Destiny calling

I find myself traversing uncharted waters, into realms that I've not been into before. Naturally excited, I pace with enthusiasm and yet find myself cautiously optimistic of the journey and the path that I am to embark upon. A mix of emotions overwhelm me and I restrain the heart from overpowering the instincts of the head, in an effort to be rational. But, the more I try to be methodical, I find myself fraught with instances that I have not witnessed before. Such perhaps is the way of life, often nudging the traveller to undertake a course that will enrich learning in ways that cannot be fathomed!

With all the seemingly picture-perfect planning and meticulous detail that we drown ourselves into, it is very important to always provide a substantial margin of space for the unforeseen change, thereby creating a very strong buffer, purely for the purpose of being able to adapt to situations as and when they unravel.

Despite all of that we do or choose not to, there are some things that happen or do not. One may call that plain chance or an incident of destiny! That decision, with all of its decisiveness, lies purely at the behest of the experienced!

Eight below

It'd have been much easier for me to talk about Paul Walker and his furry buddies in the 2006 American adventure film, if you go by the title of this post, that is!

But that is hardly the case when it comes to talking about one's life and the varied influences that govern it's every pace, however insignificant it may appear to be. And this is about one such influence that has plagued me for what I could easily term as a millennium! Curiously, it is not a force, nor a person or for that matter neither a factor that can be easily noticed. It is merely a number!

The number 8 has played roles in my life, almost always, in ways and means I cannot really describe in words, and it still puzzles me of how seemingly random incidents, occurrences or references could bear the ominous influence of this now hairy-tentacled, omnipresent monster that I have come to view with a great deal of emotion that could largely border on a sense of being overwhelmed!

For starters, I was born on an 8th! All of the places I took in school, inclusive of my roll numbers, positions, patterns, scoring and a whole lot more bore the hallmarks of 8. I would automatically be assigned an 8 number whereever I presented myself! As if all of that wasn't already enough, my secondary school leaving examination identity had 8 written all over it! And just when I thought I had this eerie demonic influence outside of my life for good, I came to grapple with the fact that it was only the prelude that played so far and the beginning was really yet to begin! Thereafter, every number associated with me had extensive elements of 8 white-washed all over, ranging from employee IDs, access codes, plastic currency cards and seating patterns, just to name a minimal few!

Years later, now, upon looking back, I find 8 ruled instances in my life, larger in number than the stars in the sky and the grains of all of Earth's sandy shores put together! Just what determines this unsettling coincidence is still a matter of sheer intrigue!

But theres so much more to life, I understand! And live well I will, even if means to be under the shadows and spheres of the 8.

Remembering the Mahatma

Each one has to find his peace from within. And peace to be real, must be unaffected by outside circumstances. -- Mahatama Gandhi

Footnotes:

Image Courtesy: Google 

Messy games!

Inputs from New Delhi about the upcoming Common Wealth Games are worrying. With barely a few days left to witness the commencement of what ideally should be a matter national pride, the current situation can at best be described as being 'unhealthy, uncommon and certainly unbecoming,' a very sad reflection of the undercurrents in the theme of what is a very prestigious event, that, if managed well, could give India the thrust to position itself as a nation capable of showcasing prowess and excellence, for the world to see!

This post is not written to rant about stray dogs defecating in accommodation meant for visiting athletes, unsafe electrical systems in the games village, disgusting sanitation facilities in the complex, collapsing bridges and ceilings, inaction of the Indian Prime Minister's Office or the very recent sordid tales of racism - all of which are being periodically reported by the media with a great deal of enthusiasm, coupled with the views of delegations that are preparing to arrive or, now refraining from doing so!

I'm highly bemused and also grievingly saddened by the fact that such a colossal effort manned by supposedly professional people has gone awfully wrong, merely because of the lack of a well laid out project management plan! Isn't it time that the honourable government entrusted such momentous projects to professionally managed organizations?

I'm not sure how many people up there realize that this is actually history in the making!

The Net

Today, the Internet is seen as just another tool for exchange of ideas, communication, social networking and a whole lot of other cutting-edge applications such as tele-medicine, banking & financial services, remote sensing and so on!

