NOSTALGIA

 NOSTALGIA

Nostalgia is a silent domain in every one’s life. Not that it is to be held back for self. But it can not be shared with every other person except with those who were associated with a happening. Unlike several other experiences which possess the value of advice, nostalgia does not serve the younger generation much. With all its irrelevance to the general public at large, nostalgia holds a place of pride in one’s mind. Human attitude is to share experiences.  In trying to recall the past, elders may earn the wrath of their own descendants as a worthless set of gossip mongers. Even the most articulate do not escape this label for the earnest attempt to share. Sharing the glimpses of nostalgia has to be discrete and occasional, or else it may turn bitter. If there is one thing that is enjoyable even in secluded privacy without any one around, it is nostalgia.  The dominant impact of nostalgia is helped by the very age of the incidence. It assumes a value which the holder alone knows. Greater value accrues to nostalgia which is chronologically older. Every incident in one’s life has a potential scope to turn nostalgic later. If only we recall the past, we can realize how much we remember in quantity and vividity. Ironically we tend to forget more important things and retain certain things for no specific reason. But, both good and bad are held in store while the human mind enjoys “replaying” the good.

What causes this?       Like many other phenomena related to the mind, nostalgia seems to be a human trait and   has no specific link to the intellect. It seems to exercise a hold on every normal human being. It is indeed amazing, if we consider whether we ever made any attempt to remember any of these instances that “reappear” instantly.[ De javu] The more we try to decipher, the more enigmatic it grows in our mind / brain. It gives the occasion to recognize the immense potential that the human brain has.                                There does not appear to be a definite reason for an event to turn nostalgic. In fact, even on a frail connection some items become memorable. So, it is all the more intriguing as to how our memory classifies to recall items not-so-important by our own reckoning. The logical inference is that memory can store items independent of desire. The dimensions of the phenomenon are even more amazing.  Many happenings that have no link may get associated in a fabric of nostalgia. One can quote umpteen examples in favour of this statement. One word recalls some person, one famous utterance recalled takes us down the memory lane quickly reassembling the entire array of things related to that event; a single photo image makes us relive our past, one particular voice readily pulls out from the depth several connected anecdotes, Old handwritings bring a doubtful delight of “have I done this?”, letters of the deceased carry the value as lone reminders. Old institutions stand as edifices that evoke a respect that is universally silent with a parallel feeling “ how would I repay this glorious system?”

There is an entirely different and vibrant sphere of nostalgia. That is a world by itself. I doubt if there could ever be any exception to it. That is the domain of old cinema songs. I have heard from people of various regions that old songs evoke a powerful emotional response and never seem stale. The adage “familiarity breeds contempt” has no validity here. The familiarity is so perfect that every perception stays focused. You drop decades in age, your mind takes you to that age of yours, recalls the entire company you were in, and brings forth an appreciation of the past which was not this enjoyable then. The appeal for the past seems to be rather common for most experiences. What possibly is the reason for such a common response?  I am unable to right away peg the reason.

It could be that simple things of the past have been suddenly lost in a sea of complexities. Where are our old friends? Are they all dead? They also have the same questions on us. All are living in their own fetters of life.  The innocent childhood is gone. The unselfish college days are continents behind. You are amidst unrelenting competitors. We are competing for an unknown target without a perfect aim. If the target is evading, the route is evaporating. We just have no idea of what is in store. It is a picture of gloom, but for the nostalgia. I do not intend maligning the present life. But the harder future would render this present memorable later. So, nostalgia is a tonic for the sagging mind to rejuvenate. Old contacts are more enjoyable. Old is gold. Value addition seems to have a time-dependence. Honestly, to live the present we need the past. If the old memories were to wipe out- say after 5 years, we would all be studying for the same degree, forgetting every thing. Now it may appear a fantasy. But, a life devoid of memory would dissipate all relations and commitments leaving us sheer living things without bondage. So much for nostalgia. None feels depressed at the nostalgia. Rather some pleasant feelings grip us for at least a while. Thus, recurring reminiscences add that essential “life” to our lives. Obviously nature has built in us a local facility called memory that works at no extra cost. Keeps our activities appropriately coordinated. Had it not been for this, we would be isolated with no scope to interact. After all, nature has provided the best for every situation. Though old, memory stays fresh than the person holding it. What a gift to all humans, with the value of a treasure.     

