Apology in disguise

                It was a warm sunny day. Anitha sat on the laid out blanket amidst the meadow with a picnic basket observing a butterfly’s landing on the flower next to her. She watched her daughter Sia hopping and turning around with joy! Her heart filled with delight looking at her daughter’s happy face.

                Anitha watched her husband Karan teaching Sia to throw the ball. She loved her husband but things got cold after a small fight with Karan a few weeks before. She wanted to put up a happy face in front of Sia.

                The grass swayed at the gentle touch of the wind. Sia was trying to throw the ball and she threw it so hard that she had to run far to get the ball back. As she went near the baniyan tree, she saw an old chap with her ball. She asked him to give it back. He obliged with a broad smile. Sia asked if she could call him Ajja. He smiled and instantly agreed. They started getting along within few minutes. They started sharing funny stories. Sia seemed very happy to have found a friend in an 80 year old Ramu Ajja.

                Karan became restless and started searching for Sia all over the park. He was relieved to see her laughing with an old chap. Sia called her dad and introduced Ramu ajja and she insisted Ramu ajja to join them for lunch. Karan thought it was a great idea and invited Ramu ajja for lunch.

                Sia came running towards Anitha and introduced the new guest. Ramu ajja was very happy to see Anitha, Karan and adorable Sia. All started munching delicious food. Ramu ajja noticed the tension between Anitha and Karan. He observed that they both loved each other but something was seriously holding them back.

                After an appetizing lunch Ramu ajja excused himself and bid goodbye to the lovely family.

                Anitha started packing up the basket. Suddenly she saw a note which said I AM SORRY. Tears welled up around her eyes and she ran searching for Karan. She hugged him tight and said Thank You. Karan was confused but hugged her back.

                The only thing that was holding Anitha and Karan back was the word “SORRY”. Ramu ajja came into their life as a blessing in disguise!

-©Sahana Dinesh Hebbar

DISCLAIMER

This story is a work of fiction. The characters do not exist, except in the mind of the author. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental

Education System in India

We all know that the country’s development is majorly dependent on the quality of education system and this is the main reason why we are still a developing country.

Indian education needs to be remodeled from the scratch. Most of us judge a student’s capability by the percentage in the board exams. For mugging up the entire text book and reproducing the same in the exam, what is the need of human brain when a computer can do that job, don’t you think? I feel that this is the first step towards the deterioration in our education system.

Most of the kids are pushed to study hard from the age of four. This is the age when the creativity starts sprouting. Instead of allowing it to blossom, we tend to uproot the creativity. Kids are forced to score more and parents induce evil competitive spirits in the minds of the children. They are forced to study the main subjects at school and sports, art, music (usually called as extra subjects) are completely neglected.  

Today is the era of innovation and inventions. Unfortunately our education system is not built for it! You can argue that many universities and colleges are coming up, but by just allowing hundreds of colleges to boom, don’t solve the problem of education crisis. The syllabus is outdated! There should be a serious look through the syllabus. As there is tremendous advancement in the field of technology, the syllabus should be updated accordingly.

I feel that the reason behind people (Indians) chanting slogans against India is the poor quality of education. It is necessary to induce the sense of patriotism in our education system.

Teaching is considered as the safest, low- pressure jobs. This notion attracts hundreds of unfit teachers in India. The reform should start by encouraging talented and qualified teachers. It’s high time to realize that teaching is the most responsible job and this should be taken seriously.

It is necessary to upgrade the system with time. As this is the era of technology, why aren’t we trying to use them?

Another hindrance in our education system is reservation (creamy layer reservation). Reservation was coined as the short term solution in earlier days and we are still following! For the country to stand like a rock there should be equality in the education system. Reservation is not the solution; it’s the problem which needs a serious solution.

PS: This article is just an opinion and it’s not subjected to cause any harm/ offence/debate.

