Tintinnabulation for 11 12 13!

Nothing particular comes to mind for blogging this day. 

Still, how could I elude easily this special day without etching it on my Incredible Injera! 

Hence these jottings...

Especially while I am devoted to approaching exams... 

Ever since childhood I am getting this reminder: 'Don't keep things for the last moment, study lessons on time and be free while exams approach'. 

But in my life, I could never enjoy exams in such a way!

Yesterday evening Dr. Rajeeb Roy came and shared a new English world: 'tintinnabulation'. 

With all excitement of grabbing that fresh word, he explained the meaning to me: "a ringing sound". 

Over a cup of black tea, I chatted mechanically with him. The thoroughly new word, made no much tintinnabulation in me... 

Ringing in my mind was exam bells. Swirling in mind was something, sorry, Slum-thing!!

Dr. Rajeeb came just a few minutes after I could learn about the phenomena of slums from one of the lessons of Urban Sociology. 

Slums are part of both developed and developing nations - and even communist countries are not devoid of this most degraded living environs. 

What causes slums  - East side of Chicago and Dharavi of Mumbai?

What leads to Linfen slum in China?

Why slums are thus levelers of world nations???

Wait before I ferret out some information from my text books. 

It's exam time!! Dear readers, provide me your good wishes...

Respectful tributes for Mandela...

Image courtesy: retronaut.com

'Incredible Injera' bows before the precious ideals left behind by this great teacher, this African Gandhi!

Yohanis, the believer

(Contexts and characters of this story are imagination of the author that have got no connection with any real life contexts or characters.)

Image courtesy: http://1.bp.blogspot.com

The priest shouted once more: “Demons get away from this girl’s body...I order in the name of Jesus!” The solemn crowd of the girl’s relatives obediently reciprocated, “Amen!” But the girl fell fainted into the hands of Yohanis, her brother. The priest sprayed holy water over the girl’s face and she slowly opened her eyes. As usual, thanking the priest, the crowd got out of that shabby spiritual healing centre. While getting out holding his younger sister Meseret for the twelfth consecutive time out of the healing centre, Yohanis was thoroughly despaired. His conscience reminded him once more: “Believe... she will be cured”.  “God has given wings to angels, not to these believers to fly over all troubles”, Yohanis was thinking while walking two kilometres through the rouble-road, carefully carrying his exhausted, enervated sister. Again his mind gave the answer: “Believe... you will get wings”. 

*      *     *     *     *

In last two years, Yohanis saw his younger sister becoming hysteric at least 14 times. All these started when she passed out of the high school. Whenever she shows symptoms, the family rushes her to the spiritual curing centre, where she would faint at the stubborn mediation of the priest and blink open her eyes at the sprinkle of holy water. Then the entire family would heave a sigh of relief and return, refurbishing their belief in the divine. 

After the day’s ordeal, Meseret is now peacefully sleeping. She must be too tired. How brilliant, agile and diligent was she! Since the very day she got admission to the higher secondary two years back, she has been doing part-time jobs. In Ethiopia, there is nothing unusual of students working and earning money for their education.  Every morning Meseret distributed milk to some restaurants and houses. She would earn 6 birr each morning out of this. 30 days would provide her 180 birr. In the evenings she would become a sales girl in the village’s only shoe shop. There are no much shops or offices or commercial establishments in her village. The only extravagant landmark of that small town was confined to that shop named, ‘Best Shoes’. One can procure not only shoes, but overcoats, jackets and cosmetics – almost all Chinese.  After school, she would reach the shop at 5pm (11pm according to Ethiopian way of counting time) for duty and would work until it closes at 8.30pm (2.30pm according to Ethiopian way of counting time). Through this she could get 5 birr plus dinner on days of her work. That means 150 birr if she worked 30 days together. The morning services and the evening sales work together used to provide her a total of 330 birr a month, which was worth an amount for her needs. 

*      *     *     *     *

Everything went awry in the little girl’s life when her 52-year-old shop owner grew a lust for her. One night, he wanted her to stay with him. She continued unheeding the owner’s demand for two days. The third day proved the worst in her life. When the power went off, the owner put the shutters down and approached a trembling Meseret. Her throat became dry and no more cries came out from that frozen feeble human body. As the man became a beast, power came with a blast. Entire shop was in fumes and smoke... something was burning.  People started shouting from outside. There was a short circuit and the entire building was in flames... Someone broke open the shutters, crawled into the shop, pulled, dragged and threw Meseret out on to the road first; and thereafter the shop owner... Partly clad girl got huddled, covering her body with hands and bending her head towards her breast. She was profoundly shivering. Yohanis came running. When he came to know about the whole story, he lost all self control. In a frenzy, he kicked the shop keeper thrice – one to make him fall flat and two heavy stamps over the chest of the fallen man. Not over, he gathered a piece of charcoal and wrote boldly over the shop’s name to read “Beast Shoes”. He gave his own coat for her sister to cover her body. He gathered her towards him and both of them went back. Meseret’s first hysteric expression was on the next day of this ghastly incident.  And the agony repeats then and now. 

*      *     *     *     *

Thinking all these, Yohanis was sitting at the shade of the cattle shed, when his mother Herut’s compassionate touch over his head brought him back to this world. “Oh boy, come on, take some food”, Herut’s words were drenched in love. When he stood up, the calf came running and started drinking its mother’s milk. Yohanis was about to ride it away, but Hirut stopped: “No, no... let the calf drink as much milk as it needs”. Yohanis said, “But mother we need to sell milk to our regular customers. If the calf...” before he could finish, his mother added: “Yes, yes, today let it be not the day for our customers, let it be a day for our little calf”.  Heruth is a mother who valued compassion more than commerce. Holding Yohanis on his right hand Herut went inside. Inside, the home provided a cool setting for Yohanis. The mother has always been a healing touch for his burning heart. On the table was a glass of thick home-made curd mixed with local spices that Yohanis always loved to have. Two daboos (ball-shaped bread) and a little of smashed egg were also served to him. While enjoying mother’s care, Yohanis got that inward call: “Believe... nobody knows you better than your mother”.  Like a goddess this mother has been nurturing the two children ever since their father left them marrying another lady. 