This write-up on nostalgia is my glorious tribute to that silent store

.                                                                                                                   Prof.    K. Raman

 

COMMITMENT

 

Commitment is a uniformly respected attribute. Ironically this is often prescribed for others and conveniently relegated, if not abandoned by individuals. A topic of this kind carries the risk of suggesting hypocrisy and needs being handled with utmost care.  Analyzing the intricacies requires a committed patience and a willingness to get involved in the theme. Obviously the effort is a knife-edge walk that can readily injure. Yet, one has to strive to get at the facts that constitute the complex phenomenon –the commitment.  My idea of calling it complex is based on the degrees of variation with which a person seems to differ in commitment from time to time. It is clear that, commitment is not the character of the individual but more an attitude of a person to a work / task on hand. Significantly, all of us do differ in our commitment profiles, besides holding varying attitudes to occasions. However, it is essential to observe rigidities only when there is justification. If so, what is it that one has to understand of this intriguing attribute?

     Basically, committed approach helps to bring out the very best and in quick time. It demands a serious disposition to people and work. Like all other positive attitudes, commitment by itself is a demanding exercise. One has to fully understand all the aspects related to a function / work before evolving a meaningful commitment. In fact, when various other requisites come together in accomplishing a task, commitment has an occasion to set in. This type of origin to an attribute is unique to commitment. I have not come across an individual who is both incompetent and committed. On the contrary, quite a few competent people are less committed. Probably, acquisition of other required functionalities creates a mental disposition to commitment.                                                                                     

       By any assessment, I believe that commitment is more a will to do, rather than the skill of doing. Being a mental disposition, factors determining the process are highly personalized and exclusive to each individual. A common base for all forms of commitment is motivation, though the motivating element need not be common to all. Motivation and commitment together form a positive amalgam. It is a moot point as to which leads the other. At best, the two can be conceived of as mutually inclusive and influential. In the ultimate analysis what matters is the effect that fructifies from this blend. All human efforts should lead to elevation in any sphere- mental, intellectual, economic and social. These are intertwined and hard to be treated in isolation.   A question that stays aloft among people is “why I should be committed”? Some people believe that commitment is for those holding positions and wielding authority / power. Practically, status has nothing to do with commitment. But, committed efforts can render stature to any one. The society holds some in high esteem for the stature borne out of their commitment. Any one conscious of the human values would cherish the attendant benefits of the relationship that keeps the circle of friends expanding.  Those known for their commitment also suffer from their own battle of wits with their immediate environments of not-so-sensitive official hierarchy and slackened attitudes of personnel in authority. The honest among the committed undergo inner turmoil from their hapless state of inability to curb this silent violence on the society. What keeps the committed from slipping off is their honesty in adherence to values. Therefore commitment per se is not a tall virtue unless blended with honesty. Honesty can never be infused to any one. It is a providential gift to the blessed few who strive to serve the system.                                                                       Prof. K.Raman

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

 

               

Are elders idiots on matters of cinema?

 

                                                         To analyse  the topic

In the website someone has attempted to portray the elder generation as ‘not-so knowledgeable ‘on matters of cine-industry of their times. It is unfounded since all youth have sustained the same interest for such items. Truly they were as much informed as are the present day youth. What does not meet the eye is not ‘non-existent’. The then youth did not visibly portray what they knew. To be frank, they augmented more information than any present day counterpart. Please note: Cine news was a taboo in magazines and radio. In sharp contrast to what we see now, the top technicians in every arm of the industry were unparalleled wizards of their craft and had their fans as well. But the household and the society at large treated cinema as an unhealthy diversion despite its then orthodoxy in subject and treatment. It was a no-nonsense era in every sense. No parent would allow the wards to browse even the lone “Pesum Padam”. Much later came,  “Bommai” - the exclusive pictorial magazine on cinema. All big banners had a permanent team of technicians on their payrolls – a mechanism of cornering talent for themselves. There were no filthy gimmicks of fabricating stories to conceal the actors’ inability. The film stock employed for film-making was of a very low ASA rating. Only the really talented cinematographers can handle those films. With no technology to lend support, all craftsmen brought forth excellent products in audio or visual items. All out-door work had to rest on the mercy of Sun God. But excellent blending and skillful balancing of light have been dexterously handled. Film institutes did not flourish, as none wanted their children to be associated with cinema in any manner [except film production as a hereditary avocation] No project was launched on borrowed finance. There was no pampering of stupidity. Only sustained efforts helped achieving Stardom. Single-movie heroes were not this many. Money was a rare commodity and extravaganza was nearly  ruled out.                 

