The Tao of Harry Potter

Two highly misunderstood 'ways of living'...Tao and Harry Potter. Yes, I did just call Harry Potter a 'way of living'.
I had once read somewhere "People who write fantasies are not 'authors with fans' but leaders recruiting citizens for an alternate way of living". I liked that. It explains why I can't get myself to read any other fantasy, because I have been 'recruited'. In the same way that someone can't wholeheartedly be the citizen of two places the same time. I can't believe in more than one fantasy at a time.

This is not a post where I'm going to list spells and characters that have been mentioned once on page number blah-hundred-and-blahtyblah and show off my Harry Potter trivia...we have many other places for that. I will tell you what Harry Potter has taught me about people and their personalities. It is amazing how much insight JKR has into the human mind.

Here are my analyses of some of the characters:

Dumbledore:

I start with my favourite. Highly intelligent and sensitive. Grew up in a family that was looked down upon by the rest. Did that, in some way, spark the need to do good? the need to strive for 'the greater good'? In his case, the reason was on some level, selfish (unlike Hermione, but we'll come to that later). However, he didn't want to prove it to the world, but to himself .

Whatever the reason, good is good. It is people like him that take the world forward (thankfully, we have some even in 'our' world). Striving for the benefit of the larger picture, not being interested in getting accolades, the world is cruel to such people. If you want to do the world any good, it resists, like a spoilt teenager. But Dumbledore did his bit, against all odds.

Wise beyond his years, even if he was 150 years old. ;)

Harry Potter:

Funnily, a lot of people don't like him even though he is the main character. Because, he is the classic cliche of a hero : selfless, brave, generous, in short 'heroic'. And he makes it look too easy, almost...lucky! But unlike those cliches, he is like that for a reason. Because he has nothing to lose.

Since childhood he has seen the worst situations and has never had anyone care about him. So he values his dear ones above anything else. But the irony is that he would rather have 'not had' a tragic childhood than gotten to be a hero later. And it is this very ordinary sentiment of his that makes him a more believable hero.

Ronald Weasley:

The boy brought up in a big family. Full of competition. He is always under the pressure of having to better someone or the other. This makes him capable of jealousy and insecurity. He gets jealous of the fact that Harry has all the attention. Harry too, is jealous of him for having so many people to care about him. And I think this evens things out and makes it easier for them to be friends. Also, they have been through a lot together. Nothing can create friendships like a common predicament.

Hermione Granger:

The first thing you will notice about her is that she is brilliant, studious, etc. But there is a lot more to her. She is truly courageous. In a way, more than Harry. Because, she has something to lose, unlike him.

She is very profound and wise. Sounds a lot like Dumbledore, doesn't she? What puts her apart is that her 'doing-good' has more emotional beginnings, than cranial. She genuinely wants good, But not always 'the greater good'.(depends on what is greater to YOU, really).

To her, getting the helpless house-elves to support themselves is a more pressing cause than the betterment of an already self-sufficient wizarding-world. And that is because she is secure. Only secure people can truly dedicate their lives to the weaker.


Well that puts an end to my ponderings (potterings?).

Do let me know what you think :)

Ant-agonism

When I was around 9 years old, I first heard the word "antagonism". I thought it was"ant agonism" (like....agonising ants) with the kind of cocksure logic you have at that age. It gave me a mixture of guilt and relief. Guilt: because I remembered how I used to torture ants when I was younger. Relief: because the act was common enough to own a name. But of course, I was wrong!
But wait.....was I?
The dictionary definition of antagonism is "active hostility"(trust the dic. to explain one hard word with another....it's like they want you to keep flipping the pages) or what I understand as "the ways in which hatred manifests itself".
Well, I used to torture ants whenever I was angry with someone and couldn't show it to them directly. Today, when two religious sects or powerful bodies are at war....Instead of torturing the ones they really have a problem with they torture the ant-like helpless ones.
Why?
Because they can!
Why did I torture ants when I was a kid? Because I was angry with that big, scary girl who pinched me(who I couldn't pinch back). Because they were easy targets (they didn't walk aroud with bodyguards). They were amply available. And, after you torture them....they just go back to work....because they can't do anything to you! Similar is the case of terrorism....If two religious heads, political parties, terrorist groups have a problem with one another they kill the common man who has nothing to do with any of this. Because it's too difficult for them to kill their real adversaries. Because their adversaries are prepared for them (they know how your dirty brain works, they have one too!) But those helpless people on the road....they don't have a clue!
The funny thing in all of this is, some of these "antagonists" might cringe if I tell them about torturing ants....it is probably forbiddened by their beloved religion.

Hmmmm.....the lesser evil?

Poems by my brother.

I'm going to play the doting sister and post some poems written by my kid brother. Any positive comments are welcome. Any non-positive ones will have to face the wrath of a loving sister.

1)The Lion, The Duck, and The Seal

Here he is, the lion king.
He is always drowsy, but likes to sing.
He is handsome and also very fearsome
He lives in the jungle
It is his kingdom.

Our meal was Mr. Duck,
by eating him, the lion got boosted.
But before being eaten,
the duck got roasted
So 'thanks' to Mr Duck,
who made our meal so tasty.
I bet that without him
it would have been very nasty.

It is also very true
That Mr Seal, also formed a part of our meal.
He is always the early bird,
and we love him with curd.

