In the Company of Vavachayan – Sitapur Letter

 In the Company of Vavachayan – Sitapur Letter

Glad to catch up with Vavachayanm, my uncle Rev. Fr T.A. Antony CMI. Having been in the order now for more than four decades together (though never in one place), we have become more fellow to-a-great-extent-like-minded members of the order than close relatives.  But being relatives, we do have many things to share when we meet. Our common interests border on a religious life with sensitivity to responsible living on the planet, with a special focus on waste minimisation and management. 

He usually lives in Srinagar (Garhwal, UP) at a cultural centre - Sadharmyam, which promotes inter-cultural dialogue.  Last two weeks he was in Leharpur in Sitapur district (UP), which is about 30 kms from where I live, Naipalapur.  He was substituting the two young priests there who had gone to Keralam for vacations.  As such, there is no Christian community there. However, 2 teacher families from Keralam and 2 staff families (husband-wife) from Jharkhand are there, and they take part in the daily mass. Even our Nepali cook and the yard keeper, and the accountant seem to take part in the mass though they are not Christians.

It is rather cold here (min. 6 and max 19 or 20) and the Sun does not make a regular visible appearance. This morning, he appeared very tame and meek as a moon. I should have captured his appearance.  Even with 4 or 5 layers of clothing, one still feels cold.

As all these stations fall under the one big parish (with around 40 families spread all over this district), we get together on various occasions.  Last week he came to join us for the birthday celebration of Rev Dr George Athappilly, my colleague, who has the unique distinction of having been the only Ph D scholar guided by our beloved former President Abdul Kalam.  (He teaches computer science to our BCA students.  And also for our MCAs. He finds our students faring much better than the engineering students he had taught in various engineering colleges in Keralam; at Anna University, and at St. Charles Institute of Technology, Nagpur.  Perhaps, he holds the unique distinction of having taught in more than 10 engineering colleges in a span of 20 years or less. He is passionate about and obsessed with teaching programming to the youngsters).

For birthday, we went out to eat – one  of the few such occasions with us.  This was further necessitated with our helpers with cooking – Rebeka and Manoj (husband and wife) – having taken their well deserved vacation for the past one week.

Vavachayan and I shared some time at the dining table and taking a walk around our ground with 6 tracks of 200 metres laid.  5 rounds will make a 1 km walk.  I was shivering in the cold in spite of having completed 5 rounds. And Vavachyan’s jogging amounted to a 75% brisk walk on my end. So we parted company and I ran another 5 rounds which made me warm, but still leaving no sign of perspiration. I could still manage to continue without a change of dress. But I treat myself to the luxury of a warm water bath. 

Our Superior is Rev Dr Johny Purakatt.  It is his silver jubilee year of priesthood. For those familiar with Thevara School – he is the son of Antony Maash, who taught for almost 3.5 decades at SH Upper Primary school. Orignally from Kumbalam, he got settled  in Thevara, when their land was taken for the rail project. He was teaching when I was a student of the high school.  Later, he served as Catechism Headmaster of the monastery chapel school for many years, before finally winding up such ministries around 2015. At 90+ he is still fine.  Fr Johny also happens to be the nephew of Fr George Earathara of KCSL fame; and his brother Babichan was my batch-mate. His mother has been bed-ridden for the past two years plus. 

Fr Johny is a great host and he tries to make every guest feel welcome. So he insists on Vavachayan staying over for another day. At night, kappa with chicken curry is prepared. And he brings a cake to be cut by Vavachayan and a bottle of non-alcoholic Jacobb’s wine (which tasted like Vinegar) in honour of Vavachayan, as he does not prefer alcoholic wine(s).

We have a good time at the expense of each other. He enjoys our great garden  and the wonderful collection of Chrysanthemums (over 30 varieties), maintained by the efforts our the Vice Principal Rev. Dr Sajimon Philip.

This morning, we celebrate mass together. Vavachayan is on semi-fast (and I am on full fast – more from a health angle than any pious intention) it being Friday. Fr Johny drives him to the bus stand. Vavachayan wanted to travel at night, but he does not prefer AC or sleeper buses. So we suggest he travels without reservation – either get a straight bus to Rishikesh/Dehradun/Haridwar to get down at Najibabad (Bijnor Dt) – almost 350 kilometres from where he could get a bus to his destination, Srinagar – another 150 plus kilometres along the Garhwal hills.  Probably, having to get connections at Kotdwar and Pauri (Garhwal). It is winter. So if one is well protected, travel is more pleasant than travelling in the hot summer.

Most likely, he will reach only tomorrow, with a break at Najibabad where Bijnor Provincial house is – I spent almost three years there as an undergrad student.

