Draupadi, the Woman : Epitome of Feminity and Feminism - Part 2

Draupadi is the only instance we come across in epic mythology of a sati becoming a kanya. It is stated that in an earlier birth as Nalayani (also named Indrasena), she was married to Maudgalya, an irascible sage afflicted with leprosy. She was so utterly devoted to her abusive husband that when a finger of his, dropped into their meal, she took it out and calmly ate the rice without revulsion. Pleased by this, Maudgalya offered her a boon, and she asked him to make love to her in five lovely forms. As she was insatiable, Maudgalya got fed up and became an ascetic. When she remonstrated and insisted that he continue their love-life, he cursed her to be reborn and have five husbands to satisfy her lust. Thereupon she practiced severe penance and pleased Lord Shiva with her prayers. He granted a boon to her. Nalayani said that she wanted a husband and to ensure that her request was heard, she repeated it five times in all. Shiva then said that in her next life she would have five husbands. She obtained the boon of regaining virginity after being with each husband. Thus, by asserting her womanhood and refusing to accept a life of blind subservience to her husband, Nalayani, the sati, was transformed into Yajnaseni, the kanya. Some sources have a slightly different narration. Draupadi made her request only once but she added a long list of qualities that she wanted in her husband. Lord Shiva said that it would be impossible to find one man with all these qualities. Hence she would have five husbands in her next life. All of them together would posses the qualities she had enumerated. (According to Brahmavaivarta Purana, she is the reincarnation of the maya Sita (shadow Sita - wife of Lord Rama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and hero of Ramayana) who, in turn, was Vedavati, reborn after molestation at Ravana's hands, and would become the "Lakshmi of the Indras" ] (one of the forms of Goddess Lakshmi, eternal consort of Lord Vishnu) in heaven.

Draupadi and Lord Krishna shared a very special relationship. As is known to admirers of the great epic poem Mahabharata, Draupadi always considered Lord Krishna as her Sakha or beloved friend and Krishna addressed her as Sakhi, this as symbolic of the platonic love existing between the fiery Draupadi and the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Krishna. Draupadi is the instrument of Lord Krishna. Using her, he realized his mega-plan of annihilating the evil Kauravas. The choice of Draupadi as the instrument, which caused his actions, explains the special place she had in his scheme of things, Draupadi was put through severe tests in her life. The only true friend, who validated her persona and came to her rescue each time she found herself in dire circumstances, was Krishna, whose divine presence she experienced constantly in her life.

It was the Swayamvara (a ritual in which the princess was allowed to choose her groom from amongst a group of contenders) of Draupadi, the princess of unequalled beauty, where the Kings and Princes gathered in hundreds, each eager to marry the princess. King Drupad, father of Draupadi arranged a contest. At the center of the hall a mechanical device was erected; on it was placed a revolving object in the shape of a fish. The reflection of this revolving fish could be seen in the water below. A very heavy bow was kept nearby. Any one who desired the hand of Draupadi in marriage had to lift the huge bow, bend it and tie the bowstring, then, looking at the reflection, he had to take aim with five arrows and bring down the rotating fish. Such a one would be a hero worthy of Draupadi's hand. Many of the assembled kings retreated, as soon as they heard of this contest. The hundreds of princes who had come to marry Draupadi were all beaten.

Both Krishna and Draupadi appear for the first time together in the Swayamvara Sabha and make decisive interventions. It is Panchali's categorical refusal - wholly unexpected - to accept Karna as a suitor that alters the entire complexion of that assembly, and indeed, the course of the epic itself. The affront to Karna sows the seeds of the assault on her in the dice-game. Pandavas in disguise of brahmins came to the Swayambhara Sabha, and Arjuna won Draupadi by piercing with arrow, the eye of a moving fish on a high pole. Other than Pandavas, kings and princes became very angry and it is her Sakha-to-be, Krishna, who steps in to put an end to the skirmish between the furious kings and the disguised Pandavas.

The Pandavas and Draupadi returned home from the Swayamvara hall. The princess who had not seen the midday sun, had to walk miles in the sweltering heat to reach her new home. Arjuna announced to his mother that he had brought home a prize that he so skillfully won. When Kunti (mother of Pandavas) heard this without seeing them, she asked them to share whatever they had brought among themselves. This was how she daily greeted them in order to ensure they remain united. Keeping their mother's word, they divided Draupadi amongst themselves as if she were an object. It is true that Arjuna was able to receive Draupadi's hand by completing a difficult and skillful task, but she was not a prize that he won because it was Draupadi's Swayamvara; she had the right to choose her husband. Arjuna proved himself worthy, Draupadi herself made the true decision. She could have married Karna who could have also performed the same task, but she denied him permission to participate. In certain ways therefore, Arjuna degraded Draupadi by claiming her as a prize and his elder brother, Yudhishtira, further insulted her by carrying out their mother's wish by treating her as if she were an object won in a contest.

Indian English - It vill be wery helpful, Yaar!

In the midst of the heavy Mahabharatha writings, I thought a bit of humour to catch your breath would be nice.

This is an editorial written in New Yawrk Times in the year 2050. Its called "Indian English - It vill be wery helpful, Yaar!"

It is the year 2050 and call centers are opening all over the West, as the new economic power India out-sources work to the countries where many jobs originated. Millions of Americans, still struggling to adapt to a global economy, are willing to accept jobs that pay them in a new currency sweeping much of the world: EuRupees. Some of them, eager to land one of the customer service jobs from India, are attending special training sessions in New Yawrk City, led by language specialist Dave Ramsey, who goes by a simpler name for his Indian clients: Devendra Ramaswaminathan.

On this warm afternoon, the professor is teaching three ambitious students how to communicate with Indian customers.Professor: "Okay, Gary, Randy and Jane, first we need to give you Indian names. Gary, from now on, you'll be known to your customers as Gaurav. Randy, you'll be Ranjit. And Jane, you'll be Jagadamba.

Now imagine you just received a call from Delhi. What do you say?"

Gary: "Name as tea?"
Professor: "I think you mean 'namaste. Very good. But what do you say after that?"

Gary: "How can I help you?"
Professor: "You're on the right track. Anyone else?"
Jane: "How can I be helping you?"
Professor: "Good try! You're using the correct tense, but it's not quite right. Anyone else?"
Randy: "How I can be helping you?"
Professor: "Wonderful! Word order is very important. Okay, let's try some small talk. Give me a comment that would help you make a connection with your Indian customers."