 With so much of constraints, cinema had to live on performance and not on high-tech publicity. Sensible story tellers alone made a mark. All technicians relied on techniques and not on technology. All people of our times know these by corroborative assembling of facts. My submission is non-display is not a sign of low or no knowledge. With media blare and glare cinema now enters our homes feeding all information. Our young men assume to have become knowledgeable and try to say the elders did not possess these skills. Comparisons should be on level playing fields.  The mass media, TVs, CDs internet, print material and cell phones feed us. In our times we had to search for items without being “caught” by elders. I want our youngsters to acknowledge the fact that the elders [we the then youngsters] do not curb any of your effort even if it is cinema. Don’t you feel that your ambience is liberal and permissive unlike the tight restrictive days of our times? Kindly recognize that the earlier generation that grew under check, now does not impose the same on you and is permissive to your efforts. Silence should never be misconstrued as innocence or ignorance/ incompetence God bless you

                                                                                                                     Prof. K.Raman

SOME COMIC SITUATIONS

  

SOME  COMIC SITUATIONS

Comic situations arise everywhere and are characterized by their unpredictability. My calling them unpredictable relates to their spontaneity of origin and scope of creeping in any where by sheer chance. The lone difficulty with those situations is our inability to stay cool if the persons involved happen to be our superiors or VIPs. Some of them are really hard to tackle in the sense we neither can enjoy nor denounce the happening. I have encountered such embarrassments of ‘neither swallow nor spit’ category. All of them any way are not of the same embarrassment. There have been innumerable occasions of such   happenings.

On an afternoon, I was taking my noon meal in a hotel, when some good songs were being played on the Radio. I turned curious and asked the manager of the hotel as to which Radio station it was –playing songs at that hour. [It was unusual in those days -1967-68]. The manager replied –‘Pondicherry’.  The man opposite turned furious and yelled “both of you seem to be educated fools. Only by 11.00 am Pondicherry Government [ministry] was toppled. How can they play songs at this hour of distress?” With mouthful of food I COULD NOT LAUGH, while the manager had to sustain etiquette even with such customers, containing his laughter.

An employee of the Central Government:

Once I had to send an Aerogramme letter to a US-based relative of mine. Aerogramme letters were not available in any sub post office. At last, I went to the Head Post Office and located the appropriate counter for transaction. When my turn came, I asked for 2 Aerogramme letters. The man across said “there is no such thing”. I sought a clarification asking ‘you mean, you have no stock?’ The man raised his voice to tell “You are asking something unheard of. So, I said there is no such thing”. My anger and curiosity both ran high and I asked him in a louder tone “If GPOs do not provide this, where can I look for it.”  The employee assumed eminence and said “you don’t seem to understand even if uttered in Tamil”. This was the break point. I called for that man to explain in either English or some other language to make me understand what he says. Because every other transaction got blocked, people on either side of the barricade wanted to solve the tangle and the place turned quite noisy.

One elder employee leaving his seat came to the point and asked “Sir, What do you want?” I said – ‘2 Aerogramme letters’. The employee intended for the job was seated as if he has taught me a lesson. Now, much to his agony the elder man opened the ledger and picked out the Aerogramme letters and told his junior colleague that they were very much with him. The incompetent junior was immediately branded in chorus by the crowd “Idiot”. The fellow tried to tell his colleagues, “that man was telling some unusual name, so it was difficult for me to grasp. Had only he told “foreign inland letter” I would have given it”. All his colleagues were heartily laughing and the visitors wanted him to come out for a session of manhandling. The humour turned even more effective because, the person who should be thorough with the official description of such items chose to be blissfully ignorant. Besides, he had the temerity to tell in a nonchalant posture that the customer was telling some unusual name. The comic part was his inability to react when public christened him ‘idiot’.   

