A cute circular juncture/gesture

 No, I am not particularly a football fan. Sure, I would be aware of the date of the World Cup Final. Yes, I would know the two finalists fighting it out. Undoubtedly, I have chosen the word 'fighting' pretty consciously as I like immensely George Orwell's most interesting essay on "The Sporting Spirit."

 This time round, the battle was not merely between Spain and Argentina, two countries cemented together by "español, la lengua materna." Rather, it was a continental war, between Europe and South America, between "el mundo viejo" and "los porteños y guachos." 

Apparently, highly exciting it should have been. Yet, despite the extra time required for the final decisive goal, the match, it seems was not as high on adrenaline as the post match fights between fans (Orwell is a prescient author!) or the erstwhile Egyptian lament.

That, however, is not the theme of our blog anyways. Our post today deals with a cute movement rarely seen in the football arena, a warm embrace between the setting sun and a rising star. Yes, let us celebrate the 'love'ly moment between Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal. 

Why call it circular? Well, the story goes back to 2007 when the twenty  year old Messi was the young kid on the block, and Yamal was in a bathtub. Literally! Yes, there is this cute photo of a grinning Messi bathing the beaming baby Yamal!

Apparently, the Yamal family had won a raffle which granted them a chance to pose with a Barcelona player. Thus was clicked THE pic with Messi, the UNICEF Goodwill ambassador. The shot adorned the calendar for the month of January that year, and the fifty per cent of the proceeds went to the UNICEF.

Flash forward to July 2026 when the then baby, too, is now a Liga Barcelona product, a UNICEF ambassador for children's rights, and a star player like the icon who, in a way, baptised him in to these roles two decades ago! Life surely turns  a full circle wherein a warm gesture grants that the end is the beginning, and vice versa!

Pratima@ This World Cup, possibly Messi's last one, may not have fetched him many accolades. In fact, the Egypt fiasco got him solid brickbats. The Egyptian fans, furious with FIFA, vented their ire against Señor Trump, too. Quenched, however, that warm embrace embers of bitterness. Surely, all those hug well, goal a fine finish!

Quote of the day:                                                            "With one kind gesture you can change a life. One person at a time, you can change the world. One day at a time, we can change everything," says Steve Maraboli.

Word of the day: camaraderie                                   Camaraderie refers to a spirit of friendly, loyal, and trusting fellowship that develops among people who share common goals, experiences, or time together. It represents a strong, unifying bond, often forged when individuals work and/or face challenges together. 

Soupçon continues ... anew!

                         Soupçon III                                                      In Memoriam Series                                                            III.i

Let us yet again, despite the unavoidable hiatus, resume the Soupçon series in its original form, that is, as a forum to discuss, analyse, understand literary issues. 

Let us henceforth begin the "In Memoriam" series. We would thus meet the literary greats, be it authors, texts, mo(ve)ments, whose respective anniversaries announce a welcome chance to get to know them better. Each week, Monday through Friday, the discussion would continue. It has no weekly barrier though. That is to say, the analysis could spill over in to weeks, nay, even in months, if necessary.

 Let us begin the series with "Gulliver's Travels", a text that was published in 1726, exactly three hundred years ago, and still has us all in thrall.  

Apparently, this narration in the travelogue mode is now considered a text meant for children! Actually, however, it is one of the satirical most, severest critique of the society of Swift's times. Most interestingly, Swift's passionate critique of societal follies remains relevant even today.

 Hence our "In Memoriam" series begins with 'Gulliver's Travels', originally titled 'Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships.'

 Let us tomorrow analyse the genre of Swift's not-so-very 'modest proposal' written"for their amendment, and not for their approbation' to quote Gulliver's prefatory epistle!

Pratima Agnihotri

Balance(d)!?! Motivated?!??

"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,/Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,/To the last syllable of recorded time;/And all our yesterdays have lighted fools/The way to dusty death." Thus laments Macbeth the impending doom in Act V, Scene V in Shakespeare's eponymous play. 

A universal truth this quote states. Look at whatever is happening at Jantar Mantar. Sure, in the world today when information is exploding every nano second and in each nook n corner, students, too, are highly aware. In fact, teachers from primary to the post-graduate level have been relegated to the status of a facilitator. 

Given such realities, how far right (and/or correct!) it is to blame the authorities alone for the NEET debacle? Are not the parents, who encouraged their wards in to malpractice by allowing them to buy the leaked question papers, responsible? Sure eighteen year old kids would not be to dole out lakhs on their own, right? 

Is the society thus self reflecting? If not, why? Any regret by the parents who bought the leaked question papers? Or by the students on the Telegram groups who happily downloaded the question papers and the best/right answers? Are not all thus involved in the dirty practice floated by the leak masters!?! 

Undoubtedly, the government has to check the malpractice. Surely, there was some quick-fix attempt the second time the unfortunate NEET was conducted, right? Next year, hopefully, the exam would be better conducted. 

Hence the entire CJP led dharana at Jantar Mantar and the intended 'morcha' appear politically motivated. As if the usual ruckus in the parliament is not enough, here is the ideologically motivated p(r)ogram in/on the streets!?! 

Hence our blog maintains that balance has to be 'the be-all and the end-all' of our protests, too. If the reportage of the 'dharna' is any proof, absolutely irrelevant issues are getting piled on in such a way that the protests appear as if organised by zealots who disagree for the sake of disagreement, and hence the protest, the 'morcha' appear suspect. Why thus dishonestly dilute genuine issues thereby alienating the majority? That, finally, is the real question! 

Pratima@ The actual loser in this entire fiasco is poor Sonam Wangchuk. He lost weight, both literally and metaphorically. Everybody knows now that he is from a rich, powerful family; in fact, it turns out that he is a minister's son who completed his engineering from a Jammu college.                                                                         All know now that the ice pyramid model, et al, was not his invention at all. It seems, he does not have a single patent to his name. Moreover, the institute he has established in Ladakh has huge FERA violations apparently. The worst bleeding cut, however, is Aamir Khan dismissing publically the perception that his Rancho from "Three Idiots" had anything to do with Sonam Wangchuk! 

