A short story: Journey to a Vortex

Dharini never stopped wondering at me.
“Seshu Bhaiya, how is it that you know so much?” Sesha Gopalan Venkatanarayanan was such a tedious name even for more matured and understanding. So I became Seshu for everyone from tiny tots to golden oldies. Dharini is my younger sister. We were separated by a gap of fifteen years. She was turning from five to six in a month or so and always had a question to ask me.
‘Why is this?’ ‘What is this?’ ‘How is this?’
Once, I tried to prove myself to her as a walking encyclopedia– thanks to Google, Wikipedia and a host of websites on internet that provided any information you wanted in an instant. ‘How can one color one’s hair?’ ‘How can one change diaper for a kid?’ or ‘Why madisar style of wearing saree is superior for ladies?’ You have answer, many times with pictures, photos and videos even. It is there for our asking on internet.
I loved Dharini, her un-quenchable thirst for information and unending questioning. What one day, she became another Nobel Laureate when my name would be mentioned prominently in her biography and her memoirs. “Madam, Can you tell who was your mentor?” an interviewer might ask her. “Oh, I owe everything to my dear Seshu Bhaiya.” She would respond. Good imagination.
We are basically South Indians. Our father was working for Central Government and so we were also Delhi-ites. That answered for ‘bhaiya’ and ‘acha’ that frequently appeared in our conversation.
This morning, I was surfing internet and I was looking at some stories of experiences of people who had visited vortex locations in Sedona in Arizona State in America. I did not notice Dharini quietly moving behind me except when she exclaimed loudly, “Oh, what a nice picture is that?” I was momentarily startled.
It was the picture of certain rock formations in Sedona that shaped like a bell and another like a cathedral. The caption “VORTEX” appeared boldly on the screen.


“What is that? V…… O……. R….. T…….E…….X” she asked.
“It is known as VORTEX” I explained.
“What is meant by Vortex?”
“The motion of the fluid swirling rapidly around a center is called a vortex. It is a spinning, often turbulent flow of liquid. A vortex is created from spiraling motion of air or liquid around a center of rotation.” I googled and showed her a picture of an air vortex.
“Acha! Does it mean that water is flowing underneath swirling?” she showed her fingers in a swirling fashion. She understood a lot.
“No, this is different ………… this is a vortex of energy …………. People over there believe that vortex in Sedona is created by spiritual energy.” I tried to keep the language simple to avoid more bombardment from Dharini.
She was looking puzzled unsure how she could pursue her questioning. To my relief, she asked abruptly,” Have we gone to that place?”
“You mean, Sedona…… Oh, yes! We went three years ago… Paappa took us to USA for some vacation…. You remember Sadhana aunty there!”
“No…. I don’t remember at all. Did I come with you when you had been to Vortex?”
“No…. You were too young and we left you in Sadhana aunty’s place.”
“It was very bad, you people left me at home …. Please tell me how your trip was.”
“It was very exhilarating and enjoyable.”
“Acha……….Tell me in all minute details about your trip. I am very eager to know.”
*********
After parking our car in the parking are, Dad, Mom, Rajan Uncle, niece Malu and me went up a small stream along a small trail. The stream was small and beautiful. Sizzling sound from the water stream falling over several small rocks was music to our ears. The whole ambience was serene and quiet. There was a small water fall as the stream flowed.

At one place, the stream split up to form a small island. We found, a number of people had crossed the stream to reach the island. I couldn’t have gone to that island without completely drenching my clothes. Malu was very insistent, but Rajan uncle refused. Besides, we had to cover quite a good distance of walking if we really wanted to look at things up the stream and meet with vortex locations. Besides, we also didn’t know where exactly we could feel the effect of vortex.
Malu was very sad that she could not cross over to the island. As we just walked up a little ahead of others, there we found a large branch of a tree at the ground level crossing over the stream from our side. Malu and I climbed on the branch when uncle and dad were not noticing us. We slowly crossed over the stream and jumped on to the ground. When they noticed, we were already on the other side of the stream. There were tall dense trees and plenty of shade and across the stream it was much darker. Malu was a bit scared. She was only seven you remember. So, she held my hand tightly and we walked back on the other side of the stream slowly and …….
Eventually we reached that island. We were overjoyed and just ran on that flat rock that formed the island shouting and screaming. Dad and Rajan uncle started waving and shouting at us to come back.
Once we were at the edge of the island, we didn’t know how to get back to the other side. Malu started crying out of fear. I physically lifted her on my shoulders and got into waters even without knowing how deep the water was. Dad was shouting and cursing me from the other side. Partly apprehensive, partly scared and partly daring, I just plunged into walking across the stream that was getting deeper and deeper until it was almost to my chest.
I was really worried now. Malu was sitting on my shoulder screaming though I tried to convince her that we were safe. That is when I noticed a large block of rock underneath projecting out and I climbed over that. From there it was not difficult for me to cross the remaining part of the stream. But we were dangerously close to the small waterfalls. A small mistake I could have fallen into a pit. Another visitor standing over there cautioned us that the place was fairly deep.
Thank God, I was back on the main trail. I was completely wet. I was sure the small and elegant camera phone inside my pocket would have been completely damaged; I was carefully avoided talking about it. However, I was happy about the adventure and I felt like a hero in a movie. Our dad was heaping rebukes on me for some time and I tried to ignore.
We continued our hike. We came across a little open space where we found several miniature stone cairns (cairn is a pile of stones, usually conical in shape, raised as a landmark or a memorial) arranged on the ground. Uncle told me that it was symbolic of prayers by visitors.

