Take it from me

Yesterday, I returned from yet another trip to Mumbai. As usual I started off the conversation with the auto driver to beat the traffic jam boredom. He was knowledgeable on all the latest cars that were passing by. He talked about intricate details of cars - this car has 8 cylinders, what cars were popular in which part of the world and so on. He said he gained knowledge on vehicles while he served as a driver in Saudi Arabia for 15 years.

I asked him why he took to driving auto after making money abroad for 15 years. He said that he lost the money over the last three years. He never gave me a direct answer. He said, "Please take it from me, give your woman only the money she needs - never all that you have".

As I was getting down, he said that he has plans to return to Saudi - not for a moment regretting that he had lost the money. He said he is happy he still has a woman who supports him through the years of separation - regardless what she may have done to protect his interests.

As I left I noted that I had forgotten to ask his name.

Who says relationships have died in India. This is the land of paradox.

No Child's Play

The other day I read an unbelievable piece of news.  A woman travelling by train attends to the nature's call.  There she accidentally delivers a premature baby.  The baby falls down the toilet chute of the running train.  She faints and when she regains consciousness, alerts her people on the train who stop the train and run back.  They find the baby alive.

On the other hand, I had a relative of mine who was pregnant.  She had the best of medical attention possible in the city.  Everything was fine and the date of delivery was just days away. The father is reassured that the baby is fine - he even listens to heartbeat.  The next day morning she delivers a still born - no reason.  The baby is just dead.

Now is this Survival of the Fit? Or is it some quirk of fate? Or is it just that it happens. 

Sripuram Narayani Temple

From Ambur, we reached Sripuram, the now famous Golden Temple of Narayani.

I have never seen a temple which evokes such strong reactions. It is positively opulent. It is ostentatious whereas most temples in India reflect austerity. Glazed granite, golden pillars and the dazzling lights leaves you not speechless but dumbfounded. Other temples make you fall silent.

The circumambulation path, is not square or circular but star shaped.

I was just wondering how anyone who enters this temple with fountains and pleasure evoking contraptions could instil a sense of bhakti and humility. Pictures of the man - however great he may have been in constructing this temple - he is still a man - not to be placed alongside Gods/Godesses.

I was just fuming and then had the darshan from 15 feet away even though we had paid a hefty Rs.100/- as entrance ticket.

Then I saw a villager, who normally gets more awed than us city dwellers, just praying there - no dazzling lights, no opulence and no amount of gold could deter him from praying.

So it is not what outside or in the temple that counts. What counts is what you have in you - that is bhakti.

I came out totally humbled from this extraordinary temple, just as I come out of any temple. Better learned and even more humbled.

I am a more chastisised person now.

Refer Wikipedia for more info on this place.

Just see a pic gleamed off the net.

Peria Anjaneyar Temple, Ambur

Ambur-Sripuram Mar 2008

Today we visited the Peria Anjaneyar Temple in Ambur. I and Sridharan, along with families set out in the afternoon and reached there by evening.

The temple is situated amidst the bustle of a small industrial town. Once you enter the temple you are transported to a different world altogether. Serene, quiet and calm.

This temple was built way back in the 15th century during Krishna Deva Raya's rule.

The sthala puranam (history of the temple) is very interesting.

While fighting the demon Ravana to take back the abducted Sita, Lakshmana, brother of Rama is injured in the battle hurt by a missile from Ravana's son. Jambhavan, the bear Advisor, says that he can be rescued by a herb called Sanjeevani. Hanuman is sent back to India to bring the herb. Hanuman sets out to the Himalayas, finds the hill where the herb grows but cannot recognise it. He uproots the entire mountains and returns. Meanwhile, Sukracharya, Ravana's Guru and the preceptor for all Rakshasas (demons) says that he needs to be stopped from returning. Ravana, sends Saturn one of the nine enslaved planets who form the nine steps to his throne to stop Hanuman. Sani (Saturn) accosts Hanuman. Hanuman asks Sani the reason for stopping him from returning. Sani says that he is now under the rule of Ravana and has come to stop Hanuman from proceeding to Sri Lanka. Hanuman places the entire mountain on Sani who is unabe to bear the weight. Sani surrenders. Hanuman then lifts the mountain and crushes Sani under his foot. Sani requests for forgiveness. Hanuman does so under the conditions that Sani is not to impede anyone's path who chants Rama's name. Hanuman then returns to Sri Lanka with herb and rest of the story is known. The temple idol of Hanuman here is in the posture of crushing Sani Bhagawan under his foot.

Since this is a ugra stance, nearby is another idol of Hanuman so that people can worship Him.

The temple tower contains some extremely beautiful scupltures of the Raya dynasty.

