destination india

for a few coins more

2006-02-08T18:12:00.000-08:00

The sinking of the Egyptian ship in the Red Sea that claimed nearly 1000 lives is an example of how man’s greed leads to avoidable catastrophes. From accounts of the survivors who have had miraculous escapes, it is understood that a fire had broken out and explosions were heard. Parallels are being drawn with the sinking of the pleasure ship Titanic which hit an iceberg. The only similarity between the two is the fact that both ended in watery graves for the passengers on board.

In our own country we have faced accidents of this nature – like the one in which several bogies of the Mumbai-Howrah train were gutted in a fire that broke out in one of the compartments when breakfast was being prepared. It seems a travel agent was responsible – he wanted to cut corners in expenses and, hence, carried along with his team of tourists, his own kitchen complete with gas cylinders, cooks etc. Then there are road accidents involving overcrowded buses that believe speeding is the best way to reach the terminus – unfortunately, sometimes the terminus works to be the last one.

Such accidents will continue as long as the greed factor takes precedence over factors of safety. Whether it is on land or in the water, lives lost result in hardships for those who are left behind. Unless they are covered by insurance, the organizations suffer financial losses. Overcrowding and carriage of inflammable articles in public modes of transport are risky; notes of caution are sounded from time to time. Invariably, the culprits are the persons who are directly in contact with the passengers – packing the passengers like sardines in cans tempts them to earn a quick buck. Usually, they get away with such practices but, when calamity strikes, they themselves might become the first victims.

The responsibility finally rests with the organizers. It is for them to ensure that the traveler reaches his destination safely.

pace war in peshawar

2006-02-08T08:10:00.000-08:00

The interactive program on TV after the loss of the first ODI in Lahore to Peshawar by virtue of the D/L system was an eye opener of sorts. The mantra of the home team was simple – ‘it is a pace war in Peshawar, if you survive, you win’. There were four culprits on view and the major part of the blame went to the Nawab and the Wall.

Yes, the Nawab of Najafgarh should have scored runs. He is a part of the Indian team and has an important role to play. He earns crores of rupees through his endorsements of a wide range of products. It is not enough to present an once-in-a-lifetime knock to justify his retention in the team. That is why the phrase has been aptly coined – ‘yeh dil mange more’. It is fine to sing along with the group and go into huddles for promotional ads but, the end result of failures leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. His fans want continuity, especially when he nurtures hopes of leading the team in future.

The Wall crumbled because of excessive experimentation. Sending Irfan one drop was a good decision but then sending Dhoni and Yuvraj in quick succession was poor strategy. It has been proved repeatedly that we lack the killer instinct – the last ten crucial overs leave us helpless. If we are batting, we struggle to put bat to ball; if we are fielding, we delight in no-balls, wides and loose deliveries. And then, we wring our hands in misery which, in the ultimate reckoning, is of our making.

Singling out individual players for criticism will never help in achieving Vision 2007. If new blood needs to be groomed, so be it. Throwing players like Murali Karthik to the wolves result in avoidable extra runs. With an off-side field, the poor fellow loves to pitch the ball on the batsman’s leg – the ball naturally races to the ropes without any hindrance. Even our so-called fast bowlers have to be disciplined to bowl in the ‘channel’ – if suitable punishment is meted out to the erring ones, the trend could be rectified. It is needless to mention that the nagging line and length of newcomer Asif and his wonderful ability to bowl wicket to wicket was one of the main reasons for the downfall of our celebrated batting lineup.

All said and done, the invaluable experiences that we are gaining in our sojourn in Pakistan must be viewed as a golden opportunity to build a powerful team for 2007.

weekly news round up 5

2006-02-08T07:53:00.000-08:00

This is the 5th set of News involving India and Indians as reported in some leading newspapers during the period 29th January to 4th February 2006 -

City can be world-class in 10 years

NEW DELHI: The Delhiite may have some concerns about the city but envisions a very bright future for it, especially in comparison with the other metros of India. ….. The TNS survey was conducted with 301 respondents in the age-group of 15-55 who reside in Delhi to gauge their impression of Delhi vis-a-vis Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata as well as various aspects of Delhi as a city and their vision of its future. …. While Delhi was perceived to have made the most progress over the past five years in terms of transport facilities, education, job opportunities and lifestyle, the respondents believed that Mumbai and Bangalore had done better in terms of providing basic amenities. …..

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1393467.cms

Indian journalist bags Mahboob ul Haq award

NEW DELHI: Pradeep Dutta, a reporter of 'Times Now' news channel, on Monday bagged the Mahboob ul Haq award instituted by the Colombo-based Regional Council of Strategic Studies, the first journalist from India to win the honour. ….. Dutta was awarded for his work on Indo-Pak Water Politics and Cooperative Security in South Asia. …….

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1393176.cms

Bengal launches IIT-designed rickshaw

KOLKATA, JANUARY 31: The West Bengal Government today officially adopted a sophisticated, aerodynamic tricycle rickshaw developed by a professor from IIT-Guwahati at Dinhata near Cooch Behar. Over the next few years, the new vehicle is all set to replace over-6,000 hand-pulled rickshaws that ply Kolkata’s streets……

http://www.indianexpress.com/archive_frame.php IE Archives 1/2/2006

Benfish tourist lodge opens in MurshidabadBEHRAMPORE, Jan. 29. — With an aim to develop the tourism potential of Murshidabad, the state fisheries ministry today opened a tourist lodge complex comprising of AC and non-AC cottages, restaurant, conference hall at Behrampore……

http://thestatesman.net/page.arcview.php?date=2006-01-30&usrsess=1&clid=23&id=132424

Vindhyagiri beckons even at night!

Digambara Jain Mutt pontiff Sri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji has convened a meeting of Government officials on Monday to review the preparedness in Shravanabelagola, especially in the areas of sanitation and medical emergency, with only nine days left for the biggest draw of the celebrations, the Mahamastakabhisheka of Bhagwan Bahubali beginning February 8. ……..

http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jan302006/state184482006129.asp

International status for Calicut airport

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to declare the Calicut airport as an international airport, thereby paving the way for the improvement of the infrastructure there for handling international flights…….

http://www.hindu.com/2006/02/02/stories/2006020215240100.htm

Ceramic hip in place, woman on feet again

Burdwan, Jan. 29: Doctors in a state-run hospital have broken convention by reconstructing a 40-year-old woman’s hip with a ceramic replacement, which scales down the cost of surgery by a whopping 80 per cent. ….. The surgery, beamed live to audiences in a packed hall, mostly doctors, was conducted at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital about a fortnight ago ……

http://telegraphindia.com/archives/archive.html Archives, 30/1/2006

2006 boi mela highlights

2006-02-04T22:37:00.000-08:00

The fair was inaugurated by the Spanish author Dr. Maria Fernanda Santiago Bolanos. Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharji and the Ambassador of Spain were also present on the dais. One of the renowned authors commented that – ‘this fair is the heart of Kolkata, this should not be shifted. Why do the authorities not consider it as the lungs of the city?’ The Mayor also joined in and added – ‘this fair is only of 12 days duration. How can a fair here for such a short period create imbalance in the environment?’ The obvious references were to the ongoing struggle to allow the fair to remain in its present location and not be shifted to the proposed new location in the bypass. The CM responded in his usual tongue-in-cheek manner with – ‘I am one of you. I will do what is necessary by considering the legal and environmental aspects.’

*****

One of the characteristics of this annual fair are the forums where professionals interact with the audience to discuss important subjects. One such was ‘whether IT is the only key to success in West Bengal’. One of the speakers said – ‘there cannot be a single master key to unlock all vaults – there has to be separate keys for each.’ Another person said – ‘there are 50 lakh unemployed in the state out of which 20 lakhs are illiterate. Four out of five persons stay in villages. It is, therefore, important to think of IT as one of the means of development.’ Yet another person opined that ‘to fulfill the aspirations of 60 percent of the people, a political will is equally important.’

*****

It is a bit strange that the electronic media seems not too very enthusiastic this year as compared to last year. Especially missing are visuals of the youth brigade of musicians, painters and artists. The coverage of Boi mela 2006 has been done as a matter of routine by Doordarshan with not much variety. Even the newspapers have not devoted much space to this annual event.

****

The official website has no information on ‘glimpses of 2006’; also, the ‘site map’ is too tiny for any meaningful purpose to be served.

Also read -

http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2006/01/23/425684.aspx

pollution free environment

2006-02-02T03:21:00.000-08:00

Pollution free environment is a dream that becomes a reality only in the video footages of Natgeo – we would love to have clean, fresh air to breathe, fruits and vegetables that taste as they should taste, peace and happiness in every home devoid of anger, irritation or misery. We would love to listen to the chirping of the birds and see the butterflies as they flit from one flower to another. We yearn for Utopia. Our leaders keep promising to lead us into that dreamland but, we end up in hospitals and nursing homes with cough, cold, asthma and other similar diseases that are the legacies of pollution. Some TV channels show the levels of pollution in leading cities – the concern ends there. The information comes at the end of the news and does not mean much to the viewer who is more interested in the program that follows. Those lucky few who are blessed with wealth try to lose themselves in the pollution free environment of foreign shores. They are usually accompanied by those whose primary duty is to ensure that he enjoys his holiday. But, escape is no easy – he continues to worry whether his last investment is giving results.

In order to boast of a pollution free environment, we have to analyze the reasons, identify and isolate them and take corrective action. The largest culprit is the automobiles that spew fumes. Plenty of measures have been laid out to arrest such pollution but ensuring their implementation is difficult. A solution could be to encourage the use of bicycles or solar powered or electrical vehicles till tele-transportation Star Wars style becomes a reality. Organizations could consider introducing incentive schemes to promote projects of this nature – it will revive the tramways. Employees who declare that they commute to work by metro rail or by the tram would be eligible for bonus marks at the time of the annual performance review.

Such thoughts have a gloomy side – the automobile manufacturers would feel threatened while the bi-cycle and battery manufacturers would be elated. Also, professionals of the medical fraternity would nurse ill will against those who support the drive for a pollution free environment because it will imply less risk of falling sick, hence fears of loss in earnings. If only some one could work out a compromise …..

gear up for d day

2006-01-31T23:10:00.000-08:00

Yes, D-day has come in all our lives at some time or the other. No, it is not Doom’s day when Pearl Harbor was bombed but the Deciding day – the day when you take the first step in whatever you plan to do. The first tentative steps are always fraught with fear, the fear of the unknown, the fear of defeat, the fear of mockery. It takes tremendous mental strength to come out of the crisis. Those who emerge with flying colors instinctively learn the basics of crisis management – never say die.

One such D-day is the examination day. Remember when we were kids and would come to the exam hall with palpitating hearts. We would be accompanied by our parents and, we would have flowers in our pockets, flowers that were blessed by the local pujari. Our mothers would have prostrated themselves in front of the deity and prayed that their children come out with flying colors. Those were the days when a ‘pass’ was considered to be an achievement of sorts. As we slogged it out in the confines of the torture chambers racking our brains to unearth the replies from memory, our parents would wait patiently outside in the school grounds, under the shade of trees. Once we submitted our answer papers, we would meet them and proceed to share a few moments of peace along with our lunch. There would be some special item in the menu – just to encourage us and egg us on to achieve the target. The last day of the exams, all of us would heave a sigh of relief and proceed to celebrate with, probably, a cinema show. The cinema distributors knew and were ready with their fare of cinemas that the whole family could enjoy.

Today, the examinees are under constant tension to perform – they have to ensure marks in the nineties. Everyone’s energies are diverted towards that end. While the mothers keep awake with glasses of nourishing drinks for the kids, the TV remains dead, relatives do not drop in and the fathers try to lay hands on authentic suggestions. Once the last of the exams are over, the poor kids have to move on to the next stage – prepare for the competitive exams that pave the way for the future. It is no wonder that many of these kids succumb to the pressure and resort to actions that leave all concerned helpless.

identity crisis

2006-01-31T18:15:00.000-08:00

Until recently, a person was identified as the son of so-and-so. The reason was simple – the son was the obedient offspring who did what his parents wanted him to do. He did not enjoy the freedom to do what he liked to do; a profession was forced upon him. In all probability it would be the profession of his father because, in that case, he could benefit from the vast knowledge and experience that his father had acquired from his father and so on and so forth. The trend continues even today in certain areas, the most important one being in politics where it is in the interest of all concerned to ensure that the work of serving the people does not grind to a halt. In other areas, times are not the same any longer – the parents of today want their son to make a mark for himself in his chosen profession. As a result, the son usually always outshines his father and an identity crisis of sorts emerges. The father is now known with respect to his son – like, he is the father of Doctor So-and-so.

With every passing day, the identity crisis keeps getting more and more unmanageable. Since I am a salaried person, I am the proud possessor of a PAN – the identity for the Income Tax men. I have to quote it in all my business transactions so that, if ever the IT folks want to pin the charge of assets greater than known source of income, I can wriggle out by lining the pockets of the lawyer. Sometimes, paying the IT may work out to be cheaper than falling in the trap of the black coats.

My identity in the bank is as customer account number so-and-so – the bank is computerized and the tiny four digit account number has expanded to a 12 digit one. Then there is the credit card with its unique password – I am supposed to remember it and not keep it written down somewhere. On top of these mandatory numbers are the 10 digit numbers of mobile telephones and the twelve plus digits of landline telephones.

Each of these numbers identifies us in different ways to different sections of society. Once you juggle the digits, you land yourself in an identity crisis.

save in grace

2006-01-31T07:15:00.000-08:00

Saving is an art that very few have mastered. It was an attribute inbuilt in the growing up periods of the girls and a legacy they carried into their married lives. They learnt it from their mothers and grandmothers – keeping aside a handful of rice in a separate container every day or carefully hiding the leftover coins in an earthen pot under the cot or behind those large jars of pickles. These handfuls of rice and the loose coins were assets they could latch on to in case of extreme emergencies. These were the traditions in villages when banks had not invaded the interior heartlands.

Later, as people moved out of villages and settled in cities, they came to know of banks. They also learnt that locking up money is not a wise move; money has to move for it to multiply. Opening a savings bank account was the first step in this direction. People were encouraged to deposit those small coins and notes in the bank rather than keep them hidden from prying eyes – the incentive was an automatic addition to the kitty in the form of the annual interest. There were accounts for school children also and it was a novel method of propagating the message of ‘save for a rainy day’. Along with the regular savings bank there were recurring deposits and fixed deposits. All these were voluntary schemes. However, the provident scheme was a forced saving thrust upon all salaried persons. The intention was to ensure that at the end of his service period or in case of untimely death, there were adequate funds to fall back upon. A modified version of the provident scheme was the public provident scheme where both the salaried and the non-salaried could deposit money. The returns were attractive when the saving in income tax is also taken into account.

However, over a period of time, the concept of saving has changed. In the age of plastic money, when swiping the credit card to record transactions is more fashionable, hardly any one saves for the rainy day. They become members of groups and these groups take care of sudden needs of finance – the repayments are spread over a period of time. Whether it is hospitalization or holiday travel, the tendency now is to have it, then pay. Not like when the philosophy was – first have the money, then spend it.

all for a room

2006-01-31T04:50:00.000-08:00

Getting a room to stay is a problem all of us have faced. Even if you do manage to get one, you may not like it because of uncompromising neighbors who expect you to follow all norms of society but will ensure that they themselves break all of them. Those who have the advantage of accommodation provided by the company are comparatively better off than those who have to make their own arrangements. The options of change of allotted accommodation could be availed of but then, you may very well land from the frying pan into the fire.

The problems are perennial and are attributable to the inherent desire of man to be independent. When people began to venture out from their homes in search of employment in distant places, they longed for a home away from home. Some were happy with the Paying Guest accommodation they managed; others entered into local matrimonial alliances to solve the problem. As they say, to get something, you have to sacrifice something. That is what happened, to be independent and lead your own life you ultimately became dependant on the system itself where the roof above your head was always in doubt. There was a time when rented accommodation would be available only to a family man – that was a reason why freshers would get married in the first instance. With a wife in tow, the accommodation problem would go. However, the fear of eviction remained. If your landlord felt you to be, in his opinion, a nuisance, he would make your life miserable. Your nuisance value could very well be the rent you shell out. When the landlord feels he is not getting his worth, he will cut off your light or put on hold your water supply or resort to various other tactics to compel you to look elsewhere.

Therefore, the safest bet is to go in for ownership basis accommodation – in large metros, the costs are prohibitive. But, in spite of that, the existing advantages of claiming relief from Income Tax based on the loan repayment amounts have influenced decisions to go in for such accommodation. Only, if you desire to be near to your place of work, you have to pay through your nose. Hence you move out to the suburbs and make do with everything in their abridged editions – the sofa set doubles up as a bed at night, the dining table folds into the wall to make way for the kids to play, two tier beds ensure that the floor space in the kids bedroom is utilized to the maximum extent possible. The only problem is when near and dear ones drop in. With every square inch accounted for, entertaining others overnight sends shivers down your spine. Your unwillingness in these matters sour relationships and, you have no other alternative but to grin and bear it.

crime and criminals

2006-01-29T06:54:00.000-08:00

Crime is today just another profession – small time cheats roam the streets of Mumbai in the hope of making it big. The news report of people being taken for a ride by buying bars of soap molded to resemble mobile phone hand sets was funny. One of the pair arrested was a knife sharpener and the other a painter – both in their early twenties! The story of the shoe shine boy who never accepted coins thrown at him and who made it real big in the underworld must have had a tremendous influence on these persons.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1383621.cms

Bollywood is creating ripples with the news that a film director is on the lookout for real life criminals to act in his forthcoming venture and impart authenticity to the modus operandi. This will reduce our so-called muscled strong men heroes to lollypop heroes – real life gangsters and their molls will usurp the hot spots. That night would not be far off when the glittering awards functions will have these most wanted men occupying the front row seats. They might also share the dais with celebrities and climb the steps amidst applause of the assembled cream of society to accept the memento. Once the function comes to a close, they will be escorted back to their cells and put behind bars. Of course, today also the scenes are quite similar – only, the camouflaged criminals have ensured that the tag of ‘most wanted’ is not attached to them.

And, from the capital comes the news that common robbers took a group of commandoes by surprise. It is a sad state of affairs. Commandoes are supposed to be the swiftest, the smartest, the most observant ones – they shoulder the responsibility of the safety of our leaders. They are meant to be reincarnations of James Bond, they must always be one step ahead of the criminals, they are there to pre-empt attacks. If a couple of ordinary thieves can pull the rug from under their feet, we need to have a relook at our selection procedures and training methods. Such instances could probably be the result of an injudicious quota system that exists somewhere and lies in wait to sabotage honest intentions.

weekly news round up no. 4

2006-01-28T23:20:00.000-08:00

This is the 4th set of News involving India and Indians as reported in five leading newspapers during the period 22nd January to 28st January 2006 -

The Times of India - Bhel to set up 500 MW power plant in Sudan - NEW DELHI: India on Monday okayed a loan of $392 million in two Lines of Credit through Export-Import Bank (EXIM) for setting up a 500 MW power plant and a transmission line project in Sudan. ….. This would make India’s second largest investment in Sudan after ONGC Videsh Ltd's (OVL) $1 billion plans in Sudan. …. (read more)

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1383923.cms

The Times of India - UK babus feel Indian job takeaway pinch - LONDON: British civil servants and their government are in conflict over plans to off-shore a sizeable chunk of official work to India, in the first large-scale government operation of its kind. ….. The plans, leaked by the Public and Commercial Services Union, the UK's largest civil servant union, are aimed at saving the British exchequer one-billion pounds …. (read more)

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1383894.cms

The Hindu - India ranks low in environment performance - New York: India ranked among the 20 lowest-scoring countries in meeting a set of critical environmental goals such as clean drinking water and low greenhouse-gas emissions, according to a study by two U.S. universities. ….. The pilot study `2006 Environmental Performance Index' jointly produced by the Yale and the Columbia Universities, shows that just six nations — led by New Zealand, followed by five from northern Europe — have achieved 85 per cent success in achieving such goals. ….. (read more)

http://www.hindu.com/2006/01/24/stories/2006012414210100.htm

The Daily Telegraph - Mission to Mars goes 3D - Museum SET TO UNVEIL 25-SEATER THEATRE - Bees fly by so close that you fear they will sting you. Rocks explode and you duck instinctively, only to realise it’s just a movie. …… “True 3D” is coming to the city next week — not at a theatre near you, but at a museum. Birla Industrial and Technology Museum (BITM) is set to unveil its three-dimensional theatre with a mission to Mars.
“This will be the first of its kind, high-resolution 3D theatre in the country,” said Jayanta Sthanapati, director of BITM. While Science City also has a 3D viewing system, the quality is not comparable in any way, Sthanapati added. …. (read more)

http://telegraphindia.com/1060125/asp/calcutta/story_5761497.asp

The Indian Express - ‘India Everywhere’ at Davos - NEW DELHI, JANUARY 22: No one would be able to miss the Indian presence at the World Economic Forum’s annual summit at Davos this year. The Indian economic community has come together under a initiative, spearheaded by the CII, the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) and Ministry of Tourism. The initiative stresses on a focused communication campaign to enhance the Brand India ‘‘touch points’’ through special events and promotions. This includes an advertising campaign to position India as the ‘‘fastest growing free market democracy’’. …. (read more)

http://www.indianexpress.com/archive_frame.php

The Deccan Herald - Flower power at Lalbagh! - There is no better time to step into Lalbagh than right now, thanks to the glass house that is bursting with blooms of myriad hues. ….. The Republic Day Horticultural Show, organised by Mysore Horticultural Society kickstarted on Friday, with the floral carpet of the pink cassias, golden acacias, purple jacarandas and flame-orange gulmohars beckoning visitors in hordes ….. (read more)

http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jan212006/city203342006120.asp

net bowlers to enhance net worth

2006-01-26T22:58:00.000-08:00

One more exercise in futility has come to an end with the second Test in Faislabad going the way of the first one at Lahore. When the pitch is prepared to ensure a draw, it means that the host team management is apprehensive of the outcome. Such tactics can be interpreted to be abject surrender to the better team, instead of proving in the field which is the better team. The visiting team, obviously, scores the psychological advantage. It speaks volumes for the management of the Indian team.

Cricket is one of the most attractive of outdoor games today. It is enjoyed by the young and the old alike from Chandigarh to Chennai, from Vadodara to Visakhapatnam, from Kolkata to Kanyakumari – whether it is an ODI or a Test match is immaterial. The longer version was written off by some, but it is regaining ground and is inching up the popularity chart thanks to the induction of youngsters who love to dazzle with both the bat and the ball. Today, it is becoming a team of 11 all-rounders. The electronic media has played a major role in this aspect – all the major TV channels like Aaj-Tak, NDTV, Star News, and Sahara News rope in specialists of the game who present their versions of the forecasts before the start of play and the analysis at the end. The time slots are also staggered to allow greater participation. Gone are the days when a score of 125 for a full day’s play was passé – today scores are accounted as the number of runs versus the number of balls faced. Also, RPO has become an important index to judge the effectiveness of either the bowler of the batsman – if the RPO is small, credit goes to the bowler; else, to the batsman.

