My Answer for "What are some of the strange things that happen in India in the name of religion?" at Quora

This…

God would never want humans to satisfy him through a life of his creation.

Following religion,

• without thinking beyond the conventions
• and without questioning the fairness and pros and cons of the practices

is the single largest obstacle for religion to evolve as Sprituality, where nothing other than pure love exists.

Link : https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-of-the-strange-things-that-happen-in-India-in-the-name-of-religion/answer/Gowtham-Durairajan?srid=oxm5

My Answer for "What are some of the greatest examples of Absence of mind?" at Quora

Incident No. 1

This happened to me during my college days. I studied in Loyola college,Chennai and I stayed at my college hostel. Since I am bit introverted guy, I did’t have many friends that time and I used to eat alone in my mess. To pass boredom and to go unmindful about the taste of food served at my mess, I used to call my mom daily during my dinner time and start speaking with her summarising all the happenings of the day. One day, I chose to dine outside. As usual I was having a lengthy conversation with my mom.

I ordered a plate of Idli and a Dosa (and also a filter coffee, if I remember right). I finished eating everything and the server handed me over the bill. It was an unsophisticated hotel, where people used to pay the bill themselves after eating at the counter. That time, I was somehow more deeply involved in my narrations of the day.

Just like, going out of the hostel mess after eating, washing my hands, I started moving out of the hotel.

I left the hotel and entered my college premises. Even then my dialogue didn’t end. After walking some 60 yards inside my campus, it hit my mind.

I said, “ Aiyo, Amma saaptutu panam kodukama vandhuten”

(Mummy, I forgot to pay after dining)

My mother, being a typical Tamil mother, got even more shocked.

She said, “Dei.. Ippa enga iruka..Pinadi yaaravadhu varangalanu paaru”

(Where are you? See someone is chasing you)

I felt myself this way. :)

Incident No. 2

During my CA-Articleship, there used to be a friend of mine who is known for naive character. He, being the senior most in the office, used to handle the case of one of the high income tax payers among our clients regularly. The particular tax payer passed away during the year. For the past three years he has been filing IT returns for the tax payer.During the month of September, CA-s would be extremely busy. They would not find time to pay attention towards each filing of return.

As per Income tax act, if a tax payer dies his legal heir should file IT return in respect of the tax payer.

That guy filed the return of income as if the dead assessee is filing the return of income.

Our principal asked him during the 3rd week of September, when we are doing under peak pressure “Did you file the return for that assessee?”.

He replied enthusiastically “ Yes sir”.

Our Principal with a smile said this - “Very good. When did you collected documents from his son?”

Only then he realised his mistake. With a scanty smile, he replied “ Siiiiiir, I forgot that he is dead”

Rest of us had a hard time that day in finding some private place to burst out our laughter.

:)

Originally posted @ https://www.quora.com/Psychology-of-Everyday-Life-What-are-some-of-the-greatest-examples-of-absence-of-mind/answer/Gowtham-Durairajan?srid=oxm5

Soul-stirring beats from Tamil Cinema

1. Kanavu Kaanum Vaazhkai

This song from 1984 movie "Neengal Kettavai" directed by Balu mahendra is one of those songs, which soothes by its profound, thougt-provoking lyrical content.

• Music- Ilaiyaraaja
• Lyrics-Vairamuthu
• Screenplay-Balu Mahendra

The screenplay would be excellently designed with visuals bringing a deeper pondering on the lyrical theme of the song as Illayaraaja's music melliflously hypnotizes.

The best lines:

1. Pallavi itself is all-explaining.

கனவு காணும் வாழ்க்கை யாவும்கலைந்து போகும் கோலங்கள்துடுப்பு கூட பாரம் என்றுகரையை தேடும் ஓடங்கள்

 -A life driven only by  desires is just a short -lived joy. Without the drive for actions, it is equivalent to a boat which considers even the oar as a burden.

 This reminds me of this famous line of Jim Rohn

"Learn how to be happy with what you have while you pursue all you want"

Put simply, Dispassionate navigation towards our dreams.

2. The Second Charanam:

காலங்கள் மாறும்.காலங்கள் மாறும் கோலங்கள் மாறும்
வாலிபம் என்பது பொய் வேஷம்தூக்கத்தில் பாதி..தூக்கத்தில் பாதி ஏக்கத்தில் பாதி
போனது போக எது மீதம் பேதை மனிதனே
பேதை மனிதனே கடமையை இன்றே
செய்வதில் தானே ஆனந்தம்

- Meaningful action that could do some goodness to the people around us is the only thing that could last while others will get effaced without even leaving their slightest traces.