It was on this day in 1979 that the Internet first acquired commercial viability, thanks to the efforts of CompuServe, thereby enabling and supporting what is today a robust and staggering user base, that is now an estimated 1,966,514,816 strong!

Perhaps, even more enormous is the social impact brought about by the Internet! One cannot help but concede that this is indeed a revolution of sorts, quietly, yet surely, changing the lives of people in ways that cannot quite be fathomed!

Footnotes:

Internet users account for 28% of the world's population.

Source: Wikipedia - List of countries by number of Internet users

What do I write about?

What do you do when you don't have something, substantial or significant, to write about?

I gather, it still makes sense to create a post - about the fact that you don't have anything to write about, doesn't it? At least, it helps you overcome that supposedly maniacal syndrome called writer's block, which I guess, hits every one of us at some point of time. I don't exactly know what causes it, and surely, I understand, that varies from person to person. But, here and now, in my case I can attribute it to some clutter, a suddenly fast-paced activity that has momentarily thrown me out of my personal schedules, that I am so zealously known to follow! But, having said that, I know that it is imperative to accept change and retain the gusto!

Writing, I've realized can be about anything, so long as it is simple, entertaining, enriching and appealing! So then, when I hit a road-block, I decided to use that as fodder for my post! No harm in making the best of any situation, don't you think? :-)

The intrepid traveller, I continue to be!

Have a wonderful day folks, and a great week ahead!

Happy Birthday Maestro Jayaraman

The magic of carnatic violin melody and Lalgudi Jayaraman Iyer are synonymous to the point of being absolutely complementary of one another, safely to be concluded as a fact where one is known for the other! The maestro's contribution to South-Indian music has enriched the sagara of carnatic music like no other. His compositions hold rich meaning and pattern that are evidently reflective of the culture of a people that is best known for tradition, knowledge and character!

Happy Birthday Maestro! May you strum more into the heart of humanity!

Footnotes:

Official Website - Lalgudi Jayaraman

Image Courtesy: Google Images

Happy Birthday Mustaine

David Scott "Dave" Mustaine needs no introduction! Absolutely iconic for his association with heavy metal bands Metallica and later Megadeath, his influence has stirred the world of metal music in ways that truly are incomprehensible! From Set The World Afire, The Four Horsemen and Kill 'Em All, to name a few that is, his creations awaken a spirit from the inside that, fuelled by an obsessive enthusiasm, knows no bounds in transcending the many boundaries of the self, aided by a musically beaten path!

Now we know, for whom the bell tolls! Happy Birthday Mustaine!

Footnotes:

Official Website - Megadeth

Image Courtesy: Google Images

Happy Birthday Ritchie

Today is the birthday of British filmmaker and screenwriter Guy Stuart Ritchie. Known for his ultra non-commercial and unconventional manner of film making, he has certainly attained a very coveted position in the world of showbiz! Intensely deep while depicting events from various perspectives, his films are rich in their portrayal of characters in a very iconic and imposing fashion, often leaving lasting impressions in the minds of the audience!

Which leads me to wonder of what he smokes while making movies! :-) Or is it the dyslexia at play? But surely, theres no doubting the genius he us!

Footnotes:

Image Courtesy: Google Images

30's Club

Feels elegant to be part of the 30's club and to still be young! Joyfully turning 31 today!

The big question

Stephen Hawking's thoughts in his latest book The Grand Design about God not necessarily being the initiator of creation evokes mixed reactions in me. That part of me, which believes in rationality urges my mind to rest on the belief that creation was just an event among other things in what is a continuous process, but the other side of mine that anchors upon faith refuses to come to terms with a belief that the existence of my person, and the many other prominent facts such as the perfect Earth-Sun distance, the just-about-right solar mass and most astonishingly, the optimum time of day and night among other things, are not merely as a result of coincidence or accident!

I'd like to believe that while the process of creation has been strongly aided by scientific mechanism, it has been also stalwartly processed and furthered by a force that remains to be reckoned! More importantly, I'd like to believe that I, like all of us human beings, co-creations here on Earth and within the many realms outside of our own planet are indeed part of an elaborately grand design, and could not have come to being from nothingness or chaos merely because some laws of physics govern the manner in which the universe and it's contents come to be!

