Postal Service

Letters and postcards that I received recently and a post card project for my students enticed me to write this. I have not been much of a writer all my life. Hence buying stamps, sealing envelopes and posting letters has hardly been part of my memory.

However the recent turn of events has made me realise how beautiful this means of communication is. The letters I feel are like wine, they only get precious the longer they are kept. And the taste can be savoured by re-reading.

Unfortunately in todays times the only interesting fact I know about the Indian Postal Service is that the post offices were the oldest banks in India. More unfortunately they are still trying to maintain record in that style!

Graham Bell ensured that we are connected at the speed of light, Dhirubhai Ambani ensured that we are not just connected to everyone but it is the cheapest means possible. When he was unable to further reduce the price of the call he made the government increase the price of a postcard. Technology is just killing this art form.

I want to support it though. Difficult to find its place in mainstream communication but it is such a pleasing way of communication. I am sure that I am going to make myself happy (while writing) and someone else happy by sending them postcards and letters.

And the irony is that I am writing this on an electronic blog but would now hit post!

Happiness sans gratification

The month of May gone by was wonderful for me to say the least. Unlike most May's of my life that I have spent getting baked in the sweltering Delhi heat, this one was spent in the middle of mountains in a tiny village in Himachal Pradesh.

I was left with enough time and energy to think about life, more so because I was getting acquainted with Buddhist philosophy, meeting great people, learning meditation. First time in my life I was able to understand the real meaning of happiness. Until then for me happiness was merely gratification. Either material or sense but for me the supposed state of happiness was achieved only by gratification. The experience of true happiness of or rather just glimpses of it made it clear that how shallow happiness though gratification is.

I buy a pair of shows, I am happy and as soon as I have worn them for the first time the happiness vanishes!

Whereas the state of happiness is so easier to achieve and so much more blissful. I can close my eyes, concentrate on my breath and I am happy! I am now able to be more happy in adversity than earlier I would be in tranquility.

I love this line from Dan Gilbert's TED talk "..our longings and our worries are both to some degree overblown, because we have within us the capacity to manufacture the very commodity we are constantly chasing when we choose experience."

And I am not having second thoughts about my choice :)

In a few days it would be 17 months since I have shifted base to Mumbai. I came with a whimsical liking to the city. Here are some things of the city that I just love

1. Local trains - when empty or I am against the traffic!

2. Street Food

3. Roads of South Mumbai

4. Old houses

5. Sound of bhajans from a train crossing by.

6. Weekend getaways

7. People - Modest, easy going, passionate

8. No power cuts

9. Safety

10. No invasion of privacy

More to come..

63 years behind..

The verdict of the Ayodhya dispute was declared today. Albeit a lot of tension and apprehensions of violence and riots the verdict was taken well by most of the people. The verdict is simple. It follows the basic principal to divide the pie for which the fight exists.

Unfortunately the verdict also follows the policy which was adopted by the foreign rulers 63 years ago.Divide the land based on religion. The division of the disputed land of Ayodhya is not just a solution but in my opinion its is an endorsement that Hindus and Muslims cannot co-exist. And we all know how untrue is this myth. We all have heard stories from our parents and grand-parents that how in the time of adversity the two communities have only strengthened their bonds. How untrue these stories seem in times like this.

India is growing at a phenomenal rate. Rapid industrialisation, policies to implement compulsory education, reduction in unemployment are in place. However what I was left wondering is that culturally no progress made by this country. Are our minds so fragile that they can be divided on the basis that were true 63 years ago.

I do not see this verdict as a step forward. In fact it is a step backward. It might be a solution to 'a' problem but it is a problem to many solutions that the modern Indian is trying to work out. The court has taken 20 years to deliver the verdict however I feel that in one day we have moved 63 years behind.

Turkish Delight!!

Being an avid traveler and ensuring adventure on my travels I have come across some interesting things at the places I visit. One common feature of most of the big cities is the notorious crooks. The ones in Vegas and Atlanta are known world over but there are thousands of smaller scams running every where.

One of the interesting and common scams in Istanbul is related to men, women and drinks. The turks have interesting ways of striking a conversation with you. Mostly you are delighted as you generally do not meet a turk who is articulate in English. They invite you to some place where 'local' drinks are served. Its all so spontaneous and pleasant that you go to the bar with the guy (unless you have read this post!). After a few drinks a girl comes to accompany you on the table. Obviously you do not want to do anything but your friend suggests that she would be harmless. Your chivalry suggests that you buy drinks for the girl. You realise after some time that she is down 4 drinks already while your 1st one is going on. Thats ok. You are made to believe. Until the bill comes!

The uncovering of the scam starts now. The drinks that you had obliged the girl with cost 4-5 times the normal drink. And as she has had 4-5 drinks you end up paying for 20 drinks! The biggest loss would be that the effect of only one you had also would wear off while you are paying the bill!