After several brutal incidents of sexual assault and rape this year in India, and especially after the Delhi incident, there has been a flood of ideas and demands to stop this kind of crime.
These ideas include calls for new laws, more effective implementation of current laws, increase in punishment, judicial reforms (fast-track courts), change in society's and especially the police force's attitude to women, addressing and rectifying rape culture, self-defense courses for women, gender-sensitivity education for men, reforms in media portrayal of rape and many others.
One of the suggestions is to create a sex offenders database for the country. Here I'm trying to explore this particular issue and whether it has any merit and is worth pursuing,
Disclaimer: my knowledge about this issue is limited to that gleaned from the internet. This post is more about putting down thoughts and information learned, on paper and hoping to gain some insights if anyone knowledgeable about this cares to share them here.
Some places to start, to get a grasp on this issue are:
Sex Offender registration across the world (Wikipedia link)
Debate on pros and cons of creating a sex offender database (External debate site) - an excellent compendium of pros and cons about this issue.
Some thoughts and a discussion can be found at this post by Nirwa Mehta.
A brief summary from above-
1) A database like this could act as a deterrent (" Knowing that, if they commit an offence, their name, photograph, and a
description of their crimes will be widely published deters people from
committing the offence in the first place and equally of reoffending. ... Such publication may limit their opportunity to access such encounters
in the future, and therefore the policy aims to operate such as to
minimise what a person desires should they commit a crime")
2) It can help people take precautions to protect themselves
3) It can encourage vigilantism. ("In at least two instances, convicted sex offenders were murdered after their information was made available over the Internet.")
4) It can be a stigmatizing and alienating tool
5) It will be expensive to maintain. (Also, given India's population and infrastructure, this would be a logistical nightmare)
6) Australia, Canada, UK, Ireland, US and Norway have these systems in place.
I think in the Indian context, one purpose that such a database might serve is to act as a deterrent for a particular kind of rapist - the urban affluent rapist who preys on women and children in his family or at his workplace. This kind of person is more likely to have access to, be aware of and be affected by his name and details of his crime being made publicly accessible. It has severe implications for his career, housing and social standing. In a case where rapes are committed by a relative or a neighbor on minors, it is unclear how improving policing or raising the punishment will help. Apart from the parents taking precautions, such a database might help in preventing rapes by acting as a deterrent.
Perhaps having such a database might also help in preventing cross-border crimes (across state lines) by helping police to have faster access to a person's criminal records. I'm not aware if such a system already exists at the national level.
(The issue of migrants is controversial and I couldn't find numbers that give a good picture of how many of the rape crimes are committed by migrants. To blame this issue on migrants is irresponsible and wrong and that is not what I am trying to do here. The reason for including this point is to acknowledge the possibility that some criminals would be likely to commit crimes in one state and move to another.)
Currently, police encourages people to register and verify details of any new domestic help or driver they are hiring. It is not known how many do this. Having a centralised database (not necessarily national) will help in identifying if a person has a history of sexual offences. The police can then advise on precautions to be taken while hiring such a person. And this need not be limited to people working as hired help. Even those working in white collar jobs can be subjected to such background checks with the help of a registry.
There perhaps is no one single solution to the problem of rape. Every suggestion to counter this menace can be questioned with 'Oh, but how would it have prevented this particular case of rape?' (It wouldn't have, but perhaps it would help prevent another variant of this crime.) If someone suggests better policing, they will be asked how will it solve the rapes occurring inside homes. If capital punishment is suggested, there is the example of capital punishment not being able to eradicate homicides.
Implementing one change does not prevent us from taking other steps.
I'm sure there are a lot of limitations to creating a database like this. It will definitely be useless in countering some situations where rapes occur. But would this database be considered worthwhile if even a small percentage of such heinous incidents are prevented because of it?
There would of course be a lot of steps and counter checks needed for this kind of system to be useful. An efficient police and judicial machinery, regular maintenance and revision of the database, provision of mental healthcare to both the perpetrator and the survivors are only some of those steps. Although a huge chunk of the population does not use Internet right now, is the situation going to remain the same over the next say 20 years? The rapid growth of smartphones provides another avenue for using such a database.
The government of India seems to be already taking steps in this direction . But it is sad to see the focus being on just shaming the convicted, which will perhaps have more of an effect on the relatives of the convicted.. Nowhere does the word prevention or how the public should effectively use the database or how the government plans to tackle possible vigilantism, figure in the press release.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Stop reading and watching stuff so much! or don't.
What if we start looking at every bit of information as
taking up space in our brain. Would that compel us to limit the information we
absorb every day? Will limiting that intake help to process our other thoughts
better? Simply put – if you read and think about only the stuff relevant to
you, will you get better at thinking about it?
The idea of our brain functioning better by limiting
information is like imagining a computer that might function faster and
smoother if its RAM is cleared.
This sounds obvious but it must be questioned because of a
competing hypothesis – that the most successful ideas are collaborative in nature
– those that make connections through different disciplines, instead of being
sourced from in-depth knowledge of one field only. And for that to happen,
either you must have decent knowledge of different disciplines or you must team
up with those who have that knowledge.
We already have the concept of information taking up space in
an abstract way, when for example we say ‘my mind is too full of ____ right now’.
And if we have to think about it physiologically, we can imagine ideas and
memories stored as connections between neurons. Each connection holding the
link to one or more memories. These connections will take up space (even though
our brain tends to compact and convert memories into small fragments).
From the literature on meditation and mindfulness, an idea
emerges that perhaps practicing those skills makes the brain better at
processing huge amounts of information. Which means even if your mind is filled
up to the brim with new information everyday, being mindful and meditating will
help file it away or dump it in a better way. This might be true but there
still remains a role for feeding the brain relevant material only - to reduce
the load that it has to process.
Also, we have limited time on our hands. And we don’t even
know how much of it we have.
Perhaps the ideal way would be to limit your reading and
information intake to only that which is relevant to your work and interests (limit
the interests too!) and get really good at what you do. And then collaborate
with people who are good with an entirely different knowledge area. I guess
this is how they build mega-structures like aircraft carriers, oil refineries
and do complex surgeries.
Interestingly, it is said that Bill Gates sets aside two
weeks in a year solely for the purpose of reading books and articles collected (and
selected) over the year. The reason he does that is to be able to form better connections
between the various topics he reads. It’s easier for the brain to connect a
topic that’s fresh in the memory with the one it’s reading right now rather
than one which was read 6 months ago. In a way, he’s limiting his information
intake while simultaneously exploring different disciplines to form new connections
and ideas. Smart.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Sex, religion and spirituality(Part 2) Some examples.
I shamelessly looked up wikipedia for some references and found a few interesting things that surprised me:
Judaism: “Many Jewish sources describe the overall attitude towards human sexuality and sexual behavior in Judaism as positive ...The basic Jewish positive attitude towards sex and sexuality is especially opposed to Western Christianity, which does not view the matter much in favor, due to a belief that sex has been contaminated by original sin. ….Some Kabbalists view the sexual pleasure as a possible path leading to a sublimation of devoutness”
Taoism: “Some Taoist sects during the Han Dynasty performed sexual intercourse as a spiritual practice, called "HeQi" ("Joining Energy"). They especially like to try erotic things. The first sexual texts that survive today are those found at the Mawangdui tombs. While Taoism had not yet fully evolved as a philosophy at this time, these texts shared some remarkable similarities with later Tang dynasty texts, such as the IshinpÅ. The sexual arts arguably reached their climax between the end of the Han dynasty and the end of the Tang dynasty. After 1000 A.D. [CE], Confucian puritanism became stronger and stronger, so that by the advent of the Qing dynasty, sex was a taboo topic in public life.”
Hindu concepts about sexuality are a broad topic best covered in another post.
These are some of the major religions, but tribal cultures across the planet have had sex as an integral part of their religious or spiritual practice and communal life. Examples can be found amongst tribes in Papua New Guinea (“Most of the tribal patterns of sexual activity were rationalized as mechanisms to gather the spiritual force residing in sexual fluids, i.e., sexual power, and redirect it to social and material aims, such as improving the growth of boys or strengthening the clan’s reproductive powers, both human and agricultural”) and the Tarahumara in Mexico etc.
Although the following example is not connected to religion, I'm noting it here because it shows the practice of sex in a very open-minded and natural manner, not disconnected with society. In India, the Ghotuls of Central India have sexual mores and practices that would probably put even the most liberal of the cosmopolitan crowds to shame. They see sex to be as natural as hunger or sleep. "Boys and girls 'date' from an age of ten onwards, no distinction is made between love and sex...Because of their sexual freedom, at the time of marriage, neither is the bride a virgin, nor is the groom inexperienced." The section describing the manner in which tribals impart sex education to their young is particularly fascinating.
I can only speculate why this might have been so, or rather the advantages of this connect between sex and spirituality. If sex is intimately connected to spiritual practice (albeit with strict rules about when, where, with whom and how to practice it, but minus the stigma), it becomes accessible to virtually everyone. You no longer have to practice strict celibacy or intense penance to feel closer to God. There remain no mediators between you and god, and in a sense spirituality gets democratized. Women get equal or more power in the scheme of things because without their participation, men (with some exceptions) would not be able to practice this. More significantly, it becomes something that everyone aspires to and practices while leading a regular life.
While reading about this, a pattern emerged. As puritanical beliefs, sects and religions started dominating the scene, sex came to be viewed as sin and a disconnect happened between sex and spirituality. And the stigma is quite pervasive, even in the West. At a micro level, this is seen when adults laugh nervously or giggle if someone brings up the topic of sex in a public space. I think the nervous laughter helps to release the tension they feel when thinking about sex. Wonder how it would feel to not have this stigma when you are growing up into adulthood.
