There is an old adage in one of the South Indian languages - "Manasondu markata" - meaning mind is a monkey. I'll try to explain.
Every morning I promptly sit on my PC just before the stock market opens. I have on-line marketing service. Sometimes I play, sometimes buy or sell securities and some other times simply observe without taking part. Apart from passing my time after retirement from my business, I tend to deeply observe my own mind, its behavior, its thinking patterns, whenever I do whatsoever. I keenly watch a particular stock about which I have made adequate homework and decided to buy. The stock price is steadily coming down, of course with some ups in between, and just when I think it is the right time and price to buy, it rises a bit sharply. Miffed though, I tell myself, OK it'll comedown and immediately go to the other window in which global market movements are shown. Lo! European markets have rapidly turned into green from red. Come back to my online window, God, it has already shot up sharply, no question of buying now. I missed the bus! I lament, there is no chance of buying anything today, market has shot up and may fall anytime! Reason? - as always some good news of a concerned Govt. trying to lift its failing bankers with a package!
Most of the times stock markets all over world are highly sensitive to rumors and hype equally with real things that should effect the markets. Many of you might have had this experience similar to that of mine. The lost opportunities and lamenting over it!
It is not the intention to discuss markets here but I am only trying to give it as an example to demonstrate how loose, shaky and unstable the mind is. It is not only with money, matter and the markets, but with each and everything we value. Long back when I was still in college and was offered a short service commission in Indian Army, I scuttled it, of course, for valid reasons. Later I lamented. Again I was offered with that and this which, every time for good reasons I scuttled and later lamented. I even go into deep depressions thinking of so called great opportunities I missed in life. I have a serious problem, isn't it? And many of you too might.
Let me try to analyse my problems; it may help me.
The first and foremost thing I have to remember each time when I think of the past, is that it is a scientifically proved fact that the mind not only distorts memories over time but also creates an entirely new memory of which there was no event at all in the past! Unless I keep this fact firmly in my mind I am not going anywhere near to solve my problems.
OK, now why did I miss the bus? What were the valid reasons? Let me not try to give any example now. For, a real thing of the mind, there is nothing similar. So whatever example I try to equate with the behavior of the mind will only confuse. If there was a valid reason for the opportunity I missed, well it was in a good state of mind I rejected what was offered to me, in preference to what I continued with or opted for. If that is so...well, it was so! What does that mean now? There was no opportunity to miss at all in the past when the circumstances and accepted values were far different from what they are today. No question of missing anything in the past, right?
I don't know if you are getting at what I am trying to put out. A state of mind is eventual, temporary, solely dependent on a set of believed values in that precise moment. No state of mind is stable and permanent because every believed value takes its shape in accordance with the prevailing circumstance. It is ever changing with changing circumstances. That makes a thing of the past purely illusory. I hope I am getting at the core of my life, which is not in the past, not since when I was born, not to whom I was born; it is now.
If this everlasting fact of life is understood, I am sure, I can stand alone, away from my mind, see it clearly, analyse it and perhaps stop it permanently from interfering with the happiness of living. Got it? Can you see the monkey?
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Misuse of Law
Every civil society has a legal system. In fact it is the legal system, well formed, articulated and effectively implemented that keeps a society civilized. There maybe minor differences in legal systems of different countries depending upon the cultural, religious and traditional beliefs of a country. But the basic structure of the system is almost same in every country. Also the severity of punishments also may differ from country to country in the respective part of criminal code. There are also many loop holes in every legal system. And there are systems solely based on religious beliefs and dictates. Here I am interested in discussing the implications of dowry related laws in India, the benefits, and its ill effects or effective misuse by unscrupulous people.
As every Indian knows dowry is prevalent in every bit of diversity of various cultures, subcultures, castes and sub castes. The dowry is usually a negotiated sum of money or kind or both to be given to the bridegroom by the family of the bride in a marriage. But there are quite a few sub sects in which the giving and taking is other way round, IE., groom pays to the bride. This system of dowry in marriages has come to practice from time immemorial in India and I truly believe that this system was initiated and evolved with a good purpose. Though I cannot authoritatively confirm how it came into existence, I believe, it is because when the bride leaves her parental home, the groom has to set up a new family which requires means. And in a joint family the maintenance costs increase because addition of a new member as from that day of marriage onwards, the responsibility of maintenance of the girl ceases to be with her parents. Hence the system.
Today, as the basic purpose and cause has ceased to prevail upon every big and small cultural practice, the meaning of dowry system also has fallen by way side. Today dowry has become a means to display one's wealth accompanied with vulgar spending in the pomp and show of a marriage among the wealthy in every society prompting inferiority complex among not so well to do families. This has also given way to most unreasonable demands of dowry among middle and lower middle class families. Seeing the ill effects of dowry system, a law was enacted by the parliament totally banning the dowry practice, as long back as, I think, in the 1960's. But, alas! there was seldom any effect of this new law in cubing the ill effects of dowry, despite the law prescribes jail term to the guilty. I am yest to see even one case in which the defaulter is jailed!
As the basic purpose of dowry system is long lost, so is the purpose of law against dowry is also lost. In good times dowry goes on smoothly as if it is a legal custom without anybody cracking his head over it. But cases of harassments have started long back and is still growing by leaps and bounds. Greed has given way to murders since long. In almost 100% of the cases the casualty is the bride, sometimes even after a number of years of marriage and in many instances marriage has simply become a tool of extortion.
