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March 28, 2008
You get ‘Timed Out!’
I remember an interview of Bollywood comedian Johny Walker, which was shown on TV a couple of years back when he wasn’t doing much on the silver screen. The interviewer posted an interesting question to him. And the question was – how do you feel about not being in the limelight now, which you were there just a decade back? Johny Walker replied, “I have reached the top of Mount Everest, have placed my flag there and come back. I need not go there again and again to prove my worth.”
The irony of life is most people and predominantly most successful people fail to understand the impermanence of life. They forget to understand that they are saleable only in a particular period, and with time even currencies change and the older one becomes useless. In fact blessed are those who understand life and its pattern better.
K Balachander is considered to be the king of Tamil Cinema, who ruled it for almost 2 decades. He has given more hits than any other directors of Tamil Nadu. But if we ask him to direct a movie now - I am sure it will be a major flop. The simple truth is - life has timed him out. So is the case with most successful directors of movie industry. Even Hrishikesh Mukherjee could not give a hit, after his golden era.
Of course there are many exceptions. People like Amitabh Bacchan or Rajini Kanth have eternal success because they are not normal human beings. God is too good to them. But remember exceptions cannot be taken as role models or examples to lead our lives.
This phenomenon is not only true with movie industry, but also true with every career we take up. One day you have to stop working and prepare for death. And this is what we hate to do - we think we can restart our lives anytime, and in the process we fail miserably.
I have seen many people who retire from jobs, and invest their hard earned savings in some business thinking they will be great businessmen from now. It can never happen that way. How much ever good time you are running astrologically - you will only lose money – because life is getting ready to time you out. Hence you better accept it. Of course there are cases where people who have made it big post 58 years of age, but 99.99 per cent people aren’t exceptions, and as said previously exceptions cannot be taken as examples.
A strange phase comes in everyone life, wherein you have to stop doing what you enjoyed the most - Martina should quit tennis, Sachin should quit cricket, and Rajini should quit acting. Whether you are happy or unhappy about the same isn’t anybody’s botheration - but the event is bound to happen. And when you quit, sometimes you have an option to do something that is an extension of your past, and sometimes you are left with no option at all. It doesn’t make any difference though – the extension also dies with time! And you get timed out alone!
Will wait for the time when life wants me to stop astrology!
Posted by Kenni at 06:25 AM | Comments (0)
March 26, 2008
I am with Raj Thackeray!
If ‘personal identity’ weren’t a problem we would have never fought with the British for freedom! I strongly feel that British governance was far better than the present Indian joke of democracy, but we still fought against them because we wanted our own people to rule on us. We thought people with similar ‘personal identities’ would be better than the firangs.
This phenomenon of ‘personal identity’ depends on various factors like tradition, civilization, history, colour, caste, creed, religion, borders et al. And all of us knowingly or unknowingly are driven by at least one of them, and could become restless if we find a threat to any of our belief system.
I know talking about this particular topic would be nonsensical in the 21st Century, when the world is moving towards universal brotherhood and towards becoming a global village. But then India already has 2 new states in the last 10 years, and Darjeeling is now asking for different statehood. And astrologically in the coming 50 years, I strongly feel that India will split into more states and countries based on ‘personal identity.’ And also if universal brotherhood was true, then 99 per cent of the matrimonial advertisements till date won’t be mentioning their caste, sub caste and sub sub caste.
The new Maharashtra Hero Raj Thackeray is against Biharis domination in Marathi state. Well he is perfectly right. I read in one of the interviews, where he logically says that Rajni Kanth being in Tamil Nadu, and being successful in Tamil Nadu cannot propagate Marathi culture and tradition in Tamil Nadu. He has to stick to Tamil values, and boast only things related to Tamil. Point well taken. I know we all are Indians – that is a different story and debate altogether!
Experience 1
I had a Keralite friend who had gone to watch a movie at Sathyam Cinema in Chennai. It was when Gowtham Menon’s Pacchaikili Muthucharam was yet to be released and its posters were displayed. The Bollywood actor Milind Soman had a prominent role in the movie. When all were having a dekho at the poster, a well-educated North Indian IT professional commented to his friend in Hindi saying, “dekh Milind Soman ka kitna bura din aayaa hai. Madrasi picture mein kaam kar raha hai.” (see Milind Soman distress, he has started acting in Madrasi movies). I am least bothered about what kind of bad Milind Soman is running on his career front, but I hated the derogatory tone and also the derogatory statement just the way my Keralite friend hated. If I were there in the scene, I am sure I would have said, teri maa ki choot, you have the balls to put down Madrasis living in Chennai!?