We put him on a Delhi bus, which will reach Moradabad via Bareilly in about 5 hours, from where he will get Najibabad bus which might take another 1 or 2 hours. 

At 79, Vavachayan is calm, healthy, engaging in manual labour, lending all possible services as a pastor wherever required. Happy for him, as he is into his 53^rd year of being a priest. Praise the Lord!

Wish you all a Happy Jubilee Year to be ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ in an apparently, hopeless world.

Gospel - Lk 18:25-45 I want to see

Nov. 21, 2024

Today, the gospel teaches us two prayers for enriching Christian life. 

The first one has been transformed into a classical prayer of Christian tradition - Hesychasm, imbibing the injunction of Jesus (Lk 18:1) and St. Paul (1Thes 5:17) to pray without ceasing and without losing hope.  It has come to be known as Jesus prayer.  I treat this as a great way to integrate God-consciousness into all phases of our daily lives.  The prayer of the blind man is: Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me! The spiritual tradition has adapted it as: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner! 

It combines the gospel attitude of understanding the unworthiness of the individual seeker (Lk 18:13-14) as was stated by the centurion, who said: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter my home (Mtt 8:8), or of St. Peter, who realized his distance from the ideal of sanctity personified in Jesus, and said, 'Go away from me, for I am a sinful man (Mtt 5:8). The tradition insists on repetition of the prayer that it becomes part of our system leading to union with the merciful Lord Jesus in the silence of heart.  I have been initiated into a system that integrates the prayer with the practice of pranayama, with the conscious inhaling and exhaling.  The inhalation part would invoke Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, and the exhalation part the rest 'Have mercy  on me a sinner'.  It can be the full prayer for both inhalation and exhalation as well, so that literally the practice leads to the prayer becoming part of our breath and one gets into the rhythm of 'praying without ceasing'. 

The second prayer is the blind man's response to Jesus query: 'What do you want me to do for you?' He is very clear: 'I want to see'. This is to be the aspiration of every seeker - 'wanting to see'.  What is that a seeker should seek to see? 

Yes, the blind man wanted to see the world - people and things.  

There are several dimensions of sight as we dwell on this creaturely endowment. 

I want to see: However, with many even with the physical sight intact, we are not trained to see - see around.  See the earth, the soil, the rock, the dust, the sky, the sun in his many coloured moods, the moon, the beautifully arrayed constellations that illuminate the night sky.  It is a pity that despite being designated the stewards of the planet by God, unlike the exceptions like the seer Daniel, we are not able to exercise this great potential of seeing the amazing diversity, their beauty, and their power (Daniel 3:56-88).  We ought to grow in the ability of 'seeing' the richness of this uniquely amazing planet of life, and appreciate each of these variegated existences as my fellow creature - brother sun, sister moon...brother pig, sister cockroach. 

I want to see: myself as you see me - with my powers, with my powerlessness. In the book of Revelation, human blindness is pointed out (3:17) and the believers are urged to 'buy the ointment to smear their eyes so that they could see' (3:18).  In seeing myself as you see me, I want to see yourself reflected in me! I am inclined to agree with the Socratic dictum: 'Know Thyself'. This requires the openness and humility to learn from others - people and situations, valuing feedback as Jesus did: Who do you think, I am? 

Can I see myself as that great Thou and proclaim as that great Indian seer said: Aham brahmasmi! As the Christian thought has been so strictly regimented by the Greco-Roman categories, it cannot free itself to find the reiteration of this experience when Jesus makes the claim 'I and the Father are one' (Jn 10:30) or 'One who sees me sees the Father' (Jn 14:9), 'I am in the Father and the Father is in me' (Jn 14:10).  Whether this statement as such is prior to his times - I am not sure. Most likely yes. It is not unlikely that Jesus did have a stint in India to absorb these lofty ideals which he rendered in his own fashion as a further growth in God-realisation of the Israelites.  He got the rare guts to make such a statement from his own God-realization. Only if I could grow to that state!

I want to see: other human beings - as sharing the same 'tatvam' (essence) as I possess, and able to look at them and say: 'tatvam asi' - Thou art that! Essentially the same - hence, in spite of the differences, hurting another is also self-hurt. Retaliation is only adding to your hurt. 

As a learner and self-proclaimed seeker, I am happy for the 'sight' and 'seeing' words - 

insight - the ability to see beyond the external, the avarana, the appearances; a much needed competency for a seeker. 

farsight - the ability to see ahead, in advance the natural progress of things; a competency needed for people who lead institutions and movements; it emerges from the ability to see thee varies but connected things in one big picture, and visualise the possibilities their synergy offers. 

foresight - the ability to see the future of things, is a gift that can help one to lead one's life with integrity, while helping others to lead their life as well. 

hindsight - the ability to understand a thing after it has occurred - this is a gift more useful with correcting the future course of actions, based on what were the lessons one is able to draw from past events or experiences. 

oversight - neglect, the slip of sight on some details, leading to failures. While this in all likelihood is not deliberate, it can be debilitating for an individual's career, both as a follower or as a leader. 

oversee - the method of seeing things as a superior officer or functionary, ensuring that things fall in line - overseer. 

