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4-திருப்பதி… திருப்பம்… திருப்தி …..

July 25, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

ஸ்ரீவாரி பிரசாதம் என்றும் லட்டு பிரசாதம் என்றும் அழைக்கப்படும் திருப்பதி லட்டைத் தயாரிப்பதற்குப் பிரத்யேகமான ஒரு மடப்பள்ளியே திருமலையில் இயங்கி வருகிறது. இந்த மடப்பள்ளியை ‘பொடு’ என்று அழைக்கிறார்கள். பிரசாதமாக விலைக்குத் தரப்படும் லட்டு தவிர, பெருமாள் தரிசனம் முடிந்து வரும் பக்தர்களுக்கு, சிறிய லட்டு ஒன்று தேவஸ்தானத்தால் இலவசமாக வழங்கப்படுகிறது.

விற்பனைக்குச் செல்லும் லட்டுகள் தயாரான பின், அதன் எடை தேவஸ்தான ஊழியர்களால் பரிசோதிக்கப்படுகிறது. என்றாலும், காசு கொடுத்து தாங்கள் வாங்கும் லட்டின் எடை சரியாக இருக்கின்றதா என்பதை பக்தர்களே சோதித்து அறிவதற்கு, லட்டுகள் விற்பனை செய்யப்படும் மையத்துக்கு அருகில் மின்னணுத் தராசும் வைத்திருக்கிறார்கள். இதையும் மீறி லட்டின் தரம் குறித்தும், எடை குறித்தும் அவ்வப்போது புகார்கள் எழுந்து கொண்டுதான் இருக்கின்றன.

லட்டு விற்பனை மூலம் தேவஸ்தானத்துக்கு வருடத்துக்கு பல கோடி ரூபாய் வருமானம் கிடைக்கிறது. உதாரணமாக, 2007ஆம் ஆண்டு 103 கோடி ரூபாய்க்கும், 2009ஆம் ஆண்டு 125 கோடி ரூபாய்க்கும் லட்டு விற்பனையாகி உள்ளதாகத் தகவல்கள் தெரிவிக்கின்றன.

திருப்பதி தேவஸ்தானம் எத்தனை லட்டுகள் தயாரித்தாலும், சில நேரங்களில் பக்தர்களின் தேவையைப் பூர்த்தி செய்ய முடியாமலேயே போய்விடுகிறது. இதற்காக, தடை இல்லாமல் லட்டு கிடைப்பதற்கும், சுவையை மேம்படுத்துவதற்கும், கள்ள மார்க்கெட்டில் விற்பனையாவதைத் தடுப்பதற்கும், திருப்பதி தேவஸ்தான அதிகாரிகள் அவ்வப்போது நடவடிக்கை எடுத்துதான் வருகிறார்கள்.

திருமலையில் லட்டு தயாரிப்பதற்குப் பயன்படும் கடலைப் பருப்பு, நெய், சர்க்கரை, முந்திரிப் பருப்பு, ஏலக்காய் போன்ற பொருட்களை டெண்டர் மூலமாக ஆரம்பத்தில் வாங்கி வந்தார்கள். அப்படி வாங்கப்படும் பொருட்களின் தரம், சில வேளைகளில் திருப்திகரமாக இல்லை என்பதாகத் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டது.

இதன் பிறகுதான், லட்டு தயாரிப்பதற்கான மூலப் பொருட்களைத் தகுந்த அதிகாரிகளை வைத்து பரிசோதனை செய்த பின், நேரடியாகவே கொள்முதல் செய்வதென்று தேவஸ்தானத்தால் தீர்மானிக்கப்பட்டது. அப்படித்தான் அனைத்துப் பொருட்களும் தற்போது வாங்கப்படுகின்றன. உதாரணமாக, மும்பையில் இருக்கிற ஸ்பைசஸ் போர்டு நிறுவனத்திடம் இருந்து ஏலக்காய் மற்றும் முந்திரிப் பருப்பும், ஆந்திர மாநில அரசு நிறுவனமான விஜயா டைரியில் இருந்து நெய்யும் வாங்குகிறார்கள்.

உலகத்தையே தன் பக்கம் திருப்பி இருக்கும் திருப்பதி லட்டுக்கு இப்போது காப்புரிமையும் வழங்கப்பட்டுவிட்டது. இதைப் பெறும் நோக்கத்துடன் சென்னையில் உள்ள ‘உற்பத்தி இட அடையாளக் குறியீட்டுப் பதிவக’த்திடம் விண்ணப்பித்த திருப்பதி தேவஸ்தானம், ‘எங்கள் ஆலயம் சார்பில் தயாரிக்கப்படும் திருப்பதி லட்டு உருண்டையின் அளவும், நறுமணமும் வேறு எங்கும் கிடையாது. உலகின் வேறு எந்த இடத்திலும் இதுபோல் தயாரிக்கப்படவும் இல்லை. இதன் தரம், நறுமணம், சுவை ஆகியன தனித்தன்மை வாய்ந்தவை’ என்று பதிவு செய்திருக்கிறது.

இனிமேல் திருப்பதி லட்டு என்ற பெயரில் வேறு எந்த இனிப்புக் கடைக்காரரும், அதே சைஸில் – சுவையில் லட்டு தயாரித்து விற்க முடியாது. இதன் தயாரிப்பு முறையையும் வெளியில் பிரபலப்படுத்த முடியாது. ‘திருப்பதி லட்டு’ என்ற பெயர் திருப்பதி தேவஸ்தானத்துக்கு மட்டுமே சொந்தமாகிவிட்டது.