The government and the system of law has woken up to the crying demands of the people. But the right thinking people see there is a huge whole in the law itself. Laws sees the bride side kindly. Of course, the events that take place regularly and the investigations have shown that it should; the bride side should be heard with a pinch of sympathy. As a result of this, severe penalties have been handed down to grooms and and his accomplices if there was crime and homicide. All these activation of the law, it seems has not only failed to effectively reduce dowry related crimes, but also created a new problem in the society at large. Greedy unscrupulous elements in the society have taken this soft corner of the law to make a quick buck. They marry their daughter to a well to do groom only to later raise litigation quoting dowry harassment as the reason for demanding divorce. As law takes a lenient view on the girl's side, the judiciary, taking the financial abilities of the groom's family grants divorce with awards of hefty alimony!
Recently, a young friend of mine fell victim to this plot. He married about two years back, left his pregnant wife with her parents for delivery in a year, as per the prevailing custom. After a reasonable time after delivery, he went to his in laws to fetch the baby and mother back home. To his dismay, he was not only not allowed to see the child but also refused to send his wife back by her parents telling him that his parents were harassing their daughter for dowry! The poor chap surrendered all his pride and pleaded to send back his wife and child promising to set a separate home away from his parents. He even bought a new house for the purpose, of course with the permission of his sympathetic parents just to save the marriage of their only son. But no, his wife demanded divorce even when the boy offered to register the newly bought house in the name of his adamant wife. The case is in trial stage in the family court now. The boy, my friend is now living alone in the new house just to prove his point that he has separated from his parents. He has also resigned his well paying job. His parents have changed their will giving all rights of their self earned wealth to their only daughter. All this to negate the hefty alimony claimed by the wife.
I think such victimisation of good unsuspecting people is rampant, all because the law and judiciary is lenient to women. It is high time something is done before the already gone out of hands situation to bring within social control. In urban areas, the educated youngsters are opting for live-in arrangements, never thinking about marriage or raising a family of their own. Does it augur well to any civil society?
As every Indian knows dowry is prevalent in every bit of diversity of various cultures, subcultures, castes and sub castes. The dowry is usually a negotiated sum of money or kind or both to be given to the bridegroom by the family of the bride in a marriage. But there are quite a few sub sects in which the giving and taking is other way round, IE., groom pays to the bride. This system of dowry in marriages has come to practice from time immemorial in India and I truly believe that this system was initiated and evolved with a good purpose. Though I cannot authoritatively confirm how it came into existence, I believe, it is because when the bride leaves her parental home, the groom has to set up a new family which requires means. And in a joint family the maintenance costs increase because addition of a new member as from that day of marriage onwards, the responsibility of maintenance of the girl ceases to be with her parents. Hence the system.
Today, as the basic purpose and cause has ceased to prevail upon every big and small cultural practice, the meaning of dowry system also has fallen by way side. Today dowry has become a means to display one's wealth accompanied with vulgar spending in the pomp and show of a marriage among the wealthy in every society prompting inferiority complex among not so well to do families. This has also given way to most unreasonable demands of dowry among middle and lower middle class families. Seeing the ill effects of dowry system, a law was enacted by the parliament totally banning the dowry practice, as long back as, I think, in the 1960's. But, alas! there was seldom any effect of this new law in cubing the ill effects of dowry, despite the law prescribes jail term to the guilty. I am yest to see even one case in which the defaulter is jailed!
As the basic purpose of dowry system is long lost, so is the purpose of law against dowry is also lost. In good times dowry goes on smoothly as if it is a legal custom without anybody cracking his head over it. But cases of harassments have started long back and is still growing by leaps and bounds. Greed has given way to murders since long. In almost 100% of the cases the casualty is the bride, sometimes even after a number of years of marriage and in many instances marriage has simply become a tool of extortion.
The government and the system of law has woken up to the crying demands of the people. But the right thinking people see there is a huge whole in the law itself. Laws sees the bride side kindly. Of course, the events that take place regularly and the investigations have shown that it should; the bride side should be heard with a pinch of sympathy. As a result of this, severe penalties have been handed down to grooms and and his accomplices if there was crime and homicide. All these activation of the law, it seems has not only failed to effectively reduce dowry related crimes, but also created a new problem in the society at large. Greedy unscrupulous elements in the society have taken this soft corner of the law to make a quick buck. They marry their daughter to a well to do groom only to later raise litigation quoting dowry harassment as the reason for demanding divorce. As law takes a lenient view on the girl's side, the judiciary, taking the financial abilities of the groom's family grants divorce with awards of hefty alimony!
Recently, a young friend of mine fell victim to this plot. He married about two years back, left his pregnant wife with her parents for delivery in a year, as per the prevailing custom. After a reasonable time after delivery, he went to his in laws to fetch the baby and mother back home. To his dismay, he was not only not allowed to see the child but also refused to send his wife back by her parents telling him that his parents were harassing their daughter for dowry! The poor chap surrendered all his pride and pleaded to send back his wife and child promising to set a separate home away from his parents. He even bought a new house for the purpose, of course with the permission of his sympathetic parents just to save the marriage of their only son. But no, his wife demanded divorce even when the boy offered to register the newly bought house in the name of his adamant wife. The case is in trial stage in the family court now. The boy, my friend is now living alone in the new house just to prove his point that he has separated from his parents. He has also resigned his well paying job. His parents have changed their will giving all rights of their self earned wealth to their only daughter. All this to negate the hefty alimony claimed by the wife.
