It’s not Selfishness

It’s not Selfishness

Ponnan was a poor but generous man always ready to share whatever little he had with others. He often brought home people he barely knew for tea or lunch, thereby causing great hardship to his wife.

One morning when his wife looked out of the window, she saw three fat men coming towards her house and guessed at once they were coming to her house for lunch at her husband's invitation.

As she turned away from the window her gaze fell on the mortar and pestle that she used for pounding the rice and suddenly she got an idea....

When the men arrived at the front door sometime later they were pleased by the warm welcome given them by their host's wife. But when they entered the house they were puzzled by a strange sight - a mortar and pestle made ready for worship, stood in the hall.

"What is this?" asked one of the men. "Who worships this mortar and pestle?"

"Don't you know?" said the woman, pretending great surprise. "It is my husband's deity. A strange deity it is too. It demands human blood. When my husband comes home he'll pick up the pestle and hit you on your heads to draw blood. So many times I have told him: 'Don't do it, don't do it' because it is I who have to clean the floor afterwards..."

Ponnan returned just then and he was puzzled to see the men hurrying away from his house.

"They wanted the pestle," explained his wife, "and I refused to give it to them." Oh, you foolish woman!" said the husband. "If they wanted the pestle you should have given it," and he picked up the pestle and ran after them.

"Come back! Come back!" he shouted to the men. "You can take the pestle."

The men, already badly frightened, thought he was coming to hit them with the pestle and ran for their lives.

Ponnan sometimes wondered why people had stopped accepting his invitations and why his wife smiled every time she touched the pestle. But she never let out the secret.

GOOD OR EVIL

GOOD OR EVIL

A robber devoted to a life of murdering and looting was tired of his vicious profession and decided to follow spiritual path. He approached a great saint and falling at his feet said, "O great saint, I have lived a life of sin, but now I am desirous of seeking the spiritual path. Will you please accept me as your disciple?" The saint thought for a while and said: "My son, take this stick with you and repeat the name of the Lord: Om Sri Ramaya Namah. Plant this stick in some secluded place and water it daily with devotion. When the stick sprouts, come to me to receive further instructions."

The robber did exactly as he was told. Months passed by. There was no sprout in the dry stick. He continued watering the stick and repeating the Divine Name.

One night as he was repeating Lord’s name he overheard a conversation between two men. One men said, "Let me go today and kill that enemy of ours." But the other replied, "You should not do this because the police will find out that we have killed him. There is better idea. Let us set fire the whole village. All will perish including our enemy." "Very well said," exclaimed the other.

The robber could not bear this. He uprooted the stick and crashed it on the heads of these two conspirators, killing them both instantly. To his astonishment he saw green shoots coming out of the dry stick from various parts. He brought the stick to his Guru and told him the whole story. The Guru said, "By killing those two vicious men you have saved the lives of the whole village. You have purified your heart by this act of virtue and you are fit to receive Divine Grace." He was initiated into further secrets of spiritual life and he became a great saint.

Moral: You have to study the intention of a person behind his action in order to determine whether his action is good or evil.




(East and West Series, May 2004)

What Will Happen if you don't 'Pay Your Attention' ?

1st year students of M.B.B.S were attending their 1st practical class.

They all gathered around the surgery table with a real dead dog.

The Professor put his finger in dog's ass & tasted it in his own mouth.

Then he told them to do the same...

The students hesitated for several Minutes, but eventually everyone inserted their finger in the dog's ass & tasted it.

When everyone finished, the professor looked at them & said :
" The most important thing is 'OBSERVATION', I inserted my middle finger but tasted the index finger ! Now you learn how to 'PAY ATTENTION' in studies"

I love you daddy!

"Dearly beloved……" The minister seemed to go on forever. The sermon seemed to be a backdrop for Jenna. Her eyes were fixed on the coffin and her mother in a state of shock. Even now 3 days after the automobile accident her mother was standing in the first row of the crowd still crying.

At 7 Jenna really didn't understand what was going on but it didn't matter to her. She just wanted her daddy back. The gathering went on and on and as it dispersed the people walked away one by one with most still in tears. "They loved daddy just like me." she said to herself.

Later that night as Jenna laid in bed she talked to her daddy. "Daddy, please come back. You said you'd never leave me. Please come back." This continued until she fell asleep.

"Wake up darling. Wake up." the voice said.

Stirring from her sleep Jenna wakes and rubs her eyes as she yawned. Looking up she smiles. "Daddy, daddy! You are here. I knew you'd come back! I knew it! I love you daddy!" Jenna cried out and hugged her father.

"How is my big girl doing. I missed you but I'm here now and everything is going to be alright." he says as he gives her his typical "bear hug". "You been okay? I hope you didn't worry about me. I told you I'd take care of you and never leave. I almost blew both of my promises little lady." he adds.

"Daddy, tell me a story. Lets go tell momma you came back. I want some milk and a cookie." Jenna goes on and on.

