Service with a Smile..

The curtain raiser for today's event would be in the form of questions for which there are no universal answers. I would encourage you to think about them. Here, I would be presenting my views. I thank AID-TAMU for giving me this opportunity to express myself. There might be differing opinions and I would respect an individual's personal opinion and would expect the same from the other side.

***

Life - A journey; where man and woman are one and the same; to experience the same joys and sorrows; to learn lessons and more importantly to do something about the lessons. It is not to so uncommon for us to get entangled in the web of life. Nothing else would then seem to matter. So, this reminds me of the basic question - What, then, is the concept of social service? Why does it exist? Is it fashionable for a person to be branded a social activist? What is his/her purpose in life? With the constant increase in the NGOs, this question becomes all the more important for us. In the first place, should service be allowed? Is it right for us to help others. Who are we to help others? Would helping others lead to the growth of dependents or in the extreme case, parasites?

Well, it truly depends on the quality of service being rendered. It is better to give the means of making a loaf of bread than the loaf itself to the deserving. Productivity, then, is rightly the solution. Thus, we need to give them the ways to sustain themselves. By this approach, we would definitely not be nurturing dependents. It so happens that there is a skew in the very distribution of resources. At times, people are simply helpless but to give in to the dire poverty. At the other end of the spectrum, we do have rich people who have come up the hard way, the simple way, the honest way, the crooked way, well, have come up nevertheless.

It is more at the micro level, at the level of humanness within us, "Service" of others can be beneficial in more ways than one. In the wise words of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Indian Nation,

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.

Often we are so blinded in our thoughts, and are too involved with our very own problems. It so happens that we make mountains out of mole-hills too. The satisfaction and contentment that one gets from doing service is inexplicable. Best when experienced. For most of us, grappling from one end to another, "Service" opens up new frontiers, improves our understanding of the world around us, makes us forget our problems, etc. So, when we look outside the box, look at others less fortunate than others, we do have the sense of being more fortunate. This is not truly and ethically correct. We look towards someone less fortunate for our own appeasement. Celebrating the strengths, success in everyone, multiplying the joys would be a better goal. Nevertheless, the realization of this utopian dream needs a start. Thus, "Service" should rightly be a way of life and importantly, a means of service to our very own self.

What then are the qualities of a social worker? Service with a Smile. We are into this scheme of things for our very own sake. Often, we tend to bring others into the picture. We at times crave for recognition, appreciation, support. When we encounter criticism, we are morally shattered. The mistake has been done right at the beginning. It is always our very own inner self on its alchemic quest towards the state of elysian bliss and ecstacy. No one else matters.

People who know not much about the purely voluntary efforts of the workers comment on their very ways of functioning. It is very easy to pass judgement on others. There are always two extreme sections of people - one, that is dangerously crazy of something; and the other that is equally dangerously against that same something. Every work that is carried on by the people has seemingly an increased number of critics than appreciators. With so much of attachment to negative qualities, it is often a wonder to us if someone is exceptionally pleasant to us. More often than not, if 9 people were to appreciate us, and 1 was to criticize, we would still be thinking about the "1".

So, where is all this leading to? This very concept of "Service" seems to be hazy, caught in its very own whirlpool of creation. With so many ideas floating around, it is but natural to be bewildered and do nothing about it. This is sadly, the worst thing that can happen, and is so in most cases. We need to learn to revere, love and appreciate the efforts put by people who have chosen "Service" as a vocation/ an avocation. These people invest the most valuable commodity - "Time". Nothing should bother them. We are lighthouses. Our duty is to bring light and shine into other's lives. Nothing else matters.

Thus, I would like to end this with the Chinese proverb-

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

Let us all take that small but significant step towards making this world a better place to live in. There is no ocean without the small drops of water in the first place.

With this introduction, I take this opportunity to welcome you all to the 2005 General Body Meeting of Association for India's Development, Texas A&M University (AID-TAMU) Chapter.

Thank You.

Science and Discovery...

