Why Consciousness matters?

Our greatest human adventure is the evolution of consciousness. We are in this life to enlarge the soul, liberate the spirit, and light up the brain - Tom Robbins

                      Dr.Tony Nader     

 Truly, the higher you raise your consciousness level, the better your life turns out to be. Why? Because everything emerges from consciousness.  

Hi, this is yours truly, Sudeshna Chatterjee, back with one of the most intellectually stimulating interviews that I ever did. Meet Dr.Tony Nader. 

A Lebanese neuroscientist, researcher, author, Vedic scholar and the hand-picked successor of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Dr.Tony Nader spoke at length why consciousness should matter and how easily we could raise its bar through scientifically validated simple vedic practices or technologies of consciousness like Transcendental Meditation (TM)  and TM-Sidhi programme. The practice triggers immediate and increasing coherence in an individual's cognitive functioning. This normalises and consequently promotes peak performances in the physical and mental functioning of an individual. It can be learnt in just three days and can be practiced by anyone and anywhere. It makes you experience an expansion of your inner being- you understand how at soul, we are all one. Therefore we are inter-connected. Something like what noted educationist Dr. Maya Shahani told me how at the deeper level, all the seas are inter-connected. This sense of unity and oneness makes you think with compassion and clarity and consequently behave cordially. Of course differences between human beings will still be there, but it will simmer on the surface. The dominant factor in the relationship will be the connection that is shared at the core. People automatically will be less antagonistic, so much required in today's time when diplomacy cannot scale down the escalations of war and social violence. "Extensive scientific research has found out that these technologies of consciousness create a measurable influence of peace throughout society. Solutions, then, can be drafted from the most profound level," deduces Dr. Nader. At the individual level, the programme significantly reduces post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression and cardiovascular risk factors. Accidents, suicides, sickness, terrorism, war, crime - every negative marker gets radically reduced. 

Nice way to embrace a new year. A better you is definitely on the cards if you absorb the TM programme. It also balances out Karma as we get into closer relation with ourselves. Currently over 10,000 masters and practitioners from across the globe (139 nations) just completed a fortnight of collective meditation (TM and allied programmes) at the world's largest meditation hall, Kanha Shanti Vanam,Telangana, India to help the world heal from the scars of violence by spreading peace and cordiality and also an effort to set up a permanent assembly of practitioners to keep our world at harmony with everyone including our environment. 

Thanks to the programme, consciousness gets the much-deserved highlight. Last month, when I had an hour-long video interview with Dr.Tony Nader, I could grasp the full force of consciousness which is both the fulcrum and the elixir to our existence. "I am, therefore I exist", says Dr Nader while explaining why despite being loved by all or being very wealthy comes to naught if you don't have consciousness because everything emerges from it. Consciousness is  all-encompassing. It is the primary shield of being. It is the building block of creation that manifests in every organism including inanimate objects though at a relatively rudimentary level. Simply put, it is in our awareness, alertness, wakefulness, sleepiness... It is our ability to analyse, align, discriminate, dissuade. Every decision and behaviour of ours is consequent to our consciousness, high or low.  In fact, every being like trees, animals and even machines have consciousness. Mr. Mo Gawdat (former chief business officer for Google X) pointed out in an interview with Dr. Tony Nader (available on YouTube) that machines enriched with Artificial Intelligence (AI) would supersede humans in six months. But when I questioned Dr. Nader on this, he said, "so far machines have consciousness in a very limited way. They can calculate faster and now have greater intelligence. But, it is a practical, analytical kind of intelligence which is different from consciousness though can be related. However, since everything emerges from consciousness, machines too will have some consciousness. Since, mechanical sensing is much more organised, complex and complicated than a tree, so its consciousness could be higher than a tree but not as yet to a human being. I have done research and found out that the structure of human physiology is like the structure of Vedanta. Hence, it allows us to experience consciousness at a higher level. We are very profound. But we have to raise our consciousness because if it does not rise, machines will take over and we will become their pets." Yes, it is possible to be under the dictates of machines if humans keep fighting with each other, think in a restricted manner, do not think of the well-being of others etc, because they have a narrow and limited consciousness, explains Dr.Nader. Herein lies the relevance and significance of  Dr.Nader's attempt to hold a  permanent assembly of meditators for the stability of the world.  

Despite studying Philosophy in my school days, comprehension of consciousness was lost within the matrix of the human nervous system. It was thought that the complex and yet orderliness of the central nervous system created consciousness because the term, conscious, has a physiological aspect to it. That time, we were not taught about the gems of Vedanta. Western Philosophy was preferred. So, I still remember the cardinal principle of Rene Descartes' philosophy: I think, therefore I am. 

It was only after my interaction with Dr.Tony Nader that I realised the significance of consciousness. 

When he talks, you become alive in the wisdom of words used. Dr.Tony Nader, MD, PhD is a neuroscientist, a world-renowned authority in the field of consciousness studies, and a globally recognised Vedic scholar. He is a medical doctor(Internal Medicine and Psychiatry) and trained at Harvard Medical School. He also holds a PhD in Brain and Cognitive Sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr.Nader has successfully correlated each aspect of the Vedic literature to a specific area of human physiology, anatomy as well as the cell and the DNA with the conclusion that human physiology is the expression of Veda. This is the subject matter of five of his published books. The practical application of Dr. Nader's discovery has been documented by original research conducted by medical doctors and scientists, which demonstrates the effectiveness of Vedic sounds and Vedic vibrations for the treatment of chronic disorders. Little surprising that Maharishi Mahesh Yogi chose him to be his successor, being a non-Indian and a non-Hindu, and it also speaks volumes for his leadership. Dr. Nader, heads the TM organisations worldwide, giving it a scientific appeal as he urges more people to embrace the peer-reviewed, much validated technologies of consciousness.  He is also Chairman of the Global Union of Scientists for Peace (GUSP). It is a global counter initiative to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and to support alternative, peaceful means of conflict resolution. A forum of scientists, political leaders and scholars from different fields, GUSP is headquartered at Maharishi International university at Fairfield, Iowa, USA. 

