Tangential Thought

My best friend and I talk most often about some off beat topics. One of them is regarding our intelligence coming in the way of realization. Realization here means the ultimate goal of human life from philosophical stand point. We can confidently say we are relatively intelligent guys. My friend may be a ten or dozen times smarter than me. I am not that bad either. We keep wondering if the rational thinking imparted by English style of education has killed our natural Indian instinct and coming in way of realization.

We have faith in Indian traditions and like many people we make our own convenience as priority when following them. Like any science and engineering graduate, we use reasoning and proofs to believe things. We studiously read Newton’s laws of action and reaction and Darwin’s theory of evolution. No matter how idiotic it appears to believe that my great great…. Grand dad was a monkey!! We have never seen any proofs Darwin provided to solidify such belief but still because my teacher said it, I believed it to be true. But when some one tells me that God exists, we ask for proof. We became so proof oriented that even if God himself comes to us, we would ask him to prove himself. If proof must again fall in line with the cinematic versions we have seen and should be magical. Even if He succeeds doing that, we doubt him like we doubt many babas in the world.

English model of education did us more bad than good. Worst is now being done by educational system. Ramayana cant be taught in school stating that it is a religious text. But they do not realize that Ramayana teaches how chastity and uprightness are more important. Ramayana teaches following Dharma is most important which is surely essence of every religion. Ramayana teaches making right friendship is going make your life (through tale of Sugriva). English model teaches us history. Most of it is adopted from what West has given us. West cannot agree that Ramayana is history, because they cannot agree we had God in name of Rama before Christ existed. They call Ramayana as myth and term it as mythology than history.

Anyways coming back to original question of how do we understand God exists at all, reminds me a small story.There is a small story accredited to Adi Shakaracharya. Adi Shankara walked on this earth at a time when Buddhism was at its peak and people started questioning the Vedic Dharma. Buddhism in reality is nothing but one aspect of Vedic Dharama namely Sanyasa and so is never complete in itself. Religion was really solidified due to great personality of Gautama Buddha. How ever, it got diluted because of lack leadership which failed to take the spirit of Buddhism forward and blindly maintaining that it is against Hindu customs. It lead to Charvaka tradition who challenge existence of God himself. Shankara encountered a person who challenged existence of God. His contention was God does not exist and if Shankara thinks “He” exists he will believe only if Shakrcharya can show God to him. Shankara uses Tharka (logic) to counter him. Here is the dialogue

Shankara: Have you ever seen King of the country?
Charvaka: No
Shankara: So can you say that King of the country does not exist at all because you have not seen him?
Charvaka: No. But we get orders from him on regular basis
Shankara: Similarly we do get orders from God. How o you know that Orders are coming from King only?
Charvaka: There are his subordinates who have actually seen him
Shankara: Similarly there are people called rishis who have seen Almighty and proposed same in scriptures
Charvaka: I can’t believe those scriptures they are just doctored to cheat people.
Shankara: Let’s apply same logic to King’s case, if I challenge you that King does not exist and it is act of few people to cheat rest of us?
Charvaka: No. It cant be same analogy because I can show you King.
Shankara: Similarly I can show you God.
Charvaka: Ok Show me now.
Shankara: Can you show me the King if I say I wont travel all the way to Capital city?
Charvaka: No. You will have to come to Capital city.
Shankara: Even if I come to capital city and do not come near the King’s fort, can you show him?
Charvaka: No You have to come to King’s fort.
Shankara: Even if I come to King’s fort, can I directly get access to King?
Charvaka: No. You will need some sort of recommendation or authority to meet the King.
Shankara: Say for example I some how chanced to meet the King, if I close my eyes when he is around, can you show me ?
Charvaka: No. You have to keep your eyes wide open to see the king.
Shankara: Even after seeing the King if I say that I don’t believe that he is the King, is there something you can do?
Charvaka: No
Shankara: For a ruler of single kingdom, if so much of procedure to see, what can you say of the ruler of whole universe?
Charvaka: hmm
Shankara: I can show you God. But you will have to put effort by performing rituals, meditation and japa. You need to perform Karma (Vedic duty) in order to purify your body and soul and make it ready to see the God. An then you will have to make attempt through Tapasya (meaning desirous) for seeing the God. After reaching the rightful rigor in your Tapasya you will be ready to see the God. Then only you can see God.

