tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68640065208724581972024-03-13T21:35:46.783-06:00SwayamUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-61656033766631895832017-05-29T12:30:00.000-06:002017-05-29T12:30:23.038-06:00Vidya Samam ...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
nAsti vidyA samaM chakShU</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
nAsti satya samaM tapaH | </div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
nAsti rAga samaM duHkham </div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
nAsti tyAga samaM sukham </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
नास्ति विद्या समं चक्षुः | </div>
<div>
नास्ति सत्य समं तपः || </div>
<div>
नास्ति राग समं दुःखं | </div>
<div>
नास्ति त्याग समं सुखं || </div>
<div>
<br />
There's no something much like a good education,</div>
<div>
there's no asceticism like following the path of The Truth (the path of the truth is where </div>
<div>
there's no sorrow or sadness like the emotional depression or apathetic or despair</div>
<div>
there's no happiness, contentment in life like the one in renunciation and sacrifice</div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: "open sans" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-43844224907733354922017-04-25T22:56:00.000-06:002017-04-25T22:56:58.710-06:00The joy of simple things<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="text-align: justify;">Let me start with this line - "the days when apple and blackberry were just fruits"!</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Those days are long gone, aren't they? These days, it is perhaps very hard to think about going from one corner of even a medium size city to the other! For that matter, I know people who were lost on their way to places they have frequented! Sometimes I don't blame them, it is confusing; other times it is the over dependency on Google-maps and GPS enabled devices.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But what I what to write here is not so much of the complexity of the modern technology (ket(ಕೆಟ್)-knowledgy) but about books; some old classic books.<br />
<br />
Before I get into that, lemme mention, this good-old television program that was originally broadcast on the BBC, hosted by James Burke. This episode also has a lot to do with our over dependency on technology and how simple factors can be detrimental (beneficial also, of course but we have taken that for granted, haven't we?) to life and living of millions of people.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Connections : </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
see: <a href="http://goo.gl/GmWD2">http://goo.gl/GmWD2</a><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This particular episode talks about power blackout and how it will stop the day (and life eventually, if the power is not restored). I list this here because my research is exactly about "situational awareness" (there are a lot of fancy words floating around; this one is good here because it is closer to English than electrical engineering) of a large power system. How can one maintain a good bit of information about the state of the power system and minimize the chances of a system-wide failure (localized failures are still okay!! in power system terminology this is called "wide-area blackout") and minimize the coverage (extent) area of a failure.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Back to books - I am gonna give you a few examples of things that changed my perspective of choosing books to read, the joy of reading simple books and on listening to simple talks. Apparently Einstein said "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." (P.S: Supposedly that's not what he said but the newspapers reported it so!)<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Of course, the books are technical (what did you expect, I'd mention Chethan Bhagat?) the first one is</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Jonathan D. Cryer, Kung-sik Chan, <i>Time series analysis: with applications in R</i>, Springer, 2008.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
One my my committee members had me read chapters from this book for my PhD preliminary exam. If you have a subscription, you can download this book from the SpringerLink website. It turns out this is not exactly the book he had in mind. He was referring to this one,</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Jonathan D. Cryer, <i>Time series analysis</i>, Duxbury, 1986.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Time-Analysis-Jonathan-D-Cryer/dp/0871509636">http://www.amazon.com/Time-Analysis-Jonathan-D-Cryer/dp/0871509636</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you use google-books you will not find it, (hard to believe, I still doubt strongly if I can say that with full confidence, but I am very sure). The library carries only one copy of this book. With much difficulty, I got hold of the book, the very prof had checked-out the book from the library. Anyway, I read most of both books, one heavy on simulation (with R), and modern literature, much of which dint make any sense (I din't have the required background and am not familiar with the language of the STAT folks). But ....<br />
<br />
The 1986 version was so very pure in its content. You should read it to believe its beauty. Such an easy read, doesn't bog you down with unnecessary detail. You know, if I was so keen on knowing recent advances in the statistics time series analysis, I would much rather read journal papers than text-books! The older book was just perfect. But the newer version seemed to have lost that magic, the convincing power, the idea of being simple, concise and convincing.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There are a few other books that I would like to mention,</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1. Harry L. Van Trees, <i>Detection, Estimation, and Modulation Theory, Part I;</i> New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1968.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
An excellent book, people would tell you this is a classic, it perhaps goes a class above "classic"; yet so simple and succinct in its approach; I just love this book.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Here is the resume of Dr. Van Trees, enough motivate the best of the best</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://c4i.gmu.edu/resumes/VanTreesWebResume.pdf">http://c4i.gmu.edu/resumes/VanTreesWebResume.pdf</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2. E. J. Hannan and Manfred Deistler , <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span id="btAsinTitle"><em>The Statistical Theory of
Linear Systems (Classics in Applied Mathematics). </em>SIAM-Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">A classic book by all definitions. You see, my field is statistical signal processing or call it system identification if you'd like. Some even call it time series analysis. Many simply say digital signal processing. Often the term "estimation theory" is also used. Some electrical engineers also want to call it the linear control theory or linear systems theory. Sometimes I just tell people that I work on adaptive signal processing. The borders are undefined. So much so that, the econometrics has an equal contribution to this field as linear operator theoreticians. If I have found any book that relates all these and still make sense at my level, it is this book. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-58957840932788883882017-04-25T22:55:00.001-06:002017-04-25T22:55:41.005-06:00Let your aim be one and single<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XkchW695_pY/WQAnl4WsThI/AAAAAAAAO8M/QlDOUU1Ity4Fp77w4tCn7lNB0dzRQW_8gCLcB/s1600/2017-04-25%2B21_52_20-POSOCO_Electricity_Market_Data_Analysis_Report_Web.pdf%2B%2528SECURED%2529%2B-%2BFoxit%2BReader.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="90" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XkchW695_pY/WQAnl4WsThI/AAAAAAAAO8M/QlDOUU1Ity4Fp77w4tCn7lNB0dzRQW_8gCLcB/s640/2017-04-25%2B21_52_20-POSOCO_Electricity_Market_Data_Analysis_Report_Web.pdf%2B%2528SECURED%2529%2B-%2BFoxit%2BReader.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-87904149328823597072016-12-03T05:39:00.002-07:002016-12-03T05:39:33.069-07:00A case of Delta airline<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table style="font-family: Verdana;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="LEFT" valign="TOP"><b>Delta Air Lines Customer Care Form </b></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left"><b>Title: </b>Mr<br />
<b>First Name: </b>Gurudatha<br />
<b>Middle Name: </b>xxxxx<br />
<b>Last Name: </b>Pai<br />
<b>Suffix: </b><br />
<b>Reply-To Email Address: g*****</b>@gmail.com <br />
<b>Airline Program: </b>DL<br />
<b>Frequent Flyer Number: </b><a dir="ltr" href="tel:9205369474" style="-webkit-text-decoration-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.258824); color: black;" x-apple-data-detectors-result="7/0" x-apple-data-detectors-type="telephone" x-apple-data-detectors="true">x</a>xxxx <br />
<b>Address: xxxxxxx</b><br />
<b><a dir="ltr" href="x-apple-data-detectors://7/1" style="-webkit-text-decoration-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.258824); color: black;" x-apple-data-detectors-result="7/1" x-apple-data-detectors-type="address" x-apple-data-detectors="true">Address Line</a> 2: </b><br />
<b>City: </b>Kirkland<br />
<b>State/Province: </b>WA<br />
<b>Postal Code/Zip: xxxx</b><br />
<b>Country: </b>US<br />
<b>Telephone Country Code: </b>US<br />
<b>Phone Number: xxx-xxx-xxxx</b> <br />
<b>Flight Date: </b>11/xx/2016<br />
<b>Flight Number: </b><a dir="ltr" href="x-apple-data-detectors://10" style="-webkit-text-decoration-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.258824); color: black;" x-apple-data-detectors-result="10" x-apple-data-detectors-type="misc" x-apple-data-detectors="true">DL0035</a> <br />
<b>Origin City: </b>CDG<br />
<b>Destination City: </b>SEA<br />
<b>Confirmation Number: </b>AHSKRG<br />
<b>Ticket Number: xxxxxxxxx</b><br />
<b>Class of Travel: </b>basic_economy<br />
<b>Response Required: </b>yes<br />
<hr />
<b>Message: </b>Hello,<br />
I have a laundry list of complaints for this flight's in airport and in flight service. I almost had it with the crew of this airplane and wanted to speak to the cabin supervisor. The only reason not to do so was so as to not loose my piece of mind on a long trans-atlantic flight.<br />
<br />
1. We were standing in line (my wife was with me on the same route with a separate ticket). We were pulled out of the line by rude person asking us why we were in line for check in without talking to him first. Then somebody else puts himself in the middle of this rude conversation to tell us that they are Delta's security team and had questions for us before checking in. Then I get asked if this was my first air travel! First of all, there is a better way to introduce oneself and then how am I supposed to know the private security Delta is working with and to check in with. <br />
<br />
2. We were seated in the flight and asked the flight attendant (one mr. Mark) to "could you please get me a glass of water when you come around next time?" He looks at my water bottle on the seat and asks me "why? Don't you have water with you in that bottle?" Really? Is that a question to be asked in return for a request for a glass of water? Just so that you know, the bottle was empty, visibly, clearly crushed to be trashed. He brings me a glass in a couple of minutes. <br />
<br />
3. Meal service - The lady on the right aisle-way brings us drinks and I request some wine and glass of club soda, no ice. She doesn't hear me and gives me water instead of club soda. <br />
<br />
4. No problem, I see the service on the left. Mark is serving drinks and I ask him for club soda, no ice. Mark proceeds to observe that I have trashed the plastic cup he had given me water with earlier and gives a lecture about reusing the cup. He is then too busy making polite conversations with a young lady on the window seat in the same row. Unfortunately for me, he give a water again, not club soda and walks away. At this time, I am furious. I press the call button. After a many many minutes, the call light above me clears but nobody answers me. <br />
<br />
5. The lunch service. The drinks service completely misses my wife who's sitting on my left on 17D. I press the call button again and nobody answers. I make it a point to walk back and let them know they missed serving her. A lady comes back and asks her what she wants - ginger beer. The lady comes back with a can and plastic cup and walks away, My wife, who is very strict about her diet learns after taking a sip that what was served to her was beer and not ginger beer. I press the call button again but I time it. It was 16 minutes and then the light above our head just clears without anybody answering us. I walk back again to tell them that they made a mistake again and gave her beer not ginger beer. I get another rude rhetoric comment - "what is it that she wants" - Ginger beer or ginger ale. They bring her that in the next few minutes. <br />
<br />
6. The crew collects the trash etc. But doesn't recycle. And I wonder about the earlier lecture about reusing. I wonder if it was to impress the lady in the window seat that I was made party to a lecture on reusing plastic cups, or this was a subtle neglect since Delta staff did not like our presence among white passengers with a white crew. <br />
<br />
<br />
7. The crew brings hot towels, again they forget to give it to us. I was asleep but my wife noticed that we seemed to be invisible to the crew, yet again. There is a reason for this point by point account of our experience. My wife had a similar experience on a separate delta flight where she perceived a sense of neglect if not anything else by the crew. See Case Number 21xxxxxx. Now, explain to me what I should do if such an experience repeats on a delta flight or assure me that these are isolated incidents and by chance happened in close proximity of one another. Also, assure me that this is not a Delta policy to neglect/question/criticize customer requests for water and drinks and racially profile customers at check-in counters. And for the love your own company, jobs and basic human principles don't just send me a bunch of miles and shut me up.<br />
<br />
<br />
Finally, I would like this complaint to be made available to the boss of customer experience and SkyMiles program. Thanks for your patience and willingness to read through this and hopefully you will bring it to the attention of the right individuals and the right levels.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<b>Submitted: </b>Thu Nov 03 2016 07:07:44 GMT-0700 (PDT)<br />
<br />
----------------------------------------<br />
<br />
<br />
Reply #1: Nearly a month later<br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 16px;" type="cite">
<b>From:</b> Contact Delta <contactus .delta="" delta.com=""><br /><b>Date:</b> December 1, 2016 at 12:09:38 PM EST<br /><b>To:</b> <gurudatha><br /><b>Subject:</b> <b>Re: CC-Share a Compliment-After Trip (xxxxxxx)</b></gurudatha></contactus></blockquote>
<blockquote style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 16px;" type="cite">
<div style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: x-small;">Hello Gurudatha,</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: x-small;">RE: Case Number xxxxx</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Thanks for writing<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: x-small;"> about your flight from Paris</span>. <span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: x-small;">We will investigate your concerns and get back to you as quickly as possible. We ask you to be patient as it may take up to 30 days to respond. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: x-small;">Regards,</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: x-small;">Michelle S. Samuel</span></div>
</blockquote>
-------------------------------<br />
<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
From: Contact Delta <contactus .delta="" delta.com="">
Date: December 2, 2016 at 4:03:04 PM EST
To: <gurudatha>
Subject: Re: CC-Share a Compliment-After Trip (KMM66303719V87065L0KM)
Hello Gurudatha,
RE: Case Number 21730070
Thanks for the email about your travel experience with us on November 2nd at the Charles de Gaulle airport and onboard DL 35. I understand your disappointment with the way the security agent questioned you while standing in line at the ticket counter. There is no excuse for rudeness, in fact we don't tolerate it. We expect all of our agents to be courteous and respectful to our passengers. I"m forwarding your feedback to the Charles de Gaulle Airport Customer Service leadership team to use for service improvement.