Randy: "It's really hot, isn't it?"
Professor: "The heat is always a good topic, but you haven't phrased it correctly. Try again."
Randy: "It's deadly hot, isn't it?"
Professor: "That's better. But your tag question can be greatly improved."
Randy: "It's deadly hot, no?"
Professor: "Wonderful! You can put 'no?' at the end of almost any statement. You are understanding me, no?"
Jane: "Yes, we are understanding you, no?"

Professor (smiles): "We may need to review this later. But let's move on to other things. Have you ever heard Indians use the word 'yaar'?"
Randy: "Yes, my Indian friends use it all the time. Just last night, one of them said to me, 'Randy, give me yaar password. I am needing it to fix yaar computer."
Professor (laughs): "That's a different 'yaar,' yaar. The 'yaar' that I'm talking about means friend or buddy. You can use it if you've developed a camaraderie with a customer.For example, you can say, 'Come on, yaar. I am offering you the best deal.' Do you understand, Jagadamba?"

Jane: "Yaar, I do."
Professor (smiles): "Okay, let's talk about accents. If your client says 'I yam wery vorried about vat I bought for my vife,' how would you respond?"
Randy: "Please don't be vorrying, yaar. She vill be wery happy and vill give you a vild time tonight."
Professor: "Vunderful! I mean, wonderful. You have a bright future, Ranjit. And so do you, Jagadamba. But Gaurav, you haven't said anything in a while. Do you have any questions about what we've just learned?"

Gary: "Yes, Professor, I do have one question: Wouldn't it be simpler to learn to speak Hindi?"

Draupadi, the Woman : Epitome of Feminity and Feminism - Part 1

Draupadi's Birth

Although I am not starting at the beginning, I felt that the introduction of Draupadi as appropriate as she epitomizes the strength, inner and outer, of a woman. A woman, not just sensual, but with an uncharacteristic strength that only comes with hardship and immense sacrifices. Draupadi was a heroic queen of the Hindu epic of Mahabharata. One who was firm and a woman with an unbending will. The Proud and angry heroine of the epic Mahabharata, Draupadi has remained an enigmatic woman of substance.

A long poem “Kurukshetra”, written by Amreeta Syam, conveys the angst of Panchali (Draupadi), born unasked for by her father, bereft of brothers and sons and her beloved sakha (friend) Krishna. Krishna is the Blue God. More about this person later.

I will begin with this translated snippet of poem.

Draupadi has five husbands - but she has none

-She had five sons - and was never a mother …

The pandavas have given Draupadi... No joy, no sense of victory No honor as wife No respect as mother

-Only the status of a Queen …But they all have gone

And I'm left with a lifeless jewelAnd an empty crown … My baffled motherhood wrings its hands and strives to weep

Draupadi was the daughter of Drupad, the king of Panchala, and the wife and queen of the five great Pandavas, renowned alike for her loveliness and her granite will. Volcanic, she reduced her enemies to the ashes. This fiery princess bent on vengeance could be compassionate and generous, too. Draupadi had developed the strength to bear the trials of life. She had resolved firmly not to harm the good people, and not to bend before the wicked. Draupadi was a woman, but she became as famous as the heroic Pandavas because of such determination. Her personality was one of lightning and thunder. This unforgettable heroine is in no way less than Bheema or Arjuna in strength and spirit, valor and virtue. Her story is a saga of suffering and disgrace but she took everything in her stride and vanquished each one of the perpetrators of her humiliation and agony.

Draupadi finds her five husbands discarding her repeatedly: each takes at least one more wife; she never gets Arjuna to herself for he marries Ulupi, Chitrangada and has Subhadra as his favorite. Yudhishthira pledges her like chattel at a game of dice; and finally, they leave her to die alone on the roadside like a pauper, utterly rikta - drained in every sense. Draupadi, meaning daughter of Drupad, was known by several other names as well. As the princess of the kingdom of Panchal she was known as Panchali. As the grand daughter of Prushata she was known as Parsati. Draupadi is ayonija, not born of woman. Draupadi is born of fire and therefore, often referred to as Yagnyaseni. She is also called Krishnaa because she was copper skinned, fiery eyed and had long, black hair. She was gifted with blue-lotus fragrance wafting for a full krosha (2 miles) and hence was called Yojanagandha (she whose fragrance can be felt for miles). Draupadi alone enjoys the unique relationship of sakhi (female-friend) with her sakha (male-friend) Krishna. She was a true virgin, and has a mind of her very own.

For many years Drupad, king of Panchal, had no children. So, to have children he performed tapas (rigorous rituals); he thought only of God day and night and prayed to Him. God blessed him, and two children were born out of the haven fire lit by Drupad to fulfill his determination of vengeance against Dronacharya, his enemy, through his death. The first to emerge out of the holy pyre was a son, called Dhrishtadyumna, and the second, a daughter called Draupadi. Thus Draupadi was born from the fire of vengefulness, anger and passion. Actually she arrives as a bonus because Drupad was performing the yajna for obtaining a son who would take revenge on Drona and had not asked for a daughter at all. Draupadi springs from the fire full grown, in the bloom of her youth, from the yajna vedi - the holy pyre - not requiring a human womb, ignoring the absence of Drupad's queen who was unable to respond to the priest's summons.

Draupadi was extremely beautiful, intelligent and virtuous woman, with her body smelling like a fresh bloom lotus. There are few women in Hindu mythology who were aggressive and who spoke their mind in a world of men. Draupadi was one of them. She is considered by many as the first feminist of Indian mythology. At the time of her birth, a celestial voice had proclaimed: "This unparalleled beauty has taken birth to uproot the Kauravas and establish the rule of religion". The circumstances leading to her birth began to take shape while her father was yet young.

Drupad was the prince of Panchal. His father King Prushta sent him to the hermitage of sage Agnivesh for his education. There Drupad got acquainted with a Brahmin, Drona the son of sage Bharadwaj. In a moment of camaraderie Drupad swore that they would equally share whatever the two owned. Both went their different ways after completing their education. In due course Drupad became the king of Panchal. But life was not good to Drona and he was steeped in poverty. In despair he turned to Drupad, in hope for help, based on the promise once made by Drupad. However, Drupad insulted Drona and told him that friendship took place only between equals and he could help Drona only if he came begging for alms, instead of quoting the promise of Drupad based on friendship. Drona left but the insult festered in his soul, waiting for an appropriate time to burst out.

