BEST WAYS TO SURVIVE THE DEATH OF THE DOLLAR

Well, finance is a thing that attracts a number of people; we all feel affection for money and always desire to get some extra amount in our wallet. However, economics does not permit it easily and we face certain sequences due to which we lose our wealth. In modern times, especially in USA, the dollar is fluctuating very dynamically, sometimes it is helping American economy but sometimes it is screwing it. Therefore, the main question arises, how we can survive the death of the dollar, when a number of factors are influencing economy. Here, we will discuss all of that:-

Many signals are representing that the world is leading towards a huge fiscal collapse. The paper money on which we are depending so much is trailing its value with the time. What is going to happen when this paper money will be worthless? Can we purchase goods for ourselves? Can we afford shelter for our family? There are many factors like inflation, unemployment, population explosion, global warming, terrorism, migration, etc., that is responsible for the economical drawbacks. The biggest and most recent economic disaster occurred in USA was in 2008, when trillions of dollar were vanished in few hours. This was, called as “The Great Recession”; American economy is still trying to overcome that setback.

We have a stupid routine of spending and spending, but we do not endeavour to save and invest. This leads to the migration of wealth from a nation and if we want to survive the death of the dollar, we have to build a goal towards financial independence and move towards no loan or no credit card mentality, if we can achieve that then we have a great chance of surviving this economical catastrophe. Well, how this will affect common people like you and me? The idea is very simple – the prices of our necessary things will go up, cost-of living will increase and quality of the food and drugs will diminish. The unemployment is a bigger issue and if this sustains, the stature of jobless people will have a horrendous mark. It will exceed than The Great Depression period.  The healthcare will be costly and out of the reach of common people, as people would not have the money to pay their staff and they have to drop many one. The home rent will be as high as the land owners will try to cover their losses that they met in other sectors. In short, when people would not have the money to pay the rent, lesser homes will be accessible. The summary is dollar will be same but its value would be, decreased and rates of every utility like roof on head, clothing, feeding and drinking would be exorbitant.

Hence, is there any way to survive that or not? If every key has its own lock, this situation has a solution as well. The preparedness of some disaster is, known as “prepping” – so to prep this economic disaster you have to construct some revolutionary changes in your lifestyle.

                              It requires very less things and very less cost of money to exhaust. You have to know what your basic monthly expenses are as how much you spend on water, food, medical care, necessary hygiene supplies, shelter (including lights, transport and sanitation) and other miscellaneous things. If you examine all of them properly and start to think, above of all of that is a thing of luxury for you. You do not need to but iPhone every month and you do not need a Porsche, they are worthless for you. You need to invest some amount in some division that is going to offer you surety in the tough time.

If you can put aside several hundreds of dollar every month, believe me! You are doing a great help to the nation. You need to know the art of saving and by the help of learning this art you can endure an economic blunder. When you are buying a house try to locate it in a small town rather than selecting an apartment in a big town. If you have an old vehicle, get a new one by removing that from your garage as older vehicle costs so much every year for service and maintenance, so save the money! The big problem we contain is that we rely so much on credit card rather than actual money, stop it, as it is a lending system and you have to pay interest on every penny you spend. You have to stop eating outside and rather than cook at your place for your family, it will save massive capital. If people start focusing on the habit of saving money and investing, we can survive the economic disaster anytime. 

THE ROLE OF CHANAKYA AS TEACHER!!

Chanakya also known as “Kautilaya” is one of the utmost teachers in Indian history, who is the founder of ‘Arthshastra’, an old Indian thesis on governance, economic policy and military strategy.  He termed as the greatest guide, mentor and philosopher in the Indian history who created great rulers like Chandragupta Maurya, Bindusar and Ashoka. He not only formed great kings, but also united fragmented states into “Akhand Bharat” (Undivided India), which constituted the areas of modern India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Pakistan, Afghanistan and some parts of Iran. He mastered in the ‘Arthshastra’ and his teachings are still, pursued by today’s youth. He studied and later taught in Taxila University (In modern Afghanistan) that was famous for training students to fight with the help of ear and eyes blindfold. He has given a number of lessons for students and teachers; hence, I will focus only on the relationships between teacher and student.

