Wednesday, August 12, 2020

अनासक्त प्रेम

 अनासक्त प्रेम.

     श्रीकृष्ण भोमे ह्यांना स्वरूपसाक्षात्कार झाल्याबद्दल काहीच शंका नव्हती. त्यांच्या बरोबरच्या पहिल्याच भेटित त्यांच्या प्रतिभेची, वात्सल्याची,गुरुतत्वाची प्रचिती आली. काही ऋणानुबंध,हे खरोखर विधिलिखित असावेत. नाहीतर,त्यांचा आणि माझा संपर्क होण्याचे वास्तविक काहीच औचित्य नव्हते. पण तो योग जुळून आला आणि आमची भेट नियतीने घडवून आणली. 

   त्यांच्या घेरी पोचलो,की त्यांच्या डोळ्यात एक विलक्षण निरागस असलेले प्रेम दिसायचे. त्यांचा माझ्या वर इतका जीव कशामुळे होता, हे मला समजत नव्हते. पण त्यांना भेटण्याची आंतरिक ओढ मात्र जाणवायची.  भेटल्यावर त्यांच्या पाया पडायचो. ते थोडेसे अवघडल्या सारखे व्हायचे,आणि मला जवळ बसवायचे. मग, अत्यंत प्रेमाने,मायेचा हात माझ्या पाठीवरून फिरवत,माझी चौकशी करायचे. त्यांच्या चौकशीत माझ्याबद्दल असलेली काळजी, कौतुक,उत्कंठा त्यांच्या स्पर्शातून आणि डोळ्यातून जाणवायची. त्यांच्या डोळ्यात विलक्षण तेज, मायेचा ओलावा,आणि एक कमालीची निश्चलता जाणवायची. मी बऱ्याच दिवसांनी भेटायला गेल्यामुळे,मलाच जरा अपराधी वाटत असे. त्यांनी कधीच मला त्याबद्दल विचारले नाही. उलटे, मी जर सारवासारव करायचा प्रयत्न केला,तर ते समजूत काढत म्हणायचे"अरे तू मोठा सर्जन आहेस. तुझ्या धावपळीत मला भेटायला वेळ मिळणे अवघड आहे,हे माहीत आहे मला. 

         त्यांच्या प्रेमात काहीतरी वेगळेपण जाणवायचे. प्रेमाला दूषित करणाऱ्या स्वार्थ,असुक्षितता,परावलंब,अपेक्षा,अहंकार,कुठल्याच छटा त्यांच्यात नव्हत्याच. त्यांचे प्रेम म्हणजे एका विलक्षण निखळ,निरागस,निरपेक्ष,निस्वार्थ भावनेची,ओलाव्याची अभिव्यक्ती होती. एकदा मी जवळ जवळ 3 ते 4 महिने भेटलो नाही. मग भेट झाली,तेव्हा मला खूप ओशाळगत होत होतं. मी नेहेमी प्रमाणे,त्यांच्या पाया पडलो आणि मग त्यांच्या जवळ बसलो. त्यांनी सुद्धा तेवढ्याच प्रेमाने माझ्या पाठीवरून हात फिरवला आणि लगबगीने माझी विचारपूस केली. माझ्या प्रदीर्घ बेपत्ता असण्याची कारणे सांगायला सुरुवात केली. 

तेव्हा,त्यांनी मला प्रेमाच्या पारमार्थिक औंशा बद्दल थोडे विवेचन केले. 

"दीपक,तू मला भेटलास,की मला परमानंद होतो. खूप प्रसन्न आणि छान वाटतं. तुझ्या बरोबर गप्पा, तू केलेल्या शस्त्रक्रिया, तू वाचलेली पुस्तक,तुझे छापलेले लेख,अशा अनेक विषयांचा स्वाद असलेली बौद्धिक मेजवानीच असते मला. पण तुझी भेट झाली नाही,तरी मला काही त्रास किंवा चुटपुट लागत नाही. तुझ्या बद्दलच्या माझ्या भावना ह्या नित्य,अविरत आणि शाश्वत आहेत. आपले मूलस्वरूप,आपल्यातील चैतन्य, हे एकच आहे. तुला भेटण्याच्या आनंदाचे  कधीही आसक्तीत पर्यवसन होणे नाही. भेटल्याचा आनंद काय सांगू तुला. पण भेटलो नाही तर  भेटण्याची इचछा, ओढ मला अगतिक नाही करू शकत. ही अगतिकता म्हणजेच आसक्ती. पारमार्थिक प्रेम हे  आपल्या मनाला सकारात्मक ऊर्जा देते. ते प्रेम मन,बुद्धी,अहंकार याच्या पलीकडे वावरते. त्या प्रेमाला द्वैताचा दौंश झालेला नसतो. ते प्रेम अद्वैताच्या परमतत्वाची अनुभूती असते. त्या प्रेमाला अनासक्तीचा आशीर्वाद असतो."

त्यांचे शब्द अजूनही कानात स्पष्ट दरवळतात. 

त्यांनी देह ठेवल्याचा आदल्या दिवशी मात्र अनाकलनीय वर्तणूक केली.  त्यांचा पार्थिवाचे दर्शन घेण्यासाठी मी त्यांच्या कडे पोचलो,तेव्हा सौ. भोमे मला म्हणाल्या

"ह्यांनी मला काल रात्री त्यांचा खोलीत अजून एक अंथरूण घालायला लावले. ते तूझी चातकासारखी वाट पहात होते आणि मला म्हणाले,दीपक मुक्कामी येणार आहे. ते तुझयावर पोटच्या मुलापेक्षा जास्त प्रेम करायचे." मला गहिवरून आले. ऋणानुबंध रक्ताचे मिंध्ये नसतात. गुरुतुल्य व्यक्तीचे शिष्यावर प्रेम हे पारमार्थिक उंचीचे असते. त्या निर्गुण निराकार परमात्म्या सारखेच अबोध, अव्यक्त, अनासक्त असते. गुलजारजींचे ते काटा आणणारे शब्द स्मरले.

"हमने देखी है इन आंखो की मेहेक्ती खुशबू

प्यार को प्यार ही रेहेनेदो कोई नाम ना दो

सिर्फ एहसास है रूह से मेहेसूस करो

"हाथ से छु के इसे रिशतो का ईलजाम न दो.'

हे प्रेम अनुभवण्याचे सौभाग्य मिळाले,यासाठी मी त्या परमेश्वराचा सदैव ऋणी राहीन. 

 मी त्यांना भेटायला गेलो नाही,याचा जीवाला खूप घोर लागला. 

कदाचित, तो अनासक्त जीव  मला शेवटचा पारमार्थिक संदेश देण्यासाठी व्याकुळ झाला असावा. मला आसक्तीतून मुक्त करणारा संदेश देण्याची दैवी आसक्ती.


डॉ दीपक रानडे.

Tuesday, August 4, 2020

The Red Shift

The Red Shift.

   In the 1930's, Edwin Hubble discovered that all galaxies have a positive redshift. A red shift is observed due to the stretching of the light waves reaching the observer from an object moving away from him. This is due to the Doppler effect. When light emanating from distant galaxies is spectroscopically analysed, there is a shift in the spectroscopic spectrum towards the red side if the object is moving away, and towards the blue side if the object is moving towards the observer. The red shift observed universally from all the observed galaxies indicated that all galaxies were receding away from the Milky Way. They were racing away from each other. We are part of a dynamic, expanding Universe.
               In trying to solve the differential equations that describe space-time, Einstein needed to add a constant term to avoid having the universe collapse upon itself. This cosmoligical constant was necessary to  balance the attractive force of gravity contributed by all of the matter in the universe. He was looking for something constant in an ever changing universe. He later admitted to this being one of his greatest mistakes in his career. But then, there still remained the enigma of the source of energy  for the universe to continuously expand ? Physicists now hypothesise the existence of a Dark Energy, that fuels this ever accelerating expansion. The dark energy is what actually overcomes the attractive forces of gravity and literally inflates the universe, driving the dots on it further and further away from each other. The universe was getting colder and colder.
     The other day, I visited a relative, who was very close. I quickly realized and experienced this phenomenon of red shift actually applied to relationships too. Everyone seems to be moving apart from everyone. This 'social distancing' is at an emotional level. Let's call it emotional social distancing. Every friend, relative, associate is traveling at his own speed, in his own life. I had made an Einsteinian blunder of assuming an 'emotional' constant. There can never be any such constant in this flux of Life. Instead I soon discovered a dark energy called Ego, which' powers this ever expanding social universe. This dark energy outstrips the benevolent gravitational force of love, compassion, and care. This 'red shift' phenomenon that virtually drives everyone apart is easily noticeable in the rather perfunctory and superficial interactions replacing the warmth and fraternity. There was an obvious thawing of this emotional universe.
       As I observe the successive generations, I can't help notice the increasing 'escape velocity' of every person, racing away from each other. This escape velocity very effectively overcomes the gravitational field of genuine Love  Affection and Empathy. These emotions are fast becoming vestigeal in a very self centered, materialistic life. It might be rather presumptuous and judgemental to label this as degenerative or detrimental. The 'red shift' in relationships and life  is as much a reality as is the red shift seen in an infinitely expanding universe. The speeding apart and away is part of a cosmic design of the physical as also the emotional universe.

Dr. Deepak Ranade.

Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity.
Rewiring Neural Networks

He has a very short fuse, that person is too casual in his attitude or then,  she has a very jovial disposition. These are all very characteristic traits by which we categorise people in our lives. They are typical and highly  predictible behavioral patterns.
        Behavior  can be broken down into stereotyped patterns. Such behaviors follow a specific 'fixed action' pattern. They are entirely stimulus based, and are executed in a robotic, mechanical manner. An example is the egg-rolling behavior observed in some birds. When the bird spots an egg-like object in the vicinity of its nest, the bird  begins to roll it towards the nest. Even when  the egg is removed, the bird will continue the behavior until it reaches the nest, without seeming to "realize" that the egg is no longer there. Programmed, embedded software, that ensures a definite behavioral response to a particular stimulus. Slaves of a program, bound by chains of neural networks. Is our response and behaviour a Bio-Mechanic compulsion, entirely involuntary, unfolding at the sub-conscious level?
     Are we controlled by unique neural templates that mediate unique responses. Are we slaves of a program? Do our responses necessarily get defined and  limited by this genetically embedded software? This instinctive response cripples the intellect and makes the subject surrender to a prefixed, predetermined pattern of  behaviour. This typical unique behavioural pattern is the substrate of personality. Personality is a  characteristic way of thinking, feeling, and behaving. Personality includes moods, attitudes, and opinions and is most clearly expressed in interactions with people and situations. It includes behavioral characteristics, both inherent and acquired, that distinguish one person from another.
Can we change these patterns of behavior or are we helplessly trapped in this neuro- hormonal matrix?  Is our behaviour doomed with the curse of incorrigibility? Can we break these patterns of predictibility and press the reset button?  Can  this hard disc be reformatted and  is it possible to rewrite the (ROM) Read Only Memory?
The human brain most certainly  is evolved to rise above this Bio-Mechanic syntax and protocol. It is blessed and fortified with a phenomenon called Neuroplasticity.
Neuroplasticity is the alteration and modification of neural pathways, networks and synapses. This enables the brain to effect synaptic pruning that deletes the neural connections no longer necessary or useful, and strengthens the necessary ones. A rewiring of the neuronal circuits. It perhaps might involve establishing a  connection with a  seat of higher intelligence. Transcending the network mediated Bio-Mechanic responses by reprogramming the perception of the observer. A paradigm shift in the response effected by a fundamental shift  in perception. Instinct is over ridden by a dispassionate conscious deliberation. This transcendence is referred to as opening of the Third Eye in oriental mysticism.
The third eye (also known as the inner eye) is a mystical and esoteric concept referring to a speculative invisible eye which enhances perception beyond ordinary sight.  It provides a third person appraisal of the observed and the observer. It is a witness  of the subject and the object. A non-dual sublime intelligence that pierces the illusion of duality. A perceptive shift that dissolves the personal consciousness into the eternal impersonal consciousness.

Dr Deepak Ranade.

Could Have Been, Should have Been

Could Have Been, Should Have Been.

I woke up in a sweat at 1.30 am. I realised I was hysterically kicking in my sleep, as if freeing myself from the vice like grip on my feet of three to four people. I  got up startled and was relieved to see no one at the foot end of my bed. Rubbing my eyes, I made my way in the dark to the kitchen and had a glass of water to soothen my frayed nerves. It was a weird feeling. Dreams can cause palpitations. My heart was still pounding.
I hobbled along to the drawing room and plonked myself on the sofa. I knew it was not possible to fall asleep again, being gripped with this trepidation and angst that although virtual, affected me like reality . I closed my eyes and tried to recapitulate the nightmare that had scared the wits out of me.
 It then slowly came back as I was perhaps re-entering the domain of somnolence. Initially it was a blur, but then it became clearer, as though I was clearing the windshield off the smokey vapour.
I could see myself sprawled face down on the ground, struggling and lunging forwards, trying to free myself from these 3 to 4 persons who were holding my ankles and pulling me backwards. I was ranting and raving, using every ounce of energy to free myself from my captors. My efforts were all in vain. I was seemingly powerless against these henchmen, who were in no mood to relent. They were dragging me backwards mercilessly, with impunity and arrogance.
I was trying to dig my claws in the muddy surface in an attempt to anchor myself in the least. But it was of no avail. My eyes were covered in mud, obscuring my vision and anyways I could not muster any  courage to look down at my abductors.
       I try to keep calm, and with one hand, I try to clear my eyes. And then, far ahead, I see a beautiful glowing candescence that beckons. The brightness  of which is indescribable. I am being pulled away from this brilliant divine luminiscence by these powerful aggressors. Somewhere, in the direction of the light, I hear a very deep and comforting baritone, that is imploring me to escape from this torrid incarceration. The voice is very soothing and reassuring. I shout out towards that voice for help, almost begging for assistance. But there is no respite.
I finally give up. I let myself slide backwards. The surrender decreases the pain.
I shout out to these toughies to be a bit more gentle.They too are convinced of my compliance and slightly ease the grip on my ankles. After truce has been established, I lie down for a while and my subjugators too take a break.
     I notice, they are masked, and rather heavily built.I assure them, that I will no longer resist their efforts to drag me backwards, but plead with them to unmask and  identify themselves.They reluctantly agree and in a few moments unmask themselves. They are three of them. As soon as the masks are off, I am stunned to see them.
All are my identical clones.  I'm shocked by what I see. I gather my wits and then ask them their names.The first two identify themselves as "Could Have Been Deepak" and "Should Have Been Deepak". The third refuses to tell me his name. I plead with him till he finally relents. He tells me, 'I'm "Hate Deepak". I hate you and will never forgive you for all that you have done to yourself and others."
I'm speechless and shell shocked to discover the identity of these desperadoes. I can't contain my curiosity about the identity of that benevolent voice that was beckoning me. I shout out loudly towards that voice- "Who are you and what is that brilliant light that you are leading me to?" in the hope of getting an answer.
After a few minutes, I am rewarded with an answer in the same comforting baritone. "My name is "Can Be Deepak". And the brilliant light that you see is the Supreme Divinity that also lies at your center but of which you are unaware.

Dr. Deepak Ranade.

Bhakti yog and Dnyan Yog

June 2009.
On a trek to Tapovan via Gomukh. Gomukh is where the sacred Ganges emerges from the glacier. The apex from what it emerges resembles the triangular contour of a Cows  face. Hence the name.
Enroute the trek, we had a camp Bhojbasa. It was a quaint little village on the banks of the river Ganges. We reached the camp site by 1 pm, had lunch, and then later in the afternoon, few of us decided to explore the village. There was a very elegant, stone and mud dwelling just adjacent to the river about 700 meters from our camp site.
We casually enquired and were told that a very respected hermit, a yogi, lived there since a many years.
I was very keen to meet up with any Rishis or Sadhus, whenever I trekked the Himalayas. There have been many reported cases of those fortunate few  and their tryst with an inconspicuous, egoless, realized soul. I recollect reading a book by Swami Rama- Living with Himalayan masters, and even Sri M's book making mention of such encounters.
 We anxiously approached the hut and found a disciple or attendant keeping guard. We asked him if we could meet with the sage. He asked us to wait and went into that dark hut. He reappeared after a few moments and said, we could meet the sadhu. We were ushered into the dark but, which had incense sticks and a single oil lamp burning with a steady flame.
We saw the elderly sage, in the gente light seated on the floor in conversation with  two gentleman. They were  introduced as a yoga teacher from Slovakia, and the other was his guide. The sadhu asked us to wait while he addressed a few doubts of the Yoga teacher from Slovakia.
The foreigner, was apparently very well versed in Hindu philosophy and asked the Sadhu a question, that truly left me spellbound. He asked the Sadhu-
"Which path to realisation was the best ? Jnana Yog or Bhakti Yog?
           There are many roads to Rome. In indian philosophy, realization could be achieved by Karma Yog, or the path of carrying out ones responsibilities and roles to perfection, Jnana Yog, which is the path of knowledge, Bhakti Yog, the path of devotion and surrender and a few more like Hatha Yoga about which I'm not too  knowledgeable.
The Sadhu took a deep breath, and after a very pregnant pause answered this very deeply philosophical question.
He said, Adi Shankaracharya the first of the Shankaracharya lineage was a very scholarly Yogi well versed in all the scriptures like Vedas and Upanishads. Despite all his knowledge, his penance, his deliberations, innumerable scholarly texts he had authored, meditation and spiritual practices, he felt he had still not sought his goal of realisation. He one day set aside all these scriptures and hermeneutic  knowledge and composed a few verses that were dedicated to surrender and devotion to the Lord. "Bhaja Govindam".
   In this prayer, Adi Shankaracharya highlights the importance of devotion for God as a means to spiritual development and to liberation from the cycle of birth and death. The prayer leaves  no doubt that the renunciation of our egotistical differences and surrender to God makes for salvation.
  Our turn to ask was next. But we were too overcome with the purport of his earlier monologue. We just bowed down to the Sadhu and took his permission to leave.


This picture is at Bhojbasa taken back in June  2009.

