Buddha- a person or a philosophy

In current context, is Buddha a person or a philosophy? This questions hits me hard. Buddha is in vogue. His faces in different moods and statues are sold in millions. He has become a fashion statement to many. His mere statue, placed strategically, depicts as a caste, class leveling symbol. In all forms of depiction, the beautifully carved eyes are kept little ajar. The posture and the eyes illustrate the meditative mood. But, still the question remains, what do they reflect? A philosophy?

Personally, I am a great fan of Buddha statues. I think they bring a lot of serenity in the atmosphere. That meditative composure is contagious. Brings solace and peace in the ambience. But, Buddha was never to one, but to the society.  The statues remain the hard earned skill of the craftsman. And, it his magic that we translate into our equanimity. Nevertheless, that portrayal transmits an idea, which is embedded in our subconsciousness, seeded through periodical interaction with one or the other source, verbal or written.

We haven't seen Buddha, hence the variance in the illustrative portrayal. What remains constant is his preaching, his philosophy of life, his approach towards one and all. But, we seem to be more swayed by the iconic art produce than his thoughts and viewpoints.

What bewilders is the varied perception towards the same face by one and another. In elite circles, Buddha is present with different significance, as a symbol of serenity. At some places his statutes are placed strategically to give socio-political message. The latter stands for opposition, no doubt against atrocities, and the former for peace. Both contradict each other. Presence at one place is inward looking, for inner calmness and tranquility and at the other it is for outward equality, a strong message. Both places we find the same Buddha, an inanimate statue bringing different kind of life experience to the claimed possessor, with different connotation.

The philosophy, at both places, to a great extent still remain misunderstood. The philosophy, to my limited understanding, is inward looking for outward behaviour. To learn to behave and serve. To realize and to act. To purify oneself to support selflessly. To many of us, Buddha has become a statue of a person and somewhere the soul and the spirit of his philosophy is lost. 

Morning walk- a compulsory chore affected

Morning walk is addictive, I would realize it when Delhi Smog would force us to stay home. Body would get lazy, lethargy would creep in into every spectrum of daily activities. The withdrawal symptoms would manifest loud and clear.

And, now this COVID-19 is forcing the addicts to stay home. What an irony! When Corona has pushed the vehicles out of roads, which Delhi government desperately desired, and the pollution level has improved beyond tolerance (as for Delhites impure air is normal), and one can run or walk extra miles for lungs are left empty because of lack of char blocking alveolar, the air sacs in lungs, COVID is coercing everyone to stay home. Smog vs purer COVID air? situation remains same. Self Quarantine is the best solution.

So, again that lethargy is sinking in. This compulsory daily morning chore, which kicks off the day on a positive note is missed. Morning walk is not just a physical exercise. It is mental relaxation too. For me, who is a compulsive greeter to all walking mates, if not all, then preferably to the senior citizens, a smile on my face and on others was just heartening. I remember, whenever I start wishing morning a senior citizen or senior couple with earphones plugged to my ears, they think I am on  a call. It took them couple of days to realize that those greetings were to them. And, then after every day I would receive those greetings from them, if at all I failed due to absent mindedness. I have today around 10-12 senior citizens who are on my greeting list. Honestly, I scarcely know any of them, except for the fact that we share a common walking track in the community park.

Few days back, I came across a senior lady in close to seventies, short height, thin, wrinkled face, little gloomy eyes and single walker in salwaar kurta. First round I just saw her pass. She looked straight on the track and avoided eye contact. Felt it was deliberate, and normal, as any normal person would do (certainly, I feel to be abnormal, because hardly anyone did what I do. Hence, by theory of rarity I am abnormal). Seldom she came to the park, or perhaps we had different routine. In the second round I wished her 'Namaskaar'. She glanced and seeing me wearing huge headphones looked back on track. The same confusion, if I was over phone or my greet was guided towards her. When we crossed again I smiled and she smiled back. And then after she passed broad, ear to ear smile, every time we crossed. Those wrinkles faded, eyes shined and her steps became so lively. And, for me it was another walking mate made friend. This morning bliss of unknown company, and perforce wearing of smile is routine.