Enthusiasm returned back to Malu and she started picking up stones for arranging one above the other. I asked Malu, ‘What did you pray for?’ ‘No, rather I was giving a thanks prayer to God that you were there to save me from drowning in water.’ I just touched her cheek saying she was a nice girl.
We were walking for more than an hour and we could not reach anywhere on the trek. Tiredness was slowly creeping in all of us. Dad was not sure how far we needed to go and was already enquiring whether we could get back.
That is when, uncle noticed a small rock on the sides and he sat down. He called over us to rest for a while before we decide proceeding ahead. I too sat on that small rock.

All of a sudden, I closed my eyes. I could feel the sweat flowing down my nose even while the mountain breeze was blowing across my face. I started feeling some kind of mysterious energy flowing though my body and I began to feel some strong vibrations in me. I could feel my nerves, hear my heart beating, notice some strange smell, see my breathing in and out, and I also felt that for a few moments I was blackening out. I felt dizzy and could feel some strange causeless happiness filling me inside.
Was this Vortex effect? I jerked and opened my eyes. I wasn’t sure.
“Uncle, did you feel anything?” I asked panting. They didn’t seem to. I explained. Then they tried by closing their eyes and observing their breath.
“Yes, we get some strange feelings,” said Mom.
*******
“Wow, what a great experience you had?” exclaimed Dharini. She was keenly listening to me all along, her palm on her cheeks, and eyes glittering with amazement. “Can we go back any time now to Sedona?” she asked.
“Maybe, who knows? Or, one day, you will be old enough to fly down on your own to Sedona and you can feel the same experience.” I replied.
After some thought, I said, ‘But do you know something? Vortex is a place where one can feel the movement of earth’s energy. You need to be tuned in to feel that energy. You can feel similar energy in any other place too, I discovered.”
“Can you show me?”
“Sure yes, come with me.” I took her to the garden in our backyard. I noticed a small butterfly joyfully moving from place to place, one plant to another.

“Now, look at the butterfly closely. Follow the butterfly where all it flies around……….. Now close your eyes…………. Imagine that you are the butterfly, moving from place to place, batting your wings, sucking honey from every flower, resting on leaves, feeling the small dews resting on the plants and leaves, the flower petals gently caressing you when the wind blows gently, you feel so restful, calm, quiet, enjoying every moment of your existence…………………..”
After a few moments, Dharini opened her eyes, saying “What a wonderful feeling? Is there a vortex here in our garden?”
“Maybe! Mother Nature is strange and wonderful.”
She ran into the house shouting and wanting to share her little feelings with Mom.

A new library in every village in Tamilnadu

There was some interesting news today, the 28th April, 2010 in The Hindu newspaper. The Education Minister of Tamilnadu had issued a statement that the government is proposing to ensure a library in every village in the state by the end of this year. This is a yet another positive step being taken by the Government of Tamilnadu. Already Government had initiated moves to create a world class library in Chennai and I am sure in the days to come, we may have much better libraries in every district headquarters. The question is: Will this become yet another standing symbol of governmental efforts? Only time will tell.
Most villages have schools – at least a primary school. But there are reports about many deficiencies about their functioning including lack of basic amenities like proper classrooms, roofs, toilet and drinking water, quality teachers and absenting staff and so on. Government has sponsored several lofty programs for education that have failed at implementation levels. People also seem to lack the discipline and feeling that the facility and the program belong to them.
To me the problem appears to be one of lack of commitment, involvement and dedication and hyper-active politicizing of every issue. Those at the top will have to demonstrate their will power to implement various government programs in an open and transparent manner and ensure that the benefits reach the people for whom they are intended. Before we create more infrastructure and facilities, we need to strengthen and consolidate existing ones.
Book reading habit should be widely spread and encouraged among more people. Through awards and incentives, the school children and college students need to be encouraged to spend a part of the day or the week in reading. Regular library hours in all educational institutions should be encouraged and enforced. Thanks to stupendous growth and proliferation of electronic and visual media, the print media seems to be struggling against their onslaught. However thrilling they are, the children should be weaned away from spending undue time on electronic video games, which may lead to serious health problems over time. Today, we see even children in lower classes spending their entire evening time in tuition classes, and special classes rather than spending their time in a library or playground. There could be many like me who could be interested in opening small street libraries as a social service and this could be encouraged.
Nowadays, many new books are prohibitively costly and only libraries and affluent can afford. The authorities in charge of selecting books should be impartial in buying quality books rather than encouraging favoritism. A number of people have book collections and may be interested in donating them to libraries if they find that the libraries are run well and efficiently used. This may be encouraged in all districts. If private people are willing to open libraries, after proper scrutiny, they could be given state support in getting books at subsidized prices and other means. Language bias should be avoided as far as book selections are concerned –whether we like it or not, English has come to be accepted as a language that is understood by most and used for communicating with each other by most world population.
More than anything else, children should be freed of today’s stressful overloading of homework and compulsive need to be competitive in academic performance. They should be encouraged to seek more knowledge and information (not just filmy tit-bits alone) that improves their awareness and kindles curiosity and seeking that lead to research, development and innovation. Reading helps improving the way we communicate and develop our power of expression that improves our leverage and influencing in human relationships. Today, everything is about selling and persuasion. You see around, anywhere and everywhere, someone is always trying to sell something or persuade someone to buy something, may be an idea, a product or services – be it in family or business.
Reading as a hobby is a great stress reliever and develops our ability to visualize and imagine and develop our creative power. Look at children books like ‘Lord of the Rings’; several million copies have been sold all over the world – the story is just a fantasy. Can’t we create a parallel that sells at least a million copies? At least in Tamil language, some of the older people might remember the stories of ‘Thuppariyum Sambu’ (Detective Sambu), Veera Vijayan pictorial stories, Kanni Theevu daily serial pictorial stories, Chandamama stories and the likes that were great hits among children and elders alike a few decades back. There are many more legendary tales about stories and writers of yesteryears. In my young days, all in the family used to have a fight over who would read that day’s Dina Thanthi or the weeklies Kumudam or Vikatan, when they arrived. Today, probably the TV serials have taken over that place and reading is given a go-by. But what do the serials encourage – revenge, challenge, plotting, enmity, infidelity and what not – look at most of the serials to have some proof. Not that every serial is bad –there are many good ones too, but how many watch them?
I am grateful to the Municipal Library and the Saiva Sidhantha Noorpathippu Kazhagam’s library in my native place during my younger days for greatly influencing me in so many ways in my shaping up. I also thank my college library, the old Moore Market old book shops, the legendary roadside old books shops at Luz, Mylapore, Chennai or Ajmal Khan Road, Karol Bagh, New Delhi for my book collections about which I am quite proud of.
A library in every village! Very good move Minister! Please make them work. We wish you and the movement well. We will support you unhesitatingly.
(Readers may also look at:www.neel48.blogspot.com for my other stories)

