The Corona Diary - living through self-quarantine

Corona Dairy - living through self-quarantine..

This is Corona virus season for the world. 7.5 billion people have been held to ransom by a 125 nm virus. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4369385/

My home self-quarantine started on Saturday, 14th March 2020. After government asked all educational institutions in Bangalore to close for 2 weeks, feeling bit relieved. Since going for walk in the morning or evening is difficult,  been doing yoga at home with Anila almost 5 days a week 

Day 1, Saturday, 14 March 2020

Checking up WA posts from friends, reading  Times of India and online editions of Manorama, NY Times. New York times has made access free during the Covid 2019 time to enable dissemination of accurate news and facts. Went for a brief walk with Anila to the small park at 6 pm and to Reliance Fresh to buy veggies, provision and fruits. Chinnu is running a temperature and is tired. Jobin is working from home. Giving high vitamins fruits to kids to improve the general immunity. No medicines yet ..

Day 2, Sunday, 15/3/2020

Took off from church as a precaution for effective social distancing to prevent spread of nCovid 2019. People unaware of the damage they were causing in society, were merrily going for social gathering in church. Did walking with Anila in Post Office park and btief veggie shopping in Reliance Fresh at 6 30 pm. Back home by 7.15 pm. Chinnu is feeling much better. 

Day 3, Monday, 16/3/2020

Want to go to SBI, JNC br. to make payment of 1.5L to SBI Life, but resisted and stated at home. Extensive reading. Did evening walk with Anila in small park, 3 rounds and shopping at Reliance Fresh, collected milk. Back home by 7 pm.

Day 4, Tuesday, 17/3/2020

Got up at 4 am and went with Anila at 5.40 am to big park but park closed to prevent social contacts, aid social distancing. Walked around post office curb and reached home. Evening went for brief walk, again big park closed, shopping at Reliance Fresh. Saji achen messaged regarding prayers for world at 9 pm at church and home. Did at home.

Jobin put in his papers at Deloitte in prep for MBA at IESE Barcelona, Spain. Spain has almost 900 Vovid deaths so far. Italy deaths crosses 1200.

Day 5, Wednesday 18/3/2020

FN - carried shopping at RF. Did 2 trial recordings and on third trial recorded 2 videos on Basic Line Balancing and sent to students. Spent 4 hours researching and reading for 2 blogs on Cianiao logistics network in China. On plans to publish books of my writings, took off blogging.

Sent link of LB practice problems to sem1 CR, Soumyadeb.

Day 6, Thursday, 19 March 2020

As I went to collect milk at 6.15 am, roads were deserted. At 9 am, when I am writing this entry, roads are silent and empty in front of my home in Koramangala  sixth block, Bangalore. Can hear small time vegetable vendors on road shouting, pushing their vegetable carts. 

Planning giving Line balancing quiz by 9.30 pm. Students want it tomorrow 10 pm. Quiz ready. Modi gave a very depressing call to the nation on Corona virus by asking people to observe kanata curfew from 7 am to 9 pm on sunday 22 march. We expected great motivating words from him.

Day 7, Friday, 20 March 2020

Very less traffic on roads, nation on a temp lockdown.  Going to bank to pay abilify premium 1.5 L. Paid. Spoke to Mihir at bank. Clarified LB doubts to Sounyadeb. Got wireless headphones from Amazon. Took LB quiz for students from 10-10.20 pm. Big success. Anil kumar got a perfect 10. 

Day 8, Saturday,  21 March 2020.

No plan of outing. Get some rice and atta (wheat flour) and fruits and veggies .. Reading Sapiens from Yuval Noah Harari.

Day 8  Sunday, Curfew day.

7 am to 9 pm  total lockdown. At home, all the time. No church.

Day 9, Monday, March 23

Streets are still deserted. Have not gone out for 48 hours now. Went for brief shopping and collect milk.

Day 10, Tuesday, March 24.

At home whole day . Had tele-conf with VC madam reg SEE for sem4 MBA. Decided to go for 100% objective portal administered online quizzes to final sem students. Birthday..

PM Modi declared a 21 day lockout of the country from midnight tonight.till 15 April.

Day 11, Wednesday, March 25.

