'All this while, I had been searching for heaven in the wrong place...'

Where is Heaven...? | A Delightful Literary Take

from Today’s Tamil Hindu

By Maruthan

Trans. to English: This blogger

I can’t quite remember the first person to have introduced the concept of heaven to me. Most probably, I surmise a guess that, I would have known more about this place only through some story narrated by someone to me at some point of time in my life.

I continued to get glimpses of this delightful heaven through one story after another – stories that I so loved listening to.

Even as I was growing up - day by day - the dream of heaven was also growing up parallelly within me.

A great longing as well, started welling up within me for this delightful abode.

For such a beautiful, such a quiet and such a joyous abode as this!

So where pray, has this heaven been in hiding thus far?

How does a person reach that place?

Per chance, I might not quite know where heaven is, but if you ask me to describe heaven, I would be able to tell you lots and lots of things about heaven, as if I have dwelt long enough in that place.

The lovely parrots on earth give out their ‘chirp’ ‘chirp’ sounds, ain’t they?

But the parrot in heaven gently perches itself on the shoulders of Omar Khayyam and then ask him, ‘Had your food Omar?’

When you step into the pond, in this heavenly abode, the fish also gently jump towards you and start kissing your feet.

The deer will then begin to dish out a beautiful story standing on a small mound.

The leopard for his part, will sit quite modestly near the deer and listen to the story being said, and remark with a bit of sadness,

‘Got over so soon? Oh! That’s not fair, dear deer. Tell me another story, will ya?’

The star up above in the sky that resembles a dot, when looked from here on earth, would come very close to you in heaven, and keep twinkling around you. You may also touch it. Take it in your hand and give it a good hug.

Art by Lalitha

You can hitch a lovely ride on the soft, leathern clouds that come floating around you.

You can observe the flowers filled with fragrance, and fruits filled with such succulent taste on them, in this heavenly abode!

You can then proceed to bathe in the waterfalls, and read books in the light emitted by the feisty fireflies in this heavenly abode!

You can also grow wings along with the doves and fly along with them, in this place called heaven!

You can hug the lion cubs and play with them. Taste honey with the bears. Rest yourself gently on the trunk of the elephant and take a nap, in this place called heaven.

Well, even hell was introduced to me in like fashion, through a story.

Oh gosh! Please please don’t ask me about that, anytime!

Such a terrible and horrible mess of a place it really really was.

It’s good if we don’t breathe a word about it even.

Well, I’m not in the least bothered about hell, because I’m not going to even caste a glance towards that side.

My only dream and longing is to set foot in heaven.

I had also asked each and every inhabitant of Samarkand, on where heaven really is.

Almost everyone, pointing their hands upwards, said in unison, ‘There up there, you will find heaven’.

It seems that, even hell is up there above!

For my part, I too had earnestly searched for heaven - like a giraffe - tossing my huge neck to the left, right and centre.

But heaven was nowhere to be found!

Per chance, great scholars might have known and written down more about the place, me thought, and hence I learnt to read and write.

I gathered together all the books that were in print, and started looking for heaven amongst them all.

Having read somewhere that astronomy might help me to know the exact location of heaven, I started researching on the skies for years and years.

After coming to know that, without the rudiments of Mathematics I cannot qualify to become a good astronomer, I thenceforth started to learn Mathematics.

And by fortuitous coincidence, having chanced upon a book of history, I gently took it in my hands, began reading it, and from then on, I started following history as well.

History held me by my hand and gently led me towards Philosophy.

So I started reading from Philosophy from thence on!

After reading books and books on Philosophy, when I started looking at the skies, I was now able to see an entirely different sky up above.

After having started to read more of History, when I looked at people, they were transformed into entirely new beings in my eyes.

After having observed humans, when I started reading stories, my imagination started growing wider and wider and wider. 

With this beautiful imagination on me, I looked yet again at the skies.

Now I understood!

All this while, I had been searching for heaven in the wrong place.

Heaven is not in the skies.

