Term Of the Day…” STOCK “….

What is ” STOCK ” ?

1.A share of a company held by an individual or group. Corporations raise capital by issuing stocks and entitle the stock owners (shareholders) to partial ownership of the corporation. Stocks are bought and sold on what is called an exchange. There are several types of stocks and the two most typical forms are preferred stock and common stock.
2.British term for (1) A fixed interest government debt security issued usually in denominations, and (2) Inventory.

 

Use stock in a sentence

  • When the company was just forming, Joe bought most of the stock and when the company became large, he sold his stock and became rich.

I am happy that I bought stock in a company when I was younger, because it became very valuable 20 years later.

The board of directors decided to use a secondary stock offering to raise additional capital to pay for expansion in China.

Notable Quotes

  • The Only Time a Company Should Repurchase its Shares
    “There is only one combination of facts that makes it advisable for a company to repurchase its shares: First, the company has available funds — cash plus sensible borrowing capacity — beyond the near-term needs of the business and, second, finds its stock selling in the market below its intrinsic value, conservatively-calculated. To this we add a caveat: Shareholders should have been supplied all the information they need for estimating that value. Otherwise, insiders could take advantage of their uninformed partners and buy out their interests at a fraction of true worth.”

 

  • Owning Options Compared to Owning Stocks
    “Ironically, the rhetoric about options frequently describes them as desirable because they put managers and owners in the same financial boat. In reality, the boats are far different. No owner has ever escaped the burden of capital costs, whereas a holder of a fixed-price option bears no capital costs at all. An owner must weigh upside potential against downside risk; an option holder has no downside. In fact, the business project in which you would wish to have an option frequently is a project in which you would reject ownership. (I’ll be happy to accept a lottery ticket as a gift — but I’ll never buy one.)”
    – Warren Buffett
  • Approaching Stocks After a Huge Crash
    “Nobody who has ever been on a falling elevator and survived ever approaches such a conveyance without a fundamentally reduced degree of confidence. (Stated by Robert Reno after the 1987 stock market crash)”
    – Robert Reno

Source….. http://www.businessdictionary.com

Natarajan

 

தெய்வத்தின் குரல்: சரஸ்வதிக்கு ஆலயம் இல்லாதது ஏன்?

சரஸ்வதியைப் பற்றி எப்படி நினைக்கிறோம்? பூர்ண பிரம்ம சக்தி என்று நினைக்கிறோமோ இல்லையோ வித்யாதி தேவதை, கலை மடந்தை, அறிவுத் தெய்வமென்று அவளுக்கு ரொம்பவும் உன்னதமான ஸ்தானம் கொடுத்திருக்கிறோம். வெள்ளை வெளேரென்று வீணா, புஸ்தகங்களோடு அவளை நினைத்தாலே சாந்தியாயிருக்கிறது. சரஸ்வதி பூஜை பண்ணுகிறோம்.

அவளைப் பற்றி ஸ்தோத்திரங்கள், மகான்கள் பண்ணியிருப்பது, கம்பர், ஒட்டக்கூத்தர், குமர குருபரர், பாரதியார் போன்றவர்கள் தமிழில் அழகாகப் பண்ணியிருக்கிறார்கள். அவற்றை ஓதுகிறோம். முத்துஸ்வாமி தீக்ஷிதர் முதலானவர்கள் அவள் மீது செய்திருக்கும் கீர்த்தனங்களைப் பாடுகிறோம். குழந்தையாக ஸ்கூல் போக ஆரம்பிக்கும்போதே அவள்மேல் சுலோகங்கள் சொல்லி பிரியத்துடன் பக்தி பண்ண ஆரம்பித்துவிடுகிறோம்.

