CanIBlogtooPlease

Cities-Chicago, NY

2010-09-12T18:54:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, just sometimes, I feel a trip is just perfect. And for sometime this has not been the case. But just last week I visited NY and Chicago and its been just wonderful. For the first time since I came to the US I felt I really was in a truly great place.

NY did not cut it for me. Too frantic with items walkin all around and just too crowded. The food was good. The food was very good. Magnolia's (http://www.magnoliabakery.com/) banana pudding was just mindblowingly good. One of the best desserts I have ever eaten. So was the rice pudding place (http://www.ricetoriches.com/index.2.php). The subway stations were a wee bit too hot, though a nice way to get around and the crowd was great. Way too many tourists.

Chicago on the other hand I just loved. What a city. An amazing place. I guess its because of the weather, the fact that I'm staying in a pretty decent location and dont have much to worry about relatively, but the place is exactly how I had imagined the US to be. People walking around smoking pipes, bikers riding without helmets, nice people and not too many tourists. The weather is not too cold nor warm and there is a river running through the city and a lake. Man. What more does one want from a city! Definitely my fav city in the US as of now.

Love My Life

2010-07-06T19:39:00.000-07:00

Not the kind of movie that I would have watched but somehow chanced upon it. This is such an easy, level headed, warm hearted confident movie which does not resort to histrionics and coincidental miscommunication etc etc.

Not that I am an expert in same sex relationships but I had the feeling this movie really hit the spot in depicting it in a warm way. The two lead actresses play perfect foil to each other, one a little dumb and impetuous and the other a brooding serious type. There are traces of its original manga source that creep through the movie but that was perfectly fine with me. All in all a really great find. In fact IF i ever attempt to make a movie I might end up making one like this in the first attempt.

I was however a little curious as to how I would have reacted if the same movie was made with two male leads. I do not know. Maybe I might have liked it too.

The Chaser - Korean Thriller Movie

2010-06-24T13:31:00.000-07:00

Some of the better thriller movies that I have watched recently are definitely Asian. Maybe it is that I am missing all the American good ones but the packaged products of America and India stand no match to these.

The Chaser is an amazing movie where the whole plot is structured with such great fine detail that you absolutely do not have leeway to poke holes in the movie. Strong performances, very realistic brutal violence and unsympathetic character extermination (unlike most movies where the good guys are just injured to be resurrected at the end of the movie) make the Chaser an amazing movie.

Shankarabharanam

2010-02-14T22:12:00.000-08:00

Please do not miss it. Watch it. I dont care if you dont understand telugu. I dont care if there are no subtitles. I don't care what excuse you give, just go watch it. It stands a clear shoulder above the random crap being served to us these days by spineless directors and packaged fare. And the music is divine even to a retard like me.

This is one movie which could easily have hit "the indian movie melodrama" target circle right in the bull's eye, but has been handled with so much finesse that it comes across as sensitive, passionate and great art. The lead actors Somayajulu and Manju Bhargavi are superlative in their depictions of the characters.

Ek Chalis Ki Last Local

2010-02-14T16:39:00.000-08:00

Definitely watchable compared to the other stale stuff that our movie industry is churning out. Of course it grates to accept that this is all it takes to stand out in a mediocre industry, but you see, Karan Johar has successfully driven Indian movie standards to such extend that even this seems way too good.

Cons: Too many whacky characters.

Seher

2010-02-12T19:26:00.000-08:00

A pretty good movie. I was bored and started watching it and it was pretty good. I thought i might as well list all watchable (according to me :-)) movies for posterity. Now that these are pretty rare occurances.

Arshad Warsi plays a straight serious role. Mahima Choudhury is sufficiently good looking and the characters not ridiculous. Go ahead. Watch it. You wont curse me.

Sunny Winter

2010-02-01T20:40:00.000-08:00

The start of the trudge from home to this spot is always dreary. Because I assume I know what to expect. And every day I am surprised.

Hampi

2010-01-18T13:20:00.000-08:00

Dusty Hospet is the perfect entry point for the much hyped Hampi. The most run down town which nudges my mood to one of sadness. This is just another town that has been neglected by the Indian government. Chaotic traffic, errant auto rickshaws and shabby hotels. At the bus station I climb into one of the rusty state buses and buy a 10 Re ticket to Hampi. As I settle down at 6 a.m in the morning I had no clue what to expect of Hampi. And stared unseeingly out playing random images in my mind. Never one to give in to too much contemplation that day uncharacteristically I was completely oblivious to the route till I saw a pile of rocks. Not just a pile I realized. Piles of rocks. Everywhere I could see. Piles and piles of rocks heaped onto each other. As if a giant baby has scattered its pebbly playthings around the landscape.

2 days into the trip and I still was soaking in the atmosphere. Ruins stretching out everwhere. The sun shining remorselessly on the rocks, the rocks resolutely standing their ground. I did not even know when my hired death trap of a kinetic Honda ran out of fuel or where I had discarded it. I just walked, chanced upon a smiling villager with a bottle filled with red petrol. Money changed hands, I reversed direction. Soon back on the bike I travelled.

It got better. Tungabhadra winding its way through this landscape. Too good to resist. I clambered onto the corakal. Rishyamukha mountains, the matanga hill, Kishkindha empire. All coasted past under the pointing fingers of Umapathi, the oarsman. If there was something that registered in my mind it was the vastness and desolate and magnificent scale of the whole place. A week more alone there and I would have dissolved there I think. Good that I could pull myself away from that vortex. If I go there again, I wont go alone. I might not make it back.

An Attempt at Dissecting the Mallu Landscape

2009-12-18T01:37:00.000-08:00

I just could not help taking a crack at it. The interpretation of course might work for some while others I am sure can throw a lot more insight into the above picture. The one above (with the red arrows) show the exhibits that I try to explain while if you click the below (unmarked) photo it will show the finer details of the same.

The setting is the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Trivandrum. A truly great architectural wonder. And just as you step inside there is a board which goes something like “entry restricted to those who profess Hinduism”. Strictly speaking I should not have been allowed anywhere near the temple but the implicit assumption seems to be that appearances and skin color profess one’s religion. And so I entered.

As for the picture, let’s see. (If it’s too small just click on the below picture and it will blow up enough)

A. An attempt at modernization. Some genius official must have had the brainwave of computerizing the temple and put this utterly useless appendage of technology here.

B. And just in case you think the computer is wrong you can always clarify it with the person there:-). So who is redundant, man or machine?

C. A DYFI (Democratic Youth Federation of India, a communist party) red flag. Notice the buildings on the side of the roadway have political flags sticking out. Some communist. Some secular. And some right wing. But mind you only Hindus allowed inside the temple.

D. The ubiquitous mallu chetans. They are part of the landscape. Always.:-)

E. Cars owned by the new wave info tech / gulf return/ US nursing people.

All in all a very gently jostling of a lot of ideologies. And if you were there in person, you can also smell the curd rice and pappadums emanating from the agraharas (dwellings where the Brahmins live) around.

Visiting One's Relatives

2009-12-09T00:05:00.001-08:00

Visiting relatives in Trivandrum during the late 80’s as a kid was just a matter of holding mom’s hand and running around a new household as the adults discussed worldly matters and sorted out serious family relations. Of course this was after the customary cheek pulling and the oh-he-has-changed-a-lot remarks. Then followed the snacks, mainly some biscuits (Milk Bikis, Marie etc.), a mug full of watery chaaya (in all my experiences the Trivandrum chaaya is the worst) and if one got lucky some Vaazhakkya (banana) chips. Then when the load shedding (compulsory power cuts in TVM) starts my parents suddenly remember that they have to be elsewhere and beat a hasty retreat.

Now that I am grown and old, visiting relatives has become trickier. I cannot wander about the new house at will, munch on goodies nor just ignore what was happening and browse the TV. I have to be part of the group discussion.

Recently I had gone visiting and was watching my nephews with envy as they both attacked the tray kept in front of them. And as there was no TV I was forced to listen to what was being discussed. The topics discussed were varied and I doubt if any of the participants had a point to make other than to wait till the tray was emptied by the kids.

The talks started with a detailed analysis of a legal agreement which all of the elders present decreed was fraudulent. On reaching this conclusion smug smiles passed between all and through no logical connect the interest of the group switched to Sudoku. Thankfully it was just a small digression before we all became fully animated in unearthing what was the latest fad in robbery. I had to listen twice to make sure I was hearing right but yes. It was robbery that these people were discussing. My aunt was absolutely convinced that the in- thing was daylight robbery when the owners were inside the house. My uncle and cousins were insistent that such acts were more fruitful if committed in the night and when the house is empty. Each had at least 2 examples to substantiate their views.

I decided to stay in the background as none of the matters discussed were my specialty. That the discussion was a means to reach 8:00 in the night was evidenced by the fact that the whole party stood up abruptly at the said time and started bidding byes to my uncle and gravitated towards the exit. I however could have been mistaken because exactly at 8 my cousin reached over acrobatically to polish off an unniappam (sweet dish) from the tray and found to her consternation that her sons were already digesting the unniappam.

Whatever be the reason I feel the small talk of the “adults” matter little and it’s the kids who dictate the time spent when visiting relatives.

Quote of the Year

2009-12-07T21:58:00.001-08:00

They are not hiring too much intelligent people also!

- on the hiring process of a certain Bangalore based company

Thiruvananthapuram after 2 years

2009-12-07T21:47:00.000-08:00

Iru nvooru roova thareen!! The auto driver wheezed as soon as I step out of Trivandrum airport. Luckily for me I had not much luggage and after some feinting down the road with purposeful strides and much shaking of the head I managed to reduce the fare to a hundred rupees. From the smug grin on the drivers face though I have a feeling that I was taken for a ride in more than one way.

Trivandrum has not changed though everyone in the city laments otherwise. One look is sure to reveal the quintessential mallu with his beard, folded mundu(dhoti) and the chandanam (sandal mark on the forehead) and heave a sigh of relief that the city has not changed much. All the other trademarks of the city, load shedding, thattu kadas, and ammachis in nighties are intact.

Leaving Singapore

2009-11-29T07:22:00.000-08:00

Last night in this country and I feel I'll miss this place a lot. The past 7 months have taken me to places I never even knew existed and now I'm going back to India to journey back to the US. It pains me to say I do not look forward to that trip at all. Why?

1. Because I cant walk to a Kopitiam or 7 eleven and munch on something whenever I want.
2. The public transport in chapel hill is literally non existant.
3. No more curry chicken, pepper crab, chicken rice and ice coffe. No more spices!!!!
4. No more badminton and soccer.
5. I'll have to start looking for a job real seriously! :-)

Veeramaakaliamman Temple - Singapore

2009-11-24T02:30:00.000-08:00

The first Hindu Temple that was built by the Indian Labourers in Singapore. Interestingly this was built by bengali convict-coolies who were brought to Singapore as cheap labour after being tried for their mutiny in 1857. Therefore the main deity is Durga. However the temple absorbed the Tamil influence over the centuries and now the bengali influence is hardly discernable.

The gopuram as you step into the temple. Typical Tamil Architecture.

Well I am from Madurai after all!

Devotees lining up to get the Dharisanam! This could be any temple in Tamil Nadu.

National Museum of Singapore

2009-11-23T07:26:00.000-08:00

To understand the History of Singapore one has definitely got to visit the national museum of Singapore. How a land of coconut trees, marshes and natives full of villas surrounded by thick foliage has transformed into this bustling megapolis. The one reminder of those times (though fast disappearing) are the majestic trees that you find in Singapore.

