MIDWAY film

Just back from Prashanthi Nilayam, after a blissful five days during Sports & Cultural Meet, Sankranthi festival 

Got this from couple of friends... 

This video is about an island in the ocean at 2000 km from any other coast line.Nobody lives there, only birds and yet. You will not believe your eyes! This film should be seen by the entire world, please don't throw anything into the sea. Unbelievable, just look at the consequences!

http://www.midwayfilm.com/

Must watch...

I have shared with virtually all my contacts, on multiple platforms... Hope & pray many get to watch it & share. We have a choice... to make a difference or just ignore the issue. But, eventually it will come to haunt us & future generations.

In fact to cut down on plastic was one of my new year resolutions, as part of my effort to 'GO Green'. Now it becomes a priority. I can not limit my love for animals ( birds/fish/plants Etc) just to pampering our own dog. It should extend to the world... Let us make a choice.Live SSpiritually

Nature

Let us be responsible towards Nature...Let us do our bit to save environment... LivSSpiritually

 

There is no greater example of selfless love than Nature. - Baba

Let

ANANDA a patch of forest in PSN

Sairam...

Greetings on this auspicious Thursday. Let us remain connected to our beloved Master, Sai.

Listening to the inspiring story of ANANDA, a small forest, behind Ashram. It has 60K trees, spread over 17 acres!!! A wide variety of trees & plants. They grow organic fruits & vegetables too.

That is our own Botanical Garden. Had seen the beautiful Bot-garden at Singapore, last month. 

Looking forward to visit this beautiful patch of forest, ANANDA, in our own Prashanthi Nilayam... Heaven on Earth

Bangalore finally get some showers

Reached Blore Wednesday-evening.
Was shocked to see the landscape - 'driest' ever !!
This garden-city would usually get summer-showers in May and it would be at its 'greenest' by July !

What have we done to this beautiful city ??!! Let us not shrug off our responsibility. We have converted the garden-city to a concrete city :(

Each one of us need to take responsibility for it. My love for the city... I looked up several times & actually prayed ... for showers..

Wondered, how many busy-Bangaloreans were actually taking few minutes to pray... Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavanthu.

Thursday evening... at the end of my assignment, when I stepped out into the open, I was delighted to see clouds forming... I prayed again... would have joined multitudes in & around Blore to pray for rains.

Blissful bhajans at B T... most nostalgic and very, very SSpiritual. At the end of the session, in the silent-sitting, I was disturbed by the noise outside. The sound of rains !!!!  Yes, it rained last evening. I joked to a friend, 'see, I have got some rains from amchi Mumbai' !!

The temperatures have dropped and it was good, old Blore. But, not clean & green, as it used to be.

But this evening, Friday, it rained again.
Rain-Gods are doing their bit.
Let us save our environment, re-discover the green Blore... Come on, Bangaloreans !

Bengaluru's Trees

Dear friends...  esp living in almost anywhere in amchi Mumbai/North India, Gulf & beyond!

B’lore weather rocks!!! Today, it is overcast and very pleasant!

Have been going around the city, over the last two days. In spite of the traffic congestion, noise and dust, this city is so different, concrete to the other concrete urbanisation elsewhere. So many huge trees, right in the middle of the city. Thankfully, we have army cantonment right in the heart of the city. But trees are mostly in the ‘old’ city. Not so much in the localities, which have come up recently. We have been very rude to the environment by reducing the green-intensity L

Trees all over…!! But so many ads appear ‘on’ and ‘around’ the trees, with nails and metallic wires used to ensure the fliers stay on. We are very insensitive to the trees around us. Dear Bangaloreans, let us spare the trees to…. ‘JUST BE’ !

·      Let us derive the peace of a tree… standing tall and unperturbed by all the commotion around.

·      Let us be like a tree just helping us breath - not spread negativity

·      Let us provide shade, just as trees protect us from the heat of Sun.

Next time, when you are going around Blore city, don’t miss to say a silent thanks to the majestic trees of this garden city. 