On the other hand, there are ways in which one should develop sight by looking at things 

introspection - being the most powerful one, the need to look into oneself - for making things better

circumspection - is the ability to be sensitive to the stimuli in the environment and one's responses to them, making sure that one does not step on someone else's toes.  A soft skill to be developed to make one's team more efficient and motivated. 

https://oblatesosbbelmont.org/2012/02/05/daniel-357-88-56-let-every-creature-bless-the-lord/

क्रिस्मस स्टार - ख्रीस्तजयन्ति का तारा

 क्रिस्मस  स्टार - ख्रीस्तजयन्ति का तारा 

क्रिसमस ईसा मसीह याने जीज़स क्राइस्ट के जन्मदिवस के रूप में दिसंबर २५ के दिन विश्वभर में मनाया जाता है|  और ईसा मसीह को ईसाई धर्म के लोग परमेश्वर का इस पृथ्वी पर स्थल और काल की सीमाओं में अवतरित मानव रूप या इश्वर का पुत्र मानते हैं | 

क्रिसमस से जुडी हुई सजावटों में एक तारा अधिकतर देखने को मिलता है| कुछ साल पहले तक इस  पर्व की तैय्यारी और सजावट में तारा ही मुख्य था |  किन्तु आजकल  अनेक अन्य (अनेकानेक) सजावट की वस्तुएं इस त्यौहार को अलंकृत करती पाई जाती हैं। 

क्रिसमस स्टार के पीछे एक घटना या कहानी बतायी जाती है |  पूर्व देश में, कुछ राजपुरुष माने जाने वाले श्रेष्ठ व्यक्तियों ने एक अनोखा तारा देखा| 

आजकल ख्रिस्ती परम्परा में इन्हें ज्योतिषी या श्रेष्ठ ज्ञानी भी कहते हैं, जो संभवत: मेसोपोटेमिया प्रदेश (वर्तमान इराक़) के थे जहाँ उसे समय इस ज्योतिष विज्ञान का बोलबाला था|  उन्होंने उस अलौकिक तारे को देखते ही पहचान लिया कि यह एक महान व्यक्ति  या एक महान राजा के जन्म का द्योतक है |  उनको लगा कि वह तारा निश्चल नहीं, बल्कि आगे बढ़ रहा है और उसके पीछे हो जाने के लिए उन्हें आमंत्रित करता है‌और वे  मंत्र मुग्ध होकर उस तारे के पीछे हो लिए। उन्होंने अपनी स्थिति के अनुसार इस अवतरित मनीषी के लिए कुछ भेंट जैसे सोना, मूर और लोबान भी अपने साथ ले लीं -  तारा आगे चलता रहा, और वे पीछे हो लिये |  उनकी ज्योतिषीय गणना के अनुसार उनको लगा कि यह शिशु फलस्तीन में कहीं है, और तारे के फलस्तीन पहुँचते‌ ही यह समझकर कि ऐसा जन्म एक राजकीय महल में ही हो सकता है‌ उन्होने वहाँ के राजा हेरोद के पास जाकर उनसे मालुम किया कि यहूदी वंश में जन्म लेने वाला वह नया राजा कहाँ हो सकता है  -  लेकिन यह ज्ञात होने पर राजा हेरोद चिंतित हो गया और उसने अपने धार्मिक और अन्य सलाहकारों से शिशु जन्म की घटना के विषय में परामर्श लिया | उन्होंने धर्म ग्रन्थ उल्लिखित इस घटना से मिलती हुई कुछ बातें राजा को बतायीं कि यहूदिया के बेथलेहम नगर में, जो कि राजा दाऊद का शहर है, वहीँ ऐसे किसी महान राजा  के जन्म होने की भविष्य वाणी की गयी है|  यह सुनकर वह तो विचलित हो गया किंतु स्वयं को संतुलित एवं संयमित कर लिया‌‌ और ज्ञानियों से जाकर कहा-तुम लोग जाकर बेथलेहम में उस शिशु की खोज करो, उसका आदर सम्मान करो, और फिर आकर मुझको इसकी सूचना दो, ताकि मैं भी उस दिव्या बालक का आदर सम्मान कर सकूँ |  

