Over the years, I have gathered much respect for the Mahatma. During teens, I also hated the Mahatma and it was a fashion of the times to be a Subhas-Bose fan, which implied a hatred for the Mahatma. Things changed during the period when my mother was suffering from cancer. We were in this small shabby hotel room in Bombay waiting for the next appointment. There was not much to do and I went through a vernacular translation of Mahatma's autobiography. (PS: I still think that the English version of Gandhi's Autobiography is not the right kind to inspire people! My vernacular version inspired an instant awe and drew an immediate intimacy with the Mahatma.) Since those days, I have been a Gandhi fan (though not at the cost of losing Subhas as one of my hero!).
It was just yesterday that I was wondering what would have happened to Indo-Pak relationship, had Gandhi been alive and in power! Few years back I was listening to one of Gandhi's speeches in the immediate aftermath of separation. He could never take the separation as real and was saying: "This will all be over soon. And then we all will go to Lahore. We will have sweets and will all crack crackers!" I was wandering how he would have tackled the Kashmir problem (when the King asked for Indian help to secure his Muslim-dominant kingdom!), or the 1972 war over the formation of Bangladesh (when the Bangladeshis were fed up with Pakisthan's imposition of Urdu and when the Pakisthani General was mercilessly massacring Hindus!), or the recent Kargil conflict.
May be if he were in power, none of these would have happened in the first place. For example, be it Jinnah or Nehru, does it matter who governs the nation? Once someone is in power, he/she behaves in an almost typical pattern. Secondly, if the Kashimiris want a separate nation, in what way is their claim less important than then the claim of Bangladeshis (whom we supported)? I would rather have a good and loving neighbor than a rebel in my own home! And those who talk about national integrity, let me be very clear that "India the nation" means very little to many of the peripheral regions and to most of the tribal regions. After 60 years of independence we don't have a primary school over stretches as long as 60-80 km in North Eastern states; and it still takes an officer almost two days to go to his tribal posting from the nearest town! The central/regional government can never be excused for these lapses.
One thing is for sure. The Mahatma would have continued with his work of "village Swaraj" (real independence of the villages) and "Sarvoday" (rise of all). And may be he would have done it in all the neighboring nations (even if we were divided into 10 smaller nations). Its the cultural heritage that binds (or can bind) us together, not any political boundary or force. And of course, if he were in power we would not have fell into the trap of Lord Mountbatten and would still have had a single nation (at the cost of a delayed independence and may be a different first PM).
We have missed a complete different thought process. We have completely missed an opportunity to be developed. And I don't think we will get a second chance!!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Deja Vu: Insignificant vs. Significant
(PS: Deja Vu blogs are the blogs from a while ago and are not new and fresh!)
In my last few blogs, I have been talking about how insignificantly insignificant is life, creation and all that's here around. Yesterday I came across a wonderful notion. I was reading through an essay by Swami Vivekananda, where he was talking about how creation is created by the merger of Prana (energy) and Akasa (mater); how it comes into being, goes through a cycle and again vanishes, just to reappear again. Even modern astrophysics to some extent supports this view. I.e. the universe was created because of big bang and there are ultimately two possible ends to it, viz. it will expand for ever till it becomes energy less and hence dark; or it may contract again and merge into a black-hole yet again. Its the second possibility which has been supported by Advitik philosophy.
Anyway, my point was something different. Given that its a cycle and given that this world follows a strictly cause-n-effect rule, where is the notion of significant or insignificant? When I breath, I just do it subconsciously without counting and without thinking which breath is better or worse than which other one. Its childish to compare one breath with another. Similarly its childish to put epithets against events. Events are just events. Lives are just lives. Creations and just creations! Neither significant nor insignificant. We are helplessly parts of it. Whatever we are doing, thinking or speaking, has no novelty to it, all these are just events with no adjectives whatsoever.
In my last few blogs, I have been talking about how insignificantly insignificant is life, creation and all that's here around. Yesterday I came across a wonderful notion. I was reading through an essay by Swami Vivekananda, where he was talking about how creation is created by the merger of Prana (energy) and Akasa (mater); how it comes into being, goes through a cycle and again vanishes, just to reappear again. Even modern astrophysics to some extent supports this view. I.e. the universe was created because of big bang and there are ultimately two possible ends to it, viz. it will expand for ever till it becomes energy less and hence dark; or it may contract again and merge into a black-hole yet again. Its the second possibility which has been supported by Advitik philosophy.
Anyway, my point was something different. Given that its a cycle and given that this world follows a strictly cause-n-effect rule, where is the notion of significant or insignificant? When I breath, I just do it subconsciously without counting and without thinking which breath is better or worse than which other one. Its childish to compare one breath with another. Similarly its childish to put epithets against events. Events are just events. Lives are just lives. Creations and just creations! Neither significant nor insignificant. We are helplessly parts of it. Whatever we are doing, thinking or speaking, has no novelty to it, all these are just events with no adjectives whatsoever.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Art of Communication
Disclaimer: First of all sorry that I have been OFF for such a long period. I mostly write my blogs when there is some sort of pain in the heart or mind. When I am silent, you may presume that I am content :)
Few days back I was talking a very close friend of mine, who mostly is pretty cool even in adverse situations. He suddenly told me about his life's philosophy! This is what I heard! (PS: If you look at the Buddhist scriptures, they have been narrated by Ananda the arch-disciple of Buddha. Ananda never says "Buddha told" this or that! He always says "I heard the Buddha telling...". A simple difference in words but it actually means a lot. The day people realize this, much of the fundamentalism will disappear! E.g. while reading the Holy Quoran, if I always keep in mind that this is what I am reading or understanding from the holy book, then there is no problem! Problem comes when people say "this is what God has decreed"! )
The greatest art of communication lies in controlling the other person and not getting controlled. Try to take him/her in surprise. Act in just the opposite way as what he/she would have expected to react. Lets say someone gives you a really bad abuse, he/she subconsciously is prepared to see you all angry and blasting or tearful. If you don't act like that, you are hurting him/her in a very bad way! He/she is instantly defeated! So the secret lies in seeing through what the other person is expecting and of course if you want him/her to feel defeated! If he/she is your beloved one, there is no point making him/her feel bad. If he/she is abusing you, you react and shout and may be shade tear. But if you are trying to confront the other person, then be ready with the shock therapy! React just the opposite way of the way he/she would expect you to react!!
