This is one thing I have to get out of my system. You come across all kinds of animals in the blogosphere, but some of them get your goat so bad that despite being unworthy of even a whisper, happen to merit special mention. One such absolute twerp is shaan khan.
I don't know much about the bounder but by the looks of it he is a mulish, wet behind the ears, galling gadfly.
I'd rarely say anything so venomous about anyone, but this one like I said deserves special mention. He also contributes to a theiving site that reproduces my posts without permission, he freely deletes comments from the comments forum if the views don't agree with his. It is impossible to have an intelligent conversation with him (partly because of the absolute lack of intellect on his part) because he deletes any comment that proves his point of view wrong. Like a little schoolboy tearing out pages from a rival's homework!
One look at a few of his posts (please do forgive me for forwarding you there) shows how biased his writing & reviewing is. He has the temerity to be disappointed with Khuda ke Liye, he constantly writes lewd posts about Abhishek-Aishwarya (no well brought up boy would say all that), he considers Jodha-Akbar to be a bad movie, he has an irritating contant anti-Bachchan stance, he can't even spell stellar right! And worst of all, he considers the movie that murdered the sweet memory of Karz, OSO a better film than the ones we just mentioned!
So once all of you have gone through the links & read his puerile vomit once, please do stay away from his bullcrap!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
11 match ban??? Is that all???
Looks like the Pakis have more balls than us!
Shoaib Akhtar is handed a life ban for hitting a colleague.
Shane Warne was out of the game for 2 years(?) in his prime because of a drug-related charge.
And Harbhajan gets a piddly 11 match ban?????????
We're truly a nation of losers!
Ban the offie for a minimum of 1 year from all forms of the game! That's the minimum punishment he deserves! 2 would be really nice!
That's the ONLY thing that will teach him a lesson! That's the only thing that will ensure that when he comes back, his temprament has undergone a change. Let him use the free time to undergo anger management lessons!
He has shamed all of us and totally embarassed us in front of the Aussies!
Shoaib Akhtar is handed a life ban for hitting a colleague.
Shane Warne was out of the game for 2 years(?) in his prime because of a drug-related charge.
And Harbhajan gets a piddly 11 match ban?????????
We're truly a nation of losers!
Ban the offie for a minimum of 1 year from all forms of the game! That's the minimum punishment he deserves! 2 would be really nice!
That's the ONLY thing that will teach him a lesson! That's the only thing that will ensure that when he comes back, his temprament has undergone a change. Let him use the free time to undergo anger management lessons!
He has shamed all of us and totally embarassed us in front of the Aussies!
Monday, April 28, 2008
Ethnicity, Politics or Progress?
Thankfully the discussion on this Blogathon is around a pet topic, one that will not unduly tax the limited resources at my disposal.
Ever since we gained some social consciousness, through newspapers & DD Samachar, thanks to the GK & Current Affairs awareness drives in school, it was amply clear that politics in India was inextricably intertwined with the despicable religion-caste-ethnicity mix! So one didn't react too much to the situation as we didn't know any better!
Until PV Narsimha Rao became India's Prime Minister! & appointed Dr. Manmohan Singh as the Finance Minister! For the first time since my socio-political awakening, I was witnessing a period where the Government focused solely on development issues. Every move of theirs, every newspaper article was chronicling globalization, open-markets, economy, growth, development etc. The leading opposition party (as is their wont) tried to drag PVN Rao into political debate, into religion & caste issues, but Rao didn't bite the bait. He had his agenda right. He would give his country something new to talk about! That was the first time that everyone in the country was talking about Development! That was the first time that the Finance Minister was a bigger hero than the Home Minister & the Defence Minister combined! That was the first time that we heard of the Montek Singh Ahluwalias of the world. Suddenly uma bharti, ashok singhal & the shahi imam(?) ceased to exist in socio-political conversations! WOW!!!
This is something that Dr. Singh has tried to replicate in his tenure as PM. Unfortunately this is something that he or his party cannot do alone. If the opposition is truly nationalist, then they must join hands in this movement & commit to keeping the discussions around areas that pertain to development. Maybe someone needs to put a code in place, the way an EC code exists?
I was recently talking to one of my ex-bosses about the state of India's affairs, and he said the very same thing! He pointed out that there was only one thing that made us shift focus from politics to development. And that was Economics! And now that the Commerce juggernaut has started to roll, it will only gather more momentum! Once people in the villages realise that it is development that will feed them, clothe them & educate their young, they too will cut ties with parties focused on petty religious-caste-ethnicity centred politics! And that day, a new India will rise!
In my humble opinion, India needs a unifying force. And that unifying force will be Economics! When the money starts to roll in people forget about caste differences. I am certain that India's BPO industry is replete with examples where the reporting structure has shattered caste or gender norms! And not one subordinate whether upper caste or male, has the guts to say anything! His newly acquired lifestyle is at stake!
So let Economics rule! Let Commerce rule! And watch a unified India take shape!
Ever since we gained some social consciousness, through newspapers & DD Samachar, thanks to the GK & Current Affairs awareness drives in school, it was amply clear that politics in India was inextricably intertwined with the despicable religion-caste-ethnicity mix! So one didn't react too much to the situation as we didn't know any better!
Until PV Narsimha Rao became India's Prime Minister! & appointed Dr. Manmohan Singh as the Finance Minister! For the first time since my socio-political awakening, I was witnessing a period where the Government focused solely on development issues. Every move of theirs, every newspaper article was chronicling globalization, open-markets, economy, growth, development etc. The leading opposition party (as is their wont) tried to drag PVN Rao into political debate, into religion & caste issues, but Rao didn't bite the bait. He had his agenda right. He would give his country something new to talk about! That was the first time that everyone in the country was talking about Development! That was the first time that the Finance Minister was a bigger hero than the Home Minister & the Defence Minister combined! That was the first time that we heard of the Montek Singh Ahluwalias of the world. Suddenly uma bharti, ashok singhal & the shahi imam(?) ceased to exist in socio-political conversations! WOW!!!
