Chidambaram and in specific Thillai Nataraja
Temple was in my bucket list since few years.
Just a simple disclaimer to my reader, I am neither a devotee nor a
person who prefers pilgrimage trips and to be frank I am more an Atheist. But
since the past few years my interest towards Ancient and Medieval Indian
temples has increased, especially the Art, Architecture, Sculpture and Paintings
associated with these temples and visualizing the sociological impacts these
extraordinary marvels would have created or intended. So this blog post will be
of no use to a spiritual seeker.
I was
very much interested in the Siva Sculpture in Tandava dance form, who is also
the principal deity, 4 stunning Gopurams (Gatehouse Towers) and the wall
inscriptions.
Travel Plans
It’s a
family trip with 6 members and my 8 months old daughter. We booked an Innova
from Pondicherry (actually I reside here now). Our plan is to start by 07.30AM
in the morning, visit the temple and while returning had plans to go boating in
Pichavaram wetlands.
Chidambaram
Temple
We
reached Chidambaram at 10.15 in the morning. There is provision for parking car
outside the temple. The first banner we noticed was from the police department
warning with portraits of chain snatchers and pick-pockets. The vendors
insisted us to buy “Agal Vilaku” (Mud Lamp) telling us that it is special for
the day (we went on Friday). However, the tables to light these lamps are just outside
the main temple shrine, in the verandah once you enter the east gopuram.
No doubt the temple is an architectural marvel.
There are 4 Gopurams, of which the east gopuram depicts all the 108 postures from
Natya Sastra from which Bharatanatyam has evolved. There is a sacred pool near
the north gopuram and it is called Sivaganga. The pillared courtyards inside
the temple remains us how these places might have been used for dance and drama
performances and the pilgrims would have also used them to rest during their
pilgrimage. The temple also hosts deities of Saktism and Vaishnavism . It is an
interesting example of how the Chola Kings who usually revered Saivism also
included Vaishnavism in their urban centers. It is also said that the
Vaishanava deity was taken away to Tirupathi during Kulothunuga Chola reign and
was brought and later reinstalled by Vijayanagar Kings. Another historical fact
is that the Delhi Sultans under Malik Kafur (watched Padmavathy?) raided the
temple and looted bounty of gold and took back to Delhi.
Present
Status of the Temple
Despite having a rich history, I was
surprised and quite worried by the way it is managed now. The temple complex
actually runs like a business with priest or you can call young trainee priests
working as marketing managers. To me following were the surprising incidents/issues
in the temple,
Costly Blank
Paper Ticket: The principal deity is in a garbagraha placed in an elevated sanctum.
Devotees usually stand below the elevated structure. However if one need to see
the deity in close quarters and make special darshana, then there is a
provision to take special ticket and climb up the elevated sanctum from the
sideways. Actually I was interested to watch the Siva sculpture in Tandava
dance form and also the “Kaala Kadikaram”. We paid Rs.100 for each ticket for 6
of us and the priests just gave a white chit paper which had nothing other than
the number 6 or something like that which I don’t remember. Is there any
accountability for the money collected? Why not a receipt? Also all those with
ticket were sent together, so only the few who first entered get the option to stand
close. So I would say that it is just waste of money and time. It is
comfortably better to watch from down which the local devotees were doing when
we foolishly went up. Neither had I view to watch the sculpture nor the Kaala
Kadigaaram.
Marketing
Priests:
Once we came down, the priests asked us to donate (like membership) to get Prasad
by post during important ceremonies. In multiple places, whenever we tried to
talk/enquire to priests they always enquired us for the same. Unlike other
temples, here they are almost trying to sell, if I have to put it in other
words.
Snack/Prasad
Shop:
There is a snack shop inside the temple. Laddu, Muruku etc., are sold. They are
costly than even the A2B sweets. But the quality is so poor. We just had to
dispose everything. So never ever buy inside.
Temple
Inscription: I read about the temple inscription before going, but as it is a
big complex I was not able to find the inscriptions. After searching for some
time, I found them at the west entrance. Quite surprisingly the young priests
had no idea what is inscribed in it when enquired. They said it is about god
and the prayers. I don’t blame them, but it will be great if they are taught
the historical values of the temple. So not just they share it with tourists,
but will also maintain them properly.
Overall
Experience
Over
all it didn’t meet my expectations, probably due to the bad series of
incidents. I expected it equivalent to Tanjore and Madurai but to surprise it was
not on par with them.
