against Srilanka. India was in commanding position in the recently concluded first test and was expected to win the test, lost the test finally in a shameful way. This is what happens when you stop learning or you feel there is nothing more to learn.

Sometimes, the rapid success makes people blind and over confident. When you are over confident, you fall. Rise requires lot of hard work and time, but a fall needs nothing and can hit you like a lightening and you are left wondering what actually happened.

This is high time Mr. Virat Kohli.  Start learning!!!!

Bahubali. Hats off to James Cameron

I still remember the day I watched Avatar movie on the big Screen in IMAX. I was simply speechless at the spectacle and the imagination power of James Cameron, which has no boundaries. Particularly the scenes involving Sky Bridges and Dragon flying are breath taking.  As a person, who was involved in films and knows the ins and outs of making a movie, I still wonder how James Cameron can think, visualise and project his vision on to the screen.  There were many times, I used to think, why Indian film makers can’t think of these kind of films or use those techniques of film making.

Yesterday, I found the answer for my long unanswered question. The answer is Bahubali.  I felt the same kind of feeling when I watched Bahubali, yesterday. It is simply superb and a technological marvel. The James Cameron of India, S S Raja Mouli, is successful in transferring all his imagination on to the screen. The visuals, the sound, the selection of artistes and the way he manoeuvred his huge army is an unparallalled tribute to the Indian mind. The triumph of Bahubali and Bhallaladeva over Kalakeya looked minute to me when compared to the success of Raja Mouli. As an Indian, I feel proud of Raja Mouli. Go! Raja Mouli, there is a big world to be conquered.

This is all ok. Then why say hats off to James Cameron if Bahubali is a grand success?  There are 2 reasons.

First, James Cameron must be the inspiration for Raja Mouli to think of making that kind of movies, I presume. Second, James Cameron explored outer skies and water to create his films and left Earth alone, probably because he knows someone else is going to take over Earth. 

Relax James Cameron, Rajamouli is here to continue your legacy.

I have seen God

Recently I visited Mumbai, to visit my sister. I was advised by her to get down at Dadar Station and take local train to Vile Parle and then, an auto to her house. My previous visit to Mumbai was some 6 years ago. I followed her advice and took local train to Vile Parle. My tension started, the moment I got in to local train.

Travelling all the way to Mumbai and then from Dadar to Vile Parle, has no tension. The real tension was to get in to an auto and reach my sister’s house. From my previous experience with auto walas in Mumbai and my daily experience in Hyderabad with them, I was really scared of bargaining with an auto wala, who asks exhorbitant rates, which always shoots my blood pressure up. Anyway, as I cannot avoid the inevitable, I dared to ask an autowala, outside the Vile Parle station. He asked  me to get into auto immediately. I did not understand. I asked him “how much?”. He shouted on me “ Baith jaayiye ji, policewala chalaan maarega” . This is an unexpected angle in my tension.  Even before I decide what to do, I got in to the auto and the journey started. 

It took some 10 minutes to reach the place, I have to go. All these 10 minutes, my mind was under tremendous tension. Many questions were doing rounds in my mind. How much he will ask, will he be satisfied if I pay him Rs.100/- or will he ask for more. What if he asks for 150 or 200, as it happened previously. Paying Rs.100/- itself is very high and if he ask for more what to do. Not that I don’t have money, but it is unjust in nature and looting people in broad daylight. Is there nobody to stop this?  How to fight him? I have already travelled without agreeing on a rate and hence I have no option, but to pay him whatever he demands. But is it fair? Why auto and taxi drivers in all these cities behave like this. In Chennai, in Bangalore, in Hyderabad, wherever I go why these auto walas loot people. It seems all the auto and taxi drives of all these major cities are being trained at one place only, in looting people. Can’t we do anything about this? What if I write to Kejriwal to do something about this and stop looting aam admi. But will he do anything because auto wala is also an aam admi. Moreover he may feel that an auto-wala is more ‘aam’ than me. So writing to him may not be useful...  The mind was whirling and the flow of questions was  unstoppable. Finally, the dreadful moment has arrived and he stopped the auto in front of the apartment building, where my sister resides. At that moment, the driver looked like a villain, we see in films.

I gathered all the strength in me and asked him how much? He answered may be in less than 10 seconds, but those were 10 years for me.  He said “Rs.38/-“. I did not understand. I cleared my ears and dared to ask him again. Again he repeated the same and showed me the metre reading. Again thoughts started running in mind. Is he doing something I don’t know? Is it a new trick or is he really asking me to pay Rs.38/- only or Rs.138/- which I am hearing wrong?  It must be Rs.138/- only. Good God this autowala is not totally unfair, asked only 138/- not 200/-. Mind was telling me that something is seriously wrong somewhere. Anyway I have taken my wallet out and gave him Rs.150/-. I expected him to take it and go away, as is the case in Hyderabad, where auto walas never believe in change and look at you, with an expression that clearly says “Chillar Log”, if you ask for change.

The auto wala said “ Bhai saab, itna kyon de rahen hai, maine bola Rs.38/-“ ( Why are you giving this much, I said Rs.38/- only) and handed me back Rs.100/- note. Something is really wrong.  I immediately shoved the note in my shirt pocket and took my luggage and wanted to disappear before he changes his mind and ask for more. I hurriedly took my luggage and started to go into the gate, then he called me. I know this man is going to ask for more. Anyway I am prepared for Rs.100/- let me get rid of him by paying another 10 or 20, If I am lucky. I went back to him. He pulled the strings of my heart out and I almost fainted. He gave me Rs.10/- note to me. Yeh kya ho raha hain? Why is he doing like this? Is he really giving it to me or am I dreaming? Do I take it or ask him to keep it. Why this man is behaving like this? Is he mad?. I took the note, feeling as if I am receiving  5 crores cheque from Amitabh Bachhan, after winning Kaun Banegaa Crorepati. I thanked all the Gods above and again took my luggage, when the final blow came, he gave me Rs.2/- coin also. I fainted or felt like so. The driver understood my state of mind, and told me “Hum mehanat karte hai aur shaan se jeete hai saab. Hum aapse jyaada paisa nahin lete” (We work hard and live with pride and we don’t take more money than what is to be paid by you).

