Fish waste water overflowing in Kerala streets

Alarmed by this grave situation when a commuter sent an RTI application to a local Panchayat Secretary the applicant was brutally attacked by quotation gang of a fish vendor.  Has the Government a say in this regard? Do the authorities realise the lack of planning and the disgust that this is creating.

Personally, I don't expect such a lack of civil sense from the rulers of God’s own country.
K A Solaman

Minister's role in teacher attack

All efforts by various governments to contain quotation gangs in Kerala went futile. The attack on Krishnakumar, a school teacher at Kottarakkara in Kollam, is an indicator in this regard. The Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan says it is Forest Minister K B Ganeshkumar is behind the attack. Achuthanandan said this after getting clear information from reliable sources. If so it sounds that ministers are the sponsors of quotation gangs. All fingers point to Balakrishna Pillai and son because Krishnakumar had earlier filed a complaint that he was getting death threats from Pillai and company, the management of the school where he and his wife work.

The attack on Krishnakumar is condemnable and at the same time the foul play performed by one local TV channel is also disgusting. It is highly repugnant to see that the teachers of the Valakam Ramavilasam school are supplied with ‘iron bar’ free!

K A Solaman

Greek Mythology vs Indian Mythology

Indians have  a  phylosofic way to see life and their Gods don't look like mortals or humans, in Greek mythology the Gods are antromorphs meaning that they had mortal like bodies and feelings but immortal.

Of Gods and Men

Greek Gods Image Courtesy : umich.edu

Mythology is the oral retelling of stories or myths of a particular group of people or culture that lived long ago. They provide us an idea about the values, culture and intellectual development of the people of those cultures and civilizations. Two of the most vibrant, advanced and complex mythologies are that of the ancient Greeks and the Hindus (Indian). Their religions were correspondingly called Hellenism and Hinduism. These two religions and cultures existed in different parts of the world and were separated by great distances. But there are some amazing similarities between their fables and myths.

Zeus and Indra

In Hindu mythology the Kashyapa fathered the Devas (Gods). Bear in mind that these gods does not include the triumvirate Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva who are considered superior to the Devas. The ruler of the Devas was Indra.

In Greek mythology the Gods were fathered by Cronus. Zeus is the ruler of Gods just as Indra is his counterpart in Hindu Mythology. Indra and the other gods reside atop Mount Kailash while Zeus and the other Greek Gods reside on top of Mount Olympus. Indra represents Thursday in the days of the week. So does Zeus. Zeus is the God of thunder and lightning. So is Indra.

Good and Evil

The Gods of Mount Olympus represents good while their antitheses are the Titans represent evil. In the same way we have the Asuras as the chief tomentors of the Devas. The interesting fact in both these mythologies is that both good and evil are fathered by one and the same being. While the Gods and the Titans were fathered by Cronus, the Devas and the Asuras were fathered by Kashyap. There is a constant struggle between the forces of Good and Evil in both mythologies. Throughout the mythologies we can see the Gods tricking their antithesis during instances when they require the Titan’s or the Asura’s help.

Devas battling the Asuras Image Courtesy : harekrsna.com

Gods, Men and Evil

While men have always worshipped and showed unfaltering devotion towards the Gods, the Gods on their part have not been as benevolent as they might lead us to believe. In fact the Gods’ attitude towards men has been quite curious to say the least, almost bordering on tyrannical. They punish them for the slightest of disrespect, putting inexplicable curses on them and even raping or seducing their women. It is ironic that the Titans and the Asuras are considered to be evil when they have done more good to men than the Gods and Devas in certain instances. Their behavior and attitude towards men is exemplified by two incidents in the mythology.

In Greek mythology there is the story of Prometheus who stole fire from the Gods and gave it to men. Men after receiving fire began to be developed and more enlightened. Zeus was so enraged by this that he punished Prometheus to be chained to a Mount Caucasus. Each day an Eagle would come and peck out his liver, which would be regenerated in the night. This cycle continued until Hercules (son of Zeus. Also known as Herakles) killed the eagle and freed Prometheus.

Prometheus giving fire to man Image Courtesy : wikipedia.org

Similarly in Hindu Mythology there is the story of the benevolent Asura king of Kerala called Mahabali. During his reign the kingdom prospered unlike in any other. There was equality and happiness among all. There was neither deceit nor corruption. Indra and the other Devas were jealous and afraid of Mahabali’s popularity and conspired with Lord Vishnu to end his reign. Vishnu came to earth as Vamana (one of his 10 incarnations) and tricked Mahabali into the depths of the underworld, but not before granting the asura king one last wish; that to visit his subjects once a year. Even today people of Kerala celebrate his day of return as the famous Onam festival.