"Jenna I can't tell momma I came back but I can leave her a sign that I did and that everything is going to be okay. Will that do?" he asked Jenna.

"Sure daddy, but I bet she'd really like to see you." Jenna replies.

"I'm sure little lady but it's 12:29 AM, lets go for a walk." her father says.

"Sure daddy lets go. The garden is pretty and mom loves the flowers." Jenna replies.

"Lets go pick momma a Lily. She loves those more than any other flower, okay?" he asks.

"Lets go daddy." Jenna replies.

The garden is under a full moon and Jenna picks the prettiest Lilly in the garden. "Lets give this one to momma." she says.

"That's the one I'd pick sweetie. Lets do it." he replies.

They head back to Jenna's room.

"Lets put it on your pillow, okay?" he asks.

"Okay, but why not momma's pillow?" she replies.

"Momma will be coming in really soon Jenna. So lets surprise her. Okay?" he says.

In a few minutes the door opened and in walked her mother still in tears. She nears the bed and seeing the Lilly falls to her knees and cries out loud. "My baby. My baby. Why did you take my baby?"

In her had was a paper. She dropped it on the bed and held the Lilly to her face and cried.

Tears fell on to the paper, a death certificate for Jenna. She was injured in the accident with her father and just pronounced dead at 12:29 AM, minutes before.

Salted coffee that tastes ‘so sweet’

After finishing her day's chores, as usual, Mary sat with a letter and a cup of salted coffee. This letter was written to her by her beloved Bob, just before his death, which she discovered after he died. She reads it right from top to bottom as she sips the salted coffee; a routine that she follows every day since she has discovered this letter.

The letter says…

"My dearest,

I have always loved you more than anything else and feel so proud to have you in my life. I pray to God to bless me with you as my wife every time I take birth. But today, I feel sorry and guilty because of one lie that I told you on our very first date but never ever rectified it.

I still remember that evening, forty years back. You were looking so pretty dressed in red, as I waited for you in the coffee shop near your home. It feels like yesterday… you came in front of me and sat just opposite to the chair I was sitting on.

I was so overjoyed to see you and also so nervous! You preferred to have only a cup of coffee and I agreed to have the same. After the waiter left two cups of coffee along with a pot of milk and sugar cubes, you asked me whether I would like to have it with sugar. Nervous and shy, I instantly said that I would like to have the coffee with salt! But I was surprised to see how beautifully you made me a cup of coffee with salt; and trust me, it tasted so sweet!

Something that was a slip of tongue became a hard fact for you every time you made coffee for me henceforth. Your smile could always change everything in this world for me… even the salty taste of a cup of coffee, turning it sweet! I never told you even after we got married that it was a mere slip of tongue, a lie.

Today, when we have already come a long way in life, I feel guilty not to let you know the truth behind the one and only lie I have told you.

I would also like to admit that, no matter how many times I am born, I want you to be my wife, making me cups of salted coffee that taste 'so sweet'!"

Like every other day, tears fell on the letter as Mary finished reading it. Ever since she has read it, she has started taking salted coffee. Every time she makes it, she thinks Bob is around… and sips it with a smile on her lips.

Often people have asked her how this weird combination of coffee with salt tastes. Mary answers back, "Very Sweet!"


.

You Get What You Give

One day, little Prabhu was taking a walk with his father in the rugged roads of the mountain near their house. Suddenly, he slipped and hurt himself; Prabhu screamed, "AAAhhhh!" 

Immediately he heard a voice from the mountains saying "AAAhhhh!" Prabhu forgot his hurt and shouted, "Who are you?" Once gain he heard that voice saying "Who are you?" Prabhu was amused and he shouted, saying, "I like you!" The voice immediately answered back, saying "I like you!"

Finding the voice repeating everything that he said, Prabhu got annoyed and said, "You're a coward! Come in front!" Once again like every other time that voice from the mountains repeated exactly what Prabhu had shouted its way.

Prabhu got flabbergasted. He looked at his father and asked, "Father, what is going on? Who is this?"

His father smiled and said, "Son, this is called echo." And then he said, "Now listen to this." Prabhu's father then shouted towards the mountains saying, "Hey you are a champion!" The voice answered back, "Hey you are a champion!" Prabhu got puzzled.

Prabhu's father then looked at him and said, "Son, although people call it echo, it is, in reality, Life. It gives you back everything that you give to it. Our life reflects our actions. If you give out love, then life rewards you back with it. If you want happiness from the world, spread happiness first and then you get your return."

Prabhu kept listening to his father as he continued, "Life is not a coincidence, son. It is your reflection – the reflection of your deeds, acts and beliefs."

This Inspiring & Touching Story Dedicated to 'Happy Mother's Day'

It had been three months since Ms Priya had joined a primary school to teach Mathematics. She was gradually being able to understand all her students, excepting one, Kumaran. Kumaran was the only boy who came to school dressed untidily and sat in the class completely lost in his own world. His performance had been deteriorating steadily with every single day.

