Mandar Matters

 The title of our blog uses "matters" as both a noun and a verb. In other words, we are first going to discuss what happened to Mandar, and next why it matters, why society should address it, and very seriously. 

First, the Mandar matters, that is, the actual gory event, the fearsome incident. Mandar Ajit Ranade (35), a father of two, was an astrologer, priest and matchmaker from Ichalkaranji. On October 31, he was found brutally murdered near Nipani. 

The reason? He facilitated the intercaste marriage of Deepak Anna, alias Babaso/ Babasaheb, Magdum's daughter! Apparently, this marriage made the Village Shiradwood resident feel that his honour got thus sullied in the village. The matchmaker was lured under the pretext of fixing another marriage, chilli powder was thrown in his eyes, and his throat was slit with a sharp edged weapon!

Now the discussion of why this should matter. To begin with, if the Magdum daughter loved and wanted to marry her beau beyond the caste, how is a matchmaker responsible for it? At least, he wedded them legally. How about the much touted issue of encouraging  intercaste marriages? 

That precisely is why, this murder matters. If the victim had belonged to any other caste, by now, the so-called liberal, democratic, open-minded, et al, public would have literally painted the state red. Right now, there is such a pin drop silence, but who hears the poor widow's sobs?

That precisely is the issue. So hardened is the caste identity that social outrage is decided by the caste of the victim! As for Brahmins, they are forever there en masse to be blamed for the so-called five thousand years old Brahminical Manuwad, et al. Unhappy days are here indeed!

Pratima@ Caste injustice must be avoided, and against all castes. Even if the Brahmin caste is a much maligned minority, conveniently an injustice cannot be thus overlooked. Otherwise, society would truly be a Tower of Babel where shrill voices refuse to even hear each other out! 

Quote of the day:                                                             Harbans Lal Badhan asserts, “Indian Caste system is more dangerous and harmful than chemical weapons. It divides the society and state... It is an enemy of social justice, equality, liberty and fraternity.”

Word of the day: Brahminical                                   Actually, this dominating tendency of power and aggression is hugely present in and across all castes!

The Bestest

 It is the last day of Diwali. It is the best moment of Diwali. Why this Dickens like rhapsody? Is that your question? Well, I am describing the most interesting day during Diwali which celebrates the most fascinating relationship. 

Yes, I am talking of the last but the best day of Diwali, Bhaubeej. Well, the rest of the Diwali days are generic, right? Sure they are deeply symbolic, but hardly individuating, right?  Vasubaras for the agrarian cow n calf, Dhanteras for health, and so on. 

Why, even Padwa basically symbolises the return of King Bali to his earthen empire, right? Bhaubeej does not have any such philosophical perspective to signify it. That is simply because it does not need any! Why, even the Yamunotri story is that of sibling love, and the blessing that Yama grants is for the long life of your brother.

After parents, if there is any relationship that is primal and visceral, it is that of a sibling. Being of the same generation, moreover, each 'understands' the other every which way.  So much is shared in the formative years that his/her professional life, his/her family never interfere much in this bond, forever strong, and which demands hardly anything, but commands all that continues to be the best in you. Long live Bhaubeej! 

Pratima@ As this festival symbolises the warmth that continues despite freezing distances, is it any wonder that the Chardham Yatra, the Kedarnath trek, the Badrinath route, the gorgeous Yamunotri n Gangotri pilgrimages close for the winter on this day to re-open in summer when the cold, cold nights n days thaw! 

Quote of the day:                                                             "To the outside world, we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time." Yes, Clare Ortega. 

Word of the day: visceral                                       Visceral means caused by strong feelings and not by careful thought. 

Rituals

 For a long time, we have not tried an acrostic, right? Let us try one today.  A thought lingers behind it, too. Why is it that comfortably well-off, every which way, families shy away from rituals? An example or two may suffice.

 Why is it that, even when they cannot spell the poor word properly, most families find-n-feel themselves to be 'ultra-modern' if they order a pizza on a Diwali day, if they stay out of the 'home'ly premises on a centrally important festival, if they hate themselves for following traditions? Here is hence an acrostic entitled "Rituals."

