My Prayer to Ramji.

Lord, bless our ambition. Through our ambition, we seek to accomplish the most impossible personal feat. Give us the courage not to be blinded by arrogance and greed. Just like a flower ascending towards sunlight, shower us with the valor to achieve our goals with a passion.

Lord, bless our passion. It is through our passion that we are constant in our every action. Passion may render us sightless at times, and it is in these times that we call upon You. Make us not a tree but a grass stem so we remain grounded in our values and live through the winds of turbulent times to return back to our original principles and beliefs.

Lord, bless our beliefs. We carry our beliefs throughout our lives and sometimes make them the basis of our existence. Sometimes they originate in the external world and sometimes they stem from our own insecurities. Give us the strength to know the origins of our beliefs and hold on to the right ones so that we may walk on the path that leads to You through our every action.

Lord, bless our action. Our actions make us who we are and what everyone perceives of us. However, we forget sometimes that our every action helps us reach You. It is not but for Your benevolence that farmers toil, middlemen facilitate, sellers supply, and our mothers prepare the very bread we eat. Give us the courage to help us find divinity in the most menial tasks so we may find Love and so we may carry our actions with hope and perseverance.

Lord, bless Us, because our ambition, passion, beliefs and actions make Life and Life is the only way we have of making manifest Your miracle. May the earth continue to transform seeds into wheat, may we continue to transmute wheat into bread. And this is only possible if we have Love; therefore, do not leave us in solitude. Always shower us with Your presence, Love and accompaniment in every stage of life.

The McNaught Comet: Different cities, same object – Life and times of January 2007.

Ball of inferno, fiery trajectory, longish white tail, and a sky ripping spectacle – something any ordinary comet or a heavenly body would appear to be.

It sometimes amazes me how many times we just sit and ponder the vastness of cultures and traditions in the world. The Italians grow up this way, the Indians grow up that way, bla and bla and all the allegations of dissimilarity and cultural arbitrariness. Million generalizations, a hundred apologetic repulsions, a thousand feelings of sheer bewilderment are felt around the globe about just different we all are.

Then there are real and reel life examples that reconfirm our notions. For example, while watching the movie, Blood Diamond, I wondered why so much blood was being spilt in this land that forgiveness for some people is simply deemed impossible. I felt alien to when DeCaprio sighs about Sierra Leone, "I used to wonder if God could ever forgive us for what we do to each other. But then I realized God left this place a long time ago.” People are just wildly fighting their own kind and tearing everything in their path, much like a comet. What is the deal with ethno-conflict?

On Big Brother, a Third Grade Reality show when Shilpa Shetty, an Indian actress gets insulted by being called a “Dog”, my cultural reflections take a more repulsive turn. We are so dissimilar that we just have been reduced to racism – people are fighting other people just for fame or then worse still cultural ignorance. What is the deal with this xenophobia then?

And then I come across such manifestations of such majestic sights - of such comets of beauty and consistency. Such strikingly ethereal photographs of this comet taken in Australia, Americas and Africa on 20^th January may serve as a reminder that we still share what mother Earth has provided us and that we are not all that different. We share everything - our Green, our food, our anatomically similar bodies, and …our skies and the sights of its many celestial bodies. If we can just stop, stare and learn to admire the magnificence of McNaught Comet of January 2007 witnessed across different parts of the world, may be we can treat a lot of barriers in a similar manner – as if our own. Just May be

Author: Ruben Garcia A.
Location: Villa Alemana, V Region, CHILE

Author: V.A. Watts.

Location: Durbanville,
near Cape Town, South Africah

Author: Makrod
Location: Perth, Western Australia.

Those Seven Blocks

Relieves the disquietude
Qualms of a busy mind
My morning walks
On those seven blocks.
Wind injects fresh air
To the parched lungs.
Dreams of a unison
Hoping and praying
For Lord’s benevolence.
Pondering the daily chores
The noise, the hustle bustle
Gazing the half open stores
Stalling, but just a trifle.
Pace picks up and thoughts unite
A jolly stride and a ray of light.
What bliss and glimpse of divinity
Exhilaration, faith, sanguinity
All on those seven blocks.

Introduction to Managing Your Ambition.

Many strains in relationships and many career pitfalls later, I decided that they should start a class in college/high school: Manage Your Ambition. So many coffee conversations in college and thoughts about some maniacal aspirations come to mind. I remember my friends and family members mentioning how they want to start travel companies, desert bars, join the IMF, work in Japanese Stock markets, learn Chinese in college, learn Chinese from Self-study books, take courses in renaissance art, study in Italy, work in a marketing company in France, start gift shops, open up restaurants in Dubai, start medical mini-vans shops, set-up coffee vending machines on city streets, teach in under-developed schools in India, buy property in Switzerland and what–not.

