Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Pasta and Maths with the Rishis


Good things often come to you without notification. If you are a devotee they come frequently and always without warning. And because opposite values are complementary, they are usually preceded by some frantic bursts of crazy running around, desperate phone calls, roller coaster emotions and fervent prayers. If you like a well defined, surprise-free life (i.e. you have not done the YES+), you would probably be wondering what these lines meant. If you love your life, like crazy adventures and care for the planet (i.e. you have done the YES+) you would be right at home with the above.
Yesterday was one such day - Vishal's fateful phone call at 4 pm went "Bawa is coming to Koramangala at 7. Get 40 people" This was followed by 2.5 hours of frenetic phone calls, cajoles, threats, and other means of persuasion in different parts of bangalore. Only 20 blessed souls made it to the venue though. Then came the rishis - both Bawa and Dinesh, their glows lighting up the Indian Heritage Academy.
The mathemagic session was brilliant. One answer in particular stood out highlighting Bau's total presence of mind and depth of wisdom. Bawa was 100% teaching the topic of countable infinity and uncountable infinity. In short, an infinite number of distinct things become countable infinity. An infinite number of things where infinite other things exist between any 2 things is uncountable infinity. A question asked was that In any situation, human beings have only a countable number of choices they may make - hence countable infinity. Yet why is it said in books of wisdom that we have infinite possibilities in any situation (uncountable infinity)?

The answer was sheer genius. Look at the diag ram here. Bawa said that most people believe themselves capable of doing only a certain number of things. Hence their choices are countable, bound within a small solid circle of possibility as shown. When you get enlightened, this barrier breaks and you are capable of anything! Lke Guruji :) Hence enlightenment is the transition fom countable to uncountable infinity, and meditation is the way.
The joyous mental exercising left us pleasantly hungry, and we proceeded to Via Milano, one of Bangalore's most promising Italian eateries, for dinner. Now Via Milano is known to be a slightly elitist place, where people are so proper. When our YES+ group walked in, it was as if the place had come alive suddenly. It felt much more warm and comfortable. Carl, the restauraneur who owned the place was a gracious host and we had splendid vegetarian choices, which could have been better had they stocked whole-wheat pastas instead of maida ones. We had an assortment of yummy italian salads, tailormade to Baus impeccable tastes, with potato and mushroom soups, special mozarella fritters and 3 gobsmacking authentic thin crust veggie pizzas. This was follwed by the main course of assorted pastas, lasagnes each spiced perfectly and accompanied by flavored olive oils. The pannacotta dessert ws superb. Our verdict was that the place would be a definite go-to if they serve whole wheat pastas, which Carl has promised to do if he is called in advance. Of course we had lots of photos, lots of laughter and it was amazing to see how Bau and Dinesh bhaiya seem to be so effortless and natural wherever they are. It seems that their sorroundings blend into them rather than they blending into their sorroundings. Dinesh bhaiya cracked a couple of sardar jokes, Bau gave Carl pointers to improve his delightful cuisine, and we all retuned happy, glowing and well fed.
The icing on the cake was that Dinesh Bhaiya was so gracious, he sent a message thanking us all after the dinner. Praying to have diner with them really soon:)

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Born Again


Have just returned from an experience called the TTC. A 111 of us were battered (our egos specially on the first 5 days), kneaded (with yogic postures designed to turn the best of backs to jelly), doused (with tough challeneges), sieved (through intro talks) , marinated (with knowledge points) , baked (through establishing the knowledge points and by buddha's grace), and once done, properly topped with cherries and fruits (the graduation party, the artificial meat dinner). Guess all of it is necessary so that we can have a pudding (us) worthy of the filling (the SK notes, the tape)....

Some dishes are meant to get better with time, so we work and wait for our manuals, after which we are ready as irresistible, mouthwatering, heartfilling offerings called YES+ teachers, out to entice and uplift an entire populace. Jai Gurudev!

