Mother's Day Special.

The author was treated to a concert, that could be considered a fitting tribute to all mothers at Houston this Sunday. The artistes for the evening were Dr. N Rajam, her daughter Dr. Sangeetha Shankar and her grand-daughters Ragini and Nandini. We were treated to some soulful music from the bowed violins of these artists in the Hindustani style.

The two children were highly enthusiastic and played Rag Jog for us. Having been brought up on a staple food of Indian Classical Music, their performance would have made both the mothers proud. However, they being the guru's too, their recital would have invoked a few constructive criticisms too, for their improvement.

Does being a member of a musical family help. Needless to say, it was really delightful to see the three generations of artistes playing the violin. The stamp of the guru was unmistakable in the shishyas. Dr. N Rajam must be one of the most successful mothers in her own right in the world. Her legendary legacy would continue with her daughters (in contrast to the usual paternal gharana system).

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers in the world. They are veritably different manifestations of Mother Goddess.

The sense of touch....

Have you ever wondered about the importance of the sense of touch in our lives? How many times would you feel uncomfortable when someone crosses the limits of personal space and gets physically close to you? Your personal space is something that you treasure a lot. And, you allow only a few people in your life to violate the sacred territory.

Be it the mother suckling her baby, the child sleeping with its parents, the man and woman walking hand in hand, a casual handshake between acquaintances, a warm hug between two very good friends, your guru/elder blessing you, the sense of touch plays a very important role.

I happened to gently and affectionately stroke the very same cat in this post, and it responded by stroking my toe. It felt more secure; and to be honest from my side, it felt nice to be trusted by this cat. The sense of touch and the feeling of warmth and security is truly universal.

People Watching.....

Most people indulge in this very engaging, enriching and at times, titillating activity. Be it the public transport, the office, the school, the recreation center, the places of worship, the coffee shops, the restaurants, the car, whatever. It need not necessarily be limited to what is termed "sighting" or to put it more forcefully, letching. We can learn a lot about human behavior, interactions and relationships by just watching people. For a moment, forgetting all our worries and reasons for happiness, we take the roles of people we shamelessly watch.

Some interesting examples, that come to the author's immediate notice, are given below; in no particular preference or sequence. All of them are from the USA due to their recent nature of occurrences. This is not meant to serve as an indicator about the American culture or Americanness. The examples are cited with a pure innocuous intention. A second article on Indian experiences would be posted sometime.

#1. 6th St. and Cedar St. Bus Stop, St. Paul, MN, USA

An Afro-American girl, barely 15 years of age, dressed in a hip fashion (vulgar and unbecoming of such a tender age), smoking a cigar and puffing her way to whatever insane glory.

#2. 5th St. and Minnesota St. Bus Stop, St. Paul, MN, USA

A young couple, anywhere between 15-17, lustily kissing and eating each other's mouths in public. She looks down there at him, and teasingly calls him "retarded". Open use of abusive language, commenting on others, making fun of others, rampant "liberalism"

#3. Starbucks Coffee, San Rafael, CA, USA

A lady reading a big fat book, A boy solving a crossword game, A man working on his laptop, An old man making a move with a relatively young girl, fit enough, to be his daughter or even grand-daughter. A guy playing the guitar outside the shop; with a few interested onlookers.

#4. Starbucks Coffee, Cottage Grove, MN, USA

An old couple (70+), having a wonderful conversation over a cup of coffee. Love is evident in the air and their eyes convey everything. Highly encouraging.

#5. Bike trail, Cottage Grove, MN, USA

A family of four, husband, wife, and two cute children, riding on four bikes, one behind the another, having a high quality recreative time spent with their loved ones.

#6. Lawns, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA

The dawn of summer brings out the best in the women of College Station. Sporting bikinis and leisurely reading stuff, lying totally "laid-front" on the ground. Enough to attract the attention of of many a roving and lustful eye.

#7. North gate pub, College Station, TX, USA

Noise blaring in the background. People on the process of getting drunk. Some tend to get physically intimate, oblivious of the surroundings. People trying to have conversations. Smoke and alcohol provide a not-so comfortable environment for a non-smoker and a non-drinker.

#8. Sweet Eugene's, A coffee shop, College Station, TX, USA

A group of four girls, playing Scrabble over coffee.

#9. Recreation Center, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA

A feast for the eyes for many guys, including the author. Their dedication to the maintenance of their body structure deserves genuine appreciation.

#10. Sbisa Dining Center, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA

A young Hispanic girl (10-13), glued to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, completely oblivious of the surroundings.

#11. Red Hot Jazz Cafe, Houston, TX, USA

People, majority Afro-Americans, having dinner with amazing live jazz performances. Amazing peaceful easy feeling. Harmony is in the air.

#12. Joe Satriani Concert, Dallas, TX, USA

A group of people, sporting "black" paraphernalia, tattoed arms, hips, stomachs, belly-rings and rings in so many different and interesting places, totally stoned with drugs, fag and booze. Listening dangerously close (atleast their ears) to heavy metal high volume music, during the breaks.

#13. River Walk, San Antonio, TX, USA

Couples craving for privacy in supposedly one of the most romantic places in the US. Ironically, crowded with so many like-minded couples.

.... and so on.

Humility....

There are some good things in life that would be a conquest for the entire lifetime. Humility is one of them. The author has seen so many shades of humility in people. Genuine humility, a superficial layered humility, humility to the point of arrogance, and extreme vanity. Being genuinely humble, would be the conquest for life.

The most dangerous of the four forms is humility to the point of arrogance. One tends to get complacent, forget the difficult times, not count the blessings, and become arrogantly humble. In this case, there is that heavy layer of hypocrisy involved. Naturally, it is more depracating than the case of extreme vanity. Atleast, people are being honest to themselves then.

So, when you do think that you have done something great or have every reason to be arrogant, but are not doing so, to be in the good books of people, think deep down. Realise the insignificance of the self. Realise the importance of being honest and scrupulous. Coming to terms with your own horrendous self can be the most difficult task at hand.

Of Cats and Dogs....

This post is drawn from a personal experience of mine and is about a cat and a dog. Their interactions remind me of sibling rivalry or those moments of feeling usurped by the new entrant into the family. It all began like this.

The cat was the queen of the house. The entire house was her territory. Oh! boy, she did have an amazing time, running here and there, up and down, over the fridge, the wooden cabinets, etc. A very friendly cat.

Then, a dog (a few months old) was brought into the house. They were to share the same territory. The cat was forgotten but for the occassional "how are you doing". The dog is currently being pampered with daily evening walks and is allowed to sleep in the master's bedroom. And, when the two of them are together, let loose, the cat's superiority is gone. The dog chases the cat and frightens her to the hilt. Sadistic pleasure at the plight of the cat by the dog is rampantly obvious.

I guess all this is pretty natural. But then, what shocks me, are the eyes of the cat. The happiness is gone. She is sad. When the dog goes out for a walk with her master, the cat's eyes make that desperate plea. She is silent these days. No longer does she run around the house. She simply sits in the sofa, mourning. I really feel sorry for her. But then, as always, she needs to learn to share and the younger sibling, the dog, needs to accomodate her too.

Emotions are truly universal.

PS: I being, a paying guest in the house, cannot do much. However, I would like to dedicate this post to that cat.

Human Relationships... Revisited.

This post is dedicated to Hesam, and a few others, for providing me with important lessons.

Human relationships, an enigma and a long journey for life. At the very outset, the author clarifies that relationships do NOT necessarily mean only those of a romantic nature. It doesn't mean anything. Have you ever wondered about the people in your circle of life? What makes them special and what makes them different from the numerous acquaintances in your life?

Do you have people in your life who would do "anything" for you, because you are you. What moves the world? What makes people be there for you in those moments of despair, frustration, joy, bliss and overwhelming happiness? It is an altogether different issue that no one can truly share one's happiness and sorrows, due to the limited experiences and abilities to empathise.

If you look at it, there are so many different kinds of human relationships and interactions. However, two broad classifications do exist.