This morning I read for 2.5 hours and at the same time took a sunlight therapy for 1.5 hours. (100% free..). 

Feeling really good, on top of the world, after a bath. Planning to repeat this all 21 days of this lockout ..🙂👍

Day 12 Thursday, March 26

Sun therapy and reading till 9.30 am.

Coursera initial Google link circulated by Dean to operations faculty for comments. Have to start objective question preparation BPR 100 questions. Prepared 60 questions already, another 40 to go.

Discussed with Sajan on doing a mock DRY run, upto password entry screen, previous day of remote online objective exam for students logging from different parts of the country. 

Day 13 Friday, March 27

Spoke with Jiji in US,  got the ground reality there, quite grim. Reading and sunlight therapy for 1.5 hours.US has largest Covid infections in the world at 85K and 1100 deaths .. Spoke to George ninan and susan aunty in chingacanam kottayam, kerala. Also to Jacob pazhayakalam and aunty in chnigavanam.. They are all fine in home quarantine.. Online quiz RM for LSCM students 9 to 10 pm at portal.

Had a Zoom class with students of MBA sem2 sub supply chain on topic Supply chain visibility and supply chain transparency from 3 to 4.15 pm. 24 of 28 joined. Good discussions too. Quiz from 7 to 7.25 pm. About 18 of them could take it. 

Pic of me standing front of Reliance Fresh, koramangala this evening at 4.40 pm. Chinnu's mask. Limiting external environmental  exposure to avoid the Covid 19 virus contagion. Safe distancing and outing once in 36 hours is an effective strategy so far. 

Day 14 Saturday  March 28

Sun bathing, online classes

Day 15, Sunday March 29

Sun bathing, online classes on Zoom ..

Day 16, Monday, March 30

Sun bathing, 

online classes on Revenue Management 11.30 am

Day 17, Tuesday, March 31

Sun bathing, online classes on RM.First virtual Open Forum meeting. Report link on meeting..

http://knowledge22wisdom.blogspot.com/2020/03/virtual-open-forum-meeting.html

Day 18, Wednesday April 1

Had virtual meeting with MS Works team on setting up online learning. 

Set up meeting from 7-8 pm for MBA sem2, LSCM on RM models. Went perfectly fine.

Day 19, Thursday, April 2

Had revision meeting with sem2 MBA students from 12 noon to 1 pm. 

MBA virtual interview for 3 students over by 3.30 pm, all 3 ok. 

5 to 6.40 had TEAMS session with MBA sem 1 on Sequencing. 

7.30 OM quiz with MBA sem3 on RM models. Sushmitha top scores with 9.05.

My daily Covid vital global data analysis

Day 20, Friday, April 3

Went to Reliance Fresh for shopping in the morning by 7.30 am. Did heavy veg, fruits shopping.

Did 2 MBA students virtual interview, both ok.

5 pm mba sem1 OM class on sequencing. 

While standing in queue in front of Reliance Fresh, could see lot of old rotten vegetables and fruits being disposed of into box autos for disposal. Was surprised to find even on the twentieth day of country lockout, Reliance Fresh had racks full of vegetables, fruits and provisions,  shelves fully loaded. But all roads are deserted.

All these days I compulsorily do a 50 min sun therapy daily.

My Covid daily global vital data analysis ..

Did 5-6 pm online class for MBA sem 1 on OM and 8-9 pm case discussion on Are Indian anti supply chains stressed ? for MBA sem 3, Supply chain management. Interesting inputs came out of the discussion..

Day 21, Saturday, April 4

Covid daily analysis 

Took online class for sem2 (weekly off problem) 5-6 pm  full class and a case discussion on the stressed agri supply chains in India 8.30 - 9.30 pm, for sem4. About 5 out of 11 participated. US is very despairingly getting pulled into the quagmire called Covid 19.

Day 22, Sunday, April 5

Covid daily analysis 

No church services in India. A good thing. In Kerala not more than 3 people can gather inside church. All spiritual leaders should look at their actions aimed at conning the people. They need to concentrate more on serving the people than amassing riches for the church and themselves. This leads to grave misadministration of church assets by the bishops and their cronies. Instead of being servants of God, these people are working for the devil. The priorities change..