Reference:
Seventh Pay Commission seems to
be a benchmark for all industry level wage talks post its implementation. In
the banking industry, the wage talks for 11th Bipartite settlement had already
begun with little headway so far in the negotiations. The delay is not taken
positively, especially by the young bankers and most of the whats app groups
and Facebook pages are flooded with comparison of bank pay with 7th pay
commission. In fact, to my surprise there are many hard and ardent supporters
for implementation of 7th Central Pay Commission in banks, which is nothing but
a retrograde step and similar to killing a duck which lays a golden egg. As I
had opportunity to taste both the settlements, I wish to come out with a
critical comparison of both of them.
Features
|
10th Bipartite Settlement
|
7th Pay Commission
|
Which is Best?
|
Basic Pay
|
Rs.25,563.75 (including Special
Pay)
|
Rs.56,100
|
7th CPC
|
Dearness Allowance
|
Revised once in 3 months with
immediate effect.
|
Cabinet approves the revised DA
once in 6 months and usually paid in arrears due to late announcement.
|
BPS
|
Annual Increment
|
Rs. 980 (which is 4.13% of Basic
Pay)
|
3% of Basic Pay
|
BPS
|
House Rent Allowance
|
Rs.1659 (7%)/ Rs.1896 (8%) Rs.2133 (9%)
|
Rs.4488 (8%) / Rs.8976 (16%)/
Rs.13,464 (24%)
|
BPS
|
Leased Accomodation : Even the
present quantum provided for leased accomodation is more than the HRA
received at every level as per 7th CPC
|
No Leased Accomodation
|
||
Option of availing 150% of the eligible HRA
|
No option to avail 150% HRA
|
||
Annual Medical Allowance
|
Rs.8000. Apart for this, many banks
provide monthly medical allowance too with a minimum of Rs.500
|
No such allowance
|
BPS
|
Professional Update Allowance
|
Increment Provided for JAIIB and
CAIIB and reimbursement for other exams.
|
Fixed one time allowance of
Rs.15000 which is hiked by 50% only in scientific departments like ISRO,
DRDO, DAE etc.,
|
BPS
|
Deputation Allowance
|
7.75% (or Rs.4000) for outside and
4% (or Rs.2000) for same station
|
As per 6th CPC, the ceiling was
same as Bank and now it is enhanced to Rs.4500 for same station and Rs. 9000
for outside
|
7th CPC
|
Hill Area Allowance
|
Min of Rs.750 to a max of Rs.2000
|
Rs. 900 as per 6th CPC and now it is abolished.
|
BPS
|
Entertainment Allowance
|
Rs.1800 for JMG 1 and Rs.4200 for
JMG as BM
|
Provided for Cabinet Secretary and
Railway Officers only. As per 6th CPC it was Rs.1000 for entry level officer
and now it is abolished.
|
BPS
|
Conveyance Allowance
|
Rs. 9/km for Car and Rs.4.45/km for
Two wheeler to travel on own vehicle for official duty
|
Approximately Rs.5.6 per KM for Car
|
BPS
|
Lodging Reimbursement
|
Rs.1000 to Rs.1500 per day
(excluding Halting Allowance)
|
Rs.2250 per day ( no additional
Halting Allowance)
|
More or Less same
|
Halting Allowance
|
Rs.800 to Rs.1300
|
Rs.900 (called as Lump Sum)
|
BPS
|
Transport Allowance
|
Provided as Petrol Allowance
|
Rs.3600 + DA / Rs.7200 + DA TPTA
Cities
|
7th CPC
|
Travel Entitlement
|
2nd AC Train or Economy Class
Flight
|
2nd AC Train or Economy Class
Flight
|
Both Same
|
Medical Facility
|
Introduced Health Insurance Scheme
|
Recommended to introduce Health
Insurance Scheme
|
Both Same
|
LOANS
|
|||
Festival Advance
|
1 Month Gross Pay
|
Officers not eligible for interest
free Festival Advance.
|
BANK
|
Car Loan
|
Most of the Banks have Car Loan
upto 9 Lakhs
|
Rs.1,80,000 or 8 month Basic
whichever is less.
|
BANK
|
HBA
|
Most of the Banks have HBA not less
than 50 Lakhs
|
25 Lakhs or 34 times of Basic
whichever is less and recommended to reduces minimum service to 5 years from
10 years.
|
BANK
|
LEAVES
|
|||
CASUAL LEAVE
|
12 Days
|
8 Days
|
BPS
|
EL / PL
|
33 Days (1 Day for every 11 Days)
|
30 Days
|
BPS
|
Medical/ Commutted/ Sick Leave
|
30 Days of Half Pay Basis. Medical
Certificates waived twice in a year
|
20 Days of Half Pay Basis. No
waiver of medical certificate
|
BPS
|
Unavailed Casual Leave
|
CL unavailed can be carried upto 3
years
|
CL unavailed expires and no option
to carry over
|
BPS
|
Maternity Leave
|
12 Months (max of 6 months in 1
occasion)
|
180 Days
|
BPS
|
Paternity Leave
|
15 Days
|
15 Days
|
Both Same
|
PROMOTION
|
|||
Promotion
|
Provision of Fast Track Channel.
