Tomorrow, there would be fire back at home! ❤️

Faith for Today | Fuel for Tomorrow

#musings

This evening, as I was driving back home, I chanced upon this moving sight in the Bangalore Highway. A gentleman was holding a bulky LPG Cylinder - wedged securely between his knees resting it on top of the petrol tank of his two-wheeler!

Although at first glance, it looks like an ordinary LPG cylinder, yet in these testing times (due to the US-Iran conflict), it has become a much-in-demand necessity!

In contrast to the LPG cylinder in the front, I also saw the parcel meal from a hotel, hanging in the rear hook of the bike – for the night’s sustenance, suspended in a thin strip of polythene bag! 

Testing times, when the barest necessities of life become the rarest of luxuries!

But I’m sure he seems to have this little faith in him!

Only for tonight, he would have to adjust with the hotel’s parcel.

Tomorrow, there would be fire back at home!

I am so reminded of the lovely lines of Nobel Laureate Tagore,

Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark!

Writing Through the Wound 💜

Wrapped in a Shawl | Echoes of a January Morning

Quite fresh from the Farewell Ceremony of Prof. Daniel David, me thought of reproducing here below, a moving letter, shared exclusively with me, by Prof. Daniel David, almost 17 years ago, on 6th May 2009.

Before you read this letter, PLEASE NOTE: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance it may have to any individual or individuals, living or dead, is purely coincidental. After reading through the letter, if you’re curious to know who the writer is, and if you have any comments for her, mail danyboydavid@gmail.com

6th May 2009

Dear Amma...........,

I’ve been wanting to write this letter for a very long time, but either my emotions got so intense that nothing I felt could be put to writing or I felt so high and dry that I just felt like burying my head in the sand and remaining there. But today is my 18th birthday, (or so they tell me), and I cannot think of a better day to write to you. But first I have to tell you a little story.

On a cold January morning in 1991, a newborn baby girl was found in a garbage bin outside the Government Hospital in the city of Madurai. For all practical reasons it must have frozen to death and become food for the many stray dogs that patrol the streets, as is the case most of the time. But by some good fortune, a milkman heard its weak cries. He found it wrapped in a shawl. He couldn’t afford another mouth to feed and so took it to a Charity organization which catered to disowned baby girls.

The baby was there for two years till it was adopted by a childless couple in Bangalore. She was given all the love and affection that any girl could have asked for. Nor did she lack anything materially, her foster parents being rich real estate business people. She was an only child and so received all the attention she desired. She got a Public School education. She had no idea about her origins till she was 16 years old. That was when, for some reason, her mummy got it into her head to tell her who she really was.

From that day the girl has had sleepless nights. At any rate, she graduated from Pre-University with an excellent score card and her daddy decided that she should get her higher education in his alma mater, the Madras Christian College, Chennai. It couldn’t have got better – she loves the college. But she still spends sleepless nights dreaming about her mother. She sometimes invades her sleep in some form of a bloodsucking rakshasi and she wakes up drenched in sweat and trembling all over.

Sometimes she creeps into her sleep, a dimunitive little woman reaching out and weeping for her lost child, and she spends the rest of the night trying to sob herself to sleep. Isn’t it strange how a person you have never met can dominate your life? Amma, I am that girl.

Amma, like I said, I have everything I could have ever wanted. I hope that makes you happy. And yet I have nothing. I have a Mummy and a Daddy who love me and who will be hurt if they knew the thoughts that run through my head. But I don’t have my Amma.

Do you love me, Amma? No, maybe that is too much to ask. But, believe me, Amma, I love you. I love you so much that you fill my thoughts day and night. That’s why I don’t think I can ever have a lover. You monopolize my thoughts. I like to think that you loved me at least then. Otherwise what would have made you wrap me up in a shawl? Did you have to crawl home cold and sick in the January chill because you had sacrificed your only piece of warm clothing for your child? Maybe it was that shawl that saved my life. I have that shawl with me and it is the most precious object I shall ever posses. The nights I’ve gone to sleep holding it to my breast/chest as if it could replace you!