The moment when I eagerly sat down to listen to stories, heaven also gently sat along with me, giving me company.

The moment when I closed my eyes and started dreaming, heaven started opening up wider and wider in the dream.

The moment when I started learning how to read and write, heaven gently patted me as a token of appreciation.

When I did Mathematics, heaven gave an amazing wide-eyed look at me.

When I started learning more about History, Philosophy, the moon and the stars, my domain of knowledge also started getting larger and larger, ain’t it?

Well, that’s in a word, HEAVEN for meee!

When I shut my eyes to the beauties and wonders of the heavens, when I set aside my books saying, ‘I’m not gonna need them or read them’, when I refuse to respect and to understand my fellow human beings, darkness begins to form within me.

Therein in that darkness, hell awakens!

If knowledge is heaven, then ignorance is hell.

If imagination is heaven, then, a dried up mind is hell.

It’s me who has the power to choose between heaven and hell for myself.

Again, whether I want to live in heaven or on earth, depends entirely on my choice!

I have books with me. There are a multitude of stars in my sky. My people are so loving. My stories stretch on and on endlessly. My mind has now become completely clear. Hence, I’m convinced with all surety that, I dwell in heaven!

- Omar Khayyam – Persian Mathematician, astronomer, philosopher, poet, essayist and writer of the 10th century AD.

Contact: marudhan@gmail.com

“Love is a sacrament that should be taken daily”

Righteous or Sacrificial? | Report by Preesha E

The question posed by Ms. Anupriya Beck on Day 2 of our class discussions, is -

‘Which of the following should one prefer – to be righteous or be sacrificial?‘

Gladson responded that he would prefer to be sacrificial for the ones that he loves and cares about.

Cathlin stated that self-respect can be compromised at times. In one’s own personal circle, self-respect can take a backseat but when things go over the line, relationships take a toxic turn, it is better to distance from the other rather than hurting their own selves and the other because anybody who hurts others is hurting him/her own self.

Bhavya remembers the sacrificial love of her parents during her tough days and remarked that being sacrificial is the highest form of love.

Preethi highlighted the saying ‘where there is love, there is sacrifice’.

Abishek said that, Righteousness does not come into picture when he recalls the umpteen sacrifices of his parents. All the efforts taken and hardships endured by parents to fulfill their child's need is unfathomably huge.

Ganesh put forth his views on love by borrowing the thoughts of multifarious literary geniuses. “Compassion is the chief law of human existence”.  C. S Lewis, in his 'The Four Loves' asserts that ‘there is no safe investment in love’. “Love is a sacrament that should be taken daily” (Oscar Wilde)

In Kafka's Letters to Milena, he describes the woman as the knife that he would turn inside himself, ultimately suggesting that suffering is an inevitable part of loving. 

Only by the wounds caused by pain and suffering, do we know that we are truly loved. S. Ramakrishna indicates that ‘the magic of life lies in who loves whom’. In conclusion, being right does not matter in a relationship built on the foundations of love, opined Ganesh.

Angela looks at the dichotomy as a conflict between logic and emotions and makes note that every individual possesses the freedom of choice to choose what one wants to his/herself be. Personally, she chose to be sacrificial as far as her people-pleasing nature is concerned.

Pinky raised a secondary question.

“Is it important to be honest with our own self by confronting the person who hurts us or keep the information to ourselves and do nothing about it?”

To which Abhishek answered that it is better to deal with the issue which concerns oneself rather than to let it settle in his/her heart which finds ugly ways of expression at a later time. If one is hurt by his/her friend, it’s better to resolve it with him/ her to avoid cracks and friction in our relationships.

Gladson came up with the point that one can be sacrificial only with his/her close circle. Righteousness, as an attribute, surfaces at a larger level, for example, in a society or an institution.

Cathlin believes that confrontation is better with closed ones as one knows that just a 'sorry' would not suffice in the context of a rift and so extra efforts are taken to make sure they are retained in our lives. 