Prophesies and their impact

Prophesies have a major role to play in these mythologies. One of the most recurring themes in these myths is that of a main character trying to avert a particular prophecy but in turn succumbing to his destiny. In both mythologies we can see this theme recurring again and again.

One such instance in the Greek mythology is that of Cronus who becomes aware of a prophecy that he will be overthrown by one of his children. In order to avert this fate Cronus begins to swallow each one of his children as soon as they are born. When the sixth child Zeus is born, Rhea (Cronus’ wife) devises a plan to save him with the help of Cronus’ mother Gaia. Rhea secretly gives birth to Zeus and arranges for him to be brought up in exile. Later a grown up Zeus comes back to free his siblings and forces Cronus to flee.

Similarly in Hindu mythology King Kansa is foretold that the eight son of his sister Devaki would kill him. To avert this, Kansa imprisons both Devaki and her husband Vasudeva and allows them to live on the condition that they hand over all their newborns to him. Devaki’s eighth son was Krishna (a reincarnation of Lord Vishnu) and as Kansa had killed all their previous children, they arranged for the child to be brought up in exile and presented another newborn to Kansa in his place. A grown up Krishna later returned to avenge the death of his brothers and killed Kansa.

There are many other similarities between the various mythologies in the world. It is not possible to cover all of them under the realms of a single post. But it is infinitely fascinating to learn more and more about them as they shows us how similar we all are, even though we have different cultures and are from different civilizations. Maybe we are the same no matter which part of the world we really are from.

Women's Code Bill-an insult to Nature

Old age makes one sans sense. Seemingly this is applicable to chairman of the 12-member committee who submitted the Draft Bill recommending provisions for imprisonment for fathering a third child. The Commission on Rights and Welfare of Women and Children felt that nothing less than a fine of Rs 10,000 or three months simple imprisonment deserved to be slapped on the expectant father of a third child. And if the third child is not on the understanding of the father?
I thank the committee for not recommending to implement the bill with retrospective effect, otherwise the own flesh and blood of a few members of the committee also would be imprisoned for violating the provision.

I am against the Christian clergies favouring more children, likewise some Malappuram friends procreating profusely. However the provisions of the draft bill are draconic. Restrictions on the number of children as enunciated by the Bill is a direct insult to natural laws in general and gender equality in particular.

K A Solaman

Rein in oil barons

I condemn the damages done to the country by Opposition parties after the decision to hike petrol prices was announced. Widespread protests and a day long hartal in Kerala have brought huge loss to the exchequer. However, I must say that I am even more shocked by the manner in which our leaders seem to have colluded with the oil companies.

Moreover, I find arguments on the lines of how oil companies are actually running at a loss rather unbelievable. In my opinion, an immediate austerity check should be implemented on oil companies and their permission given to hike petroleum prices intermittently should be withdrawn immediately. Oil barons should not be permitted to ‘pour oil on fire’ when ordinary people are working hard to make both ends meet.

K A Solaman, Kerala

The Pioneer Daily, New Delhi, 19 Sept 2011

Oil to Antony is ‘Gold coin to a cat’

I condemn the damages done to the country by Opposition parties on hearing the hike of petrol price. The wide spread protest and a day’s hartal in States like Kerala brought huge loss to the exchequer. Nevertheless, more I condemn the collusion course of the Prime Minister and the Petroleum Minister with Oil companies. The Manmohan Inc. is fooling the nation by not containing the show of spending by the politicians and the corporate heads. None of them ever make an attempt to tax the corporate that are making huge profits. The Defence Minister A K Antony saying that oil price hike is an unavoidable situation is the remarks of a ‘cat in a gold mine’. Oil to Antony is ‘Gold coin to a cat’, but for his colleagues it is not the same.
Oil is an essential commodity and consumers purchase it without enquiring the quality of the brand, however, the companies spend crores for their brand promotion. The money spent for this extravagance falls on the head of “Am admi’ and ministers have little concern over it. The validation given that Oil Companies are running at a loss is unbelievable and likewise the argument ‘Rupee is Weak’. An immediate austerity check should be implemented to oil companies and the permission given to them to hike petroleum price intermittently should be withdrawn immediately. The unscrupulous oil barons should not be permitted to ‘pour oil on fire’ when ordinary people try hard to meet their both ends. The ruling politicians, the corporate and the ruthless bureaucrats have made the life of ordinary people miserable.
K A Solaman

Slimming exercise !

The detention of activist Mallika Sarabhai and several victims of the 2002 riots at Naroda Patia ahead of the planned protest against Chief Minister Narendra Modi's 'sadbhavna'(goodwill) should be condemned. The act of the police is not of goodwill but of bad will.
After Anna Hasare it has become a slimming exercise for politicians to make two or three days fast to hoodwink people saying that they are prepared to remove all their hardship. In Kerala’s Kolenchery the top clergies of the Jacobite and Orthodox churches have entered into a similar slimming exercise against for what they bound to teach ‘forgive and be kind’-the greatest teaching of Jesus Christ.

