This One Is For Vincent

The moment I stepped my foot in Amsterdam, the only thing I wanted to do was visit the Van Gogh museum. A city famous for its canals, windmills and Anne Frank’s home. But everything else could wait.

I can’t explain the fixation with Van Gogh. I feel a connection with him. A friend calls it ‘romanticism’. As I said, I can’t explain it.

I dedicate a post to him because it is his birthday today.

Those were the pre historic days of no Internet when the fascination began. A twelve year old me was channel surfing and stopped on a channel showing a film on Vincent the painter and Vincent the man. Years later when I saw a documentary of his, I was taken in.

I think it is something to do with the fact that he was misunderstood and he wasn’t perfect. Its the imperfections that draw me to him. If you ever check out the potato growers painting, you'll see the perspective and the angles quite wrong. I feel what’s the point of copying a beautiful scene exactly as it is and not have your creative inputs? Your interpretation is your individuality. And Vincent wore it on his sleeve.

Starry, starry night.

Paint your palette blue and grey,

Look out on a summer's day,

With eyes that know the darkness in my soul.

Moving to France, his art started to change. And change is the only thing constant in our lives. The point is art never stagnates. It grows, changes, influences and is influenced by what is happening around it. It evolves. So do human beings. So did Vincent.

Shadows on the hills,

Sketch the trees and the daffodils,

Catch the breeze and the winter chills,

In colors on the snowy linen land.

Over the years, many physiatrists have tried to pin down his mental illness to from schizophrenia to bi-polar disorder, none been able to reach a conclusion which satisfies all. He was an enigma.

Now I understand what you tried to say to me,

How you suffered for your sanity,

How you tried to set them free.

They would not listen,

they did not know how.

Perhaps they'll listen now.

After fellow painter and friend Gaugin refused to stay with him, his illness started to magnify. But when his brother got married, he blamed his sister-in-law for taking Theo away from him. It is ironic that after his death, his sister-in-law worked tirelessly to bring glory for his work.

For they could not love you,

But still your love was true.

And when no hope was left in sight

On that starry, starry night,

You took your life,

as lovers often do.

A mystery called Vincent van Gogh lives. Happy birthday Vincent, wherever you are.

Song lyrics: Vincent (Starry, Starry Night) by Don McLean

Originally posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 5:04 PM

The Journey So Far

The journey so far has been wonderful. I started blogging on O3 because of Anant (of Anant Rulz fame) happened to read my blog on rediff and suggested that I join the O3 community.

Curosity got the better of me and I came here and bloghopped reading blogs of Anant, Taira, DTE, Godo, Pramod, Pesh, Samy, Savy, Sunny, AF, Konfi, Max and Wise Donkey, getting hooked on to them. The easy camaraderie that they all shared was something I hadn’t expected in a virtual world. I jumped from one blog to another, getting fascinated by the minute. I kept coming here for more.

With baby steps, I tentatively shifted bag and baggage to O3. I can say that I don’t regret the decision at all!

And after coming here I met some more wonderful people along the way. I shall not name anyone with fear of missing out on someone.

I would like to thank all the people for listening (rather reading) to my view points and commenting. The feedback just gives a kick!

As you all know, I have been infrequent on O3 since the last month and a half. The work load means I get to write fewer posts and reply to comments on my posts very infrequently.

I am not sure if I’ll be posting anything new in sometime. But it doesn’t mean I shall be leaving O3. I shall be here leaving my foot prints in the sands of O3 in form of my comments and post something, once in a while as well.

I would also like to thank my fellow bloggers for voting for me in the O3 awards and making me win which, by the way, led to incessant teasing by family members because I don't discuss the serious issues with them (me being the baby of the family :D).

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Update 28th March: My friend's mother passed away yesterday. She is devastated. Pray for my friend to give her strength. Her father is still in the ICU. I won't be replying to comments for some time. Kindly Adjust.

