Wondering monk who gave us Advita- Adi Sankaracharya

Kalady means ‘foot imprint’. It was the land where Advita’s exponent was born to a poor Namoodiri Brahmin’s family. His father Shivaguru and mother Aryamba were childless for a long time. They sought the blessing of Vadakkunatha of Trichur, who volunteered to bless them with prodigy with alpa ayusu or simpleton with long time. Aryamba preferred a prodigy. Thus was born the prodigy in their household around 788 AD who became the Faith of later times and scholar par excellence. In a short life of 32 years before his Samadhi at Kedarinath, he rewrote the Vedanta texts in prose and poetry which delighted many sages and savants. Vedas, Upanishads, and Vedantas. Sankara defined Advita not as a school of Philosophy, but a system of epistemology. Advita meant that reality is non dual, plurality is only an illusion born out of ignorance.

            The historicity of Adi Sankara stands on firm foundation despite scholarly quibbles over bio-graphical details. What we have today are set of tradition with few historical details from the period in antiquity.

            India’s past history is often shrouded in mystery. Poetical works have provided a background to the various empires which flourished in India since pre-historic times.  Though there have been debates regarding the actual period of times of Adi Sankara, it has been alluded by classical texts and the research undertaken by Sringeri Mutt, after painstaking research study, Adi Sankara’s date of birth has been confirmed as 788 AD as his birth was after 14 years of reign of Chandragupta II (who did not belong to Gupta dynasty but was part and parcel of Chalukya dynasty of Badami (733-800 AD).Kerala at that time was part of the Second Chera Empire when Kulasekhar’s ruled over the country (788-1102 AD). Max Muller attributes the date of birth-death of Sankara between 788-820 AD. The Malayalam Calender came into being during 825 AD which is a photo copy of Gregorian calendar   having 12 months of 30 days each month. It is sidereal solar calendar. 2013 April- May [Gregorian calendar] corresponds to 1188 Medom-Edavam 14^th [Malayalam calendar]. The finding of the Malayalam calendar coincides with the death of the greatest exponent of Advita, Adi Sankara. Kolla varsham does not behove that it has anything to do with Kollam, but simply means the’ Year’.

            If past Indian history is a clue, the formidable Alexander the Great, King of Macedonia attacked India during 327 BC and had to retreat due to illness which eventually led to his death. The satraps, who had boundaries of their reign, became powerful but not powerful enough to sway the different Indian Kingdoms which held sway over different parts of India. Mauryas between 322 BC and 185 BC had overrun many satraps and Kingdoms which ended with Emperor Ashoka becoming remorseful after the battle of Kalinga.  Budha’s teachings began to attract the Emperor who embraced Buddhism. His wife, Valsala, children Mahindra and Sangamitra, and brought the fringes of the borders to Buddhism. The Lamas of Tibet are later followers from the Buddhist religion. But adherence to ahimsa took of toll. Mauryas disappeared and imperial Guptas began to sparkle. Hindu religion took resurgence. Vikramaditya begam the golden rule of Gupta period where the nine gems adorned the Court. Kalidasa was a part of this reign. Meghasanthesa, Kumarasambhava, Shakuntala, were his creations.

            The winds of new faiths, belief systems, and dogmas were blowing across west coast when Sankara was a small infant. Religions came to Kerala with trade and commerce. If Alexander knew the way to India through bizarre passes, Arabs, Romans, Egyptians knew routes to Kerala Ports. Muziris or Kodungallur had the first visit of Jesus first disciple (ST Thomas Apostle). When we read books on Great Masters of Himalayas, you always came across Jesus being a part of India’s religious entourage. Bible attests the tenants of Hindu philosophy when it discusses these thoughts in parts. Islam was founded in the 7^th century and immediately it came to Kerala. 500 years ago, the Jews when they fled Jerusalam came to Kerala. You can find traces of old Roman and Egyptian influence, and with the passage of time, India assimilated European culture (after 16^th century). The balance was provided for, by great saints like Sankara who guarded the Hindu fortresses like a soldier. Buddhism and Jainism ransacked Kerala’s religious foundations. It was latter revived by Adi Sankara, single handedly. Nehru pays excellent tributes to Sankara in his ‘Discovery of India’.

