heard this awesome qawali by nusrat saab… some very deep adn insightful points he has raised about the god/almighty… many doubts and fears and confusions are expressed…some frustrations too… interesting to see how wonderfully he has made such a wonderful connect with most people in some form or another….and yes he has not answered the questions but is somewhere encouragin us to find out our own answers…amazing Nusrat saab…RIP:-))
gotta little dilemma today…
have to go to the gym and also at a meeting with some friends which is important and once a months sorta thing…what to do??? dont wanna miss gym as ive been irregular for last three weeks…only determined to be regular this week and have gone twice…any wisdom??
once upon a time is a great beginning… it usually sets the premise about a story… the time..the context…the conditions thereof… the reader or listener is willfully ready to travel to the time and place that the story teller is addressing… so easy to believe really! now if we add the word India to the phrase once upon a time … suddenly millions of visuals and sounds come rushing thru the door of my mind and are vying with one another to say that they are the better representation for India… in the midst of all this infighting of thoughts and ideas…i have my own little experience and perspective…the one that unknowingly makes me think the way i do…certainly part of the whole truth..but not the truth as a whole… coz I too have only been a part of a certain time in India… and have access to only the few other times that I have heard about or read …other people’s points of view…
so what is this once upon a time that i have in mind? or rather…what part of time can i speak with authority about? time itself is passing by all the time and we yet its such a constant…
so once upon my time in India brings to mind the tricycle rides with my best friend neighbor in patel nagar in new delhi…i was about 3yrs old…the sultry afternoons with power cuts and no great modernization in recreation yet achieved… we used to sing some popular songs and ride the tricycles till as long as our mothers find us missing from the house…
there was a neem tree on the pavement near the crossing…a few meters from the the porch of our rented house… we had a little verandah where the tricycle-athon would happen in the quiet of the delhi summers….the verandah was a common one which was shared by about 4 sifferent households…in the same complex……
near the neem tree was a cycle shop which rented bigger cycles…the ones we both would ride some day soon…but back then they seemed too dangerous and hard to handle…how cud anyone ride only on two wheels??? seemed so impractical…how bad will the balance become!?…and then people complain about accidents… we were convinced that three wheels are better than two wheels… nevertheless…later on in life we were bound to change our opinion and how!
the neem tree had a look of eternity on it…like its been there from the times of the pandavs or even before…and may just have given them shelter in similar sweltering conditions during their exile…what poise! what a strong appearance it had! In fall the neem tree threw down some seed like fruits…yellow with a soft center… and they were so many that it wud cover the enitre foot path around the tree. As people walked by they cudnt avoid stepping on the seeds that wud make a squishy and irritating sound…i used to hate that sound…really! and sometimes avoided going in that direction for the same reason… the cycle shop was owned by an old gentlman…he seemed to me a very content and calm person…never fretting over anything…he used to breeze threw his days with total control without begrudging anything… he was probably muslim or sikh coz he had a long beard…more white than black and used to have a sort of turban/cap… he wore very dirty and wierd clothes…somtimes his pajamas would be worn so high that his ankles and lower calves cud be seen…sometime he wore a sleeveless sweater too… but the important thing for me and indeed for us is that we both wanted to get friendly with this man…coz our future lay in his hands…very soon when we sud start liking two wheel bikes…he was the only one in the whole of east patel nagar who cud fulfill our dezire… so we both started early enough… we wud just hang around the shop and make polite conversation from time to time… many times just touchand feel the cycles standing there and gettin a high…nothing seemed more exciting than this… and then suddenly my mother wud come searchign for me and find me wasting time in the shop and whisk us boys away… till another time when we wud come back and continue building our future relationship with the cycle shop…and the old shop keeper…
will be back for more…in Once upon a time in India:-))
its been a long time and seems like just yesterday that i was regularly here… guess such is life… we all drift along the waves every now and then…and then time just passes by…
im not sure what i wanna write today… i guess that is how i feel..not sure about what i wanna say or think or do…does it happen with every one of you? when you are just … sorta there but not really there…
and then i cant deny that i dont feel so many ways all at once…. its like the maha platter of kebabs at some ruby Tuesday joint i went a long time ago…kebabs of all shapes and sizes and too many to finish…lol…
so then where were we? kebabs remind me that im pretty hungry since i dint get have breakfast today…got up late and rushed thru the chores to get to work in time… i guess ill eat in a bit…it all happens involuntarily…mechanised to perfection like clockwork…thats corporate culture for you!
