Anahata...

Anahata means unstruck sound. Life, the whole of existence, is made of subtle vibrations of sound. There is only music - that music is Anahata, and to experience it is to know what bliss is. That state of elysian and sublime bliss. How would life be if it were to be devoid of sound, music and the assorted mind-boggling variety of exotic and esoteric instruments?

The genius of man.

The genius of innovation.

The genius of creativity.

The spirit of evolution.

The spirit of enlightenment.

The spirit of determination.

It is with a feeling of deep gratitude, reverence and love(yes!) for those evolved souls that I am penning this article down. I bow to them all. They who played with the instruments in their quest to bring out the unstruck sound - Anahata - within themselves to an enjoyable and blissful form. They who constructed the instruments on the basis of instinct, intuition and science. Most things in life do have a scientific basis. But then, has everything been done keeping that basis in mind for the first time?

This is not a comprehensive list. From whatever instruments the author has come across or rather heard, a mention of some with reference to certain genres so as to further hightlight the genius of man. I always have the licence of being a non-musician.

• Carnatic - Voice, Violin, Veena, Flute, Jalatarangam, Saxophone, Guitar, Mandolin, Mridangam, Ghatam, Tanbura, Nadhaswaram, Tavil, etc.
• Hindustani - Santoor, Sarode, Sitar, Voice, Flute, Tabla, Guitar, Veena, Violin, Sarangi, Shehnai, Pakhawaj, etc.
• Jazz - Piano, Voice, Guitar, Saxophone, Trumpet, Cymbals, etc.
• Western Classical - Piano, Stringed (Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass), Lute, Harpsichord, Percussion Drums, Flute, Oboe, etc.
• Others - Saz, Balama, Ukulele, Banjo, etc.

PS: Well, being deprived of the faculty of hearing would make life an unstruck sound. At times when I think of such things, I feel totally helpless. It is beyond my circle of influence and control. All that I can do, is to pray and sincerely hope that He/She gives them the much needed confidence, fortitude, determination, courage, etc. to carry on with their lives.

Spirit of Sport.....

Before I start this article, let me mention that I am not a great sportsperson. Badminton has always been a passion. Cricket used to be a dangerous favourite during my childhood and adolescent years (I guess the same would apply to most Indian boys). However, I always loved watching the variety of matches being telecast on TV; ranging from National Hockey, World Olympics, World Cups (Cricket, Football), Tennis Grand Slams (all 4 of them), etc, etc. This article is not meant to be about the various sporting events; nor is it about the players. Nor is it about a sport's role in politics and peace efforts. It is more at the micro level. The spirit of sports, competition, victory, determination, etc. among the players; be them amateurs, hobbyists(like me) or professionals. However, at the professional arena, it does get quirky with the amounts of money involved and the politics of sports.

I have always wondered. Can any person understand an another better? I suppose sport is the activity where the players, all equally passionate about the sport, resonate together to elevate the sport to a much higher pedestal. Just the spirit matters. Nothing else matters. No prizes, no money, no appreciation, no recognition, no adulation - well, they do not truly matter. A Man understands another perfectly in a sport. The sport brings them together. Even the best of friends become enemies during the match. There is no concept of give and take. We always play to win. But then, if we lose, after a good battle, we always think that the better person has won. Often, losing a good battle proves to be a great means of satisfaction too.

Consider this game of badminton between two good friends. The scores tied at 14-14. The game extends to 17. The scores go like this: 15-14, 15-16, 16-16, 16-16, 16-17. Does it truly matter as to who won? What is wrong in coming second? Both deserved to win the game. They fought it well to the nail-biting finish. Are such games publicised? I am sure scores of these games would be happening between two good friends playing any game for that matter in any part of the world everyday. What keeps them going? The world doesn't even know about them. They do not get prizes or media coverage. Here is where the spirit of sport comes into picture. The harmony of the individual with his passion made possible courtesy his opponent.

Lastly, I dedicate this blog to Nitin, Vishnu and Gopi for providing this author with wonderful opportunities to have played amazing games with them over the past 1.5 years; be it singles or doubles in Badminton. Each one of us would be parting ways soon on our journeys towards our individual destinies. It was a pleasure playing with all of you. May we all continue to pursue our passion with other like-minded individuals; wherever our respective journeys might take us.

Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya...

This blog is dedicated to abhi and others who are responsible for my coming back to blogging life.

Feelings of claustrophobia made me take the extreme step of moving my entire blogsite elsewhere. Were there any regrets? There definitely were; for the author would always love to know that his writings are infact being read by people (both known and unknown). The outreach of the blogspot has amazed me. Some wanted to know if I was a writer. Friends and acquaintances, some of who now know not much about me appreciated my simple(?) writings. They encouraged me to write. When I think of these people, I feel sad. But nevertheless cannot be helped.

I feel totally restless and uncomfortable when I think about the so many windows unknowingly created by me. Isn't this ironical. I who had always believed in letting very few people know about certain things have committed this egregious crime(?). It is difficult to not reveal oneself when writing non-fiction. Why should they know in and out about me? My fantasies, my dreams, my aspirations, my frustrations! It is all about mutual disclosure of ideas. Henceforth, this blogsite would be solely mine.

Well, to cut a long story short; I gave in to the evil side of the force.

Then it all happened. Mails from people asking me if I had brought my blogsite down. And I could detect the tinge of disappointment. Well, I am learning to be a narcissist, right? Then, there were people, whom I prefer to keep anon., who helped me see the light. Well, I promise that I would never give over to the evil side again. Let there be light, and let it spread all around.

Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya

O Mother! Lead me from darkness to the path of light. We are all unified in our ignorance.

