Tuesday, December 28, 2010



The urge to control
Of all the urges that people have ,  this one is the worst .No , its not just control freaks who have the urge to control everyone and everything around them , every human reaches a point in life when that sudden urge dominates him/her . I am not justifying these people , I am simply stating a fact . I am of the opinion , that at least the wiser and older should keep a check on these , the younger are always in the process of learning things and well the foolish , well they are after all foolish . I know when you read the term “control” , the scary boss or the angry “where were you all night” parents come to mind . Well to tell you the truth , they do inspire me to write , but bigger operators of our life than these pathetically amiable creatures are , yes you guessed it , spouses and girlfriends/boyfriends .

The Bosses – Well I haven’t really had any bosses to control me ,( I have been the controller hahaha )so my expertise in this field is rather limited . However, when my parents do come back from a tiring day, their curses do give me some insight . The Bosses are not necessarily employers in some company , the bosses range from principal’s and supervisors in schools , to team leaders in extra-curricular projects , to even club heads , class reps .  I know it seems silly that a class representative could be a boss , but the justification they give for their “control” is the same as that of the big company bosses . Well the justification is that “ I am giving them money/guidance so they better work the way I want them to “ . Mind you missy , they are not going to say this to you on your face , they are rather sly ( not their human nature , just comes with the job ) , when they really need you they will keep you on a leash , and when they don’t they will become all sober , become teary eyed and tell how the chairman is pressurizing them to get more output . So in a way the urge to control in case of bosses is justifiable as long as it’s not your holidays ,relationships or pregnancy leaves they are controlling .

Next up are the very amiable
Parents – well the simple fact that they are the reason you are here , gives them ample reason to control you , mind you , you are not their toys or projects , you are the simplest form of love for them , their heart .
The problem is that sometimes they become the” Warlock's hairy heart” from the “Tales of Beetle the Bard “, they lock you down in a basement saying that they want to keep their heart away from the problems and hardships of the world . The only problem is that the heart becomes hairy, rebellious and rather irritated . if there is any point that I have tried to make with the analogy is this , as long as parents are protective and instructive everything works out well . Things complicate when they don’t want you to grow up and not be their little baby anymore . the moment you become all mature and start going for parties you get the title “Awaragard” .

Lovers
Hmm , lovers and spouses all of them have the perpetual need to control you , they call it love , I call it control . the control starts in the early days itself , dropping hints for you to call them ( missed calls ) , or for you incite them on a date (   “I love having coffee with someone I like” or “ The best date is a coffee date “etc ) . They might even hint you to get them gifts on the first date itself ( the occasional , “Oh I love orchids ,they are the sign of a positive beginning” ) . It does not stop here my love , the positions , the songs , the kind of dance everything is peeped into and commanded to change too . Your friends are interviewed in the most subtle ways possible , and well the opposite sex ( lets just say keep them very very far ) . To tell you the truth , they cannot help it , and well if you are one hear it from “The seeker” , you can’t help it my dear . your lover showers you with love , takes up on all the hints you give , changes oneself for your happiness , so please let them have the whip for some time and roll around like a circus tiger even if it hurts your ego .

The world is a jungle and  everyone wants to be the lion ( even though I am the Leo here hahaha ) . Just make sure you are not the perpetual circus lion :p , and when you are in doubt , just give me a call ( comment silly :p)


