Moving forward

This past week, it has been a source of pride to me to meet and interact with scores of educated, dedicated young professionals who are determined to participate in bringing a widespread long-term change in India in a constructive manner, independent of caste, religion or political affiliation.

Volunteer For A Better India, to be launched nationwide next month, provides a platform for good citizens to join peacefully without vested interests and hidden agendas, and to rebuild the image of our nation which has been tarnished by fundamentalists, pseudo-secularists and politicians alike (with generous support from some sections of the media). 

The drive, clarity and focus of the youth that I met was impressive, and this time it was infused with quiet determination rather than misplaced angst.

Some of them were insistent that I should blog more often/regularly, and I do agree. These past few months, all the good stuff I have written has actually been siphoned into the body of my upcoming books, at least one of which should be ready by June -- so I have been writing quite a lot, just haven't been publishing it on the blog.

Anyway, now that the core sections are done, I am free to share some views and concerns with you all again. 

Meanwhile, Guruji has finally started blogging at http://srisriravishankar.org/srisrispeaks/ which is incentive enough for me to dive into the blogosphere once more! 

I have never been a great fan of social media, especially Twitter, which I find both incestuous and inconclusive, and hence have stayed away from it. 

Facebook has become like a community news bulletin and hence significant for me, and interestingly it is like a digital archive of the days of our lives. I find it better to have a select circle of family and friends with whom I share regular as well as minute details of my life, while maintaining a "fan page" where I reach out to the Art of Living community at large. 

Please do join/like this page at https://www.facebook.com/art.of.living.vikram
 

I also have a couple of albums coming up, and before that I wish to share some of my thoughts on the kind of music I have been working on, and the process of bringing it to fruition. Do stay tuned :)

The Tintin cake :)

Custodians of Mumbai

Plz note: These are color pics, not B&W :)

Guruji in Japan April 11-14th April!

> Greetings from Art of Living Japan
> " Evening of Wisdom and Music"
> The Founder of The Art of Living Foundation, H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will be visiting Japan between April 11th ~ April 14th 2012.
>
> Art of Living Japan is happy to invite you and your friends to a Special Talk by　
> H.H.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
> Date　: April 13th 2012 [Friday]
> Time　: Doors open 18:00 Program starts: 19:00
> Venue　: Science Hall- inside Science Museum
> Pin: 102-0091 Tokyo ,Chiyoda ku.
> Kitano Maru Koen 2-1
> Fee　: Yen 1000 [ Un-reserved seat ]
>
> Art of Living Japan has been actively involved in the support activities for the people who were badly affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Art of Living has visited the temporary housing shelters of the Yuriage community - Natori shi, Miyagi Pref.and is supporting the revival of the traditional Maiwai dance by recreating the elaborate dance costumes which got lost in the Tsunami.In this event the volunteers from Yuriage community of Natori shi will perform the Maiwai dance and Play the Japanese Taiko .
>
> Event website : srisrivisit.jp
> Tickets can be bought through:
> 1.Event website - srisrivisit.jp /Credit card only
> 2.Register through mail info-tokyo@artoflivingjapan.org and pay at the venue.
> Seating Capacity limited to 400.
> Access to Science Hall:
> Map:　http://www.jsf.or.jp/map/
> Tokyo Metro Tozai line-Takebashi station- Exit 1b --- 7mts walk
> Tokyo Metro Tozai line/Honzomon line &
> Toei Shinjuku line- Kudanshita Station- Exit 2 --- 7 mts walk
>
> We look forward to see you on this occasion.
> Volunteers
> Art of Living Japan
>
>

The unbearable brightness of Being!

Every single day bursts with opportunity. So much to see, so much to learn, and so much to do! Sometimes I can barely contain my happiness -- how fortunate am I to be born on this bountiful planet -- that too at a time when mankind is witnessing its greatest technological advances as well as a resurgence of spiritual values.

At times it seems futile even to try and learn a single discipline -- music, art, architecture, medicine, photography -- each worth several lifetimes of study.

How much could I possibly grasp in this infinitesimal interval which I have been given -- to play, to live, to learn, to give?

Challenges, doubts, distractions and obstacles abound; yet they pale in comparison to the overwhelming good it has been my humble privilege to witness. Helping hands in an apparently selfish world; simple, innocent love in a place where trust is reported absent; abundance and generosity where lack would seem to loom large.

And running through it all like a leitmotif -- wonderful, complex music coupled with moments of utter stillness, samadhi. The Master's grace wafts through this existence, a fragrance of rose and sandalwood, turning each breath into intense prayer.