இத்தனை இருந்தாலும், இவ்வளவு ஆயிரம் கோயில் இருந்தும் சரஸ்வதிக்கு ஒன்றையும் காணோம். தமிழ்நாடு பூராவிலும் தஞ்சாவூர் ஜில்லாவில் கூத்தனூர் என்ற ஒரு இடத்தில்தான் சரஸ்வதி ஆலயம் இருக்கிறது. அது ஒட்டக்கூத்தர் கட்டிய கோவில். ஒட்டக்கூத்தருடைய ஊர்தான் கூத்தனூர்.

காமகோட்டத்தில், காஞ்சி காமாட்சி ஆலயத்தில் சரஸ்வதிக்கு சந்நிதி உண்டு. ஆனால் அதுகூட பிரம்ம பத்னியான சரஸ்வதி இல்லை என்றும், ராஜ ராஜேச்வரிக்கு மந்த்ரிணியாக இருக்கும் ராஜசியாமளையான மகா சரஸ்வதி என்றும் ஒரு வித்தியாசம் சொல்வதுண்டு. சரஸ்வதிக்கு பிம்பம், சந்நிதியுள்ள மற்ற கோவில்களிலும் அவை முக்கியமான இடம் பெறாமல் ஏதோ ஒரு மூலையில்தான் இருக்கின்றன.

மொத்தத்தில், பிரம்மா மாதிரியே சரஸ்வதிக்கும் கோயில் முக்கியத்துவம் இல்லை. ஆனால் பிரம்மாவிடம் ஜனங்களுக்கு விசேஷ பக்தி, மரியாதைகள் இல்லாததுபோல, சரஸ்வதிக்கு இல்லாமலில்லை. அவளை எல்லாரும் நிரம்பப் போற்றி பக்தி செய்கிறோம். படிக்க ஆரம்பிக்கும்போதே கல்வித் தெய்வம் என்று அவளைத் துதிக்கக் கற்றுக் கொடுத்துவிடுவதால், அது பசுமரத்தாணியாக மனசில் பதிந்து என்றைக்கும் அவளிடம் பக்தி நீங்காமலே இருக்கிறது.

நியூஸ் பேப்பர் பாஷையில் சொன்னால், அவள் ‘பாபுலர்’ தெய்வம். பிரம்மா ‘அன்பாபுலர்’ தெய்வம். அன்பாபுலர் தெய்வத்துக்குக் கோயிலில்லை என்றால் அது நியாயம். நல்ல பாபுலாரிடி இருக்கிற தெய்வத்துக்கும் ஏன் அப்படியே இருக்க வேண்டும்?

இங்கேதான் நம்முடைய தேசாசாரம் வருகிறது. பதிவிரத்யம் என்பது நம் தேசாசாரத்தில் ஊறிப்போன விஷயம். பதிவிரதைகள் புருஷனுக்கு இல்லாத எதையும் தாங்கள் அனுபவிக்க மாட்டார்கள். சரஸ்வதி பிரம்மாவின் நாக்கிலேயே உட்கார்ந்துகொண்டிருக்கும் பதிவிரதை. அதாவது பிரம்மாவின் நாக்குதான் அவள் குடியிருக்கும் கோயில். அவள் எப்படிப் பதிக்குக் கோயிலில்லாதபோது தான் மட்டும் கோயிலில் குடிகொள்வாள்? அதனால்தான் அவளுக்கும் அவர் மாதிரியே கோயில் இல்லை.

அகத்திலே நாம் கூப்பிட்டால் அவள் வருவாள். தாயாரல்லவா? அதனால் நம் குடும்பத்து மனுஷியாக வருவாள். நமக்கு அறிவு புகட்ட வேண்டிய ட்யூட்டியும் அவளுக்கு இருப்பதால் தனிப்பட்ட முறையில் அகத்துக்கு வருவாள்.

ஆனால் ஊர் உலகத்துக்குப் பொதுவாக அவளைப் பெருமைப்படுத்திக் கோயில் கட்டுவது என்றால், அப்போது பதியை விட்டுவிட்டு, தான் மட்டும் மகிமை கொண்டாடிக்கொள்ள அவள் சம்மதிக்க மாட்டாள்.