In time, Drona was appointed the instructor in warfare to the royal princes of Hastinapur, the sons of Pandu and Dhritarashtra. However, time could not douse the flames of revenge still burning within him. As gurudakshina (fees that were due to an instructor, after the students' education was complete) he asked the princes to get Drupad to him as a prisoner. The princes being skilled in the art of warfare successfully brought King Drupad bound in chains to Drona. The brahmin laughingly said to the king, "Once you had promised me half your wealth, but had refused to redeem the pledge. Today I own all your wealth, but I will honor our childhood bond, I will give half to you and let bygones be bygones."

But Drupad was not willing to let bygones to bygones. It was now his turn to nurse the insult. He was too old himself to take revenge. None of his three sons, Shikhandi, Satyajit and Vikra, were skilled enough to defeat Drona. In order to obtain such an offspring he requested sage Yaja to conduct a sacrifice. Yaja was assisted by his younger brother Upayaja (some text say that Yaja assisted Upayaja) and hence two offerings were prepared. From his first offspring to the sacrificial fire a full-grown son emerged, armed with a sword and a bow. He was Dhrishtadyumna, destined to slay Drona. From the second offering a full-grown daughter emerged, whose dazzle blinded the eye. She was Draupadi. When Draupadi emerged from the fire there was an oracle that she would side with God against the evil Kauravas.

The Mahabharatha!

I had started writing this blog with the intent of covering the most important epic in the Hindu culture, The Mahabharatha. This is a story that tells us, Hindu's, the way to live. It may come as a surprise that Hinduism is not really a religion but it’s a way of life. Hinduism recognizes many gods ranging from the sky to the earth. The story of Mahabharata gave us the most important teachings. The Bhagavad-Gita. As explained before, this is the book we use to swear when we are in court.

I would like to have some feedback if you find the writing too confusing especially with the names which I will be dropping. Once I get comfortable with a certain structure in the writings, I will create a glossary of all names and their places in the story and what is their relation. I am going to split this post into multiple pieces so that it will not be overwhelming.

Over the past few weeks, I have been thinking on how to start with regards to the epic that spans generations and has so many plots and sub-plots. It has been a daunting task to identify how to structure the writing without making it boring or mundane. Hence, I ask you to review and give me a feedback so that I can adjust the writing style to make it readable.

I have also decided to cover only the most important parts of the Mahabharatha. Again, initially I may not follow a sequence. So to begin, I will introduce some of the principle characters and then proceed with the beginning. I understand that this is going to be a daunting reading due to the sheer number of characters and I would appreciate your patience. There is one thing I can absolutely gaurentee. This is one story that has everything that you ask for.

Once again, your feedback is HIGHLY appreciated. And I would also love it if you can share this with your friends, family and anyone who may be interested.

Situational Awareness!

We live in a world full of incidents that just seem to get worse everyday. We are being bombarded by news of death and destruction everywhere. And there is not a day goes by when I thank my lucky stars that I am here and not there. These days we have constant warnings issued to us to be wary, careful, aware and watchful. Since when did we reach a point where we are not able to trust our own shadows. Times sure have changed. Even travelling by MRT here in Singapore, you are constantly reminded to be aware of your surroundings and watchful. Surely you find the fact that you are being scrutinised by a stranger is quite unnerving. The worse will be if you are pulled up and hauled off in front of a 1000 people is even more frightening. Luckily, gulags have long gone (except for Guantanamo Bay).

This little writing is about situational awareness. I have found it very important to be constantly aware of your surroudings. It should become a sub-conscious effort which will make you more alert. The best thing is this alertness is available in your day to day work. There is an unexpected bonus by having such an awareness. A sharp mind is able to tackle your work with more focus. Sherlock Holmes was my inspiration as his powers of observation and level of awareness are legendary. Of course, forming a deduction or conclusion may be beyond us as we normally do not engage in doing detective work (unless you are chasing your boy/girl friend to nail their two-timing ways). Sherlock Holmes had the capacity to dissect objects to their finest detail and form an hypothesis. The irony that he was a cocaine user was not lost on me. In his own words, ""My mind," he said, "rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram, or the most intricate analysis, and I am in my own proper atmosphere. I can dispense then with artificial stimulants. But I abhor the dull routine of existence. I crave for mental exaltation."

I would hardly think doing drugs is going to help. Unless you want your ass in jail for 15 years or worse a noose around your neck.

I started my adventure into this by a simple test a few years back. Standing in the middle of my living, I did a 360 with my eyes open. After that I closed my eyes and made a oral list of all the things I could remember to seeing during my spin. I swear when I say that I made only 20% grade. I missed so many things that I never noticed. I tried it over and over again and still was unable to reach beyond 60%. But I realised that as I practised, I was able to spot things obvious to miss. Like the pen cap not properly inserted, the post-it torn slightly in the corner, the LED light on the charger not fully lit etc. I am still learning how to be more aware of my surroundings.

For e.g. I am fairly certain given a few moments of thinking, that most of the time I can remember or recollect when I met my friends and what they were wearing. Not all the time, but I do manage to recollect most of the facts. This is not an invitation to test my powers of observation! You must have heard of the term "out of the corner of the eye". Our peripheral vision is very sensitive to sudden changes or movement not just in the peripheral vision but also around us. This is how sometimes you realise that someone is checking you out. When I was visiting London, there was this Science Center near Kensington which had a machine to test your peripheral vision. It was fun because you are trying to look straight and the at the same time look to both the sides at the same time.

Hindu Stone Gods! - Part 2

Many in the western culture when they come to India, have a difficulty in understanding the way the Hindu’s adore Gods in the forms of statues. How in heaven can there be any form, any divine presence in a piece of stone or even more so in a Lingam? (Ask me what it is) You must have noticed how uneasy some of the tourists look when they are in a temple. It reminds them of their childhood memories of stories of how Christian Missionaries had to battle these superstitious beliefs in idols (the word idolatry implies that which is worshipped blindly, in a certain un-Cartesian manner).

Yet, a few westerners instead of rejecting outright this “pagan” ritual that the Hindus have for millenniums of adoring stone gods, have tried to analyze it, using this very Cartesian reason and logic with which we are endowed, thanks to our education. One such person was Alexandra Davi-Neel, famous writer explorer, spiritualist and the first woman to have penetrated Tibet. In her book, “India as I saw it” (1951), she remarks “The energy which the Hindu’s project on the idol is not totally immaterial. It could be assimilated to a subtle substance which is impregnated with the thoughts, desires and images of the seekers”. And she elaborates further “The existence, real or not, of the deity represented has no importance, what matters is the accumulation of the psychic forces in the statue”. Thus, she continues “Images of Gods are fulfilling a function similar to what electricity does to a car battery. In this particular case, it is the adoration of the devotees, which charges the statues. And once fully charged, one can draw energy out of it, because like a battery, the status will not get empty if one continues to charge it with energy through concentration, prayer and aspirations of the faithful. And Mrs. Neel concludes “It is thus that an idol which has been adored for centuries by believers is now charged with a considerable sum of energy due to the repetition of the incalculable acts of devotion, during which the faith, imagination, aspirations, desires of untold crowds of believers that have been directed to ward the image of their divinity”. Her wrapping up of the subject is very simple: Gods are thus created by the energy emitted by the faith in their existence.

