Sunday, November 29, 2009

Memorial Church, Whitefield, Bangalore

When I got a job in the whitefield area, Bangalore, the first thing I did was to search beloved google to identify a church. Search didnt give me a good result. However we found a wonderful church -"The Memorial Church", Whitefield, Bangalore. The church is 125 years old.

There are two services conducted every sunday morning:

· 9:00am - CSI congregation

· 11:30am - Anglican congregation



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experience at Manipal Hospital, Bangalore

Last week we had to visit an ENT specialist as well as a gynecologist. Since we didn’t have much experience with doctors in Bangalore, We discussed with some of our friends and concluded we visit Manipal Hospital. One of our challenges these days is to keep Jessica engaged with some activity, she is a very very active toddler who just likes to run around. So we fixed appointment 11:45 am for ENT and 12:40 pm with the Gynecologist. We were happy since we had fixed appointments, hardly we realized about the tough day ahead.

Reached Manipal Hospital by 11:10am well ahead of time. Trouble started with finding a parking space which took about 15 min, Followed by this was the registration Q another 15 min (100 bucks registration and 300 bucks for ENT consultation).

We hurried to 1st floor to make sure we are on time and reached by 11:45 sharp. Good news! Doctor had come late and we had to wait for 45 min before we met him (That was after I reminded the Lady about our other appointment at 12:40). Believe me, the doc did not even spend 5 min with us. Such heavy fee and we were very unhappy with the consultation. It was just waste of money.

Next, we hurried to the Gynecologist Dr. Manjula. Jessica was already starting to show her frustration on our control and M was very tired too. Here again we had to wait for 40 min and met the doc by 1:20pm.

The doc again spent just 5 min with us.

Such a bad experience, WE DECIDED this was our LAST visit to Manipal. Thanks Manipal and Dr. Manjula and Dr. Giri for the wonderful experience.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

More Responsibilities

Taking up new responsibilites @ office today . Only hope-> "With God nothing is impossible"

Ooty to Bangalore - 28th Sep 09

Started from Home @ 9:00 pm as I had to catch the 10:05 bus to Bangalore from Ooty. Waited for local busses till 9:30 and nothing arrived. Fortunately, Got a lift from a biker on his way home. He was like the good samaritan, dropped me at the bus stand well in advance.
Bus started its journey at 10:30. 12'0 clock midnight we crossd gudalur and were at the bandhipur junction. Bad news: No vehicles allowed to pass the jungle from 12:00 am to 5:00 am due to animals threat. Bus was halted and we resumed journey by 5:00 am . Reached Bangalore at 2:00 pm after 16 hours in bus.
Result : Had to apply for half a day leave @ office.

Monday, March 30, 2009

A cellphone ride... May be your last call...

A motorist with a cell phone driving with one hand, or a speeding four wheeler where the driver is busy talking on his mobile phone (both cases, ofcourse without a handson) is a very common sight in Indian Roads now a days.

I would say "Hello Friend, Wanna take a call when you are driving, Beware, It might well be your last call".

A couple of months back my inlaws were on their car driven by a hired car driver. This guy was busy attending calls as he was driving and was very confident saying he was used to this. As they drove a lorry in front of the car hit a sudden break to avoid hitting another responsible two wheeler guy who was crossing the road without turning on his indicators. The result, Our driver could not predict as he was totally into his phone, and hit the lorry ending up paying Rs.25,000 for the car damages. Luckily no injuries, Imagine if the same had happened in a highway.

Here are some damages recorded...

We are more prone to lose concentration when we attend calls when driving. Anybody reading this please make sure you park your vehicle by road side and then attend the call. Let not one call ruin yours or someone's life.

Let not your mobile call become your last call.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Earth Hour - Are you Ready?

Justify Full
Earth Hour is an international event started by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in 2007,. It engages businesses and households to turn off their non-essential lights and electrical appliances for one hour on the last Saturday of March every year.

It aims to educate the global community about the threats of climate change and how easy it is for individuals and businesses to make small changes to the way they live and operate.

In 2008, Earth Hour reached out to more than 400 cities with 50 million adults participating in the initiative. Major icons went dark including the Sydney Opera House, Rome s Coliseum, and Antarctica s Scott Station.

This year, Earth Hour will take place on Saturday, 28 March 2009 from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm, local time and aims to reach out to 1 billion people across 1000 cities.

WWF urges us to join Earth Hour.

Join WWF in supporting Earth Hour. Switch off your lights for one hour at 8:30 pm on 28 March 2009.

For more information visit - http://www.earthhour.in/



Thursday, March 12, 2009

வாழ்க்கைப் பாடம் - தந்தையும் மகனும்

ஒரு பணக்காரத்தந்தை தன் 12 வயது மகனை அழைத்துக்கொண்டு கிராமத்துக்குச் சென்றார்.