Sunday, December 26, 2010

My journey through Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier


Falling Angels – by Tracy Chevalier
  Most readers might have heard about the book “Girl with a pearl earring” by the same author. Well I came across this one in the most strange way possible . I was once doing volunteer duty in my school library and saw some of the stationary being thrown away , papers , dry pens , etc and along with them a book with a very boring cover . I picked it up and took it to the librarian , telling her how I found it .She was however very disinterested and told me its origins weren’t known to her and it was too much of a pain to check whose book it was .Anyways I left it there and went on my way .Strangely so , at the end of the day I found it on my bag . I took it to the lost and found department to submit it . The usually friendly Mr Sharma ,acted like a complete pain in the *** and gave it back to me , saying he was tired of school and cant take such sill y responsibilities .Finally , determined as I am , I took it to the principal asking her to decide on the matter .The busiest person in the school was never busy when it came to books ( a former English teacher ) and she says to me after I tell her the entire story “Karan , why don’t you read it , if you like it keep it , if not we will give it to one of the class libraries “ .I knew there was more to the book than was being said for . And so I went home and began with the first page , it starts with a seemingly middle aged woman complaining about the  horrible night she had with the stranger and how infidelity becomes a real sin only when its not fun . The book has no protagonist .  It is about two families , each with a combo of characters . A myriad it seems is the book all about in the beginning . The voices are so mixed and never complete. There are too many gaps everywhere it seems . For the major part of the story ,Kitty Coleman dominates the movement , the physical one at least . Her random attention-seeking decisions , love affairs with cemetery heads , and her act in the women’s rights movement , her imprisonment and finally her death . The story is see from different perspectives , sometimes from little Maude’s at other times from the snobby Livy , the shallow Gertrude Waterhousse , and off course Kitty Coleman  herself . There is a friendship between Livy , Maude and the grave digger’ son .It is difficult to describe what is so special about it is hard to express in words . It’s a simple book set in Britain  , at the time of the women’s movement after Queen Victoria’s death .there is a great power even I simplicity , which is well reflected in this book . Even though its no thriller it is a book  will keep you awake for long nights . I did what my principal asked me to do , I read it and you know what? I still have it .The mystery was finally revealed when on the last page were written the initials of my principal. I cherish the book , not because of the initials , or the story behind getting it . I cherish it because it made me understand , something so meaningful in life , something that I keep in my heart safe and sound . I hope you get the same understanding . Now go get it and read it .
P.S – The cover of the book was too boring so I painted something on a hand-made paper and covered it with it . I have posted the picture below

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

UNTITLED


This entire week I was very happy, at first it was difficult to know what I was happy about .. but then it came to me and it made me happier still… I never thought I have always found it easy to talk to people but connecting with them is a different thing all together. I love to be around them, but it is difficult to find someone who makes you want to be the real you.

Mostly you find people who expect you to change or to be on the same wavelength as they are , but when a person wants you to be you ,it makes you smile like a 500watt bulb ( don’t know if 500watt bulbs exist but all the same ) . I guess it has more to do with the fact that , that person is already on your wavelength

People talk about trust, well I have a lot to say about trust , don’t trust facts , don’t trust a book with figures , trust only two things your experiences and your heart . for only your  heart knows you as well as anyone can , and it will give you the best advice possible .

Another observation I made over the week is that , accepting yourself , might make you happy or sad , but irrespective of that , it teaches you that you are unique and no less no more than anyone else because you are just that ,you are  UNIQUE .. and that is something you should be proud of .

I feel like singing and dancing ,  I keep dancing all the time and people ask what are you so happy about ( you see my exams are on , so its not a very happy time for my friends right now , haha. ) , but well I don’t have an answer. I am sorry readers , that even though I share everything with you , I have been just beating around the bush , when some one is happy after a long time he deserves some mystery doesn't he ?

Another point before I switch back to the lame place called the “real world” .. never take any one for granted , if a person trusts you and expresses it , give back that trust , don’t ask silly questions like- “why does that person trust me in the first place ?”
P.S – I speak from experience

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Sometimes you hate yourself and cannot explain it

Sometimes you  hate yourself and cannot explain it. Its not always because of some fault of yours , a quality or the lack of it that causes it . Its just that you don't like yourself and nothing can change that feeling in that moment. Such a feeling is never felt by ordinary people , its rather a trait seen  in confident and talented ones . People like us seem very strong on the outside (Well! we are quite strong to be able to exude such confidence ) but we do have drastic mood swings as well . Sadness for instance is never ordinary , when  it comes,  it hits us like a wave . Hate is a very strong emotion ,  you cannot hate just any person , just as you don't love just any person   .But when you do hate a person , its the blackest , darkest feeling  in the world , its something that you hope you never experience again . Just imagine , what it would feel like , when you hate yourself .You look in every mirror that  you come across , asking yourself ,is this what you have become ? is this the same person that you wanted to become ?Its not some whim , where you  want to change everything about yourself ( its not about make overs ) rather its the frustration of not being able to change things, decisions and situations .Today , was a day that was at once eventful and uneventful . while nothing significant happened in the real world , it was my mind that was troubled , On a more positive note when you are done with hating yourself , you are able to view yourself with a clear head . You can better assess yourself and encourage yourself to do better , to make amends , and become the person you wanted to be with a more practical perspective in mind .In the end , I feel it was necessary for me to hate myself even if for a day . For it helped me better understand myself as a person and that's that :)
P.S - Please donot read it if you have a weak heart lol :)

