Yann Martel's Life of Pi

It is by chance that I got the e-book – Life of Pi.

Think I missed reading about this book until I heard that the movie is going to be shortly released. What interested me was an article that mentioned that it was partly shot at Munnar (mainly in Pondicherry). And now that I finished reading the novel, I just cant wait to watch the movie directed by Ang Lee. It may not be as arresting as the book but I am looking forward to it.

Ang Lee

I did not want to stop reading the book since the story was very interesting. There were times when it turned horrific.  But the entire tale though surreal, I somehow wanted to belive that it was a true story. While the author never really tells us if it is entirely fictious, I would really love to know the truth.

The protagonist of the novel Mr. Patel or Pi as he wanted himself to be called instead of Pissing is an interesting character. I liked the way he discovered the three major religions in India at the age of 16 and how he ended practicing all three. The people who introduced him into each believed that he had become one of their own. This was proved wrong when all of them meet together. 

After the "Hellos" and the "Good days", there was an awkward silence.

The priest broke it when he said, with pride in his voice, "Piscine is a good Christian boy. I hope to see him join our choir soon."  

My parents, the pandit and the imam looked surprised.  "You must be mistaken. He's a good Muslim boy. He comes without fail to Friday prayer, and his knowledge of the Holy Qur'an is coming along nicely." So said the imam. 

My parents, the priest and the pandit looked incredulous. 

The pandit spoke. "You're both wrong. He's a good Hindu boy. l see him all the time at the temple coming for darshan and performing puja." 

My parents, the imam and the priest looked astounded.

Then ensued a war of words between them and they slaughtered and  slandered each other’s religion while exhorting his own. Finally it was decided that one cannot be a Hindu, Muslim and a Chrisitian. This is when Patel  answers thus.

"Bapu Gandhi said, 'All religions are true.' I just want to love God," I blurted out, and looked down, red in the face.

How true!

For most of us religion is another tool to exhort favours or to exert power but seldom to love God. If only religion was used to love God and in turn to love what He created lovingly!

The author also writes the following about religious strife.

And that wasn't the end of it. There are always those who take it upon themselves to defend God, as if Ultimate Reality, as if the sustaining frame of existence, were something weak and helpless. These people walk by a widow deformed by leprosy begging for a few paise, walk by children dressed in rags living in the street, and they think, "Business as usual." But if they perceive a slight against God, it is a different story. Their faces go red, their chests heave mightily, they sputter angry words. The degree of their indignation is astonishing. Their resolve is frightening.  These people fail to realize that it is on the inside that God must be defended, not on the outside. They should direct their anger at themselves. For evil in the open is but evil from within that has been let out.

The main battlefield for good is not the open ground of the public arena but the small clearing of each heart. Meanwhile, the lot of widows and homeless children is very hard, and it is to their defence, not God's, that the self-righteous should rush.

It is when Patel is cast away in the ocean with a man eating tiger that the novel grips you truly. From there you can do nothing else but finish the tale.

http://3euro2010lfpondy.blogspot.com/

A good move

Kerala has made a good initiative.


It has stated that henceforth, PSC applications as well as various job applications for government jobs which do not mention religion will not be rejected. One can also leave the column for religion blank in your school leaving certificate, in case you do not want to take the benefit of reservation.

Let the state spend towards free and compulsory education so that no one lags behind. Just this shall give the nation the most benefit. Let religion not be the basis for giving financial assistance.

This needs to be emulated in the rest of the country too. This will stop politicians from dividing the people and twisting them in their hands for the sake of votes.

While in Kerala, SM Krishna also mentioned that Haj subsidy would be scraped since Muslim organizations have requested so. Even otherwise such subsidies do not reach the deserving candidate.

Source:
http://malayalam.deepikaglobal.com/News_Cat2_sub.aspx?catcode=cat2&newscode=208186

Swami Vivekananda.. we continue to uphold your words...

