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 deny 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.

Countless conundrums

 It is that time of the year again. Yes, of course, the Diwali days are here again. Equally predictably here are the farmers' sit-in's regarding the sugarcane rates. Luckily, this year, onions have not so far made housewives cry. Otherwise, the rates shoot sky-high like the  Diwali crackers known as flower pots, and so much so that I pat myself on the back for following Aai-Papa's tradition of not eating onions n garlic during the "chaturmas." 

Yet, as usual, in fact, more regularly than the rains, have begun the sugarcane farmers' protests. Honestly, the bumper production of this crop which is problematic every which way is difficult to understand. First and foremost, it guzzles water more greedily than a dipsomaniac does alcohol. It ruins the farmland texture. Very harsh it is on the sugarcane cutters' families, especially women and children. Yet, year after year, the same sad saga goes on as if it is the bread n butter of the concerned leaders! 

In addition, this year, there is a new variety of demonstrations, the grouse against the data centers. Yes, indeed, they, too, are water intensive. They need more electricity, too. They create a unique kind of noise pollution. Can these problems be solved? For instance, India is supposedly rich with solar power. There must be modes of recycling water, right? Sound-proofing could be sorted out, too. Yet do data centers make Indians more the blue collar workers of the AI economy? That is the real issue.

Ah, yes, the usual protests against the firecrackers! I have not read up the Dia Mirza debate, but it deals with some such issue, I believe.  Well, why snatch away the simple joy of a kid whose face lights up as bright as the sparkler, as colourful as the flower pot. Sure, there could be strict prohibition against fire crackers that cause terrible noise pollution. Yet entirely denying children that fab fun is quite problematic. Incidentally, more poisonous gas is released by the livestock maintained for the non vegetarian palette! Indeed difficult to re-solve are such conundrums! 

Pratima@ Equally problematic for me is the annual ill-treatment of the poor calf during the 'Vasu baras Puja'. It is so very small. It is tied away from its lactating mother. A highly sensitive animal, everybody is touching it here, there and everywhere! How to control the devotees' enthusiasm? That is the question! 

Quote of the year:                                                       "We are between the wild throat of certainty and the mad zitidar of fact - we can escape neither,"  asserts Edgar Rice Burroughs. 

Word of the day: conundrum                                       A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem that is hard to solve, or a riddle that often uses a play on words or a pun.

A colour(-n-)full result

 Even a casual listener of Western music knows what blue notes are. No, it is not the Aamrikn "nili patti". Well, references to  "hari patti" are so very Indian, na! So say the "aaawsome" Aaamerikn-Indians. That is not the point today though! 

The blue notes are the flattened or "worried" notes (typically the third, fifth, and seventh scale degrees, so say the experts) that create a distinct, melancholic sound. As votes stand this evening, these are the notes Trump must be sobbing to today! Well, the "ye lal rang kab hamen chod de" was apparently the rhyme most Americans were crooning for quite some time as the midterm election results indubitably prove. 

How long this mood will last, difficult to decide it is. Yet all the Indians in the looooong queue for the 'green' card and the software industry, harassed as it is by the AI invasion, must have now left behind their blues, right? In brief, as the 'red ko salaam' returns to pavilion, hurt n down with almost a duck, so does that much missed voice, ah, yes, Nobel Peace Prize winning Obama's! 

In Aesop's "Fables", the donkey is the beast of burden. In American realpolitik, often it outsmarts the elephant, the big brain, ah, rather the big brawn which reduced 'MAGA' in to "Make America goon awfully" for the whole world, what with the Hormuz becoming the strait straight all states feared. Happy days seem to be here again. No need for the blues, in brief! 

Pratima@Actually, as for India, the Dems are not much different from the Republicans, except that they prefer the velvet glove treatment rather than the 'in the face' blow with a Muhammad Ali kinda brute force. Yet good to know that all the American-Indian candidates in the fray have not gone down the Vivek Ramaswami path! 

Quote of the day:                                                          "The ballot is stronger than the bullet.” So opined Abraham Lincoln, THE ultimate American leader, and the first Republican president. Wish his descendants had followed him, both in letter and in spirit!

Word of the day:                                                           Blue is the Democrats' colour, while red is the Republicans',whose election symbol is the elephant.