Saturday, December 11, 2010

I am taking part in the south asia challenge 2011

I am taking part in the south asian challenge i.e I am gonna try to read as many books by authors of the south asian subcontinent as possible...:) I encourage others to do so

The Hobbit - J.R.R Tolkien

I have been wanting to write the review of this book foe a long time
A light read , it did not take much time to go through the Hobbit, where in lies the genius of the great author for even though short it is no less thrilling .
"The Hobbit" takes us on an adventure in the  middle earth  with Bilbo , Gandalf and the dwarfs as our guides.It starts out with a very brief yet sufficient history of the Hobbits , their  habits , traits , traditions and settlements . Bilbo , a "Baggins" with a lot of "Took" in him is surprised to find a company of dwarfs arriving at his door complete with an empty belly and a thirst for booze after a short meet with the Grey wizard ( Mithrandier /Ganfalf ) .When the dwarfs challenge the competence of Bilbo in accompanying them on a journey in search of gold , the "Took"in him takes control , hence making him up for the advnture .What is to follow is quite the unexpected , from the disgusting orcs ,and the huge ( yet dumb )trolls, to the eerie spiders and the suspicious wood elves . All in all a thrilling journey . The final treasure hunt , tests the wits of the company , where only Bilbo surpasses the test .
The evil dragon  "Smaug"  acts as the cherry on top .
For those who have already read the trilogy , you will find , a detailed account of the encounter between Bilbo and Gollum. Furthermore all doubts that readers have in the greatness of Bilbo will be removed , making him rise in your eyes .
All in all a wonderful tale , The Hobbit is a good read . I suggest that those who wish to read the Lord of the rings series should read the prequel after reading the trilogy . For it would make it just that much more interesting . The book is not as fast paced as the L.T.R , and is more of a short story than a novel .
My rating 3.8 on 5


Friday, December 10, 2010

Thinking of starting another blog

Hi folks ,
I have been writing a lot of serious stuff , like book reviews , poems and articles , so I thought "Hey , lets write something on a more personal note " . I am writing this post on a weekend , after having seen the film "Nine Months" , and it occurs to me , that I have got so much to say about this film as well . Guaranteed , that a film is never as brilliantly detailed as a book , exceptions off course exist like - Frida , Brokeback Mountain , Dead Poet's Society , The Reader etc , never the less ; it got me thinking that I should start a blog about films as well .
I dont know if I should make it a seperate blog or just keep on writing about films in this blog itself . And so I think its best that I ask you the readers , on what I should do . Please do leave a  comment . I would also like to inform all readers that I am reading this book "The Glass Room" by "Simon Mawer" . I hope to post the review soon , the book does seem promising so far . :)


Thursday, December 9, 2010

The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mohsin Hamid

As I began reading the novel it struck me as light heartened , little did I know that the mere 184 pages had the depth of an ocean ,covering emotions that had only  been grazed over the surface before .  The  lyrical and practical style of the author impressed me a lot. 
This is a story about the inner struggle that a man goes through when he finds himself in a situation ,where he does not know who he is , where , his origin only complicates matters 
On a more straight forward note , this  novel is a narrative , the narrator being  "Changez" . Changez is born and brought up in a Pakistani elite family and goes on to study at Princeton . His personality and qualifications get him a job in a top of the notch service sector enterprise "Underwood Samson". A very diluted presence of love hangs all along , the love by the name of "Erica" . It is saddening that the beauty of this love is felt briefly while the loss of it ( which does happen in due course) is  presence that hangs around forever. Someone once said that when thunder falls , it befalls with all the might of the Gods . A similar situation occurs in Changez's Life A series of events- the 9/11 ,A terrorist attack on India's parliament & breaking down of Erica sucks the fundamentalist out of him  
MY PERSONAL COMMENTS
Changez is the prefect example of an eastern man who embraced A western world , A western woman and A western way of life .... All of which disappointed him.
The novel is so written that it leaves space for a lot of argument and interpretation , it does not force the view of Changez on you neither does it compel you to have a view , it simply states , how the man felt and what were his experiences .
For instance it does make one wonder on the symbolism of the actions of America post 9/11 . The book says and I quote " Your( American ) country's flag invaded new york after the attacks , it was everywhere . Small flags stuck on toothpicks featured in the shrines .They all seemed to proclaim: We are America - Not New York, which in my opinion , means something quite different - the mightiest civilization the world has ever known ; you have slighted us ; beware of our wrath "  
We find Changez in an identity crises more than once , something that many Asians living abroad can relate to . When he visits his home in Pakistan , his repulsion towards his very own "elite" house ( full with cracked paint , and leaking pipes ) makes him realize his dominantly American perspective of life .
This story also highlights the concept of fundamentalism in great depth . If only Changez had stuck to his fundamental principles he would have lived a better life .
Last but simply not the least this novel also encompasses a tender love story , one that does break your heart 
All in all a beautiful novel ,my   rating 4 on 5

