Another Weekend, Another Painting

I decided to put up the painting of the Folk Mask on my paintings blog. Feel free to have a look and pass your comments. Well I already got feedback to improvise on the next painting!

Another good thing I came across this weekend while searching historic content/trying to upload some content etc, was Kamat's Potpourri. I couldn't help but admire the blogs "Artist's Daughter" (not sure if you can read it without being a member. not a bad idea to become a member either). Kamat has captured some simple yet interesting incidents.
And for fellow bloggers, you can submit your blog at Kamat's, only if you think relevant.

To all young men and women..

..young people such as you are caught between the ever-so-constant mores and expectations of Indian society, specifically one's parents, and the enormous changes in lifestyle resulting from the transition from socialism to capitalism. Most parents would like their children to become slightly improved replicas of themselves.

Indian society is ambivalent towards young women. On the one hand, women are encouraged to become educated and secure employment. On the other hand, they are expected to marry and give a higher priority to the traditional requirements of being a good wife and mother. Add to this the time-consuming efforts for putting on a show of religiosity, observing festivals, inviting relatives and friends for dinner, attending concerts, etc.

Something has to give, since few individuals can handle it all. The "via media" that is best varies with the individual. You will do well to (i) have an honest, realistic, unemotional talk with _yourself_ over an extended period, and then (ii) communicate your proclivities and aspirations to your parents in such a way that they approve and offer you their support, rather than becoming alarmed at your maverick ways.

You certainly have every right to do what you feel is best for yourself, but one is impetuous and inexperienced at your age, and the guiding hand that parents' advice can provide is valuable.

Have you decided upon whether/when to marry and what you seek out of marriage? If having children is part of your plan, biology imposes certain inexorable constraints: beyond age 35, having children and bringing them up is difficult for a number of reasons, and becoming a primigravida beyond 35 increases the likelihood of the children being beset by congenital defects.

Whatever course you choose, it is best to take your parents into your confidence, rather than play mind games with them. I don't understand why M.S. degreed Indian young men in the US are more desirable candidates for husband than others. Furthermore, Indians who grew up and were educated in India may look the same as young men of Indian origin educated in the UK, USA or OZ, but in many respects they belong to different species.

You used the word "investment". What did you have in mind? If you go abroad as a student, you will probably secure an assistantship in advance, and will only have the initial travel in the "investment" category. Since you have been working for a few years, you will have little need to put this load on your parents. Furthermore, typical airfares are still the same as they were in 1970, but salaries have become ~50 X.

Previous generations in India aspired to a decent education followed by decades-long service to the government or a big company. That era is almost gone for ever. In IT, you have very good times followed by a few lean years, somewhat comparable to farmers seeing good rains for a few years and then a drought or two.

You may have already become accustomed to change. Compare the change in India to that faced by young Chinese, where the government tells you how many children you can have, etc.

With best wishes,
****** uncle

PS: I couldn't help advertising this. Hope you don't mind :|

Bangalore city travel life

I was reading this (TOA 31 oct, Bangalore edition main paper page3) article in Times about city bus service in Bangalore, and I went down the memory lane of my city bus travel.
>> at 9, I started using city bus in Bangalore to travel from Basavanagudi to Shivananda Circle (to learn art at CKP. Now you know where I picked up the artist touch). I used to take a half ticket at 75ps in 1993-94.
>> then I started paying Rs.2, to travel to art classes in Jayanagar 9th block. This time in Pushpak, which was a lot comfortable and faster, and lesser crowded because of the cost.
I shifted to my bicycle and kine for a long time. After a bunch of accidents, I started using bus again
>>I paid Rs.9 for 2 buses together to get to Engg college. But these were Mysore Road buses crowded with Mofussil people. This was the worst phase of my bus traveling life.
>> Now I pay Rs.20 in a Volvo bus (read A.C) to travel to office on Outer Ring Road. It is filled with office goers like me and is faster than driving your own car.



Bus service quality has improved drastically in Bangalore. That's the reason I support bus travel in Bangalore as compared to Auto travel, which is just expensive, kills your mood and gives you a dusty/dirty ride with rigged meters. Also, I appreciate the empathizing authorities. But one thing I don't support is cutting the fares of Vovlo buses, which eventually leads the crowd to the A.Ced Volvo bus. C'mon,, don't kill my luxury of city bus ride!

Burning my Diwali charcoal

Reminiscing our road trip a few weeks back, I scratched a few free strokes using the new charcoal..


Here's the photo I clicked from the back seat

Thanks for the box of paints and set of brushes. Very thoughtful gifts for Diwali :)