प्राजक्ताचा सडा

प्राजक्ताचा सडा

प्राजक्त. हे केवळ फुल नाहीये. एक ठेवा आहे. बालपणाच्या आठवणींचा. एक वारसा आहे सौंस्कृतीचा. एक पावित्र्याचे निर्मलतेचे प्रतीक. भौतिकतेतुन अधिभौतिकते कडे वाटचाल. एक निशाणी निरागस निष्पाप,बालमनाची.आमच्या लहानपणी,आमच्या घराच्या मागच्या बाजूला एक मोठ्ठ पारिजातकाचे झाड होते. सकाळी ,आज्जी  फुलं वेचायला बरोबर घेऊन जायची. पावसाळ्याचे दिवस,तो प्राजक्ताच्या फुलांचा सडा, किंबुहना गालिचाच म्हणावा लागेल. ओली चिंब पण टवटवीत, मोतीपोवळ्याचा चुराच जणू. आज्जी सांगे "अरे जरा हळू हळू बघून चाल. ती फुलं पायदळी जाऊ देऊ नको." त्या इवल्याश्या पावलांनी मग फुलं चुकवत चुकवत एक एक फूल टिपून आज्जीच्या परडी मध्ये भरायचं.
शुभ्र पांढऱ्या पाकळ्यांचे ते नाजूक फूल,आणि त्याचे ते केशरी गडद देठ. अल्पायुषी,पण त्या अल्पावधीत त्या फुलांचा मोहक सुवास मोहिनी टाकल्या प्रमाणे असर करतो.  अजिबात दर्प नसलेला,पण हळुवार पणे सर्वत्र पसरणारा निर्मळ,सात्विक,पवित्र सुगंध. परडी भरली की आज्जीच्या मागे मागे धावत घरी जायचं.
मग आज्जी म्हणायची,आता त्या फुलांचा हार कर. ती एक बारीक सुई घेऊन त्याच्यात दोरा ओवून द्यायची. आणि मग, त्या फुलाच्या मधोमध ती सुवी घालून थेट त्या केशरी देठातून,हळुवार पणे बाहेर काढायची. एका पाठोपाठ एक अशी 25 ते 30 फुलांचा हार झाला,की मग आज्जीकडे धावत जायचं. ती कौतुकाने माझया कलाकृतीकडे बघून, दोन्ही टोकांची नीर गाठ मारून द्यायची. मग, भूक भूक करत आईकडे हट्ट करत नाष्टा करायचा.  तोवर आज्जीची अंघोळ,पूजा उरकलेली असायची. शाळेत जाण्यापूर्वी देवाला नमस्कार करायला गेलो,की माझया हातानी केलेला तो हार  देव्हाऱ्याच्या चौकटीवर सजवलेला असायचा.
नमस्कार केल्यावर,आज्जी म्हणायची, देवाला तुझा हार खूप अवडलाय. त्याने तुला भरभरून आशीर्वाद दिले आहेत. दप्तर खांद्यावर चढवून मग, शाळेकडे कूच. परमेश्वराच्या आणि आज्जीच्या आशीर्वादानेच कदाचित, डॉक्टर होण्याचे सौभाग्य लाभले. पुढे,कर्म धर्म संयोगाने surgeon झालो. प्रत्येक वेळी,टाके घेतो,तेव्हा त्या प्राजक्ताच्या फुलातूनच सुवी घालतोय हा भास होतो. त्या प्राजक्ताच्या फुलनानेच टाके घालण्याची नजाकत शिकवली. हाताला  हळुवार पणाचे वरदान दिले असावे. त्या फुलाची शुभ्रता,त्याचे पावित्र्य, आणि त्याचा सुवास सतत आयुष्यात राहावी,ही प्रार्थना.

डॉ दीपक रानडे.

भय इथले संपत नाही

भय इथले संपत नाही

लॉकडाउन, करोना वायरस चा वाढता प्रादुर्भाव, पॉझिटीव्ह रिपोर्ट्स, quarantine, ICU, व्हेंटिलेटर. गेले 5 महिने रोज उठावे,तर आज काय बातमी कानावर पडणार आहे,याची धाकधूक. जीवनातले चैतन्य,उभारी,ऊर्जा,आनंद, तेज,हुरूप,सगळेच या किटाणू मुळे हरपून गेले आहे. आयुष्यातली सहजता,स्वभावीकता, उत्कटता गायब झालीये. सम्पूर्ण मानव जात हतबल होऊन शरणागत झाली आहे या अनाकलनीय आजारापायी. हे वायरस  सगळ्यांवर हवी झाले आहे. काहींच्या फुफुसात,काहींच्या मनात,काहींच्या  अंतःकरणात. मानव जातीला वेठीस धरले आहे या सूक्ष्म किटाणूने. या विषाणू कणाने आयुष्य भरभरून जगण्याचे - मरमरून जगण्यात रूपांतर केले आहे.
प्रत्येकजण अक्षरशः पुढचा श्वास देखील भीतभित घेतोय.  कुठल्या क्षणी, कुठल्या रूपाने, हा यमदूत शरीरात प्रवेश करेल या भीतीने आयुष्य ढकलतो आहे.
मी डॉक्टर असल्यामुळे बरेच जण मला " पुढे काय होणार? ह्या शापातून आपण मुक्त होणार तरी का ? असे अवघड प्रश्न विचारतात.
      माझे उत्तर शास्त्रोक्त(scientific),राजकारणी,(politically correct)आध्यत्मिक (spiritual), तत्वज्ञानी(philosophical) या वेगवेगळ्या सदरात मोडते.
शास्त्रोक्त उत्तर  herd immunity, vaccine, co morbid factors, cytokine storm, etc,यांचे विश्लेषण सोप्या भाषेत सांगणे.
 राजकारणी(politically correct) उत्तर म्हणजे मानव जातीवर इतिहास काळापासून अनेक संकटे आली( Spanish flu pandemic of 1918, plague, HIV, SARS 1, etc) आणि त्यावर मानवाने अखेरी विजय मिळवला. तसेच,ह्यावर सुद्धा आपण विजय मिळवू.
अध्यात्मिक उत्तर जरा वादास्पद आणि अशास्त्रोक्त. दैव,कर्म,नियती,आशा अनाकलनीय आणि हाताबाहेर असलेल्या सांकल्पना मांडून आपले अज्ञान झाकायचं.खरोखर,प्रत्येक व्यक्ती ह्या वायरस ला कसा प्रतिकार करतो, काहींना केवळ मामुली सर्दी पडसे, काहींना ताप, श्वासोश्वासला अडचण,तर काही अक्षरशः 4 दिवसात देवाघरी. असे का होते, हे अगम्य आणि गूढ.
तत्वज्ञानी (philosophical) उत्तर जास्त समर्पक आणि पोक्त.
आपण आपल्यापरीने काळजी घेणे हे महत्वाचे. पण जगणे थांबवण्या इतकी क्षमता त्या सूक्ष्म किटाणूला अजिबात बहाल करू नये. आशावादी राहून, ही संधी स्वतःची उत्क्रांती होण्यासाठी आहे,असा ठाम विश्वास ठेवून,वाचन,चिंतन,आत्मपरीक्षण,पुढील आयुष्याचे नियोजन करणे हेच योग्य. गर्भगळीत,लाचार,निराश होऊन काहीच साध्य होत नाही. ह्या वायरस पासून शरीराला जपणे जेवढे महत्वाचे,तेवढेच मनाला सुद्धा जपणे गरजेचे आहे. भयभीत मनावस्था रोग प्रतिकार शक्तीवर विपरीत परिणाम करते,हे नक्की. मानसिक रोगप्रतिकार वाढवणे महत्वाचे. मानसिक दुरबलता सुद्धा कदाचित या किटाणूला शरीरात प्रवेश करायला पूरक ठरत असेल. प्रतिकारशक्तीची सकारत्मक ऊर्जा प्रत्येक पेशीत पोचते ह्याची अनुभूती मला कित्येक रुग्णांमध्ये आली आहे. लस ही जशी प्रयोगशाळेत बनवली जात आहे,तशीच आपल्या मनात तयार करणे गरजेचे आहे.
          अभय इथले संपत नाही...........

डॉ दीपक रानडे.

The Zen of Cycling

The Zen of Cycling.

 I wake up at 4.30 am and think of hitting the pedal by 5.30. The  thought of straining and stretching the quadriceps on a climb makes my mind refractory to getting up. I kill it's resistance with my determination and quickly get into my cycling attire. I pick up my bottle of water, place it in the slot and am off on this 21 speed light weight beauty. My leg muscles are as reluctant as my mind and start complaining almost immediately. I just ignore their grumblings and over the next few minutes, they yield a bit and become a little more compliant. As  the monotony of pedalling continues, the joints and the muscles start coordinating and soon, a rhythm sets in. My favorite song to begin any exercise routine- 'Eye of the Tiger" is blaring in my headphones. My mind has been partially tamed into submission. There are some fleeting thoughts about the surgery that is scheduled, followed by some memories of the yesterday. The mind curses a bit as I hit a climb. The psycho- somatic disagreement causes discomfort. The mind  lazy and relaxed and the muscles all taut and contracted. I whip my mind into submission and ensure that it contracts along with my muscles. This causes smoother movements, by eliminating any resistance.
FIRST ZEN MOMENT-  MIND BODY COORDINATION INCREASES MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE and DECREASES FATIGUE.
 I egg myself on and get into the lower gear setting to negotiate the climb. Driving wheel to driven wheel ratio- 2×4.
The frequency of pedaling becomes a bit furious. The gears actually just decrease the effort per rotation of  pedalling. This gets compensated by the increased frequency of pedalling. The net amount of work done remains unchanged. The second  Zen moment.
TOTAL EFFORT REMAINS CONSTANT. GEARS ONLY INCREMENTALLY DECREASE THE EFFORT OF EACH STEP, BUT INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STEPS PROPORTIONATELY.
The climb is negotiated and soon my quadriceps are really screaming. I ease the pedaling as I hit the plains and to my utter delight, I see the road dipping down. Now, I have to start applying the brakes as my momentum starts picking up thanks to the great affinity gravity has for my large frame. The speed of descent mandates greater caution to avoid any small stones that can throw me off balance.
The Third ZEN moment.
DESCENT  REQUIRES LESSER PHYSICAL EFFORT BUT GREATER SKILL AND CAUTION.
I get back to plain ground and then I realise that the pedaling was going on reflexly,and  involuntarily. The body had yielded and surrendered totally. There was not an iota of pain or resistance.The fourth Zen moment.
 PAIN IS ENTIRELY A CONSTRUCT OF THE MIND. 
My  25 km routine was soon coming to close as I headed for the home stretch.
I was celebrating a victory over my mind, that was so resistant to begin this routine. And then, this notorious mind turns to me and says- 'See, how nice it feels after a great morning work out' .
I end my routine with the last Zen moment.
NEVER TRUST THE DOUBLE FACED MIND.

DR. DEEPAK RANADE.

निर्लेप टेक्नॉलॉजि

निर्लेप टेक्नॉलॉजि.

