When I met a friend......

After all the cribs and gyaan here…..

Lets travel a bit…… to the north………


Oh!! MG!! What is this?????????

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I found out later that my good old friend Sardar Santha Singh had used his ‘Dimaag’ to safeguard his slippers while he was praying at the Gurudwara…

I had tears at the end of it all………!!

Supreme Court rules out Quota for the coming academic year

One good news

SC said, “The Central Government could not justify quotas for the creamy layer.”

Dismissing the plea in the harshest of tones, the apex court categorically stated the government had no data to support quota and had not come up with any new facts to support its case.

The Supreme Court on Monday in an acerbic response to Government’s plea on the OBC quota case flatly refused to allow 27 per cent reservation in Centrally-funded institutes for the academic year 2007-2008.

And the aftermath :

• “This is just the beginning for our victory. We have already shown how wrong their (Government’s) basis is. They are considering the 1931Census and that is wrong. And now, it’s been proved even by the Supreme Court. We will prove it too and this illegal, illogical reservation policy will uprooted,” said a student.
• “We think the SC order is unfortunate. If we go by simple mathematics, Constitutionally, there can’t be more than 50 per cent in Central universities. While 22.5 per cent already exists due to SC/ST reservations and so in that way, the remaining 27 per cent seems to be a pretty rational proposition. People talk of 1931 Census, but 27 per cent anyway happens to be lesser than the least. So, why this debate over the number?” said one student.
• “If the government, by the way of quota, wants to defend the creamy layer and extend some benefits to the rich and is forgetting the poor people, it’s shameful,” said an anti-reservationist.
• When reservation was being given in jobs, there was no need for and OBCs should rather be given education. “Now today when an overwhelming percentage of India’s backward students are given reservations in Central institutions, why are you opposing it,” asked a student.
• “The criteria of identifying OBC people is very biased towards ‘social backwardness’ because the methodology to select is biased. There is a 22-point criteria and there’s an index of 11 points. Those who cross the 11-point index are included in OBCs. Twelve points are awarded for social backwardness, six points for educational backwardness and four for economic backwardness. They are only considering social backwardness right now and including all castes with that framework. It’s not fine,”
• “It’s a big victory for us and the entire nation. It vindicates our stand as politicians want to divide our country and this is a slap on their face,” said a student.“I have seen my colleagues who benefit from reservations. Most of them are not exactly downtrodden, poor or economically backward and they can easily afford education in or abroad. Let reservation be more on economic basis and let’s abolish caste altogether as a concept,”

And from politicos

• “I think government has given enough explanation to the court because the creamy layer issue was settled at the time of Mandal case. Supreme Court had agreed upon certain criteria for creamy layer and that’s being followed. It’s nothing new. Now the policy has to be implemented. Again raising the issue of creamy layer is nothing but an effort to scuttle the very issue of reservation for the OBCs. How long can such a thing continue? Some people are making ridiculous argument that politicians are dividing the society, it’s absolutely stupid,” CPI-M leader D Raja defended.
• “Absolutely not. Thank god for the Supreme Court. This policy was always a bad one and it has exposed the political class. It’s a political ploy and always had a lot of problems. Forget the creamy layer which Mr Raja has not spoken about at all. The question remains as to who is an OBC. I am an OBC, earn in lakhs and get my son an admission to a college despite him scoring less than a poor Brahmin from Ghaziabad. So it’s a ridiculous policy,” said economist Gurcharan Das.
• Says OBC Convenor, Hyderabad, Hanumanthappa, "It's like serving food and then taking the plate away."
• M Karunanidhi addressed the Centre in his speech in the state Assembly saying, "Democracy would be badly affected if the faith of 100 core people is determined by the two or three men."
• "The Goverment is planning to approach the Chief Justice over the quota issue on Tuesday. We will ask for the constitution of a larger bench to decide on the issue. Meanwhile, the Government directives to IIMs to hold the admissions still stand"— Arjun Singh, April 24, 2007
  
  The road ahead
  So, what do you think is the solution to the quota conundrum? Is a caste-based census an option?

Compiled with inputs from CNN-IBN.

Also Read :

• Quota story
• My endeavour with reservation system

Akshaya Thrithiya

Today is "Akshaya Thrithiya", one of the most auspicious days on a Hindu calendar.

Legend says that if you invest one Rupee on this day, it grows to be an infinite billion.
Not only Rupees, any investment for that matter, will grow innumerable times.

One fine morning, during their forest stint, in Mahabharata, Pandavas performed their morning worships and later they had their lunch, prepared by their wife, Draupadi.
Soon after their lunch, there came a delegation of roaming saint (Rishi) Durvasa, consisting himself. And it were times when a visitor was considered to be as a God and if the visitor was a saint, then he must be satisfied before leaving the visited place...or else...wrath of him might ruin the family...Durvasa was known to be an angry saint.

Draupadi checked her kitchen, there was no stock in her stores, neither the rice she cooked that day had any remains...She was worried about her future. Already suffering a wrath of Gods in the forest, she had no choice but to pray at Lord Krishna.

Once she finished her prayers, she was mesmerised to find Krishna himself at her door. He asks Draupadi to serve him his lunch. Draupadi concedes in him her troubles.