In such a changing scenario, the thought of allowing ‘spare’ bowlers into the team throws up immense possibilities. Apart from the regulars, whose numbers are restricted, this option of carrying ‘net bowlers’ will permit a few more players to travel with the team and enjoy fringe benefits. It will enhance the net worth of the team.

If the idea does find favor, we may see several others inducted into the team. For example, experts may be roped in to prepare those fluffy idlis or the crispy dosas when the players are in the Caribbean or down under. There could also be cuisine specialists capable of preparing mouth watering veggie dishes with locally available ingredients, or who can prepare paneer in far off countries and transform the paneer into delectable matar-paneer or palak-paneer or who excel in serving typical Indian sweets like gajar-ki-halwa or rosogollas or gulab-jamuns. Other important additions could be considered of the footwear specialist, the hair stylist and the clothes man. Such positive actions will certainly boost the morale of the team, encourage them to give their best and not make them homesick.

friends of animals

2006-01-24T06:52:00.000-08:00

The SPCA plays a vital role in our day-to-day lives. The Animal Welfare Board of India was set up in accordance with Section 4 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 (No.59 of 1960). The Board consists of 28 Members. http://www.awbi.org/

To a layman, these groups are supposed to ensure that animals get their proper share of attention. The condition of animals seen in circuses are pathetic, to tame the ferocious ones, the keepers would keep them half starved. Even in houses, parrots and budgerigars would be caged and dogs and cats ill treated. The Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has the authority of taking action against the erring individuals or groups. Hunting once upon a time used to be a favorite pastime of the Rajas, Maharajas, Zaminders and others of noble descent. They would spend weekends in the company of friends in the deep jungles and bring back prized catches. Such extravaganza today is completely out of the question. In some movies, animals are used – here again, approvals are required to be obtained in advance. The gist of the matter is that the ill treatment of the dumb creatures cannot be tolerated.

However, a few recent ad clips showcase birds and animals. Pigeons fly away in fear when the latest brand of Hero Honda ‘Pleasure’ makes its presence. The poor doggy in the ad of Hutch keeps panting, trudging up steep steps, and is forced to walk the plank to keep pace with its master and, in the bargain, prove a point or two for the makers. The Tiger is tamed by kids in the Britannia biscuit ads, even the Moms make fun of the animal that is gradually getting phased out. A gaudy colored Kingfisher watches in amusement at the goings on while a flock of geese scatters to allow Rani Mukherji forge ahead with her extra large special quota of Nestle ‘Maha Munch’. A time may come when Tom and Jerry cartoons and those involving Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse will be censored because of the cruelty shown to the animals. The monkeys in the Suman Shekhar ‘Pole Khol’ show might also have to make way for humans. Proposals might also be put forth to rename the ‘Black Cat Commandoes’ along with the Cheetah and Chetak helicopters and the Jaguar fighter planes.

Animals are to be treated withy respect. Showing animals in bad light constitutes unfair and unhealthy business practices and has to be discouraged.

engineers in politics

2006-01-23T21:12:00.000-08:00

It is nice to know that a group of talented Engineers from different IITs have got together with the objective of repairing the damages that has been done to the fabrics of our politics. Apparently, they have chucked lucrative jobs and, with an eye on social service, have embarked upon this noble mission. It s not that Engineers have not graced the Parliament earlier. Sri Nitish Kumar, the present CM of Bihar is an Engineer. He has done his B.Sc. (Engineering) from Bihar College of Engineering, Patna (Bihar). But, it will be a near impossible task for a handful of young people to take on the administration that is so corrupt that to uproot the evil would be like rewriting history from 1947 onwards; a formidable task and, certainly, not an easy one.

The power of money is tremendous, it washes away the noble intentions into the gutters as if they were so much dirt and, when resisted, spells doom. We have seen it happen – the case of the Manager of the oil company who was shot dead when he stood up against malpractices is still fresh in our memory. The politicians who we see in real life are no different than the ones we see in the Bollywood movies – the same double faced persons who have only selfish motives behind whatever they do. And, their hordes of musclemen know how to bully people into submission. They resort to indirect blackmail and threaten to harm the family members when the innocents do not agree to toe the line.

Our best wishes go out to this fearless group of young Engineers who have embarked on a dangerous mission – only, a few word of caution: an exercise of such large magnitude will require representatives from all over the country. There would be possibilities of unscrupulous elements entering the group. In their enthusiasm to do good for the Nation, the serious ones must never let down their guard. There has to be rigid guidelines for inducting volunteers who will be sincere and dedicated to the cause and who will have the welfare of the common man uppermost in mind. Remember - one bad apple is enough to spoil the complete consignment.

kolkata boi mela 2006

2006-01-23T06:25:00.000-08:00

The theme for the 31st Kolkata Boi Mela (Book Fair) 2006 is Spain, the land of bullfighters. The schedules for the main programs have been indicated in the official website of the fair –

http://www.kolkatabookfaironline.com/focaltheme.htm

However, there is no details available on the site as on 1800 hrs on 23/1/2006. Probably updating of the site is in progress! )

Anyway, inauguration is scheduled for 24 January 2006 at 4.30 p.m and the fair will be thrown open to the public on 25th January 2006.
Children Day Celebration and walk for books will be held on Sunday, 29 January 2006 followed by the Ashok Kumar Sarkar Memorial Lecture on 30 January 2006 and the Supriya Sarkar Memorial Lecture on 1 February 2006. The Prize Distribution Ceremony will be on 3 February, 2006.

Site search for fair titles - You don’t have to lose your way in the maze of Calcutta Book Fair 2006 in search of an obscure title. If things work out as Tamal Dasgupta and Subrata Biswas have planned, just log on to bookbaazar.com to get a complete list of books and authors in each stall…… (read more)

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050205/asp/calcutta/story_4337949.asp

Other useful links to Kolkata Boi Mela (Book Fair) –

Kolkata book fair
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/01/24/58564.aspx

news of interest regarding boi mela
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/01/27/60305.aspx

tit-bits of boi mela –
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/01/28/60895.aspx

love in Kolkata boi mela –
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/01/30/61374.aspx

more on Kolkata boi mela 2005
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/02/01/62270.aspx

the last few hours of boi mela 2005
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/02/05/64461.aspx

ignorance is bliss

2006-01-22T18:53:00.000-08:00

On Republic day, the world will witness the newest faces of India and get a glimpse of her arsenal and a cross section of her Armed Forces. There will be colorful march-pasts, floats, cultural tableaus and a feeling of well being all around. We are right now in the middle of the 10th five year plan which has already been drawn up for the period 2002-2007. Out of curiosity I wanted to go back in time to compare how we embarked on the five year planning and what we have achieved over the past half century. I chanced upon the following – ‘ …… Literacy in India has made remarkable strides since Independence. This has been further confirmed by the recently declared provisional results of the Census 2001. The literacy rate has increased from 18.33% in 1951 to 65.38% in 2001. This is despite the fact that during the major part of the last five decades there has been exponential growth of the population at nearly 2% per annum. Some of the important highlights of Census 2001 are given below:……’ (read more)
http://www.education.nic.in/htmlweb/adledu.htm

It was nice to know about this. In a country where the largest of the states still believe in bonded labor and in superstition and in keeping alive the boiling cauldrons of caste conflict, the above information appears to be based on incorrect data. It seems in one of the states, the police have separate cooking facilities and dining rooms for different castes – the concerned Officers do not find this to be strange! Add to this the fact that in practically all metros, rag pickers and urchins abound, they accost you at street corners with their stocks of pan masala or garlands of flowers or newspapers or whatever they can lay their hands on to earn their one time meals. They live in huddles under flyovers or in the dark corners of railway platforms or on the railway over bridges or the subways. They have to struggle right from the day they are born till the day they pass away into oblivion and seldom get the time to understand what education is all about. A clarification on whether all of them have been covered in the illiterate category of 34.62% would be welcome.

The Government, on paper, tries its best to entice the children to come to school by dangling the baits of mid-day meals, and free education. There was even a jingle on Vividh Bharati some time back – ‘chalo, school chaley hum…’ In spite of such inducements, the final result is not up to expectations. The deprived continue to remain deprived – only, they provide a platform for others to climb the ladders of popularity and gain recognition as messiahs of the downtrodden! Celebrities meet up with them once in a while and the media goes gaga over the event – once the flashlights move away, darkness descends again to where it had always been dark. The following news report is interesting - Elementary education: Long way to go …….
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1377149.cms

Maintaining the ignorants in good humor has certain distinct advantages. When the battle cry is given to prove, once in five years, that Democracy thrives amidst the prevailing chaos in our country, this group of ignorants performs the balancing act. The visions of those who fought for our freedom lie shattered on the roadside.

An interesting blog on the subject of Education in India –
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2004/11/20/26927.aspx

weekly news round up 3

2006-01-22T06:25:00.000-08:00

Here is the 3rd set of News involving India and Indians as reported in five leading newspapers during the period 15th January to 21st January 2006 -

The Times of India - Emirates to begin Dubai-Kolkata service- DUBAI: Emirates, the Dubai-based carrier, will launch non-stop services to Kolkata from March 26 this year, spreading its network in the country to 63 flights a week to seven cities. ….. Emirates will operate six direct flights a week between Dubai and Kolkata. It will operate an Airbus A330-200 aircraft on the route in three and two-class configurations. ….. (read more)

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1374920.cms

BPO boom continues, UK call centre moves 100 jobs to Delhi - LONDON: A leading call centre firm in Britain's Merseyside region has announced its decision to move 100 jobs to New Delhi. …… Vertex, a subsidiary of Warrington-based United Utilities, said the IT losses would be split between its sites in Knowsley's Phoenix House, King's Business Park in Prescot and Manchester city centre. (read more)

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1373516.cms

Indian Express - Indian scientist named ‘Inventor of the Year’ - SILICON VALLEY, JAN 19: An Indian-American scientist has been named ‘Inventor of the Year’ for his pioneering work in developing a new system which utilises data to improve patient care and clinical decisions. R Bharat Rao, senior director of Engineering Research Development, Computer-aided Diagnosis and Therapy Group at Siemens Medical Solutions, is one of 12 Siemens inventors to receive the award….. (read more)

http://indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=86235

Deccan Herald - AAI to set up radar station in Bellary - The Airports Authority of India (AAI) will set up five more radar stations within a year to cover the country’s air space by the radar system, AAI Air Traffic Management (ATM) Executive Director Srikrishna said on Tuesday. …. Speaking to Deccan Herald at Bajpe Airport after inspecting the new runway, air traffic control (ATC) systems and other communication systems, he said at present there were 13 radar stations covering about 90 per cent of air space in India. …. (read more)

http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jan182006/state1959302006117.asp

The Hindu – 19/1/2006 - Varsity project on seismological study - Students at the secondary level to be engaged in acquisition of data - TIRUNELVELI : To educate school children on seismology and train them in protecting themselves during earthquakes, the Union Government Department of Science and Technology has sanctioned a project worth Rs. 2.19 crore to Centre for Geo-technology of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University. … (read more)

http://www.hindu.com/2006/01/19/stories/2006011920370100.htm

The Daily Telegraph – Tech takes Quebec fancy - - Visiting premier sees potential, eyes investment in IT areas - The city’s information technology (IT) sector caught the eye of the Quebec premier on Wednesday. …. Quebec, one of Canada’s largest and most economically developed provinces, has invested $900 million in IT research and development for emerging markets, such as technological convergence, optical and biophotonics technologies, wireless telecommunications, animation and geomatics. …. Premier Jean Charest told Metro he now hoped to invest heavily in China and India, as well as attract investors in those fields. … “We want to choose areas in India where we can intensify our investments, and we are looking at Calcutta very seriously,” said Charest, leading a 32-member business delegation on breeze through town. ….. (read more)

http://telegraphindia.com/archives/archive.html (19/1/2006)

Why angel lost its twirl - Four months ago, Calcutta High Court had observed that the Victoria Memorial Hall authorities should take steps so that the Angel of Victory on top of the monument started rotating once again from January 1. ….. On Wednesday, the Memorial authorities told the court that engineers of Jessop’s, the company entrusted with repairing it, have not yet been able to ascertain why it stopped rotating after 1985. ….. (read more)

http://telegraphindia.com/archives/archive.html (19/1/2006)

link to news of previous week –

http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2006/01/15/414324.aspx

cultural revolution

2006-01-21T18:51:00.000-08:00

Some of our beloved leaders delight in the art of speaking impeccable Hindi with proper accent on where it is due. The commoner, on the other hand, loves to speak in Hindi as she is spoken in Bollywood – words and phrases like ‘boley toh’, ‘khallas’, ‘apoon koh malum nehi’ etcetera are more close to their hearts. This could be one of the reasons why the mobile wielding leaders with their trishul toting guards are unable to interact with the masses as they would have liked to. To have effective communication, the gulf that is widening has to be bridged.

Today, nothing seems to match with the ideal – the clothes, the language, the eating habits, every thing is far removed from the dream situations. Whether we admit it or not, deteriorating standards of acceptance by society are setting up clashes of culture. Item numbers are mandatory in movies to improve their ratings – the video versions released ahead of the actual movie ensures raking in of moolah by the producers. Movie songs of today are created with one objective in mind - to ensure that each and every part of the body enjoys its fair share of freedom. Gone are the days when songs related to festivals were popular – festivals like rakhee or holi or bhai dooj or marriage had specific songs to match the occasions. In the absence of newer versions, we listen to the oldies that remind of our culture.

Lyricists of today are so engrossed in writing love songs that lend themselves to mournful rendering and picturisation in exotic locales that they would have to spend sleepless nights to come up with songs related to festivals. They would rather prefer to pen songs for the Valentine’s Day where bodies can gyrate under psychedelic lights. In case the lyricists can be influenced to have a change of heart, it would be interesting to listen to what the present day versions of songs on rakhee or holi or bhai dooj would sound like.

pitched battles

2006-01-20T07:10:00.000-08:00

Brushing aside the unpleasant memories of the Gadaffi stadium in Lahore, the teams descend on the Iqbal stadium in Faislabad for the second session. Missed chances will be a point of dispute for quite some time. Already fingers have started their familiar game of transferring blame. It is strange that the Indian openers out in the middle were not aware of the approaching milestone – the subject was known to the TV commentators and, via their discussions, to all the other players. When they assembled for tea, it would have been terribly unlikely that no one broached the subject. Opportunities like this come once in 50 years and, inability to capitalize on it is sheer bad luck. Let us hope the second Test of the series begins on more auspicious notes and provides fulsome entertainment to the millions of viewers who will be glued to their TV sets over the weekend.

After the capture of lip movements pertaining to the secret and privileged conversation between the present and the ex captain in the company of the coach, all concerned are wary of the TV crew and their all powerful cameras. What actually transpired remains a mystery and will remain such till one of the three decides to open his mouth – maybe in his autography at a later date. The field cameras that the crew lug around in the hope of being the first with the ‘breaking news’ are becoming a nuisance. It is difficult, well nigh impossible, to escape the probing eyes. They do have their uses but also create embarrassing and avoidable situations. Like the one-to-one verbal exchange between Veeru and Sami.

As the World cup 2007 comes nearer, all the teams seize every opportunity to sharpen their weapons and hone their skills. Therefore, the idea of conducting a tri Nation ODI series between Pakistan, Australia and India will be useful to all the three. The possibility arises from the decision of Zimbabwe to withdraw from Test cricket for the remaining part of the year. They were scheduled to tour Pakistan. Now, that vacant slot can be put to better use.

a fresh start

2006-01-20T07:02:00.000-08:00

When things do not turn out the way we want them to, we decide to wipe the slate clean and make a fresh start. This is a trait all of us possess in varying degrees. Remarriage is one such important event. Reasons for separation may be many but the reason for remarriage is one – possibility of finding happiness by taking corrective actions to prevent a repetition of earlier mistakes. Some may search in their known circles of friends and relatives for a better partner than the one that flew away, others invade the columns of holy matrimony on Sundays. They make for interesting reading. It is of interest to note the appearance of words like ‘innocent’ and ‘issueless’ in the advertisements. Here are a few samples on view from a Sunday edition (spelling/abbreviations/grammar unchanged) –

43/5’5”/divorced principle of reputed college of London ……

Tall well settled CA Catholic Mumbai 43 years issueless divorcee living alone proposal from educated presentable single divorcee or widow …..

Match for 28 years handsome MBA Punjabi boy established business income seven figures, wealthy family short marriage at age 22. Mutual consent divorce …..

MG Director Mumbai based 5’9”/33 v.h’some require v.fair, homely girl can help in business, divorce in process. No issues ……

Visiting US citizen 58/5’7” 70 Kg young l’king prefer issueless partner …..

Fair, handsome, issueless divorce, US citizen, MS/MBA, IT, 40/5’6”, very young looking, seeks open minded, slim girl upto 35 yrs …..

Wntd tall bful homly Sunni girl unmarried 22 years for smart educated 26 years businessman income in six figures innocent divorce no kids ……

Beautiful, cultured, fair, 5’4”/39 years old Bengali, US citizen, innocent divorcee (brief marriage), issueless ……

Edu established match for Mumbai based PG working, 35, 5’3”, fair, good looking, cultured, issueless divorcee ….

Alliance invited for Sindhi, slim, b’ful 33/5’4” USA Green card, computer Engineer IT professional, innocent divorcee within 1 yr of marriage …..

Alliance invited for Pb Dentist slim, smart, issueless divorcee girl 33/156 ……

40/5’3” divorcee fair girl smart educated expert in all work …..

Fair 31 years/grad/Rajput divorcee 9 yrs daughter defence background pref for Hindu upto 36 yrs defence or well placed even one issue acceptable ….

38 years fair slim NI issueless divorce last 18 years caste no bar ……

Divorcee MA 40 yrs, Iyer with 2 kids seeks well settled match …..

BRHM 34/5’6” I’less div wrkg decent fly seeks groom below 40 yrs …..

BHU i’lsss div grad 28/5’1” teaching convent …..

MBA London 5’3” 37 (looking young) beautiful innocent issueless divorcee wrkg as Manager for International bank …..

Mumbai based employed Hindu Nair divorcee (issueless) girl 33/5’5” seeks match ….

flying carpets to flying coffins

2006-01-19T18:33:00.000-08:00

Flying carpets were popularized in the Arabian Nights, Ravana went around in his flying chariots and, it is said that our pilots today zoom around in their flying coffins, the obvious reference being to the MiG-21s. Even though one of our Defense Ministers flew in one of these aero planes and in spite of assurances being given by the Air Chief about the safety aspects of this flying machine, incidents continue to surface that do not appear to be convincing. The controversy over the release of a recent film (on the subject) and the reported crash of a modified MiG-21in the same week makes one wonder whether there is some truth in the allegations.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1375717.cms

Yes, it is agreed that these aero planes are of the 60s vintage, and are the backbone of our Air Force. But, it is to be appreciated that even though they were wonder machines when first inducted in service they have been in service for far too long - the phasing out should have been done in time. Once worth their weight in gold, it is doubtful whether they have any scrap value today.

There was a wonderful movie of the 60s titled ‘those magnificent men in their flying machines’. Flying has fascinated us for ages. Ever since we saw the birds and the Greeks Icarus and Daedlous breaking their necks in trying to life off like birds by donning feathers, we longed to view our world from a different perspective. Then came the Jules Verne travelogue of ‘around the world in eighty days’ in a balloon. The flying fever gripped everyone until the Wright brothers really went airborne in that tiny place called Kitty Hawk way back in 1903. The two World Wars followed with aero planes improving their performance depending on the needs of the situation. The wood-fabric triplanes and biplanes made way for the all metal construction. Propeller driven engines were discarded for the more efficient jet engines. Newer versions of flying machines like sea planes, amphibians, helicopters, the VTOL, STOL and the hovercraft entered the market to provide a wider choice to the buyer. Regular air shows projected newer ideas to the flying community. People can today travel around the globe in a few hours. The supersonic Concorde has been withdrawn from active service - it had proved Man’s willingness to forge ahead and harness technology.

But, as in every other field, we Indians invariably wake up late. Let the learned ones finally take the unpleasant decision to ground the outdated aero planes. The sick cannot be kept on life support systems indefinitely. The proper place for coffins is in the graves not in the air.

shooing is not wooing

2006-01-19T05:01:00.000-08:00

Two news reports from diametrically opposite corners of the country make for sad reading. It seems that instead of wooing investors, the locals are bent upon throwing spanners in the works and shoo away those interested in investing. One report is from Kalinga Nagar, Orissa where a proposed steel plant is going to be consigned to the back burners because the locals do not see eye to eye with the Government. A private company was allotted land by the Government and the boundary wall was also erected but when the bhoomi puja for the buildings was to be done, the tribals objected and attacked the authorities. The company defaulted on payment of installment and the Government cancelled the allotment.

Then, there was the recent incidence of violence in which more than a dozen lost their lives – the violence erupted when work was to be started on constructing the boundary wall for a steel plant http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1356534.cms

Another report talks about M/S Ford of USA who wanted to invest $500 million in a ski village in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. Here again, locals have raised objections that setting up such a village will destroy the environment and pollute the sacred surroundings including the holy rivers. Hence, the Yankees are not welcome. When it comes to West Bengal, labor unrest and agitations are common happenings – investors have to accept that there will be disruptions. May not be of their own making but disruptions all the same – for example, when the roads are suddenly blocked to protest the accidental death of a child or an elderly person or when the trains are stopped to register protest against late running or some such incidents. Investors who can accommodate sudden and unpredictable work stoppages in their scheme of things are welcome to set up tents. Bihar is the kidnapper’s paradise – apparently, they scout the roads for victims. Therefore, investors have to be prepared to shell out ransom money if planning to target Bihar.

All in all, while one section of society wants to see dollars pour into our economy, another section opposes it tooth and nail.

lessons in chemistry

2006-01-18T18:29:00.000-08:00

I was taken aback when I heard an actress mention in an interview on TV that ‘our chemistry matches’. The subject was related to one of her on-screen male partners. I scratched my head to understand what this match is all about.

Chemistry, as we know, pertains to chemicals and how one of them reacts when it comes in contact with another. Is it to be presumed that the on-screen combination involving two young persons can prove to be lethal, and can blow you up to smithereens? Is that how the term ‘bomb shell’ got associated with oomph girls? The possibility does exist because explosions are results of chemical reactions. Whether it is RDX or the firecracker, chemistry plays a key role.

Chemistry rules our lives - right from lighting the gas burner in the morning for the first cup of tea to switching on the mosquito repellant liquid at night, we continuously see chemical reactions around us that pave the way for a better, fuller life. When we turn the ignition of our car and the engine purrs into life, it is chemistry at our service. When indigestion strikes, we pop tablets in our mouths and the saliva interacts with the ingredients of the medicine to give us relief. Even manufacturers of body soap encourage us to take the litmus test to find out exactly how safe our brand is. More examples of chemistry in our daily lives revolve around milk – we curdle it and prepare sweets, we compress the curdled substance and get paneer, we allow it to solidify on its own and get yoghurt. When we keep the chicken or mutton marinated in vinegar, or add baking powder to make those beautiful fluffy cakes, it is chemistry all the way.

Chemistry is basically all about how different chemicals react with each other either singly or in combination and the end result that the reaction produces. If the end result causes destruction, the chemistry is bad. Else, we can say confidently that ‘our chemistry matches’. Is my interpretation on the right lines?

confusing acronyms

2006-01-18T06:50:00.000-08:00

It is high time that a special cell is formed to look into the subject of confusing acronyms – it could be named the Department of Acronyms. Unless the DoA grants approval, no one can introduce an Acronym.

