chaotic order

Jottings - Slice of life - 231 ( "Kaala" - too lengthy a movie, but a rare glimpse into Rajni - the actor) The problem with most Indian movies is that it has to be nearly three hours long. We simply cannot accept the idea that a story can be told convincingly and with sufficient entertainment is less than that. And most stories, we tell, hardly have enough meat in it to keep a discerning audience riveted for nearly 180 minutes. Movie makers may argue: we cater to the masses, and not to the high-nosed, Hollywood soaked literate gentry who walk into cinema halls only to critique and compare. That may be true; I am not questioning that. But the point is, evolution and appreciation of an art form is a bilateral responsibility. Unless the artist is bold and talented enough to change tastes and attitudes, their audience wouldn't have an opportunity to adapt and appreciate. Its a osmotic relationship. Every major change in trends - whether it be in music, painting, dance of

Jottings - Slice of life - 217 (The art of teaching a course as a subject) “ So, ladies and gentlemen, if in the last day and half, I have managed to give you a taste of what data storage in this digital world is likely to be, what are its challenges, and more importantly, how traditional concepts of relational data will no more hold sway - then I think my job is done. The idea behind this workshop was to reorient thinking, kindle and forge new path ways, and leave you with a sense of deja vu. I never promised to make you experts “ - there was a giggle from the audience, I continued - “ It is impossible to do so in such short time and with participants from different backgrounds. But , if all of you can collectively and individually walk out of this room with the firm conviction that this new model is the model which will work for you, and you will be crusaders for change within your large enterprise, then all of our time is well spent. This is the just the beginning of a learni

Jottings - slice of life - 223 ( Mom's indomitable spirit and her amazing spiritual journey) The Hindu Dharma divides human life into neat compartments in tune with the organic requirements of the body and psyche as it flowers and ages. There is childhood, when life is carefree and everything is full of wonder; it is followed by adolescence - a period of grooming and discipline, then follows the prolonged period of Adulthood with social, professional and cultural responsibilities taking over; finally a time when it is necessary to relinquish all that we have achieved and retire into a sacred space within in preparation to return where we came from. These are not strict watertight compartments. Each of these stages can appear sooner or later depending upon opportunity and circumstances. The goal of Hinduism is to live life as fully as one can, and then give it all up without reservations with the firm understanding that life is more than mere human achievements. This is not fata

Jottings - Slice of life - 224 ( End of seasoned life in politics and literature - Kalaignar Karunanidhi) The phrase "end of an era" is used flippantly in modern times. It is easily applied to anyone who holds stage for a modest time, briefly basking in the glory of their talent or position, and fading away into history without much of an impact. However, It will be the unanimous opinion of pundits and common man alike that none deserves that honorable tribute of " end of an era" in thought, deed and action more than Dr Karunanidhi, or Kalaignar as he was affectionately called. At 94 years of age, in a private hospital in Chennai, this amazing life comes to an end, and with him ends a legacy unparalleled in the annals of political history anywhere in the world. For fifty long years, he was the undisputed leader of his party with not so much as whiff of challenge from anyone. In those fifty years, he served as the chief minister five times; in those fifty years,

Jottings - Slice of life - 225 ( The talent of Alia, and the genius of Gulzar come together in “Raazi” ) It is ironical that actors are often criticized for being artificial, when their very art demands artificiality and impersonation. One cannot act unless one knows how to put on a mask, and good measure of acting and quality of an actor lies in how much of the mask reveals the character played, and how much of the artist is revealed through that mask. Its a double edged sword, and a delicate balance needs to be achieved to avoid leaning to either of the extremes. The greatest of actors manage to bring a harmonious blend of both in their work, and when that magic happens, audiences are scarcely conscious of watching an “actor” playing a role, but simply dissolve in the story and the role portrayed with consummate artistry by the actor. But such sublime performances are rare, only possible at the peak of ones career - and to a large extent depends on luck, coincidence of being avai

Jottings - Slice of life - 226 ( Sir Naipaul - a significant life in letters ( 1932 - 2018)) Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul, better known as VS Naipaul or "Vidia" to those close to him, quietly passed at his home in London just short of eighty six years of age. When Naipaul was awarded the Nobel prize for literature in 2001, the literary world was surprised and elated at the same time. They were surprised because Vidia was a relentless critic, unsparing of thoughts and words, and wrote honestly about what he saw; they were elated because no one deserved the highest literary honor better then him for his sheer breadth of observation and sustained quality of writing. The flawless simplicity of his prose spread across 50 years in more than 50 books of fiction and non-fiction, his ability to look beneath the facade of colonialism and its after effects in both the colonizers and the colonized; the predicament of people caught between emancipation from the ruled and their ow

Jottings - Slice of life - 227 ( Our tryst with destiny - seventy years of Independence; the tricolored flag flies high) A country comes into existence, when its flag is recognised as representing a sovereign nation with fixed boundaries, duly constituted and acknowledged as the homeland of certain set of people who have entered into sacred covenant with the land they inhabit to make civic, social laws; govern and organize themselves in a manner befitting their heritage and culture. No matter how small or how large the country, it is that simple piece of cloth thoughtfully and symbolically woven, colored and imprinted, hoisted high up on a firm pole - such that it flutters proudly in breathless proclamation that the liberty and freedom of the country it symbolizes, will now and forever live and dream as one cohesive unit, and strive to live in harmony and peace with international order. For a newly found nation, the flag is the most sacred totem, layered myth and divine decree - al

Jottings - Slice of life - 229 ( Dr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee - the philosopher-statesman of Modern India (1924 - 2018)) Somehow, I can never forget that day - 27th May 1996. Even at this distance of Twenty odd years, with so many experiences and memories crowding, I cannot but remember with emotional pride and awe the composed, mature and stoic demeanor of Atal Bihari Vajpayee clad in trademark kurta and vest, with sagely eyes reflecting deep thought and erudition, and hair greyed with age and learning - as he stood up to deliver his majestic and pointed address to fellow parliamentarians on how flimsy and insubstantial their claim on history was and how by capriciously uniting against a majority party that had the national mandate, they were making a mockery of democratic values, twisting the legalities of the house and putting the welfare of India at stake.As he spoke that day, he was fully aware, that his thirteen day governance was about to come to an end, and his government disso

Jottings - Slice of Life - 230 ( Dr Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of UN (1938 - 2018)) In Ghana, children are named with great care and attention, as they do in many parts of the East. Depending upon the ethnic group, village and community, Ghanaian names vary considerably. My long time cab driver is from Ghana, and he once recounted to me the naming convention in his home country, and its significance. They are usually given a "Day name", indicating the day of the week on which the child was born - "Kwasi" means Sunday, "Kwaku" means Wednesday, and "Kofi" means friday. Our Former secretary, general of United Nations, Dr Kofi Annan, who passed away today, after brief illness at the age of eighty, was a man born on a Friday ( Kofi), an auspicious day in Ghana. Elders believe that a child born that day is notably blessed by the stars and planetary alignments, and parents particularly rejoice in an offspring who chooses to come out on a f