Journal O Ram

TOP 10 MOST WANTED PROFILES AT POLARIS

In Polaris, when the organization started an internal wiki, to encourage and drive the users to the wiki site a contest was conducted for the best profiles on wiki. The contest was in 5 to 6 rounds. My profile was in the first round of the top 10 profiles rather "most wanted profiles". It was good fun. I enjoyed the fun because the fun was in running the race rather than in winning the race. Ofcourse winning is undoubtedly wonderful. I have great self-satisfaction in the creation of this profile though it was not voted the best. If you ask me from what I saw from all of the profiles I am sure that mine is definitely the best profile. "I AM THE BEST!" Check it out!

Ram K Samantula

From Polaris-wiki

Life is Living, Loving, Learning and Laughing!

Name: Ram K Samantula
Fondly known as: Ramji, Ram
Date of birth: 11th Jan, 1974
Sun sign: Capricorn
Compatible sunsigns: Compatible Sun Sign? The rising, shining and smiling one; highly compatible with all sun signs
Designation: Senior Manager
Role: Corporate BCP Coordinator
Responsibilities: Responsible for implementing BCP for all identified projects at all locations of Polaris. Conduct BCP awareness sessions, workshops and facilitate in project BCP preparation and testing. Instrumental in organization wide awareness of BCP.
Email: ramkumar.mohan@polaris.co.in
(My email id is different from my actual full name. Thanks to Lotus Notes team for adding my father's name in my email id.
It reminds me of my Dad always, "thoda senti hogaya", I miss Him a lot
Contact: 098842 95114 (24X7)
Work Location: Though the base station is at 3502 Foundation, Navalur, My job demands to work from all locations, as I interact for BCP activities with Project Teams, HR, SEPG, Sales, Nalanda, Admin and IT at all locations of Polaris in all the cities within India. Onsite it's virtual presence. If there is a team left out, let me know, together we will make it. ;-) Oh! I am loving it!
About Polaris: Live Your Dream!
Team: Always in the Winning Team
Awards: 'Best Young Manager', TISCO Trophy Award Winner representing Polaris at The National Competition for Young Managers from All India Managment Association
Awarded "50 Years of Freedom" Independence Scholarship from NIIT
"Best Employee of The Month" at Sierra Atlantic.
Whole host of wins at several competitions at school, college, university and zonal levels in sports and cultural activities.
Topics: Music, Devotion, Bhajans, Software, Banking, Management, Venture Capital, Investment Banking, Business Continuity, Discos, Dancing and Page 3 lifestyle
Qualification & Experience: I will forward my 5 page resume upon request :-) Feel free to ask.

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My Spouse: Swapna (Dream Girl...)

Dream Girl...dream Girl... किसी शायर की ग़ज़ल, dream-girl किसी झील का कंवल, dream-girl... Dream Girl...dream Girl...

About Us: We studied in the same school, we are from the same area and same city Vizag. And the surprise is that we don't know each other until we got engaged. It's an arranged marriage. :-) Actually, I prefer it to be called as "Marriage Love" because we are in love after marriage, unlike in "love marriage" where love is before marriage. As long as Love is in your life, it doesn't matter if it's Love Marriage or Marriage Love. It is my opinion and you don't have to agree with me. ;-) Married on 10th August, 2005.
My Kid: Ashrita Srimaye

About The Little Angel: Swapna and I are blessed with this little angel on Sunday, 18th June 2006. On this day of the year 2006, the world celebrated "Fathers' Day!", I became a Father on Fathers' Day. That's what I call as "God's Gift". Srimaye is called as Ashritha, Srimaye, Princy, Bangaru Talli, Sri MahaLakshmi, Chinni Munni, Tingiri Bingiri, Ukkul Bukkul and many more to come, I just go crazy for her. She is 9 months now, crawling, uttering little words and is getting her first tooth. :-)

God's Gift	Ummmmm...	Choo Chweet...

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Daily Worship: Lord Sri Maha Vishnu (Prana Daivam)
Family God: Lord Sri Venkateswara (Kula Daivam)
Favourite God: Lord Sriram (Ishta Daivam)
My Idol: My Swamy (Lord Sriram)
I can't resist: Temptation ;-)
I can speak: "My Mind"
My passion: My Dreams (...zzzzzz ... sleep less, dream more)
My crowing glory (any spl talent): "Utna scene nahi hai..." :-)
Most happiest moment: Now (Every moment I breath in health)
Fav screen star: Uh... (I like real life stars...)
My strenghts: Persistance and Prayers
I Enjoy: Modelling, Dancing, Worshipping, Working, Work-out and Winning
I believe in: Power of Prayer, Connecting Power and Personal Power
Books: Ramayan, Mahabharat as it is, Sai Satcharitra, Sri Vishnu Sahasra Naamam, Bhikshu Geetam, Alchemist, Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, You Can Win, etc etc etc.
Fond of: Family & Friends
Hobbies: Meditation, Gardening, Aquarium, Thyagaraja Kritis, Cooking, Masti & Dosti, Fashion & Interior Designing, Traveling, Visiting Historic and Holy Places, Massages
One Liner: "Jack of All Trades, Master of All Trades"
Leadership: "Follow Yourself, Others will Follow You"
Inspiration Sparks: Lord Sriram, My Grandfather (A Police Officer), Swamy Vivekananda, Adi Sankaracharya, Ratan Tata, Abdul Kalam, Laloo Prasad Yadav, Mother Teresa, Gandhiji, Howard Hughs, Benjman Fraklin, Vijay Mallya
My Motivation: My Mom, My Spouse, My Brothers and My Coach
Follower of: Bhagwan Sri Satya Sai Baba
Partying: On Demand
Quote: "Men like Chocolate and Coffee should always be Rich"
Channels: I keep browsing various channels from Aastha, ETV, Gemini, Zoom, History, Discovery, Animal Planet, All Music Channels, NDTV Profit, BBC, CNN, Sanskar, DD, FTV (I spend very little time before TV, seriously and that's why I wanna watch as many channels as possible) :-)
Catch me if you can: Monday evening at Kapaleeshwar temple, Sunday morning at Royapetta fish & vegetable market, Daily during the day at any of the Polaris locations within India, and at Lord Sriram temple at the end of the day.

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More About Myself: If your "dil maange more..." then read this "dil se re, dil se re..."

Born & brought up in the Steel City Vizag a port with a natural harbour, I completed my schooling from KG to PG at Vizag. I grew up in a joint family of a dozen members (6 adults and 6 kids). All preparations & purchases were made in multiples of dozen. Count is easy, isn't it? :-) In the family tree, our family was like a cricket team with 11 people and one extra-special, I. I am the youngest at home, so the star of home. Values obtained from family are punctuality, self-discipline, worship, travel and celebration.

I started my professional career in the twin cities Hyderabad and Secunderabad, travelled to USA, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. I have friends across the globe and I cherish their true friendship. I appreciate different cultures while retaining my traditional roots.

A big achievement in life is going on a bicycle from Vizag to Puttaparti (1200 KMS) with a group of 135 Satya Sai Devotees on a Spiritual trip for one week. During the day we cycled from 5AM to 5PM. In the evenings it used to be Seva in villages through distribution of food and clothing.

I start the day with devotional songs, day passes through all genres of music & songs and ends with a situational song. Music is the spice of life. I like to sport an urban look and dress to the occasion. I get high at Discos and Bhajans. Offering a Thyagaraja Kriti or Bhadrachala Ramadasu Kirtana to Lord Sriram is fulfilling to me. I like children. I like to live my life, be in love and continue to learn, smile and laugh.

Bottom line "Happiness to me is state of mind and not state of affairs".

Note: This is the information as is from the Polaris wiki as of 2007. Any changes to information here is intentionally not updated to retain originality.

Pavan Kalyan, prakkana nenu...

"Pavan Kalyan, prakkana nenu..."