निर्लेप. स्वयंपाकाचा पूर्ण  कायापालट करणारे तंत्रज्ञान. नॉनस्टिक टेकनॉलॉजि. सुटसुटीत,कमी तेल लागणारी,तब्बेतीला, रक्तवाहिन्यांना,हृदयाला संवर्धक. ही निर्लेपची भांडी स्वयंपाकघरात येण्यापूर्वी
माझ्या लहानपणी,आई बीडाचा जाडजूड तवा वापरायची. बरेचदा,त्या कालथ्याने जोर लावून,दात ओठ खाऊन, घावन,पानगी,डोसे यांच्या चिंधड्या झालेल्या समरणात आहे.मग कोणी सांगे, गरम झालेल्या तव्यावर कापलेल्या कांद्याने थोडे तेल चोळून मग डोसे घालायचे. काही तरी करून डोसा आणि तव्यातल्या अतिप्रेमावर निरोधक उपचार आपापल्या परीने सगळ्या गृहिणींचे असायचे. निर्लेप तवे आल्यावर ही धडपड एकाएकी संपली. अर्थात,ह्या तव्यांवर उलथणे सुद्धा लाकडी असणे गरजेचे होते. स्टीलचे वापरल्यास निर्लेपच्या कोटला जखम व्हायची. तो कोटला  जीवापाड जपायला लागे.तो तवा म्हणजे गृहिणीला वरदानच ठरले.
मी आज 2 अंड्यांचे ऑम्लेट बनवत होतो. कांदा तांबूस परतून, मग मस्त हिरवीगार कोथिंबीर,आणि एकच मिरचीचे चार पाच तुकडे फोडलेल्या अंड्यात घालून, मनसोक्त फेटून,मग त्या निर्लेपच्या तव्यावर ओतले. 2 मिनिटे झाकण ठेवून मग झाकण उघडल्यावर मस्त थरथरत एका बाजूने ऑम्लेट शिजून तयार. ते कुठेही तव्याला चिकटले नव्हते. थोड्या तव्याच्या कसरती करून ते मस्त हवेत उडवुन पालटले. जय निर्लेप बाबा.
     निर्लेप हे रसायन खरोखर किती भन्नाट आहे. टोस्ट बनवत असताना विचार आला, ही निर्लेपी टेकनोलॉजि आपल्या नात्यांमध्ये, स्वभावात आत्मसात केली तर कित्ती छान होईल? उगाच भावना आणि अपेक्षांमुळे नात्यांचे डोसे आपल्या मनाच्या तव्याला चिकटून बसतात. मग काही कारणामुळे नाते पलटायची गरज पडली,तर त्या डोस्याच्या चिंधड्या होतात. कितीही विवेकाचे, निरासक्तीचे तेल सोडले, तरी डोसा चिकटतोच. व्यावहारिकतेचे, प्रकटकॅलिटीचे निर्लेप कोटिंग मनाला लावून नात्यागोत्यांचे डोसे घातले,तर कुठेही डोसा न तुटता कमी तेल वापरून मस्त दोन्ही बाजूने न तुटता शिजतील. अध्यात्मिक वाटचालींकरता सुद्धा ही निर्लेप टेकनोलॉजि उत्कृष्ट. नाहीतरी सध्या social distancing ह्या संकल्पनेला ऊत आलाय. त्याचे औचित्य साधून, निव्वळ शारीरिक स्तरावर न ठेवता emotional social distancing ची सवय लावून घेतली पाहिजे. आणि त्याकरता सगळ्यांना उपयोगी पडणारी "निर्लेप टेक्नॉलॉजि ".ही टेक्नॉलॉजि खूप लोकं, अत्यंत यशस्वीपणे वापरताना दिसतात.कुरकुरीत,अत्यन्त पातळ डोसे बनवतात. पोट भरत नाही ह्या पातळ डोस्यांनी. जास्त डोसे खायचे.सहज सुलभ आणि फार महाग नसलेली.  अवश्य वापरून पहा. मात्र,जरा लाकडी उलथणे वापरायचे लक्षात ठेवा. त्या लेपाला जपणे महत्वाचे.

डॉ दीपक रानडे.

Friday, July 17, 2020

गुलदस्त्यातले समाजकारण

गुलदस्त्यातले समाजकारण

समाज,चारचौघे,लोकं हे तसे चेहरा,ओळख नसलेले. कदाचित,समाजातल्या अलिखित, नीतिमत्तेच्या नियमांचे  रक्षण करणारी अज्ञात संस्था. समाजातल्या प्रत्येकावर एक अत्यन्त महत्वाचा प्रभाव.
एखाद्याने ह्या अलिखित नियमांचे उल्लंघन केले,तर त्याच्या अथवा तिच्या वर आक्षेप,आरोप,समीक्षेची झोड उठवण्याचे अत्यन्त महत्वाचे काम करणारे हे चारचौघे.
तसे म्हंटले,तर ही एक प्रकारची सौंस्थाच. या सौंस्थेचे सभासद म्हणजे, चौकटीत वावरणारे,आर्थिक आणि व्यावसायिक दृष्ट्या सबळ असलेले,चकाट्या पिटणारी निरुद्योगी,कीटी पार्टी मंडळी, स्वतः बंड करण्याची इच्छा असलेले,पण धमक नसलेले अतृप्त आत्मे. ह्या सौंस्थेला तसे आपल्या सौंस्कृतीत खूपच महत्व. लहानपणे हिंदी पिक्चर मध्ये,"बिरादरी के खिलाफ जाके" पळून जाऊन लग्न करणारे हिरो हेरॉईन खूपच भावायचे. तेव्हा विरोध करणे म्हणजे किती रोमँटिक,डेरिंग आणि डॅशिंग वाटायचे.
समाजाच्या नैतिकतेचा धुरा समभाळणाऱ्या आशा अनेक मंडळींशी प्रत्यक्ष,किंवा अप्रत्यक्ष संबंध गेल्या 3 दशकात आला. कॉलेज मध्ये असल्या पासून ह्या चार चौघांनी कधी पाठच सोडली नाही. सभासद बदलत राहिले,पण संस्था कायम.
इतरांच्या आयुष्यात डोकावून, कुणाकडून मिळालेल्या अर्धवट माहितीच्या आधारे, मनसोक्त तोंडसुख घेणारे हे हंगामी सभासद.
समाजात प्रत्येक व्यक्तीला एक सामाजिक लेबल लावण्याचे मौलिक काम करणारी ही मंडळी. हे शिक्के, त्या त्या व्यक्तीची कालांतराने ओळख बनून रहातात.
तो ना ? तो तर ........च आहे
ती तसलीच आहे
वगरे वगरे
आणि ही जजमेंट्स अत्यन्त छातीठोक पणे खात्रीशीर असल्याचा अविर्भावात केली जातात. सभासद  आपापल्या वैयक्तिक आयुष्यात ह्या नियमांचे कितपत पालन करतात, हा एक वेगळाच विषय. तरी, इतरांवर शाब्दिक वार करणारच. चोरी पकडली गेली नसल्यामुळे,आपण धुतल्या तांदुळा सारखे, विनापाश. हे स्वयंघोषित moral police किती दांभिक असतात याची प्रचिती अनेकदा झाली.
लफडी करणे, लाच घेणे,व्यसनं असणे अजिबात चुकीचे नाही. ती गुलदस्त्यात ठेवता न येणे,हीच चूक.
गुलदस्त्यात लपणारे हे भ्याड किडे.सगळंच चोरीछुपे.इतर   वेळी,कुठे काय, कुठे काय,"तो मी नव्हेच" चे बुरखे घालून इतर लोकांवर ताशेरे ओढायला हजर.
दांभिकता, ही एक कला आहे. सगळे करून सावरून समाजात ताठ मानेने चालणे, हा एक प्रकारचा  रॅम्प वॉक .केलेल्या दुष्कृत्यांचा कुठेही सुगावा न लागून देणे, हे खरे कसब. शेवटी,माणूस हा सगळीकडे सारखाच कोणीही कितीही नैतिकतेच्या बढाया मारल्या तरी. याचा अर्थ नैतिकतेची ऐसीतैशी,असे अजिबात नाही.
नैतिकतेचा प्रचार आणि प्रसार करणाऱ्या दांभिक मानसिकतेवरचा हा रोष आहे. कोण व्यक्ती,कुठल्या प्रसंगातून गेलाय,त्याचा जीवनाचा प्रवास, त्याच्या आयुष्यातील कटू प्रसंग,आणि त्याने घेतलेले निर्णय याचा उलगडा नसताना त्या व्यक्तीची शाब्दिक शिकार करणे हे दुर्दैवी. स्वतःचे ताट भरलेले असताना दुसऱ्याची भूक समजणे खरंच कठीण असते. गुलदस्त्यात आयुष्य व्यतीत करणारे, रस्त्यावरच्या पारिजातकाच्या फुलांची मानसिकता कधीच समजू शकणार नाही. किंबुहना,त्यांनी तो प्रयत्नच न करणे,हे इष्ट.

