nyabangal

Wedding

2006-08-28T02:11:00.000-07:00

Sorry people for not informing beforehand, but believe me I had created a post and wanted to invite all you guys - but unfortunately i couldn't just post the blog - it kept giving me an error. And then i got busy and just didn't have the time to connect to the net.

So again a big SORRY to all you guys.

Got married on Aug 20th in Tirunelveli. Its been a fun ride till now and hoping that it will keep getting better.

Bas Ek Pal

2006-08-08T12:53:00.000-07:00

At a time when all of us are going crazy with JOK/SOK [Love all the songs ;)], Bas Ek Pal has come - Not many must have noticed the album - as it has an assorted list of Music directors. The movie is directed by Onir - his directorial debut was My Brother Nikhil - A very beautiful and touching movie. In the lines of Philadelphia it showed how AIDS was/is potrayed as a stigma in Indian society.

Bas Ek Pal boasts some excellent music - Tere Bina, Bas Ek Pal, Dheemey Dheemey are my favorites. Check out the songs at :

http://www.musicindiaonline.com/l/17/s/movie_name.8569/

If you guys need a translation of the songs - I would be happy to do that too :)

Fuzon

2006-08-02T16:53:00.000-07:00

I bet many of you must have heard their music. I heard their music sometime back in the movie Hyderabad Blues-2. Liked it that time, but didn't enjoy it that much. But as it happens with most music, you enjoy it more when u hear it second time around - And u think why didn't i love it the first time itself. This time I am completely hooked on to it.

They got some awesome music - Check out Khamaj, Tere Bina, Aankhon ke sagar and Akhian.

You can hear their music at : http://www.fuzontheband.com/songs.htm

I believe music has no language - Yes it will be great if u can understand the lyrics, but still most of the times music is more than enough.

So for my friends - A translation of my favorite song in this album :

Khamaj - Mora Saiyaan [ My lover]
------------------------------------
Saawan Beeto Jaye Pe Harwa
Saawan Beeto Jaye Pe Harwa
Mann Mera Ghabraye
Mann Mera Ghabraye

Spring is getting over my love
Spring is getting over my love
MY heart is getting scared
My heart is getting scared

Aeso Gaye Pardes Piya Tum
Aeso Gaye Pardes Piya Tum
Cheyn Humein nahin Aye
Cheyn Humain nahin Aye

You have gone abroad/away in such a way
You have gone abroad/away in such a way
I am not getting any peace
I am not getting any peace

Mora Saiyaan moh sey bolay Na
Mora Saiyaan moh Sey bolay Na
Mein Laakh Jatan Kar Haari
Laakh Jatan Kar Haar Rahi

My lover is not talking with me
My lover is not talking with me
I have lost after pleading so much
I have lost after pleading so much

Mora Saiyyan Moh Say Bolay Na
Mora Saiyyan Moh Say Bolay Na
My lover is not talking with me
My lover is not talking with me

Tu Jo Nahin to Aisay Piya hum
Tu Jo Nahin To Aisay Piya hum
Jaisay Soona Aanganaa
Jaisay Soona Aanganaa

When u are not there I am like
When u are not there I am like
Like an empty garden
Like an empty garden

Nain Tehaari Rah Neeharey
Nain Tehaari Rah Neeharey
Nainnan Ko Tarsaona
Nainnan Ko Tarsaona

Eyes are looking out for you
Eyes are looking out for you
Don't make the eyes to suffer
Don't make the eyes to suffer

Mora Saiyaan moh Say bolay Na
Mora Saiyaan moh Say bolay Na
Mein Laakh Jatan Kar Haari
Laakh Jatan Kar Haar Rahi

Mora Saiyyan Moh Say Bolay Na
Mora Saiyyan Moh Say Bolay Na

Pyar Tumhain Kitna Kartay Hain
Pyar Tumhain Kitna Kartay Hain
Tum Yeh Samajh Nahin Pao gay
Tum Yeh Samajh Nahin Pao gay

Jab Hum Na Hongay to Peharwa
Jab Hum Na Hongay to Peharwa
Bolo Kya Tab Aao gay
Bolo Kya Tab Aao gay

Mora Saiyaan moh Sey Bolay Na
Mora Saiyaan moh Sey Bolay Na
Mein Laakh Jatan Kar Haari
Laakh Jatan Kar Haar Rahi

My lover is not talking with me
My lover is not talking with me
I have lost after pleading so much
I have lost after pleading so much

Mora Saiyaan moh Sey Bolay Na
Mora Saiyaan moh Sey Bolay Na
Mein Laakh Jatan Kar Haari
Laakh Jatan Kar Haar Rahi

My lover is not talking with me
My lover is not talking with me
I have lost after pleading so much
I have lost after pleading so much

Back from the past

2006-07-31T16:15:00.000-07:00

Wow writing a blog after a long time. Was reading all the blogs regularly but just had lost the enthusiasm to write it myself. So finally here i am.

So for starters - A translation of a beautiful hindi song for my tamil friends - so that they can enjoy it too.

Sung by Jagjit Sing

Kal chaudhvin ki raat thi
Shab bhar raha charcha tera

Yesterday it was the night of full moon
Wine was overflowing with talks about you

Kuch ne kaha ye chand hai
Kuch ne kaha chehra tera

Some were telling it was the moon
Some were telling it was your face

Hum bhi wahin maujood the
Hum se bhi sab poochha kiye
Hum hans diye, hum chup rahe
Manzoor tha parda tera

I was also present there
They also asked me about what I thought
I simply smiled, I simply kept quiet
I accepted the curtains between us

Is shehar mein kis se milen
Hum se to chhoti mehfilen
Har shaks tera naam le
Har shaks diwana tera

In this city who am i supposed to meet
I had to leave all the parties
Every person took your name
Every person is your lover

Kal chaudhvin ki raat thi..
Be-dard sunni ho to chal
Kehta hai kya achchi ghazal
Aashiq tera, rusva tera, shayar tera, 'Insha' tera.

It was the night of full moon yesterday
My heart is aching in your love
THey are saying that it is nice ghazal
Your lover, your insult, your poet, your will

In Korea

2005-11-12T02:38:00.000-08:00

Hey Guys, It is 2:45 US Pacific time - Presently at Seoul airport - just got an hour here to spend - trying to find some veggie food :( - I guess will get only some when i reach india. It is a beautiful airport but for some reason makes me feel like Manish market in Mumbai or Burma Bazar in Chennai - Umpteen Duty free shops filled with cameras, perfumes - somehow doesn't give the charm of natievity of the country.

Will reach home in 10 more hours - home - i am confused - 6 years in US that too prime of my youth - i am already divided between the two countries - i have families on both sides - and i already the miss my sister and nephew.

At present don't want to think of anything and just try to enjoy the trip as much as i can :) eat some good food, get some good music, watch some nice movies - Chowpatti - Pani Puri's and Chennai Sarvana Bhavan here i come.

Going to Mumbai and Chennai

2005-11-10T11:23:00.000-08:00

I know, I haven't written for a week now, Believe me, it has been very busy and very stressful. As we all know everything tends to happen at the same time.

So i am going to India this Friday - Will be in Mumbai for a week and Madras for another.
Plans to meet Arjuna, Adi, Jeevan. Arjuna has already made grand plans ;)

So guys will keep you posted with the activities.

Happy Deepavali to all

2005-11-01T10:36:00.000-08:00

Happy Deepavali to all of you - So what is everyone doing today ;) having a lot of sweets and bursting crackers.

I watched Sivakasi a day before Deepavali - a day before most of you folks in India must have watched ;) A typical vijay masala film - if you don't go in the first half you wouldn't miss anything. The second half with Prakashraj is what makes the film tick at least a little bit.

Is there really a Karma system ?

2005-10-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

Again its been days since i have posted a blog, I have been reading J Krishnamurthi's books and am totally enjoying it. I will write a detailed blog about him.