I was at the Hyderabad domestic airport, waiting to catch a flight to Chennai on 18th April, 2005 at 7.30am. I was sitting in the waiting hall after completing the security check. I sat at a place where I can see people coming in. After sometime, when I raised my head, I saw Pavan Kalyan walking in. He is in a green pullover and blue jeans with big black boots and a backpack. He is really tall and cool. Just like he walks on the screen with his head bent forward slightly,
a swagger in a walk with not so big steps and at a cool pace. Then to find a place he raises his eyes without raising his head fully. It is just like on the screen how he watches for the threat from any danger from villains. It is that kind of a look he has. The eyes reflect lot of self-confidence and strength. His eyes observe and record many things at one glance. He found a row to the sidewall on the rear and sat in the first seat of that single empty row to the wall. There is no one in that row and there are also not many people at the rear of the hall. Then I turned around and noticed that he was alone watching around, thinking or maybe just sitting.

I thought for few minutes, If I would be bothering him early in the morning. I also thought that, now that he is alone, it will also be a good time pass for him if I can make a sensible conversation.

While reading this please imagine Pavan Kalyan's mannerisms as the way you see him on the screen. He is a very friendly guy for an intelligent conversation and very natural. He is just the way you see him on screen. "Cool"!!!

Then I went to where he sat and started on a cheerful note.

RKS: Hi, Srirama Navami Subhakankshalu!!!

PK: Oh! Eeroju Srirama Navama? Naaku teliyadu. With a braod smile
and eyebrows raised.

RKS: Yeah! Eeroju Srirama Navami.

PK: Thank you and same to you with a warm smile.

RKS: Can I take one picture of you please?

PK: Sure. (He naturally gave a very nice still.)

RKS: I clicked one picture with my Samsung D410. Wow!!!
And said one picture with you.

PK: Sure, he removed the backpack from the chair beside him and
placed it on the floor and made room for me to sit.

RKS: I said thank you and told him, I can show this to all my friends
and say like the movie dialogue, "Pavan Kalyan, pakkana nenu."

PK: He gave a wonderfully big smile for that.

RKS: Then I clicked and the picture did not come properly.

PK: That's ok, "flight lo air hostess teestundhi le, meeru chennai
kada veltunnaru".

RKS: OK, that will be great.

RKS: I work in Polaris at Chennai, though I am from Hyderabad.

PK: Polaris, ekkada choosanu… (the mannerisms are same as that you
watch on the screen… very natural)

RKS: Yeah, just Airport ki vastunte, left lo vastundi Polaris.

PK: Annh choosanu.

RKS: Ninna maa friend vaalla father sashti poorthi attend ayyamu. S
P Balasubramanya is a best friend of my friends father. They were
talking about 40 years of their friendship and the function was filled
with all friends. It was more like a friendship day celebration than
anything else. We had great fun.

PK: SPB gara. OK

RKS: meeku childhood friends vunnara, and do you meet them? Someone
like a bench mate in class?

PK: Leru. Ante ekkada vunnaro teliyadu. Aa taruvata eppudu contact
kooda cheyya ledu. I did not study at one place. And also, by then I
am brother of a celebrity. So I was ragged a bit. I do not have fond
memories at school to keep them.

RKS: Meeru vizag lo vundevaru kada?

PK: Yeah, konni rojulu akkada vunnanu. And also, I only completed my
Intermediate, so not much of college life.

RKS: Oh OK. Are you going to Chennai for a shooting?

PK: Ledu personal pani meeda veltunnanu. Meeru emi chestu vuntaru.

RKS: My friends, my brothers and myself are big fans of you and all
your brothers.

PK: Another great broad smile and he said Thank you bending little forward.

RKS: What is your next movie?

PK: Inka emi ledu, ante peru petta ledu.

RKS: Who is the heroine?

PK: Inka decide kaa ledu.

RKS: mee interview on TV lo choosanu, howz your baby?

PK: He is fine. Chaala rojula kritam aiy vuntundhi.

RKS: Yeah, Pongal ki anukuntaanu. (looks like he did not give any
interview recently). Then, mee screen meeda mannerisms chaala
baguntaayi. Specially, aa kallu chootoo pariseelistu vunte…. Ippudu
kodataadu raa annattu vuntaayi… chaala baaguntundhi…

PK: Neenu generally screen meeda act cheyyanu, natural gaa vuntaanu.

RKS: That's great. (And then I see another mannerism where his
right hand goes behind the neck as if he adjusts his hair. You can
see this mannerism in most of the movies before a fight. Typical
Pavan Kalyan's style.)
What is your time pass? Free time lo emi chestu vuntaaru?

PK: I practice Violin. I am learning classical music now.

RKS: Interesting, I am also learning Carnatic classical singing. Who
is your guru?

PK: He is a person from Tirupati. He teaches me Violin.

RKS: Myself being in IT, the stress levels are high. It really give
a great relaxation to learn classical singing.

PK. True. What you do should be different from your profession.
Andhuke neenu Violin practice chestunnanu. I got into classical
music. It gives a deep sense of relaxation.

RKS: Tyagaraja Kirtanalu nerchu kunnappudu, I see, chaala mandiki
vaati ardhamulu kooda teliyadu. For instance, "paraatpara" ante
sreshtula lo srestudu ani ardham. Ee maata manamu chaala saarlu vini
vuntaamu, kaani daani ardhamu chaala mandiki teliyadu. That's why I
got a Telugu dictionary for myself.

PK: Avunu, chaala vaatiki manaku ardhamulu teliyadu. Manaku vaati
meanings kooda teliyadu and vaatini manamu ippudu vaadamu kooda. Ee
classical baaga practice vundaali.

RKS: Yeah, I like Einstene said "Genius is one percent inspiration
and ninety nine percent perspiration"

PK: No, Einstene kaadu, Thomas Alwa Edison cheppadu adi.

In the meantime, Sankardada MBBS music director Devi Sri Prasad vacchi
Pavan Kalyan ki Good morning Pavan Sir, chennai veltunnanu, akkada
kalustaanu ani wishes cheppi vellaru.

RKS: Oh OK. Inka vere emi chestu vuntaaru meeru?

PK: Nenu chaala aalochistu vuntaanu. Mind gurunchi ekkuvaga
aalochistu vuntaanu. Chinnappudu naaku scientist avvali ani vundedhi.
Neenu actor ayyanu. Neenu mind capacity emity, entavaraku mind
vellagaladu, mind ki limits emiti ani alochistu vuntaanu. Mind ni
study chyyatamu ante naaku chaala interesting ga vuntundhi. Left
brain, right brain concept kaakunda inkaa deep ga think chestu
vuntaanu. I read some books on that also.

RKS: Have you read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It is very
interesting and is to your tastes.

PK: Yeah, nenu chadivaanu. Actually very interesting author. Nenu
oka saari, Paulo Coelho website ki velli oka email pampinchaanu.
Anukokunda, authoer aayana response pampinchaadu. Luckily, ala aa
thread build ayyindi. Adi entaga ayyindhi ante, aa author mammalni
atani country ki rammani invite chesaru. Naaku shootings valla neenu
vella ledu. Renu maatram vellindhi and aayana two days host chesaru.
It was really very interesting. Inko book "Warrior of light" kooda
naaku chaala ishtamu.

In the mean time there was an announcement for boarding the flight.
Pavan Kalyan got up and picked his backpack. I got up and we walked
towards the ticket check. Pavan Kalyan was before me he finished with
the ticket check and waited for me. I was totally delighted for his
modesty. He has no reason to wait. Still he waited until, I
completed my ticket check and joined him. He looked very tall and is
wearing nice big brown boots. He has a very cool look.

RKS: What is the book you said, I will read it?

PK: "Warrior of light" kooda chadivaanu. It is a very good book.

RKS: Nenu chaduvutaanu. I really appreciate the way you are.
Generally, I know people who say, what if he is a film hero, who
cares? I do not wanna go and talk to him or ask for an autograph? I
do not know why people have such big egos to approach a Star. All
said and done He is a Hero.

PK: Just looked and did not say anything. He was listening.

RKS: Once it so happened that I met the Hero Venkatesh at Chennai
airport. A couple of other guys came from somewhere and started
putting critics, stating that "Hey Venkatesh, you are getting grey
beard, you are getting old." Least do these people realize that
"after all, these film heroes are also human beings." And these two guys
who comment on Venkatesh, think of themselves as if they are real time heroes.

PK: "You should see the inside of the person and not the outside!"
That is most important.

