10 Quotes on how Nature inspires Creativity

 By Somali K Chakrabarti

Nature is the best designer

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Nature has been a perennial source of inspiration for many! Artists, architects, designers imitate the design patterns of nature; poets describe its beauty and scientists try to unravel the mysteries of nature. A deep look into nature unlocks imagination, and inspires creativity.

Nature paints the most wonderful pictures that can take your breath away and engulf you in their majestic beauty.

One can not stop marveling at the designs of nature. The spiral of sea- shells, the swirl of rose petals, and the arrangement of sunflower seeds, air vortex created by the flapping of wings of insects, the galaxy spirals and even the eye of a hurricane follow a geometrical pattern that is represented by the Fibonacci series.

Here is a collection of quotes that highlight the connection between nature and creativity and the creative inspiration that you can draw from Nature.

What is Art, monsieur, but Nature concentrated? ~ Honore de Balzac

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Delhi in the 19th century - Vintage Pictures

By Somali K Chakrabarti

I asked my soul: What is Delhi? She replied: The world is the body and Delhi its life. ~ Mirza Ghalib

An excerpt from Delhi : A Novel, by Khushwant Singh.

Delhi, a city with a rapidly changing skyline, has been a part of India’s ancient history.

Indraprastha, the legendary capital of Pandavas, is described in the epic Mahabharat and it is believed to have existed where the present day New Delhi is.

The city that has witnessed the rule of many dynasties over centuries, has been plundered, destroyed and rebuilt several times.

Hindu kings from the dynasties of the Maurya, Kushan, Gupta, Tomar Rajputs and Chauhan Rajputs ruled Delhi till the 12th century. The end of the 12th century saw the onset of the Delhi Sultanate, and marked the beginning of the rule of Islamic rulers including Ghori, rulers from the Mamluk (Slave) dynasty, Khiljis, Tughlaks, Lodi, and later on the Mughals.

Delhi passed into the direct control of British Government in 1857 after the First War of Indian Independence, and became the capital of British India in 1911.

Here is a collection of Vintage Pictures of Delhi from the 19th century. The pictures are mostly of the architectural structures of the British and Mughal period, most of which exist till date.

New Delhi, designed by Edwin Lutyen and some other brilliant architects such as Robert Tor Russell, E. Montague Thomas, Herbert Baker, did not exist in the 19th century and was inaugurated in 1931.

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VIEW OF QUTB - DELHI , ca 1850

Watercolours, painted on ivory plaques with the views of Qutb, Delhii by unknown artist ca.1850

Qutb Minar, the world's tallest brick minaret at 72.5 metres, was built in 1193 by Qutb-ud-din-Aibak, the first Muslim ruler of Delhi. Qutab-ud-din Aibak commenced the construction of the Qutab Minar, but could only finish the basement. His successor, Iltutmush, added three more storeys, and in 1368, Firoz Shah Tughlak constructed the fifth and the last storey.

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10 Quotes that teach us how to deal with Anger

By Somali K Chakrabarti

Anger is that powerful internal force that blows out the light of reason. --Ralph Waldo Emerson

Anger, we know, is a powerful emotion that is difficult to repress and finds expression in the most destructive ways.

At some point or the other in your life, you would have witnessed rampant incidences of violence on the street, in the neighborhood, at office, or maybe even at home. There could be occasions when you would have reverted to aggressive behavior, wanting to teach someone a lesson, or to show that who is the boss.

All such incidents are a direct consequence of our unbridled expression of anger in a destructive manner.

However, when channelized in a constructive manner, anger can produce incredible results. Many mass movements, freedom struggles, civil rights movements etc. were founded on anger against injustice.

Here are some quotes that urge us not to be destructive in the expression of our anger.

 Anyone can become angry - that is easy, but to be angry with the right person at the right time, and for the right purpose and in the right way - that is not within everyone's power and that is not easy. ~ Aristotle

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Frugal Innovation – bringing Grassroot creativity to the Global stage

By Somali K Chakrabarti

 

"Frugal innovation is about creating advantage out of constraint.”
~ Kirsten Bound, Head International Innovation Research, National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (Nesta).