But for now this question - Is there really a karma system ? If it is there why is it there and is it really fair ? Is it really the way that we see it today? Just a two days before I and Arjuna were talking about Karma - wherein he said that whatever bad happens it happens because of past karmas. I vehemently opposed him and it was completely out of the blue - whatever i said was just a flow of what my heart really believed - I have always believed that if you are doing something good do it, because you want to do that good - not because u will get some punyas [many do for that reason] and if you don't do something bad, don't do it because you believe it is bad and not because you will earn bad karmas [again many don't do it because they are scared, though that fear has constantly reduced over the ages]

I feel that many just use the term "Karma" just to escape reality - just to escape from accepting the truth - what justice would be there - when a child is killed immediately after birth just because it was a girl - what was her karma ? One can say that it was her past karma - then what is the use of just being born and dying immediately - What about kids that are molested by their parents - what was their fault - and these kids grow more screwed up in their heads - in short leading to more bad karmas - Like this I can list out various scenarios that my mind throws up wherein i have no answers towards it.

Thousands are dying around us - Tsunami's, Earthquakes, Forest Fires, Hurricanes - Everytime we look up and question GOD. Should we ? Is that right ?

I told Arjuna that I believe that God is only interested in our spirtual life, not in our materialistic life, I don't believe that he is interested in whether we pass our examination or get a good job or earn money. I don't believe that there is an accountant sitting up there and keeping a count of how much good or bad we are doing. I believe that if we are spirtually stronger than automatically we become morally strong, automatically we don't do wrong, automatically we care about our environment, our surrounding. And we start understanding what happens, just happens, there is no rhyme or reason behind it. We need to just take it in our stride and prepare better for the next time. We are responsible for everything materialistic that happens around us and no one else - For some reason this logic makes sense to me more than anything else. God is there spirtually helping us to discover our inner self and make us better individuals - but thats it.

Everyone kindly give your inputs on it - As my friend venky has said - start a controversy and you will learn more And I know this is a controversial topic and a topic that will benefit all of us. Please think before you answer.

Mughal-E-Azam

2005-10-20T14:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday all of a sudden out of the blue, I decided to listen to Mughal-E-Azam - The music and lyrics of each of the 12 songs are mind blowing - For every avid music listener, spend some time today and listen to all of them - the pathos, the romance in each and every song - just has to be savored.

The lyrics of the best song in the album - Arjuna learn something from it - On popular demand
the translation of the song. As you all know it is just a mere attempt on translating this song, i won't be able to translate the lyrical beauty, the pathos, and situation of the song - try to watch the movie and enjoy the music

Insaan kisee se duniyaan me, ek baar mohabbat karataa hai
Is dard ko lekar jiitaa hai Is dard ko lekar marataa hai
Pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa Jab pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa
Pyaar kiyaa koi chori nahin ki
Pyaar kiyaa Pyaar kiyaa koi chori nahin ki
Chhuup chhuup aahe bharnaa kyaa

A person only loves once in this world
he lives with this pain, he dies with this pain
You have loved, then why are you afraid, When you have loved, then why are you afraid
You have loved, you haven't stolen anything
You have loved, You have loved, you haven't stolen anything
Then why hide and sigh

Jab pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa
Pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa
Jab pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa

When you have loved, then why are you afraid
you have loved, then why are you afraid
When you have loved, then why are you afraid

Aaj kahenge dil kaa fasaanaa
Jaan bhee le le chaahe zamaanaa
Aaj kahenge dil kaa fasaanaa
Jaan bhee le le chaahe zamaanaa
Maut wahii jo duniyaan dekhe
Maut wahii jo duniyaan dekhe
Ghunt ghunt kar yu marnaa kyaa

Today I will tell my heart's ode to love
Even if the world takes my life away
Today I will tell my heart's ode to love
Even if the world takes my life away
Death is the one, that the world will see
Death is the one, that the world will see
Why die by suffocating yourself in shame and fear

Jab pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa
Pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa
Jab pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa

When you have loved, then why are you afraid
you have loved, then why are you afraid
When you have loved, then why are you afraid

Unki tamannaa dil mein rahegii
Shammaa ise mahafil mein rahegii
Unki tamannaa dil mein rahegi
Shammaa ise mahafil mein rahegi
Ishq mein jiinaa ishq mein marnaa
Ishq mein jiinaa ishq mein marnaa
Aaur humei ab karnaa kyaa

His love's desire will be forever in my heart
That lamp's glow will always burn brightly in this gathering
His love's desire will be forever in my heart
That lamp's glow will always burn brightly in this gathering
I will live in his love, I will die in his love
I will live in his love, I will die in his love
What else is there for me to do now

Jab pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa
Pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa
Jab pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa

When you have loved, then why are you afraid
you have loved, then why are you afraid
When you have loved, then why are you afraid

Chhuup naa sakegaa ishq hamaaraa
Chaaro taraf hain unkaa nazaaraa
Chhuup naa sakegaa ishq hamaaraa
Chaaro taraf hain unkaa nazaaraa
Pardaa nahin jab koi khudaa se
Pardaa nahin jab koi khudaa se
Bando se pardaa karnaa kyaa

My love cannot be hidden
In all 4 direction, he can be seen
My love cannot be hidden
In all 4 direction, he can be seen
When there is no veil in front of the God
When there is no veil in front of the God
then why should there be one in front of his followers

Jab pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa
Pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa
Jab pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa
Pyaar kiyaa koi chori nahin ki
Chhuup chhuup aahe bharnaa kyaa
Jab pyaar kiyaa to darnaa kyaa

When you have loved, then why are you afraid
you have loved, then why are you afraid
When you have loved, then why are you afraid
You have loved, you haven't stolen anything
Then why hide and sigh
When you have loved, then why are you afraid

Where am I ?

2005-10-13T15:07:00.000-07:00

Its been days since i posted a blog and it has been more since i posted just a general blog. Have been going through a rough patch - very disillusioned with everything around me. It has been six years since i came to US, seems like a life time now - feels as if i have been away from where i was born and raised for a long time now. Feel very alone, feel very lost. Not that i don't have friends - i have my best friend with me - my sister, my nephew and Arjuna who is like a kid brother to me - Thanks to all of them life seems to go on. But still.... I don't know how to explain what i feel or as if i don't feel anything any more. Just some ramblings of my mind - wish i could get out of it - knowing me i will - just felt like writing it to the small group of blog friends.

Some more Zen
----------------
The Water is not impeded by the rock
but flows effortlessly round it,
wearing it away with time

The falling rock is not deflected from its path,
but parts the water leaving it to continue
on its own journey

Look at the point of view between the water and rock - both are shown in a positive light.

The illusion of choice,
leaves only disappointment.
The joy of acceptance,
offers understanding.

Love this one

When u see a man drowning,
you do not wait until he calls for help
before u rescue him.
Though it is advisable to ensure
that he is not merely waving to a friend

Zen and Silence - II

2005-10-04T08:54:00.000-07:00

Zen – Fundamentals – 2
---------------------------------
Before we begin - Zen is japanese for Chinese word ch'an, which is in turn a transliteration of the sanskrit word dhyana, all of them meaning "meditation".