அவளுடைய அந்த உத்தம ஸ்த்ரீ குணத்தை மதித்துத்தான் அவளுக்கு ஆலயமில்லாமல் வைத்திருக்கிறது. சக்திகளை வழிபடுவதற்கென்றே நவராத்ரி என்று வைத்துப் பூஜை பண்ணும்போது துர்கா, லட்சுமிகளுடன் அவளும் வந்து சரஸ்வதி பூஜை பெறுவாள். அதோடு சரி. பதியை நீக்கி, பொதுத் தலத்தில் கோயில் என்று வைத்து ஊர் கூடி நித்ய பூஜை, உத்ஸவாதிகள் பண்ணுவதற்கு அவள் ஒப்புக்கொள்ள மாட்டாள்.

கோயிலில்லாத கடவுள்

நம் தேசத்தில் இத்தனை ஆயிரம் கோயில்கள் இருந்தும், ஒவ்வொரு கோயிலிலும் ஏகப்பட்ட சந்நிதிகள் இருந்தும் அநேக உத்ஸவாதிகள் நடத்தப்பட்டபோதிலும் பிரம்மாவுக்கு எதுவுமே காணோம். அபூர்வமாக எங்கேயாவது புஷ்கர் மாதிரி ஒரு க்ஷேத்திரத்தில்தான் தேடித் தேடி அவருக்குக் கோயில் பார்க்க முடிகிறது. பிரம்மா கோயில் என்றாலே புஷ்கரைத்தான் இன்று நினைக்கிறார்கள்.

நம்முடைய கும்பகோணத்திலேயே பிரம்மாவுக்குத் தனிக் கோயில் இருப்பது ரொம்பப் பேருக்குத் தெரியவில்லை. காஞ்சீபுரத்திலும் கும்பகோணத்திலும் தடுக்கி விழுந்த இடமெல்லாம் கோயில்கள் என்பார்கள். காஞ்சீபுரத்தில் நாம் ஜென்மாவில் பண்ணுகிறதற்கெல்லாம் கணக்கு எழுதும் சித்திரகுப்தனுக்கு அபூர்வமாகக் கோயில் இருக்கிறதென்றால், கும்பகோணத்தில் ஜென்மாவைத் தரும் பிரம்மாவிற்கு அபூர்வமாகக் கோயில் இருக்கிறது.

திருக்கண்டியூர் என்று திருவையாற்றுக்குக் கிட்டே இருக்கிறது. அது பரமசிவன் பிரம்மாவுக்கு ஆதியில் இருந்த ஐந்து தலைகளில் ஒன்றைச் சேதித்த க்ஷேத்திரம். அங்கே சிவனுக்கு பிரம்மச் சிரக்கண்டீசர் என்றே பேர். அங்கே பிரம்மாவுக்கும் சந்நிதி இருக்கிறது.

கொங்கு நாட்டிலுள்ள த்ரிமூர்த்தி க்ஷேத்ரமான பாண்டிக் கொடுமுடியிலும் இருக்கிறது. சிதம்பரத்தில் பிரம்மாவையே சண்டேச்வரர் என்று சொல்லி, கனக சபையைச் சுற்றி வரும்போது அவருக்கு ஒரு சின்ன கோஷ்டம் காட்டுகிறார்கள். ஆனாலும் இதெல்லாம் சமுத்திரத்தில் ஒரு துளி மாதிரிதான். நம் தலையெழுத்தை எழுதுகிறவரின் தலையெழுத்து இப்படி இருக்கிறது.

– தெய்வத்தின் குரல் (ஐந்தாம் பகுதி)

Source….www.tamil.thehindu.com

Natarajan

Handwritten Postcard Tributes for Former President APJ Abdul Kalam……

Handwritten Postcard Tributes for Former President APJ Abdul Kalam

File photo of former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.

On the 84th birth anniversary of former President Abdul Kalam, a nonprofit organisation has hit upon an unique idea to pay tribute to the late ‘Missile Man of India’ through handwritten postcards.

