quality belt

[Guest guest]

Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

 

 

Recently I attended a marriage. In the chitchat session while waiting for the

bride and groom to arrive on the stage in the marriage reception, I was told the

groom is a black belt in relevant area of the operation in his organization.

Since I was not knowing any thing about six sigma, master black belt, black

belt, green belt, and gold belt etc I was fish out of water initially during

that session. I did not know any thing about these belts in an organization,

except that brown and black colour leather stuff around the typical bulging

tummy of a typical Indian, which I also wear and have. Perhaps that led to the

proverb tighten your belt?

 

 

 

Then I came to know in the course of chat, about these colour belts, that it has

something to do with "quality of product" processed or produced in projects

undertaken in that organization. So next morning with all eagerness of a child,

I browsed the internet, for the details on these 'quality' belts, and this is

what I got from a website.

 

 

 

"The fundamental objective of the Six Sigma methodology is the implementation of

a measurement-based strategy that focuses on process improvement and variation

reduction through the application of Six Sigma improvement projects

<http://www.isixsigma.com/me/project_selection/> . This is accomplished through

the use of two Six Sigma sub-methodologies: DMAIC and DMADV. The Six Sigma DMAIC

<http://www.isixsigma.com/me/dmaic/> process (define, measure, analyze,

improve, control) is an improvement system for existing processes falling below

specification and looking for incremental improvement. The Six Sigma DMADV

<http://www.isixsigma.com/me/dmadv/> process (define, measure, analyze, design,

verify) is an improvement system used to develop new processes or products at

Six Sigma quality levels. It can also be employed if a current process requires

more than just incremental improvement. Both Six Sigma processes are executed by

Six Sigma Green Belts and Six Sigma Black Belts

<http://www.isixsigma.com/ca/mbb_bb/> , and are overseen by Six Sigma Master

Black Belts <http://www.isixsigma.com/ca/mbb_bb/> ".

 

 

 

About those golden belts, matter is there in another web site. Since not of much

relevance to what we are to see hereafter, I just do not bother all of you with

that stuff.

 

 

 

Hi, please do not get annoyed to talk on 'quality' and belts in the sree

vaishNava lists. This triggered my thoughts elsewhere. Hey, what all these tall

claims on belts? Already there are lots of coloured belts available in that art

of self-defense - like karate, kung-fu, etc - now one set more in 'quality'.

 

 

 

But there is one 'cloud coloured' youngster- neeradha samaneeyan - who was

conferred [or he got?] the "best belt" tied in his stomach by his "mother" as an

award. He also received it so nicely and did a wonderful thing- crawled and

released two prisoners standing as trees. As a remembrance of that 'belt'

giving, he is also named after that 'belt'. We, even today, reverentially

remember his act of getting that belt, chant his name - [that naama - name - see

how closely English follows Sanskrit] considering that naama cleanses us

whenever we become a little 'asuchi' - unclean - and we resort to doing an

'aachamanam' as 'parikaaram' - cleansing step.

 

 

 

This 'conferring' of belt to that 'neeradha' again posed me lot of questions - a

dozen as listed below - may be some more added by shrewd 'quality conscious' or

'trained professionals in quality' in the lists.

 

1. Does that mother know what is 'quality' while conferring the belt?

 

2. Is she qualified to offer or confer that belt to that receiver?

 

3. Of what 'colour' or 'grade' of belt she gave?

 

4. Does the receiver qualified to receive the belt?

 

5. If so what was the qualification?

 

6. What was the 'product' in the 'project' undertaken or product produced

by the receiver to be conferred with that 'belt'?

 

7. How was the quality of that product adjudged by the conferor?

 

8. Any tests conducted on the product?

 

9. If answer is yes, what were the results?

 

10. Naturally, that leads to - what is the sampling procedure and how many

samples used?

 

11. How much percentage of defective products was noticed?

 

12. What was the standard deviation obtained before the product is certified as

defects free so that the producer is recognized as worthy of conferring the

'belt'?

 

 

 

Oh, it is mind boggling to answer all these questions. So let me try to answer

slowly one by one.

