ISSUE NO. 107 I JULY 2010

EDITORIAL

A bad monsoon is a curse but that does not make a good monsoon a blessing. Floods, water logged streets, uprooted trees, traffic snarls, collapsing walls and buildings, electrocution through snapped electric lines, potholes that become craters and caved in roads are all signs that we have had a reasonably good monsoon. But what has it done? It has brought misery to many. One would have to conclude that despite all the evidence of logic, reason and science, the desire to believe in something unseen but bigger than us has become quite enduring. Otherwise, why else are we all mute spectators to this turmoil year after year? We as a nation are not geared up to handle any eventuality even if it happens with regularity. All that is in our hands is to change the Government that is in power. But, does that help? The politicians irrespective of their party affiliations are of the same genetic stripe – ready to feather their nests at the expense of the people who elected them.

The Secretary, Bharti Ramakrishnan, has resigned. There are subtle comments being made about discordant notes among Managing Committee members. The debut of Managing Committee members may seem unharmonious, but it is not like what it is being made out to be. Youthful impetuosity may be at odds with maturity and level headedness. Fortunately, these are always transient in nature. The debut Managing Committee members will come out of this trial by fire unscathed and do well. Any change has its gestation period to settle – and settle it will, although it may not seem so at present.

On the upside, youth bring a fresh approach to dealing with problems. A lot of arbitrariness that may have been prevalent has been replaced by documented, clear and cogent guidelines for dealing with various issues. Henceforth, residents cannot complain about partiality of any kind. The rights and obligations of Managing Committee members are at par with all the residents. The honest and law abiding members may feel aggrieved when asked to meet some formalities and obligations. This is no attempt to cast aspersions on their intentions. Unfortunately, there is no other way to demonstrate a level playing field for everybody. There may be scope for further improvement, though, and we welcome suggestions.

The month you get to read this issue of the Chronicle, we will be celebrating the 63^rd year of Independence. Independence Day has seen the birth of India as we know today. From mid=eighteenth century onwards the different independent principalities were brought under British suzerainty and passed on to us at Independence as one whole, except for Pakistan. While India was formed then, has it created Indians? I think not. Empirical evidence of linguistic, casteist, religious and economic divide continue to plague our psyche. We delight in damaging public property, create chaos and call for bandhs, all of which end up debilitating the country. We have to come out of these parochial ghettos of our mind and realise the India of our dreams. We would then be proud to call ourselves Indian. Anyway, this should not stop us from celebrating Independence Day. Please assemble on the day in the badminton court for the flag hoisting ceremony.
The morning badminton group were in deep gloom for quite some time since Vichu and Geetha upped and left for Bangalore. They were the first ones to come and rig the net and knock around. With them gone, there was a lull for a few days. Anyway, the group has now got over their grief and resumed playing. They will however miss Vichu’s risqué jokes.

We have all become slaves to the plastic bag as a shopping accessory, thereby polluting the environment. These plastic covers find their way to the drains and end up clogging them. Before the advent of the dreaded plastic bags, people were accustomed to carrying cloth bags for shopping, a far more environmentally friendly option. The time has come to revive that habit. If you find cloth bags it cumbersome to carry, please consider taking a used plastic bag from home in your pocket or handbag when you visit the market. At least this way, the bag will get used several times. The use of plastic wrappers has grown dramatically as one now finds invitation cards, magazines and other sundry items wrapped in them, which is quite unnecessary. In case you have plans to print invitation cards for functions, please avoid putting them in a plastic wrapper. Say no to plastics and save the world.
Mani Shankar Aiyer recently stirred a hornets’ nest by stating that he would be happy if the Commonwealth Games end in failure. If you read the statement without the context, you would have been shocked at his unpatriotic stance. But what he was alluding to was, if the games were a success, the powers that be would then bid for the Asian games and the Olympics, thus frittering away scarce resources. The fact is that colossal sums have been spent on the Games which under no circumstance justify the quantum or quality of work done. It is obvious that most of the money has ended up lining the pockets of contractors and the organisers. The shoddy work is clear indication of poor workmanship and use of inferior materials. Delhi beats the sorry standards set by past wastrel hosts of the sporting extravaganza.