I think such victimisation of good unsuspecting people is rampant, all because the law and judiciary is lenient to women. It is high time something is done before the already gone out of hands situation to bring within social control. In urban areas, the educated youngsters are opting for live-in arrangements, never thinking about marriage or raising a family of their own. Does it augur well to any civil society?
Sunday, June 27, 2010
A Date With Ghost
This is a real life story, of course, with a little color to enhance the thrill and curiosity. Read on.
This happened in the 1970's when I was into motorcycle business. Promotional parties were regular. During one such party ghost talks featured. I had a lot of coffee planters as my customers and coffee plantations are situated mostly in deep forest areas, which adds lot of grist to ghost stories. A friend of mine, Kiran Kumar (name changed) over a couple of whisky told us that he had encountered a ghost. A couple of whiskies was just a preliminary dose to Kiran. So when I asked him if he was not yet drunk and what he said was crap, he fumed and said it was for real and threw a challenge that if anybody was interested, he would take him to the spot where he met the ghost, a female siren (Mohini). None of us pursued the matter and it was dropped there.
Next day when Kiran came to my showroom on business, - he was a general insurance agent, - I picked up the previous night's topic. He was serious and insisted that he had really encountered the Mohini near Bellur cross on Bangalore highway. The spot was very familiar to me as I was making motorcycle trips to Bangalore, a 195 Km. stretch, quite often those days. I was a rational thinker right from my younger days. So out curiosity and eager to bust the myth, I asked him if his invitation of previous night was still open. He said yes, but it should be a new moon night and we should be there at 12 midnight on stroke. I agreed, perhaps to his dismay.
We started in my motorcycle, an Enfield Bullet 350, the only four-stroke heaviest, most stable and trusted machine in those days, on the next new moon night. We started by around 10 in the night. Bellur Cross was a place almost exactly half way through to Bangalore. The name came because a side road led to Bellur a big town. Except a couple of coffee shops and tender coconut vendors, there was nothing else at the place. The entire stretch of about 20 Kms was totally lonely. The spot Kiran mentioned was about a couple of Kms from the cross and the road had a long curve of about a kilometer on a gradient. On the left was a small hillock with lots of big stones. The curve was around this hillock.
By the time we reached there, it was pitch dark. Kiran had already downed a couple of quarts of rum sitting on the rear, but I did not want to get influenced by alcohol when in such a sort of adventure. It was nearing 12 and I stopped and asked Kiran where to go. I felt he was already gripped by fear. Then he revealed that he was simply joking in the party and the next day wanted to fool me further; he did not encounter any ghost! OK, having made me come so far in the dead of the night, I asked him to follow me and I would show him Mohini, with whom he might enjoy all night! He started shivering because there were rumours and quite some stories taking rounds about a female ghost molesting truck drivers at the spot and the ghost lived among the cluster of huge stones. He begged me to leave him and go alone. Nothing doing and I practically dragged him to climb the hillock.
I had carried a powerful flash light. Also I tuned the bike to face the hillock and switched on the head light. Night traffic was very little those days and most of the night drivers avoided the time between 12 and 3 not only to take rest but also because of such superstitious beliefs. Slowly we reached the top. All the way Kiran was chanting some Anjaneya mantra to ward off ghosts! We sat on the top of a big stone and then I pulled out a bottle of whisky which I had kept in the pannier carrier of the bike and slid it in the flash light shoulder sling while starting the investigation. I cooed at the top of my voice and invited the ghosts, if existed any, to join me in the celebration party! We sat there discussing about ghost stories for two hours and when nothing happened, we started to climb down at two am. When we reached the road, my motorcycle battery had run down! I should have kept it on idling for keep the battery charging. Light of the flash gun was not enough to cruise. We had to wait for another half an hour when a night bus arrived. We flagged him to stop and explained him that I had some electrical problem causing headlight failure and would follow him till the next town came in about an hour. To follow him at 80 Kmph in that pitch darkness was the real adventure. I swore the mythical ghost and and my friend who had passed out on the rear seat resting his upper body on my back! That was real ghost on my back, I mused.
We reached home safely by 4 in the morning. Kiran's conspicuous absence in the next party gave me the freedom to explain the adventure to others!
Today the entire area at Bellur Cross of about 20 Sq Kms is having a Medical and Engineering college campus buzzing all day and night with students and new township people! I wonder where the Mohini is hiding!
This happened in the 1970's when I was into motorcycle business. Promotional parties were regular. During one such party ghost talks featured. I had a lot of coffee planters as my customers and coffee plantations are situated mostly in deep forest areas, which adds lot of grist to ghost stories. A friend of mine, Kiran Kumar (name changed) over a couple of whisky told us that he had encountered a ghost. A couple of whiskies was just a preliminary dose to Kiran. So when I asked him if he was not yet drunk and what he said was crap, he fumed and said it was for real and threw a challenge that if anybody was interested, he would take him to the spot where he met the ghost, a female siren (Mohini). None of us pursued the matter and it was dropped there.
Next day when Kiran came to my showroom on business, - he was a general insurance agent, - I picked up the previous night's topic. He was serious and insisted that he had really encountered the Mohini near Bellur cross on Bangalore highway. The spot was very familiar to me as I was making motorcycle trips to Bangalore, a 195 Km. stretch, quite often those days. I was a rational thinker right from my younger days. So out curiosity and eager to bust the myth, I asked him if his invitation of previous night was still open. He said yes, but it should be a new moon night and we should be there at 12 midnight on stroke. I agreed, perhaps to his dismay.