#1. Divine incarnates

These people are the guardians of our life. They love us deeply for what we are. Our happiness matters most to them. They are there, everytime, we need them. They do their best in ensuring the well-ness of our being. They do not mind "giving" all the time. They never let us be alone. Their prayers, wishes, blessings, are always with us. If you look back, we cannot "give" anything in return to compensate in even a small "unvulgar" manner their magnanimous gestures. It is like a bonding for life and they are veritably incarnations of the divine or energy or vibrations or the hidden hand or the force.

The people in these classification would be the Divine itself, our guru's, our parents, our siblings, and all our teachers. Often, in these relationships, since we keep "taking" all the time, we can but hope to give our respect, gratitude and love to them. For e.g., what does a guru do to you? He/she helps you in your journey, by giving you all that he/she has. The only thing he/she expects is that you do not misuse the invaluable lessons. I bow down to all of them.

#2 An eye for an eye

Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Indian nation, had once said, "If everyone were to practice an eye for an eye, then there would be no more eyes in the world." He had meant it at the macroscopic level of a nation, and it was more negative because of the varied killings in the name of hatred. But the author has firmly come to believe in this theory, so very well expounded by my dear friend Hesam, at the micrsoscopic level of the self.

When it comes to relationships, that are not in #1, it has to be this way. He calls it the 50% rule. Some say it is like a bank deposit (where you can withdraw only after you deposit). My guru calls it the feedback rule (positive feedback attracts positive, negative feedback attracts negative, a case of like attracts like). The author calls it an eye for an eye. The crux is the same.

Just like two hands need to clap, two souls need to sustain the relationship. Both need to evince an interest in maintaining it. As long as there is mutual respect and affection, it should be fine. Most relationships stand the test of the time, when the two people are physically apart. The big question is "Can you still be friends for life with them". As a simple case, how would it be when you keep calling the other person all the time, and not receive any from him/her. Extend this case to emails and all kinds of informal/formal communications.

Look at the people in your life. Count them. You would be shocked to know as to how small a number that can be. My dear friend, count your blessings and do everything possible to maintain the relationship. If you need to call, then go ahead and call them up. A friendly "hope all is fine with you" email can do wonders. Be there, as that support and that shoulder to lean upon when they need you. Leave them as they are. If they are having a great time, then try to share their happiness. If they are having a bad time, then be a patient listener and try to empathise.

PS: I know that there are so many books on personal relationships. However, you never really get to understand them, until you experience them in your own special ways, do you?

PS2: I have been so lax and negligent when it comes to sustaining relationships. Even though my wishes would be with them, I would never wish them. I have a lot to learn when it comes to human relationships. Thank you, appa; for always driving this point in.

PS3: I do not know as to where the concept of a soulmate or life-partner fits in. When the time comes to cross the bridge across forever, it shall be done.

Libraries...

This post is dedicated to all the libraries that have been there for me. Be it, a small room with an old man keeping track of old books in Madurai, the Murugan Lending Library of Adyar, Madras fame, the umpteen school libraries, BITS, TAMU, and now the Cottage Grove Public Library.

#1. Have you ever got lost in a library, bewildered at the assortment of books around?

#2. Have you ever picked a book, totally on an impulse, and ended up not reading it too?

#3. Have you ever experienced the excitement of a child when you come across a book you have been wanting to read all along?

#4. Have you ever wondered as to how life would be without libraries?

#5. Have you ever thought as to which option would be better - selfishly owning a few books, or, having a book be embraced and experienced by many more readers, courtesy a library?

Americanness I - Coffee...

A series of posts - complementary to the Indianness articles, about life in America. Does the concept Americanness exist.

I must admit when it comes to my ignorance about the delights of various types of coffee. Having been brought up in a family with "filter coffee" as the norm, all these talks of cappuccino, frappuccino, latte, mocha, machiato, espresso, and the likes were confusing. There was that fear of public ridicule for not knowing the basic stuff about coffee. Heeding the recommendations of friends, willingness and daringness to try out new varieties, prompted me to simply go ahead and give them all a sip.

Starbucks, with its presence everywhere, in the US was, is and would be the experiment station. This is not to mean that India wouldn't have offered me the means to sample such varieties at Barista's and Coffee Day outlets. Let it suffice, that the author was not in a position to experiment then. Since the experiments are being conducted in US, this post is being included under the section "Americanness". Purists might claim that coffee is not american. That way, there is nothing called American - for US is veritably a country of immigrants that has embraced many cultures and traditions to come up with its unique blend. Further, agreed that most of the terms and coffee varieties are of italian origin.

So, the bottomline is, out of fear for what others think about our ignorance, we might not end up clarifying. So, ignorance just piles up and at times, it does become late to go back and ask. But then, I did finally summon the courage to ask a petite barista of the fairer sex (beautiful can also be an adjective to further qualify the lady), as to what these varieties meant and how different they really were. She was kind and courteous enough to reply. Moroever, she added that it was their duty to enlightenten the world (read people like me) about coffee.

Cappuccino is 1/3rd foam, 1/3rd espresso and 1/3rd milk. Latte contains more milk and less froth than cappuccino. Frappuccino is truly american Starbuck's version of frozen cappuccino. Mocha includes cocoa. Espresso is the pure shot. People who serve coffee are known as Barista's. There is a Barista club. Barista's are commanded to take pride in being Barista's. There is this exact temperature and pressure to be applied to make the espresso. How a lower temperature might end up making it sweet and the higher temperature sour, or vice versa (not really sure).

The post on the Indian Coffee can be found here.

The Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki....

Please do not be surprised with this seeping in of a post with heavy political overtones. The thought for this post came up after a discussion over lunch with my American colleagues.

Imagine this.

You are a young child, say a teenager. You have a debate at school. You are asked to defend the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on a purely rational basis. What would you do?

Having been brought up in India, this same topic would have assumed an altogether different angle. What makes it harder for the American children, is their need to justify the savage act of their previous generations. The war reached such horrendous proportions, that at that point of time, hurting the enemy in any manner was an acceptable solution.

How would a German justify what the Nazi's did to the Jews. How would a Spaniard/Portuguese justify the horrendous acts of his/her forefathers with the rape of Latin America. How would a Japanese justify the rape of China? How would one justify the aftermath of the Partition of India? How would one justify the slavery and harsh treatment meted out towards Africa? Infact, how can anyone justify the acts of the imperialists, dictators and terrorists?

Well, no justifications, whatsoever. Have you ever thought of this? The world has never been peaceful. There has always been a simmer of discontent, violence and war. It is no different now from what it had been all this while.

We need to find that peace and harmony amidst all chaos.

The Importance of Sinning....

How does one know what to avoid without getting burnt once?

From the lust, dawns the love.

From laziness, comes the dynamism.

From the profane, comes the sacred.

From the cynic, comes the sensitive soul.

From the rejection of the self, comes the acceptance of the self.

From the base metals, comes the gold.

From the pain, comes the ecstacy.

From the impure, comes the pure.

From the sin, emerges the virtue.

The circle of life - a complete circle.

PS: Getting burnt is a process in itself.

One need not stop with just one experience.

Not all experiences are the same.

We just get cooked better the next time.

Bournvita....

White....

The definition of pure white.

The play of colors - snow with the dark wood.

The game of hide and seek.

A beautiful day in paradise.

A fairy tale.

Madras...

The city you might very well fall in love with. Nothing spectacular about the city. Yet, charmingly seductive in every possible manner. If you hate it, please do re-consider your decision. Everything in the world deserves a second chance.

