Bhima Line Warrior ~ M T Vasudevan Nair 8/25

 

 Read Randamoozham today morning. I have already read it a long time ago and it's totally worth the re-read. The writer tries to fill the gaps that he feels Vyasa left. He also removes every supernatural aspects of the tale in his re-imagination

Reading between the lines, especially about Dharmaputrar being Vidurar's son. He had written about it somewhere

After reading Randamoozham, I realized that Bhima possessed remarkable character depth, which is rarely depicted in any Mahabharata-related works ever written.

After reading many novels and short stories of MT, I read Bhiman in Randamoozham as a repetition of his typical protagonist. If we compare him with Chandu of Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha, both are essentially same person placed in different eras. In Asuravithu or Kaalam also we find the same person appearing as protagonist, with same anguishes, solitude and inferiority complex. 

I don't remember who, but someone called his Bhiman as 'Bhiman Nair'.

Alternative readings... Strangely, I found V.S. Khandekar's Yayati to be above this. Narratives from the perspectives of three people, making us see each perspective and making them all human beings like us feet of clay.

Chaava

 Chaava, is a captivating period drama film based on the life of Chattrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. The movie was a thrilling experience, thanks to Laxman Utekar's brilliant direction, which brought this historical masterpiece to life. Vicky Kaushal's portrayal of  Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was outstanding, as he seamlessly embodied the character's spirit. His action scenes, dialogue delivery, and expressions were truly impressive, and his entry scene was breathtaking. Rashmika's performance was equally impressive, as she conveyed emotions with remarkable depth. Akshay Khanna's depiction of Aurangzeb was chilling, and his transformation was unrecognizable. The supporting cast, including Ashutosh Rana and Divya Dutta, delivered strong performances. The music, composed by A.R. Rahman, was mesmerizing and added depth to the film. The action sequences were meticulously designed, and the war scenes were visually stunning. The VFX, cinematography, art direction, costumes, and jewelry were all top-notch, reminiscent of films like Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat. The climax was outstanding, and the scene where Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj is captured while fighting his enemies was heart-wrenching, almost everyone must have cried in theatre !! Overall, Chaava is an  inspiring film that is definitely worth watching. 

The Unbearable Lightness 7/25 of Bei

A young woman is in love with a successful surgeon; a man torn between his love for her and his womanising. His mistress, a free-spirited artist, lives her life as a series of betrayals; while her other lover stands to lose everything because of his noble qualities. In a world where lives are shaped by choices and events, and everything occurs but once, existence seems to lose its substance and weight - and we feel 'the unbearable lightness of being'.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being.

It is a sensual love story about a divorced Chech surgeon, Tomas, and a charming and attractive waitress, Tereza. The story is set during the crisis when the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia in August 1968, and the Russians started spying and terrorising the elites and educated masses. Mr Kundera has beautifully illustrated the fundamental distinction between true love or Romance and physical desire or sex.

Another interesting part of this book is the other characters: Sabina, an ex-mistress of Tomas and Franz, a lover of Sabina, tomas son Simon and a female dog, Kerenin, which the author weaves perfectly and skillfully.

The end of the story was very touchy and thoughtful.

I don't understand why the author has to explain the philosophy of the characters' thoughts and deeds. He should have left it open for the readers to scrutinise.

I felt Mr Kundera was already mentally prepared to impose his ideology on his readers.

It was like an overenthusiastic newly recruited professor coming to the postgraduate class and starting to explain the complexities without even questioning the students.

Overall, it is a fantastic read.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being encompasses passion and philosophy, infidelity and ideas, the Prague Spring and modern America, political acts and private desires, comedy and tragedy - in fact, all of human existence.

‐---------

Since man only has the opportunity to try one path, to make one decision, he cannot return to take a different path, and then compare the two lives. Without the ability to compare lives, Kundera argues, we cannot find meaning; where meaning should exist we find only an unbearable weightlessness. The uncertain existence of meaning, and the opposition of lightness and heaviness, the key dichotomy of The Unbearable Lightness of Being, sets the stage for the entire novel.