Day 23, Monday, Aptil 6

Anu birthday. TM Kurian acheyan called from Kochi. He is still having 2 day dialysis every week  but healthy. 

Covid analysis

Did an area meeting with all Operations area faculty on TEAMS from 1 pm to 1.30 pm. Did 5 admission interviews online.

7 pm to 8, did a TEAMS case discussion with Sen 2 LSCM students on Cyber security in Supply chain. At 10  Sen 1 OM had a 50bmin long two attempt quiz on sequencing rules, including Johnson's method. 

Day 24, Tuesday , April 7

Mohanchayan's 42nd

death anniversary. 

Covid analysis for today. US slipping into serious trouble. Third day of 30,000 plus infections ..

Fid brief shopping, got milk, veggies and fruits. 

Took sem 1 online class on Project Management basics on TEAMS from 5-6.30 pm and a quiz at 10 pm. Good response. Quiz class average was 6.7.

Day 25, Wednesday, April 8

Covid global analysis 

Did MBA sem 1 class, MBA sem 3 case discussion ABC Diet co.

US tops Covid deaths (1970) and infections (33000+), total infections cross 400,000 

Learning language translation app from google, google translate. Great, can speak and text is recorded and immediately translated. Communicated in Bengali, arabic, chinese and Portuguese language. Very empowering.  Conference call facility with 4 people on whatsapp.

Did my first blog from recorded speech text with some final editing. Post Corona scenario analysis ..

Day 26, Thursday 9 april '20

Covid global analysis  waiting to see how the pandemic opens up in Mumbai in the coming weeks. The lockdown is effective, but food distribution queues are very disturbing to see. No social distancing maintained.

Day 27  Friday 10 April '20 - GOOD FRIDAY

Covid global analysis

One very sad statistic is the very low recovery ratio of UK compared to Germany or South Korea. On sheet 2, I have done the comparative analysis of fatality and recovery ratios for 10 Aptil '20. British health authorities and politicians need to look at this urgently, with the British PM Boris Johnson out of the ICU.

Even though British medical education is considered top-class in the world, in this case of Covid 19 treatment and recovery, they have been a great failure. For UK, fatality % is 12.3% and recovery % is a meager 0.2% ..

Top 10 Covid countries in deaths click here. Did yoga. Sent out some money to Sibin Joseph, near Kottayam Medical college ..

Day 28, Saturday 11 April 2020

US breaches 2000 Corona virus deaths in a day for the first time this season ..11 April '20 at 5 am IST. 

33,000 + infections on this day  total US infections crossing 500,000 and total deaths crossing 18,000, just 150 behind Italy. .. 

Don't know whom to thank or blame .. 🤔🤔🤔🙂🙂

Covid data analysis for 11 april click here 

The US President Trump is torn between business interests to keep America open and healthcare interests to keep America closed under lockdown. The hapless US public is taking the brunt of this indecision fuelled by ignorance and selfish commercial interests of the Trump administration..

Did sun therapy.Took food at 12 noon after a 16 hour fast from last evening 8 pm. 1 pm LSCM class on Teams.5;pm OM vlass  doubt clearing on OM, project management. 

Day 29, Sunday, 12 Apr

Covid data click here .. 

US tops casualty list of Covid deaths.

Moodle Quiz for sem 1 OM from 12 to 1.30 pm.

Easter at home.

Day 30 Monday, 13 April '20

Covid data click here

Took class for sem 1 OM, case on ABC classification of infected countries (click here). Started TQM discussion. 

Did case study on Nestle Waters with sem 2 mba, LSCM .. went well.

Day 31 Tuesday 14 April '20

Covid data click here. 

Covid Treatment - Kerala model is being being appreciated globally. Click here for MIT Technology Review paper ..

At 10 AM Modi announces continuing lockdown till May 3, '20.

Dr. Saji Peter  PhD from UK, narrates his personal experience with family of 4, surviving their Covid ordeal, personal experience (click here)

MBA sem 1 OM - TQM, TEAMS class .. 5 pm.

So far done about 8 hrs classes on Xoom and 12 hrs classes of TEAMS for sem 1, sem 2 and sem 4 (7 + 4 +1 class).

