Google means God . . .

What is God ? Well i think everyone will agree that God is one system of faith, which we think is going to provide answers to all our querries and problems in life. We all firmly believe that God means truth, the real truth which has no chance of any manipulations in its system.

I still remember in my younger days, when we had to decide about any important decisions in life, my mother used to write down the decisions in paper, put it in front of god, and after a pooja, we used to get it picked by a child and follow that result with no second opinion.  We believed that if this is coming from god, then it should be right.

Today when we face the same situation, we now have a new god to answer our querries. It may be about buying a car or starting a new business, we now decide by placing our querry in front of a new god. This god we use is google. very simple, today, we just go to google, type in our new venture and see the results, say I want to buy a car swift, type car name swift followed by review, read it and then decide that yes this is really worth to buy. We have so much faith in this system that we never again go for a second opinion. If google provides a answer to our querry, then we firmly believe that it should be really really right.  Now can we not call google to be a God.

The greatest asset that google company has won from its customer today i think is faith. People believe in google. They think that google is truth. Even while choosing email accounts the first and most safest mailing system people feel is google mail or gmail. We always see that anything that is ranked number one by google in their search querry, then they should be the number one. Till today, this faith has never failed except in a few very very rare cases.

Take for example. Once when I had been to Mahindra World city in chennai, we found a few apartments there very beautiful and to have a reference I took the photograph of an apartment from outside. The man immediately rushed out and shouted at me saying that I have no right to take his house picture. Later on he did not leave me till i deleted it. But I came back home, launched Google earth and when I browsed to the same mahindra world city, I could see that apartment very clearly with complete view of its ambience. Then I felt very strange. A known man in front of your eyes takes a picture of your house and we grumble. But we have an unknown system sitting somewhere in space, it takes the images of our houses and provides it to everyone and in this case we will feel very proud to see that our location is on google earth. This is what i call faith. We believe Google is something which is the safest. No one can deny this fact that today, people may doubt about God, or his religious faith, but he will never doubt google.

But for how many days, google can handle this immense faith people have in it. I sometimes fear what happens if larry page, turns out to be someone like Ramalinga Raju. Everyone telugu speaking man in this world felt that if one man can make them proud in this world, that would be ramalinga raju. They showed immense faith in him. Even he was very good. But somewhere at sometime down the line, Greed and bad thoughts made its way into Raju and today he has made every teluguite feel ashamed. Now how can we say that the same thoughts may not hit google rulers. What happens if Google owners or its promoters do some grave mistake and lead to the death or closure of this gigantic company ? 

We are so much dependent on this one system called google that we never know the catastophe we may have to face, if something happens to it. Recently Google mail stopped working for just 15 minutes and created a huge panic all over the globe. In my business, If I dont have food, i can live a day, If I dont have water I can live without bath, We even lived without toilets for two days when our house was under renovation. But if we dont have internet one day, then we are finished. and the only thing that affects without internet is that we cant use google. Whenever my son asks me any difficult question, I say him very confidently that I will get him answer in ten minutes. I just sit on my system, google the question and get him the answer. I have so  much faith that not even in the remote corner of my mind, i will have a doubt that whether i will get the anser. So much is our faith in google. 

Now comes the greatest fear of my life. What happens if google collapses. Just like Lehman Brothers, Bank of America or like Madoff, if google gets shut down, then our lives will not be the same anymore. We have to very seriously think about it. Sometimes we feel Google has become so much integral part of society that it is no more a business establhishment but a Consotorium meant to serve people. like we world wide web consotorium Google should be converted from a corporate business house to a consotorium.  It can no more be controlled by a bunch of share holders but it has to be controlled by a Government or a Non profit organizaion with social relevance.

Take the example of God. The famous Tirumala temple in Andhra Pradesh was actuallly belonging to a particular Iyengar community who were running it as their own property. But as Lord Venkateshware became famous, his popularity grew leap and bounds and when millions started to visit this temple then everyone felt its not safe to live this temple in the hands of a small family or community. What happens if there is a fight inside this family, they file a case, and temporarily close down venkateshwara temple for a few days, It creates panic in human faith. Knowing this very well, The government took over this temple and has appointed a non profit organization called TTD to run this temple

Now I feel even in case of Google this must happen. The problem with google is it has no nationality, It has no religion, It has no social boundaries. Hence it is very very difficult to govern it. The only solution is to turn it into a consotorium like World wide web or IEEE. This has to be done fast. Or otherwise one day we might face the worst ever attack on our faith. 

The Dilemma of whether God is there to serve Mankind or Man is there to serve God

God and Religion. Being from an orthodox Hindu Brahmin family and son of a Temple Trustee and religious man, I was very religious and God fearing in my younger days till recently when I changed. The reason for my change I feel is an internal enlightenment while my mother feels is because I have become more materialistic. Well to understand it I recently went through a very beautiful story.