ஏழை மக்கள் படும் கஷ்டத்தை மகனுக்கு உணர்த்துவதற்காகவும்,அவர்களின் வாழ்க்கை எப்படி இருக்கிறது என்பதை தனது மகன் அறிய வேண்டும் என்பதற்காகவும் இந்தச் சிறப்புச் சுற்றுலாவுக்கு ஏற்பாடு செய்தார்.



இரண்டு வாரங்களுக்கு மேல் தந்தையும், மகனும் கிராமத்தில் வசித்தனர். வயல்வெளிகளிலும், நிலாவெளிச்சத்திலும் சுற்றித் திரிந்தனர். பின் குறிப்பிட்ட தினத்தில் தனது சொந்த இருப்பிடத்திற்கு திரும்ப வந்துவிட்டனர்.



வீடு திரும்பியதும் தந்தை மகனிடம் கேட்டார் - “சொல் மகனே!, இந்தச் சுற்றுலாவில் என்ன கற்றுக்கொண்டாய்?”.



அவரது எண்ணம் என்னவெனில், கிராமத்தைப் பற்றியும், மக்கள் படும் கஷ்டத்தையும் மகன் வாயால் கூறக் கேட்கவேண்டும் என்பதே.



மகன் சொன்னான் :



தந்தையே நாம் ஒரே ஒரு நாய்தான் வைத்திருக்கிறோம். அங்கே அந்த ஏழைகள் அவரவர் வீடுகளில் நான்கைந்து நாய்கள் வளர்க்கின்றனர்.



நம் வீட்டு நீச்சல் குளம் நமது தோட்டத்தின் எல்லைக்குள்ளேயே முடிந்துவிடுகிறது. ஆனால் அவர்கள் நீந்துவதற்காக மிகப்பெரிய ஏரி, கண்மாய்கள் இருக்கின்றன. கண்ணுக்கெட்டிய தூரம் வரை அவற்றின் எல்லையை எண்ணால் காண இயலவில்லை.





நாம் இரவு வெளிச்சத்திற்காக நமது தோட்டத்தில் வெளிநாட்டிலிருந்து தருவிக்கப்பட்ட குறிப்பிட்ட விலையுள்ள வண்ண அலங்கார விளக்குகளைப் பயன்படுத்துகிறோம். ஆனால் அவர்கள் விலைமதிப்பே இல்லாத வானத்து நட்சத்திரங்களையும், வண்ண நிலவையும் இரவு வெளிச்சத்திற்காக உபயோகிக்கின்றனர்.



நாம் வாழ்வதற்காக மிகச் சிறிய நிலப்பரப்பையே வைத்திருக்கிறோம். ஆனால் அவர்கள் பரந்துவிரிந்த நீளமான வயல்வெளிகளையும், தோட்டங்களையும் வைத்திருக்கிறார்கள்.



நமக்கு வேலைசெய்வதற்காக நாம் வேலையாட்களை வைத்திருக்கிறோம். வேலையாட்கள் நமக்கு உதவுகிறார்கள். நாம்தான் யாருக்கும் உதவுவதில்லை.

ஆனால் கிராமத்து மக்களோ அடுத்தவர்களுக்கு உதவுவதிலும், பிறருக்குச் சேவைசெய்வதிலும் இன்பம் கொள்கிறார்கள்.



இவையனைத்தையும் கேட்டதும் பணக்காரத் தந்தைக்குப் பேச்சே வரவில்லை.



இறுதியாக மகன் சொன்னான் - “மிக்க நன்றி தந்தையே!. ஏழை எளிய மக்களின் வாழ்க்கையை எனக்குக் காட்டியமைக்கு நன்றி”.



நீதி :

பார்வையும், பார்க்கும் கோணமும் ஒருவருக்கொருவர் மாறுபடுகிறது. தந்தையின் பார்வைக்கும், மகனின் பார்வைக்கும் உள்ள வித்தியாசம் இதுதான்.

நம்மிடம் இல்லாதது வேறு ஒருவரிடம் இருக்கும். அவரிடம் இல்லாதது நம்மிடம் இருக்கும். ஆனால் எல்லோரிடமும் அன்பு மட்டும் இருந்தால் வாழ்வு மலர்ச்சியுடன் இருக்கும். நம்மிடம் இருப்பவற்றை மகிழ்வுடன் ஏற்றுக்கொண்டு அனைவருக்கும் நன்றி தெரிவித்து வாழும் வாழ்வே சிறப்பானது.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Being a Christian

Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston, Texas.



Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.



As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, 'You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it.' Then he thought, 'Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they w ill never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet.'



When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, 'Here, you gave me too much change.'



The driver, with a smile, replied, 'Aren't you the new preacher in town?’ 'Yes' he replied.



'Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday.'



When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, 'Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.'



Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians, and will put us to the test! Always be on guard -- and remember -- You carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself 'Christian.'



“Watch your thoughts; they become words.

Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions; they become habits.

Watch your habits; they become character.

Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.”