Moms can be Dangerous!

A few weeks back, it was mating season for pigeons (am told that they mate all the time, all through the year ... lucky guys). During my occasional glances outside the bedroom, while juggling between the newspaper and smartphone (both begging for attention), I espied two pigeons, obviously in a romantic mood, cuddling and snuggling on the balcony railing. The amorous advances of the male pigeon were romantically reciprocated by the female, and they seemed to be having the time of their lives 

I could go on and on about their foreplay, love-making, and post-conquest activities, but I desist, since it would reveal my baser instincts, and the fact that, I am as idle, jobless and useless as UNO

Suffice to say that, a couple of weeks later, my good lady brought to my notice, the discovery of two shiny-white, cute pigeon eggs, in a flower pot nestled in a corner of the living room balcony. The excited mom to be (the female pigeon, not my good lady!), would pop in and pop out, every now and then, to sit on the eggs, while her male consort lurked, in and around. My basic biological knowledge, picked up rather cursorily till Class X, informed me that it was nature's way of ensuring that the eggs were nurtured till they hatch. A few hours of Google research, this time, far more intense than the cursory reading alluded to earlier, told me, that the reason for the corner spot chosen by the hen-pigeon (pardon me if such a word doesn't exist, but I am sure, I convey what I want), is again, nature's way of preventing any untoward happening on the eggs, by predators

For a couple of days thereafter, the activities vis-a-vis the eggs and the pigeons were mundane-getting-to-monotonous. Then, one fine day, I saw, horror-of-horrors, a crow swoop down swiftly to the flower pot, and make his way with one of the eggs. Needless to say, the hen-pigeon, who was on an errand at eye-sight distance, and was witness to the episode, was as taken aback as I was, with the sudden and horrendous attack. Now crows, as my limited knowledge on zoology goes (which is even worse than that on biology!), are social animals, and they make a song-and-dance of every minor event. Obtaining a pigeon egg as a snack, was the equivalent of a fine dining experience for the crow in question, and the crow lost no time in marketing the event, by crowing about her/ his gourmet meal (much as most of us do, about our brunch or dinner in a 5 Star restaurant, on insta, wapp, or fb). That brought a couple of more crows into the vicinity, with the intent of making a meal of the remaining pigeon egg

What followed soon after, was as epic as the Mahabharata or the IPL (take your pick). The motherly instinct of protecting the well-being of one's progeny, bestowed on every mother, by mother nature, was unleashed in full force by the hen-pigeon on the unsuspecting crows. Although they put up a defence like Kauravas or Chennai Super Ks (TYP), they were no match to the spirited attack of the hen-pigeon, a la the Pandavas or Gujarat Ts (TYP, again). The crows, therefore, had to beat a hasty retreat, with their tails between their legs, metaphorically (not physically, since such contortionist acts are well beyond crows, as my, by know, Google-enhanced knowledge on zoology tells me)

That's when I realised the full impact of the phrase attributed to Rudyard Kipling - the female of the species is deadlier than the male - for, the male pigeon, apart from fluttering hither and thither at a safe distance, and providing nuisance value, was but a mute spectator in this spectacular spectacle that ensued between the murder of crows (yup, murder, indeed is the collective noun for crows) and the lone hen-pigeon

To cut a long story short, the egg was saved and lived to see another day

The crux of this narrative was to highlight just one, of the umpteen battles and wars, that a mother wages, with scant regard to her own safety and well-being, to bring forth and bring up, the next generation of her clan. I doff my hat at the hen-pigeon, my mother and all the mothers in the world, who brave several odds, to bear and rear their children

 ।। जननी जन्मभूमिश्च स्वर्गादपि गरीयसी ।।

Sunday Shenanigans - 11 May 2025 

"HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY"

The Best Mothers' Day Gift for a Fauji Mother of  Bhaaratmata, is the Ceasefire Declared Yesterday ... if it Lasts ... 

