Patriarchy, Matriarchy and Parenting

Marriages, once a beautiful institution that held society together, have become (very literally) domestic political battlefields!

You either have patriarchy, where the male species is adjudged to be the wiser guides of families and societies simply because they can physically overpower women (just look at the utter lack of logic in that statement!). And we have generations of children growing up in such twisted houses and communities and imbibing this distorted value system. Girl children who eventually accept being made to submit to a servile existence as their lot or face a continuous threat of violence. And "boys of the family" who learn to bask in that sense of enlightenment bestowed on them simply by the chromosomes they carry. Now they have the first unquestioned unearned right to food, the first unquestioned unearned right to education, the first unquestioned unearned right to money, to independence. And when their time comes, they have to propagate this nonsense to the next generation. Their "family" will live where they want them to, how they want them to, they will be the "heads of their families" : just like that, simply by accident of birth in being born male.

Young children are innocent, they can see the nonsense of all this. Yet, they are to respect all of this till they get cast in the same rotten mould.

Or you have matriarchy, which, to me, is the same degraded imbalance in the other direction, the other side of the same dirty coin that no longer ought to have currency in any civilized society.

Why would children respect this either? Societal imbalance is fundamentally undeserving of respect.

I have tired myself asking couples this simple question: You live together, you sleep together, you are able to perceive each other in some depth, there is intimacy, all barriers have dropped, and you can't let go of this power play, this politics? What's the need for it? It's so ugly! Just trust each other, be equals in your relationship, raise your children with that sense of equality, bring about a balanced society that is free of all this oppression, all this violence, all this anguish.

It's specially strange to be having this conversation in India. In our tradition, the wife is referred to as Ardhaangini : literally, half the husband's being. And the man immediately becomes Ardhaang : half the wife's being. Perfect equality. Perfect balance. Nay! One step further! The two become one - period! No scope for disrespect from either side. No scope of oppression from either side. That's intimacy. That's a relationship. That's walking together on the journey of life as equals. As one.

That's the starting point. Step zero. Then comes sensible, conscious, parenting directed at raising children into intellectually and emotionally mature adults capable of engaging with the world with intelligence and empathy and thinking and living independently.

Be such parents, and you would have earned your right to be respected. Else, no.

Tackling Excess Rainfall / Floods / Droughts

I met a Professor from the Water Resources Group at IIT Roorkee recently who told me that solutions are available for collecting water in regions that receive excess rainfall at a rapid rate and storing it. This would of course have two benefits: (1) Prevent / reduce the agricultural damage due to flooding in that area itself and (2) Make water available in that or other regions at other times when there is water scarcity.

The challenge it seems is convincing states to come together and put in the money to execute these solutions.

This is pretty sad! We lose so much crop every year due to either flooding or drought. Then there are massive concerns about water scarcity in general. To have inter state squabbles come in the way of solving these problems is not just unfortunate, its plain criminal.

I hope this post reaches the right people and has them thinking about and committed to solving this problem.

I also invite you to read: https://strike-a-pause.blogspot.com/2015/04/an-innovation-challenge.html

Luggage Scanning at Railway / Bus Stations

Scanning of luggage at railway stations was stopped a few years ago.

One may ask: Why scan luggage at railway stations when mischief can happen at crowded places in general?

My response: Because (a) scanning luggage at railway stations, bus terminals, etc. can also help in our fight against drugs and any other illegal merchandise and (b) wherever we can put measures to enhance safety, we should.

I believe luggage should get scanned not just at railway stations of big cities but at each and every railway station and intercity bus terminus. If several scanning machines and more security personnel need to be deployed for this, then so be it. (And alongside, people can practice some patience. Arriving a few minutes earlier to do your bit towards a more secure and crime free society is quite worth it.)

No compromise on safety at any cost or for any reason.

Incorrect Understanding Of Shri Ram

Here's a news article from 2019: https://www.ndtv.com/kanpur-news/muslim-boy-thrashed-for-refusing-to-chant-jai-shri-ram-in-kanpur-2061440

What a complete lack of understanding of who Shri Ram was and what he stands for! Such a shame!

I'm not surprised though. I happened to be in Ranchi for Ram Navami in 2019 and felt nothing but a deep sense of shame at the way my fellow Hindus were behaving. Roaming around on the streets in the night with swords drawn, the smell of alcohol on their breath, and aggressively shouting Jai Shree Ram, Jai Shree Ram, ... Almost felt as if some demon had taken possession of them and the word Ram coming from their mouths felt more like an insult and abuse than a blessing. And being a devotee of Mother Sita and Lord Ram myself, that hurt! (Would be really good to see that whole drama exposed through a sting operation one of these Ram Navamis.)

Growing up through school, college, and now in my profession: I have several Muslim friends, Christian friends, Sikh friends, ... They have never ever pressurized me to go to a Mosque, or a Church, or a Gurudwara, and I have never pressured them to come to a temple. I don't need to say Inshallah, Amen, or Waheguru, to be accepted by them, and they don't need to say Jai Shri Ram to be accepted by me.

