Christmas to New Year 2011

Another short onsite visit is over. Though it was just two months tenure this time, it was felt pretty lengthy. But still the degree of two E’s that I gained was no lesser…Experience and Exposure.

So after the approximate two months of more work and less fun period, today in around another 7-8 hours I will reach home. The Christmas day is already born. And it’s truly a different experience travelling on an auspicious day. Though I miss the fun at home, a change from a different angle, at times, feels good.

And also a chapter of yet another year is almost done. 2010 was a pretty good ride for me. So far, no major accidents, less causalities and no death cases. So far so good…it’s not over though. Few days are still alive to be shot down. But the overall trend graph indicates a happy ending for 2010 like if in a Yash Chopra film. :D

Its time for the New Year Resolutions too like,

1. Not to cross 60Kmph whenever I’m on wheels.

2. Be steady and more observant on the market fluctuations.

3. Reduce some weight. :)

4. Make a long awaited “trip” with my Bullet.

5. Fine tune myself as professional.

6. To control myself in taking leaves from office

7. And, in between all these...i resolute also to keep Aphorisms flowing…

This is how it goes. It’s actually 1+6 resolutions. The first one is a default resolution taken for Amma. I don’t say that I used to stick so much on to that. But still I used to be glued somewhere around it…almost. But I can say that I have kept my word for at least above 90% than the 50 or below range of the previous years. And the remaining 6 resolutions used to vary each year in numbers and in words.

Resolutions are good. But every year end, when I take a 365 days rewind to construct a self analysis report of my Resolution and my performance, there used to be a distance of several light years between the both of them. But anyways, I used to be quite comfortable with where I used to be. I always used to enjoy this suspense thriller called life.  But still, ironically, again this year I made yet another 6 points. Humans won’t change….

Anyways, I wish my dear world a MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEWYEAR.

And also thanks to the Suvarnabhumi Intnl Airport, Thailand which gave me this space, time and facility to schedule the publishing of this post for the very first moment of the Christmas Day….

Once again, my wishes to the dearest world and all its inhabitants….

The Crown of Thrissur.

“A very big temple in 10 acres is said to have been built by Parasurama. It is a walled complex of fifteen shrines dating from the twelfth century or earlier. Here the deity is Shiva. The famous ‘Thrissur Pooram’, fathered by His Highness ShaktanThampuran, is celebrated in the precincts of the temple. To facilitate the Pooram he cleared teak forests of 54 acres around the temple. The temple is enclosed by 15 ft massive walls. The Gopurams, four, in carved wood and stone positioned in four directions around the temple. Bali (sacrifice) stones in brass seen everywhere. The ground is dotted with stone reliefs of prostrating men. The deities of Ayyappa and Rama, as ancillaries, are in comradeship with giant old trees. The Adi Sankaracharya is also accommodated. The exquisitely carved wood beautifies the shrines and Koothambalam (Temple Theater). The idols of Shiva positioned all around the main altar.”

This is what the “www” have got to say about the one massive subject what all the 317,474(approx.) “Geddys” including me boasts when we talk about our land…the cultural capital of Kerala – THRISSUR. It is Vadakkumnadhan Temple.

But for us Vadakkumnadhan is something beyond all these historic and architectural measurements. The first feeling one gets on entering through the Gopuram of the temple is the incredible space and light. It is a temple complex that has literally very much to boast about its history, culture, customs, and devotees. But to be frank, I never used to make any prayers in a typical so called “devotee” style.

If it’s to speak about my religious views, I don’t believe the force or whatsoever it is, that which is called “THE GOD”, to be like a Genie from the magic lamp. I believe him to be a companion of my thoughts. I took the freedom that this religion grants me to pick out any form in which you want to see this force from among the 330,000,000 forms of GODS. And I chose this 14 crescent moons topped by 3 serpent hoods symbol out of the entire 330,000,000 forms.

