Through the eyes of a Tiger

"A Tiger for Malgudi " -RK Narayan is a very well written simple story about a Tiger named Raja. The strenght of this novel lies in the writer's ability to narate the story through the eyes of the Tiger in a very simple way and is filled with interesting and good clean humour.
It all started with Raja being captured by Captain(A guy who runs a circus). Raja is made to change his lifestyle. He recall his days when he was once the king of the Jungle. He is made to do aweful things for the Circus. He is asked to changed his food habits. He is asked to drink milk and moreover to share it with a goat. Finally Raja could not tolerate Captain and managed to escape from the circus.
Then, he met his Master (a hermit) whose influence changed Raja. He is taught to understand emotions and truth. The Master explained him about the existence of God, the creation of this world. Then, Raja is asked to portray his understanding of God. Raja responded saying "God would be a huge Tiger as huge as all the worlds put together. Even his tail would be big enough to encompass all the forests on earth." Well, its fair enough to buid an image of God in a form you are. When we say God, we have our own notion how it would be. the same way a tiger has the right to build his own God. The story ends with Raja's enlightenment and then he is moved to a zoo since he was getting old. His Master believed that Raja would be safe in a Zoo and they will soon meet ..

I loved the way the writer had expressed his thoughts and above all the message to the mankind. The novel shows how man can go to any extent to satisfy his greed for money and essentials. We must not forget that every creature has a right to live in this world. They can also achieve enlightenment which man has lost in his quest for greed and worldly things.

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Let us explore the Frodo in ourselves....

I will take the Ring," he said,"though I do not know the way."

Frodo Baggins became an unforgettable character in the masterpiece "The Lord of the Rings" by JRR Tolkien. A hobbit from Shire weighing hardly few tens of pound with a height little more than 3 feets, he stands against the mighty dark lord Sauron relying simply on the sheer quality of courage, determination and sacrifice. He took the quest to destroy the one ring to bring Sauron's downfall. He is a perfect example of how we can acheive great heights irrespective of physical appearences.
Another great quality he posses is his love for the Shire- his birth place. He leaves shire in order to protect it from the Dark lord. He knew that the place would turn to a killing field if he stays there. He faced many hardships in his quest to destroy the ring. He even lost one of is finger in the process. These qualities make us believe that it doesn't matter how humble your background is, everything can be achieved though hardship,determination and above all the courage to say "yes" when mattered.

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No Country for Old men

If you want to feel like a mouse when you are being followed by a Cat, then watch this movie. Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, a truly crime thriller. Its about hunting and being hunted. Sometimes the hunter becomes the prey and sometimes the prey becomes the predator. When I say I loved the movie, it doesn't mean that others should also like it. The very first notion you would have about the title of the movie would make you believe that it would be about some old people finding a place to live in. The movie engulfs you within its characters and then you started feeling like it is never very easy to hide yourself from someone following you particularly when you are involved with a large sum of money.
If you want me to define the word "psycho"- then the synonym would be Anton Chigurgh(Javier Bardem). He would make you believe that death can come to you in any form. When it comes nothing can stop. He plays the character of a hit man who would kill anyone who comes in his pursuit for Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), who had ran away with a large sum of money from a drug deal gone bad. Chigurgh, with his unique weapon, a cattle gun.The bolt is actuated by a trigger pull and is propelled forward by compressed air. He uses it to kill people and to open cylinder locks with perfection. Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), tries to protect Moss but could not save him. Moss is killed in a shootout with the Mexicans.It is also shown that Chigurgh survives from an accident and he moves on.
The movie ends with Bell telling his dream to his wife. The first dream tells about losing some money his father had given him. In the second dream he tells that his father is carrying fire in a horn and is going ahead of him in a dark and cold snowy mountain pass. He feels that his father would be still waiting for him trying to make fire. The movie ends with Bell saying "And then I woke up".
This very end frustrates people who didn't get what Bell wanted to convey. The meaning can be inferred in many ways. The ending truly apt with the title of the movie which conveys that there would be no end to the crimes and people like Chigurgh would always get escaped. And that it would make no difference of any kind with a single person like Bell,an old man who gave up trying to stop crime from the society. He feels that there is no role for an old man like him in the pursuit of a killer like Chigurgh. He says he would be replaced by a young blood. Though his dream he conveys that, he would follow his father who would be waiting for him in a dark and snowy pass. It shows his inability to make any difference .............

PS :The above post is truly a product of my own words after watching the movie with reference from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Country_for_Old_Men_(film).