If we can't even behave with this much common sense, then where the 21st century, where education, where our aspirations to be a developed 1st world country?

No wonder we have slipped below Bangladesh economically. Don't believe me? Here is the World Bank data for Gross National Income (GNI) Per Capita:

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.CD

Fact: India ($2540) is below Bangladesh ($2860).

We have to demand a better governance than the Divide and Rule that's going on today. We have already suffered the effects of this policy under British rule. We don't need to go through the same trauma again. Secularism is a far far better policy for development and unity than Divide and Rule!

(Note: As you reflect on the post above, bear in mind that I have supported the present government every time they acted to cancel minority appeasement freebies (Haj Allowance, PM Iftar Parties, Triple Talaaq, Article 370 - Kashmir lost the moral right to ever demand anything in January 1990). But from 2019 to 2024 their speeches and IT Cell actively spread hatred against ordinary Muslim citizens. Not only can this not be allowed, it is fundamentally nonsensical. To understand this better, I invite you to read: Strike a Pause: Why Push Away Muslims? (strike-a-pause.blogspot.com))

Modernity and Progressiveness

To be modern, progressive, is a state of mind.

It means we have the capacity to think afresh, to critically examine the past, analyze it in detail with complete honesty, and keep those elements that have proven to be beneficial, beautiful, inspiring, while outright rejecting elements that have been exploitative and ugly.

That's being modern and progressive.

It does not mean anti-traditional :). It's not a binary :). As I mention above, we certainly persist with the good stuff, and only reject the not so good stuff :). That's only commonsensical :).

It most certainly does not mean "Western" :).

Again, we certainly can, and must, adopt and incorporate whatever is of value from all around the world. But this is different from blindly aping the west or unnecessarily reducing our respect for our own culture and heritage. We too bring beauty to the world. We needn't lose sight of that.

Are you getting what I'm saying?

Japan has its own cultural beauty to offer. And it can very well do so while still being modern and progressive. It does not have to become exactly like America and Europe to be thought of as being modern and progressive :).

So with Bhutan.

So with Thailand.

So with Africa.

So with us.

There is no pride to be felt in arriving at a stage where we can go: "Wheeee :), Mummy Mummy dekho, Ham bhi America, England aur France waale bhaiyya aur didi jaise ban gaye ...".

Are you able to sense the stupidity I'm pointing at :)?

Come on :)! Be a little firm :), hold your ground :), make the world sense and acknowledge your presence :)!

Spirituality Tripod: Wisdom, Centeredness, Forbearance

There are three qualities worth developing as parts of one's personality:

1) Vivek (Wise Intellect) : The capability to distinguish between what's really of value and what might be pleasurable in the short term but is likely to cause harm in the long term.

In any given situation, at any given time, apply your vivek (wise intellect) and continuously choose what's good for you and the society at large. And continuously firmly reject anything that might give you short term pleasure but would harm you or others in the long term.

To start with, this might require a stepping back and thinking slowly and systematically. But you will find that as this capability develops, right choices will reveal themselves to you quickly.

2) Vairagya (Dispassion and Centeredness) : All of us have aspirations and desires and it's perfectly legitimate to pursue them. But there is hardly any point going cuckoo in the process. Set your goals and targets and pursue them with a calm mind. Along the way there might be some obstacles. Keep working hard without losing your composure. Sometimes you will succeed, and sometimes maybe not. That's just how it goes. Don't lose your balance. If you encounter failure, ask yourself: would you like to give it another shot? If the answer is yes, do so : this time with more wisdom, more clarity. And if the answer is no, if you would like to change your goals: that's fine too. It's entirely your prerogative. But throughout: maintain vairagya (dispassion and centeredness) and don't lose your composure and balance.

3) Titiksha (Forbearance): In life some difficulties come, some unpleasant experiences come, some pain comes : happens to everyone : have the capacity, the forbearance (titiksha), to bear with it and move through these times without letting your mind get depressed and your will power and intent to achieve your goals weaken.

Develop these qualities in you and your personality will shine, your quality of life will improve, chances of succeeding in your ventures will improve significantly.

Obesity: Some Blunt Remarks!

There might be some medical situations that lead to putting on weight (and difficult to shed it). I've heard thyroid imbalance is one such situation. Women also hold on to some extra weight after child birth for a year or so. That's quite normal.

But in the absence of such situations, it is every human being's responsibility to maintain a good fitness level. Medical concerns aside, unfit is also unattractive.

I'm blunt about these things in general because I believe it's better to pinch someone into activity than to humor / mollycoddle them and allow them to continue with lifestyles that are no good.

If you're overweight without due reason: it's entirely your responsibility that you are so. And yes, it's making you unattractive. There is absolutely nothing to be gained by concocting "love philosophies" that make people feel obligated to stay attracted to you, and feel guilty for losing the attraction. They are being just normal. It's *you* who needs to change and lose that extra weight. Sorry for the bluntness, but that's just how it really is.

