Mahasivarathiri 2011

Too many experiences to share:

The old lady(Mrs Geetha Ramraj) who thoughtfully, kept the pillows and the bedsheet so that we can use when we came late from Yaksha 2011. 

Mind numbing performance by Pt.Jasraj - especially the last piece, even though i do not know anything about hindustani music. "I do not wish to disturb the reverberations that he has created. 

If there is a man who is a embodiment of music, it is him" - Sadhguru after the performance.

The zeal and the spirit of the drummers from Karnataka -  a regular feature of Isha's Mahasivarathiri!

Eagerly awaited performance(personally) by the Wadali brothers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadali_brothers) - simple but music from the heart. I was touched deeply by the meaning of the lyrics and the way they rendered it. From what i have heard, it is hard to explicitly find anyone pouring their heart and soul into singing like the sufi musicians - Nusrat Fateh Ali khan, Rahat Fateh Ali khan comes to my mind. Wadali's belong to the same class:-)

First time in my entire life felt that Hindi should be made compulsory to all Indians - simply to enjoy the sufi's songs with oozing wisdom and bhakthi:-)

Was playing with kutti in one of the game stall - a simple game where you put five balls in different numbered tunnels and get a prize earmarked for the sum of the numbers. Prize assured for everyone!

Kutti got 27 but it was a soap box or something like that, but the lady at the stall magnanimously gave the pencil box at 26! Kutti was over the moon:-)

Midnight chanting with Sadhguru - tried my best to be with him! Was distracted as usual by the over the top isha gang, who start screaming like anything:-) Better luck and grace next time!

Stood in the line to offer @ சத்குரு பாதம் - saw a glimpse of Radhe and was stuck by her divine presence! Offered the துளசி மாலை and prayed from the heart! Lo, Sadhguru threw a glance at me, i cannot forget the moment:-)(reminds me of a similar instance in Sadhuragiri hills, where the Sannyasin at the கோரக்கர் குகை touched my forehead with the ash after my heartful prayer and the feeling of undescribable peace that lasted for few minutes).When  i look back, probably Shivarathiri ended for me then & there!

After Vikram Ghose, Prem joshua's performance with Mahesh Vinayakram(வெண்கல குரலோன் சீர்காழியை நினைவு படுத்தும் குரல்) time to end with

"சிவ சம்போ, சம்போ, சிவ சம்போ, சம்போ, சிவ  சம்போ சம்போ சிவ சம்போ" 

   

She - वो - அவள்

I was coming out of Dakshineswar kali temple, Kolkota with my wife & kid.My heart was almost full(yet to visit belur math,hence..) as at last i had fulfilled my long held desire.We came out to have lunch before leaving to belur math by ferry. When we came out of the main gate, there were numerous beggars(some of them lepers) sitting on one side.They were busy in their afternoon duty asking for alms. The whole place was filthy, with a drainage nearby and add to it the dirty clothes of the beggars.
    Then my(maybe my wife's i don't remember) eyes fell on a young lady(probably in her early 20's)sitting in their midst, not asking for alms.Instead, she had a mehendhi box with colors & different type of design stones.She was sitting right between the beggars with a very shabby cloth but eyes full of hope. I looked at my wife and she nodded happily. We took our kutty to her for putting mehendhi on her hand.She(kutti & the lady) was overjoyed. Kutti started selecting the design from those she had and finally chose one. The lady lovingly put it on my kid's hands.
Me - "कितना ?(How much?)".
Lady - "पंद्रह रूपैः (Fifteen rupees)"
I gave her 20 rupees. She did not even have five rupees - we were the first customer in the entire day(it was close to 2P.M).
I told her - "रक् लीजिये (Keep it)".
She gratefully thanked(probably kali) and kept the money in her torn carpet.
I still remember her(sometimes with tears in my eyes) even after a month -
Not to beg even if amongst beggars - reminded me the master's words - "Not to become filth even if amongst them"
சேற்றில் மலர்ந்த செந்தாமரையோ?

