Binayak Sen

Democracy?? I think not.

I am pained to see the news on Dr.Binayak Sen. Life in prison and for what? Murderers and corrupt officials lead comfortable lives and a man who helped another human being in need (medically) is jailed - Life in prison indeed!! The unfairness is overwhelmingly. (No wonder, the activist youth want to go RangDeBasanti on those responsible. Doesn't solve any problem though.) Any judge looking at the facts of the case would just throw it out of the court. But no, given the special status of Naxal threat in the area, it cannot be done.

This case highlights the complex issue of Naxals in the country.
To quote from a newspaper "A 58-year-old activist doctor who has dedicated his life to providing healthcare to tribals in a remote land is thrown in jail for allegedly being a sympathiser of armed rebels who have waged a war against the State. To protect its own, the State has armed tribals to take on the rebels who were reportedly fighting for the rights of those very tribals. Keeping aside city comforts, the good doctor had made it his life's mission to campaign against fake encounters, custody deaths, hunger deaths, malnutrition and dysentery. He had taken on the State for neglecting its poor and arming one set of tribals against the other."

Media and citizens outrage is good. We have to keep pressure on this and something should be done. Yes, the case will go to High court and Supreme court. But the injustice makes me wonder if we lived in a civilized world after all.

Online Petition here: Indian Justice Has Failed Dr Binayak Sen

Sathsang

Sadhguru's Sathsang for meditators (in Bangalore) was really something. There wasn't even a discourse. There was some Q&A. There was lot of laughter (as always), and He answered with His amazing clarity and perception. It never fails to give the much needed knock-on-the-head. But, that's just the description of the event from outside.

Once the Mahadevaya started, it was sweetness poured into every pore. Aaahhh. Indescribable. Four days of BSP in those few minutes. The change in the place was quite palpable in the hall and pavilion even after the program ended. I could clearly see the difference when I left the place. Sitting here in office, I can feel this me bathed in Grace. I was unable to speak for a long time and if I close my eyes, I feel a certain state that can only be described as... ecstasy.

So much has been opened up in this Sathsang. SO SO much.
Tremendous Gratitude. This rock is being weathered. And its more than words. Thank You cannot contain the enormous gratitude...

Highlight

Sadhguru's public program in Bangalore had a 5000 strong turnout - on a weekday! After the discourse was over, I was in the Sales stall and this person came and enquired about the next Inner Engg program in the city. His face had really...flowered, it was so lit up. It was like a thirsty man had found water! He should've looked at his own face. What a sight!
Moments like these are the highlight of my life.

It was visible in this person and I am sure everyone in the hall would've been touched in some manner. A live discourse by Sadhguru will definitely impress upon the person(unless the person is extremely rigid), reading a book or listening to the DVD is different (Though not necessarily so. It was a book for me)

Designs

Designs from an Isha calendar that came out in 2004 or so. They don't have this anymore. The detailing and the depiction are amazing! Love 'em.

Love 'em!

Pups for Adoption

We have Five Adorable Puppies here in Chennai waiting to find homes. The pregnant stray dog we took in gave birth to these adorables about a month ago. They are quite healthy and already showing signs of their sweet and friendly nature. Please let me know if you are interested in taking them.

TV Audit: HOMP

Highway on My Plate on NDTV Good Times is one of the few good things I stumbled across while channel surfing. I don't watch the news at night as a rule.

The value/need for entertainment is felt the most at night! I hope to outgrow that.

The show hosted by the duo Rocky and Mathur where they tour India tasting eating away, hogging at local eateries is an excellent one. Its funny, witty and its about food! Mathur is vegetarian and Rocky is the one who belongs to the dark side (hehe) I am glad this distinction, its quite unique  - good thinking on the part of the producers!

Some quick notes about the show

1) WIT and HUMOR are always welcome when "tastefully" done. Well, the jokes are hilarious and laugh out loud. Their comic timing is great and no PJs. These guys don't need script writers for their lines (I think), they are naturally funny.

2) LOCAL - is everything. I hope never to see the day big corporations take over and destroy the world. I cannot imagine a McD everywhere (swoooon). Every place has a local speciality and that is captured so well in the show. They give a little gyan about the place and the eatery.

3) Foood, GLORIOUS FooD, WONDERFUL Food (Insert song from Ice Age 2): They have gone ALL over India and I mean ALL over. Lucky people! As you know, the variety and cooking styles and everything is totally different from one place to another. It is SO nice to discover the many specialities all over.

4) In case the term "highway eateries" conjure visions of nothing but the Dhabas, its not the case. They go to breakfast places, restaurants that have been since the time of the British. So, they go to places that give a English breakfast, sometimes Chinese food, sometimes Paranthas.

5) Oh, people like me should hang our head in shame and sniffle a little. Nothing healthy about street food, but ABSOLUTELY YUMMY. In places heavy with British legacy, pork and beef are available too, they are indianized.

Rocky and Mathur, please come with an e-book or a website that we can refer when I stumble into say, National Highway N or Goa. I would wonder "Hmmm, what would Rocky and Mathur do? And more importantly where would they eat". I would definitely go there!

Hund

This little abandoned poppy dragged me to CUPA on saturday which thankfully is only 6km from where I stay. Small, sweet, hurt(she wasn't able to stand up as her leg was hurt), scared goggie, mommy is here.

And so friendly, look at the blurred tail.

I went to CUPA (Bangalore) for the first time and was very happy to with the friendly staff and doctor. I hope the insides are as clean as the outside. I would've been happier if he had written a note/card for the sick dog. He looked at the pup, told me what he was going about her hurt leg and took her inside. She is also up for adoption.


I am a big supporter of Blue Cross (Chennai). However, I would never advise that you pick the kittens and pups they put up for adoption. Reason? The place for the little animals is filthy. I don't know why such well-meaning animal lovers would do something like that. Most of the little animals arrive resonably healthy and get really sick within a few days. The sick kittens and the scared puppies running in their own poo. omg! It is not a good idea to take a sick kitten home. Yes, they have a resource problem, they have a money problem. But please! Why this futile exercise? Conscious washing? Management, please make changes!

World AIDS Awareness Day - Dec 1

Watch until the end. Hugs from me!

I always get a lump in the throat.

I have a lot of respect for Kamal Hassan for this. He does not endorse 1 million products and also this.
Take the pledge (in chaste tamil btw)