Feeds:
Posts
Comments

THE COUNTDOWN IS OVER!

December 23, 2012 by ashokbhatia

If you are reading this on the 23rdof December, 2012, it is proof enough that the world has not come to an end on the 21st of this month!

Quite a few doomsday believers had interpreted an ancient Mayan calendar to indicate that on the fateful day of 21st of December, 2012, a 5,125-year cycle known as the Long Count would come to an end. So, they had predicted an end of the world on that day.

You may be aware that this prediction had come in handy for many glum faced entrepreneurs and marketing professionals in these hard-hit recessionary times. As a result, employment prospects had improved for many in several countries. In USA, sales of survival shelters had sky-rocketed. In France, China and Russia demand for candles and essential items had shot up sharply. Film producers had a field day cashing in on the fear psychosis.

Had the world really ended that day, you would have never known what eventually happened to President Obama’s difficulties. The manner in which the Euro-zone crisis had got resolved would have remained a mystery. The fate of Afghanistan would have remained unclear. The manner in which ties between Japan and China had shaped up after the elections in Japan would have never been known to you.

Closer home,Chief Minister of a big state which had just gone to the polls would have possibly lost a chance of fulfilling his prime ministerial ambitions in the 2014 general elections. Our legislative bodies would have been denied further luxury of delaying vital pieces of legislation through shadow-boxing. MNCs wanting to invest in India would no longer have been around twiddling their thumbs to figure out how to kick-start their businesses in India, weaving their way through the corruption-infested systems we have in place.

If you happen to be a public-spirited soul, you would have never known which VIPs are being targeted next by our self-anointed anti-corruption crusaders. The eventual fate of the Aam Aadmi Party would have been lost to posterity, thereby denying you some chance of cleaning up our political arena. For the poorest amongst you, there would have been no way of knowing if the ruling party’s plans of direct transfer of benefits to your bank account had indeed fructified. Benefits of economic growth trickling down to you would no longer have been possible.

Had the end come, your dreams of making a trip either to Moon or to Mars, or even settling down there, would have come to a naught. For the well-heeled amongst you who had planned to have an exciting vacation covering the Grand Canyon, the Niagara Falls, the fjords in Norway, Mount Titlis, or an overnight boat ride in the famous backwaters of Kerala, grave disappointment would have been in store.

Plans for lavish New Year parties or grand resolutions would have been mercilessly cut short. Just-married couples would have been denied the opportunity of raising bright-eyed kids who would have delighted their grandparents no end. Those with young children would have never known how their progeny fared in the competitive exams for acquiring professional degrees which would have improved their lot in life.

For the tech-savvy amongst you, the roll-out of 4G would have remained a pipe dream. You would have also lost the chance of fiddling with the latest i-Pads, tablets and smart phones due to hit the market pretty soon. The debate of freedom of speech over the internet would have been left inconclusive.

As to the artistically inclined, the remainder of the December music season in Chennai would have been sorely missed. Fans of Salman Khan and Kamal Hasan would have been severely disappointed if they had missed the first day shows of Dabangg-2 and Viswaroopam.

So while you enjoy your steaming cup of filter coffee while devouring the contents of today’s edition of your favourite newspaper, be grateful for the fact that the countdown is over for now, and the end is still far away. Catch up with a good night’s sleep, because today is winter solstice – the longest night in the year!

Celebrate the fact that the inexorable march of humanity towards the next step of its evolution continues uninterrupted!

 

 

Posted in A Vibrant Life! | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment »

A FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE IN MEDICAL TOURISM!

December 14, 2012 by ashokbhatia

I recently had the uplifting experience of being confined to a public hospital of repute. I call the experience “uplifting” because of the simple reason that if I were to forget the medical problem and just concentrate on the overall experience, both the body and the soul were truly enriched by the time my confinement had ended.

I have stayed in private as well as in public hospitals. We often speak of the latter in deprecatory terms. The term “government hospital” invariably leads us to imagine dingy corridors, dust-covered wards, negligent and indifferent doctors and nurses, and equipment which is seldom found in working order. Well, a recent experience of mine has been rather different. The doctors have a richer exposure, and commercial considerations do not overtake health issues.

I found that staying in a public hospital eventually disperses the pall of gloom which envelopes one on knowing of a medical problem. Moreover, the experience has its funnier aspects which leave one convinced that a brief stay of ten days not only changes one’s outlook on life but also reveals its sunnier side!

In Safe Hands!

The pre-admission check-ups led me to various “speciality” departments of the hospital. Even though my problem pertained to the abdomen, my eyes, teeth, heart, lungs, kidney, liver as well as my feet were all subjected to a complex battery of tests. Surprisingly, the doctors did not think there was anything wrong with my grey matter, so the brain was – thankfully – let off the hook. All the brisk walking that I had to do within the hospital campus left me in a much fitter shape than I ever was.

Interspersed with social distractions, it took as many as ten visits spread over six weeks before I could secure the coveted admission slip. I confess this feat would not have been possible without a strong will-power. Of particular help were the juices of patience and perseverance sloshing about within us. The underlying spirit of perfection which permeated the whole pre-admission process left me in awe of the robust systems which are in place. The fact that an allopathic view of the body is highly segmented and organ-centric did lead to inconvenience. However, at the end of it all, I felt that I was in safe hands!

An Unjustified Feeling of Being Lucky

Once diagnosed and advised to get admitted, I needed the support of two able-bodied relatives for a week to get a room allotted. The endless running from pillar to post made me learn the value of team work. When entering the hospital with our bag and baggage, we had to negotiate our way through the over-crowded corridors. Our experience and skills in weaving our car through the arterial roads of the metropolis we live in came in handy. It took us some time for our nasal faculties to get adjusted to the all-pervading smell of disinfectants.

On the way to the room allotted to me, human suffering in various forms was clearly visible. As a result, my own ailment paled into insignificance. Suddenly, a realization dawned that I was luckier to have a sickness which was much more manageable. Looking at people of all shapes and sizes with hopelessness oozing out of their sullen eyes, I thanked the Almighty for having been kinder to me than to quite a few others.

Being in a Medical Zoo

Once I and my wife had settled down in the room, we had a feeling as if we were either in a fish bowl or in a zoo. Just like the hapless animals confined to their cages, much away from their natural habitat, we were in a room, temporarily uprooted by fate from our home and hearth. In a zoo, the poor animals get ogled at, teased and harassed by the visiting public. Likewise, it was pretty normal for us to be visited by a group of enthusiastic as well as not-so-enthusiastic doctors, nurses, paramedics and other staff.

I dare say that the animals in a zoo are much better off; they at least have fixed visiting hours. We had no such luck. Late in the night, when we had switched off the lights and believed ourselves to have earned a night’s reprieve, a group of interns walked in, asking all kinds of questions regarding my medical history and current predicaments.

Animals get fed at random by some naughty kids, egged on by their cheering parents. In the hospital, I was fed medicines from time to time by the visiting nurses. I dare not call them naughty, because some of them wore a stern look which would have put a Hitler to shame.

