Merry Christmas and a cheerful New Year !!

Am in Mumbai at this time and seeing a much more somber Christmas celebrations. The Churches and other places of worship are full, but the hotels and the partying is tentative. But perhaps thats the way it was intended to be ?
This last year has been dramatic. And there are somber lessons to learn. The year started with India being branded as the next great economic power and the stock market flying incredibly high. The year ended with a crash in the economy, a sinking stock market and terror attacks in Mumbai. And we go into a New Year celebration with the pall of nuclear conflict hanging over us. All within a year ?
Yet we go into next year with hope that the lessons of last year will put us on far steadier course, both in our personal and public lives. We understand better now the nature of the world, and look to concentrate on that which is sustainable like, love, relationships, friendship, environment and spirituality.
The changing of the world order with Obama being elected also gives rise to a hopeful new force in world politics and I am sure we look forward to his taking charge. We also hope the India will find a new leader that has the same trust of the people,
Have a great Christmas and New Year everyone

21 thoughts on “Merry Christmas and a cheerful New Year !!

  1. sir,Merry Christmas,
    A priest and a taxi driver both died and went to heaven. The taxi driver followed to a mansion. It had anything you could imagine from a bowling alley to an Olympic size pool. ‘Wow, thank you’, said the taxi driver
    And,priest to a rugged old shack with a bunk bed and a little old television set.’Wait, I think you are a little mixed up’After all I was a priest, went to church every day, and preached God’s word.’
    ‘Yes, that’s true. But during your sermons people slept. When the taxi driver drove, everyone prayed!’
    thanks. driver

  2. sir,Merry Christmas,
    A priest and a taxi driver both died and went to heaven. The taxi driver followed to a mansion. It had anything you could imagine from a bowling alley to an Olympic size pool. ‘Wow, thank you’, said the taxi driver
    And,priest to a rugged old shack with a bunk bed and a little old television set.’Wait, I think you are a little mixed up’After all I was a priest, went to church every day, and preached God’s word.’
    ‘Yes, that’s true. But during your sermons people slept. When the taxi driver drove, everyone prayed!’
    thanks. driver

  3. The only thing that reverberates through the senses at the moment is John Lennon’s song Happy Christmas (War is Over)…nothing more apt to describe the state of mind right now!!

  4. No question about it. Bombay is sombre. The traffic today was thin! I am not complainting abt the traffic for a change I could actually drive the car without starting n stopping every nano second, but it doesnt feel like xmas at all:(
    We do live in interesting times and I think 2009 is going to be a little too interesting. The numbers paint a picture that scares the hell out folks that understand those numbers. One of my close family members chequebook reads “Trust numbers, not people.” which is from the saying “Numbers I trust, people I don’t” or in more blunt terms, “People lie, Numbers don’t.” In 2009 it will be all about the numbers. No talking will change the numbers.
    Have a very Merry Christmas. A Happy Hanukkah. And the best of New Year’s! Most importantly, I hope you and your families get thru 2009 healthy and happier!:)
    In hindi they say “umeed par duniya kayam hai” – inshallah to that:)

  5. “Prem sarv dharmo sarvopriah”
    May Loveeternal be the leading light this year.May people start experiencing life rather than thinking about it.
    May the celebraters of Christmas also remind themselves sincerely what Christ gave his life for.
    Amen.

  6. Sir,
    I am sure you would like to go and have a look at the Taj and Trident and may be enjoy food too. Welcome to Mumbai, we need you back here.
    As a C.A. and a finance background for yourself I am sure you know much more about what’s happening in the background with new stories breaking about corporate governance each day.
    There’s a new story in the making a PLOT for a BlockBuster Obama Meets Dr.Singh! Asia meets America.
    Vinod Agarwal – Wish you a Creative and Productive Year 2009. Straight from the heart.

  7. It is heartening to know that grief united million of people across our country. It has been like a loved one lost in each home. The impact was so profound affecting so many souls this time even the hardened and busy ones.
    Each one has stopped and reflected at ones life. It was such a moment and it continues to haunt us and would so for many many years to come. The realization of the fragility of this life Shekhar…:)
    Each one of us is scared of death and a close encounter gave us jitters, have shaken us from the reverie of us being invincible.
    The mood has been sombre since then. We had a sad Eid, a sad Christmas but we do hope and look ahead for this new year 2009. Wish it to be happy and promising for all of us!