Elliot's beach, Kapaleeswar Temple, Parrys Corner, Saravana Bhawan, Adyar Ananda Bhawan, Spencers, Mount Road, Gemini, L.S.S., PTC, 29C, Landmark, December Season, P S Senior, Luz Corner, Ranganathan Street, Nalli's, Marina Beach, TTK Road, Music Academy, LB Road, Adyar Signal, Cooum, Murugan Lending Library, Valluvar Kottam, IIT Madras, Raj Bhawan, Sathyam Theater, Vijaya Stores, Madras Central, Kalakshetra, East Mada Street, Marundeeswar Temple, Thiruvanmiyur, "1 Express", Velachery, Tidel Park, Egmore, Cancer Institute, ICF, Avadi, Ambattur Industrial Estate, Guindy, Tambaram, Alaipayuthey, Electric trains, Adyar Bakery, Madisar Mami, Iyer, Iyengar, Street Cricket, Chepauk, India vs. Pakistan, Light house, Mahabalipuram, Nanganallur, Sapthagiri Express, Trisulam, Meenambakkam, Nungambakkam, ATP Gold Flake Open, Palimar, Traffic Jams, Theosophical Society, Banyan Tree, Narada Gana Sabha, Summer Season, Kancheepuram Sarees, Jasmine flowers, Two leaves, Rising Sun, Dravidan Politics, TN Express, Stella Maris, Madras Book Fair, Pori, Kadalai, Veg. Puffs, Coaching Classes, Masilamani Street, KSR, Santhanam, Govi, Balsu, TRS, DOTE, Aavin Park, Sathya Studio, Ranga Road, Rex Fashions, Krishna Cafe, Narasu's Coffee, Leo Coffee House, Sangeetha's, Water Lorries, Telugu Ganga Project, "Hot, Hotter, Hottest", Cyclones, and what not.

The lonely crusader....

We are all alone in this journey called life, seeking answers to our very own questions. At times the questions themselves change. However, the answers are never the same at any point of time. Every person's experiences are unique and each face has a story to tell worthy of respect. No matter what the connectivity is between two souls, it is indeed difficult to share happiness and pain of a person. No one can truly share both of them. A harsh statement but perfectly true in almost every sense.

Important people at times cause hurt in our lives because of this very expectation from them - that they can and should share our happiness and pain. Deep down, that expectation is there. It is best not to expect anything from anyone; no matter how special or important they might be in our lives. I suppose this approach would work out the healthiest in all relationships - be it between mother and son, father and daughter, sister and brother, friend and a friend, soulmates(?), husband and wife, and what not.

Solitude becomes the most cherished, and yet painful possession for all of us. Yes, we are all alone! Our experiences are limited and what the important people in our lives can do for us is also limited. The same holds for what we can do for them. However, the joy of living is a blessing, and it is our foremost and the most important reason for existence. This is not being selfish. If we are happy, people in our lives are also happy. As Paulo says in his book, "By the River Piedra, I sat down and wept",

"Joy is sometimes a blessing, but it is often a conquest. Our magic moment helps us to change and send us off in search of our dreams. Yes, we are going to suffer, we will have difficult times, and we will experience many disappointments - but all of this is transitory; it leaves no permanent remark. And one day we will look back with pride and faith at the journey we have taken."

Netaholic....

This just defeats me. The amount of time spent - both wasted and utilized - on the internet by people. Foremost amongst such people, will be me. A day without mail checks seems to be highly difficult and there is that nagging sense of a void and incompleteness for that entire day. Surprisingly, such feelings often tend to be unjustified too.

Who has the time to e-mail these days? Gone are the days of snail-mail. Now, e-mails might become extinct too. Often, a day results in umpteen senseless e-mail checks. What is even more surprising is that there are so many people who have a similar addiction.

Then, there is www.orkut.com. We do have www.blogger.com too. All potential time-wasters? But, I believe blogging has helped me in more ways than one. www.orkut.com is also a fun place to be. Plus, we have the chat clients... Is talking to friends and acquaintances a waste of time? No, right... you are perfectly right.

So, what does one do if one becomes a netaholic? How does not checking emails for 10 days sound as a medicine? Is this possible? But, then what happens if that one important email - be it academically, professionally, or personally does come in?

Hmm... a post about nothing specific this time. Just felt like keying in a few words.. and what better topic than this. :)

May the netaholics in the world unite...

PS: To the greatest surprise of the author, there do exist people, whom he would treat as weird specimens, who check their mails twice a day - as the first and last tasks of the day. Who are specimens - us or them or both?

PS: An interesting quote from Calvin - "Reality continues to ruin my life".

Human Relationships....

How many of us are sensitive to the people around us?

How many of us celebrate the successes of the other?

How many of us are able to share the pain of the other?

How many of us forgive the other for all of his/her faults?

A special thanks to all the people in my life, who made me realise the importance and value of human relationships, in their own sweet little ways.

Limited Experiences...

Why do we associate the good and bad times with our limited experiences? Why do we often delve onto the past? Why is nostalgia painful? Why should a particular song (be it a popular Illaiyaraja tune of the 80's, those days of experimentation with western contemporary music beginning with Backstreet Boys and Boyzone, the various people recommending their favourite pieces, etc.) remind one of all the events of the past that just go by in a flash? Why do we associate so many of the events of the past with such simple things? Why are we not able to forget the past?

Interactions with people; and the ideas, opinions and values of theirs that we seem to cherish or remember clearly make us discriminate between the various people in our lives. Why do we subconsciously grow to be dependent on them? People who were always there for us during the thick of times, who gradually opened up, who welcomed us into their circle of lives (albeit after a lot of hesitation and cynicisms), who loved us for what we were, ... Why do they go away? Rather, why do we go away from them. Why do separations become so real and inevitable?

Why does life always offer such transitions? Why cannot "change" be temporary instead of permanent. As we move on in this journey called life, we venture out of a place called heaven in search of another heaven. What we thought of as heaven ceases to be heaven for long. We begin to crave for a different kind of atmosphere and heaven. Inevitably, the new heaven also ceases to be heaven. No place is perfect. We take time to make our friends. And in no time whatsoever, friends separate. Why should so many people come into our lives only to give us lessons and go away?

People are so generous when it comes to giving those invaluable lessons. They come as omens with a specific purpose. When we look back in retrospection, we owe everything that we are for to the various people in our lives. Sadly, we often take such important people for granted and fail to acknowledge their value; until it becomes too late. Solitude is painful. Being with people is also painful. So what can one do? Why does life always seem to be a paradox? A life of opposites. A tension of opposites.

As usual so many questions with no answers.

PS: I dedicate this post to all the people in my life. Of particular emphasis, are the people at Texas A&M University, College Station. They thankfully put up with all the idiosyncracies of the author. As the author mentally prepares to leave this heaven, in quest for who-knows-what, he simply acknowledges the role played by each and every individual out here. Pain, happiness, anger, frustration, fear, devotion, heroism, patriotism, sportsmanship, adventure, naughtiness, tears, sleepless nights, endless discussions, relating to so many people, friendships for life, and what not.

PS2: A&M shaped me, changed me, and made me realise so many lessons. How to make a home far away from home, how to relate to people, how to appreciate the beauties in life, how to look for the best in everything despite the emotional, financial, and academic issues, and what not. This by no means means that the learning is complete. It is just a small, but significant step in that direction. I love you, my dear A&M. A simple thank you for everything that you provided me with. You nurtured me like a loving mother. I couldn't have asked for more.

All you need is Love....

The world moves around on the basis of love. Love of various kinds. Love between a mother and a child, a father and a child, a sister and a brother (and other associated types), a friend and a friend, a person and his/her passions, self-love, a person and his teacher, a teacher and his disciple, and the last,.... but definitely not the least - and the least understood and most devastatingly beautiful of them all - yes, the love between a man and a woman. It merits mention that each is beautiful in its own way and that all kinds of love provide the basic reason for sustenance and existence.

What surprises the author is the presence of this red-letter day, known as Valentines Day and the hype around it. The crass commercialization and vulgar manifestation of present day romance will definitely shock the purists (not necessarily the RSS/Shiv Sena). Media advertisements, Special offers for sale, materialization of love courtesy the numerous gifts available around, make the world believe that it is this day or never. How many of us truly understand what love is? Love - the oldest and most sublime of all emotions.

Just imagine how love has continued to exist in this world. Love for one's own well-being lead to many wars. Love for the people in one's life made the man/woman behave in highly selfish ways. Imagine the music around in this world - the love ballads, the yearnings for love, the songs of the so-called loser, etc. For that matter, Hindustani music is entirely based on love and romance. The concept of Raagas and Raaginis embellishes the concept of love and all the associated emotions of yearning, hurt, despair, pain, frustration, bliss, tranquillity, pathos, heroism, joy, etc.

For the people in love, all the very best for making the relationship more meaningful and beautiful. For the people trying to understand what love is, all the very best in this journey. For the people hurt in love, all the very best for everything. Lastly, I would like to conclude with this quote of Richard Bach

"We are the bridge across forever, arching above the sea, adventuring for our pleasure, living mysteries for the fun of it, choosing disasters, triumphs, challenges, impossible odds, testing ourselves over and over again, learning love, love and LOVE".

