I just call him “Grinch”.
Actually, I have never spoken to him or about him to anyone but whenever I see him I think “Grinch”.
Mr. Grinch is a portly Indian gentleman who boards the train from San Francisco and gets down at Union City.
The reason for my dislike for him is twofold. One - he is very loud when he talks to some of his friends (who are tolerable) but Two – and this is a tipping point, he is a seasoned Nasal Archaeologist. Whenever I see him he has his right index finger lodged firmly in his nose only to come out once in a while to inspect his find, rub it off and go to the other nostril in search of God knows what.
I tend to avoid looking at him and busy myself with my laptop or some book that I am reading, but it is something about him that whenever I look up, my gaze floats towards him.
Today something happened that enforced my disgust for him but also brought to light social gimmickry that almost everyone involves in once in a while.
There are seats by the doors of the car which are supposed to be vacated for elderly or disabled. Mr. Grinch firmly established himself in one of those. The train began to get crowded and by the time it reached Oakland it was already packed.
Mr. Grinch pulled out a newspaper and hid himself behind it. (Thankfully for me his nasal quest stopped as he was holding the paper with both hands).
Now I could see his eyes from the corner and whenever people boarded the train he raised the paper high enough to pretend to not see them, should some elderly enter the car. The idea being - “If I haven’t seen anyone then I am ignorant and will keep my heinie rested”
As luck would have it an elderly lady did board the train, she looked around, and Mr. Grinch raised his newspaper as if he was in a sailboat catching the wind. Just then another guy got up and offered the lady a (non-designated) seat. Thankfully, it was another Indian guy.
Mr. Grinch appeared startled, had a clumsy embarrassed look on his face, and looked around from left to right. No one noticed it except me and his eyes met mine. I was about 10 seats away from the incident but I narrowed my gaze and looked down upon him with a frown.
Mr. Grinch instinctively put the news paper down and found his nose with his fat fingers, as an infant sucks on his thumb to soothe himself.
That worked for him, I looked away.
Friday, April 27, 2007
It is just a peck
Mary confronted me yesterday. – “Hey what is it about this Richard Gere controversy?”
“Huh ..what?” Even though I heard her alright, I bought time scrambling for a reasonable response.
She repeated – “You know the issue about Richard kissing an Indian actress on stage and his arrest warrant and all”
“Oh that. (phooh!) I don’t know what to say, I think it is an issue blown out of proportion by some rabid fundamentalists”
“But isn’t it a court that has issued a warrant” – she pressed on.
“Well. (ahem..) you know there are all kinds of laws in every country, isn’t there is a list of these arcane laws even in US…like “You may not have an ice cream cone in your back pocket at any time.” And “It is illegal to ride a bike in a swimming pool”?
“Sure but they are what you said…arcane, but this is not the same, is it?”
“All I am saying is that if you go to a court, the judge has to uphold the law”
“But what about all the corny Bollywood flicks? Doesn’t the Judge watch those?” – she was getting amusement out of my discomfiture.
“I don’t know about that, I think it is just another case of misplaced sensitivities exploited by a handful fanatics.”
Then I remembered the story she told me sometime back when she went to the subcontinent as part of a Christian outreach and their group was harassed in Bombay.
I wanted to avoid the discussion going there as I was already on my defensive so I said –
“Hey, I have to rush to something; I am sure this is nothing but yet another celebrity scandal and if anything has helped Richard Gere in getting some more limelight”
Then I left in a haste.
“Huh ..what?” Even though I heard her alright, I bought time scrambling for a reasonable response.
She repeated – “You know the issue about Richard kissing an Indian actress on stage and his arrest warrant and all”
“Oh that. (phooh!) I don’t know what to say, I think it is an issue blown out of proportion by some rabid fundamentalists”
“But isn’t it a court that has issued a warrant” – she pressed on.
“Well. (ahem..) you know there are all kinds of laws in every country, isn’t there is a list of these arcane laws even in US…like “You may not have an ice cream cone in your back pocket at any time.” And “It is illegal to ride a bike in a swimming pool”?
“Sure but they are what you said…arcane, but this is not the same, is it?”
“All I am saying is that if you go to a court, the judge has to uphold the law”
“But what about all the corny Bollywood flicks? Doesn’t the Judge watch those?” – she was getting amusement out of my discomfiture.
“I don’t know about that, I think it is just another case of misplaced sensitivities exploited by a handful fanatics.”
Then I remembered the story she told me sometime back when she went to the subcontinent as part of a Christian outreach and their group was harassed in Bombay.
I wanted to avoid the discussion going there as I was already on my defensive so I said –
“Hey, I have to rush to something; I am sure this is nothing but yet another celebrity scandal and if anything has helped Richard Gere in getting some more limelight”
Then I left in a haste.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Wah! Taj
Millions of people from around the world throng the city of Agra in India to have a glimpse of this wonder. I am sure that there would be very few people in this world who have not seen at least a picture of the Taj Mahal. However, no picture, no movie, no commentary can ever compare to an actual visit to this majestic mausoleum.