A small child was standing and playing near its house gate and soon the child saw a beautiful puppy on the street. The child liked the puppy very much. It called the puppy, and the puppy seeing the child tried to run towards her. unfortunately at that time a fast moving bike hit the puppy on the road, and the puppy was severely injured. The child immediately started crying very loudly. It couldn't bear the puppy's loss. There parents rushed and tried to convince her but it was in vain. The dog stopped breathing and everyone felt it is dead. But they couldn't express it to the child as it was very much in love with the puppy. The intelligent father came out with an idea. 

He called the child and told, "My dear daughter, The puppy was seen by god and he also loved it very much. that is the reason why the puppy died and reached the god. But now let us send it near god with full respect. let us arrange a very grand funeral for the puppy. Let us make a beautiful coffin box, then fix it over a wheel, tie it to our car and let us take it in procession and bury it in the nearby graveyard. "

Saying so the father asked the daughter to make one beautiful coffin. The daughter's attention turned from the puppy towards making the coffin. she brought cardboards, color papers, flowers and with full passion she built a beautiful coffin. Father told the child that let us take the procession by afternoon 3 0 click and the child was eagerly waiting for three to carry out the procession.

During that time a miracle happened. The puppy which was assumed to be dead, slowly started to breathe and painfully opened its eyes. seeing it the father was very happy. He called his daughter and told " Look my child God heard your prayers and now he has sent it back for you. It is turning out to be alive, let us treat it and save it"

The Daughter then asked the father "papa then what about my beautiful coffin, i prepared it with so much interest ?" Father told "let us throw it away now as the dog is alive " The child got angry and told " No no dad, i have taken so much time in making the coffin, so let us kill the dog and take it for procession"

hearing these words the father was shocked. He felt very bad. He understood that in his attempt to convince her daughter he had drawn her concentration from caretaking and loving attitude to the passion of building a coffin. In the process the child had lost her love for the dog and started loving the coffin she had built. 

It is the same experience that I felt with religion and God. I think Religions and culture were born to serve the mankind.  It acted as a catalyst to boost the people who are in trouble. The main purpose of the religion was to convince the crying babies and motivate to do something to overcome the pains and miseries in life.

But over a period of time, Religion was no more meant to serve people but a wrong conception that people are meant to serve for religion came up. Like the coffin built by the child, a very strong and passionate religion and culture were built whose purpose was that it should survive no matter even it means taking the life of the dog. This type of experiences in life really changed me a lot. I always loved to eat in my Mom's plate but after my upanayanam I was asked to never even touch anything that is smelt by my mother. My brother and me use to share food and chats in the same plate but our upanayanam created a difference in us that we should not touch one's plate with another. However we did not obey those laws. Till recently when water is served during dinner, if achyutha my son drinks water in one tumbler then my othe son and my brother's son without any hezitation use to drink it in same tumbler. But after Upanayanam when we told them not to drink in other's tumbler we see war and fights on the dinner table between our children just because unknowingly one has drank in the tumbler meant for the other. 

My too much religioustic and orthodox creates differences between humans. This was my experience in life. On an Ekadashi day, if any of my friend offers me a sweet with great love, I cannot outrightly reject it. I feel by doing so I am insulting his affection towards me. I personally feel our determination to stand by my religion has to shown in my actions and attitudes and not in merely the food I eat and the dress I wear. By Experience I have seen that starving on Ekadashi, or avoiding onion or not taking food in night are the principles which are very easy to follow. It's very easy for me to change my dress to a white dhoti and shalya and go to my temple but its very difficult for me to go to temple changing my temperment when I am angry. 

Hence I personally feel for me religion means showing my sincere respect to my ancestors and my great grandfathers in whom generation I am lucky to be born. Rejecting something which my father has brought for me from hotel saying that I dont eat on monday's Is a greater insult I do to my religion. It is an immense level of selfishness. Just to fulfil my commitments I am hurting someone else feelings.

These things changed me a Lot. If required I can fast full day. I can stay without onion for months together I have no problem. But to keep up my religious diet, If I refuse to eat food offered by someone with love then I feel it is a shame to my religion. Hence I have now turned myself as a Nastik for outside world but internally I feel that I am a better Astika than before. Luckily My wife understands that and also my family. Hence I have no problem with the world even if they call me a Nastik

Value of Life

24th December 2007 Morning I was as usual working on my computer and suddenly I saw my wife running and coming to me in total shock and despair. Seeing her I asked her what had happened ?Crying she opened her hands and I saw the pregnancy test strip in her hand showing two bands on it. I asked her what is it? Crying she replied I have conceived. 

