ഒരു കോവിഡ് ആത്മഗതം

സാമാനൃം വിശാലമാം ലോകത്തിൻ പുരോഗതി
നാൾക്കുനാൾ നടക്കുമ്പോൾ ഞാനുമതുൾക്കൊണ്ടിട്ട്
മന്നോട്ടു പോയീടവേ, തൽക്ഷണം സമാധാനം
കെടുത്തീടാനുദിച്ച കൊച്ചു കൊറോണ വൈറസേ

എന്തിനായ് പിറന്നു നീ, എന്താണു നിൻറ്റെ ലക്ഷൃം
പടർന്നുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കിലും, എന്നു മടങ്ങീടും നീ?
എന്തായാലും, നിന്നെപ്പറ്റി ഒന്നു ഞാൻ ചോല്ലാം,
നിന്നുടെ സാന്നിദ്ധൃമീ ലോകം വെറുക്കുന്നു

കൈകൊടുത്തഭിവാദൃം ചെയ്തിരുന്നെന്നെ നീ
നമസ്കാരംമാത്രമായ സ്നേഹപ്രദർശനത്തിലൊതുക്കുമ്പോൾ,
സംസാരം മുഖാമഖം ചെയ്തുകൊണ്ടിരുന്നെന്നെ നീ
മഖം പൂർണമായ്  മറച്ചാവരണമിടീക്കുമ്പോൾ,

കൂട്ടം കൂട്ടമായ് നിന്നാരവത്തോടുല്ലസ്സിക്കുമ്പോൾ
അതുമാറ്റിയിട്ടെല്ലാരേയുമകലങ്ങളിലാക്കുമ്പോൾ,
കടകമ്പോളങ്ങടച്ചു ജനങ്ങളെ കൂട്ടത്തോടെ
ഗ്രുഹനാൽച്ചുമർക്കുള്ളിൽ പൂട്ടിയിടീക്കുമ്പോൾ,

അറിയാത്തതായിട്ടുള്ള പുതു ഭാവങ്ങൾ ശീലിക്കുമ്പോൾ
അറിഞ്ഞതിനെയൊക്കെ മറക്കേണ്ടി വന്നീടുമോ?
മാറ്റങ്ങളേറ്റവും വെറുക്കുന്ന എന്നെ മാറ്റാനായി
എന്തിനു ശ്രമിക്കുന്നു നീ എന്താണു നിന്നാഗ്രഹം?

ക്ളേശമായൊരു ജീവിതരീതിയിലേക്കെന്നെയുന്തുമ്പോൾ
എൻറ്റെയാഗ്രഹം ഗ്രഹിക്കാൻ ശ്രമിച്ചീടാത്ത നീ
പുത്തൻ ശൈലികൾ കൊണ്ടുവന്നെന്നെൻ ശ്വാസം
മുട്ടിക്കാൻ ശ്രമിക്കുമ്പോളൊന്നു ചൊല്ലീടട്ടെ ഞാൻ

നീയെത്ര ശ്രമിച്ചാലും വിട്ടു തരില്ലാ ഞങ്ങൾ
അതിജീവിക്കും നിന്നെയെത്ര പണിപ്പെട്ടായാലും
ഈ കടമ്പയും കടക്കും കൂട്ടത്തോടെ അതിൻ
ബലമുണ്ടു നമ്മുടെ കൊക്കിലും മനസ്സിലും.

എൻറ്റെ തീരുമാനങ്ങൾ ഞാൻ തന്നെയെടുത്തീടും
നിൻറ്റെ സംഹാരതാണ്ഠവം വ്രുതാ ഫലം
ഒരു കാലം വന്നിടുമന്നു നീ പൂർണ്ണമായെൻ
ചൊൽപടിയിലാകുമെന്നതു നിശ്ചയം ഭീകരാ....
                      —————

COVID REALISATIONS

The unpredictable yet fast spreading Covid 19 is still ruling the roost across the planet, creating heavy losses in both life and economy. Only a handful of countries would be able to show some small growth in GDP during the year and even in these nations, there will be no limits to the drudgeries of the disease.  

Man’s ego had taken a heavy beating from Covid, a speck of an unseen mass having no life of its own, for he, having conquered space and matter as much as possible and having built up huge nuclear arsenals capable of destroying the whole planet, is brought to his knees by an incurable (as of today) virus!

So what is happening now? Man has started behaving, he has locked himself in, he observes social distancing and washes his hands many times, to ensure that Covid is nowhere near him. No travel, no parties, no entertainments, no physical show of affections; he had shrunk to himself, as much as possible!

Having brought his necessities down to the minimum, his expenses are at the lowest. No fuel expenses, no miscellany expenses, no drinks, no exotic food, no need for signature designer cloths, he had indeed become a minimalist. And he had realised that he could live easily with the minimum of belongings. Even though his expenses are at the minimum, yet,  he could work out of home, communicate to anyone he wishes, could do virtual meetings, conferences and seminars, deliver his lecture to anyone across the world and manage anyone anywhere, by sitting at home. All these he could do at the minimum possible cost, a fraction of his erstwhile expenses. In a way, he is slowly coming to asking as to why he needs this much of money and material possessions. And, he realises that though he has all the wealth, he could still fall prey to Covid and perish. 

He also knows that the lockdowns, shutdown and closure could continue and even if it is relaxed, it still could be brought back. He understands the outcome of the uncertainties and slowly he has started accepting them as part of his life. Like the convict coming to terms with his life sentence, the Covid life is slowly turning him to live  in new normal standards,  something he could extend to his post Covid times too.

Another folly that he slowly understands is that arrogance has no place in this Covid world. Earlier, he thought that with his money, position and power, he could take care of any situation and bring anyone under his control. When a speck of a virus could make him shiver, he knows now that another human being, howsoever low he is in the hierarchy, could still make him sick and dead and all the guy need to do is just to walk beside him with the virus inside. He now knows, “my welfare is not totally in my hands, but it is in the hands my neighbours and colleagues”. Thus, he realises the importance of inclusivity in life and of practicing empathy in his relationship.

He now is told that the pollution levels are coming down in the cites and the rivers. He is niw not breathing the foul smell of solid waste dumped around. He doesn’t see the dense fog of fumes on the road.  He hears the chirps of the birds around him and he feels happy that the nature is improving and while he feels the guilt of his hands in polluting and destroying the earth’s balance, realises happily that if he continues his life like this, mother earth will get completely recuperated and would deliver him a healthy atmosphere around him to live a clean life sans diseases.

From his Covid day experiences, now he knows that he doesn’t need all the remuneration and returns of investments to all by himself.  If he shares some of it with the needy, he could get a patient get out of bed, a student come out of his studies with a degree in hand, an elder could die better in an old age home and so on. He would find happiness in giving, sharing and caring and his strong sense of Karma tells him that as he gives, he gets, as he cares, he gets cared and as he sows, he  reaps.

LOOK OUT FOR THE NEW NORMALS TO CHART YOUR POST COVID BUSINESS ANEW

This communication is is meant for SME entrepreneurs (mostly S, in plenty out there) who will find it more useful than enterprise owners who still may have the resources and connects to get going through the post Covid times. 

Without explaining any further on each, it would suffice to mention that demonetisation, faulty GST implementation, natural calamities  and now the Corona pandemic had done you in, right royally. While hopes are on (it must be, that is what makes us tick), we must be realistic in our understanding on how the business is going to be for SMEs for immediate and short term future 

You will have huge cash shortage, your receivables will not come on time (some of which, you  will never get at all!), your liabilities including payables will be very high and killing, your market would have evaporated, you would not see any growth possibilities in front of you. So, it is introspection  time - why do you want to continue to do this business and for whom are you doing it? 

If this question had reached you, it is good, reality had hit you! 

Therefore, do you want to Continue to do this business post Covid ? You must realise that business is not charity and if it does not give you the returns, there is no point in proceeding further. If so, will you take a call to end it or will you, as an eternal optimist, want to carry on the burden further? 

The fact is, many SME businesses for the last two to three years are just about dragging on, no profit, no cash flow, no growth but high liabilities.....!

It would be heart-wrenching to let go the business. You will no longer be called a businessman, how will the society, community, family and friends take it, right? You think that people  will consider you as a loser and a goner. Can you accept the failure? 

But please do realise this, it is your business that failed, not you! It is not your incompetence that led to the closure but those circumstances, none of which were in your control. The other solace is that there are so many like you out there in the world now. So you are not alone! 

Post Covid, most of everything is going to be the ‘new normal’. You must imbibe this thought with clarity. Do put efforts in knowing what are the new normal and how they are going to work. For e.g. ‘work from home’ is a new normal, so are ‘online learning’ and ‘tele-medicine’. These are just few, there will be many new normals! So many new technologies will be driving the new normal, say, IoT, AI, ML etc.

Now think calmly, can you utilise your Covid locked-in time to conceive a new business model (that could be related to your business or something absolutely new), research it, talk to your confidants about it, brainstorm it, look out for technologies that could be used to create and run it, create a POC of your new business solution etc. al? 

Just to give you some examples, an entrepreneur running a small software company, after having told by his clients to keep their projects in abeyance, looking up the future, has started concentrating on providing digital marketing services online and surely in future many companies will start depending on digital marketing for lead generation than having sales/mktg.  personnel to do so. He is already talking to many prospects and he tells me that the interest levels are high. Another entrepreneur who was successfully dwelling in OOH advertising infra is now going online to creat a platform/market place for bringing in customers &  suppliers of the same.  A lady entrepreneur is now using zoom platform free to teach skills to the clients. These are just some examples for the doubting Thomases.  

Remember, Covid is a game changer. What it was is not what it is going to be. My dear SME business friends, are you keeping your ears to the ground to see what are the opportunities in the anvil, are you willing to learn, are you willing to embrace the change?  If yes, you have a future but if you are still tied to your almost dead business and trying ‘somehow’ to rejuvenate it with no resources available to undertake it, then you have my sympathies.

NEED FOR 'UNITY OF LIFE' IN CORONA DAYS

In his finest of philosophical poem *”Prema Sangeetam”*, which I read this evening, the poet *Mahakavi Ulloor S Parameshwara Iyer* pens:

“പരസുഖേമ സുഖമെനിക്കു നിയതം പരദുഖം ദുഖം

പരമാറ്‌ത്‌ഥത്തിൽ പരനും ഞാനും ഭവാനുമൊന്നല്ലീ”

English translation (roughly):

“By rule, others’ well-being is my well-being, their sorrow is that of mine too

The truth is; them, me and the God, all are the same.”

The first line clearly reiterates the necessity  of empathy among humanity which though the materialistic world had forgotten, the world of Covid 19 reminds us with frightening reality.

Me and my family getting rid of Covid Virus doesn’t help us at all. The world will be liveable again, only  when everyone is getting rid of the Virus.

The second line of Ulloor expose the need for unity in life. Only when we realise this unity, that the empathy factor comes forth in all of us.

Every scripture tells us too see our self  in others. And that results in a amiable beautiful world.

Take care and stay safe!

THE COVID 19 THOUGHTS

As conditions are becoming uncertain, difficult & strict; many are getting anxious. Their thoughts are: ‘how will I survive’? The worry levels are different, depending upon who they are.

The CEO of a SME company was heard lamenting, “our stocks are going to glut, Giving salary without business coming in, though suggested by the PM, is almost impossible”

A builder friend was telling me, “Covid adds to our already existing agony, how will I repay the huge loans with high interests?”

The HR executive of a mentee company of mine, is worried, “not sure if the company will pay full salary on time. Paying the EMI is going to be tough, i think I am going to be in trouble”

The gardener doesn’t really know what had hit him, “Itne din, bina kaam, kaise bitayenge? Har din kaam nahin hota to,  khaana kahaam se aayegaa”?

Worries, worries, worries!

First thing, please understand, all are in the same boat, Corona is not something, only some people will get. No one is superior or inferior in front of the cureless virus, and there will be no exceptions!

First priority is to be part of the global/country/state/community efforts to contain the virus by not being part of its spread. Be isolated and be fully part of the lock down.

As much as possible, try to be positively oriented. Please understand, happiness is not a default state of mind. Sitting alone makes one serious with thoughts wandering into negativity. Therefore a conscious double effort is needed to maintain positivity. Negative state of mind makes the body to secrete all those toxic hormones inside, which could badly bring down your immunity. Remember, resisting the virus calls for higher levels of body immunity

For keeping occupied, you may read, watch comedy movies or if inclined, join for some free online courses (MOOC).  Find out courses such as ‘developing mindfulness’ ‘learning to draw/paint’, ‘learning a new language’ ‘transaction analysis’ etc and engage in it.  It will keep you occupied. Wouldn’t it be a great achievement to come out of the Covid journey with a new learning?

People who have savings may use it prudently. Do not go for lavish and excess purchases. People who have no savings, while are going to be affected more, please wait for government announcements for bank loans @ low interest rates & avail it, but spend prudently.

Micro & Small company owners will also qualify for bank loans (an economic package will soon come out from FM & it will have all these measures)  for subsisting the tough times ahead.

Majority of the Homo sapiens (and the companies that they form) are not used to ‘giving’. So, we may not want to give salary or even if so, pay only minimal. In situations like these, we have to understand the need for unity of life. Be aware, your safety rests in the welfare of your fellow being. If he is not looked after, he will come out to riot & arson and indeed your safety will be jeopardised.

Remember, more than your safety through the hoarding that you do to secure the future (today, who knows what future holds?), your safety and welfare lies in your efforts in creating a peaceful, safe and (as much as possible) inclusive society around you.

Tough times will not last, tough people do.

By saying ‘tough people’, I mean the mentally tough, not the behaviourally tough people.

Think well for you, think well for others, find happiness in loving, caring and giving. And, be in peace !

Lokah samasta sukhino bhavantu !

PAHALGAM BY SPRING

Enchanting valley of the great Himalayas, that lay far beyond your eye-reach, into a vast immeasurable expanse, as if a reflection on a mirror, soothing your lungs with clean easy air!

Late emerging sun, piercing the morning cold, filtering through tall conifer trees, touching you with the welcoming warmth

Speedily but noisily flowing Lidder river with its white froths, looking as a light green saree with white dots, worn by the long valley

Though spring, still retaining the memories of the winter that passed by, the remnants of icy layers on the hill-rocks at higher altitude

Another month to go for spirituality to descend upon it as Amarnath yatris, as the tent preparations beginning, to shelter thousands of pilgrims of all ages who reach here, against all odds, for their “moksh Praapti”

Beautiful fair people, slowly coming out of the multiple layers of grey and dark reused woollen clothes, that hid a ‘kangri’ within;  into colourful sweaters, in front of whom you stand still and stare, reminding your luck as their unlikely brethren.

A valley, called *Pahalgam*, meaning ‘First Village’, part of Anant Nag adjoining Kashmir, lying at the bottom of the mighty historic mountain; looking as virgin as it was eons ago, unchanging yet always bewitching, fluttering your inner feelings within, as the place that your were searching in the imagination, for long, *suddenly revealing itself to you*, humbling you yet making you privileged, to have stepped on it, in your pursuit of ‘purusharth’, and then you mumble softly to you, “peace be oh mind, I have arrived, to the place that I have been looking for”, and deliriously you move closer to  your wanderlust nirvana!