[Reader-list] Greetings for May Day

[Aarti Sethi]

Dear Dhatri,

The ground beneath my feet is nothing but an enormous unfolded newspaper.
Sometimes a photograph comes by; it is a nondescript curiosity, and from the
flowers there unifomly rises the smell, the good smell, of printer's ink. I
heard it said in my youth that the smell of hot bread is intolerable to sick
people, but I repeat that the flowers smell of printer's ink. The trees
themselves are only more or less interesting minor news items: a fire here,
a derailment there. As for the animals, they have long since withdrawn from
the commerce of men; with these latter, women now have only episodic
relations, that are like shop windows early in the morning when the head
window dresser goes out into the street to see the effect of the waves of
ribbon, the slots, the wheedling winks of mannequins.

The majority of this newspaper I am looking through is devoted, properly
speaking, to ship movements and places to vacation in the country, a column
that occupies a fine place at the top of the first page. It says there, in
particular, that tomorrow I shall go to Cyprus.

At the bottom of the fourth page the newspaper has an unusual fold that I
can describe as follows: it looks as if it has been wrapped around a
metallic object, judging by a rusty spot that might be a forest, and this
metallic object might be a weapon of an unfamiliar shape, akin to the dawn
and a large Empire bed. The writer signing the fashion column, near the
aforementioned forest, speaks a most obscure language in which I nonetheless
believe that I can make out that the negligee of the young bride will be
ordered this season at the Partridge Company, a new department store that
has just opened in the Glacière district. The author, who seems to be
particularly interested in the trousseaus of young women, emphasizes that
these latter are free to change their body linen for soul linen in the event
of a divorce.

I go on to read a few advertisements, well-written ones, in which
contradiction plays a lively role: it really served as a hand-blotter in
this advertising agency. The light–which, moreover is very poor–that falls
on the fattest letters, this very same light is celebrated by great poets
with an abundance of detail that does not allow it to be judged other than
by analogy with white hair, for example.

There is also a remarkable view of the sky, in the very same style as
business letterheads showing a factory with all its chimneys smoking.

Politics, finally, which it seems to me has been given scant space, tends
above all to govern good relations between men of different metal, the first
rank of which is occupied by calcium men. In the minutes of the seances in
the chamber, as simple as a chemistry report, they have been more than
partial: thus the movements of wings have not been recorded.

It doesn't matter, since the steps that led me to this desolate shore will
take me farther another time, even more desperately farther! I have only to
close my eyes if I do not wish to bestow my attention, which is mechanical
and therefore most unfavorable, on the Great Awakening of the

