Friday, December 10, 2010

GOOD HOUSE KEEPING

Our father of nation M.K.Gandhi said some 75 years ago.

"Cleanliness is Godliness”, but nobody believed thi s, because he was a BLACK INDIAN. Now, we learn from foreigners especially from Japanese in the name of 5 S House Keeping .We give huge money to import this technology and get training from them. Now, in India people take up the courses in Housekeeping , degrees are also offered to students who undergo and come out successfully .

Our Avaiyar Paati long back said in her "Athichoodi": Kandayayanalum Kasakki Kattu (even torn clothes must be washed and used ), Koozhanalum Kulithuk Kudi (even when you take Ragi kanji, have bath and take food), Sutham Soru Podum, (cleanliness will give food). Now, people talk about environmental clean / Science, pollution etc.etc.

5 S Housekeeping is first, how, we will see! I am speaking with you all with my vast experience of 46 years in TVS Sundaram Clayton, Zip Industries, Super Auto, Ashok Iron Works (Belgaum)and finally in one of the Leading Leather Goods Manufacturing company ( GM Quality Assurance ). I have also conducted training in various disciplines including 5 S for more than 2500 hrs for various categories of employees right from workmen to, GMs, VPs, Directors and MD of various companies.

Every thing starts from Home then to Social and finally Office/Factory.

I will touch upon one by one to share my experience to benefit.
First take up our own living homes where we don’t do much with respect to housekeeping. At least from now on we can think of 5 S at our homes.

Today, people have enough money and willing to buy things left and right and pleasing family members especially kid (s) as other wise, parents are rejected by kids and wives as well. While doing this, lot of unwanted, duplicate things are purchased and stored and unused for a very long time, which occupy space and give room for developing insects and spread diseases .

Yes, past is past, at least let us give a serious thought and start doing now some small things for better. For doing Ladies/House wives (women) cooperation is most essential to dispose of certain unused things for ages stating that the items are given by their ammakkals as gift at the time of marriage and on special occasions, in some cases ammas also give used things which they want to use and they coolly also say Aaghi Vanthathu .

What is 5 S (5 satisfactory things) and how it can be applied, let us see .
S 1 - Seiri,
> Remove unnecessary things from home ( old damaged vessels, broken furniture, Pens, stationery, old letters, receipts, clothes unused, torn clothes ,obsolete dress, damaged tools, even Kumkum, manjal, pakku which can’t be used, grains which are not good to eat, pictures, broken glass, bus tickets, train tickets, old pump stove, chappals, electronic items, old masonary items etc etc )
> Prevent unnecessary things entering in to homes ( dont buy things which are not required, which are given as gifts presents which we dont require,dont get brouchers,catalogues,not useful.)
> Decide what is necessary and unnecessary of the entire stock at home.( Have a list of items available at home )
> Segregate most necessary and unnecessary things from the stock .
Dispose of unnecessary things; don’t hesitate to dispose/throw unnecessary things.

It is a team work, the whole team members are to take part in the workshop to keep the house clean. The Master of the team should be really serious in the schedule. Remember it is not a one man's job. We win together .This step is most important to begin with.

I am sure by doing we get lot of benefits like, get enough space, preventing insects, clean atmosphere, unnecessary things getting accumulated and make dirty and lot more.

S 2 Seiton

A place for everything and everything in its place. I taught this to my granddaughter Avanthika, she used to say whenever I ask on this, Overoru Porulukkum ovveru idam undu, anthantha porul anthantha idathil, anthantha porul anthantha idathil irrukka vendum

After identifying necessary things, have a list of items, decide what to keep where, women know in kitchen where to keep Vellam, sakkarai, Mundri paruppu, Bakshanam, ennai, karandi, thattugal etc so that she can pick from the place in no time and reducing searching time. No mix up at any cost. Even for sarees, matching blouses are kept in sets daily use items, jewels, silver vessels.
> Identify the items ( most important things like, documents, jewels, vessels, and the things are stored in lofts and cupboards with labels and display at respective location and a duplicate in the file .This includes items kept in the lockers and the keys also .
> Place the items at convenience locations which are used daily and frequently

By following the simple techniques, we achieve total satisfaction
> Searching time is reduced
> Duplicate items are not bought
> Mental satisfaction
> Clearly we see things at location
> Things required are access to all family members.
Can add so many

Hope this will be useful to one and all. These concepts are also applicable to industries/offices.

