To learn, one has to listen.

Seven Years in Tibet (1997)
Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud

(Based on Heinrich Harrer's book with the same name)

Similar to the internment camps established in the USA for German and Japanese migrants during the First and Second World Wars, India had comparable camps. Numerous German workers and even alpine climbers from Austria were detained in various camps around Ahmedabad and Dehradun. One notable individual was Gustav Hermann Krimbiegel, an extraordinary gardener credited with creating royal gardens across India. Krimbiegel was a German botanist who migrated to Britain in 1888. He began his apprenticeship at Kew Gardens and was subsequently recommended to work in the garden of the Maharaja of Baroda. After witnessing his remarkable gardening skills, he was commissioned by other princely states. He is recognised for his development of Lalbagh in Bangalore, Brindavan in Mysore, and many others. In addition to his horticultural achievements, he is also known for introducing new seeds from abroad to India, along with innovative architectural designs, creating a distinctive Indian aesthetic for gardens.

When World War II broke out, Krimbiegel, due to his German origins, was confined to an internment camp as an enemy of the British Empire. With the assistance of King Baroda, who was at the time the wealthiest man in the world, special arrangements were made with the Empire for his release. Krimbiegel is credited with introducing innovative agricultural practices that enhanced irrigation, supported local economies, conducted tree censuses, and infused European techniques into traditional Indian gardening. 

Gustav Hermann Krimbiegel (1865-1956)
https://medium.com/@andrewabranches/
gustav-hermann-krumbiegel-b6bdb9ad28c0

'Seven Years in Tibet' is based on the life and times of Heinrich Harrer, an Austrian climber who spent seven years in Tibet between 1944 and 1951. Starting as a haughty and rash young man with an attitude leaves his fully pregnant wife to go hiking in the Himalayas in 1939. When WW2 started, Herrer and his friends were imprisoned as POWs. In 1944, he escaped from prison and ran to Tibet, hoping to eventually go back home.

What happened afterwards was a life-changing experience for Harrer and his fellow climber, Peter Aufschnaiter. After receiving divorce papers from his wife and a cold letter from a son he had never met, Harrer chose to stay in Tibet to embark on a journey of self-discovery. Coincidentally, he had a chance encounter with the young Dalai Lama in Lhasa, becoming the Dalai Lama's teacher and close confidante. 

The invaluable lesson that is taught to us from Harrer's life experience is this. Isolation opens our inner eye. Stranded in the middle of the gargantuan forces of Nature, one is humbled to come to terms with his vulnerability. Ego is crushed, and all he sees in front of him is his mortality and the life that passed him by. It is at this opportune time that one can make amends. By being respectful and curious, one can be a good student. Watching this film and viewing Zakir Naik's vile video, one can understand how wrong and close-minded Naik is in spreading his deluded 'wisdom'.

https://mindiafilms.com/the-maharajas-german-gardener-g-h-krumbiegel/

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Payback time?

Valley of Flowers (2006)
Director: Pan Nalin

In my books, the way to put someone on the right track when he has gone wayward is to make him realise his errors so that he can rectify them. A person aware of his mistakes will realise the implications of his actions and will not be a repeat offender. 

In theory, this is how it works, I think. One will not touch fire after touching, and burning will be having his fingers burnt before. The brain will be re-wired to be reminded (re-mind) of the pains, the blister, the scorching and the inconveniences of the healing process afterwards. 

Somehow I have issues extrapolating this analogy to karma. If the purpose of birth and re-birth is to create a 2.0 version of the species to improve oneself to reach the level of Eternal Bliss, not everyone is blessed with this realisation, however. 

Whenever we are caught in a dilemma and feel frustrated, we are told, akin to pacifying a crying child, that we are just reaping what we sow. We are paying back due payments to Universe - to bear the pain to realise the pains inflicted in previous lives. But the explanation does not hold water!

If everyone were born with a blank slate, not knowing of our past follies, how can we make amends in our current life? Sadly, we are clueless about what we did and how many demerit points we have.

