Why the mindless charade !?

"Phenomenal woman" by Maya Angelou, picture courtesy, google 

Last week was that time of the year when world once again woke up to the realization that women are indeed God's greatest gifts to humanity! A week prior to the International Womens' day and my phone started buzzing with calls and messages with "special offers", invitations for Arts performances, talks, rallies, networking events, conferences and marches for the "special day". As the day neared, the intensity and number of "woman empowerment", "proud to be woman" messages began to swell driving me absolutely nuts with irony of the whole charade! So many of those messages were from people who keep forwarding regressive, misogynistic, sexist, offensive, distasteful messages masquerading as jokes. 

The work places were not far behind! The flowers and balloons decoration, the roses, chocolates and cards and "special celebration parties" for women employees with free stalls for mehendi, makeup, fashion shows and talks on "women oriented" topics is how Womens' day summed up for most working women. Of course, a few, truly meaningful workshops/talks were organized too by many corporate companies/cultural institutes but those were restricted to the elite/select few. By large, the "Women's day" celebrations remained more like fun/party time. And that made me wonder what the hallabaloo was about really! What is the point of celebrating a day without participation of women whose voices need to be heard? How can we expect to change our social landscape unless women who matter are not part of dialogue? 

I happened to be at a movie theatre at the mall on 8th March and when I greeted security women for the "Womens' day", their response was surprisingly indifferent. I am sure for many women like them the day was just like any other. How do we address the real issues of women with such dichotomies existing almost in all spheres of life? 

Don't get me wrong. I am all for celebration, gender equality and women empowerment. My problem is diluting purpose of the day to nothing more than sheer tokenism. It doesn't serve much purpose except granting 'feel good factor" for our collective conscience. A day that has garnered immense significance in the human history calls for critical planning, commitment and sharp focus on gender parity, addressing issues of gender politics, discrimination and danger faced by women world over. 

Every single day we read about inhuman acts of sexual perversion, abuse, kidnapping, rape, incest, burning, acid attacks, dowry deaths, and so many gruesome acts of oppression of women, across all categories and class that such news sound very routine.

We don't like to admit openly but the truth of our social reality is in female infanticides being devoured by sewage from rural as well as global metro cities. Our reality is in charred bodies in dowry and tandoor deaths. Our reality is, painfully disturbing rotting stench of female foetus and the hanged bodies of "honour killings". Of course, gender politics and the comprehension of equality and humanism needs to be addressed urgently today. But, changing reality needs changing mindsets, attitudes and behaviour.

  

One doesn't need to explore in to the interiors of the country to realize that caveman's mentality is still intact and the balance of power is off in our regressive, patriarchal society, even in the urban cities amidst our homes and work places. We need to ask tough questions about what are we doing to educate and change deeply ingrained conditioning that leads to discrimination and gender bias? 

There is dire need to integrate the voices that reflect our ground realities and raise the issues to local, national and global level, to the extent that they become movements, helping harness influence over policy/decision makers and protect womens' rights.  Unless we make a conscious effort to work towards making each day count as womens' day, the dangerous disconnect will continue to erode our social fabric. 

There is no point in making chest thumping proclamations about women empowerment. Let it reflect in our actions in our homes, immediate social circles and work places. Let those efforts build each other and if that truly happens, each day will be a celebration! 

Summer is almost here !

These days temperature in Bombay is peaking like never before and so is the compulsive habit of everyone fuming and fretting over it. It is that time of the year when every conversation; even one with perfect stranger is incomplete without mentioning how worst is yet to come from dreadful months ahead. 

Last week, while taking a stroll in our compound, I noticed fresh, tender shoots on mango, coconut, jackfruit and badam trees flourishing on every branch and the sight was sheer delight! Have you ever waited for summer just to have that divine aroma of fresh mango flowers bursting from the tree? 

These days, the cuckoo and other birds staying on the tree next to my window ensure I wake up before my usual time. As much as I would love to stay bit longer in bed before embracing the frenzied cadence of the day, it is impossible to ignore cuckoo's full throttled renditions very early in mornings. Albeit, the best part is being able to sink in  those sacred moments while the world is still asleep and getting to inhale heavenly fragrance of summer blooms wafting from my potted plants and garden while witnessing first rays of Sun splitting in to light announcing the new day. 

There is something inherently beautiful about the way summer smells and feels around this time of the year!  The other day I saw a pair of school girls; their oiled hair tied up in bright red ribbons, suddenly burst out of their school compound creating quite a stir with continuous stream of excited chatter as they flit from group to group discussing exam paper they had just attempted. They reminded me of swarm of butterflies joyous on a bright summer day, spreading pollen of good cheer. The sight made me miss simplicity of life that went by. Unlike the childhood, these days summer is perceived in completely different way. The hype around summer finds precedence over the scorching heat declaring arrival of season. Suddenly everything is buzzing with summer camps, summer holidays, summer special hobbies, summer fashion, summer jobs, summer workouts, summer diets and endless blah around it!

