Time and tide wait for none:

Time is an equal opportunity employer.  Each human being has exactly the same number of hours and minutes every day.  Rich people can't buy more hours.  Scientists can't invent new minutes.  And you can't save time to spend it on another day.  Even so, time is amazingly fair and forgiving.  No matter how much time you've wasted in the past, you still have an entire tomorrow. ~Denis Whitley

The clock that started ticking from the very moment we took our first breath in this very world will cease for sure one day. According to the Hindu culture, it is said that we all have been allotted particular amount of time, to live, to achieve what we want in our life. Effective time management is one of the most important factors for succeeding in life. You know, Time is like the wind; it lifts the light and leaves the heavy. One of the most common causes of stress is not having enough time. We all talk of killing time, while time quietly kills us. We have no other option except to take control of our time through some effective time management skills to reduce stress and increase productivity. Here I reproduce some of the effective writing on time by some unknown greats that attracted me most.

Imagine there is a bank account that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening the bank deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course?
Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME.

Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to a good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no over draft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours. There is no drawing against "tomorrow." You must live in the present on today's deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness and success!

The clock is running!! Make the most of today.

To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.
To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.
To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.
To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who just missed a train.
To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask someone who just avoided an accident.
To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal at the Olympics.

Treasure every moment that you have! And remember time waits for no one.

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it’s called the present.

Clocks slay time... time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels; only when the clock stops does time come to life. ~William Faulkner

Healing Touch – Music Therapy:

Six-year-old girl responds to Music Therapy after being in coma for 60 days – A true story:

We all know that music therapy is an interpersonal process in which a trained music therapist uses music and all of its facets—physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic, and spiritual—to help patients to improve or maintain their health.

The music which is being presented in the therapeutic sessions does the difference on patients. Classical Music is a direct experience before being transformed into thought and feelings. It acts as vibration, which does the wonder on patients. The results are proven scientifically, many scholars have published research papers on this. Music therapy is a complementary form of medicine, in few situations it functions as alternative medicine too. 

Here is a proof of above claims as published in a local news paper “The Hindu”, Chennai India recently:

Six-year-old girl Radhika born to a fisherman in Kerala was admitted in an unconscious state to the intensive care unit of a hospital on May 30, 2010 after suffering from a comatic brain injury caused by an accidental tightening of her neck by a shawl she was playing with. Radhika lost sensation and memory, suffered from respiratory problems and was in need of ventilator support. Doctors lost hope on her survival as only medicine and intravenous fluids kept her alive, but she was in coma.

After trying every mode of treatment Doctors resorted to music therapy and searched Google and Yahoo extensively the suitable therapy and fed her with low, soft, instrumental and Carnatic music.

Listening to music over an earphone, Radhika began responding slowly - first by opening her eyes, then being attentive to music, smiling in between, and then responding to her name. After Radhika took her first step out of bed after two months, Doctors are happy and are planning to discharge her only when she is able to walk entirely on her own.

“Music is the art of the prophets and the gift of God” - Martin Luther 

ONE PARAGRAPH THAT EXPLAINS LIFE!

Arthur Ashe legendary Tennis player and Wimbledon champion was dying of AIDS which he got due to infected blood he received during a heart surgery in 1983. From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed: "Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease"?

To this Arthur Ashe replied:

"The world over, 50 million  children start playing tennis, 5 million learn to play tennis, 500,000 learn professional tennis, 50,000 come to the circuit, 5000 reach the grand slam, 50 reach Wimbledon, 4 to semi final, 2 to the finals, when I was holding a cup I never asked GOD 'Why me?'. And today in pain I should not be asking GOD 'Why me?' "

"Happiness keeps you Sweet,

Trials keep you Strong,

Sorrow keeps you Human,

Failure keeps you humble and Success keeps you glowing,

But only Faith & Attitude Keeps you going...”

Is the Wristwatch Past Its Time?