so as i yet dont know about what i wanna say..i guess ive been able to touch upon a few things i feel or think at least… its sorta quiet in office last few days…as the boss is away, the mice will play…lol…
it’s getting to that time of the year when everyone is in festive mode…everyone is selling for less…and everyone wants to buy more than before…more traffic…more people on the streets…more life everywhere…its nice i guess…sometimes certain involuntary things are good i guess…
to each his own…what a wonderful line… it has been used over the ages and yet we arent tired of it … works like a charm in all cases…everyone usually gets the point fairly quickly on hearing this one- four word line …or is it just a phrase… that brings to mind freedom and democracy…to each his own…free will…liberty… all powerful words..big opportunities for the modern human being …yet not sure how much is really there…with all the invisible strings attached that we all are aware of…nothing comes without a price…wow..that is another famously used line… no free lunch…similar and effective….so intelligently thought out and presented with the right garnishing at every table on the face of this mother earth…we all agree…dont we?
i guess this drive thru my free time and cyber space is getting a little too long for us all so lets just end it on a fine note…that is how the cookie crumbles…C’est la vie:-)))
Hey World,
We are living in a time when the world is going through rapid progress in technology, science and infrastructure. We are experiencing an ever shrinking world. Nothing seems inaccessible and out reach of our modern day lives. Yet a whole lot of people are feeling a sense of vaccum and discomfort. Nothing seems to satisfy the ever increasing urge in our hearts.
Buying is not a proposition anymore, its become a part of our every moment existence. We are constantly buying – thoughts, values, pleasures, articles…tangible or intangible…our pursuit to own is never over. Infact, the desires and craving becomes more and more viscious with every such effort.
So what can be source of all this confusion and dissatifaction? What is the true reason behind our mindless craving and pursuit of happiness in external phenomena, people and objects?
Deeper analysis and thought would probably reveal that its the orientation or rather disorientation of our minds. And yet, the disorientation not the source again. That too is a reflection of something deeper. The cause for this lies in the very core of our lives. Buddhist philosphy reveals that this is rooted in the dillusions that we have within our lives. The dillusions are themselves created over many lifetimes and therefore determine the mental makeup of us individuals. Every individual eternal life has existed over many millions of life-times. Over all these lifetimes we have created causes in the realm of thought, word and action. These thoughts, words and actions have determined the Individual Karma and therefore the resultant destiny of all us individuals. Many people of similar Karma therefore, are experiencing the same kind of suffering and disorientation in their lives and thus, it’s not a coincidence that we all are facing together what can be termed as the Collective Destiny as human beings living on this planet at this moment in time.
The negative Karma we have collected over the many million lifetimes is a result of the causes created by us over these many lifetimes. But why do us human beings create such negative karma? The cause of that too must lie within our lives.
Buddhism has identified this as the Fundamental Darkness existing within all human beings. This fundamental darkness coexists with the Buddha Nature- the Fundamental Goodness. These are two opposing forces which are at work sumultaniously in our lives.
So are Human Beings therefore doomed to live their lives at the mercy of these two- Fundamental Darkness and Buddha Nature? Well many people would agree and therefore lament at the futility of human existence. Buddhism does not agree to this thought. Buddhism proposes and advocates a process called Human Revolution. This is the process of inner transformation which has the ability to correct the course of our lives and lead a happy, healthy and meanigful existence.
Human Revolution means taking responsibility of our lives and actions and developing a strong and pure self that has the power and ability to make the right choices -choices that would fall in the domain of our Fundamental Goodness or Buddha Nature. Simultaniously, it also empowers us to resist the temptations of our fundamental darkness.