*      *     *     *     *

Being a psychology graduate, Yohanis was offered a teaching job with the same university from which he passed out. The university was some seven hundred kilometres away from home. Considering the sister’s pathetic condition and mother’s old age, offer from the distance was not a choice for him. “Believe, you will get what you deserve”, conscience pacified him.  Yohanis recollected the Freudian theory of displacement  - strong emotional feeling of a person is sometimes displaced onto something else – it can be individuals, things, animals or birds – upon which the person would start venting his/her emotions. Freud arrived at this conclusion while postulating his own unshaken theory of religions. 

“Can my sister displace her huge vengeance against the old shop owner onto something else so that I could have finished that object for cooling down her disturbed mind”, Yohanis was thinking. For example, had Meseret imagined an ox in the place of her beastly shop owner, Yohanis could have readily killed that ox; or he could have helped his sister kill the beast for unleashing and ending her vengeance forever. “How long should my little sister bear this torture?” Yohanis wiped off a drop of tear from his eyes.

*      *     *     *     *

It was an April night. ‘Belg’ rains have already started in Ethiopia. Forenoons are brighter but all afternoons and nights are drenched in rain. This short rain season is best for farming certain long-cycle and short-cycle crops. Yohanis was coming back from the barley field. Barley is a short-cycle crop. He was thinking of replacing Barley with Millet, a long-cycle crop next time. “Should discuss with mother” he was thinking. He walked a bit careful for it was dark and the way was full of thick slimy mud. Someone was walking in front of him. He didn’t need a second look to ascertain that the person was none other than the shop owner – the rogue that tore apart the mental fabric of his darling sister. It is this beast that prevented him from accepting a job offer. It is due to this beast that paradise was lost for their modest household. Each thought turned into fury when his conscience murmured, “Believe, the paradise is open only for the sufferers of today”. Such esoteric principles could no more pacify him. He already blew a gasket to give a heavy kick from behind to the shop owner. That thunderbolt has got the man thrown some ten feet away where face down, he landed on the mud. Yohanis stamped ten times on the back of the man’s neck before ensuring him dead. 

There was no more compassionate, decent Yohanis, who has by then became an incarnation of a devil’s devil – a devil that was assigned by the God to kill another devil. He pulled the left hand of the corpse and started running home dragging it all along the way. At the bedside of Meseret, a heavily entranced Yohanis woke up his sister: “Meseret, Meseret, wake up my sister... see this sight... see this end of our home’s demon”. Meseret opened her eyes and saw Yohanis struggling to lift the dead body of the shop owner to show her its deformed face. “See this... smile my sister... see this and smile...” Yohanis was saying utterly trembling. Yes, Meseret smiled - for the first time since that horrible day.  

*      *     *     *     *

On the day of verdict, while standing at the court room, his mind repeated its pastime: “Believe, good days will come for you”. Yohanis neglected that totally. Good days after killing a person! What else is better than bringing back a smile on younger sister’s life!! The happiest day was the one when his younger sister smiled like a full moon, overcoming the dark of that heinous experience.  He was anticipating a death sentence which he could have readily accepted. But the court sentenced just five years of imprisonment! Even today, he couldn’t understand what prompted the court not to pronounce a death sentence or at least a life sentence for this great crime. 

Later he also heard a rumour that a newly recruited young police man named Shuma, who was entrusted with the job of writing the FIR has failed miserably in making the report foolproof; and hence the court could not find ample evidence to order the ultimate punishment. 

*      *     *     *     *

Now after thirty long years, while strolling through the paths trave

rsed by him in life, two things are clear for Yohanis: one, his sister’s husband is Ato Shuma who is currently the sub inspector with the Oromia Police and two, Burtukan, the only daughter of the man killed by him, is now with him in his life journey as his beloved wife.  Frazer, Freud, devils, spirits, rituals and God of different religions of the world are now mundane jargons for Prof. Yohanis at the Department of Psychology at one of Ethiopia’s leading universities.  

While pondering over religion, Peter Berger’s paradoxes always interest him: Berger’s earlier notion was that in the expansion of science, ‘White gods and the divine are replaced fast by white coats (of laboratories and scientists)’; later same Berger postulated that religions will sustain the modernity in various forms – it won’t be monolithic, but pluralistic religion’.  Nonetheless Prof. Yohanis never needs a second thought to ascertain that life is all paradoxes. 

- K.P. Sivakumar

The Hindu Communist

On the birth anniversary of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, here is a look back at how Indian diaspora was formed during the colonial times, the consequent concerns of India and foresighted dealing of the situation, especially by Nehru. 

Nehru loved children. India's position on its diaspora is brainchild of Nehru.
Image Courtesy: Wikipedia. 

Slavery and after

Slavery was abolished in Britain (1834), France (1848) and the Dutch (1863). Ex-slaves either demanded more wages or wanted not to work anymore. This increased the demand for new labour force for the colonial plantations. India was the best choice since workers from other sources could not withstand the tropical climates of plantations. 

Hence large number of Indians was lured to emigrate by sea. Better not to speak on how badly people were treated – at depots, ships and plantations! The sea voyages were hazardous and tiring. ‘Salsette’, a ship that carried more than 300 people on board had around 120 died enroute! And this is just a sample of the regular hardship that prevailed. 

