Forest Love

All the features make forests beautiful;
The lush green bushes and the succinct shoots;
The Luxuriant cover and the Dexterous leaves;
The diverse vegetation with its racy animals;
The meandering streams and the ornamental ponds;
The peeping sun and the veiling clouds;
The soothing moon and the whispering stars;
The source of life and the sign of fertility;
Let all this and more live to see you die,
For the generations to come shall forget,
How monstrous you were!

Awareness Ads

I recieved an interesting forward from one of my beloved friend, Yaseer Arafat Mohamed Sultan Haroon Bathusha alias Batcha- thinking.......??? This is the name of just one person and not many people.

The forward consisted of a collection of ads creating awareness on some of the social maladies haunting us. Though they speak for themselves, I have added my thoughts for each of the picture. Feel free to share your thoughts either as a comment or as a tag post in your blog.

Chewing tobacco causes mouth cancer

An impotent mind;
Knows how to start easily;
Knows not how to stop................

Drive Safely

An arrogant mind;
knows its thrshold well;
Knows not how to limit.........

Most child abuse is committed by the person a child trusts

A wicked mind;
Knows how to exploit everything;
Doesn't care even it's a bud.

Save Girl Child

An ignorant mind;
Knows only to reject its half;
Knows not, the precious is lost.

The next time you waste food, think!

A greedy mind
Knows to amass and waste;
Knows not how to share.

Children learn fast. Don't fight at home

A stupid mind;
Knows how to disrespect;
Knows not, it is suicidal.

Adopt. You never know who you'll bring home

A noble mind;
Knows to embrace all;
Knows not, how to refuse.

Bathroom Reading

It all started when I acquired the never-touch-a-book-but-for-exams attitude during the senior school days, when everything else except for studies mattered much. Who would anyway want to be bothered by text books, when more important and interesting enterprises like inter-house competitions, seniority politics, outings, escapade to the latest movie, newly published novels etc are always in the pipe-line. Text books were considered as one of those pernicious things that deserved to be punished by leaving them to rot and collect enough dust till the desk becomes a sanctuary for book mites. A week before the examination is when these books will find a way-out, the most hated ones illegibly perforated by the mites owing to the neglected stay in the abyssal corners of the desk, while the favored ones as fresh as when it was printed owing to the ample breathing space they enjoyed in the upper deck of the desk.

With just one week available to read through the favored and hated subjects with equal diligence, every second was valued, including the few minutes at the lavatory. These are the days when the books will be glued to us, be it lavatory or mess or assembly hall or roll-call or in the squad. Every possible routine like games, P.T, NCC and any activity that comes in the way of studies will be bunked to ensure we make the best use of this critical week. Sometimes, I used to wonder, why we should suffer during these exam days when we don’t really care about the exams. After one such attempt, I realized that we can play all the pranks only if we clear the exams by some means. The golden rule is "The more you exert in this period, the more space you have for yourself after the exams, of course, till the next I exam." This cycle never changes. At instances, when a book turns out to be greek and latin, we would decide on an impromptu attempt, funny enough to have Saki find his way into the history paper or renaissance replacing mutation in the biology paper. I’m digressing too much. L.et's find our way back to the subject

Like I mentioned before, the text books always accompanied us to the lavatory during these days. After the exams, this practice continued and the text books were replaced by Reader’s Digest, the only subscription we were allowed. The point is, like every habit formation should have a logical start, the bathroom reading or more precisely, lavatorial reading as a habit started during the exam prep marathon. This behaviour was never considered as anti-social in the dorms and irrespective of the seniority level every one were for it. A practice that has passed on from generations to generations as a legacy.

In spite of the wide acceptance, once when I came out of the bathroom carrying a book, I was caught red-handed by the duty master known for his moral preaching.

He bawled “ Were you sh***ing or reading?”
I said “ Sir, I was doing both?” and I kept mum.
He was staring for a moment, of course with his mouth wide open and said, “ In the future, you will only be fit for book keeping in a public toilet” and dismissed me.

This didn’t bother me much, as this morality has already blessed most of us to become many things like nomad, cow boy, wine maker, snake charmer, eater of the dead, street vendor and what not.

The practice continued even after I left the school and even at home. When it came to renovating the house, I instructed the carpenter to fix a book rack in one of the bathrooms and he was confused. Yes. It is highly important to ensure good lighting, closet with a comfortable seating, floor-to-wall white tiling to ensure hygiene, airflow and ventilation even when you are not one.

