The Chronicles of A

The Amazing Everyday

2012-01-24T14:47:00.000+05:30

Very few ads make me want to watch them without muting or changing the channel. This is definitely one of them - the underlying theme is awesome and really connects. Everyday is amazing, isn't it? (shamless plug for msft who I work for indirectly)

Maybe it is time to do an "the amazing everyday" series! (without mind-blogging though)
Yes... animals will dominate!

From ET

2012-01-23T15:29:00.000+05:30

I remember watching this with open-mouthed astonishment and wonder x years ago. I would've clapped my hands and shrieked.
Is it possible to flyyy like that?

It was nice to know that this scene still thrilled and made me chuckle with glee (but no hand clapping.)

The Crowning Glory

2012-01-11T16:00:00.001+05:30

One of the paradoxes of life is having a head with little fur. Hair, I mean hair. And there is no one to give me a head massage! The agony, the unfairness of life, the pain! (kill. me. now.)

In other news, the tonsured head (that is perfectly shaped all the way round btw) is not getting rave reviews (not that I want it), only dandruff (definitely don't want).

I imagined a new-bald-obviously-shaved female would evoke consternation, but you know what I discovered? People don't care. Nobody thinks its wierd and alien-like. (I am not Natalie Portman anyway!) Everybody talks exactly the same irrespective of the presence or lack of hair. It is just another water-cooler topic here at office, no biggie.

Either that or I am way too focussed on ignoring. Actively ignoring the populace on the train, on the bus, in the shops.

If some girl somewhere is considering shaving the head, please don't agonize over it. Go ahead and do it and enjoy the freedom (however temporary) it offers!

Niece says Hello!

Yoga Marga!

2012-01-02T17:09:00.000+05:30

I am bad at articulation and hence cannot put into words the wonderful experience that was the Yoga Marga program in December.
Much gratitude to Sadhguru for having such a program to help me get over so many limitations and obstacles. To Devi, for the guidance and compassion. To my dear Isha friends and family who have helped me tremendously by being there for me.

Yoga practices (Hata, Suryanamaskar); Siddha medicines; Detox and raw food diet; Guided meditations, games, laughter and walks in the forest - all designed to take any person higher and improve his/her condition.
These things can actually be put together by knowledgeable and well-meaning people almost anywhere. But two things that made this what it is and cannot be found anywhere else.
The yoga center itself - Blessed by Sadhguru...with the Dhyanalinga and Theerthakund. They both have been/ are still being miraculous for me.
The volunteers - such loving people, working for no material gain, genuinely interested in your well-being

I hope to write a detailed post three months from now with more on the physical and mental improvements.
As always with Sadhguru, the spiritual aspect is the most important part of the program and the upliftment has been tremendous!

The real "ashram" effect can be felt sitting in Chennai or Bangalore - all bright-eyed and happiness and joy.
"Gnanam, Dhyanam, Anandham" indeed

One incident to share - When I came back to Chennai after the program, with my phone dead and Cyclone Thaane closing in on Friday morning, there was no way to contact my mother at 5am standing outside the outer gate of my house as the bell was ineffective. So, I gave myself a leg-up using the suitcase and jumped over the gate and the wall! Hadn't done that for 10 years now!
Yes, YM really works!

"Every human being aspires for health and well-being. True health fundamentally means to be in tune with nature; both the inner and outer" - SADHGURU

Common Cold

2011-12-07T12:54:00.001+05:30

A long time in the rain during a rainy rainy weekend in Chennai trying to pull some pups out ensured the deadly virus latched onto me. Yea, not fatal but sufficiently irritating virus that causes cold.

Once the throat irritation started, I took a miracle soup Pepper Rasam every morning and evening for a week. The sneezing had started already. Although, it didn't kill the virus, this didn't allow it to grow...
(The pepper rasam powder is from Isha Ruchi btw, the products Bajra/Jowar/Ragi dosa mixes, dhaal/idly/gingely podi that I super-satisfied with.)

Of course, this is one of the side-effects of the kapalabathis of Shakthi Chalana Kriya in which that exact part of the throat is stimulated.

So... this is the first time I was able to beat it and I just waited for one week extra to feel supreme about this in case the virus decided to pop back due to my cockiness!

The 20-year Projects

2011-12-01T17:20:00.002+05:30

An ultrasound image of the baby in the belly reminded me of Chandler's comment "I don't know what it is, but it is going to attack the Enterprise". LOL

I have always loved children, but somehow didn't want to be yet another person to fuss over them. Give me pups/kittens anyday.

OMG! I couldn't be more wrong...
I have the opportunity of being the aunt for 6-7 children (related or otherwise) for 2-3 years now and I really can't help falling in love with the little humans.

Source: Wuzzle

The ones less than a year are super sweet with their wobbly heads, big round eyes, chubbiness, little hands and feet. They are like little bears I want to hold all the time and never let go.

The 1-3 year olds are just beginning their mischief and in a discovering things mode. It is awesome to note their fascination about things. "Maa look!" and then the wobbly dancing to some beat music. Energy to scream their lungs out as well as do/say the same thing over and over again.

Source: Guardian

I spent 2 days in my friends house with her 3 year old daughter. By day two, I was almost in tears to leave her. And her face kept coming back to me for a week afterwards. Her little mayalai- "anu aanthee", her "opinion" on things, just spinning around the house for no reason, pretending to be something else, non-stop talking. Sweetness!

My youngest cousin about 6 years old is SO imaginative. The pillow suddenly becomes a boat and he drags it under his bum around the house. He is so loving and hugs so tight, its heart warming.

The one kid I spent a lot of time with until 3 years ago was a sweet little girl with Down's Syndrome. She is a sweetheart and her rural uneducated parents are doing a fabulous job with her upbringing with their super positive attitude, so this girl was really wonderful and unlike any other kid I've seen.

Let me savour them until their reach their teens after which a general snort will sent in my direction when I visit them.

Their freshness of life is so mind blowing. Parents are so lucky to learn this from children buttt... so much time is spent is the "no" "No" "NO" and related exasperation. It is so easy for the aunt to say these things as the parents are also under pressure not to have badly behaved children. (just like we dog owners are responsible for good dogs.) So, I am on the parents side for this one.

Pray tell me, whats with the crankiness? At those times I give the roadrunner competition. *grin*
My suggestion is to get them outdoors more, even the small ones. More time under the sky instead of inside concrete should lessen this. Open spaces to expend their energy and prodding around to satisfy their curiousity should help reduce the crankiness. (Same rule as dogs.) Park is alright I suppose, but I think the living space itself should be like this.
And of course what I think works - A family pet!

As much as they are the world's greatest baby sitters, if I ever have to raise a kid - the TV and cable goes out of sight! Out out out!

One thing is for sure. Somehow, my generation seems to be very careful and more aware. I won't say my parents gen wasn't, but they didn't think about it, they assumed a lot of things. Even this awareness is a big step (risk of "over"-thinking is there, but that's fine) and I am proud of all my friends.

I don't do, even think "this is right, this is wrong" thing with parents. Only they can understand the enormity and challenge that is the 20-year project! Its so easy for an outsider to judge and I am not one of those.

Sadhguru on the 20-year project

I firmly fall into the GINK category, and I hope I have the opportunity of spending some more time with kids through volunteer work and otherwise. I don't have any DNA restrictions, so hopefully a small village of them should suffice.

Oasis

2011-11-30T18:05:00.000+05:30

I had earlier written a post on Cancer cure, but decided not to post it as it sounded preachy and looked and sounded very insensitive, that is not my point ever.

All I will say is Robyn Openshaw of GreenSmoothieGirl is making an series of blog updates on Oasis -Center of Healing where a number of alternate ways are used to address the cancer issue. This institute is really an Oasis, and an eye opener. Please do check it out. Not that I wish for any healthy person to use this institute (cancer is still an if, not when), but can spread word about the existence of these alternatives.

There is no a 100% for everything... Just that this makes more sense for me than the cutting, burning chemotherapy "treatment"!

I wish to chronicle some alternative cancer cure institutes in India. I have heard of a few of them, and would like to know more on how they work...

Bhairavi Vandhaal

2011-11-16T17:58:00.001+05:30

Nowadays, the house is filled with such positive vibrations, and the cause of this is the Linga Bhairavi Gudi. The presence of the Gudi has really enhanced my experience of life!

In many ways, some shortcomings have dropped altogether and some are in the process of being ripped out. I am left joyful and grateful for all that I have. From what/how I was less than a year ago, this has indeed been quantum leaps forward. Outside, the situation remains the same, but the insides are becoming air conditioned!

My practices (especially Shambavi) has actually become more alive and deeper.

I am far from perfect nor do I aspire to be, being in Her presence has opened up a universe of joy.

Everyday, I play the Linga Bhairavi CD, either at home, or listen to it while travelling. The new CD by Sudha Raghunathan is yet another wonderful addition to this atmosphere. The songs are as good as the Dhyanalinga consecration CD. The songs are just beautifully worded and rendered with devotion and grace.

I am so surprised with myself, I never ever thought devotion would ever be my path. Every song lifts me up and dissolves me in "Anandam."

A million thanks to Sadhguru for this jewel. I really have no words to express my gratitude!

(Bhairavi Vandhaal, Bhairavi Vandhaal is the name of a new CD that I am waiting to get)

Unfair

2011-11-11T11:29:00.000+05:30

An afghan's life is much much lesser than american's or an Israeli's?
This is UNFAIR.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/11/kill-team-calvin-gibbs-convicted
In one of the most serious accusations of war crimes to emerge from the Afghan conflict, Gibbs recruited other soldiers to murder civilians he called "savages" after he took over command of a US army squad in Afghanistan's Kandahar province in November 2009.
This psychopathic "solider" who can be compared to Nazi's and early-American settlers and South African racists gets only 25 years with the possibility of 10 years in prison?

When will they learn? Until he does the same of his own people? Ridiculous.

The White!

2011-11-04T14:24:00.000+05:30

I know, sometime ago, I commented on how brown rice is superior to white and that white rice should not be consumed so much.
Well, in the interim period I discovered that the way we eat with the sambar, rasam and thayir, its really difficult to chew the grain with its bran on. Even when cooked, its very grainy. Even after extensive soaking, its very grainy.
Whole grain is perfect, just perfect for making idly-dosa batter. Any item that demands grinding the grain is good for whole grain (but not always.) Whole grain dosa is perfect, however its just not the same when made as an idly. Its not fluffy and fluffy makes the idly worth its weight in gold. I suppose, in certain cuisines, like Thai, brown rice is a perfect.
Some people have said that in earlier days (and as recent as the 1900s) people used to consume brown rice only, white rice was promoted as it had superior shelf life etc. Somehow, I think I don't think its entirely true. Some of the oldest recipes like kozhakottai, uthaapam etc are not possible with brown rice.

The grain just does not stick together that way if the bran is still on. Thats why maida is superior to atta in making naan, bread, pasta etc. Or I don't really know how this works. Lets just say, grain without bran makes it easier to make.

Now, to try that organic hand-pounded rice (soaked for 8-12 hrs.)
Orrr, our digestion process has just weakened. Most people don't seem to want to chew the rice (even chapathis!), it is just sent spiralling down the oesophegus after 2-3 chews putting more pressure on the stomach. Whatever humans, suit yourselves.*

*(Its all a part of the report that goes back to my home planet)

Notes: BMRC

2011-10-27T12:27:00.004+05:30

Yes, the metro trains generated so much buzz everywhere that I decided I would definitely have a look at it asap.

Apparently, a million other people had the same idea as they came to check it out on Diwali. Bangalore's lack of places-to-go is most apparent as they were hordes of parents herding around their hordes of children on Diwali. The stations were packed!

After standing in a long queue for a really long time, we got these tokens (they are not called tickets)- a small chip that is embedded with information. This is needed to beep in and out (the same entrance funda as in IT parks. Instead of token, they have the ID card) of the entrance to the platforms.
(picture displayed here is the delhi metro token)

On the platforms, the guards had a tough time herding the crowd. The platforms are small and there was a yellow line behind which we should stand (for safety obviously). As expected, people were standing in front of it looking out excitedly for the train. The guards are continuously whistling to make us stand behind the line. It is so amusing to watch people have no regard for any sort of rules for safety. One man was crouched in front of the yellow line with his kid examining the new tracks. He had to be whistled out the way.