डॉ. दीपक रानडे

Society, others, people, peers all faceless entities, but an institution to safeguard the unwritten codes of conduct in society. Nonetheless, a very powerful influence on everyone.
An institution entrusted with the onerous task of reprimanding, criticizing and ostracizing anyone, who dares to beach the invisible implicit protocols. A club of moral high priests, members of which are the pseudo conformist, successful wealthy individuals, or then the largely time whiling kitty party types or then those meek, timid and disgruntled souls, harboring latent ambitions of breaking the norms, but never blessed with the courage to do so. This intangible institution however has great importance in the cultural ethos of every society.
Back in our childhood, there were many a movies made on the theme of eloping lovers, with scant regard to social norms. The protagonists really appealed to me at that tender age, and their acts of dissidence appeared so daringly romantic and dashing. Have had the privilege of either directly or indirectly dealing with these high priests of morality who bear the huge responsibility of guarding against moral  decadence in the last three decades. The members have changed, but the institution remains unfettered. These social voyeurs who never spare the opportunity to peep into the lives of others and castigate and assassinate their victims with highly insufficient facts or knowledge.
These slaves of opinion doing service to society by labeling their subjects, which eventually become their identities.
That guy is an incorrigible........
She always was a loose........
Etc Etc.
These verdicts and judgements are passed with complete conviction and confidence.
How many of this breed flout the very norms they preach is entirely another matter. They will relentlessly attack with their razor sharp verbal onslaught.
Their reputations kept intact, merely because their corruptive immoral acts remain unexposed. Have witnessed the doublespeak of this hypocritic tribe on many an occasion. Illicit affairs, vices, corrupt practices by themselves are not a crime. The inability to keep these under wraps is what constitutes a crime.
These people are the parasites infesting the bouquet of secrecy. Scheming wolves donning the  sheepskin of virtue, always geared up to pounce on the next victim.
Hypocrisy is an art. The ability to stand tall and strut around, a skill of confidently walking the ramp. The acumen of adroitly shrouding their indiscretions.
Human beings are pretty much the same, no matter how loudly anyone rants about the virtues of morality. I do not wish to target morality or virtue, but rather the hypocritical mindset of its  preachers and propagators. It's really unfortunate to see these perpetrators launch a relentless hunt without being privy to the circumstances, unfortunate turn of events, or sheer misfortune of their victims. Their contented bellies can never be in a position to interpret the angst of a famished soul.
Moral ostracism that's more  a travesty of justice. The flowers that rest comfortably ensconced in a bouquet can never comprehend the perils of a flower  blown away by the furious storm of circumstances.

Dr. Deepak Ranade.

The end of an era of Innocence

The End of
"Era of Innocent Romance"

I was in the fifth standard when I saw Bobby. I was ahead of my times, but this was largely possible because of my aunt, whose family were the owners of Apollo Cinema. I was given access to see the film that was certified for adult viewing.
 I was just getting initiated about the fundamental differences between boys and girls. But the image of that couple riding away on the famous Bobby motorcycle remained etched on my young mind. At that time, my best guess was  that the two were going on a picnic without the permission of their parents. But the innocence and freshness of the hero made a connect with a 10 year old. That was the USP of this extremely versatile, vivacious, strikingly good looking  Kapoor sibling. His boyish charm and disarming smile had fans across all ages, creeds, communities without any gender bias.
         This early tryst with Rishi later in my teens, morphed into adulation, and soon, I had  become an ardent fan. Medical school days were spent fantasizing, inspired by his romantic escapades, the very lively romantic pairing with Neetu Singh, the music competitions, prancing around trees, throwing snowballs in the picturesque surroundings of the Himalayas. He was the epitome of audacious, adventurous romance. The 'catch me if you can' demeanor was provocative and yet seductive. There was a boisterous appeal in his body language, coupled with the fragrance of a vibrant youthfulness.  The  element of rebellion was without a trace of arrogance, insolence or maleficence. His boyish charm almost always exonerated him of all the pranks and misdemeanors perpetrated by him. There was a subtle touch of naughtiness that brought a smile even to lips of those he offended. There was also a shade of vulnerability to his charisma, that melted the hearts of his lady loves. He garnished the dull,dreamy eyed romance with a dash of thrill, excitement and mischief,that bore no malice or ill will. The songs that  blessed his films, and his impeccable sense of rhythm made his gyrations aesthetically pleasing without any semblance of vulgarity. His inimitable style caused many a hearts to flutter. He lent to romance, that esoteric element of nascent, raw, aggression with a cavalier disdain for orthodoxy. He exorcised the guilt of moral indiscretion, that hounded young lovers without preaching them to sin. He stimulated the emotional taste buds by lending the  "chocolate boy" syrupy hero, a more tangy 'sweet and sour' flavor. Romance was transformed into a heady eclectic alchemy of energetic, restrained, understated passion, vulnerability, and a pleasurable angst.His antics and flirtatious excursions enthralled more than annoyed. When he strummed the guitar, he certainly made it look believable, unlike most contemporaries, who looked rather uncomfortable with this accessory that was meant to make them look hep.
He had an honest intensity that made even the rather clichéd romantic routines enjoyable. The lovable lover boy, who loved with a passionate zeal, that was infective and yet harmless. Essentially a brat, who was not spoilt. A well brought up, cultured brat, whose courageous acts of dissidence only added to his charm, and made him all the more irresistible.
May he bring cheer and happiness to the nether world.

चाँद मेरा दिल, चाँदनी हो तुम
चाँद से है दूर चाँदनी कहाँ
लौट के आना है यहीं तुमको
जा रहे हो तुम, जाओ मेरी जान

RIP my dear Rishi.

Dr. Deepak Ranade.

The Benediction of a Prone Hand

The Benediction of a prone hand.

Bankers, Investment Bankers, Angel funding, all are into lending money to various startups, businesses, entrepreneurs, small and medium enterprises, Their acumen and skill lies in their judgement and ability to back the right horse. However,if the borrowers or businesses do not perform as per expectations, and fail to repay the loan they are deemed as NPA - Non Performing Assets. What caused this contractual breach?  An error of judgement? Mitigating circumstances? Willful default? Force majeure?
These violations of trust and commitment  metaphorically reflect the dynamics of relationships too. The difference is merely of the instrument. In banking, one deals with finance, whilst in relationships, the instrument of transaction is emotion. Every relationship is an emotional loan, an investment of sorts. Most borrowers are regular in their repayment. Some repay with simple interest, some with compound interest. These prime borrowers have a high credit rating (reliability and reciprocity). Some continue to pay interest even after the principle is repaid. These are like investments in blue chip stocks, with timely rights issues, dividend, bonus and yield the highest ROI (return on investment) .
Then there are these non performing assets. There might be some compelling reason for non repayment. They still remain Standard assets, in whom we continue to trust.In banking jargon, these are loans which have defaulted for a period of 12 months or less but the risk of the asset is normal. They are given the benefit of doubt, and their credibility and intentions are still not lost.
If these defaults continue, their rating drops to sub standard assets. These relationships have continued to default beyond a reasonable period of time.  Banks classify these NPAs as those having dues for more than 12 months. They have a significantly higher risk level. Banks offer a "haircut relief" (reduction in market value and reduction of interest rates) to such NPAs because they are less certain that the borrower will eventually repay the full amount. In relationships, we accept this limitation of servicing the loan and extend our tolerance and acceptance as "haircuts'. We attribute their non compliance to idiosyncrasies, vagaries, circumstances,  giving them a long rope.
The next category is a lot less reliable. The Doubtful Debts. Non-performing assets in the doubtful debts category have defaulted for more than18 months. They raise serious doubts about the borrower. He might never repay the full loan. The doubtful debt category in relationships is where the trouble begins. The realisation, that one has invested heavily, and there seems to be no return over an uncomfortably long period. There is a despondency, a sense of having been let down with a growing trust deficit. There is an element of self castigation, for  erroneous  judgment. Often times, these kind of borrowers not only default on payments, but expect bailout packages. It's a no win situation. You are a fait accompli, a sorry collateral damage in their sagging fortunes, and at times are coerced into lending more, with full realization of the futility of patching a sinking ship. These relationships are a huge drain of emotional resources. Dead investments, with negative returns. And finally, there is this category of Loss Assets. They are loans that are written off. They might be wilful defaulters, or very rarely candidates eligible for evoking  the Force Majeure clause. Helpless and beyond redemption.They do not figure in the account books of our emotional balance sheets. They are the unavoidable professional hazards of this lending and investing business. Raises serious doubts about remaining in this lending business.  No matter how determined I am to stop extending emotional loans and investing in emotional bonds, I realize, that I'm an incorrigible optimistic lender with the benediction of a prone hand. I cant stop lending. I force myself to look at some of the blue chip stocks, that have yielded incredible returns as my prone hand and  mind dishes out the next loan. Emotions or finances, business must go on profit or loss notwithstanding.

Dr Deepak Ranade.

Minimalism

Minimalism - The new age mantra.

The COVID crisis has really moved and shaken mankind from the hypnotic spell  of omnipotence. No one had ever imagined that the third world war will be waged against a microbe. A microbe that's just a few microns has brought the most powerful species to its knees. A microbe, that was perhaps man made, or then again, possibly a natural mutation, we will never know. What we do know however is the effect that this microbe has had on every single being inhabiting this planet. Truly a global phenomenon, that has made mankind impotent, rendering all his achievements,  technological advances and intelligence futile. Nature will always have the  upper hand in this duel. Nature will also evolve along with man. Evolution is not the holy jurisdiction of man alone. Just that this evolution is far more subtle and operates on the macrocosmic as well as the microcosmic scale. Nature will always walk a step ahead. One could philosophically term this catastrophe as the unfolding of man's destiny. A destiny, that he sculpted with his own hands.  Or perhaps, destiny might just be an euphemism for the assertion of complete control by his creator. Civilization had  degenerated, to an insane insatiable indulgence. A Bourgeois ideoligy that stratified mankind into hierachies of haves, have nots and subclasses between. His quest for'More' had mutated from a need based, progressive constructive ambition, to a greed based  destructive, regressive carnal lust to consume.
The lockdown, it's restrictions,and social distancing have served to make him realise how basic his needs are, and the importance of releasing the throttle of gluttonous hedonism. Life had to have a greater meaning than just seeking pleasure, gratification and wallowing in abject materialism. Social distancing has paradoxically served to reconnect and bring him closer to himself. This enforced renunciation has reintroduced the virtues of restraint and minimalism. Needless extravagance, flamboyance, vulgar affluence were toys  of engaging the devious, restless mind and pandering the whims of his megalomaniacal ego. Value systems, temperance, prudence, compassion were sacrificial goats mercilessly slaughtered on the alter of the Demigods of wealth and power. Pleasure seeking had become a career, a way of life and more dangerously, the very purpose of life. This microbe has innoculated mankind with a dose of austerity, which will control  the disseminated infection  of  avaricious intemperance.  It has made mankind acutely aware of the value of a single breath. Blessed if that breath is  a lungful of clean air, or then doomed to a horrific end if the breath is contaminated with the virus. Mortality, which was obscured by his quest for eternity, had come knocking on his door with each breath.  Victory in this war against the microbe will leave no victors ,only survivors. The  euphoria of overcoming this microscopic scourge will be reduced to a pathetic Pyrrhic victory.  The threat of losing  life  was never so close at heels. Just a breath away. Perhaps, this was the only way to instill in mankind, the value and importance of minimalism and correct the course of his life from brazen indulgence to a more enlightened effulgence. The virus is certainly mutating. From an agent of his nemesis, to an epiphany of salvation.