Reader’s Digest being a magazine with topics of varied flavors and contents of varied types like essays, short stories, jokes, cartoons, interviews with politics and gossips excluded has always been my choice for the bathroom reading. There are some criteria for a good bathroom book. Ideally the books has to be small and self-contained like, Collection of Short-stories, Poems, Anecdotes, Parables, Jokes and some magazine would make an ideal bathroom book. It should be like something you can read till the end in one-sitting, so that, you don’t need to carry the book outside. Big Volums, Serious ones, Political stuff and Gossips should be avoided.

It was tough when I visited a friend’s place where there were no books to carry. When I complained him about constipation due to the lack of a book, he gave a big smile and drew a Reader’s Digest buried under his mattress. I understood that it is forbidden practice in his house. However, this incident made me to think that, I am addicted to this silly indulgence. I decided to consult some friends before exploring the possibility of any psychological or physiological diagnosis. After a considerable survey, I was amazed to find that most carry a book; one guy carries his laptop; few carry their cell phones, some are hooked to their iPod or MP3 players and so on. It was proven beyond the fact that it is very common to be bathroom reader. Apart from saving a few significant minutes everyday, it sets the day in a good rhythm. Some habits accompany us till the grave and this is one such habit/

Happy Reading!

Warning: There is nothing wrong in being a bathroom reader, but never get indulged in the book and stay longer than needed in the bacthroom. You might end up carrying Hemorrhoids (Piles) all your life.

Images courtesy: Google

Connections In-tact

The whole of May I was traveling and had it not been to the places I love, it would have been a tedious trip. Never stayed in a place for more than 2 days and the trip covered Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Pollachi, Palghat, Palani and Kodaikanal. So many times, I have traversed these places, but the pleasure of spending some time with the relatives, friends and their family has not diminished in anyway. It was yet another memorable trip, wishing the newly married, blessing the newly born, blessed by those awaiting death, congratulating those who have cleared their exams with flying colours, consoling those who have failed to pass through these stupid exams and most importantly fed heavily by whoever I visited. As for me, these trips fill me with love and happiness as a lamp is filled with light and warmth and is a way to cherish the past and be connected with it always. The past as majestic as the mountains, though irrelevant and obsolete, lets the present flow through it, unless we build a barrier to stagnate and stop it.

I had a view of the Coimbatore Junction from a roof-top and the all that I could see are the coarsely illuminated hoardings of all the telecom operators. A substantial evidence that, India has turned into a huge market for the mobile operators. It is no longer the city I have known and loved.

It was a very brief stay at Kodaikanal, only a couple of hours, during which time, I managed to visit Mark and Graces as I wanted wish Grace personally on her 100th birthday anniversary. I have written many posts on Mark Antrobus, because he has been and is being a great inspiration to me in certain aspects.

Outlook has published an article on Grace in its recent issue. I am sure you will enjoy reading this article - Amazing Grace

Missing and Dreaming

Yet another pending tag. This time, from Meenu. She has done a wonderful tag and after going through it, I had my own doubts if I'll be able to do justice to the tag.

The tag was to write the 10 things I miss in my life right now , and the 10 things I want to achieve in 10 years !

I doubted because, this is the most easiest and the toughest tag I can ever do. The first part is easy. With in seconds we can list out the things we miss, not just 10, it can run to infinity. Mind always makes a deal with the greed and all that cannot be possessed forever adds up subconsciously to the list of things we miss. It is very easy to miss something too and hence to list it is almost effortless. Here is the list of 10 things I miss now and may be forever:)


1. My Dad

2. My Granny

3. First Love? May be all the episodes of love :)

4. Everything about Kodaikanal

5. Proximity with my friends and all those pranks, big and small

6. Days at Amaravathi

7. The first year of my son - I was traveling most of the time

8. Frequent travels - backpack kind:)

9. Innocence

10. Aloneness

On the other hand, things I dream of doing in the next 10 years.....is the most toughest thing I could think of. To be frank, I don't really know. I am sure that the next 10 years will definitely add more things to the list of I will be missing. But, I couldn't predict all that now and set them as my objectives. Well, I'm not doing the last part of the tag:)

The Song Tag - Feel

It's been a long time:) Thought, I will do a long pending tag from Vishesh. Tag is always the easiest way to get into the grew after such a long gap. Fortunately, I have few more tags pending in the list.

I am supposed to “Think of the song that most inspires me to write, whether it gives you an idea for a story, script or just puts me into a better frame of mind AND/OR peek into the lyrics and find a verse that sums up the theme of whatever project I'm working on. If possible, post a video of the song to convey to readers the full context of the song and the mood it puts you into. Finally, send the assignment to five other writers to do as well.”

Music is a great source of inspiration and often I have set my mood as required by listening to the appropriate song or music. Music has always been a means to stop the mind from all the stupid thoughts. With music, my mind stops and can't really write on its implications or impact. I'm no longer there to dissect it :)

The is one of my favourite songs

Anyone interested can do this tag....