यह निर्देश पाकर जब वे ज्ञानी लोग राजमहल से बाहर निकले तो उन्हें वह अनोखा तारा फिर दिखाई दिया‌ और वे उसके पीछे चल पड़े | बेथलेहम की एक गोशाले के ऊपर वह स्थिर हो गया, और तभी वहाँ ज्ञानियों ने नवजात शिशु ईसा को अपनी माता मरियम और पिता यूसुफ के साथ एक चरनी में लेटा  हुआ  पाया | उन्होंने ईसा की अलौकिकता और महत्त्व को पहचाना।‌ उन ज्ञानी पुरुषों ने अपने साथ लाई हुई अपनी भेंटें उसे दिव्य शिशु को समर्पित करते हुए उसको प्रणाम किया।  एक दर्शन में राजा हेरोद के इरादों का सन्देश पाकर वे हर्ष भरे मन से दूसरे रास्ते अपने घर लौट‌ गए।

इस प्रकार क्रिसमस स्टार उस तारे का स्मरण दिलाता है जिसने उन ज्ञानियों को बालक येसु तक पहुंचाया | 

आज जब यह स्टार हम देखते हैं, तो हमें यह प्रेरणा लेनी चाहिए कि हम प्रकृति के तत्वों का निरिक्षण करें, उन्हें पहचानें और समझें ताकि हम उनसे परम सत्य, जिसे विभिन्न धर्म विभिन्न नाम से ईश्वर कहते हैं, तक पहुँच सकें|  इसलिए यह अति आवश्यक है कि शिक्षा ऐसी हो कि वह संसार और प्रकृति के निरीक्षण और विश्लेषण से  भौतिक सत्य के साथ साथ, परमार्थ सत्य की ओर भी विद्यार्थियों को, मानवों को, जन-जन को उस क्रिसमस स्टार की तरह ले जा सके।

उन महान ज्ञानियों को जिस प्रकार उसे तारे को देखकर एक शिशु में महानता को पहचानना कठिन नहीं हुआ,  उसी प्रकार क्रिसमस स्टार हर बालक में छिपी हुई महानता और ईश्वरत्व का हमें स्मरण दिलाता है, the God potential  (दैव बनने की मानव क्षमता) की हमें सूचना देता  है|  अतएव, यह तारा बच्चों को  'सावधानी से संभाल'ने ("Handle with Care") की चेतावनी भी देता है |  

इसलिए ख्रीस्त जयंति एक निमंत्रण भी है : इस संसार में आने वाले हर शिशु का स्वागत करने का निमंत्रण | उन सब के जीने के अधिकार (Right to Life) का भी यह त्योहार है | चमकता क्रिसमस स्टार बालकों के संसार में आने की ख़ुशी का प्रतीक है | 

ख्रीस्तजयन्ति की ये भावनायें सब दिलों में हों और ख्रिस्तमस की खुशियाँ सब लोगों को, सभी बच्चों को मिलें, विशेष कर, उन बच्चों को, जो विश्वभर में, कई इलाकों में युद्ध और आतंकवाद से पीड़ित हैं | 

क्रिसमस एक 'गिफ्ट टाइम'-उपहारों का त्यौहार भी माना जाता है|  आपसी सौहार्द और प्रेम स्वरूप उपहारों को बांटने का पर्व।   क्रिसमस की इस सुन्दर प्रथा के पीछे है उन ज्ञानियों का नवजात प्रभु ईसा मसीह को अपनी भेंटें समर्पित करने की घटना | साथ ही ख्रीस्तजयन्ति यह याद दिलाती है कि मानव और इस संसार के प्रति परमेश्वर प्रेम रखता है, उनके प्रति चिंतित है और हमारा जीवन और जीवन के लिए संसार में सुलभ संसाधन इश्वर के सबसे बड़े उपहार हैं|  जब विश्व के राष्ट्र २०२५ सहकारिता का अंतर्राष्ट्रीय वर्ष मनाते हैं, तो पारस्परिक सहयोग और भाईचारे से मानव जीवन और इस पृथ्वी को कायम रखना हमारी तरफ़ से सबसे महत्वपूर्ण  'क्रिसमस गिफ्ट' होगा, उपहार होगा |

क्रिसमस/ख्रीस्तजयंती की हार्दिकशुभकामनाएं

डा. प्रशांत CMI, प्राचार्य, सेक्रेड हार्ट डिग्री कॉलेज, सीतापुर 

Picture of the Star: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/f5/6a/48/f56a48a8f108d138bbe1de78880109b9--christmas-scenes-christmas-.jpg

Martyrdom for Being a Christian - St. Josaphat and the Unity-Uniformity Struggles in Syro-Malabar Church

The last 3 years of mudslinging and washing linen in public on account of purely internal issues - geo-political (read, power related), economic and ritualistic - have made a vibrant church (vibrant as seen in church attendance, organisational cohesion and number of full-time members dedicated for church ministry) a vessel of contempt and a scandal for people of other faiths. 

