Cinema and the Art of Suicidal Adulation

A businessman named Vishnuvardhan, who worked in the Kannada film industry, passed away today. He worked as a lead actor and made money, name and fame in the process. However, he must not have been too popular, as his death has resulted in only one fan-suicide, and only a few buses got burnt to cinders.

As an intelligent nation, we would hope for a similar aftermath when someone like Kiran Bedi or Medha Patkar dies. I mean, how else do you explain adulation, especially given that the Bedis and Patkars have genuinely contributed to social change. But then, they can't act, do rain dances with starlets half their age, or or promote hedonism. I don't want to own property in Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad or Bombay. You never know...

Sarcasm aside, Vishnuvardhan was (strange for the cinematic world, though) a genuinely good man.

Now here to nowhere

In an air-conditioned car in Egmore, Chennai.

Just passed by two naked urchins (who were eating something that someone had probably tossed to the bin), while thinking about another Youth conference that is looming over my conscience. Where do we go from here? Between the speech and the report, where lies our duty to God? In the deliverance for the collective cause, introspection of our personal responsibility seems irrelevant.

Incidentally, I discovered through a past-life regression session years back, that, I was an English orphaned girl in Chennai in my previous life. True? Don't know. Relevant? Absolutely. Between his street and my seat, there is a lifetime of unrequited Grace.

Invalid Introduction

I always begin a speech with these words. Ironical.

Christmas 2009

Barring a few sporadic incidents of excited-filled aggression by the children, Xmas bhajan was a largely peaceful demonstration of the children's love for Santa Claus, and especially his gifts. Since I am very scared of people getting touchy when touched, I will use fictitious names, going forward.

Although Sadeep is a bachelor, he did a remarkably good job at being Santa. And since I had advised him to be inside the Mandir only with pure thoughts (which he lacks considerably), he made sure he didnt stay inside too long, and jogged in and out very quickly. His outfit also fitted him well. Sadeep also had two plastic bells slung over his Santa belt that symbolizes his bacherlor status. Although he was petrified about making no mistakes, he still managed to make it a flawful act by forgetting the gift at the altar. Well done to our very own Santa, although he is a bachelor. It takes more than grey plastic bells to get married, it takes bells of steel, which he will figure out soon. In his own words, and misquoting him verbatim: "Although I am a bachelor, I think I did an excellent job. In fact, I am sure I did an excellent job because I am GSB. Also, I broke my personal record for the maximum photographs of myself in one day, though I will need to explain to everyone that it's me behind that fake moustache which I am still chewing on."

On the whole, it was a great effort. Everyone was jolly, generally, and specifically. Memorable incidents include:

1. Jeeet's propensity to photograph anything that moved (or didnt)

2. Sadeep's magnum opus pillar decoration which took three hours to be done so that Nowneet and I could undo it and finish it off in twenty minutes

3. Alti's wonderful Santa on a reindeer montage (although Santa's cheeks were puffed pink, not necessarily due to beer, could have been due to cognac, champagne, or even vodka)

4. Rojesh's standard operating procedure as soon as he reaches anywhere,- grab some food

5. Sateysh's regular dashing entry at 8.45 PM

6. Geresh's tension that he generously distributed to everyone else

7. Santa's complaint of his false moustache being unconscioulsy eaten away by his mouth

8. Nowneet's exclusive head that rains sweat when he dons that shapely cap with that funny thing at the tip

9. Akshitha at her usual graceful best; always unconsciously reconfirming that she is indeed, my daughter

10. The highlight of the day was when one of the children exposed our man, and reconfirmed to all and sundry that he was not actually Santa, because, if you noticed very, very carefully, he was not wearing red socks

Apart from the pejorative and the Telugu film-style suggestions, there is a Christian saying, which Christians are not really used to saying: The Last Christian died on the cross. We should endeavour to change that to: The first Christian died on the cross. 120 children would have died from hunger during the time I took to pen this post. Let us live as if every moment is Christmas, every moment is an opportunity to thank God for all that He has blessed us with, which we always forget to remember.

Unipolar syndrome

Once you are in a spiritual path, you find something negative in everybody and everything. To stay positive does not remain an option, it becomes a necessity.

Hunger for fast

Andhra should be the birth-place of creativity. Taking a cue from the Telangana trick, I am planning a fast unto publicity to carve out a separate state for my house-plot in Trichur.

God is in the details

God is perfection. Approximation is not human. 89 degrees is not right-angle.

The bridge between approximation and perfection may take two lifetimes to cross, but it is undoubtedly one that all spiritual aspirants must step on.

Within the fold of Swami's robe lies the grace of God.

Graceful gorilla

One of us mentioned the other day about me being really arrogant. Although I appreciate the genuine consideration behind the candour, I doubt I have changed from the Tercel to the 7 series.

