Expressions

Children were given Grace’s one of the most popular poems – Bhay Ithale Sampat Nahi – to think on and make a clay model on it. Hundreds were the kids, and thousands were their ways of thinking. It was a poem by Marathi’s most complicated yet most expressive poet known for writing something out of the world, still very much within the heart. Difficult to understand for the literary critics and language experts, the Grace’s poetry was given to the school going children attending the art camp of Nagpur’s famous Basoli Group. Everyone was excited how children recreate the poetic expression into the clay modeling.

Results were fantastic. The poem, in brief, speaks about the recreation, rebirth and the memoirs. The most famous expression of it roughly says that ‘we rest (for ever) under the trees, to born again through the trees’. The same clicked many of the children. Some of them created a huge tree, two or three human figures resting under it, and one figure immerging out of it as a symbolic rebirth. Many created comparatively small trees, and small human figures, and a big figure immerging out of the tree. Some expressed that the one resting under the tree is mother, and the one immerging out from it is a child, while others relate it to the next generation.

Two or three kids created small simple clay balls, around ten-twelve in numbers and finished off. When asked, they explained that the round shaped clay balls were the seeds, which grow into another tree. Amazing concept, wasn’t it?  

What clicked me from the incident were the different manners of expressions we have with us. Some created a huge model, while others just a few clay balls. They expressed truthfully what they felt after reading the poem. Every art work was powerful enough to convey the message. No one was wrong or incorrect. The way of expression may be different, but that doesn’t affect the degree or the power of expression. The small seeds were equally powerful to the big clay model. Then came the question – if both ways of expression are right, then which way is better? – A small representative package or a huge expressive presentation?

I remembered an old interview with producer director Karan Johar. Probably, it was a clipping from the making of Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, a multi-starrer mega movie with lavish sets and colourful jewellery and lights and hundreds of co-dancers and support artists everywhere. Karan Johar said, when frame comes to his mind, it’s always a massive one. That he can’t imagine small, ‘economic’ frame. Similarly, while reading an interview of legendary novelist Dr S L Bhyrappa, I remembered him saying that he always writes magnum opus because the plots come only in massive form in his mind. Johar’s movies, or Dr Bhyrappa’s novels – are, no doubt, popularly recognized as finest forms of expressions. So, can we say that the huge expression is always more appealing or preferable form?

Well, sometimes when I read two-lined ‘Chhoti Beher Ki Ghazal’ by Nasir Kazmi or Ahmed Faraz; I wonder the world can be expressed in two lines only. Or when I read Gulzar, I wonder, just one line is enough. One expression of Dilip Kumar speaks for the whole film, while one Bindu of Raza is enough to explain the whole art of painting. R K Laxman creates just a few figures and nothing more is necessary to convey the message, Sivamani beats simple bucket or a Kadhai and creates percussions at its best.

When I read Abhags of Sant Tukaram or Sant Dnyaneshwar; I wonder a few words are enough to explain whole universe. When I go deeper into the past towards the Upanishads and Vedas, I realize, two letters – ‘Prajnanam Brahma’ or ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ are enough. And finally, going even deeper makes me realize that only one letter – The Aum – is enough to express the whole thing. Then, can I conclude that the simpler, smaller and representative form of expression is better?

Observing the final display of hundreds of the clay models gave me the answer. The seeds created by two or three boys were catching attraction and also were gaining special appreciation from all. But, this was because the seeds were placed with the big and small clay models around. After going through others, when they used to notice the seeds, the beholders used to understand the smartness of the concept. Means, the elaborated expressions around were adding value and enhancing the quality of the small, representative expressions.

The big expressions attract the people towards the phenomenon and the small expressions tell the real meaning of it. Both must be there, as they help each others.

Big and small expressions exist with each others, for each others. They compliment each others. That is why followers of Buddhism create larger than the life statues of Buddha to take the common people towards the path of peace. That is why, our ancestors write Vedas, Upanishads and Mahakavyas to make us finally understand the two-word philosophies.

That is why Krishna shows a Vishwaroop to explain the way of life for common human beings. 

I trust…

‘We trust you’ is a great feeling. Hearing it from your loved ones fills you with energy; hearing it from friends makes you feel responsible and hearing it from parents takes you to enjoy the moment of highest contentment in the world.

Directly or indirectly, each and every one of us is busy in an effort of gaining trust. To make new friends, to strengthen the bonding, to gain respect, to earn money – the first and foremost capital investment is trust. It gives us new relationship; adds new people to our life. Trust is plinth, it’s the basic pillar; and just like a plinth or a pillar, it remains hidden and unnoticed all the time while playing the most important role.

‘Someone trusts me’ is greater feeling. It is the trust they have in me as a result of which staying away from my parents since last five years was never like living away from them for me. It’s this trust that keeps me reminding about my responsibilities. The trust makes me think righteously and select the right way from the countless options. It empowers me to say no, makes me wise enough to set and strong enough to pursue a goal. It tells me where to pause, where to speak and where to raise an alarm. Because somebody believes in me, it becomes my responsibility to keep the belief intact.

