Time's Arrow (The Nature of the Offence) (1991)

Time's Arrow is a great read. Another one of Martin Amis' on my shelf. Its one of the most adrenalizing works that I have encountered.

As you stride though it, and time goes backward, quite many aspects of life seem to be upside down. While others like relationships appear to be the same, whether followed in a backward or forward manner. He touches upon the brutality and the lucidly ignoble acts of inhumanity by the Nazis in a skillful way. Quite aptly said, its the only way, those acts can ever make sense. As you enter the time when he was a German Holocaust Doctor, "THE WORLD IS going to start making sense...", and you witness that "Creation is easy. Its ugly" as men, women and children are gifted a human body in the ovens in those camps and reunited eventually.

Its interesting to see how backward chronology makes some phases of life "make sense" whilst other utterly cynical; few so appealing whilst others damn disgraceful, and yet others remain changeless.

Any memoirs of Adolf Hitler's dream of a race...the third Reich are gruesome (unlike this one). A gripping thought remains - Each of Albert Einstein, MK Gandhi and Adolf Hitler impregnated this world with their everlasting "contributions" about at the same time. Doesn't it resemble the concept of Trinity in Hinduism - the creator, the keeper and the destroyer of life ?

Overall, loved it! :)

morbid death

Life is beautiful, she once said.
Oh what good is life but, she wonders now

Quotidian wandering of lonely heart
While the mind pumps new puzzles, oh all so hard
Why lay dominoes when they are but destined just to fall
Why dream, when they shall so shatter, oh one and all

When gloom puts off the light within
When promises are broken and soul cries shrieking
When the heart goes empty, and none dots linking
When what appears endless is mere brooding and sulking
That's when morbid death over daft life
Conspicuously seems a saner choice.

If smiles and blossoms are the spring
And then descends the autumn, the unyielding
She once just hoped for another spring
But why dread life from spring to spring?

So capricious are ways of life,
That it makes her now but dread life.
Oh yes, morbid death over daft life
Conspicuously seems a saner choice.

Do Parchaiyan..

Another yearly break. Sweet times with my nephew, Nonu and niece, Tanu. Here I post their photograph to mark those few snug memories with them in my blog forever. Thats the joy of being an unsolicited unpublished writer! :-)

We, The Headless Chickens.

Three weeks. My yearly vacation this year was short and unforgettable. Enjoyed every bit of it, except some annoying ordeals. Media and Politics clearly skirted their way out as the winner of all the discomforting experiences in India.

During these three weeks that I spent, media was busy with all its vigour trying to talk about primarily three things, Indo-US Nuclear Deal, Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt. Though the issues were indubitably incomparable wrt the significance for the nation as a whole, but effectively each was treated equally – inexpiably immense coverage, dumb comments and speculations, lack of critical opinion. Far from being the unbiased benefactor of significant “facts”, media is being the irresponsible, commercialised recipient of sheer abhorrence by critics all the way. And for the other gullible ones, its the one culpable for architecting skewed opinion.

Ronen Sen, India’s envoy to the US, on Nuclear Deal, made a comment -
“So why do you have all this running around like headless chicken, looking for a comment here or comment there, and these little storms in a tea-cup?”
“I can understand (such a debate) immediately after independence,” he said. “But 60 years after independence! I am really bothered that 60 years after independence, they are so insecure -- that we have not grown up, this lack of confidence and lack of self-respect.” Wow, I was never so impressed by a comment so appropriate in my lifetime, really :). Forget the row generated by his statements for a moment.

I distinctly remember one of the comments by a commoner made in a TV show (on one of the numerous news channels) trying to eat up a 60 minute slot interviewing ppl for their opinion on the nuclear deal. So here goes the guy, “Bharat ki akhandta, uska swabhimaan hi uski sabse badi takat hai. Hum kisi bhi halat mein amreeca ke gulam nahin ban na chahte. Kareeb ek sadi tak ladne ke baad bharat to british raj se ajaadi mili thi. Hum apni aazadi dubara khona nahin chahte. Hum na kisi ke gulam the, na fir kabhi honge!” this was followed by a round of applause by one and all. Due respect to the sensational spirit of nationalism but unfortunately the issue at hand needs more than that. Compare the two comments and you will see what my vexation is all about.

The latest Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project row is also amusing enough. No one is willing to look at the geographical implications of the project. The link here shows how the adam’s bridge acted as the natural barrier during the tsunami, helping protect most of the coastline west and northwest of Dhanushkodi from devastation. Hindu Activists claim that it’s a old cultural heritage and should not be damaged in wake of nothing on this earth.

