volume xxxviii, issue 4 winter 2002 h a p h p a y p y 0 3 · pdf filevolume xxxviii, issue 4...
TRANSCRIPT
Chetana, Winterl 2002 1
Volume XXXVIII, Issue 4 WINTER 2002
The Bharatiya temple, 6850 N. Adams Road, Troy, Michigan - 48098, Ph: (248) 879 2552
HH AA PP PP YY
22 00 00 33
HH AA PP PP YY
22 00 00 33
Chetana, Winterl 2002 2
Inside This Issue From the President…
Board of Trustees, ExecutiveCommittee, Working Committee 3
Temple Announcements 4
From the Religious Committee 5
Swamiye Sharanam Ayyappa 7
Significance of Temple Worship 9
A View on Hinduism 10
Behavior of the Market is PerfectlyNormal
12
Great Scientists of AncientBharat:Bhaskara
17
The Story of Krishna – Part III 19
Spirituality can be an Antidote forPolitics
23
A Few Facts About Osteoporosis 25
You can Lead by Serving First 27
Solar Mass Cooking at Tirupati 29
From the Chetana Committee 30
Namaskar!
We have come to the end of one more event-filled year. Year after year we see the crowdincreasing at every event. This year was noexception. It was very heartening to see moreand more people turn out for the differentevents and the increased and eagerparticipation.
The end of the year also marks a time for us asthe Executive Committee to hand over thebaton to our successors. Before I do that,however, I would like to express my gratitudeand sincere thanks to all of you for havingcome and participated in such large numbers.Your participation brought us joy and madeour efforts worthwhile. I would also like toexpress my gratitude to all the committeemembers and volunteers who helped organizeeach event, and run the day-to-day affairs ofthe Temple. If it were not for the untiring anddedicated efforts of our volunteers, none ofwhat we achieved might have been possible.
As I hand over to my successor Balu Patel, Ifeel confident that our Temple will continueto grow and remain the leading Hinduorganization in southeast Michigan. I wouldlike to extend my good wishes to him and histeam as they take charge in the new year.
Last but not least, I would like to thank LordLakshmi Narayana for all his blessings andpray that he continue to bless us all.
Chetana, Winterl 2002 3
Board of Trustees - 2002Name Position Phone EmailRajesh Bhagat Chairman 248-669-1334 [email protected] Pal Lakra Vice Chairman 248-855-1247 [email protected] Chalasani Secretary 248-952-5874 [email protected] Gupte Member 248-641-0747 [email protected] Kodali Member 248-879-2754 [email protected] Patel Member 586-254-1590 [email protected] Ram Member 248-646-6644 [email protected] Murthy Member 248-626-0595Prem Khilanani Member 248-626-2829 [email protected] Chopra Member 248-644-3802 [email protected] Viswanath Member 248-366-6812 [email protected] Engineer Member 248-788-4886Pankaj Dave Member 248-737-8954 [email protected] Goswami Member 248-363-1441 [email protected] Garg Member 248-540-3311 [email protected]
Executive Committee - 2002Name Position Phone EmailRaman Patel Ex-Officio 586-254-1590 [email protected] Billore President 248-852-5544 [email protected] Patel President Elect 248-641-8676 [email protected] Hukku Secretary 248-656-2542 [email protected] Mangla Joint Secretary 586-754-3946Nutan Oak Treasurer 248-879-0121 [email protected] Boddu Joint Treasurer 248-737-2273 [email protected]. Viswanathan Committee Coordinator 248-853-5988 [email protected]
Working Committee – 2002Name Committee Phone EmailHare Patnaik Religious 248-853-6320 [email protected] G. Achary Prasad 248-641-3085 [email protected] C. Patel Communications 248-689-1244 [email protected] Menon Chetana 586-739-5920 [email protected] Nallani Cultural 248-879-7615 [email protected] Mangla Facility 248-852-7107 [email protected] Gopal Vaishya Information System 248-360-0783 [email protected]
Education 248-853-3487 [email protected]
Ravi Joshi Library 248-274-1116 [email protected] Gogineni Membership 248-816-6093 [email protected] Patnaik Audio, Inventory 248-853-6320 [email protected] Kawlra Bal Bharati 248-828-2909 [email protected] Kalwani Internet/Web 248-650-9310 [email protected] Shah Seniors 248-649-3459 [email protected]
Chetana, Winterl 2002 4
TEMPLE ANNOUNCEMENTSTEMPLE ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sivaratri celebrationsMarch 1,2003
Saturday 08:00 a.m. –09:00 a.m.
Sri VenkateswaraSuprabhatamVishnusahasranamapoojaAarti
09:00 a.m. –12:00 noon
Ganesha poojaSiva SuprabhatasevaSahasralingarchanaRudrabhishekamAarti -Mantrapushpanjali
12:30 p.m. –01:00 p.m.
Himavat Lingarchana(pooja to Ice Lingaperformed outside)
03:00 p.m. –06:00p.m.
Jyotir LingarchanaRudrabhishekamAarti
07:00 p.m. –01:00 a.m.
Mahanyasa PurvakaEkadasaRudrabhishekamNiranjanam –MantrapushamSwastivachakamPrasad
All night vigil (jagaran) Om Namahasivaya stotras chantingMarch 2,2003
Sunday 09:00 a.m. –12:00 noon
Rudra HomamRudrabhishekamAartiMahaprasadam
Chetana, Winterl 2002 5
From the Religious Committee…Hare Patnaik, Chairman, Religious Committee
The last quarter of the year 2002 was filledwith religious events. Hence the religiouscommittee had a hectic schedule to keeppace with. We are very happy with theturn out at the events and theparticipation. This helped keep usenthused and keep pace and the endresult has been very satisfying.
We had several religious festivals toconduct at the Temple. We began withGanesh Chathurthi on September 15th.This event was well attended and as iscustomary the Maharastra Mandal playeda lead role in the celebrations. The eagerparticipation of our little kids to chantafter Sastryji, the names of Lord Ganesha,was particularly heartening. The nextmajor celebration was Navaratri – withthe main Chandi Havan on October 13th.The crowd for this event reminded usagain of how large a community we areserving and how the Temple once againseemed not big enough for thecommunity. Other associated eventsincluded the Mata ka Jaagran andVijayadasami poojas in addition to thespecial poojas we had every day ofNavaratri. Karva Chauth was organizedfor ladies who wished to participate.Lakshmi pooja followed on November 3rd.Anna Kootam followed on November10th. We had a lot of volunteers helpingout for this event. The deities’ splendorand grandeur after the curtains weredrawn was breath taking. Our sincerethanks to all the volunteers who helpedprepare offerings for this event and for allthe volunteer efforts that went into
creating this marvelous sight. We also hadthe Maha Satyanarayana pooja onDecember 1st and the Gita Jayanticelebrations on December 15th.
In addition to the Chandi havan, ourpriests also performed the Shanti havan onSeptember 15th and Lakshmi havan onNovember 17th.
Our discourse sessions went on verysmoothly too. We had Dr. Prem Khilnanicontinue his discourse on the BhagawadGita. We also had our priest SriJanakirama Sastry continue his discourseon the Lalitha Sahasranamam. Both thesespeakers were scheduled once a month.We had the opportunity to hear Dr Shistain one of his rare discourses.