Let us begin to have a clean house and get full satisfaction

Better late than never. Please give a helping hand to do a good job at homes

RESPECT FOR MANJAL, KUNKUMUM

WOMEN KINDLY EXCUSE .

Now a days, it has become a fashion for our women (all castes)to give standard MANJAL, KUNKUMUM in Dubbas, VETHILAI, PAKKU Pottalam, BLOUSE PIECE, SEEPU AND KANNADI on special occasions especially during Navarthri seasons and on other functions. The business people take this as best opportunity to manufacture manjal, kunkumum and Pakku with very poor quality and exploit the market. Poor ladies buy these as customary practice and give the same to women during such occasions. As a respect women receive with pleasure and bring homes and keep aside which get no body's attention and finally throw out in the dust bins.

Similarly the blouse pieces (some odd sizes and some times less than 80 cms and some different colours) which are given even for marriages are just like that given to servants or keep in corners which get affected by pests and mostly, the blouses are given back to other women as gift like rummy in playing cards.

Some women seriously use these manjal and Kunkumum and get body itching . With regard to Pakku pottanam, this is of no use due to poor quality and also namauthu poyiduthrathu and now days nobody chews pakku and also use Vethilai .

Seepu and Kannadis are also given the same treatment and added to the dust bins or kept with non moving items .

Is this the way we give respect to our HINDU CULTURE.

Everything has lost its significance.

What is the solution, considering our culture and sentiments .

Some tips
> Stop giving Manjal and Kunkumuk in small Duppas
> Instead, give only for them to wear ( ensure the quality is good )
> Instead of Pakku pottanam, give two pieces of Kotta Pakku which can be used by them later .
> Give only two vethilai or if possible avoid giving. Don’t buy vethilai at all.
> Don’t give Blouse pieces as other wise, it may come back to you one day, instead give Rs 50 / -as per ones wish and financial condition , or give some items which can be of use . For children, (school going )give stationery items or some other items , may be useful .
> Don’t give Seepu and Kannadi .

THOUGH IT MAY BE VERY VERY DIFFICULT TO DISCONTINUE THE UNWRITTEN PROCEDURE, PLEASE TRY TO FOLLOW WHERE EVER IT IS POSSIBLE AND START DISCOURAGING THESE HABITS AT- LEAST WITHIN THE BROAD MINDED WOMEN GROUP .

Please share with your friends to keep your house clean and tidy and also to lead a healthy life.

Friday, December 3, 2010

இல்லறம் இனிக்க இனிய வழி

Illaram allathu nallarmandru. Brahamacharyam, Grahastharmam, Vanaprastha and Sanyasam are the four stages in life, as per learned, out of these four, Grahastrama is the best one. But today, how many couples lead a happy life, is it sweet ? It is the million dollar question. If illarams are sweet, why so many cases come to court for divorce and so many couples live separately.

It is very clear that couples can’t have same wave length, but one can adjust to the other and adopt give and take policy, then illaram will start to give sweet and innikkum in the long run.

LET US AGREE TO DISAGREE is the way to approach. Wife was born to somebody and brought up in a different style and school of thought and her expectations and dreams were different, similarly her husband’s attitude and style were different. Both are joined together after marriage. When they start running the family and the actuality is quite different from expectations, they get disappointed and frustrated and take a decision to live separately, which we see today.

In olden days, till the last stage, they used to live together thinking that marriages are made in heaven, but today it is like marriage is for convenience and this thinking is present widely and driven to broken marriages.

One of the couples went to court for seeking diverse and the judge, he agreed to grant diverse, but he said to the couple that, they are given one month time to think about the others good quality and start praising each others quality and if still unhappy, he said they would be given diverse. The couple agreed to and left.

As the days went, the husband started thinking about his wives good qualities on so many things like Big Bindhi in forehead, neat saree, well dressed, keeping jasmine flower for her koonthal, beauty, tasty food preparation etc, similarly she started thinking about him and realizing his good qualities like, coming home with flower daily, do not have bad qualities like gambling, well dressed, do not waste money on lavish things, showing love and affection to kids etc, both started thinking the better half’s good qualities and finally started feeling sorry for their about their bad decision. At last went to the judge and said that they want to live together, the judge was also happy for their reunion.

