J Krishnamurti On Education

The purpose, the aim and drive of these schools, is to equip the child with the most excellent technological proficiency so that the student may function with clarity and efficiency in the modern world. 

A far more important purpose than this is to create the right climate and environment so that the child may develop fully as a complete human being. This means giving the child the opportunity to flower in goodness so that he or she is rightly related to people, things and ideas, to the whole of life. To live is to be related. There is no right relationship to anything if there is not the right feeling for beauty, a response to nature, to music and art — a highly developed aesthetic sense. 

I think it is fairly clear that competitive education and the development of the student in that process.... is very, very destructive. 

We must be very clear in ourselves what we want – clear that a human being must be the total human being, not just a technological human being. If we concentrate very much on examinations, on technological information, on making the child clever, proficient in acquiring knowledge while we neglect the other side, then the child will grow up into a one-sided human being. When we talk about a total human being, we mean not only a human being with inward understanding, with a capacity to explore, to examine his or her inward state and the capacity of going beyond it, but also someone who is good in what he does outwardly. The two must go together. 

That is the issue in education: to see that when the child leaves the school, he is well-established in goodness, both outwardly and inwardly.

~ J Krishnamurti 

Sheru - sovereignity is not everlasting

Sheru, the Indie-German Shepherd mix breed, who was associated with the Masty success story for more than a decade. Ever since he was a little puppy, most likely deflected off his parents or owners at a very young age, he was at Masty. Soverignity, which can be personified as what he enjoyed at Masty.

One of the staffs at Masty, largely formed of equal mixture of Indian and Nepal origin, spilled some hot oil on this pup. His right abdominal side was badly burnt and mostly lost all the fur in the area, that was regenerated burnt skin. Out of what can be imagined only as - guilt - the staff started taking care of the puppy. Because of the unlimited supply of bones and raw & boiled chicken at Masty, the pup recovered and turned out to be a handsome young dog. Sheru - he was named. Sheru Taa - the war cry, the aggressive command that you tend to train all dogs with. Quite normally most people have - Choo Choo or Shu Shu - followed by the name of the dog. We have imagined, that when a senior staff is going on a long leave, the only two words he can pass on as a mantra, to the young boy who is replacing him in his duties while he is away - is Sheru Taa. The maha-mantra that will keep the young boy safe at the new location - Sheru Taa.

Let’s fast forward to June 2016. When we acquired Masty by increasing our stake from equal to sole owner of a branch. We inherited the staff, the kitchen (without equipments and cutlery) and Sheru. There were other Indie and some mixed breed dogs in and around Masty - with close proximity to Chicken and warmth of safety. So as Sheru grew up, he slowly became the Alpha of Masty. His face had a lot of war-like scars. He must have engaged in a lot of battles late at night, against enemies wanting to scrouge for some chicken remains. His structure and stature were both respectable. There were about 11 dogs some mixed and Indie including our protagonist, Sheru. In the evenings, when Masty operates, for the initial few days, staff needed to be vigilant about Dogs closing proximity with the tables and guests eating in them. After about a month, after being frustrated about the fact that Masty’s Zomato rating dropped from 4.3 to 3.5 within the last two years of operation under the recent Manager. None of the owners cared to be interested, at the time. I came across a Review which talks about Dogs licking Plates late around closure at Masty. The date stamp of the review identifies our innocence, as it happened before our acquisition. That very day, I called a few guys who humanely catch stray dogs and take them away. Partly, because I didn’t want to know and partly because I had some idea about dumping at places like Piraña.

When I announced my decision to get rid of stray dogs. Almost all the staff starting from youngest to the eldest, in one way or the other requested me not give Sheru and Suntali away. While describing his qualities all of them were equivocal. We feel safe if Sheru is around. The primary hygiene problem that I was worrying about didn’t apply to Sheru, as he never went to a table. Irrespective of the time, you will always find him guarding Masty from all infiltrations and attacks externally. Sheru enjoyed soveriginity of the canine world at Masty. The usual Masty bone and fat disposal mechasim was selling it away. One day co-incidentally I saw a lot of crows and a few kites swooping in to catch a bite of fat strings. We stopped selling bones and fat with immediate effect. The Masty Kite feeding show was born. Slowly as we were not selling, the number of kites and crows grew consistently. Kids enjoy it a lot. The swiftness and accuracy of catching a piece that you throw at them or arially.

Fast forward to his castration. For insuring him against testicular cancer largely prevalent among largish Indie Mix dogs. Castration was suggested and it happened, we couldn’t have his pups anymore.

Fast forward to when he hurt himself badly in the cranium or skull. His first stint with maggots. A dog loving friendly couple volunteered to get him surgically operated at site to save him. I remember a conversation with this Sikh Gentleman, regarding the Alpha-ness, feature and life of Sheru.