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Even Sadness can sing

A painting I made that inspired me to write this poem


 When the sky isn't blue enough
The air suffocates you
This sadness is not something to weep over
For when has anyone ever wept over emptiness
What is this void , tell me more
It makes me crazy , saddened to all folks
They ask me , what is the matter
But all I do is nod and say
Just let me be , just let me be , I pray
Oh! what beauty ,
oh! what light Its alas! all so very bright
But ask me and I would nod
Ask I from myself and I would avoid
For sometimes there are secrets that no confidant can share
Secrets that make you weep and make you glare
But uff!! just let it be
Who is gonna hear my appeal
For no sad man can ever appeal
All he can do is pray
But pray he must
Pray he must
Else even his loneliness is going to leave him lonesome
Grieved ,aghast and gloom-some.

Friday, November 26, 2010

MY Review on Angelology- Danielle Trussoni

Angels are often described as beautiful creatures descended upon the earth on Lord's command ,having  beautiful feathers and  a loving face that can only be described by adjectives such as beautiful , unearthly , loving etc and never by those such as  hot , sexy or sensuous . They have captured our imagination and endless stories , novels and films have been  woven with  this imagination into something at once real and unreal . They are like the parallels of vampires , werewolves etc yet their presence seems more possible than that of those beasts . Despite the fact that beasts have been showcased as more real by means of highly descriptive fiction based on some "fantasy" historical evidence , religious texts , paintings , "Superstitious" beliefs etc. It is I believe our psyche that chooses the side of the angels . Henceforth the book on Angelo-logy by Danielle Trussoni is a first in ways more than one , atleast for me . I am sure the Bible's reference to the arch-angels , nephrilim and watchers has been used many a times in  the past ,furthermore if  i were to come across a novel with a story more beautifully woven about these very angels , I will not be surprised . Why then, do i recommend this book ? What is good about it ?.Danielle has been very successful as an author in making "Neprilim " ( Descendants of a disobedient group of angels called Watchers ) , and " Watchers"  as real possible identities , using the reference of "The Book Of Enoch" and "The Bible" she has given them an identity that can be called believable to say the least ( for a theist at-least ) . The story of the book , I would prefer not to divulge since it would spoil the fun , its sufficient to say that it is a fight between Angelologist ( a society whose objective is to end the influence of Nephrilim on the human world by destroying them ) and "Nephrilim for the Lyre of the Arch-angel Gabriel which is also famous as the lyre of Orpheus . The Lyre can destroy the Nephrilim if the correct musical composition is played . Furthermore the Nephrilim's have lost their many powers due to the recesssive angelic traits (genes) and more potent human traits ( genes ) , hence if that continues they would be destroyed on their own , the lyre however has also the power to rejuvenate . The most thrilling of all suspense's is the fate of the protagonist's which is far from cliche'  
*Angelology's meaning - It is the study of Angels it comes' from the Greek word "Angelologia" which is a combination of two words together "Angelos" = angel (messenger) and "logos" = word, meaning the word of Angels.. It is a branch of theology and deals with the study of symbols , texts , paintings , manuscrpts , religious texts that give any reference to the presence of angels or the literature surrounding them

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Not a Penny More , Not a Penny Less by Jeffery Archer

