The Kabir Project

      I have watched some of these documentaries thru NDTV last month… They were really good and captivating.  I am attaching the program schedule.    I  have  put in my calendar.  I recommend it quite highly...

Vishy 

The Kabir Festival is week long event, a festive yet critical immersion in the ideas of the 15th century mystic weaver poet Kabir, through a series of film screenings, live music concerts by folk, classical and Sufi singers from India and Pakistan, discussions, seminars, an exhibition and outreach events in colleges, institutions of higher education, socio-cultural and religious communities in and around, Bangalore.

The festival would be an opportunity for audiences to experience the joy of Kabir in song, while engaging with the radically transformative power of his poetry. It would offer a powerful encounter with the philosophy of Kabir, hopefully generating moments of critical self-awareness and reflection on ideas of cultural identity and social divisions, death and impermanence, oral traditions and the nature of knowledge. It would offer an opportunity for singers from diverse musical and cultural traditions in India and Pakistan to come together in one performative space and share and exchange notes on the oral traditions of Kabir that they represent.

Envisioned by filmmaker Shabnam Virmani (see http://www.kabirproject.org/), the event is an outcome of her experiences consisting of a series of musical journeys in quest of the socio-political and spiritual legacy of Kabir in our contemporary worlds.
This project has been supported by the Ford Foundation and resulted not only in the production of a series of films, music CDs and books, but also many relationships, workshops, festivals and social networks spun off by this 5-year journey.
A range of events are planned as part of this festival in satellite locations and a central venue. They revolve around the 4 recently completed feature-length musical documentaries and the presence of 7 fine singers of Kabir in our midst.

It is an open invitation!

Was Doing Time !

A few weeks back, when I had published   2 -3 blogs in a week, an esteemed colleague of mine, had told me that instead of Sunday Sambar, i should rename it as  everyday sambar. J .  Incidentally after that, I was hardpressed for time, i let  Sambar drop in my list of priorities. (Not becoz  of the  Everyday sambar comment.. I swear!) .  But  i should admit, it was quite nice  to receive a note from a good friend of mine, urging me not to convert this into a monthly sambar.  He told me in his kind words, that he was really looking forward to my   Sunday Sambar servings. So here i go again....

I was away for two weeks.  Was doing my time (literally).   Was attending my annual Vipassana course.  The only difference  from  a real prison,  here  we  were   volunteering  to  be IN  , to be free from  Outside World.   For almost 10 days..  No Blackberrys /Cell phones. No Emails… No TV. No FM.  No Newspapers.. No Reading material…   No Talking / Communicating in any other means.    Just imagine  you are  cutting yourself  from the outside world, when the latest   breaking news   was   Raju’s   (a)Satyam confession  and  South Africa’s  last innings  chase  of Aussie  total and ego  on  an even keel.

The program is rigorous to say the least. No participant is allowed to leave until the end of the course. All stimuli in the form of reading, writing and talking are forbidden. After a delicious vegetarian lunch at 11.30 a.m., there is nothing but tea and fruits at 5 p.m. And that's the easy part. It's the meditation that is grueling. Continuing virtually nonstop, save for a few breaks for food and rest, it calls for formidable levels of self-control and concentration.

What is Vipassana?

Vipassana in my opinion is the simplest meditation in the world.

“Vipassana is one of two main categories of Buddhist meditation, and means ''insight'' in the Pali language of the Buddhist texts. It is a kind of meditation, found in the Theravada tradition, that aims at an understanding of dukkha or ''suffering,'' anicca or ''impermanence,'' and anatta or ''not-self.'' The Theravada tradition is based on the teachings of Buddha as found in the earliest texts.


Buddhists in South and Southeast Asia practice this 2500-year-old tradition. Vipassana is also called ''Insight meditation'' because the purpose is to give the meditator an accurate understanding of the nature of reality. It helps us explore the deepest levels of the mind, and offers direct access into the spiritual realm without addressing deities or spirits.”  (Source unknown.)