 

The ‘Grassroot to Global’ (G2G) approach for innovation, propagated by National Innovation Foundation (NIF) of India, is set to change the way the world looks at the creativity and innovations at grassroots.

It subscribes to the concept of 'frugal innovation', which involves use of local resources to come up with affordable, functional products that provide value for money and good user experience. The G2G model is developed to take creativity and knowledge that exists at the grassroots level and transform it into valuable innovation for the global marketplace.

Connecting Grassroot to Global

 

The origin of the term 'frugal engineering' is credited to Carlos Ghosn, Chairman and CEO of the Renault-Nissan Alliance in 2006, who coined the term after he was impressed by the ability of Indian engineers’ to innovate cost-effectively and quickly under severe resource constraints.

With businesses wanting to “do more with less resources”, firms such as Renault-Nissan, Siemens, and Unilever have embraced the concept of frugal innovation.

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Baliyatra - commemorating ancient maritime traditions

By Somali K Chakrabarti

Festivals to commemorate ancient maritime traditions in South East Asia

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• Baliyatra, meaning a 'Voyage to Bali', is a festival celebrated every year in coastal Orissa on Karthika purnima, the Full moon day of October-November to commemorate Orissa’s glorious maritime history.

• Masakapan Ke Tukad, is a Balinese festival where toy boats are floated in memory of maritime ancestors.

• Loy Brah Prahdip or LoyKrathong, meaning 'the floating of lamps at night', is a festival of Thailand that is celebrated in December (twelfth month of Kartika). During this festival, little rafts, made of plantain stems and decorated with flags, paper umbrellas, incense sticks, and lighted candles, with offerings of food and flowers, are set adrift on the river by people living near its banks.

Three festivals, with similar celebrations consisting of ritualistic floating of toy boats, are celebrated in three different countries, in memory of ancient mariners, who undertook trans-oceanic voyages from Orissa to South East Asian countries including Indonesia and Thailand.

Image Source : eodisha.org

Past cultural and commercial connections between Orissa and South East Asia

Boita-bandana  Image Source : eOdishaOrg

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Busting the myth of Manliness in Indian society

By Somali K Chakrabarti

Mard ko dard nahin hota.
Amitabh Bachchan had declared in his characteristic style in ‘Mard’, one of the memorable Bollywood blockbusters from the 1980s. Translated in English it means ‘A real man does not feel pain’.

This stereotypical projection of men in India, has time and again been exemplified by the society, perpetrated through the movies, and reinforced by many parents while raising their children.

In a thought provoking show 'When Masculinity Harms Men’ in Satyamev Jayate’, Aamir Khan took a step towards busting the myth of manliness that exists in the Indian society.

Here is what Mr Bachchan said on the show.

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To forcefully instill values in the male child to constantly act like a man or to behave violently is wrong.  ~Amitabh Bachchan

A far cry from his iconic dialogue!

Power, aggression, control are classified as ‘masculine’ traits, while caring, sharing, expressing emotions or crying are the typically seen as ‘feminine’ traits.

These notions are instilled in the mind of male children right from their childhood. Any small boy, who cries, is consoled saying he shouldn’t cry like a girl, since he is physically stronger. Mothers urge their sons to beat up other children rather than get bullied or beaten up. The image of a 'Macho' man endowed with enormous physical strength, gets so  imprinted in the mind of male children that it often leads them to believe that “masculinity“ is about demonstration of power rather than about human consideration or sensitivity. As such, they value aggression more than reason, and at times they tend to believe that they will be more admired and can get away with whatever they do if they are more aggressive or violent.


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Why Mobile Concierge Services are the future of digital strategy for hotels

By Somali K Chakrabarti

'Sell the destination, not the plane' 

has been a long standing adage for airlines marketers.

