Learning together.Lessons from Jeevan

Posted on October 21, 2012 by prashant bhatt

Tripoli by night: A night photograph of taken from the footsteps
in front of the lake in front of Assai-Al-Hamra-
The Red Castle of Tripoli showing Funduq Kabir-Grand Hotel
and the Big mosque of Maidan Al-Jaziyer of Tripoli in the night-scape
The reflections of water in the night give a painting like effect.
We have mapped many interesting journeys sitting in
Funduq Kabir..Learning from each other in our earnest belief –
Together, we can map out a better journey

Today is the birthday of a long time colleague who has been a fellow-traveler in the “Libyan journey”. We have together mapped out and charted ways to deal with professional, organizational, personal issues which many expatriate workers living and working in the Arab world face. The specifics of our situation in working in private sector medical organization in Libya give us a perspective of how health care delivery systems are organized in the developing world and also the attitudes of different organizers to workers from the Indian subcontinent. The premise of this blog is that- Together, we can map out a better journey.

Together- Developing perspectives,mapping journeys

The journey of Jeevan from Karnataka makes me recall a journey of one “Bomma” whose story is written and traced by Amitav Ghosh in his book “In an Antique Land”. In an in depth anthropological study, Ghosh traced the journey of the worker-slave ‘Bomma’ around a thousand years ago. Through his different researches, Ghosh surmises that this person was probably from what is modern day Tunisia, he lived and worked in Egypt before going to the Western India via Aden. He lived in what would be modern day Karnataka, and had a successful and influential relation with his employer and would do trade-journeys for him to Aden.

We, workers from the Indian subcontinent, have done a reverse journey of sorts, and live in North Africa having trained and gained initial work experience in India. Given the different professional, managerial attitudes of private organizers, we have refined our approach and realized over the years that –Together, we can map out a better journey.

Defining a sense of team

“Yes, Dr.Shetty! What can I do for you?” the (ex) board member said in a haughty tone knowing very well that he just has to say – “Yes, we will do it” and then forget about this fellow.

Over the years the persons who are actually responsible for producing the results in the organization, actually facing the frontline of the care-giving have become wiser and more organized as a team..so that – “Yes-what-can-I-Do ..and then Forget-the-specific-follow-up” attitude type of “board members” are now firmly “EX” in our organization.

An afternoon at Funduq Kabir

Meeting in a non-formal setting but with an earnest specific agenda of bettering ourselves as a team helped us get into better grips with the situation. For a long period, we used to be lost, being made to run around by managers who neither produce any results, nor are responsible for care-giving, nor take up any specific tasks.

We mapped together a joint strategy to isolate such non-productive dead-weight and also assert ourselves as a group who add value to the organization and hence should be given our share of respect and returns.

Though this thing was brewing for a long time, it became more crystallized one fine afternoon when we met for coffee at ..Funduq Kabir.

The Ten Dinars which we jointly contributed towards our “Society” had a catalyst effect on the dynamics of the organization. The legal translation of the Arabic contracts in government sector and getting the Gratuity, conferences etcetera all form part of Mapping our journey together

…It all started with Coffee at Kabir..and our earnest will and belief that –
Together, we can map out a better journey.

– – –

While wishing him happy birthday, we also remember the many times when we have brainstormed together and refined our approach as individuals, as a group and as part of an organization.

Do you know any person with whom you built such a fruitful enriching partnership?

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..our journeys together

Posted on October 19, 2012 by prashant bhatt

..Will you write about Lodhi?

Family rituals are important to gain perspectives.

“Will you write about Lodhi gardens” a fellow traveler asked me on reading my articles on Remembrance –reflection rituals.

In the previous blogs , while going through the different remembrance- reflection rituals, we went through the issues of legacy and collective memories, catharsis and a sense of being a part of a unified whole. One of the places where I find this unity is the “Bada Gumbad” of Lodhi Gardens, on the steps of which we have had many a conversations, early in the morning, before sunrise, listening to the birds of Lodhi chirping away, watching the morning Yoga practitioners and seeing the world go by or in late evenings after a long day at the ‘work-market’.

