Selfies

So, it’s official. “Selfie” is the Word of the Year, as declared by no less an entity than the redoubtable Oxford English Dictionary wallahs.  And since it’s all been calculated, and tabulated by strict and highly technical norms, it must certainly be true that this word is very much the Word of the Year, the Month, the Moment.

   Of course it must be recognized, first and foremost, that it is, once more, technology that has given birth to this word. For it is the exploding market of camera phones that enables people to take “selfies”. Obviously, the faceless, nameless people who invent and develop these things knew all about what was required, and what potential customers were lusting after. Indeed, they knew the minds of the target buyers much before the buyers knew their own minds, themselves.

   Of course the requirement for cameras which allowed the selfie was always there. For pictures are now the twenty-first century equivalent of what the handwritten memoir, or diary was in the nineteenth. In those days, people came home after, say, having attended a concert, or after having enjoyed themselves at a picnic. They then immediately commemorated the occasion by writing it up in their diaries, or in handwritten letters they sent off to their friends. The same instinct survives today. The only difference is that instead of writing in diaries, people take instant snapshots of events as they happen, and then, in the same instant, Instagram them, or upload them on Facebook or What’s App and send them off for the world to see.

   Before the invention of the two-sided camera phone, it was just that little bit difficult for people to take pictures of themselves. Of course there was always the camera with the timer, but who, in these times, lugs a camera around? The cellphone is becoming the one gadget that everyone has on them at all times. Besides, with the timer on the camera, one often landed up with pictures where all that was seen of the picture-taker was his ungainly back as he ran clumsily and unsuccessfully towards the spot where he was meant to be.

   In order to be in a picture, one had to request random strangers to take the photo with the camera. Sometimes the result would be pleasing, sometimes not. If four friends were dining at a restaurant, the person taking the picture would be missing from all snaps. Of course waiters were always ready to show off their picture-taking skills by taking snaps of all four friends. But there was a limit to the time span that one could keep a waiter thus occupied.

   With the invention of the flip button on the camera phones, it has become possible to take pictures of oneself without asking others to help out. Now that too is a sign of the times, is it not? To do things independently is certainly admirable. It’s progress. Of course the whole point of taking selfies is to post them, immediately, on Facebook and other such media and tell the world, “Hey, this is where I am, this is what I’m doing.” The group that took a selfie with the Pope certainly did something very twenty-first century. Informality and speed are the essence of the selfie, along with having something of interest to show the waiting world.

   One can imagine the language purists of our land getting all hot and bothered when speakers and writers use this new word. But then purists are always unhappy people, and language purists are never satisfied unless a word has been around since at least Queen Victoria’s time.

   Of course the selfie is only the latest in a  long line of ways and means by which one could put down one’s picture or painting on paper or canvas, and then show it to the world. The self portrait is one such. But in the sphere of the written word, there is also the autobiography, which is also a selfie. Of course there is nothing “instant” about the autobiography, but still, the principle is the same – to let the world know about oneself, and one’s whereabouts.

   The “selfie” is a word that has echoes of another similar sounding word. Selfish. And inevitably, the question arises…is the selfie-taker a selfish person? Is there something unhealthily narcissistic about the person who takes selfies so much that a whole new word has been coined for what she does? But if you think about it, it’s doesn’t seem to be about narcissism, actually. It’s more about self expression. It’s about recording the moment before it passes. It’s about freezing the present before it becomes the past. It is therefore, in a small but not insignificant way, an attempt to fight Time itself. It is a rebellion against the temporary nature of all things on this planet, and a heroic attempt to immortalize the moment, even though we all know that immortality is an unachievable goal. Still, the glory lies in the attempt, in the thought, in this valiant rebellion against Time.

   The fact that “selfie” is now such a commonly used word shows us something about the times in which we are living, as well. The urge to take our own pictures, and then tell the world about it, shows, perhaps, that we live in much more open times. There seems to be little secrecy about the way we conduct much of our lives. Where and how we holiday is all out there, for the world to see, with our smiling selfies telling everybody what a happy and fun-filled experience it was. These days, we cannot eat out at a restaurant without taking a picture of the food, and us, as selfies. If we cook something special, or throw a party, a selfie behind the laden tables is a must.   This openness is, actually, a way of welcoming the world into our lives, our homes. It is also a knitting together of lives, depicted pictorially, moments after an event actually takes place. It is a very positive sign of the times that this mingling, via selfies and other pictures, is now happening so often.

