The Four Virtues

Life is an endless circle of greed…
Be it for money, knowledge, love or life…
Greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence,
It raises man to the next echelon, it commands evolution!

What is life without lust?
It’s just another name for exaggerated passion,
Passion stirs the soul and instigates hidden desire,
It is the pedestal on which humankind thrives!

Idleness is often bamboozled; it isn’t a sin to be lazy;
Satan finding some mischief still for idle hands to do is obsolete,
Hibernation incites innovation, ingenuity flourishes in laze;
Recline on the flat of your spine and dream to create wonders!

Why is it a sin to be proud?
Pride instills sanguinity, the power to rule the world,
The ecstasy of success is tasted best with a dash of pride;
It confirms the essence of individuality, draws out the hidden beauty;

Greed, Lust, Laze and Pride; The four abandoned virtues,
Acknowledge them to prosper in this commonsensical world!!

The Truth about TRUTH

When was the last time you lied? Just an hour ago, when my friend asked if I was free to go for a walk I politely declined. I told her that I was busy with my project when I was not doing anything even remotely related. Why? Just because I didn’t feel like going and didn’t wanted to tell the real reason!

Truth…Why do we attach an idyllic and superlative tag to this extremely rare phenomenon? The truth is a bully we all pretend to like, isn’t it? Honesty and truth are fine materials for sermons but when we have to actually follow it in real life, we get frightened.

Have you ever told your friend that she looked terrible that day ? Have you ever tried to disapprove your professor’s absurd blabbers? Never…That is because you neither want to hurt your friend nor screw up your term works! Then why despise this wonderful “Lie”.

Are we honest with ourselves? Then why do we wear make-up? Why do we try to project ourselves as ‘beautiful and wonderful’ when we know that we are not? What is the point in creating an illusion when the truth is contemptibly transparent! We try to camouflage our real feelings by the so called social etiquette. We are trained to say ‘Nice to meet you’ and ‘Thank you’ even though we may not like that person. But our body language and facial expression deceives us. We dare not face the truth!

Truth is an extremely strong principle that has the power to transform us, enlighten us. But for a common man like you and me…let’s face the truth…Lie is not that bad either!Don’t snatch away lies, let us live with them!!

Wild Showers!!

The amiable earth drains
To the extent she could bear;
This makes the anxious heaven
Darken with accruing vehemence,
The meek clouds blink spontaneously
Amidst the brimming tears,
And the aqua driblets hits vociferously,
Uplifting the heat-wilted foliage!

As the pelting drops startles life beneath,
The scared lion roars ferociously,
Every time there is thunder clap;
As an attempt to reclaim his imperiled status.

The dear eyes longingly at the graceful doe,
As his heart brims with enigmatic desires.
The soaked monkey tightly perches,
On a secluded branch,
Looks skyward bewilderedly
As if to ask the God
Why this sudden shower?

The snake wriggles indecisively,
Offended by the seeping intrusion.
The only form that doesn’t seem to mind,
Are the mirthful birds that carry the news,
Of the pouring glory across the globe!

The cloud disburdens and the wild spirit gladdens,
What a beautiful sight the nature presents;
As the wild life blends harmoniously,
With the God’s elixir that
Rekindles life in every form!!

To Die Or Not To Die!

Do we have the right to live life in our own terms? Ofcourse, we do! Now that isn’t an issue of dispute. Fundamental rights bestowed upon us entitle us to choose every step we tread…so does that include our choice to die? Euthanasia…should it be legalized? Many countries are in favor of mercy killing…so should India join the foray? Controversies seldom confuse me. Most of the problems are either black or white to me…but this one is mournfully grey.

Imagine this….every time as my ventilators make me breathe, excruciating pain torments every inch of my body. Innumerable tubes cram every orifice in my body. I am incompetent to perform even my basic chores. I have always lived a liberated dignified life and here I am living just for the sake of it. Should I let my inability hurt my dignity just when I am at the threshold of the finish line? Moreover it’s my body, my soul and my choice. Doesn’t it sound pretty logical?

Many argue that euthanasia amounts to suicide. Suicide is a spontaneous, puerile decision to end life as an attempt to escape from an ostensibly crucial issue. While the decision to pull the chord isn’t a hasty one…infact it’s a noble deed to liberate the vehement soul and let it rest in peace. Now is this ethical? Who are we to play God? But then who are we to counter God’s will by mechanically extending couple of tormenting hours in life? Another major impediment is the Hippocratic Oath…One of the clause goes like this…’To please no one will I prescribe a deadly drug nor give advice which may cause his death.’ But then the same oath subsumes another vow ‘to keep the good of the patient as the highest priority’. Euthanasia is in the interest of the patient hence is moral.

