A Raaga, Words, Invocation and more

Gaansaraswati Kishori Amonkar - Sahela Re (Raag Bhoop) ~


One of those rare compositions where words to the Raaga are not only not irrelevant or at odds, but more than go with the spirit of the Raaga, and in fact take it further for the listeners' comprehension of the spirit of the Raaga, of being able to flow with it. Bhoop is an early morning Raaga, of having risen before Dawn and it being still cool of before sunrise, light still soft and brightening. The composition here takes it incredibly further, of opening an invocation of mind, body and Spirit to unity with the Divine, using words that invite one's Mate to join together in Divine notes of invocation, of souls uniting to rise to heavens. This is in spirit of Soul and Energy union, of music at level of pure Yoga in sense of Soul Union with Divine.
........................................

To those who are feeling, as evidenced by the various posts below the video, that great talents of Indian music are gone and there is no replacing them - please do hear the children on various shows! True, the great of yore are gone, as are most of our grandparents, but India overflows with talent and music is very alive too. And this is true of most parts of India. Here are some names.

Children on voice kids India 2016 were impressive, Nishtha Sharma most but others were close behind, and you can get an idea on the internet. Misimi Bose, Vishwaprasad, Priyanshi, are a few names, but those that were out at some stage or other were very good too, numbering some fifty of the sixty in auditions.

Pooja Insa on voice kids 2016 impressed as did Jassu Khan Mir on Z, for double reason. Ridipta, Kaavyaa, Yumna, Pravasthi Attaluri, I can go on with names.

Of those outed there, some ten or more auditioned for Z TV Saregamapa, and some six or so we're selected, and three are still going strong. Well deserved too.

Mythili Thakur on rising star was, is, incredible, match for Nishtha Sharma and so perhaps is Shanmukhapriya who is now on Z TV Saregamapa, having lost votes on voice kids. Superb, all. Rising star had also Ankita and Vikramjeet, and Nikita, very good.

Of slightly older, young adults, three on voice India 2016 were as great as the Supremes mentioned. There is Mohammad Danish, by the way he is grandson of a maestro of yore, but very good. Niyam Kanungo matches him, as does Sharayu Date.

All of these are young, from say ten to early twenties - and then the wonder child Jayas Kumar, just six. He is merely beginning to learn as far as music goes, remember when hearing him on Z TV Saregamapa. If you aren't charmed out of your mind and lost your heart, do have a check up!


https://www.facebook.com/HCMAEOFFICIAL/videos/1992283104329007/?hc_ref=ARQIPdofn48irn920oOdqoU2cdE2kgiNItjBpXj9GkRa4z4MRmHeNKg686MMOkONX-M&__xts__[0]=68.ARC3S4rZHHgL601gesWW8mPL03_hMdYZOz_5S5cE4OrlnN4bd_zbiU7MaDEchOLKjJMEWstd9FEaOzRzMhUA6aqCY5h1THe0QL_md4YJ3g5SpZKjr8PYMvDZgXRedsR667qOsYs&__tn__=FC-R

Quoted from "Savitri"

"Thoughts leaped down from a superconscient field
Like eagles swooping from a viewless peak,
Thoughts gleamed up from the screened subliminal depths
Like golden fishes from a hidden sea.
This world is a vast unbroken totality,
A deep solidarity joins its contrary powers;
God’s summits look back on the mute Abyss.
So man evolving to divinest heights
Colloques still with the animal and the Djinn;
The human godhead with star-gazer eyes
Lives still in one house with the primal beast.
The high meets the low, all is a single plan.
So she beheld the many births of thought,
If births can be of what eternal is;
For the Eternal’s powers are like himself,
Timeless in the Timeless, in Time ever born."

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


"And the ocean silence of Infinity.
Even now some thoughts could cross her solitude;
These surged not from the depths or from within
Cast up from formlessness to seek a form,
Spoke not the body’s need nor voiced life’s call.
These seemed not born nor made in human Time:
Children of cosmic Nature from a far world,
Idea’s shapes in complete armour of words
Posted like travellers in an alien space.
Out of some far expanse they seemed to come
As if carried on vast wings like large white sails,
And with easy access reached the inner ear
As though they used a natural privileged right
To the high royal entries of the soul.
As yet their path lay deep-concealed in light.
Then looking to know whence the intruders came
She saw a spiritual immensity
Pervading and encompassing the world-space
As ether our transparent tangible air,
And through it sailing tranquilly a thought.
As smoothly glides a ship nearing its port,
Ignorant of embargo and blockade,
Confident of entrance and the visa’s seal,
It came to the silent city of the brain
Towards its accustomed and expectant quay,
But met a barring will, a blow of Force
And sank vanishing in the immensity.
After a long vacant pause another appeared
And others one by one suddenly emerged,
Mind’s unexpected visitors from the Unseen
Like far-off sails upon a lonely sea.
But soon that commerce failed, none reached mind’s coast.
Then all grew still, nothing moved any more:
Immobile, self-rapt, timeless, solitary
A silent spirit pervaded silent Space."

 

Gravity Waves, Big Bang, Universe ...

One looks at the headline, it seems reasonable and plausible. One goes through the article, and ends up wondering, what makes humans think reason and ideas, built on the edifice so far, is all it takes to comprehend everything across time and space through universe? If direct perception were possible,  it could all be completely different  - and why not? Every time knowledge of universe took a quantum leap, it was only because a new theory went at an angle so at odds to the older one, it threw all science till date into turmoil, with reactions ranging from minds agape to hostility to downright inquisition! Think Galileo, Newton and Kepler, Einstein and his relativity theory,  and his own reaction to quantum theory. So could it be about the singularity of the big bang too, and has anyone considered it seriously that the big bang might just be a recurring phenomena? Not the absolute moment zero, that is? 


"Gravitational Waves --"May Prove That Black Holes Existed Before Birth of Stars in the Early Universe""

http://www.dailygalaxy.com

Children's Day

Short hours of
Light, long nights of
Winter dark of
Nordic latitudes continent

Hordes from sunlit deserts
Swarm up, exploding the
Peace and bliss of
City of Joy,
Quiet efforts of
City of Lights, to
Lighten the dark cold winter

Hordes swarm up from sunlit deserts
Exploding the stoic peace, quiet endurance
Aims they include in their agenda of death, reducing
World to ashes, spreading desert

Their flag is green, colour of life,
Life, they hate!

They have tried, repeatedly, to extinguish the land of
Light, and failed, hating the failure, breaking it up,
Turning pieces into opposite,
Over and over, attempting to extinguish the
Light, piece by piece, photon by photon,
Photons grow, and forces of dark are
Desperate,
Biting the hands that fed them through their centuries of despair,
They hope to conquer
Light and hope and life, joy and
Peace!

One's Own Star

Life waits for
Dawn
To rise and go about
Life's needs
Through heat and cold, snow and grass and shade of tropics
Nesting, resting in midst of
Day,
Resumes the toil till
Birdsong of evening tells of
Dusk bringing nightfall.

Life steals a look up at
Starry firmament, pausing for a moment stolen from
Life's needs, to ponder the heavens above
And then settles down by fireside
Storytelling begins from old to young
So begins history, builds up through millennia.
.............................................................................................


Myriad stars above, but only one Sun,
Most can see
Heat of desert makes those avoid the Sun,
Those that travel by Moon's light or
That of other stellar lights
Nordic lands look up, and find
One star that seems never moving
They can navigate oceans and
Conquer the world, all because of this
One fixed star
So Nordic lands swear by the fixed stars, after they have
Known variations in Sun's travels that
Make it imperative they find another one
To steer their ships by.

Deserts stand by the Moon, they need the light and cool
And the North Star is too far down,
Firmament too volatile to be guided by that one
.............................................................................................


Tropics are comfortable, as long as forests last and shade and waters
Sun rises every day in East, and
Day is normally not that short, ever,
Multitude of stars passing from East to West,
All too normal,
And yes, there is a north star, but
Not that necessary to fixate on, even for time
.............................................................................................


Funny, why and when do wars begin, Tropics have lost
All trace
Perhaps the only why was
Primitive need to promote one's own reproduction,
End that of others
But the Deserts invade in name of night,
Nordics in name of North Star,
Sun and Moon and all the stars of
Tropics Firmament are
Known to them
They accuse the Tropics of
Not favouring one,
Worshiping all three hundred and thirty million known
And accepting the two preferred by the invaders too!
............................................................................................


South is not known much until then, and
When it is known
Life has lost track of why the preference for
One Stellar Body
Began at
Dawn of Time

But if someone is looking up
From a Southern continent,
Having travelled or migrated from
Nordic Latitudes
They do know,
The Firmament is the same, and yet
Vastly different enough
Disorienting
Just as Nordic Latitudes are for Tropical traveller
And Deserts drive both crazy with
Heat unrelenting
.......................................................................................


When would someone standing beneath a
Southern continent's Firmament
Know with a small revelation
It is the same Firmament,
And yes, there are trillions of stars, more than
Life can see or count or estimate
And they are all stars,
Just like the North star, or like
One on the various green flags!