We started in my motorcycle, an Enfield Bullet 350, the only four-stroke heaviest, most stable and trusted machine in those days, on the next new moon night. We started by around 10 in the night. Bellur Cross was a place almost exactly half way through to Bangalore. The name came because a side road led to Bellur a big town. Except a couple of coffee shops and tender coconut vendors, there was nothing else at the place. The entire stretch of about 20 Kms was totally lonely. The spot Kiran mentioned was about a couple of Kms from the cross and the road had a long curve of about a kilometer on a gradient. On the left was a small hillock with lots of big stones. The curve was around this hillock.
By the time we reached there, it was pitch dark. Kiran had already downed a couple of quarts of rum sitting on the rear, but I did not want to get influenced by alcohol when in such a sort of adventure. It was nearing 12 and I stopped and asked Kiran where to go. I felt he was already gripped by fear. Then he revealed that he was simply joking in the party and the next day wanted to fool me further; he did not encounter any ghost! OK, having made me come so far in the dead of the night, I asked him to follow me and I would show him Mohini, with whom he might enjoy all night! He started shivering because there were rumours and quite some stories taking rounds about a female ghost molesting truck drivers at the spot and the ghost lived among the cluster of huge stones. He begged me to leave him and go alone. Nothing doing and I practically dragged him to climb the hillock.
I had carried a powerful flash light. Also I tuned the bike to face the hillock and switched on the head light. Night traffic was very little those days and most of the night drivers avoided the time between 12 and 3 not only to take rest but also because of such superstitious beliefs. Slowly we reached the top. All the way Kiran was chanting some Anjaneya mantra to ward off ghosts! We sat on the top of a big stone and then I pulled out a bottle of whisky which I had kept in the pannier carrier of the bike and slid it in the flash light shoulder sling while starting the investigation. I cooed at the top of my voice and invited the ghosts, if existed any, to join me in the celebration party! We sat there discussing about ghost stories for two hours and when nothing happened, we started to climb down at two am. When we reached the road, my motorcycle battery had run down! I should have kept it on idling for keep the battery charging. Light of the flash gun was not enough to cruise. We had to wait for another half an hour when a night bus arrived. We flagged him to stop and explained him that I had some electrical problem causing headlight failure and would follow him till the next town came in about an hour. To follow him at 80 Kmph in that pitch darkness was the real adventure. I swore the mythical ghost and and my friend who had passed out on the rear seat resting his upper body on my back! That was real ghost on my back, I mused.
We reached home safely by 4 in the morning. Kiran's conspicuous absence in the next party gave me the freedom to explain the adventure to others!
Today the entire area at Bellur Cross of about 20 Sq Kms is having a Medical and Engineering college campus buzzing all day and night with students and new township people! I wonder where the Mohini is hiding!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Stupid Actvism
Recently Bangalore City authorities have passed a new bye law regarding home pets. Licencing to keep dogs and other pets has become more stringent now, the Corporation having tried to make the law at par with International standards. Good. But what about a few lakhs of stray dogs. Of course, the authorities did try to control them. When they started snaring the street dogs after promptly giving notice to the pet lovers not to allow their dogs to roam freely on the roads during the operations. But soon, there was a big hue and cry from animal rights activists. The pressure came on the government so much that it had to instruct the corporation authorities to not kill the stray dogs. And for the control of stray dogs breeding, the activists suggested to catch male dogs, sterilise and immunise them and leave! The corporation followed the suggestion. Any Tom, Dick and Harry can imagine the rate of success of this program.
Dog bites are ample in slum areas. There were and still are many dog bite deaths because of either negligence on the part of poverty stricken slum dwellers or sheer lack of enough stock of the vaccine with the Veterinary department. Sometime back a hoard of about 20 street dogs attacked a 10 year old boy returning from school and killed the boy in broad daylight in full view of a few onlookers who were afraid to scare away the dogs! However they did finally manage to drive away the dogs when more people gathered, but it proved too late because the boy died on way to hospital.
It is reported that scores of dog bite deaths take place in Bangalore every year. Yet the animal rights activists have not softened their stance against eradication of street dogs. What kind of activism is that? I call it stupidity if not megalomania, because it is very clear that they respect the rights of street dogs more than poor slum dwelling children.
I agree, there should be some kind of protection to animals, perhaps because, man is the only animal that kills others without purpose or provocation! But in Indian conditions, the activism, which should be for a noble cause, totally gets misplaced. This kind of activism goes very successfully in developed countries like the West and Australia. In fact I understand that in Australia Rabies is totally eradicated. Slum dwelling is as little as nil and above all people have far better awareness. I feel the percentage of true lovers of animals among activists is very low and a great majority of them indulge in activism for free publicity and such other benefits; what do you say?
Dog bites are ample in slum areas. There were and still are many dog bite deaths because of either negligence on the part of poverty stricken slum dwellers or sheer lack of enough stock of the vaccine with the Veterinary department. Sometime back a hoard of about 20 street dogs attacked a 10 year old boy returning from school and killed the boy in broad daylight in full view of a few onlookers who were afraid to scare away the dogs! However they did finally manage to drive away the dogs when more people gathered, but it proved too late because the boy died on way to hospital.
It is reported that scores of dog bite deaths take place in Bangalore every year. Yet the animal rights activists have not softened their stance against eradication of street dogs. What kind of activism is that? I call it stupidity if not megalomania, because it is very clear that they respect the rights of street dogs more than poor slum dwelling children.
