Ms Babita Parwah

Since last few months I have been more time working on my Computer with Broadband connection. From Banking to research everything can be done easily. Easy and helpful. However, with more usage gave me some problems.

So my optometrist and physiotherapist gave some sound advice. Every 10 minutes stop. Relax. Look away at that wall and focus on calendar. Again start working. I found a better solution. Just look outside the window to my left. Green and luscious Peepal Tree and giving him company is slender Neem Tree. Few birds dancing and chirping and singing. Good break and back to business.

Life can not be normal. If it is normal it is not Life. I was getting irritated by the blue rock pigeons or Parwah as they call locally in Marathi. They are very romantic and since sunrise to sunset the gutter-goo goes on. Any season is good for them, just like humans. Being allergic to many things and scared of the bird flue, I scared them away with all the energy and enthusiasm of a young guy.

Over a period of time, one particular parwah whom I named Babita targeted our window with a grill as best accommodation to start her family. She and her boyfriend who had a look of unemployed guy with good sense of humour.

Then around Navarathri one day in morning when I went to work on my computer, I got shock. This pigeon Ms Babita had laid an egg. Oh My God! Fait Accompli!!! She knew possession is half ownership in Mumbai. No government can evict her. If this was not enough, next day one more egg. I rushed to my library to check from Salim Ali's Book of Birds and was relieved to know that was all. Two is max.

Next 3 weeks was total change of scene. The sunrise to sunset gutter-goo stopped. The husband and wife took 12 hours shifts to sit quietly without sound on the eggs and incubate them. Nature tell us that if we wish to create something we need faith, patience and commitment.

Then the babies came out and both parents started feeding them. The kids were too smart and they used to together put their heads inside the parents mouth to eat whatever was available. As the feathers came out, the learning started.

Parents preened and cleaned themselves and cleaned kids too. The parents were quite strict and tough on kids to teach discipline. Once when they were noisy, Ms Babita only just made one sound that both went silent and asked for forgiveness and went her her. Mothers are best teachers and they know when to be strict and when to be liberal. Why is it so?

Ms Babita Parwah with new born

Veer Chakra and Vijaya Dashami (Dussehra)

Today is the Vijaya Dashami. Day to remember our heroes. I am moved to share this with you today.

It is normal for me to take a 16:03 fast train from Thane to Dadar twice a week. It reaches Platform No.6 @ 16:29 and this time the station is quite relaxed and not crowded. I walk past the Station Master's Office under renovation and take a cab to my destination.

Last month while strolling towards the exit, I realized suddenly that my shoes needed bit of attention. Stopped at shoe shine box and allowed the guy to do his best with a smile. Normally, during such activity @ CST, my attention is drawn to the busy crowds flowing and rushing past me. Here @ Dadar, I was facing a granite wall.

Suddenly, my attention was caught by a brass plate with Government of India emblem @ my eye level. I read the inscription on the plate. It read as follows:

Flt Lft Pradyot Dastidar
Awarded Veer Chakra on 15th September, 1965
For exceptional Bravery on West Front (Pakistan)
This plate is installed in honour of him here in Dadar Station as
his residence is just 2 km away @ Parel.

Veer Chakra is 3rd Highest honour for bravery during war after Param Veer
Chakra and Mahaveer Chakra.

Before moving on, I stopped and gave my salute to my brother Pradyot. His bravery and courage allows me to live a good life. Most importantly, he gave his best without a thought
to the consequences. India is made of these heroes, which make me a proud Indian.

After reaching home, tried to know more about this great hero of Mother India. The details are as follows:

Sqn Ldr(Retd) Pradyot Dastidar, Veer Chakra

On 15th September 1965, Flt Lt Pradyot Dastidar was detailed as the navigator of target marking aircraft to lead a massive attack on the heavily defended Peshawar airfield. Visibility was so bad that he could see the airfield only when he was directly overhead. As soon as he dropped a flare to see the target, the anti-aircraft guns opened up a heavy barrage. Undaunted by the shells and tracers he made a steady run and marked the target for the bombing stream coming behind. Then he turned around to see his bomb, while the anti-aircraft guns were firing and shells were bursting around him. After sighting the target indicating bomb, he passed the bombing index to the leader of the stream. He left the vicinity of the airfield only after he had confirmed that the leader of the stream had understood the bombing index. In this and seven other missions, Flt Lt Pradyot Dastidar displayed courage and skill of a high order.