Suprabhatam

Early morning, we would get rudely woken up by the cleaning lady at some ungodly hour. Her concept of playing “Suprabhatam” was a loud and unending banging on the door. The rude banging, reminding me of the percussion beats of a broken tabla would continue till the time my wife gingerly got up and switched on the lights.

Throughout the day, at frequent intervals, nurses would waltz in, either drawing a blood sample, or taking body temperatures, or simply reminding us to arrange our things tidily since the doctors would be on their routine rounds soon. A single doctor would pop up, aiming to check my blood pressure and pulse rate. A gang of doctors would then troop in, shoot a couple of perfunctory questions, and leave us wondering what would happen next. Specialists from various disciplines like cardiology, orthopaedic and ophthalmology would keep turning up in an endless stream throughout the day.

A Delighted Better Half!

Cleaning ladies, maids serving three meals and milk, coffee etc. in the day, would make a beeline for our room, ensuring that we both were well fed. This kind of dietary pampering left my wife in high spirits after a very long time. She no longer had to worry about the cooking and household management issues that plague her at home.

Experiencing Medical Tourism

We had several Good Samaritans supporting our unique venture in medical tourism. Delicious home cooked meals were just a call away. Internet connectivity was never an issue, though we never got leisurely time to enjoy the same. Supplies like newspapers, fruits, snacks and biscuits kept pouring in automatically.

One afternoon, a charming friend walked in and we had a leisurely chat on spiritual matters. Another evening, a friend walked in with piping hot samosas. Wife volunteered to use her electric kettle to produce a few cups of tea. A senior acquaintance walked in, only to find a rather boisterous tea party in progress. Overcoming his surprise and amazement, he lost no time in joining in!

Absolute Surrender

On the day of the surgery, it was as if my physical body had been forced to surrender, albeit not to a higher force but to an angel doctor who played God at that point in time. Post-operative care was compassionate and even small complaints were promptly attended to. On our request, the nurse on duty ensured that we were not woken up very early, but only at a more decent hour when it was absolutely necessary. This speeded up my recovery.

Why Public Hospitals Score Over Private Ones

By the time my treatment got over, I was not only healthier but also wiser. Having dutifully paid my taxes all through my working life, I realized the good silent work the government was doing in running these institutions of excellence, where the best possible medical care was being made available to the public at a minimal cost. Due to a much better exposure to various kinds of ailments, the technical knowledge of the doctors was much better than in privately managed hospitals. Above all, the patient is only expected to fall in line with the system and be “patient”, rather than being viewed as yet another money-making apparatus for the hospital.

Home, Sweet Home!

At the end of the ordeal, I look outside the window of my bedroom and notice that the birds are chirping merrily, the sun is shining brightly on a lazy winter morning, flowers are in full bloom, colourful butterflies are flitting about seeking their daily dose of nectar and the bees and the ants are going about their daily chores with much zest and vigour. Sipping a cup of tea, I fondly remember the efficient doctors, caring nurses and empathic staff I had come across during this unique medical sojourn!

Posted in A Vibrant Life! | Tagged , , | 2 Comments »

GETTING A MORAL COMPASS WOULD BE A SOUND BUSINESS STRATEGY FOR INDIA INC.

December 9, 2012 by ashokbhatia

It is heartening to note that as many as six large Indian corporate groups have joined World Economic Forum’s Partnership Against Corruption Initiative at a recently concluded WEF India Summit in New Delhi. Infosys, Wipro, Godrej, Bajaj and Genpact have thus joined ranks with MNCs like Siemens, ABB and Rio Tinto in pledging to stamp out corruption across all their business verticals. Thirty more companies have apparently discussed concrete action that they can take to curb graft in their business dealings. A small beginning, but a crucial step appears to have been taken in the right direction. 

Corporates – Victims as well as Participants

To lay the entire blame for corruption in high places at the doorstep of either the politicians or the bureaucrats is like looking at only one side of the coin. The corporate world is not only a victim but also a participant in the vicious cycle of corruption that corrodes our economy and saps the vitality of our constitutional institutions. The fact that business has finally articulated its voice against unfair practices goes on to confirm that anti-graft measures make eminent sense as a business strategy.

India Inc willy-nilly becomes a partner in institutionalized corruption not only because of its need to line the pockets of those who make and implement laws and regulations which touch upon their businesses. The need to milk the exchequer to generate vast sums of cash to fund political activity also contributes towards the malaise.

Setting the Moral Compass Right

Siemens’ is a case in point. Based on investigations between 2001 and 2007, the German engineering major admitted to several bribery charges and paid fines of USD 1.6 billion to US and German authorities. The cases involved its operations in such far-flung countries as China, Venezuela, Argentina, Iraq, Bangladesh and Vietnam.

A massive clean-up started, starting right from the Board of Directors. A Compliance Director was brought in. Besides organizational changes, compliance teams were set up across all the business verticals. All such teams formed an integral part of the respective business processes but functionally reported to the Compliance Director. As a policy, internal whistle-blowing platforms were created. A conscious decision was taken to withdraw from projects and territories where it was not possible for the company to engage in clean business.  In other words, rather than confining itself to paper affirmations and lip service, anti-graft measures were made an integral part of the business processes of the company.

It is not surprising that Tatas, a group renowned for its ethical standards in business, decided to study the Siemens model. It is well-known that for more than a century, Tatas have maintained a steady rate of growth without succumbing to the charms of shady deals as a means to the end of making profits. The result has been a steady build up of the trust placed by the public in the Tata brand.

There are many instances of small businesses the owners of which suffer sleepless nights when asked to shell out taxes of any kind. Some reckless souls end up crossing the thin line dividing tax evasion and tax avoidance. There is no dearth of professionals who specialize in supporting such efforts, either due to pecuniary considerations or owing to the need to be in the good books of their bosses.

Quality and Types of Corruption

The World Economic Forum deserves to be lauded for its efforts to facilitate the anti-graft renaissance amongst India Inc. However, what needs to be realized is that the quality of corruption has undergone a major change over the past several decades. Way back in the late 1970s, it used to be either about bending the rules or for terming a “wrong” as a “right”. Now, it is mostly about framing the rules in such a way as to favor a privileged few, and terming a “right” as a “right”!

Corruption, as we face it today, has become more refined, operating within the legal paradigm, at subterranean levels. Corrupt practices brook no standardization; there are different kinds which have evolved depending upon the situation at hand.

The customary kind is designed to prevent harassment and delays. “Speed money” helps smoother implementation of a business venture, within the ambit of rules and regulations in force. This kind also covers a bidding process where all players do not get a level playing field.

The predatory type of corruption is one where those connected to power centers exploit business opportunities armed with prior knowledge of the development projects being planned. Again, all activities would be within the ambit of law, though there would be an in-built advantage in favor of the well-heeled.

The patronage kind of corruption is based on cliques. A team gets formed, and the proceeds typically flow towards the higher echelons. Private businesses as well public sector entities fall prey to this type of corruption.

