గుడి ఎంతవరకూ పదిలం...

ఆ రోజు డిసెంబర్ 25. Christmas.

Reservations..

Reservations..
elaborate debate..
but will discuss in a pointed foramat..
it is necessary to have reservations..but the old system of caste based reservations shd go off..and in that place point based (multi factored) reservations have to be in..
will discuss in detail i next blog..

టిక్కెట్ చెప్పించిన కబుర్లు:

మొట్ట మొదటి సారిగా రాజధానికి రావటం తటస్థించింది. ఆనందంగానూ ఉంది. ఫ్లైట్ ఎక్కి వచ్చినా నేను టికెట్టు కొనలేదు. "మరి ఎలా వచ్చవు? ఎవరూ పట్టుకోకుండా ఎలా మానెజ్ చెసావ్??" అని మొదలుపెట్టారు?? చెప్పేది వినండి. టికెట్టు కొనలేదు అంటిని కాని, టికెట్ట్ లేకుండా ప్రయానించాను అన్నానా?? నాకు నేనుగా వెళ్ళీ, క్యూలో నిలబడి కొనలేదు అని ఉద్ధేశ్యం. ఓ మాట చెప్పా అంతే..(దీనికే కాదు, చిరంజీవి సినిమా అయ్యినా) పనులు జరిగిపొతాయి, ఈ కిశోర్ గాడంతే ;-) అయినా రైల్వే ఫ్లాట్ ఫారం మీద గుమ్మిగూడిన జనం మధ్యలోకి చొచ్చుకుపోయి, ఇస్త్రీ చొక్కా నలిగిపొతున్నా, క్రాఫు చెదిరిపోతున్నా, ఇంకా ఎలాంటి భయాలు ఉన్నా, వెళ్ళి టికెట్టు సాధించడమే గొప్ప విజయం అనిపిస్తుంది నాకు. ఎప్పుడో చదివిన తెలుగు నవల "అసమర్ధుని జీవయాత్ర" లో ఒక సన్నివేశం అది. ఎందుకో టికెట్ట్ మాట చెప్పగానే నాకు అదే గుర్తువస్తుంది. ఎటూ గుర్తు వచ్చింది కదా, దాని గురించే మాట్లాడుకుందాం.

"అసమర్ధుని జీవయాత్ర" అంటే ఏమిటంటే ఏమి చెప్తాం? ఒక అసమర్ధుని జీవితం.. అంతే!! మర్రీ అలా గుర్రుగా చూడకండి.. నిజంగానే ఒక అసమర్ధుని జీవితం అది. ఇప్పుడు మనం అర్ధం చేసుకోవాల్సినివి "అసమర్ధుడు ఎవరు?", "జీవ యాత్ర ఎలా ఉంటుంది" అనే. ఇప్పటికిప్పుడు నేను మీకు పసందైన బిర్యాని, మాంసపు ముద్దా పెట్టాననుకోండి, మీరు ఏమి తీసుకుంటారో నాకు తెలుసు. కానీ అదే మీరు ఏ అడవిలోనో తప్పిపోయి, మూడు రోజులుగా తిండి లేక అలమటిస్తున్న వేళలో పడున్న కుందేలును చూస్తే.. ఇప్పుడు ఏమి చేస్తారు? నేను తినను, నాకు బిర్యానియే కావాలి అంటే కుదురుతుందా?? దాని కోసమే కూర్చుంటే ప్రాణం నిలుస్తుందా?? ఈ అడవేమిటి?? కుందేలు ఏమిటి?? అని ఆలోచిస్తున్నారా?? సరే.. ఇందాక రైలు టికెట్ట్ గురించే చూద్దాం. వెళ్ళాలి అనుకున్నప్పుడు ఎలా అయినా సాధించాలి. ఇది నాతో అయ్యె పని కాదన్న సంశయం ఉన్నా, నేనెందుకు తెవాలి అన్న అహం అడ్డు వచ్చినా, అవి రైలును ఆపలేవు, గమ్యం చెరాలంటే, రైలే ఆసరా. రైలులో ప్రయాణించాలి అంటే టికెట్టు కావాలి. గమ్యం కావాలి అనుకుంటే టికెట్టు సంపాదించాలి. మనం కూర్చున్న దగ్గరకు రాదు. (ఒక వేళ వచ్చినా మన ప్రయత్నంతోటే) రైలుకి మన సంఘర్షణ అనవసరం. దాన్ని పాటికి అది పోతుంది. అడవిలో బిర్యాని కోసం ఎదురుచూడడం, ఏమీ చెయ్యకుండా టికెట్ట్ రావాలనుకోవటం అసమర్ధత. పరిస్థుతుల బట్టి మనల్ని మనం మార్చుకోలేకపోవటం అసమర్ధత. ప్రయత్నలోపానికి అనేకానేక కారణాలు చెప్పి, స్వనింద నుండి తప్పించుకోవటం అసమర్ధత. అయితే రాజిపడాలి లేకపోతే చొచ్చుకుపోవాలి. దేన్నీ చెయ్యకపోతే అసమర్ధత.