Modi’s police have given no reason for Sarabhai arrest and it is a clear violation and denial of fundamental rights of the citizen. There can be no sadbhavana without justice. Not only Modi to fast under total police protection, every citizen has the right to protest. I think the earthquakes in northern India, north-east states, and some parts of Idukki in Kerala are due to the slimming exercise of ruthless politicians and unfeeling clergies.

K A Solaman

Mammootty to avoid liquor in films

Interesting to take in that Malayalam superstar Mammootty has produced a documentary that asks people to avoid liquor. He has decided to advice people of Kerala to give up their record of highest alcohol consumption in the country. He would not act in film that shows alcohol consumption.

Mammootty has gained a little notoriety because of recent Income Department raid at his houses and other establishments. And after that he is in a desperate bid to regain lost glory. He, therefore, allowed  people to watch his shooting cites and spent more time with them. He has decided to make people more aware about the injuries of alcohol consumption, and if needed he would again incarnate as Inspector Balaram and burn all the liquor shop owners including the minister in charge of the affairs.

If Mammootty succeeds in making Kerala a liquor free zone the employees and retirees have to wait for months to get their monthly payment as government earning worth  Rs.5,239 crore from liquor sales has abruptly stopped. 

K A Solaman

Endorse ‘death on encounter’

Most often innocent people are the target of terrorists. The bombing near Delhi High Court is also not an exception. These innocent people have, supposedly, no human rights. The terrorists, if caught, have only human rights. The so-called right activists argue for terrorists in prisons ignoring the human rights of the dead and their relatives.
The loss to lives and possessions of people by terrorist bombing is beyond any reckon. Had the Government revealed an iron hand to terrorist this sort of events do not replicate. The security mechanism in the country is very poor. Even in air port at Thiruvananthapuram any person has easy access, a channel exposed. In Kerala Secreatriat too, the Chief Minister’s chair was occupied, of late, by an unidentified person, but was ignored by CM’s office. .
The present rulers of the country are responsible for the repeated killing of innocent and ordinary people by terrorists. It is time to revamp our intelligence system. Inefficient officers must by be replaced by able and honest people. When terrorists like Afzal Guru and Kasab receive high security and very comfortable stay in prison one is constrained to favour ‘death on encounter’.
K A Solaman

Channel industry-a threat.

Unlike the 24 hour-opened CM’s office or 24x7 call centre, it is not all transparent in channel interview of Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. That is why Chandy lost his temper and walked out after being questioned by an anchor of a Malayalam TV channel. There is something rotten in granting adivasi land to Suslon company saying that the company would issue dividend warrant to advasis who lost their land by the encroachment of the company. How could loss-making company issue money to adavasis?

What's more, CM’s walkout is an indication of the undue importance given to channels in Kerala. Channels, of late, have become a nuisance, and they could spoil any reputed school or other establishment by airing false news. The later repentance by the channel for their fault would never become a compensation for the damages done to an institution by the jobless followers of several youth outfits. Political leaders and ministers should keep a distance from channel shows and the model shown by the Opposition Leader VS is praise worthy. Channel should do their job and they are none to take the role of judicial forums. The Ministers should never sit before channel anchors for hours for aggressive questioning. It would create an atmosphere that these channel anchors are the mightiest persons deciding the fate of the State.

The Government departments should stop advertising full pages in dailies and ministers stop appearing for hours in face-to-face channel shows as part of 100 Days Programme as they would yield no good result other than insult.

The fast growing ‘channel industry’ is obviously a potential threat to the peaceful life of common man.
K A Solaman

Happy Onam to all !

Hapy Onam to all world citizens!
-K A Solaman

Food tasters of Mayawati !

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has hit the bull’s eye. The Utter Pradesh CM Mayawati is seen shocked. Mayawati wants to put him in mental asylum. Instead of personal accusation, as Assange told, it would be better for Mayawati to take up her case with the United States if she has a problem with the contents of American diplomatic cables that painted her as an "egomaniac." Mayawati allegedly dispatching her empty private jet to fetch her favourite sandals from Mumbai matches one with accruing of 3500 pairs of chappals by the TN counterpart Kumari Jayalalithaa.
However, the food tasters of Mayawati are jammy fellows as they got chance to taste all Indian, continental, western and Chinese dishes.

