Pappad and Pickles

Pappad or Papadum or Happala is a food item that comes in many shapes and sizes. It is made from several ingredients and is a supplementary dish used with lunch or dinner in many parts of the world, especially in the Indian subcontinent. Just as its variety, it also comes with many spellings. The picture given above may explain the item better than words. Pappad is typically made from gram flour with many ingredients added up depending on the seasonality, availability as well as taste requirements of users or makers. It is prepared, dried in the hot sun or shade, and stored until time of actual use. It is mostly fried in oil or cooking medium before being served hot. Some variants are also spread on burning charcoal. It should be consumed within a few minutes or hours of it being fried or heated. It is used as a side dish and very popular with children and aged alike. In tropical areas, it is prepared in summer for use throughout the year. Pappad making is a home industry in many parts of the world and provides employment as well to many workers in the unorganized sector.

Pickle is another item that is consumed with lunch or dinner. It has many variants like pappad and adds taste to other items. Its preparation and ingredients varies in different parts of the world. Lemon or raw mango pickles is very popular in Indian subcontinent. Cucumber or similar vegetables are used in some parts of the world. Serving pickles is easier than pappad as there is no processing required before serving. The ingredients are mixed with chilli powder and other spice powders and preserved in vinegar or brine (salt water). Properly packed item can be served directly from glass or plastic bottles. It adds variety to other cooked food items. Pickles are also good for spreading on bread of any type and can substitute fruit jams for diabetics. A small ball of butter is always a wonderful combination with pickles. One should not worry about cholesterol on such occasions. Forgetting unwanted issues while consuming these items is indeed a virtue, at least while consuming them.  

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A close relative wanted to invest in gold recently. The galloping stock markets did not provide any comfort as a collapse may be round the corner at all times. Investing in gold appeared to be the best bet in present times. Notwithstanding eye catching advertisements by innumerable gold outlets, she preferred to buy gold coins. Making charges and wastage calculations were uncomfortable for her. Any appreciation in gold value was swallowed by these subtle disguises while selling the ornaments. I had tried to sell some gold coins to her while in service in the bank a decade ago. All banks were vying with one another for selling gold coins then. There was a time (some four decades ago) when friends and relatives were running away at the sight of a relative who worked as LIC (insurance) agent. Similarly, my friends and relatives were also trying their best to avoid me when gold coins were being sold by banks.

At the request of this relative I tried to find a bank that sold gold coins. To my utter surprise, none of the banks were having any stock. Some of the contacts confessed that they have stopped selling gold coins long ago. Even the websites of private banks which showed gold coins as a product indicated that they are not available at present.

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Banking is known as a business of raising resources (deposits) and deploying them as loans and investment. Traditionally banks were concentrating on deposit mobilization. There was a time when a bank manager's most important work was procuring deposits. Lending was not a big task then as resources were scanty. Loan seekers were chasing bankers then. Credit squeeze and credit restrictions were in force. Banks had to obtain permission from RBI for disbursing their own funds sanctioned as loans to borrowers. This was called Credit Authorization. With the opening of the economy and globalization, movement of funds became easier and markets widened. Presently, deposits are pouring in and banks in India are finding it difficult to deploy their funds. Credit dispensation is not picking up. There is a mad race in retail lending now. Home loan takers never had this scenario before.

Banks made profit by charging more interest on loans than they paid on deposits. Central bank (RBI) prescribed and dictated interest rates for both deposits and advances. Interest rates in all banks was the same. Interest rates are deregulated now. Banks are free to fix their own interest rates for both deposits and advances subject some minimum restrictions. Banks make profits even now through the difference between lending and deposit rates. But there is pressure on margins. As spread (difference between interest rates on loans and deposits) became thinner, banks looked for earning from other services. There are concerted efforts to reduce burden (difference between non-interest expenditure and non-interest income) as the burden appears even more burdensome now. Traditional non-interest income sources like commission on fund transfers and agency functions like collection of bills have dried up like our water reservoirs. These conditions made banks jump into any business that gave additional non-interest income. While some business avenues like sale of gold coins have almost exited, selling third party products has taken center stage. Small Finance Banks, Payment Banks and non-banking players have further heightened the complexity of profit making by banks.

When one talks to young bankers today, there appears a confusion in their minds about real banking. Selling third party products has pushed traditional and core banking activities like deposit mobilization and lending to the background. Deceleration in economic activity and lack of demand for credit (loans) have made life difficult for bankers. 

