Discrimination against indigenious communities

I was viewing a program entitled 'Dark secrets of Canada' on Al Jazeera TV Channel (one of my favourite channels). It was on how generations of indigenious communities got discriminated by the Canadian Government. Indians (South Asian) of my age would remember how some communities were undergoing blatant discrimination by Governments run by fanatic, attitudinally pervert political parties such as DMK (Davida Munnetra Kazhagam) in Tamilnadu and the atrocities that they were committing, unforgettably so. (I and numerous youngsters witnessed discrimination in our own country. I have inferred discrimination from documented historic evidences in South Africa, although by the time I had worked in the region, things had already begun to improve, thanks to untiring efforts by even minded political leaders such as  F W De Klerk, Nelson Mandela, and others).

Sacred Sundara Khaand

As I am typing this post, I derive the Joy of viewing 'Shree Sundara Khaand Kathaa' by Poojyashree Pundareekaaksha Goswaamiji on Sanskaar channel.

Divine Discourse

As I am typing this post, I am deriving the joy of viewing a divine discourse on "Bhaagavath Kathaa" by Poojya Shree Raamaanuja Sampradaayaachaaryaajeee Maharaj.

Mohan, mathematics and Mary Hopkin

As I was viewing a documentary on Assam Rifles (Indian Army) on Republic TV channel during my dinner some time back, I couldn't help remembering Mohan. He was one of my best friends during my college student days. 

While I was studying for my degree course in Physics, he was doing his degree course in Electronics and Communication. Like all youngsters, we used to gossip about movie actors, our teachers and so on. The difference in my friendship with Mohan was that it was he who motivated me more into mathematics than my teachers, with the result that I began loving the subject to such an extent that I would complete all the excercises at the end of each lesson in mathematics textbooks before our lecturers taught them in our class. I was fanatically attracted to the subject irrespective of whether it was algebra, calculus, analytical geometry, trigonometry or any other area. By God's Grace, my practice in mathematics instilled 100% confidence in me, leading to fourth rank in the University Exams. 

After our college days, we drifted away from each other in search of employment. I and Mohan communicated with each other until he was serving as Captain in Assam Rifles. At that time I was teaching in Bhutan. As with a few other friends, including two female pepals,  I got the communication line broken because of my laziness in replying to their letters (I used to find it difficult to write. I wish there were facilities such as Skype and WhatsApp in those days).

In this context, Mary Hopkin's song "Those were the days" comes to my mind. I cannot forget the annual Eurovision Contest that was held in 1970 in which she took softrock fans by storm, thanks to BBC World Service Radio that used to be very well received in India even in analogue old fashioned radio receivers that most middle class households like ours, had. Paul McCartney of The Beatles, the legendary soft rock band of that era, had got a few of her songs recorded in their Apple studios. I remember how I used to long for the BBC's 'Top Twenty' programme during weekends. Those were the days.

Mohan was a great friend.

Seethaa Jayanthi

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. It was on this day during Trethaa Yugaa, millions of years back, that Shree Seethaa Devi was found in her infant form by King Janakaa when he was ploughing his field. Seethaa Devi, an Avataar of Shree Mahaa Lakshmi, married Lord Shree Raam, an Avataar of Shree Mahaa Vishnu. Devotees celebrate this day as the birthday of the Divine Mother.

Bunny Wailer, Bob Marley, Baffalo Soldier, Raggae and Ras Tafarian

Legendry reggae singer Bunny Wailer's death marks a void in Afro-American, Carribean and Reggae music. 

I remember  how he, his boyhood friend Bob Morley and fellow Jamaican Peter Tosche took youngsters by storm all over the world with their probably the first ever raggae band in the world. (I nostalgically remember the lyrics of songs such as "Buffalo Soldier" by Bob Morley and The Wailers. Their songs were meaningful and covered political and cultural aspects of the west Indian regional diaspora with East African origin. Their songs synchronised with many of Mark Twain's novels). 

Interestingly, when I had lived in Ethiopia in 1982 and 1983, I could infer the strong influence that Ras Tafarian culture in Ethiopia had on Jamaican people (although Ethiopia and Jamaica are far away from each other, separated by a few countries in Africa and the vast Atlantic ocean). 

It is amazing that Jamaicans cherish their Ras Tafarian identity to this day.

Bunny will be remembered by his numerous fans all over the world for his simple and nice music.