            Almost every ceremony these days requires a selfie to be taken. Even in wedding receptions one sees the bride and groom frequently taking selfies and then posting them, in real time, on social media, or putting them on Whats App. This is done by the tech savvy bridal couple in spite of the fact that the official photographers are busy taking pictures, anyway. Apparently their friends need a minute-to-minute pictorial update. Even guests, especially the younger ones, take selfies with the bridal couple, and then upload them immediately. And of course all the “Likes” that come flooding in are gratifying, to say the least.

   All Things Considered, then, one must applaud the Oxford Dictionary for choosing this word, “selfie” as the Word of the Year. The word captures very neatly the spirit of the times, and the mindsets of many people who are even now merrily going about clicking “selfies” to show to a breathlessly waiting world.

Decibel Competitiveness

   Our swiftly changing world is being shaped, in many significant ways, by technology. And it is not just the obvious things, such as the internet or means of transportation, or medical breakthroughs, that we are talking about here. Even areas and objects that seem miles away from the hand of technology are actually being greatly influenced by it, in no uncertain manner.
   The performing arts in general and music in particular are one such area. Dance, music, theatre, have all been swift to use technology to enhance presentations and make them more attractive, in various ways, to audiences. This is one reason why the role of the humble “lightman”, for instance, has now been taken over by the more technology-savvy, more “aware” and perhaps more aesthetically-aware “light designer” in the case of dance and theatre. With the leaps that this particular technology has made in recent times, a dancer’s recital can be greatly enhanced by suitable and thoughtful lighting.
   Indeed, many top dancers now request the services of a particular light designer for their performances, depending on the level of understanding and aesthetic perceptions of that particular master. Some even travel to concert venues with a specific light designer in the entourage. In this respect, light designers have  become as important, almost, as the percussion player and the musicians. Just as the main dancer builds up a certain comfort level with percussionists and vocalists, and requests them as part of her troupe at a concert, the light designer who understands her art and her personality is definitely a person whom she would want to take along with her.
   We have all seen lighting do wonders to a routine dance performance. Colour filters that add a hue that is in consonance with the Ras being portrayed are common. The more skilled among them bring in chiaroscuro effects  to add a certain depth to a stance, or heighten a pose. Group performances can be marred by insensitive lighting, and conversely, heightened greatly through artistic illumination. It is imperative for light designers to understand what the artiste is doing. Just as the percussionist, after working for years with the main performer, anticipates the dancer’s thoughts and adjusts his own accompaniment accordingly, the light designer who works with a particular performer for an appreciable length of time anticipates and adjusts the lighting in the same manner.
   Obviously, this aspect of a performance was not something that dancers of the past had to think about, or take into account. Performing in the light emitted by oil wicks must certainly have been limiting in a way they are not, today. No doubt the advance to Petromax lamps must have been a welcome development. And now, no highly regarded dancer will venture to perform at important venues without ascertaining the light arrangements there.
   Theatre is perhaps even more dependent on the light designer than dancers are. It is common to have several separate sets on a single stage, which are highlighted and blacked out as required. Indeed, many contemporary plays take for granted the huge role that lighting plays in the production. The light designer’s importance is such that the director works closely with him and his team, for split second precision is often required to bring out a director’s vision to the full.