PS: This post is dedicated to my very good friend Saurav, for urging me to write more frequently.

PS2: The topic chosen is primarily and entirely due to the occassion of Feb 14.

Circle of Life...

Have you ever wondered about the important people in your circle of life? How many such people exist in your life who have given you the liberty to love and hurt too? How many people come to your help in times of desperate need, no matter what? How many people exist in the world who celebrate your life along with that of theirs? (A world where your successes mean a lot to them and who are truly, madly and deeply happy for you because it is you). How many people can share and experience your pain? I am sure that there must be a very very small number of people in your circle of life who are the answers to the above questions.

Yes, we are like that. We open up to only a certain few. We have our own deep secrets, worries, frustrations, dreams, desires, fetishes, that only a few are aware of. In some cases, no one knows what is happening deep inside. Why, not even the body, mind and heart of a person knows what its soul is undergoing? There are some people who have crossed that threshold of trust. Yet, there are some who misuse that trust. Ironically, the capacity to hurt in the domains of space and time when it would hurt the most is subconsciously given by us.

Why are we like this? What stops us from being an open book? Why is our soul a precious commodity to be shared only with another soul, who importantly understands more than appreciates. Do soulmates exist. Isn't it foolish to believe in that one person who is the answer to our very own life? Is there only one person who provides that answer? How can we make such dramatic acknowledgements when we all live in a world of limited experience. Let us forget the supreme concept of a soulmate for the moment.

Consider our friends. Don't we discriminate between them? How can we again, make the claim of a few understanding us, when in fact, we know not much about the umpteen acquaintances in our lives? What stops us from making friends out of acquaintances. Relationships progress to beautiful stages when there is a mutual disclosure of thoughts, ideas and opinions. Yet, we have only a limited set of relationships and experiences. Nevertheless, the circle of life is complete by itself (thankfully!), no matter how small or big it might be.

PS1: This post is dedicated to all the arcs in my circle of life; agreed a limited number. Nevertheless, a circle is the perfect epitome of the concept of infinity.

PS2: Ideas borrowed from varied sources, ranging from contemporary "spiritually-inclined" authors to interpretations of the ancient scriptures. We are the answers to our very own questions called life. Here's wishing all the very best to everyone in his/her journey called life.... and in his/her quest towards the meaning of life.

PS3: I have freely used the word "soul".. I must admit, that I do not know much about it. Further, I must admit that I do not have any answers to the questions posed above. :)

PS4: When the author means "you, us, we, ...", it includes me.

PS5: Likewise, I am sure that there must be a very very small number of people who would include us in their circle of lives.

Vande Maataram....

Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya, will be one year old tomorrow. An important occasion for me - a year that lead to a remarkable metamorphosis from a cynic to a regular blogger. This has been an important part of my journey so far and often, the journey is more rewarding than the final destination itself.

It will not be wrong to admit my addiction to blogger. Further, having those counters that dole out loads of statistical information keeps the narcissisctic "me" happy. Some google search terms that invariably land up on one of my posts keeps me amused. I have made quite a few real good friends out here. I have a few readers who visit my blog on an almost daily basis.

I might not be regular at times. I have removed my blog twice, in moments of frustration and claustrophobia. I am a normal person, too. I have my own share of ups and downs. But nevertheless, I am really glad that I stuck it out till the end, and this one year has become a reality.

STATISTICS

#1 Started January 23, 2005

#2 No. of Posts 88

#3 Counters ON June 17, 2005

#4 No. of unique visitors 1884

#5 No. of pageloads 6432

Signs of a humble beginning. I must admit, that this blog has helped me in a lot of ways than one. A big thank you to all my readers.

Vande Maataram

A photoblog by yours truly and dedicated to the feminine face of God - the Mother.

PS: A special thanks to AM, for not liking the original name of the link for the photoblog. I must admit, those moments of remarkable enthusiasm and genius from my side. :) (just an extra n at the right place for the transformation from rangasphotos to rangasphotons) Electrons and Photons belonging to the author must make the author a seemingly uninteresting and nerdy character, joker and cartoon. Oh! How I love this paradigm.

PS2: A special mention and thanks to Abilin, for encouraging me to start. It all started with a chat conversation.

Failures....

What do we do with failures?

Why should they happen?

In hindsight, there would have always been a better way of doing things.

Who knows, the failures could have been avoided.

Why is it difficult to accept failures?

What makes it difficult?

Is it the ego, peer-rejection, shame, loss of face, or

Is it the stigma.

Why is it that everyone wants success in life?

What is success?

Who defines success?

What exactly is the purpose of life?

The "undeniable" embraces each one of us, repeat, each one of us at some point of time in our lives. No one is special. We are all united in our struggle towards facing the "undeniable". Each "undeniable" event is unique and distressing in its own way. But thankfully, each event is transitory and fleeting. There is so much dynamism in life that good things happen too. But then, it doesn't take long for a good thing to become a bad thing and vice-versa.

Moreover, it is easy for others to say - you will get over this bad patch. Take things in the right spirit. Whatever happens, happens for the best. I know, highly positive way of looking at things. But then, at some point, you just want to sit and ponder over all that has happened. Sometimes, you want to share the pain. And sometimes, you want to talk about your failures. I am sure everyone will agree with me, that we ourselves are victims and perpretators of this "crime".

When the "undeniable" happens to us, our friends and important people rally around to be the life-support systems. They talk about the beautiful things in life, which could make life all the more difficult for us. On the other side, when the "undeniable" happens to others, we might step in into that role of a mentor and sermonize. Wouldn't it be better to be left alone and leave others alone. I truly don't know. Guess a right mix of both will greatly help. But then, what the right mix is, is a truly vast grey area and a rather very thin line of divide too.

Lastly, we might not realise and recognize the failures of others. Behind every success in a man/woman, there lies a string of failures known only to a few persons. Sadly, the world fails to acknowledge this bare fact of life; and failure makes a person out of him/her. Having talked so much about failures, I guess "learning lessons" would be a better substitute for this word. This post only reminds me of the proverb that we learnt during those early days of childhood - "Failures are the stepping stones to success". A wise saying, ironically forgotten till failures come by, knocking at our doors.

Why does the world (us and them) forget the failures, the tears, the struggle, those moments of inexplicable emptiness, anxiety and self-introspections ... ?

Superstitions....

This Friday happened to be the 13th too. The number 13 brings jitters to many. Each one has his/her own set of idiosyncratic superstitions. Why are we so superstitious? There has to be a reason for being superstitious.

Is it because of the fact that we always want "good" things to happen to us in our lives; and we critically tend to analyse as to why "bad" things happened the way they happened. The analysis of the past will reveal the reason why it happened. Ironically and funnily, these reasons are often flimsy. The actual occurrence of the "bad" result is in no relation to the flimsy excuse. Yet, we normally tend to not repeat the so-called reason again in a similar circumstance. Is superstition a part of a learning curve where we do not repeat our mistakes :)

Just the very fact that the failure of an event is blamed on a flimsy reason (the poor scapegoat) leads to this idiosyncratic superstition. Psychologically, the mind is in a better and more positive state of mind. The positive state actually leads to the success of an event and not the superstition. But then, as long as it works, is it not right to be superstitious. I do not have an answer to this fundamental question. Does being superstitious really help one in his/her endeavour. Moroever, it is the attempt to actually not admit one's fault when the scapegoat is around.

PS: Hmmm.. one of those posts that are highly incoherent and vague. I am sure that most people tend to be superstitious in their own, sweet, little, funny ways.

Of daughters and sons....

This is an attempt to break the routine of writing about posts that have the philosophical tinge. One of my very good friends, who has been a thick friend through and through, during both the good and bad times, felt that I needed a break; a departure from writing about not-so-beautiful topics. Here, is this attempt, or is it really so? :)

There was a time, say, once upon a time; when daughters were looked down upon as a financial burden. Birth of a daughter signified worries and financial problems for the family. The dowry and the practice of having a "decent" wedding for their daughter forced parents to spend their entire life savings on a single afternoon. She was therefore, veritably a burden. Moreover, the culture and society of India had this extra problem of taking care of the girl child once she came of age. While the girl was grappling to come in terms with the hormonal reality, here was the added security and advice (all in the right spirit and earnest) that added an element of worry for her parents. {It is an altogether different issue that boys were also grappling to come in terms with the hormonal reality}.