Experience 2
One of my very good Hindi-speaking friends had to forcibly work in Chennai. And he stayed in Chennai for 2 long years. We have had enough arguments on this particular topic, and we still exist as good friends. I always have told him, how I hated him when he spoke to his Tamil-born-illiterate maid in English. He would even speak to the vegetable vendors in English, and would have the slightest guilt about doing so! His stand was clear - if the vegetable vendor doesn’t understand Hindi or English, it is not his problem!
Now you try doing the same in Bihar. Try speaking in Tamil or Dutch to a vegetable vendor in Bihar, and see what happens!
My friend was successful in not learning a single word of Tamil living in Chennai for 2 long years. And the whole of North India wants us to learn, read, write, understand a language, which was formed formally only in the year 1935 against a language like Tamil, which has its existence since human civilization. Well I would say make Sanskrit as a national language. Let us all suffer learning a new language altogether. Why should the North have the upper hand? Why should the South struggle to learn someone else’s mother’s tongue, when they themselves are so closed to any other Indian language?
Experience 3
My sister was there in Belgium for a couple of years, and her husband had to attend a crash course in Dutch to manage with people around. The natives would give you a dirty look, if you start your conversation in English before making it clear that you understand only English and not Dutch.
Similarly every state in India should have their own crash courses in state language, and it should be made compulsory for all the new comers - learn the language in 6 months or you lose your job. You cannot continue to hover around shamelessly showing off your English fluency and Hindi fluency to people who haven’t even learnt to read their own native language.
There is another twist to the story. In one of the articles published recently about India, I read that the population control measures were carried out more aggressively in the South than the North. No wonder families in UP, MP or Bihar have more people than in the South. And in the next 10 years or so, there will be a drastic fall in the population of South India, which will force them to download people from the North for work. This was done deliberately to increase the Hindi belt!!
I am not against any caste, creed, community, language, statehood or religion, but I am against every kind of ‘domination’ from any caste, creed, community, language, statehood or religion!
I am with Raj Thackeray !
Posted by Kenni at 05:44 AM | Comments (0)
March 25, 2008
Where’s the equality part?
Men and women are equals. And after they get married to each other they should treat each other with utmost equality. They should give equal rights and also give enough freedom to each other. Both can have their own thoughts, expressions and also can have a career they think is right for them. They should not or need not interfere with each other’s career, and preferably men should not lay down rules and regulations to her spouse. These things would be so good, if only if they were true…
Recently talking to a friend of mine I happen to learn that men in Germany these days are afraid to get married. I asked why? And my friend said, women in Germany these days are on a business prowl. They get married to a man of a good career and money, and after a year or two file for a divorce. In the process the woman has nothing to lose, while the man lose half his fortune in the name of alimony or compensation!
I was going through Yahoo.com today, and they had put an interesting case study about the costliest divorces of Hollywood –
Michael Jordan and Junaita Vanoy
Michael Jordan, the basketball superstar, had to shell out $168 million to get divorce from his ex-wife, Juanita Vanoy, after 17 years of togetherness.
Neil Diamond and Marcia Murphey
Singer-songwriter Neil Diamond settled an estimated $150 million to Marcia Murphey, whom he married in 1969. They divorced in 1996. Diamond later said Murphey, his second wife, was 'worth every penny.' (Very well said)
Steven Spielberg and Amy Irving
Oscar-winning director Steven Spielberg's first marriage, to actress Amy Irving, ended in 1989 with his ex-spouse awarded roughly half of the filmmaker's fortune, about $100 million.
Harrison Ford and Melissa Mathison
Movie star Harrison Ford has reportedly paid his second wife, Melissa Mathison, a whopping $85 million in a record-breaking divorce settlement.
Kevin Costner and Cindy Silva
Screen star Kevin Costner had an estimated $80 million settlement obtained by his first spouse, Cindy Silva, whose 16-year marriage to the actor spanned his peak earning years.
Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman
When Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman parted in 2001 it was reported that, in dividing up their reputed fortune of $350 million, Kidman got $4.3 million, a five-bedroom mansion in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles and a house in Sydney, Australia. (I surely would want to be a born a beautiful girl in my next life)
John and Beverly Charman
Multi-millionaire businessman and an insurance magnate, John Charman, had been ordered to pay his former wife, Beverly Charman, 48 million pound ($97 million) after 27 years of marriage. It is the biggest divorce award in British legal history.
If men and women were equal, and if marriage brings the same level of happiness and grief to both, and if sexual need and contentment is equal for both – then why are only men made the prey to pay? Why don’t women pay any alimony in return?