Another thought provoking mention:

Best of his books is Testament Betrayed, a collection of his essays that discuss novels and music. That book alters the one read literature.

Dan Brown

 Read Da Vinci Code and liked it. Then I read his other books, and the formulaic nature was evident. Also, the liberties he took with physics could not be ignored. It made me wonder whether he did the same with history, and researched a bit about the Holy Grail. Sure enough! That was also full of stupidities like Angels and Demons

Nandakishore Varma says "Dan Brown is a one-trick pony".

Angels and demons was very fascinating was really excited about the plot twists 😁

 Shahid Ameen CBC: "If you liked Da Vinci Code, I would recommend Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln who also sued Dan Brown or his publishers if I remember correctly. This though would be the OG in speculative history that explores the bloodline of Jesus Christ."

Nandakishore Varma CBC  Tcr: "I have read the book. But it's full of bogus scholarship. It has been thoroughly exposed."

 Shahid Ameen CBC: Da Vinci Code extensively borrows from it

Nandakishore Varma: He stole even Baigent's name and made an anagram of it 🤣🤣🤣

 The best novel to go for if anyone likes conspiracy theory fiction is 'Foucault's Pendulum' by Umberto Eco. It's a lot though. 

 J P Alexander

Of all Dan Brown books, it is "Da Vinci Code" which truly fascinates me because  of the interesting links which he makes to the  2000 year old legend of Mary Magdalene and her flight to Europe, following the crucifixion of Jesus. 

Yes, Jesus's followers were prosecuted by the Romans, though some like "brother James" stayed on till Titus's Destruction of the Temple in 70 AD.

 For example, Mother Mary, according to some accounts lived in a cottage on Bulbul Mountain near Ephesus which hundreds of pilgrims visit daily. The fact that all the Popes since Pius X, more than a century ago, have made  this pilgrimage, lends credibility to the story.

Dan Brown in 2003 borrowed heavily from well-researched "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" which had fascinated me in the 1980s. Michael Baigent, Henry Lincoln and Richard Leigh worked assiduously to fill up the gaps in this 2000 year old story.

Pierre Planchard de Saint Clair ( a descendant of Mary Magdalene ?) who died in 2000 wielded immense influence in France and even Charles de Gaulle consulted him during major crises. Well-known historical figures like " long haired" Merovingian monarch Dagobert II and Godrey de Bouillon are introduced to lend  authenticity to the unbroken lineage. (Duke Godfrey of Boulogne in Belgium was a surprise choice as King  of Jerusalem when the 1st Crusade took the city in 1098. But the book claims that his descent from Mary Magdalene was the key factor.

The Grail, in quest of which Arthur's knights ... Percival, Galahad, Gawaine, Lancelot ... journeyed afar, wasn't the Chalice at the Last Supper, but the sacred bloodline of Jesus! 

Sang-real = Blood royal.

This was protected by the Templar Knights, Rosicrucians and the  the Priory of Sion whose Grand Masters included prominent figures like Sandro Botticelli ( Birth of Venus), Leonardo da Vinci, the Constable de  Bourbon, Robert Boyle, Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo, Charles Debussy.. ( OMG!)

" Da Vinci Code" begins in the Louvre Museum, Paris with the murder of curator Jacques Sauniere.

 It also ends in the Louvre, with Robert Langdon speculating about Mary  Magdalene's body being, interred below the massive Entrance Pyramid. When I visited the Louvre in 1977, there was no pyramid.(I M Pei's grand work came up only in 1984).

In the short time available, I did manage to see Mona Lisa (sans bulletproof glass) and 3 of Da Vinci's  other masterpieces.

 Also "Venus de Milo" and  "Nike of Samothrace " ... altogether just an infitesimile part of the vast museum.

The visit of Robert Langdon and Sophie  to London's Templar Church was action packed.