PPS: This reminds me of the sayings of Krishnamurthy as told to me by my father: "Most people go on reacting all their life and they never actually perform any action! Try to look at the world without any precondition and then you will stop reacting and start acting! Thats the joy of meditation!!".
Few days back I was talking a very close friend of mine, who mostly is pretty cool even in adverse situations. He suddenly told me about his life's philosophy! This is what I heard! (PS: If you look at the Buddhist scriptures, they have been narrated by Ananda the arch-disciple of Buddha. Ananda never says "Buddha told" this or that! He always says "I heard the Buddha telling...". A simple difference in words but it actually means a lot. The day people realize this, much of the fundamentalism will disappear! E.g. while reading the Holy Quoran, if I always keep in mind that this is what I am reading or understanding from the holy book, then there is no problem! Problem comes when people say "this is what God has decreed"! )
The greatest art of communication lies in controlling the other person and not getting controlled. Try to take him/her in surprise. Act in just the opposite way as what he/she would have expected to react. Lets say someone gives you a really bad abuse, he/she subconsciously is prepared to see you all angry and blasting or tearful. If you don't act like that, you are hurting him/her in a very bad way! He/she is instantly defeated! So the secret lies in seeing through what the other person is expecting and of course if you want him/her to feel defeated! If he/she is your beloved one, there is no point making him/her feel bad. If he/she is abusing you, you react and shout and may be shade tear. But if you are trying to confront the other person, then be ready with the shock therapy! React just the opposite way of the way he/she would expect you to react!!
PPS: This reminds me of the sayings of Krishnamurthy as told to me by my father: "Most people go on reacting all their life and they never actually perform any action! Try to look at the world without any precondition and then you will stop reacting and start acting! Thats the joy of meditation!!".
Monday, March 15, 2010
DejaVu: Empathy!! (Thursday, June 29, 2006)
One of those nice words, that I like in English! "Empathy", word which says so much,.....well at least to me. Putting oneself into another's position. Putting your foot in another's shoe!
I was watching a French movie (name was something RED). European movies are quite nice, a different world from the American movies! Anyway, in it there is this psychopath retired judge, whose neighbours did not like him, and once a while one of the neighbours would throw a stone at his house. Peacefully he was collecting all the stones, ....there were six of them till that day. He was saying to his friend, "I think they must be hating me like anything. I am sure I would have done the same at their place". His friend gets surprised and asks, "you would have thrown stones??". He answered, "Its so natural; given those conditions, anyone would have behaved exactly the same!".
What we call as ourself, our morales, our principles, none of them actually belong to us. We have picked them up in our journey called life. We are bad or good, its as much natural. Philosophers sometime say, its natural to be happy. Its our nature to be "Anand". Then why are we not? Are "WE", different from nature?
If someone is bad its natural, if someone is good, its equally natural. Put yourself in his/her shoes, you can not become anything else! So where is the reason to be happy that I am good or to be sorry that I am bad (or have bad feelings)?
I was watching a French movie (name was something RED). European movies are quite nice, a different world from the American movies! Anyway, in it there is this psychopath retired judge, whose neighbours did not like him, and once a while one of the neighbours would throw a stone at his house. Peacefully he was collecting all the stones, ....there were six of them till that day. He was saying to his friend, "I think they must be hating me like anything. I am sure I would have done the same at their place". His friend gets surprised and asks, "you would have thrown stones??". He answered, "Its so natural; given those conditions, anyone would have behaved exactly the same!".
What we call as ourself, our morales, our principles, none of them actually belong to us. We have picked them up in our journey called life. We are bad or good, its as much natural. Philosophers sometime say, its natural to be happy. Its our nature to be "Anand". Then why are we not? Are "WE", different from nature?
If someone is bad its natural, if someone is good, its equally natural. Put yourself in his/her shoes, you can not become anything else! So where is the reason to be happy that I am good or to be sorry that I am bad (or have bad feelings)?
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Bug, society and individual
Just now I was having coffee in a languid lonely coffee corner and marked a big-bug steadily progressing towards me! I am eternally scared of bugs, especially because of the way they walk! My first reaction was to smash it :) But I controlled my flooding temptation and just marked it scrolling on. It was more like a six-legged Mars-rover, moving on and on and on. It has hardly any memory. Hence it cant learn from its past failures. It just moves on. I put an obstacle on its way, it tried a lot and finally changed its course. Not that it was in a course, it was just moving and now it moved in another direction. May be life is like that? We just need to keep on moving, adapting and changing. Then end of the day we have moved a lot! Not that it makes us any achiever or loser. Just that we have moved a lot.