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When you started discriminating

Well, I always dream that one day Manipur would be a better place to live in. I would be proud to say that I am born in a place where there is equality irrespective of any caste, creed or cultural difference. A place where people are welcome with warmth and affection. But then when I heard the recent news of killing innocents, I felt like asking questions to myself if it is the beginning of the end to my dreams.When we say a civilised society, we are keen to know how the outsiders are being treated there. It reflects the ability to accept the diversity. It reflects your generosity.I have always felt that the Manipuri people are different, one or the other Manipuri has something which is unique. We are a bunch of talented people. If we see our culture and heritage, you ll find that we are unique and we have the ability to to do things differently. If we give a little thought and try to figure out where we stand in this growing world, we would realise that we are in a deep pit from where we can only hope for a downfall.
Sometimes I felt like we have a long way to go before we start bothering about the problems of human race, about this world. We are still at a very low level. We have many problems to address within ourselves before we actually start bothering on a global stage. How can a person living in the present situation of Manipur ever think of the Global warming. How can a person think for the safety of the human race when his own house is not safe. How can he appreciate the beauty of nature when the valley turns into a killing field. The very thought of our future frightens me. When the whole country is blooming in the IT revolution, where is our stand. When the country is boasting to become the next Super-power, where do our Manipur stands. Doesn't our brothers and sisters deserve to be among the mass. Don't they have the right to compete with the mainland?Dont they deserve to celebrate our growing economy? These questions provides the solution itself.
Its the right time for a revolution. I can feel the fear. We are all afraid of the change. I dont know the future. I m also not saying that the revolution would not cost anything. I m just suggesting that its the right time to reflect, its the way to begin. How long should we tolerate? There is no bigger sin than to tolerate injustice. .and there is nothing better than to fight for peace.

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A clever person solves the problem. A wise person avoids it.

These days the problem is - there are lots of wise people around but very few clever people.So everyone is avoiding. Clearly the world is moving to something. Someday you will not be able to differentiate a foolish and a clever person because there would be always someone who has the answer to all your querries at an instant. No one will solve the problem rather he will try to search the solution. He would not be the first guy to have faced the particular problem.Here lies the root of the problem. Most of the answers would be generic and not optimized and most of them would be outdated because the solution is a quick fix one not analyzed or studied properly.

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Its nothing but a contour......

When I was ask to narate,
the story of my existence.
There comes to evoke the chronicle of late,
evidence of me being breathing hence.

Then the reflection of my precedent,
still glooms in my collection.
Although the prints are not apparent,
but the proceedings are still in my possession.

Discrete it may seems to be,
the story still carry its meaning.
For its to build , portray and see
the things I was dreaming.

[Life is nothing but a collection of important events. When you try to recollect, you ll find that
you need to draw a contour to join those events to make the journey they called life.]

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Am I the Catcher in the Rye??

Its more than a year I m working. Its more than a year leaving the college. But I feel like it was jst yesterday. Strange!! ... I have accustomed to this life. A very familiar one these days- a Software Engineer's life. When I was growing up,the very thought of working in a metro city -far from my home, being independent etc used to kill me!! today it is a sad reality. But I m not very surprised ..

There are lots of phonies around as Holden Caulfield(JD Salinger's "The Catcher in the rye") would have said. I have learn to "hate" many things as I m growing. Earlier I never knew how to hate people, how to hate bad foods, how to hate bad songs. Do I sound sarcastic?? not yet I suppose. Now with the time I m learning many of these arts of hating things. But then I ve learn many things. Now I never complain, I have stopped arguing. I knew my mom would be very happy that I have stopped arguing. I always dig into some heated aruments with one or another. I use to argue even for the drop of my pencil!.. Now I ve changed a lot. I have learn to adapt as some very long theory in Biology would have it - theory of Adaptation. A chameleon changing his skin w.r.t the background etc, etc. But the truth is I m enjoying being among the PHONIES...

Sometimes I really feel sorry for those guys who don't have a home to live in. They got wet in the rain and they got burnt from the heat. But I envied them a lot. They never care if it was yesterday or today. they never keep a track of what they ate or what they will. They don't have to show a smile everytime they meet someone. They are always themselves all through the year.Those things knocks me out.

But I ve the comfort and safety. I knew I ll never sleep hungry. Thanks to those days and nights of hardworks. Thanks a ton for my mother's prayers and blessings. Thanks to my father for everything I learnt. Thanks to everyone for all those wonderful moments.

Its always my dream and my way to be "the catcher in the Rye". to catch someone from falling down the edge of the Hill. I ll follow my heart. I ll be the Catcher in the Rye...

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