The entire exercise on the part of the guards is moot as finally when the train is in view, the crowds surge forward in their eagerness to get in... standing barely inches from the door. Automatic sliding doors will continue to fascinate people no matter what.

The train as such is quite small (length and breadth wise) and has very limited seating capacity. 70% of the people in it must be standing. It is designed that way to accommodate more people. The insides are really well designed, looks very mod. There are LCD displays and announcements in english/hindi/kannada about the next stations. I dread the spit stains that will appear in 2-3 months from now. There is a cleaning crew who do a quick swab at the terminating stations...
With all the kids in the train, there were excited squeals and oohs, aahs... even from the adults!

We got in at Bypanahalli, four stations later, it was MG Road. On that particular day, it would've taken the same amount of time (incl standing in the token counter queue) to reach MG road by road, but probably on other days, it would be much lesser.

The token is returned to the exit slots on our way out of the station. There were queues to exit the station! Somehow some people were confused as to how this works... Insert token, doors open, you exit, doors close. The next person cannot exit together with you. It will take sometime for people to get used to it I suppose.

Apparently, these token things are embedded properly. Two 20-somethings took the joy ride from A to B, didn't go out of the B station, hopped onto the opposite side to take the train back to A, assumed the same tokens would work when exiting A, but they didn't work... the door didn't open. They were cornered by the TT and were paying the fine as we were leaving...

The metro in its current form would greatly benefit people reaching MG road from this side of the city. I looked at their extension plans and it is too good. Reaching mysore road etc within 30 minutes would be a dream! Buses labelled Metro Feeder service have also be pushed into place. I hope it forces people off their private vehicles!

However, given people's inclination to give as less work for their bums as possible, I doubt if this will catch on for those who don't mind the petrol money and traffic (seems to comprise 70% of the people I know.) The metro does not give any seating space either.

Once the entire stretch is ready (GOK if it will take 3 or 5 years) there should be certain trains that go from point to point without stopping at the stations in between as I feel too much time is wasted slowing down and then gathering speed. I request the BMRC to do some intensive analytics based on the tokens sold at each station, the destination station, peak times, stations most frequently used. As everything is electronic, this exercise shouldn't be so tough... Its just simple math! Please do it Silicon city!

I find it strange that it does not come near any of the IT/tech parks!

(All pictures borrowed from other websites.)

And the metro (like all other public transport or just public space for that matter) continue to be disabled and senior unfriendly from the train itself to the stations and platform access.

And yes, I love trains!

Noise

2011-10-25T17:11:00.000+05:30

Every kid (human) must have the pleasure of a puppy/dog in his/her life.
Or any animal for that matter...

No "happy" diwali to all my stray dog/cat babies though! Take care sweeties...

Thank you Steve

2011-10-11T19:25:00.003+05:30

How different my life would've been if only I had seen this speech in May 2000 (before college)!
Of course, he gave this in 2005, but how I wishhhhh I had read at least read about this man... (dropped out of college as it didn't make any sense to him and pursued the thing he loved most!)

"If you haven't found it yet, keep looking and don't settle"

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important."

Steve's financial success and iconic status are just side effects of living an absolutely inspired and amazing life.
Thank you Steve!!

"Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish"

Thank you Jagjit

2011-10-11T11:16:00.000+05:30

Music lovers from my generation would not know what Ghazal's are until we listened to Jagjit Singhji.
Thank you for opening up a word of real music to me...

Hosh Walon Ko Khabar Kya by Jagjit Singh

Compassion

2011-10-03T19:39:00.002+05:30

Sadhguru on Compassion
"People being sympathetic to certain causes or certain people is not compassion. When you are passionate about everything, when your passion has become all encompassing, then you are compassionate. Compassion is not little pity or sympathy for something. When your passion encompasses everything, you are compassionate."

Virtue and Compassion

I was reminded of this picture above while listening to this podcast. Not because it looks like it is with a group of people belong to the lower strata, but because Sadhguru is the exact same person with anyone and everyone.
I can see only love and compassion in Him.
Shambo!

Joy Of Giving Week

2011-09-30T12:02:00.000+05:30

It is not always a nice to say "I did this. I helped someone." as these things should be done without being in show-off/facebook mode. (It can be done to raise funds though.)

Facebook mode or not, I urge people to participate in this week.
A good time to start giving or if already giving, then crank it up a notch for this week!

Be a part of the official JGW, Don't be a part of it.
But the whole world is a potential for the joy of giving! I look forward to it.

Facebook

2011-09-28T18:11:00.000+05:30

That new Ad "Always on Facebook" is pretty catchy.... bbutt, I have to say it...
FACEBOOK IS A BIG BORE.

If anyone (people/organisation/magazine) has anything worth saying, they should have a blog for that!
The photos and news of marriage/birth/vacation are nice, but I have to swim through a sea of info to see that.
If that person wanted to share it with me, an email with the link to the photos would be way better.

Wikipedia was described as a public peeing place, but I think its Facebook. (!) No really!!

Its great to keep in touch and even connect to some people. Definitely cool to have someone recognize that we went to karate class together 20 yrs earlier! Somehow, the overload of info has reached saturation point for me.

I am not cancelling the FB account, but have blocked the website on my browser (chrome). There!
Now to open it on IE. (!)

Milk oil

2011-09-22T16:26:00.000+05:30

How to extract oil from cow's milk

First, the cow is treated with a lot of love and respect. It has given proper cow's food as well as allowed to graze for sometime everyday. It is not treated as a milk producing machine, but Gomaatha herself.
Second, when pregnant, the new and cute calf is the one who gets most of it. Whatever is left out is taken by the humans.
The milk is boiled to at least 180F before skimming off the cream. The cream is cultured with dahi starter and churned until it separates into butter and buttermilk.

Then, the butter is heated slowly...
Casein which is a harmful protein is removed by this process. You take the butter, slowly heat it until butter solids precipitate on the top and then you filter it through a cloth and you will have a liquid that can be stored at room temperature. This is the best combination of different fatty acids for human consumption.

Milk oil is also called GHEE. (Bazinga!)
It is great to light lamps and just wonderful to taste.

I hope the people at Nandini's Milk Parlour (i.e the Karnataka Milk Federation farms) did the first three steps. I did the last step and was blessed with the aroma of making shudh ghee at home! (on the induction stove btw)

And a handy tips for cleaning out the above vessel as the dark brown stuff is left over- Add rice flour and sugar (brown sugar preferably) and make it into small balls. Ghee sweets! and all vessel's oiliness is removed.

Isha Yoga Practices

2011-09-12T17:03:00.000+05:30

Seeker: O, Sadhguru, I am overwhelmed with emotion, love and gratitude. I feel as if I owe you my own life for what you have given me and all of us. What must I do to repay this incredible generous gift you have given me??.....

Answer: Owe me? You owe me not to waste my time. Your debt to me is only paid by utilizing the tools you have been given. Do your practices as if this were your last day upon this planet....Do them this way, I will take care of the rest...

2011-09-08T13:02:00.003+05:30

Dear life,
Please please please give the results but not the bragging rights.
kthxbai.

Kitty

2011-09-07T14:33:00.000+05:30

2011-09-06T11:28:00.000+05:30

All human beings are created equal.
Some people are more equal than others.

9/11 10th Anniversary.

Real Heroes

2011-09-05T19:09:00.000+05:30

Rahman's Jingle for Hero needs mention. Very beautifully and aesthetically done. I stories I was impressed with are - the gymnastics girl, the sardar who climbs up those stairs (his expression is priceless,) the small boy playing with the armymen.

Speaking of heroes, I had a lump in my throat and really moved when I saw the stories on IBN 7's Real Heroes. Amazing!

It really doesn't take much to "expand" your family and include a few 100 other people. These people have made it so effortless. Some of them are so humble, some of them talk too much, but all of them are definitely the kind of people I love, adore and want to be with.

I really don't care about the award or the accolades, even if these stories were show cased without the awards (or Reliance industries,) they are heroes for me.

The great Indian middle class that actually steps out of their comfort zone and does these things simply because it has to be done. Just wonderful.

That said, I didn't see a category for Animals. This shows that in our society and minds, our empathy is with humans first, environment next. Hopefully, sometime in the future, animals will be included. I am not talking just about wildlife, but the animals we see everyday.

Irrespective of awards/categories, I know where I will be. It ~~should~~ will be Less talk, more work.

Let them eat cake

2011-08-31T17:37:00.002+05:30

No hidden political agenda

2011-08-24T17:50:00.000+05:30

Anna Hazare has been instrumental in working in the Ralegan-Siddhi village in Maharashtra that was transformed from poverty to that of a model village. More details here.
Kafila gives a compilation of the methods he has used in this article and is quite critical of them. Although some of his moves may seem harsh, I would say certain things have to be done in a certain way for it to work.

Anna has always questioned the government in power and has locked horns with the likes of Sharad Pawar etc.

Why now? Is there a hidden political motive behind this "movement"? Does this man Hazare want to head the Lokpal committee and boss over the country's top politicans making him a powerful man. Is he a dictator-wannabe? The last time when he captured attention in April, there were for-against factions, but when he has come the second time in a few months. Ah-ha! Is he an attention grabber?
I would say No. This is a really sincere one by Anna Hazare and others.

As far as Anna is concerned, he and his team can credited with bringing the attention to the issue. He does not have a political agenda behind this. I don't think the man's sincerity can be questioned.
Anna and team have not orchestrated this "I am Anna" movement nor have they gotten lucky. The people have given him this title and attention. That how it has worked.

The anti-Anna tirade has gotten louder and stronger and has reduced people to make unreasonable allegations and start a smear campaign against him. Bound to happen. I like this excellent reply to AR in times of india.
We have a long history of movements, fasts and agitations. We have the Narmada Bachao Andolan, Irom Sharmila against the Armed Forces special powers, against land grabbing, against acquiring forest lands.

Why this particular movement is more famous than the others - thanks 10% of the 24*7 news channels, thanks 90% as the emotions this has evoked. The corruption raakshas has become unbearable and people are truly for it. This is not some hyped up movement. The irritation of everyday bribery is a real issue and we want this to change.

No, this is not a Anna-fan party (like Rajinikanth fan party.)

This writer's article in Tehelka is a sensible one, however he has peppered the entire article with condescending attitude for the attention to the movement which is not acceptable. "For Team Anna, the YouTube generation is their target segment", "sizzling PR skills and media management strategies", "self-righteous crusaders with insouciant ease", " symptoms of delusions of grandeur have begun to set in"

However, I agree with a number of points he has made especially in the last paragraph.

Annaji, please break your fast. We will not think of you as weak or going back on your word. You have made your point loud and clear and we will not let it down. Please do not die on us.

I am personally in support of the movement, but do not believe Jan Lokpal is a perfect solution. It is a start and it is important. We have to revisit some of our laws, we have to push for implementation of existing laws. Penalty for non-performers must be imposed.

For all my dear friends, please show support for the anti-corruption movement if not for Anna or the Lokpal bill itself.
Until next time...

The Corruption Raakshas

2011-08-23T18:47:00.001+05:30

Corruption and Bribing has become a for-granted thing in India. It is not an exaggeration.
People aspire for big positions in Government organisations - traffic, police, customs agents, PSUs - asthat they have the potential to earn kimbalam (bribes).
It is a well known fact to be posted in a certain police station in the city, the candidate has to pay a few lakhs to facilitate a transfer. He is willing to give those few lakhs as he can "earn" them back by the huge amount of bribes he will receive everyday. (Poo kadai in Chennai.)

