Hell and Heaven

 Man is not too happy about where he is, usually. He wants to go somewhere, usually to Heaven. It's a different matter that he may end up in Hell in most cases, if these two institutions actually exist.

But the point is, even if they do exist, why the urge/hurry to meet the Maker? Why not be happy where you are, and make the most of a life-after all, you are not an insect, or a worm...and even they have some choices about what they want to do. 

If you want to create Heaven around you, first thing to do is to be happy yourself. This may sound paradoxical, as people think you become happy by going there. I would argue the reverse. Because if you are happy, it causes happiness around in most cases. People around you smiling makes for heaven right here, where you are.

And material circumstances may not matter too much in this thing. I have seen happy people everywhere-from vegetable vendors pushing a cart to kids playing in the dirt or diving into a lake or river or a rain puddle with abandon. Blaming something/someone for what you don't like is easily done, but does not get you anywhere. Change things if you can. If not, change yourself. Like yourself. Be happy. That's all there is to it.

My Avatars on Earth- 2

Being earthy, I have had multiple avatars on earth. This is an attempt to capture some of them.

 Above. Second from left, acting in a play "Waiting for Lefty" at IIMB.
Sudhir Goel Robin Thomas and Sivaram are with me in the scene.

 Above- posing on my parents' Ford. Below- Backseat driving at Jaipur.

Preparing for a political career, at least dressing up for one.

My Avatars On Earth- 1

We all grew up hearing stories of how Gods come in different avatars on earth. Vishnu had ten, for example. But we also have avatars- right here, according to my theory. These are phases in our lives, or makeovers that some of us go through while playing different roles, very different ones at times.
Starting with the Samurai avatar.

 Above- book writer and launcher- Pune Crossword, launching my autobiography with Jaya Jha and Sharu Rangnekar. Below, the Duke of Pleudiry, with the Duchess.

 Above- the reader. Kalyug is writtten by my student from IMT.

The tourist- with Anil Lahoti and Suresh Prabhu.

Intergalactic Incoherence

Usually our thoughts are limited to global happenings. What if we expand it to include other planets, or even galaxies? After all, the universe is so large, there are bound to be a lot of things we can only imagine- or maybe not even that. But it doesn't hurt to try and imagine an intergalactic conversation between beings from say, the Silky Way galaxy. Rhyming with the Milky Way is purely coincidental.

If two beings from the Silky Way came across our species, the homo sapiens, they may go as follows (translated from their language for the convenience of readers)-

Being 1: There are millions of these critters around here.
Being 2: More, maybe zillions. But there are a few stretches of sand and sea where nothing appears to be living- at least on the surface.

B1: Let's observe them for a while.
B2: Yeah. That handsome sadhu with flowing robes, what is he saying to the multitudes listening to him?
B1: He is teaching them to ride a bicycle, it looks like.
B2: He is also doing some breathing tricks. Maybe he is training them to survive under water.

B1: See there? Another specimen who is standing in front of a mirror.
B2: Yes, been there for an hour now, and not done yet.
B1: Like the Greek fellow we read about in our history, what was his name, Narcissus?
B2: Yes, this is his female equivalent though, going by her dress and long tress.
B1: These humans seem to have a lot of time to indulge themselves. Not like us, who have to constantly engage in intellectual pursuits and find solutions to all our social and other problems.

B2: Once upon a time, there used to be social reformers on this planet too, if I remember my history. But they are long dead and gone. Now, the pursuit of money and pleasure is all that consumes the species.
B1: But I hear there is one guy, someone called Aamir Khan, who is trying to rouse people's conscience through a hard-hitting program on TV.
B2: Yes, but he is about the only one. Everywhere else, there seems to be utter chaos, if i can read the minds of these humans. For instance, in Europe, Americas, Africa and so on, governments are falling like nine pins, with no sensible replacement in sight.

B1: I believe there are some people called derivative traders who created worldwide chaos a few years ago with a few clicks of the mouse.
B2: Who are these derivative traders?
B1: Not sure. They are extinct in our galaxy, like the dinosaurs here.

...End of First Episode. To be Continued