Would you rather Visit Moon or Mars?

The Blogchatter prompt for the week invites us to choose between visiting the satellite, moon and the planet Mars. Being a satellite of our planet Earth, it is the moon that has been closer to us humans in many ways. It has fascinated lovers, poets and writers since time immemorial. Lovers have often compared their beloved to the lovely full moon as in the popular Hindi song "Chaudvin ka chand ho". The moon has also been a big hit with children. He is often referred to as 'uncle'.  Mothers feed fuzzy children showing them the fascinating moon in the sky. In fact, we even had a popular childrens' magazine titled "Chandamama". At this time of our discussion, Man has managed to set foot on the moon. There has also been expeditions to Mars including India's own Mars orbiter mission(MOM) inserted into Martian orbit on September 24, 2014. The NASA is under presidential orders to land humans on Mars by 2033. 

Today, the world is witness to private space travel. In July 2021, Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder boarded along with other humans, the first private travel operated by the manufacturing and spaceflight company Blue Origin. Such travels into space is likely to increase in the days to come. Therefore the significance of the weekly prompt of Blogchatter. Yet, even as I was contemplating on the topic, a thought came to me, "Hey,  I am yet to explore the vast areas and beauty of our own blue planet." There are so many countries and geographies that I have never set foot on. Then another thought followed in quick succession. "Why, I have not even visited the length and breadth of my own beautiful country!" After all, there is so much of diverse terrains in India be it the planes, mountains , valleys and in terms of climate from the very cold icy Himalayas to the hot and sultry climate across the country. 

I have not visited many places in my own home state of Kerala referred to as "God's own country". I am  yet to visit the forests of Thekkady, watch the spectacular 'Trissur pooram' , tea gardens of Munnar or the boat races of Alapuzha.  

From Tamilnadu, the grand temples in Trichy, Chidambaram, Madurai, Rameshwaram and many more beckon,  inviting me to explore the great culture of ancient times as also the exciting hill stations like Kodaikanal, Conoor and Kuttalam  (Have mentioned here only  places not yet visited).  

Altough Karnataka is the place of my residence for a long time, there are many beautiful places I am yet to explore like the lovely Coorg tea estates, Chickmagalur (called coffee land of the state), pristine beaches in Karwar North Karnataka,  wild life at Nagarhole and Bandipur National parks . 

In the state of Andhra Pradesh,  I am yet to visit SriKalahasti temple, Talakona water falls, the cultural capital Rajhmundry, heritage sites of  Lepakshi & Gandikota, port city of Vizag and many more lovely places. 

The many unexplored places for me in the state of Maharashtra include the historically enticing Ajanta and Ellora caves, exciting hill stations like Mahabhaleshwar, Lonavala, Panchgani, Lavasa and Khandala,  adventerous wildlife in the form of National parks in Tadoba, Chandoli Gugamal, Sanjay Gandhi  National park (between Mumbai & Thane), Agha Khan palace & Shaniwar Wada in Pune, Raigad fort, Jaigad fort, Elephanta caves and many more. 

From Gujarat, the magnificiant Jain temples atop the Shatrunjaya hills beckon. Similarly, Champaner Pavagadh Archelogical park, Sun temple Modhera, Rani ki Vav (step well of queen) in Patan, architecture brilliance of the colourful Sidhpur, Idar hill fort, Polo forest, Gir National park, Indo-Islamic architecture of Junagadh, Somnath temple, the ancient city of Dwarka and modern attractions like Statue of unity, all look invitingly and seem to say  "come and explore me..."

Further up, in Rajastan, there are the grand palaces that I have never visited in the pink city of Jaipur. I haven't been to  the  city of lakes, Udaipur,  or the Golden city of Jaisalmer with its golden dunes, ornate temples & havelis. The blue city of Jodhpur, Bikaner, the cultural paradise of magnificient architecture, Ranthambore tiger reserve, Puskar temple and Mount Abu, the only hill station of the state are all places that I am yet to visit in my beautiful, diverse country.

 In Madhya Pradesh, I am yet to visit the UNESCO World heritage site of Khajuraho with its stunning carvings on temple walls, the hill top fort of Gwalior, grand palaces and intricately carved temples of Orchha, the National parks like Kanha, Pench & Bandhavgarh, the holy city Omkareshwar & Ujjain, the Buddhist monuments of Sanchi and many more. 

