கொத்து ( Kothu)மலையாளப்படம்

 அரசியல் கொலைகளைப் பற்றிய கதை. குறிப்பாக இடது சாரி வலது சாரி கட்சிகளுக்கு இடையே நடக்கும் பழிக்குப் பழி வாங்கும் களத்தை மையமாக்கி கதை சொல்லி இருக்கிறார்கள்.

தங்கள் தோழரைக் கொன்றவனைக் கொல்ல திட்டம் தீட்டப்படுகிறது. மூன்று தோழர்களிடம் அந்த காரியம் ஒப்படைக்கப்படுகிறது. திட்டமிட்டபடி கொலை செய்கிறார்கள். அதில் ஒருவன் மட்டும் போலீஸில் பேருக்கு சர்ண்டர் செய்யப்படுகிறான். ஆனால் அரசியல் கொலைகளின் மீது ஆத்திரம் கொண்ட ஒரு போலீஸ் அதிகாரியின் தலையீட்டால் நிலைமை தீவீரம் அடைகிறது. பிறகு என்ன ஆனது என்பது கதை.

கொலை செய்யப்பட்டவர்கள், கொலை செய்தவர்களின் குடும்பத்து மனிதர்களின் உணர்வுகளை காட்சிப்படுத்தி, வெளிச்சமற்ற அவர்களின் எதிர்காலத்தில் பார்வையாளர்களை உறைய வைக்கிறது.

“நீ ஒருநாளும் பத்திரிகை வாசித்ததைக் கூட நான் பார்த்ததில்லை. உலகத்தில் என்ன நடக்கிறது என்றே உனக்குத் தெரியாது. கொலை செய்யப்பட்டவன் மீது உனக்கு என்ன கோபம். என்ன வெறுப்பு. உன் கட்சியில் மேலே உள்ளவர் சொன்னதுக்காக கொலை செய்திருக்கிறாய். இது எப்படி சித்தாந்த ரீதியாக நீ செய்த கொலையாகும்?” என அந்த மூன்றில் ஒருவனை காதலித்து, திருமணம் செய்து, கர்ப்பிணியாய் இருக்கும் மனைவி கேட்பது உலுக்குகிறது.

என்ன அரசியல் காரணம், எதற்காக கொலை, என்ன பின்னணி, என சமூகத்தின் தாக்கங்கள் குறித்து இந்த படத்தில் எதுவும் பேசப்படவில்லை. தனி மனிதர்களின் வாழ்வில் இருக்கும் துயரங்களையும், வலிகளையும், வெறுமைகளையும் படம் பேசுகிறது. பார்வையாளர்களுக்கு இரண்டு அரசியலும் ஒரே மாதிரியாகவும், மக்களுக்கு விரோதமானதாகவும் காட்சிப்படுத்தப்பட்டிருக்கின்றன. அனைவரும் சிறப்பாக நடித்திருக்கின்றனர்.

மக்களுக்காகவும், மாற்றங்களுக்காகவும் போராடுகிற இயக்கங்கள், இந்தப் படம் சொல்லாததை சொல்ல வேண்டிய அவசியத்தை ஏற்படுத்தி இருக்கிறது. (அமேசானில் பார்க்கலாம்.)

Iron John A Book About Men

 

ஆணுக்குத் தனியாக சில குணாதிசயங்கள் உள்ளன. பொறுப்புகளும் உள்ளன. அவன் ஒரு நல்ல ஆணாக இருக்க வேண்டும். ஆனால் பெண்களை மதிக்கிறேன் என்று பெண்ணாகிவிடக் கூடாது. அப்படி ஆகிறவனை பெண்களே மதிப்பதில்லை.

அதாவது இந்தப் பெண்ணிய அலைகளில் அள்ளுப்பட்டு வந்த பெண்களின் லட்சியம் என்னவெனில் ஒரு சிங்கத்தைப் பிடித்துப் பட்டினி போட்டு காதை முறுக்கி வாலைத் திருகி எப்படியாவது மியாவ்! என்று சொல்லவைத்துவிடுவது. அது அப்படிச் சொன்னதும் "போ பூச்சே!" என்று தூக்கி எறிந்துவிட்டு யாராவது சூரனின் பின்னால் போய்விடுவது!