It was yet another day when all the students in the class laughed out at Kumaran when he was unable to answer even the simplest question Ms Priya had asked him. At the end of the lesson when all the students dispersed, Ms Priya searched through the progress reports of Kumaran in his previous standards. She was shocked to see that Kumaran used to be the topper in his class. She flipped through every page of the report and found out that Kumaran's performance began to slowly decline when his mother fell ill. Few months down the line, Kumaran was doing badly in each and every subject. It was the time when his mother had died leaving him alone with his father, who was a businessman and had to travel always.

Apart from his performance worsening steadily, Kumaran's nature too began to change. The reports clearly said he had forgotten to laugh and showed no interest in any activity. He had turned into a loner. All his friends had abandoned him. Tears filled the eyes of Ms Priya.

The next day, while all the students were dispersing, she asked Kumaran to stay back. Kumaran sat on his chair quietly. After the classroom became empty, Ms Priya went up to him. She began to ask him if he had any problem understanding his lessons. Gradually she began to give him a comfort zone so that he could talk and share. After three weeks, she found Kumaran gradually improving. He was being able to answer the questions he previously failed. Every day after all the students went away Ms Priya gave personal attention to Kumaran and began to spend time with him.

Kumaran had improved a lot over the next semester. He began to reach school on time, properly dressed and promptly responding in class. His classmates gradually became friendly to him once again and he showed definite signs of progress in his performance.

On a Friday, when all the students left after the class, Kumaran came up to Ms Priya and handed her a box. He requested her to unwrap the box on Sunday and left.

Sunday morning, curious, she opened it and saw a bottle of perfume, half filled. Kumaran had written a small letter to her, saying that this bottle of perfume used to be his mother's and he wished Ms Priya to wear it so that every time she was around, he could feel his Mom near him. He thanked her for everything.

She suddenly checked with the calendar; it was the second Sunday of the month of May.

After reading the letter, Ms Priya took the bottle of perfume in her hand and saw the tag attached to it; it said "Happy Mother's Day"!

Ms Priya realized that it was not she who had made a difference to Kumaran's life but it was Kumaran who made her realize the true essence of humanity!

More than what we can hold..!!

Once a boy went to a shop with his mother. The shopkeeper looked at the small cute child and showed him a bottle with sweets
 
And said 'Dear Child, you can take the sweets...

But the child didn't take. The shopkeeper was surprised.. Such a small child he is and why is he not taking the sweets from the bottle. Again he said take the sweets....

Now the mother also heard that and said.. Take the sweets dear. Yet he didn't take. The shopkeeper seeing the child not taking the sweets... He himself took the sweets and gave to the child. The child was happy to get two hands full of sweets.  

While returning home the Mother asked the child... Why didn't you take the sweets, when  the shopkeeper told you to take?..

Can you guess the response: Child replies... Mom! My hands are very small and if I take the sweets I can only take few.. But now you see when uncle gave with his big hands.... How many more sweets I got!  

Moral: When we take we may get little but when God gives... He gives us more beyond our expectations. .. More than what we can hold..!!

DO NOT TAKE ANYTHING AT ITS FACE VALUE

DO NOT TAKE IT AT ITS FACE VALUE

 

On a sunny day a man with his donkey carrying two sacks of wheat was on his way to the market. After traveling at a stretch, the man was tired and decided to rest under a tree. When he woke up from his nap he could not find the donkey and started searching for it everywhere.

While searching he met a boy. Out of sheer curiosity he asked the boy, "Have you seen my donkey?"

The boy in turn asked, "Is the donkey's left eye blind, his right foot lame and is he carrying a load of wheat?"

The man smiled since the boy's description exactly matched the description of his donkey. The man replied, "Yes, exactly! Where have you seen it?"

The boy answered, "I haven't seen it."

This made the man very angry because he quickly realized that the boy was lying. Hence he took the boy to the village chief for punishment.

After listening to the man, the village chief asked, "Dear boy, if you had not seen the donkey how you could describe it?"

The boy answered, "I saw the tracks of a donkey. Since the right and left tracks were different, I concluded that the donkey which has passed from there was limping. Also I noticed that the grass on the right side of the road was eaten but the grass on the left was not. Hence, I understood that its left eye was blind. There were wheat seeds scattered on the ground seeing which I understood that the donkey must have been carrying a load of wheat."

The chief, after listening to the clever boy's logic, was surprised! He decided to award him. He also ruled that the boy was innocent and that the man should be ashamed for bringing the boy to him for punishment without knowing the whole story.

 

We should not take someone or something at face value.

 

AVOID HARMING YOURSELVES

AVOID HARMING YOURSELVES

 

A woman suffered from severe rheumatic pains in the knee joints. No treatment was of any avail. The pain became unbearable. She sought the blessings of a holy man to help her out of her utter misery.