My stay at Tenkasi

When I told some relatives and friends that I had decided to settle down in Tenkasi, a small town in Tirunelveli District in the Southern State of Tamilnadu, not many were really ready to believe me. They thought I was joking. All through my thirty six years of work life, I had stayed in metropolitan cities with best of comforts and life styles and this, they were aware. Choosing to live in a rural town was the craziest thing I would ever do in my retired days - this is what they initially thought.

When the idea was initially floated, my wife was the first to raise apprehensions and objections about living in a village town. She never trusted the small medical facilities in rural towns. Thanks to the intervention of one of our revered Masters during those days, she relented finally.

I took my retirement from work two years before I could officially retire. I had been dreaming about the freedom to do what really mattered to my heart, retirement offered. I loved quiet places, picturesque natural settings, greenery, shades, breeze, open space and green fields and forests.

We zeroed on Tenkasi after lot of deliberation. First of all, I did not consider Chennai as a livable place and so it was ruled out. Coimbatore where I had a piece of land was a choice, but got rejected as we felt we had no base there. Our native place Tirunelveli was too hot and had neither the attraction of smaller towns nor the conveniences of bigger cities and so was voted out. Trivandrum in Kerala was in the reckoning initially as we had several relatives staying there, but was dropped on language issues.

Why not Tenkasi? That idea came just out of blue. We used to be passing by Tenkasi in the last couple of decades to visit one of our relatives. Tenkasi fell within our native district. It was only three kilometers to Courtallam another small hilly town with several waterfalls. It was bordering Kerala and enjoyed sufficient rains. It enjoyed cool breeze throughout the year as it was closer to hills. It was a small agricultural town well connected and growing yet to become busy and nasty. People had simple life styles and there were several temples in surrounding towns, rivers and water dams in adjoining places, and it was only three and half hours from Madurai and one and half hours from Tirunelveli to reach in emergencies. All of a sudden, the idea gathered momentum and strength.

"When our intent is very strong, nature conspires to bring it to reality soon." I have heard this from my Master, but I experienced this as a reality very soon.

Sometime in early July 2006 soon after my retirement, we were returning from Courtallam and Papanasam, another nearby small hilly town with a roaring waterfall across a water dam in the company of my in-laws and we passed by Tenkasi.

As we were just leaving Tenkasi, I happened to stand in front of the Main Temple at Tenkasi and I found myself praying spontaneously to Lord Kashi Viswanath to help me find a suitable house in Tenkasi if I was destined to stay there.
No sooner than we crossed the limits of Tenkasi, my relative phoned to me to tell that there were two houses available for rent at Melagaram, a smaller outskirt of Tenkasi and he had known the landlords closely from his father’s days. Melagaram is another town panchayat, just a kilometer away from Tenkasi on the way to Courtallam. I promised him to return back to Tenkasi from Madurai in the next couple of days to have a look at the house. We returned back two days later and liked one of the two houses he showed us. It was a street house in an 'Agraharam', a predominant brahmin locality. We paid the advance rent on the spot without even bothering to decide when and how we would be shifting to that place.