This is something that Dr. Singh has tried to replicate in his tenure as PM. Unfortunately this is something that he or his party cannot do alone. If the opposition is truly nationalist, then they must join hands in this movement & commit to keeping the discussions around areas that pertain to development. Maybe someone needs to put a code in place, the way an EC code exists?
I was recently talking to one of my ex-bosses about the state of India's affairs, and he said the very same thing! He pointed out that there was only one thing that made us shift focus from politics to development. And that was Economics! And now that the Commerce juggernaut has started to roll, it will only gather more momentum! Once people in the villages realise that it is development that will feed them, clothe them & educate their young, they too will cut ties with parties focused on petty religious-caste-ethnicity centred politics! And that day, a new India will rise!
In my humble opinion, India needs a unifying force. And that unifying force will be Economics! When the money starts to roll in people forget about caste differences. I am certain that India's BPO industry is replete with examples where the reporting structure has shattered caste or gender norms! And not one subordinate whether upper caste or male, has the guts to say anything! His newly acquired lifestyle is at stake!
So let Economics rule! Let Commerce rule! And watch a unified India take shape!
Jai_Choorakkot's Question
Jai seems to be fairly popular in the blogosphere despite his own blog not having been updated for years now! This is the second post one of this comments has inspired, and I'm happy to answer the question he raised here:
http://indianmuslims.in/amar-akbar-anthony/
Jai,
Your reference to the propaganda on the right-wing site intrigued me a lot. I wanted to speak to the more learned elders in my family to learn more about this, but didn't get the opportunity. So I looked it up on the net.
One only needs to know the name of the Prophet Muhammad's so-called "child-bride" to get the right results in Google. Her name was Ayesha.
http://www.guidedones.com/metapage/frq/Aisha.htm
The comments here are from the likes of Dr. Annie Besant, not indoctrinated mere nobodies.
Most interesting is Geoffrey Parrinder's comment. Or should I say the non-reaction of the Church to his comment. This is what I find admirable in Christianity & the West. You can lampoon anyone, burn the flag if you please, depict Christian sects as evil, but it will not elicit a violent reaction, nor stupid PIL's, nor despicable fatwas! We really should learn all this from them instead of importing high-fat burger chains from them. Don't you think?
http://indianmuslims.in/amar-akbar-anthony/
Jai,
Your reference to the propaganda on the right-wing site intrigued me a lot. I wanted to speak to the more learned elders in my family to learn more about this, but didn't get the opportunity. So I looked it up on the net.
One only needs to know the name of the Prophet Muhammad's so-called "child-bride" to get the right results in Google. Her name was Ayesha.
http://www.guidedones.com/metapage/frq/Aisha.htm
The comments here are from the likes of Dr. Annie Besant, not indoctrinated mere nobodies.
Most interesting is Geoffrey Parrinder's comment. Or should I say the non-reaction of the Church to his comment. This is what I find admirable in Christianity & the West. You can lampoon anyone, burn the flag if you please, depict Christian sects as evil, but it will not elicit a violent reaction, nor stupid PIL's, nor despicable fatwas! We really should learn all this from them instead of importing high-fat burger chains from them. Don't you think?
Friday, April 25, 2008
Cinegod...!
With everyone from A to Z in Bollywood being given some epithet or the other, with ALL of them being referred to as superstars or megastars, where does that leave those who are head and shoulders above the rest?
If hrithik is a greek god, if srk is king khan, what does one call Mr. Bachchan? A superstar? Just another superstar? Where's the distinction?
To be fair, Rajnikanth did say that there is only one Shahenshah & that is Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, but the press isn't given to using too many epithets with Mr. Bachchan. This may have to do with his earlier relationship with the press, but boy do those guys hold a grudge!
So coming back to the point of this post: What does someone address a Supernova of Mr. Bachchan's stature as?
I cannot think of a better suited word than Cinegod!
Awaam ki raae...?
If hrithik is a greek god, if srk is king khan, what does one call Mr. Bachchan? A superstar? Just another superstar? Where's the distinction?
To be fair, Rajnikanth did say that there is only one Shahenshah & that is Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, but the press isn't given to using too many epithets with Mr. Bachchan. This may have to do with his earlier relationship with the press, but boy do those guys hold a grudge!
So coming back to the point of this post: What does someone address a Supernova of Mr. Bachchan's stature as?
I cannot think of a better suited word than Cinegod!
Awaam ki raae...?
The men with the silvern touch...
Not Midas obviously, but close. This is a person whose antics I have resented in the past (with valid reasons at that point in time), but with more maturity & a calmer disposition, not anymore.
Shahrukh Khan. Much of what I said about him previously on this blog & in conversations, I still stand by; but one thing I cannot take away from the guy... practically everything he touches turns to silver. Despite limited acting, he still draws in the crowds; despite doing the same type of movies repeatedly, he still manages to set the cash registers ringing (largely). His touch seems to worked with the Calcutta team in the IPL circus, and the KBC debacle (and the DON damp-squib) notwithstanding, by the looks of it, he is set to romp home with his latest quiz show on TV.
Not that others don't outdo him in all these areas. Aamir, Saif, Hrithik etc. are better actors (and with probably better track records); Akshay reportedly is paid more than him these days. Shekhar Suman's rip off of Jay Leno did better than Khan's KBC... Yet Shahrukh makes all the news. And I am past blaming his PR machinery for that. They're only doing a good job of what they're hired to do!
On a separate note, it is sad that Shekhar Suman doesn't get the celebrity he deserves. The man is probably older than Khan, built up a great physique before Khan, recorded an album (in the process adding to his already long list of many many talents!), yet it was Shahrukh's apparent six-pack that made the news! Quite a shame actually.
Yet, it isn't all of that that I admire the man for. I have very little respect for SRK the actor, but I have immense respect for the man.
To the casual observer, he seems blessed, a modern day Midas (that's why I said silvern. I wouldn't wish that on anyone!); but anyone who has delved a little deeper will realise that he has had more than his share of misfortunes. His parents died young, his sister apparently still suffers from the impact of those early blows. He's had a serious spine problem. He has to face critics like me, worse probably, all the time. Yet the man carries on bravely!