Moroever, the daughter has to go to an another family. She is literally wedded to the new family. Who knows what is in store for her? What kinds do the husband and in-laws turn out to be? So, she has to be beautiful (well, can everyone be physically beautiful?), well-educated (hmmm...), needs to know music (either singing or dancing!), needs to have a well-balanced opinion towards everything male (the other can flirt, the other can ogle at beautiful women, the other can lust; the other can drink/smoke, while she has to be devoted (yes, devoted) to her male). Disgusting, right? That was the way it all was. Now these MCPs are giving way to those feminists, yes, feminists who have taken the plunge.

So what happens now. The girl is well-educated. The girl is talented when it comes to co-curriculars. In the name of feminism, girls are quite open these days with flirting, lusting for Brad Pitt (nothing wrong in it, right?), drinking or smoking socially (a fashion of the times), and want the so-called significant other to have a well-balanced opinion towards everything female (I don't know as to what constitutes as "female" out here). Equally disgusting, right? So, where is all this leading to? The author feels that both need to develop a healthy respect for each other; and both need to act their own natural selves, instead of being swayed to the tunes of MCPs and femininists.

Coming back to the original topic of discussion, nowadays in the nuclear families, children are limited to two, and in some cases one. The most interesting case is when there are two children in a family. Gone are the days when the girl child was a burden. A daughter is equally precious these days as a son. (A very welcome development; but still not universal). The author waits for the day, when, the growth of a foetus is no longer monitored for purposes of female infanticide but for the genuine purpose of its well-being and health, amongst all sections of the society. This will be a sign of true progress in a society. Take these cases of two children phenomenon in the families. #1 Daughter, Daughter; #2 Daughter, Son; #3 Son, Daughter; #4 Son, Son.

Cases 2 and 3 though different, are more or less similar. However, the interesting feature is in Cases 1 and 4. I have seen families with two sons having that desire for a girl child, who is seen as a delicate, beautiful creation on earth who can do a host of wonderful activities in the field of music and dance. Most must admit that a girl performing bharatanatyam gracefully is preferable any day. Similarly, I have seen families with two daughters having that desire for a son, who is seen as a different kind of a beautiful creation on earth. He can have the thread ceremony and can be made to learn the say, mridangam or tabla. Have you ever seen a girl play the mridangam or tabla (no... maybe the fashionable drums). It merits to be a sexist when it comes to arts and aesthetics. :)

Sometimes, their unfilled desires become blatantly obvious that the author finds it downright humorous. Their reasons are more often than not, justified too. What can one say? The grass is always greener on the other side. To be honest, this is a brutal generalization and might very well be unwarranted. It is an altogether different issue as to how close these siblings turn out to become as they "grow up".

PS: By the way, one of the sayings used to bless a newly wedded wife (very common in rural parts of India) - "May you be the mother of a thousand sons". Highly indicative of the bias against daughters. This bias continues to sadly exist in most parts of India, not necessarily rural.

A 2006 Offering....

Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya, has decided to come up with a new blog "Endaro Mahanubhavulu" - dedicated entirely to the domain of music. It merits mention that the author is a neophyte when it comes to this vast ocean of music. Kindly treat his opinions with a pair of tongs - because they might very well be technically wrong.

The blog aims to generate an awareness among the reader about the various beautiful things that thankfully continue to exist today. It will mostly touch upon the aesthetic and emotive aspects of music, rather than the technical aspects itself. There are a host of amazing sites that do justice to their very philosophy of existence.

All kinds of music will be given a fair treatment out here. Be it the two forms of Indian Classical Music - Hindustani and Carnatic; Indian Folk music, Western Classical Music - renaissance, baroque, romantic, impressionist, etc., Jazz - smooth jazz, those early days, bebop era, cold era, etc., Rock and Roll, Contemporary Music, Film soundtracks, Celtic music, Arabic music, Latin music, African music, Oriental music, etc.

The author cannot know everything. To be honest, his knowledge of all these forms is very very limited; indeed difficult to measure even on a ppm scale. There are so many people, who have been immersed in this field of music, for their entire life-time, and yet who have so much to learn. Music is a true ocean. But then, the best way to start is to start. The author sincerely hopes that he can learn as much from this project as the readers themselves.

It is not intended that some form of music is given preference over the another. I apologise beforehand for such events. Moroever, I respect people of all kinds - be them atheists, agnostics, spiritually inclined but not religious, the religiously inclined, etc. Whenever, a post seeps in with a dominating feel for a particular religion, that is more so because it has to be with the spirit of the music piece.

The posts will contain appropriate references to books, sites, persons, etc. Shameless plagiariasm will be adopted if entirely necessary, with proper acknowledgement to the source.

PS: Endaro Mahanubhavulu - a pancharatna krithi of Saint Thyagaraja. Salutations to all the great men (and women!) in the universe for their contributions to music.

PS2: A Happy New Year!

PS3: If you are interested in this ambitious project, and want to team up with me, I will be delighted. A task force dedicated to the annihilation of ignorance and darkness! :)

2005 : The year that was....

2005 is almost coming to an end. The winters of 2005 will give way to the spring of 2006. The new year is welcomed with hope, the sweetest of all. In hindsight, I am sure it must have been a mixed year for all of us.

Some dreams materialized.
Some dreams became lessons for life.
Some events brought inexplicable joy.
Some events brought tears and pain.

So many friends made.
A few friends lost.
So many people came into our lives.
A few farewells.

Life is like that;
A pair of opposites.
The yin and yang of life.
Both co-exist!

Wishing you all a very happy new year. May 2006 see you doing all those things that you wanted to do.

PS: 2005 saw the transformation from a cynic to a regular blogger in me. Blog-hopping has been a pleasurable activity. I have come across a few blogs that have been heavily inspiring. There are so many talented writers in their own worlds in this world. It merits mention to mention these blogs that I visit on an almost daily basis (in strict alphabetical order).

Abhi's Summary of Lifetimes
Akruti's Alochana
Ammani's Filthy, Funny, Flawed and Gorgeous
Eroteme's In a garden called life
Sagnik's Random thoughts

A special thank you!

The Merry Season....

Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya wishes its readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukkah (another festival of lights in this world).

Lead, Kindly Light (the motto of one of my many establishments of schooling :))

Indianness X - The December Season....

Madras, the metropolitan city of India metamorphoses into a musical and spiritual seat of intense intellectual activity during this December season. A city known to have only three types of climate - hot, hotter and hottest truly comes alive with its now unbeatable and unparalleled musical climate. It is not wrong to say that December sees Madras becoming a Carnatic music stronghold at its best.

Living legends, established contemporaries, budding talent; basically musicians of all kinds - perform, enthrall and inspire an audience on a purely intellectual and musical basis. The rapport that the musicians share with the rasikas is inexplicable. It needs to be that way. The rasika needs to be musically tuned and technically sound to appreciate the concerts better. This might very well drive away the ignorant many from such concerts.

The author finds this beautiful city and musical heritage grappling to come in terms with the harsh reality. It should not lose out on this tradition because of lack of patronage from the rasikas. It is an altogether different issue that the Carnatic form with its strong foothold on the devotional and spiritual aspects of Hinduism, is in a better state; than its counterpart from the north - the Hindustani form.

This question also brings a smile to the author's face. How would this Carnatic fortress respond to Hindustani concerts during its prime season? As usual, I have digressed from the topic of discussion. So, what is the reality?

• Most concerts have limited audience. A rasika is becoming more of a rarity. Such atmospheres are depressing for the musician, the sabha as well as the rasika.
  
• An increasing divide between the musician and the appreciative audience. Classical music is becoming more and more esoteric day by day. It is indeed ironical that a light music function or a rock/pop concert by a world-famous band draws a huge audience willing to pay as well as "appreciate" them.
  
• The Americanization - has its own share of merits and demerits. What can the musicians do if their music finds a greater and much more appreciative audience in the US? The honorariums will be higher (thanks to the supremacy of the USD) and their preference is perfectly justified for music is also their prime vocation.

