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Study in the USA

Understanding student visa takers, who helped the US Embassy break records

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Study after the times of Covid

OpenDoors Report is probably the only data to fall back on the close enough numbers on the international student enrollment in the USA. This is supposed to be a record breaking year for the US Embassy. Some people also commented on how and why middle class is sending students to the USA, despite the history of visa difficulty for working visa population based on the Great Backlog. Yes, everything in this country is great.

A few Indian challenges

I would defer to what my ex-supervisor said. I was in two minds to go or no go to the USA when it was my turn. I had already spend fair deal of money back in the United States of India on education, burned through some savings and achieved two degrees and a post graduate diploma. And still struggling for a proper foothold in core engineering jobs viz electrical, mechanical, civil engineering. The entry criteria for all the public sector undertaking (PSU) jobs had changed to GATE, now you need to crack GATE to get into PSU, and that graduating from an accredited university does not guarantee getting through the GATE exam. No wonder it is so competitive and exclusive. There are a few who are successful, but if you did not want to incur any gap in employment and then joined workforce, then studying for GATE becomes a bit harder. The flexibility and freedom is on our side, but the time is never, the clock keeps ticking. I have known various yet unknown places in the country of India by attempting different types of examinations for entrance into public sector undertaking jobs, bank jobs, and so on. It is a journey on its own and takes a character far away from actual engineering. It would remind someone of the initial entrance examinations that we go through to get the Bachelors in engineering in the first place. It was interesting and funny to pose one such GATE electronics circuits problem to a senior scientist at the place I was working, he had a Masters in Engineering already and a working professional. But he got to answer it incorrectly. This proves how useful GATE as an examination is. My advisor, said even if he could not make it big in the land of the states of the Americas, he would still encourage me to go and have that experience.

The challenges for students is not in getting a degree from the USA. There are not many Americans who attend colleges. Like many practical minded population they understand that education can do so much but money trumps, and there are paths of lesser resistance available to them, like associates degree, vocational training and so on. The challenge may actually lie elsewhere. The current population estimate of India is very close to being number one in the world. Statistics is a nice way to look at this. An eye opening map for the global India is given by Xavi’s tweet.

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So if India is that big and populous, why is the demography not yielding its benefits, why is Tamil Nadu not Germany, why people want to go to Germany instead of Tamil Nadu? There is enough internal migration within India, the data for which is yet unknown.

How do we try to answer the student visa issued by US embassy in this context? Even with so many opportunities to study and work within India, the drive for the people to get educated, to migrate, to see, experience, learn and work with new and different cultures is only increasing. There is also a serious lack in the number of educational opportunities at par with the western standards. Despite having the most universities per country, beating out USA by a huge margin, India is yet to be known as a global educational hub, or one that gives education at par with the places that students flock to. So we have the quantity, and some quality, but overall still more kilometers to go.

Work Culture is one major understanding that comes through foreign work. Be it in another state or a country. Work is a beast, to be tamed. Work culture in India is different from Spain and is much different from the USA. To understand a different work culture and understand the shortcomings and benefits of being in home country is one benefit of immigration, this kind of economic immigration is facilitated by post study work permits in majority of the western world. This is a sample time period for the beneficiary and the employer, kind of like a date to understand each other and to see if this kind of relationship is sustainable in the long term. With good post study work permits such as that in Canada or in the USA for STEM degrees, a student visa holder is ability to get good Return on Investment in terms of cultural exchange and recover the student loan debt. It is not uncommon to have student debt in some countries like the USA, while may be surprise for yet another countries like Germany. Choosing a place of study, so as to transform into a post study worker to undertake such activities is incorporated into visa and study schemes in western world. At the same time, India does not have a culture of Internship, or a smooth transition from study to work. There is a GATE to be opened for a better future. This experience of endless entrance examinations leads to burn out and focusing on the means than the end. Coaching centers galore.

That brings in the relevance of Spadikam (1995) movie to this days.

So to answer the first question based on the tweet from US Embassy, who are all these student visa holders?

New students

There are fresh students in student visa in this pool. They fall into the category of people who want more experiences and cultural exchanges that we discussed before.