There were three major bhajan sessionsorganized in the last quarter. Dr RajeshBhagat and his team sang some verymelodious bhajans for Anna Kootam.Another excellent bhajan session camefrom Noorani Chandra and his group.Mrinalini and Anil Arketkar delighted allthe devotees once again with yet anotherbhajan session during the year.
Looking back the year was a busy andeventful one. We were very happy tocomplete every event with a sense ofsatisfaction and a sense of having had theLord’s blessing at all times. As we handthe mantle of responsibility over to nextyear’s religious committee we wish themall success in the months to come.
Chetana, Winterl 2002 6
For YourIndividual and CorporationCanadian and U.S tax needs
Contact
BEN-TAX101 West Big Beaver Road,
Suite 1410,Troy, MI 48084.
Ask forMr. Venkat Subbarao Yanumula
(866)566-9486 (Voice mail)(248)687-1013 (Troy office in Columbia center)
Office timings during seasonMonday to Friday 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.Saturday, Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Chetana, Winterl 2002 7
Swamiye Sharanam Ayyappa Dr. K. S. Nirmal
Lord Ayyappa is very well known inSouthern India. This is the legend aboutLord Ayyappa.
There was once an evil she-demon calledMahishi. Mahishi observed severepenance and obtained a boon from LordBrahma. The boon ensured she would beever mighty and only the offspring ofVishnu and Shiva would be able to killher. This is a physical impossibilitybecause both the Gods are male.However, we also know this is notimpossible with the Gods of the Vedicpantheon. When Mahishi received theboon she became hard to subdue. Shestarted to commit atrocities over innocentpeople. In seeking a solution, the godsprayed to the Almighty for deliverance.This is the story of Ayyappa.
Mohini is the female incarnation ofVishnu created to defeat the demonswhile they tried to steal nectar during thechurning of the ocean of milk in the initialcreation. Mohini was so beautiful thatShiva immediately fell in love with her.They then had a baby calledDharmashastha. He subsequentlyincarnated as Ayyappan to defeat Mahishisince he was the offspring of the union ofVishnu and Shiva.
King Rajashekhara was a kind and justking in the kingdom of Panthalam inKerala. He had no heir to his kingdomand so was very sad. One day he wenthunting with his soldiers to the forest.They then rested along the banks of theriver Pamba. Suddenly he heard thesound of a baby crying. Upon probingfurther he found a baby in the bushes
wrapped in cloth. The baby had a goldchain and bell around his neck. He thensaw a holy man (who was none other thanVishnu) who came up to him and said " OKing, Look after this child, for he will beyour child and will comfort you as a son ".
The king took the baby home and startedto raise him as his own child. He calledhim Ayyappan. The queen was also verysupportive initially. Later she had a babyof her own. Then a minister started topoison the queen’s mind aboutAyyappan. The queen and the ministercame up with a scheme to get rid ofAyyappan. The queen one day feignedillness that the minister claimed couldonly be cured by tiger's milk. This was inorder to send Ayyappan to the forest andget him killed by wild animals. Ayyappanagreed to go to the forest and get tiger’smilk for the queen. While he was there hekilled Mahishi. Remember Mahishi wasonly to be killed by him according toBrahma's boon to her. When he came backhe had the entire brood of tigers followhim to enable the queen to get her tiger'smilk. When he arrived at the palacepeople were astounded to see him beingfollowed by tigers. The King then realizedthat this boy was no ordinary boy.Ayyappan also expressed his desire toleave the palace.
King Rajashekhara then offered toconstruct a temple for Ayyappa whereverhe wanted. Ayyappa then asked him tobuild one on top of the Sabari Hill, whichhe did. The temple stands to this day andmillions of devotees go every year to payhomage to Ayyappa. The pilgrimage is
Chetana, Winterl 2002 8
generally undertaken between the monthsof November and January each year.
Devotees do preparations for thepilgrimage several months in advance.Only men, girls less that ten years andwomen who are menopausal are allowedon the pilgrimage. Austerities areobserved for forty-one days that includeabstinence from sex, meat, intoxicatingsubstances, temper control and severalothers meant to discipline the mind. Thepilgrim carries on his head a cloth bagwith two compartments. This is called theIrumudi. The front compartment holdspooja items for the Lord that includes acoconut with ghee in it and several othersitems. The back compartment contains allthe personal items needed for travel.
The travel is simple. The scenery isbreathtaking as it is in Kerala. Kerala islush and green and referred to as God’sown country in India. The entire journeyis undertaken on foot with stops at severalplaces prior to arrival at the Temple andvisits to several holy sites en route.Throughout the journey groups of peoplecalled Ayyappas will be heard constantlychanting Swamiye Sharanam Ayyappa. Oncethe pilgrims arrive at the main temple,
known as the Sannidhanam, they arerequired to break a coconut beforeascending the steps and prior to climbingdown while returning. Throughout thejourney will be heard constant chants ofSwamiye Sharanam Ayyappa (You are myonly refuge, my Lord).
The Temple itself is beautifullyconstructed. Restorations were done in1950. There are eighteen steps to ascend tothe Temple. These are made of Panchaloha(an alloy of five different metals). Each ofthese steps represents different qualities.The first five steps signifies the fivesenses, the next eight represent the ragas(emotional qualities - tatwa, kama, krodhalobha, moha, madha, matsarya, ahamkara), thenext three the gunas (tamas, rajas andsattva), the last two vidya and avidya(knowledge and ignorance). In a symbolicsense it implies that only when we havetranscended all these qualities do wemake ourselves fit for purification andworthy of the Lord. It is indeed awonderful experience and those who wishto go on such a pilgrimage should contactthe Kerala Government for moreinformation.
LOWER YOUR TAXES!
The Bharatiya Temple, Troy, MI is one of the charitable organizationsparticipating in the Charity Motors Car Donation Program. You can donatea car you no longer need, receive a tax deduction, and designate TheBharatiya Temple, Troy, MI to receive the proceeds from the sale of yourdonated car. If you are interested in participating in this program, pleasecall Charity Motors at (313) 255-1000 and designate The Bharatiya Temple,Troy, MI as your charity.
Chetana, Winterl 2002 9
Significance of Temple WorshipNoorani C. Shivaram
Our country India abounds in holytemples (punya kshetraas) and holy bathingplaces (punya teerthas). The temples andteerthas are places where sages of olddedicated their spiritual powers (tapas), sothat erring mortals who are incapable ofobserving the austerities and who aresusceptible to sins may be purified andblessed when they make pilgrimages tothese temples or bathe in the teerthas.
Every aspect of our culture includingsculpture, music, dance and mantras isdedicated to the Gods in the temple. Sothe temples become the repository of allthat is best in our heritage. We have ourhistory from the inscriptions in thetemples. The ancient monarchs, greatdevotees as they were, took pride inraising temples for Gods and notresidential palaces for themselves. This isproved by the fact that while most palacesare now dilapidated, the grand templeedifices stand in glory even to this day. Ifour religion survived many vicissitudes inthe past, it is because of our temples andtheir associated festivals. Schools,hospitals, banks and other organizationsmay be necessary in the context of presenttimes, but these institutions cannot servetheir respective purposes, in the absenceof sacrifice and devotion. The one cure forall human ills is the power to endure withfaith in God’s Grace.
Devotion (bhakti) alone can give the powerof endurance. Temples are agencies forthe cultivation of bhakti. Hence there is aneed to build and maintain temples inevery place. What is the significance ofmaking offerings to idols installed intemples? It is an expression of gratitude tothe Power that created all things. We will
be guilty of gross ingratitude if we do notoffer first to God what we eat or wear.