But we were not to be staying there for long during 2006 as we were planning to visit our children in USA during October. Besides, our debate continued as to how far we genuinely wanted to stay there. We moved into Melagaram house with very small baggage sometime in August and stayed there for four or five days. Our definitive move to Melagaram happened in June 2007 after our son’s wedding. It looked like shifting from Sheraton Hotel thirtieth floor to the nearby hut.

We were total strangers in Tenkasi and we were trying to grasp the life-style in an 'Agraharam'. People over there were supposed to be very tradition bound, conservative, educated, some of them agricultural landlords, many fairly poor. During the initial days, coming to know that we had stayed in Middle East for quite long, the people at Agraharam also looked at us with great curiosity and interest wondering what we would be doing in a village town.

Tenkasi was not to be the sleepy village that we had imagined it to be. We got a BSNL phone connection within a couple of days of making an application and the broad-band internet connection followed in a week’s time. The Indane gas distributor acted a little tough initially about transfer of our gas connection without our ration card, but gave in on the condition that we submit to him the ration card before we could ask for a refill. A stranger neighbor in the 'Agraharam' took us to the Village officer and got us a residence certificate. He also took us to Tehsildar to make an application for a new ration card; as we were staying abroad for almost a decade, we never knew what happened to our earlier ration card. I never realized that staying at Agraharam commanded so much respect among many in the government departments. A ‘Honour card’ which did not allow us to draw any provision supply, but would be sufficient proof of residential address was issued in the next few weeks. Melagaram, and more particularly 'Agraharam' seemed to be a respected place where more of educated people resided. Many friendly neighbors were willing to offer their help for a host of nitty-gritty things.

We met with several pleasant surprises at Tenkasi. Let me tell you some of them:
• We could just walk to many cinema halls and watch even newly released movies for just thirty rupees.
• We could see boys and girls playing out-door games - ‘goli,’ ‘vattil,’ ‘pamparam,’ ‘gilli,’ ‘paandi, ‘hide and seek’, in our street carefree without having to worry about traffic reminding me of my school days.
• Most residents seemed to enjoy lot of spare time that was spent just sitting on the verandah in front of their house and turning to ‘East’ and ‘West’ and that was sufficient past-time for them. I thought, probably, they were in high spiritual state not needing anything specific to engage themselves in or to keep themselves happy.
• Almost everyone seems to be noticing arrival of visitors to any house within Agraharam; this offered us phenomenal sense of security.
• The Ganapathi temple at the west end of the road was kept open by the priest every morning and evening and most residents gathered at the temple regularly in the evening for prayers. The small temple was a convenient place for people’s congregation. The Melagaram Magalir (Ladies) Mandram (Club) met almost every day, after their daily chores, to practice and chant slokas and devotional singing; they preferred this to sitting before the dumb box ( I mean television box). Children used to run to the temple during prayer times when the temple bell rang - the enthusiasm coming more for collecting sundal, puliyodarai and pongal prasadams.
• Milkman arrived every morning at around five and mid afternoon with fresh milk; he had not missed even a single day. Greens, vegetables, curd, atta for making idli-dosa, tamarind, kolappodi (the lime powder for drawing kolams), fruits, chappals, cosmetics, toys, dresses and sarees, metal items, repairing dresses, vessels and the likes and many more were available right at our doors through walking vendors.
• A decent provision store that could be thought of as a Walmart for Melagarm had every supply needed for a house, at fair prices.
• Buses were frequent and a bus journey was so cheap – not more than two or three rupees.
• Hot and delicious vadas were sold on road-side shops on the main road every evening stock running out within minutes of preparation.
• You could take a pleasant walk up to Courtallam in the evening enjoying the cool breeze blowing from the hills.
• On important auspecious days like beginning of Tamil months, New Moon days or eclipse days, male elders clothed in 'pancha kachham’ paraded to the temple to perform ritual offerings to their forefathers.
• Other major attractions were:‘Margazhi’ month early morning bhajans, Akanda Naama bhajans, Sree Rama Navami, Mahadeva Ashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Kolaattam, Karthikai deepam, Chokka paanai . All celebrations were reminiscent of my young days at Tirunelveli and things I missed for nearly four decades.
• The children were all quite simple, smart and possessed lot of practical intelligence.
• The Kashi Viswanaatha temple front yard was a Tenkasi parallel to Marina beach in Chennai, but a lot more clean.
• One could eat stomach full any time for less than about twenty rupees in most eating joints. At least one such eating place offered six or seven varieties of dosas and tourists who came there round the year, made a beeline to these eateries.
• The nearby Courtallam provided the cheapest holiday resort for the not-so-affluent. One is never tired of taking bath in those waterfalls.

The above is not an exhaustive list, but only a sample. My wife who was the most apprehensive about our decision to shift to Tenkasi for our retired living initialy is now willing to stay alone there even if I ever get bored with Tenkasi and wanted to travel out. Such was her profound transformation within a very short period of staying over there.

For me, many educational institutions in Tenkasi and nearby areas started recognizing my approach to Youth Development and called me to do programs for their students, and faculty for better motivation, self-confidence and inner development.

Not a day passed by when we had not patted ourselves for our decision to choose Tenkasi for our retirement life.