One can light lamps depending on the constellation to obtain peace and prosperity.

We saw the temple cow and calf - they appeared to be more peaceful than most people we see on the streets.

We also saw some students praying for a successful completion of their exams coming up just round the corner.

Have a look at some material on the net here.

The temple has website http://www.periyaanjaneyartemple.org/, but then I was not able to view it today.

Babu Culture

'Babu Culture' roughly translates to bureaucracy. 'Babu' commonly refers to a clerk in Government Offices in India. More importantly this refers to the practice - a vestige of the British Legacy that we are finding it hard to shed. Unknowingly sometimes we even nurture it to absurd lengths.

Here is a sample:

There is a typical city in India where most of the people work in the offices who come to their place of work from neighbouring towns and villages. Babugiri (bureaucracy) dictates that all workers arrive for work in time . Sometimes, if trains by which most workers commute, are delayed the whole lot of workers get delayed to work.

However babu culture does not accept delays unless there is a written proof for being late. The culture has built in a scheming way by which if a train is delayed the Station Master issues a note affixed with the official rubber stamp of the station, the date and time, the name and number of train that got delayed and the length of delay itself. Delays are accepted only when such notes are produced by the workers to their management.

There is a small procedural problem. If a train gets delayed by, say 20 minutes, about 200 people in the train have to stand in a queue to get the note from the Station Master. Most of the people spend close to an hour or more standing in queue, so that their 20 minute delays are accepted. You imagine the total delay time if multiple trains are delayed.

The whole India works on this Babu Culture whereas the people who taught us this culture have learnt their lessons. We still thrive on Babudom. Long Live Babus.

The story is about 10-15 years old in the eastern part of India as retold by a friend of mine and is unverified. But several practices like this still continue in India.

Shoe Polish

I have a friend of mine. However, I don't like him. He can do something that I can never manage to do. He can keep his shoe shining and sparkling, throughout the day and day after day after day. You can never spot him with a blot in his shoe. It is not just one but both the shoes are spotless.

I feel very jealous of such people. Either they do something that I can never manage to do in my life or they do not do something that I do with my shoes.

If you are a guy who can see a small stone while you walk and have no impulse to kick you are the nerd with a spotless shoe.

If you can see a small pool of water on the road and get no inclination to splash it all over you can go ahead and have a spotless shoe.

If you can see a tree that just about snares you into believing you cannot climb it and you actually don't climb it, you can have a spotless shoe.

If you can see dust carefully heaped up by your neighbour and you still go on without jumping all over it, please have your spotless shoes on. I like it specially after polishing your shoes with a brilliant shine on the way to school on a Monday morning. It is also the best time to make your neighbour go crazy and to return the shoes to its original glory. Never mind the stern warnings from your school monitors.

If you can see fresh cow dung and walk right past without knowing if there are worms in there or not, spotless shoes are for you.

If you can compare others' shoe and you do not take pride in taking satisfaction that your's is the most worn out pair, spotless shoes are for you.

If you do not enjoy walking in soggy shoes, spotless shoes like you.

The greatest joy I get is when I am able to see my toes through the front of the shoe.

It is time for my father to get me a new pair of spotless shoe.

Water, Water

There is a wonderful town called Nanjangud - a town endowed with God's bounty. Lush, green and people happy with reaping the benefits of the land.

Just as any other place - once it fell into degeneration due to over exploitation and drought. One summer people started experiencing the cruelty of nature. It continued for the next few years and then it became really acute. The once harmonious people started getting angry, frustrated and demoralised. Their crops withered, the town's embellishments worn out, the town began sporting haggard looks.

The people gathered, thought it over and concluded that the Town Municipality has to resolve the issue and bring back the town to normalcy.

First a few people petitioned the Municipal Chief for water. After a few months they realized this was not going to work and intensified their agitation.

All the town elders formed a big group of the entire town and went to the Town Municipality Chief's residence to represent the matter.

When they reached the house, it looked forlorn. The chief's palatial house, once a pride of the town, looked deserted. No neatly trimmed bushes; No flowering plants and all fruit bearing trees bereft of even leaves. It seemed lonely.

Town elders took the long walk along the pathway and reached the entrance. The house seemed to be devoid of life. The Chief's mother was sitting at the threshold staring at the void.

The people's representative asked, "Salutations to you, Mother. May we see the Chief".

Mother replied, "May God bless you, son. May I know the purpose of your visit".

Representative said, "Mother - We need a solution to the acute water problem that we the town people are facing. We want the Chief to provide a solution at the earliest".

Mother pointed to backyard and said, "Go, son. You may meet the Chief at the backyard. He is drawing water from the almost dried well. He is planning how deep he has to dig further to draw water for the next year. I would suggest you do the same. We cannot change nature and it is better to plan and take action to alleviate the suffering".