We the living

Elevating the stature of the sidewalk,

For it is our palace and the citadel.
Bestowing pride to the ruined walls,
For it is our wardrobe and the closet.
Adding value to abandoned plastics,
For it is our warehouse, though empty.

The sun lights our day;
The moon cools our nights;
It rains to cleanse our house;
It breezes to fan out heat;
The smoky exhaust we breath;
The muddy water we bathe in;

Privacy is not our concern,
For innocence, our only strength.
Nothing to deprive our pleasures,
For ignorance, our only knowledge.

Past and future, not for us;
Living is here and now;
We, the true sons and daughters
Of life and nature,
Living here and now!

Photograph Courtesy: The snap was taken by Sujathaa, my wife while we were waiting in a traffic signal near Central station in Chennai.

Similarities shared

It’s time to do the tag from Vishesh pending for a long time. I am supposed to write:

A. List 5-10 things of commonality that I have in common with the human race and/or nature.

B. List 5-10 things that I might have in common with the human race and/or nature.

I don’t see a lot of difference between what I have and what I might have. If I might have something in similar, it just means that I already have that similarity. How else could the very thought arise? Is it not the projection of what I already possess? There might be a difference in degree, but what I think as what I might have in similar is just what I already have in similar. May be, this is how I have interpreted the questions …

This is a highly introspective exercise. Though, the greatest and the smallest of human are all too similar to each others and human all too human, it is always difficult to accept and reveal the similarities. On the hand, it’s very easy to identify the differences. If you ask me, how different I am from the human being and all the natural laws, I would have more points to quote than how I would relate myself to the similarities that exist. Finding similarities requires stripping ourselves naked of all that we have accumulated as an individual over these years while finding differences means reinforcing all that we have accumulated to be come an individual with all the uniqueness. Do you remember enjoying while identifying 6 differences between 2 pictures in some magazine? Yes. It’s easy and pleasurable to compare and differentiate things. But it is very difficult to see the similarities unless there is necessity to be under the umbrella of a group. Let me stop this here and do the tag…

Here are 10 similarities I have/might have with human race and/or nature.

1. An upright ego with its contradictions and perplexity

2. A rope stretched between animal and divine

3. An intoxicating joy in the dream and diction of God

4. All facets of love projected in varied degrees at different times

5. A poor ignorant weariness wanting to attain the ultimate in a single giant leap

6. The itch to discover – to circumnavigate every domain

7. A burning conscience

8. Can do! – Lately changed to “Can do it!”

9. Amoral when morality is questioned

10. The illusion of being the center of the universe

Let’s share our similarities and celebrate our differences – Scott Peck

Recommend reading - “The Road Less Traveled” by Scott Peck

It was fun doing this. Thanks Vishesh! Whoever wants to do it, please go ahead and do it..

A Blessing

This is a tag called the blessing tag. I was blessed and tagged by Dawn. The idea behind this is to pray for and bless 3 blog friends and this tag propagates across the blog world taking many forms and blessing many people. Interesting and worth doing.

As this from Dawn, the blessing has to be a quote from someone. Let me quote this poem to bless my blog friends who recently brought in new life into this mother earth.

Anand, Bharath and Kamal - their cute little ones Dishita, Arjuun and Krrish are blessed.

The next part of the tag is to eloborate our view on the following 10 points

1. It is important to be liked by others
2. Obedience is a virtue
3. People are not malicious but they become so because of bad experiences or circumstances
4. Education broadens our view and makes people more humane
5. People who have no money troubles are happier
6. As people get older they get wiser
7. You can live on love and fresh air
8. There is a celestial guardian angel looking after each one of us
9. All living beings reincarnate
10. Heaven and Hell are places you go to after death

Dawn has done a faboulous work eloborating these points and saved me from thinking hard on this:). If you have not read this post, please do it now. Greats quotes and insight. Good topics for a debating competition as well - make yourself a Great Debator!!!

Holi Hai!

A memorable weekend, as we were invited to join Holi Celebrations yesterday. It was fun with colours being splashed all over the place and the kids playing with their water guns. None was spared and no one could dodge their bullets. Here are some interesting snaps shot yesterday.

A festival of colors,
Ends the cold weather;
Brings the spring in grandeur;
For our ecstasy and delight.

A festival of colors,
Kills the demons in us;
Begets the self that’s real;
For our spirit and soul.

