I am watching the tamasha that is getting associated with the nuclear deal. Whatever happens with respect to the government on Tuesday, I think these folks are playing with country's future.
Anyone living in Bangalore knows that we need power. And if Bangalore needs power, I really do feel sorry for the rest of Karnataka. With this as the background there are the saviors in Red who think this deal will put India in danger. The danger my red friends is from inside and please ask the mirror, it will tell it to be you.
Outdated thought processes, ideas that fuel divisions, and retrograde mind-sets...and these guys talk about how this deal will tie the Indian foreign policy.
Forget everything else! If the deal goes through we are entering an age where we deal on commercial terms with nuclear suppliers. We can continue to do military research on our terms. And there will be hope that the smallest hut in the remotest village has a light for a child to read and become the next Abdul Kalam!
Enough of the age of darkness. Let there light!
Tamasoma Jyothirgamaya!!!
Saturday, July 19, 2008
New beginnings and hopefully an end!!
Do you ever get the feeling when you look at yourself and say 'Boy can I be more stupid than this?'. After reflecting on the happenings over the last couple of months I am close to answering in the negative. It is an unexplainable hollow feeling of stupidity that strikes you the most.
Over the last couple of years, life has been an interesting ride to say the least. Due to some decisions I took with my eyes wide open it took an explosive turn towards more interesting over the last one year. And moi, the all knowing (yeah right!), has taken it all in his stride to ride this out. But I find it to be getting more and more difficult to do the riding. The last 2 months have been a culmination (I desperately hope it is so!) of one more trough.
I guess in the process of riding, I have forgotten what is my purpose! What are the things that I have set out to do? What is my charter? What are my aspirations? While the mind is recognizing this, the heart is completely unwilling to listen. I have been completely blind to what is really happening (to be read as really being full of myself!) around me. Sometimes you have to realize that few things are not meant to be and MOVE ON! The mind says Move and heart says hold! The physical me is stuck in the middle :-(
Does this intensive introspection mean a new beginning with purpose? The learning continues...
Will I have the fortitude to chose what is really important? Watch this space!!!
Over the last couple of years, life has been an interesting ride to say the least. Due to some decisions I took with my eyes wide open it took an explosive turn towards more interesting over the last one year. And moi, the all knowing (yeah right!), has taken it all in his stride to ride this out. But I find it to be getting more and more difficult to do the riding. The last 2 months have been a culmination (I desperately hope it is so!) of one more trough.
I guess in the process of riding, I have forgotten what is my purpose! What are the things that I have set out to do? What is my charter? What are my aspirations? While the mind is recognizing this, the heart is completely unwilling to listen. I have been completely blind to what is really happening (to be read as really being full of myself!) around me. Sometimes you have to realize that few things are not meant to be and MOVE ON! The mind says Move and heart says hold! The physical me is stuck in the middle :-(
Does this intensive introspection mean a new beginning with purpose? The learning continues...
Will I have the fortitude to chose what is really important? Watch this space!!!
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Small town, Aint so Quaint
As I boarded the bus to Chidambaram, I was doing so with half dread and half anticipation. Chidambaram and my family go back in time. My mother was from around there, my uncles had studied there, my aunt lived there sometime ago. The ancient town, as I remembered it, was truly ancient. I had been there for a reasonably time about 30 years ago. And the memories I had were that of answering the calls of nature in the wild, drainage systems that reminded us of the Indus valley civilization.
As I was pulling in I saw ICICI ATMs. I was shocked for I was still expecting them to be using the barter system and salt as the currency! The city-me was feeling a little better already. We landed at the bus stand which was, as I remembered it. There was this theatre showing the tamil version of "The Hulk". I was saying not bad! Then there as another theatre called Lena showing "En Aasai Malavika" (My Dear Malavika - with no doubt as to what 'dear' meant on the poster!), I was saying not bad at all!!! Due to a quirk of packing, I realized that I had to go shopping before I showered. So I stepped out, the city boy stepping into the wild. I used my Google Maps from 30 years ago and entered the town.
The good thing about using Temples as landmarks is that they do not move much over time! I was walking on the roads that I had walked 30 years ago. At that time the distances were huge, but over time and as my height had evidently grown, the distances had shrunk. Went through the roads where my aunt lived. In fact, I actually identified the house they had lived in. And then I made this turn and lo and behold! The huge gopuram of The temple. It was a sight to remember. Went by some landmarks from my personal life like the hall where my parents got married! Chidambaram is one of the towns that literally seems to have existed in history because of the temple. Then came the University and the town had found a new purpose. The University itself is an interesting combination of the old and new. There are enough golden jubilee halls and Platinum jubilee archways to remind you of the age.
