I have the good fortune of having the best of two worlds. My wife is (Malaysian) Chinese and I am (an Indian) Indian. Together our races constitute a good 40% or more of humanity. So, please dont fight with us. You can't possibly win. (We may fight with each other but that doesn't concern you lah !!!). We also have more festivals and celebrations than any other race. Of-course we spend almost 3 months celebrating some festival or the other but then we deserve it....
Yesterday we had the good fortune of having a few friends visit us at our new home in Melaka. Thanks to all of them for joining us on the 7th day of Chinese New Year which is considered extremely auspicious. I will not name names out of fear that I may miss out some unnamed. Mae and I send our gratitude to all who came to our humble home. Two cultures coming together. Wonderful !!! May you and your family have a wonderful year of the Tiger. Help the Tiger this year, whichever way you can. You will be helping the World. Cong Xi Fa Chai.
When I returned from Melaka, I was watching a Youtube video of Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan singing "Is Karam Ka Karoon Shukr Kaise Ada?". This was a 4 part video and since I consider the man a giant in talent, I watched each moment of the video. To my horror, I saw that in the 4th part, a man walking to the stage and throwing Pakistani rupee notes in front of the master and his troupe as if he is tipping shoe shiners or lower beings. Imagine throwing money at Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan !!! I consider this sacrilage of the highest order.
Then, the video shows the audience, sitting like dumb ducks while the great master is singing the ode to his God in full emotional fervor. The audience had no emotion, no movement, all were like statues. Some were even looking sullen and disgruntled (what may be the reason? I don't know)..
What has happened to the "Subcontinent"?
Are we so culturally bankrupted that we cannot even appreciate the warmth, the richness and the depth of our own culture? Do we have to treat our best artisans like thrash? Throw tips to them like they were beggers?
No, you will say....These were Pakistanis that I mentioned. Indians are different.... Are they, really?
Well, when was the last time you actually saw a live performance and paid for it? Most probably you "enjoy our culture" in the cozy surroundings of home on TV. Paying only for the cable channel or tape/CD. That is not a crime, mind you, but if you really saw a cricket match in a stadium rather than on TV, you will know the difference. The energy is different. You are a part of "THE" event....If you are in a stadium, you are in the action, not just a "cable" spectator".
Artists have to eat too, you know? And should they not get paid well for their talent? Who do you think is more talented? Sandra Bullok who charges USD 20 million a movie or Amir Khan "The Idiot"?
We happily pay 100 USD for a Broadway show if we are around there, or GBP 70 for a Victoria Theatre show in London. That is a hell of as lot of money if you count in Indian Rupees. But that is different. Isn't it? Then we can make small talk but big boasts to our friends?" Oooh , you know we saw that play and so on and so forth...."
I ask you, as an example,...did you ever see Jagjit Singh performing live in Siri Fort Delhi ? My sister Lakshmi gave me this privilage. Bless her God. Fact is we have experienced a lot together. I also love to hate her. Mind you, Love is stronger than hate.
If you have experienced something like the live performance of Jagjit Singh or other great artists..., you will know what I am talking about... The artist gets his energy from the audience. The audience cheers the artist. One plus one becomes eleven. It defies logic but it is real. It is the same with culture...
If we claim that we have a "Culture", we should learn that there is a price to pay to claim ownership of it and to retain it. A price worth paying.
Lets learn this simple lesson and act accordingly. Ownership of culture comes with a cost/ price and responsibility. You want to have it and lay a claim to it? Then don't just talk but walk the talk. Pay for it. Not just in art but in everything that you call cultural !
Otherwise we will suffer a bankruptcy, worse than we can imagine..... Riches will be lost with time...
"Bada Hua to Kya Hua? Jaise Paed Khajoor, Panthi Ko Chayaa Nahin, Phal Lage Atee Door"...... Sant Kabir...Sufi Poet of India (who had no surname and therefore no caste, creed or religion). One of my favorite Indians of all times.
Translation....You may be big like a palm tree but so what? No shade for travellers and the fruit are too far up (to be of use to any one)??
So much wealth is in our culture and so little that we imbibe ? That joker who threw a few notes in front of the Great Ustad may be thinking that he is doing a favor..to whom?..
What bankruptcy is this ???
Cultural or mental ?
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
The Tiger Roars Again...
For me the Chinese New Year usually brings my Mother in Law from Australia, my wife’s family to our home, a barrage of Cantonese talk at the re-union dinner and some expenses for dinner and angpows. I take it all in my stride and actually enjoy the occasion as it is rare that our’s and my wife’s family gets together.
But I used to be scared of the Year of the Tiger.