I go to temples quite regularly (once a month). I go early because I have grown up with the knowledge that going early is considered to be the best time. I have no idea what is the real reason behind it. Before entering a temple, you must be clean. So a shower and wearing fresh clothes or in some cases fresh sarong (we call it “veshti” – way-shh-tee). Until I was reading about the logical premise of a Hindu God, I had never questioned about what makes a temple such a peaceful place. I get the feeling that there is something in the air that makes you relax, gets you to put your thoughts in order and an untold aura that seems to be present. I get a similar feeling in a church or a mosque and I have to many a mass and Friday prayers to know this. I would think no one would consciously think ill thoughts in the house of god and hence you are giving out positive vibes which probably is what it is all about.

There is a temple in South India in a place called Tirupati. This houses a god by the name of Venkateswara. This is probably the richest temple in the world. On an average, they collect daily 30K to 100K $ of donations a day. There have been instances where devotees have left gold bars (10 or 20), diamonds, and briefcase full of cash. This money is used for maintenance and development of the region, and to feed the millions who make a visit. As a ritual, once you go, you have to shave your head off. I have done it once when I was 8 years old. Believe me, I was crying my eyes out. And for my troubles, I got my head whacked by my classmates. And for 2 months I wore a cap even to bed. Next time someone you know wears a wig then the chances are the hair comes from Tirupati.

Definition of Nation!

I was having lunch with a gorgeous girl yesterday who was so kind enough to remember that my Asterix and Obelix collection was incomplete during her holidays and she brought them for me. I was really touched and ecstatic because it is quite difficult to get them. And I am really grateful to her. She is a cutie, believe me.

We were talking of lots of things and the topic veered towards definition of nation, national identity and patriotism. It was quite an interesting & insightful chat. Before you read further, do note that I am not here to label a particular group or country or citizens as un-patriotic or less connected. I ask you to keep an open mind.

What is a nation? Are all countries nations? How does one define nation and national identity? How does a reasonable person become a raging patriot to defend his or her nation? To provide an example, I put myself the same questions. For those who know me, I think it’s safe to say that I am quite patriotic and well connected to my roots and secure in my identity. Therefore, I believe as a test subject, I would be qualified to answer the queries.

A nation is not just a country with its current economic indicators, GDP and how many internet connections per 1000 it has, and how it ranks in the World chart of economic freedoms. A nation is defined by its history, its past troubled and otherwise, its contribution to humankind and finally the acceptance of its people as to who they are. A nation is when its people would define themselves as being a citizen of the nation and honoring the pledge especially when it comes to crunch time.

I am an Indian. I was born, and bred in India. I grew up learning about the sacrifices my forefather’s made. I learnt from a young age the battles fought by freedom fighters both violent and non-violent. In the end, it was the non-violent action that eventually gained us our freedom. The history of my nation begins from the Indus valley civilization, to the great Mughal rulers like Babur, Akbar, Shah Jahan, the battles of Panipat, Kalinga and in modern history, the sepoy mutiny, the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and finally the most painful period in our history, the partition and loss of millions of lives was taught in pain staking details. Looking back, the objective as a kid was just to get through the history tests and not look sad. But as I grew up I realized the importance of small things. Like the national anthem, the pledge of allegiance which sounded silly when we were young but started to make sense as you grew older. I admit the fact that we have given rise to some strange rituals like throwing a widow in the funeral pyre of her husband (thankfully outlawed today) to some fantastic rituals like the Kamasutra, yoga, and great food like dosa and butter chicken masala just to name a few.

I loath our politicians. Most of them scum of earth. Money will get you everywhere and the richer you are the easier to get away with blue murder. The gap between the rich and poor is so wide that you can fill an ocean in between. The population is exploding. Cities are fucked up. Traffic is out of control as there are no traffic rules. You have to ensure your insurance is up to date before you venture out in your car or motorcycle. Public transportation is non existent. You have people pissing & crapping anywhere. Spitting is actually cool. We have religious conflicts. We have Hindu right wing monsters gunning for the heads of Muslims, trying their best to stifle freedom of expression, limiting tolerance to others. Students taking part in violent strikes are a norm. Burning buses is actually a sport. Today’s youth are misguided with visions of MTV and Mallika Sherawat (a bollywood sex siren who is so hot when partially clothed, its unbelievable). The ballooning Call Center industry is making the current generation gain fake accents to attend to calls from world over. Did I make my country’s description sad & pathetic enough? I hope so.

Because despite all the above, I am never going to abandon it. I WILL still stand on the roof and say “Mera Bharath Mahaan” translation “My India is the greatest”. My national identity is forged in me in my growing years. My economic needs have made me seek my fortunes outside of my country, but I am damn sure one day I will return. The one’s who know me well enough know of my plans for a beach bar in India. A frivolous pursuit but yet meaningful to me. I have not forgotten that despite its flaws, it’s a place which has given me a purpose in life, an identity, a rich history that will take a millennia to figure out, and where cricket is not a sport but a religion.

One day if there is a conflict, will I abandon everything that I have and built to fulfill my duty as a citizen to my nation? YES. Do you think I am stupid, irrational and blowing smoke? Maybe. But it would not change my reaction.

Of course, I am quite secure in the knowledge that we are not going to look for a fight. To some extent I still believe the wisdom of my forefather’s still prevails in some sensible heads.

Offering Prayers to your teachers/Mentors or Guru's

"Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu Guru Devo Maheswara
Gurur Sakshat Para Brahma Thasmai Sri Gurave Namaha"

In my home city of Hyderabad, the city temples are now bustling with activity. The excitement and preparations are for Guru Purnima, more popularly known as Vyasa Purnima, which falls on July 21. This day celebrates the birth anniversary of sage Vyasa, who is considered to be the kalayuga’s guru. It is the time when all shishyas (students) offer prayers to their gurus (teachers). The Indian culture has always given the guru (teacher) a place of high honour. So, on Guru Purnima, people all over pray to guru Vyasa. Most of them, also offer prayers to their personal gurus.