Having said that, the optimistic (unrealistic) me refuses to believe that my loved one can actually die. What if there is a miracle? What if my beloved wakes up as if nothing happened? What if ‘The Lord of Mercy’ decides to bestow few more years? These ‘What if’s are countless. Some things in this universe are celestial and incomprehensible. I do believe in miracles. I have seen them happen.

Let me share an incident…One of my close friend’s father suffered from a rare lung ailment ‘primary pulmonary hypertension’. His condition aggravated rapidly and was put under ventilator and showed almost nil progress for ten days. Doctors had given up. But then to their utter surprise, he started responding excellently and was back on his feet in a month. Some years back, he left for his heavenly abode after almost 3 years of normal life. Those three years did matter a lot for the family. His family got together and made the maximum of those 1095 days. This incident reinforced my faith in miracles. What if the family had decided to put him off the ventilator?

Weighing both the sides, I believe it all depends on personal choice. If the chances of survival are nix and the suffering unendurable, I don’t think euthanasia is a bad choice.

The Magic Of Writing

Two weeks and I haven't updated my blog. It's not that I am busy...its just that I don't have anything to write about. And here comes a fudging term to my rescue...Writer’s block…Do you think this phenomenon actually exists or is it just an excuse? Why is that sometimes I stare hard at my computer and still fail to type even a single sentence? But then there are times when words flow out of control and it becomes tricky to stick to the subject. I came across a beautiful excerpt from ‘The Zahir’ by Paulo Coelho that elucidates this unrestrained process…

“Writing is one of the most solitary actions in the world. I sit down in front of the computer, gaze out on the unknown sea of my soul, and see a few islands- ideas that have developed and which are ripe to be exposed. Then I climb into my boat called ‘The Word’ and set out for the nearest island. On the way, I meet strong currents, winds and storms, but keep rowing exhausted knowing that I drifted away from my chosen course and the island I was trying to reach is no longer my horizon”

Brilliant analogy, isn’t it?
I firmly believe that writing is the finest mode of expression. As the ideas, imaginations, beliefs, principles, suggestions and solutions flow through the soul, the words spring to life and transform themselves into a fantastic piece. The creative satisfaction is unparalleled…That’s the magic of literature.

Melodic Recap

Niladri Kumar, the zitar king…He calls it zitar not sitar for the sound produced is zany and zestful! I happened to attend his show at MOOD I (Fusion) and was spell bound. Just an attempt to recapture the moment!

In his psychedelic kurta
And unruffled poise,
With his pride across,
He sat elegantly;
I saw him with skeptic eyes,
As a mysterious smile lit his face

He pluck a string and fret another,
Accelerated the hymn with couple more,
He strummed with an electric pace
And air droned with melodic pleasure;
His unkempt hair swayed in resonance;
He plunked fast, he fret faster,
Every soul boomed with ecstasy,
Every bit throbbed with joy,
Suddenly he stopped,
Ambience mystified.
He called it sound check!


If this was preview
How would be the real show?
Magician, he was
As all sat spell bound
Craving to be under his tuned spell!

'Chat' up your senses!

Have you ever gobbled up the tangy pani-puris , twenty of them at one time? Aahhh…I was lucky to experience the ultimate bliss!! The mini bloomed puris with its cute belly wobbly with piquant-hot water, stuffed with melting potatoes and mashed chick peas, simply teased my taste buds! Mouth-watering, isn’t it? These humble puris added a zing to my otherwise bland life (Thanks to the grueling Cat results ).Bless the soul who invented this amazing chat!

Water, Air and Fire III

Here is the last one...Fire..It's a tribute to someone special!

I know a woman

With the exotic beauty of the firefly, shimmering in light,
Holding a torch to lead me through the darkest night;
Like the salubrious sun that turns the meadows into inflorescence,
She changes my abode into paradise by her angelic presence.


I know a woman

With soul like the moon, fiery passion within yet so quiescent,
She amazes me with her dynamic traits just like the growing crescent;
Her heart glows like a new lit candle flame, steady and bright,
Infusing a sense of tranquility, imparting a shade of celestial white.


I know a woman

Who lovingly sows the seeds of abiding bond, like the holy pyre,
And razes down the malicious souls like the blazing fire;
Cozy warmth to hurting burns, binding good to detaching bad,
She does it all like the dancing flames, happy or sad!

The woman is you….I love you MOM!

Contemplate...

