Seven Years in Tibet - Movie

This is a cinematic adaptation of the memoir by Heinrich Harrer, depicting his experiences in Tibet during the years preceding World War II.

The film follows Harrer, played by Brad Pitt, an Austrian mountaineer who, after escaping a British internment camp in India, embarks on an arduous journey to Tibet, where he befriends the young Dalai Lama and becomes an influential figure in his life.

The movie beautifully captures the stunning landscapes of Tibet and offers a glimpse into its rich culture and traditions. It portrays Harrer's personal transformation, from a self-centered adventurer to a compassionate and enlightened individual influenced by his encounters with the Tibetan people and their spiritual leader.

Brad Pitt's performance and the cinematography received praise for effectively conveying the emotional depth of Harrer's journey and the cultural nuances of Tibet. Additionally, the film delves into themes of friendship, cultural exchange, and the clash between Western and Eastern ideologies.

This is an aesthetically stunning film that offers a captivating portrayal of a Westerner's transformative journey in Tibet and the profound impact of his friendship with the Dalai Lama. While it may take creative liberties with historical accuracy, it remains a compelling story that introduces audiences to the beauty and spirituality of Tibetan culture.

Schindler's List - Thomas Keneally

This book by Thomas Keneally is a powerful and harrowing historical novel based on the true story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of over a thousand Jewish refugees during the Holocaust. The novel chronicles Schindler's transformation from a profit-seeking industrialist to a compassionate saviour who used his factory as a haven for Jews, risking his life to protect them from the horrors of the Nazi regime.

Keneally's writing portrays the atrocities of the Holocaust with vivid detail and emotional resonance, depicting the brutality faced by the Jewish population and the profound acts of heroism that emerged during one of humanity's darkest periods. The narrative highlights the complexities of human nature, from the cruelty of the Nazi regime to the compassion and sacrifice exhibited by individuals like Schindler.

The book is an emotionally impactful and deeply moving account that sheds light on the horrors of the Holocaust while celebrating the courage and humanity of those who fought against it. Keneally's storytelling creates a haunting and unforgettable portrayal of the resilience of the human spirit amid unimaginable suffering.

"Schindler's List" is a poignant and significant work that serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of compassion, empathy, and standing up against injustice, making it a vital piece of literature that continues to resonate with readers worldwide.

Twillight - Stephenie Meyer

"Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer is a young adult paranormal romance novel that captivated readers (including me) globally, particularly teenagers, with its intriguing blend of romance, fantasy, and supernatural elements. The story centers on Bella Swan, a teenage girl who moves to the small town of Forks, Washington, and discovers the mysterious and enigmatic Edward Cullen, who turns out to be a vampire.

Meyer's writing style creates an immersive experience, drawing readers into Bella's world and the complexities of her relationships, especially her intense and forbidden romance with Edward. The book presents a romanticized depiction of vampires, focusing on the love story between Bella and Edward while exploring themes of love, identity, and sacrifice.

The novel gained immense popularity for its engrossing narrative, engaging storyline, and the emotional depth of the characters. It sparked a cultural phenomenon, leading to a successful series of books, film adaptations, and a devoted fanbase.

However, opinions about the book vary widely. While some readers adore the romantic allure, the mysterious vampire lore, and the emotional depth, others critique its narrative pacing, character development, or the portrayal of an intense, borderline obsessive relationship.

Overall, "Twilight" is a polarizing yet influential book that resonates strongly with its target audience, leaving an indelible mark on young adult literature and pop culture, shaping the perception of vampires in contemporary fiction and inspiring a legion of devoted fans.

Tuesdays with Mory

 

Tuesdays with Morrie is a profoundly moving memoir by Mitch Albom that delves into the life lessons learned from Albom's former college professor, Morrie Schwartz, who is battling ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), a debilitating illness.

The book is a heartfelt exploration of the human experience, capturing the essence of compassion, friendship, and the importance of embracing life's simple pleasures.

Albom reconnects with Morrie in the final months of his life, sparking a series of conversations held on Tuesdays that delve into profound topics such as love, death, family, forgiveness, and the meaning of life. Through Morrie's wisdom and life-affirming outlook, readers are taken on an emotional journey that prompts deep introspection about their own lives.

The book is beautifully written, with poignant and thought-provoking passages that resonate with readers on a personal level. It's an inspiring narrative that encourages reflection on what truly matters in life, urging readers to cherish relationships, live authentically, and find meaning amidst life's challenges.

Albom's storytelling style and Morrie's timeless wisdom make "Tuesdays with Morrie" a touching and impactful read, offering invaluable insights into the human condition and leaving a lasting impression on its audience.

Great Expectations - Charles Dinkens

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens is a classic novel that delves into themes of social class, ambition, identity, and personal growth.

Dickens' narrative prowess shines in this novel through his vivid characters and intricate plot. The story follows Pip, an orphan raised by his sister and her husband, as he encounters various eccentric characters and navigates through life's challenges. The chance encounter with an escaped convict sets off a chain of events that alters Pip's life trajectory, leading him from his humble beginnings to the high society of London.

One of the captivating elements of "Great Expectations" is its exploration of Pip's moral development. The novel portrays his growth from a naïve, impressionable boy to a more mature man who gains self-awareness and understands the true values of life. Throughout the story, Dickens masterfully weaves themes of ambition, love, loyalty, and the complexities of human nature.

The characters in Great Expectations are memorable and diverse, ranging from the enigmatic Miss Havisham to the loyal friend Joe. Each character adds depth and contributes to the rich tapestry of the narrative, making the novel a compelling read.

Moreover, Dickens' social commentary on Victorian society is prevalent throughout the book. He critiques the rigid class structure, the influence of wealth and status, and the moral decay that often accompanies ambition.

The novel's atmospheric descriptions, engaging plot twists, and Dickens' ability to create a world that feels both vividly real and fantastical make Great Expectations a timeless classic that continues to resonate with readers across generations.

King Solomon's Mines - H Rider Haggard

This is one of the oldest written books I've read after Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. Though its as old as it is, it has not stopped me from enjoying its adventures as any Dan Brown book.

It takes readers on a journey to the uncharted heart of Africa. First published in 1885, this timeless tale has captivated generations with its enthralling plot, vivid descriptions, and memorable characters.

The story follows the protagonist, Allan Quatermain, a seasoned hunter and explorer, who is hired by Sir Henry Curtis to lead an expedition into the unknown African wilderness in search of his lost brother. Along with a diverse group of companions, including the enigmatic Sir Henry and the brave Captain Good, Quatermain embarks on a perilous quest to find the legendary diamond mines of King Solomon.

Haggard's writing style is immersive and evocative, transporting readers to a time and place filled with danger, mystery, and ancient legends. The vivid descriptions of the African landscape, its wild beauty and harsh realities, are exceptionally well-rendered. From dense jungles to treacherous rivers, the author skillfully brings the setting to life, creating a palpable sense of adventure and discovery.

The characters in "King Solomon's Mines" are both memorable and believable. Quatermain, with his rugged charm and practicality, serves as a relatable guide through the story. His companions are equally intriguing, each with their own unique traits and motivations. The interactions and camaraderie among the group add depth to the narrative, fostering a sense of camaraderie and shared peril.

One of the novel's strengths lies in its gripping plot. As the expedition progresses, the tension builds steadily, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The book is a true page-turner, with unexpected twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. Haggard expertly combines elements of adventure, exploration, and suspense, culminating in a climactic finale that satisfies the thirst for resolution.