There is no particular pooja that is followed but throughout the day bhajans and aartis are sung. In Shirdi, the celebration spreads across three days, starting from July 20 to July 22. A rath yatra is also taken out here with Sai Baba’s followers singing and walking along, beating drums. Some of the temples in the city also follow this but on a smaller scale.

Some people believe that from the day of Guru Purnima till the completion of two months, the sages should not move out of the particular city’s boundaries, where they are presently based. This is considered to be the period of meditation for all the dharm pracharaks. The sages read chapters from the Upanishads or the Bhagvad Gita. Prayers to 49 devatas starting with guru Vyasa are offered.

It is believed that giving respect to the gurus by performing pooja on this auspicious day is a step taken towards following the path traced by the Bhagvad Gita.

Hindu Stone Gods! - Part 1

Many of you would recollect that sometimes I refer or swear up "9,999 Hindu gods" and the presence of one too many for every occasion, tree, animal etc. It always boggles my mind as to how we worship an inanimate object like a stone or a carving or a statue with such deep devotion and fervor, I always wondered if it is the same intrigue for others. To classify others for ease of my writing, I will refer to them as Westerners. Now, don’t go slamming me for labeling all into one category.

There was a writer Francois Gautier, who said "We westerners are brought up on the good old values of Logic and Cartesian Reason - from Descartes, French philosopher, mathematician and physicist, who in his Discourse of the Method elaborates a system whereby doubt is methodically used to analyze any unknown phenomenon. He is also the man who said "I think, therefore I am". Francois also said that we are taught right from childhood to believe, like St. Thomas, only what we can see and to have faith only in what we experience ourselves. A few of us, whose parents have Marxist leanings, are also injected with a good dose of atheism - that is to disbelieve in the unnatural, the supernatural, the religious, and generally what is invisible to the eye.

In the next installment, I will explore the writings of people who visited India and who have experienced this phenomenon of admiration, adulation with the gods and their presence in day to day life and activities.

Yoga is Technology to Find Your Self - Part 2

Continuing from Part 1 -

Modifications of the mind are not only undesirable but are also detrimental to higher spiritual pursuits. Through the unwholesome activities of the mindstuff, the soul is obstructed from revealing itself in its original illumination. But the very moment it is restrained from taking various modifications, the Self, as it were, gets a chance to centre and abide in its own nature.

Patanjali explains the soul not merely as Spirit or as Conscious Intelligence but calls it "Seer", that is the real Cogniser and not the instrumental agents of perception such as the mindstuff and the senses - Physical and others. So what happens to the Soul when the mindstuff is not restrained and when it is in its active condition? In such a case the Soul begins to identify itself with the modifications created by the mind. When the mindstuff keeps modifying, the Self is dragged into the identification of these forms which do not actually belong to it. In reality, it is not the soul which enjoys any action performed by us but the mindstuff. The Soul is well beyond this. Hence the identification of the soul with the mindstuff is undoubtedly a wrong notion. And this false notion remains as long as the mindstuff is not restrained within us. Just as one says that the crystal is red only because it happens to be in contact with a red rose. This is how we usually mix up the real self with the changeable variations of the mindstuff. We say “I enjoyed the scene, I hated the man", so on and so forth only because we identify ourselves with our body and not the real self.

Excerpts of the above come from the Living Tree, musings of Shri Yogendraji and my own interpretation of other book forms and old newspaper cuttings.

Last 7 days have been hectic!

Since last wednesday, things are even more exciting @ work front. My company acquired another listed company for a total payout of 1 Billion USD (stocks etc.). Phew! With this the total turnover of my firm, Concerto Software, touches a little more than 500 million $. To think when I joined in July 2003, it was just a 50 million company. With this acquisition, we enter the big leagues making the company numero uno for the industry we are in. Exciting times for all. Of course, there will be "adjustment" of staff. So start praying to whatever god's you believe in.

And I am also labelled as a "trouble maker" when I asked one too many questions during the worldwide conference call announcing this acquistion. Me and my big mouth! always gets me into trouble especially when not required.

I had lunch with Manish and we were swapping war stories (hey! even geeks have war stories). I was never a big fan of vietenamese noodle food. But this small place in Circular street did justice. Especially since they used breast meat for the chicken noodle soup. A healthy dose of hoisin sause, chillies, squeezed lime, bean sprouts, mint leaves completed the nice effect. Thanks, Manish! I had never been to that place before.

Food! Before and After Yoga.... Classic PBM

Once again after a heavy workout, I took a detour to Little India. I only had one mission. To pick up paneer (cottage cheese). I had a sudden craving for Paneer Butter Masala but I wanted to cook at home. So instead of gobbling it in a restuarant, I decided to give it a shot at home. I remembered most of the ingredients from memory (my dearest departed mother taught the rudimentaries of masala quite well). And I was not dissappointed at the end results. It was a fast dish to cook (20 min). And it went well with a regular gardenia bread. Yum! Yum! Unfortunately, I did not have my camera handy as I was too hungry and just gobbled the whole thing before I could say BURRPP!

There are only two ingredients that may sound very wierd. coconut and yoghurt. By now you would have realised that all the gravy in the North Indian dishes contain either cream or yoghurt. Home made yoghurt is hard to get here. Hence I use either Farmer's Greek style natural yoghurt or Paul's Natural set yoghurt. I prefer Paul's because its lighter in texture and is nearest to a home made yoghurt.

Quantity for the paneer is depending on how many are going to eat. I would say 500 gms would be fine. You cannot store paneer. To digress, I just want to share how paneer is really made. My mom used to take 5 litres of fresh milk (we used to get it straight from the animal). Put the milk to boil. While its boiling, you add a mixture of lemon and water (maybe 2 table spoons) while stirring the boiling milk. You can see the milk curdling (sounds yucky). When the milk curdles completely, turn off the heat. A fully curdled milk looks like broken iceberg submerged (I cant think of a better metaphorical comparison). Use a muslin cloth to drain the milk so that the paneer remains in the cloth and the rest of the milk is hasta-la-vista'ed. Now make a pouch of the cloth with paneer and hold it in running water. squeeze out the excess water. Voila! Paneer for you.

Back to PBM (Paneer Butter Masala). Get the following.