When would Life know
It isn't real, flinging mud or death
At Life in other lands
In the name of one's own preferred
Star by any name!
............................................................................................




Stars meanwhile
Look down and smile at
Life that stakes claims by
This star or that
They don't even wonder if
Life will know
The stars, the Firmament
Belong to nothing below


Only the
Blue Heaven that
Envelops Earth
Belongs to Earth
For above that Blue
Space is all dark,
Stars clear through day and night
Clouds below, and
Life at mercy of
Mind's Tools
For air too is
Earth's own!
............................................................................................

Spectrum in Time

Dawn begins from
Deep Blue Gold Heaven
Held gently secure in it's cocoon
Until ready to burst forth
On the pre dawn
Starlit blue waiting in a silvery sheen
Dawn lights up
Eastern horizon in its hues
Red and Gold, Pink and Peach and Apricot

Dawn brings reds and pinks and golds and
Colours of life to
Life on earth, and
Earth responds
Blossoms of all hues on carpets of grass and trees and forests
Green of life glows.
...................................................................................................


Spectrum of Light
Somewhere in the spectrum of all wavelengths of existence
Somewhere held in spectrum of Light
Colour spectrum as known to life, humanity, us,
While on Earth

Reds favoured by babies, toddlers -
And they are quite capable of fighting for their beloved
Scarletts and Reds, Apples and all
Crimson hues of dawn of
Life on Earth
So easily found by the babies' little eyes searching for colour
And so, favourite -

While their moms prefer gentle blossoms on sunlit grass
A happy garden for the child's life
Visible on the child's attire
Mother's wishes and blessings from deepest of her
Heart that is now the child's for ever.

And so the babe wins
As long as the mother pays attention
To the whims of child -
Reds it is as long as the baby insists.
...................................................................................................



Somewhere later comes a liking for
Gardens of mothers
Blossoms on carpets of brilliant sunlit greens
Life wanted by her for her heart's brood

Somewhere then comes
Soft grey of clouds
While brilliant green grass is shaded
Under tall deep green trees
A grey of thought, of mind and more
While deep green of
Life
Struggles to grow,
Wanting sunshine and
Shade of grey
All at the same time -

Deep green of shade of tall trees
Soft grey of clouds heavy with
Life giving rains
So needed in the early burning heat of morning
And it continues if one is lucky
Until forenoon sees a descending sun
Heat now on its last brilliance
Western horizons about to be lit up
With sunset brilliant hues of
Reds and golds that
Autumn echoes on earth.


Now the skies are clear
Brilliant sapphire blue
Just as they were on eastern shores of an
Early morn

Only, now the heat is already a
Welcome warmth
No longer in need of the ocean breezes

But the ocean awaits
Off western shores - just as it gave one
A shore to climb out of waves
A lifetime ago
East in the morning.

Blues of heavens now echo the
Blues of the ocean
One reflects other and
Who knows which is reflecting, which the real primordial
Light refracted from all that
Earth receives every moment -
..................................................................................................



Blues with white flowers large
A cherished gift once
Mother wrapped around one, now remodeled into a suit that
Already seems thoughtless
Oh, one ought to leave alone
Heaven's gifts of
Love.

May not be too late -
Maybe the  heaven would wrap one again in
Soft blue with large white flowers
Until then one waits, breathes in


Hoping one sees the loved ones in the
Blue that one is cloaked in -
..................................................................................................

Civilisations, Marauders, Wolves, .... Choices We Make -

Recently there is an outcry about someone making a short film based on, and expounding a little on, a free verse poem titled My Choice. That this poem and this film was a response to the spate of rapes in recent years has been ignored completely by those criticising it for advocating western lifestyle, short clothes, et al; and most retorts consist of male choice for rape being equally valid.

Ever since the rapes began to proliferate one had to wonder if the rapes were not merely the inability of the males involved in finding any women to consort with except by assault and force, however pathetic that is - after all the country has been short of women in significant numbers since people realised economic benefits to small families in doing away with daughters, a policy in fact adopted by the government decades ago to curb population that backfired majorly on humanitarian arena on several levels - but something far more sinister and demonic.

Is it an ever looking to west and north copying action of the illiterate or nominally literate, to try to prove they are not short of taliban like control of the land in general and the women specifically, to try and push them back in homes for servitude in kitchen and bed and general slavery?

For that is a common reaction to any such events by the cowards and the weak amongst men and civilisations, telling women not to go out, give up jobs, not be ambitious, not think of themselves. Having dreams counts as negative if you are a woman, and a woman without dreams declares so proudly, or having had them but not realised any states so anyway, meant to be explicitly derogatory towards - and an example set to - a woman who might have suffered a great deal due to having dreams at all, and worked for them.

So the thinking is, better not dream, have no ambitions, better not go work except if your family is starving and your man incapable and if possible not even then, avoid achievements and personal identity, give up your self, sacrifice it to all men and their demands first and general women next, and be happy if you are not raped.
..........................................................................................



But it could be worse.

What if this is not merely a publicity seeking populace's effort to have their acts if not names in papers via the cheapest act possible, rape? What if there is an organised systematic effort behind it all?

Could it be that throwing bombs and general terrorist efforts are no longer enough to satisfy those that would destroy a nation with ancient civilisation still alive and flourishing, neither converted nor finished and dead like others? 

What if it is a conspiracy from those that are not satisfied killing hundreds of innocent civilians and wish to do worse, by pushing women of India indoors due to terror created by repeated rapes of women that step out?

What if this is a move to destroy all progress and more of India by the simple method of attacking her daughters and mothers, via rape and murder, so education and work and careers of women are the first casualty, and civilisation of India the final? For, no civilisations, no marauders have prospered ever, if their mothers are kept illiterate in slavery and ignorance, barefoot and pregnant as the western phrase goes, or KKK as the forties German diktat by the infamous leader.

What if this is a fascist conspiracy, via taliban, using the publicity hungry ignoramus part of the general populace, of those that cannot achieve but want to see their names up there in print and their faces on television? It might no longer be enough for them to try and get on a camera, whether news or someone's wedding or a film shoot, by forcing their face into the camera?

What if this is the new weapon of terrorist attack, more insidious than pamphlets for false propaganda and more deadly than any nuclear weapons?

Ancient India had women who were not merely free to go about and choose their own consorts, but more - they were learned, experts in their work as equal partners in family, and too, able to use debates and win them in public. Then came a thousand years of colonisation by marauders who invaded and massacred, looted, raped and more. This pushed the women indoors, and effects thereof are still visible in the difference between north India and other parts, culturally in every little detail every day.

It is a horror to envision loss of all India regained in a relatively short time thereafter, by reverting to her own soul. 

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

Someone has said, civilisations begin with swords and end in violins. This is not an exact quote, because trying to find it rather than going with memory and gist is not worth the effort, but it is true enough. There was a lot more he could have said, but he belonged to a civilisation that was still proud of past swords and not quite there yet with violins, so he did not.

What he did not say is that while achievements are superior to destruction of others achievements, lesser people take solace in doing the latter since they are plagued by jealousy and either unsure of matching them or sure of achieving nothing else whatsoever.

Rape is not very different from massacre of civilisations. Any male confident of finding plenty of attractive mates without lifting a finger will strut along like a peacock, rarely deigning to look at the crowd following him, while those jealous of him and full of hatred for women who would not look at them are the ones that will try to force those women in every way possible - telling them what to do and what not to do, telling other men to control the women, physically assaulting them, raping, and blaming everything on the victims of their crimes.

While all along the fact is the so called men are not qualified for the epithet - for their biggest qualification for the title of loser is their inability to control their own selves. Their lower selves, lower in every way, are controlling them, and their minds and hearts are taken over by the lower instincts of killing others who might be superior while their bodies are dominated by the nether parts.
..........................................................................................


The short film gone viral is attacked from all sides - on television and internet alike - post the first stunned shock of "wow!", with most people finding a word here or a shot there to attack conveniently. They claim it is all about wearing less clothes and being sexually not quite what any society approves of, and freedom should be about education and choices should be about being an astronaut.

Those are better, superior options, yes. Why don't most men make those choices, since they have all the choices?

And therein lies the whole point. They have the choices, and make what choices they can. Women are told to make only those choices everyone else will be ok with, which rather makes it a lack of choices and freedom, lack of personhood.

If society, men, women, granted personhood to women, who will take up the slavery without compensations that women's lives largely consist of?

Hence the quaking of the society with fear - for if she today can wear what she likes and make other choices that she wants, and realises this, tomorrow no one is going to be around to pick up after him, to serve him, to take up the slack in providing for his family including him and his parents and siblings and friends and colleagues and other social connections for any amount of time of his and their choice, no one is going to be available to him and his to take out their frustrations on, whether by physical assault or starvation or forbidding her to meet her people and do anything she likes, or by murder when the frustration goes too far.