When the church (Latin) celebrates the martyr St. Josaphat, I am inspired and consoled. Consoled,  because, his story reaffirms that the church, in spite of its idealistic spiritual orientation, in reality, carries with it all the limitations of human beings in time and space. This had been so before - with ups and downs in the spiritual quotient - and continues to be so. 

In the 16th century, we find Josaphat at the centre of an effort at unity through a unification process involving the Catholic church and the Orthodox church of Ukraine. In 1595 Ruthenian Church which was part of the Byzantine church, became reunited with the Catholic church. Josephat, born into the Orthodox church, became part of the Roman church.  He joined the first monastery of the order of St. Basil to be united to the Catholic Church, and was later made the bishop of Polotsk.  Some of the rulers of that region could not relish this, as it threatened their control of the ecclesiastical benefices.  And plotting with the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, who visited Ukraine in 1621, they stirred up trouble which led to Josaphat being murdered while on a pastoral visit to Vitebsk in the year 1623. 

This befits a Christian bishop, though not the Christians who executed this. Our Syro-Malabar church,  increasingly tending towards zero-Jesus church, appears to have similar situations and machinations taking place within. The Chaldean* plotters and the ecclesiastical political power-brokers fearing the loss of their benefices or striving to hide their wrongs/errors in managing such benefices are an all-out effort to murder the truth.  However, here there appears hardly any potential martyr bishop - because, the wary bishops are wielding the political protective power using the police. While there is hardly any physical threat to these ecclesiastics, they are indeed fearful of such eventualities, and would rather prefer police protection, than martyrdom. 

Inspiration - I hope the model of St. Josaphat inspires them to be pastoral, rather than politically manipulative, and welcome martyrdom, if that comes their way, in that course! 

St. Josephat, pray for us! Pray for our bishops. 

*Never born or introduced to it as a Christian, now I am condemned to be a Chaldean, a Catholic casteism! 

Picture of St Josaphat's Martyrdom: https://thecatholicheroes.com/history-biographies/st-josaphat-the-martyr-of-ecumenism-a-life-of-devotion-and-sacrifice/

Happiness Dispensary - Lulu Lucknow

November 6, 2024. Happiness: In the Yogic Ten Commandments, we come across the principle of 'santosha' (happiness) as the 7th one (2nd yama principle).  It would relate to contentment and one's decision to be happy circumstances notwithstanding. 

Lulu Lucknow - World of Happiness: I was happy and unhappy with my visit to the 'Lulu Lucknow - world of happiness'.   It is not 'a world of happiness', nor 'the world of happiness' - Lulu apparently is not making exclusive claims - it's just 'world of happiness'. Perhaps it is an aspiration for the present world to be happy, not necessarily a reference to the mall aligning with the age-old cultural aspiration of sarve bhavantu sukhinah! 

For me it was perhaps a 'luck now' thanks to the I.V. of the computer science department - I chose to accompany as an exception. Or else, most likely, it would have been never there at Lulu, Lucknow. 

The fluttering multi-coloured flags (orange, green, sky blue, pink and azure - venerable Yusuf Ali has not stuck to the rainbow pattern) announcing 'world of happiness' create a sense of happiness. The Lulu emblem is not clear as to its symbolism, but it is also multicoloured, presenting hues of joy. The approximately 300 m long building in the East-West direction with a tarred access road of its own leaves more than 10 ft wide walkway for people to walk to the four entrances to this world of happiness. The road itself is about 30 ft wide. A buffer zone of green almost as wide as the road is provided. Then there is a public road, where parking is banned, but as normal Indians of UP state,  people park, saving Rs 30 (bikes) to Rs 50 (cars). To me the parking fee reduces the happiness in this world of happiness. I feel this is extortion and it should have been free of cost for at least those who have made any purchases at the mall. 

I appreciate Yusuf bhai's skill - people have to drive away from their place, pay rather dearly for the goods and eats, and pay for parking their vehicles and yet feel happy about all that.  Perhaps, Lulu has branded itself among the aam Indians in such a way that the mere fact of their shopping there or being there appears to add to their happiness. 

I had no inclination,  to buy or eat anything. However, my companions, used to regular lunch hours wanted to have something, and I had no objection to giving them company by sipping a cup of coffee with them; however, seeing the pricelist with a cup of coffee priced lowest at Rs 115 (not really expensive for the airport or US standards), I didn't really feel inclined to drink coffee, and with that price tag, did not feel like that it was going  to add to my happiness. 