What it meant to me to be back in India

1^st February, 2009

Like everyone else, I also returned back to India with great enthusiasm after spending nearly four months in America in the company of our children. The stay in America was as memorable as it every used to be, not only for the reason that it was spent with children, but also for a variety of other extraneous reasons about which I need to write later.

Our flight via Zurich landed at Delhi airport at midnight. It was pleasantly surprising that the passport control, customs procedure, and baggage clearance at the Delhi airport went very smoothly and efficiently. We were safely housed in a hotel at Karolbagh after we made arrangement with Delhi Tourism Corporation counter at the airport. We could even recharge our credit to our cell phone right at the airport and use it to communicate with our children at USA about our safe arrival. The airport presented a clean look. Several amenities had been added. The whole picture before me was tantalizingly different from what I had remembered about Delhi airport from my decade old memory. Our taxi ride to Karolbagh from the airport did not take much time as there was very little traffic on the roads. We saw considerable expansion going on near the airport and Delhi had changed vastly in the last ten years since we last visited in detail. We went over newly constructed over-bridges that allowed streaming traffic smoothly. Buddha Jayanthi park, Daula Kuan and the ridge road on the way to Karol Bagh all looked deserted and ghostly. We saw several constructions coming up for the Delhi Metro. The imposing over-bridge at Pusa Road looked majestic and gigantic. Ajmal Khan Road at Karol Bagh remained the same except that it was much more crowded. But the areas surrounding Ajmal Khan Road had completely changed. Most independent houses had been converted into a four or five storied hotel or some office. We could hardly see any residential houses. Ironically on Ajmal Khan Road, there was an old house still majestically sitting there where I had once, some thirty three years back when I was working in Delhi, fondly hoped to stay but didn’t succeed due to failed negotiations with the landlord, kindling nostalgia in me. The Punjab Sweets, Kailash Sweets, Lovely Sweets were all still there roaring with business. The restaurants had become dirtier and no one seemed to bother. Virtually one sat over heaps of dirt to devour lovely chole-bhature. A visit and walk around Ajmal Khan Road never satiated me. The suit-case wallah, the belt wallah, the kerchief wallah, the photo album wallah, the table cloth walah, the paani puri wallah were all still there flourishing. Cycle rickshaws had been introduced – a very sensible move helping large energy savings - to manoeuvre through the pedestrian traffic in Ajmal Khan Road fighting for the little space with the Suzukis and Bajajs.

With all due respect to Lallu Ji, our honourable minister, our train to Chennai got delayed by nine hours. We were told that there was a derailment of a goods-train near Bhopal on the previous night and all passing trains without exception made a queue from station to station on both ways. Every train got delayed – reason: railways have made phenomenal profits and cash surplus by over-exploiting the only two rail tracks; while the track capacity did not increase over years, the number of trains passing over it had become manifold resulting in accidents and delays. Computers may have replaced the old line man who used to climb up the narrow control rooms to pull levers to change or align track manually each time a train passed through a station, but computers have still not acquired the skills and intelligence to allow one train to pass over another – result: accidents and delayed trains. Tamilnadu Express, a prestigious train once upon a time, used to take off from the first platform, now relegated to seventh platform. I do not know whether the ‘aam aadhmi’ trains have taken control over the first platform. The train that was supposed to reach Chennai in the morning at 6.30 reached at 4.00 in the evening and our whole day was ‘merrily’ spent in the train enjoying the ‘delicious and nutritious’ uppuma and vegetable biriyani supplied by the pantry car. In retrospect, rather I seem to be uncharitable and ungrateful to the ‘railways’ to have provided us with something cleaner to eat rather than leaving us to eat the fly-infested food packets sold in several railway stations. Most North Indian railway stations continue to be ugly and unhygienic – New Delhi station seems to be crowning the place for ugliness; one must only stand outside New Delhi station to witness the extent of spitting of saliva and artistic spitting of red colored ‘meeta paan.’ People seem to have lost all sense of cleanliness at Delhi. We travelled by Air Conditioned Two Tier coach and were given berths just adjacent to the exit door. We could see how dirty a vestibule connecting the coaches could be. The catering employees from the dining car mindlessly threw the food waste down the moving train scattering left-over food on the footboard connecting two coaches. My stomach churned at the ugly sight. I wondered why these employees could not be provided with neat trash bags to collect the left-over food and used disposable plates. One must also give credit where it is due. I salute the porter at the New Delhi station – a young man - who singly managed to carry our large luggage all the way to the 7^th platform over the bridge for a very nominal sum in comparison to the merciless loot at Chennai Central Station.

There is nothing much to say about Chennai city excepting that people seemed to have learnt to live in the midst of dirt and garbage joyfully. Wherever one turned, one saw mountains of garbage with their ‘pleasant odour.’ This is the beautiful Chennai that is talked about with great fanfare as being re-created. And there is crowd and human wave everywhere. We believe this is sign of our progress. Who ever told there is inflationary pressure or economy is slack in India? Please go and see Usman Road in T.Nagar. People seem to know only one entertainment that they are obsessed about– shopping, shopping and shopping.

Back at our place at in the rural town, we were back to our routine. Why don’t you ask: “What routine?”