Arrogant. Don't think so. Blunt. Yes. Bluntness is often confused with arrogance, the same as misconstruing everything sweet as diabetic.

You might end up being a self-made PR disaster, but then, PR is for the real world society. When your head is in the forest, that shouldn't be your primary concern.

Blind realism

Optimism is essential to success; realism, more so. Realism is optimism tempered with experience.

Coincidental Health and Global Harming

Spent the weekend in Rotana Al Ain. Nothing extraordinarily interesting about the hotel or the place. But something about the menu struck me. Maybe I haven't noticed before, but, this was the first time any menu in any star hotel had notes on the state of the food as well. In addition to the standard V for vegetarian, it also had H for healthy (hotels usually qualify by saying low-calorie or something to this effect).

On quick count, around half of the V marked dishes were also marked H, while, not one of the Non-vegetarian dishes was marked H, and with the menu being nearly 90% non-vegetarian, ninety percent of the dishes served by this hotel were not considered healthy by its own admission. This should be the first instance of a business enterprise denouncing its own products.

Of course, coincidentally, and with Copenhagen in the news, livestock account for 15-20% of global methane emissions--about 3 percent of global warming from all gases. Every second, one football field of rainforest is destroyed to produce 257 hamburgers, while each burger consumes only from 600-1,300 gallons of water to reach your tray; the same serving of rice takes a mighty 35 gallons.

I don't know if there is any clumsy connection in this whole post.

Counting others' blessings

In Mookambika, we were witness to the Arangetram of a Bharatanatyam student. She must have been around 18 and danced like a butterfly, arms caressing the holy air, eyes singing songs of devotion. It was just another Arangetram, but for the fact that she had only one leg.

If we don't learn to count our blessings, we won't have much left to count very soon.

Stretching the Mile

To modify Mile's Law based on individuals in our organization:

How you stand depends on where you sit, and where you sit depends on how you stood.

Living life by the kilometre

Going by experience, I have figured out that the answer to the following question will give you a fair idea of the pace of life in a city: How long will it take to get there?

If the taxi guy replies in kilometers, it's got to be a laid-back life where you are; if he responds in minutes, you must be in Dubai or New York.

Coming Home

Had Darshan of the Avatar around 5 hours back. Interesting that He did not use the car, so it was a close encounter of the third spiritual kind. As He was moving towards us, I could not help but reflect that He is so serious nowadays. Perhaps to respond, in just a few seconds after my thought, He suddenly broke out into a smile that evolved into a wide grin and it continued till I could see His face no more! Such is He!

Also, for my psychological satisfaction, the eyes met momentarily, eye to I, I to Eye, I to I. Will leave the Abode after morning Darshan (if there will be one).

On snake and rope

Interesting how the same situation elicits diametrically opposite reactions in different people:

I was having lunch the other day with some relatives, on the occasion of my cousin's marriage. I was the only acknowledged vegetarian in the group. One of my aunts asked me about Akshi. I replied that she is born vegetarian. She automatically felt sympathy for Akshi. I instinctively feel jealous of Akshi.

On Binding to Break

Our return trip from Mookambika was traced through two important pit-stops, one feeding the mind, and the other, the spirit.

We stopped by Manipal, where we met the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Warrier, who is known to wifey and MIL-ey. We toured the campus that has truly made a world-class business out of world-class-looking education.

We then stopped by the Krishna Temple at Udupi, where Krishna seemed to probe into me. But, it was benevolent, no doubt, as the Tulasi mala I had brought with me from Mookambika was used to adorn the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum. Also, had lunch for the first time in a temple.

Looking back, both secular and spiritual education are needed: one for a living, and the other for life. However, we should never be so full of knowledge, that we have no space for wisdom.

We are born through, and for, karmic reconciliation. Our connections, relations, interruptions and intermissions are all through karmic computation. Why not use the very ties that bind us together, to break us free? Courage is not an endowment, it is an engagement.

Family Vidyarambham - 25.11.2009

Momentous day in the life of Akshi, and not coincidentally, in the life of her Papa as well. We performed her Vidyarambham in Mookambika.

However, it was a beginning of sorts for her Papa as well. Half way through the writing on rice, my superior command of Malayalam left me with a writer's block, as I didn't know how to write some of the characters that the Purohit asked me (they were different from the ones Dhanya trained me for the previous day). So, eventually it ended up that Akshi's hand was traced by her Papa's hand, which in turn was traced by her grandmother's.

A collective beginning of sorts.

Truevision

Watching TV right now and have to postulate with a fair amount of certainty, that:

We have reached that point in civilization, where, truth can be absolute, only if it has come through TV.

