Arab Spring and Delhi Winter

It was some twenty years or so back I read about a human chain kilometers long somewhere in Europe. It was organised by the Green Peace activists (if I remember it correctly) , protesting against Nuclear projects. This human chain attracted world wide attention as then it was a new way to protest. Soon we in Kerala saw our first human chain, creating some reason to protest. What followed was a chain reaction of human chains. We had human chains unbroken from Thiruvananthapuram in the south to Kasargod in the North. In these chains each link had a happy face. Happy of being part of a grand event (managed). No problem seemed to worry anybody. There was no anger or anxiety over any face. The spirit of the first human chain in Europe was the most conspicuous thing by its absence in our indigenous editions. After all, the spirit cannot be aped.

Then we saw spontaneous eruptions of  protest starting from Tunisia and spreading to Libiya, Egypt, Yemen, Bahrin, Syria and some other countries of the Arab world. Collectively we call it the Arab Spring. In all these places we saw the endurance of the protesters before the guns that may roar any time.

This winter Delhi recorded the lowest temperature in a long long time. But even more chilling was the cruelty done to an innocent girl. No doubt, all that are human might have been frozen for the perpetrators of this horrible  crime. The citizens of Delhi were pained and anguished and they came on the streets in tens and thousands. The whole world saw what followed.

I may be excused for asking certain questions or making some statements. Am I wrong if I say that these protesters knew well that they were in democratic India and that they were standing only before water canons and at the most rubber bullets? This is not to question anyone's honesty. But weren't there a lot of drama? Aren't you tempted to compare the Delhi Winter with the Arab Spring? One need not go up to the boy who stood  unfazed  before the speeding army tank at the T-square.

It is the following scenes that made me think like this.

HOWZAAT???

6th Jan 2013

Firoze Shah Kotla ground was on fire as it should be during an  India-Pak ODI. If the commentators are to be believed, the crowd was 50,000 strong. All the drama and melodrama of such an occasion was visible in the stands. And as the matched turned to be a cliff hanger, there were a large number of people who closed their eyes and were praying. Obviously none of them was praying for the departed soul. Just a few days back they were there at the Jantar Mandir or the India Gate in all their fury. How could they so easily settle down and watch a cricket match? I had this thought....."was this the city that launched a million protesters and burned tons of candles?"

The TV camera crew has the knack of picking up special scenes on the stands. And I saw this girl who was weeping. I said to myself " she might have thought of the tragic event and have forgotten about the cricket unfolding before her". Foolish I was. Soon I realized that it is not the tri-colour on her cheeks. It is the monochromatic one. Yes, with India coming back into the game the girl from across the border could not hold back her tears.  My nationalism erupted and  I too started praying  with closed eyes. On opening my eyes I saw Yuvi fleeing for somewhere with the 'catch" held firmly in his hands and others following him failing to reach him. India won the match.

Where did I start? Forget it. India has won. Jai Ho!

And God said. Let Music be!

 I have always wondered how man created music. My musings over this question have led me to believe that though this is the only art form which does not have a physical form to emulate, it should have been, and is still there in nature, esoterically though. Identifying or extracting music from nature could not have been the result of any concerted effort with well defined targets. It might have "occurred" to the "selected few" while in some divine meditation. But then, how can various forms of music evolved independently  in totally unconnected places over the earth at different points of time have the same basic structure.Any form anywhere in the world evolved during any era in history is built on the seven basic notes. How can this happen?God might have sung those seven notes into the ears of someone in ascetic meditation, perhaps in an inadvertent pursuit of the unknown. This might have happened to the "selected few" as God might have thought that his creations are incomplete if those seven note remained sublime beyond the human perception. And He might have allowed those note to trickle down from the heavens into the human ear and He might have proclaimed, "Let Music Be". ...........and it might have been all music! Whatever happened after that might be a product of human intelligence.
My belief that music exists in nature is a consequence of some personal experiences. Hearing a well rendered Sreeragam, I bow my head and with folded hands, I feel like standing in some divine presence. Kaapi ragam takes me to Vrindavan. A slow Tabla, accompanying the Sarod, takes me to the Akbar's court and the Veena and the Mridangam take me to Kailasm. Such experiences do not occur always. Mridangam should be by Karikkudi Mani. Great if it is Mysore Doraiswamy Iyengar on the Veena. Zakir Hussian on the Tabla and Amjad Ali Khan on the Sarod..........you are sure in the Akbar's court. And Hariprasad Chaurasia after midnight in dim light or lights off .......... look out through the widows. You can "see" the confluence of swaras from the heavens. While watching the snow fall in Kashmir don't you "see" Pandit Shivkumar Sharma sprinkling those Santhoor notes? And isn't it the Bhoopalam that makes the sun rise in the east? Any doubt?