I am sure men were dumb so far, and they won’t be in future. These days to save our asses we have something called pre-nuptial agreement wherein both the couple sign a document, which talks about provision for the division of property and wealth during dissolution of marriage.
So men - don’t get married in a hurry. If not a virginity test, at least sign a prenuptial agreement before getting married to save yourself from a probable bankruptcy!
Posted by Kenni at 11:11 AM | Comments (0)
March 21, 2008
Will the stock market fall further?
On October 19, 2007 when the Stock Market was at 19,000 points I had mentioned the following –
*.....how it was visible looking at the points Sensex had touched - 19000! I said don’t worry it will fall soon, and when it will fall it will be horror – to the extent that people will start committing suicides! (Well that was a strong statement, but then very much possible!) And the very next day the market fell 200 points, and is still falling!
*So what is my take on the topic? Anything that grows very fast comes down at the same speed – that is the rule of life - and any growth should always be gradual. The DOT COM industry came down, because it grew too fast in too little time. Now it is stabilized. Same way Sensex touching 19000 is too fast in 2 years, and it will come down drastically and stabilize at 10000 to 12000 points.
To be honest I didn’t use any astrological analysis for this prediction. I used only my insight, few expert advices and also God’s grace to a large extent.
Today it is at 14, 994 points and to avoid panic the market is kept closed for 2 days! So will it fall more – the answer is yes – it will!
Few Random Thoughts
I am ashamed at how we Indians create an illusion around ourselves about India’s development and how we believe in what these politicians say in the name of India Shining! Wherever you are, and whichever city you are, just travel 50 kms from it and you will see the real India.
Huge IT buildings in metros, modern shopping malls in cities, and multiplexes aren’t signs of development. India will and can develop only when farmers make good money. No wonder 9000 farmers committed suicide when Chandrababu Naidu was busy in beautifying Hyderabad!
I read in a recent newspaper about how happy Coke is happy about its business in India, and how happy they are in investing some 1000 crores in India. Why wouldn’t they be happy? They use Indian water, they use Indian cheap labours, they use Indian market to sell their product, and are least bothered about the farmers who get affected miserably due to shortage of water for irrigation due to their water-consuming plants.
These days advertisements ask us to eat Oats instead of Idli and dosas, and we think may be the West is right. We forget to think that they eat red meat almost most of the days, which balances their energy levels, which we don’t. Watch any herbivorous animal they keep eating the whole day, and where as carnivorous animals can go for weeks together after a heavy meal. Indians eat vegetarian food most of the times hence just a bowl of oats won’t suffice! That was the reason why Indians always stuck to a heavy break fast!
Former Indian President Abdul Kalam can be successful in selling few more copies of his book by saying India will be a developed country in 2020. But the fact will remain that until and unless Indian economy doesn’t depend on the US or UK, and that India becomes self reliant – we can never be a developed country for centuries to come.
We started our slavery by imitating the Moghuls for a while then came the British who made us look down upon our own vernacular language. And now we are slaves at the American hands – directly and as well as indirectly! It is shameful that our economy depends on American recession!
Long live India!
Posted by Kenni at 07:06 AM | Comments (0)
March 19, 2008
What irritates me the most!
The new age guru Paramahansa Nithyananda had a beautiful thing to say once. He said the most difficult thing to be sold in India is religion and spirituality. The reason is simple. Like asses (donkeys to be precise) which eat the movie posters stuck on walls all over, we all tend to read books and gain information from all possible sources and think we ourselves are Gurus. We behave as if we are the ‘know all’ and that we are already enlightened. Try talking about spirituality to anyone in India – and they will give you the best insights, which even the enlightened masters cannot give. And ask about their personal spiritual experiences – they will stare like an owl!
In India we have this major problem. We refuse to accept that there could be anything under the sky we cannot do. We think we know to repair the footwear, we think we know to fix a fan, we think we know to cut our hair, we think we know to fix a fuse, we think we know to cook, we think we are the best photographers, and we think we are masters in spiritual subjects. If we all know everything – then why do professional exist? They can just masturbate and die in solitude!
There ought to be a difference between an amateur and a professional. And the difference is subtle - an amateur has not done enough mistakes, which a professional has already committed. And that is what experience is all about.
We all know to drive a car, but all who know to drive a car cannot drive on the racetrack. All who know to operate a camera cannot be a photographer. And all who have read books on astrology or or Numerology or Vaastu Shastra of Feng Shui or Palmistry cannot be astrologers.
I face this funny situation sometimes. Few clients suddenly in middle of the consultation start talking about astrological jargons – just to show off that they aren’t illiterate. I simply tell them – if you know, you need not ask me. And if you ask me then you better keep your mouth shut. I know it is arrogant, but it important too. No wonder when we visit a doctor, he makes us close our mouth by placing a thermometer! I need to invent a similar tool I guess.