 

"Do you hold a grudge against anyone?" he asked her gently.

 

For a split second, she hesitated: then she answered, "My mind is seething with resentment against my own sister who did not behave properly towards me."

 

The holy man said to her, "Your pain will disappear only when you forgive her and make peace with her."

 

The woman found it very difficult to do so. However, with a tremendous effort of will, she went to meet her estranged sister; she hugged the astonished sister and said to her, "Let bygones be bygones. Let us begin anew!"

 

To her amazement, she found that soon thereafter, the pains disappeared completely!

 

We hold resentment against someone, we may not harm that person – but surely, we will harm ourselves!

THE WISE DO NOT QUESTION

THE WISE DO NOT QUESTION

When the Kurukshetra war was over, pride entered the heart of Arjuna. He even thought that he was so great that Krishna had become his charioteer.

Arjuna felt that as a master, he must get down from the chariot  only after the charioteer had done so. He insisted that Krishna must get down first. Krishna was adamant.

Finally, Arjuna had to yield. Swallowing his pride, he got out of the chariot with great reluctance.

Now it was Krishna’s turn. As soon as He stepped down, the chariot went up in flames.

Arjuna was humbled as he realized that the deadly arrows and missiles that had struck the chariot were powerless so long as Krishna was in it. As soon as He left it, they had their natural effect and the chariot was reduced to ashes.

In everything that the Lord permits to happen, is a meaning of His mercy. We must not question: we must not argue. We must only obey, accept and rejoice!

LEARN TO GIVE

LEARN TO GIVE

A wise man, on his deathbed, uttered the following statement,

"What I gave, I have.

What I spent, I had.

What I kept, I lost!"

Truer words were never spoken! Whatever wealth he had saved, hoarded, he could not carry with him after death – so, all that he had kept, was lost to him. Whatever he had spent, he had enjoyed the use of it on this earth – it was had, over and done with. But whatever he had given away in love, charity and service, out of the love of God, would be credited to his account in the Bank of Providence – so what he gave, he could have eternally!

The truly wealth man is not one who has – but one who gives away what he has!

__._,_.___

GOD LOVES THE UNLOVED ONES

GOD LOVES THE UNLOVED ONES

"I have a number of dolls," said the little girl to a guest. "Would you like to see them?"

"Sure, I would!"

The little girl ran and brought a number of dolls. Some of them were very cute. One was Barbie doll.

"Which one do you love the most?" asked the guest. He felt certain the girl would point the Barbie doll.

Imagine his surprise when the girl picked up a ragged doll which had scratches on its cheek, a broken nose and a missing arm.

"How so?" enquired the visitor. "I thought you would love the Barbie doll the most."

The little girl answered, "If I don't love this doll, no one else will!"

The little girl taught a great lesson. God loves the unloved ones – the poor, the broken, the miserable, the wretched, the forsaken, the forlorn, the lowly and the lost!

Let us learn to love likewise, and we too, shall grow Godlike.

Live One Day at a Time

Live One Day at a Time

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry, two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One of these days is yesterday with all its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control. All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday.

We cannot undo a single act we performed; we cannot erase a single word we said. Yesterday is gone forever.

The other day we should not worry about is tomorrow with all its possible adversities, its burdens, its large promise and its poor performance; tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.

Tomorrow's sun will rise, either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds, but it will rise. Until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet to be born.

This leaves only one day, today. Any person can fight the battle of just one day. It is when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternities, yesterday and tomorrow that we break down.

It is not the experience of today that drives a person mad, it is the remorse or bitterness of something which happened yesterday and the dread of what tomorrow may bring.

Let us, therefore, live but one day at a time.

Indeed The Sign of Happiness is ....

There was a young couple who led a happy life together. The only thing that they were worried about was, whether their happiness would last forever or they too would have to face problems.

One day, they heard that a wise old man had come to town who could solve all kinds of problems and guide people. So the couple decided to visit the wise old man and tell him their source of worry.

Upon visiting, the wise man told them, "Travel around the world and seek a man and a woman who are perfectly happy as a couple. When you find such a couple, ask them for a piece of cloth from the man's shirt and then keep that piece of cloth with you, and you shall always remain happy."

The young couple began their journey to find the happiest couple in the world. In one place they heard that the governor and his wife were the happiest couple and so they went to their palace and asked them, "Are you the happiest couple?"

The governor and his wife replied, "Yes, we are happy in every way except for one thing – we do not have any children."

Well that didn't make the governor and his wife the happiest couple. So they continued their journey. They arrived in one city where they had heard that the happiest couple lived.

They went to their house and asked them, "Are you the happiest couple?"

The couple replied, "Yes, we are really happy in every way except that we have too many children which make our life a bit uncomfortable."

No, this couple did not sound to be the happiest. And, so they continued their journey. They visited many countries, cities, towns and villages asking the same question but they did not find what they were looking for.

