When Past was ahead of its Future!!

While returning from US in early October 2010 as I flipped through the latest issue of TIME magazine in the boring and lengthy 9 hours leg between London’s Heathrow terminal and Bangalore, I chanced upon the article ‘The new science of fetal origins,’ researched and written by Annie Murphy Paul. It explores the life as a fetus: besides the nutrients that the mom supplied through her own good or bad dietary habits, which played a significant role in the health at a later age in life; this article explores the stress level and the state of mind the mother eventually unknowingly transferred to her yet-to-be-born.

According to the article in TIME magazine dated 4th October 2010, Mathew Gillman, a professor of population medicine at Harvard University launched project Viva – a study tracking more than 2,000 Boston area children since they were fetuses. Another set of results will be available in the year 2012 from mothers and children aged 21 on a voluntary study being conducted to understand the gestational factors in brain development.

This relatively new subject, known as fetal origins claims that the 9 months of gestation is how the mom influences the wiring of the brain and the functioning of the organs. There is a frightening similarity to what has been explained in the epic Mahabharata – the chapter that dwells on Arjuna’s explanation in detail about the array of battle formations, complete with individual and unique technique of attacking and escaping to his wife Subhadra, who was then carrying little Abhimanyu in her womb. Apparently, Arjuna stopped narrating when he discovered that Subhadra had dozed midway during his explanation of breaking the battle formation: Chakravyuha. Not knowing the escape technique proved fatal for the young warrior Abhimanyu who was cordoned off by six Maharathis defying and breaking all the established war rules.

It would be interesting to note that the scientific dating of the Mahabharata war has been established by Dr. P V Vartak, a scholar from Pune. By using astronomical references he has derived the date as 16th October 5561 BC. Circa 2010: 7,571 years later TIME magazine publishes an article that goes on to prove the already known fact stated by sage Veda Vyasa eons ago. It is a foregone conclusion that in the past, Astronomy and Mathematics were far more advanced than what we have believed. The recordings by sage Veda Vyasa of presence of Saturn, Uranus and Pluto, their orbit around the sun, their relative position to earth bears testimony to this fact.

More recently, I watched with fascination the six-part serial ‘Ancient Aliens’ that first made an appearance in the History channel. The 1935 born Swiss author Erich Von Daniken, best known for his hypothesis that human culture in the ancient times have been influenced by extra-terrestrial is prominently featured in this television series. Daniken’s first book ‘Chariots of the Gods’ was a best seller in US, Europe and in India; his books have been translated in more than 30 languages and have sold more than 60 million copies worldwide. While he claims visitations by aliens having the know-how of vastly superior technology, the historical artifacts that he uses to prove his hypothesis is clearly not established. His explanation of the superior technology used to erect gigantic prehistoric monuments across the world, namely the Giza pyramids in Egypt, Stonehenge located in the English county Wiltshire, Piri Reis Map is quite convincing that the accuracy with which the monuments were built and the maps drawn, surpassed the tools and measuring equipments available at that time. The Piri Reis map is indeed mysterious as it contains a precise representation of the coasts of Antarctica, a continent unknown at that point in time. Such a map could have been drawn during the mythical Atlantis days or were drawn from pictures taken from the sky, by satellites, aircraft's or spaceships some 15,000 years back. This map known after the Turkish Admiral Piri Reis is actually just a fragment of the original map drawn on gazelle skin.

Using the hydrocarbon dating technique the monument building of the Stonehenge site began in 3100 BC and ended around 1600 BC. A debate still exists whether the Stonehenge was constructed based on a religious belief or as a scientific observatory. There is a strong belief that the site was created to commemorate the solstices – an astronomical event that takes place twice each year when the position of the sun moves to the northernmost or southernmost end. For half the year the northern hemisphere of earth is inclined towards the sun with the maximum inclination occurring on 21st June. Likewise for the other half of the year the southern hemisphere is inclined towards the sun with the maximum inclination occurring on 21st December. In the Hindu calendar the two solstices are named Makara Sankranti (January 14) which marks the start of Uttarayana and Karkata Sankranti (July 14) which marks the start of Dhaksinayana.

The Hindu calendar descends from the Vedic times and many references have been found in the Vedas. The Vedas are amongst the oldest sacred texts and dates back to the late Bronze Age – early Iron Age; 1500 BCE (Before Common Era). It is interesting to note that the Mayan calendar dates back to 5th century BCE and is believed to be amongst the most sophisticated, well documented and widely understood. This unique civilization in the western hemisphere flourished from 2000 BC to 900 AD with the period 250 BC to 900 AD being devoted to building impressive monuments and temples. During this period the Mayans made astonishing discoveries in mathematics and astronomy. The No. 1 amongst the Mayan architecture is the temple: Chichen Itza. The design of this temple has special astronomical significance. The four corners of the base is a true match to the sunrise and sunset positions of the summer and winter solstices. What is amazing is this was precisely built during the period when there were no measuring instruments and compass to show the direction. Each face of this pyramid Chichen Itza has a stairway with 91 steps, which together with the shared step at the very top add up to 365, the number of days in a calendar year.