After your experience at the ticket counter, it was discouraging to learn that the flight attendants were also rude and were not attentive during the flight. I can imagine how frustrating it must having to ask multiple times for a drink or being skipped over during beverage service. I would have been upset too. It's our goal to provide the best service possible, this includes being helpful to all of our passengers. I'm sorry you didn't get the service you expected and that we have let you down before. We take you feedback very seriously and it will be shared with our InFlight Service leadership team for internal follow-up.
Bonus Miles
We know that we can't replace what happened or place a value on your experience, but we can offer you a goodwill gesture to show that we do care. So, I’m adding 3,000 bonus miles to each of your SkyMiles accounts. They should be transferred into your accounts within three business days.
We appreciate your business and hope that you will give us another chance to provide a more positive experience.
Regards,
Jennifer Wilson
</gurudatha></contactus></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-38643661184064420072016-11-11T19:58:00.002-07:002016-11-11T19:58:56.593-07:00Paris Trip plan for Indians <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Train options:<br />
1. Navigo pass - Monday through Sunday 27€ first time and 22€ after that.<br />
2. Buy 10 tickets or 20 tickets from for discount<br />
<br />
Attractions<br />
1. Eiffel Tower : go in evening so that you are on top for sunset. Walk up to second level and take lift from there.<br />
2. Champs-Élysées (arc de Truimp):<br />
3. Musee de louvre (Louvre museum) : go from the shopping mall (carousel du louvre) entrance and buy tha ticket in gift shop there. Ask in info desk inside the mall). Download the app and 1€ audio guide. Can buy ticket on the app. Use museum website for trail of must see pieces in louvre.<br />
4. Palais Garnier (Garnier opera house): at least do the tour with audio guide but highly recommend a ballet or opera show. The box office opens 1 hour before the show. Buy the 10€ ticket.<br />
5. Chataue de Versailles (Versailles palace): go early. Take the ticket with audio guide. Go weekday. Go very early. Weekend is expensive. Plan for a full day there. Have a water bottle.<br />
6. Museum of Orsay<br />
Anu went here. Small and very good museum. Famous for monet's lily painting.<br />
7. Notre dame cathedral: free and good place.<br />
8. Evening cruise is cool too. Typical price is 13€.<br />
9. Luxomberg garden: if you have time to spare.<br />
<br />
Food:<br />
1. Crepes at small coffee shops and roadside shops good for breakfast.<br />
2. Buy water bottles at regular stores and keep in hotel. Water near attractions is super expensive.<br />
3. For Indian food, go to the station Gare du Nord. Recommend Talapakkatta and pepper chicken there.<br />
4. Rue cler (Cler street) for street food <br />
<br />
<br />
Most of all. Have fun :)</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-69900122390883219942015-07-25T12:53:00.000-06:002015-07-25T12:53:16.753-06:00dEpajyotihi parabrahma<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Sanskrit" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Tooltip" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px;">दीपज्योतिः</span> <span class="Tooltip" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px;">परब्रह्म</span> <span class="Tooltip" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px;">दीपज्योतिर्जनार्दनः</span> ।<br /><span class="Tooltip" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px;">दीपो</span> <span class="Tooltip" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px;">हरतु</span> <span class="Tooltip" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px;">मे</span> <span class="Tooltip" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px;">पापं</span> <span class="Tooltip" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px;">दीपज्योतिर्नमोऽस्तुते</span> ॥</span><br />
<span class="Sanskrit" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">dEpajyotihi parabrahma dEpajyotirjanaardanah |</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">dEpo haratu me pApAn Diipa-Jyotir-Namostute ||</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">Namaste (salutations) to the l</span><span class="kword" style="color: brown; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">ight</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;"> of the l</span><span class="kword" style="color: brown; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">amp,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;"> the s</span><span class="kword" style="color: brown; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">upreme Brahman</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="kword" style="color: brown; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">Janardhana</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;"> (Vishnu), l</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">et it r</span><span class="kword" style="color: brown; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">emove my sins<span style="background-color: white;">.</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-85278110532186431482015-07-25T12:34:00.001-06:002015-07-25T12:34:15.471-06:00shubham karOti<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Sanskrit" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Tooltip" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px;">शुभं</span> <span class="Tooltip" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px;">करोति</span> <span class="Tooltip" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px;">कल्याणमारोग्यं</span> <span class="Tooltip" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px;">धनसंपदा</span> ।<br /><span class="Tooltip" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px;">शत्रुबुद्धिविनाशाय</span> <span class="Tooltip" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px;">दीपज्योतिर्नमोऽस्तुते</span> ॥</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">shubham karOti kalyAnamarogyam dhanasampadA |</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">shatrubuddhivinAshAya dEpajyotirnamOstute ||</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">Namaste (salutations) to the light of the lamp, which b</span><span class="kword" style="color: brown; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">rings auspiciousness</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">, good h</span><span class="kword" style="color: brown; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">ealth</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;"> and p</span><span class="kword" style="color: brown; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">rosperity,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;"> d</span><span class="kword" style="color: brown; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">estroys Inimical feelings<span style="background-color: white;">.</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-15880774014082811672012-12-01T11:17:00.003-07:002012-12-01T11:17:46.191-07:00ಮೊದಲ ಷಟ್ಪದಿ (modala ShaTpadi )<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
ಬಹುಶ: ನಾನು ಬರೆಯಬಹುದಾದ ಯಾವ ಕ್ರತಿಗಾದರೋ, ಈ ಷಟ್ಪದಿ ಒ೦ದು ಅಲ್ಪ ಪ್ರಾರ೦ಭ.<br />
<br />
"<br />
ನಾನೇನು ಬರೆಯಲಿ ಕವನ೦, ಹನಿಗವನ೦<br />
ಇನ್ನೂ ಓದಿ ಮುಗಿಸಿಲ್ಲ ಬೀಚಿ೦, ಕೈಲಾಸ೦.<br />
<br />
ಹೇಗೆ ತಾನೆ ಬೆಳೆಸಲಿ ಸಣ್ಣ ಕಥೆ, ಕಾದ೦ಬರಿ<br />
ಬಣ್ಣಿಸಲಾರೆ ನಾ ಈ ಕವಿಗಳ, ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರಗವಿಗಳ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಟತೆಯ ಪರಿಯಲಿ.<br />
<br />
ಇನ್ನೂ ಓದಿಲ್ಲ ನಾನು ಕಾರ೦ತ, ಡಿವಿಜಿ<br />
ಅಯ್ಯೊ! ಮತ್ತೆ ಮರೆತೆ ಬೊಮ್ಮನಹಳ್ಳಿಯ ಕಿನ್ನರಜೋಗಿ<br />
<br />
"<br />
<br />
This is my first published effort at writing (no technical literature doesn't count). This is perhaps the only one, but in any case, it is a disclaimer to what I might write. This is a six-liner, the title is "first six-liner". The influence perhaps is Jagjith Singh and the ghazals he has voiced. Specifically, the category of Urdu literature called "misra", a six-liner that often dejects life, love and the God.<br />
<br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-53423626276526166632012-09-16T21:09:00.000-06:002012-09-16T21:14:41.215-06:00Just another day, in India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The last two days of month of July were the first reflections of the deep technology dependency of the modern era in the lives of Indians. Or is it?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
On July 30th and then on 31st, we saw the avalanche collapse of the Indian power grid. On the 30th, the northern region collapsed and on the 31st, it took down the eastern and north eastern regions with it. These days saw a total load loss of about 36000MW and 48000MW respectively (according to the report published thereafter). I have no idea about the total impact of these events, may it be in terms of the number of people impacted or the financial loss. The official report that I have had the chance to read don't even make a mention.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This event brought out many technical, political and social outcries. The Ministry of Power, Govt. of India had many press briefings and the then Minister of Power, Mr. Sushilkumar Shinde made many press appearances. He had his political cards, but failed to make any technically or even political correct statements, in my opinion. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Having said that, I am not that pessimistic about the technology side of the whole affair. I am not suggesting that the event was a positive experience. It, most certainly, was the difficult hours for the people stuck in trains, elevators, etc. But I would bet my money that most people did not realize, at least in the beginning, that the event was not the typical one they experience every other day. Most people who have not lived in India don't realize that most Indians do not take electricity for granted like the people who live developed countries. They perhaps find it hard to believe, but its true.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For instance, my mom makes sure that she prepares everything that she needs before 8am on Tuesdays. Because, by definition, Tuesdays my town gets its turn for "load shedding". From 8am in the morning, till perhaps 6 or 7PM, we will not have power. We just live with that, we have to. It gets worse in summer, and worst in drought years. That's when we get unscheduled "load shedding". We still live with that. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Much of India has not seen electrification but of the many places that has, most will have some sort of backup power, like diesel (petrol, kerosene) generators (most buildings that have an elevator will have a one, I would guess), backup (battery powered, or solar or both) power sources for lighting, etc. They can survive a day or two without power and they wouldn't know. Here is the kicker, every desktop computer would be connected through an UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply). Perhaps only server rooms of the developed countries have such a power supply for computers. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But, these balckouts brought out a spectacular outrage of people, many making very strong statements on the tv, etc. (media mightier than the sword, right!! ) and bigger twitter storms. Eventually, the Govt. of India gave in and replaced the Power Minister. Yes, thats the political solution for a seemingly technical problem.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Now, it has been two months and there is still a lot of that anguish in the air. I know, I can understand how important energy is to a country which seemingly cannot tame its growth pattern. I agree with the long term strategic goals of a smarter, tech savvy grid with the "intelligent everything" features. Should we just go and invest in these technologies, that in many case don't exist. Is everything as bad as it is made out to be? Or is it simpler than that?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For example see this post </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://forbesindia.com/blog/technology/do-we-really-understand-the-true-energy-demand-in-india/"></a><a href="http://forbesindia.com/blog/technology/do-we-really-understand-the-true-energy-demand-in-india/">http://forbesindia.com/blog/technology/do-we-really-understand-the-true-energy-demand-in-india/</a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
(I am hoping he will respond to my comments :) ).
