Bookmarks in style

Bookmarks at Crossword

Bookmarks at Crossword

Bookmarks are essential part of reading.  People who do not care for books, use dog ear folds (folding the corner of the page for a bookmark).   Bookmarks are fun.  Some come with message, some come with fun dose.
The recent collection I saw in Crossword are cute but expensive (Rs.400/-).  I bought one to encourage reading habit of my daughter.
I want to gift trendy bookmarks and travel lights for my dear ones on special occasions. If you find a place where I can get them cheaper, please let me know.

Making of Paradesi.

Paradesi (பரதேசி) is the recent movie by director Bala.  I stumbled upon Youtube to watch the Sun Music exclusive video on the making of this movie. I am stunned. I am going to watch this movie. I am a great fan of Director Bala - read his autobiography இவன் தான் பாலா to know him more.  Here is the embedded video of making of Paradesi.

Gandhi on Forgiveness

I was struck by Gandhi's quote on Forgiveness in the morning newspaper. "The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong".  In a flash of seconds, random events and people popped from past reminding me on whom I should forgive and what events I should forgive. The very word "strong" made me think if I am really strong or weak in the eyes of Gandhi.  I should mindfully reflect on it.
With this one quote, I am trying to wash my heart coated with chemicals of hatred and worries.  The strength does not lie in the biceps and triceps - its in the purity of heart.  But the world, environment, circumstances are so challenging to live up to this one single quote. But I am sure, as I grew up I did forgive people on my way (life).  I reflected upon it often and even forget about it later.  Still some cleanup needed!

Samaritans on the road

Traffic Samaritans on the road!

For the past few days, I happen to see this senior citizen near the Silk Board Junction. I am sure people commuting between BTM Layout and Silk Board Junction (Bangalore),  would not have missed him. His actions are very animated. With a whistle in his mouth, he prompts the vehicles other than public buses that try to stop near the bus stops.  He also guides vehicles on the traffic to streamline. I guess he must be self-appointed traffic regulator. Hope the traffic authorities make a note of him and recognize his work in hot sun and pollution.
Like you, I was reminded of the Traffic Ramaswamy at Chennai who is a senior citizen and traffic regulator.  More on traffic ramaswamy here. 

Health and Safety - Concerns

I generally donot talk about ill health to anyone.  I talk about health.  I also insist on safety.

First two safety incidents -

a) A senior citizen going for a walk was struck on middle of his head by a strong object. He fell unconscious on the road and someone rescued him and admitted him to the hospital. Nobody knows what struck him.
b) A young professional was riding fast in his new two wheeler and hit a pole in the foot path. His face split open in two halves and his jaws broke. The roadside sugarcane seller admitted him in the hospital and informed some of his recent contacts in the mobile.

Safety issues can hit young and old any time.
1. Safety issues need not happen just at the road. It can happen in the home. Also ensure your guests and visitors are not affected by your safety shortcomings.
2. If your parents are going for a walk, ensure they carry the important contact numbers, emergency medicines, and their mobile phone.
3. Now the summer is approaching, let your parents not be exposed to the hot sun. Be aware of the sun stroke.
4. We would have often heard the humble Aspirin/Anacin helps at the time of chest pain and one gets sufficient time to reach the nearest hospital.  (Check with your family doctor and get a double confirmation on this belief).

With respect to health, I have few concerns -

a) The elderly people tend to take medicines more and more without taking control on the food practice.
b) The elderly people often given up one course of treatment and move to the next one.
c) There is also a common tendency of self medication in India.  (Almost, everyone is a doctor in India !)
d) When it comes to the young and the middle-aged,  the more they know of the hotels, and food varieties, the less we know of health.  How many here can talk of protein, carbohydrates, starch?
e)  How many of my contacts would do something, on a regular basis
    (i) to prevent illness
    (ii) to gain strength / stamina
    (iii) to slow ageing
    (iv) to beat stress

In the information era, knowledge is free. We know what is good and bad.  Despite knowing burgers and coke bad to health, we reach out. We celebrate every occassion with fat. We soak our internal organs with acids, and all chemical combinations on earth. And different types of addictions and loads of justifications for those addictions.  We forget that we have to be alive and strong to support our kids till they grow and settle in life.  Yes, a young, fat professional, died of heart attack in his early 30's and he was a father of 10 month old few months back.

We have passed our exams, but we have not learned really on health.

Its a wake up call for all the readers on safety and health.

New Rules for Bangalore School Buses

New rules for Bangalore school buses have been published in the newspaper today.  To be effective from 2013.

Connectedness

I strongly believe there is no randomness, there is only connectedness among all the living and non-living.  There is a discipline that is not expressable scientifically between all that is in the universe. I saw a dead cow on the street, hit by a vehicle. Another cow was roaming around the place, smelling the dead one - How do you explain this?  We often see a home dog getting friendly with a street dog. A dog knows when his master is returning home. Birds come to the balcony to get their morning food. There is a book 'Secret Life of Plants' that seem to research how plants communicate, experience and bond (Got through a citation, have not read this book).  We associate a lot of meaning to the river beyond the context of water. Ant has intelligence that we have seen. Termites seem to have different intelligence (more on this soon!).  There is connectedness, there is intelligence, there is no randomness.