In April 2008 I posted this image of my wristwatch in Flickr with the caption “The watch that kept me punctual for almost five years is dead now.” It was just an unbranded local made, not too costly watch and one of my favorite possessions. Often in hurry I used to forget to wear while going to office or any other outing only to comeback hurriedly grab it from its place and strap it up on the move. I considered my wristwatch so essential than anything else that I just couldn’t go out without it. Soon after it stopped working, for a week or so I was pulling on without any wristwatch and felt as though I lost my lifetime companion. Since I was too busy from morning to night with my work I couldn’t go to a watch shop to get a new one. Also I didn’t want to repair it any more as I knew that it lost its life and had to get a new one. Often I used to raise my bare wrist to check the time only to realize that I don’t wear a wristwatch. Suddenly my eyes searched for another alternate source of timekeeper and found in many places that includes my mobile phone, desktop, laptop and music player and while driving LED lit time flasher came in handy. When these gadgets are not within my vicinity means I am sleeping hence I don’t need to know the time. Another four days gone, still busy and by now within a matter of ten days, I realized that I was in fact much more comfortable without a wristwatch. Its going to be more than two years now, never bought a new watch and my wrist is bare. I am used to it now, comfortable and shed some payload too that I have to carry. I see time wherever I turn around and convinced that I can live without a wristwatch for the rest of my life.

Money was not the concern and doesn’t matter to me and for the spendthrift nature of mine and the money I wasted foolishly on some unworthy products in the last two years, I could have bought at least five watches on my previous wrist watch price range. But I didn’t for my own genuine reasons. In my view wristwatches have only ornamental value now, as you have too many attractive and fashionable options to look for the time. I am quite sure many people World over would have given a thought about my view on wristwatches and as and when the need arises for them to go for a new one. For sure the arrival of new time keeping gadgets would have had some impact on wristwatch business and am sure the watch manufacturers are aware of these implications and must be already researching a new way to retain the market.

I am also sure that young adult and teens won’t be convinced with my view as everyone would love to have one as per their choice at least for the first time in their life. Hence this segment of people will remain as the target customers for the wristwatch manufacturers and given the latest high tech and high end watches that are available in the market would really continue to attract them.

The 2006 Jewelry Consumer Opinion Council survey of some 7,000 consumers, for example, found that 42 percent of young adults (ages 18 to 24) who don’t own a watch and 60 percent of those who do get time from a handheld device or in other words given a choice they preferred to buy a new cell phone than a wristwatch even though the budget is bit high. Japan too had some worst time as the watch market slumped as people preferred other latest gadgets. Around the same year I also remember the news about the French watchmakers and jewelers sued a mobile phone operator to stop TV ads showing watches being tossed into a trash bin. In order to compete with other gadgets the watches need to be more fashionable with some added features, more like jewellery and a status symbol apart from telling time.

In India, in 70s, 80s and 90s Citizen and Seiko were the most popular brands and then came the Government owned HMT watches whose slogan was “Time keepers to the nation”. In fact HMT was very popular and I too had two for well over eight years. So sad to see HMT vanished from market so soon and from their websites I understand that HMT is still in business but no updates on market share in local & abroad. A few days ago I had been to a shopping mall where I entered a TITAN showroom and stunned to see a fabulous collections of modern watches from Rs.1000 to 10,000 and the models and features in look, style were really attractive and meant to target young adults. For a moment I was tempted to go in for one from a few models that I liked most and looked fabulous in the price range of Rs.4000 to 6000 but decided against it wisely as it wasn’t worth it for mere time seeing.

Lastly from the recent trends it looks as though the wristwatch business will survive provided the manufacturers come up with some innovative ideas that include style, fashion and any other features apart from mere time telling. The watch era isn’t ending but needs a change as things change all the time. The watch business is no exception.

FIFA 2010 – South Africa: SUM UP

At last a new winner!!! Congrats to Spain for the magnificent performance.

Fifa 2010 was a real sumptuous feast for the soccer fans World over with 30 days of exciting fixtures, 64 matches, 736 players and 32 teams compete for the World cup Trophy held in 10 stadiums across the beautiful South Africa. Total prize money on stake was about $420 million and the Winner, the Spain got around $ 30 million. We have to wait for another 4 years to witness the mega event to happen again in Brazil in 2014.

Here is sum up of the true life lessons learnt from FIFA 2010:

1.      First the obvious. This is the first world cup final in recent history without Argentina, Italy, Brazil or Germany. True overconfidence is the secret to failure.

2.      Spain lost their opening game to Switzerland, while the Dutch didn’t lose a match, except the finals. Despite starting on the wrong foot or failing once in a while, you can still be the champion.

3.      Infighting and egos never win matches. Ask England, France and Italy. Sports like our business are about team dynamics. Great teamwork is imperative for the win.

4.      On the other hand, heroics matter. While process and methods among others are essential, it does take individuals (highly talented ones) to finally win.

