RIFLE RANGE BOY

To the ignoramus, this YouTube clip would be a joke. Laced with a thick South Indian accent, impregnated with assertive gestures and complete with protruding eye movements for special effects, it has been making its rounds in many social media outlets many times over for hearty laughs and cynical smiles. Added on with the fact that this holy man was once caught on a CCTV to be in close proximity with a disciple, this flick becomes more enticing. Because of his unholy conduct, in a single brush, all his seemingly profound sermons have come to nought. If one were to listen to heart what Swami Nityananda is saying, depending on one’s understanding of life, its origin and purpose, it could not be denied that his speech carries a deeper meaning. He is talking about the Atma (soul) that is within all of us that is part of the Brahman as mentioned in the Vedic scriptures. The souls of all beings are linked in a different realm. To quote a line from Beatles’ song ‘I am the Walrus’, ‘I ...

The Physician (2013) The mention of names like Bukhara, Isfahan, Rey and Samarkand may not mean much to an average Joe in the 21st century except for its turmoil and uncertainty. Less a millennium ago, however, these places were beaming with a hive of intellectual activities while the rest of its neighbours were frozen in the dark ages. These places had some of the greatest minds which engaged in the fields of sciences, medicine, philosophy, astronomy, theology, geography and much more. The zest to understand the secrets of the universe was so deeply entrenched. Even though many scholars from this region left their mark in the history of mankind, Avicenna @ Ibn Sina remains the leading figures who is said to have mastered all the knowledge that need to be known. He allegedly had memorised the Quran by the age of 10 and had been certified a physician by 16! His father had a tough time trying to find a suitable tutor because he soon out learned his masters before long. Being a d...