ethical?

Dissections at college... is an everyday matter. We've been dissecting animals... from first semester onwards.... i.e., since two years.

At first..... we were all scared. Imagine cutting an animal.... for pastime..... As time passed... i enjoyed those classes. It can be fun... dissecting an organism provided..... the demonstartion is good... more importantly...... the animal should be fresh.

Leech..... was the first.... followed by earthworm.....it wasn't much available... hence the latter was a one-timer. Second semester... saw the fresh-water mussel(Unio).... cockroaches(yes!!) and prawns. Frog was dissected in the third semester...... while... none during the fourth semester. I believe.... that we are supposed to do a squash.... but...it'll take some time.

Frog was good... as the animal is pretty big. Bigger the animal, easier is the dissection. Unio... too was interesting. Other than these.... the others were just about okay. The stink of the cockroach....can be overwhelming. Really!

Though the final year does not require us to dissect any animal...... we see... the specimans... preserved... in the Zoology lab.....in formalin. But.... at times the preservative.... does not do it's job... efficiently... and we've had... squirming... leeches.... leaping frogs(or trying to jump..) during the sessions.

Dissection is impasse. Who would like to spend.... their afternoons carrying out dissections... right after consuming lunch? That apart..... do we need dissection et al? Animals... are utilsed for this purpose.... while we have wildlife conservationists... screaming their heads off. Dissecting an animal is a better way.... a more practical method in putting certain say, structures... in our mind. Sacrificing huge numbers (200 is indeed a big population) for this aim... is simply impractical. To top it all.... our juniors got... sharks.... when we got frogs. The reason: frogs are banned now..... and sharks were banned... during our times. This is the heights of lameness.... Can anybody believe this substantiation?

Theory is half-hearted learning.... practicals are interesting... only for the dissection part of it. It's very disheartening... to cut... hundreds of animals.... without any good end. Humanity does not call for it.

Today's world.... talks about modernity... in many aspects. The word has lost it's essence to quite an extent. Atleast with south indians..... who go on proclaiming that they are modern.

Modernity seems to revolve primarily around dressing, speaking, eating... maybe to some levels. People claim to be modern in many areas.... but it eventually boils down to the age-old habits. Some habits.... those which are linked to traditions... do make sense. On the other hand... i noticed that the same... practises can bring sadness.

The illustration... consists of a modern Brahmin lady... who is a software engineer.... earning a fat packet. The husband is a non-Brahmin.... also earns... a heavy pay. They constitute a married couple. A daughter... and a son.... is born to the woman. Lets say the daughter is five years old.... with the son being around two months old. The woman... is at her mother's place.... which is modern.... wherein the children have been to the States.... and stuff (if that's to be termed as modernity...)

What struck me was this....

The grandmother of the five-year old kid..... keeps mentioning..... Lord Krishna.... everytime.... especially with referance to the young to the baby. 'Krishna does this... Krishna does that.....' while she is actually talking about the young boy...... so much so that... the girl also... gets the hang of it. 'Mummy..... isn't my young brother smiling like Lord Krishna'... so says the girl. Only, songs related to Krishna are sung at home.... and obviously the woman.... and the girl know only those hymns.

I know that these are a part our daily life.... but.....the consequences..... can be quite disastrous. I, understand... that gods... godesses and religion occupy most of our lives.... but does such an environmentsinstill.... the values... of equality in us? What if... the girl kid.... looks down upon... a person who does utter 'Sri Krishna' ? What if she is allowed to grow up as such?

Isn't it like... creating communities.... within society.... Cannot it not sprout animosity.... between individuals of the same religion? Talk about the world where... religions wage wars against each other

sakkath what?

Lately...i've been listening to radio... especially the fm channels. After having... ruled the roost for a few years...Radio City is still going strong. Apart form that... a couple of other stations are on. One of them proclaims... something... which is stupid. The tagline... of that particular channel... being sakkath hot maga.

Initially.... it left me surprised.... as posters carrying this phrase... were put over... all over town. I realised, later that these words tried to brand the station.... attracting(?) the local crowd. The same channel... if i'm right is a couple of years old... and the tagline still holds good.

