A festival in my village…

Last Thursday, December 10th was the annual festival of the Lord Ayyappa Temple in our village. This is an ongoing function for the past 35-40 years. The peculiarity of this temple is that the Ayyappan deity is in the form of the Lord riding on a tiger… as the folklore goes. This is quite a unique temple in the whole of Kerala for none has this kind of Ayyappan form.

I had to go to work that day and returned earlier than usual to attend this festival. As I came home the procession with caparisoned elephants had started. It was a grand spectacle with three elephants decorated with the traditional headgear and with people on the top with the complete assembles as you can see in the much grander Thrissur Pooram. There was a complete Keralite orchestra called the panchavadyam and accompanied by frequent bursts of fireworks.

This ultimately ended in the temple with women and girls leading the caparisoned elephants to the sanctum sanctorum with the orchestra in full blast… this was a great spectacle to watch and there was a great sense of reverence to the local guardian of thoughts and the beacon to lead them to the next year without any hassles and praying for a bountiful crop.

The air was quite electrifying and the entire village assembled around the temple, with a lot of hawkers selling their wares and women dressed up for the occasion. There was a small makeshift temple built entirely with the layers of the banana tree and tender leaves of coconut trees. It was an amazing piece of art amplified by electrical lights…but all these shows of grandeur soon ended as most of the people had left and with a great deal of programs still pending.

The Thayambaga or percussion with the traditional Keralite drums and cymbals started after a break of half an hour, the sad part was the entire orchestra was for just three people… a drunk, a deaf and me. Still the performers did a great job and I enjoyed the masterful percussion show. Normally this program last for more than an hour, but they stopped within 30 minutes. The reason is there was hardly anyone to encourage them for more. I could see the disappointment in their eyes and kind of defiance that can be seen in seasoned performers. That defiance conveyed the art form would die if they get only such a meager support and enthusiasm. I actually felt sad and could not help reflect then and there that TV, mobile phones and the modern crass consumerism has made a slow and steady back door entry into our village. Most of villagers had left by then and back to their TVs and mobiles within the comforts of their homes. Later on there was a drama performed in a makeshift stage and I came to know there were hardly 10 people watching the theatre performance. I was not able to stay longer because of my poor night vision and was apprehensive of how I would manage in a huge crowd, but that was not the case to be.

I really feel that if this trend continues many local festivals and art forms will disappear and we can listen to the sick sounds created in a mobile phone or orchestrated reality shows in future. But again what can be done to reverse this… if you ask me that question, I really cannot come out with a concrete answer and I think you reading this would feel quite helpless if you are a person to care about preserving the traditional arts and culture.

Life in the God’s Own Country.

It has been a longtime since I posted anything on this space… Some technical issues…

A lot of water has flown down the bridge… but it hasn’t made any difference in my life… except that I got myself a new comp and a new mobile (my first)

After leaving Chennai I have had a great deal of disappointments and was not able to settle and get to the rhythm of life here in Kerala, but gone are the days of loneliness, desperation and the feeling of being miserable. I think the weather and the nature plays a vital role in one’s well being. It was like hot, humid, polluted and filthy all around in Chennai, the moment I came back to Kerala and my village I felt I was in paradise… No doubt that Kerala is the God’s Own Country. I don’t know how crossing the border at Walayar the whole scenery changes. I keep wondering how such a transformation happens in a matter of ten kilometers into Kerala. It is not that I am complaining about the lack of civic sense in other parts of India, but Kerala stands apart in cleanliness and sense of hygiene that prevails.

Actually the Environment Minister Mr. Jairam Ramesh rightly commented that if there was a ‘Nobel Prize for Filth,’ India would get it and I am in full agreement to this statement, the statement could have been modified a little… okay, I know he not the Minister of Kerala. Anyways, that was a true comment come out of a seasoned politician and I am in awe of this guy to actually defy the holy cows in India. I think the media and the govt. of India should come up with some real hard measures to instill a sense of cleanliness and hygiene in this country… I know it is a hard task to achieve, but I feel strongly that we as the proud citizens of this timeless country should take up some drastic steps to clean this country of the filth and dirt for posterity sake at least. Or else more of the Boyles around the world would keep on continuing to exploit the underbelly of this great land.

And a serious thought has to be given to how Kerala and its people are able to keep their surroundings clean; and try to understand why it is recognized as one of the best place to visit in one’s lifetime.

To comment on the state of politics it better said when we say nothing about it.

Anyway, this post of mine has brought me back to where I like be the most and doing the the job I like the most...writing...