2. Nadhiye Nadhiye

Movie: Rhythm
Director: Vasanth
Music: A. R. Rahman
Lyrics:Vairamuthu
Singer:Unni Menon

One of the beautiful pieces of art, I have come across. Set to tune in the raga Anandha bhairavi, whose notes has the habit of triggering ecstasy by default.

Best lines from the Charanam.

1.மெல்லிசைகள் படித்தல் மேடு பள்ளம் மறைத்தல் நதிகளின் குணமே

அது நங்கையின் குணமே

-I have seen many a family, where the sole reason for the family to remain seamless is the endurance of the woman in the family. Particularly, in the Indian background, where they suffered oppression for centuries, any exhibition of revolt would have led many families to have gone shattered.

Put simply, Her unexpressed grief sheathed by her smiles is the shadow price of the prosperity behind many families.



2.பூங்குயிலே பூங்குயிலே பெண்ணும் ஆறும் வடிவம் மாறக்கூடும்

நீர் நினைத்தால் பெண் நினைத்தால் கரைகள் யாவும் கரைந்து போக கூடும்

-Could there be a better simile?


This scene from the movie "Bharadhi", depicts the silent suffering the women of the                              pre-independence India undergone and chauvinistic temperaments of the men at that age .

(Will grow...)

Important Business News between 1st July, 2016 and 10th July 2016

·                     World bank commits $1Billion for India’s solar energy programme.

·                     CAG proposes auditing of regulators like RBI.

·                     India entered into Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement(DTAA) with Cyprus. Cyprus is to be removed from Notified Jurisdictional Areas specified in the Income tax Act retrospectively with effect from 1^st November 2013. Any payment to a Person located in the Notified Jurisdictional Area would be regarded as International transaction with Associated Enterprises attracting Transfer Pricing provisions under the Income tax act, 1961.

·                     N.S.Viswanathan appointed as new Deputy Governor of RBI.

·                     The country's biggest oil refinery to be set up at the west coast by the IOC, BPCL, HPCL, EIL together at a cost of $30Billion.

·                     A joint study conducted by Texprocil and EY has said that Textile and apparel sector will create 29 Lakh jobs only in the next 5 years as against the earlier estimate of 1 Crore jobs. The shrinkage is due to the automation in sector.

·                     Apparel Exports Promotion Council(AEPC) has said that the Apparel sector expects Rs.5000 Crore investments in the current Fiscal year.

·                     China’s OPPO Electronic corp. becomes the first company to approach the government for expansion since the relaxing of the FDI norms in single-brand retail and wholesale in June 2016

·                     April – June  of 2016 witnesses highest quarterly mobilization in IPO-s in the last 9 years

·                     India’s 13^th Major port at Enayam near Colachel in Tamil Nadu got ‘in-principle’ nod from cabinet.

·                     CBEC has issued a circular directing revenue officials to not to collect tax during stay by the Appellate authorities.

·                     Ministry of Labour and Employment has issued notification increasing the ceiling of salary for Pension from Rs. 6500 to Rs.15000. Government has also fixed the minimum pension at Rs.1,000.

·                     ICDS implementation deferred by 1 year. ICDS to be with effect from 01.04.2016.

·                     Government to divest its minority stake in 51 Firms, which it holds through SUUTI(Specified Undertakings of UTI) besides closing sick firms that are beyond revival.

·                     Congress, which has been demanding to cap the overall GST rate at 18% and scrapping of an additional 1% to compensate manufacturing states now proposes ring-fencing tax rate.

Some of the thought-provoking Dialogues from the Movie "Dead Poets Society"

Director :  Peter Weir

Cinematography:Tom Schulman

Cast

As "John Keatings": Robin Williams

Words of the teacher "John Keatings" to his students persuading them pursue their calling in life.        