The best part is when either me or my wife go missing. Then the spouse present in park is bombarded with queries about the other spouses absence. And, this concern is not just from older mates but youngsters too get bothered. The best part being none of us know who we are except that young old 70+ years environment crusader who greets on behalf of all defence forces 'teeno senaon ki tukdi aapke salaami ke liye tayaar hai shreeman'. He could be recruited in CDS office, as CDS is the head of all Defence forces of the country. This is the magic of our morning walk.

CORONA you are not merely eating into my calorie burning out space but also keeping me away from those beautiful smiles, perhaps which carry hidden blessings.

'CORONA GO, GO CORONA'

Corona- mother of creativity

Corono virus- COVID 19, no doubt, has shaken everyone globally. Some, in defiance, pretend to challenge the peril by presuming that it is another flu, which can be handled by taking mild precautions, and some have gone overboard by extending precautions to impractical level. I am not intending to discuss anyway about COVID, as already news and newspapers are deluged with instructions and details. Social media is full of advisories and many are scientific based and some are figment of cultural delusional confidence. Reading the posts are sometime hilarious and sometime gruesome. Depressing and mood uplifter.

In the past week, some interesting, imposing, advisory conversations that I was engaged in are worth mentioning here.

One of our morning walk mate is a 73 year old young man, who is always in action, physical and mental. He is fit like any 35 year old person. He is an avid environmentalist, who has already planted more than a thousand saplings. He is multi talented. He is fond of singing and is also a good athlete, plays very good Table Tennis. Somehow he came to know that we are police officers. Since then he grabs an opportunity to catch up with us in the morning just to wish and salute with a parade statement- 'Teeno senaon ki tukdi aapke salaami ke liye tayaar hai shreemaan'. In the beginning I was baffled, as it had no relevance, but now I am left with no choice but to smile and with folded hands say Namaste. In case he intends to change his greetings, he would say- 'Delhi Police Zindabaad.' He is a learned person and a retired senior bank official. Since three days he has been pushing free advises to fight Coronoa.

'It is easy to fight Corono if you follow three advises' he says. 'First, you should have a half cut onion next to your bedside. Second, take five to six cloves of garlic and weave it into a garland. put it at the entry point of each room and thirdly, wear a necklace of one clove of garlic . If you religiously follow this Corona is defeated'. Today, I was embarrassed when he asked me to show my neck, to prove that I was following his advice. Certainly, I had failed him. He wants police to be protected.

When I was asking a relative as to how they were reacting to the pandemic panic, she said 'we are overcautious. And the best part is that our maids are better prepared than us.' To elaborate she informed, 'We may miss wearing masks but our domestic helps are always wearing it. We informed them that anything brought from outside should be cleaned. They took so seriously that today I found my maid jerking off the newspaper violently. When I asked her, she said that because newspaper cannot be washed she was jerking off so that the virus falls from the paper'.

We had some issues with one of the electric board. I asked our electrician to come and fix it. When he came I asked him to use sanitizer. He started removing his shoes outside the gate. I asked him to come in with shoes as shoes normally tend to be a good insulator. He removed them and banged the soles against each other, noisily and with full power. When I asked why, he said, 'If any Corono is glued to soles they would be killed'.

One of our friend said that alcohol is the best to fight the virus. So, a spoon of alcohol in any form should be taken every hour to maintain the medium in mouth to kill virus. Another friend said, the best way to keep Corona away is to drink lukewarm lemon water. It was not difficult to figure out who was teetotaler. The choice is yours.

So, the creative imagination to ward off Corona is picking. And, we need not kill ourselves out of stress. There can be lighter moments. Smile and sing in Chorus!

'CORONA GO, GO CORONA'.