Cosmic Dancer - Nataraja

 

Started a new blog dedicated to Lord Nataraja and the url is http://sasthaprakash.wordpress.com 

 

"Because You love the Burning -ground, I have made a Burning-ground of my heart - That You, Dark One, hunter of the Burning-ground, May dance Your eternal dance."

The Election Fever (or the Great Indian Comedy)

 

I wanted to write more about the books that influenced my life, but all the fun happening around has deviated me.

The Elections are back to India. And I am enjoying all the fun in all the fronts, left, right, centre and in between. From the seasoned politicians to the newcomers (with hardly their moustaches grown) And the so called educating the Indian masses by certain media houses.

It is for sure I am not going to exercise my franchise. But the entire tamasha played out by the politicians is worth every second spent on reading and analysing the drama.

Let us take the UPA front, United Puppets Alliance, led by the puppeteer Sonia Gandhi. Sonia loves to be in the background and orchestra the entire proceedings and the entire Grand Old Party or the Grand Old Lady (Modi’s parlance) dances to her tunes or rather her finger movements. Then followed by her prodigal children who have not a clue of what they are saying or doing. Their entire agenda is to discredit all other parties and act as the sole saviours of the Indian democracy and the sovereign, socialist, SECULAR setup of the Indian Constitution. Why is this? To maintain their dynastic right to rule this country. They are the bane of this country, I would rather vote for a lawyer or a social worker or a retired govt. servant or a retired cop or a retired army man than vote for these jokers who think that it is their birth right to rule this country. The election manifesto is not new to the country, it has been tried and repeatedly trashed out in the southern states. They claim to have done everything possible to contain terrorism and their contention is that they handled the Mumbai Terror Attack in most appropriate manner and the NDA had failed miserably in Kandhar incident.

The Kandhar incident happened outside the country and that is in Afghanistan. Does any country has the guts to go into a different country and wage a battle in their soil in such short notice? The NDA did the right thing of releasing a few dreaded terrorists and get the plane and the travellers safe. What was the entire cost of this operation, one passenger who tried some bravado in the plane. Yes, there is a point of contention that the released terrorists have later on created havoc. But at that situation the govt. at the centre has done the appropriate thing.

Can you relate this to the Mumbai incident? The Mumbai terror attack was a very well coordinated strike and there was not at a single stage the perpetrators were in the mood to negotiate. So the commando operation was required with enormous cost of human lives. There is no valid reason for the UPA to take credit for thwarting the terrorists. In fact it was a big loss to humanity at large. The number of high flying individuals in business, media, the armed forces, the police dept., the innocent tourists died in this outrageous, audacious and senseless terror attack. This is not a point of argument and the present govt. must be ashamed that this incident should have never happened and what measures did the security apparatus in the nation to vision and anticipate this kind of situation. It is a blot on the govt. at that point.

Next is the appeasement of the so called minority community. The Congress has repeatedly shown their dual treatment over time. They seize every opportunity to keep minority communities MINOR and creating a stance that the entire community is given a raw deal in all walks of their lives. This is the biggest divisive strategy repeatedly used by the Congress and I don’t understand why people cannot see through their ploy.

Then comes the BJP, who are projecting themselves as a young party and with a lot of ideology. My take on them is give up the Hindutva agenda and the Ayodhya issue and try to project their capabilities in unifying the nation with clear and concrete steps to eradicate poverty and other issues plaguing the nation from the days of its birth.

Then the assorted jokers trying to start a third front. Very opportunistic approach made of a rag tag of parties based on caste, regionalism and language. Their agenda is to take the country to the prehistoric times with abolishing English education and the use of computers.

Then comes the Mayawathis, Jayalalitthas, the Mamata Bannerjees, and the others. Whose only qualification is exploitation of the minor minorities and shrewd power play. I don’t know if Mayawathi ever knows what the middle class of this country thinks of her and her brash, crude and uncouth ways. I don’t know if Mamata  Bannerjee ever knows how the people feel how she scuttled the ambitious small car project, and she proved herself that she is against development and not the CPM who were in the past responsible for these kind of stalling tactics.

Then comes the Left parties who think this country should be run by another country! (Read the last vestige of communism CHINA) Bunch of ideology driven veterans.

Then comes the assortment of Independent Candidates, whose only qualifications are they have done well in their chosen professions and do not have a clue of how this country has to be run.

Then comes the biggest driver of fears, opinions and pre poll, exit poll and post poll analysts, the English MEDIA. Their sustained effort to create confusions in the mind of  middle class, educated voters. They love to start the fire and stand back to enjoy the heat of the moment. Jokers and pseudo intellectuals who think the only prerequisite for a leader is English speaking, young and suave attitudes. If that is the case why the editor cannot himself enter the fray. It is basically motivated to increase the sales, rankings, advertisement revenues.