Adi Shankara founded four Maṭhas (Sanskrit: मठ) to guide the Hindu religion. These are atSringeri in Karnataka in the south, Dwaraka in Gujarat in the west, Puri in Odisha in the east, and Jyotirmath (Joshimath) in Uttarakhand in the north. Hindu tradition states that he put in charge of these mathas his four main disciples: Sureśvara, Hastamalakacharya,Padmapāda,and Totakacharya respectively. The heads of the mathas trace their authority back to these figures. Each of the heads of these four mathas takes the title of Shankaracharya ("the learned Shankara") after the first Shankaracharya. The table below gives an overview of the four Amnaya Mathas founded by Adi Shankara and their details.

Shishya	Direction	Maṭha	Mahāvākya	Veda	Sampradaya
Hastāmalakācārya	East	Govardhana Pīṭhaṃ	Prajñānam brahma (Brahman is Knowledge)	Rig Veda	Bhogavala
Sureśvara	South	Śārada Pīṭhaṃ	Aham brahmāsmi (I am Brahman)	Yajur Veda	Bhūrivala
Padmapāda	West	Dvāraka Pīṭhaṃ	Tattvamasi (That thou art)	Sama Veda	Kitavala
Toṭakācārya	North	Jyotirmaṭha Pīṭhaṃ	Ayamātmā brahma (This Atman is Brahman)	Atharva Veda	Nandavala

After establishing these 4 mathas, Adi Shankara himself occupied Sarvajna Peetha -the Throne of Omniscience at Kanchi. Before undertaking the final journey, Sankara had spent his time at Baronets temple visiting the cave of Veda Vyas, who wrote the immortal Vedas, Brahma Sutra and Mahabharata. The maha Samadhi of Sankara occurred in a place which is few yards from the Kedarinath Temple, which is visited by scrores of people.

According to the tradition in Kerala, after Sankara's samadhi, at Vadakkunnathan Temple his disciples founded four mathas in Thrissur, namely Naduvil Madhom, Thekke Madhom, Idayil Madhom and Vadakke Madhom.

Regarding meditation, Shankara refuted the system of Yoga and its disciplines as a direct means to attain moksha, rebutting the argument that it can be obtained through concentration of the mind. His position is that the mental states discovered through the practices of Yoga can be indirect aids to the gain of knowledge, but cannot they give rise to it. According to his philosophy, knowledge of Brahman springs from inquiry into the words of the Upanishads, and the knowledge of Brahman that shruti provides cannot be obtained in any other way. It has to be noted that it is generally considered that for Shankara the Absolute Reality is attributeless and impersonal, while for Madhava and Ramanuja, the Absolute Truth is Vishnu. This has been a subject of debate, interpretation, and controversy since Shankara himself is attributed to composing the popular 8th-century Hindu devotional composition Bhaja Govindam (literal meaning, "Worship Govinda"). This work of Adi Shankara is considered as a good summary of Advaita Vedanta and underscores the view that devotion to God, Govinda, is not only an important part of general spirituality, but the concluding verse drives through the message of Shankara: "Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, Oh fool! Other than chanting the Lord's names, there is no other way to cross the life's ocean". Bhaja Govindam invokes the almighty in the aspect of Vishnu; it is therefore very popular not only with Sri Adi Shankaracharya's immediate followers, the Smarthas, but also with Vaishnavas and others.

“Sri Sankara wrote a number of Vedantic works for imparting the knowledge of the self. He composed a number of hymns to foster the sense of devotion in the hearts of men and one of the hymns is the famous Bhaja Govindam. When intelligence matures and lodges securely in the heart, it becomes wisdom. When wisdom is integrated with Knowledge it becomes devotion. If it does not get transformed into devotion, such knowledge is useless tinsel.

“Adi Sankara has packed into the Bhaja Govindam song, the substance of all Vedanta and set the oneness of jnana and bhakti to melodious music. “

Rajaji, India’s last Governor General, in an introduction to the Bhaja Govindam song composed by Adi Sankara rendered by M S Subbalakshmi

A well known verse, recited in the Smarta tradition, in praise of Adi Shankara is:

Śruti smṛti purāṇānāṃālayaṃ karuṇālayaṃ|
Namāmi Bhagavatpādaśaṅkaraṃ lokaśaṅkaraṃ||
I salute the compassionate abode of the Vedas, Smritis and Puranas known as Shankara Bhagavatpada, who makes the world auspicious.

