The Monk who sold his Ferrari

      The monk who sold his Ferrari, an intriguing and a well known title, engrosses its readers from the first page. It's narrative is in the form of a fable and rather helps us to assimilate the concepts readily. 

THE FABLE : 

     My experience in reading this book , I would say that I went on a journey with Julian Mantle in his search for self - discovery. Julian, a 53 year old,  sought after successful lawyer, collapses in a heart attack. And, later, he goes on a journey to the Himalayas to meet the mythical Sivana sages. 

    After years,  he meets his junior associate - John, who aspires to be like him. Julian, then, enlightens John on what he learned from the sages.

THE CONCEPTS: 

    Robin Sharma enshrines the concept of the seven virtues of enlightened learning, which is discussed in different chapters. With each virtue, he gives a habit changing exercise to be followed, to achieve that particular virtue. Also, at the end of each chapter, he illustrates the concepts with a mind map.  

     Julian narrates a small story encompassing all the seven virtues of enlightened learning to make us remember better 

( we remember well with stories 😜 ). 

A hint of the seven virtues are , 

    Added to it , Julian also instructs John about the

 ' Ten rituals for radiant living ' . These are 10 ways to become a better you with lots of habit changing modules.

 

FEW FAVOURITE LINES: 

🔸Never regret your past. Rather, embrace it as the teacher that it is.

🔸Worry drains the mind of much of its power and, sooner or later, it injures the soul.

🔸First of all, begin to live out of the glory of your imagination, not your memory.

‌🔸I saw the seeds of opportunity in my painful experience.

🔸The moment you concentrate the focus of your mind on a singular purpose, 

extraordinary gifts will appear within your life.

( There are several lines I liked, but won't be able to mention them all here 😊) 

WHY THIS BOOK ? 

 If you're looking for books, that can transform your way of life, undeniably, this can be one of them. Every line seemed like a quote to me. This book was a fantasy and once we read it, we will yearn to undergo a self-changing voyage just like Julian. Also, the author explains easy and simpler methods to achieve the goals. 

THE OBJECTION:

   Though the author explains numerous simple  strategies, involving all of them at the same time in our lives would be a heavy task and may create some confusion. 

PS: I read this book through a free pdf obtained from the internet. You can download and enjoy it during these days. 

Glossary

Engrosses - absorbs

Assimilate - digest 

Enshrines - elevate 

Encompassing - involving, including

   

    

     

BIOGRAPHIES- I

BIOGRAPHIES- I
People I wish I would have met ...

  K.A. NILAKANTA SASTRI 

   A remarkable historian, an eminent professor and a prolific writer. A notable alumni of Madras Christian College, many of us would not be familiar with his name, as he lead a humble  and austere life. At a time , when South Indian history was largely neglected, Sastri was the pioneer to undertake the byzantine  history of South India all over the world and inspired many historians about it. 

   His book - 'The Cholas' is a magnified content on meticulous and detailed accounts on research and relevant evidences regarding the Chozha empire. He has written numerous volumes on South Indian history.
   What intrigues me the most is his style of writing. He had an immense knowledge in the English language. When you're reading his books or articles, it's necessary to have a dictionary with you, as you can encounter a number of new words in English. He always demonstrates every reasearch with validating evidences.
   Though there are very scarce biographic works available on him, he continues to live perpetually through his works. His books act as a foundation for anyone pursuing Indian  history in detail especially on South India. He had been awarded with the Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest civilian honours for his wide contributions in the field of South Indian history. Being one of the most revered historian all over the world, he is one of the people that I wish I would have met and had an acquaintance with. 

A QUICK GLANCE:
Birth year and place : 1892 , Kalladakurichi
Died : 1975 , Mylapore .
Alma mater:
                  B.A - Madras Christian College
                  M.A - Presidency College, Chennai
Other notable works :
                 The history of South India
Postions held :
                He worked in the department of  Indian History and archaeology at the Madras University and headed the department of Indology at Mysore University.He was also a visiting professor at the University of Chicago. Director of UNESCO's institute of traditional cultures of South East Asia
Reminiscence : Sastri was very close to Dr. Rajendra Prasad and the Maharaj of Mysore.
It was Sastri who taught the Maharaj of Mysore Sanskrit.

