Jaime Lannister: From Dishonor to Distinction

The final season of “Game of Thrones,” Season 8 is here and the first episode is over. “Winterfell” ended with Jaime coming face to face with Bran Stark, the ten-year-old boy, who he had pushed to death from the high tower in the premiere episode of Season 1. Seeing the one who you tried to kill and believed him to be long dead, staring at you from a distance can be unnerving as hell. The shock, guilt and scare on the former’s face said it all and if one remembers it was very similar to the shock audiences felt when Jaime committed that ghastly act. No one saw it coming and one only wonders what next is in store for the humbled and reformed “Kingslayer.”

If one were to go by the second episode promo, his life seems to be in danger. The Starks are against him and so is Dany who can be seen saying in the promo how her brother told her a bedtime story about the man who killed their father and the things they would do to him. Cersei has also commanded Bronn to kill the Lannister brothers. Enough to send Jaime fans into a tizzy and being one of them, I have been also wondering if he would survive the game 😦 The HBO series is notorious for killing off popular characters at the most unexpected moments, in the most unexpected ways but then one cannot help but root for Jaime. He is one of those few noble selfless souls left in the seven kingdoms who are not driven by ambition and power despite deserving of them. Call of duty and a strong sense of service to humanity have brought him to Winterfell. He is no longer the cocky fighter with killer looks, the greatest swordsman in the kingdom who wears his pride on his sleeve.

Now, he is an enlightened man who has been through a lot. From one of the most-despised characters in the earlier seasons to one of the most-loved at present, the evolution of Jaime Lannister has been notable. No one has had a storyline like him in the series. His arc has been very different from other more popular and beloved characters. He has earned the admiration of his haters which is very rare and very few characters are able to do it. I remember seeing him in the first episode, thinking that he was also vile and villainous like his twin sister but the writers proved everyone wrong. Full marks to them for scripting his transformation in such a beautiful manner 🙂

Nevertheless, it was not just the transformation that created the Jaime that we see today. As the show progressed and we saw more of him in Season 1 and 2, it was clear that he had a few solid qualities. He was sympathetic to his dwarf brother Tyrion and fiercely loyal to Cersei. In fact, he doted on Tyrion. He also respected his father. He did not nurture any ambition to rule or sit on the throne. He relished fighting and could not care less about the derisive title “Kingslayer” that had been glued to him.

But when life really happened to him in Season 3 while being escorted to King’s Landing by Brienne, it changed him for good. The loss of his sword hand, the very hand that defined him, shattered his spirit but then it also liberated his soul. Moving ahead, Brienne proved instrumental in awakening the human, the true knight inside him. Well, certain people are destined to bring out the best in us and some people the worst. In Jaime’s case, they were Brienne and Cersei, the most imperfect and perfect woman (by normal standards) respectively.

If we analyze Jaime in Season 8, it goes without saying that he has become the best version of himself. Walking away from the disease Cersei (as wise old lady Olenna rightly said) is the best thing he has done in his life. I just hope it gives him happiness and honor. A few might still feel he has to pay his debts but to me, he redeemed himself completely when he jumped to his death in the bear pit to save Brienne. There was something metaphorical in that fall, an uncanny similarity to the fall he unleashed on an innocent and unsuspecting Bran. In that moment, the weak, handicapped and vulnerable Jaime paid for his crime. As the seasons progressed, he endeared himself more to the audiences. The way he dealt with his adversaries, be it Olenna or Edmure Tully, it was clear that compassion and good sense had gotten a strong hold of his heart. Courageous, he always was but as the cruel turn of destiny would have it, now he is surrounded by enemies (in powerful positions) all around.

This is the worst any man can face 😦 He has lost his children. His heart has broken after seeing Cersei’s true colors (the only woman he ever loved). Remember the pain in his eyes when he told her “I don’t believe you” after she made it clear that she would not hesitate to get him killed if he walks away from her. His ordeal has to end. I am counting on Tyrion and Brienne to return the favor to the man who saved their lives and loves both of them dearly.

In Season 2, when Catelyn Stark confronts Jaime and derides him saying that it was because of men like him that the world was full of injustice, he retorts “There are no men like me. Only me.” At that moment, one did feel like whacking his head but now, one feels like giving him a bear hug 🙂 He was right. There are no men like Jaime Lannister. Only him. Hope, the show lives up to these words and gives him a distinct “only-one-of-its-kind” treatment. He deserves it.