- ராபர்ட் ப்ளை

Today's sensitized male may be in touch with his ``feminine'' side, but, writes poet Bly, this ``soft male'' possesses little vitality and is hobbled by grief and anguish. To achieve real masculinity, Bly argues, men must cultivate a fierce tenderness to be found neither in the macho/John Wayne model nor in the ``interior feminine.'' Taking as his starting point the Grimm fairy tale ``Iron John,'' the author sets forth an eight-stage initiatory path whose steps include remembering one's psychic wounds, communion with a mentor or ``inner King,'' becoming a lover, reviving one's inner warriors and receiving a ``second heart.'' Bly avoids cant as he ransacks Jung, Freud and Reich; referents include Greek, Egyptian and Celtic myths, the Parsifal legend, Blake and Amerindian ritual. A wise and healing book full of fresh insights, Bly's odyssey will help men grapple with identity, fatherhood, relationships and such crises as addiction and divorce.

Thanks

Thirunavukkarasu Senthan

16ஆம் நூற்றாண்டிலயே நாங்கள் ,ஓர் ஒல்லாந்தத் தளபதியின் யாழ்ப்பாண நினைவுத்திரட்டு (A Dutch commander about Jaffna Tamils)

 Dutch commander about Jaffna Tamils 

16ஆம் நூற்றாண்டிலயே நாங்கள் ஒரு ஊழல் நிறைந்த சமூகமாக இருந்து இருக்கிறோம் போல் தெரிகிறது.

“…யாழ்பாணத்தார் தற்பெருமையும்,செருக்கும், சோம்பேறிதனமும், பிடிவாதமும், பிடித்தவர்கள் எனவும், பொய்சொல்லி ஏமாற்றும் தந்திரம் படைத்த இந்த இனத்துடன் மிகவும் முன்னெச்சரிக்கையாக நடந்து கொள்ள வேண்டும் எனவும் தமக்கு நன்மை கிடைக்குமென்றால் பொய்ச் சத்தியம் செய்யவும் பொய்ச்சாட்சியம் சொல்லவும் தயங்க மாட்டார்கள் எனவும் 

ஒருவர் மீது ஒருவர் வன்மம் கொண்டு வல்லடி வழக்குத் தொடுத்து வெல்லும் வரை வழக்காடி மகிழ்வார்கள் அதற்காக போத்துக்கேயர் காலத்தில் தீர்க்கப்பட்ட வழக்குகளையே புதுப்பிப்பார்கள் எனவும் கூறியுள்ளார் 

முன்னர் அஞ்ஞான மன்னர்களும் போத்துக்கேயர்களும் ஆண்ட காலத்தில் இவர்கள் சாதி சாதியாகப் பிரிந்து வாழ்ந்து பழகிய படியால் 

சாதிப் பிரிவுகளில் நாம் (ஒல்லாந்தர்) தலையிடக் கூடாது என அறிவுரையும் கூறியுள்ளார் 

40 சாதிப் பிரிவுகள் உள்ளதாக குறிப்பட்டுள்ளார் 

எண்ணிக்கையில் அதிகமான வேளான் தொழிலில் ஈடுபட்ட வெள்ளாளரின் ஆதிக்கம் பற்றியும் எச்சரிக்கை பண்ணியுள்ளார் 

வெள்ளாளரின் சாதித் திமிருக்கு இடம் கொடுத்தால் மாத்திரமே மற்ற எல்லா வேலைகளிலும் கூனிக் குறுகி கெஞ்சிக் கூத்தாடி வேலை செய்வார்கள் எனவும் 

சிங்களவர்களை மக்கள் என்றும் அப்பாவிகள் என்றும் மலபார்களால் ஏமாற்றப்பட்டவர்கள் என்றும் இங்கே கூறியுள்ளார்…” 😢