Companies typically face internal corruption in such areas as procurement, logistics, outsourcing and the like. Internal audits are useful to curb these to some extent, but the real game changer is a clear message from the top, as also an exemplary reward and reprimand system for those who work in sensitive areas.

Then there is petty corruption which all companies and individuals face in their day-to-day operations! Eradicating this type could perhaps be the toughest challenge.

The Road Ahead

The RTI Act in India has surely been a very progressive step in the right direction. It has brought the corruption issue centre-stage and continues to remind us of the fragility of our systems and procedures at regular intervals.

The response of our business leaders to the initiative of WEF is praiseworthy. One would watch their future actions with a keen sense of anticipation and hope. If the business in India comes together and forms a self-regulatory Corruption Watchdog, it could bring in a major change in the way the masses perceive its conduct. Corporates can also resolve to make all political donations transparent, thereby dismantling one of the main pillars of our parallel economy.

The fact that India is ranked 94th out of 176 countries in corruption by the 2012 scores released by Transparency International is a wake-up call to all stakeholders to address this issue with all the seriousness it deserves.

Leaders with a High Moral Quotient

I may sound like a pessimist, but I do believe that just like the oldest profession in the world, viz. prostitution, the oldest practice in the world, viz. corruption, cannot be altogether eliminated. But all self-respecting citizens – corporate or otherwise – would perhaps agree with me that it can at least be reined in, if not eliminated.

For this to be achieved, both the Government and India Inc can work in tandem. The Government can pitch in by playing the role of a transparent facilitator of business and by renewing its efforts towards creating a more equitable and inclusive society. Corporates can effectively contribute towards this goal by depending upon those who have the wisdom to differentiate between right and wrong. In other words, by having leaders and managers who have a high Moral Quotient!

In the long run, a sound business strategy means steering a business by using a moral compass as well!

 

Posted in Management Lessons | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

THE MISTRESSES IN MY LIFE!

November 24, 2012 by ashokbhatia

Going by the caption, I guess you imagine me to be a Casanova of sorts, with a bevy of beauties chasing me, eager to swamp me with their irresistible charms. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I am a simpleton, in looks as well as in physique. If ever there was an Oscar awarded to people who excel in projecting a permanently-worried-and-constipated look on their not-so-handsome faces, I would have won it long time ago. God has not endowed me with the kind of exceptional grey matter that appeals to the fairer of our species. Even those with the most fertile imagination may not call me either bold or dashing. I am your average middle-class guy, leading an average life – a conformist to the core. Well, that about sums me up!

If so, which mistresses am I talking about? Well, my wife is of the firm belief that even if we both are tied in holy matrimony by virtue of having taken the seven sacred wows while rounding a ceremonial fire as per traditional Hindu rites, I do not pay her the kind of attention she deserves. She claims that I am always engaged in pursuing courtship with the other interests in my life, namely, my career, my profound love for books and my infatuation with such technical gizmos as laptops, smart-phones, internet-savvy television sets, et al. She claims that all these extra-marital affairs of mine deprive her of an exclusive access to my love and affection, increasing her sense of abandonment and isolation.

Career obviously takes the first priority for me, much to the exclusion of family and other interests. Having come up in life due to an excellent education provided for by my parents long time back, I am mortally afraid of jeopardizing my career growth prospects just because a Parent Teacher Meeting is scheduled for the very day on which an all important client meeting is due to take place. Or, taking leave for a day to show a movie to a bunch of giggly kids from my in-laws’ side who have suddenly decided to swoop down on us, taking our hospitality for granted.

If an assignment needs me to lead my team for up to 15 hours on most days, I feel I have to be physically present in office there to buck them up. But my better half could not disagree with me more. Invariably, I am held responsible for having “married” my job, as also the company I work for.

Another “marriage” I get blamed for is that of my fondness for reading and writing. Savoring my early morning cup of tea, accompanied by the latest edition of The Hindu, I often get lost in its thought-provoking editorials. This is a sight that makes her register a strong protest in no uncertain terms. I am supposed to help her instead in deciding the sari she is supposed to wear when some guests arrive for dinner that day, followed of course by a long list of provisions I have to shop for on my return from office.Bertie image

Late at night, if I curl up in bed with my Kindle e-book reader, enjoying the escapades of Bertie Wooster trying to wriggle out of an impending walk down the aisle with a goofy female like Madeline Bassett, subtly assisted by the inimitable Jeeves, her priority would be to update me either with the misdemeanors of the maid servant during the day, or some gossip about the neighbor’s daughter.

On a lazy Sunday forenoon, if I am found composing a new article while sitting in front of my laptop, all hell would break loose. I shall either receive a sermon on the sacrosanct duties and responsibilities of a householder, or simply get asked if I can help her in locating her spectacles. My tenuous thought process having got disrupted thus, the creative juices would stop flowing, leading me to sigh in exasperation and grudgingly get back to the mundane affairs of life.

For a nationally acclaimed couch potato like me, it is easy for me to empathize with my wife when she thinks that the television set in the house is yet another mistress whose charms I find more alluring. When it comes to attracting my attention, it is definitely her arch-rival, especially if Amitabh Bacchhan’s baritone voice is wafting in the air, posing the next question to a participant in the quiz show “Kaun Banega Crorepati”.

Anyhow, let me confess that I enjoy such affairs with these mistresses only when my better-half is around, pottering about in the kitchen and running the household affairs as efficiently as only she can. The male of the species can surely pursue their “other interests”, but let them not take their wives for granted. Take a wife  out of the scenario, and the charm of all the extra-marital affairs would simply evaporate!

Posted in A Vibrant Life! | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Spirituality in Management

November 19, 2012 by ashokbhatia

A vast majority of our management professionals may typically scoff at the idea of any common areas between the realms of happinessspirituality and management. After all, management is all about getting things done, irrespective – perhaps – of the means deployed. Result orientation, MBO, resource optimization, mentoring, etc, have been the key words in the better part of the last century. On the other end, spirituality is widely perceived as one being decent and nice to others, of being considerate and empathic. This sounds more like a surreal concept, because then, it is commonly feared, there is a good chance of either insubordination, or an emotional blackmail by others in the organization, thereby diluting the chances of achieving one’s goals effectively and efficiently.

In other words, management is perceived to be at one end of the spectrum whereas spirituality is believed to be at the opposite end. However, if one were to look a little deeper, one is likely to find not only several dots which join the two apparently diametrically opposite view points, but also a new vision and strategy to manage affairs more effectively than ever.

BEING SPIRITUAL

What do we understand by spirituality? Sure enough, it is not being good to others around us. It has more to do with an inner call and a yearning to do better, whatever may be the chosen field of one’s activity. Like perfection and happiness, which are not destinations in life but the journey of life itself, being spiritual is a process in itself. An inner process of self introspection, development and improvement is what makes a person spiritual. Spirituality is awakening oneself and developing one’s unique abilities to the maximum, thereby maximizing one’s innate potential to achieve excellence in management.