It is fitting however that it is a mausoleum. The house of the dead. For in symmetry lies death. It is the symmetry and perfection that humans try to achieve and it is this symmetry and perfection that was achieved by the designers of the Taj. There is perhaps no other building in the world which is more perfect than the Taj, architecturally and aesthetically. The feeling that comes over you when you see the Taj is that of solace, a strange sense of fulfillment and joy. It is a place where life and death come together to salute the marvel of human achievement.
I mentioned that symmetry symbolizes death, if you see around yourself, nature; the creator of life is perfectly asymmetrical. The only symmetrical things around you are man made. Look at the mountains, the clouds, the trees, the meandering river, each one of them are neither having symmetry of shape nor of number.
Even life on earth evolved as a result of asymmetry, earth is not a perfect sphere, the motion of earth around the sun is not a perfect ellipse, earth’s axis is not symmetrical, and there is only one sun , not four or six to brighten the earth uniformly. This asymmetry lead to variations in seasons and to thunderstorms and to lightning which perhaps created the primordial organic matter. It is the diversity as a result of asymmetry that resulted in evolution of life on earth. Uniformity and symmetry would have made this planet uninhabitable.
But what does it have to do with the Taj?
Taj is one of the most perfect human creations and it is also one of the most symmetrical buildings ever made by man. It is therefore fitting that it is a mausoleum. Perhaps this is the message that the architects and designers of the Taj were trying to send out.
I have had the honor of visiting theTaj four times so far, and each time I have felt a strange sense of pride in being human, a sense of completeness, a feeling that life has finally unfolded itself with a purpose.
The first view of the Taj leaves an indelible impression on your mind, a picture cast in your memory to cherish forever.
You walk up the ascent to the outer walls and you have no idea of what is to come next, you walk up through the way where once was an old Bazaar and now are a few curio shops, yet you have no glimpse of what is there in store for you, slowly the suspense thickens, then you see a gate known as darwaza which is the entrance to the courtyard of the Taj. The gate itself is a great piece of art, made of red sandstone it stands about 100 ft high and about 150 feet wide, it is is richly embellished with gemstones inlaid in white marble and decorated with calligraphy. As you enter the gate at a turn you suddenly see the Taj. It looks like a still picture. A picture cast in the frame of the gate, fitting it perfectly. Little would you know that it is a subtle optical illusion, the garden in front of the gate and the walkway to the Taj is about 900 ft, yet the Taj appears very far away, beckoning you step into its sanctum sanctorum.
The gate is also symbolic of a transition from the outer world to a world where everything is perfect.
As you slowly walk towards it you feel a comforting peace that surrounds your being. Every time you look at the Taj as you walk, you feel that it is growing in dimension. It is another optical illusion that comes with extremely thought out work with three dimensional effects of shadows, crests and troughs, solids and voids. The depth is further accentuated by the double arches one over the other and a subtle play of light and shadow in any time of the day. As you walk up to the main building you almost feel it grow as if you are not taking small steps but are flying towards it.
When you reach the pedestal you are filled with feelings of awe and astonishment, yet strangely despite its exalted presence you do not feel small in any way.
You feel the ascent of your spirit with the beauty and grace of the building, you feel that you belong here.
As you walk up the stairs to the 20 ft high pedestal you probably for first time notice how high the base itself is. And then after a flight of stairs suddenly you are face to face with the Taj. You can even touch it !
When you circle around the building you find that there is nothing behind the Taj except river yamuna. This was deliberately done in order to present the beholder the view of Taj with no background but sky. The Taj is made of white makrana marble and it always presents itself as a contrast to the sky behind. This is exactly how you feel, sky behind not sky above. The Taj is known to change colors with each hour of the day and known to shine to blinding white on a full moon night. It is impossible to capture it in words, even in a picture, it is to be seen to be believed. There are a number of legends that surround the Taj, perhaps the most well known is the intensity of love of the emperor for his beloved wife, when after her death his hair turned gray in just one night.
As you explore the Taj further and you actually enter it you feel love all over the place, it is the love of a person for another person, love of a man for his work. As you walk in the majestic galleries and look at the inlaid work and surface detail, the complexity of the creation dawns upon you.I have known many a people to become contemplative and reflective in the many rooms and chambers of the Taj. When you see a decorative motif in the corner of the roof you would be surprised and think why has the craftsman taken all the pain to create that beautiful motif almost hidden from the view?
It took the creativity of nearly 40 architects, engineers and craftsmen to design and supervise the construction of the Taj and it took nearly 20 years and 20 thousand workmen to carry out the task. The Taj was completed in the year 1648 when there were no modern equipment or instruments to help the designers and architects.
One of the few standing wonders of the world, this epicenter of love is a must see and must feel for every living soul.
I am closing this post abruptly and it is the same exact feeling that you have when you leave the Taj. It keeps you yearning for more, you feel that you have been woken up in the middle of a dream, yet there is a strange sense of fulfillment and solace.
