Perception

Reading Victor Scklovsky's Art of Technique about the 'algebrization' the over-automatization of perception, I think it is our legacy from the animals we have evolved. I saw a scene from National Geographic channel that a man disguised as a hippopotamus, with only the cover in the shape pf that animal over a cage, other animals like the elephant and the real hippos mistook it for real. Perception, Scklovsky argues, is reduced to seeing only the line and form and even that very soon fades from memory. This technique of perceiving becomes a habit and one sees things as symbols used in algebra. This technique is also responsible perhaps in the illusion that occurs when we sometimes mistake a rope for a snake.

It reminds me of how much J Krishnamurti talks about perception and how we tend to miss the point even as he goes on and on giving numerous examples of habitual reactions to challenges.

'The purpose of art is to impart the sensation of things as they are perceived and not as they are known. The technique of art is to make objects "unfamiliar," to make forms difficult, to increase the difficulty and length of perception because the process of perception is an aesthetic end in itself and must be prolonged. Art is a way of experiencing the artfulness of an object: the object is not important...' Scklovsky continues:
'purpose is not to make us perceive meaning, but to create a special perception of the object - it creates a vision of the object instead of serving as a means for knowing it…
After we see an object several times, we begin to recognize it. The object is in front of us and we know about it, but we do not see it[4] -hence we cannot say anything, significant about it. Art removes objects from the automatism of perception in several ways.'

Here again I remember JK's insistence on the need to be free from the known.

Judgement

People I find who are quick to react to other's judgement of themselves are those who are quick to judge others.

Loyalty

Loyalty is under test every time two people meet

The guru tests the loyalty of his acolyte
The leader tests the loyalty of his follower
The employer tests the loyalty of the employee
The spouse tests the loyalty of the spouse
The friend tests the loyalty of the friend

Is loyalty the same as trust?

When I die

When I die
Where am I?
Where on earth am I?
Where in the heavens am I?
Except in the memory
Of those who knew me
Very few remember
And most wish to forget
What is remembered?
A bunch of fragments
Some crumbs of pleasure
And bundles of pain

All my wishes gone
In a trice
Why do I wish then?
All are rudely snuffed out
Like a burning candle
In a hurricane
Where did they go?
The dreamer is gone
Who owns the dream now?

I struggle to become
Do I evolve now?
I am no more
What is there left
That is going to become more?

I protected me
From insult and injury
Shielded behind
Logic and respect
Status and possessions
All is but a memory
Ashes and shadows
For I am gone forever
Why do I protect?
What do I protect?
That is now here
And then nowhere?

My chair remains
My watch keeps ticking
My clothes hang in the cupboard
My mobile rings but not for me
My photos adorn the walls
My thoughts echo for a while
My shadow flits in the dark
My footsteps sound no more
My facebook, what happens to it?
My name remains without a face
Me no more, but mine remains

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My story wins

A contributed a short story to SCRIBBLE - A Lietrary Supplement and I came up a winner.

Here is the text on the facebook:

SCRIBBLE-The Literary Supplement
The Results for The Piper Short Story Writing Competition, Chapter 3!

The Piper: Timothy Nakayama for Rats & Cats

The Winners:
Anand Betanabhotla for The Marriage Counselor
Hamza Usman for A True Friend

We congratulate The Piper and the Winners!

Random thoughts

In the intensity of suffering, life is well understood.
You can't be a saint in this world.
You can silence the truth-sayer but not the truth.
We watch others more than we watch ourselves.
Good and evil are so closely bound up in the psyche that we had to invent a God that is totally good. And Evil, where is it, the one that is totally bad? We have so many representations and representatives of God and Evil: The two greatest myths we live by.
Corruption is an attempt to influence the outcome of our actions in our favour.
There is intelligence operating at all levels of the universe, from the tiniest microbe to the mammoth star. Everything is a manifestation of this intelligence. Like energy, it can neither be created nor destroyed. It cannot be possessed. Love is the only way it can be shared and be in touch with. Like love, it cannot be measured. Mind cannot comprehend either love or intelligence. Mind is perhaps the medium through which intelligence may be contacted. And, heart love. A broken heart or a corrupt mind would isolate itself from the love-intelligence duo. Intelligence and love go together and for the same reason it is necessary for the heart and mind to flow as one, and not as two distinct rival entities.
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Being awake while sleeping

Even when a person is asleep the brain seems to be awake.

