They were toys, they were tools, they were metaphors. The Meccano taught you that building was a concept with which you could construct a house and also a cosmos.
The kaleidoscope gave you a playful sense of patterns and provided hours of entertainment. They were old-fashioned ways of making sense of the world. I love in particular the philosophy of the kaleidoscope. It shows you how to construct life even out of broken bangles.
Whenever I read the newspaper today or watch news, I see confusion. The world seems to be a collection of broken glass and I seek my patterns. I love the cast of characters India generates. They range from characters out of a great Russian novel to those from a giant comic book. Recite their lines aloud and sense the sheer laughter and pathos in each. Read the full report here.
Source: by Shiv Visvanathan Deccan Chronicle.