Judaism: “Many Jewish sources describe the overall attitude towards human sexuality and sexual behavior in Judaism as positive ...The basic Jewish positive attitude towards sex and sexuality is especially opposed to Western Christianity, which does not view the matter much in favor, due to a belief that sex has been contaminated by original sin. ….Some Kabbalists view the sexual pleasure as a possible path leading to a sublimation of devoutness”
Taoism: “Some Taoist sects during the Han Dynasty performed sexual intercourse as a spiritual practice, called "HeQi" ("Joining Energy"). They especially like to try erotic things. The first sexual texts that survive today are those found at the Mawangdui tombs. While Taoism had not yet fully evolved as a philosophy at this time, these texts shared some remarkable similarities with later Tang dynasty texts, such as the IshinpÅ. The sexual arts arguably reached their climax between the end of the Han dynasty and the end of the Tang dynasty. After 1000 A.D. [CE], Confucian puritanism became stronger and stronger, so that by the advent of the Qing dynasty, sex was a taboo topic in public life.”
Hindu concepts about sexuality are a broad topic best covered in another post.
These are some of the major religions, but tribal cultures across the planet have had sex as an integral part of their religious or spiritual practice and communal life. Examples can be found amongst tribes in Papua New Guinea (“Most of the tribal patterns of sexual activity were rationalized as mechanisms to gather the spiritual force residing in sexual fluids, i.e., sexual power, and redirect it to social and material aims, such as improving the growth of boys or strengthening the clan’s reproductive powers, both human and agricultural”) and the Tarahumara in Mexico etc.
Although the following example is not connected to religion, I'm noting it here because it shows the practice of sex in a very open-minded and natural manner, not disconnected with society. In India, the Ghotuls of Central India have sexual mores and practices that would probably put even the most liberal of the cosmopolitan crowds to shame. They see sex to be as natural as hunger or sleep. "Boys and girls 'date' from an age of ten onwards, no distinction is made between love and sex...Because of their sexual freedom, at the time of marriage, neither is the bride a virgin, nor is the groom inexperienced." The section describing the manner in which tribals impart sex education to their young is particularly fascinating.
I can only speculate why this might have been so, or rather the advantages of this connect between sex and spirituality. If sex is intimately connected to spiritual practice (albeit with strict rules about when, where, with whom and how to practice it, but minus the stigma), it becomes accessible to virtually everyone. You no longer have to practice strict celibacy or intense penance to feel closer to God. There remain no mediators between you and god, and in a sense spirituality gets democratized. Women get equal or more power in the scheme of things because without their participation, men (with some exceptions) would not be able to practice this. More significantly, it becomes something that everyone aspires to and practices while leading a regular life.
While reading about this, a pattern emerged. As puritanical beliefs, sects and religions started dominating the scene, sex came to be viewed as sin and a disconnect happened between sex and spirituality. And the stigma is quite pervasive, even in the West. At a micro level, this is seen when adults laugh nervously or giggle if someone brings up the topic of sex in a public space. I think the nervous laughter helps to release the tension they feel when thinking about sex. Wonder how it would feel to not have this stigma when you are growing up into adulthood.
Monday, December 10, 2012
For God or a lover? Part 1
I have noticed this to be a common theme across other forms of devotional and spiritual poetry too and have often wondered about it. This includes Kabir’s dohas, Sufi poems, Meera bai’s bhajans, and works by other Indian mystics and saint poets. (Wish I knew about other religions and cultures more). They almost universally address god as their beloved, they talk about god in very personal and endearing terms; love supersedes respect (respect in the conventional sense of fear of being punished by God. A side note: What I like about this form of devotion is the absence of a putative Hell. There is no mention of god punishing anybody for straying off the rules laid by him/her. They seem to be primarily concerned with leading a humane life - not because you’d be punished for not doing so, but so that you may come closer to truth or love).
Of course I suppose that concept gets periodic revival. For example this hindi pop song:
He is one of my favorite singers, the song is okay - not that great, but I remembered this song because in one interview the singer explained how it was made. They set out writing a romantic song and even while composing it, they realized that the lyrics could be considered devotional. And so they shot the video with a religious and spiritual theme instead of a romantic one. Same song, same lyrics, just the interpretation changed. I found that pretty interesting.
This recurring theme was one of the reasons that got me thinking about the connection between spirituality and love/sex/eroticism/romance.
Now, merely talking about god in words that one would use for a lover is obviously different from making a connection between sex and spirituality. One could argue that love does not (always) lead to or imply a desire for sex and it probably doesn’t. In fact platonic love for anyone is often given a higher moral authority. But therein lies the catch. What if this view of sex as something lower than platonic love is a recent phenomenon? What if, at some point in the past, sexual love was considered equal to or higher than platonic love?
For the moment, drop the negative connotations that are now associated with sex, and consider only the act. Even now, intercourse with a lover or spouse is considered to be a wonderful (sacred?) manifestation of love - something beautiful to be celebrated and cherished (This is declining of course but there are still many folks out there who do not look at sex as merely as an enjoyable biological process). Would it be so surprising that the act of communion itself could take on properties of the sacred, a means to reach and realize the final Love? At the molecular level, the hormones and neurotransmitters released by a genuinely intense orgasm, the muscular tension and its subsequent release, the sounds, all the sensations, the warm body besides one’s skin could make that person feel that this is almost a divine experience. Centuries of mystics and oracles have used and still use drugs, marijuana, opium and whatnot to achieve that high, that trance-like state to reach closer to god. Orgasmic sex, removed from its present cultural context and performed for the purpose of worship, could also be a means to achieve that high in earlier times. It does not seem that improbable. There’s an academic book I have barely skimmed, though it is on my reading list, (Sacred Sexuality: The Erotic Spirit in the World's Great Religions) with the message that ‘all of these (religious) teachings share the hidden message that spirituality is, in essence, erotic and that sexuality is inherently spiritual’.
(Excerpted from private letters)
Of course I suppose that concept gets periodic revival. For example this hindi pop song:
He is one of my favorite singers, the song is okay - not that great, but I remembered this song because in one interview the singer explained how it was made. They set out writing a romantic song and even while composing it, they realized that the lyrics could be considered devotional. And so they shot the video with a religious and spiritual theme instead of a romantic one. Same song, same lyrics, just the interpretation changed. I found that pretty interesting.
This recurring theme was one of the reasons that got me thinking about the connection between spirituality and love/sex/eroticism/romance.
Now, merely talking about god in words that one would use for a lover is obviously different from making a connection between sex and spirituality. One could argue that love does not (always) lead to or imply a desire for sex and it probably doesn’t. In fact platonic love for anyone is often given a higher moral authority. But therein lies the catch. What if this view of sex as something lower than platonic love is a recent phenomenon? What if, at some point in the past, sexual love was considered equal to or higher than platonic love?
For the moment, drop the negative connotations that are now associated with sex, and consider only the act. Even now, intercourse with a lover or spouse is considered to be a wonderful (sacred?) manifestation of love - something beautiful to be celebrated and cherished (This is declining of course but there are still many folks out there who do not look at sex as merely as an enjoyable biological process). Would it be so surprising that the act of communion itself could take on properties of the sacred, a means to reach and realize the final Love? At the molecular level, the hormones and neurotransmitters released by a genuinely intense orgasm, the muscular tension and its subsequent release, the sounds, all the sensations, the warm body besides one’s skin could make that person feel that this is almost a divine experience. Centuries of mystics and oracles have used and still use drugs, marijuana, opium and whatnot to achieve that high, that trance-like state to reach closer to god. Orgasmic sex, removed from its present cultural context and performed for the purpose of worship, could also be a means to achieve that high in earlier times. It does not seem that improbable. There’s an academic book I have barely skimmed, though it is on my reading list, (Sacred Sexuality: The Erotic Spirit in the World's Great Religions) with the message that ‘all of these (religious) teachings share the hidden message that spirituality is, in essence, erotic and that sexuality is inherently spiritual’.
(Excerpted from private letters)
Monday, December 3, 2012
Yo! ga
"Imagine a ball of energy between your navel and pubic bone. It's orange in color. It is glowing, soft, gentle, juicy, warm and its glow is spreading to cover your abdomen and thighs and arms and legs and head and your entire body as you breathe in. And as you breathe out, its glow spread to those around you to bathe the world in tranquility and peace."
I've been trying yoga for some days now and it's hard to keep a straight face through monologues like the one above by the yoga instructors at my place.
They're very professional and helpful though. And they know what they are doing.
They have this knack of describing body movements in strange exquisite details.
So, a simple 'straighten your back' becomes 'pull your shoulders to the back of the room and the floor, zip up your stomach, push out the heart center, reach the crown of your head to the roof (reach! reach! reach!) and let your chin float farther away from your chest as you inhaaale deeply taking in all the positive energy from the atmosphere into your body and let the negative energy with all the stress, anxiety and tension out to feel a sense of alert calm coursing through your entire body'.
And this is just for a basic standing posture. I really need to record some of the descriptions they give for asanas.
The only quibbles I have are that some of them tend to mix in pilates with asanas and some have a habit of playing music that really doesn't go well with the practice. I can see how chants and slow instrumental music can be a part of a deliberate, slow yoga sadhana, but blues? jazz? pop? Silence is much better.
