Ways to get jobs and promotions...

A news item that I read today on MidDay, a popular local newspaper of Mumbai, prompted to me to post this. The news reads.. "BMC (Bombay Muncipal Corporation) official divorces wife to ensure he gets promotion under the 'non -creamy' layer; dismissed after truth comes to light... ". We see here how people are manipulating to derive benefits, that they don't really deserve as per the regulations of governance...

What comes to my mind at this point time is an incident that i came across almost 27 years back. I was working in Bokaro steel plant, in Bihar state of India; and I was on shifts... every week my shift changes.. shift timings are morning 6 to 2; 2 to 10, and 10 to 6... Few employees in the shift who are in their early fifties would never go home after completing their work at 10 in the night, or come for work directly from home for early morning shift... whereas, many others commute may be 3 to 4 kilometers by bicycle... I was curious to know why they are afraid of commuting in the night, along with many other colleagues of theirs... They were reluctant to tell me, and I don't also understand the psyche of the people living in that part of the country.

After quite a bit of persuasion, they told me the reason. They are afraid of none other than their sons. I couldn't believe. Yes, thats the fact. In order to get job in the same company, as dependent of deceased, they are afraid that their sons would kill them. Then people started telling me stories of such happening in that part of the country. It was frightening for me to hear all that. But it seems such things are common there.

Another interesting characteristics in some people there i noticed was a father and his different sons in a family will have different surnames. I was curious to know why this, and they had casual answers for this. When the child is to be put in school, they check what surname goes well in the job market (I don't now, how can they predict the market about 18 - 20 years ahead). They believe that, a surname 'prasad' might have high probability of getting selected compared to surname 'singh' for 'sarkari' job, then that surname is put for the child. They believe that, in interviews, the surname is what matters in getting a 'secure' job. It seems it is very common in that part of the country.

All these came to my mind, when i read the news item today about an officer theoretically (and not practically) divorcing his wife to get a promotion on job. The news item ends with "An investigation revealed 26 such cases in the city of Mumbai's Municipal Corporation offices.

What's the motivation behind all these kind of actions? Must be eagerness to get a 'secure' job at any cost, and the cost can range from divorcing wife to killing father. Only few such incidents would come out in light, whereas many such would be happening in the society. Thought of sharing this thought to all those read my blog...

Power of Muscle Power

It is a happy occasion for all Indians to see that Taj Mahal getting retained its position in the seven wonders of the world. I have been observing the hulla-bulla thats going on for almost past month.


I received many emails from people known to me (and from people not known to me) reminding me to vote for tajmahal either through SMS or through the internet, so that tajmahal will finally be in the list of seven wonders. Somehow i was not comfortable with the idea of selecting the seven wonders of the world through vote (it's my opinion). Does it imply a message that, now on its only muscle power thats going to prevail for anything and everything in this world? Are there no considerations for the wonders to be qualified and get a rating based on some scientific criteria, excluding the emotional attachment of people attached to those respective countries? I understand that the telcom companies amassed good amount of money in the process, many charging higher rates for this SMS. It's commercial exploitation everywhere, and it's not even leaving the seven wonders. How can one believe the selection process, as there were commercial (vested) interests of many agencies were entangled with the process.

I think, it was another reality show, like the ones which are being telecast on each and every TV channel these days. In these reality shows, there is no credibility for performance. It's just the number of votes that counts. I remember one of the participant in a reality show (Nach Baliye on Star One), was justifying his distributing huge number of SIM cards to people to do voting for him. He agreed to a newspaper that, he doesn't see anything wrong in doing that. So all these are just eye-wash programs, now even the selection process for the wonders of the world. It's just the votes that matters, just like our politicians. Yes, its democracy. We do elect our representatives, the ones who get more votes wins and earns right to abuse power. In a political system that practice democracy in letter (may not be in spirit), thats the only way. But, i cant understand the voting process for selecting good performers on stage and wonders of the world.

Now it seems, everything will depend on muscle power, may be through votes or through any other means.

A Bride in Style

I happened to attend a wedding two days back. It was a wedding in the family of our close friend in Mumbai. A very simple marriage, a konkani groom and a gujarati bride. The marriage was performed in konkani style. What struck me was the simplicity with which the bride came for the ceremony. Just one gold chain, and one necklace; very few bangles; no head ornaments like chutti etc. I don't think, there was any modern excessive make-up on the face. After a long long time, i am seeing a bride who is doing the marriage ritual as herself. Generally gujarati's are known for extravagant shows and abundant demonstration of wealth. Though i wrote this, i don't believe that such characteristics of 'vulgar display of wealth' can be associated with any community. At that time I remembered a wedding reception that I attended at Chennai, more than 20 years back, where I saw the bride and the groom in very simple attire. Bride with a typical kerala saree, and groom too with matching attire. I thought I will never see a bride and groom in such a simple style any more.

These are the days, where marriages are conducted with a primary (but hidden) objective of excessive demonstration of riches. The bride generally becomes a model for jewellery showrooms and saree houses. The expensive wedding sarees were not even worn once a year afterwards. I have heard arguments from many people against my way of thinking. Their arguments were: its a special day, once in a life occasion, you have to look your best, etc. etc. I agree all that. But one can be at the best when one is self. I think, too much of transformation transforms the self too. Make up do help in bringing up a good glow on face. But what puts me off is the vulgar display of wealth. I know, these days more people would not agree with me.

I got a bit excited when I saw the simplicity... that too in a marriage in Mumbai.. and a gujarati bride too... Thought, i would express my excitement in my own way in My Musings...

I am here, Mark my presence.....

It is quite some time since I wanted to blog... but somehow i didn't get the momentum... though i read many blogs... last one year i was involved in creating a creative medium for expressing oneself... yes, you got it... blog through postcards.. i have created many postcards there... let me now attempt to put down my musings here...


it's my niece Nandu, who has helped me to break the block.. thought i will start with a short expression today... Nandu's blogs are exceptionally good ones... when i think of topics to blog? there are many... i have varied interests... right from music... to gardening... to cooking... to drawing... to technology... to software architecture... to training... to travel... to mentoring young minds... so on and so on...


My blogs are going to be hybrid... creative expressions through postcards at zimoz... and decriptive expressions at blogspot...


This is just a preamble... request you to read my vision-n-musings and post comments...