To Some more driving lessons in Bharat

Driving is stressful, it's well recorded a statistic even among drivers on the best of roads in US. Needless to say, it's worse off in Bharat (India).

Some more of my learning from recent past:

- The imported cars are of low height. And Bengaluru (Bangalore) speed-breakers, badly designed. So the base is bound to hit the speed breakers, especially if people are seated on the back seat, or the trunk has luggage. The way to avoid is to approach speed breakers at an angle, and opt for a bumpy tyre-by-tyre ascent on them.

- Street lights are a rarity even on the US freeways. But on Indian highways, there could also be speed breakers and potholes. So high-beam is a must if you are not following another vehicle at night. And that too, you need to keep safe distance with the vehicle ahead.

- The car will accelerate, don't hurry. This is something I still lose sense of, and press the accelerator to just get ahead fast. I forget that the street light is a great leveler, so why the hurry. And people and animals, aplenty. So why invite the tragedy. So if your feet is on the accelerator, let the engine choose the speed rise per its convenience. That's also best for the car itself!

To Life's Poetry

I write not to Life's Poetry
For Life is Poetry beyond comprehension

I bear not the capacity to sing
For Life's Song is seen best in evening

To Nature's powers is my limitation
For Life is throbbing even beyond the Universe

I step back to realize no good nor bad
For even tiniest creatures only kill to nourish

Forgive..

There was once a bird, who flew over the peacock's head
And little did he know, that poop he did on it
No matter how much he fell, the ego was unforgiving
This body by Mother Bhumi, but so much Ahankar..

'Cos did she ever, complain than give her best
A deep sacrificing power, we take for granted instead

To really know India (Bharat), you have to walk the streets

"India lives in it's villages" Gandhiji once observed. And a profound one at that, after travelling around the country. Indeed, it's not the intelligentsia who represent India (that is Bharat). They might be the ones who keep our country abreast with the rest of the world. But the true representation of Bharat is in its masses, the middle classes.

And while during Gandhiji's time, this representation lay unequivocally in its villages, that proportion has steadily been decreasing, well into 68%, but still the clear majority. A majority of simpletons trying to make ends meet, and first ensure their living conditions are taken care of. Who are easily swayed by a politician's words or the local goon's muscle. And the best reflection of this is seen in the quality of elected representatives.

And for the vastness and diversity that Bharat carries, and of course with due credit to its population size, you cannot take a driving tour and connect or understand this country. The only difference you'll then catch in such tours where you eat out of star hotels, and are taken around by the tourist guides, is the difference in local language and deities at most. Other than that, they just want you to marvel at the leftovers of a glorious heritage. If you want to understand the country, get to a place - a village, town or city - and walk it.

Drink the frequent coconut water, sugarcane juice or the ubiquitious chaaz (buttermilk), keep away from sun strokes, catch the local buses (not autos or taxis). Eat thalis (meals) at clean vegetarian places (which will introduce you to the varieties in local cuisines), and most of all, speak. Communicate the best you can to the locals, give your tourist guide the flavour of what you are looking for, and just see how delighted he'll be to open up!

Four Teachings of Swami Narayana Guru..Satyam, Shuddhi, Sneham, Seva

Had recently seen a movie retracing the life of Swami Narayana Guru, a film from 1986. I'd heard and did read a bit later about him as a social reformer to stood against the casteism that had taken deep root in Kerala in the early half of the century.

The film was amateurish in direction. But the person who eventually played the elder Swamiji performed well. The most striking part for me were the values he teaches as a young Swami, perhaps which formed a foundation of his philosophy: Satyam, Shuddhi, Sneham, Seva.

There were some profound statements in the film too that linger on:

- When someone mentions that Swami Vivekananda is tied down by casteism, Swamiji says those with "vivekam" would say thus only

- Another scene where an upper caste Brahman taunts him if there is anyplace in the Puranas where lower castes are shown to install deities, Swamiji taunts back that weren't these Puranas written and authorized by these very upper castes?

I've made this observation too in my recent (and in progress) reading of The Mahabharata. How at the very opportunity, the value of Brahmanas is extolled to the skies. I recollect Shashi Tharoor mentioning in the Incredible India BBC series that the Mahabharata had seen a lot of contemporary stories getting added to the original through the centuries. Was taken aback also by the mention that Brahmans very much partook in "sanctified" meat. At least that indulgent bit corrected itself in the most part through the centuries.

- I was amazed that while Swamiji preferred isolation, he would grant visits too the maximum extent of his capacity. And moreover, encouraged people to unite and stand for a cause

Truly casteism is something of a blotch in Hinduism. The domination of the Kshatriya class has been wiped out with the onset of Democracy for ruling people - a magnificent import from Greece - and the Corporate Culture and Public companies concept - that, well, has its pros and cons but rewards merit above anything for positions held.

What remains is the domination of the Brahmans in temple and puja culture. I guess spiritual leaders too are implicity vetted by their followers for the caste they were born in. But there will come a time I'm sure where the true meaning of Brahman as "the one who knows Brahman" comes forth, and true merit than the caste they were born into forms the basis of who conducts temple rituals.