Bookshops Roundup

This is a bookshops roundup. While I am more than regular on Flipkart.com, I also visit bookshops looking for fresh and variety books.  Most of the bookshops that I visit are based on the proximity to my living place.

Crossword
@JP Nagar 3rd Phase - I was so excited when this bookshop opened about a couple of years back.  Has good collections. The staff are friendly but less knowledgeable about books. I met many of my friends their in this shop. There were sofas to sit and read the books but the management decided to remove them. There are less children magazines, and more adult (yes!) magazines. The bookshop collects feedback often but does not implement any.  I used to take my daughter and nephews to the shop during summer. The shop runs offer sales throughout the year but items are less exciting.  They used to invite book authors - I met Tony Buzan here. 
@Koramangala - This one was a surprise when I first visited the Medimix group's hotel Cholayil Sanjeevanam and FabIndia.  Most of the comments above are applicable.
Sapna Bookhouse, Jayanagar
This shop must be everyone's favourite. It has everything like stationery, latest books, text books etc. Always crowded. The books for children are cheaper.  One of the few shops that has regional (Kannada only) books. I have once met Robin Sharma and got his book autographed here.


Landmark, Forum Mall
One of my favourite desitnation for books. If I visit Forum, its either for PVR or Landmark. Until four months back, they had two floors. When I visited yesterday, the shop has only one floor. The one at Level 1 is occupied by WestSide which again has a new avatar.  The new renewed Landmark shop has new look and feel but for the book lovers, the space is obviously reduced. The home items have vanished and is replaced by sports and fitness items.
@Garuda Mall - There was one and I used to frequent. Suddenly the showroom was closed.
@Gopalan Mall - The Gopalan Mall at Bannerghatta Road website keeps displaying Landmark Bookstore as one of the shops, but I could ever find one.


Reliance Timeout, JP Nagar
This shop was never creative, always wore a deserted look despite seasonal offers. When I visited last week, the 2nd floor is permanently closed. Death of a bookshop!

Gangarams

The ad that made me glad yesterday

When I moved into Bangalore 15 years back, this was my favourite. I used to spend time in Gangarams, Higginbothams, Planet Music, Food World, and Hotel Brindavan in the weekends (before getting married).
Was sad to learn that bookshop was vanishing due to Metro work at MG Road. But yesterday's ad came as a welcome news.  I should go and explore in the coming weekends.
Higginbothams
During the academic project days and job search days, I used to visit Higginbothams at Anna Salai, Chennai. I first saw my hero Tony Robbins's books there only.  I often prayed that this bookshop in Railway stations opens 24 x 7 - they don't. I visited the Chennai branch last year - I feel the legacy is lost. The Bangalore branch at MG Road - I would say instead of Gangarams, it would have been nice if Higginbothams is gone. They dont deserve a place anymore. The lustre is lost!

Prism Book Shop
This one is opposite to the Cool Joint, Jayanagar 4th block - I dont understand what is the theme and uniqueness this bookshop has. Never crowded, No attraction.

Motilal Banarsidass
@Jayanagar 3rd Block - This one is a good bookshop for the religiously and spiritually inclined. Sad thing is they are closed on Sundays.

My general concern is that these bookshops should not die. I visit to buy books even if the sales are not there. All the online sites of these bookshops do offer discount but do not anything different to attract the visitors. They should do something very different to attract new readers.  I hate seeing in displays all the popular and hot books - the old and rare books should also be promoted enough.

Healer and the Healed

Everyone that I come across reminds me of this - He or She can serve as a healer and also has a need to heal.

Everyone is a healer and to be healed.

This spiritual mindset will bring in a lot of values. Its a compassionate world.  Through constant meditations, I can see, really see, this world is very much complete.
We all have a role to play. One role is that of the healer - do as much healing with words, service, good doings, a love touch, a small help.  Another role is to surrender - surrender to a big positive belief. Take help. Get healed of wrong doings. Correct yourself when young.  Look at someone wiser, elder to you and draw inspiration. 
If you are only a healer and do not want to get healed by others, you are refusing to be a student. 
If you are only getting healed, and do not want to heal others, you are not really paying back to the society.
Everyone is a healer and needs to be healed!

The unreported safety issues

One may think that there are more child abuse reported in the media these days.  Its not completely true.  Its an easy guess the abuse against children are happening every now and then and they were just unreported. Its just that the media light on the issues are more these days. 
I request the newspaper readers and TV viewers not to get into too much of the cases (in understanding) as that would affect the pyschology gradually. Its really dishearting to learn more and more that our fences are failing to protect our children. Rather, we as responsibile citizens should do our duties to our family and the society in ensuring the safety of our wards. 

My New Health Drink - Barley Water

Mom made Barley water this morning. I and Diya had today.

I searched on the net for the benefits of Barley water.  Wow - there are many!

The nutritients in Barley helps in various treatments - for Kidney, Intestine and Diabetes related.  It also helps in reducing the weight.

For the visitor's ready reference, sharing this link.

Dhyan's Blog

Here is our second baby Dhyan and he has a blog too. Please regularly visit the blog of Dhyan.