His father Chanak coined his son as “Chanakya”. He was a teacher himself and he knew the role of education in the life of a person. Taxila was the world leader in education at that time. At an early age, little Chanakya started studying Vedas and Upanishads. His memory was too sharp that when he read/studied something he could not forget that easily. His father was his tutor and he learnt many lessons from him, he was more interested in politics. In politics, Chanakya’s sharpness and reasonableness was observable right from the childhood. He was known as a clever political strategist and often famous for the observing the strategy of opposite camp, destroying them without any deficit. He was a top quality person in revolving tables in his errand irrespective of any conditions. He never shunt to pressure tactics by the ruthless leaders of that era, what is clear from this – If you have strong will power and you know your goal no situation can stop you. In this method after observing religion and politics, he moved his focus to economics that became his friend throughout the life.

A teacher and a student who can have very good role in the society must come forward without any self-gain. They can lay the foundation of a great nation; a good teacher can guide a student who can later be the leader. The sacrifices of a teacher develop a better society and eventually an immense nation. There are many good lessons/teachings written in Chankyaniti and I trust that we should read that.

Taxila was one of the topmost educational centers at that time and it became Chanakya’s procreation ground by getting knowledge in various practical and theoretical aspects. At that time, lecturers use to teach in a number of subjects and various practical arts. Chanakya was such a mentor for Chandragupta-Ashoka, who guided them and made them such great leaders. What we can know from the life of Chanakya? He dedicated his whole life for the nation, for unity of Bharat and he achieved that, he never expected any benefit for himself. His life was, based upon selflessness principle and that is what a teacher must reflect on the society. He was a great teacher, Chandragupta never questioned his mentor ever, and he trusted the abilities of Chanakya that is what made him a grand king. Such examples are enough to understand the role of teacher and student, these examples clarify really better how good teacher, and a dedicated student can lead a nation.

On teacher’s day, I thought to share about great teacher Chanakya, whose role is unforgettable in the history of India. A person, who fought against Alexander without any army or weapons, but he defeated him by his wittiness. The role of a teacher is essential for nation building and I suppose as a student we should not, disrespect our educators and our parents. It is due to them that we achieve our goals in our life. Their role must be, remembered throughout the life. What I believe we should never cross our limits when we are dealing with our teachers.

HE WAS A HERO!!

The problem with India is that we remember our heroes occasionally, like for their birthday or on some event related to them. I believe heroes must be remembered not on some occasion, but always, their journey must be taught in school books, but it does not happen (exceptions are there). Such a hero is – Major Dhyanchand who is also termed as ‘WIZARD OF HOCKEY’, who played for India (under British rule) for consecutively three Olympics and clinched the gold every time. His superb footwork, ball control and exceptional talent gave him the attention and respect of people worldwide.

He played hockey for 25 years and scored more than 400 goals, but why am I talking about this? You can get any information related to Major Dhyanchand from the internet, as India celebrated its sports day yesterday and "Major Sahab" is the biggest sports icon in the nation. Any other hockey player could never repeat what he accomplished for the nation. He started his hockey in poverty and I am ashamed to say that he ended in poverty. What he actually deserved, he never got and the Indian political system failed him. Politicians never showed the respect he deserved when he was alive. Yes, after his death some stadiums, some awards and some sports authorities got his name, but that is not enough.

