Anish Nadh’s Blog

I started spending time on my body! I pay attention and apply oil and let it seep into my skin for about 30 to 45 minutes! I spend this seeping time to multi task, maybe brush, boil eggs or write this blog. Need to organize this a bit, I’m getting there. After the oiling I get into the shower and now I have to get rid of the oil. Hope this does not clog the drains. 

I lack motivation to make music! It could be because it’s painful to sit for long time and it’s not financially rewarding! So when I actually do something in music it’s because it really means something to me. Most times I lack motivation, but if it hits me I go ahead and do it! I’m constantly seeking this motivation and it’s hard for it to come by.  Here’s another motivated individual! Not sure why or how he does it! But it’s brilliant! 

I heard this from my dad!  There was this guy, who wanted to oil his head. He made a small cup with his palm and poured oil into it and filled a handful. However, while lifting the oil bottle off he spilled one drop on the same arm of the hand he had cupped the oil. This irritated him, he wanted to utilize that one drop and chose to rub that drop on his palm on his head, but alas! he lost the oil in his hand.  He could’ve just let go of that single drop! Or maybe kept the bottle away and used the other hand to dab the single drop.  Sometimes it’s just wise to let go off the single drop to keep the rest of the oil. 

The more you own, the more you have to lose. I have so many guitars some, I rarely even use. After a few years, the mechanical parts don’t work as much and I end up spending more to fix it. This can be applied to various other aspects, too many clothes, rooms, homes etc! You have to maintain these and it soon becomes a clutter. I’ve tried my hand at minimalism, not in an elaborate way! I just couldn’t! I started by just keeping 2 spoons, 2 forks and 2 plates around! This, in-fact,    removed some clutter in the kitchen sink. I’m sure if I move this concept to other things in my life, it’s going to be rather economical financially and energy wise. 

My great grandmother, (mother’s father’s mom) Esther, I hear, was one of the people who helped establish a church in Karamana. She married my grandfather who was known to be a bodyguard/goonda types for someone around. I hear different stories about them.  Esther ammachi was a midwife, who assisted women in childbirth and sometimes she had to walk long distances to assist families. She also drew away demons from women during childbirth, apparently.   One story that I heard from my mother goes like this. My great grandmother would sing hymns loudly in the late evenings. This could be heard from quite some distance! Some women, children and maybe some men (maybe!) in the neighbourhood, even the ones from other faith, would wait for her song to go outside their homes into their yards for nature’s call! Back then, they believed evil lurked in the dark!  During the night when there was no electricity or street lights, taking kerosene lamps would invite attention from the local perverts! So,

When an elephant is young it is chained to tame it. All the fight it gives is futile, it is conditioned to be chained. As the elephant gains in size, though it can break the chain easily, it stops trying to free itself.  We are conditioned similarly when we are young. How  do we free ourselves from the invisible shackles we wear? Most importantly, what do we free ourselves from? 

I saw him parked right in front of the church gate. There were other vehicles expected to come inside the gate. So quietly asked him to move the bike away from the gate. He said that he will, in some time. I responded rudely explaining there are more vehicles coming in so he must move immediately. There were angry exchanges between us.   Fast forward a few weeks later, I had to get my car lights checked, so I drove to the mechanic and he identified me! He was the mechanic there, Jagadish Singh ! He asked me if I was the guitarist, he knew who I was. He also apologized for parking in front of church and attended to my car thoroughly.  Both of us could’ve sorted our first meeting with some kindness and grace. Maybe that’s why he remembered me?