Radio jockeys working for this organisation have to mention these words every time... irrespective of whether... the show is about to start... or is to end. Sakkath hot maga, literally in Kannada... means.... 'very hot dude'.... what is it supposed to mean.. or rather what is it, that's to be comprehended. Are they trying to impress Bangalore... by mouthing these words... at the drop of a pin. And...we know that the city is brimming with non-Kannada people. With Kannada being the city's tongue.... it's in the process of being forgotten....

A friend... stated that the tagline... truly signifies.... the heat which is plaguing the town.

whistling away.....

Gandhi Bazaar.... The sight of which reminds me of a village fair..... sorts.

Navarathri.... begins this weekend... dolls were everywhere. Dolls (usually clay ones) are kept during those nine days. Our house does not follow the practise... but we are often invited.... by relatives.. and friends to visit their places.

Gandhi Bazaar... the main road...and D.V.G. Road of which was lighted..... with neon bulbs.... stringed.... together.... around trees... buildings.... shops..... It was beautiful. Quite some time had passed.... since i last paid it a visit. .

Having savoured kadabu at Roti Ghar.... we strolled..... around. Walking around D.V.G Road.... we stopped at many places...... you know... to window-shop.

A boy was selling these colourful whistles. Children love these.... it produces a shrill sound when air is blown into it. I bought one..... planning to give it to my neice (the fact that the same would be broken into pieces within minutes is another story). The boy selling them could not have been more than 10 years old. Another reason which made me buy it.... was the boy. He had a forlorn look on his face..... was carrying this huge basket full of these multi-coloured whistles.

After having bought it..... the whistle automatically... went to my mouth.... and without my knowledge.... a shrill..... vveeeeeeee was produced..... much to the astonishment of others. Playing the whistle.... through-out the length of the street.... i did draw.... attention to myself.... who would imagine... a 20 year-old.... entertaining herself.... with a silly instrument.

Obviously, the whistle is of cheap plastic.. and it leaves... this plasticy taste in the mouth. But... who cares.... i was happy.

Such small, insignificent moments bring so much joy to the heart. Not satisfied.... i started playing it again...this morning, untill i was told not to... by a cousin.

On second thoughts.... i guess it'll not reach the hands of the person... in whose respect it was bought!!

gibberish

I got up from sleep.... suddenly... the dark room did it's job of scaring me to wit's end. The door of the room was closed..... and i screamed. Mother came and picked me up.... and held me close to her. On reaching the living room.... i saw many people.... they were all laughing. It was six o' clock in the evening.... Mother made me drink a whole glass of milk. God.... why does she make me consume milk.... i can do without it, really.

Trying to escape... after drinking milk.... i ran to the other house. Grandpa and Grandma was there...... and when i walked in..... i was hugged by a lady. Struggling from her grip...i scrambled down. The first thing that caught my eyes was the telephone. Isn't it the greatest creation.... that man could make. Hearing the dial-tone..... i started blabbering into the mouth-piece. Grandpa....was also speaking to me.... though i think.... he could not comprehend my speech. Anyways.... a pen and a scrap of paper was lying beside the instrument.... father does the same thing..... it felt good to imitate him..... sounding like a grown-up.

Grandma went to the kitchen .... with me following her.... i went to the place where cashewnuts.... were kept.... demanding that i wanted them. Wait.... something else seems interesting.... the basket containing green chillies.... i think i've never seem them.... probably yes.... but could not remember having noticed them before. Grandma.... saw that..... told me to give it back to her... in a nice way. She was speaking to the lady..... about the burning sensation that those chillies would cause. Realising that.... they'd take it away from me.... i ran into the lady's room. I came back into the living room.... as the other room... was dark. Grandpa was watching the television...... with the remote control on the teapoy. Wishing to have the gadget... in my hand....i dropped the basket.... of chillies. Chillies had fallen everywhere....