While it is an exciting adventure novel, it is important to note that it was written during a time when colonialism and racial stereotypes were prevalent. Some aspects of the story may be problematic from a modern perspective. However, it is essential to approach the book with historical context and appreciate it as a product of its time.

Once you've lived in the mountains - Ruskin Bond

The book is structured as a series of vignettes, each offering a glimpse into Bond's life and his deep connection with nature. He beautifully captures the serene beauty, the rhythm of life, and the subtle nuances of the mountainous region. His prose is simple, yet evocative, transporting readers to the picturesque valleys, lush forests, and snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas. 

One of the highlights of Bond's writing is his ability to infuse his stories with a sense of nostalgia and gentle humor. He weaves together tales of his encounters with the local people, the flora and fauna, and the joys and challenges of living in the mountains. 

In this book, Bond's deep appreciation for nature and his keen observations shine throughout. His love for the mountains is evident in every page, and his descriptions of the changing seasons, the sounds of the forest, and the tranquility of the hills are both poetic and enchanting. Readers are transported into a world where the beauty of nature is celebrated and its importance emphasised.

It's worth noting that the book's structure, consisting of loosely connected anecdotes, might not suit those seeking a linear or plot-driven narrative. "Once You've Lived in the Mountains" is more about immersing oneself in the atmosphere and emotions evoked by the Himalayan landscape rather than following a traditional story arc.

"Once You've Lived in the Mountains" is a delightful and introspective collection of Ruskin Bond's experiences and musings. It offers a charming glimpse into a world where nature reigns supreme and the mountains hold stories within their folds. Bond's lyrical prose and his ability to capture the essence of the mountains make this book a must-read for those who appreciate the beauty of the natural world and seek a meditative escape to the serene heights of the Himalayas.

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austin

At its core, "Pride and Prejudice" tells the story of Elizabeth Bennet, an intelligent and spirited young woman, and her encounters with Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, a wealthy and reserved gentleman. The novel delves into the intricacies of social class, marriage, and the expectations placed upon individuals during this period. Austen's sharp social commentary is skillfully interwoven with her character development, creating a compelling narrative that draws readers in from the very first page.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Austen's writing is her ability to create vivid and multi-dimensional characters. Elizabeth Bennet shines as a protagonist who defies societal expectations and remains true to her convictions. Her wit and intelligence make her an engaging and relatable character, while Mr. Darcy's transformation from a seemingly aloof figure to a vulnerable and passionate man is both satisfying and heartwarming.

Author's skillful use of irony and satire adds depth and humor to the story. Through her clever dialogue and narrative voice, she subtly critiques the societal conventions of her time, particularly the emphasis on wealth and social status. The interactions between the characters are filled with subtle wordplay and layered meanings, making for delightful reading that rewards attentive readers.

Author's exploration of themes such as pride, prejudice, and the consequences of hasty judgments remains relevant to this day. The novel encourages readers to reflect on the dangers of making assumptions based on first impressions, highlighting the importance of overcoming preconceived notions and embracing personal growth and self-awareness.

Book is in its universal themes, memorable characters, and Austen's unparalleled wit make it an essential read for any lover of classic literature. Whether you are a long-time fan or discovering this novel for the first time, prepare to be enchanted by Austen's remarkable storytelling and to fall in love with Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy all over again.

False Impression - Jeffrey Archer

 

I happened to falsely pick this book to read on an over night journey. The plot is about an art piece from Van Gogh - Self portrait with bandaged ear. The detail of art is plenty. There is a protagonist - Anna Petrescu that is praised by everyone for no heroic reason. There is a villain who loots the art collections of royal families by over lending them money and making them bankrupt. Anna and her friend - Tina are on mission to hand over this villain to the cops and they succeed. 

The other details are too many and too irrelevant. For eg: Anna wears a certain dress on a certain day. The reader is awaiting to have a connection of this fact somewhere in the plot. But there is no mention. Most of the book is like this. 

Personally I tried hard to finish the pages. Plot is weak and the characters lack motive for their actions. Well.. why would someone take  mountainous effort to cross borders and reach out to someone to just alert of an impending danger when she herself is stuck in 9/11 WTC building collapse?.  Jack - who had always been investigating the Fenston drama has no good inputs in the whole tale. What is he meant for?. 

Wrong pick really. Sorry for the bad review and its really my view. 

Holcroft covenant - Robert Ludlum

The Holcroft Covenant is a thriller novel written by Robert Ludlum. The story revolves around a man named Noel Holcroft, who discovers that his father, a high-ranking Nazi official, has left him a mysterious legacy. In order to claim the inheritance, Noel must fulfill a covenant, which involves using the money to compensate the victims of the Holocaust.

However, Noel soon discovers that he is not the only one searching for the inheritance. A group of former Nazis, known as the "Fourth Reich," are also seeking the money to fund their resurgence. With the help of a woman named Helden von Tiebolt, Noel must race against time to fulfill the covenant and prevent the Fourth Reich from carrying out their plans.

The novel is filled with suspense, action, and intrigue, and explores themes of guilt, redemption, and the legacy of the Holocaust. Personally it felt like a marathon I am running during the time I read the book. Usual to the Robert Ludlum theme, the protogonist is always on the run and have someone always following him. An enjoyable ride if you love fast paced story line and Robert Ludlum. 

ಅರಮನೆ ಗುಡ್ಡದ ಕರಾಳ ರಾತ್ರಿಗಳು - ಗಿರಿಮನೆ ಶಾಮರಾವ್

I cant be sure if this is one of the worst books I've read. The story is an adventurous expedition by a set of 2 newly wed couples to one of the treacherous mountains in western ghats. They set out from Bangalore and check in to a hotel in Sakleshpur. Without even having a destination in mind, they dare to go see a hill top. From there, they see another hill top which appears to be close by and they decide to hike on that hill top. On the way, they cross a stream and lose valuable goodies like torch. After spending enormous time hiking, they realise the hill top is nowhere nearby and decide to return.

Now they lose track and lose the sight of the stream as they realise it all looks the same deep in the forest. They encounter some wild animals. They take shelter under a cave during the night and next day, find some jackfruits and mushrooms to eat. They are still unable to retrace and their phones dont work. Their folks from Bangalore are trying to contact them but in vein. 

Then they come across a temple and reside for the night. It rains on and off. One of them hold a gun. They want to kill some wild animals so they can eat them. In this attempt, they get attacked by a pack of wild dogs and one of the persons seem missing. They assume that the dogs ate him. There is no evidence of dogs eating the man but still they assume he is dead. His wife is in fits. She goes out frantically looking for him. The rest of them assume she is also dead. Then arrives the rescue team from the land. They give the 2 food and go out to look for 2 missing people. They realise that both are not dead and by chance of God survived the attacks. 

Review - My opinion is personal and should not bias the reader of this review. Its a very laborious book with repetition of same text for almost 50%. The author seems to cling to some sentences and keep them repeating almost of the pages. The thought process and perspectives of the characters seem to be same and repeat without progression. Still I finished the book to know what would happen to them. The story could be told in a short essay and if adopted for a film, it be over in 20 minutes but its a 180+ pages book. The author intends to educate the dangers of mountains to a non mountaineer. But that intent is lost. I could not imagine why someone wants to dare the nature without a single ounce of knowledge about mountains. 

