Salty superstitions

The billion people of India still believe in a million odd superstitions. Though India has progressed enormously on various fronts, dropping off these superstitions is something it has still not been able to achieve. As a result, a part of India is still struck in the past.

One of the most common superstitions is that passing salt hand to hand causes the two persons involved to get into a fight. Is there a logic behind this? I can’t find any. Can you? People till this day and this includes people in my family believe in this and make sure that they never pass salt. They just move the salt jar a little closer, when asked to pass whereas they are willing to pass other huge vessels into the hand. If logic is allowed to speak, it would be advised not to pass other vessels containing rice or dal hand to hand because the weight of the vessel may be too much for the hand and sometimes they may slip out of the hand.

Every superstition or custom has a history behind it. There is a hidden logic behind everything. For example, it is well-known that Indians use far more spices in their food than do the people of the west. Why? There is a reason. India is a hot place and in the olden days there were no refrigerators. So, more salt, more oil and more spices helped retain the food longer. As an analogy, observe the same thing is done with pickles. Lot of salt and oil and also pickle is generally prepared in summer. The west was cooler and so there was no need to worry about preservation. Now, in India there are no preservation problems with a refrigerator in almost every house (at least in urban India) but, we are still continue the practice. The purpose is lost but the practice goes on.

We call it our tradition, our culture and retain many such blind illogical beliefs. We are just denying to drop off the past and move ahead. I would like to quote another example. During some festivals, women go to snake holes, burrows or pits and offer milk to the snake to please the snake goddess. Science has proved that snakes do not drink milk and if anything, the milk that is poured will suffocate and kill the snake thereby, displeasing the goddess, in case of her existence. Why do people still flood their pits with gallons of milk? In this process, lot of milk which can otherwise be used to feed the needy is thrown to the ground. My grandmother proudly claims that these beliefs are only increasing and the crowd at the snake pits is only increasing. Isn’t this sad?

Then, I had a discussion with her, my granny, and explained her all this. She says she is not bothered and it is an age old custom and she will follow till she is alive. When I say that she could kill the snake, she says there are no snakes in the pit. What is the point then? I ask. She shrugs off the question and goes away furious that I questioned her age old practice.

I tried to get her rid of her belief about salt and fight. I very devotedly planned and made sure that each day she give me salt straight into my hand else, I would not eat food. This worked for many days and each day I showed that we never fought and how the superstition is wrong. I thought she understood till the day she launched a full fledged attack on me saying that she will drop the salt jar to the floor in case I tried to get her to give me the salt straight to my hand. She was furious and my sister joined the chorus. I was heart broken and dejected. I put the salt jar on the table and returned to my room. She had succeeded. She proved the superstition right. Salt causes fight. With the fear of resurrecting her faith in that superstition I held back all my efforts.

I had lost the war at home. I began the war at home. I thought I will take it to the world after I had won it at home. But, I lost the war. But, it is only the war I lost and not my hope. I will keep fighting in newer and better ways to get most people at home if not all to drop these superstitions. I guess its time we all started such wars, get people to think rationally and question age old established customs. Start from the homes and friends. This way the campaign will spread and one day India will get rid of most of its superstitions.

Now the question, why the fuss? Hmm. Remember how few years earlier lord Ganesh drank milk. There was a scarcity of milk for a few weeks after that. The loss was clearly visible and quantifiable because it was a sensation and more importantly it happened at the same time all over India. Many other things like this keep happening day in and day out in separate incidents and so the loss is overlooked. If this loss in all its forms is quantified the results will be shocking. Is that all? As if this is a small thing in a country still wretched by poverty. But, there is a bigger issue. What these superstitions do is make people, especially the younger generation, weak minded, what India needs is a strong-willed younger generation not a generation that waits for five minutes after sneezing because sneezing brings bad luck or goes back to home on seeing a black cat in the way.

Dr.JayaPrakashNarayan: A movement

I am proud to have shaken hands with the great Jaya Prakash Narayan (JP as he is fondly called), president of the Lok Satta party. I am proud to have been in the same room as he for atleast 45 minutes. I am proud to have been able to attend one of his speeches live. I am thoroughly impressed by the man. He is not just a man but an entire movement, influencing and adding more people to it as he talks, walks or shakes hands. He has added one more soul to his admirer’s list.