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mr. Gopi Katragadda, ( Managing Director at GE India Technology Center) in the above blog, argues that India should get to the smart grid very quickly and that is the panacea of all the curses of the Indian grid and its vulnerabilities. Don't get me wrong, I am a big proponent of smart grid technologies, my research is on technology similar to what many people think as being part of a smarter grid. Nonetheless, I disagree with Mr. Katragadda's proposals as both short and medium term solutions. I don't think India's current grid situation needs a smart grid approach, in the short term. There are more fundamental problems than that.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
(Also, notice that many technical solutions he proposed are the fields where GE has a strong footprint, talk about marketing.)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I will give you a simple example. I was in the audience of ta discussion on nuclear power plants in the aftermath of tsunami in Japan. The panelists were many eminent experts from the power, nuclear generation industries and the faculty of the nuclear engineering dept. of MIT. One of the primary concern they all voiced is that, country like India lacks the discipline to run a large scale nuclear power plant and any incident may lead to large scale disaster given the attitude of people, emergency response infrastructure and the population density.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
People, my dear friends, is the key. One of the recommendations of the TECHNICAL report on the grid failure is </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"</div>
<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;">Penal provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003 need to be reviewed to ensure better compliance of instructions of Load Dispatch Centers and directions of Central Commission. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yes, that's a technical recommendation. Now, will you be surprised if I tell you that the primary cause to the blackout was anything but technical. In fact, they did not find any unexpected behavior of any component, sub-system or protectoin mechanism but of people. What did they find?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"</div>
<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
High Loading on 400 kV Bina-Gwalior-Agra link: The overdrawal by some of the Northern Region (NR) utilities, utilizing Unscheduled Interchange (UI), contributed to high loading on this tie line.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Inadequate response by State Load dispatch Centers (SLDC) to the instructions of Regional Load dispatch Centers (RLDC) to reduce overdrawal by the NR utilities and underdrawal/excess generation by the Western Region (WR) utilities</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The people simply did not respond to orders coming from their peers in other control rooms. As simple as that. I bet they were sleeping comfortably, it was 2:30AM when all this happened! OKAY, stop blaming the Govt. of India now and start blaming Govt's of northern states!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
P.S: I could go on, about delays in re-energizing the plants and the rest of the grid; I will end up with the same answer, very sluggish response of people to mission critical problems. But, I am glad that there are some wide-area data acquisition (PMU and sync frequency measurements, albeit in the distribution network) and how I wish I could touch that data!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Also see: </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ol>
<li>10 Amazing Photos from the Massive Power Outtages in India, <a href="http://bit.ly/V1W1PT">http://bit.ly/V1W1PT</a></li>
<li>Report on the Grid Disturbance in the Northern Region on the 30th July and in Northern, Eastern and North-Eastern Region on 31st July 2012. <a href="http://bit.ly/OvzTsp">http://bit.ly/OvzTsp</a></li>
<li>IIT Bombay, Wide Area Frequency Measurement System<b style="display: inline !important; height: 1px; left: -999px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: -999px; width: 1px;">http://</b> <a href="http://bit.ly/S2oc1e">http://bit.ly/S2oc1e</a></li>
<li>International Energy Outlook 2011 <a href="http://1.usa.gov/Rgi3KL">http://1.usa.gov/Rgi3KL</a></li>
<li>Your favorite search engine</li>
</ol>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-12044631492954200412012-09-04T23:48:00.001-06:002012-09-04T23:48:25.502-06:00Elusive 100mile mark<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Last weekend was a special weekend for me. I was in Sundance, WY riding the MS Close Encounters bike ride organized by the Wyoming chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. <br />
<br />
The preparations leading to the ride was fine. I had logged about 540miles on the saddle for the last 75 days; I had multiple 50+ mile rides. I started on Friday, late afternoon and reached Sundance well before 7PM. I had enough time to register, have my "foot-long" and set-up my tent. It so happened that the school's Outdoor Programs Office could not rent me a sleeping bag. So, I was there with my comforter, hoping that it would be just fine. Fine it was!<br />
<br />
The evening was cool. I had time to chit-chat with fellow campers, all of them were members of the team Bioness Vitesse. It got dark and I found myself reading a Kannada short story book under the street light. Soon, I decided to call it a night and got back to my tent. I could not sleep for some reason, and I felt very cold. Apparently, it is very difficult to sleep just with a sleeping-pad and a comforter with the temperatures under 40deg F. Listening to podcasts did not help my case.<br />
<br />
As the morning approached, I got very keen to get up and get going. By 6:00AM, I was at the breakfast, trying to see if I can meet up with some familiar faces. I saw KB and TB. I rode with them for Team Pokes last year, this year 4 members of our team had missed out. Anyway, we agreed to ride together as long as we can, or I should say as long as I could keep up with them.<br />
<br />
We started at 7 with the team <a href="http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/COCBikeEvents?team_id=274144&pg=team&fr_id=18654">Megasorasses</a>, who raised the highest amount of money and get the privilege, rightfully so, of leading the ride. Just a couple of miles out of town, we were on the century loop. Myself, KB and TB were the first 3 to enter the century loop. <br />
<br />
Century loop is an additional 14 mile or so to complete 100 miles in the day. What makes this part of the ride specially attractive is that it's a climb all the way to the top of a mountain. 7 Miles of pure climbing. If it interests you, here is the climb profile.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lYKHbrZ3wo8/UEbi0emt0VI/AAAAAAAAItc/slZ-Url8y_8/s1600/Untitledqw.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lYKHbrZ3wo8/UEbi0emt0VI/AAAAAAAAItc/slZ-Url8y_8/s640/Untitledqw.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I should mention that I am not much of a climber, my bike is not very well suited for climbing either. But one thing helped a lot - elevation. Laramie is at an elevation of 7300ft. Sundance is at about 4700ft. You can feel the difference in the thickness of the air, you really can. Anyway, back to the ride. Soon, KB, being an expert rider, broke away from us and somehow TB was behind me. But then a familiar face from the previous night's camp-side chat was riding next to me, Mr. C. For the next hour or so, we had one long conversation, as we tackled the mighty climb. Doing 5miles an hour on a steep long climb isn't exactly fun. But we managed it, by talking about power system, engineering as career choice, politics, federal elections and fibrosis, which is what C works on. He also happens to be a MS patient. A lot of people passed us, but we weren't bothered about it at all. It's not a race!<br />
<br />
At some point before we reached the peak, C broke away from me. I just tried to hang in there, and enjoy the ride, the scenery - the Black-Hills National Forest. I did reach the top of the Warren peak, took a few minutes and talked to the volunteers waiting for us. They gave me this badge for completing the century loop. But somewhere on the way, I had already achieved my goal, to make friends with an MS patient.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dJ_2nhviNJk/UEbaGkZS95I/AAAAAAAAIrA/05D-8rEaNLg/s1600/IMG_0984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dJ_2nhviNJk/UEbaGkZS95I/AAAAAAAAIrA/05D-8rEaNLg/s200/IMG_0984.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Coming down was a real cyclist experience! It is very difficult to put that in words. And then, to realize that you went up that very hill, just quadruples the excitement. Imagine going down a 6% slope at 40mph, on zig-zag roads. I was bloody scared to touch the breaks. I knew if I did not break going into a corner, I was gonna hit the railings. I knew if I could not break very quickly, for that will be disaster. Its such an adrenaline rush, to use both the lanes on the road and find it not wide enough for your 45mph turns! I was out of the century loop very quickly, I must have done the return trip in 10 mins or less. But by that time, most people had covered a lot of distance on the main course and there were only 2 people behind me. I was the third one to enter the loop and positioned last but three when I exited. <br />
<br />
Anyway, I would catch up with them soon, I thought to myself. At that same time, the two people who were behind me, passed me. I was the last person on the ride and I remained so for the next 20miles. Soon, I was going through rest-stops every so-often as I could. I did catch up with people, by the time I was at lunch stop, which is about 50mile mark for me (with the century loop), there were 5 people behind me. 5 out of the 284 riders total. If you think about it, being so behind the pack can be both motivational and disastrous! <br />
<br />
Lunch, sadly did not go well either. They had a sandwich, with some meat in it; I cant remember what it was. But I decided not to eat it. I ate an apple, a banana, a cereal bar and continued.<br />
<br />
Rest-stops came and went, so did other riders. Some people stopped at lunch, some others stopped at various points. There are some long climbs in the post lunch ride. These climbs are not very steep, may be 3% for the most part and sharper at the peaks. But they are very long, say 3-4miles. I was going very slow, even stopped a few times to catch a breath; eat an energy-bar or two. But yet, I think I did well on these climbs. Compared to last year, I did exceptionally well.<br />
<br />
The good part of a long climb is that you can go downhill after that. Boy! oh boy did I go! Next 30 or so miles were fast. I think I did them in a under 90minutes. <br />
<br />
Heading back to Sundance was when I started chocking up on my own saliva. For reasons I can only guess, I started to have hick-ups. When I had about 15miles to go, I was sat down at the stop #6 and rested a bit. I had about 15miles to go, an hour or so, I thought to myself. I have done around 85 miles today and a silly hick-up isn't going to spoil my day, because I wont let it happen. I set off.<br />
<br />
But the hick-ups got only worse. Do you ever have that feeling that your stomach is revolting against you and that your tongue seems to remember the scrambled egg you ate for breakfast? I had that exact feeling. I stopped. Got off the bike, put it down and walked around. It's all fine now.<br />
<br />
Let's get going. And that feeling again, damn it. Lets drink some more water, may be I haven't kept up my water in-take. Some Gatorade should help, it's supposed to. I was doing 7-8 miles an hour with a light tail-wind, in my defense though, its one of those rolling-hills of Wyoming with more uphill than down. <br />
<br />
Anyway, I stopped again, this time under a lonely tree. Leaned on the handlebar and did a quick prognosis. I think I will throw-up, any minute. Right then, a fellow rider pulled up. "Are you alright?"<br />
<br />
"I don't know, I have this funny feeling that I am gonna throw-up, I hope not."<br />
<br />
"You should sag! By the way, I am D".<br />
<br />
"Hi D, thanks for stopping, I should be okay! I will have some water and get going. We are almost here, another 7 miles to go? oh, sorry! I am Guru."<br />
<br />
"Yeah, 7 or 8. Next rest-stop is in 4-5miles. Do you have enough water?"<br />
......<br />
I had enough water and I asked him to leave and told him I will sag if I don't feel like riding. Sag is the word we use for taking a ride on the support cars, they are called sag-wags. <br />
<br />
I just sat down on the ground, had more water. Right then, a bit of the apple and banana was on the floor. Oh! what a relief. That does it. I can only get better from here!<br />
<br />
I sat of the bike and started riding. Some calculations - I have about 7 miles to go, at this pace I will have to ride for an hour, if I just stand up and go for an all-or-nothing effort, I will reach in 30-40minutes. Let's go.<br />
<br />
People so easily talk about last ditch efforts, as if there is something magical about it. There is nothing. It's the greatness of people doing it. Think of famous athletes, unknown soldiers and perhaps critically ill patients. I don't know what it is that makes them do these heroic and almost magical acts of bravery, courage and strength; I am sure of that, for I gave up.<br />