But then imagine this purely fictional anecdote. A typical scene in a contemporary(?) South Indian household during the December season.

The fledglings have grown wings and flown. The elderly couple continue to live in Madras for sentimental reasons. This is the much awaited Marghazhi season. The couple is highly enthusiastic and is brimming with eager expectations. Let me call them Shri and Shrimathi.

Shri and Shrimathi wake up early every day (say, 4:30 AM). Marghazhi tunes(Tiruppavai's) are playing in the background. The servant maid comes at 5:00 AM and has made the kolam for the day. The milk-man has come and has delivered the day's quota of two aavin milk packets. After having the required dose of pure filter coffee, the couple go out for their daily walk (as recommended by the doctor and their children; few know that the walk is the most anticipated activity of the day for the couple).

The HINDU has arrived by the time they are back. Shri goes through the concerts for the day. Shri jots down a few concerts he is interested in. Shrimathi is not happy that her opinion was not considered. They have a friendly quarrel arguing as to which concert for that day will be the best and worth attending. After having chosen the concert, sabha and the musician who will grace their evening, they spend the rest of the day with coffee, prayers, lunch, siesta, coffee, etc. The unavoidable discussion on the current dismal state of musical affairs comes up.

5:00 PM. Shrimathi dressed in a Kancheevaram pattu saree with appropriate jewellery and a string of jasmine flowers on her hair is ready for the evening. Shri, has one look at her, and blushes and feels all young once again. Both are fortunate to have one another, especially more so when the fledglings are in the US! The couple go on a romantic date to the kacheri. 3-4 hours of bliss. The musician enthralls them with a virtuous display of Ragas, Krithis, Ragam Tanam Pallavi's, thillanas, etc. and the couple is so happy to be musically alive.

A day well spent. Who really cares as to what the world thinks? Retired life, a prime time of their lives, to make up for all those years of hurried life - corporate success, children, financial worries, etc.

..... Such simple pleasures in life make life all the more beautiful, wonderful and worth living for.

The walk of life.....

I am surprising myself these days by becoming hyper-active on the blog front. :) Here I go, again...

Today witnessed the Winter Convocation of Graduate and Baccalaureate programs at Texas A& M University. I was there; witnessing the ceremony as five of my friends had the walk of their life. It must have been a proud moment for them, dressed in academic regalia and being conferred the degree for their academic achievement. Nothing else seemed to matter. They made it. I know of the pain that they had to undergo in the process. Success couldn't have been sweeter. I was happy for all of them.

Strange are the ways of life. How years of academic commitment transforms into a 10 second magic moment? They are now the proud holders of the degree that they must now do justice to. The very field that they have got their degree in needs them so as to help sustain progress and discovery. Some were fortunate to have their family witness the event. Others were fortunate to have their friends support them. For some, those who were alone, they were made to feel special courtesy the august gathering and ceremony.

A few observations:

• Most of the doctoral degrees were conferred to People's Republic of China.
• A strong Indian presence was felt in the MS programs.
• The academic regalia for Texas A& M University with its strong traditions was magnificent; guess every school has its own rich tradition.
• Convocations are a great moment of joy, pride and nostalgia. Unfortunately, my baccalaureate alma mater is known for its tradition of not having convocations.

PS: This post is dedicated to my friends, Aravind, Gopi, Vishnu, Radhika, Sathya and Mandar for making it to this occasion. Mention must be made of Nitin, who couldn't make it due to personal commitments. All the very best to all in their journey of professional life.

Purpose of Life...

Have you ever wondered - what is the purpose of our lives? Further, have you ever noticed these -

We really do not know our own selves.
We really do not know what to do.
We really do not know what we want.
We really do not know what makes us happy.

I hate to generalize, but I guess, there are no unique constant answers to these questions. The answers keep changing. The more we take out time for our own selves, the more we begin to realize as to which way we want our lives to be headed.

An academic/ professional/ personal achievement will seem to be the main reason for happiness. But once, that goal is achieved, the human wants more. There seems to be no end to his greediness. Or if you look at it the optimistic way, there seems to be no end in his quest for the elusive perfection. But, then, is the quest always pure? Doesn't he begin to give in to the materialistic value of gold, deter from his path, and forget about alchemy.

Lastly, when one talks of a purpose in life - why should that be necessarily related to the development for society or doing something ground-breaking to help the lives of many? Why cannot leading a contented happy life be the main purpose in life? When one thinks of a purpose, it is usually big. The dreams are big. Few materialize and few don't. Recently, came across this Zen saying somewhere, The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preferences. When love and hate are both absent everything becomes clear and undistinguished.

The people who actually make things happen, do their divine pursuit, without actually making much ado about it. Guess, in the big scheme of things, it is always the individual who counts. This is not being selfish. If he/she is happy, then the world around that him/ her is happy and happiness pervades all over.

PS: I really don't know as to what sense this post makes.. but then, here I go...

A personal note from the author...

Dear readers,

This is the first time, that I am writing from a purely personal standpoint in this blog. I am currently on an interesting journey in life - a process of rediscovering oneself; where I need to do justice to my own self, my value sytems, my family, my friends and my passions. I would be writing as and when appropriate in the true spirit of Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya. I further promise that I will be as honest and frank as possible.

I am not a saint.
I am a normal human being.

I love beautiful things.
I have my own list of "hates".
I have my own share of defects.
I have my own share of pluses.

I am not a nice person at times.
I can be a nice person at times.
I can be a very good friend.
I can also kill the best of friendships.

I thought I understood people.
I thought I knew what I wanted.
I thought I knew what love was.
I thought I knew what friendship was.

I lust for erotic women.
I long for exotic women.
I commit sins.
I am virtuous in certain aspects.

I like to help people.
I take help from people.
I can be considerate.
I can be abysmally cruel.

I need to learn a lot
I can help others learn
Selfishness is a sin.
Selfishness is a virtue.

What am I?
I really don't know.

The purpose of writing this post is to highlight the difference in persona between the author and the real me. The author has written about beautiful things in life. He has freely commented on certain ways of life of the people in a cynical fashion. The reader is encouraged to keep in mind that the real me is way off from perfection. It is best not to confuse the author with the real me.

I do apologise for the tones of arrogance in the author's attitude. The real me also needs to - do a lot of groundwork, soul searching, correct defects, change ways of life for the better, learn from the life-changing lessons, connect and relate to people, love people, appreciate beautiful things in life, etc.

The undeniable affect and embrace the lives of each one of us, and the real me is no exception. The attitude with which we face the undeniable makes us stronger for the better.

All the best to everyone in this journey called life. Life should be and is beautiful, no matter what happens around us. Whatever happens, happens for a reason, for the best and at the right time. Our faculties of understanding are so very limited that it is best to let time take its own course.

Love,
Ranga

PS: This blog is dedicated to one of my best friends in life - Ms. Barathi; for her definition of a friend and all that she did as a friend. She had taken so much trouble and pain in the process and went out of the way to help me out when it really really mattered.

PS2: This is further dedicated to all my wonderful friends, who are there to share my joys and sorrows; who like me as I am (the nice and yet not-so nice person); who are so generous in giving me valuable lessons; who teach me about wonderful things in life, etc.

PS3: Such friends in life make life all the more beautiful and wonderful. I need to learn a lot from these friends of mine and do justice to the concept of a friend.

A hazy shade of winter....

Grey skies;
Chill winds;
Downpour;
No sunshine.

Thus begins the dawn of winter. So, what lies ahead?
Springtime, yes, the lovely springtime.
Seasons, cherished for all the 4 seasons.
Each being wonderful(?) in its own sweet way.

Warrior of the Light....

A witness to this event.

Dr. Shankar P. Bhattacharyya, had been invited to play the sarode and provide an introduction to Indian Classical Music, at the St. Thomas Episcopal Church, College Station. This was part of the outreach program of the church towards world religions.The audience was a limited 15 Americans, enthusiastic about spirituality and with a willingness to learn about other religions.

Sarode captivated their hearts and they wanted to know more about the sarode and the Indian Classical Music systems. Naturally, there were a few misconceptions about the religious connotation of music. Music does not have any religion and the universal aspect of music could not be better emphasised than by what happened today.