What was even more  thrilling  was our vist in 2017 to mysterious Rosslyn Chapel, near Edinburgh, which was built by Sir William St Clair in  1446. Thanks to the book, there was a veritable horde of visitors and not even enough space in thev car  park.

As a "Da Vinci Code" aficianado, the icing on the cake was our serendipitous visit to  St Clair estate ( founded by Graeme St Clair in 1874) as we traveled through Srilanka's Central Highlands. We bought a pretty good painting of the lovely St Clair Falls (above) for a "humungous" Rs 1500 ( Srilankan!). Life was cheap a decade ago. Maybe it still is, in Srilanka.

 

Confidence

 

The Bridges of Madison County

 

The Bridges of Madison County is one of the greatest love stories ever told. So I believed. 

I had read the famous love story in a Mumbai local on a Sunday morning, and I remember getting teary eyed in the end. Many years later, I watched the movie, directed by Clint Eastwood. 

The movie tells the story of a beautiful and bored housewife who lives in a remote village in America with her ex-Marine husband and children. Once when they are away for a short trip to the city, she decides to spend 3 nights with a  documentary photographer visiting her village. The photographer offers to marry her, but she refuses to go with him. She instead chooses to stay in touch with him through letters and gifts, which are found by her children in a suitcase after her death. 

Meryl Streep nominated for an Oscar for her role as the bored housewife named Francesca. Clint Eastwood played the photographer, Robert Kincaid. A little known actor called Jim Haines played Meryl Streep’s husband, Richard, an dungree wearing simple bald man, who appears for a few minutes on the screen. He loves his wife, works hard on their farm and his kids love him. 

For years I believed that Francesca was the victim of a bad marriage. I believed that Robert and Francesca had every right to have an affair, since he was single and handsome and she was bored and beautiful. 

Today, I believe that the hero of the story is the unsuspecting husband Richard Johnson, who spent his entire life loving his wife and children.

Cheating, no matter what the circumstances, is fundamentally immoral. While marriages may face challenges and lack passion, it does not justify infidelity. You can part ways if things are not working. The problem is that infidelity is a gutless act where the person doesn't want to leave a dead marriage or tell their partner that they are no more interested in the relationship. 

The Bridges of Madison County romanticizes infidelity, and in doing so, it undermines the integrity of Richard, a man who remains faithful to his wife despite the flaws in their relationship. 

 

UK - GB - London

 Blessed to have lived to see this view.

LONDON IS NOT A COUNTRY

Most people think London is a Country of it's own .. That's not true. London is the capital of England UK  🇬🇧 and there are four countries in the UK with each having their capitals.

Some often confuse England, United Kingdom 🇬🇧 and Great Britain.

England is a country just like Kenya🇰🇪and its capital is London just like Nairobi is the capital of Kenya 🇰🇪

Or Uganda as a country and Kampala as the capital of Uganda.

Great Britain is a collection of 3 countries which came together as one country and has its capital as London. Those 3 countries are:

1. England,

2. Scotland

3. Wales.

When you include Northern Ireland to these 3 countries, they become United Kingdom (Union of four nations)

1. England,

2. Scotland,

3. Wales, and

4. Northern Ireland.

That is why it is referred to as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Collectively, the four are taken as one country. London is its capital.

These four individual nations all have their own respective capitals.

Accordingly, the capital of

Scotland is Edinburgh,
Wales is Cardiff;
Northern Ireland is Belfast.
England is London.

Additionally,
England,Wales and Northern Ireland uses "pounds" as their official currency

Scotland uses "pounds sterling"

Both pounds and pounds sterling are of the same value but different prints.