<br />
In the next half mile or so my last ditch effort dint pan-out. I stopped. I remembered what my friend KM had told me as I left Laramie. "Guru, at any time, if you feel like you can't do it, just call it quits". At that moment, I wasn't enjoying it nor did I want to continue anymore. I waved thumbs down to the sag-wag and asked him to take me back. There goes my 100 mile ride! I got a batch for the century loop, which I never completed!<br />
<br />
After getting back to Sundance, I remember I lied down on the lawn at 3:30pm-ish. Only things I remember are signing up for the free massage, blabbering something to Mr. C, Mr. D and somebody else. <br />
<br />
I think I passed out, asleep at least. I got up at 4:30 or something, the dinner was ready. I dint ask what it was, served myself. I met up with D again and his friend Mr. B. Had my dinner and retired for the day. Back at the Sundance High School, where we had camped. A quick shower later, I called KM and told him about the ride. He is the one who got me into it in the first place. Being a biologist, he said how remarkable human body is, that it can recover so quickly. <br />
<br />
Fifteen minutes after that call and a Subway "foot-long" later, I saddled my Motobecane up. I rode from corner to corner of the town of Sundance. A total of 6+miles, my way of reaching my goal, may not count for anything, but it does mattered. I had a good night's sleep that evening. <br />
<br />
I will not trouble you with the details of the day two of the ride. It suffices to say that myself, Mr. C and Mr. D rode as a peloton for good part of the ride. Some other guys also participated in breaking the wind. I stopped at the 50mile mark or the lunch break after 3 hours of riding. Had my lunch and was on my way back to Laramie, thinking how wonderful my weekend was and what may it bring to the lives of people affected by MS.<br />
<br />
Next five hours, as I drove back to Laramie, I was just thinking what would it take to end all the diseases, hunger and suffering. We, humans have a very long to-do list!!! I think we can achieve all of it, if we want to.<br />
<br />
Finally, I couldn't close this post without acknowledging the contributions of some of my closest friends and family. Thank you, your contribution is greatly appreciated.<br />
</div>
<marquee behavior="scroll" direction="up">
Jill - $100.00
<br />-------------------------- <br />
Bonnie Zare - $50.00
<br />-------------------------- <br />
Mr. Rodney Garnett - $50.00
<br />-------------------------- <br />
Madhav Prakruth Athre - $30.00
<br />-------------------------- <br />
Pallavi - $25.00
<br />-------------------------- <br />
Sharath Aramanekoppa - $25.00
<br />-------------------------- <br />
Krithika - $25.00
<br />-------------------------- <br />
Anup - $25.00
<br />-------------------------- <br />
Anonymous
<br />-------------------------- <br />
Jim & Felicia Follum - $25.00
<br />-------------------------- <br />
Avani Nayak - $20.00
<br />-------------------------- <br />
Goutham Kamath - $20.00
<br />
</marquee></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-74911785493633512592012-07-24T01:08:00.000-06:002012-07-24T01:08:38.137-06:00Super set<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Brace yourself! This is my long story of a really long ride, from Laramie, WY, from my apt to be more precise to Bear Tavern Restaurant, Centennial, WY. The plan was simple, get there for lunch and be home for high tea!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But the plan dint start out like that. Like last year, I am riding the Wyoming Bike MS, a fundraiser for Multiple Sclerosis, organized by the Wyoming chapter of MS Society. The target this year is 500$ and century lap, i.e., 100miles on Day 1. Last year, I had the target of 300$ and see the finish line on Day 1; Day 2 was just a dream, I dint think I would get hat far. See my earlier blog on that, it's listed somewhere in the navigation panel.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Anyway, earlier last week, I got this reminder email from MS Society that, I have not done any fundraising so far and I need to get on it to reach my goal. And I set about thinking, how I would ask you, my friends, to help me reach that monetary goal. So, I decided on this plan, I will make a long practice ride, will write this blog and ask you to help me reach the next step.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So, Friday night I thought, I will start very early on Saturday and get back home for lunch; two things bothered me - 1. I had a dept trek on Thursday, without shoes, in my sandals, for the heck of it; 2. Played an epic badminton rally of badminton games, at the end of which, I had bruised my toes. As I hit the sack, I decided that I dint feel upto the task and should cancel my plans. As it turned out, I did get up early, was bored to death, until I found my best mates on a G+ hangout. That's right, I use G+ - just for the hangouts!! (BTW, Googlebot if you are indexing this, I wanna tell you that Google plus sucks! So does GMail these days. And the new blogger interface is pathetic and buggy. Associate all those words with Google and its trade-names/products.)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Back to the ride, Sunday was a different day. I got up late, I was totally relaxed. I wished good night to my parents and just thought, let's go. Saw the weather, 5-10mph wind in Laramie or in Centennial, temperature in the 70-80s. Charged the phone to a 100%, did my usual 3 point inspection of tires, breaks and gears, grabbed my water bottles and energy bottles. Just then I realized that the seat adjustment I had done last week was giving away and my seat had a tilt. That's fixed and I am on my way. Here is my route, thanks to mapmyride.com. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hFeiZnahi8Q/UA4uTqaRSJI/AAAAAAAAIoY/rOsjQMMMGYQ/s1600/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hFeiZnahi8Q/UA4uTqaRSJI/AAAAAAAAIoY/rOsjQMMMGYQ/s400/Untitled.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As I started, I switched on the two apps I use, Cycle Tracker Pro and iMapMyRide. I had to cross the interstate 80 somewhere and also, ride parallel to it for a couple of miles, why not ride on the shoulder! May be not. Thoughts came and disappeared; so did buildings, half an hour and I was near the Laramie Airport. A few miles more and a familiar looking car whizzed past me at 65mph, and it slowed down at a distance - it was KM, JJ and BSM. What a pleasant surprise. I told them that I plan to be in Centennial for lunch at about 2pm. Off they went their way and I started again.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Then came the Overland trail. My first stop wasn't to be before 20miles, but I was gonna stop for a instagram moment. A couple of minutes for the pic, a sip of water and I was away again. The road wasn't as smooth as it should be, I thought, for one there were a lot of pebbles on the shoulder, the road itself was very rough (may be for the snowy winters!) and there were a hell a lot of cracks on the shoulder. A friend asked me last week about how much it hurts and where it hurts, I told her that for me it was the calf muscles and as I would push through the pain, they got stiffer and stiffer and even more painful. She thought, I was rubbishing, and its the thigh muscles that should pain and not cough. May be I don't know enough about the physiology of human body but I do know where it hurts me! Anyway, I thought I should change my answer to that question entirely. It's not the calf or thigh muscles, but its my bottom that hurts the most; thanks to the large cracks; no pun intended!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HrHDKJ-ImnI/UA5Ef9A9bbI/AAAAAAAAIok/oHlg6ob_RRk/s1600/IMG_0798%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HrHDKJ-ImnI/UA5Ef9A9bbI/AAAAAAAAIok/oHlg6ob_RRk/s400/IMG_0798%5B1%5D.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Nonetheless, I had a 14miles stop, much before my regular fatigue-point. Which meant, I would do more stops than I needed. Come on, its a recreational ride, not a race. The vibration from the road, the pebbles, and cracks was showing up, not just on me, but on my machine too. The saddle was loose again, not a lot, but I would feel the change in the angle. And the was a noise, the front ball-bearings were broken, or the wheel hub, something was terribly wrong. This is the perfect day for a perfect ride and it's being ruined by a stupid bolt and cheap bearing. I stopped by the side of the road and inspected my tires, nothing was wrong. HMMM - strange but true stories - Let's try this again, with keen senses, I was observing my machine for any signs. Oh, I got it. Its the bottle cage, rattling, the screw has come out due to the vibration. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As the rattle continued, I biked along the steady slope to my destination. Soon, (in 2 hours) I was there. Cursing myself for not having got the Alan-keys to fix the seat or the bottle cage. Hell, I should carry that 300g tool-set! Before I got there, I had stopped two more times! Had eaten my energy bars and pretty much drank all water in the 2 bottles, did ~33miles in 2hour 40 minutes including the breaks, not bad, I was hoping to do 2hour 30 minutes. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aSgy5ZbibUY/UA5FZwLjnxI/AAAAAAAAIos/ahaFW8Hi0bs/s1600/IMG_0800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aSgy5ZbibUY/UA5FZwLjnxI/AAAAAAAAIos/ahaFW8Hi0bs/s400/IMG_0800.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Lunch was fine, had a nice pizza and black coffee, grouped with KM and family. And was ready to leave. KM told me that it was raining, I was determined to do my 100km Centennial ride, so, I just asked for a plastic bag from the restaurant guy for safe-keeping my phone. I resumed my GPS tracking apps. I had 42% battery remaining; I switched off the phone mode, reduced brightness to minimum, decided not to open it anywhere, good enough to get me home. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4TfUkA4gF6o/UA5G6U1Hl8I/AAAAAAAAIo0/qrmDsR0YhHk/s1600/IMG_0801+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4TfUkA4gF6o/UA5G6U1Hl8I/AAAAAAAAIo0/qrmDsR0YhHk/s400/IMG_0801+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I started out of Centennial, a jeep guy wished me good luck - by splashing color water from the road on me; "thanks dude, appreciate it". I cannot say he did that on purpose, I will say that he did nothing to avoid it. Anyway, I had a nice tail-wind, I was doing 25+mph for the next half hour; that was nice feeling, a slight down-hill, a tail wind, a cool rainy breeze on your face and stomach full of polar bear pizza! Soon, the energy wore off and I was doing 15-17mph, still more than good enough! I made a stop somewhere and met with KM again. Good going Guru.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My good part of the day was soon coming to a slow. The tail-wind had turned into a more of side wind for a while and a N-of-NE wind soon. There were dark clouds to the horizon in all directions and the mountains were constantly lit with lightening. I was up-close with nature, closer than I needed to be. I still had a lot of ground to cover,20+ miles. To pass my time, I started playing games, missing cracks on the road, going up-down on the gears, pedaling with a single foot, mostly right foot, playing anthakshari - a game in which you sing a song with the letter previous song ends, etc., etc. I was still enjoying it, I knew my phone and valet were safe in the plastic bag, I knew time was about 4PM and that I had enough juice in me to get back home in time.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My next stop came and my games continued. I stopped until I saw a Subaru! For my bad-luck it came just as I was drinking my first sip of water after stopping. Okay - "back on the saddle, Mr. Pai" I ordered myself. 8 miles out, I could see the Laramie Airport, I had to stop again, I was tired and my last stop wasn't long enough. I leaned my bike to a reflector post on the dirt, off the shoulder and I walked around. I needed to loosen up my legs, just relax. This time, I chose wisely, I said, I am gonna wait until an convertible car shows up. A few minutes and a car did went zooming, in the rain and all.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Let's get going. I need a nice cup of tea now. That'll be good." That wasn't to be. A single step on the bike and I realized I had a flat, the rear tire was deflated. What the be**eep. You see, when I curse, I mean it! This was really a bee**ep moment for me. "What do I do. There is nothing repair here. Let me call somebody." I open the plastic bag only to realize that my phone was off, and it wouldn't come back ON again - not this one, my "I-am-Mr.-Smarty-Pants-iPhone". My old stupid phone would have come ON for a minute and allowed me to call somebody and ask for help, not this one. The airport is not far, I could walk to the airport and call from a public phone. Who do I call, I cannot remember anybody's number of the top of my head, except my-own and my immediate family in India! I have to walk, while I am at it, let's try getting a ride.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Soon, this guy pulled over, even before I waved! "Thank you, I really appreciate you stopping. I have a flat! Can you help me?"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"I have a spare tube, I can give that to you."