Sunday Cricket Lessons from Baig Sir

Baig sir was at it again. Full on at coaching young kids. Now we have a bunch of talented 10-12 year olds learning the basics from him. He is tireless as he drives them through the drills for long,  catching every single error with his eye and correcting them as they do it. The routine of practising the drills, then knocking with the tennis balls and then finally in the nets is methodically taught.

Keeping a hawk eye on the drills

While chatting with him about the importance of drills and routines he recalled how he had learned the importance of the same from his mentor Mr. Bahauddin who was a physiotherapist. A wise man with gifted hands, Baig sir said he could cure people of polio. He could, by the use of his hands and energies, spot a hairline fracture that x rays could not - he would insist on more x rays until they showed up.

Showing how to throw correctly

The first lesson that he told Baig sir was this - 'Baig, all you have to teach the student is how to use 0 to 9 and he will find his way among all the permutations and combinations. He can make any number after that.' Baig sir is still astounded by the simplicity of the explanation. If the basics are taught well and the student has an inquisitive mind, he can use the basics to master all the numbers in the world.

Physical fitness

The second lesson he told Baig sir was about the attitude of winners. 'Baig, you should learn from water. If water encounters a tough obstruction like a big rock in its path, it does not go and throw itself at it trying to move it or make it move away so it can go ahead. It goes around it and reaches its destination while at the same time, slowly eroding and weakening it.' Winners are those who get to the outcome. Not come up with excuses.

The two kids (on the left) engaged in a discussion on the correct way to play

We watched the boys practice and Baig sir's eye spotted something interesting. 'That's what happens when we get a good group,' he said. Two of the boys were discussing what they had learned. They were showing each other what they thought was the right way to do the drill. His eyes lit up at the sight of a good student, of someone learning seriously.

That's all he needs.

An Unshakable Mind - Rhyuho Okawa

Tenzin was carrying this book and I browsed through a bit. Since he was browsing through another book 'Don't Sweat the Small Stuff' I borrowed it for a bit longer. Okawa is a Japanese spiritual leader and the founder of 'Happy Science. He had dedicated this life to the Truth and ways to happiness. In  1987 he established the IRH Press and since then has published 800 books.

The short book of 117 pages tells the reader how to possess an unshakable mind, which in turn will lead to a state f happiness. He advises the reader to aim to become as stable as an iceberg. This state can be built by reading books and acquiring knowledge, following role models and so on. The purpose of education is to create strong foundations for people. Knowledge of basics helps us to apply the fundamentals everywhere. Keep sharpening the saw even as you grow older. The stability that one gets by accumulating wisdom will stand you in good stead.

When you find a problem that's troubling you he says - find out what the problem is trying to teach you and the lessons you need to learn. Don't run away. There is a meaning in everything.

When you try to accumulate anything be aware of the importance of routine. What you do every day determines what you become. Improve the quality of stuff you do every day and you will become what you are doing. He stresses on not looking for approval of others in this world and the next. He urges readers to pass on what they learned and not store it. Use what you have accumulated for the joy and happiness of others.

He looks at confronting anxiety and distress. When distressed, first look whether the cause of your suffering is in trying to find happiness outside of yourself which is normally the case.  Worry happens when you look outside and not inside. He says when you are facing sleepless nights, fill them with action, with things to do, even for the mind. Don't indulge in self-pity - walk strongly and steadily forward every day.

He talks about negative influences of stray spirits and how they cannot enter someone who is happy and cheerful, who has no attachments and whose hearts are filled with light. Vengeful spirits are those that hate you - he says when confronted with such people, repent and convey the truth you have understood directly to them. What stray spirits hate most is the right way of living - the right view, right speech, right effort, right mindfulness, right thought. So practice that life.

Whatever adversity you face, treat it as a hammer to temper and forge you.  Believe that no matter what, you will be able to overcome it. Immerse yourself in work and soon you will find that all that happened was for your own good.

Okawa says - act like a child of god - carry out his work in the way it should be carried out. Boundless goodwill is necessary to eliminate the problems that arise in human relationships. Decide that you want to live to make others happy, and just give. Do not expect anything in return.

Simply put. Easily understood. 

Lady Windermere's Fan - Oscar Wilde

A rather long-winded plot but it has such sharp dialogue that you can't get enough of it. Some of Wilde's best lines seem to have come from the play and razor-sharp wit flows generously replete with a wonderful understanding of life.

Lady Windermere's birthday present from her devoted husband is a fan. As she is settling down to a dance party that evening to celebrate her birthday a lady pops in and tells her that her husband Lord Windermere is seeing a lady of rather dubious character who has half of London wrapped around her finger. Not just that, Lord Windermere is paying out handsome chunks of money to her.

Lord Windermere walks in after the lady leaves and tells Lady Windermere that she must invite Mrs Erlynne. A quick check of his books shows payments made to her. Lady Windermere threatens to hit Mrs. Erlynne with the fan if she shows up. But she does not. Mrs. Erlynne walks in, flirts with all concerned and goes away.

