Urban Flooding - Is this a ticking time bomb?

Monsoons are life line for South Asian countries, where more than 50% of the population rely on agriculture for their livelihood. An ever growing population needs all this water to sustain and thrive.

On one hand this monsoon season can be a boon, but can also create havoc and bring in disaster. Off late you hear about urban flooding more frequently than a couple of decades back. Simple answer which comes to mind is global warming, in-efficient systems etc. I wondered what could be the underlying issues? Are we anywhere responsible for this? Can we rectify or reduce the curse during the monsoons?

What is a typical landscape of a large/medium sized city in India or its sub-continent in today's context

1. Ever increasing population pushing the city limits.
2. Fast paced construction of homes, roads, shops, schools, industries, malls, etc. 
3. Decreasing number of trees, green patches, parks and gardens, natural water bodies like lakes, ponds.
4. Sub-optimal drainage/sewer system not designed to handle increasing demand from all it's users.

Have we every thought of the following

1. We have more concrete and paved area than ever before in these cities, every shrinking green and open patches reducing the ability of rain water to seep into mother earth.
2. Construction of drainage and sewer systems happens at the end (sometimes never considered) for any new township or area getting developed.
3. Planning for "Rainy Days" is never considered. We believe in getting something done, not thinking through the impact.
4. Lack of civic sense, garbage disposal system and use of cheap plastic products in various forms adds to the choking/clogging of these drainage system, leading to water logging.
5. Vanishing water bodies and no water catchment plan in place, means inability to hold on to precious rain water for future use.

It is not about the flooding, the loss of property and damages takes a toll on the economy. We are also losing precious ground water around these city which can be catastrophic if we don't have these open patches and ensure a way to replenish this precious commodity -"Fresh Portable Water". You can only out so much.

We all are somewhere responsible and can do our little part along with city planning to ensure these cities don't become just become a concrete jungle. A green and open city will only become the feasible solution to have a comfortable city life.

Would love to get your views and may be some better solutions :). 

Being Happy - A choice you make

"Happiness is a state of mind" is a simple yet powerful statement. Modern fast paced lifestyle, where everyone is rushing and running to achieve something, we seldom stop, think or ask ourselves - what makes me happy?

It might sound bizarre, but many of us may not be able to give a quick simple answer. We often start counting things, people or places that will/can make me feel happy. It can be a challenge to pin point that one thing that makes you happy.

What does happiness mean?

The meaning of happiness differs from each one of us. We often relate it to materialistic pleasures. They certainly bring us the comfort and improves our living condition. Basic food and shelter can bring in the world of happiness to a hungry and poor person whereas driving a Rolls Royce to another. Happiness is that state where your mind, soul and body are in sync and you radiate positive energy. It is not something that you need to search, but you feel and create.

Here are a few pointers that may help to create this positive radiant energy

1. Having an aim / goal is good, but enjoying the journey is key. Don't wait till you reach it. Happiness does not always come at the end

2. Looking at the bright side of any situation makes one more positive, optimistic and happy. Thinking the glass is half full always helps

3. Everyone has their own journey and it is not yours. The sooner we realize this and not compare ours with anyone, makes you more rational and helps you sail through the waves

4. Your reaction to someone's action, will be dictated by your attitude. You could frown and loose your cool or focus on how you could keeping doing better. Choice is yours

5. Being content is important with what you have this moment as there are many who don't have what you take for granted. This does not mean you are not working towards your goal

6. You don't control how others think, work or react. You can only do your bit with the right attitude and frame of mind

7. Humility and being empathetic only makes you feel better. It is not your weakness, but acts as a strength

8. If you are doing something to prove a point, then most likely it is a race and not a journey that will bring in happiness

9. Prioritizing what is most important to you and what will give you the peace of mind. This helps to align and work towards your new objective with ease.

The question is whether we are willing to make the right choices for us. Nothing is impossible if you have the right attitude and willing to chance.

Happiness is within, we just need to nurture it.

Would love to get your thoughts

Diamond Triangle of Odisha - Buddhist Monasteries at Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri and Udayagiri

Bhubaneswar is known as a city of temples and the town of Puri for its majestic shrine of Lord Jagannath.  Many may not have heard that Odisha has been a center of Buddhism and it dates back to the 1st century.
Buddhist monastery complex of the Vajrayan sect called Pashupagiri housed in Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri and Udayagiri. These three Buddhist destinations form the Diamond Triangle of Odisha.

The remains of the rich art, monasteries now nestles within the hills and greens of Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri and Udayagiri. Less than 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the state capital Bhubaneswar, these places take you back in time and show the magnanimity and influence of Buddhism in the Kingdom of Kalinga and under emperor Ashoka.