Everyday there is a minimum two hours power cut with nothing happening in many places when power is not there.

The local potable river water supply had improved from daily supply to alternate day.

B.S.N.L slapped a bill for a little over two thousand rupees for broad band internet service they did not make available to me during the four months of our absence from India. People at the counter in B.S.N.L merrily mislead clients into believing service conditions that are not true. I had no choice than to pay the amount as I am addicted to internet services at home. Several people, I am told, were waiting for new broad band connections in this place for months together and this is a monopoly business at our place for B.S.N.L. Thanks to technological advancements we boldly claim and proclaim from all our roof tops that people wait for several months for important communication services.

Our cooking gas agent suddenly discovered that their computer system had locked my gas consumer connection – reason: why do you worry, something can always be invented. ‘.. please bring your ration card and the original gas connection receipt. We want to verify.’ I felt bullied. The same gas agency had earlier stamped my ration card that they supply gas to me and already possess a copy of my ration card on their files. But, can I argue with them? Absolutely no chance! I go back to them next day with the ration card and show them their endorsement. The clerk over there did some manipulation with the computer and said to me ‘everything is ok now, Sir, don’t worry – we shall book your refill request now.’ Why this harassment? ‘How long will it take to receive the refill?’ I asked. The owner promptly dialled a number and handed the telephone receiver to me and I heard a recorded message that the number dialled is not functioning. I was told that this was the IOC number and the gas agency itself was not in a position to ascertain when refill cylinders will arrive at his depot. Hopefully in the next fifteen to eighteen days I should receive my refill, I was told. Why so much delay? Transporters strike, IOC strike and what not. In the office of the gas agency, people had gathered in large numbers fretting out and anxiously waiting for answers about filling up forms, new connection, and so many paraphernalia. This much I could see for myself for the ‘India Shining’ story. I need to find out what polish was used.

Raw rice what was earlier sold for about Rs.22 is now sold for 33 rupees,. No vegetable is available for less than Rs.25 a kilo. Cooking oil, cereals and many daily requirements have become exorbitantly costly. Petrol and diesel prices stand very high though a barrel of oil now costs less than one third from its peak price several months ago. So what! You see more vehicles on the road – India is very rich now and we should thank some of the new private banks who had been mindlessly helping people buy vehicles, homes, TVs, Fridge and what not. People seem to have no regard for how much money they spend – rather money has become valueless.

Away from the local scene: Everyone in Tamilnadu seems to have suddenly discovered a passion to exhibit their love and sympathy for their fellow Tamilian in Sri Lanka. Not a day single passes without someone or other protesting about killing fellow Tamilians in that Island. Everyone wants the war to end and the Sri Lankan army cease fire. What about several people who have died due to escalating terrorism by the banned group? This is not something to be talked about, one could be branded a traitor. Every small and big political party has raised its banner. One gets a doubt – whom are we supporting – the banned outfit or the innocent Tamilians in the Island. We have an issue to beat around during the forthcoming elections.

Elections to the Lok Sabha are just around the corner, a couple of months away. Everyone is making intelligent and wild guesses and forecasts about possible electoral alliances. Different political parties are being wooed by different other parties – the smaller the party, the more valuable they are for their local influence. One wonders why not Congress woo B.J.P or vice-versa and it won’t look strange or funny at all considering the present political conglomeration – possibly the only combination not yet tried since our Independence. I am sure that they might make the best ‘made for each other’ pair- after all, what difference it makes when one can gain and share power.

In between one visionary leader had passed away – Shri R.Venkataraman, the former President of India. May his soul rest in peace! Another versatile Tamil actor Nagesh who brought laughter and cheers (sometimes tears too) to many homes also is no more. May his soul too rest in peace!

The other thing I wonder, why senior leaders in politics do not wish to make room for youngsters to move to forefront and try it out. The last time we ever had a refreshing change was when Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji became Prime Minister. Yes, youngsters could make mistakes due to lack of experience. They could be brutally frank. But won’t they be quick to learning from their mistakes? If an unbelievable history can be created in USA – an African American becoming President and his staunch contender and opponent becoming his Secretary of State, can’t something radically different happen in India too? It appears that time is ripe for radical changes to happen for India to move up. Sooner this happens it is going to be better.

About people who greatly inspired me: Neale Donald Walsch, Dr. Deepak Chopra, Anthony Robbins

About the writings of Neale Donald Walsch:

A client of mine mentioned about CWG (Conversation with God) book -written by Neale Donald Walsch - sometime in late 1990s. It was not until around 2001 or 2002 that I managed a copy of CWG Part I. He had written three volumes in this series. The book is organized as a series of questions posed to God by Walsch and God answering him. This became his conversation with God. Before he got initiated into his now famous conversation with God, Walsch narrates how he had a difficult time in his life, how many of his efforts did not yield results to him, how his health deteriorated, how he lived in brinks of poverty etc.. etc.. and finally in all his frustration throws away his yellow pad to some corner ... and remains blank looking at the thrown-away-pad...so sad...frustrated.... and when suddenly he starts receiving answers from God for his vexing questions ....when he regains his pad and starts writing, even as the answers from God keep flowing to him. The answers reach him clearly and he has no doubt that they come from HIM.