PS : Glossary

Austere -  giving little or no scope for pleasure, morally strict 

Byzantine - complex , elaborate

Meticulous - careful, diligent

          

  
 

A myriad of words !

 " Raise your words , not voice.

It is the rain that grows flowers , not thunder." 

                                    - Rumi 

A sonnet on WORDS ( by the Blog author )

Words are deep 

Words are peace 

Words are soul 

Words are real 

Words are fair 

Words are lives

Words are wise 

Words are love 

Words are felt 

Words are good 

Words are apt 

Words are cosmos 

Words are manifold 

On the whole , words craft the world.

    

              

These are some of my favourite words. Though, there are a myriad of words that I love,  I have listed only a few, and remember, 'words are the verbal embodiment of power' 

(quoted by Robin Sharma).  

PS : What are your personal favourite words ? Comment below . 

ME !

 

" To fall in love with yourself is the first secret to happiness." 

                                     - Robert Morley 

 When I started loving myself, I was able to understand how unique I am. I can write pages and pages about myself. That's when you know that you've discovered yourself wholly. 

 

   These are some wordings about myself. 

I have composed it with just two words which describe me befittingly. And , these wordings are very much motivational to me. 

   PS:  Which of the above wordings that you can relate yourself to ? 

 Comment below . 

How to study by Harry Maddox

How to study by Harry Maddox
Book review
First publication-1969

               A very challenging and arduous task to do - studying. Some master this skill, some don't. But , do remember, " Every expert was once a beginner". Therefore, it's never to late and you're never too old to ace this artistry.
              I wish I had got hold of this book years ago and put those amazing techniques into practice, right from the beginning. But I'm really glad that I have it now. 

             'How to study' by Harry Maddox is a blessing for students who really want to perfect their learning skills . It's first publication was in 1969, and you may presume that, the tactics mentioned there is outdated. Dear reader, if you have that kind of assumption , you're totally wrong. The author's strategy is perennially actionable.
" Even today I dare not say that I have reached a state of achievement. I'm still learning, for learning is boundless."
                - Bruce Lee
           The methodology composed here is very much pragmatic and easy to follow with strong experimental testimonials. Added to it, the author has presented numerous graphs to validate his methods.
                   I strongly suggest you to own a copy of it, so that, you can refer it anytime. Firstly, read the whole book and then mark the important chapters that  you want to skill over and re-read it. For instance, I prefer the chapters mentioned below for re-reading -
✓motives and habits
✓ learning and remembering
✓ reading
✓ thinking

                The author also gives an account of the  widely harnessed SQ3R method and how to put into practical use. This is a wonderful book in simple narrative to enlighten your studies. Try to lay your hands on it very soon .
"Efficient methods of study are worth learning not only for your immediate purposes of study, but because your habits of work will stay with you all your life. Those who do well in academic work usually do well afterwards in business or in the professions."
                              -Harry Maddox
       
 

பாகிஸ்தான்-அரசியல் வரலாறு : Book review

பாகிஸ்தான்-அரசியல் வரலாறு : Book review 

" ஜின்னா இத்தனை சீக்கீரம் இறந்துவிடுவார் என்று தெரித்திருந்தால், பிரிட்ஷ் கவர்ன்மென்ட் பாகிஸ்தான் பிரிவினைக்கே சம்மதித்திருக்காது."

                             - மவுண்ட்பேட்டன்

 காலம், என்ன கொண்டுவரும் என்று எவராலும் யூகிக்க முடியாதொன்று.

ஜின்னா இன்னும் சில ஆண்டுகள் வாழ்ந்திருந்தால் பாக். ஒரு நல்ல வலுவான ஜனநாயகமாக திகழ்ந்திருக்கும். இன்று பாக்.கின் நிலைமை, ஜின்னாவின் கனவுகளுக்கு எல்லாம் நேர்மறையாக இருக்கிறது.