Sagara Doddamane- Ocean of Happiness

How to describe that feeling when the waves of an ocean come and touch your feet?  I would be more relaxed than before and when the wave recedes I feel fresh, energetic and confident. All the stress, tension will be taken away by the waves. What a beautiful feeling! I happened to experience the same when I visited Sagara. Sagara means Ocean is a city located in Shivamogga district. Sagara is about 360Kms from Bengaluru, located within the Western Ghats range and people of Sagara are the waves who have the capability of fixing you!

It was early morning of 24^th December when we reached Sagara. The rays of sun were breaking, heralding an awesome day ahead. We decided to explore a few places in and around Sagara. We visited Varadahalli which is believed to be the place where Shri Shridhara Swamy preached his devotees. Tranquillity around the temple premises had a calming effect on us. It was wonderful. After the darshanam we visited Keladi rameshwara temple. We were intricated by the architecture on the temple walls. From Keladi we headed towards Banavasi. The city is build around the famous Madhukeshwara Temple. Architecture on the walls of the temple is spellbinding and it’s a treat for the lovers of architecture. The main attraction is the 7 feet Nandi carved from a single stone. I was compelled by carvings of Amarashilpi Jakanachari. By admiring the rich heritage of Karnataka we headed back to Sagara to attend much anticipated ‘Doddamane’ function.

Madhukeshwara Temple

Varadahalli

7-foot Nandi

Doddamane is a 2-storey old vintage house built 100 years back where my ancestors were born and bought up. Sprawling around half an acre, the house features a hall, library, veranda to relax, bananti kone, Angala (it is an open air space apt for the evening gossips) etc,. The root of the family tree was Venkat Rao Bapat and the family tree began expanding beyond our imaginations. Few people got together and planned an event called ‘ದೊಡ್ಡಮನೆ ಶತಮಾನೋತ್ಸವ (Doddamane Centenary function)’ to bridge the connection between the extended families. I guess I am fortunate enough to have got an invite to such a great gathering.  It was a four day event and over 400 people were invited.

          

          Udakashanti was arranged at the premises of Doddamane. I learnt that the pooja is done for the peace and harmony in the house. People started filling Doddamane to participate in the pooja and also for the great reunion. Some of the faces were familiar and I was elated to see so many happy faces. Happiness went viral! I wish I could freeze that moment for a long long time. Family reunion creates strong and lasting bonds and also a deep sense of belonging.

Family heritage was kept alive in a display room which was similar to a museum. They had articulated all the old photos and some had also made collages. I was also surprised to find an art work made by my Mottiaaye (Grandmom) when she was 16! There were many antique items like conch (shankha), Kitchen utensiles,etc.

Next day was all about Chitpavani culture. All the ladies decided to dress up in a traditional 9 yard saree. Nath (nose ring) is a Maharastrian ornament which was worn by most of the women. It is woven with pearls and studded with pink or white stone in the middle. Maharastrian appearance of any women is incomplete without a ‘Chandra kor Bindi’.  All tied their hair in a round shape and adorned with antique bun pin. What a get up! For a moment I thought I was literally in Maharashtra. The culture and heritage of all the communities has its own importance and I am glad to have learnt more on Maharastrian culture.

            After the tiring morning it was time to lighten the mood. We gathered around Angala (30*30 open air seating) to get entertained. Music is the heart and soul of entertainment in our family! Power of music is unlimited. It had a soothing effect and music can take you to an unknown world where there is nothing but peace! The night was filled with great music, dance, drama and many more.

Family introduction and photo session was scheduled in Bapat convention hall the following day! Each family was called upon the stage and were introduced individually. I was surprised to see so many families on the stage! It takes great determination and courage to trace all the family members from the root and I would like to congratulate all the organizers for working so hard day and night to make this event memorable and a grand success! I am so sure that younger people like us would keep the ball rolling for the future generations! 

It is common for family members to lose connections with one another if they are not immediately related. This reunion helped me to reconnect with my long lost cousins, aunts, uncles or many more. Bonds are often re-strengthened, remembered and cherished during such reunions and also remind you to take a step back from your busy schedule and prioritize what is more important in life.