Are there challenges in watching one's weight and maintaining good fitness levels?

You bet! Many of us have work profiles that involve a whole lot of sitting.

I face this challenge myself. But those who know me know that I keep finding ways to fight it. During the Covid / Omicron pandemic, I've made more of an indoor effort: brisk walking twice a day for half an hour and some Yoga. Folks in my neighborhood have been seen rope skipping. Different things work for different people - each to his/her own. But it is important to adopt some strategy to stay fit and implement it honestly.

When the Covid / Omicron pandemic subsides: If there are sports facilities nearby, you'll find me on a squash / badminton court or the football field. I often walk / cycle to work and back (helps me keep the calories burning and saves fossil fuel alongside). I ditch the elevator for the stairs more often than students (Ha!).

Most importantly, I do not bullshit myself.

The minute I see myself putting on kilograms, I take responsibility, go over what I'm eating, the amount of exercise I'm getting, and make changes. I never, ever, put the onus on others to "accept me as I am" when I know that I'm not in good shape.

This honesty has saved me a million times. It will serve you well too. Just be honest with yourself and do what it takes to improve. That's all there is to it.

PS-1: In case my bluntness offended you :), trust me, I mean well, and want the best for you :)!

PS-2: Lack of fitness can cause severe medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and heart problems. Your knees and hips will also suffer from the additional weight they carry. Invest some time every day in your fitness and see the quality of your life improve.

[Note: I also invite you to read: Strike a Pause: Fitness: Just The First Step! (strike-a-pause.blogspot.com)]

Know Yourself. Be Yourself. Express Yourself.

Don't keep responding to the world. Know yourself, be yourself, express yourself.

To give a very simple example: Consider the following situation: My neighbor happens to be a total champ in solving the rubik's cube and crossword puzzles. I hold no interest in either : for me it's music, writing and good books.

So say he comes by one afternoon and just throws a challenge: Hey, So you are a Math prof and all, must mean you are sharp in logic and analyzing things.

I would probably say: Well, I guess I'm alright at it. I get by.

Say he then throws me a challenge: So how about figuring out the rubik's cube. That ought to be a challenge you enjoy!

Now there could be two ways in which I take this:

1) Once in a while I allow myself a lazy afternoon. One such afternoon I could pick up a rubik's cube and try to understand it. Just for fun.

2) I take up the challenge and spend the time necessary to become good at it, go to my neighbor's house and show him what I could do.

Now I can do (2) : but the time required might be a fair bit - and this time would get drawn from music practice, writing and reading.

Personally, I would choose (1) because I'm clear about what *I* want to do. I feel absolutely no need or desire to prove anything to anyone.

Observe that I have absolute freedom of choice and I am making it consciously based on what *I* want to do.

Time is a very scarce and limited entity :). This life you are going through : each moment gone is actually gone :). There's no dress rehearsal. It's actually happening. Now. Live :).

Be clear about what you want to do and just go about doing it. And when the world seeks your attention and prods you this way and the other : respond consciously, with due thought, and a fair bit of caution :).

"This OR That" --> "This AND That"

If you find yourself stuck in a "This OR That" conflict, see if you can resolve it by replacing OR with AND : "This AND That".

----

The best of East AND West.

Classical AND Rock n' Roll (And Blues AND Jazz AND Funk AND Reggae ... 😁).

Rachmaninoff AND Pt. Nikhil Banerjee.

Meditate AND Have Fun.

Science AND Spirituality.

Work AND Play.

1 AND 0 = 10 😏 [CS geeks will have a field day with this one 😁!]

----

Do you see what I'm saying? Some conflicts are just plain unnecessary.

(PS: The above reasoning may not apply in dating situations 😏.)

BITS Et Al: Emphasize Research Or Sink.

Several years ago I had written that I felt BITS Pilani ought to have invested in upscaling the research infrastructure at their Pilani campus, strengthening its post graduate programs (Masters and PhD) there through fellowships and assistantships, and hiring more faculty to bring down teaching loads before investing in new campuses around the country.

My observation persists.

BITS Pilani was already neck to neck with the IITs in terms of its reputation at the undergraduate education level. Strengthening its postgraduate programs (Masters and PhD) and upscaling research infrastructure would have kept it competitive in a comprehensive sense. That has not happened. BITS Pilani's reputation is still limited to that of a good undergraduate education provider. It's postgraduate programs and research do not enjoy the same level of respect as those at IITs.

And I believe this is true of not just BITS Pilani but many a private university in the country today.

This is simply self destructive.

Everything that is done has to be done well. So for undergraduate education : it has to be done well. That goes without saying.

But undergraduate education cannot be excessively focused on at the cost of postgraduate education and research. This also has to be understood.

All the best universities in the world have built their reputations by excelling in postgraduate education and research. This is a non-negotiable step towards academic excellence that has been taken, and taken very well, by every single university globally that has earned respect.

This investment towards postgraduate education and research has been made not just by government institutions but private universities as well. For example, Caltech, Stanford, Cornell, Columbia, MIT, are all private universities that have invested significantly in postgraduate education and research.

