Celebration....Jubilation.... July 4th....

Washington DC has taken a festive look with flags and fire works .  Time to celebrate and remember history. This is a time to view history as it is and not to pass judgement or evaluate the past with today's references.

I am not a poet otherwise I would have written something like an "Ode to the democracy and freedom!".  Freedom is not a simple concept. It can be nurtured and sustained only by a strong constitution that promotes democracy and respect for a fellow being. The founders have foreseen that.

But, when anyone asks me about the best moment of happiness as an American, I can say that - the time when I return from abroad and the immigration officer with a genuine smile greets me, "welcome back to the USA". 

Happy July 4th!

PEACE ON EARTH

All content copyright © by Sobana Iyengar.

Coronation....Jubilee....Kolkata....

My path crossed again at Heathrow. Yes,  I am on my way to India. The airport duty free shops are adorned with the diamond jubilee celebration of the Queen.  Even the airport security and ushers are wearing the purple sash and the British Airways lounge looked festive too.  I do like the BA lounge these days as the food they serve has become more like the regular London cuisine!! aka Indian!!

While browsing the Internet I came across this news about the discovery made  in the RCAHMS ( Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland)  archive -  a collection of photographs of India from early 1900 or around 1912.  They mention about the photographs must have been taken during the visit of George V and his Queen. I definitely know our Bengali family friends and especially dear Mashima will enjoy these pictures of  old Kolkata (Calcutta).
                                                     

Here is the link to the website and gallery.

http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/news/lost-imagery-of-india-discovered

PEACE ON EARTH

All content copyright © by Sobana Iyengar.

Hello.....Helsinki......Kiitos......

I could not believe that it is May already! The past two months had been hectic but pleasant.  Busy schedule yet calmness prevailed. In April I visited Finland for work. First hop at Helsinki the capital, and then to Turku in the eastern shores of the Baltic coast. From here one can take a cruise to Stockholm.   
When I landed in Helsinki the April showers welcomed me.  The driver gave me a bright smile and we proceeded to the hotel in the city. The tall conifers looked like soldiers standing still on either side of the guard rails on the road.  On the way the driver pointed at a  retirement community full of Russian immigrants.  Finland was once occupied by the then Soviet Union and one can see the influence. Helsinki is hosting the design month and the city center was full of tourists in spite of the rain. One can easily walk around or take  a tram to visit the museums, art galleries, and the cathedral in the senate square. I did not miss the Finnish sauna in the Hilton.

The sky was clear and blue when I travelled to Turku on the east coast of the Baltic sea. Turku is a small town by American standards but one of the ancient towns located at the cross roads connecting Sweden and Finland.  The famous castle at Turku is its landmark. Finnish are very hospitable and happy when I said "Kiitos" which means Thank you.  My Finnish colleagues took me to an authentic Finnish restaurant Brahen Kellari in the City Center.  I got a very nice vegetarian dish along with Parmesan potato puree and French beans salad. The chef was happy to give us details of the Finnish history when the land was consistently under occupation by Sweden and then Russia.  He said the restaurant was named after General Brahen and kellari means cellar.  

 I walked back to the hotel from the restaurant. The land, the people, the language, the culture looks different but when one takes a few minutes more with non-judgemental compassion, one realize that it is the same universal principle that guide us all.  The chill breeze lulled and I looked up to see the clouds running fast in the starry lit sky reminding me about the meetings tomorrow yet asking me to stop and enjoy the stars.

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Deutschland....De-escalate.....Decisive....

2012, the year of the Dragon, Mayan predictions about December 21st, economy, eco system disturbances, political and social unrest in many parts of the World - with all these do we have something to hope for and to celebrate?  As a die hard optimist I believe that with hope we emanate positive energy and that make us to look for solutions.  I found this in my chauffeur Mr. J  during my business trip to Germany for a week in January.  It was a nice Sunday morning when he picked me up from the Frankfurt airport to my hotel in Waldorf.

