Baig Sir's Book Launch by the Chief of Navy Staff in Delhi

 In a wonderful gesture to its personnel, especially those who went on to serve the nation in other fields such as cricket coaching, the Indian Navy launched the book written by its own Lt Cdr Hemanth Kumar, a past student of Mr MR Baig who had served in the Navy before turning into a full time cricket coach. That the Chief of Navy Staff himself, Admiral R. Hari Kumar launched the book along with Mrs Fatima Baig, wife of Mr M R Baig (who passed away last year) and cricketers VVS Laxman and MSK Prasad, shows how big hearted and noble this gesture was.

MSK Prasad, VVS Laxman, Adm Hari Kumar, Mrs Baig, Prakash, Naval Official, Lt Cdr. Hemanth

CNS R Hari Kumar meeting the author of the book Lt Cdr Hemanth Kumar

Prakash went to attend the function with his family. It was a huge, well decked affair, well attended by the press. 

Mr Baig's family was represented by his wife, his daughter and grand daughter. Fitting launch. Mr Baig would have been thrilled to be part of it. But I am sure he is smiling from the heavens.

A Surprise, Welcome Gift!

 I was surprised and frankly a mite apprehensive when I saw a message on my phone - Blue Dart delivery. I had not ordered anything so what was this? Anyway I found out that there had indeed been a delivery at home, the size of a few books, but not books. Back home from the University I went about opening the package and what do I find - a One Plus Nord phone. I looked for the sender. My nephew Abhishek from Bangalore.

 I messaged him right away wondering what this was about. Maybe it was to be a gift for Anjali! He messaged back.

'You use the phone a lot Hari mama,'he said. 'You need a new phone. I saw the pictures on your blog. Grainy. Decided you will not buy one until this breaks down, so got you this. It has a good camera.'

I am blown. How thoughtful. How generous. How beautiful.

A few weeks ago it was my brother Ram who asked me to take his old Vivo phone. I did not know that they had all seen my faithful Nokia and were not too impressed with it. I did not yet get down to the phone my brother had given because the season was in progress (and I did not want to lose any data) but this new phone came just in time - right after the end of the season.

And I think of the many angels in my life who keep thinking of me, helping me along, buying me such generous gifts, giving me time, energy and love, and I truly understand the meaning of the word 'blessed'. It's a beautiful world out there.

I am also aware of the fact that something in me also opened myself up to receive such love from all hose around me, all who wish me well. I sometimes wonder why they do that, but I am glad they do!

Love you all. 

Anjali - Blog About Her Growth Through MUNs

 Anjali wrote a fine blog about her MUN experience - Over the MUN!

'You wrote well,' I said.

'Why are you surprised?' she said.

Fair enough. But she did write well, with honesty, a dash of humour, an acknowledgement of those who supported her and of her own growth.

Good one A. 

https://paruvuanjali.blogspot.com/2024/02/over-mun.html?m=1

The French Lieutenant's Woman - Movie

 1981. Meryl Streep. Jeremy Irons. A complex story of an English gentleman of the Victorian era falling in love with a fallen woman Ms Woodruff, who is known only as the French Lieutenant's Woman. Turns out that the enigmatic woman is neither a fallen woman nor a whore, but someone who lives life on her own terms. Smithson is drawn to her inexorably, even breaking off his engagement to a rich lady whose father almost brings him to social disgrace. The enigmatic Woodruff disappears leaving Smithson high and dry. 

Smithson searches for her and places newspaper advertisements but gets no response. After three years however he does get a response from her, meets her, and they reconcile and live happily ever after. 

Parallelly a contemporary couple who are playing lead parts of the same story in a movie are also in an affair, though they are both married. Irons wants to continue their liaison but Streep walks away.

A Search in Secret India - Paul Brunton

Paul Brunton is the pen name of an English bookseller cum journalist Raphael Hurst. Always interested in the mystical, Brunton came to India to seek a spiritual guru and went through many hardships in his search for a guru, in his fight to maintain the balance between being open to stuff that was beyond the pale of scientific explanation. He however does an admirable job of holding both ends together, being very honest to his feelings and thoughts and quickly reversing his opinion wherever he feels it merits that.

