At the outset itself I say that I am writing this post to convey the extremely pleasant experience I had at the Karnataka Bank Ltd. in Jayanagar 3rd Block west branch of Bangalore. It is not very often that you come out of a bank or a public office feeling pleasant, but this was an exception. My wife and I went to this bank last Tuesday to transact some business. We happened to contact a person whose name I vaguely caught as Prakash. He is a bespectacled man, somewhat thickset and of middling height by Indian standards and with receding wispy hair and has thick eyebrows. When we encountered him he was extremely busy attending to various tasks and he politely offered us two chairs. As soon as he could get some respite in a couple of minutes, he asked us the purpose of our visit. We told him. He immediately busied himself on the task by keying in a set of queries onto the computer and even as he was attending to it, the telephone on his taable rang. Some customer had made a call seeking some clarifications and he meticulously explained all the facts related to the caller's query with earnestness and placed back the receiver. Soon he got back to our work when there was another call from someone else. Business calls on the telephone require more attention as they are not present on the premises to assess that there could be other tasks that the officer could be engaged with. Consequently he attended to the second call too. Later he got back to our task and the telephone rung yet again. This time the call was for someone else in the bank and he transferred the call to the relevant person and told him by calling out his name.
As I was seated before him I found him not only attending to all the telephone calls that came to the bank but also efficiently attending to the job we had assigned him to the best of his ability. I found him to be extremely involved in his work and was admirably cheerful and calm. Towards the end of our transactions we had to collect three bank certificates. Usually it is the case that they ask you to come on another day to collect them, but Prakash was so considerate that he pleaded with his reluctant colleague to hand over the certificates failing which, he told the other person, "... or they would have to come all the way here just for this."
Seeing his excellent attitude to work in sharp contrast to my own nature, before returning I paid him generous compliments from my heart. "We had excellent service from you! Thank you very, very much!!" I told him beaming, and not feeling satisfied with the compliments I had paid him, I thanked him yet again. He jus smiled and nodded his head.
Actually, there was a fourth certificate which was to be opened three days hence on Friday. So I had to visit the Bank yet again on Friday. He just couldn't recognise me even though I had visited the Bank barely three days ago. He was as courteous as ever and on the job with extreme concentration and attention. He asked me the purpose of my visit and I told him. Again he was as eager to satisfy my banking requirements but this time he again needed his reluctant colleague's cooperation. As his colleague was quite reluctant to respond to his pleadings I said that I would visit the bank again on the following Monday. (Actually this is the sort of experience one has in public offices in India). Prakash looked quite apologetic and concerned but without much furore he asked me to return on Monday.
Now the purpose of my writing this entry in the blog is that I find Prakash's nature extremely admirable. Though I had lavished him with generous praise and appreciation he was never carried away by it. An ordinary soul like me would have marked out the man who praised him because praise doesn't come easily in India. While people are quick to complain for any deficiency, praise is very, very rarely showered on a person who genuinely merits it. It is hence quite natural to remember a person who gives praise. But Prakash just keeps doing his duty with sincerity and ease and doesn't seem to hanker for praise or recognition and like a yogi, acknowledges it and moves on.
Today (Monday 21st March) I again found that he scarcely recognised me, but as always, was eager to satisy his customers.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
My friend the dentist - 2
As I said earlier, this dentist friend of mine had set up his practice at Sajjan Rao Circle, Vishweshwarapuram, Bangalore. Being somewhat indigent he couldn't afford the costs of advertisements to publicise his practice. So he hit upon a method that was cheap and effective.
Those days, in the early seventies, the BTS (Bangalore Transport Service) bus route 11 used to ply from Gandhi Bazaar to Malleshwaram and pass through Sajjan Rao Circle. The bus would be packed liked sardine cans at the starting point Gandhi Bazaar itself with commuters who were largely office goers in the central parts of Bangalore. Dr Ramdev would recruit the services of two of his friends who were also his admirers and acolytes to board the bus and seat themselves at a strategic point in the bus. Later the bus would be crowded to the hilt, and as the bus started, his two friends would begin a somewhat loud conversation. As most of the bus commuters would be strangers to each other and there would be somewhat of a silence in this bus as these two would converse with a few jokes and interesting anecdotes that would mildly grasp the attention of all those standing around them.
Slowly the discussion would shift to matters of health and in a few more moments, just at at strategic time before the bus was to pass Sajjan Rao Circle, the topic would shift to dental problems. The commuters around the two seated youths would be listening with passive interest.
