Song and Dance

Blind Gold

Blind Gold, Oh look how she does prance

Trampling those falling at her feet, at every chance.

Soap white, blood drained bones of nursing mothers,

She wears as invisible anklets around her feet.

The eyes of young baby girls,

She hangs as cowrie shell necklaces round her throat.

Oh Blind Gold!

She holds hot burning torches of flame

To the raging ocean-fire in the guts of the poor.

Her senseless mouth, so used to drinking tears

Howls wild screeching sounds.

Blind Gold!

With the dust that remains of the blood and sweat,

Of laborers and small business owners,

She adorns her forehead.

But Hey Listen! Can you hear her there?

Ting-a-ling in the temple bells!

Jing-a-ling in the halls of Antilla!

Bling-a-bling in the shop sales!

Oh Blind Gold!

She lays spent after her frenzied dance

Bend over backwards, turn somersaults like a monkey

Do something, anything to prop her up!

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This multi-layered song was written by the multi-dimensional man, Da Ra Bendre in the 1930s. He was describing the plight of those struggling under the British regime.

He could have written it after reading last week's news. Would have made no difference.

In Dharmasthala bones are being dug up. No one seems to know whose they are. And no one answers, when asked where all the young girls and children vanished.

In Madhya Pradesh two babies died after being bitten by rats in the hospital ICU.

In Karnataka a farmer couple decide the only way out of debt is to kill their children and then kill themselves.

Country's debt is increasing, but no one knows where the money goes...

No jobs, no businesses left.....no food....

But celebrations all around. Prime Minister has to celebrate his happy birthday. Amazon and Flipkart flash their sales. But unfortunately Ayodhya temple business is not doing that well, I hear.

What To Do!

President of the United States announces that the USA and UK have done more for humanity than any other country.

Quickly Moving On...

Into a heart warming story that I chanced upon by accident.

Songs and dance have a special place in my life. Most of what I learn, I learn through them.

I was watching the inimitable Sandhya dance in the film Navrang (1959). And I remembered the song 'Aye Malik Tere Bande Hum', from the 1957 movie Do Ankhen Barah Haath (Two Eyes and Twelve Hands). I haven't seen the movie, so I was reading about it. The film tells the story of a young jail warden who rehabilitates 6 dangerous convicts in a prison. He makes them work hard on a dilapidated farm, and they eventually produce a great harvest.

This movie was inspired by a true story. Of relevance to us today because it happened in the Pluto OOB period we looked at last week.

I had never come across this story in my history textbooks. And perhaps you wouldn't know it even if you watched the movie. Because the man behind the story vehemently said he did not want to be included in the credits.

Who Was He?

Maurice Frydman was a Jewish refugee from Poland. During the Second World War, Indian kings set up refugee camps for people from Poland who were under attack by Germany and Russia. Frydman, an engineer, worked as the managing director of the State Electrical Factory, in Bangalore.

He then gave up his job and joined the freedom struggle. He became a disciple of Gandhi and designed Gandhi's iconic spinning wheel. He was also a close friend of Nehru.

Frydman embraced Indian philosophy. He let go of his worldly life and took up sannyasa, becoming Swami Bharatananda. He lived at Ramana Maharishi's ashram, and also met Jiddu Krishnamurti. He became a lifelong friend of Nisargadatta Maharaj. Frydman edited and translated Nisargadatta Maharaj's tape-recorded conversations into the English-language book- I Am That.

The Story Gets More Extraordinary

Frydman became close friends with Bhawanrao Shriniwasrao Pant Pratinidhi, who was the ruler of the princely state of Aundh (in Sangli district, Maharashtra). Bhawanrao was a capable ruler, an accomplished painter, a musician, an avid body builder, and is known for inventing the Surya Namaskar, or the Sun Salutation sequence in the practice of yoga.

Frydman asked Bhawanrao, on the king's 75th birthday, if it would not be a good idea to hand over the rulership of Aundh to the people of the state. He urged that it would help in the cause of Swaraj or self-rulership, which was the cry of the freedom struggle.

Can you imagine a king agreeing to give up his powers? Bhawanrao readily and gracefully stepped down and handed over the rulership of the state to the people. The Raja had always been a nationalist and was famously called 'the Rebel against the Raj'.