One Day the young couple came across a shepherd in the desert. The shepherd was grazing his sheep when his wife and child came along. The shepherd greeted his wife and gently patted the child she was carrying. She laid the mat and started to eat contentedly. The young couple came to them and asked them, "Are you the happiest couple?"

The shepherd and his wife replied, "Nobody is unhappier than the king." The young couple immediately realized that they were the happiest couple and asked them for a piece of the shepherd's shirt, so that their happiness too would last throughout. The shepherd said, "If I give you a piece of cloth from my shirt then I will be left without any clothes since I own just one shirt."

The young couple at once understood that it is very difficult to find perfect happiness anywhere in the world. The couple decided to return to their own country.

They went to the wise old man and related all that had taken place. They also complained that his guidance was difficult to abide by. The wise old man laughed and said, "Was your journey useless or did you learn something from it?" The young man replied, "Yes, after this trip I have learnt that in this world, nobody is perfectly happy, only that person is happy who does everything to please God."

The wife said, "I have learnt that in order to be happy it is important to remember two things: Firstly, all human beings should be thankful and contented with whatever they have. And secondly, for ultimate happiness one must always practice patience."

After that, the young couple thanked the wise old man for his guidance and returned home. The wise man prayed for them and said, "Indeed the sign of happiness is in their heart and they have good manners and if the lifetime is spent in pleasure of God there would be no differences in the existence of mankind."

Success or Failure - Ultimately You are a Winner in a way or other

There once lived a great mathematician in a village outside Ujjain. He was often called by the local king to advice on matters related to the economy. His reputation had spread as far as Taxila in the North and Kanchi in the South. So it hurt him very much when the village headman told him, "You may be a great mathematician who advises the king on economic matters but your son does not know the value of gold or silver."

The mathematician called his son and asked, "What is more valuable – gold or silver?" "Gold," said the son. "That is correct. Why is it then that the village headman makes fun of you, claims you do not know the value of gold or silver? He teases me every day. He mocks me before other village elders as a father who neglects his son. This hurts me. I feel everyone in the village is laughing behind my back because you do not know what is more valuable, gold or silver. Explain this to me, son."

So the son of the mathematician told his father the reason why the village headman carried this impression. "Every day on my way to school, the village headman calls me to his house. There, in front of all village elders, he holds out a silver coin in one hand and a gold coin in other. He asks me to pick up the more valuable coin. I pick the silver coin. He laughs, the elders jeer, everyone makes fun of me. And then I go to school. This happens every day. That is why they tell you I do not know the value of gold or silver."

The father was confused. His son knew the value of gold and silver, and yet when asked to choose between a gold coin and silver coin always picked the silver coin. "Why don't you pick up the gold coin?" he asked. In response, the son took the father to his room and showed him a box. In the box were at least a hundred silver coins. Turning to his father, the mathematician' s son said, "The day I pick up the gold coin the game will stop. They will stop having fun and I will stop making money."

Sometimes in life, we have to play the fool because our seniors and our peers, and sometimes even our juniors like it. That does not mean we lose in the game of life. It just means allowing others to win in one arena of the game, while we win in the other arena of the game. We have to choose which arena matters to us and which arenas do not.

Success story of KFC Colonel Sanders

Colonel Sanders was 65 years old when he received his first social security cheque of $99. He was broke, and owned a small house and a beat up car.

He made a decision that he has got to change. The only idea he had was a chicken recipe, which his friends liked. With that idea in mind, he took massive action.

He left his home in Kentucky and traveled to many states in the US to sell his idea. He told the restaurant owners that he had a chicken recipe that people liked and he was giving it to them for free.

What he wanted in return was for the restaurant owners to pay him a small percentage on the pieces of chicken sold.

He got rejections after rejections, but did not give up. In fact, he got over 1000 rejections.

He got 1009 no's before he got his first yes. With that one success Colonel Hartland Sanders changed the eating habits of the whole world with Kentucky Fried Chicken, popularly known as KFC.

How many of us will keep knocking on doors when we have received 1000 rejections? I presume not many! This is why there are not many successes like Colonel Sanders.

Age is no barrier to success, and so is capital. What is needed is an idea put into action, followed with proper planning and persistency.

ஜெர்மனியில் வேலை ரெடி!

வெளிநாட்டு வேலை என்றாலே நம்மவர்கள் அமெரிக்காவையும் வளைகுடா நாடுகளையும்தான் நினைப்பார்கள். ஆனால், ஜெர்மனியில் பல லட்சம் பேர் வேலைக்குத் தேவையாக இருக்கின்றனர் என்பது லேட்டஸ்ட் செய்தி. அங்கு என்னென்ன வேலைக்கு ஆட்கள் தேவை? அதற்கு என்ன படித்திருக்க வேண்டும்? சம்பளம், வசதி போன்ற சமாசாரங்கள் எப்படி?  இந்த எல்லாக் கேள்விகளுக்குமான பதிலைச் சொல்கிறார் மேக்-இட்-இன்-ஜெர்மனி என்னும் இணையதளத்தின் ஆலோசகர் வெங்கட் நரசிம்மன்.