It is fitting however that it is a mausoleum. The house of the dead. For in symmetry lies death. It is the symmetry and perfection that humans try to achieve and it is this symmetry and perfection that was achieved by the designers of the Taj. There is perhaps no other building in the world which is more perfect than the Taj, architecturally and aesthetically. The feeling that comes over you when you see the Taj is that of solace, a strange sense of fulfillment and joy. It is a place where life and death come together to salute the marvel of human achievement.
I mentioned that symmetry symbolizes death, if you see around yourself, nature; the creator of life is perfectly asymmetrical. The only symmetrical things around you are man made. Look at the mountains, the clouds, the trees, the meandering river, each one of them are neither having symmetry of shape nor of number.
Even life on earth evolved as a result of asymmetry, earth is not a perfect sphere, the motion of earth around the sun is not a perfect ellipse, earth’s axis is not symmetrical, and there is only one sun , not four or six to brighten the earth uniformly. This asymmetry lead to variations in seasons and to thunderstorms and to lightning which perhaps created the primordial organic matter. It is the diversity as a result of asymmetry that resulted in evolution of life on earth. Uniformity and symmetry would have made this planet uninhabitable.
But what does it have to do with the Taj?
Taj is one of the most perfect human creations and it is also one of the most symmetrical buildings ever made by man. It is therefore fitting that it is a mausoleum. Perhaps this is the message that the architects and designers of the Taj were trying to send out.
I have had the honor of visiting theTaj four times so far, and each time I have felt a strange sense of pride in being human, a sense of completeness, a feeling that life has finally unfolded itself with a purpose.
The first view of the Taj leaves an indelible impression on your mind, a picture cast in your memory to cherish forever.
You walk up the ascent to the outer walls and you have no idea of what is to come next, you walk up through the way where once was an old Bazaar and now are a few curio shops, yet you have no glimpse of what is there in store for you, slowly the suspense thickens, then you see a gate known as darwaza which is the entrance to the courtyard of the Taj. The gate itself is a great piece of art, made of red sandstone it stands about 100 ft high and about 150 feet wide, it is is richly embellished with gemstones inlaid in white marble and decorated with calligraphy. As you enter the gate at a turn you suddenly see the Taj. It looks like a still picture. A picture cast in the frame of the gate, fitting it perfectly. Little would you know that it is a subtle optical illusion, the garden in front of the gate and the walkway to the Taj is about 900 ft, yet the Taj appears very far away, beckoning you step into its sanctum sanctorum.
The gate is also symbolic of a transition from the outer world to a world where everything is perfect.
As you slowly walk towards it you feel a comforting peace that surrounds your being. Every time you look at the Taj as you walk, you feel that it is growing in dimension. It is another optical illusion that comes with extremely thought out work with three dimensional effects of shadows, crests and troughs, solids and voids. The depth is further accentuated by the double arches one over the other and a subtle play of light and shadow in any time of the day. As you walk up to the main building you almost feel it grow as if you are not taking small steps but are flying towards it.
When you reach the pedestal you are filled with feelings of awe and astonishment, yet strangely despite its exalted presence you do not feel small in any way.
You feel the ascent of your spirit with the beauty and grace of the building, you feel that you belong here.
As you walk up the stairs to the 20 ft high pedestal you probably for first time notice how high the base itself is. And then after a flight of stairs suddenly you are face to face with the Taj. You can even touch it !
When you circle around the building you find that there is nothing behind the Taj except river yamuna. This was deliberately done in order to present the beholder the view of Taj with no background but sky. The Taj is made of white makrana marble and it always presents itself as a contrast to the sky behind. This is exactly how you feel, sky behind not sky above. The Taj is known to change colors with each hour of the day and known to shine to blinding white on a full moon night. It is impossible to capture it in words, even in a picture, it is to be seen to be believed. There are a number of legends that surround the Taj, perhaps the most well known is the intensity of love of the emperor for his beloved wife, when after her death his hair turned gray in just one night.
As you explore the Taj further and you actually enter it you feel love all over the place, it is the love of a person for another person, love of a man for his work. As you walk in the majestic galleries and look at the inlaid work and surface detail, the complexity of the creation dawns upon you.I have known many a people to become contemplative and reflective in the many rooms and chambers of the Taj. When you see a decorative motif in the corner of the roof you would be surprised and think why has the craftsman taken all the pain to create that beautiful motif almost hidden from the view?
It took the creativity of nearly 40 architects, engineers and craftsmen to design and supervise the construction of the Taj and it took nearly 20 years and 20 thousand workmen to carry out the task. The Taj was completed in the year 1648 when there were no modern equipment or instruments to help the designers and architects.
One of the few standing wonders of the world, this epicenter of love is a must see and must feel for every living soul.
I am closing this post abruptly and it is the same exact feeling that you have when you leave the Taj. It keeps you yearning for more, you feel that you have been woken up in the middle of a dream, yet there is a strange sense of fulfillment and solace.
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