Cricket's Shame!

In a country so obsessed with cricket, where other sports are sort of neglected, where people take leave to watch an important match, where its cricketing board revolves around and only around money, power and hence corruption, once again its fans are upset over a 0-4 whitewash in tests against Australia. Giving just the due respect to the sport, and not over-indulging and wasting time analysing 11 people who get enough money irrespective of what they do in the field, just thought to jot down a few random thoughts.

1. A 0-4 whitewash was expected, but didn't expect the team to be like rats there. It's not the failure but the manner of the failure that irritates a fan. No team can win all their matches. But this time barring a few, none gave a fight at all. In a five day match, usually some session will belong to a team. Here we didn't see even one such session where India dominated. The effort to fight itself wasn't there from the majority, else how you could explain players like Kohli, Saha, Ashwin doing quite OK? As a layman, I didn't feel the Aussie bowling was unplayable. Rather it was shamelessness and spinelessness on the part of the Indians that they never bothered to even put up a fight.

2. Our batsmen have never been good against major foreign teams in their soil. They have never done well in sporty bouncy tracks. This has been happening ever since we started playing cricket. And what has been done so far? Doesn't the rich BCCI have enough money to prepare bouncy pitches in India of the like of Mohali and make players play Ranji trophy etc there and prepare them well? Of course they have. Then why not?

Well we Indian fans are also sort of responsible for the same. For many of us cricket is just about hitting every ball for fours and sixes; very few of us want to really see or believe in building partnerships, rotating strikes with singles etc. Crowd turns out to see big sixes. Bowlers' efforts are seldom appreciated. Other than a Kapil Dev we really don't have any bowler celebrity. And so what better way to please the crowd than to prepare flat pitches? Give the crowd what they want and mint money via APL, BPL, CPL, DPL etc...

After such a horrendous tour, to better the batting tigers' averages, to bring the crowd back, and to forget this kind of humiliation, just call in Bangladesh or Zimbabwe and plan a five match series in India, preparing pitches where ball drops in the leg and moves via the off, making batsman rotate in their crease. And our heroes hit double, triple centuries and once again become paper heroes, having excellent average scores! This eyewash has been going on for years now.

3. It's time that zonal-based selection of selectors need to be taken away. On what basis was Vinay Kumar selected other than Srikanth a southie is the selector? Same goes with Mithun. If Ranji trophy is looked into, why not even one player from Rajasthan, who were in excellent form, taken in the team? Why Irfan was left out? What about Ashok Dinda's performance this season? This is not the usual talk where after one batsmen fail, we normally ask why not the other. This is a genuine case of excellent form vs. poor form.

4. Unlike Australia, we go by big names and not the current form of the batsmen. In-form batsman has to be taken in playing 11 and an out-of-form star has to sit on the bench. Neither the captain nor the team management have guts to take these decisions. Rohit Sharma, in excellent form (by now might have gone) was not even considered for a single match even when stars where cutting a sorry figure. Then why was he and Rahane taken in the first place? 

These points just bring out the rotten system in our cricket and also reminds us that there is no point in pointing fingers at a few players and getting out of the blame. The board should remember that the same fans who bring them money might desert them one day, and BCCI can become a story of riches to rag. It's high time that they start changing things from the very base - selectors, selection criteria, nepotism, preparing sporty wickets in India so on and on. Hope authorities open their eyes at least now, though it is too late.

God Save his Own Country's TV Viewers

Come January, and it's that part of the year where you felicitate the good works of the previous year in the entertainment industry, right from Oscars to our own Filmfare awards. Nowadays, even your neighborhood Krishna Appalam sponsors a film award as Krishna Appalam Film Awards 2012, that channels find it tough to accommodate them in one January with limited Saturdays and Sundays. Well all that's good for the ET industry as more recognitions come their way.

But what am coming to is not the awards per se. And this pertains only to Kerala. Come Saturday/Sunday, it's tough to even walk by the TV without listening to someone screaming and killing your mother tongue. It's a shame we don't have any other presenter in the whole state who can handle two languages, Malayalam and English properly? "Irritating" is the softest word I can use to describe this "neither here nor there" being's presentation. Is somebody listening? God save us!

The POLITrICkS

In the depth of a remote village came a group of entertainers named POLITrICkS. The group consisted of a bunch of magicians, body builders, acrobats and so on. The natives of the villages made its livelihood from back-breaking works equipping themselves in agriculture and related fields. Taking a break off their hard day to get entertained was quite relaxing, improving their morale and the people became very cheerful. Thus in a way, the entertainers were sort of doing a service to the society.

The vanishing acts, acrobats, dramas and power shows quickly gained interest among the villagers and became super hits. The entertaining group was gaining popularity and making good profit. They were consistently increasing the entry fee but people were ready to pay that price without much hesitation. Gradually the entertainment group became wealthy and started investing it in the land and properties of the same village.