Change of status visas who needed to travel

There are some who are already in the USA in a different visa status, had to change to student status and then get a visa to re enter USA, the news does not say how many fresh F1 visas were issued vs how many are getting a renewal or a change of status and later a changed visa. This two pronged idea of status and visa may confuse a few people, the status is to be legally in the USA. The visa is only to enter the USA internationally. Several people lost jobs through out Covid times since 2019 onward, many lost jobs, many changed plans, many returned to India, many want to return to study or continue studies that was stopped earlier. This needs a visa if they were stuck in India and had to physically reach USA for continuation, completion and post study work.

Choices that we make, some we are forced to make

There are people who wanted to rejoin family, but do not see any pathways and visa and status that are viable other than a student visa. There are aged out children of H1B or other temporary visas, who reached age of 21 and need to hold their own visa status because they are legally not a dependent anymore. F1 visa is their only choice.

Should you come to the USA?

If you have valid reasons, and see benefits beyond the visa troubles and other limiting factors, do come. If you are on the fence, better to get matters sorted out before heading into the USA. If you have better options, better countries, that align with your interests, and ambitions closely, go with them. If you can’t make your own choices, someone or something else would make choices for you.

Movie Review

Bharat (2019) Movie Review

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I got to see Bharat (2019) in the Amazon Prime Video OTT. This movie is underrated per IMDB. I would put it at a much higher rating than above average, likely 8 or 9 out of 10.

Who would not like this movie? It is pure fiction and has a larger than life story with strong emotions covering the whole spectrum from sadness to happiness, death to life before and to life after, from patriotism to atrocity, from poverty to richness, from dependence to independence, from childhood to old age, from non violence to violence, from fantasy to reality, from existence to non-existence. I would count this as Salman‘s best movie ever, that I have seen.

Placing the Tiger in the background and working in and around untouched domains

Coming from the hangover of the YRF Spy universe. Bharat, makes me think of this as a precursor to the Tiger. Almost completing the Tiger’s background story, which could have easily sat between pre-Tiger to Tiger. With similarly bold character of Katrina Kaif holding up and performing beyond expectations of a stereotypical Bollywood heroine. This also fits well with the Salman Khan’s zone of movies with the premise of India-Pakistan making this one also a true pan sub continent movie of Bajrangi Bhaijan. Complete with the Pathaan and upcoming Tiger Movies, this almost demands at least in people’s mind to give Salman movie fans to make these attempts a redeemer of whatever faults the human has and keeps the hope of negating the differences and unifying the broken hearts of both countries.

Bharat the redeemer

Coming back to Bharat the movie, at some Katrina’s character also knocks out the superhuman of the character making it very human. This must have been a truly humbling experience for the fans. As for the actors, they are just acting, it is for us, that it matters more.

Bharat and work

That scene of getting himself and his team a work visa was funny, unrealistic and stupid, nevertheless entertaining. Going through tough times of Partition of the sub-continent to formation of different countries, the effects of which were shown with good intent and effectiveness, Bharat stands out. Taking us through numerous jobs that the titular character undertakes and gives his best, it is a reminder for anyone who is willing to succeed, to also be willing to put in the effort. As we grow up we relate to different aspects of a movie. A working class person, someone in the working age, hopes to get to work and live a work life, accepts a VIP orAla Vaikunthapurramuloo or The Pursuit of Happyness at a much more realistic viewpoint. On a parallel, Katrina’s character also goes through work life, of immigration, public broadcasting and reality TV, a natural evolution resonating with the macroeconomics of the country of India.

Bharat and immigration

As a southerner, the effects of partition are not known much in the south, only history testbooks and interests in geopolitics would draw a curious mind towards this forgettable but important nation creating moment. I would have to use much imagination on top of the excellent writing of Kushwant Singh in his Train to Pakistan, to fill the gaps of humanness and the lack thereof. Bharat also goes through ambitions of the unemployed, how they wished to build their family first, reminding an average Mamootty fan of Pathemaari. Pathemaari was a serious take on poverty, helplessness, economic immigration and immigrant workers. Similar immigrant worker stories of which we heard and read in the recently concluded Qatar world cup 2022 as well. So many years have passed, but history repeats itself. Bharat particularly touches the immigrant’s nerve when it talks about hopes. Destroying someone’s hope is worser than death. In Kerala, a related proverb goes like, “Give an elephant, but never give hope”. Sometimes as immigrant and/or worker, we give hopes to ourselves, some of them may need a reclassification as a false-hope, to satisfy our ego and give ourselves a really hard footing. Don’t hopes drive us? Don’t we give ourselves hopes to live on and live by? Sometimes winning, sometimes losing and having a lifetime of experience to reflect upon.