   When it comes to music, it is the sound person, obviously, who assumes a hugely important role. Top bands and musicians of the West carry along their own sound equipment, with their own trusted group of sound engineers. Things are still simpler here, though this can cause problems for the musicians, too. Depending on the sound system of a venue sometimes leads to disaster, especially if the place is in a small town. The acoustics of many Town Hall type of auditoriums leaves much to be desired. Sometimes, the sound is thrown back in faint but perceptible echoes which distract, while at other times, top and base notes are absorbed, giving an impression of tonal flatness. There is also the danger of the dreaded “Cooing” of the sound system, that shrill screech that emerges from nowhere to ruin the most carefully crafted performance. The performer, especially a vocalist whose voice is capable of a great deal of tonal variation, is at the mercy of the mikeman, who sits presiding over the controls below the stage. If he is a person who knows his job and takes his responsibilities seriously, there is nothing to worry about. Sometimes, though, he sets his apparatus and goes off for a stroll or a chat, leaving the vocalist at the mercy of the machine, and sometimes ruining her performance altogether!
   Actually, the mikeman, and the sound person have a more difficult time than light designers do. The visual performing artistes appear to have more of an appreciation for the subtle and the understated than aural ones do. For it is a given that most of the performers on stage during musical concerts in our country want to hog the decibels, almost all by themselves. The accompanist may be a “Minor Percussionist”, just jangling a tambourine here or tinkling a triangle there during say a Ghazal performance, but he is never content to lurk in the background. He will keep endeavouring to catch the eye of the sound person, and gesture to have the decibel level racked up higher for his instrument, making expressive gestures that nothing can be heard on the feedback monitor.
   One can understand if a santoor player requests the volume to be turned up, for instance. After all the santoor is an instrument that cannot be heard in the back seats of an auditorium without amplification. But what about the group of lusty Qawwali singers? In their case, amplification in a non-technical way has already been achieved through the ages by the supporting cast of singers. Besides, their voices have been trained in such a manner as to carry into the furthest cranny of the auditorium. In fact, their performances in the open courtyards of Dargahs over the centuries were unaided by technological aids, yet they were heard by all members of the seething crowds who came to the shrine. The highpitched style ensures that their voices carry.
   When the same supporting cast fills the stage with their electric presence, amplification is often redundant. Yet not only do they insist on having a microphone before each performer, they also keep gesturing to the person behind the console to turn the volume up. This brings on an assault to the ears that is quite stunning, in more ways than one.
   In fact, it is a given that any accompanying percussionist starts his piece by indicating to the hapless technician to turn up the volume. This gesture seems to have acquired a consistency that makes it universally understood. If the main performer is an alert and assertive type, he will make sure that sound level of his own microphone is turned up to match. Often, he requests for more base, more treble, more echo, so that the gentle sound of the flute is turned into an aggressive invasion. But if she is timid, or is too much immersed in her own recital to be aware of the technicalities of amplification, the audience gets to hear her hardly at all. The recital becomes a kind of tabla solo, with the vocals a soft accompaniment drifting in and out of the performance in the background.
   This kind of over-enthusiasm for heightened decibel levels during performances is now so routine around the country that it seems our ears have even come to expect it!