Let me end this with a wise quote from Albert Einstein

Co-operation:A hundred times a day I remind myself that my inner and outer lives are based on the labors of other people, living and dead and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving.

This is not to mean that what I am saying is right. There is no universal concept of right and wrong. I might become an open book. People might take advantage of my openness. People might hate me, love me, avoid me, want to know me, castigate me,etc. for what I write. The only thing I can promise is frankness. There might be times when I rake up controversial issues; when I offend people knowingly/unknowingly. If reading my jottings makes the people think, helps them define themselves better; I suppose then that the reason for this blogspot is fully justified. It does merit mention that I am able to define myself better courtesy these jottings.

Peace!

Alma Mater...

I dedicate this blog to one of my very good friends, :);)\!*, who happens to be an IITian, and who is currently undergoing the blues of separation from one's alma mater.

Before you proceed, let me acknowledge the triumph of sanity over anger; and the victory of the good over the evil forces. May the force be with all of us. :)

______

Well, I unfortunately joined the "BITSAT vs IIT-JEE" community in orkut 15 minutes back. The seemingly hopeless and pointless discussions that followed there made my blood boil. I am a proud BITSian; and vanity happens to be my favourite sin too. I would consider BITS to be the haven on earth. Well, I am free to think what I want, right. I would definitely not like any Tom, Dick and Harry disrespecting my mother - alma mater without knowing her, her love for her children, etc. The least I can do is to write this article. In case I have offended the ones under target, I shamelessly would not apologise for that. However, I do respect the IITs..and her right-minded, right-thinking (no political overtones intended) IITians. Lastly, this is definitely not a case of grapes having gone sour.

What prompted me to write this article, was the lack of humility among certain people. I don't want to point fingers at any one. I personally know of many IITians and BITSians, some really close, and from what I know of them, they are the perfect gems that you can find in any friend or person. Their humility, zeal for life, passion for what they do, etc., has often been a source of inspiration to me. But then, there are certain people who infact debase themselves courtesy their unwanted/excessive pride to the absurd heights of vulgar marketing of supposedly their own "intelligence". I guess, only, empty vessels make more noise. People who really have the right stuff inside them pursue their destiny in silence. Period.

Btw, does it make sense to think about the IITs and BITS alone when it comes to college undergraduate education? What about other colleges? Well, from my personal experience, it doesn't really matter as to where one is from. It rightly depends on the individual and the individual alone. Trumpeting your own trumpet or living under the illusions/delusions of being geniuses amounts to slandering the pure institution of a mother. It doesn't speak good about a person and more importantly about his/her alma mater. More often than not, she moulds us in more ways than one.

We are given the most important lessons in life, straight from a loving mother's mouth, and I am sure those lessons would be for life. Where we are taught to live by ourselves, where we are fortunately/unfortunately forced to learn to live with the same set of people, where heady independence is provided to let one chart one's own destiny, where the world is that small place, etc. And since all educational institutions are the places of learning the intricacies of life, both academic and non-academic, it does seem reasonable to respect all of them.

From the author's personal experience with himself and with many of his friends and acquaintances, the unshaken and unquestionable fact is the love of the alma mater for her children and vice-versa. Most people become dangerously attached to her - she lovingly fondles, embraces and cherishes your presence for 4-5 years - the most important phase in one's life - the transition from angry adolescence to mature youth. When we think that everthing is perfect, nothing else can be better, where the present way of life seems to be the best possible, where friends are selected with care, then, all of a sudden, she betrays you. Or rather her genuine love, care and concern force her to violently throw out her child from her circle of concern and influence. Needless to say, the lessons learnt from her would be permanent and the friends made there would become friends for life. So, does it matter if she happens to be an IIT or a BITS or any other place? It is just the beautiful, wonderful, harmonious relationship between the individual and the alma mater that truly, madly and deeply matters. Nothing else matters.

I bow down in deep reverence, love and gratitude to my beloved mother - my alma mater - the ONE with a myriad of manifestations. It is time we all learnt to accept, love and respect her in all of her manifestations.

Vande Maataram!

Vegetarianism....

Disclaimer: One of my very good friends felt that this article was more on the aggressive side. Initially meant to be a humorous anecdote of my amusing experiences in the US, it has knowingly/unknowingly taken the shape of heavy sarcasm or satire in parts. I repeat, this article is not meant to offend anyone. I do apologise if some people did get offended. I respect a person's preferences and expect the same from him/her. Period.

Acknowledgement: Thanks to Eroteme for the clarification on kosher.

Does any religion truly forbid eating meat. Does any religion profess vegetarianism. I truly do not know. Pork is forbidden for Muslims and Beef for the Hindus. The entire world seems to be feeding on these two animal meats in the form of bacon, sausage, ham, steak, or whatever. Pigs live in unhealthy environments and even if they are bred with care, I simply do not see the point in consuming them. Does that mean I am pro-Muslim. Hindus treat or rather worship the cow - Kamadhenu. Hence, beef is naturally forbidden for them. Does the reason sound hackneyed. Does that mean I am pro-Hindu. It merits mention that certain religions like Buddhism, Jainism, Judaism (Kosher), etc. have stricter restrictions on diet.

It so happens that my ways of eating is often a point of amusement and bewilderment to one and all; especially more so after surviving in the US of A on vegetarian food (where eggs too are forbidden) for nearly two years. Some of my closest Indian friends too find it surprising to the point of absurdity my dietary preferences. People, naturally, have cajoled and some times, threatened me to have meat. They find it shocking when I go about asking waitresses if they use chicken broth to make the rice (very common in Mexican restaurants) or if they use lard or beef extracts in the beans that usually supplements the quesadilla or enchilada. The cheese-burger available in MacD's has beef/ham (I am not sure; not that it matters to me). There is a joke that everything out here is "vegetarian". I religiously go through the contents when purchasing groceries.