The National Museum of Singapore, located right next to the Orchard multiplex in Dobhy Ghaut is just a short walk from City Hall MRT.

Where time stood still. The albums in the round tea tables contain some of the most wonderful pictures of early Singapore and Singaporean life.

And while at the National Museum be prepared to run into wedding shoots like this one. I think the dome makes for great diffused light and its a photographers treat (at least thats my completely baseless theory). I think this couple is Malay. I put the picture up in sepia because somehow i feel weddings should be timeless and colour brings a certain reality to the picture that diminishes that quality.

Little India Singapore

2009-11-22T02:57:00.000-08:00

Little India is the Tamil concentrated area in Singapore. It is in direct contrast to the rest of the city, where traffic and pedestrian thoroughfare is very organized. Step into Little India and you get a taste of what we Indians can do to trafiic rules. Also located here is the famous Mustafa Center. A behemoth shopping center crammed with almost everything under the world. Watchout for the crowds during weekends though.

Shakuntalas in Serangoon Road on a cloudy day.

The Attack of The Machines

2009-11-22T02:12:00.000-08:00

And as the unsuspecting human prey jaunts down the lane, to my horror, the bright yellow metallic fingers close in menacingly......

The brass flower. It has no fragrance.

The Grand Palace - Thailand

2009-11-22T01:50:00.000-08:00

The grand palace in Thailand was a great experience for me. Anyone who loves the Ramayana should visit this palace. The murals that adorn the walls literally speak volumes through its pictures. Statues of Ravana(Totsakan in Thai), Hanuman and Garuda look down at the visitors from their man made perches.

Just in case you do go there, the one method that you can distinguish between the Vanaras and the Asuras is that the former do not wear shoes.

Pine Grove Condo

2009-11-07T06:24:00.001-08:00

The condominium that I stay in Pine Grove. The place is awesome, the location, if you are an NUS student is ideal and its close to the clementi Kopitiam (which in case you do not know serves the best ice coffee and chicken rice for 4 SGD). I shall try and get a picture of the Kopitiam chicken Rice platter before I leave just to savour the taste visually.

The pool where I learnt swimming. The Jacuzzi at the corner is the place to be if you want a great massage.

The kiddies have their own pool too. The best part is the tropical plants all over Singapore. I just love the trees. Reminds me of Kerala.

All Thanks To Neha for having run around selecting the place so that all I had to do was just move in from Thailand.

Tribute to Khun Mae

2009-11-04T21:18:00.000-08:00

The home stay at Ban Nam Sai was the best experience of the whole Thailand trip. The family, Khun Mae, Khun Bulu, Sai Roong, Got and few were just such wonderfully loving and simple people.

It was rainy. It was slippery. It was scary. It was unchartered. And the team conquered the trek. Over and Out.

The house at the top of the hill commands such an awesome view of the area that we can see the rain coming from miles ahead and wait for it to hit us.

Phang Nga

2009-11-04T20:42:00.001-08:00

The town of Phang Nga. Where time stopped. I am lazing out with the words. Its the best place to be in the world. Take me back there any time and I'll jump at the opportunity.

The famous Phang Nga Bay. This is the bay from where boats take you into the magical Andaman Ocean. Crystal Clear waters and limestone rocks. And a surreal(though slightly commercialized) village on stilts in the middle of the ocean.

The Thai Muang Beach Stretch. The nesting grounds for endangered turtles. The sandy beach stretches for miles and miles.

Suwanna Kuha (The Golden Cave)A cavernous temple with Budha statues. Very calm and quiet place to be.

The small town of Takua Pa is the closest town to Kao Lak. This town has chinese history dating back centuries from their trade relations with the Sino people.

Remembering Thailand 1

2009-11-04T20:26:00.000-08:00

The most amazing times and places I encountered were in Southern Thailand. Some of them.

Bangkok and Maha Vithalaai Prajomglao Thonburi (University of King Mongkul). The Thai classes were really helpful. Though we did absorb only a small percentage of what was taught, it did come in real useful. Korp Kun Kraap!

Ok. So we really went for the food!

Botanical Gardens

2009-11-04T20:07:00.000-08:00

The botanical gardens of Singapore grow some of the most amazing plants from around the world. The orchids, a staple of the tropical countries, are a feast to the eyes. And if you go on weekends the whole atmosphere is amazing. People walking their dogs, kids playing and fitness freaks jogging their way to healthy living. A really awesome place to visit in Singapore.

A sweeping view of the garden.

Looks like Japan?

The famous orchids.

Singapore Jurong Bird Park

2009-11-04T07:32:00.000-08:00

The famous Jurong bird park. The second time and the experience was better because I had a camera :-). Be careful! These birds bite.

I wonder why the birds dont fly away and they all stick to their own designated territories. Weird!!

This is sure to cause atleast one heart attack a day. And it was just a couple of feet above my head.

Banana Bird!

Those Singapore Days

2009-11-04T06:25:00.001-08:00

Nothing captures my days in Singapore more than these picture. Sitting by the river, glory days with an uncertain future sitting alone on the river side, watching the sun set on the busy asian super city. Singapore certainly has set the standards on public safety and government credibility.

4 Korean Must See Movies

2009-10-20T12:47:00.001-07:00

For a long time, having been bombarded with the (B/H)ollywood light romances, I got to watch 4 Korean light hearted movies. I just loved them. If you are looking for good movies here they are. All are available in youtube I think.

Yeopgijeogin geunyeo (My Sassy Girlfriend):

A real light romantic comedy. And mind you, I am not one who generally watches mush. But this really blew me away.

Oldeumiseu Daieori geukjang-pan (Old Miss Diary):

A really delightful movie. Mills and Boon type.

Il Mare: This is one of the best shot mush movies. The original from which "The Lakehouse" was adapted. And I am quite delighted to say that Hollywood as usual screwed the original by steamrolling all the subtleties and depth of the movie. Well, with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock in the american version you know what to expect.

Team England Backs out of World Championship

2009-09-23T09:41:00.001-07:00

That chap complains "it was just us and the bus driver" and he was afraid that something would happen to him like the indian cricket team. Well someone should remind him that he is not exactly the kind to set the streets on fire in Hyderabad. Good riddance to sissies.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/badminton/8193531.stm

And this is what the Scots had to say about this.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/badminton/8193643.stm

2009-09-20T07:24:00.000-07:00

The whole world is melting. Quite literally. That’s what the elite are hysteric about. Picture yourself the apocalyptic movies that regularly are released in Hollywood (where of course it’s always NY that’s submerged in a huge deluge of tsunamic waves). They are of course talking about Global Warming.

Well at the risk of sounding outright stupid and myopic I don’t think India and China ought to give a hoot about it. If not this there is some other impending disaster. And I think the argument that the developing giants India and China put forward is quite valid. You contributed to the pollution. You better clean up. When we reach developed status we will think about it. Meanwhile enact laws that show us how to do it.

It is laughable that the US, a major polluter (in every sense of the word) is always engaged in talks to save the world, and is yet too smart to commit to anything concrete before the G20 summit in Copenhagen this coming December.

This though is a very myopic and impassioned view to take. However the way I see it, there is a lot that these countries have to contend with. The least important being global warming. It’s a question of providing for the needy now, or for our grandchildren. Well the answer quite simply is to take care of our own needy right now and then join the developed countries in saving the green earth after 50 years.

Titas Ekti Nadir Naam

2009-07-14T01:32:00.000-07:00

(Ao Nam Mao, Thailand)

Ayuthaya - A trip to relive the Centuries

2009-07-09T01:59:00.000-07:00

When I first started out to travel to Ayutthaya by land, a journey almost a 1000 kms, I had my misgivings as to how much I would enjoy the journey. On hindsight, I am very glad that I took it up.

Ayutthaya is named after Ayodhya and hence is filled with rich cultural layers of history if you know anything about Indian and South East Asian mythologies. Every structure was so exquisite even in its ruin that you just can’t help but try envisioning it during it’s hey days. The whole city must have been built like the mythical universe, with Mount Meru at the center and the seven seas surrounding it. All adorned by thousands of Buddha sculptures in various states of decay. The decay though touches only the stone. Not the expression of the idols. It does send a sense of disquiet when even after centuries of ravages by humans and elements the statues still smile gracefully at the visitors. I think they win in the end. Not even nature but the statues.

This trip has aroused in me a real desire to take a look at Angkor Wat. If for nothing else but to see how megalomania and grandeur combine into heady art. No man can describe what they think when they walk alone amongst these ruins. Before I get philosophical let me post a couple of pictures that I took that I liked during the trip.

Lychees and Bao Tse in Bangkok

2009-05-25T20:41:00.000-07:00

The rest have been gobbled up. These Lychees are just delicious. And Bao Tse, that dish that my good friend Shen Jen introduced me and Pradeep to just melts in your mouth. This one is for all the steaming we did in Alta Springs!!
By the way. Bangkok and Suwarnabhumi are way better than our Indian airports again. Damn I'm feeling sad about our airports. I am kicking myself not to have taken pictures of Suwarnabhumi. I think I'll take it when I leave Bangkok.The other thing that struck me was the absence of oppressive touts dragging customers to their cabs outside the airport.
In Bangalore or in Chennai it would be impossible to get a decent cab ride from the airport to anywhere without getting swindled if you do not know the language or the lay of the land.

Curry Chicken!

2009-05-25T20:40:00.000-07:00

I saw this dish first when Neha was hogging it down at "Aunty's Wok" and I reluctantly tasted a spoonful of it. And that was enough to get me hooked onto it. Its delicious. Its creamy, has coconut and well cooked chicken and potatos. Malaysian cooking rocks. If ever travelling to the east please please do not hesitate to try this dish out. Even for the non adventurous Indian (who always flock around the only Indian Stall in a food court because they think everyone else eats squishy fishy stuff) this is a must try!

Changi Airport

2009-05-25T20:39:00.000-07:00

People who have not been to India think its this scalding hot juggernaut of an economy which is unstoppable. Oh boy are they wrong! I just stepped into a plane from the airport in Chennai and arrived in Singapore Changi airport and the difference is huge. I really doubt Indian's abilities to maintain an airport this big this clean. In fact I would go so far and say it is not going to happen in the next 10 years. I bet my worthless life on it.
This is changi Airport and the only people I found squatting around on the floor was an Indian Family!!

Camera Atlast!!

2009-05-25T18:52:00.000-07:00

Atlast! I have a camera. A Singapore Mustafa product. Its quite a nice little thing. Now I think I have an incentive to post. What used to take me an hour to describe I now just click and put it up!So much for my writing skills. But as my time is a wee little crunched I just might have to stick to clicking pictures and annotating them with comments. How I wish I could write something "intense". Well maybe till I get the mood I'll just click and frame my travels. You guys might see what my eyes missed. Dont expect world class photography. This is just me and my pocket gadget and some random pics.

French Hospitality

2008-08-02T15:33:00.000-07:00

From Madurai to Chennai to Paris to Atlanta to Rayleigh. Damn it was a long journey. Not a very enjoyable one too.

I mean the flight from Madurai to Chennai was perfect as can be expected.(I have never had a reason to complain whenever I visit the Madurai Airport). And then I stepped into Air France.

They said something in French. If what happened later was anything to go by I would translate what they said to “Welcome Aboard Air France.Get ready to be Screwed. French Style”.

The French are good lovers says lore. They should be. They make sure they screw everyone in Paris. The flight was delayed and so I missed my connecting flight from Paris to Atlanta. And what do the damn people say? Hey I’m sorry.Cant help it. Come back tomoro.

Oh yes I can. The problem is I don’t have a Visa.So what am I supposed to do?And am I not entitled to compensation?and lodging?and food?and a little hospitality?