"The tragedy is that there are many walking encyclopedias who are living failures"

This phrase appears in the book 'You Can Win ' by Shiv Khera. Do you agree ? Do you think formal education plays no role in success? Is it only about attitude and experience?Or is it that institutions fail to build character and inculcate the right attitude?

Give this a thought....

When a rose can smile, even with thorns constantly pricking her tenderness,

Why can’t you??

When Saraswati (Goddess of knowledge), herself, is chilling out with her veena,

Why are you breaking your head mugging those incomprehensible equations and unintelligible concepts!!

Water, Air and Fire II

Here is the next one...Air...the space between heaven and earth...which gave birth to spirit.

AIR

Like the occasional gust of air that brushes against your tender cheeks,
With your eyes shut, as you let your soul get pampered to its peak;
She walks along leaving you mesmerized by her grace and lore,
The bracing breeze or her fleeting look, you are left longing for more.

As the zephyr quivers both the green and ripe leaves, impartially,
She makes a million hearts flutter as she paces past elegantly;
On a typical day, when you least expect something extraordinary,
When the sun shines bright and everything looks merry;
The breeze changes its direction and blows right through your terrace,
She enters your life and you wonder why God is so generous!

Like the breathe enters the flute pores to create melodic symphony,
She pervades your soul to transform your aura in to a mellow harmony;
Just when you get addicted to their enjoyable presence and vitalizing touch,
The tender breeze takes the form of devastating cyclone, wrecking thy life,
No rhyme or reason, she walks away breaking the bond of man and wife;
And you are left wondering why the hell then the breeze blew your way,
Merely to make you realize that, with woman and wind around,
Unpredictability is not far away!

Water, Air and Fire I

The three mothers of Universe – Water, Air and Fire, considered as the origin of the entire cosmos strikingly resembles woman’s persona. I have attempted to compare their traits one by one. This post is dedicated to water, the creator of Earth.

WATER

Just like the little rivulet, flows down the hillock, bubbling gaily,
The cherubic little girl in her surpasses the impeding pebbles, effortlessly,
As this coy brook shapes into a waterfall, with the sole aim to advance,
The woman in her rises up to face the circumstances that resists her stance,
Triumphing over the trials, as this torrent transforms into a gigantic ocean,
Powerful yet modest, boundless yet in limits, mighty yet full of compassion,
The mother in her assumes such astonishing contrasts with ardent passion.

Life begins in womb as the fluid shields the fetus, blood induces the spirit,
And milk nurtures the baby, all forms of water, revitalizing the teeny bit,
The perfectionist in her creates the flawless combination of beauty and brain,

And she delivers her elite creation, beating the limits of unbearable strain,
The graceful curves, the soulful serenity or the refreshing vivacity,
It’s a delight to admire their traits and get mesmerized in their beauty.

I wonder what God had in his mind, when he created woman,
Strikingly analogous to the aqueous spirit!

Craving Heart

As I walk along the shore beneath the moonlight radiance, all alone;
My heart craves to reach out and make you all my own;
My innocent soul longs to get intoxicated, drowning in your soft brown eyes;
And the timid me want to surrender in your secure hands tie.
Where are you, my honey?

Watch the rolling ripples, as they drench your sand-soaked feet,
Don’t they deliver my perpetual thirst, just for that one sight;
Listen to the melodious breeze which makes the tall pine tree dance,
Don’t they tell you how you pervade all my trance.
How could you ignore my cal, my sugar?

Like the sight of moon urge the waves to swell in passion,
Your thought makes my heart beat in similar fashion;
Life without you seems like a dreadful nightmare,
Don’t you have few moments for me at spare?
Don’t you miss me the way I miss you, my darling?

Am I?

Not a bead glistens my eyelashes when I am in intractable trauma,
But can’t stop my surging tears when my hero dies in an onscreen drama;
Am I weird?

I crave and miss my loved one, whom I cannot see,
Is it because he is no longer there for ME?
Am I selfish?

I wish to pull the moon and wrap it around,
I long to get hold of Aladdin’s magic lamp to fulfill my wishes unbound;
Am I immature?

Death scares me, Rejection scoffs at me, Expectations tenses me,
The fear of losing my kith and kin terrifies me;
Am I a coward?

Am I weird, selfish, immature and a coward?
So many negatives huddled in a pod,
Am I a pessimist?

Homosexuals ---- Criminals...Are They??

Homosexuality...Impending verdict....criminalized victims....raging debates....open letters…misconceptions and controversies…all part of this tabooed issue. The Section 377 of Indian Penal Code states homosexuality as something unnatural and hence criminal. Criminals…huh &#$&…with rapists and perverts roaming scot-free…how can you possibly justify turning otherwise law-abiding citizens into criminals just because they have different sexual preferences — choices that hurt nobody?