'I have wandered into a lunatic asylum!' said Swami Vivekananda while in Kerala.

And more than 100 years have passed, yet Keralites continue to prove him right. Looking at the way the nail biting election results played out and the ensuing dramas before and after the election can one say that caste/community/religious based feelings have all been dumped?

Will the present CM voluntary select a mental hospital to recuperate / escape lunatic Kerala?

As a woman, I continue to wonder how Kunjhalikutty managed to get such a thumping victory. As for PJ Joseph, he has been hopping from party to another very easily and barely managed to escape the sexual allegation against him. The mullahs and the priests have indeed done a great job!

How did one of the best ministers in the earlier government N K Premachandran lose?

Politicians and religious heads have made Kerala into a land of minorities and we have minorities even among the majority! Each party keeps evolving after every election and fine tunes their means to keep this trend running.

Should I not admit myself into a lunatic asylum if I ever hope for good governance in Kerala?

For further enlightment:


http://maddy06.blogspot.com/2007/09/vivekanadas-lunatic-kerala.html
http://www.hvk.org/articles/1105/52.html
http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/12/stories/2009051261710100.htm
http://www.minister-irrigation.kerala.gov.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26
http://www.dailypioneer.com/336305/Left-reacts-wildly-to-NSS-criticism-against-VS.html
http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/apr/30flip.htm

Can Husain return?

I am no artist and if I see a modern painting I would muster all my intelligence and try to match the name of the painting with the artist’s illustration. Most of the time I fail the test. Guess one needs imagination too. Hence personally my adulation would always be for a picture that is straightforward and which can be seen by my own eyes.

I believe an artist sees the world in many different ways and his/her illustrations may or may not strike a chord with the viewers. One may also see something entirely different from what the artist set out to illustrate.

Anyway this is not about paintings. But because of my ignorance about artists and paintings I never knew that 94 year old M F Husain has been living in exile (in Dubai) for the past few years.

Did India really sent an artist away from his country of birth for his paintings?

Wikipedia gave the following:

One of the most highly rated artists in the world today, his work sells at astonishing prices and are grabbed almost instantly by international art collectors.

According to Forbes magazine, he has been called the "Picasso of India".[1]

At the age of 92 Husain was to be given the prestigious Raja Ravi Varma award by the government of Kerala.[10]

In early 2008, Husain’s Battle of Ganga and Jamuna: Mahabharata 12, a large diptych, from the Hindu epic, fetched $1.6 million, setting a world record at Christie's South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art sale.[3]

Unfortunately the higher in stature he grew, the bigger the controversies too. Every religious / patriotic sensibility seems to have been battered by this frail old man.

In the 1990s some of Husain's works became controversial because of their portrayal of Hindu deities in the nude or in an allegedly sexual manner.[12]. The paintings in question were created in 1970, but did not become an issue until 1996, when they were printed inVichar Mimansa, a Hindi monthly magazine, which published them in an article headlined "M.F. Husain: A Painter or Butcher".

Husain's film Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities[26] was pulled out of movie theatres a day after some Muslim organisations raised objections to one of the songs in it.[27] The All-India Ulema Council complained that the Qawwali song ‘Noor-un-Ala-Noor’ was blasphemous.

And now he wants to return to India as per this report.

Centre plans to pave way for M F Husain's early return

Is the stage set for the next political drama?

I have earlier lamented on my blog on the Iraq War; its futility and horror. The world listened to the death toll and the happenings in Iraq for a while but then it became a routine. Yesterday by chance I came upon a blog said to be written by an Iraqi girl. The last entry on her blog is dated October 22, 2007 when she fled with her family to Syria as a refugee. She has not written again and there are many who wonder what could have happened to that vivacious, freedom loving spirit that was in her.