Most of these are ‘goose-bumpers’ and sometimes serve as curtain-raisers. The main performance turns out to be all together else. The problem is simple: Life has infinite possibilities. More than a mantra to feel the influx of positives in our lives, this problem seems to get us through a million other problems. Take, for example, relationships. Once we have reached some level in our goal towards ambition, we quickly move to sort out all our million relationships. Before we know it, time is out. We are back to working towards repairing some parts of our ambition. Bottom line, ambition, to me, is simply similar to a machine. Quick fix there, quick oiling there and we are back at managing our personal life.

Sometimes we give up the most important things in life for this illusion of ambition. Other times, we strike the right chords and all is in place. I just think it will be super if there is some guidance at a younger age.

I don’t know what they can teach in this class. A weekly lecture on Writing Your Dreams or then How To Fulfill Your Uncle's or Grandfather’s Last Wishes, Encourage Others and How to Alter their Ambitions To Make them Feel like Yours, How to Calm Down when an Exciting Thought comes so as to Avoid Stepping on Dog-poop, How To Tone Down Your Own Far-Fetched Aspirations, or then - How to Make an Idea so Grandiose that People Want to Invest in Just the Thought and so much more.

They can write steps for you like (in a decision tree format):

1. Write down your ambition (in 10 words or less and limit to 5 Goals)
   
2. Put the date range to each (5 years 10 years)
3. Write over-arching plan to help you reach the goals
4. Write simple tasks that you need to follow – more like course of action
   
5. Jot down Restrainers – things that might impede your ride
6. Jot down things that will help you fight the restrainers
7. Write down simple weekly duties (working towards your over-arching plans and goals) fulfilling which you feel the blood rush

Ha !– I am no pro, but I just wish there was one out there (to hell with psychiatrists!) to help you manage our ambitions, however far-fetched they may be.

Another word of globalisation

I always wondered what true globalization would mean in the years to come. Will it mean talking to your uncle in San Francisco while checking your shares on a Spanish bourse, messaging your Swiss bank account manager and watching a video of your nephew in London in any given hour with ease? How much ever Friedman will draw his points about free flow of information, and Europeans rave about a central economy, the point remains. I think globalisation exists in an individual experience. While traveling on an airplane more than 10000 miles to another continent, it hit me.

The French gentlemen, Olivier, sitting next to me and I had one big barrier – language.

Side note: While Indians pride themselves in speaking English, I realized that is not the case for so many cultures. A large portion of the population in India is detested since their English is not up to the standards and we find the same population fetching ranks in all our state exams. No, English is not globalisation.

Anyway, I realized I should exhibit my sense of European culture by throwing in things I know. Things like French wine, independent movies, soccer memories, music and travel. My presumption was clear, if not anything I can extract some valuable input from him about economy, politics and things he would find important. 'Cultural exchange', I thought should be another word for globalization.

We talked at length about Le Bordeaux, Fleurie Villiers morgon, Chateau De Raousset, and some small wineries in west France. Pouilly-Fuisse Vielles Cringes, Jean-Paul Paquiet, and what not. He gave my some websites to check for these indepent wine salesmen. "Zha best in sale of wine" he said and I figured this is truly valuable, since where else will you get location of small village independent vineyards. While alcohol is not my interest in the least, its great to see how much passion the French have for their wines. “Aa, zha warm-cool wind mix, in ze temperate giveen it za colour la exquisite,”, he points out gives the appeal to certain wines.

After listing some scenic places to travel in Central France, we landed with the topic of my country. Travel, it seems he had heard of just Agra, Mumbai and few places of interest. It was also great to know his interest in Indian culture, which is something Indians constantly come across. Indian Movies, music by Talvin Singh, and his interest in Tabla and the group Tabla Beat Science. I pointed him to listen to Zakir Hussain, quite obviously and Karunesh which he quickly jotted down, along with musicindiaonline.com, where he would find all the Indian classical.

Ségolène Royal, we concluded would be another Tony Blair of the continent, and I remembered reading about her exploits in education, environment and other ministries on some websites before. Bush, as the world would admit is a Chimp and it was surprisingly discomforting to see his animosity against the American politics. "How did it end becoming my country of residence", I wondered.

Within a few minutes I realized what we were doing. Exchanging websites, online information, emails, google tricks was the basis of so much of information exchange.

French movies and art depict the parallel of French thinking, we argued. I pointed out how Audrey Tatou performed the character of de-employed French smalltowners so well in Amelie and Olivier was quick to point out another good French movie - Waking Life (2001).

We alluded to Indian films and mentioned Le Salon De Muszique which I thought sounded like Sound of Music. Turned out it’s a movie by Satyajit Ray or something in 1950s.

I was amazed. Truly Amazed. All this information available in a conversation, facilitated with a click of a button.