மேல் திருப்பதியில் – அதாவது திருமலையில் பெருமாளுக்கு நிவேதனம் தயாராகிற மடைப்பள்ளி மிகவும் பெரியது. இந்தப் புனிதமான மடைப்பள்ளியில் லட்டு மட்டும்தான் என்று இல்லை. பொங்கல், தயிர்சாதம், புளிசாதம், சித்ரான்னங்கள், வடை, முறுக்கு, ஜிலேபி, அதிரசம், போளி, அப்பம், மனோகரம், பாயசம், தோசை, ரவா கேசரி, பாதாம் கேசரி, முந்திரிப் பருப்பு கேசரி இப்படி எண்ணற்ற நிவேத்தியங்கள் தயாராகின்றன. இவை அனைத்திலும் லட்டுதான் முதலிடம்.

என்றாலும், ஆதிகாலத்தில் ‘மனோகரம்’ என்கிற பிரசாதம்தான் பாப்புலராக இருந்துள்ளது. திருப்பதி தேவஸ்தானத்தின் பழைய கல்வெட்டுகளும் இந்தத் தகவலை ஊர்ஜிதம் செய்கின்றன. ஆந்திராவில் மனோகரம் ரொம்ப ஃபேமஸ்.

மனோகரம் என்பது என்ன? கிட்டத்தட்ட ‘இனிப்பு முறுக்கு’ என்று சொல்லலாம். அதாவது, அரிசி மாவையும் வெல்லப் பாகையும் ஒன்றாகக் கலந்து கொள்ள வேண்டும். அதன்பின் உலர்ந்த இந்தக் கலவையை, எண்ணெயில் போட்டு முறுக்குபோல் பொறித்து எடுத்தால் அதுதான் மனோகரம். கரகரவென பல்லால் கடித்து உண்ணக்கூடிய ஒரு உணவு அயிட்டம் இது. இந்த மனோகரம் தயாரிப்பதற்குத் தேவையான பொருட்களை, பக்தர்களே ஆலயத்துக்கு தானமாகக் கொடுத்த தகவல்களையும் கல்வெட்டுக்களில் இருந்து அறிய முடிகிறது.

நீண்ட நாட்களுக்கு மனோகரம் கெடாமல் இருக்கும். எனவேதான், மலை ஏறி வரும் பக்தர்களுக்கு பிரசாதமாக மனோகரம் கொடுக்கப்பட்டதாக 12ஆம் நூற்றாண்டைச் சேர்ந்த கல்வெட்டு ஒன்று தெரிவிக்கிறது.

தினமும் 1.5 லட்சம்!

தீபாவளி காலங்களில் இனிப்புகள் தயார் செய்வதற்கு கடலை மாவு, ரவா, சர்க்கரை, நெய், முந்திரி என்று ஏகப்பட்ட பொருட்கள் தேவைப்படும். இவற்றை வாங்குவதற்கு, ஒரு நீண்ட பட்டியலை எழுதிக்கொண்டு மளிகைக் கடையில் கூட்டத்தோடு கூட்டமாக நிற்போம்.

ஆனால், திருமலை மடைப்பள்ளியில் தினமும் ஒண்ணரை லட்சம் லட்டுகள் தயாராகின்றன. அதற்கு, 5 ஆயிரம் கிலோ கடலை மாவு, 10 ஆயிரம் கிலோ சர்க்கரை, 300 கிலோ நெய், 600 கிலோ முந்திரிப் பருப்பு, உலர்ந்த திராட்சை 540 கிலோ, ஏலக்காய் 150 கிலோ, டைமண்ட் கல்கண்டு 400 கிலோ, எண்ணெய் 20 கிலோ, வாதுமைப் பருப்பு 2 பெட்டி என்கிற அளவில் பொருட்கள் தேவைப்படுகின்றன.

பொங்கல்தான்… ஆனால்!

கி.பி. 1250ஆம் ஆண்டில் சுந்தரபாண்டியன் என்னும் மன்னன் காலத்திய கல்வெட்டுக்களில், திருப்பதி ஆலயத்தில் வழங்கப்பட்ட பிரசாதங்கள் பற்றிய சில குறிப்புகள் காணப்படுகின்றன. அதில் தயிர்சாதம், எலுமிச்சை சாதம் போன்றவை இடம்பெறுகின்றன.

இதற்கடுத்த பதின்மூன்று மற்றும் பதினான்காம் நூற்றாண்டுகளைச் சேர்ந்த கல்வெட்டுக்களில் பாசிப் பருப்பு, அரிசி, உப்பு, மிளகு, நெய் இவை சேர்ந்த பிரசாதம் தயாரிக்கப்பட்டு, ஏழுமலையானுக்கு நிவேதனம் செய்யப்பட்டதாக ஒரு தகவல் இடம் பெற்றிருக்கிறது. இவை எல்லாம் சேர்ந்தால் வெண்பொங்கல்தானே! ஆனால், இதன் பெயர் பொங்கல் என்ற குறிப்பு இடம்பெறவில்லை. அப்போது வெண்பொங்கல் என்கிற வார்த்தை உபயோகத்தில் இல்லை போலிருக்கிறது.

நன்றி தீபம் (கல்கி வழங்கும் ஆன்மீக மாத இதழ்) and P.Swaminathan

Source….www.balhanuman.wordpress.com

Natarajan

“டெல்டா மார்ட்:”…. விவசாயிகளின் வாழ்வில் ஒரு சின்ன ஒளிக்கீற்று !!!

July 21, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

வால்ட் மார்ட்’க்கு எதிராக போராட்டங்களை நடத்திய காவிரி டெல்டா உழவர் உற்பத்தியாளர் அமைப்பினர், 1000 விவசாயிகளை உறுப்பினர்களாக கொண்ட காவிரி டெல்டா உழவர் உற்பத்தியாளர் நிறுவனமான ‘டெல்டா மார்ட்’ என்ற நிறுவனத்தைதிறந்திருக்கிறார்கள்.