Happy Birthday King

Today is the birthday of Freddie King, the legendary king of blues and funk music, and in time the man who redefined the blues culture not only in the United States, but largely across the world!

Best known for his hit singles Have you ever loved a women and Hide Away, King continues to remain a Godly inspiration for modern day blues musicians who adapt his style and elegance in an attempt to etch themselves a name in the genre.

Following a proclamation in 1993 by the Governor of Texas, September 3rd has been declared as Freddie King Day! King passed away on December 28, 1976 in Dallas, Texas at age 42.

Footnotes:

Official Website - Feddie King

Image Courtesy: The Official Freddie King Site

Happy Birthday Oakenfold

Today is the birthday of the British disc jockey and king of trance music, Paul Oakenfold.

For those of who know and follow this legend, his musical creations are a world apart, invoking within oneself a different realm that allows one to smell red, see ecstasy and feel the electric sense of an upbeat mood, without the assistance of any hallucinogenic substance, but merely as a result of wonderful conceptualized music!

So, facelifter, bunkka man, and popkiller, as you continue to rock the world with likes of Earth, Wind and Fire, Redefining Oblivion wishes you a very happy birthday! May you continue to find the inspiration to chart interstellar journeys for millions of us who trip and travel unaided, fuelled only by the stunning doses of your magnificent composition!

Go on, make us the sound of tomorrow!

Footnotes:

Official Website - Paul Oakenfold

Image courtesy: Google Images

The Others

Very quietly, my other blogs, the photoblog - Imaging Oblivion © ® and the Geo-political space - Thoughts of a Geo-political Observer © ®, are coming of age. They are now 20 and 15 months old respectively and are striving to shirk off their fledgling state while showcasing some unique and interesting depictions and points of view!

For me, nothing seems to be more rewarding than to see my creative actions being well appreciated and received in the right spirit. There, perhaps, is no equal to a feeling that evokes a sense of elation when one witnesses his own conception take wings! More importantly, these exercises continue to help me advance a long cherished dream, one that involves furthering one's passion above all else, in an attempt to remain happy at all times, and to be able to understand the world around!

It is a very content and happy feeling to be able to connect with people far and wide and to gain an understanding of different perspectives, and attempt to comprehend the driving forces behind every creative action, no matter how insignificant it may appear to be. In doing so, I believe, one broadens the scope of one's own horizon, allowing much to be seen and understood, in a rather equitable state of being!

As always, thank you for your kind patronage!

Wishes on Onam

Today is Onam, the most celebrated festival of Kerala, marking the homecoming of the legendary King Mahabali, during whose benevolent rule Kerala enjoyed a golden era, one of peace, prosperity and general well-being, which is believed to be unmatched to this day!

The following words of Mahabali hold immense significance even today and should well be considered as a model code for existence, "Prana (life) and Maana (honour) are like the two eyes of a person. Even if life goes, honour should be protected. Knowing that the person that has come now is the Lord Himself, I should be the most fortunate one as the Lord, who gives everything to mankind, is seeking something from me."

On this joyous occasion, I extend my wishes for a very happy and peaceful life, with prayers for a healthy and prosperous being, one that is constantly driven by purpose and goodwill.

God bless!

Self subjective

And remember, no matter where you go, there you are!

-- Confucius 

Just how important is faith? Or, how realistically resilient should one be? Better still, how pertinent is patience in the face of continuing adversity? Difficult questions? Or means for renewed introspection, I wonder!

Every facet of life is something that presents a unique opportunity to understand oneself more than anything or anyone else, for the entity called the self is really the only variable, though seemingly constant, with other things being merely subjective influences - Cēterīs paribus, in better known terms! So, if assumptions are really characteristic only to the basis of incurred instances, the most fundamental supposition should be based upon the premise that every occurrence is as similar as another! Yet we know well that such is hardly the case. So, could this be termed as a paradox? Of what, understanding or the lack of it?