Marriage Market – A first hand experience

Context:
When my dad was planning for a visit to near by gathering of parents of prospective brides and grooms, I did not pay much attention. I thought it was a routine visit they wanted to pay. My first shock came when my dad wanted me to neatly dress up for the occasion so that I can impress some prospective bride. I never believed in quick marriages. I protested, threatened my dad with small threats and also tried recommendation from my mom. None of them worked. I made up my mind for a brand new experience.

The Place:
Place is crowded with hundreds of people, mostly parents of the girl/boy. We were given a book with the list of girls/boys registered were given and each one is assigned a number. There is a stage in the centre where the organizers were sitting and announcing details of person along with his/her preferences. We are also asked to fill some application where we can apply to 5 girls of our choice from the list. The application would be read out aloud so that they come to meet us.

Announcement:Most of the applications being read out are of boys and painfully for them none from the girls side turned. Announcements started taking shape of mini market where the strong point of the good for sale is being reiterated for takers benefit. I would have thought none from girls’ side turned up or something. As I chanced to sit beside a girls parent, I could not take such a premise. Every time they announce their number, they started pretending it is not theirs.

All of a sudden they started reading out details of girls and their requirements. Mostly requirements went as salary > 60K pm or US/UK/Canada/Australia working and/or preferences were for those men working for reputed IT companies and/or IIT/IIM grads.(I cursed them for not printing my college name against my details ). Some announcements looked gross to me when they started announcing the pay packet girl is taking home and trying to tempt the takers. There was an announcement where the girl wanted to find some one who is already in Australia or ready to travel to Australia or at least willing to travel with her as dependent. As I am living alone I can’t say I am too bad at household chores and raised my hand. I am not sure if they genuinely ignored or they did not even notice. A moment later I was a relived man, as I remembered the attacks on Indian in Australia. Thank God!!

I felt the girls today giving men the taste of the medicine earlier generation boys given to girls. For a man who takes too much pride in himself like me, it would be too embarrassing if no takers are found, so I did not wait till my name is announced.  (It later turned out that there were few takers for me, though I guess most of them turned up because of the 7figure salary)

The End:Earlier marriages used to happen taking into consideration two items. One is Family history (up to 3 generations or 7 depending on convenience) and man’s accomplishment/prospective accomplishments. In practical scnerios following sloka in Sanskrit can be applied that says

Kanya varayathe rupam, matah vittam pitah srutam
Bandhavah kulamichanthi mrustanna mithare janah

Meaning girl selects a man by his looks and other physical attributes. Girl’s mother looks for money so that the daughter can be well off. Dad checks if the man has good conduct and is good at following Vedas in spirit. Other relatives see if the man belongs to same community or not. Rest only look only for marriage lunch/dinner.

Varudu - A Review

No kidding. I went to watch the movie just for the “Aidurojula pelli” Song. If someone is wondering why one would watch a movie for a single song, I am committing no greater sin than those who watch movie for a hero(male/female audience)/heroin(male audience). Recently one of my relative got married in the same model of 5day marriage. I was the unfortunate one who missed the fun. So my intent was to get compensated by the movie media. I was not much disappointed.

Storyline:
Let me start with a well known story. A Dharmic king was blessed with a great son. He got him married to a princess who is both beautiful and chaste. When the husband is away, a demon kidnaps the princess and locks up in his country and tortures her to fulfil his desire. Being a Chaste wife, she rejects the offer and keeps chanting husband’s name. Husband arrives and kills everyone including the demon and gets back his wife. They live happily there after. No marks for guessing, it’s our own Ramayana. Director Bapu had one such experiments of telling purana tales in social versions. (Mutyala Muggu – Uttara kanda of Ramayana and Kaliguga Ravanasurudu – Ramayana retold) There is slight connect to Ramayana in the story.

Story is about an about to be NRI boy who for a change leaves decision of marriage to his parents and the marriage proceedings comprise of the first half of the story. The bride gets kidnapped on very day of marriage and second half is sequence on how she was gotten back by her husband.

If audience are to be categorized as class and mass, first half is for class audience and second for mass.

Performances:

Gunasekar: I was happy with director for taking through first half very well especially marriage part. As I mentioned earlier my intent was only 5 day marriage. He fared very well in picturising it, probably as well as Krishnavamsi would have done. Most of the items were shown for brief moment but no significant mistakes were made. (including using plain cloth with swasthik instead of fancy writings people are using these days for separating bride and groom shows that necessary ground work was done.)