Gladson responded in the negative by saying that 'sorry' or any form of apology should or need not be expected from our close ones and that defines the level of understanding and affection that one has for the other.

Tejaswini preferred being righteous and narrated a story in which a mother failing to edify her son's mistakes led him to commit heinous crimes that eventually resulted in his death penalty. And so, in the act of raising children, parents should know that they are raising humans and impart virtues like righteousness in them.

Preethi put forth her point with a spiritual connotation. In this world of binaries, one tends to be both at different points in time. The very same God who delivered Israelites out of slavery in Egypt decided upon condemning them when they disobeyed his commandments.

She chose to be sacrificial as God himself rather than being righteous judge to the innumerable sins one commits very casually every other day, He chose to sacrifice his own self for our redemption.

Bhavya highlighted the effects of toxic parenting and how vast the role of parents is, in raising disciplined and virtuous human beings.

Sankey gave the final words that the place and person that one is with determine whether we would be sacrificial or righteous. For example, with friends we maintain a degree of righteousness for their good by correcting their mistakes, guiding them in the right path.

If Thomas Alva Edison's mother had read out to him the sad truth in the letter given by his teacher, the world would not have witnessed him as the genius of his times. In some cases, being sacrificial helps oneself and those around to reap benefits.

Teacher’s Note: Thank you dear Preesha for these lovely, precise and amazing inputs – preserved for posterity! And thank you dear II MA kids for your spontaneous, lively and vibrant interactions. It was yet another literary high for all of us in class today!

'Only school boys will go on squeaking them on purpose...'

College Handbook 1966 | Glimpses

Well, the Open House of the great grand MCC Archives that was held on 9th June 2022 in Campus, had an amazing array of vintage treasure troves galore, for the avid archive buff! 

There was a huge display of rare documents and photographs, along with some of the rarest manuscripts connected with the College.

One particular College handbook - dating back to 56 years ago - of the year 1966 - caught our attention.

The book is titled –

RULES & NOTES FOR THE STUDENTS OF MADRAS CHRISTIAN COLLEGE

Giving y’all some lovely excerpts from this College Handbook, 1966, compiled during the Principalship of Dr. Chandran D. S. Devanesen

Here goes -

You have now joined the Madras Christian College, a honourable and ancient school of learning, in which over 1680 students and 100 teachers live, converse and work together day by day.

Community life, on this scale, is quite a complicated affair, and it takes a special effort to ensure that your work and pleasure do not prevent someone else from working well or enjoying life. There have to be some common rules.

The notes in this booklet are to help you make the most of your time at the College, and to tell you how we do things here. The rules are the fruit of much experience. They are not for ever unalterable; members of staff will be ready to discuss with you how they may be improved. 

Meanwhile, please read them carefully and observe them as a matter of College loyalty.

Chandran D. S. Devanesen

Principal

IN COLLEGE

1. The College expects you to attend your classes regularly. If you are not in class, try not to disturb those who are, for instance by walking and talking in the corridors and verandahs. We keep the windows and doors open to let the air in; you will be very uncomfortable if we have to shut them to keep the noise out.

In each class you will be assigned your own seat. Keep it.

There are two bells for the first period of the day, and again after lunch. You should be in your place in class when the second bell rings. The bell I rung once at the end of each period, and a break of five minutes is usually allowed; that gives you plenty of time to get to your next class.

The College custom is to stand when your teacher enters the class, until he indicates that you may sit.

It is well known that the seats squeak during this operation, but only school boys will go on squeaking them on purpose. If you need to leave the room before the class is dismissed, ask permission.

You are not supposed to smoke in College or in and around Hall classrooms.

You are requested to walk on the paths and not on the grass and not to throw paper or other litter about or to deface walls and doors by scribbling.

Many questions of public interest await your attention; the country looks forward to your loyal and intelligent support, perhaps your leadership.

But while you are at college it expects you to study. The College may act to prevent you taking part in political movements which distract you from your present work.

NOTES FOR STUDENTS

No one has any right to be in College unless he is honestly trying to do his academic work well.