Adi Shankara begins his Gurustotram or Verses to the Guru with the following Sanskrit Sloka, that has become a widely sung Bhajan:

Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Deva Maheshwara. Guru Sakshath Parambrahma, Tasmai Shri Gurave Namaha.
Translation: Guru is the creator Brahma, Guru is the preserver Vishnu, Guru is the destroyer Shiva. Guru is directly the supreme spirit — I offer my salutations to this Guru.

The great Indian Muslim Philosopher Muhammad Iqbal considered him to be one of the greatest thinkers of medieval India and acknowledged influence by him.

Works

For more details on this topic, see Adi Sankara bibliography.

Adi Sankara's works deal with logically establishing the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta as he saw it in the Upanishads. He formulates the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta by validating his arguments on the basis of quotations from the Vedas and other Hindu scriptures. He gives a high priority to svānubhava ("personal experience") of the student. His works are largely polemical in nature. He directs his polemics mostly against the Sankhya, Buddha, Jaina, Vaisheshika and other non-vedantic Hindu philosophies.

Traditionally, his works are classified under Bhāṣya ("commentary"), Prakaraṇa grantha ("philosophical treatise") and Stotra ("devotional hymn"). The commentaries serve to provide a consistent interpretation of the scriptural texts from the perspective of Advaita Vedanta. The philosophical treatises provide various methodologies to the student to understand the doctrine. The devotional hymns are rich in poetry and piety, serving to highlight the relationship between the devotee and the deity.

Adi Shankara wrote Bhashyas on the ten major Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita. In his works, he quotes from Shveshvatara, Kaushitakai, Mahanarayana and Jabala Upanishads, among others. Bhashyas on Kaushitaki, Nrisimhatapani and Shveshvatara Upanishads are extant but the authenticity is doubtful. Adi Shankara's is the earliest extant commentary on the Brahma sutras. However, he mentions older commentaries like those of Dravida, Bhartrprapancha and others.

            In his Brahma Sutra Bhashya, Adi Shankara cites the examples of Dharmavyadha, Vidura and others, who were born with the knowledge of Brahman acquired in previous births. He mentions that the effects cannot be prevented from working on account of their present birth. He states that the knowledge that arises out of the study of the Vedas could be had through the Puranas and the Itihasas. In the Taittiriya Upanishad Bhashya 2.2, he says: quoteSarveśāṃ cādhikāro vidyāyāṃ ca śreyaḥ kevalayā vidyāyā veti siddhaṃ – It has been established that everyone has the right to the knowledge (of Brahman) and that the supreme goal is attained by that knowledge alone. Adi Shankara, in order to bring unity among various Hindu sects of those times, wrote five pancharathnam stotras for each of the following prime deities. The deities were Shiva, Vishnu, Shakti, Ganesh and Surya. The idea was that if you believed in Lord Shiva, you would chant Shiva pancharathnam stotra by placing Shiva's idol in the center other four Hindu deities surrounding Him, two on each side. Similarly if you believed in Vishnu, you would place Vishnu in the center. Those five stotras are Ganesha pancharathnam and Lalitha pancharathnam.

Some western academics consider only the Upadeśasāhasrī as an authentic work of Shankara among the independent philosophical works. There is a difference of opinion among scholars on the authorship of Viveka Chudamani, though it is "so closely interwoven into the spiritual heritage of Shankara that any analysis of his perspective which fails to consider [this work] would be incomplete".Adi Shankara also wrote commentaries on other scriptural works, such as the Vishnu sahasranāma and the Sānatsujātiya. Like theBhagavad Gita, both of these are contained in the Mahabhārata