Straight up in Bombay he meets a Muslim holy man of Persian descent perhaps, Muhammed Bey, who shows him some extraordinary feats like asking Brunton to write a question on a piece of paper and without touching it making an answer appear on the same paper. Impressive but then Muhammed says he is only doing this to collect money to build a mausoleum for his master. Brunton then meets Meher Baba, a Parsee from Pune who had been ordained into the spiritual life by a Baloch master, a lady called Hazrat Babajan (apparently there is a shrine in her name at Camp in Pune and I must visit it next time). Brunton however is not impressed with Meher Baba. Brunton's travels take him to Madras where he meets a yogi, whom he calls the anchorite from Adyar, from whom he learns much. In the same trip he also meets the man who does not speak and learns much from him as well. From there he meets the Shankaracharya who guides him to Ramana Maharshi saying that he is the right guru for Brunton. Brunton travels to Thiruvanmalai to meet Ramana Maharshi and finds some amount of solace there in many conversations with the Maharshi. Onwards to Calcutta where he meets Mahasaya, a dsiciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Brunton fully identifies with him - however Mahasaya is aged and close to passing on. In Benares he meets Sudhei Babu an astrologer of great fame who patiently teaches Brunton many things about astrology. From there to Nasik to spend some more time with Meher Baba which appears fruitless and then he, by destiny, goes back to meet Ramana Maharshi once more. This time he does find illumination and by the time he returns to England believes that there is more to India's ancient secrets than science can explain.

Along the way Brunton meets many small time magicians, yogis who perform serious miracles for short term gains, and keeps his quest going without becoming too skeptical. Towards the end of his trip he fals severely ill and one can imagine that happening to a foreigner in India in the 1920s travelling by train, by bullock carts, staying in hotels and guest houses, surviving flies, mosquitoes, water..its a miracle he survived the trip at all.

Its an impressive tale though and one that he tells with great honesty and integrity, never trying to project himself as someone he is not, showing himself in his full vulnerability, his western superciliousness, and stays on to seek what he came to seek with single minded focus. Excellent read.           

Helping Hand Foundation to the Rescue!

 Mujtaba Askari (Mujjam to us) and I played cricket together when we were in college. He was a stylish batsman and then he went into software (worked with Infosys) before embarking on social service through his NGO Helping Hand Foundation. Helping Hand Foundation offers services like Medical Relief, Help Desk at Govt Hospitals, Free Dialysis Centres, Urban PHCs, Home for the Aged etc. They did great work during COVID and are always helping out the needy. His team is at hand at the Osmania General Hospital to help and I remember I had sought his help when my maid's husband Raju had some serious health issues and they swung into action and helped out wholeheartedly.

A week ago I saw this young man sitting on the pavement on my morning walk bandaging what appeared to be  badly hurt foot. I passed him by despite a voice in my head saying I should stop and see if I could help. Couple of days later I find him there with the same bandaged foot - this time i gathered courage and went back to ask if he needed help. He said he had cut his foot badly on a stone. He was sitting right in front of the Unani hospital so I asked if he went to get treatment. He said he cannot go there because they need an Aadhaar card. I asked him if he needed help but he said he was getting better and did not need any help. 'If I need help I will ask,'  he said.

The pic I sent

I walked off.

That day I saw a post by Mujtaba about how they helped some needy person and i messaged him about this chap. Mujtaba said if I sent his picture and location his team will go and rescue that guy. So the next day i saw the fellow I told him I was going to send his pic and location and someone may come to help. He nodded without any enthusiasm. I asked him his name - Dilip - and sent his location, name and pic.

Helping Hand Foundation team to Dilip's rescue

A few hours later I get this pic back. Helping Hand team had come, convinced the reluctant Dilip to go with them for treatment and housing at their shelter until he gets better!

Incredible. Great work Mujtaba and the entire Helping Hand Foundation team. 

I'm very impressed with their work and I would urge any of you to check out their website and reach out. 

  https://helpinghandf.org/

For Emergency Relief, Counseling and Guidance call +91 8121601990, 8790679505

Blackmail - Movie

 1973. I heard so much about this movie. Dharmendra, Raakhee. 'Pal pal dil ke paas'. And then I discover its a gem for so many more things.

For starters it handles the concept of love quite lightly. Shatrughan is in love with Raakhee who is his boss's daughter. But since their business is getting affected by Dharmendra's company, which is into solar energy by the way, Shatru decides to encourage Raakhee to fall in love with Dharam. And so does Raakhee's father! And then there's blackmail and stuff but what hit me was this song in the end - Mile, mile do badan - which is placed right in the middle of a chase by the villains. Dharam and Raakhee hide in a pile of wood in a 69 position. The villains set the forest on fire and these two catch a different kinda fire. The song plays through and Dharam slowly slides down in a most erotic fashion! Uff!

No wonder it was a hit movie! Dharmendra and Raakhee look superb. And trust Vijay Anand to come up with his own ideas - never a dull moment though.