Dreaming of a World without Borders

i seldom follow the lives and lines of international or national movie stars, but a recent quote that i came across got me thinking and did tempt me to pen down my views.  

“I am the kind of person who doesn't recognize borders. I don't understand why we think it is okay to keep someone within one border when they are unable to feed their family when they could be getting help somewhere else. I don't see people as different so I don't understand the idea of borders in this world.”

These words by Angelina Jolie make so much sense today with countries combating poverty, hate crimes and militants, all at one go. It is appalling to know children are dying out of hunger and disease in some part of the world for the only reason that they were born in the wrong country; that a hapless government, with its own set of international debts and internal agitations, hasn’t got funds enough to feed its people.  How fare is it that while one country strives to put together these funds to feed and nurse its ill, another spends billions on putting together ammunitions for the Armageddon?

Couldn’t there be a way that the United Nations or the World Bank probably, like many other international regulations, makes it mandatory that every developed nation puts aside a fixed sum of money for the les misérables of the world. When the good-fortuned can glide past physical boundaries of a country to fix their businesses and salaries, why shouldn’t there be some way that the ill-fortuned get treatments, food, or even shelter across borders at minimum expenses. 

Picture epitomising our world today

When there’s no census on how many birds flew past the border and how many remained in the country, i wonder why we bother to have the same for humans. When nature doesn’t confine itself within borders, why then would a part of the desert be India and the other Pakistan! Why should one end of the road be in the US of A and the other in Mexico, while they could have rather been a part of one unified nation, that which belonged to the whole mankind. Couldn’t the world tread along in the direction set by the European Union?

From the current standing of the nations of the world, visa regulations to travel from one part of the moon to another, could soon be the norm, even before we decide who’s gonna travel next to the moon. On a lighter note, if this was a world without borders, i could be an Indian and still be saved from the months-long visa process to travel abroad for a vacation! True, that wouldn't be called travelling “abroad”, then!

Let the divine lamp light the lives of one and all! Happy Diwali all!

This Diwali, when it’s time to celebrate the festival of lights, i pray for a world without borders, one that would bring life, light and peace to all, across borders, religions and ethnicity. i pray for a world that is united in a mission, to bring smiles on the faces of the less-fortuned.

The Essence of 'i'

Ever wondered why in English the first person is referred to in caps, as 'I' and not as 'i', like we do in the second and third person (you, him/her). The literal history suggests, the German for first person, 'ich', was trimmed and made the English 'i'; and to prevent this little word to be mistaken as a part of the preceding or the following word, was capitalized in usage. Thus the 'I' came into existence, so is said.

The literal 'I' though seems to have entered our minds figuratively, that 'i' is capitalized to show the superiority of one's individuality. And the same is the reason why people point fingers at others while they still happily ignore the ones he/she has erred. Take this, there's a brand new rare crystal show piece you bought. And your bro/sis/kid breaks it in the process of admiring its beauty. Whoosh! There it goes into pieces! How mad would you not get at him/her! And keep the entry in your mind for quite a few years for sure. And if it were you who broke it, would the spite still remain in your mind few years down the lane?

Courtesy: Google Images

In Indian philosophy 'i' has been a subject of abundant discussion, teachings, learning and epics. In the Mahabharatha, Lord Krishna speaks of ‘aham’ the Sanskrit synonym of ‘i’, the illusion called ego. He says, "The self alone is a friend of him who has conquered it and an enemy who has not." He who has won over the 'self' has gotten to the Supreme. 

An article in one of India's leading national dailies, The Times of India (TOI), first sowed the seeds of this thought in my mind, while in college. The newspaper had published an interesting article on ego and the letter 'I'. Although i don't recollect much of the article’s content, what i do remember is that every edition since then, the daily made it a point that its guest writers do use 'i' rather than 'I' while speaking in first person. Check out some article on their editorial page, and how most of the authors refer to themselves.

May sound like a 'copycat', but then is when i felt “this seems true”, and started writing with a small 'i'. People may disagree and say "you eat, sleep, read, work, all for yourself, and then you speak of ego being an illusion!?" Well, i am no saint or philosopher! Yet, i do believe that it is important for one to know that it is not the ’me’ that is doing stuff. There’s a higher force that is driving each of us do what we’re doing. That does bring one question to my mind. If i’m being driven by someone/something else then why should i be held accountable for it later! May be someday i would get an answer to that.

All said, it is true, i consider, that ego could take you places, sometimes where you didn’t want to see yourself. How we approach it, is what counts, we could either be friends with it or be shattered by it.

Hey! The spell checker’s changing all my ‘i’s to ‘I’s! Well, that’s how the world wants it to be, I guess! Sigh…there it goes again!

“One may understand the cosmos, but never the ego; the self is more distant than any star!” 

- G. K. Chesterton, English born essayist, novelist

A few thoughts on Spirituality, Religion and Us

                                                                                        Image Courtesy: silvieandmaryl.com

This is an attempt to delve into a concept that's always been close to my heart, but not something i get to discuss often with people during day-to-day interactions of our monotonous lives. Of late, i have observed an interesting trend in people updating their Religious views on Facebook (can't deny the fact that people spend more time on Social Networking Sites than face-to-face with loved ones, me included!). From what their profiles read, looks like lots of people are getting to both the extreme ends; one reads "There's no one mightier and greater than God ..." , while another insists "God! 'am an atheist!". A few belong to the popular "Secular" category, who "Believe in the equality of all religions", while there are others who are "Spiritual but not Religious!". Then there are the lot who have got every possible field updated in their profile except his/her Religious views.


To learn how many of us do really understand what Spirituality or Religion actually means would be really interesting. The one thing that I have kind of figured out from interactions with people personally as well as on various Social Networking Sites, these days, is that lots of  girls and guys of my generation think that it's "uncool" to speak or have any positive views about Religion in general. I, personally, after around 3 years of having a profile on a Social Networking Site, updated "Spirituality" as one of my interests one final day, that too, with hours of thought given to whether or not i should be making such an update.


While i have been brought up as a believer of Hinduism, and proud of it, i have always had friends who grew to believe differently. And i have for not once felt threatened, by them speaking proudly about their religion, moreover, have always respected their views. I think the concept of Spirituality comes in over here, it is a culmination of various religious teachings and more. Being spiritual is to know the reason of our existence and that of others around us. It is to know and to practise the way of living that brings the best to oneself as well as the people around. It doesn't matter if you believe in Krishna or Allah or Jesus or the absence of a Supreme Being. Being Spiritual is being human in the best possible way. It is about rising above our mundane  lives and its unpredictabilities. For people who believe in Karma, i.e. to reckon "What goes around, does come around", Spirituality, itself, lies in this belief. That you would get back what you give is not necessarily the way. What you give away could come back to you in a completely transformed manner, now or later, which, one would never recognise or realise.


In my case Spirituality is what i learn from my Religion; that the forms of worship may be infinite, but the Supreme Spirit is One and all you do reaches this Supreme Being. In every being lies the Supreme Spirit, he/she/it be a Monotheist, a Polytheist or an Atheist. The art of respecting and loving everyone and oneself, whether at home, in office or while partying, this is the real understanding of Spirituality.  


Let me end with the Native(American) Indian saying. 
...... everything on the earth has a purpose, every disease an herb to cure it, and every person a mission. This is the Indian theory of existence.