But my question is, is winning the election and ruling the country for the next five years paramount than the condition of the people of the nation? The basic agenda here is win the election hook or crook and enjoy the powers bestowed after this farce of democracy. My belief in democracy is sorely tested because of this very opportune, brash and crass run for power. The common man always comes a distant third or fifth in their agenda and we trust them to rule the country for the next five years.

I haven’t seen a major shift in easing of the issues faced by country year after year, election after election, alliance after alliance. Has the poverty situation eased or the slums in the cities cleared or developed to something more humane? Has the quality of education, health, transport or power shortages eased? Has the cost of living come down? Has the farmers given a better deal? Has the armed forces personal give their decent dues and the quality of their lives improved? Has the anti-terror measures and security issues improved? Has anything done to the improvement of exports of manufactured goods or farm produce or marine products? Nothing has improved to the standards of the west or half of their standards.

I think country as a whole should boycott this farce called election and it is the now the turn of the people to give politicians the boot.

I know these are all just a wishful thinking of me. But I would like to see what would happen if the entire nation stands against this election.

Slumdog Millionaire

It has taken me quite sometime to come up with my view on this widely famous movie, which has won enough Oscars that would collectively put to shame the previous achievers from India. This movies has all the elements to satisfy the curiosity and the perceived notion of India of beggars, snake-charmers, mendicants, sanyasies, slums, utter poverty and the list goes on. It is more of serving India with a dose of romance, glam, poverty porn and the canard ‘it happens only in India.’

I could only cringe at many situations faced by Jamal and romanticised by Boyle. First take up the scene when Jamal is in the toilet and the famous actor Amitabh Bachan comes over for a shoot in the slums and Jamal jumps into the piling shit below just to get an autograph from this great actor. Does that not show the blind fascination of Indians to the film stars, but this scene has gone beyond that. Utter commercialisation!

Next is the scene where the children are made beggars! Come on this is the 21st century and we can be sure that these scenes do not happen anymore. We were frightened in our childhood these sort of things happen. But with what regularity? This happens in movies and only in movies more often. It was so bloody horrible that I had to close my eyes when this scene was played. I would give an Oscar to Naan Kadavul if the case be.

Then the improbable journey across North India, where Jamal gets beaten up when he takes American Tourists to a place not frequented by tourist and in the process the car tyres are ripped off. The Jamal says, ‘ Welcome to Real India’ or to that effect. Yes, it happens in India and to all the Indians who go out of their way to show something very unique to India. This could happen to any tourist in any part of the world (New York Brooklyn or East End London or the docks of Marseilles). This scene is about a westerner being in the wrong place in the wrong time. Come on give me a break! This happens everywhere in the world.

Then the prostitution in Bombay. This is a known fact to the entire world and how the havelies in the by lanes of Bombay Central, Kamatipura or Grant Road operate and how the influx of new entrants come. It is not just orphans who are introduced to this field, but migrants who have lost their livelihood in their villages, the people driven out of their home due to political upheavals (Nepal) or just the pressure of carrying on with life and having no means otherwise. This vertical is not the real India by any means. Then if a case study is taken on prostitution the WEST would anytime beat India, with their ingenious ways.

Then the Q&A section of the movie, which dominates and the entire story revolves. This shows media in India controlled by pseudo intellectuals, who is apathetic to someone who is just lucky by experience! But I am sure everyone is given a fair chance in any field in India, despite the reservations, the divide between the rich and the poor, can excel. The entire Q&A is just a romanisation of the Kaun Bhanega Crorepathi and a very poor imitation of that famous reality show of the late nineties. We all know the luck and the surprise element in these shows. This entire charade was a utter mockery and shows how the so called high and mighty control the political and the police apparatus. If you take on the whole this does not happen in day-to-day life in India. There is still a virtue of righteousness in every aspect of Indian life.

Then the underworld of Bombay, it is overly romanticised in many Bollywood and other WOODS in India. This is just like in the west of mafias and drug dealers.

The love factor which drives Jamal to attain his destiny is not new to India.

The music is exceptional in this movie. But in that case AR Rahman should have been awarded multiple Oscars in the past few years.

I can just conclude that this movie is made to satisfy the West’s infatuation and perception of what India is, Poverty, Slums, Crime, Exploitation, Wheeling dealings and the list goes on and on. Do you think that if that this movie made by some Indian with the same cast and storyline would have crossed the shores of Bombay? We all damn well know that it would not have. This movie was just a Bollywood fantasy made by a British director.