Well all I got after literally clowning myself conjuring up a mime with the French staff was a calling card. For 10 mins. What the hell am I supposed to do with a 10 minute calling card? By the time I Get over badmouthing Air France half the talk time would be over.

Then came accommodation. I tried talking to them. Then I tried doing placards. A passing French ass thought it was some trash and threw it in the dustbin. Or Le Dust Been in French!!

And my request for transit visa was rejected without even the police authorities having a one on one with me. If that’s not racial discrimination then nothing bloody well is.

Any way, boy was I glad to step out of France.

So if you are planning a visit. Avoid Air France Big time.

Bon Jour!! My ass!!!

Siddhartha-by Herman Hesse

2008-07-02T07:25:00.000-07:00

After a long time I'm reading a book to completion. But this is definitely a book worth reading. Some might say its pretentious and too heavy handed. But I loved it. Lets one dive into it to whatever level one wants to when they revisit this book. Definitely worth the read.

2008-06-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

Damn. This was a piece that I never thought I might write. This is me. That me that I had sheathed in layers of education. The me that I had cultivated from when I came across books and heroes. This is that soft kernel of heart that I buttress with my muscle. And maybe it was this that I now take in my hand and throw into the air delighting in the freedom of not warding off barbs and fears. That bit is useless. One less organ to guard. One less weight to shoulder.

Anyway I don’t think this phase is going to last. I am too cruel for that you see. I’ll grow myself another heart that Im sure I will guard as safe and isolated as the older one and lock it within. But my mind would have scored a point over the heart. Oh yes. It has.

The Exit

2008-05-18T00:29:00.000-07:00

When you dare to ride a steed
Whose hooves churn the earth in speed,
Curl your fingers over the reins
And bend to smell the flowing manes

The rider's thoughts are the wind
That swirls and eddies at his limb
A seething eddy of nothingness
Of a cause more,fear less

Mundane thoughts are whittled away
The lips are white,as white as whey,
What thought warrants a place in mind,
Of the purest love or the hated kind?

Do you present a form benign
A hope for the meek,a glimmer,a shine?
The hands that I cannot see
Do they protect,do they free?

I shudder to think otherwise
Where I err and it was vice
That prods the haste to cover the earth
And lay to waste some kindred's hearth

Every exit must hold still
A picture of power,gallant will
And everyone who bids adieu
Have their eyes filled with dew

What life is this that I lead,
An ass with me,to water and feed,
Never a spectacle to behold,
My ride and me,we both are old

Should I pick my staff and spear
And follow the knight in battle gear,
Of what use would I be
The feeble body and knobbled knee?

Old and grey we are in sight
And we may not instill fright
But I think my time has come
To hear the last roll of the battle drum

With all my iron now rusted,
All I arm with are my trusted
Axe and knife and I pray
That I do not return from this fray.

And unlike the gallant young sir
Who galloped his way through the fir
I trot into the settling dust
Waiting for an arrow to pierce my chest.

In Search of An Occupation

2008-05-03T02:57:00.000-07:00

I am not a genius. I am not good with numbers. I am not interested in software(or at least I think I am not),I do not want to slog my whole life earning peanuts.

So how do I break out of this mould and get into a better position? How do I be content in life? I do not know. But I have decided one thing. I am not going to settle down seeking comfort. Yes. Keep stretching your comfort zone and keep traveling. I have found that traveling gives me a kind of solace that money does not give. The so called social security that is derived from a steady income.

Quite frankly I do not want to work. I think the whole world is for everyone and that education and positions do not mean anything much in the larger sense.

I see so many of my friends and colleagues who are so content with living lives that have been drafted for them. I somehow have a deep disquiet in accepting such a life. For no other reason than the fact that I had no say in it. Who would want to live a life(which in itself is incidental) according to the whims and fantasies of other people?

In this particular regard I sincerely appreciate the western man. He has the concept of back packing. The idea of throwing the concrete to the wind and wandering about the occidental and oriental world. This does not happen in India. Or at least among the Indians I know. They get some money and they think of hoarding it. Of investing it in houses, plots or mutual funds.

So what is it about the uncertain future that makes people just a little scared? A mishap could happen anytime. Yes. I could be critically injured walking down to the store at the corner of my street knocked down by an errant driver. But that should not make you live your life half should it?

I did my schooling. I was happy because I did not think. I did my graduation. I was not happy because it was useless. I was not meant for higher pursuits of science. I worked for 4 years. I was not happy as I felt my life was lived by my employer and not me to a large extent. Now I am moving towards some more studies. I am sure I will not be happy. Because an MBA is not life defining as many think. It is just another platform to view life from. Of course the extra money helps. But that’s about it.

round 3 - the return of the king

2008-03-15T16:53:00.000-07:00

Never ever say never again till I die. Never ever. I hate that. And I love that. I confuse. That was new to me. I lost perspective. I lost speech. I lost the structure. The bigger picture. I freeze. I respect you most of all my adversaries. I have laughed at you. I have ridiculed the warriors you have felled. But I have never underestimated you. I expected this. I know your mettle. I do not want to defeat you. I will not do that. I want you to route humanity. Including me. But I do not want to be defeated. Is this not ironic? You had me on my knees and I did not even realise it. I salute you. You are not a warrior of the norm.Never will the world be the same.I will change it. I will always battle against you. But I respect you just as I know you do too. I will not be defeated by you. I want to but I am not born to be defeated. But let Gods and Demons be with you. And let me falter.I pray with you for you against me. I might slip. I am determined not to lose even for the right cause. Its a fault of mine. A fault I cannot right.We shall meet.

Round 2

2008-03-15T16:32:00.000-07:00

Haha.Yeah so?Is this all that was there to you?Were you not supposed to be the carefree vagabond free from desires and human bonding? I pity you now. The visage cracked. The spear not only draws blood but also elicits writhes.Haha. Never ever be what you were? The higher the climb the higher the fall.Remember that O supposedly learned one. Did you not make tremble many a heart.The fierce and the mighty respected you.The meek envied you. Now you are fallen. I never fail to enjoy my ravaging.But this is abject surrender. I am disappointed. There is nothing above me. Do not enrage me.

The bout.Round 1

2008-03-15T16:12:00.000-07:00

You are tired.There is not another word that can describe you.The smile has vanished..the brood has descended...and this is supposed to be fun...i cant...i dont want to...why is it so tough...i want to..its easy...no its tough..i dont care if you understand..i seriously dont want to.....i want something...i dont need anything less..i have a problem with authority.... i hate hyprocricy..i hate insensitivity..die emotional fakers...a misandrist is born...an idealism is strengthened..a vent of emotions drained and the turmoil just starts whirling..your mind no longer wants what it needs..it no longer is happy...the darkness is addictive..the light is blinding..where is the idealism?...where is the purity?the reality?the happily ever after...??the struggle is not over..but the reason is..freefalling is good..only till it lasts...the end is spiked...not cushioned.....thank you..have a nice day...

Back Again

2008-03-09T18:05:00.000-07:00

A long hiatus.A long break. This is going to be fun.Oh yes.To the unassembled audience and the empty halls I offer my salutations

Nonsense Limericks

2007-06-28T03:24:00.000-07:00

To pen a five line limerick
Is quite an art,a subtle trick
And I can safely bet
I am to master it yet,
My first reader appreciated me with a kick!!!

A mexican once chancing upon Rambha
Immediately smitten said "Carramba!
Please don’t cavil
W'll quit this land of Tamil
And get married to the tunes of La Bamba.

A journalist hunting on the sets for an interview
Knocked on Shahrukh's door,and on hearing "Entrez vous-"
Said "You are an eyesore
For the Indians,Japs and more,
Why!Last week I got a hate mail for Timbuktoo!

A Pilgrim's Plea

2007-06-20T04:19:00.000-07:00

If I ever return this way
Remind me of what I was
Of how I walked this path once
And how you saw me pass

Take care not to mention
The weary expression on my face
Nor the slightly stooping shoulders
Or my despairing gaze

Speak to me kindly with a smile
For sure I'll remember you not
My eyes might rest upon you
But my memories do rot

You see my friend,I was once like you
Watching from the sides
For long have I stood as you stand now
As I saw more go by

In all the time I waited
Not one came back
I stood patiently with a smiling face
Oh!How naive was I!

And If I rest along the way
And should you pass by
I shall say the same words
That I ask of you today

The Apu Trilogy

2007-05-28T14:15:00.000-07:00

Thanks to some cheap schemes in the UK to watch good movies,easy accessibility and other such due acknowledgements I consider myself lucky to have watched this trilogy.

I had always shied away from Satyajit Ray for some unknown reason.One of the most overt ones being that being an Indian director,I could lay my hands on his works anytime.That is not the reason I know.But once I watched Pather Panchali,I realized my mistake.The extra ordinary timing of the movies was that while also watching the Apu Trilogy,we were also watching the Colours Trilogy,by Krystof Keislowski.Both lyrical.Both masterpieces.

What one person did with Blue,White and Red,the other achieved with Black,White and Grey.
Some things that ought to be mentioned is his proficiency in working with child artists.Children generally spoil the movie.They are either too precocious or plain irritating.Who in Tamil or Malayalam is called an Athigaprasangi.But Ray absolutely makes little wonders of joy.Right from the little Apu,to Kajal,Apu's son in the third part,they are all so innocently mischievous and real that one has to acknowledge his directorial excellence.One reason why he thinks children react so well to his instructions is in his own words "I treat them as adults...I give them whispered instructions..and I never let anyone on the sets mollycoddle them".

Pandit(no wonder they call him that) and Subrata Mitra make no mean contribution to the movie too.Sharmila Tagore in Apur Sansar is a pure joy to watch.Also watch out for the trains,smokes and water bodies.The trademark motives that underline Rays these three works.

Nihilism-1

2007-05-18T09:11:00.000-07:00

Introduction:This is a result to try and quantify and codify a philosophical school of thought which strikes me as the most relavant.In what way it is relavant and as to who should adhere to it is all subjective.But atleast to me,it does look quite apealing. Even as I type in this sentence I can visualise a very dry and arduous read for anyone if he or she is not a nihilist as I have tried only to detail stances,relevances,viewpoints mostly from a nihilist's point of view.
Before one embarks on a mission to try and write even the most petty philosophical treatise,if I may so try and name it,one is expected to be,if not conversant,atleast familiar with the prevailing and established schools of philosophy.To this end,I have tried reading and meditating on some of them.But even as one tries to gain a comprehensive knowledge on this he is considerably hindered by the multitude of sub schools of the main philosophical school.While some of these schools are significantly differentiated from each other,there are some whose principles are so subtly nuanced that to someone uninitiated into those modes of life they seem the same.Bearing these "minor" differences I shall proceed brashly into the seductively destructive moors of nihilism.

To define nihilism is tricky in a sense.Nihilism is a school of thought that recognises the fact that there is no absolutes.That everything is relative.And when everything is relative there is no absolute truth.There is no absolute morals.There is no absolute ethics.However it cannot be stated that is no absolute self.Being sentient,we cannot logically refute self.However the purpose of the self,and the level of intermingling of sentience and perception is up for debate.Therefore arises the question of what is real?A nihilist,I would say,is not one who says he knows eveything is false,as is often described,but is one who is not convinced of what is absolute truth.Therefore this is a form of extreme skepticism.In everything.

There are some aspects concerning nihilism and nihilists that I would like to follow just to see where I might end up.

1.What pushes a person to Nihilism?Is it materialism?Is it a masochistic obsession to recognise the world we live in for what it is?

