Happy 2011

Happy New Year!

Happy 2011!!

Happy Today! Happy Tomorrow! Happy Every day!!

We wish everyone we meet well. We wish all our friends and family and acquaintances well too - all the time, whether we meet them or not. So what's so new about Jan 1st? Or Ugadi day - for that matter ?

As some of the folks that know me are aware - I would much prefer Ugadi day to Jan 1st - any day! Not that I don't wish Happy New Year on Jan 1st. I did. I do. I will. But when I wish some folks (mostly family and other like minded friends) the thought of Ugadi being a more authentic New Year Day inevitably occurs at the back of my mind - almost always.

Nevertheless - I think Jan 1st is no less significant. For one thing - the Jan - Dec calendar is so ingrained in our daily lives that we literally live by it day in and day out. My mom completely lives by the Telugu/Lunar calendar (well - almost 90%) - being from old school. She still talks in Chaitram, Vaisakham..., pADyami, vidiya, pourNami etc... and takes a few seconds to relate it to Solar calendar for any chronological details. There are others in the family who live that life. They ruled the roost until a few decades ago - but we rarely see such people now. Almost 90% can't even tell all the lunar months - let alone in order. Nor do they know the tithis for that matter.

Given this great influence of the Gregorian Calendar on mankind (or shall we call man(un)kind?!) - it's no wonder Jan 1st usurped the New Year's Day mantle from Yugadi Day. But what fascinates me is that the Lunar Calendar didn't need correction in over several millennia - where as the Western Calendar underwent several corrections over the past 2000 years. The latest being on Sept 2nd 1752, when people in England slept for 12 days. Not too long ago, in the history of time, one might say.

Anyway - given the current influence of Jan 1st - Happy New Year! Happy today, tomorrow and every day!!

I am at peace!

Swasti!!

How long is the year NEW?

When I talk to some of my friends or colleagues, for the first time this year - the conversation starts with the 'Happy New Year' wish. Even on Jan 19th. I don't mind..and wish the other person the same and even better :)

How long is the year new? When does it get old - or rather, not new any more?! Does it take a second conversation to get past that opening sentence/wish? Or does it really have to be February before people drop that wish from their conversations?! Or is it done by the last week of January (feeling that we are already at the end of the first month?!) Any ideas?! What's the cut off...if any?! What say you all?!

In this context, I remember one of my English teachers from my early school days saying - we should not talk any more after we say 'Good Night'! And I used to follow that scrupulously (as a kid - not now :) ) Has any of you heard that before?! What do you think of that?!

Anyway - to those I haven't talked to, this year, yet - Happy New Year!!
And to all of you - Good Night!!

Swasti!!

Too long...

Chandra has a natural affinity to academics. He loves reading, writing, math etc. Datta is quite the opposite. He complains 'but it takes tooo long' for everything. Today, he's supposed to write 5 letters (QRSTU) in his Pre-K workbook. After an hour - of which 50+ minutes was spent playing around, 6 minutes spent whining and 4 minutes writing - I checked into his work - and he finished writing only two letters.

I asked him to write 'S' as well - but he said he will write two today and two tomorrow. I asked him to write S and T today, so he can write two more tomorrow. And he gave his favorite answer - 'but naannaa... it takes toooo long'.

I said to Usha: 'If we tell him that he has to study in school/college for 18 years, he probably won't even get started with school. Shall I tell him?!" We both had a hearty laugh...and I have to see how I can make enjoy writing. hmm.... writing...and enjoy... tough proposition for Datta for sure :)

Swasti!!

da Gama Day

This year's Columbus Day in the US - Monday 12th October - made me wonder what ever happened to Vasco da Gama and his setting foot on India. As we know, Christopher Columbus set sail in 1492 A.D. looking for India in the Asian continent. He overly underestimated the earth's circumference - so much so that he ended up in the Bahamas islands, almost 1/2 the earth away from India. However his life is celebrated widely.

And then we have Vaso da Gama - who set sail in search of trading with India - and landed up in Calicut on 20th May 1498. Bulls Eye!! But nobody cares for him today!

Is the new world saying: Nothing succeeds like failure ?!

True, Columbus' failure musta prodded, motivated and excited Vasco to try another route and finally reach his target. Whatever the case - can we have a da Gama Day on May 20th every year - to celebrate the success of Vasco, and give him his rightful due?

Swasti!!