No knowledge is a waste ✌️

The Mehta Boys ~ Boman Irani

Veteran Bollywood actor Boman Irani is not only his amazing and unique self, that we see in the movies,  but has revealed his other facets in his directorial debut movie 'The Mehta Boys'; where he is also the writer and producer.  An interesting story, filled with sentiments, emotions,  fun and humor revealing the universal truth 'Child is the father of man'. 'Children begin by obeying their parents, after a while they judge them.' As they grow older there could be differences and may not be able to forgive them. But they will always have their parents in them. Father  will always remain father. 

Avinash Tiwary as Amay Mehta was great. The changing view of Mumbai, making it similar to other cities and the father's statement '“India does not look like India anymore”, gives a boost to the otherwise underconfident son. 

Boman Irani delivers a splendid performance as a heartbroken elderly man who clings to his old-fashioned ways, a reflection of his decades in cinema. However, Avinash Tiwary completely overshadows him with his sincere and nuanced performance. Every son will be able to relate to his struggle and the barely visible internal struggle with himself while dealing with his stubborn father.

Shreya Chaudhry as Zara a supportive  trusted work colleague  who forms a wholesome bond with Shiv and facilitates Amay in taking care of his father and Puja Sarup as Anu, sister are the other main characters,  there is boss of the company Sen and son and other work colleagues.

The unpretentious yet deeply moving drama explores the complexities of a father-son relationship shaped by unexpressed love, hidden affection and differences. Boman Irani plays the rigid father, Shiv, who is dealing with the loss of his wife, the love of his wife. He has two kids, a daughter Anu (Puja Sarup) and a son Amay (Avinash Tiwary). Anu is settled in America while Amay moved to Mumbai to work as an architect. The kids return to their childhood home to be with Shiv and grieve their mother’s death. We see palpable tension between the father and the son right off the bat.

Anu plans to take her father to America with her. But destiny had one last plan to mend the father-son’s relationship. Due to a series of events, the father and son are forced to live together after a decade..

Shiv’s flight tickets are rejected at the counter, forcing him to stay with Amay for two days until his next flight on Monday. Anu leaves for America to be with her kids. Meanwhile, we see the depths of Shiv and Amay’s stiff relationship in its ultimate raw form.

Amay brings his father to his shabby apartment in Mumbai’s Lower Parel. Shiv huffs and puffs while picking up his suitcases, refusing any kind of help from his son. Amay enters his well-lit house but Shiv immediately complains that he left the lights on before leaving the house. Amay promptly replies that he does not like coming home to darkness. Shiv refuses to acknowledge his son’s response and turns off all the lights anyway.

We see their dynamic relationship unfold as they try to live together in peace and not get in each other’s way. There is a scene where Shiv notices a photograph of Amay with Anu and his mother on the side table. His heart breaks to know that his son never kept his picture in the house. His face turns pensive as if reflecting on all the memories with his son and where things went wrong.

They share many bittersweet moments while staying together. In one of the scenes, the father-son duo sits down on the balcony to share a drink together. Shiv asks Amay about his job. The seemingly simple conversation takes a serious turn when Shiv condescendingly taunts Amay on his reliability on the laptop. Shiv comments that all the buildings in modern-day look the same and “India does not look like India anymore”. The comment triggers Amay who retaliates by commenting on his father’s job as a typewriter. The evening ends on a sour note.

Shiv’s passport gets stolen

Amay gets a call from Anu who reminds him that it was his father’s birthday. Ridden with guilt, Amay decides to take his father to a swanky restaurant to celebrate. Shiv demands to meet with Zara who he believes is Amay’s fiancée. He also offers to pay the bill which Amay begrudgingly accepts. They get to the restaurant and Zara immediately wins over Shiv’s heart. As they engage in a wholesome conversation, Amay slips away to ask the waiter to give them half of the bill, reasoning that his father is not aware of how expensive the restaurant is. The waiter calls him a good son and Amay feels better about himself.

During the conversation, Shiv recalls a fond memory of his beloved late wife. He recalls buying her an expensive saree and not caring about the money as long as it kept his wife happy. Amay realises that perhaps secretly paying half of the bill was not such a good deed after all. Before he could do anything, the waiter brought out the bill. Shiv realises how Amay insulted him and announces that the beautiful night has now been ruined.

