A Sales Girl in a Chennai Store- Giri Trading

A Sales Girl in a Chennai Store- Giri Trading


After the Temple Darshan at the Kapaleeswarar Koil at Mylapore we entered the "Giri Trading" stores and started searching for this Book on "Thatva Bodha"

We found many people buying various Books and CDs and from their smart walks and accumulation of CDs from Bhajans to Bombay Jaishree, sent a nice feeling in us, that we have come to the right place indeed.

I was looking for this Book while my wife started collecting Bharathiar's songs and MS's Music. I searched everywhere for this Book.

There was this Girl, standing next to the Cashier, sincerely watching all our movements -a dark complexioned Girl, should be from a nearby Village, might be 17 or 18, should not have crossed 8th Std., might be out of poverty she is here.. all my Journalist's brain unnecessarily calculated about this Gullible Girl..and tho' she was repeatedly watching me, I ignored her and started searching for "Thathva Bodha"

I saw many books from "Sandhya Vandanam" to Swami VIvekananda's "Chicago Speech" but having spent a good 40 minutes. I looked at her, she also looked at me curiously. I asked her, knowing fully well that such a girl cannot have any idea of anything, leave alone "Thathva Bodah"

"Sir, may I help you?" (in Tamil)

"Yes. I am looking for 'Thatva Bodha' "

"Sanskrit Text or English/Sanskrit?"

God..she knows.

"Sanskrit & English"

"Do you like to have the Publication from Chinmaya Mission or Indu Publications or by Ramakrishna Mutt?"

"I dont know..I just want to only Learn you see..I dont really know indeed"

"Do you read Tamil Sir?"

"Yes I am a Tamilian "

(thinking to myself how most of mylife time I like to act in most otherplaces that I am not)

"Then Sir, you can take this"..she ran to the shelf where I had searched for 30 minutes, removed the books in the front and came out with a Book in Tamil.

"This one in Tamil by N.Sivaraman by Indu Publications infact is simple and wonderfull. You have the Sanskrit Text too inside."

My God. Why did I under estimate such a Genius. Just because of my Arrogance that I am an NRI. Or Just because I presumed such a Black, dark complexioned, gullible girl, who would have come for this job out of absolute poverty, wouldn't have any idea of "Thatva Bodha"

I decided to change my attitude and realized that I am absolutely an 'Idiot' at this moment in front of this wonderful girl and submitted myself in all humility.

"Madam, I really don't have any idea of even who wrote 'Thatva Bodha' till yesterday. I just attended a lecture on this subject and was fascinated by the lecture and hence...."

"Did you attend Goda Venkateswara Sastri's lecture in Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan?"

"Oh God. How did you know?"

"He regularly takes classes on such subjects. In fact he is one of the best Sir, in the city on such subjects."

"You are interested in such subjects?"

"Yes Sir, I read a lot about Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna and Thathva Bodha incidentally is my favorite Subject"

"You mean to say you have read Thatva Bodha?"

"I have read this one by Sivaraman and once you read it you won't feel like keeping that book on the table at all."

"Why what is so great about this Book?"

"Sir,you must be joking that you don't know about 'Thatva Bodha'."

"Really I accept my ignorance."

My wife was watching from the corner, admiring all her CD collections.

"Sir,according to me if you read this it gives the entire Vedanthic Saramsam and to say it in-one-word you become a bit more humble in life, leaving Ahamkaram once for all."

"Is it a fact that reading this simple book one would get so humble?"

"Of course one should be involved totally into the text. Needs lot of conviction and devotion."

My wife joined the conversation and she felt this girl is indeed a very very talented intelligent girl, so she told me "Why don't you interview her for Washington Post. Why at all you should think of Paris Hilton?"

I also felt that I owe something to her. So I asked her whether she can spare sometime for an interview.

She politely refused saying "My boss is to give me permission. Besides many people are looking for guidance like you and hence I have to go."

"What is your name?"

"Kalaivani"

My wife's admiration for her devotion to duty and her total involvement in her work, made her go direct to the Boss "Sir,that girl Kalaivani."

"Yes very hard working Girl."

"This is my husband Viswanath."

"Nice meeting you Sir"

"He is the Senior Journalist in Washington Post."

The Boss stood up."Washington Post?"

"Yes Sir. I wd like to interview this girl. I am highly impressed with her ethics."

Boss called her. Time was 5:45 Pm.

"Kalaivani, they have come all the way from USA, they would like to spend sometime with you. Can you?"

"Sir, there are so many customers waiting for some guidance. it is a rush time. If they can come again tomorrow."

"OK. I can come again tomorrow."

I again came next day morning leaving all my appointments with 'Times of India' just to see this girl. It was no rush hour. My wife and myself found out.

Kalaivani is from a nearby village near Arcot. She has 5 sisters. She is the eldest one. Her father was a drunkard and he died a few years ago caring for none of them. Her mother used to work as a helper in Masonry and passed away two years back, leaving all the 6 on the streets.

This girl who had completed her 9th std decided to search for a job and 'Giri Trading' came forward to help her out. She brought all her 5 sisters with her and with her meagre salary she is taking care of them. All the 5 sisters are going to a nearby Chennai Corporation School.