TAKE TIME TO LOOK AROUND, IT IS TOO SHORT A DAY TO BE SELFISH - anonymous

Thrash Can

We live a life of comfort... 

This morning, I felt guilty of not switching off the geyzer. I was not being environmentally responsible :(

Then entered kitchen for my water-therapy ( still stuck at phase-1, just one glass of H20 !)

I looked at the thrash in the basket - no waste at all, surely. But, the packaging/plastic/etc to make our foodstuff remain hygeinic & tasty. And, all that goes in to the earth. I felt more guilty...

In our effort to live a comfortable life, we continue to pollute Earth, big time... !

I silently prayed for apology to Mother Earth... I promised to be a little more responsible, environmentally. 

We all need to make these small adjustments, quickly. We have no much time left to make these small shifts... 

It is our choice. Let us make a wise choice and 'stick to the agreement' with ourselves, with Divinity. 

Save Earth, Let us save ourselves

The World is on the threshold of yet another milestone... population hits 7 billion mark...

It is time to implement 'green-initiatives', now at our individual level... so that it gathers momentum... 

NO time to wait ! Time to act... NOW !! For our own sake... for sake of children...the choice is ours ! Every bit of action should be subject to a 'green test'. Initially, we may not be very environmentally-responsible. But, as we keep the focus, we will be able to make rapid progress. The satisfaction we get can be comparable only to the bliss you get out of meditation. For, we are more natural, more in sync with Nature.

That is true living.. Let us GO Green... Live SSpiritually


William Osler - "We are here to add what we can to life, not to get what we can from life."
 i

$ 100 dollar hamburger and SSpiritual Living

$ 100 HAMBURGER :  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13764242

this caught my attention... not because I am an hamburger ( or any fast food) addict... But the sheer economic implication !

The discussion talks about over 1.5 billion cars in just China & India... over 200 billion for all chicken lovers... the impact on environment is going to be unthinkable.

On top of it the health cost due to 'fast food'

Time for the world population and also governments/leaders to take the responsibility... not to wait for a disaster to happen !

Time to adopt a lifestyle conforming to 'LIVE SSpiritually' ! 

Facebook founder only eats animals he kills

Saw a recent report, ‘facebook founder only eats animals he kills’ ! My first reaction was to his ‘killing’… when I read through, realized it is a move ahead, however small. 


I have been fortunate to give up non veg food, long back. The world can not afford a lifestyle based on a predominantly non-veg food habits. Killing animals and the logistics/cost impact of creating of the meat… the cost by way of impact on environment is mind-blogging. 


If you care for animals, nature, environment, physical health, spiritual growth, future of your children….. Cut down on non-vg food, embrace organic/local food, try to quit non veg & GO Vegan. 


Let us not kill L

Just thoughts...

Weather in March and most of April were very pleasant in Middle East, at least parts of ME. Unusually nice weather was a pleasant surprise for all, including locals. They were unanimous to 'blame it' on global warming, but were not complaining...  Some felt it was the result of the disaster in Japan and its impact on environment. We will never know the exact reason...

How many of us are willing to go the extra mile to be environment-friendly ?

I step out of home during day time to find the lights on, always ! Most of ME is virtually desert - where is need for lights during the day time ??

While the world is trying to get rid off the addiction to junk-foods, the outlets continue to offer an overwhelming variety of non-veg food. Even Mac does not serve McVeggie, in parts of ME !! Are these global brands being a bit irresponsible and environmentally unfriendly ??

This evening I stepped out to pick up plastic bottles. While all shops/malls, big or small, carry bottled water, good plastic bottle was not available with anyone. I even checked the medical shop to branded shoe shops to 'bakala' ! No one had it ! They do no feel the need to stock, as customers would rather use bottled water or other fiz drinks and dispose off empty bottles, to add to the pollution !!

The world need to rise to a more responsible living... be aware of and passionate about being environmentally-friendly...before it is too late...we owe it to our children and future generations!

