The views below are solely mine! People reading this one are free to comment, compliment, share views but then I am not going to change my view one bit, at least in this regard :)
I was sitting at the clinic, and a lady walked in. She looked recently married; in India you can make out such things very easily. She seated herself right next to me and gave me this irritated look; a look which denoted, “Because of YOU, my husband cannot sit next to me!” I acted oblivious to her looks! After a while, space was obviously available and her dear hubby sat across her. She was just waiting! She got up in lightening speed and placed herself next to the man of her life with like a minus 0.1 centimetre gap! She positioned her hands on his thigh and gave him this utterly oomph look!
I couldn’t help but gawk at both of them. I wonder why people need to display their affection, attraction whatever so publicly! Don’t they have their four walls to see it all? How does it matter to the person next to you or passersby to see what a lovely, intimate relationship you share with your loved ones? Isn’t it enough if just the two of you know?
Similarly on bikes, the girl is almost on top of the guy! It just gives me such an ugh feeling, frankly! Once in a while, when the weather’s nice and gay, you might want to hug the special one which is fine, but not cling on to him/her with all your weight on the poor other!
There is a time and place for everything and I strictly believe in it. When it comes to physically showing your affection, you must also learn to respect others. When outside, displays of affection really needs a check. Here in Bangalore, I have read of cops catching many couples in cars and bikes and the worst part is that they expect bribes so that the concerned parents are not involved in this! Imagine what sort of embarrassment they have to go through? Actually, even before it reaches parents, the couple involved are smart enough to pay off the cops, but for those with some bad luck on that day, imagine the kind of humiliation.
In other countries, such PDAs may be common and talking about aping their culture is not new in India. I am sure many will welcome this also into our culture, rather have already welcomed it and following it ardently. Maybe I am one of those backward thinking, nerd of sorts. But I still take a big, deep rooted stand with respect to PDAs, they sure are not displays of affection but sheer atrocity! Worse of it all is when these social networking sites ask you whether PDAs are a turn on or a turn off! Lol!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Saturday, December 5, 2009
PHILOSOPHY AND I?!!
Many times we call our close ones emotionless freaks, hard-hearted and what not? In the spur of the moment the words just rattle out and even if damage is not done, because they are our near ones and they understand us well, it speaks so much about our emotions, or the lack of it!
I have noticed this many times, not just with people around me but also an experience I have myself had; when we do not get what we want, in terms of things much sought after, or the person you love the most, the emotional-self takes over the practical-self. What’s new or path-breaking one may wonder, but when you actually sit and think of it and maybe put it on paper, there is so much to it!
This holds good especially when it is to do with human sentiments. In economics, I have learnt this theory called ‘Theory of Second Best’ which I think holds well with respect to many things. If you don’t get a chocolate ice cream, you may settle for a strawberry, but when you don’t get the man or the woman of your choice, does the theory of second best work? Or to cite another example; if someone so valuable to us leaves this world, can we go looking for the second best?
Again there are the if’s and but’s. There are people who tide over heart breaks and disappointments of failure and move on very quickly, whereas many others, or if I may say so confidently, most of them find the world ending and worse even, end their own lives. Personally I find committing suicide a very cowardly act. But each to his own. ‘When one door closes, the other opens”, goes the saying. So why can’t we wait? When advising someone, or talking philosophy it is all easy to talk and the real experience hurts. But are we all not made up in such a way, that we mostly and many times actually moved one?
On a radio show yesterday, the RJs had a cake to give away to someone who wanted to break up or were going through one! They gave away ‘break-up’ tips, as to how to handle the shattering moment and so on. A failure or a break up being personal is a thing of the past now! Like your famous ‘Move on’ tagline for a watch company, it just seems all so easy!
All these random thoughts, with virtually no story line here, came to me when I read the essence of the Hindu’s holy book, Bhagatvatgeeta. It reads thus:
Why do you worry without cause? Whom do you fear without reason?
Who can kill you? The soul is neither born, nor does it die.
Whatever happened, happened for the good; whatever is happening, is happening for the good.
Whatever will happen, will also happen for the good only.
You need not have any regrets for the past. You need not worry for the future. The present is happening...right now.
What did you lose that you cry about? What did you bring with you, which you think you have lost? What did you produce, which you think got destroyed?
You did not bring anything - whatever you have, you received from here.
Whatever you have given, you have given only here. Whatever you took, you took from God.
Whatever you gave, you gave to Him. You came empty handed, you will leave empty handed.
What is yours today, belonged to someone else yesterday, and will belong to someone else the day after tomorrow.