Dr Deepak Ranade

The Long Jump Pit Marker

The marker on the long jump pit.

     There was a star emerging in the United States in the domain of athletics in the early 80s. He was Carl William Lewis. I was fortunate to read about him being an avid reader of the Time magazine, thanks to my father who had initiated in me, an eternal romance with the highly succinct, precise and perfect English in that magazine.
       Carl Lewis was determined to emulate his idol Jesse Owens spectacular achievement of winning 4 golds in the Berlin Olympics. 100 ms, 200 ms, 4x100 relay and the long jump. That was his dream. He was largely disappointed when America boycotted the 1980 Olympics.
   Come 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. The pace was set by Lionel Richies rendition of
"All Night Long" in a glittering opening ceremony. I was closely following my  hero, Carl Lewis, whilst grappling with my medical school routine.
       Lewis launched his quest to match Owens legendary feat with a convincing win in the 100 m, running 9.99 s beating rival fellow American Sam Graddy. In his next event, the long jump, Lewis won with relative ease. Lewis still had the heats and finals in the 200 m and the 4 × 100 m relay to compete in. He knew that his first jump at 8.54 m (28 ft 0 in) was sufficient to win the event.  He risked injury if he over-extended himself, and jeopardise his  ultimate goal to win four golds.
 He fouled on his next jump and then passed on his remaining four allotted jumps. Lewis easily won gold,  This did not go down well with his fans as the  media had hyped Lewis's quest to surpass Bob Beamon's legendary long jump record of 8.90 m (29 ft 2 1⁄4 in). Lewis himself had often stated it was a goal of his to surpass the mark.
     Finally, Carl William Lewis, did go on to emulate his idols feat of winning the 4 golds. He was really my hero, and I remember pasting his Picture on the walls of my hostel room, as a source of inspiration and a reminder to dream big, and work doggedly to make the dream come true.
However, there was another, bigger reason to do so. His love, devotion and faith in his father. Carl was trained  initially in his career by his father. He almost worshipped him. And his father reciprocated his feelings too.
Whilst training for repeating the 4 golds feat, the doting father would sincerely be by the sons side, clock his timings, and guide him. For the long jump, he would keep a marker of the existing Olympic record on the side of the pit. The Olympic record was way below the World Record of Bob Beamon. Carl had to ensure, that he crossed that marker to win the Olympic gold.
During a press conference, it is said, that his father took the blame for his sons infamous act of not attempting any further after  clearing the Olympic record.
His father said," I should never have put the marker of the Olympic record when Carl was training. I limited my son's abilities by placing the marker."
I recall this incident with goosebumps. It reminds me of my father, who never placed any markers when I was studying and building my career. He never resorted to comparisons of any sort. He firmly believed in my abilities, and never set any benchmarks. He respected my uniqueness, loved me for whatever I was, and trusted me almost more than himself.
         The epilogue to the Carl Lewis saga is the icing on the cake. It was 1987,World Championships in Athletics in Rome.
 Lewis skipped the 200 m to focus on his strongest event, the long jump, and made sure to take all his attempts.  Lewis's leaped to  8.67 m (28 ft 5 1⁄4 in) to take the Gold. In the 4 × 100 m relay, Lewis anchored the gold-medal team to a time of 37.90 s, the third-fastest of all time.
However, it was the 100 m final  that turned epic and  caused the most drama. In the final, the Canadian sensation, Ben Johnson won with a time that stunned observers: 9.83 s, a new world record. Lewis, second with 9.93 s, had tied the existing world record, but that was insufficient.
Lewis not only lost the most publicized showdown in track and field in 1987, but  he also lost his father to cancer at age 60.  Lewis placed the gold medal he won for the 100 m in 1984 in his hand to be buried with him. "Don't worry," he told his mother. "I'll get another one." Lewis repeatedly referred to his father as a motivating factor and inspiration. He really was determined to win the Olympic 100 meters gold again, for his father, his object of adulation and worship.
The 100 m final at the 1988 Summer Olympics was truly sensational. It was when the scourge of doping had ravaged athletics. Ben Johnson won in 9.79 s, a new world record, while Lewis set a new American record with 9.92 s. Johnson's timing was almost superhuman. And it soon came to light that he was using banned substances, performance enhancing steroids. Three days later, Johnson tested positive for steroids, and was stripped off his medal.  Carl William Lewis was awarded gold and credited with  a new Olympic record. He had got back the promised 100 meters gold medal once again to replace the one  he had placed in his father's hand.
      Markers, conformism, conventions, can serve as inspiration for what earlier achievers attained.  However, they should never be set as targets  to titrate ones efforts and dreams. Thank you dad, for never punctuating my life with markers, that would limit and restrict my abilities and stop my evolution and attempts to go beyond the narrow definition I would have of myself.

Dr. Deepak Ranade.

The Emotional Climate

The Emotional Climate.

     As I go about my routine, my work, my duties, there remains at the back of my mind, the impact of events, situations, incidents. The infinite skies of my consciousness could at times be sunny, or then, covered with fluffy white clouds, or then again packed with dark storm clouds. These transient condensations and the pressure patterns generated by the uneven heating of earth and water creating high and low pressure belts, all contribute to the "weather". Climate refers to the  cumulative effect of all these variations in the weather patterns.
I am pure awareness, the unaffected  witness, the observer, the clear open infinite skies. Pure consciousness that is infinite and all encompassing, completely beyond the  loco-regional effects of the clouds and the pressure differentials. The mind converges this infinite awareness to a very narrow,local zone, and subjects me to the vagaries and variations of weather and climate, that are fleeting and transient. The clouds, the sun, the storms, the rains, and all climatic conditions, are just a speck of transience, a mere fabric of perception. They all contrive and cast a spell called emotion. Emotions have a very powerful impact, but are founded on such transient mirages. I have to rise above, and transcend these highly fleeting, local weather patterns causing emotional turbulence and realise, I am the infinite open skies on which these kaleidoscopic   formations arbitrarily appear and disappear.  I can  choose, not to let my ego and its emotions condense into clouds, that restrict, obscure and blur my view of  the open skies, because I am the vast open limitless sky. I am, what my mind can never conceive. I am not the content, but the awareness of the container and the content. The mind can only create the illusion of a discrete, non existent, personal  locus of bondage. My perception must rise above the clouds, and become aware of the infinite realm of the universe. Then these clouds become feeble, fleeting and inconspicuous, that can  never affect or limit the infinite eternity of causeless bliss.

Dr. Deepak Ranade.

The Incomplete Will

The Incomplete Will.
( Venturing into the domain of short stories)

The situation was really getting very acrimonious and bitter. The siblings ( two brothers and one sister) were literally up in arms. The frail 90 year old mother was literally trembling. She was yet recovering from the emotional concussion. She never could imagine her own flesh had become so rancid and had decomposed and degenerated to this extent. The fight was over distribution of her assets and properties bequeathed to her by her deceased husband.
The eldest son, aged 62, a confirmed alcoholic had wasted his life. He was never gainfully employed and had a rapidly deteriorating liver, thanks to the gallons of alcohol he had consumed. The daughter 59 had a large family. 4 children, and all were struggling with life. She had recently been diagnosed with diabetes and failing kidneys. The youngest son, 49 was doing well for himself, in the corporate world. The bickering, the allegations, the expletives, filled the nonagenarian's mind with disgust. She cursed herself and uttered a silent prayer to her departed husband. He had really toiled hard, and created all the wealth with his sweat and blood. She wondered, about the plight of his soul on witnessing this vulgar, obscene greed, and lust for his wealth. She quietly wiped a tear, which was unnoticed by her warring offsprings. They were oblivious to her feelings, emotions, and concerns. They were all obsessed with grabbing whatever was at stake.
       Eventually, the solicitor intervened and he gave them an ultimatum. They  had to come to some conclusion, or else, all  the wealth and assets would be donated to charity, as suggested by the anguished mother. He took charge of the situation, and hammered out a reasonable distribution of the properties, both movable and immovable.
There were some contentious matters, but they too were finally resolved. The matriarch was still recovering from the shock of it all. There was an uneasy silence as each of the siblings were licking the emotional wounds they had inflicted on one another. Each one doggedly determined to get his/her slice of the pie.
They were getting ready for signing the document, that had accounted every movable possession of the mother. Jewellery, utensils, linen, wardrobes in  addition to the immovable buildings, farms, stocks, deposits. The mother felt almost naked after this insensitive stripping off of all her material belongings. She was silent and overcome with  helplessness and desolation. As the meeting was about to  disperse, the mother shocked everyone with an unexpected remark.
She said, "Mr Solicitor, this will is still incomplete"
The siblings' eyes inevitably lit up with expectations. Perhaps, there was still some more wealth, that they were unaware of, and hungrily strained their ears for news about further gains that were yet to be  bequeathed.
The Solicitor requested the frail old lady to reveal what she had in mind.
The mother said, " I have heard about the advances made in the domain of healthcare. I have read about live transplants, wherein organs are retrieved from a person, when his heart is still beating. I have lived my life fully and cherish the fondest memories of my erstwhile husband, and times when these children were full of innocence and cheer. Now, i realise that my eldest has a failing liver, my daughter has failing kidneys. All my belongings are distributed, but my body has yet to be partitioned.
To complete my will, please add, that I wish to be put to sleep, and  donate my liver to my eldest son, my kidneys to my daughter. My youngest son is hale and hearty. But he might quarrel and dispute this unequal distribution. To put his mind to rest, please auction both my corneas in the eye bank and give him the proceeds of that deal. I do believe, that only after this wish of mine is fulfilled, can my Will be complete."