இயக்குநர்குழு, ஆலோசனைக்குழு, மையக்குழு ஆகிய மூன்று அடுக்கு நிர்வாக முறையை கொண்டு செயல்பட்டு வரும் இந்நிறுவனம், தஞ்சை பெரியார் மணியம்மை பல்கலைக் கழகத்தின் தொழில் நுட்ப வணிகக் காப்பகத்தின் ஆலோசனை மற்றும் வழிகாட்டுதலுடன் செயல்படுகிறது.

வேளாண்மைத் தொழில்நுட்பங்களை விவசாயிகளுக்கு தெரியப்படுத்துதல், மண்வளம் மற்றும் சுற்றுச் சூழலை பாதுகாத்தல், உற்பத்தி செய்யப்படும் பொருட்களை மதிப்புக் கூட்டுதல் உள்ளிட்ட பயிற்சிகளை தருதல், விவசாயி உற்பத்தி செய்யும் பொருளை இடைத்தரகர்கள் இல்லாமல் விவசாயியே விலை நிர்ணயம் செய்ய வேண்டும் என்ற உயர்ந்த நோக்கத்தோடு உருவாக்கியிருக்கிறார்கள்.

“டெல்டா மார்ட்டை நாங்கள் உருவாக்கியதன் நோக்கம், விவசாயிகளிடையே உற்பத்தி செய்கின்ற பொருளை, இடைத்தரகர்கள் இல்லாமல் நேரடியாக நாங்களே குறைந்த விலையில் நுகர்வோருக்கு கொடுக்க வேண்டுமென்பதே. அதுமட்டுமின்றி விவசாயிகளுக்கு தேவையான இடுபொருட்களையும் வெளிமார்க்கெட் விலையைவிட மிகக் குறைவாக கொடுப்பதற்கும் ஏற்பாடு செய்திருக்கிறோம். ‘நம்மால் முடியும்!’ என்ற தன்னம்பிக்கையை ஒவ்வொரு விவசாயிடமும் உருவாக்கவேண்டும் என்பதும் எங்கள் டெல்டா மார்ட் துவக்கத்தின் முக்கிய நோக்கம்.

இந்தியாவின் முதுகெலும்பாக இருக்கின்ற உழவர்கள், தாங்கள் உற்பத்தி செய்கின்ற பொருளை விலை நிர்ணயம் செய்ய முடியாத நிலை உள்ளது. சுதந்திரம் அடைந்து 50 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு மேலாகியும், விவசாயி இடைத் தரகர்களாலும், அரசுகளாலும் இன்னும் அடிமைப்பட்டுத்தான் கிடக்கின்றான். அதை களைந்து விவசாயிகளிடையே விழிப்புணர்வை ஏற்படுத்த வேண்டுமென்பதற்காகவே இந்த அமைப்பை உருவாக்கி இருக்கிறோம். காவிரி டெல்டா உழவர் உற்பத்தியாளர் நிறுவனத்தை தமிழகத்தின் ஒவ்வொரு மாவட்டத்திலும், பிறகு ஒவ்வொரு ஒன்றியத்திலும் நிறுவ திட்டமிட்டிருக்கிறோம்.

விவசாயத்தை மட்டுமே செய்து வந்த விவசாயிகளுக்கு சந்தையை பற்றி தெரியாது. கஷ்டப்பட்டு உற்பத்தி செய்யப்படுகின்ற பொருளை, இடைத்தரகர்கள் எப்படியெல்லாம் விலை நிர்ணயம் செய்கிறார்கள் என்பதை அவர்களுக்கு பயிற்சி கொடுத்து, உற்பத்தி செய்வதோடு சந்தைபடுத்துவதிலும் அவர்களை தேர்ந்தவர்களாக்குவதற்கு இந்த அமைப்பு வழிசெய்யும்.

விவசாயிகள் பிள்ளைகள் விவசாய தொழிலில் ஈடுபடுவதில்லை. காரணம் போதிய வருமானம் இல் லாதது. இன்றைய காலகட்டத்திற்கு ஏற்ப நவீனத்தன்மை இல்லாததால், ஆர்வம் இல்லாமல் மாற்று வேலைக்கு செல்கிறார்கள். அவர்களையெல்லாம் விவசாயத்தின் பக்கம் திருப்பும் வகையில் இந்த நிறுவனம் விவசாயிகளுக்காகவும், நுகர்வோர்களுக்காகவும் பாடுபடும்” என்கிறார் காவிரி டெல்டா உழவர் உற்பத்தியாளர் நிறுவனத்தின் செயல் இயக்குநர் பாண்டியன்.

மற்றொரு செயல் இயக்குநர் பன்னீர்செல்வம் கூறுகையில், “120 விவசாயிகள் தங்கள் நிலங்களில் உற்பத்தி செய்யும் பொருட்களை இங்கு விற்பனை செய்து வருகிறோம். எங்கள் நிறுவனத்தின் உறுப்பினர்களின் பொருட்களை மட்டுமல்ல மற்ற விவசாயிகள் உற்பத்தி செய்யும் பொருட்களையும் நாங்கள் கொள்முதல் செய்கிறோம். எங்களின் நோக்கம் இடைத்தரகர்கள் இல்லாமல் கொள்முதல் செய்து, உற்பத்தி செய்யும் விவசாயிகளுக்கு அதிக லாபம் கொடுக்க வேண்டும் என்பதுதான்.

உழவர் சந்தை, மார்க்கெட்டுகளைவிட எங்கள் டெல்டா மார்க்கெட்டில் விலை குறைவாக கிடைக்கும். அதாவது வாழைப்பழ தாரை ரூபாய் 250க்கு விவசாயிகளிடமிருந்து வாங்கும் வியாபாரிகள், அதை விற்பனை செய்யும்போது ஒரு பழம் 5 முதல் 7 ரூபாய் வரை விற்கிறார்கள்.

அதே வாழைப்பழ தாரை டெல்டா மார்க்கெட் விவசாயிடம் ரூ.400 க்கு வாங்கி 5 ரூபாய்க்குள் விற்கலாம். இதில் நுகர்வோருக்கும் லாபம். டெல்டா மார்ட்டுக்கும் லாபம். விவசாயிகளுக்கும் லாபம் தரும்.