…9th April 1936

“Will you write about Lodhi gardens” one friend and fellow-traveler asked me, telling that I know something about history of Delhi. That is best left to more qualified and able persons, who are trained in the subject, if one thinks of writing the actual history of an area which was once the Khairpur village, has tombs going back to the Delhi Sultanate (Muhamed Shah-1444) and has one of the only structures of the period of Akbar’s reign (The Athpula-eight arched bridge) in the Delhi region. For the youngsters in the family, I give them a project to find out where these structures are within Lodhi, while I discuss the nuances of photography with an old friend, and how taking photographs from a height gives a different perspective. (“ Please take these photographs fast”..the guard told me as he found me on one of the walls of Sikander Lodi tomb enclave, trying to find a better angle to photograph. “The madam who works in Archeological Survey comes for a morning walk here and if she finds that I have allowed someone to climb these walls, I will be in trouble.”…). Last year, when I took my nephew and niece to the gate of Lodhi where the inscription of its inauguration is in place…April 9,1936, Lady Willingdon Park.

1.
A view of Sheesh Gumbad, sitting on the steps of Bada Gumbad
of Lodhi gardens, Delhi many lovely hours I have spent here,
listening to intricate family connections and stories.
Our family has walked at Lodhi gardens-Delhi for
four generations over the past century.

…Later, I took them to the place where some details relating to the capture of the Mughal emperor Bahadurshah Zafar are inscribed….where is that..?…Humayun Tombs

Humayun Tomb: Many lovely hours spent reading here.
Built in ‘Char-Bagh concept” the fusion architecture
and landscaping of this tomb complex finds its culmination
in the Taj Mahal.Agra At the entrance of the tomb complex
is the tomb of Bu-Halima ( an assignment I gave to my
‘bored’ nephew and niece…find out the tomb of
Bu-Halima)

..Steps where we meet

“ The relation of the person to whose marriage I am going is difficult for my daughters to understand, but it is a deep intricate one. I am the son of my father’s second marriage. I am going to attend the marriage of the grandson of my step-sister, who was from his first marriage. Over the years I have maintained my connection with the children and grandchildren of my father’s first marriage.” a fellow-traveler explained to me, sitting on the steps of Bada Gumbad, one fine evening at Lodhi gardens. His daughters could not really connect to why their father had taken this special holiday and was braving this ‘inconvenient’ journey to the Garhwal hills to attend this marriage with someone whose relation to them they could not figure out. All they could understand..if thought gracefully.. “it matters to him..that is all I can say” and if in a more temperamental way.. “the old man has gone out of his balance, finding some networks and relations which do not exist”…

The steps in front of Bada Gumbad of Lodhi have been witness to many such nuances of family history. It is here that I first got a hang of how to interview people, get their details and networks and build a narrative. These are the steps where we meet.

….Paths where we walk.


Walks together-Ghadames-Libya.
Sunset in the Sahara, again forming part of the
twinning ritual made me seek this place,
in the ancient caravan routes of Africa
to remember some networks of memories of
Lodhi

Getting into the rhythm of such walks was what Lodhi gave me. In the years where I have roamed around in different countries, I have used the reflection ritual to connect and add perspective. If one thinks it over, each one of us has a place like this,around which we can build special memories

Connect: This can be a place to connect to the family perspective. Place where we did our picnics and remembered past generations

Yoga at Lodhi: The gardens do provide a
rich microcosm of what Indian civilization
has to offer, from history, tradition, nature,
moonrises to the practice of Yoga in the
mornings

Collective: Giving a place of being a part of a unified whole is important to our sense of being human. This can be a spiritual or relational material exercise, but as the years mature, it will help paint a picture which deepens in colours and nuances

Coming: Recording and remembering narratives of when one last came to this special place can be another way of adding perspective. Who did you come with? Over the years, even if you return alone, you will never find yourself to be alone in such places


Walks together- Xlendi,Gozo:
Twinning two places of reflection-remembrance
rituals made me seek Xlendi area of Gozo,
Malta which is particularly peaceful in the
off-season winter months.
The region has its rich nuances as well,
remains of an ancient shipwreck found in this
region now are placed in the museum in
the Citadel region.

Companions: Twining such a place with another place ..having a companion place, where one will reflect can add a special significance
– – –
While remembering Lodhi, sparked by the request of a fellow-traveler’s question on remembrance –reflection rituals.. “Will you write about Lodhi?” the words of the writer William Hazlitt in his great essay-On going a journey come to mind.


We are not the same, but another, and perhaps more enviable individual, all the time we are out of our own country. We are lost to ourselves, as well as our friends. So the poet somewhat quaintly sings:

Out of my country and myself I go.