So, naturally, people think that I am paranoid about not having meat. They naturally ask - Does Hinduism forbid having meat. Little do they know of India. In a land with a myriad of different cultures and religions, with almost 50-50 veggies and non-veggies; where some Hindu's have beef too to show their modernness and broad outlook(!); where the ancient people (including the rishis) consumed meat, most people find it difficult to accept that meat-eating in India is common too. Most of these incidents involving my paranoia are indeed amusing to me. My answer is often this. Well, I have survived this far on grass and the likes. I don't see the point of turning over to the other side, and if I may dare, the dark side.

Preferences apart (be it personal, religious, spiritual or whatever), scientific studies have proven that red meats are unhealthy. Chicken and Fish are supposed to be good for health. I suppose too much of anything is bad. This principle applies to potatoes too. I do not want to convert people of either faiths. Each person is entitled to his/her preference. I would respect that. I just hope I am not wrong in execting the same from them. I do not want to get into arguments over the Saathvik/Taamsik nature of the foods. People have these wise questions (esp. from the other side) - Isn't milk non-vegetarian. Doesn't the milk come from the blood of the cow. Don't plants have life. Well, I simply have no answers. But, I take it that these questions still do not justify having meat. Arguments sound phony. Most people who have meat love it; and if they say that they love it without any iota of guilt, I suppose it is okie. What I hate is double standards.

Fantasies of the Human Mind...

This blog is dedicated to my good friend avaldes for introducing me to the saga and more importantly, for being patient with me.

The Human Mind is a true enigma. The fantasies it can weave are indeed spell-bounding and unimaginable (a nice paradox!). Yesterday, I had been to the "Revenge of the Sith" - the final episode to make the Star Wars saga complete (one of those few movies I have happened to watch on the day of its release). The much-awaited episode that was meant to link the disconnected episodes I and II with episode IV (released 28 years ago!).

Well, the author was always of the opinion that movies depicting reality, drama, emotions, etc. were more desirable than the ones that claimed to be sci-fi, action, etc. Where there was realism and sense, I supposed the movie was good enough. I still find it difficult to digest one of the scenes in Rambo, where he fights a battle against an infinite no. of tanks with a gigantic gun. Mind is to be put to rest in such cases. The same applies to science too. Did they ever think about the recoil of the gun?

Somehow, Star Wars seems to have created the impact - to the point of conversion of faiths. The six episodes were highly unrealistic and were yet amazing. What made it special was the very fact that a human mind with George Lucas as the vehicle had thought of such a fantastic tale of fantasy; complete with the works. Human emotions, drama, intrigue, love, affection, attachment, suffering, betrayal, loyalty, etc. have surfaced in this sci-fi saga spanning 6 movies and nearly 28 years.

Well, Star Wars indeed has a cult following in the world. I suppose I am one of the latest members.

May the force be with all of us.

Indianness VIII - The Indian Summer....

Among the four seasons, Summer happens to be one of the least preferred ones; and Indian summers are known for their heat. Surprisingly, people somehow try to relate a person's imbecility or shades of madness with the Indian Summer. Madras, on the other hand, is known to have only one season - a prolonged summer characterized by differing shades of hotness (to put it in simple terms, as, hot, hotter and hottest). However the author would prefer to refer to Summer as the season from April to June, when most children in India have their vacation. Three months of vacation to start with during their childhood only to be followed by a steady decrease in the duration as they grow up.

Children would be children and the oppresiveness of the heat doesn't simply bother them. Summer hapens to be the most privileged of all the seasons for them. That is the time, when they get the longest stretch of holidays. A time of constant activity, summer camps, family trips, ice creams, banganampalli mangoes, mischief at its highest, water melons, curd rice and pickles,visit by their closest cousins, etc. Madras boasts of a beach that does the children proud during the summer. Mango, the king of fruits and one of the cherished fruits of India, is consumed in its raw form (pickles or with that pinch of salt-chilli powder) or as the ripe one during this season.

Ice-cream happens to be a favourite amongst many of us. Most families do not encourage their children to have the same during the other seasons; citing the undebatable reason of possible cold, fever, sore throat, etc. that could possibly affect their school life. The heat on the other hand makes it acceptable for the children to have ice-creams and cool drinks. There was a time when Rasna, lemon juice, etc. used to have an important place in the heart of a child. I frankly do not know, if it remains so now, or if that place has been wrongly usurped by the less healthy drinks like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, or whatever.

The evenings were spent playing cricket on the roads. Where temples were within reach, the late evening was the time for a visit to the temple. More often than not, there used to be a temple activity that used to attract a crowd in the evenings. When the children were not lost in the huge temples, they also played with their friends or they made friends rather easily with others of their own age to play hide and seek, running and catching, etc. Such simple-hearted people were the children. They believed in spending their vacations in the best possible manner. The elders kept themselves busy by discussing the germane issues of increasing price rise, increasing taxes, the sweltering heat, the water problems, the Indian politics, Coffee, the increasing mischievousness of the children, family dramas, etc. with their friends. All these with the temple activity as the background.

Sadly, all good things do come to an end. The last fortnight of May is the time for getting ready to school. This is a lovely time too for the children. They are pampered beyond limits with the new shoes, dresses, bag, lunch bag, water-bottle, books, textbooks, pens, pencils, colors, etc. Simple things like these brought these children such unlimited happiness that they would remember these occasions of pampering for an year. Surprisingly, the drudgery of school seemed to become more bearable then. It was not that the children didn't like their school or teachers or classmates. It was just that the summer, the one which most adults hate, seemed to be too precious. And compared to the precious times spent, the school and the post-summer activity unsurprisingly paled in significance and rightly looked more like a mundane way of life.