Lalitagiri : The excavations at Lalitagiri have led to the discovery of the earliest Buddhist complex in the area which dates back to the 1st century AD. Buddhist attractions here include ruins of a large brick monastery, a number of votive stupas and a renovated stone stupa at the top of a small rugged sandstone hill. A museum that exhibits numerous Mahayana sculptures including colossal Buddha figures, huge Boddhisattva statues, statues of Tara, Jambhala and others. Some of the sculptures have brief inscriptions on them.

Ratnagiri : Excavations at Ratnagiri in the Birupa river valley in Jajpur district, have so far been the richest in terms of cultural treasures. There are two large monasteries, a big stupa and numerous votive stupas that indicate towards the powerful impact that Buddhism had in the times of the Gupta king Narasimha Gupta Baladitya (first half of the sixth century A.D.). Buddhism progressed in this region leaps and bounds till the 12th century AD.

Udayagiri : Excavation have unearthed remains of Buddhist brick monastery that perhaps flourished between the period of 7th and 12th century AD. Recently, it has also come to light that the ancient name of the monastery was Madhavpura Mahavira.

A good day trip on a winter morning to help take your mind and soul back in time. From the hustle and bustle of daily city life, you can be in the midst of nature and visualize the rich culture and heritage that India has to offer.

LEADER - Simplified

In my quest to keep things simple, I wanted to understand what or who is a LEADER? What are some of the key traits/attributes that possibly makes one a better than the other. We all have our own ways of defining this incredibly overused word - LEADER.

L - Listening - We all love to express ourselves - verbally or through our actions. Listening ("Actively") is the biggest trait of a leader. "Listening to Respond" is completely different than being engaged and actively listening. When you listen ("Actively"), you understand the point of view and appreciate any situation better. A must have for all successful leaders.

E - Empathy - An empathetic person creates a positive vibe and environment around any workplace. One needs to be empathetic and not sympathetic. A leader needs have "that" personal connect and understanding while being real.

A - Attitude - It is all about ATTITUDE ("Loads of Positive Ones"). Situations will be tough and challenging, however positive attitude of a person distinguishing him/her from the rest. Attitude drives the way one handles a situation making you a "LEAD BY EXAMPLE" kind of a leader.

D - Decision Making - Leaving issues or problems under the rug/carpet turns to be painful and can catch fire. This happens primarily because of poor decision making or being in-decisive. The team looks up to a leader and is expecting to make a decision based on all weighted out facts and risks. Taking a decision and standing with it is key.

E - Enthusiasm - This is infectious. We all have met or seen individuals who become the life to any party. A person who is enthusiastic and positive, invigorates the workplace and acts as a positive catalyst. Stressful workplace kills productivity and one's own health at the least.

R - Reach - Always making the time for subordinates or colleagues who reach out, is a hallmark of a great leader. This only happens when a person is humble and empathetic to others. If no one can reach you, how can you convey any message? how can you possibly know the ground reality? how can anyone know who you really are?

There are no golden rules to be a great successful leader, but we all can inculcate some good traits in us to become a better person tomorrow.

Would like to get your thoughts and see what you all feel :) - My 2 Cents

LEARNING - Simplified

We learn from the day we are born and this process continues until our brain keeps ticking. The amount of learning does varies from one to another, however certain traits can help increase this. Based on my experience, I feel the following attributes/traits help us to evolve into our better selves.


L - Love yourself - Loving yourself is the first step in building self-confidence and a kick start to learn and improve ourselves. Without this, we manage to shut all our doors to a better or improved tomorrow.

E - Eager -  Being eager or curious is the next key trait that keeps us constantly seeking for something new and uncovers new found knowledge. It is key for one to be curious in order to accept and seek things we don't know.

A - Attitude - Attitude is everything. This drives us to visualize and respond to a given situation. This is applicable to learning something new and keep us going. Here I would say "POSITIVE" attitude is important.

R - Read  - Reading is not just going through books, journal or articles, but this could be reading your surroundings. Reading our surroundings (people and situations) also teaches us important life lessons.

N - Nurture - Learning grows when you nurture your mind and soul. This can be easily achieved by sharing your experience and knowledge selflessly with others. Many fear that is may diminish their competitive edge, but this truly helps you to solidify your learning and go beyond.

I - Inspire - Being an inspiration to another person is the greatest possible feeling of satisfaction. When you inspire someone, you actually internally realize that your learning, knowledge, personality and contribution is in the positive direction and you have made a difference in someone's life.

N - Notice - When one is vigilant to changes around them and start noticing what is working or not, it often propels the mind to become more curious and learn. This becomes cyclic with time and you start rolling.

G - Gratitude - Be thankful for everything you have. Gratitude is wonderful antidote that keeps you level headed and stimulates the mind to learn better. This helps creating a better you with time.

Finally, LEARNING is a variable and is dependent on all these traits / attributes. To maximize the value, one needs to improve on the attributes.