There is no doubt about it. Nothing is better than increasing one’s knowledge about the world. Within reach of a few clicks, the world awaits us. Yes, Internet is truly globalization.

Nathdwara Pictures: Jan 02, 2007.



Nathdwara street with a view of the Temple-Palace dome


The Minimalistic sufficient room in Vrinda



The jam-packed buildings on the Hotel Street

Nathdwara: A Timeless Destination

A 2 hour flight to Maha Rana Pratap Airport in Udaipur and then another 2 hours max drive to the Nathdwara and I landed in Shrinathji’s home on 2^nd Jan 2007. A perfect way to start the New Year.

There is a docking area for cars in the outskirt of Nathdwara. Cars don’t go beyond that point. As you step out of the car, you see hoards of hotel staff members running to your car with a smile and an anticipation of some easy chai-panni. But that’s anywhere and to a certain extent its good since it provides you with an assurance of some quality in service.

The smell, the scenery, the ambiance and the general ease in the air assures you that you have come to a Holy place. As you enter the main market and the walk on the small streets towards your hotel, you see that nothing, nothing has changed at all. The same country side appeal mixed with the resonance of sadhus’ chants, decorated food-stalls with nets around the foods, the cows, pigs, some remodeled eateries, tiny houses and wires dangling from every side of the road.

Technologically, you find few new developments – some electronic message displayers stating the time for the next darshan, some signs showing internet connections in a place that seems like traditional coffee hut, and few billboards here and there. Other than that, it is the exact same place. Standing there quietly untouched and intact with its focus- Shrinathji. As you walk by streets after streets, you will hear bhakti songs from Smarnanjallika or then new bhajans in praise of the Lord. The same trinket outlets, spice shops, shoe/sandal shacks. The same sweet nostalgic smell of burning milk, captivating aroma of loose earth and mud, cow-dung and fragrance of fresh flowers greet you.

Hawkers, beggars, and locals start speaking to you as if they know you for years. Of this, Maharajs or other sadhus those who have affiliation with the temple will perturb you the most. “ I will get you VIP access to the Darshan in the temple.” As if going to a temple is like visiting CXOs. And then you see the door to the temple. All else can change and not change, you know that you are assured if not a few minutes, atleast a few seconds in front of the Lord; when time comes, when right time for darshan arrives and when you have to jostle through a minimum of two-three thousand people in space meant for a 100 people.

So, that’s Nathdwara in a gist.

We checked in at a hotel called Vrinda. The same lobby (for twenty years), same bell-boys, the same couches in the reception and you know the Hotel truly signifies and justifies the timelessness of Nathdwara. The rooms are minimal, yet sufficient. Two beds, a wall-closet and a dressing table from the ‘60s. There is a feeling of being home and then there is a feeling of being invited. No matter how cozy five star services will get, in a place like Vrinda, everyone feels invited, no matter what.

We go for Rajbhog, and the late morning acesss in the temple seems simple enough. Although there is a complete lack of organization going into the room where the Lord resides, the rhapsody of the chants, the unanimous prayers and sincere devotion is the most enrapturing feeling. I might have thought a few consulting points for the temple to improve its condition, but the minute I stepped out of the darshan in front of the lord, I was rendered thoughtless. What Grace, What Swaroop, What Power and Magnificence.

After going for a few remaining heartfelt prayers and chants in the afternoon, we sleep early for the main event. The 4 AM darshan next day,“The Mangla”. Un-linear queues get formed at the gate and then doorman announces its time to go in through rooms en-route to the final room. People rush inside this ancient palace like temple. In an effort to get few seconds again in the front of the Lord so magnificently dressed, we forget the intensely cold marble stones we were walking on, the thousand people flooding in from different gates and few slippery surfaces that lay ahead of us. Patience is the order of the day and finally in the last few minutes of closing time, I get about 10 seconds right in the front of the Lord (which was the only most orderly line). Such Beauty.

Finally, in the afternoon, I left Nathdwara with same feeling of satisfaction, the reverie and spiritual rhapsody that I have felt for years. Although, I still wish pushing through the unorderly crowd and queue system can be changed, I cannot help but feel the one quality about certain places in our country.

The Timelessness.

The Walls, the décor, the streets and the people echo centuries of establishment, systems and processes. Practices that have originated beyond the memories and knowledge of the modern man.

A Faith which draws millions every year to places of worship. Rich, abled, poor, disabled all in unison in front of the Lord.

Their prayers of love, devotion, hope, despair and gratitude.

Nathdwara is truly one to hit the list as one of the many places to travel and pray to connect you to wisdom and methods of our ancestors, the presence of the Lord in front of you now, and witness to prayers chanted in oneness for a brighter future for everyone - all endowed in one Timeless place of worship.