That apart, rather the row at this hour is over the statements included in the reports saying that there is no proof that Lord Rama existed which implies that this is a natural bridge, and hence, cutting a canal through it is not a cultural attack on the Hindus. !! . Why is no one willing to re-evaluate the key fundamental factors (the one mentioned above is just one of them) which really make sense and put them on the table?!

Isn't all this exasperation, incessant illogical frictions a cause of discomfort for you? It is high time we realise that the purpose is to critique and not to condemn each other, the essence is in moving forth and not from the pillar to the post.

Moulin Rouge

Quite impressive a movie which is Moulin Rouge. Its treads along the footsteps of a musical, unfogettable perfromances by gorgeous Nicole Kidman and the penniless writer Christian (Ewan McGregor). A romantic musical, an unconventional cinema with graceful enticing lyrics well kneeded at opportune moments. Unlike some musicals, there was never a feeling of an awkward intrusion of music or woohoo.. types :-). The sets were simply majestic. I can just imagine the effect in the widescreen image of this movie. The passion for lust and/or love is vividly blatant all through.

Here is the link to the lyrics of the movie. Its difficult to say how true in real life this might be, but the effect that this single assertion had in the whole movie was unforgettable -

The greatest thing you'll ever learn...Is just to Love, and be Loved in return.

Needless to say, all the lyrics were just beautiful."Come what may.." , "One day I'll fly away", and "Sparkling Diamonds" amongst others were just awesome.

One day I'll fly away
Leave all this to yesterday
Why live life from dream to dream?
And dread the day when dreaming ends
One day I'll fly away
Fly, fly away

Wiki-Moulin Rouge

Miles to go before I sleep

Sometime the unpalatable nature of life bangs hard onto me. This unsavoury feel for life is a new development though. The feeling of finding -every- bit of -everything- around you so phony, so contradistinctive from what I thought the world should be like. Being into research these days, there is this phenomenon of 'contemplating' leeching me. Why do people fake? Why do relationships so dear to you begin to itch all of a sudden? Why do tend to restrict yourself to the same finite boundary inspite of yourself?

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there's some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

- Robert Frost

May be I should not blame this phase of my life, I am just being extra freaky again. And another year comes and goes. Damn! :P Oh...and its worth a mention that being the winter solstice, today's night is gonna be a long one. But it will end, in the end.

Do Parchai...

These are the two parchaayies (Nonu and Tanu). This post is a tribute to the simple ways in which kids spread joy, laughter and smiles to cherish all-through your life. Nonu sang a beautiful song (sang it like a bhajan though: P) for me too (I shall share it soon).

Love incarnate :)

Aataa...the lifeline

My visit to India (a badly needed break) after some 6 months of stay in barcelona shall fetch mixed feelings throughout my life. Never before I felt the heart of india beating so loud (there is a slight possiblity that it was actually my heart :P), I could hear everything around me and none of the sounds was soothing. The Radio Mirchi in the bus, together with the crazy traffic, the shouting-screaming children and feriwallas....India looked like so much oozing with population, heat, sweat and dust for a moment.

Needless to say, as always the last feeling that I have is of awe. So much confusion, so much jostling with people, still everyhting looks effectively pacified...the same as it was. Each city that i visited after 6 months has to its credit accumulated some new developments, be it delhi metro, more facilities, airport renovation, new one coming up in Greater Noida. Jaipur looked even more taken care of. Well-maintained roads, newer buildings, more development plans n schemes. Everything in India seems to be flowing at its regular controlled pace. Each new place that you visit in India leaves in you an intrepid desire to explore more.India is indubitably vast and beautiful.

As the auto managed its way through the rough street to my house, I could hear some lively chanting of females-ladies sangeet, another girl was getting married i think. Listening to the news makes me believe that time is at a standstill here in this land. Everything is moving but nothing has effectively changed. News span everything but old dirty politics, life/infrastructure toll due to floods/famines(depending on the season), accompalishments (no doubt!), bollywood gossips, business icons, bribery/corruption...any flavor in its brute form is vital here in my homeland at all times.