The above to instances are narrated to me by our trustworthy staff. When they described an incredible - personally verified fact - I felt intrigued. They said he understands schedules. We do not order Tomatoes at a scheduled day frequency within the week. So it is not like we ask for Tomatoes every Modnay, Wednesday, Friday etc. We order Tomatoes whenever we need them. If there is good sale, we may have to order on alternating days. Monkeys love Tomatoes. So when they are ordered, the vegetables delivery guy dumps all the vegetables in the morning around 6:30-7 right next to a staff-occupied table. Sheru understood that Monkey attack is imminent if these red spheres are ordered. I had to verify this. As I trust my eyes, more than my ears, I had to see it. I came down on random mornings and was pleasantly surprised to see this. I was surprised to see him sitting next to vegetables packs. For hours he would patiently sit there. While he was sitting there, like Heimdall, monkey groups although circulating around can’t attempt nicking a few tomatoes, or any other vegetable for that matter. I followed this consistently, checked his nightly movement in CCTV etc, exceptional location choices to make sure kitchen is safe. He spent equal time around all the beds/tables where staff slept. We didn’t have the surrounding compound wall that we recently built. So vulnerability, at least in terms of other dogs - was there. While he was guarding, only the most hungry Om will venture in and he would heroically chase/fight it out. As I observed, understood his role and behaviour, this qualified him from normal stray to one of the most exceptional beings. I have seen a lot of pets, with a lot of people. This has transpired to a lot of conversations and stories about typical behaviour by the pet and owner. None, as understanding and as loyal as Sheru.

Movie industry has tried depicting such understanding and behaviour of pets, particularly dogs in a very special way in a lot of movies. Marley & Me, Teri Meharbanian, Mard, Milo from The Mask and a lot of others. Equally, a lot of celebrity pets and dogs are famous and their celebrity owners are publically seen with their pawed friends. A quick google image search of celebrity pets reveals quite a few known and unknown pet-loving celebrities. Myhtologically too, it is said Yudhishthir argued with the gate keeper of heaven, in the Swargarohan Parv of Mahabharat, to let his companion - a dog - in with him.

Now that Sheru had a new found respect in my head, I noticed that he was aging. Already more than 12+ years at Masty. He was the second most senior staff. He has participated in brawls between staff and overly drunk groups and with other four legged intruders. Multiple Cranial surgeries had left scars on his skull right in the middle of his upright ears, typical GSD feature. Both eyes had cataracts removed. Clipped right ear as a sign of castration performed by AMC. He was filthy. Didn’t like water. An otherwise macho dog, shit scared when you chain him and pull next to the water source. Squeaking like a little puppy, the gentle one has never even tried to bite me. I have personally showered him on more than monthly frequency. Gentle beast. Quietly standing there as the whole process takes place. Sheru - rekindled a different interest in me. We decided to get a few pedigree dogs, so that we support Sheru as he was ageing. The Masty Dog Squad or the Bone Disposal Squad was conceived. 3 - 33 days old Rottweiler pups arrived, from a friend, with pedigree and inquiries. Suntali was also carrying. A litre of milk was added to the daily quota for the newly arrived puppies. A staff was assigned to take care of them. Suntali delivered 7 puppies. My children, their friends started visiting Masty more often with 10 puppies. The office room at Masty or the Command Centre - was transformed to a make-shift Pup Residence. Vaccination schedules understood and executed. They were christened Leo, Speedy and Bosco by the children. Two boys and a Girl were added to the Masty team which erstwhile consisted of just Sheru. Bosco was always supposed to go to Kutchh, at the residence of a family friend. After ~60 days at Masty, Bosco left. Dog Trainer contacted and sessions began. She envisioned and brought a lot of families and their pets, on Sunday mornings. The Sunday Masty group was born. Despite being busy or having a late night, Sunday Masty featured regularly in our family schedule. Variety of Pawed new friends, their loving and typical parents. Some caring, some over protective and some care free. A lot a new and close friends happened. Suntali and her pups left to friends farm. This brought me up close with a lot of issues, people and organisations working in this area. Forceful breeding industry, pets shipped in flights and trains to get them. Illicit OLX trading. Stray population explosion. Indie (Desi) breed slowly being extinct. Irresponsible behaviour by pet parents. Boy friend gifting the girlfriend a dog and girlfriend wants now to give it away as they now have broken up, and the dog reminds her of the relationship, and depresses her. People just leaving pets on the road, like Nirupa Roy leaving children in old movies outside a church or mandir. A bubbled and protected pet will not be able to spend a few days in the urban territorial jigsaw of stray dogs. No food, panic, everyone barking - they loose it. Most die, some survive. Some kind citizenry drop or arrange them to be at Shelters like the one I know in Kathwada. Shiny another lab-dane (more of lab-dober) Mix arrived at Masty and added variety to the group. Sheru was Creamish-Brown. Leo and Speedy were typical Rottweiler colour greyish black with brown patches - as distracting decoys around the eyes, neck and feet. Shiny was jet black and her coat was worthy of her name.