The Founding Fathers of Our Lives

Everyone is celebrating Father’s Day today. The social media is abuzz with posts and photos hailing fathers across the world and thank god, fathers are getting their fair share of love and attention in some way. Otherwise, the foundation stones of every child’s life are rarely celebrated. They just stand firm at the base holding everything with poise and grace, without complaining that they are being ignored. I firmly believe that a father is not given due love and affection that he ought to get. Mothers are always idolized in films and pop culture. Films and songs centered on the bonds of mother and son are in plenty but very few films have been made on the relationship of father and son/daughter.

If I talk about Bollywood, there are just a handful of films that come to the mind and this is something that noted lyricist and writer Javed Akhtar also accepted in one program. But he also said a very remarkable thing about the bond of a father and daughter. He said that a son cannot take as much liberty with his father as a daughter can and I feel it is quite true. If you have seen the movie “Piku,” you would realize it instantly. The frankness with which Deepika Padukone (Piku) speaks to her father and overrules him is something that a son can never do 🙂

In real life too, I believe that a father and daughter are far closer than a son and father. Nevertheless, there is always a line between a father and child which only grows stronger as both age. Maybe it is because fathers do not show their affection the way mothers do. They are not as expressive as mothers but then it is not their fault either. Societal norms have restricted their role to that of a provider, a giver who sits on the sideline and watches his better half showering their progeny with warmth and love.

They are not participants in the show but then pillars have never been participants. They have always been the organizers who ensure the building stands tall and firm while the show goes on and this is not an easy task at all. It requires immense strength, courage and sacrifice. So, as the world celebrates father’s day, I sincerely wish all the fathers of the world who have been there for their child and seen them through thick and thin. Lastly, I would just quote the words of psychiatrist Sigmund Freud that will always ring true in all ages and times.

“I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection.”

The Story of My Story Books

The world of books offers an escape route from reality and gives you a chance to create your own wonderland. You can step into this wonderland as and when you like and I realized this long time back in my childhood, when I developed a liking for books. More than any other book in the syllabus, I liked to read my English and Hindi story books. With time, I started reading novels and over the years I have read a good number of books. Just last week, people celebrated “World Book Day” and it got me down into the memory lane of the wonderland that I have often passed through in my life 🙂 Here are some of the books that I have loved reading. In fact, how I got to read them has been an equally interesting story.

To Kill a Mocking Bird – I had no idea about this classic of Harper Lee until I read about it in newspaper in 2015 when the earlier draft of the novel titled “Go Set a Watchman” released and created a furor in the media. The word mocking bird fascinated me. I researched about it on the internet. It got me even more fascinated and I made up my mind to purchase the book. But it arrived as a gift when my friend who was insisting on giving me a birthday present, ordered it for me from Amazon. In fact, she had also read the book and told me that she had discussed it at length on phone with one of our classmates during her internship 🙂 So, the book arrived from Amazon but it was completely wet. When I saw the packing details, I realized it had arrived from Hyderabad which was in the grip of heavy rains at that time. On seeing the condition of the book, I wanted to return it but then I changed my mind. Why give so much pain to the delivery staff? So, I kept it in the sun, dried the pages and then hopped on to the reading ride. When I finished it, I understood the reason behind its popularity and cult status. The story of lawyer Atticus Finch’s fight to uphold innocence, told through his daughter’s point of view, is nothing short of gold. I recommend it to everyone especially adults for it highlights the importance of listening to your conscience even when everything seems to be stacked against you.

Jane Eyre – I picked it up from the stacks of my school library in class 8 on a whim but I had no idea that the book would have a lasting influence on my psyche. Authored by Charlotte Bronte, the story of Jane Eyre tugged at my heartstrings despite the edition being an abridged version. Four years later, I saw the complete version, again in another school’s library and got it issued instantly. As soon as I got hold of the treasure, I was hooked 🙂 I finished it in two days and this time, the story felt even more moving. The complete details made me even a bigger fan of Jane. The seemingly ordinary heroine who holds an unshaken belief in truth and integrity, sticks to her morals till the last, even sacrificing her lover in her journey. However, the ending is sweet as she is reunited with him and both live happily ever after.

