ilaaz-e-dard

dard kya hai maloom hai
ilaaz kya hai, yeh bhi maloom hai
magar is dard ka ilaaz kya hai
bas yahi nahi maloom hai

Poetry Today

Sit

Sit, drink your coffee here; your work can wait awhile.
You're twenty-six, and still have some of life ahead.
No need for wit; just talk vacuities, and I'll
Reciprocate in kind, or laugh at you instead.

The world is too opaque, distressing and profound.
This twenty minutes' rendezvous will make my day:
To sit here in the sun, with grackles all around,
Staring with beady eyes, and you two feet away.

-- Vikram Seth

Tired of unpressing deadlines, I was random-surfing indiauncut.com,
and came across this poetry, which I distantly liked
As lazy is this afternoon as it is boring,
and without any unpressing deadlines, I wondered about the narrator
if it's old, wild or resigned
hurt, fallen or declined
musing or just passing time
that were all these attributes of the narrator
or mine

Work

Is hafte shayad tunnel ke end se light dikhegi
aur main dungeon se aazad ho kar khuli hawa main saans loonga !
Kuch hi din huye hain gadhon ki tarah kaam karte
Par aisa lagta hai
Muddatein gujar gayi hain aaram karke

Horn Ok Please

This is a nice animation filam on a day in the life an Indian Taxi Driver. Found via desipundit

Desi Web 2.0

mapmyIndia

colors from india

Check out some excellent photographs over here.

Yakeen

Tha mujhe yeh yakeen
hai mujhe jiski chahat
mujhe wahi dastaan milegi
har tamanna apne anjaam milegi
yakeenen mujhe bhi mohabat-e panah milegi

daur-e-jindagi ki kuch rahon se hi gujar
yakeen badal gaya
Sawalon ke patthar se aankhon ka sapna bikhar gaya
ab aalam yeh hai
ki mujhe yakeen toh hai
par yakeen par yakeen nahi

Light

Yesterday I was playing with poemmaker words at a friend's
place. I liked what I came up with, and here it is:

Here I am mortal
drunken vile
in thy lovely trifle
fair maiden
peasant said
perchance methinks
thy villainy will give
no drunkard a dream
but melancholy mercy
in this dire night

Bichadna

Here I am exaggerating a mild sadness felt at
leaving my old job, and people.

Janta hoon aaj ka din kal yaad ban jayega
Bichadne ke is dard ka kal namo-nishan na rah jayega
Phir bhi aisa lagta hai
Banne-Badalne ke is dard ka koi aadi nahin
ant nahin
Caravaan e jindagi hai yeh dard
Aur ek din mera naam
Bhi iska ek thahar ban jayega

FeatureD

There are a few hindi bloggers (growing ?) who actually
write in hindi. Checkout Chintan at Abhivyakta,
found via Desipundit.

Mercury Lingam

While searching for blogposts upon ujjain, I came across this piece of news:

The Siddha Ashram of Swami Nardanand Paramahansa have completed the construction of a 1500 kilogram Parad (Mercury) Shivalingam, which is the largest of its kind in the world . The Shivalingam and its temple are located at Siddha Ashram, Ujjain in central India.

It is believed that an opportunity to see, touch and worship this Parad Shivalingam is accredited to one's holy and good deeds done in the previous and present life.

Full article here.
Some google search, and I found that you can even buy a chotu version for personal usage. Here !
So you ask whats the freaking point. Well there is this :

How can mercury affect my health ?
The nervous system is very sensitive to all forms of mercury. Methylmercury and metallic mercury vapors are more harmful than other forms, because more mercury in these forms reaches the brain. Exposure to high levels of metallic, inorganic, or organic mercury can permanently damage the brain, kidneys, and developing fetus. Effects on brain functioning may result in irritability, shyness, tremors, changes in vision or hearing, and memory problems.
Short-term exposure to high levels of metallic mercury vapors may cause effects including lung damage, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, increases in blood pressure or heart rate, skin rashes, and eye irritation

More on it, here.
So when the world is working to reduce the dangers of mercury, we are installing a lingam, so devotees can pray, touch, kneel and heal.

Not Trivia

Word of the Day: Petrichor.
Or the scent of rain on dry earth or as they say in hindi
"pahli baarish ke baad mitti ki bhini bhini sugandh"
Also, where does fruit punch come from ? found via sepiamutiny

Song Select

Once in a while I surf youtube favorites. Here's a beautiful
song "Say It's Possible", composed and sung by Terra Naomi.

Karunamayi's Talk

Yesterday I went to attend karunamayi's evening program. The setting was very indian. A sort of sankeertan. It was held in a church, and the church had quite good acoustics. There were very few indians. Quite a lot of old people, a few young ones, and some little ones. The little ones were running around carefree. Some of the young women were quite beautiful. A young mother had come with matted locks, and a baby wrapped in her arms and a shawl like cloth. Some white women wore bindis, salwars, saarees. I am not accustomed to seeing that, and I felt saarees and salwars didn't look good on them, but they looked quite comfortable in that. Some men wore kurta-payjamas, white. There was a young guy on my adjacent bench, black hair, slender body. He sat eyes-closed. Mostly, the organizers wore a hushed silence, and beatific smiles on their faces.

It had just rained a while ago in boulder, and there was a lot of thunder; after a while rain had stopped, everything seemed fresh, and the roads were a little cooler, and when I biked along the creek, it had rushing waters. When she came, we all stood up, she greeted many on her way, walked to the dais, and sat quietly. It felt nice and cool when she walked in, and past by. There was an old monk with small hair, flowing beard, and a red robe. He met quite nicely with her. He sat two seats ahead of me.

We started out with a simple bhajan, listened to it, and maintained a long silence after the bhajan had finished. She was introduced by a person, who I thought travelled with her, and does much of the talking because he speaks english well. Then she started speaking. She speaks a little fast, but usually clear. She spoke about a lot of things, the seven chakras, the need for meditation, following whatever you do, blessing students and teachers all-over the world, world peace. I became filled with pride and chided myself, when she mentioned ujjain. She mentioned kshipra river, vikramaditya, kalidasa, and king poet bharathari. She said of bharathari, that he said to all the kings, his brothers "All this wealth, this gold, and much more, is nothing against the divine wisdom of a poet". She said kaliadasa's abhigyan shakuntalam has 54 german translations, and has inspired many western poets of 15th to 17th-18th century.

Her talk was interspersed with her singing, and a few 2-3 min silences after the singing. Mostly, I sat with my eyes closed, sometimes joining in, otherwise listening. We recited a few mantras, for ourselves, and giving peace to others. She talked a lot about the need to be sensitive to nature (mother nature as she says), and talked about glodal radiation (by which she meant global warming). Some of the things she said, I simply couldn't believe, and felt they were mostly stories. But her singing and voice quality, is very nice. And when a hundred people are tuning in, you can feel the vibrations inside your body. The woman sitting next to me sang quite well too. As I said, I mostly listened.

This one explanation I liked. She had started the talk with a description of saraswati. She said, saraswati is sara+swa+iti. Sara means the crux, swa means the self, and iti means thy. So saraswati, implies, the sara of thy self, that she said is the highest knowledge, nirvana, or mokhsa. From that comes all the knowledge, and hence we worship goddess saraswati, as the fountain mother of knowledge.

Before her talk ended, we were shown a small video of her charity works in india, and images from her world-tour. Seeing poverty and disablitiy in my face again and again, didn't feel nice. But then, those are real people I thought, and are being helped by her. So whats the harm if someone gets inspired to donate some money for them and her works, watching that.

In the end, most of us made an indian queue (which is a herd) towards the dais, and she put a chandan timki on each one of us telling each, my lovely child, children. The chandan timki (not sure if it was something else), had strong and soothing fragrance. Then some people including me stayed, she walked down from the dais, and sat on the floor, and talked about a few more things, and stressed upon the need to wakeup early in the morning, doing surya-namaskaram, meditation especially in the morning at 5 am.

Finally, she said come to the individual blessings tomorrow, and I will see your progress report, how many marks you got in science, how many in spirituality. We all stood up, as she walked past by. I moved a little back, others were rushing in to be in the frontline. Everyone stood with folded hands (in namaste), as she walked past by. I initially stood with crossed arms, I don't know why. May be reason made me defiant. I dislike bowing usually. But then my years of training came rushing in, and when she stopped in front of me, she looked blankly, or kindly, I don't know, but I did offer a small bow with arms still crossed, and then did do a namaste. Reflex happens in a split-second, you know :)

It was already past ten when I came out. Three hours. I wore my shoes, unlocked my bike, and drove on the empty roads. The night yesterday, was colder than usual because of the evening showers we had received. Biking in the night felt good, and I thought I will write about this experience. So there.

