vadodara-the banyan maze

Small  little city sandwiched between the giants like Ahmadabad and Surat and yet maintaining a poise and grace that shows its deep rooted culture, royal upbringings and traditions.But its time to move and catch up with the big bad world out there and no one like to lag behind.So be it.Every one goes in top gear the real estates go berserk, the foodies want to churn out as many dishes for the ever hungry community, the industry looks at virgin areas to expand their roots so that they can make a good buck and bingo ,everything goes in overdrive.
Suddenly people seem to realize that hey all that is well but do we have the foundations strong enough and deep rooted to take up the challenge.?Education to start with, English as a language,every body has a strong business acumen but etiquette's?An urge to move to USA , an ever burning desire,a constant pull to cross the border and start a motel in new jersey,and or stick on with the traditional business and grow it .The dilemma starts when we don't have the requisite backup to support all  this.It starts with qualified people, with requisite skill sets and a drive within to be assertive,take up initiative and implement with rigour the ideas .The level of English is absolutely inadequate, the exposure to the fast paced world is restricted to a few and narrowed down to ipads and audi Q7.Its the family wealth and the power of a joint family that speaks, but the new gen is  in a different world.USA, USA ,USA or INOX,To lead, to manage or to drive is seldom found.Mannerisms, body language, etiquette's,presentation skills are far underdeveloped and the burning need of the hour.The infrastructure is yet primitive as compared to the surrounding cities 200 kms away, the discipline or i would put lack of it be it on the road,malls, etc is sad.Respect for the fellow citizen emerges out of the basic meek or silent nature of its residents.Its all " chalta hai, aisa hi hota hai".All izz well!!!
If one needs to take this place to the next level all this has to and must change dramatically.Respect for quality, time and refinement is imperative.The fixation for USA has to die down and motels created around the beautiful sites in and around vadodara would help catapult this city to a different league.People must sharpen up and be bolder to face global competitiveness in the professional arena as much as they do in the field of their own business.Only then will it help Mr.Modi and his dreams to translate to reality.Or else it would be like the horse and the cart story...............which one goes first.

pause mode

Looking at the way states in India are on overdrive its gonna take a toll on the trained manpower and relevant skill sets to keep that momentum.We have this money spinner"private colleges" churning out batches of engineering intellectuals,business schools at many nook and corner dispatching MBA's by the dozen and yet there is going to be a void.Middle management that lends experience, top leaders that can drive the momentum in challenging times and take the ship through stormy seas and the foot soldiers who are suppose to battle it out in the middle.The problem starts now.Every one is out to outdo the other and all that HR teams focus is to snatch the teams on the other side at a price.This is dangerous as it will destroy the basic pillars and retention would be a major exercise for all such industries.The corporates will turn up being platforms and trains will come and go and people will board or disembark at frequent intervals thus bring about a churn that will lead to major inconsistencies in approach and work culture.The lure of moneybags and many notional benefits would not make the person focus on the main goals.Survival pressures,ever increasing demands on the personal front will start mounting and the stress levels at work would be phenomenal.Traffic congestion, travel times,standard of living, cost of living and affordability is going to be a juggle.On the other hand the drive and craze of leaving for offshore assignments may remain and people will keep shuffling gears between oceans.Expenses, inflation and basic sustenance will be pushed to another level and that   is dangerous.The generations to come are having diverse views, willing to challenge and take up any task ,priorities shift ,family and personal life take a back seat and all we do in 18 hours per day is work our backside off.One is on wheels, strolling between airports, railway stations,and residence.One sees their children grow horizontally as they land up home at all odd hours due to hectic schedules and hence see them asleep.Is that quality life?We are worried and want to recover the huge fees paid up to get those degrees and then one needs to overcome the peer pressures of being one up on in your personal and professional life.It takes 2 to tango and with the pressures the ladies too who are now equally well qualified jump on to the career bandwagon and when we have a double engine turbo charged vehicle life is on a fast track till god forbid we don't hit a recessionary road bump.To work hard means to play hard and that means pump in the green bucks.This vicious cycle drains you off and then you realise later on did you really have to do this?what if you had paused a bit, introspected and then set cruise course than just moving in the fast lane trying to catch a moving finish line which never is in your reach as long as your wants are endless.Its important to spend those god given 60-70 years with a definite work life balance and set personal goals for your self based on which professional targets can be made and achieved.With no goals and a blind tunnel you are going to burn out.No time for health management,even if you have you are busy conducting business while in the Gym,paying a fortune to stay fit so that you can abuse your body more and stretch it to the limits that are not set .No time for proper food as you are in a hurry to reach work,and tired when you come back from work.What happens in a day is you jump from one meeting to another guzzling coffee and creating enough acid in your internal systems that could start a chemical factory. The electronic gizmos keep your mind occupied even while travelling by way of which you devote no time to peaceful, constructive thoughts that may make your life better.If you don't pause and take that much needed break..............then be ready for the ultimate pause in your life.