Then I tried to think like the bug! For it there is no past no future... may be no present. Its not bothered about what others will say. Its not bothered about what will happen. It just moves on thinking of its own self and its own immediate surrounding! Then I realised that the reason of all pain and emotional problems for we human-beings is society! If for once we can truely forget the "others" and just keep crawling, then it will give rise to a much steadier and much smoother flow. And that will end all our goals, aspiration, aims etc. etc. I think this is true individualism. A man staying in society or in forest or in hills; keeping on moving and discovering news things all the time... May be this is what they call being like a lotus leaf (staying in water and yet not getting wet). Hmmmm... I am yet to experiment doing this...
Then I tried to think like the bug! For it there is no past no future... may be no present. Its not bothered about what others will say. Its not bothered about what will happen. It just moves on thinking of its own self and its own immediate surrounding! Then I realised that the reason of all pain and emotional problems for we human-beings is society! If for once we can truely forget the "others" and just keep crawling, then it will give rise to a much steadier and much smoother flow. And that will end all our goals, aspiration, aims etc. etc. I think this is true individualism. A man staying in society or in forest or in hills; keeping on moving and discovering news things all the time... May be this is what they call being like a lotus leaf (staying in water and yet not getting wet). Hmmmm... I am yet to experiment doing this...
Friday, February 19, 2010
Infidelity and food!
I was talking to an old friend of mine who got recently engaged. He was disturbed. Its because even after his engagement, he felt physical attraction towards other girls! And mind that he is engaged to someone he loves. I have full faith on the love of each of them for the other. And because he loves her a lot, he is disgusted with such feelings and was quite disturbed. This left me ponder...
Why do we put so much importance on physical attraction? Why do we always try to say that sex is not at all important, but in this process make it a "class apart". Sex is just another physical need for us, like food or water. Do we always eat our dinner at home? Does eating in a hotel or at a friend's place puts a question on our love for our mother/wife? Then why the same rule can't be applied in the case of sex? Why should we mix up love/attachment and sex?
Why do we put so much importance on physical attraction? Why do we always try to say that sex is not at all important, but in this process make it a "class apart". Sex is just another physical need for us, like food or water. Do we always eat our dinner at home? Does eating in a hotel or at a friend's place puts a question on our love for our mother/wife? Then why the same rule can't be applied in the case of sex? Why should we mix up love/attachment and sex?
Friday, February 12, 2010
Strong feeling!
Many times we use this phrase "strong feeling" in a pretty casual way. Today I was writing something in my diary and used the phrase. Then I realised though I had a "strong feeling" on whatever matter I was refering to, at the moment of writing my diary the feeling was not that strong! On contemplation I realised that a strong feeling is always associated with a subconscious desire to defy it!
Lets take a more explicit example. When do you think/realise that something is strong? Strength is validated only in adverse conditions, when there is a sufficiently strong opponent. Applying this analogy to thoughts/feelings, when I say I have a "strong feeling" about something, it inherently implies that there is an under current of feelings/secret-desires against my feelings. Then only my feelings become strong, rather we appreciate them as strong. And mark that the opposing under-current of feelings mostly will not be conspicuous or easy to tell apart!
PS: (Spin-off) The V-day enthusiasts, reconsider your line of thoughts when you think that " I gotta "strong feeling" that this gotta be the person made for me!"
Lets take a more explicit example. When do you think/realise that something is strong? Strength is validated only in adverse conditions, when there is a sufficiently strong opponent. Applying this analogy to thoughts/feelings, when I say I have a "strong feeling" about something, it inherently implies that there is an under current of feelings/secret-desires against my feelings. Then only my feelings become strong, rather we appreciate them as strong. And mark that the opposing under-current of feelings mostly will not be conspicuous or easy to tell apart!
PS: (Spin-off) The V-day enthusiasts, reconsider your line of thoughts when you think that " I gotta "strong feeling" that this gotta be the person made for me!"
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
"Promise"
Infinite space and infinite time;
Infinite faces to recall;
Infinite length of paths and
A finite length of awaiting! 1
The beautiful face with curly hairs;
Hazy gaze in the smiling eyes;
Mind running in infinite directions;
Awake just for a finite second! 2
That curly haired face,
Stamped on memory so brightly;
Couldn't force it out of the infinite faces;
Couldn't pin it in the infinite time. 3
For sure we have met,
Know her do I for sure;
I'm also sure of her love for me;
Just cant remember when was it! 4
Ah! it was here a while ago;
A while can mean any finite time;
We met here I am now sure.
And she told she would come for me! 5
Today is the day I suppose,
Now is the time she promised;
But still cant figure out where is she;
The infinite number of faces.... difficult to see! 6
A wait and wait and further did I wait.
Finite time stretching to infinite duration;
Thoughts running amok in all directions
And finally came that moment! 7
The moment did come finally!
The moment when anger caught hold of me;
Boiling blood and sanguine thoughts;
Without relevance or perseverance! 8
Again the same story repeats,
Finite time stretch to infinite durations;
Blood gets tired of running so fast;
I observe that my finite time is over! 9
Why did she not keep her promise?
Why did she make me wait for ever?
In infinite time among infinite faces;
Why she forced me to look so awkward?
To force a finite time and a finite face?
Or was it some other day she promised?
How can I know?
With infinite time and infinite faces... I am lost!! 10
Infinite faces to recall;
Infinite length of paths and
A finite length of awaiting! 1
The beautiful face with curly hairs;
Hazy gaze in the smiling eyes;
Mind running in infinite directions;
Awake just for a finite second! 2
That curly haired face,
Stamped on memory so brightly;
Couldn't force it out of the infinite faces;
Couldn't pin it in the infinite time. 3
For sure we have met,
Know her do I for sure;
I'm also sure of her love for me;
Just cant remember when was it! 4
Ah! it was here a while ago;
A while can mean any finite time;
We met here I am now sure.