Going through different jobs, posing different situations and the associated struggle and fun, it sits well with me as an economic immigrant working out of home country. The fun side of which reminds me of yet another great movie – The Forrest Gump. Salman portrayed an emotionally less aged character in the hit Bajrangi Bhaijan, whose innocence, just like Forrest Gump captured the heart, this one in and as Bharat combines the best of both worlds, and includes a whole universe of characters, emotions, situations and struggles, which is yet another surprise in a Bollywood movie, especially one normally expected out of Salman. Dealing with even pirates, on his own style, who would not want to be Bharat’s friend. It is his friend in bad times, that kept with him, and even this aspect of friendship was explored,in addition other relationships with siblings, parents and extended family with much importance in the movie.

Overall, Bharat was an interesting experience, of laws and lawlessness, ambitions and complacence. It is a wonder for someone who went through The Forrest Grump and Bajrangi Bhaijan to see that even within a standard Indian movie duration, Bharat could offer this much, and keeping a coherent narrative with effective visualization. Like other Salman movies, this one too, stands ground on hit movie songs. Bharat was a refreshing experience, and thence for once putting this particular movie well above my average ratings for an average Hindi Movie.

There was only one instant where I felt the movie could have improved. During Bharat’s near death experience in the underground work place, an otherwise stopped watch should have started working, to show us that this was unreal times, where his whole life flashes before him, and the watch should have stopped, when he recovers, indicating that we are back to normal where the watch never worked.

Bharat also pays good reference times for the legends Shah Rukh Khan, Sachin Tendulkar and Amitabh Bachchan.

Sidenotes

As someone who worked for a Pakistani Origin CEO, in a company which had significant footprint in Pakistan, USA and office in India. Going to a sponsored vacation trip with all Pakistani people in an unknown country, was a unique and memorable experience for me. Thanks to the USA for letting us do that.I would confidently claim that time has been proving over and over again of no much difference between humans, their needs and emotions. And people of all countries gel well when they are outside of their homes. So I would encourage everyone to get out of the comfort of home, and go and see the world. To shine lights on the darkest corners of our brain, to open up and bring in a true acceptance of the world we live in.We need to do more of that between these two beautiful countries and many other countries as well.

Footnotes

I could not end this without relating this movie to my own work life and visa experience as an economic immigration, though not as exciting and entertaining, it has its own ups and downs captured as related posts here.

Work in the USA

Aftershock of H1B Layoff

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As if losing the job was not enough. There were other clocks that worked at their own pace. The Green Card process with my ex-company ended, PERM was not even processed. H1B ended giving me a grace period of 60 days. A human translation, is there is no more a future job that the company would be able to support. The company has further restrictions in hiring and offering PERM petition because of the layoffs. By law they have to offer jobs to qualified domestic citizens. So there is no more future in the company. And company would not entertain any questions on it.

I had the whole office work setup at home. Now, I was not permitted to return all that to office. So the brilliant guys there called my own ex-friends and ex-colleagues to come and collect stuff from my house. It was short of an emotional parting.

Several people had lost work so there is no special consideration for me. I am still wondering how Covid is a hogwash reason that could affect a hardware-software company.

I went back to the search sheet just like the ones created for finding universities, this time for jobs. Job search techniques, I refreshed with all the books in the public library. No library has any information about visa sponsoring employers. So that was purely luck based. Interviewers did not understand the exigency of the situation that I had only 60 days to make myself useful at their company, and they had to move through the interview process fast and keep me updated all the time.

I had to amp up on the networking side using LinkedIn and tried to make use of the connections built from day 1 in history. Where some where helpful in leading me to some opportunities, some where not helpful. What can they do, I am sure everyone helped in their own way. By luck and kindness of strangers I could get a proper referral and get into interview, and perform satisfactorily for them to offer me a job. Then, it was a wait for the H1B visa transfer(change of employer). I had to take time. I had the timer running and still trying to find any employer who could do that process faster, attend as many interviews and phone calls as possible. This was not easy. Meanwhile sold all the furniture, and spoke with lease office. Now that I did not have to outright sell the cars, because cars are needed for any life in the USA. If there is a job in the USA in near future, then selling the car may be costly compared to buying a car later. But there is still the uncertainty since I had no paper to show yet.