Jeffery Archer
Having read almost all of Jeffery archer's novels , to read his first ever novel "Not a Penny More Not a Penny Less "was a pleasant surprise . This novel  is an example of how every author starts somewhere . The novel is exciting ,informative , and almost captivating ,  filled with knowledge about artists ( Vincent Van Gogh -his favorite as always ) , culture , tradition , and booze .Harvey Metcalfe , a American of polish descent , is an intelligent man , well-versed in all the traits of business , better than any Harvard degree holder , and yet without any formal education. He robs four young men , an American professor Dr. Stephen Bradley , a Viscount by the name of James , A doctor -Robert Oakley , and a Frenchman/art dealer Jean-Pierre ,  with the help of a young , naive man by the name of David ( incidentally a Harvard degree holder ) .The book is thus tells us how  these four gentleman from different back ground come together to get there money back but not with vengeance , rather with a plan to get back there money as it was taken , not a penny more , not a penny less. Like all his book almost everyone is from some prestigious institution . Harvard , Oxford , and Cambridge seem to be at a stone's throw for everyone to grasp . The style is not the same as you might find in his later books ( As the crow flies , Kane and Abel etc) . Unlike those books , this one is not about a specific person , and covers a detailed span of about 6 months as opposed to a whole lifetime as  in "As the crow flies " and "Kane and Abel ". We find that the author is reverting back to this style in his latest books , "Paths of glory" and "Matter of honor" . I sincerely hope for the sake of all readers that the author reverts back to the style of "Kane and Abel " rather than giving us examples of his "diversity" by producing books as impersonal and crass as "Paths of Glory" and "Prison Diaries" . I personally find the author very talented and an almost-genius , seeing as he is knowledgeable in many disciplines , be it Art , Tradition , People , Emotions or stock exchange not to mention Politics . event though this is not the epitome of his genius yet , this book make you feel happy , urges you to do more in life , to grab all opportunity ,and tells you that no matter who you are and where you're from , nothing is impossible if you have the will and right people around you , to not just guide you but also to offer a glance- " I am here for you " .The book is a good read , but not an urgent one unlike "Kane and Abel". As an artist , I always find myself happy reading the bits about artists and there work . The book is said to be based on Archer's personal life. Jeffery Archer is an author of logical brilliance , all my readers , if you are fans of suspense , or would like to read about lives of interesting characters ( who in most cases grow from scratch ) read Jeffery archer , be it "KAne and Abel"  , "As the crow flies" , "The Prodigal Daughter" or ""The prisoner of birth " .All of these books will keep you up all night , wanting to know more about the characters , yet as the book ends , you will feel satisfied and in love with the characters . So go on take a J.A from a library , or buy it and cherish it all your life . IF you people want me to tell more about the books I have mentioned please post comments , I would be glad to comply to you wishes ,,, This is me signing of
Have A good Day
 Despite being a big fan of jeffery Archer my rating on this book - 3.5 out of 5

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Being Selfish is a Fantabulous thing

Hello people!!
I am glad that you are reading what I have to say .
i was wondering that so many things we do , you know , which make us feel selfish , but you know what we are wrong at this . You see we humans , or so to say most of us are selfless people , and not in a very good way at that .We look good, as in make pecs and abs , or stylize hair , to look good in "other" people's eyes , we wear ill fitting clothes that are comfortable yet stylish to catch "others" eyes , we even buy cars that leaks are pockets into oblivion to look good and up-preppy in "others" eyes . All this and more , all for other people .You could say ( as in earlier times ) that all this was done to attract a suitable mate , to produce healthy offspring that carry the family name forward , but amidst 100's of one-night-stands , failed marriages, and time-pass relationships , we can rule this out and for good . Well as much as i would like to give a solution to you , I am unable to do it ,this is one of the every irrevocable sins committed . Well all this must make you wonder what is then selfishness , well its not all that complicated once you come to think of it ,it is right in-front of you , career , not the career based on achieving a lot of success but the career of one's choice , a career , a job that makes one truly happy, a creation , an innovation , preservation , conservation , all this and more is selfishness . a thing of beauty is a joy forever , and the joy of being the creator of that thing of beauty , is so splendid that it bring tears to your eyes , which are far from salty , but like honey ( if you taste them that is). Love gives you true happiness , and happiness is selfishness , When in doubt close your eyes , and think about your actions , are these the actions that make you happy ( without any strings attached ) or is it something else . Wanting success is far from being a selfish deed ,well in most cases that is anyway . For most people try to achieve success to show-off for people to prove to some unknown stranger that he/she is an achiever , amidst this fever , one forgets the way one wanted to achieve success in the first place , and before he/she realizes this its either too late , or a situation that make one hate oneself irrevocably . Offcourse sometimes success is to prove to oneself , to make one happy at these and only these times is success selfish and very much beneficial . So go out and have some fun .... Its the "Seeker of seeking thing's" order be SELFISH
I have written little about this topic for there is a lot to explore in it,... i suggest reading the following titles
The Fountain Head- Ayn Ra
Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand
This will reaffirm concepts of "need-to-be-selfish" , Altruism and Objectivism in the minds of those who believe in it
And form ground for those who do not and will start believing soon .
I would also like to put some quotes of this great author ...And would soon write a book review for all those who would like to see whether the effect of the book is similar on us or not.
.A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others.  -Ayn Rand 
A desire presupposes the possibility of action to achieve it; action presupposes a goal which is worth achieving.-Ayn RandAchievement of your happiness is the only moral purpose of your life, and that happiness, not pain or mindless self-indulgence, is the proof of your moral integrity, since it is the proof and the result of your loyalty to the achievement of your values.-Ayn Rand
Every man builds his world in his own image. He has the power to choose, but no power to escape the necessity of choice.