I met an Austrian Photographer in Bombay in 1997 and she showcased the best of Indian culture, dance, portraits, festivals, landscapes… and I just happened to ask her why not the sordid poverty, slums and backwardness? She asked me, where in Earth don't you find these depressing scenes and why do you have to portray the worst when the best is beautiful and uplifting?

To Kill a Mocking Bird

This novel is the only book written by Harper Lee, but that was sufficient to enrage and give a the true picture of the rural America with all the eccentricities and the racial discrimination prevailing at that time.

My favourite character will be always Boo Radley, he watched everything and left gifts for the kids. He was the person to save the kids in the end and also I could relate to him because of my three years of depression and how I used to watch the kids plays games which was comprehensible to them only. I loved the part when Scout leads him back home after the fight and killing of Ewell.

Atticus was very upright man with a heart at the right place

This book taught me how a holiday of three children can be filled with fun and knowledge, it also reminds of my childhood where we used to play word games and hide and seeks and going to the woods and to the lake to fish.

But the book also depicts the abject poverty and the courage to fight a mean battle leading to the death of innocence.

This book will be always in my memory for all the good things it taught me.

Bhaja Govindam

My favourite Adi Shakara composition.

TEXT 1

bhajagovindam bhajagovindam govindam bhaja muudhamate sampraapte sannihite kaale nahi nahi rakshati dukrijnkarane

Worship Govinda, Worship Govinda, Worship Govinda. Oh fool! Rules of Grammar will not save you at the time of your death.

TEXT 2

mudha jahiihi dhanaagamatrishhnaam kuru sadbuddhim manasi vitrishhnaam yallabhase nijakarmopaattam vittam tena vinodaya chittam

Oh fool! Give up your thirst to amass wealth, devote your mind to thoughts to the Real. Be content with what comes through actions already performed in the past.

TEXT 3

naariistanabhara naabhiidesham drishhtvaa maagaamohaavesham etanmaamsaavasaadi vikaaram manasi vichintaya vaaram vaaram

Do not get drowned in delusion by going wild with passions and lust by seeing a woman's navel and chest. Bodies are flesh, fat and blood. Do not fail to remember this again and again in your mind.

TEXT 4

naliniidalagata jalamatitaralam tadvajjiivitamatishayachapalam viddhi vyaadhyabhimaanagrastam lokam shokahatam cha samastam

Uncertain is the life of man as rain drops on a lotus leaf. Know that the whole world remains a prey to disease, ego and grief.

TEXT 5

yaavadvittopaarjana saktah staavannija parivaaro raktah pashchaajjiivati jarjara dehe vaartaam koapi na prichchhati gehe

So long as a man is fit and able to support his family, see the affection all those around him show. But no one at home cares to even have a word with him when his body totters due to old age.

TEXT 6

yaavatpavano nivasati dehe taavatprichchhati kushalam gehe gatavati vaayau dehaapaaye bhaaryaa bibhyati tasminkaaye

When one is alive, his family members enquire kindly about his welfare. But when the soul departs from the body, even his wife runs away in fear of the corpse.

TEXT 7

baalastaavatkriidaasaktah tarunastaavattaruniisaktah vriddhastaavachchintaasaktah pare brahmani koapi na saktah

Childhood is lost in play. Youth is lost by attachment to woman. Old age passes away by thinking over many past things. Alas! hardly is there anyone who yearns to be lost in Parabrahman.

TEXT 8

kaate kaantaa kaste putrah samsaaro.ayamatiiva vichitrah kasya tvam kah kuta aayaatah tattvam chintaya tadiha bhraatah

Who is your wife? Who is your son? Strange is this samsara. Of whom are you? Where have you come from? Brother, ponder over these truths.

TEXT 9

satsangatve nissngatvam nissangatve nirmohatvam nirmohatve nishchalatattvam nishcalatattve jiivanmuktih

From Satsanga comes non-attachment, from non-attachment comes freedom from delusion, which leads to self-settledness. From self-settledness comes Jivan Mukti.

TEXT 10

vayasigate kah kaamavikaarah shushhke niire kah kaasaarah kshiinevitte kah parivaarah gyaate tattve kah samsaarah

What good is lust when youth has fled? What use is a lake which has no water? Where are the relatives when wealth is gone? Where is samsara when the Truth is known?

TEXT 11

maa kuru dhana jana yauvana garvam harati nimeshhaatkaalah sarvam maayaamayamidamakhilaM hitvaa brahmapadaM tvaM pravisha viditvaa

Do not boast of wealth, friends, and youth. Each one of these are destroyed within a minute. Free yourself from the illusion of the world of Maya and attain the timeless Truth.