This is the second leg of my interview with Dr. Tony Nader where he personally wrote his replies to a few chosen questions.  

1)If your consciousness could talk to you, what would it say? 

 I am you and you are a part of me, know me to be one, I am all there is appearing as many. 

2. If consciousness leads you to awareness at the deepest level, then does Transcendental Meditation leads you to self-realisation without any compromise? Yes/no, please explain briefly. 

Yes absolutely. Transcendental Meditation leads you to your true Self with a big ‘S’. Your true Self and the self of everything and everyone. You get freed from boundaries, you are totality. “Aham Brahmasmi” All this is that. “Sarvam Khalu Idam Bramha” ; this is enlightenment, liberation, Moksha.

3. What is the difference between simple Meditation, Transcendental Meditation and Mindfulness? Does one leads to the other? 

Meditation is a mental process of reflecting, exploring, and fathoming various depths of one’s own mind and its dynamics. Mindfulness is to direct the mind to be aware of various mental and physical activities such as breathing, physical sensations, mental processes, etc. generally in a non-judgemental way. Transcendental Meditation takes you beyond all surface mental activity to a wakeful state of pure awareness, pure being devoid of any thought, feeling, or sensation. It takes you to experience your unbounded Self transcending all limited perspectives. These are different techniques. They can be practiced separately but it is better not to mix them up. When you do one, you do it fully and then you can do the other. Mixing different aspects in the same process can get you confused and not give the best results.

4. Between time and space, which takes precedence and why?  

Space and time are not entities. They are conceptual gaps. Space separates objects co-existing at the same time. Time separates objects that can exist in the same space. Space and time allow the perception of separate relative individual existence and evolution. They are not real in the absolute. They appear real in the relative realm of manifest existence. There is no one without the other. We speak of spacetime.

5. What is the difference between being in power and empowerment? What is your idea about India and empowerment? 

 Being in power is a relative term pointing to access to an outer power that allows one to decide and control one’s or others’ actions and the process of change. Empowerment is to own an internal power that takes responsibility and engages the ability from within to make the changes necessary for evolution. India’s roots and deepest understanding of power emphasises individual and collective responsibility as it highlights in the teachings of Vedanta that consciousness is primary and teaches consciousness-based transcendental technologies. We are all Veda, no matter what belief system or way of life we have. We all have the infinite reservoir of creativity and intelligence ‘Sat Chit Ananda’ within us. All we need is to tap into it and be empowered to do all good for all and none-good to none.

#Vedanta#Consciousness#India#TranscendentalMeditation#MaharishiMaheshYogi#DrTonyNader#DrMayaShahani

Visual Voyage

 

 Visual Voyage

 

You don’t take a photograph,

You make it.

Ansel Adams

 

 

            The making of our workshop      

       

Sight and Sound

Late last month, on a Saturday morning, participants in a workshop huddled under a Neem tree in a corner of a sprawling campus of Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU), Nagpur, Maharashtra. Amidst cool breeze and soft light, poetry and song, film theorist Amrit Gangar, kept changing their visuals in quest of better imagery. His sessions spelt magic. A day before, at the break of dawn, the participants were made to give their one minute visual and metaphoric interpretation of a tree in a single shot taking unimpeded creative liberties. Their films were screened before an unique three-member jury, Sapna Khandare, Kalpana Waghade and Kuldeep Hatwar, all from the housekeeping team of RTMNU. Few participants were asked to translate an English poem into Hindi and Marathi and then recited together, celebrating narrative fluidity and the power of sound. I, Sudeshna Chatterjee, have never seen such a workshop before where image and sound were explored with such felicity. Where untold stories were captured with such elan and empathy. My work was to document this workshop.

Minds and Issues

A seven-day workshop on basic photography turned a hobby into a passion for most participants. Titled, ‘Through The Lens’, it was a photo-sensitization programme for students and faculties from colleges and universities  by the Maharashtra State Faculty Development Academy (MSFDA)  in collaboration with Photography Promotion Trust (PPT). The purpose, was to visually engage these 26 participants coming from 15 districts across Maharashtra for exploring the inter-connected and multi-layered academic spaces in Nagpur. 

The workshop emphasised hands-on training which means several hours (about ten hours per person) of taking images for four days with digital cameras and expert inputs. Technical aspects and creative features were detailed out with  images, documentaries and short films.There were celebrated guest lecturers who through their knowledge, wisdom and footages imparted the third dimension of this creative art. The inhouse experts include Padmashree awardee and veteran media photographer Sudharak Olwe, visual artist and film-maker Nirman Chowdhury and multimedia journalist Riya Behl. At every level, there were constant interaction among participants, visiting faculties and resource persons. It culminated in an exhibition of photographs taken by the participants and is displayed at the Nagpur University campus, for the next one month.

The participants were from the age-group of 20-66 years. The diversity was also seen in their chosen disciplines. There were professors of Zoology, Physics, Geography, Education and Multi Media and Mass Communication. Similarly, there were students from Computer Application, Applied Arts, Photography et al. The issues that they confront with their cameras include socio-economic and cultural challenges faced by the students, student-teacher relationships,  freedom, safety and hierarchy in institutional spaces and education for holistic development. Their enthusiasm was infectious and continuous. One participant, Nitin Marskole even put up an act while framing his shots.  He used slow shutter speed to express the anxiety of a student when results are declared. There was theatre artist Akshay Khobragade who acted in a one minute film, which was directed and scripted by two other participants and won the coveted first prize. Another participant Jennifer Barla showed me her digital page on face painting. She along with her team members won the second prize. So much colour and variety, the atmosphere was both electric and eclectic.

Perspectives and Images   

Headlined by Sudharak Olwe, PPT is a non-profit trust established in 2005, created to engage communities to tell stories through images in such a way that would foster social change by lending voice to the voice less. 

MSFDA attempts to align ‘what to learn’ with ‘how to learn’, thus enriching the horizon of conventional classroom teaching as much for the faculty as for its students. The academy was established by the Department of Higher and Technical Education under Section 8 of Companies Act, 2013 on December 15, 2021.

