Plastics & Parents

Every time I visited any super market I see people profusely using plastic carry bags. Educated or uneducated, graduate or a student, doctor or an engineer everybody wants a plastic carry bag. Everybody knows using plastic bag is causing pollution. It’s astonishing to see how an educated person acts as an illiterate and utterly irresponsible person and demands a plastic bag in the name of “comfort and convenience”.

It hardly takes anything to get a bag with oneself when anybody goes to a shop, but everybody gives excuses of it being "convenient". This attitude of ours is costing our environment as smoke kills a smoker.

If it is really a matter of comfort and convenience, then just think of your own parents. Your parents gave up their comforts so that you get a better life. They chose to have sleepless nights so that you get a comfortable sleep. They might have wanted to buy a car, but they chose to save the money for our education. They badly needed good clothes to wear but they chose to get you your favorite clothes and bicycle.

Before they sought for their comfort and convenience, they put your comfort and convenience first! And every loved ones does the same for their loved ones.

Same is with our environment. One forgets the bigger picture when it comes to environment. We taking care of environment is like building comfort for our own kids. It might be a little inconvenient, but we are responsible for creating a better environment for future of our kids.

So next time you ask for a plastic carry bag, watch out! Are you really taking responsibility for your loved ones.. If yes, say no to plastic bags...

Your discomfort will bring comfort for your own loved ones!

Amit Kalyani

Meditate & Smile, Smile & Serve, Serve & Celebrate

India Against Corruption

Dear friends,

Today, I attended the relay fasting on the 2^nd day of the India Against Corruption Movement – The Second Freedom Struggle of India in Chennai at Adyar.

Before I could really decide, many thoughts flowed and cluttered my mind. What will happen if crowd becomes violent? Will police open fire? Or will they detained me? I have to apply for passport reissue and if police detains me I may not be able to apply easily etc. Nevertheless I decided I want to spend one day for the Nation. If I can spare one day for my birthday, why can’t I spare a day for my Nation! This thought propelled me and I participated in the relay fast on 17^th August.

On visiting the venue, I could see more smiles than anger or frustration! People were in an agitated mood but “Yahan pe Josh ke saath Hosh tha”. I was promptly registered by Mr. Balakrishnan, a senior citizen in his sixties volunteering for IAC. I was given the instruction sheet for fasting which clearly mentioned to drink lots of water and be peaceful with other instructions!

Inside the venue, I saw people on the stage. They were 30 of them on indefinite fast. Below them on the carpet were a few (around 25 to 30) people fasting for a day (relay fast). And there were more than 70 to 100 people seated in chairs who were there to support them.

Throughout the day, I sat there, shouted slogans, sang “Vande Mataram” and other patriotic songs, interacted with other participants, saw the live interviews taken by TV channels and meditated as well! People kept on pouring one after another. These included college students from SRM and MGR University, Actor Sarath Kumar, ExNoRa chief Mr. Nirmal, school children with their parents and teachers. It was a charged atmosphere and I could feel the pulse. Everybody was breathing for a change. And that change was for making India Corruption Free!

In the evening before the day’s program got over, there was a candle light vigil with everybody holding candles and praying for success of the movement. I could realize all my apprehensions were unfounded. The police was in fact very supportive. When I was leaving the venue the policeman (with 3 stars on his shoulders) gave me big smile and I could shake hands with him!

As I was riding back home, I could feel that something in me had changed! For a few moments, I had stopped thinking about myself. In fact I was not thinking at all. Only one thing lingered in the mind. I have stand up. I have to be Anna. The whole India is Anna and we will eradicate corruption from this Nation!

Friends, the Nation awaits for you. The reigns of the nation are in your hands. You can sit back and watch saying “nothing will happen” or be the elements of Change.

Choice is yours!

If you want to participate and support the IAC movement, please join us @ 153, LB road, besides HDFC bank, Adyar. You can visit the website www.iacchennai.org or www.indiaagainstcorruption.org and register yourself. Motivate others to Join the movement and come in large numbers.

Remember the Nation awaits one step from you and we are poised for a Giant Leap!

Jai Hind! Vande Mataram!

Amit Kalyani

More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Lokpal_Bill

More in the Rest Room

I was at the Frankfurt airport on 29th May on my journey back to India from Aarhus, Denmark. It was 11.0 am and my flight to Delhi was at 1.45 pm. I was thirsty. I had controlled by thirst for one hour and I couldn’t bear it anymore. I was cursing the lady at the security check point in Aarhus airport who ordered to throw away the water from the bottle I was carrying for security reasons.

Now, the dilemma was I wanted to drink water and I did not want to spend any money to buy water. For any Indian who lives in India buying 500 ml water at a cost of 2 Euros would sound illogical. Sounds silly, but I was thinking alike. Secondly I did not have any change with me. Buying water would mean asking for a change in coins. The finance people in my company had already informed that coins won’t be accepted on return.