"Kalaivani. But when did you get this enthusiasm to learn about 'Thatva Bodha'?"

"Sir after joining here,I decided that the best way to be of help to the customers is to know the Subject first. I took small Books on Swami Vivekananda and started reading..I found the subject so fascinating..I decided to read other books in Tamil like Bagavad Gita and Viveka Choodamani. Thats how."

"What is your salary?"

"Rs 2500, Sir."

"Are you able to manage all your expenses with the 5 sisters?"

"Not at all Sir, but the Boss helps me a lot."

"What is your aim in LIfe?"

"I want all my sisters to get education. Then they would get easily employments is it not?"

"If I give monthly Rs 10,000 for meeting all your expenses, would that suffice?"

"It is indeed too much, but that also I would accept only through my Boss."

We took her to the Boss and told him that we would like to send Rs.10,000 every month so that all her sisters' education would be completed.

The Boss said "She deserves it Sir. You can trust me - I will hand over the amount to her every month or alternately you can open an account in her name and start transferring to the account."

My friend John Paul, who is the Regional Manager of 'Times of India' had also come with me. He said "You have done a good thing."

My wife said "I pray that 'Karpagambal' helps Kalaivani to become an expert in 'Vedantha' and start giving lectures in USA. We can arrange for her lectures."

We left wonder struck! If we go into the interiors of India, how many more 'Jewels' like Kalaivani can be found!!

I really became humbled.

An excerpt by Mac Anderson

Not long ago, a friend sent me the story of "Old Warwick." It brought a smile to my face, and I think it shares a wonderful lesson for every leader to learn.

A man was lost while driving through the country. As he tried to reach for the map, he accidentally drove off the road into a ditch. Thought he wasn't injured, his car was stuck deep in the mud. So the man walked to a nearby farm to ask for help. "Warwick can get you out of that ditch," said the farmer, pointing to an old mule standing in a field. The man looked at the decrepit old mule and looked at the farmer who just stood there repeating,

"Yep, old Warwick can do the job." The man figured he had nothing to lose. The two men and the mule made their way back to the ditch. The farmer hitched the mule to the car. With a snap of the reins, he shouted,

"Pull, Fred! Pull, Jack! Pull, Ted! Pull, Warwick!"

And the mule pulled that car right out of the ditch.

The man was amazed. He thanked the farmer, patted the mule, and asked, "Why did you call out all of those names before you called Warwick?"

The farmer grinned and said, "Old Warwick is just about blind. As long as he believes he's part of a team, he doesn't mind pulling."

Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishment toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to obtain uncommon results.

Where is the God - Funny

Two little boys, ages 8 and 10, were excessively mischievous.


They were always getting into trouble and their parents

knew all about it. If any mischief occurred in their town, the two boys were usually involved.

The boys’ mother heard that a preacher in town had been

Successful in disciplining children, so she asked if he would speak with her boys. The preacher agreed, but he asked to see them individually.

So the mother sent the 8 year old first, in the morning, with the older boy to see the preacher in the afternoon.

The preacher, a huge man with a booming voice, sat the younger boy down and asked him sternly, “Do you know where God is, son?”

The boy’s mouth dropped open , but he made no response,

sitting there wide-eyed with his mouth hanging open.

So the preacher repeated the question in an even sterner tone, “Where is God?”

Again, the boy made no attempt to answer.

The preacher raised his voice even more and shook

his finger in the boy’s face and bellowed, “Where is God?”

The boy screamed and bolted from the room, ran directly

home and dove into his closet, slamming the door behind him.

When his older brother found him in the closet, he asked,

“What happened?”

The younger brother, gasping for breath, replied, “We are in BIG trouble this time,

(I just LOVE reading this next line again and again)

GOD is missing, and they think we did it!”

Law of the Garbage Truck

Law of the Garbage Truck


One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport.

We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.

My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us.

My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.

So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!'

This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment, full of unsecured feeling.

As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally.

Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day.

Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets,

So ... Love the people who treat you right.

Pray for the ones who don't.

Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!

Have a blessed, garbage-free day.

Pencil: I'm sorry
Eraser: For what? You didn't do anything wrong.
Pencil: I'm sorry because you get hurt because of me. Whenever I made a mistake, you're always there to erase it. But as you make my mistakes vanish, you lose a part of yourself. You get smaller and smaller each time.
Eraser: That's true. But I don't really mind. You see, I was made to do this. I was made to help you whenever you do something wrong. Even though one day, I know I'll be gone and you'll replace me with a new one, I'm actually happy with my job. So please, stop worrying. I hate seeing you sad.



I found this conversation between the pencil and the eraser very inspirational. Parents are like the eraser whereas their children are the pencil. They're always there for their children, cleaning up their mistakes. Sometimes along the way, they get hurt, and become smaller / older, and eventually pass on. Though their children will eventually find someone new (spouse), but parents are still happy with what they do for their children, and will always hate seeing their precious ones worrying, or sad.



All my life, I've been the pencil. And it pains me to see the eraser that is my parents getting smaller and smaller each day. For I know that one day, all that I'm left with would be eraser shavings and memories of what I used to have.