And the people returned without meeting the Chief. All of them were puzzled as to why the biggest issue for the people a few moments ago was no longer there.

This happened many, many years ago and the town now is back to it's days of glory.

A real life incident as told by my dear friend Shashidharan A N.

I will start a Travel Agency

Today's trip back from office was a surprise. I was waiting for an auto when a taxi came in. Waiting for a negative response I told I would pay Rs.100/- - the auto rate. Surprise, Surprise, he agreed. And then I started. Here is his story.

He appeared to be in his mid 30s. But then he's been driving for 24 years now. He looks much younger than he is.

I am Balu. I've been driving since '84. I have driven all kinds of vehicles. I am doing an Ambassador now.

I am uneducated. I am extremely conscious of this and with a vengeance I have tried to be better. Because I am uneducated I have no bad habits. Perhaps that is reason you feel I appear younger that what I actually am.

I have two sons. The eldest one is 22. He works for a Bank. ICICI - Nungambakkam. He is in charge of marketing. He finishes his job by afternoon and later he does insurance work for Bajaj. He is always in meetings and returns home only after 1 am. He always wanted to work for a bank. He gets enough money. He has a power steering car. He drives it himself to work. He is a good boxer. He builds his body and he has lots and lots of medals. The house is filled with cups and medals. He studies very well. I was able to educate him till 10th and after that he did everything over correspondence. He is always the first or second. Third is ok but he gets tensed if he is not within the first three. What is life if you are not at the top.

The younger one is zero is studies. He is studying for cinema direction. He always keeps watching movies. He does not allow anyone to sleep peacefully. He watches a lot of english movies and says this is the angle from which it should have been shot. I have allowed him to follow his dreams.

Both of them have grown with their own efforts. I am nothing.

I cooked my lunch today as I do everyday. My wife is ill. She is a mental case. She wants buildings and houses. For what I earn we can afford to eat peacefully three times a day and that is enough for me but not for her. But I take care of her.

I will open a travel agency very soon. I will have three cars - Indica, Ford Ikon and a Mitsubishi Lancer. All AC.

Life Goes On

Talk with auto drivers in Mumbai and Chennai during December 2007 and early 2008.

Mumbai December 2007

Suresh drives an own auto. In mid 20s he is excited with his vehicle and leads a care free life.

He is from a village near Sangli. He and his family shifted to Mumbai a long time ago. He bought an auto a couple of years ago. Since they lived in a shanty without ration card – he had to go in for a auto loan from a private money lender and not a bank. He took about Rs.60,000.00 as loan and repaying Rs.5,000.00 a month for three years. However, he is not displeased.

He spends all the extra money he gets on the auto. He has bought a cassette player a year ago with woofer and two speakers costing him Rs.5,500.00. This makes it difficult to find space for some luggage at the rear of the passenger seat, but music is more important for him. He brings out a new cassette almost daily. He is proud but says his next idea is to replace the cassette player with a CD player.

His is not yet married and his parents are unhappy with him because he spends a lot on the auto.He leads a hand to mouth existence living in deplorable conditions. After paying for the loan and the cassette he has anything hardly left to eke out a living. The airport is expanding the authorities have already issued notice for vacating the shanty. They would be provided with an accommodation outside the city.

Suresh is happy with himself.

Maharashtra – A Pilgrimage

Visit to Shirdi, Shani Shinganapur and Nashik.

It was first of sorts in several respects. I, Sridharan and Desi traveling for the first time together. We drove down to Shirdi starting at about 9.45 pm and arriving at Shirdi by about 4 am the next day (30^th December 2007).

At Shirdi had a good darshan of Baba. I’ve fulfilled the vow of giving away Rs.2.00 that I made during my previous visit to Shirdi in 2005.

From there we proceeded to Shani Shinganapur by afternoon. Do not miss the sugar cane juice on the way – the best that you can get, the freshest – the sugarcane is cut from the fields in front of you and the ox crushes them to give you the fresh juice.

The last stop was Nashik. We hired an auto to go around. The Kala Ram, The Gora Ram, Sita Gufa, The Triveni sangam (Aruna, Varuna and Godavari meet here). This place is known as Panchavati.

From there, we drove back to Mumbai. I drove part of the way – I felt it was a bit risky in the sense that I hadn’t slept the entire last night. I drove for about three hours from midnight to 3 am. First time in a highway in night. First time in a highway at night in ghat sections. First time in a highway in ghat section in a diesel car. First time in a highway in ghat section in a diesel car with extreme heavy truck traffic. But then all of us arrived safely.