An upset Lady Windermere walks off. Mrs. Erlynne follows her and patches up things. Turns out in the end that Lady Erlynne is Lady Windermere's mother - a fact she does not know and one she keeps secret. Mrs. Erlynne marries well and goes away from England to live in peace.

Thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

The Importance of Being Earnest - Oscar Wilde

My first encounter with this play came when the Telugu movie 'Ashta Chamma' produced by Ram was made. Funnily I had this entire collection of works by Oscar Wilde in my possession then and never got down to reading it. (My then employer, IDBI, had given us free gift coupons of 1500 bucks - a fortune then - to redeem. I went to Akshara Book store and splurged on all the classics - Wilde, Austen and others). So when Mohan Krishna adapted the play into a rip-roaring comedy with a bunch of new faces I was always interested in reading the actual play. And finally, I got down to reading it.

Two friends, John and Algernon meet up in the beginning. They don't seem to get along well. Algernon asks Earnest why he has a letter addressed to him by the name of John from a lady called Cecily. Earnest says he uses the name John when he lives in the country and uses Earnest in London. Algernon accuses him of lying to his fiance Gwendolene about his name. Turns out Gwen hates common names like John and loves the Earnest - because it has these lovely vibrations. Earnest is in a fix - if he tells her about his name she will dump him. Meanwhile, Algernon heads off to the country in search of Cecily who he has taken a fancy to and tells her his name is Earnest - and he is actually John brother who lives in London. They fall in love.

All is well until John gets to know that Algernon is in the country and heads off after him to keep him away from Cecily - his sister. Gwen follows him in hot pursuit. She meets Cecily who confesses her love for Earnest. The ladies have a spat over who Earnest really belongs to, until the men step up and confess to their real names. The two ladies get together and dump the gentlemen.

Meanwhile further twists reveal that John actually has a family and in fact, he is the brother of Algernon. All's well and that ends well with the girls conceding that the boys were mde of sterling stuff and their names didn't matter so much.

The adaptation was wild and whacky and full of laughs. But the original by Wilde, is unbelievably sharp. Superb writing. The kind of stuff that makes you want to read more and more and be glad you had a chance to read such stuff. 

Short Stories - Oscar Wilde

 Read a collection of stories by Oscar Wilde. It included 'Lord Savile's Crime', 'The Canterville Ghost', 'The Sphinx Without a Secret' and 'The Model Millionaire' in the stories section. All of them delightful and ending in classic short story twists.

In the collection under 'A House of Pomegranates' are stories of 'The Young King', 'The Birthday of Infanta', 'The Fisherman and his Soul', 'The Star Child', 'The Happy Prince', 'The Nightingale and the Rose', 'The Selfish Giant', 'The Devoted Friend and 'The Remarkable Rocket'. Most of them have very sad stories and end in some kind of a redemption save 'The Devoted Friend' which just ends sadly.

The irony and the wit are a joy to read. Wilde's own story ends sadly as well - having got off to a great start he ended up in jail on charges of homosexuality and died a destitute in Paris. Maybe that sadness crept into his stories. 

Anjali - What Is Bliss?

'What is bliss to you?'

'Umm...what is it to you?'

'I think ...playing with my friends in play time at school, chatting with you before going to sleep,
spending time with Mamma..'

'I think bliss to me is...hot water at the right temperature for a bath, water at the right temperature to drink, a whiff of cool air on a hot day..'

What is bliss?

Hyderabad Literary Festival - A Peek

Neeraj messaged me. He was meeting Ananta Parakrama at the HLF. Would I want to join in? I said I would. Vinod messaged me too. So I met him first. Vrinda came so it was good to see her. Had a long chat with Neeraj and Ananta in the food court. Abhinay dropped in. Briefly met Elahe who was launching a book. Also met Sridala while walking out. Praveen from MBA, Srinivas from Osmania Univ Cricket team that went to Calicut, Shashi - Mohan's sister in law, Harika, Ritwik and a couple more youngsters from VNR VJIET. Walked about a bit and headed into a session featuring Shashi Despande.

Shashi Deshpande

She is 81 but could pass off for someone in her 60s. Lots of energy and a simple and honest way of telling her point of view. 'Win an award and people will take you seriously,' she joked. Else people would be constantly butting in - writing was not considered serious work. She writes longhand and then types into the computer. She spoke about her novels, her new book 'Listen to Me', how men in the past would get an autographed copy from her and say it was for their wives or sisters, how a newspaper interviewed her and then came up with a 'grandmother' headline totally taking focus off her writing and making it an elderly grandma story. She is vocal about government inaction on Kalburgi's murder (returned her award and resigned) and speaks against hate politics. She in fact said that while on stage here too.

I went again on Sunday because Anjali, Shobha wanted to go. Shikha joined us. Vinod was there again. Rheeya joined us with a couple of her friends. Neeraj was there too, at the food court, and I was happy to see Jawahar Thomas who I was to meet. We spent a long time at the food court again. Abhinay came. Anjali and Rheeya went for a clay modeling workshop. The weather turned heavenly and very cold.

Left at 5. The Food Court was nice.