    பாக்.கின் வரலாறு , ஆட்சியாளர்களின் சிறு குறிப்பு , ஏன் நம் இருவருக்கும் பகை, போர்களின் பின்னனி, காஷ்மீரில் வன்முறை, போன்ற  பல தகவல்களை பதிவு செய்கிறார் பா.ராகவன். 

    ஜனநாயகத்தில், சர்வாதிகாரி ஆட்சி முறையை, இங்கு தான் காண்பீர். பாகிஸ்தானின் இந்த பரிதாப நிலைமைக்கு காரணம், ஆட்சியாளர்கள் மட்டும்தான். 

• அடிக்கடி ஆட்சி  கைமாற்றமா? 

• பாகிஸ்தான், ஒரு ஏழை நாடாக இருப்பினும் , அதன், அரசியல்வாதிகள் மட்டும் செல்வம் செழிப்பாக இருப்பது ஏன் ?

•உண்மையாக , பாகிஸ்தான், தீவிரவாதத்துக்கு துணையாக இருக்கிறதா ? 

•காஷ்மீரை வைத்து அரசியல் செய்கிறார்களே ஏன் ?

• ஏன் அடிக்கடி ஆட்சிமாற்றம் வருகிறது? 

• ISI வின் பங்கு என்ன ? 

• ISI க்கும் IB க்கும் என்ன வித்தயாசம் ? 

• ராணுவம் ஏன் ஆதிக்கம் செலுத்தியது?

• பங்களாதேஷில், பாகிஸ்தான் ராணுவத்தால் நடந்த கொடுமைகள் என்ன? 

என்ற பல கேள்விகளுக்கு பதில் அளிக்கிறார் ஆசிரியர். ஆர்வமுள்ள, எளிய நடையில் உள்ளது இந்த புத்தகம். 

எடுத்தால், கீழே வைக்க முடியாது. 

   நமது அண்டை நாடான பாகிஸ்தானின் வரலாற்றை அறிவது, முக்கியமான ஒன்று . அதற்கான ஒரு நல்ல வாய்ப்பு , இந்த 170 பக்கங்கள் உள்ள சிறிய புத்தகம். விரைவில் படித்து விடலாம்.

‌‌

Being at home during lockdown

Being at home during lockdown:

"We develop our character muscles by overcoming challenges and obstacles."
                                        -Stephen Covey
Truly this period is a challenge for us to overcome , not as a personage, but as a brethren . 'It' has shown as how to develop humanity and altruism in this span of crisis. When chaos and perplexity prevails,  let's show that confidence and composure wins 'It'.
    This phase is one of a kind experience to all of us . And , we have to be prudent to make the best use of it.  My experience, so far has been good.
I have indulged myself in reading voraciously.
I read non-fiction as well as fiction. My favourite genres are mysteries and crimes. I enjoy reading Sherlock Holmes and he is my favourite fictional character. Reading a book is experiencing a lifetime. And , I have become covetous to partake manifold lifetimes in this epoch .My quest for knowledge has been reaching its zenith.
"Reading is to mind , what exercise is to body ."
         - Joseph Addison
No intelligent reader merely reads a book . We have to gradually mature ourselves to read critically . Once this kind of reading ripens , you will be able to judge and write book reviews. Also , I keep in touch with current affairs, updating in all fields. 
     Writing eases my soul . Through writing, I'm able to pour out my emotions . While writing , I sense that I'm creating a piece of art . Also , I must share it with the world to read it . That's when blog comes to the rescue . Blogging is a like a commitment to write regularly . Also , you have to make sure that , your write up  is interesting , else the reader gives up reading when he/she is half-way through it.  Writing is very good exercise to our brain.  It stimulates you to think more and explore different ways to write . You have to employ a cornucopia of  words , which will enrich your write ups .In my blog , I have written book reviews , a short story , and small write up .  Added to it , I also write quotes and short poems .
      I love to equip myself with many languages. As Roger Bacon points out ,
" Knowledge of languages is doorway to wisdom. " Assenting to his words , learning new languages , ameliorates our brain to higher thinking levels. Also , as Edmund de Waal quotes , " With languages you're at home anywhere ." Undoubtedly true .
" The limits of my language are the limits of my world."            
                        - Ludwig Wittgenstein
I have beacoup dreams and goals to be checked of the list . One among them is a world tour. Acceding to Mr. Wittgenstein, I don't want to limit myself from the rest of the world , which is waiting for me to explored . Hence, I'm learning Spanish through a free online course and also on the Duolingo app. I already knew some French , and I'm planning to have a command over it in a due course .
    " A day without a friend is like a pot without a drop of honey. "
                           -Winnie the pooh
Winnie didn't have the chance to use smartphones.  We we are blessed with it. Talking to our friends for hours - everybody can relate to this. This is a time to renew our long forgotten friendships . Also , talking to my friends soothes my mind and heart . It's good to know how your friends are coping up . In situations like these , people are disturbed mentally.  It may even be your neighbour , your family member or even your friend . Though there are numerous helplines existing to assist the disturbed,  nothing comes in handy like talking to the person you know. Talking to your loved ones will surely boost them up. It maybe a small gesture to show that you care . 
     Watching movies is one of my favourite pastimes. My favourite genre is 'Biopics '.
Biopics are engrossing and invoke a sense of motivation. Few of my favourite biopics are -
The queen of Katwe , Goodbye Christopher Robin , Bhaag Milkha Bhaag , Super 30 , The theory of everything, The man who knew infinity , Mahanati , The King's speech and many more . Movie adaptations of bestselling books are fun to watch . You can get the crisp of the story in 2 hours time . I have enjoyed the movie adaptations of the Pride and Prejudice , Jane Eyre , Fantastic Beasts ( 2 parts ) , Life of Pi , Little women , The secret life of Walter Mitty, The Great Gatsby and the list goes on . And also , I prescribe the movies that I've watched to my friends and family .
      My most relishing hobby - drawing. And , the best part of it is vesting wonderful, vibrant colors to it . I love to shade and and color as it is much more fun than plain drawings. Colouring and especially shading requires full concentration , because even a small error can tarnish your creation . I use a technique called layering for my pictures.  That is , to layer different shades of the same color to create shadows, depth and realistic effects . Drawing is an activity both for your brain and your heart, and I cherish my creations.
   In this phase , we get a lot of time to spend with our family , like never before.  My brother and I, help my mom in household chores . Also,  I do experiment with cooking , and eventually it turns out to be good.
      Health and hygiene has turned up to be more important. Only when we observe the casualties caused , we realise the need for hygiene. As the Catalan proverb says ,
" From the bitterness of disease , man learns the sweetness of health." It's high time that we realise it soon. Hygienic practices are being followed in my home . Since , there is a lack of physical exercises , I intend to do some yoga too.
     "Enjoy it all , while it lasts." So, let's have a good time in these days and invest it wisely.
As Marie Curie said: "Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less." Nature has been thriving in its pristine beauty now , and man should realise it , to work better in the days to come .
    
     
     
    
    
       
    

       
     

Importance of health and hygiene

Eradicating diseases altogether is insuperable . Even smallpox and polio took years to be wiped out , only with the help of vaccines. Most viruses are zoonotic, i.e spread from animals to humans. For example, the HIV is said to be transmitted from chimpanzees and the MERS from camels. Also , developing a vaccine in a short period of time is an herculean task .Deadly viruses cannot be erased abruptly, but can be avoided at all instances. Therefore , it is in our hands to protect ourselves from these deadly viruses and diseases. 

