Sunday, July 31, 2011

Mysteries of Religion - ZhoonDa & ZhoonDha (ZhoonDai Chapter 3.4)

The Next Assembly being at the corner, its high time we make the necessary preparations which includes the recreation of the ZhoonDai. As part of this exercise, I had asked many ZhoonDa scholars (whom I met in the last expedition) to pass on their knowledge in the form of articles on ZhoonDa (and also ZhoonDha, of course). I have received many articles from scholars from around the world. I will be updating them as and when I get some free time. For lack of time, editing and formatting will be done later, probably after the Next Assembly approves the content.

For long, the not so basic question of "What differentiates a ZhoonDha from ZhoonDa?" is awaiting an answer. Today the ZhoonDa scholar and historian Sachetan Bhat has given his thoughts on this. As you all know, Sachetan Bhat is called famously as the "First ZhoonDa of the 21st century". His contributions to the Dharma is highly revered. Nobody can forget his contribution to the rediscovery of the Mumpa Caves. So here is the articles provided by Sachetan Bhat.

In all probability it is the time to toss some light on Zhoonda and ZhoonDhas. Although ZhoonDhas has their roots in Zhoonda , the deviation in some of the core principles lead to a take apart them from Zhoonda.

"
A long time back we discussed with Zhoonda scholars about the major differences between Zhoonda and ZhoonDha , Here are the briefs from that discussion

- ZhoonDha means knowing something about the unknown without knowing it. It is just preconceptions, hypotheses, man-constructed ideologies.

- ZhoonDha tries to explain things -- never succeeds. At the most, it can succeed only in explaining away things, but it never succeeds in explaining them. ZhoonDha is just intellectual gymnastics, it has nothing to do with reality. It talks, argues, creates magnificent systems of thought, but it does not change the man who is creating all this. He remains the same man.

- In Contrast Zhoonda Dharama is way of life and way of life has dimensional enlargement. (Here we are not going to list out all the dimension on the other hand we are considering the dimension which is absolutely relative to the current context .) One dimension grows out of doubt. Another grows out of wonder. Between the two is ZhoonDha ; it has not yet decided -- it goes on hanging between doubt and wonder. Sometimes the Zhoondhas doubts and sometimes the Zhoondhas wonders: he is just in between. If he doubts too much, by and by he belongs to one dimension of zhoonDa. If he wonders too much, by and by belongs to another dimension of zhoonDa. That's why ZhoonDha is disappearing from the world -- because ninety-nine percent of ZhoonDha have become ZhoonDas!!. And one person – a JK , or a Mosaruddin somewhere, or a MD somewhere became ZhoonDHas . ZhoonDha is almost losing its ground.

- The ZhoonDha of positive thinking means being untruthful; it means being dishonest. It means seeing a confident thing and yet denying what you have seen; it means deceiving yourself and others.

- Even though nothing is happing Still it goes on promising. Zhoondhas tries to explain the things not to act upon it. But the experience which can solve the puzzle of the mind cannot be attained through philosophical speculation. Zhoonda scholar are absolutely against philosophy of Zhoondhas .. Even the greatest Zhoondhas like JK and MD remains as sin as evil. No problem has been solved by them , not even touched. Instead they created problem. They carries much understanding of the sin , many answers, but they remains the same JK and MD in their mature age -- no new transformation or no new life happens to them.

- Zhoondhas says life is just to pass on the way do whatever you want to get passed. The most fundamental thing to remember in the Zhoonda dharma is life is full of dimensions. It exists through duality. It exists with elements. It is a circle one has had to travel in the circle. Hence the “ Five circle”. Five core element.! You are the center of the circle. In contrast you have to travel your own life with you as a center of the circle. The life travels through endless points on the circumstance which is time. At some point of time, circle completes. Throughout the expedition on circle one cannot be happy forever , otherwise happiness will lose all meaning. One cannot be harmony forever, otherwise one will become unaware of the harmony. One has to tune his harmony again and again. Every pleasure has its own pain, and every pain has its own pleasure.