Sankara need to be credited for setting up mutts and creating current worship systems at Sringeri, Kollur, Gokarna, Srisailam, Rameshwaram, kanchi, Dwaraka, Kashmir, Mahishi (Bihar), Omkareshwar, Joshimath which had 1200 year old temples, Puri etc. It looks somewhat odd that the great saint-philosopher did not visit any of the temples near his birth place like Vadakkanathan Temple at Trichur, Sri Krishna Temple at Guruvayoor, Shiva Temple at Vaikom, Devi Temple at Kodungallur, Sri Padmanabhaswami Temple at Anandankadu, etc. Kodungallor temple is more than 2,000years old as attested by Illango’s silapathikaram, published during his brother’s reign (Cheran Senkuttavan), Krishna Temple is older than Anandankadu temple, because, Krishna tells Vilwamangalam to build a temple for seshasai at anandankadu. Vilwamangalam is said to have been a savant of the 10th century AD. Guruvayurappan idol is around 5,000 years old.

The bukti cult, rejuvenation of golden age of sanathana Dharma was rekindled by Adi Sankara of kalady. Santana Dharma is vibrant thanks to philosophers, and efforts of jagadgurus like Sankara who restored the pristine glory of Advita philosophy of the Upanishads and re-established the path through which everyone can experience and become one with divinity. Seldom in history has one individual had so much influence on a nation, its civilization, its religion?

Kalady was re-discovered by 33th Jagadguru Sri Sharada Peetham at Sringeri.

Even though Sankara’s birth, parents, miraculous events of his childhood, contemporary history of Kalady including various landmarks and temples associated with his life have been discovered, catalogued and chronicled, legacy of Sankara has been preserved for the world by holding cenetary celebrations of consecration of temples on May 18, 2010. Advita means unity of atman and nirguna Brahman (Brahmin without attributes) on ideas found in Upanishads. Indian sub continent, importance of monastic life as sanctified in Brahma sutra Upanishads is based in strict ritualism and ritual monastism. Sankara has made copious comments on Bhagavat gita, Brahma sutra, Principal Upanishads.

Unity of Reality (God, Brahmna, Tao, Spirit, Energy, Light, Vibration) is central to all major world religions, thus their common moral foundation of ‘Do unto others as to thyself as other part of the Self? Wave structure of Matter is obviously once known, it begins it will seem strange simply because it takes time for our minds to adjust to new knowledge? The metaphysics of non dualism generates a number of profound philosophical difficulties, the first of which is this- why did the one (space) manifest itself as many (wave motion)? Why did the eternal become temporal; the infinite the finite; immutable become mutable? Many thinkers in the orthodox Hindu tradition argue that the answer is delight (ananda), the universe is Brahmin’s expression of delight in creation. Absolute also is bound by something that is dependent on something. The very question that finite is absurd, for it is self contradictory (Swami Vivekananda)(Collison: Fifty Eastern Thinkers 2000)

Vivekananda is correct on material substance (thing) exist, that there is no boundary which implies two things thus the one thing (infinite), and not dependent. What exists, there is no further reason for this (Aristotle concurs) Wave structure of matter in space explain and solve the problem of one and many; but also wave structure of matter. Matter interacts with all other matter in the universe; we see the stars as matter is the size of the universe. Only we see the high wave amplitude wave centers and partciels.

Our mind represents the world and thus the world we see is an illusion (maya) and the ignorance of the True nature of reality is (Avidya). Conversely, liberation from ignorance to true knowledge of Reality (Avidya, prana) results in Nirvana (moksha), freedom from desire. Sankara’s lower layer of experience is maya often translated as illusion.

To achieve this, mere state moksha or release from the cycle of birth or death which is samsara and moksha is the goal of life in Upanishad Philosophy. Only by attaining release can we be liberated from the ‘Law  of Karma’ the otherwise inescapable visiting a number of consequences of our actions which rules the cycles of repeated births and deaths in samsara. In Hinduism, the doctrine of reincarnation or transmigration of the souls rest on the general beliefs that all living things are besouled and that these should become incarnate in a succession of different type of bodies. Reincarnation is thought of as a more or less perpetual bondage to samsara, the wheel of life, a bondage to samsara, a wheel f life, a bondage maintained by the individuals passion and carvings (punarabi jananam, punarbi maranam…..)

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If Kerala has to emerge, empower Panchayat Rajs

If Kerala has to emerge, it needs to empower Panchayati Raj without spending Rs 1/- from its exchequer?