அதுதான் எங்கள் டெல்டா மார்ட்டின் நோக்கம். இயற்கை விவசாயம் செய்த தேங்காய் 30 ரூபாய்க்கு விற்கிறார்கள். அதே தேங்காயை 20 ரூபாய்க்கு நாங் கள் தருகிறோம். சாதாரண தேங்காய் வெளிமார்க்கெட்டில் 15 ரூபாய் என் றால், எங்களிடம் 12 ரூபாய்க்கு கிடைக்கும்.

இதுமட்டுமில்லாமல் விவசாய இயந்திரங்களை நாங்களே கம்பெனிகளி டமிருந்து வாங்கி, அதை விவசாயிகளிடம் விற்பனை செய்யவும் முயற்சி எடுத்து வருகிறோம். ஒரு டிராக்டரை வாங்கி விற்பனை செய்தால் 50 ஆயிரம் வரை லாபம் கிடைக்கிறது.

இதிலிருந்து கிடைக்கின்ற லாபத்தை, ஆயிரம் உறுப்பினர்களுக்கும் அவர்கள் செலுத்தியிருக்கிற முதலீட்டுக்கு தக்கபடி லாபத்தை பிரித்துக்கொடுப்போம். எங்களின் அடுத்த இலக்கு ஆயிரம் டெல்டா மார்ட்டை டெல்டா மாவட்டத்தில் உருவாக்க வேண்டும் என்பதே” என முடித்தார்.

நலிந்து போன விவசாயத்தின் இருள்படர்ந்த நிலப்பரப்பில் ‘டெல்டா மார்ட்’ என்ற சின்ன ஒளிக்கீற்று தென்படுகிறது. ஆயிரம் விவசாயிகளின் கூட்டு முயற்சி அடுத்த தலைமுறையினரை காக்கட்டும்.

வாழ்த்துவோம் விவசாயிகளை!

– ஏ. ராம்
படங்கள்: கே. குணசீலன்

Source…www.vkalathurseithi.com

Natarajan

Spain’s Ciudad Real airport sold at auction for €10,000…

July 20, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Ciudad Real airport

A group of international investors has won a bankruptcy auction for an abandoned airport in central Spain with a €10,000 (£7,000) offer – 100,000 times less than it cost to build.

The investors were the only bidders for Ciudad Real airport, south of Madrid, completed during Spain’s boom years.

But it is not clear if the sale will go ahead as another buyer could still step forward outside of the auction process.

The winning bid was made by a Chinese-led consortium of investors.

The group, Tzaneen International, says it wants to make the airport an entry point into Europe for Chinese companies.

Minimum price

Ciudad Real airport, located 235km (146 miles) south of Madrid, was meant to be an alternative to Madrid’s Barajas airport.

It cost more than €1bn to built. It opened in 2008 but went bankrupt and closed in 2012.

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There is still a possibility that another buyer could meet the minimum price of €28m set by the receiver for the sale to go through before the end of September.

The central Spanish airport has a capacity for 2.5 million passengers per year.

It is one of a number of “ghost airports” constructed during Spain’s building boom that did not attract enough passengers.

A similar fate has befallen Castellon airport in the east. It opened in 2011 but has not received a single flight.

Source….www.bbc.com

Natarajan

Impact of a Photograph on the Life of a Kid….

July 13, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

When Joyce Torrefranca posted photographs of a young boy on Facebook, she had no idea what an impact that simple action would soon have on the child’s life.

On June 23, the student from Mandaue City, Philippines, shared two photos of a child studying at a makeshift table on a sidewalk. “I got inspired by a kid,” the woman wrote.

Over the following days, Torrefranca’s post went viral, inspiring Filipino news outlet ABS-CBN to track down the child.

The outlet says they managed to locate the boy, identified as 9-year-old Daniel Cabrera, at a store located close to the McDonald’s where the photos of him were taken. Daniel’s mom, Christina Espinosa, is reportedly an employee at the store.

According to AFP, Espinosa, who is a widow, and her three young children have been living at the store ever since their shanty house was destroyed by fire five years ago. Daniel’s mom says she earns just 80 pesos, or about $1.77, a day working at the store and as a domestic helper. She lost her husband in 2013.

Despite the myriad challenges the family has faced, Espinosa says Daniel, who is now in third grade, has always been a dedicated student.

“He is a very studious and determined boy … He would insist on going to school even without his lunch money because I have no money to give,” she told AFP. “He always tells me: ‘Mama, I don’t want to stay poor. I want to reach my dreams.’”

The boy is now being given a much-needed helping hand.

In the last few days, Espinosa says the family has been deluged with donations, school supplies and other gifts.

According to ABS-CBN, a local politician named Samuel Pagdilao has given Daniel a scholarship, and local police have also done their part — giving the family money and buying them groceries.

“We’re overjoyed, I don’t know what I will do with all of these blessings,” Espinosa told AFP. “Now Daniel will not have to suffer just to finish his studies.”

In a recent interview with radio station DZMM, Daniel said that his dream is to become a policeman one day.

“I want … to help the Philippines,” he said.

On her part, Torrefranca has said that she’s amazed at how one “simple photo” could make such a “huge difference.”

“Thank you guys for sharing the photo,” she wrote on Facebook. “With that, we were able to help Daniel in reaching his dreams. I hope Daniel’s story will continue touching our hearts so that we will always be inspired and motivated in every situation we face in life.”

H/T Buzzfeed

Source…..www.huffingtonpost.com

Natarajan

” It is Better Late than Never….” For Financial Planning too.. !!!

July 2, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Let us take a look at some of the steps that are involved in getting your finances in order.

It is better late than never! This holds true for financial planning as well. You can start at anytime. Of course, it is always better to get your finances in order early, so that you can reap in the benefit for longer period.

