For the love of money?

“The moon belongs to everyone - the best things in life are free
The stars belong to everyone - they gleam there for you and me
And love can come to everyone - the best things in life are free”

The last time I heard those lines I had laughed at my friend who told them (rather sang them) to me and made him see how only money matters and is the very reason for our mere existence – I could not convince him then – neither could he convince me. Weirdly, I found myself quoting those very lines to another friend recently – I was trying to make him see how one could have good times with no money involved. Again – he could not convince me – neither could I convince him.

This whole turn of events made me wonder - when did I start thinking like that. Money still is very important to me – but is it my raison d'etre – am not sure. Money can buy me every happiness, which I have always dreamed about since forever – I can go to Scotland – I can buy my Mercedes - my Rado - my Vertu – I can shop at Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Prada, Guess outlets – I can stay at the Hilton & the Ritz – I can have several exotic meals at Le Jules Verne on Eiffel Tower – I could have everything that money could buy – but would those things just give me temporary thrill or could those things assure me permanent happiness – am not sure. If money was indeed the answer to all problems, is it true that fantastically rich people are never sad – do they have no problems – is life a party for them always - am not sure.

I don’t need money - to laugh over a joke – to enjoy the beauty of a scenic view – to act like a kid at times – to enjoy the rains – to share good time with friends – to draw different shapes with clouds in the sky – simple joys – small pleasures – genuine happiness. Don’t get me wrong – I definitely agree that money is the pre-requisite for a comfortable life – money cannot be ignored – money is definitely something – but is it everything – am not sure. Money is a means to achieve happiness – but do we mostly confuse it for happiness in itself – am not sure. Jonathan Swift definitely knew what he was talking about when he said that a wise man should have money in his head, but not in his heart. Seriously, friends who know me are gonna be real surprised after reading this post – but yeah guys, some thoughts change as life catches up with you :)

“The moon belongs to everyone – the best things in life are free” – I think I understand today wot my friend was trying to explain to me back then. Well said dude – rather - well sung.

Vanakkam Chennai

I admit that 30 odd hours aren’t enough to know a city – but one does get a feel of the vibe of the place right? I visited Chennai this week and since then I have been thinking of what to write about the place - I thought about it all the way on the return flight- on my way back home – but still could not find the right words to describe the experience.

I had been to Chennai before - when it was Madras - but that was long back - had no memories from those times. This trip wasn’t something that I was looking forward to. It was an obligation – a necessity – to visit the place. When my flight landed at the airport, I braced myself for the supposed nightmare called Chennai. But, I was in for a surprise. The view that met me as soon I exited the airport was awesome – a huge hillock - covered with greens – set against a cloudy, sleepy evening sky. They say first impressions matter and boy was I impressed. I just stood there watching – taking in the beauty of the scene – till our cab arrived. The drive to the guesthouse was slow and rhythmic. I was registering the sights of the city as we sped along. People often tell me that this is a hot, dull and boring city – I met a different Chennai – this one was lively – fresh – exciting. Long rows of brightly-lit shops – coffee stands – people spilling onto roads – cars and buses honking – Tamil scrawled on walls and hoardings here and there – a lonely tree every now and then – the normal daily buzz of life was everywhere.

I was filled with awe the first time I saw IIT Chennai and Anna University. Both have beautiful campuses. Anna Univ. has few beautifully crafted buildings. I just walked around in silence. Just standing on the hallowed grounds of IIT was a surreal experience – honestly. People everywhere in Chennai give such warm and honest smiles to complete strangers. I was having a tough time conversing in Tamil but all people I met were amazingly patient and even the staunchest locals struggled to speak in English and even in Hindi just for my convenience – that was really sweet - we had a hearty laugh over the millions of mistakes I made while speaking in Tamil.

Chennai came across as a city of chruches – almost every busy road – every narrow lane – led to a quiet church – all calm and peaceful – distinct -in contrast with all the chaos surrounding it.

The long, never-ending Marina Beach remained to be checked out. The feel of silky sands on bare feet – gentle waves kissing the shores lazily every now and then – a bunch of excited kids playing cricket – long rows of beautifully coloured boats – nets lying tangled on the shores - fisher men and women at work – looking all busy and important – friends and families sharing good times. I felt all tiny and small standing on the shores and staring at the horizon across deep blue waters. My heart felt light – with happiness. I am sure that beach must have gifted beautiful memories to all who had ever been there.

I approached Chennai as a prejudiced stranger – I don’t know when I became friends with her. Chennai is filled with simple joys – enjoying dosai and a kappi early in the morning with a light drizzle for company – eating hot sambar rice with crisp appalams on a banana leaf - walking along Marina Beach – lazing around in Chennai Citi Centre – exploring Adyar – getting the feel of IIT – speaking in broken tamil and having a hearty laugh over my mistakes – meeting amazingly warm and friendly people – smiling back at shy, curious kids – the veshtis – the Kanjeevarams – I liked every bit of Chennai that I saw – I enjoyed every moment spent there.

Before I knew, I was back at the airport – staring at that beautiful hilly terrain once again. Back to where I started I guess – there was a difference now though – Chennai was no longer a stranger to me.

