If you have a heart ... Please think ...

I happened to see a video with 1,607,039 shares. It was about disabled mannequins. The introduction to the video was as follows:

"This video is SO powerful. We are all amazing people. Disabled mannequins will be eliciting astonished looks from passers-by on Zurich’s Bahnhofstrasse today. Between the perfect mannequins, there will be figures with scoliosis or brittle bone disease modeling the latest fashions. One will have shortened limbs; the other a malformed spine. The campaign has been devised for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities by Pro Infirmis, an organization for the disabled. Entitled “Because who is perfect? Get closer.” it is designed to provoke reflection on the acceptance of people with disabilities. Director Alain Gsponer has captured the campaign as a short film. Please SHARE with friends and family. This is such a great message."

We happen to see many people each day who have disabilities. But it takes one person to try out making it visible. But whose fault is it. For no fault of theirs they have been branded as disabled. I also had a chance to talk to a few who have outlived their disabilities in a TV show that I present called Tea Talk on Media One (Episode 35 Please note the video is in Malayalam. Courtesy: Media One) . Let me stop at this point and rephrase it as their physical challenges. Please watch the video and see their confidence.

Now arises the answer to the obvious question. When they can bootstrap their shortcomings and smile or even laugh at the life, it is the person who turns a deaf ear to them who is deaf. It is that person who does not see this who is blind. Or the right way to say it would be that we have a disabled eye, ear, and a deformed heart. They ask no special treatment. They want to strive to success along with us. They March ahead and we tend to discriminate them without looks, words and actions or at least our thoughts about them. They deserve to be treated equal or more. 

Every bus in India says the seats are reserved for the challenged, but do they get a chance to board a bus. I have seen in UAE, the difference in treatment. They have their parking space, they have their space and they are given equal and more opportunities to live in unison with the environment. We set apart a day "International Day of People with Disability" (December 3) to think about them. But that is the day we should think about ourselves as a day for us. For the deformed hearts we have we need a special day to be set apart for Love (Feb 14), Mother (May 11 in India and each country has a different date), Father (different for different countries and India doesn't have one), Women (March 8) and Labours (May 1). 

The dictionary says Physical Challenge or those challenged are those having a physical disability or impairment, especially one that limits mobility. But when God has given us a heart to move, why it doesn't now!! In scriptures there are messages hidden in stories where with faith you ask the mountain to move and it moves. But have we lost faith so much that our heart does not move for those who need our love and care the most. They ask no special treatment but at least we should refrain from treating them as one among us. 

It’s time to open our eyes and say that 

Every day is a day for Love, 

Every day is a day for Care

If at all we see the need

Let’s tell the world we are there...

Please think about this and spread the word.

Adyaaksharangal ...

A humble effort to write ...

Baul ...not just music to the ears

There are times when I would want to wander in search of knowledge knowing not where to search. But it is said that when the student is ready the master appears. And the master appears in different forms and with distinct teaching aids. Such was a day when after hearing about Baul through many masters and their words, I got a chance with one of my friends Nikhil, to meet and interact in length with a Baul Sadhaka.

I awestruck at the depth of information and knowledge hidden in the tradition of Baul and the sadhakas (Practitioners) of Baul. The word "Baul" has appeared in Bengali texts as old as the 15th century. The tradition with references dating back to the 15th Century has the elements of Tantra, Sufism, Vaishnavism and Buddhism. Baul is not just folk music but it came from lives of people. Filled with touching philosophy and hidden meanings. Folk music on the other hand is just the representation of emotions pertaining to celebration or the nature and its simplicity. Baul sadhakas as they are called, they picked the melodies from the folk but the content was from Vedanta or the reflection of the mind. 

Baul Sadhakas were searching the spirit of life. Life, which has no boundaries, gives the baul songs its life. The life of the sadhakas is based on "Bhiksha" or seeking alms, which is their best way of communication. The communication is also spreading the "brohmonaam" the name of the supreme soul with the healing elements. Whatever they get for reaching out to people far and wide with message of hope and prayers is sought and received as the bhiksha or alms. Thus if you see baul songs with your inner eye you will see the content to be all about life and philosophy.

The Baul are a group of mystic minstrels from Bengal, typically identified by their khol, iktara and the way of dressing and hair. Bauls constitute both a rare combination of seemingly different religious sects and a musical tradition. Their group has had many sects, but their links have constantly traced to Vaishnavaites and Sufis. In 2005, the Baul tradition was included in the list of "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" by UNESCO. Not much is known of the origin of the Baul tradition. Lallan Fakir is regarded as the most important Baul sadhaka. 

The word Baul is believed, though debated, to have been derived from the Sanskrit word Vatula ("mad", from vayu - "wind") based on their lifestyle. Other meanings and sources say Baul means "enlightened, lashed by the wind to the point of losing one's sanity, god's madcap, detached from the world, and seeker of truth", or from vyakula, which means "restless, agitated" and both of these derivations are consistent with the modern sense of the word, which denotes the inspired people with an ecstatic eagerness for a spiritual life, where a person can realize his union with the eternal beloved – the Maner Manush (the man of the heart). Baul can be considered a convergence of Sufi and Hindu mysticism yet never related to any religion but sadhana.