Pregnant King - Devdutt Pattanaik

Its a book about a king accidentally become the mother of a child. Written by Devdutt Pattanaik, its a tale of maternal adoration and love by a male species as opposed to a woman. It a beautiful tale of a king and his 3 wives trying to conceive a prince for which the king's grand father is awaiting to go live on vaana prasta. The pitrus are waiting to be reborn but there is no conception of the child. When the king decides to call 2 siddhis - Yaja and Upajaya who perform extravagant ritual to create a potion meant to be given to the queens, the king accidentally drinks it. He eventually becomes pregnant and gives birth to happy healthy boy. The 9 months of pregnancy and the child birth is kept secret. 

When the child is born, the only wish of the king is to be called mother by his child. The child refuses. The longing of the king continues till his breath. He keeps wondering "What sounds sweetest, being called Mother or being called Father"

He tries to seek answers from all possible avenues. He is entangled in this dilemma and desperate to find answers. He speaks to Arjuna to whom the king believes Bhishma narrated the story of a man who became a man and then a woman. Arjuna brushes off the query saying he does not remember any such story being told to him. 

The king also bears another child through his second wife. So he wonders "I am not sure that I am a man…I have created life outside me as men do. But I have also created life inside me, as women do. What does that make me? Will a body such as mine fetter or free me?"

The king who is supposed to be the upholder of dharma and embodiment of manhood is in deep confusion whether he is a man or a woman. 

The book is a good narration of king's wild mind and how he sees the world with a definite distinction between man and woman and at the same time he being a man and woman in himself. There are references to Shiva and Shakti both having different forms and how king relates to Illeswar - The patron God of Vallabhi who is God on full moon days and Goddess on new moon days.  

Leap of Faith - Danielle Steel

Not a  great story line and not a great set of characters. The whole thing would've been over in a 20 min clip on a web series. Lol. But definitely I could read the book head to toe without hassle. That is because you dont need to remember anything from the book. Wherever you start or end, you can almost certainly predict what would happen in next few pages. It was a good experience when I read this book during my son's bed time story time and he read his own books without troubling me. 

The story is about a 11 year girl who gets orphaned when her parents and brother die in a terrible accident. She is moved from France to America to live with her great aunt. Aunt treats her badly but there is a very close friend with whom she finds happy times in her distress. She is left with a huge inheritance by her father. She is suddenly millionaire rich. She goes back to Chateau in France where she lived with parents. She meets a very amicable friend who marries her and she becomes mother of his children within a short time. The story from here becomes very predictable and even with the most open ended mind, one prejudices over her stupidity. 

Back in my college days, Danielle Steel's books were entertaining. This book may be looked like the worst of Steel. 

Murder in the vicarage - Agatha Christie

Life has been busy for the last few months. I wanted to read something thats not mind boggling and a simple thriller. This book was the first in a shelf in an abandoned library. So I picked up to amuse myself in a subtle way. 

About 20 years ago, I used to read a lot of Agatha Christie novels. Thats something that helped me with getting along with reading. The general theme is to find the murderer. So, it used to be thrilling. 

The plot is about an extra martial affair and a murder associated with it. There is an old lady character called Miss Marple - is over intrigued with general business of everyone in the village. She proves to be resourceful in solving the murder mystery. 

Most beautiful thing about the book is narration. Its like watching a movie fathom itself. Also there are no crazy twists and turns which you will have to remember. Good book to keep you entertained for a bus/train journey.  

 ಓಂ ಶ್ರೀ ಪರಮಾತ್ಮನೇ ನಮಃ

ಅಧ್ಯಾಯ ೯

ಶ್ಲೋಕ ೪

"ಮಯಾ ತತಮಿದಂ ಸರ್ವಂ ಜಗದವ್ಯಕ್ತಮೂರ್ತಿನಾ ।

ಮತ್ ಸ್ಥಾನಿ ಸರ್ವಭೂತಾನಿ ನಚಾಹಂ ತೇಷ್ವವಸ್ಥಿತಃ" ॥೪॥

ಅರ್ಥ

ಮಯಾ- ನನ್ನಿಂದ; ತತಂ-  ವ್ಯಾಪ್ತವಾಗಿದೆ; ಇದಂ- ಈ; ಸರ್ವಂ- ಎಲ್ಲ; ಜಗತ್- ವಿಶ್ವ ಅಭಿವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಯು; ಅವ್ಯಕ್ತ ಮೂರ್ತಿನಾ- ಅವ್ಯಕ್ತ ರೂಪದಿಂದ; ಮತ್ ಸ್ಥಾನಿ- ನನ್ನಲ್ಲಿ; ಸರ್ವ ಭೂತಾನಿ- ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಜೀವಿಗಳು; ನ- ಇಲ್ಲ; ಚ- ಕೂಡ; ಅಹಂ- ನಾನು; ತೇಷು- ಅವುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ; ಅವಸ್ಥಿತಃ- ನೆಲೆಸಿದ್ದೇನೆ.

ಅನುವಾದ

"ನನ್ನ ಅವ್ಯಕ್ತ ಸ್ವರೂಪದಲ್ಲಿ ನಾನು ಇಡೀ ವಿಶ್ವವನ್ನು ವ್ಯಾಪಿಸಿದ್ದೇನೆ. ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಜೀವಿಗಳೂ ನನ್ನಲ್ಲಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ನಾನು ಅವರಲ್ಲಿ ಇಲ್ಲ"

(ಈ ಎಲ್ಲ ಜಗತ್ತು ಮೈದೋರದ ನನ್ನಿಂದ ತುಂಬಿದೆ.ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಇರುವವೆಲ್ಲ ನನ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ನೆಲೆಸಿವೆ. ನಾನು ಅವುಗಳ ನೆರವಿನಲ್ಲಿಲ್ಲ)

ಭಾಷ್ಯ

ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಹೇಳುತ್ತಾನೆ - “ನಾನು ಇಡೀ ಜಗತ್ತಿನಲ್ಲಿ ತುಂಬಿರುವ ಅವ್ಯಕ್ತಮೂರ್ತಿ” ಎಂದು. ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಬಳಸಿರುವ ಅವ್ಯಕ್ತಮೂರ್ತಿ ಎನ್ನುವ ಪದದಲ್ಲಿ ಅವ್ಯಕ್ತ ಮತ್ತು ಮೂರ್ತಿ ಎನ್ನುವುದು ಪರಸ್ಪರ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ಪದಗಳು. ಅವ್ಯಕ್ತ ಎಂದರೆ ಕಾಣದ್ದು, ಆಕಾರವಿಲ್ಲದ್ದು. ಮೂರ್ತಿ ಎಂದರೆ ಆಕೃತಿ ಮತ್ತು ರೂಪ. ಭಗವಂತ ಆಕಾಶದಂತೆ ಎಲ್ಲೆಡೆ ವ್ಯಾಪಿಸಿರುವ ಅವ್ಯಕ್ತ ಆದರೆ ಆತ ಜ್ಞಾನಾನಂದಮಯನಾಗಿ ಎಲ್ಲರೊಳಗೆ ತುಂಬಿರುವ ಮೂರ್ತಿ. ಒಂದೊಂದು ವಸ್ತುವಿನಲ್ಲೂ ಒಂದೊಂದು ರೂಪದಲ್ಲಿ ತುಂಬಿರುವ ಅನಂತ ರೂಪಗಳುಳ್ಳವ ಆ ಭಗವಂತ. ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಹೇಳುತ್ತಾನೆ “ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಂದು ವಸ್ತುವಿಗೂ ನಾನು ಆಧಾರ, ಈ ಇಡೀ ಪ್ರಪಂಚ ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಅವಲಂಬಿಸಿಕೊಂಡಿದೆ. ಆದರೆ ನಾನು ನಿರಾಲಂಬನಾಗಿ ಎಲ್ಲೆಡೆ ತುಂಬಿದ್ದೇನೆ”. ಎಂದು.