2.Is Nihilism an energising or enervating path?Can one channel his nihilistic solitude and unattached person to laugh and amuse oneself at the absurd world?To take everything "lightly" and live in the knowledge that no one can judge anyone?Or does it make life a pain to bear and existance just a collection of mental and physical recollections of a socially constructed order?

3.Since a Nihilist believes in nothing,nothing is justified.Which also means that nothing can be condemned.What implications does this hold for a Nihilist?

4.Do other religious and philosophical schools have nihilistic thoughts in them?Do the precepts of Maya,Shunyata,Budhism etc include nihilistic attitudes in them?

I am not sure how far in this exercise I would be able to progress.But atleast it helps to put these into words and pen them down so that we do not have to revisit/ponder/define them again and again.

Danceaholix Preposterus:

2007-05-11T06:39:00.000-07:00

Just one person fills my whole visual horizon now.No.Not because I am in love or anything.It is just that I have zoomed my retina to focus on one particular being.Let me explain what is happening.Maybe you could make more sense out of it.

I can see her.I cannot see her.I can see her.I cannot see her.And in those alternate glimpses I catch of her she is not only contorted and writhing but also variedly hued.Just imagine a chameleon on a kalidoscopic surface caught in a thunderstom.Get the point?Zoom out and turn the head and it all falls into perspective.A dancefloor in a disco.The expression she wears is of pure ectsacy.Bliss.And from what I can discern in this psychadelic atmosphere of an unintellligible social rite,I can safely employ the same adjective to the expression worn on the countenances of all those writhing about her.

Dance-like-no-one’s-watching.Dance-the-blues away.Have-feet-will-dance.All these phrases run through my mind.And even as I watch her I find myself on the floor.No.Not assisted by the fist of her boyfriend.And not voluntarily either.I was rolling on the floor with laughter.I just cannot help it.

Yes.Before you say anything I confess.I miss the point.I have missed the whole point for so long and extrapolating my aptitude to miss points,I am most likely to miss the point in the future too.But can someone explain to me what is this dancing all about?I can understand Bharatnatyam,Kuchipudi,Ballet etc.But this thronging of young things to bounce about in wild abandon in “dance floors”?

Lets see.The disco dancing variety.There is a group of people.And one of them comes up with this brilliantly conceived and spontaneous suggestion to have a good time.A good time in my little book titled What Constitutes a Good Time? may be a peaceful meal,a good movie,a good banter,a couple of rounds of Whisky etc etc.What does not constitute a good time is to wriggle and wiggle about spasmodically in a crowd.

Then there is the Salsa,Cha Cha Cha,Waltz etc etc.There is a song played in the background and the dancers,usually two(thank god for that)hold on to each other while trying to get away from each other.While one tries to pull away and end the dance the other yanks the poor partner toward them.Twirling and jerking hard.And the most sad part is that the audience thinks its something commendable and go clap clap while adjusting their monocles.

Preposterous.And then comes the most ridiculous part.Not only do the dancers want to prance about but they also insist on any poor bystander in the vicinity to join the revelry.Why does it not strike them that the onlookers derive an almost equal pleasure from their gyrations as they get from gyrating?

Pather Panchali

2007-05-06T18:09:00.000-07:00

I am sure there are numerous reviews that you'll get if you look it up.Reviews by experts on the movie.So I am not willing to nor try and critique this master piece of a movie.

All I can say is,if you love movies this is a must see.A perfect movie(though in his interview Mr Ray describes it to have a modifiable first half),this is one movie that will affect you.The pace,the place and the people are all haunting.

All the directors and actors who are in the industry must watch this movie and if they have not,they are in the wrong profession.The work of a master who has complete control over his art.

Though,the movie throughout is a visual and cultural treat there are some sequences that haunt me.One is the monsoon season.Where Durga dances in the rain.This is a scene I will not forget for long.One more director who uses rain to intensify the screen.

Then there is the scene where Durga chases Apu for the latter's act of appropriating the formers treasure of Silver paper to make a crown.

The movie would have not been the same without Pandit Ravi Shankers music too.

Movies That Should Be Watched If You Can-R Rated

2007-05-05T12:53:00.000-07:00

Since there seem to be quite a lot of movie buffs that I come across from time to time thought the easiest way to communicate would be to put up the stills from The movies.This small set of movies are those that I remember off the top of my head that are very impressive.

However these contain nudity,sex and mature themes.So unless you are into serious movies AND are above 18 (both are necessary conditions)please do not try to view these. Also you might have to put up with subtitles.
The movies featured are:

Odishon directed by Takashi Miike:
Language:Japanese Genre:Horror/Thriller/Extreme
More gore here:http://www.mandiapple.com/snowblood/odishon.htm

La Pianiste directed by Michael Haneke Language:French Genre:Not too sure More Classical Notes here:http://www.kino.com/pianoteacher/

De battre mon coeur s'est arrêté(The Beat That My Heart Skipped) directed by Jacques Audiard Language:French Genre:Neo Noir More Info here:http://www.wellspring.com/movies/text.html?page=synopsis&movie_id=63

Przypadek(Blind Chance) directed by Krystof Kiezlowski Language:Polish Genre:The master's own Take your chance here:http://www.aboutfilm.com/movies/b/blindchance.htm

Irreversible directed by Gaspar Noe Language:French Genre:Shock move.If never heard of Noe,better not watch it You could try:http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/04/31/irreversible.html

Ghost In The Shell:1 and Ghost in the Shell 2:Innocence Language:Japanese Genre:Science Fiction/Manga Portal URL:http://www.manga.com/ghost/

How to make a crap movie?

2007-05-02T14:44:00.000-07:00

Take a 20 something relative of a 50 something yester hero.Throw in juvenile emotions and stilted dialogues.For good measure add in mindnumbing songs.Dyed friends.The hero does not work,no values and the worst dialogue delivery.

Accents,fast cars,item numbers,himmesh reshammiya and all can be added to the steaming pile.And lo behold.You get another 120 minutes of unadulterated shit.

And the producer said "Let there be more crap"!

Kamal(eon) Hassan

2007-03-25T14:26:00.000-07:00

Amongst the so called superstars of Tamil Film industry there are only a handful of those who can actually keep their heads high and claim rightfully that they deserve the status accorded them.And Kamal Hassan would be right up there.Along with Shivaji Ganesan and villainous Rajni Kanth.

The rest of the clowns infesting the screens,Vijay,Ajith,VijayKanth to just name a few are quite simply milking money and laughing their way to their banks jingling with money serving the none too discerning masses with some crappy production the eggheaded directors and producers cook up.And amidst this ruin is the colourful Kamal Hassan.

A movie buff whom people love to hate.Snobs always love to point out that his movies are rip offs of western movies.He has found his "inspirations" from Kurosowa,Bergman,Hollywood etc etc.You name a good movie he has ripped it and adapted it in some of his numerous movies.Some say he overacts.And some say he is a megalomaniac.

He dances.See Sagara Sangamam.He acts.Watch Pushpak.He sings.See Michael Madana Kama Rajan.He directs and writes.Watch Virumandi.He is thin.Watch Nammavar.He is huge.Watch Abhay.He is a nice guy.Watch Vaazhvae Mayam.He is villainous.Watch Sigappu Rojakkal.

And still people have the audacity to doubt Kamal Hassan!!!

Mucking about with Feminism-(Social Standpoint)

2007-03-10T09:59:00.000-08:00

No one can actually take a stance without actually knowing both sides of the issue.And the problem with issues like feminism is that one hesitates to step onto the other side,even for academic reasons.I have always maintained that it is a convert who most vociferously voices his ideals.So I am starting off critiqueing feminists and will slowly try and work my way out to become a feminist hopefully.If not I'll happily become or remain what one calls the proverbial Male Chauvanistic Pig.

Feminism as a concept seems to be very appealing in its call for justice for women.Therefore to try and attack that would be suicidal.Of course,women have to have their rights.Equality and the freedom of choice is something that has to be apportioned every human being,irrespective of their sex,creed,colour,race etc etc right?True.So every woman has to have her rights fortified from abuse.

Firstly a small thought excercise.Are all countries in this world equal?There are some which are considerably well off and some that are essentially poor.Within countries,do all individuals enjoy the same status in society?No.There are the rich and the poor,the affluent and the weak.Within any organisation,would the superior always be respectful of legalities if his power or position is threatened by a junior who is within his power of reprimand?The answers to such questions always throws up what is called the human nature.You can shrug it off or disregard it.But I think there lies the answer.Wherever possible,the weak are exploited.In every wake of life and in every age,the weak have been exploited.To slightly rephrase this,it is always the weak that is exploited.For if they were strong,would they have been exploited?Now to paraphrase this again.The exploited are the weakest in that order.The previous sentences are not word plays to twist words and arrive at a conclusion.They are a very earnest set of questions and answers meant to arrive at some sort of pattern.So whoever it is that is exploited they are the weakest.And since in society the women have always been exploited they must have been the weakest.

It is easy to understand this in primeval times.Physical strength directly translated to superiority and I very much doubt it if even feminists would come forward to say they are physically the equal of their male counterparts.Therefore in times where food was earned through labour it is conceivable that the woman suffered.There would have been no place for them to work.Who would want to employ someone who was visible less stronger than a normal man?No sane minded employer.Woman had to do with the stove and child bearing.
So how is it in todays society?It is very complex.Since I have very little exposure to the rural setups in india it would be pointless to try and comment upon them.But let us take the urban population.Why is it that the women still say they are subjected to chauvanism?

Let us take a very normal house.A middle class indian family of a working father,a non working mother,a son and a daughter.What would happen if the father said the son can go to school but not the daughter?Who of the other three has the power to rectify this situation?Would the daughter speak up and be able to have her way and go to school?Unlikely.Would the mother be a strong person who decides to adopt any measures to ensure that the girl has her share of education too?Possible.But worth it?In a normal indian pariwar,it would wreak havoc.Would the boy stand up for his sister and fight her case?Possible.Whatever happens it is not going to be a pleasant event.The whole picture would turn nasty before long with whoever is standing up going to have to fight a hard battle to win.

But is that not what is happening everywhere?Rights were not granted without fights.Whoever heard of someone taking pity or overcome by moral obligation give up their own state of superiority to pull up the trampled to their feet?If Indians lost their freedom it is because we were weak when the British came.And if Indians won their freedom back it was by fighting for it.So let the feminists continue their struggle for equality.Maybe it will be sweeter after a bitter struggle.

Feminists unfortunately have started sounding misandric in their preachings of late and thereby lies their pitfall.Instead of educating the enemies they are alienating them.Feminism is good.Feminists?I am not too sure.There should be no feminists.There should only be humanists.For those who advocate extreme chauvanism are also in need of help.A true feminist should love all.Somehow therefore the idea of feminism is merged into those of humanitarianism.So is Feminism now humanitarianism aimed at only women?When one aims for lofty ideals it is better to embrace everyone in its wake.Can a feminist differentiate himself from a humanitarian?When one places them both next to one another the feminist would therefore appear petty when trying to restrict his ideals to women alone.

Fortunately or unfortunately there has been a marked absence of a trend in Indian politics that politicises this issue.The politicians have embraced the causes of protecting the minority,the farmers,the poor,the aged but I am yet to come across a mainstream politician who says women are going to prosper in my constituency,so please vote me in.This is fortunate only because the politicians have now one less avenue to drain tax payers funds.However it must be said that in this case the pros outweigh the cons.With the politicians comes coverage and mileage.Any issue becomes the interest of the nation and whether it is redeemed or routed it will be talked about and women issues needs to be therefore politicised in a major way so that all people have an opinion on the issue.Ignorance is a major obstacle in trying to overcome social evil.