Spirituality is not about withdrawing from the worldly activities; instead, it is about an active engagement with the mundane affairs of life, whether pertaining to managing an enterprise, or related to one’s personal life and self-development,

A manager is not an exception to this fundamental truth. In fact, armed with his systematic approach, he would chalk out a plan to achieve the goal of becoming spiritual in all his dealings. And that would make him even more spiritual than he originally would have been!

ATTRIBUTES OF A SPIRITUAL MANAGER

A manager who is keen to realize his own self would be more empathic towards his team mates’ problems. He would instinctivelyMahabharat Krishna Arjuna know when to motivate whom and when to pull up a defaulting team member. He would never rebuke a team member in public and praise in private. He would do his own home work in advance, and base his plans on feedback and suggestions from his team. Invariably, he would go into minute details of the plan, thereby striving for and achieving perfection. Failures would be taken as stepping-stones of future successes, and not necessarily used for witch-hunting. He is a leader as well as a mentor.

Why did Krishna choose to teach the essential principle of detachment to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra? Because due to a misplaced sense of attachment, Arjuna was deviating from his karma. The Lord was obviously a smart leader, so he decided to motivate him at a crucial juncture in his career. If the goal was to facilitate a win for the Pandavas in the war and avenge injustice and humiliation suffered by them at the hands of the Kauravas, he got it done very effectively indeed! Would it then be wrong to label Krishna as a Spiritual Manager?!

MOVING OVER TO “SQ” – A SPIRITUAL QUOTIENT

Management thought and practice has evolved dramatically over the past few decades.  The early 20th century saw our civilization coming up with an index for our cognitive and intellectual abilities – the IQ. Then in 1985, Howard Gardner came up with his research on “multiple intelligences” in his book Frames of Mind. Later, John Mayor and Peter Salovey co-propounded a new concept of “emotional intelligence” that is said to shape the quality of our inter- and intra-personal relationships. Reuven Bar-On coined the term “EQ” and described it thus:

            It is thought that the more emotionally intelligent individuals are those who are able to recognize and express their emotions,c1 (25) who possess positive self-regard and are able to actualize their potential capacities and lead fairly happy lives; they are able to understand the way others feel and are capable of making and maintaining mutually satisfying and responsible interpersonal relationships without becoming dependent on others; they are generally optimistic, flexible, realistic and are fairly successful in solving problems and coping with stress without losing control.

Daniel Goleman published his book Emotional Intelligence in 1996, confirming that success in life is based more on our ability to manage our emotions than on our intellectual capabilities; also, that a lack of success is more often than not due to our mismanagement of emotions. Some factors comprising emotional intelligence are “self-awareness, seeing the links between thoughts, feelings and reactions; knowing if thoughts or feelings are ruling a decision; seeing the consequences of alternate choices; and applying these insights to choices.”

Now, the time is coming for another paradigm shift – that of considering SQ – a Spiritual Quotient. Managers of tomorrow not only need to unlearn what they have learnt so far in business – their own or others’. To be effective, they need to refurbish their arsenal of managerial techniques by bringing in a spiritual awareness in whatever area they work in. Work, tempered with a liberal dose of contemplation alone would hold the key to managerial success in the days to come.

SELF-REVERENCE, SELF-KNOWLEDGE AND SELF-CONTROL  

The young executive today has excellent media exposure. A completely different set of rules at home have ensured an upbringing which is quite different from that of the earlier generation of managers. Undoubtedly, HR professionals today have a far more challenging job at hand in attracting as well as retaining the people.

The other day, the HR manager of a reputed software company bemoaned that unless one gets used to such inane tantrums as thea1 1 (11) aroma of toilet soap provided to employees in the wash rooms of their sprawling campus, and took care of the temperature at which a pizza or a hamburger was served in the canteen, the guy who is worth a couple of million dollars worth of revenue to the company might just decide to call it quits!

When it comes to appraising their team members, how many leaders are comfortable to be candid and straightforward? The underlying cause is for them to mix up between the person and his performance. Irrespective of the amount of rating scales developed, judging a person remains a subjective affair. But when it comes to rating performance, a great deal of objectivity is essential as well as desirable. A sense of detachment is of great help in such situations.

Likewise, when there are separations to be handled, true blue HR guys would handle the same with professionalism – in other words, with a sense of objective detachment.

Leaders have to make great sacrifices on the personal front so they may set a good example to their followers. “Self-reverence, self-knowledge, self-control – these three alone lead life to sovereign power”, Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote in Oenone, the poem named after the daughter of Mount Ida, who precipitated the Trojan War. Leaders without a spiritual compass in hand could result in their teams going astray.

THE HEART-MIND CONNECT

The heart, considered to be the seat of our spirit, isn’t a sentimental or an emotional entity. It is now understood to be intelligent and04 powerful in its own right. Its intelligence manifests itself as an intelligent flow of awareness and insight, or simply put, as intuition.

Several ancient civilizations, like the Egyptian, the Greeks and the Indian, have held the heart to be a primary organ capable of influencing our emotions, our morality and our decision-making abilities. Similar views are echoed in the Bible as well as in Chinese, Hindu and Islamic beliefs and scriptures. According to pioneering work done by Doc Childre, Howard Martin and Donna Beech: “All these conceptions have a common view of the heart as harboring an “intelligence” that operates independent of the brain yet in communication with it.”

Unlike the mind, the heart processes its intelligence in a more intuitive and different manner. The heart is not only open to new possibilities; it actively seeks from the environment newer understandings. The head “knows” but the heart “understands”.

In spiritual practice, we have streams which focus on quietening the mind; we also have systems in which the focus is on the “divine light” in one’s heart. All forms of spiritual practices nevertheless lead to better clarity of thought. This eventually translates into higher effectiveness and productivity at the work place.

THE AGE OF THE SPIRITUAL MANAGER

The following are some of the ways in which a spiritual manager stands to benefit:Technology MEDITATION-ENTREPRENEUR-SUCCEED

  1. Improving his self management, resulting into better effectiveness and improved personal productivity.
  2. Radiating his positivity to those around him/her, thereby improving organizational climate. This surely has a long-term impact on the operations.
  3. Improving communication, thereby enhancing his capability of getting things done.
  4. Facilitating sustained invigoration of operational strengths and continuous replenishment of organization’s resources.

In the future, thanks to shorter attention spans of consumers and an information overload, businesses would be facing higher levels of uncertainties. Managers with a high SQ would invariably have a higher chance of succeeding in meeting their goals.

Thanks to Lehman Brothers and the ensuing economic meltdown, there is an increasing realization in the west that there are serious pitfalls in the culture of materialism. No wonder that Harvard, MIT and Sloan are a few of the business schools which are now actively collaborating with management education institutes in India. This gives a unique opportunity to their students to learn the Indian culture and ethos first-hand. Management lessons from Gita, socially relevant projects and mentoring of under-privileged children in Indian slums are some of the points of interest to them.

Sure enough, the age of the Spiritual Manager is likely to dawn upon us rather early.