It's as though a giant hand obliterates the din, the traffic, the pollution, the crime and the grime in a fraction of a second; I stand renewed, recharged and refreshed -- helplessly and hopelessly unable to express my bliss.

Sent from my iPhone

The Quest for Kabir

“Mat kar maya ko ahankar, mat kar kaya ko ghamand, kaya gaar se kaachi,” (Don’t take pride in your wealth, nor in your body, for this body is weaker than the mud upon the potter’s wheel). These words of caution were sung to his disciple Bhavani Nath by none other than the legendary weaver/poet/saint Kabir in the 15th century. Effortlessly melding strident socio-political commentary with transcendent spiritual experience, Kabir sang out loud and bold in the colloquial vernacular of his day, cutting across all barriers of caste, creed, religion and societal status. His message is equally, and perhaps even more, relevant today -- as evidenced by a sudden resurgence of interest in his work and, dare we say, in his popularity.

In fact, Kabir has become quite fashionable these days, with diverse segments staking claim to his message, resulting in some hilarious situations. In numerous conversations with people across the country as well as abroad, some intriguing aspects of how Kabir’s message is being implemented have astonished, amazed and often perplexed me.The most interesting one has got be the emerging trend where hardcore, card-carrying leftists laud Kabir as being a true Communist, speaking out against social injustice as well as bourgeois mores. Kabir’s well-known jibes against pundits and mullahs alike are naively taken to mean that he does not believe in any god, whereas in truth he steadfastly urged people to look beyond mere mechanical ritual  and delve into the depth of divinity inherent within each of us. Kabir sings freely of Ram and Rahim, and his bhajans are sung not just in villages across Madhya Pradesh and UP, but have now become well established in the Hindustani classical repertoire as well, thanks largely to the late legend Pandit Kumar Gandharva, whose life story itself is a poignant reprisal of the Nirguni bhajans that he sang, and which fortunately are being carried forward by several prominent as well as upcoming young musicians.

Yet there are several in our country who are hesitant to use the word “bhajan” (which actually means “to share”) since it has an overtly religious context to them. They are far more comfortable in branding Kabir as a Sufi, since that word apparently has a “secular” sheen! It has reached a point where, if I sing Kabir “bhajans”, there are many who would label me as being communal or at best religious, whereas concert organisers have pleaded with me to sing the exact same songs but to term them as “Sufi”, which would appear to make everyone comfortable! Isn’t it this the very hypocrisy that Kabir lashed out against? “Hindu kahat hai Ram hamara, Mussalman Rehmana; aapas mein dou lade marat hai, maram koi nahin jana” (Hindus claim Ram as theirs, the Muslims, Rehman; they fight and kill in their name, but they will never know the essence) 

He goes on to lucidly enunciate minute facets of the spiritual, inward journey, cautioning us of every peril and pitfall we may encounter along the way. Kabir’s descriptions of the experience of opening of various chakras (energy centres) in the body (“Nirbhay nirgun gun re gaoonga”) are spell-binding. Spiritual practitioners strive for years to glimpse a single moment of stillness and totality in meditation, whereas a poor weaver in a remote village so many centuries ago exhorted us to shun the impermanent, evanescent material world and revel in the indescribable exhilaration of self-knowledge. His experiences are his  reality, the legacy which he has bequeathed upon us - a succinct map which charts the terrain most unexplored, the journey back to our source.

The pseudo-secularists, not to be left behind, have interpreted Kabir as being anti-ritualistic and hence anti-religious. To them, secularism means avoiding all religious activity or reference -- a far cry from Kabir’s equanimous view which sees all as equal, free from bias and prejudice. Several sections of Dalit society cite Kabir as their Guru and God, since he abhorred casteism. Among them, there are some who are renowned singers such as Prahlad Tipanya, who is invited to perform at all major festivals in his area (near Dewas, MP) and yet not allowed to enter the village temple since he is a Dalit! How ironic that Kabir’s teaching is so widely loved and yet not taken to heart.

It is a testament to the universality and accessibility of Kabir’s message that so many factions can claim him as their own, but to use that message to foster further division would be to crucify yet another reluctant messiah at the altar of our own self-righteousness.

It is said that on his deathbed, Kabir was dismayed to hear the voices of his devotees arguing about whether he should be cremated according to Hindu rites, or buried in a Muslim cemetery -- as if his entire life’s message had gone unheeded. The story goes that when they came to collect his remains, they lifted the sheet that covered him to find that the body had disappeared, and all that remained was a heap of flowers!