Then we reached the flight and airhostess said Good Morning. PK
entered the flight and sat in the 3rd row window seat of business
class, obviously. I sat in the second row of the Economy class. I
thought I would go and talk to him one the flight takes off. No
sooner the flight took off, time flew too and we reached Chennai. I
did not have the opportunity to get into the business class as
breakfast is being serverd. After the flight landed off, I thought of
calling Pavan Kalyan to wait so that I would take a photograph with
him. Then again, I thought it would be too much to ask for him to
wait. I saw him going in the business class bus and another guy
talking to him in the bus.

I was happy that I could spend almost 35 to 45 minutes with Pavan
Kalyan. And I am sure that this conversation between us will be
memorable for both Pavan Kalyan and myself too. Next time when I meet
Pavan Kalyan, I can always remind him of this conversation and can
easily continue to befriend him.

I do not know what people think of Pavan Kalyan. To my understanding,
he is very intelligent, speaks wonderful English with no grammatical
mistakes. He likes intellectual conversations. He is very friendly
and approachable if only you can make the conversation interesting for
him. He is a great listener, thinks a lot and loves to experiment.
In his conversations, he has nice messages for all of us. He is a
wonderful human being. If you watch him outside, you will see that
most of his mannerisms on screen are natural. He is very natual on
screen because he is the same in real life too. He is an Icon for the
Youth of Andhra Pradesh.

Personal Energy Management

A very interesting program I watched on NDTV long time ago. A gist of it.

Program: One life to Love on NDTV
Topic: Personal Energy Management

Like how very little is done on Personal Time Management, there is very little attention to Personal Energy Management. There are various factors, which deplete or replenish your energy levels. What you eat has a great effect on your energy levels. It either depletes or replenishes your energy.

Energy Zappers:
Intake of sugar gets you on high very quickly and crashes you very quickly. So a cut down on sugar intake can give you balance of energy levels. Most of us have processed food, from attas to oils. Intake of fats contents depletes energy. Alcohol has no nutritional value and will zap energy.

The powerful energy sources can be wholesome food. Vegetables, Lintels, whole grains, pulses.
Indian foods are good wholesome value and are heavy. So intake should be balanced and quantity controlled. Fruits and yogurt for lunch are good for energy. Start eating on how you feel like. Be aware of what you eat. Awareness is power. Minor changes on diet can make huge difference in energy levels rising. It increases your vitality. Rather than dragging through the day, vitality makes you skip through the day.

High energy levels make one mentally alert and physically energetic. Even 5 minutes of right exercise can significantly raise your energy levels. What are the energy blockers?
Unhappiness, hurt feelings, disillusion, hate, anger, pain etc., can be blockers of energy

What makes energy levels flow and raise?
To get invoked and involved is one thing. Do something for yourself. The more the involvement the more are the energy levels. Reading, knowing and talking about something is good. Doing it makes increase your energy levels. Doing is more important. End of the day, doing what is important will increase your energy levels. It brings life force and vitality. Work the body and calm the mind. Fundamentally discipline starts inside out. The traditional disciplines like Yoga, Tai-Chi (Pronounced Tie Chee is an ancient Chinese discipline that integrates mind, body, and spirit.) can be good for increasing energy levels. These are good as they have a process of doing things slowly. Doing things slowly gives you silence. By doing these slowly, silence is forced within you. While doing these you participate yet you also observe. This builds a deep reservoir of strength within.

Good is no longer good enough. The secret to great energy levels is to recharge your energy every time before it is depleted.

Accurate breathing replenishes energy naturally. Most people do not breathe properly and are not aware of breathing techniques. When one is taking breath he/she is breathing life. So breathe properly and amply. Take in as much air as you can. Build on it to have a reservoir of
energy. Breathing is vital in vitalizing you vivacity. Create a space for yourself in a room with lots of sunlight. Sunlight essentially raises energy levels.

Water is another important factor for balanced energy levels. Lot of people does not have the threshold for thirst. Most of us get involved in activities that we do not realize the thirst. Thirst zaps energy levels. Water replenishes energy. Six to eight glasses of water daily is essential
for the body. At the same time urination at intervals will release all the impurities.

Not just refueling energy, we also need to watch for energy leaks. Technology is a major cause of energy leak due to radiations. Observe the IT professionals.

Extreme self-care is required if you have to do personal energy management. Personal Energy Management is essential for us, to be vibrantly well.

End Program:

Journal O Ram

Personal Energy Management is one concept which interested me very much. A very interesting program I watched on NDTV long time ago. A gist of it.

Program: One life to Love on NDTV
Topic: Personal Energy Management

Like how very little is done on Personal Time Management, there is very little attention to Personal Energy Management. There are various factors, which deplete or replenish your energy levels. What you eat has a great effect on your energy levels. It either depletes or replenishes your energy.

Energy Zappers:
Intake of sugar gets you on high very quickly and crashes you very quickly. So a cut down on sugar intake can give you balance of energy levels. Most of us have processed food, from attas to oils. Intake of fats contents depletes energy. Alcohol has no nutritional value and will zap energy.

The powerful energy sources can be wholesome food. Vegetables, Lintels, whole grains, pulses. Indian foods are good wholesome value and are heavy. So intake should be balanced and quantity controlled. Fruits and yogurt for lunch are good for energy. Start eating on how you feel like. Be aware of what you eat. Awareness is power. Minor changes on diet can make huge difference in energy levels rising. It increases your vitality. Rather than dragging through the day, vitality makes you skip through the day.

High energy levels make one mentally alert and physically energetic. Even 5 minutes of right exercise can significantly raise your energy levels. What are the energy blockers? Unhappiness, hurt feelings, disillusion, hate, anger, pain etc., can be blockers of energy

What makes energy levels flow and raise?
To get invoked and involved is one thing. Do something for yourself. The more the involvement the more are the energy levels. Reading, knowing and talking about something is good. Doing it makes increase your energy levels. Doing is more important. End of the day, doing what is important will increase your energy levels. It brings life force and vitality. Work the body and calm the mind. Fundamentally discipline starts inside out. The traditional disciplines like Yoga, Tai-Chi (Pronounced Tie Chee is an ancient Chinese discipline that integrates mind, body, and spirit.) can be good for increasing energy levels. These are good as they have a process of doing things slowly. Doing things slowly gives you silence. By doing these slowly, silence is forced within you. While doing these you participate yet you also observe. This builds a deep reservoir of strength within.

Good is no longer good enough. The secret to great energy levels is to recharge your energy every time before it is depleted.

Accurate breathing replenishes energy naturally. Most people do not breathe properly and are not aware of breathing techniques. When one is taking breath he/she is breathing life. So breathe properly and amply. Take in as much air as you can. Build on it to have a reservoir of energy. Breathing is vital in vitalizing you vivacity. Create a space for yourself in a room with lots of sunlight. Sunlight essentially raises energy levels.

Water is another important factor for balanced energy levels. Lot of people does not have the threshold for thirst. Most of us get involved in activities that we do not realize the thirst. Thirst zaps energy levels. Water replenishes energy. Six to eight glasses of water daily is essential for the body. At the same time urination at intervals will release all the impurities.

Not just refueling energy, we also need to watch for energy leaks. Technology is a major cause of energy leak due to radiations. Observe the IT professionals.

Extreme self-care is required if you have to do personal energy management. Personal Energy Management is essential for us, to be vibrantly well.

End Program:

Song of the day: BUDDHA BAR DEEPAK CHOPRA FEAT. DEMI MOORE - DESIRE



Quotes:
Good is no longer good enough.

