Practising Intellectualism: "Ism that emerged from household works"

Last one month, it has been a very different experience for me. I have never stayed out of office environment owing to sick leave. Although the leave has not been able to put me out of work in terms of reading, writing. But as people say, every phase of life presents a magic. In bits and pieces many times I have realised that magic - The magic of emergence of intellectualities from household work.



For understanding that it is actually not necessary to always read selected readings of Immanuel Kant which mentions the notion of synthesis of information to produce knowledge. And that knowledge can come through practice only. Kant says that but I realised it through various household works of boiling milk, eggs, cooking vegetables, khichuri, egg curry. In many of these attempts sometimes I have failed but overall this last one month practice of fulfilling household duties of cooking, cleaning and arranging household materials have taught me how much intellect is ingrained in every day to day work. In our households across the Indian society, so many people mostly women are doing all these with such a precision. Every moment when I have messed up the gasoven surface with spillovers from pressure cooker while cooking khichuri have felt that how brilliant practising intellectuals are spread across in the Indian society who are dedicatedly exhibiting their practising intellect. Whenever this thought has come up on mind I have found a similarity of the same in another personality - "Sachin Tendulkar" an epitome of simplicity and a practising intellectual who through 21 years by his childish aspiration exhibiting to all of us the intellect by incessant practising.



This brings me to the question - "Who is an intellectual" - I never understood the real meaning of the word and also cant trust often the dictionary meaning of this word. This last one month has told me that in every house around us there are more than one practising intellectuals whose services and intellectual contribution are not valued or undervalued. For instance isnt a housewife who can tell that before cooking one should check whether there is moisture in the lid and one should clear it through blowing air is equally an intellectual like any other scientist?



I guess so and more importantly when they are able to do that so consistently it really demands much more sense of appreciation. I was actually feeling to write a counter point while reading the synthesis of knowledge sections of Kant from his selected readings. Parallely, was also thinking in today's context what if Kantian discourse is put forward by all the practising intellectuals who are all around us in every household.

It is not far when some day a book will be published like - "Selected Readings of Kantian Discourse - by practising intellectuals of households". I look forward to read that book and learn more about the magical aspects of practising intellectualism.