K A Solaman

Chief Minister's 24X7 Call Centre

Though many of the calls were to congratulate the Kerala CM for the 24X7 Call Centre facility it is impressive to see that on the first day itself it received as many as 2.25 lakh telephone calls. Nevertheless, how many of the calls were well attended, how many received reply and how many require follow-up action need assessment. If the Call Centre could receive only 6315 calls due to its limited line capacity, then what is the fun for all countrymen to register their complaint over phone?
It is to be pointed that a complaint made over phone has no authenticity and any one could register complaint with a fake identity. And without a written document it is pointless to proceed further about the matter given in the complaint. The experience of common people in the state is not to receive any reply or further action from the minsters to whom the written complaints were sent. And if this practice is extended to the presently installed call centre there is no harm in receiving the complaints and laughing at it.
There are many ways to hoodwink the poor people. The supply of one kg rice when other essential commodities cost high, is one. The 24x7 call centre is another.

-K A Solaman

Teachers' day special

Lincoln's Letter to his Son's Teacher

He will have to learn, I know,
that all men are not just,
all men are not true.
But teach him also that
for every scoundrel there is a hero;
that for every selfish Politician,
there is a dedicated leader…
Teach him for every enemy there is a friend,
Steer him away from envy,
if you can,
teach him the secret of
quiet laughter.
Let him learn early that
the bullies are the easiest to lick…
Teach him, if you can,
the wonder of books…
But also give him quiet time
to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky,
bees in the sun,
and the flowers on a green hillside.
In the school teach him
it is far honourable to fail
than to cheat…
Teach him to have faith
in his own ideas,
even if everyone tells him
they are wrong…
Teach him to be gentle
with gentle people,
and tough with the tough.

Try to give my son
the strength not to follow the crowd
when everyone is getting on the band wagon…
Teach him to listen to all men…
but teach him also to filter
all he hears on a screen of truth,
and take only the good
that comes through.
Teach him if you can,
how to laugh when he is sad…
Teach him there is no shame in tears,
Teach him to scoff at cynics
and to beware of too much sweetness…
Teach him to sell his brawn
and brain to the highest bidders
but never to put a price-tag
on his heart and soul.

Teach him to close his ears
o a howling mob
and to stand and fight
if he thinks he's right.
Treat him gently,
but do not cuddle him,
because only the test
of fire makes fine steel.

Let him have the courage
to be impatient…
let him have the patience to be brave.
Teach him always
to have sublime faith in himself,
because then he will have
sublime faith in mankind.

This is a big order,
but see what you can do…
He is such a fine little fellow,
my son!
~ Abraham Lincoln

35 Awesome Quotes from Einstein

Einstein's smiling countenance inspires everyone- no matter what their social style, gender, or title. He left behind an incredible amount of powerful quotes

1. "The only real valuable thing is intuition."

2. "Imagination is more important than knowledge."

3. "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science."

4. "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."

5. "The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once."

6. "The gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge."

7. "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."

8. "The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."

9. "Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school."

10. "No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it."

11. "The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing."

12. "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one."

13. "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."

14. "Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile."

15. "When you sit with a nice girl for two hours, it seems like two minutes. When you sit on a hot stove for two minutes, it seems like two hours. That's relativity."

16. "If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts."

17. "What really interests me is whether God had any choice in the creation of the world."

18. "A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be."

19. "A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?"

20. "A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a violin; what else does a man need to be happy?"

21. "Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen."

22. "Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts."

23. "Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere."

24. "Intellectuals solve problems, geniuses prevent them."

25. "I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious."

26. "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."

27. "I think and think for months and years. Ninety-nine times, the conclusion is false. The hundredth time I am right."

28. "The value of a man should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive."

29. "Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value."

30. "We still do not know one thousandth of one percent of what nature has revealed to us."

31. "You ask me if I keep a notebook to record my great ideas. I've only ever had one."

32. "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."

33. "It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer."

34. "Not everything that counts can be counted; and not everything that can be counted counts."

35. "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."

Farcical asset declaration

It is the time for all poor countrymen to gaze at the assets of ministers of Kerala and India. All these farcical statements have no connection with the assets they declared at election nomination. Had I got sufficient money I would have purchased all the assets of the ministers with ten percent margin.

There should be some mechanism to confiscate the assets hidden out of their statements and at the same time if a minster had declared more than he posses the followers should think of a bucket collection to attain his target.

K A Solaman

The New Indian Express Dated 6 Sept 2011

Staff demand unjust

It is the never ending demand of Kerala government employees including school- college teachers to get their retirement age raised from the current 55 years. Their demand is unjust and unfair as the state has 4.3 million educated unemployed.

The main grievance of the employees is that Kerala is the only state in the country where state government employees and school and college teachers retire at 55 years and in other states, the retirement age is 58 years. Nevertheless they deliberately hide the situation that Kerala is only State where the percentage of job seekers is the highest. According to the latest economic review tabled in the state assembly early this year, the number of job seekers till June 2010 stood at 4.32 million, including 161,641 professional and technical workers and 4.16 million others.
K A Solaman