As usual I was curious to find out how Germans are facing the current economic situation and their perception about Ms.  Merkel,  a woman chancellor in the Father Land whom I admire for her leadership qualities.  Mr. J reflected that as a German he found her doing a good job but still more has to be done in the areas of unemployment and economy as a whole. Many Germans are now doing 2 or more jobs to keep up with the house mortgage and raising children. He showed me the pictures of his two twin daughters and his dreams and hopes for them. The best part was his determination to fight the odds. He took up this part time job with the travel company,  when his factory announced about a possible upcoming layoff. He decided to do the chauffeur job so that if at all he lose his full time job he has something to backup. He wanted to gain experience to even start his own car service. Yes, that is the spirit, that is the hope and dream of an achiever. 

He asked me whether I want to stop at a bakery.  Ofcourse I have to whiff the aroma and taste my favorite Deutschland breads and pastries! This time not much time to travel around except visiting Karlsruche.

Now it is February. Happy to be back in the USA. 

All content copyright © by Sobana Iyengar.

Revolution.....Resolution.......Reinvention.....

The year 2011 is at the last lap waiting to touch the finish line.  Revolutions are the headline news. In Tunisia, Egypt, Kuwait, Yemen, Libya, Syria the people surged against the oppressive regimes. Media has described the revolutions in many names, "people's", "inciting", "parliamentary" to name a few.  Internet and technology played a major role in communication and organizing protests and marches. Violence and bloodshed has left an indelible mark. The resolution to have a democratic election and government was not achieved everywhere. The journey is long and the road need to be built not by the fundamentalist or radicals but by the people who are oriented towards democracy and peace.

When one part of the World is going thru the revolutionary process,  the other half of the World is rallying to reinvent itself by questioning the financial structure and market economy.  Media is calling these as social unrest and protest. In Russia it is "election unrest".  In the USA it is "occupying Wall Street". World leaders are meeting in summits, blaming each other and arguing why economic theories did not work.  European Union and the pan euro concept has increased the animosity between the core and the peripheral EU countries. In the USA, we are waking up to reality that in a global market structure, competition can lead to power shift if the own resources and internal issues are not taken care of.

Yet with all the unrest, protest, uncertainty, confusion, there is always hope.  A democratic election, a non-violent protest,  an entrepreneur creating jobs,  actions towards protecting the environment, a thought that comes even occasionally to leave a cleaner earth for the future generations, an action plan to uplift the oppressed from poverty, a statement showing solidarity to help the abused children, building a school in a remote village, a medical research that save lives -  if these small steps are extended exponentially will there be a need for painful revolutions.....

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! PEACE ON EARTH!

All content copyright © by Sobana Iyengar.

Newzealand....Nostalgia.....Kia Ora....

In 2004, I lived in Melbourne Australia for about a year. I enjoyed my time to explore the outback, neighboring countries, or islands whenever I could get some time off from work.  I could not resist the enticing tourism posters, to come and experience the “Middle Earth” the land of the hobbits! The movie the Lord of the Rings! was shot in a village about 50 miles away from Auckland.

On a beautiful sunny day, arrived in Auckland the city of the sails. I learnt my first Maori language lesson by saying “Kia Ora” which is “Hello. Enjoyed the scenic harbor and the waterfront. The Maori museum provides a wealth of information about the indigenous people Maoris’. Fortunately, unlike the ancient aborigines of Tasmania who were completely wiped out the Maoris’ retain their culture and language in Newzealand.

From Auckland we drove to Rotorua, a beautiful place with miles of geo thermal spas and geysers spewing hot water and sulphur fumes larger than the ones that we see in the Yellowstone National Park. The whole area is another master piece of nature. Fire and water inside the secret labyrinth under the earth comes out as magical geysers and fountains. After the nice spa experience, went to Ruapehu to see the volcanoes and the Crater Lake.

The next city on the itinerary was Wellington. Its Kapiti coast is famous for gourmet food. I got fabulous vegetarian food, with special local cheese and lovely macadamia tart for dessert. The pastry shops make you to stop and admire the countless varieties of artisan bread and rolls. Needless to say that it is food lover’s paradise!
At night the city sparkled with lights. Thought about the past when there was no electricity and the harbors shimmering with oil lamps. Human life has come very far in its journey. The Southern Cross that looked very bright in the country side seemed faded with the city lights. Yet it winked and reminded me to move from the middle earth further south towards Christchurch and Queenstown.