Posted in Management Lessons | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

The “K” and “L” of Management

November 18, 2012 by ashokbhatia

KISS FREQUENTLYKISS FREQUENTLY

Managements are well-known for their propensity to give priority to business targets, and to hell with all the systems, controls and procedures! So, go in for systems which are simple and can be operated by idiots. Auditors will keep coming up with new SoPs. Before rolling these out, a manager would do well to apply the KISS (Keep It Simple and Stupid) test.

LAWYERS

Choose a lawyer based on the gravity of the issue at hand. Local lawyers are pretty effective for minor matters. For global issues affecting the industry, get your HO to rope in the second best in the country. This way, you will get first-rate attention, service and results.

LEADERS

Management can be learnt; leadership is inborn. The good news is that in some cases, leadership styles trickle down the organization, and get copied, thereby improving the behavioral consistency across the set up.

Lao-tzu, a Chinese philosopher, said “To lead the people, walk behind them”. LEADERS

LOGIC VS EMOTION

Formal education systems lead us to depend more on the mind, which thrives on logic alone. However, the heart is the seat of emotions, and has intelligence of its own. The power of intuition flows from the heart, and so does empathy. To survive and do well in the corporate jungle, managers need both in equal measure!

LONELINESS BLUES

The men at the top are a lonely lot, with no one to share their blues with. Special care needs to be taken to ensure they have a circle of neutral confidantes who can help them in retaining their balance and perspective on issues facing the organization from time to time.

Posted in Management Lessons | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Who is afraid of the Foreign Dragon in Indian Retail?!

November 6, 2012 by ashokbhatia

The other day, I walked into a shop which stocks household provisions. To my utter delight, I found a brand of constipation relieving powder which I had not seen since quite a long time in Pondicherry, where I live. However, the shop owner was not amused by my decision to buy a pack. “Sir”, he cautioned, “initial results would be good, and you will end up using it regularly. But after a year, the problem will become much worse!” Well, the Good Samaritan lost a small sale, but won over a dedicated customer for life!

On the contrary, my experience in big shopping malls has been rather disheartening. The eye contact is often perfunctory. The personal touch is invariably missing. Most of the stores have some loyalty programs running, but the warmth and the courtesy extended is superficial. If I need a product exchange, the procedural complexities leave me gasping for breath. If I wish to leave behind an order for a specific product, there is a good chance I would never hear from the store again. Often, the product knowledge of sales staff is so sketchy that it leaves one wondering what professionalism in sales management is all about.

To me, the raging controversy about Government of India’s decision to allow 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail is meaningless. The Government appears to be over-stating the benefits of FDI in retail, whereas the Opposition is hell-bent upon projecting this as the last nail in the coffin for all the chemists, kiryana stores and sari stores in India. 

As and when Wal-Mart, IKEA and others enter India, they would face challenges of high density of population, high real estate costs, absence of parking spaces and professionally managed supply chains, poor infrastructure and a policy environment which could spring unpleasant surprises. Anyone who imagines the Indian market to be a cake walk for retail MNCs would surely be off the mark.  

As per a recent CRISIL study, reported recently in The Hindu, organized retail penetration during 2011-12 was merely 7 per cent of the $430 billion domestic retail industry. The balance was held by the Mom-and-Pop Stores. If all states in India were to allow FDI in retail, CRISIL estimate the organized retail’s share to rise to 10-15 per cent in about five years time. 

Retail majors in the developed world are struggling to keep afloat. Internet is changing the way we buy things. Smart shoppers these days browse for books and other items in stores, but finally buy them off the internet, enjoying whopping discounts. Strong backward linkages in warehousing and logistics are quietly bringing about this retail revolution.

Closer home, we find a housewife in Surat buying a mobile phone from Indiatimes and a student in Assam ordering a book on Flipkart. A family in Hyderabad plans for a bus trip to Tirupati and makes its bookings using Redbus. A businessman from Ludhiana orders shoes off Myntra and a teenager in Cochin buys a swanky new salwar kameez from Yebhi. A health-conscious housewife in Jaipur gets her supplies of Omega-3 supplements courtesy HealthKart. An executive pursuing his hobby in gardening in Nagpur seeks the support of Costco to buy a hedge trimmer. A book-worm like me in Pondicherry orders a Kindle book reader from Amazon!

In the days to come, advances in technology and wider internet connectivity will keep nibbling at the market share of nut and bolt retail. But who can resist the feel and touch of a silk sari and the whiff of fresh printed paper when browsing a book before taking a buying decision?! Organized retail may suffer much more on this account than our Mom-and-Pop stores. They offer personalized service. Door delivery is not an issue. If one is a regular customer, short-term credit is quite the norm. There are minimal exchange blues.

The trust generated in customers is a key factor which would always ensure that our  Mom-and-Pop stores shall not only survive but also flourish! In a worst case scenario, their rate of growth may get a temporary dampener, but survive they shall. After all, David did win over Goliath eons back!

Posted in For India, With Love! | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment »

MANAGEMENT LESSONS FROM MOVIES

October 27, 2012 by ashokbhatia

Movies reflect what is happening in the society. In some cases, like literature, they also hint at what could be in store for us in the days to come. They not only influence what happens in the society, but also take a harsh look at its ills – including their own! There are a number of spoofs, created by some of our best known dream merchants, which reveal the level of maturity the film industry has attained.

Somehow, movies examine only some segments of the society; that too, mostly along predictable lines. Politicians, cops, industrialists and others are mostly depicted in a stereotyped manner. Business and management have so far not merited much attention from our film makers.

If business has been captured, it has mostly been depicted to be ruthless. Catering to mass appeal, the film makers have propounded the belief that big money is invariably bad. The fact that wealth is not always ill-gotten has been ignored. The reality that every business activity has social spin-offs – like employment generation and wealth creation –   has invariably been given a short shrift.

Likewise, the subject of management appears only on the fringes of the narrative. If the story revolves around a business family which is trying to modernize its factories by bringing in advanced equipment and machinery, the issue gets hijacked either as a personality clash  between the hero and the villain, or as an industrial relations dispute between the management and the workers.

Nevertheless, quite a few movies have captured some facets of management. It would be instructive for us to review a random sample and see if we could learn some lessons from these. 

Setting Clear Goals

Way back in 1992, we had “Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar” (Director: Mansoor Khan) which showed the single-minded pursuit of the hero avenging a humiliation by winning a marathon cycle race in an interesting climax.Lakshya

“Lakshya” narrated the story of a youngster drifting in life, clueless as to what he wants to do for a living. Circumstances lead him to join the Indian Army and he gets involved with the Kargil incursions by Pakistan into Indian territory. In the process, he discovers himself, achieves a clarity of purpose and leads his men to victory. (2004, Director: Farhan Akhtar)

Yet another coming of age story came our way in “Wake Up, Sid”. It is the heroine (Konkona Sen Sharma) who inspires the hero (Ranbir Kapoor) to set his own goals in life. (2009, Director: Zoya Akhtar). 

Let Goals be Based on What You Excel In!pondy movie 3_idiots

Rajkumar Hirani explained this concept rather well in his immensely successful “3 Idiots” (2009). If you are passionate about a hobby of yours, and make it your profession as well, you would surely excel. Happiness, contentment, recognition and rewards would automatically follow.