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Rice with Dal (or Sambar or Rasam) is the main food habit in South india. Roti-Subzi is main item for people in North India. Some use a combination of both. Pickles and Pappad are additions to the main food items. One can have a meal with only rice and dal. Similarly, there can be a meal with roti and subzi (vegetables), or dal and roti. They are consumed even without pappad and pickles. Pappad and pickles alone never make a meal. They add variety and taste to the main course served in a meal. They are not a substitute for dal roti or rice-sambar.

Banking is essentially an activity of raising resources and lending the funds to those needing it for their ventures. Selling third party products alone never makes banking. Non-interest income cannot replace interest income. It should always be augmenting interest income. 

This is not to put down the importance of selling third party products. It is only to emphasize the importance of the basic and core banking activities of raising resources, and lending and investment. Sense of proportion should not be lost and the cart should not be put before the horse.

He shall carry his own burden

Ramu and Krishna were more friends than cousins. Born as the sons of the two brothers in the same year, they were naturally together most of the times. They lived in the small beautiful town, situate on the banks of the river with fine and clear water flow, with the old dilapidated fort in the background. They went to school together, playing all the way through the mile long distance. Evenings were again spent together playing in the river bed and the trees lined on either banks of the river. What started in the morning walk to the school continued till evening when both were constrained to go to their respective houses, separated by a street.

Those were the days when there was no concept of pre-school education and private schools charging hefty donations. The faithful government schools were the only ones available, except in big cities that had some private schools. A child admitted to the first standard would go on till middle school or high school, depending on his family's value for education. There was a nominal fee to be paid each year and many households found it difficult to pay even that. There used to be only one book for study each year till fourth standard. The only subject to be studied till then was one's mother tongue. Note books were not used till middle school. Slates and chalk was the source for writing practice.

There were no note books but there was homework. The extent of homework was confined to the area on both sides of the slate. Writing down on both sides of the slate was not a big order, but keeping the writing safe till it was shown to the teacher was indeed tough. The regular homework occupied sometime for the students as the writing had to be legible and neat. There could be a beating on the knuckles from the wooden frame of the slate, if the writing was not neat. Of course, no parent would fight the teacher for such blows on their wards. Students generally used the clay slate, though tin slates were available. Tin slates were unbreakable and light, but clay slates were good for writing with chalk pieces.

Krishna had the practice of finishing the homework on the way back from the school. He would take a look on the road ahead and write a word on the slate before taking another look. Thus his homework would be finished by the time he reached home. Ramu was not used to this practice and did his homework only after reaching home, but before proceeding to the evening play on the banks of the river. On a particular day when Krishna called out to Ramu for the evening play, Ramu had not yet finished his homework and needed time to finish it. Krishna became impatient, snatched Ramu's slate and finished the homework and urged Ramu to accompany him for the evening outing. Ramu followed him and they had a good evening games round. They returned after sunset.

Ramu's father had students coming to his house in the evening for tuitions. When Ramu entered the house, all the students were already sitting with their books and slates. Ramu hurriedly joined them and sat down. Krishna was curious to know the reaction of his uncle when he saw Ramu's slate. He stayed near the door expectantly. His uncle checked all the slates and asked for Ramu's now. Ramu was hesitant to show. "Where is your slate, Ramu", his father asked for the second time. Ramu did not respond. His father raised his hand and immediately Ramu handed over the slate. His father recognized that the handwriting was not that of Ramu. "Who wrote this?", his father asked in a stern voice. Ramu looked at the door. His father saw Krishna standing there and beckoned him to come inside the house. Krishna was afraid, but followed instructions.

"Did you write in Ramu's slate?", his father asked. Krishna acknowledged by the shake of the head. A blow landed on his back before anyone realized what was happening. Krishna and Ramu were both in tears. Ramu's mother intervened before another blow could land on Krishna. Both Ramu and Krishna were taken into the kitchen by her. Tuition for others continued and concluded shortly.

"You have beaten Krishna today. His father has never beaten him in his life. If he comes to know of this, he will come to beat you", Ramu's mother told her husband. He had cooled down by this time. He called Krishna and Ramu to sit near him. "Why did you write in Ramu's slate?" asked Ramu's father. "I wanted to help him finish his homework fast", answered Krishna. "Do you think what you did is right?", the uncle asked Krishna. Krishna was in no position to reply. "What is the result of your action, do you understand? You have done your lessons twice whereas Ramu has not done it even once. You may get an extra mark in the examination, but Ramu could fail", he said. 