TEXT 12

dinayaaminyau saayam praatah shishiravasantau punaraayaatah kaalah kriidati gachchhatyaayuh tadapi na mujncatyaashaavaayuh

Daylight and darkness, dusk and dawn, winter and springtime come and go. Time plays and life ebbs away. But the storm of desire never leaves.

TEXT 13

dvaadashamajnjarikaabhirasheshhah kathito vaiyaakaranasyaishhah upadesho bhuudvidyaanipunaih shriimachchhankarabhagavachchharanarih

This bouquet of twelve verses was imparted to a grammarian by the all-knowing Shankara, adored as the bhagavadpada.

TEXT 14

kaate kaantaa dhana gatachintaa vaatula kim tava naasti niyantaa trijagati sajjanasam gatiraikaa bhavati bhavaarnavatarane naukaa

Oh mad man! Why this engrossment in thoughts of wealth? Is there no one to guide you? There is only one thing in three worlds that can save you from the ocean from samsara. Get into that boat of satsangha quickly.

TEXT 15

jatilo mundii lujnchhitakeshah kaashhaayaambarabahukritaveshhah pashyannapi cana pashyati muudhah udaranimittam bahukritaveshhah

There are many who go with matted locks, many who have clean shaven heads, many whose hairs have been plucked out; some are clothed in saffron, yet others in various colors --- all just for a livelihood. Seeing truth revealed before them, still the foolish ones see it not.

TEXT 16

angam galitam palitam mundam dashanavihiinam jatam tundam vriddho yaati grihiitvaa dandam tadapi na mujncatyaashaapindam

Strength has left the old man's body; his head has become bald, his gums toothless and leaning on crutches. Even then the attachment is strong and he clings firmly to fruitless hope.

TEXT 17

agre vahnih prishhthebhaanuh raatrau chubukasamarpitajaanuh karatalabhikshastarutalavaasah tadapi na mujncatyaashaapaashah

Behold there lies the man who sits warming up his body with the fire in front and the sun at the back; at night he curls up the body to keep out of the cold; he eats his beggar's food from the bowl of his hand and sleeps beneath the tree. Still in his heart, he is a wretched puppet at the hands of passions.

TEXT 18

kurute gangaasaagaragamanam vrataparipaalanamathavaa daanam gyaanavihinah sarvamatena muktim na bhajati janmashatena

One may go to the Ganga, observe fasts, and give away riches in charity! Yet, devoid of jnana, nothing can give mukthi even at the end of a hundred births.

TEXT 19

sura mandira taru muula nivaasah shayyaa bhuutala majinam vaasah sarva parigraha bhoga tyaagah kasya sukham na karoti viraagah

Take your residence in a temple or below a tree, wear the deerskin for the dress, and sleep with mother earth as your bed. Give up all attachments and renounce all comforts. Blessed with such vairagya, could any fail to be content?

TEXT 20

yogarato vaabhogaratovaa sangarato vaa sangaviihinah yasya brahmani ramate chittam nandati nandati nandatyeva

One may take delight in yoga or bhoga, may have attachment or detachment. But only he whose mind steadily delights in Brahman enjoys bliss, no one else.

TEXT 21

bhagavad giitaa kijnchidadhiitaa gangaa jalalava kanikaapiitaa sakridapi yena muraari samarchaa kriyate tasya yamena na charchaa

Let a man read but a little from the Gita, drink just a drop of water from the Ganga, worship Murari just once. He then will have no altercation with Yama.

TEXT 22

punarapi jananam punarapi maranam punarapi jananii jathare shayanam iha samsaare bahudustaare kripayaa apaare paahi muraare

Born again, death again, birth again to stay in the mother's womb ! It is indeed hard to cross this boundless ocean of samsara. Oh Murari ! Redeem me through Thy mercy.

TEXT 23

rathyaa charpata virachita kanthah punyaapunya vivarjita panthah yogii yoganiyojita chitto ramate baalonmattavadeva

There is no shortage of clothing for a monk so long as there are rags cast off the road. Freed from vice and virtue, onward he wanders. One who lives in communion with God enjoys bliss, pure and uncontaminated, like a child and as someone intoxicated.

TEXT 24

kastvam ko.aham kuta aayaatah kaa me jananii ko me taatah iti paribhaavaya sarvamasaaram vishvam tyaktvaa svapna vichaaram

Who are you? Who am I? From where do I come? Who is my mother, who is my father? Ponder thus, look at everything as essence less and give up the world as an idle dream.