It is this trait that I admire most about him. His ability to keep on moving.
He has got to a point where he doesn't let criticism bother him too much, and this is a trait very few men can develop. He is content to be who he is, and make himself successful with his limited means. Very admirable traits!
So, all the best Shahrukh. Keep on moving!
Similarly, Hrithik. Leads an apparently perfect life, looks like God sculpted him with His own hands; but look a little closer and you'll see. Hrithik isn't perfect. For all his God-made looks, he has two thumbs that give the impression of a claw. And the man has developed the guts to flaunt it on screen. His father was shot at by goons. He was unsure of the industry, unsure of whether he'd be able to make it, yet he hung in there, dug deep and gave it his best shot! And look what he came up with! Again & again!
No one is perfect, no one has it easy, everyone has to stand up & be brave, face his fears, & fight to come out a winner. Hrithik has done all of that and handles immense pressure. Till now. And my he continue to do so. All the best dude!
And who knows pressure better than Sachin Tendulkar? Who has people writing him off time & again? And who slams cricket ball after cricket ball deep down the throats of his critics to silence them again & again? Despite 20 years in the game having taken a toll on his body & mind, despite numerous surgeries, despite recent recurrent injury enforced hiatuses from the game, who comes up trumps again & again? Sachin Tendulkar! Absolutely Saluteworthy!
To these men of mettle...
Shahrukh Khan. Much of what I said about him previously on this blog & in conversations, I still stand by; but one thing I cannot take away from the guy... practically everything he touches turns to silver. Despite limited acting, he still draws in the crowds; despite doing the same type of movies repeatedly, he still manages to set the cash registers ringing (largely). His touch seems to worked with the Calcutta team in the IPL circus, and the KBC debacle (and the DON damp-squib) notwithstanding, by the looks of it, he is set to romp home with his latest quiz show on TV.
Not that others don't outdo him in all these areas. Aamir, Saif, Hrithik etc. are better actors (and with probably better track records); Akshay reportedly is paid more than him these days. Shekhar Suman's rip off of Jay Leno did better than Khan's KBC... Yet Shahrukh makes all the news. And I am past blaming his PR machinery for that. They're only doing a good job of what they're hired to do!
On a separate note, it is sad that Shekhar Suman doesn't get the celebrity he deserves. The man is probably older than Khan, built up a great physique before Khan, recorded an album (in the process adding to his already long list of many many talents!), yet it was Shahrukh's apparent six-pack that made the news! Quite a shame actually.
Yet, it isn't all of that that I admire the man for. I have very little respect for SRK the actor, but I have immense respect for the man.
To the casual observer, he seems blessed, a modern day Midas (that's why I said silvern. I wouldn't wish that on anyone!); but anyone who has delved a little deeper will realise that he has had more than his share of misfortunes. His parents died young, his sister apparently still suffers from the impact of those early blows. He's had a serious spine problem. He has to face critics like me, worse probably, all the time. Yet the man carries on bravely!
It is this trait that I admire most about him. His ability to keep on moving.
He has got to a point where he doesn't let criticism bother him too much, and this is a trait very few men can develop. He is content to be who he is, and make himself successful with his limited means. Very admirable traits!
So, all the best Shahrukh. Keep on moving!
Similarly, Hrithik. Leads an apparently perfect life, looks like God sculpted him with His own hands; but look a little closer and you'll see. Hrithik isn't perfect. For all his God-made looks, he has two thumbs that give the impression of a claw. And the man has developed the guts to flaunt it on screen. His father was shot at by goons. He was unsure of the industry, unsure of whether he'd be able to make it, yet he hung in there, dug deep and gave it his best shot! And look what he came up with! Again & again!
No one is perfect, no one has it easy, everyone has to stand up & be brave, face his fears, & fight to come out a winner. Hrithik has done all of that and handles immense pressure. Till now. And my he continue to do so. All the best dude!
And who knows pressure better than Sachin Tendulkar? Who has people writing him off time & again? And who slams cricket ball after cricket ball deep down the throats of his critics to silence them again & again? Despite 20 years in the game having taken a toll on his body & mind, despite numerous surgeries, despite recent recurrent injury enforced hiatuses from the game, who comes up trumps again & again? Sachin Tendulkar! Absolutely Saluteworthy!
To these men of mettle...
I'm a fair man
I never thought I'd get round to doing this, so never say never again.
I saw Chak De a few days back. And I'm going to retract part of what I said earlier. And I don't do this grudgingly, I do this with a touch of respect & admiration.
SRK is not a bad actor as I may have sometimes over-aggressively claimed. He is an actor that decides to do good work in patches. Chak De has him in probably the 2nd best performance of his career. Mr. Bachchan's influence over filmdom's collective conciousness is evident even in SRK. In the scene when he's talking to the 2 warring forwards before the final, there are not just shades of Mr. Bachchan, but it almost seems like Mr. Bachchan has taken on a shorter, younger body! ;-)
To be fair there are some scenes that could've been done better. For example the coach pep-talking the team scenes were a little insipid in comparision to Hollywood sports movies. Remember the Titans? But for that one has to talk to the director. Can't blame SRK for everything. I'm actually a little tired of blaming him now. Yes he could've turned the scene around if he wanted to, but compared to what he has been doing recently, this will do just fine. Yes, this will do very well!
Kudos Shahrukh! If only we got to see more of this stuff.
I saw Chak De a few days back. And I'm going to retract part of what I said earlier. And I don't do this grudgingly, I do this with a touch of respect & admiration.
SRK is not a bad actor as I may have sometimes over-aggressively claimed. He is an actor that decides to do good work in patches. Chak De has him in probably the 2nd best performance of his career. Mr. Bachchan's influence over filmdom's collective conciousness is evident even in SRK. In the scene when he's talking to the 2 warring forwards before the final, there are not just shades of Mr. Bachchan, but it almost seems like Mr. Bachchan has taken on a shorter, younger body! ;-)
To be fair there are some scenes that could've been done better. For example the coach pep-talking the team scenes were a little insipid in comparision to Hollywood sports movies. Remember the Titans? But for that one has to talk to the director. Can't blame SRK for everything. I'm actually a little tired of blaming him now. Yes he could've turned the scene around if he wanted to, but compared to what he has been doing recently, this will do just fine. Yes, this will do very well!