Not everyone can worship (do pooja) athome and make offerings to God.Offerings are made to God in temples onbehalf of the entire community. At leastonce a week we should go to the localtemple and recite Nama Japams and singBhajans. By doing so we will derive realand lasting peace of mind. It is theoffering of the objects of the five fold joysthat is known as Panchopacharas namelysandal paste (gandha), flowers (pushpa),incense (dhoopa), lamps (deepa) and food(naivedya). There are also Shodosopacharas(16 offerings) and Chatur Shashti Upacharas(64 offerings). All these upacharas comewithin the ambit of rituals of worship.
Why do we have these elaborate rituals?Will not silent prayer do? The answer isthat a true devotee acknowledges theultimate source and the inner substance ofthese objects of his enjoyment and usesthem only after tendering them to thatsource in humble gratitude. Only the bestand purest should be offered to God. Thiswill ensure that every man seek and takedelight only in such things that are fit tobe offered to God. This will make ourlives perfect and pure.
The lesson that we have to draw fromthese forms of worship at the temples isthat we should do our duty and enjoy theright things in the world, placing theentire responsibility for our not beinglured by them, on God. This is not aphilosophy of inaction or idleness. It is aphilosophy of action with emphasis onthe dedication of our action andenjoyment to God Almighty.
Chetana, Winterl 2002 10
A VIEW ON HINDUSIMUmesh Rashmi Rohatgi
It is a frequently asked question; what isHinduism? Hinduism is a way of life,developed over thousands of years. Ourancient rishis believed that in order forhumans to live a happy and trouble-freelife, a prescription is needed. Theyconstantly sought an answer to the ultimatequestion, What is the purpose of our existence?This quest led them to see humanity at largeas one big family on the planet Earth -Vasudhaiv kutumbakam. As a result,although the word Hindu may have had ageographic connotation initially, thereligion of Hinduism has been enriched bythe basic principles, which are universal.This process of enrichment throughcontribution of thoughts is the pulse ofHinduism. To keep Hinduism alive andvibrant this process must continue.
There are other religions that hold similarfundamental principles like AmericanIndians, Christianity, Judaism and Islam.Here I am not talking about the superficialor the ritualistic aspect of religion. I ammore interested in how religion affects thehuman life and its relationship with otherhuman beings, creatures and nature, whichsurrounds us. If this relationship isdeteriorating, then we are not following theprescription. That means there has beenstagnation. Free expression is veryimportant for natural evolution of thehuman mind. I find children are naturallyanalytical and ask questions while mostadults do things in a dogmatic fashionwithout questioning or trying to find thepurpose of a tradition or a custom. It is likefilling a prescription without checking theexpiry date. I believe that every generationhas God’s gift and power to take theirreligion to new heights provided we have
faith and are open to new ideas and areready to adopt them.
We must never forget the freedom awardedby our great religion. We rather shouldguard ourselves against the shackles weunknowingly wear in the name of ourreligion because of our own fear, ignoranceand lack of courage. Religion’s verypurpose is to make the human racecourageous, kind, trustworthy, loving, wiseand polite. By acquiring these qualities wecome closer to God. It requires practicingthe principles that our religion teaches us inour day-to-day life. That is hard andrequires constant working on.
Hinduism lets us experience and grow. Ithelps us understand our own evolution.Hence it has to grow too with time. Thepurpose of religion is totally opposite ofsuperstition. Then why do we see themtogether so often? It is our own fear thatgives birth to superstition. When we cannotcope with the hard and practical part wetake refuge in rituals, which is the easy wayout. We rest satisfied that we have doneour duty towards God. On the contrary ourreligion tells us that God is within ourfellow human beings, all creatures and us.So service to them is service to God.
When we survey any period in time, wefind that if truthfulness existed, falsehoodcoexisted. True religion not only survivesbut also serves humans in three capacities.
1. Time (past, present and future)2. Place (India, or any other part of
the world).3. Person (no matter, What, race,
creed or color).
Chetana, Winterl 2002 11
The tenets of the Hindu religion havepassed this test with flying colors. There isneed for Hindus all over the world tounderstand the basic principles specified inour great scriptures like the Vedas andUpanishads. The challenge of the presentage is to understand these principles andapply them to our present circumstancesaccording to our individual predisposition.The key is not to copy, but to use ananalytical mind to gain the understandingfrom the past. The knowledge combined
with the wisdom gained from experiencewill help us solve our day-to-day problems.It will also help us guide our youngergeneration towards God with love andconfidence. This is the way to a truly happylife we all dream of.
In conclusion the need of the hour is toadopt the teachings of Hinduism in ourdaily life. Our children will learn more fromthe example we set for them than from ourpreaching Hinduism to them.
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL SHOTSTRAVEL SHOTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN
NO WAITING FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT
PEDIATRIC CAREAGES: BIRTH TO 21 YEARS
HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS:WILLIAM BEAUMONT, ROYAL OAK
WILLIAM BEAUMONT, TROYCHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, DETROIT
ST.JOSEPH MERCY OAKLAND, PONTIAC
Dr. Inder J. Saini, Sterling Pediatric Center, P.C.3850 Metro Parkway, Sterling Hts., MI 48310
(Corner of Metro Parkway and Ryan Rd.)
(586) 939-2229
Chetana Advertisement RatesAdvertisement Type Four Issues Single IssueFull Page $500 $150Half Page $300 $100Quarter Page $225 $75Back Cover Full Page $800 $300Inside Back Cover Full Page $650 $200Inside Back Cover Half Page $500 $150
Chetana, Winterl 2002 12
BEHAVIOR OF THE MARKET IS PERFECTLY NORMALSid Mittra, Professor Emeritus of Finance, Oakland University
I can never visit the Temple without beingasked, What’s wrong with the market? Funny,five years ago when the market waschalking up double-digit gains, peopleasked me the same question. Of course,today people are wondering if there is abottom. Back then they wondered why themarket was not generating more than 20%every year? Since both positions areprescriptions for deep disappointment, as aservice to our community, I am presenting amore balanced view of the stock market.
The Very Long View
It is a well known fact that the 20th centurywas marred by many disasters anddisappointments: Two world wars, theKorean and the Viet Nam war, the GreatDepression of the 1930s, the oil embargo of1973-74, the assassination of the U.S.president, the removal of the President fromthe Oval Office, as well as the Atomic bomb,the Civil Strife of the South, the DesertStorm, and the political turmoil in Russia,Bosnia, the Middle East and Africa. Youwould think that that should be sufficientfor the market’s demise, right?
Not a chance, as can be gleaned from theaccompanying chart (Source: Jeremy Siegel,Stocks for the Long Run, 3rd Edition,McGraw Hill, 2002) which shows thegrowth of stocks for 200 years (1800-2001).You will notice that stocks advanced fromaround $1,000 in 1901 to $599,605 in 2001,not too shabby by any means. Since WorldWar II we have had nine other recessions,and we got out of every one of them. Also,it is well to remember that after every bearmarket (when the market declines by atleast 20%) in the last 60 years, a year laterthe market was significantly higher.
Market Downturns: Then and Now
In February 1930, the legendary IrvingFisher published a book entitled, The StockMarket Crash—And After. The book capturesthe events and spirit that led to the October1929 market crash. It was written from theperspective of someone who was impressedby America’s new era of prosperity.