 (Mothers of children in military service walk a tightrope between immense pride and deep fear; there's pride in their children's courage, sense of duty, and service to the nation, but this is constantly shadowed by anxiety about their safety and well-being. It demands extraordinary bravery on the part of such Maatas of Bhaaratvarsh, in letting their children pursue their own path, even as it involves risks to their lives and limbs. This Sunday's Shenanigans is a tribute and paean to the Fauji mom ... pass it on to your grand-mom, mom, wife, sister, daughter, or any other relative, if she's one; else, pass it on to any other Fauji moms you would know)

This Mothers’ Day, as the world celebrates the boundless love, warmth, and sacrifices of mothers everywhere, let me turn your hearts and thoughts to a special kind of mother - the mother whose child wears the military uniform for national security. These are the women whose love for their daughters and sons is matched only by their courage, whose pride is shadowed by a quiet, ever-present fear. They are the silent sentinels of our freedom, bearing a cross few can comprehend 

For every soldier who stands guard at our borders of land, sea and sky, there is a mother who stands guard at home - her heart torn between pride and worry. She has raised her child to be gentle, to cherish life, to heal and not to harm. She has taught her/ him that it is wrong to hurt others, that kindness is a virtue, and that peace is precious. Yet, when the call of duty comes, she must summon the strength to let them go, to send them into a world where violence is sometimes necessary, and where the lines between right and wrong blur in the fog of war

No mother dreams of seeing her child march off to war. Yet, some do so willingly, their patriotism woven tightly with their love. Others do so reluctantly, their hearts heavy with the knowledge of what may come. But all make the same sacrifice: they give up a piece of themselves for the security and integrity of the nation. They live each day with the ache of absence, with the dread of a knock at the door, with the hope that their child will return - not just alive, but whole

These mothers carry a unique burden. They must reconcile the values they have instilled in their child - the sanctity of life, the evil of violence - with the reality that their children may be called upon to take up arms, to defend by force, and, if necessary, to kill. It is a paradox that weighs heavily on their souls. They pray for peace, even as they prepare for loss. They hope for their child’s safety, even as they accept the risks. They grieve for every life lost, on every side, knowing that every fallen soldier is someone’s beloved child

I take the opportunity this Mothers' Day, to honor these mothers - not only for their love and their sacrifice, but for their resilience and their grace. Behind every uniform is a mother’s heart, beating with hope, pride, and unspoken sorrow. Let us thank them for giving the nation their most precious gift, and for bearing the burden of freedom with quiet dignity

PS. Here's a confession: While I was in the in the Navy, these thoughts never crossed my mind ... now that I've a son in the Navy, I can imagine and appreciate what goes on in my wife's mind ... and what would have gone on in my mom's, whilst I was in uniform ....

Shambho Mahadeva Shambho !!!

On the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivaratri, I unravel my perception of the most enigmatic of the Gods in the Hindu pantheon

One moment, he's a picture of serenity, eyes half closed, calm and poised, sitting as if in a trance, contemplative, meditative and ruminative; in the very next, he's an outraged, menacing character, destructive and ravaging, like a bull in a china shop (no wonder, he has a bull, Nandi, as his vaahana (transportation vehicle)). In between these extremely polarized existences, He has myriad avataars, the eternal romantic consort of Goddess Parvati, doting father to Lords Ganesha and Kartika, buddies to Lords Vishnu and Brahma - in his role as the destroyer amongst the trimurti - who, amongst them, ensures equilibrium in the universe through the virtuous cycle of creation, sustenance and destruction. 

But, there's one aspect of Bholenath that has had me beguiled all along ... his sense of haute couture. He's a fashion designer's delight. He can pull off his matted locks with as much elan, as his tiger-skin wear. The nonchalance with which he wraps his neck with that king-cobra muffler, has all the hallmarks of sprezzatura (look that word up ... you'll be pleasantly delighted ). His ash-smeared arms, the hypnotic third-eye on his forehead, and the accoutrement that accompany him ... the trishul, the hour-glass shaped damru, all of it make for his mysterious mystique, and mesmerisingly magnetic charm

The gushing flow of Goddess Ganga from his majestic tresses, the crescent moon as his tiara, and his propensity to jump into a dance (of death ... the fearsome taandav), .... it's stands Him out as an icon, amongst the 33 crore Hindu Gods (or 33, depending on your Samskrit)

