My Musings

MILK – An Indian Success Story. Doodh, doodh, doodh - India is poised to produce a staggering 90 million tonnes of milk in year 2005. That will be 10 mn tonnes MORE than the second largest producer,USA. India produced 88 mn tonnes in 2004 and 84 mn in 2003. But, how was the condition in India 60 years ago? During early 1940s, India had an acute short supply of milk and the Govt had banned its use in hotels, and restaurants. One black coffee, please. The Bombay Presidency introduced special distribution centers to ration it to expectant mothers and young children. Milk supply was an urban nightmare those days. In Bombay alone there were thousands of cattle sheds scattered across the city and their dairying practices were both unhygienic and unscientific. A Parsi gentleman, Dara Khurody who was the milk commissioner of Bombay, took up the job of re-organising the milk supply. He established a huge milk colony in the village of Aarey near Bombay, which is today the largest state-owned mil...

NAVARATHRI (KOLU) Festivals in Hindu culture are aplenty all through the year – starting from Varuzha Pirappu, to Deepavali, to Pongal. But, no festival, not even Deepavali, can match Navarathri for the splendor and richness. In Bengal, it is THE POOJA. The entire State wears a festive look these ten days. In Mysore and Karnataka it is opulence personified. In Gujarat and Mumbai it is Dandia - garba time. In many cities like Delhi it is Ram Leela. Hyderabad will be shining during these 10 days. The entire country is decked up. No other festival can simply match Navarathri. The festival to celebrate the triumph of GOOD over evil. In TamilNadu we celebrate it as a private, not a community, festival. Decades ago the festival was simple, performed with bhakti-shradda. Steps (padi) were made with whatever available material, clay dolls of Gods and Goddesses in their purest form were only displayed, young girls going about personally inviting others, and SINGING in all the houses they visite...

COMMUNICATION Part 4 SURESH on 17 Oct 2004 Dear all, COMMUNICATION. In fact this mail from RC really probed me and the outcome is evident. Really it worked wonders with me to come out of shell. Thanks a lot RC for bringing out such a wonderful piece. As a matter of fact the credit goes to one and all in our GRS group. It is one habit that was deeply inculcated in me by Appa. He used to allow me to write at least 10 lines in all the letters which he wrote to all. I still remember that I got encouragement for those writings from all elders in our group. I can visualize the writings of Thatha, Patti. Last Year Ramamurthy Athimber gave one such copy of letter to Appa in which Patti wrote a beautiful letter to Saroja Atthai indicating to the minutest detail and listing things required after delivery. Similarly the running handwriting of thatha with those beautiful strokes spoke volumes of emotions. Even now, the folder system is being maintained by Appa. I used to read all those letters wh...