Baul sadhaka Parvathy Baul says being a sadhaka is an experience. An experience with the existing faculties. It is a unison of the world and the body. Baul sadhana is all about complete transformation and not mere trance. 

There is a saying among the sadhakas:

"Apono sadhana kotha na kahi be jatho datha"

which means

Never speak about your inner experiences as if you speak it out it is no more with you

The sadhaka realizes his presence poetry and the music and Baul is about here and now. Baul sticks to the tradition of duality and its union. The two being one as mentioned in the "An al haq" in Islam or the "Me and my father are one" in Christianity and the convergence of duality in Hinduism - The Adwaitha Vedantha".

The way a message is figuratively communicated can be understood from the lines of Lallan Fakir, the famous Baul Sadhaka 

"apon moner bhaage khaye jabe"

which means

One who is chased by ones own mind tiger where will you escape

Today I would like to pick one baul song to elucidate the message in it and be a link in the tradition myself as a Baul sadhaka - a sadhana through my blog.

Post by Kris Iyer.

Beginning with salutations to the holy masters feet and the Tatvas (Elements or the source) of devotion, he song opens the amazement at what is seen by him (the sadhaka). He exclaims to the Lord (Guru or God Himself) that he is amazed by what he saw in the world. He refers to a tree which is upside down with its roots up in the skies and branches bearing fruits down in the karma bhumi - the earth.  The tree has three branches where in one branch depicts Brahma - The creator, another by Vishnu - The existence and sustenance and the other by Kaal (Maheshwara / Shiva) - The destroyer or annihilator. The link between the dev lok or guru pada and the karma bhumi is depicted by the tree and how it links both. 


In the same tree there is a nest in the tree resided by a hans (Swan) which lays an egg only once in 4 yugas. Once during the month of sharad (Autumn month) from the nest that only egg falls down. The mother swan flies with a distressed heart to protect the most precious falling egg. But fate of the expected bird has already been decided. The egg cracks open which falling down and flies saving its own life. 

The philosophy behind the story which denotes the world as an upside down one, and the blessings from the gods are absorbed by the roots and its fruits, the results, are in the karma bhoomi. How divine blessings become the nourishment for the karma bhoomi. The mother swan in our mind tries to protect what is considered most precious to us. But in reality the gods in heaven have already decided the fate and saving itself is every beings own fate. We are engulfed in a false belief about what is precious to us and we are the ones who save it. In a way teaching us to be responsibly detached.

The Bhiksha or alms of knowledge is all that I desire from those who read this article. Blown by the wind of knowledge I reach out to you myself - A Baul Sadhaka.

Would like to thank a few people, who helped me think and reach out to you ...

Serena Krishnan, my wife, editor	Nikhil Varma,  friend who recorded the song	Vinit Joshi and	Bindushree, two friends who helped me with check my Bongla Bhosha.

A Journey in a vehicle called "LIFE"

Just a while ago my attention was drawn towards a blog by Mohanlal in form of a letter to the God himself. He laid out the things that we miss owing to our life's speed and the way we overlook things. In the past ten years in Radio I have met many people, read many blogs, many posts on twitter and facebook. Everyone points to one point or the other pertaining to life as a whole.

Let me stop and think what life means to a person who is living. I can see it as a passenger on a train or a bus. He is being led forward to his destination and he has no commitment or affection towards the vehicle. Life is a vehicle and while living we don't even have a clue about the destination or the driver who is God himself. 

In the careful hands of God, the vehicle goes forward, but many of the passengers keep pestering him to stop the vehicle or speed up for their own reasons. He knows the right way and we have never asked the Drivers license while boarding a bus. It is the faith in him, which lets at least some of the passengers sleep while travelling.

There are various stops in the journey some are good and some not so good. They are the successes and failures we face. We are not supposed to be in the stops for more time, but get back into the vehicle and move forward. What we see and enjoy, is to be shared with those travelling with you. 

The Vehicle life goes through very scenic paths of the journey. We never are bothered to look outside the vehicle and enjoy the journey called life. We are more bothered about the seat not being comfortable or the color of the light not pleasing, or its neatness. Have we ever taken time to clean the vehicle called life? The answer is an emphatic NO. We don't even let our co-passengers travel in peace. We always want more. the journey is endless, but our destination once reached, we have to alight. 

At least after reading this note passed on by a co-passenger, that is me, you get a chance to look around and enjoy the journey in the vehicle called Life driven by the driver God. My only request is that while in the journey never think that the vehicle is yours alone, but understand that others travel with you too...Though the vehicle is not yours, you have your responsibility to keep it clean and set an example for others by being responsible.

While I write there are many who have boarded this bus and I am just a traveler wishing you a safe and happy journey...

Nizhalnaadakam ...