Kudos Shahrukh! If only we got to see more of this stuff.
Friday, April 18, 2008
more on balatkar
I was going through sitemeter's stats recently to check details of the incoming traffic to this blog.
Would you believe that about 35% of all people who come to this blog are sent here by Google searches for the word "balatkar"!!!
It just gives you a idea of the number of wierdos that abound on the net.
Probably explains why we encounter so many wierdos in the comments section on the Mutiny...! ;-)
Maybe I should publish IP details of all the people who visited via the "balatkar" gateway... Interesting thought...
Would you believe that about 35% of all people who come to this blog are sent here by Google searches for the word "balatkar"!!!
It just gives you a idea of the number of wierdos that abound on the net.
Probably explains why we encounter so many wierdos in the comments section on the Mutiny...! ;-)
Maybe I should publish IP details of all the people who visited via the "balatkar" gateway... Interesting thought...
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Why can they not leave the Nehru-Gandhi clan alone?
What is it with people in this country? Why're they obsessed with the Nehru-Gandhi clan??? And WHY on earth are they obsessed with the negative?
Sonia Gandhi commutes Nalini's sentence from death to life and there's no applause from her detractors. Maybe because her detractors are killers by nature and have no respect for greater virtue...
Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra visits her father's killer in jail, in an attempt to bury the ghosts that may have haunted her for years and what do I see the next day? Yahoo India carrying a poll on their home page, submitted by a lowly user, asking whether Priyanka's visit is a pre-election stunt???
Only the lowly can think so low.
Crossposted
Sonia Gandhi commutes Nalini's sentence from death to life and there's no applause from her detractors. Maybe because her detractors are killers by nature and have no respect for greater virtue...
Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra visits her father's killer in jail, in an attempt to bury the ghosts that may have haunted her for years and what do I see the next day? Yahoo India carrying a poll on their home page, submitted by a lowly user, asking whether Priyanka's visit is a pre-election stunt???
Only the lowly can think so low.
Crossposted
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
History & lies
Recently, whenever I quote from History, I have often been told that History is written by the ruler or the victor, therefore implying that whatever I know about India or the world is a lopsided even untrue view of things.
It is this claim that I seek to challenge with my post.
If History is indeed written by the victor or the ruler, how is it that we remember the 1857 Mutiny as our first war of Independence? We lost the damn war didn't we? Yet, we seem to have very clear accounts of the heroism of Mangal Pandey, Rani Laxmibai, Tatya Tope, Tipu Sultan etc. How come we've never heard of the Britishers heroics in that war?
We seem to have very clear memories of Porus conversation with ol' Alex & ensuing honourable discharge; despite Alexander being the victor.
We remember Siraj-ud-Daula as a hero despite his loss at the Battle of Plassey. Mir Jafar who won the battle for the British is remembered as a traitor.
How is it that the Indians heroism is well documented (including Sitting Bull's victory over Custer, an American war hero) despite them having lost overall to the marauding early Americans?
History is fair. It isn't only commissioned by the ruler. There are independent scholars who write it as well, taking into account a number of facts.
So where does this recent phenomenon of lamblasting known History come from? Where does this lamblasing of our schooling as British fed or Congress fed (or Macauly led!!!) come from?
I'll tell you. It's the recently English literate right-wing. After centuries of wallowing amongst dead languages, they've given up & adopted the medium of instruction that will give them access to PR machinery and media (in addition to better paying jobs). And they're using it to further their evil purposes!
I've heard that the Purana Qila excavations have unearthed artifacts about 2500 years old. Great news! I've yet to see a news item that boldly proclaims that 5000 year old remains of Indraprastha have been found! But rumours abound...
Soon, I guess there'll be a theory propogated that the Taj Mahal was actually built by a descendant of Chandragupta Maurya, but the ruling Mughals tampered with History & usurped his claim to it.
That's it ladies & gentlemen... the difference between History & lies!
It is this claim that I seek to challenge with my post.
If History is indeed written by the victor or the ruler, how is it that we remember the 1857 Mutiny as our first war of Independence? We lost the damn war didn't we? Yet, we seem to have very clear accounts of the heroism of Mangal Pandey, Rani Laxmibai, Tatya Tope, Tipu Sultan etc. How come we've never heard of the Britishers heroics in that war?
We seem to have very clear memories of Porus conversation with ol' Alex & ensuing honourable discharge; despite Alexander being the victor.
We remember Siraj-ud-Daula as a hero despite his loss at the Battle of Plassey. Mir Jafar who won the battle for the British is remembered as a traitor.
How is it that the Indians heroism is well documented (including Sitting Bull's victory over Custer, an American war hero) despite them having lost overall to the marauding early Americans?
History is fair. It isn't only commissioned by the ruler. There are independent scholars who write it as well, taking into account a number of facts.
So where does this recent phenomenon of lamblasting known History come from? Where does this lamblasing of our schooling as British fed or Congress fed (or Macauly led!!!) come from?
I'll tell you. It's the recently English literate right-wing. After centuries of wallowing amongst dead languages, they've given up & adopted the medium of instruction that will give them access to PR machinery and media (in addition to better paying jobs). And they're using it to further their evil purposes!
I've heard that the Purana Qila excavations have unearthed artifacts about 2500 years old. Great news! I've yet to see a news item that boldly proclaims that 5000 year old remains of Indraprastha have been found! But rumours abound...
Soon, I guess there'll be a theory propogated that the Taj Mahal was actually built by a descendant of Chandragupta Maurya, but the ruling Mughals tampered with History & usurped his claim to it.
That's it ladies & gentlemen... the difference between History & lies!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Another time, another country, another martyr...
This was supposed to go up on the Mutiny, but their editors seem a trifle busy at the moment (with more contributors than they can handle!).
I sometimes wonder why we don't celebrate World Martyrs. We speak in glowing terms about Gandhiji (and we should!); there was recently a post on Bhagat Singh (and a well deserved one!). There was a wonderful live-blogging experiment to commemorate the martyrs in India's first war of Independence!