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Resurrect…..Revive……Remember……

On August 30, 2001 I returned from Athens after a memorable vacation in Greece. My plan was to work remotely the next 10 days and to enjoy the perfect weather in DC. On September 11, 2001, at 8:00am I started a conference call with my developers in Bangalore and Santa Clara. Around 9:15am my mobile was constantly buzzing with incoming calls.  I ignored them till 9:30am to finish the con call. Later I realized those calls were from our concerned friends.  Yet another incoming call. I noticed that it was from Hans our good family friend from San Antonio. When I answered he asked me, “Are you OK? Where are you? Hope no one is traveling”. I told him that we are fine and I am working from home. He asked me to turn on the TV and gave me the brief sad news of the WTC attacks.

One by one the towers were coming down. The attack on the Pentagon was being relayed. An act of insane cruelty.  Sun Microsystems immediately sent an advisory as not to travel and to extend our system support to New York offices. I contacted the local hospital whether they need blood or volunteers. So much pain and disbelief that it all happened right here and we are witnessing it. A great painful and yet another episode in human history when innocent people were killed by a group of terrorists. It was very sad to watch the TV about the families who lost their loved ones. At the same time despair was turning into hope when the valiant firefighters, courageous law enforcement personnel, and heroic volunteers who managed to resurrect the city within weeks.

After every incident when innocent people are killed or subjected to violence we think that may be this is the last one. Do we need more protection from these acts of terrorism or prevention? I think it will take the “whole village” to inculcate non-violence to be the future means for promoting peace.

Tomorrow is the 10th anniversary and a befitting memorial will be held for the people who lost their lives on that fateful day of September 11. It is not easy to console but life must move on. Let us pray and hope that hate and violence will be replaced by love for humanity and peace.

PEACE ON EARTH

All content copyright © by Sobana Iyengar.

Alaska....Glaciers....Gorgeous....

When you think of Alaska - glaciers, polar bears, grizzly’s, moose and salmon dance in one’s mind - not in the same order for everyone!! Perhaps a fishing enthusiast may think about salmon! During the first day of our visit, we went to the Portage glacier, Spencer Whistle top and the Grand view. After returning from Barrow, we took a cruise to the Prince William Sound to see the glaciers. We drove up to Whittier to catch the boat. The scenic Seward Highway has multiple view points to check the Belugas bobbing on the tides or the mountain goats on the towering Chugha ranges. We also managed to see few bald eagles on our way. The tunnel that leads from Portage to Whittier is 2.5 miles in length. This is used both by the train and the automotive. Hence the tunnel is opened only on a set timetable to move the traffic from one side to the other.

The boat captain said that during winter most of the residents of Whittier move to Anchorage or other closer cities like Girdwood or Portage to avoid the winter blast coming thru the tunnel. The cruise began passing thru the mountains where glaciers are hanging like beautiful white and blue quartz. It is sad that with the global warming some of the glaciers are receding. We managed to spot a school of otters!! May be shoal! One of the otters was very bold to follow us for a while and then vanished into the deeper waters. A humpback whale appeared like a steam engine hissing out jets of water. Few seals also curiously looked at us. In the yonder mountain fortress, we could spot some bald eagles nest. One huge bald eagle majestically circled around. Everything seemed

to be magical!

The cruise slowly reached near the glacier and halted.
The glacier looked like multiple sculptures arranged like a fortress protecting the icy layer that is cascading from the mountain. Every now and then a rolling chunk of ice will fall into the ocean. First we were alerted by a rumbling noise. The ice cracked slowly and pushed a big ton of icy rock that descended into the ocean like a cascade of a waterfall. The cruise stood still. The glacier must have seen so many ships, people, birds and animals during its long journey from the ice age. The sea gulls that have nested on the rocky cliffs lulled at the boat as if asking “why are you here in my territory?’. The water stood still around the glacier due to its depth. No one talked. A silent communication was going on with the nature. The deep blue water, bright quartz glacier, green trees on the mountains, waterfalls, birds and the sun looking from the clouds conveyed that this is peace and this is bliss.