Day 32 Wednesday 15 April 20

Covid data click here ..

Phd meeting with Nilanjan, 7-8 am over whatsapp.

PhD meeting Karthi 10 am

Sem 3 operations strategy 12 noon

Sem 1, OM 5 pm.

Day 33 Thursday 16 April '20

Covid data and analysis click here ..

Scatter diagram on tests per million population and deaths shows a clear negative correlation between tests and deaths. ie. higher tests leads to lower deaths. Sad day for US  2460 deaths in a day ..

Day 34 Friday 17 April 20

12 noon MBA sem 3 OS class, discussion EV

5 PM  MBA sem 1 OM class, 

Day 35 Saturday 18 april 20

7 am Nilanjan PhD merting called off, Nilanjan bad health 

10 am PhD meeting Karthi, called off . Busy withnoffice work

Click here for Covid details 18 April 20

Day 36 Sunday 

Day 37, Monday, no impartus class

Day 38, Tuesday, impartus class LSCM on TEAMS,

Day 39, Wednesday   impartus class on TEAMS on OS sem3

Day 40, Thursday  no impartus class

Day 41 friday

Day 42 Saturday 

Day 43 Sunday 

Saw Parasite, South Korean movie. 

Day 44  Monday 

Saw Forrest Gump

Day 45 Tuesday 28 April 2020

Teams class lscm, efficient sc, effective sc  functional, innovative sc. Bullwhip effect in sc, 

Day 46

Corona virus impact - Working from home ..

The Corona virus has been makin news all around the world, the first two months of 2020. Initially when it was around China, the whole world was amused. But when the virus started spreading to other countries of the world and people started falling off like chickens, the whole world is now concerned. As a preventive measure the governments of Kerala, Karnataka and Haryana have advised their citizens to stay at home, besides the cities of New Delhi and Mumbai. The public gatherings, marriages etc have been deferred, schools, colleges etc have been closed. Even religious gathering is not permitted.

We have been feeling jealous of friends and colleagues when they say they claim of the added flexibility to work from home for a couple of days a week and so on. But is work from home really desirable ? The educational institutions in Bangalore have been closed from 13 to 23 March 2020.

Indian army's quarantine facility in Delhi .

This is an aspect I was trying to find out from colleagues and friends over the couple of days. With fears over Corona virus looming large over the world population, it is more and more desirable that people limit the contact with their work colleagues and customers and be encouraged to work from home. With all developed forms of internet access, either over email, zoom, Youtube live or whatsapp, the contact with colleagues can be established and maintained.

But more often than not, it can be annoying too. At my home I have a college going daughter and two office going male members, my son and myself. I usually leave home before 7 am in the morning and rarely get to see them, only in the evening we meet.

The corona virus has brought all of us together. We now meet over breakfast, over lunch, over tea and again over dinner. More than a blessing, it is getting boring seeing everyone inside the house.

This self quarantine is very complex.... With just one day I am feeling the pressure, imagine how people spend 2 - 4 weeks in quarantine ..

George

Two and a half years over and still confrontation ..

Its been two and a half years since the SC verdict on the court case between Malankara and Jacobite orthodox Christians in Kerala has come out.

There are many questions the ordinary believer is asking both the churches, the believers need an answer to this.

• Has the implementation been smooth and tension free ? 
• Who is responsible for the implementation of the SC verdict ? 
• Why is it taking so long for arriving at a peaceful solution ? 
• Who is acting against peace in the united church ?
• Who is in charge of the implementation of the verdict ?

On the face of it, three approaches are possible

• 1. Learned and respectable leaders from both the factions need to sit across the table and have discussions, respectful and peaceful
• 2. Petition at each and every court to forcefully and unilaterally implement the SC verdict, literally getting the Jacobites on the road
• 3. Continue the present arrangement, show Christian love, leave the churches presently with Jacobites to continue be in their control and live peacefully

The leadership of the Orthodox church lacking vision and foresight feels option 2 is the only way forward. In the same tongue as when the priests and bishops preach to their faithful followers to practice Christian values, forgive and forget, love their neighbours and enemy, the spiritual leadership acts contrary, not ready to walk the talk. They are acting against the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Nelson Mandela, the champion of peace ..