2 finely chopped onions (For gods sakes, dont use the electrical chopper), couple of chopped cloves of garlic or if you have no time like me, use a bottled chopped garlic, Small piece root ginger, peeled & chopped, couple of finely chopped tomatoes from one of the cans you get, a spoon of coriander seeds, few peppercorns, couple of cardamom pods, couple of cloves (hey, if you feel the urge to smoke, then pop a clove and see the results), a cinnamon stick, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 1 Tbsp desiccated coconut, 2 Tbsp of yogurt, 1 tsp. of vinegar, A pinch of dried fenugreek or methi as it is called, a pinch of Salt, and Vegetable oil

Now, my mom used to make it the traditional way, which I did and that is why the end result was gastronomic orgasm.

Heat skillet without oil. When hot, roast the coriander, peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon for a few seconds then grind them. I used the kitchen board and rolling pin since i dont have a pestle and mortar.

Place small amount of oil in skillet; add the onion and stir. Dump the chopped ginger to the spices in mortar and crushed together. Now throw in the cardamom pods and chilli powder and give the mixture a light bash (not like a jilted lover. Its more like "give it me, baby").

Add the spice mixture into the skillet with cooked onions; stir and cook for couple of minutes.
Put the tomato and vinegar. stir and continue to cook until the oil starts to separate out from the sauce. You can see the oil getting to the edge of the skillet. Add a small amount of water to thin sauce; add coconut, yogurt, salt and methi. Return to the boil. Grate a bit of the paneer and cut the remainder into cubes. Simmer gently until the paneer cubes are heated right through. If you think (from visual inspection) to thin the sauce again then do so and then add the paneer. Remember, this is a gravy dish. So keep a close watch on it.

For the entire cooking time, use your nose because there is no other way of knowing if its done or not. The best part is that paneer need not be really cooked. Raw paneer is also edible but a boiled or cooked paneer is awesome.

Burrrrppppp!

Yoga is Technology to Find Your Self - Part 1

Yoga has generally come to be understood only as a fitness regimen that is helpful in maintaining a healthy body. Few appreciate the huge promise that yoga holds for benefiting the mind and its capability to aid man in his endeavor to unfold his higher consciousness till he ultimately realizes his Self.

Of all the systems of psychology that we know of today, Patanjali’s system of yoga stands the highest because of the ease of its practice, and its scientific approach to spirituality. Yoga is a scientific process of restraining the mindstuff from taking on various modifications. It imparts to the student the technology which helps him to systematically unfold his higher consciousness by controlling his external as well as internal activities. The student is gradually taken through physical, moral, mental and spiritual exercises before he reaches the ultimate state of realization. There he establishes himself as a free soul never to be born again and again, as defined by the state of Nirvana (eternal salvation).

The word mindstuff is used for the Sanskrit word Chitta which is not only mind but all that goes to form perception. The western psychologists misinterpret mind as the instrumental side of consciousness that is characterized by reason, felling or emotion, sensation and so forth.

The truth is that it is the mindstuff that is a composition of all such instrumental objects:

Brain, as a psycho physical medium, for receiving and sending all sensations
Mind, as an agent of consciousness with its constantly active condition
Egoism, which makes a distinction in the knowledge of the individual as apart from the others.

However, intellect, discriminative knowledge, reason, etc. also form the other half or the positive side of this mindstuff. So in reality Chitta is not merely the mind as we k now it but the whole instrumental outfit of direct and indirect perception. The mindstuff changes its forms every moment of its existence. Anger, hatred or love is nothing else but a variety of such mental modifications. It has to be understood that the mind is the same. However, it takes on different colors or qualities.

What really happens when a man’s temperament changes from loving to happy to jealous is that his mindstuff undergoes modifications. Not his mind. It is the same mindstuff in him that changes merely its forms: once there is a mental modification known as anger, the second time as love and third as jealousy and so on. Our whole life is merely as continuous series of these modifications. As a psychologist puts it, “Life is but a constant expression of our inner activities”.

What has Yoga to do with this mindstuff? Patanjali’s says that the restraint of such mental modifications is the key air of Yoga. Thus Yoga in its real sense is not the process of throwing a rope in air and climbing it, or any such ridiculous notions that we harbor about it.

What a Coincidence!

Sitting in the office I was looking at my friends Patrizia and Alvaro's and their son Marco's pictures and my mobile rings and its Pat from Mexico. For a minute, I was stunned and I did not have any words to say. In fact, I stumbled to start because I just could not believe the coincidence of this. They wanted to find out when I am coming there. Of course, my plans are still up in the air what with my detox, art of living coming into play. Apparently, the little kid is doing well and they are moving house. His 1st birthday is in August.

A man with just a saucepan

Last night after a heavy work out, I went home. Rummaging through my fridge, I found nothing at a first glance. I was too lazy and tired to step out again for food. I had two options. Drink water and apple juice and listen to my stomach grumble or.... I took the "or else" option. A more thorough investigation of the fridge produced the following results. Hash browns, a tomato, quarter of a cucumber, a small onion, some coriander sprigs and a few slices of cheddar cheese. Also half a loaf of wholemeal bread. Viola! the perfect ingredients for a quicky. First, i chopped up the hash brown's into small pieces and lightly fried them in a pinch of olive oil. At the tail end of frying, i added the onion and the tomato into the pan. Between the slices of bread went the cucumber, the hash brown fry and laid the cheese on top. Finally, topped it off with coriander and shoved the whole thing into a sandwich maker. Coated the top with margerine and closed the lid.

What do you know! It was a nice toasted sandwich.

The Art of Living!

There is a course called Vipassana (Art of Living) in India and other places in the world. I have been here once many years ago and I found it very enriching. I have decided to do it again this year. For all who know me, keeping dead silent for 10 days is going to be a torture but I am sure I will prevail. For those who wish to know more, go to http://www.dhamma.org/index.htm They also have a 10 days course which is held at St John's island. Imagine 10 days of no phone, no email, no radio, no TV, simple veg food, wake up call at 4:30 AM and bed time call @ 9:30 PM. Sounds like a perfect de-stress time.

The below text is based upon a talk given by Mr. S.N. Goenka in Berne, Switzerland

Everyone seeks peace and harmony, because these are what we lack in our lives. From time to time we all experience agitation, irritation, disharmony, suffering; and when one suffers from agitation, one does not keep this misery limited to oneself. One keeps distributing it to others as well. The agitation permeates the atmosphere around the miserable person. Everyone who comes into contact with him also becomes irritated, agitated. Certainly this is not the proper way to live. One ought to live at peace with oneself, and at peace with all others. After all, a human being is a social being. He has to live in society--to live and deal with others. How are we to live peacefully? How are we to remain harmonious with ourselves, and to maintain peace and harmony around us, so that others can also live peacefully and harmoniously?