I think several private universities of our country need to take a cue from them and move forward in a more balanced manner. Presently, even the latest batch of IITs opened just a few years ago will overtake every single private university in the country by the end of this decade. I guarantee this.

Emphasize Research Or Sink.

Fusion!

Music of the East, at least India, is very strong in melody. That's how it developed. The sheer number of Ragas we have is mind-boggling.

And the West : It gave the world the gift of harmony : Intervals, Chords. Playing two or more notes together and seeing what colors emerge.

And it's all very beautiful when there's a meeting of the two. When the best aspects of East and West fuse.

This extends to everything, doesn't it :) ? Different parts of the world, different cultures, have brought forth aesthetic / intellectual expressions in their own way. And it can all meet :). We can all meet :). We can celebrate it all :).

There is no good reason to be any other way : Do you see what I'm saying :)?

A Few Tips For Upcoming Musicians

A few tips for aspiring musicians :) :

1. If you can't play rhythm, you can't play solos. This is critical to understand. You must practice playing rhythm alongside all the practice you are putting in to play solos. Else, you might go "off time" often. And even if you don't, you will end up sounding rigid and mechanical instead of fluid and "groovy".

2. Playing fast is fun and I also put in the effort to keep my fingers moving nimbly. But always, absolutely always: Precision and clarity come first. Then speed. If you aren't playing your notes on time and not playing them clearly enough, you will sound bad no matter how fast you can play. So anything you practice, first practice it slow. Get the notes right. And then steadily build speed.

3. Don't disregard theory. Know all your scales and modes, and the 3, 4 and 5 note chords that go with each of these. I am not recommending this as a shortcut to creativity or spontaneity. Knowing and playing all this will expose your ear to intervals and sounds that you may not otherwise come across in all the music you hear. And these intervals and sounds are your music vocabulary. The better your vocabulary, the richer your compositions and improvisations can get. I do this steadily, picking up something new every week, and seeing what I can do with it, how I can incorporate it in my playing.

4. Pick up songs by ear and play along with records. This will give you tremendous ear training as well as practice in playing along with other musicians. You will learn to keep changes in mind and get good at coming in with your parts / fillers / solos at the right time and playing them in rhythm.

5. Be creative. Try and come up with good sounding chord progressions, improvisations and solos. At the end of the day, this is what it's about. With all the vocabulary at hand, what can you create? And if you can reach a stage wherein music plays within you and you are able to bring it out on your instrument : all glory to you :). You would have, in my worldview, arrived :).

6. Always remember: Your compositions and improvisations have to convey musical ideas and touch the listener. It's never about somehow playing some notes in the scale that sound alright with a chord. Each phrase is a musical idea and a series of phrases put together tell your story. Even while improvising, there is a thought process in play. You will find this to be true for all the musicians you enjoy and respect :). Never play randomly. Keep your brain "on" all the time :)!

And yeah, can't emphasize the following enough :) :

Practice, practice, practice, practice :).

Secularism: Absolutely Correct!

To all those people who profess that India should have chosen to be a Hindu state at the time of partition, or should declare itself to be one now:

Why? Why not a Sikh state? Quite certainly the sacrifices made by Sikhs in our struggle for independence were not any lesser than anyone else.

And No, Sikhism is NOT a subset of Hinduism. The founding Guru of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, was being pulled in one direction by the Hindus, and another by the Muslims. He decided to not align with either side and founded a new path: Sikhism.

Why not a Buddhist state? The principles and spirit of Buddhism are mixed with the culture of this country like milk and water.

I've always said that partition itself was wrong. India has dismissed the theory that Hindus and Muslims cannot live together for 74 years. It will continue to dismiss it for centuries to come.

And as for the first prime minister of unpartitioned India being Hindu or Muslim : Read my post from the top again! What happened to all other religions? What about the atheists?

We should have simply put the names of 4-5 people in our Independence struggle who we believed would lead the country well in a box and pulled out one. That's all. Who cares about the religion of our leaders as long as they lead well?

This whole Hindu-Muslim polarization is absolutely and completely nonsensical! You look at it yourself : there is just no merit to it! Have you never heard of the Divide and Rule policy adopted by the British?

We are absolutely in the right in having retained our multi-religious personality with secular governance. Everyone, regardless of their religion, ethnicity, caste and linguistic background, is a first grade citizen of the country. No one is required to agree or disagree with, or believe or disbelieve in, anything or anyone. There is complete freedom of thought and expression. The only expectation is that everyone abides by the law. No other expectation. Just love each other, love this country, and do your best to contribute in whichever way you can or want to.

I just wish it was an unpartitioned united India that had this personality today!

Just imagine the power we would have been! Just imagine!