The orthodox top clergy remains unfaithful, deceitful and insincere to the believers who look upto them to practice Christian values and be a model to society. The clergy want to fight to the last breath, tooth and nail, forsaking all teachings of Jesus, against their brothers in Christ, the Jacobites.

What a shame for Christianity !! Also what a wasteful use of money donated by the laity for charity which is diverted to pay senior advocates and their paraphernelia. Christian love could have saved this wasteful spend. So many empty stomachs could have been fed, children could have been educated across India. Majority of the laity are enraged and angry at this open defraud engaged by the leadership and the coterie surrounding them.

The wise counsel of former Honourable HC Chief Justice Shri. Benjamin Koshy and former Kerala state Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson IAS (retd.) along with the former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy could have  have been sought to settle this issue once for all amicably. These leaders are asking the orthodox leadership to go for option 1 for lasting peace, but it is falling on deaf ears.

After receiving a good rapping on the knuckles from the SC for challenging the cemetery ordinance promulgated by the state in the SC, with a further threat to rewrite and revise SC orders in the sabha case, the Orthodox leadership is lost in its direction presently.

Our clergy needs to heed to wise counsel ..

The other option available for the unrelenting churches is option 3, leave the implementation to the individual church members, leave it to the wisdom of the local church members to take the final decision.

Two thousand years joint history of the church in Kerala and Thoma Christians, of the indigenous church and joint existence, cannot be wasted or squandered because of the foolhardiness, stubbornness of certain adamant individuals and obstinacy of members of the clergy from both sides.

Lets do positive thinking in the love of Jesus Christ with a forgiving heart and solve this cheap, worthless, stinking issue once for all..

george

Values abound - Dr. Niranjan Mallnaik of Baptist Hospital ..

I am writing this post just to help reinforce the belief that there are still good, value based, ethical surgeons around in our society.

Four years back, around 2016, after getting six recurrences of low back ache due to a herniated disc, St. Johns hospital Bangalore senior doctors advised me to go for a surgery. My sister Alice in Mumbai could persuade me not to proceed for the surgery. For a second opinion, after talking to my elder brother in law, I decided to meet Dr Niranjan Mallnaik of Baptiste Hospital given that Baptist medical administration was already taken over by the globally renowned Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore, TN.

After seeing my three MRI scans and numerous Xrays taken from 2003 onwards from IIT Mumbai, he plainly advised there was no need of a surgery. He just asked me to reduce my weight than at 86 kgs to around 78, carry out some physiotherapy exercises and continue the regular active life. I was relieved. Other wise I was worried  about the risk in the surgical invasive procedure and how it would have fared. Four years have passed by, I am carefully following Dr. Niranjan's advice and have not had a recurrence yet.

Click here for Dr. Niranjan's bio at Baptiste Hospital.

Yesterday I happened to visit Baptist hospital again with my son Easaw George for a second opinion regarding his right shoulder popping out of the socket issue. Hosmat hospital doctors had recommended a surgery for him. For a second opinion, I arranged this visit to Dr. Niranjan in Baptist Hospital through my brother in law.

Dr Niranjan had firstly a thorough check on Easaw and then had a look at the MRI, flatly said that a surgery is unnecessary at this stage. Dr. Niranjan was quite confident there was no need a surgery now, just physiotherapy would do. Easaw planning to go to a business school in Spain for MBA by August '20, getting clarity was the need of the hour. He wanted to be doubly sure about what the Hosmat hospital doctor had earlier said. He told the doctor how his shoulder has been popping out of the socket for at least 5 times since the first time in 2011.

Dr. Niranjan stuck to his stand and said no surgery is needed now as the injury is not severe and physio exercises should suffice.

As different from normal unethical doctors from corporate hospitals, like Apollo, Fortis, Sagar, Manipal and others, where doctors are given unethical monthly surgery targets, Baptiste does not do anything of that sort and the doctors behave at their ethical best.

I am convinced that Dr. Niranjan like any senior, qualified ortho expert believes that human body is infinitely capable of healing by itself. Almost 80 percent of all invasive procedures on the body are unnecessary and I am very happy about it.

Click here for a USA today article..

A great kudos to Dr Niranjan.