The Kochi-based LetterFarms, a community art project is inviting people from all walks of life to participate in a project where they pen handwritten postcards expressing their sentiments about the late President.

The campaign ‘dearkalamsir’ aims to create an anthology of postcards.

“The campaign has been launched today and we aim to reach and get letters from across all the 30 states of the country. This event will finally culminate on the first death anniversary of Dr Kalam on July 27, 2016,” Jubie John of LetterFarms, a Kochi-based NGO said.

The campaign aims to call on students, corporate, celebrities to send to pick up a simple postcard and add their unique voice in form of a letter or a drawing or a sketch or a poem.

“Even though we live in a digital age where communication is ruled by technology, yet a handwritten note is still the most impactful way to communicate” Jubie said.

“We are leveraging on people’s handwritten power for creating  a tribute in a very personal way, making Dr Kalam the only public leader for whom such a people-powered movement was ever created,” Jubie said.

The campaign aims to reach to a number of 84,000 postcards in the first 84 days. An expected number of 10 lakh students will participate in the first phase of the campaign.

“The campaign is divided in to two phases. First being the mobilisation phase. Right now students and corporate from 22 states have come on board we are expecting to get a good response from all the 30 states. Second phase is essentially exhibiting the best of the best messages, illustrations and creative pursuits of people who have sent the post cards,” Jubie said.

The NGO, which was set up a year ago says it plans, through on-ground and online efforts to create a hybrid of online and offline tributes to President Kalam.

“Our aim is to equally engage the rich and the poor, the rural and the urban, the online and the offline, the young and the old – literally everyone. We’re thrilled to see the amazing handwork of people on a simple postcard and how it’s indeed as unique as their figure prints” Saji Mathew, co-founder of LetterFarms said.

Source….www.ndtv.com

Natarajan

For The Love of Birds: This Chennai Man Feeds 2,000 Parrots Every Day….

For The Love of Birds: This Chennai Man Feeds 2,000 Parrots Every Day

C Sekar serves thirty kilos of rice to the parrots who have been visiting his place since the last 25 years.

CHENNAI:  The dilapidated terrace of camera mechanic C Sekar in Chennai turns into a dining hall for around 2,000 parrots every day.

Every morning and evening, Mr Sekar arranges several rows of wooden planks and serves thirty kilos of rice to the birds who have been visiting his place since the last 25 years.

The 62-year-old owner of Camera House says, “What are we going to take back even if we earn a lot? This is just a service for these living creatures. This gives me lot of spiritual satisfaction”.

Mr Sekar avoids travelling out of the city for the love of these visitors. During unavoidable circumstances, he returns on the same day.

“Once, we had arranged my friend to feed the birds. But they just did not land to eat. They are sharp and they know me. Since then, I don’t travel at all,” he said.

Mr Sekar, who spends around five hours every day to feed these parrots, has little time left for camera repair work. The 62-year-old said he has pledged around 20 sovereigns of his wife’s gold to feed the birds.

He spends 40 per cent of his income to provide food to these birds. On days when he earns good money, the parrots get a special treat. “I feed them American baby corn and guava on days I make good money,” he told NDTV.

However, the 45-year-old house, where he lives on rent, is up for sale. Not willing to abandon these birds, Mr Sekar wants to sell a vintage collection of 4000 cameras to raise money so that he can buy the property.

Mr Sekar says he has the total support of his family.

Source….www.ndtv.com
Natarajan

Singapore Airlines joins Qantas with launch of a 19-hour flight: Non-stop route to New York set to open in 2018 ….

In-flight entertainment systems will need to be top quality in the future as ultra-long non-stop routes are becoming all the rage.

Qantas announced a non-stop 19-hour flight between Australia and the UK within two years – and now Singapore Airlines is set to launch a non-stop journey that’s the same, gruelling length.

In a statement this week Singapore Airlines announced that it would resume offering 19-hour flights from Singapore to New York in 2018.