Grace turns 100

I and me which was once one, on the long run is no longer one, as I have been able to be a witness and watch from outside the shell. Not that, I have become an anchorite or a victim of MPD (multiple personality disorder). But, I have been indulging too much in aloneness and solitude. When I and me are too involved in a conversation and someone joins the conversation, it continues only when the person who joined substitutes the Me of me. How could it be endured, if it is otherwise? It will only be a cork which prevents the conversation sinking into the depth. Sometimes there are too many depths in these conversations. However, to be a little sociable or atleast agreeable to the society, there is much longing for a friend to make him/her as a substitute. This longing for a friend sometimes turns into a betrayal.

Mark Antrobus, has been a perfect substitute when it comes to company. I think, he is more than a substitute. My I and Me disappears in his company as it becomes a party of his conversation. In his presence, a day disappears into a millisecond and time exists not. Last month, Elango, a friend of Mark called me to tell that Mark is in Chennai for a day and gave the phone number of the hotel where he was staying. The next moment, I was knocking his door. There was no response. Then I dialled the hotel number and the call was transferred to the room. After a few rings, he picked up and immediately opened the door. A beaming smile and a hug of radiance and warmth was enough to take me in. He said, “Shiva, you have just proved the existence of ether. Moments before you called, may be as you were calling, I was just meditating and was feeling that you had entered my room and watching me meditating. And there comes a call and you are here!” The conversation continued on and on and on……

It was time for lunch. When I suggested that we should go out for lunch, he said that he has stopped eating rice, wheat or any form of carbohydrate and offered some oranges he had for lunch. I insisted that we go out for lunch where we can have his kind of food. We went to aiwo, a chain of restaurant that boasts itself as offering the food for life. As regular visitor, I always get some extra care from Napoleon, the waiter who always stares at me if I ask for chilled water, a forbidden as it reduced the metabolism rate. We thoroughly enjoyed the conveyer meal which consisted mainly of pulses, vegetables, soya and all that is health. Perfectly in sync with food combining that Mark propounds. Thanks to my friend Shankar for introducing me to aiwo.

Then we went around the city looking for some coconut buttons and it was funny to see the shop keepers attempting to speak in broken English while Mark speaking to them in fluent tamil. The day just went by and it was time to part.

Mark invited me for Grace’s (his mom) Centenary Birthday celebrations scheduled on the 23rd March 2008 at The Kodai Club. Though I said, I will make it, relocation again is the excuse for not having been in Kodaikanal to pay my respects and be blessed by Grace. I’m sure she will have many more healthy years ahead and continue doing the great things she has always been doing.

Happy Centenary Birthday Wishes Mom!

I know Mark was intending to write something about himself, may be an autobiography for a long time. Now that, the occasion has come. He has just started writing and hosted the website. If you want to know, what is like being the Dionysus Junior, a wandering ascetic hedonist, an autodidact and a polymath, read Mark Antrobus at http://www.dionysusjunior.com/

The Move

So much has changed; So much remains the same. We moved from Chennai to New Delhi for a change. Yes. Only for a change! I don’t see a better reason than this. Relocation activities have been a great weapon of excuse for all that I had failed to do in the recent months, including my absence in the blog. Though there was only little I had to personally do, mind was fully occupied with something or the other like ticketing, packing, moving, house hunting, house warming, school admission and what not. This post by itself is an indication that we have settled in.

As in any relocation, moving and packing household articles and personal things I thought, would be the biggest challenge. When we arrived at the endless list of things to take, I realized how complicated life has turned. There used to be a time when life was not more than a backpack with no sense of attachment to it. I was surprised, when I was reluctant even to leave behind some trivial things. Everything had a background, a history and somehow bandaged to me as bondage. Mind kept reminding that, this was bought in this trip and that was a gift from that friend and somehow everything found a reason to move along with us.

Recently, I happened to read worst stories about movers and packers and it panicked me more when I read Kavi’s post about his relocation to Mumbai. To add to the fire, Anand, my school buddy sent me this IBN Live link – Couple takes on corporate. However, these information really helped us in cautiously evaluating different options. Thank You Guys!

Request for quote was sent to many Movers and Packers with the list of items to be moved. Most of them replied by email with a ballpark estimate, while Hariom Mishra from Goel Movers & Packers insisted on visiting the house and to do an evaluation of the goods to be moved. The same day he visited, scanned through the things thoroughly and gave the quote. Though it was little higher, I decided to use their service as the approach was professional, service oriented and reassuring. The decision was taken, but had to wait till we find a house in Delhi.