In the state of Uttar Pradesh, I have visited the iconic monument,Taj Mahal. But there are so many other wonderful places that I have not visited like the world's oldest living city Varanasi, ancient cities of Mathura and Vrindavan on the banks of river Yamuna, the triveni sangam at Alahabad (now, Prayagraj), city of Fathepur Sikhri (predominantly made of red sand stone), other sacred cities/places like Ayodhya, Chitrakoot and Vindhyachal. I have not seen the National Chambal wild life sanctuary, Bara Imambara, Dashashwamedh ghat, Buddhist pilgrimage site of Kushinagar and many more attractive places in the state. 

Similarly, I have never been to the state of Punjab meaning I have not visited the first planned city of the country Chandigarh, the capital of Punjab and Haryana, with its wide roads and clean environment, the golden temple in Amritsar, or other major cities like Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bhatinda, Pathankot, Kapurtala etc. with a lot of cultural heritage These cities are well known for their forts, Gurudwaras, temples, lakes, Zoos and parks. 

In Haryana, the historical cities of Kurukshetra, Panipet, Ambala and Hisar are yet to be visited by me. The Pinjore gardens, Morni hills (only hill station in the state), monuements in Sonipat, the lakes and Raja Nahar Singh palace of Faridabad are all major attractions of the state.  

There are many places in the East that I am yet to see. In Bihar, I am yet to vist the capital, the ancient city of Pataliputra (Patna) with its glorious past or the Buddhist pilgrimage site of Bodh Gaya, Nalanda the place of academic excellence in ancient times or Vaishali,the revered Hindu, Buddhist and Jain worshiping site. I have not visted Madhubani the art & cultural center famous for the renowned Madhubani paintings, Navlakha palace, Tomb of Sher Shah Suri, Jal Mandir, Mundeshwari temple and many more exciting places in Bihar. 

Although I have visited the capital city of Kolkotta in Bengal, I am yet to visit many lovely and exciting places like the hill station Darjeeling, Sundarbans National Park (boasts of biggest mangrove forest in the world, home of royal Bengal tigers), Rabindranath Tagore's Shantiniketan, Terrkota temples in Bishnipur, natural beauty of Purulia/ Malda/Kurseong and many more enchanting places and pilgrimage spots.    

I have never been to the state of Odisha meaning I haven't visited the capital city of Bhubaneswar, known for its architechture and grand temples. The other important places I would love to visit are the Jaggannath temple in the beach city of Puri, the sun temple at Konark (a UNESCO world heritage site), Cuttack (the cultural capital of state), the coastlines like Chandipur & Gopalpur, lush green forests & rich wild life of Sambalpur, silk city Berhampur, Tikarpada wild life sanctuary, Chilika lake and many more exotic places.

There is so much to be seen in the  the north eastern states like the Kaziranga National Park & other national parks, Kamakya temple, Panimoor falls etc. in Assam, Tsomgo lake in Gangtok, Sikkim, Naga heritage village & Kohima war cemetry in Nagaland, Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh, Nohkalikal falls in Meghalaya, Lokhatak lake in Manipur, Tripura Sundari Temple and Ujjayanta palace in Tripura, Vantawng water falls & Phawngpui National park in Mizoram, the lovely waterfalls and elegant Jain temples in Jharkhand. 

The hill states lure us with exotic destinations like Kullu and Simla in Himachal pradesh and Nainital & Mussorie in Utharakhand.  Finally I would like to mention the place often refered to as "Paradise on Earth" that I have never visited- Jammu and the Kasmir valley. In the movies of the sixties, we have seen the striking beauty of Kashmir with beautiful lakes, gardens and Shikaras (Life boats). Dal lake, Tulip garden, Shalimar Bhag, Nigeen lake, Chashma Shahi garden are some of the many attractions of the state, amply blessed by nature.     

Now to come back to our Blogchatter prompt- "Would you rather Visit Moon or Mars?".  It is indeed exciting and adventerous to engage in space travel to unknown, mysterious places. However, I would first savour the beauty in my own backyard firstly my exotic and beautiful country and then our own blue planet before undertaking journey elsewhere. Would I ever go on a visit to the moon? Yes, perhaps in another lifetime. But for now, I have plenty on my plate! 

• NB: This post is a part of Blogchatter Blog Hop www.theblogchatter.com   

Favourite book of 2022

The latest weekly prompt for the " Blogchatter Blog Hop" series was to write on the "favourite book of 2022". I felt it appropriate to use this opportunity to discuss my favourite book of all time and NewYork Times best seller  "Dying to be Me" written by Anita Moorjani which is slated to be relaunched and released in 2022 with minor updates. In the book the author writes about her battle with cancer leading to her "Near death experience" (NDE). During the NDE, she left her body, went to the other world met her deceased father and best friend who had also succumbed to cancer. She subsequently returned to her body after being told that she still had a lot of things to do on earth and being assured that she would quickly recover if she chose to return to the life on earth. 

