of Hope

Finally i managed to visit New York. As someone who loves cities, I found NY to be as much as I wanted it to be. Vibrant, glitzy and fun.
All the great collection of people that converge there, relishing the delights of a megapolis make it a truly remarkable city. You hear all sorts of languages while walking down the streets, bump into people across the world. This post tho, will touch only a small part of the experience. I had only arnd a day in the city, too short a time by any stretch of imagination for a city of this size. I do believe that the best way to really see a city is by living in it, hopefully someday I shall manage to live in the Big Apple too.
As mentioned I had only a few hrs, so we (Nali and I) decided staten island ferry might be a good way to see the skyline and have a dekkho at the statue of Liberty. The ferry itself turned out to be a disappointment, with all windows being closed. Guess they couldnt help it, it being freezing outside, still watching the towering Manhatten skyline from a closed ferry deck is no fun. So here we are, both thinking what a waste. Still I'm in New York and there is plenty to look at.
Suddenly looms the Statue. I was a bit disappointed at its size and all. Then Nali mentions, imagine this being hundred years ago, U a poor immigrant braving a very hazardous journey for many days, sailing to the hope called America. Its been closed cramped stormy sees and suddenly you see her.Hope now standing there welcoming you in the form of a towering statue in a distance draining away all the tiredness.
Yes indeed it struck me. Today there might be the imposing Manhattan skyline, but the Lady is special because she symbolizes hope. The idea that is America.

Kabir

Browsing through a literature community, I got into a mood to read a bit of Kabir. Google- the wise sage of eworld threw up a Sikh religion site that has a nice writeup on him.
First time I realized that Kabir's verse are found in Guru Granth Sahib. That he preached his own flavor of religion (probably a wrong term here I guess it must be more of a spiritual tradition). This is something common to most early Indian philosophers, and most poetry then was lets face it, devotional and philosophical.
This should not have come as a surprize to me. Afterall the "dohas" that I had read in school were in spiritual tradition. Still its a matter of shame that our schools do not really teach the ecosystem that gives rise to such rich poetry. I read some couplets, had a teacher explain some of the meaning behind the words. Meaning behind the words, not the idea. It can be debated that should a school teach ideas or let the pupils think on their own.
Before you say of course - think. Consider the debate in some of the US about school boards trying to foist some 'creationist agenda' on schools. So maybe its not a bad to avoid what might be a spiritual idea being taught in school. So I think. Hmmm, maybe it IS a bad idea to teach this in school as a science. But history, literature often are an understanding of human lives. How can they be taught with honest unless you also discuss the motives behind the lives?
India with its glorious spiritual traditions, of masters who questioned the existing order and preached alternatives does not expose its kids to their past. Maybe that explains the bigotry that is creeping in. Most kids may not even know that we had thousands of years of great minds questioning the present and past and laying out a different future! That is the tragedy. Most Indians have an arrogant pride in their past little realizing that we are making sure its stays a past.

Weather blues

Finally the winter hits home. I've been here in North Carolina enjoying the sunny winters. While i did have to scrap the ice off the ole 4 wheeler once, the weather by and large has been benign. Nice sun, temperature typically around 10C.
Here am I on a bright Sunday talking to a friend in sunny California, the guy grumpy about the cold there and me happily inviting him to enjoy the salubrious winter here. Did I hear someone say God is nice chum to us monkish souls? Lemme tell you God sure does have this mean streak of being jealous.
So I wake up next morning to a very sunny but cold day temperature arnd -6C. From someone who has spent quite a few summers near Equator and in deserts, this is a very ouch situation. The one time I was happy abt this sudden chill was when there was a winter storm warning and work place indicating that it may be closed in case the storm hits, the dude up there decides to stay easy! Gaaah!
They say that tomorrow there may be sleet, icerains or maybe snow with a high of 0C. I doubt if the office will close - if there were possibilities I'll happily trudge to the old church there and light candles- so I'll keep a lookout for weathermen's word. It its aye to the storm, time to get the sun tan out, else I'll hunt up the muffins and jumpers.
To all the folks up north in Canada - enjoy the sun, those in Cali - stock up on wood, the unbelievers - tuck up with nice reading material

Update Feb 1: There is something to what I felt earlier. Its snowing outside - okie only freezing rain at the moment, snow stopped a while ago- and I'm home. Wooo Hooo!. Thank You Thank You. I do not have candles so I guess I'll use the gas burner instead. Sacrifices to the tea God may be in order.

View from the front door
view from window.
Well it doesnt snow much here. Still my first time so Wooo Hooo!