Cinematic culture

Going through the controversy over Cooking with Stella, Slumdog Millionaire, et al, one can safely aver that culture may be transmitted through language, but is definitely miscommunicated through cinema.

Shifting perspectives

Partly shifted to our new residence in Al Nahda (the 24-hour electrified part, not the Sharjah part), a 3BR in a twin-storey building. We live on the 12th floor and my spit takes around five seconds to reach ground level. Also, swam in the pool, which, unlike Jeet's pool, is a pool that you can really swim in, and much bigger than a tub (putthar, hope you are reading this :-)).

Need to check out on my neighbours of which there are quite a few, actually very few. In our floor of 12 flats, there is only one more neighbour. Most of the occupancy is shared between Tamils and Malayalees, and I already get the feeling that this is going to be yet another well traversed arena.

Communists own dacha

Forgot to mention earlier that Kerala celebrated the birth of Kerala on November 1. It was 56 years back that God's own country (soon to be bequeathed to Communists) was born.

It is no doubt a marvellous feat worth celebrating, that, Kerala has been able to endure Malayalees for all these years.

Money for nothing

Just out of a meeting with a financial intermediary who arranges project finance. His terms and conditions seem to good to be true. My take on this level of officiousness, especially in a liquidity-starved economy is:

In finance, if something sounds too good to be true, chances are that it is too good to be true.

Convenient Leadership

He is one of those ever-inspiring leaders who leads by example,- by others example, that is.

Free Spirit

With introspection, it should be inferred that spirituality is a dance (at least the Bharatanatyam kind).

Though there is flow, it is not boundless, though there is energy, it is never unbridled. So also with spirituality. There is never an asphyxiation of the aspiration or suffocation of the spirit, unless of course, you wish to feel so. In which case, the Bharatanatyam of spirituality is not meant for you.

Painfully poignant

Was talking to ours truly Sanjay Mankani yesterday, and he mentioned something that so is obvious in its profundity, that we overlook it in toto.

He mused that sage Narada medidated for 60,000 years (525 million hours) to have just one glimpse of Lord Vishnu, and here, we can't sit for four hours in Kulwant Hall... 'coz our backs hurt.

On Leading to the letter

Looking at the way some of us office-bearers conduct ourselves, it might be worth reflecting:

Let not the strive for robotic efficiency kill the human in the being.

Let not the general in the seva dal stifle the seva in the dal.

Let us rule for betterment, rather than for the rule itself.

Very often we follow rules to the letter that we forget the spirit of the sentence. Magnanimity of action based on pusillanimity of thought is self-defeating.

Enduring ideas for enduring success

Recollecting something that our Joint Chairman mentioned many months ago: The business of life is not different from the business of business. Following is a link that will take you to the site of the grandfather of strategy, McKinsey, and some very valuable frameworks for them, especially relevant in these times of turbulence.

http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Enduring_Ideas_Portfolio_of_initiatives_2446

Redefining our perception

Assuming the silly to be stupid is as fallacious as supposing the serious to be sagacious.

Coming to the critical point

Point to note:

Some of our youth are always critical without being categorical, just like some professors are always explaining, but never answering.

Punishing Papa

I started a new chapter in my parent-child relationship with Akshitha,- that of corporeal punishhment: one smack for Baby and a giant leap for her development.

Just musing that, had I been in the US, my child could have been taken away to a foster home for my act of atrocity, but a few Indian laws are strangely about being sane, and less about being legal.

Smiling sincerity

Barring that of an air-hostess, a smile is the best way of vivifying one's personal biosphere.

Money speaks a lot about people

I have figured out one thing recently:

You are as rich as your thoughts. The richest people need not be the wealthiest ones.

Prophetic(?) Dream Darshan

I had a dream darshan on Saturday, 19th September, 2009. I can't be sure if it was during Bramhamuhurtham, but it was a dream Darshan, no doubt. I blog this, not because I am having one after many months, but because it seems grossly coincidental, in a very incidental world.

Here, I am in Puttaparthi, and we are in a room (not Sai Kulwant Hall, albeit) with other devotees. Swami walks in slowly and starts moving through the ladies side. I know there are some Dubai youth ladies there, and I can see Shalu and Priyanka. Shalu is wearing a bright light blue sari and has got a blue coloured jute shopping bag with her. Swami tells some other devotees that he is busy and lifts Shalu's bag to suggest that he has to go somewhere.

Here's where it gets interesting. He starts moving to the gents side, and towards me. I want ask for a personal blessing, which is a good sub-plot by itself and relates to a dream I had about Swami many years back in Seattle. Though that comes to mind first, I then mentally chide myself for being selfish and decide I will not ask for that. Instead, as soon as Swami walks towards our side, I request him (fumbling a bit, as I am worried He will move past me before I finish my request) to kindly Bless the Youth from the Gulf to perform the play in His presence. As soon as I broach this issue, He turns back, and says that He will definitely approve it, and adds that He will do it 'tomorrow' itself. He talks in Malayalam, Tamil and English. Now, from the other end of the room, I can hear someone from Abu Dhabi say that, it should be the Youth from the Middle East, not from the Gulf.