The most valuable  benefit of reading the book is that Anita has shared the wisdom, post her NDE experience as to how we could all live more fruitful and satisfying lives. We operate from a place of fear in respect of most of our decisions in life. As for example while choosing a job, we take up  something  not because we love that work but because we fear that we may remain unemployed. Similarly a life partner is chosen compromising on love and compatibilty  as you grow older for fear of remaining unmarried for life. The important teaching is to embrace 'love' as the trigger for all one's actions instead of 'fear'.  After her NDE, Anita Moorjani has been sharing her learning from the other side through her books and videos.

Another key teaching that the author picked up from the NDE was to love "one self"  or in other words practice "Self love". Anita says she was a "people pleaser" all her life, always putting the interests of others before her own. This was one of the reasons she had to get cancer. She had to 'die' to realize  the importance of  loving and being 'herself'.  As for instance, when she came to know that her best friend had cancer, she visited her at the hospital  everyday and took upon herself the responsibility to take care of her. So much so , she did not find time to take care of her own needs. As and when she had to miss visiting hospital on a day or two, she felt guilty about it. Contrast this to the advice given to passengers during  air travel that in an emergency to first take care of self  by  putting on the oxygen mask before  assisting  a child/ copassenger. 

Anita Moorjani says all the feelings of separation in terms of rich-poor, beautiful-ugly, high - low , right-wrong  are all associated  with life here on earth. In the other world, being freed from time and space you have compassion for everyone. She relates her experience of having a strained relationship  with her father when he was alive as she backed out of an arranged marriage he had fixed. However, when she met her father on the other side he was all loving and all the trivial misunderstandings during the life on earth did not matter to him. 

To me, that was the most imporatant revealation in the book. We waste a lifetime having petty differences and hating others, Yet, it is 'love' that is the driving force of life. It has to start with 'self love' and flow to others. The book traces in detail the life and times of the author Anita Moorjani prior to her NDE and how operating from a place of fear (she feared getting cancer after her friend was diagnosed with cancer and was experimenting with all kinds of diet and life styles to avoid getting it) actually caused her to die. Today, her message is to love yourself first, to be able to love others. 

It is recommended that readers check out the insightful book "Dying to be me" for a detailed account by the author for leading a happy, positive and fulfilling life. 

• NB: This post is a part of Blogchatter Blog Hop www.theblogchatter.com   

If you had Grown up during your Gandparents' Time

 

As I sit down to write on the latest prompt of the " Blogchatter Blog Hop", I ask myself what can I write about "Grandparents' time". How do I start? Perhaps it is necessary to attend to first things first; like fixing the time line. My grand parents may have been born in the first decade of the twentieth century or thereabouts. What would be my life like had I been born in 1909 in the Kingdom of Cochin, part of present day Kerala? I would be a 13 year old (Teenager) in 1922, a 25 year old (youth)  in 1934 , a 35 year (prime of youth) old in 1944  , and 45 year old in 1955 ((middle aged) and a 60 year old in 1969 (senior citizen). 

As a teenager, we attended school on and off. We had to walk around 15 miles and cross some difficult terrains to reach school. On the one side we were facing the indignity of being ruled by foreigners while on the other side, the tyranny of the caste system was being faced by most people. Frequently, groups representing the freedom fighters came and pulled us out of the class rooms to go on a procession. We were arrested and let off with a warning most of the time. 

Unlike the present times of nuclear families, we lived in joint families with each brother having 7 to 8 children of their own. My father had six children and I was the fourth in line. The limited resources had to feed many. Therefore, some of the young family members ran away in search of a job/ a means of living.

 One of my cousins, Raghavan managed to get access to a ship that was going to the middle east. It would take days facing a lot of hardships on the way to reach the destination. Yet, he went as it was the only hope for a better life. We never heard from him again. I myself dropped out of school and was not happy doing agriculture jointly on the limited tract of a land that we owned jointly as a family. 

Taking a cue from brother Raghavan, I ran away to Madras, the city of dreams in Southern part of India at that time. It was hard work during the period from 1934 to 1944. With the small amount of money that I had taken with me I had started a small tea stall in 1925. I built and grew the business brick by brick. During the period of the second world war from 1939- 1945, there was a lot of movement of army troops and Madras was an important place of transit meaning we got some good business. I had become a fairly successful entreprenuer. 