How can I put a full stop to my experience without mentioning a note on the Aataa. Aata is always the favorite question of everyone. In one real incident that took place in the evening when i was surrounded by three neighborhood aunts together with my mom (what a grill that was). So when the third aunty just popped in, after having asked her curious petty questions about my life in spain, she asked "Beta, aata milta hai wahan?". Please note that the two other aunts whose time of popping in was earlier than this one had already asked the same question. I smiled and nodded yet again, resolutely shutting out the temptation of rather banging my head. Is this the manifestation of the so-called (legitimately?) warm indian society? The sound of the evening prayers at the nearby temple with loud drums and bells beckoning God for blessings and arousing an emotional tirade in the god-loving (or god-fearing?) religious people is an everyday affair.

Aaataa...Aataa..Aaataa... I dare not tell them that I have stopped eating chapatis. Aahh...chapaties after a long time. Me at home...at ease (at peace?). BTW, am still not out of it...can you comment if the attaa query is a perennial concern by everyone around you also?

Yahan Kaun Hai Tera...

An baffling thought I at times have is about the conundrum of birth and the debut of new life. How can something so physical and biological (and may be chemical) lead to formation of a new life – a life with body, mind and conscience. This gives a pretty bigger meaning to the essence of reproductive characteristics of any form of life for that matter. The first tiny green leaf of a seedling or be it the hatching of an egg leading to a chick, life (birth) is a mystically beautiful. It kicked off from a biological process, but what smiles as life amidst us is much beyond that. When does everything get so much baptized with that bliss of life? As I write this today, I am not just a bunch of chemical reactions or a set of particles( and/or biological cells) in conjugation, I am more than that, and so are you. When does one change existence from just the conjunction of two gametes to what we call a life?

I remember an exercise that we were made to do in groups in my Art of Living classes. Each person closes his/her eyes, and asks the companion- “Who are you?” After each answer that I gave, my companion was just re-iterating the same question as if hinting that I don’t know who I am. I was defining the way world knows me. Hence the bigger question still remains “Who am I?” Do you think your essence is in consanguinity with that very instant when you were baptized with life? I wish to conclude now, but will let the tantalizing thought linger.

Song I am listening to : Wahan kaun hai tera…from movie Guide. Try listening to this song here.
Current Mood : Contemplative, as always ;-)

Wahan Kaun hai tera..
Musafir, jayega kahan
Dam lele ghadi bhar,
Yeh chaiya payega kahan.

Koi bhi teri raah na dekhe.
Nain bichaye na koi
dard se tere koi na tadpa
Aankh kisi ki na roi

Kahe kisko tu mera
Musafir, jayega kahan

Kuch tera na mera.
Musafir jayega kahan

.Life.

Life is beautiful
when it blossoms in your heart
deep inside amidst the shrouds of dust n gloom.

Life is hope,
a reason for living
when you are all alone

Life is alive
with showers of smiles
and waves of new beginnings after deaths

Undefined is life
for me, for you
who still wander fanatically
looking for an answer .
A simple answer to
...
Who am I?
...

Infinite
is what Life is.
Don’t you try to define me, Life says
For I am the infinite
I span everything.

I am you.
I am Life.
Life is beautiful.

Yin Yang-intriguing or incomplete?

On my way to univ each morning, I cross a circular park with curious curves. Only after few days I realised that its inspired by the symbol of Yin Yang (may be!). The concept of Yin Yang (a chinese symbol developed from the natural and rhythmic changes in our universe) is very captivating. Yin represents everything about the world that is dark, hidden, passive, receptive, yielding, cool, soft, and feminine. Yang represents everything about the world that is illuminated, evident, active, aggressive, controlling, hot, hard, and masculine. Everything in the world can be identified with either yin or yang – the two forces of nature (complementary and supplementary).

If you look carefully at the association of Yin (dark-passive-feminine-cool-soft) vs Yang (illuminated-active-masculine-hot-hard), its not difficult to fathom the beauty of the theme. Yin exists because Yang exists; each one originated from the other and is the reason of changes in the other. But I was wondering if this implies that darkness (in terms of vices, pain, sorrow et al) cannot be eliminated from roots? (at all?)

The concept of Yin Yang essentially states that since no one principle dominates eternally, that means that all conditions are subject to change into their opposites…and all phenomena have within them the seeds of their opposite state. So when do you reach a state of balance? Or how do you define balance, in the first place? Does Yin Yang hint that there always exists a balance, but the fact is that its imbalanced or point to a possibility that there can never be balance?

Interesting reads : History/Origin of YinYang

To be or not to be is not the question

I have been thinking of putting down these thoughts which keep boggling my mind often.By the way, I know I am not the only one :) I am not sure if I will really be able to express it, but I think its worth a try atleast...