But had the women been accorded more physical strength than man how would society be today?I am sure it would have been the males fighting for their rights to be heard.I have no doubt that the person who can commandeer the reins of power will do so only in his/her own interests.To defy this means one has not understood humans at all.

Not for Human Consumption-(Social Stand Point)

2007-02-06T12:00:00.000-08:00

Just stand outside a telephone booth.And when a person walks in to use the instrument and starts conversing just sit down and watch her.The gestures and actions.To us,the specator, they are meaningless.Just an absurd excerpt from that person's book of life.Albert Camus uses this incident to illustrate the concept of absurdism.How absurd is the life that we live in?Are we all but the puppets and also the puppetteers.

Welcome to the fascinating world of identifying social constructs.Logically followed to the extreme,when one pursues logical constructs to the very end where does one find himself?Are emotions social constructs?Let us try and find out if they are.Some of the conclusions reached are not very flattering.And when one admits it the person is liable to be labelled a hypocrite by the world.But then not admitting it would not make a different person of one,or would it?Without much ado let us try and deconstruct some simplistic issues that one takes for granted and see what fascinating fleshes of human constructs we can strip to reach the bare bones of truth.

A social construct(just to be on the same plane) I hold to be anything that would be meaningless if not within a society.Anything else that pertains only to individuals,their solitary needs and survival would be the truth.Everything else is going to be ridiculed and ripped and forced to conform to the absurd hopefully.

Society.This is the starting point wherein breeds the social construct.Those set of understandings and conventions that are meaningless to individuals but to cohabit.

The concept of wealth.How much more ridiculous can the individual get?To appropriate what was abundant or not so abundant for oneself and bartering it to create more complexities.At first thought,this might seem a necessity.How else would mankind live in a society without a channelled and structured flow of resources?True.Minds like Engels and Marx have pondered over this and have come up with very remarkable results.To erase the constructs built around this thinking.Communism to me,seems to recognise this ridiculous nature of first come first served hegemony of materials and tries to even it out.But alas,we are dealing with humans and not machines.Avarice and security cannot be quantified.Neither can stupidity and ignorance.Do we even have to talk about altruism and magnanimity?No.Therefore though this is the most prevalant of all social constructs this will continue to exist.

Does it not sound ridiculous that you have to hire yourself out to do the biddings of others so that the employer can accumulate more of that which the human had created to facilitate transactions?It is a rat race into the smelting iron.It is but amusing when one realises this.But as soon as one does realise this there is a certain calmness in his search for wealth.There is a dignity in the approach and a lessening of desperation to hoard more.Ah.There.I think we can safely move onto more challenging topics.Wealth indeed!!!Bah.We are all but relative paupers.

Patriotism.This is slightly more risky.Not that it requires any much more effort to recognise this to be another human scam.But that it is a painfully delicate issue to elucidate the falsity of this supposedly deified emotion to the normal human.

Canvassing and championing a piece of land where one was born through no matter of choice is a good thing?Had one been born in the interiors of Africa,would she be more patriotic than had she been born in any other arbitrarily chosen corner of the world?Should he be "proud" that he was born there?It is ridiculous.But then,we are humans.There will come the more powerful of the horde bound by greed and that ludicrous sense of adventure to master over some other set of people and thus is born patriotism.A human construct.Had Lincoln recognised this,he would have defined this as,of the people,by the people and against the people.For is not patriotism but a vastly inflated superiority complex and a form of xenophobic tendency?The hypocrisy can be identified when the individual is forced to concretise this falsity.To bow to clothes.Freedom of an individual being curtailed because he can see beyond the construct and attaches no further importance to a piece of cloth or symbol that it is supposed to purport.Hm.But beware.You might be labelled a traitor and no matter however much wise you are,you will die when hanged!

Jealosy can easily be classified cant it?As it is but possessive in nature.And to possess is a human construct.For if not within a society that commodity loses its value and there would not have to theoretically be a need to possess it and thereby attach an emotion to it.But then again we are dealing with humans.Would the individual without a society collect all the fruits of a tree to then gloat over the pile and taunt the goats?Maybe we need not take such an extreme view and give him the benefit of doubt.Is it not natural that an animal guards what he regards is his necessary food for survival?Yes.But humans are different.All that it requires is something that is not necessarily harmful to it.I am not sure what would happen if a lion ate grass.Would it die?Dingo dogs of australia starve when game is rare right?But I've known vegetarian domesticated dogs that easts boiled spinach.Im sure if most animals put in a proper thought they might eat a lot more than what they think they can eat right now.But that is what is the division right?We think and therefore we dominate.Which leads us to a very juicy bit of hypothesis.Would the world have been ideal if there had been no humans?Hm.A very very plausible one you have to agree.We shall very soon deal with that topic.Of a world devoid of humans.I love that idea.

Please do not be surprised that we have not touched upon the other prevalant social constructs of morality,marriage and religion and the poor God.Let us skip these and move on to Love and Hate.Maybe we should take this on this one too the next time.Time would be a lot more challenging excursion.Is time a social construct?I would definitely classify it as one.But then that would make science a social construct.But is it so?Time is definitely a construct.A pure construct to quantify the events.But how right are we in trying to brand time to be a social construct?What would be an event without time?Space does not seem to be a construct superficially.But I am not willing to take any chances with space and talk about something that I have no clue about.

Time again.An event can take place without time.All it requires is causes and space.If you travel along the causes at an infinitesimally minute level you will reach the end of the event.There is no need for time.It is just there as a human concept to identify and quantify human thoughts about an event.Ah.How I wish I had paid more attention in those 5 years spent lazing around in college.All these questions that plague me were dealt with so exquisitely and I was oblivious to the beauty of it.What then does modern physics term as the time dilation?Is it a scientific euphemism to blur the time illusion created by humans?

Think of us humans.We grieve for the loss of some socially constructed entity and console ourselves that time will heal us.Will it?First of all there was no need to be bereaved.Because it was the human folly to have attached to a falsity.And secondly it is the human that changes.Events happen to him.Around him.And perspectives change.But all within him.And he says time,that illusive entity,heals.Hmph.

What then is all the numbers and transformations and mind boggling equations that the physicists spout?Are they children trying to piece together a minuscule part of an unimaginably complex puzzle?What meaning then can we hold to the Lorentz Time dilation?Is it not plainly logical that a person is the same person no matter at what speed he travels?If there is an entity that is faster than light would be be able to see it?Why is physics built on the shaky premise that the light speed is unassailable just because our human constructed contraptions and minds cannot visualize it?Is time meaningful before the creation?The Big Bang?Is not space relative?For how can there be anything if there is nothing?.All these are thoughts that are only insurmountable to us.There can never be an answer to everything can there?Where does one stop?Where are all these questions leading one to?You would have noticed that the questions trace a path of the vainly foolish attempts of scientists to unravel The Truth to theology through philosophy.Science can make the world a very very comfortable place.I do not argue against that.But to think that such a concept which is just a method of construct is going to help us towards anything else seems naive.

So now we think we are getting a slight,mind you,the slightest feeling of disquiet that maybe Nietzsche or Kant or Durkheim felt like.So to not end up like them we can try and veer off into slightly more absurd areas and entertain and regale our minds so as not to become philosophers but amateurs who are but dabbling with words.So we can now replace those stalwarts of thoughts with the plagiarising Wachowski brothers.Those same people who have supposedly created the pilosophy riddled movie called the Matrix.In fact,there would be no reason to actually not beleive in the Matrix.And had Mr Anderson been about half as intelligent as the heroic Cypher he would have reslised that there is no way that one can be sure that he is out of the Matrix.For,what is the proof that he has awoken from one Matrix into another?None.So is it not very logical to try and erase our "memory" and return to oblivion?Bah.This is not leading us anywhere.We shall drop this here.Makes for good thought but the truth is tough to take.All roads lead to nihilism!

How do Indians Reproduce? - An Objective Study (Nonsense Prose)

2006-09-22T09:19:00.000-07:00

1. Introduction:

The sub continental society has been a diverse mixture of races, creeds and living species. It is arguably one of the most prolific arenas where procreation has most certainly not been the last aspect to be given thought to. For a country having a male to female ratio that would astound and kick-start anxious researches and surveys by feminist groups, India seems to be doing distinctly well along the lines of reproduction. With a huge geographical landmass with distinct subcultures, Indians seem to adopt a very elaborate but no less effective mating cycle to stay ahead of the world in child production.

2. Body:

2. a.Phase One: Initial Setups and Environments:

Though the techniques described below are used selectively among populace they are increasingly being used across stately borders, underlining the overall importance of this primitive ritual over any other differences of caste, colour creed etc.

To start with there is a male specimen. And then there are six more such specimens arranged circumferentially with varying degrees of scorn and contempt on their countenances. The ritual commences when a suitable female specimen, trailed by some inferior specimens of the same sex, approach the setting. The main male specimen, after checking that all the omens are to his favour pounces on the unsuspecting approaching troupe only to be surprised that the latter is not so inclined towards the scheme. The six supporting specimen at this point emit laughter characterized by varying pitches and a sudden itch in their chins. This exercise more often than not is doomed to fail for the initiator but succeeds in its general objective of population increase. This is achieved by the invariable intervention, rather physically, by another more brutish alpha male who succeeds in persuading the experimenters that he would like to proceed from this point alone.

2.b.Phase Two: Elements and Geography

From this stage the steps would involve only two specimens. The others having fulfilled their roles to the best of their abilities retire into the society to create more such opportunities and thereby fulfilling their social responsibilities.

In this stage the two specimens show a marked increase to be mobile. Moreover this stage also proffers to increase the vocabulary of the two through addition of new terms of endearments. These newly coined terms are noted to be uttered in whispers and giggles and in some extreme cases moans.

Consumerism is on the rise among the two and it is not surprising to spot the specimens frequenting retailers, eateries and cultural spots during this phase. It is however interesting to note that the nature of such places visited or products purchased are in marked deviation to what had been used by either of the two specimens before courtship. And much to the well-hidden chagrin of the male specimen and ill-hidden glee of the female specimen there is always a soft squeaky product pink in colour which would be referred to by the same terms of endearment invented by the female of the species during this period.

Tendencies to stretch the tendons and limbs by rotating or revolving around suitably sized objects like trees and small household objects like chairs and tables have also been noted. Rain and shallow water bodies are also inventively employed to further the cause.

2.c.Stage Three: Consummation:

This is still a mystery to all involved in the process. Stalwarts have dwelled and delved into the issue at length and have as of now managed to unearth some details regarding this mystic practice.

This stage is reached after a particularly insidious and elaborate ceremony. This ceremony is attended by all of the society who resides in the vicinity of the two specimens and who have seen them during their lifetimes. There are a certain group of specimens who bear grudges against either or both of the specimens and who carry out subtle torture techniques during the ceremony. These could be attiring the two in remarkably impractical costumes, parading them before the society and trying to burn their hands over a pyre.

After this ceremony, during the night, is the secret initiation that is performed only by the two main specimens. Having no reliable witnesses of the ceremony and due to the non co operation of those who have been initiated this study from this point is just a thought exercise.

Accessories imperative to this however have been methodically noted. It is just a matter of time before a suitable theory is advanced by our scientists that will shed light on this. The accessories are a glass of milk and a bowl of fruits, consisting mainly of apples, bananas, grapes and oranges. Jackfruits, watermelons, guavas etc are avoided.Incense sticks, and badly mutilated flowers are also postulated to play an important part in this.