''வரும் 2025-க்குள் ஜெர்மனியில் சுமார் ஆறு மில்லியன் வேலை வாய்ப்பு உருவாக வாய்ப்புள்ளது. ஆனால், அங்கு மக்கள்தொகை ஒவ்வொரு ஆண்டும் குறைந்துகொண்டே வருகிறது. இதன் விளைவாக இளைஞர்களின் எண்ணிக்கையும் கணிசமாகக் குறைந்து வருகிறது. அங்கு இருக்கும் இளைஞர்களில் பாதிபேர் அமெரிக்கா, இங்கிலாந்து போன்ற நாடுகளுக்கு வேலைக்குச் சென்றுவிடுகிறார்கள். மீதமிருக்கும் இளைஞர்கள் அரசியல், சமூகம், சட்டம் போன்ற படிப்புகள் படிக்கவே ஆர்வம் காட்டுகிறார்கள். இதனால் கணிதம், ஐ.டி., தொலைதொடர்பு, இயற்கை அறிவியல், இன்ஜினீயரிங் படிக்க ஆட்கள் இல்லை. எனவே, இந்தத் துறைகளில் வேலை பார்க்கவும் ஆட்கள் கிடைப்பதில்லை.

ஆனால், இந்தியாவில் இத்துறைகளில் படிப்பவர்களின் எண்ணிக்கை அதிகம்; அதோடு மக்கள்தொகையும் அதிகம் என்பதால், இந்தியாவின்மீது ஜெர்மனி தனது பார்வையைத் திருப்பி உள்ளது. மேலும், இந்தோனேஷியா, வியட்நாம் நாடுகளிலிருந்து பணியாட்களை கவரும்விதமான முயற்சிகளை ஜெர்மனி எடுத்து வருகிறது.

இந்தியாவில் இருக்கும் இளைஞர்களை கவர்ந்து இழுப்பதற்காக தனியாக ஒரு இணையதளத்தையும் தொடங்கி (http://www.make-it-in-germany.com) நடத்தி வருகிறோம். அதில், ஜெர்மனியில் எந்தெந்த நிறுவனத்தில் வேலை உள்ளது, வேலையின் பெயர் என்னென்ன, என்ன தகுதிகள் வேண்டும், எந்தமாதிரியான வேலை என்பதுபோன்ற அனைத்துத் தகவல்களும் இந்த இணையதளத்தில் உள்ளன. மேலும், இதற்கென டெல்லியில் அலுவலகம் அமைத்து உள்ளது ஜெர்மனி.

ஜெர்மனியில் எல்லாத் துறைகளிலும் வேலை கிடைத்துவிடும் என்று சொல்ல முடியாது. மெக்காட்ரானிக்ஸ், கெமிக்கல், ஐ.டி., மெக்கானிக்கல், எலெக்ட்ரிக்கல் போன்ற இன்ஜினீயரிங் துறைகளில் அதிகமான ஊழியர்கள்  தேவைப்படுகிறார்கள். ஆனால், சிவில் இன்ஜினீயரிங் துறையில் வேலை இருக்காது. இந்தப் படிப்பை அதிகமான ஜெர்மானியர்கள் படிக்கிறார்கள். அதேபோல தொலைதொடர்பு, அறிவியல், கணிதம் தொழில்நுட்பத்தில் ஊழியர்கள் பற்றாக்குறை அதிகமாக உள்ளது. இந்தியர்களை ஈர்க்கும்விதமாக பல சலுகைகளையும் ஜெர்மனி அரசு வழங்குகிறது. இந்தத் துறைகளில் இளைநிலை, முதுநிலை பட்டதாரிகள் யார் வேண்டுமானாலும் இதற்கு விண்ணப்பிக்கலாம்.  

ஜெர்மனியில் வேலைக்கு விண்ணப்பிப்பவர்களின் மனைவி அல்லது கணவன் உடன் செல்வதற்கான வாய்ப்புகளையும் உருவாக்கித் தந்துள்ளது. குடும்பமாக வருபவர்கள் சிறப்பாகவும், நீண்டகாலத்திற்கு வேலை பார்ப்பார்கள் என்ற ரீதியில் இந்த நடவடிக்கையை மேற்கொண்டு உள்ளது.  குழந்தைகளின் படிப்புக்குத் தேவையான அனைத்து ஏற்பாட்டையும் செய்து தருகிறது. அதாவது, பள்ளிப் படிப்பை ஜெர்மனியில் துவங்கும் குழந்தைகளுக்கு கல்வியை இலவசமாகவே தருகிறார்கள். மேலும், இங்கு சென்று பாதியில் படிக்க ஆரம்பிக்கும் மாணவர்களுக்கு சிறப்புச் சலுகைகளையும் வழங்குகிறது.