ಭಾಷ್ಯ ಕೃಪೆ

||ದಿ|| ಶ್ರೀ ಬನ್ನಂಜೆ ಗೋವಿಂದಾಚಾರ್ಯರು

Translation

"This  entire  universe  is  pervaded  by  Me,  in  an  unmanifest  form.  All  beings  abide  in  Me,  but I do not abide in them"

Commentary

This  entire  universe  —  composed  of  both  sentient  and  insentient  beings,  is  pervaded  by  Me — the  inner  controller  whose  essential  nature  is  unmanifest.  The  meaning  is  that  all  this universe  is  pervaded  by  Krishna  the  Principal  (śeṣi)  so  that  He  may  sustain  and  manage  it. This  [doctrine  of]  universal  pervasion  by  an  inner  controller,  who  is  invisible  to  all  beings, is  taught  in  the  Antaryāmi- Brāhmaṇa. So  also  Krishna’s  primacy  over  everything  is  taught.

Commentary by Shree Rāmānujāchārya

Super Deluxe

This is a multi starrer Tamil/Malayalam movie. I watched the Malayalam version based on a review by a friend. According to the IMDB, its a super hit movie with rating more 4 out of 5. I am wondering a few questions on my head. Please let me know if you know the answers

1. Why Veambu should think that she murdered her ex-lover when he died a natural death? Cheating on her husband is a different crime and murder should be a different crime for Vaembu. Why Mugil also even once didn't think that they are different?

2. Police playing villain is not accepted. That too when he tries to make Veambu agree to sleep with him. Why Mr.Mughil, though being an ordinary man limited by heroic conception, not even once rebel the idea or resist/fight the cop?

3. When Soori finds out his mother is a porn star, why would he want to kill her? Aren't porn stars human? Isn't there an empathetic angel to that as those for Shilpa?

4. When the boys break the TV,  Soori runs after his mother to kill her but injures himself and is put in hospital. Now, being a Good mother, Leela begs the doctor to operate on him. Would she not know the hospital needs to be paid before any procedure can start?

5. The friends of Soori are only worried about restoring the broken TVs. They never think of their friend in hospital?

6. Arputhan will not question God whether he is the only and the only person to be saved in Tsunami by God? Would he not imagine there can be many other people who might've survived tsunami just like him?

7. Shilpa(I mostly looked forward to this role played by Vijay Sethupathi, but only to be disappointed) being a trans woman do not know how the world will treat her if she allies with her son? She expects to be treated like a normal even after she declares she has consummated the cop and she thinks of him as her husband. What logic is this? In one place, she wants to be treated fairly, in the other place, she wants to disclose she has relationship with cop?

8. Coming to cop, why is the cop such an asshole? 

9. Who is the alien and what she wants to do with the movie? 

I could not relate to any of the characters. Finally it gave me a headache.

Well, when I read other reviews, they speak about the direction, screenplay, music, cinematography, acting all to be in excellent levels which would last an ever lasting impression on the viewers. But for me, it led to more questions. 

The one and only thing I liked about the movie is Shilpa's son who does not know to call his father as mother or father but still wants her to be with him. 

Ponniyin Selvan

Today I put down this massive and magnificent art of eminence by Kalki Krishnamurthy. Its massive because it comes in 2000+ pages in 4 volumes. Each page is a sheer joy of witnessing the grandeur of Chozha kingdom. 

Vallavarayan Vandiyatheevan walks in the lanes and palaces of Thanjavur, Kanchi, Kadamboor, Kodumbalur, Madurai, strolls in the forests of western and southern Karnataka underneath the Kaveri river, rows in the Indian ocean between Rameswaram and Ilankai, fight wars, truces, take part in secret conspiracies, scandalises affirmations from kings, corners death threats, with luck escapes from precarious people and situations, laments the loss of a friend, craves for Kundavai yet, survives the trust placed on him. - Is he the Hero? No. 

Arulmozhivarman or Ponniyin Selvan is the hero. He is believed to be saved by mother Kaveri herself when he was placed in the river and thats how he gets the name Ponniyin Selva. He is in Ilankai(Srilanka) waging war and is only 19. He is the second son of the most handsome king of Chola dynasty - Sundara Chola. His siblings are Aditya Karikalan and Kunduvai. Kunduvai is a lady protagonist sharing much of the spot light along with Vandiyatheevan. 

The plot is eventful with many twists but the storyline is predictable though there are great many people involved. All conspires to one war and that war has to be waged. 

The summary of the plot and the family tree and whos who is well reported in the wikipedia. 

I lived through the eyes of Vandiyatheevan all along with his vulnerabilities, love, sheepishness, shallowness, trickery, maturity and his hope for seeing good things. The books took me through those lanes and palaces that he walked by in a visual experience. I read the english version translated by Pavithra Srinivasan though I so much wanted to read the original script written in Tamil by Kalki (due to my illiteracy in Tamil).  

Thought for today

Live one task at a time

Live one thought at a time

Live one day at a time

There are parallel universes, Live one life at a time  

iCon - Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business

 This is an unauthorized biography of the greatest - Steve Jobs. i in the title of the book specified in small is a representation of many apple products. It also has a "I am con" kind of representation. This book is about the second innings of Steve Jobs at Apple once he was thrown out by the board of directors in 1985. 

PC: https://www.gottabemobile.com/iphone-6-iphone-5s-designs-reportedly-jobs-influenced/

Steve Jobs, born in San Francisco was adopted by Paul Jobs - a mechanic in American coast guard and his wife Clara Jobs. Jobs family moved to Mountain View California where Steve met many friends having curiosity in electronics. He enrolled in to Reed college in Oregon but soon dropped out and took interest in calligraphy. He started working at Atari Inc. where he worked on circuit boards for games. He took help from his long time friend Steve Wozniak and submitted boards that shook Atari's product owners. With Wozniak on his side, Jobs persuaded him to demo the partially built Apple 1 computer at HomeBrew computer club. This proved to be a life changing event for Jobs and Wozniak. The Apple Inc. as its known today was first conceptualized in Job's garage. The first investor Mike Markkula who was a retired Intel product marketing manager quoted saying he is investing not in the idea of Apple but in the incredible man behind it ie Steve Jobs. 

Steve Jobs took the role of CEO of Apple and was very successful at it. He was even the youngest to make it to the Forbes list of richest people in USA. He brought in the chief marketing manager Scully from Pepsico to Apple in 1983 as CEO. Jobs released ads for the Macintosh in 1984 stating the machine is something that no one ever has imagined to exist. This was largely seen as marketing hype and Macintosh did not receive the response Jobs was expecting. There were differences between Scully and Jobs. Macintosh failed to outperform IBMs personal computer. Jobs controlled the Macintosh division and the CEO Scully controlled the Apple 2 division and these two divisions worked like 2 different companies though Apple 2 generated the most of the revenue. In 1985 Jan, during the annual meeting, Apple 2 was not mentioned at all and this brought more bitterness among the early employees of Apple 2. Most of them left. Scully planned to reorganize the Apple board of directors in response to which Jobs also developed a plan to eliminate Scully. But Jobs plan was leaked and he later resigned from Apple. 

Jobs in 1985 founded NeXT Inc. which sold workstations for education use. He also founded Pixar- a computer animation studio which later produced movies like Toy Story and Incredibles etc. 