And there are no repercussions while she does not matter because she is less valuable than a pet that has been paid for, since she in fact paid for the privilege of this slavery, with her life and mind given over and if she is finished off society will not even shed a crocodile tear, but will offer more women with dowries who are more than willing (or those that are offering them are willing to offer them) in taking the place of one murdered.

A male in mid seventies who has beaten his wife to death with an interim of a time when she suffered the same injuries US footballers do with the same consequences, has all the society to help him celebrate his wedding to a willing partner as young as he can get, usually a couple of decades younger if not more, as long as he is willing to allow it. A woman in early twenties is told she would find no one unless she settles, and fast, into a life of lifelong servitude without escape, and far worse if she is not well behaved about it.

And if she persists, in going out and choosing education and work and self reliance, there is always rape and murder.
..........................................................................................


The video is attacked on the same basis rape is excused - she was exciting males, wearing short clothes, culturally improper in behaviour, and basically, asking for it. But then a woman covered from neck down to ankles is not safe nor is one too old or too young - infants have been raped as have been old women. Old, not as in fifties, but as old as eighties. Patients in hospitals unable to move or speak have been raped, as have in fact dead bodies.

When does society awake and tell males, it is rape that is evil? When do males inculcate their sons in the real secrets of humanity, so far taught women but left as a choice to take up or not as far as males go?

When does society realise there is no excuse for rape and assault, physical or verbal or emotional, and it merely exposes inferiority of the assaulter, not their superior physical power?
..........................................................................................



When wolves begin attacking farms, a farmer might try to find better guard dogs, electric fences, locks and so on. Lock up his fowl in secure airy housing and penning up his sheep in secure pens with guard dogs. What the farmer, or average householder, does not do is to lock up the babies and children - he gets a shotgun and hunts down the threat, and if not by himself then by collecting the village.

For locking up the children is not the answer - the wolf that can get them in your garden can very well enter through the window and get them in their beds, and humans do not lock up their own in secure cages.

When women are being assaulted, they are told explicit;y or implicitly to no longer go out without adequate male protection, no longer seek education or work or enjoyment, but stay at home and serve their lords and masters the males, and if they are kidnapped from home then serve the new lords and masters the kidnappers or buyers. In whatever way the lords and masters choose to demand.

When is it going to be clear that in this the women are being treated more like live property to serve alive or dead, and less like humans that they are? What else is slavery but tolerating this attitude?

What after all is adequate protection, if those that attack are precisely those that one is counting on as one's fellow humans, relatives, friends, partners, colleagues, protectors?

And seriously, which total moron is going to state on penalty of his own life that no woman was ever attacked, raped, murdered, in her own home while she presented herself as completely dressed as possible, from neck down to ankles, or even more, having one's face covered as well?

Anyone who is so foolish as to claim this, is free to swear it on bible and all other holy books, and on all possible gods, on pain of his own blood.
..........................................................................................


The film is built on words of a poem and has 99 women who are shot to make up the video footage, and talks about choices. It is not about demanding approval or about telling everyone what to do. It IS about a woman who has a mind and a soul, and every right to make her own choices, right or wrong, and freedom to do so. And that is every woman.

Reducing it to convenient labels of short clothes and immoral behaviour is merely a convenient way to victimise those that assert the freedom, the rights, the right to make choices, the equality of souls and minds.

And that is no different from those that defend rapes with assertions of men being men or boys being boys, or comparing the situation to meat and dogs, or asserting that women who behave properly don't get raped. They do, but then they are conveniently forgotten.

It is only humans that do this to their own females. Every other species alive protects its females. Are humans on top rung of evolution, in attempting to finish of the females of the species one way or another? Is this about extinction being a need of humans?
..........................................................................................


Everyone familiar with evolution is aware that apes are further along in evolution than the equines, but few bother to think it over and realise the implications, else they would not brag about nether equipment and difference vis a vis females of the species. For gorillas lack what donkeys routinely, publicly display - donkeys have not only excellent equipment, it borders on two forelegs and a hind tripod when in heat.

This should be a further argument for those that do not realise the relevance, the significance of one's head and heart being far up above the nether end of the torso, and not as connected to the heart as a woman's body in its internal structure - a woman carries a baby under her heart, connected to her whole being, and it is only a male that can conveniently disclaim his own nether parts as if they were not his own sole and exclusive responsibility, but that of every woman on the planet.

But a bank robber is not excused for robbing a bank even though the premises are meant for business of money, nor is a hungry man excused for robbing a place that sells food, much less a home or another person's wallet.

Being unable to control one's own nether parts, for whatever reasons, is no excuse for assaulting another person, however hot or provocative, either physically or verbally or in other twisted ways. Nor is it a justification for any crime.
..........................................................................................



Civilisations that vanished due to onslaught of other civilisations were more advanced, not less, and the marauders more primitive, albeit unable to see it, and hence the assaults. Humanity as a whole needs to evolve to where wolves are not given free range while evolved humans are caged in homes or concentration camps and reservations and reduced land areas while wolves keep migrating out from designated forests and into human civilisations and cities.

It is time for farmers to take up shotguns and nets to trap wolves, and push them back, It is time humanity evolved to where it grows into light, rather than allowing humanity to sink back to primitive with fangs bared and babies caged for safety.

If the latter comes to pass, forget beauty and grace, forget music and all other achievements and blessings from above. The only defence for women who do not escape assault and rape even in home in complete accord with all norms prescribed would be to turn around, wear beards and moustaches and even horns, use horrible stinking sprays or even poisonous ones, and if that is not enough, carry weapons of assault - always available in black market or in kitchens of one's homes - and use them when felt threatened.

Or if none of it works and women are still assaulted, nature will let women perish and thereby let humanity go extinct, for humanity that does not defend its own women on par with other half and designates them to servitude does not deserve to survive.
..........................................................................................

Elements

Four elements, known to us all 
Taken for granted, as much as parents
Fire, Earth, Air, Water
And perhaps another one or two or three
Space, Firmament, Stars, all that is above -
Taken for granted, just as much
As the four elements, known to us all.
................................................................................................................

Earth one needs - when existence is physical,
Mother Earth supporting physical beings with
Patience, care, love, enveloping all
Even those that take flight, live in air high above, do need
Her sustenance, occasionally, when
Exhausted, in need of respite
We fall asleep in her arms, in her lap,
Even when in a palatial dwelling, in silks and on marble and gold
Earth the silent mother carries it all,
Whispers gentle songs of hers, bringing us the much needed
Rest.
Much like a
Mother that carries the unborn and born
Her own body carrying the weight, supporting, sustaining life.
................................................................................................................

Much of the physical being though
As long as life is dwelling in body, is of
Water, and needs water
Unborn lives enveloped by the love and care that is
Ocean that sustains life,
Living need the love and care and be part of the chains of
Life that won't be without
Love, care, the very element of
Life that is
Water
Needed as long as
Life lasts.
................................................................................................................

Most of Life, though, at any rate those of us that
Abide on land,
Unlike those that dwell in waters of
Oceans, rivers, lakes et al of
Life, Love
Need more than just
Love, care, life,
Water

All very well until a point,
Water, Life, Care, Love,
All very needed
But then appears the need of
Breath and Air, Mind Thought,
Somewhere the mouth, throat, living apparatus
Must distinguish the two
Else struggle to survive

Distinguish, and discriminatingly
Separate breath from water,
Keep one's breath pure
Not drown in
Life.

Life waits
Oceans, rivers, lakes, ponds, wells,
One may drown - or be devoured by one of those that
Dwell there, play, would swallow one whole, or
Shred one to bits
Those of us that live on land must
Know where to step,
Draw the boundary, so as
Not to drown and yet sustain
Life,

Breath Air, yet not forget
One needs
Water, Love, Care, for
Life.
................................................................................................................

One might be forgiven for concluding it is all there is
Breathing is above all, and
Indeed one couldn't live without
Breath, Air,
Thought, Mind,
For even the dwellers of
Oceans, rivers, lakes, ponds, wells,
Water, life, love, care,
Do breathe,

Air permeates water, and those that dwell not on land
Know how to breathe when living in water,
Breath air they do, they know how, they can

So one might conclude, this is all
Earth, Water, Air, and no more

Build castles in air, fly high above
Forget Earth far below, looked at with disdain
Use Water, not revere it,
Air is all one is living in, and
Who can see air?
So one's own being is all there is, and
Air one breathes,
Thoughts that seem one's own creation, rather than of
Mind and the world thereof
And even if one knows
Air is not merely of one's breath,
Thought is as Air, passing free
Around and into beings
Still,
All this is not,
And yet, many assert, this is all there is,
Anything else perceived is mere
Illusion, they assert, loss of
Mind of those that look
Above.

Yes, this is all there is, they assert,
Never looking above,
Else claiming it is all illusion,
Created to fool, dreamers and cowered ones
Look above and lose mind, so don't - they go,
One's highest is oneself, they assert

There is truth in that too, but not as limited as they think
They know not yet the truth of more than
Life and Mind and Physical, of
Existence.
................................................................................................................