Do you miss me? Ever wished you could have me back? Or do you feel relieved that the burden that was me is off your back, or should I say your stomach and heart? What did you feel when you put me in that dustbin? Did you put me there gently like a mother lays her sleeping child in the cradle? Such gentleness only a mother can show.

You may want to read that entire letter, HERE on our past blogpost.

From Wordsworth to Bob Dylan | Honouring the Visionary Legacy of Prof. Daniel J. David ❤️

A Fond Farewell to Our Beloved Prof. Daniel J. David

6th April 2026 | Selaiyur Hall

Today, we had the Farewell Ceremony for Prof. Daniel David at 3 pm in the Selaiyur Hall Indoor Theatre.

The afternoon was filled with nostalgia and gratitude, even as colleagues and students – past and present, gathered to celebrate a remarkable legend’s literary life in MCC.

The farewell ceremony featured several moving speeches from faculty members who have worked closely with Prof. David over the years.

Dr. Jannet, Director, Self-financed Stream, spoke warmly about Prof. DD’s leadership style, emphasising how he was always an incredibly supportive pillar for his colleagues.

Dr. Nirmal Selvamony took to the stage to reflect on his long, cherished association with “Prof. Dany,” sharing memories that highlighted a deep and enduring friendship. 

Faculty members Dr. Venkataramanujan, Dr. Tilakaramanujan, and Dr. Jojan also took the podium to offer their rich encomiums to the lovely literary soul!

I had the privilege of recollecting Prof. David’s noble qualities.

I traced his early days as student of the MA Literature Class in the American College, Madurai, where he also met his future wife! (his classmate). How he was a popular Professor in St. Philomena’s College, Mysore, and Bishop Heber College, Trichy, before joining MCC in 2006.

Five exceptional things about him that I had shared are –

Firstly, his elegant habit of laminating the cover of every single book before reading it, which speaks volumes to the ways in which he cherished and safeguarded knowledge.

Secondly, he never once gossiped about anybody anytime in his life! Whenever you are with him you are sure to get treated to a conversation on concepts and ideas! Never on people!!

Thirdly, he is a voracious reader, who used to devour books by the dozens every week.

Fourthly, he was good at explaining difficult theories in such a simple and lucid style that you completely forget the fact that time was whizzing you by! I quoted one such incident during our I MA English class, when he gave us a lecture on Structuralism. He started the lecture at 2 pm, and the lecture went on till 6.30 pm without a pause or a break.

Then at 6.30 pm, sensing the approaching dusk, DD asked us if it was getting late, especially for the girls in our class. We all replied in chorus, ‘Not at all’. Then he continued with his classes for more than an hour, before calling it a day! That lecture on Structuralism that he gave us, helped us all to find our firm footing in theory, I said, to the audience, who were listening to the rich eulogies on their professor with such rapt attention!

Fifthly, whenever someone approached him for career guidance, or help with their NET Papers, he never once hesitates to talk to them. He would always give a willing hand to help them out - always ready and eager to be of help! 

Hearty congratulations to Prof. Samuel Moses and his vibrant team in the Dept of English (SFS), on having hosted this remarkable Farewell Ceremony in such a grand manner, quite rarely heard of, in the annals of MCC in the recent past!

If I could mention one pioneering contribution by Prof. DD to the Dept of English (SFS), MCC, it would be his immense efforts in launching the BA English Literature Programme in the Self-Financed Stream in MCC in the year 2014.

His visionary approach to the syllabus is a case in point! In fact, he revolutionised literary studies at MCC by balancing canonical literature with popular culture. Like for example, he effortlessly connected the profound themes of Wordsworth with the cultural impact of Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, James Bond, and even Harry Potter. He didn’t just teach literature; he taught students on theories and concepts that helped them “read” the world around them.