Train to Pakistan – I had heard a lot about this partition-based saga of Khushwant Singh and when I saw it at my friend’s shelf in her hostel room, I immediately asked her to lend it to me and she accepted my request. When I started reading the book (it was in auto on my way back from university), I found the plot quite ordinary and could not understand why was the novel such a celebrated phenomenon. But when I proceeded and ended the book, the last line had me in tears. I understood why. The simple line which stated a fact rather the death of a character, over whom the train ran and went to Pakistan struck me to the core. I have to say that it is the best ending line that I have ever read in any book.

The Palace of Illusions – One of my professors had recommended this book and she had praised it so much that I knew I had to read it but somehow it had slipped off my mind. I was working and could not find time for reading. For months, I had not read any book and after some time I also shifted to Shimla for work purpose. It was a new place and I was adjusting which was not a smooth process. On Independence day, all the boys and girls at the PG decided to go for an outing to visit Annadale and while returning, we were passing through the Mall Road where I saw a bookshop and remembered the book. I was not expecting the shop owner to reply in affirmative when I asked for Chitra Banerjee’s “The Palace of Illusions” but to my surprise, he said yes and a few minutes later, it was in my hands, resting in a big brown envelope 🙂 I read it after a few weeks, when I fell sick and got a long leave. The story of Mahabharata told through Draupadi’s point of view was every bit fascinating and felt very real as I had begun to get disillusioned from the place. I had never imagined that the epic could have such an interpretation. The novel carries some very profound philosophies and narrates the literary saga in a new style. I loved the book and definitely recommend it to everyone.

Beyond the Blossoming Fields – This biographical novel is based on the life of Ginko Ogino, Japan’s first female doctor. I had picked it up from the university library because I found the cover quite intriguing but the story of the protagonist turned out to be more intriguing and inspiring. The saga of a young unassuming Japanese girl who contracts gonorrhea from her husband, gets divorced and then resolves to study medicine is every bit motivational. Her personal struggles, emotional upheavals, physical trauma; everything has been portrayed in a very realistic manner. One feels for Ginko and roots for her at every stage of her life 🙂 She feels like a blood and flesh character who is aspiring for a higher purpose but also longs for love and companionship. The moments of her rise as well as her weaker moments when she doubt herself have been expressed beautifully by the writer.

A Thousand Splendid Suns – This was a birthday gift from my friends in second year of my master’s course. I did not have any idea about the book and the author when I received it and therefore, I just unwrapped the cover and after turning the pages, slid the book on my shelf. It was only three months later when I was at home, suffering from viral fever, did I start the book and got introduced to Khaled Hosseini. The tale of Mariam, Laila, Tariq and their children in war-ravaged Afghanistan moved me deeply. The suffering Mariam, abused all her life by her husband Rashid, who ultimately kills him to save Laila (Rashid’ second wife) shines as the epitome of bravery, fortitude and love. Her story shows that humanity is the highest religion and that heroes are ordinary beings born in times of crisis.

The Kite Runner – Having read “A Thousand Splendid Suns,” I was very eager to read Hosseini’s bestseller debut and therefore, when I saw it in a bookshop, peeping from the window, I purchased it instantly. Though I had expected it to be better than “A Thousand Splendid Suns,” I must say it was not. Nevertheless, the story of friends Hassan and Amir, their carefree childhood in a peaceful Afghanistan, their separation, the military invasion of Russia and how Amir comes back to rescue Hassan’s son Sohrab made for a compelling read. The novel portrayed the theme of guilt and redemption in a beautiful manner. The character of Hassan had me infatuated 🙂

Godan – A Hindi literature classic by the eminent author Munshi Premchand, this is another novel that made me cry with its last line. I picked it from my school library and I remember it was a Saturday. I started reading the book as soon as I found a seat in the school bus on the way to home and continued reading it with small breaks in between at home. I finished it around midnight completely in awe of Premchand’s magical words and philosophies. In Godan, he represents the ills of the Indian society in a very lucid manner and his characters, be it Hori or his wife Dhaniya or Miss Malti, everyone stands out and inspires noble values in the hearts of the readers. Premchand is a master at grabbing emotions of the heart and the mind and this is his epic work.