--

Loving Dogs

To begin with, well, the Dogs are nice.Don't you think so. Much nicer than human beings. More consistent. More loyal. They, also, listen better.

Research shows that you live longer if you have a dog. When you come home after a terrible day, dogs wag their tails, happy to see you again. They actually wait for you to come home. How many spouses do the same ???

Dogs know instinctively when you are down and they try their best to lick your worries away. Dogs work for us and demand very little salary. A little dry kibble and a sqeaky toy, that's about it. They can keep you warm at night and keep one eye open for the burglar at the same time.

Dogs help us by sniffing bombs planted by evil bombers and save lives during earthquakes and building collapses and lost skiers. They become our eyes if we go blind. Dogs do whatever we ask, whenever. Yet, the truth is, we have so much to learn from them. Above all they know how to play. Something we have forgotten long ago. For Dog life is fun. Just smelling life makes their juices flow. Waking up in the morning is incredible experience for a dog. It's being Alive! Is it any wonder that we like any Ad which has dog in it ?

Advertising legend Lee Clow takes his German shepherd to work. Students and Teachers at reputed Miami Ad school bring their dogs to school too. They use dogs to select the students. If a prospective student comes to the school and shows fear or disrespect to the pup at the door, they send the prospect to another school. Smudge, the chocolate Labrador Retriever and the official school Mascot , wanders in and out of the classrooms, sits on the sofa and listens attentively.

It is high time the HR starts using Dogs in the selection process in corporate world. It may be good tool to find good team players.

One of the Hindu Gods Dattatreya takes Dog as his Guru.

To end this dog story, as my Father said: 'More I look at Man, More I love My Dog'. So next time you meet one give him your Smile.

Aditya Vikram Birla - The real Sun of India

Today I am inspired to share this true story from Living Legend of India Dr V N Shrikhande from Mumbai.

Sometime in 1981 got a call from Mr Birla to meet him. When I met, he immediately explained that his sickness was not my domain of expertize however the reason for meeting was that he had heard about my unique thought process from my students.

I met him once but he remembered me and got a new year diary with my name duly embossed from him. Once I had to speak on topic 'Excellence in Medical Profession' and happen to see his thoughts on excellence.

I wrote a small note to Mr Birla. My secretary told me, not to waste your time writing to such a busy man. I told her, I do not expect any reply but let me communicate. Matter ends there, once I finish my letter. Surprisingly, within 10 days got reply from him:

Quote:

Dear Dr Shrikhande:
Thank you for your charming, educative and inspiring letter of January 9th. I agree wholeheartedly with whatever you have written.

You will be surprised, what is true for you as a doctor is also relevant to me as a business man. There is great similarity. Many of the paragraphs reflect thoughts that I often propagate to my colleagues.

It was refreshing, reassuring and very enlightening to go through your letter.

Unquote:

After many months he spotted me in a party hosted by the Governor of Maharashtra. He introduced his wife Mrs Rajashree. He told her: You remember my correspondence over excellence with Dr Shrikhande. Here he is.

I realized why these people become Leaders and people love to follow them with smiling face.

Taken from: Autobiography of Dr V N Shrikhande in Marathi: ....Anee Doan Haat. Popular Publications. Mumbai

Viktor the Victor

Dr B K Goyal. The Living Legend

A grand mother was alone @ JFK Airport of New York returning back after assisting her daughter during maternity. The Maharastrian lady was quite emotional remembering her grandson and wanted to call her daughter and inform her that everything was okay and flight was getting ready.
Alone and being a first time traveller, her anxiety was quite high.

A tall, handsome Indian gentleman approached her and asked: 'May I help you?'. She said to herself, God has come to help me. She told him that she wants to talk to her daughter and I am totally confused and lost.