If the Maker sincerely wants to make an Ubermensch out of us via newer improved prototypes, it must surely be an extremely non-cost-effective way to improve species. It is a non-tangible system, and all intellectual discourses and debates hit a brick wall here. All arguments stop here. It is like the battleship paradox. If the war is pre-destined, the Admiral not sending battleships will start a fight even if it is destined. When the Admiral sends the battleships, is it not pre-determined by God but decided by Man?

This film is supposedly set in the 19th century along the Silk Road. It tells the tale of a band of horseback robbers who make a living by travelling convoys of traders and wedding processions. Jalan, during one of these endeavours, meets Ushna. They fall deeply in love. The union breaks up Jalan's camaraderie with his mates. A showdown ensues. Jalan and Ushna part ways from the rest of the gang. Yeti, a spiritual master, is employed by the gang's victims.

Long story short, Ushna, a mystic person, dies, losing her powers, whilst Jalan consumes an elixir of immortality. Five generations later, in present-day Japan, Jalan is now Dr Jalan Otsal, a doctor who performs euthanasia. Ushna had undergone five rebirths and got connected with Jalan. Yeti is also on their trail. He hunts them down. He is akin to Yama or Grimm Reaper, who just does his job. His parting line is, 'true love lies in sacrifice'!

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What is more important: satisfying one thousand desires or conquering just one?

Samsara (in Tibetian and Ladhaki languages; 2002)

Directed, Written by: Pan Nalin

I remember an episode when my house cat was engaged in a staring contest with a stray cat. My cat was inside the comfort of my home behind a glass door, staring intently at the other through the clear glass. In my mind, I imagined what thoughts could have crossed their nimble feline brains. The stray would probably be envious of my cat. It would imagine a cosy life, free of the cruelty of the elements, time to pampers oneself licking its fir in place and feeding time on the clock. It would have wished to swap places.

My cat would probably be jealous of the stray. The stray would be the master of its own destiny. Everywhere it decides to lay its butt, it is its home - freedom. My cat may not realise that it may be minced meat one day in the world of catfights. The stray would not live one day in the sterile environment of a home feeding on pellets called cat food. It may want to hunt its prey and tear into its prey's sinew. 

I guess it is no different for us humans. We have so many compelling desires and want to experience them all in this lifetime. We want to have the cake and eat it too. One can live an ordinary life like an average homo sapien or leave a mark in the annals of history. An average being can be caught in the trappings of commitments and relationships. As a token, he is rewarded with pleasures that a great person may need to forgo in his pursuit to leave a mark. What is the meaning of one's pursuit of happiness?

This must be a rare movie in Tibetan and Ladhaki languages. It starts with the scene of Tashi completing three years of meditation in a cave. Tashi had grown up in a Tibetan Buddhist monastery since five. Upon return from the penance, his mates realise that Tashi still has worldly urges. His nocturnal erections and nocturnal wet dream emissions did not go unnoticed. A farmer's daughter, Pema, caught his fancy during a visit. Tashi leaves the missionary life to become a farmer instead. He marries Pema to immerse himself in the trials and tribulations of a civilian and householder.

There are issues with middlemen selling the produce, fire threats to his farm and produce and the lure of a particular vixen, a migrant worker, who was sending him piercing glances. Being a mere mortal, despite the love of a doting wife, Pema, and his son, who thinks of him as a hero, he succumbs to temptations. Reeling from guilt after his infidelity, Tashi returns to his monastery ways.

In the climax, at the tail end, Pema intercepts Tashi on his journey to exchange the most compelling message behind the movie. When one decides to entangle in family life, all his actions have consequential effects on the rest of the family. It is not all about the want of an individual. His action may have detrimental effects on the other members of the family. When Gautama Siddharta decided to leave in the cloak of darkness to seek the Truth, he left his Yashodhara to fend for his young prince Rahul. Yashodhara too, must have been in pursuit of finding the real meaning of her existence. She could have just left everything and gone her way. No, she realised that her Truth was to guide Rahul to adulthood. Thus, the absolute Truth in life must be doing the best in whatever job, responsibilities and positions you are bestowed upon. That must be your Dharma. One does not have to wander aimlessly into crannies to explore the Truth. Enlightenment can also be found via worldly experiences, tragedy, comedy, and bliss. Celebrate, no need to be celibate.