This recruitment got polished in the form of ‘indentured labour’ (contract labour) and continued from 1834 to 1920. Within this period the number of Indian emigrants to major destinations was Guyana (240000), Trinidad (144000), Surinam (324000), Mauritius (451000, Fiji (68000) and South Africa (142000). Fearing the frightening sea voyages, many indentured labourers of India decided not to claim their right for free return trip after their contract period. Thus they became permanent settlers. 

One of the early batches of Indian indentured workers in Trinidad and Tobago. 
Image Courtesy: Wikipedia. 

‘Hindu Communist’

In pre-Independent India, the main demand of Indian leaders was that the colonial forces should give Indian labourers a status equal to that of the white settlers in the plantations. Since the independence of India was imminent, this demand was a huge headache for the colonial forces. They feared that once independent, India would emerge as a strong force to establish influential power upon their colonies including South Africa and East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda). Hence rumours were deliberately spread against India to the tone that ‘Once India attains freedom, Nehru, the Hindu Communist would capture the African nations’. This was more than enough to unleash clashes between Indian settlers and the blacks. Remember, mouth publicity has got more spread at that time when communication technologies and transport facilities were the least. 

It’s a historic truth that all such misgivings later mounted into forcing the liberated East African nations to give ultimatum to Indians to go out. ‘You come to India with all your assets or try to assimilate with the people of soil and their sovereign laws’ was India’s position. What else could have India offered at a time when she was just getting her economy evolving! Moreover, Nehru was on a mission to gather all developing countries including the African, to take a safe stand during the cold war time. Since many of the Indians had British passports, instead of coming back to India, many flew to North America and the UK by 1960s and 1970s. 

South African twist

There was interesting twists with Indian position on its diaspora in South Africa. Sentimentally roused by the connection Mahatma Gandhi had there, Indian stand was at first strong and sharp against the racist discrimination against its people in South Africa. Nehru voiced strongly and even presented it in the UN forums. But it was soon proved that moves solely for protecting human rights of Indians alone would not bring any considerable support. Later India ratified that she stands for the human right cause of not only Indians, but the native blacks also.

Indian composure

India, with such a large number of diaspora spread over the world hence has been extra careful in conceiving its world relations. Majority of its old diaspora are formed out of a colonial stage it had passed through. Majority of the old diaspora were lured by an offer for emigration without knowing where they go and what work they had to do. 

Led by Nehru’s tutelage, nowhere India had attempted to benefit its diaspora at the cost of the native people – not even in Fiji where many bloody coups removed the democratically elected governments led by the Indian origins. Instead, India used the world platforms to augment resistance against the undemocratic rioters. At least she could see that Fiji was ousted from the Common Wealth. In Sri Lanka also, India sent its peace keeping forces not to bring any exclusive benefit for the diaspora, but to assist the peace process and amicable solutions. Examples are there when countries took violent measures in sake of its diaspora. 

Nurtured at its infancy by Nehru, today the Indian approaches towards its diaspora stands brighter and stronger. Atal Bihari Bajpayee during his tenure as the Prime Minister convened the first ever convention of NRIs and PIOs. Now India celebrates January 9 of every year (the day Gandhi returned to India from South Africa) as Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas and confers awards by the name, Bharat Samman to PIOs and NRIs for their exceptional achievements. The sustainability and decency of Indian foreign policy as well as its finely composed approach towards diaspora, is today well appreciated.  

- K.P. Sivakumar

The Houdini lineage beckons

(This article was published with title, 'What is an art of magic?' by The Ethiopian Herald, dated 07 Oct 2013. To read on TEH site, click here)

Indian Houdini, Gopinath Muthukad makes a zestful presentation against alcohol. Image courtesy: Magic Academy, India

October 31st marks the 87th death anniversary of world’s all time hero of escapology, Harry Houdini. It was he who introduced great escape acts to the world of magical entertainment. Houdini was born as Erik Weisz in Hungary in 1874, March 24. His attainments in 52 years of life on this earth have now become a timeless contribution. As a child, Weiss joined his parents to migrate to the USA, where he earned fame by the new name, ‘Harry Houdini’. If ‘Harry’ resembled ‘Ehrry’ as he was called by his pals, ‘Houdini’ was a name he deliberately adopted owing to huge adulation he had for the legendary French magician, Robert Houdin. The change from school’s proud trapeze artiste and the town’s well known marathoner to ‘Harry Houdini’ was as if it was celestially destined. 

He devoted his life for demonstrating various escape techniques – from simple handcuffs to closed milk cans; and from straight jacket to fire and water escapes. His was the famous say, “Stone walls do not a prison make nor irons walls a cage.” He wished to place the art of magic to posterity and wanted the lineage of magical artists to withstand the ebbs and flows of time. His efforts were to make magic at par with other performing arts. Today, a strong regiment of descendents all over the world and an endless growth for the art are all venerable gestures of tribute to this master of the past. 

Today’s magic
The art of magic is an integral part of the entertainment business of today’s world. From David Copperfield of the US to Gopinath Muthukad of India, magicians prove their art’s theatrical value. Las Vegas of the US is the capital of world magic. A galaxy of world renowned magicians meet here making regular shows for satisfying diverse tastes of visitors. One of the unique landmarks of the Hollywood is a ‘Magic Castle’ that became operational in 1963. The Castle is now a centre of confluence for world’s premier magicians. Here, the members not only entertain hundreds of daily visitors, but also brush up their skills to ensure perpetual excellence. 