 

1. For the very first question answer is a negative - the 'conferor' mother

does not know what is 'quality'? But she knows what is her 'dharmam'. [now this

leads me to another doubt - does that 'dharmam' has anything to do with

quality?]

 

 

 

2. She does not know any thing about quality - sigma, standard deviation,

defects - karate - etc and she is best described by 'knowledgeable' as "idakkai

valakkai theriyaadha idaichchi" - meaning - a cowherd maiden, who does not know

the difference between right and left hand or can not recognize that. Such a

person conferred 'belts'? Yes. It is a wonder.

 

 

 

3. As per documents available it is not clear, of what colour the belt was,

but one thing is certain - it was of a mixed colour - for all pieces available

in the house were used to makeup for the length of that belt. That way

documentation is of very high order- another ISO requirement].

 

 

 

4. About the receiver - hey - he is a child crawling - what

pre-qualification do you expect from a child - who perhaps may not be able to

coherently say a few words even. That too the child of a mother as described in

point 2.

 

 

 

5. It is said in the documents about him that he is the creator of vedhaas,

but now since he is there in front as a child, perhaps it is very very difficult

to judge his present qualification to receive the belt. Also see point below.

 

 

 

6. The project was 'childish pranks' - 'baala leelaa' - like teasing the

mother along with her friends or her co-habitants. And the product was butter

from curd pots.

 

 

 

7. There was no way of judging the quality of product except by tasting and

eating by the very same person, who received the belt and his friends-

co-eaters. So it is a one sided affair of testing. The giver of belt did not

exercise or cannot exercise her options of testing or tasting. Further about her

qualification see point no. 2 above once again.

 

 

 

8. The product was either consumed and left without any trace of balance or

simply spoiled by mixing with mud / dust. So, no question of 'testing'.

 

 

 

9. The results were obvious. Either the belt receiver asked for more of the

product - which showed the quality of product was very good - or he made such a

mess of that place and of those persons, that the concerned felt bad, by his

naughty behaviour. So either way results were obvious and clear.

 

 

 

10. samples? - hey, all products were tested by tasting and consumed, or

spoilt. So samples? Wherefrom to take?

 

 

 

11. Defective? What is the meaning of defect? For once he touched the product,

it turned out to be the best of bests. [is this the only superlative word in

English - or any more. can I use that 'adhika thama:' as was used

bheeshmaacharya] Then how to get at a defective product after his special touch.

 

 

 

12. Standard? deviation? What? the producer is beyond duality - he is unique

in producing - each product of his, has its own uniqueness. Then how to identify

any deviation or to check on maintaining any standard when no two are a

repetition. Either way, it is not possible to assess deviation. Then with what

scale to measure the produce for the deviations?

 

 

 

Oh now I managed to answer the questions. Perhaps now you may ask what is that

special belt and its name. That belt is the 'rope', which is used in tying the

cows and calves. Mother yasodhaa is the conferor of the belt. My pet krishNa is

the receiver of the belt - he is named 'dhaamOdharan' after getting this rope

belt.

 

 

 

Now it is clear what naama we use when we are a little asuchi. It is "Om dhaama

udharaaya nama:" - the last naama in aachamanam 'Om dhaamOdharaaya nama:' We

utter this by touching the head to complete the aachamanam. Touching the head?

Means what - andha naamaththukku uriyavanai thalai mEl vaiththuk kondaadu -

while uttering that naama, think about that person and bow your head in

reverence. That ONE who has such a belt.

 

 

 

Why to talk of all these other coloured belts?

 

 

 

Before concluding

 

viralOdu vaai thOindha veNNai kaNdu aaichchi

 

uralOdu uRap piNiththa naanRu - kuraLovaadhu

 

Engi ninaindhu ayalaar kaaNavirundhilaiyE

 

ongOdha vaNNaa urai - 24 mudhal thiruvandhaadhi

 

 

 

kadhaiyin perum poruLum kaNNaa nin pErE

 

idhayam irudhavaiyE yEththil kadhaiyin

 

thirumozhiyaai ninRa thirumaalE unnaip

 

parumozhiyaal kaaNap paNi - 64 iraNdaam thiruvandhaadhi

 

 

 

dhasan

 

vasudevan m.g.

 

 

 

 

 

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