regards
A


On Sat, May 3, 2008 at 8:52 PM, we wi <dhatr1i at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Dear Radhikarajen and the rest,
>
>  "DHATRI"  by choosing this pen name, my exact intention is to express the
> EARTH characteristics and feelings for which you quoted "Kshamaya
> Dharithri"(dhatri means the earth and its primary characteristic is
> tolerance).   Anguish or pleasure for the usage of scriptures/ancient good
> words from the list lets say a,b,c,d....Z
>
>  ---To compete your line "Kshamaya Dharitri",  let me include
>
>      Karyeshu Dasi, Karuneshu Mantri,
>      Bhojyeshu Mata, Shayaneshu Rambha,
>    Dharmeshu dharmi, Kshamaya Dharitri,
>    Shat Dharma yukta, kula dharma patni.
>
>  A wife should,
>
>  Work like a servant, have pity like a minister in a court, feed like a
> mother, act like a prostitute in bed, be like Yudhistira in dharma, be like
> earth in pardoning.  In return what a wife expects from husband. A simple
> thing. Dharmecha, arthecha, kamecha, na athi charami. He should not cross
> the line in dharma, artha and kama.
>
>  Sins are all about post life depending on the seriousness.  They are just
> reflections some are immediate and some are after death.  As one is
> struggling with so many miseries in present life ...................
> Moratality, values should give food and good life.
>
>  I understood that you felt for that comment(check your eye tested) that's
> why i gave the exact meaning(how usually people mean it apart from romantic
> way).  Why don't prakash speak up and clarify?  I do not understand what
> Asit is talking about?
>
>
>  Well Parthadas gupta replied by quoting "orwells animal farm".   I don't
> know how many   understand this comparison.  As the book is all about an
> English man borned at BENGAL  brought up at England and his anguish against
> CAPITALISM AND COMMUNALISM,  by looking at the injustice in society.  The
> content is all about PIGS,HORSES,DONKEYS  and HUMANS.   I would have felt
> much happier if PARTHA bring PANCHATANTRA where in the characters are also
> animals.
>
>  CAPITALISM is all about money. If money is there then ultimately POWER
> and ofcourse the politics.   I would like to bring SHASHIDHAROOR scenario
> where in MONEY played pivotal role to the UN SECRETARY GENERAL  post.
>  Though SHASHIDHAROOR is smart,intelligent,good looking,CAPABLE(as partha
> talked about capabilities and favoritism) to HEAD UN, because of lack of
> SUPPORT, poor SASHIDHAROOR writing columns to SUNDAY TIMES back in INDIA.
>
>  It would be more use full to the INDIA if the list will respond to the
> PLANNING COMMISSION mail with your valuable suggestions.
>
>  Regards,
>  Dhatri.
>
>
>
>
> Asit asitreds <asitredsalute at gmail.com> wrote:
>   well why doesnt the mother earth forgive the wretched of the earth who
> toil for long hrs and dont even get two sqare meals a day,now coming to
> growing up in culture of tolerance are you kidding this is the most
> intolerant society in the world have you forgotten gujrat taslima and going
> back to centuries eklavya and shambuk near people from kerala know how
> tolerant were the uppercaste if a dalit woman tried to cover her breast
> asit
>
>  On Sat, May 3, 2008 at 12:35 PM, <radhikarajen at vsnl.net> wrote:
>  Kshamaya Dharithri,
>
>   mother earth always forgives, may be we have to be more tolerent of the
> naughty ? Having brought up in with the culture of tolerence and
> understanding  the other point of view, may be prakash wants  my eyes to
> adjust the sights to "see"  his thoughts from minds eyes, but well, having
> seasoned thru all sights and sounds of different thoughts, nothing is more
> real than to be good human, compassionate yet stern if deviant behaviour is
> seen in individuals, as mahatma said,  to be part of untruth is bigger sin
> than being untruthful. ? To tolerate sin and be silent is moresinful than
> committing the sin itself. ?
>
>  Regards.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: we wi <dhatr1i at yahoo.com>
> Date: Friday, May 2, 2008 8:06 pm
> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Greetings for May Day
>
>
>  To: radhikarajen at vsnl.net, Asit asitreds <asitredsalute at gmail.com>
> Cc: reader-list at sarai.net, prakash ray <pkray11 at gmail.com>
>
> > Hmm,
> >
> >        No matter whether it is prakash or tapas, but the "rays"
> > are power full and naughty.
> >  Any way they suggested POSHLY for a check only but you would
> > have questioned about treatment whether it is LASIK,LASER or
> > CONTACT LENSES.  The problem is they could not express very
> > straight/direct.
> >  Radhikarajen they are intersted in your CASTE. Irrespective of
> > that and their, they are suggesting you not talk(even use) about
> > CASTE,RELIGION(though they have all sort of feelings, or inferior
> > or superior whatever and talk about them often)  not only that
> > they are advicing you to feel all are human beings and same.
> >
> >  Check your eyes do have this much deeper meaning, if I am not
> > wrong.
> >
> >  Regards,
> >  Dhatri.
> >
> >  radhikarajen at vsnl.net wrote:
> >  Prakash,
> > at my age I get tested regularly, thanks to mediclaim, not the
> > gift of workers unity, thanks for the high spirit reply.
> > :- ) Best regards.
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Asit asitreds
> > Date: Friday, May 2, 2008 3:20 pm
> > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Greetings for May Day
> > To: prakash ray
> >
> > Cc: reader-list at sarai.net
> >
> > > dear freinds and comrades
> > > when we speak of mayday and redflag we atleast have to grateful
> > if not
> > > respectful
> > > the story of the red flag is obvious it was the workers of
> > chicago
> > > wavingtheir shirts which had became red dripping with blood
> > after
> > > being shot by
> > > the police, then begun the story of 8 hrs working days all the
> > > rights we
> > > enjoy today are the result of enourmous sacrifice and struggles
> > it
> > > is for
> > > the postmoderns and neoliberal agents lost in the hyperreall
> > world of
> > > consumer paradise with thier malls casinos and
> > entertainmentparks,
> > > thosejombies whose lives are shaped by madison avenue
> > advertising
> > > whizkidshistory is what hurts.
> > > I just want to qote a sentence from ralph miliband the giant
> > > politicaltheorist
> > > all the civic freedoms we enjoy today are the product of
> > centuries of
> > > unremmitng struggles our task is to transcend their class boundaries
> > > asit
> > >
> > > On 5/2/08, prakash ray
> > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Dear Radikarajen,
> > > > Please get your eyes checked...
> > > >
> > > > in good spirit...
> > > >
> > > > Prakash
> > > > _________________________________________
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