Almost nothing can be done without paying bribes. I am repeating this to insist of how gross it is over here. It is frustrating. Are we like this wonly? Can nothing at all be done to change this attitude?
Politicians...GRRRR. How did we become like this? From the independence days they have been swindling. The crores are unbelievably high. Almost no exception to this. Whatever happened to interest of the people.
(Of course, this is not to discount a number of honest people in public sector organisations or the vision of our statesmen.)
I am for this movement! Its about time we fight for what it should be. Calling it the second freedom struggle is damn right.
The response to this is huge. Don't go just by television channels. This participation by the ordinary person is real. I was standing outside Oasis mall in Koramangala. Unbelievable - the crowd that had gathered! Non political, non religious. I am gratified that this has garnered so much attention. We want this! They cannot get away with it! This is not the norm.
Imagine how much better things would be without corruption and bribery! It is not utopia, but this cannot continue.

RS Kalha writes in Tehelka
However, it is easy to confuse the issue between democracy and an issue that has had an enormous impact on the everyday life of the people. Even democratically elected governments cannot go against the wishes or feelings of the people once they are aroused as strongly as they have recently been.
The issue of corruption in India is an emotive one for it touches the lives of ordinary citizens on every occasion and on even the most ordinary activity of everyday life. Whether it is the ration shop, or the transport office that issues licenses, or the passport office or the daily contact with the municipal authorities, few escape unscathed from the clutches of corruption if work is ever to be done. Thus, when the citizens see, after a hard day’s grind, their hard-earned money being frittered away on getting even the most innocuous work done in a governmental office, their anger is justified. And into this volatile and potent mixture is added additional anger when the high and mighty are seen getting away with huge unearned amounts of money, as in the recent scams.

The Guardian's Jason Burke writes
Though bribery, or "graft", is a fact of life for more or less everybody in India, the demonstrators are largely urban, educated and relatively well-off. "What you are seeing on the street is a middle-class rebellion," said Mohan Guruswamy, a former senior official in the ministry of finance and founder of the Centre for Policy Alternatives thinktank.

That said about the anti-corruption movement, more about the Jan Lokpal itself in the next post
*Raakshas = Demon

O Re Piya

2011-08-23T16:56:00.000+05:30

What did I say about the Ali - Khan's from Pakistan?

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has stuck an arrow in my heart and wrenched it out!
Such passion and intensity in his voice!

http://www.saavn.com/popup/psong-BckJuW28.html

Central Figure

2011-08-19T18:00:00.000+05:30

One important observation from all this anti-corruption rally is how it all has been linked/equated to one central figure. Anna Hazare has come to define the movement.
This one person (or rarely a group) is the center of the story.

For all those bright young college kids wearing Anna masks and carrying "I am Anna Hazare", did the humble Anna ask them to do this? No!

For larger groups, from corporations to NGOs, this invariably happens. Its the nature of human organisations. Thats how it rolls.

Now, for all those who ask "Why is Jaggi Vasudev the face of Isha, why can't Yoga be the central theme. If anyone needs attention, it is Shiva/Patanjali. So what if he is the founder?"
I think the above phenomenon answers the question partly. Its another thing that He is a Guru, even as a leader he is bound to get attention/adoration, his photos being distributed.

It does not matter if Jan Lokpal is important or not, listen to Anna's message of anti-corruption first. If you are going to get carried away by either the adulation or the smear campaign or someone asking "who will police the Lokpal," "Is Anna promoting himself," SO many things are closed...

As far as Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev is concerned, my only request as the first step is to really really listen to him. I really wish that no one should miss this wonderful phenomenon called Isha.

I will detail my views on the Jan Lokpal bill and why I want it in another post.
Peace!

Bird's Eyeview

2011-08-16T18:56:00.000+05:30

If you ever plan to parachute onto Bangalore and looking for a place to land... you are welcome to land on my rooftop.

This is where I live!
Yes, there are roads in between those buildings...

Corrected

2011-08-10T16:58:00.000+05:30

When I read the Tehelka article on Sadhguru (the link isn't worth sharing), I was quite miffed by the tone, but I understand the writer was a typical skeptic... People who fancy themselves as intellectuals... the less said the better.
He says "Their hunger to believe, their ache, it’s pathetic. They are despicable."
The writer has been honest, can give him that much "I judge everybody and run away"

In the article, the distance between Bangalore-Coimbatore is mentioned as 850km and Sadhguru covered it in 4hrs averaging 210km/hr. Haaa. Glaring mistake buddy!

Anyway, It was duly pointed out and regretted in a recent release and even corrected in the original article.

Traffic Woes

2011-08-10T16:36:00.001+05:30

How can I live in Bangalore and not notice the traffic.

1) Cracked roads. Such big craters everywhere. This puts so many people at risk and that flying tar and dust to breathe in everyday... Some craters are big enough to throw a bus out of balance, what is to say of poor two-wheeler drivers. Unseasonal rains and constant relaying of the road for underground work.
2) Too few roads - Bangalore belongs to big PSUs. A lot of it is occupied by the army, HAL, BEML, ITC etc etc. Just one or two roads connect residential areas. Hence, all the traffic is forced onto the same road.
3) Too many cars - Too many cars with just one person in it. Carpooling has not caught on at all!
4) Too many speedbreakers.

On my commute from work to home on the old airport road, I see a carmegeddon everyday. Vehicles are lined up for 2km from EGL until they take the U-turn. Half of these are just waiting to take a U-turn to go towards Indiranagar side.
Proposed solution: An underground road from EGL towards Indira nagar side. This can be one-way leading out of the area thereby reducing security concerns inside EGL. Where it would come out is a big challenge as the whole city is jammed anyway.
Also, a skywalk from Domlur to old airport road would be useful for us.

The road outside Leela Palace (supposedly the bestest hotel in Bangalore hosting people who pay their insanely high rates) is pathetic. That section is the photo above. Unfortunately, repairing it is BIG problem as the traffic flow can never be stopped. If they do it overnight, it is of NO use as it comes out the very next day making the roads worse due to flying tar bits.
Proposed solution: Shut down the road for 2 weeks, allow only busses to use one half of the road and the other half should be properly laid and allowed to set. Repeat with the other half. The rest of the traffic can use alternate routes or take a hike. Unavoidable solution... sorry!

Public transport is good if you have the time and know the bus timings or take a route with high frequency. Read a book, browse the smartphone, anything to keep you from looking at thr road and the 1hr to travel 8km will go quickly. Standing in the bus is a big pain though.

Too many honkers, too much pollution, too many craters and speedbreakers that have successfully broken my back. I may as well walk the way back (it may be faster), but dont want to inhale all the pollution. Aargh!

One day, the traffic is going to line upto 4km all the way on the old airport road from koramangala to domlur on both sides. On that day, I won't be in Bangalore. I will be sipping a tender coconut on my farm and read about it in the newspaper.

Sachal Jazz

2011-08-05T19:17:00.001+05:30

Unlike assumptions to the contrary, I am a big supporter and lover of Pakistan. The government of a country is not a representative of the people. A few radicals of a religion are not representative of the general sentiment of the people. All this stirring of emotions against Pakistan is just balderdash.
I even supported Pakistan during the world-cup matches. (Don't pelt me)

Now, this is a representative of the people!
I am always a big fan of the artists - all the Ali Khans and Ustads. I am really impressed with Coke studio (except for the official sponsors), now Sachal Jazz is thrilling to say the least.

Long live Pakistani music!

Do I hear Mahashivarathiri invites to perform at Isha Yoga Center!!

Ramadan Kareem!

2011-08-02T14:19:00.003+05:30

From The Guardian - First Day of Ramadan

Moringa

2011-07-29T17:18:00.000+05:30

Ever since I watched the "Arogya Alai" video of Isha Rural Empowerment Initiative, I have been searching in vain for Moringa in Bangalore. It is none other than Murunga keera aka drumstick leaves.

Btw, the video is a short informative one for 20-30 mins designed specifically for people in the villages appealing to them to adopt more nutritive food in their diet instead of just rice. They specifically talk about murunga keerai, inexpensive fruits such as papaya, guava and amla and millets such as ragi/varugu.

The video is very cute with an example of a family doing well at work (fields), in school, health (not spending on doctors fees), saving money etc and crediting it to their good diet and exercise. There is also a good segment from a doctor on pregnant women's and infant babies health. Murunga keerai is talked about as an elixir containing everything essential for a human being's body and mind growth. Stats from above poster were also quoted.

More searching for murunga keera led me to the site Trees For Life: Moringa that talks about moringa and its benefits.

I searched for this keerai or soppoi (in kannada) in vain in the areas I frequent. My keerai-kaaran in Vasant Nagar 8th main said "people here dont eat this maa", "it gets spoiled quickly maa". Russell market in shivaji nagar where everything of everything is found (I suspect it has a secret Knockturn Alley too) did not have it either. However, one lady said of course its available in Bangalore. Somewhere...Yeh right.

So, this morning the teenage boy (with the paan stained red teeth) sold me one big bunch for just Rs10. In my excitement I could eat these tiny leaves right then and there.
If this constant supply goes well, it might oust the other keerais from my kitchen.

Fraands

2011-07-29T16:12:00.000+05:30

I am really want to know why is it that people (all over the universe) assume that if one has dogs or cats, it is because you lack the love of humans in your life. More specifically a partner or children (!!!) Puhleez. I find this being repeated across books, sitcoms, articles. Duhhh.

Also, I am impressed with the number of cows inside city limits in Bangalore. I fear for their safety among the big vehicles putting them and the crazy honking humans at risk. I am so in love with these cows and calves and their bovine smiles, and silently send out "sweetie, don't get hit" prayer to them. I hope I can have the pleasure of taking care of a few cows and calves sometime in the future.

My next "targets" are the sweet/shy/scared stray dog, some crows that frequent the coconut tree, the tied dog and that asks me for treats and his nice old lady owner, the coconut tree itself, the cow in the make-shift stable, the sweet dozen children playing near the cowshed (instead of being in school). Targets to make friends of course.

Bhor Bhaye

2011-07-29T15:15:00.000+05:30

Listening to this song gives me the goose bumps!
While Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan has rendered it beautifully and gives me the goose bumps, Shreya Ghoshal has also done justice to what was expected of her (by ARR). At one point, her voice goes into a high pitch and it doesn't sound like a screech.
Magic overall!
Listen to it here: Bhor Bhaye - Delhi-6

I started listening to Amy Winehouse only after recent news of her death, so far she was dismissed as the Brit Spears/MJ types due to her alcohol/drugs/depression issues. Buutt, WOW!
It is so rich, rich, rich - the rest of the lady artists cannot hold a candle to her voice.

Child Domestic Worker

2011-07-19T17:20:00.002+05:30

I visited this family's house on sunday evening. They were a "successful" mid-30 something couple with two own houses (one of which I am living in right now), cars, well-earning jobs and a (surprisingly) well-mannered 11-yr old boy.

There was another person in the house who was just 2-3 years older than him. A girl. She was here from her native Tirupati to help the lady of the house in running the household. Yes, cooking and cleaning, like extended hands of the lady.

Its not that she is not treated with care. The family is not an arrogant one mistreating their maids (like the horrors we hear of from the Middle East). She is given food to eat, clothing and a place to stay which is probably much more than what her own family can give her.

There is no question of "guilt" or anything for the family. According to them, they are giving her a life.
If anyone should feel guilty, it is me - for this helplessness. Reluctance to say something "incorrect", to interfere in their lifestyle. She will go back to a worse life there.

From Wikipedia

No matter what, she is a child. Just 13 years old. She has not reached puberty! She should be in school- studying and playing.

Whatever justification they have for keeping a small girl instead of an adult maid, She is just a child. She is away from her house and is also the caretaker of a boy 2 years younger than her!

According to children protection agencies, the child will be taken away and sent back only if he/she was ill-treated (beating, shouting, burns), otherwise if he/she is there with his/her parents knowledge and treated well, nothing can be done. These agencies have a million other serious problems on their hands anyway.

One thing these people CAN do is give her an education - maths, english, and encourage her to read. If not a school, then some basic knowledge. Agreed, these children are extremely difficult to be taught to- they have layers and layers of reluctance, insecurity, fear.