The Aundh Experiment was started. Gandhi and Frydman helped to draft the November Declaration, in 1938, that laid down the rules of transfer ship. The people then organized themselves into panchayats/ local councils. The panchayats were given responsibility for all matters relating to education, welfare, water supply, sanitation, construction and maintenance of roads and public buildings, and all other activities relating to the health safety, and social and economic wellbeing of the villagers.

When it came to the question of the prison. Frydman stepped in himself and set up Swatantrapur/Freedom City. He turned the prison into an open prison. With humanity he worked along with the prisoners in their rehabilitation. This was the story that inspired the film director Shantaram to make Do Ankhen Barah Haath.

India- A Place of Magic

Frydman then met Wanda Dynowska. Wanda was also from Poland. But she was not a refugee. She was born in a very wealthy family. Educated by the best tutors she was fluent in several languages.

Wanda heard of the Theosophical Society and travelled to France to meet Annie Beasant. She was unable to meet her, but instead was able to meet Jiddu Krishnamurti, who remained her lifelong friend.

Wanda decided to travel to India. She said the main reason she fell in love with India, is because of how simple the powerful people of the country were.

She first lived in Madras, near the Theosophical Society. But later after getting to know of Ramana Maharishi, she moved to Tiruvannamalai and lived there in His ashram for several years.

She also worked with Gandhi, who gave her the name Uma Devi.

Frydman and Wanda worked together in setting up the refugee camps for the Tibetans. The Dalai Lama calls Wanda his mother!

Wanda repeatedly asked the Tibetans to keep their culture alive, through their food, clothing and their knowledge in medicine, healing, meditation etc. This is so important today, because China has systematically destroyed Tibetan culture. Tibetans in India are closer to their culture than the Tibetans in Tibet.

Simplicity

When people don't seek credit, but instead seek to do the work they love, they create magic.

When people don't define themselves by what they own, or what position they hold, they create magic.

We don't need all the superfluous nonsense.

Simplicity used to be such a high ideal in our country. "Simple Living High Thinking" are words I remember hearing from people in my parents' generation.

What madness have we been sucked into today? The senselessness of consumerism, never ending material things to stuff into our ever increasing black holes of insecurity.

When I was young, I remember, everyone I knew had only one pair of Hawai Chappals. You wore it everywhere until it wore out. And my parents didn't even wear footwear growing up.

Frugality is our treasure. We know how to be happy without depending on material things. Let's keep that alive.

Like Wanda, let us appreciate a great man through his simplicity.

I love the story of how Alexander, The Great went to meet Diogenes. He tells Diogenes- 'I want to learn from you. I am ready to give you anything. Ask me anything you want.' and Diogenes replies 'Can you please move aside so the sun can fall on me?'.

Solar Eclipse

The Sun will continue to fall on all of us.

We are, however, heading towards a Solar Eclipse on September 22nd, at around 1 a.m IST. This one will be helpful in ending any old cycles that are keeping you trapped.

But then, the sun represents the Ruler/King. An eclipse on the sun, is never good for the rulership. Along with Pluto OOB means the rulers have to change their ways, if they want to survive. Pluto will be OOB from August to December every year from 2025 up to 2035. In these periods we will increasingly see the people rising, asking questions, demanding answers and seeking change.

The Governments in India are already feeling the simmering unrest. There is talk of licenses being needed for Youtubers henceforth. The Home Minister of the Country is making reports on how to make the life of protestors miserable. Recently, the Finance Minister changed the Income Tax Law, allowing the Government to snoop into anyone's digital life.

Nevertheless, the people will arise.

And for us I pick the song of our Revolution, written by the poet Bharath Vyas.

Aye Malik Tere Bande Hum

Oh Lord, we are Your friends.

Let us work in such a way,

That we walk the straight and narrow path.

That we may recognize evil for what it is.

And when we leave our breath behind

Let us do it with laughter.

When we are faced with tyrannical, cruel, oppression

Oh Lord, hold us firm.

Even when they heap injustice upon injustice,

Let us fill the world with the good.

May we never wish for revenge.

May every step ahead be for love,

Let us extinguish this feeling of enmity.

Oh Lord, we are your friends.