One is agitated. To come out of the agitation, one has to know the basic reason for it, the cause of the suffering. If one investigates the problem, it will become clear that whenever one starts generating any negativity or defilement in the mind, one is bound to become agitated. A negativity in the mind, a mental defilement or impurity, cannot exist with peace and harmony.
How does one start generating negativity? Again, by investigating, it becomes clear. I become very unhappy when I find someone behaving in a way which I don't like, when I find something happening which I don't like. Unwanted things happen and I create tension within myself. Wanted things do not happen, some obstacles come in the way, and again I create tension within myself; I start tying knots within myself. And throughout life, unwanted things keep on happening, wanted things may or may not happen, and this process or reaction, of tying knots--Gordian knots--makes the entire mental and physical structure so tense, so full of negativity, that life becomes miserable.

Now one way to solve the problem is to arrange that nothing unwanted happens in my life and that everything keeps on happening exactly as I desire. i must develop such power, or somebody else must have the power and must come to my aid when I request him, that unwanted things do not happen and that everything I want happens. But this is not possible. There is no one in the world whose desires are always fulfilled, in whose life everything happens according to his wishes, without anything unwanted happening. Things keep on occurring that are contrary to our desires and wishes. So the question arises, how am I not to react blindly in the face of these things which I don't like? How not to create tension? How to remain peaceful and harmonious?

In India as well as in other countries, wise saintly persons of the past studied this problem--the problem of human suffering--and found a solution: if something unwanted happens and one starts to react by generating anger, fear or any negativity, then as soon as possible one should divert one's attention to something else. For example, get up, take a glass of water, start drinking--your anger will not multiply and you'll be coming out of anger. Or start counting: one, two, three, four. Or start repeating a word, or a phrase, or some mantra, perhaps the name of a deity or saintly person in whom you have devotion; the mind is diverted, and to some extent, you'll be out of the negativity, out of anger.

This solution was helpful: it worked. It still works. Practicing this, the mind feels free from agitation. In fact, however, the solution works only at the conscious level. Actually, by diverting the attention, one pushes the negativity deep into the unconscious, and on this level one continues to generate and multiply the same defilements. At the surface level there is a layer of peace and harmony, but in the depths of the mind there is a sleeping volcano of suppressed negativity which sooner or later will explode in violent eruption.

Other explorers of inner truth went still further in their search; and by experiencing the reality of mind and matter within themselves they recognized that diverting the attention is only running away from the problem. Escape is no solution: one must face the problem. Whenever a negativity arises in the mind, just observe it, face it. As soon as one starts observing any mental defilement, it begins to lose strength. Slowly it withers away and is uprooted.
A good solution: it avoids both extremes--suppression and free license. Keeping the negativity in the unconscious will not eradicate it; and allowing it to manifest in physical or vocal action will only create more problems. But if one just observes, then the defilement passes away, and one has eradicated that negativity, one is freed from the defilement.

This sounds wonderful, but is it really practical? For an average person, is it easy to face the defilement? When anger arises, it overpowers us so quickly that we don't even notice. Then overpowered by anger, we commit certain actions physically or vocally which are harmful to us and to others. Later, when the anger has passed, we start crying and repenting, begging pardon from this or that person or from God: 'Oh, I made a mistake, please excuse me!' But the next time we are in a similar situation, we again react in the same way. All that repenting does not help at all.

The difficulty is that I am not aware when a defilement starts. It begins deep in the unconscious level of the mind, and by the time it reaches the conscious level, it has gained so much strength that it overwhelms me, and I cannot observe it.

Then I must keep a private secretary with me, so that whenever anger starts, he says, 'Look master, anger is starting!' Since I cannot know when this anger will start, I must have three private secretaries for three shifts, around the clock! Suppose I can afford that, and the anger starts to arise. At once my secretary tells me, 'Oh, master, look--anger has started!' The first thing I will do is slap and abuse him: 'You fool! Do you think you are paid to teach me?' I am so overpowered by anger that no good advise will help.

Even supposing wisdom prevails and I do not slap him. Instead I say, 'Thank you very much. Now I must sit down and observe my anger.' Yet it is possible? As soon as I close my eyes and try to observe the anger, immediately the object of anger come into my mind--the person or incident because of which I become angry. Then I am not observing the anger itself. I am merely observing the external stimulus of the emotion. This will only serve to multiply the anger; this is no solution. It is very difficult to observe any abstract negativity, abstract emotion, divorced from the external object which aroused it.

However, one who reached the ultimate truth found a real solution. He discovered that whenever any defilement arises in the mind, simultaneously two things start happening at the physical level. One is that the breath loses its normal rhythm. We start breathing hard whenever a negativity comes into the mind. This is easy to observe. At subtler level, some kind of biochemical reaction starts within the body--some sensation. Every defilement will generate one sensation or another inside, in one part of the body or another.

This is a practical solution. An ordinary person cannot observe abstract defilements of the mind--abstract fear, anger, or passion. But with proper training and practice, it is very easy to observe respiration and bodily sensations--both of which are directly related to the mental defilements.
Respiration and sensation will help me in two ways. Firstly, they will be like my private secretaries. As soon as a defilement starts in my mind, my breath will lose its normality; it will start shouting, 'Look, something has gone wrong!' I cannot slap my breath; I have to accept the warning. Similarly the sensations tell me that something has gone wrong. Then having been warned, I start observing my respiration, my sensation, and I find very quickly that the defilement passes away.

This mental-physical phenomenon is like a coin with two sides. On the one side are whatever thoughts or emotions are arising in the mind. One the other side are the respiration and sensations in the body. Any thought or emotion, any mental defilement, manifests itself in the breath and the sensation of that moment. Thus, by observing the respiration or the sensation, I am in fact observing the mental defilement. Instead of running away from the problem, I am facing reality as it is. Then I shall find that the defilement loses its strength: it can no longer overpower me as it did in the past. If I persist, the defilement eventually disappears altogether, and I remain peaceful and happy.

In this way, the techniques of self-observation shows us reality in its two aspects, inner and outer. Previously, one always looked with open eyes, missing the inner truth. I always looked outside for the cause of my unhappiness; I always blamed and tried to change the reality outside. Being ignorant of the inner reality, I never understood that the cause of suffering lies within, in my own blind reactions toward pleasant and unpleasant sensations.

Now, with training, I can see the other side of the coin. I can be aware of my breathing and also of what is happening inside me. Whatever it is, breath or sensation, I learn just to observe it, without losing the balance of the mind. I stop reacting, stop multiplying my misery. Instead, I allow the defilement to manifest and pass away.