This is very well explained why we as Thamilan continuously failed as a society 

At least I witnessed this in my Jaffna life around 4-5 years between 1977-1982 

I agree by this Dutch commander’s writing as he put forward many 

Interesting facts as he is referring Yaalpaanies as Malabar 

So he definitely find commonalities among பனங்கொட்டைகள் with மலையாளிகள்  

As both are self centered people promote self interest rather bigger community’ well being which they belongs to 

We still can wittiness these among Kerala and Eezham Tamils as both communities with high literacy rate   

such analysis could have definitely influence the policy makers across the world in dealing with Thamils’ issue as they continue to promote Sinhalese interests to this day 😢

எமது தலையிலேயே மண்ணை அள்ளி வாரிப் போட்டு எமது சமூக அழிவிற்கே வித்திட்ட ஜாம்பவான்கள் நாம்

The eye-tracking

Eye tracking is a sensor technology that can detect a person’s presence and follow what they are looking at in real-time. The technology converts eye movements into a data stream that contains information such as pupil position, the gaze vector for each eye, and gaze point. Essentially, the technology decodes eye movements and translates them into insights that can be used in a wide range of applications or as an additional input modality.

How eye tracking works

Typically, an eye tracking system comprises one or more cameras, some light sources, and computing capabilities. Algorithms translate the camera feed into data points with the help of machine learning and advanced image processing.

How the human brain is capable of sorting through an avalanche of external stimuli—most of which never reach the human consciousness—to create a sense of awareness of the individual's surroundings.

UsIing a combination of artificial intelligence, mathematics, and a close examination of the eye movements of individuals as they were shown images of people's faces, researchers found that important clues are revealed in the eyes.

When people were shown clear images, their eye movements showed a distinct pattern that indicates they were aware of their surroundings. However, as the subjects were presented with progressively dimmer images of faces, the pattern of eye movement changed. Tracking these changes allowed researchers to discern whether the subjects actually perceived the face or not without asking them.

How the human brain is capable of sorting through an avalanche of external stimuli—most of which never reach the human consciousness—to create a sense of awareness of the individual's surroundings.

UsIing a combination of artificial intelligence, mathematics, and a close examination of the eye movements of individuals as they were shown images of people's faces, researchers found that important clues are revealed in the eyes.

When people were shown clear images, their eye movements showed a distinct pattern that indicates they were aware of their surroundings. However, as the subjects were presented with progressively dimmer images of faces, the pattern of eye movement changed. Tracking these changes allowed researchers to discern whether the subjects actually perceived the face or not without asking them.

The eye-tracking tool allowed researchers to explore the amorphous dividing line between consciousness and unconsciousness, a state most obvious as we awake from sleep. People become progressively more aware of their surroundings as slumber recedes, a process that is controlled in a region of the brain known as the thalamus.

They found that when people awake the thalamus discharges a brief pulse which jumpstarts the transition to consciousness. However, this activity is only a first step in a series of actions throughout the brain that leads to full awareness, they found. For instance, that initial pulse from the thalamus may fail to activate other neural networks, keeping the individual unconscious of most surrounding stimuli. However, the pulse can also activate neurons involved in processing visual cues in the frontal cortex, which in turn amplifies circuits involved in arousal and attention. At the same time, signals irrelevant to the event are turned off. tool allowed researchers to explore the amorphous dividing line between consciousness and unconsciousness, a state most obvious as we awake from sleep. People become progressively more aware of their surroundings as slumber recedes, a process that is controlled in a region of the brain known as the thalamus.

They found that when people awake the thalamus discharges a brief pulse which jumpstarts the transition to consciousness. However, this activity is only a first step in a series of actions throughout the brain that leads to full awareness, they found. For instance, that initial pulse from the thalamus may fail to activate other neural networks, keeping the individual unconscious of most surrounding stimuli. However, the pulse can also activate neurons involved in processing visual cues in the frontal cortex, which in turn amplifies circuits involved in arousal and attention. At the same time, signals irrelevant to the event are turned off.