Major Sahab has done a lot for the nation, but the respect and financial security that designated for him he never got that. He never requested any assistance from the Govt. instead, he said that my job was to play for the nation-I did that, now its Govt.’s duty to take my care. He died due to liver cancer believe me! His last days were too alone and terrible, in poverty, got no medical treatment and other facilities, no one paid any attention towards him. He was a patriot; no doubt on that, he served his nation really well. I use to respect his spirit and his never give-up spirit. I usually imagine that history and the nation never did justice to him. From Sir Donald Bradman to Adolf Hitler, everybody were included in his fan following. He never left the nation for money; he never played for money or fame. He played because he loved the game!

Here are some of the lesser-known facts about Major Sahab:-

   

     1. There is a sports academy/club in Vienna that has a statue of Major Dhyanchand having four arms and four hockey sticks to demonstrate just how magical his skills were.

·        2. The authorities in the Japan & Netherlands broke his hockey stick to see if there was a magnet inside.

·       3. Great Australian batsman Sir Don Bradman met Dhyanchand in Adelaide in 1935. After watching him play, Bradman remarked, "He scores goals like runs in cricket".

·     4. After an inspiring show at the Berlin Olympics, Hitler offered Dhyanchand German citizenship and a position in the German Military, which he declined.

·       5.  He joined the Indian Army at the age of 16 and took up hockey while he was, still admitted. Since Dhyan Singh used to practice so much during the night, he was given the nickname "Chand" by his fellow players; his perform sessions at night always coincided with the moon rise. ‘Chand’ means moon in Hindi.

·        6. Once, when he was not able to score in a match, he argued with the match referee about the dimensions of the goal post. To everybody’s astonishment, he was correct; the goal post found to be in contravention of the official minimum width offered under the international rules.

I hope now Government would not do any injustice on any player, what Major Sahab felt. I hope his hard work and his life inspire a number of young players to play hockey for the nation. I hope Government of India honor him with the highest civilian award "BHARAT RATNA" soon. May new generation players learn the rules of will power and dedication from his life! I hope I expressed my views in a better way.

Thanks for reading!

FAMOUS TEMPLES OF SOUTH INDIA!!!

India is the land of a number of religious spots. South India especially has a number of religious spots and mostly Hindu temples. A number of the famous temples are in the state of Tamil Nadu though there are many in other states also. These temples are the best examples of the ancient Indian architecture. We are going to discuss about the famous temples of South India in this article. Let us discuss:

·         Meenakshi Temple

This is one of the most famous temples in the southern part of India. It is, situated in the city of Madurai (Tamil Nadu). This temple was, constructed by the Pandyan King Kulasekhara and it is a magnificent model of ancient architecture. This temple is, devoted to Lord Shiva and there are 956 pillars inside the temple. 

·         Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple

This is a stunning looking temple in Srirangam in Tamil Nadu. The temple is devoted to Hindu god called as Shri Ranganath, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu (One of the powerful Gods). The temple is, extended over a large area of 156 acres. It is one of the 108 “Divya Desams” of Lord Vishnu. It is, supposed that this temple is one of the largest in the world. 

·         Chamundeswari Temple

This is a very popular temple at the top of a hill in Mysore (Karnataka). It is, dedicated to the Goddess Chamundeswari who is an incarnation of Goddess Shakti. The doors of this temple are made of gold and silver, which looks extremely beautiful when you enter into the temple. There are approximately thousand steps leading up to the temple, which has a height of near about 3000 feet. 

·         Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple

This is a very popular temple in Thiruvananthapuram (capital of Kerala-a state in South India). It is, dedicated to Lord Vishnu and one of the 108 Divya Desams of God Vishnu. There is a superb statue of Lord Vishnu inside the temple where he can be, observed in a state of yog nidra. 

·         Tirumala Venkateswara Temple

This is one of the most popular temples all over the world. It is, located on Tirumala hills, which is closer to the city of Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh). This temple is most holy to the followers of Vaishnava Dharma, a division among the Hindus. It is, thought that Lord Venkateswara himself came down to the earth and stayed on these hills for 7 days to save the human species during the Kaliyuga. This temple is, visited by near about 75000 devotees every day. 