During a contest on writing a book review at Polaris Software Lab, I won the first prize for the review I wrote on one of my most favorite books The Alchemist. Here is a video of the gist of it which I found on the internet. Below the video is my own review on book
THE ALCHEMIST - A fable about following your dream!
by Paulo Coelho



My Review on the book The Alchemist:

The Alchemist
A Fable About Following Your Dream
by Paulo Coelho

Dreams, symbols, signs, and adventure follow the reader like echoes of ancient wise voices in "The Alchemist", a novel that combines an atmosphere of Medieval mysticism with the song of the desert. With this symbolic masterpiece Coelho states that we should not avoid our destinies. And it urges people to follow their dreams, because to find our "Personal Myth" and our mission on Earth is the way to find "God", meaning happiness, fulfillment, and the ultimate purpose of creation. The novel tells the tale of Santiago, a boy who has a dream and the courage to follow it. After listening to "the signs" the boy ventures in his personal, Ulysses-like journey of exploration and self-discovery, symbolically searching for a hidden treasure located near the pyramids in Egypt. When he decides to go, his father's only advice is "Travel the world until you see that our castle is the greatest, and our women the most beautiful". In his journey, Santiago sees the greatness of the world, and meets all kinds of exciting people like kings and alchemists. However, by the end of the novel, he discovers that "treasure lies where your heart belongs", and that the treasure was the journey itself, the discoveries he made, and the wisdom he acquired. "The Alchemist", is an exciting novel that bursts with optimism; it is the kind of novel that tells you that everything is possible as long as you really want it to happen. That may sound like an oversimplified version of new-age philosophy and mysticism, but as Coelho states "simple things are the most valuable and only wise people appreciate them". As the alchemist himself says, when he appears to Santiago in the form of an old king "when you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true". This is the core of the novel's philosophy and a motif that echoes behind Coelho's writing all through "The Alchemist". And isn't it true that the whole of humankind desperately wants to believe the old king when he says that the greatest lie in the world is that at some point we lose the ability to control our lives, and become the pawns of fate. Perhaps this is the secret of Coelho's success: that he tells people what they want to hear, or rather that he tells them that what they wish for but never thought possible could even be probable.

Coelho also suggests that those who do not have the courage to follow their " Personal Myth", are doomed to a life of emptiness, misery, and unfulfillment. Fear of failure seems to be the greatest obstacle to happiness. As the old crystal-seller tragically confesses: "I am afraid that great disappointment awaits me, and so I prefer to dream". This is where Coelho really captures the drama of man, who sacrifices fulfillment to conformity, who knows he can achieve greatness but denies to do so, and ends up living a life of void. It is interesting to see that Coelho presents the person who denies to follow his dream as the person who denies to see God, and that "every happy person carries God within him". However, only few people choose to follow the road that has been made for them, and find God while searching for their destiny, and their mission on earth. Consequently, is Coelho suggesting that the alchemists found God while searching for the elixir of life and the philosopher's stone? What is certain is that the symbolism of the text is a parallel to the symbolism and the symbolic language of alchemism, and similarly the symbolism of dreams is presented as " God's language". It is also symbolic that Santiago finds his soul-mate, and the secrets of wisdom in the wilderness of the desert. The "wilderness" is a symbol that has been used by many great writers e.g.. Austen in "Mansfield Park", and Shakespeare in "King Lear". In the desert, Santiago meets his "twin-soul" and discovers that love is the core of existence and creation. As Coelho explains, when we love, we always try to improve ourselves, and that's when everything is possible. The subject of love inspires a beautiful lyricism in Coelho's writing: "I love you because the whole universe conspired for me to come close to you." "The Alchemist" is a novel that may appeal to everybody, because we can all identify with Santiago: all of us have dreams, and are dying for somebody to tell us that they may come true. The novel skillfully combines words of wisdom, philosophy, and simplicity of meaning and language, which makes it particularly readable and accounts for its bestselling status.

End of the review of The Alchemist.

Another very important corner is this place on the web which has Daily Motivational quotes. The URL is greatday.com/index.html. It has a right now presentation, which is a positive pause in anyones life who visits it. Most importantly, if helps you to pause and reflect upon yourself. The url is positivepause.com Here is the video from Youtube.

Journal O Ram

Health is something really important and most of the times we don't give it the needed attention. In one of the Business Today magazines sometime ago, there was a section Treadmill. Its regarding working out. I felt is more important than interesting. Here is a gist of it.

Begin column:
You're 35 (plus or minus a few years). You're successful as hell. You made VP in record time and you cruise into your corner office every day that feels good. You're on top of the world and you have only one person to thank for that: yourself. Hundreds of executives on the fast track find it easy to sacrifice fitness on their way to success at work. When your work schedule is crammed, workouts can often take the backseat. It's easiest excuse in the world: "I'm so
busy; I can't find time to work out." But then, if you're smart you would have realized early on that fitness is as important to career progression as anything else.

In any case, the lack of access to gyms or long working hours shouldn't be a deterrent to exercising, at least not if you accord the same priority to workout as you do to that review meetings at workplace.

The bottom line: You can exercise without going to a gym or having access to expensive equipment or weights. Remember, where there's a will there's a way.
End of column:

I keep revisiting this column just to keep myself motivated to keep fit and keep my exercise regime ongoing. So, it is Gym Time for the day.


Song of the day:
Yeh jo desh hai mera... from the movie Swadesh. I like the song for hazaar reasons... few of them are because it is quite an emotional which you can deeply relate to real life. The music is amazing, the depth in the voice, most importantly the shehnai which goes all through the song by Ustad Bismillah Khan, then there is also continuous grunt kind of thing which goes in the background of the song. Overall I love this song. Ofcourse, the other song i like from the movie is Yuhin chela chal raahi... Today's song of the day is Yeh jo desh hai mera... which you can watch on youtube at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1pvXSBK4Pc


Quotes:
From the book, "Peace In A Restless World". The last lines of the book read like this. "Only if there is peace inside will it radiate outside. Your peaceful light will touch others and it will continue to spread like rippling waves. Only then is lasting peace possible."

For my interest in quotes (not stock quotes :-) I have this habit to keep all those quotes, phrases, poems, literature which has an influence or impact in my life.

Here is a poem, which I read for the first time at one of the doctor's clinic long time ago. I just cried for it raised my faith on that occasion because, I realized in those few minutes, how very true this is in my life. In fact, could be for anyones life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poem: The Footprints of God
Author: Ken Brown, 1984

The Footprints of God

In the deepest sleep one night I dreamed
That on the beach I walked.
God was by my side each step
And quietly we talked.
Then on the sky my life was flashed;
The visions all serene.
Two sets of footprints in the sand
Were there in every scene.
But then I noticed in some scenes
Of suffering, pain and strife...
Just a single set of footprints
At the worst times in my life.
"God...you said you'd stay by me
In good times and in bad...
Why then did you leave me
Each time my life was sad?"
"My precious child", God answered,
"When your life had pain, I knew,
The single set of footprints
Were the times I carried you."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Inspiration in different forms:

These are greatest inspiration for me at all times. Apart from them, there are many many more people who have inspired me in different ways at different points in time. The list would be too big even to just name each of them. Thanks A Ton to each one of them.
"ఎందఱో మహానుభావులు అందరికీ వందనములు..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There has been a chain of emails which we keep receiving which are these chain emails. While majority of them do not appeal to the majority, there are few which are significant in one way or there other. Here is one such thing, which I got it from one of those chain emails and i like it.

24 Things to Always Remember. . . and One Thing to Never Forget

Your presence is a present to the world.
You're unique and one of a kind.
Your life can be what you want it to be.
Take the days just one at a time.

Count your blessings, not your troubles.
You'll make it through whatever comes along.
Within you are so many answers.
Understand, have courage, be strong.

Don't put limits on yourself.
So many dreams are waiting to be realized.
Decisions are too important to leave to chance.
Reach for your peak, your goal, and your prize.

Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.
The longer one carries a problem, the heavier it gets.
Don't take things too seriously.
Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

Remember that a little love goes a long way.
Remember that a lot . . . goes forever.
Remember that friendship is a wise investment.
Life's treasures are people . . . together.

Realize that it's never too late.
Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.
Have health and hope and happiness.
Take the time to wish upon a star.

And don't ever forget . . .
For even a day . . .
How very special you are.

Love All –Serve All
~BABA~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Journal O Ram

This morning after my pooja, it suddenly struck my mind and I jotted these line for myself. I think these are very personal to me and help in personal management.


పూజ శ్రద్ధతో చెయ్యాలి, భక్తీ పరవశమైవుండాలి
భక్తుడు రమిస్తువుండాలి, భజన నిర్విరామంగాచెయ్యాలి !!