Update: Here are some photos from the program.

Garmi

The temperature racing to 100F, I remarked to a bong friend:
"Kafi garmi ho gayi na boulder main abhi ?"
He replied, "Yeh kuch nahi. Aap udhar india main jaoge na, toh french fries ban jaoge" !

Asha 5k

I am doing the Asha 5K walk, at highland ranch colorado, on Sunday, June 11, 2006. It's for supporting primary education of underprivileged children in India.

If you would like to register for the walk, click here .
If you would like to donate (via credit card), please visit here . (I have supported the pledge of shiva, who is a full time member of ashacolorado, and one of the organisers of this walk).

From their website

Hundred percent of the proceeds from the event will go towards supporting Asha projects in India. Asha locates and supports projects that help these underprivileged children go to school. In some places it takes the form starting new schools, in others supporting existing schools and/or after-school programs in the locality

For more information please visit here

Update: I miserably managed to not wakeup that morning, and hence skipped the event.
But I did click and contribute. So, click if you are interested.

Tapori Talk

If you understand hindi, and don't mind reading hinglish, click on,
this tapori talk by sayesha is hilarious !

Patan

एक वक़्त था, जब हम हवाओं का रुख बदल दिया करते थे
kismat का खेल देखिए
आज पत्ते भी gustahq हो चले हैं
सरसरा कर हमारे पतन का उपहास करते हैं

Family Warmth

Check out this cute Monkey Family pic. Did you spot the fourth one ?
via desipundit.

And while you are at it, check out this one too. That precedes getting
a family. Heh.

Sunny Day

I sing for the prairie
It's a sunny day
A few birds and a bee
Sing with me for the prairie
Listen my friend, to the soft rustle
Sings the the wind gently through the trees
Together we sing for the prairie
It's a sunny day
What is this song we sing
of words unknown ?
All I know
It has come to life
the day is alive
and it's a sunny day
Together we hum the chorus
the wind, the bird, the bee, and me
the day is alive
the day is alive
O prairie, it's a sunny day

Cloud Vagabond

I grew up with radio and vividh bharti. And so, I am familiar with hindi oldies, melodies.
Once in a while, I get reminded of them. Like today, when boulder sky is clouded grey, the earth is fresh with rain, and from my balcony I see half-hidden mountains, the valley shadowed white with low lurking clouds. It is a scenery which uplifts my spirit, makes me feel happy. And so, here's a song for the lurking cloud:

itna na mujhse pyaar badha
ke main ek badal awara
janam janam se hoon saath tere
hai naam mera jal ki dhara

which means

don't become so in love with me
that I am a cloud vagabond
since many lives I have with you been
that my name is stream of water

You can listen to the full song here (second last song, the one which says talat, is actually the duet talat and lata).
If you understand hindi, it has beautiful lyrics.
Enjoy.

Boulder Blooms

These days in boulder, trees are becoming green again, and summer warmth is all around. Except, once in a while weather throws tantrums, and becomes snowy, like today. Imagine, the temperature just the day before yesterday was in 70's, today is in 30ss. Here are some pics from pearl street mall, boulder:






Update: Welcome rhapsoder readers :)

Lion Sleeps Tonight

And oh, you can access it here

Ghrina

और कितनी बरबादियाँ हैं
ए इन्सान तेरी किस्मत मैं लिखीं
के अब भी तू कहता है
मेरी घृणा जाती नहीं

Dua

Aankhon main pyaar ki musqurahat rahe
Aur seena imaan se roshan rahe
Fakir bas itna mangta hai
Ki voh jeevan ki tadbeer main kayam rahe

Tendulkar-I

I have played a lot of gully cricket. A lot of in house cricket. A lot of cricket with plastic ball, rubber ball, tennis ball. I don't remember when I started playing, but I do remember the time when I started watching. I was around six or seven, I used to try to adjust my black and white crown TVs channels, to catch cable signal, so I could watch a blurred match; ofcourse in my fathers absence, cause he would scold me for doing "ched-chaad" (tinkering) with the TV. My parents thought electronic and costly things like TV should be given utmost care, and were paranoid about disturbing the status-quo. They thought the TV would go bad if I changed channels.

Those days, I eagerly awaited the evenings, the time of 4'o'clock, when my parents would let me out after finishing my homework. And with the makan-maaliks (landlords) kids and the other colony kids, I would play "catcham-catch" or "stopping the boundaries" or "teams". We would make imitation dives, glorious catches, jubiliations of won games, all in imitation of the matches we had watched. The fervour of watching cricket was transported to our little grounds. And the excitement of the little grounds, was transported to watching the matches.

When you are a kid you usually learn things as "mine". My school, my tiffinbox, my teacher, my parents, my ball. Naturally, watching TV, India became my team, having no idea, why it was my team. But yes, I used to cheer for it, become sad when it lost, and would go and tell my parents "india haar gaayi". And in evenings, us kids would discuss and try to imitate the six that we saw some Indian batsman hit. And I remember, I used to be fascinated by Kapil-Devs bowling action, and he siddhu and srikkanth, were the batsmen, who batted like we wanted. Trying to hit the ball, rather than playing like Shastri and Gavaskar. We wanted action, and excitement. And something we could imitate.

In a few years life changed, my family moved from gujarat to mp, halol to ujjain, I lost my evening friends, but cricket stayed with me. By that time I had already learnt to bowl with proper bowling action, which is like learning bicycle. It's easy once you can do it. And by that time, I was hooked to cricket, and Indian team. In ujjain, I made new friends, started playing cricket again, and we would discuss, how slow Indian team batted, that they made 100 runs in 27 overs (yes, there used to be a time). That was the time, when hits were supposed to be made only in slog overs. And then, there was hardly a batsman in India team who played aggressive (except maybe kapil dev). Aggressive like Vivian Richards.

But this one day, I saw sachin tendulkar bat. He had probably come 5th down. We were playing pakistan. And this guy, was pulling and hooking the balls of waqar, akram.

Basant Aa Raha Hai

Khayalon main khoya
Ek Ped ke nicche khada tha main
Thandi hawa ka jhonka aaya
Halki si ek awaaz aayi
Maine upar dekha
Aur ek tahni muskai
Maine aankh jhapkayi
Khayalon ko choda
Aur tahni ke sur se apne kaano ko joda
Tahni ga rahi thi
Kal main koplen pahnoongi
Ki basant aa raha hai
Iddhar nicche, ghans ne bhi hariyali ki dhun thi lagayi
basant ke avagaman main
Usne picche na rahne ki kasam hai khayi
Udhar phoolon ke podhe bhi kar rahe the taiyaari
Ke Rang Rang pahan basant layenge
Maine bhi tahni ki maani
Chodi khayalon ki khincha-taani
Main bhi ghans ki dhun main ram gaya
Aur roshen roshen sooraj sang
Basant ke avagaman main lag gaya

So Be It

the dreary intercourse of daily life,
shall e'er prevail against us, or disturb
our cheerful faith that all which we behold
is full of blessings. Therefore let the moon
shine on thee in thy solitary walk;
and let the misty mountain winds be free
to blow against thee
-Wordsworth

A Delusional Muse

We drive towards the mountains, returning from the cricket ground. It has been very windy all day. The wind blows in gusts, cold and piercing. The mountains in the distance, where the winds are coming from, have veils of white falling upon them from the skies. When you see that in colorado, you know it's snowing up there. A few of the slopes have turned white, and glow against the dull backdrop. In a matter of minutes, the snow fall is spread across a large part of the skyline.

The spread mountains, the falling snow
the blue valley and the slopes aglow

If you were to ask me one word for it, I did say majestic.

A white bird, possibly a lake gull, glides along the winds. It is this feeling I get, when I watch this bird fly. Riding the winds chariot, in a nameless direction, with the wings spread, effortlessly. My timely mind tells me it's journey is short, my worldly mind tells me it's perphaps cold up there, but it is this feeling I get, when I watch this bird fly. A lovely backdrop and this bird in the sky, it is an artists' imagery. My mind tells me it's some in the eye, and some in the sky.
Yet. It is this feeling I get, when I watch this bird fly.
That maybe it is I who fly.

Kind is Beautiful

Here's a sweet short story from Turin Winter Olympics:

Renner skis for Canada. She and her partner, Beckie Scott, were to ski six laps between them, alternating each lap. On Renner’s second lap, the pair was in second place, flying along, when . . .

Snap.

Renner’s ski pole broke.

A cross-country skier without a pole is like a hockey player without a stick, or a canoeist without a paddle.

"All of a sudden, I was kind of flapping one arm," Renner said. "The next thing I knew, there were three racers in front of me."

Renner had invested her life to be in this position. She had her tyroid removed after being diagnosed with Graves disease six years ago. She had pressed on, and at that moment it was all slipping away — the dream, the work, everything.

She watched other skiers go past her, utterly helpless to keep up.
And then something miraculous happened. A man standing near the course handed his ski pole to Renner.

It wasn’t the right length for her, but it was something to fight back with. She started skiing again, and hard. If she could just get to the transition area, she could let Scott, her teammate, take over.
"He gave me a chance," said Renner, who called him her "mystery man."

And who was this man ? Here.
I found it via Deesha.
And if you are wondering what charityfocus is, you can visit www.charityfocus.org

Aaj Ki Kavita

is Indhan, by Gulzar.

Gujju Englis

In my past life, I lived in gujarat. First in khakharia, and then in halol, where I spent my childhood. And so I have special love for gujarat. Here's a super hilarious post on gujju englis (link found via desipundit).

Make me that Child Again

mother, I wish to hide in the mogra bushes
and not come out even upon your scolding

mother, I wish to tug at your saree while you cook
and deliver your message to everyone that food is ready

mother, I wish to lie in the veranda in the summer night
and shout to you "thandi hawa aati", cool breeze comes

mother, I wish to sit by the window and throw my biscuits to the crow
and run to get more, when you open the almira

mother, I wish to drag the fruit jhola to you
expecting cheekoo

mother, I wish to run after the squirrels in the backyard
and float paper boats in puddles left by monsoon rain

mother, I wish to be that child again
can you make me that child again

Women's Day

On International Women's Day:
Please visit BlankNoiseProject which organised a blog-a-thon on March 7th, on eve-teasing in India.
Also, IndiaTogether has an informative article upon Girl Child Education in India. To quote:

Although admission of girls has gone up significantly over the past few years, is it any wonder that attendance and retention rates are low? According to a recently concluded research study 'Gender Discrimination: Impact on Lives of Girls in School in four States (Bihar, UP, Rajasthan, Delhi)', large numbers - over 50 per cent - drop out of schooling before or at the point of transition from Class 5 to Class 6. The reasons are the same: they have to look after siblings; they have to do household chores; or work to support the family.

It's not as if the government is unaware of the issues at stake. In fact, central and state governments have devised excellent policies to improve the conditions for girls' schooling. Schools are closer to homes, scholarships and mid-day meals have been introduced in many districts, and community mobilisation focused on girls' schooling is encouraged in many areas.

...............

Despite such ambitious plans, the harsh reality is that government-run schools are hardly in a position to act as agents of progressive social transformation - even as these are the only schools making any realistic attempt to reach out to large numbers of girls. Parents - even in patriarchy-ridden rural north India - want to send their girls to school. But schools purvey gender stereotypes, hardly different from the rest of society.

Girls huddle separately within the classroom in co-educational schools. In some schools, they are denied facilities to play or use the science lab - which boys have access to. Many teachers talk exclusively to boys, paying no attention to the girls, and only (some) boys answer or are active in class.

Full article over here.

The Dark Side of Business

Wired News writes upon another booming outsourcing industry in the article A Nation of Guinea Pigs. Here's the dark side:

"Are patients here more vulnerable?" asks Brijesh Regal, CEO of the New Delhi-based firm Apothecaries, which runs clinical trials for pharmaceutical companies. "Obviously. They're poor. They're illiterate." Nonetheless, he argues, most of the problems can be attributed to the growing pains of a new industry. He points to the thalidomide fiasco in the 1950s - women who were given the drug for morning sickness delivered children with severe birth defects - as evidence that every developing industry has problems. "Why are we so concerned about India?" he asks. "If problems happened everywhere else, they will happen here. We are a massive country without a lot of regulatory infrastructure."

I had expressed myself upon another Wired news article on the same topic, over here.

Musafir

dagmag dagmag
tamanneyan machal padeen
ki machalna unka dastoor tha
phir kabhi dil ne ek gujarish ki
ke patton se hawa ki guftagoo sunoo
musafir bechara
tamannaon ka sang chod na saka
dil se moonh mod na saka
kabhi tamanaoon ke sang chalak pada
toh kabhi dil ki rah bahti nadiya bana
kabhi labzon main bayan karta chala
toh kabhi aankhon se kahani kahta chala
main musafir chalta chala
main musafir chalta chala

And They Want Me To Get Married

*This is an attempt to be humorous. Please take it literally*

When sugar-high, I run around in circles, walking around jumping sideways.
And they want me to get married.

When I remember I haven't forgotten anything, it is most certain that my cell phone is misplaced, keys are not in the pocket, and wallet is lying unattended, somewhere, amongst brazillian other forgotten things.
And they want me to get married.

As a kid, I used to have a handkerchief pin-tied to my shirt pocket, to remember to wipe my nose, mouth etc.. which I never used. And so goes the story, that every day I would return home with the pin-tied handkerchief still neatly tied to my shirt pocket, and ironed shirt-sleeves neatly crumpled with enthusiastic wiping. Handkerchief has just moved to the pocket, nothing else has changed.
And they..

In 5th grade, I started working on the craftwork for exam only at midnight, to be submitted next morning. I still do my taxes on april 14th evening.
And they..

My favorite song is "Somebody shavvvve mee..."
And they..

People still ask for my id in bars-clubs when serving Coke..
And they..

I read Calvin and Hobbes most devotedly..
And they..(Actually that is ok for a grown up too I guess..so)

I keep telling people two year olds jokes like
"Two teeny-weeny mice were sitting on a tree
And elephant passed under the tree
Trembling a mouse fell on the phant,
Trembling the other yelled
"Daba De Bahadur..Haan Haan Daba De Use"
(Crush him Braveboy..Yes Yes Crush Him)
And they..

Child marriage is a crime
And they..

I can enlist tweeentyyy-one other things (sometimes I forget the count after that..)
And they..

Sigh.

Occupied

A carefree sun reaches in through the blinds, dispelling the chill of february winter as miles of snow spreads outside, sparkling white in the bright sunlight. It has been chilly and snowy past few days, here in boulder. A concert by coldplay was watched yesterday, and a sumptuous lunch was had day before, as a treat to a parting friend, in an upscale Italian restaurant. A vegas trip fills the next weekened, and work fills the between. Over the passing hours, some self-searching discussion was had with friends, about the perspectives on life, desire to move back to India. Opinions were hurled at each other, sides were taken, and reason and emotion were made to clash, as consensus remained ever impartial. Aha the pleasures of expressing, relating, searching, working, playing, listening, hanging out (not by a rope, mind you), in the company of good friends. It seems all minutes lie accounted for, all seconds are occupied, life is full, happening. And yet, there are questions that mind no busyness, interrupting every now and then, sneaking like traitors, pointing to the unpainted landscapes inside, where miles of snow spreads, sparkling white. And where I eventually wander, chasing the infiltrators to their homes on the snowy expanse, these questions, upon the meaning of life, my existence, love and compassion, desire and misery, fear and death.

Anokhi Sunwayi

yahan se door
bahut door ek baagiche main
aaj raat raat ki rani ka darbar lagega
phoolon ke baithak hogi
gulab dahaliya sang aayega
mogra mahak mahakayega
aur bhi kai aayenge
aaj baithak main gulab ke dard ki sunwayi hai
kai saathi pyaar ki bhenth chadhe hain

ab raat dheere dheere nikher rahi hai
sitare bhi jhuk ke dekh rahe hain
akhir majra kya hai
gulab fariyaad le kar aaya hai
mujhse aur dard dekha na jaata
o raat ki raani, pahle bhanvre ne loota
phir maali ne chaanta
aur ab bhale maanas ne dilwaloon ke liye kaata
kyun yeh mera jeevan hai
kisliye mera rang hai
kya meri khata hai
kyun itna dard mujhe mila hai
ji main aata hai kyun khiloon
kyun na murjha jaoon

Raat Ki Raani Unchai par virajmaan hai
Chanda Maathe ki Shoba badha raha hai
Sitare ab kaan laga sun rahe hain

Raani kuch is tarah se boli
Priya gulab
dard toh har jeevan main hai
par isliye hum jeevan nahi thukraya karte
main tujhse kahti hoon
tujh bin soona bagiche ka aangan hai
tu nahin toh nahi jeevan hai
tu jeevan ka darpan hai

tera dard hamara dard bhi hai
manas ne hame bhi kata hai
par subah ki dhoop main tera khila rang dekh
hame bhi hosla aata hai
ke jab tak jiyen mahak mahakayen
jaise tu khila khila kat jaata hai
waise hi hum bhi mahak mahak kat jaayen
ji jaayen
haan ji jayen

Bhatakte Kadam

mere kadam dhoondte dagar
chalne ke liye
bahakta man kai dishaon main lehrata hai
ke jindagi mohabaat ke naam kar jaoon
ya bandigi main doob jaoon
ke gagan ki ucchaiyon par aankh lagaon
ya mitti main hath rang daaloon,
seva-shram ki jhopdi banaoon
par phir sawal uthte hain
yeh mohabaat kya hai
bandigi ki dafa kya hai
aasman ki unchai main kya hai
mitti mai rangne se mera kya bhala hai
dehko is aadmi ki vidambana
ke kadam toh hain par
dagar nahin
Khwabon ki imaaraten toh hain
par roshen koi manzil nahin
Is par kisi ne kaha
Ki Dost, Kadam chalne toh de
dagar Khud-ba-Khud mil jayegi
Maine poocha mitr, dagar hai bhi
ki bekar hi dhoondte hain
Mere kadam
Dagar Chalne ke liye
Yeh toh Maskhari thi
Par Sach main yeh lagta hai
ki bhatak rahe hain kadam
dagar ke liye

Saturday speak

It's a sleepy saturday afternoon. A thin layer of clouds fades the sunshine, and it seems as if a lazy sun is visiting the earth, with half open eyes. The sun definitely needs some spanking (or the clouds ? We'll let the gods decide :)

Some urgent business at work needs to be done. I was supposed to go snowboarding today and work tomorrow. But given that the last night was spent coughing with almost every breath (poor roomie, I wonder if he could sleep at all), I resentfully had to give up the idea in part asleep-part awake state this morning. Some nice morning sleep, a morning gargle, and a spiced tea later, I have comfortably settled to working from home (first time ever in life), with Pandit Jasraj resonating in the hall. And I am very much enjoying it. Working on something all alone by yourself, in the comfort of soothing music, I am inclined to think, might be meditative. I have no doubt in believing, when Donald Knuth says something like "Programming is an aesthetic experience".

Aside, last night I watched Rang De Basanti, along with a lot of friends. Most of us liked it, though some didn't like the ending. I feel if a movie can bring out emotions in you, it has been well made. Rang De Basanti did just that. Plus we had lot of desi fun like whistling, booing, and shouting things like "Rajnikanth Superstar" on a tambi friend's provocation.

And later, in a weird dream sequence, I spent time with Amitabh and Jaya Bacchan, where amitabh was making a surprise cake for Jaya, as she was sick, and that would make her feel better. Next dream was with my nani, who was again, sick. I definitely need to call up amitabh and jaya tonight, to see if they are doing alright.

Trivia : did you know,
That emerita is feminine of emeritus.
From dictionary.com,
"Emerita: Retired but retaining an honorary title corresponding to that held immediately before retirement. Used of a woman: a professor emerita."

In commune with

It is a good afternoon. Sunlight fills my room space through the two glass windows. After my bath, I sit in the sun for a while. I close my eyes, face the sun and feel the warmth. On the forehead. On the eyes. It feels nice. The warmth starts fading in a while. Discomfort opens my eyes, to find my source of warmth being shadowed by a cloud, slowly, gently. There are other small clouds, travelling lazily. I immerse myself in their movement. Racing mind breathes respite and thoughts ease in tune with the clouds. It's a peaceful feeling. Times like these, when I watch the ducks wafting in a pond or follow a butterly flit about the grass, are therapeutic for me. Sometimes I find my peace in watching such things, letting the mind drift, what they call, in commune with nature.

Sing Along

sing a song
bring along
some joy
and peace

Last two evenings have been beautiful. My way back to home involves a twelve minute walk to the bus stop. Day before and yesterday, I took to singing aloud, to my hearts content. Since mostly all traffic has their windows up, and usually I am the only walking soul, I can afford myself. I pity the poor trees and the grass. They are so good. They don't complain. Yesterday, I hummed Tagore's ekla chalo, again and again, as valley winds brushed past by. Such Joy, to sing aloud. Letting your words disappear, with no one to hear, but the valley winds, the open skies, and the spread fields. Such delight, to watch the birds glide, and sing along.

On Republic Day

I read this great post today, by greatbong which made my eyes watery. Link followed by the excerpt:

"My father, a professor at IIM Calcutta is going to retire in February. So on his last LTC, Baba and Ma went to Andaman Islands---both for some peace and quiet (they deserve it for having brought me up) as well as to visit Andaman Cellular Jail----the place where my grandfather (my father's father) , Jyotirmoy Ray [his picture in the Cellular Jail museum on the left] spent 4 years of his life [his sentence was for 7 years commutted to 4 as part of an amnesty program] as a political prisoner (He was part of the revolutionary movement in Bengal and transported arms to the revolutionaries). He died in 1991.

This post is based on a mail my mother wrote to me after coming back from Andamans"

Here's the full article.

Reading this, emotions swelled. A thousand things crossed my mind. Only yesterday night, I didn't care much if it was republic day in India. Perhaps I don't much now. A little shame. Dhikkar Hai Samaan. I know I will forget this read in a while, and go back to the available comforts. I realize that those very comforts, the freedom that I am so used to everyday, I have, because perhaps a great grandpa fought for it, with all he had. Logically, I have concluded long ago, that all thoughts are for self-interest, for self-service. Yet, this is a story, which stirs my thoughts, for all things considered noble. It makes me feel, that I owe atleast a silent reverence to this great grandpa, unknown to me, but to whom I belong. For his givings, may have enabled my freedom, my comfort, all I am.

Panchiyon ki Baatein

aaj subah maine panchiyon ki chahchahat suni
madhur komal
nirmal nishchal si prateet huyeen
unki baatein

Dheemi-Dheemi si shanth subah thi
Dhoop se Dhuan Chat-ta hua tha
Aur sangeet ke moti beekherti theen, unki baatein

kabhi rukte, kabhi chukte,
kabhi zor se, kabhi shor se
suna maine panchiyon ko karte baatein

kya kaha, kisne kaha,
kuch samajh na aaya
Phir bhi ajab tha unka swar, ke man muskaayaa
Jab aaj subah, suni maine panchiyon ki baatein

PJ time

Ok. Time for some math basics.
So.
Children:
What is four by two ? (desi english)
two
What is four over two ? (american english)
two squished

Mystic India

I recently watched Mystic India , now playing in the IMAX theatres. It is supposed to be a story about a boy named Neel-Kanth, who at an age of eleven sets out on a journey of "awakening". To quote from the movie synopsis:

Neelkanth's footprints begin to map the length and breadth of India - its dense jungles, fertile plains, majestic mountains, mighty rivers, and peaceful coastlines. Flourishing for more than 8,000 years, this land has been home to an ancient and highly advanced civilization. Neelkanth's walk would last for 7 years, 12,000 kilometers, covering every corner of India.

The first few minutes of the movie were quite good, where the narrator educates you about India. (Read, the ego swells up, and you feel pride, and pleased). However, the movie starts becoming boring, when instead of describing the life of Neel-Kanth, the narration repetitively tries to educate you upon India, where you are shown scenic shots of the land, temples, fortresses, festivals, some unintentional but hard-hitting sentences like "a country of a billion people".

Totally for the western audience I think, but parts of it feel good anyways. Some of the photography, like that of himalayas, is spectacular. The background score is decent at times, otherwise unremarkable. The characters, are unimportant, shadowed by the india-education part.

One tale I remembered in it was, when during Neel-Kanth's stay in a village, the villagers advise him to take refuge in the temple at night, to be protected from a certain death from the a jungle terror that haunts the village: a lion. To that, neel-kanth says "Tell me, are the walls of your temple protected from death ? Can you guarantee that death will not enter this temple ?"

There We Go

A friend from boulder is moving out, and on the
spur of the moment, we have composed a petty
friday evening philosophy. Here.

a bond has to be broken for a bond to be made
things have to be left for a move to be made

and heck we are proud of that.
How silly.

And there was this another piece, now that we are
being silly, lets be complete. Here.

"Slow Down, Buddy Slow Down
The cop's on your tail
He will give you a ticket without fail"

Gujre Pal

kuch lamhe aise
rah-rah kar yaad aayen

Playing Games

Fracois Gautier writes In defence of Hindu Gurus This is an article where the author plays games of prejudice using popular notions.
How ? Excerpts:

May I be forgiven my arrogance, but what Indian gurus have to understand

It's arrogant to suggest something to a Guru !

In India today, every third shop is an allopathic medical shop, whose profits go to Western multinationals (hello Mrs Karat!) at a time when Ayurvedic medicine is becoming increasingly popular in Western countries, after being disillusioned by antibiotics and other heavy-handed medicines.

Profits go to "Western Multinationals", Ayurvedic medicine is increasingly becoming popular "in West after being disillusioned"..

We are witnessing an interesting phenomenon in India today. Some Communists, some Christians, some Muslims and some Congress leaders -- all of whom have nothing in common and often hate each other are united against Hinduism and Hindu leaders.

Communists, Christians, some Muslims and some "Congress" Leaders.

Again, in all humility and conscious of the limitation of mind compared to some of these great gurus whom I have met,

Shouldn't it be "my" mind here ? Reader is not stupid, sir. Speak for yourself.

Yet, if you take the combined people power of Satya Sai Baba, Amritaanandamayi, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Swami Ramdev, Guruma of Ganeshpuri, the Shankaracharya of Kanchipuram, and so many others I cannot mention here, it runs in hundreds of millions

Sir, show me the Census.

Most of the statements made in this article are of simliar nature. The author simply combines the popular prejudices as a defence for the Gurus. Horrible.

They Lay Dead

This morning, I stared at the quiet of the graveyard. I thought of the young and the old, that might lay dead there. Then after, what seemed a long time, I gaped at the colorado high. There were the rockies, the sunlit barren and the alpines. There were the tiny houses in the valley, shining white; a lake thereby with somewhat muddy, somewhat clear, blue waters. Along with a brimful of beauty, some peace seeped in from the corner of the eye, and there was the quiet of the graveyard, as some thoughts young and old, lay dead there.

About Life

A friend just asked me
"So, what do you think about life"
And I could only think,
What rises, must turn to ashes
And what turns to ashes,
must rise again

Song of the moment:
Tu Tu hai Wahi from Yeh Wada Raha

New Year Wish

Yeh. On the new years day, I would like to stretch myself on the grass, lay under the sun reading a book, with a few butterflies fluttering by, some contemplation on the flowing creek, and a glad to be alive kinda feeling, that is weather permeeting.

On a Stone's Throw

A stone is thrown.
Plop.
Ripples now. The lotus sways a little. Reflections of the trees are still steady, a little distorted though.
And lo. There's some wind in the leaves, filling the empty spaces.
A butterfly has come from nowhere. White and Yellow. Buzzzzzz. Some noisy insect in the grass declares its right to freedom of speech. Yes little one, you are the king here.
And Splash; ducks have flown in, stirring the water. Ripples of fluttering wings. Few dives. And now they have settled, wafting gently with their red feet. Our King here has become silent now. Perhaps tired. The delicate one flips about upon the blades of grass.
And only the colors of pervading green, stirr the silence now.
All that on a stone's throw ! Ha !

Smiles and Laughter

Here's an extremely funny retake (in progress) on the great Indian epic Mahabharat, by Aashray. I found it via Desipundit.
And here's another Ashray, with glorious smiles (discovered by mistyping aashray above).

AnyWays

[Mountains darken as sun sets in the West]
"Listen"
"What"
"It will not work out"
"I never liked your writings anyways"
"I think I knew it always. But then you know the habits. Morning promises do not last the evening"
"Too vulnerable"
"Yes. Too Vulnerable"
"What will you do then ?"
"I dont know. How about you ?"
"Something. We all have to do something. Such is life, we cannot do nothing. It doesn't pass otherwise. I will always dislike your writings, anyways."
"Now that is a comfort"
"What have they decided for you ?"
"They say I have a choice. But you know how it works. You choose from their choices"
[Sun has set. Mountains are giant dark shapes now]
"Have hope. Tomorrow will be another sunrise"
"Hands of the earth, about the mountains, Tagore had said"
"Perhaps earth is reaching for the stars"
"The sun, the giver of life to earth, will rise tomorrow and vanish the stars"
"But there will be stars. Anyways"

A question

You become what you fill your mind with
Or your mind becomes filled with what you are
What, is true ?

Old Sailor

Sits by the shore, a sailor, with his tattered boat
watching the endless waters
Strength fails him, Old that he is
Yet defy he must, and once again embrace the sea
To live, to die
Sailing Free

Hill in the Distance

There is a small hill, in the distance from my window.
It is where the geese seem to return to.
Now the sun sets in. Will we see a magical evening ? Perhaps.
The sky looks wide and open. Inviting. I know. That's where
the geese's home is. That's where they return to. There on a walk
once, I have seen a home, where some noble soul has a pond, a garden, some trees.
Some evenings, the retreating sun weaves a melody of colors. Those days the small hill suddenly becomes wonderful, hewed in purple pink and blue. Like the home of the fairies.
There are houses spread on it's slopes. A car had left a while ago, along the slope. It looked like a bug. It's quite in the distance, the hill, you know.
A bug returns along the slope. It's dark now, the evening has passed away into night, the sun has eloped with its light, into the mountains.
Perhaps tomorrow, will we see a magical evening.
Yes. Tomorrow.
Until then, we let the hill sleep, in shimmering lights.

Value of Human Life

Wired News Reports(link):

The sudden influx of drug companies to India resembles the gold rush frontier, according to Sean Philpott, managing editor of The American Journal of Bioethics.

Why ?

Companies are attracted to India not only because of the huge patient pool and skilled workers, but also because many potential study volunteers are "treatment naïve," meaning they have not been exposed to the wide array of biomedical drugs that most Western patients have, said Stefan Ecks, a lecturer in social anthropology at the School of Social and Political Studies in Edinburgh who recently published a paper on the marketing of antidepressants in India.

The article ends with the reason:

"Third World lives are worth much less than the European lives. That is what colonialism was all about," said Srirupa Prasad, a visiting assistant professor of medical history and bioethics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Hmm. What does value of human life depend upon ? My theory is, that in modern-day world, it depends upon two things:

• personal economic status,
• and economy of country/nation-state you live in.

So though personally a developed country poor human has lesser value with respect to his own country-men, but he still will be more valuable then its developing country counterpart.

By nature, life survives by exploiting another life, which automatically becomes a lower life. And for humans, survival means not just living, but fullfillment of wants. The more you are capable of exploiting, the more is the value of your life, the more your chance of survival (survival implying fullfillment of wants here, like want to live, want to good food, clothes, shelter, ferrari, beach-house, want to equal opportunity, justice, want to owning the justice department etc.).

And your capability of exploiting (and thus your value of life), I believe, depends upon your personal economic status, and the collective economic status of the nation-state that you live in.

Now here is where Ethics come in. What is an Ethic ? It is a correctional behaviour by humans and for humans, so as to minimize the disparity between the value of different human lives, so as to provide an equal opportunity towards survival, to them.

Ethics exist because humans have memory, personally, and collectively, and because humans have the want to survive. It is this memory combined with want to survive, which makes them intelligent, and enables them to demand equal opportunity towards survival, of theirs, or others, survival here being fullfillment of wants, including want to live.

Now if you have too much of ethics, or too many of wants, you will screw up the system. British had too many wants, they colonised India. Indian socialists had too many Ethics and too many hidden wants, they sacrificed development for social-welfare and keeping in power . And so the India as a nation state is a poor economy today, and Indians are thus being exploited as cheap labour, guineas for clinical testing, dismantling of junk, and what not.

My Envy

I envy Desi-Women in Sciences. Especially engg Sciences.
Ask why is that ? It's ok. I will tell anyways. It's kinda funny, but the fact is that usually the Desi-Male is to Desi-Female ratio in the Engg. Sciences, is mostly eight is to two, nine is to one, or ten is to waiting for someone. Imagine their luxury, that all they need to do is shed a sigh or cut a finger, and all eight-nine-ten suitors will leave no moutain unturned, to provide comfort. Like there's was this once when a new entry cut her finger, and people went on war-footing to recover-discover lost band-aids, expired antiseptic creams and what not. And so goes the story that Out of ten five were thrown in trash bins labelled as bhaiya, three were left mending their hearts with band-aid, and the rest two fought a duel, which was won by none, because the new entry already had someone.

(To be Updated)

To the Tree

This I say to a tree friend of mine
that you'll have leaves in no time
O friend, though it's you whose leaves have fallen
Yet this hope and this suffering
is mine

Notes

relevance of the old is in the nurturing of the new.
you don't think differently to disagree. you disagree because you think differently.
only when you hit an obstacle, do you realize how fast you were going.
beauty is everywhere and so is ugliness. you cannot adopt one and disown another.
it is ok to get pissed. but it is not to remain so.
it is pointless to reason everything. and it is pointless to discuss pointlessness. be silent.

Blog-Surfing might be a Habit

According to a research upon some unsuspecting rats in MIT, habits don't die, in accordance with the well known phrase 'Old habits die hard':

A new study in the Oct. 20 issue of Nature, led by Ann Graybiel of MIT's McGovern Institute, now shows why. Important neural activity patterns in a specific region of the brain change when habits are formed, change again when habits are broken, but quickly re-emerge when something rekindles an extinguished habit -- routines that originally took great effort to learn.

The full article can be read here
That can be an explanation why I can't stop reading blogs. And no, before you jump to conclusion, I didn't mean I was a rat.

It might not be your fault that you lie

Next time when you lie, just think it's in your genes. Atleast one research suggests so:

A USC study published in the October issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry suggests that the talent for compulsive deception is embedded in the structure of the brain.

People who habitually lie and cheat — pathological liars — appear to have much more white matter, which speeds communication between neurons, in the prefrontal cortex than normal people, the researchers found. They also have fewer actual neurons.

Read the full article here (I discovered the story at boingboing).
I wonder if the talent for lying "to avoid hurting others" is also due a genetic disorder, or order. And that reminds me of the innumerable times I and others have appreciated food cooked by someone, even though it was horrible, like this once when everybody exclaimed how different and good the tea tasted, only to be embarrased, when the host sipped and realized: "Jeez ! I put salt in this tea".

Music

Their hearts were tied with the strings of melodies
With the songs of the dusk and the beats of the dawn
Carefully, they held their love
Until their violins broke one day
and their voices died
But their songs live on
To tell the the tale of the hearts
that beat for music
that beat for love
And their songs, live on

Color of Pride

My friend navin has an interesting post upon certain mails that have been circulating among desis, which include a mail from a supposed Dean from IIT Madras, about national pride. To quote:

It took just 40 years. Last week THE day arrived. When Indian ambassador in Washington DC handed over a cheque of US$ 50 million to the US govt, two plane loads of food, medical aid and other relief materials were waiting to fly to the USA. Time to break the fast? With no bad feeling about the USA, and good wishes for the Katrina victims, this humble Indian feels proud of the distance India has covered in 40 years. Let's celebrate a New India!"

- Vijay Kranti.
Dean - IIT Madras
"
This and the previous mails that compared the Mumbai floods and the Katrina hurricane have taken Indian nationalism to a ridiculously laughable level. To be frank, this is the kind of jingoistic nationalism we might be well served to avoid. What is it about us that makes us want to shout it out so loud from the rooftops and tell people that "look, we are so good, look!". Or are we so insecure about our little realities inside that the fact that there were lesser casualties in Mumbai as compared to New Orleans or that our streets were not flooded as much as those in New Orleans becomes a nationally circulating email!

To me, technically, this is yet another spam playing upon my prejudices, my willingness, to feel good about myself, with any reason imaginable, any way possible.
I have something to say about pride, though.
People detest you if they cannot share it with you.
So if you display pride in your achievements, you'll be branded a snob. But give others a chance to share your pride, example, talk about how great your community is, or how great your culture is, and you'll be welcomed all hands.
Pride, you know, comes in many colors. All you need to do is, wear the right color.
And why do people wear pride ? Well, I can come up with many superficial reasons, like it motivates you, or it is your birth-right, or it lies in the genes.
However, if you look a little more, underlying every pride, you'll find a deep-rooted insecurity, arising from the commonality and mortality of beings.

Home ?

I think of earth as my home. But then home is a place of permanent residence isn't it ?
I was born here, I will live here for a while, I will die.
Surely then, this is not my home is it ?

Loss of Kindness

The loss of kindly feeling oft
From slightest things shall grow
Where all the fare is dry and spare
Resentments fierce may glow

I found it here

Uljhan

Kuch Baras Pahle hi ki toh baat hai
Jab Ghar ka Aangan chora tha
Yaad hai
Tab Aangan main aati-jaati hariyali thi
Mogre ki mahak thi
Aur neem ki kadwahat
Peepal ki Chanv thi
Aur Bargad ki Jatayen
Haan Yaad toh hai
Phir Aisa kyun lagta hai
Ki Jaameen ki dooriyan toh wahi hain
Par dilon ke phasle badh chale hain
Ki Tasveeron ki chamak to wahi hai
Par Yaadein Purani ho Chali hain

Aisa kyun lagta hai
Ki pheeki hoti mogre ki mahak
Awaz dekar kah rahi hai
Bahot Baras ho gaaye
Hamare Aangan ke Panchi ko Gaaye
Aisa kyun lagta hai
Ki Boodha neem pukar raha Hai
Bahot Baras ho Gaaye
Hamare Aangan Ke Panchi ko Gaaye
Ki Bargad Ki Sooni Jayaten pukar rahi hain
AbKe Baras
Jhoola Khali na rahe
Bahot Baras Ho gaaye Hamare Aangan Ke Panchi ko Gaaye
Shayad Peepal Bhi Asantosh main hai
Ke Na Koi uski daliyon par baith-ta hai
Na koi uski Chaanv Main khelta hai
Par Kuch hi Baras toh Huye hain
Panchi ko Aangan chore
Phir kyun lagta hai
Ki Panchi ab ghar lout chale
Ki Panchi ab ghar lout chale

Momentary

Now boarding the bus. Desi ? Beautiful fingers. Saphire in the middle finger. Long, slender fingers, clutching the ruffled black of the purse. No nail-polish. Khakhis and Navy-Blue T-shirt, sport shoes. Finely shaped jaw-bone, a look of determination. Hurriedly, yet neatly tied hair, a single knot, bundle of straight hair coming out, sideways.
Four birds fly in a distance, towards the mountains, passing the setting sun. Flying in a tapered N.
Alternating places, slowly retreating. Gliding, flapping now.
Ting. Her stop has come.
The birds are out of sight.
Hmm.

Days Flew By

Cute-Girl to Nice-Friend about Special-Friend: "We had a great time together. Days flew by - pata hi nahi chala"
Nice-Friend: "Accha. Did the days fly in a jet or a cargo ?"

Rumble On !

Life is a medical student, and you are it's Rat.

Eccentricity is the way of loner to seek attention, unknowingly, and the way of an idiot, knowingly.

"You are so hypocritical, conceited and full of deceit !"
"So what's your point. Why should I not be like that ?"
"It is so not right. I am displeased with you"
"Oh yeh, well it pleases me. Now Get Lost"

They, who say life is all about pleasure, are the ones most discontent.
They, who say it's all in the mind, are the ones most depressed.

Ignorance is bliss, and Stupidity nirvana.

Cognition

In a short but interesting interview in Walk the Talk by Shekhar Gupta, Dr V S Ramchandran talks about the rapid growth in comprehending the workings of human mind. Here's an excerpt:

What is your book Phantoms of the Brain about?

If you close your eyes, you have a very vivid image of your body parts—it’s called your body image. When you amputate somebody’s arm, the astonishing thing is that even after the operation the patient continues to vividly feel the presence of that arm. He himself is very surprised by this—he’s not stupid, he knows that his arm has been amputated. But he says, You’ve removed the arm, I don’t see an arm, but I vividly feel my fingers, my wrist, my elbow. This is called a phantom arm. It’s important clinically because many people feel excruciating pain in this phantom arm. Chronic pain in a real arm is hard enough to treat; how do you treat a patient who has pain in a non-existent arm?

It turns out that there’s a complete map of the body surface on the surface of the brain. When you amputate a person’s arm, a gap remains, corresponding to the hand, but which doesn’t receive any signals. Instead, the signals from the face invade that territory. It shows that there’s a great deal of malleability of connections in the brain—what we call plasticity. People didn’t realise it before we’d done that. That was the breakthrough. When you amputate the arm and you touch the patient’s face, the patient says, Oh, you’re touching my fingers. It’s a very simple clinical observation, but we said that the reason this happens is because the signal is now going to the wrong part of the brain. There’s been a cross-wiring, and it’s now invaded the vacated territory corresponding to the missing arm. This happens astonishingly fast, in clinical terms. In a couple of weeks, the face skin starts sending its sensory input to a new brain area. It’s radical because it shows that brain maps can change over distances of seven centimetres, even in the adult brain, challenging the clinical dogma that new connections cannot form in the adult brain.

.....

Going back to metaphor, it’s a big question. When Shakespeare says, It is the east and Juliet is the sun; when Tagore says of the Taj, It is a teardrop on the cheek of time—how do these people do it? Can you begin to approach this as a neuroscientist?

Another fascinating thing for me is human ability to spot, create and understand humor and humorous situations. What happens in the human brain, when someone says "This is funny !" And why does good laughter feel good ?

Kohra

Ab Ke Dhundh kuch aisi Chaayi hai
Ki Haath Ko Haath nahin soojhta hai
Ke Raah toh mahsoos hoti hai
Kintu Manzil Ka Aabhas Kho Chala hai

Upon Life-Partner

I appreciate the people who believe in "maid for each other".
After thoughtless deliberation, I have come to believe, it has to be totally give-and-take types for Life-Partnerships to succeed, and not become failed startups.
Hence, Maid for each Other, I tell you, is the secret formula of success.
Ok. it was a joke.

My Cravings

Include this. (That is a "Hakuna Matata" face. I can tell you that for sure)

Of all things, Udeshikaka is an infrequent meditator and urges us to go within. "Meditation happens best when it's at 4AM. Everything is quiet. You can go deep within," Udeshi-kaka says while looking around to see if anyone else is listening. Then he whispers, "And when you go within, you see this incredible white light everywhere. You have to merge yourself with that. But you know, we can't talk about this kind of stuff around here. Only those who understand, understand.

Full Text Here

Mysticism, I tell you, is very enchanting.

Content

It has been a while since I sat near the boulder creek.
A long while.
Yesterday, I laid beside the creek.
Hearing. Watching. Listening.
Then I talked to myself.
I reminisced of the day, when I sang for the trees and the ducks. and myself.
They watched me intently first, disinterested later. Yes, how silly. But it felt great tuning the song with flowing waters.
I was reminded of the day I sat near a bursting fall. My visa application had been rejected, sad at the thought of leaving That stream, Those stones. Those trees. That path. That fall. How selfish, an afterthought, a smile.
Such days, and some more.
Memories merged with waters. Flowing.
Giant trees overlooked upon me, reflecting a certain contention.
Yes. Contention it is, I thought.
I am content when I sit near these waters.

Reverse Effect

How do you make yourself tall ?
Pull your own leg
But before that
you need to exist

Crimson Sky

Wake up
Hearkens the Crimson Sky
Look, I bring to you
warm sunlight
the sailing clouds
the birds flight

Wake up
Dances the Crimson Sky
Look, I bring to you
chipmunks play
the mountains aglow
the gulls sway

Wake up
Sings the Crimson Sky
Wake up
Fades the Crimson Sky
Wake up
To the Crimson Sky
Wake up
To the color of crimson sky
To the song of crimson sky
To the dance of crimson sky
To the moment that is the crimson sky

Play with Philo

(Is like Bicycling to nowhere, just cycling)

They say, fool is the happiest person
because the fool doesn't know
what happiness is

------------------------------------

They say, such is the wonder of the mind
Each desires to have a good time
be it twisted, be it sublime

------------------------------------

Religion and Science both
Are the children of the mind
The reflex twins
When one goes wrong, the other feels the pain

------------------------------------

The moment I know something
I become a bank of the river,
a petal of the flower,
a sin of the sinner,
and then there is always the other side,
the other petal
the other eye
then there is good and evil,
god and devil

------------------------------------------------

Let compassion be my religion
and reason my science
Together they shall charter
The course of my life

-----------------------------------------------

Say, It's all in the mind
What's beyond the mind
Say, Is all the mind ?

Nay, do not rush, do not jump,
Say, where goes the river,
where goes the cloud
when there is no mind,
when I am blind ?

Nay, do not rush, do not jump
Say, who am I
If all is the mind
Why sings the bird
Why plays the child
If I am the mind ?

Say, It's good
to be kind
I don't know
Why it matters if there is nothing
beyond the mind

Say, the irony is
that I reason to live,
when I cannot
reason my existence

Out of the Way

Question. How do you go "out of the way", to help someone ?
Answer. Simple, step atleast five steps aside, away from the person.

Lame Paheli

Hara-Bhara Vrit-Vriqsha, Latakti Huyi Jatayen
Dali Par baithi Chidiya, Doud lagati gilhari,
Kal-kal bahti naadiya, Bhor ki bela, choti si kutiya
aur kutiya mein main
Kahan hoon main, aisa prashna mera, boojho ek shabda ka uttar ?

Answer: Camping. Hee.

Rhetoric

Beeteen Baaton Ki Yaad nahin Dilaya Karte
Beeteen Baaton Ka Kya Hai
Ve Toh Yaad Aa Ke Chali Jaayengi
Gam ki Kalikh se toh Hame Ladna Hoga
Aansoon Ka Saagar Toh Hame Paar Karna Hoga
----------
Manzil Ki Talaash Nahin hai
SHohrat Ki Pyaas Nahin hai
Paise Se Dil Rooth Chuka hai
Ghar-Baar Ka Sapna toot chuka hai
Aankhon Ko Thora Raham mile
Aur Dil Ko Thora Sookon
Bhatakte Musafir Ki Baas Yahi Aakhri Aas Hai
Yahi Aankhri Saans Hai
-----------
Kal tak maan-baba se kahta tha
"tumse pyaar karta hoon"
Phir Doston se kahta tha
"tumse pyaar karta hoon"
Phir Sochta tha
"us-se pyaar karta hoon"
Moorkh tha, samajh nahin paya
Aaj jaana hai
Main sirf apne-aap se pyaar karta hoon
-----------
Logon ne pyaar ko jaane kya kya naam diye
Kisi ne Bhagvan kaha toh kisi ne Jeevan
Lekin naam main kya rakhha hai
Paani ko ushi ne jaana hai
Jisne uska swaad chakhha hai
Aur swaad kaisa, ki jibhaan ko samajh nahin aaya
Shareer ko Rahat mili, aur man ne thandak ko paaya
------------
Main nahin Jaanta, Ki Bhagvan Kaisa Hota hai
Shayad Dopahar Ki Tapti Garmi main
Peepal Ki Chaanv jaisa hota hai
Main nahin Jaanta, Ki Pyaar Kaisa Hota hai
Shayad Gangotri se nikalti Ganga
Ya Shayad Vindhya Se Bahti Narmada Jaisa Hota hai
Main Nahin Jaanta, Ki Nishchal, Nishpaap, Nishkaam Jeevan kaisa hota hai
Shayad Baache ke kilkari
Ya Shayad Baagiche ke podhon jaisa hota hai
Main Kuch nahin Jaanta,
Lekin itna Jaanta hoon, Ki main nahin Jaanta
------------
Kavi Man Karta Hai Ki Baas likhta chala Jaoon
Saare Jag Ke Aandhiyare Ko Apni Kalam Se Mitaoon
Par Meri Syahi Ab Khatm ho rahi hai
Andhiyaare ki lou ab gahri ho rai hai
Lekin Mujhe Gam nahin hai
Itna mujhe maloom hai
Ek kalam rukegi, toh Hazaron Uthengi
Andhiyare ki lou chahe kitni hi gahri ho
Roshni ki chingaariyaan saare jag ko roshan kar dengi

Mangal-Pandey

Also Blogs.

Update: Some other desi celebs who blog: Shekhar Kapur, Deepak Chopra, Nandita Das, Rahul Bose, Suchitra Krishnamurty, Rahul Khanna. All At IntentBlog.
Discovered the link at IndiaUncut.

On God, Life and Everything

Q: If Ram and Allah are divided, what will the result be ?
A: Very Simple. One. Ram is the One. Allah is the One. 1/1 = 1.

Q: Why is everyone not one ?
A; Because then who will be tu (2), 3, 4, 5, you get the drift.

Q: Then how come there is one in everyone ?
A; Because 2 = 1 + 1, 3 = 1 + 1 + 1.. you can let go of the drift now.

Q: Why are C programs very selfish ?
A: Because they always begin execution with *main*

Q: How do C programs demonstrate UnionBazi, and Ekta main Taakat ?
A: You have to pile them together, yaani ki (meaning), compile them to make them work.

Q: Comp user, why there is no salvation for you ?
A: Because you "Execute" so many programs a day. On Top of that, you multi-task the execution !

Q: Ok. I understand all that. But how does computer mean everything ?
A: Yeh geek, you wait. Let me take out computer from your life, and you tell what is left ?

Do what you are Good At

You know how the saying goes, You should do what you are Good at.
Well, guess what, people usually don't like to do what they are Good at.
And they mostly want to do something they are not good at.
Because what you are Good at, is not always very interesting.
And then it's a choice. To do something you are Good at, and make a good living but dream of that something interesting which you would rather do.
Or, pursue the interest, and dream of a life where you would have a nice house at the beach, overlooking the mountains, with a green forest nearby.

ButtLine. It's difficult to find something you are Good at. But it's even more difficult to find something that you are Good at and is Interesting.

Makes sense ? No. Ok, I am not good at it.

Paint-Time

By A young friend, who paints, currently doing undergrad in Pune, India.

(Yes. It's Dimple, from Rudali I think)

Check out SeonnaHong's paintings. I discovered the link at BoingBoing.

Nothing New Under The Sun

This is such an age, when if you think you have a new idea, better do a reality check.
Even something silly like Caterpillar Conciousness. (If reality doesn't make your new old, see a therapist. You could still be saved.)
Infact, as the saying goes, If you are a startup company, and you are doing something that no-body is or has, pack your bags. Your failure is guaranteed.
(Ok. It is not that absurd. Startups need to make money.
To make money they need to have a service or a product which is either a new approach, or an improved one.
Now, given the limited possible solutions to most user-world problems with available supporting technologies for devising a solution, and so many people trying to make money, if all possible solutions haven't been tried, then you are in a field which either has no money, or doesn't exist.
And if you are in a field that doesn't exist, chances of your becoming next Ebay or Amazon, are .00000some ridiculously small Floating Point Number. So mostly, you will fail to make money. Makes sense. No. Try working in a startup. You'll know what I mean. But then Basic_Hope = 1/pi. Why ? Constant, you see. So we try to get real. I mean get the floating point. Now on that note, we have a pj. You can never get hold of a floating point, because if you did, it will no longer be floating. Mwhahahahaha.)

Song of the Moment

is first song from this movie

funny

Zen Questions, Funny Answers

Wish-Wish. Shwish.

Today's Wish. To watch this movie
Why ? Well. The word appeared in the mind from remote recesses.

Yeh Le !

Walking. Towards the tennis courts. There is a stray thunderstorm warning, but we want to play. There is lightening, and blue-black over the mountains. But it's ok. Courts are far from there. We need to cross the road. Cars speeding past by. Walk signal. A half broken CD lying on the road. Looking at the greenness of the trees. Friends says. "CD". Thoughts Interrupted. Hmm. I say "Chadh Ja". Back to the greenness again. Yes ofcourse, friend starts pulling out his hair :)

Time-Pass

There's no good movie playing in theatres.
So, I resort to another entertainment, another escape. Music.
Here's the song of the moment:

saanson ki saragam, dhadakan kee beenaa,
sapanon ki geetaanjali tu
man kee gali mein mahake jo haradam ayesee
joohi ki kali tu
chhotaa safar ho, lambaa safar ho, suni dagar ho yaa melaa
yaad tu aaye, man ho jaaye, bheed ke beech akelaa
baadal bijali chandan
paani, jaisaa apanaa pyaar..

One of my favorites. Beautiful Lyrics. I also like Rangeela Re.

Not Easy Eh ?

Psyche: What's new ?
Patient: I am tired of this world. I will retire to the forest. I want to spend the rest of my life alone, away from this world.
Psyche: Sounds Good.
Patient: Will you visit me ?
Psyche: I thought you wanted to retire from the world !

(Patient leaves)
Few days later

Psyche: You are in bad shape !
Patient: Very Upset. As I told you, I went to the forest, built myself a small hut near the river. Today a man passed by. He asked me what was I doing there. I replied, I was spending my life in seclusion, away from the world. He called me a stupid fool. I became very upset. We got into a fight. After a while he ran away. But I am very upset now. Why did he call me a stupid fool !
Psyche: But I thought you had retired from the world ?

Trinity

Optimist and Pessimist sat across the table, Eyes locked over a glass of water.
Pessimist, "This glass, is half empty"
Optimist, "Well, if you look at it another way, it's half full"
Thirsty came and drank the water.

Lessons: Many.
To not theorize, you must be thirsty.

Life becomes good or bad, when you have too much time to think about it.

Sitting across the table, discussing endlessly, is one of the joys of friendship.

Believer and Non-Believer, both are same in that they only have theories. Only the one who has drunk the water, can tell you what it tastes like.

Comparison, can give the false perception, of an absolute which doesn't exist, often mistaken to be reality.

Without difference, communication would be impossible. Mind can only measure difference (This also comes from this book)

Good friends, can become enemies, over ideological divisions, each suffering thereby.

Past, Present and Future, are connected by the water in glass, as life in body.

Pessimist projects from the past (the glass had to be empty first), Optimist projects from the future, and both iterate in relative realities.

I am not thirsty :) and if was, I would have preferred Coke, at this hour. But yes, I have a glass of water on my table now, and I sure will drink it.

Mystic Muse

On a friends suggestion, I read Osho for a while. Got bored after sometime.
Now, I don't recollect much of what I read.
A mantra from his grandma, is one I think about sometimes:

Namo arihantanam namo namo
Namo siddhanam namo namo
Namo uvajjhayanam namo namo
Namo loye savva sahunam namo namo
Aeso panch nammukaro
Savva pavappanasano
Mangalam cha savvesam padhamam havai mangalam
Arihante saranam pavajjhami
Siddhe saranam pavajjhami
Sahu saranam pavajjhami
Namo arihantanam namo namo
Namo siddhanam namo namo
Namo uvajjhayanam namo namo
Om, shantih, shantih, shantih….

For translation, read here

What Trash !

Ok. I have just figured out that my code is trashing because linux 2.6 kernel has preemption and my kernel module is being removed before the daemon it started trashes itself, voluntarily. With no obvious solution in sight, my mind willfully wanders free, to search for one. Before that it visits some blogs. Again. Reads some news, again. And wants to write something funny for siphar. But writing funny is a difficult thing I tell ya. Like for example. There is a Microsoft mouse that sits on a dell mouse-pad, near a trash bin. What's funny in that ? Nothing. Like there's a sprint-pcs cell phone, near the unwashed coffee-mug near a napkin trash. Nothing funny here too. Then there's a lot of paper on my desk, deserving its space in a bin that is trash. Nothing funny here too. There in the corner lies a non-calorie sweetner, on the desk of a twenty-six year old, on top of a linux journal magazine, most of which was trash. You know, I can go on and on, and eventually jump to the conclusion that life is mostly trash. See now, I just gave a you a little peek into a trashy little world, and most probably all you can think of is nothing funny in trash. Hee. Ok, I better cleanup all that " ".

Now a mental exercise. If I were to rename five Bond movies with trash what will they be ? (Ek minute. The idea of discussing Bond and Bond related stuff, comes from no-url-left)
1. Trash Never Dies
2. The World's Trash is Not Enough.
3. License to Trash.
4. The Spy Who Trashed Me.5. You Only Trash Twice.

Have a " " free day.

Words and Heart

If they cannot reach your heart,
my words, they are of no use
And if they do reach your heart
for my words, there is no more a use

(Derived from a reading on Amir Rumi)