However, the Avatar moves on and is about to turn the corner, when Dipesh removes his chain from his neck and offers it for blessing. He is in tears for some reason. Swami has already moved forward a number of steps, when He actually turns back and takes vibuthi from somewhere and gives it to Dipesh. I somehow feel moved that He has taken so much effort just for Dipesh though He is so busy. End of Darshan. As an aside, I see Navneet in another room training the ladies for their part, it seems like some kind of musical. Interesting.

Every person to his own (mis)interpretation.

Dream Journey

After 14 years of eventful existence, the Sai Youth Mission Dubai, has finally produced something worthy of consideration for the Destination. What happens going forward can only be termed a mega-bonus.

It goes to show only one thing,- this Mission can never be about the self. And if it has to continue its dream run, it should continue to be about every-self. No man reached his summit by his design alone.

Good old years

Met up with bum-pals from school days yesterday. Tigi has flown down from LA for a couple of days. Met him only after 18 years, and I am just 36.

We remembered all the good old dirty times, most of the dirty times being my contribution, of course. Incidentally, he works for Bank of America, one of the few remaining banks of America.

Forced fast, fine feast

I'ts Onam day today. And among the smss and emails I received, I got one from my old buddy, Philip, who wished me a good Onam and a great sadhya (feast). Interestingly, every major festival currently seems to connote a gastronomical rampage. Any thoughts, anyone?

I know this has to be purely coincidental, but a thought passes my mind that one reason for the collapse of the Roman empire was gluttony. And by the time I have finished this sentence, 40 children would have died from hunger-related causes,- that's one every 3 seconds.

Wake-up Gratitude

My uncle passed away the day-before. He was comatose for four days prior to his departure. In more than a way, death was liberation. And ironically, timely as well; he didn't have to suffer much.

Stepping back a bit, death should be a wake-up call for the living, a sharp stroke struck hard on the canvas of dormant awareness,- that all this is so tenuous.

We are so used to unexpecting the expected.

The Will in Philosophy

'The Story of Philosophy' by Will Durant is a pioneering work in philosophy, which I was fortunate enough to struggle through during my college days. It deserves a show-case for itself, though it is castrated by the fact that Oriental philosophers have been omitted, probably because of the fact that Advaitha requires many minds per person for even a basic level of understanding.

However, many years later, I come to the understanding that most philosophers do nothing more than describe very drab situations with incredibly flowery language. They rarely change the socioeconomintellectual situation, only describe it in incredibly flowery language. Change needs courage and leadership, philosophy is but reflection. Leadership is action.

Heady hedonism

Was going through some of the Avatar's quotes recently; cant stop myself from posting this one, which I feel is the biggest lesson that we never learn:

End joy, enjoy.

In dependence - from cotton to code

We celebrated our Independence day on 15th Aug. Precisely, we celebrated our Independence from the British on 15th Aug. Yet, in a world that touts independence but flourishes on lopsided interdependence, we are far from independent.

More specifically, unless we are psychologically independent, we can never truly be free. We are still that source of cheap labour, currently for US-based MNCs. In other words, we simply have had our object of servitude shifted from the UK to the US. Prior to 1947, we were physical labourers for UK-based companies, now we are automatons for US-based companies.

From growing cotton to entering code, the situation has changed little. Prior to 47, we sold our cotton to UK companies for clothing that got sold back to us. Now, we create code for US-based companies for software that runs our infrastructure, right from refinery information management to avionics for our airplanes. The cotton-growing farmer and the call-centre operator are different but in garb,- one toiled physically, the other strives mentally. One fed British imperialism, the other feeds American capitalism.

Unless we shake ourselves free from the shackles of self-indoctrinated psychological insubordination to everything Western, we will never really achieve independence, we'll always be in dependence.

History in the commenting

I have created (personal) history here. Someone has actually commented in my blog. And it was an anonymous comment, from a very public person, Rajesh. The downside to my upside in blogging is that his comment was a response to a very innocuous post of mine, Holy song, wholly performance.

Coincidental Krishna

We marked the first anniversary of our Mandir yesterday, with lots of religious fanfare and mild spiritual overtures. As an insignificant cooincidence, yesterday was also Krishna Janmashtami. We celebrated the same with an Ekadasi Rudram session of Lord Shiva.

God is in the details

The more you engage in business, the more this message hits you: He who accepts mediocrity must himself be pretty mediocre. Infinite patience with mediocrity is poor management and aimless leadership.