Now coming to the point “It indicates a clear diversion in the path of the Dharma that never had any particular God, no concept of worship and no symbols of course. It later led to the bitter split of the ZhoonDa Dharma into the ZhoonDas and the ZhoonDhas.”Why do we need one Guru? An obvious Q comes into mind. The ans is not to direct your path. Not to help to seek your goal. Not enlarge your knowledge. The ans is “ the only possible way to live life with the dimensional way is being in tune with somebody who is already awakened. It is like how Musical events happens with one pilot person leading with others making fusion . You are asleep; only somebody who is awake can shake you out of your sleep, can help you to come out of it. Hence it put weight on the need of Guru or any divine soul or master .

Note :1. Musaluddeen is a ZhoonDha scholar who extensively threatened Zhoondas, Will write about Musaluddeen in upcoming article “ Mosaluddeen – an era of chocolates in Dharma”

2. Madhava Bhat - One of the best scholar of ZhoondaDharma can take over to “ ZhoondaDharma – Core principle in Circle 1”

Jau ZhoondaDeva
"

Paradigms of Software Development

Many different futile ways fallowed by the Software Industry to continually improve a piece of software to finally phase it out.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Five Pointed Circle and the Enigmas of the ZhoonDa

For a long time, I have wondered what exactly the "Five Pointed Circle" means. In most ZhoonDa meetings that I attend, ZhoonDa leaders talk fiercely about things like the relevance of the "Five Pointed Circle" in the current ZhoonDa world. Some blame this circle for the bitter rivalry between the ZhoonDas and the ZhoonDhas. Some say that this "Five Pointed Circle" has protected the ZhoonDa Dharma from many hazardous developments. But none could ever explain me what it symbolizes.

In my recent expedition that involved meeting many acclaimed ZhoonDa and ZhoonDha scholars, I was enriched with many opinions and theories on this "Five Pointed Circle". Due to the fundamental obscurity and the abstract nature of the ZhoonDa Dharma, facts and myth have intermingled in an inseparable way. None can tell you something that can be treated as fact. But at the same time, since ZhoonDa Dharma is open to interpretation, ZhoonDas can create facts out of the void.

Here I intend to present the different opinions of the great ZhoonDa scholars.

The origin of the "Five Pointed Circle" is as obscure as that of the ZhoonDa Dharma itself. Even though nobody can date its birth, the approximations indicate the medieval times. Scripture of the pre-medieval times have no mention of this circle. The first ever reference to the "Five Point Circle" can be seen in the carvings of the Mumpa Caves. As you know, the Mumpa Caves are the holiest place for the ZhoonDhas though the ZhoonDas never have any worship place. Here in the depths of the caves one can clearly see the first emblem of this circle along with some letters written in an yet to be deciphered language.

"Five Pointed Circle" is certainly a recent development compared to the major events that marked the growth of the ZhoonDa Dharma. The First Assembly (approximated to have been held in the BCs), descriptions of which are depicted vividly in the scriptures, didn't have any discussions on this circle. Neither did the Second Assembly (famously known as the 220th, as it was held 220 years after the First Assembly). But the Third Assembly, which took place nearly 400 years after the Second Assembly, has documented the "Five Point Circle" in some details. So we can conclude that the Circle was created somewhere between the Second and the Third Assembly. We can also assume that the rivalry between the ZhoonDas and the ZhoonDhas started some where in this period and led to such a long delay between the Second Assembly and the Third Assembly.

Introduction of the Circle is certainly one of the most important changes that took place in the ZhoonDa Dharma. It indicates a clear diversion in the path of the Dharma that never had any particular God, no concept of worship and no symbols of course. It later led to the bitter split of the ZhoonDa Dharma into the ZhoonDas and the ZhoonDhas. It has been the source of all tension and it has certainly contributed to the diminishing of ZhoonDa reputation. What led to such a development?