Kerala had emerged as a Trading post, 2000 years ago when Arabs, Egyptians, Mesopotamians, Chinese and many well trenched economies before Christ sent their dhows and boats to this Coast in search of various products like pepper, spices, ginger, herbs, etc paying in gold coins which has been unearthed from time to time from ancient historical ports of the past and the overstretched hinterland. Emerging Kerala inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister on 12 September was to hearld the born again covenant of kerala’s trade Past to a New Age future of industrial economic growth. It appears that the present day bureaucrats, who were in charge of a movement, forgot Kerala’s history when they planned Emerging Kerala which has already emerged, evolved and endured as a State where retail trade was their economy!

Kerala is one state where retailing thrives. There are no industries; hence, there is no industrial economy. FACT, Shipyard and Naval Base and Refineries cannot be catalogued as industrial development projects for spin-off economic growth. The infrastructure project, Cochin port which is worth the entire jewellery sold in India for a year or more as its wealth is inexhaustible, remains lusterless as Tuticorin port formed in 1985 has overtaken Cochin port by miles. We have in our possession, the Jewel in the Crown in the form of Cochin port. It is mainly a Port that caters to import rather than to export. Its marketing prowess is limited. Kerala and its hinterland is not export centric.  Has Government thought any plans to boost its revenue so that allied services and economy of service sectors will grow in leaps and bounds? We have no Plan at all to develop Cochin port. Every ambition of Sir Robert Bristow,  who is the architect of Cochin port(read Cochin Saga), has been thrown to the Vembanad waters, thereby the Queen of the Arabian Sea remains an old damsel having lost her charm The dilapidated and uncared Vathurthy and vendurthy bridges are typical examples of this neglect. The reclamation in Ernakulam which submerged lands to the extent of miles, which raked for GCDA Crores of Rupees made Arabian Sea furious and she in turn grabbed many miles of inland land from Fort Kochi to Veli and much more. Nobody has bothered about the coastal erosion which is systematically taking place submerging precious lands. Sir Robert Bristow had cautioned that any activity on the peripherals of the Cochin bay will cause tidal uprising. But who reads history when everybody wants a role in history making? And along with that the notional loss on submerged land!

Kerala is a land of literacy. It has a developmental model not created by any Economist, but emerged on its own. There was no need for any catalyst to design a model, because it was sayambu. Educational institutions and educational facilities provided in the state helped the people to be top brats who with their immaculate knowledge could be the bench mark of perfection. This attitude came up from dependence of these educated people with other people, as no opportunity is available for these great brains here. Keralian is everywhere with his superior intellect, excellent mannerisms, hard work, except in Kerala! Don’t blame Kerala or its education or its Politics for it. It is a trait, a grit that came from nothing from hard work. Treated worse than David Copperfield, these destitute need care, and protection. When no body offered, they became anti thesis of exemplary work. That agitation resulted in Attimari, Nokkukuli, etc. Kerala workers are the best, intelligent, hard working lot. They work as long as they are wanted to finish the work. They work independently. They do not need a supervisor to guide them. Their fertile imagination is better than that of his supervisor. These are hall mark of greatness. But you don’t see them, anywhere in Kerala, and on account of this, there was no economic or industrial development. The money order economy and remittance to Banks made many Managers to get elevated posts. It was not because of their ability. It was because the hard working expatriate send his money to these banks, and they transferred this sum to the neighbouring states of their bank’s branches so that those states prospered in leaps and bounds with kerala remittance money. Every application received from an entrepreneur was consigned to a closed file with the remark” technically not feasible, nor economically viable. Units of similar category have become Non performing Assets. Hence reject”. Period.

Now, with the Emerging Kerala revolution already on, industries are pouring into Kerala. It is a good sign. That a Government at least makes a symbolic gesture to publicise its strong points. THE embassies were represented by the respective Ambassadors. There emerged lot of opinions. Comments. Desires.  Some people refined their thoughts. Many decided that it was a new dawn. A new era. New Kerala emerging. Banquet of opportunities. Global connect with Kerala.