With not much prior experience in professional photography and visual storytelling, the participants under the guidance of PPT members and other experts, by their own admissions learnt the meaning and power of an image that could transcend into visual narrative and shake our collective conscience. As one participant maintained, when he  was watching Sudharak Olwe's presentation of the migrant workers, malnutrition, and abuses of women, it shocked him. “When the pictures of my home state, Uttar Pradesh were shown, it was something I knew. The problems and the conditions. But what shook me was the strength of the picture and the story that it held. I started hearing and seeing all the news that I have been through in the past years”, said Nilay Surya Srivastava.

Walking amidst familiar surroundings and yet reflecting upon untold stories and zooming on unseen pictures were the challenges of this workshop. Like this painful sight of damaged books in a college library due to a sudden flood this year in September. Like an English-speaking educated labourer’s son who decides to drop-out looking at his graduate unemployed father and got into menial jobs. Like the camaraderie between students and watchman as they sit together for lunch.

So yes, the contents include techniques and aesthetics, but, the participants were essentially taught to think, be aware, be patient and focus deep. Things that are not even in the periphery of our conventional education system. With clearer and stronger perspectives, images start talking. Hopefully with the thrust of New Education Policy (2020) on experiential learning, things will be better.

Looking at the images clicked and may be, because of a mix of generations, thwarted the apprehensions shared by the portrait guru Pramodbabu Ramteke with yours sincerely who gave a delightful talk on the principles of a painter that were even respected by the eminent resident of Rashtrapati Bhavan! On the sideline, he was pointing out how today’s generation was less patient and do not think deep. “You have to be one with the Art”, goes his signature line.

Most of the participants and resource persons were residing in the campus and therefore the interactions were free-flowing and would extend even during the meal times. The food, a wholesome vegetarian spread with Nagpur favourites and sweets and rounds of tea/coffee with biscuits, is an important marker of a successful workshop specially when held residential. The care, concern and promptness of MSFDA officials were particularly praiseworthy. The elements of reduced safety and heightened hierarchy which have become quite rampant in academic spaces were happily missing in our campus. All of these for just Rs 1000 (non-refundable) perhaps is the best part of the story.        

 

        Frame by frame from participants 

Thoughts and Afterthoughts

Beside becoming ambitious as a career photographer, I never realised that photography workshop could be of such interest even for science teachers in the group. They said it will help them take better pictures of the specimens for classroom teaching. 

There was a pertinent question from Riya Behl on how do one evaluate the efficacy of a workshop. The articulate Pratik Dhamal from  MSFDA touched on the qualitative modes of evaluation rather than the quantitative counts. Participant Balaji Maske and a student of Wilson college, Mumbai, had a searching question post the workshop: If I follow a Tiger throughout the day, and photograph it, will it be called a Documentary Photography or Wildlife Photography?!

Interestingly, a city that doesn’t boasts of a single standard art gallery, hosting a quality photo exhibition in a nondescript space speaks volumes for the efforts of the organisers. The photographs are displayed till the end of this month. May be, when you visit this exhibition, beside shifting your perspective, it could also make you want to be part of a similar workshop as the winter closes in. Because being a summer country, joining well-rounded workshops during winters make the learning that much more  joyful.

Since, my blog is not a paid endorsement, the emotions shared here are not commercially crafted.

 All the pictures here are courtesy Sudharak Olwe, Nirman Chowdhury, Riya Behl and participants of this workshop 

#workshop#throughthelens#msfda

 

 

Freedom from the Known

History is who we are and why we are the way we are 

David McCullough 

                                       

                                         

                         Nandini B Panda 

                                                           

Some years ago, there was an advert ran by the Star network suggesting how August 15 should be celebrated as birthday of India as a nation,  like how we celebrate birthdays of our dear ones. One of the best ways to celebrate a nation's birthday is to revisit her past, learn from the mistakes made and widen our perspectives to usher a progressive future. Hence my today's guest is a woman, an accomplished historian, wisened by education and experience. Meet Dr. Nandini Bhattacharyya-Panda who on the eve of India's 77th year of independence that falls on August 15, 2023, talks about her reservations on freedom as a woman, raises discomforting pointers on History and Manipur and throws fresh insight on casteism and reservation and analyses why the Indians are more into rights than duties.  

Born and brought up in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, Nandini B Panda is not another successful working woman. Because her achievements cannot be measured in terms of pay packet and perks. An acclaimed academician, her educational qualifications and written works earned her a status that few Indian women could master. That too, when she had to wade through a not-so-happy family life. She is also a mother to a daughter who too is a brilliant academician.

Dr. Nandini B Panda, 65, was born and brought up in the then Calcutta (Kolkata), West Bengal, India. She had graduated with History from Brabourne College, then did her post graduation in Modern History from Calcutta University and then left for UK to do her doctorate from Oxford University. 

A distinguished author -researcher, Dr. Panda has worked on law, ethnicity and culture in the Eastern Himalayas, Northeast India in addition to her expertise on Hindu law. She is writing an article on Moirang, near Imphal, where the Indian National Army (INA) hoisted the first flag declaring the liberation of India on April 14, 1944. She is also writing a foreward for a book titled, 'Colonial Law and Trial of the Nationalist Leaders'. Recently, she has been awarded a project by the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) to write on the Colonial History of Manipur and its repercussions for India that we see today.

My questions center around these aspects and some more. Primarily, over an online written interview, Dr. Nandini Bhattacharyya-Panda responded with elan while negotiating the googlies thrown by yours sincerely, Sudeshna Chatterjee. 

1)      As an educated woman, what sort of freedom you see around and what sort you had envisaged? Are you happy, disappointed or annoyed? Kindly explain.