Nevertheless, here’s how to go about it.

The first and foremost thing you need to do is prepare a budget.

This is a very simple process that involves noting down all your expenses (and proposed expenses) on one side of a sheet of paper and your income on the other side. The income should always be more than the sum of all the expenses; if this is not the case, then it is time to tighten your purse strings and reduce costs.

Next, start tracking your income and expenses for a couple of months to ensure that you are sticking to your budget. This budget needs to be realistic taking into account your lifestyle and spending patterns.

Following a strict budget will assist you in achieving your financial goals.

You should then decide the time period for the financial goals (e.g. education of a child, retirement, etc.) and whether these are short term, medium term or long term goals. A good financial plan lists down the long term and short term goals of a person, and this differentiation helps one to understand and predict future expenditures better.

For each time frame has different instruments and asset classes that must be invested in. Apart from the time horizon, one should also understand one’s own risk appetite and invest accordingly, that is, the lower the risk taking appetite, the more gilt or debt instruments should be used and vice versa.

It is highly advisable to start saving as early as possible as it will give you the advantage of additional years of investing and you can benefit from the magic of compounding.

For example, if a 25 year old saves Rs 5,000 per month at 10 per cent interest, your corpus will be around Rs 1 crore when you are in your mid-fifties. On the other hand, if you start savings Rs 5,000 a month at 30 years (with the same 10 per cent interest), the corpus after 30 years will be only Rs 60 lakh.

One should also make investments via the ECS route thereby making the whole process automatic, and ensuring that no surplus expenditure gets in the way of your investments and savings. It is advisable to invest in mutual funds through systematic investment plans (SIP). A SIP route ensures that one doesn’t need to time the market; the investment in SIP takes place each month irrespective of the market condition. Thus individuals can benefits from both an up market as well as a down market.

Life and medical cover are two very important investments that one has to make.

Ideally, one should ensure that there is adequate cover to take care of any debts, and provide for their spouse and children, apart from other dependents such as one’s parents.

It is advisable to go in for this cover early on in life, as the premiums will be lower, giving the maximum cover for the minimum premium.

An important aspect of building wealth is tax planning. One should consult with a tax expert to see the best investment and savings avenues through which one can save on taxes. One should also always ensure that the financial plan does not remain stagnant and is up to date.

Summary:

Make a budget and stick to it
Financial plans must be broken up into goals: short, medium and long term goals
Tax planning is important
Invest from as early as possible, and via ECS and SIP route

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

Anil Rego is the founder and CEO of Right Horizons, an investment advisory and wealth management firm that focuses on providing financial solutions that are specific to customer needs.

Anil Rego in http://www.rediff.com

Natarajan

Golden Rules For Golden Years …!!!

June 26, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Rules For a Good Old Age

Some of us have reached our golden years, and some of us have not. But these suggestions should be read by everyone. They have been collected from many a senior, each with his or her own piece of advice. Some you know, some may surprise you, and some will remind you of what’s important. So read well, share with your loved ones, and have a great day and a great life

1. It’s time to use the money you saved up. Use it and enjoy it. Don’t just keep it for those who may have no notion of the sacrifices you made to get it. Remember there is nothing more dangerous than a son or daughter-in-law with big ideas for your hard earned capital. Warning: This is also a bad time for an investment, even if it seems wonderful or fool-proof. They only bring problems and worries and this is a time for you to enjoy some peace and quiet.

2. Stop worrying about the financial situation of your children and grandchildren, and don’t feel bad spending your money on yourself. You’ve taken care of them for many years, and you’ve taught them what you could. You gave them an education, food, shelter and support. The responsibility is now theirs to earn their own money.

3. Keep a healthy life, without great physical effort. Do moderate exercise (like walking every day), eat well and get your sleep. It’s easy to become sick, and it gets harder to remain healthy. That is why you need to keep yourself in good shape and be aware of your medical and physical needs. Keep in touch with your doctor, get tested even when you’re feeling well. Stay informed.

4. Always buy the best, most beautiful items for your significant other. The key goal is to enjoy your money with your partner. One day one of you will miss the other, and the money will not provide any comfort then, enjoy it together.

5. Don’t stress over the little things. You’ve already overcome so much in your life. You have good memories and bad ones, but the important thing is the present. Don’t let the past drag you down and don’t let the future frighten you. Feel good in the now. Small issues will soon be forgotten

6. Regardless of age, always keep love alive. Love your partner, love life, love your family, love your neighbor and remember: “A man is not old as long as he has intelligence and affection.”

7. Be proud, both inside and out. Don’t stop going to your hair salon or barber, do your nails, go to the dermatologist and the dentist, keep your perfumes and creams well stocked. When you are well-maintained on the outside, it seeps in, making you feel proud and strong.

8. Don’t lose sight of fashion trends for your age, but keep your own sense of style. There’s nothing worse than an older person trying to wear the current fashion among youngsters. You’ve developed your own sense of what looks good on you – keep it and be proud of it. It’s part of who you are.

9. ALWAYS stay up-to-date. Read newspapers, watch the news. Go online and read what people are saying. Make sure you have an active email account and try to use some of those social networks. You’ll be surprised which old friends you’ll meet. Keeping in touch with what is going on and with the people you know is important at any age.

10. Respect the younger generation and their opinions. They may not have the same ideals as you, but they are the future, and will take the world in their direction. Give advice, not criticism, and try to remind them of yesterday’s wisdom that still applies today.

11. Never use the phrase: “In my time”. Your time is now. As long as you’re alive, you are part of this time. You may have been younger, but you are still you now, having fun and enjoying life.

12. Some people embrace their golden years, while others become bitter and surly. Life is too short to waste your days on the latter. Spend your time with positive, cheerful people, it’ll rub off on you and your days will seem that much better. Spending your time with bitter people will make you older and harder to be around.

