Krishna on my mind

Janmashtami was more than a week ago. But I have Krishna on my mind. Here is one character that has always enamored and fascinated me with his unique persona.

Krishna is a God from Indian Mythology and yet there is something human(e)ly mystic about him that probably makes him a shade more accessible to mortals than ‘any other’ God. Krishna’s attitude towards life and the way he lived it is truly incomparable and has a certain ‘coolness’ about it.

Not for him the perfection and self-righteousness associated with the Gods….not for him the idealism and utopianism associated with sages….This dude stands for practicality. He believed in doing what needed to be done and achieving what needed to be achieved. He just didn’t care. On some level, he emphasized the ends more than the means; although this certainly cannot be interpreted as his tolerance for wrongdoing. After all, his greatest battle on earth was against evil.

Krishna knew how to bend the rules. That’s what made him stand out. He could be larger than life and yet have his feet firmly set on the ground at all times. He is someone that the masses could instantly connect with, that hot chicks could carelessly flirt with…..and yet Krishna’s divinity shone bright, leading millions on the path that he had laid out for them.

This guy was someone who could operate on different modes all through life—he could be playful, pensive, assertive and amiable ….and he could shift gears between modes at the drop of a hat. He’s the same bloke who sneaked into his mom’s dairy for a helping of curd, but he also sermonized to Arjuna on the philosophy of existence.

He is the subject of one of the most important books in human history-the Gita; he’s a source of inspiration and devotion for millions across the globe. The message he carried rises above religion-he’s probably larger than Hinduism in his appeal to an overwhelmingly large number of people. All said and done, Krishna is by far one of the most intriguing concepts of Indian culture.

Krishna is a fountainhead of strength, of courage and conviction for many like me…..he shall continue to occupy a special place in my conscious and sub-conscious—he’ll always be on my mind!!

Indian = ?

I once sat down to wonder what being an Indian really means....maybe I had just too much of free time...but nonetheless, the thought seemed important to me, and soon I was asking myself why I hadn't raised the question before.
What is that one thing(or more than one) that holds the fabric of indian society together? I mean, we're all so different and yet we have a lot in common to bind ourselves as fellow citizens of the same nation. Is it our culture? naah...that varies faster than latitude in our country: there's hardly anything in common between the culture in ladakh and nicobar now is there?

Is it our politics? probably not..we have more political parties and ideologies than the Sheikhs have oil wells. It's not even the food...you can't boast about a great meal without a helping of butter chicken in Punjabi style and yet, even garlic is taboo in some parts of the country.

Maybe it's Bollywood that binds us together(what with all the song and dance and general psychedelics)...

Maybe it's something more serious...like democracy or our commitment to it....maybe it's our constitution and all the nationalist paraphernalia(the flag, anthem and all)....
But all said and done...you've got to admit that it's a special feeling...something that comes straight from the gut....where else in the world would you not think twice before pissing around the next street corner...
So Indianness = complexities that not many people understand. It's engrained in the DNA of your brain....it's part of you without you realizing it on a conscious level.....
We're all Indian----right up to the bottom of our hearts!!