Life is an illusion

Rajarajeshwari nagar, our area is the most neglected part of Bangalore. In ideal homes township, garbage is thrown everywhere as the garbage collection is not done regularly. And trash is burnt on the side of roads and empty sites. We don’t get to see who are the people doing it. But trash is burnt and the fire spreads by dried plants. This causes air pollution.  And poses danger to the houses. This burning is done with tacit understanding of some of the residents. Some times even garbage collectors burn the trash. I request the authorities to take action on this problem.

I alternate between TV and YouTube and occasionally Netflix. Most of the comedies are good and many of the political videos not so great.  But today I came across most unprejudiced and sane political video by “shut up ya Kunal”. Both the interviewees are soft spoken, intelligent and had a grasp of what is happening in this country. - Javed Akhtar and Yogesh Yadav. That’s what we need in this country. Some kind of sanity and humanity in political system. Will it ever happen. One thing which I found interesting is the statement by Mr. Akhtar that the current unsecular situation is the consequence of earlier improper secularism. I think what he meant was the much uttered minority appeasement of earlier governments. This has angered the majorities to great extent. He gave a good example - Hindu personal law has been modified to allow property rights to daughters in 2005. Why is there not a single change in Muslim personal law? Ok. This does not mean the interview supports the current gover

If poor people are quarrelsome, alcoholic and rude because of their situation, are we also the way we are because of hopelessness of our situation. Did I say hopelessness? You say I am being ridiculous. What do we lack? We have food. We have roof over our heads. We have clothes to cover ourselves. And more importantly we have families- people who care for us. Still why do we feel as if we are  “kati parang” - a kite which flies aimlessly? Is it because we do search for some meaning? Some thing which is beyond our day-today struggle? Or is it because of MS- which in cleaner language means don’t know the word for it.  Are we trying to find purpose for our existence? ಅರ್ಥ in this “ನಿರರ್ಥಕ” life? But how do we find this purpose and meaning? Which guru will lead us towards this unknown goal?

Chotu - a little boy, runs away. Not from his home. But from the dhaba where he is working as a help. He is accused of stealing the clothes and books of son of a local Raja. Hurt and dejected, he runs away.  What will happen, when a poor boy runs away from a dhaba? Nothing, people will blame his for a few days and forget all about him. He will land in a city where he will as labor and then will grow up as either a petty thief or hard working but poor young man- depending on his company and inclination. But the story in this film “I am Kalam” is different. Because Chotu is liked by Dhaba owner because he is hard working and smart and his own mother is also present there. And the son of Raja tells his father about how he was a friend of Chotu and how he gave books and clothes to him.  So all these people along with a French memsahib called Lucy go in search of Chotu. And find him. This film is inspirational children’s film.  Now let us come back to reality. What happens to real Chotus o

I visited my ancestral home today. The walls, the doors everything reminded me of a time when things were so very simple. The photos of my grand parents were trying to tell me something. The front door which is thick and heavy was always a hiding place for us. Veranda was our play ground and has witnessed so many of our games, fights, cries. The hall upstairs was a place where our grand father would sit and listen to the news from radio - a big fat radio. The main door also called pradhana bagilu has photos of several gods including Shankaracharya. This door led to dark passage and then onto puja room. Puja room was very spacious and was resonating with sounds of bells and Jagate and songs by women. You walk across the puja room to the right there was a dark kitchen which was like magic box from where delicious food will some how come out. And then there was a dining hall which was again a silent zone. The children who would sit in a separate row would only be seen

The book “the blind assassin “ by Margaret Atwood is a tale of abandonment and loneliness. At least that is my opinion. Iris is an octogenarian who is tormented by memories of her deceased sister. Iris and Laura Chase are brought up in a rich mansion by their mother and Reenie-their domestic help, nanny and everything else. Their father returns from world war as bitter alcoholic. He has lost his one eye, one leg, two brothers and also his patriotism and faith in the first world war.  He is also a reluctant owner of button factory inherited from his father.  Then something worse happens to the sisters - Iris and Laura, their pregnant mother has an abortion and falls very sick. Does she have a premonition about her death? She takes s promise from Iris that she will always take care of her sister. And within a week, mother dies. Iris lives as a witness to series of deaths first that of her sister, then husband, then daughter. Now she is old, fragile, poor and lonely.  But she wants to tel