3. Conclusion:

We are almost there in trying to decipher this mysterious and yet alluring social drama that is unfolded before our very eyes everyday. Our mission of seeking and publishing the "entire" truth is just a matter of time. Till then our investigations and deductions will continue to progress down the echoing hallways of truth.

Annexe: Stalwarts who have actually not been initiated but have unearthed this secret have turned traitors by trying to stave off our scientific quest by trying to turn our attention to other allegedly unconnected events or objects. Shrubs or trees being shaken, a revolving ceiling fan, the interiors of a shenai etc. have all been used to beguile the minds of the seekers.

The Fool and The Recluse

2006-09-01T09:38:00.000-07:00

Nice view here eh?
She just nods.
I mean... I've always thought about you my whole life. Does that not mean anything to you?"
I've loved you, loathed you, revered you, and ridiculed you. Sometimes I've wanted to just see you, you know?
She nods again.
Not much of a talker are you?
No. Don’t get many people to talk to.
With a sweep she points outwards. So tell me more...
What? You must be joking. You created all this right? I mean... I think... Hey c’mon...
A long silence.
You know we've all been searching for you? I mean... You know... For THE Answer…Something like...umm…Hey...c’mon...quit playing with me...you know the question and the answer right?
This is ridiculous. Painstakingly ridiculous.
No…Its quite amusing I think…Please do go on.
At least I know I am in your good books...You know...I never eat cows...Chicken yes...I do like them...But cows? I am not a savage. Plus I know you love cows…right? I mean…Yeah…you created both the cow and the chicken...but I think...You know…its kind of your vehicle...umm…symbol...or something..
She is amused.
Hey...And I'm sorry about your son too...too bad they nailed him...It was not me...It was the Romans…long back...You know…
Another long pause.
He was your son right? I mean...hey...At least we think he was your son…he himself said so and you know.....
Abruptly I turn around...You don’t even know me do you? I'm just another speck..
You are H_ aren't you?
I am dumbstruck. Damn me. What was I thinking?
What was I thinking? He made me. He makes me talk. To him. So where is the point of me thinking?
Hey I'm not even in the conversation am I? It's you talking to yourself right?
She laughs out loud. Mirth. And says humorously. Then I have a good sense of humour.
So do we get another chance? You know...to kind of...set things right?
Set what right?
You know...stuff...pain...money…inequalities..
What for?
Oh...you know...for satisfaction...it kind of makes it justified right?
Smiles.
Its all pointless right? I mean...you were just playing right? Hmm...And we took it all too seriously...
You know but all this is beautiful. You are an artist.
She looks pleased and happy?
Thanks .It means a lot to me.

Fakes on a plane! (News)

2006-08-25T09:13:00.000-07:00

Should the 12 Indian men have been arrested in the Dutch plane?Is this racial profiling? Are the Europeans getting xenophobic? How dare they do this?

30 hours after the arrest the 12 people who were arrested turned out to be all normal fellow humans. Businessmen making their way back from deals and moneymaking trips, just happy to be back with their family. Their parents, sisters, in-laws, spouses all have seen their humane side. Their pathetic jokes, maybe their tantrums, anxiety of flying etc. All in all a bunch of normal loud people making their way home in a European flight to homeland. Then why were they arrested? The Ministry of External Affairs has made public its displeasure at the handling of things. The religious community has been insulted as all the 12 people who were arrested were Muslims.

Now. A couple of things to remember when these passengers were making their way home.

1. Britain is on a "terror thwarting" mission and naturally this panic is infectious. No one in their sane minds is going to tolerate ANY suspicious activity on a plane especially by young people of Asian origins.
Why? Because even though the majority of us are peace loving fellows, there are a bunch of extremists who would not hesitate in targeting civilians. So even though we directly are in the right to say "Hey...I'm cool..no worry man.. I just speak Arabic/Hindi(which you might not understand) but I ain't going to blow your plane apart", we ought to be sitting quite and following the instruction given by the crew to buckle up the seat belts and stay put for around 8 hours.

Point: IF the crew had indeed asked that they stop exchanging cell phones, laptops and not to jump seats and they did not comply they were right in being arrested. That they were a bunch of kiddos or nonterrorists in the end is not reason enough not to have complied with whatever safety regulations.

2.Is this not then racial profiling? Why is it that the Europeans are not suspected of all these activities?
It is because none of the Europeans have blown a plane yet! If this happens a couple of times they too'll start getting escorted out of the planes. So as of now though this is a form of racial profiling, I consider it justified. Because that is where they are expecting the violence to come from and unfortunately they have been right most of the time.

3.So what does this incident teach us? That the non-Europeans magnanimously subvert their natural exuberance under the conditions and go out of their way to show that they are a peaceful and progressive race.

4.And once this is done for a considerably justifiable time period then both the parties have to acknowledge the fact that they can be reconciled and live happily ever after(of course the economic battles will always be waging).

And like Samuel L Jackson would have said, "Enough is enough! We've have had it with these ************* bombs on this ************* plane!

One Fine Day! (True Story)

2006-08-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

If you are the type who sympathises, who goes "oh..poor chap..tch tch", on seeing someone
getting mauled by life then please skip this post. However, if on the other hand, the whole
general prospect of reliving vicariously the sight of me getting kicked in the posterior
figuratively makes you smack your lips and rub your hands with glee,please do peruse the lines
below and sate yourselves.Gloat,smirk,laugh or do whatever it is that you normally do when you crowd around with craning necks to watch a bloody spectacle.You people are not of this age but
ought to have been born as a gladiator battling starving lions in Rome under Caligula Caesar.

Traitor.You are reading this?And here I was thinking you were the benevolent type.Well,as I
have given my word to narrate the incidents of the day I do not renege on it.I hope one day
all this happens to you too.

It was a pretty innocuous start to the day.8:30 am.The two characters who share my room have made their exits.The whole place to myself.I stretch.Yawn and prevaricate as much as possible
before rolling off my bed to start contemplating a bath.Wrapping a towel around my waist I
gravitate towards the bath and light the candle.(No.No.Not the bulb.The candle.Thats another
story.Now we take bath in candlelight and trust me when I say it ain’t half as romantic as how
they depict them in the movies.)

After having alternately scalded and frozen my skin off trying to adjust the temperature of
the water,I step out to dress and get ready for work.I turn the knob of my door.It does not
budge.There must be a mistake.I see if the door has a keyhole.No.It doesn't.I try the door
again.Not even an inch.I take a deep breath."It's okay.Calm down.You are simply locked out of
your room with just a towel on.Nothing to worry.Happens to everyone.Some cool thinking and
everything is going to be fine.Right?" I reason out.But.

So what would you have done?I ask you.Well what I did was try and list out everything that I
could possible do.

1.Call up someone up-But no numbers.My cell phone was locked in.No money to make a call.My
wallet was within.Unfortunately I don't normally carry it when I go for my bath.

What?Thats it?No more options?No.Maybe I was undernourished.I walked into the kitchen and
pondered my predicament over a bowl of cornflakes.What happens next,I totally blame it on the breakfast.The POLICE.

I don't know how I came to this solution.No.Actually I think I do.It all has to do with my
boss who keeps saying "I'm going to kick your ass.."because he in turn has a superior whose
only purpose to exist seems to be to put sole on my poor boss behind.Somehow I got the idea
that how muchever footing my boss took its going to cascade down to me and that is what
prompted me to walk into the RotherHithe Police Station.

What do you expect inside a policestation?A couple of ruddy,beefy policemen,sneering conmen or atleast a noticeboard with closeup shots of ugly mugs right?Well there was only a frail old
lady whom I had startled out of her slumber with my whirlwind entry.Annoyed I looked around
for some stereotypes.Noone."I am locked out" I blurted out.The old lady is listening.I also
notice that her expression has not changed.I suddenly started feeling a bit awkward(how could
I have come in here with this ridiculous demand?).And when she finally realized that the one
sentence just about summarizes my situation she gave one smirk,turned around and focussed her attention towards her halfeaten doughnut.

I dont know if you have done it,but its very tough to slink out unnoticed after such a big
stinker like that.And as I was dragging myself out redfaced she took pity on me and suggested
that I try the fire station.Once I embark on a mission there is nothing that can stop me.Next
destination-FireStation.Its a good thing I did not reach the place.Walking halfway down(no
money to buy tickets too)I stopped to ask a cop directions to the place.I explained my
predicament and by the time he was done with me I realized somethings.You don't have to be
dressed like a clown to make people laugh.And policemen have a weird sense of humour.

Never one to give up I approached a tool lending shop.

"Excuse me.I need a ladder."
"No problem sir.100 pounds cash deposit and a proof of residence would do."
"Umm..Can I give it to you after I break in..Oh shit..I mean make my entry..I mean.."
"Sir.."
"Yes?"..gulp
"Are you a breaking into someone's place?Do you have an id?"
Harry Houdini could not have done it.But I managed it.Noone saw me.I was gone.

Anyway late evening saw me finishing off a screwed up day,both domestically and
professionally.I scowled at my monitor and decided to hit the gym that I newly joined with a
vengeance(meaning run for atleast 5 mins instead of the normal 3 mins before collapsing in
front of the TV)..And just as I entered the male changing room and was unzipping my pants..too
late..damn..what was she doing here???Somelady in spandex sheepishly giggles.."Sorry..I was
late for the aerobic class..so I thought I'd use this.."and rushes off!!

Time-Sodden (Abstract)

2006-07-13T05:22:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried to squeeze time? No .Not in any literal or scientific sense .Not by applying relativity or modern physics. Not by working complex variables and numbers to arrive at a theoretically shortened time. But poetically. Emotionally. In a fantastic way. Take a span of time. And wring it in your mind. And just like liquid drips out of a newly laundered cloth you will find drops of emotions dripping out of the time-fabric. Keep pulling more of these time clothes and the more your wring it, the more you can squeeze out of them.

The early school days would be a good piece of linen to demonstrate. Pull it out. Stretch it out in your mind and holding both the ends start twisting it. There. You see drops of happiness falling. The bright hues of innocence dripping down your hands. Don't you? Put in some more effort. What do we get? Gushes of curiosity. Oh yes. They are cool. Unlike when you wring the somewhat sodden and well wetted cloth of adulthood. There too you find the rivulets of curiosity. But neither are they as refreshing nor so sparkling, are they? The dyes that stain the hands when you wring the latter piece are not as bright and brilliant as those we managed to squeeze out of the earlier baby time. There are lukewarm streaks of grey and scalding blacks that snake down the wringing forearms now.

But then a portrait acquires more depth with shades of grey than when it is daubed completely with magentas and peacock greens.

What colours would we encounter when we try and clean our cottons of our future? Would it be dirty and peeling colours of our youths? Or some stoic hues of brown and grey? Or perhaps the soothing tones of contentment? How wonderful it would be if we could wring out of an aged cloth streams of refreshingly cool wisdom! Would they be stirred with the essence of pride or pungent with vanity?

And now mixing a bit of physics into this exercise! Pardon me, all you real physicists if this does not conform to your notions or laws, for I'm as ignorant of the laws of Doppler's effect as on Comte's writings. But this much I can venture. Doppler says something to the effect that with varying distances the colours vary too. And similarly, would the brightness of innocence during our childhood appear as the blackness of ignorance when viewed from adulthood? Where is fear? Which of these streaks are stained by it? The green ones must be jealousy, right? What about love? Pink? Clichés! And sloth? Are there enough colours in the palette to map all the emotions? The varying degrees? Like the mildest blues of detached curiosity fading into the colourlessness of apathy?

Sometimes it feels that the clothes cannot be dried at all. Never drained of the stains. Sodden and heavy and colourful.