In the late 1920s America truly believed in anew era. In 1929, the economy was strong;corporate profits were 20% higher than theyhad been in 1928. Productivity had soaredby 7% since 1922.
Against this backdrop, from its low in 1920to its peak in 1929, the Dow rose by morethan 700%. There had been severaladjustments along the way, each providingexcellent buying opportunities. Everyonebelieved that the market would advanceforever.
Then something terrible happened. On Sept.3, 1929, the Dow peaked at 381.17. Itcontinued to decline throughout the monthof September, collapsed in the second halfof October, and reached an intermediatelow on Nov. 13, 1929.
That was not the end of the story. In thespring of 1930, the market seemed to offer abuying opportunity. Immediately followingthe crash, Fisher thought that stocks wereabsurdly low and that the stock exchangepresented one of the most wonderfulbargain-counters ever known to investors.Yet, within two years the market had lost90% of its former value, with the Dowreaching the low of 41. What is more, notuntil 1955—26years after the crash—did themarket recover all the way back to the 1929level.
Chetana, Winterl 2002 13
You may ask, what is the relevance of the1929 debacle at the beginning of the 21st
century? Plenty. If we wish to participate inthe market, then we must always rememberthat capitalism has always represented asystem of excesses and self-corrections. So,if there are long periods when we mustendure enormous pain to reap the gainsfrom market participation, then we mustlearn some lessons that can help us keepour cool.
The Myth of 20% Return
A common myth that persists is theexpectation that it is our birthright toreceive a 20% annual return. This sets thestage for major disappointments. Here aretwo examples to prove the point.
We know that $1 invested in the market in1801 grew (total real return) to $599,605 (seechart). What is the compounded annual rateof return on this investment? 50%? 100%?200%? Nope, it is only 6.88%. That’s right, itis less than 7%. Another example: Say todayyou invested $2,000 in the name of yournewborn child. It grew at 20% per year for65 years. What is the value of thisinvestment (ignoring taxes) when yourchild retires at 65? Just hold on to your chairwhen I give you the answer. It is,$280,421,293 and some change. Even at 7%per year, which is a more reasonable return,the value would be $162,545—animpressive return for only $2,000.
Market Declines are Normal
It is unwise to assume that the market willgo up all the time. In fact, down markets areperfectly normal, and should be placed intoproper perspective.
Table 1 reveals an interesting fact. Duringthe 76-year period (1926-2001), the marketexperienced only once each of the
following: four consecutive down years(1929-32); three down years (1939-41); andtwo down years (1973-74). And each timethe market recovered and moved forward.While no one enjoys losing money, marketlosses should be considered as part of theinvestment cost and not as an ultimatedisaster.
Time In, and not Timing, makes theDifference
Of all the losing strategies that have beentried over the years, nothing beats theattempt of timing the market to win therace. The odds are so heavily against themarket timers that over the long term noone claims victory in this area.
Here is a case in point. If you had invested$1 in the market at the end of 1980 and leftit there, by the end of 2000 your investmentwould have been worth $18.41. However, ifyou tried timing the market and were out ofthe market only for 15 of the best monthsout of a possible 240 months, yourinvestment value would have been only$4.73. Certainly, you’d have done betterwith a no-risk 20-year CD.
Octopus is Preferred over Deer
Everyone admires the agility and speed of arunning deer, and no one would ever like tochoose an octopus. Yet, in the long run, thisslow and steady octopus might actually bethe winner.
How come? This is because over time, notall investments perform in the same fashion.By investing in a variety of asset classes,you may reduce your exposure to adownturn in any one particular sector—while improving your chances for earning ahigher return over the long term. This isclearly borne out by Table 2, whichdemonstrates the rewards of diversification.
Chetana, Winterl 2002 14
Twelve Fundamental Truths of Investing
For our valued Chetana readers, I havecompiled twelve fundamental truths ofinvesting. However, I caution you againstacting on any of them without firstconsulting your own financial advisor.
1. Speculation will always be moreglamorous than long-term investing.However, it is the latter that will helpyou reach your destination in anefficient manner.
2. Over the long haul, stocks provide thebest engine for growth.
3. Make sure that you are comfortablewith stock market investment. If themarket’s volatility keeps you awake atnight, then it is not for you.
4. You will make some investments that godown immediately after you buy. Thatwill not make it a bad investment,provided you first did your homework.
5. Sometimes you will sell investmentsthat will continue to go up after you got
out. That will not necessarily prove thatyou made a wrong sell decision.
6. You will hold some investments for toolong. There is no way to avoid that,because investing is not a rocket science.
7. It’s better to diversify your assets tospread your risk around.
8. Diversification comes with a price tag.While it will provide more stability, itwill also lower your overall return ascompared to your all-stock portfolio.
9. Some of your friends will brag that theydid better than you. It’s best not to beintimidated by them.
10. Accept market’s volatility as part ofyour investment strategy. There is noway to get around that.
11. It is important to systematically controlmarket risk, because risk and return areintertwined.
12. Money can only be made in the future—it’s impossible to invest in past returns.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity toshare these thoughts with you. Foradditional information, log in towww.practicingfinancialplanning.com.
Chart from pdf file
Chetana, Winterl 2002 15
BACK TO BACK DOWN YEARS SINCE 1926 (S&P 500) %4 Down Years 3 Down Years 2 Down Years
1929-1932 1939-1941 1973-19742000-2002
1929 -8.44 1939 -0.42 1973 -14.691930 -24.88 1940 -9.76 1974 -26.471931 -43.36 1941 -11.61 Cum Ret -37.271932 -8.08 Cum Ret -20.57Cum Ret -64.19
2000 -9.12001 -11.882002 (Oct.) -19.39Cum Ret -35.43
Table 1
Annual total returns for each sector are from 1982-2001.Highlighted results indicate the best performance for the year.
LARGE-COMPANY SMALL-COMPANY REAL ESTATE FOREIGN U.SYEAR STOCKS STOCKS STOCKS STOCKS BONDS1982 21.55 24.95 21.60 -1.86 32.621983 22.56 29.13 30.64 23.69 8.361984 6.27 -7.30 20.93 7.38 15.151985 31.73 31.05 19.10 56.16 22.101986 18.66 5.68 19.16 69.44 15.261987 5.25 -8.80 -3.64 24.63 2.761988 16.56 25.02 13.49 28.27 7.891989 31.63 16.26 8.84 10.54 14.531990 -3.11 -19.48 -15.35 -23.45 8.961991 30.40 46.04 35.70 12.13 16.001992 7.61 18.41 14.59 -12.17 7.401993 10.06 18.88 19.65 32.56 9.751994 1.31 -1.82 3.17 7.78 -2.921995 37.53 28.45 15.27 11.21 18.471996 22.95 16.50 35.27 6.05 3.631997 33.35 22.36 20.26 1.78 9.651998 28.60 -2.55 -17.50 20.00 8.691999 21.03 21.26 -4.62 26.96 -0.822000 -9.10 -3.02 26.37 -14.17 11.632001 -11.88 2.49 13.93 -21.44 8.44
Table 2
Chetana, Winterl 2002 16
Full page ad of Highglow jewelers
Chetana, Winterl 2002 17
Great Scientists of Ancient Bharat: BHASKARAPardhiva P. Gogineni and Dr. N.C. Gopalachari
Bhaskara, often referred to as Bhaskara II,or Bhaskaracharya is a well-known andhighly respected Indian mathematician.He was born in the year 1114 A.D. Hisfather, Maheswara, was an astronomer,well versed in many branches of learning,and he was Bhaskara’s teacher. He livedin Vijjadavida near the Sahya mountainthat currently is in the Indian state ofKarnataka.