TEXT 25

tvayi mayi chaanyatraiko vishhnuh vyartham kupyasi mayyasahishhnuh bhava samachittah sarvatra tvam vaajnchhasyachiraadyadi vishhnutvam

In me, in you and in everything, none but the same Vishnu dwells. Your anger and impatience is meaningless. If you wish to attain the quality of Vishnu soon, have Sama Bhaava always.

TEXT 26

shatrau mitre putre bandhau maa kuru yatnam vigrahasandhau sarvasminnapi pashyaatmaanam sarvatrotsrija bhedaagyaanam

Do not waste your efforts to win the love of or to fight against friend and foe, children and relatives. See yourself in everyone and give up all feelings of duality completely.

TEXT 27

kaamam krodham lobham moham tyaktvaa atmaanam bhaavaya ko aham aatmagyaana vihiinaa muudhaah te pachyante narakaniguudhaah

Give up lust, anger, infatuation, and greed. Ponder over your real nature. Fools are they who are blind to the Self. Cast into hell they suffer there endlessly.

TEXT 28

geyam giitaa naama sahasram dhyeyam shriipati ruupamajasram neyam sajjana sange chittam deyam diinajanaaya cha vittam

Regularly recite from the Gita, meditate on Vishnu in your heart, and chant His thousand glories. Take delight to be with the noble and the holy. Distribute your wealth in charity to the poor and the needy.

TEXT 29

sukhatah kriyate raamaabhogah pashchaaddhanta shariire rogah yadyapi loke maranam sharanam tadapi na mujnchati paapaacharanam

He who yields to lust for pleasure leaves his body a prey to disease. Though death brings an end to everything, man does not gives up the sinful path.

TEXT 30

arthamanartham bhaavaya nityam naastitatah sukhaleshah satyam putraadapi dhana bhaajaam bhiitih sarvatraishhaa vihitaa riitih

Wealth is not welfare, truly there is no joy in it. Reflect thus at all times. A rich man fears even his own son. This is the way of wealth everywhere.

TEXT 31

praanaayaamam pratyaahaaram nityaanitya vivekavichaaram jaapyasameta samaadhividhaanam kurvavadhaanam mahadavadhaanam

Regulate the pranas, remain unaffected by external influences and discriminate between the real and the fleeting. Chant the holy name of God and silence the turbulent mind. Perform these with care, with extreme care.

TEXT 32

gurucharanaambuja nirbhara bhakatah samsaaraadachiraadbhava muktah sendriyamaanasa niyamaadevam drakshyasi nija hridayastham devam

Oh devotee of the lotus feet of the Guru! May thou be soon free from Samsara. Through disciplined senses and controlled mind, thou shalt come to experience the indwelling Lord of your heart!

TEXT 33

muudhah kashchana vaiyaakarano dukrijnkaranaadhyayana dhurinah shriimachchhamkara bhagavachchhishhyai bodhita aasichchhodhitakaranah

Thus was a silly grammarian lost in rules cleansed of his narrow vision and shown the Light by Shankara's apostles.

TEXT 34

bhajagovindam bhajagovindam govindam bhajamuudhamate naamasmaranaadanyamupaayam nahi pashyaamo bhavatarane

Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, Oh fool! Other than chanting the Lord's names, there is no other way to cross the life's ocean.

I am not a religious person nor do I subscribe to the Hindu thoughts, but there some stark truth in these verses.

bhajagovindam bhajagovindam govindam bhaja muudhamate sampraapte sannihite kaale nahi nahi rakshati dukrijnkarane

A Time to Kill,

The following posts are about the books that influenced my thoughts; I start with A Time to Kill. This is tale of a young lawyer defending a black Vietnam war hero who kills the white druggies who raped his child in tiny Clanton, Mississippi, is the first novel by John Grisham.

Carl Lee Hailey, the father, gets an M-16 from the Chicago hoodlum he'd saved at Da Nang, wastes the rapists on the courthouse steps, then turns to attorney Jake Brigance, who needs a desperate win to boost his career. Folks want to give Carl Lee a second medal, but how can they ignore premeditated execution? The town is split, revealing its social structure. Blacks note that a white man shooting a black rapist would be acquitted; the KKK revives itself and starts a new Clanton chapter ; the NAACP, the ambitious local reverend, a snobby, Harvard-infested big local firm, and others try to outmanoeuvre Jake and his brilliant, disbarred drunk of an ex-law partner. The stakes are high and everyone wants the whole cake. Jake Brigance looses his house, his dog, and his wife almost leaves him, due to the consequence of such high profile, society dividing case. Jake is driven to a point of giving up this case and wants to get back his old regular life. Crosses burn, people die, crowds chant "Free Carl Lee!" and "Fry Carl Lee,” the church forms special congressional meetings and the entire trial is watched by the media. The book is beautifully written describing the local customs and invisible divide between the races. It is meticulously researched and no accusatory tone used to describe the whites or the blacks. But the palpable tension is felt throughout the book. The conclusion can be rated one of the stark and hurting truth I have ever read.