casino royale--boon or bust

Walking through the dream city of vegas where millions come to spend and/or earn /loose millions just in a matter of hours made me wonder as to what goes on in these complex gray cells of mankind and why does he  doggedly pursue that slot machine or the roulette till he tires out.Couples, young and old,single lady and retired  folks all trying their luck in the recessionary times at all odd hours with the free drink bait hanging around the neck and the dazed look, with Havanna cigar smell in the backdrop and pretty waitresses out to charm you to shell out more.The dazzle, the stretch hummers,the dancing fountains ,impressive high rise and Eiffel tower in the backdrop simply made to ensure that one feels he has moved around the globe while he actually moves around the vegas strip blowing away his hard earned money which he could have spent seeing the original versions.The night life that starts @1900 hrs  is wild and happening till the early hours of the morning and then its all peaceful and sedate.Criss crossing the heavenly Caesars palace,striding across the flamingo and watching the volcano erupt or gliding across the venetian that gives you  a virtual tour of Venice in a  gondola is enjoyable.But every escalator you take or move over the foot bridge you land up in a CASINO.The glitz and glamor is exciting no doubt but the side effects would be more disastrous.When you see the morning Vegas you find the same people who work in these casinos are up on the terrace playing poker.The tired , sleepy guys still sitting in front of the slot machines hoping that lady luck smiles on them.When it doesn't you become desperate and try other means to get it.If it does its such an awesome moment that you plunge in more deeper and get sucked in the vortex of Alice in Vegasland.You seldom win but definitely make the casinos richer for sure.You come back with vengeance and ensure that you will win one day----some day.Booze in your bowels,sleep on your eyes,tired limbs, empty wallets and maybe someone waiting for you back home..........is that Vegas?.The greed and the never ending appetite for more money will only lead to more such fairylands.Macau is calling and one can have a peep there as well.East or west CASINO is the best.In this fast paced world people want quick money and this is one way out.I disagree and hope people gauge the flip side and use these as a fun entertainment hub rather than an ADDICTION.Go off the strip and LO! is this Vegas too???The fastest place to get married and divorced overnight as well i presume.Isn't that a joke!!Big business though.Largest TV screen in the world a bit away from the strip is entertaining but there too ...........CASINO's galore.In this big business of hard core marketing west coast is definitely making money out of every inch of land and every crazy idea that sells.JAI HO.

on the run

Indians -wherever we are and what ever we do we seem to be in some kind of hurry .Be it getting out of the aircraft as soon as it lands,in the traffic especially when it slows down,to buy a ticket for a cricket match or a movie and i wonder do we really know whats the hurry!!!!If it comes to work or speeding up the process of a complaint settlement the same lot of people will suddenly behave as it they have tonnes of weight on their feet and too sluggish to move or respond.If its lunch time----bingo 10 minutes before we are at the counter as if we never ate before or that the food would get over.Why do we behave like this?what kind of an impression we set for the people around us and especially when we are in a different country.If we are are in a queue we are almost falling over each other --in crude terms an orgy of sorts on the cards.Why don't we give space and enjoy that wait which would make life a lot better.Educated as we call ourselves we are brash and talk loudly on a cellphone that would beat the decibel barriers of the latest Sony home theatre system.If we move around a crowded place we knock someone out of his socks without the slightest hesitation or even consideration for an apology towards that poor soul, who wouldn't know what hit him or her. Walk into a lift or an elevator , see someone and least you can do is smile---it doesn't cost anything or say  hello or good morning .But  NO!

