Back home

After an eventful summer, the globe trotter mode for more than 3 months, I am finally back home. :) It would not be an exaggeration if I say, "back in one piece," and "fit n fine."

Now, while I have a long list of 'pending' or 'to be done,' there's lots other that would demand my attention too... ;)

So, will keep you all updated, possibly the twitter format, but on blog! ;)

The Crash!

Hello!!! :) I'm back with a broad smile, thanks to wishes from one and all. I should consider myself lucky and blessed to have such a vast pool of friends to support and bless me.

As it was updated, I had a car accident last Tuesday. Today, exactly a weak later, and approximately at the same time when my car rammed in a trolley on the highway, I am updating you all with the weeks happenings. It was about 9:15 p.m. and I was on my way back to Pune on Bengaluru-Pune (Indian National Highway 4), when a overloaded trolley changed the lanes to first lane. The headlights of a trolley coming from other side blinded me off for a moment, and that was when my car rammed into this vehicle which had suddenly appeared in my lane. Anyway, all's well that ends well. Now that you are reading from me, be rest assured, I am recovering well. Was discharged from the hospital today evening after a weeklong rest come care.

As of physical situation, I consider myself doing better. Till this afternoon I was unable to use my palms as they were pinned with IV syringes, but now that they are removed, I am able to type. There were a few dozen of stitches on my face, and a few internal cracks which still exist. According to the doc, the cracks will heal on its own in due course of time, so I am not much concerned about it. The only major concern is my right eye, which I hope will improve in due course. And yeah, that reminds me, I have got three awesome marks below and above my right eye, giving me complete "CROOK" looks, an irony to being a peace fellow! ;)

Anyway, friends, I genuinely wish to take this opportunity to thank one and all, including my parents, family, friends, and well wishers, without whose support, I could not have been able to get in touch with you all so soon. I do not promise that I will be regular very soon, as I am still a bit disoriented and need time with my vision. But, I do want to say that I am grateful for all your support and best wishes, and so is my family over whelmed with the support and affection. Thank you for all the love!

And, just for you all to have a glimpse, try searching for a the car in the pic.. ;)

Darshan's accident

Dear All,
I am Darshan`s father, Purushottam Mundada.
This is to inform you all about accident. Darshan met an motor vehicle accident. car is very badly damaged but fortunately Darshan has not got any major injury. It happened on 4.Aug.9 at 9pm. At the moment he is in Poona Hospital. He is expected to be in the hospital till 10.Aug.09.His right optic nerve is damaged and it has affected his vision. We all are concerned about his vision. Due to swelling on right optic nerve, motor signals are not transmitted and hence the problem. Doctor has continued treatment for 2 days more and his case is under observation. We are also seeking expert opinion from another hospital. Let us hope some thing good will come out of it.
I am sorry to inform you that he may have to under go further eye treatment but exact time required can be confirmed only after 10.Aug.09.
I request you to inform to all concern persons...
Best regards,
Purushottam Mundada
India.

A Government in a day

This is my schedule for tomorrow... Orientation of the Central Tibetan Administration, formerly known as Tibetan Government in Exile, all fit in one day! I cannot believe, I am actually going to have an overview of a functioning government in one day! Will get back to you tomorrow with more experiences...

Thursday, July 23, 2009 : Gangchen Kyishong, Dharamshala, India

09:30 am Election Commission
10:00 am Department of Finance
10:30 am Office of the Auditor General
11:00 am Kashag [Cabinet (Secretariat)]
11:30 am Supreme Justice Commission
12:00 noon Planning commission
12:30 pm Tibetan Parliament in Exile
(formerly: Assembly of Tibetan People’s Deputies)

LUNCH

02:30 pm Department of Religion and Culture
03:00 pm Department of Security
03:30 pm Department of Home
04:00 pm Department of Education
04:30 pm Public service Commission

the kid

Shannon, for you to read...

Do you remember the two beautiful kid girls outside Grand Prince? The luncheons and the handshakes? The hugs? I am sure, you do, much more than I would.

In the similar manner, here, at Dharamshala, there are two or three ladies with their kids. Usually they stand outside the small cafe or the staff mess, where people have their lunch. they ask fro alms, but as well for food and water. From day one, I was struggling whether I should go ahead an offer them meals or just let it be... Don't forget, they were not kids, they were ladies. But, they did have two kids with them, a small girl who reminded me of the younger one in Dhaka. And why was I struggling? do you recall the debate about "feeding a fish vis-a-vis teaching them to fish" and the beggar syndicate thingy... I was unsure.

Today, looking at that young girl staring at me while I was having my meal, my internal debate reached its peak. And I remembered our talk on the way back from bank! Yes, I did accordingly, what my heart said. Handed over a plate of food to the little girl....

And let me tell you, I feel much more calm! At ease... A sense of peace!

Yes, it is more important to teach some one to feed himself rather than feeding them for free. But I feel, it is equally important to let that person survive for that moment when he can learn the skills, if ever someone who can teach them comes along! Till then, as we spoke, lets just embark on our li'l mission, in our modest capcities!

I am going to teach the kid the handshake tomorrow.. :-)

Shrawanmas... श्रावण

The monsoons, as you know, my favorite time of the year! And this is never complete without devouring the taste of monsoon literature! I bring you here one of my most favorite poems, I wish I had the translation for my English friends...