Two Lives – I got the hardback version of Vikram Seth’s biographical novel issued from the library after the third semester of my master’s course. During the holidays, I read the book and when I finished it, I was very disturbed because the book had some gory details about the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany but there was more. The novel is based on the relationship of the author’s great uncle Shanti Behari Seth and his Jewish aunt Henny and how the two bonded over a period of time, eventually marrying each other. The biographical account narrates a good number of real incidents with pictures and letters, demonstrating the inhuman times that the world witnessed during the Nazi era. But it also brings forth a very touching story of a couple who came together under unusual circumstances. The two lines that sum up the couple’s affair come from Henny. She utters the first one when her family decides to take Shanti as a lodger in their home. She says “Don’t take the black man” and when she is on her death bed, she tells her nephew (Vikram) “Please take care of my husband when I am gone.” 🙂

Hanuman: The Devoted Deity

Today is Hanuman Jayanti, the birthday of Lord Hanuman, our dear monkey God who serves another God Lord Rama which is quite unique. He is the only deity who serves another deity and identifies himself as “Ram Doot” (messenger of Ram). This is also a very interesting aspect of his character. In fact, Lord Hanuman’s character study is an enlightening journey in dedication, selfless service and most importantly, absence of ego. His whole life revolves around his master. He helps Rama in searching Sita and bringing her back from Lanka. He is there with him at every step in his battle against the mighty King Ravana. He may not know how to go about the task he is assigned but he does it with the belief that his Lord’s blessings will get him the results. One example is the search for Sanjiveeni Booti when he is unable to locate it and therefore, plucks the entire mountain 🙂

Dutiful, selfless and innocent, he serves his lord with utmost devotion and the love is reciprocated by Rama who says in Hanuman Chalisa that he is as dear to him as his brother Bharat (Tum mam priya Bharat hi sam bhai). Interestingly, Lord Rama is the hero of Ramcharitmanas, the sacred and epic literary piece composed by Tulsidas but the fifth episode of the epic known as Sundar Kand (Pleasant episode) hails Lord Hanuman as the hero. This episode is also the most beautiful (Sundar) episode of Ramcharitmanas and narrates Hanuman’s journey to Lanka while looking for Sita.

Once I was talking to my father, an ardent Hanuman devotee, and during the conversation I asked him why is the Sundar Kand named so and he said that he does not really know and then as an afterthought he said that

kisi bhi cheez ki khoj bahut sundar hoti hai

(the journey of discovering anything is a beautiful exercise). Now this was some gyaan 🙂 Some sort of serendipity and when I thought about it, I realized that he was right. Hanuman’s journey made him realize his worth (he was not sure that he could cross the sea), earned him the love of Sita and brought him face to face with challenges which he overcame with his intelligence and physical prowess.

Right from my childhood, I have heard my father reciting Hauman Chalisa and couplets from Ramcharitmanas during his daily puja and I would say that I have grown up on them. I never learnt Hanuman Chalisa but I know it by heart and in all these years I have also developed somewhat of a connection with Lord Hanuman. He inspires with his devotion and instills faith with his dedication. His life teaches a very important lesson. It highlights the significance of devotion and service. It proves that when you are devoted to a person or cause, your life takes a very different course. Serving others helps you find yourself and ends up being a journey of self-exploration, and like the Sundar Kand, it becomes the most beautiful part of your life 🙂

Golden Morning!

Just a few days back, I read a brilliant quote. It was about waking up early in the morning. It said

The early morning has gold in its mouth

and when I researched further I found out that it was Benjamin Franklin who had said these words. Interestingly, it was he who had also coined the famous morning proverb –

Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise

and I must say that I could not agree more. Early mornings are truly golden. No wonder, they make a man wealthy 🙂 Well, jokes apart, early morning has a gentle aura around itself. It comes wrapped in serenity and solitude. Anyone who has ever woken up early and taken some time out to feel the said aura would get what I am saying.

I am an early riser and this is one habit I picked up during my childhood. Must have been my father’s influence; he is also an early riser. He would always tell me the benefits of waking up early and studying in those quiet hours. He would say that what one studies in the morning stays in the mind forever. So, I would never keep up late in the night. I would also study in the morning, before going to school. This continued till I was in college and even afterwards, the habit kept up with my routine despite the rise in the night waking hours because it had taken solid roots in my life. Till this day, I wake up early even if I have nothing to do in the morning and I can say from my personal experience that Benjamin Franklin was right about the “gold in the mouth” analogy.