If this is so because the Mutiny intends to focus only on issues that concern India & Indians, maybe I have my answer; but the kind of people that started & run the Mutiny, and my conversations with them, makes me believe that they don't intend to limit the remit of the Mutiny to only what happens in India.
So again, are only our martyrs deserving of remembrance? Not to me. Those kind souls who have been reading my comments, posts and blog will know that national boundaries, concepts of race, birth, origin etc. mean nothing to me. So here's remembering one of the world's foremost men, on the day he was martyred.
Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 to April 15, 1865):
Anyone who has read anything about the man cannot help being inspired by Lincoln. He was a colossus who strode through the consciousness of the American public then & continues to inspire thousands more today. (Thankfully, no imbecile can blame this on Macaulay!). He is remembered primarily for his abolishment of slavery in America, (and as it often happens to people who fight for equal rights for the underdog) for being the first American President to be assassinated. He is remembered for his leadership during the Civil War, despite his thorough dislike of of the ills of war. Quite a contrast from his trigger happy current day counterparts. One can't even speak of them in the same breath!
I present a few links that will give an insight into the mind of a man of strong values, a leader of men who fought when the cause was right, a man who believed in the equality of man irrespective of colour, region (among other bullshit) etc., and a man of immense humility:
Lincoln's letter to the Headmaster of the school his son went to.
Lincoln's letter to a lady who lost her sons in the Civil War. What other man would do/has done something like this?
Not many people know that Abe was not formally schooled as a young boy. He educated himself & went on to qualify as a lawyer. Not many people know that he single-handedly & successfully defended himself against a band of robbers once. The attack left a telltale scar that is visible in his photos. Not many people are aware that he had a string of failures (as a lawyer, as a businessman, as a Vice-Presidential candidate) before he finally made it as President, and the most respected President in America's history ever! Very few people realize that often it takes time to realize one's true potential, but when one does...
Don't we too need a leader like him that does away with the differences in our society? Even at the cost of a civil war? Maybe not, then again maybe...
I sometimes wonder why we don't celebrate World Martyrs. We speak in glowing terms about Gandhiji (and we should!); there was recently a post on Bhagat Singh (and a well deserved one!). There was a wonderful live-blogging experiment to commemorate the martyrs in India's first war of Independence!
If this is so because the Mutiny intends to focus only on issues that concern India & Indians, maybe I have my answer; but the kind of people that started & run the Mutiny, and my conversations with them, makes me believe that they don't intend to limit the remit of the Mutiny to only what happens in India.
So again, are only our martyrs deserving of remembrance? Not to me. Those kind souls who have been reading my comments, posts and blog will know that national boundaries, concepts of race, birth, origin etc. mean nothing to me. So here's remembering one of the world's foremost men, on the day he was martyred.
Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 to April 15, 1865):
Anyone who has read anything about the man cannot help being inspired by Lincoln. He was a colossus who strode through the consciousness of the American public then & continues to inspire thousands more today. (Thankfully, no imbecile can blame this on Macaulay!). He is remembered primarily for his abolishment of slavery in America, (and as it often happens to people who fight for equal rights for the underdog) for being the first American President to be assassinated. He is remembered for his leadership during the Civil War, despite his thorough dislike of of the ills of war. Quite a contrast from his trigger happy current day counterparts. One can't even speak of them in the same breath!
I present a few links that will give an insight into the mind of a man of strong values, a leader of men who fought when the cause was right, a man who believed in the equality of man irrespective of colour, region (among other bullshit) etc., and a man of immense humility:
Lincoln's letter to the Headmaster of the school his son went to.
Lincoln's letter to a lady who lost her sons in the Civil War. What other man would do/has done something like this?
Not many people know that Abe was not formally schooled as a young boy. He educated himself & went on to qualify as a lawyer. Not many people know that he single-handedly & successfully defended himself against a band of robbers once. The attack left a telltale scar that is visible in his photos. Not many people are aware that he had a string of failures (as a lawyer, as a businessman, as a Vice-Presidential candidate) before he finally made it as President, and the most respected President in America's history ever! Very few people realize that often it takes time to realize one's true potential, but when one does...
Don't we too need a leader like him that does away with the differences in our society? Even at the cost of a civil war? Maybe not, then again maybe...
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Airtel Indictment!!!
Link from a post that I put up on the Mutiny.
Mutiny uses Wordpress, which has some amazing features, but it's pro-tech-savvy approach sometimes makes the most simple tasks like linking to a photo extremely difficult. So here's the original photo in a more viewable format. Enjoy!
Mutiny uses Wordpress, which has some amazing features, but it's pro-tech-savvy approach sometimes makes the most simple tasks like linking to a photo extremely difficult. So here's the original photo in a more viewable format. Enjoy!
Spread the good word!
Monday, March 31, 2008
The Genesis of Wanderlust
If you've grown up travelling boxed in a huge rectangle on metal wheels, it is unlikely that you will be an avid traveller. If you spent most of your journeys devouring Hardy Boys & Enid Blytons on the top berth, you are even more unlikely to undertake a journey just for the journey!
If however, you naturally relate to verdant hillsides, lush green woods, the sound of gushing streams; if you know what it feels like after 5 minutes under a waterfall that's crashing on to your back and head, you genetic inclination may have triumphed over your circumstances! Wanderlust may still get you!
Man was meant to be an outdoors animal. This entire business of air-conditioned offices & laptops is ungodly!!!
I'd been mentioning this to a friend of mine for some time & he's been goading me to accompany him on a bike ride through the wilderness, but my conditioning kept making me postpone the trip. Finally about 2 weekends ago, I made the trip.