In 1996, when Apple announced it would buy NeXT for 427 million dollars. With this Jobs became the interim chief executive. Much of the NeXT products found their way in to Apple technologies. Under the guidance of Jobs, Apple increased sales significantly with the introduction of iMac and other new products. Jobs introduced iPod, iTunes and iTunes Store. In 2007, Apple entered the Phone business with the introduction of iPhone. 

The book is a narration of how Jobs built back the Apple empire and launched breakthrough products like iPod and iPhone. He has been criticized for his salesman and persuasion skills all through and at the same time he is perceived as a jerk more and less of a genius when it comes to technology. 

Schit's creek

The pandemic has been depressing a lot. Watched this series during first lockdown when the circumstances where not so grieving compared to the second one. 

The idea of a big billionaire going broke was a cool one at that point where the world looked stable in every dimension. But after two waves of pandemic, it's a common scene in every household. If it's only the losses in finances, I am glad. Many lives are lost in the meanwhile. 

It's about a very affluent family losing all the wealth and migrate to a small and remote town "Schitts creek" which once they bought as a joke. Johnny Rose is the owner of Rose video and his wife Moira is a soap opera actress. They have 2 adult children David and Alexis. The plot is about how the family adjusts to the new life in the creek. They realise life lessons and find love. 

I found Johny Rose(Eugene Levy) to be the funniest. Moira Rose(Catherine O Hara) is best when she delivers the quirky and profound dialects. Alexis(Annie Murphy) is over reacting mostly. David(Daniel Levy) does a good job in balancing the scenes with these weird family members. There is a good portion of gay love between David and Patrick. One of the good things I found was that the gayness is never represented with resistance or opression from either family members or the people of Schitts creek. 

I laughed through some of the seasons but the remaining 50% of the seasons were plain boring and drama like. 

Have fun watching this light comedy if you have surplus time! 

ಧರ್ಮ ಎಂದರೇನು? - Part 2

ಧರ್ಮವನ್ನು ಮುಖ್ಯವಾಗಿ ನಾಲ್ಕು ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಎಂದು ವಿಂಗಡಿಸಬಹುದು

• ಸಾಧಾರಣ ಧರ್ಮ ಅಥವಾ ನಿತ್ಯ ಧರ್ಮ
• ವಿಶೇಷ ಧರ್ಮ
• ನೈಮಿತ್ತಿಕ ಧರ್ಮ
• ಆಪದ್ಧರ್ಮ

ಸಾಧಾರಣ ಧರ್ಮ ಅಥವಾ ನಿತ್ಯ ಧರ್ಮ

ಮನುಗಳ ಪ್ರಕಾರ ಸಾಧಾರಣ ಧರ್ಮ ಅಥವಾ ನಿತ್ಯಧರ್ಮದ ಲಕ್ಷಣಗಳು ಹೀಗಿವೆ

• ದೃಢತೆ ಮತ್ತು ಧೈರ್ಯ 
• ಕ್ಷಮೆ
• ದಮ 
• ಅಸ್ತೆಯ
• ಶೌಚ
• ಇಂದ್ರಿಯಗಳ ಮೇಲೆ ಹತೋಟಿ
• ಬುದ್ಧಿ ವ್ಯವಸಾಯ
• ತತ್ವ ವಿದ್ಯೆ
• ಸತ್ಯ ಶೀಲತೆ
• ಸೌಮ್ಯ ಶಾಂತಿಗಳು

ಈ ಹತ್ತು ಧರ್ಮದ ಗುರುತುಗಳು. ಇವು ದೇಶ ಭೇದ, ಕಾಲಭೇದಗಳಿoದ ವ್ಯತ್ಯಾಸವಾಗದೆ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಮನುಷ್ಯರಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ಯಾವಾಗಲೂ ಇರಬೇಕಾದ ನೀತಿಗುಣಗಳು.

PC: https://bradstevenstattoo.wordpress.com/2012/04/04/young-krishna/

ವಿಶೇಷ ಧರ್ಮ

ಇದರಲ್ಲಿ ಎರಡು ವಿಧ

೧. ಜಾತಿ ಧರ್ಮ

ಚಾತುರ್ವರ್ಣ್ಯಕ್ಕು, ನಾನಾ ಕುಲಗಳಿಗೂ ನಾನಾ ಪ್ರದೇಶಗಳಿಗೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಪಟ್ಟಿದ್ದು.

೨. ಆಶ್ರಮಧರ್ಮ

ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಚಾರಿ, ಗೃಹಸ್ಥ, ವಾನಪ್ರಸ್ಥ, ಸನ್ಯಾಸಿ -  ಈ ನಾನ ಆಶ್ರಮಗಳಿಗೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಪಟ್ಟ ದೀಕ್ಷೆ - ವ್ರತ - ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರ.

ನೈಮಿತ್ತಿಕ ಧರ್ಮ

ಇದು ಯಾವುದೋ ಒಂದು ಕೊಂಚ ಕಾಲದ ಉದ್ದೇಶಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ನಡೆಯತಕ್ಕದ್ದು 

ಇದರಲ್ಲಿ ಎರಡು ಬಗೆ

ಕಾಮ್ಯ, ಎಂದರೆ ತಮತಮಗೆ ಇರುವ ಬೇಡಿಕೆಗಳು ನೆರವೇರುವುದುಕ್ಕೋಸ್ಕರ ಮಾಡುವ ಪೂಜೆ, ಯಜ್ಞ  ಮೊದಲಾದವು

ಶುದ್ಧಿಕ್ರಿಯೆ, ಎಂದರೆ ದೋಷ ಪ್ರಾಯಶ್ಚಿತ್ತ ರೂಪವಾಗಿಯು ಅಶೌಚನಿವೃತ್ತಿ ರೂಪವಾಗಿಯೂ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವ ಕ್ರಿಯೆಗಳು

ಆಪದ್ಧರ್ಮ

ರೋಗ ಅರಾಜಕ ಮೊದಲಾದ ಕಾರಣಗಳಿಂದ ಮೇಲೆ ಹೇಳಿರುವ ಧರ್ಮಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಯಾವುದನ್ನಾದರೂ ಸಾಂಗವಾಗಿ ನಡೆಸಲು ಸಾಧ್ಯವಾಗದೇ ಹೋದಾಗ ಒಂದು ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮ ಲಾಂಛನವನ್ನು ಮಾತ್ರವಾದರೂ ಉಳಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಮಾಡುವ ಆಚರಣೆಗಳು

ಧರ್ಮ ಎಂದರೇನು?

The most important question anyone will ask during a lifetime is "What is Dharma?" Here is some notes I made from Bhagavathgeete through the book - "Jeevandharma yoga" 

ಧರ್ಮ ಎಂದರೆ ಧರಿಸಬಲ್ಲದ್ದು.

