Daily rituals

Its my star birthday today, and like everyday went to the temple at 630AM with my grandmom. She goes to 3 different temples on 3 days of the week, to make special prayers for me. I asked what she prayed for, and she said marriage if it is right for you, and 'nalla buddhi' which rougly translates to 'good mind'. I cant argue with that, and so I join her in her early morning jaunts.

Another everyday ritual is to go to this great grand uncle's house everyday around 11ish to read him The Hindu from cover to cover. It takes about 2 hours, since he is more than half blind and deaf. Then follow it with a few pages of a translation of Natyasastra, written originally by Sage Baratha. This is great training if I deciede to take over the world with my oration! This great grand uncle happens to be a well known scholar on Theatre arts and music of Kerala. Have been researching the history of some percussion instruments of Kerala, and its fascinating. As the plan goes, I leave for Trivandrum to meet a more insistent grandmom for a week. Then come back to Thrissur to start Maddhalam lessons.

Afternoon naps are the best! I almost always wake up dazed and stay that way for 10 - 15 minutes. It takes some time for the cognitive part of the mind to get back to being in control. Afternoon naps take you to new depths of relaxation and chillness. Evenings, I walk to the city library and read some, and generally walk around town, meet old relatives, do minor work in the garden etc. No great revelations, inroads into philosophies, or 'fantastic' things to do...just the comforting drone of walking leisurly through these daily rituals.

Where am I?

A week in the Chennai pot boiler, outside and inside my head. I ride off towards Thrissur, Kerala tomorrow morning. There I gotta make plans to survive and travel during the South West monsoon. This is the time when the Roman galleys of the old would have been making preperations to brave the unknowns and ride the wind home. Me, I will be trying to resolve my personal contradictions at the roots, and preparing for a journey that might show me reality in a different light.

Random Journal Entry

I love to roam around and I like tough self-discipline, I don't mind hard work, and being poor doesn't bother me much. Being free doesn't mean evading necessity, it doesn't necessarily mean being happy. It is independent of where you are, or what you are doing.

Thunderstorms

I am ferocious in my leisure.
The lightninng strikes
in beautiful directions
mostly away from me.
I am uncompromising
in my attitude