(Note: As you reflect on the post above, bear in mind that I have supported the present government every time they acted to cancel minority appeasement freebies (Haj Allowance, PM Iftar Parties, Triple Talaaq, Article 370 - Kashmir lost the moral right to ever demand anything in January 1990). But from 2019 to 2024 their speeches and IT Cell actively spread hatred against ordinary Muslim citizens. Not only can this not be allowed, it is fundamentally nonsensical. To understand this better, I invite you to read: Strike a Pause: Why Push Away Muslims? (strike-a-pause.blogspot.com))

Buy Your Music!

Using a platform such as YouTube to explore music, check out different artists, songs, compositions, is alright. But once you know what you like, it's important that you buy music : either as individual songs or complete albums. Musicians need to earn a living too and if we just listen to music for free, we are affecting their livelihood.

No free smartphones, no free cars, no free colognes and perfumes, no free designer clothes and shoes, no free beer and wine.

Likewise: No free music.

Musicians (and artists in general) struggle to earn a decent living despite working very very hard. They have struggled even more in recent times as many many concerts were cancelled due to Covid19.

If you are a music lover and spot concerts of artists you like, buy a ticket, go. Art enriches us and we support artists. This principle needs to stay alive!

And yeah, if you haven't for a while, buy a record 😊!

For Arranged Marriage Advocates

For all those advocating a revival of "Arranged Marriages":

Our tradition is the concept of Swayamvar : Swayam (Self) + Var (Partner) : Choosing a Partner for Oneself.

Men desirous of marrying a woman gather upon invitation and the woman gets to choose. If she doesn't take a fancy to any of the men present, she can simply ask that another Swayamvar be scheduled. And again. And again. Her call throughout.

And for all those advocating a revival of "Traditional Indian Bride Touching Husband's Feet" behavior :

Read your Ramayana again : Shri Ram stopped Sita from doing that and said "Your place is not in my feet, it's in my heart".

Cut the crap.

Everyone treats everyone else with dignity. And everyone lives with dignity. That's how it's going to be. If you don't like it, ship out.

Note: I must emphasize that there has been an element of stability in marriages and homes in somewhat more conservative times than what is visible today. That's a desirable trait in society that we must try and preserve. Maybe the way forward is to find a balance between conservative and liberal values, between tradition and modernity.

Relationships: Ask The Big Questions

Relationships need to be nurtured by our hearts - not managed by minds.

Ask the big questions:

God forbid, but if you came in harm's way and needed protecting: Will your man stand ground? Will he take blows for you? Will he risk his very life to protect you, or will he scoot like a scared bandicoot?

God forbid, but if you fall ill and need nurturing: Will your woman stand ground? Will she patiently take care of you till needed? Or will she scamper in search for the next Mogambo to go to the movies and wine and dine with?

Ask such big questions. If the answers are a clear Yes, you've got something going. Stop keeping an accounts balance of everything you do and he or she doesn't. Just love in the way you love! And let your partner love you in the way he or she loves! Everyone is different. Everyone expresses love differently. Understand this principle. No, this does not justify one person doing all the work and the other just lounging around. But I don't have much patience with hour to hour timetabling either. Loosen up a bit! LOVE!

And if the answers are a No, what in the world are you doing with such a person? Let go. Nothing more to say. Just let such people go. Better alone than the company of nimkampoophs!

[The above post was motivated by a memory popping up: An old old friend of mine asking me : Why should women fast for their husbands' well being on Karva Chauth when men don't? Her husband is also an old old friend of mine. So I already know the answers to the big questions. I posed the questions. She fasts for his good health every year till date. And basks, absolutely basks, in his blazing love.

And no, Karva Chauth fasts are not about one gender suppressing or exploiting another. Women who suffer from diabetes or have other constraints that make it difficult or risky for them to fast don't hold Karva Chauth fasts. It has never been about force. It's always been about love.]

The Consumption Virus!

This is an important video to watch completely, carefully and absorb: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UC4oFmX8tHw

I also recommend watching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bhi7S06pwv4 (you'll get really hit when you reach 1:58!)

I don't believe it's just a problem with clothes and fashion though. This "Consume Consume Consume Use and Throw" mindset has invaded a large portion of our lives. Clothes. Gadgets. Energy. Food. (People!)

And it reflects a very stupid and immature mind and intellect through and through.

Yes, we all want to live a good life. But there has to be a sense of balance about how we go about living that good life. Buy good stuff : who stops you? But buy as much as you need. And once you buy, make sure you use the products you buy for their lifetime.

And if you have excess money, hey, buy some clothes and food for folks less monetarily fortunate than you. Just look around : there are so many souls just yearning for some compassion from you. You can't miss them.

Negotiating Differences In Opinion

Let's say me and you differ in opinion on something. Here are a few ways in which this can find expression:

1) I come to your house and keep harping on my opinion while not listening to you or giving you the space to have an alternate opinion.

2) I express my opinion once or twice. I also listen to you. And if at the end of our discussion we continue to differ, then so be it. We agree to disagree and our friendship stays unaffected.

3) I simply post my opinion as a blog and/or a post on facebook and/or a tweet in twitter etc.. You can read it, you may not read it, you may agree, you may disagree, you may respond, you may not respond : all of this is entirely your choice. I don't impose myself on you at all. I simply put up a post expressing myself.