Quote of the day:                                                         "Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion, against injustice." Absolutely,  William Faulkner! 

Word of the day: Politically motivated                        "Politically motivated" describes actions or decisions driven by a desire to gain power, advance an ideological agenda, or damage a political opponent, rather than by objective facts or neutrality.

Chapter VI, Verse 10

 The Bhagwad Geeta, however little you may understand it, is a great text. Literally, reading it is like wandering into a treasure trove. Anything you see, touch, find there is priceless. 

Refer to it any number of times, you are sure to garner genuine gems. How may you mine it so? Do not some extreme reading misinterpret it? Is it possible to misunderstand it, misread it consciously? Apparently, yes, it seems!!! Hence this small little attempt to understand Chapter VI, Verse 10, given the now notorious nonsense regarding it. 

Chapter VI is entitled "Atm-sayam-yog." In other words, it explicates the modes n means of self control, self regulation, self restraint. Sant Dnyaneshwar compares it to a thirsty person getting the divine nectar, the elixir, the ambrosia itself as testified by 'owi' number 3, and 'owi' number 14 would corroborate It further.

The Lord, Bhagwan Shri Krishna, is defining the "yogi" in this chapter. In each verse till verse number ten, we get to know the distinctive qualities of a yogi such as somebody who has a truly equitable vision, someone with an equanimous personality. 

In Verse 10, he advises the devotee as a yogic practitioner, as someone who is trying to understand self, to prefer solitude, to contain body n soul, to transcend desires, to rise above attachment. Sant Dnyaneshwar explains this verse most lyrically as it authentically captures the very 'i'dentity of a yogi beyond empty ego.

Honestly, in all fairness, most secularly it can be asserted that no way, by no strech of imagination is it possible to justify the awful Ansari attitude regarding it. The least one could say about the controversy is that the Ansari argument is not merely unjustifiable. Essentially it is mischievous.

Why thus create communal hatred? The anger regarding such misconstruing is understandable, and yet unnecessary are awful rewards to be awarded to someone who would cut the erring tongue!

Pratima@ Why the multi-pronged manipulation to create unrest consciously? Who indeed is the puppet master? Is it the Deep State or some vested interests nearer home? 

Quote of the day:                                           "Disinformation is more than just lying: it's the denial and twisting of reality in order to present some desired image to the rest of the world," explicates Will Hurd.

Word of the day: manipulative                                Manipulative means skillful at unfairly influencing somebody.

Binaries b(l)ind!

 She is a doctor with an MBBS from a much respected institute. Used to practise, too, and for the good of the poverty stricken women. In fact, her patients' plight sensitised her to multiple injustices. Fearlessly arose her bold voice. 

The erstwhile Central Government as well as the erstwhile State Government of Bengal would not support this much hounded lady as at stake was their kind of voters' mindset! Any feminist, any Marxist, at least Leftist protest against her conscious ill-treatment, nay, open threats to her life? Hardly any! 

Hence the intelligent, well-read, aware citizen without any party affiliations, without any enjoyment of any convenient political patronage, without any compulsions hence to criticise for the sake of criticism finds it difficult to digest the hypocritical building of b(l)inding binaries! Such (hi)story repeats ad infinitum in all fields, moreover!

Yes, my sympathies are with both Sonam Wangchuk and Taslima Nasrin, both intellectuals, both dissidents, both creative, both much-felicitated. Hence it surprises me that as per convenience, one is lionised, while the other was literally thrown to wolves, and is now blithely ignored! 

Hence the doubts about the highjacking of Sonam-ji's fast by all sorts of parties, new to ancient! Why is not there any simultaneous hoo-ha over Taslima returning to Kolkatta? How about the Nupur Sharma incident? 

Forget the ideology, as they would they say, it is the money, stupid! Well, the Adani-Ambani duo is close to ALL political parties; in fact, flourished, and continues to do extremely well, in ALL the regions/reigns, right? 

Every leader, each decision is always, undoubtedly dictated by the contemporary contexts within and beyond the country, too, right? Historicise, Historicise, Historicise! Otherwise, even a worthy cause appears partisan, and so divisive that good will withers, and bitter binaries blind! 

Pratima@ The Government and Sonam-ji should begin a discussion ASAP. Is it the case that the lakhs and lakhs of students who personally suffered the NEET  paper leak would prefer an actual 'better'ing of the education and evaluation systems rather than delusional politicking over resignations?!? 

Quote of the day:                                                          "Sheep only need a single flock, but people need two: one to belong to and make them feel comfortable, and another to blame all of society’s problems on," argues James Rozoff. 

Word of the day: partisan                                          Partisan refers to an attitude showing excessive support for one person, group or idea, especially without considering it, or the multiple other aspects/sides/versions  carefully and conscientiously. 

Aha, Zentangle!

 It was by sheer chance that I got to know that today happens to be the World Zentangle Day. Yes, Zentangle is quite the rage currently. Given the special occasion today, let us explore it on our blog today. 

The term is a blend of zen and tangle. It is a mode of doodling, and it is supposed to calm upset and/or troubled minds full of stress, in brief, majority of minds (if any at all, actually) today. As the art form tends to be thus a meditative mode, it is known as Zentangle. 

The Zentangle Method, Mr. Google told me, is a 2004 find. It is a brain child of Maria Thomas, an artist, and a former monk, Rick Roberts. It was born, it seems, when Roberts noticed that Thomas’ repetitive pattern-drawing (or "tangling") mirrored meditative states. They formally combined "Zen" (meditation) and "tangle" (the drawing process) to create an accessible, abstract art form intended to promote mindfulness and focus. Driven by a background in calligraphy, illuminated art, and meditation, the founders designed Zentangle to be "yoga for the brain." So says Amigo Google about this Art Doodle. 