Dr. Deepak Ranade

Mid Air Emergency Swissair

Mid Air Emergency At 38000 feet.
 Swissair flight - Mumbai to Zurich, had taken off at 2 am. It was about 3.45 and we were cruising at 38000 feet. We were flying to New York to meet our daughter Soniya.
  There was an announcement on the PA system urgently asking for any Doctor on board. There was a medical emergency on board. I got up from my seat and summoned the support staff. I am a Neurosurgeon and am not accustomed to attending medical emergencies involving the cardio-respiratory systems. I cross my fingers and hope that the situation is salvageable. I'm quickly ushered to the patient, who was slumped in her seat, about 10 rows ahead of my seat.
I noticed that she was an elderly lady, straining to breathe, and was cyanotic. (Bluish discoloration of the lips and finger nails due to decrease oxygen concentration in the blood). I checked her pulse which was fast and thready. She was almost semi conscious, and was not responding to verbal commands. Her breathing was laboured, and there was an audible wheezing sound as she was struggling to breathe.
   I asked her relative, who was anxious, pale faced, and distraught, about her medical history.  He told me, that she occasionally suffered from asthmatic attacks. They however did not have the broncho dilator Aerosol spray.
       I was in a quandary. I was hoping that there might be another Doctor on the flight, who could really have been a help, but no such luck. I was the only one and had to get down to work. I asked the flight attendant to get the emergency drugs box. He obliged and quickly fetched it. It was sealed. I asked him to open it and rummaged through the injectable drugs looking for any broncho dilator. I could not locate the routine salbutamol, aminophylline, adrenaline. Time was fast galloping, as was my own heart. I finally located inj. Hydrocortisone. This steroid was the best, that was available. I located a syringe, and needle, and quickly loaded the drug from the vial. The most dicey part was finding a vein, and getting the needle into the vein. There was some turbulence as I asked the attendant to tightly squeeze the ladies arm in an attempt to engorge the vein in the forearm and the front of the elbow. I chose one that seemed accessible and with a prayer on my lips, I punctured the skin and pushed the tip of the needle in the direction of the vein running parallel to it before giving a sudden jibe from the side to enter the vein. The Almighty took mercy on me as I watched the dark deoxygenated blood swirl into the syringe. I was spot on. I thrust the plunger gradually to deliver about 100 mg of the Hydrocortisone. I was praying to the Lord. The wheezing of the patient was audible to the naked ears. As the drug entered her system, I had asked the attendant to monitor her pulse. So far so good. The last ml of the drug was pushed and I quickly pulled out the syringe.
        The next few minutes were tense. But the wheezing started diminishing, as the bronchospasm was being relieved. After about 7 to 8 minutes, the asthmatic attack was fully aborted and her breathing became almost normal. I heaved a sigh of relief. Later, I was told that as we were flying over Iran, we did not have the option of landing anywhere nearby and w would have had to return back to mumbai, which was a good 2 hours. All is well that ends well. What really is most touching is a message that's religiously sent on occasions such as Doctors Day, by the relatives of the patient. It makes these efforts so worthwhile and the gratitude of the patients kith and kin really is very humbling. Sharing the message, I received today on the occasion of  Doctor's Day.
I requested the patients permission to share his message and he obliged.

Dr. Deepak Ranade.

Dear Dr Ranade,
Happy Doctors Day ...
A big thank you from the bottom of our hearts ....
This is just one day to put in a few words though we thank you every day ....
We always talk so much about you ... the way you saved her on board the Swissair flight on way to US.
God bless you and your loved ones.
Mummy, Urvashi, Capt Ashok Dhawan

Deepak, I remember you and your wife were going to give a surprise to your daughter in US on her engagement .... have the kids married or still enjoying their courtship days.
God bless them.

Ofcourse, you can share on FB.
Please keep our name ... we are really thankful to you and always take your name proudly of a what a “True Doctor” with a heart is.

The Red Shift

The Red Shift.

   In the 1930's, Edwin Hubble discovered that all galaxies have a positive redshift. A red shift is observed due to the stretching of the light waves reaching the observer from an object moving away from him. This is due to the Doppler effect. When light emanating from distant galaxies is spectroscopically analysed, there is a shift in the spectroscopic spectrum towards the red side if the object is moving away, and towards the blue side if the object is moving towards the observer. The red shift observed universally from all the observed galaxies indicated that all galaxies were receding away from the Milky Way. They were racing away from each other. We are part of a dynamic, expanding Universe.
               In trying to solve the differential equations that describe space-time, Einstein needed to add a constant term to avoid having the universe collapse upon itself. This cosmoligical constant was necessary to  balance the attractive force of gravity contributed by all of the matter in the universe. He was looking for something constant in an ever changing universe. He later admitted to this being one of his greatest mistakes in his career. But then, there still remained the enigma of the source of energy  for the universe to continuously expand ? Physicists now hypothesise the existence of a Dark Energy, that fuels this ever accelerating expansion. The dark energy is what actually overcomes the attractive forces of gravity and literally inflates the universe, driving the dots on it further and further away from each other. The universe was getting colder and colder.
     The other day, I visited a relative, who was very close. I quickly realized and experienced this phenomenon of red shift actually applied to relationships too. Everyone seems to be moving apart from everyone. This 'social distancing' is at an emotional level. Let's call it emotional social distancing. Every friend, relative, associate is traveling at his own speed, in his own life. I had made an Einsteinian blunder of assuming an 'emotional' constant. There can never be any such constant in this flux of Life. Instead I soon discovered a dark energy called Ego, which' powers this ever expanding social universe. This dark energy outstrips the benevolent gravitational force of love, compassion, and care. This 'red shift' phenomenon that virtually drives everyone apart is easily noticeable in the rather perfunctory and superficial interactions replacing the warmth and fraternity. There was an obvious thawing of this emotional universe.
       As I observe the successive generations, I can't help notice the increasing 'escape velocity' of every person, racing away from each other. This escape velocity very effectively overcomes the gravitational field of genuine Love  Affection and Empathy. These emotions are fast becoming vestigeal in a very self centered, materialistic life. It might be rather presumptuous and judgemental to label this as degenerative or detrimental. The 'red shift' in relationships and life  is as much a reality as is the red shift seen in an infinitely expanding universe. The speeding apart and away is part of a cosmic design of the physical as also the emotional universe.

Dr. Deepak Ranade.

Neuroplasticity and Rewiring

Neuroplasticity.
Rewiring Neural Networks

He has a very short fuse, that person is too casual in his attitude or then,  she has a very jovial disposition. These are all very characteristic traits by which we categorise people in our lives. They are typical and highly  predictible behavioral patterns.
        Behavior  can be broken down into stereotyped patterns. Such behaviors follow a specific 'fixed action' pattern. They are entirely stimulus based, and are executed in a robotic, mechanical manner. An example is the egg-rolling behavior observed in some birds. When the bird spots an egg-like object in the vicinity of its nest, the bird  begins to roll it towards the nest. Even when  the egg is removed, the bird will continue the behavior until it reaches the nest, without seeming to "realize" that the egg is no longer there. Programmed, embedded software, that ensures a definite behavioral response to a particular stimulus. Slaves of a program, bound by chains of neural networks. Is our response and behaviour a Bio-Mechanic compulsion, entirely involuntary, unfolding at the sub-conscious level?
     Are we controlled by unique neural templates that mediate unique responses. Are we slaves of a program? Do our responses necessarily get defined and  limited by this genetically embedded software? This instinctive response cripples the intellect and makes the subject surrender to a prefixed, predetermined pattern of  behaviour. This typical unique behavioural pattern is the substrate of personality. Personality is a  characteristic way of thinking, feeling, and behaving. Personality includes moods, attitudes, and opinions and is most clearly expressed in interactions with people and situations. It includes behavioral characteristics, both inherent and acquired, that distinguish one person from another.
Can we change these patterns of behavior or are we helplessly trapped in this neuro- hormonal matrix?  Is our behaviour doomed with the curse of incorrigibility? Can we break these patterns of predictibility and press the reset button?  Can  this hard disc be reformatted and  is it possible to rewrite the (ROM) Read Only Memory?
The human brain most certainly  is evolved to rise above this Bio-Mechanic syntax and protocol. It is blessed and fortified with a phenomenon called Neuroplasticity.
Neuroplasticity is the alteration and modification of neural pathways, networks and synapses. This enables the brain to effect synaptic pruning that deletes the neural connections no longer necessary or useful, and strengthens the necessary ones. A rewiring of the neuronal circuits. It perhaps might involve establishing a  connection with a  seat of higher intelligence. Transcending the network mediated Bio-Mechanic responses by reprogramming the perception of the observer. A paradigm shift in the response effected by a fundamental shift  in perception. Instinct is over ridden by a dispassionate conscious deliberation. This transcendence is referred to as opening of the Third Eye in oriental mysticism.
The third eye (also known as the inner eye) is a mystical and esoteric concept referring to a speculative invisible eye which enhances perception beyond ordinary sight.  It provides a third person appraisal of the observed and the observer. It is a witness  of the subject and the object. A non-dual sublime intelligence that pierces the illusion of duality. A perceptive shift that dissolves the personal consciousness into the eternal impersonal consciousness.

Dr Deepak Ranade.

Could have been, Should have been

Could Have Been, Should Have Been.