We have grown up on acronyms – right from our KG days. KG is the acronym for Kinder Garten – a word of German descent that means the Garden of Children. Once out of school, we graduated in BA or BE or some such stream that was supposed to mean Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Engineering – the word Bachelor has always been confusing: is it that those who acquire the qualification should be bachelors at the time of attaining the landmark or remain bachelors as long as they display the title?

Take the case of a simple acronym PO – it was supposed to indicate Post Office. Later, the alphabet ‘I’ was prefixed and it became known as the Indian Postal Order. Today, IPO also stands for Initial Public Offer – of company shares to the public!!!! Another PO is the BPO – or Business Process Outsourcing: a means of raking in the dollars by working while others sleep. The BPO culture has given rise to Call Centers where all the activity is in the cover of darkness. Healthy pay cheques, holidaying in exotic locations, and unbridled freedom are the logical outcomes. And now, the latest is KPO to join the list – Knowledge Process Outsourcing. A relatively new arena, it is already making its presence felt. The persons involved need not be computer professionals or qualified engineers or those who have to be trained in medical terms and terminologies – KPO is open to anyone who possesses knowledge to sell.

Then comes the IT group – until recently, IT was discussed in whispers and was the exclusive domain of the Income Tax department. Today, we shout of IT from roof tops – every state is wooing the IT fraternity as never before. No, we have not become honest tax payers overnight – by IT we now mean Information Technology. We keep inviting foreign IT delegations to invest in our cities; we expect them to shell out dollars for improvement of our crumbling infrastructures.

CBM is the acronym for Confidence Building Measures – if you prefix ‘I’ to it, it becomes ICBM – Inter Continental Ballistic Missile. It is difficult for Nations who have ICBMs to convince others about the noble intentions covered in their CBMs. NDA was, till some years back, the prestigious institution that gave us the officers of the Armed Forces. With a couple of ‘I’s thrown in, NDA became INDIA. Unfortunately, today NDA is better known as a group of politicians who keep changing their principles and agenda to suit their needs based on revised situations.

bringing up the kids

2006-01-17T22:16:00.000-08:00

Much has been written on how best to bring up the kids. We would not like to admit it but, from the day we broke free from the apron strings of our mothers and cold shouldered our grannies, we landed in soup. By the time the full implications of our folly dawned on us, it was too late. We discovered the hard way that the old timers did have some role to play in our lives, one of them being the all important role of a baby sitter. Anyway, since it was our own doing, we had no one else to blame but ourselves so we handled the situation as best as we could. We recruited paid ayahs to rock the baby to sleep, to change its nappies, to feed it as per a strict schedule prescribed by the doctor, to wheel it out in the park in its exclusive pram etcetera etcetera. When the kid gradually transformed into a toddler, we took it in turns to teach it the alphabets, make it familiar with the colors, explain to it the differences between the onion and the apple, make it understand that a cat meows and the dog barks. On holidays we exchanged notes with others of our tribe and continuously searched for points that we might have overlooked. The objective was to ensure that it secured admission to the school.

Well – once the first hurdle was crossed came other more serious ones. Donations to this fund or that were irritating but not as problematic as entering the domain of school lessons where nothing seemed to be familiar. The changes that have taken in the syllabus since we were in the same classes stump us. We resort to private tuitions by those who are better equipped than us.

The worst part is the parties, birthday parties and associated gifts. In our times, these parties were restricted to real close friends and near and dear ones along with the neighbors. Gifts were a part and parcel of these rare occasions. Today, however, such parties have become extremely popular and are for the children, by the children. Gifts today are costly affairs and, in keeping with the others, we have to bow down to the wishes of our kids. They have already learnt to live their lives in the fast track.

a paradise of fools

2006-01-17T06:20:00.000-08:00

It is a sad state of affairs that all of us live in a paradise of fools – some are more foolish than others but the fact remains that we all belong to the same category. Suffixing degrees and diplomas to our names does not take away the fact that we are forever being taken for rides by those less foolish than us.

It is known fact that whenever there is a large gathering of people, disasters wait to happen, especially if the gathering has religious connections. We have seen it happen in our country during the Kumbhmela, the Ganga Sagar mela and other similar events.

http://www.chennaidirectory.com/news.php?id=521

The religious events occur at fixed intervals and pilgrims travel from far off places to take a dip in the holy river and wash away their sins. The location where the festivities are to be held are known, the authorities have enough advance notice to put their acts into position in time – unfortunately, such things seldom happens. Most of the people who fall victims to stampedes are usually the women, the aged and the infirm along with children. Majority of these disasters are man made and could have been prevented if properly taken care of in the first instance. At the end of the day, head counts are taken of the dead and the injured and Government authorities lose no time to announce compensation packages. Does any one know how many finally get compensated?

And, whenever any railway accident occurs, the Minister descends on the scene to pacify the injured, pay homage to the dead and make the usual announcements for the benefit of the general public. The Government continuously harps on a transparent administration and the citizen’s right to Information – it would be worthwhile for some NGOs to try to unearth statistics of how many families of the dead have so far received the promised compensations from the Governments. Let such details be made public so that the citizen can show up the authorities for the unfulfilled promises and prevail upon them not to make a mockery of disasters and catastrophes.

It will, in all probability, be revealed that the relevant papers of the few, who have dared to seek compensation, are tied up in red tape and collecting dust or the matters have been referred to the Honorable Court in view of disputes. The outflows from the coffers of the Government are not there and everyone sits pretty to announce one more batch off compensation – a case of the same alligator being shown again and again.

the leader leads

2006-01-16T18:27:00.000-08:00

The first Indo-Pak Test match of the current series in the Gadaffi stadium in Lahore is destined to the inevitable draw as predicted by Imran Khan on the first day before the first ball was bowled.

When the hosts pulverized our attack and put up a really large total for us to overhaul, it seemed to be a formidable ask. The intrigue of who should partner Sehwag as an opener in this match was finally resolved when the captain himself accompanied Veeru. But the weather played truant – darkness and dampness all around with a near empty stadium added to the problems. But, like seasoned veterans, the pair took up the challenge. At the end of the fourth day, there were two gleaming Indians who returned to the pavilion with a total of 403 runs on the board. If the weather holds on the fifth day, the cricketing world will be certain to see a number of records tumble. One of them will be the one of 413 between Vinoo Mankad and Pankaj Roy in 1954-55 against New Zealand, which was the highest ever first wicket stand in test cricket till now – a four and a six should do it. The second could be Brian Lara’s individual record of 400 runs.

Captain Rahul Dravid has been known all along as the granite faced Wall. There was a time when his credentials were in doubt as to the shorter version of the game. He ignored all criticism and, apart from improving the basics of fast scoring, he agreed to don the gloves and keep wickets. That gave the team more flexibility and strengthened the hands of the selectors. Now, as captain, he is setting traditions that have always been associated with the gentleman’s game called cricket. He knows how to hide the emotions and always seems to have an ace up his sleeve. The fourth day of the Lahore Test was one of those rare occasions when one saw him in smiles in public!

Let us join in wishing him and the Indian team success in the remaining two test matches. We would like to see a positive result in this series. If Rahul Dravid can do that, he will have earned the gratitude of all of us.

of eyeballs and footfalls

2006-01-15T07:00:00.000-08:00

This is the world of sellers – some sell us dreams, others sell us more tangible stuff that we can touch, feel and taste. To achieve these seemingly impossible tasks, there are agencies that have made it their business to snoop – direct snooping is not good manners, so they circumvent and extract information out of us in a round about way. We part with them unknowingly. Surprised? Well, all those TV spots that entice us to SMS instant replies tell a tale in themselves – the question is related to ascertain the popularity of the product which could be a batsman or a film star or a brand of toffee. The innocent response to the question indicates to the researchers the products that are the ‘in-thing’ and those that are on the way out.

In this context we come to the term ‘capturing eyeballs’ – obviously it translates into the viewership of the subject concerned. That is why automatic counters are placed in web pages – these give an idea of the traffic that passes through a particular web page. ‘Capturing eyeballs’ in this case would depend on the attractiveness of the page and the matter it contains. Similarly, asking viewers to SMS instant replies also adds up to the impact a product makes and gives a glimpse into the number of viewers who are watching it at the very moment. It seems there was this ad of a product that was aired simultaneously on all important channels at the prime time – the intention was to capture as many eyeballs as possible and leave very little to chance.

http://yahoo.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_03/b3967116.htm

‘Footfalls’ is a comparatively new term to me. I came across it in a report on the New Delhi Metro. One sentence goes – ‘….That is why, though the station (Kashmere Gate) sees a lot of footfalls, its revenue collection is lesser…..’

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1370227.cms

Keeping a count of heads is not new – I remember way back in the sixties, the guard at the USIS library on S N Banerji Road, Calcutta, used to hold a counter in his palm. As someone entered the library, he would press the manual button and record the event. The intention was to gauge the popularity of the setup. Keeping track of feet seems to be a new fad!

weekly news round up 2

2006-01-15T03:22:00.000-08:00

Here is the 2nd set of News involving India and Indians as reported in five leading newspapers during the period 8th January to 14th January 2006 -

India received record 3.9 mn tourists in 2005

NEW DELHI: India witnessed another boom year for tourism in 2005 with double-digit growth in foreign arrivals that hit a record 3.92 million, according to data released on Monday……. "Foreign tourist arrivals during calendar year 2005 has registered an increase of 13.2 percent (over the previous year)," an official statement said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1364498.cms

Rs 100-crore biotech park with IIT help

Chandrakona Road, Jan. 11: State industries minister Nirupam Sen announced today that the government would set up a Rs 100-crore biotechnology park at Kharagpur in collaboration with the IIT there. ….. Sen said the biotechnology park, which would come up on about 100 acres in Kharagpur’s industrial area, will house a state-of-the art laboratory. ….. “We want to set up the biotechnology park for investors in the drug and cosmetics industry, who will be able to avail of the research facilities there. (read more)

http://telegraphindia.com/1060112/asp/bengal/story_5711082.asp

Indians protest against drug ‘taint’

WASHINGTON, JANUARY 9: Several hundred persons belonging to the Indian community have held a rally in Decatur, Georgia, to protest against the charges of supplying methamphetamine ingredients levelled by the federal authorities against dozens of South Asian convenience stores, alleging they were racially biased. …. In June 2005, federal agents had arrested 49 persons, including 44 Indians, many with the surname Patel, and charged 16 corporations, most of them in northwest Georgia, in what has come to be known as ‘Operation Meth Merchant.’ They and the stores were charged with selling products to make methamphetamine. Many of the charges have been dropped, some have resulted in guilty pleas and others are yet to be posted for trial. ….. (read more)

IE Archives 10/1/2006 http://www.indianexpress.com/

Indian appointed new force commander of UNMIS

Lt. Gen. Jasbir Singh Lidder of India has been appointed as the new force commander of the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Sudan (UNMIS). Lt. Gen. Lidder replaces Major General Fazle Elahi Akbar of Bangladesh, who served as Military Adviser to the UN Advance Mission in the Sudan (UNAMIS) before becoming Force Commander in September 2004….. (read more)

http://deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jan122006/update713582006112.asp

Madras varsity to publish teachers' works

Universities of Madras, Mumbai and Calcutta celebrating 150th anniversary
CHENNAI: The University of Madras will involve teachers of university departments and affiliated colleges as part of its 150th anniversary celebrations. It plans to publish and release 150 books authored by the faculty members…… This year (2006-07) is the 150th year of the founding of the universities of Madras, Mumbai and Calcutta. According to Madras University Vice-Chancellor S.P. Thyagarajan, several national and local level events were planned, starting this month. "The 150th year of the three major universities can be deemed as the 150th year of Indian higher education itself. So we want to create a sense of ownership and participation among the teachers…….

http://www.hindu.com/2006/01/08/stories/2006010807880100.htm

Link to the previous set of news -

http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2006/01/08/405153.aspx

proud nashikites

2006-01-14T08:51:00.000-08:00

Abhibyakti is a Nasik based organization that has made a documentary film ‘Harsud – the making of a ghost town’. This film has been for screening in the Mumbai International Film Festival to be held in Mumbai from 3rd to 9th February. It is the story of a small town situated on the banks of the Kalimchak River, a tributary of the Narmada. The building of a dam on the Narmada forced the villagers to vacate Harsud.

Two students of Nasik have received certificates from NASA which has accepted the rocks discovered by them. Sometime back, NASA had appealed to the student community worldwide to send across unique rock samples for carrying out studies related to life form on Mars. One of the students discovered a dull maroon colored rock in the premises of his college in Chincholi. The second was a yellow colored porous rock which was black inside and discovered in the premises of the Girna dam. The samples have been identified as RATW06275 and RATW06276. More on http://ratw.asu.edu

One more achievement of a Nashik boy – the boy, a student of an Animation Institute of Mumbai, along with his class mates won the 2nd prize for an animation film ‘Saraswati’ organized by the UN on the occasion of its 60th year celebrations. The award was handed over by the Deputy PM of Thailand at a glittering function held at the UN Asia Pacific Centre in Bangkok on 24-10-2006.

An ATM (Any Time Money) collection centre has been started in the Bidyut Bhaban at Nashik Road by the Maharastra State Electricity Distribution Centre Limited. After Pune, one machine has now been installed in Nashik. Out of total 50 machines planned, Nashik will have five. The machine will accept currency at present but will cater to credit cards in the future.

Further links to information on Nasik -

http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2006/01/07/404697.aspx
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/12/19/382737.aspx
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/12/11/370575.aspx
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/12/04/361182.aspx
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2004/08/26/5712.aspx

encounter specialists

2006-01-13T07:27:00.000-08:00

No, this has no relation to the Nana Patekar movie Ab Tak Chhappan. This piece is about encounters we all have in our daily lives and how we become specialists over a period of time. Experience makes one perfect and as we gain experience in understanding the reasons of why someone does something, we master the art of encounters.

In the market place, we encounter the vendor who sweet talks you in accepting his colored veggies and tips the scales in your favor to influence your decision. In the shopping malls, there are encounters of the sophisticated kind with freebies and slogans of ‘buy two and take one free’. In schools we encounter kind teachers who take it upon themselves to teach your child and ensure that he does better in his exams – in exchange, you have to agree to make liberal donations to his kitty. If you have grown up kids who are on the threshold of deciding the stream to follow, you will encounter knowledgeable persons who can once again ensure hundred percent success provided you do not mind shelling out suitable compensation. When it comes to gainful employment after acquiring the basic qualifications, there are yet more people who line up at your doorstep with proposals – yes, its all a part of the game, its the policy of sharing. Once in service, you encounter people who come around peddling credit cards, they entice you with attractive offers and agents who deal in shares, company bonds and other financial instruments that prima-facie appear to be attractive. You seldom read between the lines or the fine print, even if you do, it is doubtful whether you can interpret the implications or the complications. Then there are the travel agents and tour operators who you encounter when you consider taking time off with your family to lose yourself in the mountains or the beaches, when you want to go away far from the madding crowd. To these smartalecs, you are as ignorant as the next one in line; they will convince that whatever impression you had carried till now about holiday travel were wrong. No matter how intelligent you try to prove yourself to be, they will have the last word, they will sell you a package in any case.

It would not be wrong to say that in each one of us there resides an encounter specialist. He may not be of the Nana Patekar type but he is a specialist all the same.

a car for the masses

2006-01-13T06:19:00.000-08:00

When the Maruti Udyog was formed in 1981, it was given to understand that it will produce low priced cars to meet the aspirations of the common man of owning a four wheeler. In December 1983, Maruti launched its first car, Maruti 800, targeted at the masses, as the 'people's car' with a price tag of Rs.40,000 (ex-show room price). Maruti rapidly consolidated its competitive position by launching various other models. In 1984, Maruti introduced a utility vehicle, Omni that could seat up to eight people.

http://www.icmr.icfai.org/casestudies/catalogue/Finance/FINA008.htm

Today, the cost of Maruti 800 has gradually risen and is in the region of Rs 2 lakhs. A news report indicates that one more series of small cars is being launched soon by a Pune based firm.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1364007.cms

Gone are the days of the Ambassadors and the Premier Padminis. The former were manufactured in Bengal, and were popular in the North and the East whereas the latter were manufactured in Maharastra and hence were more popular in that region. Even today, the trend remains. The yellow and black taxis are proof. In addition, the Ambassadors are sturdy vehicles which can withstand the wear and tear of our roads and, therefore, are the default choice of Government agencies.. The Premier Padminis, on the other hand, are small and cozy. The only thing is the lack of flashy colors.

In the ocean of new models like the Skoda, the Ford Fiesta, and the Tata Indica that have automated a large range of functions, old fashioned cars like the Ambassadors and Premiers have no takers. Air conditioned Tata Indicas, fondly nicknamed ‘Cool Cabs’, have entered the scene to make long journeys more comfortable. The price range would have, in the past, made people think twice about possessing such miracles but today, the financial companies have their reps positioned in the showrooms to convince you that EMIs are the order of the day. He dangles the car keys in one hand and waves the contract form in the other. It takes tremendous will power not to surrender to the temptation.

a new beginning

2006-01-12T23:40:00.000-08:00

Some people get sadistic pleasure by forcing someone to put his back to the wall and prove his mettle – it used to be a game the Romans reveled in. The warrior would be thrown in a den of lions and, if he came out victorious, he was acclaimed as a hero. The chances were slim and the authority invariably had the final say. If TV was available to the Romans of old, we would have been treated to beautiful footage of the Emperor decked up in his shining coat of armor with the gleaming helmet studded in precious stones, leaning on his spear. ‘I told you that he did not have it in him,’ he would smile at the audience and wait expectantly for the next question from the girl with the mike.

There are lots of similarities with the ongoing episode of Sourav Ganguli.

When he takes guard in the Lahore Test at the Gaddafi stadium, he will be poised to make a new beginning as an opener in Test cricket, a position he played only once in his Test career. Yes, he does open the innings in the ODIs but Test cricket is an altogether different matter. In the shorter version of the game, there are field restrictions to capitalize upon, there are specific rules that are usually in favor of batsmen, hence flashing outside the off stump to send the ball to the boundary or hoisting a bowler over the ropes to undermine his strength are methods used to score at a rapid rate. But, in Test cricket, there will always be fielders breathing down your neck. You cannot get away with chance strokes. The player who opens the innings has to have plenty of patience, has to be judicious in selecting his shots, has to keep in mind the objective of occupying the crease as long as possible and wear down the bowlers. The opener cannot hope to score a century before lunch time but, if he can succeed in holding fort till then, it will pave the way for others to build an impressive total.

The inclusion of Sourav Ganguli in the final XI and making him open the innings, in spite of having a couple of batsmen who have more experience in opening the innings, seems to have serious undertones. It is up to Sourav to prove his worth – let us wish that he emerges victorious. That will compel people to rethink on whether Sourav still has something to offer.

let confusion prevail

2006-01-12T06:51:00.000-08:00

Dutch medical researchers believe they can predict senile dementia years before symptoms begin to show by examining the size of two parts of the brain, a new study says.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1364269.cms

I wonder whether this news item has come to the notice of BCCI. The way things are happening points to the fact that assistance of the Dutch need to be sought to weed out the old fossils who make a mockery of the present system. The latest one is probably that of the present Manager Raj Singh Dungarpur of Team India who had some unpleasant comments to make of our previous captain Sourav Ganguli. In this context, the following excerpt of 2001 is relevant – ‘….. At his age, Dungarpur could be forgiven, I guess, for forgetting today what he said yesterday. ….’

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2001/aug/21diary.htm

When the news channel challenged him, he sought shelter behind the coat of the President who came to his rescue. He has even gone to the extent of saying that the complete thing is a figment of someone’s imagination and that latest technology has been resorted to show an interview that never took place. Blame it all on technology is the escape route that people in authority believe in. It seems that concerted efforts are being now made to malign the news channel.

These recent controversies involving various aspects of cricket in India, has loads of possibilities to give rise to a whole new generation of writers. Remember the Carpetbaggers that set off a spate of books and films like Nevada Smith. Well, here also the atmosphere is electric. Statements made one day are retracted the next and revised and presented on the third. These speak of lack of knowledge of those who make the statements. Even after 58 years of Independence, even though we know that efficiency continuously deteriorates with age, we have not defined the retirement age of a large section of persons who fall in the category of decision makers. We have left it to them to decide on when to step down and relinquish office with dignity – unfortunately, no one takes heed to the signals.

Efforts are on to pass legislation in the next session of Parliament on phone tapping. The agenda could also include a proposal for deciding on the retirement age of persons who are not covered by them right now.

thumb rules

2006-01-11T21:19:00.000-08:00

The thumb is strategically placed, is set apart from the bunch of the other fingers and is unique. It enjoys a special position in our lives. Who can forget the stories of Tom Thumb or of Thumbelina or the great actor Pran singing ‘bolega toh bologe ki bolta hai’ in the film Kasauti (1974) and trying to convey his thoughts via two characters created on his pair of thumbs.

The thumb is the only organ that has a variety of uses. As a new born, we begin by sucking our thumbs – it is delicious. In school, we thumb our noses at others to show contempt. As young persons, the adventurous ones among us love to thumb lifts – standing on the deserted roads or highways we raise our hands at passing vehicles and indicate with fists closed and the thumb pointing in the direction we want to go that we want to give the passing motorist company for some distance. Sometimes we manage to convince him that we have no evil intentions. Sometimes, we do not know the intentions of the motorist who seems to be kind enough to oblige us. Later on in life, we learn that raising the thumb means ‘all clear’ – it probably has its origins in the Air force when the ground crew signals ‘all clear’ for take off to the pilot. Similarly, the thumbs-down indicates things are not happy.

It is said that after the construction of the Taj Mahal, the thumbs of all workers involved in the construction were severed so that they can never replicate their masterpieces. The same tradition used to be followed for the artisans who wove brilliant designs into silk and other fabrics that were meant only for the Kings.

As a tribute to the thumb, one of the cold drink giants has marketed their product with the brand name ‘thumbs up’.

mud slinging exercises

2006-01-11T07:53:00.000-08:00

This is an area where we have gained sufficient expertise and could very well consider setting up International centers to spread the message.

A proposal to this effect is doing the rounds and is being shuttled from North block to South block – the Institution will initially be controlled by the Ministry of Education and will be assisted by a team of experts from the agricultural ministry because ‘mud’ is associated with soil and, unless handled properly, can land the authorities into neck deep trouble with the sons of the soil. The sports ministry will also have a significant role to play because ‘exercise’ is linked with sports. To be able to accept challenges, the players must be cent percent fit, both physically and mentally. Any and every game of today has psychological undertones, mind games are the norms of the day. There are any numbers of gadgets to simulate live conditions under which the players practice – in the absence of fast bowlers, there are bowling machines. Instead of fast serving tennis players, there are again devices that shoot the ball at you trying for aces every time. A major hitch is whether this should form a part of the Arts stream or the Science stream – a final decision will be taken once the Ministers meet over dinner, an extension of dinner diplomacy because they are from different political parties.