This is because I have seen the precious positive vibes mornings bring to your mind and soul. They charge you up for the entire day and give you reasons to see magic in the routine monotony of life. I say this because I am somewhat of an insomniac and also an overthinker. Myriad thoughts keep me awake on nights. My mind is rarely quiet and since my life circumstances have been somewhat on the turbulent and uncertain side, I have seen my energy getting sapped up by anxiety. But waking up early has saved me. It has made me see the beauty of life. I have grown to appreciate the meaning of being grateful and hopeful 🙂

The chirping birds, the still air, the laidback cows strolling around for food, the always-regular ragpicker going out on her daily hunt, the cycle toting disciplined newspaper vendors, the neighborhood uncleji hurrying up on his milk-fetching route, the diligent sweeper cleaning the road- the imageries of early morning have given my disillusioned heart the hope to carry on with the drama called life 🙂 I can easily add more to this list and I am sure early risers would have a lot of interesting stuff to say about their morning experience but I would confidently say that morning is a miracle of nature. This winter season was unusually chilly and cold but no matter how warm it felt inside the quilt, I just could not keep myself from soaking in the miraculous mornings and I must say the sights have been worth it. They gave me the warmth to keep moving and welcome every day with an unsaid “good morning” to myself 🙂

Christmas Diaries

Christmas is just one day away. Tomorrow is the day of celebrations for Christians all over the world. I, being a Hindu, do not celebrate Christmas as in I do not decorate my house with Christmas tree and invite guests over. But the festival always ends up being a warm holiday, thanks to winters. The chill and the holiday give one ample excuses to cook something delicious and then snuggle inside the quilt for a good nap. When I was a child, I always looked forward to Dec 25 as it meant the onset of winter vacation. The prospect of enjoying a “no-school” routine used to fill my heart with joy and I always looked forward to Christmas and the days ahead.

Another thing that fascinated me about the festival was the Christmas cake. It used to instigate me to make a funny wish. It would make me wish to be born into a Christian family so that I could savor the delicacy 🙂 The look of the cake enticed me a great deal but more than the look it was my family that made me crave for the cake. We being strict vegetarians never welcomed cakes in the house and if at all, pastries were ordered, they had to be eggless. So, the cake was a subject of deep fascination for me. I also used to wish for our Hindu Gods to be offered cakes instead of sweets.

As I grew older, the cake fascination went away and was replaced with something different. In class 10th, I read Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” It was part of our English literature syllabus and it made me understand that the real meaning of Christmas lay in compassion. The story of miser Ebenezer Scrooge and how the spirits from the past, present and future give him a chance to redeem his ways touched a chord in my adult heart. The tale brought forth the values of generosity and kindness in a very fine way. It not only highlighted the importance of compassion but also underlined the theory of good karma through the ghost of Scrooge’s dead partner- Jacob Marley.

Another very fond and inspiring Christmas memory that I hold in high esteem is that of a serial or rather telefilm that I watched on TV many years back. It narrated a very touching story again highlighting the value of kindness and compassion. It revolved around a boy, the son of a single mother, who had lost his father. He was kindhearted and innocent and was very eager to participate in the Christmas drama that was being staged in his school. So, he asks his teacher to be given a role but the teacher is not confident of his acting skills and turns him away.

After much pleading, the boy does land a role but the role is completely opposite to his nature. He is given the role of the heartless innkeeper who refused shelter to a pregnant Mary and her husband Jospeh. Nonetheless, the boy prepares hard and gets all the lines and expressions right. But when he has to do the same on stage, he is unable to do so. He gets so immersed in the play and is so moved by the pregnant Mary’s pain that he forgets his dialogues. He freezes and despite his teacher’s prompting from the sidelines, lets Mary and Jospeh in, ruining the entire play. Everyone is in shock, especially his mother who is sitting in the audience but after a few seconds the slow claps begin, slowly turning into loud cheers, overwhelming his mother and teacher, who are seen shedding tears of joy 🙂

Well, the festive spirit is in the air and Christmas is here again. I am quite grown up now and it is neither cake nor winter vacation that I wish for at this stage. All I wish for is a kind and warm heart for everyone just like the boy in the telefilm so that all of us can see the pain of others and be generous enough to offer them help.

Merry Christmas 🙂

Yoga is Unique

Last week, the entire world celebrated International Yoga Day on June 21 and it was nice to see yoga getting exposure on a global level. Yoga is indeed a great way to lead a healthy and balanced life. The most unique thing about yoga is that it is not just about attaining fitness and a chiseled body, something the younger lot is obsessed with these days. It is definitely not about attaining those six pack abs like Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan. Of course, it can help you attain a super fit body like the models and movie stars but that is not what yoga aims to achieve.