Given the auspicious occasion today, that is, its twenty-second birthday, no harm hence beginning to practise today onwards this free hand art. All you need is a piece of paper, pencils, pens to shade/colour better, and, voilà, ready in style would be your 'tile'! 

Pratima@ Today is yet another wonderful occasion, the Rath Yatra. I like it because rarely is there a celebration of sibling bonds. I like the nice humanisation of the entire festival, such as the deities visiting their aunt. Truly divine!                                                   Oh, yes, our blog yesterday about Sonam-ji's fast. Well, would not it be better to fight for a radical change in the evaluation mode, currently so very summative and fiercely competitive? How is any resignation going to be any concrete help? The real obit for the aspirants who committed suicide would be such a change in de/refining the entry point examinations so that the tragedy is never ever repeated, right? 

Quote of the day:                                                         "The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection," maintains Michelangelo. 

 Word of the day: doodle                                             A doodle is a simple drawing that could have concrete representational meaning or may just be composed of random and abstract lines or shapes, prefarably attempted without ever lifting the drawing device from the paper.

That is the question!

 He created the "Ice Stupa", thereby inventing the artificial glacier technique, which consists of freezing winter meltwater into cone-shaped ice heaps to provide water for spring agriculture in the trans-Himalayan region, which was also a practical way to fight climate change.

 Yes, that is the innovative Sonam Wangchuk for you. Much admired for his advocacy (educational included) so much so that he has been lionised in, after, beyond "Three Idiots", the film which made him famous for the ordinary citizen. 

The question hence is, how come the lakhs and lakhs of students -- for whose sake he is "losing muscle mass" (to quote the CJP's founder, Abhijeet Dipke) and is compromising with his blood pressure for almost three weeks now -- are just not concerned with such a protest? 

Is it the case that the common man sees through the obvious partisan party politics involved, and hence is wary, does not want to get involved? Tough to believe that students are not 'aware', as narratives are literally thrown in to everyone's face, especially on the social media. 

Well, the March 2026 protests against the UGC stipulations do show that students of ALL 'colours' ARE responsive, both pro and against, when it comes to the academic arena. How come then that there is no major reaction to this demand for the resignation of the Education Minister?

In my opinion, the issue is much more layered. Honestly, given the ubiquity of information explosion everywhere, these days it is tough to hoodwink anybody. People see through party-specific posturing, right? No, it is not the dea(r)th of the middle class, the erstwhile sensitive/sensitised group. 

Rather, people ARE acutely aware of ALL issues, Deep State type international p(r)ogrammed propaganda included. May be, extreme factionalism (born out of the echo chambers everywhere) makes the common man suspicious about the hidden agenda(s)?

 Yet I do feel that the government should, rather must, initiate a dialogue directly with Sonam Wangchuk to avoid any further, universal at that, embarassment and/or emergency. Better late than never!

Pratima@ Given such turbulent times, is it any wonder that the Kalidasa Day on "ashadhasya prathm diwse" was almost overlooked?!?

Quote of the day:                                                            Maintains Malcolm X, "Concerning nonviolence, it is criminal to teach a man not to defend himself when he is the constant victim of brutal attacks."

Word of the day: partisan                                            The term refers to showing excessive support for a person, group or idea, especially without thinking through all possible pros and cons. 

Madan Mohan's ek song, silken, soft, gentle

 Madan Mohan's ek song, silken, soft, gentle! Guessed it? A tough question, that one, right? One can line up hundreds in answer, right? Yet, in my opinion, the best match would be "tum se kahun ek baat" from his National Award winning  sound track of "Dastak". 

Actually, each and every song of "Dastak", like almost his entire oeuvre, is a gem. Yet "tum se kahun" is unique. It uses the whisper-singing mode, getting popularised in the third decade of the twenty-first century, that, too, mostly in the Western pop genre. 

In 1970, Madan Mohan uses that soft yet spoken intimately whisper, that, too, without the breathy husk. The harmony is indeed petal soft aurally. Mohammad Rafi has most lovingly captured that romantic feel penned passionately by Majrooh Sultanpuri.

The tender repetitions, the soulful similes and images, the calming composition of light consonants by Majrooh Sultanpuri is accompanied by the lovely ensemble of violins and guitar interludes. Equally special are effects such as the add-in of a horse driven tonga retreating along a lonesome lane.

That "silent night, lovely night" effect captures most lyrically the soulful intimacy of genuine love. Madan Mohan thus continues to enrich our sensibilities most sensitively. Hence this tribute on his death anniversary!

Pratima@ In the AI era now, making music may be mechanical. Can, however, such magic be ever spun yet again?

Quote of the day:                                                              "Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything," asserts Plato. A definition that stands the test of times! 

Word of the day: harmony                                          Harmony refers to the pleasing, gentle, balanced arrangement of different parts, resulting in an overall sense of perfection, unity and aesthetic balance. 

Pratima R Agnihotri                                                    Pune

Tradition and the Young Talent

 T. S. Eliot, a great poet and critic who transformed literary paradigms the world over and forever, began his trail blazing career with a brilliant essay entitled "Tradition and the Individual Talent." The title of our blog today is a take on that world famous moniker. 

Much deserved is this title because our blog celebrates the first ever symbolic 'wari' at the BMCC. Celebrated this afternoon, at the helm were the young FYJC-ians, ably helped by their SYJC seniors, and efficiently guided by their teachers. 

Absolutely adorable was their enthusiasm. The kids did not forget nary a thing. Decked up in the traditional finery, they hosted, hustled, hurried here n there, their fresh faces full of joy, devotion, and a sense of duty. A cute feel it was to look at their furrowed brows full of commitment and acute concentration so as to observe the minute most details. 