 ("Sruti", (the Chennai based journal of the performing arts) March 3013) 

Everyday happinesses

   How does one achieve happiness? How does one hang on to it, so that it colours one’s life, and lends it meaning, throughout one’s waking hours? These are questions that have agitated the human mind for aeons. Sages have pondered on them, and come up with answers. Psychologists have analysed happiness, and given pointers. Scientists have examined the chemical components of a brain during its happy hours ( so to say !) and given us the names of the compounds found in the body when the mind is happy. But how does one go about achieving it?
   We all know happiness when we see it, we all know when we ourselves are happy. Perhaps certain people are happier than others. Bhutan is a happy country, we are told. And India, perhaps, is not. It’s true that the Bhutanese are generally calm, and tranquil, and cheerful. Are they happy? Who knows?
   It is of course way, way beyond the purview of this little column to find the secret of happiness. Lifelong happiness is in any case a huge challenge. Life throws so many googlies at us, so many hurdles need to be overcome at every stage. Death and disease are rampant. How can one be happy? By acquiring things, a kind of happiness is achieved. But that is fleeting. One gets used to the new acquisition. So perhaps happiness does not lie, after all, in material things, though it is important to have enough to smoothen one’s path through life.
   And yet, it is one of the miracles of existence that yes, people can be, and often are, happy. And here it is seen that happiness often comes from the small things of life. Things such as a clear autumn sky, a child’s laughter, rain and clouds on distant mountains, a simple dish well cooked, and served with love, all bring happiness. But there are others. A recent conversation with a cross section of people from various walks of life about this brought out several such examples. Self help books, and books and articles and videos of the “How to Achieve Happiness” kind do not mention these little things. And yet they contribute, in no small way, to our feeling of contentment.
   So what are some of the things that can bring a daily dose of happiness?  One of the most satisfying ways of achieving this is to meet one’s deadlines. One can be involved in a project of some complexity. The stress of approaching deadlines can limit happiness. But when the whole thing is finished, that too within the stipulated time frame, the kind of satisfaction that one gets from a job well done is indeed happiness. A small one, true, but it’s these little things that make up the rich tapestry of one’s life, and imbue it with meaning and, yes, happiness.
   Another related happiness comes when one can tick off a number on a To Do List. Most of us these days live lives of some intricacy. There are always a huge number of things that compete for our attention, of differing kinds. Some relate to our worklife, others to our domestic concerns, still others to our relationships. In order to juggle all of this with at least some measure of success, we need to track things on a planner, or an electronic reminding device, or a simple, yes, To Do List written on paper. This may have things as diverse as “Buy birthday present for So and So” to “Book Hotel for next month’s holiday”, from “Send completed manuscript to publisher” to “ Go to bereaved family to condole death of their father”, from “Meet with Chartered Accountant about taxes” to “Buy medicines for child’s fever ”, from “Organize gas refill cylinder” to “Get the marigold saplings from the nursery”, from “Arrange tonight’s dinner for sudden guests” to “Prepare keynote address for Monday’s Conference.”   As we finish each task, it gives us all immense pleasure, does it not, to be able to tick it off the list. This pleasure, this satisfaction, is surely a kind of happiness, a kind of high that we get from achieving a target, and in getting things done.
   Yet another small but significant way in which we can achieve a dose of daily happiness relates to our finances. All of us have a budget, a set amount that we keep aside for all the numerous expenses that we are faced with, daily. When we go out to the shops, it is always a struggle to stick to one’s budget, for there are so many things that cry out, “Buy Me ! Buy Me!” in loud voices. We may have gone to the shops with the intention of buying a gift for a friend. But then the clothes on offer are so very pretty that we end up buying two totally unnecessary items for ourselves, as well. We may go to the Book Fair with the intention of buying books within a certain amount of money. But with so many new titles vying for our attention, we often end up buying twice that amount.  And then, subsequently, we have to buy an additional book rack to accommodate them all.
   These days, things have become much more complicated with the advent of online shopping. All kinds of enticing advertisements remind us that this world is a Big Fat Marketplace. It is but the work of a moment to graduate from drooling over a pair of red shoes to actually whipping out one’s credit card and ordering it. Before one knows it, one is hopelessly over-budget.
   It requires a will of steel, therefore to be able to stick to one’s budget when one is out Puja or Eid or Christmas shopping. And the satisfaction that comes from doing so, contributes also to one’s quantum of daily happiness.
     The high that comes from being with people one likes, loves, or is attracted to, certainly contributes to happiness. An evening spent with like minded friends, or a holiday with a group of buddies, gives one a warm feeling that can last for days. The feel-good endorphins make us all get back to our daily routines with a smile on our faces. Even a stupid SMS joke from a friend makes us feel the same way, for a while. Happiness is in the recognition of the intention, which is, “Hey, my friend, here’s something to make you smile, cheer you up, and see you through the rest of day …”
   Another kind of happiness comes from making new friends. These days, we are no longer restricted to one social circle. All of us move around, and meet up with new people all the time. We move out from our hometowns to the wide world outside, on work, or on pleasure. Besides, there is the world of social networks. Making, and keeping new friends is a greatly pleasurable thing. There is so much to know, so much to explore, so much to find out about these new people, their ways of living, their friends, their families, everything. This process certainly adds to one’s quantum of daily happiness.
   Then there are those things that give us joy, that are our passion and our solace in difficult times. These are what can loosely be termed “hobbies”, but are actually so much more than just simply “time pass” activities. An interest in movies, or music, in gardening or sports, in body building or in cooking, can become a stress buster, and a happiness giver.
   All Things Considered, these are the little lubricants that smoothen our journey through life, and make the sadness, and hardships, a little easier to bear. Thank God, then, for them…!