Second half I was annoyed. Gunasekar was notorious for his overdosage/usage of settings and graphics. He did same thing in second half even when there is no obvious need. Also too much violence in second half made it look little clumsy. Also opening lines by Chiru did not score any additional marks.

Arjun: He was soul of the movie and probably sole reason if it runs to success. He carried weight of the movie on his shoulder. His dance performances were as usual awesome though a bit routine by now. In emotional scenes he has matured a lot. (I still recollect emotional scene he has done in climax of movie Happy and felt yuck)

Bhanusri: She did justice to her role, considering this is her first movie. How ever, hiding her detail till end increased lot of curiosity among audience. Some of them imagined a brand new girl Aiswarya Rai was being screened and many of them were disappointed. In one way it is marketing failure than actress.

Support Crew: Suhasini has done well in her role. Refreshing to see Anitha Chowdary after along gap. I did not find a miscast in the crew. (even though I felt Geetanjali would be ideal fit for Arjun’s grandma’ role.) Brahmanandam did not add lot of value though.

Veturi & Manisharma: Best part of movie is the approx 15 min song and lot of credit goes to Veturi & Manisharma for the lyrics and variation in the song so that it does not bore audience.

Literature – My perspective

I just finished a telugu book named “Neela Pendli” by Kavi Samrat. The story line is not difficult to guess and if I have to write the story I will probably finish it in no more than 250 words. But the author spent a whole book on the subject. A small introspection on this gave me a lesson on what literature should comprise of, especially in modern days where Prabhandhas and Kavyas may not be sold even for a ruppe (or a penny/dollar if you are an NRI).

I treat myself as Ekalvya Shishya of the eminent author, even though I don’t think I am as bad as Ekalavya. The lesson I learnt is regarding essential components of literature namely psychology and philosophy

Psychology:

It’s not really enough to tell a story for a writer. One should be in a position to read the psychology of people. Story must try to reflect the reality. It is only when the reader identifies himself/herself with character. Characters author creates are like his own children. He must understand them fully, how they react a specific situation and how they
think in a given scenario. If the author can capture the train of thoughts to finer details, it can help connecting the reader.

Say for example in the story Neela (lead character) gets introduced to Umapathi. Neela’s trains of thoughts revolve around if Umapathi has any other intentions than mere friendship and knowledge sharing to her. She also thinks if he wants to marry her etc., These thoughts are so natural for a young girl of marriageable age. I beg your pardon here, I was told today’s girls thinking is lot different and Viswanatha tried to reflect thinking of girls of his time. My personal feeling certain things still exist in today as well but we may refrain from confessing. Similarly Umpathi who likes Neela starts thinking about his chances of getting married to Neela and analyses his family situation etc., I can guarantee that that’s how I would think if I encounter an eligible girl in my life.

Philosophy:

Catching the pulse of audience is the preliminary step for making sure they listen to what author says. Author should now have discretion to say the ‘right’ thing and so prerequisite is author should know what is ‘right’. For knowing what is right, one needs to do lot of study. Even a knowledgeable person like Viswanatha studied history for few years before starting his novels on historical background. Intent is simple, One cannot afford to make mistake in works that may last forever.

So what is right? In Hindu Dharma, Vedas are the basis. There are Dharma Shastras that prophesize what is right and what is wrong. There are puranas which give examples of people who have followed Dharma. It is always recommended to follow these to arrive at what is right. Individual conscience must only supplement and not contradict the above texts. Even great Manu/Gautama in their dharma shastras mentioned that if at any point they contradict with Veda, it is taken that they are wrong. Reason is simple, Vedas are Rishis after contemplating each situation and making sure there are no perils. We through our thought may make mistake by presenting half baked truths.

Lets take a small example. These days many books/movies prophesize a statement “everything is fair in love and war”. I don’t know who coined this phrase but it has immediately become popular because it is a convenient excuse to all misdeeds we do. This is not supported by any of the texts I mentioned above. If one follows this literally, then it means “everything” including the recent acid attacks, rape, eloping, homicide, suicides are fair in love. But are they really?

So author must try to reflect the ultimate truth and not the half baked truth like the above.

Maro Charitra – Love Never Dies?

