Bookless in Chennai

It is a strange feeling to see that there are no books in your house (mother's house, to be precise) as all the books have been parceled off to my present house (the house I inhabit with my husband). I have a week here in Chennai and I'm left with no books to see, read, revel or smell. Just the presence of books in one's living space makes one feel as though a group of good friends are around. Sometimes even seeing them fills me with a sense of well-being but alas, now there are none.

The title of this post is inspired by a book by Shashi Tharoor, Bookless in Baghdad.Well, the title is quite a fascinating one, don't you think. I first assumed that the book is an account of a horrendous time in the author's life when he was struck in a place without books and I imagined all sorts of negative and sob stories where the author will talk about the loss of books. But instead the book is a collection of Tharoor's essays which was previously published. The book recounts the experience of Tharoor with an assortment of books, read and written by him. If one reads the book, one becomes quite familiar with Tharoor's opinion about books. He has also chosen to attack his reviewers in this book.

Well, let's leave charming Tharoor aside and talk of my plight -- being bookless in Chennai! Now, someone might wonder, Why doesn't she read something on the internet. Frankly, I'm getting a bit irritated with the internet. Reading books is something for me to do without much ado (Ado, here refers to switching the internet on, waiting for it to connect, clicking on various items, etc.) Well, my dose of literature is limited to reading the newspaper and its rich supplements for which I am thankful. I do listen to plenty of music in the computer, for which thankfully I don't need the internet!

I have always been surrounded by books and it does seem a tad vague without having to stare at books and involuntarily exclaim, "I should read these books sometime."

A sample of the music I am presently listening:
                                                 George Jones: You're Still on my Mind

Well, have you been bookless and distraught?

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Good stereotypes and bad stereotypes

We who think and act are aware that stereotypes exist in this world and that for almost everything there are stereotypes. But on further observation, I reckon that there are good and bad stereotypes. It is the so called 'bad' or 'negative' stereotypes that we should be wary of. Sometimes even the positive ones might land us into trouble.

Now what are the good or positive stereotypes? When we say that a people of certain community cook delicious food, we positively stereotype that community. We assume that every member of that community cook great food. But taking for granted that everyone in that community has to cook well is taking the assumption too far. You get what I mean? Sometimes it so happens that when we ask a member of that community to cook and that individual knows no cooking, then the stereotyping turns into shades of gray. In one film, I think, Freedom Writers, a teacher asks a young Afro-American girl to narrate her 'black experience.' But that girl hasn't experienced anything like that and is at a loss to explain what was asked. Here, the teacher takes it for granted that since the girl is coloured, she will be able to explain the 'black experience.' The girl is offended. Look what stereotypes could do! Now this is an example of a negative-positive stereotype.

Matters associated with beauty, art and specific techniques commonly classify under good stereotypes while certain peculiar habits, and their ilk are examples of bad stereotypes. What I understand is that stereotypes, either good or bad should be used in moderation. Sometimes even the good stereotyping can turn out to be premeditation of a particular person or community. Hence, I reckon that it is always best to restrain our preconceived notions about anything and anyone, otherwise we will lose the element of being surprised.

My dear readers, I know that you are wise enough not to stereotype, so please tell me what did you think about this post.

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Women who seek and men who rationalise

During vacation when there is nothing constructive to do rather than changing channels, there is a heightened observation of mundane things. For example the channels devoted to religious activities. Why do I find that in every religious gathering, there are many women and less men? How can men tactfully avoid getting into the trap of prayers, god and gatherings while women throng by the dozens? Why do I only see tear-stricken faces of women in every devotional channel. It's not in religion alone, even in spiritual matters, woman take to the fore, be it yoga or meditation.

Perhaps I could relate this to the inherent desire of women to be in company. When communing with a large group and praying, the woman feels that she is not alone in her thoughts and deeds. The energy of a larger group is definitely contagious. The ability to talk to god gives the woman a feeling that someone is hearing her. Even in temples and churches, one observes many women. How long could a woman talk of her problems, desires and thoughts to her friend, husband or children. So, I guess, the woman transfers all her thoughts while talking and relating to the higher power.

Furthermore, men don't seems to need that kind of conversation to keep them going (My inference) and thus it is easier for them to negate anything to do with religion. It makes it easier for them to be rational than believers in something higher and outside them.

Inspite of having many women friends who are rationalists and men friends who pray, I find it intriguing to observe that the percentage of rational men and seeking women are higher.

This post was one born of observation and curiosity. I might be wrong or right but I would definitely like to hear your thoughts on this.

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P. S: Thanks for checking up on me and coercing me to write. When I write, I feel in the loop. Sometimes writing posts is also a spiritual task. Big hugs to all of you :)

Killing can be addictive!