The best part of the practice is the end of course - shavasan, where you simply lie down like a corpse and let each body part relax gradually. It is much more enjoyable if the practice immediately before the shavasan has been rigorous and taxing.
I've been trying yoga for some days now and it's hard to keep a straight face through monologues like the one above by the yoga instructors at my place.
They're very professional and helpful though. And they know what they are doing.
They have this knack of describing body movements in strange exquisite details.
So, a simple 'straighten your back' becomes 'pull your shoulders to the back of the room and the floor, zip up your stomach, push out the heart center, reach the crown of your head to the roof (reach! reach! reach!) and let your chin float farther away from your chest as you inhaaale deeply taking in all the positive energy from the atmosphere into your body and let the negative energy with all the stress, anxiety and tension out to feel a sense of alert calm coursing through your entire body'.
And this is just for a basic standing posture. I really need to record some of the descriptions they give for asanas.
The only quibbles I have are that some of them tend to mix in pilates with asanas and some have a habit of playing music that really doesn't go well with the practice. I can see how chants and slow instrumental music can be a part of a deliberate, slow yoga sadhana, but blues? jazz? pop? Silence is much better.
The best part of the practice is the end of course - shavasan, where you simply lie down like a corpse and let each body part relax gradually. It is much more enjoyable if the practice immediately before the shavasan has been rigorous and taxing.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Guaranteed
So, I'm poetry-impaired. Mostly when I read a poem, in some book or on blogs, I have to be told its significance. It's often hard for me to differentiate the subtleties (often so-called, in my opinion) and I have to re-read even the simpler ones several times. And I still don't get them.
Even so, there are tons of songs and lyrics I like. But there are just a handful of songs that really create that feeling of understanding the first time I hear them. Powerful enough to be remembered and returned to again and again and even to be noted down. What usually happens is that I hear part of the song and there's this gut feeling that I'm going to like it. And then I end up searching for the song, listening to it again and again and reading up its history.
Guaranteed is one such song. I heard only a part of it when I was watching 'Into the Wild'. And now it is one of my favorites, as is Eddie Vedder.
On bended knee is no way to be free
Lifting up an empty cup, I ask silently
All my destinations will accept the one that's me
So I can breathe...
Circles they grow and they swallow people whole
Half their lives they say goodnight to wives they'll never know
A mind full of questions, and a teacher in my soul
And so it goes...
Don't come closer or I'll have to go
Holding me like gravity are places that pull
If ever there was someone to keep me at home
It would be you...
Everyone I come across, in cages they bought
They think of me and my wandering, but I'm never what they thought
I've my indignation, but I'm pure in all my thoughts
I'm alive...
Wind in my hair, I feel part of everywhere
Underneath my being is a road that disappeared
Late at night I hear the trees, they're singing with the dead
Overhead...
Leave it to me as I find a way to be
Consider me a satellite, forever orbiting
I knew all the rules, but the rules did not know me
Guaranteed
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Things I think I'll miss if/when I'm no longer single
1) Playing whatever songs I want to while going to sleep.
2) Staying awake however and whenever I want to.
3) Setting the thermostat to something comfortable for me.
4) Vacuuming at 1 am or baking at 3 am. Because I fucking want to.
5) Traveling or moving to a new place because I like it there.
6) Stealing glances at and striking up conversations with random women.
7) Wearing whatever clothes I like or going King Kong at home.
8) Avoiding social get-togethers or attending them based on what I feel like.
9) Going on long-runs and not worrying about getting back home on time.
10) Not being answerable to anyone.
11) Not having to wait to use the bathroom.
12) Saving money by not buying useless stuff and getting to choose when to splurge.
13) Getting to choose how to spend my time without worrying about disappointing someone.
14) Not having to negotiate to reach an agreement over everyday things
2) Staying awake however and whenever I want to.
3) Setting the thermostat to something comfortable for me.
4) Vacuuming at 1 am or baking at 3 am. Because I fucking want to.
5) Traveling or moving to a new place because I like it there.
6) Stealing glances at and striking up conversations with random women.
7) Wearing whatever clothes I like or going King Kong at home.
8) Avoiding social get-togethers or attending them based on what I feel like.
9) Going on long-runs and not worrying about getting back home on time.
10) Not being answerable to anyone.
11) Not having to wait to use the bathroom.
12) Saving money by not buying useless stuff and getting to choose when to splurge.
13) Getting to choose how to spend my time without worrying about disappointing someone.
14) Not having to negotiate to reach an agreement over everyday things
Monday, November 26, 2012
A Tale of Legendary Libido
Currently watching one of the most funky and weird sex comedies I've seen till now. 'A Tale of Legendary Libido' is a Korean movie and as Korean comedies go, this one doesn't disappoint. There are tons of moments that leave you wondering -did I just really see that? - and then wishing you hadn't (well, sometimes you do wish to see stuff again. Some women in the movie are, not to put too fine a point on it, smouldering).
The story is about this nice, innocent, thug-punching guy who has problems getting things to work down there, in a village ruled by women. And the women don't exactly make life easy for him (some pretty brutal bullying happens). He gets this magic potion which overcompensates for his past impotence and co-incidentally, all the men in the village are drafted and away for a war. So he's now this virile young man in a village minus its men but full of women who know what they want and will do anything to get it. You get the idea.
So far there have been scenes of a woman discovering a magic dildo, naked people performing synchronized swimming in the village pond, women singing and dancing happily after catching a glimpse of the biggest penis they've ever seen ("I've heard it's five inches." "That is just the head."), a bunch of women almost raping a man, a scene where the protagonist's peeing puts out a wildfire and cools down the burning sun.....at one point you start wondering whether it's the director who's smoking some great weed or you. I had to pause the movie where the village bartendress (new word!) is seducing the guy with lines like "I've ridden more men than there is hair on your head".
I mean there's only so much you can take in one sitting. No pun intended.
After Gangnam Style and this movie, Korea suddenly seems like an interesting destination.
Watch this space for an extended review of this fascinating piece of art.
The story is about this nice, innocent, thug-punching guy who has problems getting things to work down there, in a village ruled by women. And the women don't exactly make life easy for him (some pretty brutal bullying happens). He gets this magic potion which overcompensates for his past impotence and co-incidentally, all the men in the village are drafted and away for a war. So he's now this virile young man in a village minus its men but full of women who know what they want and will do anything to get it. You get the idea.
So far there have been scenes of a woman discovering a magic dildo, naked people performing synchronized swimming in the village pond, women singing and dancing happily after catching a glimpse of the biggest penis they've ever seen ("I've heard it's five inches." "That is just the head."), a bunch of women almost raping a man, a scene where the protagonist's peeing puts out a wildfire and cools down the burning sun.....at one point you start wondering whether it's the director who's smoking some great weed or you. I had to pause the movie where the village bartendress (new word!) is seducing the guy with lines like "I've ridden more men than there is hair on your head".
I mean there's only so much you can take in one sitting. No pun intended.
After Gangnam Style and this movie, Korea suddenly seems like an interesting destination.
Watch this space for an extended review of this fascinating piece of art.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
To eat or not to eat
I used to think a person describing and overtly showing her love for animals (like dogs and cats) but then enjoying a nice steak or chicken or sausage, was a hypocrite.
But then I met people lovingly tending to their gardens, talking and taking care of their plants and flowers and being anguished if something happened to them, and then going to the kitchen and chopping and boiling leafy greens and vegetables.
Whether plants feel pain, are conscious, sentient beings is an old query.
Sir Jagdish Chandra Bose tried to find out the answer and instead raised the possibility that not just plants and animals but all material in this universe has a common law. He showed that like animals, plants and even minerals /metals show similar responses to toxins, stimulants and poisons. In his words,
But then I met people lovingly tending to their gardens, talking and taking care of their plants and flowers and being anguished if something happened to them, and then going to the kitchen and chopping and boiling leafy greens and vegetables.
Whether plants feel pain, are conscious, sentient beings is an old query.
Sir Jagdish Chandra Bose tried to find out the answer and instead raised the possibility that not just plants and animals but all material in this universe has a common law. He showed that like animals, plants and even minerals /metals show similar responses to toxins, stimulants and poisons. In his words,
'Amongst such phenomena, how can we draw a line of demarcation and say, here the physical ends and there the physiological begins? Such absolute barriers do not exist. Do they [his results] not show us that the responsive processes seen in life, are fore-shadowed in the non-life? - that the physiological is related to the physico-chemical? That there is no abrupt break but a uniform and continuous march of law?"
(Aside: The Vedic concept of Brahman sounds familiar here but I'm not sure if that includes inorganic matter.)
The book and documentary 'The Secret Life of Plants' also showed some interesting experiments but apparently the results were not reproduce-able and hence were discredited.
On vegan forums, one frequently hears an appeal to common sense in response to the above question - how can you not differentiate between the crying and thrashing of an animal about to be slaughtered and the silent, event-less cutting of a vegetable.
But what then of creatures like molluscs, clams, oysters. Where do we draw the line for sensitivity? Who made pain and suffering as the criteria for humans to decide whether it was okay to kill a living being? What if plants and invertebrate animals do feel pain but we just don't have sufficiently advanced tools to detect that yet?
There is a lot of literature out there about these ethical issues.
But because these issues are debatable or perhaps due to a compassion deficiency, the guilt trip approach to veganism does not appeal to me.
For one, I suspect that excess guilt about what one eats could lead to stuff like this.
Also, in many cases I see a selective and convenient application of guilt. To put it crudely, the logic seems to be 'at least we (vegans) kill less than you (meat eaters) do'. Which for some reason doesn't sound very convincing.