In the meantime, I went back to my native (kingdom of Cochin) to marry. I brought my bride to Madras for a few years but had to take her back to her place, consequent to the commencement of the war. Madras was a  vulnerable place that was more likely to be targeted during the war. Moreover, my life was hectic those days as I was focusing on attending to the many customers. I would visit Cochin now and then . 

All my seven children grew up in Cochin.  My wife was reluctant to return to Madras as the children who had already started their studies in Malayalam would have to start all over again from the scratch, if they switched to Tamil schools in Madras. 

Although, I had my struggles during my younger days, we had more bonding between siblings in those days, We learnt to share whatever was available. In spite of harsh circumstances, suicides were few and far between as we were toughned by circumstances and could not afford to be too sensitive. Elders did not have the time or resources to pamper children. Between my elder children, before I began making money, they had to decide as to who could go for higher studies. The one who got the higher marks went to college and the others had to join me in the grind of building the business.

As I spend a lot of my life in Madras,  I had exposure to Tamil cinema. I did not see any Malayalam movies as they were not released in Madras those days. In spite of my busy schedule I found time to watch the movies of  singing star M.K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar with 'Haridas' being my favourite. In the later years, I lost interest in cinema as playback singing had started and could not be compared to the singing sensation of my time who sang his songs himself!   

My elder son who had gone to college got a job as lecturer in Maharaja's college in Cochin. However, for most people getting a job was a problem in those days. You needed to get recommendatory letters to land a job as most companies and firms had "No Vacancy"  boards before their office complex. Many of my friends' children were struggling in this regard. I remember one of them drafting an application letter for a job where the highlights were about the number of people who were depending on the 'eldest' son getting a job and how he came from a very reputable and respected family. It was not so much about the personal competency of the applicant.  

When you look at the prosperity that the middle class have managed to achieve today, particularly in the sectors like IT , our life was a struggle. There was lot more uncertainty. Yet, we had better bonding between siblings, neighbours and the community at large. People would rush to help each other in times of emergency. When someone in the village succeeded, it was a matter of pride for not just the immediate family but for the entire village.

So there it is. You now know how it was to have grown up in my grandparent's time. As I see it, you win some; you lose some. Each period has its pluses and challenges. The same is true for my grandparent's time as well,  

• NB: This post is a part of Blogchatter Blog Hop www.theblogchatter.com   

When it could be too late...

Sri Lanka is once again in the news for the wrong reasons. Politicians with an intention to gain power and knock off the country's resources, create enmity amongst its own citizens on racial and other grounds. The ethnic differences fueled by the politicians simmered in SriLanka for many years causing great hardships to ordinary citizens. The problem is when one's attention is diverted in such matters, the politicians use the opportunity to loot the nation. By the time the people realize it,  grave economic crisis would have overtaken the country as has happened at present in SriLanka.Today, all ethnic groups of the country are on the same side fighting the politicians for the grave financial mismanagement leading to miseries of citizens. The question is, is it too little too late?   

The plight of the citizens particularly the Tamils in SriLanka for a very long time is the highlight of the poetry anthology in English titled "SriLankan Tamil Poetry- An Anthology", edited by distinguished writer and critic S. Padmanathan.

This would perhaps be an appropriate time to revisit my review of the book that provides readers insights about the SriLankan misadventure as seen by the poets through their eyes.  Readers can access the review at the link given below: 

https://rajeevianlinesandverses.blogspot.com/2019/02/my-thoughts-on-book-srilankan-tamil.html  

From Tender Age ...

The little child learning to walk 

knocks against a table, hurts himself

we don't teach him to have more control

instead, we beat the table- " Bad table, you hurt baby" 

we teach shifting responsibility from an age tender 

yet expect him to be responsible adult in later years!

Teach basics from day one!

Review of the Book "26 Verses and 26 Prose Notes on 26 Lofty topics by Manali Desai

I am happy to present here in this video the gist of review of my book " 26 Verses and 26 Prose Notes on 26 Lofty Topics"  written by writer and critic Manali Desai in the Blogchatter. The book can be downloaded for free at the following link:  

1)      https://www.theblogchatter.com/download/26-verses-and-26-prose-notes-on-26-lofty-topics-by-rajeev-moothedath

Readers can read another well written and comprehensive review of the above book by Ms  Seethalakshmi in this link:  

https://www.promisingpoetry.org/blog/26-verses-and-prose-notes-on-lofty-topics-book-review/

Twists and Turns of Life: An Interview with a Young Mexican

 

Preamble: During my visit to Australia, I learnt that my younger son Tarun had as housemates youngsters who had come from other countries like Argentina, Mexico and Japan on a student visa. Apart from studying, they supported themselves by taking up part time jobs. My curiosity was aroused and I felt that an interview would be an opportunity to know more about another country as also to understand the circumstances under which they chose to come to Australia. In this regard, it was a pleasure for me to interview Fernando Juan from the United Mexican States.