రైలు టిక్కెట్టు దొరక్కపోతే నేను దండగా?? అని ప్రశ్న రావచ్చు. కాదు అన్నది సమాధానం. ప్రయత్నించాక కచ్చితంగా మనకు నచ్చిన ఫలితం రావాలని లేదు. రాదెమో అన్న భయంతోనో, అపనమ్మకంతోనో అసలు ఏమీ చెయ్యకపోవటం అసమర్ధత. ఈ నవల్లో ముఖ్యపాత్ర సీతారామరావు ది. ఇతని గురించే కథ అంతా!! ఇతని సంపూర్ణ స్వభవాన్ని మనకు పరిచయం చెయ్యటానికి రచయిత, సీతారామారావు కన్న కల ద్వారా చెప్తాడు. ఒక రోజు కలలో మనవాడికి, పార్వతీ పరమేశ్వరులు ప్రత్యక్షమై వరం కోరుకోమంటె, "ఆకలి ఉండాలి. ఆకలి అనిపించగానే పంచభక్ష్యపరమన్నాలు లభ్యమవ్వాలి" అని వరం అడుగుతాడు. అంటే తనకు ఆకలి విలువ తెలుసు, ఆకలిలేని మనిషి ఎంత నిర్లిప్తంగా ఉంటాడో ఊహించగలడు. అందుకే ఆకలి ఉండాలి తనకు, సమస్య కావాలి తనకు. కానీ ఆకలి తీర్చుకోవటం కోసం అతను ఏమీ చెయ్యడు, అవే తన ముందుకు రావాలి. పరిష్కారం అక్కరలేదు, సమస్య తీరితే చాలు, దాని కోసం యాతన వద్దు. అందుకే అతనిది అసమర్ధత.

ఇక జీవయాత్ర!! మనకు తెలియ్యందా జీవితం?? మనం కొసాగించటం లేదూ?? అయినా చెప్పు అంటే ఆ రైలు లాంటిది అని చెప్పచ్చేమో. మన ఆలోచనా సరళి, మన విధివిధానం, మన అచారాలు, అలవాట్లు ఇవ్వనీ మనకు రైలు అనే జీవితాన్ని అనుభవించడానికే. దాని ద్వారా మనమనుకున్న గమ్యానికి చేరటమే!! మార్పులు సహజం, ఎందుకంటే ఇప్పటికన్నా మున్ముందు ఇంకా బాగుండాలి అని మన తాపత్రయం. ఆ మార్పులను ఆదరించకుండా మనకి అలవాటు అయ్యినదానితోనే నెట్టుకురావటం అవివేకం. ఇప్పుడే కాదు, ఇంకో పది సంవత్సరాల తర్వాత టికెట్టు కోసం జనం పోగుబడి ఉండచ్చు. కానీ అత్యాధునిక విధానాలతో సులభంగా దొరికితే కాదనుకోవటం మూర్ఖత్వం. నవల పూర్తి అయ్యేసరికి సీతారామారావు జీవితం పూర్తిగా విఫలం అని తెలుస్తుంది. కానీ ఆ సీతారామారావు మనలో కూడ ఎదో మూలన నక్కి, హఠాత్తుగా బయటకు వస్తాడేమో!! మిమల్ని మీరు జాగ్రత్తగా పరికించుకోండి అని చెప్పినట్టుగా అనిపిస్తుంది నాకు.

"కథ కంచికి, మనం ఇంటికి" అని అనలేను. నేను కథ చెప్పలేదు, కథను పరిచయం చేశా!! చదివిన ప్రతీ సారి కొత్త కోణం ఆవిష్కృతవముతుంది. మీకు వీలుచిక్కినప్పుడు సీతారామారావుని పలకరించండి. కోఠీ వీధుల్లోనే కాదు, ఇంటర్నెట్ లోను ఉన్నాడు (ఎక్కడయినా కలిస్తే నేను ఇక్కడ చెప్తా) .. వెతికి పట్టుకోండి, :-)

The Pleasure of Pressure

Around the same time, last year there was a Table Tennis tournament held in our company. With the skills gained in around an year of playing TT, I was raring to go. As the atmosphere started building up, the Cricket World Cup '07 seemed to have taken a back seat for Marsians. I've seen and heard a lot about the recreational activities in the IT companies, but here it wasn't just a concept of "relaxation" or "taking a break", there was more life to it. People here play the game, with or without skill, but with passion. The passion which has interested me in playing the game, its a simple game for a onlooker, but as you play complexities unfold.