It is good that people try to understand new subjects. But when you seek help, it simply means you haven’t found the answer yourself. And when you haven’t found the answer, it is better to listen to someone who knows the answer than to argue about what you already know.
So the next time when you meet a professional – it could be a cobbler, a painter, a mechanic, an IT professional, or an electrician just allow him to do his work. You of course can watch what he is doing, but avoid poking your nose – it really irritates anybody even me!
Posted by Kenni at 07:05 AM | Comments (0)
March 18, 2008
I am settled once again!
A week without a house was an interesting experience. Reading my previous blog, one of my celebrity clients offered his house in Chennai for me to live. But unfortunately I could not make use of the opportunity, but I admired his kind gesture.
To kill the time we visited Elagiri, a small hill station near Chennai (4 hours drive from Chennai), and stayed there for 2 days. And rest of the 4 days I stayed at my sister’s place. So there wasn’t any problem as such. As rightly said by one of my friends – the fear of an uncertain tomorrow is worse than the real event itself.
Finally we have shifted to the new place. And this house is one of the best houses I have ever lived in – God’s grace I should say. It is an individual house, and the house owner has constructed with immense love and attention, which is visible from all the amenities he has provided to make life better and easy.
I have a BSNL landline now, with a BSNL broadband connection too. And BSNL is supposed to be one of the best broadbands in India because it is said to have least men involved in its operations.
I have updated my new address here, and also the new phone numbers you can get in touch with me.
I am providing the same here once again –
Landline - (044) 22584398
Mobile – (0) 93801 63369
My New Address
G. Kennedi
Plot No - 4, 2nd Main Road,
Engineer's Avenue, Unmai Nagar,
S-Kolathur,
Chennai 600 117,
Tamil Nadu
Posted by Kenni at 07:14 AM | Comments (0)
March 07, 2008
A week of nomad’s life?
I have got a new house – for rent of course. I saw only 2 houses, and finalized the first one. I should thank God for providing me a house without the involvement of the Social Criminals – precisely the house brokers – who happen to be the main cause for rising the real estate values just for the sake of one month rent they acquire from the new tenants. In fact I also have to thank Sulekha.com classifieds for making the house search a mere cakewalk. I will keep the description of the house for later.
My house owner wanted me to vacate the present house this Saturday i.e., tomorrow, and the new house is ready to occupy only on 15th. And there are 7 days in between!
My sister has got a house in Chennai, but taking all the furniture to her house and stacking it there would be a problem I thought. And I didn’t know anyone who could be of any help – both for my furniture and family. My sister and me were thinking what to do next? And we thought of typing Sulekha.com again.
This time we were searching for warehouses and godowns that could probably agree to keep my furniture for a week or so. Family wasn’t a problem – we can stay anywhere. Godowns and warehouses didn’t seem feasible. We called one of our friends and he said any packers and movers services have this facility of keeping your furniture for days together, and they charge Rs 100 per day.
We typed Sulekha.com again, and entered my name, phone number, and email ID. And with in 5 minutes we got calls from 5 Packers and Movers service. We bargained for the rates, and a representative reached my house in 30 mns! The deal was good – picking from the old house, stacking it in their godown for a week and then dropping the same at the new house came to around 3k.
The furniture is taken care of now. And for us as a family we don’t have a house to reside! The present scenario looks challenging, and I think this is the first time in my life I have had a situation where in I don’t have a house to live. I will keep you updated about what my family and I did in these 7 days of nomadic life!
Posted by Kenni at 07:12 AM | Comments (0)
March 05, 2008
Looking out for a rented house in Chennai!
Astrology has taught me one important thing in life and that is to become ‘STILL.’ It precisely is a state of doing nothing, which doesn’t necessarily mean that I have a laid back attitude or I have become lazy. It is a condition where you neither seek nor avoid – you just try to be, and try to be a witness. It is simple - when you know how your future is going to unfold, and when you know that your destiny cannot be changed a bit, and when you know that whatever has to happen will happen anyways - then where is the need to put any effort and to struggle in life?
The best example to understand this concept is to imagine a river with strong currents taking people with it. Here river is life, current is destiny, and people are we. Of course we have been trained to swim and struggle and put efforts to reach the shores, but then what if we stop doing anything and just try to float and allow the river to take us to the place where we are destined to belong. In this process you stop worrying, you save your energy, and also you have no regrets or complaints about life – because whatever has happened, has happened for the best and was perfectly in divine tune.
