Your touch that melts my heart
The fruit that you, for me,so thoughtfully put in the cart
Your breath that warms me in deadly winters
Your companionship that embraces when sharing appetizers
Our fights and make ups
Our vacuuming and washing cups
The last 48 hours have been my toughest
Seeing you this moment became my happiest!
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
N2N
As the Minnesota sun embraced me on a bright Saturday morning, I prepared to embark on a musical journey with Mrs Nirmala Rajasekar. I was New to Nadharasa school. Yet not new to Carnatic music. Not new to being amongst avid listeners , singers and musicians who speak that language. Just another music class, my mind told me, as I started my bright and sparkling Honda Fit.
Entering through the backyard, I found myself in a room full of music lovers, parents and children alike. And Mrs Nirmala with a calmness and warmth that was refreshing from other teachers I have had in my past. My friend had warned me about Nadharasa's ways. Commitment, sincerity were qualities that every student had to have in great quantities. And the willingness to learn and acquire as much of knowledge as possible. Yes of course. This is what every teacher expects I had thought.
Within a few minutes I discovered how wrong I was. Nirmala showed us a bunch of assignments that the students had turned in. I was surprised and in awe of how a teacher set expectations and drove her students to achieve them. The class began, students half my age were listening intently to each word she spoke. Slowly and before I could realize, I was drawn into it too. I did not realize how 3 hours passed by. Then it dawned upon me, it was not because she was tough, but because she was so committed to imparting education, that the students stay put for hours together. Each one wanted to be like her and strived to be so. This included me.
Just when I sighed wondering how I would reach such heights, Nirmala said - It is doable. If I can do it, you can do it too. Those words seemed like a red bull drink to me. My hopes rose and I continued to learn trying very hard not to enjoy her music. After all, how can you concentrate on learning when you have someone dissolving you in their music? Hard. Very hard indeed. Here and there, we applauded to right answers, thus developing great camaraderie for one another, sans age difference. A 6 year old girl corrected my Triputa thalam.It brought tears to my eyes.
Happiness, laughter, learning, encouragement, appreciation and cookies. We had it all. The day had such an impact on me that I dreamt about going to class that night. Indeed one of the most unforgettable days in my life. I am proud to be a Nadharasa student!
Nirmala Rajasekar - http://www.nirmalarajasekar.com/
Entering through the backyard, I found myself in a room full of music lovers, parents and children alike. And Mrs Nirmala with a calmness and warmth that was refreshing from other teachers I have had in my past. My friend had warned me about Nadharasa's ways. Commitment, sincerity were qualities that every student had to have in great quantities. And the willingness to learn and acquire as much of knowledge as possible. Yes of course. This is what every teacher expects I had thought.
Within a few minutes I discovered how wrong I was. Nirmala showed us a bunch of assignments that the students had turned in. I was surprised and in awe of how a teacher set expectations and drove her students to achieve them. The class began, students half my age were listening intently to each word she spoke. Slowly and before I could realize, I was drawn into it too. I did not realize how 3 hours passed by. Then it dawned upon me, it was not because she was tough, but because she was so committed to imparting education, that the students stay put for hours together. Each one wanted to be like her and strived to be so. This included me.
Just when I sighed wondering how I would reach such heights, Nirmala said - It is doable. If I can do it, you can do it too. Those words seemed like a red bull drink to me. My hopes rose and I continued to learn trying very hard not to enjoy her music. After all, how can you concentrate on learning when you have someone dissolving you in their music? Hard. Very hard indeed. Here and there, we applauded to right answers, thus developing great camaraderie for one another, sans age difference. A 6 year old girl corrected my Triputa thalam.It brought tears to my eyes.
Happiness, laughter, learning, encouragement, appreciation and cookies. We had it all. The day had such an impact on me that I dreamt about going to class that night. Indeed one of the most unforgettable days in my life. I am proud to be a Nadharasa student!
Nirmala Rajasekar - http://www.nirmalarajasekar.com/
Monday, May 24, 2010
Differences
I have long been wanting to write this. I have heard many people claiming themselves to be "perfectionists". While I laud their courage to come out in the open with such a declaration, I also wonder - what is being "perfect"? Is it not subjective? A seven year old can consider his piece of art perfect, but his mother is sure to find faults. An architect may find his blue plan perfect, but the owner is sure to ask for a change or two!
I feel strongly that there does not exist "The Ultimate Perfection". It varies , rather varies widely. According to one's taste, to one's imagination, to one's desire. The ideology of perfection is similar to that of beauty. Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. In the same coin, what about "Right & Wrong"? Is it really as simple as White or Black? If we were to break this world into molecules I would definetely conclude that there are more Grey molecules than white or black.
I think a little deeper as to why . Why does man have to be confused? Why can't there just be two ways of doing things - right and wrong? Why can't the impalpable be binary in this digitized world? It seems to boil down to the fact that god created man. He did not stop there. He created millions of variations of man. Not one , but millions and millions of variations that would seem greek and latin to Srinivasa Ramanujam. Not one's thoughts are exactly the same the other. Not one does look /behave exactly the same as the other.
God, if you are hearing/reading this - why did you this? Wouldn't world have been a better place to live if everyone thought alike? Everyone behaved alike? Why couldn't you have made xerox copies of your creation? As I am writing this, it almost seems like God is whispering in my ear... (or may be my rational mind) if everything were the same - how would love, hatred, jealousy, poverty, laughter, sorrow, happiness, fear ... or THE WORLD EXIST?
I feel strongly that there does not exist "The Ultimate Perfection". It varies , rather varies widely. According to one's taste, to one's imagination, to one's desire. The ideology of perfection is similar to that of beauty. Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. In the same coin, what about "Right & Wrong"? Is it really as simple as White or Black? If we were to break this world into molecules I would definetely conclude that there are more Grey molecules than white or black.
I think a little deeper as to why . Why does man have to be confused? Why can't there just be two ways of doing things - right and wrong? Why can't the impalpable be binary in this digitized world? It seems to boil down to the fact that god created man. He did not stop there. He created millions of variations of man. Not one , but millions and millions of variations that would seem greek and latin to Srinivasa Ramanujam. Not one's thoughts are exactly the same the other. Not one does look /behave exactly the same as the other.
God, if you are hearing/reading this - why did you this? Wouldn't world have been a better place to live if everyone thought alike? Everyone behaved alike? Why couldn't you have made xerox copies of your creation? As I am writing this, it almost seems like God is whispering in my ear... (or may be my rational mind) if everything were the same - how would love, hatred, jealousy, poverty, laughter, sorrow, happiness, fear ... or THE WORLD EXIST?
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