Immortality gained

I know he is with God. He always has been.

Anyone who has met Rameshji, been to his satsangs, read his books or watched video recordings of his talks would tell you how gladly he shared his wisdom, and the ease with which he explained the most difficult of concepts to seekers like me.

His daughter, Jaya, would often tell me: “My father simplified things.”

After reading many of Rameshji’s books, having listened to some of his discourses, and helping to edit several of his books through his publisher and disciple Yogesh Sharma (of Zen Publications), who had introduced me to Rameshji almost eight years ago, I agree wholeheartedly.

Rameshji was fond of saying, “Consciousness is all there is.” And, so it is.

Ramesh S Balsekar – beloved ‘Rameshji’, Advaita guru and friend to all – left for his heavenly abode this morning. He will be fondly remembered by us all.

Far from the West

Contrary to trends in the West, particularly in the United States, where print is being replaced by online media, and power is shifting away from corporate-owned media to individual journalists and bloggers, the Indian news and media industry, steered by large private business houses, is confidently maintaining its leadership through print and TV, and growing robustly.

In India, neither individual journalists or bloggers, nor the online media, is able to claim a substantial share of voice in the industry. At least, not yet. Traditional news organisations are continuing to play a critical role in keeping the Indian public informed.

Wisdom of crowds?

Yesterday, Jeff Jarvis, American journalism professor, on Twitter, had been imploring the contributors of Wikipedia to correct his date of birth on the Wikipedia entry on him. Finally, he says, someone did.

This made me wonder about the ‘wisdom of crowds’ belief that Wikipedia is supposed to epitomise in today’s world of information and the Internet. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not challenging Wikipedia as a source of inaccurate information (I had done that before and had to correct myself). After all, I have been told that Encyclopaedia Britannica, apparently, contains as many errors as Wikipedia does.

I’m merely contemplating if many people contributing to, and creating, news and information (as it is on the Internet today) is really better than news and information created by a single source (such as a traditional encyclopaedia or the traditional newspaper/TV). Does more and more people contributing to, and creating, news and information necessarily lead to more accurate news and information?

No redemption for The Ram

Darren Aronofsky’s 2008 film The Wrestler is not for the weak-hearted. It’s a brutal film on the life of a washed-up wrestler, Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson, and his path to self-destruction.

The Ram lives in the past. His sustenance comes from his past glory. Unable to find a place in the world that you and I live in, or love from his estranged daughter and a stripper-dancer he is attracted to, The Ram succumbs to and finds comfort in the only thing he understands: the life of a professional wrestler. But even here, and despite the recognition and admiration he receives from his fellow wrestlers, The Ram’s time has run out.

The Wrestler is a bleak portrayal of this story, and director Aronofsky executes it superbly. From his choice of Mickey Rourke as The Ram, to the bleak setting of New Jersey winter, to the seedy strip clubs where losers hang out, to the futility of The Ram’s life reflected in the life of the stripper-dancer, to the gruesome enactments of the wrestling matches, to the 1980s Rock music, to the camera stalking The Ram from behind… Aronofsky’s mastery is everywhere.

But, it is the pain that is so real in The Wrestler. It seeps through the film and tugs at your heartstrings. One look at The Ram’s aged and scarred face and body tells you everything. You know it’s over even before it begins. Yet, you sit through the whole film with an anticipation you can’t explain. There are a few flashes of hope in The Ram’s life, but soon they are washed away before your eyes – as does The Ram’s own life. There are no redemptions here; no happy endings to hope for.

I’m amazed how Aronofsky pulls the whole thing through. Mickey Rourke (a huge comeback for him after many years) as The Ram is superb. He should have won an Oscar. Marisa Tomei as the stripper-dancer Cassidy also does an excellent job in a supporting role. If you think you can handle the pain, the despair and the not-so-perfectness of life, you’ll enjoy every blow The Wrestler delivers.