Is Emerging Kerala, a meet designed to engage in business carriage vis-à-vis entre nous? And how does B2G (Business-to-Government) terminology though euphonious fit in inter alia B2B (Business-to-Business) meet? KSIDC says it has received 140 proposals at B2G meet. Investment and starting of industries, bringing capital, introducing new technology etc cannot in any context be defined as Doing Business with Government. What Government is doing is one of its charters- ushering in industrial growth by publicizing Kerala’s assets. It is not Business to Government, as vouched by the KSIDC spokesman!

Just as they discuss any issue, the newspaper fraternity found many areas to criticize. The opposition boycotted the function. Many others who always had a dominant role in extolling the ‘doom’ theory just propelled it. There was controversy over Trade mark of the event. Plagiarism. In the summing up Press Conference, CM said one figure while Industries minister gave another figure while the Government Press note gave a third figure.

Now, there are many, who are asking this question, “Who choose the event Partners?” Day in and day out, our indigenous Chambers of commerce is breathing fire- suggesting various bits and pieces on industrialization? Why were they ignored? What is CII to Kerala? NASSCOM is a specialized body, whose services we do not require, because we have a country cousin of that organization in our own Techno Park. We are waiting for the arrival of which industries? What is our menu? We can plan for setting up of industries. But that cannot be at the cost of depriving patches of agricultural lands, as commented by one Planning Lord, because Malthusian theory will operate and is already operating in kerala.   

The Meet discusses projects having colossal costs, educational institutes of excellence, tourism, infrastructure, metro rail etc. When Vallarpadam Transshipment Container terminal is finding it difficult to put its foot properly with asking amendment to Cabbotage Law and with emerging strong competition from Colombo and Singapore, who are strongly entrenched hub Ports, would Vizhigam Transshipment Container make a viable story.? Adventure, eco, holistic sports and parks have economic sparks. But will they sparkle? Kerala’s Roads, especially Ernakulam roads, Broadway which is the narrowest way was a broad road by existing standards then. 70 feet Mahatma Gandhi road otherwise MG Road was another. When Roads with narrow footpath and crowded commercial shops dotting both the sides, where can one acquire land? It is high time, satellite towns, with all pharafernia need to be created where modern gadgets and modern hi-fi form of transportation can be developed so that it will take congestion off present day Ernakulam. Caveat that new buildings can come up only in the satellite town and counter magnet Cities adjoining Ernakulam  having the highest facilities.  Housing has come up in the most haphazard way, and has been unplanned, the causality being the civic amenities. Electricity and Water, the two essentials planning has gone awry, because of uneven growth.   Planning of industrial parks, which are neither Greenfield, nor dedicated, has created denial of the common facilities to the most of the units. KINFRA had a very queer agenda of industrial growth- its planning and location of industries needed a higher proficiency in terms of planning and locational advantages  . Setting of the First Apparel Park in Trivandrum instead of at kannur was a Himalayan blunder.

It was disclosed that in the Emerging Kerala meet projects worth 10 K Cr was mooted, Kollam 3K Cr, Trivandrum, Kasargode, Malapuram 2 K Cr and Kozhikode 1 K Crwhile Alapuzha 0.5K Cr), Kottayam (0.12 K Cr), Wayanad(0.15 K Cr), Kannur 0.03 K Cr), while Thrissur, Palakkad, Idukki, Pathanamthitta meager offering. Government talks in terms of Kochi-Palakkad corridor when enough interest has not been shown by the investors in a congruous manner. If this promised investment pours in, it is most welcome as it will re-draw Kerala’s industrial landscape.

Kerala’s industrial Policy is staid. It has a discontinuous programme which does not take off from one Policy to the next because of distortion, inequality and proper allocation.  Kerala does not have an Export Policy, even though from time of history, Kerala was a mercantile trade spot. The sea trade brought Kerala Gold, and almost all powers of the trading world then had succeeded in developing ties with Kerala. It was a harmonious relationship lasting at least 2500 years. Spices, black pepper, cinnamon, ivory, were all Kerala’s Unique selling Preposiition. The New Age brought afresh wave of European traders for spices, cashew, marine products, coir,   coconuts, tea, coffee, etc. Today, a bunch of Commodity Boards, wayward and isolated as they are, have been able to notch up little improvement in trade, commerce, export without the support of the Kerala Government which has no proficiency in exports. There was a body called KERAXIL. It got the boot.  KINFRA is supposed to be the nodal agency for ASIDE Scheme, and ask them their contribution to exports?  . The Policy makers have not fulfilled the aspirations of the Policy seekers by going for export options of the existing products and going in for new products. Creating the right infrastructure, right climate with expedious clearance.