NBP: Freedom is an elusive word for women, irrespective of any classification and place of living across the world. For Indian women, the word 'freedom' is weighed more stringently, thanks to cultural appropriation.  As a woman born in a post-colonial country, we have been grown up with specific notions of selfhood. It combines a vague consciousness about ‘modernity’ (modernity - within quote as the term cannot be easily defined) with deeply entrenched traditional moorings. This duality is embedded in the mentality of vast majority of Indian women irrespective of their class, educational and professional background. The Indian patriarchy largely inhabits in this consciousness and nourishes it through various channels. This duality has double edge: (a) the patriarchal fraternity in contemporary India attempts to overpower the voices of women in the name of tradition and the evils of ‘modernity’ (by modernity, they usually imply independent status and voice  – occasionally empowered by professional jobs), (b) the culture of silence that still prevails among majority of Indian women.

Therefore, for majority of women in India across all classes, freedom is not a choice per se even if they are earning money. They have to struggle against discrimination at home and in the professional sphere in terms of attitude and pay packet. Sexual harassment and abuse is another issue which is addressed by law; yet it is difficult to claim that law has changed the objective scenario on any fundamental level. I am an optimist- nevertheless. World is definitely changing in favour of women's liberation albeit the pace is slow and often interrupted by negative forces.       

 

2)      Manipur is now in the news because of intense ethnic strife. Kindly explain the importance of Manipur vis-à-vis the Pre-British and Post-British India. What will be your focus when you write its history?

NBP: The Kingdom of Manipur was a Princely state under the suzerain status of the British Empire. Like any other territory in Northeast India, Manipur was a strategic and resource frontier for the British Raj. The entire passage of colonial rule in Manipur was marked by volatile anti-colonial struggle between the British rulers and the native subjects in Manipur. The Independent India inherited an unstable and largely volatile state after the merger of the Kingdom of Manipur with India in 1949. The Indian government has been deploying several policy measures to ensure socio-political stability in Manipur. The objectives are yet to be fulfilled.

Manipur was the confluence of different languages, religious faith and aesthetic practices in the precolonial period and a thriving centre of trade and commerce. With the advent of the British rule the entire region emerged as a site of violence, contestation and conflict. The colonial rule introduced new dynamics that altered the prevalent structures in the spheres of economy and polity leading to the formation of a ‘princely state’ within suzerain status. For example, with the introduction of the British rule, Manipur had been introduced to a complex administrative structure under the British sovereignty while the Kings of Manipur remained a titular head especially in the administrative, legal and economic affairs. In the process, the people in the state had been drawn within a dual framework of native and colonial systems leading to the uneven development of the society. More than two centuries of British rule produced widespread discontent within different layers in the society which frequently resulted in armed encounters between the rulers and the subjects. Manipur earned the attribute of an “unquiet valley” due to recurrent insurgency, ethnic dissension and volatile ethno-state relationship. The postcolonial Indian state inherited the legacy of restoring peace and stability in Manipur (as also in other Northeastern states). It is evident from the current contestation and conflict that  Manipur is still a critical challenge for the governments in dealing with backwardness, political instability, distrust of the ethnic communities against the unitary ‘nation-state’ model, diversity in ethnicity, ecology, cultural and above all strategic vulnerability.

My study will undertake a critical examination of the administrative, legal and cultural policies of the colonial rulers in Manipur to understand as to what extent the current governing structures are historically linked with the colonial past. It will locate the areas, for example land holding, religion among others in which there are the necessity to revisit the existing policy structures which have remained as the sources of conflict from the colonial past.

3)      What is your take on the present- day violence in Manipur? Here, kindly comment whether you feel casteism is the biggest bane for the country? Yes/no, is reservation the answer? What would have been your solution?

NBP: There are many writings and expert comments on the roots of present day conflict in Manipur. I am not going into the whataboutery and dissecting who is responsible for what. The root of the present day conflict is extremely complex and embedded with the issues of land, religion, ethno-state estrangement, ethnic rivalry and deep-seated economic crisis that dates back to the colonial time.

Casteism is indeed the greatest bane in India. It is the root of economic, social and cultural oppression. It is extremely unfortunate that caste hierarchy still prevail among the educated people. The caste consciousness and even racism is vivid in the matrimonial column in the newspapers. Casteism dominates the psyche of many in all the institutions for higher education, professional institutions and even schools although it is covered with rhetoric.

I am not very sure whether reservation is THE answer to address Casteism. It is a necessary tool to provide equality and justice for the depressed and oppressed people. There is a big question mark however as to what extent the privileges reach the underprivileged both in the rural and urban area. It is frequently alleged that the more privileged section among the scheduled people enjoy the privileges offered by reservation. At present it is politically incorrect to define by someone under the category of ‘lower caste’ or ‘upper caste’. I am not very sure how would one defines a person marginalised by both economic and social factors. I really am not competent to comment on the likely solution to this malignant social problem. It is present over centuries. Earlier though, manifestation of the caste hierarchy was different. In the contemporary period the educational facilities and privileges offered through reservation have produced different kinds of mind set and antagonistic sentiment on both sides of the margin.  

4)      How important is studying History? Which is your favourite chapter in History- national and international, and why? How accurate you think is the Indian History as written by the scholars through the years? Also, would you recommend books on historical fiction?

NBP: It is a very tricky question. I think that History is the mother of all subjects. It shapes the imagination, consciousness and entity of an individual in a given society. At the same time History is not a TRUTH per se at what one reads in a book. History is generated and catered through filtered knowledge in many instances. For example, in the postcolonial history book, the landmark event in Moirang which recorded the hoisting of national flag of independent India in 1944 is not mentioned.  History books record many other events, which could be of lesser significance. One may question, why this extremely important chapter in the history of national movement in India is a forgotten page in the history book. I will try to find an answer and write about this in my forthcoming article.

There are long lists of historical fictions across the world. We have grown up with Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay and Saradindu Bandopadhyay (Bengali), Charles Dickens (English) and other translated classic works by writers like Munshi Premchand (Hindi) and Romain Rolland (French), Fyodor Dostoevsky ( Russian) et al. These are classics which provide essential imagination to be a sensitive citizen in a given society. So, yes, I do respect  historical fictions as they fill up an important space in the making of a good citizen.  

5)      What would you advise the now generation about their duties (an integral part of Indian Constitution) and rights? Do you feel Indians are more focused on their Fundamental Rights than their Fundamental Duties, the latter, unfortunately is not even binding upon its subjects though?

