The Sage and the Housewife

I had made it to Basavangudi quite early that morning, and I found Nagaraj and Adri already present there. U.G. looked quite neat in his laundered kurta-pajamas. How each of us met U.G... We soon started to discuss how each of us had met U.G. and since how long each one knew him. U.G. calmly watched us as we exchanged notes and testimonials. Adri, it seems, was a shopkeeper and an ardent follower of J. Krishnamurti. It seems his passion for J.K.'s lectures drove him to trust an utter stranger with his shop, and the unworthy stranger gave everything in the shop to every passer-by on credit. After the enlightening lectures Adri returned to the shop to find two soaps left and an utterly bankrupt Adri faced a bleak future. I first met Adri at U.G.'s. U.G. shows a special affinity to the old man, generously giving him gifts every time he comes back to India. He also takes him along with him on his tours to Bombay, Mysore or the Nagerhole Forest. Adri, on his part, shows a strange at

There indeed are white crows... I could never compete with my daughter as far as her unshakeable faith in U.G. is concerned. I remember, one day, we were just dropping Mahesh Bhatt back at his hotel room. The taxi carried U.G. and my daughter in the front seat, and Mahesh and I singing and joking in the back seat, as it often happens. I started an argument with U.G., and my daughter Mittu unquestioningly sided with him against me. I exclaimed that if U.G. would point at a crow and call it white Mittu would readily agree with him. It was meant to be a taunt to her childlike devotion to him, but on the other hand what do you think U.G. came up with? He said, “There are white crows in Australia.” Thank God we had reached our destination by then, because I could not argue any more after this strange clipping which sounded like something from Ripley's Believe It or Not. If you really want to learn something, school is the last place to go... Mittu was having a real tough time with her s