It so happened that as I slept my little son who was also sleeping beside folded up and kicked me awake. Moments before that I was in a dream walking in a dark place some distance behind a bicycle held by me by a chain. Suddenly I saw a man approaching me. As he came nearer the gap between us narrowed fast and lo! I felt a kick in my stomach and jumped out of my dream into hurting wakefulness.

I should like to make a few propositiions based on this experience.
1. The brain sensed the imminent threat - a clear and present danger to its person - and pictured it ahead of time in the shape of a person approaching me.
2. The brain is endowed with the faculty of self-preservation and operates even while the consciousness is suspended. This may be called an instinct or the natural intelligence of the organism.
3. The brain is active even during sleep and probably never rests? Or does only for a few fleeting moments? It seems to be awake and engaged in bringing up images and situations for what? For bringing order within itself, as J Krishnamurti says?

Where is the self, the 'I', during this period? The self or the 'I' seems to come with consciousness ... Oops! Too difficult to go on from here...

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Thoughts on Coelho's thoughts

Reading Paulo Coelho's one page Story of the Pencil, I remembered a photo on a wall of my house of a little girl writing with a pencil and below it the caption reads: Anyone can make a mistake. That is why pencils have erasers.

In the story Coelho says be a pencil because (in my own words):
1. The hand that wields the pencil is God
2. Sharpening the pencil causes pain to it, but makes it sharp
3. Using an eraser allows you to rub out mistakes
4. What is important in a pencil is the graphite, not the wood enclosing it
5. Pencil leaves a mark, so be careful of your actions

The hand that guides our actions - is it God's hand? Is it fate's hand? Is it the hand of the habit? It it the hand of tradition? Is it the hand of the Intelligence? Of a sane, rational healthy mind?

It is perhaps necessary to distinguish which hand is at work when we act. The thoughts prior to the act and the consequences arising from the act should tell us I think which hand is behind it.

Weeding in his garden Paulo Coelho faces the dilemma whether to kill the wild weed of nature in order to protect the orderly garden created by the hand of man? He remembers Krishna encouraging the despondent Arjuna on the eve of the War in Kurukshetra that the doer is merely effecting the deed that is already written to happen. "Do you really think you can kill anyone? No one kills and no one dies." And that cleared his dilemma; he proceeds to weed out his garden.

What an encouragement to kill! Did not Krishna unwittingly help assuage the guilt of man towards needless violence? In the name of order, in the name of justice, in the name of law, in the name of religion and truth?

I think about it even as I write these words and it occurs to me that while it is necessary to maintain the garden, it is ot necessary to kill the weeds - if they were 'rehabilitated' in a corner of the field of the garden where they can grow independently.

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Dreams

Dreams are of many kinds and occur at many levels. There is, however, one and only dream that differentiates one person from another. It is unique to that person and is indistinguishable from his Self. It is the discovery of this one dream that propels a person out of the ordinary, humdrum existence.

The levels are not measurable, not a physical depth at all. But a way of expression which signifies high and low. Consciousness is perhaps unlike anything in the physical world. Though we speak of layers, it is not correct. It may be more accurate to speak in terms of intensity of feeling, in terms of casual and serious. In this sense alone I feel the dreams could be understood.

Superficial dreams are many, as varied as the objects of desire. They relate to possession for gratifying the senses. Like spending a quiet time smoking and getting lost in fantasies.

Below this superficiality there are dreams to acquire wealth and status. Like owning a big car and decking one's wife with jewelry.

Going deeper one dreams of success, of having arrived, of accomplishments. Like having been there, done that.

Delving deeper still one finds aspirations of a settled kind. Like prestige and respectability, culture and polish.

At the centre of one's being lies the core - again, this is not in terms of a measurable circle with a centre, rather to be understood in terms of those thoughts and feelings that have remained unchanged since adolescence. It is the dream here - usually it is only one and one only - that one actually wants in life, one that fulfils one's destiny, one that surfaces usually later than sooner in life.