Bhaskara served as head of theAstronomical Observatory at Ujjain, aleading mathematical center of the time.Other outstanding Indian mathematiciansVarahamitra and Bhahmagupta alsoworked there and made it a strong schoolof mathematical astronomy.
Bhaskara composed his masterpieceSiddhanta Siromani at the age of thirty-six.His second work, Aranakutuhala, wascomposed when he was 69 years old.Bhaskara’s first book, Siddhanta Siromani,is in four parts, viz.,
1. Patiganita or Lilavati2. Bijaganita3. Grahaganita4. Goladhyaya
The first one, Lilavati, deals witharithmetic and geometry. In this book, theeight mathematical operations of addition,subtraction, multiplication, division,squaring, cubing, extraction of square andcube roots are dealt with. The operationswith zero, method of inversion(vyastavidhi), unitary method (istakarma),finding a and b, when a + b and a - b areknown, by methods of elimination(sankramana), vargasankramana,mulagunaka, trirasika, barter (bhanda
pratibhandaka), mixture (misravyavaharika),series (srenivyavaharika), permutations andcombinations (ankapsa), and indeterminateanalysis (kuttaka).
The section of geometry (kshetraganita)deals with the solutions of rational righttriangles and height and distanceproblems, rule for calculating altitude,area etc of triangles, and different types ofquadrilaterals. Circles are dealt with,followed by spheres and their volumesand surface areas. Sections andexcavations (khatavyavahara), shadowproblems (chayavyavahara), and section ofsawing (krakachavyavahara) are also dealt.
In Bijaganita (algebra), fundamentalequations with positive and negativequantities and zero, with symbols, withsurds, indeterminate equations of simpleand second degree, quadratic equations,equations of higher degrees and solutionsinvolving products of the unknown aredealt.
Grahaganita and Gola chapters deal withthe following subjects:
1. Bhuvanakasa (the universe) dealswith the measurements of thecircumference, surface area andvolume of the earth, using thevalue of 3.1416 for II.
2. Madhyamagativasana describes themean motions of the sun, moonand planets.
3. Calculations of sine chords4. Chedyakadhikara describes the true
motions of the heavenly bodieseither along a small circle whosecenter moves along the
Chetana, Winterl 2002 18
circumference of a bigger circle oras motion along the circumferenceof a circle whose center does notlie at the center of the earth.
5. Golabandhadhikara explains thecelestial sphere with the orbits ofthe sun, moon and the planets.
6. Triprasnavasana tells how to findthe time of sunrise, the relativelengths of the day and night indifferent seasons and at differentlatitudes.
7. Description of eclipses
8. Description of the astronomicalinstruments used at theobservatories.
9. Different methods for calculationof sines.
The period between Aryabhatta andBhaskara was the golden age of Indianastronomy. The brilliant exposition andanalytical power displayed by Bhaskara inthe fields of mathematics and astronomyare amazing. His books were translatedinto Persian, Arabic, Latin and manyEuropean languages.
Half page ad of Kamal Gupta
Chetana, Winterl 2002 19
The Story of Krishna Part - III Dr. K. S. Nirmal
Krishna's bravery and friendship are wellknown. When he became the king ofDwaraka, he never forgot his old childhoodfriends and acquaintances. Once when hisold friend Sudama was in dire straits athome his wife asked him to seek Krishna'shelp for money, as they had nothing in thehouse for themselves or their children.Sudama was reluctant to ask his old buddyfor anything, as he was too embarrassed todo so but due to his wife's insistenceSudama agreed. He finally set off on thislong journey. His wife wrapped cooked ricein a small piece of cloth as a gift for Krishna,something that she knew he loved, for sheknew of that old childhood story fromSudama.
It was not an easy journey for Sudama.Being a poor man, he had to make the entirelong journey on foot, with a few stops alongthe way for rest. Finally he reached the cityof Dwaraka. Awestruck as he was by thesplendor of the beautiful city, he could notwait to see his old friend again and went tothe palace gates. He was stopped by thepalace guard who asked him where hethought he was going. " I would like to meetmy friend, Shri Krishna", he replied. Theguard of course thought that this man wascompletely out of his mind. He could notimagine that such a wonderful and gloriousking could even have such a poor andmiserable looking man for a friend. Thisman looked like he had not eaten for days!And as for the need to have a bath, hecertainly could use one and also some newclothes and shoes!
There was an unmistakable sincerity aboutthis man that the guard could not deny andhe decided to probe into the matter furtherespecially as the man was becoming more
and more insistent upon meeting the king.The guard asked him to wait outside thepalace while he went indoors to convey themessage inside. The message was finallyrelayed to Krishna who was in the courtwith Queen Rukmini. Upon hearing thenews Krishna was so happy that hepersonally came outside the palace andembraced Sudama and led him into thepalace. He was so thrilled that one of his oldfriends was here to see him! He for one didnot even care about the tattered clothes orshoes that Sudama wore while the rest ofthe courtiers looked on incredulously.
Krishna and Rukmini washed Sudama's feetand helped him with a bath and clean newclothes. They also offered him perfume anda variety of good foods to which he helpedhimself, as he had not eaten in many days.This kind of food he had never eaten in hislife!
Krishna on the other hand spied the clothwrapped packet of food that Sudama' s wifehad made for Krishna that Sudama had notgiven to Krishna as he was too embarrassedto give such a glorious king this humble giftof cooked rice wrapped in a piece of cloth.
"Is this for me Sudama? Come on give it tome and let me see what it is " saying thatKrishna opened the cloth. He put some ofthe rice in his mouth. "Delicious" he said.This was the best thing that Krishna hadever eaten in all his life. All the fine food inthe palace did not even match this food thathis old friend had brought him with allsincerity and love. The last time he hadeaten it was way back in school on thatrainy night when he and Sudama had goneto fetch firewood. So thinking Krishna ateall the rice up.
Chetana, Winterl 2002 20
Such was the luxury of the palace thatSudama completely forgot about hisdomestic life. He went about the palace andhe and Krishna talked about the good olddays and chatted about old buddies andtimes gone by. He helped himself to all theluxuries that the palace had to offer. Oneday however he suddenly remembered hiswife and his children and the fact that theyhad no food to eat at home or clothes towear.
He was overcome by an intense sense ofguilt that while he was busy enjoyinghimself they were probably starving athome. He then took leave of Krishna whowas sad to see his friend go but understoodthat his friend needed to attend to hisfamily too. Krishna accompanied him to thepalace gates and bid him a fond farewell.
Back on the road Sudama kept thinking ofhis family. He thought of what his wifemight say if she knew that all he did allthese last few days was to enjoy all theluxuries of the palace without a thought forhis home and wife and children. He had notasked Krishna for any assistance for them.How could he ask his old friend? He wastoo ashamed and would have felthumiliated to ask him for any favors. Sothinking he walked toward his house. Whenhe finally reached his hometown he couldnot find his house. It had been so long thateverything had changed. Instead he saw alarge mansion over the property where hissmall humble dwelling had once been andhis wife and children were attired withwonderful new clothes. There wasabundance everywhere.