13. Do not surrender to the temptation of living with your children or grandchildren (if you have a financial choice, that is). Sure, being surrounded by family sounds great, but we all need our privacy. They need theirs and you need yours. If you’ve lost your partner (our deepest condolences), then find a person to move in with you and help out. Even then, do so only if you feel you really need the help or do not want to live alone.

14. Don’t abandon your hobbies. If you don’t have any, make new ones. You can travel, hike, cook, read, dance. You can adopt a cat or a dog, grow a garden, play cards, checkers, chess, dominoes, golf. You can paint, volunteer at an NGO or just collect certain items. Find something you like and spend some real time having fun with it.

15. Even if you don’t feel like it, try to accept invitations. Baptisms, graduations, birthdays, weddings, conferences. Try to go. Get out of the house, meet people you haven’t seen in a while, experience something new (or something old). But don’t get upset when you’re not invited. Some events are limited by resources, and not everyone can be hosted. The important thing is to leave the house from time to time. Go to museums, go walk through a field. Get out there

16. Be a conversationalist. Talk less and listen more. Some people go on and on about the past, not caring if their listeners are really interested. That’s a great way of reducing their desire to speak with you. Listen first and answer questions, but don’t go off into long stories unless asked to. Speak in courteous tones and try not to complain or criticize too much unless you really need to. Try to accept situations as they are. Everyone is going through the same things, and people have a low tolerance for hearing complaints. Always find some good things to say as well.

17. Pain and discomfort go hand in hand with getting older. Try not to dwell on them but accept them as a part of the cycle of life we’re all going through. Try to minimize them in your mind. They are not who you are, they are something that life added to you. If they become your entire focus, you lose sight of the person you used to be.

18. If you’ve been offended by someone – forgive them. If you’ve offended someone – apologize. Don’t drag around resentment with you. It only serves to make you sad and bitter. It doesn’t matter who was right. Someone once said: “Holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.” Don’t take that poison. Forgive, forget and move on with your life.

19. If you have a strong belief, savor it. But don’t waste your time trying to convince others. They will make their own choices no matter what you tell them, and it will only bring you frustration. Live your faith and set an example. Live true to your beliefs and let that memory sway them.

20. Laugh. Laugh A LOT. Laugh at everything. Remember, you are one of the lucky ones. You managed to have a life, a long one. Many never get to this age, never get to experience a full life. But you did. So what’s not to laugh about? Find the humor in your situation.

21. Take no notice of what others say about you and even less notice of what they might be thinking. They’ll do it anyway, and you should have pride in yourself and what you’ve achieved. Let them talk and don’t worry. They have no idea about your history, your memories and the life you’ve lived so far. There’s still much to be written, so get busy writing and don’t waste time thinking about what others might think. Now is the time to be at rest, at peace and as happy as you can be!

AND REMEMBER: “Life is too short to drink bad wine.“

Photos courtesy of Ambro, Stockimages / freedidigitalphotos.net

Source: Tony L. in http://www.ba-bamail.com

Natarajan

Meet Anirudh Prasadh ….From Mumbai to Kolli Hills , Tamilnadu on a Mission …

June 22, 2015June 23, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

India is witnessing a radical transformation where highly qualified youngsters are giving up cushy jobs to make a difference in the lives of poor people in rural areas.

Manu A B/Rediff.com tracks the success stories of some of the remarkable people who are working in remote villages to change the profile of rural India.

A chemical engineer, Anirudh Prasadh gave up his high-paying job to work for welfare of farmers in the remote villages of Tamil Nadu.

Anirudh Prasadh with kids in the village .

For the Malayalar community of farmers in the remote Kolli Hills region of Tamil Nadu, 26-year-old Anirudh Prasadh has been a catalyst for change.

He has been able to push the humble millet crop they have been cultivating for years together without significant profits into a much sought-after value-added natural health product.

In the process, the farmers are not only earning more, but will also learn to use new age marketing tools like e-commerce and online marketing to distribute this product as an exclusive brand grown from this region to places outside the state.

Millet cultivation in the village

Anirudh with the support of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation has ushered in a small millet revolution in the Kolli Hills, promoting the cereal as a cure for a host of ailments arising out of calcium and iron deficiency.

For the past 4 years, farmers in this region have been selling products made with millet with lesser profits.

Earlier products that were not packed attractively

The bad packaging and unattractive stickers on the packets made it difficult for them to sell the products for maximum profit. They were spending Rs 6-8 per unit for just packaging, resulting in significant losses.

“We have now designed new logos, introduced attractive stickers and the products run on a common theme, making the organically grown products very appealing,” says Anirudh.

Products now packed attractively ready for sale

Anirudh has been able to get the collective support of all farmers to unite towards making the business of value added millet products a success.

The farmers’ cooperative society, Kolli Hills Agro Biodiversity Conservers Federation (KHABCoFED) has become very active. They will now market products with a new look.

The price of packaging has also been reduced by 40-50 per cent ensuring better profit for the farmers.

Presently, the products are available across 35 organic shops run by MSSRF in Namakkal, Trichy, Coimbatore etc. After the packaging was made attractive, there has been a rise in demand for these products.

Talks are planned with super markets and duty-free shops in Tamil Nadu and Kerala to stock these products from the Kolli Hills. A website with the list of products and facility to order the products online is also being worked out.

My work now is to teach them how to market their products, ensure quality control processes, teach them accounting and maintain manuals on products. We have also readied a booklet of millet recipes to promote millet eating in the right way. People here suffer from skin ailments, back problems and face issues of calcium and iron deficiency. With the help of doctors, we have conducted an awareness campaign among the locals to eat millets in different forms so as to keep such kind of illnesses at bay,” explains Anirudh.

For Anirudh who was brought up in Mumbai, life in Kolli Hills has been an enriching experience.