And she told she would come for me! 5
Today is the day I suppose,
Now is the time she promised;
But still cant figure out where is she;
The infinite number of faces.... difficult to see! 6
A wait and wait and further did I wait.
Finite time stretching to infinite duration;
Thoughts running amok in all directions
And finally came that moment! 7
The moment did come finally!
The moment when anger caught hold of me;
Boiling blood and sanguine thoughts;
Without relevance or perseverance! 8
Again the same story repeats,
Finite time stretch to infinite durations;
Blood gets tired of running so fast;
I observe that my finite time is over! 9
Why did she not keep her promise?
Why did she make me wait for ever?
In infinite time among infinite faces;
Why she forced me to look so awkward?
To force a finite time and a finite face?
Or was it some other day she promised?
How can I know?
With infinite time and infinite faces... I am lost!! 10
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Patriotic songs!
I don't remember how, today I bumped into a video clip in you-tube of the song "rangde basanti chola", a patriotic song from an old Hindi film. Then I browsed through a few more such songs. The songs are amazing. The lyric with awesome music makes your blood run amock! You feel like doing something!! Then I thought about the condition of the Jehadis of Kashmir or the Naxals of Koraput. I think they are also running a rebellion with no less ernestness. If we shun those efforts, lets also shun the effort of our Indian patriots. If we call them terrorists, then lets not hesitate to brand Rajguru and Sukdev as terrorists. If we call theirs as unfair armed moment, lets also call the "freedom struggle of 1857" as "sepoy mutiny". Why this hypocrasy, why this discrimination?
Then I wondered about the reason for which such songs and ideas make our blood boil? As Nietzsche put it,"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how". May be such songs are trying to inculcate in our mind that "why" to live. I feel we human beings are always in search for a higher thing, a higher being, a higher goal, a higher aspiration, a higher spirit... And if we can be made to believe in any such "higher stuff", we are actualy in a hurry to do just about anything for that!
Then I wondered about the reason for which such songs and ideas make our blood boil? As Nietzsche put it,"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how". May be such songs are trying to inculcate in our mind that "why" to live. I feel we human beings are always in search for a higher thing, a higher being, a higher goal, a higher aspiration, a higher spirit... And if we can be made to believe in any such "higher stuff", we are actualy in a hurry to do just about anything for that!
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Armed rebel, war and liberty: physical ahimsa!!
Last month I was in one of the tribal districts of Odisha. I met people there from whom I got some second hand accounts of what's happening in the land in the name of Naxal moment. All these days I am also reading a book named "The Guns of August", an excellent account of the happenings of the first world war. With all these things in mind, suddenly I came to realise something:
It has become utterly futile these days to wage a war or an armed revolution. The days of heroism and martyredom are gone. The races which realise this sooner will be the winners! Days are gone, when you could by arms and force occupy a foreign land and get loots. This may still happen today; but its a very short term benefit. Days are gone when people would rise with a new idea, take up arms and get liberated from the old rules. This may still happen these days; but these again are a waste of time and lives. Now has come a time of globalization and commercialization. If you think you are free, then you are. If a race thinks it ought to be liberated, then it has to fight its own stigma and establish itseld economically. If you think of occupying a foreign land, then sutly control its economy. The way its happening these days. Foreign companies, invest in India. Its Indian resources, Indian manpower and Indian consumers. But the profit goes to the foreign lands. So they have made us work for their purpose and made us give them money as well. And it all is happenig so smoothly! You wanna reverse it, then you gotta make a better company with better strategies!
Similarly, the naxalites who want to liberate their land and get the benefit of their own resources, have to rise beyond the level of money and oratory. They have to think big, use their own resources, invest in man-power and skill enhancement, generate public openion and force the government to start developmental programs, and in a few decades they can beat any damn developed state of the nation. May be this is neo-Gandhism? Dont know. But it certainly is not physical-violence. So it can be called physical-ahimsa!
It has become utterly futile these days to wage a war or an armed revolution. The days of heroism and martyredom are gone. The races which realise this sooner will be the winners! Days are gone, when you could by arms and force occupy a foreign land and get loots. This may still happen today; but its a very short term benefit. Days are gone when people would rise with a new idea, take up arms and get liberated from the old rules. This may still happen these days; but these again are a waste of time and lives. Now has come a time of globalization and commercialization. If you think you are free, then you are. If a race thinks it ought to be liberated, then it has to fight its own stigma and establish itseld economically. If you think of occupying a foreign land, then sutly control its economy. The way its happening these days. Foreign companies, invest in India. Its Indian resources, Indian manpower and Indian consumers. But the profit goes to the foreign lands. So they have made us work for their purpose and made us give them money as well. And it all is happenig so smoothly! You wanna reverse it, then you gotta make a better company with better strategies!
Similarly, the naxalites who want to liberate their land and get the benefit of their own resources, have to rise beyond the level of money and oratory. They have to think big, use their own resources, invest in man-power and skill enhancement, generate public openion and force the government to start developmental programs, and in a few decades they can beat any damn developed state of the nation. May be this is neo-Gandhism? Dont know. But it certainly is not physical-violence. So it can be called physical-ahimsa!