Back to Masty Dog Group, lot of guests now know about Puppies in the office room. They came and played with them, before or after dinner. Sunday’s continued. Leo and Speedy, genetically Rottweilers grew up to be two of the most docile creatures. Children can be left around them safely. Otherwise public perception and popular opinion is them being one of the most ferocious of the breeds. Social circumstances - I believe. The was all of them play with each other on Sundays was incredible to see. Lot of events and stories around Sunday Masty, but back to Sheru. He never participated in any of this. Like the social outcast, who is sulking and observing a group who are enjoying themselves. Time flew, Sheru got the senior figurely respect that he commanded an deserved. Neutering for Leo was scheduled, didn’t work out because of his pre-op blood report showing low levels of Haemoglobin. A few months passed and after Diwali vacation, we realised both Speedy and Shiny were carrying. Co-incidentally when we actually took them to operate for neutering. Shiny had a disappearing episode in the middle. Once retrieved from Kathwada after a WhatsApp and Facebook lost pet campaign. She went out again and came back carrying after a few weeks. We were guilty of not chaining any of them. They were kind and obedient. Never went to the tables and were never aggressive to guests. We made sure that no-one fed them at the table. Their hygiene and schedules were maintained so that they became an attraction instead with guests. Customers who initially wrote stinking reviews regarding Dogs at Masty were now posting selfies with Leo, Speedy or Shiny. Regular checkup’s and the 63 day cycle later, 7 puppies arrived from Speedy. We lost two, five remained and grew up to adoption age. Sunday Masty group was thrilled at arrival. Office room was now a labour cum puppy room. Kids were tasked with finding names for the pups. They were not allowed to touch them for a month. A month after Speedy, Shiny delivered 7 pups. Masty Dog Bregade now has 16 dogs! Two Staff were assigned to take care of the puppies. Speedy was docile but Shiny was aggressive. Puppies cutely fed from either of the mothers. Sheru - all this while indifferent - the Heimdall.

Fast forward to the decline. Sheru hurt himself two more times. Once was a deep abdominal wound and later as a glass cut on the right hind paw. Seven puppies were adopted in time. Some to be retained. The youngest of Speedy named Choti, was the weakest of them all. She caught distemper, although vaccinated all the puppies still remaining at Masty caught it. Sunday Masty was suspended for safety of the pawed friends. We lost all except one - one at a time. An unfortunate accident with Sheru left him paralysed from this waist. Lot of medicines, visits happened with the vet. He could move his rear legs. The fighter in him, struggled and drag himself outside for bio-breaks. Such routine and loyalty, where I live - I shall not soil. He survived for more than a month like that, staff and doctors tried all avenues. As he couldn’t move his waist, his groin got infected with urine. We wouldn’t bathe him anymore. One Friday afternoon, staff requested me to take a call. The Vet explained the process. We had a usual social get-together at Masty. The vet arrived around eight-nine in the night. With Friday evening rush at Masty, Sheru was readied for his last journey. A needle and a minute later - as I felt his heart rate slow down slowly. ‘He is gone’ - the vet announced. Most of all senior staff was around him. All of them paid their respects. Another pup also had be put down. Arrangements were made for wood. Pure was set. After business closure, as we were having dinner, the staff brought flowers. Most of all had teary eyes. Some hugged each other and cried loudly. Wrapped in a bed sheet - with Ram Bolo Bhai Ram - the staff procession took him to the pyre in the parking. Buckets full of oil, ghee, incense sticks - whatever rituals they knew were conducted. Once all was ready one of them called me. He along with the puppy was ignited.

Just at that moment when they were carrying him Awat, one of my closest friends uttered the words extempore, that formed the title of this blog - ‘Soverignity is not everlasting’.

An hour later, he was burning - mixing slowly with the elements of nature. I went there and spent a quiet couple of minutes at the ashes, the next morning. Shedding quiet tear and bidding adieu to a beloved friend and a loyal staff. He took a part of my interest in Masty Dog Squad. Speedy and Shiny fled again in their heat cycle. We didn’t ‘try’ to bring them back. Leo stays with a relative, eats and visits Masty daily. But Masty Dogs are incomplete without the one called - Sheru. Rest in peace my friend.

~ Remembering - Sheru

What if Extra Terrestrial Life Existed?