 

“Come inside for a nice chocolate mousse and coffee”, the captain announced!

All content copyright © by Sobana Iyengar.

Alaska.....Arctic crcle.....Awesome

Imagine celebrating 4th of July on  "Top of the World" in Arctic circle!!.
The plan is very simple. Land in Anchorage, see the glaciers and take off to Barrow the last frontier city up on the North slope of the Arctic circle.  Once the travel plan was set all one has to do is to pack up some winter clothes and hop into a plane.  On our first day, we explored the city museum and the downtown Saturday open market highly recommended by Hilton staff.  The next day we went to the Portage glacier, Beluga point and the wildlife conserve to see musk ox to Kodiak bears! After acclimatized to the constant 18hrs daylight we packed only the heavy winter jackets and boots to visit the arctic circle.
On July 4th morning we took a flight to Barrow from Anchorage. The Barrow airport is very small and one of our fellow passengers,  a teacher who lives in Barrow said that everyone in Barrow knows each other.

After a warm welcome from the hotel staff we settled on "Top of the World"! yes this hotel is situated on the shores of Arctic ocean. The hotel staff recommended that we have dinner at the Pepe's restaurant. As soon as we entered, we were surprised by the beautiful 4th of July decor and there entered Ms. Fran Tate who owns this Mexican restaurant also works as a part time DJ on Saturdays in KBRW the only radio station in Barrow. She whimsically said that if we try the Polar bear plunge in the arctic she would give us all a certificate!

Without a sunset or darkness the time moved on to the 24/7 daylight schedule!!.  After a nice morning walk, we hopped into the tour bus with our guide Sam an Inupiat. We went on a long ride on the tundra stopping at the ancient burial mounds and whaling sites, villages where the seal meat was hanging in the backyard clothesline. Sam explained about the whale and seal hunting expeditions by the Inupiat. They hunt only the bow head and beluga whales and never the Orcas or any killer whales. Also, they keep a quota system that only a set amount of whales will be killed for food every year. The whole community participate in this project.  The Inupiats moved from subsistence economy to cash economy during the second World War when the US Navy established a base in Barrow and helped the villagers with housing and schools.

The Arctic ocean looked calm with floating icebergs. We managed to touch the ocean and climbed on the icebergs that floated closer to the shore. Our tour ended with a visit to the Inupiat cultural center and museum. The Inupiat children sang, danced and demoed the blanket toss and other games. The rhythm and the ancient music conveyed that after all we the humans have common needs for food, shelter, work, and entertainment.

About 8:45pm we boarded the flight back to Anchorage for the rest of the awaiting adventures. I looked out of the window and felt that the arctic sun was smiling brightly.

                                                  PEACE ON EARTH

All content copyright © by Sobana Iyengar.

Appa....Père...Padre....

June 19th is Father’s day... Sales and ads are enticing and inviting. When I grew up in India we know more about James Bond movies than about  “Father’s Day”. Now India has changed and is more global. My childhood memories of my Father were a combination of family, religion, and the culture of India. It was taken for granted that father is there to protect us and will get us what we want. All one has to do is to meet the expectations of being a good student and a good child by following the family rules. Also, we did not express our love and admiration openly by giving him a gift or card. .


As children we were brought up with so many “do’s and don’ts”. Both our parents somehow created a picture that discipline must not be compromised. We should be back in the house by 5:00pm to finish the home work and get ready for the evening prayers. My best memories are the after dinner walks he took us when we were children. My brother and I will hold each one of his hands and my father will carry my baby sister. We walk up to the huge mango tree at the turn of the street where he will stop and show us the stars in the sky. The Milky Way and the Great bear were explained with stories. If we continue on the left we will be going towards the YMCA Golf grounds and if we turn right we will end up for a small stopover at the Nayar’s tea stall. It is a small shack with candy jars and a hissing copper boiler which was used to make tea. My father used to buy some fruits as a treat for us even though I would have preferred the special candy made with grated coconut and Molasses which we call “Camarcut”. I am not sure why that candy was named like that. It sounded exotic and I liked the taste of it.