Finally I thought, my thinking is not correct and I should buy water. In my frustration, I vented all this out. Karthik was sitting next to me. “You are buying water!” Karthik exclaimed in his inimitable Kerala style. “What to do, I am thirsty and that lady at the Aarhus airport did not allow me take water. I am left with nothing now”, I replied. “Water...you can go in the rest room and get the water!” He replied. “Wow! What an Idea”, I exclaimed. I was simply astonished. How come such an inventive idea struck him? All the way I was blaming, but I could never think of going to the rest room and get the water. I still feel that “awe”!

The idea had merit, but I was not yet convinced. I was not sure if the water was good in the wash basins of the rest rooms. Secondly, it was embarrassing to drink the water from the wash basin at the airport. I thought for a while… My need overcame all the inhibitions and with full conviction I got up, picked up my bag with the “wildcarft” bottle tucked in its pouch and walked towards the rest rooms.

There were three people there. I felt, filling water in front of them will be odd. To kill time, I went to the rest room and emptied whatever was residue in my bladder. By this time, there was only one person in the rest room area. I washed my hands at the wash basin and took out the bottle. In a hurry I filled the bottle and kept it back in the bag. All the time I was conscious with my eyes looking around so that nobody sees me.

With the bottle filled I picked up my bag and walked back to the place where I and Karthik were seated. I opened the bottle. There it was ‘transparent and warm’. It was waiting to be swallowed by my thirsty throat. Without wasting any time, I gulped it down under my throat and had a sigh of relief!

My thirst was finally quenched! I wondered how amazing these rest rooms are…They satisfy our basic needs so well! It was indeed quenching of thirst in the rest room.

Sometimes, things which are simple and natural seem to be illogical. This was one such case. Many times our ego makes us behave artificial and keeps us away from a simple way of living. If an animal is thirsty, it searches for a water body, tap or bore well to quench its thirst. As a social animal, I should logically do that. But when no water is available and one has to resort to the rest room, the ego makes things difficult. Karthik was Genius! Well connected to his natural self! Thanks to him. I set my ego aside and did what I could naturally do…

Love and best wishes
Amit Kalyani

I hold your Hands and You Hold my Heart

I was returning to Bangalore by train from Chennai on 4th June. It was 9.15 pm and the departure of my train was 9.30 pm. I was in a hurry. As I was walking brisk towards the railway station, I saw an old couple crossing the road holding their hands together. The lady was walking slowly and the husband was guiding her by holding her hand.

Such a scene where an old couple walking with their hands held together is seldom seen. Normally we see a young couple walking with their hands held together. Or it is common to see a young one holding a hand of a septuagenarian.

Looking at that couple, I was transported in an air of nostalgia. It was like a cool breeze flowing besides me kissing my cheeks. I could sense the warmth of the hands in the two oldies. At this age, the couple might have crossed the wants of physical needs. There is no physical attraction. What they need is the presence of the person who has walked the path with him or her. This could be called as love. “I don’t want anything from you, yet I want to be with you, see you comfortable & happy and I want to move together with you”. It is a unique feeling which only few fortunate can experience.

I was lifted to feeling of bliss and happiness. Something which I will cherish for times to come.

Love and Prayers
Amit Kalyani

MANI.....

On Friday 11th december, I was returning home walking on the 100 ft road. As I was walking on the road, I saw a young boy walking besides me. I strolled for a while, and then it just happened that I greeted him. I introduced him about myself. He was enthusiastic and reciprocated with equal zeal. His name was Mani. A young lad, in his teens, perhaps was 19 years old.

When I asked what he was doing, he said, he has completed his PUC and now searching for a job. This didn’t come as a surprise to me as I have met many teens here in Bangalore who stopped their education in want of a job. In most cases, it has been family problems. Most of them have left their studies for want of money to support their family. With Mani, the case was not very different. He had lost his father when he was in PUC. With nobody at home to take care of his sister and mother he had no option, but to search for a job.

He told, his father had left Rs70K when he died. That was one support, which many are not so lucky to be bestowed with in such situations. He further added, he had bought an auto rickshaw with that money. With one rickshaw in hand, he could fetch a loan of 2 lakh rupees. With that loan he bought two more of them. There was a beaming smile of his face when he said he is now an owner of 3 autos …”Indeed A proud owner he was”. He later added, he rents them for Rs 150/- per rickshaw per day. Out of the Rs 450/- he earns daily from renting the autos, 2/3rd he gives to his mom and remaining 1/3rd is used to redeem the loan.

As I was listening to him with awe, I was wondering, how gutsy this guy is…At the age of 19, he has taken complete responsibility for his family…He could take the risk of going for a loan and now an owner of quarter dozen rickshaws.

He further continued, he had learnt good English during his PUC days and now in search of a job which could fetch him Rs 5K or 6K a month. He had his sister’s marriage in a year’s time and he wanted to generate a sum of Mrs. 2 lakhs for her marriage. He had got an offer in a BPO in Banaswadi and he would be joining the same in a week’s time. I had met him on the road when he was going to the same company to get is offer letter.

By this time, I had to take a left turn and he had to go straight…I wished him Good Luck and Wished God to get him success in his entire endeavor…

As I was reaching my home, I was wondering. How a teen lad like Mani had the sense of responsibility towards his family…There was a firing desire in him to do something and be somebody in his life…He felt responsible for his sister and was ready to put his extra effort towards ensuring her good future…In his capacity he was doing whatever he found possible. Future for him still seemed uncertain, yet he had a will and courage to face it and make the most out of it…I could sense he wanted to become a big man in his life…

Hats off to Him…I saluted him and wished him good luck once again….