"By the way, Ramesh," one would tell another, "I don't know if you've ever tried Dr. Ramdev at Sajjan Rao Circle for your dental problems?"
"I've heard a lot about him but I've never had a chance to visit him as I've no dental problems", Ramesh would reply.
"A few months back I had an abscess of the tooth and I had a chance to visit him", the first would say, "I found him very competent and his rates were very reasonable!"
"Perhaps he is a young new doctor with some ideals !" the second would interject.
All the commuters standing around them and even those seated in the rows in the front and behind would be listening with growing curiosity.
"When I found his rates were so reasonable, I took my mother for a root-canal treatment and he did it so painlessly that my mother was so satisfied." he would continue. "For the rates he charges he seems to be one of the best!"
"Where is his shop in Sajjan Rao Circle?" the second would ask.
"I'll show you as this bus passes by," the first would reply.
And as the bus approached Sajjan Rao Circle and just before it passed the shop the first youth would wildly point to his equally eager looking friend "See! See! That shop with the grey door and the board 'Aryadanta Clinic' - That is Dr. Ramdev's clinic!"
And all the silent commuters standing around and even those seated would stoop to see the 'famed' clinic through the windows!!
Those days, in the early seventies, the BTS (Bangalore Transport Service) bus route 11 used to ply from Gandhi Bazaar to Malleshwaram and pass through Sajjan Rao Circle. The bus would be packed liked sardine cans at the starting point Gandhi Bazaar itself with commuters who were largely office goers in the central parts of Bangalore. Dr Ramdev would recruit the services of two of his friends who were also his admirers and acolytes to board the bus and seat themselves at a strategic point in the bus. Later the bus would be crowded to the hilt, and as the bus started, his two friends would begin a somewhat loud conversation. As most of the bus commuters would be strangers to each other and there would be somewhat of a silence in this bus as these two would converse with a few jokes and interesting anecdotes that would mildly grasp the attention of all those standing around them.
Slowly the discussion would shift to matters of health and in a few more moments, just at at strategic time before the bus was to pass Sajjan Rao Circle, the topic would shift to dental problems. The commuters around the two seated youths would be listening with passive interest.
"By the way, Ramesh," one would tell another, "I don't know if you've ever tried Dr. Ramdev at Sajjan Rao Circle for your dental problems?"
"I've heard a lot about him but I've never had a chance to visit him as I've no dental problems", Ramesh would reply.
"A few months back I had an abscess of the tooth and I had a chance to visit him", the first would say, "I found him very competent and his rates were very reasonable!"
"Perhaps he is a young new doctor with some ideals !" the second would interject.
All the commuters standing around them and even those seated in the rows in the front and behind would be listening with growing curiosity.
"When I found his rates were so reasonable, I took my mother for a root-canal treatment and he did it so painlessly that my mother was so satisfied." he would continue. "For the rates he charges he seems to be one of the best!"
"Where is his shop in Sajjan Rao Circle?" the second would ask.
"I'll show you as this bus passes by," the first would reply.
And as the bus approached Sajjan Rao Circle and just before it passed the shop the first youth would wildly point to his equally eager looking friend "See! See! That shop with the grey door and the board 'Aryadanta Clinic' - That is Dr. Ramdev's clinic!"
And all the silent commuters standing around and even those seated would stoop to see the 'famed' clinic through the windows!!
My friend the dentist
This friend of mine Dr. Ramdev was of a different sort. In the early 1970s he was a rather sharp and enterprising fellow of about 22 years who had just graduated with a degree in dentistry from Bangalore. He founded a dental clinic and named it 'Aryadanta Dental Clinic' in a small premises taken on rent in a business locality of Bangalore called Sajjan Rao Circle. He was from the middle-middle classes and as a result found it very tough to arrange for the wherewithal to start his practice. He somehow convinced another friend of his who went by the name Shiva and happened to be affluent and had quite a lot of funds and was interested in investing his money in some business. Dr. Ramdev convinced Mr. Shiva to start a business that supplies dental equipment and that both of them could be partners with Dr. Ramdev giving the know-how of the business and Mr. Shiva investing the funds. So both of them in a partnership buy a whole lot of stuff from dental equipment wholesalers at wholesale rates and set up a shop in the premises of Mr. Shiva and call it 'Brokentooth Dental Suppliers' (to wit). Dr. Ramdev has essentially got them to buy stuff that he would be needing over the next few years as Shiva is totally ignorant of the dental business and is rather unaware of what moves fast and what margins of profit are involved. Shiva imagines that Ramdev would advise him adequately from time to time in the business as a sort of goodwill in friendship. So we have that Dr. Ramdev of 'Aryadanta Dental Clinic' places an oral order with 'Brokentooth Dental Suppliers' to supply some dental equipment to 'Aryadanta Dental Clinic' on a credit basis. The material is supplied without any proof of delivery and some time later when Shiva asks Dr. Ramdev for the payment from Aryadanta Dental Clinic for the equipment and material he has supplied, Ramdev defaults on the payment over such a long period of time that Shiva considers filing a suit in a court. Ramdev manages to convince Shiva that his intentions were not to cheat after all, and if he has the audacity to presume such inconceivable things in a close friendship, why, he was willing to buy him off in the partnership. Shiva tries his best to sell off as much of the remaining material that is lying with 'Brokentooth Dental supplies but Dr. Ramdev just handles the pricing for the material and the clientele looking for the merchandise in such devious ways that they just cannot find a suitable client to buy the material. Finally, tiring of the whole sordid experience, Shiva sells off his partnership in the business to Dr. Ramdev at a throwaway price.