As luck would have it, there was a festival at the temple. It was Adi/Ani Thirmanjanam. There was huge crowd in the temple. Brahmin ladies in the traditional madisaar (I must admit that i was looking for Asin here!). There was dance happening in the front of the 1000 pillared mandapam. There was the Utsava Murthy of the Lord himself sitting on top of Mount Kailash with Ravana trying to lift him up! Amazing combination of images and stories. The wonderful thing for me was the catholicism of the temple. You can see both Vishnu and Siva from one point in the temple. Two huge branches of Hinduism from one vantage point. And as you step out, you can see people of other faith respectfully removing the slippers and walking through the temple. My personal woo hoo moment was the Darshan of Sivakamasundari. We had to wait for more than 30 min to have the Darshan. I was getting impatient as there was a bus to catch. Then suddenly the bells started ringing the curtains opened!!! There she was in her regal and divine beauty! Amazing Grace! Magic moment!
From the temple I stepped out to more mortal desires. City boy had to have food at an "authentic" hotel. Went to a place called Krishna Bhavan on East Car street. Old house that has been converted to a hotel. Food was served on plaintain leaves. Had the recommended Masala dosa. As divine as the Darshan! One degree kaapi and off I was! Back to silicon valley. Come to think of it Chidambaram had better roads...rather roads when compared to Bangalore.
Of course, before I left the temple I had a tete-a-tete with Govindaraja Perumal. I had to ask him with due apologies to Arunachala Kavi, En Palli Kondeer Ayya? Dasavatharathil vanda varuthamo? He was silent. Mesmerized by the cosmic dance of the Aroopa, the King of Dance!!!
As I was pulling in I saw ICICI ATMs. I was shocked for I was still expecting them to be using the barter system and salt as the currency! The city-me was feeling a little better already. We landed at the bus stand which was, as I remembered it. There was this theatre showing the tamil version of "The Hulk". I was saying not bad! Then there as another theatre called Lena showing "En Aasai Malavika" (My Dear Malavika - with no doubt as to what 'dear' meant on the poster!), I was saying not bad at all!!! Due to a quirk of packing, I realized that I had to go shopping before I showered. So I stepped out, the city boy stepping into the wild. I used my Google Maps from 30 years ago and entered the town.
The good thing about using Temples as landmarks is that they do not move much over time! I was walking on the roads that I had walked 30 years ago. At that time the distances were huge, but over time and as my height had evidently grown, the distances had shrunk. Went through the roads where my aunt lived. In fact, I actually identified the house they had lived in. And then I made this turn and lo and behold! The huge gopuram of The temple. It was a sight to remember. Went by some landmarks from my personal life like the hall where my parents got married! Chidambaram is one of the towns that literally seems to have existed in history because of the temple. Then came the University and the town had found a new purpose. The University itself is an interesting combination of the old and new. There are enough golden jubilee halls and Platinum jubilee archways to remind you of the age.
As luck would have it, there was a festival at the temple. It was Adi/Ani Thirmanjanam. There was huge crowd in the temple. Brahmin ladies in the traditional madisaar (I must admit that i was looking for Asin here!). There was dance happening in the front of the 1000 pillared mandapam. There was the Utsava Murthy of the Lord himself sitting on top of Mount Kailash with Ravana trying to lift him up! Amazing combination of images and stories. The wonderful thing for me was the catholicism of the temple. You can see both Vishnu and Siva from one point in the temple. Two huge branches of Hinduism from one vantage point. And as you step out, you can see people of other faith respectfully removing the slippers and walking through the temple. My personal woo hoo moment was the Darshan of Sivakamasundari. We had to wait for more than 30 min to have the Darshan. I was getting impatient as there was a bus to catch. Then suddenly the bells started ringing the curtains opened!!! There she was in her regal and divine beauty! Amazing Grace! Magic moment!
From the temple I stepped out to more mortal desires. City boy had to have food at an "authentic" hotel. Went to a place called Krishna Bhavan on East Car street. Old house that has been converted to a hotel. Food was served on plaintain leaves. Had the recommended Masala dosa. As divine as the Darshan! One degree kaapi and off I was! Back to silicon valley. Come to think of it Chidambaram had better roads...rather roads when compared to Bangalore.
Of course, before I left the temple I had a tete-a-tete with Govindaraja Perumal. I had to ask him with due apologies to Arunachala Kavi, En Palli Kondeer Ayya? Dasavatharathil vanda varuthamo? He was silent. Mesmerized by the cosmic dance of the Aroopa, the King of Dance!!!
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