Caravan 557 dated 21 st November 2012

1. Caravan 557 dated 21st November 2012 Teaching should be full of ideas instead of stuffed with facts. – Anon Memory is a complicated thing, a relative to truth but not its twin. - BK

2. Caravan 557 An Ode to Blogging.. How to compose a blog? Well you need not slog While awaiting inspiration to strike And perspiration fills your psyche The process needn’t make you sink in the bog! Close your eyes for a moment Listen to yourself – is it a lament Then tune in to what’s happening around you So much activity, just waiting for you to pick the cue And let the images transform into words on your parchment. Easiest is to share what’s going on externally around you Possibilities are immense as if standing in a long queue Next get in touch with your own circle of persons Every person you meet has a story full of resonance That at next level touches you deep inside like residual dew. Start with sharing facts as the first act Then bring in emotions using your tact Answering “what if..” to the situations emerging like a kaleidoscope Creating new options – it’s like moving from despair to hope – Drama is all in the mind – to the stimulus respond and not just react. • Tackle all the nine rasas to highlight emotion – as each has its place – • Love, fear, anger, disgust, valour, laughter, sorrow, wonder & peace • Allow them to emerge and ventilate • And your words shall oscillate and resonate • What’s left is to edit, re-write, regurgitate. • There are immense possibilities of garnishing – with variety applied wildly • As presentation helps make it reader-friendly • Use technology (quotes, pics, toons, sketches) to reinforce mood and colour • It’s like a visit to the beauty parlour • And hone your skills such that the product appeals widely. • Here’s wishing you the best • Blog on with vitality and zest • Don’t get bogged down in numbers – visits and comments – • As when the dust settles down you’ll have your cherished moments • To feel good about – and all that you’ve shared from your treasure chest. • The rewards you’ll earn are intrinsic ones • Rediscovering oneself sets the basic tones • Be authentic and open to feedback • And you’ll rise Phoenix-like even if there is a setback • Blogging is a great bridge between the inner and the external world. To visit my blog-page on Sulekha.com pl click on link below (my blog id is CaravanBPL) http://rivr.sulekha.com/caravanbpl_1754545 By: Harsh RaiPuri

3. Caravan 557 The most sophisticated people I know – inside they are all children. - Jim Henson To understand a new idea, break an old habit. – Jean Toomer Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired. - Martha Graham I never learnt anything while I was talking. - Larry King The reason I talk to myself is that I’m the only one whose answers I accept. - George Carlin Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration an exhaustion… I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterwards. – Kurt Vonnegut If I’ve learnt nothing else, it’s that time and practise equal achievement. - Andre Agassi For an Olympic athlete, the Olympics are not every four years, they are every day. – A Bindra Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are. - Chinese Proverb Hard work spotlights the character of people: Some turn up in their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all. – Sam Ewing Education is what survives when what has been learnt is forgotten. – BF Skinner Education is when you read the fine print. Experience is what you get if you don’t. – Pete Seeger

4. Laughter Bytes.. Caravan 557 The barber’s hands were trembling and so he nicked my father’s cheek while giving him a shave. “See what too much liquor does,” snapped my father. “Yes sir,” the barber replied with a shrug, “it makes your skin tender.” Sign in the window of a closed-down bookshop: “Words failed us.” A pessimist looks at a donut and only sees the hole. - Anon Just add injury…. He had a mind so fine that no idea could violate it. - TS Eliot He is the only genius with an IQ of 60 – Gore Vidal The problem with her is that she lacks the power of conversation but not the power of speech. - George Bernard Shaw Some folks seem to have descended from the chimpanzee later than others. – K Hubbard MullaNasrudin went to the psychiatrist and asked if the good doctor could split his personality. "Split your personality?" asked the doctor. "Why in heaven's name do you want me to do a thing like that?" "BECAUSE," said Nasrudin! "I AM SO LONESOME."

5. Caravan 557 Tagore poem transcreated by KumudBiswas

6. जी हाँ, लिख रहा हूँ ...बहुत कुछ ! बहोत बहोत !!ढ़ेर ढ़ेर सा लिख रहा हूँ ! मगर , आप उसे पढ़ नहींपाओगे ... देख नहीं सकोगे, उसे आप !दरअसल बात यह है कि इन दिनों अपनी लिखावटआप भी मैं कहॉ पढ़ पाता हूँ नियोन-राड पर उभरती पंक्तियों कीतरह वो अगले कि क्षण गुम हो जाती हैंचेतना के 'की-बोर्ड' पर वो बसदो-चार सेकेंड तक ही टिकती है ....कभी-कभार ही अपनी इस लिखावट को कागज़ पर नोट कर पता हूँस्पन्दनशील संवेदन की क्षण-भंगुर लड़ियाँसहेजकर उन्हें और तक पहुँचाना !बाप रे , कितना मुश्किल है !आप तो 'फोर-फिगर' मासिक -वेतन वाले उच्च-अधिकारी ठहरे,मन-ही-मन तो हसोंगे ही,की भला यह भी कोईकाम हुआ , की अनाप-शनाप ख़यालों कीमहीन लफ्फाजी ही करता चले कोई - यह भी कोई काम हुआ भला !These words were penned by legendary poet of people “Baba Nagarjuna”. Born on 30th June 1911 as VaidyaNathMishra in the village Satlakha, his mother’s village, he was fondly called Baba by his followers. Baba was known for his revolutionary ideas and unconventional lifestyle. His writings inspired generations and he was known for his candid and anti–establishment views. Caravan 557