·         Rameswaram Temple

This is one of the most famous temples of Hindus worldwide. The temple is, situated only 100 meters from the sea in the city of Rameswaram. It has a long corridor with endless pillars with paintings of Gods carved all over them.  The devotees take a bath in the sea before being, allowed to visit the temple. It is, believed that Lord Rama built a bridge on the sea here to reach Lanka to rescue his wife Goddess Sita.

LETTER FROM A SOLDIER'S BROTHER!!

Well, I did not write this one but shared it from somewhere. This letter is worth reading, hence I shared it.

In loving memory of Shershah,

Vikram sir still commands..... he commands the heart & soul of every Indian.... He’s there in the hearts of the every soldier.......

"My Brother Vikram"
-Vishal Batra

It's been ten years. A lot has changed. and a lot has remained the same. I have much more grey in my hair. Vikram is as youthful as ever. Time cannot touch him...

When I talk about Luv, I don't know where to begin. Capt.Vikram Batra PVC (posthumous) is Luv, and I, Kush. His identical twin. Ours was a childhood spent in the hills of Palampur making the most of our identical looks—playing pranks, filling in for each other and at times even getting punished for one another’s mistakes. The similarity ran deeper than looks. We also had the same interests. Both of us started playing table tennis at the age of ten. It’s another story that Vikram went on to become the school champion for five consecutive years. But I’d like to believe that I had a big hand in that. After all, I chose to lose to him in the semi-finals in the fifth year so that he could make the school record. But deep in my heart, I know that my brother—Shershah of Kargil—was a winner right from the start.

Shershah of Kargil. That’s what the enemy too called Vikram. That’s the mark he made on them on those unforgiving mountains of Kargil. I don’t know at what stage Vikram marched on way ahead of all of us. We’d grown up as regular kids, making our choices as we went along. The first different choice that I remember is when our father started giving us Rs 50 a month for the school bus fare. I chose to travel to school by bus. Vikram opted to walk it and instead spend those rupees in the canteen. As we grew up, Vikram opted for the Army, and I, rejected thrice by the Services Selection Board, settled for business administration. How thrilled he was when he made it to the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun.

It was 6 December 1997. Vikram Batra’s dream came true. He took the oath as an Officer of the Indian Army:

The Safety, Honour and Welfare of your country comes first, always and every time / The Honour, Welfare and Comfort of the men you command comes next / Your own Ease, Comfort and Safety comes last, always and every time. /

Mom and Dad pinned up the stars on his shoulder. He stood there smiling from ear to ear in his crew cut and several kilos thinner after the rigorous training. It was a grand moment. But it wasn’t going to be an easy life and Vikram knew that.

When he’d come home on annual leave, we would talk for hours about the challenges he faced in Sopore—the strife-torn town in Jammu & Kashmir’s Baramulla district—which was his first posting. He had been commissioned into 13 JAK Rif.

We would dream of the day he would command his regiment and I would get a chance to attend some of the regimental functions with his family and children. That dream is lost now.

Never could I have imagined, even in my wildest dreams, that the stories we saw in the famous TV serial, Param Vir Chakra, which we watched at a neighbour’s house in 1985 (we didn’t have a TV at home back then) would one day become so real for me. And Vikram would be the hero. Vikram was awarded the country’s highest gallantry award, posthumously. He was only 24. His famous words from the height of 18,000 feet: “Yeh Dil Maange More,” after victory over the enemy, still ring in my ears.

It’s been ten years. A lot has changed. And a lot has remained the same. I have many more grey strands in my hair. Vikram is as youthful as ever. Time cannot touch him. In these last ten years, I have longed to visit those mountains that he conquered. And then suddenly, out of the blue, I got a call to travel to Kargil and Drass. It was as if Vikram was calling me to have a chat with him. I didn’t look back, packed my bags and set out to meet him.