INTOLERAN- ENDS

What is Intolerance? According to the dictionary, Intolerance is unwillingness to accept the beliefs, behavior and blocking an individual from expressing his views! Some people in India feel that India is intolerant. I think these people fail to understand the very meaning of it. I feel proud to be an Indian as India is secular, democratic and republic country! Many countries wonder and feel so surprised that how can people with different culture and religion live in a single country! But they don’t know that we Indians have the capability to live and let live.

Unfortunately from past few months I am hearing the word Intolerance repeatedly! And I felt so sad that how can people who live in the same country call India Intolerant? Aren’t we degrading our own country by calling it so? Why should we give an opportunity for other country to speak about India? I think even many developed countries have their own issues but will they call their country intolerant?

In recent days I have seen the opposition party and film stars calling our nation Intolerant! I have also seen few politicians and super stars who appreciate people who call our country that! A true patriot wouldn’t encourage anyone who calls the country Intolerant irrespective of the party, gender or culture.

It is left to an individual to like or dislike the ruling party. But we are discriminating ourselves as BJP, CONGRESS, RJD Etc. Instead of fighting against a particular party or religion let us join hands and stand as one! When we all stand as one, the world looks bright and hopeful. Let us debate about innovations, science, discovery instead of fighting against government, caste, culture.

INDIA is our motherland. Let us not defame INDIA, let us celebrate INDIA!

Virtualization

What is the difference between a Human and a Robot?

Humans have the capability to judge if another person is happy or sad. Yet, even after knowing the difference, aren’t we all slowly transforming into a Human-Robot? Of course we are. Knowing that, my next question is why? Is it the technology? Oh yes! Indeed.

In today’s world no one can survive without Facebook likes! I remember my friend asking me “how many likes have you got on your recent post? Isn’t it getting lesser?” We all care so much about the likes because most of us like attention, even though we only get recognized for a limited amount of time. It feels wonderful to get recognition but on the contrary it’s like a two headed snake, while you are enjoying reading about others, you will slowly start hating yourself.

When I was young, my friends and I prepared greeting cards and we used to meet up somewhere nice and exchange the presents. Now, no one sends cards anymore. Only after changing the group icon or group name in Whatsapp, people find out that it’s your birthday! I can argue that when there is technology (Facebook) which reminds me to wish others, why the hell I should remember the actual dates? But when I sit back and think about the effect, I realized that we are losing our connections with the close ones indirectly. Remembering birthdays doesn’t mean that you have a good memory but it entails that you care about the people you love.

Similarly, online shopping is the new big thing these days! We can order anything and everything where ever we want to. Major shopping websites announces a huge discount sale or a rush hour and we end up buying many items as everything is skimmed down to half price.  But when we stop to think about our actions, we realize that we end up buying things which is not at all necessary. We are nothing but online shopping victims. Speaking on this, Sir M Visvesvaraya’s words come rushing to my mind “if you buy what you do not need, you will need what you can’t buy”.

Many reports say that after advancement in technology, the physical development of a child is running behind their mental development. Kids now-a-days love to play computer games rather than go out and play cricket or kabaddi with friends. Computer games indeed help in improving the reflex of mind but what about the physical fitness? Physical and mental development complements each other; hence we should cultivate the habit of enjoying the best of both worlds.

Most of today’s teenagers are more confident expressing themselves over text or social media than a traditional face to face conversation. The confidence level in the younger generation is deteriorating. A great hug and a warm smile is getting replaced my emoticons (smiley’s).  Technology is good only if we set the limits.

We have heard our parents and teachers tell us about socializing in order to cultivate strong and rewarding relationships with other people. Unfortunately, we are Virtualizing rather than Socializing!

Koppa - Kashmir of Karnataka

When I saw the "Brahmopadesham" invite from my uncle who stays in Koppa, without a second thought I made sure to confirm my dad that I would be joining! Koppa is located in Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka. It is famous for coffee and tea plantations. I have heard my cousins say that it’s a beautiful town which is always present in every traveller’s dream destination list. How can I ever miss out on an opportunity like that?!