Sunday, January 03, 2010
AAll izz well
Its precisely the point when I was looking around for the writings of existential philosophers like Sartre and Nietzsche, that I came across this movie "3 idiots" and its song "all izz well" (AIW). Outwardly they seem to be two different principles. The AIW philosophy professes that try to relax and put up the fake notion on your psyche that all is well! It wont solve the problems, but will just make you relaxed. Its like taking a peg of whiskey to feel relaxed! At the other extreme are the existentialists who tell you to face the truth. They are too blunt to handle... to the point of making you bleed. They try to free you from the effect of any tranquilizer and force you to think logically and then try to conclude that life has no higher or greater purpose! There is no morality, there is no right-n-wrong, there aint anything! Its just a show, with no prelogue no dialogue and no epilogue.
On my second thought I realized that though these two ways diverge in the beginning, at the end they give you the same experience! You are relieved of any tension. In the AIW philosophy, you forget tension for the time being because you are self-mesmerizing yourself to believing that all is under control. In the existentialistic way of thought also you finally are void of any tension or excitement, not because they don't exist, but because they no longer pose any importance. It becomes a part of the game, just to be enjoyed, not to be taken seriously!
Very interesting, how different routes lead to similar conclusions!! But there are subtle differences as well. Its like a poor man eating simple food because he cant afford anything better; while a rich man taking simple food because he cant digest anything different :)
On my second thought I realized that though these two ways diverge in the beginning, at the end they give you the same experience! You are relieved of any tension. In the AIW philosophy, you forget tension for the time being because you are self-mesmerizing yourself to believing that all is under control. In the existentialistic way of thought also you finally are void of any tension or excitement, not because they don't exist, but because they no longer pose any importance. It becomes a part of the game, just to be enjoyed, not to be taken seriously!
Very interesting, how different routes lead to similar conclusions!! But there are subtle differences as well. Its like a poor man eating simple food because he cant afford anything better; while a rich man taking simple food because he cant digest anything different :)
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Naxalism-Terrorism
Yesterday home secretary gave a statement that in government's eyes Naxalites and terrorists are one and the same. I am sure most Indians share his openion. Let me put my two pennies worth comment here.
** What is terrorism? Its the act of terrorizing common people. They kill or bomb common unarmed people to reign terror. If you try to remember all the naxal attacks in the last few years (as reported in newspapers) you will mark that almost all such attacks have been on police, paramillitary or millitary personnels. So if attack is against armed forces, my simple conviction is that it is not terrorism rather its civil war!
** I dont know much about other places. However, as far as tribal districts of Orissa is concerned, the first proper rail started running in those areas only a few years back. And till now there is only one express (Hirakhand Express) running through the tribal areas. Train is the heart throbe of modern world. One train for 1/3rd of the state: you can imagine to what extent government has neglected these areas.
** With no train, no communication and loads of minerals, these areas have been ranshacked by our power-bearers. And with this went expiation of the tribals.
** With all these ground work, there came arms and new philosophies from our neighbours. Hence, do you blame the naxals?
Those who still blame the Naxals, please try to imagine yourself in their place. With no land, no source of income, no health care, no schools, with your parents being treated as slaves by local businessman, your sister raped by the local police........ what would you do? Go and talk to government? Do you think we have such a system where a poor can talk and complain?
Lets stop fooling ourselves. Lets first accept that "our" (not of any government or anything else) negligence is the cause of this problem. Secondly lets stop fooling around and accept that this is NOT terrorism, this is a bloody civil-war! And lastly, lets make system so that they will feel that its risky to lift the gun, its risky in the sense I will lose a good life, its risky in the sense I may lose my family, its risky in the sense I may lose my food-or-hood! That will automatically stop it. Without this, there is no stopping the flow. And remember my frineds, with the flow none of us is safe and none our lives is worth living...!!
** What is terrorism? Its the act of terrorizing common people. They kill or bomb common unarmed people to reign terror. If you try to remember all the naxal attacks in the last few years (as reported in newspapers) you will mark that almost all such attacks have been on police, paramillitary or millitary personnels. So if attack is against armed forces, my simple conviction is that it is not terrorism rather its civil war!
** I dont know much about other places. However, as far as tribal districts of Orissa is concerned, the first proper rail started running in those areas only a few years back. And till now there is only one express (Hirakhand Express) running through the tribal areas. Train is the heart throbe of modern world. One train for 1/3rd of the state: you can imagine to what extent government has neglected these areas.
** With no train, no communication and loads of minerals, these areas have been ranshacked by our power-bearers. And with this went expiation of the tribals.
** With all these ground work, there came arms and new philosophies from our neighbours. Hence, do you blame the naxals?
Those who still blame the Naxals, please try to imagine yourself in their place. With no land, no source of income, no health care, no schools, with your parents being treated as slaves by local businessman, your sister raped by the local police........ what would you do? Go and talk to government? Do you think we have such a system where a poor can talk and complain?
Lets stop fooling ourselves. Lets first accept that "our" (not of any government or anything else) negligence is the cause of this problem. Secondly lets stop fooling around and accept that this is NOT terrorism, this is a bloody civil-war! And lastly, lets make system so that they will feel that its risky to lift the gun, its risky in the sense I will lose a good life, its risky in the sense I may lose my family, its risky in the sense I may lose my food-or-hood! That will automatically stop it. Without this, there is no stopping the flow. And remember my frineds, with the flow none of us is safe and none our lives is worth living...!!
Monday, November 09, 2009
Each as per his capacity!