I travelled on Saturday night to Bombay, where we were to begin the trip from early Sunday morning. Now early mornings are not something BPO-ites are programmed to do; but we did manage to set out by a very sunny 11 AM. We made 2 stops for fuel before we hit the highway out of Bombay. 2 fuel stops, you ask? What were we riding? No, the Thunderbird isn't a fuel guzzler but we are!!! So after the Bharat Petroleum stop, we rode to Dara's Dhaba, parked the Thunderbird and swaggered in. We looked for a nice shady charpai, got rid of the shades, leaned back and ordered a hops flavoured brew that is more coolant than fuel! The shade cooled us from the outside, the brew from inside, light snacks & some heavy conversation (my friend leans towards the right & I'm a moderate) later, we were smiling relaxed smiles & looking forward to the trip.
Surbex T (my friend, the biker) decided to ride first as I'd never ridden the Thunderbird for long distances before this, least of all on the highway. It was my first bike-trip after all!
Surbex turned out to be a road-rules respecting rider, and initially I tried getting into the swing of things by trying to appreciate the multi-hued scenery that you encounter on the highway out of Mira-Bhayandar; but the fun caught up when I started enjoying what we had set out to enjoy... the ride! The sheer excitement of watching the Thunderbird gobble up road, knowing that you're leaving the city & vehicles behind, just enjoying the experience of being on a bike. If it weren't for the helmet, the wind-in-your-face element that is such an inseparable part of enjoying a bike ride, would've added to the thrill! I am of course omitting that the dust would've played havoc with your eyes, face & hair, but that's what city-slickers think like. I must think like a rider!
I took over from Surbex, after a while. I've always found the Thunderbird very easy to handle, and slowly I let her rip! I got to 104 kmph when I felt Surbex gently tapping me on the shoulder. Out of respect for his nerves (not mine, mind you!), I came back to cruise mode. The thrill of that short stretch, the experience of "biking" was slowly putting me in a very good mood!
We stopped at Mastan Naka to "re-fuel". A light lunch of Dal-Fry & Kadak Tandoori Roti later, we were on our way to Sajjan.
The road that leads away from Mastan Naka towards Sajjan, takes you into a different world altogether. It is impossible to imagine that merely 80 kms outside of Bombay, there are villages where people live in thatched roof houses & draw water from wells! India truly is bounteous and diverse!!!
If however, you naturally relate to verdant hillsides, lush green woods, the sound of gushing streams; if you know what it feels like after 5 minutes under a waterfall that's crashing on to your back and head, you genetic inclination may have triumphed over your circumstances! Wanderlust may still get you!
Man was meant to be an outdoors animal. This entire business of air-conditioned offices & laptops is ungodly!!!
I'd been mentioning this to a friend of mine for some time & he's been goading me to accompany him on a bike ride through the wilderness, but my conditioning kept making me postpone the trip. Finally about 2 weekends ago, I made the trip.
I travelled on Saturday night to Bombay, where we were to begin the trip from early Sunday morning. Now early mornings are not something BPO-ites are programmed to do; but we did manage to set out by a very sunny 11 AM. We made 2 stops for fuel before we hit the highway out of Bombay. 2 fuel stops, you ask? What were we riding? No, the Thunderbird isn't a fuel guzzler but we are!!! So after the Bharat Petroleum stop, we rode to Dara's Dhaba, parked the Thunderbird and swaggered in. We looked for a nice shady charpai, got rid of the shades, leaned back and ordered a hops flavoured brew that is more coolant than fuel! The shade cooled us from the outside, the brew from inside, light snacks & some heavy conversation (my friend leans towards the right & I'm a moderate) later, we were smiling relaxed smiles & looking forward to the trip.
Surbex T (my friend, the biker) decided to ride first as I'd never ridden the Thunderbird for long distances before this, least of all on the highway. It was my first bike-trip after all!
Surbex turned out to be a road-rules respecting rider, and initially I tried getting into the swing of things by trying to appreciate the multi-hued scenery that you encounter on the highway out of Mira-Bhayandar; but the fun caught up when I started enjoying what we had set out to enjoy... the ride! The sheer excitement of watching the Thunderbird gobble up road, knowing that you're leaving the city & vehicles behind, just enjoying the experience of being on a bike. If it weren't for the helmet, the wind-in-your-face element that is such an inseparable part of enjoying a bike ride, would've added to the thrill! I am of course omitting that the dust would've played havoc with your eyes, face & hair, but that's what city-slickers think like. I must think like a rider!
I took over from Surbex, after a while. I've always found the Thunderbird very easy to handle, and slowly I let her rip! I got to 104 kmph when I felt Surbex gently tapping me on the shoulder. Out of respect for his nerves (not mine, mind you!), I came back to cruise mode. The thrill of that short stretch, the experience of "biking" was slowly putting me in a very good mood!
We stopped at Mastan Naka to "re-fuel". A light lunch of Dal-Fry & Kadak Tandoori Roti later, we were on our way to Sajjan.
The road that leads away from Mastan Naka towards Sajjan, takes you into a different world altogether. It is impossible to imagine that merely 80 kms outside of Bombay, there are villages where people live in thatched roof houses & draw water from wells! India truly is bounteous and diverse!!!
As you go on, the road gets more & more deserted, the ride gets quieter and the air gets cooler. You pass Sajjan and head towards the Dam that Surbex keeps talking about as if it's paradise. I can understand why he speaks of it there. He's been there so often, done such speakable (& unspeakable) things there, that he practically owns the place.
About 30 minutes after we took the turn from Mastan Naka, Surbex goes off the road. We ride over the gently undulating dirt path for a while, then the Thunderbird skillfully negotiates a slight rise in the dirt road & suddenly we're in view of this vast expanse of cool, deep-blue water body. This is our destination. It's a river that has been stopped by the damn & the reservoir is straight out of Nat Geo!!!
It's fairly close to what Surbex has been describing it as. It's peaceful, it's cool, it's quiet. We spend some time in idle chatter. Surbex is distraught because his favourite tree has fallen. He oscillates between decrying this to me & talking to the stump of the tree... yes, I have some very strange friends. At least they're all real friends!