I liked the way the tournament was planned. With literally everyone willing to participate, I wondered how it could be done giving everyone a fair chance. But the meticulous preparation of the organizers, had something in store. After knowing all the participants, they have divided us in categories of "expert", "very good", "good" and "starter" and randomly picked a member from each group to form a team. So a team had everything that's possible and had to play the other team, with their own choice of two singles and a doubles game. Trust me, it was huge fun guessing, discussing, agreeing, arguing, planning, preparing , outsmarting other teams, it was experience worth to be. Simply put, though one was battling it out in the court, there were many brains working towards the success.

I had to play my first game that day, a doubles. Was eagerly waiting on it, but the day had different plans for me. The result of Mains (UPSC exam) were out, I was struggling to comprehend the failure, so as to not let it creep in next time. Even before I could come out of it, I had to play the game. Tough one it was, but surprisingly the moment there was a call for toss and both the teams shook hands, everything was off my mind. As I was playing never did it cross my mind what did I lose or what would be the result of game. Every shot that landed on the opponents court gave me immense pleasure and every mistake was hurting me. But actually, there wasn't anytime to react. Good or Bad, I had to take it. It was all about next point, nothing else had any prominence. Probably this is the single mindedness that a sport gives you. No surprises that with my form on the day, we were the winners. Let me tell you, my performance did give me few fans. ;-) Appreciations came all around for my game.

The next game I had to play was again a doubles. With the expectations I created last game, it was a bit of pressure. But the opponents were li'l easy, one whose game I know in and out and other was rarely seen to be playing. Wasting no time, we won the first game quite easily and the second one. One more to go, and our team would have been comfortably placed in semis. Suddenly there was an uproar, the crowd started to get into the game. They were cheering the underdogs, who were getting basics right and we were losing our cool. Things turned around so quickly, one mistake costed another and a huge difference. In utter dismay, we had to believe that the road to semis isn't that easy now.

Interestingly, the next day at lunch there was a huge discussion among my closer colleagues about "Under dogs killing the giants". I did tell you, this was no less to WC' 07 for us .. didn't I?? I was a mute spectator nothing much to say. Nevertheless, two very important points crossed my mind out of that post match analysis. One was the argument that it was the crowd who turned on the match, the cheers had an effect on both teams, one favourable and other not so. I couldn't deny it, but can't accept it because it was my loss and better I own it. The other was how my team mate lost his temper for one of the cheerers. Among the discussion it was quoted "When you win a sport, it shows some of your character. When you lose it, you complete character is shown". How true!! To be calm even in the face of a humiliating defeat, what character it requires.

The next game was the do-or-die for us. Every difficult. But with sheer planning and perfect execution we pulled off a good win. It gave us immense satisfaction that we have beaten a good team convincingly. But we were outsmarted in the next set of games. In the semis, the wrong choice of persons for the job, let us drowned. We lost the semis and hence out of the tournament. The winners were four guys who weren't stars nor outstanding performers, but the one's who gelled as a team beautifully. That's why I liked the way the tournament was organized.

During the presentation ceremony was little startled by the announcement "Best Emerging Player - Nandakishore". But accepted it gleefully. It was hard earned and I knew that deep in my heart.

And after an year why did I all of a sudden started blogging this? Music in my cell was lulling me to sleep. Heard this song a hundred times before, but somehow mind was unwilling to go beyond the following lines, recollecting the 20 day tournament which gave me a trophy and worthy lessons.

Pasidi patakala haaram kaadu raa vijayam teeram..
Aata ane maata ka aardam ninu nuvve geluchu yudhamm..

Awards and Rewards are not the destination for a sport, it is a war where you take on yourself.

(Title song "Hare Rama Hare Krishna" of Okkadu.)

I had a slice of it, and may be this is what each sports person goes through in a big way. Every single time, it's a different pressure, but always a pleasure. This is why probably even the calmest of men break down after winning. The pleasure of taking the pressure is what defines a sport for me. I'm happy I enjoyed it thoroughly.

లేపాక్షి

Lepakshi -- peru vinte ado lanti aanandam..
Sree Ramudu jatayuvu nu premaga nimurutoo "Le Pakshee" ani pilichina ooru..
inchu minchu alantivadina kishore gadu chadivina ooru kooda..
a oori gurinchi naa next blog lo detailed gaa rastanu..
prastutam ..
oori gurinchi konni visesalu.. అన్నే బొమ్మల్లోనే..