The carrier previously operated the long haul route until 2013.

Singapore Airlines says that due to demand the service will resume with the help of a brand new aircraft.

The plane in question will be Airbus’ new ‘ultra-long range’ version of its A350-900, of which Singapore Airlines will be the launch customer.

The high-tech newly converted planes will have the capability of flying up to 19 hours using the increased fuel capacity of its system from 141,000 litres to 165,000 litres.

Our customers have been asking us to re-start non-stop Singapore-US flights and we are pleased that Airbus was able to offer the right aircraft to do so in a commercially viable manner,’ said Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong.

The airline has placed an order for 67 of the Airbus A350s, and as more of the efficient planes are added to the fleet, the plan is to resume the 19-hour Singapore-LA route in the near future as well.

At the moment, fliers wishing to make the 8,700-nautical-mile journey to the Big Apple from Singapore have to face the delights of a 22-hour journey, with at least one connection.

At the moment, fliers wishing to make the 8,700-nautical-mile journey to the Big Apple from Singapore have to face the delights of a 22-hour journey, with at least one connection

LA-bound passengers have a slightly shorter ordeal, with the trip currently taking around 17 hours or more, also with a stop.

 

Battle is on: Qantas also plans to offer 19-hour flights -  from Perth to London

Battle is on: Qantas also plans to offer 19-hour flights –  from Perth to London

The news comes after Qantas revealed plans to offer a non-stop 19-hour flight between Australia and the UK within two years.

If it does launch before Singapore Airlines’ 19-hour route it will briefly give Qantas the crown of operating the world’s longest non-stop commercial flight.

The airline’s chief executive Alan Joyce said they aim to fly between Perth and London using its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner by 2017.

‘This opens up direct service from Australia to Europe for the first time,’ he said.

The potential flight path would need two pairs of pilots, extra cabin crew and a proper rest area for airline staff.

The potential flight path from Perth to London would need two pairs of pilots, extra cabin crew and a proper rest area for airline staff

Qantas has already ordered eight Boeing 787-9 planes to replace its 747 fleet.

The new aircraft will have roughly 250 seats and include business class, premium economy and economy.

Qantas already operates the current longest route in the world, from Sydney to Dallas-Fort Worth.

THE WORLD’S LONGEST FLIGHTS

Dubai, UAE to Panama City, Panama (Emirates) (2016)

Distance: 8,588 miles (13,760km)

Time: 17 hours, 35 minutes

Dallas-Fort Worth, USA to Sydney, Australia (Qantas)

Distance: 8,578 miles (13,730km)

Time: 16 hours, 50 minutes

Atlanta, USA to Johannesburg, South Africa (Delta)

Distance: 8,439 miles (13,581km)

Time: 16 hours, 30 minutes

Los Angeles, USA to Abu Dhabi, UAE (Etihad)

Distance: 8,390 miles (13,502km)

Time: 16 hours, 30 minutes

Los Angeles, USA to Dubai, UAE (Emirates)

Distance: 8,339 miles (13,420km)

Time: 16 hours, 30 minutes

THE WORLD’S SHORTEST FLIGHTS

Westray to Papa Westray, Scotland (Loganair)

Distance: 1.7 miles (2.7km)

Time: 2 minutes

Caye Chapel to Caye Caulker, Belize (Maya Island Air)

Distance: 2.4 miles (3.9km)

Time: 2 minutes

Minami-Daito to Kita-Daito, Philippines (Ryukyu Air Commuter)

Distance: 7 miles (11.3km)

Time: 15 minutes

Hoolehua (Molokai Airport) to Kalaupapa, Hawaii (Pacific Wings)

Distance: 8.8 miles (14.2km)

Time: 10 minutes

Connemara to Inishmann, Ireland (Aer Arann)

Distance: 10.4 miles (16.7km)

Time: 6 minutes

Source…..www.dailymail.co.uk

Natarajan

சிவனும் நக்கீரனும் – சிவாஜி தரும் வியப்பு…!!!