Dr. B played an early morning raga, Jogiya Kalingra; and a romantic night raga filled with pathos - Kirwani. I am sure that each member of the audience must have connected with the music in a unique and different manner. The effect of sound on human emotions would make a good topic for research.

A step in the right direction. We need to reach out to such people. The onus is on us, we Indians ourselves. India is not all about cows roaming around streets, and people roaming about in elephants. Sadly, this is often the image that people have about India, courtesy the biased news coverages.

PS: References 1 and 2 for the Sarode.

PS2: The title of the post, is a well-known terminology used by Paulo Coelho. This was used to signify the warrior of the light in each one of us.

A Celtic Bonanza...

Event : A Celtic Christmas
Group: The Boys of the Lough
Organizers: MSC-OPAS, TAMU
Date: November 29, 2005
Attendance: Rudder theater, almost full

The Boys of the Lough, gave the audience an aural treat of traditional Celtic music from Shetland, Ireland, Scotland, etc. with added flavours of Scandinavian music too. They further included a few non-religious music pieces. What made it all the more special was the variety of instruments at display (both visual and aural). Some of them were encountered by the author for the first time in his life. The ensemble included Mandolin, Citter, English Concertina, Fiddle, Flute, Whistle, Button Accordian, Melodeon and the Guitar.

Inferences:

1. Instrumental music is truly truly universal, transcending across all possible human barriers. The Hare's lament conveyed melancholy and despair while the Wren Polka No's 1 and 2 conveyed emotions of joy and excitement.

2. Music continues to prove its global appeal. It exists in a myriad of forms, both classical and non-classical. Each region in the world has evolved with some music form or the another. The author must admit that it is difficult to not compare the music forms for their sophestication, appeal and merits.

3. Such evolution from the fundamental notes emphasises the need for a strong fundamental basis for everything that we do in our lives.

All in all, a cherishable experience and a blessing.

People in our lives...

#1. Why do so many people come into our lives?
#2. Why do some people go beyond their means and limitations to help when it really matters?
#3. What does a friend mean to you?
#4. Why do some people knowingly/unknowingly help someone chase his/her dreams?
#5. Why do some people come as omens and provide us with valuable lessons and go away?

Everyone has a role to play in our lives. It is upto us to realize, acknowledge and thank them. Thanksgiving time. A simple thank you to one and all. In the end, it is just the individual who matters and his/her journey is what counts the most. Difficult though it might seem to love everyone, the universal fact is - "Every face has a story to tell worthy of respect and compassion".

Happy Thanksgiving!

The obvious....

What do you do when the "obvious" is not obvious to you?

What do you do when "intuitive" brings the fear in you?

I have often come across people, includes my own self, who throw around these words for added effectiveness whenever they talk (be it technical or non-technical). What does one do in such moments of despair? Attempt not to destroy the ignorance at the cost of acceptance among the circle or become an object of ridicule for not knowing what you should be knowing about in the first place.

This is an experiment that often proves to be enlightening and useful. Keep asking questions till the so called "obvious" things lose their obviousness. The outcome of the experiment is usually the same. We would realise that the entire world is a sham and the person (who becomes the guinea-pig by making those "obvious" and "intuitive" claims) is equally hollow and empty as one can be. It is not possible to know about all the things in the world. What one should call for is a change in the attitude of the people.

Respect a person's questions, both profound and silly. Accept your ignorance if you are truly ignorant. It doesn't really make sense to be in the veneer of a "know-it-all" when you actually do not know much. Guess this becomes all the more important for people involved in the domain of teaching. What does one do when a motivated and enthusiastic student with a keen willingness to learn asks simple questions that in fact takes one out of the blue?

As we progress in life, we get so very accustomed to the happenings, and we unfortunately forget the founding fundamental assumptions that we started with in the first place. We accept things as they are. We fail to question things. We fail to think outside the box. We are getting more and more entangled into a limited domain as we grow up. Is it the fault of the person or the society at large? I would end this post with this quote,

The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge.

This topic might have been covered in a different sense in this post. However, this question troubles the author a lot. Hence, he doesn't see as to why he shouldn't write once again about the obvious and intuitive aspects of the world and wait for answers.

A few drops of water....

The author was a witness to this amazingly funny event. Let me give a gist of the incident.

People were running here and there.

Some people were angry with themselves

Cos' they had forgotten one of their possessions

Seemingly prized and invaluable.

People who had that same accessory

Were proud of their own selves.

They had done something spectacular that day

And vanity was their virtue and sin.

How they looked down upon the first set of people?

Btw, what was the author doing out there?

He had lost that same "valuable" possession recently.

Yet, he was happy watching them and ...

Or so he thinks;

Or is it a case of sour grapes?

Now, let me not hold the suspense further. It was a slight drizzle on a hazy winter morning that lead to this chaos. Would a child have behaved in such a fashion as the adults in question. Believe me, this was of a truly universal nature and almost everyone out there, irrespective of caste, creed, sex, nationality, etc. were the "extras" in the comedy/tragedy. That "valuable" possession happened to be an umbrella and the "hero" in the comedy/tragedy. Most of them were in such a hurry that the author was wondering as to what they would be doing once they reached their final destination. How would the act of simply doing nothing and allowing the few drops of water caress their entire physical being seem to them?

Growing Up....

Why does it seem that everyone around you has grown up while you happen to be the eternally same soul? When you look down deep within yourself, you would realise as to how much you have changed. There is nothing permanent in life but change. This is very much true even amongst the dearest of friends. People who know one for eternity or know someone to the "T" would be more than surprised with the changes in someone.

I guess I need to write more on what I mean by growing up. As we grow up, we meet more and more new people, who definitely influence us. We become relatively more "mature" and world-conscious. And, yet, as adults, we seemingly begin to lose the inherent quality of a child - to ask and be curious about everything. "Life has become boring" is a complaint amongst many of us. It has become boring because we have made it so.

Anyway, getting back to the original topic of discussion, people change. So, how would it be to meet the people of the past? People whom you knew so well, and who knew you well too. Would it be plain joy or would there be apprehension too. Would each one understand the other again, now that both have changed a lot. What makes it all the more interesting is that each thinks that only the other has changed. I guess with mere acquaintances it doesn't really matter much. We would be happy to have met them. Period. Ironically, it is with the important people or the people in our circle of life that the many questions arise.

Lastly, why do so many people come into our lives?

PS: The reader is encouraged to read this and this for the sake of completeness.

Languages....

Why do languages seem to be more of a barrier? Each language has its own repertoire of beautiful works that it does seem highly impossible to appreciate their inherent beauties. To heighten the misery, there are these prejudiced and heavily jaundiced opinions on certain languages.

To add more salt into the wounds, certain works that were meant for ease of comprehension and for the layman; have become esoteric in nature to the people of today. While transliterations do thankfully exist, none of them do justice to the original work of art/ literature.

To name a few, (a not so comprehensive list)

• Thyagaraja Krithis in Telugu - highly philosophical in nature, yet comprehended by a few fortunate souls
• Purandaradasa Keerthanas in Kannada - ironically, simple in content and beautiful in compositions, meant for the layman
• Tirrukural in Tamil - words of wisdom from Tiruvalluvar
• Kabir, Rahim and the vocal compositions of Hindustani classical music in Hindi - profound philosophy in supposedly "simple" language
• Rabindrasangeet in Bengali - the songs of devotion, love, romance, nature, and patriotism
• Pablo Neruda's odes in Spanish - all types of love - both divine and materialistic find sweet mellifluous expressions in his poetry
• Rumi, Hafiz and Khayyam - beautiful poetry in Persian; when the transliterated works are unimaginably beautiful, then what can one say about the originals.
  
• Ghazals, Shers and Shayari's in Urdu
  
• The Gita, Vedas and the Upanishads in Sanksrit
• and so on....
  

What can one do with his/her ignorance of the languages? Doesn't instrumental music sound as the solution?

A Taste of India....