The lady went to her room. Switching on the computer..... she sat in front of it. Trailing behind her..... i too went near the computer... started pressing the keys at random. Having liked the sound that each click made..... i continued with the new-found past-time. The lady came and switched the computer off..... with the moniter going blank. I saw the iron-box..... went to get it. Lifting the iron-box... i gave it to her..... she kept it on the bed.... away from my reach. I did not want to give it to her..... but i had no choice. The other day.... the iron-box..... went banging.... to the floor. Everybody scolded me.

Actually... Grandpa is the only one... who lets me have things my way...... be it.... the telephone.... the iron-box...... Grandma's reading glasses..... the cassettes..... One may notice.... i do have a fancy for electronic gadgets..... i don't know why? All of them seem to have push-buttons.... but nowadays.... they try to hide things away from me. I've learnt to be a good kid too..... even if i pick the basket containing chillies... i immediately give it to Grandma.

The lady.... too is not bad..... at all..... she makes me smile. She is the only one whom i can recognize.... with her face.... apart from Mother. I believe that she has sung me many songs.... right from... when i was a few days-old. Heard that... i used to fuss.... when i was told to sleep. Lulling me to sleep... was her job...... with gentle rocking..... accompanying a soothing lullaby. Lullaby.... actually is a misnomer... she used to sing..... devaranamas....other quiet old film songs. The practise continues even now.... but the variety is different. The most favourite of them all... is this song from.... 'The Sound Of Music'. The words... come along with actions performed by the lady. By way of mimicking ..... i tell her that i want the track to be sung again. It always ends..... in me being chased by her....... and a lot of laughter.

Wandering around as....is my way.... i came across... a particular cord of wire. Tugging at it for sometime.... i didn't feel the tension...... the wire had come loose with the plug hanging in mid-air!!! Basking in the light.... of having carried out something new...... i looked up........ to see an angry look on the lady's face. She was very angry this time..... i could make that out.... she was yelling at Grandpa. The wire.... was that of the telephone.....and it was required to be fixed..... again. Staying there.... i tried to make her laugh. Taking notice of the nasty look on her face i kept quiet. Various instrument were brought to the spot...... which included... a pair of scissors..... a paper-cutter.... some gum-tape. I tried to take them.... in vain. She did something with the wire..... fixing the plug back into it's socket. Noticing that she was successful..... i did something.... which made her laugh. She did laugh...... with me joining her......

Another incident..... where i chattered a lot was this: i was feeling bored at my house. Mother... was watching the television..... and i was roaming the living room. Somebody knocked on the door.....i was almost expecting it. Was wondering why... the lady hadn't come to take me to her house..... it was time..... about 11 in the night. Promptly..... going upto the door..... Mother.... opened it..... and the lady was there.... i lifted my arms... indicating that i wished to be carried. I went to Grandpa... and Grandma's room.... and there was this strange kind of cloth hanging around the bed. The lady lifted one end of it.... and put me inside it...... she also followed me inside. Was i excited??? The cloth was porous...... and in the bargain... i spoke.... without stopping for a minute. The lady tried to tell me something.... but Grandma told her to be quiet.... allowing me to continue my excited gibberish. Later, Grandma told me that the thing surrounding me was a mosquito-net.

I hope to come to Grandma's place again. My own house is plain... with no kids around..... not that Grandma' place has any... it's just that.... i'm made to feel nice...... with quite a number of people..... helping me to feel so.

Oh! I forgot this.... i'm a year and 5 months old. Can something be done.... by the virtue of which... i'd feel happy? I'd simply love it..... and the infectious enthusiasm.....the happiness... the thought of well-being that i spread.... is simply wonderful. I heard it correctly.....didn't I?

Two more of my works.... if i may call it so.....

The first is that which is appreciated by... folks at home.






The second one is colourful.... i like it... i don't know why...... anyways.... the colours seem to be abstract...