Yusuf bhai is definitely adding happiness to thousands of families especially poor Muslim families (no quarrel on that account, that he favours people from his community), by providing young men (mostly) jobs in his dozens of malls selling happiness and trying to ensure their welfare. In the small town of Doha itself, there were more than 2 dozen Lulu malls, and thousands of Malayalees working there. 

But it is not Yusuf Ali alone who is prompted to sell happiness. On the way back I find a Yamaha bike holding announcing happiness when you purchase a Yamaha motorbike.

However, unlike the typical American outlets where they are well trained to make people feel good even while preventing them from doing things they think would make them happy, here the hundreds of employees appeared still typically and crudely Indian while introducing the very many dont's typical of a mall - entry, exit, bags, scan etc., etc. No smile that announces the much-flaunted happiness of Yusuf bhai. They put people off - but with Indians, who are used to rebuff  every where, sab kuchh chalta hai!

112 - The Magic Number of UP Police for the Happiness of Citizens: My students return after the 150 minutes of the Lulu tour. For many of them, it's a first time. I found them more eager for this part of the program than the very enriching and informative visit to the UP Police Centre coordinating the emergency calls integrating all emergency services - accident, fire, illness, extortion, threat, woman or child in distress, managing lakhs of calls every day and providing response to them and with a feedback mechanism in place. We were not merely briefed, but also treated to samosa, sandwich and tea.  However, the FY students appeared happier for Yusuf bhai's Lulu attractions than this wonderful
exposure at the spacious UP 112 Bhavan of Police Emergency Management System, facilitated by our alumnus Mr Saurav Verma. But to my happiness, they did have quite a number of questions, though nothing about the complexities of the programming behind the fabulous service, which is expected to be their future domain. Salute to the Akhilesh Yadav government which initiated this service bringing happiness to people in distress free of cost, and the Yogi government which is building on it. 

But just outside the fabulous centre, we are confronted with the everyday UP reality - we had to really struggle to get to the access road to reach the centre in time.  However, the police wallah who was the sentry to the access point, would not let us go.  After 2 very constrained turnarounds, our faculty members with the driver met the policeman who said that there is a rule preventing entry of private vehicles before 11 am! Wow! What dutifulness! However, he asks the driver to remain and the faculty members to leave.  Then the driver is shown a tree across the road, and instructed to leave Rs. 500 there.  And the rule of law that prohibited the entry is bent so easily that the private bus could take a turn to the otherwise inaccessible stretch! Pliability at its height! Before reaching the centre, another sentried point is to be passed - there too, the rule was no longer applicable! What an effective communication system! This is how people make each other happy in UP - the policeman is made happy, and in turn, the driver and the bunch of students (unaware) are made happy! 

The mall displays an app to add to happiness - happiness app! Download that and use it for dining to receive great discounts to add to your happiness! Yusuf bhai's happiness platter beggars description! 

Can the future programmers think of a programme, an app that can generate happiness? Why not? They are the problem solvers for the Brave New World (Huxley) to come! 

Anyway, I am happy with the outing though the much-touted mall could not provide me a soda maker under its roof by which I thought of adding to the unseen happiness of the planet, addressing the need of my fellow dwellers for a fizzy drink, while not adding to plastic pollution. I ended up purchasing toffees sans wrappers for my desk, to encourage people who come there to share their achievements and frustrations - but that does not make me very happy. The boy manning the counter merrily announces the price as Rs. 200 something; my relief is momentary, as he mentions the quantity - for 100 grams. I am mortified - as per my non-mall Indian expectation, it would have been the price for a kilogram! Yet I get some 200 grams in a neat paper box. That is how Yusuf bhai and his ilk of entrepreneurs weave their web of happiness - making even the disinclined passer-by a (potential) customer/consumer irrespective of his 'utility' concerns!

Liberated in Jesus to be Liberators in this World

Sunday October 24, 2024 Tenth Sunday of Elijah - Sliba - Moses 

Dt 11:1-7

The Deuteronomy passage is about the nation of Israel as a people being liberated by a powerful God, who moves with them (saath).  A few powerful words in the Hindi version - saamarthya and shakti (power and skill - employing power effectively) and saath - accompanying - as cloud, as light; delivering through miraculous events - natural phenomena behaving in exceptional manners - oceans divide, flow stops, day extends, bread and meat showered.  Great experience of deliverance, which is not available to all generations - hence, narratives and recountings!  Though nothing is comparable to the first hand experience, even today, the narrated, the written word of God, is powerful to deliver!! May the experience of the powerful God with us be mine, be yours!! 