Thanks:

Cecile G. Tamura

The Tree of Life Movie

 

Acclaimed director Terrence Malick’s (The Thin Red Line, Days of Heaven, Badlands) two hour and twenty minute long coming of age story about two brothers growing up in 1950’s Texas and their difficult family relationships has only a cursory connection with what mystics and qabalists of the Jewish mystery schools would consider The Tree of Life.(Cinematographer: Emmanuel Lubezki)

It is instead a slow, meandering pseudo-art film realized with subtle, subjective cinematography from Emmanuel Lubezki (Gravity, The Revenant, Birdman) and spare, period production design from Jack Fisk (The Revenant, There Will be Blood and David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive) lending it a sense of mood, personal drama and a kind of nostalgic self-importance.

Despite having very little to do with anybody’s rendition of The Tree Of Life (as a religious or philosophical construct, at least), Malick delivers a genuinely sublime experience that includes deep forays into the characters’ imaginations and formative experiences. These include flashbacks and some epic sequences of cosmic and prehistoric events that give texture to the existential treatment of the narrative in a way that superficially appears to deliver meaning. Make no mistake, and this is an illusion.

The plot is an insipid invitation to stay well within your safety zone. The film does nothing truly experimental that has not been done before, better and more meaningfully in a short film or an actual art film. Hollywood congratulates itself while reinforcing the white, middle-class, mainstream status quo.

Touted as a drama/fantasy, this fairly mundane popular art film is low-key. Using its restrained, slow and somewhat naturalistic style, it tries to illicit feelings of childhood and convey a kind of innocence and honesty that has ‘Oscar bait’ written all over it. Purportedly biographical, the film is not especially clever, not incredibly insightful and not especially interesting. It is, however, undeniably beautiful and well-shot.

Apparently, it worked as intended, and in 2011 it scooped the Palme d’or at Cannes and then went on to be nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography. The movie, The Tree of Life is beautiful for no reason other than charming and inoffensive.

 Thanks http://www.tasteofcinema.com/

Chennakeshava Temple or Vijaya Narayana Temple

 Beluru (also known earlier as Velapuri, Velur and Belapur in olden times) is situated on the banks of Yagachi River and was one of the capitals of the Hoysala Empire. Renowned for its magnificent Hoysala temple complex, the Chennakeshava Temple (also called Vijaya Narayana Temple), which was built by Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana to commemorate his victory over the Cholas in 1116 AD. The temple is believed to have been built by master craftsmen – Dasoja and Chavana, a father and son duo.

Chennakeshava Temple:

This star shaped temple is believed to have taken around 103 years to build. At the entrance facing the temple is a towering Gopura and a magnificent sculpture of Garuda, Lord Vishnu’s carrier, palms touching in pious homage. The temple stands on a platform and has exquisite artwork on its outer walls adorned with bracket figures depicting the Puranas and Epics, all carved to perfection. The lower frieze has a series of charging elephants and horses; the elephants symbolize courage while the horses are for speed. It is also believed that Shantaladevi, the queen of King Vishnuvardhana is the model for one of the sculptures – Darpana Sundari (lady with the mirror). Just outside is an interesting piece of sculpture, called the Gravity pillar which is carved out of a single rock and stands in its own weight. People can actually swipe a piece of paper across it. Equally impressive are the temples of Kappe Chennigaraya, Soumyanayaki, Andal and other Vaishnava manifestations, which surround the main temple.

And if you thought that, this is supreme stone carving skills, then just step inside. The craftmanship inside is much finer than outside. The sanctum has a magnificent 3.7 m tall image of Lord Vijaya Narayana in black stone. The prabhavali of this idol has the 10 avatars of Lord Vishnu, wrought very perfectly. The doorway with the dwarapalakas is very elegantly carved. The Garbhagriha is stellar in shape and its zigzag walls make the figures of 24 forms of Lord Vishnu look different at different times of the day due to light and shade effect. The bracket figures of madanikas (celestial nymps) are elaborately done with even water drops chiseled to perfection. There are 4 bracket figures on the ceiling which is believed to be inspired by queen Shantaladevi’s beauty. One can see the lathe turned pillars highly polished and intricate carvings even in the dark and no two pillars are alike. The Narasimha Pillar, it seems, was built to rotate on its base. The Mohini Pillar is the most beautiful among the pillars. A unique aspect in this is the artist has left a small space blank – it is believed that it is a challenge to others to do a better carving and to convey that art never dies as it is infinite.