A lot of thought-waves have been whirl-pooling in the mind this sleepless morning. I could not think of a better question to start inquiring - using a rational and highly opinionated ruler. What sort of conditions would determine the events that follow such a discovery? There are so many perspectives that we can try and think of. Could we draw some inspiration from our own history, perhaps from other Earthly species of plants and animals. Recently broadcasted David Attenborough's and Andrew Marr's BBC documentary series' and my understanding of psychology would be the over-arching assumptions to this. However, lets venture into a few of them in a bit more detail.

I always used to wonder why developed world Governments spend so much effort on Space programmes. But as my understanding of History becomes clearer, I feel its to do with setting a claim on things they think might be out there. Resources were historically why clans travelled from a place to another, its true even now and will be true in the future. The scene of first Europeans landing on the shores of Australia or America comes to mind. The people involved were no doubt Adventurers, travelling enormous distances in those days with minimal modern equipments, but the people who financed them did not have philanthropic motives. What follows is inevitable friction between the Discoverer and the Discovered. The strong tries to control the weak. Our way is better than yours. Social and Cultural exchange can only happen once communication can be established overcoming the language barriers. Economics and barter will take precedence along with mixing of gene-pools.

All the movies that touch this subject from Hollywood to Home have many ideas pictured with varied prudence. If we find a species seemingly advanced, we will surely try and get what is good from them. Better medicines, equipments, resources, education, governance models and society in general. It will no doubt bring its own challenges like extra diseases to worry about and other opinions to adjust with. It could either be a gradual evolutionary integration or instant annihilation.

But the question of who is better is based on perspective. TV trivia tells me that 90% of aboriginal Australians died out in a decade of Europeans setting foot on the continent. Some in battle and most with newly brought diseases. Hard to believe. So the Biological factors will be the first to worry about.

The Gujju businessmen will surely be keen on setting up shop to barter and migrate to the new space, evolving and figuring out a migration & integration strategy. Apple with iHuman and Google with their eye on their communication mechanisms to crawl through.

I would not be surprised if there already would be irrelevant policy documents which describe the process of what should be done if we find someone else. So much for improvisation and creativity. But exciting nevertheless..

Rant

परिवर्तनवाद

Its not often you wonder where the last year went. The date of last post makes me think the same. Lot of changes to life, thoughts, habits, likings, reading, hobbies et. all. The summary of which remains - change - evolution? I guess the ability to think about it is what makes us different from the rest of living organisms, or that is what we think, at least. Aim to complete a book gifted by a friend this month, have a lot of musings - but don't think have the patience right now of penning them down. Lethargy

Cricket-o-Cricket!

Did not verify the source of the previous article, which I humbly remove now, with apology. It was just a circulation just like a re-tweet (slightly longer hence re-blogged), producing the complete content for the reader to make their own informed opinion, which everyone is entitled to.

But this just shows that anything related to cricket sells like hot-cakes and motivates people to passionately comment. Hence, it seems inevitable to me that people will find vested commercial interests to earn from and play with psychology of the masses. As we've been seeing it since years, be it trps, blog hits, youtube views facebook page views, tweets and what not will come out in the future.

Hence the fame and the pressure that comes with it. But not everyone can digest it well, some buckle under the unnecessary stress and some survive. Every successful person has carved a name for themselves with great effort. Comments which are constructive and non-offensive are welcome but down right mud-slinging is uncalled for..

Question and Wonder!

This is an excerpt which will, I am sure, make you Question and Wonder about what it has to say..

These two words often occupy most of our attention and time. From cradle to grave we beset with the emotions and excitements connected to these two words.

Yet these words have nothing in common; and in them they have nothing in similar; In fact they often drag us in opposite directions.

What is a question? It is something related to situations or sentiments; it is related to some problem or some other question; What is it? Why is it and how is it, in relation to life and living?

But what does it achieve, except a temporary truce to curiosity? A question begins with doubts, and ends with more doubts.

And what is wonder? It is not a question needing an answer. It is a positive expression of joy. It begins with innocence and ends in amazement.

A wonder is something that we are unable to understand and yet we are unable to question. The vast universe & the varied seasons, the complexity of life and the completeness of the creation, evoke in us a feeling of puzzlement and of joy.

A question often leads to criticism but wonder always leads to compassion; A question presupposes confusion, wonder presupposes innocence.

A question generates more questions, wonder generates more of wonder. There is no completeness in question; there is no compartment in a wonder;

A question leads us to knowledge which is always partial, a wonder leads us to joy & love which is always full. It is human to question. It is divine to wonder!

- Acharya Ratnananda in More Light on Less Knowd (Vol-1)

Question??
Or
Wonder!!

