Unsung Heroes the Dabbawallahs!

Recent past, it is very difficult for me to sit through a movie, therefore, mostly watch it in pieces, but there are some exception as last week I have seen ‘Stanley ka Dabba’ in one go. Liked it and wonder if Amol Gupte completed the movie ‘Taare Zameen Par’ then what would have happened. He knows how to narrate a story and there are only a few who can do this. Anyhow, my topic is nowhere related with the movie but with the ‘Dabba’, a container. Strange, we had so many types of ‘Dabbas’ yet when we think about it, only thing comes to our mind is the ‘Dabba’ that’s full of food, a Tiffin box.  Last time I wrote about the fisherwoman of Mumbai, because I found them unique and definitely different from other fisherwomen whom I met in different cities in different states or countries and in the different fish markets. Today, once more I am going back to the city, where I learned how to fight and then how to survive by winning every fight I fought, it is none other than Mumbai. The community, rather call them the service provider, about whom I am going to write is the people who provided a unique service with ease and it would be impossible for us even if we are equipped with all modern equipment. They are the ‘Dabbawallahs’ of Mumbai. White pajama, white kurta and the topi clad simple looking guys can give an IIM grad run for his money. They are special so they have a documentary made on them by the BBC, they invited by Prince Charles in his wedding, they also invited as guest lecturer for many prestigious Business schools over the world and they found there name in Forbes Magazine too. There is some fact on the famous yet ordinary “Dabbawallahs” of Mumbai.

Dabbawallah; literally meaning "person with a box", is a person in India, most commonly found in the city of Mumbai, who is employed in a unique service industry whose primary business is collecting the freshly cooked food in lunch boxes from the residences of the office workers, delivering it to their respective workplaces and returning the empty boxes back to the customer's residence by using various modes of transport.

The concept of the dabbawala originated when India was under British rule. Many British people who came to the colony did not like the local food, so a service was set up to bring lunch to these people in their workplace straight from their home.  Each dabbawala, regardless of role, gets paid about two to four thousand rupees per month. In 2002, Forbes Magazine found its reliability to be that of a six sigma standard.

More than 175,000 or 200,000 lunch boxes get moved every day by an estimated 4,500 to 5,000 dabbawalas, all with an extremely small nominal fee and with utmost punctuality. According to a recent survey, they make less than one mistake in every 6 million deliveries.

A simple colour coding system doubles as an ID system for the destination and recipient. There are no multiple elaborate layers of management either — just three layers. Each dabbawala is also required to contribute a minimum capital in kind, in the form of two bicycles, a wooden crate for the tiffins, white cotton kurta-pyjamas, and the white trademark Gandhi topi. The return on capital is ensured by monthly division of the earnings of each unit.

The service is almost always uninterrupted, even on the days of severe weather such as monsoons. The local dabbawalas and population know each other well, and often form bonds of trust. Dabbawalas are generally well accustomed to the local areas they cater to, and use shortcuts and other low profile routes to deliver their goods on time. Occasionally, people communicate between home and work by putting messages inside the boxes.

The BBC has produced a documentary on dabbawalas, and Prince Charles, during his visit to India, visited them, he had to fit in with their schedule, since their timing was too precise to permit any flexibility, Prince Charles also invited them to his wedding with Camilla Parker Bowles in London on 9 April 2005. Owing to the tremendous publicity, some of the dabbawalas were invited to give guest lectures in top business schools of India, which is very unusual. Most remarkably in the eyes of many Westerners, the success of the dabbawala trade has involved no advanced technology

!!!Uniqueness is a package of dedication, hard working , honesty and intelligence.!!!

Comparing the Incomparable!!

While comparing between two people, first thing is we need to check certain criteria and qualities that both should fulfill with equal quotient. It is about a question that circulating in the Facebook, first of all, one should know how to ask a question before knowing the answer. Put a question is no mater of joke. Some of those teenagers and obviously from Kolkata, mostly with zero quotient of general knowledge and may be yet not out of the school, let me come to the question that popped to me was asked by someone who is a friend of my student and it was circulating in Facebook - who is more intelligent. Is it Mark Zuckerberg or Bill Gates. It seems some nut who asked the question and there were a few who voted for Mark Zuckerberg. Strange, these peoples might have lost their sanity. Comparing between moonlight to a candle light. I am here going to put some events and the achievements of both and also will  peep into their professional life. Let me start with the younger fellow :

Mark Elliot Zuckerberg

Mark Elliot Zuckerberg (born May 14, 1984) is an American computer programmer and Internet entrepreneur. He is best known for creating the social networking site Facebook. It was co-founded as a private company in 2004 by Zuckerberg and classmates Dustin Moskovitz, Eduardo Saverin, and Chris Hughes while they were students at Harvard University.