Fire, whether of one's own hearth, of
Unseen Unknown hiding in one
Or of seen
Firmament above, of stars and galaxies and universes -
As real as any other element,
Used, but often denied
Seen as creation or discovery of
Primitives
No longer a mystery, tamed now - and no such thing as
Soul, Divine, Above -
Denied and finished.

And yet,
Look above,
Let Mind free
Thought roam independent, not
Yoked to Life, or all the more to
Ego, the shell of one's being
And one could know
Fire, and more -

The Space that envelops it all, where
Life and Mind and Physical
Existence
Resides
Fire and
Explosions that make stars of
What would otherwise be planets
Dead Terra of
Belts of millions orbiting
Before Jupiter,
After Neptune,
And more -
................................................................................................................

Comets arrive
Once in a while
Beings that seem full of
Light
Earth looks up in wonder, falls to knees in worship,

And watches as one strikes
A tremendous god of yore,
Both hurt in the collision, as
Watchers from Earth look
To see who survives a collision,
Who is the winner of a
Celestial battle.

"Faiths" collide pretty much this way, too
"your god is untrue, for it was hurt, .." asserts each side,
And those that asserted
Air around is all there is, rest is mere illusion
Tell both how wrong they are,
Celestial bodies are merely more bits of
Rocks on fire, that is all -

Space, meanwhile, holds it all


While
Light above,
Firmament filled with
Visions
Stars and galaxies and universes
Carry on as ever.
................................................................................................................

Left, Right, Family, Market

I always wonder why leftist thinking is labeled anti US, when in fact every family and every woman is required to live a leftist life, and church diktates (or what is conveniently misnamed family values) are precisely about herding women into a commune life of a couple and progeny with a lifestyle of traditional nature - which is about "do what one can and receive what one needs".

Capitalism can only work in market, a woman cannot go about negotiating price of conception and childbirth to full compensation of all else she might have to forego which could include her very life, and one after all can never pay a mom for life given, except by love and respect and full equal partnership with the father of the family.

Children have to be fed and clothed and housed and educated and more by parents without any thought of how they will pay back, moreover. So it is all communism, those that can do do all they can, those that need have to receive what they can, without any payment involved.

Extending this to public life is leftism, and it is only viable with awareness beyond mind, which is not universal as of now. Hence problems.

Twilight and Magic Hour

While I can't say I am unfamiliar with the phrase magic hour someone of India mentioned, used in cinema world, I find no recollection of it being ever used in any western or Nordic country, either in talk or in literature or on television or in films. It is possible one forgets now what seems not quite so important, but searching memory produces no mention of the phrase anywhere in Europe or US. What might be possible is it is one of those phrases that seem to be of one language while not really from a country of that language.

This happens sometimes to for example French, at least one phrase I am very familiar with from English literature is completely unfamiliar as a phrase to the AF teachers of French. Another such usage which seems to be of English language but is totally made up in India is "co" instead of "in law" when a symmetric relationship through two marriages is involved. South Indians use it extensively, while in north Hindi words usually do. In English speaking lands the phrase would be sister in law or brother in law for both possibilities. In south India they would say co sister or co brother for a symmetric relationship, and if one used the other phrase, they would correct you, under the impression that they have it right.

It seems to make sense, moreover, that the magic hour is a phrase made up in India, and all the more so in cinema world of Hindi cinema of Mumbai. Sunset is very beautiful in Mumbai (east coast, not so much), and the welcome relief from heat comes only thereafter (east coast begins to cool already at noon with cool breezes from the ocean).

In Nordic lands twilight is preferred long because it delays dark, something to be not liked, rather feared - only natural when forest creatures and others are likely to have more power. Moreover where sun is not all that hot and light is dim most of the time anyway, daylight with clear sun is termed "nice day" while cloud, rain, dark and so forth are disliked. Snow is another story, welcome because it does bring more light, and not wet you, and strangely enough it is better than dry winters which are far colder and not so enjoyable.

And what is more, fairy tales that one is so familiar with originate in Nordic lands, and are not exactly the Disney happy versions most of the times - they are full of things to be feared, and those precisely are what abound in dark, whether of winter when it is dark so long or on everyday nights all through the year. So twilight is not a happy time, it is only good in being long and not so abrupt as it is in tropics where dark descends in a jiffy. Nor do people go about watching sunsets as they do in India and perhaps all through tropics or hot parts of earth. It is a time to be indoors and light up until one is ready for bed.

Most telling of course is the hour part of the phrase. It is possible that twilight is an hour in southern US, but again, culturally it is not a part of the day liked or at least established in literature and language as liked, because the European heritage continues culturally in most part, the only significant difference being of daily showers common in US (twice quite often likely), while Europe still continues the centuries traditions of preferring baths and that not so often. Heat might be enough in CA or too much in ex confederate south, but culture still prefers sunshine, and while the latter likes various options for cooling during hot days, food still is European in most part, and so on. Nights are seen as time for "night life" or for bed, and only those serious (whether amateur or otherwise) about either study or art or music or science or stargazing have other ideas of how to pass dark hours. It is unlikely that twilight is termed magic hour even in those parts, because it is a part of the evening and falling dark is not significantly liked as such but is a time for evening occupations - whether homing to dinner and more, or going out for the evening (which is a term lasting until one goes to bed).

So association of magic and hour with twilight is likely to be of origin in Mumbai and quite rightly so. In those parts it is. Magic seems to be so small, so very insufficient and inadequate a phrase for this phenomena one experiences in Mumbai, it could only come from relatively hurried minds seeking for a catch phrase. And what is more, magic is not always positive, as one would know very well, if one is familiar with lands of fairy tales.

More than magic, in Mumbai and in Delhi and other parts too in India (albeit not east coast so much, especially in south), it is a celebration of beauty everyday at twilight, a festival of colours that light up the western skies as dusk brings a welcome cool and fresh breeze, while stars begin to appear over the ocean and overhead, and one is forever grateful for being able to see it and experience it on so every day a basis. 

Penguins, Emperors, Polar Bears, .... Tomcats -

The little girl holidayed in the valley
Shadowed in sun by tall mountains with
Snow capped peaks, fabled in legends of the land
Gods are here, and so were their sons
A long time ago
Their footprints and their paths still legendary
One can walk in them
The little girl holidaying with her parents and a cute little sister
Frolicking in snow that fell gentle
It was early yet
Snow a novelty in the land of sun and forests,
Abode of snow and ice protecting it and standing ever awake
Sentry against winds and those that would ravage the land
Until the ravagers found a pass, and the land was ravaged for centuries

The little girl frolicked, blissfully unaware of history
Subconsciously protected by legends of sons of
Gods still present
If only one were aware and able to admit
Heavens have more than humans, living in
Blue of Divine Light

The little girl played, sang, told stories, until
One day she came, almost in tears, agitated
Asking, is it true, tomcats eat their own young?
.......................................................................................................

What could one tell her,
How protect someone on brink of growing into
Young adulthood,
Without forever making her see dark when she should see
Light and Bliss and peaks of life to come?
How does one not lie, and yet return the
Smile of a child
No joke, facing a horror at first steps of
Wonder years that were just about to begin!

One had to tread cautiously,
Tell her, held gently in arms encircling
Away from one's self, looking at one another
Directly in eyes that said,
Life is hard, but not all horror,
Return to the child the assurance of protection
Of goodness and all possibilities
Tell her about life
And yet bring her smile back.

Yes, tomcats do eat their own young, one told her
But humans are not tomcats
While some do behave like that
Everyone born is free to make one's own choice
And some go as far as to be almost
Penguins, even as good as
Emperors who protect their young
With their own substance of life
While the mommy penguins go off into ocean
They have given most of their life to bring about the little one
Still in the egg, now held in warmth of the papa penguins
Waiting for the moms to return to see the now newborn young,
Waiting in the deep Antarctic winter of  southern continent
Protected from others with deep cold, by
Mother Nature of Earth.

Humans are free to choose, and
While some do choose to go the tomcats way,
Others might ignore young like lions do
Or go south and be
Penguin fathers who care for their young
Every bit as much as their moms do.

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

The little girl's tears, one could see, were receding
She was brought back to safety of her life
And a future that was possible
Without horrors
Yet aware of horrors that abound
And one needs to avoid
So one could care for one's young and not fear
Tomcats and bears walking in human bodies.
.......................................................................................................


Wish someone had told the beautiful little girl
Who was never aware of
Various other beings in human disguise
And so she lost her life
Protecting her young as best as she could
The only admonition her own mother gave her
She had made it her own life's goal,
With no sustenance other than spirit of a mother
And this was the best she could give
The beautiful daughter who in her turn
Protected her young at the cost of
Her own being.

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

Shadow Of The Moon

Shadow of The Moon



Shadow of the full moon that
She was, cooling our lives of desert heat
Fell into the lake deep in
Hidden in the cave
Lair of the wolf that
Walked among men
And pretended to be afraid of
Innocent, until they were beguiled
Only to be lured to the cave
For the duration of his play
Blinded some, only in mind sometimes, others
Hit in head and thrown to
Wolves and jackals and hyenas that roam about in
Guise of humans - gender regardless -
And were hounded for life until
Finished to the satisfaction of the werewolf
Hidden in the cave.