Movies have made me cry but not blogs. But yesterday her words struck my heart. Why has the world forgotten Iraq? The war was wrong but isn’t there anything the world can do to correct this crime against humanity? I am not hoping for a changed US after the recent elections but I do pray that Obama is given a chance to keep his word and take the US out of Iraq and possibly take the curse that is upon those who sided with this war. Even if another Saddam may rise up, let it be, maybe this is the only way Iraq will have peace and prosperity. Let the Iraqis manage their country in their way.

She ends the last entry on her blog thus:

The first evening we arrived, exhausted, dragging suitcases behind us, morale a little bit bruised, the Kurdish family sent over their representative – a 9 year old boy missing two front teeth, holding a lopsided cake, “We’re Abu Mohammed’s house- across from you- mama says if you need anything, just ask- this is our number. Abu Dalia’s family live upstairs, this is their number. We’re all Iraqi too... Welcome to the building.”

I cried that night because for the first time in a long time, so far away from home, I felt the unity that had been stolen from us in 2003.

This is another entry:

Friday, December 29, 2006

End of Another Year...

You know your country is in trouble when:
1. The UN has to open a special branch just to keep track of the chaos and bloodshed, UNAMI.
2. Abovementioned branch cannot be run from your country.
3. The politicians who worked to put your country in this sorry state can no longer be found inside of, or anywhere near, its borders.
4. The only thing the US and Iran can agree about is the deteriorating state of your nation.
5. An 8-year war and 13-year blockade are looking like the country's 'Golden Years'.
6. Your country is purportedly 'selling' 2 million barrels of oil a day, but you are standing in line for 4 hours for black market gasoline for the generator.
7. For every 5 hours of no electricity, you get one hour of public electricity and then the government announces it's going to cut back on providing that hour.
8. Politicians who supported the war spend tv time debating whether it is 'sectarian bloodshed' or 'civil war'.
9. People consider themselves lucky if they can actually identify the corpse of the relative that's been missing for two weeks.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

The Great Wall of Segregation...


I remember Baghdad before the war- one could live anywhere. We didn't know what our neighbors were- we didn't care. No one asked about religion or sect. No one bothered with what was considered a trivial topic: are you Sunni or Shia? You only asked something like that if you were uncouth and backward. Our lives revolve around it now. Our existence depends on hiding it or highlighting it- depending on the group of masked men who stop you or raid your home in the middle of the night.

It also brings a hard truth; religion can be used in a brutal manner by anyone to achieve their ends. It can be used by those in your own country or by those who are outside. It can shatter peace and change the mindset of even a peace loving individual. It only needs constant feeding of fear and mistrust.


and now....

A former Deputy National Security Adviser for Iraq and Afghanistan has called on U.S. President-elect Barack Obama to deal quickly with the issues of Kashmir and Afghanistan.

India has resisted U.S. mediation on Kashmir in the past, but the growing U.S.-India strategic relationship may now make American involvement possible, The News quoted Meghan O’Sullivan, as saying in an article for a foreign newspaper.

Religion, thy name is strife.....

Started writing on the Delhi blast the same day but was instead lost in a few blogs &newspapers.

Roop in her post has expressed her anguish well and has raised valid questions too. The comments on her blogs should be read with openness. I had already read Nimmy’s post along with many other blogs and newspapers trying to seek answers. I have also been reading blogs and sites upholding “Hinduvata” and did feel that something is indeed simmering in our country. The Delhi blasts painfully reminded me that a stage has reached where even the Indian Muslims have succumbed. Earlier it was easy to blame it on Pakistan or Bangladesh.

Violence is never the answer for anything. No one has the right to hurt anyone for any cause, especially since we claim to live in a democratic country. Sadly the police and the governments that order them fail to bring justice. Those lives are lost just because they chose to be at those spots and will never ever be an answer to any cause.