Like most middle class families in the 80's, mine was also a believer in socialistic philosophies. One of the socialist quotes which attracted me was "work as per your capacity; take as per your need"! Utopian saying. Last night while looking at the approaching train under the bridge, I was suddenly reminded of this quote, in a different context. I think the way we grow, we are always at the edge of chaos. We have exactly the amount of happiness or sorrows that we can endure or need. A bit more happiness, we will lose our sense and a bit more sorrow will make us suicidal. Its not that there is some god out there assigning happiness or sorrow for us. Its rather like any other thing in nature. A stone is at a particular place, just because that's the most optimal position that has come in its course. Similarly we are still alive implies that our pain and pleasure have been balanced. Its a process of elimination! That gave me my philosophy for that night "pain and pleasure come to each as per his capacity!" Pain or pleasure in your life has got nothing to do with what you did right or wrong. May be its a socialistic world all the way...!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Playboy's poetry!
She loves me, she loves me not;
The dilemma runs wild in my heart;
I used flower, I used pendulum and many more;
Still about her heart could not be sure! 1
Days followed evenings and followed other days;
On and on I waited for the faintest of her says;
I told my friends, and I told her pals;
If anything or anyone can help me win that gal! 2
Months followed months and some more months did went;
One day I could really see her looking at me!
My heart thumbed and my palms perspired;
Finally she came and confirmed that she loved me! 3
I was in seventh heaven,
My mind was blank, and noisy and overflowing with joy!
I told my friends and I told her pals;
It was party-n-park time for next few weekends! 4
Then suddenly I felt an ache,
A vacuum, a strange stagnating coldness in my heart;
Would gaze at her lovely face and
Knew nothing to tell or talk or sing! 5
She loves me, she does love me;
The dilemma did dissolve long back;
I used no flower, nor pendulum nor nothing more,
Yet about my own heart could not be sure! 6
May be she is not the one,
May be this is not really true love!
May e this is just infatuation;
I knew not how to tell this to her. 7
I knew not what love was;
This much I could be sure;
I told so to her and she wept;
And I was free again to put for sale my heart! 8
Girls followed girls and more girls did come;
Each one's entry extravagant, yet exit equally damp!
Each time I was sure it was true love and true joy!
Still it broke, and again came the dilemma of a playboy!! 9
The dilemma runs wild in my heart;
I used flower, I used pendulum and many more;
Still about her heart could not be sure! 1
Days followed evenings and followed other days;
On and on I waited for the faintest of her says;
I told my friends, and I told her pals;
If anything or anyone can help me win that gal! 2
Months followed months and some more months did went;
One day I could really see her looking at me!
My heart thumbed and my palms perspired;
Finally she came and confirmed that she loved me! 3
I was in seventh heaven,
My mind was blank, and noisy and overflowing with joy!
I told my friends and I told her pals;
It was party-n-park time for next few weekends! 4
Then suddenly I felt an ache,
A vacuum, a strange stagnating coldness in my heart;
Would gaze at her lovely face and
Knew nothing to tell or talk or sing! 5
She loves me, she does love me;
The dilemma did dissolve long back;
I used no flower, nor pendulum nor nothing more,
Yet about my own heart could not be sure! 6
May be she is not the one,
May be this is not really true love!
May e this is just infatuation;
I knew not how to tell this to her. 7
I knew not what love was;
This much I could be sure;
I told so to her and she wept;
And I was free again to put for sale my heart! 8
Girls followed girls and more girls did come;
Each one's entry extravagant, yet exit equally damp!
Each time I was sure it was true love and true joy!
Still it broke, and again came the dilemma of a playboy!! 9
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
"Free to fall in love"
The day broke,
May be a bit early today!
"Alas" told the dew drop,
And fell down in silence! 1||
May be it was the tempest,
That broke havoc last night;
That made the twigs so weak;
The green leaf fell with no sound! 2||
May be the throbbing heart missed a pace,
Or, it was lost in some contemplation;
Or, was it broken beyond repair?
Yet, it could dare to love again! 3||
The bleeding heart waited earnestly,
Till the blood drops traversed their course;
And touched did they with no sound,
Then there fell the blanket of silence! 4||
The lost heart waited...
And waited...in case it could bleed more;
Ah! there was no blood left to bleed off!
Then befell a wonderful solace on it. 5||
The most wonderful symphony of silence,
Emerged from the blood-less heart;
The broken and empty heart which was so light,
And glad that it is free to fall in love again! 6||
May be a bit early today!
"Alas" told the dew drop,
And fell down in silence! 1||
May be it was the tempest,
That broke havoc last night;
That made the twigs so weak;
The green leaf fell with no sound! 2||
May be the throbbing heart missed a pace,
Or, it was lost in some contemplation;
Or, was it broken beyond repair?
Yet, it could dare to love again! 3||
The bleeding heart waited earnestly,
Till the blood drops traversed their course;
And touched did they with no sound,
Then there fell the blanket of silence! 4||
The lost heart waited...
And waited...in case it could bleed more;
Ah! there was no blood left to bleed off!