Homosexuality is as old as human civilization. The only problem is that views on these issues were proscribed from being voiced. C’mon ours is the land of Kamasutra…what’s wrong in discussing something which always existed. Ignorance…the sole cause of unmanageable rise in AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases. At least things should be favorable with the educated masses…but the condition is no better.

The frustrating part is that this matter is being dealt by a bunch of illiterate crooks in the cabinet that do nothing but shy away from the topic. These decisions should be taken by intelligent minds that can contemplate the sensitivities of the concerned and pass a favorable judgment. Just like some people have different religious preferences (would you punish an atheist for being a nonbeliever?) or career preferences….these guys have different sexual preferences…why can’t we handle them gracefully?

Every individual needs his own personal space and no law can snatch that from him. By the way, how are they going to keep track of who’s doing what? If there is no justification for a law and it is not enforced anyway, then what reason is there for keeping it as part of the Indian Penal Code? Surely, it is much easier to simply abolish it. It is high time homosexuality is legalized. After all, how can one have a society that is liberal in religion, economics, art and culture but prudish in its ideas of homosexuality and lesbianism? Why would we need laws to maintain something that is natural? Are there laws forcing people to eat or sleep? But there is a law forcing people to have sex in a particular way!

Even if this act is decriminalized or even legalized nothing revolutionary is going to happen unless there is public awareness. We cannot argue that law is equal to all…then how is polygamy legal for Muslims? People would question its validity posing quotes from religious scripts stating that it’s unethical. And yet again there would be debates and open letters but no consequences. That’s how India is!!

A Leaf Outta My Personal Diary

I had nothing to write…Writer’s block…huh….donno…Got tired of addressing serious issues…So something about me!!

I am thinking about:
(Yawn) Whether to brush and then switch on my comp or vice versa (I ended up doing both….simultaneously)

I want:
To go trekking…The climate is perfect…slight drizzles…cool breeze…hillock smeared with greenery…clouds capping the peaks… (A friend rejuvenated my love for trekking…Thnx :>)

I wonder:
How my mom patiently listens to all my weirdo philosophies!

I regret:
About nothing!!

I am:
Short- tempered (cat is out of the bag!)

I like:
Lotta things…sleeping for 10 hours without feeling guilty…Reading Eric Sehgal fictions…Fighting with my friend over silly things and then making up…Listening to “When you say nothing at all” again and again…chatting endlessly over ma favorite coffee…devouring faloodas at C-1…splashing water and playing in poodles…the list is endless!!

I dance:
For myself….without caring whether I look clumsy!

I sing:
All the time…Life is all about music..Isn’t it?

I need:
My cell… (donno where I kept …have been trying since morning to track it…but then its in mute mode…:<)

I cry:
When the stress is insurmountable…very rare.

I laugh:
24/7…I have this silly smile pasted on my face :D

I make:
Decent hakka noodles and tomato soup!

I write:
Religiously…That’s my medium to vent out my frustrations!

I confuse:
Everybody around…I love that puzzled look on their face!

I love:
My family…my friends…my cat…animals in general...(except cockroaches)…my cell…(sounds stereotypical na…but can’t help it)

I miss:
My childhood… every morning mom would run after me with a glass of milk…dress me up…pack my bag… wait to receive me from school…completely pamper me!!

I admire:
Tamil Brahmins…they manage to excel in every thing…academics or performing arts…maybe it’s genetic or their “thair sadam” (curd rice). I am proud to be half-mallu half-tamil…but then I have spent half my life competing with them!

I will:
Gift my mom a cosy penthouse with a big balcony on 17th floor with lotta vegetation around!

I believe:
Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other." (Read this somewhere...so very true)

I feel good:
When my jeans seems to be loose … (even after skipping my yoga exercises)

Coffee Delights

As the golden rays coyly routes amid my curtain crease,
The softness of early hours seems to hum a soothing piece;
What tempts me away from my quixotic dream,
Is the captivating aroma of my coffee filled till rim;
As I groggily clasp my logo-tagged coffee mug,
The sweet-bitter fragrance gears me up for the worldly tug;
How could I ignore the grandest yet the most tranquil wake-up call,
Which lovingly reminds me that life is a ball.
I love my first COFFEE!!

Vande Mataram...Why the Hype?