We proceed to the small waterfall that is formed by the dam letting some water through. It's not an easy path. One has to be almost goat-like sure-footed in order to reach it without slipping & falling! The water actually falls from a height & has the potential to hurt less able-bodied people! Surbex & I strip down to our undies (or his undies & my boxers to be precise) & venture under the "waterfall". Initially the force of the waterfall is a little intimidating; but we're brave young men. Plus we're already semi-naked, so no point turning back now. (How many times have you done that, huh?) So we slip under the waterfall, and let it beat down upon our heads, neck & backs. It's cold & we slip out almost instantly. Then we realize that it's colder outside when you're wet, so we slip back right under it. I had to because my left arm cramped the first time I went under it. So I went under it the second time to let the force of the water massage my cramp out! The waterfall oxygenates me & thrills me! I step out & roar to the world, "THIS IS WHAT MAN WAS MEANT TO DO!!! NOT SIT AT A DESK ALL DAY IN FRONT OF A LAPTOP!!!". Surbex, equally excited, joins me and hollers to the world, "LISTEN TO WHAT THIS MAN IS SAYING... HE IS RIGHT!!!" Not that there's anyone there to hear us. Not that they would've paid heed had they been there...
After 4 trips, it's clear that any more cascading water on our backs will lead to bruising or worse, vertebral dislocation. We step away, towel off, get dressed and decide to call it our "Brokeback Waterfall"! I'm going to get into trouble with my wife for saying such things...
Night falls quickly. We spend a couple of hours lazing on the stone & concrete dam. It's a clearer sky than in the city & one can see the stars. If we were younger, we'd be drawing Orion in the sky! We decide to head back once we've had enough conversation (we're not women for God's sake!)
I want to ease the "bird" down the rough but Surbex has some reservations. After some cajoling on my part & much pondering on his, he decides to take the risk. He thinks it's risky for a first time Thunderbirder to try off-road descent, with a pillion, but he's a brave boy. What he doesn't know that I am a natural. I ease the bike down so smoothly that he is impressed. I tell him that if I'm on a good bike, the man & the machine become one! He is very kicked about that statement!
I ride on gently over the aforesaid undulating path, enjoying the silence & the cool air that the night offers. I am transported to a trip to Goa about 5 years back. It brings a smile to my face. I realize that one of the things that makes me happiest is feeling the breeze in my face on a bike. I also get in touch with why I've always loved the night so much! It's the most relaxed time of the day.
I ride back until Surbex feels the urge to ride. He then proceeds to drive rasher than he has all day! Thankfully, he has to stop for dinner!!! Dinner is Dal fry & tandoori roti again! :-) I haven't done this highway dhaba food in 8 years maybe! What was I doing all this time???
Post dinner, Surbex decides to give me another scare; he cuts through two trucks driving alongside for a brief rush of adrenaline!
I holler at him, ask him to pull over, take over & promptly return the favour! :-D
This is fun, but I realize that we're tired and need to ride carefully. We do so, with the help of some terrible dhaba chai. We get into Bombay about 3 AM, thoroughly kicked, but just as exhausted.
I'm a convert! I intend to join Surbex on more of these trips, longer ones too which will entail lugging his 5-man(!) tent around. Don't ask me what he had in mind when he bought it. I might say something very incriminating!!! I am even considering buying a Thunderbird sometime late in the year. I know now that I will see more of India on a bike than I will in a car! It's so much more personal. And a LOT MORE FUN!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
A Joke... and a Question.
Joke first. For all the stark raving mad pseudo-nationalists...
Santa radio lekar POTTY karne gaya. Jab woh baahar aaya toh...
Banta: aaj to mazey se ki hogi?
Santa: khaak mazey se ki...! radio par jan-gan-man aa gaya, khade-khade karni padi...!
Now the question: Who is going to file a case against the originator of this SMS joke? Will the Bhopali & the Tirupati lawyers file a case, will NDTV discuss this as an affront to a national icon?
And now the Real Question... If "Hinduism" accepts Atheism as a valid religious philosophy, if people walk around claiming to be agnostics & atheists, why can I not be a Nation-atheist?
Answers, gentle readers?
Santa radio lekar POTTY karne gaya. Jab woh baahar aaya toh...
Banta: aaj to mazey se ki hogi?
Santa: khaak mazey se ki...! radio par jan-gan-man aa gaya, khade-khade karni padi...!
Now the question: Who is going to file a case against the originator of this SMS joke? Will the Bhopali & the Tirupati lawyers file a case, will NDTV discuss this as an affront to a national icon?
And now the Real Question... If "Hinduism" accepts Atheism as a valid religious philosophy, if people walk around claiming to be agnostics & atheists, why can I not be a Nation-atheist?
Answers, gentle readers?
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
My quiet half century...
I quietly crossed the 50 mark in posts on this blog some time back.
I doff my hat in respect to the gentle readers of this blog in appreciation of their continued reading.
I doff my hat in respect to the gentle readers of this blog in appreciation of their continued reading.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
On India’s National Symbols
There has been a lot of talk on our National Symbols recently. I’d written about it earlier and I’m picking up the thread here again.
Narayana Murthy, Tendulkar, Sania, Mandira Bedi & a host of celebrities (only them, mind you!) have recently been in trouble for apparent disrespect to the National Flag. It’s an altogether different story that I consider Mr. Murthy, Tendulkar & Sania National Symbols as well!
Parties who have zero achievements otherwise, like to rename cities in the name of Nationalistic pride. Going back to our old glory. Glory???? What glory can the village of mumbai have claim to?
I would like to initiate a debate on how much our National Symbols actually mean to us Indians.
The National Emblem: How many people actually know about the exact location or the history of the emblem? How many people ever visit it?
The Tricoulour: How many Indians are aware of what the 3 colours represent?
The National Anthem: Isn’t it true that this song was written to honour a visiting foreign monarch? Or is this just hearsay? If this is hearsay, why hasn’t it been effectively squashed? And if it’s true, where are the Nationalists who’re trying to rid India of her Colonial past?
The National Animal: What’s happening on the Tiger’s numbers in India? Shouldn’t it be as sacred as the Cow? There’s a lot of noise about putting country over religion… Only noise, huh?
The National Flower: If I say Lotus, what’s the first image that springs to mind?
The National Tree: Anyone who has stayed in rural India has probably heard stories about ghosts inhabiting our National Tree. Is that how one of our national symbols deserves to be known?