In today’s situation of the manufacture of motor car industry, automobile spareparts industry is growing at around 40%. Replacement Parts market manufacture can be ideal for Kerala. Textiles with a rough Rs 12,000 cr retail, is there not scope for lady tailor’s co-operatives.  In Kerala, one does not even manufacture a hand kerchief, Tie, blouse piece on a mass level.

Then needless to say, we do not grab the chances that our neighbour states do to attract funds. Let us experiment with each district or Parliamentary constituency taking it as one unit.   We have a Member of Parliament. He has a fund to develop his constituency on an annual basis. There are MLAs representing the different bifurcated Constituencies under Parliamentary constituencies. They have been granted funds for development. Let them group as one unit, with District Collector as Convenor and Panchayat President as Joint Convenor. Let this body forget Politics in this body. Decide on the Sector Plans of the Constituency. Alleppey has coir industry; Kannur has Handloom industry; Aroor has fisheries industry; Kollam has Cashew industry; Idukki has tea estates; spices are pre-dominent in Wayanad, Rubber is the forerunner in Kottayam, etc. The MPs and MLAs will ear-mark a percentage of their development quota as allotment to this corpus.   With a well written Scheme after discussing with the stake-holders, go to Delhi and apply for Rs 50 Cr Industrial Infrastructure Up gradation Scheme of the Commerce & Industry ministry, Department of Industry. Micro Small and Medium Enterprises has a Scheme known as MSE-Cluster Development programme with Rs 10 Cr as outlay; Ministry of Rural development has also a scheme known as Swarna Jayanthi Grameen Rozgar Yojana (for Rural development). If we plan and design 6 projects under various Schemes, a corpus of Rs 100 Cr will be available, with the state Government investing nothing. No allotment is required for the Panchayat from the state budget. Panchayat need not even such from revenue avenues for doing these projects. Even Waste disposal project can be undertaken. Six projects worth Rs 100 Cr in a constituency, 20 constituencies can project 20x6= 120 projects; 20x100= 2000 Cr (over a dozen year period), employment, each project 100 direct, 100 in-direct. 24,000 direct/indirect employments.  Why not we start. Somewhere, something has to begin. We have Rajya Sabha MPs as well including its Dy Chairman and No 2 in the Indian Cabinet from Kerala. They can make Kerala’s dream to emerge in an industrial Kerala. (Kerala’s Panchayathiraj Plan)

If we have to emerge, we have to Endeavour, empower, and evolve. Only then, we can merge the present Kerala with a new Kerala and emerge as a Land of new opportunity. Kerala is on the move.

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Fooling all the people all the time

Could Government have avoided charging an extra bite of Rs 5/- per litre per diesel? Every additional Rs 5/- that is priced, Rs 1.50 goes to the Government and Rs 3.50 to the oil company which suffers loss during under recoveries and need to be compensated by Government. This levy will compensate the oil companies for the loss incurred by them in the under recoveries and Government gains Rs. 1,400 Cr. Fine, let us move on.

If we need our economy to be bright, we need capital to flow. Only investment will raise capital. For that foreign flow is a must. FDI in Retail will result in infusion of capital. This will help in more money flow by way of circulation. When money circulates, there is business. And this business will create growth. Growth will cause a higher GDP. Can’t we not invite Foreign Direct Investment, with riders? Asks the Government.