In the first volume he poses several questions to God and the questions relate mostly to problems of our day to day life – why we are not able to maintain good health, why we stay poor and why Lady Luck is not turning our side, why we are unable to succeed, why certain ill-fate keep visiting us repeatedly, why we are unable to maintain our important relationships, is sex and marriage important, why we are unable to love people, why do we have fear, hate, greed, jealousy and other similar emotions, are gods partial and a host of similar issues that keep nagging us everyday and where we don't get a convincing answer from any corner. The answers to these questions run into second part of the book too. In the final volume III, larger issues like education, child rearing and parenting, global conflicts, human consciousness, global communities, extra-terrestrial intelligence, universal energy and force, global villages, incarnations etc are discussed with God.

I may not have correctly chronologized the contents of the three volumes, but broadly they are the topics on which he discusses with God. The answers from God are candid and forthright.

When I initially started reading this book, I couldn't stop comparing notes with what my Bhagavan had taught me and I couldn't help concluding great thinking arrive from the same Source. “Even before you ask me a question, I had answered; but the problem is 'do you take notice?'” is one of God's powerful answers. “I would be powerless god if I had allowed something to exist without my sanction – that includes devil too.” is another powerful declaration from God. “Why, do you think gods cannot be humorous?” an extraordinary view. There are many such forceful and powerful statements and declarations from God.

I now believe that the answers for our various questions are already inpregnated somewhere 'there' and one has to only draw from it. That is how, almost same and similar declarations had been made by Lord Buddha, Jesus The Christ, Prophet Mohamed, Lord Krishna and many other people of Higher Consciousness. Even in scientific world, the same revelations keep happening to more than one scientist simultaneously though they were very little in touch with each other. Wisdom is universal.

I hear and read that in ancient days, several thousand years back, people talked to Nature for their needs and Nature readily obliged them. They could bring rains, cure diseases, protect agriculture and cattle. Stories are abound in all religions, in all societies, in all communities all over the world about such supernatural happenings because people could talk to gods.

In Indian traditions, there are plenty of mythological stories about people who just walked into god's abode, asked boon, demanded things, dared them. Everytime God did respond and they knew it. God cannot but deny when demanded by his 'Bhaktha' as He is 'Bhaktha Paraadheena'. His answer comes in the form of a vision, a voice, a dream, an apparition, an expected chance revelation, an intuition, a message from deep within, a sudden body movement, a sensation, and some people knew that it was His way of answering. Communication need not only be by way of a letter, e-mail, a phone call, personal face to face discussion. Communication between two need not be just spoken or written words. Experts on communication today would agree. Communication is transfer of information from a transferor to a transferee using a medium in which the communicated message is understood by both the sender and receiver.

Only after reading the CWG, I ever realized that such conversations do take place for many, but rarely noticed. It had happened to me too, like it could have happened to anybody else. It keeps happening to me. The only difference is that now I notice that such a conversation is taking place. And I also know that He is responding.

It is my personal belief now that Conversations or dialogues – remember it is not a monologue – can take place three forms. It could be a praise for God; “The more you send your prayers on His blessings, the more He showers on you,” says Joel Osteen, the Spiritual Speaker from Texas. It could take the form of a prayer; “Prayer has to come from your heart and not from your head. One must pray from a state of helplessness. One must have a close bondage with the Lord – may be a father, mother, a friend, a master.” says Sri Amma Bhagavan. Or a conversation may be meditating on HIM. Even silence could be a powerful form of conversation and may be the most effective one. Have we not noticed when someone very close to us, – may be our father, mother, a good friend – when they are silent, we understand what they mean. One can discern what silence means.

God answers very clearly and convincingly various questions from Walsch and through Walsch, He addresses everyone who seek answers for their questions. Exercising your mind, you may not agree with the answers. You don't have to. But they are still answers from God. It is up to us to listen to HIM. How many times, we all know for sure, we had been ignoring the answers from God?

The style, the coherence, the lucidity, the flow, the logic,, the arrangement of questions and the answers, the smooth flow between questions back and forth, the humor, the play and pun with some words and expressions in the Triology are all excellent and provokes a reader to contemplate. When you read these books purposefully, the least it does for you is you become aware. Awareness itself solves many problems. “ To See is to be to be Free.”

Other than Walsch's CWG triology series, his other works on “Friendship with God,” “Communion with God,” “Home with God” deserve equal and every praise. I would like to make particular mention about “Home with God” where God answers his questions on life after death. Almost same time, I was reading another book “Life after Death” by Dr.Deepak Chopra. The treatment in both books are different, but essentially contents - the ideas on life after death - are similar. The idea that “Birth is death and death is birth” struck me and for the first time, I felt comfortable with the idea of my death. Fear of death is the worst of our fears and very sub-conscious. Our reactions to many happenings in our life are based on this fundamental fear of death, though we do not recognize it and we do not accept it. We are scared to death by our fear of death. Both these books give us a reassurance that death is probably the most happy thing that can happen to us. The step by step narration of what happens after death– the soul's journey 'upwards' through a kind of tunnel, getting a life review, meeting our loved ones who are waiting to receive us, getting in touch with the Source, deciding what it desires to do and beginning the whole thing 'life' again – by Walsch is captivating and engrossing. Dr.Chopra coming from Eastern thoughts, takes cue from Upanishad on the basis of the story of Nachiket, a young boy daring Lord Yama (the Lord of Time and Death) to clarify to him the secrets of life after death and describes the process in his usual poetic and philosophic style.