Another nostalgic memory of him was his love for books. His collections included novels, classics, philosophy, history, and poems. I remember seeing a very old edition of King’s English and a complete set of Bernard Shah’s novels published by Penguin. It started as a fun to browse his bookshelf and soon without my knowledge I started loving books and reading. He never attended our school day functions when we received prizes for our academic and extracurricular accomplishments. He was always busy with his work. It was my mother who took so much interest in our studies and reading books. His way of showing affection was a smile or an approving nod. Regardless, we knew that he loved us.
Over the years he mellowed down from a stern father into a loving person until he passed away in 1999. When he was in the US, I joked that I owed him so many Father’s day gifts and cards for all the missed years. Even now sometimes I wonder whether I told him enough of “how much I love him”. Unfortunately, we grow up or wake up only when people are gone. That is why I think those who celebrate Father’s Day every year are lucky. At least one gets a chance to express love and affection openly even if it is thru a card or word or a nod!.

Happy Father's Day!

Peace on Earth!

All content copyright © by Sobana Iyengar.

Mayan.....Mother.....Yucatan.....

"Oh! how fascinating it was to read about Mayan civilization - their pyramids, calendar and the lost history!!" my Mother said with gleaming eyes after reading the book I got for her from Mexico City.  Well, then it is time to plan a trip to Chichen Itza in the Yucatan peninsula. In 2006, around July 4th we planned this vacation trip to Cancun.  The turquoise blue beaches, warm tropical weather and the hospitality of the resort staff made our trip memorable.

As always in vacations, I did feel strange for a while without my laptop and not having to think about work. My Mother wanted me to program myself to go back into the ages to be with the Mayans in the midst of the bustle of modern Cancun! Mayan history goes way back to the pre Colombian era. It is sad that the series of conquests including the Spanish wiped away most of their history and culture.
The Mayans built the pyramid with such precision that during the spring and autumn equinox the shadow that falls on the neatly cut steps will resemble like a serpent. It is called as "Kukulkan" in Mayan language. The famous ball court with a nice rectangular field where rituals were performed. There are many interpretations about the rituals being performed with human sacrifice. To me it is difficult to believe some interpretations without conclusive evidence!!. We also visited the Temple of the Warrior, Observatory and the Temple of the carved columns.  I remembered Erich von Daniken's "Chariots of the Gods" and the parallel architectural features in the ruins of Greece, Carthage, Egypt and some ancient temples in India.

On our way back my Mother said, "When I see the tourists in these ancient sites it gives me a positive feeling that human race is in the process of understanding the value of diverse cultures and the need to respect one another. When you care you want to nurture and preserve even if we know the impermanence of life itself." I will always remember this.

My heart goes out to all who have taken a moment of their time to nurture, to care, to love someone including our grandest Mother of all - our Planet Earth.

Happy Mother's Day

Peace on Earth 

All content copyright © by Sobana Iyengar.

Damascus...Dare....Democracy....

The fertile crescent is witnessing its people who dared to dream for democracy and their cry for change. 

Syria, the cradle of civilization has been seeing  inventions and invasions as part of its history. The extensive irrigation system and the writing are their gift to humanity. Actually the Semitic languages Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew and Arabic came from the language of the Akkadians. 

Its continuous history begins from 9000 BC. The Bronze age followed by invasions of the the Akkadians, Hittites, Canaanites, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantine, various Islamic caliphates, Mameluke's, Ottoman empire, British and French, and finally in 1918 the land was divided between France and British with the French Mandate.  Syria  gained independence from the French in 1945. During these periods, the original inhabitants fought, died, stayed, migrated, adopted different cultures and nationals, religion, above all survived. What a fascinating history!                                          
 The current unrest to overthrow the Baath party and President Assad proves that people will not accept totalitarian regime anymore. The land that taught the World to write with clay tablets is now using digital technology to send messages across the World about their love for their country and their cry for democracy.

