சென்னை புத்தகக் காட்சி

இன்னும் இரண்டு நாளே என்று உணர்ந்து, முதல் நாள் சுரத்தை மறந்து, இன்றைய லேசான காய்ச்சலை மறைத்து , மனைவி முறைத்ததை தவிர்த்து,  முறைத்த பின்னும், நூல்களின் மேல் கொண்ட தீராத தாகத்தால் , நேற்று சென்னையில் நடக்கும் 35வது புத்தகக் காட்சிக்கு போனேன் - இப்படியெல்லாம் சொன்னால் எனக்குப் பிடித்த ஆசிரியர் சுஜாதா, திட்டுவார்- எப்படி ? இதெல்லாம் உடான்சு என்று ! நிஜமேன்னவோ, இந்த முறை ஏதாவது சில நூலாசிரியர்களைப் பார்ப்போமா என்ற ஆவல். ஆனால் புத்தகத்தை விட , புத்தகக் காட்சி மேல் கண்டிப்பாக ஒரு மோகம் உண்டு. இல்லையென்றால் டிசெம்பர் மாதத்தில் இருந்தே twitteரிலும், facebookகிலும் சென்னை காட்சி  எப்பொழுது எப்பொழுது  என்று பல முறை நச்சரிதிருக்க மாட்டேன்- யாரும் பதில் சொல்லை வில்லை என்பதெல்லாம் இப்ப தேவையில்லாத விஷயம் ! 

கண்டிப்பாக இதை ஒரு மோகமாகத்தான் வளர்த்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறேன் . இல்லையென்றால் ஆறாவது புத்தகக்  காட்சியில் இருந்து , கிட்டத்தட்ட "1979' ல் இருந்து போய்க்கொண்டிருக்கிறேன். அப்பெல்லாம் அண்ணா சாலையில் , ஸ்பென்சர் எதிரில் உள்ள  ஆர்ட்ஸ் காலேஜ்  மைதானத்தில் நடக்கும். நண்பர்கள் பட்டாளத்துடன் முதலில் ஒரு முன்னோட்டம்,  சில புத்தகங்களை தேர்வு  செய்து விட்டு , அடுத்த முறை அவைகள் இருந்தால், அதற்கான சில்லறையை தேத்த முடிந்தால், வாங்கி விடுவேன். திரும்பி திரும்பி அணுகி , நன்று முடிப்பது தானே அணுகுமுறை. தெரிந்தவர்கள்  கொஞ்சம் சொல்லுங்கள் - அந்தக் காலத்தில் இதெல்லாம் அவ்வளவு பத்தாது , எங்களுக்கு. எதோ சினிமாவோட சரி. 

சரி விஷயத்துக்கு வருவோம் . எதிர்பார்த்த அளவு கொஞ்சம் கூட்டம் அதிகம், ஆனால் சமாளிக்க முடியாதபடி அல்ல. சுமார் மூன்று மணி நேரத்தில் எல்லா ஸ்டாலையும் ஓரளவு பார்க்க முடிந்தது. ஏகப்பட்ட  தமிழ்ப் புத்தகங்கள் , நிறைய கணினி சமாச்சாரங்கள், ரொம்ப நாளாக கடையில் மட்டுமே பார்த்துக்  கொண்டிருக்கின்ற கண்ணதாசனின் "அர்த்தமுள்ள இந்து மதம் " பத்து பாகங்களும் கொண்ட ஒரே புத்தகம் கிடைத்தது - சந்தோஷமாக வாங்கினேன். நிறைய ஸ்டால்களில் பிரதானமாக "சுஜாதா புத்தகங்கள் கிடைக்கும்" என்ற போர்டுகள் தொங்கின . காஞ்சிபுரம் ஸ்டால் காற்று வாங்க கேண்டின் நிரம்பி வழிந்தது- இன்னும் விலைப் பட்டியல் பார்க்கலை போல . வாங்குகிற புத்தகங்களை நிதானமாக அசை போட்டு சுவைத்து செரிக்கலாம், ஆனால் கேண்டின் விஷயத்தில் விலையினால் செரிமான  பிரச்சினை  இருக்கும் என்று தோணுது. 