My family deity, in the temple right next to our ancestral home (tharavaad/vaariyam (തറവാട്/വാരിയം)), in the quaint and rustic village of Painkulam, in Thrissur district of Kerala, is an incarnation of Lord Maheshwara, as Thiruvanjikuzhi Thevar (തിരുവഞ്ഞികുഴി തേവര്‍). He dwells there, in a cave temple, on the banks of the picturesquely pristine Bharata Puzha (ഭാരത പുഴ) river. And that perhaps, is the reason for my fetish and fascination for Kailaasa Deva

The Bharata Puzha itself, is a study in contrasts ... calm and light in its ebb and flow during three quarters of an year, and gruesome, violent and treacherous, as it gushes its wild waters, destroying everything in its way, during the monsoon. I've always wondered whether it's a metaphor for the schizophrenic duality of the shaanta roopa and raudra roopa of Lord Shankara

As they say, there's much more to Him, than meets the eye .... but let me save it for another day 

ओम नम: शिवाय 

Raghuettan's Shashtipoorthi

 Raghuettan's Shashtipoorthi

Wit and Wisdom finds a Perfect Blend ... in this Erudite Gent

Way back in Jul 1996, Manju (my wife) and I, with (then) two year old son, Shaantnu in tow, shifted to the Naval Base in Ghatkopar (West). I had been selected by the Navy, to pursue MTech at IIT Bombay, and the Ghatkopar base had the nearest Naval Officers' family accommodation. That was one posting, where we had the good fortune of meeting and interacting with a multitude of our KV family, in Bombay. The fact that lots of them were proximally close  - Kumari cheriamma in Ghatkopar (East), Aniyanman and Narayanman in Chembur, Devi vallyamma  in Sion - meant that the meetings would be fairly regular. My tryst with destiny (aka Raghuettan; R'ettan, for short) started around that time.

R'ettan was then working out of Boisar, living in Bombay and driving a red Maruti (if I recall all three of those aspects correctly). We used to  catch up during birthdays of kids, weddings, wedding anniversaries, etc., but as is so often the case on such occasions, the exchanges used to be minimal and perfunctory. As I moved on to Delhi, these interactions petered out. Then came the news that the gent in question, had decided to  move his profession seamlessly, from corporate to campus. Finding a calling, different from the one that you're pursuing, is a difficult proposition per se; acting on it, by drawing the courage to do so, is even more tougher. But our man did it, and in style. At an age when most people would be happy, consolidating on their experiences to climb the hierarchical pecking order in their workplace, R'ettan jettisoned the mundane, jumped out of a comfort zone and landed into a completely new and esoteric domain ... that of academia and research. TAPMI was the choice and a PhD in the arcane field of marketing ayurvedic medicines, the result (OK, I maybe wrong; the topic may not be as arcane as I make it to be, but what the heck!, can't an ignoramus like me take a few liberties).

The rest, as they say, is history. TAPMI gave wings to R'ettan; apart from teaching and learning, he flew into the azure blue of administrative aspects of the university's functioning. As a Dean, as an HR functionary, and perhaps donning several other hats that I am unaware of, with conviction and distinction. His role as a recruiter of interns, and as a selector of  candidates for the TAPMI programs, brought him several times to Delhi, and that offered me great opportunities, to meet up, and to discuss and chat about the nuances and intricacies of an academic life, both on and off campus. Having been interacting very closely with the academia myself, over several years, as part of my tasking in the Navy, I got deep insights from R'ettan, that have stood me in good stead. Thanks a ton for that, R'ettan

TAPMI also gave vent to R'ettans artistic bent of mind; his enactment of Lord Mahabali, during a forlorn Onam, beset with the pandemic, is still vivid, in the minds of all of us. That impromptu show of his, full of ad-libs and "Raghuisms", was a class act. We expect more of those histrionics, Sir.

Our interactions intensified in 2017, when Pratyush, my younger son, landed a BTech admission at the Manipal Institute of Technology. The two-storied villa of R'ettan and Anita chechi in Manipal, was our "War-Room" and "Operations Centre", for Pratyush's admission process. That, and a quick visit very soon later, prompted by some unforeseen circumstances, showcased to Manju and I, the very famous, large-hearted hospitality streak of R'ettan. His intent, was supplemented and complemented in content, admirably, by the suffused ministrations of his better half, the very dear Anita chechi.