திருவிளையாடல்’ திரைப்படத்தில் வந்த சிவனையும் தருமியை நம்மால் மறக்கமுடியாது. அதற்குக் காரணம் சிவாஜியும் நாகேஷும்தான். தங்களது தெறிப்பான நடிப்பில் தமிழ் ரசிகர்களை திக்குமுக்காடச் செய்தவர்கள் அவர்கள்.

நாம் நினைத்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறோம், தருமி கதை வந்தது திருவிளையாடல் படத்தில்தான் என்று. உண்மையில், அதற்கும் பல ஆண்டுகள் முன்பே ஒரு திரைப்படத்தில் இக்காட்சி வந்துவிட்டது என்பது தெரியுமா?

தருமி, நக்கீரனுடனான சிவனின் திருவிளையாடலை தமிழ் சினிமா முன்னமே கண்டிருக்கிறது என்பது மட்டுமல்ல; அதிலும் சிவாஜி கலக்கியிருக்கிறார் என்பதுதான் ஆச்சரியம்.

இங்கு வீடியோவில் இடம்பெற்றுள்ள ‘நான் பெற்ற செல்வம்’ என்ற பழைய திரைப்படத்தில் வரும் இந்த ஒரு காட்சியில் நீங்கள் காணப்போவது ஒன்றல்ல… இரண்டு ஆச்சரியங்கள்!

Source….www.tamil.thehindu.com and http://www.youtube.com

Natarajan

Message for the Day…”What is the true ‘tapas’…” ?

Sathya Sai Baba

Krishna says in the Gita, “In all yajnas, I am the Doer, the Donor, the Consumer and the Acceptor.” That is the reason the chief priest in ayajna, is named Brahma. He must guide the rest of the ritualists with his wife by his side, or else, his credentials are inadequate. The wife represents faith (shraddha). Without faith, praise is hollow, adoration is artificial and sacrifice is a barren exercise. Really speaking, the heart is the ceremonial altar, the body is the fire-place, the hair is the holy grass (darbha), wishes are the fuel-sticks to feed the fire, desire is the ghee poured into the fire to make it burst into flame, anger is the sacrificial animal, and the fire is the tapas (penance) we accomplish. People sometimes interpret tapas as ascetic practices like standing on the head. This is not correct; tapas is not physical contortion. It is the complete and correct coordination of thought, word and deed. When this is achieved, the Divine splendour will manifest.

Here’s How a Facebook Group will Feed Over 1 Lakh People in Bangalore This October….

If every home in Bengaluru cooked 5 additional meals, would it ensure that the hungry don’t go to bed on an empty stomach? Here’s a community initiative that’s going to find out.

“This Dusshera, my aim is to try and ease Bangalore’s hunger problem.” So begins Mahita Fernandez’ post on the Facebook group Feed Your Neighbour.

The idea for the initiative, Feed Your Neighbour (FYN), came to Mahita in the wee hours of a night when she woke up hungry.

mahita

She says, “I woke up with a rumbling stomach around 3 am and felt thankful that I had food to eat. I then thought about the thousands in Bengaluru who are probably hungry and have nothing to eat. The very next morning, I put down the idea on paper and created the group to reach out to people.”

The Facebook group has since been joined by over 1,300 people.

Through the FYN initiative, Mahita aims to mobilise the community to cook and share food with the homeless and hungry in Bengaluru. The initiative, which will run from October 12-22, 2015, hopes to rally a minimum of 2,000 people who are willing to cook five extra meals each day. The food will then be distributed to the needy. This would also mean that across the eleven-day period, the initiative will have ensured that 1 lakh people do not go to bed on an empty stomach.

How does Feed Your Neighbour work?

FYN_F

While the FYN initiative primarily aims to do its part to ease Bengaluru’s hunger problem, it also hopes to build a sense of community among Bengalureans by giving them an opportunity to make a difference to the lives of those in need, via a ripple effect.

