A Tryst with the Lady of Liberty

It was a bright sunny day, a fine Saturday(24-May-2010) heralding the start of a nice weekend. I took the Metro-North train (supposed to come at 8.38 in the morning, thought I missed it, hoping to catch the 9.04am one I caught this :-) ) starting off to Grand Central. I met an Indian friend who gave me good company during the journey. We talked about weather, vacations, family, work life which kept us engaged throughout the journey.
I reached GC. The station looked wonderful, bristling with crowd - young, aged, multi-culture, mix of tradition and modernity -  a true statement to what this country USA represents.

I took the subway to bowling green and reached the battery park. My bro arrived with my aunt/uncle and his friend and mom. We were all equally excited. After the regular baggage/passenger screening process we boarded the cruise. When the cruiser started, I felt happy seeing the waves rising and falling, building receding far away and felt as if I was in the arms of the mother river and Hudson is truly majestic.

We reached the liberty island and spent glorious time clicking away pictures. Later we went to Ellis Island and learnt its history - how it had served as the immigration post and the life and times of early immigrants to US. the museum hosted some good pictures that took us back to early 18th century.

We returned back to NY city and truly it was a memorable tryst indeed !!

Why Vegetarianism... Excerpts from the book 'Living with Siva'

I recently read on vegetarianism, its importance and why humans should adopt it. This is an excerpt from the book 'Living with Siva'.

Reasons for Vegetarianism

Vegetarianism has for thousands of years been a principle of health and environmental ethics throughout India. Though Muslim and Christian colonization radically undermined and eroded this ideal, it remains to this day a cardinal ethic of Hindu thought and practice. A subtle sense of guilt persists among Hindus who eat meat, and there exists an ongoing controversy on this issue. The Sanskrit for vegetarianism is shakahara, and one following a vegetarian diet is a shakahari. The term for meat-eating is mansahara, and the meat-eater is called mansahari. Ahara means "food" or "diet," shaka means "vegetable," and mansa means "meat" or "flesh."

Amazingly, I have heard people define vegetarian as a diet which excludes the meat of animals but does permit fish and eggs. But what really is vegetarianism? It is living only on foods produced by plants, with the addition of dairy products. Vegetarian foods include grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, milk, yogurt, cheese and butter. The strictest vegetarians, known as vegans, exclude all dairy products. Natural, fresh foods, locally grown without insecticides or chemical fertilizers are preferred. A vegetarian diet does not include meat, fish, shellfish, fowl or eggs. For good health, even certain vegetarian foods are minimized: frozen and canned foods, highly processed foods, such as white rice, white sugar and white flour; and "junk" foods and beverages--those with abundant chemical additives, such as artificial sweeteners, colorings, flavorings and preservatives.

In the past fifty years millions of meat-eaters have made the decision to stop eating the flesh of other creatures. There are five major motivations for such a decision. 1) Many become vegetarian purely to uphold dharma, as the first duty to God and God's creation as defined by Vedic scripture. 2) Some abjure meat-eating because of the karmic consequences, knowing that by involving oneself, even indirectly, in the cycle of inflicting injury, pain and death by eating other creatures, one must in the future experience in equal measure the suffering caused. 3) Spiritual consciousness is another reason. Food is the source of the body's chemistry, and what we ingest affects our consciousness, emotions and experiential patterns. If one wants to live in higher consciousness, in peace and happiness and love for all creatures, then he cannot eat meat, fish, shellfish, fowl or eggs. By ingesting the grosser chemistries of animal foods, one introduces into the body and mind anger, jealousy, fear, anxiety, suspicion and a terrible fear of death, all of which are locked into the flesh of butchered creatures. 4) Medical studies prove that a vegetarian diet is easier to digest, provides a wider range of nutrients and imposes fewer burdens and impurities on the body. Vegetarians are less susceptible to all the major diseases that afflict contemporary humanity, and thus live longer, healthier, more productive lives. They have fewer physical complaints, less frequent visits to the doctor, fewer dental problems and smaller medical bills. Their immune system is stronger, their bodies purer and more refined, and their skin clearer, more supple and smooth. 5) Finally, there is the ecological reason. Planet Earth is suffering. In large measure, the escalating loss of species, destruction of ancient rainforests to create pasture lands for livestock, loss of topsoil and the consequent increase of water impurities and air pollution have all been traced to the single fact of meat in the human diet. No single decision that we can make as individuals or as a race can have such a dramatic effect on the improvement of our planetary ecology as the decision to not eat meat. Many conscious of the need to save the planet for future generations have made this decision for this reason and this reason alone. 