‘I trust someone’ is even greater feeling. It gives me a sense of security. Yes. Someone will come and support, someone will stand firm behind me in any situation is a moral boosting potion. Having someone trustworthy is like having another parallel life or a talisman with you. Lucky are those who have many such talismans around. I have selected some and happy with them. It’s really a difficult task to find out such talismans out of a crowd of friends and relatives. Well, what is easy then?

‘I trust myself’ is the greatest feeling. If I know what I am doing and what I can do, then I need not to worry about any other thing. But, it takes lives to realize, actualize the self. Those who achieve the stage of self-actualization become icons. For this, one Prince Siddhartha forsakes his palace pleasures one fine day and sits for the penance under a tree in deep forest. For this, Narayan Suryaji Thosar runs away from his own marriage function. For this, Narendranath Dutt keeps asking every wise man the only question – whether you have seen the god? For this, Debuji Janorkar leaves his family and farms, and starts walking all the way where his feet take. Leaving so many things for self-search is not easy. Well, what’s easy then?

Thousands of devotees walk tirelessly for weeks together to reach Pandharpur every year. This tradition is more than 1000 years old now. Devotees of Vithoba in Varkari tradition find the almighty in their respective work, and this makes them saints. Yes. The simplest way is to trust God.

That is why, ultimately, Narayan Suryaji Thosar’s search ends in finding Shri Ram as his deity and it makes him Samarth Ramdas. Narendranath Dutt’s search ends in finding Guru as his God and it makes him Swami Vivekananda. Debuji Janorkar’s search ends in finding ‘Gopala Gopala Devaki Nandan Gopala’ as his Mantra and it makes him Sant Gadgebaba. Ultimately, Prince Siddharth’s search ends in finding a light of wisdom within as his guide, and it makes him Buddha.

‘I trust God’ becomes greater than greatest feeling – Super superior to all.

Rain again!

He is not as punctual as Sun, which appears on the eastern sky every time to bring a new day for us. He is not as gentle as the first breeze of winter that comes in mid-October with a joy of harvesting festivals. He is not as silent as the moon, which keeps growing and slowing quietly over the year. He is like a spoiled child who loves to play the game of hide and seek. He keeps everyone waiting for him for long. He likes to see the frightened faces, anxious eyes and exhausted bodies. Hidden somewhere around, he enjoys watching people’s requests turning into prayers and ultimately prayers into curses, for bringing him out. After worrying, annoying and angering his mother Earth a lot, he comes out at once. And all anger, annoyance and worries just disappear. He is rain. He may come late, irregular, unstable, and unequal; but when he comes, he rules.
Just the first spell of the real monsoon not more than half and hour and the three-month long irritating humidity, etching heat and sweltering atmosphere disappears! Rain has this magic with him. It changes the earth within minutes. Yes, he may be spoiled, but he must be the most beloved child of Mother Earth. Who else can bring the sudden change in mother otherwise?

Rain knows no silence. He appears with a bang and band of cracking clouds and the lightning. He changes breeze into wind and wind into storm to uproot the strongest ever trees. He wants everyone to stop and give him his due attention. He makes it sure by holding the life standstill. He breaks to make it new, crushes to give new shape, kills to start different journey, and destroys to instill new life. Rain has his own way to handle the things. After all, he is a spoiled child, but not an irresponsible one.

Rain overpowers the punctual Sun and fills the atmosphere with the dark at any time of a day. Even if being the darkness, it is full of bright rays of hopes. These rays can be seen, felt and enjoyed. These rays have every aspect of life within them. For children, they become joyride of paper pinnaces; for lovers, a walk under a single umbrella; for elders a joiner of heaven and earth.

Once angry, dark, and destructive; the rain appears life-giver, lovely and creative on the other way. Starting with the darkness, he ultimately shares light of life. Rain receives prayers, as well as curses. He pleases children as well as the elders. He is playful and He is serious. He comes and damages a little, but if He refuses to come, the damage is immense.

Rain is just like Krishna. Named as ‘Ghanashyama’, Krishna also comes throught dark. By stealing the curd and butter from their earthern pots, he irritates the Gopis; while by distributing it into his friends, he pleases the children. As a ‘Chitchor’ of Vrindavan, he redefines the love for the whole humanity. He acts as a destroyer to kill many demons, and becomes a ruler of hearts. Like rain, Krishna also receives praise and prayers with a smile; and curses, too, with the same smile. Ultimately by sharing the greatest wisdom of human life, he becomes the joiner of Heaven and the Earth.

Finally, through ‘Mahabharata’, the ultimate war, Krishna safeguards the moral values and frees the earth from the immoral forces. Rain, too, one day, is scheduled to play this role during the ultimate distruction --  ‘Pralay’.

We worship Krishna.
We worship rain.