Maybe

She: It hurts

He: Yeah - it does

She: Wot hurts you dude?

He: Watching Vidya in Kismet Konnection. Sad!

She: Wot hurts - to love someone with all your heart knowing that your presence or absence makes no difference to him - knowing that he doesnt miss you even in the smallest way possible - knowing that you are not a part of his world - knowing that you are doing the most impractical thing on this planet and still doing it anyway - that hurts.

He: Ouch - that must actually hurt - is that why we are sitting in a temple right now?

She: Maybe

He: Well - think about this - isnt it better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all?

She: Easier said than done

He: Is that why we are sitting in a temple right now?

She: Maybe

Rules to love?

Typical weekend – typical plans – saw the movie 'Rules' with friends. It was fantastic – fabulous - awesome - wot a film! Milind Soman was super cool as usual – Meera Vasudevan as Radha was a real sweetheart – Tanuja really rocked it as the been-there-done-that super funky grandma. However the best thing about the movie was the theme – interesting – intriguing – hilarious – a formula to love – a set of rules to make someone love you.

The film made for an interesting chat afterwards – do such rules actually work in real life? Or does love know no rules? Can you modulate your behaviour to make some one fall for you? Then what are first impressions all about? Is the whole wooing and flattering ritual over-rated? Can you actually make love happen? Is it okay to fake an image in love? Is it justified to pretend just because you’re in love? Is it after all really true that all’s fair in love?

The questions ended as the coffee mugs emptied – all said and done – Rules was a really good watch – with some beautifully written songs like this one - rock on :)

Whattae song I say!

Heard this song after very long - lovely tune - beautiful lyrix - divine vocals - its been playing on repeat on my iPod all through this week - sheer bliss - pure ecstasy :)

Mere mann yeh bata de tu - kis or chala hai tu
Kya paya nahi tune - kya dhoondh raha hai tu

Jo hai ankahee - jo hai ansunee
Woh baat kya hai bata
Mitwa - kahe dhadkane tujhse kya
Mitwa - yeh khud se to na tu chhupa

Jeevan dagar mein - prem nagar mein
Aaya nazar mein jab se koi hai
Tu sochta hai - tu poochta hai
Jis ki kami thi kya yeh wohi hai
Haan yeh wohi hai - haan yeh wohi hai
Tu ek pyaasa aur yeh nadi hai
Kaahe nahi isko tu khul ke bataye

Jo hai ankahee - jo hai ansunee
Woh baat kya hai bata
Mitwa - kahe dhadkane tujhse kya
Mitwa - yeh khud se to na tu chhupa

Teri nigahen paa gayee raahein
Par tu yeh soche - jau na jau
Yeh zindagi jo - hai naachti to
Kyun bediyon mein hai tere paanv
Preet ki dhun par naach le pagal
Udta agar hai - udne de aanchal
Kaahe koi apne ko aise tarasaye

Jo hai ankahee - jo hai ansunee
Woh baat kya hai bata
Mitwa - kahe dhadkane tujhse kya
Mitwa - yeh khud se to na tu chhupa

Mere mann yeh bata de tu - kis or chala hai tu
Kya paya nahi tune - kya dhoondh raha hai tu

Song: Mitwa
OST: Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna (2006)

Justice...finally

Bijal Joshi – I knew nothing about her - till today. She must have lived an ordinary happy life – like most of us do – but she had no clue about what her future held for her – a mind-numbing agony and a relieving death. She was killed in spirit on December 31, 2003 and she committed suicide on January 7, 2004. She was finally delivered justice today – details follow here

Every attempt possible was made to save the accused but finally amidst all that - truth prevailed. While the lifer for the five accused re-affirms one’s faith in the judicial system of this country, alongside I find it hard to ignore this recurring thought – for her family the wait lasted five years – agonizing, painful, suffocating five years – her family’s agony can only be imagined – can anything ever make up for that time lost - isn’t justice delayed justice denied? All I can do is whisper a silent prayer for all those Bijal’s, Aarushi’s & Jessica’s out there - who die a silent, untimely, cruel death – for no fault of their own - every day – every minute.

Nostalgia

I know this feeling from before....this isn't pain I am feeling - it's nostalgia.

~Ally McBeal

He said - she said

She: Just imagine - wot if I might actually get to be one of those lucky people.

He: Wot lucky people?

She: You know how some people are together because they feel they cant do better - or how some people are sad and miserable living alone all their lives - and then there is this tiny miniscule group of lucky people - who actually get to be with the ones they are madly in love with.

He: Have you ever considered just being in love - and leave the madly bit out of it?

Oil's not well

The government finally went ahead and did it – announced a hike. Sadly, it was not a salary hike – but a hike in fuel prices. It was always an imminent move given the steep rise in crude oil prices in the international markets in recent times. The only consensus about oil prices right now is that they are not about to come down any sooner in the near future. The first reaction of anyone to the hikes would be to scream "Not fair!" – but a closer look at the details helps one see the bigger picture.