Well when Saturn moved into Simha (Leo) in the later months of year 2006 and early months of year 2007 – I thought I would be changing my house – rather I thought there will be a change in place of residence for me. I kept my predictions about me to myself, and didn’t reveal them to anyone – including my wife.
Out of the blue one day my wife started looking out for new houses. I didn’t comment about the Saturn factor to her. And suddenly in the month of March 2007 – she stopped seeing houses. And this was exactly the period when Saturn went back to Kataka. So astrologically there won’t be any change in house at least till the later months of year 2007, when Saturn would move into Simha once again after it completed its retrograde period in Kataka.
Astrologically when Saturn moved into Simha once again – it should ideally bring change in place of residence for me in the later months of year 2007 and early months of year 2008 – and I couldn’t see any signs of it until Mid-January 2008, when one fine morning I got a call from my land lady. I was driving, and asked my wife to pick up the call. Normally both of them are good over the phone to each other, but that particular day they had some heated arguments, and as an extension – my landlady asked us to vacate the house. And my wife agreed immediately.
I personally thought that the fight wasn’t a serious one, and that my landlady was just threatening us. But no, she had really meant it. I got a call from her yesterday to vacate the house before the coming Saturday, and I have 3 days more to go. Finally Saturn transit has done its job. It has forced me look out for a new house. We have checked few houses already – thanks to Sulekha.com classifieds, and if you have any lead do let me know-
Here is my add for a rented house -
Family of 4 – husband (33), wife (27) and 2 kids (6 and 3)– is looking out for a 2 bed room house in Chennai, preferably in and around areas like - Velacherry, Adyar, Besant Nagar, Thiruvanmayur, Perungudi, OMR, and Kottivakam. Rent negotiable, advance negotiable. The tenant was a non-vegetarian, and still supports non-vegetarianism, had a mixed parentage, is not a Brahmin family luckily, was baptized, loves Islam, and follows Hinduism, and is not circumcised – if that really matters.
Posted by Kenni at 12:59 PM | Comments (0)
March 04, 2008
I am back!
I am back. In fact I was back from the pilgrimage on 20th January itself. But then it takes a bit of time to adjust to the materialistic life after few months of abstinence. Thanks to my wife – she dragged me to all the eat outs, shopping malls, and movie halls, which she had avoid during my abstinence. Now she is tired, and I got some time to reestablish my focus in life.
This year my trip to Sabarimala was awesome. It was specifically good for 2 reasons. One - because this was the first time I went to see Makara Jothi, and secondly 2 new guys with excellent sense of humour had joined our group. The secret of happyness was understood the best during this pilgrimage. Walking barefooted on those mountains with 3-4 kgs of Irumudi on head, some 10 kgs on the back bag, sitting under scorching sun, with little water to drink, no proper food to eat, and no enough place to sleep – we still had smiles on our faces, and laughter with every joke cracked. This was the best example to prove that – happiness doesn’t depend on external factors but it is an internal phenomenon!
Just a week before we left there were news that some 23 people died in stampede. The fear was too much for us, but when we reached there the crowd was manageable. People were patient, helpful, and intelligent. Looking at the crowd it was quite obvious that the number 23 was indeed a meager number.
The event goes this way – every year from Pamba, Lord Ayyappa’s jewellery box is taken to the Sanctum Sanctorum through Periyanavattam. At Periyanavattam a special puja is done, and also dance is performed by the bhaktas. When the jewellery box is taken from Periyanavattam to Pamba, a distance of 8 kms or so, 2 bald neck eagles will be spotted in the sky, which is supposed to guard the jewellery box. And it happened!
When the jewellery box was taken from Pamba, and when the puja was performed at Periyanavattam – I spotted 2 eagles beautifully flying in the vast sky, where there were NO signs of OTHER birds or other eagles flying!! Logic was defied. In fact these eagles kept flying till the jewellery box reached the Sanctum Sanctorum, and was seen no more after 6.30 pm.
One of my friends also spotted actor Naseeruddin Shah with the team carrying the jewellery box! Surely a pilgrimage, which breaks religious barriers!
My teammate had told me that the best place to witness the Makara Jothi was Periyanavattam, and to have the best darshan you need to stand in the river for hours together. They were right.
We reserved our place at 2 pm, and stood in the river. At 6.30 pm, when the place was getting darker, there were at least a lakh people already standing in the river. At around 6.35 pm we could spot the lonely star, and it was said just near to that you will see the Makara Jothi. And at around 6.45 pm we could see Makara Jothi flashing 3 times with all its glory! An experience to cherish forever! And seeing is always believing!
Posted by Kenni at 05:08 AM | Comments (0)