NBP: Well, charity begins at home. I mean a child becomes aware of his/her rights and duties initially from the families. School plays a formidable role thereafter. Children in this world and in my country are not too fortunate either way. The privileged ones are looking out for the best bargains while pursuing their dreams, in India or abroad. The less privileged ones are struggling to make both ends meet.

 I do agree that Indians are extremely conscious of their rights rather than duties. I wonder whether there is a historical link with the anti-colonial struggle and the politics of agitation. Yes, it may be a colonial legacy.

Nevertheless, the current generation must pay heed to climate change and food shortage which threaten to ruin our Mother Earth. Therefore, they cannot and should not ignore their Fundamental Duties towards their nation and the world at large.

                                                      

        

 #History#Moirang#Manipur#BankimchandraChattopadhyay#SaradinduBandopadhyay#CharlesDickens#MunshiPremchand#RomanRolland#NandiniBhattacharyyaPanda#SudeshnaChatterjee#freedom                                                        

 

                                               

F. R. I. E. N. D. S

  If you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything. Muhammad Ali

 

                      Reunion

             Pic courtesy: Aditi Banerjee

It was beautifully coincidental. As I prepare to write my current piece, a dear friend of mine forwarded me a news item that talks of the result of a study on friendship. Yes, Friendship! It says a few good friends can usher a marked difference to our well-being. Specially among older adults, it is a stronger influencer on a person’s health and happiness compared to relationships with his/her family. I could not agree more. Though there were some pointers among some of my preferred people. A pertinent pointer was that in Asian families, friends take a back seat unless it is also a nuclear family. But then, how many joint families are there? Rising mental issues among people of all ages including children is said to be a direct result of increasing nuclear families where often both husband and wife are working out and/or children settling elsewhere in later years. Whatever the situation, I still feel, having few good friends is a must as they only enrich and thus empower our lives. 

Although the United Nations has designated July 30 as the International Friendship Day, India continues to celebrate this special day on the first Sunday of August every year. It falls on August 6 this year. But I guess, for most of us, friendship is honoured every day. As my friend, Suhasini Ahluwalia Mehta, today, wrote in a group chat, "Friendship is such a pure feeling of love, of acceptance, of reflecting each other's light, of gentleness and care. Laughing together. Crying together. Lending a shoulder. A hug. Being with each other. Standing by each other always. You know you are loved..." 

Recently, I was part of a school reunion with few friends. Once more, I went through a whirlwind tour of all these emotions and more over a span of four hours.

Meeting many of them after decades. I was overjoyed and realised even after so many years, the affection is deep and palpable. Here, of course, being part of a few friends helped, else I would have been lost in the crowd. We talked, discussed, joked, laughed…. In Bengali parlance, it is called adda- that evergreen, unadulterated, time consuming, bantering. Four glorious hours just wafted by.

We were at a café in muggy Kolkata. It was 4 pm. My school friends were mostly teachers – school/college. Which means they left home early after completing the necessary domestic chores, worked through the day and then hailed a cab to be on time. Some others chose to get their personal car. Other days, they would have commuted by local transport. One of my friend’s daughter pushed a classy pearl ear ring into her mother’s bag, been repeatedly tutored to wear the pair for the occasion. Most were in their chosen sarees, nicely tucked and pinned. There was Aditi Banerjee who set the mood, looking cheery and ever smiling ! Soma Chatterjee was looking resplendent in mauve; Sanchita Gupta, coy, in her pearly ear rings. Malini Ghosh looked radiant. When I asked her the reason – Love or Dove?(Remember that famous advert), she quipped without winking, “My husband would only be home on weekends as he worked outstation. So I got the much - needed space, the joy of which reflects in my face”. Whoever said or believe relationship does not need any space is a jerk. In one of the recently concluded popular tele-serial on Zee Bangla, Mithai, there was a debate on requirement of this space. Even psychologists recommend some 'me time' in every relationship. Perhaps, that is one reason, why the very busy, college professor, Jayeta Ghoshal Roy never misses a meet. Yes, to let her hair down. This is her 'Me Time'.  So straight from her college, Jayeta looked harried but happy too. Beside yours sincerely, the more spirited one was of course the comparatively slender Surupa Mukherjee. Actually, she was the heart throb of the party as she left us all in splits with her narratives of yester years! In the gender-neutral world that we thrive in, I guess this male chauvinistic epithet gets neutralised too! 

But despite our constant chattering, we didn’t miss out on the lovely ambience of our venue, Pancham er Adday - A Music Cafe  at Hindustan Park (Gariahat), Kolkata. People of all ages throng this cafe though Generation Y rules the roost. This is the city of my birth. I continued living here till my early twenties. But I didn’t see so many cafes then like now. In those days, meaning 80s and mid 90s, we would rather visit each other’s house. Our mothers would dish out our favourite finger foods and beverages. Now, across the board, I see people meeting out. So be it. We particularly enjoyed live music where a singer crooned RD Burman’s evergreen songs. The singer too was good. We swayed to the tunes, even lip-syncing, oblivious of the cool surroundings. I particularly enjoyed because the last time, I savoured live music was ages ago in megapolis Mumbai.

However, the food I find not so great for my palate. And worse, prices are steep. As one of my friends, pointed out, at Rs 400, a glass of Frappe, two fish fingers and a few honey ginger chicken nuggets is a bit steep and comparatively the quality is disappointing. The bill including our tips came to Rs 2800. We went Dutch. Even their shakes are a bit shaky. So amidst lovely live music, it does leave a sour note. Still if you need to order, we loved their piping hot and crunchy fish fingers and one of my friends found their cafe latte nice. 

As we proceeded to leave with happy but heavy hearts, what we took back was experience, something that is even peddled these days at hefty prices. To me, it was a bundle of priceless joy that I would savour in years to come.  Yes, the best takeaway meal we could ever havePancham er Adday- A Music Cafe.

                                

          

      Pancham er  Adday - A Music Cafe

      Pic courtesy : Sudeshna Chatterjee 

#reunion#PanchamerAdday#cafe#friendship#livemusic#fishfingers#ZeeBanglaMithai

An Inconvenient Truth

Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.