I read what lallopolo has commented on Roop’s post and he has raised a valid point. This is not the time to isolate any community. I being from another minority community (I am now forced to call myself this name I so abhor) can understand it very well, especially upon seeing the growing animosity towards Christians in the name of “conversion”. While I do agree that there are name sake Christians who have lost all good sense, I will not accept if the entire Christian community is blamed. I have read blogs where videos of Christian conversions and senseless acts by preachers have been posted and I myself squirm on my seat helplessly. In a state like Kerala where Christians have existed for almost 2000 years (if history should be believed), one never felt the pangs of being a minority and hence never gave that word a second thought. I am a proud Indian and I never chose my friends on the basis of religion and still have friends from all religions.

So if there are those among the minorities and the majority who wants to forget what India really is and give it up all for their religion it is up to the law of the land to take immediate measures instead of resorting to cheap politics. It is also up to each of us to pass this message within our own community and to point out those who err.

I also liked what Siddusaaeb wrote…

What could we, Indians, do?

1. Remain vigilant and report suspicious objects/persons at once.

2. Use tools like the Right to Information (RTI) Act to find out about the measures being taken by the administration to improve security, besides publicising security lapses when we come across any.

3. Stop voting for parties that incite, promote and/or actually organise communal violence in the form of riots, so that there is no incentive for these parties to organise such violence in the future. That can, in turn, prevent terrorists from getting local support in the name of extracting ‘revenge’ for the communal riots.

4. Campaign for the perpetrators of communal riots/bomb-blasts to be brought to justice at the earliest possible, so that, once again, the number of local recruits available to terrorist organizations can be reduced.

But then again succumbing to cynicism, are our governments capable of doing so? Although a major section of Indians trusted this government on the nuclear deal, I don’t find the same trust when it comes to resolving this issue.

The last say........

Let me have the last say on this topic of fake healers and pastors since this is my blog.

Frankly speaking, I never expected such aggressiveness from some of the readers. But I let them rant and rave to the point of throwing insults (from people who claim to have come closer to God) to expose the so called “Believers” who seems to have discovered “something” which the rest of us have do not have. These are the followers of the so called “Healers” and “Pastors” who are on a direct mission from God. The comments made one our friends say that it has made him hate the so called “born agains” even more, while others (specially my Hubby) thought that I was too mild in answering them or some felt that I should not have published the comments at all. While I thank each for their concern, I feel I had to do what I did.

I believe faith starts from home and I am thankful that my parents handed over to me solid faith to carry me through this life. While I don’t deny completely the role of the traditional churches in this, on landing in Gulf soon after my marriage I had only my Hubby to lean upon and on facing many difficulties and hurdles, I did not have to run to anyone but God. The prayers of mine and of those who loved me carried me on. The support system of family, friends and church doesn’t work here in Gulf for most of us and we are left on our own during the initial years. But God was there at every difficult moment of my life. And yes, I faced many difficulties since I had left a “comfort zone” for a life that was completely different. I can call some of them "miracles" too. But I still have a long way to go and I am still learning but I am thankful that God has given me the intelligence to discern.

Let the Government,the Traditional Churches and the public do what they should do....

In Denial Mode...

Just like Santhosh Madhavan and other’s even Thanku Brother is in the denial mode at present. As for his followers like Thomas, they are either too shocked to digest the news or they knew all along. Was amused to see that none of the major print and TV media picked up the news earlier, specially the ones popular among the Christians. They had to wait until the youth wing of the BJP marched to the “Heavenly” premises.

Never knew that Thanku had gone a step ahead and recruited even a District Medical Officer. A raid is going on today to unearth further evidence.

Miracles do happen and God works through people. A doctor is an instrument in God’s hands. Your prayer can lead you to the right doctor and the right medicines. But I was shocked to watch this DMO say on TV that there is no need of any medicines. This brought to my mind about the death of a boy who was my younger sister’s class mate in school. Though he was a bright student he was often sick since he was suffering from a heart disease. The problem was that the parents refused to continue medicines since they became a part of a Christian sect who believed that God alone will cure him without any medical treatments. His death in class 9th affected his classmates a lot. When they went to the funeral they were even more shocked to see the Pastor busy preaching while the Parents seemed to not mind about the death.