Those who wish to forget painful thoughts, do well to absent themselves for a while from the ties and objects that recall them; but we can be said only to fulfil our destiny in the place that gave us birth. I should on this account like well enough to spend the whole of my life in travelling abroad, if I could anywhere borrow another life to spend afterwards at home!

http://www.ourcivilisation.com/smartboard/shop/hazlittw/journey.htm


Weekly journal (?) by Lake Ontario, Mississauga,
Ontario, Canada.
Answering the question..will you write about Lodhi,
made me reframe it another way-
Where will you write about Lodhi?
The concept of having a quiet place to read,
reflect, remember is essential to every
human being who would like to grow.

Answering the question..will you write about Lodhi, made me reframe it another way-Where will you write about Lodhi? The concept of having a quiet place to read, reflect, remember is essential to every human being who would like to grow.

But then, one of life’s lessons is..that one does not get everything what one desires.
Or, to put it in another way.. “ You cannot have your cake and eat it too.”

Do you have such a special place with which you can connect special memories, family traditions, passing of age rituals or just watching the sunsets and moonrises.

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..we walk on

Posted on October 15, 2012 by prashant bhatt

Commonwealth War Cemetery-Tobruk-Libya.Tombs of Indian soldiers who participated in the North Africa campaign in 1940s are found here.

Continuing on the theme of remembrance –reflection rituals my mind goes back to morning walks I used to have with my grandfather in the late seventies-early eighties. We used to write letters to each other when he was in Moscow. He would correct them, add a few notes about grammar and themes. When he moved to Pune we would go for walks together. I used to be in secondary school at that time and though I knew that he was a teacher and author, I did not realize the scope of his work. One of the things I remember is that he would get up early –around 4 in the morning and read, write. Later in the day, he would go to the University library. He was an academician who lived that way of life right till the end.

Legacy The writer John Maxwell in his book-5 levels of leadership writes about the theme of legacy- “When you are young you cannot wait to get somewhere in life. As you age, you realize that there is much more to life than to have material success. You want to make a difference. If you think about it early enough, you have the chance to leave a positive legacy. What you do everyday regularly over a period of time, becomes your legacy.” In the case of the academicians and professionals in my family, their habit of keeping notes, referencing the library and revising these has become a part of their legacy. I hope to pass it on to my own children. Hence I urge them to keep trying to read and write about the experiences which they have had.

Nostalgia Recently a cousin wrote to me as to why the Old days are always remembered as the good old days and why the past always seems to be more pleasant than the present. Nostalgia is one of the most beautiful and powerful of human emotions.In the periods of remembrance, while getting a sense of what the family is, one can also give shape to the way things have evolved for the group.

Catharsis Is history –family history in this case- a means to Catharsis. A means to get a larger deeper perspective. As a friend who recently lost a loved one remembered some baby steps he took with her, the need to remember came through. This is in the acute phase and expatriate workers who work in different parts of the world and have to go back to their home countries in such painful circumstances. Keeping a journal to record and then read through those common memories can be a good way to help process, reflect, learn lessons and ask questions about oneself and one’s family,group.

“We are part of a larger family,” he said as he got phone calls from many parts of the world. Diaspora develop links across continents, have a special level of bondage as they face similar issues.

Continuity How we set the themes, reflect on them over time can be a way forward to gain a sense of continuity. All Hindus at some time or other go to the banks of Ganga at Haridwar, where they meet the three generations at one point-Their forefathers came here, they pray here just as their children will pray for them here –some time in the future. This point of continuity can be a starting point for many joint narratives.

Remembering a long walk with a veteran of Indian Diaspora
Early morning by Lake Michigan..November 2010

Spiritual growth What does the Gita say on these? Could you write about what ‘authentic’ spiritual texts tell about these themes, one friend wrote to me after reading the previous blog .

Reflections on remembrance rituals

If being spiritual is getting away from the material senses and trying to map the journey of the soul, then for me, a journal is a good starting point for these. Reflecting on passages, observing one’s feelings when trying to apply them in our particular circumstances and seeking dependence on larger universal forces and energies can be a part of starting. Remembrance-rituals done on a calendar basis can serve as good reminders to these in our busy worlds when various other pressures and distractions keep us from focusing on our core issues.
– – – –
As we remember our forefathers I remember our walks together. The theme of having a walk together, talking about some common issues in a park or hill-side or lake-view and then returning to a quiet place and writing about the experience is a ritual which has shaped many things for me. Our journeys together are symbolized by those walks.
At some we walked together, and then it was time to say Farewell…..
They live on..in our joint journals of journeys together….

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