Once, one of my aunts asked me why I am so much addicted to Thrissur. I guess that her perspective was like ‘what is there so much to get attracted in Thrissur?’ I told her that it was this centuries old temple complex that keeps my mind glued to this place. It has given me lots of loads of friends. Being the youngest among them, there were some who care me like their own grandchild, some like their own child, and some others like their own younger brother. It has given me a social existence. It helped me to make my life easier. And this all happened even before I realized that I wanted all these kinds of reliefs. The state of mind that I experience in that 9 acres compound bounded by the 15 feet tall, elephant bellied walls, is inexplicable.

The welcoming wind that rushes whistling from within the walls of the mighty state of the art temple Gopuram which caresses you as you enter it; the clattering song sung by the leaves of the adolescent Ilanji tree on the left and the Asoka tree on the right to the tune of the mild wind; and the several scores of the Banyan trees older than our grandfathers; the stone laid circumambulation path; the tasty Neyyappam offered to the Lord; the Om Namah Shivaya chanting…so on it goes. This is where I belong. How on earth can I not be addicted to this..???

Actually, this was one among the very first of all those which I wanted to blog. But when it is about this structure I can’t be spontaneous and instantaneous like I was for all the previous 30 posts in Aphorisms. But still, here I failed…I failed to scribble (the word which one of my colleague always used for mentioning Aphorisms) even a Nano percent of what’s there in my mind. Once again I feel we haven’t found out enough words to paint our thoughts.

Though not to the mark as I expected have come out, an attempt made is giving me humdrum relief.

I simply love my land….the land of Vadakkumnadhan ruled by ShakthanThampuran….

Vacuous…!!!

Blankness…it is sometimes a boon, sometimes curse, sometimes a cure and sometimes a disturbance. Yes, this blankness is a disturbance for me having nothing to scribble on Aphorisms.

A spark was enough to blow that shield away and make my dear river to flow again. Of course it’s not something called a Writer’s Block or anything like that. Writers Block happens for those frequent and veteran writers. And I’m glad to feel that I’m clever enough to have a revelation that it’s not something that affects my Aphorisms. In one sense, to be originally me, it was a forceful blankness many at times. And laziness was being that force.

But laziness is too tender to be a force. It is not strong enough to hold that spark from igniting the words to spread on this as white, as a soft and cute white cloud, word document. This used to be my only resort to shoot down the monster loneliness when I’m away from my dearest Amma and my Thrissur. As Thrissur always keeps me busy with one thing or the other, the so called “loneliness” is nothing more than a word of the English language, while I’m there.

Writing is easy when you have something in mind. But, it’s a pathetic scene when there is nothing in mind. Now, this is the next twist. Our mind sometimes behaves like a baby monkey, by switching focuses between the subjects in eyes and mind. And then from the branches of the subject to the rewind of the incidences from the past of something about the future planning and so on it goes. This becomes a naughty thing that disturbs you at times. It becomes naughty as it brings some of those beautiful moments from you past like a warm evening breeze into your mind with a smile on your face. It can be disturbing because if you feel like scribbling down something, and if this little monkey starts behaving in such a way, it is enough to set down the day for me.

To tame this monkey mind was always a tough task for me. And I believe it will be the same with the others too. But still taming has two aspects. Either to tame it the way you want it to stay or else, tame it the way it goes. And it is the later strategy that comes in to reality most of the time.

Perhaps most of our spiritual leaders survive in today’s world claiming that they have various techniques to tame our monkey minds. Hearing which the parents start pushing their school going children to attend the various courses. The flexible monkey minds of the parents as a means to canvas their ideology and various techniques of taming. Though an inflamable area, can't help saying that there are also beneficiaries of others monkey minds.

But I love this monkey a lot. I’m not stretching out to assume that I own a good mind. Being a part of the human race I’m also proud to say that I too own bad monkey at heart like the others…or rather it can be the worst of all monkeys that my fellow beings own.

But I hate the space of silence that develops in me when this monkey is asleep. That vacuous is a curse...

Voices

I would always love the voices, sounds and all those waves of energy which is meant for our ears to obtain and that makes a smooth and mild curve of smile bearing the feel of relaxation, admiration and happiness. The first voice of that kind is that of my Amma's. The voice which always fuels me with energy and courage. The first voice of any child's life.