పిలుపు ఆర్తితో పిలవాలి, చూపు ప్రేమతో చూడాలి
పలుకు ప్రీతితోపలకాలి, చేతలు నిస్వార్ధంగావుండాలి !!

కాపురం హాయిగా చేయాలి, కార్యం దీక్షతో సాధించాలి
పని పూర్తిగాచేయాలి, పాట మధురంగాపాడాలి !!

పెద్దలయందు గురవం వుండాలి, పిల్లలయందు అభిమానము వుండాలి
భార్యయెడల ఆప్యాయత వుండాలి, తల్లిదన్ద్రులయెడల భక్తీ వుండాలి !!

మనిషి ఆత్మగౌరవంతో వుండాలి, మనసు నిలకడగా వుండాలి
మాట హద్దులులలో వుండాలి, మేధస్సు హద్డులుమీరి వుండాలి !!

This is what I could write spontaneously. This is not what I invented, this is what I have heard or read or maybe I know. But I never ever have seen them as Life Principles which is preached in Hinduism. More on Hinduism later. Maybe if I think, I would be able to add some more lines. Maybe that will be more an act of trying to fit something may not be so good. Actually, if you come to think of it, anything which comes first to mind will be a great. All that comes later is secondary. It is said that, while taking few exams or doing a self-examination or self evaluation, the first thing that comes to mind is the right answer or it is what you actually are. If you think in detail you may add judgment (I got the spelling of Judgment correct). By adding judgment you try to put in what is right rather than what is the fact. That's why, it is said that intuition is correct most of the times. Do you agree? Is intuition correct most of the times? It is debatable. Think of it!!


Spell check:
Intuition
Intuition
Intuition
Intuition
Intuition
Intuition
Intuition
Intuition
Intuition
Intuition

Vocab:
Intuition means a direct perception of truth, fact, etc., independent of any reasoning process; immediate apprehension.

a.	an immediate cognition of an object not inferred or determined by a previous cognition of the same object.

b.	any object or truth so discerned.

c.	pure, untaught, non-inferential knowledge.

In philosophy, the power of obtaining knowledge that cannot be acquired either by inference or observation, by reason or experience. As such, intuition is thought of as an original, independent source of knowledge, since it is designed to account for just those kinds of knowledge that other sources do not provide. Knowledge of necessary truths and of moral principles is sometimes explained in this way.

A sentence: When intuition comes in my way of decision making, I trust in Power of God and make a decision and stick to it with Faith. As I strongly believe that Intuition is human and Faith is Divine!

Philosophy is one subject of my personal interest. The other subjects I would like to dwell on would be Innovation, Management, Psychology and Languages. More details on topics coming in future.

Journal O Ram

A mantra that will help in my personal management.

A Mantra for life!
I heard this mantra earlier. But have never taken the essence of it. Today is an enlightening day that way as I actually listened to it and have taken it for life. In Shirdi Sai Charitra, Sai says that, "గురువు అనుగ్రహము లేనిదే ఏ కార్యము సాధించలేము అని. జ్ఞాన భోధ చేసే వారిని గీతను బోధించిన సాక్షాత్తు శ్రీ కృష్ణుని గానే భావించాలి అని చెప్పారు." And I got this Guru Mantram from the Sri Mahalakshmi album from Times Music. One classic album to keep for all collectors of devotional music. It is a very divine vibration.

గురుర్ మంత్రం:
ధ్యాన మూలం గురుర్ మూర్తి
పూజ మూలం గురుర్ పాదం
మంత్ర మూలం గురుర్ వాక్యం
మోక్ష మూలం గురుర్ కృప
ఓం శ్రీగురువే నమః !!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
English:
Dhyana moolam gurur moorthi
pooja moolam gurur padam
mantra moolam gurur vaakyam
moksha moolam gurur krupa!
Om Sriguruve namaha!!

Meaning:
The source of Dhyana (Meditation) is Guru's form.
The source of Worship is Guru's feet.
The source of Mantra is Guru's words.
The source of Moksha (Heaven) is Guru's blessing!
Prostrations to Sri Guru!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Idea:
I got this idea early in the morning, to listen to one (ప్రవచనము) discourse a day from శ్రీమద్రామాయణము, శ్రీమద్ భాగవతము, భగవత్ గీత.
Srimad Ramayanam was written by Valmiki in Sanskrit and a number of other poets wrote it in telugu. Srimad Bhagavatam was written by Veda Vyasa in Sanskrit. Later it was written by Potanamartya in Telugu. Bhagavat Gita was written by .... in Sanskrit and it was translated by Nannaya, Tikkana and Yerrana into Telugu.

Idea:
While offering my prayers, today I have also another idea which originated from శ్రీమద్ భాగవతం discourse which I listened on July 4th, the American Independence day. In the pravachanam it is said that "విష్ణు మూర్తి కి వందనమన్న చందనమ్మ చాల ప్రీతీ". Having know this, I have decided to offer chandanam to Lord Srimaha Vishnu.

Idea:
Create a separate blogspot for PMP and PgMP. As the Objective is to achieve PgMP name the blogspot as PgMP O' Ram which adds to my strength, interest and passion in Program Management. PMP is only a step toward PgMP. Hence the name PgMP O' Ram. For reference to the subject of Project Management or PMP certification go to the blogsopt PgMP O' Ram. The blog is named PgMP O' Ram because the object is to become a Program Management Professional. And PMP is only a step or a intermediate goal towards PgMP. Hence the name PgMP O Ram is apt.
http://pgmporamji.blogspot.com/

Idea:
I want to improve upon my vocabulary and my spellings. Idea is to capture the words that have a punch and put them on my blog.
For spellings the label will be spell check. Interestingly I will write the word 10 times here to memorize it.
For the effective words I would use the label as Vocab.

For the Thygaraja Kriti kaana kaana ruchira... "కాన కాన రుఛిర కనక వసన" see the blog spot
http://bhaktioramji.blogspot.com/


Spell check for the day.
Label
Label
Label
Label
Label
Label
Label
Label
Label
Label

Judgment
Judgment
Judgment
Judgment
Judgment
Judgment
Judgment
Judgment
Judgment
Judgment


Vocab:
Specificity
Specificity
Specificity
Specificity
Specificity
Specificity
Specificity
Specificity
Specificity
Specificity

Specificity means the quality or state of being specific.

Sentence: During planning, the project scope is defined and described with greater specificity because more information about the project is know.



Commensurate
Commensurate
Commensurate
Commensurate
Commensurate
Commensurate
Commensurate
Commensurate
Commensurate
Commensurate

Commensurate means proportionate, adequate, having the same measure, of equal extent duration.

Sentence: Each project requires careful balance of tools, data sources, methodologies, processes and procedures, and other factors to ensure that the effort expended on scoping activities is commensurate with the project's size.

Journal O Ram

Song of the day:
Endaro Mahaanubhaavulu... which is one of the Thyagaraja Pancha Ratna Kritis, is a wonderful composition in Sriragam, Aadi taalam. Greatly recited by many of the accomplished artists. Among them the one recited by Maharajapuram Santhanam and his disciples is very ABCD... (Accurate, Beautiful, Classical and Divine).

The lyrics is availble at the bhakti blogspot. http://bhaktioramji.blogspot.com/

The day is good and pleasant. I woke in the morning and saw the down pour of the rain on my window pane. I like to watch rain and like to get drenched in the rain if that is the choice. And having coffee while it is raining is personally an very relaxing feeling. It brings pleasant thought to the mind. I like to connect to the nature a lot.

Vinod left to Hyderabad home from Newark Airport in NJ. It was a wonderful feeling while he was at home. We have spent most of the time at home during the couple of days he was at my Milford home. It was a very homely feeling and a feeling of being at home in India. Sometimes, I am missing all family members, friends and India a lot. It is very rare, but very very rarely, I feel it very lonely. So, I keep myself busy going to the gym, blogging, music, worship, PMP preparation, client search etc. Had a personal chat with Swapna and I miss Srimaye and Swapna a lot. In fact, these things keep me so busy that I don't have time to think of anything else. When I am busy with this personal stuff, I get so engrossed in them that time just flies away. I keep wonder, how the days have gone by. I have sent with Vinod to handover Wedding Anniversary gift to Swapna.