House hunting was more confusing and time-consuming than we had expected, as there were too many localities to choose from and too many vacant houses in each locality. The first day ended with a long list of houses seen with pros and cons. We realized that, most north Indian landlords preferred to have south Indian tenants. On one occasion, the Landlord was willing to reduce the rent significantly as we are South Indians. Moreover, the property dealers while marketing our credibility to the landlords always mentioned that we are Madrasis as key criteria for bringing in a good tenant for them. Not sure if it was a compliment:)

With too many houses to choose from, it was time organize. Then, we prepared a matrix with the key attributes in a house we are looking for with some weight assigned to each of the attribute. From then on, it took very little time to scan the house to arrive at the rating for each of the parameter. At the end of a week of searching, the matrix had 40 houses with the very first house we saw topping the list. It was decided and the same day the papers were signed.

Back in Chennai, we finalized the deal with Goel Movers & Packers. In 5 hours the house was naked and I was just sitting and watching the way the card-board was bound, the polythene films were wrapped and the huge crates were filled. I was asked not to even touch a spec. It was really effortless.

I reached Delhi, a day before the things were scheduled to arrive and did some preliminary cleaning before the things are placed. Though Hariom was giving the daily status of the vehicle, I had my own apprehensions about the safety and care in which the things would be handled. As scheduled, the things arrived on the fifth day. The unloading, unpacking and the cleaning was done in 5 hours, again with no effort from our end. I could see the transformation of my apprehensions and doubts to surprise and wonder when each item being unpacked intact. It was an excellent service offered by Goel Movers and Packers and I was exceedingly happy with the way they carried-out the entire moving and packing. Sadhique and Senthil, my school buddies helped us with setting up of things initially. The rest of the house was settled, whenever we could grab some time. With almost most of things done, we feel at home!

Everything has happened as it should have happened. We have moved for a change? May be a temporal change from a narrow perspective, on the periphery. Deep within, it’s all the same, even in the flowing river and even when the river runs through it.

She

However delicate and tender he kissed,

Aggressive he ended.

No matter with what softness he began,

He finished beastly.

Though she often seem to consume him;

And had more appetite than him;

Superior he pretends,

As she often forgets her worth.

But he doesn’t rejoice this illusion, for he knows;

There are worse things she can do to his soul

Than he can ever do to her whole!

Happy Womans Day!
Never forget your worth and
Rejoice in being a woman.

Happy New Year

Every year melts;
Every year manifests.
Every year bestows memory;
Every year begets hope.
Like the flowing river,
Like the blossoming flower,
Entering the unknown 2008,
And me, without a resolution.
On second thought,
Who cares?
Just Celebrate!

I have read, " A candle looses nothing if it is used to light another one"

The world we are

It pains! It hurts! And it is disgusting, when we hear of a bomb blast or assassination or shootout. An assassination in the name of some ideology, 20 people killed apart from the target and the suicide bomber.

Where are we heading to? From civilization to barbarianism?
Yes

From democracy to terrorism?
Yes

What do you call this ideology that divides people, that disseminates hatred, that curbs you off the very right to live?
Stupid


Is that ideal?
Definitely Not

Where is love?
Misdirected

Where is humanity?
In then developed nations

Where are the values?
In the books

Have we lost everything?
We have lost our senses

Then, why do we boast ourselves as civilized?
To satiate ego

Are we not morons, destroying this planet earth making it a hell for the people and the generations to come?
Yes. We are!

Is there a solution?
Yes

Do we know it?
Yes

What is it?
Love.

What else can be the cure for so much hatred? There is a need for the world to be obsessed in love, the universal love. We love our family and call relationship as love; we love our society and call interdependency as love, we love our country and call patriotism as love; We apply the gold plating of love on everything and call them as love. Is the love for your country love? Is it not patriotism? Is it not an extension of your ego till the boundaries of your country? Is the love for your religion and hatred for another religion love? Is it not fanaticism or bigotry or intolerance? We fail to extend love beyond these boundaries. When I say, love, it is the universal love – extending our self-love beyond our family, beyond our society, beyond our belief, beyond our country, beyond this mother earth, beyond this universe and beyond all dualities. Believe me, when we limit our love, it will endanger us. It’s not that love is dangerous. It is because, we are too narrow minded to contain it and it turns into a tool and gets misdirected towards achieving some mundane goal like sex, money, power, territory etc. When you love, you love for love’s sake. What else could be the reason?

Swami Vivekananda depicts this beautifully as “Sufficient unto him is the ideal of love, and is it not self-evident that this universe is but a manifestation of this love? What is it that makes atoms unite with atoms, molecules with molecules, and causes planets to fly towards each other? What is it that attracts man to man, man to woman, woman to man, and animals to animals, drawing the whole universe, as it were, towards one centre? It is what is called love. Its manifestation is from the lowest atom to the highest being: omnipotent, all-pervading, is this love. What manifests itself as attraction in the sentient and the insentient, in the particular and in the universal, is the love of God. It is the one motive power that is in the universe. Under the impetus of that love, Christ gives his life for humanity, Buddha even for an animal, the mother for the child, the husband for the wife. It is under the impetus of the same love that men are ready to give up their lives for their country, and strange to say, under the impetus of the same love, the thief steals, the murderer murders. Even in these cases, the spirit is the same, but the manifestation is different. This is the one motive power in the universe. The thief has love for gold; the love is there, but it is misdirected. So, in all crimes, as well as in all virtuous actions, behind stands that eternal love”.