He had some innocents beguiled
And too the shadow of the
Moon
Reflected in the lake hidden deep in the cave
His lair
And the innocents brought in those that loved them
The moon her own love, and her shadow brought in
The one thrown far away by the wolf
One he repented not tearing to shreds
And so the shadow of the moon it was
The wolf cried to
He had lost the moon for ever.

The shadow of the moon had pity in her depths
Just as the cave has deep pockets of air
Lake deep and reflecting the heavens sometimes
So the shadow of the moon glimmered out when the
Lake flowed out - and called to the
One wandering about crying for the lost moon
Torn to shreds by the wolf and his ilk, but still living,
Not so easily lured to the cave of the
Werewolf.

Shadow of the moon called out, glimmering,
Over and over
And the innocent torn to shreds, healed,
Came yet over and over
Heeding to the call of the shadow of the moon
Torn over and over to shreds by the
Wolfpack that was mostly hyenas and jackals
Until finally thrown too far away
Finished now, the werewolf thought
Not quite, someone said from Above
Innocent yet lived, healed, just about
And this time
Closed ears and mind to the calls of the wolves
Crying to the moon - and closed eyes to the
Shadow of the moon.

Eons passed, and the word spread
Brought about by a magpie, the innocent heard it too
The wolf is no more, the pack at throats of one another,
Shadow of the moon all alone with her lonely support
Innocent melted
Fool, said magpie before flying off to lands far away, safe
Donkey, said the beleaguered
Doe eyed son of the moon - and
Shadow of the moon smiled, said,
Come home, innocent,
It is yours too -
Not the same cave any more,
It is new,
Free of the pack.

Somewhere along the way the innocent had learned
Werewolves don't die
Nor change into human for good
Tales of their sprouting hearts are but tales
Perceived absense of their fangs merely due to
Depths of cave hiding them, and the
Depths of the cave are strewn with the dead innocents

Shadow of the moon waits, bound to the
Lake flowing out from the depths of the cave
One could say, no, thus far and no further, and
See the shadow of the moon recede into the cave
One could dare step in, and see
One's love, one's life torn to shreds
Yet one more time
Else
One could wait out
One's life, held by the thread from heavens
Not stepping into where the thread might be lost
Risk the shadow of the moon recede,
Tears in her heart refusing to let her know she was
Weapon of the wolf, not the manna she wished she were
To the innocents of the world.

When one has looked yet again upon
Shadow of the moon
It isn't that easy.
...................................................................................................................

She says he had turned human
Memories say otherwise
He was good at fooling her, and others
She, good at forgetting all that was bad, forgiving,
This is how one loses when tempers are temporary flares
Forgiveness a doctrine that
Ever has evil win

That his earthly envelope is gone they say
And a death glorified
Not deserved by such as he

Never mind forgiveness or forgetting
No reparations possible when
Lives he took and destroyed are
Beyond repair
They say, aren't you happy?
Not theirs to assert
When one has lost all but a shred
And holds it against all cold winds and heat of furies
It is but a mercy from heaven
All one earned gone with the strikes over and over
By the thief that took it all and gave it away to his faithful
And left one bleeding over and over, till satisfied
One would not get up again
Provide a lesson to others who might yet wish to follow and
Be independent
Now meanings are changed
Independence is about right to lure one not yet dead to the wolf's lair
And flying off safe oneself
To Gold cages and silver chains
Forgiveness is about stepping again into the
Lair of the werewolf
Deep shadows of the cave
And only a
Shadow of the moon
Reassuring as ever
There is no wolf,
Never was one.
........................................................................................................

It was all your own stars, said the wolf
Others echo the words
Slightly rearranged or more
Laments of yore are a bore, they state flat out
One has lost a life, over and over
One merely wishes to return the
three pieces of brass square
So one's pain, one's being torn apart is
Not paid for.
This peace one shall not grant the werewolf
This little shred of one's own self
Once let go,
One could lose one's own self
For ever this time.

It is late autumn after all,
Winter has arrived on doorstep
And no time to go forth
Gathering a life for one's own
Yet again.

Shadow of the moon
Red Riding Hood
Could she be rescued?
Hope so. Don't know.
After all, she has been known to rebel too
And demand her rights of making her own decisions.
She has survived the cave, the lair, the pack
So, perhaps, she is all right -
........................................................................................................

Civil on Internet

How does internet turn strangers into rude obnoxious marauders knocking on your door at any time they choose and demand you do this or that, not realising they are being uncivil and need to stop doing this?

How does one stop such intrusion into what one expects to be a contact page with one's acquaintances or friends, colleagues and relatives, with relevant exchanges of information and conversations?

How does one tell off a stranger it is not her or his business to ask if you are angry, or admonish you about praising someone because the praise does not fit their agenda which they have not really thought widely over?

How does one tell people it is a platform to exchange news and information, but not demand photographs or offer unwanted ones, and act as if they are your aunts or grandfathers when in reality they happen to be about two fifth of your age and obviously lack education judging from the behaviour and posts, apart from capacity to think and any semblance of civil discourse or interaction?

How does one make them stop badgering one with unwanted missives and attacks which they promise to continue no matter what one does, and execute the promise by simply attacking from another page with a false name?

Is it any different from thieves and pickpockets and common thugs, this random attacking of people they carry out?

Or should one conclude it is directed focused from a hidden source with an agenda? Should one say, flies are hard to get rid of and mosquitoes might be dangerous but pesticides seem to not work?

Should one expect humanity to behave better than pests at all, or not all of them at any rate?
...................................................................................................................



Once we suffered danger of heart attack and more, when living in a supposedly posh locality because the neighbours who thought they were posh began partying around midnight and had extremely loud noises that made it impossible to rest, what with walls shaking and more. If we went knocking on door where this "party" was taking place they would go silent, pretending there was no one there, but their own children inside were wailing and gave the pretense away. They were unwilling to stop and attacked us with garbage thrown in our balcony.

We moved to a supposedly not so posh neighbourhood for sake of peace and silence and hope it will not threaten us again. Hope.

How does one move away from marauders and attackers on internet? Or is the internet so full of beasts one can only escape by having no presence at all? Never say a thing, never post no matter who is posting obscene attacks against someone vulnerable, not protest when a murder of a scientist is being discussed and people are justifying it in name of faith?

Or does one simply take it now that life is war and one cannot run away? When facing Kaurava and co one has to do one's duty, speak out against murders of scientists and defend vulnerable young women, state truth and facts and reason, for if one stops perhaps all might and then falsehood will have won?
...........................................................................................................................

Misuse of Brand India in restaurant in Paris

Old Kashmir near Boulevard St Germain in Paris was close to where we stayed the second time we visited Paris, and we went in for dinner, pleased to see a restaurant that declared itself as Indian on the board. We went in since the restaurant described itself as Indian, and expected vegetarian food to be that, vegetarian. Instead the food had something we could not identify except as unpalatable, and likely not vegetarian.

When at the door leaving, manager asked about it, possibly owners, and we informed them truthfully about what we thought. They did not deny it, but blamed it on local populace, and promised us genuine vegetarian food the next time.

We were not about to risk that, and come to think of it the unpalatable might not have been food at all, and in all likelihood the restaurant was Indian only in name. We had been served something horrible for sake of political revenge from across the border in a place far away, and this was bad behaviour in every way.

I have to say this behaviour was unusual, and we have visited quite a few restaurants in US and in Europe that were of owners from across the border and we had very good food and very friendly and courteous treatment in all of them, and felt wonderful.

As for the blaming on local people in Paris by this establishment, a lot of people eating around us asked for the same vegetarian food and were happy chatting with us, and the owner of the creperie next door informed us he did not have an extra pan to make vegetarian crepes for us, apologising for not being able to do so. We were overwhelmed with his finickiness about vegetarian food, and always remembered it as example of awareness in Paris. So this place blaming locals was fraudulent, although even if it were true they could have refrained from adding whatever it is they did to what they served us.

In short, one cannot trust this place.
.......................................................................... 

Discriminating Attacker

This began with an unpleasant surprise of someone pontificating about a piece I wrote in support of Preity Zinta who took action against being molested by a man with power and wealth. This woman objected to my calling her a brave woman of Rajput heritage, and demanded I remove that because it was discriminating against all other people.

This is seemingly a young woman of uncertain age but guaranteed inability to think over what she says before or after she says it, much less as she thinks. Lack of inability of thinking does not stop her from pontificating and rapping her betters with a big stick, since she respects only biological differences but not man made ones as per her declaration - she is probably correct about the former, but hypocrite at best about latter or outright lie deliberately maintained on lack of fear of someone seeing through or calling her on it.

After all it is highly unlikely she will marry a biologically desirable male or leave her husband for him, in spite of the said husband or a socially preferred suitor being of high position in society with wealth and position of power. She might be biologically inclined to, but she will then give excuse such as blaming parents or even her nation for her choice, and say that they won't allow her to choose someone she desires.