One theory put forward by the renowned ZhoonDa scholar Musaluddeen seems logical and even the ZhoonDa historian Dravid Ibrahim supports this theory. According to this theory, as the human race started splitting itself into the organized religions, ZhoonDas started spreading into the newly formed religions. In a never documented Interim Assembly that took place just after the Second Assembly some ZhoonDa specialists, who had studied the other religions well, put forward the reason for the ZhoonDas departing from ZhoonDa Dharma. The reason was quiet simple. ZhoonDa Dharma, at that time, didn't have any tagline. Neither it had any symbol and not even a God to name. It was agreed by most members of the Assembly. But as most were opposed to the idea of a Named God or a fashionable tagline, it was decided that a symbol that suits the fundamental aspects of ZhoonDa Dharma be designed. After many proposals the "Five Point Circle", which symbolizes the five fundamental aspects of the ZhoonDa Dharma, was chosen. The "Five Point Circle" is a clever design. It is and was obvious that a circle has infinite points. But it was named as the Five Point Circle to symbolize the fact that even though ZhoonDa Dharma emphasizes the Five Principles, its beyond that and any principle worth adding can be added.

Another revered ZhoonDha scholar opined that the "Five Point Circle" indicates the void and the complete at the same time. According to her, the "five" in the circle symbolizes the Five Principles of the ZhoonDa Dharma and the fifty thousand years of its existence (again a myth?). It symbolizes that since its birth, through the Five Principles, ZhoonDa Dharma has achieved everything and nothing.

I got many more theories including the one said that the "Five Point Circle" was added into ZhoonDa Dharma by the miscreant ZhoonDhas (no offense meant, ZhoonDhas).Another scholar suggested me not to waste time investigating irrational things. Many think that its time we redefine the symbol or drop it altogether.

In general, majority of the ZhoonDas think that the "Five Point Circle" is not worth continuing with. But majority of the ZhoonDhas argue that it has to continue.

I hope that the next Assembly will take a strong decision on this issue and end the dispute that has lasted sufficiently long time.

Note: If you have some theories on the origin of the Circle, please let me know. Also, please express your opinion on dropping this symbol. Your opinion will be of great value when a collective decision has to be taken in the next Assembly.

You will be given a chance to present your ideas in the Assembly if we see it as having good weight.

Now its clearly ambiguous

If you want to enjoy the real high the Alcohol gives you, you either need to be trained or experienced.

- Vishal, The Old Monk

Theory of non linear Memory

You remember somethings well because you remember to remember them often.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Mellow Streets of the Eighth Continent

As the clock ticks and counts seconds one at a time, the shadows of history start covering the spent. Things, both good and bad, start fading away slowly as History swallows all. But some good things remain visible even within the cloud. Some not so good (and not so famed) things become completely invisible. Only a few oldies, who have survived the time, still remember these obscure things.

Good music also fades away, as other things do. The famed musicians make great music and the people worship them more than they worship the Supreme. As a generation roles, the then "contemporary" becomes "old" and a whole new generation of musicians start creating "contemporary" music. Kids start listening to what their peers describe as "awesome". But some realize that there is no real "contemporary" when it comes to good things. They are relevant always.

Luckily, yesterday I came across one such piece of music. This is a song "Sunny Goodge Street" by Danovan, a famed musician of the 60's.

I couldn't really make out the lyrics at some places. But enjoyed the dark mellowing out sound of the song a lot.

If you have some good songs to share, please comment and let me know

Link to the Video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI434oaUT2Y

Big Pink Apartment and the Lullaby of a Staggered Mind

i have a throat infection
can't sing a lullaby for you dear

wheels turning in sync
on a distant lonely road
its a pathetic day my son
with so less light
and so high sorrow
here i cook a soup
for you with green grass
and the sand from the Arabian Sea
'cause you have a throat infection

white crows walking around
and eagles jogging
everybody have turned
health conscious and
i can't smoke my
white little cigarette
'cause i have a throat infection

have boiled potato
on my table and
am coding an oop for
growing raw tomato.
Oh, there seems to be a bug my dear
i can't make this sparrow sing
seems sparrow has threat infection!

Dear, this life is so colorful
with different shades of
white, black and gray!
and i can't really make
out the difference
between potato and tomato
'cause i have a throat infection

here i see the big
pink apartment atop
the green lame trees
and you riff like a humming bird
we do an all instrumental on G+
now we do an all instrumental
'cause i have a throat infection
and can't sing a lullaby for you

(First published in my other site. But as that is dedicated to a different language, thought of moving it here.)