My previous offer during studentship (F1 Visa) was a good reminder. I was offered to be interviewed and the office admin there collected all personal details to book flights and so on and then cancelled it at the last moment and did not book anything. There was no offer to bring in for interview then or later.

I could not go back to India and go back to F1 to continue PhD that easily because of lockdown. I could not get any visa appointment slots. I could not see any relevant jobs in the city I was in. I had to move. I was preparing everyday. I had watches several movies run in the TV during this time but do not remember even a single one. I tried to maintain contacts with a few people who were in my situation, checking on them what they may be doing. I felt I was responsible for one person I interviewed and was later offer a job, laid off only 4 months into the job. I felt bad. Why my manager or CEO did not feel bad for letting all of us go, I could not understand. We remove emotions from policy, then a temporary foreign worker whose work no more exists ceases to exist. No humans were harmed, in theory!

Luckily the papers came in just in time, just 10 days before the end of grace period of 60 days. That determined my continued stay in the USA, and continue the work by chance in the USA.

To this day even after 3 years of these happenings, I relive thiese major life lessons, as a memorable set of events. For the slightest of the reasons in my new job, such as computer not letting me log in. Swipe in card not working. Manager not scheduling 1:1. Manager asking me to come into office without giving details. I would pre emptively carry the necessary stuff ready to go. If a 15 min video call could change my life and work by chance in the USA. Then it could happen again. In my place, in Kerala, we say if jackfruit falls and rabbit dies, it is not necessary that for every fall of the jackfruit rabbit would die.

I could give my example as a hopeful story to some of my contacts who faced layoffs during that time in 2020 in Covid. Most of them are doing well today. All is well that ends well.

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Work in the USA

Bonded Spouse, by chance

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H1B comes with the wonderful option of bringing your family in to the USA. According to the USCIS Family is only spouse and children. Parents, Grandparents, Brothers, Sisters, Uncles, Aunts do not count. Suddenly your family has shrunk. If you like to learn about one country that officially recognizes a family in its fullness, see my previous post.

H1B stand alone is heaven, you are always on the toes, ready to pack and move, share accommodation, sell and buy decisions everything depends on one person and is easy to make.

Options Check

With marriage it is supposed to be more full/complete and happy. However, would there be anything more punishing than not letting the spouse work by providing a work permit on H4. H4 EAD is only available with I-140 approved. However, without reaching I-140 approval, that spouse is going to be a sitting duck at home. It is ok for some people to spend time in learning, studying, taking care of home and rest of the dependents. However, that is not the aim of anyone on H1B who is already highly skilled specialty occupation qualified, and by middle class norms we can safely assume the spouse also would be eligible for such a category provided there was an equally competent H1B sponsoring employer in the location in the field of interest.

Option A : Follow Passion and further your career

Now, what if the spouse comes with a degree that is restricted by licensing, example dentistry. Then the spouse has to clear all the requirements for international dental program. Which has a very small intake compared to the general public of the USA. What if spouse cleared all the exams, attended all the interviews and still did not get selected? Try again. What if on retry too there was no option available and no admits given to pursue there career further.

Option B: Try something else

Try something, anything, like Google Maps aunt says take any lane and keep going forward, beat depression and hang on. Engage in something random. Binge on TV, food and music. And think, wishfully of an upcoming future that is bright and shiny.

Option C: Study something else for the sake of visa and future job

This is the appropriate middle class action for any H4 who is half decent in studies and ethically, morally middle class and want to support the family. So in hunt of this path, H4 is let in and given admit but cannot get funding, cannot work in research in certain healthcare. Then you need F1. For F1 visa you can change status or do consular processing. For change of status wait for a long time and then join the course. Ready for more wait times . Read more employment gaps. Or consular processing to F1, which the USA will accept because they bring in the money and spend in the USA, compared to an employee, who apparently takes money away.

In fact, I had a bad experience with a co-worker, to whom during my small talk and networking effort, I conveyed my country and work visa status, for which he said that I am taking all the salary home, as if he does not. At sometime, I had to communicate this to the HR and stop talking with the co-worker altogether.

Option D: I will not talk about this because that is actually not an option.