7. The Fourth Oath Hiraman the bullock cart driver was in a quandary. The introduction of mini-buses had eaten into his business – so much so that to feed himself and his stalwart four-legged companion he had had to sell off his small shanty and the cart was his make-shift home. Increasingly it was becoming difficult to earn enough to take care of their meager needs. There were few passengers (read riders) and they found his singing live folk songs a nuisance preferring to stay glued to the small contraptions called mobile phones – which when not glued as receiving ends on their owner’s ear was blaring off loud raucous music about Munni’s losing her name – for good or bad – it wasn’t very clear. A far cry from the times when Hiraman used to exhort people to speak the truth as after all everyone had to head for the Almighty’s abode one day; and nostalgic memories of HiraBai creased his forehead as she exhorted her darling to imbibe some paan – the image shattered by the loud image on the chai-wallah’s portable TV wherein the Munni was selling chaini-chaini.. he shyly smiled to himself, telling himself Munni had come a long way from Chhaiyanchhaiyaan atop a train with that RukRuk Khan.. the smile widening as he realized that he’d deserted the nautanki for good after HiraBai’s exit from his life, and taken to the bioscope to a large measure.. and sitting in that semi-lit video theatre was fun…. Hiraman’s reverie was broken by someone nudging him. A soft voice called out, “gaadi-waaleyBhaiyya, are you free? Can you take me to the fashion technology institute recently opened? Gathering his act together Hiraman saw that it was a young girl – dressed more like the boys, it was really becoming difficult to make out whether it was a boy or a girl, they all dressed alike.. and said “Haanji, Chalengeynaa!” The girl just had a back-pack and a pouch which she threw into the cart and climbed on the front-side with Hiraman and asked him to start. The jingle of her anklets diverted Hiraman’s attention and as they started moving the bullocks bells and the anklets started making a unique jugalbandi which made Hiraman break into song.. “Aaajphirjeeneykitamannahai…” at which the girl started recording his voice on her mobile… The girl started shivering due to the chill of the late evening hours and seeing this Hiraman passed on the lohi lying in the cart to her (easy as all his belongings were an arm’s length away!) They reached the Institute and the girl said I’ll just be back and walked off with her backpack, mobile and the lohi.. and Hiraman continued to wait for her. As time passed and there was no sign he decided to go and look out for her, and tethering his cart to a an electric pole (in name only as that lane had not been electrified) he started moving out when his attention was caught by the pouch. It was rich blue velvet pouch and he thought of taking it along when it fell from his hand – the pocket opened and he saw a bundle of notes and some jewelry spread about – the sight of which accelerated his heart-beat.Talking to himself he picked up the stuff, put it back in the pouch, and started towards the building. There was nobody there – he went in and found an office open – he peeped in and said to the guard who was making a cup of tea, “Listen a girl just came with me, she’s not yet paid me and left this pouch in my cart.” The guard looked at him – and said, “The hostel is vacant – as the new batch is yet to join. “ And he had heard no one entering! Hiraman tried looking around but he also could not find any sign of inhabitation – which confused him fully! The guard looked at him with a sly eye – as if he had had a chillum too many…  Hiraman stopped for a few seconds and came back to his cart, untied it and started back.. en route he checked the pouch again… and suddenly he saw the ornaments in a different light.. they were the ones HiraBai was wearing when he had seen her last. That made him wonder if Hirabai had come to know of his plight and had arranged somehow to have the pouch given to him so that his days as a gypsy would end and again he would have a roof on his head? Pensively he came back to the tea vendor at the station and being old friends asked him “Bhaiyya do you remember HiraBai?” To his surprise his friend answered “KyonnahinBhai! But there is sad news.. my cousin had come from the kasba today afternoon. Hirabai passed away yesterday afternoon after a brief illness at the government hospital. The strange thing was that all her belongings which she used to keep in a velvet pouch have not been found – they just disappeared.” Hiraman walked off slowly and muttering in his mind “I shall not take oaths any more. HiraBai forgive me!! How I misjudged you.” Inspired by: TeesriKasamone of my favourite films Caravan 557