They realized that, by showing love and affection, give and take, sharing ones sorrows and joys with other, not to find fault small mistakes life can be so sweet and healthy and happy, the question of separation will never arise for the whole period

நாமே செய்வோம்

Today the situation in India is as bad as US or any other western countries with regard to Availability of skilled labor for common man requirements like plumbing, simple electrical work, fittings, painting / paint touch up, minor repairs of two and four wheeler vehicles and also simple repair of washing machines, sewing machines, cycles for kids and adults- repair work etc. Now the cost of labor has gone up like anything and also the workman ship is so bad. Example, if we want to change one self-starter switch in scooter, the mechanic charges Rs 10/15 for which he takes only two minutes. Similarly for simple electrical and plumbing work also the charges are very high i.e., they charge Rs 50 / 100 and also people are not available for immediate solution .Poor ladies suffer very much due to the above fact.

It is high time that all of us start learning basics and simple mechanism to overcome all these hurdles. I also suggest we should learn stitching (sewing), when I went to see my brother-in-law’s house last week, he was attending to his sewing machine and ensuring the m/c is in working condition. I still remember that he used to stitch all the clothes / dress for his even he used to stitch school uniform dress for children. Now a days it may not be worth to stitch dresses for kids, but at least we can do some repair work i.e., torn clothes, replacing button, edges stitching, simple bags on shirts and pants, for ladies dresses also they can do such work which will save huge amount and above all we get self satisfaction. The blouses can be converted as bags, which we give it for outsource and the cost of bag is Rs 20 /bag. For one bag which was torn near the Zip, the tailor charged like Rs 20/ which we can’t bargain. Yesterday I asked the same road side mechanic-tailor to check our USHA m/c which was kept for a long time idle, he made it ready for home use, I gave Rs 50 for 10 minutes job (putting oil and running, fix thread in Bobbin) which I should have done if I know the job and shown interest to do it, both are missing in this case, one is fear and second is lack of knowledge. Any way past is past; let us seriously think it over and do some work at home to save lot of money as we have enough time to attend .One should also remember to follow simple techniques and also safety procedure where safety and quality never sleep.

To carry out such works, one should have the necessary tools and equipments. I suggest, list out the tools required so as to keep them ready for carrying out the task. Insulated Cutting Pliers, Wire cutter, Pipe wrench, Oil can, Water pump pliers and hammer 3/4 lb as well as Philips screw driver set which is commonly used.

Right from the beginning our children should be developed on this concept to benefit in the long run. Very soon we will see that in the market skilled people will not be available in cities and villages as well. We will be forced to change at that time to the situation. Today most of the jobs are mechanized to do independently without the assistance of great mechanics.

CHANGE OR OTHER WISE, WE WILL BE CHANGED .CHANGE IS CONSTANT.LEARNING IS PART OF MY JOB, LEARNING NEVER STOPS, THERE IS NO THE BEST, WE CAN ALWAYS BETTER OUR BEST. Today is a better day, tomorrow never comes. If not now, never and if not we, nobody.

Monday, November 1, 2010

SIGNIFICANCE OF 108

We break 108 coconuts for Lord Ganapathy,do 108 Gayathri mantras, Jabam 108 like this 108 is the common every where.What is the significance of this 108 ,some interesting facts are given below
> Distance between Earth and Moon ,108 times in Dia that of moon
> Sun's dia is 108 times that of earth's dia
> Vedas 108 Upanishats
> Lord Natarajas dance posture 108
> Thalas 108
> வைஷ்ணவஸ் ஷேத்ராஸ் 108
> In Japan Shindo religion new year is welcome with 108 sounds
> Mugthi Shethra 108 springs
> Kunpoo kalai udalil 108 power points
> 108 sakthi nadigal go to heart
> In uthra kandi Jogeshwar Siva temple 108 Siva nandhis
> In our body 108 marma sthanangal as per Ayurveda
> Seeks Gurus keep 108 knots for Jabha malai
> To attain Maha Nirvanam 108 steps
I will try to scan the article, very informative on maths and astronomy ,one must go thr, especially mothers and share /teach kids , knowledge is power and strength
Common Sense

As you all know,Iam basically a mechanical engineer,having served in engg industries for more than 40 solid years and supposed to know basics and fundamentals on mechanical and electrical applications.

I also used to teach on the subjects and shown practical applications .to no of people related to the engg industries and other industries as well.
When i took up new jobs like on textiles,foundry,cold forming,dyeing,training,purchase,management,plating,tanneries,trading and Leather goods manufacturing,i used common sense applications and did my job to the highest level earning very good name from top management .That was the reason,coys hired me till 65 yrs .