You are mistakenly enjoying the thought that this is yours. It is this false happiness that is the cause of your sorrows.
"Whatever you took, you took from God. Whatever you gave, you gave to Him. You came with nothing, you will leave with nothing.
"Change is the law of the universe. What you think of as death, is indeed life.
In one instance you can be a millionaire, and in the other instance, you can be steeped in poverty.
Yours and mine, big and small - erase these ideas from your mind. Then everything is yours and you belong to everyone.
This body is not yours, neither are you of the body. The body is made of fire, water, air, earth and ether, and will disappear into these elements. But the soul is permanent - so who are you?
At first read, the trend is to say, “So true!” But how much of it is actually easy to follow is the question? I have had the opportunity of chanting this holy book and or rather learning to chant it from some really learned people and it takes a lot to interpret it each time and learn new values for life. The essence typed out above is I think a prized value for life to keep in mind if not for completely being able to follow it.
Whatever happens definitely happens for the good. At that moments of happening, we swear, cry and what not, but eventually somewhere down the lane, we are likely to accept it. “What did you lose that you cry about?” This one is tricky. Possessiveness is one quality we all have with respect to at least one person in life, be it mom, dad, sister, love whoever! So when we actually lose them, not in physical terms but otherwise too, it really is hard. And as much as strong we are, our possessiveness overrides it all.
The highlight of it all has to be, “What is yours today, belonged to someone else yesterday, and will belong to someone else the day after tomorrow.”
If it is material object, it really does not matter. We all love change when it has something to do with material items. A newer version of Nokia’s touch screen phone, a better I-phone, more comfortable stilettos, a new shade of lip colour are all good enough and tolerable. My friend had it yesterday; I will have the same today!
But when you have to let go of that one person who is so precious to you and see him or her being someone else’s, even if he/her were going away for eternity, the pain is agonizing to say the least. And an answer to that is also ready: "Change is the law of the universe. What you think of as death, is indeed life.”
I have noticed this many times, not just with people around me but also an experience I have myself had; when we do not get what we want, in terms of things much sought after, or the person you love the most, the emotional-self takes over the practical-self. What’s new or path-breaking one may wonder, but when you actually sit and think of it and maybe put it on paper, there is so much to it!
This holds good especially when it is to do with human sentiments. In economics, I have learnt this theory called ‘Theory of Second Best’ which I think holds well with respect to many things. If you don’t get a chocolate ice cream, you may settle for a strawberry, but when you don’t get the man or the woman of your choice, does the theory of second best work? Or to cite another example; if someone so valuable to us leaves this world, can we go looking for the second best?
Again there are the if’s and but’s. There are people who tide over heart breaks and disappointments of failure and move on very quickly, whereas many others, or if I may say so confidently, most of them find the world ending and worse even, end their own lives. Personally I find committing suicide a very cowardly act. But each to his own. ‘When one door closes, the other opens”, goes the saying. So why can’t we wait? When advising someone, or talking philosophy it is all easy to talk and the real experience hurts. But are we all not made up in such a way, that we mostly and many times actually moved one?
On a radio show yesterday, the RJs had a cake to give away to someone who wanted to break up or were going through one! They gave away ‘break-up’ tips, as to how to handle the shattering moment and so on. A failure or a break up being personal is a thing of the past now! Like your famous ‘Move on’ tagline for a watch company, it just seems all so easy!
All these random thoughts, with virtually no story line here, came to me when I read the essence of the Hindu’s holy book, Bhagatvatgeeta. It reads thus:
Why do you worry without cause? Whom do you fear without reason?
Who can kill you? The soul is neither born, nor does it die.
Whatever happened, happened for the good; whatever is happening, is happening for the good.
Whatever will happen, will also happen for the good only.
You need not have any regrets for the past. You need not worry for the future. The present is happening...right now.
What did you lose that you cry about? What did you bring with you, which you think you have lost? What did you produce, which you think got destroyed?
You did not bring anything - whatever you have, you received from here.
Whatever you have given, you have given only here. Whatever you took, you took from God.
Whatever you gave, you gave to Him. You came empty handed, you will leave empty handed.
What is yours today, belonged to someone else yesterday, and will belong to someone else the day after tomorrow.
You are mistakenly enjoying the thought that this is yours. It is this false happiness that is the cause of your sorrows.
"Whatever you took, you took from God. Whatever you gave, you gave to Him. You came with nothing, you will leave with nothing.
"Change is the law of the universe. What you think of as death, is indeed life.
In one instance you can be a millionaire, and in the other instance, you can be steeped in poverty.
