The Kite Runner...

I wanted to like this Book! I was left in confusion for long time after I turned over the last page of this book. I was left incomplete, disturbed as Afghanistan… My attempt to pen down my journey through ‘The Kite Runner’.

A shattering story of betrayal and redemption starts with the glimpse of life in Afghanistan before the Russian invasion. Its utilitarian prose portraits the Kabul, a lively city where schoolboys recited Sufi poetry and secular businessmen thrived. The inhumanity of the Class System of different forms would have shaken the history of every nation in the world. I have read few breathtaking books choosing this as a theme, as this book does; the story of Barrier between the Pashtuns and the Hazaras with its emotional insight. The story continues with the Russian invasion and the horrific realities of the war. When Taliban took over, Afghanistan lost its freedom again! Heartrending truth of Taliban ruled, turbulent recent Afghanistan is compelling. The political, social and cultural view of turmoil in modern-day Afghanistan flows into your veins. At the same time book develops characters whose heartbreaking struggles and emotional triumphs resonate within you long after the story ends.

Khaled Hosseini accomplishes what very few contemporary novelists are able to do in his debut novel! The novel starts strongly with a strong quote “There is a way to be good again”, as you go on every page has got beautifully crafted thoughts which strikes your emotions strongly. My emotions were going haywire. Hosseini offers sometimes tragic, sometimes fun filled, sometimes emotional, but always heartfelt view of a fascinating land. The way Hosseini uses the story of great warriors Rostam and Sohrab in this book is amazing. This book is about friendship, discrimination, jealousy, bravery, cowardness, betrayal, self-loathing, love, family, emotions, redemption, retribution, acceptance, disloyalty, forgiveness and much more. An unseen country becomes visual with the details captured in every frame. Hosseini works as an artist, the frame being Sun rise, Kabul Market, Kite fights in winter or Taliban ruled Afghanistan.

Being close to the reality is the strength as well as the limitation of this book. The book might mislead a reader who has not read the modern history of Afghanistan, if he believes this as a memoir. The first half of the book is so realistic that, implausible turns and twists in the second half disturbs the flow of reading. It is hard to accept few dramatic plots towards the end, even though this is a fiction. I agree, strong emotional impact being the strength of the book throughout, but in few places importance given to create this emotional impact compromises with the strong story built. Towards the end Hosseini tries to answer every mistake made, which becomes visible and looses the depth it carried. The last few pages would have been better, that’s where ‘The Kite Runner’ falls short of becoming a legendary book.

A shattering story of betrayal and redemption set in war-torn Afghanistan. As emotionally gripping as it is tender, ‘The Kite Runner’ is an unusual and powerful debut… A must Read… I bet you will like it…

I repeat, I wanted to like this Book!

Cheers!
Kiran

Bangalore…The Wonder Land !

What we are is because of the path we walked on. The emotional I within us is not built by ourselves; he/she is built by the people walked with us along the path, world around the path, experiences along the path. Our emotional characteristics come out from the mould of these experiences, and are immortal. Certainly we show least respect to the world along our walkway, even though we are reflections of it. As a normal human tendency we rarely appreciate the present. As an old phrase says “You will understand the importance of it, when you don’t have it”.

I am missing my Bangaluru a lot! I wrote the above lines as a proem to memories of Bangalore. Sitting at the end of a week-end I am recollecting the city which flows inside my heart, and was left unnoticed! What I am today, this city has got significant contribution to it. This city is embedded inside all of us with its rich heritage of culture, diversity, tolerance … An attempt to retrospect the best days of my life spent in this city.

Almost eight years back I was thrown on the streets of Bangalore by Sugama tourist on a beautiful chilly morning of early winter. The next day morning I was walking with one of my friend on the Sampige Road, ‘Green Street’ of Malleshwaram. The mild breeze ruffling the leaves of the trees has created the impression, city itself is air conditioned. Boy came from a small town was amazed by the speed and color of the city. I still remember the pizza I ate that day, before that I did not even know what pizza is. I think that was the starting point of understanding the city. 