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Jugari Cross - 1

"So, tell me Sukhi. Is it true that you read the same books hundreds of times?"

"Hmmm... Not all the books. Only a few books are addictive enough to push you into reading them again and again."

"I have some kind of allergy. I can't read books. Most of the times I feel that reading is for a different category of people. May be its for the geeks."

I wasn't ready for an argument. I know too well that you can never convince people on certain things and hobbies and tastes are among these things. My way of thinking is different than his. My tastes are different. My way of looking at Life is different.

"Well, its perspective that varies."

He looked out of the drizzling sky through the window. It was quite a boring day. We were sitting in our house amidst the arecanut groves. Monsoons had slowed down. The days of downpour were over but the winter hadn't yet set in. Days were devoid of sun and the nights were quite chilly. In our village of four and a half houses, people generally spent time chewing paan and playing cards. For my young cousin who grew up in a busy city playing with a PSP, these things were certainly strange. So he bothered me again and again with his questions. He knew for sure that I won't lose patience and scold him.

"Can I try reading some book out of your collection?"

Now I understood the effect of boredom. This guy is saying "I will read something!".

"Why not? Sure you can pick up something and read."

"You chose a book for me. I don't want to start reading and lose interest in the mid."

Well, I had a few good detective stories by Agatha Christie, few detective thrillers by Conan Doyle, some high funda novels and many collections of poetry. I knew for sure that he will throw any such books before reading the tenth page.

Then I thought of this book which I had read for countless number of times, which has given me different understanding every time and which is a delightful time pass.

"Ok. Go and get that black bound book called Jugari Cross. I am sure you will enjoy it."

Now it has been six-seven years since that conversation. Now I live in Bangalore and my cousin suggests me on books and many a times lends me books!

That is for the background. Don't ask me if an introduction to a book itself requires such an elaborate introduction. I can't help wandering in my memories while talking about this book.

Thats quite enough. This novel is written by one of the legends of Kannada literature K.P. Poornachandra Tejasvi. An English translation (by Ravi Hanj) is also available.

The novel, on the outset, is a romantic thriller set in the densely forested Western Ghats. The plot revolves around a couple, Gouri and Suresha, who accidentally tumble upon the mysterious world of miscreants, mafia dons and small time goons of Deva Pura, an ordinary town that hosts extraordinarily dark businesses under the cover. The main plot covers the incidents that happen over a short span of a day. There are multiple sub plots that move in a zigzag and interleaved fashion. The novel covers multiple themes of religion, globalization, organized crime and many more. Under the cover, it gives a vivid description of Human nature. At some point of time its quite possible that the reader loses track of himself in the dense forests of the Jugari Cross.

The story unfolds with Gouri and Suresha, along with two 'yellow bags' of cardamom, waiting at the bus stop of Jugari Cross to board the public bus going to Deva Pura. The author here describes the place Jugari Cross in some detail (Well, the novel is not set in Jugari Cross) which includes a small story. I won't delve into the details of it.

The seconds chapter is a story in itself. It talks about an 'orphan' village on the way to Deva Pura called 'Medara Halli'. This story exploits the effects of globalization on the small villages of India (You can say that the novel in itself is all about globalization!). The author takes time in explaining the dependencies between and the intricacies involved in economy, religion, globalization etc and how it all relates to human tendencies. It narrates the heart touching story of an 'unnamed dumb girl' and her parents who play an important symbolic role in the novel. Here the author stands at a distance and watches the grave tragedy that surrounds human race and history all the time.

Then the main plot continues for a while in the bus (called the 'Ghati Express of Captain Khuddoos, which has a story of its own). Here the Hero of our story, Suresha, gets last in his retrospection. It involves a memoir of his life as a Master of Kannada Language (specifically the Old Kannada). Born to rich parents, Suresha decided to study Kannada literature from a reputed university. This in itself was sufficient enough for his parents to conclude that he is a bit eccentric. At the university he becomes a follower of (actually falls prey to) his Botany lecturer Ganguly, who is supposedly a Marxist leader. When Internal Emergency was declared in India, Ganguly flees away and his disciples are left with no guidance. Suresha and the other disciples start towards villages to start their 'revolution'.