At an event that promotes Entrepreneurship and provides an interface between startups and Investors, what is a politician doing? This was the exact same question I asked myself when I saw the agenda for The STARTUP BUZZ (the event I am talking about). Inaugural speech by some minister and closing speech by JP? I thought it was just for hype, to attract more people to the event and make more money. I cannot comment on what the minister spoke as I was not there but for my comfort I guess that it was trash. Coming to JP, I don’t know whether the organizers picked him up on purpose or it was just an accident but it was my good fortune to have been there.

Mr.JP started his speech in telugu with “Sabhaku Namaskaaram.” Not that I never heard his voice before, but being right there in front of him left me astounded and my mouth half open. I prepared my self for one of the most memorable speeches of my life. He then switched to English on the requests of a few non-local audience. The switch between the languages was so natural. The English as clear as his telugu. He had no paper on the podium, no speech prepared but when he spoke it was as if he had read the same speech over thousand times in his head and read out to someone a good hundred times. Not a word misspelt. Not a stammer. Stutter. Repetition. The speech was flawless, as if he had planned it for years. The clarity in his speech is a reflection of the clarity in his thought. Foresight, hindsight, the speech had it all. A few seeds of thought were planted through out the speech, making us feel responsible for the future as well as the present of INDIA. Few anecdotes were shared. To sum it up, it was one of the most inspiring (on various fronts), immaculate and rare speeches executed with more than 100% perfection. Just as the speech ended, I was left craving for more.

The next thing I knew I had to do was run to him and shake hands and thank him for the wonderful vocal master piece. I did just that. I did not run though. I waited for him to get down the dias and grabbed his hand, shook it, thanked him for the speech and felt fulfilled. Truly fulfilled. Many of them took autographs. I did not feel a need for one to remind me that I met Mr.JP once. The thoughts he provoked, the way he influenced will remain fresh in my memory.

He commanded respect. Being an MLA, would not have effected my respect for him. The true leader in him commanded , demanded and got the respect he deserved. That is what true leaders are made up of, I guess.

After I walked out of that event, there was only one thought that came in my mind and that kept recurring.

That JP has remained just an MLA is our bad fortune and not his. Not in anyway.

Song Review: Piya Ghar Aayenge...

Album: Chaandan Mein

Label: Sony Music

Music: Kailash-Paresh-Naresh (This band is called Kailasa)

Lyrics: Kailash Kher

Vocals: Kailesh Kher

The first thing you are bound to observe when the first few words of the song hit your ear drum is the sincerity with which it is sung. Yes, it has been sung by Kailash and mind you this is not in high-pitch (like majority of his songs). It shifts between low and medium-high pitch. The second thing that will strike you is the mood of the song, that will make you think about it. The words “Aaj mere piya ghar aayenge...” are supposed to be in very high spirits. But, they are not. Also, the lyrics do not suggest that she is sad. Yes, this is yet another song Kailash sings for a woman just like ‘Teri deewani’ and many others. This makes you wonder why the lady then is not rip-the-sky happy. Is she tired of waiting for him? Is she not really sure that he will come? Let your imagination run wild. The song itself does not answer the question.

This is the most beautiful song of the album to say the least. Kailash’s soul-piercing vocals interspersed with soft soul-stirring flute interludes clubbed with a number of other musical instruments (mostly Indian) and a non-interfering rhythm make this a must-listen. The enigmatic lyrics along with the composition make you root for the protagonist of the song. When the song ends, you will feel the devoid left by its ending. Trust me, the solution is simple. Just hit the play button again and put it in repeat mode.

Other outstanding songs in the album (of 10 songs with one song from Kailasa (their first album), “Albela Saajan” included): Chaandan mein, Teri yaad mein, Kar kar main haara, Rang rang ma.

Moving on...