Live SSpiritually...

PS : But summer has set in with a vengeance now...

Eco Friendly Festival

One aspect of Ganesh Chaturthi stuck me...the mandals were playing filmi songs and organising programes, mostly filmi ! Not quite religious or spiritual, I felt.

Ganesh visarjan is a period when Mumbai's coastal line is most polluted. Another thing I fail to understand...Spirituality, if without in tune with  Nature, is just not spiritual !

Many people and organisations have taken the initiative to spread awareness...to drive home, among the literate masses of the magapolis. But majority are just 'too busy' to care ! ... at their ( our) own peril...

DNA's effort was great. Happened to catch a glimpse at Oberoi mall ( Goregaon)...As I & my son stepped out after a brief shopping, I took a snap and wrote a request to 'go green....'. I pray, we have the discrimination to protect our environment.

Back from Vacation

Back form vacation....India just got a bit more 'Incredible', I feel !

Mumbai got torrential rains. That meant, I ventured out less. But, thanks to rain-Gods, all lakes were overflowing.

My heart goes out to all those affected by the floods in Pakistan. It is time, the world woke up to this and extend maximum possible help.

Talking of natural disasters, it was shocking to see the extend of devastation in Leh.

As natural disasters are becoming a regular affair, we become less sensitive...nature has its own way of 'reacting'! And, we still debate on climate change. I pray for our children, future generations...hope they will forgive us for the damage we do to 'their' environment, which we have just borrowed from them.

With no family yet here, internet 'immobile' at home, Indian cricket just not worth-following/hence not re-connected TV.... checked out TED ( thanks to IPhone, it works even without internet!)

From creativity, Shekhar Kapur led his 'TED' to 'Water'...how rich waste, as clean water gets increasingly scarce... check out
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/shekhar_kapur_we_are_the_stories_we_tell_ourselves.html

While the rich ( in Malabar hill, et al) will spend extra time washing himself, for the poor in slums water is a mirage...As a child, I dreamt of having a grand bath tub at home. Now, as I stay in some of best hotels, I don't use bath tub, as I want to minimise wastage. May be when I am in Kerala, would try out ponds...

I finished washing clothes, this eve. For records, I do not use the rinse option at all.  One of the ways I try to save water. Need to do more...

The green food movement - Culture - livemint.com

This is one of the most inspiring articles I have come across recently, on this topic that has a direct impact on all of our lives...and also, on future generations...

The difference is, while many of us just restrict ourselves to convenient levels of 'Green'-activities, Oswal has gone ahead and taken the challenge to EXECUTE the thoughts....

Hats off to Oswal... we need hundreds of such initiatives to save our environment.

The green food movement - Culture - livemint.com

CHECK OUT THE LINKhttp://www.livemint.com/2010/06/28215806/The-green-food-movement.html

The green food movement

With a menu and decor that aims to control carbon footprint, a new fast food outlet in New York started by an Indian, is a vegetarian restaurant with an environment-friendly twist

Bhopal Gas Tragedy - Toooo little.... just toooooooo late

The verdict has made a mockery of our legal system. We just don't value human lives... :(   The system has failed not only those who were affected by the tragedy, but the world. The government got to wake up and do something at least now.

NDTV was right in asking.. if this had happened in America ??

Incidentally, America is struggling to come to grip with the another man-made disaster - the oil spill. It is said even natural disasters affect the popularity rating of leaders and governments. This spill and inaction thereof, is suicidal. But, you can count on the President of USA and others in his establishment failing to live up to this challenge.

Thomas L Friedman rightly commented, oil spill is a defining moment for the US ! 


Even the most powerful on earth can fool Nature... Nature invariably hits back - it is our choice to term it mere action-reaction or Malthusian effect or Doctrine of Karma.

Safari @ Kenya .... contd

Our guide in Kenya spoke eloquently about the impact of global warming on Kenya.