Be sure that debated here is not black magic or sorcery, but a pure magic that is used for entertainment. Magic of today is vastly branched. Comedy magic, escape magic, illusion shows, table hop magic, card magic, gospel magic, and educational magic are all in the long list. If comedy magic makes you break into laughter; escape magic turns you breathless as the magician plays between life and death. An illusion magic can levitate you to a whimsical experience where everything can be produced from nowhere; and anything can be vanished, transformed or transported at the will of an illusionist. Table hop magic is one demanded by leading hotels and restaurants all over the world. Here magicians perform through table after table to entertain clients who wait before food is served.  Since the distance between the spectator and the performer is the least, magicians do right beneath your nose, using ordinary things like a salt shaker, fork, spoon or a piece of tissue paper. In between, salt shaker may levitate in the air, spoons may get bent at the look of a magician and paper balls may become fresh lemons. 

How do they do?
Magicians of the present are far more transparent and frank enough to tell you that there is nothing supernatural with their shows. Instead, they avow that their art is more akin to a dance, drama or painting. Only difference is that for a magic show you should possess dexterity of hands and support of science. Besides these, magician as an entertainer also needs communication skill, self confidence, body control and deep concentration. Magicians apply certain aspects to divert their audience’s attention from the real secret. They call it ‘art of misdirection’. Another thing is ‘power of suggestion’ through which a magician influences the mindset of a spectator. Misdirection, power of suggestion, showmanship and style of presentation determine the entertainment quality of a magic show. 

Magic as a medium
Today magic show is proved as one of the fascinating medium for communication. For example, in many countries, Christian churches use magicians to disseminate the virtuous messages from the Bible. Coming under the general title, ‘Gospel magic’, such magic shows make the Bible’s messages lucid, palatable and enjoyable for the audiences of all sorts.
Magic itself remains to be a universal language where formal language and its grammar have little role. Illiterate and literate; bureaucrat and beggar; housewife and airhostess; teacher and student; space scientist and social scientist receive the same engrossment – a feel of being amazed or else, an amusement out of the wonderful. Magical messages get easily stuck to hearts by the lingering glue of wonder. As long as the wonder prevails, the messages also remain. For example, if a magician performs for the publicity of our Grand Renaissance Dam, it would easily gather more public support and the subject will continue to be talk of the town for longer time. Similar insight has prompted the Defence Ministry of India to engage illusionist Muthukad to perform all over the country. The job was not only entertaining defence personnel and the public but also enlightening them with messages of Gandhism, national integration and communal harmony. The Election Commission entrusted the magician to sensitize people upon the value of casting their votes; whereas the Excise Department of the Kerala State used him for spreading awareness against drug abuse and tobacco use. In 2011, the US-based International Magicians’ Society has conferred ‘Merlin Award’ – an Oscar equivalent in magic - on Muthukad in due recognition of his extensive use of magic as a communication medium.

Learning magic
Magic as an art is open for learning at many reputed magic training centres world over. The pattern of training and fees may differ, but all these institutions put forward a single prerequisite: an unblemished commitment for learning. At magic schools, artistic talents are more valued than your formal educational qualifications. And for becoming a successful magician, they propose a three-step secret: practice, practice and practice! Centre for Adult Continuing Education and Extension of the Kerala University one of the mother universities of India has approved a certificate course and a diploma course in magic. Considered to be the world’s first university approved, these courses are offered at the Asia’s first Magic Academy situated in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala in south India.  Here one can acquire either the nitty-gritty of magical art or a deep exploration on them. 

Employment
After learning magic you can opt from myriads of employment opportunities available in and out of your country. It can be as a Resident Magician of a luxurious cruise ship, or Table Hop magician at a five star hotel, or a birthday magic performer, or an extravagant illusionist. If these are not your options, you can join the Houdini lineage, make spectacular escape stunts and fetch a towering global fame.

- K. P. Sivakumar

An angel’s day

Jill was was rolled about in a sweet dream. A dream most cherished by her. How it could not be when her darling Juno comes as a hero in it!  Kisses, cuddles, and the most enchanting of all – his licks all over her silky neck... From a flower-covered romantic cliff, Jill was about to fall when Juno suddenly saved her by biting at the back of her neck. While carrying her like a mother cat doing with her kitten, Juno passed this advice to her, “When you fall from heights, learn to land on your feet”. She should have spent her remaining life in that dreamland unless madam Genna had shouted “Jill come on”. At that commotion she woke up, made a gymnastic-like body stretch and walked fast to the dining room. There her breakfast was ready, not on the table, but as usual down on the floor at a corner. To be truthful, the plate was clean and it carried a lavish course of ‘Injera’ and some pieces of bones with a little or no flesh attached. Though it was a Cinderella-like life, after food, Jill never had to wash the plates; nor her hands before a meal. Washing is untold in a cat’s life, however pretty he or she is.

Image courtesy: http://www.bhmpics.comngels.com 

As a pet cat, Jill’s world in that bungalow comprised of three things – attic, a corner in the dining room and a sprawling yard. And rarely, she should be obedient on the lap of madam Genna’s grandson, a fatty Birhanu. If the attic provided her the warmth of dreamy naps, the dining room fed her enough. The sprawling yard enlightened her intellect with sights – horticulture gardens, birds, grass, grasshoppers, geckos, chameleons adept in camouflaging and so on. A thick hedge of thorny plants that seasonally bore bright yellow fruits bordered the lawns. 

Birhanu comes to visit his grandmother once or twice in a month, only after an email or mobile text that should leave madam Genna shouting in excitement. She would first shout in glee and then start clattering vessels making the tastiest dishes for her loving grandson. Such occasions are a matter of gourmet’s delight for Jill, too. 