Matthew 12:22-32 

With Jesus, the history of deliverance comes alive again! God's saath, saamarthya and shakti are experienced with a fellow human being liberated from the bondages to the freedoms of sight and speech! What a transforming moment in life! 

The ideal, challenging, charming option is to be:

a liberator that sets people free to see - around them - the physical nature, its diversity, its beauty; 

a liberator who frees people to see within themselves - introspection leading to the insight as to who I am! 

a liberator who frees people to see beyond the frames, to see the connections and the connectedness - from the phenomenon of 'reading the cloud' to the need 'to read the signs of the times'. 

That presuppo ses the liberator to be liberated. A call to continuous reflection - action - renewal cycle. Being the limited human within time-space, you are susceptible to fall into easy bondages. To realise them, and make conscientious efforts to free oneself is the precondition of being a true liberator. But that requires the saath of the indweller - the awakening of the kundalini  through the cycles to the sahasrara - to enlighten one as the annointed (the child of God); where the one and the oneness beyond the many and the diverse is made visible.  Prayer to deliver me from being the prisoner of my instincts and perceptions, but to ever go beyond!

To be 'them' also is not a bad option - 'They' brought a demoniac to Jesus.  This simple channelizing is also an act of liberation or facilitation of liberation. Humble task of physically bringing someone, referring someone to richers sources of life, and bringing someone to the experience of strength in Jesus - the independence being gained in the dependence of Jesus.  Making one free. If only, I could at least be that channel. It presupposes their conviction, their knowledge and trust in the power of Jesus. Lord, I can only pray strengthen my unbelief! 

For any good, there are any number of detractors - is this statement true? I am not sure. In today's world of social media, the number of likes and thumbs up and positive comments seem to indicate the world is becoming more positive towards goodness in its very many shades!! However, perhaps, even when such voices are fewer, they are louder!! And under them the positivity get suppressed and submerged. 

The response of Jesus is worth emulation by any leader, any diplomat, any learner, any seeker - No reaction! Jesus responds with calm logic: 

1. A house divided against itself - if the devil is to expel the devil, how can she spread her domain? 

2. If it is through the devil, then how do they explain similar healing efforts by their own folks? (That indicates the recourse to the non-invasive and inner-powers for healing or wholeness, from early history of human beings)

But Jesus returns to his mission using the plot - if its by the power of the Spirit of God, then realise that the reign of God is upon you!! It is already there, every step in liberating self and others is a step towards establishing God's reign, read, the reign of goodness, firmly!!

Jesus brings a warning similar to the warning given in the Deuteronomy text: the worst a human being can fare is to resist God's spirit.  That is persistence with untruth, willingness to be open to truth, covering up truth and siding with untruth.  Disciples of Christ are asked to be open to the truth - scientifically revealed as well as those that are beyond science.  As Jesus himself would say elsewhere: 'Truth will set you free' (Jn 8:31). 

I Thes. 5:12-24 The third reading from the Apostle Paul buttresses these aspects with very specific injunctions for liberated and liberating life, in the company of the arch-liberator.  These are worth learning byheart (hrdisth) and translating into daily life. 

1. respect those who are labouring among you and whoare over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to show esteem for them with special love on account of their work (12 & 13)

2. Be at peace among yourselves (13b)

3. Mutual support & correction - to admonish the idle, cheer the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient with all (14)

4. See that no one returns evil for evil (15a);

5. rather always seek good each other and for all (15b). refrain from every kind of evil (22)

6. Rejoice always (16)

7. Pray without ceasing (17)

8. In all circumstances give thanks, for this ithe will of God for you in Christ Jesus (18). 

9. Do not quench the Spirit (19) - also ref. Mtt 12: 31)

10. Do not despise prophetic utternaces (20)

11. Test everything; retain what is good (21).

Prayer: O God of peace, revealed Jesus our Lord and forerunner, make us perfectly holy and may we entirely, spirit, soul and body, be preserved blamess for the coming of your reign in our midst (23). We confess that you who chose us are faithful and though we are unworthy, with you we can accomplish it (24). 

Pati aur Patni - Wow!! Karwa Chauth through SDG Lens

Oct. 20, 2024 Sunday

'Pati, patni aur woh' - is a popular Hindi movie of 2019 by Mudassar Aziz (Kartik Aryan, Bhumi Pednekar & Ananya Panday) which was a commercial hit and entertainer with fidelity in a marital relationship being the central theme.  The title had been very popular after the 1978 movie of the same name by  B.R. Chopra with Sanjeev Kumar, Vidya Sinha and Rajneeta Kaur in the lead roles. 