The Thin Thread (Religion)

2006-06-19T05:27:00.000-07:00

This is a rather strange spin off of a previous post called "Oh God! I am Damned!". Religion, is not something that can be discussed in one thread and is bound to keep creating problems. In as much as I now distance myself from religion and force my mind to act on morals and standards without reference to God I am called an atheist or an agnostic. But that does not mean I am not free from any religion.

Let us take the case of these so called non-religious people. As per the arguments given in the previous article the people now, who advocate their actions to be based on logic and reason, are also religious. How so? They are now following a religion of non-religion. A set of rules again but the only difference being that the preacher is now the practicer.He practices a religion that only he preaches. And only to himself. And every advocate of atheism, who claims that religion blinds, should be wary of falling prey to the demons of the conventional religion.

One of the major contentions of many non believers of religion is that it is misinterpreted. Religion, most of them agree is useful to a large extent but is being used in the wrong hands. Why? Because not everybody has the time, inclination, perception or courage to question what is being taught. And over a period of time the ones who had the foresight to actually master it's rules and conventions are dictating terms to the world. And thus is born the misinterpretation. The concept of religion was beautiful to say the least. But over a time, given that human kind spends all its time on day-to-day survival techniques, is least interested in keeping intact a concept that it deems is too vague. Therefore it is that though Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism etc. all preach ideals of the highest kind the followers do not know the meaning.

Now let us take the concept of an atheist. To a layman he believes in nothing. No set of rules. No written set of codes. Where does he get his cognizance to segregate right from wrong? By any standards of intellect or morals this is a very fine line. Now if this were to be preached and people started embracing it it would just be a matter of time before the whole world descends into a maelstrom. When holy books, with its rigid set of codes can be interpreted at will by man, would he stop misusing a highly specialist idea like that of atheism? And the moment an atheist starts "preaching" his ideals he defeats his own purpose .Because it is nothing else but a set of codes and rules which, if viewed under a very objective eye is a religion in itself. A much more complex religion not yet ready to be revealed for mass consumption. So how do we get out of this deadlock? Do we hope that the idea of pure ideals would spring into the minds of people without any nudge in the right direction? To answer this would entail a lot of effort. But an effort to answering these questions would in itself be a triumph.

p.s If you’ve made it till here you might as well read what the greats think too:

http://www.quotegarden.com/religion.html

The Lament of the Demon King (Relgion Abstract)

2006-06-13T04:42:00.000-07:00

There is no rhyme in what you read,
No metre,no care in what I see,
For its aeons since I started this ritual
For what I know not,from when I forget.

Maybe for power,or was it knowledge that I yearned for?
To Lord over every moment of myself.
Can you fault me if my mind wanders
From want of something I could never fathom.

Of the three Dieties that the world bows to
One is aged and eyed his daughter,
Accursed is he,and yet revered by men
For he is the weakest of the three.

To him I pray that I shall rule the world one day
And question the meaningless lives of sages
I shall undermine the blinding faith
And invoke the wrath of everyone.

As I meditate I realize my fate,
My convoluted destiny,
Wherein though I regret the deeds
I am pulled by Karma and fate indeed

To everything I abhor and detest
To violate sanctity and challenge the rest
To march the path of destruction
Of me and my fellow men.

And therefore I still stand here
One foot up,my palms together
Till I am consumed by that
Inexorable fate.

Writer's block (Nonsense)

2006-06-02T05:36:00.000-07:00

Paranoia and Delusion!! (Nonsense Prose)

2006-05-31T12:40:00.000-07:00

Of late it's been quite an effort to think straight. The moment I start thinking about anything, no matter how trivial, it starts leading to something profound. Mind you, my thought trains are very muddled. It is quite an effort to actually sit down and write something coherent enough. Luckily, profundity has its levels. And mine is pretty shallow. The MOST profound question that I ever come up with have the phrase "what the hell". And my most profound question till date is "What the hell am I up to?". A pretty innocuous question. But a very interesting one. Especially when we try answering it definitively. And when you bombard the same phrase again and again against the answers that you get for each successive question the whole situation becomes so steeply weird that by the time you disentangle your minds from the depths(I get so involved in it that everything else loses meaning) you get a feeling(and a very deceptive one at that) that you are somehow the wiser.

For instance. One day I was sitting in the office without any work, trying very successfully to look busy that people actually tiptoed when they walked in my vicinity. Suddenly I am seized by this idealistic thought of why I should pose to work when there is actually no work. In short,” What the hell …?”I stood up. Stretched around. Saw my boss standing in the corner glaring balefully at me. I sat down. And got back to posing.

But the question nags me again. This time I try and wrestle my mind into posing the question on him.” What the hell is he doing there posing as if he's working?” Now that’s some question. Maybe he was thinking what I was thinking. Maybe he too was plumbing the depths of profundity. Suddenly he got up and I averted my eyes onto some vague point spatially far away from where I was focussing on some moments earlier. He stretched. Saw a couple of guys staring at him. He sat down. Damn. That was when I realized that everyone was as profound as me. This somehow pricked my philosophical ego. I had thought that only I was doing all this deep thinking activities around here.

Along with this sense of thought sometimes comes a different and yet satisfying fascination. A fixation of trying to divine what others are thinking. Whenever I see anyone walking out the door I am sure its because he has received some bad news and he is holding back his tears till he is out of the room. And once he steps out of sight of the general public he would shamelessly break out into a wail and cry pitilessly, berating his faith before composing himself and walking in again and resuming his normal duties. I was so sure of this that whenever someone left the room I would get up and aimlessly gravitate towards the exit through which he had exited, straining my ears to catch even the faintest whispers of his sorrow. But somehow they manage to bawl aloud noiselessly! And the moment they walk back I rush into the room searching around for a sign of the torn telegram bearing the dreadful news. Even in their deepest hour of grief they do not grow careless and drop any evidence of their hardships anywhere, these poignant, walking people with the cheerful face and heavy hearts.

Wherever you go, whoever you see, you now look at people with a sympathetic eye. Some people however do not like you identifying with their problems. Maybe ,poor souls, they want to be alone at such hours. They turn abusive. Like for instance the other day in the train, I saw an extremely composed and poised fat lady that I was sure was hiding some really hideous secret in her heart. I think my eyes shone with sympathy. As a person who could see through her mask of poise and into her misery that was the least that I could do. And what did she do? Start hitting me with her umberella. Of all the things! But poor creature. She cannot be blamed. I know she was depressed.

And at the end of the day when I finally lay down on my bed, just when I start slipping into dreamland, solaced by the small gifts of benefactions I could grant the people of the world through my altruism and sympathy there starts forming the question in my mind, "What the hell....."

Bush’s Visit to Democratic India (Nonsense Prose)

2006-03-08T01:29:00.000-08:00

Lately, Bush has been receiving reports from “official sources” on a regular basis that India is harboring hostile intentions towards the US. With India lead by a nuclear scientist and some sick guy (the fact that Indians spell it Sikh has always been a matter of puzzlement to Bush), it is only a matter of time before it starts attacking the Whitehouse. Bush immediately decides to take the matter up with his aid-de-confidante, the wise and erudite Mr. Tony Blair. After some really insightful discussions both come to the conclusion that a visit to India and a stern warning to the public and government of India would set things right.

Air Force One takes off. The two politicians and their special commandoes and advisors are all confident that this would be an uneventful visit.” We go there. We bully them. We come back” was Bush’s gameplan.Tony was not so pleased about this.” Why can’t we just call them up and bully them?”. But Bush hushed Tony up:” You’d better come along; else I’ll find some Weapons of Mass Destruction in London”.

But just as the Indian Subcontinent’s shoreline comes into view the plane starts trembling and jerking. The radar detects an unidentified flying object fast approaching Air Force One.” What the hell is that?” Suddenly the door opens and as the passengers of the flight cling onto their dear lives from being sucked out into the sky, a figure in Khaki enters. It is Gabden VijayKanth.

In one gravity defying second Gabden is jumping all around the plane pushing everyone out of the plane till only Bush is standing.” Tamil Naatla ennada Panreenga?”Growls Gabden.Bush’s carefully prepared speech fails him. He had no inkling that the first Indian he would meet would be in mid air and in such a cantankerous mood. With no plausible reason forthcoming, Bush in a desperate leap jumps off the plane and out of the clutches of the Gabden.

Badly bruised and with the Air force One gone the Bush regiment trudges into the first Indian city they see. Bush and Blair, though a bit frightened by the incident are in a bad mood and shove their way into the crowded marketplace. Dodging auto rickshaws and cows they grab every native passerby, trying to find out where they are.”Damn Indians. Nobody speaks English here. Illiterates...”

Ha..Ha..Ha…

Suddenly the whole market place empties itself. People scamper into their homes and shops are closed double quick. Bush and gang crouch into their commando positions. Where is that sound coming from..?They scan the polluted horizon but cannot locate the source of laughter.

“Ikkada Choodu”says the voice again.

And as the Yankees look up they are treated to the extra ordinary sight of a man in goggles, standing with his legs apart, a cigar in his mouth and a knife rotating near his face in thin air. Not waiting to think, Bush, in typical fashion, shouts “Fire. Kill him”…

But the man is super quick. He catches some bullets with his hands!!!Some with his teeth!!!!And some he blocks with his knife.The whole marketplace breaks into applause as Bush breaks into a sweat.The man jumps from where he is standing and does some 15-16 somersaults and lands before Bush(Tony, prudently ran away during the man’s acrobatic display).
Bush’s bravado deserts him as the man conjures up some fire from Bush’s behind. Throwing American presidential dignity to air Bush takes to flight.

Later, Bush and Tony decide that it is time to make small amendments in their agenda and to rearrange their priorities. Priority number one: make it back home safely. And to this end they start their risky voyage again. Soon they reach Hollywood (Bush is again irked by the fact that it is spelt Bollywood and makes a mental note to himself to start a “War against Terrorism”-er. against the misspellers).

Chancing upon a harmless looking man, the Americans gather up enough courage to ask him if they had at last reached California. However after having waited for a minute and the man not having uttered a single coherent word other than stuttering “k...k…k…k...k...Kiran….” they move on. But not too far as their way is blocked by a burlesque native.A turbaned stalwart ready to battle them(and any other invading army) with a unique weapon distinctly resembling a water pump and who had the annoying habit of shouting out loud when spoken to.

Let us please draw a curtain now on the series of unfortunate mishaps that the traveling group encountered with the natives. Even Bush and Tony are not able to comprehend how they escaped back to the protection of their homeland but escape they did never to travel to this side of the world again.

Post Script:
Headlines the next day in newspapers and news Channels:

The Times Of India:Terrorists plan to attack Bollywood. ShahRukh the main target.

Sun T V:AIADMK thondar Thamizh Naattil akramam.

Jaya TV:DMK thondar Thamizh Naattil akramam.

USA Today:Peace Talks Successful In India:Next round of Talks to Happen Only in USA.

Bangalore-Krishnagiri: (Travel Diary)

2006-02-20T01:58:00.000-08:00

It all started when Gopinath (hereafter referred to as Maram) said “Vaada..We can make the trip. I’m ready” I fell for it. This was going to be the first long drive that I actually made on a two wheeler. The idea was to bike from Bangalore to Krishnagiri and back. The distance was 90 kms each way. And if possible to make a trip to Hogenekkal from there.