ಧರ್ಮದ ಮೂರು ವಿಧಗಳು

• ನೈಜ
• ನ್ಯಾಯ
• ಮೈತ್ರಿ

ನೈಜವೆಂದರೆ ಸಹಜ ಲಕ್ಷಣ. ಯಾವ ಒಂದು ಗುಣದಿಂದ ಅಥವಾ ಶಕ್ತಿಯಿಂದ ಒಂದು ಪದಾರ್ಥ ಪದಾರ್ಥ ಆಗಿದೆಯೋ ಆ ಲಕ್ಷಣದ ವಿಕಾಸವೇ ಧರ್ಮ. ಸುಡುವುದು ಬೆಂಕಿಯ ಧರ್ಮ, ಬೀಸುವುದು ಗಾಳಿಯ ಧರ್ಮ, ಹಾರುವುದು ಪಕ್ಷಿಯ ಧರ್ಮ, ಬಿಸಿಯನ್ನು ಹೋಗಲಾಡಿ ಸಿ ತನುವಾಗಿಸುವುದು ನೀರಿನ ಧರ್ಮ, ಮೈ ಮುದಿಯಾಗುವುದು ದೇಹ ಧರ್ಮ. ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ವಯೋಧರ್ಮ, ಋತು ಧರ್ಮಗಳು. ಮನುಷ್ಯ ಯಾವ ತನ್ನ ಗುಣದಿಂದ ಅಥವಾ ಬಲದಿಂದ ಇತರ ಜನರ ಪ್ರಯೋಜನಕ್ಕೆ ಒದಗಬಹುದು ಆ ಗುಣವಿಶೇಷ ಅವನ ಧರ್ಮ. ಇಂಗ್ಲಿಷ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಇದನ್ನು ವ್ಯಾಲ್ಯೂ ಎಂದು ಕರೆಯುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಯಾವ ಒಂದು ಗುಣದಿಂದ ಅಥವಾ  ಶಕ್ತಿಯಿಂದ ಒಂದು ಪದಾರ್ಥಕ್ಕೆ ಬೆಲೆ ಬರುತ್ತದೆ ಆ ಗುಣ ಅಥವಾ ಶಕ್ತಿ ಅದರ ಧರ್ಮ. ಹೀಗೆ ನೈಜ ದ ಪರಿಪಾಲನೆ ಧರ್ಮ.

ನ್ಯಾಯವೆಂದರೆ ಒಂದು ವಸ್ತುವಿನ ಅಥವಾ ಪ್ರಾಣಿಯ ನೈಜಾಭೀವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಯಿಂದ ಇನ್ನೊಂದುರ ನೈಜಕ್ಕೆ ಹಾನಿಯಾಗದಂತೆ ಒಂದು ಸಮೂಹದ ನಾನಾ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಗಳ ವಿಕಾಸನ ಗಳನ್ನು ಹದ್ದಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಇರಿಸುವ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆ.

ಮೈತ್ರಿ ಎಂದರೆ ಇತರರಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರೀತಿ. ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಯು ತನ್ನ ನೈಜ ದಿಂದ ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ಪ್ರಯೋಜನವಾಗುವಂತೆ ಸ್ವ ಜೀವನವನ್ನು ವಿಸ್ತಾರ ಪಡಿಸುವುದು. ಅದೇ ಆತ್ಮವಿಕಾಸ. ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಸಾಧಕ ವಾದದ್ದು ಲೋಕಸ್ನೇಹ. ಅದೇ ಧರ್ಮ.

ಶಂಕರಾಚಾರ್ಯರು ಧರ್ಮದ ಅರ್ಥ ಹೀಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟಿದ್ದಾರೆ

ಯಾವ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆಯೂ ಯಾವ ಚರ್ಚೆಯೂ ಲೋಕದ ಒಳ್ಳೆಯ ಸ್ಥಿತಿಗೆ ಸಾಧಕವಾಗಿ, ಜೀವಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಇಹದಲ್ಲಿ ಯೋಗಕ್ಷೇಮವನ್ನು, ಪರರಲ್ಲಿ ಸದ್ಗತಿಯನ್ನು ಸಂಪಾದಿಸಿ ಕೊಡಬಲ್ಲದೋ ಅದು ಧರ್ಮ. 

ಧರ್ಮವು ಜೀವವನ್ನು ಜಗತ್ತನ್ನು ಸಹ ಧರಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ಜೀವಕ್ಕೂ ಜಗತ್ತಿಗೂ ಸಂಬಂಧ ತಪ್ಪಿದ್ದಲ್ಲ. ಹಾಗಿರುವಲ್ಲಿ

೧. ಜೀವಿಯ ನೈಜ ಗುಣಗಳು ಜಗತ್ತಿನ ಸಂಪರ್ಕದಿಂದ ಕೆಡದೆ ಉತ್ತಮ ಪಡುತ್ತ ಜಗತ್ತಿಗೆ ಉಪಕಾರ ವಾಗುವಂತೆ ಯು

೨. ಜಗತ್ತು ಜೀವ ಸಂಪರ್ಕದಿಂದ ಕೆಡದೆ ಉತ್ತಮ ಪಡುತ್ತಾ ಜೀವಿಗೆ ಉಪಕಾರಕ ವಾಗುವಂತೆ ಯು

ಯಾವ ಯಾವ ಚರ್ಯೆಗಳು ಕಾರ್ಯಗಳು ನಿಯಮಗಳು ನೀತಿಗಳು ಮನುಷ್ಯನಿಗೆ ಯುಕ್ತ ವಾಗುತ್ತವೆ ಅವುಗಳ ಒಟ್ಟು ಧರ್ಮ.

ಆತ್ಮ ಲಾಭಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಮೇಲ್ ಆದದ್ದು ಯಾವುದು ಇಲ್ಲ ಅದೇ ಹಿತ ಗಳಲ್ಲೆಲ್ಲ ಪರಮ ಹಿತ. ಆತ್ಮದ ಸ್ವರೂಪವನ್ನು ಕಂಡುಕೊಂಡು ಅನುಭವಿಸುವುದೇ ಮೋಕ್ಷ.

ಜೀವವು ಜಗತ್ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿ ಬೀಸುತ್ತಿರುವ ಮಾಯಜಾಲ ದೊಳಗೆ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿಕೊಂಡು ತನ್ನೊಳಗಿರುವ ಪರಮಾತ್ಮ ವಸ್ತುವನ್ನು, ಪರಮೇಶ್ವರನನ್ನು ಮರೆತು, ತದಿತರ ವಾದದ್ದನ್ನು ಸುಖವೆಂದು ನಂಬಿಕೊಂಡು, ಆ ಸುಖ ಸಾಮಗ್ರಿ ಗಾಗಿ ಪರದಾಡುತ್ತಿರುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಈ ಪರಿಭ್ರಮಣೆ ಸಂಸಾರ. ಜಗತ್ ವ್ಯಾಮೋಹದಿಂದ ಬ್ರಾಂತಿ. ಈ ಭ್ರಾಂತಿ ಪ್ರಮಾದಗಳನ್ನು ನೀಗಿ ಆತ್ಮ ಸ್ವರೂಪವನ್ನು, ಭಗವತ್ ಸ್ವರೂಪವನ್ನು ಕಂಡುಕೊಂಡು ಅನುಭವಿಸುವುದು ಹೊರಗೆ ಸಿಕ್ಕುವ ಸುಖಗಳಿಗಿಂತ ಮಹತ್ತರವಾದ ಸುಖ. ಈ ಉತ್ತಮೋತ್ತಮ ಲಾಭಕ್ಕೆ ಜೀವವನ್ನು ಅನುಗೊಳಿಸುವ ಗುಣ ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರ ವರ್ತನೆಗಳು ಧರ್ಮ. 