What leads to discovery? Are discoveries those moments of serendipity that sadly and vulgarly relegate those moments of frustration and helplessness to the background. With no intention of disrespect to the greats who have/had made their mark in their respective fields courtesy their discoveries, I write this article on a subject, that has proved to be one of the greatest unanswered questions of all times for me.

Does Science provide the fundamental basis for all the happenings in the universe. Science, that proves to be an invaluable tool for the scientists, researchers, engineers, etc. does seem to provide an answer to most questions. But then, does it truly answer all the questions? We might rationale most fundamental happenings with the help of science. What baffles me often is this: What happened to the rationale when these fundamental happenings were discovered? In other words, do the discoveries happen by those moments of truth and serendipity followed by a detailed analysis using the tools of math and science to explain those very moments or vice versa.

This looks like an extension of Godel's Incompleteness theorem (Well, I might be wrong here. I would appreciate feedback on this). Science can explain almost anything under the sun, but definitely not everything. There are certain things that are just beyond any possible explanations or rationale. For e.g. the very concepts of Miracles and Hope. From the previous post on Anahata, I was clearly of the opinion that music was discovered more on the basis of instinct, intuition, determination, and ceaseless efforts in bringing out the unstruck sounds. When these are explained with the very faculties of scientific reasoning, the reasoning sounds fallacious (it might be perfectly logical for that matter).

This is not to mean that I hate Science. I love science. I am fortunately/unfortunately in a field that is close to science. Technology would never have been a possibility without science. This however doesn't stop me from asking these questions for which I have no answers.

Lastly, I would end this article with these quotes

Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts. (Richard Feynman)

The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge.(Daniel J Boorstin)

PS: The author was recently recommended by a good friend of his avaldes - "Structure of Scientific Revolutions" by Thomas Kuhn. It should provide certain answers.

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.

Beauty....

Do we appreciate the beauty around us. Not necessarily in the form of appreciation of beauty in women or handsomeness in men. If a striking beautiful lady passes by, almost all heads are turned towards her. This reminds me of a brilliant photo titled "American Girl in Italy", in which the photographer has captured the heads turned at varying angles, and that too of all ages.

I am talking of beauty of a different manifestation. Now, coming back to the original thread, how many of us appreciate the beauty in nature, art forms, daily life, etc. Do we take the time to do so, or is this a dangerous question? To me, it looks like everyone is in that state of hurry. They are always in a hurry to get there, and upon reaching there, in a hurry to get back.

Well, as Keats has rightly said, A thing of beauty is a joy forever. But, what if no one recognizes the beauty??

Sensuousness in Art..

well, is it wrong to surrender oneself completely to a particular musical composition? does the surrender amount to a brief transition in time to a dreamy wonderful state of bliss or is it plain cowardice. Is appreciating the sensuousness alone enough?

In one of the non-fictional reads on music appreciation, the author (himself a great composer) advises the lover to consider the art in three discrete ways - only to form a coherent resonant form : sensuousness, expressive feel and the technique itself.

Pursuit of Arts....

One of the sweetest-cum-bitterest ironies in life is related to the pursuit of arts; be it any art form! From the author's personal experience with people from almost every walk of life and himself, the irony can be explicated thus:

(a) Few view the pursuit of arts as a vocation. In this rat-race, where money seems to be the ultimate objective, arts is somehow treated as a not-so-lucrative opportunity. Arts - the expression of the soul, the process of self-discovery and re-discovery is not given its right place in the society. And whoever does pursue it as a vocation and becomes an icon/stalwart in his/her area of concern and influence, is considered a born genius or virtuoso. His/her toil, suffering, sweat, hardwork, perseverance, sacrifices, determination, etc. are simply forgotten.

Fortunate set of people who would be following their dreams. I bow down in reverence to these noble souls.

(b) Now comes the interesting part. The others: the majority of the people.

Some believe that they are interested in some other field (say Engineering, Medicine, etc) and consider arts as a hobby. They indulge in their passion, sometimes surrendering to them. Their hobby happens to be a way of life for them, at the microscopic level. They utilize whatever art form has been taught to them during their childhood and express their feelings through the right medium - Arts. Fortunate set of people, who seem to know what they want. Period.