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"No, I haven't got any tools or a air-pump, honestly, I haven't done it before in my life!"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He looked at me as if he thought of me for a big looser. I told him, I will leave my bike at the airport and call my friend for a ride and sent him away. As he drove away, I realized, I could have just asked him for the phone! What a looser am I!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A half an hour walk and I was at the turn-off for the airport. "It cannot be more than 5miles from here to home. It will take me an hour or so. That way I can complete my 100km ride and not have to take a ride from anybody." I decided against going to the airport and started walking. It's then that I noticed that I was doing 3mph and not 5mph, that I would have to walk for nearly 2 hours. And I walked, walked, singing - "I walk a lonely road,... it's only me and I walk alone"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/gWNRUVMboq4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />I waved for rides, people waved back at 65+mph, thank you. For the next 1hour 30minutes, I walked. I couldn't help thinking, if I was being foolish, stupid, immature, inexperienced, determined or a confused college-going-lad. I couldn't help thinking that I am really paying for my decision, I had no way but to walk along. That, what I thought at the moment did not help my case nor did it help my psychology, nor the burning sensation in the feet. It dint matter that it felt like there was a stone in the shoe. It felt absolutely hopeless when I still couldn't remember a single local phone number - not even one. I had done more than 4miles of walking by this time and I wasn't even in the 50mph just-outside-town speed limit. Now, I knew my situation. I have another 4-5miles to walk, easily. It will take me another couple of hours to do that. There is a fire station on this road, there is a fuel station close to that. There are also a few houses, I will walk into on of these.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But then, as if to reinforce my faith (in what?!), a fellow cyclist showed up. He offered to help change the tires, I just asked for his phone in return. I called my friend , PC, gave an absolutely pathetic description of my situation or whereabouts. I couldn't even give landmark. "Just drive to the airport, and watch out for a cyclist to wave!" - That's what I said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My friend came, I removed the wheels and threw my bike in the back seat. Sat in the car and realized .....</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
With that my friends, I call upon you to help me reach my 500$ mark on Wyoming MS bike ride Fundraiser. Please visit my profile page on WY MS Society website and donate <a href="http://bit.ly/WY_BIKE_MS" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/WY_BIKE_MS</a> Thank you. Your contribution does count and your trust in me will come through, with a firm determination bordering foolishness.</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Snowy Range Rd, Routt National Forest, Centennial, WY 82055, USA41.317786357116823 -106.1598587036132841.293941357116822 -106.19934070361329 41.341631357116825 -106.12037670361327tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-39308056259854355582012-07-17T23:02:00.000-06:002012-09-30T22:15:01.649-06:00Infinite Loop<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"</div>
<span lang="HI"></span><strong>अनिर्वेद<span style="font-family: Mangal;"><span style="font-family: Mangal;"><span lang="EN">: </span></span></span><span lang="HI">श्रियो मूलं अनिर्वेद: परं सुखं ।</span></strong><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>अनिर्वेदो हि सततं सर्वार्तेषु प्रवर्तक: ॥</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><strong>- रामायण</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</span><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>anirveda: shriyo mUlaM anirveda: paraM sukhaM |</strong></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>
</strong></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>anirvedo hi satataM sarvArteShu pravartaka: ||</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>
</strong></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>- rAmAyaNa</strong></span></div>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">zeal is the source of well-being, zeal is the ultimate comfort in life</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">only zeal is the constant factor all good intentions</span>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-78597069778588619612012-07-15T13:18:00.000-06:002012-07-15T13:23:17.707-06:00Dressing sense<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Alright, here is a suBAshitA on dressing sense. Frankly, my dressing sense doesn't really appease anybody, I'd like to think that I dress to the occasion and my comfort. But this one does make sense, more so in India and perhaps Europe (the Europe I have heard about).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><strong>" </strong><br />
<span lang="HI"><strong>किं वाससेत्यत्र विचारणीयं </strong><br />
<strong> वासः प्रधानं खलु योग्यताय:।</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>पीताम्बरं वीक्श्य ददौ स्व कन्यां,</strong><br />
<strong>दिगम्बरं वीक्श्य विषं समुद्रः ॥</strong><br />
<br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="HI"><strong> - सुभाषित रत्न भान्डागार:</strong></span></div>
<span lang="HI">
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span lang="EN"><span lang="EN"><strong>kiM vAsasetyatra vichAraNIyaM </strong><br />
<strong>vAsaH pradhAnaM khalu yogyatAya:|</strong><br />
<strong>pItAmbaraM vIkshya dadau sva kanyAM,</strong><br />
<strong>digambaraM vIkshya viShaM samudraH ||</strong><br />
<strong>
</strong><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span lang="EN"><span lang="EN"><strong> - subhAShita ratna BAnDAgAra:</strong></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span lang="EN"><span lang="EN">
</span><strong>"</strong></span>The question of "what is in one's clothes" is worthy of a thought. Aren't clothes important for one's righteousness! The Sumudra Raja (the god embodying the seas) gave his daughter (Lakshmi, gave as in marriage) to the yellow clad (handsome looking Vishnu, clad in gold and other jewelry) and the poison (hAlAhala) to the naked (the guy with the directions (personified) as his clothes) guy (to Shiva in the Samudra Manthana story). <br />
"<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I am little confused about this though. There are variations of this suBAshita and I cannot really say which is which but. Having said that, it does not disturb the qualitative meaning (BAvArtha). Here is a variation.<br />
</span><br />
"<br />
<span lang="HI"><br />
<strong>किं वाससा तत्र विचारणीयं <br />
वासः प्रधानं खलु योग्यताय:।<br />
पीताम्बरं वीक्श्य ददौ स्व कन्यां,<br />
चर्माम्बरं वीक्श्य विषं समुद्रः ॥<br />
</strong><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span lang="HI"><strong>- सुभाषित रत्न भान्डागार:</strong></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span lang="HI">
<strong>
</strong></span></span></span><span lang="EN"><strong>kiM vAsasA tatra vichAraNIyaM <br />
vAsaH pradhAnaM khalu yogyatAya:|<br />
pItAmbaraM vIkshya dadau sva kanyAM,<br />
charmAmbaraM vIkshya viShaM samudraH ||</strong></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN"><strong>- subhAShita ratna BAnDAgAra:</strong></span></div>
<span lang="EN">
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
</div>
"<br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
In these lines, there is a different usage of same (kinda same)
words. I think the wording conveys a slightly different literal meaning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">One must wonder what lies in there!</span> <span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Aren't clothes important for one's righteousness! The Sumudra Raja (the god embodying the seas) gave his daughter (Lakshmi, gave as in marriage) to the yellow-clad (handsome looking Vishnu, clad in gold and other jewelry) and the poison (hAlAhala) to the skin-clad (Shiva in the Samudra Manthana story).</span></span>"</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-47720314940503150062012-07-12T23:11:00.000-06:002012-07-12T23:12:09.564-06:00The limiting condition<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I haven't blogged for a while now, but today, I thought I watched enough movies for a while and should do something else for a change. OKAY! Truth be told, my amazon prime subscription expired and I am not sure if I should renew it. So, until I figure that out, I may be doing a little more reading than usual. OKAY! I can't read for more than an hour. Frankly there isn't enough on Facebook for another hour. And so I am back to square one. Okay, lets type up a blog.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If I can interest you to this, lemme tell you about my ride through the Roger's canyon. Earlier this week, on Tuesday evening, I finally set out on the Roger's canyon. It was more than I typical ride. I don't like to ride through winds; which is most days in my little mountain town. But, Tuesday was a little different. The weather prediction (always erroneous, don't believe in weather prediction :) ) said that the wind was about 14mph NE. Frankly, that is not too bad. And moreover it was supposed to come down to 10mph over the next 2 hours; sounds about right for a 20mile ride through the canyon. </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wrds.uwyo.edu/sco/images/climateatlas/chapter11/fig111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://www.wrds.uwyo.edu/sco/images/climateatlas/chapter11/fig111.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from University of Wyoming Water Resource data System <br />
<a href="http://www.wrds.uwyo.edu/sco/climateatlas/wind.html">http://www.wrds.uwyo.edu/sco/climateatlas/wind.html</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So, I was heading north with a headwind and worrying about the climb at the end of the canyon. You know it is not so much about riding the current terrain, but it is about thinking ahead and how you want to "attack" it. It matters whether you will promise yourself 2 stops or 3, huh! as if I were a F1 driver fighting for the 15 second advantage. Anyway, back to the ride. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">You know, on a ride like this, nothing much happens. My friend was asking me what I do on long rides. I don't do anything, things happen to me. I don't think anything but thoughts come to me. This time, I was thinking about an article in Bicycling magazine about the physiology of riders, the mechanisms of fatigue and their measures. See the current issue of Bicycling magazine; sorry, I already checked its not on their website, yet.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As far as the ride is concerned, I was doing fine; about 13-15mph; a little lower on the uphills and perhaps upto 20s on the other side of the uphill. But the only thing, that bothered me is that it is a mighty climb at the end. Over a course of the last 2 miles I will climb nearly 500 vertical feet; about 6% gradient; with a headwind of 15mph. Oh my life is splendid on a bike, great.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As I approached the canyon, the road narrows and turns get sharper and steep. I was trying to stay low and reduce the drag; of course. The only thing I could see through my spectacles was my front wheel and things were blurred far distance (outside of my lens). But I could see something moving, something shiny and silvery. "Guess that's a bike. Oh boy, is he struggling? Yeah, indeed, he is struggling a lot". As I was getting closer, it still dint look like he was moving. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So, I decided to sit up and look through my lens. At first, it looked to me as if somebody was walking but it wasn't that. Somebody was skating with rolling skates and a pair of long sticks, the kind you would use for skiing or hiking, only longer. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">By then, I was close to this person, he looked like he had weak legs, may be he was going through recovery after an accident, or may be that he was a soldier, wounded in battle, I thought. Whatever it was, he was determined to get there, 10miles out of town with absolutely no cellphone coverage, no people, no water, no nothing except big boulders for crying out loud. And I find this man, in his late twenties or early thirties, pushing himself uphill with a pair of sticks. He would just roll back down if it weren't for the sticks, I thought. And again, I wonder, what makes people do such things, where is the threshold of pain and what makes them overcome it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I passed him on his left, saluted him in my mind, and said "hi, howdy?" and went my way, struggling to keep my bike at 4mph, on the lowest gear and wondering what I would do if suddenly something would take away all that I have and take for granted!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As expected, I took a long time to get to the top of the hill. Here is my pace chart, if you'd like; see miles 7 through 11.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CWwjKpicfPs/T_-pT3MOFhI/AAAAAAAAImA/s5e_tvC4dSk/s1600/pace.