ANN EYE OPENER !!!

Kottayam,
2nd December 2012

My dear Ann,

I concede defeat. It suffices to write just this. Here I can conclude this letter with the customary "Yours lovingly..."

But since this letter is in the public domain, I think I should elaborate for those very few of my students who unreasonably yet staunchly believe that their Sir cannot falter.

The Kottayam "Mixed Voices" is in existence for 27 years. Over these years their programmes were  hugely appreciated by the music lovers here and elsewhere.  But for a variety of reasons this never enthused me. This time when you invited me I thought I should attend. How can one say no to someone as affable as you are?  Today's carol programme  was a curtain riser to this year's Christmas in Kottayam. The grandeur of the evening needs no description. Ann, I came there in time and could spot you in the front row of the singers. The songs were presented with utmost perfection. May I tell you that this time too, the songs didn't enter my heart. I do not know whether it is my ignorance or some innate dislike, I could never hear western classical music through my heart. So it were not the songs but the singers who defeated me. I remained awe stricken by the mastery of the singers. A really spellbinding performance. Simply superlative.  So much of artists in a small town is unbelievable. Yes Ann, till this evening Kottayam remained a small place for me. The "rubberised" vanity and extravaganza was always nauseating for me. The aromatic pepper or the seductive fragrance of tea or coffee never mesmerized me into respecting Kottayam. But today Kottayam rose to astronomical heights in my esteem and the aftermath was my steep fall in my own esteem. Talent is God's gift. With so much of God gifted singers in this town I felt dwarfed despite my six-one frame.  Ann, in our discussions I had questioned  the spirituality of this kind of singing. I regret. Spirituality being such a personal experience, how can I question somebody else's means of spirituality or its expression? Ann, most of the things I have told you during our talks remain the bedrock of my faith. But I should confess that I learned quite a few things today so that if my views were any skewed they will get corrected.

Having said this much, I think I should say more. As a Physics teacher I have been advocating confinement of mind and convergence of thoughts and have been demanding undivided dedication from students. This was with a view to conquering the world and not even being winners at the national level. I have no regrets and I don't think changing this attitude. Yet Ann, this evening for the first time I have this feeling. "Why should everyone learn Physics? Music being man's greatest extraction from nature (everything else has a physical form) what if someone opts for it? But Ann, was this my real problem? No, I presume. I am confused. I think it can be said like this. For a teacher  and  a student of  Physics, their spirituality is in doing Physics to the best of their abilities. How can anyone tell me that this attitude is wrong? After all, this is not just an attitude. Ann, you may recall that I have talked only to Physics students and any generalization of my arguments may sound ridiculous. With all my humility in place I would like to continue my views regarding teaching  and learning Physics.

Ann, now the funny thing. It is 2 hours past mid night. Yet I thought I will complete this letter lest my views should change with the rising sun of the 3rd of December !!! Tomorrow when I teach somebody Physics, the fanatic teacher in me may overtake my vagaries and my fantasies generated by those beautiful songs of the evening !!! Hope you will excuse me for this last sentence which shows that I am not remorseful despite starting this letter in a different tone and tenor.

With lots of love,

Your Teacher.