Another hotel experience:    Once, I had to accompany a senior person on a long trip to Andhra Pradesh on some official matter. The senior man was not merely a vegetarian, but a staunch one with a deep aversion for spices especially garlic. He would ensure that even by error garlic is not served to him.  In a moment of his gazing elsewhere, the waiter served all dishes meant for the day’s lunch. Our man turned panicky, and pointing to every item, he was trying to elicit from the waiter if it had any garlic in its composition. There was a real problem in communication between people not conversant with each other’s language. So, our man repeatedly ascertained in monosyllable “Garlic, Garlic, Garlic” in every stuff. But, the waiter unable to decipher the question replied “Horlicks is served only by the evening”      

A visitor from USA        On a Sunday afternoon, a middle aged woman stood at the gate of my house and said, “Can I meet Prof. Raman and his family?”  The person was a total stranger and introduced herself as from US and at the behest of Dr. Vaidehi Kannan, calling on us. Dr. Vaidehi and Kannan are independently and jointly related to us. When this visitor had planned her trip to India with Madurai on the itinerary, the Kannans had requested her to call on our family at Tirunagar, Madurai. On this information, we were too happy to entertain the guest and offered to take her to Meenakshi temple.     

Soon it turned out improbable by virtue of her being of Islamic faith. So, we had to plan alternative strategies of spending the time. We had some tiffin richly dished out for the guest. After some three hours of cordial interaction and hospitality, the topic turned to the family members of Kannans at US. At around this stage, the guest referred to Mr. Kannan’s daughter. I was nearly baffled because to my knowledge Kannans are not blessed with any female child. I curiously looked at my wife signaling if Mrs. Vaidehi delivered a daughter of whom we are not really aware. She was more confused than I.

I slowly contested the statement asking for which Kannans the guest was referring to.  She, one by one clarified my questions and we came to the right conclusion that all members the families of the Kannans and those of my own match name for name except for the female child of the Kannans. The truth was, the Kannans of her description and our relative are two different persons. The confusion got confounded by the presence of two different Ramans at Tirunagar, and both were Professors. Incidentally the other Raman was a Professor in another college, also in Madurai. Once the Kannans were logically disowned, I helped the guest to locate the real Raman of her search. But, meanwhile the lady felt so much annoyed that she preferred to move away. But, I assured her that you are most welcome as a new acquaintance if not at the behest of any one. She felt extremely embarrassed to have spent hours in a house without any legitimate claims. I told the guest, “some body has guided you to my house at the mere suggestion of the name. Besides, we both are strangers with a common- link the Kannans and there was no way of doubting each other until that unknown female baby crept in to the conversation”. It was a real comedy of errors.        

 

                                                                                               Prof. K. Raman

DO YOU KOW IR REMEMBER? III

 CONTINUED FROM -II 

 

Madras- sorry Chennai had the Printing Houses of “The Hindu”, “The Mail” and other leading Tamil weeklies – “KALKI”, “ANANDA VIKATAN” and later “KUMUDAM”.

Hospitals, Doctors and Diseases were less frequent. Doctors had their own compounders who could formulate medicines based on the Doctor’s prescription. Large scale buying of branded products for medication started in the1970s and later. Safe home-remedies from trusted makers were available. All of them were kept in house for use.

Physical injuries were treated with “CIBOL” a product from Madurai. The global pharmaceutical firm CIBA objected to the name as availing of their popularity. But Cibol was well known to people for quite sometime before. It now stays aloft as SAIBOL.

APC was widely employed for early cure of temperature. There was a well known CAQ, based on Cinnamon, Ammonia and Quinine. It was a prestigious product. The Grayish- blue carton carried the statement “There is only one CAQ and SPENCER makes it”

Another house hold item was WATERBURY’S COMPOUND. It was more a preventive than a curative. Cod liver oil and Shark liver oil were used to provide compensatory nutrition to children. Tonsil ailment was common in children. It was taken as common.

Another common item was R. S. PATHY medicine which was nothing but eucalyptus oil.

