The Vierge Noire - the Black Virgin - how little I know of her, but how enthralling it is!When I visited Chambéry for the first time in 2004, I am sure we visited the chapel with the Vierge Noire, a black statue of the Virgin Mary, but then, I did not quite understand its import. I had no idea about the significance of a black Vierge (Virgin/Madonna), nor about the complexity involved in keeping the statue of the Vierge Noire underground, with a golden Virgin dominating the chapel and even a wooden statue of Jesus and Mary above the Vierge Noire.Yet, legend says that it was the Vierge Noire who protected the people of the region.Visiting the same chapel again eight years later, I was more sensitive to the ideas that govern a black depiction of Mary. More importantly, I was with someone who drew these ideas to my attention. There are Vierges Noires all over France and they are … [Read more...]
A Conversation in Paris
A few years ago, I was alone at Paris airport. Shortly after I landed, I went to use the washroom. Sitting on a wheelchair was an old, old lady with wrinkles all over her face.As I stood there, managing my hand-luggage, coat and all the other hundreds of miscellaneous things I was carrying, she dropped her face in her hands. I looked at her uncomfortably. I did not know if I spoke a language she knew. I did not know whether she was crying. I did not know whether I was expected to do anything, whether it would be intrusive.Thankfully, another old lady emerged from a washroom cubicle just then and came quickly to the lady in the wheelchair."What happened?" she asked, a little worried. "What is the matter?"The lady in the wheelchair looked up. I remember the tears glistening in her eyes, but I could not help eavesdropping on the conversation. "I can't believe it," she said.The … [Read more...]
Scrappy and Trashy
At the sixth annual TAISI Sports Meet, I think what made me happiest was the mascot! Broken bats, punctured footballs and basketballs, and other disused sports equipment came together to create Scrappy and Trashy!But more endearing than the mascot itself, were two bored young boys. Fed up of waiting around, they began, of course, to kick the punctured balls around. After all, who cares if the ball they want to kick around is part of the artwork that goes into making the mascot? It is, before anything else, a ball! … [Read more...]
A Cup of Coffee
I was relishing a cup of coffee this morning and thinking about its history, both a personal history and the history of coffee itself. Personally, I disliked coffee. I did not like the smell or taste. Now, having become a good south Indian, I love a cup of good, strong, hot filter coffee.At a more general level, I often wonder how tea, coffee and tobacco entered human lives. What strange human being imagined the result of the complicated process that goes into the making of these things?In a book I read some time ago, The Moneylender's Daughter, there was one amusing section about coffee. In 17th century Holland, one merchant attempted to convince another to invest in coffee. "Coffee? What good is coffee?" the second merchant replied. (I'm paraphrasing, of course.) The first merchant stumbled, trying to explain how it was a drink that was sure to catch the world's fancy. "Rubbish!" … [Read more...]
Expectations
Theory of Knowledge challenges the way we know, and I wanted to show how we see what we expect to see. Of course, these are old, old ideas, but they were fun anyway!I showed my class this picture: "What does it say?" I asked. "Paris in the spring!" "Are you sure?" I asked several students. In a class of over twenty, only one - and eventually one more - disagreed. Then, I asked a student to identify the picture: "Six of hearts!" came a reply. It took just a few seconds for another student to object, but my point of seeing what you expect to see was established! … [Read more...]
Nehru Bal Sangh
One fine day in 1964, a group of fifth class students envisaged a forum where all of them could meet and spread the message of love, brotherhood and harmony to all the corners of the country. Their initiative and drive mixed with their deep commitment to make their country strong, united and prosperous helped lay the foundations of a voluntary non-political organization – Nehru Bal Sangh. It started in a very simple way in New Delhi and has emerged as a national organization with branches in more than sixteen states if the country over the years. It has the blessings of great leaders of India like Shastri, Dr. Zakir Hussain and Smt. Indira Gandhi who helped and guided it during the formative years.Now, almost 50 years after its inception, I was honoured to be part of it as a judge of the dance component of the talent contest for their national integration camp.The national … [Read more...]
Animal Farm
Animal Farm is the kind of book that I could read over and over again.It was written in just a few months and it's less than a hundred pages long.I was revolted and fascinated by it the first time I read it and I'm revolted and fascinated even now as I teach it. What a fabulous book it has to be to evoke a response time and time again! How rich it is, and yet, how simple!When the pigs begin the gentle takeover, I squirm within, but believe how it could happen. I am enthralled (more than a little guiltily) by the very idea of their power. It's frightening how easy it is to manipulate the truth by abusing the language of power. It makes me shiver and shake my head. Succinct and complete - this one is most certainly a classic. … [Read more...]
Chalkline
I recently read Neil Gaiman's views on escapism: I hear the term bandied about as if it's a bad thing. As if "escapist" fiction is a cheap opiate used by the muddled and the foolish and the deluded, and the only fiction that is worthy, for adults or for children, is mimetic fiction, mirroring the worst of the world the reader finds herself in. If you were trapped in an impossible situation, in an unpleasant place, with people who meant you ill, and someone offered you a temporary escape, why wouldn't you take it? And escapist fiction is just that: fiction that opens a door, shows the sunlight outside, gives you a place to go where you are in control ...And that's the way I feel when I leave a book like Jane Mitchell's Chalkline unfinished. I have nothing against the way it's written. It's powerful, hugely moving and terribly disturbing.And that's just why I could … [Read more...]
Writing in the Genes
Never thought a business magazine would have a picture of me! All thanks to my father, and to the fact that I have writing in my genes! … [Read more...]
Wild Dog Hunt
No one will ever believe that it's not very easy to see wild dogs in the jungle if you spot them three times during the course of the same safari.At first, we saw five. Then we heard wild fowl crying out to one another - alarmed that the dogs were nearby. We then saw another dog. How domestic it looked, standing there, ears cocked. The only thing missing was the wagging tail.And then, returning by the main road, I saw something white being dragged into the jungle, away from the road. That 'something white' was the belly of a spotted deer.Yes, we watched the dogs tearing the deer to pieces and eating it. We heard them whining to the others, calling out to the entire pack to share the meal. We watched the dogs eat violently, aggressively. I was disturbed, yes, but I could watch. I was able to watch and think, "Well, that's the law of the jungle." I was surprised at how they shared … [Read more...]