It would be an understatement to say that R'ettan is full of life. He exudes a certain joi de vivre .... not overtly exuberant,  but with covert,  subtle ebullience (My apologies; I couldn't put it across, any other way). His sense of humour,  his one-liners, his repartees, his narratives in our Wapp group, etc., are enlivening and downright entertaining ... and he does most of that by underplaying himself, in a most self-effacing manner. That's his hallmark, the attributes of a modest, realised soul.

His fetish for, and repository of, husband-wife jokes are legendary .... and I daresay, he has been getting away with it, in our KV group, thanks to the absence of his lady love as a member there ... or perhaps, he has his insurance cover well-buttoned up with his beloved, with regular princely premium payments (exotic vacations, designer jewelry, wardrobe replenishments, etc.), . There's a lesson worth learning there, for the wedding hopefuls in our midst; the ol' warhorses, may also benefit from that wisdom. Can we expect the munificence of a piece of that, as a return Shashtipoorthi gift from you, Professor?

While his exterior persona may display an easy going attitude, there is a mind and brain, sharp as a whip, that's ticking away continuously, conjuring up an assignment for his students here, or wondering about the next breakthrough strategy in marketing indigenous _Arishtams_ there, true to his pedigreed Ivy League education ... IIT Kharagpur, IRM Anand and TAPMI. As you hit the milestone event of Shashtipoorthi, here's wishing that your grey cells remain tickety-boo, and you continue to be in the pink of health, for training, mentoring, guiding and leading a legion of your students into the path of enlightenment. Best wishes also go out to your consort, the charming Anita chechi, and to Kamala valymma, Anju, Anish and Arjun, who make your world and your cocoon in Manipal, a most enchanting abode.

Godspeed, fair winds and following seas to you, R'ettan.  शं नो वरुण:

Mothers Day Musings

 Sunday Shenanigans - 09May21

Does God Exist

It's not a rhetorical question, neither a philosophical one, nor incongruous

Am sure, the theists in our midst would nod an affirmation without missing a beat; but my query is directed at the atheists and agnostics amongst us. So, to this group of erudite gentry, let me list out a few attributes of our Gods, that I've gathered through my desultory dabbling of our religious scriptures, holy books and spiritual writings ... and see if I can shake their faith a wee little bit

Love ... for you  ... selfless and unconditional, to the point of self-abnegation 

Dedication ... to your cause

Devotion ... to your duty

Discipline ... at times akin to a martinet, to mould you into a great person

Patience .. to take on all your tantrums, and still love you

 Forgiveness ... of all your misdeeds and misdemeanours

Imperturbable composure ... in the face of your meltdowns, display of tempers, talking back, etc.

Ferocity ... to protect you, when harm stalks or strikes you

Knowledge ... to educate you and impart wisdom to you

Bravery ... to shield you from dangers

Organising ability ... to cater to your disorganized lifestyle, right from birth ...

Gourmet cooking skills ... to pander to your hunger and glut

 Supporting, motivating, inspiring, encouraging ... to your every aspiration, ranging from the nonsensical to mundane to the magnificent 

Flexible ... to adjust to your whims and fancies, 

Strict (but fair) .. to shape your persona into a disciplined one 

Putting oneself last ... each time and every time, to address your, oftentimes, unreasonable demands

Rarely, if ever, taking a break ... so that you and others can take theirs

And several others .... all of them, centered around you ...

Btw, God may not be able to showcase many of the aforementioned qualities (Gourmet cooking skills for one ... taking a break, for another ... Sunday is His day of rest, as per the Bible ), for, He is not a MOTHER.  At best, He can play second fiddle to the indomitable, irrepressible, industrious spirit of a *Mom*, and perhaps, never ever replace HER, in body or in spirit 

My love and salutations to all the moms of the world, and specially mine ❤

May your breed beget and multiply, for, you're our _raison d'être_, the reason we're there ... and the reason we're, what we are

PS. Of course, *my/ our God* has her foibles ... but let's save that for another day 😉😃

PPS. I trust, my treatise would have answered the existential question of the atheists and agnostics, in some measure ...

~AlphaAlpha