Continuing from our first part. After understanding most of the fundamentals – this profound sutra: “Like the empty sky, it has no boundaries, yet it is right in this place, ever profound and clear. Now replace the “it” with “God” and you will immediately understand the significance of the statement. If you start searching for the sky, u will never find it. If you become serious, u will never find it. Where will u find the sky? The sky is not somewhere it is everywhere and that which is everywhere cannot be searched for. God is like the sky, like the empty sky. It has no boundaries so it cannot be defined. You cannot say where it begins and where it ends, it is eternal, it is infinite and yet it is right in front of you. If you relax, it is there, if u become tense it disappears.
People go on asking where God is, and he is just in front of you. He surrounds you. He is in and he is out because only he is. Zen calls God - it, because they don’t want us to be trapped in the word God. “When you seek to know it, you cannot see it”. Because when u try to search, you become concentrated, you become tense, you get lost in your search, you become narrow, so even when god is in front of you, you just don’t see him.
People say meditation is concentration; Zen says that it is not. In the contrary according to Zen, it is diametrically opposite. If you are looking for an ant, concentration is important, but if you are looking for God, who is so vast and who surround you, u don’t need that concentration. For God you have to be utterly open, un-concentrated, open from every side, not searching, not looking. An unfocused consciousness is what meditation is.
A Sufi mystic was staying with Rabiya. His name was Hassan, and maybe after hearing Jesus Christ’s statement: “Knock and it shall be opened unto you. Ask and it shall be given to you. Seek and you will find it”. So every day in all his 5 prayers, he would say to God “ I am knocking Sir, and I am knocking so much, why have you still not opened the door “. One day Rabiya heard it and said “Hassan when will you look? The door is open. You go on talking nonsense – “I am knocking, I am knocking --- and the door is open all the time. Look! But u are too concerned with your knocking and asking and desiring and seeking and you cannot see. The door is open”
Rabiya’s statement is pure Zen. God has always been available. God is unconditionally available. “ When u seek to know it, you cannot see it. You cannot take hold of it, you cannot lose it” If you want to possess God, you will not be able to. All that is great cannot be possessed – and that is one of the most foolish thing we try to do. We want to possess everything.
So beautiful, Yes you cannot possess it, but there is no way to lose it either. It is there. It is always there. If you are silent you will start feeling it, You have to fall in tune with it. You have to become silent so that you can listen to it. You have to become silent so the dance of God can penetrate you, so God can vibrate in you, so God can pulsate in you. You have to drop your rush, your hurry, your ideas to go somewhere, to reach, to become, to be this and that. You have to stop becoming. And it is there; you cannot lose it.
The moment you understand that you cannot possess it, and you drop your possessiveness, it is there and you have got it. The moment you realize that love [Love is God] cannot be possessed, a great understanding has arisen in you and now you will have it and will have it forever. You cannot exhaust it.
This is the Zen Paradox – Zen is the path of paradox. “When you are silent, it speaks; When you speak, it is silent. The great gate is wide open to bestow alms, and no crowd is blocking the way.” There is no competition, there is nobody blocking your way. You need not hurry, you need not make any effort to grab. In front of you – there is only God, only God. So just relax. That’s what Zen says – Satori – Utter relaxation of your being; a state of consciousness where there is no becoming left, when you are not an achiever anymore, when there is no goal, when all goals have disappeared and all purposes have been left behind; when you are, simply are – in that moment of “isness” you dissolve into totality and a new “tick” arises that has never been there. That tick is satori, Samadhi, enlightenment.
The last thing, which everyone must have noticed: Zen is non-serious. Zen has a tremendous sense of humor. Zen has laughter in it, Zen is festive. Zen’s spirit is that of celebration. Laughter is the key to Zen, as it makes you dance, it makes you enjoy.
That’s why if you notice most Zen stories give you the message and at the same time brings in a smile on your face.

From the book: Zen The path of Paradox

The Human Route

2005-10-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

The Human Route

Coming empty handed, going empty handed, that is human
When you are born, where do you come from?
When you die, Where do you go?
Life is like a floating cloud, which appears.
Death is like a floating cloud, which disappears.
The floating cloud itself originally does not exist.
Life and death, coming and going, are also like that.
But there is one thing that always remains clear.
It is pure and clear,
Not depending on life and death.

Then what is the one and clear thing?

---- Traditional Chinese Poem

Zen And Silence

2005-09-28T12:16:00.000-07:00

Its been a week since i have written a blog and the reason is not me but my friend Arjuna. One fine day he called and we talked about so many different things, ranging from heart breaks to recent crushes. As two who are romantic at one instant, and samiyar's at the other, naturally our talk moved to theology. To make long conversation short, he literally directed me to read about Buddhism and told me to write a small blog on it. That's it to write about something, naturally one has to read and know something about the subject, hence the long break.
So on my quest to find more about Buddhism, pluse write something more close to the subject of silence my another friend directed me towards the book - Zen the path of paradox. This blog is a nutshell about what i understood from that book. Naturally the nutshell is more like a big cocunut, i will write the blog in parts.

People, a humble request, please try to read it completly, don't stop because you are getting bored, Zen is a very beautiful concept, just try to give it a complete read.

Part 1 - Zen and Zen fundamentals
-----------------------------------
The concept of Zen is a middle path between Buddha and Lao Tzu. It is a culmination, a transcedence, both of the indian genius and Chinese genius. It is merged in such a fashion that it is not possible to seperate them both, it is not possible to say one from the other. So Zen is neither Buddhist nor Taoist and yet both.

First, Zen is not a theology, it is a religion. All other religion's around the world have theologies, all are God-centric, their ultimate goal is God. In case of Zen, it is man-centric, man is the goal, man is the end. God is something hidden within man. Zen says that God is not extrinsic to religion, it is intrinsic. It is not there, it is here. In fact there is "no" there for Zen, all is here. There is no other space, no other time, This moment is all. In this moment the whole existence
converges, in this moment all is available. If u cannot see it, doesn't mean it is not available - it simply means you don't have the vision to see it. God has not to be searched for, you have to only open your eyes.

According to Zen, there is no God sitting somewhere in heavens and controlling life and existence. There is no controller. Life is moving in harmony and in its own accord. Man is responsible for himself and the world he lives in. If there is suffering, you are responsible; there is nobody else to look to. You cannot throw your responsibility. If the world is ugly and in pain, we are responsible for it, there is nobody else. You have to take hold of your life, you have to
take the reins in your own hands. You have to be more alert and more aware because for whatsoever is going to happen, you will be responsible. This gives great responsibility. One learns to become more watchful.

Zen says there is no beyond, the beyond is within you, there is no beyond beyond you. So the question is not to raise your eyes and pray - but meditate. You have to become quiet and silent and go withinward to find your center. That very center is the center of existence too. When u have come to your innermost core you have come to the innermost core of existence itself. That's what is God in Zen. Zen says everything is divine, so how can anything be special ? All is special, Nothing is non special, so nothing can be special ;). According to Zen, everything is holy, Zen bringes holiness to ordinary life. Zen is non-conceptual, non intellectual. It is the only religion in the world that preaches immediacy, moment to moment immediacy - to be present in the moment; no past, no future.

Zen says: Be empty. Look without any ideas. Look into the nature of things, but with no idea, with no prejudice, with no presupposition. Don't be preoccupied. If you have an idea, there is a possibility that u will find it in reality - because mind is very creative. If you want something badly you will see that thing, but that thing will be only your imagination. Zen says drop all your imagination, Unburden yourself. So Zen is simple, and yet very difficult. Simple because as far as Zen is concerned - it is the most simple thing, the most spontaneous - but because our mind is cluttered with so many ideas - it becomes difficult.

The second fundamental: Zen is not a philosphy it is a poetry. It does not propose, it persuades. It doesnot argue, it simply sings its own song. It is aesthetic to the very core, it is not ascetic. Zen is concerned with the beauty. Zen seaker looks into reality to find the beautiful, in the songs of the birds, in the trees, in the dance of the peacock, in the clouds, in the lightning, in the sea, in the sands. It tries to look for the beautiful. Hence Zen is passive - that's why in Zen sitting
became one of the most important meditation. Just sitting - zazen. Zen says that if you simply sit doing nothing, things will happen. Things will happen on their own; you need not go after them, you need not seek them, you need not search them. They will come. You simply sit. If you can sit silently, if you can fall into tremendous restfulness, if you can relax yourself, if you can drop all tensions and become a silent pool of energy, going nowhere, searching nothing, God starts pouring into you. From everywhere God rushes towards you. Just sitting, doing nothing, the spring comes and grass grows itself. And when Zen says just sitting, it means just sitting, nothing else, not even a mantra. If you are repeating a mantra you are not just sitting, you are again going into a cycle, again into some mind thing. If you are not doing anything whatsoever,
Thoughts are coming, coming; they are going, going - if they come, good; if they don't come, good. You are not concerned with what is happening, you are just simply sitting there. If you feel tired, you lie down. If you feel your legs getting tense, youspread them. You remain natural, not even watching, not making any effort of any kind. Just sit.....

The third fundamental: Zen is not science but magic. Not magic of magicians, it is a magic as a way to look into life. Science tires to discover, tries to reveal the mystery. Zen tries to retain the mystery. Zen believes that they mystery of life is not to be solved, it cannot be solved, it has to be lived. One has to move into it, cherish it, relish it and live it. Life has to be celebrated. Zen is the magic, it gives the key to open the miraculous and that miraculous is in you and the key is also in you.