Let’s face it – the losses being incurred by oil companies in India have been to the tune of Rs.2,00,000 odd crores. If the fuel prices in Indian markets were not hiked now, then the companies would have, sooner or later, run out of money to buy crude and then the country would have – literally - come to a halt. As a matter of fact, these hikes – if anything – are only providing only temporary and partial relief. We need to realise that even with these hikes in place, these companies are still making a loss.

Agreed that the price rise might boost inflation further, which is already rocketing upwards to new all-time highs - but inflation control is to be chiefly done through the proper channels and by the right institutions. One solution could be to let rupee have a steady rise against the dollar, which would counter the rising oil prices. Another option could be to harden interest rates – with a healthy GDP growth rate, this would actually be considered a calculated risk. Shifting focus from inflation solutions, let’s acknowledge the fact that the government at the Centre, on its part, has cut taxes on fuel and a few Left-ruled and Congress-ruled states are already following suit. Most factions are chipping in to deal with the problem – then why should the common man be left behind – this question surely deserves a thought.

Meanwhile, amidst all this turmoil, to watch political parties of the Opposition resort to good, old opportunism – is to watch a repeat telecast of the blatant misuse of democracy. The mindless and hasty strikes called by the Opposition do not – in any way – reflect remotely reasonable sensibilities. The strikes organised across few states is only for protesting against fuel hike – no party involved in these strikes has come forth with an alternative long-term solution to the crude oil crisis facing the nation currently. My question for these parties is that when the country imports oil, shouldn’t it pay the prevailing international price? Shouldn’t the nation as a whole bear the burden of price rise?

To cut a long story short, this "oil shock" – as some are calling it – is here to stay and we better get used to it. Let’s face this long-known, well-ignored fact atleast now –all’s not well – rather – oil’s not well.

Exquisite

Vincent Van Gogh – always a revelation. His works of art speak to you – you interpret them in a different way every time you look at them. Exquisite brush strokes – striking colour contrasts – weirdly haunting mundane images – amazing variety in portrayal of emotions, moods and influences through shapes, colors and objects.

Brian Eno once said that "I've always thought that art is a lie, an interesting lie. And I'll sort of listen to the "lie" and try to imagine the world which makes that lie true... what that world must be like, and what would have to happen for us to get from this world to that one." Van Gogh’s world intrigues me and I can never tire of imagining it.


Poetry surrounds us everywhere, but putting it on paper is not as easy as looking at it. ~Gogh

A good picture is equivalent to a good deed. ~Gogh

It is not the language of painters but the language of nature which one should listen to. . . . The feeling for the things themselves, for reality, is more important than the feeling for pictures. ~Gogh

I dream my painting and then paint my dream. ~Gogh

Keep your love of nature, for that is the true way to understand art more and more. ~Gogh


I believe there is nothing more artistic than to love people. ~Gogh

When I have a terrible need of — shall I say the word — religion, then I go out and paint the stars. ~Gogh

Brian Eno also said that "Rationality is what we do to organize the world, to make it possible to predict. Art is the rehearsal for the inapplicability and failure of that process." I guess the world owes its success in some ways to the failures of Van Gogh.

Creative Tolerance

I was having an interesting discussion with some friends yesterday about the recent clean chit given to the famous painter, M F Husain by the High Court for obscene portrayal of certain goddesses’ and Bharat Mata in some of his paintings. There are still 3 cases pending against the man –hope those are resolved soon as well – anyways, the whole discussion got me intrigued about the case and on googling it up for more details, what I found sure did surprise me – the judgement given by Justice Kaul in this matter deserves a round of applause. Besides the legal aspects of the case, his supplementary observations definitely are worth a mention -–two points particularly stand out.

One – he rejects the tendency of certain individuals and sections to be offended by works of art or literature. If one is offended – one should not read the specific book or look at the particular painting, but one has no right to stop someone else from expressing himself. What is vital is to look at any work of art from the artist’s point of view rather than that of the viewer.

Two – mindful of the fact that he may come across to certain sections as someone who does not understand that liberal attitude to art just reflects the mindset of a paltry minority with a vast majority only being offended with the kind of art his judgement will protect, he goes on to defend his line of thinking with the following lines – "A crude view of democracy gives a distorted picture…In real democracy, a dissenter must feel at home and not be looking nervously looking all around fearing captivity or harm for his unconventional or critical views. There should be freedom for the thought we hate. Freedom of speech has no meaning if there is no freedom after speech".

He concludes his statement with a hope that his judgement will serve as a prologue to a broader thinking and greater tolerance for the creative field. To hear such language and logic from an Indian High Court Judge - who has all the liberty to interpret the right to freedom in the most conservative fashion – sure does give a lot of hope for the future of creative expression in India.

However, all claps apart, how practical it is to expect such liberal attitude from all Indians? To what extent can odd and offendable forms of creative expression be ignored in a widely conservative country like India? Should there be no social bounds on creative expression? Can art get away with blasphemy? Is Husain right in taking liberty with his depiction of religion? Can it be ignored in the name of artistic license? Doesn’t art have a moral bearing on the society that inspires its very existence? Or does art merely depict a society’s hidden –sometimes unthinkable - perception on many unspoken and taboo issues? These questions remain – perhaps with no absolute answers.