Question 1: Where would you draw the line?

Question 2: How many people do you know who can't distinguish among the options above?

Question 3: How many times has it happened that you couldn't distinguish between the options above and ended up doing something that either hurt the other person, or hurt your friendship, or both?

There are 7.9 billion people on Earth today. 7.9 billion! Belonging to different cultures, different ethnicities, different religions. Just imagine the sheer number of possibilities of different thoughts and opinions on anything under the Sun 😄! Gotta learn how to negotiate differences in opinion and coexist peacefully as long as it doesn't come to anyone's basic human rights being violated.

Liberty and Rights

I suppose everyone is going to have a "cerebral" take away from this Covid19 crisis. Mine is perhaps this set of questions:

Do we understand what liberty means? Can there be rights without responsibilities? Is freedom of speech unconditional? Are there no occasions when the right to dissent can be suspended?

I for one have wished several times since the pandemic started that my government declare a state of emergency in the county, suspend rights, be dictatorial, and just win this battle.

The sheer destruction this virus has caused over the last two years! Healthcare systems collapsed, so many doctors, nurses, cops, essential service providers sacrificed their lives, and yet: there has been such utter lack of cooperation all around! It often came to a point that I honestly stopped caring if folks walking around without masks, arms around shoulders, singing yaarana songs, contracted Covid and died. What pissed me off is that they accelerated the spread of the pandemic, overloaded health services and put medical staff and innocents all around at risk. I've often wondered if we could just refuse treatment to those deliberately violating basic protocols like wearing a mask and avoiding crowd build-ups despite repeated requests. I mean, why should those ventilators and oxygen tanks be wasted on covidiots? Why should doctors, nurses, other staff, and innocents, pay for others' covidiocy?

There have even been "No Mask Activists"! Goodness Gracious! This after centuries of science education and incessant advice from experts to wear masks and maintain distancing!

I honestly don't believe that people defying simple instructions like "wear a mask", "maintain physical distancing", "avoid build up of crowds", deserve their civil rights. They put others at risk. I would rather they be just thrown in a jail somewhere and we do what's needed to end this crisis.

But the government itself has allowed religious festivals that involve congregations of lakhs of people, there are election rallies every day where lakhs gather, ...

And now we have Omicron that may see much of the above repeated yet again!

Where does one start?

Commonsense Love Knowledge : No Maps No Boundaries

There are some things that are absolutely uncompromising about not being bound by lines on any map.

Knowledge. Art. Love. Commonsense.

I know Americans who have dedicated their lives to Indian classical music. And I know Indians who breathe rock n' roll and jazz. If you are born in a small village in Bengal, fall in love with Beethoven, and can't stay away from the piano, then that's just how it is. And if you are a white boy from Nashville, Tennessee, who can't keep his hands off the Sitar, then that's your love affair :).

And the overlaps can be breathtaking! Did you know that the modes of western music are similar to the moorchas of Indian classical :)?

Likewise with Knowledge. Whichever subject from whichever part of the world you are drawn to, that's what you will pursue.

Be committed to truth, beauty, peace, love. Be uncompromising about these things. That's all that can be asked of us.

Paths - our right to choose. Or maybe they choose us!

Three Year Academic/Scientific Challenge

Here's a Three Year Challenge for the Indian Academic and Scientific Community:

Our country is in its 75th year of independence. That's a pretty long time since attaining independence from foreign rule.

Yet, we don't have a single journal, not even one, in which members of our country's academic and scientific community publish their research with a sense of respect. It is still considered prestigious to publish one's research in foreign journals while publishing in our own journals can actually count against an academic / scientist.

This is pathetic :).

I think this needs to change. With the highest levels of review rigor and practices such as "Double Blind" [both the author(s) and reviewers kept from knowing each other's identity], we need to start publishing our best work confidently in our own journals and invite the global community to do the same.

To elaborate further:

The Americans have their own journals (eg. American Society of Mechanical Engineers / American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics / Etc.) which are open to the global community. The Britishers have their own journals which are open to the global community. 

We too have our own journals : the difference is we ourselves don't respect our own journals, we ourselves don't publish our best work in them, the global community publishing their work in our journals thus stays a long shot away.

Here's a challenge I place before our country's academic and scientific community:

From 01/01/2022 - 01/01/2025: Over this three year period let us consolidate one Indian journal in each field in which we are committed to publishing our own best work - and invite the global academic / scientific community for publishing their research in these journals as well.

We don't need to call these journals "International". They will be international in scope automatically as long as we keep the standards high enough for the global community to want to publish their work in them (see the examples of American journals above again). We can emphasize our identity by calling them "Indian":

Indian Journal of Mechanical Engineering

Indian Journal of Philosophy

Indian Journal of Surgery

Indian Journal of Mathematics

.

.

Can this challenge be accepted :)?

Intention Space

We need to work towards perfection in intention, perfection in speech and perfection in action. All three.