If you are a bit superstitious and a follower of trend of telugu films that borrowed the titles from good old time blockbusters, it is not difficult to notice that such new films did not do too well. Most of them looked like an insult to old movie including relatively well off Missamma_New. And if the new movie also borrowed story line from old movie, I need not mention that it is a terrible to take, especially when the most actors of the class of good old time act are either buried or never to silver screen. Dil Raju has taken such a terrible risk.

Storyline:

Story is in line with old Maro charitra, with due credit given veteran Director Balachandar in the titles. There are some lapses in the story, but they were introduced the new time story tellers by their creativity. Openers from heroin to hero about their love was narrated as if it was coming from previous birth, but never a solid foundation was made to such a context. Also many dialogues in the movie about greatness of love provoke more laughter than emotion. (Not just the case with person who does not admire philosophy of love, I happened to observe the same in general audience too)


Performances:

Dil Raju: Being a crowd puller and behind scenes hero of his movies, Dil Raju failed consecutively second time in his judgement. (I wont talk a word abt Josh movie here) He need not be briefed that current movie market cannot accommodate a tragic ending love story like Maro Charitra and so he made necessary amends to the story. But unfortunately the beauty of the story lies in the tragedy, and the amend made love concept look like a comedy.

Director: Not sure I remember his name, and heard that he is a cinematographer turned director. He did all justice to cinematography by picturizing some beautiful locations. But not quite so as director.

Prakash Raj: He loaned his voice to the movie and not seen on the screen. I strongly felt if he were present in the movie, it could have lifted the spirit on the whole. His voice did not have lot of conviction on all the words that explained greatness of love.

Varun: He did the job okay. Its cruel but when a parallel is drawn between legendary Kamal’s performance as Balu, he is no way near. His expressions could not sometimes project that he really does not understand telugu. Also his expressions on some emotional scenes could not betray audience, barring the glycerin used to get the tears. He has a long way to go in fact.

Anitha: Biggest mistake in the cast. She reminded me of Donald Duck every time she drew lips together. Her expressions in the first half of the movie really spoiled the plot. Even though second half performance was lot better, by then needed damage is already done.

Shraddha Das: Did well with out usual sex doll type characters. Not sure if some people were disappointed that she did not have any item song with skin show. I was happy on th contrary as such stupidity would have spoiled the screen play.

Varun’s Mother: She did her bit in inducing comedy to the movie in the first half. Especially her timing was good. I was a bit disappointed to see that no full scale comedian was used in the first half.

Urvasi: Entertained with her dialect for few minutes and bored audience with a stereotyped action.

Cheliyali Katta

I have seen many literature fans giving the laurels to “Maidanam” – book written by Chalam. Chalam famous for his feminist subjects shoots an arrow that hits on marriage tradition in its heart. In the novel through the character Rajeswari, chalam asks lots of questions on marriage system prevalent in India, some of them may be valid but most of them shot with half baked analysis. The novel surely created a sensation to such an extent that people started fearing the future of marriage system. In the novel heroin, Brahmin housewife, elopes with a muslim and prophesizes that marriage system as a whole is useless. She tries to pretend that free sex is the most ethical form of living relation between any male and female, just like the dogs do on the street. It is a pity that Chalam did not realize its problems, may be he has never seen the minimum problems dogs on street face. Many writers fought war against Chalam’s ideas in their subsequent books, but the best of them is Viswanatha’s Cheliyali katta.

Cheliyali katta is the limit the sea enforces on itself. Tides come from the sea as if they are going to submerge the earth but no matter how much force they come with sea ensures that they do not cross a limit. That limit is called Cheliyali Katta. Viswnatha counters Rajeswari of Chalam with Ratnavali in Cheliyali katta. Ratnavali answers all the questions raised by Rajeswari. Ratnavali is similar to Rajeswari, a Brahmin housewife who elopes with Rangadu, his husband’s brother, in search of true love or free love. Rangadu, who is corrupted at his own expense, by the college education thinks that marriage is a bondage to women. He is in one way innocent and ignorant and thinks that by freeing Ratnavali of his brother he is doing a great favor to her. He did not even realize that Ratnavali is in no bondage to be released but in a holy matrimony to be cherished. He corrupts her and gets corrupted in turn.