Mud slinging is a state of the mind when vague allegations are made to tarnish ones image. As a result, spotless reputations take a beating and crumble into dust. There used to be a time when people would be careful of making allegations against any person – before uttering any thing, he would be extra cautious to ascertain the facts. Condemning anyone based on hearsay is incorrect – and, that is exactly what we practice. Our mental setup being what it is, the affected person seldom goes to court for redressal or sues for defamation unlike other countries where such actions are viewed seriously by one and all. To add a footnote – search is on to induct the first batch of Professors and Lecturers. The basic criterion is the amount of mud that the candidate has slung till the cut-off date. In order to qualify, he must have at least five instances to his credit in the past year. He must also be in possession of a valid passport and be willing to accept overseas assignments, especially in cannibal infested areas.

keep the embers glowing

2006-01-10T22:03:00.000-08:00

Autocracy is supposed to mean the rule of a single person, something like a King or a Dictator. Once we talk of democracy, we mean rule by a group of like minded persons who have the well being of their people at heart. At least that is what I, in my simple mind, presume. Democracy must also have people who will rise up to oppose the misdeeds of the rulers – not make a mockery of the system but carry out honest criticism of policies formulated by the rulers. The opposition must always have a constructive approach. But, with every passing day, we keep losing sight of our goals. That is why, when a Minister decides to suspend further work on a project that has progressed for quite sometime and where a large amount of the taxpayers money has been invested, it does not augur well for the decision makers. It is akin to sowing the seeds of discontent among the affected persons and indirectly eggs them on to foment trouble. In other words, it amounts to indirect incitement. That is what is likely to happen if the Ammunition factory proposed to be set up in Nalanda, Bihar is really shelved. From reports available, one third of the sanctioned amount has already been spent and civil works have been nearly completed. Abandoning the project at this belated stage without sufficient reason is calling for trouble.

This is similar to the unrest in Kalinganagar, Orissa for the construction of the compound wall of a steel plant in which several locals had to pay with their lives.

All incidents like these are indicative of the lack of co-ordination of different agencies involved. The philosophy of the right hand not knowing what the left hand gives has become outdated. Today, both the hands should know what each has one has, how much weight each can carry and the extent to which each can stretch himself. The practice of keeping the embers glowing needs to be discarded for a more positive approach that will help deliver the best. We must demand nothing but the best from the rulers.

holiday on ice

2006-01-10T06:44:00.000-08:00

New Delhi has, a few days back, recorded the lowest temperature in the last 70 years withy the mercury nudging the zero degrees mark – there was TV coverage of ice flakes on the streets and on top of parked cars in the capital. Today, there are videos on TV of a frozen Dal lake with children enjoying it. This reminds me of the sixties when a show came to Kolkata called ‘holiday on ice’. Artificial enclosures were prepared where girls displayed their arts of snow skating.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/stage/reviews/2004/holiday_on_ice.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday_on_Ice

http://stuntdriver.com/hice1400a.html

Even today, snow skating rinks are there in the heart of Kolkata and other large cities. The heroines of the sixties and seventies loved to shoot in icy locales and perfected the art of preparing snow balls and hurling them at the heroes. Then there were the heroes who would roll down icy terrains singing songs that people cannot help but hum when the mood is right. Unfortunately, the speed at which we are inviting the ice age into our lives sends out disturbing signals. We must respect Mother Nature and control the urge to ignore the cover she has provided for us. We all know that large trees are necessary to bind the soil and also provide a shelter for birds. Trees are, however, uprooted to pave the way for widening of roads, or for expanding areas under concretization. Our winged friends fly off to other areas.

Moreover, unchecked pollution takes its toll not only on our own lives but also on the flora and fauna that are so important to maintain the balance of Nature. Once we disregard the basics, we invite trouble – we create situations like draught and floods and, now, snowfall in the capital. In order to extricate ourselves from the problems that we create ourselves, we look towards the Government to bail us out through grants and subsidies. Let us rise as one and resolve to preserve Nature.

tappers paradise

2006-01-09T23:13:00.000-08:00

Tap is associated with water. Public awareness campaigns on TV point out to the common man that leaking taps should be identified immediately and corrective action taken otherwise, a time may come in the distant future when you will have to run from pillar to post for your daily drops of the precious fluid on which life depends.

Tap dancing is another word that contains the dreaded word ‘tap’ – it is basically a type of dance. ‘……. Tap Dance, style of American theatrical dance, distinguished by percussive footwork, that marks out precise rhythmic patterns on the floor. Some descriptive step names are brush, flap, shuffle, ball change, and cramp roll…..’

http://www.offjazz.com/tp-hist.htm

Telephone tapping is an altogether different kettle of fish. It is eavesdropping on the conversations of others using sophisticated means. The Wikipedia defines phone tapping as ‘….Telephone tapping or wire tapping/ wiretapping (in US) is the monitoring of telephone conversations by a third party, often by covert means. The telephone tap or wire tap received its name because, historically, the monitoring connection was applied to the wires of the telephone line of the person who was being monitored and drew off or tapped a small amount of the electrical signal carrying the conversation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone_tapping

On 19th December 2005 – President of America George W. Bush defended the phone tapping policy. ‘…….US President George W Bush has again defended his decision to allow eavesdropping on Americans in the wake of the 2001 terror attacks. ….. Speaking at a press conference, Mr Bush also repeated that he would continue to authorise the secret monitoring. ….. He also urged Congress to renew the Patriot Act, the top US anti-terror law, saying it provided officials with the tools to protect Americans. ….. "We cannot afford to be without this law for a single moment," he said…….

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4542880.stm

Listening to privileged conversation of others is quite common in the daily TV soaps that we have got accustomed to – the vamp of the serial continuously pops up in the least expected of places and listens silently to corporate plans. Then she smiles that wicked smile of hers and retreats into the background to formulate her own plans. Reality is, at last, catching up with imagination.

republic day floats

2006-01-09T06:36:00.000-08:00

The Republic day every year is an occasion to display to the world at large our military strength along with our rich cultural heritage. Normally, the program lasts for nearly two and a half hours but, this year it is being reduced for reasons not disclosed. One of the reasons could be the lack of interest in people – with the exception of the school children, cadets of the NCC, members of the Military and para-Military forces who have to attend out of compulsion, and other such persons, the Republic day has lost its charm. The spectators have got accustomed to seeing the same MBTs, Bofors guns, MiG aero planes, and missiles and having rose petals showered on them from low flying helicopters. In keeping with the times, they want variety. Days of meaningful lyrics woven into memorable songs via sincerely crafted music that kept you mesmerized have surrendered meekly to the demons of the dhoom macha dey types.

In views of the shortened time frame for the Republic day displays, several states have to forego their floats that represent the unique culture of the respective states and highlight their achievements. The axe has fallen on Bihar first and the new Chief Minister is rightly unhappy. The proposal put forth by the PR group of Bihar did not find favor with the Defense Ministry. In a state that has won the distinction of being labeled as one where kidnapping has become an industry of sorts, the Ministry must have expected a tableau depicting those half masked men with their shooting machines. What has been presented seems to be a let down, especially in the context of the efforts of the CM to woo NRIs to invest in Bihar.

In order to revive the attraction of the Republic day parade, some thought could be given to introduce new floats from the Department of Revenue Intelligence and the Income Tax department – the world could then see how people who swindle the exchequer look like and try to find out what sets them apart and puts them in a special class of their own. There could also be a separate cavalcade of politicians who are known criminals but who are more slippery than the eel dipped in oil and have never been convicted.

With proper planning and publicity, the audiences can once again be motivated to sit glued to their TV sets.

the global link language

2006-01-08T18:22:00.000-08:00

It is now official – Hindi has taken the world by storm, it has penetrated the heavily guarded precincts of the White House. With Mickey Mouse dancing to the hottest tunes of ‘kajra re’ and ‘dus bahane’, with our beauties walking the ramp in International beauty pageants and lifting the crowns once in a while, this was bound to happen. Uncle Sam has realized that those who speak Hindi can not only handle software problems efficiently but can also extend helping hands in other fields as well. It is reported that he is real serious in tackling the terrorist outfits and wants to clear the hurdles of conducting meaningful one-to-one talks with the captured members of terrorist groups.

There is a second school of thought that suggests that this move is one of the first steps in trying to discover what transpires in conversations between the Hindi speaking youth settled in Silicon Valley and what makes them tick. That could be a reason why Bill Gates visits us so frequently – he has tremendous foresight, he is aware that Uncle Sam has made up his mind to ensure that his people grasp the intricacies of the language so that they can have a level playing field. Bill must be nurturing plans to make his Office systems more adaptable to Hindi. To assist him in this enormous task, he has to requisition the services of experts in the field.

Right now, his options would be limited because those who seriously pursue Hindi, belong to a generation that may not be comfortable to venture out to Uncle Sam’s territory and take up the new challenges or to keep awake nights to attend to call centre needs. With the focus on areas that are more lucrative (like IT, Engineering, Medicine or the Administrative services), there are very few takers for language related subjects. If Bill Gates and his tribe are forced to rely on the younger generation, they will land up with hotchpotch Hindi – a combination of Hindi punched with English as she is spoken in the metros. That may not appeal to Uncle Sam. Therefore it is a wake up call to Hindi pundits - do not despair, your time has come. Get ready to jump on to the band wagon that rolls on dollars. Who knows – Hindi may very well become the global link language of the next century.

food for all

2006-01-08T07:22:00.000-08:00

The mosquito stings you, extracts a morsel of its food and buzzes away to taste another. The sparrow picks up the ants and relishes the taste. The crow swoops down into the dust bin and flies away with a dead rat in its beak. Every living being must have food for basic survival – in the domain of human beings, there are the haves and the have-nots. While the former can take his pick, the latter has to be satisfied with whatever comes his way. If nothing does, he fills his stomach with water and goes to sleep hoping for a better tomorrow. And – those who have everything for the asking wait to meet the doctor the next morning. The problems are usually related to hypertension or high blood sugar or high cholesterol or problems of the heart. Those who live in the other end of the spectrum seldom suffer from these ailments.

Humans are grouped as vegetarians or non-vegetarians. Those who come in the non-veg category enjoy the taste of blood and blood related products that embrace a large variety of fish and animals. The only difference with other animals is that humans want theirs to be processed and not served in the raw. It should have unique taste and flavor, hence additives are a must. In order to perform these tasks, there are any numbers of gadgets in the market and, to train you in the art of preparing mouth watering dishes, there are cookery classes. On top of it all is a range of cutlery, crockery and associated etiquette and table manners to make the activities related to satisfying the taste buds an experience that has no parallel. Influence of the East has resulted in the growing popularity of Chinese and Thai dishes. Whether you use chop sticks or fork-knife combination or plain fingers, obtaining a degree in Hotel Management opens up innumerable avenues of prosperity. If you have a flair for impressing your audience with your method of presentation, you may become a celebrity.

When a person leaves his mother’s apron strings and moves to an unknown place, he has to rely on local eateries for food. In some cities, home prepared food is supplied to offices in Tiffin carriers. Later, when he gets married, he has to accept the preparations of his new companion – she may not be a master in the art. Still, tolerance becomes the watchword. By the time she masters the art, he probably reaches that stage in his life when restrictions are imposed on what he can take and what he has to avoid. A sad state of affairs, if I may say so.

weekly roundup 1

2006-01-07T23:23:00.000-08:00

This weekly piece will be posted on Sundays and will contain interesting news items compiled from five leading newspapers viz. the Times of India, the Indian Express, the Deccan Herald, the Daily Telegraph and the Hindu related to India and Indians. The links will be indicated to the respective pages for those who would like to read the complete story. The 1st installment covers the period from 1/1/2006 up to 7/1/2006.

Indian engineers to light up Kabul

KABUL: Engineers from India's Power Grid Corp are engaged these days in scaling the mighty Hindukush mountains of Afghanistan in a bid to bring electricity to power-starved Kabul. …. The 202 km transmission line being laid by Power Grid will bring 200 MW of electricity from the Timriz power project in Uzbekistan to the Afghan capital. India has provided $111 million for the project, out of the total $550 million it had committed for reconstruction activities in the war-torn country. … (read more)

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1356237.cms

Canadian election: Indians already winner

NEW YORK, JANUARY 4: At least 30 people of Indian origin, majority of whom trace their roots to Punjab, are in the fray for the Canadian general election, voting for which is scheduled for January 23. ……. Both the major Canadian political parties—the ruling Liberal Party and the main opposition Conservative Party—have gone out of their way to nominate members of the Indian community for the 39th general election….. (read more)

IE 4/1/2006 - http://www.indianexpress.com/archive_frame.php

Britain awards 7/7 heroes, 12 NRIs also on honours list

The ‘‘immense’’ courage shown by medics, emergency workers and transport staff following the July 7 London bombings was honoured today in Britain’s annual New Year awards from Britain’s Queen Elizabeth. …. The swift, efficient and in some cases overwhelmingly brave response to the attacks, for which London had been braced, was widely credited with preventing the death toll being much higher. …. Among 12 non-resident Indians chosen for the honours list are senior bureaucrat Sumantra Chakrabarti and actor Sanjeev Bhaskar …. (read more)

IE 1/1/2006 - http://www.indianexpress.com/archive_frame.php

World’s first air damped bike

First of its kind, the air damping system in bike will significantly improve sag resistance and traction comfort apart from low weight and a long running life.
Readers of the Deccan Herald will be familiar with BMW’s sporty cars, but not many realise that its superb range of twin cylinder motorcycles actually predates its foray into car manufacture in the 1930s……….. (read more )

http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jan32006/snt164141200612.asp

‘Thief’ caged in chicken coop

Residents of Tiretta Bazar, off Lalbazar police headquarters, woke up to a strange spectacle on Monday morning — a youth sitting in a large cage meant for carrying live chicken, with the door padlocked. ….. As people flocked around and watched him in strange delight, the youth sat shivering inside, barely able to hold his body inside the cage. ….. It was much later that the residents realised that the youth had been nabbed by some night guards, who had suspected him to be a thief. ……. (read more)

http://telegraphindia.com/archives/archive.html (3/1/2006)

Molybdenum reserves remain untapped

Deposits identified in Harur belt spread over 194.86 hectares - Used in defence technology, aeronautical industries - Samples sent to the Indian Bureau of Mines
Dharmapuri: Rich deposits of Molybdenum ore found in Harur belt in Dharmapuri district that could be used in defence applications and aeronautical industry still remains untapped despite the initiative of the State Government. ………. (read more)

http://www.hindu.com/2006/01/03/stories/2006010309980100.htm

NOTE - THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME TROUBLE IN ACCESSING INDIAN EXPRESS ARCHIVES

nashik samachar

2006-01-07T08:59:00.000-08:00

Shirdi, one of the most famous pilgrimage centers near Nashik will shortly be connected by railways. The work on the 18 Km route from Puntambe to Shirdi is taken up at an initial estimate of around Rs 50 crores. The construction of the railway station at Shirdi is already on the drawing board – it will look like the temple of Shirdi.

The Regional Planning Authority, under the able guidance of the Divisional Revenue Commissioner is planning all round development of the district. The earlier plan of covering 238 villages has been extended to cover 1952 villages. As many as 19 growth centers are planned that would help growth in economy. Specific areas have been earmarked for industries and for green zone. An important feature will be the Ring Road connectivity. The plan will be sent to the State Government for approval after which suggestions will be invited from the citizens.

One more winery has emerged in Sinnar - it was inaugurated by Vijaypat Singhania who created a record in flying in a hot air balloon and attaining the maximum altitude. The winery has a present tank capacity of 10,500 liters and this is expected to increase to around 10 lakh liters within the next four years.
A state level convention of the National Congress Party is scheduled for this weekend on the 7th and 8th January.

more on kolkata

2006-01-06T06:34:00.000-08:00

The large clock atop the New Market (Hogg’s market) is being readied after a lapse of several years. It seems, its chimes were not liked by some civic officials who resided in the neighborhood and the clock was stopped in 1998. It is nearly seven feet in diameter and the hour hand is three feet while the second hand is half foot longer. Four such clocks are installed on each face of the tower fifty feet above ground level. It needs rewinding two times per month.

Several steps are being contemplated for the beautification of the banks of the Ganges facing Howrah station. The information was revealed during the inauguration of the extension of the existing Millennium Park by the Governor of West Bengal Gopal Krishna Gandhi. It seems that CII has shown interest in being involved in the project. An international standard auction house for flowers is also planned on Mallickghat.

Since the Maidan has been made out of bounds for holding of fairs and exhibitions, the Calcutta Festival for this year has been shifted to the Rabindra Sarobar stadium. Along with this is the ‘National Handicrafts Expo 2005’.

There is a revolution in the air – literally. With air fares coming down to affordable levels for the middle classes, the consumers are having a field day. It seems Air Deccan, one of the low fare airlines, has selected petrol pumps as outlets for their tickets. Anyone can stroll in and enquire as to availability of tickets to a destination that comes in his budget. That becomes his holiday destination unlike times when the destination used to be predetermined. The airline introduced the scheme (of booking through petrol pumps) a couple of months back – it now operates from 16 outlets in the city and has been raking in around forty five lakhs per month. They have plans to include shopping malls and large restaurants as additional outlets.

daylight robberies

2006-01-06T04:21:00.000-08:00

Yesterday (5/1/2006) there were two news items on two different channels – in one it was shown that LPG cylinders in a storage depot were being drained of the gas in a very ingenious manner. Result – the weight of the cylinder that arrives at your doorstep will be less than the prescribed weight that you pay for. The second news was in a truck terminus where diesel was being sold at concession rates by persons in uniform. It seems daily several thousands of liters of diesel are thus siphoned off and no one appears to have any knowledge of this.

Obviously, everyone is out to make a fast buck. The days of petty thieves, pickpockets and burglars who strike in the dead of night are distant memories. Whether it is the boy who knocks at your door and presents himself as an electrician or a plumber or a TV mechanic, he leaves your world in total disarray. Resistance may prove fatal. The daily newspapers report their escapades as a matter of routine. Today the educated ones work out strategies to line their nests. They plan fake kidnappings and make extensive use of modern gadgets – could be a result of present day movies on similar themes. It would not be a surprise if, in view of the rising popularity of sting operations, freelancers descend in the field – they will film events and tape conversation on the sly and offload their research findings to the highest bidder.

Political leaders, unscrupulous bureaucrats and corrupt members of the police force have set the trend that is followed by their underlings. Swindlers roam the streets with impunity. No amount of sting operations can eradicate these evils – on the face of it, they all look more innocent than a baby, without bating an eyelid, they promise to book the criminals, and assures with seriousness that strict disciplinarian actions will be taken against erring individuals. What actually happens is never disclosed.

cricket in 2006 and 2007

2006-01-05T22:40:00.000-08:00

Our blue eyed, blue coated boys are on their way to Pakistan with both sides waiting eagerly to prove a point or two. Already announcements have been made of the Asia cup for men to be held in Pakistan in September 2007. The World Cup cricket 2007 for men is sandwiched in between. It is scheduled in the West Indies. From the fifth of March zero seven till the twenty eighth of April zero seven it will be cricket all the way. The mascot chosen is Mello - neither an object, animal nor person but instead a youthful, friendly, contemporary character with bright eyes, a big smile and an abundance of personality. …… He’s in his teens—cheeky and curious and socially aware like so many young people today. Because Mello is conscious of the growing HIV problem around the world he wears a red ribbon to show his support for the ICC/UNAIDS initiative.

http://www.icc-cricket.com/events/worldcup/

The selected venues are as follows -
Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua - Capacity: 20,000 of which 10,000 will be permanent - Location: the stadium is to be conveniently built between the city and the airport.
Kensington Oval, Barbados (32,000) - History: hosted its first Test in 1929-30 and first ODI in 1984-85 - Status: major upgrade to be undertaken to add additional seats and improvements to player, media and sponsor facilities
Queen’s Park, Granada - Built: 1998 - Capacity: present capacity of 13,000 to increase to 20,000 through temporary stands - Status: minor upgrade required
Providence stadium, Guyana - Capacity: 20,000 Status: to be built on a completely new site
Sabina Park, Jamaica – 20,000 - History: hosted its first Test in 1929-30 and first ODI in 1983-84 Status: major upgrade to be undertaken
Warner Park Stadium, St Kitts and Nevis - Capacity: increase from 4000 to 10,000 with the addition of temporary stands Status: the stadium is to be completely renovated and rebuilt with new facilities for media, spectators and players
Beausejour Stadium, St Lucia - Built: 2001-02 - Capacity: increase existing capacity of 12,000 to 20,000 with the addition of temporary stands - Status: relatively new stadium – minor upgrade required
Queens Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago - The oldest ground in the Caribbean - Capacity: 25,000 - Status: minor upgrade required.
However, it seems there are problems with some of these venues –
‘ …….. To make a long story short, one official explained, the stadium is not threatened by the IMF feasibility study; the people of Guyana are.
According to one official, a bigger threat is the widespread belief (at the WICB/ICC CWC 2007) that the stadium will not be completed in time. According to one confidential report, Guyana was only granted the 'green package' because it is widely anticipated that within the next six months, Guyana could be excluded from the entire process because of non-performance.
Bear in mind that Guyana got more than it bid for. The original Guyana bid was for the 'brown package' (hosting India's first round games) but this was awarded to Trinidad & Tobago.
Instead, Guyana got the "green package" which is six Super 8 (quarter final matches). The allocation of the Super 8 matches does *not* automatically mean that Guyana will in fact get to host the matches.
At a meeting in Jamaica in mid-August, Guyana's delegation made a strong case about its technical ability to complete the stadium and the World Cup board issued a statement to say Guyana was first to start construction. But, it is clear Guyana is not out of the woods yet.
The good point here, as Dehring explained, is that the CWC is committed helping those countries awarded games to honour their obligations.
In the meantime work has begun on the stadium amidst major finger-crossing that the infamous Guyana weather and politics (the World Cup straddles the 2006 elections) do not spoil things……..’

http://www.caribbeancricket.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1513

Let us wish cricket lovers all over the world the very best for the future – in 2007, there will be sixteen nations competing. Let us hope others are encouraged to join the game and increase its reach.

stoking the stock exchange

2006-01-05T06:21:00.000-08:00

Those who dabble in shares wait with bated breath for the index to breach the 10K mark – it is nearing it. Last year the BSE index on 3rd January was 6679 and on the same date in 2003, it was 3357. To the commoner, these are just figures that appear in a corner of the TV screen like the cricket score or occupy hours of discussions with the knowledgeable folk on specific channels that cater to this elite group. We are occasionally treated to a view of the magnificent building of the Bombay Stock Exchange on Dalal Street. It is worthwhile to note that the name has not yet changed to MSE – Mumbai Stock Exchange.

