chaotic order

Jottings : Slice of life - 56 Look at this “Kolam” ( a traditional form of drawing) very carefully. What will strike one almost immediately is the geometrical precision of its execution. Its hypnotic structure captivating in its symmetry. The lines so firm, the edges fluted, careful strokes in color interwoven in definitive patterns, which makes sense once drawn - but in the mind of its artist it would have remained a fluid vision, bursting out like a flower out of nowhere and blooming and gasping towards perfection as the hand draws out its intricate patterns in one spontaneous movement of harmony between mind and body. This drawing is not by a twenty year old or a forty year old artist, but by our octogenarian aunt, the eldest in the family living in Palani, Tamilnadu. Frail of body, strong willed, articulate, she has spent every moment of her adult life in this little town - renowned as a place of pilgrimage, living within its conservative traditions, serving her late Husband

Jottings : Slice of life - 55 ( Gulzar and Tagore) It is in a way unfortunate that the image of Poet Laureate Rabindranath Tagore immediately brings to mind a picture of a old matured face, with flowing grey beard, draped in flowing clothes often with a shawl casually thrown over his shoulder, solemn eyes with a steady gaze seemingly hiding immense pain and longing behind its facade, an otherworldly look that categories him only as a poet who wrote of God, cosmos and such unearthly subjects. Nothing can be further from the truth. The body of work representing Tagore is as varied, rich and poetic as Shakespeare's. From political tracts to social issues to romantic love to patriotic fervor to sensual relationships to family dramas- his plays, short stories and poetry spans the entire range with equal ease and felicity. Though he was officially awarded the Nobel prize in 1913 after "Gitanjali" was published, the nobel citation made it clear the award was given "be

Jottings : Slice of life -54 ( the art of written communication) A few weeks ago, a friend of mine, who holds a senior position in a leading software enterprise , made the following remark “Bala, nearly three fourths of my working day is spent composing emails to different people. Sometimes, it takes an hour to put down my thoughts the way I want to… It is quite draining..” “Thats strange : Are you saying that you are taking time thinking about what you want to write or is it that your time is consumed writing what you have thought and decided? which one of this is true? “Why do you ask that. Aren't they the same?” “No My friend, they are entirely different. In the first case, you are consciously deliberating on how you should respond to the substance of an email received, or a proposal under consideration. It is more about solid thinking, weighing options, based upon your professional expertise and knowledge you bring to the table.. And organizations decide to pay you

Jottings : slice of life - 53 ( Goli vada pav - a journey) To be part of a system, work with it, accomodate to its demands, pressures and necessities, and to retire with enough money to keep you comfortable for rest of your lives - is an accepted and socially blessed way of professional living. But on the other hand, to break from that rut, conceive of a quaint idea, nurture and nourish it with your “ Sweat, blood and toil”, endure the rigors of its progress, withstand the tremendous psychological and financial pressures it brings upon your family life, to duck innumerable criticisms and downright vindictiveness (sometimes), equally blessed with luck and encouragement from known and unknown sources, and above all, to sustain an idea through a long decade despite all vicissitudes and build a successful business enterprise commanding national acceptance and international penetration - is a bold, audacious and adventurous journey worth, in retrospect, every minute and effort that wen

Jottings : Slice of life - 51 In this 57th Presidential campaign, the third debate held this week in Las Vegas provided a glimpse , perhaps for the first time, into where both the candidates stood in terms of their intellectual and professional calibre to assume the chair of Presidency. In the year long fiasco in the name of election campaign, the empty and vituperative mud slinging, the sheer lack of substance to any of the core issues Presidents are expected to debate; it took this third and final debate, finally, and much to my relief and to millions of others I would presume, to provide a realistic assessment about whom they should be electing. Not that either of them came out as strong winners, but having them spell out and respond to a key questions spontaneously ( at least we are told it is spontaneous) juxtaposed the intellectual apparatus needed to drive the most powerful, complete democracy in the world. While one reacted with grimaces, guffaws and lack of depth in his

Jottings : Slice of life -41 The day before Yesterday, Hindus across the globe celebrated what has come to christened as "Janmastami" - or the birth of Krishna, the youthful God. Among the Gods and Goddesses created by Human Mind, nothing comes even close to the deep symbolism of this little dark prince of Vedic times. He is Aphrodite, Zeus, Ra, Hermes and Apollo - all rolled into one creative symbol. It is interesting though, that the name krishna drives from its Sanskrit root "The Black one", or the "blue-black one". It has deep mystical significance. Black absorbs everything into itself Just as the sky placidly reflects the colour of the ocean and vice versa, Krishna consciousness in each man obliterates the scars of experience , and purifies the experience of objective world outside. Its an osmotic process of cleansing and experiencing. In Krishna's symbolism, there is nothing right or wrong, Moral or immoral. It is contextual. His actions refl

Jottings : Slice of life -41 Audrey Hepburn - An elegant and authentic life When you look at Audrey Hepburn, the thing that strikes you first with tremendous force are those large eyes, eyes that are not merely beautiful, but deep placid pools revealing honesty, spontaneity and deep love of life. You can keep looking at them forever. Nothing else about her needs to speak. Her eyes does all the talking needed, and all we lose ourselves in those bright orbs, and through them into the character and person Audrey was, is , and will presumably be for generations to come. The history of World cinema has seen no better ambassador of its art, or a more imitable icon of what an actor could achieve in global arena with fame, publicity and the reach it brings, than Audrey Hepburn did in her public life which spanned over 40 years. Hers was a special life indeed. Born to royal blood. Her mother was a baroness and her father an aristocrat. Cuddled and happy, the 1930’s she was born in quick