Linda wins DSF award

Linda George of the sixth batch won the Dubai Shopping Festival journalism award for the third year in a row. This award is given by the DSF organisers for the best story on the festival.
Will try to upload the story if I get it from her.

One for the album

Shwetha George (nee Varghese) of the fifth batch catches up with Prakash Karat during a meet of the MCC alumni. That's her daughter Gia.
(Pallav adds: 'Child must be traumatised')

Ram, Sankara and Hamlet

Hi,
Thought I'd post this piece of fine writing by Ram. I was reminded of it while talking to Parnab Mukherjee, a theatreperson/ social activist, who was talking of Hamlet. I told him Ram has composed this poem of Sankara's soliloquy to Hamlet, and Parnab suggested I mail it to him so he could possibly use it in one of his theatre performances. Parnab employs the 'Third Theatre' idiom, using plenty of on-the-spot improvisations, and this sort of thing would be ideal for him.
Anyway, here's posting a few of Ram's stanzas. Those who want to read the entire text can email him. (C'mon guys, let's have some energy on this blog! Ramya, why have you gone to sleep? Bharat, Manju, Radhika... start posting)

Sankara to Hamlet
(what the guru told the prince of denmark * pls read Ram's note at end.)

sit in the foyer
and meditate on maya
with knowledge you see
that to be's not to be

your dad's ghost spoke secrets
that turned you truly hyper
be warned, this world's like him
all illusory, yes, all vapour (1)

you agonise over dad and uncle
your mom and the royal caucus
have you wondered about yourself
and this crazy worldly circus? (2)

pain comes in many forms
physical, and of course, mental
for the sake of rhyme, some say
the worst form is dental (3)

you know that's simply not true
a tortured soul is the bluest of blue
it kills its vessel, that's the body
nothing helps, not even toddy (4)

for pain that's muscular
docs prescribe an analgesic
when that doesn't tame it
most people go ayurvedic (5)

back in kerala, where i come from
pain's treated with a massage
anyone who can knead some dough
opens a clinic in the garage (6)

there's the pain of neuropathy
not at all amenable to allopathy
it hurts so bad even atheists pray
all the time to venkatachalapathy (7)

humans pine for love and money
whether in or out of matrimony
i know a guy who died waitin'
just to make up with his honey (8)

sit in the foyer
and meditate on maya
with knowledge you see
that to be's not to be

karma, rest assured, will accumulate
whether you be, not be, or procrastinate
do you seriously imagine by not being
you'll escape the lord, who's all-seeing? (9)

some teach the art of living
through franchise, and heaving
but few can claim expertise
in the difficult art of leaving (10)

death's not the end, my friend
for the soul doesn't die so easy
if your body's got a lifetime warranty
your soul's guaranteed for eternity (11)

life repeats -- jananam punarapi
death repeats -- maranam punarapi
even medical science now says so
with advances in stem cell therapy (12)

the west thinks we only live once
and james bond makes it twice
but we in these parts take such talk
with a pinch of salt, and spice (13)

the slings and arrows that bother you
somewhat distort the overall view
on the radar aboard the eternity ship
what are they but a tiny blip? (14)

look upon life as a passing show
where wives betray and brothers kill
wounds may hurt less when you know
they too end up in karmaville (15)

we're destined to be born, destined to die
whether we eat ragi mudde or apple pie
eat right, breathe right, be sure to meditate
to get an easy visa when you transmigrate (16)

sit in the foyer
and meditate on maya
with knowledge you see
that to be's not to be

Ram's note: (Why Sankara and why Hamlet?
Philosopher Sankara (7th century AD) was born at Kaladi in Kerala. Bhaja Govindam is one of his most celebrated hymns.

Sankara composed the poem when he saw an infirm old man in Kashi trying to master grammar. Sankara was struck by the lateness of the man's attempts at acquiring scholarship.
The scene prompted Sankara to meditate on the impermanence of life, and the inappropriateness of the knowledge path (to liberation) for the old man. A highly revered exponent of the jnana marga, Sankara yet extols the virtues of another, easier path, the path of devotion (bhakti marga). Bhaja Govindam is lyrical, even if its import seems blunt and unsympathetic.

Hamlet is Shakespeare's most famous play, and contains the oft quoted soliloquy, 'To be or not to be'. Prince Hamlet is tormented by the murder of his noble father, and the pretences of his mother and uncle, who have plotted and executed the killing. He is under pressure from his conscience, and his father's ghost, to avenge the murder, but is at the same time troubled by thoughts of right and wrong, life and after-life.

For Hamlet, life after death is a question, but for Sankara, it is a truth. How would Sankara have counselled Hamlet? Here is what I think he would have said.)

More reading material

At the risk of being branded 'fluffy', I am going to provide a link to two blogs. They contain the kind of quick, feel-good/bad reading material that I've been searching for. Nothing too serious, nothing too deep, just creative in a very brief way. Check out the links and you'll know what I'm talking about. The more creative might find the second link quite interesting. Enjoy.

1. Stories by Claudia Hall Christian
2. 55 Flash Fiction Friday

ACJ film

Asif (1999-2000 batch) has been into film-making for a while. He was in HT and Outlook earlier, and quit to pursue films. He made these two short films, both with ACJians in the lead :))

Copy-paste these two links into your browser:

http://www.filmaka.in/newmessage.asp?id=2009&Page=2&Keyword=

http://www.filmaka.in/premiumshorts.asp?contestid=17&id=1899&Keyword=