Sri Bhagavan had given me the same message when I happened to attend a few spiritual programs. Now at age sixty, I have already put up a permanent 'Welcome Arch' gladly for Lord Yama to take over me whenever he desires, knowing that He has already agreed on for me 'a-long-time-to-go-yet', to help me fulfil some of my life-time dreams.

If Sri Bhagavan opened up the treasures of spiritual experiences to me, Walsh opened up the path to storing an understanding of the spiritual process that happens to everyone. As someone said, “We are all not just human being having spiritual experience, but spiritual beings having human experience.” I believe very strongly in this statement now. While reading Walsch helps a better understanding, my association with Sri Bhagavan helped me know them as Truth.

The statement by one of the main characters in a Shakespearean play that there are more things on heaven and earth that we do not understand is still true today. We have not come anywhere near the stage where we can proclaim that we have understood everything. “Everything in this creation cannot be understood; an enlightened person knows this.” But science will continue to struggle to know everything. That is the greatness of human spirit.

About the writings of Dr.Deepak Chopra

I came to know about the writings of Dr.Deepak Chopra only sometime in 2001. When I was in USA in late 2002, I had the initial opportunity to borrow his books from the library. The first ever book I read written by Dr.Chopra was 'Quantum Healing' and I was floored reading it. And I went on to read 'Ageless Body and Timeless Mind,' 'Creating Affluence'. I completed reading these books feverishly in a month's time or so. I also listened to his tape on 'Creating Affluence.'

As a devotee of Sri Amma Bhagavan, I was already blessed for spiritual healing and I had seen the miracles of spiritual healing happening in many places. I was already convinced of our mind's role and one's predisposition to becoming sick or getting cured. I was also aware of placebo effects in curing diseases. I have faith in Indian Ayurvedic approach to treatment, where focus on natural elements of which we are all made up of, is an essential element of treatment process. I have heard of stories of people getting relief from alternative medicinal systems including Reiki healing.

When presented with a scientific approach to 'Mind-Body medicine' by Dr.Chopra my earlier convictions on diseases and cure now got a rational base. I could clearly discern the role of our awareness and consciousness, faith and beliefs, meditative practices, even our relationship with objects and people having substantive role in the healing process.

Subsequently, I heard about Sylva Jose techniques in 'mind control' and alpha states of mind and using these techniques for fulfilment of our desires, curing diseases and a gourmet of issues. Having read and understood Sylva Jose techniques, I became a practitioner myself with great success.

Later on, I read Dr.Chopra's books, 'How to Know God?' ' Seven Spiritual Laws for Success,' 'Life After Death,' 'Peace is the Way' and one or two other titles. In all his books I found the underlying theme: 'Finding our connectivity to the Source'. As I read his books, I became more and more aware of myself, watching diligently what goes on in my head. And, such an awareness is slowly helping me in my day to day dealing with others, the way I can choose to respond to situations and people, help myself heal and create an understanding of this 'Field of All Possibilities.'

The writings of Neale Donald Walsh and Dr.Deepak Chopra impacted me so much; I own a copy of most of their books and do not hesitate to read them again and again. Each time I read, my clarity expands and I feel closer to the Source.

About the writings of Anthony Robbins

If the writings of Walsch and Dr.Chopra gave me a spiritual understanding of several issues, “Unlimited Power” and “Awaken the Giants Within” written by Anthony Robbins gave me enough practical lessons to learn to be successful when I was distressed most.

We all have immense potential inside; we have to only know it. We live in a field of all possibilities and infinite potential; we have to only harness it.

Our desires are our driving force. Our belief that we will reach our goals will sustain us in the process. And, our expectations – the image of the outcome of our efforts – will take us closer to our goals. They are the main ingredients of our faith.

And, there are many more people, who influenced and shaped my thinking and actions, in my life and I owe them a lot; I must make a special mention about my manager when I was working in a Middle East company as a consultant. He is a great motivational speaker, guide and pragmatist and for the first time, I learnt from him how fulfilment of my materialistic aspirations can help me in my spiritual goals. He will say 'Whether you are happy or not today depend on what you did yesterday and what you do now will decide whether you are destined to be happy or not tomorrw.' 'Do not simply pity people, empathise with them.' 'If you do what you always did, you will get what you always got.' They are some of the very forceful and hard-hitting statements I learnt from him. I used to enjoy his periodical workshops and practical guidance in selling and their spiritual content.

In retrospect, I now realize how almost everyone whom I had come across at various stages of my life had directly or indirectly helped me in knowing myself, knowing what I am and who I am and the greatest challenge I had always felt was to rise above myself and all that I was and I am.

Do you like this blog post? If so, you might be interested in the following blog post too, published subsequently in 2014.

http://www.neel48.blogspot.com/2014/03/a-tribute-to-four-ordinary-men.html