Then befell a wonderful solace on it. 5||
The most wonderful symphony of silence,
Emerged from the blood-less heart;
The broken and empty heart which was so light,
And glad that it is free to fall in love again! 6||
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Gandhi jayanti special I: Sach ki rahon me chalta chal (satya)
One of my old time favourite song is "madhuvan khusvu deta he", a song glorifying the idea of self-sacrifice for the purpose of others. It was a sweet melody because it sang Utopian stuffs. And anything Utopian, including communism, however infeasible it may be, always sounds so sweet! In that one line it said: come whatever keep on walking on the path of truth. I have never thought of this deeply. But contemplating on it now, I am wonder-struck at the deeper meanings it can bear. What is "truth" or "satya" (as Mahatma Gandhi will coin it)? Is it the bare unpleasant fact about things or is it the Utopian idealistic notions that we think are the best? Talking about the life Gandhijee himself, what was satya? Was it satya that he got craving for sex and went to a brothel or was it satya that he thought of morals and left it? Was it truth that he wanted to have meat or was it satya that he thought of his religion and "successfully suppressed" this craving? I think we are confusing here between "satya" and "morality"! Satya is the barest fact about nature. And my mind my dear friend nothing about nature is utopian! Nothing here is idealistic.Let's say I feel like having alcohol or spirit. Is this craving not "true" or satya? Do you think I will be called truthful if I think of religion and tradition and morality and suppress this feeling? Or let us imagine that my neighbour is a too much irritating for me. It happens sometimes. Some people just stand on your toes anyway! Is it not true that I feel angry when talking to him? Will I become more truthful or satyavan if I control my anger and try to appear calm even though I am really really angry in the heart of my hearts? Is not bigotry or self-deception the worst kind of crime against "satya"? Is not self-control the greatest mockery of the oath taken to keep on walking on the path of truth? Gandhijee himself has told again and again that non-violence in mind is much more important than the same in external actions. And this can never be thrust upon oneself! Then this thrust action simply becomes non-truth! Let's be bold and stand up to face our own selves! If I have short-temper let me accept it first. Everything else and all other lofty feats come after this simple acceptance of truth. If I have some cravings which the society calls taboos or evil, do the hell with society! Let me accept my very own self first, my own self as it is, not the utopian scripture-prescribed self! Let me not try to cremate my own self. Self-acceptance and self-glorification is the first and only step towards a mature society and mental peace. And this is certainly the first and firmest step on the path of truth or "sach ki raah"!
Gandhi jayanti special II: "make love not war" (ahimsa)
Funny though it may sound, this line which I read in a make-shift shop in Hamburg, gave me an instant food for thought. From my limited experience, I am pretty sure that you speak this in India or any developing or undeveloped country, you will get angry and puzzled stares. Why? Why are we scared of "making love"? Why the very word "sex" makes us hyper? So much so that we lose sight of the second part of the line, i.e. "not war". May be because we have not seen a proper war for long? May be because we have lost sight of the importance of living and enjoying life? May be we have had just too much of this culture and customs! May be...
This brings my flow of thought to the next step: what is more dangerous or undesirable: a so called unchaste society or a society in war? And may be we can expand the paradigm of war to mental and psychological war as well, including the war between our own split personalities. I have seen many a so called good and decent family guys, who down their heart of heart still cherish some hidden desires!And our society is full of such people, who are at war with their own selves, who are in the so called morale dilemma. Virtually our society is in deep war internally. Why? May be because we are trying to follow morale or standards which have been set by someone else. We are trying to emulate someone, trying to follow someone, all the time forgetting the simple fact that there is no free-size morale which will fit us all!
Why can't we just forget everything and 'make love'?!? Just mark here that by 'making love' I am trying to point at all the social taboos, all that which stop us from being what we actually are! I will choose making love to making war on any given day and under any given circumstances. May be this is the real definition of 'ahimsa'! "Allow people to do whatever they want to!" "This will cause in anarchy!" Most of my friends react like this when I speak of such ideas. My logic is simple. The more freedom you give, the more individual-space you create, the more mature the society becomes. The society is no play-school needing rules and regulations and above all regulators! Let me take a very tricky topic. Lets say we don't taboo incests. Will it increase the number of incest-cases? I doubt. It may raise for a period but it will dwindle down soon after. I remember to have travelled in Germany in early 2005 when gay relations have recently been given equal place in their society. I could find virtually innumerable gay couples displaying their passion in public. It was like a fashion I suppose. Few years after I was having my recent visit in Hamburg. I was living few streets off the gay-centre of the city. Still I could come across not a single gay couple kissing around! This strengthened my conviction that individual independence and faith give rise to a society more mature and evolved. Lets stop policing around. Lets stop being at a perpetual war or himsa (violence) and start making love!!
This brings my flow of thought to the next step: what is more dangerous or undesirable: a so called unchaste society or a society in war? And may be we can expand the paradigm of war to mental and psychological war as well, including the war between our own split personalities. I have seen many a so called good and decent family guys, who down their heart of heart still cherish some hidden desires!And our society is full of such people, who are at war with their own selves, who are in the so called morale dilemma. Virtually our society is in deep war internally. Why? May be because we are trying to follow morale or standards which have been set by someone else. We are trying to emulate someone, trying to follow someone, all the time forgetting the simple fact that there is no free-size morale which will fit us all!
Why can't we just forget everything and 'make love'?!? Just mark here that by 'making love' I am trying to point at all the social taboos, all that which stop us from being what we actually are! I will choose making love to making war on any given day and under any given circumstances. May be this is the real definition of 'ahimsa'! "Allow people to do whatever they want to!" "This will cause in anarchy!" Most of my friends react like this when I speak of such ideas. My logic is simple. The more freedom you give, the more individual-space you create, the more mature the society becomes. The society is no play-school needing rules and regulations and above all regulators! Let me take a very tricky topic. Lets say we don't taboo incests. Will it increase the number of incest-cases? I doubt. It may raise for a period but it will dwindle down soon after. I remember to have travelled in Germany in early 2005 when gay relations have recently been given equal place in their society. I could find virtually innumerable gay couples displaying their passion in public. It was like a fashion I suppose. Few years after I was having my recent visit in Hamburg. I was living few streets off the gay-centre of the city. Still I could come across not a single gay couple kissing around! This strengthened my conviction that individual independence and faith give rise to a society more mature and evolved. Lets stop policing around. Lets stop being at a perpetual war or himsa (violence) and start making love!!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Can bad people have good future?