Optionless choice, by chance

The impact of restrictions on the H4 has impact on the H1B. Afterall it is more often that H1B is depended on H4 for taking care of all the non-work work. See Immigrant Talks YouTube video where Omkar says how to put it to the employer, the manager how this is affecting the work. However, I did not know this at that time. So my default answer for “How is it going” was “Bad”. And coworkers would not understand why I am saying that. When I say I became bonded labor and my spouse is even more restricted, as if I am a slave and she is slave of slave. Nobody understood this. When American co workers discussed their stupid red vs blue politics, I would interject and ask if they wanted foreign influence, I being a foreigner would be able to influence their decisions! I signed up for a job that for the first time in my life, on paper called me officially alien, at the time of part time paid research through the state university of new york research foundation (SUNYRF). Now, since I have been alien I was ok with that status. I would even tell coworkers that I am officially alien and there is no need for space travel to moon and mars to see one. So what would I expect out of Alien’s wife. This is probably not the best title to give a newly wed partner. But if jokes are in, let’s put everything in to make a soup. And as alien’s with appetite for humor we could digest it at home, with some bitterness. My Indian origin H1B batchmate coworker would say to this “We would not understand the some of the American coworker’s joke, and they would not understand ours”.

This type of dependent visa is available in some other countries of the GCC. With more restrictive rules. However, the way it is implemented does not suit the values of the USA. However, more than once they have gone back in their own ethics. American Revolution, I studied in my kerala state syllabus school, was based on “No taxation without representation“. However, for the H1B, especially on a backlog, there is a long time, a very long time of taxation only and absolutely no representation, if there is a lifetime backlog. There is no shame in taking taxes for the services, and people have to pay taxes in the H1 or any alien visa. This is by rule. This is excellent. I would want this if I was running the country. But then it is a U turn on the very foundation, of the USA. This is intellectually alienating ideology as well.

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Undue influence from third parties and FIFA Ban on Indian Team

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Here is the explainer for the news from Indian Express.

However, this post is about a personal touch on football in India.

India probably has the biggest fan base of all of the world football. Be it world cup and premier league matches in or outside of India, Indian fans win big time.

As a child I was also attracted to football and went for summer coaching organized by the Kerala Football Association. It was some INR 50 for the camp, and my parents double checked before paying and ensured that I was serious about attending the entire camp. I attended the camp in full. And it was a strengthening experience and gave a positive confidence to play football. Previously hesistant due to multiple health related events, after the camp football was manageable and I was trained on the tricks. The coach and coaching area and the group of co-campers were excellent learning experience.

Back in school I could shine with the newly learned skill and shocked and surprised that school mates who previously wouldn’t pass the ball to me would do. They trusted me!

Then there was option to continue the training with different coaches in another school ground nearby. And I heard that the summer camp students were supposed to get a certificate that could benefit them when they decide to pursue football further. I could not care much about it, but it was a good to have. So I would ask the coach every alternate meet-ups about certificate and he would vaguely promise that it will be given soon. And days passed. And then I heard from fellow playmates that the certificates were given to the “favorite” students, and they ran out of certificates.

I never received the certificate.

Slowly the play became a drudgery, I was never invited for any of the play offs outside of the training ground. And then one day a new coach said, If you want to play go home, buy a football and play with it. He was probably hinting at me not doing a team work, team play. And that was the end of it. I never wore the football shoes, shin pad or played football anymore.

If, at a very low level summer camp these organizers could not encourage and provide completion certificate, and play favouratism, then I can only guess what happens from the very top down. Based on my personal experience I think Indian football deserve the ban. And hopefully the system will set itself in a corrective path. But a lost hope is a lost hope.

creativity

Yellow hibiscus

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Gopi had these beautiful birds collected in a wired cage. A few trees and flowery bushes, especially the red hibiscus in the background play with the eyes making one forget about the green coloured metal that made the cage. Birds of all colours were visible due to this spectacular arrangement. And this was a definite treat for the eyes whenever I visited Gopi’s place. My belief in freedom for all, won’t let me be to happy at seeing the caged bird, though!

We had this kid of the neighbour’s – Syamili who used to admire these birds. And she used to draw the birds on paper with her pencil colours. And to my fascination, the birds would sit still just so that she could complete her picture. She was very considerate about the birds too, where her drawing would not last for more than 10 minutes at a stretch. And a definite treat awaits the bird which agreed to stand still for this child artist. She would often have some piece of broken fallen fruit, sometimes mango or on other times guava that she picked up on her way from the street.