For one, I suspect that excess guilt about what one eats could lead to stuff like this.
Also, in many cases I see a selective and convenient application of guilt. To put it crudely, the logic seems to be 'at least we (vegans) kill less than you (meat eaters) do'. Which for some reason doesn't sound very convincing.
For me, the most compelling reasons to adopt a largely plant based diet or to become vegetarian/vegan would be the impact of large scale factory farming methods on earth and the long-term adverse health effects of having meat and animal products as significant parts of one's diet.
Not that being a vegetarian insures against such diseases. It would be interesting to compare the rates of obesity and related complications in vegans vs. vegetarians.
Bringing about behavior change among people to lead them to vegetarianism or veganism might be important. But I wonder if the guilt approach fails to work for others as it does for me.
Bringing about behavior change among people to lead them to vegetarianism or veganism might be important. But I wonder if the guilt approach fails to work for others as it does for me.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Nazi Germany had animal protection laws!
I don't think PETA would be happy to find out this piece of history associated with their movement.
Turns out that in 1933 vivisection was banned and another law called Reichstierschutzgesetz (Reich Animal Protection Act) was enacted in Nazi Germany. I read in one ethics course that this comprehensive legislation elevated animals, even lobsters, to a protected status that guaranteed freedom from abuse.
It gets better. From Wikipedia (emphasis mine),
Who would've thunk!
It's pretty blasphemous in today's world to say anything remotely positive about Hitler and his Nazis. I think I'm going to have some fun next time I talk with one of my vegan friends.
Turns out that in 1933 vivisection was banned and another law called Reichstierschutzgesetz (Reich Animal Protection Act) was enacted in Nazi Germany. I read in one ethics course that this comprehensive legislation elevated animals, even lobsters, to a protected status that guaranteed freedom from abuse.
It gets better. From Wikipedia (emphasis mine),
On February 23, 1934, a decree was enacted by the Prussian Ministry of Commerce and Employment which introduced education on animal protection laws at primary, secondary and college levels. On 3 July 1934, a law Das Reichsjagdgesetz (The Reich Hunting Law) was enacted which limited hunting. On 1 July 1935, another law Reichsnaturschutzgesetz (Reich Nature Conservation Act) was passed to protect nature. According to an article published in Kaltio, one of the main Finnish cultural magazines, Nazi Germany was the first in the world to place the wolf under protection.
Who would've thunk!
It's pretty blasphemous in today's world to say anything remotely positive about Hitler and his Nazis. I think I'm going to have some fun next time I talk with one of my vegan friends.
Friday, November 16, 2012
The Joker and the Daodejing
Have you seen The Dark Knight? This post wouldn't make much sense if you haven't seen Christopher Nolan's second installment in the fantastic trilogy. The Joker in this series is, to make a huge understatement, interesting.
But before we go there, here are some selected fundamental teachings of a legendary Chinese philosopher, Lao-Tzu, from the 6th century BC as presented in his primary text, the Daodejing.
From the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (you can just go over the bold text, emphasis mine):
What is the image of the ideal person, the sage (sheng ren), the real person (zhen ren) in the Daodejing (DDJ)? Well, sages wu wei (chs. 2, 63). In this respect, they are like newborn infants, who move naturally, without planning and reliance on the structures given to them by others (ch. 15). The DDJ tells us that sages empty themselves, becoming void of pretense. Sages concentrate their internal energies (qi). They clean their vision (ch. 10). They manifest plainness and become like uncarved wood (pu) (ch. 19). They live naturally and free from desires given by men (ch. 37) They settle themselves and know how to be content (ch. 46). The DDJ makes use of some very famous analogies to drive home its point. Sages know the value of emptiness as illustrated by how emptiness is used in a bowl, door, window, valley or canyon (ch. 11). They preserve the female (yin), meaning that they know how to be receptive and are not unbalanced favoring assertion and action (yang) (ch. 28). They shoulder yin and embrace yang, blend internal energies (qi) and thereby attain harmony (he) (ch. 42). Those following the dao do not strive, tamper, or seek control (ch. 64). They do not endeavor to help life along (ch. 55), or use their heart-mind (xin) to “solve” or “figure out” life’s apparent knots and entanglements (ch. 55). Indeed, the DDJ cautions that those who would try to do something with the world will fail, they will actually ruin it (ch. 29). Sages do not engage in disputes and arguing, or try to prove their point (chs. 22, 81). They are pliable and supple, not rigid and resistive (chs. 76, 78). They are like water (ch. 8), finding their own place, overcoming the hard and strong by suppleness (ch. 36). Sages act with no expectation of reward (chs. 2, 51). They put themselves last and yet come first (ch. 7). They never make a display of themselves, (chs. 72, 22). They do not brag or boast, (chs. 22, 24) and they do not linger after their work is done (ch. 77). They leave no trace (ch. 27). Because they embody dao in practice, they have longevity...
Now, the Joker is shown doing the following in the movie:
- He, self-admittedly, doesn't have a plan. He just does things.
- He doesn't pretend (void of pretense) to be something he isn't. In fact, one of the things he wants to do is to bring out what he believes is the hypocrisy of those around him (by putting them in the worst possible scenarios). He thinks the code and morals talked about by so-called civilized people are merely pretenses, dropped at the first sign of trouble.
- He doesn't do things for money (in one scene he actually burns a truckload of cash). When he is arrested, there is nothing in his pockets but knives and lint. No name, no other alias. No material possessions, no money (free from desires).
- He wants anarchy and chaos, does not want to control the system. Definitely does not want to help life along.
- He believes that the plans and schemes of people to control their little worlds are pathetic. They will fail.(those who would try to do something with the world will fail, they will actually ruin it )
- He goes about outsmarting the police, the Mob and Batman with his apparent flexibility and few if any constraints. He doesn't want to be subservient to the Mob and makes his own place ("This city deserves a better class of criminal. And I'm gonna give it to them.")
- He doesn't seem to want any reward. In one memorable scene, Alfred describes people like the Joker thus : "some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn."
- Obviously, he doesn't linger after his work is done.
Lots of similarities. Just saying.
Setting aside prejudice
Rap music turned me off big time. Much of it still does. Nothing wrong with the art form, it just isn't for me. I don't understand what they are saying most of the time, both the pronunciation and speed are out of my comprehension abilities. It doesn't help matters that whenever a car passes-by blaring loud music, it is inevitably playing rap. Also, newer Hindi music directors have this annoying penchant for adding mindless rap bits to otherwise okay songs. Add to that the reputation that rap artists have for drugs, violence and crime. I started actively turning away from rap.
Eminem's 'Till I Collapse' changed my outlook somewhat though. It's part of the original soundtrack of Real Steel.
I found it to be perfect for pepping up a boring run.
This was followed soon by 'Lose yourself' - another number perfect for running.
The beats in these two songs aren't great for setting a brisk pace. But the words and the way they are delivered more than compensate for the slower tempo. You can't feel sleepy or tired while listening to these.
There's one by Tupac Shakur that I heard in passing in a friend's car. Searching for it now.
Never thought I'll be on the way to becoming a fan of rap music.
Eminem's 'Till I Collapse' changed my outlook somewhat though. It's part of the original soundtrack of Real Steel.
I found it to be perfect for pepping up a boring run.
This was followed soon by 'Lose yourself' - another number perfect for running.
The beats in these two songs aren't great for setting a brisk pace. But the words and the way they are delivered more than compensate for the slower tempo. You can't feel sleepy or tired while listening to these.
There's one by Tupac Shakur that I heard in passing in a friend's car. Searching for it now.
Never thought I'll be on the way to becoming a fan of rap music.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Why pretend?
Recently I saw some curious examples of people claiming they liked something. But on talking with them further, it became apparent and some confessed privately, that it was just a pretense. They were either doing it to be considered part of a clique or just seem cool. Or maybe there were other reasons.
Whether we like to admit it or not, the choices we make in music, art, food, sports, movies, TV shows, books, merchandise are often
used to judge us (and also used by us to judge others). So some entities in these are accorded a higher value than others. Def Leppard will be considered superior to Bryan Adams. Perhaps a Discovery show better than reality TV. Murakami over Stephenie Meyer. Art cinema over 'mainstream'. And so on.
So there's a kind of a divide. You can look at people on both sides of this divide in several ways. In an empathetic way. Critically. Or just ignore others.
Empathetic way - those who like the so-called inferior things might pretend to like something better because they don't want to be looked down upon. Or they want to be considered part of the 'in' crowd.
It's hard to look in an empathetical way at those who consider their tastes inherently superior, but here's an attempt - perhaps they have a need for self-validation somewhere which is fulfilled over a period of time by associating with something they've been told growing up, is superior.
Looking critically at people is easy - those pretending to like something superior are just wannabes, wanting to make themselves look good in reflected glory (Interestingly, the Gangnam style song has been interpreted as a satire on these kind of people). Those looking down at others are just snobs/pretentious. Then there's this video of the first Starbucks store opening in Mumbai.
Which brings us to- how should one judge a piece of work? Is there an inherent value to things? Or should things be given a value based solely on how they make one feel? If I think a show is crappy, but it's making someone else very happy, should I judge it? Does that kind of work slowly lead to an overall decline in quality (what is quality)? Where does it stop? Or it doesn't matter at all?
(There's a black comedy movie called God Bless America. Deals with something similar.)