Mosquitoes, like lizards, are very common-place in India. Unlike lizards which are not as harmful and irritating, the mosquitoes are known to cause several diseases. To combat the growing menace of mosquitoes, there is a cheap tennis racket like device, made in China but found all over India, which is battery operated and is designed in such a way that one can use that device to kill mosquitoes while they are flying or are seated on the wall. If any mosquitoe is caught in the device, then it makes a whirring noise which indicates that an insect has been killed. When there is no electricity, people sit out side their homes and kill mosquitoes and other insects using that device. Well, what begins as an exercise to keep mosquitoes away gradually gives way to another instinct: That of killing.

I observed this trait in me when I was at a friend's place. The house was infested with mosquitoes and to combat that, seh gave me this tennis racket. First, I used this to swat the mosquitoes that were buzzing around me. Slowly, when there were no mosquitoes around me, I started searching mosquitoes to kill. I started walking around the house to find my kill. The ability to take a life started thrilling me. Finally, I was so exhausted that I threw away that devise. The devise went into the hands of my friend who accompanied me. He first started killing the mosquitoes that were around him. I was looking intently at his next step. Then, like me, he started looking out for mosquitoes to kill. Now, this was something that everyone did. I didn't know whether it was the killing or the device which made the task addictive.

Sometimes, even without the device, I have seen children killing mosquitoes and collecting them and then bragging, "I killed twenty-three mosquitoes." I wonder whether it is the same with killing humans. When a person first starts taking a life, it torments her/him but later when lives are taken, it sort of becomes addictive, I reckon. I have never spoken to a hitman before but would like to sometime. Talking of hitmen, I remember the film, Leon: The Professional, which was a very sensitive film about a hitman and a young girl. Natalie Portman makes her debut in this film.

So, killing could be addictive, right - mosquitoes or humans!

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When the house lizard signifies 'home'

The lizards in our house are very sexually active. I see many baby lizards while gazing at the walls to take a break when I am marking papers. The lizards have almost become a part of our home. I cannot figure out where they come from and where they go. All that I know is that  I always manage to spot one in each room. These lizards which without invitation share living space with us have almost become something of an extension of our lived reality. I realised this when I went to Belfast, Northern Ireland. I sensed that I missed something in my living space and after a great deal of thinking realised that I missed the click-click sound of the lizards. In Tamil Nadu, if we are speaking of something and the lizard makes its clicking sound, it is believed that the lizard has answered our question. So, whenever we talk about something and the lizard makes its sound, we exclaim, "See, see, even the lizard thinks so." Sadly, in Belfast there was no lizard to affirm our talks.

It is interesting to think that the lizard which minds its business and copulates energetically becomes a part of our existence. Vikram Seth also mentions this. In his travelogue, From Heaven Lake: Travels through Sinkiang and Tibet, Seth mentions how he misses the familiar lizard on the walls while he travels through Tibet and China. Somehow, the lizard signifies 'home' in a way.

Watching the lizard is another activity that we do while having mundane conversations. When the lizard is about to catch its prey, many times, a hapless fly or insect, it slowly follows the movements of the insect and at a moment when the insect is caught unawares, the lizard leaps and catches its prey. Observing its actions and antics, I find that even humans behave in a similar fashion except that the lizard can grow its tail again unlike man whose body parts except one or two, does not regenerate.

And, its not only the lizard which in a way creates familiarity, there are many trees, birds and insects which also make home for us.

So, do you also have anything like this which signifies home for you.

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Wondering about Freud's wife

Sometimes, when my mind meanders, it thinks of some bizzare thoughts, like the one in the title of this post. How it would have been for Freud's wife. For someone like Freud, who tried to interpret many thoughts of the unconscious in relation to sex, would he have tried to interpret his family's thoughts and motives. How would have Freud's immediate family acted while in the presence of him? Would they have freely discussed everything with him? Did he suspect his own kith and kin.

I have heard that it is quite difficult to be the immediate family of doctors and psychiatrists who deal with the unconscious and the subconscious. Anything related to the mind is easily decipherable to the doctors. Would the doctor identify without any difficulty that his teenage daughter was doing something that others did not notice? Would Freud have noticed that his wife was bahaving peculiarly at someone's presence?

Wikipedia tells me that Freud courted and married Martha Bernays and had six children with her. But Wiki does not give other details like Freud having psychoanalysed her. Maybe he would have for a lark or maybe he wouldn't have. Even living in the same house, would have been dreadful as Freud would have had to bear the toxic of all the human mind's sicknesses.

I wonder how Freud's family coped with hvaing Freud as their father/husband/brother and so on.

What do you think?

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