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CWwjKpicfPs/T_-pT3MOFhI/AAAAAAAAImA/s5e_tvC4dSk/s640/pace.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The way I paced myself (yeah!! as if I had total control over that) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And then came the better part of the ride. Did I tell you they have a new pavement and boy-oh-boy is it a pleasure to ride downhill on a 6% grade. I reached my best for that road, 42.79mph. That sure felt very good. I dint have much time to think anything now, if I think, I was gonna go down. But I was terrified, I was using my breaks, I could have gone faster, I have gone faster, on straight 3 lane highways not a canyon road with twists and blind turns where many car drivers simulate rally driving and gun slingers try cow-boy-joe. All I wanted to do was go a little faster, a little sharper; and I did. It made my day; besides I had a tail wind coming back :). And all the pain going uphill, it was gone.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I am gonna be back just to see if I can hit 50mph down that hill, a little faster, a little sharper; just a little more.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-43553138419168494272012-02-27T22:15:00.001-07:002012-02-27T22:21:40.918-07:00Wyoming Monologue<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Just wanted to document my monologue for some of my friends, I will blog about my experience preparing for it in another blog.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is just a copy-paste from a word file and has stage directions, language/pronunciation helps and speaker notes. Hopefully, it does not confuse you.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">FYI: Wyoming Monologue was a stage reading that happened on 02/25/2012 in the Education Auditorium at 9PM; following the Vagina Monologue. It presented the local voices of Wyoming in a coffee shop setting. </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">"</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wyoming (Equality State): <br />
My First Experience of Living in America</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">By Gurudatha Pai</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">When I heard the call for this event, I heard it as <b>Wyoming</b> monologues. What Wyoming has meant to me is my first stay in a place other than home, India, and so my first home in the United States. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have been in this town for almost 4 years now. And now, it’s about time I figure out what next. Thinking about the future, I think of [takes it out of his pocket and shows the audience] this dollar bill, one with a bet written on it. The friend who gave me the dollar thinks I am going to stay in the US. Everyone always wants to know, are you staying or going? If I say, “I want to return to my homeland and contribute.,” my Indian friends here laugh. “Oh yeah? Everyone says that! Most people don’t go back! You won’t be the exception, no matter what you say.” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Of course, it is not exceptional to travel to the US for advanced training. But it is a little unusual to see the US by living in its least populated state. For us growing up in India the “United States of America!!” was defined by the images we got; the sky-scrapers, the 8-lane highways, the Hollywoods and the Manhattans, on the big screen. I first heard of Denver only when a Bollywood super star, Madhuri Dixit, married a Doctor from there. When I arrived in Denver, my friend who picked us up from the airport said in Fort Collins, “This is the last place you see people until we reach Laramie.” I thought he could <b>not</b> be serious [Pause]. We saw open lands, not people, and we saw these strange looking snow barriers - just happy no snow yet. [Happy, giggle!!]</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Sometimes other students ask, “Why did you come to University of Wyoming?” My answer is that I have done my homework and University of Wyoming is a great school, in a [small pause] quiet little town. I am not interested in the rat race. I want to enhance my skills and learn to do something very well. Coming to a small town did not bother me. Most Indians you would meet came from medium sized towns for our first 16 years of schooling; towns much like Laramie, perhaps. Most of us do ok with small towns, fewer people, no malls. After all, India is a country of villages. Of course, international students who have grown up in big cities will have more adjustment. Now I feel I would not do well with all the hassles of a big city. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Some people tell me that some international students feel frustrated to be amongst so many people who may not understand them. I think it is very difficult if not impossible for an Indian to know what it is like to be an American much like it is for a non-Indian to know about “being an Indian”! But, I wouldn’t imagine people in WY mistreating me. It is a small place, people know each other, and people generally don’t have much to complain about, except, may be the weather?! [Pause.] I was once in Kmart and the sales clerk asked me where I was from. After I said India, he said, “Well, welcome to Laramie. It’s good to have you here.” And the guy at the Ice Skating rink always teases me if I had tasted any mangoes on my last visit to India. I find when India is the context of a conversation; it’s easy to make friends. I have always felt welcome here in Wyoming and, in fact, everywhere I have been in this country.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> You know, one thing I learned from US culture, is a way to be a little less com-pet-itive. Back at home, people can sometimes be more prone to jealousy of one another. Of course, I only speak from my own experience and I am not trying to give you an impression about all Indian students focusing on themselves. But something in that atmosphere makes India feel fairly hi-er-ar-chi-cal. So when a fellow student gets good grades, you might not be happy for them but frustrated about your own grades, it is more of a zero sum game. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The jealousy is created not just from pure emotion or ambition but from a system which often appears ar-bit-rary. Let me give you an example. Say some company X were coming to interview on a college campus. Often the college administrators would get to decide who even gets an interview. They may base it on top scores but being qualified is not solely about test scores. Talents cannot always be found in test papers! At the end of the day, it is harder to feel happy about what you have achieved. What helps is to be out of the system, to be away from the chaos and reflect on what is necessary and important. It helps to be 15000 miles away from one’s comfort zone and discover oneself.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hmm… [breathe easy]</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">So what about that dollar I showed you? [Show the dollar bill to somebody in the audience]</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> I get to keep it if I depart because my friend bet me that I would not leave the US. I will prove them wrong though; not everyone becomes an NRI – a Non-Returing Indian. By the way, NRI stands for non-residential Indian. Five years from now I will live in India. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Why? Well, India will always be home. Plus some of my interests such as studying Sanskrit and Vedic philosophy can be best accomplished only there. And, you know, there is more to life than a career, research and money. I look forward to taking care of my parents as they go on in years, and they can’t visit me in the US very comfortably. They stayed with me here for a month a couple of years ago. They can’t drive around, they find the food practices hard to cope-up with, they don’t have friends their age to socialize with, and the thick <b>American accent</b> (attempt the accent)<b> </b>is difficult for them. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I want to return but meanwhile Wyoming has taught me a lot about my subject in a relaxed area. I have made many friends here and grown as a person. And it has also taught me skating on the ice and skiing on the snow; that a true winter will not change my spirits! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Before I end this monologue, I invite you to visit your friend India; just give me a call. “You are welcome to India; they say "a-thi-thi de-vo-bha-va" – we will be blessed to have you” □</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">"</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">ACK: Prof. Bonnie Zare, UWyo.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">also see :</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">1. Going Hungry by Meg Lanker-Simons </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://bit.ly/zzIct3">http://bit.ly/zzIct3</a> </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">2. Wyoming Monologue on Facebook</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://on.fb.me/xU6v9r">http://on.fb.me/xU6v9r</a> </span><i></i></div><i></i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-82488207271833548832012-02-26T10:42:00.000-07:002012-02-26T10:42:11.118-07:00vidyA (education)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Continuing on my quest of favorite subhAshitA, today, I am typing up these two shlOkA, both on education, vidyA. I like both of them, I love reading the first like a poem, fluent, words conjoined; it feels so nice.<br />
<br />
"<br />
<br />
मातेव रक्षति, पितॆव हिते निङते।<br />
कान्तॆव चाभिरमयत्यपनीय खेदं ॥<br />
कीर्तिं च दिक्षु वितनोति, तनॊति लक्षीं ।<br />
किं किं साधयति, कल्पमतेव विद्या<br />
<br />
mAteva rakShati, pitEva hite ni~gute<br />
kAnteva chAbhramayati apanIya KedaM |<br />
kErtiMcha dikShu vitanOti tanOti lakShmIM<br />
kiM kiM na sAdhayati vidhyA ||<br />
<br />
"<br />
She protects like a mother, puts us in good deeds like a father<br />
like a loving wife, she cares and soothes you<br />
spreads your fame in all directions and brings wealth<br />
like the plant which gives-all-you-wish-for (kalpa latha)<br />
what not can knowledge (education) accomplish<br />
<br />
" <br />
विद्या ददाति विनयं, विनयाद्यति पत्रता।<br />
पत्रत्वाद्प्नॊति धनधर्म्ं तता: सुखम् ॥<br />
<br />
vidyA dadAti vinayaM, vinayAdyati patratA|<br />
patratvAdpnOti dhanadharmM tataa: suKam ||<br />
<br />
"<br />
<br />
Knowledge (education) brings humility, with humility comes worthiness<br />
worthiness brings about wealth and righteousness, also prosperity.<br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-5074119093694564382012-01-01T09:17:00.001-07:002012-01-01T09:29:26.998-07:00Favorite subhAshithA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Yesterday, in a casual conversation, we somehow started talking about samskith shlOkA and my friend VP recited the following one,<br />
"<br />
<b>कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलॆषु कदाचन ।</b><br />
<b>karmaNyevAdhikAraste mA phalEShu kadAchana |</b><br />
"<br />
and he started asking the meaning, the literal one. I then, as usual, proceeded to split the line and try to help him get to the meaning. In fact, he recited it wrong and PC also made a fatal attempt trying to give the meaning. Anyway, here it is.<br />
<br />
"<br />
<br />
<b>कर्मण्ये एव अधिकार: ते, म फलॆषु कदाचन |</b><br />
<b>karmaNye eva adhikAra: te, ma phalEShu kadAchana |</b><br />
"<br />
The meaning is quite simple and I shall not get into the word by word translation.<br />
'<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You only have right to the work (duties) not its fruits</span><br />
'<br />
And SAS asked me if I remembered the complete shlOkA, at the time I did not. It was in the back of my mind the whole time. Eventhough I could recall parts of the second line, I had to refer to my copy of shrimad bhagavadgItA (श्रिमद् भगवद्गीता) to recall it completely.<br />
<br />
"<br />
<b></b><br />
<b>कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते म फलॆषु कदाचन।</b><br />
<b>मा कर्मफलहॆतुर्भूर्मा ते सङॊऽअम्प्;स्त्वाकर्मणि ॥</b><br />
<br />
"<br />
"<br />
<b>karmaNyevAdhikAraste ma phalEShu kadAchana|</b><br />
<b>mA karmaphalahEturBUrmA te sa~gO&stvaakarmaNi ||</b><br />
"<br />
FYI, this shlOkA comes as the 47th verse in the second chapter of shrimad bhagavadgItA (श्रिमद् भगवद्गीता).<br />
'<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You only have right to the work (duties) not its fruits. You should not get motivated by the results of your work, nor should you be flinch away from your work.</span><br />
'<br />
<br />
As the conversation continued, VP asked me what would be my favorite shlOkA. In fact, I had never thought about it before. And as I started to think, there was not a single one, I could readily think of as being my favorite. I don't know why, but it seems I don't have any favorite. I like reading these subhAshiTA, all of them have had some effect on me, in ways I think and talk. I need to read my samkritha subhAshitA books and figure out if there is anything that I like more than all of them. But right now, I think that there are too many good lines in this language and too few of them in my immediate memory that I could not form an opinion. Many of the new lines that I read, I tend to like them a lot and remember them for next few days and forget again.<br />