Indianness VII - Curd Rice and Pickles..

This is the best time to write about this topic - the peak of summer and vacation time for children in India.

Well, a South Indian specialty; not available elsewhere. Rather, its value known and appreciated only in South India. The author is not being partisan out here; nor does he want to show his preference for a particular type of cuisine;nor is he is a regionalist. It is a point of amusement when the South Indians profess their love for this specialty,at times, beyond limits acceptable by others. Well, I love this simple, easy to make, specialty of South India - that is one of the most essential must-haves during the hot South Indian summer. People ignorant of this deadly combo are welcome to try it out. And people who are so much in love with this same combo - do take note of the fact that we are all united in our love for the same.

What makes it special? Curd rice is of great medicinal importance and having it as the last course of a meal is healthy. Some people claim that it is a great soporific, which might be true. I am not writing this article to discuss the medicinal properties of Curd/Lactose/whatever. How is it meant to be had? For this, I have an answer. The days of hot summer afternoons. The time of vacations. The home alive with the innocent laughter and pranks of children - friends, cousins, cousin's friends, etc. Elders advising or rather strongly recommending the kids to have curd rice/dahin bath/thayir saadam/mosaru anna and a glass of buttermilk/taak/mor/majjigai so as to prevent dehydration. The item by itself is of not great culinary taste. What makes it special is its side-dish: the pickle/lonchey/uruga/uppinkai. The pickle by itself is very spicy and not advisable for excessive consumption. However, the elders are always lenient when it comes to the combo. They rightly feel that the spiciness of the pickle is compensated by the curd rice.

So what kind of pickles exist to make this combo so deadly? Well, here is where I am grateful to my ancestors. A mind-boggling variety of pickles exist. Nellikai/Amla, Nimboo(Lime), Vadu Maanga(Tender Mango), Avakkai (cut mango), Thokku (grated mango), Tomato, Mixed Veg, Onion, Ginger, Gongura, etc.. The women are experts in pickle making and make preparations in advance keeping the importance of the pickle during the summer season in mind. My mouth waters whenever I think of having curd rice with vadu maanga and its spicy brine solution under the shade of a mango tree with friends.

Well, with the advent of rapid modernization, would such frequent regular happenings of the past become a sad case of virtuality for the future generations to come?

Indianness VI - Carnatic Music....

I bow down in reverence to all the souls who are/were musicians in this demesne of music - Carnatic Sangeetham. I sincerely hope that they overlook the mistakes that might seep in; as this person writes about it. I might have partially written about this elsewhere; but this is the first time, I am writing about it in completeness(?).

Carnatic music - with its strong emphasis on rhythm, melody and feelings - provides the fundamental, essential and harmonic basis for India's rich cultural heritage. Hindustani music, its sister, on the other hand has nevertheless been influenced by West Asia. Essentially South Indian, with compositions predominantly in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Sanskrit; this form of music has withstood the test of times and invasions. Despite the absence of unity among the people, this art was nevertheless heavily protected. The Guru-shishya parampara school of thought helped in more ways than one. It is a closed form in the sense that it would be very very difficult for an outsider to truly appreciate it; and most of the technicalities would be considered esoteric. Most compositions were part of the Bhakti movement - which believed in attaining salvation through the path of Bhakti yoga. Hence, they were related to the divine masculine and feminine faces of the Trinity.

Purandaradasa, the Father of Carnatic Music laid the foundation for a systematic approach to the impartment of this musical form. The Trinity of Music developed it based on the Melakartha system with divine mellifluous compositions. It provides no scope for improvisation (barring the alaapanas); infact the musicians do not want to improvise; and the rasikas do not want them to. It would be indeed blasphemous and amount to showing dis-respect to the composer. Each krithi is rendered only in that raaga, so desired by its composer. So many luminaries have helped sustain this form of music. The festive kacheri season sees many concerts during this time by musicians, both young and old; rising and established.

So, is this form limited to the few (sadly, yes) people who know it or appreciate it? I don't know why, but somehow it is the common opinion that this form is limited to Brahmans alone. I am not really sure about the element of truth in this opinion. Would it be difficult for non-Brahmans to appreciate it if they want to? Would it be difficult for people of other religions to appreciate it if they want to? And, do these "differences" exist in this era of nationalization and globalization?

It is our's, India's jewel on her crown. We are responsible for its sustenance and fortunately, we can do so in more ways than one (however small and insignificant).

1. Attending the kacheris. Nothing comes for free. A Rock/Pop concert by a famous star/group attracts people, who have no qualms whatsover in paying hefty amounts as entrance fees. The music is heavily commercialized and contemporary with its own appeal. Do we really understand the elements of music during these concerts? It is most often a time to be among the hep crowd. So, what's wrong in attending a carnatic music kacheri even if one doesn't truly understand its elements? In what way is it less fashionable?

2. The young, new, and rising musicans hold the key for the sustenance of this art form. Support them in every possible way. They need us and our encouragement. Remember that most of them, would have chosen this as a vocation. They are dependent on this for their living. Money shouldn't be a limiting factor for them which could possibly force them to seek alternative vistas. The music form needs them more than the musicians need it.

3. Purchase original CD's/cassettes. That is the least we can do. Say a complete NO to piracy.

4. Our not knowing the languages - Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Sanskrit, shouldn't deter us from trying out carnatic music with an open mind. When people consider it fashionable to learn French/German/Spanish, what stops them from learning a new language?