The National Fruit: What pride do we take in the lofty mango? Isn’t most of our finest produce exported? Oh! Ah..! That’s the source of pride then…? The $$$..! I get it!
Do we have a national drink? Tea anyone? Who popularized tea in India? Is it even indigenous to India? Now, if anyone tries to take my tea away from me, I swear I’ll kill them!!! Bombay’s name change I may be able to forgive, but tea is sacred!!!
National Language: This one I’m leaving blank. I seek the awam’s inputs.
We talk about preserving our heritage, our culture. We talk like experts on the origin of ancient Indian customs. Yet how many of us know what happened to Patliputra? Where are all the palaces from the Magadha dynasty that should’ve existed there? Why isn’t it on the tourist’s itinerary? We go to Lahore to watch a cricket match, but we don’t visit Mohen-jo-daro! This is nationalistic pride??? Bah!!! Humbug!!!
That’s it, I’m done. Over to you. Nationalists & pseudo-nationalists welcome.
Crossposted
Narayana Murthy, Tendulkar, Sania, Mandira Bedi & a host of celebrities (only them, mind you!) have recently been in trouble for apparent disrespect to the National Flag. It’s an altogether different story that I consider Mr. Murthy, Tendulkar & Sania National Symbols as well!
Parties who have zero achievements otherwise, like to rename cities in the name of Nationalistic pride. Going back to our old glory. Glory???? What glory can the village of mumbai have claim to?
I would like to initiate a debate on how much our National Symbols actually mean to us Indians.
The National Emblem: How many people actually know about the exact location or the history of the emblem? How many people ever visit it?
The Tricoulour: How many Indians are aware of what the 3 colours represent?
The National Anthem: Isn’t it true that this song was written to honour a visiting foreign monarch? Or is this just hearsay? If this is hearsay, why hasn’t it been effectively squashed? And if it’s true, where are the Nationalists who’re trying to rid India of her Colonial past?
The National Animal: What’s happening on the Tiger’s numbers in India? Shouldn’t it be as sacred as the Cow? There’s a lot of noise about putting country over religion… Only noise, huh?
The National Flower: If I say Lotus, what’s the first image that springs to mind?
The National Tree: Anyone who has stayed in rural India has probably heard stories about ghosts inhabiting our National Tree. Is that how one of our national symbols deserves to be known?
The National Fruit: What pride do we take in the lofty mango? Isn’t most of our finest produce exported? Oh! Ah..! That’s the source of pride then…? The $$$..! I get it!
Do we have a national drink? Tea anyone? Who popularized tea in India? Is it even indigenous to India? Now, if anyone tries to take my tea away from me, I swear I’ll kill them!!! Bombay’s name change I may be able to forgive, but tea is sacred!!!
National Language: This one I’m leaving blank. I seek the awam’s inputs.
We talk about preserving our heritage, our culture. We talk like experts on the origin of ancient Indian customs. Yet how many of us know what happened to Patliputra? Where are all the palaces from the Magadha dynasty that should’ve existed there? Why isn’t it on the tourist’s itinerary? We go to Lahore to watch a cricket match, but we don’t visit Mohen-jo-daro! This is nationalistic pride??? Bah!!! Humbug!!!
That’s it, I’m done. Over to you. Nationalists & pseudo-nationalists welcome.
Crossposted
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
New Year SMSes
I had intended to this in January, but the fact that I've gotten round to it now could point to anyone of the following:
- I am a lazy, procrastinating no-gooder!
- I am a committed workaholic with no time for myself!
- Since there are a gadzillion new years in this country & on this planet, there's never one time to put these up!
- Smetmes d Road traveld Turns out 2b More Beautiful thn d Destination reachd..! njoy leadng Ur Life no Mater wt it Turns out 2b..! Wish U a gr8 '08 happy New Yr
- Faith makes all things possible. Hope makes all things work. Love makes all things beautiful, May you have all the three this coming year.
- Happy new year happy lohri, maghi, holi, id, visakhi, ram naumi, shivratri, janamashtmi, diwali, sare gurpurban diyan lakh lakh vadhaiyan, merry chrismas 2008, vichale jedo hove thoda happy bday, je exam hove taan best of luck, 365 gud mrng, noon, night,kuch reha taan nahin, chalo saal bhar da syapa mukeya................ Wishing you a year full of laughter................
- Swarglok se samast devta,Vaikunth se Laxmi -Narayan,Kailash se Uma -Shankar,Brahmlok se Brahma, aur
Prithvi se Swayam HUM, aapko kehte Hai.. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
temporarily available on the Mutiny
So the Mutiny is taking up most of my time, eh...? Worry not dear reader. Just giving back to the Mutiny. They're a bunch of wonderful people (most anyway) & they deserve our support.
Here's my latest original post for them. No crossposting! :-)
Here's my latest original post for them. No crossposting! :-)
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
"Jodhaa-Akbar" review
I'd told Chacko once that I may not be able to find time to write a post solely for the Mutiny, but fate had willed otherwise.
So my first original work for Mutiny lies here.
Do let us know your thoughts.
As an aside, I have been struggling to find like minded people for quite some time in my new city. That didn't happen, but through the Internet, I chanced upon some wonderful folks at the Mutiny.
And also thanks to some commentors on that site, my eyes have also been opened to the abundance of anti-national elements in my India. These are the people that could potentially engineer India's downfall. They must be stopped. Join us in the fight to save India.
So my first original work for Mutiny lies here.
Do let us know your thoughts.
As an aside, I have been struggling to find like minded people for quite some time in my new city. That didn't happen, but through the Internet, I chanced upon some wonderful folks at the Mutiny.
And also thanks to some commentors on that site, my eyes have also been opened to the abundance of anti-national elements in my India. These are the people that could potentially engineer India's downfall. They must be stopped. Join us in the fight to save India.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Jaldi 5!!!
Another 5 posts in one day!!! Though I'm getting better productivity-wise, I just hope that I'm not sacrificing too much style for substance...!
So here are the posts that made up my second 5 wicket haul:
This is me at my controversial, iconoclastic best!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