 

Teachers?

This meditation approach was probably discovered by Gautama Buddha, 500 years before the birth of Christ. Although the practice of Vipassana faded for the most part after the seventh century, a Burmese businessman, S. N. Goenka, visited a monastery in the 1950s where it was still practiced by a small group of monks. He was so impressed with this meditation technique that he introduced Vipassana to prison inmates and helped spread the practice around the world. It was  quite pleasant  to meet Goenkas.  I had chosen the centre  next  Global Pagoda this time. And  Goenkaji  was there. Even though  he was not really doing well, Health wise, was  very gracious to meet us. He does not demand  ( Manasa Vacha  Karmana)  Guru like reverence from his Students.  I did feel the same kind of  respect and love  i had felt  towards  some of the teachers who taught me. (Devaki Teacher  ( My 1st std teacher)  who could manage  bunch of  50 odd brats with that benign smile, without ever needing Shouting or  Corporal punishment , Gopalakrishnan  Master ( my Grandpa's cousin  and who was my mentor  and tution teacher, who was a Gandhian , National award winning teacher ) , my headmaster Manimaster who stood out for  his knowledge and command of English language & , Dr. Richard Mchugh ( who taught me NLP))...... 

Why did I choose Vipassana?

Meditation always intrigued me and I have learnt a lot of techniques which I would practice on and off--with unsuccessful results. I don't know whether there was anything wrong with the methods; I probably didn't practice them correctly.  Or in some cases  I did not feel comfortable  being part of  a Cult / Guru Worshipping brigade.   In any case, I was not happy with my meditation and was looking for something else.

My search for something that does not violate my values did end with Vipassana.  The way of the Buddha is not a religion.  It has no belief system. No Dogma. I should add that  I did take my time on deciding to do this.Even after it was recommended   by Dr. Richard McHugh.

Should you do it?

I truly believe that all of us have a “door of change within ourselves”, which can be opened only from inside.

Let me end with a quote from Buddha “Don’t accept something: because you have heard it many times; because it has been believed traditionally for generation; because it is believed by a large number of people; because it is in accordance with your scriptures; because it seems logical; because it is in line with your own belies; because it is proclaimed by your teacher, who has an attractiveypersonality and for whom you have great respect.

Accept it only after you have realized it yourself at the experiential level and have found it to be wholesome and beneficial to one and all. Then, not only accept it but also live up to it. “  I have experienced it. I have accepted it and  i am going to live up to it. 

An Irish toast in this new year eve.. Till we meet again.

What is the one quality God has given us, in order to not only endure & survive all the troubles of this current world(Terror, Stock market crash, Madoff, recession, global warming etc), but also thrive and enjoy our life ?

Is it our capacity to hope?  Is it our ability to put the entire burden on God thru prayers?

I think it is the sense of humor. If you care to notice, all the races which has undergone persecution at the hand of fellow human beings in history (Jews, Sikhs or Irish) seemed have developed this quality in abundance. Ability to laugh at them and at the world and then move on enjoy life.

 

On this new year eve, I wish to raise this Irish Toast to each one of you, whose paths may have crisscrossed mine during 2008..( or may again in coming years J )

 

May you live as long as you want and

Never want as long as you live.

May you be in heaven a full hour
before the devil knows you are dead.

 

May your heart be light and happy,
May your smile be big and wide,
and may your pockets always have
a coin or two inside!

 

Always remember to forget
the troubles that passed away.
But never forget to remember
the blessings that come each day.

 

May you always have a clean shirt, a clear conscience,

and enough coins in your pocket to buy a pint!

 

May neighbors respect you, Trouble neglect you,
the angels protect you, And heaven accept you.

 

May you have the hindsight to know where you've been,

the foresight to know where you are going,
and the insight to know when you have gone too far.

 

May misfortune follow you the rest of your life,

and never catch up.

 

May your mornings bring joy
and your evenings bring peace...
May your troubles grow less
as your blessings increase!