சோவின் "இந்து மகா சமுத்திரம்" - ரொம்ப நாட்களாகத தேடியது கிடைத்தது. என்னுடன் வந்தவர்கள் சில ரமணரின் புத்தகங்கள் , சில கிரிக்கெட் சமாச்சாரங்கள் என்று மணிக்கணக்கில் சுத்தியத்தில் வயிறு பசித்தது, கால் வலித்தது ஆனால் மனசு மட்டு சந்தோஷமாய் இருந்தது . எதிர்பார்த்தபடியே சில பல பிரபங்களையும் பார்க்க முடிந்தது. ஞானி அவர்கள், மனுஷ்ய புத்திரன் , ஒரு தென் சென்னை அரசியல் தலைவர் குடும்பத்துடன், நடிகரிலிருந்து ஒரு அப்பாவாக டக்கராக ப்ரமோஷன் ஆன "சித்ரா லக்ஷ்மணன் " அவர்கள், மற்றும் சிலர் ஆனால் பெயர் தெரியவில்லை. 

 ஆனால் எதோ நெருடியது - கூடை கூடையை கொட்டிக் கிடக்கும் ஆங்கிலப் புத்தகங்கள் எங்கே? Stephen Covey புத்தகமே எங்கு தேடியும் கிடைக்கவில்லை !   சென்னை மக்களின் தமிழ் தாகம் நன்றாகத்தான் இருக்கு , ஆனால் அதற்காக ஆங்கிலத்தை விட முடியுமா? 

ஒன்று மட்டும் புரியவில்லை. புத்தகங்களுக்குப் போட்டியாக எங்கு பார்த்தாலும் ஒரே துண்டுப் பிரசுரங்கள். இது தேவையா. நுழையும் போதே கண்டிப்பாக எதையோ திணிக்க , இலவசமாகக் கிடைக்கும் எதையுமே வேண்டாம் என்றே சொல்லத் தெரியாத நாமோ வாங்கிப் படித்து விட்டு அதை அப்படியே போட, சென்னை மாநகராட்சி புது துப்புரவாளர்கள் வேற இப்பத்தான் மலையாய் குவிந்த குப்பைகளை அகற்றிக் கொண்டிருக்கிறார்கள், அவர்கள் எப்பொழுது வருவார்களோ என்ற கவலையில் நாம் மலைக்க, ஒரே குழப்பம். ஒரு சின்ன ஆலோசனை , ஏன் இந்தத் துண்டுப் பிரசுரங்களை எல்லாம் ஒரு இடத்தில் வைத்து, தேவைப்பட்டவர்கள் மட்டும், அதை எடுத்தால் இந்தக் குப்பையை  தவிர்க்கலாமே ?  நம்   நாட்டில் ஆலோசனை தான் இலவசமாக கொடுக்க முடியும். எதோ என் பங்குக்கு ஒன்று கொடுத்துருக்கேன் . மற்றபடி புத்தகக் கண்காட்சி என்னவோ வழக்கம் போல நன்றாகத்தான் இருந்தது. .

மார்கழி மாதத்தை ஒட்டி வரும் இன்னும் ஒரு நல்ல சமாச்சாரம் இந்தக் கண்காட்சி. மனம் இப்பவே அடுத்த டிசம்பருக்கு  ஏங்குது - அதுவரைக்கும் வாங்கியவற்றை படிப்போம் 

Thanks, for the feedback !

  This is being addressed to some of my friends & well wishers who regularly read my blog posts and also come out with their feedback and suggestions, which I value very much.