My journey of becoming Bangalorean started in Ramaiah College. I was forced to come out of the bookish world and face the reality. I started understanding the city with my own scale of good and bad. Finding the best set of friends having the same frequency is a boon, which I am always blessed with. I wouldn’t have survived in this city with the same mindset and knowledge I stepped in. My friends prepared me for the rest of my life in this city. How genuine was the thrill of zipping the bike through the traffic of the city…? How fake were the colors of MG Road - Brigade road…? With the very limited money in our pockets we enjoyed the college life to the most. Those crazy rides to Nandi hills in rainy midnights… Late night walks in the BEL road… ice cream melting in shivering winter nights… Sagar Bakery Bun Samosa, Chees Maggi with Ginger Chai… Hostel life… Horrible study holidays and night outs… College fest … With all these my grades definitely declined, but I was learning lessons for my future. When I came out of the college and started working, city unfolded different flavor of it. City taught me the value of money… City taught me thinking using brain not always using heart… City taught me the importance of communication…

How can I forget morning walks in Lalbagh… Evening walks in KR Park … Fragrance of Gandhi bazar ... Crowd of DVG road … Ankita and Sapna ? Oh they are book stalls! … Jogging in calm streets of RR Nagar… What you miss most when you come out of Bangalore is 'The Taste of Bangalore'. Idli-Vada dipped in sambar… Dwaraka - Khali Dosa … South Thindis- Masala Dosa… Sree Krishna Bhavan - Batani Idli … Kamath - Jolda Rotti Unlimited Meals … Kanti Sweets - Mysorepak … Conner House – ice creams… Gappa Pani Puri … Enough … I can continue for pages :)

Crowded majestic is a different world compared to peaceful RR Nagar. Shopping malls and multiplexes shine with all their color… temples next to them are crowded too, they still have time for God ??? !!! KR Market is a wonder, coconuts and computers are sold in the same manner! Driving is a type of adventure sport … Unpredictable blessings of rain… Streets ruled by Fried Rice and Gobi Manchurian odor. Bangalore is a true Wonder Land.

I love Bangalore with all its limitations. Here in London I am standing beside a road, waiting for the right time to cross the road. I would have comfortably crossed the road in Bangalore with more number of vehicles on it. Bangalore runs by trust, whereas London runs by rule. I like ‘Trust’ than the ‘Rule’.

Bangalorean by soul !
Kiran

The Last Lecture - A Must Read

World’s best universities give an opportunity for their professors to deliver “Last Lecture” before they retire. When Randy Pausch got this opportunity, he would have never thought, it will become last lecture of his life! Doctors confirmed his pancreatic cancer just few days before his lecture and he was left with few days in his life. People thought his “Last Lecture” will be about the ‘Death’, but what they got is “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams”. This lecture has changed the life of lakhs of people all over the world.
 

This book is not a story of a person. This is an experience of a computer scientist who is writing last pages of his life diary. It is easy to talk about death… It is easy to imagine how death will approach you … It is easy to write about necessity of death. But when death is there right in front of you… When you know your life is going to in in few days… telling “Life is beautiful, be happy always” with the smile on the face is difficult … very very difficult. Randy Pausch is the one who created this magic. Americans call him as “Saint of Pittsburgh”.

At the age of forty seven Randy Pausch become the victim of cancer. He lived like he knew it. He fulfilled his series of childhood dreams. He got his doctorate… an astronaut… a scientist… a professor… a Disney Imagineer. In every position he stepped into, he earned big name. Before and after achieving every position he faced lots of obstacles. Even when he came to know about his cancer, he stood up to face it. But when Dr. Kvinnen who is known as “Who daily fights with God and Wins!” told Randy “I am sorry dear, cancer is in final stage”. Randy understood … we can fight against anything in life … even against the God... but not against the death. The way he led his life after that is inspiring.
 