So on the 18th of February, at 6:00 am I got up and tweaked the trip meter knob on my Pulsar 180.”0 kms”.Good.Now lets see if this machine delivers. At 6:45 I was at Maram’s place in Koramangala with a light backpack. This was just a two hour trip. Regulation fare. But all that changed because of Maram’s laundry habits. Apparently he heaps up his linen all through the week and makes a trip home with them to do the laundry. Sometimes I wonder if this is the main reason why he goes home. Next came the helmets and jerkins. It is a very very uncommon sight in Bangalore that both the rider and the pillion rider wear a helmet. And man, was it weird riding through the streets of the city like that.Maram made it a point to reiterate the fact that we looked silly almost every 10 minutes when driving through the city. But as it was early in the morning and traffic was light we made it out to Silk Board meeting minimum people and thus encountering that mush less stares.

Once onto Hosur Road the highway opens up. But as the bike was still in its running in period(it had just done 650 kms) and I was trying my best to keep it within the 60 kmph speed limit I had to refrain myself from letting it go.

The only problem with the pulsar is that the ergonomics leave a lot to be desired. It’s acceptable if the rider feels some discomfort when riding. But the pillion rider? He feels the displeasure equally! Now that’s bad right?

After cruising the highway till 5 kms past Hosur we stopped and topped the bike up with gas, took a small break and moved on. This was one of two breaks that we took on the way to Krishnagiri.The second one just around 10 kms before Krishnagiri.By 10:30 we were at Maram’s place. And the trip meter read 100 kms.Exactly.

If anybody in Bangalore wants to check out the performance of their bikes, or just wants to tear along the highway (something that you can’t even begin to think of in Bangalore city roads) this is the highway for it.Oh.But for a thunderbird! I think it would have made the trip in almost 80 minutes.

At Krishnagiri, Maram’s mom was ready with her “dosais”.One day I’m going to go take one of those to Mumbai, and sock the cooks out there right where it hurts most and yell...”This is what a Dosa is”!!!God was it heavenly. And the Tomato Curry was out of the world. Both of us had 6 each. And Maram concluded that the more we drive the more dosas we would eat.

I’m planning to make this trip again. Not sure when though. The bike’s now done around 850 kms and I can start pushing her more now. Hopefully I would be able to make the trip in 80-90 minutes as compared to the 150 minutes this time.

Also in line is a trip to Chennai/Pondicherry.But that would require a companion and a better working knowledge of the mechanics of the machine.

Pros of the bike:

1. The pulsar can pull. Though the slopes are pretty gentle(unlike those that we encounter in Kodaikanal or Ooty) the bike easily rides up the slope in 5th gear.
2. The stability. While doing a 60 it is rock steady. And I get the feeling that it would be the same at 80 too. (Though while riding single the rear starts fishtailing a lot).
3. Brakes: Amazing.Discs on both the wheels makes sure that you can speed along with peace of mind and not have that niggling fear at the back of your mind.
4. The horn and the passlight.Both rock. The horn is powerful and the pass light can fool even Lorries into giving way. Cool uh..?

Cons:

1. The sound. I’m not sure if this happens in all the Pulsars. But it knocks a lot. (I’m hoping it can be rectified cheaply).
2. The paint job: I have read about the inferior paint job in reviews. But this plain sucks. The paint job stinks. I had a puncture on the way to Bargur from Krishnagiri.The local lad there fixed it. Now the wheel looks like its been scraped around like hell. I mean there is no other way to do it and the powder coating just comes clean off. Don’t know how to fix it.
3. Seat.It looks good but feels very bad. Not fit for rides without breaks.

There was one thing that I just could not manage to ascertain. The mileage.
Total time distance traveled:250 kms
Average speed:45kmph

Special thanks to
Maram-The Tree :For the trek and idea.
Maram’s Mom :For Dosais
Maram’s Dad :For Hogenekkal Trip
Janaki Chechi :For the Bike
Electronics For Imaging :For the BackPack,
Tamil Nadu Tourism
Development Corporation :For Pepper Chicken
Prabhakaran :For the parisal
The unclaimed helmet at
Maram’s place

Oh God! I am Damned!

2006-02-09T22:38:00.001-08:00

“The further the spiritual evolution of mankind advances, the more certain it seems to me that the path to genuine religiosity does not lie through the fear of life, and the fear of death, and blind faith, but through striving after rational knowledge”.-Albert Einstein

The passage below would be familiar to readers of Bertrand Russell and the likes of him. A couple of lines are grossly inadequate to try and discuss the issue at hand. But I hope it would help getting things started. I am purposely not shying away from making personal opinions and might thus be courting controversy.

Religion is what is being discussed here. This is how the dictionary explains it.
A noun:"a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny".

Religion is a set of conventions and customs preached and practiced by a group of people so that they can live life in a morally and socially justified manner. In olden days, when society was not so structured and stratified there was a desperate need to set up rules for the well being of the majority of the clan. What would stop the strongest male from taking away other's food? Why wouldn't man subjugate woman for his needs and pleasures? Where might and force ruled there was no place for the weak and poor. Religion was thus a product of the rebellious poor or the benevolent mighty framed for the sustenance of a society. To not let it disintegrate into a melee and so that all could co-exist peacefully. Religion is therefore a set of rules set by leaders so that man learns to share and barter and not fight for everything.

Religion today, however seems to have confused everybody. Even the so- called educated people. Do we not see doctors, professors and scientists swaying to prayers in the temples and churches?
To the majority it has become a habit. Yes. A habit. They just cannot but feel guilty if they say "No. I won't pray”. What has been taught by the forefathers is the truth to them. They just cannot digest the fact that there is no religion that is relevant to all times.

Why do people pray for anything? Let us take a person who wants something to happen. He does all that is within his power to make sure that the event happens. However he is neither fully satisfied nor sure that the result is going to be in his favour.He has a fear. A fear that it will not work out. To even out this niggling worry he turns to prayer. Is this not why prayers are offered? With an ulterior motive? If one sits down and contemplates as to why we pray it most often would spiral down to this reason. If the Power that we are talking about is a Supernatural Power then it would also be preposterous to believe that repeating "Hail Mary" a thousand times or breaking coconuts at a particular location would give us the desired results.

Here is one another dangerous trend that has arisen out of religion that none of the Preachers would have desired. The teachings of the saints have been ignored. People have associated the religion to the person who has preached it. Not to the teachings itself. Christianity is more about chanting and attending churches mechanically than to read and practice what The Christ has said. Islam has no more time to discharge peace and welfare to people than to defend itself against "intruding infidels". Hinduism, as far as I can discern has far less social and moral justification to exist. Religion today is the major cause for riots and violence than economic malfunctioning or natural disasters.

People know it. People see it. Religion, that to which we turn when in need is the evil that causes the wreck. There are many amongst us who will accept this when talked about in public but none who is willing to forego his religion .Mankind would be ridden of an evil when Religion dies.

I am here not suggesting any solutions or recommendations but am pointing out the follies in our obstinate perception of Religion. So
the next time you visit a temple or a church please spare a thought as to what you are trying to accomplish and that there are better ways to accomplish it than to pray for it.

Post Script:

This passage has oversimplified issues and the issues are just a part of a larger complex.

Highway Star! (Personal)

2006-01-31T21:06:00.000-08:00

Well,I officially bought a two wheeler.I know.I know.Its not such a big deal.But hey, sometimes when we grow up we forget what we wanted when we were kids.Haven't we all dreamt of becoming pilots,doctors,captains (I even remember one of my classmates saying he wanted to be a driver) when we were asked the question "What do you want to become when you grow up?".?Well somehow the only thing that stuck in my mind through all this maddening race for money and intellect is the sight of a big man riding an enfield through the dusty roads of Madurai and me thinking "One day..I will too..."

Now after almost two decades of that incident,after becoming a software engineer(this profession did not even figure in any ones list I'm sure when we were in our kinder gardens)I have splurged my money on THE BIKE.When I first voiced this idea of mine to my mother she was not too happy about the whole thing."Madhu,wait for some time and buy a car" she said.But hey,"No".I said."I want a bike".My dad does not even know I have bought one.Even I did not know if it was worth the whole thing.But in the end I gave in to my impulses.

And this morning I came to office riding it.Smiling all the way.Somehow suddenly I felt eager to go somewhere.Anywhere.As long as it was on this thing.I felt a strange sort of pity when I saw people rushing behind a slowing bus,pushing at each other,stamping on one another(especially the ones with the big black boots)..And as I drove along the highway all the doubts faded away..Yes..its worth it..

Why did I not do this earlier?Maybe I spent too much time planning for the future that I neglected the present.Too much thought on where I would be after 5 years..10 years..that I failed to notice how time flies..

And as I parked my vehicle in the parking slot and turned around there was the security guy standing behind me smiling.."Saab...gaadi mast hai..".

Madhu R

On Leaving Mumbai!

2006-01-18T22:46:00.000-08:00

Bombay and Bangalore.Or should it be Mumbai and Bengalooru?Either way the inhabitants of the two cities dont give a hoot.Then whats the whole hue and cry about renaming the cities?Politics.Newsmaking and attention grabbing tactics.Why else would precious newpaper space and television time be occupied by such trivial matters in a time and country where terrorism,poverty and disintegration of the socio-economic fabric is getting evident by the hour?

But we are digressing.This is not some column by an erudite economist analyzing the pros and cons of the two megapolis' infrastructure or economy.This is just a couple of lines to answer the queries of various mumbaikars who ask the question "But why Bangalore man..?"

To a Mumbaikar its unthinkable that anyone would forsake this city of sins and move out to spend the rest of their lives.Even to me,a softcore south indian,who came to Mumbai on the August of 2004,the choice was not obvious.Its after a lot of deliberation that I had to take this decision.So this column is also in a way dedicated to those who have stayed in Mumbai,love the place and yet hate it.

Hasn't everyone been frightened when they first saw the rush of heads and shoulders brushing and nudging their way through at CST and ChurchGate to reach the office at peak hours?Wondering how the tapori with the red shirt,dirty blue bandanna and faded jeans always seems lounging about at the same spot whenever you see him?The rusty aarey depot that has lines and lines of coloured milks situated at odd places throughout the city?Where else would we be able to walk out into the night at 11:00 for a snack and get caught in traffic?Where else are the bikes,The babes and The bottles?JW Marriott?

All thats there in Bangalore is a bunch of youngsters with "attitude"!And M G Road and Brigade road.Two streets that do not stand an iota of chance when juxtaposed with Linking Road Bandra or Marine Drive.No doubt Mumbai beats any other city that I have seen hands down.In sheer size and variety.A polyglot of cultures.Its a riot.

To someone who wants to experience life and try everything once I would say Mumbai is his place.Let no man speak of Mumbai as the big bad city.The way it is portrayed in movies and books.I leave Mumbai not because I hate it.But because I love myself more than I love Mumbai.We are incompatible.We had a brief fling together.But we are not made for each other.

The Reason Why (The Beginning)

2005-11-11T13:55:00.000-08:00

Its been some time now that I started working(or atleast am getting paid for what I am doing).Software Engineer.That's the title I'm currently masquarading under.And a very risky one at that too.You see I'm as fond of a computer as a..hmm..let me see..Gaul is of a Roman.So what am I doing here in front of the computer typing in these lines?There seem to be a couple of reasons why I am doing this.

Its Midnight.And I'm in the office.And the coffee machine is empty.I googled a bit and one thing,or to be more precise,link, lead to another and here I find myself doing this.

Now why would people want to pen in what they do or think so that the whole world can read it?Is it to "remember"?To go "oh-did-I-write-that-then-I-can't-believe-it"?Or to justify one's actions to people who they know will read it at one point or the other?Beats me.

It feels like talking to oneself.Like recording what one speaks and then playing it all over again BACK TO YOU.Weird.