International Thank-You Day

Aiming for 11/1/11 11:11 !!

Not sure what the recent obsession I've developed with special dates and timestamps, but a simple search on Wolfram Alpha reveals Jan 11 is International Thank-You Day!

Hence grateful and nostalgia filled, to everyone that has been a part of our life, directly or indirectly

Thank You

reflections on the decade that went..

Today, a date (1-1-11) that will come only once a century. A few similar one's 1-11-11, 20-11-2011, 12-12-12 are coming up in the near/distant future. Also, 20-12-2012 is the closest to the (in)famously publicised doom's day. Its the beginning of a new year and the second decade of 21st century. Any new beginning calls for new plans, reflecting on the previous experiences. My resolution is not to make any resolutions!

If I look back and think about the past decade, a few memory images pass by. There have been a lot of changes that took place, some might call them evolution, some nature. But change nevertheless. 10 years ago, while the world was busy welcoming the new millennia, my good friend Anand and I gathered to “study” at our 4th floor apartment in Jamnagar. We heard the fireworks of our nearby Summair Club and Vishal International Hotel and went to the terrace (7th floor) to see if we could see anything. I can't recollect of whether we saw anything, but the only lights we saw in the distant horizon was the orange spherical Reliance Industries, the worlds largest grass roots refinery had was taking shape since a few years. Last night, we were at embankment to experience the fireworks and celebration in London. It was spectacular (youtube-link) and worth the six hour effort of getting in and out under crowd control. Between the two new years, there past a decade of change.

The experience of earthquake, in the early hours of 26th January 2001 (national holiday for Republic Day), is the one that will stay with me for ever. It was exciting at that time, but its scale and disastrous extent was beyond my mental capacity. Instincts take over and behaviour, understanding what is happening takes a while. For me at that age, spending nights in the open and in the ground, was exciting. People were affected and they equally adapted in cities and villages. Another such recollection of watching news reports of the destruction it caused later on. Results of HSC during June 2001, admissions to the BVM Engineering College in IT (first batch), amongst widespread news of the IT Bubble (ka)boom. Another image from that year springs to mind, is that of a man jumping down the WTC during 9/11 another such world changing event. New found friends, the friendly and not so friendly professors. Many events of the college life, may be too many to describe flash by, fast forwarding the clock to 2005 and graduation, with Auroville, tsunami and riding the bike in the floods after college. Excitement of placements and beginning professional careers, not just for myself but placement of friends was equally satisfying. Work took me to Bangalore, Reading, Hyderabad and London, where I am today from the later part of the decade.

I've changed in appearance, weight, thought process, understanding of the world, nature and its genius ways, likes, dislikes, food, habits, reading habits, movies, tv shows, routine, interests, communication mediums.. the list goes on, as I ponder.. To observe similar changes in the people around us is also entertaining.

Wishing all a very happy new year and a great decade ahead, and many more..

Wishes

A forward on Excellence...

A forward on Excellence...

----

A German once visited a temple under construction where he saw a sculptor making an idol of God. Suddenly he noticed a similar idol lying nearby. Surprised, he asked the sculptor, "Do you need two statues of the same idol?" "No," said the sculptor without looking up, "We need only one, but the first one got damaged at the last stage." The gentleman examined the idol and found no apparent damage. "Where is the damage?" he asked. "There is a scratch on the nose of the idol." said the sculptor, still busy with his work. "Where are you going to install the idol?"

The sculptor replied that it would be installed on a pillar twenty feet high. "If the idol is that far, who is going to know that there is a scratch on the nose?" the gentleman asked. The sculptor stopped his work, looked up at the gentleman, smiled and said, "I will know it."

The desire to excel is exclusive of the fact whether someone else appreciates it or not. "Excellence" is a drive from inside, not outside. Excellence is not for someone else to notice but for your own satisfaction and efficiency...

Thoughts?

Prime Minister's Debate!

Watching the adopted method of putting the Prime Ministerial Candidates on Live TV debate actually was a mixed feeling. It was rather gloomy because all of them suggested that the world around them was in a complete mess and they needed like a lifetime to sort things out.

If all of us put actions where our mouths are, the world will be a better place and quieter too. It all looked like a very well rehearsed show with carefully selected audience and questions. It might have well been the most anticipated and watched TV program in the recent past and the Channel would have made its investments. That's all it boils down to isn't it, ROI (Return On Investment). I'm cleaner than him. Is politics always supposed to be so?

Depressing

Long time.. No see

Moving...

Truth
----------
Dr. Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and founder of the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Non-violence, in his lecture at the University of Puerto Rico, shared the following story as an example of "non-violence in parenting":

"I was 16 years old and living with my parents at the institute my grandfather had founded 18 miles outside of Durban, South Africa, in the middle of the sugar plantations. We were deep in the country and had no neighbors, so my two sisters and I would always look forward to going to town to visit friends or go to the movies.