 

Well you might be surprised why a wife has to cry for happy news of Conceiving. The problem was we already had two males and were happily enjoying with the other two of my brother. With already four children in the house, it was very shocking news. For a movement I got tensed. Being married from ten years we led our first six seven years as a mere compromise husband and wife and our relationship had just flourished well from past two three years and this was surely a result of it.

 

I was taken aback a little at this news, but my wife immediately consoled me that don’t worry, its just 35 days and it can be got removed very easily. She along with my brother’s wife immediately rushed to the Shoba Hospital. After waiting for three long hours the doctor there told them not to worry it’s just a 20 minutes process in which the embryo can be just pulled out using a sucking tube. 

 

However that day as there was too many patients they asked my wife to come and get the foetus removed on 26th December as the next day 25th December was a holiday

 

She came home and told me not to be very much worried and hearing it I also had a sigh of relief. In our house my parents, my brother and his wife, all of us just ignored this matter and decided to get it removed on 26th.

 

In between on 25th December something Unusual happened. As it was a holiday we all thought of having a outing and decided to go out for a movie. Welcome and Taare Zameen Par were the two choices we had. Somehow we thought of having a try on Taare Zameen par and even my sister's family joined the movie. We all booked the ticket through eticket from vijayanagar, and rushed to Abhinay Theatre. While Welcome film was running for block at Tribhuvan, Abhinay theatre had very average turnout and we all were little sceptic about how the movie would be. Later we sat in Abhinay together in one row with 15 members and by the time the movie was over there was a sudden change of attitude in all of us.

 

While driving back home, My father just told me, getting the foetus sucked is very easy, but just have a thought whether is it absolutely necessary. Then I just was memorising the song, "Main kabhi batlaata nahin par andhere se darta hoon main Maa" then my brother as a joke told me to imagine the foetus inside my wife's child as darsheel and think about the song, Main batlata nahin. 

 

Well when I just imagined my baby inside my wife womb, singing Marin kabhi batlata nahin, par abortoin se darta hoon main ma, Yu to main Diklata Nahin teri parwah karta hoon main Ma" tears rolled over my eyes. As soon as I came home, I took my wife on upstairs and we both heard that song for atleast 7 to 8 times, and suddenly we realized is it not a killing that we are doing ?

 

The next Morning, My father placed before us a beautiful option. We were planning to go for a Maruthi Swift Car costing around 5.1 Lakhs and has also had it checked at Yeshwantpur RNS Motors Showroom. My father told If we insist to go on car, then get the foetus removed or if we are going ahead with the foetus then lets drop the idea of going for Maruthi Swift. This economic burden can then be transfered on to bringing up the new child.

 

This triggered a new wave of thinking in all of us. Well the 5 Lakh Maruthi Swift a Man made Machine brings us a more powerful status and prestige in the society, but dropping it and going in for a third child will actually make us feel inferior in this society. as we would be the only one who would be having three children in our entire relations and friends circle with respect to our generation.

 

But the other question was is a Swift car is more worthwhile than a human life. We would pay an EMI of Rs.7000 per month for the new car for a period of about eight years, and if we drop the car now this EMI can be used as money for bringing up the third child. Swift or a child, the dilemma was hitting our heads. Later in my family everyone agreed that this decision is left to me and I have to decide and everyone would abide by what I would decide.

 

It was one of the toughest movements in my life. My wife told that she would sincerely abide by my decision. She was telling she had no interest in the third child but when she was saying that we could see her eyes wet showing her concern about her new sibling.

 

After a long thought I made up a firm decision. I announced the very next day that I would go for the baby rather than the swift car. I called the three elderly children achyutha, anantha and keshava, I told them you all like to have a car like my sister, but for that we have to sacrifice a new baby in Pankaja's womb. Or if we opt for the baby then they should forget the idea of a new car.

 

To my surprise all the three Told me “No dont get the child removed we want this child”.  I told them A new child means you will have a new competitor, for all your toys and you have to share everything with one more guy. Then both my children and my brother's son told they would not mind anything in sharing with the new child and they wanted it very badly. They all especially my elder son achyutha insisted to get the child. He even threatened that he would not concentrate on his studies if I get the child removed.

 

Hearing these sweet words I was very much convinced. Later my brother, my brother wife, My Mom, Dad everyone said they welcomed my decision.  I really felt very great to be born in this family and really felt very proud about the sacrifices that each one is going to make to get my foetus out as a living creature on this universe.

 

My wife first argued a lot. She discussed this matter with most of the people and around 80% of them suggested her to get it removed. Amidst of it, she obeyed my words. She told whatever may happen I will go ahead and deliver this baby.