Their 'wari' began with the 'nam-mudra' for everyone. After the customary 'puja' began the 'dindi'. The procession around the huge BMCC ground was attuned to all the traditional 'wari'-related musical instruments, 'veena', 'mrudung', and the castanet like 'taal'. Why, the event began and ended with a 'shankh naad'. 

No wonder, all those passing by the BMCC stopped awhile to look at these students busy with the 'nam ghosh.'  Once back to the campus, they even sang/recited the major 'abhang' often associated with the 'wari'. The 'dindi path' within the campus was decorated with 'rangoli' patterns, while the Tata Hall and the foyer looked as dapper as these sincere kids.

The 'dindi' ended with the 'ringan' ceremony, performed genuinely, with lots of sensitivity and boundless enthusiasm. The traditional 'fugadi' was not missed either. There was a proper 'aarti' and 'prasad' at the end. Most importantly, the kids explained each and every ritual, and its relevance. 

No wonder, both the guests and the Principal appreciated their efforts which were encouraged most effectively by the Heritage Collective In-Charge teachers. All of them and their students deserve our huge thanks for bringing the 'Pandharpur Wari' here on campus!

Pratima@ Unlike the online 'wari' cum lecture series so far attempted by the BMCC  Heritage Collective, this first ever offline 'wari' was a perfect channel to the unbounden energy of the Junior College students.                                                                            Such cultural awareness is the need of the hour, given the times today! Such kind of 'college' and/or 'traditional' days create a space that brings youngsters closer to their roots, right?  

Quote of the day:                                                          "Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire," asserts Gustav Mahler.

Word of the day: Wari                                             The Wari (or Vari) is a sacred annual pilgrimage (yatra) in Maharashtra.  Dedicated to Vithoba, the arch deity of Maharashtra, it was initiated by Sant Dnyaneshwar.                                                                            Millions of devotees (Warkaris) walk on foot for about twenty-one days carrying the padukas (symbolic footwear) of the revered Marathi saint-poets. The major procession travels roughly two hundred and fifty kilometers from Alandi and Dehu, holy towns associated  with Sant Dnyaneshwar and Sant Tukaram respectively.                                                             All the other palakhi's join this procession en route. Finally, all the dindi's  converge at Pandharpur on Ashadhi Ekadashi, the day when a fast is kept.                                                        After the 'gopal kala' the next day, the warkaris return home to their agricultural duties. They observe the Chaturmas till Kartiki Ekadashi. 

Censor!

 It was the best of the moments, and it was the worst of the moments, and let me tell you why I so write. Time was when I was a rookie journalist with the "New Indian Express." As I was basically a Ph.D. researcher, I was a freelancer with the newspaper. Yet I used to be a regular, too, so much so that per week, I could pen at least three articles for the Features' Desk. 

When I got to know that Bhishm Sahani of the "Tamas" fame would be there, I got the Desk Editor's permission to interview him. I got a proper interview time allotted by him, an interview graciously accepted by him, given his advanced age. Later on when the write-up was published and I sent him a xerox copy, I received a "You are very kind" post card from him which is one of the high points as a journalist for me. 

That is the best aspect. The worst moment was one of the so-called great academicians signalling him through gestures not to speak! Well, it was a properly n prior permitted interview for a leading newspaper. Even to hint at such a gesture was absolutely unprofessional. And here was this absurd behaviour! The less said about such ugly nastinesses, the better it is for one's own memories! 

Anyways, despite such "censoring", the interview did take place! One of the questions I had asked Sahani-ji was about censoring of texts, films, paintings, any cultural/aesthetic product for that matter.

His answer, I feel, can be a leading light whenever such issues toss up n down the entire socio-cultural ethos like a whirlpool. Sahani-ji's opinion -- here I am not quoting him verbatim, rather summarising his ideas -- was that an artist's freedom of expression is indubitable. Yet it cannot conveniently corrode the societal set-up.

Thought of it all because of the current furore over this bio-pic entitled "Satluj". Apparently, it deals with the aftermath of the Bhindranwale era in Punjab. No, I have not watched the film. No, I have not read up about Jaswant Singh Kharla. No, I am neither praising nor criticising the entire discussion.

Well, as it transpired during the interview mentioned above, we have to understand that an artist as an individual is a part of the society. The whole, too, matters as much as the part; the center of a circle, too, is as valid as the circumference; neither side of a square can either be elongated or shortened without disfiguring the original, right? 

To consciously ignore either to suit one's own immediate agenda, to cherry-pick conveniently to valorise one's own current postures, to create bitter binaries to hypocritically manage one's own present profiteering, whether it be socio-cultural, historical, political, ideological is an intellectual crime! Instead, better defend an idea through/with an idea! In brief, self-reflexivity matters the most! 

Pratima@ I do think that 'managing' media in such a pseudo mode is much worse than the p.r. promotion about film stars' personal lives just before the release of a film!                                   Is the film really banned, moreover? The cuts could continue to be challenged in the Supreme Court, and even beyond (the President's intervention?!?), right? Given the times today, in addition,  is it possible at all to ban anything? Conveniently it can be downloaded from very many legal/illegal sites! In fact, the film must have gotten loads of curious publicity because of the so-called prohibition!?! Or was that the plan of promotion???

Quote of the day:                                                          "When you tear out a man's tongue, you are not proving him a liar, you're only telling the world that you fear what he might say." A quote by George R.R. Martin.

Word of the day: Censorship                                   Censorship is defined as the suppression or prohibition of speech, public communication, or other information considered objectionable, harmful, or inconvenient by governing authorities, private institutions, or individuals. It restricts freedom of expression and aims to control the flow of information.

Why the push n shove?