Now, everything that falls into the element of being subjective is time-bound! Yet, why do the effects of such subjective influences outlast the catalysts themselves? Is it possibly because of dependent variables being mired into the equation at a fundamental level and furthered by a larger cause of pursuit? Come to think of it, some events, themselves, may not be as prolonging in their happening when compared to the effects of their consequences, such as for instance the nuclear weapons detonated at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, both of which actions though confined only to a few moments, their resultant fallout having lasted for decades!

So, the questions really are how much, how long, how far, how high, how more or less? Subjective? Well, why do I get the feeling that the beginning is as important as the proceeding!

Beyond Independence

I dream, of a place where prosperity and peace reign supreme in the hearts and minds of all people alike, where hatred and prejudice find not so much as even a mention. I envision a land where poverty and strife are unknown, where harmony and love prevail unending, where people flourish joyfully, owing to the bounties of nature and self-created wonders of good living, where education and wisdom are at large, for everyone's partaking rather than limited to a select few! I dream of a people free from divisions and discrimination, insulated from disease, misery and maleficence!

I dream, that such a place be known to the world as India and it's people as Indians!

I have a dream!

250 posts later

Since May 2006, until now, 250 posts have come to be on this space. Though relatively small in number, the exercise has undoubtedly blessed me with rich measures of interaction with fellow-bloggers from far and wide, in an attempt to understand people, cultures and mannerisms! Many worthy friendships have been formed and I now feel as if part of a large, yet closely knit family of intellectuals, who continually offer an insight into life in a manner that is certainly unparalleled.

I've often been asked how one can, so closely, relate to a world that can at best be visualized in a very individualistic perspective, far away from one that has a definite structure, hierarchy and system. My answer has always been a simple one, emphasizing upon the need to understand this tapestry of a network as an extension of one's existing life than view it in isolation and resultant colourlessness - best perhaps, to be seen as being among the many facets that make up our very existence!

Not oddly enough, readings and experiences here, have accentuated, among other things, my level of spirituality, a passion for literature and an undying need to go out and see the remarkable wide world! Perhaps, I may not be able to chart a dream journey of sorts or pause enough to read every epic that has ever been written, but through you and your respective spaces, and your valued perspectives, I will continue to see the world and remain immensely comforted at the thought of being able to be connected in such short bursts of time, while so far apart, yet so definitively!

This is a world of leaders, those of creative excellence fueled with a very deep sense of passion and thus being able to bring out from within creations that are timeless and certainly unique, every single one of which holds immense significance and meaning that appeals to the deepest insides of the human spirit! For the same reason, I consider it a matter of pleasure and privilege extraordinaire to be part of this wonderful world and most importantly to be associated so closely with every one of you!

Inception

To dream is to be able to see reality, a setting that exists within the walls of the mind and therefore real in being experienced, seen and lived and yet unreal in the waking state purely because any attempt of it's recreation is most certainly futile. Ever wondered why it is so really difficult to recollect a dream long after it's been played in the mind? Now, that is only the beginning of things, in a way that we know of it, or perhaps not!

It is nearly always impossible to remember the start of a dream, in the element in which it begins to occur. One can at best find oneself deep in the process of the event even as it unfolds in a seemingly random and untraceable state of succession! There may be intermittent parallels to reality in the sense of how the memory contributes it's feed as a direct bearing of having seen and experienced matter in the real world. Such parallels, although appearing to be limitless are confined to a certain pattern, only to the extent of being able to be replicated in the same sense of how reality has contorted the innards of the mind, never free to envision a path anew or afresh! To that extent parallels are only a minute part of the entire configuration and not the pattern itself.

But parallels are not the only things that make up the matter that constitute the process of apparitions that are generated by the subconscious mind. There is the imaginative state that exceeds perhaps even the best of creativity, in giving birth to realms of possibilities that appear so real that one is utterly perplexed at the detail with which they occur, often casting the mind into a spasmodically fearful state. And what one does not understand and comprehend, one can and will only fear!