Another segment of populace in this category, does not do anything at all. Whether it is a case of keeping passion at bay or lack of interest or lack of sensibility, it is clearly not evident. They however, are interested in something, that often seems to be vulgar or insensuous. Again, fortunate set of people who seem to be happy with their "non-art" way of life.

The "unfortunate" set of people fall into this subtle category - that is completely different from the ones mentioned before. They are grappling and coming to terms with life. They are caught in this whirlpool of life. They are the inbetween. They are crazy of arts but havent done "much" when it comes to the true pursuit. The world treats them to be eccentric characters - professing love and passion for something at the wrong time. Would it be possible for someone to learn bharatanatyam at the age of 50??? I know of an individual, who started learning it at the age of 45. I admire him for that. They have no reason to feel superior or inferior. It is just that they are slightly late by certain number of years.. but then, once they have realised their passion, I guess no one can stop them! So, these unfortunate set of people are in fact the most fortunate, provided their dreams come true, and importantly, they have the courage to follow their dreams.

The lesser unfortunate ones are those who have sacrificed the pursuit of arts, for reasons unfathomable. And usually, the sacrifice would have demanded this pound of flesh. May God give them the fortitude to carry on in whatever pursuit they have been forcefully made to choose.

The most unfortunate ones are those who have learnt an art during their formative years for the sake of learning them. They happen to be good at it.. but fail to realise the true beauty. For example, someone who plays amazing piano and fails to appreciate one of the piano sonatas of Beethoven (despite playing it well). For them the composition is nothing more than a chore, something that is only meant to be played because they unfortunately know how to do so. Well, this is the bitterest form of irony in life.

Sensibilities...

Expectations run real high when it comes to others. When somethings are so obviously beautiful and wonderful for me, it might not be so for others. This is a rather painful realization and it hurts. This author is dangerously crazy of books. And he has a few good friends who do not read at all. Then there are some who are crazy of solving crosswords, and I happen to be not so crazy of them.I take it as a pleasurable activity, but am not crazy of them. So, they must be having similar feelings about me.

When it comes to others, people indeed do have the sensibility to appreciate something from the bounties that the world has to offer. No one can be that insane or heartless. There is definitely a passion for something in everyone. It so happens that some people keep those passions at bay rather than surrendering to them. (Eleven Minutes, Paulo Coelho).

Coming back to the original thread of sensibilities, why do not people react to those things that are obviously beautiful and wonderful? I categorise people into two broad categories.

(a) the intolerant - they do not try it out. They are happy with what they like, or rather they like what they know. It is not prudent to work with such kind of people. We need to be tolerant towards such intolerant people. Period.

(b) the tolerant - well, these are the people who are willing to try it out, but are "unable" to appreciate them. For e.g. it would be illogical to expect a person "inclined" towards western classical to appreciate one of the symphonies of Beethoven in its truest sense or appreciate counterpoint in one of the concertos of Bach almost immediately. Sensibilities need to be cultured and developed the hard way. It is a long long process that can prove to be demotivating many a time. This author is more concerned with such people, for he thinks he is also one of them. These people need to be encouraged and helped in their journey.

The most important realization is that every body has that innate sense for sensibility to something wonderful. It is just that everyone is uniquely different and naturally their sensibilities different. It is simply not justifiable to have that air of superiority or inferiority.

Art forms...

Well, I had been to an International talent show and dress parade event today. Was a silent witness to the culture, tradition, art forms of exotic countries like Peru, Columbia, Mexico, Indonesia, India, Turkey, Africa, Philippines, China, Japan, etc. Well, every citizen of a country, now an alien in the US seemed to connect really really well with his country. The strong patriotism and an overwhelming feeling of love for his/her motherland seemed inevitable. Does this hurt those advocates of global citizenship?

I couldn't help making these observations.

-- Most Latin Dance forms are a pot-pourri of the African influence of rhythm and the inevitable lyricization in the European language (Spanish/Portuguese) with the indigenous Indian melody . The universality of this is there.. but nevertheless the influence of the African slaves and the European imperialists is clearly clearly there. So, the originality has been lost in the process, leading to something new.