5.      Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were World Cup flops. Between the three, they managed to score just one goal! Sometimes, the finest players fail miserably. Everyone has bad days. The need is to reflect, realize and reorganize for the next event.

6.      Andrés Iniesta from Spain scored the winning goal. He had scored only one goal in the previous matches. Yet, he is a hero. To be the right man at the right time at the right place requires a little luck and a lot of hard work.

7.      Diego Forlan, Wesley Sneijder and Thomas Mueller, previously unrecognizable beyond their country boundaries are international superstars today. New stars replace the old and fading ones. It’s way of life.

8.      Small things matter. Sometimes the distance between you and victory is just an inch. That’s all that Ghana needed to pull through. Unfortunately, they missed it.

9.      All strategies need constant tweaks to achieve targets. Always have a Plan. England didn’t have one and suffered the worst-ever defeat. 

10. This is more than a game; it’s about pride – for the nation and personally.

11. Regardless of who you are cheering for, you need to have a blast. So, go crazy, blow on the trumpet, paint your bodies and sport some colorful wigs.

12. Finally, it’s amazing and faintly frustrating that an eight-legged oracle understands the game better than the most passionate of us. I guess life’s like that.

These 12 life lessons are not my own but taken from an internet corporate message group.

I wish I was in South Africa to watch the finals to take action snaps. I love photography and miss such events. But I made collage of my TV grabs and presented here. FIFA 2010 World cup Special images and art work creations are my own except for the JABULANI football and FIFA 2010 official logo image were taken from Internet Google web search.
View my original images here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/vijaysudar/FIFA2010Special#

Belur - Chennakesava temple complex

I was in Mysore on an official visit on New Year’s Day of 2010 and took some time to visit nearby historically important places. Belur a small town in Hassan district was my first choice as I have been seeing these magnificent places from my childhood in movies. With Halebidu which is only 16 km away, this is one of the major tourist destinations in Karnataka, India.  

I was well equipped with all my cameras and gadgets to cover as much places as possible and as I wished weather too was very favorable for good photography. Here is some part my images with the historic background writing about Belur.

 Belur is a small town located on the banks of River Yagachi, in Hassan district of Karnataka. Belur was the early capital of the Hoysala Empire. Belur is considered as the Banaras of South India and is thus also known as Dakshina Varnasi. From inscription it is learnt that Vishnuvardhana got the temple built in 1117 A.D., in memory of his victory against Cholas in Talkad. Legend has it that it took 103 years for Vishnuvardhana's grandson Veera Ballala II to complete the task. The facade of the temple is filled with intricate sculptures and friezes with no portion left blank. The intricate workmanship includes elephants, lions, horses, episodes from the Indian mythological epics, and sensuous dancers (Shilabalikas). Inside the temple are a number of ornate pillars. Darpana Sundari (Lady with the mirror) carved on walls of Belur Temple is one of major attraction in complex. The doorways are guarded on either side by the gorgeously decorated dvarapalaka (doorkeepers).

Hoysala sculptors have broken the custom and signed their sculptures. They engraved their names, titles and even the place of their origin at the foot of their art work. Mallitamma was the most prolific of all known Hoysala artists and more than forty well-executed sculptures stand in his name. However, even after a lapse of eight centuries, the art lovers of the whole world can adore this heritage centre. The Temple is not in a good shape still, you could spend hours studying the minute carvings on the exterior. The temple has lost its super structure but still looks very imposing.

The main attraction in Belur is the Chennakesava temple complex which contains the Chennakesava Temple (dedicated to Chennakeshava , meaning handsome Vishnu) as the centre piece, surrounded by the Kappe Chennigraya temple built by Shantaladevi, queen of king  Vishnuvardhana.

There are two more shrines here that are still in use by devotees and there is a Pushkarni or stepped well to the right side of the main entrance. The Dravidian style Rayagopuram at the entrance which was a later addition by the Vijayanagar kings, who considered this deity as one of their Kuladevata or family god.

This temple along with Hoysaleswara temple in Halebidu and the Jain monuments at Shravanabelagola are being proposed as UNESCO world heritage sites.

These images are my own and copyrighted. I have selected a few from hundreds of images that I took during the trip to post here. You can see more of these in my Flickr album.