The BSE is the hub of financial ups and downs – it is all about buying and selling and, like any other Stock Exchange, situations keep changing every micro second. There are rows of computers wired to the system and they constantly monitor the trends. The higher the index the more it reflects on the health of business, on the input from foreign institutional investments and on the downtrend in inflation. IT and pharmaceutical companies usually play a major role in maintaining stability of the index.
History - an informal group of 22 stockbrokers had been trading under a banyan tree opposite the Town Hall of Bombay from mid-1850s. This banyan tree still stands in Horniman Circle Park, Mumbai. This informal group of stockbrokers organized themselves as “The Native Share and Stockbrokers Association” which, in 1875, was formally organized as the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). BSE is the oldest stock exchange in Asia, the second being the Tokyo Stock Exchange, established in 1878.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombay_Stock_Exchange

In this context, it would be interesting to get enlightened on a couple of other global indices. First is NASDAQ. When it began trading on 8/12/1971, it was the world's first electronic stock market. On 17/7/1995 the NASDAQ stock index closed above the 1,000 mark for the first time. The index peaked at 5132.52 on 10/3/2000, which signaled the beginning of the end of the dot-com boom. NASDAQ is now the largest U.S. electronic stock market. NASDAQ (originally an acronym for National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations) is a US electronic stock market. It was founded by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) who divested it in a series of sales in 2000 and 2001. It is owned and operated by The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. NASDAQ: NDAQ which was listed on its own stock exchange in 2002.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasdaq

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is one of several stock market indices created by Wall Street Journal editor and Dow Jones & Company founder. Dow compiled the index as a way to gauge the performance of the industrial component of America's stock markets. It is the oldest continuing U.S. market index. First published on 26/5/1896, the DJIA represented the average of twelve stocks from various important American industries. Of those original twelve, only General Electric remains part of the average.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dow_Jones_Industrial_Average

womens cricket asia cup 2005

2006-01-04T22:58:00.000-08:00

The news on TV announcing the holding of the next Asia Cup in late 2007 occupied a prime position last evening. Unfortunately, there was no mention of the Indian women’s cricket team that lifted the Asia Cup 2005 by a convincing margin to defend the title they won in 2003 successfully.

The Indian maidens won the toss and set up a score of 269 for 4 in the allotted 50 overs. The Sri Lankans fell short by 97 runs. Mithali Raj top scored for India with 108 not out and was declared the woman of the match. There were three countries involved – India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. More details can be had in the website ‘Women’s cricket on the web’ - http://www.webbsoc.demon.co.uk/

These women in blue have given consistent account of themselves for quite some time now but it is unfortunate that the team has not been abler to locate any sponsor other than Sahara. We have had male cricketers in advertisements to promote a range of products that suit their ways of life. There was the suave Sunny Gavaskar who had nice words to say for a certain brand of suiting after hitting someone’s ice cream cone for a sixer. Kapil Dev ruled the roost for a while with his unique style of Punjabi English to talk on the positive aspects of clean shaves apart from drinks that make you stronger. Sachin Tendulkar had reserved his slot for the cold drinks meant for people who keep wanting more and more until a Pied Piper with a horde of maidens edged him out.

Would it not have been in the fitness of things to consider inducting into the fold a few of the women in blue who continue to bring laurels to the country? Being women, they possess a certain amount of charm; bringing them center stage will boost their morale. They will know that their countrymen care for them. That itself will act as an incentive and encourage them to strive for excellence in their irrespective fields. By the way – has anyone written any book on the women cricketers of India?

modernisation of the railways

2006-01-04T06:35:00.000-08:00

The Indian Railways have announced reservation of tickets from 1st January 2006 through the internet on all super fast trains thro the link – www.irctc.co.in

The slogan for 2006 for the railways is ‘service with a smile’. When our present Railway Minister took over, he had announced several measures to boost the ego of people who toil hard to prepare earthen kulhads. His intentions were noble, we would have, in due course of time, discarded the plastic throwaway cups that litter the railway tracks and result in destroying the environment. Tea served in kulhads is still popular in some parts of the country, he wanted to make it popular throughout. People of the ministry must have devoted several sleepless nights to work out statistics of how profitable the venture would be. Yes, eco-wise, it would have been a sensible move but, other considerations must have influenced the decision to put this introduction on hold.

More recently, there was a news item indicating that cell phone charging points would be made available in the long distance trains so that the travelers could make use of them instead of carrying dead weights in their pockets. One more sensible move – today everyone has a cell phone. Introduction of this facility will help us to keep in contact with our near and dear ones while on long journeys; we can tell them the approximate time by which we are likely to arrive at our destination. They can, accordingly, come to the station to receive us. Otherwise, they would have to keep waiting relying on the announcements through the PA system, which seldom conveys the correct picture.

While on the subject of cell phones, here is a proposal for the Railway Safety Board to ponder over – since computerization of railway reservations have been done, an additional service could be thought of. A second page of the ticket could indicate the telephone numbers and contact person of all the scheduled halts on the route. This could be extracted from an updated database. Thereby, the cell phone owners can pass on messages to the next station in case of emergencies like illness, fire, and dacoity. Instead of relying only on the link of the guard and the driver, which may not be adequate, let the RSB consider expanding the base. This additional facility at a nominal charge of ten rupees per seat could be included in the basic cost of the ticket. The reverse side of the sheet could carry advertisements – that can help earn additional revenue.

the unholy godmen

2006-01-03T19:02:00.000-08:00

One more case has come to light involving another Godman – this time it is all about doling out ayurvedic medicines that contain ingredients that do no conform to ayurvedic roots as we know them. The Godman in the centre of this controversy has huge following involving leading personalities from all walks of life. Regular programs are telecast on his yoga asanas in selected TV channels. Only the other day, we saw another Godman, an MP, accept money for granting favors to those that can afford to pay for his services. And – several cases of misappropriation of temple funds have been reported from different parts of the country. This brings to focus the deteriorating standards of people who we have always kept on a high pedestal and had great faith in their powers. We respected them and their followers but, when greed gets the better of you, you are reduced to the levels of the ordinary men, and each of your action is in doubt.

Men who claim to be closer to God enjoy plenty of privileges – the evil ones among them take advantage of situations, especially on the illiterate population. There has been any number of cases where women, who are unable to conceive, fall easy prey to the evil designs of these ungodly Godmen. There have been cases of people who were lured by the chance of making a fast buck and doubling the money, becoming victims of these men. From the remote villages, these evil men have graduated to the city life style and have already understood that proper marketing can make them millionaires. During the last Kumbhmela in Nasik, it was surprising to see sadhu babas moving around on motor cycles and flashing cell phones. Dressed in saffron robes with the hair knotted high above the head, they represented a different picture when they sat in meditation, with their eyes closed, in the tents. The continuous chanting of hymns through strategically positioned microphones lends an air of authenticity to the environment. What actually happens in the background is anybody’s guess. Then there was this case of a DIG of police who renounced his hi-fi life to search for salvation, he donned robes unbecoming of an IPS cadre. The tension of policing must have taken its toll on the gentleman.

One thing is certain – such disclosures have shaken the belief the ordinary man has in the institutions that are supposed to set examples for others to emulate. The common man never had it so bad – the guardians of the law exploit him to the fullest – he has to pay bribe to register an FIR or not to register one! Either way, the uniformed persons gain. When the poor common man looks towards heaven for peace, he faces the unholy Godmen – they also want to exploit him.

its all in the family

2006-01-03T06:17:00.000-08:00

Suddenly this urge got to me to pen a piece on ‘family’ – it is a word we all hear. In days of yore, the focus was on joint families – with a dozen or so siblings growing up together, getting married and, in turn, having their own families, it used to be a real big household. In such families, the women, who were seldom educated looked after the kitchen in the daytime and tend to the needs of the respective husbands at night. The children grew up under the care and attention of the real elderly ones, especially the grandmothers or the grandfathers.

As generations moved on, the joint system was discarded for the satellite or the modular ones – the separations were usually very subtle; the reasons would be jobs that would take one away from the apron strings or getting married to one who does not belong to the caste or a desire to be independent and explore the world on his own. Celebration of festivals was a truly gorgeous affair with members of the family descending on their ancestral homes from different parts of the country (and, occasionally, from abroad!) to share a few moments of happiness. Differences in the social standings of individual members of the family would be temporarily forgotten but would be carried away as painful memories to be nursed in isolation till the next meet. A corollary to the perennial tussle between the expectations and achievements.

When a need was felt by the Government to limit families in order to contain the population explosion, the slogan doing the rounds was ‘do ya teen, bus’. Within a short time, this was modified to ‘hum do, hamare do’. Next came the single child norms and, the ultimate was the DINK philosophy.

Out of curiosity, I ‘googled’ on the net for the word ‘family’ and came up with a number of variations. They make for interesting reading.

The link is - http://www.thefreedictionary.com/family

the taj mahal is shortlisted

2006-01-02T19:03:00.000-08:00

In one of the posts on ‘Rediscovering India’ I had mentioned about an exercise being carried out to search for a set of seven new wonders because, only one out of the original seven remain intact today.

http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2004/12/06/34568.aspx

The seven wonders identified till date were the lighthouse at Alexandria, the temple of Artemis, the statue of Zeus, the Colossus of Rhodes, the mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the hanging gardens of Babylon and the Egyptian pyramids. All were built between 2500 BC and 200 BC. Only the Pyramids remain at Giza. Bernard Weber has initiated an exercise to find out which monuments should appear in the new list.

Based on the initial survey and votes polled, a short list of 21 has now been arrived at – our very own Taj Mahal figures in the list but not any of the temples. These 21 are as follows –

Acropolis, Athens, Greece
Alhambra, Granada, Spain
Angkor, Cambodia
Chichen, Itza, Yucatan, Mexico
Christ, Redeemer Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Colosseum, Rome, Italy
Easter Island Statues, Chile
Eiffel Tower Paris, France
Great Wall, China
Hagia Sophia Istanbul, Turkey
Kyomizu Temple Kyoto, Japan
Kremlin Moscow, Russia
Machu Picchu Peru
Neuschwanstein Castle Füssen, Germany
Petra Jordan
Pyramids of Giza Egypt
Statue of Liberty New York, USA
Stonehenge Amesbury, United Kingdom
Sydney Opera House Australia
Taj Mahal, Agra India
Timbuktu Mali

Voting has already begun and, those interested can visit the website to cast his vote. The final list will be declared on 1st January 2007. For voting please follow the link -

http://cms.n7w.com/voting1f.php

sighs on the size

2006-01-02T07:04:00.000-08:00

Whoever said that size matters is today resigned to accept the fact that size does not matter. Whilst one group urges you to live life king-size, others tempt you with tiny gadgets that transform your world. It penetrates to your private life also – whether to limit your family or not is a question doing the rounds: the concept of ‘ek-ya-do-bus’ may soon get the boot. The more the merrier certainly has its advantages especially when you plan for an exclusive cricket team where you will be the Boss.

Even the accommodation is today is reduced to 1BHK which is supposed to stand for one bedroom, hall and kitchen. In terms of area, this could be as small as a two hundred square feet layout – the occupant is expected to squeeze his world into this tiny space, his world complete with the set of domestic appliances right from the TV and fridge to the cooking oven readily available on installment. The size of the budget necessary to purchase all these on cash is large; hence small easy-to-handle EMIs have become popular. And, to cater to such ways of living, there are two tier cots, dining tables that can fold into the wall, sofas that can double up as a bed etcetera.

The concept of enjoy now, pay later is gradually setting up a new social order. Travel agents are enticing the gullible public into their nets – coupled with reduction in air fares, people who used to stay indoors are today flying out to neighboring countries Singapore and Dubai for vacations. Here again, there are concessions and schemes of installments. Never get upset by rising costs, they are always within manageable limits. If you default on payments, the financiers know how to extract their pound of flesh.

The basic concept of cutting your coat according to the cloth has lost its relevance. Today you can patch up your coat with bits and pieces of any other cloth – you will be setting a new trend in fashion. Who knows, if you are lucky, you may be able to dislodge some of the existing fashion designers from their pedestals.

hi tech versus simple living

2006-01-01T17:54:00.000-08:00

The recent sting operations have revealed that living life hi-tech is becoming dangerous by the minute. A time may very well come in the near future when we will suddenly discover that it is impossible to have a quorum in the Parliament due to disqualification of the members.

Electoral reforms are being discussed regularly in both houses but nothing concrete seems to take place, it continues to get shelved for obvious reasons. No political party is serious to weed out the evil. Gandhiji, the Father of the Nation, had the vision of a Ram-rajya, a rajya where honesty prevails, where sincerity and integrity are the key words to success. Unfortunately, our leaders have locked on only to Ram and are busy identifying Lakshman, Hanuman and other stalwarts who were important players in the epic Ramayan. It was a beauty to behold Leaders ensconced on a dais specially designed to depict the lotus gradually open its petals but the ensuing revelations and statements left a bad taste in the mouth.

There are no secrets as to the extent of rot that has crept into our systems. Bribing our way to the goal is second nature to us – we do not hesitate to forego some money to lay hands on that extra little bit of comfort whatever it may be: a berth in a reserved compartment at the last minute or an out of turn allotment of a seat in the kindergarten or in the seats of higher levels of learning or even to get the coveted appointment letter. Just imagine a scenario – a student smuggles a spy cam into the classroom and shoots a video of the teacher sleeping or writing notes for some publisher. It can turn into a tool par excellence for blackmail – the student can begin dictating terms. Therefore, it stands to reason that unless a check is introduced to declare all such equipment as illegal, heads will continue to roll. Schools and Colleges will find it difficult to get the teaching staff; the havilders will not have any boss to report to.

Like the spy cam, there should be a second legislation to declare the private TV channels as illegal – that will ensure that there are no public disclosures of underhand dealings or of confused and embarrassed leaders retracting their earlier statements. Let us have only one TV channel Doordarshan and let us be entertained by serials like Buniyad or Ghar Jamai or Ulta Pulta. Let us have serials based on novels of Munshi Premchand or on short stories of Tolstoy and O’Henry. Let us give simple living a chance.

some more star gazing 2006

2006-01-01T06:36:00.000-08:00

(in continuation….. )

Leo – your growl has gone with the wind. Once upon a time you considered yourself to be the Lord of the jungle but the identity of the jungle has assumed new dimensions, trees are replaced by concrete. Tom Cat has replaced you in the MGM logo in all those Tom and Jerry cartoons. Names like Sher Singh are out of fashion. You seem to be a lost cause – like your cousins in the Gir forests and the Common Man. All of you must rise and be counted in 2006.

Virgo – well, you did have your days. You were happy to bask in the knowledge that you were treated like a jewel in the crown. Unfortunately, the likes of you are considered to be old fashioned today. Try to win back the lost glory in 2006.

Libra – the scales are weighed heavily in favor of the wrong ones. Money can tilt them towards you. Remember this basic fact of life and capture the world in your pocket. ‘Jago grahak jago’ is the mantra of the day. Assert your powers in 2006.

Scorpio – yes, they sting. The recent sting operations have left several well-known personalities out in the cold. Everyone loves to see the other man exposed for what he (or she) is. Continue the good work in 2006 and take adequate precautions to see that the projects in hand do not boomerang.

Sagittarius – those born under this sign are usually masculine in nature and mutable that is adaptable and capable of molding into circumstances. Avoid those who can influence your decisions in public life – then only can your domestic life be happy in 2006.

Capricorn – stubborn is what you are. It has its plus points but when the opposition does not yield, you have a fight on your hands. Take care to keep her contented – when she hankers for a diamond, start with silver and keep provisions for gold. Summer holiday in Capri and investments in the pop corm and corn flakes industry will pay rich dividends.

Aquarius – water constitutes ninety percent of the world, water in different varieties from the teardrops to rain drops. In one place it is ice, another it is steam. It does not take long to shift from one group to the other. Tread with caution in 2006.

Pisces – these have been given a new lease of life, thanks to the Natgeo channel. We are left astounded at the variety that abound on this earth and excel at the way one swallows another and in turn gets swallowed by a still bigger one. That is the philosophy of life at its best. Live and let live is the message for 2006.

star gazing 2006

2005-12-31T23:38:00.000-08:00

I am no astrologer, it is not for me to speak in terms of the 11 hour 11 minute 11 second way of things – I just thought how nice it would be if all of us could predict how the new year 2006 will turn out to be for us. I have not set any boundaries for myself; hence, nothing is taboo. One thing is certain – a new political outfit is waiting in the wings for the opportune moment to announce its arrival and, a combine within a combine is poised for take off – the brain child of the man with the lantern, it remains to be seen whether the lantern will pave the road to prosperity.

Your lucky number for each day can be based on a logic that you can define yourself – for example, TSOTD of when you open the day’s newspaper or when you have your first sip of tea or the reporting time of the domestic help or the waiting period at the elevator or the time lost in settling arguments of the kids or the time spent in meetings the previous day. (TSOTD means ‘the sum of the digits’)

Similarly, the color of each day can be arbitrarily chosen by you as the shirt worn by the paper delivery boy or the housecoat worn by your missus or the handbag of the woman who accompanies you in the elevator or the first car you see when you look out of the window.

So here are the results of star gazing for 2006 -

Aries – stop bleating like a lamb. Run away to some safe destination before they take you to the slaughterhouse. Lamb chops are no longer in fashion but who knows – there could be a revival. Devour those biscuits that can convert you to a tiger. The growl is better than the bleat. Be careful of sweet talkers in 2006.

Taurus – you have earned the wrath of the people. Improve your style of functioning. The country is in a resurgent mood – illegal occupation of roads is viewed seriously. Our power centers are wooing foreigners; we do not want you to scare them away. In 2006, walk the streets only at nighttime when the world sleeps. Dalal Street is the exception.

Gemini – your tribe has had wonderful times in our filmdom. We live on the lost-and-found brother/sister storylines. Invariably one of you is the one who is tortured, and the other is the one who comes to his or her rescue, as the case may be. We have always had two brothers or two sisters – that is financially advantageous to the producer. Insist on a change in combination for 2006, which will be lapped up by the public.

Cancer – everyone is afraid to come in contact with you. They avoid you like the plague. You have not confined yourself to just the human beings but have invaded practically all walks of life. Explore possibilities of changing the ‘C’ to a ‘D’ - we all love the dancer, especially she who performs the hot item numbers. 2006 holds promises for the chocolate coated ones.(continued …. )

zero in on zero six

2005-12-31T08:43:00.000-08:00

As the clock strikes midnight and we step into 2006, I take this opportunity to convey my best wishes to all my fellow members of the forum / bloggers for a happy and prosperous New Year.

Mother Nature loves to continuously throw us into tizzies; she wants to test us at every opportunity, our patience, and our resistance powers. We have to accept her challenges, brave the odds and emerge winners. She loves winners as does others – therefore, on this auspicious occasion, let us resolve to fight our battles and not embrace defeat even before attempting to cross swords. Failures are an inseparable part of life – if we permit them to get on top of us, we are doomed. Always remember that the child has to stumble before it learns to walk, you have to display innumerable bruises on the knees and the elbows before you master the intricacies of cycling – these obstacles pave the way to a rich and fulsome life.

Like failures, you must never allow successes to rob you of your basic faculties of being a good human being, of being an individual who one wants to mingle with whether at work or in the social circles. Once you attain a stature, rise to a certain height, it is extremely difficult to maintain it – a fall can be very painful.

Each and every member of our fraternity have experiences to share, may be from work life or from personal life; let us try to disseminate these to as many corners as possible so that someone somewhere can benefit from them. Simultaneously, let us gather information from others. The art of acquiring and disseminating knowledge is in our grasp – let us make full use of these facilities. Let us give Nature her due respect – let us begin in the back yard, take care of the trees and invite the birds back into our folds, entice the butterflies to return to our world and add color to our lives. Let us hope that zero six is the year that we had been waiting for eagerly to get all the breaks.

what happened on the fifteenth

2005-12-24T08:42:00.000-08:00

With 2005 coming to a close, everyone tries to summarize the important happenings of the year and prepare capsules. While some of them rely on the written word, others prefer the visuals. Important events, natural calamities, accidents normally take center stage. There is also identification of the most something-or-the-other person of the year – the fields chosen are usually the silver screen or the idiot box or sports or politics. Out of those who remain in the limelight throughout the year, a chosen few are honored for their contributions towards whatever be the cause. In earlier days, one had to send the vote via post – the form would appear in popular magazines and one had to tick mark the recipient of his or her vote. Today is it is all SMS oriented – options are given as A or B or C or D – you have to type the alphabet and send the vote. On the face of it, Technology has made life so simple. But, all of us know that it is not really that simple.

Anyway, I have done a slightly different exercise to sum up the events of 2005. I have taken the 15th day of every month and scoured the archives of 3 leading internet sites -

TOI, Mumbai - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
The Daily Telegraph, Kolkata - http://telegraphindia.com/
The Deccan Herald, Bangalore - http://deccanherald.com

for interesting news taken at random and related to the specific areas – namely, the Financial capital, the Cultural capital and the Intellectual capital respectively. There will be two news items per day – due to lengthy material, some news will show only the first few paragraphs. The text is not edited for grammar or spellings. In order to maintain uniformity, I have used a common font. The results will appear as posts in this blog from the 25th December onwards and will cover two months per day.

I hope you like the offerings. Happy reading.

events of january zero five -

http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/12/25/389611.aspx

events of february zero five -

http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/12/26/390167.aspx

events of march zero five -

http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/12/26/390610.aspx

events of april zero five -

http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/12/27/390964.aspx

events of may zero five -

http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/12/27/391695.aspx

events of june zero five -

http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/12/28/392444.aspx

events of july zero five -

http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/12/29/393377.aspx

events of august zero five -

http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/12/29/393510.aspx

events of september zero five -

http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/12/29/394024.aspx

events of october zero five -

http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/12/30/394435.aspx

events of november zero five -

http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/12/30/395138.aspx

events of december zero five -

http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/12/30/395355.aspx

geetmala and toothaches

2005-12-23T08:43:00.000-08:00

Binaca toothpaste, which later became Cibaca, has vanished from the market. In order to woo the kids, each pack had gifts – the kids would collect them and exchange the extra ones with their classmates. When the radio was the only means of domestic entertainment, there was a program of film songs sponsored by Binaca. Called the Binaca Geetmala, it was compered by the one and only Ameen Sayani. The style of his presentation was unique, like his melodious voice that brings back sweet memories. The last Wednesday of the year was reserved for the selected hit songs of that year and listeners would sit glued to the radio for the one-hour capsule, captivated by the voice.

Read more – http://www.ameensayani.com/reviews/review_1.htm

The teeth are an important part of our body. Unless taken care of, they can make your life miserable. A toothache can literally rob you of your well-earned and well-deserved sleep. When the hidden warriors suddenly descend in the darkness to snatch their milligram of the goodies that still nestle in the crevices of your teeth, you groan and moan and toss about in bed. You wait for daybreak to run to the dentist. The dentist, bless him, prescribes painkillers and advises yet again to brush the teeth before you retire for the night. You hear him out and, in no time, forget him and his advice until the killer pain returns.

A set of pearly white teeth is something to cherish forever, it paves the way for appearances in beauty pageants. It is one of the stepping-stones to a life of the good things, a sort of passport to display your remaining assets to the world at large. This is one of the reasons why there are so many brands of products related to the teeth in the market. Each of them vies for attention. It is not known whether a set of gleaming white teeth can replace the flash bulb for the photographer, some feel they do. Then there are the mothers who chant the mantra of bhoot-police while busy in their daily chores – they expect this new police force to take care of the teething problems of their kids.

