Meaningful Looks

 "Giving meaningful looks to the teacher",  was the charge read out to a cadet in the academy. Squadron Leader Malhotra himself a Rimcollian and an ex NDA burst out laughing on hearing the charge, the cadet in question was a bright scholar. He decided to send the erring cadet on liberty to the town to ogle at better specimens to his hearts content. After all an NDA cadet who is all of sixteen does need a break.  

Non verbal communication is a very interesting concept, eyes being the most perceptive organ, have a separate channel of communication. Since times immemorial, they have been able to convey where words fail. Poetry in Urdu and Hindi specially focus on the mischief which these eyes can play on innocent lovelorn Majnus (from Laila-Majnu folklore). Whether it is "Nigahen milan ko dil chahta hai" or "Ankhon hi ankhon mein ishara ho gaya" or "Yeh ankhen uff yumhaa.." Hindi films of yore relied more on conveying the message of love in a subtle manner rather than graphic details which we are subjected to these days.The simile for eyes ranged from deep like the oceans and blue like the lakes, they could be mirror like or source of torrential rains as in "Mere Naina Sawan Bhado.."Eyes  were goblets of wine intoxicating that could get the connosieurs drunk, they could be fearful or fearsome depending on the mood and circumstances or they could be blamed for the theft of hearts, as a mere flick of the eye was enough for that proverbial 'love at first sight'. There are nine "rasas" emotions, "navarasa" in Sanskrit, each one can be conjured by our eyes and that was considered the epitome of theatre. These are, Shringara (love/beauty), Hasya (laughter), Karuna(sorrow), Raudra (anger), Veera (heroism/courage), Bhayanaka (terror/fear), Bibhatsa (disgust), Adbutha (surprise/wonder), Shanta (peace or tranquility). We have been at the receiving end of most of them sometime or the other. As an eminent poet has conveyed that eyes when lowered becomes graceful ("ada"), when raised it could be construed as an error of commission, ("khata"). 

Eyes are a perfect give away, as was evident in the Rahul Gandhi's wink in the Parliament,  after the famous "Jhappi" which he subjected PM Modi ji to. The intent of the perpetrator in this case was captured by the camera and the mischievous smile conveyed it all which was played ad nauseam  by the electronic media. I am also reminded of the  Bond Flick  "For your Eyes only", all confidential documents bear the same  statutory warning.

Recently we had gone to a party where a very handsome colleague was his usual debonair self, dressed to kill with a stetson hat, black goggles together with his drop dead looks, he was a dangerous potion for the ladies. I was reminded of the 1991 movie,"If Looks could Kill", a couple of years ago a wink went viral on social media where Priya Warrier, an Indian actress, floored the subject of this deliberate closing of eyelids accompanied by imitation of a gunshot. She further goes on to drive the point home by raising her eyebrows too in a seductive manner. Chashme Baddoor!! Here goes..