Rarely do they accord rituals any breath              in the rarified 'I' space. Sure denyin faith             They badger the heart(h) of tradition                 use it they dare not, throw it in dustbin               All moorings adrift a tsunami whirl,                   like flies in dung, unsure they swirl!         S(w)oon souls, sound asleep, dreams dry!

Pratima@ Unlike any other community, we refuse to meaningfully hold on to the rituals which ARE our joint 'i'dentity actually! So to follow or not to follow rituals cannot exactly be a question, right?Why reject rituals to prove (y)our ultra-modernity? That actually is the real question! 

Quote of the day:                                                              "Ritual is able to hold the long-discarded shards of our stories and make them whole again," thus reflects John O'Donohue on rituals.

Word of the day: ritual                                                 A ritual is a sequence of actions, words, or movements performed in a structured, regular way—often imbued with symbolic, cultural, or religious significance.                       On Padwa day, for example, King Bali ritually returns, thus sanctifying a tradition.

Is the AI a bubble?

 In the post-Trump era (now that the "blue"  tsunami is worse than every in any ocean/sea, opinion piece makers have started declaring  the Nobel Peace Prize aspirant persona non grata, though certain sane voices are maintaining that he is by no means a spent force!), the hot topic is the AI. 

What with spy sagas openly doing the rounds (some bitter dose of their own  medicine to these privacy marauders), and the skies n the space being declared safer, is it indeed the case that the AI is a bubble about to burst? 

Sad memories such as the Lehmann fiasco cum tragedy, the dot.com debacle must send shivers down the spine of those in the know as much too much is riding on the AI back 

Well, the AI is energy intensive  as much as it is capital intensive. Apparently, it is guzzling not only gallons of water. It is draining down many safes and bank accounts, and the returns are not much to write home about. In fact, the AI is more a circular economy wherein, instead of healthy returns given a shopping spree of sorts by the buyers, money by the investors is 're- turning', but without any dividends, they have to plough back the seed money for the show to run! 

Of course, whether it is a bubble about to burst or not, the AI has changed the very perception by the day and beyond, the very notion called  humanity, the concepts of the private space and the public sphere. Hence fingers crossed! 

Pratima@ One wonders what would happen to multiple social media sites promising to finish off 'claude' in three hours, and so on. I suppose, they would go after new fields, and newer victims!  In brief, wait n watch the AI (r)evolution, is the moral of the story!

Quote of the day:                                                       Stephen Hawking says,  "Success in creating AI would be the biggest event in human history. Unfortunately, it might also be the last, unless we learn how to avoid the risks." 

Word of the day: bubble                                             A bubble is an empty space filled with gas. It symbolises something surprisingly empty, despite the obvious promise!

Diwali is...

A fantabulous festival, yes, that is what Diwali is. Remember "Tamaso ma Jyoti: gamay"? Yes, it is the second line of the famous 'Pavamana Sukta' from the 'Brihadaranyaka Upanishad' (1.3.28). 'From Darkness, lead me, Oh Lord, to Light,' it means. Diwali is a fantabulous realisation of  that holy truth.

What is Diwali? Is it fab food, fancy clothes, festival get-together's, fascinating fireworks? Sure, Diwali is all of these, and yet it is much more than all of these put together. What exactly is Diwali then?

I feel, it is the warmth of heart that helps one overlook vicious conscious concrete ill-treatment, and care for the core. In addition  to such deeper meanings, in a 'base'-ic way, Diwali is, in a way, a fe(a)st of all senses, be it the ear soothing shehnai sur with which our Diwali mornings began during our childhood, be it the misty mornings when the first rays would shimmer like the gentle light of the 'panati', a soft n winsome vision itself, for example. 

Each Diwali day has a deep symbiotic significance, too. The first day, 'vasu baras' signifies the concern for the animal world, the core of an agrarian economy. The second day celebrates the Ayurveda. 

'Narak Chaturdashi' is both, victory over evil and the respect for the feminine principle. 'Lakshmi pujan' is a celebration of success attained through a year-full of hard work. If the Padwa is the togetherness of a couple, Bhaubeej takes us back to the bond that begins with birth itself. 