Earth is deserted; deprived of love, compassion, passion, values and all that is divine. Why do we still cling on to the law of survival of the fittest, when every life that is born into this world has a right to live, not just exist? A change is needed. Change is not the right word. Change is from the known to the known and human mind is crooked enough to define the change to suite its selfish motives. A mutation is required. From the known to something supreme and divine.

May be we should take call these politicians to a nursery school and make them kneel on the floor and teach them how to laugh, celebrate, be egoless, be humane, be compassionate, be sensible and not to fight and not to be stupid!

Hope!

Sister Attracta

It was a pleasant surprise in the morning to see a mail from my friend Mark Antrobus @ Govinda in Kodaikanal wishing me Merry Christmas with a message, “Here's a picture of Santa in case you thought he does not exist.”

Santa seen in the picture is Mark Celebrating Christmas with his friends in Kodaikanal.

What a way to celebrate!

Thanks Mark!

Then, I happen to read a post by Mystic Rose on the eve of Christmas and was engrossed in the gist of her post. While, I thought of extending her post, I remembered the saintly Sister Attracta of St. Theresa convent, Kodaikanal. Sister Attracta was in in-charge of the dispensary in the convent where my dad did his primary schooling and where I studied for a brief period of 6 months. She had a motherly love for my dad and it flowed through the generation too. After I went to the plains for studies, I made it a point to visit her at least once a year. By then, she was very old, but still was actively dispensing all here duties as the “Hospital Sister”. That’s how we used to call her. The moment I see her, her face will light up with a big smile saying “My dear son, you have come!” followed by a big hug and a kiss on the forehead. Whenever I take leave, she would load me with a pack of First-Aid kits for my use in the hostel. One day after reaching the hospital, I realized it was the prayer hour and was about to leave. Suddenly, I heard her and it was followed by the usual smile, hug and the kiss. I told her, “Sister, it should be your prayer hour. I will wait her as long as you are back from your prayer”. She said, “Who said I attend the prayers? I never go there. God has destined me to serve in the hospital and this is my prayer and in severing the patients that I serve Him. What if a patient waits when I am in the prayers? Will it fulfill my duties? Will God forgive me for being non-attentive? My son, the greatest prayer I offer to God is to imitate him and follow his steps.” I understood some of what she said, but forget all about it for a while. Though she is no more, I still feel the warmth of her embrace and the kiss.

During my stay in Belur Math in 2002, I found that “The Imitation of Christ” by Thomas A Kempis is one of the books that inspired Swami Vivekananda. I was able to relate the title of the book to the words of Sister Attracta and was desperately searching for the book. Finally, in 2004 that I got hold of the book, at least a century old hardbound one, from Fatima College Library, Madurai and lent it for a while through a friend.

It has become one of the favorite books too and still read a chapter or two when in a state of indecisiveness. The book starts like, “HE WHO follows Me, walks not in darkness,". The essence is to Imitate Jesus Christ and not to just follow some religious practices, dogmas and doctrines. Solitude and meditation, he says, helps you acquire the spirit and quotes that "As often as I have been among men, I have returned less a man."

The book is freely available on-line - The Imitation of Christ

We have lost the essence of every celebration and Christmas is not spared too. Celebrations have become synonymous with fire crackers, wine bottles, chocolates, discotheques, rejoicing in groups and of course the mass prayers.

It is the time to Imitate Christ, Follow his footsteps and beget Him in us!

Merry Christmas to you all!

The Flowering within

The flower blooms and the fragrance spreads on the winds in all directions, to be carried to the very ends of earth. But the crux here is the blooming of the flower. The flower is limited but not the fragrance. The flower has limitations. It is rooted somewhere in the earth. But the fragrance is not tied up. It simply moves, rides on the winds; it has no moorings in the earth.

The flowering happens within. It has roots. It happens and exists within. The flowering happens and the compassion spreads. The flower will die sooner or later - it is part of earth and the dust will return unto dust - but the fragrance that has been released will remain forever and forever!

A rejuvenating Trip

Here I sit, shriveled in the heat of the laptop, fretting on account of my idle legs, world-weary, will-weary, and one day I would be suffocated of my all-too-great self-pity. In a conversation I had with one of my friends, I was talking too much of the nature, streams, waterfalls, rivers, springs, cascades…..I realized the need, yearning, urge, itch and thirst to taste the sweetness of Virgin Nature and share some divine moments in the cradle of Mother Nature. Sensing that the Thanksgiving holiday in US would give me some bandwidth, I planned a day’s trip to Coimbatore with Shakthi.

