Left Right Left Right

I have found something very interesting. Here I come... EUREKA...

The other day, Prof. Upendran was teaching us about development of languages. Going back to millions of centuries, he demonstrated how some of our forefathers came down from the tree and lost their tails and hair (which some of us still regret).
In the course of explanation, he was speaking of lateralization of the brain. Suddenly, he turned his attention into some lateral topics! He He.. He wanted to amuse us may be...
In course of time, human brain began to grow. Its size increased. And languages began to develop since wo/man had to spend much of her/his time in caves during the ice age. Wondering why? You!!! In the cave, it was dark and you possibly cannot see what your neighbour is showing you in sign language. Wow! So language grew and grew...
The place language got in the brain was in the left part. So the left half of the brain developed faster. As you may well know, left hemisphere of the brain controls the right side of the body. Therefore, People started developing an affinity to the right side! Right became dominant side. People used right hand more than left. Remember, until then both hands were of same importance...
Now, the Prof. asked us: "who stands behind the groom at any wedding? What is his name?"
We said: "The best man."
Prof: Why is he called the best man? Is it because he looks the best? or the is the BEST man in the world?"
We dint know the answer. Yet we told him all our ideas about what we thought. Obviously all were wrong.
Prof: "Hei, earlier there was no system of marriage like ours now. No dating and arranged marriage. Man went around other villages, found a girl whom he liked, and later, he went with one of his STRONG an TALL friends to that village and just kidnapped the girl. That was the way brides were found."
"How cool!" we thought.
Prof: "So, that STRONG and TALL man is called the best man. He is best in helping the groom kidnap the girl. BEST in that sense."
But where does lateralization figure here?
Prof: "Now, the best man stands behind the groom. Where does the bride stand? On the left or on the right?"
We thought, tried to remember the weddings of our own parents! "On the left." we said.
Prof:"Why on the left? Left is considered to be the worst side. Evil was associated with left always. All left handed were thought to be cursed. Then Why???"
We didnt have an answer.
Now see the answer:"Remember it was a kidnap. So the parents and friends of the girl may come to rescue her. In case of such an attack, there is the best man standing behind the groom. Now groom needs to protect himself. He needs a sword. Where do you keep the sword? On left or right?"
"On the left side", we said.
Prof: "So, imagine there is an attack. Also imagine that the bride is on the best side, the right side. The groom draws his sword out... and there he decapitates the bride who is now on the right side! Do you want it to happen?"
"No," we said.
"Therefore the bride is on the left."

Prof: "Why do you wear your wedding ring on the left hand?"
Again we had no answer.
Prof: "Ancient Egyptians believed that a vein from the left ring finger goes straight to the heart. Therefore the ring is on the left."


Enough of lateralization, right?
Ya, I too think so.
Yet it is amazing how human beings thought and how thought directed action and so on. Its really amazing. Isnt it?

Photographs of my life

Life is a chain of events, as seen on a movie screen. Ans as you may very well know, all the scenes on the screen are results of multiple illusions which try to fool us with much realistic sense. Of course, we need not worry about somebody cheating us when we are in the theatre watching a movie. But we should be certainly be thinking of the mechanism of these movies which we take home as we leave the theatres.
As anyone who thinks little deep can see, the visuals we see influence us a lot- be it a photograph, painting, scenery, or a movie. But what escapes even those who think is the fact that beyond these visible visuals, there is an invisible level of visuals and audio which subtly influence and overpower us without our concent. What is it?

What is it?
It is nothing but the way you look at your neighbour. Have you ever noticed your own feelings as you went out of those air conditioned theatre rooms after spending a couple of hours, travelling over the world with strange characters? How did you look at your neighbour? How did you walk? Didnt you feel that your feet were a little above the ground? Didnt you?
This is what i mean.

But you see, things dont end there. These visuals remain in the unconscious and conscious minds and work their way. Its like incarnations. The film maker and the camera man and editor and the whole crew work on your brain like no one else did before.

If you dont believe, next time you go to cinema, hault, take a deep breath and observe yourself. YOU are the greatest example to study your neighbour!!!

Danger on Wheels

I was shocked when I saw a boy falling down on the foot-board of a moving APSRTC bus, while he boarded the fast moving bus, in one of the busiest streets of Secunderabad yesterday. To add to my shock, the conductor who was a witness coolly asks the boy for bus fare, as if nothing has happened! No reaction to what he sae, no warning, no correction.
Not over, when the boy fell, there were four other students standing on the food board. I was shocked. But no one else was shocked.
While talking to a friend, after this incident, he told me that it was shocking for me because my eyes were new to these sights! As you go along, you will be ok!!!
Oh yes. I think I will be ok, if I close my eyes to thes nonsense. But I cant do it. Today, that boy fell on the foot board. What would happen if he falles under the wheels tomorrow? Are my eyes t digest and forget that too? No. I think some one has to bell the Cat.

