Commitment to Society-BIG Question!

Commitment is for those people who are obliged or bounded to work.. Now where as expressing commitment for action.. Now it goes off my head. If everyone is true to oneself, your contribution to the society is already done. Now if you actually feel that you are committed and hence have to do that, then it goes against the spirit of the question. What’s genuine will be expressed with pure love, as I will be guided by none other than MYSELF.

Expectations n Relationships!

It may happen with us that I may want the company of the person without whom I cant live or my life may seem incomplete. But it can also be true that later I may feel constrained in the relationship or my illusions may get shattered. Well all I want to say is the real culprit here is my mind. It makes expectations, and creates an aura or image of an ideal person whom I want, without any connection to the real person. And all the life I may try to fit that person into that image. No wonder there are ripples in the relationship. Here what I have to consider first is whether I am flexible and open enough to consider and understand the person as he is? Or else that perfect marriage with a perfect person would be nothing but a MIRAGE. Think about it!

Actually, expectations in relationships increase because of repeated behavior of the other person and also on your own emotional attachment with her. But,when you have expectations, you are bound to be either satisfied or dissatisfied. The way you react will alter the relationship, and may even constrain it when you try to restrain or bound the other person. Well, I guess you can be aware of the expectations you have and hence so you can actually discover the joy of the relationship.

Everyone may share different perspectives, but I can at least examine my own assumptions as I don’t think that expectations form the basis of relationships. Well, there may be an inherent need to associate with others, still will it lead to expectations? May be I have to look in myself..

Samskara, A movie on Funeral Rites!!!!

I just watched Samskara (Funeral Rites), a movie by Girish Karnad. Its actually a Kannada play written by Ananta Murthy, which is translated by Girish Karnad. A lovely movie depicting the range of moral dilemma of a Acharya over the funeral rites of a Brahmin who didn’t heed to Brahmin community rules.

The story actually runs like this. There is this Brahmin Narayanappa, who drinks liquor, ate meat and kept a sudra mistress. He dies suddenly. Now there is discussion in the community about his cremation, and the Acharya, the head of the Brahmin community fails to answer and meanwhile he sleeps with Narayanappa’s Mistress and then he feels guilty about it and runs away from his place. In the due course, plague broke out in the village and everyone deserts it where as the Acharya gets his head right about what he wants to do and returns to cremate the dead body. The ending is kept ambiguous and whether he returns to Narayanappa’s mistress or not is an open question.

The movie depicts the past society in all its glory and gives a beautiful count of the political, social and moral issues involved in the funeral rites. Girish Karnad is simply fabulous and the way the depth of emotions portrayed was touching.. Its probably my first experience of an Art movie and I am at loss to mention the range of emotions it stirred. This movie was worth every inch of its National Award.

Ethics in Reality?!!

Can we really define ethics? Is it something that has to be understood and accepted as such. Whenever I think of ethics, mixed feelings come to play.Though I have my own understanding of ethics, they are formed by my interaction with the society. What you digest is what you follow and the residue which is left in the mind forms our ethics. I personally feel that they play a very great role in our daily interactions and are often so ingrained in me that I seldom stop to even examine the underlying beliefs existing in me.

I personally don’t think that being what you want to be and acting the way that you should not hurt anyone constitute ethical conduct. What about the person who is giving death sentence to a person who murdered 50 children? Here, we define ethics for the common good of the society. Now tell me, who wins finally in the tussle between the individual and the society? One may either follow the bandwagon or he can pursue his own path. But my choice should be based on my being aware of my decision process and the consequences. I am not born with ethics, rather I came into a society with predetermined ethical values.. So I have to use my own judgment to decide what’s ethical for me, right?

Symbols in life!

I personally opine that symbols are used because they are convenient. On a more serious note, they stand for shared beliefs and since people make their own associations of it, they become individualized too. Well, by creating symbols out of a person, we may reduce his identity, but still, it can be used as recall for certain quality, like Gandhi stands for truth.

Symbols can be manipulative.. Its easy to change the notion associated with the symbol, right? Somehow I think of it as brand logo.. And the associations inherent. Its easy to change them.. But do symbol stand for actual truth.. Its an emphatic NO.. The perception is in mind, and over a period of time, you tend to own the symbol in the sense, you will cultivate your own personal associations. If you are aware that its not reality, what’s wrong with it? After all, we are not exactly rational beings..

What First, Instinct or Emotion?

I wonder if the basic emotions like love and fear are actually instincts, Or is it our experience of these emotions which can trigger our instincts?

When a speeding car comes towards you, your instinctive reaction may be to jump. Later only you may notice the thumping of heart or fear inside you. But here, though your instinct is for self survival.. Isn’t it connected to fear of death?