The villagers not knowing what was happening at a macro level, gave away their assets either for small blown-up margins, or as a consequence of threats, and became dependants. The dependence ratio kept on increasing due to the ignorance of the people and over time, majority of the villagers were bound to the entertainers literally. Now the POLITrICkS were in control of things. They were the wealthiest as the entire village worked for them. They were the decision makers in the village as they owned most of the assets there. And they manipulated things as they wished, as the entire village was directly or indirectly dependent on them.

The condition prevailed but none dared to voice against it, such was the influence of the entertainers now. Things started to go out of control and people who were in support or part of the POLITrICkS Group did whatever they wished, as there was no code of conduct for them. When things went overboard, some folks started raising their voice against the POLITrICkS and its motive. Initially there were big agitations in unison against the deeds. Slogans were raised and agitations were noticed throughout the village.

Did this change the condition of the village? No way. The group said that they will look into the happenings and do the needful. For namesake, some actions were taken. The idea behind this move was to reduce the boiling point by eating time and once the heat subsides, the agitators could be dealt needfully. The effectiveness of this trick was so much that even people within the protesting group became tired of the frequent agitations and wait for action. The group started loosing strength and at the right time, the POLITrICkS Group tried injecting split into the agitators which to some extent was effective or at least induced doubt in the minds of supporters. Thus the POLITrICkS Group was in control of the proceedings.

Once the heat subsided, the initial face saving acts by POLITrICkS Group were taken back and their members started roaming free. Though the heat was no more intense, the strong agitations made the  POLITrICkS Group cold and numb. Some people who were affected by the wrongdoings were determined to bring things to light. They realized that they should expose the truth without delay, bringing in the land grabbing and related profit making deeds of the group to the epicenter.

The sequence of events started to become a threat for the group. One jolt followed by the next became a little bit challenging to handle. They could foresee their downfall, if things prevailed and continued the same.

What is the solution for this? The solution was the same technique used to make appear a big line small. That is, just draw a bigger line near it. Thus the group decided to ignite a fire that catches wild and grows big enough that all other things goes out of focus. Down the southern end, a commotion between neighboring villages was flamed up and situation in both villages started to become sensitive. People started reacting emotionally and without logic. Of all the tricks played till then, the current trick, playing with the sensitivity of the issue between the two villages became a big success. None were bothered about the wealth misappropriation or the land grabbing. Everyone in the village were keen for each others' blood on misguidance. Time was running away from the villagers as they indulged in unwanted activities rather than working for their prosperity. After a few days of fight and bloodshed, people became tired and realized that their normal life has been hampered considerably and decided to return to their root, but by then all the initial unity and togetherness for the common cause had gone with the wind. POLITrICkS magic worked again.

“We don’t belong to that village who were ignorant, who doesn’t have highly equipped communication system, or who didn’t have even basic education, right??? No one will ever dare to try the same with us because we are the Hi-Fis of the world till date, correct??? When everything happens at the click of a button, how can any POLITrICkS Group play their magic on us, right!!! All the wealth of information is always available at our service, so how can some one misguide us, correct??? When the world has been shrunk more than one can imagine and has become a place where everything can be understood as first hand information, how can someone over smart and fool us, right!!! If we are overconfident about ourselves so much, then it is time to rethink. Let's use the resources and figure out how many times we were made to look nonsensical but still gone unnoticed by us. Just go back and look at what the groups that were supposed to serve the people had really done to us, right from the list of scams to tension between states in the name of disputes from aqua to air. Basically we continue to be those villagers who are exploited in every possible way and the POLITrICkS Group continue to play their trick on us in the form of the vanishing acts, sympathetic dramas, muscle power, groupism and so on. The magic continues and we fail continuously to notice it.….

If the greatest poet of Tamil Nadu, Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathi, was still alive, probably he would have again chanted the lines from his poem Endru thaniyum intha suthanthira thagam? Endru madiyum engal adimayin moham? the meaning of which goes thus…

“When will this thirst for freedom be quenched?

When will the desire of a slave die?

When will this shackles on our hand go away?
When will our sufferings get exhausted?
Oh God, who came to make the country of Bharatha then,
Oh God , who supports the life of a gentleman
Is not the support given by victory, your grace?
Is it proper for these true slaves to fade further?”

Let’s render our basic duties properly or a day will come when we are slaves again, but within our country by our own people. 

Om Asatoma Sadgamaya,
Tamasoma Jyothirgamaya
Mrithyorma Amrutangamaya
Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

SATHISH

The World of Maya

When I was a kid, my mom used to read spiritual books and say that the entire world is Maya and all our pain are due to our ignorance about Maya. This statement kept on puzzling me. Maya means illusion, and I always wondered when I can see everything around me, feel everything around, and even touch everything around me, how does the world get categorized as Maya or illusion. Since the declaration on Maya was made by spiritually enlightened personalities, I couldn't rule it out as a junk statement.