Yours and mine, big and small - erase these ideas from your mind. Then everything is yours and you belong to everyone.
This body is not yours, neither are you of the body. The body is made of fire, water, air, earth and ether, and will disappear into these elements. But the soul is permanent - so who are you?
At first read, the trend is to say, “So true!” But how much of it is actually easy to follow is the question? I have had the opportunity of chanting this holy book and or rather learning to chant it from some really learned people and it takes a lot to interpret it each time and learn new values for life. The essence typed out above is I think a prized value for life to keep in mind if not for completely being able to follow it.
Whatever happens definitely happens for the good. At that moments of happening, we swear, cry and what not, but eventually somewhere down the lane, we are likely to accept it. “What did you lose that you cry about?” This one is tricky. Possessiveness is one quality we all have with respect to at least one person in life, be it mom, dad, sister, love whoever! So when we actually lose them, not in physical terms but otherwise too, it really is hard. And as much as strong we are, our possessiveness overrides it all.
The highlight of it all has to be, “What is yours today, belonged to someone else yesterday, and will belong to someone else the day after tomorrow.”
If it is material object, it really does not matter. We all love change when it has something to do with material items. A newer version of Nokia’s touch screen phone, a better I-phone, more comfortable stilettos, a new shade of lip colour are all good enough and tolerable. My friend had it yesterday; I will have the same today!
But when you have to let go of that one person who is so precious to you and see him or her being someone else’s, even if he/her were going away for eternity, the pain is agonizing to say the least. And an answer to that is also ready: "Change is the law of the universe. What you think of as death, is indeed life.”
The Kathakar shines!
The Department of Kannada and Culture, Bangalore, organizes Yuva Sourabha, an every Wednesday program, lending a platform for artistes in music and dance alike. This Wednesday, saw the recital of Keerthi Kumar, a Kathak dancer, training under the illustrious Kathak exponent, Dr Maya Rao.
The recital began with Phalanetra, a prayer to Lord Shiva set to Ek Taal in Rag Malkauns. The dancer began with utmost confidence and eased into graceful movements there on.
Just as the ‘Varna’ shows the excellence and technical proficiency in Bharathanatyam, ‘Nrittha’ does the same in Kathak. It comprises the Thaat or the Sringar, Aamad which means start or beginning in Persian and Tukdas, ie, rhythmic fragments. Set to Tri taal (16 beats), the Nrittha contained both Lucknow and Jaipur Gharana in its choreography, directed radiantly by Dr Maya Rao herself.
In this piece, a dancer recites various bols (or beats) and reciprocates the same by dancing to it. Keerthi chose to recite Parans, Chakradhar, a small piece on Holi and a Tabla Bol which he executed admirably which was evident from the crowd/connoisseurs’ claps and words of encouragement. A technical piece in nature, the Kathakar must be able to come to ‘Sam’ or right on the beat and he didn’t miss it once! Minor flaws in terms of rigidity in his upper body were almost nullified with a self-assured air around him and subtlety in his movements. Keerthi executed the technical piece with much flamboyance.
The highlight of the entire evening was the next item, Saint Tulsidas’ Shri Ramachandra Kripalu Bhajumana set to Rupak Taal in Rag Yaman. The composition by Anil Biswas in itself is a masterpiece and a very popular one. The choreography, again by Guru Maya Rao spoke volumes! Lord Rama’s curls tied high up and in the same way the quiver holding his arrows were wonderfully portrayed by the dancer. Lot of hard work was apparent in the way the dancer had built his physique and the attention to the costumes worn.
The musicians who skilfully accompanied Keerthi were as follows:
• Vocals: Sri Shankar Shanbouge
• Padanth: Smt Ramya Anoop
• Sitar: Smt Shruthi Kamath
• Tabla: Sri Ajay Kumar Singh
• Flute: Sri Prakash Hedge
Shankar Shanbouge, always known for his classy voice, didn’t fail the dancer here either. With much dexterity, he complemented the dancer throughout. Among the instrumentalists, Smt Shruthi Kamath was a sure stand out.
What the viewers perceived to be a stop gap, was in fact a kind of a prequel to Keerthi’s next piece. The vocalist sang a Kannada Devarnama, ‘Ishtu Dhina E Vaikunta’. The piece which followed, ‘Oh Ena Baarade?’, was a Vittala Dasa devarnama, set to Tri Taal in Rag Attana, where the devotee questions the Almighty as to why he doesn’t answer any of the former’s call for attention. The devotee quotes instances of the elephant being rescued from the deadly jaws of the crocodile and also depicts all the ten avatars. The portrayal was good, which could have been better though.
