Growth issues

Every day, in the morning, the first thing I would do is to see my weight in the weighing scale. Well, the day when I think I have reduced my weight, the scale would show higher reading than expected! I wanted to reach below the 80 kgs mark. To achieve that, I started on a regime of fast walking and also bought an 'abs reduction' special exercise chair from a mall from Dubai.

Now, with a renewed confidence of controlling my weight at my will, I decided to do an experiment. I went for 45 minutes fast walking and, thereafter, I had a lighter dinner than usual, thinking that the next day I would reach below 80 kg mark. But to my utter disappointment, after all the exercises, the scale read 83 kg as against the previous reading of 81 kg!

Recently, I was going through the exchange rate of Indian Rupee against Dhiram. Strangely I found a correlation to my weight! I found 1000 rupees equaling 83dhs! I was biding time to see that Rupee value would become weaker against Dhiram, so that I can transfer some money. I kept a benchmark level of INR1000 to go below 80dhs, so that I can transfer some money back home. I waited and waited for this to happen, like I was craving for my weight reduction.

Believe me; both my weight as well as the exchange rate never met my expectations for the past several months.

Well, I am planning to have a sumptuous dinner tonight and to head for the bank tomorrow, skipping the weighing machine and ignoring the growth issues!

Onions and Tomatoes

Never gave much attention to Onions and Tomatoes although they are the most important ingredients in every day diet. There was a politician in Tamil Nadu who would use the word 'Vengayam', meaning Onion, as a cliche in his speaches. This word is also used to tease or to be-little anyone or any matter, including Onion!

On the other hand, tomatoes are used to show public anger if the speaker goes astray in his speaches! There is a famous tomatoe festival celebrated in Spain every year,in which public make merry by taking bath in 'tomato slurry' and throwing tomatoes all over the town!

Tomatoes and onions are popular crops found in most of the kitchen gardens. Whilst the desi variety of tomatoes are almost extinct nowadays, the desi variety of onions have taken a prestigious place in the hearts of connoiseurs and culinary experts!

Why suddenly the prices of these vegetables have shot the roof in India is a raging debate and a hot media attention now. Maharashtra is the major Onion producer in India. There is a small town on the way to Goa, which is the capital of Onion wholesale trade. I hope readers would identify and respond about this onion capital in their comments. Sometime back, I had an opportunity to visit this town on a business visit(not for wholesale purchase of Onions!).

At that time I came to know from a local that the richest in town are those Onion wholesale traders. They procure onions directly from farmers and hoard it until it is'right time' to sell. They control onion prices and make unbelievable profits!

When I hear the news about the soaring prices of Onions, I am convinced that the households will switch over to 'Jain' preparations,i.e total ban of Onions from their every day menu!


Needless to mention that Onions have become highly potent now, in that one can get tears from the mere feel or thought of it rather than from the peel of it!

Suraksha Bandhan

Whilst on vaccation at Mumbai, I am back to the usual habit of browsing the news papers. What is disturbing me is to read the news about road accidents every day.

Someone, I met during an air travel, told me that there is no point in reading the news papers as they give only depressing and 'late' news. Very true. But I couldn't help thinking about the frequent road accidents happening in our country and compare them to the road accidents in other parts of the world.

Whilst in the middle east, I have observed that most of the accidents are due to human errors like over speeding, loosing control and the like, or due to fog, storm and other Acts of God. In contrast, in India, I find many head-on collisions taking place day in and day out, resulting in innumerable loss of lives.

Accidents do not happen; they are caused. Should we not find out the root cause for such accidents?

When you find that this kind of accidents do not happen in the Middle East and many other countries, then you would realise that the fault lies some where else which can be identified and remedied.

Yes. The roads and transport authority should face this issue head on and come out with solutions so as to prevent all head-on collisions happening in our roads. This is very much achievable if all our roads are laid by preventing two way traffic.

I would ask our legal eagles to evaluate if there is any merit in filing a PIL to compel our Roads and transport Authority including the transport ministry to accept their responsibility in failing to construct exclusive two way lanes across the country.

Any road project shall be cleared only if it conforms to a collision proof standard!

Our country is witnessing a number of bandhs and dharnas for reducing the taxes, tolls etc. Why not we have some useful Bandhs to establish safe roads for the masses?

Can we hope to tie a SURAKSHA BANDHAN for all on this Raksha bandhan day?

Orissa violence

I just don't understand why there is violence in Orissa, India.... I appreciate Ms. Jayalalithaa for airing her strong views against the communal violence in Orissa. More and more leaders should openly come out against this and organise peaceful processions involving responsible citizens to change this madness and prevent the deteriorating law and order situation..

When there are other calamities and Acts of God plaguing the country, this man made peril(communal violence) should be curbed.

I appeal to all to give their vote for peace, love and honorable co-existance of people and work for an egalitarian society...

I am sure that India will display to the world that they are capable of maintaining their secular nature and unity of people despite the diversity in culture and social fabric.