He elopes with her to city and tries to introduce her with many friends of his so that she can find true love in one of them. It reminds me of a story a friend of mine told me. My friend who lived in US for long time, came to India and got engaged during his vacation. His American boss in dismay asked him, “you got engaged with just one day interaction? I cant believe it. Say for example, you want to buy a car, how can you afford to buy it before test driving it?” It does not surprise me when an American says this. But the marriage in India is not an agreement for sex but it is a holy phenomenon where two individuals come together to lead their live inseparable in Dharma, Ardha, Kama. Moksha is not tied here, because that is pinnacle every one has to strive at his own effort. Rangadu, who is influenced by western ideas, thinks like the above American manager.

The turning point to the tale is when Rangadu wants to give education to Ratnavali and her introduction to teacher Mukunda Rao. Mukunda Rao imparts teaching to her Indian way. He chages her soul and makes her realize what an irrevocable mistake she has committed. She also realizes that with her corrupt body she cannot go back to her husband and ask for forgiveness. Every word she talks there after gives answers to Rajeswari’s questions. As she has no other means to live with her head up, she along with Rangadu commit suicide after giving her full property to her husband’s son.

Ratnavali confesses her mistake saying spoilt body that has been corrupted by means unacceptable by Sanatana Dharma” is better destroyed. Viswnataha who is lauded as doing service to Sanatana Dharma in great deal, has saved marriage system through his counter on Maidanam. It is real pleasure to read this master piece which gives logical counter to all questions raised on marriage.

3 Idiots: Analysis – Must Watch

A movie with a message packaged with subtle humor and mocking as well as commercial melodrama. Aamir Khan’s movie will have something in it. He may not be called Bollywood Badhshah but he is a special actor for bollywood who is breathing air to otherwise stale and dead bollywood movies. This movie is not in the moulds of artistic Lagaan or Taare Jameen Par or commercial Gajani. It is in line with his earlier flicks Dil Chahta hai and Dang De Bssanthi.

Performances:
Aamir aged 44, plays role of 22 year old Rancho in the movie. No doubt he looks little above that age, he made it so natural and energetic that no where in the movie his portrayal of student looked awkward. He carried the movie with such a charm that probably no other actor can do better than Aamir. Rancho is a natural genius who is passionate about science and applies with genuine creativity. Rancho takes a dig at current educational system and mocks the so called premier institutes which are consistently manufacturing money earning machines but failing in nurturing innovation and innate creativity of so called brightest talent of India.

Farhan, played by Madhavan, narrates the story. He occupies more screen space in the movie than Aamir. He narrates the story with such a genuine admiration for Rancho, the genius. He is a typical middle class kid whose passion to become wild life photographer was tarnished by parental pressure to take up engineering. He takes cues from Rancho and finally succeeds to convince his parents to go where his heart leads him to. More than Aamir he looked little over age for playing role of student.

Raju, the third idiot, continued from where he left in Rang De Basanti. Raju is a typical poor student overwhelmed by expectations from his family to shoulder burdens. He is a typical student whose fear of failure lets him down in exams. Unable to cope up with pressure from Dean, he attempts suicide. He made audience laugh and for a change he make them cry as well.

Pia, girl friend of Rancho, is played by Kareena. She added some commercial element to the film. A typical girl who is engaged to a successful but money minded Engineer-MBA. She once breaks her engagement and then elopes before her marriage for Rancho.

Virus is the dean of college, with punch line “Life is a race”. He represents current education system which puts enormous pressure on students. He is shown responsible for two suicides (including his own son’s) and one suicide attempt. Represents attitude of a parent who thinks Engineer or Doctor are only successful professions on earth. Rancho continuous takes a dig at him for the faults of his thinking. He finally ends up giving Rancho the honor of being the best student ever from the institute.

Chatur, the opposite of Rancho, challenges him on success. He provided some humor in the story, most of it little vulgar in taste. He loses to Rancho in college by coming second. He runs after success to compete with Rancho and ends up chasing Rancho only for his patent.

Narration:
Narration is “all is well”. At times during second there is some place where search was a dragged a bit but over all I can say “all is well”. Except the ragging scenes some vulgar words not very well suited for family audience, movie is all is well.

Director did well presenting the melo drama. He is by and large successful in translating the message into a movie that is good to watch. Some scenes like child kicking when the phrase “all is well” is uttered etc., don’t look very realistic but little funny.

Over all 3 Idiots is a must watch movie. I do not know if it can break records created by earlier movies etc., but I can surely assure it will leave you a feeling of watching another Dil Chahta hai or Rang De Basanti or Lage Raho Munnabhai.