Nietzsche

I don't know much about philosophy. It is one of those subjects I've never studied. I guess the closest I've come to reading about philosophy is my Calvin and Hobbes comic books that I love to read.

It's an interesting subject though and I've started to slowly read more about it. Yesterday I came across two references to a German philosopher of the 19th century - Friedrich Nietzsche. He, at the end of the 19th century, had announced the "twilight of the Gods", said the article in Times of India. Religion had become irrelevant. Replaced no doubt by the ravages of materialism and consumerism.

The second reference was in Milan Kundera's "The Unbearable Lightness of Being". I came across Bob Corbett's notes on the book - which I will read in full after I finish the novel. He says,

"Milan Kundera opens the novel with a discourse on Nietzsche's doctrine of the eternal recurrence. He rejects any view of the recurrence as being real or metaphysical. It is metaphorical he assures us. In a world of objective meaninglessness one must fall into nihilism unless one acts as if one's acts recur eternally, thus giving our acts "weight," the weight of those choices we make, as though recurring eternally, living forever. Kundera rejects Nietzsche's optimism and in compelling detail and poignancy he give us the story of the painful love affair of Tomas and Tereza, condemned by fate and choice to live together, yet never ceasing to cause each other enormous pain and suffering. "

What I understand is that Kundera said that living in cycles is a myth. There is no reincarnation. There is only the present. Nietzsche on the other hand was more optimistic (?).

I'll write more when I understand more. It is interesting though. The novel is also very interesting.

Secrets of the Taj Mahal (Nat Geo)

One must commend National Geographic and its efforts at making history interesting and illuminating. I recently got to watch a documentary made on the Taj Mahal - which was well put together. I being a student of history, having visited the Taj on more than one occassion, having heard the stories and read a recent novel written on the topic, am more than familiar with both the historical base and the local folklore.

The documentary puts in focus both the building of the Taj and the era in which it was built. Shah Jahan's rise to the throne is shown and so is his love for his wife, Mumtaz. Not much detail is given - dates, names of other great Mughals - they are all left silent - possibly because too much detail would have made the documentary boring (? Wierd ?). So his father and grandfather are referred to as just father and grandfather - instead of Akbar and Humayun, as it should be.

Some things were new though. I didn't know that you could piece together parts of the Taj from already existing monuments. That Humayun's tomb is very similar I knew, but that other monuments were also contributors, I did not.

Everyone knows that Aurangzeb imprisoned his Dad and captured the throne. But what I didn't think about was how much expenditure must've been incurred in building the Taj, which was one of the things that Aurangzeb did not approve of, being austere in his spending.

The contribution of the artisans and the craftsmen is silent over the ages - and lives on in the Taj. I have heard stories that all their hands were chopped off. That is sad. Or that they were blinded. That is also sad.

The craft does live on. The craft of pietra dura - or painting in stone survives even till now, almost 30 generations later.

It was good overall.

A near miss with the Taj Mahal

I was in Agra recently for some work. The work I was there for took longer than expected though. I must have been 4 kms from the Taj Mahal.
I had vowed that if I was going there, I would see it. But then, what happened?
I was tired. I was with other colleagues. I couldn't go.
It's ironic though. Only recently had a begun to watch the Nat Geo documentary on the Secrets of the Taj. It was beautifully done I thought. The tale of a charming king Shah Jahan and his beautiful wife Mumtaz, their story... finally encompassed in marble.
I don't think there are love stories like that out there anymore. These days there are things to be said for love marriages and arranged marriages. Does anyone pursue their passion anymore?
Do you like to do what you did before?
It becomes difficult after a point to handle the pressures of work with the need to pursue your passion.
But what makes a human being different from an ordinary living thing?
It is the spirit of humanity and the presence of being that makes us different. We can appreciate the power of poetry, the beauty of our surroundings, the need to immortalize. We create beauty and try and preserve it. We go on treks, we make pictures, we draw, we sing.
Man, I wish I'd seen the Taj again. Last time I saw it was four years ago.

El secreto de sus ojos (2009)

One of the best films I've seen in a long time. It will keep you riveted, you'll have 100% attention and it is awesome from start to finish.
I seriously recommend it.
I watched a really really bad translation version with English subtitles that were in just the worst English possible. But the direction was so good, the acting so awesome that you are totally enthralled as you watch it.
The director, Juan Jose Campanella really does a good job. I won't give away too much of the story. It's a love story and a murder mystery. It's sad and it does show you a lot. About how two people who love eachother and what they do about it. Or in this case, do not do.
Awesome. 6/5
It totally deserved the Oscar it got.

Drawing in Lodi Gardens I

So today I went for a walk and drawing tour of Lodi Gardens. The only sad thing was that I couldn't find the group that I was supposed to draw with!!

I instead took up a shady spot and started sketching nearby. It took 40 minutes to depict an old monument in pencil. I think I'll put it in black ink and it'll look much better.

There was a person giving a talk to a group of people in the gardens. He was talking about what the point of life was. He asked. One person replied, that the point of life was to be happy. But then he asked, what does make you happy? Does money make you happy? Because a person may have a lot of money, but if his child has passed away, he won't be so happy. What about your job? Does that make you happy? What about your possessions? Do they make you happy?

It was interesting - but then I had to shift away because the sun was getting into my eyes. I think if one goes there early morning, you'll find more shade in places.

Can you imagine doing something like this on a day when it's going to soon become 38 degrees!!

An Education (2009)

Set in the United Kingdom in the early 1960s, this film follows the life of a young 16 year old who is wooed by a gentleman much older to her. What happens will give much of the story away - but one thing that the movie does emphasize - is how important it is to go to University and make something of your life. Though the roles of a housewife or an English teacher may appear dreary to you - in the end, it is your decision.

It's a bit sick though - the idea of an elderly man preying on the fantasies of a younger woman - or a girl in this case. But it does show just how creepy some guys can be.

There are some very nice scenes from Paris - and it is amazing how beautiful that city is. I count myself fortunate of having visited the city on more than one occasion!!

My solution to TPNSTT

Oh yes, let me just share this.

My solution to the principle of not spending time together.

: :: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::;

Do what you can together. Realise that he too will not want to do what you want and you may not want to do what he wants. So give eachother space.

And do as much as you can on your own. Cuz it's a short life. So don't miss out on anything. :) :)