Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Saturn Retro 2013: 08- The Castalia of JNU Campus

Wednesday, 20th Feb. Day 3, Annual saturn Retro, 2013. Had been reading Herman Hesse's novel, Magister Ludi or The Glass Bead Game since quite some time now. saturn Retro is the ideal time to finish this Retrograde book. In this story, they describe Castalia, a order of Higher learning where they practice the Glass Bead Game, a symbolic art aesthetic 'game' represnting all the sciences, arts,philosophies, practices etc. Castalia is a haven for the scholars, academicians, philosophers, removed from the vestiges of normal life, self surrendered to the pursuit of higher learning. Monks isolated from the rigours of real world in the path of highest learning, wisdom and knowledge. Knecht the Hero of the novel is a guardian representing the magical Castalia, whilst his friend Designori, is a practical man of the world, representing the world with it's material imperfections and realities. Two worlds: One extremely Theoretical and one extremely
Practical. Like the two prevailing orders DURING Saturn retrograde: extremely real, tangible, practical world of the Solar/ sun energies. And extremely theoretical, abstract, contemplative Saturnine order.

I would compare Castalia with my favourite place in Delhi- J.N.U. Campus. A place where I have always ESCAPED to regularly for the past seven years of life in New Delhi, a city I took SO MUCH time to adapt. EVERYTIME, EACH DAY of the Past seven years,  that I have 
entered the J.N.U. campus to meet my friends scholar, now teacher priyam Barooah, and scholar, now teacher Chiranjib Sahoo, I found the campus, a HEAVENLY contrast, from the rigors of Delhi. Herman Hesse's Castalia in all it's makings. Like one of Castalia's monks, engaged in the most theoretical engagements. Like Castalia, scholars, Students, academics, in J.N.U, are suspended in their own parallel reality. A WORLD  removed from the outside urban megapolis of Delhi. A world in pursuit of the most conceptual, theretical pursuits which ultimately transform the world we live/ exist in. A world where policy, theory, normative concepts, guidelines take shape. which finally transform governance, administration. Especially in J.N.U., which produces the HIGHEST number of IAS officers, who finally create shape the future of the country. A scholar/ student in J.N.U., is perfectly symbolic of Saturn Retrograde, a embryo in utero, brooding, absorbing. Finally later when Saturn turns directional, these very theoreticians take the most practical mantles of administration of responsibilty. and shape our daily, administrative, MATERIAL reailty of our Country!

In this saturn Reto, 2013, as a Saturn ruled dude, I would officially practice the Castalian 'Glass Bead Game'. engaged in the thesis, theoritical exercises of a JNU scholar. Engage in constructs of the most virtual, abstract, theoretical, mathematical, conceptual nature.
Cheers to Hesse's Castalia. cheers to J.N.U campus. It's spirit of theoretical philosophy would rule this Annual saturn Retro, 2013 of 4.5 months.
Cheers to my friend Priyam Barooah who involved me actively in the theoretical aspect of her History thesis. Cheers to our endlessly long walks, rhetorics, engaging, endless discussions, conversation endlessly sprawling across all seasons, days, weeks, months and endless years. And which,helped me hone my academic disposition SO vital and neccesary to adress the meta-dynamics of Saturn Retro functions. Cheers!

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