Everything is fair in Love, War and Business

An experience of Smart Marketing

This was indeed smart and intelligent! Of one Sundays, we planned out shopping with my newly-aligned family to the Commercial Street, Bangalore. With an all-day extensive strolling and here-and-there shopping, we decided to finish off our day for the last glancing shot at the 'Soch'- lovely sari collections.

My sister-in-law (I think I can address her so now) did materialize this final reckoning leisure glance with a, shades of black and red contemporary motif sari- quite a glamorous one, i admired its work the most!

We five, then decided to head home with packets and covers in our hands-those adjusting its ways out from the swampy Sunday street towards the rickshaws lined along.

This is where it actually begins, we pulled in for two ricks-we being five. I heard my folks get into some negotiations and overheard the drivers convincing them too. This was what the deal was- they wanted us to drive into some newly opened traditional ladies' wear store ("Roopam Silks International"..ah got it from the cash memo, ) with no rentals charged for the ride...very strange, unlike typical usual street-experiences. Folks agreed...the only point of compromise for us, was to give away that extra time out, instead of getting home on time to complete our 'ants-out' like day....an amazing marketing tool indeed- the rickshaws! Interesting!!

It isn't anything new in having advertising flexs stuck behind the ricks or they handing over promotional pamphlets. But this was definitely new. Well mazed, straight to the store-floor directly from the elevator- well crafted indeed! I wish i'd been good with graphic illustrations. I would have drawn out the entire episode.

This store was cramped in some by-lane corner building (if i recollected it right, some M.Y.J Tower) on the first floor of a residential-like building- away from the main road and not anyway close to the shopping lanes of one of the city's busiest places. Queerly located- but this store-strategist (quite a genius) had pinched the right skins with the right hook.So the drivers apparently got fuel filled worth Rs.100 at the end of the day depending on the number of customers registered (technically convinced) on a book that was kept in the parking lot.

Their marketing team did definitely get the sales direction straight but looked skeptic of any definite returns.This may sound unbelievable to all- but i noticed each family (present then) buying atleast one item from the store -of more than Soch's rates. We too had no intentions of buying, well atleast I didn't. But my sister-in-law landed buying one more sari again. The salesman called it an original elephant silk piece (???). I am aware of the Banarasi, Patola, Bandhani, Maheswari, Pochampally, ah yes- of Mysore silk as well, what's this elephant silk? Ummm i've heard of butter silk! Now does this mean that elephants in Indian are getting cloned as silk worms? Do they have similar worm-like fibres in their bodies too? Or maybe something just discovered? And, the sari in no way had any elephant prints or anything alike resembling on it! Can anyone?? Ok maybe too much of creative thinking asides their amazing strategic ones. Well, elephant silk is not the catch here. But must say, the sales personnel were voluntarily proactive in convincing the customers- right hook yet again!

At the end of the day- the rick drivers were happy (they atleast sounded so when they dropped us home!), the island-Store hit the sale meter high despite their ferry scale lacking, BUT customers were the ones who got into this indulgent purchases. Well, if you ask ME...i was the happiest for sure, for we technically did not pay for the ride....FIRST EVER FREE RICK-RIDE ON AN INDIAN STREET (to be more precise from Infantry Road to Koramangala 6th Block, simply wow'o'licous!).

Guess everything is fair in Love,War and, Business.

Modernistic world after all...we know what matters the most!

I shall now anxiously venture and spot for more such 'unsealed' customer indulgences...Hope to be amazed and get to revalue market and business like this often and more...

‘Me’ the rider until I am my own…

Profoundly for the uncivil autowalas.…my biggest civil foes:

Never negotiate for destinations, ask for once, if not agreeable, move to the next- they are not doing us any favor.

Avoid undesirable discussions- susceptible to unwanted conversations (who’s interested!!).

Bring the existence of meter reading system to notice- shows your sensibility as a responsive citizen.

Use public transportation (if viable) - the most passive alternative.

Also, depending on the severity of the situation- one could act noting down the vehicle number and intimidating them for RTO’s action on it.

Respect the Government’s initiative to safeguard citizens’ rights…relate to it personally.