And the last fundamental: Zen is not morality, it is aesthetics. It does not impose any code of morality; it does not give you any commandments. It simply makes you more sensitive towards the beautiful and that very sensitivity becomes your morality. It arises out of you, out of your consciousness. Zen does not give you any conscience as against your consciousness;
it gives you more consciousness and your consciousness becomes your conscience. It comes from your innermost core. And when it comes from there, it is not that you are doing it as a duty, reluctantly. You enjoy doing it. It becomes your love.

Why did i read about Rumi - An Arjuna Question

2005-09-21T21:57:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not Arjuna, I was planning to write about why/how i started to read about Rumi ? Rumi has always sort of fascinated me. Go to any small hippie kind of shop u will always find a copy of Rumi's love poems. I would always pick it up, read two or three poems and would think - I should read about this guy - he seems to write some real good love poems. All assumed that this love was between a guy and a girl. I guess everyone who picks up Rumi will think the same. Then one fine day as u know i am into reading about different philosphies and different personalities - I decided to learn more about him and here I am :)

He is one of the most amazing person i have read till now - his idealogy is similar to Advaita. He belives in total anhilation - meaning merging with the lord. Hence is death is called his wedding night. But what fascinates me is his poems. Just read them and there is so much that u can relate too.

Rumi - The Sufi Saint - II

2005-09-17T11:35:00.000-07:00

Naturally this friendship evoked jealousy in the community. They distrusted Shams and resented his diverting their teacher from his teaching. They forced Sams away to Damascus, but Rumi called him back. Finally, it seems, some of Rumi's students - probably including one of his sons, Allaedin - Killed Shams and hid the body. In his grief Rumi began circling a pole in his garden and speaking the poetry that has come to be regarded as the most intimate record we have of the search for divine companionship. His turning is, of course, the origin of the moving meditation of the melevi dervishes. It is an emblem. simulatenously of discipline and abandon of surrender. Rumi's ecstasy begain in grief.

He spoke his poems. They were written down by the scribes, and later revisions were made by Rumi on the page, but for the most part his poetry can be considered spontaneous improvisation. Rumi wandered for a time in search of Shams, until he realized in Damascus one day, that he need not search any longer. He felt and knew, that Shams existed in the Friendship, and that he was that. The poetry come from there. All of the poems in Divan-i-Shams-i-Tabrizi (The works of Shams of Tabriz) are about the inner conversation of their Friendship.

The poems in the Divan are ghazals(odes), which are composed of a series of independent couplets and sometimes run as short as eight lines, sometimes longer. The form makes irrational, intutive leaps from image to image and thought to thought. This agility makes it an appropriate vehicle for Rumi's passionate longing.

For the last twelve years of his life Rumi wrote one long continous poem, the "Masnavi", the sixty-four thousand line of poetry divided into six books. It has no parallel in world literature. It surges like an ocean around many subjects. It is self-interrupting, visionary, sometimes humorous comentary on the health of soul and on Quranic passages; it is full of folktales, jokes and remarks to people physically present as the poems were being composed. Readers of Masnavi may dive in anywhere and swim aroung. It is a flow whose refrain is the ecstatic exclamation.

Rumi died at sunset on December 17, 1273. His tomb in Konya is still visited by thousands each month. It is said that representatives from all major religions attended his funeral. They saw Rumi and his poetry as a way of deepening their own faith. He is often called Melvana or Maulana meaning "Master" or "Lord". Every year on december 17, the anniversary of his death is celebrated around the world as the night of his union with the divine. It is called his "urs", or wedding night.

Rumi - A Sufi Saint - Part 1

2005-09-14T12:15:00.000-07:00

Thirteenth Century - a time of brilliant mystical awareness, when the lives of the three of the world's great lovers of God's presence in humanity and in existence itself overlapped : Francis of Assisi(1182-1226), Jelaluddin Rumi (1207-73) and Meister Eckhart(1206-1328). They were all magnificently surrendered souls and wonderful creators with language.

Rumi was born near the city of Balkh(Afghanistan) on September 30, 1207. He was a descendent of a long line of Islamic jurist, theologians and mystics. It is said that when a teacher and a poet Fariduddin Attar saw the teenage Rumi with his father, he said " Here comes the sea, followed by an ocean"

Rumi's family settled in konya after escaping the approaching Moghul army, where in he resumed the role as the head of dervish learning community after his father expired. Rumi assumed the position, directing the study of theology, poetry, music and other subjects and practices related to growth of soul. Rumi gained a wide reputation as a devout scholar and his school numbered over 10000 students.

Rumi's life took a turn in October 1244 with the meeting of Shams of Tabriz. It was to become the central and turning point of his life. Shams was a fierce God-man. Sufi stories tell of his wandering in search of a friend, someone who would endure the rigors and depth of his presence. Shams would alternate between periods of ecstatic soul trance and days of physical labor as a mason. Shams had one continous internal question " Is there no friend for me ?"
Finally a voice came " What will u give ?"
"My head"
"Your friend is Jelaluddin of Konya"

There are several version of their meeting - one says Rumi was teaching by a fountain in a small square, reading from his father's spirtual diary Ma'arif. Shams cut through the crowd and pushed that book and others off the ledge into the water.

"Who are u and what are u doing" Rumi asked
"You must now live what you have been reading about"
Rumi turned to the volumes on the bottom " We can retrieve them" said Shams " They will be dry as they were"
Shams lifted one of them out to show him. Dry.

"Leave them" said Rumi

With that relinquishment Rumi's deep life began and the poetry. He said " What I had thought of before as God I met today in a human". His time as a theological scholar ended too. He and Shams spent months together in retreat. Their mystical conversation(sohbet) and mysterious Friendship unfolded......

----- More to come folks - -----------

From the book " The Soul of Rumi" by Coleman Barks. Rumi is one of the most read poets in America.

Reading Sanskrit Improves Brain Functioning - The MUM Review, 6.Feb. 2002, by Brynne Sissom

2005-09-07T18:13:00.000-07:00

The physiological effects of reading Sanskrit are similar to those experienced during the Transcendental Meditation® technique, according to research recently completed by Dr. Fred Travis, director of the ERG/psychophysiology lab of Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa, USA.

Dr. Travis asked his test subjects to read passages from the Bhagavad-Gita in Sanskrit and in modern foreign languages (Spanish, French, or German). In each case they could pronounce the sounds but did not know the meaning. He measured brain wave patterns (ERG), heart and breath rate, and galvanic skin resistance during two reading sessions and during a 15-minute session of the Transcendental Meditation technique.

He found that while they read Sanskrit their physiology was similar to those measured during the Transcendental Meditation technique, but significantly different from reading a modern language.

Their skin resistance steadily increased during reading Sanskrit and during practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique (showing greater stability in their physiology) but remained the same during the reading of a modern language.

Their ERG alpha power and coherence during reading Sanskrit were also similar to that during the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique, and both of these were higher than when the subjects read a modern language

Dr. Travis said that these findings support Maharishi's predictions on the effects of reading Sanskrit. Maharishi, in Vedic Knowledge for Everyone, predicted that reading the Vedic Literature as it flows and progresses in perfect sequential order has the effect of regulating and balancing the functioning of the brain physiology and training consciousness, the mind, to always flow in perfect accordance with the evolutionary direction of Natural Law.

Dr. Travis found the similarity of physiology during reading Sanskrit and the Transcendental Meditation technique is especially noteworthy because one reads with his or her eyes open and engages in active perceptual and cognitive processes, while the Transcendental Meditation technique is done with one's eyes closed and entails a reduction of mental activity. This suggests that the state gained during the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique may be integrated with active mental processes by reading Sanskrit.

Dr. Travis said, "The Transcendental Meditation technique takes the awareness to pure consciousness at the source of thought. Seeing similar patterns of physiology during reading Sanskrit as during the Transcendental Meditation technique suggests that reading Sanskrit enlivens pure consciousness at the source of thought and integrates that state with reading and speaking. In short, while practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique locates pure consciousness, leading to the state of Transcendental Consciousness, reading Sanskrit integrates inner silence with outer activity, helping to cultivate enlightenment."