     " History is philosophy, teaching by examples."    -Thucydides
If we turn the pages of history, there have been  epidemics and pandemics , right from the genesis.Critics argue that it was an epidemic that caused the decline of the Indus valley civilization and not the Aryan invasion.  It was an obscure microbe that killed even Alexander the Great and his mighty army . Mahmud of Ghazni , who invaded India 17 times , died of tuberculosis transmitted from his soldier . The outbreak of the plague in England multiple times was due to unkempt human - animal  interaction . Cholera , originated from unclean feces infected water , wasn't known as a water borne disease in the beginning. Different kinds of flu have surfaced due to improper animal rearing practices.Man should learn his lessons from history.
          If Louis Pasteur hadn't  devised the technique of pasteurisation , then milk would have caused numerous diseases to man . Ignaz Semmelweiss formulated the importance of hand washing in the 20th century , but only now it has been put into practice with full force . If Dr. John Snow hadn't discovered that Cholera was caused by contaminated water , then nobody would have realised the importance of access to clean freshwater . When people tried to  bring out clean customs , they were always shunned away in the beginning. When contraception was the only way to combat HIV , religious institutions ridiculed it.
          Only when we observe the casualties caused , we realise the need for hygiene. Health and hygiene is not a new concept for us . It's been laid down to us for centuries. For instance, the Tamil proverbs like ,  'கூழானலும் குளித்து குடி ' and  'கந்தையானலும் கசக்கி கட்டு'  has been there for generations. 
       Adverse situations like these teach us the importance of health and hygiene. The only way we can tackle this situation is to invest more on health and education. Critics point out that countries which spend more on health and education, are capable to manoeuvre the crises effectively. For instance, countries like Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea outperformed better than their counterparts. In India , after facing two devastating floods , the outbreak of Nipah virus , and their focus on public health, made Kerala , to approach and compass the crises well .As Gandhi quotes,
" It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver."
              According to the WHO , health is ,
" a complete state of physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." A person is deemed fit only when he/she is wholesomely healthy.  Hence , we should strive to attain this collaborative fitness. Following hygienic customs may not only safeguard us , but also people in our surroundings. Even simple steps , could save us from drastic catastrophes. As the Catalan proverb says ,
" From the bitterness of disease , man learns the sweetness of health." It's high time that we realise it soon .
            

Romancing with Sherlock💖

Romancing with Sherlock 💖

    The other day my friend and I were discussing about our comfort novels. 

    What are comfort novels ? 

Comfort books are books or novels or any sort of reading material that comforts you , soothes you, consoles you and gives you solace. Whenever you are exhausted  and overfatigued, reading this particular book will sweeten you up . At times like these , when you are burned out , even playing a game on the mobile or watching TV cannot satisfy your thirstiness. That's when , your comfort novel jumps into the scene . Reading it makes you feel as light as a feather and as fresh as a daisy.

     In my case , my comfort book is Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. There are both novels and short stories in this series by Doyle, but it is the short stories that I'm fond of .

      Sherlock being an eccentric and witty person , solves crimes and mysteries all over London . He has keen observation skills and is always assisted by his confidante Dr. Watson. The entire short stories collection are in the form of Watson's narrative. When I read Sherlock Holmes, I will be completely immersed into it and enjoy it , as if I'm traveling alongside with him. I nevermind reading the same collection of stories again because everytime I read it , I am sherlocked and it feels like a breath of fresh air.

       I rejoice reading O.Henry's and  

Guy de Maupassant's collection of short stories. In addition, I also read Tamil short stories by eminent writers like  Jayakanthan, Na. Pichamoorty and Jeyamohan . 

       Why I prefer short stories as my comfort novels is that , they can be read within a short  span of time , without encompassing much energy,  and are also as aromatic as novels. 

     

▪️PS: What are your comfort books ? Comment below. 