Midnight Run - A run for service (7-May-2010)

Now that I've been associated with the First Presbyterian Church, Ossining for a month, I am getting some real good opportunities to do 'seva' and keep my soul and mind in right shape.

Yesterday, I volunteered in a unique program (very special for me to remember in my current life), called 'Midnight Run'.. now wait its not an overnight marathon of sorts which you may imagine ;-). It is just called so, perhaps, coz you race against/give up the comfortable sleep of midnight, to serve the homeless and needy who may actually have many sleepless/troubled nights due to their poor economic condition!

In this event coordinated by the Midnight Run.org (http://www.midnightrun.org/) here in Westchester, NY, our church FPC participated as a donor along with a few other churches like the Briarcliff one. We collect food materials, clothing, tolietries, medicines etc. to distribute among the homeless and needy right in the heart of the affluent New York city!

I was picked up by my nice friend, Bob Supino and his wife, a wonderful service-minded couple in the church with caring hearts. They've been coordinating this for years under the patronship of our church pastor, Lynda.
We arrived in the church by around 7.45pm. We could see a lot of items coming from different churches, family neighborhood arriving at the church. Then the activities begun.

(1) Make food packs - Take bread, cheese, ham, veg. leaves and make sandwiches (like in assembly line..here there were some school/college going young boys/girls enthusiastically working their gourmet/packing skills ;-)), put some fruits, cookies, milk, etc. and seal them
(2) Organizing clothes - arrange by men, women and children clothing and label the sizes - shirts, pants, jeans, inner wear, blankets, jerkins, sweatshirts etc.
(3) Categorize toileteries - soaps, shampoo, oral care, medicines etc.
(4) Packing all into cartons.
(5) Preparing hot coffee/ veg. soup cartons.

After all work, it was time to start (about 9.15 pm). We decided to go as a team of 10..in 4 cars..with the relief materials. Lynda introduced all of us to each other, Bob read out the ground rules and safety instructions and finally Lynda gathered us in a small group prayer :-) (very touching)

Then we started off to New York city. I joined Rich (a financial investment consultant with wide industry experience of 20+ years). We discussed a lot during the 1-hour long journey - topics from church, religion, economic meltdown, India and emerging markets economies (and finally got close enough to discuss families :-) )

We reached Manhattan and per plan had four main places to cover - parks, cross-road junctions, church areas and under construction scaffolding where we can locate the homeless/needy. The moment our cars arrived and opened shop we could see streams of people pouring in. Bob told me that as it happened every year, people knew we were coming and also the areas we cover. (this means the same people can follow us and collect relief at all places, so beware ;-)..)

I was in the car, where we distributed sandwich packs, coffee, soup, shoes and blankets. I felt very happy when I gave things to them and was touched when they blessed me and my family !! :-) (i feel that the most precious thing we can ever get in this world is the heartfelt-thanks and blessings from people whom you may never know or see for the first time !!. we can never buy these things with money nor we can get the same love, peace and satisfaction through other means. This is what makes seva, a very special activity. I dedicate all these to Lord Krishna, who's been so kind to use me as an instrument to help the needy He wanted to..Hare Krishna!!)

In the final spot, I was moved to tears, to see people in huts, made of cardboard, paper cartons, stapled/taped together and sleeping under them on a thin rug spread on the pavement!! [However, I feel that the needy and poor in needy don't even have these !! :-( ]. I could see how much blessed we are indeed to have a family/home to return to and take shelter giving us enough hope for the next day to live.

I spoke to a variety of them - some complained about life, harsh govt, heartless people ; some full of thanks for us to come and see them and talk a few nice words to them as they've never been spoken to for months; some really moved to tears seeing us and asking for more support/some job we can find for them; some making fun of us and rather angry with us when we said we can't give more to the same person as we need to give others-- all kinds. I wondered the play of God, making people react differently for the same situation!!.

Life is the same. We all get born into this material world and die once. Same problems, same Maslow's needs, and same human deficiencies - ego, greed, fear, jealousy, at different ages.. but the same material world!!. I wonder how many human beings have undergone the same thing in this universe - but we still feel we are uniquely made by god by our own material standards!!

Are we really unique? Aren't our life cycle the same? I think I'm contributing uniquely, but am i not doing the same things others have done before albeit in different settings? Where am I in this universe? Am i a spiritual being having a human experience or am I a human being having a spiritual experience? Questions, questions and questions...doubts, doubts and doubts... Gosh!!

But summum bonum, this has enlivened my spirit. To see things in my life again in a larger perspective..perhaps those office problems - promotion, pay etc.. wouldn't bother me more than they really should do, perhaps I've to be more responsible to my family and towards myself, not take things for granted and realising the prime duty of seva wherever i am.