Sir Salman

2011-07-07T13:41:00.000+05:30

While I am reeling under the brilliance that is Salman Rushdie (Midnight's Children), I have started reading TSV. As the book is (still) banned in India, it was tucked deep inside the suitcase of a person travelling from Amsterdam.

(When I mentioned to someone else that she is bringing something that is legal in Netherlands, but not in India, I didn't bother to clarify what I meant. Getit?? Huh?)

Given that the book caused riots outside the British council in Mumbai and the death of 12 people in 1988, I have it wrapped in brown cover while carrying it around.

A quick observation on the (probably) the greatest writer from the Indian subcontinent - Rushdie had "daddy issues"! Join the club! (Hmm, so that shouldn't stop a person from achieving brilliance.)

I am sure a person reading his books with keen interest can improve his/her English language. Again, why aren't this son-of-the-soil's books a part of our school syllabus? What a loss!

Disco Numbers

2011-07-02T11:36:00.000+05:30

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy are an underrated music trio given that they have produced/remixed such wonderful catchy songs.
They belong to the disco generation and it is evident in these amazing foot-tapping disco numbers.

Its Time to Disco - Kal Ho Na Ho
Uff Teri Ada - Karthik Calling Karthik
Where's the Party Tonight - Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna
Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe - Dil Chahtha Hai
Aaj Ki Raat - Don

I am just getting to know different music styles. DISCO. Yeah baby!

Sathsang

2011-06-28T18:46:00.003+05:30

Every encounter leaves me "wow"ed beyond words and this one is no exception.

I have heard the expression about "bursting with joy", oh but to experience it is another thing. The amount of Gratitude I felt was so overwhelming.

The interactive Q&A that lasted over 2 hours (lucky us) was so hilarious and insightful! I still fail to understand how anyone can NOT be impressed with the way he speaks. A person does not have to think of him as a Guru/Godman, but if he/she listens to him with an open mind, he/she is sure to see the unfailing logic and it is.. perfect.

My invitation to people is to ignore the crowd and really really listen with an open mind with less of their own understanding about yoga/god/godman.

With that, an invitation to the three day program at Bangalore.

For me, these words or actions does not even begin to describe Him.

I know most people have this inherent caution against Godmen (and its probably a good thing). It is further heightened by the legions of followers, by the worshipping, his face on every poster, flyer. Aha! Typical godman promoting himself, typical herd mentality by insecure people who have nothing better to do anyway and have latched themselves on.

With all due weight-age to such questions (because I have had them myself), I can only say - These things are more than answered. (Don't worry, no brainwashing or morphing done)

I have been very cautious about "marketing"(as someone put it) Sadhguru as I do not want to impose my thoughts and views on anyone. But... this will be the last time I appear apologetic for talking about him.

He is my master and Guru, and the closest I can come to describing him is the Krishaavatar. For me, he is a greatest-est possibility. This great person deserves more than this!

(When batsmen and composers are equated with God, come on!!)

Honey in the Ears

2011-05-11T20:05:00.002+05:30

Whatever happened to beautiful songs and lyrics such as these?
Ennavo po.

What are some other tamil songs similar to these? Let me know...

RIP Bruno

2011-01-20T18:12:00.002+05:30

RIP Bruno (May 2010 - Jan 2011)
Captioned this for him - "Good old solemn Bruno. With round brown eyes and beagle like face. He's a saint! and our personal chellam"
Love you my baby boy!

Binayak Sen

2010-12-28T12:00:00.001+05:30

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

2010-12-22T17:49:00.001+05:30

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

2010-12-22T17:09:00.000+05:30

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

2010-12-14T19:34:00.000+05:30

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

2010-12-09T18:52:00.000+05:30

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

2010-12-08T19:10:00.000+05:30

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

2010-12-02T16:58:00.000+05:30

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

2010-12-02T11:21:00.001+05:30

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)

I can haz

2010-11-27T16:56:00.000+05:30

Kitteh wants cheezburger.
In 1985.

Rearview Week

2010-11-26T12:38:00.000+05:30

I went on my first birding trip. There is a group of enthusiastic bird watchers who get together on sundays in various places to spot birds. I went near bannerghatta with this group. Woke up at 5! Brrrr. Report and Photos.

Namdhari's is a famous chain of supermarkets here in Blore. And guess what? the supermarket stocks only vegetarian food, that such a rarity considering there are very few restaurants (not eat-outs like Sagar) ones that are veg. The best part is the Namdhari's masalas (wait for it) do not have onion and garlic! I didn't notice hing either. The one near my house stocks mostly organic stuff (expensive ofcourse) and fresh produce. Some nice exotic (expensive) fruits like figs, plums and strawberries. Have you heard of the organic Navadharshanam ragi dosa and chutney mixes? Available.

It's pineapple season! Huge fan.

Currently reading: Amartya Sen's The Argumentative Indian. It is not a novel, but a collection of essays. It is a book nonetheless. Maybe my getting-to-sleep problem will be solved now. Just one page later, I am drifting. However, I am going to make an effort and read this book for its impeccable english. The english is so fine and I should really improve mine.

AF had a piano recital by Chris Williams yesterday. He played Bach, Mozart, Liszt and Beethoven. It was beautiful and magical. His fingers just flowed on the piano. I was grateful to listen to this music (for free) and am trying to cultivate a liking. Western classical music like Indian classical is an acquired taste. Needless to say, I haven't acquired it yet, and my mind kept drifting away and I was getting restless. I am more into the Yanni's style of the keyboard. His "Live at the Acropolis" is beyond music to me.

It is getting cccold at night. I know this is nothing compared to some other parts in the world. I just want to stand in the balcony in the evening/night without layers of clothes and shivering my arse off. I can't put my feet down on the floor! I am used to coastal Chennai weather that has four seasons- wet, hot, hotter, hottest. No wonder people love Bangalore.
IMHO, all ~~the~~ us "techies" and "mba's" should be thrown out and this place should become the Athelete's village (why is it called village I wonder). The weather will really help players, atheletes especially track and field train longer and better. It is not HOT yet not unbearably cold (like North India in winter).

How

2010-11-20T14:23:00.003+05:30

When somebody asks me about Sadhguru, I say to say things like his books and words, his intelligence, his wit, his social consciousness, the initiatives for rural people and afforestation, his classes that dramatically improve a persons life, his rock-solid vision and focus, his deep understanding of , his inclusion of all types of people irrespective of religion/personality/nationality.

But that does not even begin to explain Him. How can I tell you I have not been brainwashed into some cult by a person who is just promoting himself? How can I tell you I am not his "fan" when I am singing praises? How can I tell you people that my mind has not been hijacked? I cannot and it really doesn't matter now.

I wrote this before I saw this video by Shekar Kapur. He has expressed so beautifully what I feel... I am so overwhelmed by this.

Radha

2010-11-20T14:15:00.002+05:30

This is unverified and not necessarily authentic.

I wonder why do they put Krishna and Radha on the wedding invitation. Sure, they are the ultimate cute couple... who never married! Otherwise, it is Ganapathy, the unconfirmed bachelor God.

What the hell was Lord Krishna doing? Did he really have 1000 wives - Sheesh! Talk about libido.

From Moment on Images

Radha was/is not one single person. Radha is not even a girl or boy. All the gopis and gopikas were so attracted to Krishna even when he was a little boy. They were attracted to his beautiful nature. The eyes and the bansuri. They would not leave him alone. They would dance in ecstasy around the enlightened person. Gopis and gopikas. Gopis too - yes young men and boys were also attracted to Krishna. No high flying words of wisdom or personality development, just ecstasy being there with Him.

Unfortunately, we have been tuned to interpret union as sex. Really unfortunate.
For this reason, gopis have been slowly cut out from the explanations. Old and young people, married or otherwise, boys and girls, flocked to Krishna.

From Moment on Images

The Radha character was molded out of all the 1000+ people to explain this union better. The mind cannot comprehend union with 1000 people at the same time.
So, it is being interpreted as sex. And thus arises all this talk about Krishna's flirting and libido. Come on people. Don't do that to Him.

Pictures from the Radha-Krishna kalyanam conducted annually at the local temple of which my mother and grandma are active participants.

More photos here

Sadhguru in Bangalore

2010-11-19T19:41:00.002+05:30

"After seeking enters a being, sooner or later one arrives at a point where one desires guidance and the grace of the One Who Knows, One who has been through this uncharted but inevitable metamorphosis. Blessed are those who seek One, more blessed are those who actually encounter One." - Sadhguru

:: SADHGURU IN BANGALORE ::

Isha meditators all around the world wait for an opportunity to be with Sadhguru. A time to be with the master, to sit with him and relive and deepen our inner journey.

Sadhguru will be amidst Bangalore meditators in a Sathsang on Dec 21st morning and give a discourse to the public the same evening.

Sathsang with Sadhguru :
Date : 21 Dec, Tuesday @ 6.30 AM
Venue : White Petals, Palace Grounds, Near Mekhri Circle
Details : http://www.ishafoundation.org/component/option,com_program/program_id,4177/task,details/

All that one has heard, learnt, felt and experienced through the classes and practices only increases our yearning to be with Him. It is time to quench that thirst now.

Inner Engineering - the peak of wellbeing :
21 Dec, Tuesday @ 6:30 PM.
Venue : White Petals, Palace Grounds, Near Mekhri Circle
Details : http://www.ishafoundation.org/component/option,com_program/program_id,4178/task,details/

This is the first time Sadhguru is addressing pubic in Bangalore. There cannot be a better opportunity to introduce Isha and Sadhguru to your friends and family. Spread the word! Spread the joy!

Phone: 97428 52876 / 98869 94040
Email: bangalore@ishafoundation.org

Connect with Sadhguru and Isha Bangalore @

http://www.facebook.com/IshaBangalore

Ferals

2010-11-12T19:49:00.000+05:30

Meera asked me why should the stray dogs be neutered and spayed? The simple answer would be to reduce the population. But why?

Any ardent and die-hard dog/cat lover will agree, the biggest favour you can do to the dog is to get it spayed/neutered. The question of taking away their right to reproduce is null and void and obviously shows the person's ignorance of the term "a dog's life". They can engage in "the act", but NOT reproduce.

I LOVE those dogs- big and small, their little wagging tails, their playfulness and can't get enough of them. I could stay play with them all day and not get bored.

I hate seeing stray dogs. I don't hate them (God bless), but their lives are terrible. Terrible. Dogs that are not cared for, don't have food live half-lives. They are almost feral, run away even if a friendly human approaches. They survive because they forage in the dustbins and get something to eat. This stuff is terrible, barely edible, is rotten and make the dogs sick. Sometimes harmful materials such as needles, broken glass and metal go into their systems and they ~~die~~ live slowly painfully.

Its heart-breaking for me to see a dog hanging around near the edges of tea stalls with its tail tucked between the legs begging for scraps. Hunger, hunger all the time. Even if I go near them, they run away out of fear. They are so used to be shooed.

Dogs are also like human kids, they are meant to be petted and taken care of- they are domestic animals. There cannot be any stray dogs- they live half lives. I really don't want to see more such pathetic things on the roads.

So many of them die on road accidents, posing a danger to humans as well. The mutilated corpses, rotting. Shudder. A dog population control in place will stop these horrible scenes.

Another thing with this is it messes up their mental make-up and they go half-wild/feral again. They go mad, they actually go half-mad, (not rabid though) and attack humans, especially children. They don't have the sweet and good natured temperament of pedigree dogs either. Even stray dogs(as in non-pedigree) that were taken care of by humans from their birth go half-mad after a certain age.

The mother dog's survival is a big issue. She lives miserably, let me emphasize miserable when the pups are born. She has to battle for her own food, for six others its terrible. Sometimes, the little pups are attacked by other male dogs.

There are SO SO many dogs in Bangalore. Much more than in Chennai. Dogs are fiercely territorial, especially during the night. If one new dog walks in, a big fight ensues and there is so much barking - at 2 am. They bark loud and continuously, makes me (yea, me!) want to throw something to drive them away.

Dog population HAS to be controlled. There is no place in animal shelters, they are desperate for funds, space, etc. Whatever goggies are here, we/they can try to take care of, but no new ones... please.