ಧರ್ಮದಿಂದ ಆಗುವ ಪ್ರಯೋಜನಗಳು ಮುಖ್ಯವಾಗಿ ಮೂರು

• ಲೋಕ ಸಂಸ್ಥಿ ತಿ
• ಜೀವಕ್ಕೆ ಸುಖ ಸಂಪಾದನೆ
• ಜೀವಕ್ಕೆ ಹಿತಸಾಧನೆ

ಸತ್ಯವೆಂದರೆ ಯಥಾರ್ಥ - ಸಂದರ್ಭ ವಾಸ್ತವವಾಗಿ ಹೇಗಿದೆಯೋ ಅದು. ತತ್ವವೆಂದರೆ ಅದೇ. ಪ್ರಸಕ್ತ ವಾಗಿರುವ ವಿಷಯದ ನಿಜಸ್ಥಿತಿಯೇ ತತ್ವ.  ನಮಗೆ ಇರುವ ಸಂದರ್ಭದ ತತ್ವವನ್ನು - ಯಥಾರ್ಥವನ್ನು ಗ್ರಹಿಸಿ ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ನಮ್ಮ ನಡುವಳಿಕೆಯನ್ನು ಹೊಂದಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದು ಧರ್ಮ

ಒಟ್ಟಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಮನುಷ್ಯನು ಸ್ವ ಸುಖವನ್ನು ಸಾಧಿಸಿ ಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದರಲ್ಲಿ ಜೀವದ ಸದ್ಗತಿಯನ್ನು ಮರೆಯದೆ , ಇತರ ಜನದ ಸುಖ ಸಾಧನೆಗೆ ಅಡ್ಡಿ ತಾರದೆಯು, ಇತರ ಜನಕ್ಕೆ ತನ್ನ ನೈಜದಿಂದ ಸಹಾಯವಾಗುವಂತೆಯು ನಡೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳಬೇಕೆಂಬ ನಿಬಂಧನೆಯೇ ಧರ್ಮ.

ಒಂದೊಂದು ಜೀವದ ಸ್ವಾಭಾವ ರಚನೆಯು ಸಂದರ್ಭ ಸನ್ನಿವೇಶವು ಒಂದೊಂದು ರೀತಿ ಬೇರೆಬೇರೆಯಾಗಿರುತ್ತದೆ ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ಒಂದೊಂದರ ಧರ್ಮವು ಬೇರೆ ಬೇರೆಯಾಗುತ್ತದೆ ಹೀಗೆ ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಬ್ಬನಿಗೂ ಅವನ ಸ್ವ-ಧರ್ಮ ಇರುತ್ತದೆ.

ಧರ್ಮ ಪ್ರಯುಕ್ತ ವಾದ ಯುದ್ಧದಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಂತು ಹೋರುವುದು ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯನಿಗೆ ಸ್ವಧರ್ಮ. ಅದು ಅರ್ಜುನನಿಗೆ ಕರ್ತವ್ಯ ;ವ್ಯಾಸರಿಗೆ ಅಲ್ಲ. ಪಂಚಪತಿ ಸ್ವೀಕಾರ ದ್ರೌಪತಿಗೆ ಕರ್ತವ್ಯವಾಯಿತು; ಸ್ತ್ರೀ ಲೋಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಇನ್ಯಾರಿಗೂ ಹಾಗಾಗಲಿಲ್ಲ; ಭಾವನಿಂದ ಮಕ್ಕಳನ್ನು ಪಡೆಯುವುದು ಅಂಬಿಕೆ ಅಂಬಾಲಿಕೆ ಯರಿಗೆ ಕರ್ತವ್ಯವಾಯಿತು; ಮಿಕ್ಕಾ ಸ್ತ್ರೀಯರಿಗೆ ಅಲ್ಲ. ಹೀಗೆ ಧರ್ಮ ತತ್ವವು ಜಾತಿಯನ್ನು ಅನುಸರಿಸಿ, ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಯ ಶಕ್ತಿ-ಸಾಮರ್ಥ್ಯಗಳು ಅನುಸಾರವಾಗಿ, ಸಮಾಜ ಸಂದರ್ಭ ವಶದಿಂದ ರೂಪ ತಾಳುತ್ತದೆ.

Picture credit - 

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/the-photo-blog/janmashtami-these-10-cute-little-krishnas-will-melt-your-heart/

Now

Do not miss THIS moment.. because when it's no more, you won't have a chance again to GIVE 

Gunjan Saxena - The Kargil girl

This movie is in news for all the right reasons. Gunjan Saxena is the IAF flight lieutenant who went on to become the first woman pilot to fly the cheetah helicopters in war zone. She joined IAF in 1994 and took part in Kargil war in 1999 in evacuating wounded soldiers, aiding surveillance and transporting essential supplies. A great tribute goes out from my heart to her. 

Now coming to the movie - Its the most acclaimed movie supposed to be showing the valiance of a woman in the time where woman were less privileged. But it irked me a bit. Instead of proving the mettle of Gunjan, movie focused more on the shallowness of men around her. Its not at intervals but the whole plot is the same. Starting with derogatory and non believing brother to the IAF co pilots and bosses. IAF has officially objected the depiction of this perspective. And Gunjan herself has confirmed that there was no such treatment from her male companions. If the story was to be made up, it could've been in a way which aspires women in general to pursue greater aspirations than to just fight for woman rights in a non woman organization. Repeatedly Gunjan gets vexed by her male counterparts and not in a single incident she stands up for herself. Any mediocre woman of this era knows when to stop tolerating the derision and to speak up, not waiting for a major event to happen.

It was surprising to see Pankaj Tripathi in the plot whose acting is as usual commendable. Jahnavi Kapoor looked a clown. Rest do their part - nothing noteworthy. 

Shakuntala devi

The person Shakuntala Devi and the movie on her are both sensations garnering viewership all over the world. 

When I was a 10 std kid, my math teacher inspired me towards the life of Shakuntala Devi. Later when I was preparing for campus placements in college, I read her book - "puzzles to puzzle you". Naturally this movie fell in my watch list attributing to the sophisticated AI that Amazon prime has built. 

3 clear crisp messages that movie gives as far as I understand.

1. Stop being obsessed by "me, me, me, I, I, I and my, my, my".

(On a different stand point - you don't really matter as much as you think you matter). 

Today in 2020's age, we are so swept away with a world full that talks about finding your voice and being on your own, loving yourself, living your passion such that you can excuse yourself for thrashing someone else's dreams, discovering your calling, being brave enough to express your authentic self etc. But this is all so wrong. 

We are all bound by the rules of society and the law and if not, to a great extent, bound by the rules of family. These rules define austere limitations for expression of self. You need to find the balance between "living up for self" and breaking the rule. There needs to be an equilibrium  for "I", "him"(to all men in life) and "us".

2. Motherhood - 

Aren't all mothers perfect? She loved you with all she could. There is no right or wrong. 

Don't cry for the identity she gave you. If you don't like it, you have all the abilities and opportunities to change it. 

Don't look at the mother as a mother but as a woman having her own dreams and calling. 

3. Breaking the cycle of negativity - 

There is an old saying that if you think bad of a person, be assured that he/she thinks bad of you too. This is no unknown magic. Negativity multiplies negativity. Just forgiving the person who wronged you is not enough. Think highly of him/her and appreciate the good things he/she has done to you. That way instead of having a neutral stand point, you make peace with him/her and win-win from both the sides. 

Same goes with motherhood. Is motherhood a cycle where you pass on your curses (and blessings) to your lineage? From your mother to you, you to your daughter and she to her daughter? You just forgiving her would not be enough. If you like to be appreciated by your daughter, appreciate the benevolence of your mother.

 

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Gantumoote (The baggage)

Spoiler: Watch this movie ONLY if you appreciate the rendition of love in it's most subtle ways.

The movie is about a teenage girl expressing her emptiness and fullness together and concurrently after  her young lover ends his life. 