The appointment of the new security agency for the colony is a classic case of jumping from the frying pan to the fire. The negligence of the previous security agency and demand for a steep increase in charges prompted us to look for alternatives. Little did we realise that the replacement would be worse. The new agency’s credentials, of manning another society and club nearby, went up in smoke when they were shown the door recently. It is imperative that we take a similar step as warnings of negligence have not been heeded by the agency. Unfortunately, the burgeoning demand for security personnel for the Commonwealth games has pushed the charges for security services to unsustainable levels. At present any reputed security agency is quoting double the charges for the same level of manning. The Society’s budget does not permit such extravagance. We have to put up a proposal before the General Body for increased allocation of budget to necessitate the change. Please bear with us patiently till then.

SNIPPETS

Netra Sundaresan’s arangetram at the Tamil Sangam auditorium on 23rd July drew a large crowd of invitees from Yamuna and elsewhere. Having been under the tutelage of the famed Saroja Vaidyanathan, Netra’s debut was expected to have a touch of class. But one has to still deliver on the day – and deliver she did, with aplomb. Her nuanced expressions, grace and fluid movements would have done someone more advanced in age and experience proud. Everybody seemed to have a jolly good time savouring the dance, the chit-chat and the laid out spread. Sujata deserves kudos for the magnificent organisation and Anand for writing out the cheques! Netra’s performance could spur other children in the colony to take up Bharatanatyam. Unfortunately, an emergency precluded me from witnessing this event. My report is based on a unanimous appraisal from those were fortunate to be present. 

(View more pix from Netra’s arangetram photo album)

There is a lot of traffic of people moving in and out of Yamuna of late.


Abhay and Pallavi had to move to Noida from B-306 because the landlord wanted his flat back. That means separation pangs for Mr. and Mrs. Govil of B-106, who drew comfort from their daughter and son-in law’s proximity.


Sridhar Saraswathy of C-203 has moved with his family to Bangalore as India Head of Archibus, a tech company from USA.

Ms. Jayalakshmi has moved to South Extension from H-106.

Two residents did not have call in the movers.


Mr. Vishwas Dixit has moved from C-205 to C-207.


Mr. N. L. Ganapathy has changed loyalties by dumping C Block in favour of E Block. You can now find him in E-206.


Whew! I am losing track of who is staying where.

Venkatesh of E-105 got married to Jyothi in Chennai on 7th June. Jyothi is Manager Operations in Standard Chartered Bank. She must be quite indispensable as she has been allowed to work from home after moving to Delhi. We wish this couple an enchanting married life.

Letter to the editor

Through the columns of Yamuna Chronicle, my family members and I convey our deep gratitude and thanks to all Yamuna residents for their condolences and sympathy extended on Mrs Meena Krishnan’s demise. Special thanks are due to Srikanth for the timely help in rushing her to the hospital and taking care of the last rites. Thanks are due to Mrs Aruna, Mrs Bhavani and Mrs Kalyani who took care of our food requirements.
Mrs Meena Krishnan believed in sharing her resources and knowledge with others. She taught Narayaneeyam (poems in praise of Lord Guruvayurappan) to a group of ladies from Yamuna and elsewhere. These ladies chanted selected slokas of the composition after the thirteenth day ceremony (8^th July) as a mark of respect to the departed soul. Our thanks to them. Though Mrs Meena is no longer in our midst, her presence is always in our midst. According to her wish, her eyes were donated to bring vision to a blind person; through him, she continues to see the world.
Once again, thanks to all.           

N Krishnan. (E-004)

YAMUNA'S TREES

Tree of the month - Jamun ( Syzigium cumini)

When walking clockwise along the Yamuna Apartments boundary road towards the store, you might notice purple jelly blobs on the ground. The stains can look ugly …. but look up and you will see eye-catching purple jamuns dangling in bunches, plummeting to the ground every time there is a moderate breeze. Those of us used to jamun being sold at India Gate during the onset of the monsoon would be familiar with this sight. I have often waited for the season to start to get my quota of the fruit. The jamun sellers lace the fruit with “kala namak” to combat the astringent sensation that the fruit leaves on the tongue. Another little thing I remember about jamun is that as children we would wrap the leaves into a tube and blow into it to create a unique, rather tuneless sound ….an indigenous Vuvuzela! Selecting “Jamun” for this month was Mr.Masodkar’s idea and there was certainly no reason for disagreeing.