Students and faculty members had turned up in overwhelmingly large numbers, packing the Indoor Theatre of Selaiyur Hall to express their gratitude to their impeccable mentor, educator, and leader who has shaped their academic journeys in such myriad ways!

In fact, Prof. Daniel David leaves behind a rich legacy at Madras Christian College.

While we at MCC will deeply miss his daily presence, the standards he has set and the support he has offered will continue to inspire us all!

We wish Prof. David the very best in his well-deserved next chapter!

Fare ye well, dear Sir!

Meet the Deer That Barks Like a Dog | The Meat-Eating "Barking Deer" ❤️

Meet the Rarest of Rare “Meat-Eating Deer”

Uncovering the Mysteries of the Barking Deer

#intothewildwithrufus

We spotted this lovely species of deer – the Barking Deer, also known as muntjacs, in the dense forests of Karnataka. They are among the most unusual deer species on the entire planet. That’s because they look and behave quite different from what we usually expect of a typical deer.

True to their name, these deer make a sharp, loud vocalisation that sounds incredibly similar to a dog’s bark. They usually emit this sound when they sense a predator (like a tiger or leopard), and they will sometimes bark repeatedly for over an hour to warn others or to let the predator know it has been spotted.

The male barking deer have very small antlers. However, they are equipped with long, tusk-like upper canine teeth and these “fangs” protrude below their upper lip and are used as slashing weapons during close-combat fights with other males!

Surprisingly, unlike the vast majority of deer which are strictly herbivores, barking deer are omnivores. Alongside their regular diet of shoots, grass, bark, and fruit, they are known to eat bird eggs, scavenge on carrion, and occasionally even hunt small mammals and birds, using their sharp hooves to catch them.

Muntjacs have highly distinct facial features. They have prominent, V-shaped scent glands on their foreheads and large pre-orbital glands just in front of their eyes. They use these to heavily scent-mark their territory.

Vivek Menon, in his insightful book titled, Indian Mammals, has given some fascinating insights into this rare species of deer.

Says he –

The more common of the two small Indian forest ruminants (the Mouse Deer being the other), the Barking Deer or Indian Muntjac has a glossy, reddish-brown coat and greyish or white underparts. Its forelimbs are longer than the hind limbs. Males have long upper canines that are not always visible. Males have well developed but small antlers that are mounted on long pedicles, and two black lines mark these down the face.

BEHAVIOUR: Although not territorial, males do have home ranges of 6–7 sq. km that they scent mark regularly.

DISTRIBUTION: Through most of peninsular India and the Terai, north–eastern India and the low Himalayas.

The barking deer is indeed a beautiful reminder that the wild is full of delightful and fascinating surprises, unsettling everything we thought we knew about the natural world! And yes! the meat-eating muntjac is testament to how wonderfully wild our forests truly are!

Who is Better? The Elephant or the Tiger? 💚

Who is Better? The Solitary King or the Social Giant?

#intothewildwithrufus

I’ve always loved connecting with wildlife for the enriching life lessons they teach us without being preachy in any way! 😊

Yes! Just by paying attention to their life and living, we can gain invaluable insights for our own life and living, thus making our own life and living all the more meaningful!

That’s hence, Wordsworth, in his inspiring, call-to-action poem titled, ‘The Tables Turned’, asks of his readers to abandon “barren” books and study the natural world! He believes that, nature possesses such immense wisdom, acting as a guide, a nurse, and a guardian that could teach more about humanity and morality than books or formal education can do!

Come forth into the light of things and let Nature be your teacher,

he exhorts us! That’s because Wordsworth firmly believed in the innate spiritual power of nature to teach us and to heal us! This he feels, can help immensely in fostering a great sense of creativity, imagination, and emotional growth in us!

I should gladly admit that, Wordsworth’s “words” are indeed “worth” their weight in gold and assume a lot of significance and relevance in today’s context.

Also, I’ve been able to experience first-hand this therapeutic power of Nature as Teacher! So every time I pay attention to a bird, a bee or a butterfly, an elephant, a tiger or a bear, I should humbly admit that, I have been able to gain invaluable insights and enriching wisdom for an entire life!