Given a situation, a person may react in N no of ways. We name his action based on his choice as courage or cowardice, intelligent or dumb, smart or dowdy. All these are concepts which we assign to a particular type of action. You can show courage and its usually associated with an action. Then tell me, is courage really an instinct? Which comes first, is it Instinct which leads to action or is it emotion which goads the instincts?

Memories Never Die!

An unfortunate incident happened on Saturday, where in two of my batch mates met with a fatal accident. One died on spot due to fatal injuries and another suffered Multiple facial fractures. Uh! It makes me wonder about the transitory nature of the human life. Such a waste of human potential and all this could have been avoided had they took proper measures in driving.. Well, the blame cant be laid on a particular issue and always on looking back, I find myself pondering over a lot of big “IF’S” that can make a difference.

He is such wonderful person with so much of energy, now he doesn’t even exist in this world. Only what remains with me is the memories which keep him alive. The memories which can’t die.

Discovery of Passion!

Sometimes I wonder whether the educational system in India allows every individual to start the search of their Passion. Discovery of passion plays an important role in quality of life as its with passion that you enjoy bliss and happiness in life. But, the irony is Interests and passions can be discovered only when you are exposed to diverse thoughts, ideas and subjects. And here we got to stick to one stream which would most probably be the most happening stream and you tend to become narrow in focus on your pursuit of top paying job. We are drilled with the importance of money and security in life and we work like ants to achieve it. Jobs here are more for sustenance rather than for passion. How much resonance we found from history here.. Since Ages India emphasized on material gains i.e., Artha (Wealth and Power) over the other Purushardhas.. That’s the way we still lead the life here. For me, Increased exposure to diverse cultures and thoughts will make a person more adaptable, flexible and open to new ideas and it aids in finding the way to your passion.

Biased towards Action…

I just read about Ms. Anita Roddick, The woman behind The Body Shop who made it big. I am pretty impressed. Here in daily life I meet a lot of people who speak of things which they can do rather than trying to do them.. Later they blame it on the situations and all those factors which are beyond control. Sometimes I feel like saying, Boss if you want to be led like a feather in wind…No problem. Go ahead with it.. But don’t cast aspersions on situations as they are the same to everyone. To take an action one has to act and to act you need to be committed to your convictions. I would say be biased towards action, that’s where you stand for yourself.

Seeking Grassroots Experience….

Here I would say that one has to embrace life and experience the work from the grassroots level.. Being in IMDR, when I entered the college, I was involved in a selling NGO products.. I had trouble imagining myself selling handmade folders, candles on road. I was a bit embarrassed even to get myself acquainted with the idea, but later when I started doing it, I realized how valuable that experience is. Its not always where you get to sell a handmade greeting card to a guy owning a Mercedes! None of your Management fundas work over there and you absolutely have to be yourself.. It taught me the value of simplicity, humbleness and gave me a glimpse into the interaction pattern of people. What an experience, where you enjoy the bliss of contributing to charity while learning through such down to earth sales! Now I understand the dignity of work and I don’t hesitate to talk to strangers. In fact now I don’t mind going to any place as it made me stand against the fear of uncertainty, for every tough experience is an opportunity to learn.

Why Introspection?

We are living, dynamic beings…Ever growing….Nothing about us is meant to be static. Welcome this with open arms, moment to moment. Go ahead and explore what you have to… I agree that I have a lot of environmental influences working on me. Of course why not, I don’t prefer to exist in vacuum. So, you make certain decisions as to what to pursue or what you are passionate about and what you can renounce. If I am aware of my choices, the effort I put springs from heart and hence what I do reflect my inner self. Hence I believe introspection and awareness are key to quality of life!

Herd Mentality n Relationships!

Its always easy to go along with the herd and let your decisions made by others. Now the million dollar question is why I want to be in the herd? The real culprit is the barter system in the society which is nurtured in the home. Remember the days when you get scolding if you scored less in some exam? Don’t you act the way you never wanted just to please another person? Now why all these happens? Its because you want to be secure, you want to feel loved and needed and you think that the other person would do that if you mould yourself with his or her expectations..

Now tell me, then are you being true to yourself? Haa, here comes the guilt cycle. Because you will start lies and cheating as you will want acceptance from the other person and also your own personal freedom, and hence it makes you guilty.. Here this guilty feeling makes you angry, frustrated as you feel that you are incompetent or incomplete as you cant fulfill the other person’s expectations on you. Wow! Now you will start judging yourself by things you do or things which you cant do.. But tell me, are actions a measure of the person? Is it necessary to get good gift to feel loved?