Morning Thoughts

When the wind blew on my face this morning, I had a thought, don't know whether to call it poetic or not, but would like to share the thoughts with you

ഇന്ന് വീശും കാറ്റിലൊരു നനവുണ്ട്
ഇന്ന് പുലരുന്ന പകലിനൊരു കനവുണ്ട് 
അര്‍ക്കന്റെ ദൃഷ്ട്ടിക്കൊരു കനിവുണ്ട്
ഇനി വരും ശൈത്യത്തിന്‍ കുളിരുണ്ട് 

കാണാത്ത നാളെയ്ക്കൊരു നന്മയുണ്ട് 
മനസ്സിലെന്നും വിരിയുന്ന പൂക്കളുണ്ട്‌ 
കര്മത്തിനെന്നും ഒരു വിധിയുണ്ട് 
പറയാത്ത കഥകള്‍ ഇനിയുമുണ്ട് 

നാട്ടിലേക്ക് എത്തുവാന്‍ ഒരു കൊതിയുണ്ട്
നാട്ടിലെന്നും എനിക്കായൊരു ഇടമുണ്ട്
മടങ്ങാന്‍ ഇനിയും ഒരു വഴിയുണ്ട്
വരവിനായ് കാത്തിരിക്കും എന്‍ അമ്മയുണ്ട്‌ ...

ഒരിക്കലും തീരാ പ്രതീക്ഷയുണ്ട്
എന്നും തിരിയും കാലച്ചക്രമുണ്ട്
തിരിയും ചക്രത്തിനൊരു ഗതിയുമുണ്ട് 
ഈ കവിതയില്‍ എന്നും എന്‍ കൊതിയുണ്ട് 

A version of my morning thoughts in hindi

बहती हवा में आज एक ठंडक है
उगते दिन में एक चाहत है
सूरज कि बाँहों में आज एक ममता है
आनेवाली ठंडी कि आहात भी है
अनदेखे कल में एक आशा भी है
दिल में गुल कि गुलषण भी है
हर कर्म कि डगर में फल भी है 
अनकही कहानियाँ और भी है

अपने चमन को छूनेकी एक चाहत है
चमन मेरे लिए खुला आस्मां भी है
वापसी कि कोई एक राह भी है
उसी आस में जी रही मेरी माँ भी है

हर वक़्त उनकी दुआ भी है
हर पल समय का भंवर भी है
उस भंवर में साथ मेरा हमसफ़र भी है
बस इस कविता में मेरी चाहत भी है

Kris Iyer

Samyogam and Viyogam ...

In our day to day life we attach ourselves to different things and we face junctures where we have to set us apart from some of our favorite things. The pain in separation and joy of union are constantly in our lives. Is it a must that we have to go through the same. And the answer is

"YES"

That's the rule of the nature. We have to learn to accept the union and separation with equal importance or should I say unimportance. When the rain drops fall from the rain clouds to the earth it has to be sad that it lost its space in the heavens, and when it becomes a stream, it should be happy, then the river engulfs the stream in itself, then there is sadness of it no longer being a stream and when it reaches the sea, the river loses its individuality. The happiness and sadness cycle continues till the moment till the heat of the sun takes it back to the heavens and makes it a rain cloud. Simply explained in one of the daily prayers in Hinduism

"akashaath pathitham thoyam

yada gatchathi saagaram,

Sarva deva namaskara: 

Kesavam prathigatchathi"

(Which means like the drops of rain form the stream and reaches the sea, 

which will be back to the clouds similarly the prayer to all gods reach the one)

In a similar fashion whatever you get or lose is just meant to be, and you get back to where you started as a part of the divinity. You get back to the Paramatma or the supreme soul, which you are a part of. If we understand the lesson in nature where the union or separation is not celebrated or mourned but it is a cycle, then each one of us can lead a peaceful life.

Then what is it that stops us from doing so. We have to understand the thought before we can act on it. On a micro level think of the happiness associated with the union of your favorite gadget and the sadness when it conks off.

On a macro level think of the country that stood together to fight for its independence and the rivalry that the two countries which got separated and are fighting ever since on all issues. Will it unite again - cant say. But think of the states which form our country India, where we have internal feuds related to states and the water which flows. The happiness which was celebrated as the day of independence lead to the sadness of internal feuds. Its the rule of the nature.

“And one by one the nights between our separated cities are joined to the night that unites us.” 

― Pablo Neruda

We should learn from our mother nature, who teaches us to take the union or separation, happiness or sadness, victory or defeat, all alike. Life would be better if we can understand this lesson

Lets strive towards a world in peace and not n pieces. Union and separation are a part of our life, lets take it to a next level where there is tranquility and that in itself is "Nirvana"

Niravana - is an ancient Sanskrit term used in Indian religions to describe the profound peace of mind that is acquired with moksha (liberation). In shramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is union with the Brahman (Supreme Being).

Lets not mourn that during our birth when we cried as a child for the separation from the paramatma, separated from the mother, but lets live a life which will take us back to the supreme being - The ONE

- vaazhka bharatham -