Chennai's Day of Shame

The story here.

In an inexplicably sickening scene, a posse of TN police officers watch on silently without taking any step to prevent the manslaughter - standing technically correct on the other side of the fence. In my career, I am familiar with instances of cowardly acts of self-preservation, a hall mark of bureaucrats. But in law enforcement? - this beats comprehension.

It is possible that there could be legal wrangles that can technically stop law enforcement, but this is uncondonable behavior - and weakens the confidence of the populations in the police force, no the system of governance - to say the least.

My city's day of shame.

Surprise Element

From a movie writeup in the Hindu, Friday Review (On Location).
"Watch out for the elephant that is a surprise element, said a unit hand."
I am looking forward to it.

A Lion among men

" — We shall crush the stars to atoms, and unhinge the universe. Don't you know who we are?"

Scarcely the words one would expect out of a saintly young ascetic, especially one who doesn't know where his next meal is going to come from. In fact, almost half of Swami Vivekananda's writings become a General at war leading his armies, rather than a renunciate monk.

Hailed as the man who discovered India, one can scarce believe that such a man as this walked on this earth whose words were as thunderbolts on a tottering society.

"Tell them to brush aside their illness by mental strength, and in an hour it will disappear! ", he thundered about a disciple suffering from an illness. "Off with it! Tell them to meditate for an hour at a stretch".

"Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success." he said.

Impractical wisdom ? Too idealistic ? He set out proving this sort of naive, conventional wisdom true along with bunch of penniless monks in 1886, from a dingy house in Baranagore and set up a massive service organisation (including schools and hospitals) with over a 100 missions across India and several more around the world. No mean achievement; actually something that would make any entrepreneur proud. In fact, most entrepreneurs nowadays actually find the making-that-idea-your-life-part trying, very.

The attraction that persons like him wield over others is most likely this: One cannot classify such people under any head. They stand out with their clarity of thought and vision wherever they go. ("To ask you, Swami, for your credentials is like asking the sun about its right to shine", said a Harvard Professor) He is probably the only spiritual (?) figure of any major religion (how else to describe a chap like this?) who spoke at such length about Manliness and Fearlessness.

Here is a monk, who breaks all stereotypes one may have of religious preaching types and wrote to his fellow monks from America thus:
"A few cameras, some maps, globes, and some chemicals, etc., are needed. The next thing you want is a big hut. Then you must get together a number of poor, indigent folk. Having done all this, show them pictures to teach them astronomy, geography, etc., and preach Shri Ramakrishna to them. Go to their cottages, from door to door, in the evening, at noon, any time and open their eyes. Books etc., won't do — give them oral teaching." He taunts the overly religious monks, "Can you do all this? Or only bell-ringing?" :)

One is left with a feeling that had he lived a few years more, the landscape of this part of the world would have been very different. Tragedy that he couldn't find enough regiments within the teeming millions of India. So'ham. So'ham. His war cry still rings clear.

(Photo courtesy: www.vivekananda.org

Brevity

I am lost in the beauty of how some people put almost unintelligible ideas (for befuddled minds like mine) in crisp observations that hit you. Spent some time ROTFL over such a laconic one.

A: There is only silence. There is nothing to say about it.
B: Yes. All talk about silence is mere noise.

What clarity of thought can produce ready wit such as this! He should truly be the master of his mind. Dickens would have matched the brevity of observation with "Volumes could not have said more."

All the more funny because a world renowned neuro-scientist in his book waded through a chapter of neuroscience lingo (explaining terms like 'qualia') trying to push the same idea.

From here
"VSR writes "the problem of qualia is not necessarily a scientific problem...your scientific description is complete. It's just that your account is incomplete epistemologically because the actual experience of electric fields [for a fish] or redness [for a colourblind person] is something you will never know...there is no such barrier, no great vertical divide in nature between mind and matter, substance and spirit...this barrier is only apparent and...it arises as a result of language. This sort of obstacle emerges when there is any translation from one language to another" (p. 231)"

SAD's unkind cut to Sikhism

The Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) have said that the PM should have consulted Sikhs on the India-US nuclear deal before seeking their support. "The Sikh Prime Minister of India has never consulted us (the community) on this issue. Then, how can we support him?". More here.
Of all the arguments SAD could have possibly summoned to refuse support to the PM or highlight their importance in this clearly and solely political issue, it sadly has chosen the excuse of religion.
The most recent, vibrant and flourishing religion in world history doesn't require such sad guardians who cannot treat an issue on its own merit. Its indeed an unscrupulous political outfit's unkind cut to the religion.

Untitled.

From my cold, dead hands...

திருவாசகத்தில்... (In Thiruvaasagam...)

Decad IV, verses 42, 44

Partial translation would convey:
(44) 'when spring-time's arrows of love pin one down, evern moon beams will sear' - without thinking of this, one becomes curd under the churning stick of the guiles of the doe-eyed. Without seeking to enter honey of bliss in the city of Shiva; to relish the life within, in food and clothes I indulge.