Mexico is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; by the Pacific Ocean to the south and west; by Guatemala, Belize and the Caribbean Sea to the south east and by the Gulf of Mexico to the east. It has a dynamic industrial base, vast mineral resources, a wide-ranging service sector and the world's largest population of Spanish speakers (Two and half times that of Spain or Columbia). It's large economy and population, cultural influence and steady democratization make Mexico a regional and middle power. 

Rajeev Moothedath (RM):  It is a pleasure to meet you Fernando Juan and I am happy you agreed to our conversation. 

Fernando Juan (FJ): Thank you. It is a pleasure to meet you too. Looking forward to this interaction.

RM: Mexico is known for its rich culture, colonial architecture, ancient ruins and delicious cuisine. Could you tell us in a little detail about the place where you were born? 

FJ   :  I was born in my mother's native place Guadalajara and lived here for 22 years of my life. It is a city in western Mexico known for tequila (kind of heart break) and Mariachi (special grouping of instruments) music. A historical place, our city is dotted with colonial plazas including landmarks like the neoclassical Teatro Degollado  (Mexican Theatre) and cathedral with twin gold spires. The famous murals of painter Jose' Clemente Orozco is housed in our city.  

RM: Wow! That is great. Your father also hails from the same place?  

FJ: No, my father is from the state of Michoacán   which has the city of Morelia as its capital.  They met at the university of Guadalajara where both of them had enrolled for a course in philosophy. Subsequently, they married; we are three siblings. I have two older sisters. The eldest sister Levier, is a doctor who treats cancer in children. My younger sister Lizeth, is an architect.    

RM :  What did your parents do for a living?  

FJ: Both my parents ran a factory together manufacturing uniforms for various companies and schools. It was doing well in the beginning but later fell into financial difficulties. The money problems led to marital problems and my parents divorced. My father left the factory in mother's care and shifted to Culiacán where his family was traditionally engaged in a hydraulic business. He is also presently associated with that business.

 RM:  Your mother is running the factory now?  

FJ:  Well, she ran it for some more time. Later, when she lost two big customers and there was not enough work for the employees, she shut the business and leased out the premises on rent. She continued her education, got additional degrees and is now working as a manager in a finance firm.   

RM: What about your education?  Did the crisis in the family affect your future plans?

FJ: I had enrolled for a mechanical engineering degree course but had to quit it mid-way due to the family circumstances. I decided to go out and work for some time in Canada before resuming my studies. In the meanwhile, before going to Canada, I went with friends to San Francisco in USA for two months to check out the possibility of working there. However, I did not like it there as in 2016, Donald Trump's Government was in power in the US which was not favourable to immigrants.

RM: So, how long did you live in Canada? What jobs did you do there?  

FJ: I worked for about a year there and did all kinds of odd jobs involving physical labour be it, concreting, carpentry, dishwashing or cleaning windows in high scrapers. I had gone to Canada on a tourist Visa. The Mexican community there helped me by getting me casual jobs and ensuring that I got paid in cash. 

RM: So how did you land up in Australia? 

FJ: It was around that time that someone told my friend and I, that an agent if paid $1000 would get us a working visa in New Zealand. This seemed a good opportunity, as we did not have the visa to continue for long in Canada. I had saved around $10,000 by then. I gave money to the agent, gave 4000 to the friend who wanted to stay a little longer in Canada and returned to Mexico with the remaining $5000. The plan was to go to New Zealand as and when we got the work visa.

RM: What did you do on your return to your homeland? 

FJ  :  I spent some time with my mother and sisters and later some time in dad's place. Subsequently, I secured a job as a bartender at Cabo San Lucas, Mexico's major tourist destination famous for its luxurious hotels & resorts, golf courses, amazing tours and adventures. Shortly thereafter, the work visa came for New Zealand and my friend and I moved to that country. 

RM: Did you like the nature of your job in New Zealand? 