P.S. What is essential - satisfying a thousand desires or conquering just one...?

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A journey of conquest of a different kind

Xuanzang (大唐玄奘, Mandarin, Hindi; 2016)

Hsuan Tsang or Xuanzang is mentioned in early historical scriptures as of one the first person who journeyed from China via the Silk Road through Central Asia to reach India (or Sindhu as it was referred to then). He documented his travels meticulously and penned down all his escapades as he traversed the treacherous terrains, hills, deserts, monsoon and scorching heat. A child prodigy, Xuanzang entered the Buddhist monastery and was ordained a monk in Mahayana Buddhism at the age of 20. He then mastered Sanskrit and started studying ancient texts. Discovering discrepancies in the available scriptures, at the age of 25, in the year 627AD, he started a solo journey on foot from Chang 'An to India. This was the transition time from the Sui to the relatively peaceful Tang dynasty. His final destination was Nalanda University, in Meghada kingdom.

After three long years, travelling through modern-day Kazhakstan, Kyzhegistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Lahore and Delhi, he reached his destination. He is the first person to have described the Hindu kingdom to be extending as far as Afghanistan. 

He describes all the places that he visited within India. He told about how people live, the social norms and their dietary peculiarities. After learning at Nalanda University, he makes his teachers proud by winning an interfaith debate organised by King Varsha during Kumbh Mela in the holy city of Prayag (modern-day Allahabad). After 19 long years, traversing through 110 countries and walking 25,000 km, Xuanzang returned to Chang 'An with a wealth of knowledge and scriptures.

Ajanta Caves

The film is recommendable for its infotainment value. It brings to light of mesmerising natural landscapes and buildings that most of us will not have a chance to witness in our lifetimes. Many of the magnificent shrines and temples that existed at the time of his visit are still standing today. One such majestic structure is Ajanta Caves.

In the early 5th century AD, another Buddhist scholar from China named Faxian made a similar trip to India. He visited India during the reign of a Hindu dynasty, Chandragupta II, and reached Gautama Buddha's birthplace of Lumbini to obtain Buddhist scripts. He also visited Pataliputra, a Buddhist stronghold (Maurya's kingdom). Faxian, however, continued his journey to Ceylon. He described the island as a land of demons. He returned to China via sea. His boat went off course to Java and again swept off to Shandong on a second trip back to China.

Sand dunes in the Gobi Desert

Xuanzang's route to India.

Faxian's land route to India and back by sea.

With so much ease of acquiring knowledge through the plethora of portals available to us, we still have the inertia to go the extra mile. These two extraordinary figures risked their time and life to acquire and disseminate the wealth of knowledge to generations after them. Holding on to compasses in their hands, faiths in their heart as well as the stars above their heads as markers, they ventured into unknown territories. Come what may!

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Do you want to leave your legacy?

Historical Monument of Kalinga at Dhauli.

The ferocious Emperor Asoka was moved by

the crimson hue of the river water nearby.

Only then did the realisation of his tyranny

came fore. He became a pacifist, a Buddhist

and built stupas and pillars to remind

himself and his subjects on the value of life.

They keep telling me that I am insignificant; that I am inconspicuous to the grander scheme of things around; that I am just passing through. My existence in time is less than a millimicrosecondth of the 13.8 billion years since the time Big Bang happened. They ask me to be humble, to bow to the forces of Nature and to remember that I am weak; all just flesh, blood and bone. I am so brittle, organic and living on borrowed time. At the bat of an eyelid, I may be down and out. I remain but just dust, a part of the galaxy. I am told to invoke the blessings of the celestial bodies that govern our every move and not to incur their wrath.

This message of humility is apparently applicable only to some. It is shoved down the throats of lesser beings who are powerless and have to forever live on the goodwill of the crumbs from the mighty, the courageous and the wealthy. Social and moral mores are not applicable to them. They can act without impunity till death do them apart, or the Agent Intellect shine the ray of wisdom on them.

