Energising Kovai homes with Feng Shui

What costs you to change the position of a statue in the corner of your house or to clean your wardrobe weekly? Especially if these silly changes can take you to some heights of prosperity and happiness in life.
"First avoid the negative… then enhance the positive," says a Chinese proverb. It is true with the principle of Feng Shui. Feng Shui, literally meaning 'the way of wind and water' (Feng-wind, Shui-water), is simply the art of placement of objects, which helps the flow of energy (chi) in the best way to help the prosperity to be in the way.
This Chinese science which contents symbolic 'cures' of correcting energies is gaining its stand in India, along with its counterpart, vaastu shastra. When vaastu shastra demands expensive makeovers like reconstructions, Feng Shui gains acceptance through its easy way of silly remedies.
"We take things lightly. We don’t believe in demolishing. But this is a science which depends on angles and hence the moving of some objects here to there can make up things better," says Mini Rajeev, master consultant in Feng Shui.
Feng Shui uses symbolic way of curing problems. A house will have problems when it either has a negative energy flow through it or if the positive energy flow is blocked. This can be solved just by removing a wall painting allowing the energy flow or by placing a statue blocking the negative energy, says Mini with confidence.
Mini Rajeev, a Malayalee settled in Coimbatore, who is a master practitioner-cum-consultant in Feng Shui, honoured her degree from Lillian Two’s Institute of Feng Shui, Malaysia, and is now practicing in India concentrating mainly in South India.
"Water and wind is that powerful that it can create marvelous results when arranged in the right position. The flow of water determines the flow of money. It can bring the vibrations of happiness," says Mini.
Speaking on Feng Shui, the most important thing we should take care of is ‘clutter clearance’. Anything in the dumps can be called a clutter. The wardrobe with clothes unused for long time, the collection of newspapers, a peak of books lying on the table and anything like that, which may obstruct the flow of ‘chi’, can turn into a clutter.
"We used to keep things for later use. But the fact is, that someday will never come and the things you kept for a purpose will be turned into clutter. So always concentrate on cutter clearing thereby allowing the positive ‘chi’ to flow in," she says.
Mini had no inclination that she would be taking up such a field. It was after graduating in Maths and getting into family life, that she happened to read an article on Feng Shui, published in this paper. She then started studying Indian vaastu shastra and then switched over to Feng Shui.
Mini is the first South Indian to bag an International second rank in Master Consultancy in Feng Shui. She also is a Master in Pathchee (Chinese Astrology) and Master in Water Feng Shui, all from Lillian Institute.
How Feng Shui works: "In Feng Shui everything represents something. I always try to fuse Indian tradition into this Chinese science. Allowing all Chinese objects inside may turn the house a Chinese emporium which Indians may not like. So I suggest things like a wall painting, a water feature or something else very simple but powerful to bring about good changes."
A house is arranged according to Feng Shui based on the date of birth of the head of the family.
According to Feng Shui, there are three major afflictions, which changes every year. Grand Duke Jupiter, which is in North in the year 2008, Five Yellows in the South and Three Killing, again in the South. "We should not oppose the GDJ by keeping anything against it. Also we should not activate Five Yellows, for example by lighting lamps in the South. Likewise Three Killing also should not be opposed," she advises.
"In Feng Shui, apart from four major directions, there are other 20 directions with four cardinal and four sub directions. Feng Shui largely works on magnetic energy. So if the front door of a house is facing a wrong direction, we can ease it by placing a metal near the door by changing the direction of the entire house. We use a special compass called ‘Lo Pan’ for the purpose, which indicates twenty-four directions and many other calculations," explains Mini showing the Lo Pan.
Mini has already published a book on Feng Shui, which got a good response. She is now working on another book, which details the particulars of human energies. She also takes classes and seminars on Feng Shui. She is now planning to start courses for Feng Shui, which could make the people in India more aware of Feng Shui.
"Looking around is the most important thing," she says about Feng Shui. On the expense of implementing Feng Shui, she says it’s easier to spend for changes than to spend on an entire demolition. For a house of 1000 sq.ft, it nearly costs Rs 25, 000 to 40,000 to change the entire house according to Feng Shui.
She didn’t forget to give some tips on Feng Shui for the readers of Expresso. “Always stick on to quality, because quality makes things work out. Also it is advisable to keep a laughing Buddha diagonally opposite to the entrance. It brings you prosperity if you have bamboo planks immersed in water in the Southeast side of your living room."
She believes nothing is that good or nothing is that bad. Life is in a phenomenon of changes. "Getting energy to accept changes in life can make your life beautiful. And Feng Shui will definitely help you bring out the positive energy in and around you which enable you to live a happy living,” says Mini.
Happy living!