Easily wound-worthy topics

Kamal's upcoming Dasavatharam is in trouble from an outfit apparently in possession of a full time lease of Vaishnavite Dharma. More here. Basically, they are seeking a ban on the film's release until the offending scenes are removed (pertaining to historic periods where sects of devout Hindus, read Vaishnavites and Saivites apparently are shown clashing).

As a Kamal fan an avid follower of Tamil movies and as a member of an uncared-for sect of society for whose feelings no organisation (religious or otherwise) has till date stood up and filed even a PIL , I wish to seek a ban on such petitions which hurt, wound and offend my feelings as a movie fan. This petitioner wants a ban on the offensive petitions by such organisations and suggests that they be commended to the care of medical professionals in consideration to their delicate feelings which are only too easily wounded and hurt at the most innocuous of circumstances. Curiously circumstances which have till now been caused exclusively by high budget movie releases alone.

Related video, in Tamil: Kamal replying to his detractors (when a bunch of people were hurt and wounded miserably in their feelings for Tamil Culture by his movie "Sandiyar")
Response.

Meanwhile, I am also praying to the presiding deity (Lord Vishnu, i think) of the aforesaid organisation to ignore my opposition to its president's petition and bless the fans like me with a well-made movie which is worth a watch.

Am seriously considering declaring support for some cause or the other (Culture is hot these days) and get into business filing PILs and petitions. Culture is a very wound-worthy feeling, dont you think?

Whom are you kidding?

Disclaimer: I love cricket. I love IPL. They are doing a great deal of good for Indian cricket (and yeah... Chennai Super Kings have won all the matches they have played till now ;) )

But its beyond doubt that the Bangalore team is named after a popular liquor brand. Almost everyone who has had the drink/seen some of RC's other music CD and music show ads would have noticed it. Mr. Vijay Mallya, the liquor baron owns the brand Royal Challenge (after Shaw Wallace merged with UB) and incidentally the Bangalore IPL team as well.

Now, what is NOT surprising is that they are getting away with the name Royal Challengers. Thats fine. Apparently there are no clear laws on surrogate advertising in this country and thats the leeway the Govt. in its wisdom has chosen to provide.

But whats IS surprising is that according to media they 'are hitting back' at the Health Minister for speaking on this issue. Apparently, IPL wont 'take it lying down'. Hello ? When you first fiddled with the ban on liquor ads and ventured to advertise through surrogate categories, its sheer impudence for the CEO of IPL to pull off a 'How-dare-you-blame-holy-me?' stunt. Come on dude, whom are you kidding? After all, its the IPL leadership that decided in the first place to take a shot at this surrogate advertising chance.

Its not new for the UB group with their Kingfisher ads. I understand there is a lot more money involved in this IPL team. But it would be bad PR for the IPL if in its zeal to safeguard stakeholder interests, the IPL leadership portrays the issue as a Politicians Vs. Wronged IPL spat.

The Health Minister's real motive in this issue is not clearly known. But his activism on tobacco and liquor kind of are in line with his portfolio of Health, it seems. A bit too much of activism over public health alright (unakkaen akkarai, yaarukkum illaatha akkarai?), I hate to admit it, but that bugger is right.

The Broken Compass

உடைந்தது வழி காட்டி என்று தெரிந்தும்
அடிக்கடி பார்க்கும் மனமே - இனி
மெயக்கப்பலை யார் பொறுப்பில் விட என்றறியா
மாலுமியின் கதி யார் பொறுப்பரோ !

Knowing its broken, whats the point
of looking repeatedly at our broken compass, my mind?
Now who will bear with the sailor's plight on
what to trust his vessel with?

திருவாசகத்தில்...

A beautiful question

This thing of beauty,
Without being able to understand, what is this?
Without the crutch of Reason, what is this?
Why a public spectacle everytime with this?
How am I to know if this is actually so?
What will my perplexity afford to anyone?
Am I to be a baby who knows not what it wants?
Mercy please.

Isha Foundation

Religion

Am a big fan of the Simpsons series. Along with Seinfeld, it is one of the few TV shows that are actual critiques of human life and behavior.

When I read in the newspapers about religions and sects arguing, fighting and dissenting, I am reminded of Bart's quote in one of the episodes.

"The little, stupid differences are nothing next to the big, stupid similarities."

:)

Latest being the now famous fight recently between Dikshidars and Saivaite devotees in the Chidambaram temple.

The Great Indian Dream

"My aim is to study my son and marry my daughter"

This single line summarizes the aspirations, dreams and the general tumultuous life that the Indian middle class carries on.

ARR's 'listen-alone-at-night' release

I am in a similar situation in my career as I was quite some back here... a perpetual feeling of being chased by time and an urgency of goals. Other than that, although one knows its just the mind playing tricks with you, why isn't there any respite from that confused insane monkey that just refuses to throw anything down but drags along everything it has savoured! The assuring fact is that the Force accompanies me. Enough of self rant.