Then, there are stages that convolute in an endless quagmire, occurring and recurring as if generated by the electrical activity within the brain, combined with an imaginative process that can at most times be colourful yet appear in a sepia like tone! One often struggles to lock away those menacingly replicating states, but finds oneself at the mercy of the subconscious for not being able to do just that. Then the battle to create situations arises, where one would create a prison to carefully shut away those repetitions and assign a characteristic attribute to them all, in a serious effort to calm the conscious state against the tedious and taunting proceedings of the subconscious!

The worst kind of a dream is perhaps one in which the entity sees itself in a surrounding which appears to be undergoing a terrible state of degeneration, such as structures falling apart and streets splitting wide open, where despite every effort, the overwhelming succession of events provide no opportunity to gain control over the situation, to be able to attempt to reverse it! One feels as if transcending not just places and time but also realms outside of the Earth, far away and deep inside space! Escape, or liberation as some may prefer to call it, comes from well within, through what are mental projections generated at speeds faster than light in order to create a situation, binding upon which the entity will then further. These projections could by far create an unending network of places and people which seem real right down to the experience of emotion or the familiarity of the place, despite not ever having been there before! Laws of physics do not matter or hold importance of this realm, and can best be used to deduce the state which one is in!

There cannot possibly be any explanation for the realities that exist and happen in such remarkable detail within our minds. They could be as a result of the past, present or maybe even the future, and we have no means of knowing that ever! Momentarily gaining control during the whole process, the conscious stage attempts to offer comfort or courage as the case maybe, and then again allows it's counterpart to chart another course that although appearing remarkably familiar, may well be one that cannot ever be connected to, despite the need to decipher and understood, as if perhaps bearing the very elixir of life!

Sunlight, and another form of reality appears, and for that matter, every dream is only half remembered!

Footnotes:

As you may have guessed, this post was created immediately after I watched Christopher Nolan's epic Inception. Dreams and their occurrences have fascinated me more than I can ever explain and hence I found this movie remarkably well made despite the radical storyline it was based upon. The scene related to the beach landing of the protagonist and an accompanying character, where massive edifices at the waterfront appear to be crumbling down, was eerily familiar to me, having seen the exact setting in a dream a very long time ago, yet so well etched in my mind!

Remembering Dr. Oppenheimer

Very few have, perhaps, endured the dichotomies of life as has J. Robert Oppenheimer, going from an absolutely iconic state to tragic infamy, in a succession of events that can at best be described as unfortunate and fateful!

Presently reading the biography of who is best known as the father of the American atom bomb, I'm given an opportunity to understand the mind of Dr. Oppenheimer, famously known for its complexities, as baffling as mathematical convolutions or the laws governing thermodynamics in physics! But the remarkably articulate and factual work of Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, free from any form of prejudice, or opinionated distortions, usually adopted by many a narrator, is a true classic, having arrived upon after a great deal of painstaking research compiled with immense meticulousness and detail for the reader to assimilate.

Titled American Prometheus - The triumph and tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, this booker prize winning work not only details, in outstanding simplicity, the life and times of Dr. Oppenheimer but also introduces the reader to a socio-political mindset, prevalent during what was perhaps the beginning of divisions in the world, as blocs, in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, created purely on an ideological basis - a state of alignment that would last for decades, culminating into the Cold War.

Reading this book is quite like living a situation that is not very uncommon in today's world of speed success that dictates entities to plot against one another in a feverish attempt to 'climb the ladder,' of which, here, the protagonist falls victim to! I can safely say that this book is more than just an account of a person and his actions, or inactions as many historians would like to remark! To me, it is nothing short of an almanac of history, one that unmistakably outlines very many facts about how history was shaped and thereafter written and hence recognizable in the form that we know today!

Footnotes:

It was on this day in 1932 that the American physicist Carl David Anderson announced the discovery of the Positron, a fact earlier theorized by Dr. Oppenheimer in his paper titled "On the theory of electrons and protons."

Also on this day in 1939, scientists Albert Einstein and Leó Szilárd wrote to then US President Franklin Roosevelt, urging him to begin the Manhattan Project to develop a nuclear weapon. Dr. Oppenheimer would later serve as scientific director of the project.