FJ:  Well, not really. The initial job I got was with a parking lot contractor and the job was to paint white lines at parking lots in Auckland. I didn't like it, particularly because it involved walking long distances to the various parking lots. Subsequently, I moved to doing farm work in the eastern side of the country. The work included picking apples, peaching, planting water melons, harvesting corn etc. If you work in the farming area, the work extensions are given for three months at a time. Around this time the visa in New Zealand was due to expire.

RM:  So, what did you do? 

FJ:  I contacted a friend in Australia who was a student counsellor and sought his guidance. He offered to help with a student visa. I came to Australia in May 2019 to do a short course of 10 months in project management. At that time there was a big bush fire in Australia resulting in closing down of highways. I could not take up the usual jobs to support me. I therefore took up a job as a bartender in a casino. In the meanwhile, Covid struck and there were restrictions on travel out of the country. In a way, I got trapped in this place having spent around 3 1/2 years. Now, there is a provision for issue of Covid visa of one and half to two years to those who were in Australia when covid struck.

RM:  What do you plan to do next?  

FJ:  I hope to visit Mexico this year. I am missing my family. My sister, Lizeth had given birth to a girl baby months ago and I have not been able to meet my niece so far! 

RM: You are presently 32 years old. In the long run, what plans do you have for life?

FJ : I want to go back to the university. It is high time that I specialized in mechanical engineering and focus on using more of my brain cells and less of physical muscles. As the cost is higher in Mexico, I would like to pursue the degree in a country like Lativia in Eastern Europe. 

I have some savings from my work here in Australia. Further, my doctor sister has also promised to support towards part of the costs. One problem is the war that is continuing in Europe between Russia and Ukraine. I am hoping that peace will return soon. In the meanwhile, I would like to return to Mexico and spend about a year's time there. 

RM: Good to see your clarity on the way forward. Now, tell us more about what it is that you love about your country? Tourists tend to describe Mexico as having a laid-back culture with genuinely friendly people. 

FJ: Travelling to various places have given me a better perspective and understanding of my own country. I find that we are more willing to share. Unlike countries like Australia which is more individualistic, in Mexico people socialize a lot more and are willing to take the time to get to know each other. Even when we work long hours, we do not like to stress ourselves. When we have free time, we like to relax. There is no sense of 'Hurry'.

RM: How do people relax during the week ends? How about your parents?

FJ :  Well, make merry with grilling lot of meat, drinking lot of beer, lot of cultural activities & music, going to the cities, watching movies, spend time in big parks, generally chill... 

Although my parents divorced, neither of them remarried. My father is basically cool by nature. You can rarely find him getting angry. Comparatively, mom tends to get stressed. She relaxes by spending time with her grandchildren and with her pets, 3 dogs and 3 cats.  

RM :  Mexico is famous for its choicest delicacies. Which Mexican food do you like the most?  

FJ   :    Birria, a speciality of the state of Jalisco is the dish that I love the most! It is a stew made of goat/ lamb cooked in more than 10 spices that include chilli pepper, garlic, cumin, bay leaves, thyme and cooked in low heat. 

RM: In the long run, do you see yourself living and settling in Mexico?  

FJ :  I would like to travel a lot more along the length and breadth of my country.  I would like to buy a house in an area of monuments, avenues for art, music and reflecting lot of culture.  

RM:  You have lived in a number of countries, shared accommodation with house mates with varying backgrounds, nationalities and culture. What are the challenges faced while sharing accommodation?

FJ  :   Well, one major problem we face is the language if a commonly understood language is not available.  Food habits in terms of preparation and cleanliness in the kitchen can be crazy. I have lived with Germans, French, Argentinians, Asians etc. It is not as if anyone deliberately wants to annoy another. However, differences in perspective in terms of cleanliness and orderliness can be an issue

Cultural differences can be another challenge. Mexicans are generally very polite and mild mannered. The 'direct' behaviour of a European may seem to us as 'brash' or 'rude'. The housemates also work in different time schedules. Some 'work from home' while others work 'in shifts' and so on. At the end of the day though, we make it work. 

RM: You have been exposed to various cuisine. Our readers would like to know what is your favourite Indian food? 

FJ :  I love spicy grilled chicken or the chicken Tikka with Naan. A number of spices are used in the preparation of Indian curry dishes. It reminds me of my own Mexican favourite dish- Birria. 

RM: What are the challenges faced by Mexico today as a country? 

FJ : Successive Governments have encouraged and supported privatisation in a big way . It is happening like crazy to the extent that even beaches are privatised. Lands are taken over for building private golf courses. All this has increased the gap between the rich and the poor and crime has also increased. 