When Ruskin Bond speaks of rolling the cherry seed on his tongue, not to let go off the taste, he reminds me of the lyrics of this poems, that I have rolled over n over n over again in my mouth, every time experiencing a taste I had experienced never before..

I enjoy this poem, hope you love it too!!!

श्रावणमासी हर्ष मानसी हिरवळ दाटे चोहिकडे;
क्षणांत येते सरसर शिरवे क्षणात फिरुनी ऊन पडे.

वरती बघता इंद्रधनूचा गोफ दुहेरी विणलासे,
मंगल तोरण काय बांधिले नभोमंडपी कुणि भासे !

झालासा सूर्यास्त वाटतो सांज अहाहा! ती उघडे
तरुशिखरांवर, उंच घरांवर पिवळेपिवळे ऊन पडे

उठती वरती जलदांवरती अनंत संध्याराग पहा;
सर्व नभावर होय रेखिले सुंदरेतेचे रूप महा.

बलाकमाला उडता भासे कल्पसुमांची माळचि ते,
उतरुनि येती अवनीवरती ग्रहगोलचि की एकमते

फडफड करुनी भिजले अपुले पंख पांखरे सावरिती
सुंदर हरिणी हिरव्या कुरणी निजबाळांसह बागडती

खिल्लारेही चरती रानी, गोपहि गाणी गात फिरे.
मंजुळ पावा गाय तयाचा श्रावणमहिमा एकसुरे

सुवर्णचम्पक फुलला, विपिनी रम्य केवडा दरवळला;
पारिजातही बघता भामारोष मनीचा मावळला!

सुंदर परडी घेउनि हाती पुरोपकंठी शुद्धमती
सुंदर बाला या फुलमाला रम्य फुले-पत्री खुडती,

देवदर्शना निघती ललना, हर्ष माइना हृदयांत,
वदनी त्यांच्या वाचुनि घ्यावे श्रावण महिन्याचे गीत!

- बालकवी (त्र्यम्बक बापूजी ठोमरे)

Identity

I am an Indian!!! Proud to be one… This is my country, my culture, my tradition. We have our own problems, but this country works. The world’s largest democracy, though squeakily, functions. It still provides me with an identity and an individuality. But had I known this? Was I aware that I had certain privilege, because I had a nationality? Was I even aware that my nationality was my blessing?

The one basic thing that I took for granted, was for someone a dream. The freedom I take for granted every moment, is a fairy tale for millions of people in Tibet, in Sudan, in Gaza, in Somalia, world over there will be examples. The closest I come to feel this is, through my colleague at CTA. I joined CTA on Tuesday, and she was on a half day leave on Wednesday. What’s so unusual about the half day leave? The unusual is the reason for the leave. She had to go to the local police station to renew her residence permit. An annual chore of Tibetans settled in India. Every year, they have to struggle with the “great” Indian bureaucracy to fetch a piece of paper recognizing them. And how much does this piece of paper serve in recognition? Let’s know it from these two experiences…

She was supposed to leave to attend a conference in Italy. As usual, she arrived on Delhi airport, and went to the check-in line. After being in queue for about half an hour, she finally arrived at the officer’s desk. The officer asked for her papers, and she forwarded the “Green Card,” official refugee document issued by the government of India. To her dismay, the officer refused to acknowledge the document issued by his own country and she had to wait for an hour before he was satisfied that she was holding the “green document” of government of India. She was allowed to proceed… I should say, she was lucky because the fate of my other friend was not similar…

Lady 2… She is supposed to visit Dubai for a Hotel Management training program. In this case, she is lucky, not because she meets friendly officers, but because she is leaving from Mumbai airport, which is usually over crowded. No one cares as much to check her papers in detail. They see the Indian government logo on her green paper, and let her go. She boards the flight and lands in Dubai,, full of dreams to make the most of this training. To bring back to her parents, the dreams fulfilled. To be a burning flame of the Tibetan mission, by being genius in her field. With all these hopes, she walks out of the flight to the arrival lounge for immigration clearance, and her nightmare starts. The officer’s at the Dubai airport refuse to acknowledge the paper. The airlines refuses to give her nay feedback. The Indian authorities on airport do not even wish to speak with her. To add to all of this, her luggage is missing, and they have confiscated everything she has, including her purse. She is not allowed to move for around 20 hours. After which, she is allowed to make calls to identify herself. In desperation, she calls her family and the Indian Embassy. As usual, the embassy is out of reach, but family is there. The family contacts the Tibetan government, who in turn contact the Indian government, who are now forced to take action. Thus they inform the Dubai immigration people that the document is issued by the government of India, but it cannot be used in the lieu of a passport. The only out come of this is, after being stranded on Dubai airport for more than 36 hours without food or luggage, the lady is deported to India…

Are these only two stories? Nopes… There are thousands of such stories of the plight of not only Tibetans, but all those people whose government is either unable to provide them with an identity or who are compelled to forced identities…

For me, who has always enjoyed the freedom, and taken my identity for granted, it is really difficult to understand what it means to be an “alien in a foreign land”. All I can do is, pray, pray for individuals to find their anchors… Pray for humanity to find the ultimate truth, that if we all decide to live in harmony, everyone will have enough, but we need to choose to live, not to greed…