In my childhood, summer meant loads of fun and frolic, playing endlessly or doing absolutely nothing, spending the season without being spent and life less complicated. It meant family gatherings with more life and living languidly than doing. Summer always brought in joy of sleeping on terrace and falling asleep while counting stars with wide eyed wonder!  

Summer meant quenching thirst from earthen pot, having endless glasses of sugarcane juice, aam panha, lassi or shikanji freshly made at home. Summer in childhood meant lusting for burf ka gola (ice slush)/ice cream/ kulfi on a hot afternoon in cool environs of vetiver roots (khus) curtains, immersed with heady concoction of fragrance of freshly plucked Mogra and Jasmine from the garden.

Sometimes, I wonder when did I grow old to fear those bright colourful bottles at the "golawala" cart or freak and screw my nose at sight of "kulfiwala" carts that are common sights in some old part of the city. Life was much simpler when these things were part of fearless childhood. There was no worry of infections and nothing to worry about talking to strangers.

Yeah, summer is slowly arriving with scorching heat. The palette of the season is slowly changing bringing canvas with new energy, force, vigour in form of bright colours strewn everywhere. One just needs to look outside window to bask in its rugged beauty.  peaking like never before and so is the compulsive habit of everyone fuming and fretting in unison over it. It is that time of the year when every conversation; even the brief one with perfect strangers is incomplete without mentioning how worst is yet to come from the dreadful months ahead. Like a trueMumbaikar, I too am obsessed with the heat and humidity and freak every time I need to go out

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Call of Pondicherry, my soul home!

Have you ever experienced deep longing for a place/places that calls you? You don't know the reason behind that intense desire, have never been to that place but feel as if you belong there and are so restless that you HAVE to visit that place. And when you do, you feel like you have arrived home! May be, that yearning is part of our spiritual journey or growth and sometimes it takes nomadic form literally and figuratively!  

I have had this strange fascination for Pondicherry since I was in my teens. It started with me accompanying my cousin for Yoga class during summer vacation and my mother for lectures at Sri Arvind Ashram, Baroda. The serenity of the Ashram and beauty of its garden with abundant flowers used to be such allure! My mother, an avid reader, introduced me to the books from ashram and I gradually started getting interested albeit, struggling from time to time for understanding books that were far too "serious" for my age.

People close to me have known about my longing for Pondicherry and have also sometimes made fun of my obsession and wish to leave everything and settle in Pondicherry! Yeah, it has been one of the craziest yearnings I have had in my life! 

After decades of waiting, my dream came true few days back when hubby decided to give a pleasant surprise by taking me there. The trip to Pondicherry was revelation! 

There is something in the air of charming, quaint town of Pondicherry that seems like stuck in a time warp that inspires and awakens creativity! The charm of beautiful beaches, delectable food, bright yellow walls, arched gates with bougainvillea of stunningly picturesque French architecture heritage bungalows and cottages, that are confluence of different cultures, Pondicherry grows on you and the experience is surreal.

There are many things to explore in Pondicherry but I was keen to follow my heart and its calling so we spent all our time visiting Auroville and Sri Aurobindo Ashram; the abodes of spiritual experiences. 

Auroville is a communion; a microcosm where there is no such thing as religion, race, caste and creed. The aim is to live in harmony. My wish to go for meditation at Matri Mandir remained unfulfilled due to lack of time but visit to exhibition and long walks to Matri Mandir was experience difficult to comprehend in words.

Spending time in complete silence at Sri Aurobindo Ashram, a spiritual community in the heart of French quarters, was divine experience!  The amazing display of exotic flowers added to the pious aura of the place. The tranquility of the Ashram calmed all the neurosis and I returned blissful, deeply cleansed in body, mind and soul! 
  

Outside a heritage bungalow in White town, Pondicherry 

A quintessential French architecture in White town, Pondicherry 

Children waiting for their performance of chanting from Vedas at Alliance française de Pondichéry 

Motto of Auroville 

Philosophy of work as "yoga"  

The Auroville symbol

The beautiful paradise beach where one can see different hues of green and blue in waves! 

Matri Mandir, at Auroville 

The handicrafts shop at Aurovile

Experience the moment don't just click it!