Sometimes in life, one feels empty. So empty, that to be or not to be no more remains a question. The dilemna looms in your head in a form larger and fiercer than ever before. The question then asks...

Why be?

This question is so unabbreviated, crystal and intriguing that a person who is able to answer it for himself has probably known his purpose of life. Or may be he -solved- his purpose of life. The second facet that I sometimes attach to it, a more scientific and rational one, (the former being a philosophical n divine one) is that may be its the Charles Darwin's theory in operation leading to the concept of "Survival of the Fittest". Each one is trying to prove himself as the fittest so that he 'survives', this is what appears to be the superficial and supposed purpose of life on earth. The definition of "Survive" or "Fittest", to me emerges to be a subjective one, implying different meaning to different beings. But then again, I ask myself...

Why survive?

Well, the beauty of this problem is that it has no single outcome or may be no outcome at all. I leave it for you to think...if at all you want to!

Lehron Se Darkar Nauka Paar Nahin Hoti..

I am simply in awe of this insirpiring poem by the legendary Harivansh Rai Bachchan. Thanks to the Sender. Here goes the same...

Lehron Se Darkar Nauka Paar Nahin Hoti,
Himmat Karne Waalon Ki Kabhi Haar Nahin Hoti.

Nanhi Chinti Jab Daana Lekar Chalti Hai,
Chadti Deewaron Par Sau Baar Fisalti Hai,
Mann Ka Vishwaas Ragon Mein Saahas Bhartaa Hai,
Chadkar Girna, Girkar Chadna Na Akharta Hai,
Mehnat Uski Bekar Har Baar Nahin Hoti,
Koshish Karne Waalon Ki Kabhi Haar Nahin Hoti.

Dubkiyan Sindhu Mein Gotaakhor Lagata Hai,
Jaa Jaakar Khaali Haath Lautkar Aata Hai,
Milte Na Sahaj Hi Moti Gehre Paani Mein,
Badta Doona Vishwaas Isi Hairaani Mein,
Muththi Uski Khaali Harbaar Nahin Hoti,
Koshish Karne Waalon Ki Kabhi Haar Nahin Hoti.

Asafaltaa ek Chunauti hai Sweekaar Karo,
Kya Kami Reh Gayi Dekho Aur Sudhar Karo,
Jab Tak Na Safal Ho Neend Chain Ki Tyago Tum,
Sangharshon Ka Maidaan Chod Mat Bhaago Tum,
Kuch Kiye Binaa Hi Jai Jaikaar Nahin Hoti,
Koshish Karne Waalon Ki Kabhi Haar Nahin Hoti.

-Harivansh Rai Bachchan

Musings of my heart...

Kind of free these days! Just warming up for my next assignment in life, a big one, ...My academic life to be more precise ;)

I was basking in the afternoon sun relishing some fruits in my 8 floor rooms balcony. My balcony gives a beautiful view of the landscape around...Ample greenery(not lush though!). Near to this are some upcoming constructions in pipeline. The homeless laborers who have no place otherwise, take up this 'golden' opportunity to build a small home for their family with the leftover bricks etc. While the parents are busy with the daily labor, the kids are left to play in the sand/muddy corners. I was just concentrating on a kid playing(not sure what it was doing with the sand around!) near to a somewhat big construction. The kid had dark skin and was sittin in the sandy place near to the construction.

Looking at the small dark kid and a couple of its kins around it, I was wondering what the future of such kids is. These kids cannot think of education as their parents are poor and will put them to work as soon as they are some 7-10 years of age.

Can something be done for such kids? Life is not blossoming for them, they don't know what a square meal is. Some years down the line, with no educational background, they will think of taking up some underpaid laborious job just as their parents. Me musing why should life be different for two kids born in different families - one in the slum near the construction and the other in the family next door. Why should an innocent life bear the brunt of being born in a poverty-stricken family!?

This is unfair...but such is life!

Hands-On Blogging

Hadn’t thought of blogging ever!

I have always been a great fan of blogging as such. Not because it’s in vogue, but rather coz of the immense power I see attached to it. I believe it's powerful enough to bring about revolutions. I am sure there will be one, someday…
…
The Blogging Revolution!
…
I was curious to know all about blogs, the history, present, and the future. Check out this link if you want to know more!

Let's Rock. Let’s Blog! ;;)