While me and Gopi would engage in the musings of the teen world viz. Cricket and science, this kid used to enjoy her company with the caged birds. Once, she used to have long conversations with the yellow bird, which was her favourite. She did the talking and to her spoken words apparently the bird was nodding or tweeting. Or was it the kid’s wild imagination! I had to check this out personally. And one day I could do that sacrificing the valuable time normally devoted to perpetual thoughts of the spellbinding universe also known as “nerd” talk.

Syamili was asking her friend, the yellow bird she had named as ‘Appu’. ” Appu, how are you today ?” . To my bewilderment a sober single twirp could be heard in reply.

She continued “Why , are you sad today ?”

Appu : ( no reply)

And I was about to rejoice on the my belief, my thought, that the twirp heard before was faux tympanic simulation

Syamili kept her colour pencils and writing pad on the ground. Some red ants which was searching for its way continued its pursuit from the damp soil onto the writing pad, only to move fast out the pad and back to the damp soil.

She said ” I believe that if I was closed in a cage like you, I would have been happy for a while. Because, I will feel safe and I would be taken care of by Gopi. I would have food and water. And I do not have to worry about finding my food. Or I would not be scared by any cats or bigger birds that may attack me , if I were a bird.”

Appu was nonchalant and seemed to look at a distance in deep thought.

” But , then after a while I would get bored, for I cannot meet any new birds like me. And I would be bored, I guess”

And there was a definite sharp tweet from Appu. Oh boy! It was as if the sound penetrated my bones.

“So I guess, now you are bored, unhappy and sad at the thought that you have no freedom to really fly”

Appu nodded ‘yes’.

“I heard Gopi is going on a tour for a week. I guess this would be a good chance for you to fly around and make new friends. May be you can return from your tour when brother Gopi also returns.”

Appu had turned its head at an angle as if in thought.

” OK ! I will ask Gopi, but I am not sure if he will let you out. You know he loves all the birds here, that is why he takes care of you very well. I am pretty sure that he would like to see you safe here all the time.”

saying this Syamili turned . At the same time Gopi was there with food for the birds, some grains and milk. The eager child wanted to feed the grains to the birds, and Gopi allowed her. Her tiny little hand would be as big as the birds themselves. And Gopi was concerned if the birds beaks would hurt her hand. The birds were delicate and enjoyed their dinner thoroughly, they all made some sound which was like a chorus music.

Syamili requested Gopi to let the birds go away for one week and come back when he returns from his trip. Gopi patted on the child’s head saying ” I am sure they won’t come back even if they try to . This is because Freedom is heavenly pleasure. And no creature would trade freedom for anything else. I feed them and take care of them . These have no meaning compared to them enjoying their own freedom. I appreciate your concern Syamili but I will not let them out. ”

“But then, have can you go on a trip and enjoy your freedom and not let them go ?”

For which Gopi replied ” I like them so much that I don’t want them to leave”.

Meanwhile, some friends had just brought in the news of a new finding of rose apple tree. And a child’s mind is so dynamic Syamili said a quick ‘bye’ to Appu and ran with the folks for her share of rose apples.

 

Next week, I was sitting at home like a caged bird, with nowhere to go. It was raining very heavily. I had not joined Gopi on his trip because it was his family’s tour. And then I had 2-3  days passing between the 3 teas that I had everyday in the morning , the brunch and the evening. Clouds parted and it was sunny for rest of the holidays. I joined the local group of Cricket gang and went to hangout with them. And the 10 -day school break just got over and I thought I should visit Gopi just before we were busy again.

There was this pleasant smell of from the red hibiscus flowers from Gopi’s garden when I took the turn to the entrance of his house. I could hear Syamili’s giggle as I entered the gate. Gopi was there playing with a puppy dog which was licking Syamili all over. And more giggles followed as the puppy played with her.

After a few exchange of pleasantries regarding the days of raining and his trip and my Cricket and his new puppy, I felt that something was missing in the background. The smell of hibiscus was somewhat stronger inside the plot. I checked to see how big the plant has become and there were undoubtedly lot of flowers ready to join the many others which have fell on the ground. And in the foreground to my surprise the bird’s cage was empty. I could not help wonder and asked Gopi what had happened? I asked if he had let the bird’s embrace their freedom. And then Gopi replied ” The birds were all dead when I returned from the trip.”  I was shocked and asked ” how and why ?”

