Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Shiva



In Honour of the great Kashmiri celebration of Maha Shivratri or Herath, a picture of the Shiva I pray to.

Monday, February 27, 2006

United Colours of London

Skies so grey it takes a long time to remember blue again. Yet a city so vibrant you wonder if any other place comes close in comparison.
The Tube is warm and comforting..though stifling. Bodies pressed together with lack of care about sex, size, age or destination.
Out from the bowels of the earth, spat out from the edge of an escalator the cold air hits. The air is laden with pollutants, expensive perfumes and tourists in many languages.
Living in London is like living on a slice of pizza.. you will find just about everything you could imagine and beyond. People of every type that God ever created. It is like an advert for Benetton.
However I do sometimes wonder how deep the United goes though :)

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Thick Japanese

Its a matter of time before we pull out our judgement scales and see if the person who we are talking to or spending time with is intelligent enough. Does intelligence have to anything to do with academic qualifications? Which would make me intelligent...but I aint that smart.
Does it have to do with the human ability to sense and understand without explanation?
And does intelligence gaurantee a good personality? I dont think that one is true, I know a lot of PhD holders who are not worth the time of the day.

My friend cracked a howler on the weekend about intelligence:

Josie (part South Indian, part Japanese) : Japanese is a tough language
Nabil (part English, part Syrian): I know, a friend of mine spent 2 years trying to learn it
Josie : There are over 2000 characters and more than those many ways of writing it
Nabil : How is that?
Josie : You see, the amount of pressure you put on the paint bursh determines what letter you write...and you have to memorise pressure of a thousand characters..
Nabil : hmmmm...I see, Boy!! You would never ever meet a thick Japanese then!
In this way, all space scientists, doctors, academicians should be brilliant people.

Now I aint smart, but this aint right? Is it?

Friday, February 17, 2006

Lazy Church Mouse

Empty fridge and rumbling tummy...worst combination which attacks the single variety of people.
It has been one of those days, when you think...yeah yeah I will get up, go buy some vegetables and fruits and cook some healthy food...and then you drink Coca Cola and have some Pizza and go to sleep. There was nothing to eat in my house last night..so I had instant noodles..Maggi variety..
A burst of enthusiasm and visit to the gymn later..I was home with bags full of Chinese food ingredients. Loads of things from Lemon Grass upwards, prawns and squid..you name it, I bought it.
Now...I cant be bothered to cook...naahh...some tea and toast, shower and bed. Weekend starts tonight...shall cook tomorrow..
My cupboards are full and stomach is not. But you know the deciding factor is....the backside ..and as of now it decides not to get up!!

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Close enough?

Whether you are in a relationship or not..have you ever pondered over these?
- are you close enough to be able to bare your deepest darkest thoughts and fears to this person? Would you want to? Even at the risk of being judged?
- are you best friends and share everything? Or do you need your close friends to talk things out?
- are there things about you, only you know and you have no intentions of sharing these with anyone else? does this make you uncomfortable?
- How important is acceptance by family if you are perfect for each other and you are happy with this person?
- Would you want to change anything about the relationship? And are you able to talk about this?

I think...when you meet the other half of your soul..you are complete and whole. You are not afraid of judgement and breakups, you are not afraid of bearing your soul, laughing aloud, wearing mismatched clothes, crying over old thoughts and sad films. You are not afraid to expose your silly thoughts and fears, your inspirations and tunelessly sing the naffest of songs. Its perfection. Hope you have found it, and so recognise it..or will soon!

Monday, February 13, 2006

Action, Choices and Karma



From Chapter 4, The Bhagawad Geeta.

The ancient seekers of liberation also performed their duties with
this understanding. Therefore, you should do your duty as the
ancients did. (4.15)

Even the wise are confused about what is action and what is
inaction. Therefore, I shall clearly explain what is action,
knowing that one shall be liberated from the evil (of birth and
death). (4.16)

The true nature of action is very difficult to understand.
Therefore, one should know the nature of attached action, the
nature of detached action, and also the nature of forbidden action.
(4.17)

Attached action is selfish work that produces Karmic bondage,
detached action is unselfish work or Seva that leads to nirvana,
and forbidden action is harmful to society. The one who sees
inaction in action, and action in inaction, is a wise person. Such
a person is a yogi and has accomplished everything. (See also 3.05,
3.27, 5.08 and 13.29) (4.18)

A person whose all works are free from selfish desires and motives,
and whose all Karma is burned up in the fire of Self-knowledge, is
called a sage by the wise.
(4.19)