We reached Koppa early in the morning. The sky was clear and the place was green everywhere. I loved the smell of green! It makes me rejuvenated. Enjoying the weather, we walked to my uncle’s place. When I reached, I could see kids playing and hear thunderous laughter. The atmosphere was very festive. I was pleased to see all my cousins. They welcomed me and the ‘Camera’. My kaki offered us Koppa special coffee and it was strikingly delicious. We got ready for the Upanayanam.

The function was arranged in the premises of a temple. I was impressed by my little cousin who was performing all the rituals with so much dedication. Seeing his dedication, I ran to my parents and asked them to explain to me the significance of Upanayanam. With a broad smile, my father explained that ‘Upa’ means near and ‘Nayana’ means eyes and Upanayana means being by the side of teacher. He also said that Upanayana is performed at the time when a child is ready to start schooling. My mom added that Bramhopadesha (Upanayanam) signifies the schooling phase of a child and hence we call the child Brahmachari. My mottiaaye(Grad-mom) who was sitting next to me, also couldn’t resist but add that during Upanayana the child would receive its first lesson (Gayatri Mantra) from its first guru, who is the father. She said that the mantra causes vibrations in the body and rejuvenates the body and the mind with positive energy. At that point I realised that there is significance and meaning behind all the ritual practices and I was just a fool for not knowing it.

My cousins and I took a walk in the evening. It had rained heavily an hour ago and the sky opened up and the sunset painted the sky. It was mesmerizing. Looking at the weather my cousin said Masala puri To banta hi hai. We spent the entire night planning about next day’s schedule.

The next morning, I got up as early as I could and was ready to explore more of Koppa. We first planned to visit Sirimane falls which is 5 kms from Kigga, Sringeri.

 This place is like a hidden treasure. It’s located deep into the woods. We climbed down a few steps to reach the falls. We went up to the waterfall. When I stood under the waterfall, I felt like I was receiving a natural massage therapy. It was an amazing experience. An interesting fact is that the waterfall feeds coffee estates and paddy fields. It was an awesome place.

After the darshanam at Sringeri Sri Sharadamba temple, we headed for Kuppalli. Kuppalli is a small village in Thirthahalli taluk, Shivamogga. It’s the home town of Rastra Kavi ‘KUVEMPU’. We stopped by Kuvempu’s home which is now converted into a museum. The entire house looked like a glaring castle which stood majestically amidst the greens. 

It’s a vintage three- storey building with tile roof (ಹಂಚಿನ ಮನೆ). The ground floor had a kitchen (ಅಡಿಗೆ ಮನೆ), store room (ಸಾಮಾನು ಕೋಣೆ), bananti kone, bedrooms etc. It was an authentic traditional house. Another amazing thing which we noticed is that the wall clock which is stopped at 1:03; it is the time when Kuvmpu passed away.

As we walked around the house we could see Kuvempu’s sayings engraved on the walls. Some of which were,

ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಒಂದು ಒಳ್ಳೆಯ ಪತ್ರಿಕೆ, ಕೆಲವು ಒಳ್ಳೆಯ ಗ್ರಂಥಗಳು ಇರಬೇಕಾದುದು ಸದ್ಗುಣದ ಲಕ್ಷಣ

Meaning, One good news paper and a few knowledgeable books is the definition of a noble house. 

ಬದುಕುವ ಛಲ ಮತ್ತು ಹಠ ಇದ್ದವನಿಗೆ ಮಾತ್ರವೇ ಬದುಕು 

Firm determination to live and aiming at it at any cost what may come, assures life fulfillment.

ಎಲ್ಲಾದರು ಇರು ಎಂತಾದರು ಇರು ಎಂದೆಂದಿಗು ನೀ ಕನ್ನಡವಾಗಿರು, ಕನ್ನಡವೇ ಸತ್ಯ, ಕನ್ನಡವೇ ನಿತ್ಯ 

Where ever you are, however you are, forever you be a Kannadiga. Kannada is the truth, daily it is Kannada.