Monday, June 16, 2008

Indian blues and Redemption Song


As Shahrukh Khan sings
“Kabhi to tumko chhatri de dein jab barse pani,
Kabhi naye packet mein bechein tumko cheez purani,
Phir Bhi Dil hai Hindustani”

It is this maddening juxtaposition of two polar extremes which makes us so unpredictable, so Indian. We can deliver lectures on Gandhivaad and self-restraint and then fall over each other to grab a local celebrity’s autograph. A cop may glare at you for breaking out of line at the traffic signal but then salute you the moment you slip him a 50 note. Our own daily lives are full of such extreme opposites (Father being late for work then teaching son about punctuality in the evening, Beautifully decked up ladies punching without abandon to board local trains, Vehicles running casually over animals on the highway on the way to home carrying their beloved child’s gift).

We have institutionalized self-abasement, jealousy, blatant materialism, opportunism – inspite of having the best spiritual tradition in the World. The biggest comedy occurs when harried ‘baratis’ slip the priests additional notes to ‘appease’ the Gods faster. As if God was that stupid.

Let us be clear on one thing, we lack nothing – except compassion and respect for other Indians. All our national problems are self-inflicted including our Government. After all, they only practice the Indianised arts of self-contradiction, denial and laziness at the highest echelons of power. How can any Indian feel indignant, righteous anger at ‘others’ in the society without having a good look at himself/ herself? How can we continue to fill the coffers of polarized bigoted channels of news proudly parading themselves in the garb of ‘national news networks’? How can we not care about the gross inequality that we inflict upon ourselves?

The only solution that we have in front of us is ‘Active Acceptance’ – facing the problem and resolving it with a big heart, generosity, acceptance and compassion. As Bonaparte would say “Iron Fists in a Velvet Glove”.The dust is only surface deep. One touch of the Sudarshan Kriya would open up our hearts which we have for so long not expressed.

As LK Advani said in the Silver jubilee celebrations of the Art of Living in Bangalore, “Such a huge international congregation defies understanding. This great son of India (Guruji,His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar) has done us proud and He is the one true hope we have of establishing Sanatan Dharma and Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam.”
Hinduism, in its true essence, offers a true solution through universal acceptance and brotherhood – for India and for the World, for Love moves the World.

Friday, June 13, 2008

Vegetarians Forever!


Wishing the whole world celebrates 'V' day every day. Not the mushy shiv-sena attracting variety, but one marked by the crisp crunching sound of fresh veggies. A 'Vegetarian' day i propose every day.

Why should others bother to go vegetarian?
1. You further humanity. For all those who disagree, the production of non-veg food consumes 30 times more resources than equivalent vegetarian food.
2. You protect animalkind. If you disagree go watch 'Meet your Meat' on goveg.com. No living creature, except a few people i unfortunately know, deserve that kind of treatment.
3. You save the Earth. The pollution from the non-veg-food-industry rivals that of all automobile and industrial pollution combined.
4. You live longer. Colon cancer, obesity, heart disease all are , on an a verage, 20 times more likely to afflict a non-vegetarian than a vegetarian
5. You help a fellow human being (aka me). Who do you think pays taxes for all that subsidized chicken - other vegetarians of course!

I love Nike


I like my Nikes. Nike exploits asians and horrendous amounts of profit per shoe. But i still like it.

Reason 1 - The shoes feel 'more' comfortable over heavy usage, and i mean 3 km daily plus basketball plus the gym

Reason 2 - Nobody advertises like Nike. I remember how as a kid i would see Nike soccer or basketball commercials (particularly the one about Jordan saying hat he has failed again and again and thats why he succeeds), an i was sold.

Reason 3 : Nike endorsed Michael Jordan. Period. The geatest basketball player who ever played, 'Jesus-in-sneakers' had Nike written on the sneakers.

Await your opinion

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Hello World!

Aloha!

The blog's alive and would feature themes including restaraunts, musings, movies, books, basketball, guitar, current affairs and more. Happy blogging :)

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