People like Thomas feels that moving away from the traditional churches solves all their problems without realizing that they would be at the mercy of the so called Pastors and Gurus. Even the Church cannot solve your problems until you yourself have faith.

For those who missed out on the news

Here is the link: http://www.keralakaumudi.com/news/052008M/kerala.shtml#3

Our faith is so fickle; it requires tickling...

And finally the day has dawn......

The last 2 weeks we were forced to switch from one channel to the other (Kerala has almost 14 regional channels!) hoping to catch the latest update on the various “kalla” Swamis. The scenes were better than any reality shows with a gun wielding swami shooting rampantly and then even screaming with pain. Of course, one will never know the political connections behind them since both the major parties are involved.

All along, Hubby and I were wondering when more religious “gurus” will be unearthed. It is common knowledge that world over, religion is now the most commercialised and every religious text and its leaders has been sold many times over. And being a Christian myself, I am not aware of the Hindu Swamis but am aware of many Christian spiritual gurus. We have Malayalam channels dedicated exclusively for these “gurus” and each episode of 30 minutes or more can cost IRS 8000 to IRS 35,000 or even more. Besides the daily appearance in these channels, these “gurus” find precious time to visit other countries too. As everyone knows, visiting US would yield dollars and visiting Kuwait yields dinars.

Now today, we have heard the news that we were waiting to hear since some time. A raid is being conducted at the place of the famed “Thanku Pastor” of the “Heavenly Feast Church”. He seems to have no answer to the source of his income.



Kuwait was "blessed" to have Thanku Pastor not once but many times. Today while checking his website I came upon an interesting “miracle”. It is under the section “Sow your seeds and pick your gift” where audio and video messages are given away.

By the way, it is not sold like in others and their FAQ section cleverly says so...

Q: “How can I get the resources (media releases) of Heavenly Feast?

A: There are no products from Heavenly Feast. But for those who support us in the missions will be given a ACD,VCD or DVD as per request. LOL!

Now for the miracle!

This is one of the latest releases from Heavenly Feast Media Ministry which features the testimony of our dear Grandma Ammini who died on her way to new york,went to heaven,met Jesus and returned back to life.
Watch this amazing video!

This poor Ammachi must be now wishing she had never boarded that plane to New York, if she ever did!

And while in Kuwait, I was told that people witnessed much healing and miracles. (one poor supporter did die on stage and the healer could do nothing since he had to board the plane to the next destination - Singapore)

I asked one of my friends, a staunch supporter of Thanku to give me the phone number of these witnesses so that I can have a chat. Alas.. no phone numbers! I was also told that he raised many to life in his home town Kottayam! Are the Kottayam residents sleeping? I mean, isn’t it time they demolished those hospitals and gave that beautiful town some breathing space? And at the rate these miracle healing and healing minsters are multiplying, we should soon have the profession of doctors scrapped away.

To think that there are educated people from all Christian denominations and other religions who flock to such gatherings!

I am in no way saying that miracles do not happen. It can happen depending upon ones faith and we already have it in the Bible. “If one has faith as small as a mustard seed, one can ask the mountain to move away and it will”. If each one of us had even a miniscule of this faith in us, we wouldn’t be flocking to these so called healers and preachers. We would have prayed for it to happen and then watched the result. And that is what keeps these “Fake” gurus ticking. Our faith is so fickle that it requires tickling.

And they are not just ticking, they are growing by leaps and bounds. Reliable sources said earlier and now being confirmed that he has built a mansion costing 2 crore in his home town of Kottayam. Like a smart businessman he has also diversified his business. I believe those working closely with him benefits greatly from him while the money keeps pouring from the thousands of believers spread across the globe. Even a penny from the listening believers can add to the coffers. He could also have other source of income which the police should unearth.