Out for a long time

2005-08-29T18:06:00.000-07:00

Sorry folks, I have been out for so long. Had a bad fever and still recovering from it.
My next blog is going to be based on Rumi. Some of his love songs. Hey Arjuna you can use these songs for those beautiful girls that u love :)

"One day You will take my heart completely and make it more fiery than a dragon.
Your eyelashes will write on my heart the poem that could never come from the pen of a poet"

"Like a thief reason sneaked in and sat amongst the lovers eager to give them advice. They were unwilling to listen, so reason kissed their feet and went on its way. " - Wow :)

"From the heart of the lovers, blood flows like a vast river. Our body is the windmill and love, the water. Without water the mill cannot turn"

The True History Behind "Jana Gana Mana"

2005-08-22T16:10:00.000-07:00

"The Bengali poet Babu Rabindranath Tagore sang a song composed by him specially to welcome the Emperor." (Statesman, Dec.28, 1911)

"The proceedings began with the singing by Babu Rabindranath Tagore of a song specially composed by him in honour of the Emperor." (Englishman, Dec.28).

"When the proceedings of the Indian National Congress began on Wednesday 27th December 1911, a Bengali song in welcome of the Emperor was sung. A resolution welcoming the Emperor and Empress was also adopted unanomously." (Indian, Dec. 29, 1911)

Is this true, Many leaders during those time believed that it was composed for the King, and some great people started an email thread stating the same. Naturally it created a wave among young indians that our national anthem was really just a song in praise of the emperor.
Some time ago, i read about it and had sent a personal email to all my friends countering this falsified thread. Just two days ago, someone bought this topic again, and I was like comeon people find out and then talk, don't just jump to conclusion.

These are the few things that i found about the origin of the song - Read it and then read the song u will understand the significance of each line

"The National Congress people asked Tagore for a poem of welcome. He tried to write it, but could not. He got up very early in the morning an wrote a very beautiful poem, not one of his best, but still beautiful. When he came down, he said to one of us, 'Here is a poem which I have written. It is addressed to God, but give it to Congress people. It will please them. They will think it is addressed to the King.' All Tagore's own followers knew it meant God, but others did not." (The Indian Express, June 3, 1968)

The Calcutta Congress session began on December 26, 1911. The proceedings on the first day began with Vandemataram. The second day was entirely devoted to things connected with the welcoming of King George V, and this day the song Janaganamana was sung, and at the closing ceremony Rajbhuja Dutt Choudhary's

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Tagore's own statement about this, showing this allegation to be myth:
In a letter to Pulin Behari Sen, Tagore later wrote, "A certain high official in His Majesty's service, who was also my friend, had requested that I write a song of felicitation towards the Emperor. The request simply amazed me. It caused a great stir in my heart. In response to that great mental turmoil, I pronounced the victory in Jana Gana Mana of that Bhagya Vidhata [ed. God of Destiny] of India who has from age after age held steadfast the reins of India's chariot through rise and fall, through the straight path and the curved. That Lord of Destiny, that Reader of the Collective Mind of India, that Perennial Guide, could never be George V, George VI, or any other George. Even my official friend understood this about the song. After all, even if his admiration for the crown was excessive, he was not lacking in simple common sense."

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Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka,
jaya heBharata-bhagya-vidhata.
Punjab-Sindh-Gujarat-Maratha
Dravida-Utkala-Banga
Vindhya-Himachala-Yamuna-Ganga
Uchchala-Jaladhi-taranga.
Tava shubha name jage,
Tava shubha asisa mage,
Gahe tava jaya gatha,
Jana-gana-mangala-dayaka jaya he
Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.
Jaya he, Jaya he,
Jaya he,
Jaya jaya jaya,
jaya he!

Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people,
dispenser of India's destiny.
Thy name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat and Maratha,
of the Dravida and the Orissa (Utkalla) and Bengal;
It echoes in the hills of the Vindyas and Himalayas,
mingles in the music of Jamuna and Ganga
and is chanted by the waves of the Indian Sea.
They pray for thy blessings and sing thy praise.
The saving of all people waits in thy hand,
thou dispenser of India's destiny.
Victory, victory, victory to thee.

Oh my fellow Indians, Please see to that the name of the great Poet is not tarnished. For some
reason (my personal observation) we just seem to jump on the very first oppurtunity to defame our country and our people. Out here in US it seems more - A group of indians see another group and the first statement - dekh desis kade hain(look there is a group of indians - and the way it is told is with a sort of ridicule and contempt - how come this group of people are here) - Not everyone does it - but a lot of people do it.

We need to learn to respect ourself, our country and our people. Jai Hind

Touch Wood

2005-08-19T11:20:00.000-07:00

Many of us must have used this expression, do we know its origin ? So i decided (one more of my knowledge quests) to find out. Here is some of the little tidbits that i found.

Def: To touch wood or knock on wood is a superstition action to ward off any evil consequences or bad luck, perhaps because of some recent action you’ve taken or untimely boasting about your good fortune.

The custom is thought to originate from Pagan times when trees were held in high esteem. People believed that 'wood spirits' inhabited the trees and woodlands. To touch a tree with respect is thought to indicate that the person was in search of protection from the particular wood spirit.
It is thought also that the action may be a result of the Christian belief in The Crucifixion. Christ was crucified on a cross made of wood and hence touching wood may now be a sign of this belief, and a sign of deep compassion and reverence for Christ's resurrection. This would of course have no connection with the Pagan reasoning, but perhaps the action may be seen as result of two distinctive belief systems.
Pre-Christian rituals involving the spirits of sacred trees such as the oak, ash, holly or hawthorn.
An old Irish belief that you should knock on wood to let the little people know that you are thanking them for a bit of good luck.
There’s also a belief that the knocking sound prevents the Devil from hearing your unwise comments.

The phrase itself is relatively modern, as the oldest citation for the British version of the phrase, touch wood, that I can find dates only from 1899. The American equivalent knock on wood is roughly contemporary, with my first example from 1905. One Dutch tradition that is said to still be practised is the touching of the underside of a wooden table when such a thought is muttered, perhaps to divert the attention of the evil eye and negative influences.

Kabir - Another Weaver of Ideas & Philosphy

2005-08-14T12:31:00.000-07:00

Kabir is one saint, I truly wish to follow. His ideas are simple, revolutionary(at the time he said and even now), and easy to implement. My search in understanding his philosphy is still on. This blog is a small introduction to him.

Kabir was born in India in 1398 AD. He lived for 120 years. According to one of the legends, he was of a virgin birth. It is said that his mother becomes pregnant after visiting a Hindu shrine. Upon delivery the child is given up for adoption. Kabir was raised among a Muslim community of weavers. He was never formally educated and was almost completely illiterate. According to legend, the only word that he ever learned how to write was "Rama".

The basic religious principles he espouses are simple. According to Kabir, all life is an interplay of two spiritual principles. One is the personal soul (Jivatma) and the other is God (Paramatma). It is Kabir's view that salvation is the process of bringing into union these two divine principles.

The social and practical manifestation of Kabir's philosophy has rung through the ages. It represented a synthesis of Hindu, and Muslim concepts. From Hinduism he accepts the concept of reincarnation and the law of Karma. From Islam he takes the affirmation of the single god and the rejection of caste system and idolatry. Not only has Kabir influenced Muslims and Hindus but he is one of the major inspirations behind Sikhism as well. The Holy Guru Granth Sahib contains over 500 verses by Kabir. The Sikh community and others who follow the Holy Granth, hold Kabir in the same reverence as the other ten Gurus.

Kabir openly criticized all sects and gave a new direction to the Indian philosophy. This is due to his straight forward approach that has a universal appeal. It is for this reason that Kabir is held in high esteem all over the world.

The hall mark of Kabir's poetry is that he conveys in his two line poems (Doha), what others may not be able to do in many pages.Another beauty of Kabir's poetry is that he picks up situations that surround our daily lives. Thus, even today, Kabir's poetry is relevant and helpful in guiding and regulating our lives, in both social and spiritual context.