Every weekend, from a few months, my eyes cannot refuse but look at a few mails waiting in my mailbox with subjects containing the word ‘Adieu’ and their bodies containing ‘… it’s time to move on…” or other variations of these. I cannot really tell if I am tired of watching these or sad. I guess I am more sad than tired. It is painful to see so many people leave the company. You no longer feel at home. The people I came with and the people I came to are all leaving alike, in pursuit of better futures. Each time I look at these mails I smirk at myself and then I feel blood draining out of my heart. But, as they say it’s time to move on.

Sometimes, in the evening, when I walk out of the office someone walking ahead of me reminds me of someone who left the company. And, I suddenly miss that person even though I may not have worked with that person closely. I just got habituated to those people moving around me flashing smiles, stealing glances, exchanging empty stares. I miss all these. I know newer people now, but I am not sure how long they will remain. Not sure of when I will get a mail from them saying, “it’s time to move on…”

The most painful part has been the issuing of sabbatical in my company. Too many of people close to me are a part of the program. In a few days, they will no longer be at office. When I turn on my computer, the empty helpless communicator will stare at me and mock me. I will have to change my schedules. I can no longer do what I used to do first thing at office, ping my friends and wish them good morning. I will may be not even log into the communicator. I know this is not a big change in life, just a small change in the daily ritual. It may be just like not bathing in the morning. How tough can this be? The already very low populated mailbox will keep waiting for the mails it was used to, but no longer will. The enthusiasm with which I look at my mail box will reduce. May be, the only time I open my mail box would be to see another ‘it’s time to move on…’

The thing people say about being close even when apart, is wrong. At least in my experience. When you move far you move far. You will call each other but not that frequently. You no longer will share those little things. The distance will ultimately set in. Losing good friends is not easy. I know you will agree to this. But, it’s time to move on.

The people who have moved out or sent out will try to figure out what to do and how to do. The people waiting to move out will try to figure out ways to continue to work without heart, without soul in a place that was home once till they find another place to make it their new home. In such times, I only wish life was simpler. I wish people will never have to use, “it’s time to move on…”

Pizzas and Movies...

Sitting all by myself in a pizza joint, devouring a pizza I wonder about the difference between being alone and being lonely. How is being alone different from being lonely? If any, which is the better one? Then, I dig my teeth into the crust of the bread smeared with sauce and cheese and a few pieces of vegetable and meat sprinkled over it. I never liked to put sauce over a pizza or anything for that matter. I like them plain, unadulterated. Was I alone or was I lonely? I remember the last time I ate a pizza all alone. I had enjoyed it. It was long back. Now, again here I am in a pizza joint, with a slice of chicken supreme pizza, alone again. I conclude that I am not lonely because it was my decision to come here alone. So, it can be said that being alone is your decision. Being lonely is not. Lonely is when you like to be around people and there are not enough of them. If you ask me why I like the sauce between the cheese and the crust but not sauce over the pizza, then you don’t get it. It is because either you never ate a pizza before or because you just don’t get it. If you are eating only the pizza without any sauce or garnishing or seasoning that they give you like the chilly flakes because you like it that way, then you are alone. If you like to eat pizza with sauce and chilly flakes but at that time they have neither the sauce or the flakes, that is lonely. If you are still thinking about the sauce in between and sauce on top, then you still don’t get it. It does not matter. Let it go. Concentrate on the larger issue now. Will you? Cannot you decide to be lonely? No. You cannot because it becomes alone. Can you decide that in the pizza joint sauce and seasoning should not be available? The last time I ate pizza, I think it was the Hawaiian Chicken pizza. The pizza with a few pineapple pieces on it. Having that pizza alone was great. A few times earlier I had been to that place, I wanted to have a pizza but could not. Once, the friend accompanying me said that it was too early to have a pizza. Next time, another friend said that he was real hungry and wanted to eat something that fills stomach. Does not pizza fill the stomach? All food goes into the stomach. Pizza or other. I tried to explain this to him. He would not understand and so next time I went alone. Can you decide not to be lonely? Let me think. Yes, you can decide against being lonely. Let me explain. You go to a pizza joint and see that they are out of sauce, chilly flakes and the Italian seasoning. Here, you know that you are going to be lonely. You can either decide to go with it and be lonely or go to another place where they have all the sauce, chilly flakes and Italian seasoning. So now, what is the real difference between being lonely and being alone. Even loneliness has got a decision to be made. But, then is there nothing in life that is not a decision. To wake up was. To go to office was. To read this was. When I went alone the next time, I took a long time to decide which pizza to eat and what size. Regular would be too small. Medium would be a little more than I can eat. Large is out of question. When you are alone there are lot more decisions to be made. Lot more planning to do.