Having abandoned attachment to the fruits of work, ever content,
and dependent on no one (but God); though engaged in activity, one
does nothing at all (and incurs no Karmic reaction). (4.20)

Free from desires, mind and senses under control, renouncing all
proprietorship, doing mere bodily action, one does not incur sin
(or Karmic reaction). (4.21)

Content with whatever gain comes naturally by His will, unaffected
by dualities, free from envy, equanimous in success and failure;
though engaged in work such a person is not bound (by Karma).
(4.22)

Those who are devoid of attachment, whose mind is fixed in
knowledge, who does work as a Seva to the Lord, all Karma of such
liberated persons dissolves away. (4.23)

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Cartoons

I have just woken up to the frenzy caused by Danish Cartoons...hmmm..sites are being hacked and threatened. Hmm. I wonder why no one took much notice when M.F Hussain painted Indian goddesses nude. hmmm.
I dont think it is right to resort to 'fighting' against freedom of expression. Who does it and which side it is matters not. We should have one rule that applies to everyone. But who makes those rules..not Mr Bush I hope.
I just think that fundamentalism of any sort is wrong. Exchanging shoes and looking at it from another persons point of view might be the only way out.
Still thinking about this one....

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Travel Buzz

Whether it is the Sagitarrius in me, or my dads genes, I dont know. But I love to travel, I love the idea of buying tickets, packing bags, and sitting on a plane/ train/ bus/ car...and off to see a brand new place. I think the fact that I love coming back home helps. The idea of a new place, people, sights, food, smells and strange cultures, markets is very very appealing. I think far too many of us spend too much time thinking, someday I will, sometime soon I shall, I really should do that, I wish I could, I think I should..thoughts...one should just Nike it. Do it!

Not a Man Hater

Nope. I am not a Male bashing enthusiast. I like men, to a certain degree. And I am straight. I dont think they are all miserable whatevers, have some pretty nice guy friends and also acquaintances, cousins, neighbours etc etc who are all men and pretty decent ones at that. So I dont think I would like to generalise the male species :) However I have met my more than fair share of pathetic, sad, strange, weird (Deleted Curses) men. And I am glad I have had the gumption to steer clear of them.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Bulls and Cows

Well, I have come out of the pile of paperwork that was burying me. Have been busy and now that the work is done..there is a BIG hole in my life, the hours I had been spending working are now..well..relatively free. So I am busy catching up with sleep and rest and reading and ofcourse food.

Reading a book called Animal Husbandry..which talks about Old-Cow, New-Cow theory..which is basically just that once a male (read Man) finds a female (new cow)he is quite interested in her and chases her till he gets her. Once he gets her, she becomes old cow. Now he looks for a new cow and the cycle continues. The old cow cant fool the male with deceptively new appearances (read change of clothes, makeup and perfume)The theory is based on animal behaviour (chimps and cows) where a Bull will not mate with the same cow more than once and the fact that perhaps only 3% of mammals practice monogamy....it makes an interesting read for women and men.

Still reading and thinking...

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Man / Men

From Princess Ida, Act II

"Darwinian Man, though well behaved,
At best is only a monkey shaved."

"Man will swear and man will storm─
Man is not at all good form─
Is of no kind of use─
Man's a donkey ─ Man's a goose─
Man is coarse and Man is plain─
Man is more or less insane─
Man's a ribald ─ Man's a rake,
Man is Nature's sole mistake!"

Life Changing...

Trying to make a list of things that can completely change your life, for better or for worse is not at debate:
- Falling completely in love
- Getting married (even if you were living together)
- Moving town or worse still country
- Sudden illness or death of some one you are close to
- Natural/ unnatural disasters Earthquake , 9/11 category
- Babies

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Crazy night..

It was one of those nights, when you are SO tired you cant think straight. When you just want to lie in bed and become unconscious..tiredness kills, they say in this country, take a break.
I did. I did go to sleep at about midnight, only to awaken to strange dreams and myriad thoughts..the A-Z thinking started again (Thought labyrinth - 20 July , 2005)
The river by which I live, was throwing rippling reflections on my roof at 4.30 am, they look pretty in the daylight, but halogen light reflects creepily on water at night. Stayed awake, thinking till 7.00am, tried to sleep..but could not for some vague reason. So had tea, which DID NOT help. I was wide awake now, so got some books and tried to read myself to sleep - development theories generally do put me to sleep, but not this morning..so after 4 hours of sleep, 4 cups of tea, one sandwich and 3 and a half books..I am still awake and trying to function.
And now tiredness is trying to kill me. I have tonnes to do before I start teaching again tomorrow..and I dont know if another 12 hours of working hours is enough. Shall stop blogging and get back to work.