Country cannot afford RBI easing interest rates. All its efforts to tame inflation failed. Inflation is still a matter of great concern. Rupee depreciation is holding up the benefit of our trade balance. This in effect causes tight monetary effect on the country’s economy. Bank is not having enough funds for Credits. We need to bring in reforms. We cannot remain in the paralysis mode all the time. Opposition does not allow the government to perform. They do not give space to government to run Parliament. Second generation reforms cannot be introduced. Prime minister according to them is the villain. But the prime minister says, he is the victim. If subsidy is given priority in a empty balance sheet, deficit which was budgeted at 4.6% rose to 5.9%. Inflation continues to peak at 9%. No body wants sacrifice. Will anybody agree to decrease their salary? Even members of Parliament who get allowances? When production is low, how will the Index of Industrial production performance grow up?  If every state agrees to decrease their Tax on Petrol, Diesel etc, the prices will naturally slip. How many of the opposition ruled states willing to do it? Forsake revenue for the welfare of the people? Economic growth which grew to 9% slipped to 6.5%. How can we revive? If each step Government takes, you oppose, even a small step like that of Armstrong when he put one foot on the moon will make you fall from the moon, forget gravity!  We had a bilateral trade of $ 750 billion during 2011-12. Did you appreciate?

These Oil companies, are they not greedy? Do they not hide many things from us? Let us look at the truth.

Indian Oil Corporation is holding its 53^rd Annual General Meeting. Let us cast our eyes to the Balance Sheet of the Corporation. They registered a turnover of Rs 40,957 Cr. They had the highest ever crude throughput @ 55.62 million metric tones surpassing the record of 52.96 mmt recorded in 2010-11. Distillate yield touched a record level of 77.8% and the refineries achieved the lowest MBN (indicating the combined energy utilization factor). Capacity utilization, one of the benchmarks of refinery performance was over 100% for the 5^th consecutive Year. The operational performance was a Record!!!

Let us continue to look at the profit figures after tax. Profit after tax was pegged at Rs 3,955 Cr. With this huge profit, the Company Board has recommended a liberal 50% dividend coughing off a dividend of Rs 1,214 Cr during 2011-12 fiscal.

Hold your breadth. Last year, the dividend declared was Rs 9.50 per equity share of Rs 10/-. Forget the net capitation value of shares if even 55 is transferred. Cumulative dividend of Rs 20,882 Cr have been paid by the Indian oil Corporation even though the weeping Mr R S Butola, Chairman, IoC was repeatedly weeping about the so-called under recoveries.

Wait a minute. The profit after tax declared by the Company of Rs 3,955 Cr is only one side of the coin.  What has not been said by the company, but written in small point is, Rs 8,156.56 cr being the provision for payment of Entry Tax imposed by the Government of Uttar Pradesh on crude oil received at Mathura Refinery was decreased from the profit of Rs 12,111.56 Cr. That was provisioned, hence the profit is shown as Rs 3,955 Cr. The IoC went to Supreme Court and got a stay. Why do not the parties move the Court for early hearing so that the case could be disposed off.

Now, let us move to the under recoveries. Under recoveries sale of HSD, SKO (PDS), LPG (dom) in 2011-12 are compensated by Government. What the oil companies pay is the interest on working capital expenses involved for borrowing money till the compensation is received by the Government. Barring a) entry tax by UP and b) interest burden, the Report of the Board of Directors of Indian Oil Corporation says that the financial balance sheet is fine!

Another aspect of the Balance sheet. 1473 MMT petrochemical products grew by 62% Y-o-Y. Polymers and PTA were exported to the tune of 76,000 m tones.

The problem highlighted by the Company in the Balance sheet refers to high reliance on borrowings leads to high costs in the form of raising financial costs. The company instead of recycling its money through prudential norms expects 100% compensation from the Government.

Now let us ask our Dy Chairman of the planning Commission, one question: Sir, the profits of the Company, as indicated by the Balance sheet does not reflect the fact that Government’s compensation to cover the entire under recoveries is factored in it. Without factoring this, the profit has come. Add the with held profit amount due to positioning, it is Rs 12,111.56 Cr. Why do you fleet people of Rs 2 and Rs 5 when the management of the IOC with little more adroit skill can manage their finances without any government funding? IOC should be treated as a Public Limited Company. Why is the Government talking the divided from the company? Let it be made a corpus.

When people in the Government do not exercise due diligence, then errors in fiscal policy would cause an economic upheaval, as is happening in India, today. It I not enough we have Economists; we also need Accountants who will point at accounting cover ups. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India. Politicians should remember not to take Coal to Newcastle. Did I say Coal? That includes Coal from Indian mines as well!