His wife greeted him and took him insidethe house. "Your friend is so wonderful. Didyou thank him for all the wonderful gifts hegave us, dear? " She asked. "Friend? ... " Hesaid, and then suddenly he realized that itwas Krishna who had done all this for him
even though he had not asked him foranything for his family. Krishna, the allknowing had done this for his oldchildhood friend. Thinking this, tears ofgratitude sprung in his eyes. Such was thefriendship of Krishna. His name whenuttered is never in vain.
Krishna's friendship is legendary. He was akinsman of the Pandavas and their strongfriend. He was a friend of the Kauravas anda constant counselor to both of them. Healways stood for truth and righteousnessand denounced injustice and falsehood.When the Pandavas and Kauravas came toa war, they asked Krishna for help.Duryodhana chose Krishna's entire armywhile the Pandavas chose Krishna, eventhough they knew that Krishna would notbear arms or kill anyone and was only thereto provide logistic and moral support.Krishna was the charioteer (sarathy) ofArjuna who was the lead combatant in thebattle. As the battle lines were drawn botharmies were face to face with each other, theenormous Kaurava army on one side andthe strong and majestic Pandavas on theother. Prince Arjuna asked his charioteer(Krishna) to take him on a short ride aroundthe battlefield to survey the overall positionof the soldiers. Krishna did as he wascommanded to do and stopped the chariotin the field in between the two armies.Arjuna saw ahead of him the entire Kauravaarmy comprising of all their soldiers, hisgrandfather Bhishma, his teacherDronacharya, his cousins and severalbeloved kinsmen all gathered in battle tofight the Pandavas. He knew that theconsequences of this would be a bloodbath,death and destruction. One side would bedefeated and the other would emergevictorious.
He knew in this fight his relatives who werein the opposite camp would certainly bedefeated and he did not have the heart to
Chetana, Winterl 2002 21
kill his uncles, teacher and cousins. And sohe got off the chariot, stood in the middle ofthe battlefield, laid down his arms andlamented to Krishna. "I cannot do this. Icannot fight my own kinsmen. I cannotshed blood. Can't you see the consequencesof such a battle, O Krishna?" he cried.
Vasudeva (another name for Krishna -Vasudev's son) smiled and got down fromthe chariot. He then looked at Arjuna andgently spoke "O Partha, (son of Pritha-Kunti)do not worry about them as they arealready dead. Thus he spoke to Arjuna. Thisis called the Gita or The Bhagawad Gita orSong of the Lord in which Krishna isadvising Arjuna to pick up courage anddefend his army and thereby do his duty asa soldier. At a more sublime level it isguidance to all human beings to do theirduty as appropriately as possible, withoutany thought or expectation of the results.We need to keep in mind that the outcomeof any endeavor is predetermined by theNatural and Cosmic (Divine) laws. It is abeautiful exposition on the philosophy ofVedanta, which Lord Krishna hasinterpreted for the common man.
The Bhagawad Gita consists of eighteenchapters with each of these chaptersdiscussing a different aspect of humanbehavior, attitudes and beliefs etc. It ismorally a very inspiring text and is reveredby the people of the Vedic religionthroughout the world.
Krishna also reveals a glimpse of himself,which is Divinity to Arjuna by granting himvision to see His true Self - God, which is allencompassing and infinite. He then urgeshis protégé not to be a coward and to beararms and carry on with the fight. Arjunaupon hearing this realizes his cowardiceand picks up his bow and arrow. The battlethen commences. It lasts for several daysand nights. Several brave heroes and
relatives are killed on both sides Ultimatelythe Pandavas win the battle. Such is themight of Krishna's support that even anenormous army like the Kauravas with alltheir manpower, strength and support,along with all their machinery weredefeated by the smaller army of Pandavasbecause truth and righteousness were ontheir side.
At a metaphysical level it signifies that aslong as one does their duties prescribed forthem, with utmost sincerity and in goodfaith, no matter what the number and kindof obstacles, victory is assured as God is ontheir side. Krishna's Bhagawad Gita is oneof the most widely read books in the world.It has been translated into severallanguages.
Having helped Arjuna win the battle,Krishna then went back to Dwaraka andcontinued with his work. He lived on thisearth for a hundred and twenty five years.His many descendants were involved in abitter fratricidal feud and destroyed eachother but Krishna did not stop them. Heknew that for them this was the way to go.Krishna imparted all his teachings toUddhava, his disciple. Ultimately Krishnamoved to the forest to meditate by a smalllake. It was time for him to leave his mortalbody. While he was thus meditating ahunter called Jara saw Lord Krishna's footfrom a distance and thinking that this was adeer hit it with an arrow. When he realizedwhat he had done he was intenselyremorseful and tearful. Krishna blessed himand departed from this earth.
When he died the entire city of Dwarka gotsubmerged under the sea. It is a city alongthe west coast of India in the state ofGujarat. About 15 years ago explorersdiscovered the entire ruins of thesubmerged city that once belonged to ShriKrishna.
Chetana, Winterl 2002 22
Contact: Robert J. Darmanin(248) 637-2521
May 24, 2002
STANDARD FEDERAL BANK NAMES BHARATI BHATTASSISTANT MANAGER
TROY - Standard Federal Bank has appointed Bharati Bhatt assistant branchmanager for the bank’s office at 36050 Woodward Avenue in Bloomfield Hills.In this role, Bhatt oversees branch employees and is responsible for businessdevelopment.
Prior to joining Standard Federal, Bhatt was an information associate with EDS.From 1987 to 1997, she was with Michigan National Bank, which merged withStandard Federal in 2001. From 1971 to 1974, Bhatt was a lecturer in Englishliterature and commercial correspondence at Keshod, Arts and CommerceCollege in India.
Bhatt earned a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English literature and a lawdegree in taxation from Saurashtra University in India. She is a resident of Troy.
Standard Federal Bank N.A., a subsidiary of ABN AMRO North America, Inc., isa nationally chartered bank with $42.1 billion in assets and $20.3 billion indeposits (as of December 31, 2001). Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, StandardFederal offers a complete range of retail and commercial banking productsthrough 276 branches and 925 ATMs in Michigan and Indiana. ABN AMROMortgage Group, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Standard Federal, is thenation’s fifth-leading originator and eighth-leading servicer of home mortgageloans. Standard Federal is located on the World Wide Web atstandardfederalbank.com.
This is a paid advertisement.
Chetana, Winterl 2002 23
SPIRITUALITY CAN BE AN ANTIDOTE FOR POLITICSPradeep Srivastava
We all know that where there are peoplethere is politics. Thus, there is politics at theglobal level, national level, state level,county level, local level; there is politics inthe workplace; there is politics in religion;there is politics in one's social circle; there ispolitics in the extended family; there ispolitics in the nuclear family; there is agender politics; there is a racial politics - thelist goes on and on. There is even politics atthe individual level, which is of the subtlestkind because this is the kind of politics oneplays with oneself and which can be themost damaging and pernicious. The politicsat the individual level is what one's ownego (Ahamkar) plays with oneself. This iswhen an individual, because of spiritualignorance, identifies with his body, mindand intellect, instead of his soul, which ishis true self and this is exactly wherespirituality, as explained by Vedanta, comesinto the picture.