Krishna says, “if you give me one grain from your hands, its enough for me.” Draupadi checks her utensil, finds a single grain and serves it to Krishna with a Tulasi (the Basil Plant) leaf.

He grins with satisfaction of a huge lunch. Exactly then, whole gang of Durvasa comes home from a bath at the river, and declares that none of them felt like having lunch. They were all satisfied with what Draupadi offered Krishna, one grain of rice!!

And then Draupadi was blessed by Krishna with a utensil that would cook itself food enough for any number of people, whenever asked for. That is called "Akshaya Paathre"(Utensil that can meet no end).

And the day of this display of devotion by Draupadi is called "Akshaya Thrithiya", third day after the first month in spring (Vaishakha Shuddha Thrithiya).

Today, this day is widely celebrated across India as a gold buying festival...and innumerable offers to lure the customers are available in all the jewellery malls...

The Real essence of India.

A Traditional Indian festive evening. Real essence of India.

India has a very mystic presence in the eyes of a foreigner. But being Indian is a different feeling. Every day is a festival for people of this country. Every day is a celebration, every day an interaction with the divinity.

This video is a small introduction of how any celebration gets better with time. Here we have this Theru(A vehicle that carries God) all illuminated and loads of people pulling the chains to move the same. Dont forget to listen to the divine voice of Nadaswara(a south Indian musical instrument that is considered to be auspicious). A wonderful feeling to be a part of it all. Its here we meet many of our forgotten friends, and cherish the moment in the company of the Lord.

Come friends, lets go to one such place and enjoy being a part of it. :)

The place shown in the video above is Yeldur, the place where I was brought up.

Remembering a legend

Fans garlanding the photograph of legendary Kannada thespian and a model Kannada activist, Dr. Rajkumar on the eve of his first death anniversary in Bangalore.

Rajkumar has been a synonym for Kannada film industry for about five decades now.
His memory will forever be etched in all the Kannada minds. I salute this great man today.

THE ANHINGA OR SNAKE BIRD

THE Snake Bird is very singular indeed in appearance, and interesting as well in its habits. Tropical and sub-tropical areas where it is a regular summer resident, are its known haunts. It is recognized by different names, as Water Turkey, Darter, and Snake Bird. The last mentioned seems to be the most appropriate name for it, as the shape of its head and neck at once suggest the serpent. It is also called the Grecian Lady, Water Crow, and Bec a Lancette.

It often swims with the body entirely underwater, its head and long neck in sight like some species of water snakes, and has no doubt more than once left the impression on the mind of the superstitious sailor that he has seen a veritable sea serpent, the fear of which lead him to exaggerate the size of it.This bird so strange in looks and action is common in summer in the South Atlantic and Gulf States, frequenting the almost impenetrable swamps, and is a constant resident of Florida.As a diver the Snake Bird is the most wonderful of all the Ducks. Like the Loon it can disappear instantly and noislessly, swim a long distance and reappear almost in an opposite direction to that in which naturally it would be supposed to go. And the ease with which, when alarmed, it will drop from its perch and leave scarcely a ripple on the surface of the water, would appear incredible in so large a bird, were it not a well known fact.It has also the curious habit of sinking.

The nests of the Anhinga are located in various places, sometimes in low bushes at a height from the ground of only a few feet, or in the upper branches of high trees, but always over water. Though web footed, it is strong enough to grasp tightly the perch on which it nests. This gives it a great advantage over the common Duck which can nest only on the ground. Sometimes Snake Birds breed in colonies with various species of Herons. From three to five eggs, bluish, or dark greenish white, are usually found in the nest. The Anhingas consist of but one species, which has a representative in the warmer parts of each of the great divisions of the earth. The number seen together varies from eight or ten to several hundred.When asleep the bird stands with its body almost erect. In rainy weather it often spends the greater part of the day in an erect attitude, with its neck and head stretched upward, remaining perfectly motionless, so that the water may glide off its plumage. The fluted tail is very thick and beautiful and serves as a propeller as well as a rudder in swimming.

I was searching for some information on this wonder bird I saw and photographed in Ranganathittu. Above is the details I got about the same. Thought of sharing it with you :)

A walk thru the sky station and over India

I am gonna share a story of one girl..a girl who can be termed a Global leader and an Indian at heart. One who is sitting right on top of the world, with her heart set out for India.

Bonnie Pandya recalls how once, on a bright spring day, her daughter, then a high school student, got excited by the beautiful weather and said she wanted to take part in the famous Boston Marathon, which was to start in a few hours. "I told her we were not prepared and that she hadn't done this before," says her mother, "but she said she wanted to try. So, we drove off to the staring point just as the gun was going off." She just got into the crowd. Her mom told her to call from a public telephone booth if she couldn't make it to the finish line, so she could pick her up. She gave her 10 cents to make the call and asked her to put the coin in her tennis shoe. After a while, apparently, she found it difficult to run with the shoes and took them off. "She made it without shoes, running the full 26 miles, half of the stretch barefoot," her mother says. Such grit has always been the staple of Suni's character.

Suni is none other than Sunitha Williams nee Pandya, NASA astronaut -- currently on board the International Space Station, 250 miles above the rest of us.

Today, she will take us thru the International space station and over India. Click here for this rare and astounding journey.

News courtesy : rediff India.

Photograph courtesy : NASA and the Pandya family.