This Sunday evening was hanging on me. One of the music organizations of which I happen to be a member, had announced a classical singing programme by members in a temple near Ponda. The programme was to begin at 4 pm and I was there on the dot at 4.30. A carpet had been spread before the deity and a mike set was in attendance along with a harmonium on which two small girls were trying their hand. I did not see any other member. (Please note that I was NOT on the ‘singing’ list. I went there only to listen.) Usually, one of the pillars of the society, (the only pillar, rather) a knowledgeable and pious old man is always present. Today even he was missing. I waited for fifteen minutes, offered my pranams to the lord and returned.
We went for a walk and since my wife is recovering from a sprain, it was over in half an hour. I had 3 hrs and 30 minutes before dinner. Nothing else to do. I mean, there were many things like calculating income tax, clearing my desk, removing the cobwebs from the corners, cleaning the fan blades etc etc which I could have attended to, but they are not classified under ‘something to do’ category. They are in ‘to post pone for ever’ category.
My wife decided to exercise her fingers by surfing the channels and I decided to exercise my eyes. They caught a programme of ‘grooming’ the Femina miss India contestants. Today it was a dentist and her associate giving the contestants instructions on oral hygiene and ‘smiling from the heart’.(actually a cardiologist should also have been there because it was 'smiling' from the 'heart') I HAD to see that. The dentist wore a ‘designer’ apron and spoke at a much lower level than what I used to, when I spoke in front of 3rd standard students during my ‘school dental health programme’. It was followed by demonstration of cleaning and whitening teeth. During this, the dentist gave a heavily worded talk on ‘bacteria’ in the mouth and how careful one should be with them. While she was ‘cleaning,’ there was a cloud of spray of saliva+water swirling around her head and she had a mask on, which only covered the mouth and left the nose open. Evidently, the bacteria she was dealing with, did not know the way through the nose. They (dentists, not bacteria) have clinics in Bomaby, Pune and Goa and must be earning lakhs ‘designing’ smiles for foolish future miss Indias while I keep making useless comments and work ten times more to earn twenty times less.
Another programme on the TV was a singing and dance contest. One boy of about 8-10 years sang a song “I am in love truly with you. You are my dream girl forever. Come dear, more near” and some more nonsense. Another boy and a girl of the same age danced for the song. The judge said “excellent performance. The energy level was very good. Body language was fantastic. You need to put a little more feeling” and the parents clapped beaming. The song said “I am in love with you, come dear more near”, innocent children of 8-10 years age performed, the idiotic judge appreciated and asked for “more feeling” and the stupid parents beamed and clapped. Instant fame is making everyone mad. There are dozens of such programmes and millions of us watching and clapping. God save us.
I decided to spend the remaining part of the evening typing this and now,have reached the dinner time. Bye,
1 comment:
Firstly, you are too late.i.e. you are realizing things only after you have retired. You have commented that you `sit and comment', and I say,be happy and satisfied with the appreciations you get for this sitting and commenting. And be wise at least now and groom your dentist son to groom the future miss Indias' teeth :)(if he is willing, of course)
Yes, the childrens' dance for dirty songs are really frustrating. I rarely come across this while surfing the channels. I remember Dr.Shivarama karantha had once said on behalf of small children learning Bharata natya. `Since small children cannot actually feel, they cant show thro facial expressions many things expecially of shringara rasa. And so whatever is taught, should be taught at the proper age' antha.
In these TV programmes, the parents should be taken to task, not chidren. The innocence and purtity of childhood is all lost forever for those children. I pity them.
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