Coimbatore is the gateway to various nature trails like Top Slip, Valpaarai, Athirampalli, Ooty, Munnar and the whole of Kerala. We reached Coimbatore on Thursday Morning and checked into Lord’s Park, the only hotel where the accommodation was available, owing to the marriages and function as the day was an auspicious one. After a quick wash and change, we along with headed towards, Siruvani Waterfall which is 40 kms from Coimbatore. This waterfall is also popularly known as Kovai Cuttralam. We reached the forest check-post at the entrance of the waterfall and I was happy to note that a thorough inspection being conducted by the forest guard for inflammable, plastic, polythene and other pollutants, before the entry. After passing the check post, we had to drive further to reach the parking lot. Then it was an enchanting 2 km walk through the thick forest of teak and various shoal trees.

The alluring fragrance of champak sprinkled on the dewy moistly breeze accompanied us through this tree caved path which lead us to the waterfalls. As it was a weekday, there were only a few visitors and we felt as if the entire place is reserved for us today. We bathed around the waterfall, stream, casecade and the pools for the next 4 hours. It was a natural spa, with water as sweet as the nectar, as scented as geranium, as cold as rose water, as clear as the crystal and as lively as a masseuse.

Everything flows,
Everything retains,
Eternally rejuvenates the water of existence.
Everything falls,
Everything returns,
Eternally resurrects water of existence
Everything drops,
Everything blossoms forth again;
Eternally manifests the water of existence.
Everything separates,
Everything integrates;
Eternally true to itself remains the water of existence.

In every drop begins existence,
In every dip is an orgasm
The center is everywhere.
For she is the pool of eternity.

We had to leave the place with a heavy heart owing to the pricking hunger and we headed towards the Dyanalinga Yogic Foundation set amidst a thick forest on the foot of Velliangiri Hills. It was a 13 kms drive en route Coimbatore from the Siruvani Waterfall. As soon as we reached, we had some hot dosas with herbal chutney and the hunger was settled. We were roaming around the beautiful garden around the facility meant for guest accomodation and I was happy to spot a couple of peacocks. Then we entered the Theerthakund, which is a tank built underground with a solidified mercury lingam in its center. We spent 20 minutes submerged in the tank hugging the lingam and I could feel that whole body was being transformed into .

Then we went to the dome, the sanctum sanctorum where the dhyanalingam is seated. One of the outer wall of the dome had a sculpture depicting Shiva in three states - Rudra, Hara and Sadhasiva. We entered the dome and found ourselves into a duct to be lost in meditation, just to be in a state of nothingness. No prayers told, No chanting uttered, No wishes thought of…. But I could sense that the nothingness also did not settle. May be, it was too short to expect it and there was expectation which would be great barrier to achieve it…achieve is not the right word though. May be attain… it wouldn’t suite as well. Achievement, attainment and all these objective terms would only be hindrance to nothingness. May be I should stay here for a few weeks to experience it myself. With a hope of returning soon, we left Dyanalinga Yogic Foundation. It was a memorable day!

A tag from Dawn

Thanks to Dawn for passing this tag to me and making the possibility of a post in my blog after a long gap.

As in every tag, the rules first!

1. One has to post these rules before one gives out the facts.

2. One must list one fact that is somehow relevant to their life for each letter of their middle name. If one doesn’t have a middle name, they can use the middle name that they would have liked to have

3. At the end of there post, they will have to choose one person for each letter of their middle name to tag. And make sure that each tagged person is notified about this via commenting on there blogs.

An interesting, yet difficult tag, at least for me. It is difficult because there is so much confusion with my name. The First Name, Middle Name and the Last Name - naming convention is of western origin and it becomes really difficult to apply it in the east (at least in India). Babies to inherit their father’s first name as their last name and married women to inherit their husband’s first name as their last name, babies inheriting their Surname from the family name or caste name or clan name and finally, all these chaos only results in the significance of the orgional name getting lost. The irony is, my TC (Transfer Certificate) has my name as M.Sivakumar, my passport has it as Sivakumar Manoharan, my voter id has it as Sivakumar, PAN Card (Permanent Account Number for Income Tax) has it as Sivakumar M. When I produce any of these 2 as proof (one as Photo Identification and the other as proof for Date of Birth or proof of Address) there is always a contradiction. To add to this confusion, there exists 3 more cousins with Sivakumar as their name and my name was prefixed with my native place and so to be called as Kodaikanal Siva. In spite of so many Sivakumars at school, there was less confusion as the Roll numbers were predominantly used for identification. However, during some competition, when it came to have the names printed in the t-shirts, I got my name printed in the reverse order as AVIS, to sound like a brand that existing in those times. Coming to work there was yet another Siva and hence, I am to be called as Kumar.