Countries like USA, China and India can not shy away from their responsibility. USA should lead from the front as the sole superpower. China aspires to be next super power, they need to think and act like a leader. India is a spiritual country. We need to take the plunge, instead of waiting for US or China, to take the lead. The political leadership has to take the important step to save the earth...

Glad to read about Wang Shi, businessman from China, who went in search of snow at Kilimanjaro and found no snow. (He was inspired by Earnest Eeminway's ' The Snows of Kilimanjaro'. We need more such influential people to take the lead. They can inspire people around them. Celeberities need to take a stand too. Priyanka Chopra, India's popular film actress, is actively supporting Green Initiatives in India. We need more such popular & successful people to take a stand and make a difference

Akal Takht & Mumbai Rubbish

Akal Takht, the Sikh religious body has called upon the Sikhs to GO GREEN- they have reminded the followers it was their moral and religious duty to save the environment. Great! We can always count on the wonderful Sikh community to implement this. We need more religious groups to embrace save-Nature as part of their prayers and other related activities. Only a spiritual movement can save the environment.

Mumbai's famous, recent high tides threw up over 600 tonnes of garbage, back on to the city. The sea has been accepting thousands of tonnes of garbage all along... perhaps that 'return gift' was a gentle reminder to us. . . Mumbaikars always displayed highest standards in work ethics. We now need to use that value-system for saving Mumbai's environment. The spiritual-oriented Mumbaikars need to take up the environment cause quickly, before it is too late... The city of Mumba devi/Mahalaxmi temple/HajiAli/Siddhivinayak/Elephanta/Mahim Mosque and Church/Shirdi Sai... need the staunch devotees to take up the environmental responsibility NOW!

Hillary Clinton in India

This morning, as I was in a hurry to get my (King's) breakfast, I quickly checked out NDTV... nothing worthwhile reported on Hillary's visit.

At lunch, it was interview with Barkha. Late evening, at tea, it was again the same interview. Before, dinner, it was yet again Hillary and Barkha. Now, just like the interview with Priyanka Gandhi and some other similar scoops, NDTV will keep telecasting so often we would be able to rattle out the interview, as we used to memorise dialogues from Sholay..

I kept checking out CNN... surprisingly, they had better (!) news to cover ! Not even once I saw them reporting on Mrs Clinton visit !! Earlier Rev Jackson and now Fareed ....et al. But no India or Hillary! ! ! It is as much America's loss as it is India... While Rev Jackson quoted some depressing statistics about the plight of blacks and President Obama reiterated 'the destiny was in their own hands'... I felt, dalits in UP were lot more empowered, despite Mayawatis/Rita Bahugunas/Mulayams/Rahul babas....

Nothing concrete has yet emerged from the high-profile visit :( I hope she sets tone for some key issues: Terrorism, nuclear support, climate change, tie-up at corporate level, etc. We look up to Hillary and her President to lead the world's political leadership out of the current mess, on all fronts... !

Indian minister, Jairam Ramesh, might have raised a mini-storm by talking about 'US pressure on India', on climate change. I would rather say, we should take the initiative to show to the world, we care for our environment. We owe it to our children...

Tata Nano

This is a small step for Tata, but a big step for automobile industry! And a proud moment for the customer, and his folks. For Mr Ratan Tata it must be a dream come true. It is his dream that will enable the thousands of middle class commuters move up from a two wheeler/public transport to own a car. Few years back, at a town in MP (Neemuch), when my family ran into my customer who had just availed car-finance told my wife: 'hum jaise be-caar ko inhonhe car-wala banadiya'!
The world is watching... the next, important step is, how the car will actually perform on the road ( and not under ideal test conditions!) That is more critical from the automobile industry point of view, more so with the current slump in auto industry.Last but not the least, Tatas must a find way to tackle the environment concerns. One simple way is to sensitise every customer/dealer staff involved. Tata should convert Nano campaign into a GO GREEN campaign and work on it. Tatas have the credibility to take such a stand and execute. Best wishes to the Team-Tata...