5. It is an Indian art form that has amazingly been protected. It is pure, virginal and blissful. We, as the responsible citizens of India, should do our best in ensuring that it remains that way.

Just like a flower has no religion, Music also has no religion. - Amjad Ali Khan

There can be no bigger folly than failing to appreciate what is ours.

6. Encourage children who are learning some form of Carnatic Music. They should know about the glory of this form. They should know that they are among the (fortunate few!) potential stones being polished to become diamonds. I do not imply vulgar glorification. In the present times, young children are more attracted to filmi/contemporary western music. They consider it hep to be among the crowd. I am not saying that they shouldn't be exposed to other forms of music. Too much of anything is madness. What I am really against is their lacking respect for any form.

7. Encourage organizations like SPIC-MACAY and others that help in promoting musical awareness among youth. The youth and children hold the key! They are the ones that need attention, encouragement and guidance.

.... and so on.

Indianness V - Coffee...

Coffee, despite its known caffeine contents, is a darling of the masses and a true universal beverage. Be it the Kumbakonam degree kaapi, strong filter coffee, Peaberry-Plantation Mix, Bru, Narasu's or the modern/western capuccino, frappuccino, mocha, espresso, etc.

A typical day in South India begins with the coffee. Most people feel completely energized after religiously having the morning cup of coffee. I was always of the opinion that such feelings were purely psychological. Coffee with THE HINDU/Indian Express, with the strains of Suprabhatam going on in the background, with the women engaged in kolam/rangoli and samayal/sampak, and the children getting ready to school. Hell freezes over out there in the household, with so much of commotion and worry over time. (This is not to mean that the author is sexist. He just wanted to write about the general trend in a household. For that matter, if men can cook better, they could assist the womanfolk too in this era of both going for work. I dont know much in the kolam front though!)

Most people take a second dose of coffee some time in the morning too, say 0900 hrs. In fact, I know of people who have it 4-5 times a day. They feel it makes them more productive. Then, there are some people who have it in the pure "black" form. Some people limit having all their doses till evening 6:00 PM. They feel that having it beyond that time would make it difficult for them to fall asleep in the night. People prefer to have their evening tiffin/snack, say pakoda, bajji, vada, bonda, etc. with a cup of kaapi. People somehow seem to know as to how to appreciate coffee.

Tea-kadais or the Udupi high class vegetarian hotels, or the Mami's Mess, etc. have their share of customers too. I have often wondered or rather admired the alacrity and the way with which the human coffee-makers seem to mix the decoction with the milk and sugar in an amazingly acrobatic fashion. Rarely, does a drop fall down. Hands going up and down, one holding the tumbler and the other the dawra, it is a bystander's delight. Such are the simple joys of life.

Who can possibly forget the high pitched strains of "Coffee-Coffee-Coffee-yeah" in the railway stations and the trains! It is altogether a different issue that the coffee available courtesy the railways is abysmally bad. But then, the coffee lover accepts it as a way of life and consumes it more for the sake of having it as a daily ritual than for the coffee itself.

Last but not the least, the increasing price of kaapi-poodi is a concern to every household. The government is really clever. It knows that people cannot do without coffee; and that they would buy it no matter at what price. This price rise is often a topic of great concern and interest to the old people. Evening discussion forums with like minded people among the old often focusses on Indian politics, coffee, politics, coffee, etc. The easiest way to get along with old people would be to start a conversation on the subject of coffee.

Now, to the westernized world. The "modern" people of India love going to Barista/Coffee Day for a cup of evening coffee.. oops.. capuccino/frapuccino. In the US, people throng to the coffee joints which also hosts an amazing ambience. A Barnes and Noble Bookstore has a Starbucks Coffee Parlour in the small town by the name College Station, TX. People are free to take any book of their choice and read it as they sip their coffee. People usually have a get-together in a coffee station and just simply talk over a cup of coffee. The author has also seen some people playing Scrabble and other board games over a cup of coffee. Coffee is known to be popular in Brazil, Mexico, Italy, Turkey, etc. It further gives a stiff competition to Tea! in certain countries.

Well, I guess I have written a lot on the subject of "Coffee". People who are more interested can check out R K Narayan's "A Story Teller's World" where he talks about Coffee in one of the pieces. This blog could be considered a poor flattering imitation of RKN's style. Doubtlessly, RKN was amazingly brilliant in his vivid descriptions.

The Undeniable...

I occasionally go through my previous blogs. The topics somehow seemed to surface every now and then, by themselves; only to strongly urge me to write to the public. What could have been the main motive? Well, I just wanted to share those topics with those few people, who bothered to go through the author's simple jottings. Those topics addressed questions that would kind of nag us not so frequently. If it could make some people think, or assured them that such doubts were natural and universal, then I would think that these blogs solved their purpose. I further noticed that most of the topics were brimming with positivity, joy, questions, etc. This is not a cheap vulgar attempt to flatter the self. In some blogs, the author constantly points a finger at the people. This is not to mean that he is not one of them. He is as much to be blamed as the people for inaction. He is not perfect and not a saint. He is a mortal and prone to mistakes and sins.

Well, consciously I have been trying to think only of positivity, energy and vibrations within the self. That doesn't mean that this author doesn't face the negativities in life; or doesn't have his share of blues. I do feel that it would be much better to share the positivities, because they multiply in a constructive sense (as against negativities). But then, the undeniable or unavoidable would embrace us at the most unexpected times. When we would be under the illusion that everything was going perfect, it would happen - the undeniable - to bring the illusions to an apocalyptic end. I am sure that each one of us, would have had such moments. Interestingly, Paulo Coelho addresses this very topic of the unavoidable in his book "The Fifth Mountain". He further comes up with a beautiful message - the unavoidable is temporary, it is the lessons from the unavoidable that is permanent. A highly optimistic message in pessimistic times.