Both these meals are very yummy
and also they never cry for mummy.


2)Roses abloom

Roses abloom,
don't have a single note of gloom.
They grow in your garden
and also on the window-grills of your room.

Roses abloom,
have a charm of life.
They do not lose this charm
even if they are chopped with a knife.

They are sold on the roads,
also in gardens with toads.
There is never a match for their scent
and even so precious, there is no need for rent.

Same Difference

"Yeh local sabhi sthanakon par rukegi..."
"Idhar aa..Mat phenk na pagal!". The woman hits her son on the head with a worn hand and a look to match it. The boy looks like he doesn't care. He continues throwing the clip in the air and catching it. He has a runny nose and his face is dirty. But his bright eyes reflect a jolly soul inside. His mom, the clip-seller, sighs and continues going from one lady to another, showing them her clips. The women take the basket on their lap, pick a clip
"Kitna?"
"6 rupees only madam"
Click-openpurse-pay.
Justanother-ordinary-day.
Wait...the son breaks the clip. "Arre pagal!"She hits him, this time harder. Boy looks sad. An on-looking lady turns up her nose. "Beating her son up in public for a 6 Rs. clip. These uneducated women!" She is travelling with her daughter. 17-18 years old, pretty girl. Rich people. They live in Breach Candy.They travel by train to reach faster. Mumbai traffic!They have a Doctor's appointment at 5. Have to check their teeth at least once in six months.
A female TC comes in. Clip-seller lady is thrown out for ticketless travel.

Breach Candy:
"Beta, how was college today?"
"Good, Ma"
"But I lost my Ipod."Mom's hand itches to hit her.
" 16,000 Rs. down the drain."
But she can't hit....educated women! So, silent treatment for one week. Girl looks sad.
Bell rings. "Ma'am we have to conduct a tax raid."
Mom starts crying.The daughter makes frantic calls to her dad.

Poor People-Rich People
6 Rs-16,000 Rs
Same Difference
Hitting-Silent Treatment
Ticketless Travel-Tax Raid
Same Difference

A Letter To The One On My Window-Sill

(Not so) dear one on my window-sill,

This letter is highly overdue. I just can’t keep it all in anymore. I just have to say it; I hate you. I’m sorry if you feel bad. But, it’s true. I felt bad too, in the beginning. I even tried to find reasons not to hate you by running a search on google with keywords like ‘use of pigeons’ but, the results all had ‘what is the use of pigeons’ or ‘there is no use of pigeons’ so, I guess I’m not the only one.

You might be wondering “what did I do to earn your hatred?” with that sickening innocent look of yours. (there, you’re giving it to me right now! I’d better look away before I puke on my keyboard.)

Here’s why…

1. ‘Coz you’re on my window sill!! (duh)
2. You’re grey in color. Grey just reminds me of dirt. You might say that you can’t help your color. But, I’ll tell you what you CAN help. You can help by not flashing it around all the time. Go into hiding, hibernate (NOT in my balcony) just go away.
3. You make that gulping sound like you have something to say but can’t. Just go ahead and say it, whatever it is…I don’t care!
4. First you enter through a tiny opening in the window, squeeeeeze in, so self-satisfied ( “Yay! I got in! now I can shit all over….weeeee….mama will be so proud!!”) But when it is time to leave you forget all about the window and bang against it 4 times till you realize you can’t go through. And then you flutter around helplessly! Flut-flut-flut-flut (at 4 fluts per second). And I have to let you out. First, you make me hate you,

Then you make me help you.

5. You lay eggs in other beings’ nests…for example…ummmm….lemme see….MY HOUSE!
6. And last and definitely one of the least…you think everyone’s head is a public loo…and you don’t even pay…you just pee. Maybe that’s why they call you pigeons…’coz you pee on gens!

Yours truly,

Your favourite victim.

P.S. I hate you.

The One

(my attempt at a mushy poem.....musht read!)

He is the one

who is tall and nice

He is the one

with piercing eyes.

Curly hair

adorns his head

and those piercing eyes

have I already said?

He is the one who

helped me through

my stupid little fights

as I grew.

But now he has gone

to a far away land.

Carried away

like desert sand.

He does give me

that ocassional call

Is that supposed to be enough?

it is'nt at all!

But I will wait

like the famine for the rain.

I will wait

and endure the pain.

I dream of the one

who may he be?

He is the one

the one for me!

The Year That Was

Somebody asked me yesterday, "how much would you rate this year, on a scale of 10?"
I said, "Not just 2008, I'd give any year a 10 because, if not for that year, I'd be a year behind...
A year behind in terms of experience
A year behind in terms of age
A year behind the forthcoming year."
That somebody said, "You could have just said 10!" and walked away. Ah well!

More specifically, 2008 was a year of transition for me. I went from being a 'big fish in a small pond' to a 'small fish in a big pond'. I like the big pond better, there is a lot more to learn. And even though it is big, it has no room for complacency.

In this pond, I met some amazing fellow-fish.

Around October, our robotics group came together to make a photoroller which didn't roll. But, we learned a lot, or so I like to think.
I also started blogging this year.

This year, I learned the most valuable lesson of all:
" how little I know,
and how far I have to go."
Knowing this makes me eager and happy.

So, armed with the learnings of the year(s) gone by, I face the coming year....
Anticipating....
But, it's going to be another 10/10. So, what do I have to worry about? ;-)