On cutin and creation

Humanity always takes insanity to greater heights of incredulity.

Now, they have grown actual living and breathing mice from reengineered skin cells. And of all places, it had to be in the world's largest producer of human beings,- China.

Unzooed animals

Took my family to Jumeirah zoo yesterday. Akshitha was tired of seeing animals on the screen. Figured out one thing yesterday,- real animals live outside the zoo. Many of those animals looked more humane than some humans that I know of.

Akshi and me - 2

Akshitha is grooming herself to be a well-rounded Papa-centric person. She cries everytime I lift another child. In fact, she has begun to aver to her mother that 'Papa belongs to Baby'.

Little does she realize that this attitude is not helping her grow. Not helping her Papa grow either.

Holy song, wholly performance

Had a practice session last night for the next youth bhajan. If bhajan is seva as well, I doubt if seva was served. At least, I served nothing. If we are dancers, we should dance. Else, let's clap for the glory of the group. They also serve who only stand and wait.

But then, lips that pray are cooler than hands that help.

Saddam Bush, mate!

Have been following the Gulf News chronicle on Iraq-Kuwait, and on some of the reflections of Saddam.

Interestingly, the more I read his viewpoints, the more I began they sounded like George's. So very similar. Indeed, he sounded like Australian cricketers, who would only accept criticism as long as they were praise.

Teach, her, not, train, her

Akshitha has commenced her journey into the world of formal and phony communication in the mother of miscommunication, English.

Her first word was, undoubtedly, the Omkar, the primordial sound of English,- 'No'. And she utters it as easily as she spills juice out of the palm of her hand.

Quite appropriately, the second set of syllables she has picked up is 'Thank you'.

Philosophew

What's the synonym of synonym?

Democratically sustained imperialism

Was reading the other day about how Laloo Prasad Yadav got away with just about everything during his heyday under the Bihar sun.

Looks like the only difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that we elect the former.

The fourth mythical estate

Read an article in the Gulf News the other day about Dubai Police being voted best in the world. Should have been 'Dubai Police voted best in the world by Dubai Police'. Where transparency refers only to office presentations, the sole option for people is to just flip the page.

Let go

Was watching our Youth Coordinator Navneet immerse himself in his kanjeera yesterday. Interesting.

Playing an instrument exceedingly well is like driving a F1 sports car astoundingly well. You have to become one with the car. So also with the instrument. Just like the fingers clasp themselves around the steering wheel to make the driver one contiguous form with the raching machine, so also do the fingers dance over the drumhead, not as another, but as itself, the dancer becoming the dance, and the stage, separated, rather by time, than by space.

Maybe a microcosm of life itself. You might need to be passionate about what you do, to do it exceedingly well. Dance like no one is gasping. Live like it's your life. Be.

Renouncing renunciation

There seems to be so much of over the veneer and under the table jostling to be involved in prime-time seva. Few realize that the greatest beneficiary of any seva activity is the individual himself. As a corollary, the lowest form of seva would be the most beneficial.

Lower the seva, higher the growth, greater the learning.

Sadly, in this age of earning recognition, no one wants to be learning renunciation.

Akshi and me - 1

30th June, 2009

Baby told me today, "Acha, don't kiss me", after I had somthered her for only 10 minutes. Looks likes the future is already in the present. Sigh of the times.

Akshi and me

Watched a movie yesterday (recommended by Praji, as usual) entitled 'Abhiyum Njanum' (Abhi and me). It had a heart-wrenching story with a mind-wrenching message.

This movie is for all those fathers of daugthers who are like me,- a father who will not let his daughter walk, lest she fall, who wont let her swim, lest she gasp, who wont let her breathe, lest she experience life. This movie is for every father who thinks his daughter is an inextricable extension of himself. It drives home (rather sharply) the point that nothing in this world is yours, not even your intellect. Even that is borrowed, along with the body.

Ended up recollecting to my own discomfort, the profound truth (and all profound truths usually bring discomfort) from the Gita, where Krishna says,

"What is yours today, belonged to someone else yesterday, and

will belong to someone else the day after tomorrow.

You are mistakenly enjoying the thought that this is yours.

It is this false happiness that is the cause of your sorrows".

Looks like God is your only possession in this illusion called life. In an unrelated way, becoming a father is easy, being a father is quite the opposite, especially for the weak of parental heart.

Non-sequitur: The movie, although in Tamil, does not play out like a Tamil movie. It feels more like a Malayalam or Bengali movie. No overactors, no Namitha, no nonsense.

i meets I

At the abode, in the presence of the Phenomenon

Crusade against Self-discipline

Interesting. We had a Youth meeting last Friday, where I proposed the idea of a Mentor for the youth,- at the expense of my own reputation as the Youth Convenor.