I enjoyed the egg fried rice which I prepared here. I wonder how easy it is to cook here in the US with the availability of the cut and mixed vegetables. In the night it was a simple mean, though the timing was midnight for dinner, which is odd and unhealthy. I am happy for having been to the gym today for 45 minutes workout. Feels great about ones own body.

The good thing today is that I collated, segregated and organized all my music collection into on folder. I named it "My Entertainment" and has folders organized by languages and as logically as is easy to retrieve. I wondered with the huge Devotional Collection I have collected now. Probably one which is very self satisfying encompassing all Gods. There are also (ప్రవచనములు) discourses of Ramayana, Bhagawat Gita and Bhagwatam. The next step from my end is to action on them listening to them. May be on pravachanam a day. Should be good idea.

Idea:
I like to visit the wonderful scenic locals of Paderu, Selaru, Bhimili, Araku valley etc. I have this idea to explore the beauty of locales around my home town Visakhapatnam. It is actually very scenic and beautiful.

I remember Swapna giving me a suggestion that I should not be writing too much of my personal things or day to day activities here. I think I liked the idea. I was thinking about it. Then I think, I enjoy the small things in life very much. So, I have to write them on the blog. I liked the idea because it really stops me from just swaying away into the smaller things and there by helps me in not to lose the focus on big things in life, the more important ones. I liked the suggestion and so will try to balance between the smaller things I enjoy in life and at the same time not to lose focus on the more important things in life.


Interpretation of dreams.
This morning it was a first time a saw this kind of a dream. I saw a lady dressed in red and I did not see the face or anything except for the red dress worn by a woman. I searched the internet to see what is the interpretation of this dream. It goes like this.
"Red is an active, affective colour, full of passion and emotion. It is also the colour of blood and fire. A softer red is a symbol of love, mercy and compassion. When intense, red can also indicate hatred. A red dress in a dream would be a sign of strong sexual desire. But red also means sin, rage and the devil. Dark red is a symbol of passion, greed, energy and anger. Light red stands for warmth and affection. Red can mean luck, joy, happiness, energy, action, but also hate, blood, greed, irritability and will power."


On Wednesday 23rd July, I also had a morning dream in which, I saw cartons or crates filled with eggs. I see the interpretation of it like this from the internet.
To see a crate of eggs, denotes that you will engage in profitable speculations. Eggs are symbolic of something new and fragile. They represent life and development in its earliest forms and, as such, the possibilities are limitless. At times, eggs can represent captivity or entrapment. Carl Jung said that eggs represent our captive souls. Therefore, the egg in your dream may very well represent you in the most profound sense. Are you trapped in a shell or did you break out of it and are now free to soar?

Anniversary Love

I received a Wedding Anniversary greeting card in advance from Swapna.

Anniversary Love
For my husband

To my dearest love
Some things
shall always remain ETERNAL
and ever charming,
like, your healing touch, a sweet
LITTLE surprise to
bring a twinkle in my eyes, and
the gift of LOVE,
that you have given all through.

My HUSBAND
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

It is strange how, Swapna and I are far away during our wedding anniversary. First anniversary, she was in Vizag for delivary, 2nd anniversary I was in Mumbai on official trip if I remember correctly. Third Anniversary, I am here in the US and she is back in India. She sent the anniversary greeting cards with my brother who visited me in USA.

Thank You Swapna
I Love You!!

Journal O Ram

I have a dream to visit the Wonders of the world. The list keeps changing time and again. And surprisingly there are so many variants of the 7 wonders of the world. The ones in bold letters are the ones which I have visited.


The new 7 Wonders of the world.

• The Pyramid at Chichén Itzá (before 800 A.D.) Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
• Christ Redeemer (1931) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• The Roman Colosseum (70 - 82 A.D.) Rome, Italy
• The Taj Mahal (1630 A.D.) Agra, India
• The Great Wall of China (220 B.C and 1368 - 1644 A.D.) China
• Petra (9 B.C. - 40 A.D.), Jordan
• Machu Picchu (1460-1470), Peru

Typically representative of the seven greatest wonders of the Medieval world:

• Stonehenge
• Colosseum
• Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa
• Great Wall of China
• Porcelain Tower of Nanjing
• Hagia Sophia
• Leaning Tower of Pisa

Other sites included on such lists:

• Taj Mahal
• Cairo Citadel
• Ely Cathedral
• Cluny Abbey
  

Seven wonders of ancient world

• Great Pyramid of Giza
• Hanging Gardens of Babylon
• Statue of Zeus at Olympia
• Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
• Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus
• Colossus of Rhodes
• Lighthouse of Alexandria

Seven Natural wonders of the world

• Grand Canyon
• Great Barrier Reef
• Harbour of Rio de Janeiro
• Mount Everest
• Aurora
• Parícutin volcano
• Victoria Falls

Seven wonders of under water world

• Palau
• Belize Barrier Reef
• Great Barrier Reef
• Deep-Sea Vents
• Galápagos Islands
• Lake Baikal
• Northern Red Sea

Seven wonders of industrial world

• SS Great Eastern
• Bell Rock Lighthouse
• Brooklyn Bridge
• London sewerage system
• First Transcontinental Railroad
• Panama Canal
• Hoover Dam

Man-made travel wonders

• Giza pyramid complex
• Great Wall of China
• Taj Mahal
• Machu Picchu
• Bali
• Angkor Wat
• Forbidden City
• Bagan Temples & Pagodas
• Karnak Temple
• Teotihuacán

Natural travel wonders

• Serengeti Migration
• Galápagos Islands
• Grand Canyon
• Iguazu Falls
• Amazon Rainforest
• Ngorongoro Crater
• Great Barrier Reef
• Victoria Falls
• Bora Bora
• Cappadocia

B'hive

I named this to be b'hive as it aptly represents all the B's that belong to me.

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Blogspots...
http://bhaktioramji.blogspot.com/ and

http://blogoramji.blogspot.com/

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Journal O Ram

A day with PMP sessions for 8 hours split as 10am to 2 pm morning and 2.30pm to 6.30pm in the afternoon on Saturday 19th April 2008. It was a very nice session. I was wondering, how I am able to concentrate on the subject. Earlier I was so much lost in my thoughts and day dreams. I guess I was not at all attentive or sensitive to the sourroundings. Now, I feel I am more focused and am able to listen, grasp, concentrate and understand the subjects. Basically, regained my mind to concentrate and focus on the activity on hand.


Idea:
I got this idea to post my PMP study stuff on the blog. Basically it adds value to my Project Management and Program Management database.

I dialed Sridhar's mobile. Sridhar is my cousin in New Delhi. From a very long time, I want to speak to Prabha Aunty (Sridhar's mom). So, today I dialed to Sridhar's mobile and there was no response. Got to try again.

I have to finish with a loads of activities like washing clothes, pressing clothes, cleaning the home, arranging things, prepare for Vinod's arrival to pick him up from Newark airport. Get Dosa batter ready for tomorrow.

By the way, this morning is quite an awakening on one of the weired habits I have. It is that I keep Gods books along with me when I sleep. And on bed, people just don't sleep, they also do a lot of things. I got a dream which is very weired, with which I woke up. I think the significance of it or the meaning if I could think of is to avoid placing God's books on Bed while I sleep. Swapna told me many times not to keep God's books on the bed. But I did not care much. After today's dream, I could relate on how God feels when I keep His's books on the bed while I am sleeping on the bed. While, I am writing this blog, I also have made my mind to keep God's books neatly arranged. An extension of it is that I should keep all the rooms very clean. I have this very bad habit of spreading all my papers, things, stuff all over the table, bed or the floor. Now, at this moment when I see the tea table, it feels very untidy to me with all the papers, books, fruits plate, used glass, bills, keys everything spread out. So ugly. I made up my mind that cleanliness to the core. I should keep my home spic and span.

Journal O Ram

A day with Shirdi Sai Baba.

Friday 18th July, 2008 is Guru Pournami and I am glad I have spent my entire day in worshiping Shirdi Sai Baba.


Song of the day is Ghana shyama sundara... from Shirdi Sai Baba's morning aarathi. It is a very soothing and a reflection of true morning pleasantness.