Event : Swaad 2005

Organized by : AID-TAMU

Venue : Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

Date : November 3, 2005

Attendees : 600

AID-TAMU pulled it off in a grand spectacular fashion their biggest fundraiser yesterday - the annual Indian food festival at Texas A&M University with a set of around 30 dedicated, enthusiastic and motivated volunteers. The theme of this year's Swaad was "Festival of Lights" to coincide with Diwali. Organizing the event was a nightmare for the organizers themselves for cooking an assorted variety of exotic Indian dishes for 600 people was no mean achievement. The author was fortunate to have been a part of the volunteer team and was also responsible for the ambience/decoration of the hall.

AID-TAMU strived to bring about a taste of the magnificently rich and diverse Indian cultural heritage to the people of Bryan/ College Station community. The hall was decorated with a lot of lights of all possible kinds, with the prime objective, of lighting up the entire place. Handicrafts for sale, Mehendi tattoos for a reasonable price, Art exhibition consisting of collages and photographs, Rangoli, etc. were part of the learning tools about India provided by us for the attendees. Soft instrumental music (mostly Indian classical) was playing in the background. Further, there was a video show "Transcendental Emotions" that depicted the universal emotions of love, yearning, frustration, pathos, joy, bliss, etc. through the medium of songs from Indian Cinema (right from the 1950's to present).

The event was a grand success. The author was fortunate to have interacted with two American ladies, aged definitely 70 and above. They told him that they were fortunate to have been there and how much they had enjoyed everything that we had offered. People outside India need to have the right image of our own exotic India and the onus lies on us - the Indians - both the resident and the non-resident ones. Sadly, I have encountered people ( read some Indians ) who do nothing but criticize and comment on the problems of the country. What they fail to realise is that criticism without action is not the solution. It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.

I am sure, that this event, would have been a great learning experience for one and all of the volunteers. Nevertheless, there are a few issues that need to be addressed and improved upon for the future Swaad's.

Happy Diwali...

Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya wishes its readers a very happy Diwali.

It is possible to bring a light into our own lives and other's lives in every possible, seemingly small and insignificant way.

Music - the road to salvation....

The author was treated to two scintillating Hindustani concerts this weekend. The concerts vindicate the truth that music is the road to salvation. The world couldn't have been any better. Nothing else seemed to matter. It was like a flying dream. There are certain things in the world that cannot be expressed. Expressions of Silence would be the best approach. Nevertheless, I want to write about these concerts and the musical aspects in my own humble way.

Hindustani Classical Music, with its highly romantic concepts of Ragas for the moods and the time of the day, does touch the heart of a person. This post is not meant to denigrate other forms that exist in the world. The emphasis is on the Hindustani form alone. All other forms converge to the road to salvation.

What was special about the two concerts was the universal nature of the recitals. Instrumental Khayals, could be appreciated by a western audience too. Languages often prove to be a barrier for the proper appreciation of music.

Concert #1 A Sitar Recital

A contemporary sitarist, of the Maihar Gharana, Sri. Partha Bose enthralled an audience of around 150 people, with his virtuousity on the sitar. Sri. Gourisankar accompanied him on the tabla. He started off with an elaborate essay of Raga Patadip, an afternoon raga. He ended with a light classical composition on Raga Khammaj.

An interview with Sri. Partha Bose can be found here.

Concert #2 Sarode, Sitar and Jugalbandhi Recitals

Dr. Shankar Bhattacharyya, a disciple of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan Sahib since 1982, treated us to Raga Zila Kafi, a late afternoon raga, a mixture of Raga Kafi and Raga Zila. He followed with a short composition of Raga Tilak Kamod.

Sri. Indrajit Banerjee, a senior disciple of Kartick Kumar, a senior disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar, played three different Ragas - Desh, Charukeshi, and Piloo.

We were fortunate to witness a Jugalbandhi of Raga Manj Khammaj by these two musicians, that definitely reminded me of the great Jugalbandhi duo Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Pandit Nikhil Banerjee.

One word that would best describe the performances - sparkling.

***

Words failed me. I was speechless. Silence would be the best way of expressing the aesthetic and emotional impact of the concert. This brings me back to the question of surrender. Is it all right to emotionally surrender to musical compostions? Is it all right to be just musically alive and break down each composition for a detailed analysis of the technical aspects. I feel that it is all right to emotionally surrender to a musical piece within the gambit of the technical aspects. Sounds vague, right? Well, music has been a road to spiritual bliss and emotional contentment. The rasas and the bhaavas of the compositions are for us to discern and appreciate. It is a circular loop. What starts with feelings and moods has to converge back to the same.

***

Isn't it a wonder that music had, has and would continue to hold its own appeal among the people of the world. Life without music, unimaginable and frightening.

Tell me your dreams...

Is it wrong to dream? It is one thing to dream, and an another to chase it. Wouldn't it be better to simply sit laidback and let time takes its own course. Why does it so happen that following your dream also comes with the heavy price of pain, hurt, tears and suffering?

As much as I love the concept of "The Alchemist", I seem to have these questions. Answers from my readers are more than welcome.

A different post at a different point of time.

Happy Dassehra....

Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya wishes its readers a Happy Dassehra.

May all your dreams come true.

PS: More than 1000 visitors since June 17, 2005.
A sincere thanks to one and all.

The Lens....

The human eye would undoubtedly be one of the best when it comes to the quality of the lens and the visions captured by it. Stored in the memory of the human brain, the pictures are often unerasable and deeply imprinted. The memories could be good or bad. What the heart understands, the mind does not and is merciless. Sadly, we take such wonderful functions for granted at times. The true incident cited over here, highlighted this fact in a rather embarassing manner for the author.

One of my friends had purchased a new state-of-the-art digital SLR camera with amazing features. We were naturally enthusiastic and had wanted to capture the beautiful small crescent and an adjoining "small" star on a night sky. What we finally managed to obtain was in no way comparable to what the human eye had captured. It merits mention, that we were amateurs in photography and didn't know the features provided by the camera as we would have desired. Nevertheless, the human eye would still be the best camera in the world.

Often, we are moved by wonderful photography. Photography is a medium where in a person can communicate with an another soul what he/she wants to convey. It is mostly a personal statement. While it is a good practice to appreciate the pictures captured by a camera; over reliance and dependence on a camera would only make us not appreciate the beautiful visions captured by our own eye.

Further, the vision gets modulated with the state of the mind. A beautiful vision might appear blurred due to a frenzied and frustrated state of mind. A worried mind is similar to over exposing a camera to light. We would then obviously fail to appreciate. I would treat this incident as a gentle reminder to me and to my readers to have that smile and look out for the beauty everywhere through our very own eyes.

The fine art of dancing.....

The author had two refreshing, and charmingly different experiences with the fine art of dancing. The stark contrasts in them would definitely bring upon a smile on any one's face. The purpose of this article is not to denigrate one art form over the another. The author, admits, out here, that he enjoyed both the performances. It is not that one is spiritually elevated over the another. The more and more we resist the emotions, whatever be them (incl. lust), the more and more they persist.

***

#1 Bellydancing

Courtesy: Turkish Festival, Houston, Oct 1 2005

Ms. Pinar, enthralled the audience consisting of young men, old men, children, women with her belly histrionics. She would have definitely put all those histrionic gyrators that we get to see in commercial Indian cinema to shame. Agreed that she was minimally clad, to just cover the woman in her, and that she would have definitely evoked emotions of lust in men, and envy in the women... thankully, there was more to it. Her control and mastery over her own belly was awesome. Swaying to the apt music, she definitely brought a smile on everyone's face. Needless to mention, she was the most popular and the bellydancing event the most anticipated event of the day.

#2 Bharata Natyam

Courtesy: SPIC MACAY, TAMU, Oct 2 2005

Mrs. Shirisha Shashank, a Bharata Natyam danseuse, enthralled the audience with her grace, charm and dance. Her eyes were brilliant and emoting appropriately the moods to be conveyed. Her recital of Jagadodharana(where she played the roles of Yashodha and Krishna, interchangeably) was the best of the best. She is a talented contemporary dancer and she needs the support and encouragement of the populace. Well, more than her, it is the danceform that needs to be kept alive through such talented dancers. Some of her recitals also had the underlying philosophical and spiritual meanings in them.

***

Lastly, I dedicate this post to Ms. Pinar and Mrs. Shirisha for their spectacular dance recitals.