We will win a stiff lips competition hands down.Use a public utility and we are in a hurry there too unmindful of the tap on the basin that still isn't shut or the tissues provided strewn on the floor instead of the basket .Driving of course we can qualify to be hit and knocked off inspite of holding a valid license as most of them on the road do not possess a properly acquired one.Driving on the wrong side is an ego trip to show the world "RULES ARE   MEANT TO BE BROKEN".The cops ---a bunch of idiots who can be bought off like buying T-SHIRTS on fashion street.They slog the most at the worst of salaries and unhealthy /demanding circumstances and yet we have no respect for them.Responsibility yes every body claims to be when asked but accountability......hey whats that???This is not my job, why should I?Being a lady in this world does have its shares of eyeballs but in India its x-ray vision.The same people back home will talk about tradition and culture when it comes to the ladies in their house but once outside they are on a different trip.Talk about discipline and we have none.Be it parking a vehicle, honking in a no horn zone,playing music at odd hours and disturbing the surrounding locality,chucking garbage every where else except their own house.Why is this so?are we a different breed?

do we have " ma ka dood" that  is impure?or is it just that we want to be different?The same Indians however under the watchful electronic surveillance or when fined heavily and that too in euro or dollars fall in line like meek sheep.Only if we are fined, penalized, watched and pulled up do we follow rules and are in order,is it?And of course haven't we all since kindergarten days taught to do the same........remember the teachers telling us" stand in a line, keep quiet, sit down, no noise etc etc.......what happened thereafter?The great Indian education system that puts people in NASA,be heads of huge corporations, rich business men are these made of different blood?Wouldn't it be nice if we all portray the same image and culture and inspite of diversity back home project a disciplined cultured Indian globally!

What about the famous phrase' chalta hai' in anything we do.We suffer in quality and ethics and that's what pulls us back.We crib about everything but never exert to change .Point fingers and others when 3 fingers point at us.The Chinese lack English but are making serious efforts to overcome that and they have made a great headway.Watch out!!Every other product on display in the malls in the USA are carrying the :MADE IN CHINA" labels.I feel so sad ?Do we lack the the intent? are they so different?We work hard or hardly should I say and they work smart.They have  a plan and work towards it whereas we have individual agendas and a crab mentality.Rich heritage, beautiful country side, excellent landscapes and we can't capitalize on that whereas watch Mexico they develop an area where all hotels are built back to back along one long beach and only ensure they promote themselves showing cultures that are just 2000 years old and we sit carving love signs and spitting pan on the archeological sites and sculptures.Advertisements and hoardings are plastered all over towns and squares and ruins the look and feel of the places.Who cares?Only when the future generations start excavation that they will find that in the 21st century advertisements ruined the cities and will be preserved as specimens. 1.2 billion people,struggling to find medals in international tournaments but when it comes to black money we have the toppers in India.Why because we don't want to pay tax!Taxpayers money is anyway wasted.We lack the will , we don't have the spine to call a spade, a spade.We will remain paper tigers and try to face off with the real dragons who breathe real fire and ignite the power of the people.Its sad and it hurts to state this but we all know this only are we aware of it and does it matter to us.If yes then INDIA  will be a better place one day.

cruise sense

Travel......what a fascinating experience.People travel daily to work,once or twice a year on a holiday and frequently domestic or globally jet setting at a great pace.How many of us in spite of clocking thousands of jet miles pause to see what footprints have we left on the place and the people we met or visited.?Did we manage to make a difference?That small change that could make a world of a difference!But Lo!In this fast paced world who cares?