24 (lunar) years ago, on Chinese New Year eve, I was returning to my home in Bangkok after dinner, driving a new brand Toyota Corolla which my company had bought for my use just 20 days ago. It was the start of the Year of the Tiger. I had stopped at a traffic signal. The light turned green and I had just started shifting into the first gear when another car came from the opposite side, at a speed which must be a hundred kms an hour, lost control and banged into my car.
It took me a while to understand what had happened. I tried to open my door but couldn’t. So I moved to the other door (passenger side) and got out of the car. Police was at the spot in minutes and took me to a hospital as I was bleeding profusely. A few stitches on my chin which was badly bust (and left a permanent scar), some very painful internal bleeding in my neck and two cracked ribs resulted from the accident. The car that I was driving was a near writeoff.
I later heard from the police that I was lucky. In the other car were 5 drunk teenagers. The driver had both of his legs crushed on impact, the front passenger did not use seat belt (in those days it was not mandatory to wear seatbelts as only few new models had them), so he went head first through the wind screen and had brain haemorrhage and was in coma when I last enquired, the passenger sitting behind the driver died on the spot and the other two passengers had broken bones.
While I was cleared of any mistake/fault of mine or traffic violation, I lived in physical and mental pain for days. The shock of the accident and resulting deaths, not to mention the necessary trips to the police station every other day wore heavy on me.
For years I was afraid of Chinese New Year eves and especially the Year of the Tiger.
Rationality has prevailed since then. The fact that I survived relatively unhurt as compared to those other unfortunate people who were involved in the accident forces me to think that I got a lucky break, even if I broke a rib or two.
I think life is what you make of it. This episode can either be considered a lucky escape by me or I can say that I was unlucky to be involved. The cup is either half full or half empty. We can decipher issues either way. It is our choice.
I now choose to consider myself lucky. I am still happily around, enjoying Chinese New Year goodies, with family and friends. I hope that my colleagues, friends and family also count their blessings and look at the positives of life rather than the negatives.
Another Chinese New Year of the Tiger has started on 14th Feb 2010. I am not scared anymore.
I wish you all have a wonderful Year of the Tiger. May you and yours be blessed with Health, Happiness and Peace. May you have roaring Prosperity this year and many more to come. Cong Xi Fatt Chai.
Please also pray for this magnificient animal, the Tiger. We have precious few left in the world. Please do all that you can to sustain this and all other wonders that God gave us. Blessings on those who act...Love to all.
But I used to be scared of the Year of the Tiger.
24 (lunar) years ago, on Chinese New Year eve, I was returning to my home in Bangkok after dinner, driving a new brand Toyota Corolla which my company had bought for my use just 20 days ago. It was the start of the Year of the Tiger. I had stopped at a traffic signal. The light turned green and I had just started shifting into the first gear when another car came from the opposite side, at a speed which must be a hundred kms an hour, lost control and banged into my car.
It took me a while to understand what had happened. I tried to open my door but couldn’t. So I moved to the other door (passenger side) and got out of the car. Police was at the spot in minutes and took me to a hospital as I was bleeding profusely. A few stitches on my chin which was badly bust (and left a permanent scar), some very painful internal bleeding in my neck and two cracked ribs resulted from the accident. The car that I was driving was a near writeoff.
I later heard from the police that I was lucky. In the other car were 5 drunk teenagers. The driver had both of his legs crushed on impact, the front passenger did not use seat belt (in those days it was not mandatory to wear seatbelts as only few new models had them), so he went head first through the wind screen and had brain haemorrhage and was in coma when I last enquired, the passenger sitting behind the driver died on the spot and the other two passengers had broken bones.
While I was cleared of any mistake/fault of mine or traffic violation, I lived in physical and mental pain for days. The shock of the accident and resulting deaths, not to mention the necessary trips to the police station every other day wore heavy on me.
For years I was afraid of Chinese New Year eves and especially the Year of the Tiger.
Rationality has prevailed since then. The fact that I survived relatively unhurt as compared to those other unfortunate people who were involved in the accident forces me to think that I got a lucky break, even if I broke a rib or two.
I think life is what you make of it. This episode can either be considered a lucky escape by me or I can say that I was unlucky to be involved. The cup is either half full or half empty. We can decipher issues either way. It is our choice.
I now choose to consider myself lucky. I am still happily around, enjoying Chinese New Year goodies, with family and friends. I hope that my colleagues, friends and family also count their blessings and look at the positives of life rather than the negatives.
Another Chinese New Year of the Tiger has started on 14th Feb 2010. I am not scared anymore.
I wish you all have a wonderful Year of the Tiger. May you and yours be blessed with Health, Happiness and Peace. May you have roaring Prosperity this year and many more to come. Cong Xi Fatt Chai.
Please also pray for this magnificient animal, the Tiger. We have precious few left in the world. Please do all that you can to sustain this and all other wonders that God gave us. Blessings on those who act...Love to all.
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