• "Boys, you must strive to find your own voice. The longer you wait to begin the less likely you are to find it all. Thoreau said most men lead lives of quiet desperation. Don’t be resigned to that. Break out." (around 44 :00) 

• Now we all have a great need for acceptance. But you must trust that your beliefs are unique your own. Even though, others may think them odd or unpopular.  Even though the herd may go "That's bad." Robert Frost said "Two roads diverged in the wood and I took the one less travelled by. And that has made all the difference." I want you to find your own walk right now; your own way of striding pacing any direction. Anything you want whether it's proud whether it's silly anything. Gentlemen the courtyard is yours. You don't have to perform. Just make it for yourself. (around 01:04:50)

 Quote of Henry David Thoreau, written in the first page of the book of the "Dead Poets Society"

•  “I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life. To put to rout all that was not life. And not when I had come to die discover that I had not lived.” (around 01:51:10)

In contrast to the theme of the movie "Dead Poets Society", the Tamil movie "Maayakanadi"(Occult Mirror) presents a different idea on pursuing passions. On juxtaposing and analysing the ideas of both the movies, the later sounds be more realistic and reasonable.

Life comes with constraints. Few are blessed to lead a life with Midas touch. Given this reality, patience in going about things in life with a resilient mentality to smile even after expectations meets harsh dismays is the real enlightenment.

The climax scene of the movie, where the words of wisdom about pragmatism comes from Radha ravi.

Direction and Screenplay : Cheran

Important Business news between 20th June, 2016 and 30th June, 2016

•                     Raghuram Rajan announced his decision to not to continue as RBI Governor, when his term ends on September 4,2016.

•                     Bandaru Dattatreya, Union Labour minister has said that the ministry would consult Ministry of External affairs and Commerce ministry for inserting provisions related to treatment of labours in the trade agreements between countries after facing opposition from Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), a RSS affiliated organization against the India’s stand in the recently concluded ILO conference in Geneva. Earlier India has expressed its dissent to include labour standards as part of the provisions in trade agreements as it would affect India’s prospects for export and economic growth.

•                     Boeing and Tata Advanced systems laid the foundation for setting up joint venture “TATA Boeing Aerospace Ltd” in Hyderabad to co-produce Boeing AH-64 Apache Helicopter Fuselages.

•                     Government has relaxed FDI norms to permit 100% foreign investment in aviation sector, Greenfield pharma projects, Cable networks, DTH and Mobile TV and food product e-commerce and 74% in Brownfield pharma projects. Previously, FDI in Defence sector is permitted over 49% only if the investor brings in “State-of –the –art” technology. Now the condition to bring in “State-of –the –art” technology has been done away with.

Source: http://zeenews.india.com/business/news/economy/modi-govts-big-reform-push-approves-100-fdi-in-defence-civil-aviation-pharma_1897870.html

•                      Ministry of Finance has announced that Public Provident Fund (PPF) account can be closed prematurely after completing five years for reasons such as higher education or expenditure towards medical treatment.

•                     Y.C.Deveshwar to step down as MD of ITC in 2017 and stay as Non-executive chairman. Under Deveshwar’s tutelage ITC grew tenfold and forayed into FMCG business.

•                     PSB-s to get Rs.10,000 to 12,000 crore in the current fiscal year in addition to the           Rs. 25,000 crore provisioned in the Budget to tackle the problem of rising NPA-s.

•                     GST Bill to be taken up this moonson session- Nirmala Sitharaman,

•                     Reliance communications and Aircel are set to sign a merger deal to merge their wireless business and form the 4^th largest telecom company in the country.

•                     Britain has voted to leave European Union in the referendum conducted across the nation. The terms of Britain exiting EU will be decided through negotiation that is to happen over a 2 Year period. David Cameron will step down as Prime minister.

•                     India’s bid to get NSG membership didn’t succeed in the NSG Plenary session at Seoul, South Korea. But countries like US have expressed hope that India might get membership around the end of the year.

•                     India has become a member of Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). MTCR is a partnership of 35 Countries to prevent proliferation of missile and unmanned aerial vehicle technology. Interestingly, China, which stymied India’s membership in NSG is not a member of MTCR.

•                     RBI deputy governor Urjit Patel, former deputy governors Rakesh Mohan and Subir Gokarn, and State Bank of India chair Arundhati Bhattacharya in race for the next RBI Governor.

•                     Moonson Session to start from July 18.

வாழ்க்கை என்னும் நந்தவனம்

Podcast of lecture "வாழ்க்கை என்னும் நந்தவனம்" delivered by S.N.Subramanyan broadcasted on All India Radio on January 1,2011.

A thought provoking lecture that can reinvent one's perspective for life and its meaning.

A perennial source of motivation for me, whenever I feel low that obliterates desultoriness and provides the drive to get in on act.

வாழ்க்கை என்னும் நந்தவனம்1
வாழ்க்கை என்னும் நந்தவனம்2
வாழ்க்கை என்னும் நந்தவனம்3
வாழ்க்கை என்னும் நந்தவனம்4