 

May you get all your wishes but one,
so that you will always have something to strive for.

Till we meet again, Godspeed … 

Footnote: Probably my liking of Irish is a direct result of knowing Dr. Richard McHugh. I consider quite fortunate to be a student of this venerable NLP guru. His attitude to life, fortitude & dignified bearing was really striking.  He seemed to have more Indianess than many of us.  A man of incredible energy even in his late 70s, which he attributes to disciplined living and awareness, he is also Jesuit Priest (Infact someone who spoke about Buddha, Vipassana and Demello with equal élan.) It was quite amazing that he could hold the interest of motley crowd for more than 4 weeks.   While he taught NLP techniques, subconsciously he directed many of us towards Demello, Vipassana and Spirituality. He travels around the world teaching NLP and lives out of two small suitcases. And absolutely carry no other baggage including saint hood. (Literally!). May he spend many more years in this wonderful world spreading goodness. 

On Corporate (mis)governance.

This   corporate news bulletin which was quite overlooked 3 months ago suddenly became very significant in the present context.

“Satyam Computer Services Ltd. (NYSE: SAY), a leading global consulting and information technology services provider, has won the coveted Golden Peacock Global Award for Excellence in Corporate Governance for 2008. ……..

"It is a real honor for Satyam to receive such a prestigious award,” said Srinivas Vadlamani, Satyam CFO. “It is a testament to our efforts to continually innovate and advance corporate governance best practices in our industry and around the world."

http://www.satyam.com/media/pr6Sep08.asp

I remember one of the recipients of Malcom Baldridge award filed for Bankruptsy immediate after they won the award. J.  Some of these awards seem to be jinxed.

Present woes of Satyam are well documented and do not deserve any more space. So   this post is not about Satyam’s present state of affairs.

There was an interesting monologue from Suhel Seth on Governance or lack of it in India during the many debates in our 24 * 7 TV studios after the Mumbai Terror attack.   Suhel Seth was seething.   (Very rightly so.).  . The Business community (the booted and suited ones) & the Anchors were all over the political class.  They had diagnosed what ails our govt. and political class and had clear prescriptive solutions.

It was reported in NDTV, that Maytas   real value is Rs. 21 crore. How can someone with 8 % of shares utilize $ 1? 6 Billion to buy highly overrated companies promoted by their own family. It is interesting to note that Satyam board comprises four academicians, a former Union Cabinet Secretary and one of the founders of Intel’s Pentium chip. Probably the slick marketing of the resumes of   these worthies had won for Satyam the Golden Peacock award for corporate governance this year

One of them Prof. Krishna Palepu’s bio data in HBS website   reads “In the area of corporate governance, Professor Palepu’s work focuses on how to make corporate boards more effective, and on improving corporate disclosure. Professor Palepu teaches these topics in several HBS executive education programmes aimed at members of corporate boards: Making Corporate Boards More Effective, Audit Committees in a New Era of Governance. He also co-led Harvard Business School’s Corporate Governance, Leadership, and Values initiative, launched in response to the recent wave of corporate scandals and governance failures.”  It was a different matter, that Mr. Palepu was a longtime advisor to Satyam. 

Some time back Union Finance Minister P.Chidambaram stated in the floor of Parliament that “the big industrial companies/borrowers have been the top defaulters."  The amount owed by Indian Business houses was a staggering Rs. 50,000 crores.  It was quite amusing to read “Responding to members' demand that the names of big defaulters be published, he said there was a provision in the Reserve Bank of India Act that mandated confidentiality.”   One should see this in contrast to the ways and means Banks adopt against poor peasants of this country driving them to Suicides.

 How come the Indian Public don’t get to hear any condemnation from the likes of   CIIs / ASSOCHAMs /   Tavleen Singh’s and Suhel Seths ? 

We Indians do deserve better Governance, Government and certainly better political leaders. Also don’t   we deserve better Business persons?   Sadly the voices that keep harping on Politicians and Govt are never raised against their own ilk, even when they are caught with their pants down.