     

நிலம் பூத்து மலர்ந்த நாள்

Nilam poothu malarntha naal - book review

    Good books make you smile and great books make you write a review. Partaking my experience reading this book in the form of a review gives me immense pleasure.
    "A great book should leave you with many experiences and slightly exhausted, you live several lives while reading."
Truly indeed as quoted by William Clark Styron Jr.  Acquiescing to the above quote,  I have undoubtedly lived several lives while reading this book.
       A very intriguing title , 'Nilam poothu malarndha naal ' , we can translate it into English as , "The day when the land bloomed and blossomed".
      Originally written in Malayalam , authored by Manoj Kuroor , it takes us back to the aeons of the  acclaimed Tamil Sangam . The Tamil translated version penned by K.V.Jeysri, has won the Sahitya akademi award, India's highest award for literature recognised in 24 Indian languages. Even though this book was published in 2016 , it has received a stimulus now , owing it to the Sahitya akademi award. This book is unique, considering it's a first of this kind. History combined with fiction gives a tremendous outcome .
        This book revolves around the narratives of characters, Kolumban , Chitirai and Mayilan. Kolumban's version gives the accounts of what happened, Chitirai's narrative points out the conundrum behind those events and Mayilan unravels the enigma, uncluttering the puzzlement . Also, there are many engaging characters like, Seerai, Kings -Pari, Nannan, Athiyaman and our proficient Sangam poets - Kabilar, Baranar and Ouvaiyar. The portrayal of Seerai's character is absorbing. Though being a young girl , Seerai is introspective and skeptical about the traditions pertaining in the society.
       Manoj Kuroor takes us on a journey, to the life lived by our ancestors. In those germinal days of life, people lived in clans or communities according to their professions , that is dancers and singers, farmers ,hunters and so on. Here , the three main characters belong to the dancers and musicians brethren,and live a nomadic life to overcome the viciousness of poverty. Further we learn about our ancient musical instruments, how people migrated with no transportation facilities and their food habits too.
      The hospitality shown by other communities is enthralling. This migrating clan is welcomed and assisted by the hunter circles, the farmer fraternity and so on. People cared for each other irrespective of their communities.
      The author mentions everlasting poets like Kabilar, Baranar and Ouvaiyar. He also chronicles few of their poems. They were the most celebrated poets of the Sangam age  because their compositions were distinctive and sublime. They uniquely stood out from all their literary counterparts.
     Why this book ?
Undeniably, this book is so engrossing and will always hold you on the grip.Since you can never take your eyes off , an avid reader  can complete it at one go . Reading this book, definitely relaxes your mind and also instills a sense of pride about our heritage,
culture and our predecessors' legacy.The more you read about it , the more you want to experience that way of life and get immersed into it . 

Happy reading! 😊

     

Not just a dream !

   My parents , grandparents, aunts and uncles were going on a journey in train . The train , for a long time was moving on a bridge , just like the Konkan railways. We were chatting and  then , alas !  The train changed into a roller coaster and I was there with my friends . My family somehow vanished from the scene . Maybe , I must've thought that they were not physically fit to take on those rides . 

       That roller coaster was mind boggling. I was literally flying and screaming at the top of my voice. It felt so real . That ride contained a lot of twists and turns and monstrous heights . Then, it flashed into a pool of water and abruptly I was in my scuba diving suit . What an overwhelming scene underwater. I saw beautiful fishes , corals and a lot of other sea creatures. 

           I was afraid of the sea , especially about it's underground creatures which have irked me a lot. I was astounded to see them as I was unraveling it's beauty. I was just going through the corals and sea weeds . Unexpectedly I came across a shipwreck . It's name I read which was HMS Albatross. I went inside and was shocked to death by human skeletons . There was a huge wooden box and it was locked . Behind , was a skeleton, looked like a captain to me , was wearing a cap, dressed all in white. In it's hand was a beautifully handcrafted key .

        I took it and opened the box. You couldn't have imagined what I found. Big volumes of books . Though they were all  drenched wet  , I took them to surface carefully and with the help of some experts , those books were dried and I found out that they were priceless antique collection. As I opened a book titled ,      ' Victory to thee' , the first page read ," Wake up girl , you are late for college" .