I agree, there should be some kind of protection to animals, perhaps because, man is the only animal that kills others without purpose or provocation! But in Indian conditions, the activism, which should be for a noble cause, totally gets misplaced. This kind of activism goes very successfully in developed countries like the West and Australia. In fact I understand that in Australia Rabies is totally eradicated. Slum dwelling is as little as nil and above all people have far better awareness. I feel the percentage of true lovers of animals among activists is very low and a great majority of them indulge in activism for free publicity and such other benefits; what do you say?
Friday, June 18, 2010
The Bhopal Ghost
By now I expect everybody to know about this fiasco. Skeletons from Congress cupboard are coming out every day. Now if one reputed columnist draws parallels between Indira Ganghi's infamous emergency of 1975 and Rajiv Gandhi's authoritarian actions of 1985, others are digging deep into the conspiracies of the Rajiv Gandhi Govt. and the Man Mohan Singh (Read Sonia Gandhi) Govt. The parallel Kuldip Nayar draws between Indira Gandhi and her son Rajiv Gandhi is that both took unilateral decisions and later got the cabinet 'ratify' it. Indira Gandhi declared emergency in 1975 unilaterally denying even fundamental rights to the citizens, and consulted her cabinet of ministers later. Rajiv Gandhi asked Arjun Singh, the Congress chief minister of Madhya Pradesh to release Warren Anderson, the CEO of Union Carbide from house arrest and to facilitate his subsequent escape from India and got his cabinet to ratify his authoritarian decision. It is different that he had pressure from America. But in both the cases Indian democracy suffered a fatal blow. In both the cases all the three democratic arms, - the judiciary, the executive and the bureaucracy not only failed to uphold democratic values but helped to sabotage democracy. If Indira Gandhi made the supreme court to uphold her authoritarian rule by 5 to 1 quoting 'Doctrine of Necessity', Rajiv Gandhi made the then Chief Justice of India A.H.Ahmadi to dilute the clause put by CBI in its charge sheet. Every person in the high post had fears of the undeclared dictator.
President Obama of the United States of America has demanded British Petroleum to pay $20 billion as initial compensation for the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This despite the risk of damaging the soft part of the American corporate sector, yet, the citizen is crying hoarse that the Govt. is not doing enough! Contrast this with our Man Mohan Singh constituting a group of ministers (GoM) and appointing his Home Minister Chidambaram to preside!! I simply fail to understand the practice of constituting a GoM to find 'facts' in every trivial and most serious mishappening, when there is every tool in democracy to find the facts (if the people of the country do not know already!) And in this case, after more than a quarter century. Why does Congress not accept the realities and apologize to the nation instead of dragging its feet in such a shameless manner? I think by that the Congress will not only control further damage to the age old party but also will it regain a lot of lost public trust. The way it is shouting down its critics instead, indicates the quality of arrogance it still possesses.
After the exit of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the Mahatma, Congress first lost values and now it has become a party with full of scoundrels. This statement does not mean that other national political parties are without scoundrels. The pity with Congress is that it is over a century old party and the biggest credit it earned is of bringing independence to this nation, eclipsing the contributions made by the likes of Subhash Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh, and today it is in the hands of scoundrels behind the good face of a woman. This party has laid precedence to all forms of corrupt practices to follow by other parties. Nothing else has done more harm to the nation than Congress after independence. I truly feel pity for this party which once commanded respect from even street dog!
I sincerely wish the Ghost of Bhopal tragedy springs up into full life, boomerang and decimate Congress.
This is not a hate mail but the least I can do for the suffering masses of the tragedy.
President Obama of the United States of America has demanded British Petroleum to pay $20 billion as initial compensation for the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This despite the risk of damaging the soft part of the American corporate sector, yet, the citizen is crying hoarse that the Govt. is not doing enough! Contrast this with our Man Mohan Singh constituting a group of ministers (GoM) and appointing his Home Minister Chidambaram to preside!! I simply fail to understand the practice of constituting a GoM to find 'facts' in every trivial and most serious mishappening, when there is every tool in democracy to find the facts (if the people of the country do not know already!) And in this case, after more than a quarter century. Why does Congress not accept the realities and apologize to the nation instead of dragging its feet in such a shameless manner? I think by that the Congress will not only control further damage to the age old party but also will it regain a lot of lost public trust. The way it is shouting down its critics instead, indicates the quality of arrogance it still possesses.
After the exit of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the Mahatma, Congress first lost values and now it has become a party with full of scoundrels. This statement does not mean that other national political parties are without scoundrels. The pity with Congress is that it is over a century old party and the biggest credit it earned is of bringing independence to this nation, eclipsing the contributions made by the likes of Subhash Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh, and today it is in the hands of scoundrels behind the good face of a woman. This party has laid precedence to all forms of corrupt practices to follow by other parties. Nothing else has done more harm to the nation than Congress after independence. I truly feel pity for this party which once commanded respect from even street dog!
I sincerely wish the Ghost of Bhopal tragedy springs up into full life, boomerang and decimate Congress.
This is not a hate mail but the least I can do for the suffering masses of the tragedy.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Sanctum Sanctorium
As you may be knowing that Hinduism is a majority religion in India; yet Hinduism is divided into numerous castes sects and sub sects. Idol worship is the form of worship across all sects and sub sects. Each sect and sub sect has its own tradition of worship. Even temples are built in accordance with the particular tradition of the sect or sub sect. If devotees are allowed inside sanctum sanctorium in one tradition, nobody except the purohit (the one who performs the pooja - worship, every time taking a head bath of cold water before entering). I am born and brought up in one of the Brahman sub sects.
