Competitive World

I sat in front of my plasma to watch the greatest show on the earth. The Olympic Inauguration show left me spell bound. It was an amazing $300 million spectacle that featured 15,000 performers, nearly 11,000 athletes from 204 countries, and I envied those who were present there to witness it in person. All I can say is ´Wow´ With large population it is easy to sort great number of talents and place them into different slots. On word ´China´, we think of food, painting, and Tai chi, imitation of branded goods, fire works, and human rights and now we will talk about the stunning big bang show of drummers and box men and amazing fire works Can it be replicated by another nation too? Can we do it? We have a large population in India too. We too have great number of talents worth mentioning. Unfortunately, many of them are stamped under the heavy foot of politics and diplomacy of the system. Besides having talent, it is important to have influence or money to pull the strings. Last year, one special child (whom I know personally) was selected for Special Olympics. Special coach was appointed to train her for table tennis event, passport and all travelling needs were met but she was dropped off from the games just few weeks before the games. No reasons given. The parents and her teachers were shocked by these turn of events but chose to remain silent. If deserving candidates are not given chance to enter the competitive world, how can we expect to bring home any Gold?

Living in a civilised soceity

Nikita and Haresh Mehta sought judicial redress for aborting their unborn baby who has been diagnosed with a congenital heart block and the whole world is peeping into their court rooms and passing their own verdict. The child will be born with a hole in heart. A person with a hole in heart can lead a normal life, but the problem is, one will get tired very fast as compared to normal persons. Now-a-days after a surgery, a pacemaker can be planted in the heart, battery of which lasts for 10 years. Generally speaking, people with any kind of deformity (physical or mental) are always treated differently. Either they are ignored completely or they are pampered to the extreme. Equal opportunities do not come easy to them and time and time again, they have to keep proving their ability to fit into a proper slot. Deformity is a block that blinds the society to recognise true talent instantly. It is very easy for others to pass the verdict and treat them (Mehtas) like criminals, but I have met many mothers of severely mentally challenged children. Many times, mothers are blamed for the deformity of the child and are treated badly by their in-laws. Lower income makes them dependent on sponsors for medicine and education for all their life. Some of them have zero social life and they go through emotional depression and become incapable of looking after their children. Having any kind of deformity is a life time punishment, not only for an individual, but also for the parents. It is very painful for a mother to see her child suffer. Even though Mehtas do have some help like Jaslok Hospital has promised to provide a pacemaker, worth close to Rs 1 lakh, and free surgery for their baby, but is that enough? Will they have a life time financial support for the child? Who are we to presume to lecture the Mehtas from the smugness of our normalcy? Separating the chaff from grain is always tough.

Walking down the streets in Puerto de la Cruz

This week end I decided to pass my week-end with my niece at Puerto de la Cruz, which is on the north of the island about 20 minutes away from Buen Paso where I am staying. Going to Puerto de la Cruz and sitting indoors is not a good idea. So even though I am still afraid to walk freely with a broken arm, my niece insisted that we go for a short walk down the street. Puerto de la Cruz is bustling with activity. There are people everywhere. Narrow streets of the Old Town, packed with colonial architecture, make walking a safer bet than driving. The city is packed with tourist during this month of August. .There are cafes and restaurants in every street that has no traffic or walking plazas. The stores display their article outside the shops and attract the passer-by. This is a town of two halves. To the west of Plaza del Charco, whitewashed houses and cobbled lanes reflect the serenity of years gone by. Whilst to the east, the excited chatter of holidaymakers reverberates around the labyrinth of cafés and restaurants. Just a short walk in any direction, and I am surrounded by quaint stores that carry local handicrafts, cafes and bars, produce stores (the bananas are absolutely delicious), fantastic wine stores and the old harbor. San Telmo is a neighbourhood that bridges old Puerto to new Puerto. That "bridge", Paseo San Telmo, is dense with tourists, stores, gelato shops, and restaurants. The hotel lined streets and avenues behind the walkway reach out like arms, encouraging travellers to rest. We walked, rested for coffee and pastries, walked again, stopped for hamburgers and sandwiches, walked the bridge through San Thelmo, resting a while, watching the world pass by. The short evening walk lasted four hours actually and was not tiring at all.

My Art World..part 2

It is unfortunate that I cannot do any fine work with my right hand for some time and all I can do all day I reading or writing or watching TV. Normally my days are occupied with various activities such as making dolls or stuff toys or any other handicraft stuff. I love to be surrounded by my own art work and keep adding them. I love to share my own artwork with my family too. My presence is visible through my art work and I feel good. Here in Spain, my brothers house is filled up with some of my works. Like this painting in oils This ship made from straws, cloth, twine and glass pieces and painted in bronze and red This collage of paper, cotton and wool and painted in acrylics This vase made in decoupage, This still life also in decoupage This portrait of my nieces and nephew in crayons and markers Birds in thread work A wall hanging in wool Guru Nanak in black and gold I hope to make more, there are still empty walls here waiting to be dressed up, if only my lazy right hand cooperates. ps: To view more of my art world visit http://chat-with-pushpee.blogspot.com/2007/06/my-art-world.html and http://chat-with-pushpee.blogspot.com/2008/03/woman-of-leisure.html from my archives

Visit to Playa San Marco

¨¨I don’t wish to go too far, a small drive will do¨ I tell my brother as I make myself comfortable in his car. We drive through the steep slope, pass through ancient Drago trees, a rich agricultural landscape and descend to the sheltered harbour down to San Marco beach surrounded by breathtaking scenery. Tenerife’s beaches have got the lot with plenty of nudist, black sand and golden sand beaches off the beaten track to suit; provided you know where to look…and Playa San Marco is the beach very close to my house, although quite far from the city. The peculiar thing about San Marco is its black shiny sand. The weather is cooler in this part of the island and therefore it is less crowded than the other beaches. It is mainly visited by locals. Some 70’s style apartment blocks on one side of the beach don’t make for the prettiest of vistas, but this small beach, beside a fishing harbour and backed by fish restaurants, has a certain charm. These restaurants are well known for their fish and Spanish rice dish called Paella It’s set in a sheltered inlet, which makes it suitable for kids. Although it is late evening, there are many people still soaking in water. Stunning vistas always impress; however, they’re pretty much an essential of any decent walk. The real ‘well I’ll go to the foot of the stairs’ moments are the unexpected surprises, especially when they’re to be found only a hop, skip and a jump away. Slowly and carefully I walk down towards the even path to reach the restaurants. There is a small church tucked between the restaurants. My niece informs me that it is regularly visited by locals and during San Marco fiestas, there is much activity here. We wait for a coffee as we watch the sun set down into waters, behind the hills. I glance in my watch, the sun has disappeared and the sky has all shades of red and blue and it is 9 30 pm.