Some of the his poems -

Moko Kahan Dhundhere Bande, Mein To Tere Paas Mein,
Na Teerath Mein, Na Moorat Mein,
Na Ekant Niwas Mein, Na Mandir Mein,
Na Masjid Mein, Na Kabe Kailas Mein,
Mein To Tere Paas Mein Bande Mein To Tere Paas Mein,
Na Mein Jap Mein, Na Mein Tap Mein, Na Mein Barat Upaas Mein,
Na Mein Kiriya Karm Mein Rehta, Nahin Jog Sanyas Mein,
Nahin Pran Mein, Nahin Pind Mein,
Na Brahmand Akas Mein, Na Mein Prakuti Prawar Gufa Mein,
Nahin Swasan Ki Swans Mein,
Khoji Hoye Turat Mil Jaoon Ik Pal Ki Talas Mein,
Kahet Kabir Suno Bhai Sadho Mein To Hun Viswas Mein

Translation
Where do you search me? I am with you
Not in pilgrimage, nor in icons, Neither in solitudes, Not in temples,
nor in mosques, Neither in Kaba nor in Kailash,
I am with you o man I am with you,
Not in prayers, nor in meditation, Neither in fasting, Not in yogic exercises, Neither in renunciation, Neither in the vital force nor in the body,
Not even in the ethereal space, Neither in the womb of Nature,
Not in the breath of the breath,
Seek earnestly and discover In but a moment of search,
Says Kabir, Listen with care Where your faith is, I am there.

Dohas
This one most of u out there must have heard - For my fellow procastinators ;)
Kaal Kare So Aaj Kar, Aaj Kare So Ub
Pal Mein Pralaya Hoyegi, Bahuri Karoge Kub

Do Tomorrow's work today, today's work now
if the moment is lost, when will u complete the work

For my friend Arjuna, the concept of Advaita by Kabir
Jab Mein Tha Tab Hari Nahin‚ Jab Hari Hai Mein Nahin
Sab Andhiyara Mit Gaya‚ Jab Deepak Dekhya Mahin

When "I" was then Hari was not, Now Hari "is" and "I" am not
All the darkness (illusions) mitigated, When I saw the light (illumination) within

For all us fault finders
Bura Jo Dekhan Main Chala, Bura Naa Milya Koye,
Jo Munn Khoja Apnaa, To Mujhse Bura Naa Koye

I searched for the evil in the world, didn't find a single one,
When searched within myself, I found out that none were more evil than me

An attitude that we need to develop - Nothing wrong in asking for yourself, but do remember others too
Sayeen Itna Deejiye, Ja Mein Kutumb Samaye
Main Bhi Bhookha Na Rahun, Sadhu Na Bhookha Jaye

Give so much O God, suffice to envelop my clan
I should not suffer cravings, nor the visitor goes unfed

Major Extracts from http://www.boloji.com/kabir/ - One of the best sites on Kabir,
Do make it a point to read more dohas from this site

Jerk-O-Meter - One scary device

2005-08-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

Imagine that a phone can check the way you talk and tell u to behave - only my sister or mother do it - now phones are also going to start doing that - No thanks to MIT ;)

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are developing software that measures how interested a phone caller is in your conversation.
The Jerk-O-Meter analyses speech patterns and tonal changes to measure on a scale of one to 100 how engaged the subject is about the call.
If it detects that the recipient is losing interest in the call it flashes up messages like 'Don't be a jerk!' or 'Be a little nicer now'.
"The Jerk-O-Meter is a real-time speech feature analysis application that runs on your VoIP phone or cellphone that remedies precisely that experience," said a spokesman for the Human Dynamics Group at MIT Media Lab.
"It uses speech features for activity and stress (and soon empathy) to measure if you are 'being a jerk' on the phone.
"The phone displays messages in case you are, and can be set up to inform the person on the other end of the line that you're extremely busy."
The final code should be ready next year and the first applications will probably be in the telesales industry.
The MIT Media Lab's other projects include mathematical modelling of conversations during speed dating to improve the chances of getting a date, and cinema audience monitoring tools that can gauge reactions to a film.

Who was Mangal Pandey ?

2005-08-13T13:32:00.000-07:00

Since this weekend, the hype is over the latest Amir Khan Movie - Mangal Pandey. I decided to gather information about the first freedom fighter. Was he really a freedom fighter, Did he start the mutiny ? What was his real role ? Gathered from various souces - the major being the Extracts from a book by Rudrangshu Mukherjee - got from Indian Express .

This blog is a faithful reproduction of different articles - None written by me :)
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Shree Mangal Pandey was born in village Nagwa District Ballia. He was famous for bravery amongst his colleagues.An english scholar "Fisher" has written that Shri Mangal Pandey was having all qualities of a good soldier. He was so brave and capable to embrace his death peacefully.

How he ignited the flame and Why ?
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It could have been any ordinary Sunday in the cantonment of Barrackpore. The month was March, and odd time in terms of the weather in Bengal. It was nearly the end of spring. It was hot but summer was still a few weeks away. In the early morning and after sunset a cool breeze came in from the river...
The sepoy lines in Barrackpore were quiet during the afternoon of 29 March in 1857. Most of the sepoys were lounging around, and the white officers were in their bungalows enjoying their siesta before preparing to go out with their families to attend evensong. Nobody anticipated that the serenity was about to be disrupted and history about to be made.
In the late afternoon, a sepoy of the 34th Native Infantry, wearing his regimental jacket but in a dhoti instead of the regulation trousers, appeared before the quarter-guard. It was obvious that he was greatly agitated. He had with him a loaded musket and his talwar. He belonged to the 5th Company and his name was Mangal Pandey. He strode around in the quarter-guard, shouting to his comrades. He asked the bugler to sound the assembly and yelled at his comrades to join him: “Come out, the Europeans are here! Why aren’t you getting ready? It’s for our religion! From biting these cartridges we shall become infidels. Get ready! Turn out, all of you! You have incited me to do this and now you ***, you will not follow me!” This kind of open insolence was not common among sepoys, and a naik quickly carried the report of Mangal Pandey’s disorderly conduct to Sergeant-Major James Hewson. The naik, in his report to his white superior officer, added that Mangal Pandey was under the influence of bhang.
In a few minutes, Hewson was dressed and was at the parade ground. He summoned the jemadar of the company and demanded to know why the sepoy had not been arrested. The jemadar explained his helplessness, “What can I do?” he said. “The naik has gone to the adjutant. The havildar is gone to the field officer. Am I to take him myself?” Hewson ordered him to fall in his guard with loaded weapons. Hewson later recalled that some of the men grumbled and that the jemadar did not insist on the men falling in or loading. As the sergeant-major approached Mangal Pandey, the latter took aim and fired. The ball missed Hewson who took shelter behind the bell-of-arms (a bell-shaped building where weapons were stored). A couple of sepoys tried to persuade Mangal Pandey to surrender his weapons. By this time, the adjutant, Lieutenant Baugh, had arrived on horseback. The incident was now poised to take an even more dramatic turn.
Baugh galloped into the quarter-guard shouting, “Where is he? Where is he?” He was warned by Hewson, “To your left! Ride to the right, Sir, for your life. The sepoy will fire at you!” Mangal Pandey did exactly that and hit Baugh’s horse, which collapsed. Baugh extricated himself, drew one of his pistols from the saddle holster and ran towards Mangal Pandey who was reloading his musket. Baugh fired from around 20 yards and missed. He then drew his sword and rushed towards the sepoy. According to Baugh’s recollection, he had proceeded about halfway when Mangal Pandey drew his talwar. Baugh looked back to see where his horse was as he wanted to get his other pistol but the animal had wandered off. He decided to engage the sepoy and he was joined by Hewson, sword in hand...
Baugh, in his turn, had received a cut on his left hand, which disabled it. He had another deep cut on his neck and a gash on the back of his head from a musket butt. More serious harm to Baugh and Hewson was prevented by Sheikh Paltu, a Muslim sepoy, who held Mangal Pandey by his waist while the British officers escaped from what could have been their deaths. The saviour of Baugh and Hewson released Mangal Pandey only when members of the quarter-guard threatened to shoot him if he did not let go of Mangal Pandey.
The commanding officer of the 34th Native Infantry, Steven Wheler, now appeared in the parade-ground. He ordered the jemadar to arrest the defiant sepoy. The jemadar replied, “The men won’t go.” Wheler repeated the order twice and the jemadar told his men to advance. They proceeded a few pace, stopped and refused to go any further. Wheler realised the futility of trying to enforce his order...
By now the news of the commotion in the parade ground had reached Major-General John Hearsey who commanded the Presidency Division. The General asked why the sepoy had not been arrested and he was told that the guard would not take orders... Hearsey then rode up to the quarter-guard. He pointed his pistol at the jemadar and said, “The first man who refuses to march when I give the word is a dead man. Quick march!” He then went towards Mangal Pandey; the guard followed while his sons covered the jemadar with their pistols. It was now Mangal Pandey’s turn to act. This is what he did, in the words of Hearsey:
“It appeared the mutineer had suddenly altered his mind, I suppose seeing there was no chance of escape... He turned the musket muzzle towards his own breast hurriedly, touching the trigger with his toe. The muzzle must have swerved, for the bullet made a deep graze, ripping up the muscles of the chest, shoulder and neck, and he fell prostrate; we were on him at once. The guard calling out — ‘He has shot himself.’ A Sikh sepoy of the guard took his bloody tulwar from under him, for in falling he partly covered his sword with his body. His regimental jacket and clothes were on fire and smoking. I bid the jemadar and the sepoy to put the fire out, which they did... Dr Hutchinson being present, it was soon ascertained that the wound, though severe, was superficial, and the man was conveyed to the hospital.”
One could say that as Mangal Pandey left the parade ground for the hospital, he moved away from history into myth. He did not die of his wounds. He was tried. the verdict was a foregone conclusion. He was hanged a few days later, on April 8. His actions created a name for the mutinous sepoys of 1857: the British officers called them Pandies.