We could also hear Kuvempu’s poem sung by late C.Ashwath in the background which made us climb the first floor. The first floor is all about his achivemants, certificate, medals, awards...etc. We all came out of the house inspired and headed to ‘Kavishaila’.

Kavishaila is about half a km from Kuvempus home. This is believed to be the place where he first started penning down sitting on the rocks of Kavishaila. This is in the midst of greenery and it is breath taking.

However, all good things eventually come to an end and it was 6 o’clock, we had to head back home. I wished we had 48 hrs a day!

“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveller only who is foreign”. Every place is beautiful and exploring new places made me realise how small I am! 

Living it simple

When I look at my niece, Gowri, who is one-year-old, I always wonder how she can be so carefree and smiling all the time. The very next thought gave me an answer; her mind is crystal clear. So then, why can’t we adapt the same thinking as we age? Why do we lose this ability as we grow older? Although it is very difficult to keep our minds very clear, why can’t we at least try to minimize the complications in our lives?

All problems have a solution, provided we identify the parameters. My dad always tells me that we have to be prepared for the worst possible scenario.                                                               

On one sunny day, my parents, brother and I decided to visit our Tota (farm land) and planned to have lunch in our favorite restaurant. But before we left, I saw that my dad packing knifes, upma, curd rice....etc. I asked him whether we need all these as we had planned to eat outside but he ignored me and quietly started packing.

After an hour drive we reached our Tota. When we are tired from our routine we come here for relaxation. It is located near Tavarikere, which is 15 kms from Kengeri, Bangalore. When I stepped out of the vehicle, I could breathe in fresh air. The place was quiet and I could hear crickets singing while I watched bird formations over the vast farm. I could even see Marigold flowers glowing over an acre. I could stare at it like forever. It was beautiful!

We walked around for half an hour and then went to the guest house to freshen up. When we were ready to leave for the restaurant, it started to rain all of a sudden. It was raining so severely that it seemed to continue for the next 2 hours! At that point, it was already 2'o clock and we were all very hungry. My dad slowly started unpacking upma and curd rice and started cutting guavas. He looked at me and smiled. I then remembered his exact words “Be prepared for any situations”. Planning is one of the keys to a happy life.                                                                                                                         

            Bruce lee says “Empty your mind. Be formless shapeless like WATER. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Be water my friend”. He means one should be able to adapt to any situation he/she is in.                                                         

            My dad is a government employee, so we kept relocating from one place to another. From Mangalore- Panambur- Hassan- Mysore and finally settled in Bangalore. As I spent my high school years (which is considered to be the most memorable phase is everyone’s life) in Mysore it was and still is my heart and soul. After my 10^th we had to move from Mysore to Bangalore. I was habituated with the simple way of living in Mysore and I was scared that I wouldn’t make any friends or find my way around my new college in Bangalore. 

          After first day of college, I came home crying and demanded that my parents take me back to Mysore. When they asked me why, I told them that I could not communicate with anyone as everyone spoke in English! I was scared to death that I would end up having no friends. My parents sat me down and asked me to be open minded and not to come to any conclusions instantly. And sure enough, after a few weeks, I started making new friends and I slowly started to pick up my communication skills. Few of my new friends even helped me out with correcting my English when I was wrong and today I can speak my heart out!

            Moving from one place to another helped me discover myself and become more open minded. It also helped me build new connections and become more in tune with my gut instinct.

During my semester holidays, I was finding ways to spend my time more effectively. As I was walking one day, I found an organization named ‘BELAKU’ which means light. They nurture orphan girls. I went inside and talked to the girls and found out that the girls needed help in mathematics, so I decided to spend some time with them every day and teach them mathematics. I joined BELAKU as a teacher, but after a few weeks I realized that the girls were actually the ones playing the teacher and were teaching me morals of life. I was moved by their innocence, integrity and simple way of living.

             Simple living is not living behind our dreams and desires; but it is living along with our dreams and working hard in achieving what we desire.