One day, my father asked me to drive him to town for an all-day conference, and I jumped at the chance. Since I was going to town, my mother gave me a list of groceries she needed and, since I had all day in town, my father ask me to take care of several pending chores, such as getting the car serviced. When I dropped my father off that morning, he said, ' I will meet you here at 5:00 p.m., and we will go home together. '

After hurriedly completing my chores, I went straight to the nearest movie theatre. I got so engrossed in a John Wayne double-feature that I forgot the time. It was 5:30 before I remembered. By the time I ran to the garage and got the car and hurried to where my father was waiting for me, it was almost 6:00.

He anxiously asked me, ' Why were you late? 'I was so ashamed of telling him I was watching a John Wayne western movie that I said, ' The car wasn't ready, so I had to wait, not realizing that he had already called the garage. When he caught me in the lie, he said: 'There's something wrong in the way I brought you up that didn't give you the confidence to tell me the truth. In order to figure out where I went wrong with you, I'm going to walk home 18 miles and think about it. '

So, dressed in his suit and dress shoes, he began to walk home in the dark on mostly unpaved, unlit roads. I couldn't leave him, so for five-and-a-half hours I drove behind him, watching my father go through this agony for a stupid lie that I uttered. I decided then and there that I was never going to lie again.

I often think about that episode and wonder, if he had punished me the way we punish our children, whether I would have learned a lesson at all. I don't think so. I would have suffered the punishment and gone on doing the same thing. But this single non-violent action was so powerful that it is still as if it happened yesterday.

That is the power of non-violence."

"Forgiveness is giving up my right to hate anyone for hurting me."

feeling more resposible

What frantic weeks. What memorable occasions. What great fun. Wouldn't even attempt at penning down the crazy busy schedules. Amongst the near and dear ones after a long time. Lot of dancing, music and paranoia.

Photographic evidence and memorabilia - Sneak Preview, Individuals & More Individuals.

Unforgettable

approaching a year in the blogosphere

As that day of the year approaches , a year has whizzed by since the first post. Chetan’s comment on it “Just go on man!!! All the best for future blogs...” is still fresh in the head. Life moves on, with a few changes nevertheless, but it sure does move on. The old adage of time and tide not waiting for anyone is so true. Technology and the web have moved on as well. Twitter's come along which have taken away a lot of micro thoughts away.

Everyone seems to be joining the twittering band-wagon. The blue birdie is flying high. I’d be rather interested on looking at a chart which classifies any post, be it twitter or facebook status, by subject types. I can largely put them into mood updates, food/meal updates, weather updates, sports updates, a few sensible ones followed by silly gaming updates (mafia wars and farmville are especially loathed). I’m following the (then) top 5 Indian twitterers . I find Vir Sanghvi, the most sensible of all. Chetan Bhagat uses it well for marketing his fresh profession and gathering public opinion on his thoughts. Shashi Tharoor adds a diplomatic multi cultural colour. Barkha Dutt, Rajdeep Sardesai and likes are usually promoting TV Journalism and raising questions on current affairs. What’s really good to see is the transparency that it’s brought and a different mix of network. A few intelligent friends that I follow as well, always make sure they answer every question that the above ask. I can’t understand why Gul Panag is in this list. Discovered a little add-in to post my tweets here on the blog as well, so which hopefully will keep it alive.

The goods always are chased closely by the bads, aren’t they? I can’t figure out why people think the world would be interested in knowing when they got up or had a bath or like the tea that they just made. Cat-fights, bitching about, personal slurs and similar things are un-called for in any medium of communication. You have to be very judicious about who you follow, because otherwise you gather a lot of personalised versions of trivia - as if the new sites and magazines aren't giving you enough. The funny thing is because there are so many places where you have registered, you tend to have an intersection of common friends in your list. You can see the same message via so many different channels.

As the holidays draw closer, companies get ready to flash their holiday marketing. Red colour will over-whelm the streets. You know it when you see the red Starbucks cup with stars. Winter is slowly pushing autumn out and you see people playing with their visible breath while waiting for their bus/train.

Chilling

Pune Mumbai Weekend

Busy evenings follow busy days, busy weekends follow busy weeks. I’m sure every one feels the need of relaxation. Emotional seismograph is at its happy highs and lousy lows, during such busy times. On my way from work, to a family friends house for dinner on an auspicious day of Dhanteras, get a call from a very good friend Sanchit, inviting me for his wedding in January. Funny enough that I couldn’t make those dates because I’ve got my own, this December, but nevertheless shared many laughs of old days.