There’s is nothing much on the face of our planet or among the stars that can bring out the elf in me when the situations and circumstances raise its hood towards me from all directions. I would rather like to call it my life more than just a voice. 

Rather than the word "sound" I would like to address those waves as "voice" whether its from the man, machine or even if its from thin air. And some of those voices are like....

The voice of Dr. K.J.Yesudas and K S. Chitra, the ace Indian playback singers, the voice that my 350cc Royal Enfield Bullet emits from his cast iron heart, the voice of my Sir are some among those voices which bears the capacity to either hold my breath or my attention at least for a second. It’s hard to just explain the kind of affection that I have for each of these voices. It can only be said that it’s a mixture of love, craze, adoration and admiration.

I feel it to be my luck to hear those voices again and again and again even if it's for the several millionth time I’m hearing it. I often used to be called a mad guy for this reason. Because while in the midst of a serious conversation where each one in the gang shares a portion of their contribution I may just simply drift from the scene mentally, when I hear the DHUP DHUP of a Bullet or the voice of Yesudas that floats with a tune in the atmosphere surrounding me. It used to be the DHUP DHUP of a Bullet that used to immerse me in most of the cases.

Similarly there was a voice. The one which I think is the most macho among all the voices I’ve heard. It was the voice of Optimus Prime in the movie Transformers. Though, just a click away I always have had an option and chance to know about the person who owns that voice. But, for an unknown reason, unbelievably I didn’t get to do that. But each time when I watch the trailers or the various flicks and scenes of this movie I used to wonder who could that be. But never did I bother to surf the internet to know who this guy was.

But today, I felt to know about this person. Peter Cullen. He is the man who speaks for Optimus Prime. And the one who owns the manliest voice which I have so far heard. It was the way he delivered the closing monologue of the film that impressed me. I’m forced to say that the film was beautifully signed in the end by Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg using his voice. It was marvelous. The beautiful words, the strong voice and the way it was delivered tantalizingly. I just loved it.

Even if I say all these voice does not mean anything and everything, Voice is a Decoration. It is a decoration only for a well pronounced language.

Here's a clip in which Peter Cullen speaks for Optimus Prime. 

Amorphous

Ordinary day, ordinary year. Period.


What’s the difference,…people. Stones, object this and object that. And then there are people. People lie around, talk, haggle, mumble, among other things. Very little point in trying to understand the ‘why’ part of it. They exist with absolutely nothing specific. Some say survival. Reminds me of Keynes who says, “In the long run we are all dead”. People seem to have a spontaneous character, history, some element of an explanation attached to their individual existence.

For the initiated, this character progressively makes itself evident in every element tangible to the senses.

The path from conscious action to the unconscious understanding.

Discarding primitive intelligence by the wayside.
Nice!

Am I a reminiscent of Nietzsche?

Have You..??

I do not know how to put it in words…Let me try...

There are these moments when I feel so far away from the people around me…It is not a matter of distance,…it is a matter of familiarity and in this space I feel so close to somebody.

My point of discussion is that I do not know who this is,…I do not know if it is one of my friends who are so far away from me. I do not know if it is somebody I have lost touch with. I do not know if it is somebody I am yet to meet.

I see the frost on my car windshield which is fleeting as the moment and I am reminded of this connection. I try hard to concentrate and find out some more…but I have never succeeded.

I do not know if this makes sense…it is almost like a wrong number…you never know who you are talking to and the chance of talking to the same person is like close to zero. There is no purpose in the conversation and the mind is so disturbed that we hardly speak any sense and end up apologising for the mistake and cut the call as soon as possible. The irony is that it is nobody’s mistake. That seals it.

But the feeling lingers and the aromas are deep in my mind.

The context when they repeat are never predictable. It might be a traffic intersection…it might be gentle breeze on the sea front…I have very little clue about the stimulus…but one thing which is common is the strong sense of disconnect that I feel when I chew on these feelings…

Even the sense of disconnect becomes ironical in that sometimes I realise that there was no coherence in my role as compared to the situation to start with. There was nothing to start with…and the shadow-boxer plays as a sort of wake-up call…

Sounds messy like noodles…just munch on it and wash it down with a cup of milk…

Refreshing…