Today, on the day of Karva Chauth, reading about it in 'amar ujala' I was inspired to reflect on the pati-patni relationships, and with several of pati-patni of my own generation and those prior to me on the canvas, I cannot but say 'wow'! What commitment, what forbearance, and hopefully, great contentment and mutual enrichment!  I hope, the modern day believers who practice such religious traditions enlarge its scope to make it a celebration of mutual commitment, devotion and support in marital life, encouraging gender equality (SDG 5)for the well-being of families, the well-being of all.

Deva-daanav battles are a prominent feature of one of the dominant Hindu traditions. And the narrative is in favour of the Devas, invariably they are the protagonists; and the Danavs, the antagonists, even when some such fights are triggered off by the villainy of some of the Devs!  So the story is about such a fight and the Devs were losing.  They were desperate, approached Brhama, who finding no way out, suggested that if the consorts of all the Devas would fast and pray with a clean heart for the victory of their husbands, And they all did exactly that - and lo, the losing battle was won around the moon rise on the fourth day of the waning phase of Moon in Kaartik month (Krishna paksh Chaturthi). It is kept by all suhagins (those 'blessed' married women with their husbands alive - one of the very few uniquely Indian concepts of the Indian grand narrative, howsoever obscurantist that may sound; modern India has not contributed a single new concept to the world) fasting the whole day without even water till the moon rise, for the long life, health and all good fortune of the husbands.  The fast is broken by receiving water from the husband at moon rise. There is a tradition that considers an unbroken 12 to 16 years of this observance; or life-long. 

The story is replicated with Draupadi having kept the karva chauth fast leading to the victory of the Pandavas in the Mahabharata battle. 

The Internet provides other stories as well: Queen Veeravati, newly married,  kept a strict fast for her husband, but fainted on account of exhaustion, and her seven brothers, not able to bear her suffer, convinced her that the moon had risen and made her break the fast. No sooner had she done that she receives the news of the untimely death of her husband, and on her way to her husband, she is met with Lord Shiva and Parvati, from whom she gathers that the false breaking of the fast as the cause. She devotion is rewarded by Parvati bringing the prince back to life, still ailing. She finds her husband in a delicate condition with needles all over his body. She is said to have kept the fast of Chauth in each of the 12 months that followed her husband's revival, and she patiently picks out one needle a day, leaving just one for the next Karva Chauth.  When she had gone out for the karva puja, her maid removed the remaining needle, and gaining consciousness, mistakes her as his queen and the real queen as the maid.  Veeravati's genuineness finally wins the husband back and queenship is restored to him.

The other story is about Godess Karva whose husband was killed by a crocodile while bathing in river Thungabhadra.  She tied the crocodile to a tree using raw yarn with the strength of her chastity and dedication, and prayed to Yama for reviving her husband. Yama didn't dare to provoke her anger and brought him back to life, while sending the crocodile to the next world. It is the inspiration for Karva Chauth, where married women fast and pray to Goddess Karva for the wellbeing of their husbands,  offering arghya to the moon.  

I was happy to read Yogesh Kumar Goyal (Amar Ujala Oct. 20, 2024 p. 11) commenting that there are today enlightened husbands who join their wives - this appears healthy, in a practice otherwise reinforcing exploitative patriarchal values. Ideally, this should happen - fasting in an otherwise overconsuming culture is itself a good health practice. Combining it with prayers with a clean heart for the well-being of the life partner is doubly healthy.  If the entire Hindu fold observes this (with this intent the whole world should do that), avoiding all food and all cooking for a day, it can immensely enhance the well-being of the common home (vasudha - which indeed is considered the family, according to an Indian axiom).  Hence, for me, it is a celebration of SDG 3 - good health and well-being. 

The images I found of the feast generally project a fasting woman waiting for the moon to rise, at times, accompanied by her (caring) husband. However, I found a few pictures of women gathering around puja materials and food.  Though the celebration in itself appears to be the celebration of patriarchal values, at least for one day it is a woman's world for themselves - though centred around the husband figure. It appears to be their fellowship and their space, which are very often absent even in this modern world.  While I don't feel, we, in the South of India, are missing anything by not having Karwa Chauth, yet bearing this spirit, zindabad karwa chauth! 

https://www.memeraki.com/blogs/posts/karva-chauth-sacred-stories-behind-the-fasting-ritual

images: https://in.images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=karva+chauth+-+images&fr=mcafee&type=E211IN885G91648&imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.thequint.com%2Fthequint%2F2019-10%2F9b4233d0-b074-4475-a78a-ffe541128d5e%2FiStock_1180633448.jpg%3Fauto%3Dformat%252Ccompress#id=91&iurl=https%3A%2F%2Fdata1.ibtimes.co.in%2Fen%2Ffull%2F540135%2Fkarva-chauth-2014.jpg%3Fw%3D1200&action=click