Ayn Rand


Sunday, October 17, 2010

On The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender



I am going to soon attend a book club discussion on the book " The particular sadness of a lemon cake " by " Aimee Bender " on November the 23rd or 26th at the American Library at the American Center . The book deals with a girl who has a "talented tongue" . She can taste food and tell all the emotions that the cook or the baker had while making the item . As she grows up she begins to get to know of the emotions in an even more objective way , making all clearer and clearer . She discovers the sadness , anxieties and insecurities of her family and friends . Now had I not read "The Hobbit" the very day i started reading this book or had i not re-read the "Lord of the Rings - Trilogy " by the great J.R.R Tolkien the very week , I would have called it if not a splendid but the very least a good work , but alas that is not to be . It angered me very much and brought on all the thoughts of diminishing readership and poor authors . If truth be told there have always been a small population of readers ,but in the light of new technology , less funding for libraries , high prices and monetizing of book stores so much , the readership falls , and if as is the scenario the authors are less skilled what is a guy gotta do but throw tomatoes in her/his face . If it was not for the movie The Lord of the Rings would have been forgotten , for the first part "the hobbit" was first published in 1937 . C.S Lewis somehow survived . But unless something be done , the age of the next Indians will do be far from book lovers . Me thinks that some authors are smart , but to really write a splendid book , requires genius . As sorry as I am to say this Aimee Bender is a "smart" author and far from "genius" .In other circumstance "smart" would be a compliment , but not in this case for smart here is the smartness of a fox . For a "smart" author takes a small idea of a genius , and makes it into a whole novel . The whole idea about a tongue telling emotions is so mediocre imaginatively , it is boring and hardly imaginative , its some long lost idea , not discovered , but most probably copied in a disgusting fashion . The small fantasy point in The Lord Of the rings in which a sword named sting glows when orcs are around is more interestingly imaginative . Now , now I am sure some reader would say that she should be credited for merging fantasy and realistic emotions . That would be just had it been the time snow white was published , however in the age where Harry Potter series exists , it is a feeble attempt to say the least . In the age where J.K Rowling has cast a novel so beautiful , a novel that makes us believe that there can exist a wizard world , for it all seems almost scientific , normal people with a gift , a gift with rules too and of utmost importance the realism of the characters , their emotions , their feelings all comes alive as we pass through the pages . You can relate to all of them , Harry - afraid yet courageous , Hermione - Insecure of her own over bustling confidence , Ron - one to be removed from his zone of comfort , Dumbledore - Knows that wise cannot be powerful , and snape - a character moving in between love and betrayal . If I must say their are few similarities between The Harry potter series and the lord of the rings trilogy . Both Harry and Frodo are set tasks that makes them seem both afraid and courageous , both their sires James Potter and Bilbo Baggines have been on adventures too small than their young yet adventures all the same . Dumbledore and Gandalf are both aware that the wise are always powerful , their wisdom is their power , and if they are given power they along with the world would be destroyed . If I might be bold enough to say , the idea of a horcrux is very similar to the ring , both as we see the ring and the horcrux try to tempt the bearer into dreadfully deadly deeds , and are of similar concept , made to keep their masters alive , for as long as possible , J.K Rowling may have made some concept about they being trophies , but all the same the idea is very very similar . Well in the midst of all this we have forgotten Aimee altogether , it would be suffice to say that she needs to find the genius in herself, for she has potential
 

                                       Inspired by the great author are these two talented authors one who is already great and one who I hope will achieve greatness by adopting more honest ways                                 

                                     

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Rediscovering India rediscovering yourself

Stories of explorers and archaeologists discovering evidence supporting the existence of faith , religion , spirituality and belief in a superpower (God ) aren’t unheard of .The search for truth is no different for followers of Hinduism than it is for preachers of the other faiths. Then again is it?