One particular trip with this particular guy and other common friends was weekend at Pune/Mumbai when I used to work in Hyderabad. I went up from Hyderabad, they’d driven down from Ahmedabad, to meet a common friend, Chinmaya, working in Pune. Timeline goes like... Saturday morning arrival at Pune... typical VVNagar type breakfast at “chai-tapri”... conceiving ideas of Radiance... Osho ashram visit in Koregaon Park... Osho chappal shopping... don’t know how those footwear brand got its popular name... lying around in a pool in some remote club resort... playing cricket, volleyball and a bit of alcohol... Chinmaya’s splash in the pool hitting the rock-bottom... drive down to Mumbai in a awesome weather via the hills of Lonavala... stopping over for a famous vada-pau at a popular joint... finally managed to reach a sea view flat to visit Sanchit’s awesome Bhai/Bhabhi... card games begin with meagre bets of a rupee each... in climax the last round was 4K!!... there was a lot of Vodka Apple + Edge flowing in the blood to realize what we were doing... Sanchit was busy making his apple flavoured vodka hookkas... all wasted to the core in the end... hit the bed and got up straight next afternoon... flight back to Hyderabad and the taxi ride back home still in hangover...

As all these nostalgic thought-waves flow through the brain, Gandhiji’s quote stares at me with his ever smiling photograph “there is more to life than increasing its speed”. Art on the London underground

Waves

let the festivities begin

This week kicked off the festive season, starting with coinciding First Navaratri Day and Eid on the same day. The colours and celebrations would carry almost all the way up to Diwali and New Year, when Kites await their turn. Its amazing how each of the festival has its own food linked to it. Naming them here would be injustice to the ones that I forget, so I better not try. Even more amazing to me is the fact that schools and colleges remain closed on each of the major festivals. So if you ask a school kid, he’d like all festivals because he gets holidays. They know more about the festival schedules than elders. What a way to push for universal brotherhood!

I wonder why different families have different pet festivals. A few of my friends would make sure they are home for Diwali, some for Kite flying, some for Holi and some for Navaratri. I think it would be the elders psyche which permeates into the behaviour of the members of the clan. If I like something, I’m sure people around me would try and make it special (well maybe not if its outrageous). Like the Bachchans’ Holi is now well known, as Big B likes it. The funnier parts when the *stars* and wannabes addresses in the plethora of TV channels and now websites - "Hi, I’m so n so and wish you a very happy XXX."

The heads of the governments for the states and the centre would address the nation on the National Channel – Doordarshan, which again is such an amazement. Austerity and simplicity of DD will remain un-matched, forever. I’ve come across a parody celebrating its 50 years here. However jokes apart, what they achieved then, at that scale, was by no means a simple task and ridiculing it, I couldn't laugh at. At the risk of sounding to protective towards the civil or nationalized services, I would consider spectacularly managed channel networks less challenging today than a single channel in those times. I’m sure DD has lot of loyalists even now. Technology enables them with better ways of managing their services, if only they could manage their content better. The debates of what the state should or shouldn't regulate or control, but that's another story.

In today’s times, with many new ways of doing things, the way people communicate will evolve with time. But things don’t abate to amaze us do they? Like the Tharoor Tweetorama, a simple funny statement creates a furore, MPs squabble on TV shows like they’ve nothing better to worry about. I’m sure there’s more to come..

:)

American Ramayana !

This is a forward which I partially liked and thought was worth sharing..

Dude!
----------------
A young second generation Indian in the US was asked by his mother to explain the significance of "Diwali" to his younger brother, this is how he went about it...

"So, like this dude had, like, a big cool kingdom and people liked him. But, like, his step-mom, or something, was kind of a bitch, and she forced her husband to, like, send this cool-dude, he was Ram, to some national forest or something.... Since he was going, for like, something like more than 10 years or so.... he decided to get is wife and his bro along.... you know...so that they could all chill out together. But Dude, the forest was reeeeal scary shit... really man...they had monkeys and devil s and shit like that. But this dude, Ram, kicked with darts and bows and arrows... so it was fine. But then some bad gangsta boys, some jerk called Ravan, picks up his babe (Sita) and lures her away to his hood. And boy, was our man, and also his bro, Laxman, pissed... all the gods were with him... So anyways, you don't mess with gods. So, Ram, and his bro get an army of monkeys...Dude, don't ask me how they trained the damn monkeys... just go along with me, ok...