The ride to the airport is silent and tense. After reaching there, Shiv realises that his suitcase containing his passport and his wife’s saree has been stolen. They fail to find it at the restaurant, forcing Shiv and Amay to stay together until a new passport has been made.

How Shiv helped Amay progress in his career

While Amay deals with his stubborn father at home, he also deals with the pressure from his boss to present him with a ground-breaking design to win a deal. He works day and night to come up with a design but fails to satisfy himself with his creation.

Meanwhile, Amay and Shiv get into a serious altercation while in the car on a rainy night while returning from the passport office. The heated argument between Shiv and Amay exposed the conflicts of their bond. Amay feels undervalued and under-appreciated by his father regardless of his achievements. On the other hand, Shiv reveals that Amay broke his mother’s son by separating from them in pursuit of freedom. It leads to a minor accident and Shiv takes off. Amay reaches home and gets a call from the hospital. Shiv gets into a minor accident while hallucinating about his wife. Zara reprimands Amay for being irresponsible about his father. At the hospital, Amay reveals that Shiv’s passport has been retrieved but Shiv refuses to stay back with him.

Shiv returns to his hometown to stay in the house where he’s lived for over 70 years. Back in Mumbai, Amay recalls his father’s words “India does not look like India anymore” and gets a groundbreaking idea for his design. He incorporates the traditional essence and values of Indian architecture in his design and impresses his boss.

He returns to his hometown to meet with his father. Amay shows him his new designs and Shiv bursts into tears. They share an unspoken appreciation and start seeing each other through a new lens. Amay drives Shiv to the airport. Although they do not hug, Shiv plants an affectionate kiss on Amay’s cheek, hinting at the start of their new budding bond.

#TheMehtaBoys #BomanIrani #ShivMehta #AvinasTiwari #AmayMehta #amazonprimemovies #HindiDramaFilm

KumbhMela ~ Ramanand 6/25

Manavta ka Mahasamudra - The Great Ocean of Humanity

A timely read indeed, a book with story, experiences, Mantras, Slokas and Pictures by Ramanand translated by Lakshmi Dayal.

The Kumbh is a Mela in search  of peace, bliss and completion, trying to drive home the point "We are all one, same consciousness is in every human being". Achieving our goals becomes difficult if we stray whilst walking on this path.

For 12 days and nights, the demons continuously chased the nectare obtained churning Kshirsagar, the ocean of milk using the Mandrachal mountain and Snake deity Vasuki as rope collected in a Kumb that is the pitcher given by Dhanvantari to collect water. God's and demons fought a pitched battle for 12 continuous years. The equivalent of one celestial day is one year on earth.

When Demons tried to snatch the kumbh few drops of nectar fell at Haridwar (Ganga), Ujjain (Kshipra), Nashik(Godavari) and Prayaga(Thriveni).

To commensurate this event, Kumbh Mela is organized every 12 years at these sanctified places turn by turn. In Nasik and Ujjain every 3 years, Haridwar and Prayag, Ardh-Kumbh every six years, Purna or full Kumb every 12 years and Mahakumbh in 144 years. The Mela-Fair for Kumbh has certain particular auspicious days.

People gather is a triump of human race helping mankind realize the world is one family.  Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.

Among the largest group of ascetics who visit are the Nagas smeared with bhabhoot- holy ash, the traditional protectors.The temporary home or retreat of an Ascetic on the Bank of holy Ganga during the month of Magh is called Kalpavas. The rule to abide during Kalpavas is, "I must practice self-control for the welfare of all. I must remain non-violent. I should be broad-minded, generous, liberal and level-headed. Totally engrossed and focused on the truth as it appears, without fear or enmity, always remaining alert to the well-being of all people".

Motto or Mantra : Sarajevo Kalyan. Welfare of all beings.