And the questions quoted by the author
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One incident on a fateful Sunday in March. Was it linked to what was to happen in north India in the summer of the same year? Who was Mangal Pandey and why did he act the way he did? What were the cartridges that he had spoken about? Why did he say he was acting for ‘our religion’?
Even one hundred and forty-eight years after the event and after a considerable amount of research on the subject, we have little or no precise knowledge about Mangal Pandey. There is a name
and there is an action. There is no record about where he came from. Who were his parents? Was he married? When was he recruited and by whom? Answers to all these questions are unknown and speculative. Mangal Pandey has no curriculum vitae to put up to the
board of history. He could have preserved this anonymity, like innumerable other sepoys, had he not shot at his superior officers in Barrackpore. His was an unexpected intrusion into history.

Plan to make License Plate Chipped

2005-08-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

Plan in on move to create high tech license place a.k.a adding a chip to your license plate with all your registeration information, so that one is able to read this information using radio frequency identification, or RFID, tags to make vehicles electronically trackable. Presently this system is being tried out in Britian but US is keeping a close watch on the proceedings as they are keen to use this technology.

Imagine first we had cameras - now this - Cops don't even have to get down - all they have to do is get your information and in comes the letter - Boss u were speeding or u just broke the lights ;)

If only we can use this concept in India plus not give the power of giving tickets to cops - we can abolish corruption, I know [not critizing our people] any corrupt person will find a way but still it can be a great tool to use.

Definately there are pros and cons -- Read more about it
http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,68429,00.html?tw=rss.TOP

Thiruvalluvar

2005-08-08T00:10:00.000-07:00

Who exactly is Thiruvalluvar ? Coming from Mumbai, my knowledge of Thiruvalluvar is just that he was a great saint, his teachings are seen on some of the buses in Chennai, there is a bus running by his name and he is seen at the start of every Balachander movie. I know, people are going to jump up and say what kind of tamil guy is he - but come on I have no other way of knowing until unless i start reasearching on my own. And that i did. The reason I started researching was, while talking to one of my friends about Thiruvalluvar, he said that the picture that u see of him is just somebody's imagination - nobody really knows how he looks, who he was, from what era he was, which religion he belonged. All they know is about his teachings.

These are many things that i read about him on the web. Some said that he was a weaver by profession, some said that he was a king - similar to Gautam Buddha, some said that he was from a Brahmin descent, some said he was a poet. But the best description was - The 'Tiru' part of his name is an honorific given to him as a mark of respect. 'Valluvar' is perhaps a respectful form of 'Valluvan', which indicates 'weaver' or 'town crier'.

Best description that i found was from this website - http://www.teosofia.com/Mumbai/7508tirukkural.html - Just some tidbits

Known as Thiruvalluva-nayanar (literally, "the sacred devotee"). It is said that he was a weaver by profession and that he belonged to the Valluva caste, whose profession it was in the ancient days to announce the commands of kings by beating of drums. He was born in Madura and lived in Mylapore, a suburb of what is known today as Chennai. The period in which this universal bard of Mylapore lived, is controversial. It is, however, generally accepted as between the first century B.C. and second century A.D., or roughly 2000 years ago. Some say that Valluvar was a Jain. It is true that he has used several of the Jain technical terms. However, we are quite warranted in imagining Valluvar as a true cosmopolitan and friend of all religions, the thoughtful poet, the eclectic, to whom the teachings of the Jains were as familiar as those of the Hindus. He seems to be one who was not hindered by any caste prejudices from familiar intercourse with foreigners and whose one thought was to gather knowledge from every source. There is, in fact, no trace in the Kural of many systems, doctrines, and practices, current in South India at different periods, because perhaps, they had been eliminated from the sage's own eclectic system of faith and practice, and also because his work is didactic and not controversial.

"The Tirukkural is the precious gem of universal Ethics. What the Bhagavad-Gita is to the Hindus and the Bible to the Christians, the Kural is to the lovers of Tamil."

"the masterpiece of Tamil literature—one of the highest and purest expressions of human thought. That which above all is wonderful in the Kural is the fact that its author addresses himself, without regard to castes, peoples or beliefs, to the whole community of mankind; the fact that he formulates sovereign morality and absolute reason; that he proclaims in their very essence, in their eternal abstractedness, virtue and truth; that he represents as it were, in one group the highest laws of domestic and social life; that he is equally perfect in thought, in language and in poetry, in the austere metaphysical contemplation of the great mysteries of the Divine Nature, as in the easy and graceful analysis of the tenderest emotions of the heart."

A Question to anyone who reads this blog - How is it that we have such great teachers - We quote these people - and still we don't follow them ? Recently I was listening to Annamacharya songs - wherein he tells that there is no higher caste or lower caste - all are one and the same in the eyes of god - All the brahmin teachers/so called higher caste people sing this song - praise the poet - but still once they come out of the house they differentiate people. Do they ever listen or ????

An Interesting Book

2005-08-05T16:48:00.000-07:00

I guess everyone should have this book - It is a cool collections what you should know about your body - Picked up some parts from the CNN Book review section for people to read

The book, subtitled "Hundreds of Questions You'd Only Ask a Doctor After Your Third Martini," is co-authored by humorist Mark Leyner ("Et Tu, Babe" and "My Cousin, My Gastroenterologist").

Some of the intersting questions in the book --

So, then, why do your teeth chatter when you're cold?
Chattering teeth is one way the body tries to generate heat. When the body gets too cold, the area of the brain called the hypothalamus alerts the rest of the body to begin warming up. Shivering, the rapid muscle movement that generates heat, then begins. Teeth chattering represents localized shivering.

Are toilet seats disease carriers?
As for toilet seat-as-disease carrier, during the course of their research, Goldberg and Leyner found reports of gonorrhea, pinworm and roundworm found on toilet seats -- but catching something from it isn't common. The authors discovered that an office setting might be worse for your health than toilet seats. Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona, found the typical office desk harbors some 400 times more disease-causing bacteria than the average toilet seat.

What causes morning breath?
Goldberg says morning breath results from anaerobic bacteria, the xerostomia (dry mouth) or the volatile sulfur compounds (which are waste products from the bacteria). Other contributing factors to foul oral odor includes medication, alcohol, sugar, smoking, caffeine, and eating dairy products.

Why do beans give you gas?
Beans contain high percentages of sugars that our bodies are unable to digest, Goldberg explains. When the sugars make it to the intestines, bacteria go to work and start producing large amounts of gas.

And the classic why do men have nipples?
While only females have mammary glands, we all start out in a similar way in the embryo, the authors explain. The embryo follows a female template until about six weeks, when the male sex chromosome kicks in. Men, however, have already developed nipples by that time.

Presently Listening...