This experience is changing me slowly - for the better ..and I hope to participate in the next run !!

About soul, spirituality and religion

ஆன்மீகமும் ஆன்மாவும்
=========================
இன்று இந்த வலைப்பின்னலில் நான், ஆன்மீகம் மற்றும் ஆன்மாவின் இடையே இருக்கும் உறவினைப்பற்றி எனது சிந்தனைகளை உங்களிடம் பகிர்கிறேன்.
முதலில் அவற்றின் அர்த்தங்களை ஆராய்வோம். ஆன்மீகம் என்பது நமது மனித உடம்புக்குள் இருந்து ஆட்டுவிக்கும் ஆன்மா எனப்படுவதை உணர்வது, புரிந்துகொள்வது. தனது அத்வைதத்தை எடுத்துக்கூறும் முயற்சியில் ஜகத்குரு ஆதிசங்கரர், ஒரு மனிதரின் விழிப்பு நிலை, உறக்க நிலை மற்றும் கனவு (ஆழ்ந்த உறக்கம்) நிலையை உதாரணமாக எடுத்துரைக்கிறார். விழிப்பு நிலையில் நாம் நமது மனம், உணர்வு,புலன், எண்ணங்களின் மூலம் நமது உடலை மூளை ஆட்டுவிப்பதை காண்கிறோம். இதில் பெரும்பாலோர்ற்கு சந்தேகம் இருப்பதில்லை. உறக்க நிலையில் நமது உடல் படுத்துக்கொண்டு இருக்கும்பொழுது மனம் அலைபாய்வதை உணர்கிறோம். உடல் கிடக்கும்போது அலைபாய்பவர் யார். கனவு நிலையில் நாம் காணாத தேசங்களுக்கு செல்பவர் யார். கனவில் நம்மை மற்றவர் தாக்கும்பொழுது நமது பூதவுடல் காயப்படுவதில்லை, ஆனால் நமக்குள்ளே ஒருவர் வலியோடு அழுகிறார், வேதனைப்படுகிறார். யாரவர்? அவரே ஆன்மா ஆவார்.
உண்மை என்னவெனில் ஆன்மாவே நாமவோம். இந்த உடல் நமக்காக தற்காலிகமாக இந்த உலகில் நமது கர்மாவை கரைப்பதற்கு இறைவன் என்றழைக்கப்படும் ஒருவரால் வழங்கப்பட்டது. இந்த கர்மா கரையும்வரை எத்தனை பிறவிகள் வேண்டுமானாலும், எத்தனை விதமான உயிரினமாகவும் நாம் பிறக்க முடியும். கர்மா கரைந்த  பின்னர் மட்டுமே நாம் சுதந்திரத்தை அடைய முடியும். பகவத் கீதை இந்த உண்மையையே எடுத்துக்கூறுகிறது. கர்மாவை கரைப்பது சுலபமில்லை. பாப கர்மத்தை செய்யும்பொழுது நாம் மனிதப்பிறவினும் கீழான பிறவியை அடைகின்றோம். அந்த நிலையில் ஆன்மாவைப்பற்றி நமக்கு பிரக்ஞையே  இருக்கப்போவதில்லை. மனிதப்பிறவியின் துரதிர்ஷ்டம் நாம் ஆன்மாவை நம்புவதில்லை, அல்லது அறிந்தும் உணர்வதில்லை. இந்த உலக மாயை அவ்வளவு சக்திவாய்ந்தது. எல்லாம் மாயை, இந்த உடல் நானல்ல, அதன் உள்ளிருக்கும் ஒன்றே நான். அது என்றும் அழிவதில்லை என்று கீதை எடுதுககூறும், உண்மையை நாம் நம்பும்போது தெளிவு பிறக்கிறது. இந்த உலகில் நாம் எதிர்கொள்ளும் அனுபவங்களில் மாயையின் பங்கை அறியும்போது, மாயை விளக்கி உண்மையை அறியும்போது, இந்த உலகை விட்டு செல்ல ஆன்மாவுக்கு வழி தெரிகின்றது. அந்த நொடியிலிருந்து நமக்கு நிர்வாண நிலை அடைய நம்பிக்கை பிறக்கின்றது.