The movie takes you back to the school and gives you a high degree of nostalgia. Every scene is perfectly knit to fit the 90's time zone. What is different from the main stream kannada cinema and this is that the protagonist is a young girl who is not scared to have a mind of her own. 

The movie talks about the teenage love, pressure of exams, mental and physical abuses that will cause long lasting ill effects, high school bullying, heart break, life long emptiness due to death of a loved one and so forth.

The acting by Teju Belavadi and Nischit Karodi is best in class. The scenes are just perfect with no scope to improve - especially the one where Meera comes to confront the death of Madhu when she touches the body of her dead lover. You really swallow a lump of pain when she turns back and heads home. The subtle movements and acting by both in the lead couple expound the fine drawn presentation of love. That factor is also the one that keeps you glued. 

Here is a bit of Meera's(protagonist) mind chatter which gives you the taste of the sensibilities she harness. 

ಆಗ್ಲೇ ಗೊತ್ತಾಗಿದ್ದು ನಮ್ಮ ಭಾವನೆಗಲ್ ಮಾತ್ರ ನಮ್ ಅನುಭವಕ್ಕೆ ಬರುತ್ತೆ; ಅದಷ್ಟೇ ನಿಜ ನಮಗೆ. ಬೇರೆಯವರ ಭಾವನೆಗಳು, ಯೋಚನೆಗಳು ಅರ್ಥ ಮಾಡ್ಕೊಬಹುದೇ ಹೊರತು ಅನುಭವಿಸಕ್ಕೆ ಆಗಲ್ಲ. ಅವನು ನನ್ನ ಪ್ರೀತಿಸ್ತೀನಿ ಅಂದ. ಅವನ್ ಪ್ರಕಾರ ಪ್ರೀತಿ ಅಂದ್ರೆ ಇಷ್ಟೇ ಇರ್ಬೇಕು. 

ಭಗವದವತಾರಗಳು

The most empowering thing I read today are 7th and 8th verse of chapter 4 of Bhagavat geeta. The lines are as below 

ಯದಾ ಯದಾ ಹಿ ಧರ್ಮಸ್ಯ ಗ್ಲಾನಿರ್ಭವತಿ ಭಾರತ ।

ಅಭ್ಯುತ್ಥಾನಮಧರ್ಮಸ್ಯ ತದಾತ್ಮಾನಂ ಸೃಜಾಮ್ಯಹಮ್ 

ಪರಿತ್ರಾಣಾಯ ಸಾಧೂನಾಂ ವಿನಾಶಾಯ ಚ ದುಷ್ಕ್ರತಾಮ್ ।

ಧರ್ಮಸಂಸ್ಥಾಪನಾರ್ಥಾಯ ಸಂಭವಾಮಿ ಯುಗೇ ಯುಗೇ 

Context: 

ಭಗವದವತಾರಗಳು :

ಅರ್ಜುನ, ನೀನು  ನಾನು ಇಂದಿನವರಲ್ಲ ; ಮೊದಲಿನಿಂದಲೂ ಇರುವವರೇ. ನಿನಗೂ ನನಗು ವ್ಯತ್ಯಾಸ ಎರಡು ಸಂಗತಿಗಳ್ಲಲಿ ; ಮೊದಲೆನೆಯದಾಗಿ ನಿನ್ನ ಪೂರ್ವಜನ್ಮಗಳನ್ನು ನಿನಗೆ ಮರೆತುಹೋಗಿವೆ ; ನನ್ನ ಪೂರ್ವಜನ್ಮಗಳ ವೃತ್ತಾ oತ ನನಗೆ ಜ್ಞಾಪಕದಲ್ಲಿದೆ. ಎರಡನೆಯದಾಗಿ ನಿನ್ನ ಪೂರ್ವಜನ್ಮಗಳು ನಿನ್ನ ಪುಣ್ಯಪಾಪಗಳ ಕಾರಣದಿಂದ ಆದವು ; ನನ್ನ ಅವತಾರಗಳು ಧರ್ಮಸಂರಕ್ಷಣೆಗಾಗಿ ಆದವು . ಸಜ್ಜನರನು ಕಾಪಾಡುವುದಕ್ಕೆ, ದುಷ್ಟರನ್ನು ಸಂಹಾರಮಾಡುವುದಕ್ಕೆ, ಧರ್ಮ ಸಂಸ್ಥಾಪನೆಗಾಗಿ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಯ ಮೊದಲಿಂದ ಯುಗಯುಗಗಳಲ್ಲೂ ನಾನು ಅವತಾರ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಲೇ ಇದ್ದೇನೆ.  

README.txt for Bhagavat Geeta

When you download software/applications from Git(open source code repositories), there usually be a readme.txt file that says how to install and use the software. Its essentially the user guide of the software. I was wondering if there is a README.txt for Bhagavat Geeta - how would that be. In my opinion, this is what it can be.

1. It is not you choosing to read this book. The book chooses you - to be read. Lord Krishna chooses you to enlighten. (Thus far in life, I was surrounded with hundreds of Bhagavat Geetas at home but I only took interest in reading it 4 months ago. To hold this book even is a privilege)

2. To set eyes on Geeta, you need to attain a certain maturity in life where you can consume all the pure knowledge. The book comes to your rescue on its own. It finds you when you are ready.

3. You can read any verse and any chapter and still make sense of it both in the general  way(internalizing/localizing to self) and how Arjuna can consume it(globalizing the learning)

4. The beauty of the book is such that any of the 700 verses can be related to any realm you live in. That's why its imperative to read it again and again so that you can relate to different contexts and sojourn towards self discovery

5. You can find answers to all your life's questions and confusions in Geeta. When you relate your being with Geeta, it gives you exactly what you are looking for. First - building trust on Krishna and then surrendering self to that trust are the ultimate bliss one can yearn for.

6. There is presumption that reading Geeta brings Vyraagya. This is absolute untruth.

7. After installation of this book, for sure it changes the EVERY way the human OS works - and for good. 

Becoming - Michelle Obama

This is the autobiography of one of the most powerful women - Michelle Obama. Her life is an account to send the message that one needs to be deliberately happy and have positive outlook on life. 

Michelle Obama spent her child hood in a racially mixed middle class neighborhood. She was thriving since the very beginning. She learnt the different perspectives on life from her great family. Her aunt thought her the sense of devotion through piano lessons and cheerful grand father taught her to cheer regardless of the circumstances. Her father always showed her the brighter side to life helping her to learn the long lasting habit of blocking bad/negative news. Her mother helped her build confidence and courage to make decisions. Her brother Craig was one she admired most for his ease and flexibility of relating to everyone. 

She went to Whitney High school which was 90 minutes away commuting in 2 different city bus routes. She overcame her fears of the new school and built her confidence back. She managed to avoid her doubts and gradually grew fearless. She realized it was safe to be smart. She never relented in standing up to anyone who tried to oppress her. 

As she completed studying law in Harvard law school, she learnt to care less of what people think of her and started focusing on building cordial relationship with her colleagues at work. She met Barack Obama in the law firm - "Sidley and Austin". She was impressed by his poise self assuredness, warm demeanor, unconventional and weirdly elegant aura. 

Later she realized that being a lawyer is not her passion even though she topped in her work. She married Barack Obama and took an offer in job at the city hall in Chicago. Michelle supported Barack through his political career. After Barack's tenure as president, Michelle stated that they were ordinary people who found themselves in extraordinary journey due to their constant drive to succeed. 

Michelle imbibed the spirit of being better than who she was yesterday, worked on her goals, all through enjoyed the journey with no fear of past, present or future.