Having born in a family residing very next to the town temple, I had good opportunity to observe the intricacies of the temple tradition, especially the happenings behind the scene. As a school going boy, I was an active participant in all the temple celebrations and rituals. Yet I had no access to the sanctum sanctorium, which in local parlance is called the 'Garbhagudi'. There is a path round the rectangular garbhagudi for the devotees to go round which is called 'Pradaksina'. These pradakshinas are taken in odd numbers - 1, 3, 5 etc., before they finally pray standing in front of the garbhagudi entrance and then prostrate. During special occasions there is a special pooja - worship called 'Utsav'. Apart from the regular sandal prasadam, a few particular types of sweets and sometimes fruits also are distributed to the gathering at the end of the utsav. I have seen purohits secretly setting aside a portion of the fruits to take home later.
I have also seen rats, lizards and cockroaches freely moving inside the sanctum sanctorium when there was nobody inside. I have also heard the grumblings of purohits about cleaning the excreta of these dark room creatures.
Now I have given so long a prelude to tell you that we humans also have a sanctum senctorium deep inside our conscience with perhaps a reigning deity well established at the center. I am now asking you whether you have discovered this garbhagudi inside you; I have! I have not only discovered but also entered, a thing physically I could not do in the outside world. The first time I entered the sanctum sanctorium, I was terrified by the pitch darkness; disgusted with the stink it had accumulated over the years. I could not see or feel the Idol of worship in that total darkness. But I could feel the debris everywhere in that small place. There were stolen fruits still decaying and stinking. There were roaches and rats roaming all over the debris.
Once I had the access to my inner sanctum sanctorium, I visited it over and again. I have not yet cleared all the accumulated debris, but I have reason to believe that I have scared away the creatures. Recently a very narrow beam of very weak light has started showing me a portion of the space I am exploring. I still have a mountain of cleaning work before, perhaps, I find the idol of worship if at all it is established there!
You can show me a million temples; a million paths to reach God, a million ways of worship. But can you show me the place inside me if and where the idol is placed? I have to do it all alone, without external light or help. I should become the source of light for myself. I have to guide and find my path myself. Can anybody including God Himself help me find my path? No external force however great is of any help to me in this matter. And the moment I realise this fact, I am instantly at the right place at the right time. Do I need to experience the bliss defined by somebody else? from some scriptures? through some teachings? The only requirement in this mission is the courage to stand alone and by courage I do not mean anything ordinary, it is a great courage to jump into the unknown abyss!
"So far as this outer 'aakaasha' - space - extends, thus far extends my 'antarhr'dayaakaasha' - inner space - ......." The Upanishads
Having born in a family residing very next to the town temple, I had good opportunity to observe the intricacies of the temple tradition, especially the happenings behind the scene. As a school going boy, I was an active participant in all the temple celebrations and rituals. Yet I had no access to the sanctum sanctorium, which in local parlance is called the 'Garbhagudi'. There is a path round the rectangular garbhagudi for the devotees to go round which is called 'Pradaksina'. These pradakshinas are taken in odd numbers - 1, 3, 5 etc., before they finally pray standing in front of the garbhagudi entrance and then prostrate. During special occasions there is a special pooja - worship called 'Utsav'. Apart from the regular sandal prasadam, a few particular types of sweets and sometimes fruits also are distributed to the gathering at the end of the utsav. I have seen purohits secretly setting aside a portion of the fruits to take home later.
I have also seen rats, lizards and cockroaches freely moving inside the sanctum sanctorium when there was nobody inside. I have also heard the grumblings of purohits about cleaning the excreta of these dark room creatures.
Now I have given so long a prelude to tell you that we humans also have a sanctum senctorium deep inside our conscience with perhaps a reigning deity well established at the center. I am now asking you whether you have discovered this garbhagudi inside you; I have! I have not only discovered but also entered, a thing physically I could not do in the outside world. The first time I entered the sanctum sanctorium, I was terrified by the pitch darkness; disgusted with the stink it had accumulated over the years. I could not see or feel the Idol of worship in that total darkness. But I could feel the debris everywhere in that small place. There were stolen fruits still decaying and stinking. There were roaches and rats roaming all over the debris.
Once I had the access to my inner sanctum sanctorium, I visited it over and again. I have not yet cleared all the accumulated debris, but I have reason to believe that I have scared away the creatures. Recently a very narrow beam of very weak light has started showing me a portion of the space I am exploring. I still have a mountain of cleaning work before, perhaps, I find the idol of worship if at all it is established there!
You can show me a million temples; a million paths to reach God, a million ways of worship. But can you show me the place inside me if and where the idol is placed? I have to do it all alone, without external light or help. I should become the source of light for myself. I have to guide and find my path myself. Can anybody including God Himself help me find my path? No external force however great is of any help to me in this matter. And the moment I realise this fact, I am instantly at the right place at the right time. Do I need to experience the bliss defined by somebody else? from some scriptures? through some teachings? The only requirement in this mission is the courage to stand alone and by courage I do not mean anything ordinary, it is a great courage to jump into the unknown abyss!