-- Turkey, a country that has a diverse population and is a melting pot of cultures - is in a dichotomic state of belief. While one half believes it is a part of Europe, the other half believes it is a part of Asia. The influence of Europe is evident.

So, is it wrong to be influenced by other forms? Well, coercion is never justifiable. The influence should come from the personal embrace of a form that interests us.

-- Well, Africa, the dark continent seemed to have been of a great influence to many other dance forms and music styles. The contemporary jazz in the US, considered to be one of the originals of America, has its roots in Africa. African slaves came up with jazz, in their effort to duplicate or replicate Western Classical Music by hearing. Mistakes and re-inventing the wheel has lead to this creation of a totally, new yet wonderful art form.

-- India.. what can I say about thou? It was a great comfort that Indians resisted the influence of the British when it came to their art forms. Agreed that Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu and Gujarati are a few of those Indo-European languages, nevertheless, they managed to clearly evade the European influence post 15th century. Carnatic Music is as pure as it can be - a tradition that has been preserved and passed on from generation to generation, thanks to the guru-shishya school of thought. Hindustani Music, has Persian and Arabic influences, but is also as Indian as it can be. The Indian art styles, dress forms, traditions, way of life, etc. have stood the test of their times, even when most of the country was in a state of complete turmoil with internal bickerings and absence of unity.

When things are clearly indicative of the greatness of the Indian schools of Art (not that the other forms are not great) , why is it that these so-called modern Indians take great pleasure in denigrating these jewels, that are very well their own. They have every reason to be passionate about them. This is not to mean that we need to be narrow-minded appreciating only what we claim is ours and be blinded to the other wonderful forms. Reaching out to the others does wonders to your outlook and way of life, but that shouldnt be at the cost of what is clearly ours.

From personal experience, Bengalis are really really passionate about their culture, art and heritage. But, their overwhelming zeal, sometimes, translates to narrow-mindedness and love for only the Bengali side. With regards to carnatic music, sadly, there are a few people who tend to view the songs on a regional basis. Well, most of the songs are in Telugu and Kannada. Some people find it difficult to digest this truth. How many of us Indians, are truly passionate of Indian music? Present day generation has no qualms paying fortunes for a Rock/Pop concert but when it comes to traditional Indian concerts, they start cribbing. And the copyright laws is also an area of concern where hypocrisy happens to be a way of life. People are really careful of the copyright laws when it comes to anything Western, but when it comes to anything Indian, no one bothers!

Well, be passionate of what is in your house, be appreciative of what is in your neighbour's house, be truly open-minded and see the beauty in almost everything. We have nothing to lose.

Disclaimers:
1.Well, maligning any particular community or country or race was never the intention. I look at it from an art lover's point of view. Expressions of frustrations and helplessness have nevertheless seeped in. I do apologise if I have hurt the feelings of any reader (who has taken the time out to read this simple guy's jottings).
2. I am NOT an authority on the issues discussed. Mistakes are bound to be there, be it factual (when it comes to my opinions on the historical side) or elementary (on the variety of art forms discussed). I do accept them and would really appreciate the feedback and corrections, where necessary.

Excuses....

Man has the sheer knack of wriggling himself out of difficult situations by making those excuses (often lame and without any sane reason). Excuses, Excuses and Excuses!!! No time at all (when he wastes a lot of it), This is not the right time (waiting for the right time and not end up doing it), This is not for an adult (when he never did them as a child), I am getting old (to define your age is to limit your youthfulness), etc.

Of late, several people have come into this author's life - more so as omens who seem to provide me with answers to this very issue. I happened to meet a 65 year old German lady who started learning to ride an airplane (those two-seater Bach type of planes) at the age of 39 and the motorcycle at the age of 55! My advisor had entertained us, during his 60th birthday party, by dancing for 4 hrs at a stretch! In the jogging tracks, an old man (he is young in every sense!) keeps jogging his way to glory almost everyday. Courtesy www.orkut.com, I happenend to meet a 56 yearly old gentleman who keeps himself busy by being an active member of forums on subjects that are evidently his passions.