செம்மொழி தமிழ்

2010-11-07T11:22:00.000+05:30

I liked, its kind of catchy. Its good to listen to classical tamil. I thought Shruthi Hassan's screaming (towards the end)really spoiled it though.

Obama-Rama

2010-11-07T11:02:00.000+05:30

If Barack stood for elections in India, he would WIN. Not just win, he would sweep the polls. Oh gosh, he's popular. Hugely popular! Of course, he can never be a citizen and hence can't stand for elections is a different thing. Also, we have a parliamentary system. He will not become the prime minister as internal politics will eat him up.
The media is going berserk with the Obama chant. His every single move is being covered in painful detail. Every person who spent a microsecond with him are being quoted. "How was your experience?" and the cliche "Ohhhh, it was jussssst amaaaazingggg. They are so waaaarm" Doh!

And his name rhymes with the famous god Rama.

It is nice to see him jiving with those kids along with Michelle. Such a sport! I wish our PM/Heads of State (not the one in TN, please.. spare the old man) were as jolly as this.

Thing

2010-11-04T15:01:00.001+05:30

Have you seen " Thing" from Addams family. I have watched the b&w human and cartoon versions of this (Oh those naive pre-teen years) and I remember this disembodied hand character that is a part of the family. Yes, only the hand that has a complete personality. I would like one actually. It should be trained a masseuse. I don't demand high skills, just gentle massages of the shoulder, neck, lower back in the morning and night. The hand is sufficient, no hassles of dealing with a human being- Ha! Yea, the shoulder is needed to apply pressure from the top, but seriously, are we arguing the logic of the hand? (!!)

Aaaanyway,
I am quite close to this mid-elderly couple (they are like parents to me). Both of them have some nerve and muscle issues (genetic, not lifestyle caused) and have pain issues almost all the time. I would give massages (even my massages give them some relief) if I visit them. I used to wonder how is it to live in pain all the time. Now, I don't have to anymore.

I am surprised my lower back and shoulders have not responded well to what I consider is the best non-invasive treatment- ayurvedic massage therapy. I understand there are SO MANY factors at play here given that I have ignored certain basic rules of living for a long time. I follow the rules now- follow up therapy, everyday ortho exercises, a lot of good food, but even after six months, square one is not-so-great place to be. I understand these things take time and don't intend to stop it. I do have a..uh thing for following certain things that ~~were~~ are in "not working" mode for years. There is another explanation of Resistance- in the level of the mind, body, emotions, left-overs from another time.

Aaaanyway,
Overnight travel is major pain point. The bumpy roads/rail tracks jiggling the body and lack of sleep are some things. The messed up loo schedule is what causes the *most* discomfort. Proceed to the next paragraph if you find loo-talk icky. No movement in the bowels makes it gets accumulated somewhere there, presses against the lower back and *sigh* more discomfort. There is a palpable relief after the uh.. dis-accumulation.

Aaaanyway,
So Long and Thanks for all the Fish! <-- I have decided these would be my (famous?) last words.

Odissi Performance at AF

2010-11-02T19:56:00.001+05:30

Alliance Francais theatre staged an Odissi performance on saturday evening. These dance shows are organised by Ashish Mohan Khokar (Bio here), a charming and witty dance critic. In an effort to appreciate the finer aspects of the dance, we had an initial demo. Oh my, such subtle steps... Odissi dance sure is hard and extremely beautiful. I have to repeat beauty a hundred times and that isn't enough. For about 1 hr, we were mesmerized by the performances. The first one was by four young girls, a rendition of Shanthakaram Bhujaga-shayanam. Each and every word was depicted with appropriate stance/mudra. The formations included garuda vaaganam, anantha sayanam padma naabham.
Madhulita Mahapatra did a prana sanghini re that was a fluid movement, and those expressions.
If you remember the last Isha Fest, you will remember the young boys dressed as girls who wowed everyone with their acrobatic+graceful dance movements. They had come especially from the Orissa school for this! Always a pleasure to go ooooh for them.

Apparently AF-Bangalore has a strong events list throughout the year and I live like 5 mins away from there. Woo-hoo!

More animals

2010-10-30T14:42:00.000+05:30

I had a good and wrong opinion of PETA. I assumed an organisation that puts animal rights first would be doing the right thing, but not this one. They are a bad name to activist organisations and animal rights in particular. They aren't famous (or infamous) in India, but highly unpopular in some western countries. And I can see why.
I don't think nudity or screaming "Go vegetarian" would've made any converts. Animals for food is going to exist, period. We need to focus on improving their living conditions in the farms, feeding them the right food.
More than anything else, focus on "making noise" rather than actually doing some field work earns a big zero from me.
(Don't compare Greenpeace in the same way though)

Someone gave me a purse from australia- made of kangroo fur. Wut! But I wanted one made of human hair. Both of these are equally "ewwww" for a "no-fur" person like me.

Bakrid is up sometime next month. The area I live in has a sizeable muslim community. I am planning to escape for those 2-3 days out of the area. I will have convulsions if I even see the severed goat head or headless body of a ram(kada aadu). I hope I don't have to add this disclaimer everywhere - I am secular, I have nothing against eating meat blah, blah, blah.

We all like to impose ourselves, our thoughts on someone else. That is a major problem with vegans. They/we have this need to share information with everyone. And always ready to come up with these facts that make everyone else think you are a major idiot.
IMO, if you are really vegan, food is just one part of it- Doing something FOR the animals is more important. And meat-eaters are even better in that aspect, though not a complete animal-lover.

Anger News India

2010-10-27T19:05:00.000+05:30

The man at the petrol bunk started filling petrol at 40. He was talking in rapid kannada that I obviously didn't understand, maybe to distract me. I had to shout for him to stop and start from 0 again. I had to to raise my voice and show outrage- that was the only way for a "don't mess with me". He feigned innocence, blamed the machine. Yea right, he didn't even attempt to zero it. I wish I could've shouted without getting angry on the inside, the bile eruptions etc. The day I am terribly angry outside and calm inside- I will know I have arrived.

I would love to live in a community. Not a joint family, but a community driven by common ideas and passion. I am not a loner but staying alone is pretty cool! No getting on anyone's nerve, vice versa. Although it is "oh-so-lonely" for some time, I am afraid I will get used to this, then community living will become tough.

The TV news can never equal the published newspaper. I prefer printed newspaper, but the "waste of paper and trees" reason is compelling enough to read it for free on the internet. TV News is just on the surface, it is good for creating sensation and covering breaking news, but the newspaper actually covers news. So many topics are covered in this. I wonder if there will ever be a news channel that delivers news like a newspaper- it is a new model for existing news channels to consider. NDTV-Hindu seems to be very popular and will come close in that segment. They have a strong local focus (only one city- Chennai) and that could be a reason for all-out coverage.

I liked this short 2-min Ted talk by Derek Sivers. He ends it with "Whatever true thing you say about India, the opposite is also true". That is no just a statement- it sooo describes this country. I initially thought that applies to every other country, but it doesn't.

Is Ha Food

2010-10-22T16:02:00.001+05:30

Look What I discovered on scribd! Isha Rejuvenation's Raw/Natural Food Recipes!
Take prints/download/celebrate before this is yanked off the internet because these recipes are priceless. Anyone who has spent even a day there will just love the amazing whole fresh food and salads they serve. I am doing cartwheels here.. well, mentally.

Is Ha Natural Food Recipes

In case the above link isn't working - Direct link to Scribd. Is Ha? Just using the same title buddy.

Not to be confused with the Isha Life restaurant in Chennai.

Gandhiji

2010-10-18T19:35:00.000+05:30

All those who know me know I adore Gandhiji. I am proud that he is a symbol of the nation. It represents many many things. I went to an art exhibition near my house titled "Who has seen Gandhi?". I wamt him to be remembered forever and ever.

Pirsig on Self-Glorification

2010-10-14T14:51:00.001+05:30

I have been reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintainance. Somehow, it has failed to strike a chord with me. Its not that it was unreadable, but it made me sleep. This paragraph caught my attention and it makes a lot of sense.

We want to be special, we want to glorify the ego. That is fed into us the moment we are born and our education system behaves the same. They could as well have "blow your ego" posters on the walls. Every competition, every single thing is asking us to do that. Anywayz, until another solution comes along...

In this paragraph, he talks specifically about mountain/hill-climbing. I attended some talk by a mountaineer and was totally blown away... by his lack of humility. It was one boast-fest with beautiful pictures. I've always thought there is something about the mountains that make you feel smaller.

Another important point is about the Kailash Manasarovar yathra being an act of devotion. It takes a foreigner to point out.. Shambo!

Selfless climbing- thats how I want it to be. He has perfectly described how I typically behave on these trips- rejecting the here. :-( The second last sentenceNAILS it.

Up ahead all of Chris's movements seem tired and angry. He stumbles on things, lets branches tear at him, instead of pulling them to one side.

I'm sorry to see this. Some blame can be put on the YMCA camp he attended for two weeks just before we started. From what he's told me, they made a big ego thing out of the whole outdoor experience. A proof-of-manhood thing. He began in a lowly class they were careful to point out was rather disgraceful to be in -- original sin. Then he was allowed to prove himself with a long series of accomplishments...swimming, rope tying -- he mentioned a dozen of them, but I've forgotten them.

It made the kids at camp much more enthusiastic and cooperative when they had ego goals to fulfill, I'm sure, but ultimately that kind of motivation is destructive. Any effort that has self-glorification as its final endpoint is bound to end in disaster. Now we're paying the price. When you try to climb a mountain to prove how big you are, you almost never make it. And even if you do it's a hollow victory. In order to sustain the victory you have to prove yourself again and again in some other way, and again and again and again, driven forever to fill a false image, haunted by the fear that the image is not true and someone will find out. That's never the way.

Phadrus wrote a letter from India about a pilgrimage to holy Mount Kailas, the source of the Ganges and the abode of Shiva, high in the Himalayas, in the company of a holy man and his adherents.

He never reached the mountain. After the third day he gave up, exhausted, and the pilgrimage went on without him. He said he had the physical strength but that physical strength wasn't enough. He had the intellectual motivation but that wasn't enough either. He didn't think he had been arrogant but thought that he was undertaking the pilgrimage to broaden his experience, to gain understanding for himself. He was trying to use the mountain for his own purposes and the pilgrimage too. He regarded himself as the fixed entity, not the pilgrimage or the mountain, and thus wasn't ready for it. He speculated that the other pilgrims, the ones who reached the mountain, probably sensed the holiness of the mountain so intensely that each footstep was an act of devotion, an act of submission to this holiness. The holiness of the mountain infused into their own spirits enabled them to endure far more than anything he, with his greater physical strength, could take.

To the untrained eye ego-climbing and selfless climbing may appear identical. Both kinds of climbers place one foot in front of the other. Both breathe in and out at the same rate. Both stop when tired. Both go forward when rested. But what a difference! The ego-climber is like an instrument that's out of adjustment. He puts his foot down an instant too soon or too late. He's likely to miss a beautiful passage of sunlight through the trees. He goes on when the sloppiness of his step shows he's tired. He rests at odd times. He looks up the trail trying to see what's ahead even when he knows what's ahead because he just looked a second before. He goes too fast or too slow for the conditions and when he talks his talk is forever about somewhere else, something else. He's here but he's not here. He rejects the here, is unhappy with it, wants to be farther up the trail but when he gets there will be just as unhappy because then it will be "here." What he's looking for, what he wants, is all around him, but he doesn't want that because it is all around him. Every step's an effort, both physically and spiritually, because he imagines his goal to be external and distant.

That seems to be Chris's problem now.

Cubbon, Green, Camera

2010-10-11T18:32:00.000+05:30

Cubbon Park is so near where I stay. I knew it was near, I never realised it was SO near. It is a sign. A sign, I tell ya. Calling me for some footfalls.

The amount of plastic and waste generated during lunch time here. Aaah! So many plastic packets for food. The food is so easily and carelessly wasted. This is from a place with less than 200 people. I cannot imagine the food waste from an IT park holding 20,000 people.