"What you did is not help. Instead of helping, it will put Ramu into more difficulty. He becomes lazy. Your idea of help is all wrong. You are welcome to help anyone. But help in studies does not mean doing their studies. Helping should be by way of making them do their studies on their own, but not doing their work. Each one should do his own studies, reading and writing. Each one should carry his own burden in life. There are no short cuts. You cannot walk someone's distance. You are too young to understand now, but both of you should remember this. This will help you in your future life", his uncle concluded. Ramu's mother had some sweets ready by this time. The blow Krishna received was somewhat softened now.

Krishna went home but never mentioned this to his parents. He was not prepared for receiving another blow from his father or watch a fight between his father and uncle. Decades later, he still remembers the lesson. Each one shall carry his own burden. There are no short cuts in life.

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There are many complaints about malpractices in various examinations. Many students believe that they are helping their fellow students when they allow them to copy from their answer books in the examination hall. They think that suggesting answers by gestures and symbols is a form of help extended to their friends. They believe it is a form of help when they log in proxy for their classmates using their user-ID and Passwords for doing their assignments. 

The lesson given by Ramu's father to young Krishna is even more relevant today. Each one should carry his own burden. There are no short cuts in life. Such help does more harm indeed. Yes, we should remember that "He shall carry his own burden".

Let us reduce their "Burden"

More than three decades ago, I arrived with family in Shimla (hill station and capital of Himachal Pradesh) for a week's vacation. Lodging was booked in a hotel near the bus stand. The hotel building was too near to hire a auto or taxi, but carrying luggage with two small kids was difficult. There were groups of workers helping travelers with their luggage movement. All of them carried bundles of ropes with them, around their shoulders. One of them approached me with offer to take our luggage. I showed him the hotel and asked for the amount to be paid for moving the luggage. He agreed to take the items of luggage for a stipulated charge. I mentioned that what he was asking for was high. He smiled and suggested that I give whatever I felt like after reaching the hotel. He called out a friend to help him out with the luggage. The purpose of carrying the rope with them dawned on us only then. The items of luggage were bound on his back using the rope. Another worker took the two kids on his shoulders. We were asked to walk behind them. The strain of walking on a steep gradient at 7200 feet above sea level was well understood by us by the time we reached the hotel. On the way to the hotel we could see workers carrying heavy items like two gas cylinders each and even refrigerator tied to their backs. After reaching the hotel, we paid the two helpers more than what they initially asked. What looked as a small distance was indeed a difficult climb. 

Watching farmers and workers carrying heavy gunny bags filled with grains or other items was a common sight, when we were young. Forklifts have generally taken over this job now, but manual labor is still used in bus stands or railway stations. Suitcases with wheels have made life easier for travelers, but difficult for those who make a living by carrying loads. Backpack bags have become very popular over the last two or three decades. 

The most common sight of backpack carriers we now see are school children. The fortunate ones who travel to school by cars or even dedicated school buses are a different proposition. But the kids carrying the heavy school bags in public transport face lot of misery twice a day. For some of them, it is difficult to enter the buses or get down from them. Their body can get in or get out, but not their bags. They have to face scolding and ridicule from some of the passengers in the bus as well.

I visited a children's hospital in Pennsylvania recently. One of the display boards carried an interesting piece about backpack injuries to children. Heavy backpacks can result in serious injury to the spine and can have long term consequences for children and adults alike. Heavy backpacks cause over stretching of muscle-ligaments in the spine. When the initial over-stretching progresses to the next level, it results in micro-tears in muscle-ligament attachments. Thus initial strain leads to sprain. Internet gives pictures of how a backpack bag should be used to avoid these strains. One of those pictures is given here.

The hospital has given some sound advice to parents about "Backpack strategies for children". They are easy to follow and can protect the kids from serious injuries. They are summarized below:

• Total weight of the backpack should be not more than 10% of the body weight of the child. (For adults it could be 15 to 20%)
• Backpack bag of the right size should be chosen for the child. That could mean changing the bag every year in the initial years.
• Backpack bag should extend not more than 4" below the waistline of the child.
• Only absolutely necessary items are to be kept in the backpack. This means checking the contents each day instead of sending the bag in a routine manner.
• The backpack bag should have well padded shoulder straps. This puts less pressure on young collar bones.
• Straps should be adjusted to give a balance to the weight. In other words, one side should not sag in relation to the other.
• Heaviest items should be kept closer to the back, when the bag is put on the back of the child.
• Weight should be equally distributed in the backpack bag. Keeping heavy items on one side is to be avoided.

If the child complains of back pain, it is advisable to check the above points instead of giving usual remedies like applying some balm on the shoulders and back.

The position is no different when we see adults using backpack bags. Many use only one shoulder for carrying the bag. This can also put extra strain on the back bone and spine.

Come, Let us reduce the "Burden" on the children as well as ourselves!