When their Consciousness becomes more manifest, they will insist that they are reformed and be given a new slate and a new lease on life. With their unholy earning, they would kosher it with mammoth structures to remind mortals that they are nothing. They would be anything but humble.

But then these megalomaniacs are the ones that history remembers. The average Joe whose existence follows the actual path of moderation as preached by the elders hardly matters to the more important direction of the human civilisation. Their lives are quickly forgotten.

My assertion is that rules only apply to the weak. The valiant segment of the population is exempt from the common rules and regulations. Well, some people are more equal than others. Some leave a legacy behind, others not even their carbon print or footprint.

Buddha statue Dhauli, Odisha

Don't rest on your laurels!

There used to be a time in our childhood when we used to look forward to religious festivities. Besides being a holiday, it was also a time of free food and free pocket money. That was the time when waited with anticipation for our neighbours to call us to their homes for merriment. All that just memories of a distant era.

Now, a long holiday with the lure of cheap flights is the time we all look forward to planning our next holiday destination.

With the same mindset, my cousin and I zeroed in on Siem Reap, the town closest to ruins of an ancient Hindu which existed about a thousand years ago. It was lost in the annals of time also to be discovered by a Frenchman by accident during his expedition through the Mekong River to catch butterflies! So goes the legend!

Nature at its best for a picture perfect postcard

They still live under the euphoria that they were the rulers of the world; that their ancestors were the most civilised in the region and that their neighbouring countries, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos, never existed once upon a time. Their great grandfathers were master builders who were descendants of the Gods. The wisdom of the Khmer kingdom spread from what is now known as Myanmar all the way through the uncivilised land of Thailand to Vietnam. The only semblance of resistance was in the form of the Champa Kingdom, a renegade offshoot of the Han Dynasty.

Their God-king, Jayavarman II, who established the Angkor Kingdom was himself a prodigal Indian prince who went wandering from his motherland to be held hostage by the Javanese. Later working for his captors, he conquered this land and became a turncoat to his employer.

A weekend visit helped to relive the history of the Angkor Kingdom that was made ten centuries ago. Successions over successions of demigod kings saw the region prosper of feats of engineering still awed by the 21st-century men. Transporting blocks of stones over the hill and a distance close to 100km with the primitive machinery of elephant power and river transportation is still unimaginable at this age.

Every leader who reigned here wanted to leave a piece of their legacy behind.The last of this line of Emperors is Suryavarnam II who managed to convince a million of his subjects to live their lives in Angkor Thom and contribute their heart and soul in the realisation of Angkor Wat, his heirloom.

The Republic of Cambodia is a minefield (pun not intended) for visitors who want to appreciate the beauty of Mother Nature in its most pristine state. Lush greenery lined by palettes of natural colours of the elements of Earth is indeed a sight for sore eyes. South East Asia's largest freshwater lake, Tonlé Sap is situated in the northern part of the country. This lake boasts to be a sanctuary to a plethora of freshwater fish species and a photo perfect sunset that humbles all adventure seekers.

One of the tributaries to Tonlé Sap Lake. This river has a reversal of water flow once a year as the annual monsoon floods the Mekong River and due to the difference of height in placement, it flows the other way when the lake is filled as the monsoons subside (the splendour of Nature)! Fertile precipitations induce padi planting and marine life.

Sunset at Tonlé Sap Lake. The path to this spectacle is lined by the sight of the poor fishermen's family who finds solace in knowing that their plight is acknowledged by NGOs and religious bodies who are out there to score brownie points and catch their fishes themselves.

Still living in the analogue world where play means getting the hands dirty and exploring elements of nature. A child is seen in the vicinity of the fisherman's village of Kampom Phluk.

No proper housing facilities and no satisfactory plan to fulfil schooling needs but wait... Do I see an advertisement for a data plan to digitalise their lives? Here comes WeChat, Facebook and Google. There goes outdoors and traditional childhood as we know it! Our chatty tour guide from the city lamented that he was going through what any Generation-X parent goes through in the 21st century - that his teenage is detached from reality and is not fulfilling her traditional duties expected of her. Like any other parent, he feels trapped in a lost generation, bending down backwards to satisfy his parents and going on all-fours to fulfil his parental duties. He feels used and abused.