Mahatma Gandhi

                                   

                                     

                         Ganga S Rautela

That climate change is happening and that too drastically can be fathomed even by a commoner. You just need to walk barely for five minutes at 11 am in Mumbai, the sweltering heat will walk the talk. You sweat profusely and consequently get exhausted faster than you can manage to take out that handkerchief! No tissues/wipes for me. 

 Anyways, such humid heat was almost non-existent even few years ago. Yet, is the public perturbed?  Looking at the indiscriminate and extensive use of single-use plastic, the signs are ominous. Let's hope, the UN focus on plastic menace this year will yield some benefits in the long run. 

Deliberately, I let the World Environment Day ( June 5) pass by, to see if people honour nature at least on that day and/or the following days. Newspapers still feature some stories and reminders. Lip service was missing this time in the social media. Even at schools too, there seem to be less murmur on nature. On one hand, some responsible companies like Godrej offers free disposal of electronic wastes, public of course feel little for the Mother Earth, filling up and creating new landfills. I spoke to Ganga S Rautela, former Director General, National Council of Science Museums (Ministry of Culture, Government of India). He comes from a generation who played in the fields and forests and therefore perhaps nurture nature more than the 'now' generation who takes pride in exhibiting their PlayStations and Bonsais', love nature in documentary films, stack holders with tissue rolls, use elevator/escalator to and from the gym ...the list goes on ...No, they don't believe in reducing usage of single-use plastic or re-using left-over food or recycling used water/wood/plastic etc. 

However, there are some inspiring voices from this generation as well who are sincere eco-warriors.Two years ago, in 2021, when I interviewed young, award- winning photographer and green activist, Aishwarya Sridhar, I got to know about her fight to save Panje- The Last Wetland in the form of her debut documentary film. Here goes my blog link.  

(http://scchangetheworld.blogspot.com/2021/06/the-chronicles-of-wandering-mind.html)

The introductory lines in her documentary film are still sad reflection of the time we struggle to live in.  

Losing our environment is not like losing an election. It means losing our entire future. No amount of money can buy that. It is very important that we preserve whatever we have left of our green and blue planet before it is too late....

 Rautela was clear when he observed that climate change cannot be reversed. "To mitigate or reduce impact of climate change (it cannot be reversed) we need to reduce emission of greenhouse gases, reduce consumption of high carbon foot-print material, practice low consumption lifestyle and adopt green lifestyle to reduce burden on Earth's resources", he observed. 

I wonder the reason behind public apathy. Even the public properties for some years now have been designed to win attention in prioritising climate care. Few years ago, I saw some thought-provoking graffiti on the railway platform bridges in suburban Mumbai. One of them left such an indelible impression on me that I went back and took this picture on June 6, 2023. Now, it is a bit worn-out, but the message is loud and clear and of course so alarming!! 

 

   Photo courtesy: Sudeshna Chatterjee 

Once you read the lurking threats, may be, just may be and hopefully, you, my dear  readers, who still feign ignorance, could turn into another eco-warrior and make your first new year resolution, never mind six months down the line. Small but consistent remedial measures can go a long way in keeping our Earth habitat for the longest period of time. 

Sudeshna Chatterjee in conversation with Ganga S Rautela on the perils of modern-day living. 

Questionnaire

1)Ramon Magsaysay award winner Sonam Wangchuk, founder, Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh and co- founder SECMOL, said: "We hear about war among countries, but the impact of the war on nature is much worse. Today, lot more people are dying in calamities that occur due to the changing environment".

What is your views on this observation? 

It is true that there is a war on nature, that is destroying it and making irreversible changes. These changes are putting our own life into danger. For example, snow is melting earlier compared to long-term average. Just scan the factsheet below to understand the gravity of the situation.

 

Global temperatures rose about 1.8°F (1°C) from 1901 to 2020.

Global sea-level rise rates have accelerated from 1.7 mm/year during the 20th century to 3.2 mm/year since the beginning of the present century.

Glaciers are shrinking: average thickness of 30 well-studied glaciers have decreased more than 60 feet since 1980.

The area covered by sea ice in the Arctic at the end of summer has shrunk by about 40% since 1979.

The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has risen by 25% since 1958, and by about 40% since the Industrial Revolution.

Our food supply depends on climate and weather conditions. Although farmers and researchers may be able to adapt some agricultural techniques and technologies or develop new ones, some changes will be difficult to manage. Like, increased temperature, drought, water shortage and diseases. Weather extremes create challenges for the farmers who put food on our tables. 

Climate change is already impacting human health. Changes in weather and climate patterns can put lives at risk. Heat is one of the most deadly weather phenomena. As ocean temperatures rise, hurricanes are getting stronger and wetter, which can cause direct and indirect deaths. Dry conditions lead to more wildfires, which bring many health risks. Higher incidences of flooding can lead to the spread of waterborne diseases, injuries, and chemical hazards. As geographic ranges of mosquitoes and ticks expand, they can carry diseases to new locations.

The most vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, people with pre-existing health conditions, outdoor workers, people of colour and people with low income, are at an even higher risk because of the compounding factors from climate change. 

Fresh water mostly comes from melting snow caps. Due to climate change, less snow is available, hence less water. This will turn water short society to water starved society in next 25 years or so.

2)Dalai Lama once said that unlike science, the religious tradition teaches the concept of forgiveness, tolerance and compassion. Scientists cannot help you change your emotion, only religion can. Do you agree? 

I personally believe that science and religion can have a meeting point when we talk of ultimate truth i.e. knowledge that explains the origin of universe, life forms or the phenomenona that happen in the universe or within our own Earth. You can define the ultimate truth by various names i.e. God or knowledge. Religion on the other hand is governed by faith. If you go back in history, there were no religion for several centuries, but there was an universe or life on earth. However, religion is indeed necessary for ensuring order, tolerance and compassion in society.