Relationships, What do they mean to me? They influence my life in great deal and for me they are a means to discover myself as life is not about living like a hermit, right? Happiness lies in being true to oneself and to the relationships I value, that’s where the essence of life is!

Life at IMDR!

This is our insti as depicted by one of our seniors! IMDR stands for Institute of Management Development and Research, its the first management institute in Pune, India. Now why am I talking about it? I am a student of IMDR pursuing my Post Graduate Diploma in Management out here.. Its an institute where people can express themselves openly and getaway with it. A place where you can be yourself and still learn and grow. A place which believes in humility, simplicity and the power of thoughts. I simply love this place as it stands for the values it espouses. A home for me indeed!

Indian Epics

I just wondered of the great epics called Ramayana and Mahabharata..People in my home pray them and stock them. But what exactly does this literature stand for? For start, they reflect Indian heritage and give a glimpse into the ideology of people at that period of time. They talk of Aryans struggle to conquer the natives and speak volumes of the war they had..

Coming to the Gods portrayed: Rama and Krishna.. Funnily they don’t adhere to any norms or values.. See for Krishna, he is cunning, intelligent.. And Rama, called maryada purushottama, right? Is he justified in killing Vali? All this shouts at the face that power is important in life and attain it by whatever means.. Typically I feel that Rama and Krishna were personification of what ever the people that existed at that period of time.. Though personally I feel that Karna or for that matter Duryodhana to be more moral than Krishna… Ok, too much for judgments.. Now you must be wondering whether I am mocking the people or their culture.. I am just trying to understand objectively rather than trying to be a humble follower who meekly accepts the existing beliefs.. I just get puzzled when people blindly follow the culture and heritage without even questioning the underlying beliefs.

A letter from Abraham Lincoln to his son’s head master…

I published this because I liked the beauty of expression and the gravity of the essence….

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the united states of America (1861 – 1865) is one of the world’s great statesmen for all time. Here is a letter written by Abraham Lincoln to the head master of his school in which his son was studying, a letter so typical of the man who bore malice towards none and had charity for all.

“ He will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just, all men are not true. But teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero: that far every selfish politician, there is a dedicated leader…

Teach him that for every enemy there is a friend. It will take time, I know a long time, but teach, if you can, that a dollar earned is of more value then five of found.

Teach him, to learn to lose…And also to enjoy winning. Steer him away from envy, if you can, teach in the secret of quiet laughter.

Teach him, if you can the wonder of books…But also given quiet time wonder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun, and flowers on the green hillside.

In a school teach him, it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat…

Teach him to have faith in his own idea, even if anyone else tell him they are wrong…

Teach him to be gentle with gentle people and tough with tough.

Teach him to listen to all men…But teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth, and take only the good one that comes through.

Teach him, if you can, how to laugh when he is sad. Teach him there is no shame in tear.

Teach them to sell his brawn and brain to the highest bidder but never to put a prize tag on his heart and soul.

Teach him gently, but do not cuddle him, because only the test of fire makes the fine steel.
Teach him always to have sublime faith in himself because then he will always have some sublime faith in mankind.

This is a big order, but see what can you do… He is such a fine little fellow, my son! Dad”

Poems and Poems..

Author: Laurie Picotte
Poem Title: Leaving
Poem:

Leaving is the hardest thing I ever had to do,
but what hurt the most to me was having to say goodbye to you.
Will be still the same the next time that we meet,
or drift apart and change like two strangers on the street.
Time can only tell us what will lie ahead,
but will time fill my vacant heart just like when we met.
The tears finally fade and my feelings disappear.
If anything at all, this I have always feared.
Now that I’ve left you, will I ever learn,
Always knowing deep inside, that I can never return.

Author: Laurie Picotte
Poem Title: STRANGER

Poem:

Each day that passes by I come closer to the end
The time when we will say good-bye to what we had back then.

What I thought would make me happy is breaking up my heart
It’s a battle of emotion that’s tearing me apart.

I made a promise to myself that I intend to keep,
but how can I go on with this pain that is so deep.

It was hard to get to know you and I’m still not sure I do;
but one thing is for certain I really do love you!

Through all these times of trouble we came upon this place
the path where we will have to part and choose our separate fates.

Guided in our journey by the Angels from above,
We will meet again someday; my dear sweet lost love!

Author: Laurie Picotte
Poem Title: WILL YOU BE THERE

Poem:

When time comes to a stand still and the world come to an end,
will you still be there for me from now until then.
When the moon never beams and the sun no longer shines,
will you still love me more and more as days go by.
The way I feel about you the world cannot compare,
please don’t ever leave me I need you there.

I got these poems from onlinepoetry.com. I am touched by the depth of emotions they portray.