People do not fly the plane just for the sake of it, they take a plane to reach a destination. The adage holds true for hotels as much as for airlines.

So far, digital marketing by hotels in India has been all about their properties and services; destination finds little mention in digital marketing strategy as of now.

This, however, is likely to change !  

As tourism industry matures in India, destination should become the centerpiece of the strategy for hotels that want to push up their direct sales. In future, mobile concierge services may emerge as an essential component of the destination centric digital strategy for hotels.

The Gateway Hotels (a brand of the Taj group of hotels), for instance, has taken a lead over other hotel chains by adopting a mobile concierge for their hotel in Agra.

Smart devices are now powerful machines that can be harnessed to deliver traveller experience that is not possible on the web. An interactive mobile concierge with engaging destination information can be a dynamic customer engagement tool having the longest interface with the customer. Using a mobile concierge, a hotel can engage the customer right from the time of booking to much after their stay.

If you are a wired traveller with a mobile concierge, here’s how hassle- free, travel will be you.

Why Tata Power may cease to have the lowest power tariff in Mumbai

By Somali K Chakrabarti

Tata Power claims to charge lowest tariff in Mumbai

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The above article appeared in The Economic Times, on 27th Jan, 2014. Here is an excerpt:

As the demand to reduce power tariff is gaining momentum in Maharashtra, private utility Tata Power today claimed that its tariff is the lowest in the metropolis.

The company, which has a residential consumer base of 4.5 lakh in the city, charges a tariff of Rs 2.13 per unit from customers consuming power up to 100 units with a fixed charge of Rs 40 and Rs 3.62 per unit and fixed charge of Rs 75 for up to 300 units, the Tata Power Company (TPC) said in a statement issued here today.

It said that while Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra) charges an average Rs 5.68 per unit within 250 units, BEST charges Rs 4.52.

Shortly after, Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra) also claimed that their customers can expect power bills to drop by 22% in the suburbs in the next 2 years.

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The Economic Impact of Taj Mahal

By Somali K Chakrabarti

'A Teardrop on the Cheek of Time.'
is how Rabindranath Tagore described the Taj Mahal.

The beautiful mausoleum on the bank of river Yamuna in Agra, made by emperor Shah Jahan, in 1631, in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal has a dreamlike quality, and showcases the art and culture of the Mughal times.

Though much has been written about the splendor of Taj Mahal on moonlit nights, tourists no longer have the privilege to visit the Taj Mahal at night.

Even so, early in the morning, the Taj Mahal, with its shadow on water, almost appears like a floating pearl and presents an intriguing picture.

Taj Mahal - Early in the morning

The opulence and grandeur of the marble wonder is so mesmerizing that it is difficult to take your eyes off it. The finesse of the carvings on marble is captivating, as are the symmetrical arches.

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10 Key Facts about India's Economy in 2014

By Somali K Chakrabarti

The year 2014, has been an unprecedented year for India in terms of election results. In the last quarter of the year, here are some key facts about India's economy.

1. India ranks 10th in terms of nominal GDP

India's nominal GDP has been stuck in the USD 1.8 - 1.9 trillion range for the last three years, and is expected to cross the USD 2-trillion mark this fiscal, according to a Nomura report. Nomura expects nominal GDP to reach nearly USD 3 trillion by FY17.

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Why society should accept Alternative Sexuality

By Somali K Chakrabarti

Alan Turing, whose pioneering work laid the mathematical foundations of computer, was convicted for homosexuality and subjected to chemical castration that drove him to suicide. His suicide prompted the British government to amend laws concerning homosexuality.

~ Aamir Khan on 'Accepting Alternative Sexuality' episode of his show Stayamev Jayate that touched upon the sensitive issue of the rights of LGBT community to live freely and openly.

Alan Turing was the British mathematical genius, logician and cryptanalyst who had invented the Turing machine, which laid the foundation for creation of modern computers. By cracking the German military’s secret code, Turing had helped the British Navy defeat Hitler's U-boats and win the Battle of the Atlantic, in the World War II. He was a marathon runner too, with world class time, and was named as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century, by TIME magazine in 1999.