The way we dress, the way we speak and behave with the others ,what we talk in terms of content,how we portray the place where we belong and of course the basic etiquette's that go a long way in establishing relationships all these matter.We travel alone, sometimes with families and kids and many a times in groups if we are on a leisure trip.We do want to escape the grind and let our selves free ,agreed -but then when we travel through landscapes and meet cultures of varying backgrounds, religions, customs,we ought to pause and absorb the good out there and rub off a few good things from our end there.Make a difference.Add value to what ever one does and this is the opportunity one has to make this world a better place.We need to shed our mindsets and travel deep within the minds and explore the nerve centers of humans that create these differences.We need to break these artificial walls and minimize the conflicts so that peace prevails.We don't need only the UN to do that.All of us can make this happen if we have the will to do so.We talk of world peace, we talk about a border less world---virtually yes,but  in reality???We create the demons and then instigate them to keep the world guessing about what they would do next?

It doesn't matter where we are, Somalia, Niger, India, Pakistan or Iceland its just the meaningful connection that we must work towards to make this a peaceful place for the next generations.We have our responsibilities and we must be accountable for them.Do we sense the dangers lurking when Japan had a major disaster,or the US had a series of occasions where nature let its fury be known,Iceland spewing venom and throwing the airline industry of gear across the world.Global warming is going to wash of small islands and countries in the next 50 years.We don't have time and we need to heed and pay attention to these signals.These are clear indications of things to come for which we have no answers..If we add fuel to fire and make things worse for us and the next generations then we are committing suicide.If we don't wish to learn and share our own experience and break these barriers and come close we are doomed.Travel companies, airlines, hospitality industry,cruise lines can all contribute positively in a big way to make this happen.That is one big opportunity to address the masses and bring them closer to reality spread the message of peace and harmony ..If we leave the world in the hands of a few elected politicians to think for us we are doomed.Expecting them to unite the world is living in a fools paradise.Its only the common man ,with; a sincere intent, utilizing his time to spread the message and bring about the awareness amongst the people and make them realize the truth can make that happen.We are adding to the population, we are adding weight on this earth that is bursting at its seams and to top that under the guise of science add nukes and weapons of mass destruction.

Pause and give yourself quality time to think and make that difference.We all need it.We have limited time to debate and need to act and show.Without ulterior motives one needs to stretch ones self to make this happen.

With the wheels of time turning every second counts and while I blog we have spent quite a few.Add the population and it adds up to tons of man hours.Messengers and ambassadors of peace representing various organizations need to think of harnessing the people power and not dream of making this world a better place by visiting Africa and hitting headlines on electronic or print media.We are adding millions of cars a year, consuming tons of fuel, spitting out volumes of smoke and spending money in inventing alternate energy sources to keep the business and economy ball rolling.Where will it reach?Isn't this suicide?We are sitting at one end of the world and igniting passion and fear,fanning negative sentiments and pushing smaller; economies for individual gains down the gutter.Will that help?Is it right to just follow blindly?We don't wish to learn and keep making the same errors.Why are we so adamant?Who wants to prove a point against the inevitable?Then why can't we make life better and give the coming generations a chance to cruise.Is it not cruise sense?

Wherever we see space and opportunity we are wanting to fill it up?China and India are the best bets to mess up with as all other regions are stagnating and suffering the consequences be it employment, family values,etc.So we do the same to them.What after that? North pole is melting away anyway and before we realise the seals and the penguins will be in China and India in the Zoo.

Please make a difference or else it would be too late to turn around.All it takes is 8 Richter on the scale or a Tsunami near a nuclear reactor apart from the illogical jihads which help nobody and only make this world sink day by day.Bond with the people, forget the differences as we will be able to enjoy more and live a better quality life and make it still better for our kids.reach out as much as you can, use every opportunity to connect with your neighbors,soon.We are the world , we are the people,its we who are going to make that happen............u and me.