Teaching to students in Chennai has been a revelation to me. I simply love the time I spend teaching... much to the amusement of my father who is a headmaster.

Meanwhile, AR Rahman comes up with another of his 'Turn-off-the-lights-at night-and-listen-to-this-on-your headphones' variety of songs. Its Khwaja mere Khwaja from Jodha Akbar. The previous offering from ARR along this genre was Al Maddath Maula from Mangal Pandey. Al Maddath Maula provoked a rahmaniac orthodox Hindu friend of mine declare 'After listening to that in the night, I was so moved, I had to listen to Thiruvasagam by Ilayaraja to convince myself it was just the music that moved me!' . I donno what this genre is... is this Qawwali?

But unlike Al Maddath Maula where the song vibrates with the intense longing of the singer to reach peace in one's mind from the bondages of life, this Jodha Akbar song is relatively less intense. Its 'just' sung in praise of someone and not the passionate cries of a Seeker of the earlier song. The earlier composition with its frenzied background sounds impressed listeners of its intensity. The Jodha Akbar one is refreshingly and elegantly bare in its soundscape.

So long...

An earful of molten lead

Heard the song "Rangu Rangamma" in the recently released film Bheema. Wasn't there anyone at the recording studio who couldn't point out that Kailash Kher's rendition of lyrics was murderous? There was little style (leave alone sufi style). But the substitution of meaning thanks to the singer's oblivious pronunciation !! ('Igniting desire' became 'Igniting best wishes')

If Harris Jeyaraj couldn't realise these as a music director, he deserves a spoonful of molten lead in each of his ears. Just the same fate he subjected his listeners to.

Too much

Got this in an email forward.

"Fundamentally, you are seeking a relationship because you want to be happy, joyful. Or you are trying to use the other as a source of your happiness."

"If your body goes in search of a relationship, we call this sexuality.
If your mind goes in search of relationships, we call this companionship.
If your emotion goes in search of relationships, we call this love.
If your energies go in search of relationships, we call this yoga. All these efforts are just to become one with something else, because somehow being who you are right now is not enough."

- Jaggi Vasudev

More of the article here.

Fly:soup :: Na. Muthukumar :ATM

Certainly Kavignar Vaali is a doyen of Tamil poetry. I have all due respect to his epic series in Ananda Vikatan.

But consider this:
Rahman' composition for Tamil movies is now only a fraction of the number he used to do five years ago. And of these little few, these are the lyricists whom he worked with in the last six movies.

Anbae Aaruyirae (2005) - Vaali
Jillendru Oru Kadhal (2006) - Vaali
Godfather (2006) - Vairamuthu
Guru (2007) - Vairamuthu
Sivaji (2007) - Vaali, Vairamuthu & others
Azhagiya Tamil Magan ATM (2007) - Vaali

Far cry from the days when Rahman wouldnt go beyond Vairamuthu for any of his compositions. Gone are the days when music lovers could look forward to even so-so movies (disappointing case in point, Anbae Aaruyirae by S. J. Surya) for the musical treat of Vairamuthu-ARR combine. Now we have to listen to the finest music director in Tamil music and his choicest singers and musicians crooning 'Nee Marilyn Monroe scanning/cloning (whatever that was)...' Blasphemy!

If ever there was a rift between Rahman and Vairamuthu, it has lasted long enough. Vairamuthu had said once "I agree wholeheartedly that Rahman is a great composer. But I do wish his music would not totally swamp my lyrics to the extent that nobody can make them out"

But hasn't Rahman himself said, "Lyrics lend immortality to a melody. The eternal, evergreen hit songs are always the ones with profound lyrics; lyrics that remain true and meaningful even after years."

Hasn't Vairamuthu's lyrics themselves paid tribute to music? "Innisai mattum Illaiyendraal naan Endro, endro iranthiruppaen" (But for sweet music, I would be dead)

I am not saying that Vaali doesnt do justice to his lyrics. Some of his songs (Jillendru oru kaadhal) were actually good. But personally I do feel that his idea of 'peppy' music a tad too flippant. Disagree ? What to say when one of the finest compositions of late (ATM) is interspersed with references to mixies and chutneys ? Even good lyrics in the album (Madurai-ku pogaatha..) are just that. Good. There is not even a hint of competition between the lyrics and the music in vying for the listener's attention.

Only hope is that Mani Ratnam or somebody of like stature talks sense into both ARR and Vairamuthu and does a favor to listeners like me. Till then we only have tracks of Alaipayuthe, Kandukondaen2, Jeans, Sangamam and the like to console ourselves with.

A.J.Anto's Mind Space: A Ball Can Change the World

A.J.Anto's Mind Space: A Ball Can Change the World

A spontaneous post on Isha by friend Antoji (I have been part of couple of such occasions in Delhi and Chennai).
Totally Agree.

How to name it?

A: Is laughter your only response to situations; or
am I the funniest man alive ?

B: :)

A: ?