Harvard students Cameron Winklevoss, Tyler Winklevoss, and Divya Narendra accused Zuckerberg of intentionally making them believe he would help them build a social network called HarvardConnection.com (later called ConnectU). They filed a lawsuit in 2004 but it was dismissed on a technicality on March 28, 2007. It was refiled soon thereafter in federal court in Boston. Facebook counter sued in regards to Social Butterfly, a project put out by The Winklevoss Chang Group, an alleged partnership between ConnectU and i2hub. On June 25, 2008, the case settled and Facebook agreed to transfer over 1.2 million common shares and pay $20 million in cash.

As we know some of his life from Movie "Social Networking". Now, apart from Facebook, we are waiting something else from him. Philanthropy, issue he promised a lot but yet to commit.

Bill Gates

William Henry Gates (born October 28, 1955) is an American business magnate, philanthropist, author and chairman of Microsoft, the software company he founded with Paul Allen.  During his career at Microsoft, Gates held the positions of CEO and chief software architect.

Basic

In 1975,  Gates he written an interpreter for a programming language known as  BASIC for the platform.

DOS

Microsoft delivered it to IBM as PC-DOS,  and the sales of MS-DOS made Microsoft a major player in the industry

OS/2

In August, 19985, Microsoft company struck a deal with IBM to develop a separate operating system called OS/2. Although the two companies successfully developed the first version of the new system, mounting creative differences undermined the partnership.

Windows

Microsoft launched its first retail version of Microsoft Windows on November 20, 1985, But it was not the Os we are using today.

Windows OS

Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented graphical user interface-based operating system. It was released on August 24, 1995 by Microsoft, and was a significant and then there were many versions of it we are using as our working platform.

Applications and Other Software

Microsoft-Office, a package without it day-to-day work would have been not the same. The Visual studio and .Net are the other software which Microsoft given us and waiting for many more.

Philanthropy

Gates began to appreciate the expectations others had of him when public opinion mounted suggesting that he could give more of his wealth to charity. 1994 sold some of his Microsoft stock to create the William H. Gates Foundation. In 2000, Gates and his wife combined three family foundations into one to create the charitable Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which is the largest transparently operated charitable foundation in the world. The foundation allows benefactors access to information regarding how its money is being spent. The generosity and extensive philanthropy of David Rockefeller has been credited as a major influence. As of 2007, Bill and Melinda Gates were the second-most generous philanthropists in America, having given over $28 billion to charity

A social Networking site may be new for us, but it was there since long. So, Mark  Zuckerberg not created an extra-ordinary thing. He was lucky so he got away with it, some other will come up  with another such new sites and certainly these nuts will vote for that. Anyhow  intellectual Netizens still prefer Twitter, a no nonsense social networking site.

I started with 8088 processor and then he gave us a Micro-computer with BASIC. Bill Gates took us to a new level when he provided two tiny feet to the PC  with  PC-DOS, We started with COBOL, PASCAL, FORTRAN under one platform along with WordPerfect, WordStar and Lotus application package. Then it was Windows 1 to 3.1, where first time we exposed to the world of colour. He added wings to the PC so it can fly with WINDOWS OS like 95, 98, 2000, ME, VISTA, XP and Win-7. He provided a electronic pen in every PC user’s hand with MS-Office package.

We are sitting on one of those wings provided by Gates and exploring the nets along with Facebook, so where are the comparison.

!!!So, comparing above two means only expose your stupidity!!!

Buried in Exile!!

It was a unique journey of a man from Pandharpur Maharashtra to all over the world and then to England, where he died and buried on 10^th June, 2011. M. F. Husain, a very controversial figure yet a genius.

M. F. Husain

Born on September 17, 1915 in Pandharpur in Maharashtra, Husain was mainly a self-taught artist. He made ends meet in his initial days by painting cinema hoardings in Mumbai, paid barely four or six annas per square foot. As soon as he earned a little bit he used to take off for Surat, Baroda and Ahmedabad to paint landscapes. Husain first became well-known as an artist in the late 1940s. In 1967, he made his first film, ‘Through the Eyes of a Painter’.