In any case, pretending to like something allegedly superior or looking down at someone's tastes doesn't seem right. I don't know. Maybe fans of gossip magazines, reality TV, Salman Khan, Rajnikant, Big Boss fans (the dedicated, genuine ones. Not those who like it ironically) have it right. Perhaps they are the really happy ones. They know what they like and accept it openly. It may be thought of as low quality (what is quality anyway) stuff but it’s theirs. Happiness is to some extent subjective and people do synthesize happiness. So why should it be damned as wrong or inferior. Or should it?
So there's a kind of a divide. You can look at people on both sides of this divide in several ways. In an empathetic way. Critically. Or just ignore others.
Empathetic way - those who like the so-called inferior things might pretend to like something better because they don't want to be looked down upon. Or they want to be considered part of the 'in' crowd.
It's hard to look in an empathetical way at those who consider their tastes inherently superior, but here's an attempt - perhaps they have a need for self-validation somewhere which is fulfilled over a period of time by associating with something they've been told growing up, is superior.
Looking critically at people is easy - those pretending to like something superior are just wannabes, wanting to make themselves look good in reflected glory (Interestingly, the Gangnam style song has been interpreted as a satire on these kind of people). Those looking down at others are just snobs/pretentious. Then there's this video of the first Starbucks store opening in Mumbai.
Which brings us to- how should one judge a piece of work? Is there an inherent value to things? Or should things be given a value based solely on how they make one feel? If I think a show is crappy, but it's making someone else very happy, should I judge it? Does that kind of work slowly lead to an overall decline in quality (what is quality)? Where does it stop? Or it doesn't matter at all?
(There's a black comedy movie called God Bless America. Deals with something similar.)
In any case, pretending to like something allegedly superior or looking down at someone's tastes doesn't seem right. I don't know. Maybe fans of gossip magazines, reality TV, Salman Khan, Rajnikant, Big Boss fans (the dedicated, genuine ones. Not those who like it ironically) have it right. Perhaps they are the really happy ones. They know what they like and accept it openly. It may be thought of as low quality (what is quality anyway) stuff but it’s theirs. Happiness is to some extent subjective and people do synthesize happiness. So why should it be damned as wrong or inferior. Or should it?
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Seneca and Ghalib
What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.
Seneca
qaid-e-hayaat-o-band-e-gham
asl men dono ek hain.
maut se pahale aadamii
gham se nijaat paaye kyuun
qaid-e-hayaat : prison of life
band-e-Gam : bindings/chains of sorrow
najaat : freedom/liberation
The prison of life and the chains of sorrow are actually same(they go together)
Then why should a man expect to be free from sorrows before his death
Mirza Ghalib
Two gentlemen separated by almost 1800 years. The latter probably had never heard of the former. Yet they are expressing pretty much the same idea..
Seneca
qaid-e-hayaat-o-band-e-gham
asl men dono ek hain.
maut se pahale aadamii
gham se nijaat paaye kyuun
qaid-e-hayaat : prison of life
band-e-Gam : bindings/chains of sorrow
najaat : freedom/liberation
The prison of life and the chains of sorrow are actually same(they go together)
Then why should a man expect to be free from sorrows before his death
Mirza Ghalib
Two gentlemen separated by almost 1800 years. The latter probably had never heard of the former. Yet they are expressing pretty much the same idea..
Friday, November 9, 2012
A beautiful way of looking at Time
In his introduction to the Pomodoro technique, Francesco Cirillo gives some context to how he thought about and developed the idea of the method.
He says there are two ways of thinking about time, described by Bergson and Minkowski.
One is the Abstract way. The other is to view time as a succession of Events.
The Abstract way of looking at time creates more anxiety and is counterproductive. Cirillo offers his Pomodoro technique as a solution; it is based on viewing time as a succession of events.
I'm wondering how looking at time in a particular way leads to such a big difference in how one works.
The Abstract way leads to thinking about time in a linear manner - imagine a line in dark space marked at regular intervals with seconds, minutes, hours and so on. This line extends into space in both directions - to infinity (since we don't know when time 'began' or when it will 'end'). You are standing on this line. This is your line. If you look around, the people in your life are on each of their own, similar lines.
And these lines are moving, constantly. Time is constant, elusive, you can't stop it. You are either running or walking or crawling on it, depending on what's happening at the moment (I'll let Einstein tell you why this passage of time seems so relative). Everything you do is measured against this passage of time, secondary to this movement. This constant measuring (conscious or unconscious), added to the comparisons made with others around you 'more successful' in managing time creates anxiety. As Cirillo says,
What's worse, you don't know when this movement will suddenly stop. The moment to moment transition makes it look like you have an infinite amount of time left but you know at the back of your mind that you have no idea when you will suddenly drop off the line.
As opposed to this, you can measure time in events. Here too, time doesn't stop. However, you are now measuring time in terms of what is happening and what you are doing. Immediately, I can see how this approach leads to being more aware, more mindful (I have to plug my favorite word sooner or later). Perhaps that is the reason why he says this approach does not cause as much anxiety. Instead of fretting about the time passing by, you are now primarily looking at what you are doing with that time. You are actually living in the moment, to use the cliche.
[Reminds me of how a common piece of advice in schooldays was to measure how much was studied instead of how many hours were put in for studies. Of course, the latter way of thinking was also heavily encouraged by some disciplinarians. I suspect its popularity was because of how convenient and tidy it sounds - 'put in 5 hours of study daily' or 'pull an all-nighter' sounds more impressive and awesome than saying 'read and understand two chapters and answer 20 questions'.]
Cirillo has created the rest of the technique based on this concept and other ideas. Quite impressive. I like that the method isn't rocket science. It really reinforces some of the good habits we commonly learn as children and fine-tunes them, while keeping things simple. The simplicity makes it easier to inculcate it into a habit.
He says there are two ways of thinking about time, described by Bergson and Minkowski.
One is the Abstract way. The other is to view time as a succession of Events.
The Abstract way of looking at time creates more anxiety and is counterproductive. Cirillo offers his Pomodoro technique as a solution; it is based on viewing time as a succession of events.
I'm wondering how looking at time in a particular way leads to such a big difference in how one works.
The Abstract way leads to thinking about time in a linear manner - imagine a line in dark space marked at regular intervals with seconds, minutes, hours and so on. This line extends into space in both directions - to infinity (since we don't know when time 'began' or when it will 'end'). You are standing on this line. This is your line. If you look around, the people in your life are on each of their own, similar lines.
And these lines are moving, constantly. Time is constant, elusive, you can't stop it. You are either running or walking or crawling on it, depending on what's happening at the moment (I'll let Einstein tell you why this passage of time seems so relative). Everything you do is measured against this passage of time, secondary to this movement. This constant measuring (conscious or unconscious), added to the comparisons made with others around you 'more successful' in managing time creates anxiety. As Cirillo says,
'We lose our élan vital, our vital contact, which enables us to accomplish things. “Two hours have gone by and I’m still not done; two days have gone by and I’m still not done.” In a moment of weakness, the purpose of the activity at hand is often no longer even clear.
What's worse, you don't know when this movement will suddenly stop. The moment to moment transition makes it look like you have an infinite amount of time left but you know at the back of your mind that you have no idea when you will suddenly drop off the line.
As opposed to this, you can measure time in events. Here too, time doesn't stop. However, you are now measuring time in terms of what is happening and what you are doing. Immediately, I can see how this approach leads to being more aware, more mindful (I have to plug my favorite word sooner or later). Perhaps that is the reason why he says this approach does not cause as much anxiety. Instead of fretting about the time passing by, you are now primarily looking at what you are doing with that time. You are actually living in the moment, to use the cliche.
[Reminds me of how a common piece of advice in schooldays was to measure how much was studied instead of how many hours were put in for studies. Of course, the latter way of thinking was also heavily encouraged by some disciplinarians. I suspect its popularity was because of how convenient and tidy it sounds - 'put in 5 hours of study daily' or 'pull an all-nighter' sounds more impressive and awesome than saying 'read and understand two chapters and answer 20 questions'.]
Cirillo has created the rest of the technique based on this concept and other ideas. Quite impressive. I like that the method isn't rocket science. It really reinforces some of the good habits we commonly learn as children and fine-tunes them, while keeping things simple. The simplicity makes it easier to inculcate it into a habit.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Dishes
It's probably weird and very unmanly to say this - but I confess I love washing dishes.
Yes, it's manual labor - a monotonous, unpleasant, unavoidable job that most people dislike and procrastinate on. Some would say it's abominable that humans should have to devote their time to such a mundane, unproductive task even as we have successfully automated other similar tasks. And guess what, I have an effective dishwasher at my place.
So I can't really rationalize why I like doing this task. But I can describe the good parts that I feel make it pleasant for me.
There's the running water. You just have to read a couple of stories in public health magazines about the water situation in some parts of the world to start feeling immensely grateful for something that most people take for granted. I flick a lever and there's potentially unlimited clean drinkable water flowing at the right pressure right inside my house. You learn to value it very quickly. But it gets better - I get water at the temperature I desire! This used to be a luxury available to few people not long ago. That thought occurs to me almost every time I turn on the tap.
Then there's the dishwashing liquid - some really good quality stuff is available out there. Perhaps it's some OCD I have but I love when something that's greasy and grimy comes off clean and shiny with just a few drops of colorful liquid and some easy scrubbing.
Sitting isn't all that healthy, they tell us. So I like to stay upright when I'm working on the computer. Dishwashing adds to that standing time during the day.