He explained   ” There was this strip of coconut leaf hanging from a dwarf coconut tree that just about touched the bird’s cage. The ants had initially apparently come for the grains and later consumed the bird’s too. And when I returned the cage had only dead birds. And I cleaned the cage and threw all the remnants at the base of the hibiscus plant.”

I said “that is very sad, If only you had let them out . Atleast the guilt of causing their death, by capturing their freedom could have been avoided”.

With nothing more to say. I hung around with the new puppy. And left in sometime taking with me some of the hibiscus’ smell and the little girl’s innocent giggle. And at the gate when I turned to wave ‘bye’ to Gopi and Syamili , my eyes may have deceived me but I definitely saw a yellow hibiscus flower among the red.

 

PS: Adapted from True Story by Aneesh

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Discovery of Panamaram Jain Temple

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On the auspicious day of 18th April, 2015 our trip leader discovered the Panamaram Jain Temple, Wayanad, Kerala. This is  how it happened.

At the Pazhassi tomb, Mananthavady, Wayanad, Kerala, we had learned about the Jain temples. Some of which were very close to the place. Hence we embarked on the journey to visit the place. There were sign boards to Panamaram. And then nothing, absolute blank. This Jain Temple was listed, it was not one out of the world, mythological or folklore. But there were no directions given. We searched, asked, got frustrated and then cursed ourselves, but later determined our path with the spirit of travel. We were at Panamaram. That much was clear. But no one knew were the Jain Temple was. We asked lorry drivers, residents. We went in wrong routes 3 times. Then were around the temple for a long time, but could not find a road to it. We could smell it. And then after asking a shopkeeper at Punchavayal.

We were here at Punchavayal. We had returned to the shopkeeper who had told us the way. This time his face was unhappy and disappointed that we could not find the temple. We roamed the road that the shopkeeper pointed to. He also said first left. There was some tarring roadwork happening. We found no clue of the Jain Temple. Then as the road-roller moved, we found the un-tarred road. We thought let this be our last try. And , truly, we had discovered the Ancient Jain Temple at Panamaram after very very short drive into the “road”.

See more photos of Panamaram Jain Temple at

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153771435920299.1073741864.672120298&type=1&l=9530179a97

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The Jealous Indian

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Kaaviya Thalaivan is an old idea brilliantly shown in  a new way on the big screen. The jealousy of a man , how mystically it could be held for sometime and then shown with the thought of revenge, to kill, his fellow man, a brother equivalent, brought up by the same father, the same guru, the same school of drama, the same stories and incidences, only to grow the jealousy with it, to end one with the other, to end oneself in the end. The story is also projects a point of discussion for the discussion on lack of words in Indian language beautifully differentiated by the ideas of “envy” and “jealousy”.

The jealousy of  a person to another mostly involves a sense of revenge and intimidation that forces that person to hate the subject of jealousy. Why not be envious in the same instance, where there is also a possibility to be happy about the achievements of a person and appreciate it and then think why I could not be like that. This is a softer form of jealousy but without any enmity. It can also be argued that there is mild “Asooya” (jealousy in Samskrtam) that grows on and festers into the revenge-ful savage form that is associated with jealousy.The Hindi word for jealousy “Jalan” is very close to fire or burning and used so.

To be envious is a peaceful act, where one simply wishes to match the quality or skill of another. This helps to promote healthy competition. This in turn benefits both the subject of envy and the envious. This is an ideal form of emotion. But human emotions knows no bounds. There is always a wilder form. And thence comes the jealousy. Why Indian languages do not have an equivalent term form “envy” is mysterious. Are Indians by nature forced to have jealousy rather than envy. If that is so imagine such a large population dragging each other down because of this bad attitude, which later becomes a habit. It is not for joke that the story of Kerala crab (later scaled up and known as story of Indian crab was told). This is also a frequently told story in Indian speeches by teachers and politicians. Here, it is retold in my version for the record.

The story of the Kerala Crab

Kerala crabs are famous as a culinary item. I found a nice photo of one here.