The initiative is simple – those interested in participating are required to cook a minimum of five meals which they will have to drop off at a particular point in their neighbourhood.

From here, volunteers will pick up the food and deliver them to the homeless and hungry.

pulav

Picture for representation only. Credit: vahrehvah.com

Mahita says that so far, around 900 people have agreed to provide food, and 75 others have signed up as volunteers to distribute the food. She is also looking for more volunteers to identify distribution points, and actually pick up and drop off the food. In addition, she is also looking for coordinators who can help with liaising with the volunteers, verifying the distribution points, etc. More details on this can be found here.

For those interested in being a part of the FYN initiative, here’s how you can get on board.

• Drop an SMS to +91 99723 24458 or a mail to feedyourneighbour@gmail.com with your name, locality, mobile number, email ID and what you would like to volunteer as.
• Those volunteering to cook are expected to cook a minimum of five packs of any rice-based dish like pulav, bisi bele bath, lemon rice, etc.
• Packing material will be provided so that quantities are standardised.
• The packed food will need to be dropped off at a designated point by 7 pm each day.
• From here, volunteers will distribute the food to the needy in various parts of the city.

Those people who are neither able to cook nor volunteer their time, but wish to be a part of the FYN initiative, can do so by donating money or by spreading the word. The funds collected will be used to purchase packing material, hire transportation for the pickup and distribution of food, etc. Mahita adds that if there is any excess money remaining after October 22, she will continue to distribute food to the needy till the money runs out.

How will the logistics be managed?

feeding1

Picture for representation only. Credit: Terry Feuerborn/pixabay.com

In addition to mobilising the community to cook, Mahita is also currently working with volunteers to identify areas where the food can be distributed. Most of the food that is collected from a particular neighbourhood, will be distributed in that neighbourhood itself.

Mahita clarifies, “There are some areas like MG road and Lavelle road from where people want to donate food. However, these areas do not have a proliferation of the homeless. We’re planning to distribute the food collected from such areas, elsewhere.”

She also adds that while most of the food will be distributed to people on the streets, homes for the destitute, beggars’ homes, slums etc. are also being looked at. She mentions how one of the volunteers suggested a colony of Metro workers in South Bengaluru as one of the distribution points.

Ask Mahita why she has targeted dinner time, and she responds, “Most volunteers are likely to be busy during the day with their jobs and home chores. And considering we are rolling this out during Dussehra, pujas even. Also, many of the people who we are distributing the food to are possibly employed, whether they are daily wage labourers or beggars. Dinner time is probably the most convenient for both our volunteers, and the people who we are looking to help out.”

Food to be packed in eco-friendly material

feeding2

Picture for representation only. Credit: Terry Feuerborn/Flickr

Mahita says that as far as possible, people are being handed eco-friendly material to pack the food.

“We are looking at giving out the food in boxes made from cardboard or other recyclable material,” she says. “However, there are some darshinis who have also agreed to send food. We can inform them, but we don’t really have control over what kind of packing material they will use.”

In addition, at the time of distributing the food, volunteers are being asked to inform the people who come to collect the food to dispose of the waste responsibly. Mahita hopes that educating them about this aspect will also sensitise them about proper waste management in the long run.

Mahita also believes that it is unlikely that there will be excess food. She says, “No matter how many people volunteer, the number of people who can do with a good meal will always be more. So we will ensure that the food reaches as many people as possible.”

She also expects that the number of people who come to collect the food is bound to increase over the ten days, as word gets out. Should this happen, she is in talks with caterers and darshinis who can help supply the additional food at subsidised costs.

To know more about the Feed Your Neighbour initiative and be a part of it, click here.

Written by Ganga Madappa for Women’s Feature Service (WFS) and republished here in arrangement with Citizen Matters. The story was originally published here. (c) Oorvani Foundation/Open Media Initiative. –

Source….Ganga Madappa….www.thebetterindia.com

Natarajan