 In our area, there is a Shri Rama temple. Each Ram Navami, there is a "janmotsav." When it comes to taking the 'prasad' distributed by the 'guruji', most all present rush n create a mini stampede like situation. Everyone is shoving everybody else aside, jostling like mad, none is ready to wait, to stand in a queue. Nobody is there to make the crowd behave itself like devotees, and not like savages! 

Nothing unique about this scenario. Last year, I was in the Tulshibaug Ram Mandir at the same time. Aai loved Shri Rama. She used to recite the 'Ram Raksha Stotra' with great devotion. Her 'Bhajani Mandal' used to perform during the 'Chaitra Navratra'. Hence my attendance in her memory. The scenario inside the Tulshibaug temple was no better than the rush in the lane out there in the peak hours!

Look at the annual palakhi procession. Except, may be, for the designated 'palakhi mandali', the rest is sheer chaos. People push like hell to reach near the 'paduka'. Horrible is the condition of the poor horses. A hyper sensitive animal, it is touched by thousands anywhere anyhow. On the cart driven by the bullocks, there is a huge load. I absolutely admire all these poor animals for their tremendous tolerance and patience.

As for the actual 'wari', it is like the crazy current of a mad river in terrible spate. People push each other like anything. Food items are distributed at all sorts of places. A huge crowd gathers, though the push n shove show continues. Old folks slip on the banana peels. None is bothered. 

Is it so very difficult to prepare barricaded routes so that the Wari procession can continue faultlessly, and the onlookers can pay their obeisance to the 'padukas'? Why not give the food items to the 'dindi' head who distributes them to his 'dindi' at the stage when all stop to rest a little? If you give bananas, why not give a paper bag for the skins to be discarded?

The same push n shove scenario is very much the 'done' stuff during the annual Ganesh immersion procession. Why, even at Tirupati Venkatesh Balaji temple, beyond the 'Garud Stambha', it is such a push, shove, ram, thrust scenario that a stampede is eagerly awaiting to happen! 

A similar free for all is the sick scenario in the narrow most lanes leading to the unique temples at Yamunotri, Kedarnath, and on the narrowest bridge leading to the Badrinath campus with Alaknanda, just two or three feet below, roaring its fury at this madness! Is everybody awaiting a Himalayan blunder?

The authorities MUST act before some huge tragedy takes place. People must be made to follow barricaded routes. Why incur the deities' wrath, given such uncouth 'darshan'?!? Merely mad mob mentality!

Pratima@Honestly, the scene is no different from the horrible crowd attacking  the poor local trains during the rush hours in Mumbai! And we call ourselves devotees, even when it is difficult to call such crude behaviour human(e)!

Quote of the day:                                                          Says Seneca: "Do you ask me what you should regard as especially to be avoided? I say, crowds; for as yet you cannot trust yourself to them with safety."

Word of the day: Mob mentality                                 Mob mentality or herd mentality is a psychological phenomenon where individuals adopt the behaviors, beliefs, or actions of a larger group. Driven by a desire to fit in and a loss of personal accountability, people in a crowd may abandon critical thinking and moral responsibility.

Singing the Pasaydan

 At 9 this evening, many Puneites and even others, who might have the link, would sing the "Pasaydan." Sure I am interested in as well as excited about the project. 

Why so? Okay, let me explore the issue. It is Sant Dyandeva who has enunciated this great prayer for the welfare of the world and for the abundance of peace and serenity. In my opinion, Sant Dnyaneshwar is one of the greatest reformers. I do most sincerely think that he is not only a great philosopher, but he also offered a great new direction to society.

He was the first to translate the Sanskrit "Bhagwad Geeta"  in to the then local folk language. Likewise, his other writings, too, make the great knowledge of the Vedas and the Upnishads accessible to the common man. The great poet and the superb communicator that he was, he uses apt images, perfect symbols that relate to daily lived life to 'translate' the great thought in to relatable concepts. 

This wonderful contribution, which promotes equality and  knowledge for all,  should require at least some six lifetimes. He managed it within a short span of hardly twenty-one years. Unjustly ill-treated, horribly harassed, horridly hunted literally, yet this brilliant young man prays for the welfare of the world. 

That is "Pasaydan", the core of his humane thought and 'holi'stic vision. His prayer is that the wicked should not only get rid of their villainy, but there should be such a sea change (with-n-) in their hearts that they should follow the right(rous) path. Yet his essential prayer is that each should get what he wants. It is this ambrosia that he is celebrating in this heart felt prayer. 

Truly the most humane vision imbued with divinity itself is the "Pasaydan," the final prayer for profound peace, at the end of "Dnyaneshwari". Fully I support and heartily I participate in this most welcome programme. Looking forward to 9 o'clock! 

Pratima@ I adore n revere the great Sant Dnyaneshwar so much that the ideological warfare n party politics around such an event hardly matters to me.                                                 Anyways, emptily parroting secularism without having consulted either the texts or without having understood the context of "Pasaydan" is vain cynicism for me. For sure, I know how and when such terms entered the Preamble, and I do know to quite some  extent, having read in some depth the history of  secularism, what it actually means beyond party politicking which in the current context holds no meaning for me, given the international realities as well. 

Quote of the day:                                                            Says Epictetus,"All religions must be tolerated... for every man must go to heaven in his own way."

Word of the day: holistic                                                 Holistic means emphasizing the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Rather than analyzing individual components in isolation, a holistic approach examines complete systems, how they interact, and how they affect one another.

B(l)anking Operations

 On one of the statuses shared on the WhatsApp, there was this passionate plea about the lunch break poor poor poor bank employees are not allowed! Hugely sarcastic it was about how people spend hours looking at a JCB machine digging a road!! Acrimony itself it was about the bank clients not being able to fill forms!!! 