Of these, perfection in speech and action can take some time and effort to achieve.

But perfection in intention is within your reach right now. Right this moment.

When you mean well, when your intentions are honorable and positive, you manifest a great power. When you speak and act from such an intention space, you do good for the world and yourself. In time your words and actions will also refine and become more effective.

But if your intention itself is insincere, corrupt, exploitative, then no matter how sweet your words and how efficient your actions, you will do ill for the world and yourself.

What's the point of being a great marksman if you are shooting for criminals?

Get my point?

Your "intention space" is extremely important. Never compromise on it. Ever.

Indian Sports

I enjoy my football (soccer), hockey and badminton tremendously. Others may enjoy basketball, squash or other sports. This post, by no stretch of imagination, intends to discourage any sport that is globally played and enjoyed today.

But I also have a question to ask:

Why have we disowned sports that are indigenously ours even though there is no reason to believe they are inferior to sports originating from other parts of the world? Kabaddi and Kho-Kho are two fine examples : I think they are both excellent sports! And how many of us respect them? How many of us wrinkle our noses at them? Why?

I believe we need to change our mindset. Alongside playing and competing in globally popular sports, we also need to rejuvenate sports that have been indigenous to us.

Here's an article that gives some examples of sports that are traditionally Indian: https://www.sportskeeda.com/sports/traditional-indian-sports

We need to have District / State / National level championships in these sports. If other parts of the world want to learn them, they are welcome to. They are also welcome to come play with us. But even if not, then that's fine too :). We needn't be so worried about global attention all the time :). As long as we enjoy our sports, we can play them, use them for fitness, have healthy competitions within the country, enjoy ourselves :)!

Cochin Airport: Exemplary!

Consider Cochin airport (some photographs below): It very nicely brings together traditional Kerala architecture and modern amenities and services. And its size is correctly in proportion to the volume of air traffic it handles. Not unnecessarily large and not smaller than required - it's just right.

I would love to see this spirit of traditional regional architecture + energy efficient construction principles + modern amenities and services in airports, railway stations, bus stations, housing colonies, schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, recreational parks, marketplaces and shopping centers, etc. in different parts of the country.

[PS: Talking about energy efficient construction principles: Things have gone quite wrong in the last few decades when, in our zeal of being first world and futuristic, we started making remarkably energy inefficient structures with walls of glass - a concept that makes sense in the colder regions of the world with the sunlight filtering in bringing much needed warmth along with it - but is absolutely nonsensical in tropical regions such as ours where we need to keep airconditioners on to keep the warmth out! Ask any educated architect and he will tell you that the way to go in the subcontinent is thick walls that insulate well, in summers as well as winters.]

Dharma

In the olden days there was a strong emphasis on doing one's Dharma as an essential component of one's spiritual path. And I believe that holds true today as well. If you neglect your Dharma, where is the possibility of any spiritual progress?

But the word Dharma itself needs to be clearly understood. Otherwise one can get all messed up and wound up and end up nowhere good.

Quite possibly the worst translation of "Dharma" is "Religion". Living a Dharmic life does not even require you to believe in God, leave alone the question of which religion you belong to! The word "religion" is in itself strange to the Hindu way of thinking. The quest in this part of the world has always been perfection of character and a complete understanding of reality in all its aspects : external (the Universe), internal (the Self) and the relation between the Self and the Universe. The temples we go to, the divine personalities we worship (people and beings that have attained spiritual perfection), are to inspire ourselves, to meditate, to put forward the effort required for spiritual progress. Our worship is based neither on fear nor on greed but is an affirmation of our own efforts towards making spiritual progress.

Hindu thought itself has six philosophical schools: Nyaya (Gautama Rishi), Vaiseshika (Kanada Rishi), Sankhya (Kapila Muni), Yoga (Patanjali Maharshi), Purva Mimamsa (Jaimini) and Uttara Mimamsa or Vedanta (Badarayana or Vyasa). Given the culture of debate inherent in the traditional Hindu way of inquiry, other schools of philosophy are welcome too as long as it can be demonstrated that they lead to the stated goals: perfection of character and a complete understanding of reality in all its aspects : external (the Universe), internal (the Self) and the relation between the Self and the Universe.

So if you ask someone's Dharma to find out if they are Hindu or Christian or Sikh or Muslim, that simply does not make any sense 😊! And if you harass people of different religions in the name of protecting your Dharma, that makes even lesser sense! Protecting oneself is one thing - if an individual or group approaches me with aggression, I certainly have the right to defend myself. But if someone comes and tells me that I need to speak or act against people of faiths different from mine to "protect my Dharma", I would recommend they seek psychological counseling and sort themselves out.

A better translation of "Dharma" is "Duty". Your duty as a son or daughter, your duty as a mother or father, as a husband or wife, your duty as a student, your duty as a teacher or police officer or businessman or lawyer or judge or soldier...

But here too, one has to keep one's commonsense alive!