She is a fraud, racist, ignoramus and stupid who substitutes fashion for thought.

Here is the conversation which I cut short in spite of her daring me to block her, fully understanding she will continue to attack with another page.
...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................



 Gogona Saikia

    You have written some brilliant things. I admire that. but seriously, maybe do away with the "Rajput brave woman" part. Maybe remove the "Rajput" part only. You are severely categorising women based on their caste/whatever it is, when it comes to bravery.
...........................................................................................................................


    Today
    Jyotsna Gokhale
    11:48
    Jyotsna Gokhale

    If it were a Baangaalie I would have said someone from lands that worship Durgaa and Kaalie.

    Don't assume negatives. Saying something positive about one is not equivalent of saying negatives about all others.

    If PZ disliked her identity as Rajput she would not mention it, and if one is to say calling her Rajput is discrimination - why call her a woman in the first place, or you, or any woman? Why not force all world to adopt a dress and language that will never allow anyone to know what gender one is, and make it necessary to apply to legal channels to find out who one is attracted to? Perhaps that will come too, but meanwhile, other categorisations are minor.
.......................................

    Jyotsna Gokhale
    12:04
    Jyotsna Gokhale

    Come to think of it such removal of all identities would involve covering every face so no one knows who is from Asia, Europe or Africa - and more, no degrees or diplomas to anyone, since the mentally challenged or academically unwilling or underachievers might take it as negative - no awards, since others might take it as negative - no positions since those that do not get it are discriminated against - no children allowed to be brought up by parents, since there are orphans in the world - no marriages, since some are unable to find a match - no one should be given a salary, everyone equally beggars before world authorities - how far does removal of identity go? Those living might seem privileged to those dying, so ....? Funerals for everyone?

    Silly isn't it when one goes logical. No one questions the lack of logic underlying the assumptions of your post, not to mention the lack of whatever it needs, perhaps respect and reflection, that went into offering advice without thought.

    Unless you are my parents' generation, or older. Then free advice is not disrespectful.

    Goodbye, and please don't reply. Think if possible.
................................................................................................................................


    Today
    Gogona Saikia
    15:51
    Gogona Saikia

    LOL. irst of all, sorry for not remembering the context of what I sent this msg about. I cam guess a general abstract of what you had said though, that made me send this msg. nd I am pretty sure I am not older to you. Maybe sameage, maybe younger in fact. Also, your replies are too long for me to want to debate pointwise. o just off the top of my head, only one observation: I was juts taking a stand against man made categories that you are born with, which are quite unfair, wouldn't you say? The ones you mentioned, some of them are BIOLOGICAL, some of them are based on INDIVIDUAL CHOICES. Not that unfair or changeable, are they? lso, aa last advice from someone younger. Do try not to take so much of offence because of a random msg from a random stranger on the internet. If I were to start getting so worked up about what people I dont even know say to me, life would become very hard indeed. ake care!
...........................................................................................................................................


    Jyotsna Gokhale
    15:54
    Jyotsna Gokhale

    You would force everyone to accept your categories of which discrimination is OK?

    Biological is OK for you? So men beating women to death is OK? Rape, molestation, less or no pay? Why do you want to keep the biological discrimination that makes half the world free slaves without hope, and worse?

    About the so called Mab N

    Correction - manmade - categories. That includes discrimination along lines of wealth, possessions, titles, degrees, positions, nationalities, languages, almost everything. Rajput might be more DNA at that.
..................................................

    Jyotsna Gokhale
    16:03
    Jyotsna Gokhale

    You were wrong, however idealistic you think you are. Young and eager to prove you treat everyone equally. Do you? Is a stinking drunken goon just as good a candidate as a quiet man of position and education for a bridegroom for you? Even if the former is old and the latter approved socially re age for you?
.........................................................

    Jyotsna Gokhale
    16:04
    Jyotsna Gokhale

    No, discrimination is not a bad word or act, you MUST discriminate between good food and garbage, especially when feeding a child.

    As for PZ, she does inherit it the proud tradition of Rajputs.

    So does India.

    Re last your advice, you are more and more offensive. Bye don't write back.
............................................................................................................................


    Gogona Saikia
    16:21
    Gogona Saikia

    "So men beating women to death is OK? Rape, molestation, less or no pay". O god this is not about discrimination! What are you even talking about. Rape, murder are crimes! "Is a stinking drunken goon just as good a candidate as a quiet man of position and education for a bridegroom for you?" As I said, these are based on choices, not something one is born with. Once again, I don't rem the context in which I msgd you, I don't rem who "PZ" here is. "You would force everyone to accept your categories of which discrimination is OK?" No I won't. I can't. How can I force anyone to do anything acc to me?Would you say I FORCED you to not call anyone Rajput? "That includes discrimination along lines of wealth, possessions, titles, degrees, positions, nationalities, languages, almost everything. Rajput might be more DNA at that." Personally, I find any kind of man-made categorisation unfair. I am not saying someone inheriting wealth and someone inheriting nothing is okay, but some things are just too deep to be argued on when I am talking to someone for the first time! You want me to argue about everything I actually think now? And whether you agree or not, the caste system is creating more bad than good. It might have been wonderful if the whole system was efficient, but it is not! More instances of misuse hence the whole unfairness. And do stop instructing me reply or not. I will reply, or won't, acc to what I feel like. Welcome to go ahead and block if you want.
..........................................................................................................................


Jyotsna Gokhale
    15:54
    Jyotsna Gokhale

I get it, you respect biology and will attack old women preferably of not blond race, and only shut up if you think you are confronting a hefty male of a race likely to smash you to smithereens - that is what your discrimination against man made but respecting biological differences come to. So you will accept anything from someone biologically desirable, however low he might be in man made differences of wealth, position, power, social respect? No you will make up some other convenient theory to suit your discrimination on man made grounds.

You are not merely racist and misogynist but are justifying it by arguing man made vs biological differences, and as long as it is not you at receiving end, will go to the length of attacking anyone you have no hope ever of approaching level of even in logic of meaning of your thinking.


What you will not stop doing is attacking me. And you dare me to block you because you will continue to attack with another page. Until what, you manage to murder me via internet? Won't be the first time.

When you comprehend the horror of your disgusting behaviour you will wish to die of shame, and deserve it. One day soon you will understand how truly you are not only misogynist and racist but goon of nazi sort. But probably you already hate yourself for being the wrong gender.

How did your parents name you so correctly Go Go Na!
.........................................................................................................................

Nostalgia - visited this that and other - Those Days

Vikings Tower on Norumbega Road
near Brandeis University MA
...........................................................................................................


I was informed about this by, and saw it with, a visiting scholar from Nordic Europe, around mid '80s. There was a plaque in masonry informing visitors about Viking history on the continent, how they visited and lived and traded from as far inland as Watertown, for several centuries, circa 11th century AD. They left due to loneliness since no mass migration was happening at the time. The place was beautiful, and still was a few decades later in 2011 when we visited the last time.

The place is eye opening in view of popularly taught history of much later discovery of the continent, and later on reading I found convincing details about how Norsemen and Vikings and indeed fishermen of Northwest Europe knew about lands across Atlantic, not only Iceland and Greenland but also the continent, which knowledge was kept a secret because it was a question of livelihood for the fishing community. The distance is much more in latitudes closer to the equator than closer to the pole, so one can easily surmise that it is all very likely true.

As I read other two reviews, I am unsure about veracity of the church, it was probably a watchtower as I recall reading on the plaque, a church after all needs a community and an official and is not merely a site to worship, but a tower is useful in looking out for ships and more.

The other review is a bit saddening, I recall this place as being serene, green and clear with the noise of the highways close by receding into a dim hum, conducive to peace and thought and more.
.................................................................................................................



Filene's Downtown Boston

I am not sure when Filenes closed, if it did. Google maps shows no department store across a small road from Jordan Marsh in downtown Boston when one looks now, and if it did close it must have been a nostalgic day for the many women used to finding treasures especially in the basement, so much so elsewhere there were stores called Filene's Basement that were totally above ground. Their policy of offering increasing discounts (25% first week, 50% next, 75% third week, fourth week donated to charity) had women gamble and hope they got more discount on what one wished one could afford, but looking at crowds of others doing the same it was hard not to grab it the first week if one really liked something. Once I have seen things fought over, albeit without physical attacks on the other person, but with firm claims on the object fought over not giving up physically.
.
Later other discount stores came up, I moved to the other coast, and then the era of online shopping. When did Filene's vanish without my noticing it? Last time I shopped at Filene's Basement was in NY in 2000 on a work related visit, and found treasures then too. Then I found other stores with more discounts on brands, one near WTC which then was still standing and we visited on my insistence. I am glad we did.

I am not sure who else misses the drive or otherwise arriving at the store and walking through it physically looking at things and trying them and balancing the budget with needs or simply temptations, but it was also educational for someone not of the place, and perhaps even for local women in some ways. And the walk to the place in winters was definitely bracing, exhilarating even.