Now, once you zone out of whatever you are doing and focus just on the things in front, you start noticing the small details - the warm water flowing over your hands, the smell of the detergent, the alternating soapy and scrubbed clean feel of the vessels,the grime flowing down the drain, the vessels shining and gleaming, the squeak of the newly clean bowl...the rest of the world fades away and I don't even realize when my internal dialogue starts and some new ideas emerge. I feel this is one of the simplest ways to practice getting into Flow. It really acts as a de-stressor.
To get this kind of experience, as Robert Pirsig says, you have to have the right tools. If any one of these things become a burden or things don't work as they should - the water is sputtering or you have to fill it up from a distance, the soap sucks, the place you are standing in is messy or uncomfortable - it will become very easy to hate the work.
I'm lucky to have these simple luxuries. And I like getting them to work for me.
Yes, it's manual labor - a monotonous, unpleasant, unavoidable job that most people dislike and procrastinate on. Some would say it's abominable that humans should have to devote their time to such a mundane, unproductive task even as we have successfully automated other similar tasks. And guess what, I have an effective dishwasher at my place.
So I can't really rationalize why I like doing this task. But I can describe the good parts that I feel make it pleasant for me.
There's the running water. You just have to read a couple of stories in public health magazines about the water situation in some parts of the world to start feeling immensely grateful for something that most people take for granted. I flick a lever and there's potentially unlimited clean drinkable water flowing at the right pressure right inside my house. You learn to value it very quickly. But it gets better - I get water at the temperature I desire! This used to be a luxury available to few people not long ago. That thought occurs to me almost every time I turn on the tap.
Then there's the dishwashing liquid - some really good quality stuff is available out there. Perhaps it's some OCD I have but I love when something that's greasy and grimy comes off clean and shiny with just a few drops of colorful liquid and some easy scrubbing.
Sitting isn't all that healthy, they tell us. So I like to stay upright when I'm working on the computer. Dishwashing adds to that standing time during the day.
Now, once you zone out of whatever you are doing and focus just on the things in front, you start noticing the small details - the warm water flowing over your hands, the smell of the detergent, the alternating soapy and scrubbed clean feel of the vessels,the grime flowing down the drain, the vessels shining and gleaming, the squeak of the newly clean bowl...the rest of the world fades away and I don't even realize when my internal dialogue starts and some new ideas emerge. I feel this is one of the simplest ways to practice getting into Flow. It really acts as a de-stressor.
To get this kind of experience, as Robert Pirsig says, you have to have the right tools. If any one of these things become a burden or things don't work as they should - the water is sputtering or you have to fill it up from a distance, the soap sucks, the place you are standing in is messy or uncomfortable - it will become very easy to hate the work.
I'm lucky to have these simple luxuries. And I like getting them to work for me.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Easy sweet potato / Yam chutney
1 sweet potato
1 cup Yogurt - plain. Greek Yogurt works too
1/2 cup Roasted peanuts, crushed to little bits and pieces (using grinder or a belan)
1 tbsp Sugar
Serves 3 or serves 1 person for a week!
Oven
Oil-free recipe!
1. Bake the hell out of that potato. I prefer pre-heating the oven to 400 deg F. Then letting the potato bake for 20 mins in an open disposable aluminium tray (because they are cheap). Make stab wounds into the potato 10 minutes into the baking process.
(Note: I don't know if this helps or hinders the process. Some say it lets the heat get to the very core of the potato. Others say if the skin of the potato stays intact, it heats up better but takes longer.)
If the potato isn't soft enough to be eaten by an 80 year old woman with no teeth, bake it till it becomes that way.
Let cool.
The skin should come off very easily.
Mash it in a bowl.
2. Mix in the yogurt and some water till the consistency becomes thin enough to be at that ambivalent state between a solid and a liquid. You should not have to chew it but not drink it either. Get it? If not, meditate on that state for a bit and come back after you've figured it out.
3. Mix in the sugar and crushed peanuts.
Serve semi-chilled. Add crushed black pepper or whatever herbs or spices you fancy.
Goes with bagels or anything that resembles bread. Can also be eaten just like that.
I think it's good as a post-run recovery food. Full of carbs and proteins and just a little fat from that yogurt.
Before:
After:
It may look like poop. But it ain't poop till the next morning.
1 cup Yogurt - plain. Greek Yogurt works too
1/2 cup Roasted peanuts, crushed to little bits and pieces (using grinder or a belan)
1 tbsp Sugar
Serves 3 or serves 1 person for a week!
Oven
Oil-free recipe!
1. Bake the hell out of that potato. I prefer pre-heating the oven to 400 deg F. Then letting the potato bake for 20 mins in an open disposable aluminium tray (because they are cheap). Make stab wounds into the potato 10 minutes into the baking process.
(Note: I don't know if this helps or hinders the process. Some say it lets the heat get to the very core of the potato. Others say if the skin of the potato stays intact, it heats up better but takes longer.)
If the potato isn't soft enough to be eaten by an 80 year old woman with no teeth, bake it till it becomes that way.
Let cool.
The skin should come off very easily.
Mash it in a bowl.
2. Mix in the yogurt and some water till the consistency becomes thin enough to be at that ambivalent state between a solid and a liquid. You should not have to chew it but not drink it either. Get it? If not, meditate on that state for a bit and come back after you've figured it out.
3. Mix in the sugar and crushed peanuts.
Serve semi-chilled. Add crushed black pepper or whatever herbs or spices you fancy.
Goes with bagels or anything that resembles bread. Can also be eaten just like that.
I think it's good as a post-run recovery food. Full of carbs and proteins and just a little fat from that yogurt.
Before:
It may look like poop. But it ain't poop till the next morning.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Surprisingly honest scripture
I don't know all the stories that different religions have, to explain how this universe was created.
The one in the bible is probably most widely known. It's pretty neat and tidy - God created the different elements one after the other in a week. Whether this is to be taken literally or metaphorically, who knows? (I hope no one takes it literally). Islam probably attributes everything to Allah. Have to read up about other religions but I wouldn't be surprised if some Supreme being is given credit.
So it was refreshing to see at least one scripture admit that they don't really know how all of this started and who, if anybody, created it. This scripture is the Rig Ved. Specifically, the hymn of creation in Book 10.
What pisses me off is that very few Hindus seem to be aware of this. Throughout my childhood and teen years, the pujas and rituals were mostly about the different Gods and their stories. They're fun and good for moral values (and bad when they try to inculcate a fear of God in kids). But reading this particular part of the scriptures really makes me want to read more -
From the translation by Ralph T.H. Griffith
The last part about how the Gods were created after the creation and that perhaps even the one who seemingly controls everything doesn't know where all this came from, is really brutally honest.
I like that a religion has the guts to admit 'I don't know'. It also feels good to know your ancestors had a spirit of curiosity.
The one in the bible is probably most widely known. It's pretty neat and tidy - God created the different elements one after the other in a week. Whether this is to be taken literally or metaphorically, who knows? (I hope no one takes it literally). Islam probably attributes everything to Allah. Have to read up about other religions but I wouldn't be surprised if some Supreme being is given credit.
So it was refreshing to see at least one scripture admit that they don't really know how all of this started and who, if anybody, created it. This scripture is the Rig Ved. Specifically, the hymn of creation in Book 10.
What pisses me off is that very few Hindus seem to be aware of this. Throughout my childhood and teen years, the pujas and rituals were mostly about the different Gods and their stories. They're fun and good for moral values (and bad when they try to inculcate a fear of God in kids). But reading this particular part of the scriptures really makes me want to read more -
From the translation by Ralph T.H. Griffith
1. THEN was not non-existent nor existent: there was no realm of air, no sky beyond it.
What covered in, and where? and what gave shelter? Was water there, unfathomed depth of water?
2 Death was not then, nor was there aught immortal: no sign was there, the day's and night's divider.
That One Thing, breathless, breathed by its own nature: apart from it was nothing whatsoever.
3 Darkness there was: at first concealed in darkness this All was indiscriminated chaos.
All that existed then was void and form less: by the great power of Warmth was born that Unit.
4 Thereafter rose Desire in the beginning, Desire, the primal seed and germ of Spirit.
Sages who searched with their heart's thought discovered the existent's kinship in the non-existent.
5 Transversely was their severing line extended: what was above it then, and what below it?
There were begetters, there were mighty forces, free action here and energy up yonder
6 Who verily knows and who can here declare it, whence it was born and whence comes this creation?
The Gods are later than this world's production. Who knows then whence it first came into being?
7 He, the first origin of this creation, whether he formed it all or did not form it,
Whose eye controls this world in highest heaven, he verily knows it, or perhaps he knows not.
The last part about how the Gods were created after the creation and that perhaps even the one who seemingly controls everything doesn't know where all this came from, is really brutally honest.
I like that a religion has the guts to admit 'I don't know'. It also feels good to know your ancestors had a spirit of curiosity.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Inferiority complex
I was at a conference recently where a lot of speakers were from different countries in Europe. It was hard to ignore their accent and usage of English. One speaker, I think she was a native of Scotland but living in Oregon, pronounced 'aqueous' as 'a quiz' and had other quirky twists. Several presentations had minor typos in the slides (which is kind of bad practice in scientific presentations).
The remarkable thing was, none of them had even a hint of regret, despair or guilt for not being able to speak 'correct' English. Of course, almost all of them periodically and jokingly apologized for their 'poor' English. But it was apparent that they did so out of politeness. The audience too did not seem to mind these lapses and differences.
I couldn't help comparing this scenario with how a person from India speaking poor English would be perceived by fellow Indians in a similar situation. There are so many examples I've seen - if someone can't speak English fluently, they are considered fair game for ridicule and mockery.