King of Fruit – Mangoes:

In India, every year with the onset of summer, for almost from the time immemorial the mango season starts and by May when summer at its peak Mangoes is the common sight through out the country selling like hot cakes. No wonder the Mangoes are the national fruit of the India and “Food of the God”. Today, India is the world’s largest mango producer, growing nearly 1000 varieties of mango and contributing over 50 per cent of the world’s total mango production of approximately 23 million metric tons with very little export as most are consumed within the country. 

Mango has been the most popular tropical fruit since 2000 BC or earlier finds a mentioned in the Indian history as well. In fact, the famous poet Kalidasa is known to have sung its praises. Apart from that, ancient Greek King Alexander the Great and Chinese pilgrim Hieun Tsang have been said to have savored its taste. Historical records also mention the instance of Mughal King Akbar planting 100,000 mango trees in Darbhanga, known as Lakhibagh.

ALPHONSE 

BANGANABALLI

JAVAD

MALGOVA

Some interesting facts and myths about Mangoes:

The mango is known as the 'king of fruit' throughout the world.

The name 'mango' is derived from the Tamil word 'mangkay' or 'man-gay'. When the Portuguese traders settled in Western India they adopted the name as 'manga'.

Mangos originated in East India, Burma and the Andaman Islands bordering the Bay of Bengal. Around the 5th century B.C., Buddhist monks are believed to have introduced the mango to Malaysia and eastern Asia - legend has it that Buddha found tranquility and repose in a mango grove. Persian traders took the mango into the Middle East and Africa, from there the Portuguese brought it to Brazil and the West Indies. Mango cultivars arrived in Florida in the 1830's and in California in the 1880's.

The Mango tree plays a sacred role in India; it is a symbol of love and some believe that the Mango tree can grant wishes.

In the Hindu culture hanging fresh mango leaves outside the front door during Pongal (Tamil New Year) and Deepavali is considered a blessing to the house.

Mango leaves are used at weddings to ensure the couples bear plenty of children.

Mangos are bursting with protective nutrients. The vitamin content depends upon the variety and maturity of the fruit, when the mango is green the amount of vitamin C is higher, as it ripens the amount of beta carotene (vitamin A) increases.

Every part of the mango is beneficial and has been utilized in folk remedies in some form or another. Whether the bark, leaves, skin or pit; all have been concocted into various types of treatments or preventatives down through the centuries. A partial list of the many medicinal properties and purported uses attributed to the mango tree are as follows: anti-viral, anti-parasitic, anti-septic, anti-tussive (cough), anti-asthmatic, expectorant, cardio tonic, contraceptive, aphrodisiac, hypertensive, laxative, stomachic (beneficial to digestion).

Mangoes are powerful antioxidants that can prevent aging.

Pristine natural beauty, ABBI Falls - Coorg

Abbi Falls, the pride of Coorg, around 8 km from Madikeri, the capital of Coorg, is a sight that is truly stupendous; the spectacular sight of cascading water is an absolute treat for the eyes and the senses! Reaching the place is a jolly ride in itself as the road that you drive on is very narrow with lots of turns and twists, ups and downs. A smiling mother nature welcomes you at every turn. Nestled amidst private coffee plantations; the Abbi Falls provide a striking contrast to the sylvan surroundings of Coorg. A narrow road winding through the green and dense foliage of surrounding coffee plantations leads to Abbi Falls. Situated on private property, a narrow pathway leads you downward to where the waterfall can be seen.

Formerly this water fall was known as Jessey Falls. 'Abbi' in the local language Kodagu means falls. The falls is more enjoyable within the fenced area wherefrom you get its friendly pose for your camera! The best place to have a better view of the falls is by standing on the hanging bridge opposite to the falls itself.

If you are a nature lover, then Coorg should be your next holiday destination, if you are in India and intending to visit South India. Coorg also referred as ‘Scotland of India’ known for its pristine natural beauty and lush green forests. It is a well-known hill station near Mysore and is a leading coffee growing district. The moderate climate and vast expanses of greenery have made it a highly sought-after tourist spot in Karnataka. 

If you are a nature lover, then Coorg should be your next holiday destination, if you are in India and intending to visit South India. Coorg also referred as ‘Scotland of India’ known for its pristine natural beauty and lush green forests. It is a well-known hill station near Mysore and is a leading coffee growing district. The moderate climate and vast expanses of greenery have made it a highly sought-after tourist spot in Karnataka. 

These images are taken by me during my recent trip to Mysore and some of them are displayed here.