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!