Guldasta

A bouquet of flowers picked along the way ….

Desperate Housewives October 13, 2007

Filed under: Ethics and Values,family,India,women — gurdas @ :
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“54% women back wife-beating” screamed the headline in today’s Times of India.

I read it again to make sure I read it right. Women supporting wife-beating? 54% of them?

Some other findings from the survey conducted in 28 states in India during 2005-2006:

– 51% men say it is OK for husband to beat his wife

– Over 40% of married women experience abuse at home

– 35% women were OK with being brutally assaulted by their husbands if they neglected household chores or their children

– Only 2% of abused women have ever sought police help

– Buddhist women (41%) report highest level of violence, followed by Muslim and Hindu women. Jain women face least violence (13%).

The last finding was another stunner. Buddhist women getting a rough deal from their Buddhist husbands? Not what I expected. How do survey people ensure their respondents are telling the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Maybe Buddhist women are more honest and so more got revealed. But then that still is 41% of them getting abused.

Compare this with a survey some days back that said “Indians are amongst the most satisfied with their lives”. Yeah, with such low expectations we are no doubt easily satisfied. Yogis, all of us.

 

One sense less but a lot more sensible October 12, 2007

Filed under: Children,India,Inspiration,life,philosophy — gurdas @ :
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From the sports page, print edition of Times of India, 12-Oct-2007:

“The only spectators who seemed to have enjoyed the match were the hearing-impaired kids of the Akshar Trust who were provided tickets by the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA). The kids jumped and cheered at every shot played both by Indians and Aussies”.

The other spectators, with all fives senses intact, were gloomy and dejected at the poor performance of the Indian cricket team.

I could not help but smile at that news clip. The differently abled were there to enjoy a sport and they did. The masses were there to enjoy India play a winning match and they did not.

A simple truth and yet elusive. The more you free your mind of boundaries and biases, the more Life gets a chance to make you smile.

 

Great campaigns on Indian television October 8, 2007

Filed under: Ethics and Values,India,Inspiration,nostalgia — gurdas @ :

Living in India? Had access to DoorDarshan in late 1980s and early 1990s? Then the first three campaigns are probably an indelible part of your life. The fourth, though recent, is also as good as they come and leaves no lesser imprint.

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1) Ek Chidiya, Anek Chidiya

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2) Mile Sur Mera Tumhara

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3) Baje Sargam (only audio)

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4) School Chale Hum (first previewed on TV in 2006)

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Thanks to the people who have putup these videos on youtube.

 

Engine Trouble @ taa-na-naa tana na-na naa September 30, 2007

Filed under: India,Inspiration,nostalgia — gurdas @ :

This:

Road Roller (shot from a train, somewhere in MP, India, June 2007)

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reminds me of a story.

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To see the connection, check Episode 33 of Malgudi Days. For the Malgudi Days title song go here.

A performance of the Malgudi tune

 

Ganesha! dude, you rock September 19, 2007

Filed under: India,photography,Religion — gurdas @ :

This past Sunday I went in search of the Ganesh idol that appealed most to me. Ambling through the crowded bylanes of the old city area, I came upon many forms of how the Lord is seen by his worshippers. What surprised me was the sheer scale of democracy in the visualisation. There were no two similar idols. Each devotee had and took the liberty to see Lord Ganesh in his own image. Hinduism, for all its ritualistic baggage is, even today after 5000 years, like a young religion ready to experiment. While I cannot comment on how spiritual the devotees are, what can be concluded safely is that this joyous freedom will ensure Hinduism stays around for another millenia.

Early in my assiduous two hour search, I came upon a Ganesha sculpted as a young, go-getter 19 year old. Mounted on a snazzy bike and ready to vrroom into your heart. Perched right in front was a photographer to take a shot of your kid out on a ride with the most worshipped Hindu God. I waited until the next kid was propped onto the pillion.

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Ganesha - The Dude

Wonder what the kid is looking up at. Maybe praying for a safe ride? 

There was some more that I received, courtesy my S6500fd bridge camera. And that was instant attention and hurried clearing of the front deck so that I may take my shot. Which left me feeling a little guilty. But then who knows, maybe Ganesha willed it such. What an attention grabber he is – nothing short of a film star!