Personally, I see this short chapter as one of the main chapters in the novel. I have always felt that Tejaswi has brilliantly depicted the fate of most of the post freedom movement revolutionaries and the ideologists who, without proper guidance, could achieve nothing.

Now, the story unveils itself with the Mafia of Deva Pura in the form of two small time goons, Doulat Rama and Kutty. Both are on their way of delivering a 'plastic covered something' from under a tree to a dustbin in Deva Pura. But as they get the 'something' and start from that place in thier stolen car, their car is overtaken by some police vehicles. They grow suspicious, abandon the car and get into the same ''Ghati Express of Captain Khuddoos' in which our hero and heroin are traveling. And when even more number of police vehicles start overtaking the bus, they become almost sure of danger and gets the 'plastic covered something' into the 'yellow bags' belonging to Gouri and Suresha, thinking that if everything goes fine, they can get it back. But when the bus arrives at Deva Pura, in another funny incident, they lose track of the 'yellow bags'.

Amidst all these seemingly nonsensical happenings, the author explains the basic gambling instincts of human beings. The whole town of Deva Pura doesn't have any official business except the cardamom trade and as the curse goes, nobody involved in this business can ever be successful in business. People invest, lose, gain and again lose. People who lose here again invest here hoping to make some profit. There is no way out once you get into the circle. But this gambling factor of cardamom business has extended its hands beyond this business as it is revealed later in the novel.

Gouri and Suresha bring their 'yellow bags' of cardamom to a mandi for sale. Here there are some small sub stories and details about the cardamom business and the small brokers. Meanwhile Doulat Ram and Kutti (the ones who slipped the 'plastic covered something' into the 'yellow bags') decide to 'interrogate' their boss 'Shastri' who assigned them the job. They ask him the basic question of "What was there in the plastic cover?" and "Where is it supposed to land finally". Shastry convinces them that "Not even the Lord himself  can answer such stupid questions". Shastry further makes them responsible for their actions and asks them to get back that 'something' at any cost.

Here enters another character called Kunni, a bar owner and generally considered by all as a third degree criminal. Doulat Ram and Kutti asks for his assistance in getting the 'yellow bags'. At the Mandi, Kunni wins the bid for cardamom by offering an extravagant price. Kunni offers Suresha that he would pay him by chewue and the chewue would be issued by Bharath Lal, a famous jeweler.  Suresha agrees to this and gets the cheque but never reads the amount written on it! Here starts a chain of mishaps.

Kunni suggests Suresha to en cash the cheque at Sheshappa, a commission agent. When Suresha and Gouri arrives at Sheshappa's paan shop, Sheshappa (an old friend of Suresha) expresses his concerns over the cheque issued by Bharath Lal, saying that many who got a cheque by Bharath Lal were either murdered or were never found. Sheshappa also gives many example of such people. On further inquiry, he reveals that Bharath Lal is suspected to be involved in many dark businesses including the smuggling of the precious 'Red Stones'. Sheshappa requests the couple to be cautious. Then he gives Suresha the money. But Suresha, again, won't count it.

When they are about to leave Sheshappa's paan shop, Suresha accidentally meets Rajappa, an old friend of him. Rajappa, a relentless gambler, had faced many hardships during college days due to his gambling habit and Suresha had helped him on all such circumstances. On asked for the reason for his presence in Deva Pura, Rajappa says its a different kind of gambling. He explains that some university has offered him a hefty sum to translate a scripture written in Old Kannada to Kannada but the old manuscript of the book is torn and some words are missing. He says that he has come to Deva Pura in search of any other copy of the book as the author of the book was born some where near Deva Pura.

When they are about to leave, Sheshappa calls them and warns them against some people standing by the roadside near the shop. Sheshappa cautions them saying that 'they have committed murders for just a few hundred repees.' Suresha ignores his warning and leaves with the money.

Well, dear readers, thats all the story for now. I will take a small break here and I will surely return with the remaining parts and further opinions soon. Till then, take care.