He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1991. Husain went on to become the highest paid painter in India. His single canvases have fetched up to $2 million at a recent Christie's auction. He has also produced & directed a few movies, including Gaja Gamini and Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities. Indifferent to both religion and politics, Husain, a Muslim by upbringing, treated the gods and goddesses of Hinduism as visual stimuli rather than deities, depicting them unclothed and often in sexually suggestive poses.

In the 6 February 2006 issue, India Today, a national English weekly published an advertisement titled "Art For Mission Kashmir". This advertisement contains a painting of Bharatmata as a nude woman posed across a map of India with the names of Indian States on various parts of her body. Husain apologized and promised to withdraw the painting from an auction, which was later sold for Rs. 80 lakh in the auction. A series of cases were brought against him and a court case related to the alleged obscene depiction of Hindu goddesses in his paintings, included goddess of Saraswati and that resulted in issuing a non-bailable warrant against Husain after he failed to respond to summons. There were also reportedly death threats. M F Husain died aged 95 on 9 June 2011, he died at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, and was buried in the city on 10 June 2011.

If we looked back to certain events then Husain played a crucial role in getting Sonali Dasgupta's escape from Mumbai's Tajmahal Hotel to Delhi to be with Roberto Rosillini. One night he booked a first class coupe on the Frontier Mail from Mumbai to Delhi. Accompanying him with her head covered was Sonali Dasgupta, travelling as Mrs Husain. Avoiding the paparazzi, Husain escorted Dasgupta to Delhi and set up a meeting with Rossellini. Soon the couple left for Rome and were married.

Husain's most passionate love may have been Marie Zurkova, an interpreter whom he met in 1953 on a trip to Czechoslovakia, his first outside India. Husain reportedly gave her 50 paintings and proposed that she become his second wife. However, she eventually married someone else and moved to Australia.

I am very honest in my declaration that I never liked his painting that brought wrath from the conservative Hindus. If a Danish paper office bombed for their cartoon that hurt the religious feeling of a community. I too have certain reservation about my religion and it is natural for me to get furious with whoever is trying the same with our God/Goddess, it is nothing to do with the communities, castes or creed in which the person is belongs. It not the question of any community but everyone should have respects for others religion and religious-believe and must think before hurting them. He often misused his artistic expression. At the same time, I am not a fanatic or an orthodox believer to force a person leaves his/her motherland for a mistake. It was the muscle power of the so-called Hindutva based parties like ShivSena, BJP and RSS, forced a genius like Husain to leave his country to exile. These parties those always behave as the face of the Hinduism, they are the people for whom Hinduism never spread its wing like Buddhism. Judiciary system also made him an offender and issued a non-bailable warrant, when multiple offender of genuine crime moving around freely.

!!!A genius never die, they live forever through their creation they left behind, R.I.P. M.F. Husain.!!!

In the name of the Ram! Hai Rama!

There is no doubt about it that India is a great country with great people. India’s greatness lies within its peoples and their family-values but always you will find that a fair share of innocent citizen always exploited by a certain section. These certain sections are very lucky one, their main business is exploiting and earning a good life. A billion plus population and due to lack of proper education in rural India, it is very easy to being hitched in the name of ‘RAMA’ and by the numbers of so-called god-man. These self proclaimed god-man neither having any quality and either anything that related to the god. This new age gurus minting money from the rich and poor and then getting billionaire by minimum effort. There are countless of them. There was Rajneesh, Sathya Sai Baba, Mahesh Yogi, Chandraswami, Dhirendra Brahmachari, U. G. Krishnamurti, Nirmala Devi, Anandamayee and Shri Shri Ravi Shankar. They had shown the world that earning money is a matter of joke. At least above-mentioned list kept themselves far from political activity and just happy with their own business. The present Shankaracharya often liked to jump in to the political scenario and now it is Ramdev. A mere yoga instructor getting hot by Anna Hazare’s Satyagraha and he too decided to go on fast. It is nice way getting the worldwide attention but do not forget when fame comes very easily and it is mater of time you may lose it. Do not peel the lemon too hard, it will turn bitter.

I am not against the God, I am a natural believer of the God and for me God is a friend, philosopher who always with me and helping me out in highs and lows, therefore I never need a God-man or I never believed there existing.