That means, you must apply yourself to your studies with some method; and not just to “mug up” enough to scrape through the next examination, but trying to get an intelligent understanding of each subject as a whole. 

A lazy, dull, or slovenly student (or teacher) is cheating the community.

Academic studies, however, are not the whole of life. Your studies themselves will be done better if you give a good deal of your time to games, debates, meetings, music, play-acting, hobbies, and conversation. These all help to make life better for yourself and for others too.

1. Try to play some OPEN-AIR GAME every day after classes are over. If you have not played much before, begin at once, it will be more difficult to start later on. Besides acquiring a new skill, you will be learning what it is to be “sporting”: playing for the side not for yourself; respecting your opponents, accepting the umpire’s decision even if you don’t agree with it.

Spectators can be sporting too, in particular by cheering the other side when you see good play.

At Meetings and Entertainments in the Anderson Hall, we should all be on our best behaviour, especially when we invite friends from outside. If you chat to your neighbour during the show, or move about too much, you may spoil the show for everyone.

When we have a distinguished visitor, be sure to take your place well before he arrives: stand when he enters the Hall; and afterwards wait in your place until the visitor’s party has left the Hall.

2. At STUDENTS MEETINGS and debates the business should be carried on with some dignity and order. No-one wants it all dull and solemn; on the other hand noise is a poor substitute for wit and humour - show that you do not approve of it.

If you decide not to put up with rowdiness, the rowdy fellows will not be able to take charge and spoil the show.

Chairmen, office-bearers and inexperienced debaters all deserve a quiet hearing, otherwise the sensible students will not come forward to take their part.

To be continued…

“Why do we as human beings have a tendency to cry especially when we listen to a good piece of music or read a good piece of text?”

‘Art is like an emotional slap!’

II MA English | by Ganesh Aadhitya S

It was a musical afternoon for all of us - II MA English kids!

Nobel Laureate Pablo Neruda asks - “In what language does rain fall over tormented cities?" - highlighting the universality of the essential Human condition - i.e. Rain does not discriminate between people. The same can be said for Music as well. Good Music appeals directly to the emotions of the individuals indiscriminately. As with the best Literature, music speaks most urgently to the present and the overarching past.

Angela kickstarted the discussion by posing the intriguing question to the class, “Why do we as human beings have a tendency to cry especially when we listen to a good piece of music or read a good text?”

Curious Jean extends the question - “When we are happy, we listen to happy songs; and when we are sad, we listen to sad songs. I wanna know why?”

Speaking on the power music holds over our emotions, Angela made a striking statement - “Art is like an emotional slap”.

Music's mighty association with memory is undisputed. Memorable moments in one's life are often adorned with different tunes.

Allan Winston's blooming face when he linked music with the “special person” in his life stands testament to this fact. He named “Nee Kavithaigala” by Pradeep Kumar as his current favourite.

Anupriya had an equally interesting observation to make. She said, “When we are happy, the rhythm matters. But when Sadness overcomes, it's the lyrics that speak to our soul.”

Dr Rufus here draws a comparison between Tragedy and Comedy, throwing light on how Shakespeare chiefly used verse for Tragedy, and prose for his comedies. 

When Dr. Rufus asked her if it was the music or the lyrics that charmed her the most, Anu said, that it was a 50-50 blend. Citing from a lovely Hindi number, she said that, the song had that great appeal on her not only because of the lyrics but also because of the music!

According to Cathlin, It's the “music that appeals the most” compared to the lyrics.

Gayathri made a vital point - “Music is a kind of therapy that can transform lives. I often overcome my sadness by listening to energetic songs”.

Cathy asks what Gayathri does with the “leftover sadness?” (another amazing phrase!)

The ever-energetic Sunyogita brought in the highly emotional bonding scene between the mother and the little kid from the blockbuster film “KGF: Chapter 1”, where the background score helps us connect with the characters. She further emphasizes on the role music plays in the trending Netflix series “Stranger Things''. Korean Pop music is her Jam!