Well, with this backdrop let’s now go straight into our blogpost!

If you were to ask me what my favourite animal is, the majestic tiger will always take the top spot. But the elephant is a very, very close second. What fascinates me the most about these two magnificent creatures is how they represent entirely different ways of thriving in the wild! 😊

On an aside, I wish to reference a very insightful blogpost done by one of my best students ever – Ms. Shree, who is also the ADO of our College now, on “From a Dog Person to a Cat Person”. This post owes its inspiration to her post. You may want to read it HERE on her vibrant blog.

Well, it was such a deeply insightful blogpost. I am sharing it here with her consent! 😊 She starts her blogpost by saying that, “Cats are lovely and independent. They don’t belong to anyone”.

In like fashion, the tiger is the ultimate individualist! For all ye cat lovers, as ye know, the awe-inspiring tiger is really just a supersized cousin of the great grand feline family! 😊

Yes, the tiger is a solitary hunter who “relies” more on itself! Self-reliance! The elephant, on the other hand, is profoundly gregarious. They are the ultimate socialites of the jungle, relying on deep family bonds, communication, and a sense of community to survive!

This beautiful, social nature can be seen in the simple, everyday life of any elephant herd.

Quite recently, I had the blessed chance of witnessing an elephant family having their quiet family time deep into the forest, amongst the tall grass.

Act I, Scene 1 | Done with his Eating! :-)

As you can see here, in this first snapshot, the little one is completely done with his eating. You can almost see for yourself the exact microsecond the drowsiness hits him! The baby’s trunk (I was told by our accompanying naturalist, that the baby elephant is just two weeks old), goes weary, and he starts to sink into the grass!

Act I, Scene 2 | To Sleep or Not to Sleep! :-)

In the second photo, the baby looks like, he’s contemplating the good ol’ Hamletian double bind - To sleep, or not to sleep? 😊

Added, the temptation of the soft, green grass bed is just too much to resist.

Act I, Scene 3 | Feeling Drowsy! :-)

Now the dilemma [or the double bind] is over! In the third photo, the lullaby has had its effect! The nap-mode is about to takes over!

Act I, Scene 4 | Snore Mode Activated! :-)

And... in the fourth snap, we have a lovely snorer of sorts! 😊

The baby is, as you can see here, now fast asleep and lost in his dreams!

But the most beautiful part of this scene isn’t just the sleeping baby - it’s the elders around him! – hope you noticed how they both stand tall, ears alert, and trunks ready!

This peaceful scene indeed taught me more than I could ever imagine!

Both the elephants, here, believe in sharing the burden of raising their young ones. Both mom and dad (and often aunts, sisters, and grandmothers) stand together as a united front, keeping a silent, loving watch over their little ones.

However, that’s not the case with a tiger mother, who – although she is fiercely protective of her cubs - she bears that burden entirely alone. She is a single guardian in a vast forest!

It is a powerful reminder that while the the deep, communal bonds of the elephant commands our respect, the fierce individualism of the tiger captures our hearts!

One lovely lesson I garnered from this snapshot I had taken, is that, whether you are fiercely independent like a tiger or thrive in a close-knit group like an elephant – cheer up!

You’re on the right track!

There are moments in life where you need to be in a close-knit group like an elephant’s, to need your dose of encouragement, love and support! But that’s a minimal 1 or 2% of our lives.

That fierce look he gave us, when I was busy trying to tune the ISO to get the best shot! :-)

At the same time, there are times in life, when intentional solitude helps us sky-high – sometimes even to a whopping 99%!

While humans are inherently social creatures (like the elephant), leaning entirely on the “herd” can sometimes cause us to lose our individual identity! On the other hand, embracing the spirit of the tiger in us, offers us invaluable, powerful lessons for our own lives.

At this juncture, allow me dear reader, to bring in Soren Kierkegaard, the famed Danish philosopher, who famously wrote that, “The crowd is untruth!”.