 (All Things Considered, The Assam Tribune, 3rd November, 2013)

Snap Value Judgements

You know how it is these days. There is a striving for “newness” everywhere. Whether it is in products being marketed, or the way a hostess prepares food for her visitors, whether it is in a fairground or indeed in a holiday destination, there is a yearning for the different, for the innovative, for the inventive, for the fresh. And why not? Life moves on through a discovery of difference.
   Becoming acquainted with a new concept, or person, or thing is always an enriching experience. It broadens one’s horizons, and makes one more accepting of other peoples’ ways. This, in our world which is increasingly becoming such a small global village, is always a desirable thing. For unless we see how the “other” side lives, and come to understand it, even appreciate it, how will be expect “them” to understand “us” ? In today’s shrinking world, making quick value judgements can be terribly restrictive, and also very unwise.
   A lot of this has to do with a person’s mental makeup, of course. For instance, there is this lady, otherwise quite nice and friendly, who comes occasionally to this part of the world to visit her husband’s relatives. However, like many who live outside this region, she does tend to have fixed notions about all kinds of things that she sees and hears about, here.  Having grown up and lived for several decades in Delhi, she tends to think that only those things cooked in the North Indian manner, with lots of onions and oil and a rich layer of cream can qualify being “good food”.
   Her hosts, for the most part, oblige her by giving her food that she likes to eat, cooked in ways that she is familiar with. So, for the last several years, on her visits here, she has come to believe that “North Eastern food” is very much an offshoot of “North Indian food.”
   Nothing, of course, could be further from the truth, could it? Firstly, there is nothing that can be called “North Eastern Food”. For this region is not a monolithic entity by any means, as far as aspects of culture are concerned. Whether it is language, dress, literature or cuisine, and much else, every ethnicity, every area, has its own uniqueness. Secondly, the “local” food in all its glorious diversity is extremely different from that of the Northern part of this country.    
   Inevitably, one day, her hostess got a bit fed up of the lady’s misconception about the food of this region and her own being more or less the same. “I’ll show you some authentic Assamese food,” she told her guest, and whisked her off to one of the better restaurants serving ethnic cuisine in the city. It was in one of those places where ethnic Assamese food is available as well as food from neighbouring states, mainly Nagaland and Mizoram.
   For the first time in her life, the North Indian woman was exposed to things such as fish made with fermented bamboo shoot, chutneys made with dried fish, soupy things made with herbs, greens and fermented fish and bamboo shoot,  barbecued smoked pork, fish pitika, and much else besides, including that delightful staple of tribal cuisine, mixed vegetables boiled with herbs. Unfortunately, neither her palate nor her mind could rise to the occasion. Pursing up her lips with something very like disdain, she actually gagged at the admittedly strong smell of some of the stuff, which can take some getting used to. Filled with a kind of fiendish delight, her hostess added in mock-innocent tones, “Ok, do you think you will have the stomach for another delicacy? Something we love here? I see it’s on the menu today, you’re very lucky, you know! ”
   “What is that?” asked the lady from Delhi, hoping it would be something similar to butter chicken or at least palak paneer.
    “Fried worms. Silkworms…they taste so good…”
   But she was left to finish her sentence alone, and she found herself addressing empty air, because her guest had made an abrupt exit towards the toilets, with her hand clapped firmly over her mouth, and her stomach beginning to heave uncontrollably.
   When it comes to cuisine, many people do tend to judge in deprecating ways. Indeed, many habits of “others” are weighed, and found lacking. This is often a two way street, with the people being judged doing the same thing, in reverse. No wonder the world is in such a mess today!
   Strange as it may sound, many otherwise learned and broadminded people are restricted by intellectual reasons as well. These are well meaning people who would never dream of actually hurting anybody. But by reasons of ideology, perhaps, they begin to develop a restrictive mindset that is blind to the “other” point of view.
   This is especially true of the way other peoples’ lifestyles are judged. These people will of course never say, or even think, bad things about the lifestyles of the poor, the deprived, or the economically marginalized. They are not that crass, or unfeeling. Yet they think nothing about making hurtful comments about the lifestyles of those who are economically well off.
   For instance, a person may like to ride about in a large car, and have an appetite for the latest gadgets. Well, if all this is bought with money that is honestly earned, through hard work or even through honest inheritance, there is not much that others can say about it. After all, it’s his (or her) life. But it is seen that this immediately fuels a kind of patronizing attitude on the part of those who have the ideological mindset. “When so many millions live in such poverty, it is very bad of him to go about with this kind of show of wealth.” Or, “Oh, she’s flaunting her new diamonds…such a bad thing…”
    What is not mentioned here is that both the man who loves his huge new car and the woman who loves her new diamonds, are hardworking people who have earned their toys and baubles. Besides, they regularly donate large sums of money to various charities, and in addition, look after the needs of several impoverished children, whom they have committed to educate till the highest level.
   Another area where such disapproval is shown is in the realm of wedding bashes. The Great Big Fat Guwahati Wedding is becoming Greater and Bigger and Fatter every season. Foods are becoming fancier, décor is eye-poppingly lavish. At one such do, indeed, the décor included three “statue men” who, with their body paint and immobile stances, fooled everyone into thinking they were clay statues. These were certainly novelties, and people milled around, taking pictures of them on their cellphones.
   All except one man. In tones that disapproved of this “bourgeois” display, he said with aloof superiority, “I don’t like this!” When being questioned what there was to dislike about three harmless statue men who were providing good wholesome entertainment to the guests, he answered pompously, “They are doing such boring work…” What he implied was that because he (though not others) perceived the work to be “boring”, it followed that they were being “exploited” for the entertainment of the “bourgeois” guests.
   Here, a young person, irreverent and bright, and without any ideological hangup, quickly piped up, “But sir, isn’t your work boring too? You have been teaching the same things for so many years now. You must be bored out of your skull! As for these statue men…they are doing an honest day’s work. And remember, there’s dignity in every authentic labour. They are not stealing, neither are they being exploited…it is a skill they have, to be statue men, and they are using this to earn a living. Just like you are. ”
    All Things Considered, in this quickly changing world, it is desirable, even necessary to keep an open mind about things if we are not to turn into fossils ourselves.