 My mouth was dry and speechless. I asked him his name. He replied “Laxmi Narayan”. When I looked at him, I felt I am looking at N.T Rama Rao, showing the viswaroopam as Lord Vishnu in all the mythological films, looking at which I always felt excited in my childhood.

I have seen God that day. For a stupid common man, who else can be the God.

 Later my sister told me that all the auto walas are doing like this only in Mumbai, now-a-days. Again many thoughts started doing rounds in my mind. Why don't all the auto and Taxi drivers of all the major cities get trained at the same place, where Mumbai auto and taxi drivers are getting trained.....

Atma Soundaryam

Nina Davuluri has been adjudged the Miss America, few days back. Anyone, who saw the picture of crowning her, in the newspapers next day, would not have believed that the woman, who is not at all looking beautiful, was adjudged the Miss America. I even heard people commenting that how come this girl came out winner, when there are so many beautiful women are in the fray. The judges, while adjudicating, commented that beauty of the heart or "Atma Soundarya" is greater than the physical beauty.

As a common man, I believe, this is a lesson we all have to learn, particularly younger generations of today. The market size of the Indian Cosmetic Industry is estimated to be around 10,000 crores and is likely to touch 15,000 crores by 2014. Today everyone is conscious of their physical beauty and are not hesitating to spend any amount of money for maintaining that. I keep hearing that what they have been saying in advertisements is all lies and the product doesn't give any result. yet they continue to buy those products, which they believe have not been useful in enhancing their beauty. But no effort is being made to increase the beauty of their heart or "Atma Soundarya", which can be attained without spending any money, which can even win them the crown of Miss America.

Attaining Atma Soundarya, doen't necessarily requires praying God, though it is also a way. Purity of thought, positive thinking, respect towards others, not intending any harm to others, a little bit of meditation and clear and firm eye on your goal are some of the things that can evolve and improve Atma Soundarya and will not involve any expenditure. Moreover, physical beauty may give glow to your face, but Atma Soundarya brings grace to your personality, which is eternal and can even get the Miss America crown for a Non-American.

Strength & Weakness

All through our academic years and later in all the books on personality development or speeches on that subject, we often hear or read that one solution to improve your personality and become a succeessful person is to understand your strengths and weaknesses, try to work on improving your strong points and work on correcting your weaknesses. This is true either for a person, family, organisation, society or the country as a whole. Like all other things in our life, it is a good solution in theory and the story on the practical life is totally different.

The strength of our country is Agriculture and weakness is Crude oil. In order to make our country self sufficient and improve the quality of the life of its citizens, those who are ruling our country should try to improve the quality and quantity of agriculture. On the otherside we should try to reduce and discourage the usage of the petro products. But what happens in reality is exactly reverse. Agriculture is fast becoming the least preferred profession and many farmers are turning out to be daily labourers. And demand for the petro products is growing unabated, with more and more vehicles rolling out on to the road everyday.

"Are we really trying to make our country self sufficient?" is the question, as a stupid common man, I am unable to answer.

Crude Reality

I went to a toy shop to buy a gift for my friend's daughter on her birthday. There, while searching for the right gift, I overheard the discussion between a parent and his eight year old son, who also came to buy a gift for the young boy's birthday. Father wanted to buy a helicopter worth Rs.200/- and the son also wanted a helicopter but that can fly with remote control, which will cost Rs.2,150/-. Father tried to convince the boy to buy Rs.200/- helicopter but son is interested only in the one that can fly. This went on for few minutes and I was listening. Then father explained to the son that buying helicopter with Rs.2,150/- is way beyond his capacity. If he has to buy that one, he will have to borrow money from someone and repay them every month with some interest, which will increase the burden and make less money available to the family for few months. They will have to cut some expenses, including the boy's pocket money. Instead if they buy the helicopter with Rs.200/- now, then they can save money, saved money grows over time and over a period of time they will be able to buy the helicopter that can fly with remote control and they can even buy a real helicopter, that the boy can fly. The son immediately accepted to buy a smaller helicopter than the one father wanted to buy. I don't know how much the boy understood or what appealed to him, still father accomplished the task.

When a head of the family can think that way, I really don't understand why the heads of the country don't. For many years, the major hindrance the country is facing is Crude Oil, and its the one thing that is derailing our economy year after year, decelarating the growth rate. I am not an economist, statistician or politician, but just a common man. I read in newspapers the efforts and time spent by the Prime Minister and his colleagues in keeping the prices of Petrol, Diesel, Gas or kerosene down . Opposition parties continuously indulge in criticising the government for it's failure to maintain the growth rate or cry foul when there is a price hike. But no where I see an effort from anyone to acknowledge the fact that Oil is one commodity that our country can't afford to buy as much as we want or try and convince people that reduced consumption will lead to saving precious foreign exchange that will ultimately improve growth rate. As a common man, I feel reduction in the consumption of oil is the only solution to this humungous problem. A difficult task yes, but not impossible. And if we are able to reduce the consumption by at least 1%, it shall be a great achievement. I don't know when our leaders will get this.

As for me, I have decided to stop using my vehicle for one day in a week. Not that it's going to make any difference to the country, but what else can I do. As already told you, I am just a common man, a stupid common man.