Yes, there are some jerks and show-offs who try to use English to hit on girls or sound scholarly (and end up falling flat on their faces). But for every such person, there are many others who have not had the opportunity or did not feel the need to learn the language very well. Their thoughts and ideas are often needlessly sidelined. Why not pay more attention to the content? You can be articulate in your native language too.
This is of course not a new issue. Some would attribute it to the Macaulization of Indian education, others to liberalization and westernization. I don't know the root cause. But there definitely is a deep-rooted inferiority complex among many Indians when it comes to English. Those who have had the privilege (and others who have worked hard) to learn the language often look down upon the 'natives'. We have politicians and celebrities reminding us of their degrees and educational pedigrees. I wonder if this is a sub-conscious attempt to mask their own inferiority complex.
It doesn't look like any of this will change any time soon though. From anecdotes, I can see that the number of middle-class households where English is the main language (proudly) spoken at home, are increasing. The gap between these folks and the 'natives' seems ever expanding.
The remarkable thing was, none of them had even a hint of regret, despair or guilt for not being able to speak 'correct' English. Of course, almost all of them periodically and jokingly apologized for their 'poor' English. But it was apparent that they did so out of politeness. The audience too did not seem to mind these lapses and differences.
I couldn't help comparing this scenario with how a person from India speaking poor English would be perceived by fellow Indians in a similar situation. There are so many examples I've seen - if someone can't speak English fluently, they are considered fair game for ridicule and mockery.
Yes, there are some jerks and show-offs who try to use English to hit on girls or sound scholarly (and end up falling flat on their faces). But for every such person, there are many others who have not had the opportunity or did not feel the need to learn the language very well. Their thoughts and ideas are often needlessly sidelined. Why not pay more attention to the content? You can be articulate in your native language too.
This is of course not a new issue. Some would attribute it to the Macaulization of Indian education, others to liberalization and westernization. I don't know the root cause. But there definitely is a deep-rooted inferiority complex among many Indians when it comes to English. Those who have had the privilege (and others who have worked hard) to learn the language often look down upon the 'natives'. We have politicians and celebrities reminding us of their degrees and educational pedigrees. I wonder if this is a sub-conscious attempt to mask their own inferiority complex.
It doesn't look like any of this will change any time soon though. From anecdotes, I can see that the number of middle-class households where English is the main language (proudly) spoken at home, are increasing. The gap between these folks and the 'natives' seems ever expanding.
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Christianity. Baptist. Catholic. Orthodox. Protestant. Nicene. Anabaptist. Calvinist. Anglican. Lutheran. Assyrian. Non-Trinitarian. Esoteric. Seventh Day Adventist.
Confucianism.
Hinduism. Dvaita. Advaita. Bhakti. Vaishnav. Mimansak. Sankhya. Shakti. Shaiv. Sraut.
Irreligion. Atheist. Humanist. Secularist. Skeptic. Antitheist. Apatheist. Agnostic. Ignostic. Feminist (......). New Atheist. Atheist Plus.
Islam. Sunni. Shia. Sufi. Ibadi. Ahmadiyya. Quranist. Liberal Muslim. Nation of Islam. Deobandi. Wahhabi. Salafi.
Jainism. Digambar. Shwetambar.Terapanthi. Sthanakvasi. Srimad. Taranapanth. Kanji Panth.
Judaism. Orthodox. Hasidic. Sephardi. Haredi. Masorti. Liberal. Reconstructionist. Humanistic.
Sikhism.
Taoism. Tianshi Dao. Shangqing. Lingbao. Quanzhen Dao. Zhengyi Dao. Wuliupai.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Things to remember for the next marathon
1) Take cross training and core workouts as seriously as keeping up the weekly mileage.
2) Do speed-training
3) Remember to study the starting area layout for 'gear check'.
4) Invite some friends to the race. Apart from sharing your happiness, they can also click photos and hold your gear for you.
5) Book a massage appointment BEFORE the marathon for a 1 or 2 days AFTER the marathon.
6) Figure out how you are going to get back home after the run, BEFOREHAND.
7) Buy as many gel packs as your belt can carry. No miserly behavior there.
8) Make sure you take a dump, clear your nose, have nipple protection, vaseline for intertriginous areas, and sweat band before the run.
9) Get your shoelaces tight. Check once just before starting.
10) The slow miles should be only the first 3-5 ones. After that pick up speed or you'll lose momentum. Let yourself run and be exhausted. You have the gels and water.
11) The most refreshing food to be had during the race is oranges or grapefruit.
12) Stop with the internal dialogue after 20 miles. There's no point in quitting after 20 miles anyway (unless it's an emergency). From 13-20 keep telling yourself that it's just an hour or so more and the more you keep going, the sooner it will be over.
13) Have really good party plans. Run hard and party hard.
2) Do speed-training
3) Remember to study the starting area layout for 'gear check'.
4) Invite some friends to the race. Apart from sharing your happiness, they can also click photos and hold your gear for you.
5) Book a massage appointment BEFORE the marathon for a 1 or 2 days AFTER the marathon.
6) Figure out how you are going to get back home after the run, BEFOREHAND.
7) Buy as many gel packs as your belt can carry. No miserly behavior there.
8) Make sure you take a dump, clear your nose, have nipple protection, vaseline for intertriginous areas, and sweat band before the run.
9) Get your shoelaces tight. Check once just before starting.
10) The slow miles should be only the first 3-5 ones. After that pick up speed or you'll lose momentum. Let yourself run and be exhausted. You have the gels and water.
11) The most refreshing food to be had during the race is oranges or grapefruit.
12) Stop with the internal dialogue after 20 miles. There's no point in quitting after 20 miles anyway (unless it's an emergency). From 13-20 keep telling yourself that it's just an hour or so more and the more you keep going, the sooner it will be over.
13) Have really good party plans. Run hard and party hard.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Changing the concept of when a day starts
Just an experiment.What if we started thinking that a day starts at 9 pm instead of when one wakes up in the morning or at midnight?
Well, you could have a rocking start to the day with friends, dancing, parties and booze. Or you could start the day by spending time with family. Or waste time in front of the TV. Or if you are the organized disciplined types, you could start the next day by getting your clothes and food ready.
The next best thing about this day is you get to sleep right away! If you are anything like me, you love sleep. You'll be getting good sleep for several hours, not just a little nap.
Ok, so nearly half the day is over, you've enjoyed your time till now AND you are well-rested. A good time to run or work out or simply go for a walk. It's fun to take a break right in the middle of the day have coffee and breakfast.
And all you have to do now is squeeze in a few hours of work before the day is over and you get to food and fun again. If you are a work masochist, think of this - you will be working 'late' since the day ends at 9 pm. But who cares? The next day is going to start with fun and sleep.
Well, you could have a rocking start to the day with friends, dancing, parties and booze. Or you could start the day by spending time with family. Or waste time in front of the TV. Or if you are the organized disciplined types, you could start the next day by getting your clothes and food ready.
The next best thing about this day is you get to sleep right away! If you are anything like me, you love sleep. You'll be getting good sleep for several hours, not just a little nap.
Ok, so nearly half the day is over, you've enjoyed your time till now AND you are well-rested. A good time to run or work out or simply go for a walk. It's fun to take a break right in the middle of the day have coffee and breakfast.
And all you have to do now is squeeze in a few hours of work before the day is over and you get to food and fun again. If you are a work masochist, think of this - you will be working 'late' since the day ends at 9 pm. But who cares? The next day is going to start with fun and sleep.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Hitting the wall
Around the time you 'hit the wall' during the latter half of a marathon, the way you think changes.
The discomfort, exhaustion, pain, the compelling urge to go on and give up at the same time, the noticeable lack of people around you make you realize how alone you really are.
At that point, your friends, family, teammates, other runners, your dog, nobody can really understand where you are mentally. Even if some of them do, there's really nothing they can do about it. That's a sort of unique thing about long distance running. Your performance depends mostly on you. How others perform or support you becomes irrelevant. It's you,all alone.
Once you 'get' how alone you really are, there are several things your mind starts processing. One is, what I believe most people end up doing, is to think positively. Hope, optimism, determination, courage(?), grit, just pushing through it, willpower. All those positive desirable traits show up. This becomes easier if your personality at baseline is of that sort.
Occasionally however, the darker side of your personality can show up. The constant discomfort turns you into a snarling beast internally. Someone who is immune to the good charm and bonhomie that was around him just some time ago. Who is focused on only one thing. Pushing and punishing himself till this is done.
The discomfort, exhaustion, pain, the compelling urge to go on and give up at the same time, the noticeable lack of people around you make you realize how alone you really are.
At that point, your friends, family, teammates, other runners, your dog, nobody can really understand where you are mentally. Even if some of them do, there's really nothing they can do about it. That's a sort of unique thing about long distance running. Your performance depends mostly on you. How others perform or support you becomes irrelevant. It's you,all alone.
Once you 'get' how alone you really are, there are several things your mind starts processing. One is, what I believe most people end up doing, is to think positively. Hope, optimism, determination, courage(?), grit, just pushing through it, willpower. All those positive desirable traits show up. This becomes easier if your personality at baseline is of that sort.
Occasionally however, the darker side of your personality can show up. The constant discomfort turns you into a snarling beast internally. Someone who is immune to the good charm and bonhomie that was around him just some time ago. Who is focused on only one thing. Pushing and punishing himself till this is done.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Meditation habit - check
The 30 days for creating a meditation habit were over some time ago. I skipped meditating 7 of the 30 days. But always got back on track. Even after the 30 days are over, I've kept up the practice everyday.