It was after this deal that another friend of mine, let us say Dr. Suresh, who just graduated as a dentist, sought to place an order for a brand new dentist chair and drill with 'Brokentooth...' Dr. Ramdev inveigled this raw new dentist Dr. Suresh to pay a hefty sum for the equipment he required and supplied a second-hand set of equipment that he just purchased at just the right time from another dentist who was selling off his equipment in order to migrate to the USA.
When Dr. Suresh realised that he was grossly overcharged and supplied inferior second-hand equipment to boot, he complained bitterly to Dr. Ramdev
"What a sad thing Ram! You even cheated a man who totally trusted you!!"
"If you don't cheat a man who trusts you, can you possibly ever conceive of cheating a man who doesn't trust you?!" he replied tersely.
The next post will have more about the way he advertised his practice.
It was after this deal that another friend of mine, let us say Dr. Suresh, who just graduated as a dentist, sought to place an order for a brand new dentist chair and drill with 'Brokentooth...' Dr. Ramdev inveigled this raw new dentist Dr. Suresh to pay a hefty sum for the equipment he required and supplied a second-hand set of equipment that he just purchased at just the right time from another dentist who was selling off his equipment in order to migrate to the USA.
When Dr. Suresh realised that he was grossly overcharged and supplied inferior second-hand equipment to boot, he complained bitterly to Dr. Ramdev
"What a sad thing Ram! You even cheated a man who totally trusted you!!"
"If you don't cheat a man who trusts you, can you possibly ever conceive of cheating a man who doesn't trust you?!" he replied tersely.
The next post will have more about the way he advertised his practice.
Ironies of Fate - 1
Most Indians believe in reincarnation. Many Indians also venture out into the outer world in search of Gurus who we believe will guide us to a final destination where this piece of life that I call 'Me' merges or unifies with the Divine in a way that this 'Me' has everything I can possibly wish to have. For instance, having merged with the Divine, I'll have all the knowledge of the whole Universe that Physics could ever find out; I'll have all the knowledge of all Mathematical structures of thought that somehow seems to pervade the fabric of the Universe; I'll have total knowledge of all the machinations that have gone on in the mind of every man and woman since the origin of Man (and of course, the good things too!); I'll have a knowledge of how life originated, its purpose and so on. And if my needs to unify with the Divine were only restricted to knowledge - I would find that very limiting. I would also love to have the experience of the totality of humanity - what it means to intensely crave for caviar, and of course the experience of how a person shapes and cultivates his mind to like caviar or cockroaches or dogs or rats or anything for that matter. I'd like to have the TOTAL HUMAN EXPERIENCE! But then why restrict it to humans only? Why not have the the total experience of tapeworms and fleas and mosquitoes too!? And the birch, the elms and rose plant? Surely the Divine has all of these and He also has an experience of what it feels to be God. Now all these I desire. And in the pursuit of this I've ventured out in search of a Guru who promises to give us enlightenment.
In this pursuit, I've found the teachings of Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev very promising. Yet I have a basic question that is nagging me. Sadhguru was born in 1959 at Mysore in the Karnataka state of India. Say in the year 2125 A.D., Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev is reborn say in Sangli, Maharashtra in India and is christened Jayanth Kaakodkar. Let us say he is given just an average Hindu religious upbringing that is not too spiritual but is weakly god-fearing as most of us have been given. Say in the course of his early life he is a very poor student and is frequently thrashed by his parents and is humiliated in front of his relatives. Let us assume that his yearning to come first in the class intensify to an extent that he regularly prays to god for blessing him with the first rank. Let us assume that despite his best prayers he comes in the bottom 5% of his class though he sincerely wishes that he be able to study with all his best efforts but just cannot do it because he can scarcely comprehend what is going on in the class. Let us say that this sort of thing has happened because he has been made to jump four grades and with the consequent lack of a good foundation, he just cannot grasp what is going on in class. So when he finds that despite all his prayers and his best intentions to do well at studies, let us say he continues to suffer humiliation till he grows up to be a teenager of 16 or 17 years.