Yes, absolutely agreed that a lunch break is the legitimate right of the righteous bank employees. Yet most all clients who come to the branch are employees somewhere, too! Why cannot there be a simple solution of staggering the lunch break so that at least two windows remain open. 

As it is, most of the times, all the counters are never ever functional. If the branch is under-staffed, it is not the customer's fault, right? But, no, except for their personal favourites with whom they are busy  chatting, simpering, carrying on personal transactions, bank employees are rudeness incarnate. They look at people as if they do not exist at all.

Personally I sure do wait it out utmost patiently if I have the misfortune of reaching a bank branch exactly when the lunch break begins. Yet this gentleness never is reciprocated. Except for an honourable exception or two, nobody is as rude as a bank employee, the lowest to the highest per branch. Practically everybody would agree with this universally acknowledged fact. 

In the AI era, with huge computerisation, at any branch office, one spends hooooours for the simple most operation. Moreover, many client operations are anyways machine operated or managed online. Their mistakes, they would never ever accept. But gang up against a client, sure they would. Why must a bank be blank when it comes to basic, decent, straightforward communication? Commerce colleges sure need to work on their students' spoken skills! 

Pratima@ Recently, in a private bank, I was told that I opened an account which I never ever did. I showed them their own documents, but to no avail. When I asked for the details of that fictitious account, they would not share it! Some authority, eh!                                                             Yet another bother is the "helpful" liaison officer who calls up any time, but is never available when needed. Honestly, attendance must be a MUST in commerce and management colleges, and communication skills should be a subject taught every semester both at the UG and PG levels! 

Quote of the day:                                                         "Communication is the solvent of all problems, and is the foundation for personal development," says Peter Shepherd.

Word of the day:                                                          Irritation, frustration, vexation, frustration = Every branch of any bank! 

Decorating the deity

 In Aai's memory, we have instituted a prize in her school in Pandharpur. The teacher in charge sends the Vithoba pics now and then. In the status mode, moreover, I daily get the pics of the Kolhapur Ambabai, and often of the Datta Palakhi as well as of the Omkareshwar temple, Ujjain. 

At the very first sight, what strikes me the most is the aesthetics. The daily 'deco' of the deity is an absolute "dekho". On special occasions, be it the festivals such as Dasara/Padwa or the national days such as August 15/January 26, the idol is so beautifully decorated that is indeed is a divine vision. 

I love the anthropomorphism involved in the process. Come Ashadhi Devshayani Ekadashi, and Vithoba gets a pillow! It is believed that the Lord takes rest during the Chaturmas. No, it is not superstition. It is a unique oneness with the deity which anyways has been part of the Marathi Bhakti tradition, beginning with Sant Dyandeva. 

When it comes to the drape of Rukmini, personally, I adore the way the Ambabai idol is decorated. It is simply a beauty. The unique sarees are so draped daily that it is a visual treat, an ocular feast. On special occasions, the adornment is literally beyond  belief. 

Throughout the Wari procession and from the Ghat Sthapna till Dasara, Aai used to watch on the television the entire process of the daily puja. I hence know the lovely process of decorating the deity in quite some detail. Incidentally, the original idol of Ambabai has very kind, gentle, soft eyes. That is the only bit of embellishment I am rather uncomfortable with. 

Though I do not know in detail the way the Mahankal or the Gangapur Dutta idols are embellished, I sure would like to assert that decorating the deity is an art form. I think it is learnt in a hereditary way. Or it could be on the job as one progresses from the junior to senior priesthood. I would not know. 

Sure, the notion of godhead is an abstract concept. Yet such rituals lead the devotee, who may not always be a philosopher, in a more focussed way towards the divine. Hence this appreciation of this unique art. 

Pratima@ I must, however, admit that I love the Vithoba idol the most when it adorns the simple "tulshi" garland. 

Quote of the day:                                                           "We lack a direct access to God. Hence we worship the idol." Anonymous. 

Word of the day: deity                                                 A deity is a supernatural being, such as a god or goddess, that is worshiped by people who believe it possesses divine powers. 

Some colourful context

 Gray is the colour of the day at present. With jet black clouds pouring down disasters here, there and everywhere, darker than night appears the daily destiny. No amount of chatter about 'chai n bhajji' cheers up, what with ugly deaths dime a dozen. 

In such a shady context, how colourful it is to know that July is the month world wide designated for celebrating water colour painting! Sure, brush pens and paint pens are less messy. Undoubtedly, acrylics dry faster. 

Yet nothing matches the lyricism of  water colours. The shades one can manage through water colours are unbelievable. Even the brush behaves better with water colours. Brush strokes are easier with water colours, though, sure, like everything else, practice, in painting, too, makes the artist perfect. 

Well, July is officially designated as the 'World Watercolor Month' by a global charitable celebration founded in 2016 by Charlie O'Shields of 'Doodlewash'. Whatever be your level of proficiency, why not develop it a notch higher by taking up the challenge of a painting per day; at least one per week? 

Simple patterns such as flowers or outlines of cityscapes would do, too, right? With all sorts of dark news making days dirtier, why not thus beautify the mindscape? 

Pratima@ If you cannot spare the time to paint a water colour, how about at least a dekko at a few? Online resources are aplenty. For all you know, some AI site might even be painting one for you! 

Quote of the day:                                                           "If you hear a voice within you say you cannot paint, then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced." That is some encouragement from Vincent van Gogh! 

Word of the day: palette                                             A palette is primarily a flat board used by artists to hold and mix paints. By extension, the term refers to the specific range of colors an artist may use in his/her oeuvre. 

Aamrikn English!

 As unique as the country is the language, the American English! A curious mix it is. In a way, it carries the remnants of the Restoration era old seventeenth century English of the Pilgrim Fathers. Seasoned it is with all the advances, material, technological, not to forget the mix-in of n by other European immigrants, and the Black and the Hispanic inputs. 