Alan Turing

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Why the World is more Indian than you think

By Somali K Chakrabarti

China targeting Indian wedding market                                                                                                                                                               -  The Economic Times on 18^th Oct, 2014

This catchy headline in 'The Economic Times' was hard to miss. On reading the article, I found that the glamour of Indian weddings has allured the Chinese, and they see a lucrative market and viable business opportunity in the lavish wedding celebrations.

Here’s an excerpt from the article.

Impressed by the lavish Indian weddings, Chinese Consul General Wang Xuefeng said his country was aggressively marketing several of its cities like Kunming, Lijiang and Dali as attractive wedding destinations.

Many Indian families are now going to Thailand, Dubai and Mauritius for weddings, but now they are also looking towards China which has several beautiful cities like Kunming which is called the city of spring for its beautiful weather, Lijiang as the city of romance and Dali famous for its pagodas," Wang said on the sidelines of a programme.

Wang said talks were on with Indian companies and tour operators for collaborations with their Chinese counterparts for organising the weddings in China.

So, as some Indian couples plan for a grand wedding in China, China is setting up several restaurants to dish out Indian delicacies.

Big fat Indian wedding

'Apt time to write this post!', I thought.

With the Indianness quotient increasing by the day, it is apparent that:

The world is getting more 'Indianized' than we think.

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Break the Worry before it breaks you

By Somali K Chakrabarti

The largest part of what we call 'personality' is determined by how we've opted to defend ourselves against anxiety and sadness.  ~ Alain de Botton

We know that some people have a naturally strong mental built, and there are others who are inclined to worry more.

While each individual, in any capacity, needs to cope with anxiety, but the ability to overcome anxiety is absolutely essential for any leadership role. During prolonged  periods of uncertainty, leaders must manage their own anxiety as well as the anxiety of their team.

Anxiety may be due to various reasons ranging from environmental factors, to medical condition, to genetic conditions or substance abuse or due to a combination of these factors.

Each of us would have experienced those moments, when we felt our palpitation going up, a strange churning in the stomach, or sweat on the brow just before an important meeting, or an exam, or before getting a medical report, or on any other occasion.

Whatever be the reason for anxiety, it depletes a person of his/her strength.

• Continued anxiety causes excessive worry.
• You suffer from a victim mentality and believe that nothing ever works for you;
• You are restless most of the time, feel irritable at the slightest provocation.
• Your concentration suffers and sleep is disturbed and as a result you tire yourself out very easily.

Those with an anxious disposition, can blame it on their mental constitution, their genes, their fate or can work upon it.

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Kolkata in the 19th century - Vintage Pictures

By Somali K Chakrabarti

Kolkata, the 'City of Joy', is a city with a glorious past!

For those who live there, Kolkata is also about its alluring spirit, emotions, heightened sensibilities and creative energy. It is a city with fabulous heritage architecture where the old merges with the new.

Going back a bit into the history of Kolkata (previously Calcutta), we find that Calcutta was developed by the British by merging three villages - Kalikata, Sutanati and Gobindapur. Calcutta became the headquarters of the East India Company by 1772 and was the capital of British India, from 1858 to 1911, before the British relocated their capital to Delhi.

The 19th century saw a socio-cultural resurgence and intellectual awakening in Kolkata, known as the Bengal Renaissance, which continued up to the early 20th century. During this time prominent literati of the city contributed immensely to the art, architecture, literature, science and philosophy.

Charles D'Oyly, (1781–1845), a public official of the British East India Company, and painter from Dhaka produced numerous images on India. In 1848, Dickinson & Co., London published his drawings of Calcutta in a large folio-size book titled Views of Calcutta and its Environs.

Here are some vintage pictures depicting the landscape of Kolkata from the 19th century.

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ON THE RIVER - INDIA , by Sir Charles D'Oyly ca 1815

From ‘Views of Calcutta and its Environs’

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