He has a shady background which is well known but unfortunately even this has added to his popularity! He used his past to “witness” on his spiritual enlightenment. Ahh.. the tricks of the trade! Who wouldn’t want to sympathise and relate with the lost sheep now come home to the Shepherd. Earlier the text of his “witnessing” was to be seen on his website but now I cannot find it.

Hubby was always greeted with stern faces if he ever mentioned about these so called “Healers” and priests who gathered income beyond their means. The common line being “We have no right to judge others but only God can judge”. Trick no 2.


The coming days are going to be exciting. We will soon see many “gurus” going into hiding. I only hope the public will cooperate and show restraint. I also hope that those who are honestly serving the poor and needy are spared.

"Love your Christian neighbor as yourself."

The latest from the distressed community really shows that there are some in urgent need of counselling.

But if this remains as just a wish it is fine but if they are planning for an “edayalekanam” and instructions to strictly abide then it is time they had a thorough check up.

Now let me examine myself as a parent. Will I choose a school of my own community or does it matter at all. I think personally for me and hubby the first priority would be quality education at affordable price no matter who runs the school. Now if I studied in a school run by the minority community, it was because it was the only one around the place I grew up. But then I cannot speak for my parents but I don’t think it ever mattered to them. After all, a school is a place where you acquire knowledge and learn to live with the rest of the world, irrespective of their caste, creed, colour and above all RELIGION. The devil sent manna for our politicians and some religious leaders. If one needs to teach them religion, one has special schools and your own home too. This responsibility should not rest with the schools.
I can very well relate with the SFI activist who changed the well known verse thus...
"Love your Christian neighbor as yourself."
Anyway I can never understand some religious leaders who seem to have lost it all. But I would be happy if the faithful doesn’t follow suit but show some sense.

Modi and Afzal

Will Modi come to power again? Yes.. this is what I think. Now shouldn’t each of us ask the question why? I am sure the election is fair and that he is the choice of the people although the number of votes may come down this time. But why is the question.

He cites many reasons for which he should be elected. One being the development that Gujarat is facing and another his fight against terrorism. Now BJP is not a secular party and hence Modi is not secular. Hence when Afzal Guru is not hanged, it goes in favour of Modi. Now I don’t know why Afzal Guru is not hanged. I searched the net and came up with this

Can the protectors of law tell us if Afzal guru is guilty or innocent? If he is guilty he should be punished since his crime cannot be forgiven. He killed those who were trying to protect our Parliament. Although those who were protected deserved this or not is another question in itself! But it was the Indian Parliament and every Indian would want to avenge this.As for Modi, he thinks only Hinduvata is the answer for terrorism. Can religion alone decide your patriotism? Every individual who believes in God thinks better of his own religion. This is natural since he is born into it. But this does not mean that it kills your patriotism. I believe religion is something personal and we should leave it there. Let us not try to measure our patriotism in terms of religion since this will create more Modi’s and Afzals.

Savior - An old movie

Watched Saviour on Star movies last night, but unfortunately missed the beginning. The movie was great and some of the scenes refuses to leave my mind and I guess will be eternally etched in my mind.

After watching this movie, one will hate religion more than ever. How can a Human being turn into a beast for the sake of religion? I am sure the real story was far more horrific than what was showed on the screen.

Come to think of it, the same life flows through all.. the rich and the poor, the kind and the cruel, the fat and the thin and when this life decides to leave the body for good.. none of these religions can bring it back. A religion is good, only when it teaches its followers, tolerance, patience, love, benevolence; irrespective of caste, color, creed or sex and they FOLLOW it in their lives. Otherwise it is good for none!

In this movie there is a scene where a group of Muslims are being killed by hammering their heads.. horrific..

I am not blaming any religion in particular because we have heard about them all...but.. will I behave thus in the same situation? Will I turn against my neighbours in the name of religion? It is good for us to ask ourselves these questions since the devil lurks in all of us – waiting to show its power- just like how goodness lies within each individual.