Casual and serious thoughts / ಹಗುರ ಗಂಭೀರ ಆಲೋಚನೆಗಳು

Scene 1 I was on my way to Delhi on a business visit and we had a group of first time travellers from a couple villages near channapattana (Near Mysuru). All were elderly people perhaps in their 50s - 70s. For sure, they were excited as kids getting into the plane and those who got the window seats were super thrilled. One elderly gentleman, to whom everybody was addressing with respect and were calling him “ Gowdre”  was seated just behind me and I could not help but to overhear the conversation that took place literally behind my back (pun intended).  This group were on their way to Delhi and to visit Kashi, Ayodhya, Amritsar and various other places.  They were mentioning that it was an eleven days trip. So, they were obviously missing to vote in this election.  I thought of turning around and asking them as to why did they plan to go on this journey when the election was on and decided not to, as they were all in a happy mood. There was nothing that they would do to cancel their tr

  Lok sabha elections have been announced.  There are these usual song and dance sequences of Indian Democracy.  The so called political leaders are throwing up the dry grass to assess the direction of wind. The weather cocks are aligning or trying to align themselves.  New alliances are being made or announced, old are either being reaffirmed or broken. Political conveniences, alignment on religious, linguistic, regional, caste or in many cases sheer and blatant opportunistic strange bed mates being seen. A minority is the political leanings of being a rightist, leftist, right of centre, left of centre, socialist and many of such a kind. Opportunism looks to be the rule of this game.  These can be discussed and debated as a natural phenomenon in a vibrant democracy, where the people and the parties vying to “Rule” seek the “Blessings” of the electorate. These electorate being very diverse, grouped, are also discrete in their identities.  Hence all these have to be factored in to a com

  Don't put me on a pedestal Don't push or put me down Just Let Me Be Don't patronise me No need to pamper me Just Let Me Be Try understand me Pray, don't undermine me Just Let Me Be Born to Nature I am  Like you, Not more ,not any less Equal half of creation are  Women Just Let them Be!!!! - Collected poetry Translated  ನನ್ನತವನೆನಗೆ ಬಿಡಿ ಅಟ್ಟಕ್ಕೆನ್ನಟ್ಟದಿರಿ ನೆಲದೊಳೆನ್ನ ಹೊಸಕದಿರಿ ನನ್ನತವನೆನಗೆ ಬಿಡಿ॥ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಪ್ರೋತ್ಸಾಹ ಬೇಡ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಆರೈಕೆ ಎನಗೆ ಬೇಡ ನನ್ನತವನೆನಗೆ ಬಿಡಿ॥ ನನ್ನ ನೀವು ಅರ್ಥೈಸಿರಿ ದಯವಿಟ್ಟು ಹುದಗದಿರಿ ನನ್ನತವನೆನಗೆ ಬಿಡಿ॥ ನಿಮ್ಮಂತೆಯೆ ನಾನು ಹೆಚ್ಚಿಗಿಲ್ಲ ಕಡಿಮೆಯಲ್ಲ ಪ್ರಕ್ರೃತಿ ದತ್ತ ಸಮದ ಫಲವು ನಾನು ನಾರಿ ಮಾನವನು ನನ್ನತವನೆನಗೆ ಬಿಡಿ॥

Long time back, my brother had a very close friend. Being so, he was also like an elder brother to me.  We lost touch with him many years back and even though we had made some feeble attempts to get back in touch, it did not work. Perhaps, more due to lack of intensity of getting back in touch from us and also from him.  He was a very genial and down to earth person. He had many an advice for me as I grew up.  When my brother attended his schoolmates 50th year get-together, he had hoped to see his old friend there and was disappointed not to see him. Enquiries with other classmates lead to an information that one of the classmates spoke to him about two plus years back and this old friend was sounding very sick with a feeble voice. Apparently, he had lost his job and was having health issues. The classmate gave a telephone number of the friend and it was not reachable. The “True caller” app suggested this was in the name of that old friend.  My brother spoke to me about this and we dec