However, vociferous opposition made me think harder. It is interesting that the cosy comfort of our own continually enforced nescience, makes us defy the warm wisdom of larger experience. And by the time we are old enough to show the humility to regret, our children become old enough to dive into the same delusory quagmire.

Such is the nature of Nature. Few are aware enough to break free from the shackling inertia of ineffectual existence. Even fewer want to do it. Even fewer do it.

Economies of transnational scale

Just to buttress my point, I got this statistic from McKinsey today. 'Of all the world's 100 largest economic entities, 63 are corporations, not countries'. Just serves to sustain my view on Made in China in particular, and corporate objectives in general, steering the course of the future of mankind (and womankind).

Made in the United States of China

I was dusting our show-case today, including the souvenirs we have collected (for others' sake) from the countries we have visited. I happened to flip over a mug that I got from Las Vegas the last time I visited that fatherland of hedonism. Interestingly, even the souvenir was made in, you guessed it, China.

Seemingly, barring the citizens themselves, everything in America is made in China. How does transnational commerce progress from here? Is it possible that China, the world's largest producer of Chinese labour, will find itself in the amusing position of being a monopolistic manufacturer to the world? ... and China becomes the Microsoft of Manufacture.

Popped off

The king of pop has popped off. And in doing so, he has, albeit unwittingly, become a text-book example of the exquisitely loony priorities of our age.

The paper and paperless media world-wide dished out article after article on how... people responded to Michael Jackson's death, not really about his death at all. About how Madonna could not stop crying, about how x wailed his heart out, about how y drank his wallet out,... but little about Michael Jackson himself, the iconic weirdo of our times.

Sometimes, the media is the mirror of a society's soul.

Many happy returns of the Date!

Akshitha celebrated her 2nd Birthday on 21st June, 2009. It seems to be such a totally acceptable misnomer, this Birthday thing. For starters, we don't celebrate the Birthday, rather, the Birthdate. Next, it's not even the Birthdate, it's the anniversary of the Birthdate. Most poignantly, we blow out a candle to bring on darkness, rather than light a lamp to welcome the light of life to the celebration.

Either way, she rules the house.

NDE

Such is life. And death. A couple known to Jeet collapsed due to food-poisoning yesterday after having dined at Lotus Garden, a joint frequented by our whole gang. As of yesterday, the young son of 5 passed away. And today, his elder sister of 8. I can't imagine the situation of this family who has lost both children in the space of two days due to food,- something we associate with life rather than death. This has also to be a new dimension in food poisoning, and ironical considering that the Food Inspection Department is pretty strict as per the PR machinery. And to think, we ourselves were always overflowing with heady praise for this eatery.

The close psychological shave is that we were in Praji's brother-in-law's place the same day they dined there, and his house is just a phone's throw from the Lotus Garden. I actually suggested ordering from there, and was eventually voted out by the rest. Had we ordered from there, I don't know if I would be typing this now. A different kind of NDE. Aum Sri Sai Ram!

Living wisdom

Watched an incredible video yesterday at the Mandir. A question posed in the video was: Do you know how to get wisdom? Somehow, that question rattled for long in my mind. It seems perfectly ironic that the moment one stops thinking he knows, wisdom dawns. The same difference between living and live-ing.

Race Attack

For me, America is an expansive country,- in size, shape, thought and intellect.

They have now elected a well-toned black man to the Presidency, while just 100 years back, they were trading these types. It truly goes to show that, while the cancer still exists, the people are fighting it, both in the courts, and in their minds.

I don't know if the same can be said of India. I mean, how many high-caste individuals still feel that others can be equally human, and will eat in their houses? How many SC/STs have actually been elected CMs/PMs? India will have a longer fight against, caste, in addition to that against creed and currency. Obama used no privilege of any quota system. He went to Harvard. However, just as change has taken place in the US, seeds are being sown in the Motherland as well. Our generation, for example, is a lot less tunnel-visioned, and caste seems less of an issue than personal-ities. Albeit, for racism in its most refined form of casteism, our Motherland has to be the Fatherland.

Conviction in(spite of) Wall Street

It has to be America.

I was in Times Square last week, and Times Square is one incredibly big Triangle. You have like only-God-knows-how-many people moving, running, singing, sighing, kissing, staring at the free-falling indices, playing, praying and cursing.

What was most touching was that, in this very Fatherland of capitalism and consumerism, just a short distance form Times Square, and near Wall Street, there was this lady distributing pamphelts on vegetarianism and PETA. Of all things, vegetarianism. It could mean only one thing. America, for all its attributes, is the land of the free spirit. Of conviction. I doubt if that lady could change the concrete mindsets of anybody passing by her. But that didn't stop her. Conviction beyond convenience.