What is a Name? A means to identify an individual? I don’t think so! There are more individuals than the names under the sun. RFID Tags would be most appropriate to identify the uniqueness than the names. I believe, Name is a bridge to relate a person with another and hence is a form of Ego. A name is for others to call us by, where as the ego is for us to call ourselves. Name is the first sheath that is imposed on a person born into this world and we start relating the person with the name, its meaning, its numerology, its popularity, and finally inculcate the qualities of these factors and imitate them.The Kids are named with the assumption that, they would like the way they are called by and hence, if it is not meeting their expectations, they should be allowed to change their names at will. This tag especially gives me an opportunity to think as to how I would want myself to be called as and to add some significance to the name.

A tag extended from Dawn should start with a quote! As Gandhiji quoted “Be the change you want to see”, let me deduce the attributes that I want to see in me from the letters of the name I wish to be called as – SHIVA.

S – Saatvic – To attain the noblest of the three gunas
H – Himalayas – To live in the abode of Shiva, even when in a market place
I – Ishta – To and to be loved
V – Vairagya - To be able Discriminate, Detach and Renounce
A – AUM – To live in the Truth

Rules are rules!

Let me pass on this Tag to

Shirsha

H ---?????? -
Ideasnet – Meenu
Vijay Mithra
Aaizwaikcha – Princess

Hear! See!, Only the Auspicious

Mundaka Upanishad has always been considered as a treasure of knowledge. I present here, the following invocation stanza from Mundaka Upanishad that I feel is very significant, profound and beautiful and which represents the entire nectar of this upanishad.

"May we hear the auspicous things

with our ears;

May we see the auspicious things

with our eyes."

You may wonder, what significance this stanza has! I have heard in a discourse, a story that helped me comprehend the stanza. There lived an old king, who wanted to renunciate and enthrone the Prince as the King. Unfortunately, the prince was naughty, irresponsible and callous and hence was not worthy to be a king. The King took the Prince to his Master (Guru) who lived in a hermitage in the forest and told the master, "Master, Make him a good King".

The Master said, " Don't worry my dear King. I'll take care". Then, the King left to his capital.

The master told the Prince, " My dear Prince, Just go and wander around the forest and come to me after one year and then, answer the question, "What is the sound of the forest all about?"

The prince wanders around the forest hearing all sorts of sounds and wondering why he has been asked such a simple question. Exactly after one year, the Prince goes to the hermitage and tells the master, " Master, here is the answer. The sound of the forest is the chirping of the birds, roaring of the elephats and the lions, buzzing of the beetles, creaking of the trees, rustling of dry leaves, splashing of the water falls and so on."

The master says, " My dear prince, you have not found it. Wander around for another year and tell me the sound of the forest. Confused, the prince wanders around the forest, hearing exactly the same set of sounds he had heard the previous year. One year passed and the prinns to the returns to the hermitage and answers the master with the same set of sounds. The master again, asked the prince wander for another year to find the sound of the forest.

The prince started to wander again. The Prince thought that, as long as I keep hearing the same things and tell the same answer, I am just going to wandering around this forest all my life and hence, I should hear something new. One day, tired and exhausted, he lay down on a bed of grass below a tree and went into a state of complete relaxation. His mind was placid, the body was relaxed, eyes closed and was almost in a sleepy, but conscious. Suddenly, he hears the sound of a seed sprouting into a small plant, the sound of a bud blossoming into a flower, the sound a spider projecting and sucking its threads, the sound of a honeybee sucking nectar from a flower and a lot more unheard sounds.

After one year, he goes to the master and says, " Master, I have found the answer, The sound of the forest is, "the sound of a seed sprouting into a small plant, the sound of a bud blossoming into a flower, the sound of spider projecting forth and sucking back its threads, the sound of a honeybee sucking nectar from a flower and so on". The master said, " Prince, now that, you are ready to be a worthy king".

Lessons Learnt -

1. In order to be a leader, it is essential to hear the unheard voices and to listen to the heart of your people.

2. Elevate the art of seeing and listening. I need to mention that, we as human beings have only two faculties to learn. One is seeing and the other is hearing. Speaking cannot be considered as a learning faculty as, the moment we start speaking, the process of learning is blocked.

3. Leadership is in being subtle.

Feel free to add if you have discovered more from the stanza and the story.

Picture : Shot at a garden in Tirumala last month