Where life is simple. It is indeed a miracle. Mother Nature has it all for us, beauty, warts, cure and all. Sounds straightforward and truthful enough but do not be fooled. Pol Pot and his band of soldiers felt the same. They tried to erase Cambodian history and start Year Zero from 1975. He dragged lawyers, engineers and doctors to toil the land, ending with the unforgettable Killing Fields. 

Are they living in the glory of their colourful past? At least it helps them to propel the economy and bring in foreign exchange. To think that all these were long forgotten, in the annals of time after Kings after Kings with more bloated egos than the other conquered that their belief is superior, is unbelievable. And it had to take a foreigner, another colonial master from the West to accidentally bump into the ancient ruins reflects much of our societies' appreciation (or rather lack of) of our past.

Dubbed as the 'Stairway to Heaven' the steep knee-busting journey gives a panoramic view of Angkor Thom and its vicinity. 

A country in ruins? Just when they thought the worse was after the grandiose but disastrous Khmer Rouge plan to reboot the country, they are still plagued with insincere leaders with corrupt liaisons with vulture-eyed foreigners. 

I wonder what lurks within. Is that the serenity of pleased divine powers I hear or is that the graveyard of duped slaves and elephants who broke their backs and souls to appease the God-kings? Is that the testimony of the heights of human endeavour or product of inflated human egos?

The duel between Nature and Man-made structures. In the end, it is always Mother Nature has the upper hand! The famous gargantuan tree root which is a regular feature in Hollywood adventure movies, including 'Lara Croft and Tomb Raiders' as well as 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'.

Are they showcasing their culture to the world to appreciate or are they playing dance monkey to the tunes of the visitors of the more affluent countries? They are hoping to re-live their past glory but things are hard. Standing at the fringe of the nightlife hubs frequented by the party revellers, the locals hope for a dollar or two by ferrying them around on their 'Tuk Tuk' or humbling themselves to massage their feet of the visitors so that they can do more shopping and dancing!

Wat Preah Prom Rath Buddhist Monastery. A Wat is a generic place for worship in most Buddhist countries. In Cambodia, however, due to the sheer numbers of visitors to these places, the sanctity and serenity of Wats seemed compromised. Hence, prayers and meditations are usually done in monasteries, not wats!

The weather throughout our holiday was scorchingly hot, hovering around 30 degrees C. Even though it was late June and it was supposed to be the start of the rainy, we were lucky as we escaped the torrential pour as was the norm in this country. Rain would have ruined our travels as the roads were nothing to shout about! We would have had to mud wrestle with our shoes and the paths to visit the tourists' spots.

The four days stay in Siem Reap were more than enough to unwind. After the first two days of battling through the hot sun and the treacherous journey around Cambodia, the remaining two to chill down in chilling ambience and cooling beverages at the iconic Pub Street whilst the ladies indulged in some therapeutic shopping and traditional body massage.

The take home from this expedition is that we should not rest on our laurels. A good life does not promise comfort for eternity. In many facets of our life, we have to evolve with the changing needs of our surrounding and be perpetually ready for the uneven patch that may lie in front of us in the future. We should use the experience of others to safeguard ourselves!


https://mma.org.my/publications/e-berita/226-berita-mma-august-2017/file

Introspection is king!

Genius of the Ancient World (BBC Four)
#1. Buddha

Centuries before modern man came up with the concept of cognitive psychology and self-discoveries, there walk a man in flesh and blood who questioned the ritualistic practices of the people in the name of the Protector. At a time when Brahmin sages performed sacrificial rites to appease the Maker so that man can be taken care in the next life, he stood to question the relevance of these.

Leaving his comfortable life in the courtyards of the leader of the Sankya clansmen in Southern Nepal, he wandered to the buzzing city in Maghada state. People of the cosmopolitan town of Patna were alive with many questions and ideas about life and its purpose. Siddharta Gautama queried the concept of samsara and the cycle of life. If rituals could change the fate of the high caste in the next life, what happens to the traders and workers rank. Are they destined to be trapped in miseries forever?