Originally posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 5:29 PM

India In The Eye Of The Storm

India is a unique country because of its rich cultural diversity, ethnicity and amalgamation of different religions. This country epitomizes what religious tolerance means. How many times have we heard the above lines, read them in our textbooks and essays or described this while explaining to someone what our country is like.

The intricate fabric of life which gives life to this country is unravelling and we have taken the easy way out - either watching it with detachment or lashing out with misplaced frenzy.

Islamophobia has not just seeped into the psyche of the common man, it has gripped us and paralyzed us to an extent where rational thinking is disappearing only to be replaced by us looking at our countrymen with mistrust and asking them to prove their loyalty to us.

The common refrain I hear all the time is let the liberal Muslim rise and speak out and the mullahs didn’t condemn it (the cartoon protests, the Bush visit, the blasts – a list which is ever growing).

When the liberal Muslim speaks out and condemns it, we look at him and say, “He has to say this if he has to live in this country. How do you know he’s not happy from inside?” And when the mullahs condemn it, then it becomes a page nine story in an obscure one coloumn box or a 20 second sound byte in 1.40 minute news story in an 11.00 am bulletin which no one watches.

When a fatwa is passed saying no religious monument (Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Parsi, Christian) should be a target, somehow we push this ‘news’ to the back burner. But when a fatwa about Sania’s skirt is passed, we have special programs on it. I remember Aaj Tak doing a graphic and visual of what Sania would be wearing if her head was covered or if her legs were covered. Without deviating further and driving my point forward, I shall talk about the political parties.

Political parties and politicians have gained mileage and will continue to do so by whipping up emotions of people. We are nothing but pawns in their game. To be remembered when we have to vote or to keep the vote bank intact and to be forgotten all other times. Just like Yaqoob Quereshi, who desperately wanted a political upheaval and his ticket to the big league. The pawns took to the bait.

And then we cry hoarse that the Muslims are destroying our country. I agree, there are snakes amongst us but putting everyone on the same pedestal is acceptable? Why can’t we address the roots of the ‘snakes’? Unfairly bracketing every person from the Muslim community as a terrorist or a terror loving, hindu-hating, anti nationalist person is myopic. Oh! And we have brackets for Hindus who write posts like is, they are called minority appeasing pseudo liberal secular people.

Err…Did I just throw myself out of the frying pan and into the fire?

Also read this and this
Originally posted on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 1:52 PM

Disjoint Thoughts II

Feeling low coz one of my friend's Dad was struggling for his life since the last month in the ICU and now her mother got injured in an accident, causing 75% burns and she is in the ICU in another hospital. I hope my friend will get through this tough time.

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And in an unrelated event,
WHY cant men ask for directions?? I mean if you are lost, why can't you just ask? Aaargh!!

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Another thought...Why do we have politics everywhere? School, College, Office, Inter-personal relations? Why can't people be not-malacious, gossipy and be straight forward? Its a vicious cycle and we are trapped in politics for the rest of our lives.

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Originally posted on Thursday, March 16, 2006 4:24 PM

Disjoint Thoughts

If you peak in my head, these are just some things you will find scrambling across the brain of this eccentric twenty somebody at this point of time. Wonder if they make sense :)

Nobody said that moving on is easy.

The eternal optimist that I am, I believe that what happens, happens for the best.

Sometimes things don't happen the way you plan them and when you are caught unaware, your life turns upside down.

But there is order in chaos.

Moving on and running away are two different things. Sometimes we think that both are same. If you don't differentiate, you can't move on and get stuck in a time warp.

When you want to live your our safe world (the cocoon) and not venture out, something has to happen which will force you to come out. And turn everything upside down. Like a ship in stormy seas. And till the calm prevails, you will be fighting to get a semblance of life. Once you touch the shore and feel the ground beneath your feet, everything will be alright.

I am not an adventurer by choice but by fate said Vincent van Gogh. I second that.

I read somewhere that some people come into your life for a reason and when their job is done they go away.

The pain always fades and then comes a time you don’t feel it anymore.

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Originally posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 12:08 PM