Today, the intelligent and sincere are left with his ever-fragrant dohas and sakis, and it is up to us to do with them as we please. Do we take the bold step of enquiring within, acknowledging the fickleness of our own mind -- and strive to realize our full potential? Or do we continue to hide behind a fragile cloak of intellectual pretence or crass commerciality while exploiting yet another savant’s message to our personal gain? Kabir, established in perennial bliss, a witness to all despite being an active participant in day-to-day life, couldn’t really care less!

Bhajan Chords - Lyrics - AOL

This blog post is in response to Questions asked by the blog readers. Checkout, ask questions and Questions and Answers List.




Q: Vikrambhaiya, Can we get the guitar chords of bhajans online?

A: Hey I'm the wrong person to ask since I don't know too many chords myself -- I outsource all the difficult parts to my highly qualified band-mates! I am, however, constantly striving to learn more about theory and harmony -- hopefully this year onwards I shall have more time for the same -- till recently my teaching schedule took up almost twenty days of each month, leaving precious little time for even the most mundane of domestic chores :)
The past few years I have been doing a lot of research into different styles of devotional music of India, especially from the folk traditions -- we have such a huge treasure trove of knowledge and art, most of which has never been documented.
I have had the privilege of listening to genius musicians and unheralded saints sitting in people's houses, or even under the trees, in remote villages whose names I cannot remember. The only thing I recall is being transported to heights of ecstasy, and praying that I could be blessed with such simplicity and lack of artifice!


For all those musicians who would like to play music in Satsang, here is a link to pdf files from the Art Of Living Website.

Aol Bhajans Lyrics with chords guitar or piano chords - Compiled By Christina (German Ashram).

You can find the online pdf file here

There are 3 more online pdf files with Bhajan Lyrics (these are lyrics to sing bhajans or devotional songs without chords).


Bhajan Lyrics 1



Bhajan Lyrics 2



Bhajan Lyrics 3

QnA.....

1: Darshana said...
JGD Vikram
What is the best camera to use for good picture (SLR or Not) what photo editing software do your use if any?
Thanks...
ps. I like the look of your new Blog :D

Hi Darshana
It is said that "the best camera is the one you have with you at that moment." Capturing the moment is the main thing -- whether it is done on a cellphone camera or a top-of-the-line DSLR. If you are serious about photography I would certainly recommend a DSLR -- they are now more affordable than ever before, and there is very little to choose between the top brands like Canon, Nikon, Olympus etc. A standard zoom like 24-70mm and a tele zoom like 70-200mm should suffice for most of your needs up to a fairly advanced level.
That said, if it's just a hobby, then you would be better off with a good quality compact ie point-n-shoot from one of the brands mentioned above, as well as from Panasonic and Sony.
I don't use Photoshop or Lightroom as most professionals do -- I prefer to keep editing to a minimum and simply sort the the images in iPhoto, occasionally doing a bit of sharpening, cropping or colour correction.
A photograph reflects your way of looking at the world, and provides an opportunity to commemorate and share your vision with others. Like any other art, it is primarily an avenue to improving oneself as a human being, rather than a narcissistic indulgence.
The blog will undergo further transformation in December, hopefully making it easier to access -- and with the added attraction of some downloadable music for you all!

2: Shruthi said...
Namaste,
Dwaitha and Advaitha - I wonder what the difference is. Aren't they both same in essence? my family has instilled in me the values of dwaitha philosophy ever since I was a child (I still am :D) These days when I listen to spiritual talks - most of them talk about non-duality. I know these are just concepts (reminds me of your song - Shabdon ke jungle mein...) and would make little difference in the spiritual journey. But it's a little frustrating not to know what I believe in. You have an answer right? =)
- Love and Light

Namaste Shruthi
Guruji said something very interesting a while back; "there is not much difference between an Astik (believer) and Nastik (non-believer/atheist). The Nastik says 'show me and I'll believe' while the Astik says 'I believe, now show me'!" Both lack direct experience of divinity. Our culture has always placed personal experience above all dogma on the spiritual path -- yet man struggles to qualify and quantify what he sees around him in the hope that it will provide the solace he seeks.
After Dvaita and Advaita came Vishishta Advaita as propounded by Ramanujacharya, wherein he said that divinity is one, but we do have the freedom to worship it in many forms :)
I would recommend that you go by your experience -- proper Sadhana/ meditation of course helps a great deal -- and don't worry about your beliefs, which anyways can change over time with knowledge.