2005-08-03T18:45:00.000-07:00

Two completely different type of songs:

Kandu Kandu from the Malayalam movie Mampazhakkalam - Recommended by Arjun(www.naan-yaar.blogspot.com). Song + its imagination(Listen to this song and imagine a pretty girl dancing bharathanatyam in slow motion near a temple pond with lotuses floating in the water that is green in color). Such a soft and melodius song - wow it takes your breath away. And I don't understand a single word of Malyalam - so u can understand how good the song should be.

Zaherili Raatein - Hindi movie - Chocolate. Complete techno kind of music, listen to the song when u drive in the night - Inky black sky - complete darkness around you - pin drop silence, and atleast one love failure ;) [if one doesn't have one it is because either they didn't try or they are extremely lucky - an altogether different discussion :)]. Then u will enjoy this song - in all other situations u may not enjoy it to that extent. The rhythm, the beats, the pain everything will merge with you.

"Dard badtha hai chuthe hi, itne chotein,
Ab tho halat bi hai aisi, meri sineki,
Zaherili raatein ninde udjathi hain,
bhoolon tujhe tho, yaad tu aati hai"

One Blog every Second

2005-08-02T09:50:00.000-07:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4737671.stm

Ohio Election vs Bihar Election

2005-08-01T23:34:00.000-07:00

This is according to Harper Magazine's Mark Crispin Miller. No claims to say that I believe what he says, but after History Channel this is the second person who seems to say that this election was rigged big time. What i found interesting was they drew inspiration from our very own Bihar - for people who may find it offensive - I can say Great Minds think alike ;)

Some of the points that i found interesting - For the complete article please read it from Harper's latest Magazine

1. Before the day of election - 59 daily newspaper endorsed Kerry or no one - this is including the Financial times and The Economist. All these newspapers during the last election had backed Bush. 26 State exit polls predicted wins for Kerry, a statistical failure so colossal and unprecedented that the odds against it happening A/c to National Election Data Archive Project were 16.5 million to 1.

Since Ohio was the deciding state this time - Major electoral games (ahem frauds) are listed here
2. One of the key players - Kenneth Blackwell - Secretary of State Ohio - co-chair of Bush-Cheney campaign in Ohio. According to New York times, new registerations rose to 25 % in Ohio's Republican Precent and 250% in Democratic Precent. At Kenyon college which is predominantly Democratic area - there were only 2 machines for 1300 would be voters - people had to stay in line for hours and finally got tired and left the place. In contrast, at nearby Mt Vernon which you must have got it by now a predominantly Republican area, there were ample of waiting machines and no lines. Not that there was a shortage of machines, as in the nearby storage facility 125 machines collected dust.
3. Analysis had shown that the county needed minimum of 5000 machines, but the election officials decided that they could make ado with 2866 machines ????
4. Another cool thing that the State seceratry tried to pull off - he tried to reject all Ohio voters registerations forms which were not printed on white, uncoated paper of less than 80 lb test weight. Naturally under public pressure he had to withdraw that rule ;)
5.Tried to dienfrachise voters through a process called caging - basically question the right of voters who were homeless, serving abroad or simply because they did not sign anything that was concerning Republican Party.
6. Issued directives to not let Media cover the election by saying that they would be "loitering" around voting areas. Media officials were supposed to be atleast 100 feet away from the polling areas. Foriegn monitors who were there to study the election process were also banned from the voting area for the same reason. In 11 other states they were allowed to watch with no problems
7.Major counting errors , One reported by washington post in Ohio's Mahoning county - 25 electronic machines transferred an unknown number of kerry votes to Bush column - but did not ask why. In Perry county number of Bush votes exceeded registered voters as high as 124%. Youngstown reported 25 million negative votes - to make up the difference ;)
8. Dirty tricks on election day -
- Voters were falsely told that their polling place had changed. By phone or by door hangers
- Phone calls instructing that they were not supposed to cast votes until the next day
- Special volunteers came up to deliver completed absentee votes
- At several polling places, election personnel or hired goons "challenged" voters - to produce
documents confirming their eligibility to vote

And so much more -- And we complain about Bihar ; )

Any Comments people

Roja

2005-08-01T00:03:00.000-07:00

After a long time, watched Roja today. Everyone when they think about this movie, talk about Mani Ratnam's direction or A R Rahman's music. Yes I wanted to see this movie too for Mani Sir's direction. But there was one scence that struck me. When Nazer walks into Roja's room and tells her that he is very happy today that the goverment has agreed to release the terrorist in return for her husband's release. He tells her she will be happy as she will get her husband back, the ministers will be happy that they have got their scientist back, he is happy that this years of efforts are wasted, he is happy that those 23 military men who died catching the terrorist - their lives are wasted. He is happy for all of that.

I am sure that 99% of the people must have still sympathized with Roja, her plight, her frusteration - rarely someone must have thought about the others. What do we really do in such a situation, naturally no one can determine the cost of a life - is her husband's life important - is the 23 lives not worth anything - Can these two numbers be compared ? Can we say that 23 is bigger than 1 - so we should give 23 more importance ? It may look like I am rambling now. but In reality I am trying to put myself in a place where in I would have to make the decision, And what decision would I take ?

I know what the right decision would be - No Negotiation - If you do it once - u would have to do it again and again. There are people out there who die so that we can sleep in peace. Their efforts should not get wasted. Their life is more important than ours for they choose to protect us. And it is the duty of each one of us to respect it and give more importance to it.

Jai Hind.

The Quiet American by Graham Greene

2005-07-31T00:04:00.000-07:00

Just finished reading the book. This is the first book I have read from the author. I had seen the last scene of the movie and immediately decided to read the book. I have always enjoyed reading than watching. Invariably movie always messes up. As expected the book was a great read. It is about an Old english reporter and his time during the Vietnam War. Before you'll jump to any conclusions, No it is not about Vietnam War and yet poignantly touches about how all the big nations in their attempt to help [or as they claim to] - screwed it up for those simple people. It is a story of a man, his desperation, his sense of morality, the war through his eyes, his attempts to not care and finally to not take any sides.

"I thought you don't take any sides, Mr Fowler"

"Sooner or later" Heng said, and I was reminded of Captain Trouin speaking in the opium House, "one has to take sides. If one is to remain human."

Reading others Blogs

2005-07-30T23:38:00.000-07:00

As i have told before, I am new to blogging. There is this new enthusiasm to write, to let people know whats going on around me and what i feel about it. So whatever I look at I am trying to think what i can write about it. Suddenly I feel a sense of happiness and sadness, happiness because atleast now i am trying to reach out to the world and try to do something different from a regular mundane life And sadness because when i read all the other people's blog, I feel as if there is a lot of emptiness in me, that there is a lot that i should do but still don't do anything.

Life is so short, we need to do something, before that day comes when we tell " Oh I should have done that "

Memories - Nybangal

2005-07-29T21:06:00.000-07:00

My very first blog, so racked my brains to think of a right name, a name that will make people remember the blog. Frankly speaking couldn't think of any. But there was this one thread of thought running through my head - Memories.

Good or Bad - Memories are very important for us - to me it defines who we are and what we are, who we could have been and how we feel about ourself at the present moment.

Let me share with you my very first memory(out of the blue - sitting at my office desk, taking myself back in time - what is that very first thing that i can remember about)

My first house(Telephone colony,Mahim, Mumbai) Age - 3 or 4 years old. A single bed room apartment, no attached bathroom. So as a kid, I used to have bath in a small area in the kitchen.
Good enough for me :)

#2) we didn't have 24 hours water supply, so every evening we had to wait for the muncipalty to start the water supply. I remember that our watchman never being in his senses, so my mother and a bunch of her friends shouting "Barf, ohhh Barf, Paani Shuru karo" Yes his name was Barf(means Ice in Hindi), don't know how he got the name, but quite distinctly remember his name, think about hearing this name every evening till i was 7 0r 8 :)

#3) Sundays - Best day as a kid, Get up in the morning, watch some cartoon shows on Doordarshan, go out and play. In the evening Dad used to take us out to Shivaji park, play in the sand, then have nice pani poori, then a excellent dinner at either Preetam or Nillam Restaurant. This is one of my most beautiful memory.

And there are many more - But this is my first set of memory - the very first things that i can remember.

So people if u want to comment on this blog, please tell your very first memory. Lets make my first blog a memorable one.