The other day I was considering this interesting question. Can bad people have good future? Can bad people aspire to become spiritual? Can bad people fit into the quota for nirvana? Well, by bad people I mean really bad buggers doing terrible sin. I am not just talking of those committing some social taboo without harming anyone. I am not also just talking of gays or incests having sex secretly and silently without bothering anyone. I am also talking of those who are causing serious harm and trouble to others. Even those who hurt and harm even their near-n-dear ones. And even those who ditch their friends or lovers! Can these people have any share of the pie we call enlightenment? Are they doomed for ever? Sorry for taking so much of space-n-time to just explain the question. I felt it important to make the question and point as clear as possible. In answering the question, I will answer from a first person point of view (presuming myself to be that bad guy!).
** First of all, as we have already discussed, everything and every happening is predestined. Individual choice is but an illusion. Its like reading a book. We discover a page every day. But that page is written long back. So, did I have any choice but to be bad? Was it really under my control to be or not to be bad?
** Every novel has heroes and villains. But for villains heroes are worthless. But for bad things good things lose their charm. So, if I have been chosen to play villain is it my fault?
** Lets say I hurt (physically or mentally) my friend. I did something which hurt him. Or is it that he was destined to get hurt, and I just acted as an instrument! He was destined to get hurt because of his karma! And I was destined to be the instrument in hurting him because of my karma.
** Coming to scriptures, the Bhagwat Gita is one of the most authoritative scriptures of the orient. What I understand from there is that, the God is trying to explain Arjuna to do two things. First of all understand his swadharma. And second perform your swadharma with all detachment. Arjuna's case was simple. In his case his caste and his swadharma concided (he was a kshyatriya, the warrior class and his natural disposition was to fight). But dont make the mistake of taking your social responsibilities as your swadharma. I may be born in a good family with good parents and with good friends. But if my natural disposition is towards the so called bad things, what am I to do? I still choose my natural bearing and interest as my swadharma. And then I perform it with detachment. Detachment here means detachment from the views of others, detachment from the thought of merit-or-sin, detachment from thought of past-n-future. So if I feel my natural inclination is to hurt people, I should do the same with all detachment. Its easy to play hero and get all applause. But it takes real talent to play villain! So am I at fault?
** First of all, as we have already discussed, everything and every happening is predestined. Individual choice is but an illusion. Its like reading a book. We discover a page every day. But that page is written long back. So, did I have any choice but to be bad? Was it really under my control to be or not to be bad?
** Every novel has heroes and villains. But for villains heroes are worthless. But for bad things good things lose their charm. So, if I have been chosen to play villain is it my fault?
** Lets say I hurt (physically or mentally) my friend. I did something which hurt him. Or is it that he was destined to get hurt, and I just acted as an instrument! He was destined to get hurt because of his karma! And I was destined to be the instrument in hurting him because of my karma.
** Coming to scriptures, the Bhagwat Gita is one of the most authoritative scriptures of the orient. What I understand from there is that, the God is trying to explain Arjuna to do two things. First of all understand his swadharma. And second perform your swadharma with all detachment. Arjuna's case was simple. In his case his caste and his swadharma concided (he was a kshyatriya, the warrior class and his natural disposition was to fight). But dont make the mistake of taking your social responsibilities as your swadharma. I may be born in a good family with good parents and with good friends. But if my natural disposition is towards the so called bad things, what am I to do? I still choose my natural bearing and interest as my swadharma. And then I perform it with detachment. Detachment here means detachment from the views of others, detachment from the thought of merit-or-sin, detachment from thought of past-n-future. So if I feel my natural inclination is to hurt people, I should do the same with all detachment. Its easy to play hero and get all applause. But it takes real talent to play villain! So am I at fault?
Saturday, August 08, 2009
The clock work!
Last night I was discussing with my guru on some random thoughts. He shared a wonderful idea with me. I am just rewriting it here.
If you have opened a clock, especially the mechanical clocks, you would have seen numerous tiny gears and wheels working in enchanting unison to make the clock tick. Our life is like that of a tiny mini wheel of the clock. We keep on rotating. We tend to think that our rotation is in our hands, or may be its me who is rotating. However, for the clock maker he knows that the whole clock has to work perfectly and in unison to make that tiny mini wheel rotate.
There are two aspects to this simile. One is that we may think our actions to be independent or determined by our own free will. But its all determined by a complicated set of wheels, gears and spring systems surrounding us! Secondly, we may think that we are menially insignificant. But again as a matter of fact, if at all we succeed in stopping our own rotation, the whole clock stops!
If you have opened a clock, especially the mechanical clocks, you would have seen numerous tiny gears and wheels working in enchanting unison to make the clock tick. Our life is like that of a tiny mini wheel of the clock. We keep on rotating. We tend to think that our rotation is in our hands, or may be its me who is rotating. However, for the clock maker he knows that the whole clock has to work perfectly and in unison to make that tiny mini wheel rotate.
There are two aspects to this simile. One is that we may think our actions to be independent or determined by our own free will. But its all determined by a complicated set of wheels, gears and spring systems surrounding us! Secondly, we may think that we are menially insignificant. But again as a matter of fact, if at all we succeed in stopping our own rotation, the whole clock stops!
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