25th Aug 2010 - Gandhi Jayanthi

                       For long i was aghast at the state of indian politics,like many others.But the reason was a bit different - i was upset that the native / common people were subject to all kinds of harrassment in the name of development.Be it the big dam, mining or any other dream project(for the select few), it is the native people who is relocated w/o any consideration.All in the name of good for the country - damn it!
                       Consider this - a big dam to serve a few thousands to irrigate better at the cost of lakhs who loose their livelihood and horror of horrors their home.In addition, environment is never cared for.I dunno how this can be justified.To top it all, no proper rehabilation for them as well - consider narmada bacho andolan and tonnes of other big projects.Knowing our largely second rate politicians, bureaucrats, govt. officials, this is no surprise.
                       But 26th Aug was a red letter day in the history of indian politics.Resisting huge pressures from the orissa govt, Environment minister Jairam ramesh had the courage and conviction to stop the mining of Niyamgiri hills for bauxite ore.
                       To add honey, Rahul gandhi has publicly backed the ban and had lent his voice for the tribals of Niyamgiri(even though it could be for votebank politics, it is still a laudable stance).Atlast, there is hope for India...Truly Gandhi would have been satisfied at these developments - this is real gandhi jayanthi.

http://www.governancenow.com/news/regular-story/ramesh-champions-environmental-laws-corks-niyamgiri-mining

http://beta.thehindu.com/news/article103761.ece - amnesty international's news on Niyamgiri

http://www.survivalinternational.org/about/niyamgiri - for more about the tribals, their life & plight.

    
P.S: Orissa govt will not backup so fast, already the chief minister has started cribbing publicly.Let us hope this one is a real victory.

Silent Revolution

"You know what! We can now buy isha's food products near our home - right in Ramapuram". I was surprised & happy upon hearing this from my wife. We decided to visit it in the weekend. Actually my wife got this news when she participated in Isha's "Run for water" campaign.

Weekend came, off we went in my new Honda Shine with our gundu. To our surprise, we could not locate it and so went back. After few days, my wife told "Got the exact address and landmark, please buy kanji, verkadalai on your way back to home from office".

Located the stores, entered it little bit tired from my office work. Met a tall well-built man in early 40s', wearing rudrakash.

"Ramki, came to buy isha products."

"Saleem,Isha meditator".

Oh, i could not believe, Saleem or sanjay. Did i hear properly. Of course it was saleem.

I was amazed and openly told him

"Cannot believe being a muslim that u r wearing rudrakash".

He smiled and i continued

" Didn't they object in ur family?".

"I don't wear it when i go to mosque.".

I totally forgot why i came there and started chatting with him. My eyes fell upon sadhguru's photo at a corner of the shop. He continued...

"You see, i'm a electrical enginneer into real estate. Suffered a huge loss of 15L during this recent recession. I was restless and was totally shattered. Someone suggested to me to try isha yoga. That's how i ended up being a meditator. I'm now more happy and contented.I have now started this garments business, hope i can break even soon".

I was once again remainded about isha's silent revolution in people's lives which includes urs truly. My heart ebbed with gratitude for my master:-)

Note:

Saleem is still a practising muslim, he is very proud of his own religion.

In fact he explained to me the link between science and islam.

Life as it is

Woke up very early by my standards - 6.30A.M.Weather was tender, Sun not yet in it's full fury.Thought will go upstairs, atleast in a weekend, to enjoy fresh breeze.The next 15 mins:

A squirrel, hanging like an acrobat, munching away the seeds of what looks like tamarind.Another one does the same but in a less risky way:-)

I was interrupted by the movement of our never-say-die bird - the crow.It perched itself comfortably on the adjoining tree, probably wiating for it's breakfast.

I saw a sparrow eating the seeds in a nearby flower tree.

Can our friend bee be far off if flowers are near-by?

When i gazed on the roadside, saw 3 puppies playing with each other, unmindful of the passing vehicles.