Sunset at Gholwad beach, picture taken during holidays 

I was walking at the beach by dusk, soaking in luminous glow of Sun rays that changed canvas of everything around me! The photographer in me wished to take picture instantly. Instead, I chose not to and just stood there, transfixed; taking deep breaths, trying to be in that moment completely, letting the overwhelming beauty sink in. On my return, I felt calmer and nourished in every single cell of my body! 

Being a person who thrives in urban, metropolitan chaos, it is such a respite to find some time just by myself! I crave for complete isolation shutting myself to the outside world, being content with my cave like world; a womb of complete peace. No cell phone, television, camera, music or even books and absolutely no interaction with anyone! Yes, I long for such sacred moments of deep rooted piety as they hold me silent, transformed and tuned with myself in some magical space. 

With our fast-paced, multitasking, day to day lives, it is easy to get swayed in the chaos and miss out on observing/experiencing certain things completely unless we inculcate a conscious habit to take a mental note. We live mechanically, on an "automatic" mode, barely noticing anything, possessed by never ending "things to do/achieve" and constantly on the go. 

The times we live in has made the whole world accessible 24/7. It is amazing how life has become so much convenient with staying connected to anyone and everyone round the clock. The lure of virtual world is in freedom to involve at our discretion. A "like", a "poke" or a simple 140 characters of tweet is more than sufficient communication. We tend to forget there is simple, beautiful, REAL world beneath what our gadgets bring!  

Research says, our life seems more meaningful when we pause to savour certain moments/experiences. Savouring need not necessarily be limited to our best, happy moments/experiences. It could be moments when we feel upset, exhausted, dazed, lonely, depressed, stressed or even when we grieve. To pause and watch how those emotions feel and what reaction they evoke in our body and mind and understand the impact they have on us is also understanding ourselves well and in a way honouring life! 

Coming back to my walk at the beach at dusk, yeah, that picture of natural scene would have really looked cool on my facebook page and earned great admiration too but experiencing Nature first hand was awe inspiring, majestic and absolutely divine! And there is no gadget on earth no matter how smart that can substitute authentic experience of life. I am glad I did not take picture of that glorious Sunset and what I experienced by being present in the moment completely was a perfect balm for my jaded soul. It was a way of wakening, a moment of epiphany! 
  

What's behind that door!!?

I am one of those people who love to wander lonely streets in unknown places exploring with my camera, leaving the comfort zone back home in search of unfamiliar places. Walking on the streets of a completely new town as it subtly unfolds its character is truly amazing!

I am drawn to smaller towns or villages that are untouched by urban influence. They are colourful, intriguing and full of life. I find doors and windows of such places fascinating! Doors represent the unknown, stimulating curiosity  and enticing us to open and find out what lurks beneath them.
 

There is more to doors than just beautiful subjects for photography and charming wooden/metal structures. Doors are peek into the peoples' life. Each door with its distinct character evokes range of emotions that personifies people living behind them. 

From happy homes filled with laughter, homes shrouded with mystery, homes that show signs of dereliction; the grim dwellings of doom, homes fenced to ward off intruders yet luring the passers by, homes tired of being witness to former glory, lying neither unoccupied nor abandoned yet not open to public. And then there are homes with cultural heritage meticulously passed down by generations, homes that give away heartache, hope, silly banter, long, never ending wait and utter hopelessness....the doors of the homes tell all those stories. 

Yes, doors signify myriad hues of life!

The dream interpreters denote different meanings to doors; a door opening outward is a sign of need to open up to the world and the door opening inside represents yearning for self discovery. An open door also is interpreted as new opportunity being granted while the closed door represents denial of opportunity. 

I wonder how does one comprehend which doors to walk through and which ones to open or close and what about the doors that we close and regret for life and the doors that we wait for lifetime to open and let us in, both literally and figuratively?

My fascination for photographing doors can best be explained by the following poem;

"Windows" by Charles Baudelaire 

"Looking from outside into an open window one never sees as much as when one looks through a closed window.

There is nothing more profound, more mysterious, more pregnant, more insidious, more dazzling than a window lighted by a single candle.

What one can see out in the sunlight is always less interesting than what goes on behind a windowpane. 

In that black or luminous square life lives, life dreams, life suffers.

Across the ocean of roofs I can see a middle-aged woman, her face already lined, who is forever bending over something and who never goes out.

Out of her face, her dress, and her gestures, out of practically nothing at all, I have made up this woman's story, or rather legend, and sometimes I tell it to myself and weep.

If it had been an old man I could have made up his just as well.

And I go to bed proud to have lived and to have suffered in some one besides myself.

Perhaps you will say "Are you sure that your story is the really one?"

But what does it matter what reality is outside myself, so long as it has helped me to live, to feel that I am, and what I am?"