மேலும், ஜெர்மனியில் உற்பத்தித் துறைக்கு தேவைப்படும் ஆட்களுக்கு அடிப்படையாக ஜெர்மன் மொழி தேவை. இதற்காக இந்திய அரசுடன் இணைந்து 1,000 கேந்திரிய வித்யாலயா பள்ளிகளில் ஜெர்மனியைத் துணை மொழியாக அறிமுகப்படுத்தவும் திட்டமிட்டுள்ளது. இதனால், ஜெர்மன் படிப்பவர்களுக்கு இந்தியாவிலேயே ஆசிரியர் பணி கிடைப்பதற்கும் அதிக வாய்ப்புகள் உள்ளன.

ஜெர்மனிக்கு வேலைக்குச் செல்லும்போதே அந்த அரசு புளூ கார்டு வழங்குகிறது. இதை வைத்துக்கொண்டு இங்கு 36 மாதங்கள் வேலை செய்யலாம். அதன்பிறகு ஐரோப்பிய நாடுகளில் எங்கு வேண்டுமானாலும் வேலை செய்யலாம். அதேபோல, அங்கு குறைந்தபட்சம் ஐந்து ஆண்டுகளுக்கு மேல் வேலை பார்ப்பவர்களுக்கு அவர்களின் 65 வயது கடந்தபின் ஆயுள் முழுக்க  பென்ஷனும் இந்த அரசு தருகிறது. இதற்கு ஜெர்மனியில் கட்டாயம் இருக்கவேண்டிய அவசியம் இல்லை.

அதேபோல, குறைந்தபட்ச ஆண்டுச் சம்பளம் என்பது 34,944 யூரோ (ஒரு யூரோ என்பது இந்திய மதிப்பில் சுமார் 70 ரூபாய்) வரை சம்பளம் இருக்கும். இது, அவர்கள் செய்யும் வேலை, வகிக்கும் பதவிக்கு ஏற்ப அதிகரிக்கும். அதோடு, ஒரு ஜெர்மானியருக்கு வழங்கப்படும் அத்தனை சலுகையும் இந்தியர்களுக்கும் கிடைக்கும்'' என்றார் வெங்கட் நரசிம்மன்.

''வேலை வாய்ப்பு மட்டுமல்லாமல் ஜெர்மனியில் உயர்கல்வி பயில்பவர்களுக்கும் அதிக வாய்ப்புகள் உள்ளன'' என்கிறார் ஜெர்மன் அகாடமிக் எக்ஸ்சேஞ்ச் சர்வீஸின் அலுவலக மேலாளர் பத்மாவதி சந்திரமௌலி. அவரே தொடர்ந்து சொன்னார். ''உயர்கல்வி படிப்பவர்களுக்கு ஜெர்மனி அரசாங்கம் பல வசதிகளைச் செய்து தருகிறது. ஐ.டி., இன்ஜினீயரிங், இயற்கை அறிவியல், தொலைதொடர்புகளுக்கான படிப்பைப் படிக்க விரும்புகிறவர்கள் அங்கு போய் படிக்கலாம். முதுநிலைப் படிப்பிற்கு பல சலுகைகளை வழங்குகிறது ஜெர்மனி அரசாங்கம்.

இங்கு, பழைமை வாய்ந்த பல்கலைக் கழகங்கள் பல இருக்கின்றன. மேலும், இங்கு செய்முறைப் பயிற்சிகள் அதிகம் இருக்கும். ஆராய்ச்சிப் படிப்புகள் படிப்பதற்கும் பல வசதிகள் செய்து தரப்படுகிறது. ஜெர்மனியில் தங்கிப் படிக்க ஓர் ஆண்டுக்கு 5.5 லட்ச ரூபாய் செலவாகும். உங்களுக்கு ஸ்காலர்ஷிப் கிடைக்கும்பட்சத்தில் இந்தச் செலவைப் பற்றி நீங்கள் கவலைகொள்ளத் தேவையில்லை. அதேபோல, படித்து முடித்தபிறகு 18 மாதங்கள் வரை அங்கு தங்கி வேலை தேடுவதற்கான வசதியையும் செய்து தருகிறது ஜெர்மனி அரசாங்கம். கடந்த வருடம் இந்தியாவிலிருந்து 6,000 மாணவர்கள் ஜெர்மனிக்கு மேல்படிப்பு படிக்கச் சென்றுள்ளனர்.

ஜெர்மனிக்குச் சென்று படிக்க விரும்புகிறவர்களுக்கு செய்முறை அனுபவம் அதிகம் இருந்தாலே எளிதாக அட்மிஷன் கிடைத்துவிடும். கோடை விடுமுறையில் தொழில் நிறுவனத்தில் பயிற்சி பெற்றவர்களுக்கு அட்மிஷன் கிடைப்பது எளிது'' என்று முடித்தார் பத்மாவதி சந்திரமௌலி.