Published on 20/06/2008 in Expresso, The New Indian Express

Kalki - for them she muses

Empowering the third gender is the dream that Kalki nurtures. And who better than the Shikhandi of Mahabaratha-fame to help her realise her quest?
This 'God’s special child', as Kalki calls herself, is now busy giving life to a play to be staged by 2009. The script she is penning for Shikhandi will find all the three sexes together on stage. And she believes that "you are not defeated until and unless you stop trying".
This is not the first time that Kalki is attempting a role in theatre. Her passion for theatre helped her grab a double role in William Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’, brought out by Auroville Theatre Group. She loves to work with theatre groups both in Tamil and English, but adds that 'Shikhandi' will be in English.
Now a woman, Kalki was born into a dominant political family in Pollachi as the only 'brother' to two sisters. From her childhood, 'he' always felt the 'she' in him. On reaching puberty, her mind could not accept the changes that were taking place in her body. "It was not an abrupt change that happened with me. Right from the childhood I felt like a woman. I refused to be a man because I was always a woman," says Kalki.
However, she also went through the usual nightmares and inner conflicts as faced by any other transgender. When she expressed her desire to live as a woman at 14, it created a buzz within the family. "No parents would wish to hear that their child is a transgender. As I was the only boy in my family, it created a lot of unpleasantness. I was taken to the Vellore Mental Health Center and was treated for my 'mental illness' for a month," Kalki said deplorably.
"For transwomen, to be honest and truthful to our parents and reveal the real 'we' to them is the most difficult thing in the world. We surely know they will be hurt... and we fear to tell them the truth. But I was bold enough to reveal myself," said Kalki, confidence personified.
Realising that education is the only way to wipe out ignorance, Kalki dedicated herself to it. Though she wished to study in a girl's college, she was enrolled into CBM College, a coed college in Coimbatore to pursue BA English Literature. "It was a woman who was inside me. However, I was forced to adorn the masculine role in my college, hostel... I was put into men's hostel there," Kalki chuckles.
Kalki cites herself "a typical case of a transgender, as per the observations of Benjamin Harry on transsexuals. "According to him, a transgender can identify a voice if heard once. They are good at languages and bad at maths. I possess all these traits," she says proudly.
After graduation, she took up a job with 365 Media in Coimbatore. She underwent her surgery to change her gender during this period. After the operation she started using ladies toilet, something that made her female co-workers feel uneasy. But they gradually accepted her as she was.
She then completed her postgraduation in Journalism and Mass Communication at Madurai Kamaraj University.
Having understood that media had a lot to do with shaping the attitudes of young people, she decided to bring out a magazine for transgenders called 'Sahodari' in 2001. It was solely distributed among her fellow sisters. But with none to finance it, it met with an untimely death.
She then established a foundation called Sahodari Foundation - for transgender males and females of the country. Through a website www.sahodari.org, she is spreading awareness among the youth on second type men and women of India. Sahodari Foundation is a one-woman mission of Kalki. "The foundation was born out of the desperate needs for a positive change in our society regarding transgender issues. It aims to voice political, social and legal rights of transgendered men and women of India," says Kalki.
Now, pursuing her second MA in International Relations, Kalki is aiming higher. She wishes to represent her community in UNESCO and in the UN. Through her mission, she wants the world to realize that transgenders are not just sex-crazy people and not the ones to be exploited always. "We Thirunangaigal (transgendered women - in Tamil) are gifted people. We have better understanding of both sexes and can deal with human problems and relationships more effectively," she says.
Auroville, the international township for peace, proved to be a perfect place for her to realize the artist in her. She enrolled herself in an international music research project called 'Svaram', exploring the ancient culture and music from different parts of the world. She helped people from the Western world have a glimpse of the beauty of Tamil language. She used monetary benefits from the programme to teach poor village girls and women English.
With her skills in filming, editing and acting, it is her dream to work with her favourite director, Maniratnam. But she hates the way Tamil film industry is making use of transgenders in their films. "Right from the Tamil classics to the recently released Vettaiyaadu Vilayaadu and Sillunu oru Kadhal, transgendered women have been portrayed either as psychos or as a misfit. We are not clowns," rues she.
Along with her best friend Rose Venketesan, Ippadikku Rose fame, she is in the process of developing interesting media concepts regarding transgenders. "We are planning for an IT venture for transgenders. I believe it will come as a great breakthrough," she said. Recently, they bought the domain for their website thirunangai.com, which is likely to be launched in August. "It is an exciting venture with a lot of groundbreaking ideas," says Kalki.
Kalki wants to meet Kanimozhi, "who has been very supportive of the transgender community", one day..."just to say a big thanks".
She is only scared of one thing - marriage. "I don’t believe in that social system," she said. "...It won't work for us". But then "love is the most beautiful emotion", she says happily "...and a man who is loved by a transgender would be a lucky one". However, she wishes to be a strong independent woman always.
Kalki never blames the Almighty for her life on Earth. Instead, she lives on a mission here. She is happy the way she is and simply nods her head with a confident smile. Don't queer! Just cheer!
Published on 02/06/2008 in Expresso, The New Indian Express