George

Preparations of Easaw to join IESE Barcelona , Spain .

After having worked on his for the GMAT exam and scoring pretty well, Jobin was on the look out for prestigious colleges to pursue his dream MBA. He had a dream and was pursuing it to the hilt, working for the money and experience to get into one of the top business schools of the world.

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.- Walt Disney

Even though he got scholarships from some schools, based on his GMAT score, Jobin was interested in Ivey Canada. He was about to join for classes when his application to IESE Barcelona Spain got accepted and Easaw got admitted for the Sept '20 session.

Keep your heart open to dreams. For as long as there's a dream, there is hope, and as long as there is hope, there is joy in living. - Unknown author

Some of the tasks Easaw finishes to complete before he embarks on his life goal are given here

• learn Spanish, 
• do a pre-MBA internship of 1 -2 months, preferable in a good organisation to supplement his 6 years experience at Deloitte with some variety 
• join with prospective classmates for a get-to-gether in Barcelona in March '20
• undertake a South Europe trek for about three weeks by April
• read the Economist on a regular basis
• read Case in Point thoroughly, to help get an idea on how to analyse, prepare a case completely from many perspectives

There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.- Paulo Coelho

Hope his dreams come true. If you have a dream be bold enough to pursue it, it will become tractable.

George..

A humble plea to the Orthodox Leadership.

The rift between the Malankara Orthodox Church and the Syrian Orthodox Church (Jacobites) in Kerala and elsewhere in the world is getting murkier and murkier after each passing day. Even though the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the 1934 constitution, hoping that the priests would find a permanent, peaceful solution, acceptable to both parties, not in favour of any church, the Malankara Orthodox Church takes it as their victory. Before God is there victory or defeat ??

None of the Malankara Orthodox church leaders has come forward to issue a detailed statement of the stand of the church in this rift other than stating that the verdict of the SC has to be followed. But is the Orthodox church following it in the right spirit that was desired by the Supreme Court, taking the other side also into confidence and working to bring permanent peace, not eternal rivalry and further split. Has the Orthodox church taken the initiative to offer peaceful negotiations and discussions with an aim to solve the rift, not to prolong it.

Justice Benjamin Koshy (retd.) has this observation to ensure peace. It reflects probably the thinking of the silent majority from both sides...instead of going on talking about the past, let’s think about present and future.... 👇👇

Quote:
As soon as July 3 judgement came I have stated in many forums that by discussion we can implement the judgement  and that will be more easy and speedy than execution of judgement by force.   Implementation of judgement by discussion bring permanent peace. Since now all unclear points in earlier judgement were clarified  there is no scope for further dispute. But if we execute the judgement a small group may break away and they may establish churches nearby and it will be a permanent head ache and it will continue for generations to come. When I say discussion, it is not for giving more powers to patriarch or for diluting 1934 constitution or Spreme court judgement but for speedy implementation of judgement in a peaceful manner in a Christian spirit. What to do with the priests and bishops etc can be sorted out in discussion in a mutually agreeable manner. Winning side should invite for discussion   

Majority of our members want peace and unity and not division of the church. By no means we should not take a stand for dividing the church by compelling a group to form another church. We cannot go away from the cannon we produced and marked. Let Holy Spirit lead us to unity and peace in our church   Anti Christian advises cannot be accepted.   Now all political parties, media’s, churches and other religions are against us. If we offered discussion and they want to deviate from judgement, result would have been different. Advocates and certain leaders may want the dispute to be continued, it is for their existence. The other side is doing very criminal activities due to desperation. Barring fanatics and those who are living by this dispute, everyone want settlement without diluting the principles. For discussions government or outside interference is not required. There are mature bishops and leaders on both sides. I request every body to pray for peace and unity in the church.  : unquote

Second posting of Justice Koshy in response to few comments..👇👇

Quote:
Even now we can discuss with out a third party.   Settlement is difficult if there is undue delay & we should not refuse discussions.  I am sure that unity is possible by the grace of our loving God. Believe in His powers. Nothing is impossible for Him. Our attitude only makes the difference. My experience as an advocate for 27 years and experience as Chief Justice for 14 years and 7 years in quasi judicial capacity as chairman of applet tribunal for “prevention of money launderers act and confiscation of property of economic offenders and narcotic act” and human rights commission are evidence.  I am sure that even now settlement is possible with out diluting Supreme Court judgement.
Unquote.