நல்ல கல்வி, நல்ல வேலை, நல்ல சம்பளம் கிடைக்கும் ஜெர்மனிக்குக் கிளம்பலாமே!

You cannot paint the world green!

You cannot paint the world green!

There was a millionaire who was bothered by severe eye pain. He consulted so many physicians and was getting his treatment done. He did not stop consulting galaxy of medical experts; he consumed heavy loads of drugs and underwent hundreds of injections.

But the ache persisted with great vigor than before. At last a monk who was supposed to be an expert in treating such patients was called for by the millionaire. The monk understood his problem and said that for sometime he should concentrate only on green colors and not to fall his eyes on any other colors. The millionaire got together a group of painters and purchased barrels of green color and directed that every object his eye was likely to fall to be painted in green color just as the monk had directed.

When the monk came to visit him after few days, the millionaire's servants ran with buckets of green paints and poured on him since he was in red dress, lest their master not see any other color and his eye ache would come back.

Hearing this, the monk laughed and said "If only you had purchased a pair of green spectacles, worth just a few rupees, you could have saved these walls and trees and pots and all other articles and also could have saved a large share of his fortune. You cannot paint the world green!"

 

Let us change our vision and the world will appear accordingly. It is foolish to shape the world, let us shape ourselves first.

இனி ‘ஆன்லைன்’ மூலம் தகவல் அறியும் சட்டத்தின் கீழ் விபரம் பெறலாம்

தகவல் அறியும் சட்டத்தின் கீழ் தகவல் பெற விரும்புபவர்கள், இனி, ஆன்லைனில் விண்ணப்பிக்கவும், அதற்கான கட்டணத்தை செலுத்தவும் ஒருங்கிணைந்த வசதி ஏற்படுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது.

ஒளிவு மறைவற்ற அரசு நிர்வாகத்தை உறுதி செய்யும் நோக்கத்தில் கடந்த 2005-ம் ஆண்டு தகவல் அறியும் உரிமை சட்டம் அறிமுகப்படுத்தப்பட்டது.

மத்திய, மாநில அரசின் செயல்பாடுகள் தொடர்பாக தகவல் அறிய விரும்பும் நபர்கள், தகவல் அறியும் உரிமை அலுவலகத்திற்கு சென்று ஒரு தகவலுக்கு ரூ. 10 கட்டணம் செலுத்தி மனு செய்தால், மனுதாரர் அறிய விரும்பும் தகவல் சம்பந்தப்பட்ட துறை அதிகாரிகளின் கையொப்பத்துடன் வீடு தேடி வரும் வகையில் இச்சட்டம் தற்போது செயல்பாட்டில் உள்ளது.

வயதான நபர்கள் மற்றும் பெண்கள் தகவல் அறியும் உரிமை மாவட்ட அலுவலகங்களுக்கு நேரில் சென்று மனு செய்வதில் சில சிரமங்கள் இருப்பதாக மத்திய அரசின் கவனத்திற்கு கொண்டு செல்லப்பட்டது. இதனையடுத்து, மனுவையும் கட்டணத்தையும் இனி 'ஆன்லைன்' மூலம் சமர்ப்பிக்கும் முறையை மத்திய அரசு தற்போது அறிமுகப்படுத்தியுள்ளது.

இந்த புதிய சேவையை பெற விரும்பும் பொதுமக்கள், பாரத ஸ்டேட் வங்கி அல்லது அதன் குழுமத்தை சேர்ந்த பிற வங்கி கணக்கின் வாயிலாக ரூ. 10/- ஐ ஆன்லைன் மூலம் செலுத்தி, தாங்கள் அறிய விரும்பும் தகவலுக்கான மனுவை சமர்ப்பிக்கலாம்.

இதேபோல், இதர கிரெடிட் மற்றும் டெபிட் கார்டுகளின் மூலமாகவும் மனுவுக்கான கட்டணத்தை வீட்டில் இருந்தே இன்டர்நெட் மூலமாக செலுத்தி இனி தகவல்களை பெற்றுக் கொள்ளலாம்.

இந்த புதிய திட்டத்தின் முதல்கட்டமாக டெல்லியில் உள்ள மத்திய அரசு தொடர்பான அமைச்சகம் சார்ந்த தகவல்களை மட்டுமே தற்போதைக்கு பெற முடியும்.விரைவில் இந்த வசதி அனைத்து துறைகளுக்கும் விரிவுப்படுத்தப்படும் என மத்திய அரசு வெளியிட்டுள்ள செய்தி குறிப்பில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

Now, file RTI applications and pay fees online!
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In a step towards greater transparency, the government has started a unique facility of submitting RTI applications and fees online.The portal — www.rtionline.gov.in — has been created with an aim to help people exercise their right to seek information through online medium, said officials in Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), which acts as nodal department for the implementation of transparency law in the country.

http://www.rtionline.gov.in/