The more one practices this technique, the more quickly one will find one will come out of negativity. Gradually the mind becomes freed of the defilements; it becomes pure. A pure mind is always full of love--selfless love for all others; full of compassion for the failings and sufferings of others; full of joy at their success and happiness; full of equanimity in the face of any situation.
When one reaches this stage, the entire pattern of one's life starts changing. It is no longer possible to do anything vocally or physically which will disturb the peace and happiness of others. Instead, the balanced mind not only becomes peaceful in itself, but it helps others also to become peaceful. The atmosphere surrounding such a person will become permeated with peace and harmony, and this will start affecting others too.

By learning to remain balanced in the face of everything one experiences inside, one develops detachment towards all that one encounters in external situations as well. However, this detachment is not escapism or indifference to the problems of the world. A Vipassana meditator becomes more sensitive to the sufferings of others, and does his utmost to relieve their suffering in whatever way he can--not with any agitation but with a mind full of love, compassion and equanimity. He learns holy indifference--how to be fully committed, fully involved in helping others, while at the same time maintaining the balance of his mind. In this way he remains peaceful and happy, while working for the peace and happiness of others.

This is what the Buddha taught; an art of living. He never established or taught any religion, any 'ism'. He never instructed his followers to practice any rites or rituals, any blind or empty formalities. Instead, he taught just to observe nature as it is, by observing reality inside. Out of ignorance, one keeps reacting in a way which is harmful to oneself and to others. But when wisdom arises--the wisdom of observing the reality as it is--one come out of this habit of reaction. When one ceases to react blindly, then one is capable of real action--action proceeding from a balanced mind, a mind which sees and understands the truth. Such action can only be positive, creative, helpful to oneself and to others.

What is necessary, then, is to 'know thyself'--advice which every wise person has given. One must know oneself not just at the intellectual level, the level of ideas and theories. Nor does this mean to know just at the emotional or devotional level, simply accepting blindly what one has heard or read. Such knowledge is not enough. Rather one must know reality at the actual level.

One must experience directly the reality of this mental-physical phenomenon. This alone is what will help us to come out of defilements, out of suffering.

This direct experience of one's own reality, this techniques of self-observation, is what is called 'Vipassana' meditation. In the language of India in the time of the Buddha, passana meant seeing with open eyes, in the ordinary way; but Vipassana is observing things as they really are, not just as they seem to be. Apparent truth has to be penetrated, until one reaches the ultimate truth of the entire mental and physical structure. When one experiences this truth, then one learns to stop reacting blindly, to stop creating defilements--and naturally the old defilements gradually are eradicated. One come out of all the misery and experiences happiness.

There are three steps to the training which is given in a Vipassana meditation course Firstly, one must abstain from any action, physical or vocal, which disturbs the peace and harmony of others. One cannot work to liberate oneself from defilements in the mind while at the same time one continues to perform deeds of body and speech which only multiply those defilements. Therefore, a code of morality is the essential first step of the practice. One undertakes not to kill, not to steal, not to commit sexual misconduct, not to tell lies, and not to use intoxicants. By abstaining from such action, one allows the mind to quiet down sufficiently so that it can proceed with the task at hand.

The next step is to develop some mastery over this wild mind, by training it to remain fixed on a single object: the breath. One tries to keep one's attention for as long as possible on the respiration. This is not a breathing exercise: one does not regulate the breath. Instead one observes natural respiration as it is, as it comes in, as it goes out. In this way one further calms the mind so that it is no longer overpowered by violent negativities. At the same time, one is concentrating the mind, making it sharp and penetrating, capable of the work of insight.

These first two steps of living a moral life and controlling the mind are very necessary and beneficial in themselves; but they will lead to self-repression, unless one takes the third step - purifying the mind of defilements by developing insight into one's own nature. This is Vipassana: experiencing one's own reality, by the systematic and dispassionate observation of the ever-changing mind-matter phenomenon manifesting itself as sensation within oneself. This is the culmination of the teaching of the Buddha: self-purification by self-observation.

This can be practiced by one and all. Everyone faces the problem of suffering. it is a universal disease which requires a universal remedy--not a sectarian one. When one suffers from anger, it is not a Buddhist anger, Hindu anger, or Christian anger. Anger is anger. When one become agitated as a result of this anger, this agitation is not Christian, or Hindu, or Buddhist. The malady is universal. The remedy must also be universal.

Vipassana is such a remedy. No one will object to a code of living which respects the peace and harmony of others. No one will object to developing control over the mind. No one will object to developing insight into one's own reality, by which it is possible to free the mind of negativities. Vipassana is a universal path.

Observing reality as it is by observing the truth inside--this is knowing oneself at the actual, experiential level. As one practices, one keeps coming out of the misery of defilements. From the gross, external, apparent truth, one penetrates to the ultimate truth of mind and matter. Then one transcends that, and experiences a truth which is beyond mind and matter, beyond time and space, beyond the conditioned field of relativity: the truth of total liberation from all defilements, all impurities, all suffering. Whatever name one gives this ultimate truth, is irrelevant; it is the final goal of everyone.

May you all experience this ultimate truth. May all people come out of their defilements, their misery. May they enjoy real happiness, real peace, real harmony.
MAY ALL BEINGS BE HAPPY

Joey and Ian's - Wedding Dinner

Last Saturday I attended a wedding dinner. Although Ian and Joey have been ROM'd for a while, this was the traditional wedding dinner in style. Champagne, wine, great food and a nice after wedding party at Thumper. I managed to take some pictures before the heady mix of cocktails got to my head. Yep! I broke my fast the second day of starting for which I am going to pay dearly. But I would think I will prevail. Some people thought I was cute when I am plastered to the wall, but many think otherwise. Hence forgive me for being the otherwise. Life is strange.

It was also lovely to see the ever charming Su San visiting from Beijing. Connie and Shane also made it for this event from Hong Kong. They have been quite vociferously complaining that no one is visiting them. Well, time to get those tickets ready and make a weekend getaway to HK land. Shane had his supply of excellent cigars which I had the good fortune of "mooching" from him. Bernice and mum were also there in all finery. It has been a while since I heard her sing-song "Gurrru Ji".

Without mentioning names, some dude walks up to me and asks me the age of one my gorgeous friends. I gave him a look reserved for situations where you find your self naked in front of a stadium. My theory is:- either he was interested in her or he wants to embark on a strict discipline to get her skin tone or he was interested in her and realized too late that something that good was let go by him.

In the end it was a very good wedding, lots of toasts and a great speech by Ian's dad. Ian's description of how he vied for Joey's attention was a hoot.