There are 4 types of bathing - Bhasmasnan, Varunsnan, Mantrasnan and Godhulisnan meaning that with ashes, water, prayer and twilight.

Things to do if at Pyagraj are Ritual bath at SangamGhat, Akshay Vatt the grand old Banyan tree, Samudr Koop, Gangouli Shivalya, Resting Hanumanji, Viraaj Mandapam, Shankh Mahadev, Beni Madhava, Manakameshwar, Alopashankari are places of interest. You will find Prayag Guvas everywhere

#KumbhMela #Timelyread #Book #Ramanand #Prayag #triveni

The Four Sacred Secrets ~ Preethaji and Krishnaji 5/25

 The Four Sacred Secrets: For Love and Prosperity, A Guide to Living in a Beautiful State is a spiritual and self-help book by Indian spiritual teachers Preethaji and Krishnaji, founders of the O&O Academy. Including ancient fables and modern stories that will speak intimately to your heart, this book fuses the transcendental and the scientific, the mystical and the practical, to guide you to consciously create wealth, heal your heart, awaken yourself to love, and help you to make peace with your true self.

Rereading now; earlier review: https://arunoday.blogspot.com/search?q=Four+Sacred

The Beautiful State vs. the Suffering State:

The authors introduce the idea that every individual lives in one of two states of mind: the "beautiful state" or the "suffering state." The beautiful state is one of love, connection, and inner peace, while the suffering state is marked by stress, anxiety, and a sense of separation. The book teaches how to shift from the suffering state to the beautiful state through conscious practices.

These secrets are meant to guide people in transforming their lives and living in what the authors call a "beautiful state." The four sacred secrets are:

1. Living with a Spiritual Vision:

This secret involves cultivating a higher purpose or vision for your life that transcends material goals and focuses on spiritual growth. It's about understanding your deeper intentions and aligning your life with them. By living with a spiritual vision, you move beyond self-centered desires and begin to live in a way that benefits both yourself and others.

2. Connecting to the Universal Intelligence:

This secret emphasizes the importance of recognizing and connecting with a higher consciousness or universal intelligence that guides and influences all aspects of life. The authors suggest that by tapping into this universal intelligence through meditation, mindfulness, and other spiritual practices, you can access greater wisdom, creativity, and insight. This connection helps you make decisions that are in alignment with your true self and the greater good.

3. Awakening to the Power of Consciousness:

This secret is about becoming fully aware of your thoughts, emotions, and actions, and understanding how they shape your reality. By awakening to the power of your own consciousness, you learn to master your mind and emotions, leading to a more peaceful and empowered life. The authors emphasize the importance of self-awareness and emotional intelligence in achieving personal transformation.

4. Fostering the Flow of Love:

The final secret focuses on the transformative power of love in all its forms—self-love, love for others, and love for life itself. The authors believe that love is the most powerful force for personal and spiritual growth. By fostering the flow of love in your life, you can heal relationships, attract abundance, and create a life filled with joy and fulfillment. This secret encourages you to open your heart and live from a place of compassion and connection.

The four life journey covered in the process are:

1. Heal the wounded child
2. Dissolve the inner divide
3. Become a Heartful Partner
4. Emerge into a Conscious Wealth Creator

The easy-to-follow meditations included in this book will transform your experience of reality and open you to the power of creating a beautiful life for yourself.

https://arunoday.blogspot.com/search?q=Soul+sync+meditation

It has four chapters and two sub parts each, Preethaji & Krishnaji go beyond strategies and share with us how to make decisions from a beautiful state and how that creates lack of inner-conflict and a boost in creativity that we otherwise would not be able to access. A whole new way of looking at problem solving and at making choices! The implications that this can have in our life and businesses are enormous.

It is said that if we follow the process we will experience calmness in the mind and stillness of energy in the body. The Four Sacred Secrets eloquently presents much needed WISDOM for the entire world to transcend into a harmonious living.

Whatever we do, be in a beautiful state.