Industry and Environment, Good or Bad Neighbours?

First of all, Do we limit our environment to surroundings or do we extend it to include people also? If we consider environment as Nature, Nature can exist independently and it is we people who are dependent on it. Even if we consider any industry, it can’t exist in isolation. It is made up of people. So even in the industry the internal environment consists of people and the industry is made to satisfy the needs of people. What does an industry do? It either trades the resources or converts them (manufactures) into useful products which are useful to the environment. Can we really differentiate industry from the environment? We can identify an industry as having specific boundaries and taking specific inputs, it is giving useful outputs. But who is ultimately benefited by the industry, it is the people who constitute the environment. If the people decide not to have a particular industry, it simply can’t exist. Let’s see it this way, do any cacophony producing industries exist in the residential areas of the people. Answer is clearly no. It is just because people don’t prefer industry to be around the residential areas. Does all the industries are bad in any ways? So let’s consider those industries which are considered bad by people.- If we see the case of tobacco industry, why does the tobacco industry exist? It is just because there are smokers. Some how I wonder why people debate so much! Industry exists in Environment and can’t act in Isolation, and hence it has to be a good neighbour to exist, What say?

Indian Shortstories, What they say to us?

Here I want to present my views on Indian short stories like Panchatantra, which are more interesting and easy to assimilate too. And they are also a representation of the society existing over such period of time.. they emphasis more on Niti..The way of living intelligently.. It also talks of Dharma, Artha, Kama Moksha, the hindu purushardhas of life..Dharma stands for social norms and the assigned duties, Artha for Money, material possessions, Kama for desire and Will and Moksha for divinity or salvation. So much emphasis is placed on dharma and its linked to his stage of life (husband, son), his caste as it forms order in society and hence SECURITY.. Artha is primarily essential because it gives POWER.. Now all the history is nothing but A TALE OF POWER.. AND THERE IS CONSTANT STRUGGLE TO ACQUIRE POWER.. And hence we observe constant shift of power.. Then comes kama.. the desire to be what you want to be and to do what you want to do.. Hence comes the satisfaction..

See, since decades there is no change in the pattern of thinking or the values in which we believe.. We tried to evolve in our thought process and hence we tend to become more open minded.. That’s what Hinduism did in a course of time.. It embraced Buddhism, Jainism, to a bit of Islam…and what not? But for the funny thing, Buddhism is formed as a protest against caste system and we included it in one of the dasavatara of Vishnu to incorporate it into the Hinduism.. If we tend to observe the different classes of Hinduism, we will be surprised at the variety it had and the conflicting notions it supports. Well… Finally it leads to Vasudhaika kutumbam!

What’s God for me?

Uh.. It arises a powerful discussion whenever I bring this up in group.. People become so passionate and there are instances where emotions rule the logic! I feel that God exists because we need an answer to all the unexplainable things in universe.. He is a result of our understanding of human creation.. And we need him as we need to feel secure.. He will act as a companion when we need company, as a father when we need guidance and what not.. He is a manifestation of our security need.. He makes me feel complete as I am incomplete inside..
Now, am I an atheist? No, I too need an answer to unexplainable things in life.. But I will try not to think of things over which I have no control over.. I would be better off with working on things which I can improve.. But I don’t attribute it to God when I failed or I don’t need him to support my insecurity.. May be I can use him as a companion in need.. My own imaginative creation who can accompany me in need and in deed..Welcome my Friendly God!

Goal of my Existence

I constantly think and mull over this a lot.. What the goal of my existence and life? What the purpose behind all this? Umm.. Some how I feel that its all about quality of life.. How complete I am inside.. How open I am to the experience? Its all about being in peace with oneself and with the society. Happiness should be from with in.. But not by what others do to you.. Your values should stem from what you think is right or wrong rather than what others believe in.. It is with that state or stage of life when you are rich inside.. Then you will be a giver rather than a taker.. Then you can be aware of what you are..

A glimpse of Lijjat Papad!

I started a project with LIJJAT Papad, an all-women organization. Its where I got a glimpse of what can happen if a pool of people get together to assert themselves.. It was wonderful to see this micro enterprise which turned out into a 300 crore company in India using a traditional Indian family type management style.

Every woman working there is an owner of the organization and I could see that they are working with love and enthusiasm which springs from their sense of ownership. They are called Bhaginis (sisters) and each one has a say in the management of the organization. The organization is managed the way these women manage their family… Nothing called branding or organized marketing, here product sells through word of mouth indeed…

In this raging world of theory, business, ROI and procedures, it was refreshing to see this particular organization which is creating value and profit by adding value to the life the poor women and providing them an opportunity to assert their independence. Hats off to Lijjat!