 

(Image courtesy: http://www.shutterstock.com)

A foreigner from Britain found the crab being loaded in a ship. This was a regularly exported item to Europe. He had come a long way from his land to find how it is that they get fresh crab. The baskets on which the crabs were loaded were not covered. And he was surprised. If it was not covered then the crabs may come out and escape. How then will the basket reach full of crabs, as he has seen in his port-town. Then the loader explained to him. “Sayippe! These are Kerala crabs. It has mindset of Keralites. If one crabs climbs to top of the basket others from inside would pull it down. Like this no crab is allowed to escape beacuse of their behaviour, and you get fresh crabs to eat.”

The British astonishment vanished from the face and now it turned red and laughed.

 

Jealousy ingrained in this form throughout a sub-continent would be a surprise to a naive mind. This is but a working principle in this beautiful land of variety.

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Madman’s wish

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The third story is the highlight of the capacity of mad man. Once, as usual he was sitting near a crematorium.
That was his regular place of rest for sleeping. Once it happened that the Ferocious Goddess Chudala BhadraKaali made her appearance before him. The madman very indifferently continued piling up wooden logs for the fire to fight the cold night. He shifted his left leg affected with elephantiasis near the fire.

BhadraKaali said ” Hm! Man, I am impressed by your indifferent confidence to stay at this creepy crematorium, which is my abode regularly. I accept you as my staunch devotee”

The madman listened casually.The Goddess continued “You are a class apart from the normal person who prays and asks for a boon.  Eventhough you have never asked for one even in your dreams I am elated to bless you with a favour. Hence I have made my appearance before you. Wish you well, child. Ask me anything that you want”.

The madman replied unflinchingly at the fierce figure radiating at him ” Who called you here, I am happy the way I am , leave me alone”.

Bhadrakaali said coaxingly ” It is not usual for a man to get to see my vision, may be you are unsure, I will give you sometime think about what you want and then tell me.”

The madman was getting irritated ” I told you to leave me alone!”

An intimidated Bhadrakaali said “Not so fast! Anyway I have made my appearance before you, I am not willing to go without granting you a boon. I will get rid of myself after blessing you for sure. So go ahead and speak your mind”

The madman could not but find some good enough want to satisfy this botheration. After racking his brain he said ” OK! Madam, grant me this boon. I want my elephantiasis removed from my left leg….”

The Goddess was happy about her skills about cajoling this stubborn man to ask a boon. She was happy reading his mind and was ready to remove the disease from the leg. She had her divine hands ready to issue the blessing. But..

“…and shift it to my right leg” the madman concluded his wish.

Bhadrakaali could not but accept his wish. She quickly issued the grant and vanished before feeling  unwantedly intimidated.

—–

The story ends here. The conclusive lesson emphasizes the madman’s message in his first story.

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Madman and the people-killer

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This is the second most famous story of Naranath Bhranthan of Parayi Pettta Panthirukulam that I would like to retell here.

The second story is about the “people-killer”. Once there were three thieves. They had a big loot and reached a quiet secluded place in the forest. They decided to split the loot into three equal parts. One for each. As they were about to split the first person said. “Anyway we have run and reached so far, we are tired to go on further, it is better to have something to eat, and then continue splitting the loot”. All agreed and the first man was busy cooking. Meanwhile the other two silently decided to kill this man after the cooking and then the loot could be split into two. This would increase the per head share. As soon as the first said that the food was ready, the other two stabbed him to death. Happy with the dead body, they proceeded to eat the food. Unfortunate, their stars were on the bad positions. They dropped and fell down dead  as they consumed the food.

Naranath Bhranthan came that way so the three dead bodies and the loot of gold. He ran with wild fear shouting ” People-killer, People-killer”. The village folk went crazy about this announcement. They asked him where it was. The madman showed them the way to the “People-Killer”. The village head came running and saw three dead bodies. The chief was surprised. He feared the presence of ferocious tiger or some other wild creatures that may have caused the death. Shortly, he noticed that one man was stabbed right in the heart and back, two knives, one on each side. The hot pot of rice and leaves of leftovers showed signs of cooking. He noticed that no crow tried to eat the leftover food. He sniffed at the pot to get some hint on any other animal presence. But to his surprise he smelled poison. No wonder the crows avoided it. The two men who had their leaves served with food were poisoned to death. Thus the mad man had taught the village folk that greediness for wealth was a “people-killer”.