3)Many years ago, a birdwatcher told me that our feathered friends always keep themselves busy, even if it means idle talking in shrill notes! Over the years, I have been watching and feeding them and was floored by their discipline and community living. Something we, humans, are increasingly drifting away from.Your opinion?

Drifting from community living is inevitable and has happened since the Industrial Revolution which gave birth to industrial society or nuclear society. Animal world had no such revolution and will perhaps not have in future as well. So long the population keeps growing, industrial development is lopsided (centered in some geographical pockets) this phenomenon will keep happening as people will move or migrate in search of livelihood/employment.

                                                      

4)"The only thing greater than the power of the mind is the courage of the heart", says noted American mathematician, John Nash. Do you agree?

Power of mind is responsible for new ideas/innovations that transform society or make our lives easier. Power of the heart with its own intelligence is capable of transforming our views of money, health, relationships and success. There is definitely an interrelationship.                                                

                                                               

#UN#EnvironmentComesFirst#WorldEnvironmentDay#JohnNash#DalaiLama#SonamWangchuk#RamonMagsaysay#mumbaisuburban #GangaSRautela#AishwaryaSridhar#SudeshnaChatterjee#Plasticmenace#singleuseplastic#birdwatcher 

The grey matter

Never argue with someone whose tv is bigger than their bookshelf. 

Emilia Clark

                     

                    Poster of Roktokorobi 

It is now years that television has lived up to its alter ego, i.e., tubelight. Specially, the serials are extremely regressive and/or illogical. It's fancy cousin, the web series, seem to be a better option. At least, they have plots which they try to hold onto with reasonable clarity and some rationality. Of course, crime seems to be a favourite haunt and shockingly, happily indulged by characters echoing friends and relatives in the serials like a pro. But, web series still fare better. And few have been exceptional. Here, I select one that is shown on Zee5. And yes, while I am talking about Bengali serials and series, it holds true for Hindi serials and series as well.

  

Remember Hostage or Aarya web series on Disney Hotstar? Specially the mind games that made the plots so engaging. If you have enjoyed those, chances are you will celebrate this one. Roktokorobi. Mature, spine-chilling, captivating, nuanced and more. 

A taut Bengali psycho thriller.  Loved the screenplay. The mind games expanding on sexual abuse and class exploitation are a class apart. A strange sway of nari shakti  ( woman power ) here despite the presence of a male protagonist. One of Raima Sen's best performances. Vikram Chatterjee, Haridas Chatterjee and Laboni Sarkar are also superlatives. So is the background score. The use of Rabindrasangeet ( Tagore songs ) are intelligent as they hold clues to the mystery. Ditto is the apt title, named after a Tagore classic. Incidentally, in a week's time, on May 9, we will be celebrating the birthday of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, whose creation of female characters in his writings is a celebration by itself.

NB: The series is reviewed at the writer's own interest and expense.

They can not hear a woman's voice

  

A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.

Diane Mariechild 

                       

                                                                                                       Gajra Kottary

                                                                           

They cannot hear a woman's voice...

That is what an award-winning scriptwriter and author feels vis-à-vis contemporary hindi tele-serials and even films. “Over the last two decades that I have been writing for television, it is becoming more and more tough to show real women and their struggle on television. For one, there is pressure to keep the women looking glamorous, which is the manageable part. The difficult part is surviving the unreasonable pressure to have them fit into boxes”, observes Gajra Kottary, 57,  two-times recepient of the Apsara awards (Guild Awards) for story writing. 

Daughter of the famous classical musician, late Pandit Amarnath Chawla of the Indore Gharana, Gajra was born in Delhi and a topper at the PG (Dip)course in Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi. While she was working for several well-known newspapers, what touched me is her choice to work for United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a freelancer, that too when she was pregnant with her second child. Working for CHOICES means walking for miles, often on kucca roads, in the interiors of Maharashtra and Rajasthan to write on projects that would empower common people, specially women and children. Perhaps, that is why her serials like  Balika Vadhu (Colors) could talk about several uncomfortable issues so convincingly. For example, I still remember Anandi Singh's first experience of menstruation. Despite a movie like Padman, those Balika Vadhu scenes are still etched in my memory.  A woman's fear and discomfort were featured prominently and strongly in the teleserial.  Her serials hit at several such taboo issues. Another example is the protagonist's (Dr Simran Mathur) choices in Astitva-Ek Prem Kahaani (Zee TV). Even today and post actor Priyanka Chopra’s celebrity marriage, people still talk in hushed tones about older woman marrying a much younger man. 

Still, it is difficult to bracket her. Given a choice, she would rather be a nonconformist and gender-inclusive than a feminist with its foibles. Herein goes the interpretation from a curious and a courageous woman about being a woman in challenging situations, be it in reel or real life. 

Sudeshna Chatterjee in conversation with Gajra Kottary

     

The Questionnaire 

 You started of as a journalist in a newspaper, later moved in an UN sponsored magazine, CHOICES. Then a script writer and a television writer. Finally you became an author as well. At which stage, you could put up women's issues most prominently, freely and convincingly? Also, where could you see maximum results in terms of manifestation of that empowerment? And yet, would you describe yourself as a crusader or a writer or simply put, a rebel with a cause?

  Now that you analyse it this way, I see the pattern myself. There has always been a certain restlessness in me to express myself and give an audible voice to my opinions, to share my take on women's lives in all their complexity.

  Growing up in Delhi of the 70's and 80's, the only avenue available in writing was journalism. So, even while doing my journalism course at the IIMC, I had already started writing actively for Hindustan Times and The Statesman, as well as long distance for Eve's Weekly and The Times of India, based in Mumbai. I was never inclined towards writing about politics and the economy. It was always social issue for me. I did worry about sustainability since I chose to write about women in terms of a career in writing.

  Marriage and a shift to Mumbai, opened up new avenues to give vent to my urge for speaking up. Writing for CHOICES-the magazine brought out by UNDP was done in the phase when I had chosen to be a freelancer because my son was a kid and I was pregnant with my second child. It helped me get an exposure to rural India and its women. The women were also very receptive to me. It is a learning that really helped me in my understanding of the lives of real women in the interiors of India. But I yearned to speak to a larger audience and through a medium that could make a stronger impact. So scriptwriting it was. Parallel to this of course was this aspiration to become an author.