<b><br />
</b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3Laramie, WY, USA41.3113669 -105.5911006999999741.2820264 -105.67576019999997 41.340707400000007 -105.50644119999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-5428414149329399582011-12-20T11:51:00.000-07:002011-12-20T11:51:46.624-07:00Languages<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Just remembered this subhashitha! so here it goes,<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>"</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>भाषासु मुख्या मधुरा दिव्या गीर्वाणभारती |<br />
ततोsपि काव्यं मधुरं तस्मादपि सुभाषितं ||</b></span><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>bhAshAsu mukhyA madhurA divyA gErvaNabhArathE |</b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> thathOapi kavyaM maDhuraM thasmAdapi subhAShithaM ||</b></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> "</b></span><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Among languages, the most important, sweetest and the most divine is the language of the Gods |</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">so is the literature and the quotations therein ||</span></div><br />
SubhAShitaM looses translates to quotations but the literal meaning would be "well spoken phrase".<br />
<div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">"The language of the Gods" is the literal translation of gErvaNabhArathE, meaning samksrithaM.</span></div><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-65195105896329259662011-12-16T00:57:00.000-07:002011-12-16T00:57:42.516-07:00Interval Training<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">I have been meaning to blog about my indoor biking for a while now. But to do that, I needed to make a sustained effort, a good schedule and of course bike a lot. Today I think it is a good day. Why? Hopefully this blog will answer that question.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The training I do is called interval training, as the name implies, one trains in a sequence of training exercises sand-witched between recovery periods. In simple words, you train for a minute and rest for half a minute or so. I will give you and idea of how this works but will spare the details and ideas to the specialists.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The biggest problem I had as winter arrived in Laramie is that it gets very cold here, sometimes sustained sub-zero temperatures. It is not uncommon that my nose freezes and ice forms over eye-lashes! So, biking outdoor is almost impossible even if there is not much snow on the road. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a conversation at the Durga pooja, one of my friends and a fellow biking enthusiast Mr. LP mentioned to me that he trains indoor on his trainer and I could come to his place and try it out. So, the following weekend I found myself at his doorstep with my bike. He rode on his trainer, in front of a big projection tv showing(telling) me what gear to choose, what cadence and for how long. I was hooked.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Before I left his home, he lent me his old air-drag trainer. That week, I don't think I completed the 45 minutes training video. But since, I have gained in speed, endurance and comfort on the saddle.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I don't have many of the fancy gadgets that many bikers have; not that I wouldn't want them but at this moment in my life I cannot afford them. Anyway, the only gadget I have on the bike is a 10$ bike computer that gives me current, average and max speed, time of this and total run, total miles.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">To make sure I am improving, I am following a simple rule. In each training session, my idle speed should be more than the average speed and that my average should increase by .1mph. I have come to think, that this will increase my endurance and peak performance at the same time. I think of this as a simultaneous maximization of my min-speed and peak speed. You can do the math, but in simple terms if my average speed is 13mph before I start at the end 5 hours (I have done 65miles), to increase that to 13.1mph at the end of 6th hour, I need my average speed in the 6th hour to be 13.6mph. (i.e. I need to do 78.6 miles in 6 hours). Similarly, if I am at 14mph at the end of 20th hour (280miles), I need my average speed in 21st hour to be 16.1mph ( so that I would have done 296.1miles at the end of 21 hours). [Now, that is perhaps unrealistic! To idle at 14mph is exhausting at the least and to top it up with high intensity training at 20+mph is insane!]</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">But what I have achieved in quite good. I crossed 100miles today (since my last reset of the bike-computer) in just over 7.6 hours at an average of 13.1mph. My top speed in this period was 25.5mph for 5seconds (how long matters!!). But I have sustained 23mph for 15seconds (the length of low gear, high cadence training) and I am happy about it. All in all, it is working out very good for me. I try to do twice a week, on most weeks it has been possible to do that. Now, I think I am ready to graduate to the next level of the training. Let's see what is in store (or with Mr. LP)!!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">To my secret Santa: New Canari bike-shorts and jersey are really good! :) Next up in the wish list is a nice pair of shoes! </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Laramie, WY, USA41.3113669 -105.5911006999999741.2820264 -105.67576019999997 41.340707400000007 -105.50644119999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-54067992101997607402011-11-20T00:50:00.000-07:002011-11-20T00:50:56.796-07:00Convergence is an end!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">I have been pondering on the thought of "what next"!! And today I thought I should get this collection of thought recorded here. It is a simple question, but the answer to this question is quite dynamic. For instance, if you ask me this question on a week day, my answer is many cases would be on the lines that I should stop taking courses and get some productive research work done and get some formal credit. By the end of the day, I will be sick and tired of all the silly signal processing and statistics. My answer to the same question would be that I just want to get done and be done with all this non-sense.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">But if somebody asked me in public what is next for me, my answer will be perhaps quite contradictory. I will answer that I want to do a good job with my phd and get a job in a good research facility!! But deep within, I am more and more inclined to do all this formal academic stuff like a day job and do a lot of other things, things that are both fun and useful. I wonder how concrete that feeling is! Will it materialize, not necessarily in the near future. Things that I want to do need more homework (something that I can afford to do less of, right now) and more pro-active approach. It is not going to be easy, but easy is not what I am looking for. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Too much of vague statements and rather confused thoughts. If I don't want to say it, I should rather not mention it. I guess I should get back to my technical reading for the day, I am not done for today, more like yesterday! hmm!! What was all that about "being done with the non-sense"!! You see, fundamentally I love what I do! "I love it, like I hate it"!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">To end this blog entry, the converse question seems more promising - "next is what?", next is an open ended, undecided and better yet design-able event.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">oh! by the way, now I have a bike trainer in my bedroom. I have fixed my Motobecane on it and I train 45 minutes "interval-training" twice a week. Thanks to my friend LP for letting me borrow his trainer. After 45 minutes, I am dead!! The more you sweat on the trainer the less you will bleed on the road, ;) I also got a new book, that I am very excited about - "Computing Science in Ancient India"; when I am done reading it, I will try to write a review for it; this is an exciting topic for me. </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-84946189062215854782011-11-12T18:23:00.000-07:002011-11-12T18:23:52.946-07:00Instrument of policy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">It has been a while since I updated my blog! Hmm! strangely enough when I have more time on hand, I seem to do less of everything. Anyway! I figured it is time I scribble in here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Off late, it seems to be more difficult to talk about very generic topics. I want to think that it perhaps has to do with the idea that I am specializing in some domain. I mean, it seems I have very little information about a lot of the topics that I am interested in. Almost always, I have thought that I am a jack of many trades and master of none. But like that famous quote "try to learn something about everything and everything about something", I am trying to be master of one; at least I hope I will be able to call myself that some day in near future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, today I thought I will document my comments on AFSPA or the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. A very old act, I think it was originally enacted in 1948, mostly to allow the Union of India to control possible oppression in some parts of North East and to avoid neighboring countries trying to cause problems! And then it was extended to J&K in the 90's. Anyway, from what I have gathered it seems that the law basically allows the military to take control of a "situation" without having to go through the regular Indian Penal Code (IPC) or Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) procedures like an "arrest warrant", "search warrant", "permission to fire with only reasonable suspicion without having to seek orders from the command chain", etc., as if they are fighting a war.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The details of the act and its enforcement are not my specialty and I will not make an attempt to that end either. Nonetheless, I feel it is important that I (rather we, Indians) make some attempt to see what an Indian state is going through, why has it come to that situation and what are the implications. I don't think I will ever know what the ground situation in J&K is or any other "disturbed area".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">But I will be really pissed if any LEOs (Law Enforcement Officials) stops me at every intersection, particularly when I just mean my business. Then how can I even imagine what it is is for the people in J&K who are asked to live in an "war-like" area; when there is every restriction and fundamental rights (some rights) are snatched away in the name of the security. And then there are these cases of the incredibly foolish people in an otherwise professional institute of the finest set of people doing incredibly foolish acts of heinous crimes. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was watching this NDTV show called the "We, The People". In the show, some representatives of the different parties involved like the State Govt. of J&K, the Central Govt. of India, the Indian Army, human rights' activists, etc., where brought to a single forum. It was a good program but I felt it lacked perspective. I felt it did not cover the whole equation. There was the military people who said it is almost necessary to have such special powers to deal with enemies you don't know! Which perhaps has some merit to it. We cannot expect a police officer to stick to speed limit to catch an over-speeding car, can we now? If it interests you, watch</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/we-the-people/does-the-army-still-need-special-powers-in-j-k/214898">http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/we-the-people/does-the-army-still-need-special-powers-in-j-k/214898</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There were other shows that talked about how and why the involved parties putting forth the argument that they have. And then for a minute, I wondered who gets to decide if the act has to be repealed! Or what decides if the law has to be repealed! Is it the statistics(just numbers), the legality of who has more political power? - the State or Central Govt., the opinion of the army (the people who actually achieve the numbers and the political goals), the intelligence community, the issue of human rights and liberty, oh yeah, the long-term piece and normalcy??</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This reminded me of this dialogue of Top-Gun,</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p890hIa1w9k&hd=1&t=35s">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p890hIa1w9k&hd=1&t=35s</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, what is the problem if the Govt. wants to change the policy? And I started to think, why did this non-issue suddenly become such a big one? I mean, J&K State Govt. or Police certainly cannot deal with the situation on their own; that it would not want the army to leave or reduce its visibility! no, they cannot. The army cannot afford to make a good job of safe-guarding the borders if there are invisible enemy inside the border, that is too dangerous a situation! And how about human rights activists? Well, I think they have not been heard ever! ever! If they were, all the human rights violation cases would have been dealt with transparently and not dealt "with-in the army".