'' Now I understand, the crores of villagers are not fools. In their blood flows the wisdom of Vyasa and Valmiki. They do not care for history. They understand the meaning of life through myths only. They do not need to study the scriptures and books-history, geography, economics,psychology, or physics and chemistry-to understand the manipulated mysteries of reality. We call mythology crap, yet we treat newspapers as the Vedas and Upanishads. W live a small insignificant life, cut off totally from the consciousness of eternity. And we are dissatisfied because of the narrow political and economic reality in which we operate. We never reach for the eternal Duryodhanas', Yudhishthiras', Ramas' and Ravanas' in our daily newspapers and we never find them. We never discover the truth about the Rama-Ravana and the Kuru-Pandava wars in the progression of our daily happenings. So much so that we are near impartial. And caught in the whirlpool of our lives, we shout about our frustrations and condemn all. ''

Beware, Beware: Mother India is Awake

-Mohapatra Nilamani Sahu

The above excerpt throws light on so many issues........ ranging from... their lifestyle... their mundane lives... through which they acquire knowledge.

Is knowledge available in the form of.... books...... scripted material..... media... Cannot it be acquired through simple lessons learned.... through experience.... Experience of any sort...... be it related to any field. I would definately not go towards a fire if i've had a pervious event wheren... my skin got charred..... and a new term is born..... Is it neccessary that we define everything......

A farmer knows better....... about the kind of the soil... required for planting a particular crop..... is it because it is inborn?

Mohapatra talks about the modern Dhuryodhana'.... Ramas'....... and the easiness with which we ignore those characters' who make an indelible image in our present lives.

Realisation has hit me. From the last few weeks i've been thinking about our practises, our customs as we call it. A cousin said that we've got a strong base in traditions. Is it true?

The first arguement....are our religious practises..... do we really need to celebrate all those festivals... those innumerable festivals. Do we really act civilised but not for religious constraints. The concept of sinning... and comitting sins...... and the punishment metted by God.... is simply a way of curbing our evil behaviour.....

Secondly, the practise of searching for life-partners.... in a particular community..... sounds bad. Afterall do we not belong to a single species.... all the features are the same. Apart from the biological angle..... each one of us is so different..... with different habits with respect to... food... dressing sense.... the way by which we are brought up.... the list is endless. Thus, various societies were created... to enable grouping......those with similar interests. It will be tough for a hindu to adjust to a Christian. Why? what about the differences found amongst the hindus' itself..... with each belonging to different substate(Is there another way to put this?)

I would like to contradict the above arguement... we have the capabilty to adapt.... to a new environment.... do we have to restrict ourselves... to a stagnant pool.... where emotions run high.... giving religion a chance to rule our lives.

I hope i've been successful in expressing my thoughts.

Has realisation hit me?

a fresh beginning

The past week has been pretty eventful. No, i'm not talking about college and it's activities... though carpe diem(i hope i got the spelling correct) happened.... which is the yearly BBM fest that happens at college. Stalls were put up.... on the other hand..... we had no time to visit them...... who said that third year at college was eventful. We never get time... to have fun at all.

One thing that made me really happy was this:

Before i could go on... Pooja needs introduction. She has been learning Sugama Sangeetha at the BVB.... i guess from the past four years.... Sugama Sangeetha is adjacent to my class... thus i met her, through my sister. She has started a library meant for kids..... where the kids get to play outdoor games for an hour or so.... then read storybooks. Kids come within the age group.... eight to thirteen. This is when the mind and the senses.... grow.

Why can some people do so much good..... for children..... while.... the statement.... today's children are tomorrow's citizens'. I agree that this is a very small initiative... but this play-group. as i would like to call......it is a few weeks old... and it has already enrolled twenty-five and odd children.

Children are also encouraged to get storybooks from home.... because of the varying age group.... it also proves to be a place of exchange of knowledge.... blending of people..... and most of all.... personalities.... can be sculpted. Childhood is the ripe period to learn anything.... the main advantage being that it lasts throughout one's lifetime.

Childhood is that time which haunts the mind.... providing us the relief.... the joy..... the happy thoughts which never fade away.

Essentially.... this kind of happiness does not reach gen-x's kids. Youngsters.... today seek.... entertainment through tvs... computers..... or even mobile phones for that matter. Gone are the days... when outdoor games where aplenty.... neighbours were treated like family....

Why does this happen? Why do the age-old habits die down.... with incoming technology where one is looked down upon if one isn't a techie....

Is there a silver lining somewhere?