To Kierkegaard, when we surrender our individuality to a group, we lose our personal accountability, our moral courage, and ultimately, our authentic selves. The crowd provides comfort, but it demands conformity in return!

Looking at this lovely scene through Kierkegaard’s lens, the contrast between the tiger and the elephant takes on a much deeper, existential meaning then!

A tiger does not view being alone as a weakness or a source of loneliness; solitude is its natural state of power. In our modern, hyper-connected world, we are constantly surrounded by noise, opinions, and the constant demands of our “herds” of all hues!

That’s why channelling the tiger in us helps us lots! It means we learn to value our solitude. Spending time alone allows us to recharge, process our thoughts without external influence, and discover who we really are!

When a tiger hunts, it cannot rely on the herd! It must obviously trust in its own instincts, and its own strength. In our lives too, there are moments when the support of our “herd” may not be quite enough to carry us through a challenge! That’s where we go ahead confidently with the gut feeling within!

Added, a tiger knows exactly what its territory is, and it defends those borders fiercely. Very often, we might struggle with saying “no” or letting others encroach on our time, energy, and peace of mind. The highly independent tiger reminds us that it is healthy - and very important for us - to establish strong personal boundaries and protect our emotional territory all the time!

So now for the takeaway –

Ultimately, then, the most fulfilling human life requires us to strike a balance – to embrace both of our favourite animals. We need the elephant within us to build our relationships, nurture our friendships, and create a safety net for those we love.

But... at the same time, we absolutely need the tiger within us to maintain our individuality, stand on our own two feet, and walk our own unique path with confidence.

With Donne - and let me requote him –

We in us find the elephant and the tiger!

So yes! give space for the elephant in you to help you grow, but remember to allow the tiger in you to make you bloom and to bear fruit!

You may want to tune in for some boomer-time with this blogger, as part of a lecture on Existentialism, six years ago, on some of the concepts discussed by Heidegger and Kierkegaard on ‘crowd’ism and ‘individual’ism, on the Queen Mary’s College Vlog HERE.

PS: All photos © this blogger’s. However, please feel free to use it, even without acknowledgement! 😊

Reclaiming Childhood Wonder by Cultivating a Sense of Curiosity & Humour! ❤️

Living Life with a “Wow!”

#intothewildwithrufus

Watching monkeys in action especially when we are in the forests, is real, unbridled joy!

Sometimes it’s like watching a childhood version of ourselves as well, especially when you see a monkey trick and you exclaim, “Wait... I used to do that too”. 😊

In fact, the sight of these little monkeys defying gravity, and giving us that innocent look, speaks volumes to their expressive nature!

Now coming back to the first set of photos - 

It was indeed a huge tree, and each of these Bonnet Macaque monkeys were busy trying out their gravity-defying stunts, by trying their hands at climbing the tree in such fast pace! 

In the next set of photos, you can see a beautiful bevy of the bonnet macaques lounging in a hot tin roof for their afternoon. They were indeed indulging themselves in their routinated intensive grooming activity I guess!

However, the real cherry on top of the cake was the baby of the family who was entirely unsupervised!

While the adults were busy picking bugs out of each other’s fur, the baby of the family was quietly crawling away towards the edge of the roof!

Well, to be honest, I was so reminded of my own childhood days, 😊 when, like this little monkey, we as the kids in the family always knew exactly when the adults were distracted, to quietly sneak away for a game of cricket or a game of chess with my neighbourhood pals!

Again, I’ve always noticed this trait in children! it’s always the children in the family who have that extra load of curiosity writ large on them!

However, quite sadly, as they grow up, they lose sight of this innate sense of curiosity within them!

One reason I’ve always told my students this in class – always!

On the two things they should always cultivate in life –

1) A sense of curiosity 2) A sense of humour.

Many problems in life can be solved if you have a sense of curiosity and a sense of humour on you. I call it the ‘How’ and the ‘Wow’ factor!