Some years ago a new acquaintance of mine requested me to visit his house. When I sought to know the location of the place at Koodal nagar, Madurai, he said   “Sir, it is very easy; mine is the only house in the whole area with 2 R.S.PATHY trees in front”. The maker’s name was identified / synonymous with eucalyptus. How simple it was. Quite a few things run through the mind. But, what can not be seen now is more captivating. Education was that much simple in terms of financial inputs. Still it was not manageable at the then levels of income. A vast majority had to stop studies after SSLC in pursuit of employment. Higher studies were not given to every one even if academically meritorious. A matriculate of those days was quite employable with the skills of letter drafting and basic arithmetic working. Many made it to top rungs by sheer exposure-based learning. To-day with the highest attainments on paper, people are not fit to take up responsibility nor are they comfortable. The cost of education alone was low, not the quality. Teacher jobs were not lucrative. Those with burning desire to teach took to that life. No doubt good quality was rampant.  Lecturers and Professors stood up to their designations by lecturing and professing.

Now of course the designation “Professor” has been brought under restriction in collegiate service. But, people clamour [have glamour?] for it.

To ply on cycles, a valid municipal licence was to be displayed on the cycle. Violation of this was seriously dealt with by snatching the cycle and dumping it in a heap in the municipal territory. Locating one’s cycle in the heap was as tedious as buying a cycle those days. No parent would run in support of the child for retrieving the snatched item. Wrath of the parent would be more than the snatch itself. Life was less expensive but intensive in rules and regulations. Two persons riding a cycle [Popular as doubles] was an offence. School children enjoyed violating it and would be made to regret, standing for police mercy. Here too parents would not interfere. It was taken as inculcating discipline. Pocket money was not a routine. Parents preferred to provide items procured / prepared and did not encourage children keeping money even in small denominations. It may be debatable, but it infused a respect for money as a rare commodity and frugal attitudes.

Motor Cycles were the earliest form of 2 wheelers. India had two of them; the legendary Bullet [Enfield] and Jawa [Yezdi from Ideal Jawa]. Mopeds came by early 1970 or so. The first stable entries were ‘Vicky’ and the modest SUVEGA. Later several others have come about.      Now,on to cars.

Names of some imported cars that we now hear were already on our roads till the 1960s where upon Indian products were encouraged through prohibitive import duty on products from outside. Not much is now heard of PLYMOUTH, CHRYSLER and  

STUDEBAKERwhich were gentle-floating items of cars.  Among the medium-sized was LANDMASTER [now called AMBASSADOR].

                                                                    The smaller versions were MORRIS MINOR and FIAT. Later came the STANDARD10  and HERALD. All were Petrol versions. Cars and Telephones were few and far between. In many places, phone numbers were just 2 or 3 digits, indicative of the frequency of phone connections. I recall the early phone number of The Madura College, Madurai was 2454 in the 1970s. Now, almost every person has a cell phone, a with a 10–digit identity.          

Before fatigue grips us, let me wind up with entertainment items. Of course movies were the dominant sources. There was no TV. Even cricket was enjoyed by listening to the running commentary in Radio. Quite a few names I recall in this connection. Vizzy, Vijay Merchant, Dicky Rutnagar, Anand Setalwad , Pearson Swarita , Ananda Rao to name a few. On News edition- Melvyn D’ Mello, V.N. Chakrapani and Lotika Ratnam were inspiring. Boys and girls glued themselves to Radio Ceylon which gave the lead to the technology of advertising. All Indian movies “reached” the minds of audience through Radio Ceylon long before they were screened for viewing. How can anyone forget the modulation of Mayil vahanan and his presence of mind besides the fluency in Tamil. He was a pioneer by every reckoning. He would open the programme with a neat announcement phrased “Ilangai Oliparappu Koottuthabana Varththaga Sevai” – Vanakkom. Radio Ceylon could design ever so many forms of popularizing movies which were yet to be seen. That the radio could be an enjoyable medium was clearly established by Radio Ceylon and to my knowledge none has surpassed them in elegance.

I never visualized of sharing so much. One can have many other related items / events.