And let us say around this time (2152 AD) Jayanth Kaakodkar gets to be influenced by writers like Bertrand Russell and Karl Marx and all the thinkers who foster his agnosticism initially and others like Camus and the like who promote his atheism at a later stage. His own experiences too have largely convinced him that his most ardent prayers are largely unanswered and as a consequence he has profound doubts whether God exists. Let us say Jayanth turns a strong atheist.
Assume Jayanth Kaakodkar has worse experiences as an atheist and he feels that his bad experiences as a lukewarm believer was much better than his experiences as an atheist! And let us say that in addition he has some mystical experiences that convinces him that the "phenomena in the world are too strange for our simple philosophies". Let us say Jayanth Kaakodkar around the year 2160 AD (i.e. when he is around 35 years old) turns a 'seeker' rather than a 'believer'. And assume around the year 2165 AD (when Jayanth Kaakodkar is around 45 years) he comes across the teachings of a certain Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev who was born almost 200 years ago and he is ravished by his teachings.
Let us say, since most of his friends are atheists, he very cautiously and very warily breaks it out to them saying "Hey guys! You know what? I came across these writings of a certain Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and I find his writings very attractive and I'm thoroughly impressed !!"
Could Jayanth Kaakodkar in 2165 who was Jaggi Vasudev in 1999 be advertising his own works unconsciously?
Which reminds me how a friend of mine who was a fledging dentist in Bangalore in the 1970s used to operate ... (see next post)
In this pursuit, I've found the teachings of Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev very promising. Yet I have a basic question that is nagging me. Sadhguru was born in 1959 at Mysore in the Karnataka state of India. Say in the year 2125 A.D., Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev is reborn say in Sangli, Maharashtra in India and is christened Jayanth Kaakodkar. Let us say he is given just an average Hindu religious upbringing that is not too spiritual but is weakly god-fearing as most of us have been given. Say in the course of his early life he is a very poor student and is frequently thrashed by his parents and is humiliated in front of his relatives. Let us assume that his yearning to come first in the class intensify to an extent that he regularly prays to god for blessing him with the first rank. Let us assume that despite his best prayers he comes in the bottom 5% of his class though he sincerely wishes that he be able to study with all his best efforts but just cannot do it because he can scarcely comprehend what is going on in the class. Let us say that this sort of thing has happened because he has been made to jump four grades and with the consequent lack of a good foundation, he just cannot grasp what is going on in class. So when he finds that despite all his prayers and his best intentions to do well at studies, let us say he continues to suffer humiliation till he grows up to be a teenager of 16 or 17 years.
And let us say around this time (2152 AD) Jayanth Kaakodkar gets to be influenced by writers like Bertrand Russell and Karl Marx and all the thinkers who foster his agnosticism initially and others like Camus and the like who promote his atheism at a later stage. His own experiences too have largely convinced him that his most ardent prayers are largely unanswered and as a consequence he has profound doubts whether God exists. Let us say Jayanth turns a strong atheist.
Assume Jayanth Kaakodkar has worse experiences as an atheist and he feels that his bad experiences as a lukewarm believer was much better than his experiences as an atheist! And let us say that in addition he has some mystical experiences that convinces him that the "phenomena in the world are too strange for our simple philosophies". Let us say Jayanth Kaakodkar around the year 2160 AD (i.e. when he is around 35 years old) turns a 'seeker' rather than a 'believer'. And assume around the year 2165 AD (when Jayanth Kaakodkar is around 45 years) he comes across the teachings of a certain Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev who was born almost 200 years ago and he is ravished by his teachings.
Let us say, since most of his friends are atheists, he very cautiously and very warily breaks it out to them saying "Hey guys! You know what? I came across these writings of a certain Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and I find his writings very attractive and I'm thoroughly impressed !!"
Could Jayanth Kaakodkar in 2165 who was Jaggi Vasudev in 1999 be advertising his own works unconsciously?
Which reminds me how a friend of mine who was a fledging dentist in Bangalore in the 1970s used to operate ... (see next post)
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