ஆன்மிகம் என்பது ஆன்மா மற்றும் ஆன்மாவை இந்த உலகின் சூழலிலிருந்து விடுதலை அடையும் யுக்திகளை எடுத்துக்கூறும் வழியே ஆகும். ஒரு ஆன்மீக வாதி மதவாதியாக இருக்கவேண்டிய அவசியம் இல்லை. தேர்ந்த ஆன்மீகவாதி மதத்தை ஒரு கருவியாக பார்க்கிறார். மதவாதி, ஆன்மாவை உணராமல் தன் மதத்தை பின்பற்றுவது மட்டுமே குறிக்கோளாக எண்ணுகிறார். அதன் மூலம் தமக்கு அடுத்த பிறவியில் மேலும் உயர்ந்த நிலையை கடவுள் அருளுவர் என்று நம்புகிறார். ஆன்மீகவாதியோ, அடுத்த பிறவியே வேண்டாமப்பா, கடவுளே  நான் உன்னிலிருந்து வந்தவன் உன்னிலே மீண்டும் இணைய வேண்டுமப்பா என்று கதறுகிறார்.
நாத்திக வாதியோ, இந்த உலகையே எல்லாமாக பார்க்கிறார். கடவுள் இல்லை. ஆன்மா இல்லை, உடலே எல்லாம் என்று எண்ணுகிறார். கடவுள் இருக்கிறாரா, இல்லையா என்று நான் இங்கு வாதிட விழையவில்லை. இந்த உலகம் எதனிடமிருந்து வந்ததோ, அதனிடம் சென்றடைந்து, மீண்டும் இந்த உலக அனுபவம் ஏற்படவேண்டாம் என்றே ஆசைப்படுகிறேன். இந்த உலகை இயக்கும்  ஏதோ ஒன்று உள்ளது. அது சில விதிகளையும் ஏற்படுத்தி உள்ளது. உயிர்கள் அனைத்தும் அந்த விதிகளை மீற  முடிவதில்லை, மாற்றவும் முடிவதில்லை, அனுசரிக்க மட்டுமே முடிகிறது. மீறினால்
இயற்கை சீற்றமடைகிறது, உயிர்கள் அழிகின்றது. மரணத்துக்குபிறகு உடல் அழுகிவிடுகிறது, அதற்கு முன் எரித்து விடுகின்றோம். அதன் பின்பு ஒன்றும் புலப்படுவதில்லை. இதுவே உண்மை. ஆனால், நாம் ஆன்மா என்று எண்ணும்பொழுது, இந்த உலக வாழ்க்கையைப்பற்றிய பயம் அகன்றுவிடுகிறது. நம்பிக்கை பிறக்கின்றது.  
அதன் பின்பு இந்த உலகம் நம்மை பயமுறுத்துவதில்லை. எதையும் தாங்கும் பாங்கு வருகின்றது. எல்லோரையும் நண்பராக பார்க்கின்றோம். உலகமே இனிமையானதாக தெரிய ஆரம்பிக்கின்றது. இறைவனைப்பார்த்து புன்முறுவலிக்க ஆரம்பிக்கின்றோம். அவரது விளையாட்டு புரிய ஆரம்பிக்கின்றது. விதிகள் புரிந்த பின், விளையாட்டில் ஈடுபட்டு, விளையாட்டில் வெல்ல முயல்கிறோம். அதுவே இறைவனும் விரும்புகின்றார். சிலசமயம் கஷ்டங்கள் கொடுத்து, நம்மை பலஹீனபடுத்துகிறார்
சில சமயம் தோள் கொடுத்து உதவுகிறார். அனால் விளையாட்டை வெல்லும் குறியிலிருந்து நாம் என்றும் விலகக்கூடாது. நாமும் அவருடன் சேர்ந்து விளையாடுவோம், அவரது விளையாட்டை ரசிப்போம். வென்று விட்டால் நாம் அவருடன் ஒன்றாவோம், இணை பிரியாமல் இணைவோம்.