Ethics in Business

“Rocket Singh – Salesman of the Year” (2009, Director: Shimit Amin) had a theme which spoke of ethics in business. If marketing efforts are directed at deceiving customers and if either the product or service is shoddy, the business will go down in the dumps. Philip Kotler would have surely approved!

Managing the Boss

Aziz Mirza delighted us with both “Yes Boss” (1997) and “Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani” (2000). Scratch below the glitzy surface Yes bossof these slick flicks and you are sure to learn quite a few tricks on managing bosses. If “Yes Boss” was about being a yes-man, “Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani” was about manipulating bosses to get them to announce decisions which were contrary to their original stands. Yes, the bosses were mere caricatures and depicted as bumbling buffoons. But the hero and the heroine could get away with it purely based on the outstanding results they brought in!

Another interesting dimension we got to see was in “Aitraaz” (2004, Directors: Abbas Mustan). The movie was based on a Hollywood flick by the name of “Disclosure”. In return for rapid promotions, the female boss ends up trying to seduce the subordinate hero. However, thanks to a zealous wife and smart technology, the hero manages to wriggle out of a tricky situation!

Handling Corruption

Hrishikesh Mukherji came up with “Satyakam” in 1969. Based on a Bengali novel by Narayan Sanyal, the movie tugged at our heart-strings by taking us through the trials and tribulations of Satyapriya, a whistle-blower who suffers in his professional as well as personal life and loses the battle against corruption.Well done abba

In 1983, Kundan Shah gave us the memorable “Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron”. With sterling performances by Nasseruddin Shah, Ravi Baswani and others, it tackled the issue of corruption in real estate and construction deals in a humorous vein. The movie ends with a cut-throat gesture made by both the protagonists, signifying the death of justice, fair play and truth in an age of corruption.

Fast forward to 2010, when Shyam Benegal gave us a heart-warming “Well Done, Abba”. A great satire on our public delivery failures, the movie captured the effect of rampant corruption on laymen. Armaan Ali, a driver, plans to dig a well in his farmland to ensure adequate water supply. Depending upon a government scheme, he soon learns the pitfalls involved. How he wriggles out of the situation forms the interesting part.

Getting Hired!

Of the several interview scenes one has witnessed in movies churned out by Bollywood, the one portrayed in “Golmal” (1979, Day_of_the_JackalDirector: Hrishikesh Mukherji) remains my favorite. Facing an eccentric industrialist, Bhavani Shankar (Utpal Dutt), who believes in traditional values and thinks that all those without a moustache happen to be characterless, Ramprasad Dashrathprasad Sharma (Amol Palekar), desparate to get a job, puts on a moustache and manages to charm the boss in the interview. He not only lands up with a job with a salary higher than expected, but also manages to eventually sing his way into the heart of the boss’ daughter!

“The Day of the Jackal” (1973, Director: Fred Zimmermann) has the professional assassin appearing for an interview. The OAS team is astounded by the fee of half a million dollar quoted by him to assassinate Charles de Gaulle. The Jackal responds by saying that he deserves the fee, because he is the best in the business!

In both the cases, professional capability, coupled with self-confidence, won the day!

Industrial Relations

In “Namak Haraam” (1973, Hrishikesh Mukherji), the issue of rising trade unionism was portrayed effectively. Vicky (Amitabh Bacchhan) plans to defuse the situation by getting his friend Somu (Rajesh Khanna) to become a union leader. In the process, Somu gets influenced by the workers’ point of view and a confrontation between the friends ensues. Love-u-mr-kalakaar

Management Lessons

In Rajshri Production’s 2011 offering, “Love U…Mr. Kalakaar”, Sahil, a struggling artist, is faced with the challenge of running his future father-in-law’s business empire more profitably, so as to be able to win the hand of his lady-love Ritu. In order to ensure success, Ritu, a fresh MBA, ends up giving marketing and HR lessons to Sahil. The movie, directed by S. Mansavi, also captured office politics effectively. Performance on the job and the strong bonding between the lovers eventually saves the day.

Self Confidence vs. Shyness and Diffidence  

Basu Chatterji treated us to a sumptuous fare in “Chhoti Si Baat” (1975). Both the hero and the heroine work in different offices. Love blossoms, but the hero is a simpleton and keeps losing to a colleague of the heroine – whether in social skills or in indoor games. Eventually, Arun (Amol Palekar) decides to undergo a crash course in self-confidence, comes back in style and wins the hand of Prabha (Vidya Sinha), the girl of his dreams!Guru

Finances, Share Markets

“Satta Bazaar” (1959, Director: Ravinder Dave) portrayed the ruin of a family due to over indulgence in the share markets very effectively. In another Rajshri offering, “Jeevan Mrityu” (1970, Director: Satyen Bose), the hero uses share price manipulations to seek revenge from the bad guys who had got him convicted for a theft he had never committed. “Guru” (2007, Director: Mani Ratnam) was loosely based on the life of late Dhirubhai Ambani. It restored our faith in the equity markets and showed us how one’s fortune could get reversed and then regained!

Work-Life Balance

In “Chhodo Kal Ki Baatein” (2012, Director: Pramod Joshi), the hero is so busy pursuing his career goals that he fails to attend his daughter’s arangetram. His family deserts him for a weekend. The movie is all about his regaining the work-life balance, and 220px-Bumbumboleposterarticulates the current dilemmas being faced by managers. There are some useful tips on the art of living, placing the movie on a spiritual plane.

Innovation

A high-risk business like producing movies can survive only on continuous innovation. Of late, the upwardly mobile middle class in India has opened up a new segment of the movie goers’ market. Bollywood themes are no longer confined to romantic duets, with the hero and the heroine chasing each other around trees. New themes have been experimented with, and the results are heartening. Consider movies like “Iqbal”, “Pa”, “Bum Bum Bole”, “Chak De India”, “Dor”, “Welcome to Sajjanpur”, “A Wednesday”, “Udaan”, “Taare Zameen Par”, “Vicky Donor”, “Kahaani” and “Barfi”. The sheer diversity of themes is remarkable, even if there is a romantic angle deftly woven into some of the plots to ensure commercial survival. 

Giving Back to Society

“Swades” (2004, Director: Ashutosh Govarikar) set a good example of how rural problems can be addressed by talented people who decide to chuck their lucrative careers abroad and return to their roots in India.

A recent IFC report showcases Indian Social Ventures like Husk Power Systems, WaterHealth International and Suvidhaa Infoserve. In the days to come, trust Bollywood to come up with more variants of the “Swades” theme!pati patni aur woh

Extra-marital Affairs

If “Pati Patni aur Woh” (1978, Director: B R Chopra) touched upon the boss going wayward, “Rang Birangi” (1983, Director: Hrishikesh Mukherji) brought home the issue of a bored housewife getting her busy husband’s affection back with the support of a mutual friend. Both were excellent comedies with serious messages; one showed us the futility of romancing a secretary, the other spoke of the need to attach a better value to the needs of our loved ones.