The Temple Architecture

The Hoysalas used soft soapstone for their structures as they were found suitable for intricate carvings. Enclosed by a Prakara with a Gopurabuilt in the Vijayanagar style, the temple stands on a platform or Jagati and looks like a huge casket. The fine workmanship and skill visible in this masterpiece is truly breathtaking.

Chennakeshava Temple is proposed to be listed under UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
It is open daily from 7.30 AM till 7.30 PM. 

Nearby: Halebeedu (20 kms), Mullayyanagiri Peak (50 kms), Shettihalli Church (55 kms), Yagachi Dam (4 kms) and Sakaleshpura (35 kms) are some attractions that can be visited along with Beluru. 

Visit: Beluru is 220 kms from Bengaluru and 155 kms from Mangaluru. Mangaluru is also the nearest airport. Hasana junction 40 kms away is the nearest railway station. Bus services are available to reach Beluru from Hasana city. Beluru and surrounding areas are best explored in a taxi/own vehicle. 

Stay: KSTDC runs the hotel Mayura Velapuri, 500 meters from Beluru Chennakeshava Temple complex. Hasana city, 40 kms from Beluru has more stay options. 

https://hassan.nic.in/en/tourist-place/chennakeshava-temple-belur/

https://www.karnataka.com/belur/chennakesava-temple-belur/

Theory of Stupidity

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran pastor and theologian in Germany during World War II. He was hanged in a concentration camp at Flossen burg because of his opposition to the Nazis and for that part, he played in an assassination plot against Hitler. 

In prison, he began to try to understand how good, intelligent, and peaceful people could become supporters of such an evil regime. That led to his theory that the greatest opponent to truth and reason was not evil, but stupidity. 

“If we want to know how to get the better of stupidity, we must seek to understand its nature.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“If we want to know how to get the better of stupidity, we must seek to understand its nature,” wrote Bonhoeffer in his treatise. And the nature of stupidity has its roots deep in the subconscious. The fundamental mechanics of the human experience drives it. As ancient philosophers noted, humans are social animals. It is this very sociability that is at the base of stupidity.

“We note further that people who have isolated themselves from others or live in solitude manifest this defect less frequently than individuals or groups inclined or condemned to sociability. And so it would seem that stupidity is perhaps less psychological than a sociological problem.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Stupidity is a group phenomenon. An individual can act stupidly, but that does not affect the whole. However, when a group works stupidly, that dramatically impacts the individual, compounding the entire effect. In many ways, something with initially positive ramifications stabbed humanity in the back.

Human nature doesn’t change as the years pass by. The inner workings of individual people are the same as those of their remote ancestors living on the savannas of Africa 50 thousand years ago. Some of these internal processes stretch even further back, millions of years into the past, when primitive brains started to develop.

When you speak with a stupid person, it does not seem like that person is speaking from their own heart or mind but in catchphrases and slogans adopted from others. Stupidity, to Bonhoeffer, originates when people give up their independent thinking and parrot the words and phrases of the rising power movement. They “jumped on the bandwagon” and ceased thinking independently. He observed that stupidity was found less among isolated people and more in social groups. As you reflect on the evening news and its daily presentation of people doing crazy things to others, consider that they may not be evil or malicious, but rather, stupid.

Italian economic historian Carlo M. Cipolla believes so. In his book 'The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity', Cipolla identifies four different kinds of people – stupid people, helpless people, intelligent people, and bandits.

As a group, stupid people are far more powerful than the Mafia and the Military-Industrial Complex because they actually drive and influence social outcomes. 

Cipolla found that the same proportion of people in any group tended to be stupid, even within the group of Nobel laureates or professors, or even blue-collar workers. The reality is that we have to face the same proportion of stupid people, no matter where we go or travel.