I landed in Leh at 10:30 in the morning on 2 July, five days before Vikram’s tenth death anniversary. The valley was more beautiful than it is made out to be in books. From the snow-capped hills surrounding it, I could almost sense Vikram looking at me. I then began the road trip to Drass to meet him. The mountain wind blew faster than the speed of the car and in my mind there was just one picture—of the bearded young man who had become a legend for pushing the enemy back at insurmountable heights where even life does not exist.

A little outside Leh, we reached Gurdwara Pathar Sahib. I said a prayer for Vikram and for all those great soldiers guarding those mountains and our motherland. I recalled what Vikram had written in one of his last letters before the attack: ‘Life is at total risk. Anything can happen here. Take care of yourself and Mom and Dad… My picture has appeared in The Times Of India. Keep a copy for me. I want to see it once I’m back.’ The picture had appeared on the front page of The Times of India on 2 July 1999. It showed him standing with an anti-aircraft gun and weapons he had captured from Pakistani soldiers. This was after the first ferocious attack on Peak 5140 launched after they performed pooja at the Ghumri Base Camp with the call of “Durga Mata Ki Jai”.

Vikram and his men captured point 5140 on 20 June 1999, and two weeks later, when his company launched the attack on point 4875 on 5 July, Vikram was fatally wounded—hit by sniper fire. The company captured the peak, but after 11 casualties. Vikram was one of them.

It was months later, at the Western Command headquarters, when I met the junior commissioned officer (JCO) who was with Vikram the day he was fatally wounded. He was the last man to speak with Vikram. Sub Major Raghunath Singh started wailing when he saw me. He solved the mystery of my twin’s death for me: a young officer, Vikram’s junior, was hit and crying for help. The JCO wanted to go out to help but Vikram stopped him. “The enemy was firing heavily. ‘You have a family and children back home, I will do this,’ saahab said. He stopped me with these words and went out,” Raghunath Singh told me as he wept like a baby, inconsolably. But Vikram was hit by sniper fire. Having realised that, the charged company went berserk, mad with rage at their leader being hit, and killed the enemy soldiers. The tricolour was planted atop point 4875—they call it Batra Top now. Vikram reached Palampur before the sun rose on 11 July 1999. He was wrapped in the tricolour, lying calm almost as if he was trying to catch up on sleep he had lost during these arduous assaults on those treacherous peaks.

Was I really so close to those peaks that I could almost see him fighting there? I wanted to reach up there as fast as possible, but the track was treacherous—the rocky mountain on one side and the sheer fall on the other. In some time, we had left the Indus River behind.

It was a breathtaking journey. A place so beautiful and yet caught in the crossfire of war a decade ago. Midway, at one of the military posts, we had lunch with the commanding officer of 4 JAK Rif. I also met an officer six months senior to Vikram—now a major—and a JCO, both of whom had fought the war together with Vikram. “You look so much like Vikram Sir,” the JCO said and hugged me. I’ve been told that a billion times in the last ten years. There are people now who know me as Captain Vikram Batra’s brother. Many of them even walk into my office at ICICI Bank in Delhi and stare at me as if they know me. Some of them even say, “We’ve seen you somewhere.” When I tell them I’m Captain Batra’s twin, they say, “Oh, ‘Yeh Dil Mange More,’” and shake my hand.

My dream of visiting Vikram as a commanding officer of a regiment couldn’t come true. But Vikram still commands. He’s there in the hearts of the soldiers posted in Kargil and Drass. In that mountain named after him (the Batra Top). And in the transit camp in Drass, called Capt Batra Transit Camp, where weary soldiers break their journey in the call of duty.

‘Call of duty’, the mention of these words takes me back to the days he was to be commissioned as an officer. When he was in the IMA, the footnote of Vikram’s letter pad read, ‘If Death comes to me before I prove my blood, I promise I’ll kill Death.’ You kept your word, Vikram. My Brother, My Twin, I salute you.

— with Gneva Carol and Sagar Das.