One such friend of mine has provided his feedback , that he had put into action some of the suggestions on financial planning posted by me about a year ago ! I am really delighted on many counts:

It reemphasizes the need for the blog author to keep airing his thoughts and not lose sleep about lack of feedback. In the current day busy situations, people may read at will (even after a year or when there is a necessary!) , may read but will not be responding etc.,

My initial beliefs are cemented that my little experiences shall be helpful for some and it seem to be coming true. I also get many mail feedback and this spurs me to share more and more.

Thank you all, for standing there and patting and correcting me! My only request is "Please post your feedback / comments/ suggestions in the Blog itself". Of course, any personal queries could be directed to my mail.

  

Please find the extract of the feedback below:

From: XXX
To: Kapaleeswaran <mail2kapali@yahoo.com> 
Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 8:54 PM
Subject: Re: XX 

Sir,

Thank you very much for your prompt response and all the help. I will keep you updated as and when there is any update.

Also, as  a side note, I want to let you know something. I had read one of your blogs about Planning & Savings - written a year back exactly - and it really motivated me to ensure that I have a good retirement nest egg. I have started different monthly SIP's in diversified equity MFs, started RDs for sons education, opened 3 PPF accounts in mine, wife's and son's name (and deposit Rs XXX  in each account every month), have a term insurace for XX lakhs and have taken a medi claim of XX lakhs per annum for the our family and am buying 1 gram Gold ETF's every month.

When I look back now, it looks like a very good start as I am only 31, and I really intend to keep this disciplined approach till I retire. Thanks for all the advises based on your vast experience. Its really nice to know someone like you...

Best Regards,

XXX

At Chennai Passport Office

Recently I was happy to read an interview with the Regional Passport Officer of Chennai, that the office went out of the way to accommodate and issue passport to an elderly couple, who were grieved and had to urgently travel. Like the young and energetic face of the young bureaucrat  the news also brought a whiff of fresh air to the whole process. On any other day, this interview would have been browsed away, but situation was so much of a contradiction to my experiences there and that is precisely why it caught my attention and the urge for me to share my thoughts. In fact, I wanted to pen down my thoughts and experiences at the Chennai Regional Passport office (RPO) some months back but has been postponing it and this article has rekindled my desire to share. 

In Aug 2011, I had to visit the office at Sasthri Bhavan for renewal of passport and as advised by friends, we were there in the queue by 7 AM, even though there were already more than 50 ahead of us. I wonder whether they would have come last night, as some were blear-eyed  and red shot and indicating lack of sleep! The serpentine queue was directed to stand in an open place and I was praying that the previous day's rain should not revisit.  

We were handed a token along with a terse instruction to come after two hours. When we were allowed in, we had to hurry to get hold of a seat as otherwise, one has to stand. There were three counters operating with the token numbers being displayed like in Banks. One counter was almost static, nobody knew why, but otherwise the line was moving. After a near two hours wait, we reached a place which lead to another series of counters where there was absolute pandemonium. There were no directions, no display boards and we did not know why we were standing, whether this will lead to another counter etc., Thoughts were running wild but not the line. It was  already past 1:30 PM and suddenly all the counters downed their shutters and we were told that the staff will reassemble after a 30 minutes lunch break, Everyone was aghast, sighing, cursing and doing everything to express their impotent rage as some of us had not even had our breakfast for the fear of missing the queue.

While waiting for the staff to satiate their appetite, I was perplexed to see a notice stuck  " System is running slow hence delay in billing. Inconvenience regretted" . The notice appeared to be a old one but the message seems to be applicable at all times !!

I was in for a greater shock when I observed another notice, which read " All Demand Drafts should bear Specimen signature number. Demand draft without SS no will not be accepted".  The growing hunger , the limbs coming apart after hours of standing, the foul smell of stench and filth- one could see pawn spat across all corners - were all capped by this ridiculous statement. A person can only make sure that he has made the payment and it is for the bank to ensure that all related formalities like specimen signature number and double signatures are taken care of. I wish someone challenge this statement and I would like to see the authorities giving a written communication rejecting acceptance of such Demand Drafts !