I heard a noise nearby and saw 2 crows sitting in our rooftop close-by.

What is that - is it dust? A watched it closely - it was white in color.Not sure, i tried to catch it could not catch any of them. Hmm. finally managed to catch one of them - wow, it is a tiny little white fly!

If these many of our beloved partners can live just near my home, which is definitely not green by any standards, how many could live in the planet?

It is not only about the 1411 Tigers of india that matters.The world is full of beautiful lives full of activity, can never ever be created by mortal men like us even in our wildest dreams.A great remainder, early in the morning!

True love

India is a fascinating country.It has never ceased to amaze me.I'm now convinced more than ever that this country really has the secret of happy life.But one thing is sure, it is definitely not in it's pure form in the urban(take it as chennai but should be true for rest as well).Well,what is such a secret, if at all it existed? It's very simple - pure love, real love.I have no words to express it - but i get a glimpse of it some way or the other from the people i interact with.Simple pure people, unlike most of the rest.They simply ooze joy, they have real concern for the other people's well-being.They don't have any principle, no "I'll correct the world" syndrome - it is just a way of life.They are simply made like that(stealing my guru's words:-)).

Why suddenly this gyan? Hmmm,i just was watching "Aparajito" by Satyajit ray- .There was a scene where the father is unwell and talks to his kid on the eve of diwali.Mother asks the son(10yrs old) to sit near his father and the son dutifully obeys(this is set in probably early 60's in Kashi.Modern day kid will probably never do this).Father lovingly asks him whether he bought crackers, what type.The kid answers.After few conversations, father realises that the kid really wants to go out and have fun, not sit near him.He lovingly sends him out, even though in his heart he knows he is not going to live long and possibly the last conversation with his son.Needless to say, he dies the next day.This whole scene moved me and made me realise the real love expressed by our rural folks(tremendous acting by the father and the whole cast).

From reel to real, i was recently to pollachi with my wife & kid.I was surprised and shocked to see how even a stranger would show his genuine concern for others.It was all so natural, it has to be felt not expressed in words.

Stereotype

What?

Most of us stereotype a person, country, people ... the list is quite long.

Is it bad? Hmm...i think so.Consider an example,we watch couple of hollywood films, read about american culture a bit from the media.Then guess what - we brand them that they have no culture, no family values, individualistic society etc.Some of this could be true - but definitely there are lot of americans who don't fit in to this description.

The same applies when foreigners(again some, no stereotyping) still see india as a land of cows, million gods, poor etc.Again some of this are true(quite a huge chunk of our society are below the poverty line) but does not do justice to the development that has happened in last decade or so.Ok, to go at a micro-level, what about the stereotyping we do to our friends & family."I know this guy, he/she is like this, will not change" - this statement could be about a friend, based on the perception we have.Even after many years, it still does not change - the friend could very well have changed.

Why?

So why the heck do we do this? Well, i really dunno but one possible answer is a term called "mental laziness"(i read about this in an article in "The Hindu" by ???, i forgot due to mental laziness:-)). We all surely know laziness but this one is roughly "refusal to give work to the neurons as it is inconvenient". It really is difficult not to label a person / people based on his/her/their action.

So what?

What do we loose? We loose many things, especially the chance to keep our mind open.In turn, we loose the oppurtunity to learn, create new relationship and finally you know what - we accumulate karma(i don't have a better word).To be more simple, we create a slow poison in our mind which is sure to hamper our progress.

Consider, that you are meeting an old friend of yours after a long time.Your experience / stereotyping says he/she was a selfish person.You still see them thru' the same tinted glasses.But what happens if that person realised their mistake and probably now contributes to the society more than you ever did in your life! Just imagine the possibilities!

Remedy

I'm no "I know it all" guy.But personal experience suggests yoga and reading talks given by great yogic masters like Sadhguru, Nithyananda... But i do know that you need to keep flexing the brain of yours all the time.Happy neuron firing!