May be God gives me another occasion and to you a better stuff                           K.Raman

What to do ? -VI

Continued from V

One cannot try to extrapolate the “culture of his or her language” to other languages on the premise of sustaining purity of mother tongue. It is bound to damage the phonetic elegance that makes each language distinct and specific. With the rare exception of Tamil [to some extent Malayalam] all other languages have phonetic rigidity. Every subtle sound counts. In fact, the British make an unmistakable variation between the sounds - ‘K’ and ‘C’ in names and consonants while speaking. It just cannot come to us unless we “observe” how it is done. One cannot be totally immune to the cultures of a language, if the individual desires attaining clarity and wider acceptance. Observation in all stages of daily life is the key that opens up all vistas –essential and ideal for progress. Learning the varied forms of usage must be our routine irrespective of the language. So, ‘what to do’ is not a state of helpless dormancy for any one. It should be rather availed of as “God-sent” occasion to observe without an obligation to respond. ‘Reading without responding’ is really a blessed occasion for studying so many things. These include human relations, idiosyncrasies, mannerisms, manners, languages, words and their usages, besides the names of varied items which are sold by vendors in other territories of our country. In our routine ambience we cannot avoid responding. That is why I deem travel situations as ideal for unbiased observation free of any riders. To begin with the exercise looks less exciting. But, once we pick up some rudimentary usages the process gets simplified and enjoyable. The lone advice is to avoid giving replies unless you are absolutely sure of the meaning of what you say. If a reply is essential, answer in a very slow pace assembling word by word. It conveys more than what you intend saying. Slow utterances even if wrong are generally pardoned and they do not provoke any one.

I intend making it very clear that, unless we try to use what little we know, the prospect of furtherance stays low. Attempts can help us better. Like a child let us grope. None mistakes the child’s attempt.  In an unfamiliar territory any one is a ‘child’ in the practical sense of the term. Every journey is an occasion to learn. We cannot go round the country in order to learn. It is wiser to use the journey to learn a few things. Also in all railway stations, the name of the place in rendered in bold versions in vernacular, Hindi and English. From the more familiar version one can decipher the less known forms by trying to “read” signs. Even small terms like Police outpost, Station master, Toilet etc can be methodically learnt by constant effort to read. Sitting inside the compartment, one can also see these. Most vendors shout of their products. By listening to them station after station, the sound and the product become familiar. Often the name is not clear for a new comer. Repeated listening makes it clear in due course. In some metropolis the vendors use more names from different languages. They can be listened to for faster learning. In the ultimate analysis, regularity of vigilant observation helps a lot. The few hours on every journey are worth their value for learning.  At the end of the journey we take leave of every new acquaintance by exchanging wishes. Soon enough we forget all of them with such regularity, that it has assumed a phrase “Rail friendship”.   Let us not forget “what to do” even if we forget the rail friends.                                                                                                         Ends  at last 

GOOD LUCK.      .                                                    Prof.  K. Raman 

What to do? -V

 CONTINUED FROM    IV 

Often we come across decency from people whom we wrongly rate. For such men convenience is more relevant than anything else. As day breaks people get up and go about their ablutions and await stations for breakfast and newspapers. This time the train is in some other state, culturally different and people in the train are not too sure of the places that pass by. At many stations the train stops and columns of people flock into compartments and occupy every available space. The non-yielder tries to tell that the compartment is a reserved one. The invaders just ignore and dominate the scene. The non-yielder turns a non entity. Unless one is familiar with the local language, it is just impossible to convince the general public of any thing.

Besides, transactions become tough and uncomfortable. We are in a country of varied languages and cultures. Our pride and glory stay endemic. This must be borne in mind when we happen to cross our lingual frontiers. Always let us keep our senses of perception alive. Let us learn as many languages as possible. Clearly no other country can offer so much. It is for us to make the best of every situation. Observation is integral to meaningful life. Travel offers an occasion and the obligation to be vigilant, lest one should lose the baggage and get stranded. At no stage in life we can afford to get stranded. During the course of our travel we enter domains where we do not understand anything. The lone strength on which we proceed is that the train would put us in our destination. This is so in respect of important tourist centres across the country. Please look at how all transport workers and porters pick up so many languages. Kindly do not dismiss it as an instance of effort for survival. If persons without a formal education can learn so much by sheer interaction, it should be possible for every one to learn by constant observation. What matters in any language is the usage and very little of grammar is involved in informal conversations. Also people relish your effort and help you to pick up faster. There is no relevance in basking in the glories of the history of our language, without being able to communicate with other cultures. A very high number of people flourish in luxurious business by sheer communication. We cannot be blind to realities. Not a politician can ensure a life for us. We need to live honourably, no matter. Unless we cultivate a sense of tolerance to all shades of phonetic variations, it will prove a mammoth hurdle in our attempts to learn languages. We have to honour purity in every form of speech.                                                                                                                                        

To continue......