  But to answer your question about which medium I could put up women's issues most prominently, freely and convincingly, like life itself, there is no one perfect medium for all this. While TV gives one's voice prominence, it is not very free, nor is it a solo speak. And while being an author gave one true freedom of speech, it isn't as prominent and mass appealing as TV. So I keep alternating between the two expressions to keep myself satisfied.

   TV of course is the most impactful medium out of those that I have worked in, for the empowerment of women. But I still don't see myself as a crusader. A rebel with a cause might be a better description of me, as I just want to tell women's stories with empathy and sympathy so I could help sensitise both genders towards what needs to change.

 

You have been a writer now for over two decades. Among others, you have been a part of that archetypical tele-serial Balika Vadhu, writing 2175 episodes. How do you find the changing role of a woman in reel and real life in India? Also, how much do you see reality in the contemporary tele-serials and films? 

 Over the last two decades that I have been writing for television, it is becoming more and more tough to show real women and their struggles on television. For one, there is pressure to keep the women looking glamorous, which is the manageable part. The difficult terrain is surviving the unreasonable pressure to have them fit into boxes. Consequently, the  'real woman' is becoming quite a myth in Indian soaps. 

Layering of women characters, showing their grey shades, is challenging. They have to be either black or white if they are the prominent characters. I have often tried to manage the situation by giving interesting shades to other characters, making their stories compelling and real while having the main characters react to them. That was the pattern in Balika Vadhu, where the young and impressionable Anandi watched, for example how her Tauji lost his first wife to her multiple pregnancies due to a weak womb (a proven phenomenon linked to early marriage or child marriage). And then, how he married again and the struggle of his poor, young and mismatched wife. All this while, Anandi  did not fully realise how her life was going to be impacted by giving up the studies that she was so good at. But eventually when it all added up, Anandi was impacted and had to evolve. Ditto with Kalyani, the matriarch and Dadisaas of Anandi. How the sheer goodness of Anandi slowly transformed her (most important  character to me and my team) from being conservative to enlightened. 

 

                           

                                                         

                                                                                                 Balika Vadhu                                                                      

                                                 

These days, the TV industry is no longer a very sustainable model, with intensive competition from other mediums as well as from within. So there is desperation to succeed which is not healthy, creatively speaking. Hence, in that process, we, writers, do not have the luxury to take a realistic look at stories and characters, which I do miss. But I am trying my best to keep up with the times and yet not losing my voice.

 

You are a mother to a son and a daughter. Do you believe that the lessons that a child gets from a mother since his/her impressionistic years can go a long way in creating less of chauvinism among guys and more of empowerment among girls? Pl elaborate.  

Absolutely. Very well put. I have tried to be conscious and practice what I preach when it came to bringing up my son, Advait, and daughter, Aastha. If anything, my son sometimes feels that both of us have been stricter with him than with his sister. But that could also be because of the older and younger syndrome as he is the older one, and she was sickly as a child so the indulgent streak about her has continued to date!

I still remember how I would make my son help with the household chores and run errands for me when he was young. One of my neighbours, a Punjabi lady, told me that I was a bad mother for making my son do so much work and pampering my daughter.

But the result is that today my son, 32, is a fantastic cook and perfect at running his house anywhere in the world. My daughter, 29,  in sheer competition with him is slowly getting there! 

 

Why is it that even today and increasingly so, female child/ girl/woman harassment/torture instances do not create a stir like a racial/ religious divide across different media platforms, whether it is press, radio, television and/or social media?

 I wish I could tell you why Sudeshna, as it really bothers me a lot. I suppose it is because women are not present in numbers as big as men are in places that matter, where they can determine coverage about women. But it is also about men, not just women, deciding about that coverage - influencing what is important and what is not. 

 It is for this reason that I am always trying to underline the importance of being gender inclusive. While women can and should increase their physical presence in media and entertainment, we also need to have the men's hearts in the right places.

I have been very fortunate and personally met, worked and lived with men who are truly egalitarian, but I know that it is not the norm. I have also sadly seen women who are not humanists--though I know that saying this might not be politically correct.

 The whole issue of gender sensitisation is a chicken and egg syndrome. Once more people are sensitised, especially in media, they will work towards influencing others and it will have the desired ripple effect. So we all have to work towards it and I feel that when that happens, gender parity can be a reality.      

                                                                     

To speed up progress at all fronts,  inclusion of women in decision-making is a must. This is also the reflection from the President of India, Droupadi Murmu. Do you agree? Yes/ no, please elaborate and also clarify how much of gender equity/equality and sensitivity do you see among Indian men and women today?

The reflection from the President is bang on. It is absolutely imperative that women get to play an equal part in decision making. And this has to begin from within our families and in our homes.

 The family is truly the crucible of society and it is not enough nor practical that women can only work towards their cause if they are working outside or in positions of power. In fact it is okay for women to choose to be home makers for certain phases of their lives or even their entire lives. But in that case, they should not be treated with discrimination because they aren't bringing in the money--that should not be the arbiter. Women should be empowered enough to make their own choices, whichever way they want to go.

Things are much better now than they were a few decades ago, thanks to the information explosion. There is definitely more awareness and there are also more laws that are in place for the cause of women.

However and unfortunately, while we struggle for parity, we also over-objectify our women in the way they are often projected in cinema and TV.

The hyping up of the woman's physical form to titilate men runs the risk of reducing her stature from being a sensitive being to a sensuous object.

Not only that, objectification also influences women to conform to unreasonable pressures of always looking glamourous, even if they are not feeling good or comfortable inwardly. This is what I definitely think needs to change.    

The good thing I see in my children's generation is that there is a constant questioning and counter-questioning process at work with both genders, which is fine as a process. So I am hoping that gender parity will emerge as a result of this.    

                                                                                

                                                                                                        Book cover

                                                         

#iimc#choices#genderparity#undp#gajrakottary#sudeshnachatterjee#BalikaVadhu#Aastitvaekpremkahani#Padman