  (All Things Considered, The Assam Tribune, 17th November, 2013)

Why this blog, why now

Yes, why now, after years of being quite content with the hard copy of the paper, the magazine, the book containing my story or article? Why now, after I had decided, a while ago, along with some friends, that blogging is not for us, though reading blogs certainly is? Why at this point, suddenly?

   Actually, one cannot live in today’s world, and express oneself through words, without a blog. Over the past few years, increasingly, I have been asked by readers, “What’s the name of your blog?” I have had to admit, always shamefacedly, that I have none. This question has been asked by youthful readers, of course, but also, increasingly, older ones. It seems that it is taken for granted that anyone who writes has to have a blog.

   Of course it makes sense. It always did. It was just that I never got around to blogging. Too lazy? Too newbie? Too complacent? Maybe.

 And then, this trigger. At a recent literary event the registration form required, besides the name, address, email ID, also the name of the resource person’s blog. Mine was the only blank space in that column that bristled with intriguing names. That was the point at which I decided, ok, it’s time. Blogging, here I come.

  And so this blog. Actually, on examination it turns out that the reason I had feared blogging doesn’t really exist. That reason was: I thought I didn’t have the time to fill it up with material. I had always looked at a blog as some demanding, red tongued goddess with yawning mouth that demanded a constant feed of words, essays, stories, that I would need to shovel into her, with mounting desperation.

    As always, it was a young person who pointed out that it was not going to be nearly as demanding as that. After all, I already have a column. This comes out in both hard and soft versions of a widely read newspaper. Ah yes, I thought. So I asked the management of The Assam Tribune if they would let me use the column for my blog, after it came out in the paper, of course. They readily agreed. And so here I am, hoping to reach out to all of you. Knowing, in any case, that this communication through the electronic medium, will bring me at least as much satisfaction as my column does.

    But it will not be only my column on my blog. I will put in other writings as well, many written especially for this River Song. It will be my log, only not a hard bound diary, but a weblog.

   And yes, why River Song? Because this blogger loves music. And she loves the vast river that flows by the side of her city. And because a blog is also, in a way, a song, a river of song, an individual’s very personal way of communicating to the world.

   I look forward to interaction with my blog followers, to discuss with them, to learn from them, to argue with them. What fun!