An evening party

 A late evening get together of black kites... maybe to discuss the strategies to get a few fish from the pisciculture ponds under strict human vigilance...

Givers and takers

 

I have seen a few wonderful old women beggars—even though calling them ‘beggars’ would be almost a sin but given my inability to find a suitable title for them I use the word beggar—who would put out their hand with such grace, dignity, motherliness, humility, kindness, gratitude and smile that it appears like a mystical treasure, almost a blessing by a saint. Remembering them I feel that it would be incorrect to call them ‘takers’ because even though a coin passed onto their palms they gave back something far more substantial and deep, something that touches your soul, enriching you in a profound way. And after getting softly, gently touched by their presence, as you walk away, the material burden on you minus by a metallic coin, you feel enriched in a mystical, soulful way.

In contrast, I remember many materially rich people travelling in costly cars, clad in brand clothes, adorned with gold and platinum, the ones whom we mistakenly term as ‘givers’. When they give something to a poor person, something very small that wouldn’t even match the cost of biscuits for their pampered dog, there is almost a malicious frown on their face. The frown, the outer lines of the poverty of the soul inside, conveying deep sense of fear, insecurities, dis-ease and absence of joy in life despite all the material wealth around. They appear to ‘give’ something but do they actually ‘give’? In fact they seem to ‘take’ something from the poor palm spread in front of them. I think with that look of hatred and repulsiveness they take away the last semblance of dignity and self-respect still surviving in a corner of the destitute person’s heart. They take away the smile and belief in humanity somehow still lying in tiny bits in the soul of that poor person.

So we have to think and observe it carefully. Not all beggars are just ‘takers’; many of them are ‘givers’ of some invisible substance comprising genuine smile, blessing, gratitude and kindness. They appear to take a little coin or morsels of food but in reality they are returning something very-very big in its subtle proportions. Also, not all rich charity givers are just ‘givers’, they are takers, almost robbers, of the last traces of humanity lying in a poor person. They appear to give something but in reality they are taking back something far more precious.

A drizzle of flowers

This is just one-fourth of the flowers that drizzle in a flowery, scented rain from the two Parijat trees in the yard. Scented, dewy, flowery nights; and the rain of flowers on cool mornings. With so many flowers around no wonder I find my spirit dancing, intoxicated with the beauty of the countless blooms and scented breeze.

Using honesty to validate dishonesty

 प्रतिद्वंद्वी को निष्पक्ष लड़ाई में कम महत्वपूर्ण राज्य जीतने की अनुमति दें; इस बीच, साथ-साथ अधिक महत्वपूर्ण राज्य जीतें, भले ही इसके लिए अनुचित साधनों का उपयोग करना पड़े। उदाहरण के लिए, जम्मू-कश्मीर और हरियाणा। जम्मू-कश्मीर कम और हरियाणा ज़्यादा महत्वपूर्ण क्यों है? क्योंकि जम्मू-कश्मीर में सर्वशक्तिमान उपराज्यपाल के पास वास्तविक शक्ति है और विधानसभा अब तक लगभग नाममात्र और प्रतीकात्मक प्रकृति की है। इसलिए इससे कोई फर्क नहीं पड़ता कि विधानसभा का संचालन कौन करता है। हरियाणा क्यों है ज्यादा महत्वपूर्ण? क्योंकि यह परम सत्ता की सीट दिल्ली को तीन तरफ से घेरता है। किसान हरियाणा की सीमाओं के बाहर बैठे हैं. यदि कोई प्रतिद्वंद्वी सरकार सत्ता में आती है, तो वह सीमाएं खोल देगी और किसान दिल्ली में अपने अधिकारों की मांग करेंगे। अगले चुनावों में भी यही स्थिति होगी: झारखंड और महाराष्ट्र। निष्पक्ष मुकाबले में कम महत्वपूर्ण झारखंड को हारें; महाराष्ट्र को जीतना अधिक महत्वपूर्ण है, चाहे जो भी साधन अपनाना पड़े। फिर आपको प्रतिद्वंद्वी द्वारा आपके द्वारा चुनाव में हेरफेर के आरोपों को खारिज करने का एक तर्क मिल जाता है। आप बस इतना कहते हैं कि देखिए आप दूसरे राज्य में जीत गए और फिर भी आप ईवीएम के दुरुपयोग का रोना रो रहे हैं। यही कारण है कि एक साथ होने वाले इन चारों विधानसभाओं के चुनाव को दो भागों में बांट दिया गया। यह घोषणा लाल किले पर एक राष्ट्र, एक चुनाव की घोषणा के एक दिन बाद की गई थी।

Allow the rival to win the less important state in a fair fight; meanwhile, side by side win the more important state even if it means using unfair means. J & K and Haryana, for example. Why is J & K less important and Haryana more? Because in J & K the all powerful Lt. Governor holds the real Power and the assembly is almost nominal and symbolic in nature as of now. So it hardly matters who holds the assembly. Why is Haryana more important? Because it surrounds Delhi, the seat of ultimate power, from three sides. The farmers are sitting outside Haryana borders. If a rival government comes to power, it will open the borders and the farmers would be in Delhi demanding their rights. The same will be the case in the next set of elections: Jharkhand and Maharashtra. Lose the less important, Jharkhand, in a fair contest; win Maharashtra, the more important, using whatever means it takes. You then get a logic to undo the rival's allegations of election manipulations by you. You simply say that see you won the other state and still you are crying about the misuse of EVMs. That's the reason the elections for these four assemblies, which were due to be held together, were divided into two sets. The announcement coming a day after the Red Fort declaration of one nation, one election.

The smile of a stone

 

Life invincible 💪 A crack in the concrete wall. Some chance seed of a flower. Rains. Dew. And you have a little flower on the top of a tiny plant. The triumph of life, the urge to manifest from unknown to the known. Is the flower separate from the stone? No. It’s mere extension of the stone from its cracked lip, its mouth open to the possibilities. I would say it’s a smile on the stone’s lips.

Even in its barren womb the stone has the probability and potential for life. All it needs is a little crack, some drops of rain and a chance seed to transform that potential into reality. The stone smiles. The flower isn't something separate from it. It's merely an extension of it.

Manifestation is just a set of probabilities coming together from the infinite, ever evolving fabric of potential and probabilities. And of course it needs a set of appreciating eyes to witness this Leela...to complete one little circle within the greatest circle ever ... things going round and round...little cycles within the bigger cycles and still bigger ones to follow... going so big to again fall back into a point... nothingness and everythingness just the same same..