ENGINEERING IS NOTHING BUT APPLICATION OF COMMON SENSE

Most of the people have commonsense while very few have presence of mind and apply when it comes to trouble shooting / problem solving .Some times the mind goes blank and does not trigger to operate in right direction to sole problems spontaneously .I too solved no of issues by applying such techniques and on some occasions also failed miserably to identify where the problem is and resolve .It is very simple and basics.Before attending to such problems, if we ask WHY WHY QUESTIONS, iam sure there will be a solution, but one must ask WHY WHY questions as many times as needed and till we get the answer .

1- Recently during Dasara festival at my home we had water leakage in the drain pipe problem in washing machine, Amma called the service mechanic quite a no of times and he did not turn up to the calls.So i got a new hose thinking,there was a crack / damage in the pipe due to long use and thought to solve by replacing with.I fixed the new one which was too long and started the m/c,still it was leaking and by the time i was observing,the mechanic also came and saw the hose was tied to a higher level ( due to too long,had to tie up ) preventing gravity flow and thus leaking water at the joints..The mechanic sharply noticed this and put the hose straight and saw no leakage.The mechanic looked at me smiling and i had to bow my head being an engineer
My son was also looking at me.I was feeling very bad due to absence of my mind at that time.This is very basic and fundamental which did not strike me at all at that time .We face such things in life quite often if we have such attitude .

2- Electrical -- Our house outside light was not burning for quite some time.The electrician came and attended to the fault by cutting the wire and refixed it, the bulb was glowing for some time.After he had left,i thought it my be due to loose contact / line connection problem which can be attended only by the elec man. So i asked Dayalan elec man to attend,but he had failed to come and attend for the first day.I wanted to change the bulb and see, hence,i changed bulb which i was having and checked the filament in naked eye
.I took it as ok and put and observed that the bulb was not blowing.I thought there must be some problem in the line and again called his father to send a person.who came immediately and observed that the bulb was fused, shown me,the filament was cut actually .He asked for a bulb from the regular line and when changed with that bulb,it was glowing .Wonderful.I had to manage the show by telling some stories and escaped by giving Rs 10 for the job.He was smiling and left cool looking at me .He knows me as an engineer ( common sense man )
I think people must be experiencing similar occasions and we should not feel bad about and really when such issues arise,look at the problem,have some patience to look at and look at where and attend to by analysing and questioning why why.Most of the problems are of simple in nature and if we go step by step ( process approach ) by applying basics and fundamentals,we are sure to come out of the problems .
I had similar experiences during working in TVS also where the workmen used to test us in finding out our knowledge / pulse and process of solving and the time taken to resolve such issues and rate us and call with pet names like ZERO ,Makku,Pista ,Dabal batcha etc
This is applicable to all types of industries / offices including IT

Friday, September 10, 2010

Upbringing of children

Dear all,

I observe that no of children ( including ours ) shout at parents and also others when they want to express their anger and also Joy mood .They also don't obey the instructions given by elders and behave rude. It is not at all correct; we are not developing them in the right way. As they grow old, they may not be able to control and such indiscipline way will get them bad name and the fly as well, when they have some problems at office or in social circles, they will show it to parents especially at moms. At one stage, mom will keep mum and ignore for a moment and after some time they will feel for such negative things and start worrying which will affect smooth flow and also health and also other members of the family become very much concerned.

Whenever a child behaves bad with the mother, the mother says immediately to the child, i will tell appa ok in some cases kids don't obey appa also .Both are not correct. In office/factory, the supervisors /managers when ever low productivity indiscipline is observed, they used to say that they will report to top management, slowly, the subordinates will not listen to immediate supervisors and later they will not give respect to bosses even. It’s all because of low morale due to wrong motivation like boss like subordinates, like father like son . We should educate them well, spend more time, motivate them to behave properly, involve them and put them in right direction which will be good for the family and the country as well. Even if one in the family supports bad things, the others will not be respected.

How to go about then is a million $ question. The parents shall be role models and lead by examples in all the managements/areas. Both dad and mom shall have same wave length on these aspects. If not present, pl try to bring the other in to the slot. PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR CHILDREN, NEVER THE TEACHER OR THE SOCIETY.

I wish all of you please put your best efforts considering the present scenario and act fast.

If appa/amma or even grand parents or others in the fly support/keep mum on bad issues, the kids will take it easy. Hence, please talk to the concerned and make corrections from time to time,(BE ASSERTIVE, for positive/good things, SAY NO FOR SUCH ATTITUDE), otherwise, it would be too late to set right and we will end up with lose, lose situation only.