The book talks about his child hood… Influence of his parents on him… Football coach who brought discipline in his life … How he met hero he admired ‘Captain Krik’ of ‘Star Trek’… How he achieved his childhood dream of writing an article to encyclopedia… How he fulfilled his dream of becoming an astronaut… How he achieved his childhood (age of seven) dream of working in Disney by becoming a Disney imagineer… His over confidence… His love … His adventures marriage… His emotional attachment with his three kids… His students (I was astonished by the list of successful students he created!!!)… ‘Entertainment Technology Centre’ he started in the university and its success… His achievement in ‘Virtual Reality’ field… Founder of well-known 3D software ‘Alice’… The way he prepared his wife for his death… Art of leaving… Talking about courage and belief with death next to him!!!

He talks about how to dream in life and how to achieve them. There is a love story, as well as misery of life in his lecture. There is a struggle… There is a tear of joy. There is a rejoice towards the life … There is a rejection towards the failures… There is a clear aim for the walking path… 

While reading this book, you will laugh at few incidents. Sometime wonder holds your hand… you forger yourself and walk along with the wonder. Most of the places it touches the deep of your heart … tears roll on your cheeks.

He accepted death with great love towards life! Everybody who loves their life must read this book.

http://www.thelastlecture.com/

Cheers!
Kiran

Vipassana... A Technique of Meditation

Probably because of too much of reading or my own thought process, I don’t believe in temples and rituals! I don’t like Tirupati queues, mad rush. Pulling people in front of the God to throw them out is totally unacceptable for me. I don’t understand the concept of giving money to one of the world’s richest Gods J. I am against any Guru who calls himself as God and makes money in the name of God. I still believe there is a power greater than human beings which can be called as ‘God’, ‘Nature’ or anything you like.

I was not at all inclined towards any meditation as such.  When one of my friends told about ‘Vipassana’ or ‘Dhamma’ I was not at all keen on it. When he told “There is not a bit in this which is against your process; It is worth giving a try and will help you a lot”. I thought of giving a try… Not to come out of any complexes J. Taking ten days off is not a joke J

I took that decision because it is not linked to any religion. You will not do any kind of chanting here. The course says, this technique is reinvented by Buddha hence name of Buddha comes many times throughout the course. But it never preaches a single word about ‘Buddhism’ as an organized religion, in fact it is against Buddhism as an organized religion. It runs free of cost! You can donate only if you have completed at least one ten day course! No money making technique involved hence still in its pure form. Above all it doesn’t preach any blind belief, it is an experience.

This technique is pure science of mind and metal, which cannot be understood   intellectually. It can be understood only at the experience level. Technique just says observe your body sensations. Any reaction to a situation will produce a body sensation; you need to develop wisdom to observe these body sensations so that you can react better using your wisdom not from already stored reaction pattern. The technique claims it purifies the mind at root level!

Purifying the mind is not very simple. You should not talk for entire ten days, not even using gesture – ‘Noble Silence’! You have to get up at 4 O’clock in the morning, meditate sitting in ‘Padmasana’ for twelve hours every day! Concentrating mind for the entire twelve hours is a challengeJ. Three hours in a day you are not expected to move any part of your body for an hour! My joints and back were paining like hell J You will get light breakfast at 6.30 in the morning, lunch at 11, tea and a banana at 5 O’clock in the evening… That’s it! After lunch at 11 you will have next solid food only as next day breakfastJ

With all the above challenges, you will feel good after ten days. Your mind becomes so sharp, last two-three days you can clearly feel the vibrations passing from head to feet and feet to head … It is an amazing experience!!! I feel more peaceful, more light after ten days. I understand the power of ‘Silence’ both in terms of sound and thoughts. If nothing else it tests fitness of your mind and body J You can just attend it for the experience of it and also probably to understand what is ‘Dhamma’.

If you think Good, act Good… Nothing other than Good can happen to you. An attempt to spread Peace and Harmony …. Am I sounding like a saint after a ten day meditation course? :D :D :D

http://www.dhamma.org/

Cheers!
Kiran