I really hate parcelled food. That single thin plastic cover is made from petroleum by-products, does not degrade, cannot be recycled, generates dangerous chemicals on incineration and choking the planet, and me!

Our clients (based in USA/UK) should henceforth give out contracts only to those companies who are Green in their admin and waste-management practices. Buildings should be constructed based on perma-culture. Composting pits, recycling and waste segregation units should be a part of the building. Thats just the basic. There's so much more to a green building. Once policies that effectively battle climate change are in place, this is the next thing citizens should campaign for. Managing the waste stream or else.. Wall-E situation.

Things are not n-ed or m-ed in the Karnataka-Andhra region. Its kalasipalaya instead of the palayams in TN, Its Srinivasa instead on srinivasans. Many places end with halli. What is it.. something like puram/nagar.

If I make a list of people who are over-hyped here that keeps me out of facebook. It surprises me that fb friends who I consider intelligent go "gaaaaa" over whatever they dish out. They are A.R.Rahman, Rajinikanth, Mani Ratnam and Sachin Tendulkar. Ironically, all of them are very humble people in real life.

The second last piece of electronic equipment* in my life has died. I have a thing with electronic items. They don't function, get outdated, lost, stolen. The 3.2mega pixel camera that belongs to 10,000 BC has stopped working. The "world through my eyes"(!!!) is over. Sigh!! I can't stand the 2mp photos from the mobile, how do I post them?! I am not a shutter bug, but its nice to have a recording. Now, that has ended. Do I hear wild cheering somewhere coz the photos were bad anyway.

*the first one is the mobile phone that has managed to stick on since Diwali.

Kisan Swaraj yatra needs your voice: Sign the petition

2010-10-11T16:27:00.001+05:30

Dear friend,

Food is fundamental to life. Today, the food that we eat and the farmers who grow our food are both in crisis. The farmers are caught in the trap of high-cost chemical farming destroying their soils and pushing them into debt; meanwhile, the government has been removing their support systems and promoting corporate profits at the expense of farmers. The 200,000 farmer suicides in the past 15 years are a challenge to our collective conscience.

What's more, the food that we and our children eat is ridden with pesticides and chemicals; our staple diets are depleted of nutrients; the more "advanced" our agriculture, the more polluted our water and soil are.

The Kisan Swaraj Yatra is an initiative to strike out a new path in agriculture, which provides a dignified livelihood to all our farmers and farmworkers, and keeps our soil alive and our food and water healthy. From Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat on Oct 2nd, the bus Yatra is traveling through 20 states to reach Raj Ghat on Dec 11th. Through cities, towns and villages, lakhs of farmers, agricultural workers, social activists, farmer leaders, students and consumers will mobilize to bring these issues to the government.

Are you ready to add your voice? It is time to send this message loud and clear to the Indian government.

http://ww.kisanswaraj.in/petition/

May the Force be with the Indian farmers!

Kisan Swaraj Yathra

2010-09-30T10:54:00.000+05:30

From the website: Kisan Swaraj Yathra, Sabarmati to Rajghat
Jal, Jangal, Zameen aur BEEJ
Jai Kisan!

The Yatra will have exhibitions, seed diversity and organic food festivals, public meetings, rallies, film screenings, cycle yatras, street plays, direct actions, lobbying meetings, press conferences and 'skillshares' on its mission of “Swaraj”.
The Yatra will have successful and experienced ecological farmers sharing their knowledge and views throughout the yatra, reaching out to fellow farmers and consumers with a message of “Swaraj” in our food and farming.

I can catch it on Oct 24th at Bangalore.

This is very exciting! And best wishes to Ananthoo who is going to be in this yathra. I hope the stoopid media covers this adequately. It should be given national importance. It is our daily food dammit! This isn't associated with a political party. Why can't anticipation be created around this?? A theme song, a chorus. Endorsements, performances.

What kind of people are we if we ignore our lovely farmers?

On another note, I really can't stand the Rajanikanth and the Rajanikanth hype and color of his socks! However, Tamil Nadu is saved from the repercussions of the Ayodhya verdict. They will be too busy celebrating... what's that movie's name again? Logging off facebook (not that I am active on it) until next month for this reason alone.

TED Sugata Mitra

2010-09-29T15:19:00.000+05:30

Please watch the video for the "Hole in the Wall" computer education.
Education as such is such a debated topic and there is no one solution to it. The current system systematically destroys the child- though it is not designed to do so, but the child cannot be without it. I will share my detailed views on it later. And about the "Teachers", ok later..

The children are AMAZING, and their ability to learn on their own with aid from the www is highlighted in the video. This demands creativity and curiosity that comes naturally to the kid. Group learning is also a key for this to happen.
That said, teachers and guidance cannot be done away with. I love seeing the grandmas from Britain teaching children in rural Rajasthan. :-) But thats just teaching. I don't think a completely virtual education world will or should evolve. Children need teachers, they need interaction and personal interaction. Heck, virtual interaction does not work so well in offices, how will it work with children.

Anniversary

2010-09-29T15:16:00.001+05:30

Wedding is the event, marriage is the *aah* journey.
Wedding anniversary is no big deal really, but I give it importance because I want to not be my parents (I don't even know when their wedding date is honestly). They didn't give it importance, well because, they were probably embarassed aaand the marriage is/was a... disaster that systematically produced two disasters (though not designed/intended to).
So, S & me - 5 years.
Love the independence and not stuck-at-the-hip, hate the financial failures.
Love the animal-and-nature-lovers, hate the pessimism.
Love the Isha-togetherness, hate the cynic.
Love the can-call-anytime, hate the 24-hr work schedule.
Love the hindu-christian thing - Oh, I am proud of us.
Love the distance, hate the distance (and that's not just the 362km).

*Ma, not intended to defame you, You rock!

F1

2010-09-17T18:50:00.001+05:30

Please take the two-wheeler directly to the mechanic after it has travelled by bus/train service from city to another. It pretends to function and move, but that's not all. It stalls suddenly and it stalls big.

With a bad day behind I was leaving the Shivaji Nagar market at 9 in the night and the vehicle stalls. It's dead. I was trying the kick start for about 10-20 minutes. I was feeling very miffed and my legs ached. One middle aged man stopped to help me. He was small, not so strong person. He tried and failed, but stood with me throughout the "ordeal", giving me suggestions. I pushed the vehicle for a short distance. I urged him to leave, but he stood for a good 20 minutes till we found an auto driver to give the vehicle the kick of its life to start it.

At that time, it was SO NICE to have another person by my side- even though he did not actually start it. This was not a life threatening situation, but the feeling of helplessness reduced and I could do something. I couldn't thank him enough for being there.

Thank you Mr.Daniel of Shivaji Nagar, thank you!
You were my F1.

PC

2010-09-17T18:43:00.003+05:30

IM A PC

though not directly.
Let's see what you make of it!

DON'T Google it, eh.. Bing it! If that isn't a clue...

The Prophet

2010-09-09T15:58:00.000+05:30

Have you read these wonderful poems by Khalil Gibran?
I read "On Children" out loud to my mother while in school. The "Your children are not your children" line seemed like a rebel line back then.

I am very touched by the depth and clarity in his words. His simple words convey so much truth. His paintings of nude men and women (nothing x-rated perverts) are soo beautiful, are sooo divine and out of the world. They seem to have captured this real human is divine essence. Human sans identity, sans ego.

Poems have to be 1)read slowly, 2)sung out loud, 3)savoured
Read them when you have the time, don't swallow.
The Prophet - Khalil Gibran

Sleep

2010-09-07T13:07:00.000+05:30

Chennai to Bangalore is the perfect uncomfortable distance. Its 6 hours away. Even if you take the train at night, sleep is really interrupted. Busses are terrible things to sleep in and they cost SO much. Rs600 for Non AC seater on a weekend. What a rip-off!
If sleeping on trains is tough, busses are terrible. On a bumpy one, Sigh! I had a wonderful therapy massage that morning and it was totally undone and made worse with that ride.
The next day, the messy house was a big inspiration to jump into action and clean. After that, just walking around became a pain. I was mentally collapsing.
Sleep has been a big handicap for me. I call it handicap as I stop functioning if I haven’t had enough sleep the previous night. It’s not that I love sleeping. I feel stoopid if I siesta in the noon. How many things I could’ve done during that time.
During the night, I don’t sleep “before the head hits the pillow”. Am envious of that expression. Even after 27 years, the ”5 more minutes” disease cripples for an hour! Wake up bright eyed and bushy tailed, not in the cheerleader sense that "personality developers and positive thinkers" ask us to, but as a welcome change from looking at the clock and shouting “oh crap!”. Of late, I have become more finicky and fussy, no noise while sleeping, no snoring, no water dripping, no bright light. Dohh!
Many people have told me that it is a mental thing and if something tells your brain that you have slept, you will be fine. That does not apply if we have done hard physical work. In that case, the body demands it! However, for a person like me, its DEFINITELY a mental thing. Someone tell my unconscious layer every night. I have decided to be UP and ready at 5-30am with a lit lamp for a certain meeting everyday. Lets see how badly I want that to happen...
I am amazed by people who can work without sleeping. Passion is a major driver for sure! (And caffiene too, you say?) People in offices, at construction sites, at shops! What are you guys made of?!
The best example are the Isha yoga teachers. This is not an advertisement or praise for them. But, wow! When they come for conducting programs, its 4 in the morning until 12 in the night and SO many things to keep track of! During big events and functions, invariably long hours happen. Its wonderful to see the volunteers too match up to that.
Bless me with less sleep!

Space, the final frontier

2010-09-07T11:36:00.001+05:30

Outer Space is always fascinating!
The interest was greatly fuelled by Star Trek.

Via: OnlineSchools.org
Very neat presentation.

Around

2010-08-26T13:06:00.003+05:30

A 6 hour train journey can get boring and sultry. It was made bearable by this little sweet smiley imp who refused to sit at all. He was soo bouncy. And the best part? He called me "akkaaaaaa"(elder sister) throughout. Ha! His mother must be a few years younger than me.
Hey, kids are unbiased and truthful. What say?

Ahaha! Obviously this naivedhyam is different.

No words- for the visual depiction!

Ta-da!

2010-08-24T12:04:00.002+05:30

Lessons from the monk I married: Lesson 234, living childless.

For us non-breeders by choice. :-)

Some excerpts
I LOVE children and the children of my friends and family who have them.
Some of the kids: http://picasaweb.google.com/anupama.s3/TheCatChronicles#
Oh sorry: http://picasaweb.google.com/anupama.s3/Twenty10#

The only issue is the assumption that if you are childless you must hate kids. As far as the hating kids thing is concerned I say, "I don't hate kids I just don't want to own one."

In many cultures, not having children is viewed as a problem. Many cannot perceive it as a choice.
This is from a woman in the west. Over here, it is beyond unthinkable. Remember those lyrics "thaai aana pinbu dhaan nee penmani"- "Only after becoming a mother you are a woman" !!!!

Thanks for the link Meera

Bannerughatta National Park

2010-08-09T19:13:00.000+05:30

What were we thinking! Something like thula thula?
There is no such thing as national park in Bannerghatta. Its only a big zoo!

We went there and were sorely disappointed to see the animals and birds in cages! It was SO painful to watch. There is the "safari" and the zoo.

The safari involves travelling in an artificially closed environment for deers, bears, lions and tigers. Atleast this is better than cages, thats the only consolation.

There are feeding spots for animals and the van goes along the route. So, we get to see the animals. The deers were fine, the bears were all tame. I am sure they were rescued circus bears, you could see the ring marks on the nose. One or two bears were going on swaying to n fro, the remnants of his dancing days. My heart broke for him. He is in far better conditions now. My apologies dear bear for screwing up your mental senses like this. The lions were lazy and playing with their handler.(!!!) So sad to see concrete cages everywhere. The tigers too! They are sometimes forced into the cages. Cages! So that they come into the view of the stupid humans in their vans.