For example, a student comes to me for a discussion! My first impression when I meet them would be, ‘Wow! I’m going to have a rewarding talk with my student!’

Then I ask them, ‘How’ do you do?  ‘How’ is everything?

That makes me really tune my ears with all eagerness to what they have to say!

When a colleague comes to me with an issue, I approach it like, ‘Woww! I’ve got something to solve, today!’

The ‘Woww’ at the beginning of a day, at the beginning of a conversation, or at the beginning of a lecture, would sure help us tune full-throttle to the subject with high-octane intentionality!

Intentionality? Yes! Please look up Brentano and Husserl for a lovely explanation on this term!

To conclude,

Why-o-why do the children lose sight of this sense of curiosity as they grow up?

Wordsworth has an unrivalled poetic answer to this age-old question, in his ‘Immortality Ode’.

Says he –

Shades of the prison-house begin to close

Upon the growing Boy,

But he beholds the light, and whence it flows,

He sees it in his joy;

The Youth, who daily farther from the east

Must travel, still is Nature's Priest,

And by the vision splendid

Is on his way attended;

At length the Man perceives it die away,

And fade into the light of common day.

 

Earth fills her lap with pleasures of her own;

Yearnings she hath in her own natural kind,

And, even with something of a Mother's mind,

And no unworthy aim,

The homely Nurse doth all she can

To make her Foster-child, her Inmate Man,

Forget the glories he hath known,

And that imperial palace whence he came.

Indeed, childhood is the time for anyone to explore and to innovate!

At the same time, sustaining this sense of curiosity into our adulthood, helps us to also sustain this ‘child-like’ nature in us for longgg!

So let’s start our day, every day, with the ‘How’ and the ‘Wow!’

Shall we? 😊

What Elephants Teach Us on Mindfulness 💚

A Gentle Giant’s Lesson to Humankind on Mindfulness

#intothewildwithrufus #birding #wilding

There are memorable moments in nature that make you stop, catch your breath, and completely re-evaluate the way you see the world.

Today was one such memorable day, when we saw first-hand, a cute and lovely elephant offering us all a memorable lesson in mindfulness.

We were moving through the quiet, dense forest in our safari jeep, ardently looking out for possible sightings, when, to our surprise we saw a magnificent elephant emerging gracefully from the shadows of the thicket on to the road in front of us.

But wait! it isn’t just the sight of this gentle giant that is so moving; it is where and how it chose to cross the road.

As I’ve captured in the photograph, the elephant didn’t just emerge at a random, blind curve. It stepped onto the road precisely at the place where the speed breaker was, right next to the warning sign, crossing with a calm, deliberate grace.

This sight so moved me to bits today!

A wild animal understanding the safest place to cross a human highway is indeed something that is quite awe-inspiring, by all means! 

And elephants are said to be some of the most incredibly intelligent creatures with deep, generational memories and survival instincts. While this majestic animal might not have read the traffic sign, I personally feel that, it certainly understands the rhythm of its environment. It could have observed where the loud, fast-moving, loud-honking vehicles are forced to slow down, and it has then recognised the safest place to step out of the sanctuary of the trees!

Interestingly, there is yet another poignant reality here! Probably the speed breaker was almost certainly built in that exact spot because this is an ancient elephant corridor! In all probability yes! And so, hats off to the forest dept for so thoughtfully erecting this speed breaker at the right place!

Long before this “road”way was laid, and the signs were erected, this “path”way originally belonged to the forest, and to all the animals dwelling therein.

And on that vein, this elephant’s graceful crossing asks something very simple yet vital of us! Respect!

Whenever we see signs warning of a speed bump or animal crossing in these forested areas, it is not just a suggestion for our vehicles to slow down…

It is also a fervent plea to be a “mindful guest” in someone else’s home!

PS: You may want to watch a YouTube shorts that I had posted almost year ago, on a herd of deer crossing one such forest road, and people gracefully making way for them, HERE