One-year-old Jill is already a beauty cat. She’s already under the scanning eyes of her male counterparts. She knew it, but found none suiting to her sweet imagines. It continued so until she saw two eyes, sharp and shining as precious stones. For a day or two those beautiful eyes continued staring at her from the other side of the hedge. When she strolled on the lawns; the eyes moved in tandem.  When the outsider gestured his love invite, Jill fell flat. 

She, for the first time, breached madam Genna’s code of conduct and squeezed out through the thorny gaps of the hedge. When the lovers saw each other, birds chirped, a wind blew gently, flowery bushes waved and there rained romance... Their velvet-like bodies shined. Jill felt timid... how masculine he is! He had a rough mustache .. hairy body, brawny limps... to sum up, a roughness that is handsome.  “What...what’s your name?” Jill asked. “I’m Juno. Do u like my name?” “You are irresistibly romantic member of the great cat legion” Jill said inside her mind before uttering, “You are nice”.  

Image courtesy: http://www.allposters.be

Soon Jill and Juno became remarkable lovers among the cat community of the village. When they looked at each other, the cupid sent arrows of romance; when they walked together, the moorlands got a sheath of flowers; when they hugged each other, the sky turned yet more bluish. Between cats, there won’t be a formal marriage ceremony, but things happen in their normal course. And staying together won’t also be a pastime, except regular visits between the couple. Everything was going on smoothly until that challenge came into the fore. 

A great challenge in their life appeared in the form of three wild dogs. The dogs would prevent Juno from crossing the road and meeting Jill. Once or thrice Jill had to take risky endeavours to save Juno from the dogs. At Juno’s cry which is a secret code, Jill would run to him distracting the attention of the dogs and in no time Juno along with Jill would dash to madam Genna’s home. And that worked. 

It was a Monday. As usual the devil-like dogs locked Juno under their custody. Juno was seen helpless and not defending, but sitting standstill with his head bent down. Sheer fear was dooming him. Juno gave a groan – the secret code to Jill. At the attic, Jill’s ears immediately received the distress call. In no time she darted to the usual door, but it was closed! Oh My God! Madam Genna is shouting in joy... she must have got a text from her grandson... It seems she would open the door not now... Panicked Jill ran here and there inside the bungalow before darting out through the front door. “It’s late Jill... It’s late! Run fast and save Juno from the brutes” she whispered herself. She saw nothing except her sweetheart arrested by the wild dogs. 

“Go fast, distract them...” her mind hurried. Jill became a bullet... she pierced across the highway. It was like an angel flying for saving her lover! A speeding omnibus approached when Jill adeptly darted through between the fore-wheels and rear wheels. The driver gestured in relief for not hurting the animal. There was a sudden ‘thud’ sound... oh, no... Jill is thrown into the air... she is hit by one of the rear wheels... She fell over the grass on the side of the road. "...stand on your feet", she recollected what Juno had told her in that dream...struggled a lot to stand on her feet.. but could not.. inside, her innocent heart throbbed for her sweetheart... outside, her pristine white body is thoroughly smeared of blood... consciously or not, she wagged her tail hardly twice – is it her fury against the dogs? People came running. Dogs ran in fear. Juno was released. Before he reached, Jill became still on a puddle of blood – an eternal rest.  Juno looked skywards. Jill must be one among the angels.

Entire village was doomed in worry at this early morning mishap. People who were going to local market, who were collecting water from the public tap, who were taking a coffee from the nearby restaurant, who were jogging on the roads... all said in one voice: “Oh what a bad day!”. As in Juno’s heart, Jill had a place in people’s hearts, too.  

- K.P. Sivakumar

A letter to Houdini

Harry Houdini (March 24, 1874 - October 31, 1926)

My dear Houdini,

Writing from the Earth.  We don’t know where you are now, but know that you have proved before your sweetheart Bess that there is no rebirth for a dead. When you didn't come back on the séance to utter “Rosabelle believe” in Bess’ ears, the entire world understood the futility of séances. 

As a 4-year-old, clinging on the hands of your parents, you left the shores of Europe to cross the Atlantic seeking better life prospects. And that real-life escape worked. In the USA, your new homeland, you started receiving applause. You grabbed everyone’s praise not only as a trapeze artist, but also as an ever-winning marathoner.

It must be some celestial destiny that should have prompted you to take up the magic wand. When you got the sobriquet ‘King of Cards’, it was just a fitting start. Later you opened a path of your own. You carved out a niche which until then was unheard in magic. When you outdid a handcuff for the first time, you got the name, ‘King of handcuffs’, concomitantly, the world of magic was gifted with a new horizon. That domain, which we term ‘escapology’, has made the art of magic undaunted and ageless. 

  

In front of your radical thinking no superstitions survived. Setting aside lucrative show schedules, you devoted yourself as ‘ghost buster’ and eradicated false beliefs in the society. You lived just 52 years and what you did in magic is still evergreen. At New York’s Machpelah Cemetery, in front of many wet eyes, you made a clam conclusion for this worldly life. 

Your lineage is today flourished with deft descendants  who walk through your daring paths. They strive for the posterity of your beloved art. If you live as David Copperfield in the USA; in the UK, you hover over a gracious Thames as a David Blaine  Down south of Asia, you sprinkle golden spangles of wonder over ‘God’s own country’ through the graceful Gopinath Muthukad. We see in them and myriads of their counterparts, the glitter of veneration and tribute for you, their master. Thus you live with us.

Oh... something about us, if you are keen to know.  We are now contained in a world that has become a straitjacket. You migrated to the USA in 1878 and the world migration is still continuing. Some countries lament about ‘brain drain’; my country is no exception. But many like me surprise why they are not keen in filling vacancies on time and providing legitimate wages for keeping the ‘brains’ inside the country! 