The APSRTC conductors are so careless about safety of passsengers. They never instruct people to move away from foot boards, even when the bus is almost empty. The traffic police here plays a role, not more than that of a 'scare crow'. Often, I feel they are there to witness these dangetous tricks played by 'amateuf circus artists'! I have seen them mercileely using their 'Lattis' on such passengers, in other states of India. I would be happy if they do so here too.

Pain and fear are not desireable, But often, they TEACH us a lot...

Let us be ONE

Today, I heard an educated professor saying, "In India, the society 'IS' caste based!"
I wanted to corect her and make that 'IS' a 'WAS.' But you know, I am only a student! and she is a Ph.D. and is a professor and draws a fat salary from this 'caste based society.'
So, it is not your knowledge but degrees that determines whether what yuo say is right or wrong. Therefore, my heart told me, dear young man, do not tend to go against the rights of the educated. You may become the 'WRONG.'



Dear Reader, if you are one of those 'educated' gentle folk, please think again. It is our attitudes that hold us back. India is still caste based in your mind and mind you, in reality, it will remain so for you. A humble appeal I have to make is "please do THINK." Use your reason. Open your eyes. The one who sits next to you is a human being, not a fanatic, not a caste identity. Look at human beings and see humanness, longing for love and unity, need to love and be loved...

we are all ONE.


Come on, let us awake from this Millenius old slumber of discrimination and labelling.

LET US BE ONE

road side

Road side is a side of life.
We really dont see what is on the side of the road.
We really dont need to see.
It is because we are busy.
And we speed on our way.
So we dont see what is on the road side.

Yesterday, I found a man on the road side.


It happened because i was not speeding on the way.
I was selfish.
I wanted to absorb someone's misery and make it a commodity.
That is why I found this man on the road side.
Quite selfish am I.
And look at me... I am not ashamed of being selfish.
And not aware of the dire needs of that man and all those he represents.
I am also part of the two advertisement boards beside him.
I preach life and pretend to protect it.
But in reality, I only laugh at weakness.
As the great man said, poor are always with us.
Pardon me my dear man for my insensitivity.
For I am ignorant.
Teach me generosity.
Teach me to give.
Teach me to offer and share.
Open my eyes...
Its you teacher, that I owe my life to.
Come and take over me.

My First Day at College

My First Day at College

The day broke an hour prior to ‘my day.’ Waking up-though late-was quite a task. Yet, expectations of a new beginning threw me out of the bed. A quick rush through the morning business made me ready for the church-thought of beginning the day well!
Huh! As the saying goes, man (woman) proposes, God disposes. Half way through, the heavens opened and lo, showers of blessing poured down, drenching me inside out. Assured of God’s blessing, I came away like a wet dog.
Drying up, eating, dressing- all these happened in 20 minutes. And I was ready to get wet again!
Wading through 2 feet deep water on the road, my friend and I managed to reach the bus station. Thanks to the merciful drivers who splashed enough water on us and made us look like chicken. The first bus to the College came round the corner and disappeared round another corner! The next bus seemed to remain perpetually at the bus stop. A third bus took us into the city, which was almost like a swimming pool, except for the dirt. Thank god, we landed safely in a puddle as we jumped out when it slowed down.
Again another adventurous walk took us to the College. With sighs of relief, we headed for the notice boards which exhibited notices 3 0 5 days old. It bluffed us, saying nothing about neither classes nor class rooms. So we were there, at the College, like two lost tourists, in a large group of young folks, not knowing what to do.
Great, isn’t it? Hmm… not over yet. Each time I spotted a class, I reached just in time when they were dispersing. Now its 4 pm. I am happy because I could meet scores of other friends who were equally lost as I were. And… of course, I had 2 full meals in the meanwhile. A great day indeed – my first day at College!
Secunderabad,
20.08.2009.

full of emotions...

What can the mouth say when the heart is so full of emotions and eyes, of tears?
Silence, embrace my weaknesses and erase my sinfulness, for I have done wrong.
Love is to be and I did not live it up to the full.
And lo! Today I sit lost in the middle of nowhere, groping like a fool.
Oh! Forgive me my dear, and don’t go far away from this wretched creature…