It has its own grammatical rules. It need not follow the prim n proper stuff, the stiff upper lip Brit English. An easy to understand n remember example could be the 'do support' for negation and/or question formation. Ask an American "Have a light?" He/she might  think that you are too formal. MUCH WORSE, you would  be corrected with the 'do support'. The American version of a question in case you want a lighter would be "Do you have a lighter?" 

A unique feature of American English is that simplifies spellings. "Metre" becomes "meter", for instance. "Colour" changes to "color". All  "-ise" endings convert in to the     "-ize", and thus become internet friendly. 

Vocabulary wise, it chooses to be quirkily, uniquely American. An example or two can be lorry (not truck), gas ( for petrol), gas station (for petrol pump), elevator (for lift), and so on. 

Unusual is its pronunciation. "Awesome" becomes "aaasum", for instance. "Aaaful", right? Aamerikans drawl a lot, too. The "r" and the "d" that emerge as connectors are unique, too. 

In brief, be Aamerikan, speak Aamerikan! 

Pratima@ It could be argued that the vast difference between the spoken, the pop, the slangy and the literary/the high culture varieties of language as  varied usage is a typically American phenomenon, of course, very soon exported all over the rest of the world. 

Quote of the day:                                                       "England and America are two countries separated by the same language." So opined  George Bernard Shaw.

Word of the day: slang                                                The slang is the highly informal vocabulary used in casual conversation that falls outside standard, conventional language ambit. It is constantly evolving, often is specific to certain age groups, subcultures, or regions, and is primarily used to build group identity. It expresses emotions colorfully.                         

America turns 250!

 America and old?!? That, too, two hundred n fifty years old!?! Somehow it does not fit in with the world wide mental image of America, an ever bubbling fount of energy, vivacity, and drive, right? Yup, in the life of a continent, eh, country, two fifty years is absolutely pittance, anyways.

And, oh, yea, sure, under the 'Don' dynasty, the sesquicentennial, the inevitably aging, the kinda middle-aged tag may match somewhat. So feels the radical left. And, oh, yes, not to forget that this 'quarter millennial' et al America is the new, White, 'star- spangled' America! The Aboriginal America is ancient, though currently almost wiped out. 

America is this dream land, the land of the aspirational because it initiated itself precisely in that very mode. In Charles II's excessively permissive regime, the Puritans, harassed harshly for their religious rigour, aspired for a New Eden which they found across the Atlantic. 

With the ropes for a return, anyways never wished for, and now washed away across an ocean, the Protestant work ethic made the "New England" a "Temple on the Mount". Waves of emigrés followed, enriching the "log cabin to the White House" royal road to success, provided you had it in you, and were ready to work hard, some contemporary proof being the Silicon Valley. 

In other words, America is more an "i-dea." I should know. Why? Well, without ever stepping even a foot on that soil, I can explain why n how it has been "a giant stride for mankind." 

Well, I have met the American spirit in the writings of the Founding Fathers. I have found America in Lincoln's life. I have known the cruelties of the slave trade and the darknesses of the black lives from the most enriching texts by  Harriet Beecher Stowe to Ngozi Adiche, and very many others of her ilk. 

Just as I have rejoiced in Nature with an Emerson and a Thoreau, with a Whitman, I have known the loss of "Captain, Oh, my Captain." A Hawthorne, a Melville have guided me in to the hidden depths of the human spirit, while countless twentieth century authors have helped me understand the underbelly of the American dream. How many names to count/enlist!?! Instead, better to swear by their immense insights, right? 

Teaching "American Literature", "Immigrant Writings", "World Literature", it indeed is an enormously educative process with the safety net of the vicarious pleasure/presence, moreover. Be it American Hollywood movies or the music scenario, learning America, warts n all, is immersing oneself in a unique language of being and becoming. 

Sure, the coke n burger kind of TNC's price n prove the typical American capitalist, consumerist, expansionist tendencies, not to forget the 'deep state'. Yet there is no denying the fact that America is tolerant enough to graciously accept a Chomsky-ian critique of manufactured consent, and/or its versions.

It is this "I"-dentity that would forever make America an ever expanding land, nay, 'space', of exploration! Happy Birthday, America! With all your quirks, your oddities, your complexes n kinks, you tend to amuse n attract forever! May you live long, and without any further wrong(s) to the rest of the world! 

Pratima@ The American "Circus"  is  best portrayed by the Presidents. The list, of both the best and the worst ones, is so big that it can overflow a few blogs! Unforgettable, however, are their unique editions of the MAGA mantra, right? 

Quote of the day:                                                         "America. It is the only place," says Thomas Wolfe, "where miracles not only happen, but where they happen all the time." And of "ALL'' varieties, shapes, sizes n shades they are! 

Word of the day: super                                              "Super" is a versatile term meaning excellent, extreme, or superior. As a prefix, it means extreme, above, beyond.  Best describes a land obsessed with the superman, thinking itself to be the supercop with super-machines of all sorts, space crafts to guns that 'rock', both in Iran and in every school in each gulley. "AWESOME", in brief! 

A writer's block!?!

 July 2! I had decided to write about the overkill that is the sad saga of the notorious murder case. Very consciously I literally soaked myself in all the very many reportages, sound bytes, videos, analyses, actual takes/media fakes of that deadly trek.  

Like a sponge I absorbed all the viewpoints, and, yet, when I began to write, I could not bring myself to coldly analytically discuss the deadly dastardly details drummed up everywhere. 

The more I  got to know about the horror, the more I felt disturbed about the tragedy that for me lumbered larger than the lurid headlines. The tragedy of three (at least) families ruined forever. 

The pain of a mother who lost a gem of a son. For no rhyme, no reason. Yet she could at least cry. What about the other two mothers? And the fathers? Imagine having to go to a police chowki, being detained there for hours like a criminal. The disrepute that is to last a lifetime being splashed all over as if it is a spicy Chinese dish avidly devoured! 