My day started at 5AM with a wake up call from Swapna. I kept on snoozing the the alarm 4am till 5am. Then I woke up with a call from Swapna. B 5.30am I started Seja Aarathi. I was not sure what to offer in the morning for Prasadam to Sai Baba. I opened the fridge and probably it opened my mind. It struck me that I should be offering to God, what I will be having myself. So, I offered morning milk with cereals as prasadam. I liked the idea and felt happy for it. It is very self-satisfying. I lighted two lamps for the morning Aarthi.

Swapna told me one very good thing, which I think I know but never followed. May be I never thought it was so important. She told me to light the lamps only after washing and cleaning the lamps which were lighted the previous day. So, I made it a habit to light the lamps only after washing and cleaning them. It is a nice fresh feeling which is good.

Kakda Aarathi
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7607750608382043911&q=&hl=en

Then I chatted to India and was on some phone calls. Listened to the album on Shirdi Sai Mahima on the website telugu.

http://www.telugufm.com/modules/music/MovieDetail.aspx?mid=10475

I snoozed it from 12noon to 12.30 in the afternoon for half an hour. I was thinking what should be offered for lunch as prasadam to Sai Baba. Then, the lines from Shirdi Sai SatCharitra suddenly struck my mind. In Sai Charitra, Sai used to go to fetch "bhikshannam" daily. Then he used to mix all the "bikshannam" and then have it as food. Baba never used to care of the taste of food and he left taste itself. Whereas, when he cooks food and offers it to his devotees, he always cooked and served very tasty food. Keeping this in mind, I offered Roti, rice, rasam, tomato capsicum curry and curd in one plate. Then I started the Madhyana Aarthi. I have lit one lamp for the Madhyana Aarthi.

Madhyana Aarthi
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7607750608382043911&q=&hl=en

After the Madhyana Aarthi, I have taken the Sai Baba's prasadam. Keeping in mind Sai Satcharitra, I decided to mix all the items roti, rice, capsicum tomato curry, rasam and curd all together and eat it. First the feeling was not so comfortable and I was not sure if I will like it or will I be able to have it. Thinking of this, I mixed all the items as one, and then had the first "muddha". It was not at all bad like the way I imagined. Then from the second "muddha" I started liking it. And by the time I realized, the plate is empty. I at all the food within no time and with no other thought. I enjoyed it and it really was a great self-satisfaction.

After lunch, I started reading Shirid Sai Baba Parayanam book. This book is a weekly parayanam book comprising of chapters for each day from Thursday to Wednesday. So, I started and finished four chapters from for the days Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 2pm to 6pm. By then my mobile alarm started ringing for the Dhooop Aarthi.

During the pooja and Aarathi time today I am wearing a traditional red kurta, cream colored dhoti from FabIndia and Sri Venkateswara Swamy Uttariyam for the day. I was wearing it on and off as I wanted to wear it during the Pooja time only, so that it is fresh and clean.

The lamps were washed and then lighted the two lamps freshly for Dhoop Haarthi. The chakly snack was offered to Baba for evening as Prasadam. I am not sure if it is right or wrong. I know it is a heartfelt offering with no second thoughts.

Dhoop Aarthi
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3388136045302108037&q=&hl=en

After completing the Dhoop Aarthi, I completed the remaining three chapters for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before 9.30 PM. So, I refreshed myself, got into the traditional clothes. Five lamps were lighted in the pancha aarathi lamp. Offered five varities of fruits. Cherries, Grapes, Apples, Plums and Avocado fruits and Seja Aarathi started. Seja Aarathi is my favourite aarathi because I am so used to offering the Aarathi to Shirdi Sai Baba that every week, I used to go to Padmarao Nagar Shirdi Sai Baba temple in Hyderabad on Thursdays specially for seja aarathi. It was a very unforgettable experience. I used to drive almost 10 to 12 kms to attend this Aarathi from 9.30pm to 9.45pm. By attending it regularly, I also am benefited to recite the Aarthi without seeing the book. It is truly a divine experience to attend Shirdi Sai Seja Aarathi.

Seja Aarthi
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3749351276537734134&q=&hl=en

Then I talked to home and felt good about the whole day. Upon reflection of Sai Satcharitra, I felt that I should be doing some of the things which, Baba advised to His Devotees. Some things like reading Guru Charitra 108 times, Esyavasya Upanishad, Rajaram mantra, Srirama Vijayam and the like. I plan to make a list of all Baba's advices to His devotees and try to execute them one by one.

I talked to Krishnaji and Deepthi Vadhina. They told me that they plan to have a Bhajan at their home on Saturday evening 19th July 2008. So, I requested him to offer Laddu to Sri Sacchidananda Sadguru Sainath Maharaj. He gladly accepted and said that he will offer it to the Lord and distribute it to the Bhakta's when they visit. I wish to attend the Bhajan. I like and I enjoy Bhajans a lot. I used to attend to a lot of Satya Sai Baba bhajans at Vizag Mandiram, Sundaram in Chennai, Shivam in Hyderabad. I have to visit Satyam in Mumbai. I love to attend these Bhajans. They take me to a very personal and eternal world where I really feel I am floating or flying in divinity. It is an experience in itself.

Srimaye told me so many cute little golden words like "Naanaa bagunnara...", 'tiffin tinnara...", " dosa tintaara...", "teeskostaanu...", "neenu raagi tineshanu..." etc etc. Srimaye is adorable. Mom went from Bhimavaram to Vizag. Swapna received mom at the station and I am very happy for that. Mom stayed with Srimaye and Swapna at Swapna's place and the the following day they all went along with Ajay et al.., to paapi kondalu a pilgrimage place to which they go by a boat across river Godavari. This is also show in the movie Godavari. It is wonderful locale and I am sure they all will enjoy it.

Journal O Ram

The song of the day today is "Mattu vadalaraa... niddura mattu vadalarr... mattulona padite gammattuga chittauduvu ra..." from the movie Srikrishna Pandaveeyam Telugu movie released in 1966, music by P V Raju. It is the context when Bhima is appointed to guard the house made of Lead in which the Pandavas along with Draupadhi and Kunti reside during their vanavaasam.

At that point, Bhima does not realize the threat that the Pandavas have as he is not aware that the house in which they are asked to live is make out of Lead. While guarding so, he will fall asleep. Then Lord Sri Krishna appears into the scene and alerts Bheema through this song. The Vendanta which Lord has said withstands the test time. Be it in Dwapar Yuga or Kali Yuga.

You can view the song on youtube at this location.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOKNHjBbnz8

The lyrics of the song is wonderful with a great message and speaks lot of Vedanta.


అపాయంబు దాటడానికి ఉపాయంబు కావాలి
అంధకారం అలమినపుడు వెలుతురుకి వెదకాలి
ముందు చూపు లేనివాడు ఎందులకు కొరగాడు
సోమరిఅయి కునుకువాడు సూక్ష్మమ్ము గ్రహించలేదు!

మత్తు వదలరా నిద్దుర మత్తు వదలరా
ఆ మత్తులోన పడితే గమ్మత్తుగా చిత్తుధువు రా...
మత్తు వదలరా నిద్దుర మత్తు వదలరా ....

జీవితమున సగభాగము నిద్దురకే సరిపోవును
మిగిలిన ఆ సగభాగము చిత్తసుద్ధి లేకపోవు
అతినిద్రాలోలుడు తెలివి లేని మూర్ఖుడు
పరమార్ధం గానలేకే వ్యర్ధంగా చెడతాడు...

మత్తు వదలరా నిద్దుర మత్తు వదలరా

సాగినంత కాలము నా అంతవాడు లేడందురు
సాగకపోతే ఊరక తతికిల పడిపోవుదురు
ఖండ బలముతోనే ఘనకార్యము సాధించలేరు
బుద్ధి బలము తోడైతే విజయమ్ము వారించ గలరు

మత్తు వదలరా నిద్దుర మత్తు వదలరా

చుట్టు ముట్టు ఆపదలను మాట్టుబెట్ట బూనుమురా
పిరికితనము కట్టిపెట్టి ధైర్యము చేపట్టుమురా
కర్తవ్యమ్ నీవంతు కాపాడుట నావంతు
చెప్పటమే నాధర్మం, వినకపోతే నీ ఖర్మం...