We have often criticized the way of life “Hinduism” and religious texts advice Hindus to follow, while the criticism is necessary in itself, in doing so we have neglected the very depths of our own history of thought. Hindus have always been conscious of the concept of parallel universes, a world divided into Maya and Truth, by the Gods. The division of men into castes is no longer relevant and yet we are constantly aware of these divisions made by man 

.Despite the error of our ways, there is one thought that has perpetrated our minds for centuries. The belief that God is within us, the knowledge that we are responsible for the life we lead and awareness of a power that guides us , this power is not just above , it is the power inside .For a lot of people who refuse to believe in God , the image of God for them is that of a magician , someone who ideally “should”  treat ill people , fight evil , and perform miracles .God cannot solve all our problems, what God is capable of doing is ease our problems not by a miracle but by giving us strength , strength to deal with the situations in which we call him for our assistance. He or she is the torch that enlightens us . Haven’t we often compared our parents and Gurus with God? They cannot perform miracles though at least not in the literal sense of the word. We do not need to search for God, or see him,he is always around us. However, listening to him can help steer clear most obstacles. Listen to his voice. The above discussion isn’t specific to Hinduism, the discussion is about sensitivity to a higher power. 

If you go exploring and digging up for truths and secrets hidden under multiple realms of our country you shall find - NOTHING for truth is seldom hidden, all has been laid out in the open. You don’t need to go to places to enlighten your soul, you don’t have to cross geographical boundaries, all you have to do is have some faith and take the leap into the realms of clarity, places without deception. Even as it isn’t necessary to go to different places, there are places where one crosses over the fragile veil between Maya and truth .The very soil on which we stand has witnessed all that has passed,one might argue that how different is one place from the other and I agree the soil is no different . The soil isn’t different but the air which we breathe is, what has passed on different soils is deterministic. Only when you clear the air of deception will you be able to  breathe in the true aroma of the soil which is nothing but the aroma of your own thought . This is what India teaches me everyday, despite the mirages that surround us , the truth is not hard to get to , for these mirages  do not hide the truth they simply co-exist , just as mythology and history do.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Thoughts put into words

The sun loves the earth for it doesn’t’t want to burn it, it stays away the soil loves the scavengers for which it produces and nourishes its bait , the trees love the birds for whose nests it grows its branches” \
These lines from Paulo Coelho ‘s book the “Alchemist” inspire me everyday , helping me find love , kindness and warmth in every aspect of life .
I have experienced various forms of love in life. I love my nation and always have. When I see that my India is still in such a bad state my heart cries. To me love means care and trust . If you expect anything other than care and trust from the person or thing you love then alas! You have never loved.

..
” Vasudhev Kutumbakkam”- the world is a family. I am fortunate enough to have interacted with students from different countries. I went on a foreign exchange program t a school in Stuttgart Germany . On interacting with them I realized that besides language we were no different from them . The very thought makes me remember few lines from Pablo Neruda’s (Nobel laureate) keeping quiet
“Now we will count to 12 and we will keep quiet for once on the face of earth lets not speak in any language and stop for one second
And not move our hands so much
We would all be together in a sudden strangeness”
We are all part of the same universal soul only when we come together as one does the heart of the world beat . I remember how my heart wept for all those victims of 9/11 and how I felt sorry for the victims of apartheid of whom I have read in my history books . The world is a family and I love my world like I love my family
It is impossible for me to separate books and love .I have always been fascinated by books and love to read them , it is my belief that all the stress we experience in our life can be swept away through books. We enter a world where we can be anything , anyone be it Harry Potter , Alladin , Kane from Kane and Abel, or even Alice from little women . Reading brings out in me a love even for those whom I don’t know as in the case of the characters of “A thousand splendid sons” and “Kite runner” by Khaled Hosseini .
Love is a virtue , it is omnipresent be it love of Romeo and Juliet , love between mother and child, love towards animals or love towards art and literature. Love is supernatural and yet a part of the very nature itself . Love is a flame which enlightens all , it is not fire hence it cannot burn anyone