My added explanation to substantiate Justice Koshy's stand. Is worldly justice same as heavenly justice ? Just because it involves land and buildings which were built up or donated by the laity, do the priests have such an over-riding say in the church's materialistic affairs ? Can the materialistic issues of the church be decided by the clergy, who are just keepers of the assets prepared or donated by the laity. One senior intellectual in the society questioned the rights of the clergy to decide the fate of these assets donated by the laity.

How Christ-like it is ? Is this what Christ preached in this world ? During these times, what are the Christian lessons our head priests including Bawa are giving to our growing youngsters ? What are the Christian values these high priests exhibit through their lives than one of senseless and sinful opulence, plenitude, luxury and affluence ? What sacred, devotional, divine lessons do our spiritual leaders convey through their lives to these youngsters ?

Home prayers, spiritual guidance from parents are the only means we can handhold our youngsters. We never discuss the factional rift at home because we know how shameful and disgraceful it is. The Orthodox church and it's overtly materialistic spiritual leadership have failed our youngsters, we should all bow our heads in shame..

Since 3 July 2017, whenever the Jacobites have come for talks and negotiations, we have flatly refused any negotiation at all. 29 months are over we are still busy, slowly annexing the empty concrete structures called churches without any believers,  throwing away all Jesus' principles of love, forgiveness.. In the meantime, the Jacobites have already started negotiations with the Catholics for a possible merger, and starting a group called Jacobite Catholics ..

The general understanding with our people is that our priests and high priests don't practice what they preach of love, understanding, forgiveness etc ... This is the issue our youngsters cannot  understand. How can our priests be such hypocritical ? Double standards, a set of standards for the laity and another set of standards for the clergy..

As of my information, we do not yet have a copy of the original 1934 constitution. If by some bad luck, some aspect of the invisible 1934 constitution is misinterpreted by law and court takes a new stand asking us to give our churches to Puthencruz group, how will it feel like? 

Any intelligent leader would have gone for negotiations with the responsive and malleable Jacobites who were under pressure and ensure a peaceful, respectable and enduring resolution of the case.

Honourable discussions are a must, not just court verdicts, for such issues like faith, belief etc.. Even UN does it in the General Assembly and Security Council, countries do it between ambassadors .. what is our problem  ? Why can't we, being victors, at least call them for a meeting ? Foolish obstinacy 😥

The fact that is often conveniently overlooked is that the forefathers of Jacobites too have helped to build the church as much as ours, when all of us were Thoma Christians for 2000 years. We all share the same ancestry and rich history. anybody knowledgeable of church history of 2000 years would realise how futile and senseless it is to harp on post 20th century when the richness of Indian Orthodoxy is the history of 1900 years ? How can we suddenly, one fine morning, forget our rich common ancestry and dispossess them and throw them out ? Really unfair, isin't it ?

Throwing all virtuous Christian values to the wind, while the doves in the Orthodox church want a peaceful, amicable, non-belligerent, placatory, respectable solution to this issue, the hawks look to humiliate, discredit and smear our Jacobite brethren and want to finish off the rich common shared Orthodox traditions once for all. How unfortunate 😢 ..

Can't we give peace one last chance, not seven or seventy times .. 🙏🙏 We want to stay united, not divided .. Educated, sincere, knowledgeable individuals both from the clergy and laity from both sides need to sit across the table and find a spiritual, God-bearing solution, laced with love, understanding, forgiveness and compassion to this intense crisis that has hit the most ancient Christians of the world ..

I am reminded of this famous quote by the late Russian litterateur, the 1970 Literature Nobel Prize winner, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn -

“It's an universal law – intolerance is the first sign of an inadequate education. An ill-educated person behaves with arrogant impatience, whereas truly profound education breeds humility.” 

The Malankara Orthodo Church has educated leaders but presently it is in the hands of certain ill-educated, short sighted leaders who are keen on taking it to its eventual disintegration.

George..

How to have an active brain and an active life ?