The Jamun is a highly coveted fruit tree indigenous to India. Jamun (Eugenia jambolina or Syzigium cumini) – never mind the mouthful, just call it jamun – is widely popular as an avenue and garden tree but is never grown in orchards for commercial purposes. It can grow under harsh soil and climatic conditions and is highly suited to the north, northwest and eastern regions of India. Jamun fruits are highly prized for their medicinal value, being rich in iron and useful in the treatment of diabetes. There is no conscious documented effort to improve jamun cultivars. However there are several natural variants like Raja jamun, seedless jamun, Narendra jamun. Jamun was one of the several trees chosen by British city planners to line various avenues. So Delhi has avenues lined with neem , bargad , amaltas, jamun and arjun. All of them were chosen because of their canopy and medicinal value. You may like to read Pradip Kishen’s “Trees of Delhi” for further details. 

 (Shanti Chandrashekaran)

CALENDAR OF EVENTS – AUGUST 2010

15th August 9 am. Independence Day flag hoisting in the Badminton Court, with patriotic song recital by children and distribution of sweets. Kite flying competition on the lawn will follow.
21^st August 7.30 pm onwards. Onam feast and Pookolam in the Badminton Court. Please buy dinner coupons for Rs. 140/-per person from the Society Office.

Answers to Mind-Benders (published in the last issue):
(1) Ryan must like basketball since neither Alex nor Steven does. Steven does not like basketball or baseball, so he must like football, leaving Alex liking baseball.
 (2) “Lapy” means tree. From the first two phrases, “rota” must mean apple. From the third phrase, “mena” must mean large, leaving “lapy” to be tree.
 (3) 151. In each column, divide the top number by 3 to get the bottom number. Then add 3 to the sum of the top and bottom numbers to get the middle number.
(4) Life
(5) 21 4-letter words: twin wine lint kiln kilt lent wink wilt like link welt kine tine tile lien newt kite line went wile knit
(6)     TOOK


          BOOK

BOON

BORN 

BURN

ISSUE NO. 106 I JUNE, 2010

EDITORIAL

The Commonwealth games have thrown everything into a tizzy. To start with, most schools have reopened ten days in advance, to accommodate for the extra holidays during the Commonwealth Games. When it concerns civic agencies, anything to do with Commonwealth Games is given top priority and everything else is thrown on the back burner. Some clever people are managing to get a lot of projects done under the garb of the Commonwealth Games. There is reasonable cause to believe that the much hyped event may not live up to its expectations both from an audience standpoint as well as from expectations of tourist arrivals. As for the former, India is a purely cricket country. The only sporting extravaganza that sells in India is cricket. Most people will not be able to name a single Indian athlete. As far as tourist arrivals go, people are paranoid about security concerns and may think discretion is the better part of valour and stay away. Besides, international stars like the 100 and 200 metres world sprint champion may miss the meet.


Vacation time is over and it is back to the grind. The weather is so enervating that the moment you are out of the shower you want to get under it again. Monsoon arrival has missed the deadline and I wonder if we will be able to make up the deficit in the next two months.


I am back from a trip to the US where I spent the better part of the month. Some observations that I made there are worth emulating to make our surroundings and environment better. People who take their pets for a walk always carry doggy poop bags and promptly scoop the poop for appropriate disposal. Contrast this with Yamuna where taking a walk on the perimeter road is a fraught with danger. If you return to your home with your footwear not squishy or smelling foul, you could consider yourself fortunate. Besides, people do not litter. Refuse is always disposed off in waste bins. Not only that, they have gone a step further by segregating their litter between bio-degradable and recyclable. While, we have placed several waste bins in Yamuna, proper litter disposal is followed more in the breach than in the observance. Shouldn’t we have concern for others, take pride in keeping our surroundings clean and adopt practices that are prevalent elsewhere in the world?


Learning to be non-competitive is hard for some Indians, if not impossible. So the faceless results of the XII th class CBSE are bound to rankle. Merit lists and decimal point rankings, after all mean instant fame for the chosen few and assured coverage by the media of their path to glory. Grade point average and percentiles do not evoke the same shock and awe. After all, a person getting 98% will get the same grade as a person with 91%. It, however, benefits a lot of those who are at the lower end of the grade range and leads to less heart burn, as one is unlikely to be pipped to the post by half a mark.


An Australian scientist has predicted that humans would become extinct in hundred years. One may rubbish this as another doomsday prophecy or a cynic’s apocalyptic vision of contemporary times, but it certainly gives one the creeps, although I will be dead and gone well before then.