I have seen people neglecting and abusing their spouses in the name of fulfilling their duty towards their parents. I have also seen the opposite: people neglecting and abusing their parents in the name of fulfilling their duty towards their spouses and children. I have seen parents ask their children to sacrifice their careers just because they don't want to relocate and stay in a different part of the country or world. This is plain selfishness! Then there are situations when parents can't relocate due to health or other reasons. Abandoning such parents in their old age in the name of career is equally selfish!

As I said, one has to keep one's commonsense alive and find balance.

It gets even trickier when you come to one's duty as a student or professional duties. It's all well and good to talk about sincerity and dedication and hard work. But have you noticed that a very very large number of people don't even choose their fields of study or career paths based on what interests them, what they are passionate about. Very few people spend the time to find out what they want to do with their lives! These questions: Do I want to be a lawyer? Or a judge? A mathematician? Or a biologist? Physicist? Musician? Artist? Writer? Engineer? Philosopher? Doctor? Police Officer? Soldier? Nurse? Teacher? Professor? How many people have you met who ask themselves such questions and make conscious decisions about what to study, what to do professionally? How many parents allow their children this freedom to think and choose for themselves?

And what Dharma without even this basic freedom and human dignity 😃?

My interpretation of Dharma in your life as a student and working professional is as follows:

Find what interests you, find your calling(s), and study/work on these with 100% attention, focus and sincerity.

You might want to be a lawyer. Then pursue a deep and thorough study of law with 100% focus and work hard towards being an excellent lawyer or judge. Always side with justice. Stay sincere. Work towards establishing a just society.

You might want to be a musician. Then pursue and practice music with 100% focus and work hard towards being an excellent musician. Use your music to uplift others emotionally.

You might want to be an engineer, a mathematician, a scientist, a philosopher, an artist, a novelist, a poet, a historian, a journalist, a dancer, ...

Give it your 100%. Stay sincere.

You might want to be pursue more than one interests or passions.

Give them your 100%. Stay sincere.

Spend some time to figure out where your interests lie, what your callings are, and once you have figured this out: Give them your 100% attention and effort. At any given time, work with 100% focus and concentration. Stay sincere.

If you can develop such a mindset and lifestyle, I believe you will make great progress in your profession, in the world, as well as within spiritually.

The challenge is to bring your whole life into as good a balance as possible by fulfilling your Dharma in all its aspects: As a son, as a daughter, as parents, as spouses, as students, as working professionals. I believe this post points out paths as well as pitfalls you are likely to encounter on them.

I wish you a Dharmic life in the true sense of the word 😊.

Stop Blaming Outsiders!

We need to be done with blaming others for our troubles!

Agree that the British empire was one mammoth parasite that sucked many a part of the world dry and created unprecedented poverty and misery.

But ask yourself: Why were they able to set up their empire here?

Answer: We spent so much time under their rule because (a) different kingdoms were busy fighting with each other instead of uniting in the face of a common enemy, (b) we had "sell outs" within and (c) we allowed ourselves to get divided. Remove these factors and this land would have never lost its richness : material, cultural and spiritual.

And what's different today?

Our political leadership at the state and center levels needs to act as a unifying force and take the country forward. Is it doing so? We should be demanding that all the Chief Ministers interact with each other continuously and ensure that different states help each other whenever needed, share their resources, and visibly demonstrate a "family spirit" that the citizens can be inspired by and imbibe in themselves. We should be demanding that the central government and all state governments interact continuously in the manner of a cohesive cooperative nation. Elections come and go. But this spirit cannot be compromised. Are we seeing this?

We still feel divided on the basis of religion. The Divide and Rule policy of the British is 6th standard high school history! What's the point of learning it, what's the point of education, if we still allow people to exploit us on the basis of this division.

We are still divided along the lines of caste! Why can't we resolve to just junk this caste hierarchy and live without sentiments of higher and lower? The terms Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra are *not* a vertical hierarchy based on birth! This is a known fact! Religious priests at a certain time started calling themselves Brahmins and created a caste hierarchy to exploit. We know this! Let's get rid of this nonsense! In their true sense, the terms Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra are simply qualities: Aspiration For Knowledge, Valor, Economic Skills and Capacity to Exert Labor Whenever Needed. And everyone needs to develop these qualities within himself or herself to the best extent possible.

We have so many languages, so many cultures, so many art forms! Isn't this something to be celebrated? Shouldn't we have a spirit of cultural exchanges between different parts of the country? And look at what we are doing instead! One actually experiences hostility and alienation when one travels to different parts of the country! This is meaningless! By considering the whole country as our home, everyone gains! Everyone can feel welcome everywhere! Where is the problem with this?

Don't we allow others to use all these useless divisions, deepen them, exploit them, to their advantage? Why do we allow this?

This is *our* land. If we get our act under control, no one can mess with us - within or without!

And the first step would be: Stop blaming others and take complete responsibility for our destiny!

As a wise man once said: Every time you point a finger at someone else, notice that three fingers of your own hand are pointing back at you! You are three times more responsible for your destiny than anyone else!