Some months back I happened to visit my professors at IIT Mumbai as I happened to be in Mumbai from Bangalore for a couple of days on some personal work. I was taken aback to see, Prof. Uday Gaitonde of Mechanical Engineering Department getting adept at using his left hand to move the mouse while he was typing with both his hands. His efficiency at work had drastically improved.When I asked him how come he has changed his working style, he told me how he keeps both hemispheres of the brain active.

Creative intellectual activities keep your brain active

Immediately after that visit I had penned this blog (click here..).  In the next four to five years humans would have mastered how to tinker with the genes in the human body that ensures longevity of human life. We would live on an average upto 120 years. Though the thought was initially shocking, it is going to be a truth of life, we all need to be preparing for that.

Longevity of life is interesting and beneficial if one is healthy, ie. a healthy mind in a healthy body. A healthy mind is an active and occupied mind, occupied in productive and creative pursuits. Age may tire out the body, but the mind can keep it active and young.

The best way to keep our brain active is to start using both hemispheres of the brain, ie. both our hands for the daily chores. The left hand keeps our right hemisphere of the brain active and the right hand ensures the left hemisphere gets all the stimuli. Excessive use of the right hand puts the left hemisphere of brain to more use and the right hemisphere to disuse, making it a hot candidate for Alzheimer's disease in future.

Compulsorily engage in some physical activity daily

How many of us know that continuous stress actually shrinks our brain. It is in our best interests to develop healthy habits of life that can help keep our mind active and rejuvenated. I happened to listen to an interesting TED talk by Elizabeth Amini on how to keep one's brain young, the points mentioned are interesting and inspiring too.

1. Walk at least for 30 minutes , 5 times a week. Most of us lead sedentary lives keeping our minds and brains active,

2. Engage in mind engaging games and activities like cross word puzzles, Sudoku etc on a daily basis to keep your brain cells active

3. Avoid poisons to the human body like excess alcohol, smoking etc.. 

4. Be a socially active person engaging in social reunions, social engagements, volunteering activities, catching up with friends etc..

5. Having a purpose / direction / cause in life and working to attain it.

6. Relax / meditation/ yoga / reading books whenever one get time to relax the brain cells

Yoga / meditation - medicine for body and soul

7. Partner with a doctor focusing on whole body health using preventive medicine, exercises etc. than active chemical medication etc.

8. Protect your head - that's the most critical part of your body and possibly the most delicately placed part. Don't text while driving..

9. Follow the Mediterranean diet - 7-10 servings of fruits / vegetables daily, include fish, nuts, beans, legumes etc in your daily diet regularly. Take good natural supplements like cheese, curd etc..

10. Maintain and follow a positive outlook on life. Forgive and forget .. We are just travelers here. Nothing is ours and we are not going to take anything with us. Loss and gain is part of life. Enjoy and experience it, never lose your peace of mind over it.

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Mayo Clinic advice for a young, healthy and active brain ..

Mayo Clinic is one of the most helpful preventive medicine centres of the world which is famous for its numerous medical departments.(click here for an interesting video). They have listed ten points that can help our brians active and young.

Catch up with friends, engage in some activity

1. Socialise more - increase your circle of friends and social contacts and try to meethem more frequently

2. Keep moving - avoid sedentary activities like sitting a a place for more than an hour, keep moving your buttocks..

3. Take a class to learn something new - it renews brains connections and helps establish new ones

4. Eat plenty of plants and fruits and healthy fat like Olive oil (cocnut oil is not mentioned)

5. Get enough sleep and rest daily, minimum of 7-8 hours daily to help rejuvenate and revitalise your body for a new day of exciting actions and thoughts..

6. Train the brain to take on new challenges to improve mental sharpness

Play around with young people, care for them ..

7. Quit smoking to reduce risk of cognitive diseases like poor learning, perception, memory and problem solving

8. Manage stress by relaxing often to ward off depression, fear, anxiety etc..

9. Protect the head to prevent concussions that can harm later on in life.

10. Keep blood pressure in check, what's bad for heart is equally bad for the brain.

The last and final advice I can give the elders is to move and enjoy the company of youngsters. Mingle with them, it definitely takes years off your life. 

Here is a very useful and interesting link to Mayo Clinic's 50 health tips... (click here..)

George..