“After I did my Masters in Chemical Engineering from the School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, University of Manchester, I returned to Mumbai and worked with Hindustan Dorr-Oliver on a national project. But the inefficiencies in the system and the innumerable delays to get the project implemented were very frustrating. I realised that I was wasting my time when I could utilise it for productive purposes. I had friends who were working in the development sector and it was inspiring to see their work. So I quit my job much to the initial opposition of my parents and took up the SBI Youth for India fellowship,” says Anirudh, who is enjoying a satisfying stint helping farmers, children and women across 4 villages in Kolli Hills.

The first day’s journey up the hill in a crowded transport bus was memorable for Anirudh. People in the village were very curious to know about him and they thought it was crazy to leave a city and come to work in the remote village.

The initial hiccups were not as bad as he had expected. He is thankful for being a changed person now.

“It only took a couple of days to realize that lack of continuous water supply, and unwanted visitors – insects of all shapes and sizes – at all times would be a usual occurrence and something we just have to get used to,” says Anirudh.

Being cut off from the rest of the world has proved to be beneficial, feels Anirudh. He doesn’t miss city life anymore. “Life is so peaceful, satisfying and I have more time to read books and discover myself,” he says.

The main problem villagers face here is lack of awareness. “They have the right skills, products and marketing options but there is no one to guide them. Most of the farmers are shy, women too were very reserved and would not like to talk about their problems. Once, they started noticing how the product packaging changed, more people understood what we were trying to do. Now they are more pro-active and we hope to make the federation a very active venture.”

Besides conducting health and hygiene camps, Anirudh along with Gautam Jayasurya, organised computer literacy classes for farmers. They were given basic lessons on Word, Excel, and accounting. The farmers have also been given training to take up the role of mentors for others so that they can train others.

“The nearest town is 30 kilomteres away so it’s difficult for people to travel this distance for basic things. They will now make use to the Internet facilities to pay bill, for surfing and checking mails etc. The product packs too have an e-mail id now to register customers’ feedback. The villagers are also being taught to draft letters that they can use to avail benefits from the government.

Anirudh’s small initiatives have made a lasting impact here.

“I installed Tippy Taps in schools with small cans. Since water supply was erratic, kids would eat without washing their hands. Now they keep themselves clean. Seeing this initiative, other villages are also keen to implement it,” says Anirudh.

Village life has taught him to live with basic amenities. The simplicity and helping mentality of the villagers has been encouraging. “Villagers are willing to help us in every way possible. We were late risers in the initial days and missed out on the water supply. Our neighbours made it a point to store water in a couple of buckets for us, and till today continue to find ways to help us,” he says.

As a homogeneous community, the farmers live in harmony. They exchange food and grains among community members. They do farming together, it’s all a collective effort

Anirudh plans to continue working in the development sector. “I am happy with work now and am eager to do more. I would like to work in the public policy making. There are lot of schemes that are beneficial to villagers but they have no idea about how it works or how it can impact them. I would like to see villagers getting what they truly deserve from the government,” he says.

For rural India to come up, educated people in urban India should first stop calling them ‘rural’, believes Anirudh.

“They just need the right kind of opportunities and information to come up in life. Instead of taking up a job immediately after education, youngsters should devote at least 6 months of their time to work at the local level in villages. Government agencies don’t consider the aspirations of the people while making policies. We need to collect more data to form better policies for the upliftment of the people living in villages,” Anirudh explains.

To know more about Anirudh’s work, you can mail him atanirudhprasadh@gmail.com

If you wish to join the movement to bring about a change in rural India or would like to contribute in any way, you can send a mail to shuvajit@youthforindia.org

Manu A B

Source….www.rediff.com

Natarajan

“Mumbai remains the most expensive city in India”….says a survey….

June 18, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Mumbai has emerged as one of the costliest cities in the world due to increase in foods prices, home services and rentals, says a Mercer’s Cost of Living Survey 2015.

Mumbai has emerged as one of the most expensive cities to live in, according to a survey. Photograph: Reuters

Mumbai, the financial capital of the country, held its position as the most expensive city in India and is ranked above Dallas, Frankfurt and Vancouver, according to a recent survey

Image: Luanda is the world’s most expensive city to live in, according to a survey. Photograph: Reuters

Luanda, the capital of Angola, has been rated the world’s costliest city to live in, for third consecutive year, as per Mercer’s ‘Cost of Living Survey 2015’

Image: Hong Kong is the second most expensive city in the world for expats. Photograph: Scott Audette/Reuters

“India’s most expensive city, Mumbai (at 74th place), climbed 66 places in the ranking due to its rapid economic growth, inflation and services basket and a stable currency against the US dollar,” the survey has revealed.

Image: Zurich is the third most expensive city in the world, according to a survey. Photograph: Photograph: Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters

“It (Mumbai) has witnessed higher inflation over the last one year compared to other metro cities, higher cost of fuel, transportation, increased prices of food items, home services and rentals, impacting the cost of living,” it said.

The survey further said that Mumbai is ranked higher and more expensive than cities like Dallas (77), Munich (87), Luxembourg (94), Frankfurt (98) and Vancouver (119).

Image: Cost of living in Singapore is one of the highest in the world. Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images

Mumbai, the most populous city in the country, is followed by New Delhi (132nd place) and Chennai (157), which rose in the ranking by 25 and 28 spots, respectively.

Besides, Bengaluru (183) and Kolkata (193), the least expensive Indian cities, climbed in the ranking as well, it said.

Image: Rentals, food, travelling and related costs are very high in Geneva, says a survey. Photograph: Reuters

The survey includes 207 cities across five continents and measures the comparative cost of more than 200 items in each location, including housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment.

Asian cities dominate the top 10 costliest cities rankings along with major cities in Switzerland, it said. Hong Kong (2), Zurich (3), Singapore (4) and Geneva (5) top the list of most expensive cities for expatriates, while Bishkek (207),

Windhoek (206) and Karachi (205) are considered world’s least expensive cities for expatriates, according to the survey. Tel Aviv (18) continues to be the most expensive city in the Middle East for expatriates.