Now, there is no point in just complaining, I could hear people say, how to get over this ?

 RPO could provide some semblance of a cover to protect the public from rain or shine. I could see many senior citizens, pregnant women, mothers with infants in the queue and I was only wondering what will they do in case of rain !

RPO could more prominently display and educate the public on the various steps involved in the process, so that people are aware of their status even while they are waiting in the line.

Provide enough fans and if possible A/C atmosphere as the wait is for many hours. The place is so congested and nasty, it resembles the general ward of a Government Hospital with its accompanying filth and foul smell. One could see people squatting everywhere including the staircase, making it difficult for others to even move. One wonders what will happen should there be a fire here. It's time the authorities think of emergency measures too, at such a populated place.

If the service is for 7 hours (say), no one expects the staff to work continuously, but at the same time the public also cannot be made to wait unnecessarily. A better management would have thought of staggering the working hours and lunch hours of the staff, so that there is continuous service and the public is not put to any discomfort. They can take the cue from railways and banks where it is being done very successfully. Not sure whether people are not aware of this or nobody has applied their minds on this inconvenience. 

As for demand drafts, would suggest that the offending notice board is removed immediately, if not done already. Let the RPO note that it is the responsibility of the bank to honor such DDs and am sure no learned bank will return such instruments. In my opinion, the RPO has no right to insist on this. My  learned Banking and Legal friends agree and if required the RPO could check with RBI too.

Being an unashamed optimist, when I hear that the RPOs are being opened at various locations in Chennai, I hope that the above would have been taken care of. If so, let my noting remain for posterity and if not let the concerned act on such simple, resolvable discomforts to the public. After all it is for the public who seek RPO's assistance in complying with the travel requirements and RPO shall meet the requirements to the satisfaction of the general public. Unfortunately, there seem to be a confusion between the public and the public servant- it is time to sort this out!


Updated at 6:40 PM IST :


Singer Suchi has tweeted that she was at the passport office today and is "proud of the Passport services in my city". Hope these are also take care of !

My New Year Gift

As posted elsewhere in this blog, I have a habit of extracting the sayings, quotations and impressive sentences from any book I read and this collection called 'Takeaway' has now crossed 75 pages. This is a collection of thoughts by various authors and I draw inspiration by periodically browsing through this collection. Whenever I am in a different mood or during mood swings, when I go through the occasional depressions and low points, I have found this handbook very supportive and after going through some of the pages I will definitely be more charged and this is my trusted companion now for years. These are from such illustrious thinkers and personalities of eminence whose thoughts are worthy of emulation and the authors range from Veda Vysa, Valmiki,  Mahathma Gandhi , Winston Churchill, Benjamin Franklin,  Robin Sharma, T T Rangarajan, Paramacharya, Mark Twain, Confucius  to name a few.

During my recent visit to this book, I was wondering why should not I customize this reading in such a way that instead of my reaching for the book let the sayings float before me perennially .  Making use of the technology available which is waiting to serve, I decided that a better way will be to put them in small readable bullet point lists and make slides, which could also be made as a screensaver. I experimented with the idea for some time and it seem to meet my purpose.

I thought it was a good idea to keep sharing such PowerPoint slides periodically to all my well wishers, my friends connected through various social networking groups and also to the followers of my blog. But then, however close one is , it is not necessary that all my likings are to be liked by others. So, my forwarding the same could also be construed as unnecessary mail traffic by some and I wouldn't fault if some think so. So, I have decided to share these slides only to those who are interested.

I presume, the very purpose of the social networks and blogs are to share the good that we have and receive such good ones from others too. So, those who are interested (in receiving a slide periodically say every fortnight) could  express your willingness by making a comment in this blog or can also mail me at: mail2kapali@gmail.com . I will be extremely pleased to share my peace and bliss and will be more happy if it could please you, too.

This I feel is the best gift to start the year 2012.  