This book gave me the true insight of a rural town in America and a lot information about the racial divide there. The customs, the court system and of course the segregation but not explicitly. That is when I decided that I will not discriminate on the basis of colour, religion, language or on the basis of general stereotypical descriptions. It thought me whatever may be the background, everyone is guided by a certain sense dignity and I need to respect that. And this book was the starting point for me to know more about the American culture. John Grisham’s books like The Painted House, The Chamber and The Innocent Man are steeped in full accounts of the rural America and it is not very different from the Indian rural villages. Many situations or the common struggles a man face is universal. It is the love and respect for each other to a large extent which keeps the momentum of life.

This is one book I would recommend first others to read to know about the struggles of the blacks in the US and other is To Kill a Mocking Bird, which is also there in my repertoire. This was made into a successful movie later on in 1996, starring Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey.

The closing argument of this case can be seen in the below link to YouTube…

Closing Argument

Books that influenced my life.

I am tired of thinking and writing on many issues which I have no control over.

There is a prayer, I am not sure who really wrote it or said it and there is a controversy in this regard too..

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

This is a prayer which is applicable in all areas of our life. Maybe it is one way of resigning from the reality of the situation. There are umpteen areas in our day-to-day life that we have no control over. Most of us have reconciled to this fact, it is one way of living at this time of uncertainties. But the greatest gift to man is no one can control anyone’s thoughts or change it in entirety. The change has to come over from inside, influenced by many sources and for me the books I have read has a deep impact on my life and thoughts. The following posts would be of books.

The earliest of books or rather the stories read out by my grandma were the greatest influence in my life and they are the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. God bless and rest in peace. We did not have any electricity in our place in Kerala, we literally burned the midnight oil by reading with the little kerosene lantern. I used to long for our winter holidays to go there to listen to those wonderful stories. My grandma was a fantastic storyteller, those epics were in Sanskrit and she would translate it to chaste Malayalam. She was the person who took me into the world of books and my curiosity and thirst for knowledge grew with the times.

The next biggest influence were the NCERT English textbooks we had in Kendriya Vidyalaya. I personally felt the entire time I spend in the school was an unending period of boredom. The only thing of worth I learned was the language English and the rest all is just a blur in the horizon. Those textbooks were full of beautiful stories on moral values, integrity, character and many many things. From the absent minded Kutchu to the poems by Nissim Ezekiel, I enjoyed them all. The Amar Chitra Katha, Tintin, Asterix and Obelix, Batman, Mad Comics, Chandamama, Spiderman, Walt Disney, and all the children’s books had a deep impact on me. They were all full of fun and every book or comic had a beautiful message to tell. I remember our librarian Mr Gandhi encouraging everyone to take up reading.

Then came the bit more serious stuff at that time and bulkier Famous Five, Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. I read most of them whenever I could lay my hands on them. This was the stepping stone for most of the other serious reading later on. Slowly Alistair Maclean, Ken Follet, James Hardly Chase (I used to be excited and fearful of the covers), Louis L’Amour, the Sudden series of Western stories and ran through the entire lot by the end of school and the source of these books was a library run by a women’s welfare club. Then a girl introduced the wonderful writer P.G. Wodehouse. I used to read his books at the time of my 10th std and was caught reading this in the English period and a funny incident ensued. Those were the best days of my life. I was transported to a different world all together, I could conceive the scenario in my mind and conjure up the happenings. And my reading into the night was a cause of frequent frictions with my brothers.

I would give anything to get back to that period of wishful reading, if time travel backwards is possible. The next post will be much more details of the books which really changed my perception and thoughts.

Social Activists and NGOs

An article in Times of India prompts me to write this post. I am just going to vent out my frustrations and opinions on NGOs and some National Social Agencies. (Article is not found on the TOI website)

Duelling with the city police was an article under the City Lights of the Times of India on 26th Jan ‘09. The gist of the story is the National Commission for Women member Ms Nirmala Venkatesh going to a police station in Chennai with a posse of journalists and an 80 year old woman. The reason is the police harass this woman who sells biscuits in street. The filmy way of the whole episode was very graphically presented by the Times. It also said the NCW member demanded the constables to salute her for the post she holds and demanded justice for that old women who was harassed for hawking her wares in the street.

There are two points here.