  Why can’t they start the changes they want to see in others with themselves?

I wonder how many of the present day Business houses, have  the moral right to preach to a pick pocket.  (Leave alone other sections of the society).

Objective Analysis of Jaswant Singh's Mind

Jaswant Singh   is one of the few Indian politicians to have been the Minister for Defence, Finance and External Affairs.  A self described social democrat, he is also one of the few BJP leaders who don’t belong to the Parivar (I mean “Sangh” ).  It was rumored that  he was  Vajpayee’s  first choice as  Finance Minister ,  but was  vetoed  by    “folks  @ Nagpur”   (  7 Race course Road power centre for  BJP).  Even though,  his performance  during  NDA rule was  quite creditworthy,  his  critics say  his lasting legacy was the picture  of  India’s  External Affairs Minister   escorting   Terrorists  to  Kandahar, which according to me  is highly unfair.

The purpose of this essay is not to go into the merits   or demerits of his Kandahar Trip.  But  rather this is an attempt  in analyzing  his  thought process   during those  tense moments  of  Kandahar  hijack  episode.    I did see his NDTV interview on that episode after 26/11.   He said his decision w.r.t Kandahar was taken with the principle, that the lives of 166 people who were held hostage in that Indian Airlines plane are precious.  You can’t argue with that.  

Let us go back in time machine and be flies on the wall   in the meeting room of Cabinet (i.e.  GOI Cabinet ministerial meeting room.)

You could hear, Mr. Singh in his baritone voice, arguing for the exchange of terrorists in lieu of hostages.  His arguments are really impressive. 

Lives of 166 people vs.  the harm Mazood Azhar  and his two  colleagues can bring  to India.    The first part is absolutely certain.  As  someone  who  bored even  Strobe Talbot  to  death and agreement  in marathon  negotiations  about  Indo – US  friendship, Mr. Singh can talk to the folks  at  Kandahar  and ensure the safety of our citizens.  For the second part of the equation, we need to bring in people who are good in   Probability theory as well as sooth saying.   Who knows, transformed by the magnanimity offered by Govt.  Of India, L.K. Advani and Jaswant Singh,   Mazood Azhar might decide to turn into a    “Father Theresa” and serve the humanity here after.   If he goes back to his old ways, then let us keep requesting Pakistan   governments   (plural is intended, because at any point of time, Pakistan is known to be ruled by   5 – 6 power centers!)  to return him to India, so that any future Govt.  @ Delhi can use him   as exchange material   for future hostage crises.

So it was quite an easy decision to make.   A certain present vs. “an uncertain future”.    

Send Mazood Azhar to Kandahar.   “Curtain” on Act 1.

Come back to the present interview. We should salute the integrity of Mr. Singh who did own up the responsibility of the act. (Unlike   Mr. Advani who t don’t  (can’t ) remember  that episode at all, even though  he wrote  an  800 odd page volume about rest of  his life (except the Kandahar). ).   Also we should   appreciate the value Mr. Singh ascribes to Lives of Indian citizens.  He was not a soothsayer to predict that instead of those 166 lives we saved @ Kandahar,   Mazood Azhar took away a bigger number through the mad acts of his lunatic Fanatics.   

 What  I really don’t appreciate  ( &  understand ) is  the  second part of the statement  which said “if a Kandahar hijack-like situation arose again, he would do the same (release terrorists in lieu of hostages)”.

There is a fair chance that Mr. Singh may return as a Cabinet Minister in the next government.  (Either if Advani gets lucky or MMS does an Obama act). Now those terrorists know what to do.  Whether we have a TADA /POTA/ Strongest Law in the entire universe (which I would call   a – Run – JET LI law), hijack a plane /bus / auto rickshaw, and fax/email the demands to the Govt.

 Govt.  Of India should appoint a Protocol Officer to take care of such requests and exchange procedures, instead of assigning the responsibility of escorting the released prisoners to External Affairs Minister…