3: Vikram Ji, do you have an album with Kabir songs like Naiharwa?
JGD, Kumar from New York

Hi Kumar
These days Kabir is a very hot topic at least in India (shall soon write a post about that) -- with everyone from Dalits to Communists staking a proprietary claim to his philosophy. Nonetheless, I do have a nice concept for an album of songs from Kabir, Guru Nanak and Meerabai -- if all goes well you shall hear it in Feb 2012. Meanwhile I would point you to Shabnam Virmani's excellent Kabir Project, which has documented many facets of Kabir's work.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad2

Back to work :)

It's not that I haven't had anything to say -- in fact my head has been bursting with ideas these past few weeks -- but I have been content to process them internally, and focus on applying them to my life. You see, I have never been able to easily articulate my thoughts, and especially my feelings and emotions. Often, if suddenly called upon to react to a situation, or respond to an emotionally charged moment, I draw a blank; I would rather retreat to that sanctuary from where I merely weigh and witness events. I used to think that I am very judgemental, but I have realised that I tend to acknowledge both sides of every case and hence find it difficult to indict people, since their own pressures and liabilities come sharply into focus, revealing them also to be but victims of circumstance!
I'm home most of next week and should be writing (as often promised) -- but why don't we get back to work with a series of Q&A?
Please send me a few pertinent (and impertinent) and sincere queries and let's see what comes of them.
Jai Guru Dev :)

Sent from my iPhone

Midnight musings

Nokia really is going through a rough patch. They have just not been able to cut it in the high-end smartphone market, and at the lower end the Chinese have pulled out all stops and left them struggling to resolve what is nothing less than a brand identity crisis. To compound matters, they ran a full page newspaper ad in India the other day announcing the launch of their new OS, unfortunately named Symbian Anna. I guess it's a Finnish name -- I'm told it's pronounced ayn-naa -- but in a country where Everyone Is Anna this week, it was almost as if the universe had conspired against them.

It's not just the folks at Nokia who are perplexed this week -- I am sure it's most of us who have been trying to make a semblance of logical sense out of the wildly disparate viewpoints and stances that have been on display over the Great Anna Imbroglio -- aided and abetted by a flailing media machine, somehow resulting in bringing large chunks of urban India out onto the streets.

I'm sure that each and every person or group involved in this has their cogent and valid reasons for their respective stands, but to a concerned citizen some of it is hard to fathom.
An old Gandhian social reformer steadfastly lies dying in Delhi -- should we not be trying to save him first? Or is a "fast unto death" only successful if the person dies?
How can a government be utterly deaf, dumb and blind to the needs of its people, and yet sit comfortably in power?
Of those out clamouring to bring down the aforementioned government, how many will actually vote in the next elections?
Will a Bill actually end corruption in a country where people are willing to stampede in a temple, litter everywhere, drive without concern for anyone and not extend even basic human courtesy to others?
How come so many Communists are against a Bill that is by nature "Of the people, by the people and for the people"?
How come Arvind Kejriwal wants to have nothing to do with any political party, and yet wants the Bill passed in parliament?

Hey, these aren't complaints -- I'm totally for the Anti-corruption campaign; I don't pay bribes, I pay my taxes and I am furiously passionate about my country. But there are so many factors at play here which nobody seems to even want to consider. For instance, with a population as large as ours, implementation of even the most basic of laws becomes a well-nigh impossible task. I have met several really committed civil servants who, despite their best intentions, have absolutely no way of completely covering the area under their jurisdiction during their tenure.

There are so many parts of our country where women and children are denied their basic rights, not by law, but by hidebound mores and chauvinistic, retrograde practices. It's easy to say that corruption is at the root of the lack of infrastructure in this country, but thats a rather trite and incomplete definition employed, I feel, to suit the current flavour of the moment. These issues have been there forever -- many of us have been working to amend them for years -- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's YLTP programs have empowered hundreds of so-called "educated unemployed" rural youth to become change agents and create self-sustaining economies in some of the poorest regions of India. And yet it seems like but a drop in the ocean -- there are over 700,000 villages in our country, and most of them lack basic literacy, leave alone a proper education. Conspiracy theories abound, naming everyone from Macaulay to Manmohan Singh as the sole reason for this backwardness and poverty, but at the end of the day it's high time we square up and acknowledge that we must start imparting a wholesome, value-based education to each and every citizen, an aptitude-based system which would enable and empower them to choose academia, trade, entrepreneurship, artisanship or employment as the need or choice may be. Then alone can we hope to truly nurture "the world's greatest democracy" into a people that not only know how to groom and choose their leaders, but also hold the power to force them to step down if they do not deliver.

On a lighter note, for all we know, the Anna issue is but a launchpad for the Congress' premeditated retirement plan, a scenario where they make an apparently shamefaced exit and go into hibernation, ostensibly to lick their wounds, but in reality to finally take time off to enjoy some of the thousands of crores that they have set aside for just such a time!

Sent from my iPad2