The zoo was pathetic. The panther is in an enclosure! The fastest animal forced to sit inside a big cage. So many birds too. Only thing the cages are bigger. The worst were the cute hippos. No water to marinate in. The enclosure was too small, too small. A single sad zebra, some deers. Just could not take pictures of this cruelty!

One side of the argument is - this is better than leaving them in the wild at the mercy of poachers. Nope, they can better be extinct than live in artificial cages! Being caged, what life is that?!
In this country of 1.2 billion people and increasing, where is the place for them?

Its easy to say the park structure should be changed. Its too complicated, too long and will not happen. Mudumalai was way better. I am hoping Kaziranga and the others in rainforests-like regions are much better than this!

Some pictures in this album: http://picasaweb.google.com/anupama.s3/Bangalore2010#

Dal Lake

2010-08-09T12:20:00.002+05:30

They went for an Amarnath pilgrimage in the height of the Kashmir unrest. They had a "heroic" escape, more on that later.
Say hello to my (very sportive) mom and grandma being all touristy and posing in the Dal lake.

These

2010-08-03T20:39:00.001+05:30

I haz a "boy"-cut. My hair is shorto-short and i LOVE it. This was done for 60 bucks at discount rates in the local parlour(as opposed to 400 bucks with a stylist). So much freedom! I plan to keep it this way until the full monty. The regular hair loss is still on though. :-( I am shedding like a furry dog.

I am surprised people mistake me for a boy - from behind or the side. Someone asked me "thumbe time enna?" in the train.(thumbe=brother) One guy caught my shoulder to steady himself in the bus. I turned around and looked at him and he said "oh sorry madam". They really thought I was a boy! Come on!! Uh hullo. I am not flat- though I wish...

Getting to know BMTC. I think they are better and less crowded that Chennai busses. Good to see women as conductors, demanding the bus pass and the tickets from the passengers. So, this is where Shivaji Rao Gaekwad was before he came to Chennai. A bus conductor.

THE ROOM *doom noise* O.M.G!! The place I stay at right now in Bangalore is VERY close to a national highway. I can hear the heavy traffic noise ALL THE TIME. There is a bus stand just outside and the busses slow down, honk. One bus stays long, the vehicles behind honk. This heavy flow starts at 5am and goes on until 11pm. After that, it is the heavy vehicles and the room vibrates. Autos and busses go so fast, you can hear them till they cross the end of the road. I think staying here for about 20 days, I must've removed 7-8 years from my life.
Really this is SO bad, I have even taken videos just to share my agony with others. This is the first place I am taking Sujit when he comes to Blore. And I am shifting tomorrow. Wish me luck!!

Change is good. But 20+ days of almost no raw food other than fruits and eating outside is a big bore. I got the induction stove here and used it for making morning sathumavu. An upturned bucket as a temporary stool.

This laptop idea works good!

There was a little rat in the room. He peed and crapped in the cupboard in the room. He bit into my bananas and apple (cost me 30 bucks) and I had to throw them away. He bit into my packet of jaggery. He even ruined the nice handbag from Thailand. I would rummage in the cupboard and mr.rat would fly out like a superhero and make me shriek (out of surprise). I sleep on mat on the floor and it never bothered me. I had filled above bucket with water to use for washing the utensils. I see mr.rat drowned in the bucket. Ohhh! Poor thing. We hate each other but could've lived. :-(( I felt bad for it. I had to throw it into the drain. Eyes tightly shut while hauling the bucket out.

The real-estate person who got me this house used the caste card too many times, it really pissed me off. Told him not to do that! He says, "no madam, it is useful". Oh puhleez!

I LOVE wearing shoes and the Blore weather affords this one. But I feel very guilty wearing running shoes and not running. Ok, I do run behind the bus etc. By the end of the year, the back (disc bulge) should be alright and I can start again. Cardio and weight bearing exercises are such an important part of wellness and I can't do both right now!

DhyanaYathra

2010-07-29T18:13:00.001+05:30

Reminded me of the wonderful Dhyanayathra pilgrimage we went to as a part of Isha group - Badrinath, Kedarnath, Guptkashi, Gangothri, Tapovan, Uttarkashi.

I went there in September 2006 and the memories of the journey are still fresh. It was not a trek, a Yathra. Looking at this video brings back that wonderful time we had.
The trip was VERY well organised and being with Isha meditators is like family! So, from the train to the bus journeys to the climbing, it was always "we". Unknown people helped me, gave water, jackets and the encouraging smiles. Brings tears to me eyes. Thank you.

This video is in Tamil, Others - will post the one in English when it comes.

Adi Sankaracharya - So blessed I could ~~understand~~ get the significance of this person thanks to these places.

Badrinath - Badrinarayana Moorthy. Only Vishnu temple where he is called Nath(?) The temple is SO colorful and beautiful. The hot water springs... OMG. Wonderful or what! We were asked not to stay in for more than 5 mins at a time as it affects the blood pressure.

Kedarnath - Sadhguru said, "Its easy to go to Badri, but to go to Kedar, we have to struggle a bit. Shiva demands it from us!" Kedarnath pilgrimage was amazing! 14km of Shambo. I thought it would be cold and had jacketed up. The climb was perspiring and had to remove them. Some people wore their thermal innerwear. Pity.
Throughout this climb, there were small temples everywhere. Generously smeared myself with the kumkum,ash,chandan. Yes, we do see the singing blind man who is in the original video as well as the video above. There were a lot of sadhus. We were asked not to take photographs of them without their permission, coz Its just plain rude, just because they look different doesn't make them zoo exhibits.
The kedar temple is small and the Adi Sankaracharya's jeevan-samadhi place behind it was just great. Very happy to see the sign board there that says "People of all religions, nationalities, faiths welcome here".

GuptKashi - Of special significance to Isha meditators! Wow, that place is really something! Even for rocks like me...

Uttarakashi - Another major temple/stop over on the way.

Haridwar - Wherever nature is worshipped, the very act brings tears to my eyes. Its easy to say the river is our life-giving, nourishing mother but to actually take an Arathi for it. Brilliant culture!

Rishikesh - Another Ganga Arathi. I will never tire them.

Now, for the most beautiful place on earth - GANGOTHRI and GOMUKH and TAPOVAN
The trek up Gangothri is one of the best I've been up. The river flowing to your right and the trees and those small streams to cross. Beauty raised to the power 100. This place has a strict no plastic zone that is actually enforced! Gomukh is the birth place of the Ganga. The glacier is was shaped like a cow's mouth hence the name. But it is unidentifiable now - do we need more evidence of global warming. Tapovan is a spot and a tough climb above gomukh- and is actually on another planet. And people live there. They were so generous with tea. Its SO SO tough to bring food to this level. We struggled just to bring these bodies. And they are so insistingly generous in sharing. What strength and character and dignity - without the ego.

This Yathra route or Char Dhaam - "Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangothri and Yamunothri" is closed for 6 months a year due to heavy snow and blizzards.

Luggage - I lost them. An entire unit full of thermal wear, my favourite Tees, A lovely black jacket. And the new suitcase. No sadness though. She demanded a sacrifice maybe.

Photos - I had them for a long time, but lost them while formatting the computer. No regrets there- the memory of the trip is fresh in the film role in the head!

This video reminded me of the pilgrimage! Now, Nepal beckons!

I hope Sujit goes on this trek sometime soon too.

Guru Poornima

2010-07-26T12:00:00.000+05:30

I am glad I attended the Guru Poornima celebration/meeting at Koramangala in Bangalore. It feels wonderful that we have reached beyond just rituals and can get the significance of the day and event.
Being there is much more than just "made my sunday" thing.
Gu-ru - Dispeller of Ignorance. Not a person, a space. Not a teacher whose sayings we "agree" with. "Most significant" does not even begin to describe the enormity of a Guru.
Gratitude!

There were SO many flowers that the meditators were given some to take home.
I came back to my (temporary)room and arranged them around the small photos I have along with agarbhattis. On a newspaper :-D

"Ganapathy bappa moriyaa" got his share. :-D

In the train

2010-07-20T11:27:00.000+05:30

This was a)Vandalized b)Removed by the railway authorities- service discontinued c)Pilfered by b

bengaluru

2010-07-15T11:30:00.001+05:30

Bangalore - Initial Observations. Comparisons to Chennai are inevitable.

1) Aawesome weather. I really feel all is well in the world and in an overall better mood. Runners are out even at 9-30 in the morning. 9-30 AM dammit. In this tropical country! And I don't need the fan at night. My toes grow cold, need to use socks. On and off rains make it colder.

2) Power Cuts - Hail TamilNadu! Its so sad the power should go out SO often in a the IT capital of India.

3) Traffic - Need I add to the mounting crib about the traffic. Honk, horn, honk, horn. But all two-wheeler riders wear a helmet. This city is a classic case of population+everyone has a car. Sadness.

4) BMTC - Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation has an english abbreviation but is ALL routes are written in Kannada. Whatever happened to metro city? Maybe this is intentional to keep the outsiders from crowding the busses. Doesn't keep me away, I bus around! Don't rely on the websites. It suggested a terribly round about route for me that took me on a Bangalore tour!

5) Autorickshaws - In the normal working time, they are Jekylls charging only the fare shown on the meter, so you can see that almost all autos are occupied, Chennai has too many empty autos. But after dark, they become Hydes, they FLEECE FLEECE like their counterparts in Chennai. Brothers

6) Language - Of course I will learn Kannada. But very nice to note you can easily survive with Hindi here. They are SO many tamil speaking locals- its fine.

7) Shops - Gasp! So many shops! Are they so many people here to frequent them and buy the designer clothing, shoes, creams, bullshit.

8) Well Dressed - Everyone is oh-so-well dressed. Enough to give a eh.. "hep" person like me a complex.(sarcam) No, I am not going to sashay into your face with high heels. Its funny coz there is a huge number of girls in the best western outfits and an equal number in black face veils.

9) Food - From the standing eateries to the high end places, there is so much variety here. Makes no diffy to a eat-at-home person like me.

Names

2010-07-08T15:49:00.000+05:30

Whitey

We initially named her Nemo, but the name didn't catch on. So, she is named on the color of her skin. She is very bitey.

Marco

Mister growler

Polo Anu

The friendliest goggie who is the first to reach and last to leave.

Alfa

She was the first to react to us with tail wagging while the rest were edging away. (initial human-dog interaction days)

Bruno

The saint and possibly only male dog in the set. He gets special attention from us because he was a very sad and scared little thing. Now, he's all right!

Isha Life - Quick Review

2010-07-06T14:10:00.002+05:30

Walking into the Isha Life at Abhiramapuram is like walking into a piece of art.
Attention to detail and beauty are simple words to explain how good it is. Every little thing from the railings to the staircase, the photos and statues are placed to create an amazing amazing ambience. The foreigners, NRI types will LOVE it. And everything is so alive and so Indian, nothing plastic or dead. Flowers are placed in urulis.

Gym and Spa: Though it is way way way beyond a normal person's budget, people who have the money, I highly recommend you go for it. Especially all the Runners makkal who anyway are willing to spend quite some amount on strength training and building stamina etc. Apart from the extensive gym equipment they teach Angamardhana yoga which promises to strength train like nothing else. It is intensive and yet keeps the subtle elements in place. It is taught with proper knowledge. Gosh! If there is one thing I would spend money on when I get back in shape for running and cycling- its angamardhana yoga!

Boutique and Shop: Didn't visit. Anyway, not going to buy anything. Can just gasp at the prices. I heard the dresses are very beautiful. If you buy stuff from kalpa druma and Anokhi, then this place will be as good.

Restaurant: What will a health nut like me do? Go berserk looking at the menu! Almost everything is whole grain, natural sugar, lesser oil. The recipes have gleaned the wisdom in Indian cooking and presented them in the best form ever! I have never tasted such good food anywhere. The juices and the main course. In case you are wondering if its celery and fruit- NO! Its wonderful vadas, chutney, dosas, ragi rotis, varieties of rice, so many different types of juices. I could do a juice every day!
And the presentation, Oh the presentation! They have chosen the cups and plates and spoons, even the salt-pepper shaker so thoughtfully.
But, and a big BUT is the price. No guesses huh. It wasn't the price I was most miffed about though, it was the serving size. They were small, really small. This alone can make people leave the place unsatisfied. I know its good to eat less, but that should be of our choosing. I have never eaten an entire Thali and felt so unsatisfied- and I am a poor eater.
My suggestion to the Isha Life people is to add some red rice, ghee, dhaal and rasam at the end of the thali- for completion sake.
Other than that, highly recommend the place for people who like tasty food.