Finally, came the Tarana, poet Amir Khusru’s innovation which are sung in Hindustani musical concerts and performed by dancers who hail from many North Indian styles, Keerthi chose to perform one set to Rag Desh. However, the singer, Shankar stole the dancer’s strength on stage and sang to perfection.
Nevertheless, a highly professionally trained Keerthi Kumar showed his proficiency not only in the technical piece but also in the form of emotions throughout. Never once did the feeling of he overdoing them came to be witnessed. Crisp body movements and a sense of confidence prevailed throughout making him a dancer to watch out for. Kathak is seeing many duos entertaining connoisseurs, but solo male Kathakars are few in number.
On the whole, the show was very immaculate in terms of music, comperes, apt lighting by Janardhan and the dancer himself. Coming from a renowned school of dance, Keerthi has made use of it well, in terms of his learning and efficient execution on stage. He has it all in him to become a renowned male Kathak artiste.
The recital began with Phalanetra, a prayer to Lord Shiva set to Ek Taal in Rag Malkauns. The dancer began with utmost confidence and eased into graceful movements there on.
Just as the ‘Varna’ shows the excellence and technical proficiency in Bharathanatyam, ‘Nrittha’ does the same in Kathak. It comprises the Thaat or the Sringar, Aamad which means start or beginning in Persian and Tukdas, ie, rhythmic fragments. Set to Tri taal (16 beats), the Nrittha contained both Lucknow and Jaipur Gharana in its choreography, directed radiantly by Dr Maya Rao herself.
In this piece, a dancer recites various bols (or beats) and reciprocates the same by dancing to it. Keerthi chose to recite Parans, Chakradhar, a small piece on Holi and a Tabla Bol which he executed admirably which was evident from the crowd/connoisseurs’ claps and words of encouragement. A technical piece in nature, the Kathakar must be able to come to ‘Sam’ or right on the beat and he didn’t miss it once! Minor flaws in terms of rigidity in his upper body were almost nullified with a self-assured air around him and subtlety in his movements. Keerthi executed the technical piece with much flamboyance.
The highlight of the entire evening was the next item, Saint Tulsidas’ Shri Ramachandra Kripalu Bhajumana set to Rupak Taal in Rag Yaman. The composition by Anil Biswas in itself is a masterpiece and a very popular one. The choreography, again by Guru Maya Rao spoke volumes! Lord Rama’s curls tied high up and in the same way the quiver holding his arrows were wonderfully portrayed by the dancer. Lot of hard work was apparent in the way the dancer had built his physique and the attention to the costumes worn.
The musicians who skilfully accompanied Keerthi were as follows:
• Vocals: Sri Shankar Shanbouge
• Padanth: Smt Ramya Anoop
• Sitar: Smt Shruthi Kamath
• Tabla: Sri Ajay Kumar Singh
• Flute: Sri Prakash Hedge
Shankar Shanbouge, always known for his classy voice, didn’t fail the dancer here either. With much dexterity, he complemented the dancer throughout. Among the instrumentalists, Smt Shruthi Kamath was a sure stand out.
What the viewers perceived to be a stop gap, was in fact a kind of a prequel to Keerthi’s next piece. The vocalist sang a Kannada Devarnama, ‘Ishtu Dhina E Vaikunta’. The piece which followed, ‘Oh Ena Baarade?’, was a Vittala Dasa devarnama, set to Tri Taal in Rag Attana, where the devotee questions the Almighty as to why he doesn’t answer any of the former’s call for attention. The devotee quotes instances of the elephant being rescued from the deadly jaws of the crocodile and also depicts all the ten avatars. The portrayal was good, which could have been better though.
Finally, came the Tarana, poet Amir Khusru’s innovation which are sung in Hindustani musical concerts and performed by dancers who hail from many North Indian styles, Keerthi chose to perform one set to Rag Desh. However, the singer, Shankar stole the dancer’s strength on stage and sang to perfection.
Nevertheless, a highly professionally trained Keerthi Kumar showed his proficiency not only in the technical piece but also in the form of emotions throughout. Never once did the feeling of he overdoing them came to be witnessed. Crisp body movements and a sense of confidence prevailed throughout making him a dancer to watch out for. Kathak is seeing many duos entertaining connoisseurs, but solo male Kathakars are few in number.
On the whole, the show was very immaculate in terms of music, comperes, apt lighting by Janardhan and the dancer himself. Coming from a renowned school of dance, Keerthi has made use of it well, in terms of his learning and efficient execution on stage. He has it all in him to become a renowned male Kathak artiste.
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