YES+ Follow Up in KRPuram

Birds with same feathers flock together and they need a nest or place to come together.
Otherwise they may get scattered away different places forgetting their own colours.

After every YES+ course we have a bunch of inspired youth fully charged up. Each one fully confident to take on life. As days pass this charge gets discharged and things turn back to square one after a few days. We always pondered how to circumvent this problem so that people are in touch with the knowledge they get in the YES+ course.

One idea was to put a system in place. So we decided to have Sudarshan Kriya every Sunday morning and Satsang every Saturday evening. Before this could be decided, already a Satsang was announced by Ishaan and Bharat on Saturday, 12th September, 2009. And on Sunday 13th we had our First Sudarshan Kriya follow up in Amar Jyoti school. Attended by almost 20 people we had a very blissful Kriya with Ashwini guiding through Guruji’s voice.

Later, we had the paint the floor competition where all enthusiastically came and gave way to their hands to flow. Colored brushes swept on the white paper on the floor. The medley of 5 different colours and 40 hands on white paper slowly took a form of a beautiful painting. It was a unique experience of fun and learning. The theme of painting was global warming and each one of us came up with unique idea to colour the paper. Tiny dots to colour splashes all made the painting even more interesting..

That’s how the YES+ Follow up was started in KRPuram. We now have more than 15-20 volunteers and devotees ready to spread Guruji’s knowledge in the hearts and minds of the youth in KRPuram. Seeing their commitment, I am in wonder…And want to be in Wonder….

Jai Guru Deva

Amit Kalyani

The discussion on The March

Yesterday was a very interesting discussion brought out by Hema didi. She was talking about The March against corruption and terrorism organized by WAYE (World Alliance of Youth Empowerment – www.themarch.in ) on 1st March, 2009. The aim of this March was to bring people together to raise awareness against the rampant corruption, which has gripped our Nation since Independence. Everybody of us wants to see a change, yet nobody of us are taking a step towards it….The chalta hai or Kya kar sakte hain attitude seems to prevail eternally….

This March was to come out of this shell…to shake up. …And become aware that we together can make a difference….

Instead of a hundred thousand people there were only ten thousand people who were active enough to participate in The March…This included people from RTI institutions, college students, and working professionals…There was a peace march organized where all of them vowed to bring awareness on corruption in the society and bring an end to it….

They all had a noble intention in their hearts…To make India – the Land of Bharata…Corruption free…I am with them…Although it seems an infeasible task we still can make a difference…and that’s what those 10,000 odd youths came out to do….Claps, shabbasis..and all the hails and support to them….

However, I also found that, such an important and conscience provoking event was not covered by media…The media cover could have really made a difference…A small broadcasting on the event could have made a difference across the Nation…I am still perplexed why the Media did not take any action….When they want to make a difference and bring the corrupts to the book….I would like to ask all the Big Newspaper agencies why they failed to cover this news in their dailys…

When Hemadi was discussion this issue, I was thinking on the other levels of corruption that are prevalent in our day to day lives…

Usually I feel very frustrated and helpless when I see a septegenererian man or woman standing in the congested bus and youths of my age occupying the seats oblivious of the very human fact that they should help the old and offer their seats to them. Many a times these oldies are waiting in the bus stops without having a seat for them. And when they enter the bus, they would not be surprised to see a young guy sitting on the seats meant for old people. Although you find some gentleman who realize the fact and vacate the seats, the majority hardly cares…

I have always wondered when this will change…One solution to this is bring the civic sense amongst the people and make them aware of Human values. If not for young at least for the old people who now need a stick to hold their weight.

Then an idea struck suddenly…bringing civic sense is humungous task and might take a long time…a short time and a beneficial idea would be starting a bus service exclusively for the old people. Where only the senior citizens with an accompany is allowed to enter and strictly preference is given to seniors for a seat. Ah..This is a wonderful idea…Why didn’t it struck to the Bus Transport Authorities ?

Now that it has struck me…I would like to make arrangements so that we could implement this…What it needs is a public – private partnership…We the people can act as private agency to build up the will of the public organizations like the Transport authorities to make such provisions. All they need to do is use the regular buses in which a few of them have more reservations for the senior citizens. Example: half the bus capacity is only for the old…and if more senior citizens enter, the others respect their seniority and offer the seats…Working on these lines we could eliminate the inconvenience faced by our senior fraternity who have spent their lifetimes to make our future better…We can give them back a little of their efforts through this activity….

I have a personal request to the BMTC and other Transport organizations to please ponder on this idea…We have senior citizens who have sweated their blood for our future…They have paid taxes in their earning times and run the country…Its time for us to pay respects by making their life comfortable. We can certainly do something to make their commutation easier and hassle free…Lets start a few buses on all the bus routes meant for senior citizens only…This is the way we can make the youths aware about the importance of the oldies…who have been young like them sometime and put all their efforts so that we lead a better life….