According to Vedanta, it is the ignorance ofone's own true self that is the cause of allsuffering. When a person fails to recognizethat his true self is an embodiment of Truth,Concsiousness and Bliss (Sat, Chit andAnanada) or Truth, Consciousness andInfinity ("Satyam Gyanam AnantamBrahman"), he identifies himself with hisbody, mind and intellect. This makes himfeel finite, gross, mortal, unhappy andincomplete, which causes him to entertaindesires to make him happy and completeand that in turn propels him to performself-centered actions. It is these self-centeredactions that cause him to get entangled inthe cycle of birth and death, which results insorrow, grief and suffering.
While it may be true that in the broad sense,everybody indulges in politics, to someextent or the other, how exactly it manifests
in one's behavior will depend on theindividual's personality. Our scripturesinstruct us that basically there are threetypes of people in the world, Sattvic (good),Rajasic (passionate) and Tamasic (ignorant),depending one which quality (Guna) ispredominant in the person. The Sattvicpeople indulge in politics for the good ofothers; the Rajasic for their own good; andthe Tamasic to cause harm to others. In thefield of politics itself, an example of aSattvic politician would be MahatmaGandhi; that of a Rajasic politician would beGeorge Bush and that of a Tamasicpolitician would be Saddam Hussein.Obviously, the Sattvic politician would beconsidered the best and the Tamasic theworst and the Rajasic somewhere in themiddle.
The most disappointing, aggravating,depressing and emotionally draining kindof politics, however, is the one that onefaces at the family level, while dealing withone's nuclear, as well as, extended family.Nuclear family politics can manifest inseveral ways, such as sibling rivalry, pittingone child against the other, pitting oneparent against the other, parents competingwith each other for children's affection, andchildren competing with each other forparents' affection. Examples of extendedfamily politics could be: sibling rivalry,finger pointing, backstabbing andgrandstanding. This flies in the face of thebasic purpose of the family unit, which issupposed to provide nurturing, support,and encouragement to a person so that theperson can not only survive but also thrivein the dog-eat-dog, cut-throat world, whereeverybody is competing with everybodyelse.
Chetana, Winterl 2002 24
I strongly believe that spirituality can beused as an antidote to counter thepernicious influence of all the man-createdproblems stemming from family, workplaceand society. If one identifies with one's owntrue self, then one would see God in everybeing and would not be compelled to hurtthe other person without any provocationor just for fun. This is what I believeWilliam Shakespeare meant when he said,
"To thine yourself be true and then, as thenight follows the day, you will be true toothers". This is also what I believe ourVedic sages meant when they declared thatthis entire universe is one big familyVasudhaiva Kutumbakum.
C ourses Programming in Java, C, C++ / - DBA, warehousing / PERL / Unix System
MS Office / n dows and many
International Institute of Technology
“ Your Fast Track Into The World of Information Technolog y ”
Why IIT ?
* Certified / Experienced Instructors * Weekdays and Weekend batches * Individual Attention * Fully Equipped Lab – All time Instructors * A d- d i tional Discounts for 2 or more students * Unlimited Lab Time * Plac e- ment Assistance. Convenient Payment Plans
32969 Hamilton Court Suite G100 Farmington Hills, MI, 48334
We also train you for A+, MCSE, OCP, CISCO, Linux, IBM, Oracle, Microsoft
Certifications
www.gotoiit.net
Call us today for free Counseling : 248
24489 - 5995
Non Profit Organization - formerly known as ACT
Do you want your loved one in India or US to migrate to
Canada * Australia * Newzeland ?
Please Call 248248- - 324324- - 0000020
• Computer Hardware Repair & Maintenance
• Web Solutions and Customized Software Development,
• Network management and Maintenance
• ISP and ASP Installations and Maintenance
248 - 306 - 5454 One Stop IT Solution
Exposoft Inc.
SLI IMMIGRATION
Chetana, Winterl 2002 25
A Few Facts About OsteoporosisDr Niru Prasad
Osteoporosis, or brittle bone disease, is acondition that affects the majority of womenpast sixty years of age. It can affect menalso, however women after menopause aremore susceptible to it due to the decrease inestrogen level. Osteoporosis is caused byloss of bone mass and strength, and thesebones break easily just after a simple fall. Itis a silent disease affecting more than 28million Americans.
The major risk factors include:1. Gender: It is more common in the
elderly female.2. Age: It is more common with advanced
age in both men and women.3. Body Size: Small body frame
individuals are more prone to it.4. Ethnicity: It is more common in white
Caucasians, Asians of Japanese andChinese descent, and the Hispaniccommunity.
5. Hormone factor: It is common in elderlyand postmenopausal women due totheir low estrogen level. The hormonefactors causing osteoporosis include lowor high thyroid, parathyroid andchronic lung, kidney and intestinaldiseases.
6. Diet: It is common in individuals takinginadequate calcium and Vitamin D.
7. Exercise: People who are bedridden,inactive, or immobilized are prone toosteoporosis.
8. Lifestyle choices: Excess smoking andalcohol intake predisposes to thiscondition.
9. Other factors influencing bone healthinclude certain medications such assteroids, anti-seizure medicines such asDilantin, and excess use of antacids.
The more common sites of bone break arefracture of the wrists, hips and the spine.
Diagnostic tests to diagnose osteoporosisinclude:
1. X-rays, which show thinning of bone.2. Bone mineral density testing, also
known as bone mass measurement, canmeasure the amount of bone in differentparts of the skeleton and predict the riskfor future fractures. The bone marrowdensity test also detects osteoporosisbefore a fracture happens.
3. Biochemical marking. The process ofremoving old bone and forming newbone tissue results in byproducts thatare released in the bloodstream andurine. These are bone marking and canbe detected in urine and blood ofindividuals prone to osteoporosis.
Prevention and TreatmentPrevent osteoporosis by performing regularweight bearing exercises. Get plenty ofcalcium and Vitamin D in your diet. Avoidalcohol and smoking, and get supplementalhormones as needed.
The medications for osteoporosis act byslowing or stopping the process of bonedestruction. These medications help inincreasing the bone density. The FDA-approved drugs include Fosamax, Actonel,and Raloxifene (Evista).
When to Call your DoctorIf you are at risk of osteoporosis andnearing menopause, talk to your doctorregarding hormone replacement. If a fallcauses hip pain, limping, or if you developsudden unexplained back pain, consultyour doctor for further evaluation.
Chetana, Winterl 2002 26
Full page ad of Fancy florists
Chetana, Winterl 2002 27
You Can Lead By Serving FirstDinesh Kumar
I recently met the newly elected chairman ofa voluntary organization who told me thathe was in the process of a massive shake-upof his organization. The organization, hesaid, had acquired a laid-back style offunctioning.
It has always surprised me howorganization chiefs are forever shaking uptheir organizations with a view toimproving their performance but insteadface frustration year after year.
It is my experience that much more isachieved in organizations throughenrolment rather than enforcement and it isthe strong and the weak working togetherthat make up the bedrock of a greatorganization. The context of these twosituations prompts me to put forth anemerging concept of leadership called‘servant leadership’.
Robert Greenleaf who worked with themultinational organization AT&T for fortyyears coined the term servant leadership.The servant leadership model puts the‘significant others’ including communitymembers and employees as number onepriority.
It begins with the feeling that one wants toserve first and in the wake of the desire toserve comes an aspiration to lead. The besttest, according to Greenleaf is to find outwhether those who are being served growand evolve as people; ask yourself dopeople while being served by me, becomehealthier, wiser, freer, more autonomousand in the process become servant leadersthemselves.