Ping-Pong Diplomacy

Sometimes, such things happen in the world which leave us in a state of dismay compelling to say ourselves..." ohh..is this true..? " Only with such things we come to know that imagination is not always wilder than truth. Here is such an incident. Can you imagine the big globe was set in motion by a small ball?

Mao Zedong overthrown US-backed KuOmintang government in 1949, and formed "People's Republic of China" ,a communist country. US announced an embargo on trade with China. China followed a policy of information blockade. US recognized Taiwan as independent country and not China ...blau..blau..blau... it's all history.

Suddenly at once, on 14th April 1971, US announced plans to remove a 20-year trade embargo with China and China reciprocated on the same day by annulling it's policy of information blockade by allowing American journalists into Mainland China. There were neither diplomatic envoys exchanged between those two countries nor any talks held between the two governments at any level. But still it happened which went to the extent of Richard Nixon, the then American President (and also the first president) visiting Mainland China which couldn't be thought even in the widest imaginations some time ago.

It all happened when the American ping-pong team got a surprise invitation from their Chinese counterparts during the 31st World Table Tennis Championship, Japan. Ofcourse well thought out diplomatic action can be inferred in such an invitaion but inviting a ping-pong team to herald a new improved Sino-American relations was wisest (even wildest) idea by any standard.

On April 10, 1971 nine players, four officials, and two spouses stepped across a bridge from Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland, ushering in an era of "Ping-Pong diplomacy." They were the first group of Americans allowed into China since the Communist takeover in 1949. "The ping heard round the world." observed Time Magazine. Ten journalists, including five Americans, were also invited to cover the team’s visit, ending the information blockade from the People's Republic in place since 1949. From April 11th to 17th , a delighted American public followed the daily progress of the visit in newspapers and on television, as the Americans played--and lost-- exhibition matches with their hosts, toured the Great Wall and Summer Palace, chatted with Chinese students and factory workers, and attended the Canton Ballet.

Chinese premier Chou En-lai worked the public relations opportunity beautifully, receiving the Americans at a banquet in the Great Hall of the People on April 14, 1971. "You have opened a new chapter in the relations of the American and Chinese people," he told the unlikely diplomats. "I am confident that this beginning again of our friendship will certainly meet with majority support of our two peoples." He also extended an invitation for more American journalists to visit China, provided they do not "all come at one time." That same day, the U.S. announced plans to remove a 20-year embargo on trade with China. A Chinese table tennis team reciprocated by visiting the United States.

Ping-Pong was "an apt metaphor for the relations between Washington and Peking" noted a Time reporter, as each nation signaled, in turn, its openness to change.

This incident, according to me, highlighted the human tendency to mingle with each other and to live with peace in unison, not because it led to meeting of the two Presidents, but because of the enthusiasm, the people showed throughout the tour.

US Presidential Elections - Clarifications

Hi Kishore,
I have a small doubt. Hope you can resolve it.You have written that the electors are elected by the voters directly who further vote for the presidential candidate. But again you have written that once in a state, a party gets the majority of electors, the total number of electors goes to that party and further he total of this number decides who wins the presidential election."It needs 270 electoral votes to win the presidency."Since the electors' vote is already pledged, doesn't it make the election a one step process. Also, in Pub Ad, we study that American elections in reality are indirect only in theory but in practice they have become direct.Please shed some light on this matter.Thanks again for this wonderful article.
- Ruchi.

Ruchi,
There are two steps in US presidetial election.

Step 1:
Electing Presidential candidate WITHIN a party. Here electors are pledged and have to cast their vote as per their pledging in the national conference held by respective parties separately. With this all the pledging stuff is over and one presidential candidate emerges from each party. The first sentence that you have highlighted pertains to this step. I think I put this in General Election section and hence the confusion.

STEP 2:
This is the contest BETWEEN the party candidates who are already elected as presidential nominees from their respective parties in the above step. Who ever wins takes presidentship. Here people have to choose 538 electors who in turn elects the president. This way it is a indirect election. But while voting all these electors people need not know their names, i.e., who are all there in the electoral college and to whom they are voting. They just vote to either democratic candidate or republican candidate. This way it is becoming a direct election and that is what we read in pubad. Here the example that I have given holds good. In 48 of the 50 states there is a system of "Who ever wins takes all" , which means suppose a democratic candidate gets majority in a state of california which has 55 electors then all the 55 electors will be allocated to the democratic candidate. This way they count the total number of electors support attained by each candidate and whoever gets 270 (simple majority of the total electoral college) takes away presidentship.
-Kishore