Abishek recounts how a song he listened to - “Appa Un Kaiya Pidichu” - took him down memory lane when he was setting up his room at Selaiyur Hall. He further read out a few lines to the class, showing how music is immune to time:

“அப்பா கையை புடிச்சி நடந்தா தெரு அழகாக‌ மாறும்

அவர் ஆசப்பட்டு கொஞ்சும் போது மீசமுடி கீறும்”

Malar then beautifully describes Crying as “an essential emotion” that highlights one's humaneness, because it helps us connect with our fellow human beings.

“Harris Jayaraj,” exclaims Haleem when talking about the powerful BGM and the “intensity” music creates that reverberates throughout our “being”.

Basilea then recollected with a nostalgic fondness about her Dad, quoting two lines from her favourite song. She was almost in tears when she recollected the lines, and added that, Abishek’s quote made her so emotional yet again, because of the impactful lines - 

“அப்பா கையை புடிச்சி நடந்தா தெரு அழகாக‌ மாறும்

அவர் ஆசப்பட்டு கொஞ்சும் போது மீசமுடி கீறும்”

[Trans: ‘When I hold my father’s hand while walking across the street, even the street suddenly becomes beautiful…’]

“We are not theorising Literature, but we are living literature,” observes Dr Rufus. In this regard, sir introduced two Romantic poets into the already stimulating mix of ideas - Wordsworth and Shelley.

“The music in my heart I bore,” says the mesmerized Wordsworth hearing the melancholic song of “The Solitary Reaper” that stayed with the poet “long after it was heard no more”.

Similarly, the melody-filled flight of the little Skylark fills P.B.Shelley's heart to the brim with unadulterated bliss that eludes Human Beings as “Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought.”

Pinky made an exciting observation about how music creates a happy mood for the photoshoots.

Bhavya shared her brave journey of overcoming Depression with enormous resolve and how music was a part of her lionhearted journey. She highlighted A.R. Rahman's moving “Oru Dheivam Thandha Poove” from the movie Kannathil Muthamittal (கன்னத்தில் முத்தமிட்டால்) as closest to her heart. Further, she encouraged people to empathise more to make the world a better place.

Adding to Bhavya's point, Rufus sir stresses the toughness of spirit essential to overcome obstacles in life. Just as how “Storms make the oak grow deeper roots,” we are all a work in progress on the path of becoming a “capable human being”. He illustrates this point with Lord Tennyson's “Home they brought their warriors dead”. The ‘summer tempest tears’ will ultimately help us gain mastery over complications.

Musicals fascinate the musician in Sankey. He personally defines it to be an “emotion-stealer”. He names Flute to be his first choice musical instrument.

Ganesh is obsessed with the peppy Malayalam song “Darshana,” which he associates with a particularly fond childhood memory. He would gladly credit the visual appeal of the proposal scene to the musicality of the groovy melody.

Franz Kafka, when asked about what a book does for the soul, says - “A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us.” Similarly, Allan feels that music aims to “unfreeze” us. Allan's Kafka-like statement of Music unfreezing and melting our “being” perfectly summed up the discussion.

Sruthi made yet another interesting observation – that, sometimes, even without being swayed by the charms of the music or the lyrics, we feel we get the goosebumps all over us. That’s another enigma, she said.

Finally, the enriching interactive session propelled by Angela boldly underlines that Music is an art form that deserves to be celebrated.

And, as literary beings, “music is the food of our love” and it will continue to play on majestically.

Teacher’s Note: Thank you dear Ganesh for these lovely, precise and amazing inputs – preserved for posterity! And thank you dear II MA kids for your spontaneous, lively and vibrant interactions. It was a real literary high for all of us in class today!

References

1. https://www.themarginalian.org/2014/06/06/kafka-on-books-and-reading/

'Change helps you embrace some of the most beautiful things in life that’s in store for you!'