He sought for his answers with a sage named Alara Kalama who tried to unite the microcosm of the inner self and the macrocosm of the universal soul, but Gautama was not impressed. He then joined the renouncers who felt that material attachments impede liberation. After six years of extreme self-denying penances which almost killed him, he abandoned it as well.

He finally chose the path of moderation. In an ever changing external world, our permanent selves do not exist. Nothing is permanent. Everything is contextual. The fundamental reason for suffering is our trapping in materialism and our obsession with the delusion of self. The realisation comes when we know ourselves - know yourself and the world is yours.

At the age of 35, under the shade of Bodh Gaya, every puzzle of the jigsaw fitted perfectly. He was enlightened, he found nirvana. From then, He discovered the Four Noble Truths and the 8-fold paths to end all sufferings. He revolutionised ethics by saying that the intention of our action is more important than the ritual of action. Irrespective of our caste, gender or class, we are the master of our fate. To find answers, we first must look within.

Buddha then ventured to the Central Indian plains. His group of followers formed the Sangha. They received donations from well-wishers. A bamboo retreat was donated by Bimbisara to start a monastery.  Nuns too formed part of the Sangha. This was something revolution for the time when the female gender was looked upon as a burden to society.

Even though on the exterior, the Buddhist teachings may appear to be focused on self-improvement, its ambition is for collective wellbeing. Buddha finally meets his death after feasting on a blacksmith's tainted food.

Two hundred years after his death, a despot reactivated his fledgeling religion and brought it to greater heights. He spread it to East Asia and the Middle East. Ashoka, after his trail of killings and torture, one day had a realisation. He built stupas and sculptured stone carving of Buddha's teachings. In the 5th century AD, India had the first university in the world in Nalanda. It did not last long. Muslim invaders from the north burnt it to the ground in an inferno which last three days.

You cultivate the mind by cultivating it, not torturing it. Change is inevitable, but we have the power to direct the change. At one glance, these sayings look benign. Given the correct over-analysis and coercion, one to bound to think that it is alright to bear arms to injure a fellow human being. After all, we are just directing the change as he deems fit. That could provide the explanation for the somewhat combative stance of Buddhist monks in Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand of late. Points to ponder...

Unchain my soul?

Some say that the mere fact that we are born on Earth is torture. It is a punishment of sorts. All the aches, the physical pains, the emotional pains, the disappointments, the cheats, the fall and loss of function may be just an ellipse of what a man faces in his lifetime. Saying all these, even the wisest of men, would like to hold on to his last breath not matter what in exchange for all the wealth in the world.

Many religions that promote themselves as a way of life suggest that the relationships that we develop along the way in our life are the cause of most of our problems. We should either not to take to heart all the miseries that develop in our daily interactions with our friends, colleagues, and loved ones or cut ourselves from these relationships. In the other words, renunciation is the word. 

Renunciation can be done, it seems, in two ways. In the first instance, one can choose a life of self-sacrifice and self-avoidance from the time of adolescence or at coming -of-age. In other words, inner primordial animalistic desires of the flesh and worldly yearnings can be suppressed before new bonds build. He may retreat to lead a recluse life trying to find the real meaning of life and plan for a promotion in his next life form. In short, he is absolved of his worldly duties. But, what happens to his elders and siblings who may look at him as neglecting his human duties for the relationships that he already developed when he was brought into this world as a living creature? Has he not duties to perform to repay his existence? Is he not being selfish of concentrating on himself? Is it not the nature of man to help one another? What better reason could there be if not for filial piety?

The second form of renunciation may be done after his duties are seemingly complete. He could produce offsprings, guided them through the nuances of life for them to stand on their own feet. But is it really over? Is it ever over? In the modern times, it appears to me that one has to be constantly working to maintain sanity. Once, he recoils from being productive or at least self-sufficient, he is deemed a burden to society. People cannot wait for him to go to the other side.