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9. Afterword from the Editor… Caravan 557 is being sent after a fairly longish break.. In the interim I have been trying to visualise Caravan in a different light.. And this edition is the an attempt in that direction (of course seeking your indulgence in my including some of my own words – verse and prose). Retirement has been a mixed blessing – I have a lot of time to pursue my passions of teaching, reading and writing, and dollops of introspection.. I’d also like to thank many of you for your emails (and specially AK Sinha, GhanshyamChitlangia & Gaurav Sharma for personally calling up) to enquire about the issuance of the next edition. I seek your feedback and ideas (and original contributions too – no email forwards please). Those who are ex-members of BHEL Bhopal family I’d like to inform them about the nascent Sampark Portal – available on the BHEL Bhopal website www.bhelbhopal.com – launched in September 2012 - and request them to visit it. Some Haikus for you… life was still a wave of longing crashed on the shore… With warm and sincere regards ~Harsh RaiPuri Bhopal/ 09425604159 the clash of cymbals heralds arrival in the wake of departure • i gather • unbundled memories • which scattered at dusk

10. Caravan 557 BHEL Bhopal; EMRP; Trichy; Haridwar; RC Puram Hyderabad; Jhansi; Ranipet; ISG; EDN; Corporate Office; PEM; CQ; Power Sector (NR, WR, ER, SR, PMG); IS; IO; TBG; CIT; HRDI; Corporate R&D; Piping Centre, Chennai; Ex-BHEL :Retired members from across the corporation Other Organisations NTPC, NHPC, IOCL, BPCL, GAIL, HEC, ONGC, CRISIL, MTNL, Reliance Industries, John Crane Ltd, IBM, TCS, WIPRO, Microsoft, Tech Mahindra, TCES Ltd, Madras Fertilizers, REVA, Bharat Electronics, ITI, Escorts, Orchid Pharma, Enercon India, NFL, Hero Honda, Hindalco, SK Insurance Mktg, Gulf Oil, Innova, Sona Group, Pepsico, Microinks, Templeton, Sonadih Cement, SaraswatiEngg, Indian Navy, Reliance Communications, AIMA, INSSAN, GSFC, FDA (Bhopal), Beck India, Mico Bosch, Blue Star, ADCO (Dubai), SAB Miller, Brightflex (Taiwan), Emirates Neon (Sharjah), Temenos India, TASMAC, Mahindra & Mahindra, IPCL, Accenture, TATA Auto Comp Systems Ltd (Hinjewadi), Pune; Radisson MBD Hotel (Noida), Primus Telecommunications India Limited (Delhi); Dr Reddy’s Foundation (CSR wing of Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Hyderabad); Bharat Pumps & Compressors; Tyco Valves; Siemens Ltd; DLF; Indore Mgmt Association; Sona e-Design and Technologies Ltd., Gurgaon ; Delphi TVS; Shell Technology India, Bangalore; Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts, B’lore; Regional Director of Apprentice Training, Kanpur; Aristocrat Luggage; LMI Baroda; BARC; Tata Power; Everest Industries, Nashik; Micromatic Grinding Ltd, Ghaziabad; Blue Star; Yes Bank; Birla Cement; CTI, Kanpur; JSW Energy Ltd; VarrocEngg, Aurangabad; Vodaphone; Alstom; ING Vysa Life Insurance Co; Videocon; VardhmanGrp; HCL; Henkel India; BVC; Tata Metalics; Reliance Power Ltd; Reliance Infrastructure Ltd; Husco Intl, Pune; Mantrana Consulting; L&T Infotech; Bharat Forge; SNC LavalinEngg. India Pvt. Ltd.;Roop Polymers, Sohna; Govt of WB; Vaibhava Placements, Nashik; NIPM(WR); Sadelmi India Power Pvt Ltd; BARC, Tarapur; Bharat Oman Refineries Ltd; Karmayog Engineers, Nashik; IDMAT; Ratnagiri Gas & Power Ltd; OTPC; Datatrack; HMT; Sterling Industries, Nashik; ex-MPEB Bhopal; BhartiyaVidyaBhawan; Educational Institutions BITS, Pilani; UBS, Chandigarh; AIM, Guwahati; RKDF Group, Bhopal; Amity, Noida; PIMR,Indore; ICFAI; IIM-I; IIM-L; MDI, Gurgaon; Jason School of Business, Coimbatore; NPTI, Durgapur; BIST Bhopal; JIET, Jodhpur; ATTMA, Madurai; (& My Ex-BITS, Pilani & UBS Chandigarh Alumni) Professionals Doctors, Freelancers/Management Consultants (from India & abroad) Students Profile Of Caravan Family Most of my life I have given of myself, and in return I have received love in abundance. Life hasn’t been a bed of roses. And yet, quite often, I’ve had roses out of season. - Ruskin Bond To remember, as such, is neither good nor bad; it’s what one remembers that makes the difference. – Antonio Gala I am available as a faculty resource – for a broad spectrum of programmes – please contact for more details on hr.puri@gmail.com and/or mobile no 09425604159