A lot has changed and now the place is a café. Hope it offers as much to its customers as the store did, in joy if not in merchandise. If it is the same management, that is quite likely too.
................................................................................................................



Galeries Lafayette

The first visit to Paris was memorable in so may ways, and Galerie Lafayette was one of them, surprisingly - having visited Boston and New York NY and more, Midwest with its separate stores, and London too, I did not expect a surprise with so much wonder and pleasure. And that too after visiting the lovely and stupendous sites of Paris, Louvre and Eiffel Tower and more.

I almost did not go there. My hostess told me this was a place worth a visit and I went in spite of doubts, and spent time in a smaller store across the road under the impression that this was it, and thought yes I know it was no big deal. Then I saw a store across the road and thought, let us see this one. And the wonder started.

It is difficult to describe the beauty of the place, the several floors with a circular gallery in middle overlooking a ground floor plaza and - was it? - a skylight overhead. To my surprise and delight, I found a few things worth buying even on the then very stringent small budget of a student, and they were lovely, and on huge discount. Which satisfied my self restrictions so as to not squander the little money I had.

The memory of the store remained forever as lovely as the cherry blossoms on a road across the Seine from Louvre we found on a spring visit much later.
.............................................................................................................



La Pyramide Inversée
and the
Pyramid du Louvre

My first visit to Louvre in '83 was before this pyramid came, and I had gone with a south American visitor who I met just the day before at the hostel. We came up out of the metro behind the whole complex of Louvre and I saw it as perhaps it should be seen, walking through the quadrangles of the once palace and seat of rule of France, before entering at one of the then current entrances of the palace. There was a good deal of repair and reconstruction going on and Venus de Milo was not to be seen.

Next visit was in another millennium and much had happened, the pyramid and its inverse inside, and Venus de Milo was on view too. So were other treasures of Louvre albeit I did not find some of the small things discovered in the earlier visit.

But the pyramids create their own space and atmosphere. Visitors queuing up to enter - and a long queue it is on a good day too, perhaps on a rainy day with hailstorm as well, who knows - have fun, what with children playing happily around the pyramid, young couples sitting relaxed, and some water features, everyone calmed and expectant about what treasures are on display one may see.

The inverted pyramid inside after one enters sort of continues the outside for a while, what with the pyramid inverted and light streaming in, and one usually does not notice it is in a different place unless one is paying attention. It forms a transition nicely, on the way to comparatively dark but full of wonders interior.

And if one has read Da Vinci Code, one feels just a little thrill, who knows - at any rate it is the historic longitude even if there is no crypt deep down under.
................................................................................................................



Au Bon Pain

When Au Bon Pain was new in Boston area it was a thrill, finding so much so delightful, unlike the usual eateries with little on offer for a vegetarian. Not only Au Bon Pain had breads and sandwiches but lovely croissants to go with coffee and some really nice offerings - a favourite remained over years their cauliflower and cheese soup.

I remember stopping at Harvard square for breakfast between second and third bus to the early work hours, a one hour or more commute each way, just to have some respite and delight in the coffee and croissant. And on the way back for lunch with the cauliflower soup and a sandwich. Then onwards home to work on the thesis.

Recently we visited Burlington Mall and found Au Bon Pain to my delight, and it had gone exponential in variety of offerings, all delicious.
.....................................................................................................................



Musée Marmottan Monet

This museum then was described as a good one in an excellent guide book I had bought before leaving for Europe and after seeing excellent museums of Boston, Chicago, New York, London, Louvre and Jeu de Paume in Paris (I am not sure if Orsay was a museum then but it is another good one since in this city of wonderful museums), I was hardly expecting more wonders.

Arriving after a delightful walk through quiet neighbourhood from the metro station, I wandered leisurely through the ground floor, looking at the furnishings - good - and other things on view, and went down the wide winding stairs almost as an afterthought, since I was used to museums storing much of their treasures and putting on display only a few things due to limitations of space. And there were some artworks on the ground floor, so I did not expect much more downstairs.

I am glad - oh, am I glad I went in spite of not expecting much! One really has to see it to know what I went through, and then have the same resonance with the art of not only Impressionists but Monet.

I don't know if I was there for more than an hour, probably was, sitting and standing alternately, and almost in tears before some of them for their beauty, sheer beauty. Later in the souvenir store I let all caution go to winds and tried buying all I could rather than the one card or so others in queue were buying, and the French resentment for US visitors was visibly restrained as they disapproved and said nothing. But I couldn't let the opportunity go.

I am still waiting for the home good enough to display the reproductions bought then and hope one day I can relax with them surrounding me in all their beauty.
.....................................................................................................



Boston Ballet

Somehow it does seem that four stars should be more than liked it, and five should be absolutely superlative. With Boston Ballet there were some very precious and treasured evenings of watching lovely performances.

The first time we went a colleague had invited and Rudolf Nureyev was to perform in Don Quixote with Paris Ballet, and all dressed up with high expectations off we went. Halfway through the performance I was wondering why the title performer seemed less of an attraction and the young lover more so, was I not artistic enough to know subtleties of ballet? I had assumed Nureyev would be doing the title role.

Then on it was an addiction not easily satisfied what with meagre economic resources and high costs of the evening, but then a few years later it became possible, just about, and I went ballistic, buying a year's subscription when offered on phone. So it began for the short year that it was.

There was the eternal superlative Swan Lake, and that was the first one we saw, with me a friend with her Russian heritage and therefore much more knowledgeable in ballet. I loved it, she had seen better and merely said she had as much or more fun watching me.

I don't remember which was the third one, because Sleeping Beauty I saw in NY with American Ballet, but in Boston I recall vividly performance of Romeo and Juliet, with its poignant music and its conception of Death as a character.

In between I was fortunate enough to see a film about Kirov Ballet in downtown Boston, and a performance of Swan Lake by Bolshoi on cable - then it was new - in the friend's home on their small television. It was a revelation, and remains the peak of my ballet appreciation so far.

What with beginning with Nureyev in Paris Ballet and finale with Bolshoi, still, the Boston Ballet with the two memorable performances we saw remain memorable. The music, watching them take flight as swans and perform as humans, everything fairy tale. As it is meant to be.
.......................................................................................................................................



Shopping Malls and Stores

A later addition to the place across the road from Watertown mall, Arsenal Mall was even those days a bit more pricy. Now it is far more glitzy, and one almost forgets the original purpose of malls when one visits the new glitzy ones.

Watertown Mall was everything a mall was originally supposed to be - a place where one could do necessary shopping (so there was a supermarket and at least one store to buy reasonably priced clothing and other household necessities), a couple of places one could stop and eat if one needed or wished to (pizza, frozen yogurt that was new then), and benches around central greenery amidst the aisle that connected the stores so one could rest if needed or wished, perhaps with a cup of coffee.

The new glitzy malls have little on offer to rest and often no stores for necessities shopping, only high priced glamorous and often not quite useful clothes and accessories, and one is expected to walk in, do little or no browsing and out with or without shopping - seemingly they do not care.

I have memories of waiting for an hour in freezing rain at bus stop after shopping for necessary stuff at Watertown Mall, or in cold winds in winter at bus stop near Fresh Pond Mall - but the new glitzy ones are for those that can park, hop in, buy a couple of things for a hundred or so, and leave, unless they indulge in ice cream (not food that sustains but only tantalises and leaves one unsatisfied).
...................................................................................................................



Jordan Marsh, Downtown Boston.


I don't now remember after over three decades if Jordan Marsh was the first department store I saw, but it was impressive for a good reason.

Other stores were closer or slightly less so, and certainly needed one to use a bus, so one often was waiting after shopping for necessities with heavy bags in a freezing rain or a cold wind making one shiver and questioning if one was wise to have decided to come to this place, is one going to survive, and so on, existential questions for the hour one waited or twenty minutes. But they were more affordable and one needed then to save every red cent one could, what with meagre salary and heavy rent in the city in those beginning days.

Jordan Marsh downtown was closer to the place of work and one could and did use the T, and it was a warmer travel what with the discovery of a direct entrance from the subway albeit one missed the thrill of a chill bracing wind one walked through if one went up to street level instead and saw the buildings around that were somehow reassuring.

And one could browse at leisure while salespeople were around to help if needed - which one did some times, being new. That was the memorable thing discovered accidentally but quite vitally.

I was battling with winter and needed warm boots, and a colleague had taught me to wait for discounts and look up prices until one could judge them to be right for one's budget, and of course one could not wait for ever, not for necessities. So it was a gamble. I bought waterproof boots in Jordan Marsh one of those winter days and wore them for a while.

But for what reason I could not fathom, for they had no hole or tear, my feet were wet - and so I went to Jordan Marsh apprehensively, and was apologetically narrating my reasons for doing so as I returned the boots.

It took me a couple of minutes to realise that the courteous salesperson - or perhaps one in charge of returned goods - did not need those reasons, that he was not questioning my honesty, and that he was listening out of courtesy.