Gone are the days when the twig of a neem branch did a wonderful job – even today, these are sold and people use them. I have seen them on the railway platforms of Lucknow. The neem plant has medicinal values. The tip is first chewed leisurely to extract the juice and then the twig is used to rub the teeth to give them the shine. This type of natural toothbrush-cum-toothpaste led to the Neem toothpaste - but it is no longer available in the market. Like Binaca, Cibaca, Kolynos and a whole host of others they have become history.

the derailed railways

2005-12-22T23:34:00.000-08:00

The Indian Railways are one of the most popular means of mass communication. It still caters to the high class as well as the poor. Over the years it has introduced several improvements in its working, today you can even book tickets over the net in selected cities. But, accidents continue to plague it. A report indicates that Nearly 40 major accidents have occurred in the last 15 years on the 63,000-km route network of Indian Railways, the world's largest under a single management that operates over 11,000 trains every day.

http://www.newkerala.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=44251

On 3rd February, A train smashed into a tractor carrying wedding guests at a crossing in western India on Thursday, killing at least 52 people and injuring 10 others, a railway official said. The accident occurred near Kanhan, a small town in Maharastra 490 miles northeast of Bombay, when a local train bound for the central Indian city of Nagpur collided with a tractor as it was crossing the tracks.

On 21st April, 17 people (including the driver of the Sabarmati Express and his assistant) were killed and over 127 injured (10 in critical condition) when the Ahmedabad bound passenger train from Varanasi, Train No. 9168 SABARMATI EXPRESS, collided with a stationary goods train (on the same track!) near Samlaya village in Vadodara district of Gujarat state at around 0310 Hrs (IST) on Thursday, 21 April 2005.

On 3rd October, Fifteen people were feared dead and over 50 seriously injured when the Bundelkhand Express went off the track and rammed into a railway signal cabin in Datia district, Madhya Pradesh at 8.10 am on Monday. The train was travelling from Varanasi to Gwalior.

But, worse than accidents are the cases of rape in moving trains - in August 2002, a young woman was raped on a suburban train near in Mumbai. It was reported that she was a handicapped woman and, even though there were half a dozen male passengers in that compartment none stepped in to stop it. Interestingly one of the passengers was a journalist. On 6th December this year, five people were arrested for alleged rape of a 20-year-old woman in the Mumbai-bound Pawan Express.The woman was raped between Nasik and Igatpuri stations. The latest is the one in the Pushpak Express in MP on 21st December 2005. In this connection it may be mentioned that there was a Manoj Bajpai – Raveena Tandon film ‘Jaago’ shown in one of the TV channels where a child was raped in a local train in Mumbai – in that case there also there were witnesses who were afraid to open their mouth for fear of repercussions.

The railway authorities are tying up with MNCs to introduce signaling equipment that can provide advance warning of unfit tracks – they need to also look into the safety of the traveling public. It seems when followers of political parties forcibly board the trains to attend party rallies, they create problems for the authorized travelers. The railway administration should provide separate trains for such persons – the cost could be borne by the parties. It is a national problem and needs to be resolved by whichever party is in charge of the Railway ministry.

year ending thoughts

2005-12-22T06:18:00.000-08:00

As one crosses the twentieth day of December, one ponders over the past and, in most cases, enjoys a few silent moments with his inner self in analyzing his personal gains and losses. Most of those who are employed are governed by two sets of years – one is the calendar year from January to December, the other is the financial year from April to March. The logic in maintaining such a system is not readily understandable. However, to the employed, it is the calendar year that has a greater appeal.

One of the reasons is that leave entitlements are calculated based on the calendar year – casual leaves are meant for sudden requirements over the year. These normally lapse if not availed within the year. Some are lucky to keep them preserved till the last possible minute – the result is fantastic: he (or she) derives immense pleasure in watching the not-so-lucky ones brave it out in the cold to reach offices while they relax in the sun.

Another reason is the LTC – these are facilities extended by some employers to their employees to enable them to travel and enjoy the diversities of different places. These LTCs or Leave Travel Concessions also lapse if not utilized within a certain period. Here again, the last day is 31st December.

The best part is, without doubt, the picnics in neighboring locations where one surrenders oneself to laze in the sun and watch butterflies flit from flower to flower or stare at birds chirping high above in the branches or watch a stray leaf as it sails down to the ground or listen to the ripple of the water as they jump from stone to stone on the banks of the river. These picnics can be family outings or in the company of close friends or even in a group. If the location is far away and there is a large group, one becomes a part of the whole and tries his hands at so many things that he would never ordinarily think of. Like – singing out of tune or bowling doosras or swiping at every ball outside any of the stumps. Breakfast of bread sandwiches, boiled eggs and bananas with tea or coffee, lunch of mutton curry, rice, tomato chutney and a couple of rosogollas or gulab jamuns and evening tea with biscuits before pack up are the usual menu for such outings. Hard drinks are always consumed on the sly and, there are invariably one or two members who find it difficult to hold on to their drinks – they provide enjoyment for the others.

climbing the ladder

2005-12-22T04:28:00.000-08:00

We have climbed the ladder in the ICCI rankings, thanks to a well planned and dedicated fight executed to near perfection against a demoralized second-string team of Sri Lanka. Our spin twins, one playing in his 100th test and the other in his 50th, resulted in us achieving the win. This is a good sign – we have to maintain this winning streak and ensure uniformity in our performances. . Due credit must go to the opposition who braved it all out despite the absence of their star fast bowler in action. If only they had shown sufficient patience, the result could have been different. Test matches are basically about tests to prove the patience, determination and stamina of the players – these are the qualities that make for greatness. Scoring a century followed by a number of single digits does not pave the way for champions, there has to be a consistency.

Our team could have easily completed the formalities much earlier. The game need not have dragged on to the fifth day. Probably they wanted to occupy the crease as long as possible to gain some valuable batting practice that might prove useful in the subsequent encounters in Pakistan. If that were the case, they should have continued till all were out. That would have allowed Harbhajan to possibly move on to the fifty mark – a milestone for him, an additional reason for him to remember the Ahmedabad outing.

All said and done, our cricket team has plenty of ground to cover till the forthcoming World Cup. It is funny that the replacement of a senior player was not given a chance to show his mettle in this match. Probably he will be a surprise element in Pakistan. Only, a niggling worry, a piece of sentiment one may say – in my opinion, the recent unwanted episodes in our cricket field has brought the gentleman’s game to disrepute. It has left a bad taste in the mouth. The blemish will remain as long as cricket remains.

vote for the goat

2005-12-21T22:29:00.000-08:00

The goat is a stubborn creature, more stubborn than the donkey. When we witness a pair of goats lock their horns, we realize that none wants to give way without a fight to the finish. 2003 was the year of the goat as per the Chinese calendar. The goatee beard is fashionable; it is convenient for those who find it difficult to maneuver the shaving razor in the soft contours of the chin. There is a saying in Bengali that goes - ‘the lunatic speaks whatever he wants, the goat devours whatever it sees’. It is, therefore, not very strange that goats do not die even after munching and swallowing the plastic bags that other animals find it hard to digest!

Goat translates to bakra in Hindi and in the famous TV serial Chhupe Rustom, we enjoyed seeing the wonderful team of experts make bakras out of ordinary people like you and me on the streets. The MTV channel also has a special slot for the bakras. And – in the larger world, the politicians are continuously making bakras out of the electorate. In spite of knowing them in and out, we continue to repose faith in them and expect them to deliver us from the ills that plague our country. Our social spectrum spreads from the brilliant youngsters who control the destinies of MNCs to the ill fed, half clad people who survive on the leftovers of the multi storied buildings, who take shelter under parked vehicles or who sell their bodies to earn a meal. The politicians have been promising to improve the conditions of the common man, they get themselves elected to parliament on these false promises but except prosperity in their own backyards, the picture is as gloomy as it was in the fifties.

Goat, in short, means a fall guy, a scapegoat. We love to boost the ego of an innocent and leave him stranded in mid air; we flee from the place before he comes crashing down to discover himself to be at the receiving end of some ill conceived joke. If a poll is conducted to identify the Bakra of 2005, who will win the crown?

accommodation problems

2005-12-21T18:00:00.000-08:00

The CM of Bihar is an unhappy person, he is unable to move into his rightful residence that is equipped with the infrastructure necessary to control the activities of a state as large and as complicated as Bihar. Actually, he has only himself to blame – if he had not dislodged the man with the lantern, he would not have faced these irritating problems.

The earlier occupant is unwilling to move out. He cannot be blamed – with every passing day, it is becoming more and more difficult to get an accommodation that is tailor made to suit your needs – schools, hospitals, markets, bus stops etcetera should be within reasonable distance. And – if you are the proud owner of a whole lot of animals, you must naturally have space to relocate them. You cannot expect them to stay under the open sky vulnerable to the ravages of nature. Even if you do manage to secure an accommodation, you have to consider yourself lucky if you can hold on to it indefinitely. This is a reason why people nowadays are encouraged to go in for ownership houses – it is beneficial to all in the long run. Loans are available off-the-shelf apart from the added incentive of relief in income tax for those who come in the IT bracket. IT, in this context, is supposed to mean Income Tax and not Information Technology. Those excluded from the IT bracket enjoy separate privileges that are maintained as closely guarded secrets.

In two corners of the country, the authorities based on the rulings of the honorable Courts have taken up demolishing of several existing residential structures. One is in Ulhasnagar in Maharastra and the other is right in New Delhi, the capital. This is creating accommodation problems for residents who suddenly discover that there is no roof above their heads. It seems innumerable illegal constructions have been reported from these areas. The sad part is that these did not sprout overnight like seeds – these had the blessings of those who sanction such add-ons. In New Delhi alone there are more than 18,000 such constructions. Those who are entrusted with this work are straddled with non-availability of the necessary equipment. The work is progressing at snail’s pace – it is evident that there is reluctance to follow the directives of the honorable Courts.

We had seen in the Natgeo channel about the method employed in demolishing buildings in congested areas – detonators are wired all over the structure to be demolished and, at the press of a button, the complete building is reduced to rubbles. As they say, where there is a will, there is a way.

killer instincts

2005-12-20T06:53:00.000-08:00

In our world, killers are probably the men who guard our borders or who take care of the law and order – to them killing is a task to be performed. There is nothing sentimental about the events. However, one thing that needs to be ensured is that this special group of people look the role they have to play. The reason for bringing up this topic is the recent announcement of the new CM of Bihar. He has issued certain directives to the police. The intention is to enable them to present a look that is more in keeping with their status in society. If properly implemented, the CM would have paved the way for more such tiny moves that can boost his own popularity. As it stands today, policemen are depicted as pot bellied samples of humans who are always the butt of jokes. They amble leisurely when running is necessary. They toil around on bicycles – these are their means of transport. For weapons, they carry stout sticks that are used for offense or defense depending on circumstances. Smartness is not in their book of ethics. The poor souls cannot be blamed – they have to toe the line drawn by those who wield political clout, who brandish the latest firearms, who whiz past in air-conditioned cars, who carry mobile phones in their palms. Under the circumstances, it is not correct to expect them to lay claim to possessing killer instincts.

When we see the smart police of Los Angeles or London, we also see the equipment they have in order to checkmate the moves of the crooks. Each of their actions indicates that they are tuned to a certain frequency. They know what drill to follow in which circumstance. They obey the orders of their Chiefs, not of political goons. Obviously, killer instincts can come only when one is armed better than the opponent. What exactly is this killer instinct? To a layman who has never seen killers, it is presumed to be a one-track mind that has its eyes fixed on snuffing out a life. A comparison can be drawn with ferocious animals like the tiger or the lion that select the prey and stalk it silently to its death. The prey can very well be a large one like a buffalo but the killer has its methods.

Our cricket team has been branded as one that lacks killer instincts. That is why we keep stumbling continuously at the winning post and end season after season as a dejected lot. Hopefully, with the present youngsters delivering the goods, we are on the way to acquiring the killer instincts.

influence of bengali culture

2005-12-19T06:32:00.000-08:00

All of a sudden, there seems to be undercurrents of a silent cultural revolution making its presence felt. Once upon a time, Bengalis wielded a strong influence on the Hindi films – there were music directors, film directors, musicians, playback singers, artists, craftsmen, actors and actresses who left Bengal and stayed on in Bombay to churn out their masterpieces that are held in esteem even today. Their outputs had universal appeal and seldom was any effort made to identify a typical character as a Bengali. Remember the song – ‘suno suno miss chatterjee, mere dil ka matter ji?’ The trend followed with the ‘babumoshoi’ Rajesh Khanna. The film was a runaway success and, from then on, Bengalis used to be lovingly called ‘babumoshoi’ by their non-Bengali colleagues and friends. Earlier it used to be ‘dada’ – but, the word ‘dada’ took on different meanings over a period of time and it was a relief to get an alternative fall into your lap at the right moment.

The next major influences were the films Devdas and Parineeta – here, the typical style of wearing the saree caught the fancy of the public. In fact it is said that the saree can make a woman look more womanly and appealing and the portrayals in the film were proof enough, if at all proof was necessary. Then there were movies like Yuva and Calcutta Mail that brought glimpses of the Bengali culture to the forefront.

The result was that the ‘K’ factory which seizes each and every opportunity to woo different segments of viewers decided to introduce Bengali characters in its serials. That provided it options to project the new dress codes of saree Bengali style! The ad campaigns took their cue and fell in line because it is their basic duty to find out which way the wind blows. And, they added backgrounds of the Howrah Bridge and the Calcutta trams and the rickshaws. It is a pity that Bengalis did not capitalize on the opportunity of going global with sindoor (the large round vermilion dot on the forehead of the married woman that adds a special aura to her personality), the white conch shell bangles (better known as ‘sankhas’) and the associated red ‘pawla’. Even typical Bengali sweets like rasogolla, sandesh and joynagarer moaah could provide wonderful consumer markets if packaged and marketed in real earnest. In fact, with existing International air links, these delicacies could make Bengalis settled abroad feel more at home.

sunday botherations

2005-12-18T22:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a Sunday that was an exasperating one – there was no Internet connection available throughout the day. Whenever I tried to connect, I landed up with an error message number 718 that said ‘remote server not responding’. Sundays are usually occupied in logging on to various websites to see how things are shaping up around us and where the world is headed. It is also the time to see what others have to say and make notes of people’s likes and dislikes. Unfortunately, the past Sunday was a disappointment. The worst part is that there was no one to attend to the help line phone.

From time immemorial, Sunday is taken as a day of rest and relaxation. As a famous song goes – ‘never on a Sunday ’cause that’s my day of rest …. ’

http://www.jacquedee63.com/neveronsunday60.html
http://www.piano-bar.com/pages/sunday.htm

Simultaneously, there is a seconds song that says – ‘meri jaan, meri jaan, Sunday ko Sunday ana …..’ This day is armarked for attending to personal and domestic needs. Before the advent of television, families used to keep the Sunday reserved to meet friends and relatives or proceed for an evening’s outing in the cinema to take in the latest blockbuster – after the film, there used to be invariable visits to nearby eating joints for some goodies to tickle the taste buds. With the fall in revenue from cinema halls, an unseen strategic alliance seems to have been forged between the owners of cinema halls and the TV channels – the TV programs on Sundays are of films that have been televised umpteen number of times or of bygone award ceremonies. Automatically, people flock to multiplexes for the latest.

In many organizations, the staff works extra time on Sundays to meet schedules that have are likely to be missed. The work environments on these occasions are less formal, the Boss smiles, jokes, and listens to his people – one gets to see the other personality of the Boss. As a result, more work gets done. The direct workers earn extra money as incentive for such work. For the others it is - meeting the target.

nashik in the news

2005-12-18T22:18:00.000-08:00

Nashik has at long last come on the cricket scene – A Ranji trophy match is right now underway between Maharastra and Tamil Nadu. It has taken 23 years to get back this honor – way back in 1974, Sunil Gavaskar was injured by a ball from Salgaonkar since matting wickets were in use in those days. Nashik has, since, got a turf wicket; hence, has earned the opportunity to host this match. Hopefully, in future, Nashik will be considered as one more venue for ODIs.

NIMA, the central body of industries in Nashik, will be holding an exhibition from 25th January to 30th January to showcase the present industrial scenario of Nashik. They are considering having a permanent infrastructure for the display of products that the various manufacturing units churn out. This could come up in Vilholi or Pathardi. In addition, once the cargo terminal near Ojhar airport becomes operational by August-2006, it will give a boost to the region. It may be noted that the Nashik-Mumbai-Pune triangle contributes to 70 percent of the revenue collected by the State Government.

The proposal for a railway link between Nashik and Pune is slowly gathering momentum. As estimated 50,000 travel between the two cities by the State Transport and other buses while another 10,000 travel by road using private cars. This puts a tremendous load on NH-50 that links the two. Hence there is a genuine need for a rail link.

Another proposal is for a bird sanctuary in Nandur-Madhmeshwar. It seems nearly 230 varieties of birds have been sighted here over the years besides more than hundred types of herbs and innumerable fishes. It is a favorite picnic spot and, with upgradation of facilities, could attract bird watchers.

latest trend in crimes

2005-12-17T07:33:00.000-08:00

Today, anyone can contact anyone else via the Internet in a matter of nano-seconds. The bomb hoax in the Parliament on Friday the 16th is a pointer. The message, transmitted thro e-mail, put the complete country in turmoil. The authorities are trying to zero in on the area from where this might have originated. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1335059.cms

Then there is the case of an online chase by the cyber police cell over a period of two years to nab a culprit who was engaged in espionage activities for countries across our borders. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1332835.cms

On the heels of this exposé comes the news that a group of four youngsters were into duplicating credit cards and siphoning off other’s monies. One of them was scheduled to join an American software company shortly; another was a student of Engineering and the third was also a software engineer. It is shocking to learn that youngsters who are conversant with this new medium of communication are using it to feather their own nests. The above quoted news items that have appeared in the media tend to lend credence to this belief.

Added to these is the heinous crime of the murder of a woman employee of a reputed BPO company of Bangalore.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1335568.cms

As it is, women are vulnerable and when they work in night shifts it is for the employers to ensure their safety. Normally, women are not supposed to work in the night. The software industry has changed that concept and no adverse incidents have been reported till now. But, this grotesque incident is an eye opener. Concerned authorities must introduce suitable foolproof measures whereby these are not repeated.

a seemingly impossible task

2005-12-16T06:25:00.000-08:00

Sachin Tendulkar, the master blaster has now posted 35 centuries - a record of the highest number of centuries in Test Cricket. In the course of a career of 15 years, he has 4 double centuries to his credit but, sadly, no triple ones.

The problems for Indians to post large individual scores are many – first and foremost, the toss must be won. Then one must get adequate time to settle down and have partners who can give him company on the pitch for a sufficient length of time. This is one aspect where we never seem to succeed – we have become so tuned to the fast version of the game that we want to hurry through the game expecting miracles to happen, partners keep departing leaving the individual high and dry – all he can do is to sigh, lament and curse his luck. Patience is certainly not one of our virtues; we are never able to arrive at the correct proportion of aggression and defense. Once we crawl into the shell, we are seldom able to recover the lost ground.

Don Bradman scored 309 not out on the first day itself of the 1930 Ashes and went on to score 334 with 46 fours from 436 balls – he was an exception.

In contrast, Brian Lara posted 400 not out off 582 balls against the Test match with England in Antigua. It included 43 fours and four sixes. In doing so, Lara eclipsed the previous batting record of 380 established just six months ago by Australia’s Matthew Hayden. Ridley Jacobs gave fantastic support to Lara by remaining not out on 107. It took the side to 752 for five declared – the second highest score in West Indies history and the highest by any country against England. Before that, on April 18, 1994 Lara surpassed the 365 made by Sir Garfield Sobers.

It will be a miracle to surpass the milestone of Brian Lara.

the men in white

2005-12-15T19:00:00.000-08:00

Cricket umpires are the men in white who raise the finger to convey a decision on the field – they have a real tough time. The players are young when compared to the umpires and none of them stay for the complete day either to score runs or prevent runs from being scored. If runs are to be scored, the player takes the field, performs his duty as best as he can and returns to the pavilion to make way for the next one in line. While on the field, he swings his bat, runs between the wickets and ensures that his body muscles are kept in motion. If a bowler, he has his spells of direct action followed by periods of relative inaction when he relaxes – to the extent possible – and exercises to get ready for the next spell. If positioned near the boundary, he may take upon himself the responsibility to entertain the spectators. In comparison, the umpire has to remain standing or crouching and be attentive to every aspect of the game.

He has to see if the foot of the bowler crosses the popping crease while delivering the ball and yell ‘no’ if it does. In a fraction of a second, his eyes have to follow the direcvtion of the ball and lock themselves on to the batsman – where has the ball pitched, does it come under the purview of being labeled as a ‘wide’, does it qualify for an ‘lbw’ decision. The umpire has also to be alert as to the sound of ‘snicks’ that carry to fielders behind the wicket. Stump microphones assist him to a certain extent in arriving at this decision. If a catch is taken inches above the ground, did it come off the bat or the glove or the pad? Then comes the run-outs – whenever the batsmen take off for runs, the umpire has to keep his eyes glued to check if the bat is grounded before the bails come off. In cases where he finds it difficult to arrive at a decision, he consults his counterpart on the field – in cases of close run-outs, he refers the matter to the third umpire who conveys his decision after examining the video footages.

Apart from these, the field umpires have to decide if the ball needs to be changed when it goes out of shape or becomes dirty. They also have to keep light meters so that play can be called off before time, if requested by the batting team.

All in all, the umpires have to be present for the complete duration of play. If the player feels uncomfortable, he can always leave the field and the reserve player can fill in for him. Unfortunately, such facility is not there for the men in white.

Our very own Venkataraghavan is a member of the elite umpires panel –
http://www.abcofcricket.com/News/icc/iccpanel/iccpanel.htm

More on Dickie Bird who umpired in 66 Test Matches and 92 ODIs including Three World Cup finals around the world.- http://www.thedickiebirdfoundation.org/news.php

birth of a nation

2005-12-15T06:30:00.000-08:00

On 16th of December 1971 a new nation Bangladesh was formed.

For more on Bangladesh - http://www.bangladeshonline.com/

It was on this day that General A A K Niazi of Pakistan surrendered to Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Arora of the Eastern Command ending the long fight in which Indian Gnat fighters humbled the Pak Sabre jets. It was a day of rejoicing for Sheikh Mujibur Rehman and his Mukti Bahini. This bahini (or force) was formed to fight against the Pakistanis to secure the freedom of Bangladesh and India assisted them in their mission. Those days are still fresh in my memory – there would be black outs in the nights, window curtains were always kept pulled so that not a ray of light penetrated outside, all vehicles had to use dippers and the top half of heads lights were painted black to ensure that light did jot spread externally. In the day time mock drills would be held and trenches dug up in the nearby grounds where people could rush and take shelter in the event of the sounding if the air raid sirens. I stayed in Deolali at the time and, since it was a military area of sorts, rigid compliance of these measures was mandatory. Of course, when I went home after the war was over, I heard from my brothers about the dogfights in the air between Indian and Pakistani aircrafts. Unfortunately, no such incident happened in or near Deolali.

Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, affectionately called the Banga-bondhu is no more. Bangladesh today is an independent nation; over the years, they have built up their infrastructure. Cultural exchanges between them and Bengalis this side of the border is strong. Consignments of the tasty hilsa fish of the Padma River come in the markets of Kolkata quite frequently. They have a talented cricket team and, have chosen a poem of Tagore as their national anthem – ‘amaar sonar bangla’. Let us convey our good wishes to the Bangladeshis on this happy occasion.

misplaced priorities

2005-12-14T18:46:00.000-08:00

Two news items that appeared in the TOI must have set people thinking - where are we headed for? A cow auctioned for Rs 12.51 lakhs in Gandhinagar and an enraged bull shot down in New Delhi. The latter news is in the archives -

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1329194.cms

We have heard of the bull in the china shop and of bullfights, we also know for certain that bulls roam freely on the roads in Beneras, Kolkata and practically all the cities causing obstruction to the smooth flow of traffic. They remain as witness to our misplaced priorities.

Every year we see hundreds of ill fed, under nourished cows roaming the countryside searching for little tufts of grass – those who herd them from place to place look like people from the villages of the Gujarat-Rajasthan belt. Why can our leaders not spare a thought for these dumb animals instead of spending money collected in the name of promoting ideology on meaningless jatras? One of the main political parties exhorted Chief Ministers of the states where they are in power to abolish cow slaughter – fine, so long as they hold the chair. When they are dethroned, the state may revert to the old style of functioning. Why then look for short-term populist measures? If a feeling does exist that the cow is a sacred animal and deserves to be treated with respect, let them be fed and looked after instead of allowing them to roam the streets and gulp plastic bags that lead to deaths. Organizations that deal in matters related to the welfare of animals and other activists should pursue such topics that help the society in the long run. Yes, the cow is sacred to us; there is a need for us to reciprocate for what she gives us. Lip service is not enough.

the perfect ten

2005-12-14T06:24:00.000-08:00

The term ‘perfect ten’ is something we have come to know after watching gymnasts and divers perform in national and international events. When they perform, the judges award points – the average of the totals determine the winners. If you have observed, the difference is in decimals – while one may have earned 9.9, another may be on 9.8 and there may be a tie on 9.75! Only the best of the best manage to capture the perfect ten.

Here are ten pointers of how to attain perfection in one’s life –

One – invariably show off your knowledge: whatever be the subject, have your say. That spreads the message that you are a dark horse, not to be tampered with.
Two – always present a smiling face, it keeps the clouds at bay and crowds love a person who appears to be happy.
Three – even if others do not want a helping hand, extend it – it creates an impression that you mean well, your intentions are noble
Four – keep a list of telephone numbers regardless of whether they are useful or not; when someone urgently needs a number you can always search through it to see if the desired number happens to be there with you. That again lets others realize how you value their friendship.
Five – never carry loose change or currency notes. The coins weigh you down and currency notes are messy. In the days of plastic money, ATM is the solution. Flaunt your cards – which again helps build up your personality.
Six – carry a bunch of newspapers. They could be of the previous day or even the previous month. The date does not matter; it is the bundle that counts. Once again, those who see you are impressed.
Seven – when on a long journey and in the company of strangers, ensure that your mobile phone keeps ringing at regular intervals. That allows you to carry on one-sided conversations with imaginary characters. Your fellow travelers will continue sipping their tea and munch stale snacks as they lap up your stories.
Eight – keep a jotting pad and pencil handy when attending any meeting that bores one to death – drawing squiggles is a wonderful pastime in these circumstances. If the person sitting next to you shares your views, both of you can join forces and play cross and naught. It relieves a lot of tension.
Nine – never say ‘yes’ to anything straightaway – the power to remain non-committal is an indication of the perfect man. The reason is obvious – you cannot easily change ‘yes’ to ‘no’ but others will love you when you change ‘no’ to ‘yes’.
Ten – look for troublemakers around you; beware of those who have mastered the previous nine pointers. They can give you a fight for your money.

domestic bliss

2005-12-13T18:25:00.000-08:00

A very popular series of soaps on the TV would have us believe that domestic bliss is an entity that can be captured and hung up in the drawing room like a priceless painting of M F Hussein for others to see and appreciate. When families meet on the occasion of festivals and laugh and joke, the under currents of rivalry are never exposed. They remain in the background to jump upon the unwary viewer once the members disperse after performing the mandatory rituals. A similar philosophy drives the makers of ads to select small families who appear to be in complete harmony with the world, who love to share moments of happiness in their newly purchased car, who have for company a couple of elders, presumably the parents of the man. Such scenes are extremely rare in the present day otherwise how can one explain the rise in the rates of divorce or suicides. When two young persons decide to join company in holy matrimony, they enjoy the initial phase but, then, other considerations come in the way as stumbling blocks. In a majority of cases they had individual lives to lead, individual needs to fulfill. Suddenly they discover that compromises are necessary, one must yield in one area to gain the advantage in another. And, the game begins.

Yes, domestic bliss is a game of sorts. It is all about understanding each other, being positive and never scaring the partner. As a husband replied when asked the reason for his success – ‘I take all the difficult decisions and leave her to take easy ones.’ He also clarified that difficult decisions were related to world affairs like whether George Bush was right in treating Saddam Hussein as he has done, whether India should pursue for a seat in the Security Council etcetera.

Jokes apart, tiny things do make a difference in keeping a healthy domestic life – tiny things like helping out the missus in the kitchen by shelling peas or by skinning the garlic. Small acts like these bring one closer to the other and pave the way for a long and happy married life where lawyers can never dare to intrude.

in the news

2005-12-13T06:26:00.000-08:00

It is normal for politicians to hog the limelight; those of the silver screen do butt in from time to time but politicians are more powerful. Unfortunately, in the recent past, film stars have eased out politicians – it all began with Big B falling sick. Then came John Abraham who was hospitalized followed by Salman Khan who was on a hair transplant mission in Mumbai and hence was not able to be present in front of the judge in Jodhpur. Next there was another Khan, Saif Ali who inadvertently knocked down a teenager, took him to hospital, paid him compensation and seems to be happy with the way the world took the incident. You cannot forget Jaya Prada who gave a dance performance on the occasion of the Lucknow Mahotsav 2005. She was given thirty-five lakhs whilst more senior members were given one tenth as much. It led to a lot of explanation and, by the time it all died down, it was Dilip Kumar’s 86th birthday alongside Dharmendra’s 70th and Ranjnikant’s 56th. Another film actor in the news was Sanjay Dutt – he was summoned by the honorable court to resolve certain issues. A non-politician non-film star who got talked about was Virendra Sehwag, our opener. His sudden illness paved the way for Irfan to take the field in a new role. If Sehwag had not been indisposed, Irfan might not have got this golden chance and a star might not have been born.

Ramanand Sagar who gave us the unforgettable serial Ramayan passed away on 12th December.

marking time

2005-12-12T22:38:00.000-08:00

Time and tide wait for no man. Therefore, to keep track of time, we have invented devices that tell us how much time has elapsed since when. These devices go by the name of clocks. The oldest version is probably the sundial where the result was dependant on the availability of the Sun. This had its obvious drawbacks. Then came the hourglasses. Later man invented the grand father clocks – huge contraptions that would be kept in such a location of the mansions that the chimes could be heard all over the grounds – yes, these types used to be meant for the rich and the famous. Brings back memories of Hickory Dickory Dock. For the commoners, there would be community clocks mounted on top of important buildings like the railway station or the bus terminus or the church.

One such clock is the Big Ben of London. At 9'-0" diameter, 7'-6" high, and weighing in at 13 tons 10 cwts 3 qtrs 15lbs (13,760 Kg), the hour bell of the Great Clock of Westminster - known worldwide as 'Big Ben' - is the most famous bell ever cast at Whitechapel. …….The bells of the Great Clock of Westmister rang across London for the first time on 31st May 1859 ……

http://www.whitechapelbellfoundry.co.uk/bigben.htm

As man became more knowledgeable, he invented the wristwatch – a contraption one wore on the wrist. Initially it was a mechanical device and involved rewinding the hairspring once in twenty-four hours. The Swiss are the most renowned watchmakers. Later, the electronic versions captured the imagination of the people and are available at throwaway prices. That is probably one of the reasons why ads of watches and clocks are seldom seen on TV nowadays. However, some wristwatches sell for around $100000. For an update on the costliest watches check out this site –

http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/ly/watches.htm

And then there is our own very special clock in the clock room of the Salarjung Museum in Hyderabad. The room has over 300 exhibits out of which the 19th century musical clock wins the honors hands down – it has a cute tiny soldier who comes out to strike the hour. Visitors to the museum assemble in the courtyard to catch a glimpse of the soldier and his preparations to strike the gong.

quota at the kotla

2005-12-12T07:28:00.000-08:00

The present Test series with Sri Lanka seems to be one where records are being set one by one – first it was Sachin’s 35th test century followed by Chaminda Vas’s 300th scalp. Then there was Rahul Dravid, the wall, crossing the 8000 run mark – the third Indian to do so after Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin in less number of outings compared to the little master and the master blaster. It was also good to see yet another successful experiment of the Chappell-Dravid combine – reposing faith in Irfan Pathan by sending him out as an opener, the Indians threw the opposition into a tizzy. The experiment paid rich dividends. It was a surprise element. It is sad that Irfan missed out on a well-deserved century. It boosted his moral and sent out clear signals to other members of the team that this game is not a one-man show but a dedicated effort of a group that can help us regain the lost faith in our abilities.

The BCCI, now, has to put on fresh thinking caps and locate the best of the best to don the caps and discard the quota system. Like quota systems elsewhere, it does more harm than good. Zonal championships help identify deserving candidates; they need to be segregated and groomed for the future. Let us be frank – wherever we have insisted on maintaining a quota system, we have landed up with mediocre or les than mediocre people. That takes its toll in all corners of society. What we finally get straddled with is certainly not what we would have liked to have. It is something that is forced upon us and that we are compelled to swallow.

We are in the twenty first century; today whoever wants to get counted must stand up on his own merit and not rely on crutches for support. Crutches must be discarded if we are to make any sort of impression on the world stage.

pay to get noticed in parliament

2005-12-11T22:51:00.000-08:00

Wonders will never cease – first there were the Tehelka tapes, then the matter of open acceptance of bribes by law enforcement agencies in Tihar jail, now it is a case of ‘pay money, get noticed in Parliament’. The list includes non-matric alongside a law graduate! It is outrageous. How nice it would have been if these corrupt ones committed hara-kiri at the feet of God to avoid the shame that is heaped upon them by the masses. We are regularly treated to revelations via hidden cameras of money changing hands to grant favors and other similar facts, we know for sure who the corrupt ones are but they do not realize that we know. It is a pity.

Every second car on the Indian road today is of Japanese descent. Starting in a small way, it has gradually captured the hearts of millions of Indians and has dislodged many players from their positions of strength. This has been made possible because of the standards of quality maintained by the Japanese industries. The Quality circles and Zero inventory are a couple of pointers of how to generate and maintain goodwill among its customers. To ensure success of the JIT (just-in-time) concept, it is necessary to have an infrastructure that does not betray the trust manufacturers pose in them. They have ensured it. The Japanese have extended these basic concepts to each and every field – if their trains run late, the commuter gets a refund of the fare. Things work like clockwork precision in the country that has risen from the rubbles to command the respect of the whole world. That is why most of our homes are flooded with television, handycams and mobile phone handsets that are made in Japan.

We Indians are extremely fond of getting inspiration from external sources – the kimono took the fancy of the filmmaker way back in the sixties when the film Love in Tokyo (1966 Joy Mukherji, Asha Parekh starrer) was released. Ikebana or flower arrangement takes pride of place in many households – classes are held to train interested in the subject. Similarly, karaoke has been introduced and it helps the commoner to sing along with the group using the proper and correct words.

Like true Indians we have embraced plenty of what is Japanese but conveniently ignored one of the most important one – namely, hara-kiri.

Ikebana - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikebana
Karaoke - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karaoke
Hara-kiri - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hara-kiri
Kimono - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimono

the warm feeling

2005-12-11T06:56:00.000-08:00

As the mercury continues its downward trend and the mountains welcome people of the plains with open arms to share the frolicking in the snows, we defy nature and search for comfort in our warm clothing. To keep the temperature of the room within tolerable limits we switch on the heater, provided that the electric supply is steady and load shedding has not intruded into the private lives of individuals. For those not so happily endowed, the community fires in street corners or in the bus terminuses or railway platforms or the sleeping market places beckon them to share the warmth. I am reminded on a wonderful movie that I saw in one of the film festivals long ago – the scene was of a group of men, women and children jostling with each other in trying to get the warmth of the rising sun as a shaft of sunlight filters down to a tiny space on the sidewalk – it was, if I remember right, a German film.

A TV ad of today shows the warmth one can experience if one wears a certain brand of product – the egg on the page of a magazine materializes into a chirping chicken, much to the astonishment of the airhostess and fellow passengers. Then there is another that offers free jute bag if you purchase a pair of garments to keep off the cold. The one that takes the cake refers to the ones worn by the boy friend who the girl is forced to hide in the freezer to escape the wrath of her father!

And then there are those who feel that the warm feeling needs to come from deep within you – literally that is. They swallow those drinks that gradually dull ones senses and ensures that the warm feeling spreads to every nook and corner of his body. It is a rather crude method very popular if the armed forces – those who guard our frontiers have to slug it out in biting cold conditions. The drinks that they receive are subsidized.

These are examples of the warm feeling that one can experience in physical terms.

But there is another warm feeling that comes from relationships. For example – when Usha Uthup or Amrik Singh Arora sings Bengali songs or when one reads a story by Dr. N. Vishwanathan, one is transported to another world. The reason is simple – all of them are non-Bengalis who are more Bengali than the Bengalis themselves!

updates on nashik

2005-12-10T23:02:00.000-08:00

A luxury train on the lines of the Palace on Wheels called the Deccan Odyssey is attracting foreign tourists. Still in its infancy, it begins its journey from Mumbai and passes through Ganapatipule, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Sawantwadi (in Konkan), Kolhapur, Pune, Aurangabad, Nashik and finally on to Mumbai. More details can be had at –

http://www.deccan-odyssey-india.com/

The State Government plans to link Nagpur and Aurangabad with the golden triangle of Mumbai-Pune-Nashik. The first phase will be to connect Nagpur with Aurangabad, Sinnar and Ghoti – for this purpose the existing roads will have to be improved upon. The proposed road will touch Nashik. The Mumbai-Pune-Nashik-Mumbai golden triangle was announced several years back – the reason was to improve connectivity and, obviously, improve associated business potentials.

The Nashik run is held since January 2003 helps to collect funds to help out charitable causes. The General Manager of MICO conceived it. The organizers of the 4 Kms. long run claims that in the first year, there were 2500 participants and the amount collected was around 14 lakhs, the next year, the number of participants increased to 8000 and collection was 57 lakhs. In 2005, there were 10,000 participants and the amount collected was in the region of 90 lakhs. The money collected is spent only on the charitable causes and the administrative costs are borne by local industrial houses. Most importantly, the trust keeps clear of the interference of politicians and religious organizations.

the two sides of cricket

2005-12-10T06:31:00.000-08:00

The people of Delhi will be proud of the fact that two world records of test cricket were created by Indians at the Feroze Shah Kotla stadium – the first one by Anil Kumble with his 10-wicket haul, now Sachin Tendulkar with his 35th century. It will take a long time for these to be overhauled.

Not just Indians but the whole World is celebrating the wonderful feat of Sachin Tendulkar proving once again that the trust posed in him by Greg Chappell, the present coach of the team, his team members, the bosses of BCCI and his millions of fans did not go in vain. It takes a lot of determination to scale such towering heights. Agreed that he started off early and that cricket is played more frequently today than it was ten or fifteen years back, focus is of prime importance – once the objective is identified, one must do everything possible to inch forward. The game tires one out, it takes its toll on the physical characteristics of the individual but, once the sights are set, it is a matter of time before the goal is achieved. That is what the master blaster has proved at the Feroze Shah Kotla today, the 10th of December 2005. It will remain a red-letter day for him.

While the celebrations continue, let us spare a thought for the Indian women’s cricket team. They also have reasons to celebrate – they have won the current ODI series against England 4-1. But very little has been written about them. Jhulan Goswami, the medium pacer from Chakdah in West Bengal caused their downfall in the ODI at Silchar capturing five wickets for only 16 runs. The Times of India gave a write up of the game in their sport’s page the next day. Jhulan was declared the woman of the match. But, the pitiful part is that these women players are paid miserably low fees for their efforts. Even though they participate in international events – it seems they get two thousand five hundred rupees per test match and only one thousand for each ODI!!!! I cannot vouch for the figures; it has appeared in the 8th December issue of the Ananda Bazar Patrika, hence presumed to be authentic. If these are really the figures, it reeks of gross injustice.

It is high time that the BCCI takes measures to rectify such glaring disparities.

trading in human organs

2005-12-09T22:52:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, one of the TV channels revealed a shocking piece of news that in Bangalore, graveyards are dug up and the contents of the coffins are disposed off in most unthinkable manners. It seems, after the expose, the police swung into action and began the clean up operation. The reporter who covered the incident and was instrumental in revealing the dark secrets deserve praise.

Trading in human organs is not any thing that is unheard of in our country. Once upon it was simple blood – young children would be waylaid in villages and drugged after which their blood would be removed through syringes. Then came advances in medical field and transplant of organs became popular – we have more than one of some organs, the additional one is supposed to be a stand-by. Disposing one of these in exchange of monetary considerations became a business of sorts with touts lying in wait in the corridors of large hospitals where such operations are performed. There were reports that hospital authorities are also involved in the dealings. The documents would indicate that the donation was voluntary – money would change hands under the counter.

Emboldened by the success of these joint ventures, the more enterprising ones embarked on forcible removal of one of the organs without disclosing the fact to the victim – cases of this nature have been reported from villages, when the poor illiterates complain of stomach and reports to the hospitals for treatments, the gangs swing into action. The victim is compelled to be hospitalized and the organs removed. He does not even know what happens unless complications set in. In all probability, there are quite a few undetected cases of persons who live minus one of their hidden organs ignorant of the fact that he has not got any compensation for the loss.

the triple century

2005-12-09T03:19:00.000-08:00

I have now added the 300th post to my blog ‘Rediscovering India’ on indiatimes.com.

When I posted the first piece in August 2004, I never dreamt that this blog of mine would become so popular over a period of time. It gives me great pleasure to put on record the fact that the cumulative viewership of these 300 posts is approaching the 85,000 mark – it has attracted viewers from all parts of the globe, as it rightly should, and they have left their comments on what they have liked about the individual posts and what they have not. I have accepted their comments in all humility. Ours is a free country and blogging is an activity where no holds are barred. A slot in cyberspace is allotted to you, courtesy the owner of the blogsite – you are at liberty to decorate it in whichever fashion you please. That is what I have done over the last sixteen months – I have blogged on innumerable subjects starting from cricket to movies to festivals to politics. When I reached the milestone of 250 posts, I felt happy. But, I could not stop because I have a lot more to say, there are so many topics that need to be highlighted. Those who roam cyberspace looking for thrills are all young men and women with visions of a new world, a new culture, a new social order in front of them. They are the products of today; they are facing life in the raw and at times feel defeated and let down by society. I cannot change all that overnight but I can certainly make an attempt. At least, I can bring a realization in the minds of those who interact on the web that all is not lost.

I am grateful to all those who have visited the site and gone through the posts. I am also grateful to indiatimes.com for showcasing a few selected pieces on the home page of the Times of India. The 12 most viewed spots are as follows –

Education in India –
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2004/11/20/26927.aspx

The Seven Wonders –
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2004/12/06/34568.aspx

Good bye nautch girls –
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/04/01/92649.aspx

Mahalaya –
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2004/10/11/16141.aspx

Improved index of corruption –
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/10/19/297083.aspx

Remembering Indira –
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/11/18/338882.aspx

The bold brave women of India –
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2004/12/05/33992.aspx

Tirupati darshan –
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2004/12/28/44585.aspx

Durga Puja 2005 is here –
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/09/30/273447.aspx

Revised Ganga action plan –
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/07/06/165055.aspx

Indian fast foods –
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2004/10/07/15965.aspx

Kolkata book fair –
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2005/01/24/58564.aspx

oil is messy

2005-12-08T18:20:00.000-08:00

The papers nowadays are full of information related to oils. When oil tankers are lost in the sea, the resultant oil spills cause destruction of precious marine life. Life without oil is unimaginable – oil is the item that decides who is supreme and who is not. The price of petrol, a refined form of crude oil, controls the destinies of large countries. Immediately the international rate rises, the effect is felt in our kitchens – the cascading effect encompasses each and every item and price increases are announced. Whichever party or combination is in power at the center, they have to bow to the dictates of the markets. Way back in the seventies, a scooter would run on three liters of petrol at a total cost of around twenty rupees – today, one liter itself cost around fifty rupees. The LPG cylinder that could be had for twenty odd rupees is today three hundred rupees!

There are basically two types of oil – the mineral oil and the vegetable oil. Mineral oil is used as fuel and as a lubricant. Machines do not run to full efficiency without oil, right from the wristwatches of yore that had the gear and pinion system to large transport aero planes that can carry hundreds of passengers across thousands of kilometers. Oil is necessary to keep the moving parts properly lubricated. As its name implies, mineral oil is retrieved from deep down the earth – Nature has large stocks and the countries that possess oil wells obviously have certain advantages. Oil deposits have been discovered in deserts and seabeds.

Coming to the second variety - a head of lush hair that flows down to the waist can come only with regular conditioning by coconut oil. Hilsa fish will never taste the way it should unless you fry it in mustard oil. While on the subject of oil, some of the oils are not recommended for heart patients because they contain soluble cholesterol – to cater to their oily needs, cholesterol free oils have made their appearance on the shelves, like sugar free drops for the diabetic. Olive oil is recommended for babies, gradually massaging this into its arms and legs give is added strength. Cod liver oil has medicinal properties. In conclusion let us remember that a well-oiled administration delivers what you want, deficiency of this vital product can make you life messy, it can make you run from pillar to post.

the flute that is a dacoit

2005-12-07T04:30:00.000-08:00

Yes, that is one of the most popular songs sung by the legendary Sachin Dev Burman – ‘banshee shunay aar kaaj nai, shay jay dakatiya banshee, shay jay din dupuray churi koray, rattiray to katha nai, dakatiya banshee ….’ . When translated, it means – ‘there is no use listening to the flute that is a dacoit; it steals in the middle of the day as it does in the dead of the night …..’
We are all familiar with his name but are we aware that this is his centenary year? He was born on first of October 1906 and passed away on 31st October 1975. Son of a princely family of Tripura, his musical life spanned more than 40 years. He used to depend on the rich heritage of folk music of various parts of India and would weave them into astounding masterpieces that carried his distinct stamp; it was a unique style that no one has been able to duplicate till now. He was a sishya of Krishna Chandra Dey (uncle of Manna Dey). He began his journey to stardom from Bengali songs and films - later, he converted many of his hit Bengali songs into equally hit Hindi songs for Bollywood films. Film star Ashok Kumar was responsible to a great extent for S D Burman to stay on in Bombay when, at a certain time in his career, he was contemplating return to Kolkata. He was a stickler for perfection and strived to ensure that even the instruments used were appropriate to the occasion. A classic example was the postponement of the recording of "Honto pe aisi baath" in Jewel Thief until the arrival of the drum from Sikkim. He was awarded the prestigious Sangeet Natak Academy Award and the Padmashree for his contribution to music apart from many other awards including a national award for singing in 1969. http://www.sdburman.net/

His son Rahul Dev Barman has carried forward his tradition and introduced his own style to maintain the uniqueness that identifies his creations from the first beat of the music.

seller is the king

2005-12-06T22:11:00.000-08:00

Banners are hoisted in large shops declaring ‘sale’ – they would mostly be stock clearance sales just prior to the start of festival seasons. With the fast changing fashions, old products do not find ready customers, therefore, these sales – goods in this category are offered at certain discounted rates. The arrangement pleases both the seller and the customer. Then there is the ‘sale’ of factory seconds – especially for footwear. It is given to understand that the goods have defects that are practically invisible to the naked eye but have been rejected all the same by the quality control department. These are again available at discounted rates.