It is more of a healing technique that aims to give you better control on your life. It is not like the illogical treadmill running that is just focused on burning calories that pile up in our body because of mindless eating. A big part of yoga is about controlling the mind and senses so that you do not fall into the trap of unhealthy habits of which mindless eating is a major component. It is not superficial in nature and in my view, there are two things that make it distinct from other fitness and wellbeing exercises.

Breathing technique – The most basic form of yoga is meditation or the breathing exercises that anyone can do at any hour. You do not need any physical equipment to get started and do not even have to push your body to do the tough postures that other yoga exercises demand. You can do it lying on your bed and it is also simple to do. Just observe your breath as it enters and exits your body. Focus on your stomach as it does the “in-out” motion. You will find that your breathing has slowed down and you are doing the simplest yoga asana called the “Shavasana” 🙂 So try doing it. If you can dedicate even 10 minutes everyday for this asana, it will bring about a calming effect in your life.

Disciplining effect – Anyone who does yoga regularly takes out some time from their daily routine and the side effect of this exercise is that it brings about some kind of discipline in your life. This small act of taking out time has helped many in realizing that they can manage their time in a better way and that they do not really suffer from lack of time. Whether one does yoga during morning or evening, it always ends up bringing discipline in your life 🙂 It motivates you to lead a life that has some sort of balance and serenity. I have seen many people who credit yoga for making them early risers. There are many who have experienced an overall improvement in their lifestyle after they started doing yoga. There are also a good number of people who took to healthy eating and adopted vegetarianism after practicing yoga.

I personally feel that yoga is no less than a life skill with multiple benefits attached to it and therefore, you should try to make it a part of your life. Just the way you brush your teeth daily, take shower and do not forget to check your Whatsapp messages and Facebook updates, you can pursue yoga on a day-to-day basis 🙂 It might sound tedious but if you go about doing it everyday, you will experience a new-found interest and spark in your life that everyone needs in these increasingly monotonous and chaotic times.

Sixty Days of Summer and the Simple Splendors

I don’t think there is anyone out there who likes summers. This weather has never been welcomed by people but in the last two decades, it has become simply unbearable, courtesy global warming that has led to shocking increase in average temperatures across the world. In India, the twin months of May and June are known to be extremely hot and it is common to see people complaining about the weather at homes and offices. “Garmi” is the hot topic of discussion everywhere and I personally feel that it is the 24*7 discomfort the summer season brings with itself that makes people crib so much. The power cuts, water shortage, sweating, skin rashes; there are so many pain points that make summer seem like a scourge.

I also dislike summers and as soon as March ends, I feel ill at ease and begin to think as to how am I going to live peacefully in these irritable months but as human beings, we are quite adaptable and once we start adapting, we also begin to appreciate the small joys of a situation that we could never notice, let alone admire, earlier. Since May is drawing to a close, I have to say that I have adapted to a great extent and I have also begun to count the unique delights that one can only relish in the hot weather. Though they are few, they are really worthy of praise. So, here are the small wonders.

Sharbat

The most delightful one is Sharbat or one may even include cold drinks in this category. The sweet cold drinks feel so soothing after a sweaty day that for a few moments you forget all the cruelty the hot weather has been wreaking on your body and mind. Every sip of the good old Rasna or the staple summer drink- Rooh Afza or the “Nimbu Paani” tastes heavenly in summer 🙂 Sharbat is really the rock star in these sweltering days that makes one forget the atrocities of the weather with a simple sip. It is made for this season and I don’t find it wrong to say that like sugar, summer is an important ingredient that goes into the making of Sharbat. You just cannot taste it in any other weather.

Mango

Summer may be damned but the weather can easily take pride in the fact that the “King of Fruits” chose it over other seasons to arrive on people’s plates. I know many mango lovers, who wait for summers so that they can relish the sweet and succulent “Aam.” For many, even the kaccha aam or raw mango is a source of immense joy as they find the chutney and the achar (pickle) unbeatable. I remember one of my aunts saying that she could survive the whole summer without sabzi (cooked vegetables) if she had ripe mangoes to go with the chapattis 🙂

Cooler

Summers are notorious for depriving people of their precious sleep. The power cuts are known to rob people’s peace of mind but there is one thing that can make up for this loss. It is not the ozone-destroying AC. It is the good old eco-friendly cooler that can guarantee a good sleep in minutes. Of course, AC is replacing coolers in most households but if one has ever stood near an AC, outside the place it is installed, one can well understand at what costs it brings the cooling. No such thing with the cooler. It is cool; outside and inside and the best thing is that if one wants one can also have loads of fun playing with water as one fills the cooler with its fuel 🙂

Honesty in the Times of Artifice

When I came to know that April 30 is celebrated as National Honesty Day in USA, I was a little surprised that a day is dedicated to celebrate a virtue that is dying at a tragically quick rate in the current times. I really do not know how Americans celebrate this day but I do know for a fact that honesty is indeed an asset of a quality that everyone should try to cultivate in their life but you should also be aware that this is not an easy business. There is hardly any person on this earth who can claim to have never lied or pretended.