మత్తు వదలరా నిద్దుర మత్తు వదలరా
ఆ మత్తులోన పడితే గమ్మత్తుగా చిత్తుధువు రా...
మత్తు వదలరా నిద్దుర మత్తు వదలరా ....

English Transliteration:

Apaayambu daatadaaniki upaayambu kaavali
andhakaaram amaminapudu veluthurukai vedhakali
munduchoopu leni vaadu endunaku koragaadu
somari ai kunuku vaadu sookshmamuni grahincha ledu.

Mattu vadalaraa niddura mattu vadalaraa
aa mattulona padithe gammatthuga chittaudhuvu raa...
Mattu vadalaraa niddura mattu vadalaraa...

Jeevithamuna sagabhaagamu niddurake saripoovunu
migilini aa sagabhaagamu chitta suddhi lekapovi
athinidraloludu thelivi leni moorkhudu, athinidraloludu thelivi leni moorkhudu
paramardham gaanaleke, vyardhamga chedataadu...

Mattu vadalaraa niddura mattu vadalaraa...

saaginantha kaalamu naa antha vaadu ledandhuru
saagakapothe thathikila padi povudhuru
khanda balamu thone ghanakaaryamu saadhinchaleru
buddhi balamu thodaithe vijayammu varincha galaru

Mattu vadalaraa niddura mattu vadalaraa

chuttu muttu aapadhalanu maattu cheya boonumura...
pirikitanamu kattipetti dhairyamu chepattumuraa...
kartavyam neevanthu, kaapaaduta naavanthu...
cheppatame naadharmam, vinakapote nee karmam.

Mattu vadalaraa niddura mattu vadalaraa
aa mattulona padithe gammatthuga chittaudhuvu raa...
Mattu vadalaraa niddura mattu vadalaraa...

Meaning:

To over come the threats one needs to have a plan.
When darkness is spreading search for the light
One who does not have foresight can not go anywhere
One who lazily dozes off can not identify the obvious.

Forgo dizziness, Forgo sleepiness
If you fall into that sleepiness you will surprisingly be defeated

In life, half the time goes in sleeping.
Rest of the half of the life, doesn't have purity of heart.
One who oversleeps is a stupid who doesn't have intelligence.
Can't see the ultimate meaning of life and wastefully goes awry

So long as one goes, one claims to be the best
When it gets tough, one just falls apart in distress
With physical strength alone you can't achieve great accomplishments
When the power of the mind accompanies, Victory can be embraced.

Aim to eliminate the threats that surround you
Shred your fears and behold bravery
Duty is your part, to save is my part.
To tell is my responsibility, if you do not listen it is your fate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Courtesy: I came to know of this song from my friend Sridhar's mom. She once mentioned to me about this song and how much she likes this song. After listening to this, I was happy to get to know of such a wonderful song. More so because it speaks of so much of Vedanta.

Journal O Ram

Song of the day today is "manujudai putti, manujuni sevinchi anudinamuna dukkhamandanela..." another classical Annamacharya Sankirtana

I like the lines...
"Juttedu kadupukai chorani chootlu chocchi...
pattedu kootikai bratimaali...
puttina chotike porali mansu batti...
pattila pattamu vadalanrudu gaana..."

which means...
"to fill a small stomach going around all sorts of places pleading for little food...
strive towards the place where you have come from,
with strong determination you hold on to that path."

Idea:
It is very important to track the progress of any goal, aim or project. It helps to bring back to track in case of any deviations. I have to track my actions to cultivate some good habits. The idea is to actually cultivate the habit of keeping track of things.

Actions cultivate to habits if practiced with self discipline and commitment.
I am trying to build some habits like daily workout etc. Lets see how the idea executes. This reminds me of some of Polaris' terms like "Execution Excellence", "Good to Great". Polaris is the organization which I presently work with. I joined Polaris at Chennai location on 1st Dec 2003. I have enjoyed my stint at Polaris and have several achievements and wonderful moments of success at work place. I cherish some of the greatest moments at Polaris. More on the work life at Polaris later in a different context.

Journal O Ram

Song of the day today is a rendition of Annamachrya Kriti "Satyam Gyanam Anantam Nityam Anaakaaram Bhuvanaakaaram..." by MS Subbalakshmi. I miss those wonderful evenings when I used to drive all the way from Royapetta home to Besant Nagar Indira Women's hostel during the Music Festival Season (Dec - Jan). It is a bliss to attend the live and lively performance of the accomplished artistes. A "satsang" and an amalgamation of music and divinity. Purely Blissful experience.

Today at 10am the PMP session beings Introductory class / con call. Hopefully I will complete it this time. Yes, I flunked the first time. Reason, I did not prepare. Why? Because I was a lazy bum! The session was OK or maybe good. On the sample test I scored 80% (26 upon 30). No big deal as it is not even one percent closer to the actual exam.

After finishing with the PMP session, I cooked rice and dal. It was tasting good but was a little too sticky. No choice but to have the food. I returned the call to Krishnaji and Joel. It was good fun as I had a long chat with Joel. Joel and I have good laugh during our conversation as we have a similar frequency for jokes. So is the case when I speak with my friend Praveen. I also talked to Joel's elder brother Danny who is in Miniapolis now at Joel's place. Danny told me that he remembers me as a kid only, when I taught him how to play Chess. I was amazed that I taught Chess to someone. It was very good to know that he remembers it. I felt happy. Had a good laughter time and conversation with Joel.

My elder brother Vinod arrived in Los Angeles Airport on his Business trip for two weeks. I talked to him over the phone and I am happy that he arrived. I get to see him here in USA. Now Vinod is in LA at Krishnaji and Deepthi Vadhina's house. Krishnaji and Deepthi Vadhina are renowned to be very good hosts. Their hospitality is appreciable in spite of their busy lives. An inspiration. Their home has good interior and well maintained. I like the duplex style of their house and the wood finish to the hall, the wall color light and well ventilated and most importantly they have Heavenly Sai Baba photo placed rightly while climbing up the stairway.

Is this the beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning? This was the question of my little sister Deepthi, on her Orkut profile. I have personal interest in these life questions, doubts and quotes and always try to answer or find answers in a better way. To the question,
Is this the beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning? my answer is
There is no beginning or ending, it is only that sometimes it is a Pause in the continuation!

Another quote on Deepthi's profile is:
Your Future Depends on Dreams - So go to sleep
I would like to put it this way:
Your Future Depends on Dreams you fulfil - So wake up!


Your Future Depends on Dreams - So go to sleep....
If your dreams are not fulfilled - there is no Future...
If there is no Future, you won't get sleep
To sleep well, you need to get your dreams fulfilled...
Your future depends on Dreams you fulfill... so Wakeup!
Deepthi, My Sweet Little Sister!!

Some of the personal B's which are very personal to me start with,
My Biwi is on top of the list because I love her a lot. She is a wonderful person and showers lots of Love to my daughter Srimaye and myself. I will write in detail about Swapna and Srimaye in another context. Presently, Swapna and Srimaye are in Shirdi along with mom, attayyagaru, ajay, vadhinas, akka, Ramakanth bavagaru and all kids. They are enjoying the pilgrimage along with the family as it is Swapna and Srimaye's first visit to Shirdi and first Darshan of Sai Baba in Shirdi. I am happy to receive a phone call from Swapna that Srimaye and Swapna had a wonderful Darsha of Sri Shirdi Sai Baba and Srimaye is offered

Achievement of the day today is that I have started my Bhakti Cult through this blog titled Bhakti O' Ramji at the location http://bhaktioramji.blogspot.com/
It is one of my greatest achievements in life as this is one of those form or paths to my childhood dream to start a Bhakti Cult. I am blessed to take the first step towards My Lord Srimaha Vishnu.

And now the rest in the list follow as starting again:
My Beti
My Biwi
My Blog
My Blackberry Pearl
My Bigger city life (New York, SFO, LA, Singapore, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderbad) as of now
My Bajaj Pulsar DTSi Bike
More and more best of B's to add to life
My B.. what next?