From Moment on Images

Managed to sneak take one photo- don't know if that is allowed!

Read a review by Deepak

Weekend Gratitude

2010-06-26T00:17:00.001+05:30

Too much negative things happening and all energy being drained away in well.. being down, this is important. This reflection on gratitude thingy. I am sure there is more than one thing I CAN be grateful for every day, every week.

I just hope it doesn't become a routine saturday thing and I can be gleeful about posting with as much enthusiasm always. Now, the problem is Murphy's Law that rules my life. The moment I type something especially on the blog, it is invariably jinxed and becomes the opposite. Every.single.time.
Posting the opposite of what I want, waiting for its opposite to happen doesn't work though. In that case, it is.

Here goes... the boni
Happy the akki/shingles was not a bad case, it was a mild attack. It ~~went away~~ seems to have gone down in one week, didn't trouble my life out. Thank you allopathy, the side-effects were minimal.

Count

2010-06-25T23:47:00.004+05:30

Step 1: Count the number of poppies

Step 2: Refer back on my previous post on number of goggies

Step 3: Spot the new dog. Here he is!

This little one is not a part of the litter. He was born in the house opposite. Apparently, all the other pups died, he is the only one. Poor baby. So he is added to the litter.

More cuteness!

Oh, how they play!! A joy. Being with them is the highlight of my day...

Next dog post: Their names!

P.S. The photos are 3 weeks old. The pups have grown a lot. Two of them - the brown ones have been taken away by people wanting dogs. As they are strays, no one really owns them.

And oh, there was this huge spider in the bedroom.

Organic

2010-06-24T20:44:00.001+05:30

Organic is the way to be. If someone can afford it and doesn't go organic, that is a big disservice to nature. I would've thought atleast the health conscious and rich ones would pounce on this and buy only organic food. But, no.. Organic is still considered elite food! Imagine eating fresh spinach without smell, carrot, beets and potatoes with their skin on! I have given up grapes long ago. Did you know the entire bunch has been dipped in pesticide? To prevent mosquitoes from sitting on them!

During the "Green Revolution", we had every company from Europe coming and selling their pesticides and fertilizers here that are more or less banned in their country! I am going to say the green revolution fed the suddenly quadrupled population and maybe prevented a famine (like the one in Bengal, Africa) but it has unfortunately corrupted a sensible system. Add to this, the climate change woes and the heavily over-worked suffering labourers (remnants of the zamindari raj), we probably needed the revolution.

You would think NOT using fertilizers, pesticides would make things cheaper, but no Government subsidizes these things and any farm NOT using them have to bear extra costs. Its crazy how this agriculture system works over here!

Ideally, I would like to be a locavore. Eat locally grown vegetables, fruits and grain. But, right now that is unfeasible because - I like live in the bustling city.

I try to patronize Restore, the only organic store I know in Chennai, but another one is coming up in Mylapore. Isha Life!! Yaay. My problem is I just cannot afford it. I feel miserable that I am not completely organic.

Update

2010-06-22T18:28:00.006+05:30

OK,
(deep breath)
As my loyal blog readers (All 6 of you) except the doctor did not enquire about the Herpes Zoster.
One clarification...
This is NOT to be confused with GENITAL herpes.
(Damn, they should change the name!)

Herpes zoster (or simply zoster), commonly known as shingles and also known as zona, is a viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters in a limited area on one side of the body, often in a stripe. The initial infection with varicella zoster virus (VZV) causes the acute (short-lived) illness chickenpox which generally occurs in children and young people. Once an episode of chickenpox has resolved, the virus is not eliminated from the body but can go on to cause shingles—an illness with very different symptoms—often many years after the initial infection.

This is like chickenpox with rashes on back and stomach. Its called akki in Tamil.
It comes and goes in 10 days and I am back to normal.

(They should definitely change the name)

Here's an example of how it looks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Herpeszoster.JPG

On the other hand, should I be embarassed at all if I get AIDS or Genital Herpes?

Bitter Pill

2010-06-18T19:24:00.000+05:30

Uh-oh!
More goodness for moi in the form on Herpes Zoster.
If the virus doesn't kill me, the allopathy medicine definitely will.
Why aren't there accessible homeopathy alternates? I would definitely go for those medicines that work with the body in fighting the virus instead of killing the virus and maiming the insides.
As much as I am amazed by and grateful to allopathy, I would like to avoid them as much as possible.

See you in five days... or not!

There are quacks everywhere! But AYUSH medicines (Ayurveda, Yoga therapy, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy) is under fire and accused of being pseudo, slow, misguiding.
They don't have immediate effects, that's the only problem but they are wonderful systems of medicine and I hope they get their due soon.

You are invited

2010-06-03T00:51:00.000+05:30

to discover India, and this is not for only my foreigner friends but those living right here and missing it all!!

Educate a Child. Empower Rural India

2010-06-02T19:58:00.002+05:30

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Thula Thula

2010-05-31T16:04:00.002+05:30

I am all perked up about animal-interest stories. The Elephant Whisperer written by Lawrence Antony, a conservationist working in Africa just deepens my heartache. My longing to go to Africa , work on ecology conservation efforts has increased manifold. This is where I should be! I don't want to see the Eiffel tower, Great Wall or ski in the alps! This is my number one destination!
Now, about the book.

Thanks Partha for lending it to me. Sujit and I devoured the book in less than 24 hours, one after the other.

Lawrence Antony, the famous conservationist shares his story about interacting and gaining trust with a herd of rogue elephants. He does not claim any psychic powers, just sincere interaction with them to show he means no harm whatsoever. This proves two things (1) Sincerity works! no matter what (2) you cannot fool animals. Not those as wise as elephants anyway!

The book has some heart-warming moments - like when the matriarch elephant introduces her baby to the author. Hilarious ones - when they try to take care of a baby elephant and extremely sad ones involving poachers. Apart from the elephant stories, Lawrence also gives us a glimpse into the tribal life in Africa, their customs, traditions.

You cannot not notice the humility of the author. Few hundred people like him can really bring the change this planet needs. Like his work in the Baghdad zoo.

One thing I am SO amazed is the intensity of their work. This is NOT a job for the faint-hearted. Day or night, the adrenaline has to be ready. They chase poachers, take feed for the elephants, flee thunderstorms, forest fires, crocodiles! Amazing, what personal transformation and courage this life demands and can bring.

Thula Thula, Africa beckons!

In India, conservation efforts in some pockets have been quite successful. Unfortunately, most places are not accessible to outsiders because you let one person in, a million more are waiting! If any exclusive things are available, they involve the right contacts and forking out a lot of money. And they are SO disorganised, so restricted, its sad.

Problem number one with safaris here. Disruptive people - When we went to Mudhumalai sanctuary on a forest safari, we saw some wild elephants. The entire bus erupted into chaos pointing out the elephants and making a lot of noise. Bloody idiots! There was a baby in there. The mother just turned back and bellowed and the bus sped away. These are the irritating things we have to deal with. There is no such thing as subtlety. Inspite of the repeated requests not to feed/throw garbage. Sigh!

The second big problem is poaching. The forest rangers and the locals working under them are so inadquately armed that you feel they are right in running in the opposite direction when they spot poachers who are probably armed with AKs. Its not that it is rampant, but it is very much a threat.

Some more

2010-05-23T19:19:00.001+05:30

When life throws lemons at you, make lemonade.
And when life gifts you not one but six puppies, you can only sigh and start chellaming them.

Preeeesenting, pups under the stairs- they are about 3 weeks old now.

Why hello!

they're heeeeere.

Here's the culprit.

Also, there was a frog in the bafoom.

Can't wait to get started on my mobile veterinary van. My chant is heal,neuter,spay,heal,neuter,spay

First-World

2010-05-16T21:54:00.000+05:30

I know there are a million problems in this country (1 billion and counting actually) but...
Do you have to refer to certain countries in the northern hemisphere as "first-world countries". Makes me go "urrrr".
Seriously, I don't have a problem with people wanting to live-die-whatever in any corner of the world. But... "first-world" countries. Really?!
Where did that term come from and why are we using it?!

Which is worse? Complainers here or complainers there?
Okkk, go away.

Uneducated

2010-05-06T14:52:00.001+05:30

Just give yourself to what is happening; chant, dance, work, kill yourself in some way; because unless the educated, sensible "you" dies, you will not know what this is. Unless you become as uneducated as me, you will not know what this is because this is something else.

- Sadhguru

I came, I saw, I left

2010-05-04T08:20:00.001+05:30

Anooz took me from bloo cross. I came home in a box and slept like a baby. Hey! I ams only 2 months old. Anooz like lolcats, the humin wanted da cat.

Anooz played wif me. She sez I ams demure, sweet, non fussy and independent.

Den, my previous owner call, say his kids are missing me. Dey wan me bak. Anooz says ok, poor chilren. So, nex dai evening- I go bak. Anooz and her roomie no like de man, says he is toopid.

But not before making enuf kitty faces, breaking der hearts. On sundai morning, I sits on the male human's neck while he ist sleepin and nudge closer. Male human said tension and BP dropped 100 points!
Go get anudder kitty, yeh fools!

Nao, she iz eyeing the street goggie's poppies though de mudder is still in "grrr, grrrr" mode, so she can't get nere. The poppies are in the centar of de pikchur, minions.

~~Anu's note: Please excuse the LOLspeak. Its kitteh language.~~

Burqa Ban

2010-05-03T16:57:00.001+05:30

Time to get politically incorrect.

This is not about "religion". I would say the same if any religion mandated women cover the face - talking about the Belgium ban on burqa/niqab and the intense debate over the ban. Amnesty International has chipped in citing freedom of religion. This is not about religious rights, maybe women's rights.

Almost ALL cultures and religions have been conservative about women's clothing. Jewish, Christianity, Hinduism, Jains and Muslims. (Except the ethnic tribals, oh wow! they were free)
But the other cultures have relaxed these "rules"- something I call evolution.

In my opinion, the veil is not necessary. I see it as an obstacle for a woman to function to the best of her ability. I am ok with the black body robe or the head scarf. But covering the face is definitely not ok.

"The act is undemocratic and against secularism. Some anti-Islamic forces are trying to curb the religious freedom of Muslims in these countries,"
I would say religion/culture dictating a woman from showing her face in public/"other men" is against human rights. Its ridiculous.

Agreed, maybe it really doesnt stop anyone. Woman activist Kavita Ramdas (TED talk) says the veil is a non-issue. These women go about bringing education, health-care and address gender equality issues all the while wearing the veil. Ok... I am thrilled when I watch the sea of black (most of them with veils) walk into the muslim women's college near my office. Their previous generation probably has not seen this, so I am really happy with the step forward.

This "women should cover their face" definitely needs to evolve for obvious reasons.

As much as it sounds politically incorrect from a deeply secular person, the full-face veil ban is welcome. The people vehemently opposing the veil ban are women! Ladies, put religion aside for a second and please see if this (a)is necessary at all (b) has stopped you from trying/exploring the many things this wonderful world has to offer.
Nobody is a slave to the family/culture/society they were born into. That is not identity. (What is though?)

That brings us to another issue - the sikh turban. First the veil ban, next the turban? I don't think so as the turban never stopped the men from anything.

On another note, I wear the veil everyday, ironically only while driving the two-wheeler- the reason for which a woman was arrested in France. It's for protection against the sun and the dust, probably the original purpose for which this was invented.

Can you help them?

2010-04-30T23:13:00.002+05:30

I got this picture in a forward. I will definitely acknowledge the source if I know who did this poster!
For my sweet winged friends!