Yes, honesty is about telling the truth and being what you are. It is not about artifice or lies or manipulation. The irony is that the times we are living in fosters manipulations and artifice in such a subtle but strong way that pretension and manipulation have become the way of life. People do not find anything wrong in it. Social media offers enough evidence in this regard and one can clearly feel that people are becoming shallower, which is a dangerous trend 😦

Still, it is not like honest people do not exist. They do but the breed is getting smaller day by day because no one finds honesty cool. It is not considered practical but those who have lived an honest life can tell from their experience that honesty is indeed the best policy to follow in life. It may not always guarantee success and gains but it definitely guarantees peace of mind. I know very few want it. Materialism is the mantra these days and when phrases like “You only live once” “Your time is limited” “Make the most of the present” guide our life, power and profits are the only pursuits that seem worth going after.

These two pursuits are not unrighteous per se but what is wrong is that people do not refrain from trampling on others to get these. Of course, one’s time is limited but it is not so limited that you can drown it in lies and manipulations and pretend that all is ok. It is true you live once but that does not mean you should have no qualms about taking advantage of others to further your interest. Agreed, making the most of the present moment is the wisest thing to do but it should not be done without taking a look at the results that will follow after. Remember, you will not die after making the most of this fancy moment. You will live to see and experience its consequences.

So, do not do things mindlessly. It is better to be honest with oneself and the world one is living in. It is definitely not easy but not so tough either. Simplicity is the key to being honest and if you can try to be simple, you will not find it hard to tell the truth. So, try to lead a simple lifestyle. Be compassionate and kind to the ones who are less fortunate and if possible, spend time with those who are sick, old, poor or miserable in some way. Help them because these are the harsh realities that will make you realize the transient nature of life. It will humble you and help you become honest, which once achieved, will become something that you will prize and guard throughout your life 🙂

Make the March, March is Ending

It is the end of March and therefore, a damn tough time for almost everyone. The brutal summer is getting more unrelenting and the income tax returns individuals have to file at the end of the financial year is giving everyone severe headache. Students are either dealing with exams or exam results and both come with their own set of emotional issues. Nevertheless, this time reminds me of something beautiful that I can relate to in a much better way now because I have grown up.

I remember when I was in school, end of March meant the end of an academic session and also the beginning of a new one which consequently meant the arrival of new books and notebooks. As a child, I looked forward to lay my hands on the shining covers of these new goodies but more than that I treasured the brown cover and stickers that invariably accompanied the books. They were really fun to work with 🙂

While the cover was meant to shield the books from wear and tear, the sticker stood for one’s ownership of the book. Though I liked the stickers, the brown cover used to irritate me sometimes because some book covers were so nice to look at that I did not want to cover them with the bland and boring brown paper. But we had to as teachers did not take kindly to uncovered books.

Either we were reprimanded or fined or worse still, punished. So, the books had to be covered despite my reluctance 😦 Strangely, after some days, I would become used to the “brown-paper-covered” avatar of the books and forget everything. In fact, if the cover would tear up, I would replace it myself with a fresh one. Now that I have grown up and way ahead of school time, there is no such thing as new books, brown covers and stickers to look forward to.

Still, the cover and book relationship is something that I remember fondly as it has taught me a nice analogy about life. Just the way the cover was a must to protect the book from wear and tear, good habits are a must to protect our lives from gradual wear and tear. They are like those very bland and boring brown papers that keep our lives in shape.

Also, just the way the cover felt undesirable, we might not feel the need to inculcate these habits because our life appears alright to us. However, it is necessary and if we do bring in some positive behavior in our routine, we would become used to them so much so that if we find ourselves deviating, we would do the course correction on our own.

Normally, the end of March is not meant for resolutions for they are always associated with the New Year. Still, the closing of this month makes for a fine time to march into the world of healthy and positive habits. Try to make up your mind just the way I would for the brown cover. You will definitely treasure it in hindsight 🙂