Mayakkam enna..Mayakiyathu

Hi all,
Once in a blue moon, some movies come and will have impact on you even after you come out of theater even for hours, and one such movie is this Mayakkam Enna..
I had seen the trailer sometime back, when it was released, but when I went in to the movie, I had nothing in my mind, I just wanted a good flick at the end of the day, but the movie served more than what I wanted..

On road to office

Hi all,
After a long time, i am coming up with somethin different..
I know its not funny, but this thought came up sometime in my mind, when I was stuck in Bangalore traffic, just then realized there is a lot similar to our work life and traffic ..


More true of the Indian road because of the delightful chaos which allow us complete expression of our creativity, manipulative-ness, aggression and so on.
I have seen people speaking in phone from the moment they get in, till they get out in buses, some even attend meetings in phone in bus, many read paper, hear music and the list goes on, its all different, and there are many things which we can correlate to this.


I have been meeting many fellow commuters in volvo , whom i have no contact with, but this post is dedicated to all of them, as this is just what I heard others say, and some of course I made it..

Here are some amazing parallels which I like the most -


1. At the red light, which must serve as the arbitrary starting point, it is often your positioning rather than the speed of your vehicle which determines whether you go ahead of others when signal changes to green. It doesn't matter whether you have the fastest car, or the biggest SUV or you're on a scooter. Seasoned commuters know that positioning yourself well is the real advantage and if that means that you sneak through the next signal just as it changes to red - your lead is insurmountable.


In our organisations too, once you get to a common starting point, the positioning is more important and will determine how far you will go or get ahead or will you be left honking the horn.


2. The average road speed is often determined by the slowest vehicle on the road. Especially, as it often is the case, when the road is narrow. Everybody - from the arrogant Merc to the humble Tvs- must drive behind the tractor/truck/bullock-cart as the case may be. You can attempt to bypass it, but at your own risk.


In our offices we know who the bottle-neck is and the trouble is that it is s/he who sets the pace. And it is often hazardous if you were to try and bypass this person. Best is to wait till a clear opportunity to overtake offers itself. And most likely its never easy to bypass that person,as the person who sets the pace will always be like Akthar, while we will be Munaf.

3. You must wait for the holy-cow to get out of the way or respectfully make your way around it. It won't do to honk your horn or otherwise threaten the animal. That's just waste of your time.


Each office has its own holy cow(s). They are there so they are there. Accept it and move on.


4. Often, because of the poor policing, rule breakers get the advantage. It is a fact. People who crowd the oncoming lane at the junction, or those who drive on the pavement or those who have no love lost for lane driving, often reach their destination faster. However, their risks of getting caught or being in an accident are also to that extent a bit higher. 


Break the rules to the extent you can get away with it and be prepared to pay the price (or bribe) when you get caught. Folks who play by the rules often come last but are sure to reach their destination. 


5. Traffic continues to move comfortably if a small vehicle has a break down or an accident. But if the mighty road transport corporation bus overturns, the traffic stops.


A little fellow falsifying his travel expense report wont have any effect, but  Rama Raju falsifying the company accounts has a lot of effect - no prizes for guessing which is more trouble some for Satyam.


6. In heavy traffic or when you can't make sense of the traffic - it is sensible to tag somebody else who does. S/he'll get you out of the jam. For example, an ambulance is always more likely to get you through. Even better - if you can tag a VIP motorcade for a smooth journey home. Or a bicycle can hook itself to the tail of the passing tempo. 


Catch hold of the star in your company. S/he'll see you through.


7. If you lose your way, swallow your pride and get someone to help you. Else you will get stuck sooner or later. It is always better to ask more than one person so that you can be absolutely sure of the road ahead.


Sometimes one can lose his way in organisations too. Don't assume that the traffic policeman (H R Manager) also knows the best route. S/he may be a lousy or a rookie driver herself. Best to ask someone who looks like a resident of the area or somebody with a shop/auto in the area.


8. Finally, if the road is crowded, makes sense to question yourself if you need to travel at this time and on this road. Save yourself the bother because end of the day, even if you do get ahead, you're still no better off then what you were at the beginning. Maybe worse off. 


9. Choose the road appropriate to your vehicle. If you're a IIM MBA or an geek from IIT, you will hate being in the government office.


10. Driving is best learnt by experience. Don't underestimate the expertise of someone who has driven down the road before. S/he will know pitfalls far better than your map can tell you.


And most important of all, in road you meet a lot of people, some you speak to, some you help, some help you, some wont even bother even if you are in a bad position, remember what you give is what you can expect from others, and thats the whole point !!.


And now its Green, so go and take the road ahead !!


Bye till next,