But, the ‘sale’ that takes the cake is that of temporary outlets which are continuously on the move. Here one day, gone the next, like the migratory birds. It’s a seller’s market and the seller is the King.

Most of us must have noticed these mushroom outlets that offer clothes at exorbitantly low rates – at literally throwaway prices. The banners proclaim the stocks to be those meant for export but rejected due to long storage in the shipping yards during the floods when ships were not moving. These outlets are temporary ones and usually located in or near important places in the cities where eyeballs are never at a premium like cinema halls or hotels near to railway stations or bus terminuses. The crowds that throng to these venues comprise the young and the old – they come to get bargains and are seldom disappointed. Till recently, they used to advertise in the electronic media – indicating their schedule of movements from one city to another. These are not visible nowadays. A point to note is that if these consignments were really meant for export markets, they would have been covered by insurance and the parties must have collected the money from the insurance companies. These products must, therefore, belong to the insurance companies – how then can they be sold in the open market once again, who are the masterminds behind such business?

inseparable pairs

2005-12-05T06:47:00.000-08:00

Comedians used to come in pairs – Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy (106 films), or Bud Abbott and Lou Costello (36 films), or Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis (10 years, 16 films). The famous cartoon character of the pair of Tom Cat and Jerry Mouse are treats for tired eyes even in this the twenty first century.

There have been several celluloid pairs of Bollywood and Tollywood namely Raj Kapoor- Nargis, Dilip Kumar- Vyjantimala, Suchitra Sen - Uttam Kumar. They kept the people mesmerized for quite a long time. In those days, lead pairs along with the story and music had a lot of say in the success of the film. The final film that hit the halls on Fridays would be a serious affair where a group of dedicated persons worked together to present a masterpiece that is remembered even today. Dependence on such pairs have vanished, they have been marginalized. Those who invest in this form of business want the cash boxes to be ringing continuously, sorry – today there are no cash boxes, it all works on swipes of the credit cards. The amount automatically gets into storage and instead of giving the audience the same faces to gloat over, they have discovered that variety pays greater dividends - change of taste comes from a change of face: each face is a gamble. When it clicks, the producers add frills but seldom continues with the same pair – they keep on experimenting with dress codes, with taboo relationships or even with newer locales, sets and action that leave the viewer flabbergasted.

This system opens up opportunities for the stars to explore their market potentials elsewhere. Today’s world is one of cutthroat competition, no holds are barred and expectations are always high. Hence, the glorious days of a fixed set of hero-heroines have been shelved.

Our Indian film scenario had several memorable pairs of music directors like Shankar-Jaikishen, Laxmikant-Pyarelal and a pair of writers in Salim-Javed who gave us all those super special dialogues that used to be delivered by Amitabh Bachhan. Here again, these have been transformed to a world of singles who sky rocket to fame and nosedive to perish unsung.

The final word remains on pairs with the one seen while playing ‘teen patti’ for high stakes – its chase has sent many a person to his doom.

nashik calling

2005-12-03T22:37:00.000-08:00

Sri Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated the Krishi-2005 exhibition in Nashik on 30th November – the exhibition will go on till the 5th December. Last year, nearly 15 lakh farmers visited the exhibition from neighboring states.

Yes, Nashik the grape country is calling for attention. 18 out of the 36 wineries are located in Nashik district. The persistent clouds in Nasik over the last week have the grape farmers worried – such climate harms the crops and, due to increased use of insecticides, the crops lose their shine and lustre. These affect the final product and also their export potentials. Most of the 2000 odd containers are exported to Russia, China and European countries – efforts are on to include Pakistan among the clientele.

The Government of India press, one of the oldest organizations of Nashik, celebrates its golden jubilee this year – it was inaugurated on 31st October 1955. It was sanctioned in the first five-year plan and undertakes printing of Government stationery.

The population of Nashik has crossed 10 lakhs and important facilities have been set-up like Engineering, Medical and Ayurveda colleges. The flyover on the Nashik-Pune highway has reduced congestion to a large extent and eased the movement of traffic between Nashik and Pune. The widening of main roads and their relaying has been welcome by all residents as also the four-laning of the Agra-Mumbai highway NH-3. The recent air linking of Nashik to Mumbai and Nagpur by Deccan Air has come at a very appropriate time. There used to be a link between Nashik and Mumbai way back in the eighties operated by Indian Airlines but it had to be withdrawn because of inadequate patronage. However, the Nasik of today has changed tremendously and an air link was necessary. Also, with the proposed cargo hub and a container terminal planned adjacent to the airport, the unloading of consignments here will ease the load on Mumbai.

Sri Sharad Pawar, the Agriculture Minister and the newly elected President of BCCI will inaugurate the newly constructed facilities of the Nashik District Cricket Association in the Golf Club grounds for the forthcoming Ranji Trophy matches. And – one more swimming pool is being constructed in the CIDCO area (Ashwin sector) – this will be the third one after the Veer Sawarkar swimming club on Trimbak Road and the international level swimming club at Nasik Road. All these endear Nashik to its residents.

other links on Nashik -

http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2004/08/26/5712.aspx
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia/archive/2004/08/24/4811.aspx

the boss is never wrong

2005-12-03T07:01:00.000-08:00

The Boss rules our lives – right from the first kindergarten day to the day when we are laid to rest in the grave or on the pyre. It is the personality of the Boss that undergoes transformation. The basic philosophy remains – namely, to prove that we are inferior beings compared to him and have committed the greatest of blunders by disturbing the balance of Nature in trying to make our presence felt.

In school, the class teacher was the Boss – the words that came out from her mouth were as sacrosanct as the words of the Bible or the Gita. When she said – ‘Mary had a little lamb, its fleece was as white as snow’, we repeated. We accepted it in all humility – the name of the child could just as well have been Jerry. The fleece of the lamb could very well have been ‘as black as coal’ – that would have maintained the rhythmic character of the rhyme. But, no one ever dared to revolt, the tradition has been going on from the days of our grandfathers – and will continue.

When we entered the portals of higher studies, we had one Boss for one subject – his was the final word in the particular subject. He never tolerated arguments, in case you were stubborn and gathered up sufficient courage to cross-question him withy facts and figures, he would take it out on you during evaluation of exam books. Normally, at this period in a person’s life, he meets the girl – once again, she becomes the Boss. If you make an appointment for the six o’ clock show and you keep her waiting, you have plenty of explanations to do.

By the time you graduate and land your first job, you finally meet that gentleman who will be an integral part of your life for nearly half your life. He does not know how to laugh and hates those that do. He is always serious, is a stickler for punctuality, expects obedience at every step and, when he sees the moon in broad daylight, he heaps praises on others who share his vision. This part of one’s life is the most exasperating – one Boss at work, another at home.

As you arrive at the beginning of your twilight years, the baton passes on to your son who takes over the reins. He tells you what to do and what not to do. He admonishes you when you venture out in the night without your muffler or the monkey cap. He chalks out schedules for your medical check ups. He even gets annoyed at his wife if she does not give you your meals or medicines in time. Of course, there is a catch – you should have a reasonably healthy bank balance to expect such specialist treatment.

The Boss has always been a superior entity and will remain like that till doom’s day.

red alerts

2005-12-02T22:46:00.000-08:00

Red is the universal color of danger and ‘red alert’ gives advance information of lurking dangers. The exact point of time when this term came to the forefront would necessitate considerable research – in the Indian context, dangers twenty years back came from Nature. Mostly they were connected to floods – the measuring stick located in major dams would send out the warning signs that the level of the reservoir is rising and is likely to cross the danger level within some specified time. Later, with high jacking of aero planes becoming an important tool for bargaining, red alerts would be issued when there were suspicions of such events in the offing. Later still, when terrorists took over, red alerts have become more common. Every hoax phone call triggers off a chain reaction – disaster management teams swing into action, rapid action forces are deployed – but, only after the damage is done. Our reaction time is affected not only by our sloppy standards and the game of passing the buck but also politicization. Each and everyone wants to gain mileage out of human suffering. If information is received through supposedly reliable underground channels, the people on top who are meant to pre-empt dangers start behaving in a manner that does not evoke respect for the guardians of law and order. With advanced equipments available, those who are responsible to safeguard of our lives and properties should issue red alerts only as a last resort. Red alerts should not be misused to shift responsibilities – if a bomb scare is there in the airport, hairs should not be split over whose jurisdiction is involved: if the bomb really remains untraced and explodes, it will take with it innocent lives and destroy important facilities.

Red alerts are also issued when Nature decides to show her wrath – our met departments release warnings after detailed study of cloud patterns. On receipt of these advance warnings, the media issues red alerts and advises fishermen not to venture out to sea etcetera – these are downright silly exercises. Fishermen do not wait to listen to radio broadcasts or TV news – their lives depend on the sea and they seldom have the time or inclination for such activities. In reality, the local administration should ensure that the message reaches the concerned persons and persuade them to take heed.

home delivery

2005-12-02T03:08:00.000-08:00

This is a modern day marketing gimmick that is gradually changing the very concept of the customer-supplier relationship. Pizzas are delivered right into your drawing room within half an hour – if delivered later than the prescribed limit, you are entitled to a full refund. How is it done? Well, from whatever little knowledge is available to me, I believe that delivery boys with two wheelers are scattered in the large metros – they have provisions of stocking a limited variety of the products. It seems there are two containers - one for hot stuffs, like pizzas and the other for cold ones like ice creams. All these boys are linked to their local supplier via mobile phones. Once the supplier of a neighborhood receives a request, he locates the boy nearest to the address and asks him to deliver the product. It he has it in stock, fine; if not, the supplier arranges to make it ready and the boy has to rush and collect it for prompt delivery.

Introduction of this form of aggressive marketing has come as a boon to many of these delivery boys – it guarantees good income, plus commission. The tips that he pockets are added incentives.

This method is gradually spreading to other areas like the cinema halls and the railways – tickets will come to you, you have to pay the service charges. Even the local grocers have accepted this system – all you need to do is to hand over the list of your requirements and he arranges delivery into your kitchen. You do not have to waste your valuable time jostling with others on the counter. Of course, you lose out on comparing different varieties of the products, you also have to forego adding new items to the list once your gaze falls on new arrivals that offer discounts or ‘FREE’ knick-knacks. And, more importantly, you lose out on the personal touch and the one-to-one contact; things are becoming too predictable, too stereotyped.

Yes, the monthly quota of groceries is a must to any household but so is the monthly quota of goodwill.

multi role all weather fighters

2005-12-01T18:09:00.000-08:00

Air Forces the world over want aero planes that can serve any number of requirements – they should be armed to the teeth not only to save themselves but be capable of carrying bombs, missiles and other external stores to paralyze the enemy lines. Additionally, they should be able to take off and land in any climatic condition – whether there is a snowstorm or a cyclone or an andhi brewing, the pilot has to engage full throttle and take off on his mission. The helicopters were created for taking off and landing vertically so that they did not need large airstrips. In advanced countries, they operate from rooftops. This concept of vertical takeoff and landing has been implemented in the fighter planes and the outcome is the VTOL aircraft.

In our day-to-day lives, we meet these multi role all weather fighters in flesh and blood. Starting from the boy who delivers the morning papers on our doorsteps to the one who leaves the pouch of milk, the list embraces all those persons who are indispensable to our lives and without who our existence will be full of misery. They forego their sleep so that we can enjoy ours. They come over to do our dishes and take our children to school, but they have never learnt the difference between A and Z. They are there to extend support to us in whatever role we define for them. We take them for granted and strive to get the best possible bargain – we may fall sick but they are not supposed to even complain of aches of any type whatsoever, they have to tolerate abuses, they have to learn the art of service with a smile. Yes, they are fighters; they fight for survival every inch of the way. And they handle multiple tasks right from childcare to marketing to cooking – hence are multi role members of the family.

Normally those who reside in large cities shy away from recruiting locals who pose problems. To meet their needs, they procure innocent children from far off villages. They lure them away from their roots with promises of two square meals and better living standards in the cities. Once they come into their clutches, they are exploited to the hilt. Cases of physical torture against these poor kids are reported regularly in the media. The hue and cry dies down in due course of time and the game continues.

It is high time that one day in the year be earmarked to focus attention on these multi role all weather fighters.

get well soon big b

2005-12-01T18:02:00.000-08:00

Superstar Amitabh Bachhan lies in the Lilavati Hospital of Mumbai.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1314147.cms

Each and every Indian is praying that he recovers soon and returns to his seat on KBC and share his innumerable anecdotes with us, his fans. He is, without doubt a superstar, a phenomenon. Even though he has crossed the milestone of sixty, he still bubbles with energy and is involved in any number of ads. He does not hesitate to accept challenging roles in movies. No other actor has held his audiences spellbound with his portrayal of typical characters whether they be of the young police officer of Zanjeer who has forgotten how to laugh or the aged elder brother of Hum who shivers at the thought of picking up a fight or the head of the family of seven brothers in Satte pe satta where he moans and groans with imaginary injuries to win over the heart of Hema. He has played each and every role to perfection in his own special way and has invariably left his mark. From an angry young man of the seventies, he has shifted now to serious adult roles where maturity is a criterion.

While wishing him a speedy recovery, allow me to put forth this small piece of writing that contains the names of 37 of his films -

Anand Sarkar, Bhuban Shome, Don aur Mr. Natwarlal kay saath hum niklay thay saat hindustani ko Bombay to Goa lay jaaney ke liye. Bombay say ayah mera dost aur Mili, Bunti aur Babli nay bolah ‘hum kisise sey kam nehi’. Khakee dress pehne huye ek black ajnabee nay dost ban kar unka akhri raasta may deewar ka kaala pathhar ko agneepath may badal diya. Major Saab ney aankhe dikhayee aur aaj ka arjun Lal Badshah nay chupke chupke ek sharabi coolie ko trishul maar key khoon pasina baha di. Phir zanjeer tod key saudagar nay ‘main azad hoon’ chillakey bhaga piya ke ghar. Bechara bawarchi ko garam masala kay badle mila ek pyar ki kahani.

crumbling empires

2005-11-30T18:12:00.000-08:00

We were once famous for our predictions, we had complete control of the stars and other heavenly bodies, and astrology was our strength. Some of us even had the power to forecast evil happenings – the privilege of how best to circumvent it was reserved for those who had the ability to finance associated pujas to appease the evil entities and propiate the Gods. From a land of snake charmers and rope tricks, we graduated to take over control of cyberspace – our children have proved to the world at large that they are second to none when it comes to intellect. To us, New York and Seattle are like our very own roads next block. Thanks to the brilliant communication networks, we can converse with each other thousands of kilometers away; we can exchange good nights before turning in and wake up with a ‘hello son’ next morning.

But, in such enchanting scenarios, empires still keep on crumbling.

First there was Sourav, the loss of his empire may not have been his own fault, and might have been a result of circumstances over which he had no control. But, the fact remains – he had to step down. Then it was the Laloo empire in Bihar – he, it is understood, is discovering the hard way how to handle and control a bunch of cattle once you are left out in the cold. There after it was this trouble brewing between the Thackrey brothers that came out in the open much to the embarrassment of the supremo Balasaheb. Close on its heels came the ouster of Jagmohan – he was toppled by the strong man of Maharastra who wields enough power to topple political empires. The latest in this line is Uma-ji – it is common knowledge that she loves to defy those in authority. She is now bent upon proving a point or two.

The basic reason for empires to come crumbling down is over confidence. Then there is the attitude of arrogance – in layman’s language it is called ‘dadagiri’. We have seen a combination of these two bring about the downfall of many. When signs of a revolt are noticed, immediate action is warranted – if you pretend that everything is hunky-dory, you are playing into the hands of your opponents. It is easier to manipulate a known enemy than to repose trust in an unknown friend.

winter wins hands down

2005-11-30T04:29:00.000-08:00

Winter to me is the best of seasons where joyous moments keep barging into each other at every step. It is that time of the year when the body accepts gladly those mouth-watering delicacies that decorate the showcases of the mithaiwallahs. In Kolkata, this is when nalen gur comes into the market. Sandesh prepared with this sweetener instead of the traditional sugar has a distinct flavor of its own. This is available for hardly three months starting from the Kali puja. When the train enters West Bengal early in the morning and you see people huddled up with their backs to the sun, you can smell the nalen gur in the air - it is something unique to Bengal.

Consider summer – the heat gets on your nerves, cold drinks and fruit juices leave you perspiring and tempers are always on boiling point. To counter the heat, you wear light colored dresses, to protect your face from the ravages of sunshine and dust, you cover up the exposed portions as best as you can – this is especially true for those who commute on two wheelers. For those who travel in air-conditioned comfort, life out of the cool environments is akin to torture chambers. Those who advise you to take care of your health keep harping on prickly heat powders and soaps, creams and lotions that allow you to regain your lost charms.

During the rainy season, water logged roads create mayhem to your travel plans. Journeys become unpredictable and you have to lug around those terrible contraptions called umbrellas and raincoats and gumboots. You cannot show off your new dress – it remains hidden. The advertisements that catch the eyes during this season are the ones for medicines related to cough, cold, stomach upsets and the like.

Winter is, undoubtedly, the queen of all seasons. There is freshness all around, flowers bloom in every nook and corner of the countryside, the markets overflow with the goodies of nature, vegetables are in abundance and – most importantly – this is the time to show off your wardrobes. Yes, pullovers, shawls, mufflers, and hand gloves are required to combat the biting cold – but there is variety, unlike umbrellas and raincoats and gumboots.

a centurion of kolkata

2005-11-29T18:20:00.000-08:00

The majestic Howrah Station will be one hundred years old on the first of December 2005. It is one of the two railway stations of Kolkata where long distance trains from different parts of the country terminate.

A program has been scheduled to mark the occasion. An exhibition of rare books and manuscripts and photographs will be thrown open to the public. The exhibition will be on the banks of the Hoogly. A book will also be released on the occasion. Excerpts from the book -

‘…….British architect Halsey Ralph Ricardo, who designed the station building, prepared the drawings. They, along with the maps, have been restored ……. “We came across a report stating that the new station building (the old complex) was commissioned on December 1, 1905,” said Majumdar. “The construction began in 1901 and continued till 1911,” he added.

Initially, the building housed six platforms. After electrification in 1957, the station was expanded. Detailed architectural drawings of the building were prepared between 1901 and 1905. They show provision for a zenana waiting room (ladies’ waiting room), a third-class waiting hall, intermediate waiting hall, third-class booking office and intermediate booking office. ………..“The huge clock was strategically placed on top of the tower in the north-eastern corner with the face towards the east, so that people crossing the Hooghly from Calcutta can see it from a distance,” the book explains.

According to the documents, the building cost Rs 4,62,695. Read more –

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051121/asp/calcutta/story_5500295.asp

http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2117/stories/20040827004311000.htm

The station has, at present, 24 platforms and continuously handles incoming and outgoing trains both locals and long distance. The platforms and waiting halls are always jam-packed. Earlier, vendors and hawkers would occupy the platforms – nowadays, checks have been put and unauthorized vendors are not allowed to operate. There are taxi stands where taxis can be hired – there is also a provision of prepaid taxis. To enter the city proper, there are three routes – the first via the Howrah Bridge, the second by launch from the jetty just opposite the station and the third via the second Howrah Bridge.

An interesting link to ‘rediscovering india’ –

http://www.misohoni.com/bba/index.php?d=1367826733

the fast changing skylines

2005-11-29T06:27:00.000-08:00

Where there is a will, there is a way – the dynamic Chief Minister of West Bengal is proving it repeatedly. He has the Kolkattans practically eating out of his hands, irrespective of party affiliations. The reason is that he wants to change the concept that West Bengal has nothing to offer except politically mature masses that love poetry, wait for sandwiching holidays and hate to do any type of hard work where physical exertion is involved. With the setting up of IT base in Kolkata and open invitations to anyone opting to invest in this state, it is but natural that Sri Buddhadev Bhattacharji is growing in stature by leaps and bounds.

The latest proposal to change the skyline of Kolkata is the concept of a waterway linking the city from North to South – the Maratha Ditch canal that goes from Chitpur via Ultodanga to Kulti crossing Rajarhat is expected to be thrown open to the public in January. This path of this body of water is being widened and the depth is also being increased to accommodate the motorized launches. Illegal hutments on the banks are being removed and beautification has been taken up on priority. Once operational, people can use it to reach Howrah station and traffic jams will not pose any problem. The motorized launches will be capable of carrying 150 passengers and there will be ten jetties or stations: three main ones will be at Chitpur, Rajarhat and Kulti. Balance seven are planned at R G Kar, Ultodanga, Lake Town, Baishakhi, Krishnapur, Bhojer-hat (near Bantala Leather complex) and Bhangur. There will be shopping malls, hotels and restaurants at all the jetties.

A second new project reported is that of a novel eating place where you can see live fish in the aquarium, select the ones you want and they will be served to you on a platter – you have to grant its preparation time. This exotic place is situated in the Nalban area of Sector-V of Salt Lake: home to the IT people. It will be run by the State Fisheries Department.

‘Landing on the Mars’ is a presentation of the Energy Park located on the EM Bypass. Encouraged by its success with the simulated ‘Journey to the Sun’ in Auigust-2003, that has been appreciated by 50,000 plus persons, the new 18 minute simulation program is expected to be completed in December and thrown open to the public in January.

fingers are forever

2005-11-28T18:23:00.000-08:00

Fingers and cricket are inseparable – the final decision on the field is given by the raised finger of the umpire, the ball is made to behave in astonishing ways by the bowlers by virtue of play of fingers on its seam and, when tensions rise, the captains are known to take over the art of whittling the fingernails.

Sir Winston Churchill, by his ‘V’ for Victory sign, made public display of fingers famous. We threaten others with raised fingers and, when we try to impress an audience, we punch the air and stab unseen enemies by resorting to fingers once again. Another famous finger was Goldfinger, a character created by Ian Fleming. The exploits of James Bond with Goldfinger were made into wonderful movie in 1964 – it was the third James Bond movie after Dr. No and From Russia with Love starring Sean Connery as the super spy James Bond. . Talking about thumbs, there was a character called Tom Thumb – have the modern day children heard about this darling?

The thumb is an important finger where legal matters are concerned – people who cannot read or write have to append their thumb impression on documents because, the whirls and loops of the thumb are considered to be unique – no two thumb impressions are the same.

The thumbs-up sign originated in the Air Force – it is the signal given by the groundsmen to the pilot of a fighter aeroplane to signify that the stage is set for take off. The sign has now come to be associated with cold drinks. While on the subject of drinks, let us not forget the finger chips – they go beautifully with practically any drink, hard or hot.

In conclusion, we must remember that when you point a finger at someone, there are four more that point back at you.