There are moments in life when one's perception about things change. This was one of it. Shibu, the mason on my site, my boss for the day asked me this.
I just looked aghast at him, I was busy trying to understand why the brick was placed half a centimeter away from the leveling thread. I told him that it is not Brute and that I am sorry to distract him. I was embarrassed. First of all I am not able to get it right, get all the details of making.. ah.. sculpting the wall. I tried really hard to dress appropriately to the construction site and I dint wince or say anything to get on to the plank 10 feet high with only the help of just another stick tied at mid height in between and still I get embarrassed badly... Ah!
But that moment is remembered by me for more than embarrassment, so many thoughts started playing in head.
I am somebody who associates a lot with the way a person is smelling and I dont like people who stink of sweat. YUCK is the word for me. I dont over do my deo, just that Shibu was trying to teach me how to do brick-work, 10 feet above the ground on a plank which is only 3 sticks tied together. But, at that moment I realised that I am stinking. The smell of sweat must be the sweetest smell to Shibu, his everyday smell. Its a scent to him who works under the Trivandrum sun in 98% humidity. For him I stink. I am a HUGE negative distraction. I must be YUCK to him.
All my perceptions about the various associations I had in life looked dumb to me in that moment. It was just my way of looking at the world, it is neither right nor wrong. Just mine. Everything is just a matter of perception and is because of our programmed daily lifestyle.
The reasons I was on site alone trying to learn brick work is entirely different. Working in an NGO can be really taxing at the most basic level.
"If you are working for an NGO always meet the founders or the heads, the rest are there only for the sake for various reasons that will pull you down everyday. Silly politics-crappy stuff that only happen in TV soaps, people not even remotely interested in working and people who dont even believe or know what they are doing", these were Inir's words long long time back when I was working for him. Well, I never understood them until I had to work in an NGO. I did not chose it because it is an NGO, my choice was "Laurie Baker".
So, on one of the most crappiest days in office-now one can imagine what all could have happened, I just picked my bags and went on to a site where there was brisk construction activity going on. I needed some action. I wanted to justify my being in Trivandrum in some way. Perhaps this is the first time a new-ie in the office is going to the construction site without a supervising engineer or any other peers. It did not matter. I just had a copy of the route map to the site, I have never been there before.
Reaching the site here is quite a trick because...
That is the state of most of the roads and if it is raining and its a slope then one literally has to cross waterfalls. Its amazing actually that people manage perfectly well in these conditions, its just that outsiders to the place are not used to it. Initially I never used to even venture into these kind of roads as I just felt there would not be nothing beyond it.
As I reached the site, every kind of 'irritation' I had was forgotten. Just the beauty of a well sculpted building. It is a sculpture as each brick is so carefully laid with every mm taken into account. It is the way to do things. It has to matter at every brick laid and every inch made. Its meticulous its crazy at the most basic level. But if that is not done, nothing will fall into place. Thanks to Shibu and many many masons who do it for us. LB is right, there is no bigger architect and planner than a Mason. He is the master, if you dont give up your ego and listen to him, through him, your larger picture is always blurry. God lies in details and details complete the picture.
I am learning. "This style is not good in construction site" I was standing with folded hands looking intently at what Shibu is doing and perhaps he felt as if I was supervising him. I am still a bloody engineer, my mannerisms wont go easy, my egos are too strong to break. I am learning.
The so-called bad day ended beautifully along with the hard working folk cheerily washing cement off their hands. By the end of the day, me and Shibu had one common fav song Tamil Pokiri's song and he also took my phone to take a picture of me working. :)
As I reached the site, every kind of 'irritation' I had was forgotten. Just the beauty of a well sculpted building.
ReplyDeleteGood , like your spirit :)