Now, when you cannot decide a thing, how can you decide against it? Let us go back to school. The teacher giving homework in Math was not your decision. But, it was and is always your decision to do it or not. I had ordered for a Pepsi before the pizza arrived. I had gulped it down, having nothing better to do till the pizza arrived. I had been lonely in life and also alone. Lonely as in having no one around and alone as in being away from everyone. Everybody goes through these. Both. Life does not spare any. I like Pepsi more than Coke. Because it is sweeter. I like being alone now. It gives me a lot of freedom and privacy. I can eat any pizza now. Chicken Supreme, Chicken Hawaiian, Chicken Salami, Chicken Tikka. By now, you must have understood that I am a fan of chicken. In meat, I like chicken’s.

I was lonely for 3 days once. I had no one to talk to. I had planned all three days to perfection. I saw a movie on each day. Read in the night. When the pizza had arrived, my mouth was watering. I ordered another Pepsi, stopping the river of saliva from flowing out of my mouth. I did not get bored. It was may be because I never pitied myself being lonely. I had rejected the blues of being lonely. I had fun. Pure good fun. I tried to eat more pizza and drink less Pepsi. I wanted Pepsi to outlast Pizza. I am alone now, by choice. As I write this, things around me are silent. Just, the fan makes a creaking sound. Its a bit old and the wings are out of shape. My thoughts are clear. No one to disturb their line. I struggled and finally got the Pepsi to win. Cheers Pepsi. My thoughts one by one slowly creep out of the brain and come onto this. I do not stop them. Why should I? The first time I went to a movie alone I realized that there is not much difference in coming alone. The movie entertains you irrespective of your accompaniment. I was lonely then. Everybody had a job and I had lot of time. Which one is good? Alone or lonely? Alone is good. The pizza tastes like it should. Everything is meant to taste in a way. Lonely is not bad either. You get a chance to know the real taste of pizza or the way it was meant to be. You get a chance to know the real you or the way you were meant to be. There were many people who had come to the movie alone. I was not the only lonely one. There were many. It also gives a chance to look into yourself. So, alone is good and lonely is not bad.

Now, I love being alone. I love traveling alone. It gives me a chance to read. In the past few months I read 75% of the books on journey to my home away from home, alone. The place I stay alone, I call home. It is one. I remember how I had an argument with a friend who called the place I live, a room. I protested, it is my home I said.

He protested. How can it be?

I asked. Why can’t it be? It is my home.

He finally gave up. It is not that I prefer watching movies alone but I don’t mind. But the movies I watch on my mac. I watch them alone. All alone. Just me and the movie. I try to see what the director wants me to see. Sometimes I do. Sometimes. Why does anybody have to be lonely? Why the hero has to win at the end of the movie? I will answer one at a time. The second one first. Thats easier. Because people like to see the hero win. People see themselves in the hero. With his victory, the sense of belief in self rises. Don’t agree? Then why do you walk out of the movie with a gloomy face when the hero dies? Because people have different lives. Because, people go to different places. Now, I am talking about the first question. People have different choices and so because you are unique you are lonely. It has nothing to do with being right or wrong. Being good or bad. You are lonely sometimes because you are very good. For every movie, good or bad you have to buy the ticket. You have to pay the price. Alone or lonely is the price you pay for a decision. Nothing comes free. There is nothing called a free-lunch. Till you watch the movie you never know if it is good or bad. Till you are alone or lonely you never know how good you are or how good you can be. The film is not always as good as the trailer, remember.

P.S: This style of writing is inspired by Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club. I loved the book and loved the style and tried to imitate him. If you liked this style then you will like the book too. Now, is this the book review? You decide. You like the style? Credit goes to Mr.Chuck. You decided to read the book? Credit goes to me!