Kacheri of a different kind...

Venue : United Methodist Church, College Station, TX, USA (btw, there seem to be so many different types of churches - Lutheran, Methodist, Adventist, etc, etc. - well, never ceases to amuse this ignorant bystander)

Artists: Malladi Brothers; the author listened to them for the first time yesterday. They were simply amazing. Such wonderful mellifluous voices; grasp and command over the compositions (there were quite a few requests from the audience, they obliged each one)!; effortless rendering of the keerthanams - by Annamacharya, Thyagaraja, Ramadas, Shyama Shastry, etc. Organized by SPIC-MACAY, TAMU chapter.

Audience: Around 50; mostly Indians. A few foreigners (hmm.. well the Americans) interested in Indian Classical Music were also present. This number surprised me. For a college town, College Station, would definitely boast of around 2000+ Indians. Are people so busy these days, that they do not get the time to attend a free concert? Or, is it lack of interest, sensibility, passion or whatever. Such young amazing talent needs to be nourished, enriched and nurtured.

Well, I didnt want to write about all this, but then, couldnt help it. What I had wanted to convey, was that the venue was a church. The podium was near the altar. With the Cross, and a glass engraving of Jesus as passive onlookers, the Brothers enthralled the audience with a 2 1/2 hr mellifluous kacheri - renderings of divine Hindu Carnatic compositions. I was really happy with the setting. Well, this author firmly believes in the presence of a unifying omnipotent omniscient ONE in different manifestations. The American experience opens up new frontiers and the author considers himself fortunate to have been among the audience for this event.The kacheris that the author has been to in India were inevitably at Sabha's or temples.

Music has no religion in the same way flowers have no religion.

- Amjad Ali Khan

Indianness IV - Culture...

To be honest, I must admit this. I am crazy of anything and everything remotely related to Indian culture. Guess, the craziness has only increased with separation from India. Simple things like the smell of malligai poo, the roasted kadalai with pori, the enjoyment that can be possibly derived by simply viewing the majestic gopurams of the kovils and the birds perched atop them; bewilderment at the cancerous,unstructured growth of Madras, etc. are not available any where else in the planet. India has been and continues to be a seductive charmer. One cannot but love it for all that it is; with the hope that the state of affairs out there would only get better.

Well, I guess I am digressing from what I had originally intended to write. When I had been to India, I paid visit to Motilal Banarasidass, Madras (I refuse to call it by its new name!). They deal primarily with Indological publications - anything and everything remotely connected with India and its heritage. I was surprised to find that most of the works were by foreigners. This incident immediately comes to my mind when I think about it now. I don't know why, but then I had been wary of taking in at face value whatever had been written by foreigners about India. I might be wrong, but somehow this cynical mind always thought that such works would be adulterated with their popular belief and impressionist attitude. I was left wondering about the sad state of affairs when it came to Indian culture. How many among the present generation are proud of India's - their - cultural heritage? The land of Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism (often China is wrongly confused to be as the originating place of this off-shoot of Hinduism), Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, etc.

Something is seriously wrong with me. I seem to be at my incoherent best. Here, I go back to the incident. One old man A, presumably in his 70's, retired, wanting to go back to his roots, came to this bookshop. I simply happened to be browsing, amazed at the variety out there. The old man in-charge of the shop, B, happened to be the best-fit for the demands of such a job. He seemed to know about almost any book out there. A's question took me completely by surprise. He wanted a foreigner's version of Ramayana. When I think of an English version of Ramayana , the first book that comes to my mind is the one by Rajaji. I reasoned out later that the book A wanted might have been a really good one; with transliterations in English and detailed explanations of the Sanskrit verses or might have been dealing with all the Khandas of Ramayana. However, this ironical incident was an eye-opener for me. Never be prejudiced against any form of art work courtesy those unwanted, insane and illogical notions.

Later on, I was talking with B, the man in-charge, and he patiently explained to me the present state of affairs when it came to the study of Indian or for that matter Oriental Literature. He was of the opinion that these very foreigners evinced a keen interest in them, and often pursued the study as part of their PhD programs in Oriental studies. He was infact, grateful to these souls - about whom I had a wrong and jaundiced opinion. My realization had been late; or passion for Indian culture had been dormant for a while; but nevertheless, it had to dawn upon me through the subtle ironies in Life. I am/was also a part of the crowd that considered it more fashionable to read Western authors. Guess, drawing the threshold and giving respect to all kinds of works would be the key.

The only bottleneck to truly appreciating Indological Literature would be the mandatory requirement of a "passable" knowledge of Sanskrit. Well, but then, if people can take extra pains to learn German/ French/ Spanish/ whatever, why should Sanskrit be left behind? And does it harm to know an additional language?

New Age Spiritualism...

Disclaimer: This article would have references to Hindusim. The author respects other faiths too. On a comparative scale of the author's knowledge on religions, it would be around 100 ppm on Hinduism and about 0.001 ppm on others. There might be factual errors too. I would appreciate feedback on mistakes.

"Wherever I go, Whomever I see", the new age spirituality seems to be "infecting" the lives of almost everyone. I have interacted with atheists, agnostics, spiritual but not religious types, humanists, etc apart from those staunch devout believers of "the" faiths. More and more people, despite their religious preferences, seem to look towards the magical solution towards a better life - and here is where spiritualism holds the promise. Spiritualism seems to be transcending all religions; and seems to address what a person wants to hear. Man needs constant reasssurances from the world that he is on the right track, that his beliefs are correct, etc.