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So then, is the a compromise? I have come to think that it is a compromise! It always is. There is always a trade-off between what is needs to be done and what can be done! I mean, the normalcy and peace in J&K is something that needs to be done, there will be some cost associated with it. Somebody has to take that chance and give it a shot! Nobody knows for sure if it will work or make it any better. And I think it is a matter of policy to decide if army needs to stay or go! If army was called in by the Govt., army leaves when the Govt. asks it to; after-all it is an instrument of that policy. Having said that, the policy in itself needs to be firmly grounded in the available information, that includes the quantitative statistics and qualitative "feel good factor". But in the current debate, it seems that the non-issue has become a major argument, because last State election in J&K happened in 2008 approximately 4 years ago; which means an assembly election is just around the corner in the State! </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-49196623203793215202011-09-24T15:03:00.001-06:002011-09-24T15:03:15.484-06:00An idea can change your life!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Recently, the IEEE student branch had arranged for a guest lecture by Prof. Lynn R. Kirlin. The lecture was quasi technical in nature and was mostly targeted at under-graduate electrical engineers. But he said something in his lecture that stuck with me - </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">None of my good ideas are new, none of my new ideas are any good!</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said, he thought about on these lines in his early research career. Of course, now he is a "Life Fellow" of IEEE and an expert on statistical signal processing. He is also teaching at UW now, grad course on "Estimation and Detection Theory" - a beautiful course, for once a lot of statistics makes sense!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But where is my new and good idea - an idea that can change my life? I wonder about that, I write down all my ideas, the crappy ones, the ones that somebody has already done! And the other ideas fail miserably in the first try! To make matters worse, I am not even sure if there is something in my programs that are screwing things up!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
That brings me to the idea that I have to be publishing papers, more than what I have managed to do so far! It doesn't look promising now, not with 2 courses an 5 PhD preliminary exams (2 more to go :( ). Working in mission mode gets things done, but doesn't bring new ideas, ideas that are worthy of my time, my advisers time and, perhaps all the more important, time of the people (read journal reviewers) who would read it.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
How am I going to get through this, if I ever would? I guess as my friend SGS said, "nothing less than 100%", nothing less than perfection will get me over the waves!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Reminds me of Bryan Adams' song - "If you can't catch a wave, you're never gonna ride it", so bring it on!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Now, about the 'samskrith slokA' of the day(week, fortnight) - I pick up one from one of my books (written in Kannada) and about which I have no freaking idea!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>"</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>ननॊऽनुनुन्नॊ नुन्नॊनॊ नानानाना नना ननु ।</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>नुन्नॊऽनुन्नॊ ननुन्नॊनॊ नानॆना नुन्न नुन्न नुत् ॥</b></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>"</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">nanO&nununnO nunnOnO nAnAnAnA nanA nanu |</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">nunnO&nunnO nanunnOnO nAnEnA nunna nunna nut ||</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The above is called a 'EkAkshara chithra shloka' - a "single character chithra shloka". But that is all I know about it, did some (re)search on the internet, but with no results to share! But it is cool, isn't it! A two line shloka with a single consonant (except the last character, of course), impressive! I wonder - why the hell I am studying electrical engineering when there are way cooler things like this (closer to home)! I stop everything and wonder .... and then I get back to Facebook.</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-15141644786507161912011-09-15T11:50:00.001-06:002011-09-15T11:50:42.131-06:00Jai shree ram<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here is one of my favorite 'shloka', from 'shanthi parva' of the 'mahAbhArath', when 'bhEshmA' replying to a question by 'yudhishtirA' about the God one should pray to. 'bhishma' refers 'yudhishtirA' to the 'vishnu sahasra nAmA stotrA', the 1000 names of 'vishnu' as the appear in various vedic literature such as 'shrimad bhAgavathA', 'padma purANa' and 'uttara kAnda' (the later part of 'rAmAyaNA').<br />
<br />
anyway, here it goes,<br />
<br />
<b>श्री राम रामॆति रमे रामे मनॊरमे ।</b><br />
<b>सहस्र नाम ततुल्यं राम नाम वराननॆ ॥</b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>'</b><br />
<b></b><br />
<b>shrE rAma rAmEti rame rAme manOrame |</b><br />
<b>sahasra nAma tatulyaM rAma nAma varAnanE ||</b><br />
<br />
<b>'</b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
My lady, I engross myself in the phrase "shrE rAma",<br />
the one which is equal to the thousand names.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-16489387061987643702011-09-11T21:04:00.003-06:002011-09-11T21:04:53.088-06:00hello doctor!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial;">"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial;"><b>वैध्यराज नमस्तुभ्यं यमराज सहोदर:</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial;"><b>यमस्तु हरति प्राणान् वैध्य: प्राणान् धनानि च।</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial;">'</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial;"><b></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial; font-size: x-small;"><b>vaidhyaraaja namastubhyaM yamaraaja sahodara:</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial; font-size: x-small;"><b>yamastu harati prANaan vaidhya: prANAn dhanAni cha|</b></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial;">'</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial;">"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial;">- <span style="font-size: x-small;">greetings to you doctor, the brother of 'yamaA' (the death god),</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial; font-size: x-small;">'yamA' just takes lives, doctor - lives and money too!!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">My doctor friends, please take no offense, may be, next time I will find one that praises your efforts. FYI, I have a lot of respect to the profession of doctor, particularly those who give service as opposed to those who do business.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6864006520872458197.post-7443036827775510712011-09-10T13:50:00.001-06:002017-04-03T23:29:43.346-06:00'shyAmalA' 'dandakam'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hello all,<br />
<br />
Recently tweeted,<br />
"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14px;">Why are there so many incomplete (often incorrect) #lyrics of #sanskrit #shlokas online and actually there are only a few good websites!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"></span><br />
<form action="https://www.facebook.com/ajax/ufi/modify.php" class="live_10150363724369066_131325686911214 commentable_item collapsed_comments autoexpand_mode" data-live="{"seq":0}" method="post" rel="async" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
</form>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">
</span>"<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And I have my reasons to believe so, for one, it is very difficult to search the internet for Samskritham, things are spelled very different by different people, they are also referenced in wrong ways; many people (including myself) don't know where the original shlokas came from; for we hear them once in a while in isolation.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Some notation: Henceforth, I will refer the Sanskrit words in single quotes in a manner similar to Indian language typesetting with English characters like it is done in softwares like Baraha (<a href="http://www.baraha.com/">http://www.baraha.com/</a>). For example, 'samskritham', also note the deviation from English semantics.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Anyway, I made the tweet in the context of one of my favorite 'shloka', the 'mANikya vEnA' by 'kavirathnA kaLidAsa'.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9hCCNFfw9o" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This video, in my opinion, is a great tribute to 'kaLidAsa' and comes quite close to making justice to 'kaLidAsa' 's legacy. But if you try to google (I also tried the other search engines) the lyrics for this 'shloka' but most of the results are not satisfactory, despite the supposedly 'vast resources' of the internet, I couldn't find a reliable resource for the lyrics. So, here is my attempt to fill that void at least for this 'shloka'. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Background: This particular piece is actually a small work of 'kALidAsa' - 'shyAmalA dandakam'; praising 'shyAmalA', the Goddess 'kaLi', in a single sentence basically.<br />
see definition of 'dandakam' :<br />
<a href="http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/acharyas/desika/stotras/stotras18.html#Garudadandakam">http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/acharyas/desika/stotras/stotras18.html#Garudadandakam</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
anyway, here is the lyrics,<br />
Be advised that this may have mistakes, I am only an enthusiast and not an expert.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">'</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>mANikyA vEnAm upalAlayanthEm, madhAlasAm manjuLa vAkvilAsAm (2)</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>mAhEndra nElA dhyuthi komalAngEm, mAthangA kanyAm manasA smarAmi</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>manasA smarAmi</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>, </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>chaturbhuje chandrakaLAvathamse kuchchonnate kumkuma rAge shoNe,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>pundrekshu pAshAnkusha pushpa bhaNe hasthe, namaste, jagadEka mAthA</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>mAthA marakatA shyAma, mAthangE madhushAlinE</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>kuryAth katAksham kalyaNE, kadambhA vanavAsinE</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>jaya mAthangA thanayE, jaya nElOphaladhyuthe</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>jaya sangEtha rasike, jaya lElA shukhapriye,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>sudhA samudhrantharudhyamaNee deepa samrOdavilavntharE madhya kalpadruma kalpa kAdambhA kAntArA vAsapriye, kriththivAsapriye, sarvalOkapriye,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>vallakEvAdaNa prakriya lOla thAlEdanA bhadhdha tAtanga bhOshA visheshaNvithe</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>sidhdhA sammanithE</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>dheva dhevEsha dhanthyEsha yakshEsha bhOthEsha vAgEshA koNeshA vayvagni kOteerA manikya sangushtA bAlA thapOdhAma lakshyAra lakshmE grahEtangrE padme,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>suruchira navarathna pETasthithe, susthithe</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>shankapadmadvayopAsthithe, Ashtithe</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>devi durgAvatu kshethra pAlatyurthE</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>maththa mAthangA kanyA samOhanvithE</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>sarva yanthrAthmike,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>sarva manthrAthmike,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>sarva tanthrAthmike,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>sarva mudrAthmike,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>sarva shkthyAthmike,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>sarva varNAthmike,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>sarva rUpE, jaganmAnthrAke,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>pAhimAm, pAhimAm pAhimAm,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>mAm pAhi.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">'</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
P.S:<br />
1. As it turns out, I was being stupid when I was searching the lyrics, "shyamala dandakam", is a better search keyword for what I was looking for. So, I will let you search and find out the the entire 'dandakam' and its meaning.<br />
2. Thanks to NB for inspiring me to write this one (<a href="http://lifeasiknowit-nik.blogspot.com/">http://lifeasiknowit-nik.blogspot.com/</a>)<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0