Blog@GraceJunction

The Reserve Bank of India came out with advertisements titled ‘Know your Bank Note’in newspapers across the country to educate people in spotting counterfeit currency. Indians were exposed to terminologies and technologies there were unaware about earlier like watermark, latent image, micro lettering, see through register, optically variable ink, security thread, intaglio printing, omron anti-photocopying feature, flouresence et cetera. Most people never knew that the note in their hand had so many in-built security features. Most people, even now, do not understand the need for it!

Why should Reserve Bank be so concerned about counterfeit at all? Are these notes a threat at all? (more…)

The train chugged powerfully thru the drizzle as I kept waiving. This was the beginning of a journey; a journey which just like the train was powerfully pulling the load attached, moving against all odds, piercing thru darkness, thru the cold wind and the rain – unstoppable.

It was not the pull of the train that powered the journey, rather it was something else more powerful, that was moving forward – It was the journey of Truth. My mind couldn’t forget the young child’s smiling face, less than a year old. The journey reflected innocence, trust and childlike faith. This friend of mine was traveling out to a very remote jungle to meet an unknown tribe, a tribe which still is centuries behind the normal world, cutoff from the rest of the world this tribe still lives in prehistoric stone age era. (more…)

I can never describe the feeling and the ecstasy I felt as I flew over the cool icy blue waters of Maldives (well cant describe the color by words, nor I can compare it to something we’ve seen). What a scene!!

Like a small child, whose eyes glow up with wonder each time he sees the magic trick performed – I was held “gasp-less” as I was unveiled to the wonders of the Grand Designer. Every thing I put my eyes on, captured me. I saw splendid true colors that I had observed marketing companies so poorly trying to match. I saw ideas that we so beggarly try to copy. To a much-wearied traveler like me, in my lifetime of travels so far, nothing caught me in this frame – “Wonder with jaws hanging”. (more…)

Learning never stops in a lifetime. A few days back I was teaching an engineering student basics of engineering drawing. While teaching concepts on three-dimensional drawings and designs, both of us observed a concept repeated time and again - “draw the reference lines first”.

We noted that it was very important, to first draw the reference lines before we commence drawing any other lines of the drawing, no matter how much important they seemingly appear. Every other line in the drawing had to be drawn keeping the reference line in perspective. If the reference lines were skewed, you would never be able to get the results right.

We also found a very intriguing fact, guess what ? Normally, every one draws the reference lines first, as if this is something common inscribed in everyone’s heart. A true reflection of something more solidly drawn on the heart of every human – Our Conscience. (more…)

A very strange trend, definitely looking like a trend, can now be seen in our land. People are becoming very famous in a day. So much that most people know them and about them in a just one day! Every newspaper and news channel covers them, many times for hours together!

Till that day happens, they move about, almost invisible to society, and many times even to kith and kin. They do umpteen things, but these are hardly noticed or even if they are, they are not worth a news. It doesn’t discourage them, and they go about their narcissistic lives with an almost unswerving dedication till the skeletons tumble out of the closet or the time bomb stops ticking and explodes.

What happens is so startling that people discuss it for days and weeks together! Even the judiciary and the investigators get busy and our sensation thirsty media men are kept on their toes. But most often than not, our subject under discussion is not alive any more to respond to the applause and attention! A case of Posthumous fame!! And even if they are alive, then they are either in hiding or in a place, where a lot of attention is also coming from khaki clad body guards (if we can call them so!) and more famous inmates! (more…)

Come Olympics and most of us would be glued to this mega event unfold itself. More so because the built up to it and the country in which it is taking place promises much drama. This is one event which commands the most number of eyeballs, with the Athens Olympics drawing more than 4 billion people watching it just on TV. Most of us have already witnessed the violence that has marred the carrying of the Olympic torch, which signifies the uniting thread between the ancient games and modern games.

The purpose of the ancient games has been replaced by the spirit of the modern games. The Greeks placed emphasis on the Artistic nature of athletics and the preparatory role it played for its warriors. Games were important due to the impact it had on the regions economy and politics. But over a period of time the athletes began to be paid heavily for their sporting achievements and sports heroes emerged resulting in the demise of the amateurs and with it so many other things that sports stood for. (more…)

Friday saw rioting Palestinian Arabs torch the wheat fields of Israel and later on, pelting stones at the local fire brigade personnel – exactly a day after a recorded message purportedly from Osama bin Laden called on Muslims to break the Israeli-led embargo on Gaza. He also declared Iraq to be the perfect base to set up the Jihad to liberate Palestine.

Bin Laden, who was behind the terrorist network’s 09/11 attacks, has been in hiding since the U.S. assault on Afghanistan that followed those strikes. His last public statement was an audio message issued in December, when he urged his followers in Iraq to continue battling U.S. troops there. But he has his eyes trained on Israel too.

Now if you thought that Laden was the only guy who eyed Israel, then you need to know that there is also an ambitious leader in the present Iranian President! His eyes too are trained on Israel! (more…)

‘Love Marriage’ is perhaps unheard of for some of our readers! In India, there used to be a time when almost all marriages were ‘Arranged Marriages’ wherein the parents chose the bride and the groom, at the time they thought apt and got their children married. Often, the couple would never have met before the marriage, and some times only for a brief time. But there were some bold couples who decided things for themselves and got married, often without the blessings of the elders, mostly because they were from different faiths, financial or social status, or castes. These marriages were called ‘Love Marriages’. These couples were often ostracized and abandoned and such a move was branded as unacceptable. (more…)

“Aaj kal key log pehley kapdey dekhtey hey (Nowadays people look first at your clothing)”, says the punchline on a hoarding.

I was wondering what did people look at in earlier days?! Were they looking with eyes that could penetrate into the soul??! Could they see through? Didn’t they look first at clothes too?

Haven’t clothes and apparel always made fashion statements? Haven’t clothes always rode on the winds of change in society? Have they not represented rebellions, revolutions and new worldviews and philosophies? Have not clothes almost always expressed the views and opinions and allegiances of people? Have they not always been associated with bit of controversy? (more…)

It been some time since I blogged. Well, I didn’t have any withdrawal symptom for sure. I wanted to ensure that too because of the way I was blogging, I had a feeling, whether it was becoming a compulsion. Gladly, all is fine.

During the time of this hiatus, however, I did have my urges to blog over certain issues that came up, but then I was really held up with some or the other work.

During the week, two figures firmed up significantly enough to impact thousands of people.

One is the inflation in India. It is almost becoming a sinful indulgence to buy simple fruits and vegetables. The Alphonso Mango has become unapproachable. The vendor showed me four pieces and said with absolutely no feelings at all, “one hundred fifty”!! I mean, almost 38 for a mango! Gold is firming. Good. Realty is firming. Good. Deposits in bank are firming. Ok. What about liquid cash? We need cash for our regular routines and its power is surely draining away. We can’t sell gold everytime and eat the profits! Inflation is hitting everyone hard. I am buying Kesar and Badaam mangoes to make up for the Alphonso vacuum! (more…)