RM: There is a charge that Mexico is a den for cultivation and sale of illegal drugs and that violent crimes such as murder, armed robbery, sexual assault and kidnapping are on the increase in the country. Your comment?  

FJ:  It is a fact that the weather/ climate of Mexico is favourable for the cultivation of various drug substances such as Marjuana, cocaine, opium, heroin. There is a huge demand for such goods across the border in the US who seek good quality material. They, from US also supply illegally huge numbers of guns to the mafia in Mexico for facilitating the trade. There is therefore a vicious cycle of drugs, guns and crime. Demand is coming from Europe as well. So long as the Governments and the drug cartels continue helping each other, solution to the problem cannot be achieved in the near future. 

RM:  That was a very elaborate and extensive account of not only your life but about your country Mexico as well. Thanks a lot Fernando for your time and active engagement.

JC:  Thank you. I also thoroughly enjoyed this interaction.  

Four Things about Today’s World that Puzzles Me

 

The Dalai Lama when asked what surprised him most about humanity famously said "Man! Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health.".This then is what I would like to disuss as the first of the four things for the Blogchatter prompt "4 Things about Today’s World that Puzzles Me". I would like to believe that this phenomenon developed over a period of time and today, it is at its zenith with human beings being prepared to sacrifice their health chasing money and then end up spending most of it to fight ill health. Obviously this attitude of the 'strategical' modern man is faulty because all other things pale into insignificane in the absence of good health. 

There is a saying in Tamil that exhorts you to take care of the 'Wall' for "if only the wall exists can pictures be drawn on it."  The Greek mythology and king Midas's story of running after gold at the expense of the basics also reminds us of the futility of sacrificing one's health for money. In the story the king asked for a boon which empowered him to turn into gold anything that he touched. He realized that the 'boon' was infact a 'curse' when his food turned into gold as he was about to eat it and his daughter a golden statue as he hugged her. 

The second thing that puzzles me is why we allow the mobile phone to dominate our lives to such an extent that we are prepared to sacrifice the quality of our personal relationships in order to be its slave. It is a beautiful device that does a lot of things for us. Yet, when the servant becomes the master it can be a disaster. Like fire, by itself  is neither good or bad. It provides us warmth during winter and serves as source for cooking tasty food. Yet when it goes out of control it becomes a source of destruction. The same is true for mobile phones. The power of the mobile phone over humans has been discussed in these short poems written by me in the year 2016 (1) Soulmate  (2) Mute spectator. The super toy's power has only increased manifold since then!  

1)      https://rajeevianlinesandverses.blogspot.com/2016/03/soul-mate.html 

2)      https://rajeevianlinesandverses.blogspot.com/2016/07/mute-spectator.html 

The third thing that puzzles me is the way we treat 'food'. Not very long ago India faced starvation deaths due to poverty, Today, although it is a lot better, it does not justify the amount of food we waste everyday be it in industrial canteens, reataurants or at home. I had read in the Readers Digest some time ago  an incident related by an Indian student who was visiting friends in Germany. In true 'Indian style', they ordered a lot more food than they could possibly eat. Couple of elderly women were watching from a table nearby and then reached out for their phone. A little later, the police came and the boys had to give explanation as also assurances that they would never waste food in future.

 It is not about your capacity to pay but about the wasting of world's valuable resources. The youngster who wrote the piece is to be complimented as he expressed regret and sense of shame in what they had done.The message would hopefully reach and alter the approach of a lot more people to 'food'. In this connection, it puzzles me why urban youngsters smear cake on faces of friends during birthday celebrations!    

Finally I would like to end this post with this puzzling behaviour of human beings, particularly in 'today's world'. They hate, dislike, annoy and intimidate others as if there is no tomorrow.  They know that death is inevitable. They see people around them die , yet behave as if it would not happen to them anytime in the near future. True awareness of the momentariness of life would have prompted them to savour it and lead a more purposeful and service oriented lives. Humans want to be treated with 'respect' and 'love' but do not want to extend the same courtesy to others. If only we realized during this short period that we are in the "Earth school",  that we can live happy, uncomplicated lives if we "do unto others as we would be done by. "

  By making amends in respect of all the four  'puzzling' matters that we have discussed in this post, we can lead more enriching and satisfying lives.  