Since 1990 onwards countries are caught up in the spider web of GATT and GATS. The former is a so-called world agreement for making trade tariffs uniformly beneficial for all countries. But in reality, the regulations ensure the perpetuation of developing countries. I am not sure whether the Grace Hospital of Detroit was really graceful for you or not. But today no hospital wants to be really gracious to patients. They are also under stiff pressure due to international commercial competitions. Thanks to the GATS that has mercilessly put even education and medical service under global rule. Education system has deviated a long way from its declared and widely believed norms. Today is ‘you pay, you take’, even in education.  

Dear Houdini, no country can try to escape from this spider web and make its own attempts of resilience. The world system is such that there are certain core countries that allow the periphery nations to revolve only at particular distance. Any attempt to break this may soon invite global sanctions. It’s called globalization!

You told stone walls do not a prison make... But it seems so-called international treaties not only build prisons but lock world's population in lockups. 

Our pray all the time is that one day one Houdini may appear and liberate the whole world from the straitjackets of agony to establish an egalitarian, welfare-for all world! 

Consider if you can reappear, please. 

With lots of love,

Your fan

When you call me a donkey

Donkey means not fool but a tool for progress. (Photo courtesy: www.animalpictures123.org)

Till three years before a donkey to me was just an animal having no brain, no commonsense or no readiness to work. In India, my lone encounter with donkeys was while climbing up and down the Sabari hills as part of annual pilgrimage. Then herds of donkeys carrying heavy loads on their back and led by some keepers would be jostling and chocking the pilgrim paths causing disturbance to devotees. Tired of a tedious mountain climb, devotees disdained the donkey population. 

Now for the last three years, I am seeing a different face of donkeys. Ever since I landed Ethiopia, donkeys became more and more familiar. Here not a single day I miss seeing a hardworking donkey.  Donkeys near my home carry everything on their back – it can be vegetable sacks, firewood, grains or even jerrycans of water. They show their stamina also by pulling carts. 

Donkey economy

I could hear that in the suburbs of Addis Ababa, the capital city, many people make a hefty income out of their donkeys. Donkeys toil and moil carrying commodities to the city and back producing money to an extent of 500 ETB (Ethiopian Birr) per day for their owners.  I just googled and found many research papers substantiating the considerable economic agency possessed by the donkey population. Some documents avow the supremacy donkeys enjoy in safeguarding the economy of rural and semi-urban societies through developing societies around the world. 

Donkey beauty 

If I say donkeys have good complexion, don’t be annoyed. Be patient. Enjoy watching its sinewy, skinny bodylines and perfect eyes. To know its devoutness to duty, you should really own a donkey.     If not for me and you, doing one’s duty is the beauty for donkeys. Donkeys are not fools that do not understand what you do on it. With a single kick by throwing its rear legs together upward, a donkey can put an end to a living creature that tries to attack it. Still, in front of its owner, donkeys become synonym to obedience.

Donkey history

In the annals of history, donkeys occupy many coveted thrones. They have been here ever since 5000 BC. Many stories have been jotted down by known and unknown writers. Aesop an author of the yesteryears believed to be an Ethiopian or Greek, has written fables on donkeys. One of his tales is about a father and son travelling with a donkey. As the passersby comment, either father, or son or both together climbs up the animal. Again at the influence of the passerby, they got down and carried the animal together on their shoulders. Both the father and the son had no stand of their own, but obliged what others say. Fed up by this drama, the animal kicks down both of them. I don’t know what prompted Aesop to conclude the story in such a way that the donkey accidentally falls into water and dies. Here, donkey cannot be called a fool for sure. 

Thanks to Prof. M.I. Zuberi who during many morning walks unravelled many truths on the modest animal. Calling donkey is one of the most derogatory addresses to insult a person. “You are a donkey” equals saying that “you are the most obnoxiously foolish, lethargic and idle”. Here is my latest objection. Here in Ethiopia I see the yeoman donkeys that bear unblemished strength, sincerity, obedience and wisdom. Here are the donkeys that serve as money banks for its owner. Here are the donkeys that have earned an inseparable space in the social fabric. So, definitely, next time when you call me a donkey, I should keep a smile.  

- K.P. Sivakumar

Take a reverse: Devinder Sharma's call to policy makers

For the first time I saw Devinder Sharma on 5th of October. Thanks to the international eco-meet, ECOCASD 2013 that brought the great personality to Thiruvananthapuram. The acclaimed food policy analyst, writer and thinker was there to give valedictory address. Over five hundred delegates were eagerly waiting to hear from him on the essentials that a country like India need for saving ecosystem and continuing with sustainable development. To my fortune I got an opportunity to chat with the erudite scholar in forenoon itself.

Having a towering image in the sphere of world’s paradigms on biodiversity, agriculture and food security, Mr. Sharma would grab anybody’s heart by being down to earth. He is clear in words and firm in opinions. Following is a gist coined out of a brief, but enjoyable chat with the generous thinker and activist. 

Food security? Is it surplus food, cheep food or optimum food? All are incorrect. Food security is actually availability of food for all at all times of need. 

Needed for countries like India? It is high time to have a strong policy shift at the apex. The policy makers should take a positive deviation from the existing routes to effect better changes at the grassroots. This can alone bring in progress in the areas of agriculture and food production. 

What is the existing paradigm? Today the world is driven by the motto of economic growth and technicalities of GDP. These could never value the importance of ecosystem conservation. This conference (ECOCASD 2013) is upholding the theme of ecosystem conservation and sustainable development. I would say, the realization of sustainable development through ecosystem conservation can be made only with a paradigm shift at the top. Today is of prolific exploitation of the natural resources. Natural resources should be seen not as a commodity as is being done today. 