OBITUARY

Mr. V. K. Subramanian ex-Member and father of V.S. Hariharan of A-205 passed away on 15^th June in Bangalore. He looked youthful until the scourge of cancer got the better of him.


Mrs. Meena Krishnan of E-004, wife of Mr. N. Krishnan passed away on 26^th June in Holy Family Hospital. Mrs. Krishnan was a very active lady and a regular walker. Only last year she celebrated her 80^th birthday. It was hard to imagine that tragedy would overtake such an active individual. She was a very gregarious person and liked by all. S. Srikanth of C-003 was as usual at hand to take her to the hospital and for the last rites. With Srikanth around one can rest assured nobody will leave this world unescorted.
Residents of Yamuna convey their heartfelt condolence to the bereaved in both the families.

SNIPPETS

She straddles the diverse and esoteric fields of Indian classical dance forms and climate change issues with equal ease. In recognition of her contribution to the field of climate change, Dr. Shanta Nedungadi Varma of G-101 was honoured with a Senior Fellowship by the Australia-India Council. She took Australia by storm on a lecture tour which took her to Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Canberra.She spoke on India’s environmental space, culture, ethos, movement and policy and proved to the folks Down Under that there is more to India than cricket and chicken tikka masala.

There has been a sudden exodus of young couples from Yamuna as a consequence of career pursuits taking them elsewhere. The latest to join the bandwagon is V. Anand of H-005 also known as Murali. He has moved to Bangalore to join Target India Ltd. Deepa, who could easily appear in shampoo advertisements as the person with the straightest hair will be sorely missed as a dancer at dandia.


To match the exodus there has been an influx as well.
Mr. Raghavendra Subramanian is no stranger to Yamuna having lived here before. He has moved into G-205 with his wife Rekha (daughter of Mr. Hariganesh) and daughter Dakshina. They have moved from New York where they spent the last 10 years. Raghav works for Zenith Opti Media as Chief Strategy Officer. Rekha works for Step-by- Step as Special Educator(Early Intervention). Their daughter, Dakshina is in the VIIth class in Gyan Bharti School. She loves
Yamuna. She is a keen dancer, writes poems and is fond of dogs..


Mr. Sriram Raju has moved into A-103 from Narmada Apartments. He works as Director Sales with the Canadian firm Bombardier (makers of engines for the Metro). He likes to play cricket, listen to Carnatic music and is a fitness freak. His wife, Dr. Sudha Balakrishnan who has done MD in Public Health, works with UNICEF and is in charge of HIV Aids prevention and control. She loves to play the veena and read books. Their son Tejas who is 12 years old is in the VII th Class in DPS, RK Puram. He is crazy about football and is a keyboard player. They can be reached on 9711261130.


Mr. G. Padmanabhan has moved into C-108 from Geetanjali Enclave. He works for UNDP. He is a dog lover and is fond of reading and travelling. His wife Geeta Menon works in LIC. She loves music and has performed on stage. She may need a bit of coaxing to perform at the Annual Day function. Her other interests include reading and gardening. C Block could tap her for gardening tips. Mr. Padmanabhan’s mother, Seetha G. Pillai also lives with them. Their daughter Anjali Menon studies in Mother’s International School in the IXth Class and loves swimming, drawing and playing badminton. They can be reached on 9810402937.


Mr. Prashant Sharma has moved into G-002 from Mayur Vihar. He works for the Canadian High Commission as Immigration Officer. His wife Rajni is a home maker. They seem to be made for each other as they even share the same birthday on 25^th July. They have a toddler son, Arush, who is 11 months old. They can be reached on 9971167307.
We welcome these families to Yamuna and hope they contribute towards enriching the social and cultural life of the colony.

Mind Benders!

1. Alex, Ryan and Steven are sports fans. Each one has a favourite sport among football, basketball and baseball. Alex does not like basketball, Steven does not like basketball or baseball. Name each boy’s favourite sport.


2. In a foreign language, “rota mena lapy” means large apple tree, “rota firg” means small apple and “mena mola” means large pineapple. Which word means tree?


3. What is the missing number in this grid?
12 27 111
19 39 ?
4 9 37


4. Find a four letter word that will make new words when added in front of these:
GUARD
LONG
TIME


5. How many four letter words can you find in the word “twinkle”? (Try for at least 15)


(Answers to puzzles in the next issue!)
6. Try your luck at this “trickle-down” puzzle. Starting at the top, change one letter of each succeeding word to arrive at the word at the bottom.
TOOK
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BURN