The Great Pyramids of Giza, one among the seven wonders of the ancient world constructed over a 20 year period around 2560 BC has been built on such a precise location that a deep knowledge of mathematics and geometry was necessary, something that never existed. More intriguing is the comparison between the three pyramids and the three belt stars in Orion constellation. There is a striking resemblance: three stars in the middle of the Orion constellation, diagonally with one star deviating and three pyramids also with one deviating from the diagonal. The relative positions of the stars and the pyramids match each other perfectly.

While Von Daniken’s theory of alien influence over mankind in the past can sound far fetched and perhaps preposterous, it does leave more questions in the mind about the vastly superior knowledge of our forefathers in the fields of mathematics, astronomy, geometry and precision engineering. It is indeed amazing to learn how the human brain, if channeled correctly, is capable of delving into the complexities of laws governing the formation of this Universe, be it in any era. One just needs to have the curiosity and urge to seek knowledge. The fact that our ancestors were able to do so with pinpoint accuracy tells us how much more focused and superior they were to us. Are we willing to learn?

Cheers!!

Freedom from Defects..

How would you feel if each time you present a ‘Self’ cheque for Rs. 1,000 at your bank, the teller hands you Rs. 998? Unhappy! Anger or just despair and without a whimper accept the cash before walking away from the counter. Come on, how you can be so unfair in your demand of 100% Quality when you at your job are barely able to meet your contractual service levels?

Let’s look at another example: You have booked yourself in Island Express from Bangalore to Trichy. For those of you who may not be aware, in my good old college days in the late 70's, this train would get split in Erode Junction with one half getting attached to the train going to Trivandrum from Chennai and the other part proceeding to Trichy with another Link. What if you woke up in the morning and found yourself in Trivandrum instead of Trichy. The gangman who is responsible to split the carriages at Erode Junction obviously made a small mistake. How would you feel? I am sure this would be akin to a horror dream! The Indian Railways don’t talk about their record of transporting millions of passengers to their respective destination – not one mistake in their 150 year history, of the right train reaching the wrong destination.

One last example: You wake up in the morning (evening for our friends in the BPO industry) and before you finish brushing your teeth, your mom, wife or sister is ready with a hot cup of coffee or tea and a smile, perhaps. Remember, she is providing the service anticipating your need, while you haven’t even made a demand for it!! How would it feel if she does not do it?

These are a few ‘taken for granted’ examples of defects free service being provided and Wow – we don’t even appreciate it. This is exactly what each of your end customer is expecting out of you.

I am reminded of the following story doing the usual rounds in the internet. Believe me, this is a perfect example of how it is all within us to make this shift in our minds to deliver services, ‘defects free’:

One evening a scholar was addressing the participants on the concept of work culture. One of the participants asked the following question:

"I am a senior manager of Materials Department and I joined an organization 25 years ago as an Engineer Trainee and over the last 25 years I have gone through every experience in the organization.

During the initial part of my career, the job was very challenging and interesting.

However, all those exciting days are gone since I do not find my job any more interesting because there is nothing new in my job. I am now feeling bored because I am doing a routine job.

However, Sir, I am living in the same house for over forty years, I am the son for the same parents for over forty years, I am the father for the same children for the past ten years and the husband for the same lady for the past twenty years!

In these personal roles I do not feel bored. Please tell me why I am bored of the routine in the office and not in the house?"

The response from Scholar was very interesting and convincing. He asked the executive a question:

"Please tell me for whom does your Mother cook?"

The executive replied that obviously the mother cooks for others.

Then the Scholar said that the mother "Serves" others and because of this service mindedness, she is not feeling tired or bored. But in an office, we "Work" and not "Serve". Anything we consider, as service will not make us feel bored. That is difference between Serving and Working.

He asked the executive to consider his work as service and not merely a work!! This was a very interesting analysis!! Whenever you put a larger context around your work and see a broader meaning for your work, you will take interest in your work and it will make a very big difference in your internal energy.

Attitude Matters!!!

If you think you are working for the organization you will get frustrated. If you feel you are doing a service and getting some service charges you will feel happy.

After all - doing what you like is freedom but liking what you do is happiness!

It is just a paradigm shift that is required! Try this once – you will be amazed to discover your own potential.

Cheers and Best Wishes!!