"So far as this outer 'aakaasha' - space - extends, thus far extends my 'antarhr'dayaakaasha' - inner space - ......." The Upanishads
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Marital Bliss
There is a story in one of the books of Deepak Chopra. His uncle, a travelling salesman was in Gaya during one of the 'Kumbh Mela' time. The place was flocked with a variety of sadhus descending from the Himalayas for the 'Mela'. The salesman noticed a sadhu bending over the roadside gutter doing something. Out of curiosity our salesman goes near the sadhu and observes what he was doing. A scorpion was trying to climb up the mossy side wall of the gutter but slips back to the gutter. This sadhu trying to help the creature picks it up but the scorpion instantly stings his hand and the sadhu drops the scorpion. It again tries to climb up, sadhu tries to help, gets stung and drops. After the same thing repeating for a number of times, our gentleman asks the sadhu why he was getting stung by the scorpion again and again. The sadhu replies that it is the nature of the scorpion to sting but saving a life from dying is 'my nature; even God cannot help us'
I bet a majority of relationships between spouses of middle class people of my time is of this type, - scorpion and the sadhu, at least uneasy if not painful. Yet, it is suppressed and a beautiful facade is worn by both the spouses for public view and for this painful retention we proudly say that we have maintained the sanctity of marriage and kept the values of the institution intact! But today's younger generation do not hesitate to call it a day whenever a fair chance given to it fails. Most of us grumble, - the values have eroded or the younger generation is neither bothered nor patient to discover the true happiness in marriage. After all a marriage survives on individual sacrifices of the partners, isn't it? Let me examine.
Remember Al Gore? He unsuccessfully contested the American presidential elections against George Bush. Al's wife also was a politician. During campaign they were together and during one of the campaigns they kissed on the public platform to show how strong is their marital bond even after thirty years. His campaign managers used the photograph of husband and wife kissing in public used widely for their publicity. Well, now after forty years, they have mutually agreed to divorce. Sane in old age, aren't they? Well, that gives ample reasons to believe that they too were not only wearing a facade for public view but also tried to provide material proof to the success of their marriage!
Marriage has been institutionalised. Different sets of rules are set in different communities and cultures, promising bliss if the proper rules are much valued and maintained irrespective of what individual emotional price you pay for it. The question arises naturally - Is bliss an outcome of sacrifices?
I have come across many successful people attributing their success to their spouses. All of us have heard the adage that there is a woman behind the success of every man. But I doubt if the woman has made any conscious sacrifice, because the very consciousness of sacrifice brings in misery. Then what is the secret behind the success of every man if there was no sacrifice from his woman?
And quite often than not, we do find a powerful man behind the grand success of a woman. Many years back, I remember M.S. Subbulakshmi, a legend of Classical Karnatic Vocal music, attributing her success as vocalist entirely to the support given by her husband. (I think at that time their marriage had seen over a fifty summers) Did her husband sacrifice anything for her sake? I don't think so! Yet the marital bliss among the couple undoubtedly was there, though the husband kept a very profile in public. And the beauty, for an outsider like you and me is in seeing much more sacrifice in the man! But the man is never conscious of his sacrifices; everything he did for his wife was very natural to him and that delicate part of the personality must have worked as a robust ladder to the wife in climbing up to reach the highest point in her natural talent.
So, according to me, the bliss, if at all, in marriage comes naturally for the partners when man and woman are in right space-time. That is to say, two naturally complimentary personalities meet and marry. And when anybody boasting of his or her sacrifices as the reason for the success of the marriage, is simply cheating him/herself with the facade they wear, not you and me. Other compulsions make the marriage to sustain (I don't consider constantly working out for sustaining, as success), not because but despite the individual sacrifices; for, in a true marriage, there is no individual.
I bet a majority of relationships between spouses of middle class people of my time is of this type, - scorpion and the sadhu, at least uneasy if not painful. Yet, it is suppressed and a beautiful facade is worn by both the spouses for public view and for this painful retention we proudly say that we have maintained the sanctity of marriage and kept the values of the institution intact! But today's younger generation do not hesitate to call it a day whenever a fair chance given to it fails. Most of us grumble, - the values have eroded or the younger generation is neither bothered nor patient to discover the true happiness in marriage. After all a marriage survives on individual sacrifices of the partners, isn't it? Let me examine.
Remember Al Gore? He unsuccessfully contested the American presidential elections against George Bush. Al's wife also was a politician. During campaign they were together and during one of the campaigns they kissed on the public platform to show how strong is their marital bond even after thirty years. His campaign managers used the photograph of husband and wife kissing in public used widely for their publicity. Well, now after forty years, they have mutually agreed to divorce. Sane in old age, aren't they? Well, that gives ample reasons to believe that they too were not only wearing a facade for public view but also tried to provide material proof to the success of their marriage!
Marriage has been institutionalised. Different sets of rules are set in different communities and cultures, promising bliss if the proper rules are much valued and maintained irrespective of what individual emotional price you pay for it. The question arises naturally - Is bliss an outcome of sacrifices?
I have come across many successful people attributing their success to their spouses. All of us have heard the adage that there is a woman behind the success of every man. But I doubt if the woman has made any conscious sacrifice, because the very consciousness of sacrifice brings in misery. Then what is the secret behind the success of every man if there was no sacrifice from his woman?
And quite often than not, we do find a powerful man behind the grand success of a woman. Many years back, I remember M.S. Subbulakshmi, a legend of Classical Karnatic Vocal music, attributing her success as vocalist entirely to the support given by her husband. (I think at that time their marriage had seen over a fifty summers) Did her husband sacrifice anything for her sake? I don't think so! Yet the marital bliss among the couple undoubtedly was there, though the husband kept a very profile in public. And the beauty, for an outsider like you and me is in seeing much more sacrifice in the man! But the man is never conscious of his sacrifices; everything he did for his wife was very natural to him and that delicate part of the personality must have worked as a robust ladder to the wife in climbing up to reach the highest point in her natural talent.