That human tragedy so disturbed me that I just could not be a Chetan Bhagat or a Shobhaa De, being oh-so-fashionably feminist and ah-so-politically correct! Nor could I bring myself to be an influencer aplenty who could crack sick jokes about a young man who lost his life due to a hair patch. 

So this lag in the posting of the blogs. No, it was not exactly a writer's block. Rather it was a feel of tragic loss, given the needless senseless ruin of so many lives. Oh, yes, it was also a deep sense of disgust for sick creeps who feed on scandals, on others' pain! Hence finally the two blogs which to some extent capture my feel(ings)!

Pratima@ Did such horrors never ever happen earlier? Actually, such narratives are as old as his(-s)tory itself. Yet weird it feels to know that such terrors took root in a Market Yard just a stone's throw away! Difficult to describe that complex feel, which beyond all legalities and every ugly gossip, makes one empathise with the very many lives most meaninglessly ruined!

Quote of the day:                                                          "Fattened in vice, so callous and so gross, he sins and sees not, senseless of his loss.” John Dryden's quote so aptly describes each culprit and every gossip.

Word of the day: lurid gossip                                     Lurid gossip refers to scandalous, shocking, or sensational rumors, often involving explicit, immoral, or gruesome details.

Pater familias : Crestfallen!

When she was born, everyone told him she looked so like him. In business circles, they say that lucky indeed it is to have a daughter who looks like the father. Some proof, they say, that Goddess Laxmi would always him favour. A good omen!

 Lucky he felt to have a girl so beautiful. Like almond, her eyes. Like cashew, her pearl white complexion. Smart she grew up to be. Very lucky he felt to be the father of such a "papa ki pari." 

When n how did the tide of luck turn torrid? Does he at all know this stranger? Where has disappeared the sweet angel, his solace every evening after busy hectic days? Did not he indulge her every whim n each fancy?

How now to live forever this infamy? The father of a cheat, and he used to think she was just a chit of a girl! A cold blooded murder most meticulously planned n executed! Why n how did the business acumen in the very veins fail in the only worthy deal? 

Questions galore, answers nil. Life is now like a ledger book, debits writ large all over, and empty, like liabilities that sky high soar.

A family friend, now the bitterest foe. Luckier he is. At least, he can grieve his son, lost forever. Bereaved is the father of a dead-ly daughter whom he once thought he could shield from every danger. Now only horrid headlines every where hover.

Pratima@ His son! The 'other' man of a love triangle. Often advised not to get himself so tangled. Why dream fancies that make life a nightmare? Courts, lawyers, n gait tests. And in this jungle is lost a son, the family's best bet!

Quote of the day:                                                          "Grief is just love with no place to go. All that unspent love gathers up in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat, and in that hollow part of your chest," states Jamie Anderson. 

Word of the day: burn out                                         Burn out is the state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion caused by prolonged or excessive stress, that leaves you overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and is often known as parenthood! 

Murder most foul

 To be                                                                            honest straightforward decent                                   is a crime. 

 No section in any rule book                                     so enlists it.                                                                   Leads it yet for sure                                                   to a death sentence! 

The Forever Good Bye                                                Sudden                                                                   Never said! 

The aching soul of a mother                                     which potion can it heal?

The placenta of pain                                                   can never enliven                                                        a life lost! 

Pratima@ Sordid as the Sia saga is, difficult it is to gauge the mother's grief! She lost a son, nay, a lifetime!

Quote of the day:                                                          "The loneliest time after a tragedy is the week or month when everyone goes home, and your new normal begins. The silence feels deafening when the crowds disappear, and you are left with a gaping hole in your heart." Yes, agreed, Pam K. McCarty! 

Word of the day:                                                          A sob for her dead son 

A Day@M/s DFC!

 Oh, what do you think? I am referring to the ubiquitous KFC?!? No, not at all! For one thing, I am a pure veg. I do not even eat eggs. What is the necessity? Much much more tastier and kinder veg options are available. As they exist, n abundantly, why kill a life just to satiate your taste buds, right? Downright cruel n absolutely unnecessary. 

What then is the DFC? Okay, let me explain. No, it is not some giant TNC, that is, a trans-national or multi-national conglomerate. Rather, it is an acronym I have created to state the relevance of July 1. 

July 1 is a unique day. It is a day dedicated to doctors, while it celebrates farmers ( a fact very few know and/ or acknowledge) and, moreover, it is a day which glorifies the contribution of the Chartered Accountants to individuals and/or to society.  Hence the acronym D for doctors, F for farmers, C for Chartered Accountants. 

A doctor keeps the best account of our health, while a C.A. takes care of our financial health. Hence the need to wish a Very Happy Day to both these clans.  And, oh, yes, the day commemorates Dr. Bhidhan Chandra Roy, the first FRCS from India who later contributed solidly to the Freedom movement.

Which is fair enough. As for farmers who, unfortunately, cares for them? They are like parents. Forever caring, giving, never expecting anything in return! Except a life time of hardship, tolerance, and hope!

And equally important they are for, nay, central to, life. If farmers do not grow crops and/or grow crops sufficient only for their individual family's needs, neither health nor wealth would be possible, right? Hope, next year, on July 1, every one would celebrate the DFC day! 

Pratima@July 1 is also a harsh reminder that half the year is already over! Time to get up n going, in brief! 

Quote of the day:                                                           "If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, 'thank you,' that would suffice," stated Meister Eckhart. Touché!

Word of the day: gratitude                                         Gratitude involves 1) Appreciation: Recognizing the value and significance of someone's actions 2) Thankfulness: A conscious feeling of being pleased or relieved by a benefit received and 3) Gratefulness: The state of being warm and responsive to kindness.