Bye 2011

Towards the end of every year the tempo starts building up peaking to a crescendo on  the eve of the New year and this I have been witnessing for the past 55 years. No doubt, every year brings up new cheer,  new expectations, new challenges and new resolutions. It is this expectation, the forgiveness of not reaching the last years' goals & resolutions, the hope of scaling newer peaks that keeps the people alive to the expectations of the new year round the corner. Coming to think of it God's greatest gifts to mankind are Hopes and forgetfulness and these keeps the momentum going.

Though I am past the days of expecting wild turnarounds round the corner, the inquisitive  me  makes me also to think about what had happened in the bygone year .

As usual life was a roller coaster ride and last year was no exception. But, it was more like the stock the market with its unpredictable elements which tempted me to look for the bulls and bears of the year. I believe those thoughts that instantly bring cheer to you , without much analysis, are the high points of  a year.

I was fortunate to read some good books in both English and Tamil. The titles that come to my mind instantly are  Ilamayil Kol (Sujatha), Last Lecture ( Randy Pausch), TCS Story (Ramadorai), More Salt than Pepper (Karan Thapar), Irul Piriyum Neram (Sujatha), Two States (Chetan Bhagat), I Dare (Kiran Bedi) apart from the useful monthly issues of 'Frozen Thoughts'.

From the entertainment front, I could entertain myself with some very good movies and 'awfully gone wrong' movies, more with the hype created than it's worth. I became more occupied with interaction across the world through social networking sites and my blog also witnessed a considerable increase in the posts. I was exposed to a plethora of websites particularly in Tamil, which was a great revelation. It was heartening to note that there is a bottomless pit across the web space waiting to be explored and the world wide web promises to be a literary companion, for years to come.

My spirits hit the roof when India re-conquered the cricketing world after 28 years by winning the World Cup again and I felt this time the competition was more intense, the players were more mature and the game was more watchable due to the improved technology. As I had also witnessed the 1983 crown, I felt more blessed to witness the regaining of the paradise.

For the spiritual accompaniment I had such illustrious masters such as Suki Sivam, Sudha Seshayyan, Velukkudi Krishnan Swamy and electronically I could interact with many more such as Visaka Hari and Balakrishna Sastrigal. Apart from these, the weekly interludes with Rangarajan and his books opened up newer vistas. The exploration of this virgin land of spirituality is , I feel the major gain of the year.

Delightful visits to Kodaikanal and Top Slip were the travel highlights of the year. While Kodai offered its usual pleasant chillness in the maddening May month's heat, Top Slip in December gave some really chilling moments. The better planned holidays in the western Ghats provided some rare dharshan of the Aliyar center of Vedathri Maharishi and a panoramic view of the Aliyar Dam. Though Val Paarai was a disappointment against the high expectations, the sole night atop a tree house bang in the middle of the forest was frightening. An unforgettable night of pitch darkness with the shining eyes of wild boars and bison added more chill when informed that a cheetah was sighted only a few days before. Not sure whether the chillness and trembling were due to the December weather or the surroundings but some better security precautions by the Government for the high paid inmates of the tree top houses could have definitely brought some warmth to the situation. Notwithstanding the above, it was still a vacation to cherish.

Brush with governmental agencies for some documents was a new addition to my experience repertoire. Optimistically one would like to call it as an experience while I would personally like to term it as repulsive and will be blessed if not exposed again.

On the personal front, losing my brother to a well fought disease was a big blow wiping out all the positives of the year but then, this gave another direction in expecting the unexpected.

I normally do not set goals for the perennial fear of not meeting it year after year.  But, I do stop and mull over briefly to review the bygones and guard against the misadventures and the above was an attempt on those lines. I recall a good saying of Benjamin Franklin on resolutions : ' Resolve to perform what you ought; Perform without fail what you resolve'.

Yes, I have miles to Go, I have mounds of energy, heaps of hope and abundant confidence in me, people around and the one above. That makes me to beckon 2012 with all the verve.

Happy New Year and God Bless!