Corporate Intrigues

When it comes to the inner machinations of business empires and corporate feuds, one readily remembers “Kalyug” (1981, Director: Shyam Benegal) and “Corporate” (2009, Madhur Bhandarkar). Even though such efforts have been few and far between, the honesty with which these movies have got made speaks highly of the directors, producers and the script writers. The underbelly of over-reaching greed, unbridled ambition and business rivalry – all have been brought home very candidly in both these works.Duplicity

“Duplicity” (2009, Director: Tony Gilroy), starring Julia Roberts and Clive Owen was an interesting take on corporate espionage. “Pyaar Impossible” (2011, Director: Jugal Hansraj) touched upon the issue of software piracy, though the basic theme was romantic in nature.

Team Work

When it comes to team work and bonding, who can forget the Jai and Veeru duo of “Sholay” fame? Personality-wise, both are poles apart. Jai, played by Amitabh, is sober, quiet and meditative. Veeru, played by Dharmendra, is loud and outspoken. The ways in which they go about wooing their sweethearts in the village are as different as, say, chalk and cheese. But when it comes to confronting Gabbar, they work in perfect unison, displaying a unique understanding and respect for each other. (1975, Director: Ramesh Sippy).

MOVIES AS AN INSTRUMENT OF CHANGE ?!

In the scam-ridden exciting times that Indian managers operate in these days, new social developments are taking place. Thanks to a byte-hungry media, we have a torrent of CAG reports, court cases, corporate misadventures, information tumbling out of closets courtesy the RTI Act, sting operations and confidential conversations getting recorded and leaked at regular intervals.

One has no doubt that our movie makers can be relied upon to soon start churning out movies with scripts which highlight management and governance issues with a sharper focus.  Hopefully, these would capture the business world in a more balanced fashion – depicting not only the seamier and manipulative side but also the philanthropic and CSR side, besides depicting initiatives in the realm of social entrepreneurship!

(PS: You may also like to look up https://ashokbhatia.wordpress.com/2013/10/04/management-lessons-from-movies-2-0)

Posted in Management Lessons | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments »

A THANK YOU NOTE FROM A MANGO

October 17, 2012 by ashokbhatia

As a simple minded mango, I am surprised that so many people in India have taken offence at a recent comment where they have been referred to as “Mango People”. To all those of my countrymen who are depressed about this description of themselves, I wish to say that they could not be more wrong! Look at my achievements and traits, and you would see what I mean.

There are well-known reasons as to why I am referred to as the King of Fruits. Since times unknown, I have been serving the mankind with utmost sincerity. I have provided a sumptuous and fulfilling diet to the homo-sapiens since times unknown.  Let people just imagine me, and their taste buds start tingling.

My health benefits are well-known. Besides a heady mix of sugar, fibers and anti-oxidants, I provide a ready supply of vitamins and minerals. Admittedly, diabetics refrain from eating me. When these hapless guys see folks around them relishing me, smacking their lips and licking their fingers in gay abandon – without any pangs of guilt whatsoever, they merely twiddle their thumbs, give me a wistful look, sigh and resign themselves to their fate.  

I have a definite role towards India doing well in all the Olympic and other shooting competitions for quite some time now. Since childhood, unable to resist the temptation of enjoying my unique taste, kids start practicing by throwing well-aimed stones at me. Young ladies in particular are very fond of me, and eagerly await my blooming season to begin, so as to be able to feast on me even when I am in a raw condition.

Housewives who have to feed a bevy of hungry family members day after day convert me into delicious pickles which are lapped up with utmost glee by all members as well as guests and visitors. The ladies who are in the family way make sure they have a ready supply of mine so they might give birth to healthier and contented babies who actually look forward to being born early, so as to be able to have the unique experience of tasting me. Several movies – from Bollywood and elsewhere – have famous songs to cover this aspect of my personality.

Other than my contribution to human well-being, sports, procreation, family bonding and entertainment, I have brought laurels to India by being recognized under the Intellectual Property regime. Several of my species have won recognition by getting a Geographical Indication registered in their favor. Junagadh Kesar from Gujarat, Malihabadi Dussehri from UP, Banginapali from Andhra Pradesh, Appemidi from Karnataka and Lakshman Bhog, Himsagar and Fazli from West Bengal already enjoy this honor.

If there is someone who deserves to be awarded a Bharat Ratna for promoting regional integration and religious harmony, it is me. While lending my edibility charms to people who profess different faiths, I do not discriminate. People of all faiths, gender, nationality, caste, creed, income levels and professions relish me and attain exquisite taste bud bliss.

In South Africa, an airline is named after me. There are fashion houses selling exquisite apparel under my brand name. Not to be left behind, musicians have formed bands with my name. A TV serial named after me has been immensely successful.

Having won global recognition, I am all the more happy that I have recently won the best accolade I could think of; I have been equated with the general public of India, this great country of ours!

India has great people, possessing unique qualities. Centuries of spiritual grooming and meditative practices have left them very docile, adjusting and compromising. For any failure in life, they have a ready philosophical explanation. In the face of grave deficiencies in public services, they have learnt to suffer in silence. If asked to queue up for essential commodities and facilities, they do not revolt. Thanks to runaway inflation, they face a continuous erosion of their saving potential; they bear such challenges with a sense of detachment and fortitude. When they experience a torrent of scams tumbling out of the closets of our politicians and administrators at a frequency which could put trains of Switzerland to shame, they do not complain. Instead, they just continue with their daily struggle to eke out a living.

I am delighted that finally I too have a role – howsoever modest – in ensuring the greatness of the people of our country. This is a belated recognition that the greatness of Indians lies in their ordinariness; in current parlance, in their “mango-ness”!   For all the Indians, it is a time to rejoice!

I wish to convey a big Thank You to those who have chosen to refer to ordinary people as “Mango People”. May their tribe increase!

Posted in For India, With Love! | Tagged , | Leave a Comment »

A TRIP TO NORWAY : THE LAND OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN

October 6, 2012 by ashokbhatia

For those of us who live near the equator, it is rather baffling to sit down for dinner at, say, 9 pm and find that the sun is still shining bright outside the window. The digestive juices go in for an initial phase of revolt and the stomach refuses to accept any offerings coming its way! One somehow persuades oneself to gulp down a  few mouthfuls so as to keep the body and soul together. The sun reluctantly sets at an hour close to midnight and is cheekily up again at 4 am, waking one up in a rather befuddled state of mind!

Well, this is what happens when one visits a country near the Arctic Circle. The days tend to be much longer – upto 20 hours long – and the nights shorter. Also, the night sky never turns pitch dark. It always retains a dusky-hued feel to it. That is how, a country like Norway is also known as ‘The Land of the Midnight Sun’.