  8. #11 well-said, austere.
    Something like, the more we go deeper into matter (as particle-physicists are going)the more we know of the universe lol.

  9. We can only Hope and wish
    “Merry Christmas and a cheerful New Year”
    Concerned, when there is so much Confusion around …
    in the middle of all the mess
    and its increasing by the day …
    Someone, Everyone needs to stand up, DO something …

  10. Merry Xmas and new year greetings Shekhar !
    I wish you and your near ones have a healthy and pleasant 2009 !
    Have fun !

  11. Dear Shekhar,
    Hope u have a heathly and fearless 2009… and I hope to see many more of your movies in the near future…

  12. ?? ?? ????
    ?? ??????, Meaningful, ????????, ?????????????, ??????, ?????? ?? ????????? ??? ???
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    ?? ????? ???? ?? ??? ????, ???? ?? ??? ????? ?? Bestows ???????? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ??, ???????? ????, ?? ?? ??.
    ?????? ???? ??, ?? ?????????? ????? ???? ???, ?? ?????? ??? ???? ????? ??? ?? ?? ?? ??? ?????? ???? ??? ?? Reciprocating ??? ?? ????????? ???????? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ???????? ?? ???? ???? ????? ?? ??? ?? ?? ?????.
    “???????? ???? ????” ????, ?? ?? “?????”! ???? ?? ???, ?? ??? ???? ???? ??!
    ?????? ???????? ??????, ?? ??? ????? ??? “”, ?? ??? ????? ??? “?????”, ?? ?? ??? encapsulates ?? ????? ??? “????? ?? ??? ???? ??”!
    ????? ?? “????”, ?? “???”, ?? “????”, ?? “???” ?? ?????????? ?????? ???????? ???? ?? ??? ??????!
    ?? “??? ??? ?????????? ?? ??? ???? ???? ?????? ‘??’ ?????? ‘????????? Meaningful ??? ?? ???????? ?????? ?? ???
    ???? ??? ?? ????? ?? “??? ?? ???? ???????, ?????? ????????????, ?????????? ?? ??????? ?? ???????? ???, ??? Pursue ???? ??????????”
     
    ??????????,
    Vashi ??? ????
    Wishing You all
    A Happy, Meaningful, Constructive, Purposeful, Inspiring, Prosperous and Progressive New Year
    Whatever is Beautiful,Whatever is Happiness,Whatever is Wisdom,Whatever is Meaningful,May all that be Yours,
    Today, Tomorrow and Always
    Appreciate Life, Achieve Excellence! Life is Excellent!
    We have been Provided with amongst “The Very Finest Of Things That Life Has To Offer”.
    We have to Appreciate with Gratitude, the Precious Moments that Life Bestows us With, Each Day, Moment by Moment.
    By Appreciating Life, We are Achieving Excellence; We are truly Reciprocating the Excellent Virtues that we have been Endowed with, and Utilizing these for The Universal Constructive Progress and Meaningful Benefit of our Wonderful Universe and its Wonderful People.
    Make each moment “Count”, each moment “Matter”! Count & Matter, like nothing else!
    Calibrate The Precious Moments, they truly “Count”, they truly “Matter”, each Moment encapsulates and reflects “Treasures Beyond Compare” !
    Always endeavor to make a “Difference”, carve a “Niche”, the “Difference”; the “Niche” that incredibly matters!
    Fill your World with Excellence in each “Thought” and “Endeavor” for Universal Meaningful Benefit and Constructive Progress
    Pursue your objectives with a steadfast Belief, meaningful priorities, responsibility and Confidence at each and every Instance, whether in “Thought or Deed”
    Best Wishes,
    Vashi Ram Chandi

  13. I have always wondered why Happy New Year only?
    Why NOT a Happy New Month
    Why NOT a Happy New Day
    Why NOT a Happy New Moment?
    I am not intellectually trying to speculate, but I awe at this Universal Wonder.
    Come to realize, is it because Year is a sizable Unit of Life? I really am Amused!
    Sreesha

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