 

She courageously faced the world during the next nine months and this brought a great transformation in her. She learnt the art of how to live for our self and for people who believe in us rather than living the life to please the outside world. 

 

On August14th finally the foetus that was supposed to be sucked by a tube, came out to the world as a new human being. It was a new life, a new creature on this universe. My mother who is old and aged, didn't care about her health and just stood by the side of my wife during her post pregnancy period. My brother's wife took all the care sacrificing everything just for the sake of this newly born child. Even my Wife's sisters and brothers and there families, My sister family, her daughter’s family provided very good support and we now have a happy family and one latest addition has now proved that its not a burden but an addition to our happiness.

 

This also increased my commitment level towards my family. I felt very very proud for my family, my parents and especially my brother and his wife. I  decided that I can never compensate the amount of sacrifice my family members made towards me and only way I can show some respect to them is through  my commitment for them. This added a new zeal in me and has made me more young and active at the age of 40.

 

All these changes happened due to one turning point. It was because of just three hours we spent in abhinay theatre watching a movie made by a Muslim . We are a staunch Orthodox Hindu family but our respect towards Muslim community rose from leap and bounds when we saw how one Muslim Aamir Khan changed our attitude and led to the birth of a new life on this universe. Shahrukh Khan says Films are meant just for entertainment but in my case, films were not meant for just entertainment but its sometimes even changes people's life. My case is a strong proof for this argument.

 

Man made Swift was sacrificed for God made life. Today we all feel that we are many many times happier with the new child than we would had been with the swift car. Yes Life has the greatest value and Happiness lies in our attitude to give value for every life in this universe.   I now strongly feel that God Made Materials should be valued Greater than Man made Materials

 

 

More Comfort means less Freedom

A Maruthi Van of 1998 Model in our house was the only luxury that my children were enjoying in their life. Whenever a latest Swift, Santro or accent zipped by the side of our age old van, I could see the passion for it in the eyes of my children. Seeing it me and my brother use to feel very sad and also had a dream to change our vehicle to some latest model with more comfort. 

Meanwhile, my Sister brought a new santro and since we are a close knit family, it meant to be a vehicle of our family. So my children were very happy that they could now travel in the new santro fuly loaded with all the features. The D day arrived and with full zeal my two children and my brother children were very eager to sit in this new vehicle.

My sister arrived in her new car, and immediately all my children rushed and ran across the vehicle enjoying its color and ambience. then it was time to take them on a drive. As soon as my sister opened the door, the children just jumped over the seats the way similar to what they use to do with our maruthi, due to the force, one of the knots of her seat cover just came off, and seeing it we all were shocked. Though my sister didnt tell anything, we ourself felt very bad, that the children's very first entry into the vehicle meant a damage to it.

Then we just asked all our children to get down, and in the anger I just smashed on the face of y brother's son anantha who is the most hyperactive of all. Seeing it the face of all my children turned very pale, they were then told that  they should not touch any item nor should move too much from their position in the seat. they all agreed.

We all sat inside and my sister asked achyutha to close the door, as a habit he pulled the door very hardly and with a big bang the door got closed. Everyone in the car were shaken. I got very irritated and just asked achyutha to get out of the vehicle. He asked sorry to everyone and promised he would never ever close the door in that way in future.

Then we went on a ride and through out the ride the children were very silent. they were afraid even to speak. they all very politely obeyed our words and behaved as a disciplined soldiers. Later on from that day my children always loved to travel in our age old Maruthi rather than the new highly loaded santro. Only when taken individually they liked to travel in santro and when they are taken together they all loved to travel in Maruthi.

This initiated a new feeling in me that our thirst for greater comfort in life drives us towards lesser freedom.  I could see that my children use to enjoy Maruthi van drive more than the santro because there we had put lot of restrictions on their actions. Its not just the case of a car. When we watch a film in our nearby Prasanna, Pramod or Veeresh theatre, my children shout, dance and even move around in the hall freely. they enjoy a movie to its peak.  However when we take them to PVR or INOX, we force a lot of restrictions on them. We feel embraced when our children shout, or move around in a theatre of that callibre. 

Adding to this is the latest security checks at bigger malls. the way our vehicles are scanned, we are subjected to manual checks and once my son asked when the theater owners does not trust why should we pay more and go to there malls. 

This makes me feel that the more comfort we try to acquire in life the more freedom we lose in our life. People may think this as a poor middle class mentality. but we enjoy the most when we travel in the least comfortable train rather than in a volvo or flight due to sheer freedom we enjoy in trains. When we are alone, comfort does matter and we can compromise with freedom. but as a family that too with a joint family sized with 11 members we always feel that the lesser the comfor we opt the greater the freeedom we enjoy.