Six Stages of Learning

According to the ancient Indian education system, there are six stages involved in learning anything.

a) Information - In the first stage you tend to gather information. You tend to become familiar with basic terminology and vocabulary.

b) Knowledge - When you are able to relate the various pieces of information, you are said to have acquired knowledge.

c) Skill - When you apply the acquired knowledge practically you develop a skill. Skill can be mastered only by constant practice.

d) Insight - When you have spent sufficient time in perfecting your skill, you automatically come to know why a certain thing happens in a certain way. You now can see a pattern which ordinary people may not be able to see. Thus you now have insight.

e) Foresight - After developing insight (knowing the pattern in past), when you project the pattern in future, you can start predicting things. Thus now you have developed foresight (projecting patterns in future with high accuracy).

f) Wisdom - After developing foresight, anyone can use it for personal benefit. But when you develop ability and motivation to use the foresight for the benefit of the society, you are said to have reached the stage of wisdom.


In english language everyone is called a teacher, but sanskrit is a very rich language. There was given a different designation for each type of teacher at each stage of learning.

One who gives you information, is designated as "Adhyaapaka".
One who imparts knowledge is called as "Upaadhyaaya".
One who teaches you a particular skill is "Aachaarya".
One who gives you insight is called "Pandit".
One who gives foresight is called "Drashtaa" (seer).
And finally one who gives you wisdom is called "Guru".

Courtesy: Rajesh Tiruveedula

Quote of the Day - Sexual Harassment on Women

I would like to shoot the feminists who fight for sexual harassment on women without fighting for improving public transport.

Side Effects of Dowry - Dowry From Working Women

The following is taken from Idli, Orchid and Will-Power by Vital Venktaesh Kamath.

Venkatesh Kamath's friend's daughter marriage was fixed. But, later on his friend was thinking of dropping the match, because, the bridegroom was asking for a car. He was not even in a situation to buy a scooter. He came to Kamath and told the same.

Kamath asked him to bring the bridegroom once. He brought the bridegroom to his hotel. After talking casually for some time, Kamath asked the groom, whether he was fine with the marriage, if he gets a car. The groom said, he does not have any problem. Then Kamath told his friend to print the wedding cards and sent him away.

After that, Kamath asked the groom, "Why are you asking for a small car? Ask for Mercedes."

Groom: "No way. They cannot give. Even this car, I did not ask. My mother asked."

Kamath: "It does not matter who forced. Finally, you only asked. So, ask for big car."

Groom (got confused): "We don't have place even to put a small car. How can I ask for a big car?"

Kamath: "Then ask for a garrage for the car also."

Groom: "They don't have capacity even to give a small car. How can I ask for a big car and a garrage?"

Kamath: "That is not your problem. I will make sure that, they would give all those."

Groom: "Are you going to give money to them?"

Kamath: "Yes, as a loan"

Groom: "How can they repay you. They don't have that much capacity."

Kamath: "I will tell you one life secret. No daughter would like, if her father is in debt. If her father has taken the loan for her, then she would prefer to clear it as soon as possible. That is also, if her husband works in a big company like L&T, then she would prefer to clear it even sooner. She takes Rs.100 everyday from you and saves it. She gives that to your father-in-law, and he would give it to me. That way, I would get back my money through your wife from you."

Later on, the groom married the girl without any dowry.

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Recently, my friend got married. She has given dowry in the form of cash and gold to the groom. She has taken loan equivalent to the total dowry amount. After the marriage, She would clear the loan from her salary.

After hearing that, I got confused on what the groom or his family thinking while taking the dowry. One reason might be, they may be thinking that, after the marriage, she may reject to give her salary, so better to take it now itself as dowry.

At the end, By taking the dowry, the third party who has given the loan to the bride is getting benefited.

Different Roles in Software Development

In many product based companies, the developers at different levels starting from Trainee Software Engineer till Distinguished Engineer, are given the same kind of work. But, the way they do that work would be lot different.

If some work is given to developers of different levels, and if all of them do their best, then others may say the following in response to their work.

Distinguished Engineer - He has not delivered anything.

Principal Software Architect - He has not written even single line of code.

Technical Architect - Even a kid can write the code that he has written.

Sr.Software Engineer - He has developed a complex functionality single handedly.

Software Engineer - He has developed one of the most complex functionalities with very good design, which uses all the concepts of design patterns.

Trainee Software Engineer - He has developed the application by using all the latest technologies, it's latest features, and all the concepts of design patterns. To understand what he has written, one needs to learn all the latest concepts in the latest technologies.


(If the problem can be solved by changing the process or the way they use the system, then it won't require any new product to solve the problem. Even if it cannot be solved by changing the process, if it can be solved by using existing products in a different way, that would be better. That's how, Distinguished Engineers and Principal Software Architects work.)

By the way, My lead is taking lot of time to understand the code that I have written with the latest concepts. I also used the following comment, while sending for review.
// When I wrote this, only God and I understood what I was doing
// Now, God only knows

Obituary - Google Buzz - Rest in Peace

Yesterday, Google Buzz died.

When Google Buzz started last year, the no.of visitors to my blog has increased by many times just in few days. It was very simple and user-friendly to share and read. My blog would be definitely effected by the death of Google Buzz.

I feel, it was the biggest stupid decision that Google has taken till now.