At one point I understood that the conflict within me on Maya was my current knowledge and the realization toward understanding the in-depth meaning shared by yogis as the knowledge I should seek. Time passed and events started unwinding, life started teaching lessons on materialism, attachment and greed. Slowly the vagueness about Maya was getting cleared. It is a good learning on how to distinguish things and make life more meaningful and happy from the interview video with Sister Shivani of Brahma Kumaris posted by Ramesh Bai.

The main source of completeness for human being off late is from materialistic things that has a monetary value associated with it or from power or from recognition among the genders or different permutations and combinations of three. Perhaps expecting this shift long back, philosophers had stated that people who find their happiness in the aforementioned things will never be peaceful in their life. Let’s imagine an individual’s life and associate the general mindset at each stages and it consequences.

Till the education, life for an individual is totally at a different plateau. The learning and the grooming during initial phase comes handy for the rest of the life. Hence teachers and parents have a key role in molding the right platform of attitude, character and skill set. Now moving to the mainstream, once into professional line individuals will be keen to get a job that pays them handsomely because it is believed that money will "buy" you everything and also there is always a comparison by people on the scale and the status involved in getting a well paid job. What about Job Satisfaction? For some it is a priority but often money overtakes it.

Now the next stage is getting as much as gadgets, well furnished house and vehicle. These are all needs but the problem arises when materials sought extends beyond need. After this it is settling in life, alliance sought after will be again one who is equal in status and better in monetary background. There will be an elaborate wedding function. Reason? All these establish themselves in the society and they feel happy directly and indirectly.

The consequences of this are: First, there is over dependence on the so-called needs that gets elevated to a different level. Second, all the materialistic things are perishable, means the happiness and completeness is going to perish one day or another by default. Third, there will be a lot of financial obligations associated with all the materials and sweating day in day out for the rest of the life span will not be sufficient to settle them.

Ultimately this will lead way to: First, there is no time for yourself. Two, there is no time for the family. Third, a fear factor of insecurity and breaking down always looms large. Fourth, relationships get bitter. Fifth, health goes for a toss. And finally, life becomes mechanical and there is no more wholehearted living happening.

What is the core reason that life transferred to turmoil which was supposed to be traveling in the path of happiness and completeness? In very simple terms, the reason is the over-attachment with materialistic things that was imagined to have an idealistic long shelf life, which is not the truth. This sort of unrealistic attachment is mere illusion, which is Maya.

Let’s overall view few things that exist in world that we generally are eager to possess and try categorizing them.

Type	Category	Definition
Gadgets	Material	Maya
Properties	Material	Maya
Wealth	Material	Maya
Power	Exhaustible	Maya
True Knowledge	Permanent	Non-Maya
True Intellect	Permanent	Non-Maya
True Love	Permanent	Non-Maya
True Affection & Care	Permanent	Non-Maya

Now depending on what we give priority to, we can experience bliss or pain, the choice is ours. There can be a question that now doesn't love, affection and care fall into the category of Maya since there is high percentage of chance that it gives pain at one point or another. The pain happens when there is a something expected in return, even if it is permanent existence or attachment, but true love, true affection or true care doesn't expect anything in return, it is like being a true devotee.

Now the next question is, will it be possible to live a normal life staying away from the materialistic things. One should understand that there is a lot of difference between seeking basic necessities and obsession, possessiveness and attachment towards the materials. Imagine you are going in a cart. If the cart is comfortable for the people to travel and the bullocks to ride, plus it is safe that will become the need whereas if it is elaborately decorated and fitted with all the latest technology available is senseless. The technology will become a necessity if you are breaking the barriers of safe zone.

So, just because there are a lot of items available in the market, let’s not fall for it but know the limit of the need and allow life to unwind in a peaceful and pleasant format for everlasting happiness. We often see people becoming restless and insecure. This is mainly because the condition that they put themselves into, either by getting tangled due to overspending and directionless to make either ends meet or over attachment thinking everything is permanent. Both conditions will lead to physical and psychological weakness and eventually lead to the unfortunate.

So rather than seeking happiness outside, try finding it inside in what you are, try seeking it in the knowledge that everyone is same as us, and try enjoying leading a life of the highest value of peace, acceptance and content. Content doesn't mean stopping to explore but it means knowing the limits of one's needs. There is a proverb in Tamil which goes like this "Pothumendra Maname Pon Seiyyum Marunthu" which means the moment one understands the upper limit of ones need and can make thy heart accept and follow it, it is the golden medicine one possess for a life of happiness, peace and prosperity. Wishing Everyone a Wonderful & Peaceful Life Ahead. 

SATHISH N

In Search Of Happiness - 1

Really loved this series of talks between Suresh Oberoi and Sister Shivani of Brahma Kumaris. I have always loved the way she explained things. It's worth a watch, and I am sure each one of us will get something worthy and implementable, if not everything...