This unquestioning acceptance of the customer's honesty in dealing with one's own needs, and helping courteously whether buying or returning, above all remains more in memory than the excellent clothes at reasonable prices - which have since gone up so much I wonder how poor students can afford them, and if not what do they wear.
....................................................................................................................



Waltham Supermarket

Those days it was simply Waltham Supermarket, and advertised right there on the board over the name as "the largest supermarket in the world". It seemed strange that anyone could say such a thing, after all internet was a few decades ahead and how would anyone know what size supermarkets were anywhere else in US much less in the world? Our European colleagues laughed about it.

But that was only for those that thought this was what it was about. For us living there and not wealthy enough to posses a car it was a lifeline, walking to the supermarket and walking back with groceries once a week if one could carry that much, else more often. Some people brought the carts home and left them on the curb, and the supermarket had employees collect them from all over the town and wheel them back. We thought that was infra dig. My housemate had a trolley, and if I needed it could borrow it.

The supermarket was not fancy but was plenty, there was never any shortage of things one needs or variety thereof. Later they set up a gourmet coffee counter where one could buy and grind fresh roasted beans, and we at home decided to share coffee and costs, and bought varieties in turn. I had by then been refined enough to understand if not imbibe the difference of instant vs fresh roasted and ground filtered, but that year of sharing it with my housemate, who was in a non judgemental and gentle way refined if anything, left no possibility of my ever again seeing instant coffee as anything but compromise. Later came Gevalia, and then I left town for a position across the continent.

I don't know if I can describe details or how it was special, but it was relaxing in a way now that I think back, and forever since I have this expectation of feeling better after shopping in a supermarket. Perhaps that was the gift of the Waltham Supermarket.

We visited a Hanaford supermarket in NH recently and it was more extensive in more fancy things. Is it just passing of time and people getting more aware, or more, I am not sure. Hope it is positive in any case.
.........................................................................................................................................

Those Isms That Use Theism Variations For Excuse For Plunder

There is a story from old collections that one reads as a child, about a wolf that accuses a little lamb of drinking water upstream and spoiling his - the wolf's - drink; when the lamb denies it, the wolf replies to the effect that if it was not the lamb it must have been an ancestor of his, the lamb's; and then he proceeds to tear him into bites to wolf down. This generally is a tactic that many people, even cultures and civilisations that would tear other cultures and civilisations to bite size pieces to swallow, use for convenience. The lamb people and cultures and civilisations are stunned for the crucial moment that they need to react to the fact of seeing a wolf and either run or defend themselves another way, and they waste precious moments, lives, centuries and millennia defending themselves against a so very blatantly false accusation - until they are being torn by the wolf into bites vanishing into the wolf's innards. Cultures, often, still struggle to refute the false accusations rather than struggling to free themselves from the wolf since the guilt imposed by a master culture using power of weapons is greater than the selfhood needed to save oneself.

The wolves, whether in forms of humans or cultures or civilisations, know this, and hence they generally find a good excuse to accuse an intended lamb with and impose guilt to stun the lamb into a defensive stance rather than a smart saving oneself by either fighting or running away successfully.

One such lamb culture is India - and the wolves are numerous, with a couple of excuses used to stun the lamb successfully.
........................


It used to be caste that India was flogged with - and it was as blatant a lie as it could get, not because India could deny the accusations but because no culture in the world possibly could, not even Pacific islands, well perhaps the original residents of the continent that lost its name along with the identity and was ever since considered a migration haven for the poor of Europe - the poor that either fled their homes due to the upper castes of their homelands robbing them of everything including their freedom, raising rents of the lands that ought to belong to the farmers but belonged instead to the aristocrat; else as it happened often in Ireland and Scotland the poor were encouraged to leave with two options, cross the Atlantic or go to prison. Europe had castes and so did most other societies, only they were mostly based on wealth and arms, power to buy and power to take away others' property without paying, even. Such forms of castes not only existed, they still do, cloaked in other names. But then, caste is not a word from India, it is a European word, Anglo Saxon in origin. The word (with a different spelling and slightly different form still discernible as the root of the English word) is used in German for two meanings, one caste and another box.

It is hardly possible they invented a word to fit a concept they did not come across until they were in personal contact with India rather than taking the existing plethora of words from India and using one. Only - castes of Europe were based on inherited money and power and titles and property, things that came to be seen as opportunities of equality to earn them when a fresh start was made in US by the poor of Europe. But in Europe not even church was same for rich and poor - so equality was merely a lip service paid and that too not often.

Hence, of course, the various revolutions that erupted not necessarily where they were most needed but merely where they could.
...........................



One area where they seem to point successfully is the seemingly multi-ethnic, multiracial, and so forth society in India where no uniformity of race, language, dress or even worship seems to exist at a surface level. They fail to see the continuum obvious to anyone really seeing rather than bending on accusation, and the fact that neither castes nor geography within India is determined by racial type or vice versa; in fact often children of same couple (married within the caste with an arranged match) look quite different to glance from outside India, not due to different DNA and any other such suspicious explanations that would come readily to minds of detractors of India, but because castes are not races as understood elsewhere.

On the contrary, the seeming racial uniformity in existence in various nations of Europe is the result of a lack of rights to poor therein, and the droit de Seigneur that existed in most countries other than India with its road-roller effect on the progeny and the vanishing of individual racial characteristics on the society. One no longer sees Brits, Celts, Druids, or even Prussians who were in fact butchered by Germans too lazy to go crusading to Palestine (so they went east marauding in name of crusades acquiring lands of Prussia all the way to Baltics, instead,) who then took the land, the name, and all. Prussian language no longer exists.

This is different from India where every variety of people survived with no need to a road roller uniformity, although marriages within the various groups did and do exist. Castes in India style have helped preserve identity and ideals of each, unlike societies where a totalitarian dictator of ideals is a central agency flattening social individual special characteristics.
.......................



Now, with modern life taking hold of most of the world and India of cities being relatively on par with world societies in terms of lifestyle on one hand, while a desperation need to find other pastures to feed the church making it imperative to not offend the rural India with harping on castes since that would be a sure way to antagonise them into throwing the churches out - and churches do instruct their priests to not antagonise the converted upper castes since the church does not want a low caste image, so the low caste converts are kept at a low profile much as the poor of Europe were - the accusations against India had to change and to go into upper gear, to hit at a fundamental point to suit a fundamental agenda. For, now the fundamentalists are of more than one variety, see, although they really are one under robes of different colour or name.

So the fundamentalists have found a new and suitable fundamentalist wolf's excuse to take a bite into the lamb. It is ingenious, in that it serves every possible purpose of every sort of fundamentalist agenda all at once. And it is an old excuse used to beat up Russia (but not China, so it was a false excuse and not a genuine reason by any shred of a possibility anyone can reasonably imagine) - the excuse of theism or its lack or variety. In other words, using name of God as an excuse to devour another culture, a civilisation, after tearing it apart.

The excuse to beat up an upbeat India now is about monotheism. On this point various fundamentalists of warring hues unite, sympathise with one another, and agree to divide India, once they succeed, amongst themselves as jackals share a wounded living deer unable to defend itself.

Various people debate this point about India, about Hinduism lacking monotheism - and while a good many people are able to point at a deeper understanding of the unifying Truth behind Gods which is far more complex and closer to ultimate reality than a simplistic kowtowing to authority in name of one entity (which in fact can be dangerous in more than one way) - few stop to think about the motives of the fundamentalist, the blatantly non genuine nature of the accusation, and whether in fact even the Greek sort of polytheism was really a lower variety of belief in its effects on world than the monotheism of fundamentalists today that are out to convert or kill, and plunder in either case.
.......................



Monotheists have gone to butcher whole populations and civilisations in the name of their God - and often in fact for sake of the name alone, which is as blatant as it gets. Ultimately it is generally about taxing in the name of God, theft of another's property by as fraudulent and improper means as it gets.

And hence the note of derision or accusations of unbalanced or false nature against Hindu, Buddhist (the latter denied recognition as branch of former pretty much as Christianity and Islam are not recognised as branches of Judaism) and other various theisms.

One ought to ask, if monotheists are really of the faith of their one God above all, why don't they have faith enough to know that whatever the form and name worshipped by anyone, it is their own Ultimate God that is behind it, receiving the worship from everyone? Or is it they are afraid their own form and name is not the Ultimate after all? Which really is a valid fear, for those that would worship one God with either a fixed form and name or a fixed number of fixed names for the same God. For, how do they know they are not in fact following the opposite? Notice that it is only the so called monotheistic faiths that also presuppose an equal and powerful opposite entity.
...........................



They beat up others with a theism hitting at atheist and agnostic excuse, one used against Russia (but not China) - while they fail to ask themselves, why would God care if God is greater than the Sun and Moon and wind and sky? None of them care what anyone believes, and benefit all those in contact, while allowing those that would stay enclosed to choose their own life and environment and its consequences without a vengeful punishment for a non recognition, non worship. Why would a God, much less the Ultimate Divine.
................................