These people do not seem to think of age as a barrier. May God provide them with the best of health and cheer to do best what they love. More than that, they also serve as models of inspiration for "young" people like me. So, nothing is impossible provided we want it badly and work towards it. Looking at it from a pure psychological point of view, why do people start making excuses? Is it to appease the critical and unflattering conscience, (which is often unsuccessful!) ?

The fear of the unknown...

Well, tell me as to how many people try out something different because they want to and not because others want them to. And tell me as to how many people end up not doing things because they are more worried as to what others would think.

More importantly, how many people have the courage to overcome the despair and demotivation that easily accompanies us when we indeed try something that we think is not our cup of tea. In one of my recent non-fictional reads, I came across this argument. People often say, "I know what I like". It so happens, that this statement "I like what I know" is equally true. What stops people from doing new things, especially in a world where we can never claim to be perfect in anything?

The Fear of the Unknown
I have seen people ruling out things because they think that they are not capable of doing them. As Paulo Coelho says in The Alchemist, the fear of the suffering is worse than the suffering itself. Do people expect the journey towards learning to be so rosy that they can do almost everything under the sun without perspirations and bouts of despair. If it were so be, then what about people who are the stalwarts or icons in the field that is closest to their heart - be it technology, science or arts. People often tend to forget the struggle and tears of these established icons.

Narrow-mindedness
I have seen people commenting on issues that would and should clearly be out of their circle of concern. Someone commenting as to how boring J.S.Bach is, when in fact, most books use his pieces to explain certain fundamental elements of music. Why do people sometimes highlight their ignorance in such a vulgar fashion? Ironically, people expect others to respect their jaundiced opinions.

By the way, there do exist Adult Art learning programmes that encourage adults to start learning something new. The world seems to look down upon adults beginning to learn something new. The world thinks that talents are naturally born and so the talented would naturally be on their journey towards the elusive perfection. But, are all talents harnessed at the right time? And if yes, when is the right time?

There is no free lunch. Along with the occassional bursts of happiness and sense of achievements that the new adventure definitely brings, despair and frustration keep surfacing not so infrequently. While the heart is happy that it is trying out new things, the ever-critical mind tells it about the abysmally bad performances.

The best way to end would be "Know your limits; and destroy them".

Who is a genius?

Are geniuses born or are they created? Do geniuses crave for recognition or does it generally happen. Do they seek inspiration at all. What keeps them going? What is the main motive for their being prime-movers?

Satisfaction, I guess, is the key to living for these geniuses. While there are people who love to be called "geniuses" and to whom humility is a word unheard of; there are an equal set of people who hate recognition, who love to do what they love to do, not necessarily what they are best at, and who further care a damn for the world, etc.

Do they ever have downs in their life? Is it all a sweet and a rosy path? Do they weave wonderful theories out of their mind. Beethoven used to compose while he was roaming in the fields. A highly romantic and creative pursuit, but, is it wrong to compose with the instrument by your side. Einstein was different. Leonardo Da Vinci was as spectacular as versatile.

Doesn't it seem sometimes that God has gifted a few people with more faculties of learning than the others or is it that people do not realise that they are capable of doing wonderful things.

Education......

Well, the objective of most people, would be to get a decent education, get a decent paying job, and "settle" down. In an era, where people seem to associate the acceptability of an another person with money, money plays a key role in the matching game. They say love is blind, but how many examples would there be of a really rich girl eloping with an equally poor boy or vice-versa. Well, all that I can say, is that this is real filmi. :)

What decides a person's earning capabilities? His intelligence, his business acumen or luck. I believe that it all depends on education. People well-educated do end up on the higher end of the spectrum. There might be exceptions like Bill Gates, but then there are always exceptions to the general rule. What makes a person become a bus driver or a conductor? We never realise this, but those are real tough jobs. We always blame the bus corporations for poor service, but what are these souls to do for problems that are well outside their circle of influence or control? What distinguishes a man who works as a "server" in a restaurant from a person working as a cobbler or from a person working in an white-collar job?