Once in 3 years promotion can be taken and oppurtunity to reach Scale 7 (7
Promotions) in 18 years.
|
Indian Audit and Account Service
has the minimum period to reach Senior Administrative Grade (5th Promotion)
and it takes 17 years on a Average.
|
BPS
|
From the above table it is very clear that it is just the hike in basic pay which is having an impact in the pay slip for employees under CPC. Other than Basic Pay, the allowance and facilities, even as per the 10th Bipartite settlement is better in banks. Concessional loans provided to bankers are unparalleled. Leaves are much better. Once the other Saturdays are also declared leave as per the charter of demands of 11th BPS, then leaves will be one of the best in the industry. It is due to lack awareness that many insist for CPC by throwing away BPC. If the interest/EMI benefits due to concessional loans and other allowances are also included to arrive at cost to company basis, then bank pays are better than any other pay in public sector. Let us learn to appreciate what we have. Instead of asking for implementation of 7th CPC, it is wise enough to ask for equivalent basic pay within the BPS ambit which is already in the charter of demands.
“You may have to buy even water”, a common
warning given to us during the nineties when I was school kid and now within
two decades the situation had got worse. Now I may have to tell
my daughter that her generation may not get water in future even if they are
ready to buy, if water conservation is not done at present. But is the issue as
serious as portrayed? Yes, the water crisis in Cape Town, the legislative
capital of South Africa is a recent example.
So What Happened in Cape Town?
Cape Town
was running short of water and date for day zero was announced by the Municipal
Corporation. Technically speaking if storage in reservoirs is below 13.5% then
it is considered to Day Zero. So the implication was that showers are not allowed
for more than 90 seconds, 50L of ration water as daily allowance to residents
and much more restrictions.
To many of us, it was just a news. After all it
didn’t happen in India, right? Cape Town is just a predecessor and there are
many cities including Bengaluru are in the verge of the acute water crisis leading to day zero,
according to a report in Down to Earth.
Source: Down To Earth |
LivPure #CuttingPanni Initiative
In the
midst of the global water crisis, LivPure has come out with an interesting
initiative based on the Cutting Chai culture of Mumbai. In short, it’s an
attempt to conserve water by starting to use half a cup of water. The below video is one of the interesting videos which was relased as part of the Live Pure #CuttingPanni initiative. There is always a half-leftover glass of water after every meeting. Why not just take half of glass of water, instead of wasting the other half?
Kerala Experience
I
visited Mattanur in Kannur district; Kerala a couple of years back and the
awareness among children’s in conserving water is something which shook me
awestruck. My spouse house is surrounded by paddy field and Rubber plantations
with water running from the mountain in a narrow canal throughout the year.
Water in well is near the ground and there is absolutely no water shortage or
crisis any time in the past. On a fine
morning a girl related to my spouse and who is less than 10 years of age
was using the tap in front of the house to wash her face and brush her teeth.
She just throttled the knob a little instead of flushing the water from the tap which was at high pressure. My experience here in city kitchens was different as we continue to keep water to flush at high pressure while washing utensils. Her
father who was standing near the paddy field called her to bring something and
she moved instantly by closing the tap. As she moved suddenly, she didn’t close
it fully and drops of water was leaking. Her father who noticed it asked her
to stop running towards him and told her to turn back and close the tap fully
without wasting water. She in turn came back and closed it fully. It all
happened in minutes and both of them continued to do their work. But the
incident is still fresh in my mind and incident was shared with all my friends many
time in the last few years. Is this the reason why Kerala is green and people
are aware of the basic necessities of life instead of getting consumed into
materialistic life? May be or maybe not, but such habitual changes is the need
of the hour to conserve water. Children’s should be taught to conserve water
and it should become a habit.
Sign the Petition @ https://www.change.org/p/cuttingpaani and be part of the noble initiative to save water
Sign the Petition @ https://www.change.org/p/cuttingpaani and be part of the noble initiative to save water