Servant leadership is not a quick-fixsolution. At the core of it, it is a long-termtransformational and spiritual approach towork. But then, this applies not to workalone, but to life itself.
It is a way of being that has the potential tocreate a positive change within theorganization. These are some strongattributes of the servant leaders.
Servant leaders listen intently andempathetically to others. For them, it is veryimportant to know the will of the people forthey know that unless people in anorganization get enthused by an idea,something great is not likely to happen.
There are many broken spirits roamingaround in organizations whoseperformance is much below their truepotential.
Servant leaders, being essentially spiritualleaders, set about healing them. They notonly listen intently to others but to theirinner voice seeking to know what one’sbody, mind and soul are communicating.
A servant leader might reject the behaviorof others but will never reject him as aperson. Servant leadership has the potentialto heal oneself and other broken spirits inthe organization.The leaders say, “I love you enough not tolet you do less than your best, but then Iinvite you to it, and shame you into doingthe best that you are capable of”.
Servant leaders are acutely aware andsharply awake. They are aware of theethical issues involved in an issue. This isthe scary aspect of being a servant leader
Chetana, Winterl 2002 28
because making a commitment to fosterawareness can mean hitting the dirt aboutyou and your organization.
Awareness, as you know, does notguarantee peace. In fact, it disturbs peaceand serenity and a person has to cope withany disturbance that awareness brings.
Servant leaders are deeply committed to thepersonal, professional and the spiritualgrowth of every individual in theorganization. It is all right for them to fallforwards and not backwards.
Persuasion is another characteristic ofservant leaders. They rely on persuasionrather than positional authority. They seekto convince and enroll rather than enforcecompliance. They do not believe incombative management.
In fact, it is this characteristic that sets themapart from the ‘movers and shakers’ type of
leadership. The movers and shakers do notrealize that their approach to leadership islike running on the spot believing that youare covering the distance.
Persuasion is slow, but in the matter ofdealing with people, slow is often fast.Running fast in these matters increases thedistance.
They are apt to say, “Believe me, I will backyou. If there is a problem, come to me. I willprovide you a safety net, a security blanket.They set about chipping at the traditionalchairperson-director-executive committeemodel of hierarchy and replace it withservant-leadership approach.
The concept of servant leadership is,therefore, caring for people with the moreable and the less able working together andbuilding the base on which the organizationrests.
Half page ad of Ajit – DO NOT include Rita’s travel services ad.
Chetana, Winterl 2002 29
SOLAR MASS COOKING AT TIRUPATI
In the field of solar mass cooking, theworld's largest solar mass cooking systemwas inaugurated by Chief MinisterChandrababu Naidu of Andhra Pradeshand commissioned by Gadhia Solar EnergySystems Pvt. Ltd. at Tirumala Devastanamat Tirupati. The system is installed on theroof of the Nitya Annadanam buildingcomplex, which is where free meals(prasadam) is provided to all the pilgrimswho come to the temple.
The core of the system consists of aparabolic reflector/concentrator dishes,designed by Wolfgang Scheffler of ULOG(Switzerland) and Solare-Bruecke(Germany). The system at Tirumala consistsof 106 parabolic concentrators (53 pairs)called Scheffler dishes of 9.2 sq.mt. each.
Solar rays are concentrated by these 53pairs of parabolic dishes onto 53 receiversplaced at the foci of the dishes. Waterdelivered by gravity, to the steam headerabove the receivers gets heated due to thehigh temperatures of 550 to 650 degrees Cachieved by the concentrators and getsconverted to steam, circulation beingachieved by the thermo-siphon principle.The steam is conveyed by insulated pipelineto the kitchen to cook 30,000 meals per day.The header is only partially filled (up tohalf) and steam accumulates in the upperhalf of the steam header, which also isstorage till the steam is drawn into thekitchen for cooking. The solar cookingsystem is integrated with the existing dieselfired boiler system to ensure that cooking innot interrupted at night or during themonsoons or very cloudy weather. All 106solar concentrator dishes rotate
continuously to synchronize with themovement of the sun, in order tocontinuously concentrate the solar rays onthe receivers. This tracking is continuousand is controlled by a timer mechanism,which is fully automatic and powered by a37-watt solar PV panel during the day.Once a day in the morning the dishes haveto be manually turned to the morningstarting position, after which the automatictracking mechanism takes over.
The total cost of the system was Rs. 1.1crores. About 400 litres of diesel fuel aresaved per day. This translates to a saving ofRs.17, 25,000 per year. The TTD'sinvestment was Rs.63, 25,000 because of thesubsidy granted by the Ministry for Non-Conventional Energy Sources. The paybackperiod (taking operational and maintenancecosts into account) is estimated to bebetween 3-4 years.
Environmental benefits include carbonemissions reduction estimated at 1.2 tonnesper day. Incidentally, the parabolic dishesuse acrylic mirrors forreflection/concentration. Highertemperatures up to 1000 degrees Centigradecan be achieved if one uses glass mirrors,which have nil iron content according toScheffler. Some tests have been carried outand temperatures of 750 degrees Centigradehave been obtained which is good enoughfor cremation of human bodies. We are nowcremating using wood as a fuel and in somecities, using electric furnace crematoriums.Solar crematoriums would certainlybe much more environmentally friendly aswell as save a lot of power!
Chetana, Winterl 2002 30
From the Chetana CommitteeWe realize this issue of Chetana ishopelessly late. The winter issue wasslated to reach you in the beginning ofJanuary. Various factors contributed tothe delay. Our goal for the New Year is tomake sure there are enough resources, beit volunteers, articles or advertisements toensure every issue reaches you on time.
We ask that this delay not deter you frommaking contributions whether it is articlesor advertisements. Chetana thrives onyour contributions. So please make sureyou continue to contribute and make yourvoice heard or your business gain morevisibility. Chetana is an excellent mediumreaching a good majority of Indians livingin the metro Detroit area.
There have been various religious andcultural events organized at the Temple.
We will try our best to provide you withaccurate information about upcomingevents and report on events that occurred.
The Chetana committee would like tothank you for all the support we havereceived during the year. Be it a word ofappreciation or encouragement, an articleor advertisement, or feedback onimproving the layout or contents, wewould like you to know your support iswelcome and appreciated. As we passresponsibility to the new Chetanacommittee, it will be our endeavor to notonly wish them well but also ensure thereis a smooth transition and continuity. Weonly hope you enjoyed reading Chetanaas much as we have had getting Chetanaout for you every quarter.
Half page ad of Flash printing
Chetana, Winterl 2002 31
BNABNA CONSTRUCTION INC.
BUILDERS * ARCHITECTS * ENGINEERS
• A comprehensive service company for the design andconstruction of custom homes
• A decade and a half of designing and building homes from2800 sq. ft. to 15,000 sq. ft.
• Will build on your lot or can assist you in finding a suitableone
• Architectural plans and specifications
• Experienced advice on the selection of finish materials andlandscaping
In the last decade and a half, some of the better-built homes inour community have been built and/or designed by BNA.
References Available
Raj NijhonRegistered Architect (M. Arch., U of M 1974)
Professional Engineer (M.S.C.E. – Wayne State 1971)Licensed Builder (Since 1984)
Office: (248) 569 7474Home: (248) 335 8726
Email: [email protected]
Chetana, Winterl 2002 32
Full-page color ad of Variety Silks