This truely is a liberating thought and process that shows humanity the light of hope and the opportunity to lead value creating and fulfilling lives brimming with joy, happiness and satisfaction. Nevertheless, its a painful and tiring battle which requires a constant learning and unlearning in the basic belief system of our lives. But its a battle worth fighting. When we persevere to fight this battle and win…we are bound to live a life free and liberated of any dillusion and suffering.
Three cheers to Human Revolution!
Cheers!
Till Later,
RSK
Hey world,
Hope everyone is doing well…
Have been really busy of late and driving in the fast lane…
Can see how when u going at that speed, you can crash big time…
A little slip can be fatal… and little lapse in concentration can be disastrous…
Just had a little first hand experience …but then, thats life…about making mistakes and learning from them…and becoming better…
Gotta get more focused and determined to avoid getting involved in anyone’s life…
Cheers!
Till later…
RSK
Hey World,
Am back after a really long gap. Been really busy with work etc.
Feel compelled to write about the changing weather phenomena in Mumbai city and the world at large.
We are experiencing the coldest winter ever in the living history of any body I know of in Mumbai.
To top it all, its very windy. Night temperatures have been dipping progressively for last few days…
For the average Mumbaikar(Mumbai Native), there is no concept of severe winters, thus it becomes a wardrobe issue aswell… one finds people covering themselves with whatever that comes close to being warm… as a result the oomph quotient with female clothing is also taking a beating…everone is covered from head to toe…lol
Cafes and public dating spot must be reporting lower sales due to the loss of valuable scenery…
As a result of that, thecafe owners have a harder time shopping for their women folk…and thus the cycle goes on…
One cant fail to recognize the catastrophic levels the problem has reached owing to the above mentioned reasons…its high time the state government provide solace to the needy men and the down trodden teenagers who have been forced to work extra hard to get a nice view in the this time of national mourning…
One wonders if the leaders will finally wake up to the situation and offer interim relief by inviting younger female volunteers from the tundra regions- especially Scandinavia who will dare to bare in this chilly weather. Its reported that these volunteers are infact, equipped with far greater ability to bare in the chilly weather than local female species in these latitudes.
Well, finally one can only hope that the help and rescue operations are begun on a war footing basis and all the victims are provided with immediate and urgent scandinavian attendance and care in as private and homely an environment as possible…
The rest has to be seen to be believed…lol
Cheers!
till later,
RSK.
hey people,
hope all of you had a good weekend…
hmmm…can see a lot of yeahs…lol
nice… thats the way it should be…but sometimes things aren’t really like we want them to be…maybe thats what its all about…life and its uncertainties…
its an easy thing to understand for everyone… and sometimes, though we know everything we still cant seem to accept it for what it is… seems today im in the gibberish mood…
have had a little longish day…spent three quarters of the day at training course and then when i got back… a lingering cold has played the spoil sport… cant party tonight and tomorrow is the beginning of a whole new week at work…
so there we are… there isn’t a way i could spend time with ma gf…she busy with family as usual…neve seem to be on her list of priorities any way…lol
and cant go out with anyone else cause it seems to be danger zone…you know what i mean…
paradox of ma life…
ok…u folks get back to your weekend partying…
and ill spend time on my lappie and try and chat with a few friends online…hope that i could get a drink if ma nose stops running…
cheers!
till later,
RSK
hey world,
its funny how life moves us all our lives…
we get introduced to a whole new world constantly…
thats life….like a lot of people say…
and friends come and go…some stay…some move on…some become indifferent…some get involved…and some are neutral…
but they surely become a part of our lives…and irreplaceable part of our existence…
im at one such crossroad on life… am seeing a new side of many of my friends…
some nice and a lot of it strange…
trying to understand it better… but i guess there isn’t much to read into it…
so let it be…just let it be…
and cheers to life…and all the new people coming into ma life…
i wish them all the best in their lives!!!
Cheers!
till later,
RSK
how do u do?
March 17, 2009 in Uncategorized | Tags: comment, feelings, global recession, people, slowdown, spirit | 1 comment
In the current global slowdown/ recession…its intriguing to know how people are feeling.
do write your comments…
till later,
RSK