Art of Living, Sathya Sai Foundation, Vipasana, Ramakrishna Mission, Aurobindo and the Mother, ISKCON, etc. are some of the organizations primarily based in India, that immediately come to my mind when it comes to the new age era. Each mission has its own dedicated believer base. What do these organizations promise? Are they coming up with new theories or ways of better living? How different are their teachings from the one's given in the Holy Books. When it comes to Hinduism, the Gita (the infinite source of wisdom), the Vedas and the Upanishads, the two epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata; are the best sources of spirituality. Then, there are the compositions by Purandaradasa, Thyagaraja, etc. that have a profound meaning camouflaged in the sweet language. Why then, are these resources neglected by the common man? What is the appeal behind the new age spiritualism?

1. New Age Spiritualism - gives the flavour of the esoteric, enigmatic, way-beyond our understanding(?), profound philosophy embedded in the Holy books in a simpler language; more understandable by the common man. Yoga - the union of the soul and the body was emphasized as an important aspect of life, right from the ancient times. There is nothing new in the concept of Kriya, Pranayama, Yoga, etc. Its just that the "spiritual" organizations are making it more known to the common man.

2. A sound understanding of the Holy books demands proficiency in Sanskrit. Sadly, not many of us know Sanskrit. We are left at the mercy of the transliterations.

3. Purandaradasa's keerthanas are in Kannada. Well, they were written in simple Kannada, supposedly for the masses. How many Indians or the people in the world know Kannada? Hence, a wonderful source lost. Similar is the case with Thyagaraja's krithis in Telugu. Blessed be the souls that know these languages and importantly use their knowledge to truly appreciate the compositions.

4. It has become fashionable to look down upon Hinduism. Well, I was told that Hinduism is a way of life and not a religion. It doesn't demand a believer to believe in the concept of One; and no other. Sadly, Hinduism is being abused under the name of Hindutva. They are totally different. In "By River Piedra, I sat down and wept", Paulo talks of the feminine face of God. Hinduism believes in the feminine trinity - Saraswathi, Lakshmi and Parvathi.

Well, I might have digressed from the main topic. I guess I should better stop here. However, I would like to dedicate this blog to a real good friend of mine - AM; for bringing me back to "blogging" life.

Books..

Do they really teach us? This dangerously crazy bibliophile keeps encountering people who do not really believe in the concept of bookish knowledge. Here, I am not talking about technical books; but those of a different variety: non-fiction, fiction, pulp fiction, philosophy, etc. So, coming back to the most important question of all - Do they really teach us??

There are a plethora of books available on personality development. What exactly does personality development promise? Then, there are those fiction-cum-philosophical books like those of Paulo Coelho, Ayn Rand, etc. It must be mentioned here that each author/authoress tries to impress his/her views in the book. And mostly, those are of an entirely personal nature. For. e.g. let me take the example of "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. There is a clear divide among the people who have read it. Either they are dangerously crazy or they belong to a category that treats it as another simple story. What could be the reason for differing points of appeal for the same story? Ayn Rand's fleeing from Russia and abhorrence for Communism would explain her pro-capitalist leanings. I like her philosophy in parts. I cannot completely agree with her. That's the fundamental problem. You often do not agree with "everything".

I believe that the man's life shapes what he believes in. The Alchemist is a highly motivational one and infects you with an amazingly positive enthusiasm and zest for life. But then, would a person whose dream has failed like it at that instant of his life? Definitely not.

Books address so many issues, that one cannot possibly fathom. When it comes to religion too, there are books written by atheists and those by believers. More often than not, the book carries that strong flavour of religious inclinations too. Thus Spake Zarathustra and Brothers Karamazov are such examples.

So, a reader would obviously get confused with such differing facts and equally convincing arguments. What then is the solution?

Take what you believe in. If it appeals to you, then go ahead and embrace it. At times, you might need to be a non-conformist. The society needs to be given respect where due.

There are times when conforming to the rules of the society seems to be a bottleneck or hindrance. As we grow up, we begin to closely associate more with certain values and beliefs. So, discarding whatever doesn't appeal to us seems to be the solution. But then, we must never discard without reason. Tolerance and respect for another's opinion, even when it glaringly clashes with yours, is the key.

Compare these books with those simple children's books - Say Enid Blyton/ Tintin/ Asterix/ Tinkle/ Chandamama,etc. Those very books seem to be vibrating with a pure and divine energy; where characters are as human as possible; where people are known to make mistakes and importantly learn from them, etc. Well, they are wonderful companions for children during one of the most beautiful phases of life - that sweet innocence of childhood!

Well, life without books; almost impossible and umimaginable.

Hope..

Nothing can possibly be sweeter than hope.

"If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream. "
- Martin Luther King Jr.


We should have the courage to dream and importantly follow them.

One of the lessons from the world.

It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.

Saying anything more would undermine this topic.

Abortions..

I know this is a dangerous topic to tread on. Somehow, was discussing about this with my friend yesterday and felt like penning my views today.

Who has the right to take life, if not Him? This is what the purists feel on this issue. They are right in a way. While some "modern thinking" people include the woman's decision to abort the foetus as a progression in thinking, manifestation of free-will, I find it difficult to support them on this issue. If the copulation was by mutual consent, then they have no right to abort the baby.

But then, I do support abortion in some unfortunate cases. When a young girl is raped and gets pregnant, she has to bear the truama of the unfortunate incident and the stigma of the society. In such case, an abortion would be the best option provided the mother's health is not at risk. And there are also cases, where the baby is known to be deformed or not entirely healthy before its birth - its life would only be troublesome and difficult for it and its parents. So, a sanity check on the status of the baby is acceptable, but not sex-determination.