For complaints in Bangalore: Log on http://rto.kar.nic.in/

Pelmo's Hierarchy Of Needs for Existence (PHONE): For Us and Around

Well, the PHONE is modeled with an inspiration from the unceasing Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs of the mid 1950s. This is however the Needs' Model of my way, our days-current times. It is entirely an individualist interpretation, so may not be considered too good to theorize. You may wish to consider it as an evolution of the 'third kind'.

The theoretical explanation could be a result of an obsessive emotional expression or an idealist imagination of perfect human existence.

I call it the PHONE, which also has a tangible connotation in the modern day work, play and management. This will be explained in detail once we have a progressive understanding to my notion of theory building.

My theory of Needs has a pyramidical representation like great Maslow's and I too begin with a bottom-up approach. I first have the 'default needs' which we can also consider filling with wide variants of our living structures-accommodating the proportional space of the many tangible figures. The following attributes, both tangible and non-tangible are considered the 'default needs' for one's existence:

1. Default Needs: Air, water, food, shelter,family, friends, sex, physical comfort, mobile phones indeed!

After having attained all the 'default needs' we strive for a little higher band of attributional needs and I call that the 'Satisfying Needs'. This includes:

2. Satisfying Needs: Material stability, Relationship matureness, Knowledge practicality, Societal acceptance, Family coherence

I believe all the conjunct words for the above needs'-band are self-explanatory and may resonant on today's modern lifestyle. However, in case for any clarification, readers can mark a comment. Moving higher up for meaningful attainment of life and breathing, I consider band of 'Corrective Needs' to be the values and attributes that help our mind and soul converge for better living and a world of peace and harmony. Having acquired the 'default needs' and the 'satisfying' ones, we tend to explore our outer selves, neighbors and the world . The spaces outside homes, communities, associations, clubs and meets.This I call the willingess to complete one's cycle of existence, foster meaning and respect to life- barring all religious beliefs and traditional practices.Therefore, this band of needs include the following:

3. Corrective Needs: Cross tolerance, Constructive criticism, Proactive dwelling,Virtues, Emotions, Principles,Values

The 'corrective needs' may require just a slender description in case we misinterpret...for we have the world with us now. Having mentioned that 'default and satisfying needs' are more to do about oneself, individual desires and peace of mind, while 'corrective needs' and other to follow include the world and other along. This is the phase where we try to re-evaluate, re-calculate and re-define our positions and life meanings.This requires abundant tolerance and space for listening.We need to merge ourselves with the outer world-workplace, neighbors, culture, creativity, government and politics. We bare the hearts for resistance, wrong influence and continuous self improvement. With this follows to give constructive feedback and not just criticism and gossips.

This becomes more evident in the complex multi-lateral societies when life races for ultimatums all the time. One can succumb and sustain only with the willingness to be proactive to change, to change for better. And, this can be achieved only with a willful heart of right virtues, emotions, principles and values.

Having attained the values and attributes of the 'corrective needs' we move upward for 'coping needs'. We require those hearts and minds that can accept and tolerate change and wellbeing. Hence, coping band of needs include:

4. Coping needs: Acceptance, Respect, Understanding, Realization and Rationalization

The adjunct words however does not imply to any irrational understanding.So now the question arises as to how does one differentiate between a rational and an irrational decision? For we have considered the world of tolerance and value construction. Here, we need to judge the situation and not the decision maker. We need to evaluate the context and place of occurrence and not the individual. This will avoid the world from being 'pre and post' judgmental and evade unnecessary heroism.

By now, we almost have it all, we now seek for spiritual oneness with the world and the God. We have passed the phase of struggle, chaos, noise and worries, we've got our partial-peace of minds now. We got those hearts to look out for those blissful souls. This includes:

5. Spiritual Needs: Dedication, Solidarity, Philanthropy, Belief, Trust and Faith

In attaining most of the cognizable and tangible needs in life, we look for spiritual and philanthropic growth of oneself and of the world in entirety. And this can be achieved only if one is happy and satisfied with oneself....I say this because I've met scores of people who are not happy with themselves so can't see the world be happy either. This disgruntlement is the food for unhealthy growth of fruit and the fields.So all needs to be happy first to make the world happier. And all these efforts begin from the womb and the home. We can thus, point out the importance of value living, education and best practices- all that begins from one's home.

We now move to the highest band of needs which Maslow calls Self-actualization. For PHONE, self-actualization gets encrypted way ahead when we endeavor for mutual virtue and tolerance (Corrective needs). Correcting and coping modern discruptions and open discomforts, one can attain complete satisfaction with all the material and spiritual gains when one starts to experiment. Experiencing happens only when we have all the five crude bands of need in hand. This happens when we know what we are and what we want. PHONE however explains a very young span of life where self actualization needs to be attained in one's rather very tender age. Modern lives got no time for deliberating, we explore, we experience. A full fledge experimenting begins only once one knows what gives them real happiness and genuine pleasure.

6. Experiential Needs: Volunteering, Cross-membership, Participation and Contribution

However, the 'experiential needs' are endeavored by a very handful individuals who have been successful and content with their lives and the world. And we all know that it is 'not-so-easy' is to be successful very quickly these days. So this band of needs include quite a wide stretch of success stories and achievement histories. The experiential needs, nevertheless demands only honest hearts with meaningful lives to be involved in voluteering and contributional experiencing than anyone without self actualization and self exploration. 'Who haven't thy explored, cannot explore thee...'

The PHONE explains the modern fast-paced hierarchy of needs to which cross-industrial management units of both public and private entities from anywhere, could refer for new policy making. I know how secondary researching works! This is an honest contribution to reconstruct the 'old school buildings'....perhaps very soon!

An ode to life and friendship…opening of my third-eye!

In the mist of strangers, I yet joined a new company for victuals and to maintain my existing class (whatever I had, wherever I fitted) and to dodge myself off from probable bleak future redundancy. The thought and reason for me joining there was however, a total emotional knot...with a hope to untie it easy in good times. But alas!

This is the chapter of my life that got me assembled to a large degree. For good or bad, the place taught me a lot…from handling mental push to refurnishing my ethical being, from avoiding head-pains to owing to some joyful souls. Life was there with me…with yet another face. It was striking and attractive yet lacked the depth and peace that soon created a vacuum of rationale and sound justification. I started to ignore what was around me, what affected me the most and what fetched me so-called happiness. I started to scale and measure every bit of ignorance and avoidance- what and who had the most. Everything in life turned out to a blanket of vague mysteries…unfolding and defraying every glimpse of moments lived. It was sure a journey…a learning curve!

Ignoring all my mass destructive experiences…this is an undemanding dedication to all my folks and friends of Hyderabad who made my existence a royal bliss. From curative conservations to gleeful acts, from prompt outings to mortifying parental combats (like the episode of Vista-Aunt-Lalita).

Som and Kavitha the ex-Gooleites with their ever Google(ing) nature reduced the atmospheric heat that normally encased me. Som being my lady and Kavitha our Godmother, only had a hut to be build for their tripled impish fun together…Living like We’re Dying.





Poker and Nchum, two superb innocent lads, always in an attempt to get off their naïve shells… sadly, too childlike by heart. Hope Nchum has set aside my brunt hair (sheltered it!!) for I have doomed it to haunt him in future. Poker my Mind-Guru…well words are boundless to share his side. Endless ‘hookah’ convos, ever-bestowing knowledge that never really got into my jiffy head, feral sight-seeing and momentary crushes. Sheer fun! I yet have more names to add on to my folks’ list…surely an enduring mix!













And, this is one kid who is adorably lovable…Topps, with a genuine heart for sonorous memories, who always had a nose to trouble me and have endangered my life if not having him invited for my wedding. Scary!! This write-up, also to be a reminder, in case.

Yea, now about my BYOM gang. Camped in Barkhatpura with five permanent members, where Jules normally shadowing the inebriated space, however, the clear night skies luckily have helped me retain those fond memories, totally unscratched and ever-joyous. Rich and Skinny (what an irony!)-both self-manufactured knew the world much more than their ages and were more a westerner than an Indian. (Intended: People can however connect to Skinny online for his ancestral or hereditary history…would make my dedication more worthy.)

The ‘lazy pilot’ is yet to land on my runway…so here he comes. The one who bothered least about the world (except few temperamental political opinion and observations) - where there was ease…there was Karthik, an absolute balm for solitude.

The pilot now accompanied by a wackiest friend Jules, has always been a pain in my spine for funny weird reason. A generous person with an annoying set of regular emotional outbreaks that made me feel utterly suicidal.His mulish and browbeating nature would piss me off to the core.

All their voices are echoing my space here now...making me reflect their images back on my hanged wall-mirror there.

And I see you all!!

Women Fight Back....

Tarot Guide…an Apostle of LOVE

Love is all that everyone looks for...so exchanging Love Rings would mean “I give myself to you”...this requires a whole huge heart of truth, trust, confidence, will power, honesty and life long commitment to the relationship. I’m sure all lovers, soon-to-be Brides and Grooms have several questions to ask…Is the person the right one? Will this relationship last? Are we lucky together? What risks might it curtail and so on…?

You can strengthen all these with the help of Tarot guide to love. Tarot card reading is an ancient method of foretelling events in one’s future. The reading however, is best to be left for the experts of this art of interpretation….unless, you’ve mastered it yourself! For wrong interpretation may also not be so worthy. This is not at all simple as it may sound, you need to know the card layouts and its meanings, requires immense deep psychic impressions, and never should it be interpreted to risk one’s soul. So please do keep it simple…

This can definitely help you reveal the truth within your lover’s heart…foresee where your relationship is really going ... explore if the person feel right about it all and if so to happen, the reading CAN get you all ready, set and finally head you to the ‘Knottin’ Ceremony’.

Few interpretations you may want to know:

The Lovers

This card purely interprets love echelon in one’s life…and it may also mean friends and family, depending on the situation and moment of its interpretation.

Its got an angel or a cupid, a man and a woman, two trees (Adam and Eve with one tree having a serpent and apples), in some decks one tree has flowerings, while the other has fruits, in some decks there is a man standing between two women too.

This card seemed to have been originally called just LOVE, following the sequence of tarot reading after the Emperor. This card helps you make the right decision and lends a hand to get things simpler.

Chetna Parekh, a veteran tarot interpreter from the City who used to write for Hyderabad Deccan Chronicle and Times of India says, “Tarot reading is all about questions of science.” This card may also sometime mean ‘perfect communication’, maybe about finding something your soul totally requires. So if you happen to choose this card, you will be told to trust you instincts, to choose the same career, challenge, person or thing you're strongly drawn to, no matter how scary, difficult, how irrational or troublesome – for its said to be worth a choice for your future.

Well, I’ve tried it…I did ask couple of questions of my love relationship and Chetna confirmed through the cards that I was already in a relationship…that I am! The guy is good…aahhh he is! Looks pretty stable in his career…pretty much! Marriage foreseen pretty soon…eeuuuuwww WOW! And seem to be the dominating one…ok actually, maybe?? And this is where I’ve cautioned myself! I can’t expect everything to be perfect but I definitely don’t want him to be dominating one either. So I’m working on to stand by my words and just be myself- nothing like it! To be dominated is anyway just allowing your partner to pull your strings…I could control that. Thanks Chetna!

You could go for it too! By the time I am ready to tie the knot myself…he would no longer be the dominating one. That’s what I was talking about…it helps you make the right move. This art is the art of helping you see your own reflections and of the world around you too. So go for it and have a healthy interpretation to it all, be it good or bad! For life is all about ‘pursuit of happiness’ but in a rational manner!!

What I heard from many:

* If you are now thinking of buying a set of tarot deck for yourself…NEVER! Always have it GIFTED…

* If you already own one, never share it with anyone…it so said to lose its spiritual vibrations and the individual power of connectivity that the cards hold with you.

Knottin’ Decor for a Visual Feast

Planning for a wedding celebration can be a really long-drawn course of action but its all about getting things right, where mostly the brides play a major role…from invitations to decoration, from food to favors, from which to what and where to how?

So are you planning your wedding on your own?

Well, this can be a mighty mission but sure a lot of fun. It will allow you to tailor and craft every tiny detail for that special day….now isn’t that exciting? So, one of the most difficult areas of planning a wedding is getting the wedding decoration done. And, if you are planning your wedding already then you are probably the do-it-myself types and will want to find ways to make your own wedding decorations economical but still don't want them to look crumby. So let’s have some professional ideas to help you clear your heads.

Sanjana and Minakshi from the Little Gestures (LGs) have their say on themes to pick. They say, the Jodha Akbar-a theme from ancient dynasties and the Moroccan themes are the two most-sorted wedding decor themes for many Hyderabadis. They suggest more- like the ‘color-based themes’ of Royal Blue, Crimson or Ivory… Retro Nights, Western theme of Alter n Isle, Chaparral and even two single-colored Fusion Themes have worked just the right way for all their clients. They say the pulse of Eco-friendly Themes have pumped up in the city for people being more conscious, environmentally! And this, definitely earns an applaud!

The Eco-friendly Theme has been one of their most appreciated works- this one, held at Taj Krishna where you see no backdrops unlike all usual ones- absolutely no foliage on the background. They’ve used only cherry blossoms and Japanese bamboos with no fabrics at all. The only so-to-be-seen fabric used for the occasion, was said to have been a table cloth covering the centre table. In one of some engagement parties, they used only bark of trees, twigs and leaves to give it a natural creative look, held outdoor in the lawn. LGs seem to believe in simplicity. And simplicity is bound to work on nominal costs- so think about it! Quite a clean, elegant and a creative presentation!

Arranging for a wedding, pulls along a whole range of important pointers to remember asides choosing a theme like opting for the right flash of lighting, sorted chair covers, apt centerpieces with a harmonizing head table decor that creates a focal point for attraction, suitable dinnerware, towering desirable mandaps and most importantly, coordinating with right caterers.

A choice of some tantalizing array of dazzling colors like aqua mist, lime, red, chocolate, silver, black, gold, ivory or white for the chair covers, would be perfect to complete the entire decoration…depending on, your picked-color-themes.

All-time choice of candles, flowers, balloons, tassels and ribbons works ‘fab’ too, probably with a slight tinge of some off-beat on-the-run creativity…however this assortment requires a bit more attention to the color coordination, like using single-based-color favors or maybe even two would be fine to keep it all neat…avoid any sudden sharp contrast of colors as it can break the style of your overall decorating theme.

Pick your flowers for more sophistication:

Rose, daisy, tulip, daffodil, orchid, sweet peas, magnolia, pansy, lilies or even lotus.

Nothing can’t be as simple and inexpensive as centre pieces with floating candles with rose petals, orchid and pebbles like these:

If you want it all traditional, Gautami Reddy from Splendor Wedding and Celebrations have lot more to share. She’s worked on temple designs, Rajasthani Themes and believes in highlighting the Bride and the Groom more. The backdrop height is suggested to be not more than 1/10^th of the Bride’s height, for too extended ones tends to be a downbeat for the entire decoration. She prefers the Fusion Theme of both western and traditional touch makes it a lot less costlier and adds, choosing the right color combination fixes it all.

Meher Aria, an Event Coordinator suggests themes like the Lotus, Tirupati and Chaitanya for traditional temple look and gives a practical budgetary option for selecting and enhancing the decorations of only certain sections rather than emphasizing the entire wedding venue, like maybe just the entrance and the stage or the centre area and the stage, anything preferred. She mentions of the courtyard or the Nizami theme being always on the run in the city with the English Garden and the Arabic Themes equally running high. So you can make your pick!

And importantly…don’t forget to pick the right set of rings to complete the celebration…and this would be with you, for life and forever!

These are just few tips that can help you add more sparkle and elegance to your wedding decorating ideas that you may well be considering. So the easiest way to choose decorations is to work with a theme of some sort, whether it’s just a nice color combination, the flowers you love, a favorite season of the year, or some specific theme based on a hobby or special interests. Themes will provide you with ample ideas for all sorts of wedding decor that you can use. Just use your imaginations and do not hesitate to experience and explore, it's the only way to create something unique for you and your groom-to-be.