It has to be America.

R/Evolution

While in Boston, I was discussing with a doctor on a very interesting topic. He drew a comparison betwee computers and Medicine, and stressed that Medicine lags by lifetimes in terms of finding cures for diseases, while the computer industry has been incredible in the way they have broken through in technological developments.

Interesting. That, of all engineering disciplines, he chose the only one that is seemingly going through revolution after revolution. In Mechanical Engineering, technological revolutions take decades, while evolutions happen everyday. Like, the automotive industry has been feeding off oil for the last hundred years, while car speeds have increased. Only now do they think of solar and other forms. It could be the same for other traditional disciplines as well.

However, what's most interesting is that, we are comparing man to machine here. Mankind has taken millions of years to evolve to the current level of sickness. So, we can't expect instant breakthroughs. More importantly, in some ways, we are evolving backwards, The phase lag can only lag further.

Garbage-rating

One way of determining the level of ethical progress of your society is by installing my patented garbometer in your brain.

You just look around and count the number of segregations of your garbage bin. If it has got four or more, you can be sure that society is serious about ir/relevant concepts including global warming, Mother Earth, and deforestation.

If you have no segregation, you must be in the Middle East, or in the Sub-continent.

100% Lawsuit guaranteed

It seems the most commonly heard phrase on TV in the US is 100% satisfaction guaranteed. Are they a seriously dissatisfied population? I mean, you have automatic toothpaste vending machines, automatic curtains, automatic coolers, automatic heaters, automatic lighting, instant weight-loss, instant silicon-gain, instant whitening, instant tanning, instant money, instant pain-relief, an instant in an instant,... why do they require ads to always talk of 100% satisfaction guaranteed?

Which means someone has actually started quantifying satisfaction? Which means the lawyer profession in America has just landed on a potential jackpot here.

The Liberty Statute

It's been quite some time since I last visited my epad. Things have been happening inspite of my absence, like my body visited the US for a short period.

It's an interesting world out there. In many ways, the US encapsulates for your understanding, the best and the beyond worst of what civilization has to offer. Interestingly, civilization contains civil, which is probably a scary irony.

The place is the motherland of commercialism, capitalism, im/morality, spirituality, atheism, and, on the same note, of the free spirit. Nowhere else will you find gay couples and pastors preaching in the same park, and with both parties given equal liberty to do so. That probably sums it up. This truly is the land of liberty, with its concomitant (not very pretty) tagalongs.

Interestingly, the motherland of liberty does not seem to offer too much of freedom. Freedom of life is starkly different from freedom of expression. Having said that, freedom of expression is in itself a luxury. Like, for example, how many civil-izations will allow you to question religious practices and still leave you alive?

Just a millimetre

Tuesday night, 19^th May, 2009, Akshitha lacerated her eyelid. Though her laceration cleaved me then, I now realize that, the Avatar must have worked out a major tragedy through a minor nick.

Just A millimetre

 

My baby injured herself last night,

She lacerated her right eye-lid;

Just a millimetre above her eye-lash,

A millimetre from destiny’s bid.

 

As the blood trickled down her cheek

And shrieks ran around the place;

I stood and stared, then rushed unfazed,

She had been saved by Divine Grace.

 

While the hospital doctors checked and tested,

And wondered at this incredible miss;

I realized her fate had no doubt been averted,

And the unseen hand was undoubtedly His.

 

As she sleeps soundly by me now,

Pristine, unattached and unaffected;

I look to Him in awe and wonder,

At the play that had just been enacted.

 

For, her design is in His very hands,

And though we are thankless to mention;

He steers her over life’s catastrophes,

With every timely nick and laceration.

 

For, I was there yesterday

And yet it mattered next to nothing;

She has her future to sojourn,

Where my prayer will remain but a farthing.

 

For, in spite of what we accomplish,

And how we gloriously enact our every whim;

We have to sustain the realization,

That we owe it all to Him.

 

Millimeters from appalling tragedy,

Seconds from eternal pain;

He guides and guards us throughout,

How do we repay our gain?

 

We live our lives in astonishing delusion,

Controlling little beyond ignorant actions;

While the unseen Hand sways throughout,

And makes all the decisions.

 

A different school of thought

Visited my alma mater, Indian High School yesterday, where I first set foot in 30 years back. Remembered the good old times, and mused on how difficult they make it current students to bunk classes. Earlier, we could just hop across wall to the Sindhi Club (formerly Indian Sports Club). Now, there is a whole building in between. Students need to be more creative now.

On a more serious note, it feel strange to see all these innocent and curious children being steadily worked on to have their pure open minds replaced with indoctrinated narrow ones, filled with a lot of information and very little learning. In retrospect, Moral Science classes used to be a formality (maybe they still do). Such is modern day education. Thank God there is Bal Vikas.