In brief, the Diwali festival is all inclusive. It embraces filial feelings, it encloses fields as diverse as green economy as well as  trade n business. No wonder, it is a fantabulous festival. 

Pratima@This year, Diwali has been hope, too, what with the unhappy cyclones diminishing somewhat the 'el niño' effect in many parts of India, including the drought prone regions of Maharashtra. 

Quote of the day:                                                            'Diwali was, is, and will be                                     a fount of feelings full n happy.'

Words of the day:                                                         Let the Diwali feel last forever,                            throughout the year!

Diwali looks...

 Diwali looks simply superb because the Diwali looks of both, of people and places are simply gorgeous. Look at the premises themselves. Homes are squeaky clean. Cobwebs are brushed aside, floors are mopped up to the farthest corner which is comparatively easy these days as most homes are marble floored. 

Without fail, there is a rangoli at the doorstep. Even the floral rangoli looks gorgeous. Next, there are the strings of the colourful  marigold flowers in their ochre n yellow fluffy florescence. Most importantly, there is a sky lantern. Till our teens, we used to make it ourselves, my brothers being better experts at it. Now most all people buy it. 

My most favourite decoration of Diwali is the 'panati', the earthen lamp. It has its own simple but lyrical, graceful n quiet glow. No electric dazzle, however much chinese n glittering, can match the beauty of panati-lit premises. There is something reassuring in the gentle glow of its fluttering wick. Sure these earthen diyas help the local small time business of the potter, thereby making his/her Diwali happy truly. 

As for people, the daily warm oil n scrub bath cleans up the skin, while the Diwali associations clears up the soul. These days, people buy clothes any day any time. No wonder, new clothes, once upon a time Diwali specials, add to the happy look!

In brief, Diwali looks, of people and places both, are dapper!

Pratima@ No Maharashtrian courtyard, these days, a balcony, is complete without the 'fort' during Diwali. During our days, that is, up to late teens, we built it ourselves, with the minutest details carefully catered to. Now, mostly, ready-made stuff prevails. Yet the mock forts are the real ramparts of the Diwali look! 

Quote of the day:                                                          Sparkle season                                                        blissfully here! 

Word of the day: 'fort'                                                   A fort is a strong building that is used for military defence. For the Marathi mind, however, it is the indelible print of the memory of Shivaji Maharaj's glory. 

Diwali means...

 Diwali brings in its wake a special something in the very air. The mornings get pleasantly cool, despite/due to all sorts of cyclones. The blazing hot afternoons keep you busy even when the festival special holidays have begun. There is so very much to do! As for the evenings, literally overflowing with people are the roads. 

Nobody is grumbling about the potholes, about the narrow lanes, about abc to xyz. It is the happiest of times for the small time traders, too. May be, at least half of their annual monies are earned around Diwali. There is a feel of happiness, of joy, of contentment everywhere around. I like Diwali for this fullness. 

No other festival can share this unique plenitude. Diwali is like the climax of the festive times that begin circa Shrawan. Post Diwali, life settles down to the routine rut till Sankranti and Holi. In other words, Diwali alone has its own unique warmth, the special massage with the slightly warm fragrant oil, the unique 'utane' which is a perfect scrub, the lukewarm attar scented water, why, the very bath is a treat, though much missed are Aai's gentle fingers n the soft tingle of her bangles as she would bathe us, with Papa holding up the sparklers in the mist filled bathroom. 

Diwali is, in brief, happy times; the days of the special home-made 'faral' and the intellectual treat of the very Maharashtrian "Diwali ank" of magazines. Most fulfilling is the feeling that my articles are each year included in major magazines. Earlier Aai used to answer first the readers' calls of appreciation as the landline phone used to be right next to her. Forever would be a pleasant memory, her then fulfilled face. 

Diwali is, in brief, the best of times, the happiest of times, the pleasantest times! Diwali is, well, THE days to be, to enjoy, to remember forever each year! 

Pratima@ It was such a happy feel yesterday evening to find in my email box the Prime Minister's Diwali Wishes. Sure the message made my day more n more Diwali! 

Pratima@                                                                     "Feel the magic in the air,                                       embrace the festive flair."

Wise Words of these Days:                                       Tomorrow let us talk of the unique Diwali decorations.