• NB: This post is a part of Blogchatter Blog Hop www.theblogchatter.com    

Previous post in this series: The Sweetest memory of them all

The Sweetest Memory of them all

School days are seen by many as the best period of life-  A time when the little humans are still innocent; not yet coloured by likes, dislikes, prejudices. However, for some, it may have been an experience best forgotten - A time that brings back memories of bullies in class or tormenting teachers! In the "good old days" teachers had the right to 'punish' children by caning, giving impositions or asking them to run around the school play ground 10 times. 

As for me, I always look back to those times with fondness, a period when I was molded in so many ways to become the present 'me' be it in terms of values or developing one's abilities beyond the curricular activities. Essay writing and elocution skills were honed and developed during this period. We had manuscript magazines released annualy by each class wherein students of the class contribute poems, short stories and essays. There would also be competitions to decide the best magazine for high school and middle school. I participated in almost all co-curricular activities held in my school, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Ernakulam, Kerala.  

This happened when we were in the 7th class. We had a lesson in our Hindi text book about a highway robber Ratnakar who in later life became Valmiki on meeting Narada Muni and becoming his disciple. Our teacher Sreedevi Bai madam wanted this to be staged as a play on the annual day. It was a very ambitious desire on her part. Those days only two plays were staged for the annual day one in English which is usually a Shakespeare drama and another in Hindi, both enacted by higher class students of 10th and 11th. I was assigned the role of the robber Ratnakar in our play and all of us practised whole heartedly guided by our dedicated teacher. 

However, a big obstacle had to be cleared in order to be able to stage it on annual day. All programs had to be cleared by the principal Mr BhujangaRao T.S who was very strict about standards when it came to giving clearance. The principal initially even refused to entertain an idea of 7th class students staging a play. On the strong recommendation of our teacher we were allowed to present it before him for a possible selection. There were butter flies in our stomache even as we did it before him. The result was "Rejected",  meaning we all went into a pall of gloom and  disappointment. 

A year later, as I was walking by the school playground during a free period, S.N.Dube sir  who taught Hindi for  senior classes of 9th, 10th and 11th accosted me. He was carrying a book with him. He pushed it in front of me and said "Pado, pado (read,read)". I was taken aback. First of all, he was not my teacher and I did not even know him very well. As instructed,  I read a few lines. "Ok. come and meet me in the staff room" he said and quickly moved away. I was a little worried as to why he wanted me in the staff room. Had I inadvertantly done something wrong?   

When I later went and met him in the staff room Dube sir said that he was planning to stage a  Hindi play for the School Annual Day and that he wanted me to play a role. Dubey sir was known to take only girls in his plays and get a few of them to play male characters. Now, here was he asking me to act in his play. I told him of the fiasco in the 7th class when princi had 'rejected' us. I did not feel confident to go through the ordeal once again. He said he knew about that incident and that he would take care of it. 

Thus, I ended up practising for the play for days with a team that consisted of members from senior classes. I was playing the title role that of a dubious politician who speaks of children and womens' welfare in public but ill treats his son and wife at home. This time, we had no problem regarding the clearance by the principal as one Hindi play directed by Dube sir was mandatory on Annual day. The more high profile, English play, Shakespeare's 'Othello' was also being readied directed by Mr R.K. Mishra, the PG English teacher. 

The D day had finally come! The auditorium was jam packed. Justice T.C. Raghavan was in the audience. He had come to watch his daughter play Desdemona in the English play. Our play was announced and we moved from the greenroom to the stage.Everything went like a song and there was a thunderous applause from the audience after our performance. This was a welcome change as Hindi plays were usually not taken very seriously pitted against Shakespeare's plays. One by one various items were presented and then the fitting finale of the evening- "Othello"! The program for the day being completed, prizes were being announced. We were satisfied that our play was well received. The best actor and actress would go to the English play as usual. Then came the announcement-  best actress Devika Raghavan for the role of Desdemona. Best actor Rajeev.M.N. for the politician in the Hindi play! 

We were all taken by surprise as we had not expected any such thing. However, the surprise  was followed by elation and excitement. There was a confusion as I went up the stage to receive my prize when the best actress's certificate was handed over to me which I later exchanged with Devika. It was all like a dream; being rejected by the princi in 7th class, winning the best actor prize in 8th class during the same principal's tenure, competing against more senior students. 

I never looked back after that. In all the remaining years that  I studied in the school (those days we did not have 12th class, one could join degree course after 11th),  I got opportuniy to feature in the plays on Annual day. Now, wouldn't such a memory  be treasured as the sweetest among school memories?  

• NB: This post is a part of Blogchatter Blog Hop www.theblogchatter.com