Salient features of ‘economic growth’ model? Conspicuous feature in India is that more rural people are prompted to drift to the urban for making a living. Industry is given priority and agriculture is discarded. This leads to the death of our age old village agricultural systems. We need a reverse of the system. People should be encouraged to remain in their villages for pursuing the farming. Gandhiji’s preaching of ‘production system by the mass and not for the mass’ was significant at this juncture. Refugee mentality of a government serving food to its people can be replaced only through adopting the path shown by Gandhiji, where people love doing agriculture and produce the food needed for them.

Then world regulations? It’s interesting. US farming bill of 2013 provides 307 billion dollars of subsidy to its farmers. Fact being this, it is ironical that the WTO pressure countries like India to cut farmer subsidy. Tomorrow (06 Oct) the chief of WTO is visiting India with an objective of the above said and many. Pressure is persistent. 

Leaders like you voice time and again. Do you see any impact over authorities? Sure. There is change. In front of such persuasive demands as we do, they cannot simply act blind. For example the chief of the UN, Ban Ki-moon has called for a rethinking over the effectiveness of existing policies. How could they not make a retrospective since the truth remains radiant that even after long span of economic growth race, majority of problems could not be solved including poverty and gap between the poor and the rich. 

While concluding the chat, with a captivating smile Mr. Sharma reminded Laxmi Presanna a leading journalist who was there, not to forget writing on the possible aftermaths of the next day’s visit of the WTO chief. 

Ethiopia’s ‘Mengi’ mesmerised at Kerala sights

[This was one among the press releases flew from the media centre of recently concluded II ECOCASD 2013 International confluence.]

Mengistu Tulu Balcha near Sri Krishna character of a Kathakali programme during a cultural evening of ECOCASD 2013 International Conference held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. 
Thiruvananthapuram: 33-year-old Mengistu Tulu Balcha is thoroughly astonished at the sights of ‘God’s own country’. Inside a landing aircraft over airport here, Mengi felt as if down there, the blue sea was embracing a green paradise. When he knew that it was the canopy of lavishly growing coconut trees that gave such green look from above, curiosity in him only grew. 

Nowhere in Mengi’s Ethiopia could one see a coconut tree. Coconut, its husk, shell and kernel are all weird enough for this African youngster. 33-year-old Mengistu - ‘Mengi’ for his close pals and family members – came to the city for attending the ECOCASD 2013 international meet. Mengi works as a Lecturer with the English Department of Ambo University. 
He reached India three months before for joining an orientation course at the Hyderabad-based National Institute for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. Thanks to a scholarship granted by the Indian government. It was from Hyderabad that he flew to hiruvananthapuram. At the ECOCASD 2013 venue, awaiting him were several photos of his homeland at an exhibition. Photos of Ambo’s village life, Wenchi crater lake, favourite ‘Injera’ served with raw meat... all these were enough to turn Mengi nostalgic.

Photos speak: At the exhibition of Ethiopian photos, Mengi joins the organizing committee chairman of ECOCASD 2013, Prof. P. Natarajan (second right), K.P. Sivakumar whose photos are on display and Dr. Akhila S. Nair. 
Mengi is not bad in fast-paced neck-dances of Ethiopia. Still, on the starting night in Kerala, he was dumbfounded by the Duryodhana Vadham Kathakali performed by Kalamandalam Krishnaprasad and team. Captivating him was the throbbing traditional percussions of Kerala’s famed folk art. The characters of the play - smiling Krishna, strong Bhima, spiteful Dussassana and cruel Duryodhana - were all leaving Mengi breathless. Though eating raw meat is a pride custom for any Ethiopian, Mengi was taken aback at the grotesque sight of Bhima pulling out the blood smeared intestine of Dussassana. Immediately after the play, Mengi sneaked into the green room and managed many snaps with Sri Krishna.
He has also made an oral presentation on communication and small scale entrepreneurs at the ECOCASD 2013. After attending a parallel seminar on Biodiversity at Sree Ayyappa College for Women, Nagercoil, he had a visit to Kanyakumari. At the peninsular tip, Mengi who hails from a landlocked nation saw not just one, but three seas joining together. And that definitely has become a matter of lifetime amazement for him.
The ECOCASD 2013 had over 500 participants from all over the world. Among them were renowned scientists, teachers, researchers and students. Ambo University of Ethiopia, that conducted the first leg of the event in 2011 was also backing the event.

- K.P. Sivakumar

A Vishu vignette

Just like a magician, the day starts with blindfolding you, and later unfolds a majestic sight of everything darling to you.

(This article was originally published in the April special issue of the Vismayam Magical News, monthly organ of the Asia's first Magic Academy, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.)

Early on a cold morning you are awakened by loving elderly hands. Hesitantly you wake up but to see nothing. Your eyes are covered by cupped palms of your beloved one – that can be your parent or grandparent; or even your elder sibling. From the bed, with your eyes still covered by those loving hands, you are safely and slowly led through a perfect dark. You then reach a corner of your house where your eyes are thrown open into an awesome sight. Glittering traditional lamp glows well with multiple flames fluttering at you. Your favourite deity’s photo bears a graceful smile. Golden spangles seem to cascade from the opulent bunches of ‘Kanikonna’ flowers. Coins, clothes, fruits, vegetables and what not! There is even a mirror kept among these, to see your own face… Garlands everywhere and fragrance in the air – it’s Vishu. Just like a magician, the day starts with blindfolding you, and later unfolds a majestic sight of everything darling to you.

On Vishu day, you cannot dart into and make a regular bath. Before taking bath you should smear oil well on your scalp. After bath, of course, you are going to be clad in new dresses. Then with all reverence you approach the eldest member of the family, bow respectfully and stretch your right hand. The eldest person then blesses you, places coins and currencies on your palm and graciously pats you in expression of abundant affection. As a child to whom managing with money is untold, your eyes twinkle. Coins and currencies pour in from every elder member of the family and in a few minutes your pockets bulge and you become rich.