I woke up in a sweat at 1.30 am. I realised I was hysterically kicking in my sleep, as if freeing myself from the vice like grip on my feet of three to four people. I  got up startled and was relieved to see no one at the foot end of my bed. Rubbing my eyes, I made my way in the dark to the kitchen and had a glass of water to soothen my frayed nerves. It was a weird feeling. Dreams can cause palpitations. My heart was still pounding.
I hobbled along to the drawing room and plonked myself on the sofa. I knew it was not possible to fall asleep again, being gripped with this trepidation and angst that although virtual, affected me like reality . I closed my eyes and tried to recapitulate the nightmare that had scared the wits out of me.
 It then slowly came back as I was perhaps re-entering the domain of somnolence. Initially it was a blur, but then it became clearer, as though I was clearing the windshield off the smokey vapour.
I could see myself sprawled face down on the ground, struggling and lunging forwards, trying to free myself from these 3 to 4 persons who were holding my ankles and pulling me backwards. I was ranting and raving, using every ounce of energy to free myself from my captors. My efforts were all in vain. I was seemingly powerless against these henchmen, who were in no mood to relent. They were dragging me backwards mercilessly, with impunity and arrogance.
I was trying to dig my claws in the muddy surface in an attempt to anchor myself in the least. But it was of no avail. My eyes were covered in mud, obscuring my vision and anyways I could not muster any  courage to look down at my abductors.
       I try to keep calm, and with one hand, I try to clear my eyes. And then, far ahead, I see a beautiful glowing candescence that beckons. The brightness  of which is indescribable. I am being pulled away from this brilliant divine luminiscence by these powerful aggressors. Somewhere, in the direction of the light, I hear a very deep and comforting baritone, that is imploring me to escape from this torrid incarceration. The voice is very soothing and reassuring. I shout out towards that voice for help, almost begging for assistance. But there is no respite.
I finally give up. I let myself slide backwards. The surrender decreases the pain.
I shout out to these toughies to be a bit more gentle.They too are convinced of my compliance and slightly ease the grip on my ankles. After truce has been established, I lie down for a while and my subjugators too take a break.
     I notice, they are masked, and rather heavily built.I assure them, that I will no longer resist their efforts to drag me backwards, but plead with them to unmask and  identify themselves.They reluctantly agree and in a few moments unmask themselves. They are three of them. As soon as the masks are off, I am stunned to see them.
All are my identical clones.  I'm shocked by what I see. I gather my wits and then ask them their names.The first two identify themselves as "Could Have Been Deepak" and "Should Have Been Deepak". The third refuses to tell me his name. I plead with him till he finally relents. He tells me, 'I'm "Hate Deepak". I hate you and will never forgive you for all that you have done to yourself and others."
I'm speechless and shell shocked to discover the identity of these desperadoes. I can't contain my curiosity about the identity of that benevolent voice that was beckoning me. I shout out loudly towards that voice- "Who are you and what is that brilliant light that you are leading me to?" in the hope of getting an answer.
After a few minutes, I am rewarded with an answer in the same comforting baritone. "My name is "Can Be Deepak". And the brilliant light that you see is the Supreme Divinity that also lies at your center but of which you are unaware.

Dr. Deepak Ranade.

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Cup of coffee Philantrophy

"I was cursing my luck because I had no shoes, till I saw a person with no legs."
I always found this ideology a bit regressive and rather unambitious.
Deriving succor and consolation by focusing our attention on the lesser fortunate was in fact a touch sadistic. Altruism was a virtue, compassion was the hallmark of humanity, but success, fame and fortune were the real pile drivers, the propellants that powered my thoughts and actions. The reality of  a large number of our brethren languishing in misfortune, poverty, suffering was one of those
"What can I do about it" compromises that very easily sank below the horizon of  cognition. The thoughts  about their plight would surface once in a while, only to get submerged as fast as they arose.
     I had operated on a 65 year old senior citizen. He had a severe lumbar disc prolapse due to a fall he sustained. He could barely walk a few steps and was in agonising pain. He was accompanied by his wife, who herself had been operated recently for some abdominal problem. The elderly couple had an expression of  resigning to their fate. I could see the concern and care in the eyes of the lady for her ailing husband. They hailed from a nearby village, and were marginal farmers, tililng a small plot of land, just enough to eke out a living. They were not accompanied by any children or relatives.
I explained to them about the need for surgery, and the lady expectantly asked me if her husband would recover after the surgery. There is a widely prevalent belief in the vast majority, that spine surgery can never be successful. I don't know the etiology of  this misconception, but I reassured her, that I'll make her husband walk the next day after surgery. She consented for the surgery either because she trusted me, or then decided to surrender to her destiny. I will never know exactly.
The surgery went off uneventfully and the next day, the old man walked. He had some soreness at the operative site, but the agonising, radiating pain had disappeared. They both were happy. After the 3 days of antibiotics, the i.v. line was removed and he was discharged on the 5th day.
Yesterday he came for removing the stitches. He was walking without any pain and looked cheerful. The old lady, very embarrassingly wanted to touch my feet. I stopped her from this insane subservience.
I casually asked her, why her children or relatives never visited during their hospital stay.
The old man narrated a touching tale.
They had 2 sons. The elder one had taken a loan and bought a taxi. He had two children and worked really hard. He had repaid almost 60 percent of the loan, when tragedy struck. He was hired by a person, to go to a village. There they were ambushed by people who wanted to kill the  person who hired the taxi. That person escaped, and this taxi driver was killed in a fit of rage in this insane act of vengeance. The old man had tears in his eyes as he told me that they could never see their son again. The car was picked up by the bank and auctioned. The old couple had to take care of the their widowed daughter-in-law and their 2 grand children as the younger son was an alcoholic.
The daughter-in-law got a job in a factory, where she was paid a measely 160 Rs per day. There old couple toiled in the fields to harvest grain and some seasonal vegetables. I was overcome with grief on hearing their sordid saga.
Our state has one of the highest farmer suicide rates in the country. These marginal farmers really have a very rough life. They are lured by politicians for their votes during elections, only to be conveniently forgotten for the next 5 years.
They are used as pawns by the  parties in their political slugfest, with perfunctory, cosmetic visits by ministers. Such a travesty of justice and relief to these unfortunate souls. 
       I enquired about the expenses of this family, and was told that their grand children attended school for which they needed about 1000 rupees every month. I wondered how in the world, could they manage all this with their meagre income.
I decided on the spur of the moment.
I asked the old lady for her bank details and promised her, that I will deposit 1000 Rs every month for her grand children's education. The condition being that the funds should be used only for the specific propose of their schooling.
1000 Rs. An amount that we casually spend for just a cup of coffee with a friend.
I'm seriously thinking of starting some micro philanthropic movement.
"Spare that cup of coffee for educating a child"
I'm sure, we all can easily manage to put aside a 1000 bucks. Think about it.
I'm not posting this for any personal glory. I just thought of sharing this true story to highlight a grim reality, and the fact that we can make a difference, irrespective of  how small the amount.
Microphilanthropy like Microfinance. Forget the Armani shoes, just lend a hand to the man without the legs.
How's the Idea?

Friday, April 17, 2020

Imperfection and aesthetics

Imperfection could be aesthetic, too

December 26, 2019, 1:00 AM IST  in TOI Edit Page | Edit PageSpiritualityWorld | TOI
   
By Deepak M Ranade
“She fused them together with gold, all the golden gossamer she had stored in her heart. Those imperfections, that I used to hide from the world, she decorated them.”  These words can be found inscribed on a Kintsugi bowl.
Kintsugi is a Japanese method for repairing broken ceramics with a special lacquer mixed with gold, silver or platinum. The philosophy behind the technique is to restore and enhance the value of the object that has developed cracks. It is a process that visibly incorporates the repair and renders it even more beautiful than it was before.
Kintsugi art has its origins in the ancient Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi which deals with seeing beauty in what is considered flawed or imperfect. The Japanese term means “a way of living that focusses on finding beauty within the imperfections of life and accepting peacefully, the natural cycle of growth and decay.”
The art form of Kintsugi, uses the ‘crack’ approach where the cracks and fissures are mended and sealed with a lacquer mixed with glue. This is the most common Kintsugi technique, and it culminates in bestowing an intricate and inimitable reticulate pattern of shimmering veins that have come to define the art form. Despite the Greco-Roman passion for symmetry and perfection, the appreciation of beauty residing in flaws has been noted by Western philosophers, literature and aesthetics.
There are poetic references by Ernest Hemingway to life’s inevitable orders to break us all and the resulting strengths that calcify at our broken places; by Leonard Cohen on how the light comes through the cracks; by Jhumpa Lahiri on how imperfection inspires the spark of creation and imagination.  Even any imperfect physical objects surrounding us can become symbols of our diligence to find meaning.
We all have had our failures, imperfections and defects in our personalities. They are an inevitable, and maybe even indelible aspects of life. Failures and imperfections have a way of haunting us; they tend to weaken and undermine our efforts, making us diffident and unsure of ourselves. They could generate a sense of inadequacy, inferiority, low self-esteem and perhaps a self-deprecatory mindset. Failures are never forgotten, no matter how hard one tries to forget them, and they remain as ungainly scars on our psyche. These wounds might never heal, they can be obtrusive and can distort the complexion of our personality.
Can we not incorporate, assimilate, integrate, our failures and the imperfections of our personality to make ourselves better and beautiful?
Imperfections, too, can be aesthetic if accompanied by pride and dignity. The cracks of failure and imperfection need to be sealed with a special glue of acceptance, mixed with the shimmer of dignity and self-belief. The scars of lost battles need to be touched up with the veneer of wisdom, and adorned with the glitter of confidence.
Grace and poise become present in the elegance with which we harmonise our imperfections and shortcomings, laced with endearing modesty. “Perfection could smack of complacence, even an arrogance that preempts any scope for improvement. Nothing is ever perfect; even when it appears to be so. And we are subconsciously looking for the flaw,” observes marketing researcher Martin Lindstrom.
The spiritual path is the way to a beautiful journey of the imperfect towards the perfect. It is, in fact, realising the perfection that manifests as imperfection.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

AUTHOR

WRITE FOR TOI BLOGS

TOP COMMENT 
(1)

Beautiful & perfect article 
Pradeep Divate
PRADEEP
ADD COMMENT