Everyone underestimates the effects of stupid people in action because it is not apparent. As a result, non-stupid people underestimate the damaging power of stupid people.

Intelligent people benefit themselves and society; bandits steal from others to benefit themselves; helpless people are exploited for their naivety despite contributing positively to society. However, stupid people are counterproductive to both their own individual and society's overall interests.

Cipolla says that a stupid person is far more dangerous, especially if the individual was born into the elite class. Their total damage capacity is infinite within their potential position as bureaucrats, generals, and even politicians.

As stated by Yuval Harari, history teaches us that people must never underestimate the role of stupidity in human history. It is one of the most powerful forces around the world.

We cannot trust human decency and supposedly good human leadership to do what is best for humanity. We can only hope that is the case, but stupid humans could win at the end of the day.

Thanks

https://medium.com/lessons-from-history/bonhoeffers-theory-of-stupidity-explains-the-world-perfectly-957cbb3fbac1

https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/lifestyles/grace-for-the-day-bonhoeffer-s-theory-of-stupidity/article_a384dc5f-6221-5208-bbfd-c109281db72e.html

https://www.nzinitiative.org.nz/reports-and-media/opinion/new-opinion-7/

‘அப்பன்’ Appan Movie Review

 ஒரு கட்டில். அதைத் தொடுவது போல மேலிருந்து தொங்கும் ஒரு கயிறு. கால்களில் அசைவு வராத ஐம்பது வயதைக் கடந்த ஒரு மனிதன் படுத்திருக்கிறான். அவன் தான் இட்டியச்சன். கயிற்றைப் பிடித்து கொஞ்சம் நிமிர்ந்து, தலையணையில் சாய்ந்து உட்கார்ந்து கொள்ள முடியும். அவ்வளவுதான் அவனது இயக்கமும் உலகமும். மலை சார்ந்த பகுதியில் சுற்றிலும் ரப்பர் மரங்கள் சூழ்ந்த அந்த வீட்டில் அவனது மனைவி, மகன், மருமகள், பேரன் இருக்கிறார்கள். எல்லாவற்றுக்கும் அவர்களை எதிர்பார்த்துத்தான் இருக்கிறான் இட்டியச்சன். அந்த வீட்டைத் தாண்டி காமிரா வேறெங்கும் செல்லவில்லை.

“நான் இட்டியச்சன் சாவது போல ஒரு நல்ல கனவு கண்டேன்.” என இட்டியச்சனின் மனைவி விழிப்பதிலிருந்து கதை தொடங்குகிறது. இட்டியச்சன் சாவதோடு கதை முடிகிறது. பார்வையாளர்களுக்கு படமே ஒரு கெட்ட கனவாக இருக்கிறது. ஆணாதிக்கத்தில் ஊறிப் போன உயிரும் உடலும் கொண்ட இட்டியச்சன் அந்த வீட்டில் உள்ள அனைவரையும் படுத்தும் பாடு இருக்கிறதே அதுதான் கதை. அந்த வீடும், தோட்டமும் இட்டியச்சனின் பேரில் இருக்கிறது. வன்மம், வக்கிரம், சுயநலத்தின் மொத்த வடிவாய் இருந்து ஆட்டிப் படைக்கிறான். அதைக் காட்சிப்படுத்தி சொல்லியிருக்கும் விதத்தில் மலையாளப்படம் ‘அப்பன்’ ( Appan ) முக்கியமானது.

சிக்கல் மிகுந்த மனித உறவுகளை நுட்பமாகச் சொல்கிறது. இட்டியச்சனின் மகன், மருமகள், பேரன் அனைவரும் நம் முன்னே வாழ்ந்திருக்கிறார்கள். “அப்பாவை நீ நல்லா பார்த்துக் கொள்வாயா?’ என இட்டியச்சனின் மகன், தனது மகனிடம் கேட்கும்போது நெகிழ வைக்கிறது. ( சோனி லைவில் பார்க்கலாம்)

Thanks

Mathavaraj