So, according to me, the bliss, if at all, in marriage comes naturally for the partners when man and woman are in right space-time. That is to say, two naturally complimentary personalities meet and marry. And when anybody boasting of his or her sacrifices as the reason for the success of the marriage, is simply cheating him/herself with the facade they wear, not you and me. Other compulsions make the marriage to sustain (I don't consider constantly working out for sustaining, as success), not because but despite the individual sacrifices; for, in a true marriage, there is no individual.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Innocence
"That flower lying by the wayside, the sun, the earth, the wind and water, all have gone into making that flower; but the flower is none of them...." J.Krishnamurti
Sometime back I blogged about this flower. Today I am going to relate a different story about the flower.
A story had been taking rounds in E-mails some time back about the innocence of Socretes, one of the greatest philosophers this world ever produced. It says the the great thinker applied three filters before listening to a news to decide whether it is really worth listening to the news, whoever brings it. A disciple came to him one day and started telling "Sir, do you know somebody was telling me...." " Oh, wait it has to pass the three filters whatever you are going to tell me...err.... Is the news you are going to benefit me? " asked Socretes. "No" was the reply. Socretes asked again, " Is it going to benefit the person who gave the news to you?" Again there was a 'no' in reply. "Alright" said Socretes there is one more chance for you to deliver the news. Is it going to benefit you?" The fellow said "No" to this also. "Then I am not interested ". The circulated story gives the actual news that Plato, the closest disciple of Socretes was sleeping with Xanthippe, Socretes' wife! How innocent was the great philosopher!, - concludes the story.
A teen age high school girl is molested by her even teen age classmates. You and I declare on hearing the bad news, the innocent girl was raped by the beastly boys!
The smell of new heifer arouses a young bull in the herd making him chase and mate the heifer. We don't see the bull as a rapist or consider the heifer innocent. We don't even give a thought to such very natural things constantly going on around us.
It has always bothered me, what is innocence? What is ignorance? Ignorance is considered bad and innocence is natural. Even J.Krishnamurti declares, ".... I am not telling you about ignorance; it is innocence I am concerned with...."
What is innocence then? Is it lack of knowledge, right knowledge? But, the very sense of right and wrong, good and bad are given to me; they are not my discovery. All knowledge is given. When I go deep into any thought that comes to mind, I clearly see there is nothing in this mind other than coming from outside me. So according to me ignorance is lack of proper knowledge and innocence is absence of knowledge itself. That makes me declare that both Socretes and the teen age girls are not innocent but ignorant and all animals, which have no mind at all, not even knowing they are living beings are truly innocent, without even knowing that they live in total freedom allowed by nature.
Coming back to that flower, does that flower lying by the wayside knows it is the same sun, one of it makers is going to burn it? Or again, the water is going to wash it away in torrential rains, or the breeze taking it into nothingness and finally the earth is taking it back into its safe fold? That flower is the only innocent form of life in this world, right?
Sometime back I blogged about this flower. Today I am going to relate a different story about the flower.
A story had been taking rounds in E-mails some time back about the innocence of Socretes, one of the greatest philosophers this world ever produced. It says the the great thinker applied three filters before listening to a news to decide whether it is really worth listening to the news, whoever brings it. A disciple came to him one day and started telling "Sir, do you know somebody was telling me...." " Oh, wait it has to pass the three filters whatever you are going to tell me...err.... Is the news you are going to benefit me? " asked Socretes. "No" was the reply. Socretes asked again, " Is it going to benefit the person who gave the news to you?" Again there was a 'no' in reply. "Alright" said Socretes there is one more chance for you to deliver the news. Is it going to benefit you?" The fellow said "No" to this also. "Then I am not interested ". The circulated story gives the actual news that Plato, the closest disciple of Socretes was sleeping with Xanthippe, Socretes' wife! How innocent was the great philosopher!, - concludes the story.
A teen age high school girl is molested by her even teen age classmates. You and I declare on hearing the bad news, the innocent girl was raped by the beastly boys!
The smell of new heifer arouses a young bull in the herd making him chase and mate the heifer. We don't see the bull as a rapist or consider the heifer innocent. We don't even give a thought to such very natural things constantly going on around us.
It has always bothered me, what is innocence? What is ignorance? Ignorance is considered bad and innocence is natural. Even J.Krishnamurti declares, ".... I am not telling you about ignorance; it is innocence I am concerned with...."
What is innocence then? Is it lack of knowledge, right knowledge? But, the very sense of right and wrong, good and bad are given to me; they are not my discovery. All knowledge is given. When I go deep into any thought that comes to mind, I clearly see there is nothing in this mind other than coming from outside me. So according to me ignorance is lack of proper knowledge and innocence is absence of knowledge itself. That makes me declare that both Socretes and the teen age girls are not innocent but ignorant and all animals, which have no mind at all, not even knowing they are living beings are truly innocent, without even knowing that they live in total freedom allowed by nature.
Coming back to that flower, does that flower lying by the wayside knows it is the same sun, one of it makers is going to burn it? Or again, the water is going to wash it away in torrential rains, or the breeze taking it into nothingness and finally the earth is taking it back into its safe fold? That flower is the only innocent form of life in this world, right?
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