These are my views and I do apologise if I have offended anyone. This is as sensitive an issue as Euthanasia and opinions would obviously differ.

Religions...

Religion is a controversial topic to address. I have met people of all kinds. Those who are die-hard followers of a particular religion, to people who are religious humanists, to people who are spiritual but not religious, to people who are agnostics, atheists, etc. Though there might be an obvious conflict of views, I believe in tolerance. It is however interesting to ponder on the reasons behind such differing opinions on religions. What could have happened?

I guess the family circumstances, upbringing, friends' circle, influence of books at impressionable ages, and their personal journey in Life would have resulted in their religious preference. Approaching this topic with people is a sensitive issue. I do not discuss this with my good friends at all, whatsoever. Each person is entitled to his/her own opinion. As long as that person is able to justify his/her opinion, any opinion for that matter is acceptable.

Yet, despite this, I do keep coming across people - who are die-hard missionaries with their (most times, irritating) zeal of enlightening people on the only path to salvation or the only true God or whatever. And they are often shameless in their approach. This cynical mind is wary of a friendly stranger. Most times, it has so happened, that the friendliness is with an ulterior motive of something on these lines or business networking for some products.

Some people believe that there exists one and only one true religion and God/Prophet/Messiah. What do such people gain by making such declarations? Is it that their faith forces them to be so narrow-minded. Why cannot it be the presence of a unifying powerful omnipotent force with different manifestations? I am sure I am taking cudgels out here, some persons might take it to be blasphemous, but don't such declarations only increase the divide among all of us? From what I have inferred from most religions, the essential philosophy remains the same, The triumph of the good over the evil.

These are my personal views. It would be really interesting to make a comparative study on the various religions of the world. For that, I need to know properly about my religion first.

Blindness....

The very thought of people deprived of certain faculties of vision, speech, sounds, etc. gives me the feelings of helplessness, frustration against Him, sympathy, etc. I seem to pity them. I shudder to think as to how they are deprived of the means to appreciate arts - paintings, music, nature, etc. In the recent past, I was fortunate to interact with a visually-deprived person (he prefers being labelled blind). Ironically, it was an eye-opener for me. It was then that I realised as to how muddled up my entire thinking was. In the context of trying to help them, I was doing the worst possible thing. It was like hitting them where it would hurt the most. They do not want my useless pity and inaction.

Their essential philosophy in life is to be like normal persons and be treated so without any pity or contempt. They do not want our misplaced sympathies and ears. Most often, people simply talk or rather act concerned and do not do anything for them.

People are often entangled in their very own web of life, that they simply do not see outside the gambit of their problems. Everyone considers their life to be not so rosy. Life is a journey and should be seen as a learning experience. How would life be if everything were so very well charted out, without its share of ups and downs? Believe me, the experience of the opposites helps us value the good things in life better. We need to be grateful for everything.

He was telling us that, "In case of doubt, I simply ask someone for the way". Such a simple and effective way of doing things. But, how many of us dare to ask when we do not know? Most of the times, we do not want to publicly accept our ignorance for fear of ridicule or whatever. Often, the ego comes into play - falsely assuring the soul that everything is all right when it is definitely not so. Asking when in doubt is the key. That is the Principle of Seeking.

Further, he told us that normally they do not like sympathy or pity. They want to be treated as normal persons. They use their other faculties of learning in a charmingly different manner and show amazing alacrity and ingenuity in their quest towards normal living. All that they would want is encouragement and confidence in their capabilities. Instead of being resigned to their fate or carping on their misfortune, they seem to approach life in a highly positive manner. Agreed that bouts of frustrations are normal in them, but they seem to overcome such emotions too. Self-pity would definitely be there, but then, it would only prove to be more damaging than constructive. I guess, a fair dose of self-pity everyday is the solution.

After that experience, all that I could wish for - May ALL their dreams come true. May He give them the fortitude, strength, determination in their noble quest towards normal living. We should not be bystanders in their struggle. We need to help them in the truest sense; and celebrate the strengths in them.

Treasures..

Recently, the author was introduced to amazingly different and wonderful forms of music, that can only make life all the more wonderful. It made me wonder as to what I had been doing all this while. Was I so blinded to such wonderful forms that are sadly unknown to most people. Each genre of music seems to have its own, shall I say, dedicated "cult" following.

How do we come across new things? Be it music, books, or whatever. I suppose, it is mostly, by word of mouth or email, recommendations from people you can trust and whom they can trust. I believe the process of embracing newer forms happens mainly through recommendations. There must be "something" in a thing that my friend is dangerously crazy of.

So, the key to our search for treasures, is to seek. And to seek, we need to share the wonderful, beautiful things in life that exist simply to be shared. But, then is it that easy to share? Sharing comes naturally with people who are really close to you; and with people you can trust. I normally do not like to recommend because of the fear that it might not be appreciated.

The worst is the denial of the recommendation. I have encountered some people who do NOT even give it a try. Passing illogical and absurd declarations on an obviously wonderful thing without trying, highlights their ignorance in a highly ignoble and vulgar fashion. It is not wrong to be ignorant. We cannot possibly know about all the bounties, that the earth has to offer. The cause of this detestable plague is the attitude of the people. So, is it prudent not to share.

But, then the greatest loss is for the treasure itself. The treasure that is meant to be saught, embraced and savoured would be plainly lying around unnoticed. As is often the case, these treasures are always there, but hidden at the surface level. The beauty might not be obvious in some cases. The treasure might even test us, to see if we are really seeking them. But, persistence and determination of the seeking soul, would any day, melt the hard-hearted treasure, which would then embrace your ethereal existence on earth forever.