On another note, there was a declamation contest going on with students speaking in the national language wearing western costumes. Wearing western clothing will make us as westernised as speaking in Hindi will make us Indians. 

Inspired (In)action

Ramu seems to be forcing me to think too much, something that I am not much used to. He mentioned the other day about people setting examples for inspiration. 

Well, inspiration for inspiration's sake is like reading a book on swimming. Michael Phelps will only inspire you, the diving has to be come from you.  Inspiration leads you nowhere if it does not prompt action. On the other hand, action that is not inspired is like archery blindfolded. You will keep shooting till the cows come home, but you will never hit your target. 

To recount my statement during a meeting recently, if you haven't stretched yourself, you haven't been effective. Whatever we do that is only comfortable, will rarely be anything purposeful. Armchair effort is for government employees, and is not the hallmark of enterprise and enterprising individuals. 

Ramakant's words of nicedom

Had a philosophical discussion with Ram 'The Scorpio' Victo at 5 mins. past midnight last night,- obviously we don't have a life.

I mentioned to him in passing about one of my personal heroes in our network being Radha, who in many ways, is all that I am not. And the scoop of the night was his very interesting statement that good leaders can never become effective leaders. And he mentioned someone very respected as an example. 

On deeper thought, it could extend to the herculean difficulty in balancing principles with popularity, and rare has been the one to have achieved this balance. Principles may be popular, as long as they are explained, not so when they are enacted (and especially by others).  

Kerala - Most Literate and Most Ignorant

Just returned from a short trip to my very on God's Own County, Trichur. 

Truly, if it werent for the cancer of Communism that is atrophying the psyche of the masses and the contagion of corruption that is consuming the economic health of the state, this would truly have been God's Own Country. Seemingly, Keralites work very hard to steer clear of growth and prosperity. 

Following our careersteps

Reading the 7 habits and I am That together, meaning the best of management and the best of life at the same time, not easy. Interestingly, both talk of detachment in different ways. 

Have been putting two and four together, and have come to accept that although intensely hard, we have to prevent ourselves from constantly attempting to embellish our own autobiographies through the lives of our children. We can hope, but cannot force our hope. It's sometimes easier in the West when the father is a doctor and the son is on his way to becoming a guitarist,- and there is no problem.

Unparking ourselves

Wow! Talk aobut being ourselves for a change. It was like a catharsis, after an year of asphyxiation. Salient points of yesterday's meeting:

Rajiv: Desecrated that delicate Taboo game toy, and along with Sindhuja, contributed immensely to volleyball, by remaining at the boundary of the court for most of the game.

Sindhuja 'The Server' Sundarajan: Courageously evaded the volleyball anytime it came towards her. Also, offered her valuable motivational comment, "Go for it!"

Janani 'The Matador': Played dodgeball and volleyball with the exact amount of seriousness it didn't deserve. Also, castigated Rajiv for not speaking to his wife for 50 full days. Rajiv, this is the wrong spirit, don't do that. Show respect. Be loving, caring... Janani, you can stop reading now. Rajiv, way to go dude! Keep it up!

Also, offered her valuable motivational comment, "Girls, go for it!"

Prajeen: Remained confused for most of the match as to whether he was a player for Navneet's team or whether he was an umpire. 

Aibrami: Stayed out of the ball's way as much as possible. Repeatedly exclaimed, "Watch out, the ball is coming." Also, offered her valuable motivational comment, "Go for it, girls!"

Sanjay: Well played by offering our fair team an unfair disadvantage with repeatedly Shyaming the already confused referee, Prajeen.

Ramakant: Shyammed through most of the match.

Krishita: Excellent 'bowling' during volleyball. Also, offered her valuable motivational comment, "Girls, go for it, girls!" Also, schemed to use the trees and the sun to our benefit. Well schemed. If Janani is reading this, Krishita, this is not fair. This is not dharmic. We have to uphold the dignity of sports...

Navneet: Played very well and wore sensuous striped clothing. 

Priyanka: Master schemer and grand misplacer of the ball. Well played. 

Comment of the day goes to Shalu:

"What?! Girish is married? Oh my God! I mean, Oh my God! (To Abirami) So, you are Girish's wife?! What?! You are not?! Oh my God! I mean, you are Rajesh's wife?! I mean, Rajesh is married?! Oh my God! What?! That's Girish's son?! Oh my God! God, oh my God! Girish has got a son?! What?! Two children?! Oh my, oh my God, oh my God! As I only come to bhajans and leave immediately after conversations, I don't get to know anything. 

She unfortunately missed out on offering her valuable motivational comment, "Go for it!", as she left early. Well unsaid.