Then and Now

Now that it has been some time that I got married, I started wondering about changes within me. And, I came up with top 5 under each of the three categories listed below.  

Good Change : 

• A set morning routine – drink coffee at leisure, read newspaper in detail (including comics, bridge, and crossword) etc.
• Go to bed early.
• Drive within speed limits (the reason was not just marriage, still….)
• Ego Check (my wife has played more than a fair share in making sure of this)
• I have realized, that I am not a saint, that I thought I was

Not so good change : 

• Drink coffee everyday (yep, that’s me, who swore by chocolate powder and milk all these years)
• Stopped watching movies (I still love to, but she has absolutely no interest L).
• I am almost forgetting how to cook.
• I have stopped making my bed the minute I get up (in fact, I hardly make my bed now).
• I am not keeping up time (absolutely no fault of wife, but it’s such a coincidence that I was so punctual before marriage and now I am not).

No change : 

• Browse the internet (I am almost done finishing it)
• Get up late (but see, I’ve started sleeping early, so I have improved at least half way J )
• Still a chatter box
• I still think Cricket is the BEST game in the world (inspite of my wife explaining all the rules for Golf, Rugby, F-1 and NASCAR…yeah she has weird tastes J )
• Music and writing are still my favorite hobbies.

rAShTrakavi Dr. G.S.Shivarudrappa

Dr. G.S.Shivarudrappa is all set to become the next ‘rAShTrakavi’ – National Poet. Karnataka government is ready to make this announcement in the next few days. Both the previous national poets in Kannada -M.Govinda Pai and Kuvempu – are not alive today. Infact that is the whole reason why we are conferring this title now. Apparently, there can be only one ‘rAShTrakavi’ at a time.

This nomination was not without controversies. From what I heard, Dr. GSS, Prof. K.S.Nissar Ahmed, Sri. Chennavira Kanavi and Sri. Chandrashekhar Kambara were being considered. I was not surprised, but shocked, to see Sri. Kambara’s name in that list. I cannot think of anything other than caste politics for the inclusion of his name. I admire and respect Sri. Kanavi a lot. He is a good poet. But no sir, he is nowhere close to be named a ‘rAShTrakavi’.

That leaves us with Dr. GSS and Prof. KSN. One thing to note is that Prof. KSN was part of the selection committee!!! I won’t be surprised if some smart Alec in the government did this on purpose – to completely eliminate Prof. KSN from the race. I have seen such ‘smart’ and ‘shady’ moves by the government several times in the past. The fact that Prof. KSN did not attend the final selection meeting, is a different issue. He also came out and said that the only deserving person to be named as ‘rAShTrakavi’ is late Dr. Da.Ra.Bendre.

Well, who can argue with that? Bendre is perhaps one of the greatest poets in Kannada (and in my book, he is THE greatest poet in Kannada). But then, shouldn’t ‘rAShTrakavi’ be alive? That was the whole point. And, I personally don’t agree awarding anything posthumously. I whole heartedly appreciate Prof. KSN’s arguments, but don’t agree with him.

Prof. KSN is an excellent poet. He is your typical ‘navOdaya kavi’. So is Dr. GSS. But, I think Dr. GSS is a little more. He is not only a great poet, but quite a well respected critique too. His prose and poetry are one of the best in Kannada literature. Dr. GSS truly deserves to be the next ‘rAShTrakavi’.

He has mentioned several times that two of his favorite poems are ‘uDugaNavEShTita’ and ‘ede tuMbi hADidenu’ – the former was his very first song broadcast from AIR, music by Padmacharan and sung by H.R.Leelavathi. The latter was composed and sung by Mysore Ananthaswamy. I don’t know if he likes these two songs just because they are famous, or if he truly likes these two compositions more than the rest.

In several speeches Dr. GSS has talked about how he listened to his first poem broadcast from Akashavani. His first book ‘tIrthavANi’ was published. He was travelling in a bus (I don’t know the departure and arrival cities). Apparently the bus driver stopped for a coffee break in Tarikere. When Dr. GSS was sipping coffee in a small road side cafe which had radio at a high volume, he heard the melodious ‘udugaNavEShTita’. At the end of the song the radio announcer mentioned that the music director was Padmacharan, singer was H.R.Leelavathi and the poet was Dr. G.S.Shivarudrappa. He was a happy man!!!

He is a happy man even today. Indeed, entire state should be happy for him – our new ‘rAShTrakavi’. We salute you sir!!! 

Changing Lanes

So, how often do we see people who change their profession ? Quite a few, maybe. But, definitely not a lot. Most of us tend to separate our jobs from our hobbies. Well, a lot of us are forced to do that.

I just got an e-mail from a colleague saying that he is quitting his job and going back to his home country, Singapore. Obviously, I went to say ‘Good Bye’. I started talking to him and asked him a few questions about what he plans to do in the future. Guess what, this hardware engineer has decided to attend a seminary school for 4 years, so that he can become a priest or pastor. “rAmAyaNakkU imAm sAbIgU Enu saMbaMdha ?”, do you say ?

Apparently, my friend’s younger brother was diagnosed with liver cancer 3 years ago. At that time, he had three children aged 1, 2 and 3. Then my friend prayed and said “God, if you heal my little brother, I will come and serve you”. And, that’s exactly the reason my friend is quitting his present job. Yes, the Good news is that his younger brother is healthy now.

My friend (no, I should call him a colleague, even though we attended the same classes in the same college and worked at the same office, in the same group) has decided to change the path of his life. He is quitting next week. He will spend 2 months here, before going back to Singapore. In these two months, he wants to relax and prepare himself for a new life. He is excited to stay with his parents and brother. He is not married and he does not own a house. So, he can really do whatever he wants to do, whenever he wants.

 What else can I say ? Wish you all the best my colleague…er, my friend !!!