Warrant Balaw - Law made simple!

We are governed by laws but we do not know what law is; we do not know about our privileges and duties and so we are made to live with suffering, not knowing how to live peacefully.Pleading in courts of law is as easy as having discussion with members of the family says WARRANT BALA a simple, honest human being who has been helping the common man for the past 10 years and making him aware of the legal system through his knowledge (from his own experience) and books NETHIYAI THEDI series. You can read about his efforts from his blog...
http://warrantbala.blogspot.com/

What the planet needs right now - A MOTHER

They say that God can't be everywhere so he created mothers. But for all those who do not have a mother, there are people like Sindhutai Sapkal who shower them with the love and affection of a mother.

Sindhutai Sapkal is helping begger, orphan children. So far she has adopted 1043 orphan children.
She has orphanages near Pune and Vardha.

Her homes survive on donations and grants as well as the award money she receives and she unabashedly continues to beg in cities and villages asking people to put whatever they can into a cloth she spreads out on a table after her speech. She is also invited to colleges and schools to address students and she unhesitatingly asks for donations. This year has been particularly tough because though the Savitribai Phule home runs on government aid, Sindhutai's orphanage in Saswad has not received its grant for the last two years from the cash-strapped Maharahstra government. And to make matters worse, there is also an acute water shortage in the area.

She says;
"Do write the address of my organization so that people can send any contribution - financial or material." Donations can be made to: Sanmati Bal Niketan, Meenakshi Building, Second Floor, Vihar Chowk, Hadapsar, Pune.

for more search for SINDHUTAI SAPKAL on the net.

Vijay Simha's Tehelka Column - What Indians politically do wrong

While not sure about every aspect, still felt this is something we should rethink about. The thing is, we do know all this but what actually prevents us from doing what is right?

	PAMPER DYNASTIES  Blinded by powerful families, we vote for them continually though our conscience must say no.
	DON’T REWARD FIGHTERS  The CPI(ML) has been seeking a clean Bihar for years. They don’t get more than a handful of seats.
	IGNORE WORTHY NOMINEES  Manmohan Singh lost by 29,999 votes in the 1999 South Delhi Lok Sabha election. Hasn’t contested since.
	DON’T CHANGE VOTING HABITS  Grandfathers voted for Indira. We vote for Sonia and Rahul. The world has changed in between.
	GIVE UNDUE CREDIT  The Congress didn’t do CNG in Delhi. The Supreme Court did.
	DON’T STAND AS ONE  Thirty-seven parties in the Lok Sabha and 29 in the Rajya Sabha. Can get crazy, like in Jharkhand.
	ARE LETHARGIC  Can’t step out, for causes or for voting. So, we minimise who we are.
	DON’T THINK  The BJP in Gujarat after 2002. The Left for 33 years in West Bengal. Chamling since 1994 in Sikkim.
	CHOOSE PERSONALITIES, NOT POLICIES  Amitabh. Dharmendra. Azharuddin. Jayaprada. Not liberalisation, Article 370, RTI, women’s reservation.
	ACCEPT BRIBES Liquor. Money. Land. Jobs. And sundry other favours. We are fine with it. They are fine with it.

The Zeitgeist Moving Forward

Time to move forward from an illusion called money to love..
from one human living the moneyless life...
Suelo says in his blog...
I've been totally without cents since Autumn of 2000 (except for a couple months in 2001). I don't use or accept money or conscious barter - don't take food stamps or other government dole. My philosophy is to use only what is freely given or discarded & what is already present & already running (whether or not I existed). I don't see money as evil or good: how can illusion be evil or good? But I don't see heroin or meth as evil or good, either. Which is more addictive & debilitating, money or meth? Attachment to illusion makes you illusion, makes you not real. Attachment to illusion is called idolatry, called addiction. I simply got tired of acknowledging as real this most common world-wide belief called money! I simply got tired of being unreal. Money is one of those intriguing things that seems real & functional because 2 or more people believe it is real & functional!

Living Without Money - Documentary of a life

A vision i see of a world...a planet breathing peace...a moneyless world..where every being will exist for the sake of love and the other..in a united purpose to realize the infinite within!

The enormity and the being!

a teaching in itself of what can be done...
maybe...this jogs the memoir of only being a small speck!
in a great wide, ever-expanding vastness...
a taste of the enormity!!!

Daayen ya Baayen - Trailer of Indian Indie film

Just wanted to spread the word about the film 'Daayen Ya Baayen' directed by Bela Negi, an FTII Pune graduate. Supporting this for the spirit of Indie film in India.

Must-see Documentary - Man on Wire...

...should actually be phrased 'Man on Fire' - the fire of determination that is; and the indomitable will to do what you want no matter what. The documentary film directed by James Marsh 'chronicles Philippe Petit's 1974 high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of New York's World Trade Center. It is based on Philippe Petit's book, To Reach the Clouds, recently released in paperback with the new title Man on Wire'.(source Wiki)
In the film Philip says "It was impossible...that's why I had to do it". There are 2 profound aspects in the film. One, the triumphant will of Philip, and two, his post-walking "success-story" as a human being and the impact on his friendships/love(though not depicted much). This is something to watch out for because the current knowledge about the WTC changes the way you see the film.

Bereft Beauties 2 - Aravanis/Thirunangais

More...These pictures can be used freely only if portrayed in a positive manner. Pls do not misuse them.