What about Love

You are a song written by the hands of God - is how i will describe Love.... Micheal Jackson sings What about sunrise What about rain What about all the things That you said we were to gain.... I ask what about love .? We are so caught up in terrorism , earth crises , population rise .. so much so that we no longer remember what love is or so to say what love was . YOU might say that combating terrorism , controlling population , is a way to greater good to greater love, but in the drive to greater good we have forgotten the everyday good. What is love is a question some used to ask , but it has been replaced by what about love? as if it as something as common ans unnecessary as a nail. But to think that it is a nail is not a bad idea , for love nails the world together ,it is the binding force ( yes all you physicists it is like the binding energy in a nucleus-just way more powerful) . Einstein , Newton all tried to combine forces to get the universal force , well i am no Einstein but it seem s I have cracked the code , it is love that is the universal force . I have seen many form sof love , but moreover I have read love , heard love and seen love ( no i haven gone mas) Love is in books , music films , Yes in films too. Since love is like energy it can flow from our heart to our creations ,Some say love is more to do with others , to love someone else , But hear it from me , it is perfectly allright to love yourself , just make sure that you are not the only one you love. the way a jain nun roams the earth bare foot , sacrificial and unaffected by the gifts of life , is her love for spirit , it is not just an urge to be free of the cycle of love and death , it is the love for her spirit .A mother who has seen her brother send her own parents to old-age homes still gives herself totally to her children , this strong power is not just love for her children , it is the love for motherhood. Ambition is the seed of devil , some say but i say different it is not the seed of devil it is the love of satisfaction . One who is ambitious is on a journey to attain it , but the driving power in this journey is ambition ( which is love and not evil). Enough has been said on the forms of love , but liitle on the celebration of love , . You might still find Indian women over 30 secretly watching the same " dilwale dulhaniya genre" movie a forty fifth time . She watches these movies not to get a high or to watch others falling in love so as to indulge in self pity, she watches it to remeber the time when the same fire was alive in her ages ago and a part of the fire remains flickering excitedly like a spark. We are Indians but we hardly celebrate our love for a country , for love is not celebrated on some specific days( just as life is not celebrated only on your birthday) . We are progressing but not progressing in our own league , we compare our progress to Europe and USA, We always consider it relatively ,And in this relativity we forget what progress was and so we start to cheat or copy.It is awesome to go to discos , blog on the net do facebooking etc , but it isn't good to ignore your origin , either , it is a negation to your love for your country. To forget your heritage and to become mindless clones is not the way to progress and neither is it a way to love. Love your country by not peeing on its walls , not spitting on its lands , and most importantly by accepting it and making it better ( not making it USA making it a better India) . Most among us have different opinions on who really freed our country ,The NON-violence Clan of Gandhi or the Revolutionary clan of S.C Bose and Bhagat Singh .But all of us agree that whatever their methods were it was love for nation that lighted the lamps on those dark streets . There is so much on love and so much to say but I guess thee is more to discover and so I give you all the luck in discovering it , nurturing it and celebrating the song written by God -LOVE

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Journeying through the Pages of Nine Lives

from now on i have decided to comment on the issues i come across daily through books, television, friends, newspapers and most importantly life.
for instance today i was reading William Dalrymple's book "Nine Lives".
the first story is about a nun .or so to say a mattaji a jain one at that. the short story talks about the jain way of life .
How jains think that in this world of ours we are all running after the wrong things moving around the same circle with nonet displacement.the nun says that greed , sex, attachment , etc weigh down our souls preventing them to fly higher and higher.she says that we should leave all attachment to parents , friends. stating the reason behind to be the fact that it is all temporary .
i think about it deeply and my mind gives me an obvious rebuttal , if parents , love, attachment to a particular thing are temporary then so is life and so is death.Isnt it?
Well as it turns out the wise nun has the answer. it is believed not only by jainism , but also by buddhism and Hinduism that our purpose in life is not to enjoy life king size but rather to get out of this cycle of life and death to do so we have to make our soul pure . And purity is never obtained or taken in, it is attained by sacrifice and removal of all the unnecessary bindings.
If I may , i would like to think of a great example in support of this.
William Dalymple
As you might know there are certain bacteria and arachnids whose eggs are so light that they go higher and higher unaffected by the bindings of gravity into the endless gravity. Me thinks that in such a state the egg is totally free , free from fear of predator , free from hunger for motherly love,free from everything. it might not so much as grow to become a proper arachnid , but what alas! is proper , so long as the soul lives , the soul in this form will reach the enlightment ours need.
In similar comparisons we can say that when our souls are free from the shackles that weigh them down our souls will also rise higher and higher,hence joining those of the 20 tinthankara's of whose last was a prince named Mahavira
i will keep updated you on this journey of a book (which is more of a journey) called Nine Lives