A short trip to Norway – tucked away as close to the North Pole as one can imagine (between latitudes 57° and 81° N ) – was overdue for us for quite some time. Frankly, the Land of the Midnight Sun did not disappoint us! Like most of Europe, we found it to be immaculate, spick-and-span, and highly organized. The two cities we could visit during our sojourn were Oslo, the capital city, and Bergen, a commercial hub. The trip gave us a first-hand feel of the great country, its rich culture and traditions, and its warm and helpful people.

Norway has a geographical spread of 3,85,252 sqkms, which makes it somewhat larger than, say, Rajasthan in India. Population-wise, at close to 50 lacs, it happens to be smaller than Himachal Pradesh. As the largest cities in Norway, both Oslo and Bergen are small by international standards. Oslo has a population of around 9 lacs and Bergen has a population of only about 2.35 lacs.

 From Oslo to Bergen : An Enchanting Journey

The train journey between Oslo and Bergen is said to be one of the world’s most beautiful train journeys. One goes throughbabuji_028 awesome countryside with a stark beauty that is typical of Norway – endless forests, placid lakes, swamps, red-painted houses, cottages with grass roofs, and at the top, a trackless, desolate snow-covered mountain landscape interrupted by the odd frozen lake, even in mid-summer. Often, a single house quietly enjoying its isolated glory whizzes past us, surrounded by snow on all sides for miles together.

On the way, we get to experience the warmth of the people. A train conductor who sees us trying to get some coffee from the machine on the coach of the train finds us fumbling for coins of the right denomination. He comes up and offers a steaming hot cup drawn out of his own money. When we offer money, he refuses to accept it, saying we are his guests! We learn that Indians do not have a copyright on atithi-devo-bhavah!babuji_041

The mountains here rise to 1,300 meters; the Hardangervidda is the highest mountain pleateu in North Europe. It also houses Norway’s largest national park. There is a lovely biking trail through here, part of which is parallel to the railway. Eventually we arrive at Myrdal, a small hamlet boasting of few houses in the middle of nowhere that is the junction for a narrow-gauge railway to Flam.

The Flamsbana train is a star attraction. It runs up to 15 times a day, and takes an hour to descend more than 850 meters to sea level, down a steep-sided valley studded with cliffs and waterfalls. A taped commentary in several languages and overhead screens tell us all about it as we pass through. The train actually stops at one point, between two tunnels, so people can get out to view a stbabuji_043upendous waterfall. It is the Kjosfoss, that too in a frozen state!

The Breathtaking Fjords On The Way

At sea level, the first thing we see is a vast cruise ship, completely dominating the little settlement of Flam. It is on one of the innermost arms of the famous Sognefjord which is 204 kms long and up to 1,308 meters deep. Flam has become a popular cruise terminal with lots of tourist amenities, a superb little railway museum, hiking trails and a wide choice of sightseeing tours by coach and boat.

As the cruise ship navigates through the fjord, we marvel at Mother Nature’s virginity on offer. Crystal clear waters, mbabuji_047ajestic mountains with mirror-perfect images down below, absolute stillness and peace, pristine beauty, small hamlets surrounding beautiful churches after every few kilometers, and the  single odd house precariously perched – either on mountain tops or jutting out of the dizzying slopes. Occasionally, we pass by some magnificent waterfalls, their cascading waters making the only sound audible in the immediate vicinity.

The fjords were carved out during the ice age by melting water pushing its way under the ice, forming deep valleys in the mountains. The result as we see  today is a spectacular landscape. Glacier capped mountains rise more than 2,000 meters, steep above the fjords. Waters run as deep as 1,300 meters and we can easily navigate into the open North Sea. Between mountains and fjords, people have lived their lives since before the viking-ages.babuji_065

The ship eventually drops us off at another place, from where a bus whisks us off through enchanting countryside to a small town by the name of Voss. We  board the waiting train there and finally reach Bergen after another short and comfortable ride.

Bergen, A Commercial Hub

Bergen is a UNESCO world heritage city, partly because of its unique waterside, the Bryggen, which has been photographed so often it has become iconic. Originally a Hanse port settlement, it was run by German merchants, and no Norwegians – or women – were allowed on the site. On the neighborhood quay is the world-famous seafood market. And there are so many round trips to Fjords on offer that one is literally spoilt for choice.

Bergen is a lovely city, with a brand new tram line connecting new suburbs to the city centre, a spectacular fort, museums, beautiful parks, a new opera house by an artificial lake and a fountain, and so on. We visit an aquarium where sea lions, penguins and several other creatures of the ocean frolic about in their respective enclosures. The flower of Bergen is the rhododendron – there are about 300 different species and they love it here because of the mild climate and the rain.

The city is surrounded by seven mountains. There was a light drizzle, so we  take the funicular train up to Floyen, from where the view is inspiring as well as invigorating. It is fun to ride in coaches with a glass roof, affording a great view as the train takes us up 320 meters above sea level. The floors of the coaches are at an angle of close to 40 degrees, and it is interesting to get in and out. Once on the top, we appreciate how well the outlying islands protect Bergen from the North Atlantic weather. There is a restaurant and a well-stocked souvenir shop. Incidentally, all the places we ate at in Bergen made a point of serving only local produce in season – talk about sustainable living!

Oslo, the Capital City

Central Oslo has a typical big city feel about it. The architecture is imposing and the infrastructure is elegant. There is the Kon-Tiki museum, the Viking museum, several art museums and lots of parks and squares. It is easy to move around, as the city has an integrated transport system. We exercise the option of buying only a single ticket at a standard price; it is valid on trains, buses, metro, trams, boats, or all five.

The national gallery has wonderful landscape paintings. There is the Oslo City Hall where the annual Nobel Peace Prize is awarded. We also see the Royal Guard with military band parading up the main street to the palace for the changing of the guard – a stirring sight!

We are told that for a breath-taking overview of the city, one can take the tram all the way up to Holmenkollen where the newly built ski jump is. A climb up the viewing terraces leads one to the ski museum (the oldest in the world and absolutely fascinating). The adventurous can then take a lift to the very top. As well as a dizzying view down the run itself, there is said to be an impressive view of greater Oslo and a wonderful panorama of the bay with all its islands and headlands, as well as the surrounding mountains.

Major Tourist Attractions

Eastern part of Norway has stunning mountains and the Jotunheimen National Park. Northern part has the Arctic Circle and the Sami people, who are the original inhabitants of the country. For those who are fond of fish, there is salmon fishing.

Above all, one can not miss the spell-binding wonder of Aurora Bouraelis, or of  Northern Lights! Alas, due to bad weather, we are forced to cancel a visit to Tromso to witness this unique natural phenomenon. Also, on this trip, we miss meeting any lovable Viking a la ‘Hagar, The Horrible!’

We leave these attractions behind, hoping to come back once again and continue exploring The Land of the Midnight Sun on a future date!

General Information

Most people in Norway speak English as their first foreign language. The currency is the Norwegian Kroner. Even compared to other European countries,   things are pretty expensive. Both Oslo and Bergen offer tourist cards giving you free or reduced admission for museums, cultural events, tours, restaurants and parking, as well as free use of public transport. There are quite a few hotel chains which also run a line of budget hotels.

Posted in The European Diaries | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »