Gora by Tagore

This book was part of my syllabus in BA Lit and needless to say, I did not read it then. A thick fat book in fine print, and with a wariness for Indian authors - even of the stature of Tagore - I kept away from it. Sadly, our lecturers too did not think it necessary to make it compulsory for us to read it. In the true spirit of preparing for the exams, they told us that this book was never part of the question paper. So though I bought the book, it lay with me for quite sometime.

Then I finished my exams, and was already in a job. I don't know what prompted me to pick this up finally. Maybe the fact that I didn't have anything else to read just then, or feeling pity for a book that lay uncared for...

It was an amazing book - for the depth of characters, the intricacy of the plot and the final twist that was stunning, and at the same time, so believable and so relevant in today's times...

Who am I to critique a legendary author! This post is not about the author but the character Gora. Maybe one of the reasons I could relate to the book so well was because I had a classmate just like this man - completely convinced in her version of the truth, armed with all arguments supporting her case, aggressive in her stance, willing to pooh-pooh what everyone else had to say.

Years later, she acted contrary to this conviction in one of the matters I know of. I am sure, like Gora, she was equally convinced about the opposite stance!

But it was an eye-opener at another level too. I suddenly felt that an RSS, a jehadi or a crusader is so because he/she is wired that way. They have to have convictions to hold on to, to push forward, to defend. If it is not one, then they need another cause. So if you take religion away from them, they will still probably find something else that they think is fighting and killing for.

Isn't this what make books classic - the timelessness of depictions, the great insight they provide into a society, into the human mind?

If we use this insight in our dealings with terrorists, will we find another way to solve the problem of terrorism? Instead of kill and kill some more, can their energies be channelised differently?

Have you read: Crazy for Cronin

Raktabeeja

Raktabeeja was blessed with a boon - from every drop of his blood that fell on the ground would come another Raktabeeja. When Goddess Durga fought with him, every time she killed him, thousands of Raktabeeja took his place.

Goddess Kali was evoked and she drank every drop of his blood falling from his wounds before he finally died in the battle.

Osama has been killed but there have been several Osamas before and after. Already the succession plan would have kicked into action, and back up plans being worked on.

Which goddess is going to incarnate to join this battle against terrorism and perpetrators of terror? Will there be a Kalki coming soon to root out evil?

Like with Kali, when the killing becomes indiscriminate, innocent and the guilty alike caught in the bombing, will there be a Shiva to bring peace?

Will there ever be true peace?

From the Babe's Mouth: Part III

Is it the vacation that is giving my daughter time to think up all this?

"Appa," she asks as he is dropping off to sleep. "Can gods die?"

Silence before he answers, "He is not born so He cannot die."

"But if he is not born, how is he there?"

"He is energy, which is not born and does not die."

"What is energy?" Before he can answer. "But gods are Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva...they are like us, no?"

"We give the energy names so that we can understand It better."

"So what is energy?"

"I will explain this properly to you sometime. Now go to sleep."

More of her questions at: Rebirth; Life and Death

A Tiny Drop

The drop fell on the railing
Seemingly from nowhere
Standing distinct
Wanting to be noticed
Wobbling, doing a merry dance
Sliding down
To write its stance.
The sound of it dropping
A whispered word
To be heard.
From nowhere
Came pouring the rain
Taking the drop
On a forceful fall.
Mixing it
With million other drops.
Merging with the rest
The drop played out its destiny.
Unseen, unheard, unread
Just a tiny drop.

Did you like: The Super Eye, The Dilemma, The Worshipper of Goddess, Tearing Through the Blue

The Metro

Chennai is on par with other metros today, we say proudly. We have malls, we have cars, we have flyovers and we have traffic jams.

A 10 minute distance took me around 40 minutes yesterday on my two wheeler at 11 in the morning on the arterial road - The Mount Road.

Was I mad to be out on the bike - not only did I ask myself this, but many of my friends. Pressed between cars of all sizes, not an inch of the road visible, there was heat radiating from all sides. Not one apology of a tree to provide shade against the merciless sun that glared at all the foolish citizens of Chennai that were out at that hour.

But I was on a bike, and other travellers on car. I could not help thinking of so many old people - inlcuding my father - who depend on the shank's mare regardless of the time of the day. The sun is no more merciful to them than us, the trees as absent. And they as used to the comforts as us... And yet I have seen them do it - two old men from my building can be seen out in the sun on bank work and other sundry things.

I wonder if development has to mean cutting down of trees. If a road is broadened, can't a provision be made for some shade somewhere? Is the lust for the metal so much that anything green is an anathema?

For those of you who read my blog The Silence of the Geese - there is some good news. Of the 172, only 28 are to be cut - a HC order was passed to this effect. I am hoping that this will be followed and not forgotten.

In the early days, kings had a rule - if they cut 1 tree, they had to plant 5 or something in its place. This ancient law should be made mandatory today.

Rebirth: From Babe's Mouths

"Amma, I have to ask you one thing. Actually, two things" my daughter started in her characteristic style. "First, I want to know when life ends."

"You asked me that earlier," I reminded her.

"Yes, but what I want to know is, we are born as baby, then become an akka, then mother, then grandmother; then again we are born, then dadadada, then dadada; then again... So I want to know when this will end." She sounded like she was already tired of being born again and again.

So I escaped with the tale of dinosaurs, how they became extinct, but others came in their place.

"Ok, I want to know what I was in the previous birth. Does anyone know? Like if I was Chinese or something else." And I always wondered why the reiki I did on myself when she was in my womb and the Ojas for pregnant women that I listened to had not had a positive impact!

If other parents get such queries, I replied, "That's because if you remembered that you were Chinese, you will want to go back to your Chinese mother and not love me."

That satisfied her for the time being - relief.

Is she just 7?
The first  time she asked me the first question: Life and Death

Do Gooder

The Inseparable Friends, that's what Priya and Preetha were called.

"You are so patient and understanding," Jaya told Priya.

"Why do you say that?" Priya asked.

"Preetha can be so rude sometimes!"

Priya's smile did not waver. "What happened?"

"Oh nothing! I asked her to lend me some money, and she quoted Hamlet to me."

Priya laughed. "Yes, she has been cheated several times, so she doesn't like to lend. How much do you want?"

"Oh, I found someone to lend me, but I wondered how such a generous person like you can be her friend?"

"She believes people easily... So some have taken her for a ride. But she is not a bad sort," Priya said again and went back to her work.

***

"I am sorry," Preetha said as she saw Jaya walking up. "I thought about it and decided I would lend you..."

"No, it's okay," Jaya said, her face showing it wasn't.

"Priya told me you were upset..."

Jaya raised an eyebrow. "She told me that you had been cheated before because you were such a fool!"

Preetha frowned. "I have been cheated yes, because I trusted people."

Jaya laughed sweetly. "You still do, don't you?"

"What do you mean?" Preetha asked.

"I mean, you think Priya is a friend, and she thinks you can be easily lead, that you are rude. You know, she told me that I should have gone to her instead. More likely to get the money."

"Meaning?"

"Oh I don't know. You are her friend... you should know."

Preetha's lips formed a thin line.

That evening, the two friends became sworn enemies.

If only they hadn't let what Jaya thought of them get in the way of how they felt for each other. They hadn't asked each other, "Did you say this?" but instead known, "You couldn't have said this."