The answer lies in education. In this era of competition, the performers are distinguished from the non-performers on the basis of marks. But what about the people, who do not know as to whether they can perform or not in the very first place? I am not talking of motivating non-performers out here, but of people who are DENIED education. What was their fault? Why does life seem to be so cruel for them? Education is the means and the sole means for the betterment of humanity. Well, some might be of the opinion as to how the knowledge of history or chemistry would help a person in his life, when only a few follow up on that subject for higher studies. This author believes that each and every subject in the curriculum, is necessary for the moulding of the young person. It is for that person to decide later as to what appeals to him.

And it should be education with a difference. Each student should be taught to respect an another person and importance given more to learning rather than roting subjects for marks. The student should be encouraged to follow his/her dream and importantly love oneself and be grateful for everything. If only, the whole world were at peace with each country working towards the betterment of the humanity in general, wouldn't the world would be a BETTER place to live in? Imagine diverting those huge huge expenditures on defence and warfare towards the education of the people!!

Money....

Not every one is born or created equal. There is a section of the society that considers itself to be less privileged. They feel that God is not being fair to them. Every day of living becomes an achievement for them. Their basic needs for mere sustenance are simply not met. And on the other side of the spectrum are really well-to-do "stinking" rich people who simply do not know as to what to do with money! So, should there be an equalitarian distribution of money? Put in other words, is communism justified? If so, then why did it fail? It is not prudent for me to comment on the failure of communism or on the very theory itself.

Is capitalism justified? Is it all right to be so so selfish? Is it all right to be materialistic? Is there ever an end to materialistic wants, especially when it has become fashionable to go in for high-end luxury cars when decent priced ones would do. The attitude of the people is more towards flaunting their wealth and status. They somehow do not seem to do justice to the basic need of a car. The author is really confused when it comes to these two modes of economy. Does capitalism respect merit and communism denigrate the same? Do merited people make money? Is money the only consideration for successful living? All that I know of, is that money is ONE big crippling factor for many.

This is the era where corporates appease their "capitalistic" egos, by funding NGO's and social service projects. Well, help in any form is desirable and welcome. But, has anyone thought of spending "value" time for any of these schemes? Why do corporates do this in the first place? Well, the cynical me thinks that they do it for their own selfish gains. They can proudly claim of having done something for the society! Why blame the corporates alone? Well, most of us, barring a few really noble souls, claim to do good, so that we are at peace with ourselves. The paramount reason for "service" often turns out to be not "service" but the selfish motive. Does man need to use the helplessness of an another man in such a cruel manner for his gains?

Well, I am really confused when it comes to these questions, with seemingly no answers. Would anyone be willing to enlighten me on these issues?

Global Citizen...

Recently, I was asked to consider by two different friends - the possibility of working in some remote place in Africa or in an another third world country (other than India) or working in the US itself for the betterment of humanity. One was of the opinion that more work gets done here than anywhere else. The other felt that my ardent love for my roots - India was kind of narrow-minded. One felt that I was running away from materialism, and the other felt that if indeed I were to work to make a difference in the lives of many, then why not a place compared to which India could be called "developed".

To say the least, both views stumped me. Am I running away from materialism? Is the concept of a global citizen a fallacy? Or is it that the view that more work gets done here an excuse for materialism?

Would this ever be a possbility? The whole world seen as one huge country with different states, people free to move around wherever they want to (without the problems of visa's and without being termed aliens), a unified currency (extension of Euro), and respect for work (each gets paid in the same currency for his productivity), and importantly respect for the individual (despite his race, creed, caste, sex, etc.). I personally feel that global citizenship would be a possibility only when the world is seen as one. Wishful thinking, right?

Marksist Hegemony....

Right from childhood, a lot, repeat a lot of emphasis is placed on marks. People seldom realise that the present education setup is tailored towards the Marksist Hegemony. Children are taught to respect marks. They pass judgements on the capabilities of their peers at such an early age based on marks. Parents also make their worries or nervousness about the child's performance known in an unpleasant manner.

The natural question.. Is it deplorable to be a marksist? Marks are, but a tangible outcome of our hardwork and effort. But, sometimes, marks do not do justice to the Principle of Knowledge. The outcome seems to depend on those hours. So, does obtaining high marks translate to being good at the subject? If you can honestly convince yourself that your knowledge is not at sale courtesy marks, then I suppose being a marksist is healthy.