Now you have every right to use your money as you wish. You can buy chocolates or comics; ice-cream or popcorn. During my tenure at the Magic Academy, I could see many children buying magic kits, magic toys and magic books with their Vishu collection. Some of them later got that magic bug’s bite and became disciples at the Academy.

For my Assamese friends, Dr. Rajeeb and Deepsikha, Vishu is ‘Bihu’. If Keralites have one Vishu a year, they have three Bihus – in October, January and April. Of the three, the principal one, marking the Assamese New Year, coincides with Kerala’s Vishu. What is common is that in both states, the festival has strong connections with farming. In Kerala, the best farm products are offered to the deity, where as in Assam, lands are prepared for another farming season. In one way or the other, the day is auspicious also for many other states including Bengal, Punjab, Karnataka, Manipur and Tamil Nadu. How magical our Nation is!

Akhila and I have already got a Bihu invitation from our Assamese friends. Festivals are enticing threads tied to each human heart. Wherever on this world, hearts float like kites over the clouds of excitement, tugged by the threads of nostalgia. Festival memories prompt me to remain a child, a child for ever. This is a wonder world!

-K.P. Sivakumar

Books's Face 1: A Phoenix's call at unwanted children

Chinese Cinderella

Childhood recollections by: Adeline Yen Mah

Publisher: Pearson Education Ltd.

First published: 1999

First educational edition: 2002

Source: Library, Ambo University, Ethiopia

Courtesy: Ms. Deepsikha Saikia, who lent me the book and patiently waited for long before I return.

17^th century Cinderella is an Italian. We change this notion while reading Adeline Yen Mah’s ‘Chinese Cinderella’ - a book that is not only an account of her childhood miseries, but also a handbook on Chinese history, language and literature. Mah’s self portrayal of her childhood agonies and stiff sessions of seclusion are heart rendering. Rightly, she has dedicated the 1999-published book to ‘all unwanted children’.

Adeline turns a Chinese Cinderella once her father makes a second marriage and the couple begins making an unfair distinction between the previous children and their own children. Soon after giving birth to Adeline, her mother died. Father remarries. In her life she couldn’t even see a photograph of her real mother. Consequently the little child falls prey to a superstition. The child was believed to have bad blood that must bring only ill fate to the family. This brought huge extortions and pain in the life of a budding girl. Between 1941 and 1951, i.e. from the age of 4 to 14, she had more abominable things to recollect than adorable ones.

Constantly loving Aunt Baba, gracious grandmother, Nai Nai and generous grandfather Ye Ye were shades of solace. Instead, stepmother Niang and Father only sowed seeds of pain in the tender heart. Her siblings were but miserably influenced by the malice spread by the parents.

Success, achievements and celebrations are untold for a Cinderella, testifies Adeline’s life. Love, care and consideration are exclusive rights of children, except of Adeline’s sort. Scarce privileges and salubrious life experiences are only a mirage for children like Adeline whom parents consider unwanted.

Cities of Tianjin, Shanghai, and Hong Kong have contrast differences. But all these cities gave single bitter experience for Adeline: secluded boarding life, pitifully uncared by any elder from home. No letter, no egg, no special food, and no visitor – she had nothing to expect from home. School for Adeline was thus a lone asylum of dreams and pleasures – created by her and enjoyed by her.  During vacations, while she used to be the only girl unclaimed by parents, empty dormitory beds looked like scary rows of tombs. Still, instead of getting stuck by the dismay, the little girl spends her lonely hours in libraries simply to be engulfed by King Lear-kind of Shakespeare or Sara Crewe-kind of Frances Hodgson Burnett.

Prior to a play-writing competition when a disinterested Adeline told “I’m afraid of losing”, Mother Louis suggested, “Anyone who enters has a chance. However, if you don’t enter, then you certainly have destroyed your chance before you even begin”. When she was dejected for not hearing for over six months from the play-writing competition board, Mother Louisa tells her: “Be patient. No news is good news. As long as you don’t hear, you can keep on hoping […]”. As a child, Adeline had exceptional ability to identify and imbibe from the elixir contained in such elderly words.  She was blessed with a trait to understand the ‘talisman power’ of such words. That must be the secret virtue that made her emerge as the country’s first winner in an international English play-writing competition at the age of 14 and later anchor herself on the victory stands of life. This single aspect can alone motivate readers regardless of age and sex.

While concluding her own Cinderella-like experiences, she compares herself with a Chinese Cinderella named Ye Xian whose legendary story was prevalent during Tang Dynasty of 7^th and 8^th centuries. Ye Xian was loathed by her stepmother, but later emerged a shining star fighting life with sheer determination, hard work and optimism. Through her book Adeline introduces the same genre of phoenix inherent in her. The Adeline Phoenix should certainly kindle a flame of determination among all unwanted children in this modern world.

Adeline has made an admirable selection from the piles of her childhood reminiscences. She could arrange those memory blocks with a cherubic care to make an impressive ‘Chinese Cinderella’. While turning page after page, readers receive an irrefutable soft touch of a petite innocent girl. Line after line, she tweets charmingly the tale of a girl child who was nobody, but later becomes somebody – story of a girl spinning herself a life of dignity and delight against rudely abrasive abashments.

As readers finish reading ‘Chinese Cinderella’, they are gifted with a treasure trove of optimism. A clear insight upon the China of 1940s and 1950s, the wars won and lost and captivating aspects of Chinese calligraphy are just a bonus.

- K.P. Sivakumar