Source…..www.rediff.com

Natarajan

” What LIFE on Mars would be …” ?

June 16, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

IN A quest to see if people could survive living on Mars, NASA sent six scientists to Hawaii for eight months in an enclosure that simulates the conditions of life on the Red Planet.

This meant that fresh air, sunshine and fresh food were all off the table. The only food available was anything that could be freeze-dried. If they wanted to talk a short walk outside their 11-meter diameter dome, they even had to chuck on a space suit.

They were monitored by surveillance cameras, body movement trackers and electronic surveys.

Last week the crew were finally free to leave their Mars dome.

The scientist’s home for eight months. Source: AP

Crew member Jocelyn Dunn told AP it was awesome to feel the sensation of wind on her skin.

“When we first walked out the door, it was scary not to have a suit on,” said Dunn, 27, a doctoral candidate at Purdue University. “We’ve been pretending for so long.”

The dome’s volcanic location, silence and its simulated airlock seal provided an atmosphere similar to space. Looking out the dome’s porthole windows, all the scientists could see were lava fields and mountains, said University of Hawaii professor Kim Binsted, principal investigator for the study.

Tracking the crew members’ emotions and performance in the isolated environment could help ground crews during future missions to determine if a crew member is becoming depressed or if the team is having communication problems.

“Astronauts are very stoic people, very level-headed, and there’s a certain hesitancy to report problems,” Binsted said. “So this is a way for people on the ground to detect cohesion-related problems before they become a real issue.”

Spending eight months in a confined space with six people had its challenges, but crew members relieved stress doing team workouts and yoga. They were able to use a solar-powered treadmill and stationary bike, but only in the afternoons on sunny days.

“When you’re having a good day its fine, it’s fun. You have friends around to share in the enjoyment of a good day,” Dunn said. “But if you have a bad day, it’s really tough to be in a confined environment. You can’t get out and go for a walk … it’s constantly witnessed by everyone.”

Could we be living on the Red Planet soon? Source: AP

The hardest part was being far away from family and missing events like her sister’s wedding, for which she delivered a toast via video, Dunn said. “I’m glad I was able to be there in that way, but … I just always dreamt of being there to help,” she said.

The first thing crew members did when they emerged from the dome was to chow down on foods they’ve been craving — juicy watermelon, devilled eggs, peaches and croissants, which was a step up from the freeze dried chilli they’d been eating.

Next on Dunn’s list: going for a swim. Showers in the isolated environment were limited to six minutes per week, she said.

“To be able to just submerge myself in water for as long as I want, to feel the sun, will be amazing,” Dunn said. “I feel like a ghost.”

Source…news.com.au

Natarajan

” Harmful Money Habits….Beware…” !!!

June 13, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Stop indulging in these before it derails your financial future

Before you start reading this article, please answer these questions:

What is the three digit score which is one of the key factors that decides your access to loans or credit cards called?
What is the range of this score?
What is generally considered a good score by banks and credit institutions for approving loans and credit cards?

Project Chirag

While most of you who have taken a loan or credit card in the past may be able to quickly answer this quiz, some of you may still need help. This 3-digit number is your CIBIL TransUnion Score which ranges from 300 to 900.

This score is calculated based on your credit history as reflected in your CIBIL Report.

Today an individual’s CIBIL TransUnion Score is one of the important factors that banks and credit institutions review before granting a loan or a credit card.

An individual’s CIBIL TransUnion Score provides a Credit Institution with an indication on the likelihood of the individual paying her/his loan or credit card dues on time. Higher the score more favourably the loan application will be viewed by lenders. Most banks and credit institutions today lend to individuals who have a credit score of 750 and above.

Therefore it is essential to maintain a healthy credit score by following disciplined credit behaviour. Here is a list of 5 harmful credit behaviours that can hamper your CIBIL TransUnion Score and derail your financial future:

1. Missing payments on loan installments

Most loan EMIs get auto debited on a set date each month from your linked bank account. Default on the monthly payment will occur if sufficient fund is unavailable in your linked account. Defaulting on loan EMIs is detrimental to your CIBIL TransUnion Score. So ensure you pay your loan EMIs month on month and have adequate funds in your bank account for the loan EMI debit.

2. Delay or default on credit card bill payment

Forgetting to pay your credit card bill on the due date or not paying your credit card bill at all can hamper your credit score drastically. Ensure you set up payment alerts on your credit card bill and make the payments before or by the due date.

3. Settlement on a loan or credit card

Making a settlement on a loan or a credit card is a harmful credit behaviour. If the customer has partly paid the dues and settled a loan or a credit card then the status will reflect as ‘Settled’ in the credit report. It is important to understand that though there will be no impact of the’settlement’ flag on the customers CIBIL TransUnion Score, her/his credit history will show a ‘Settled’ status in her/his CIBIL Report and there will be Days-Past-Due reflecting on the report since the payment on the loan has not been timely.

Each bank has its own policy of viewing at a ‘Settled’ status and will decide on the consumer’s future loan applications accordingly. Therefore it’s best to not ever get into a loan settlement.

4. Exceeding or reaching the limit of your credit card

Spending more than the assigned limit on your credit card or spending close to the limit on the credit card may affect your credit score to some extent. Therefore ensure that you spend well within the limit on your credit card.

5. High credit exposure

The total size of your debt reflects on your credit report and has an impact on your CIBIL TransUnion Score. Having many loans or credit cards increases the total amount of debt you owe and increases your credit exposure. High credit exposure may impact your CIBIL TransUnion Score. If you have many loans running ensure that you close some of them so that your total credit exposure is reduced, before you apply for new loans.

Disciplined credit behaviour will automatically ensure that your financial future is safeguarded and you are’credit-ready’ at any point in time.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

Harshala Chandorkar, Sr. Vice President- Consumer Services & Communication, CIBIL

Source…www.rediff.com

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