'Don't cry, Don't cry...come with me. He took her to the telephone Booth and helped her to make the call. He helped her with luggage and even changed his seat next to her till Mumbai. During that flight he talked and made her comfortable till she went to sleep.

Later while departing he gave her his card and told her to come to him if she needs any help. Repeatedly till they parted away. She discovered that he was son in law of Dr Muranjan whom this lady knew.

This gentleman was Dr B K Goyal. A real living legend worth a Bharat Ratna. It is persons like this which makes our country great and us proud of ourselves.

Taken from autobiography of Mrs Nirmala Deshpande titled in Marathi: Bhali Gondan Chandan: Publisher: Popular Prakashan. Incidentally, Mrs Deshpande happens to be neighbour of SachinTendulkar's family for many years and close friend of his father late Prof Ramesh Tendulkar.

Monsoon Magic @ Kihim Beach, Alibaug

Last 40 years or more been experiencing the joy of monsoon magic in and around Mumbai. This year it was Kihim just across the Gateway of India where all the Page 3 people have cottages. The area is dense with forest greenery and coconut orchards. Paradise on earth.

Started @ 7 am with 5 close friends and we stopped @ Wadkhal Naka @ Kshoodha Shanti Gruha for a hearty breakfast. Kshoodha Shanti Gruha means Home for Bringing Calmness to Hungry Stomach. We ordered 5 Missal Pav's and 1 Ussal Wada with hot and fresh Laadi Paav. Ussal Wada is fresh and crisp Batata Wada floating in hot & spicy Ussal with local flavours. We got some crispy Kanda Bhajia's with Gun powder. Gun powder is Raigad version of red chutney given by Mumbai Wadapav vendor. Here, they add bit of roasted chana powder to make it more meaningful. You break that Kanda Bhajia and dip into Gun powder and......be happy. Washed down all the stuff with Adrak chai. Param Sukh!!!! Param Sukh!!!!!!!!

Then we moved to Sai Sanidhya Resort which is 2 minutes walk away from the Beach. Ninad who is a qualified professional with a degree in hospitality management runs the show. He is tall, dark, handsome, smiling and a gentleman. He treats each customer as God and fortunately he has discovered early in his career who are his CUSTOMERS.

In order to enhance our pleasure we got some pure water of Carlsberg and holy water from Scotland and Red colour Drakshasav from Dindori (Nasik).

For Lunch he served us special hot chappaties which are prepared with wheat flour and stuffed with rice flour. It is a delicacy never tested before. Great Chicken curry and Gulab jamuns to end the lunch.

For Dinner he served us with freshly fried Surmai and Crab Curry with Rice Bhakri and to end the creamy vermicelli pudding garnished with dry fruits. Let me not describe the great breakfast and invite your envy.

The joy of monsoon picnic is enjoyed in following way: Let me try to describe it in words:

1. The smell of water soaked and satisfied mother earth. A unique smell coming from paddy fields and water drenched trees.

2. The sensation of sharp rain drops hitting your face on the Beach. Plodding through the water puddles and jumping there and splashing it.

3. Hearing the sound of Silence, Rain, birds and the ocean. Within minutes our mind calms down so much @ zero cost. Why is that so? Ask this question to friends and no satisfactory answer come to me.

4. Joy of looking @ the cloudy sky. Every changing moment to moment. If one is lucky we may get bit of sunshine too for a moment. The joy of looking at giant waves coming to shore and wetting my feet. This is ultimate.

5. Great local food. Fresh, organic, hot. We unanimously agree that it is worthwhile to drive down to Kihim just for great food and nothing else. Those who are sea food lovers: Breaking News! This time of the year one can enjoy a special fish called Jitada only available here. But the problem is it is rare and very expensive. If you are really chosen one you may get it. We did not!!!

Ninad has a website www.sannidhya.com or you can call him on his cell +919822999085.

Promised Ninad to come again and asked him the best time to visit Kihim exclusively for Sea Food. He told shocking to visit during Navratri. The best and testiest sea food is available during that time and he says the most of the Bengali's from Mumbai make it a point to come down during that time.