So, Ram, Lax and their monkeys whip this gangsta's ass in his own hood.... Anyways, by this time, their time's up in the forest... and anyways... it gets kinda boring, you know... no TV or malls or shit like that. So,they decided to hitch a ride back home... and when the people realize that our dude, his bro and the wife are back home.... they thought, well, you know, at least they deserve something nice... and they didn't have any bars or clubs in those days... so they couldn't take them out for a drink, so they, like, decided to smoke and stuff ... and since they also had some lamps, they lit the lamps also...so it was pretty cooool... you know with all those fireworks.... Really, they even had some local band play along with the fireworks... and you know, what, dude, that was the very first, no kidding.., that was the very first music-synchronized fireworks..... you know, like the 4th of July stuff, but just, more cooler and stuff, you know.. And, so dude, that was how, like, this festival started."

The mother fainted...

Amazing timestamp

It's been a lot of backlog that I've got to cover! It's been a busy month so far and promises to be even busier.

Just realised it's going to be an amazing date time in a few minutes and wanted to get a post in!

Aiming for 09/09/09 09:09 ;) might not hit it, but anythings worth a shot isn't it?

Cheerio

Independence Day Celebrations - Salute to Martyrs

India celebrates the 62nd Anniversary of our freedom from the British Raj. Its supposed to be a day where we feel patriotic paying homage to all the freedom fighters and visionaries. A lifetime is less to describe or even name all those who were involved, famous and infamous, known and unknown, men and women, adults and kids, national and international supporters.

15th August is the day we all used take for granted as being born in free India. Lets make sure we don't any more. We've come a long way, still a long way to go. 62 years of democracy neighboured by a failed model of similar attempt, we face our own challenges currently internal and external. Patience and acceptance being the virtue of people anticipating change. While we see our troops parading at the red-fort and PMs speech, lets get inspired by the doers of the gigantic task of Independence and start doing, growing up from our petty issues. World now submits their acceptance of a growing superpower. A time to remember all our martyrs with the struggles before and after the freedom struggle whether be Siachen, Kargil, Longewala or 26/11 Mumbai. All we can remember and all those have been eroded from memory filled with media crazy nonsense..

Respect

musical week and random

Its been a few musical days. With lots of things happening around the world like the Massa accident and eventual Schumacher returning to Ferrari, be it for a single race. Its an event. Clinton's diplomatic heroics demonstrated with emotional scenes of the reporters re-uniting with their families after scary speculations.

August is usually a month I very much liked as a kid in school, college and even working back home. As its got many public holidays. Like the National Portal of India's August Newsletter reports :-

Raksha Bandhan: Literally meaning, 'bond of protection', Raksha Bandhan is a festival that celebrates the bond of love between sisters and brothers. On this day, sisters tie a beautifully decorated thread called a 'rakhi' around the wrists of their brothers and exchange sweets and gifts.

Janmashtami: Also known as Gokulashtami, this festival marks the birth of Lord Krishna. On this day, fasts, pujas and other rituals are conducted at temples and homes that are beautifully decorated. In Maharashtra, teams of youngsters form human pyramids to break the 'Dahi Handi', a pot of buttermilk hung at a height.

Independence Day: This National Holiday honours the anniversary of Indian Independence from British colonial rule. It is characterised by march pasts, kite flying contests and public displays of patriotism. Citizens commemorate the sacrifices made by freedom fighters and strive to take the Nation to greater heights.

Ganesh Chaturthi: This ten day festival celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha, the God of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. During this period, large idols of Ganesha are worshipped. On the eleventh day, these statues are taken in colourful processions to be immersed in local water bodies amidst much ceremonial grandeur.

Join in the festivities by sending your near and dear ones some of the amazing e-cards available at india.gov.in.

Attended a musical evening performed by a very energetic upcoming singing sensation in the folk music genre. Kirtindan Gadhvi turns out to be closely related to a very good old friend, Anand Rudach. Socializing with families and people at that event was good. Twitter and Facebook slowly becoming the places where microblogging has begun from my end, hence the reduced frequency of posting here.

Looking forward to see Dharmeshbhai (my first cousin who's become a local star in sunderland news for his calligraphy exhibition).

Anticipation

Excerpt from the Speech given by Chetan Bhagat at Symbiosis

Life is one of those races in nursery school where you have to run with a marble in a spoon kept in your mouth. If the marble falls, there is no point coming first. Same with life, where health and relationships are the marble. Your striving is only worth it if there is harmony in your life. Else, you may achieve the success, but this spark, this feeling of being excited and alive, will start to die.

One thing about nurturing the spark - don't take life seriously. Life is not to be taken seriously, as we are really temporary here. We are like a pre-paid card with limited validity. If we are lucky, we may last another 50 years. And 50 years is just 2,500 weekends.Do we really need to get so worked up? It's ok, bunk a few classes, goof up a few interviews, fall in love. We are people, not programmed devices.

"Don't be serious, be sincere."

Start Enjoying from moment................