The superficial dreams are immediate and easily fulfilled and so they recur and are numerous. The dream in the core is enduring, vulnerable and is not as importunate as the surface dreams. The immediate overshadows the enduring, until the mind no longer depends on it for gratification. All dreams except the one in the core seek gratification of one kind or the other, especially the subtle kind which arise from external objects and peer comparison. They are common to most people, who are blind or too lazy to delve deeper into themselves to discover their core dream.

The dream at the core offers complete self-fulfilment. Its objective is one and one only. It is not swayed by external circumstances. It is one that defines the person completely. It does not rely on external assessment or derived benefits to sustain. It is the prime mover and self-primed. It is the Self, single, undivided, whole. It is this dream that shall be discovered by oneself and no guru, no psychologist, no fortune-teller can reveal. Only some discover it while still young, but the beauty is it can be discovered at any time in one's life. One is usually driven to it by circumstances or by happenstance. It is a discovery of one's Self and one must undertake the journey to discover it, alone. It is not something you can become impatient with. For it does not need time to manifest or uncover, but an acute awareness of oneself in all moods and fancies, while in a group or in solitude.
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A reading of my story at a meetup at Lamakaan on 26 Dec 2010 as part of anniversary celebrations of LICH - Literary, Intellectual and Cultural Hub, Hyderabad.

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Old and New

In an interview Anita Desai observed that Indians move back and forth between the ancient and the modern with great ease.

I have observed men and women who hold liberal views on life, quite modern in their outlook, but relied on traditional devices to cope with the pressures of living.

The Indians living in the West, primarily those in America, sorely miss the divine invocations in their daily life. Before undertaking a project, a job or moving into a new house, for example, they need to perform a pooja, the ceremonial offering of prayers following all the rites it entails. The priests come over from India, all expenses paid for by the community there, and perform the necessary rituals in accordance with the traditions. Hundreds of gallons of milk flow down the drain while propitiating the Gods and the educated Indian, expatiating tirelessly over poverty and lack of opportunities in India, does all that without a twinge of conscience.

When troubles occur in the family or in the workplace, where they are unable to get along with spouse, children or colleagues, they turn to the family soothsayer or the latest popular fortuneteller who mediates with the Gods in their favour and asks them to wear a goodluck ring, eat the sacred ash mixed in food, or chant a prayer daily at a certain time of the day. The tarrot cart reader, the palmist, the face reader or the interpreter of horoscope - all these and more of their kind abound in India, accessible to all and sundry at little or no fee. They are consulted by the family members on behalf of their sons and daughters and brothers and sister living abroad. Much waiting precedes the revelation of fortune and much communication follows it as it is conveyed across the globe. Sanctified ash or prasad (sweets made sacred by the priest) from the favorite or popular temple are air-mailed after the ritual offerings of prayers and money to the Gods.

Compact Disks replaced the printed text of the sacred Sanskrit chants of the Vedas. As English is used everywhere, from education through workplace to reading and writing, it is not possible for Indians living overseas to read in their Indian tongue. It is easy for them to hear it chanted over a record player, even if they are ignorant of its meaning. A recorded voice is as good as a live one, though they always prefer a living voice in real time assisting them while performing the rite. But time and non-availability of priests limit and confine their religiosity.

Their modernity is also a little mixed up, not just with the traditions, but somewhat skewed by their awe of the Western way of life. While in India they point out the lack of clean facilities, the mad rush on the roads, the disorganized way in which life is lived here; they talk about the law enforcement abroad, the great cities and the opportunity for aquiring wealth and living decently. Here is there is poverty, corruption, lax laws, overcrowded streets, insensitivity and utter disregard of others. There it is fast cars, fast foods, fast rise in income levels, wide and clean roads, machines that do most of the work and allow more leisure to their owners, and above all they all speak English, still a sign of literacy and good education to millions in India. Modernity is wearing latest fashion, amassing wealth, enjoying the pleasures of life easily without a bad conscience, aquiring possessions and working in MNCs, speaking and living like the natives.

But all that does not guarantee a smooth assimilation; there is friction due to the notions of race and cultural differences. So they form communities to redress the inequities, fight for justice, keep ties with the Old World (India) to fall back on in times of crisis and also avowedly to carry on the rich cultural heritage of their glorious and hoary past. Their awe of the western way of life is diminished not an iota, for they made their name, fame and fortune in the promised land.