Educational institutions depend on the insane, yet, logical yardstick of marks for their academic input. Why do most institutions seem to prefer oiling the "oiled" minds only? Sadly, the world recognizes only such institutions that produce excellent results by following the coward's approach.

Arts, an enriching creative pursuit, is often relegated to the background. Children who would love to pursue a career in arts or journalism are punished by being forced into other respectable pursuits. Talents remain hidden. And ironically, all are capable of doing wonderful things.

Who other than He/She is to decide as to a person's mind is "oiled" or "not-so-oiled"?

Survival of the Fittest : A Fallacy ?

Who is to decide if a person is capable of doing wonderful things or not? It so happens that with the excessive, (often) unhealthy, competition referred to as "Survival of the Fittest", a person might find himself engulfed in an overpowering wave of helplessness and hopelessness. Who decides if a person is capable of surviving or not? The world, yes, the selfish, ruthless world decides and often passes judgement on people about their capabilities.

The judgement of the world!

We can find that the root cause of this detestable phenomenon manifests from the desire of man to excel at the cost of another. What is wrong with the beautiful vision of the celebration of achievements in everyone? The connectivity comes from the respect of the individual. Why do people resort to unhealthy practices and often sell their souls for the so-called recognition and fame? This might seem to be completely antagonistic to the principle of "Selfishness as a virtue". Well, it is a virtue as long as it is not at the cost of an another soul. On the same thread, was Howard Roark seeking recognition? Parasites (Peter Keating), who have sold their souls, don't shirk in claiming recognition, for something that is not theirs. The Principle of Recognition doesn't always seem to work.

Furthermore, sadism seems to be the order of the day. People look towards people less-fortunate than them and think, "Well, I am better off". This often translates to a state of complacency and a dangerous feeling of security when in fact, they are way off from being "better off". Why do they not look towards people "better off " than them? Why do not people use their strengths to work towards the celebration of life - their own and that of others? Why do people focus on negativity and weaknesses?

Engineering.....

While seeing the movie, "Swades", this thought about the present state of Engineering struck me. Doctors seemingly do justice to their profession by specializing in Medicine after their bachelors. People pursuing Law do end up as Lawyers. In this regard, Sciences and Commerce could also be included with Medicine and Law. Engineers are about whom I am more worried about.

An engineer by profession, (atleast that's what the world says or thinks!), and specializing in the same field (fortunately), I cannot help but wonder as to how many people infact pursue their specific undergraduate field of study. Sadly nowadays, disciplines like Mechanical, Chemical, Civil, etc. are not preferred. Why is it that these disciplines are in such a sad state? Most parents would want their ward to pursue Computer Science or Electronics, and the irony is that neither the ward nor parent(in most cases!) know as to what these two disciplines actually involve at the time of admissions. With so much of peer pressure, and the neighbour's son doing Computer Science at IITK, and a colleague's daughter pursuing EEE at BITS, Pilani, the desire to make their ward famous among their circles, does seem to get on their nerves.

Again, I might be wrong in making such an indiscriminate generalization, but I feel that most of the so called Mechanical, Chemical, Civil, etc. engineers finally end up in the IT industry or switch over to Management/Services. Engineering has sadly become a platform for seeking higher and more lucrative pursuits for them. Agreed, that money plays an important role in our daily lives; But, should the primary field of study be sacrificed in such a shameless manner? Well, there are some people, including friends of mine, who were born to be managers. I do not want to raise a dabate now on whether managers are born or created out here. But, what about the others, who turn towards IT/Management/Services not because they are genuinely interested, but because of the money factor?

Well, I am not a saint. I might have been or was one like them. I am now in one of those saught-after disciplines. I do not want to point fingers at them. It is just that, the time has come for all of us to realise the glory of these neglected disciplines. I was wondering as to what these engineers were doing, when in fact they could be building dams and improving the infrastructure of the country, maybe not easy as it sounded in the movie "Swades", but nevertheless still DO something to bring a light into their lives.