The Butterfly as Teacher | Ruminations for Life ❤️

On Why Metamorphosis is Important for You

Well, this evening I had shared a 45-second video on my WhatsApp, of a beautiful butterfly that sits so soft and majestic on a bunch of lovely flowers [in the garden of our International Guest House, MCC].

I had captioned it thus –

‘Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly’.

[The quote is by Chuang Tzu, one of the most influential Chinese philosophers of ages past!]

So yes! Metamorphosis is not an event! It is a journey! It is a process!

Our famous literary delights from across the world bespeak to those adventurous journeys that celebrate the importance of metamorphosis in the traveller’s life!

The 1957 novel titled, On the Road by Jack Kerouac – the principal avatar of the ‘beats’, - documents his journey across the USA, resulting in a range of amazing, mind-blowing experiences for the two main characters - the narrator, Sal Paradise, and his friend Dean Moriarty – known for their carefree attitude and their sense of adventure!

Eat, Pray, Love (2006) by Elizabeth Gilbert, records ‘One woman's search for everything across Italy, India and Indonesia’, even as its 32-year-old Elizabeth Gilbert experiences the world in her own unique ways - discovering pasta and pizza in Italy, finding spirituality in India and falling in love in Indonesia!

A range of reads with journeys as their prime motif, seek to celebrate the great transformations that happen in the protagonist’s life – thanks to their journeys, including the likes of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho!

On 19^th July 2022, one of my lovely cousins had sent me a video of a caterpillar - a caterpillar that she was so sincerely fending for!

She had named it Zing!

This particular caterpillar-stage video that she had sent me, made me wonder and ponder much on the metamorphosis that happens in like fashion in a human being’s life as well.

Right from birth, we as human beings undergo a beautiful metamorphosis, ain’t we?

In short - we evolve!

Although like Peter Pan, we might not always want to grow up, reality catches up with us in no time, and soon we have the Hobson’s choice staring right ahead of us – nudging us to embrace change!

Of course, change is always accompanied by a little bit of discomfort as well! A little bit of unease! A little bit of aches and sighs and groans!

But if we could - just for a moment - compare this ‘unease’ in metamorphosis or transformation, with the experience of flying in an airplane –

An airplane – when it is about to take off, it shakes! It wobbles! Our ears go thumping and twitching! We feel really really tingly and dizzy all the way!

But soon-o-soon, the airplane beautifully stabilizes itself up there in the skies and from then on, we really begin to enjoy the awesome, breath-taking scenery around us – among the clouds, on top of the seas, and rivers, and lakes, and forests!

But but but… wait… The airplane then has to come down, ain’t it?

And that’s when you hear the thud, the twitching, the thumping and the rocking yet again – until the landing happens, and from then on, there’s a great relief, and soon all is well!

That’s hence yet again the famous quote by Chuang Tzu, one of the most influential Chinese philosophers -

Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a beautiful butterfly.

Today in my II MA English class, when we were having a lively discussion on a question by Ms Angela, [a report of the same has been promised by Ganesh, II MA English, by tomorrow – btw, Ganesh… hope you are reading this da 😉] one particular student shared from her lived-experiences, and I responded thus, quoting George Herbert -

Storms make the oak grow deeper roots!

How true!

Change helps you embrace some of the most beautiful things in life that’s in store for you! That’s so specially reserved and preserved for you! Only for you! Ketto! 

Memories of your past - caterpillar stage – are sure to remain as vestiges or as traces enlivening and elevating your spirits each passing day!

But remember, the move is on!

Well, and that’s because this ‘metamorphosis,’ is sure gonna be very rewarding for you – to transform you into the most beautiful, the most adorable and the most colourful butterfly that’s gonna be a great source of love, delight and happiness to the beautiful world out there!

Now tell me, dear reader!

Ain’t your metamorphosis really-truly good for you? 

[PS: This post is dedicated to my lovely-bubbly II MA English class kids, who made today’s class so memorable and meaningful for all of us, making all our eyes moist, big-time, in the process!] 

You may want to read a similar past read on our blog, titled, The Move is On, HERE.