Two lessons:
Something which seemed nearly impossible and vaguely effective after feeble attempts for more than a year, is now a concrete habit. In just 30 days.
Secondly, I'm learning to accept imperfection. There's hardly anything perfect or superbly technical about the way I meditate. Also, as I mentioned I skipped 7 of those days. So in effect, this was done in 23 days.
(Incidentally Cal Newport has a blog post today on perfectionism.)
But it has worked and served me well. I can now meditate for 14-15 minutes at a time. Without falling asleep or getting the urge to go to the laptop or eat something. I now actually look forward to it.
Next habit - waking up early.
Two lessons:
Something which seemed nearly impossible and vaguely effective after feeble attempts for more than a year, is now a concrete habit. In just 30 days.
Secondly, I'm learning to accept imperfection. There's hardly anything perfect or superbly technical about the way I meditate. Also, as I mentioned I skipped 7 of those days. So in effect, this was done in 23 days.
(Incidentally Cal Newport has a blog post today on perfectionism.)
But it has worked and served me well. I can now meditate for 14-15 minutes at a time. Without falling asleep or getting the urge to go to the laptop or eat something. I now actually look forward to it.
Next habit - waking up early.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Anything could be meditative..
...even prying off pebbles that get stuck in the underside of the soles of your running shoes. And washing them afterward. You just need to do it quietly, mindfully and without unnecessary rush.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Minimalism meets Zen
I used to get annoyed, even feel somewhat cheated, on reading Leo Babauta's posts. Actually, when I first discovered his blog I liked his writing and ideas a lot. Then, over a period of time, the repetitive ideas started jarring. I mean how often can you keep writing the same stuff day after day...focus, zen, minimalism, veganism, going against a culture of materialistic consumerism..
Strangely however, now I've started relying on that repetition of ideas. The blog posts are becoming a kind of anchor, something to remind me of what worked. It brings my straying mind back to what I need to focus on. If you look at it that way, this is kind of an episodic prolonged meditation!
The Simplify post worked for me this way. There are no new ideas in it. But it provides a reminder and a summary of many similarly themed ideas he has written about in the past. Briefly,
1) Block off some disconnected time
2) Start eliminating commitments. (eliminating is the key word, not doing. Things can be done or gotten rid of by saying no.)
3) Start purging possessions. (Glad to say I've been doing this more and more frequently)
4) Ban shopping for 30 days
5) Wash your bowl. (check)
6) Schedule time for what's important. (Am dismal here)
7) Eat some plants (check)
8) Drink green tea. I've found it's taste horrible. But then I got it from a tea-coffee making machine. Maybe I could try out making some at home.)
Strangely however, now I've started relying on that repetition of ideas. The blog posts are becoming a kind of anchor, something to remind me of what worked. It brings my straying mind back to what I need to focus on. If you look at it that way, this is kind of an episodic prolonged meditation!
The Simplify post worked for me this way. There are no new ideas in it. But it provides a reminder and a summary of many similarly themed ideas he has written about in the past. Briefly,
1) Block off some disconnected time
2) Start eliminating commitments. (eliminating is the key word, not doing. Things can be done or gotten rid of by saying no.)
3) Start purging possessions. (Glad to say I've been doing this more and more frequently)
4) Ban shopping for 30 days
5) Wash your bowl. (check)
6) Schedule time for what's important. (Am dismal here)
7) Eat some plants (check)
8) Drink green tea. I've found it's taste horrible. But then I got it from a tea-coffee making machine. Maybe I could try out making some at home.)
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Ego-running and selfless running
Around the middle of the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Robert Pirsig describes a pilgrimage he attempted in India. He set out for Mt. Kailas, the source of Ganga and the mythological abode of Shankar. He was in the company of a holy man and his followers.
But despite having the physical strength and intellectual motivation, he gave up after the third day and the pilgrimage went on without him.
Thinking about the reason for his failure, he makes a distinction between ego-climbing and selfless climbing.
He acknowledges that he was doing the whole thing for himself, to broaden his experience. He was using the mountain and the pilgrimage for his own purposes. In other words his view and experience of the pilgrimage was ego-centric. Ego-climbing.
The others however, saw the mountain as bigger (in metaphorical terms) than them. Their submission to its holiness made climbing an act of devotion for them. Unreal as it sounds, this gave them the strength to endure more than he could, even though he was the physically stronger one. They were not climbing for themselves but devoting their steps to something bigger than them. Selfless climbing, in one sense.
I've realized gradually that endurance activities- running, for me - are as much if not more about the mindset as about physical strength. This anecdote and the distinction between ego-and selfless running gives a good structure for developing a mindset when running. While it may be hard to think about a trail or a running path in a city as holy, it would be helpful to try selfless running by being more present and mindful of the process of running. He has described it more eloquently. A few extracts (I re-read the passage substituting running for climbing):
"To the untrained eye ego-climbing and selfless climbing may appear identical. Both kinds of climbers place one foot in front of the other. Both breathe in and out at the same rate. Both stop when tired. Both go forward when rested. But what a difference! The ego-climber is like an instrument out of adjustment. He puts his foot down an instant too soon or too late. He's likely to miss a beautiful passage of sunlight through the trees. He goes on when the sloppiness of his step shows he's tired. He rests at odd times. He looks up the trail trying to see what's ahead even when he knows what's ahead because he just looked a second before. He goes too fast or too slow for the conditions and when he talks his talk is forever about somewhere else, something else. He's here but he's not here. He rejects the here, is unhappy with it, wants to be farther up the trail but when he gets there will be just as unhappy because then it will be "here". What he's looking for, what he wants, is all around him, but he doesn't want that because it is all around him. Every step's an effort, both physically and spiritually, because he imagines his goal to be external and distant."
I wonder though if this can be put into practice when you are running in a group or with a partner.
But despite having the physical strength and intellectual motivation, he gave up after the third day and the pilgrimage went on without him.
Thinking about the reason for his failure, he makes a distinction between ego-climbing and selfless climbing.
He acknowledges that he was doing the whole thing for himself, to broaden his experience. He was using the mountain and the pilgrimage for his own purposes. In other words his view and experience of the pilgrimage was ego-centric. Ego-climbing.
The others however, saw the mountain as bigger (in metaphorical terms) than them. Their submission to its holiness made climbing an act of devotion for them. Unreal as it sounds, this gave them the strength to endure more than he could, even though he was the physically stronger one. They were not climbing for themselves but devoting their steps to something bigger than them. Selfless climbing, in one sense.
I've realized gradually that endurance activities- running, for me - are as much if not more about the mindset as about physical strength. This anecdote and the distinction between ego-and selfless running gives a good structure for developing a mindset when running. While it may be hard to think about a trail or a running path in a city as holy, it would be helpful to try selfless running by being more present and mindful of the process of running. He has described it more eloquently. A few extracts (I re-read the passage substituting running for climbing):
"To the untrained eye ego-climbing and selfless climbing may appear identical. Both kinds of climbers place one foot in front of the other. Both breathe in and out at the same rate. Both stop when tired. Both go forward when rested. But what a difference! The ego-climber is like an instrument out of adjustment. He puts his foot down an instant too soon or too late. He's likely to miss a beautiful passage of sunlight through the trees. He goes on when the sloppiness of his step shows he's tired. He rests at odd times. He looks up the trail trying to see what's ahead even when he knows what's ahead because he just looked a second before. He goes too fast or too slow for the conditions and when he talks his talk is forever about somewhere else, something else. He's here but he's not here. He rejects the here, is unhappy with it, wants to be farther up the trail but when he gets there will be just as unhappy because then it will be "here". What he's looking for, what he wants, is all around him, but he doesn't want that because it is all around him. Every step's an effort, both physically and spiritually, because he imagines his goal to be external and distant."
I wonder though if this can be put into practice when you are running in a group or with a partner.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Depression has a song!
No one needs to be told that this is a sad song. Even those unfamiliar with Hindi can guess the mood of the song from it's soulful tune. However, I listened to its lyrics carefully this time. And I found that no other song captures the feelings of someone sufffering from clinical depression in as few words as this one does. A 1970s hindi song describing symptoms of depression is really interesting. I've tried translating it below, with no attempt at poetic rhythm, and the corresponding symptoms of depression are identified. As usual, several English words fail to capture the aroma of the original Hindi/Urdu words.:
badi suni suni hai
zindagi ye zindagi - (2)
mai khud se hun yahaan
ajanabi ajanabi. badi
This life is quite forlorn. I'm a stranger to myself here. (hopelessness, dissociation)
kabhi ek pal bhi, kahi ye
udaasi
dil meraa bhule
If my heart manages to forget this unhappiness even for a moment,
tabhi muskuraakar dabe
paanv aakar
dukh mujhe chhule
Just then Sadness reappears and touches me quietly, knowingly. (Persistent feelings of unhappiness)
na kar mujhase gam mere,
dillagi ye dillagi
badi
My sorrow, please don't play these games with my heart.
kabhi mai na soyaa, kahi
mujhase khoyaa
sukh meraa aise
Sometimes, I don't sleep (insomnia). I've lost my own happiness
pataa naam likhakar, kahi
yunhi rakhakar
bhule koi kaise
the way someone might forget a thing that has their name and address written over it.
ajab dukh bhari hai ye,
bebasi bebasi
This (helplessness) is strange and fills me with sorrow.
I doubt the lyricist was able to write this without having suffered or having seen someone close suffer from depression. Thanks for writing this Yogesh ji, wherever you are.
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