1. The police had a valid point that the lady was a traffic hindrance. This is very common in the cities, where the vehicles, the cows, the pedestrians, the hawkers and peddlers jostle for space on the roads. These hawkers with their wares occupy every space on the pavement making pedestrians to walk on the road and face all sort uncertainties.

2. Even if your are the President of India, you don’t go around putting your weight. Respect is commanded not demanded. Why do a lowly person salute the higher up? It is not the status or the position he holds, it is out of respect and adoration. This lady who was a MLA from Karnataka, this is not the first time she has troubled the police, parking in no parking areas and accusing the traffic policeman of bribery.

Has Ms Nirmala Venkatesh seen this issue on a different angle and enquired about all the mitigating circumstances in the alleged harassment of the police? What right has the NCW member demand the police to salute her?

The NGOs and these agencies are becoming more and more of a pain. They think their cause is the most important issue in the society, but have seen the other side of the argument? Human rights mean rights of all, not just the oppressed or the downtrodden.

By obstructing the traffic the lady has caused inconvenience to the cops, the drivers and the pedestrians. So what about their rights? Every situation has another side to it and I would like these people to enquire the full incident before making a dramatic entrance to the scene.

Yes, it is fine if the NGOs and the social activists have a zealous approach to their cause, but it should be done within the parameters of law and the rights of others.

Cable Television Network Regulations (CNR) Act

This is an interesting topic on which I have commented on many occasions in the print media, called up TV stations, wrote to the editors, given online comments. This is one topic I have a great interest. You can start with The Times of India, Times Now TV, NDTV, CNN IBN, and countless number of regional and national media houses.

I remember the good old days of DD and their sober news time. With the advent of the cable television and entry of TRP based performances have greatly contribute to the crass quality, sensationalism and giving irrelevant, trivial information just for the sake of creating sympathy, anger and increase their viewership. This is not limited to some small players who can only survive this rat race by publishing or covering these trivial, petty and sensationalistic information. But this is the case with the big players as well.

I am just commenting on the common style of the presenters and anchor in TV News Channels

1. They try to put words into the mouth of the interviewees instead of soliciting their opinions.

2. They are very often biased in its coverage of issues of National importance like the reservations issue, communalism and the sensational murder cases (like the Arushi Talwar murder, which was a total character assassination)

3. They all have the Intellectual arrogance - all try their earnest best to push its own view on its viewers instead of presenting the story at hand in a unbiased manner

4. Sensationalism and insensitivity - all make trivial or insignificant issues into something of great magnitude, the poor viewer has no option but to become panicky. Anything can be written, peddled, promoted, distorted and sensationalized if it can sell.

5. A bunch of half baked presenters / writers whose only qualification for presenting / writing is their freedom of speech and who think they can write to and speak for an entire nation.

6. Personal opinions of presenters / writers are analysed, minor trends portrayed as the 'next big thing' and irrelevant minuscule details of celebrities and wannabes are made a part of a national debate.

7. Most of them are phony, pretentious, pseudo-secular (when-it-suits-me secularism) and have a prior opinion and try to prove a point. (That is not the goal of good journalism)

8. All indulge in one sided coverage, wrong news reportage, influencing the authorities and creating sympathy and media trials.

9. Have no respect for the guest interviewed, for example Karan Thapar... His interviews are such a farce and a mockery. The past interviews can be seen on the YouTube, like the one with J Jayalalitha. (Who in the end says it was not a pleasure talking to you)

10. Starting emotional campaigns. (Burka Dutt 'Enough is enough')

11. Continious feed of the so called Live... they just repeat the same over and over again. Bringing panelists and some inconsequential and irrelevant people to talk shows and deteriorate the issues further (Example Burka Dutt's talk show after the Mumbai terrorist attacks where Simi Garewal let her tongue loose and gave a very controversial statement)

12. Showing false concern, anger and sympathy (As if the reporter or the presenter is personally affected by these happenings). This is the most disgusting and the worst part of the all above.

I feel personally these tactics are used to generate TRP ratings and in turn get advertisements and revenue. But is that justified, by feeding such nonsense and sensationalized gibberish 24x7? The news channels as well as the print media are taking full advantage of all trivial and of no national importance issues and misusing the freedom of expression.

The Indian Media has to see the sobriety of the NPR.ORG website and their careful and responsible reporting. It is not just sensationalism or generating TRP, the Fourth Estate has a very vital role to play in the building of the nation and have a huge responsibility in giving clean and responsible coverage.

Unless the government take a strong stance on this, the media is going continue doing all the above for the TRP and advertisements. I really hope Rajdeep Sardesai, Burka Dutt, Arnab Goswami, Karan Thapar and many others change their ways by keeping a check on their reporting, analysing and presenting of news.