Coming back to Ram Krishna Yadav whom people called as Swami/Baba or whatsoever. Ramdev originally from Haryana, has gained popularity for his teachings of Yoga and Pranayama. He shot into prominence when he started the Divya Yog Mandir Trust with the company of Achary Bal Krishna. In 2003, Aastha TV began featuring him in its morning yoga slot. Within a few years, he had gathered a following. He actually is known for his efforts of popularizing yoga. From teaching Yoga, then moved to the Ayurvedic medicine and slowly within no time he turned be a five star Yogi(?). From Patanjali Yoga Peeth now he has Patanjali Ayurved College, Patanjali Chikitsalaya, Yog Gram, Go-Shala, Patanjali Herbal Botanical Garden, Organic Agriculture Farm, Patanjali Food And Herbal Park Ltd. Then recently his Patanjali Yog Peeth has acquired a Scottish Island for about £2 million to set up a wellness retreat. The Little Cumbrae Island, off the fishing town of Largs in Scotland.

While he is protesting against the black money the source of his own wealth is very much questionable. After sitting upon unreliable wealth, he is now trying to jump into politics. He should remember he is not Anna Hazare, not even close to him when humanity is in question.

For the Government in Delhi, I don’t know why they want to negotiate a person like Ramdev and why in the earth they are not trying to get back the black money that stash in Swiss and other Banks, unimaginable amount of $1745 bn lying in other country when we lacks fund for development.

!!!Move over other ‘Quit’ movement, let us start ‘Quit the modern Swami’ movement !!!

Axed to the zero effect!

Advertising is a form of communication to an audience, consist the viewers, readers or listeners and to pursue them to buy a product or a service. If we go by the history book then the Egyptians used papyrus to make sales messages and wall posters but first paid advertise was appeared in June 1836, in a French newspaper called La Presse. At the end of 19th century Coco-Cola used to advertise their product. Moved further when radio has arrived in1920 and then the Television, mobile and Internet are the main medium of the advertising. Advertising companies try to create wonder for a product or service and now these days that mostly shown on TV. Some of those are really creative and worth but mostly are irritating and just rubbish. Specially Indian Advertising firm some time lacks the proper idea and it is miles apart when you think about seeing and getting.

I failed to understand what a woman is doing in a men inner-wear advertisement. Woman certainly prefer their own brand, I cannot remember any one who falling head over heal for a men inner wear. The celebrities, specially those are appearing for a product, are the biggest liar. Sharukh Khan certainly do not wear Lux cosy, Ambitab Bachhan never applied a Himani Fast Relief, for Salman Khan, certainly not even going to jump out from a first floor balcony and those celebrities advertising for shampoos and soaps never use the same rather go for an international brand.

The culprits and their senseless advertisement

1. Piramal company, that in manufacturing some health products, encouraging the people to gorge junk foods in an advertisement for their digestive medicine.
     
2. A mobile brand hardly having any brand value separating men and boys by presenting a pack of condom against the change, the girl itself is free with it or not is unknown because according to the message through their adverisement it is clear that the brand is not for woman.
       
3. Recent Tata Docomo’s advertisement and standing-comedy by a well-known face from Bollywood, sad, the comedy that never trickle a funny bone. The message is all about simplicity, when their service often failed inside a building between two mobile user’s using same connections, obvious it is so simple.
       
4. Fair and Lovely, no, neither there is any fairness in it either it is not at all look lovely.
       
5. Finally Axe effect is gone beyond all limits and imagination and the message one get from their recent advertisement that anybody from same family fall for anybody when one going to apply that dirty liquid, no matter whatever is the relation between the two.

When a brand really has a value, one does not need to shout from the rooftop. Brand we do not need an advertise to buy- Intel Products, Microsoft Packages, Apple Mac, Omega and Rolex Watches, Nike/Reebok/Adidas products, Vodafone/Airtel connection, Nat Geo and Discovery Channel and one and only - Google.

Some wonderful advertise I ever seen, Steffi Graff’s was the face for Adidas shoes or Pete Samparas, Andre Aggassi and John Macnroe, Michael Jordan for a sportswear giant. Some Indian advertise, specially Fevicol advertises are really good one.

Bottom Lines : Award for worst face goes to Priyanka Chopra- Her appearance make me believe that she is going younger by days, anxious moment for the producers, this way one day she may disappear because she definitely going back to her mother womb.

!!!Thumbs down to mindless white lies and dumb dumb believers!!!