Yet again a trivial issue is hogging the limelight and the political denominations are exploiting the max. Vande Mataram has created a controversial hullabaloo across the country with every form of media exaggerating the debate, whether it should be made compulsory in schools or not. India being a secular country, I believe we should not force people to sing this song if it upsets their sentiments. Moreover force is an objectionable element…Isn’t it? How can the largest democracy of the world support this funda? What do the political parties want to prove by enforcing the so called Hinduism?

I do agree that the song instigates a strange kind of jingoistic patriotic wave…the lyrics are exceptionally beautiful as it describes the pristine beauty of our motherland, but why malign the beauty by creating a controversy? Furthermore why are the political parties so concerned? How many of them can sing Vande Mataram properly? Forget about national song…Can they sing our national anthem correctly? A developing country like ours needs to focus on graver issues like poverty, unemployment, corruption etc. Why create communal dissonance over a petty issue?

Having said that, I don’t endorse the views of Muslim community that Vande Mataram is anti-Muslim. The two stanzas that were approved simply praise the motherland. Don’t you think we do owe our motherland and there’s nothing objectionable in glorifying our land?

Vande maataraM

sujalaaM suphalaaM

malayaja shiitalaaM

sasyashyaamalaaM maataraM

shubhrajyotsnaa pulakitayaaminiiM

pullakusumita drumadala shobhiniiM

suhaasiniiM sumadhura bhaashhiNiiM

sukhadaaM varadaaM maataraM

English Translation

Mother, I bow to thee!

Rich with thy hurrying streams,

bright with orchard gleams,

Cool with thy winds of delight,

Dark fields waving Mother of might,

Mother free.

Glory of moonlight dreams,

Over thy branches and lordly streams,

Clad in thy blossoming trees,

Mother, giver of ease Laughing low and sweet!

Mother I kiss thy feet,

Speaker sweet and low!

Mother, to thee I bow.

What is obnoxious about the lyrics? Eminent patriots like Asfqullah, Maulana Abul Kalam, Abdul Hamid laid down their lives singing vande mataram…A.R.Rahman popularized this beautiful version…Are they not bonafide Muslims? When Hindus open heartedly accepted and epitomized Taj mahal, built by a Muslim, as a national heritage, why can’t they sing Vande Mataram?

The larger issue is why are we blowing this issue out of proportion? Many would start questioning the validity of our national anthem...It’s better to avoid these clashes and focus on solving the real problems. Let’s not succumb under the malicious ‘divide and rule’ policy…What say?

Magical Tears

Irrepressible emotions inundated her large limpid pools,
Glistening pearls trailed along the brink,
Volcano of passion that encumbered her tender heart
Adulterated this magic fluid with a brackish tang,
As the tiny drops glided down her supple cheeks,
Her heart alleviated, wispy like a gentle feather,
Her spirit composed, regaining back the tranquility,
Vigor rejuvenated to confront the complexities,
Vivacity to struggle and buoyancy to thrive nourished.
What a miraculous tool tears prove to be!
What if God had not created tears!

Women...Are they inferior?

As the recent Sabarimala controversy continues to rock the country, the priests and women activists anxiously wait for the capricious verdict from the Supreme Court. But what I fail to understand is what is wrong with women entering the holy portal?

The Sabarimala shrine, where women between the ages of 10 and 55 are strictly prohibited, is a shrine to male celibacy. Lord Ayappan is said to be the god of the brahmachari. In that case even married men should not me allowed. If women are allowed into Sabarimala, says the thantri, the entire edifice of the temple will collapse and the very reason for the arduous pilgrimage will be nullified. Under the camouflage of traditions, they want to emphasize that religion is pure and women are dirty. The perverted hatred of woman’s body. Purity….How do you mete this quality? Is purity limited to anatomy? What about integrity of soul? Does that insinuate that men entering the sanctified portal are free of malevolence? Forget the common man, even the so called descendants of God succumb under the pressure of meretricious iniquity.

The deeper question is…Are religions hostile to women? Woman is blessed with the inimitable potential of nurturing a new life in her womb. When the nature itself has bestowed her position next to God, who are we mortals to challenge the decision? This issue is not limited to sabarimala; it extends to day today life as well where womanhood is condemned as sin. In most nuclear families it becomes a period of oppression for the woman when the Ayyappa season begins. The kind of trauma a woman undergoes due to this primitive and distorted belief is not yet being debated. It is a silent scream.

With women attempting revolutionary changes to alter the outlook of society which is primitively male dominated, these religious fallacies prove to be major hurdles. The religions are on collision course with modernity, and unless religions reform themselves, societies will never change. So to change the society we have to instigate people to contemplate, instead of meekly accepting the meaningless customs and traditions. Equality among sexes can achieved only if there is social parity and this can be attained only by changing the mindset of the people.