from a void space of my empty skull...

Sunday, December 31, 2006

To fear or not to fear

Her eyes stole my soul, the angelic smile put all ornaments to shame, and nature painted cherubic face personifying beauty confounds my tongue, brings fresh snowfall within to pump my hormones to new extremes. Life is full of surprises....

Déjà vu - Fear of failure amputated the thought of winning this beauty, holding my surging emotions to ransom. Mind ceases to function, thoughts constipates only to contemplate my past. Duels my mind with whirlpool of emotions to solve this conundrum, giving birth to the thought - Why fear failure, are failures not stepping stones to success? Why quake and tremble with fear? Why let fear oppress you?

Unable to find an answer…

Monday, December 18, 2006

Gandhi is Dead, Long Live Violence!!!

Anton Balasingham is no more….. Mr. BalaSingham was critically instrumental in crafting the LTTE’s ideology and was fairly successful in nurturing and instigating the “LTTE’s philosophy” in the hearts and minds of millions of Tamils. Acclaimed as a master strategist, a chief negotiator during peace talks – the magnitude of his loss is nothing but colossal.

For over 3 decades now, LTTE’s struggle and demand for a separate nation has grown in great depth and magnitude, leaving the Tamil minority in crossfire. The forlorn faces and the tattered lives of people who seek refugee in Tamilnadu (India) speak volumes of the agony, the distress, the mental pain and suffering caused to these harmless souls, who fight all the odds stacked against them, expect nothing but a right to life. I deeply empathize with my Srilankan Tamil brothers and sisters, I completely understand the trauma they undergo & I would be forthcoming to support them to the extent possible. Not unlike many hot blooded young Indian men, with strong inclination towards violence & communism, I was fascinated by the heroic activities of rebels like - V Prabhakaran, Fidel Castro & Che Guevara. I grow up allowing myself to develop the ill-conceived conviction that "Violence" is the panacea to fight the evil in this society, to wrestle the heinous crime, to encounter corrupt politicians, to eliminate jingoists, to slaughter mindless hegemony in this world. Thanks to the movies which influenced me to a higher degree and helped reinforce my conviction and etched my thought process deterring me to think of nothing but violence as a fix-it-all solution.

Education, time and people can alter perceptions & offer new dimensions to life. I was no exception. Two years of my management education helped me to re-read history – now I was careful enough to read between lines – introspect and appreciate true values and beliefs. Leadership miracles by Jesus, Gandhi & Nelson Mandela intrigued and inspired me to seek the truth, which I understand is non-violence. Undoubtedly, non-violence yield better proven-results, prevents loss of life & property making the world a better place.

Pondering on why Gandhi and his principal-concept of non-violence not being followed by his own countrymen would give me Sleepless nights. I blame none for we have created a world filled with Violence and blood-shed. But now I firmly assert there is “one-solution” which would reverse all the blood-shed – NON VIOLENCE.

Had rebels resorted to non-violence and make it part of its central-strategy, had the Kashmir insurgents considered non-violence as a potential weapon, had the mighty leaders and their followers placed enough belief on non-violence, many wars could have been averted, many lives could have been saved, fruitful amicable solutions could have been born.

Gandhi realized it - We enjoy the fruits (freedom) borne by non-violence, Nelson Mandela stood for Non-violence - South Africans are successful in curbing racism. But sadly, BalaSingham chose violence. I have no doubts that their struggle would not fructify. With a heavy heart, I foresee, Srilankan Tamils would suffer for years to come. I don’t see light at the end of the tunnel. The LTTEs are now busy proclaiming “GANDHI IS DEAD, LONG LIVE VIOLENCE”.

Wednesday, December 6, 2006

Seek.... You shall find a friend in me

Marching down my memory lane paints vivid pictures of my previous past.....first day at school, rubber ball cricket, ceaseless altercations , Summer computer courses, dropping out of Hindi class, board exam results, College ragging , Flirting days , first job, & all my friends - who made my life.

Brooding on my past, I understand my attitude and character have metamorphosed only for the good. This positive transfiguration would have not been made possible without my family and friends.

Friends made me what I'm today. I still wonder, how did I gain friends with all my weaknesses that I possessed? How did I win friends who stood by my side through all tough times? How did I succeed in acquiring the treasures of my life- friends?

Contemplating on what could have been the drivers of friendship - I could not think of anything other than unbound love, trust & care.Joy is multiplied when love, trust & care is reciprocated & happiness flourishes in any relationship leaving the entities soaked in pleasure and unbound happiness.

Over these growing years, I have learnt to reciprocate love in its purest form - friendship. I have imbibed the habit of overlooking an individual minor weakness and started searching for his strengths. I have learnt to stand strong by his/her side and fight for him/her, die for him/her even when the whole world is against us. After all, it is all for friendship.

Friendship has enabled to broaden my horizons of mind to offer my love to all those who seek it. With open arms I invite all my fellow beings to taste the fruits of my friendship that I can offer you. I'm determined to make your life richer with love, love and pure love....

I would sow in you - what my friends enlightened me with - the joy of sharing love through friendship and together we would reap happiness.

Friday, December 1, 2006

GOD - in You and Me.....

Coming, as I do, from an orthodox Hindu family, which has unwavering belief in GOD, I was influenced to believe in His existence. The religion I followed lead me to appreciate diversity, learn tolerance, respect fellow human beings and fostered high values and belief in my sub-conscious mind which will still continue to influence my thought process for years to come. I'm unable to fathom, how a religion creating noble thoughts in one mind would influence fratricide in another? God - Would you answer?

Increasing religious holocausts, surging fundamentalism & incessant fanaticism are clear symptoms of sabotaging religious beliefs by tampering virgin minds. Should the obfuscated "concept of religion(s)" be obliterated? or Should His existence - the fundamental bedrock of religion - be questioned?

His existence has always been a topic of debate, I do not want to broach and comment on a contentious issue that is beyond my comprehension. It would be appropriate to mention that, the medium(religion), created with the intent of propagating peace and thereby guide human spirits to accomplish higher objectives grossly fail in most aspects. Contemplating on this, I understand, would lead to futile discussions as it questions the efficacy of religion(s).

I may have not been bestowed with the opportunity to meet Him nor my mind is seeking its further abode, but I have been fortunate enough to meet HUMANS who by their deeds have created the magic of illuminating millions of souls. I have been blessed to meet HUMANS who have lifted millions from their wretched and abject penury. I have been privileged to meet HUMANS who have made a positive impact on millions of desolated and ravaged minds. In every walk of life, I witness sacrifices by parents, brothers, sisters, friends, teachers, students, husbands and wives, all made for the well-being of another soul. These Sacrifices made are selfless and voluntary, these sacrifices are not for Quid Pro Quo, and these sacrifices can NEVER be quantified and monetised.

The selfless love and sacrifices that are made for a fellow human being making the recipient better-off, is love, in its truest form. Being a staunch believer in Advaitham, I firmly assert, if every human(irrespective of his religion) imbibes the habit of sharing selfless love with fellow beings, the world would be a happier place.

GOD - may or may not be existent, no more would we search Him, no more would we debate on superiority of a religion. We shall find HIM in you and me through unbridled love we share with our fellow beings, and He exists in small yet big things called "Love".