Divinity in work

Divinity in work

Integrity is a common factor expected in any professional activity. Similarly, how we treat our job with aesthetic sense is also vital.

Doing things with artistic taste and nuances may be called as ‘aesthetic’.

We cannot relish the way people work as some may do it without involvement, passion, sincerity and interest. Some occupation may be like that. For instance, garbage clearance cannot be done in a beautiful way. The place can look beautiful after the work.  Still, some do that job with a song. You cannot see ‘blue’ in their act on any day except their uniform.

I have seen some artists singing in concerts with their face, hands and arms in very difficult positions, looking very ugly to see continuously. In fact the body language of some of the artists can be fearful or irritating like insect catching, extracting milk etc.  Some may come in your dreams as nightmare and threaten you if you had seen them with lots of interest. Hands and Lips of some artists on the other hand can be very interesting (like the lips of Katrina Kaif, foot movement of Rekha, hand movements of Padma Subramanian).

Cooking and watching someone cooking can also be very interesting either in the kitchen or in the television channel. The way they handle products, vessels and the dishes is immaculate. Especially the ‘dressing’ that they may do after finishing the dish is  a scene to watch and relish beyond taste.  In fact, some restaurants these days are challenging us to come and see their kitchen. On the contrast, we cannot enter some kitchen – one may get confused whether they have only so many vessels in their rack. Some are the other way. You may wonder whether they have brought the food from outside, such neat and clean would be their kitchen. They always keep their surrounding spic and span.

I have seen come mechanic sheds very clean and tidy. At the same time, it was shocking to see some office staff keeping their workplace and table in a cluttered way. One should not attempt to open their table-drawers. They may get the shock of their life. What would fall on their head or leg…one may not know. “No Time” is the reason often told by all these people.

One may see the public toilets very clean abroad without any bad odour or smell or stain. Here in India, we cannot see a good toilet even in higher class train compartments.  It calls for a personal commitment and involvement.

We may even see some of the top Government officials dressed without any sense – with bathroom footwear, dirty shirts etc.  It is the other way abroad. Even the Police official is well dressed and well- behaved over there. Here, in India most vehicles are stopped only with the bang of the hand stick on your vehicle…even if you had followed all rules. Police officials after the check surely tell you “thank you and sorry for the inconvenience”. It is the other way here – a rude villainous look even after you pay them their ‘undue’!

To have a coffee, to buy a medicine, to fill fuel in our vehicle – we have a choice of our own outlets, shops. It is merely due to quality, commitment and cleanliness.  We may also get some extra respect, care, and service in those places compared to other outlets.

We may also appreciate in our mind about a few doctors and nurses for their painless way of doing the ‘injection’ or treating us with a smile apart from the fee being charged.

Some people may greet you in the textile shops, petrol bunks, jewellery shops with genuine smile. They are being trained that way to treat customers differently and with a difference. That is the reason we keep going to the same place time and again like a robot.

Some airlines people give ‘out of the way’ service, some bankers give extra-ordinary service even after the office hours. This may cost little more to the organization for sure. But the business improves in turn only because of this ‘good’ act of theirs.

I am afraid when I say all these things as to how can we expect such ‘special’ treatment in the Government offices. Even for doing their routine we pay them extra though they get paid very well.

If we like our job or profession we may do the same with lots of smile, interest and with the ‘serve’ attitude. Divinity automatically remains in that place of work.

Aesthetic act and doing things beautifully may be called as ‘divine’ work.

Those who are feeling divine about their profession would do a great job every day … living examples are Sachin Tendulkar, Hariprasad Chaurasia, Chef Sanjay Thumma, Amitabh Bachchan,  Kamal Hassan, Dr.Badrinath of Sanakara Nethralaya, Prannoy Roy of NDTV, Rajdeep Sardesai in the media and A.R. Rehman.