The crisis, unrest, violence and the killing of civilians bring sadness and at the same time admiration for the people who are willing to sacrifice for a brighter tomorrow. I have not been to Syria yet and I am positive that one day we can walk on the cobbled stone streets of old Damascus city and sip mint tea in a democratic Syria.

Peace on Earth

All content copyright © by Sobana Iyengar.

Exodus....Passover.....Peace....

This morning on my way to Houston, I was reading an article in the Wall Street Journal about the Passover and the elaborate preparation and cleansing the kitchen to remove any sign of leavened bread.  Yes, today the Jewish holiday begins with the first day of  the Passover celebrations.
The breaking of the unleavened bread is symbolic and the festival itself is to remember the sacrifice, continuation of that human thread centuries after centuries. Every tradition has a meaning and passes something from the past. This day, Jewish people will remember their ancestors and their sufferings, triumphs, tenacity and a will to live by lighting menorahs and offering prayers. Preparing the supper with kosher certified ingredients is very important.

 Way back in 2003 when I was touring in Eastern Europe, the Jewish Kosher restaurants saved me with vegetarian food. I cannot forget the most delicious vegetarian soups and salads I had in Budapest in the Jewish Quarters. Another poignant memory was my visit to the great Synagogue. In the courtyard, one must see the beautiful memorial for the holocaust victims. Each leaf in the metallic tree that bears the name of a victim.                                                
 Now back in the hotel, I am watching the moon rising in the horizon. It seems to reassure me that humanity will prevail despite the odds.


                            Peace on earth.


   

 All content copyright © by Sobana Iyengar.

Japan.....Disaster...Courage

It is immensely painful to watch or read the news about Japan.  A small group of islands tucked in the bosom of Pacific that rests on top of the major earthquake prone tectonic plates and the ocean that could turn anytime into wild tsunami's and typhoons and the people who remain calm and take everything stoically - Yes, not only my friends and colleagues in Japan but to all of you I admire your courage, empathize with you on your loss of loved ones.

After every disaster we analyze the cause to improve and to come up with lessons learned. In this case natural disaster due to Tsunami and earthquake cannot be controlled by any intervention except precautionary measures to minimize the loss.

Unfortunately, nuclear power reactors blow-up could have been avoided if it were not there to begin with. Every technology was used with good intention with a list of benefits. But time and again we learn that one cannot discount the environment and the impact on nature and nature's impact itself. History showed us through Chernobyl and Three Mile Island. Alas! the lessons learned from there only helped in redesigning the structure to prevent leaks under normal circumstances but not counted the great variable the environment itself.

Whatever the analysis, results, debates, future design and precaution the human lives that are sacrificed and the plant and animal life that will be altered due to radioactive contamination cannot be recovered.

It is high time that we should think about any alternate to nuclear power including promoting solar energy.

My silent prayer to Japan and its people.  May it blossom again.

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Libya....Liberate.....Live.....

Libya - another beautiful nation in North Africa is on fire.  Genocide is the price that Libyans are paying for their cause. Their quest for freedom and democracy is just and genuine. It is time that Gaddafi must step back from rhetoric, anger, ego and selfish desire to cling to power and let Libya to liberate from the clutches of his autocrat regime.

It was quite moving to watch the speech of Libyan Ambassador to UN at the Security Council meeting in Geneva. Shaigham said,  "Please UN, save Libya. No to Bloodshed! No to killing the innocents. We want a decisive, rapid and a courageous resolution from you".

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2011/02/25/libya.amb.hugging.untv

Thanks to social media we are able to know what is exactly happening in countries that are standing up for freedom, liberty and peace.  Let us hope for the best and Libya liberates ending the brutalities and a civil war. Let this beautiful country on the Mediterranean coast regain normalcy and peace.

The Arch of Marcus Aurelius in Tripoli

All content copyright © by Sobana Iyengar.