Bereft Beauties 1 - Aravanis/Thirunangais

During the Aadi Festival in August, our team went to Salem(Tamil Nadu) to shoot some footage of various Tamil folk artists and performers who were part of the festivities. It is an ongoing documentary film project which we hope to produce through a possible collaboration. While we did get a lot of amazing street performances, most of it was commercial(I use this word because instead of performing for actual folk music and songs, many were performing for popular movie songs, even 'item' numbers).
Amidst it all, we met some Aravanis/Thirunangais (Transgendered women) who were really in their elements, singing, dancing and having a whale of a time, at the same time, enthralling their mostly male audiences. It was surprising to learn that the Aravani/Thirunangai community in Salem is actually respected and not shunned, abused, raped and ridiculed as is usually the case in almost every other part of India. Even their Chennai sisters do not get the treatment they get. We befriended the beautiful Nakshatra(extreme left among the group of 3) and her gang and there was a whole slew of fanboy-males who were swarming around them.

Chennai to Pondy(and back) on the Suzuki GS150R

Friday I went on a not-so-long distance ride on our GS150S (160kms=about 100 miles one-way) from Chennai to Pondicherry and returned today. Took the Tindivanam route coz ECR (East Coast Road) is apparently not too safe coz it's a single lane highway. Anywho, loved this route coz it was multi-laned and it was overcast. To top it all, the rain just added a little adventure by drenching me. I especially recommend this route coz the newly built highway (I think NH-66) from Tindivanam to Pondy was spotless. I guess I really needed this weekend ride coz for some strange reason I wasn't and ain't a wee bit tired AND it felt so damn relaxing. A catharsis, if you will.
For all you Suzuki riders or rider-wannabe/s, the GS150R is one hell of a smooth ride, especially long distance. I stopped twice for the rain but it wouldn't let up. So I was like, fuck it, I'm doing this, embracing every drop the water-gods were lashing out. I made a couple of observations about highway riding in India, 1. Almost 99% of all Toyota Innova drivers drive like crazy, maybe it's the vehicle size and comfort that makes them feel they are the kings of the highway. Even Lorry drivers seemed tame by their standards. 2. There's an increasing number of two-wheelers on the highways. So many motorcycles, which was kinda surprising. I purposely didn't take my camera coz I anticipated the rain and mainly, just wanted to enjoy the ride. Next time, I probably won't do a solo. My biking retrospection is over for now. Even got an idea for a motorcycling road movie. Hopefully not a la the Motorcycle Diaries. Need to sit and write.

The road oft taken

That Subtle Essence!

"Bring me a fruit of that Banyan Tree."
"Here it is, venerable Sir."
"Break it."
"It is broken, venerable Sir."
"What do you see there?"
"These seeds, exceedingly small."
"Break one of these, my son."
"It is broken, venerable Sir."
"What do you see there?"
"Nothing at all, venerable Sir."
The father said: :That subtle essence, my dear, which you do not perceive there - from that very essence this great Banyan arises. Believe me, my dear, Now, that which is the sublte essence - in it all that exists has its self. That is the True. That is the Self. Thou art that, Svetaketu.
- The Chhandogya Upanishad, Chapter 12.

The Stray - True Survivor in Pondicherry

In a pavement reigned by rabid, flea-infested dogs, this little stray, seemingly lost, was scavenging for scraps. She would wait for the dogs to walk away and then come out of her hideout. This was one such moment. She seemed to have a tenacity about her. Her attitude reflecting on how much she might have seen in her little time in this world. I wonder if she was with her mother or just separated. Despite the survivor in her, there was a beautiful innocence, that seemed untouched by all that's there around her.

Filming & Photography in NYC Subways

A quick reference and a MUST-HAVE for filmmakers and Photographers filming in New York City Subways. Print out these two documents and put it on your camera-bag and just FLASH it when cops or MTA officials interrupt you. Many of them don't know that this exists.

1. NYPD Directive - On April 3, 2009, the NYPD issued a directive to officers stating that it is legal to take pictures within the subway system so long as it is not accompanied with suspicious activity.

2. MTA Rules of Conduct saying it's ok to film/photograph inside the Subway. Check out 1050.9.
LINK - http://mta.info/nyct/rules/rules.htm
Currently, the MTA Rules of Conduct, Restricted Areas and Activities section states that anyone may take pictures or record video, provided that they do not violate MTA regulations:

Section 1050.9 Restricted areas and activities.

Photography, filming or video recording in any facility or conveyance is permitted except that ancillary equipment such as lights, reflectors or tripods may not be used. Members of the press holding valid identification issued by the New York City Police Department are hereby authorized to use necessary ancillary equipment. All photographic activity must be conducted in accordance with the provisions of this Part.

Very handy documents. Source from Wiki.

La-eets!

Beauty...Fall!

A time for change...or a change of times?

Chasm in Time at the MIAAC film festival

Finally 'Chasm in Time' is having its premiere at the MIAAC film festival in NYC.
Venue: The Quad Cinema, 34 West 13th street, bet 5th and 6th Ave, Thursday, November 12th, 2009, 12 p.m (precedes feature film Air India 182)

Trailer of Chasm in Time

Trailer of our recent short film 'Chasm in Time'. Updates about its premiere will soon follow. Cast Cornelio Abella, Joey Mintz, Karthik Srinivasan, Kymm Walker.

The Twig

Rest area for the tiny bugs among the 'grasslands'.