What I felt after seeing these movies

This weekend I could get some time to watch 2 tamil movies - those which friends have, a long time, asked me to see. They know that I'm not a movie buff, would read/indulge in music than watch a movie. So I selected these 2 movies - ஆட்டோகிராப் (Autograph) by Cheran and ஆயிரத்தில் ஒருவன் (One among a thousand) by Selvaraghavan for this weekend. For the actual movie stories, better explanations are available in the net (start with the neutral wikipedia and then move on to other reviews)

(1) First about Autograph.
A wonderful movie I saw after another Tamil movie கல்லூரி I saw and enjoyed a few months ago. Cheran is a fine actor without the பந்தா of a movie star but fits into the role like any other common man. Nor does he try to imitate other stars like MGR, Sivaji, Rajni or Kamal which other actors do. This, in itself, makes us interested in the natural story. A different storyline with a thought every person thinks during his time of wedding - Getting old friends to attend it. Though, normally we usually stop with sending invites, calling in phone etc. Cheran goes to the extent of visiting them in person to different places to invite them. His experiences in school where he experienced his first 'love' without realising it via Kamala, the second phase in college where he loves but doesn't have the mettle to convert it into marriage and gruesome acts by fate via Lathika, the third phase, at work, where the girl just chooses to have a different path closer to her heart than a wedded life via Divya - each one of these parts are interesting to watch without any boring scene. Also, songs are apt to the situation. I also liked a few parts not too easy to forget - Kamala's affection and her thrill/anxiety when Senthil visits her home, Lathika in her widowhood crying out her heart - in a mirabai like state, Divya helping senthil during the 2 days of ad campaign when her mother had passed away and hiding it from others (Logic here is doubtful or i might not have watched the scenes properly - did she perform the cremation on the day mother had passed away or she hid it for 2 days without others noticing it?) but whatever it showed to what extent a true friend can act selflessly.
I loved all actors in this movie and no one looked like overacting their part - the biggest asset to a movie after the story line, actors just acting to the role and not like 'stars'.
I would recommend this movie to others anytime :-)

(2) Ayirathil Oruvan by Selvaraghavan
After movies like Kadhal Konden, 7G rainbow colony - yet another attempt by Selva on a subject line others haven't ventured to. This time with history of cholas/pandyas rivalry.

Positive aspects - Movie where you dont feel bored in any scene or would want to doze off for a moment. Visually stunning and audio effects. I liked the part especially when Lord Nataraja's shadow actually shows the path among the quicksand pools. Underlying meaning - life is full of quicksand to pull you under maya, it's Lord Shiva's grace to lift/raise you to the path to reach Godhead. With the shiva mantra in the background, it was apt to feel the 'effect'. a lot of things looked natural - the clash between 2 educated/'urban modern' ladies and what a slumguy thinks about them and vice-versa and the first half was good to watch.

Negative aspects - Second half seemed more like a rush through. Logic, also at several places, seem to fall behind. When the army general could pick up a cellphone to alert the govt and army after receiving his message from Anita - all that GPS stuff and subsequent arrival of troops. Couldn't it be done earlier at every stage to ensure and prepare for safety of dying people?. Even in deserts, forests and seas, modern day GPS is very powerful. Second, portrayal of the Cholas as though they are tribes? :-) A proper research would've shown that the Cholas were at the peak in Culture and Arts. Even if you are cut-off from the world you still could maintain the current level of culture and arts and have refined people? Also the gladiator-like fights in the arena, I'm not aware if the Cholas really had a practice like that and enjoyed them as well. They engaged in fine sword fights and didn't kill innocents in arenas for public fun. Those sections were plain 'repulsive'. And then the black-magic protection which suddenly leaves and make the community exposed? A lot of things like this you'll realise after watching the movie (not during it as I said before - it was visually stunning and audibly engaging). Except for the MGR song and the song sung by the Chola king, others were not pleasing to me. So no comments about them.
On the whole you can watch it once, if you like Selva's movies.

Usher in the Church

Yesterday, the 18th of April, I had a satisfying opportunity of being the usher for the morning service in the Presbyterian church. It might be surprising to you, that what a Smartist like me can do as a usher in the church. Believe me, it is like any other seva we do in our hindu temples and equally satisfying. Some of my duties were:
(1)Inviting people into the church
(2)Providing the service bulletin for the day
(3)Supporting the needs of the elderly and women with babies/toddlers etc. and directing help to them
(4)Receive the offerings of the day and present it to the Pastor for the Lord's blessing.

I thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity and thank God for giving me this role to remember and cherish in my life.

Maundy Thursday - April 1 , 2010

That evening after coming from office, I went a little early by 7pm to the church. It was so silent as though filled with a spirit welcoming people into its fold. Soon, the pastor arrived - in a hurry - to set things up. Helped her with setting the table, candles etc. Barbara arrived and soon we set the chairs around the table in a circle. Very close members of the church soon arrived and I went near the entrance to welcome all. By 7.30 pm, by an act of love and grace, the pastor invited me to join the ceremony though I was a Hindu by faith. That moment, I realised how God's act of love can happen and I was invited in the circle !!

We started with reading from the scriptures and singing prayer song with Eric on the piano. After a round of prayers came the most solemn moment - the enactment of the last supper.

We washed each other hands, broke bread, immersed in the juice of fruit, shared in love and harmony. Then we took the blessing of christ and meditated. All the paraments, symbols and candles were removed and there lay the cross draped in black in the centre of the table!

We departed silently in the loving hope to meet again to celebrate with joy, the resurrection of Christ :-)