In spite of the great differences in their manners and way of life between their country of origin and country of choice, they move back and forth with ease. They discard their western garbs for the traditional sari or churidar, leave behind the pasta and the Subwayy for the laddus and poories, eschew their stylized holidays for the pilgrimages, put aside their electronic toys for gossip among the household.

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The Ashram Route

A Travelogue - A Poor Man's Travel

Keep a diary of daily events and activities, a record of impressions recollected in tranquility, pictures taken at random
The theme is a tour of India, a visit to the ashrams and the stay there, a tour of the spiritual landscape of India, a journey as much of the body as of the mind and heart.
A spiritual journey into the land of numerous ashrams and schools of thought.
What do they offer?
Why are there so many?
Why do they differ in approach?
What is their role in the society?
What is their origin, individually and collectively?
What is the insight or inspiration behind each one?
Who is the Guru and what is his message?
Who is the founder and who is the head now?
What is their contribution to society?
Why and how does one differ from the other?
Who are the followers? In what way are their lives different?
Why are they here? What forces or compulsions drove them here?
What according to them is the idea of god, the universe, the living world and the human consciousness?
What is their contribution to art, literature, music and dance?
Where are their ashrams located in India and abroad?
Do they have a website?
How do they disseminate info about their activities?
What are their charges for boarding and lodging?
What are their publications?
Who are their donors?
What uses are their lands put to?
What crafts or skills do they develop in their followers?
On what basis do they select a place for their ashram?
What forms of worship do they follow?
Do they have a Hall of Fame? Some outstanding personalities as their donors, patrons or followers?
What is the best time to visit? Perhaps a wrong question as an ashram is not a picnic spot.
What is the feedback received from the visitors?
Which school of thought or philosophy does the Guru subscribe to?
What activities are conducted at the ashram? And why?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Ashrams

List ashrams in each state
Select ashrams which offer free or low cost boarding and lodging
Prepare an ashram route map
Make an itinerary
Calculate travel expenses
Prepare list of halts
Duration of stay at each halt
List items to carry

Sabarmati - Gujarat
Ramanasram - Tamilnadu
JK retreat - Andhra Pradesh
Aurobindo - Pondicherry
Shantiniketan - W. Bengal

Places to visit
Andhra Pradesh, Madanapalle
Tamilnadu, Ramanasram, Kanyakumari
Kerala, Shankaracharya ashram?
Karnataka, ?
Maharashtra, Aurangabad, Ajanta
Madhya Pradesh, ?
Gujarat, Sabarmati, Ashram Express
Rajasthan, ?
Himachal Pradesh, ?
Jammu, ?
Uttar Pradesh, Rishikesh, Varanasi
Bihar, ?
West Bengal, Shantiniketan, ?
Orissa, ?

The Ashram Route
1. JK retreat Naimisam
2. Madanpalle Rishi Valley
3. Ramanasramam, Arunachala
4. Aurobindo Ashram Pondicherry
5. COIMBATORE
6. Vivekananda, Kanyakumari
7. Shankaracharya asramam, Kerala
8. Ramakrishna Mutt, Karnataka
9. Samadhi Ashram, Ghrishneshwar Dharmasala, Ellora, Maharashtra
10. Sabarmati, Ahmadabad, Gujarat
11. Ashram Express, Abu, etc.
12. Advait Ashram, Mayavati, Uttaranchal
13. JK retreat, Varanasi
14. Gaya, Bihar
15. Shantiniketan, WB
16. Konark, Cuttack, Orissa
Return home
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Re-think

Reading aurther miller's intro to his plays makes me re-think the way i handled the train (maoist mata hari). Perhaps as raj suggested i built up a promise that is never delivered; on the other hand, she says, she felt cheated.
I wonder now if i shouldn't revisit it, add another act and allow a more natural conclusion. This will allow me to develop the stakes more clearly for the woman in red and the woman with her kids. Bring the terror to the door and reveal its fangs which we have been so blithely ignoring for so long. The reason behind the shift in the maoists principle of targeting only the offical force and killing the innocent travelers was precisely to awaken the complacent masses to their cause. Bring the struggle home, to every home, until we all sit up and take notice.
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