Some Comments ...

Will Abdur Rehman write an "american dream" script ?

2011-11-01T01:44:00.000-07:00

Abdur Rehman, lives some 20m. away from my house in a little shelter on the streets. I saw him first some six months back standing next to wall of the building next to my builiding. He had just one bag then. Now he has found a small shelter for himself in between two buildings where he can atleast avoid rain and snow (may be). Now he has a nice mettress, a thick one, a nice warm looking quilt, there are lots of bags around him, he seems to have accumulated lots of stuff. Slow and steady he has installed himself in that little corner. He is no more homeless, he has become my neighbour. He has shown impressive survival qualities. Can he rise and shine ? Will this "liberal" society let him realise his American Dream, sort of Will Smith realises in the persuit of happyness ? What will happen to Abdur Rehman ?

J. S. Mill, father of liberalism once said, if we can take care of inequality liberalism is the best possible system. And inequality is where he blinked. Does Abdur Rehman stand any chance. Shoulnt liberalism let him persue what he wants to ?Does liberal cares for him ? Yeah does liberals cares for him, or its just a system which tends to favour the most privilege ones ?

Yeah, liberalism favours the privileged ones. It just leads to the "privilezation" of society. Media space is "privilegized", educational space is "privilegized", culture space is privilegized, even the most radical of trade unions are privilegized and are run by private property owners. And the whole political sphere is privilegized. Can the society change ? Can Abdur Rehman write his dream scripts ?

Society may not change at all. The condition of Abdur Rehman will keep the privilege ones from springing any changes. Its scary, its unattractive. As Slavok Zizek comments in his documentary on cultural capitalism, "We will keep misery alive with socialistic charity, without really any efforts of irradicating it". And what about Abdur Rehman ?

He is without paper or rather his paper doesnt worth anything on this peice of land. He might be thrown out as soon as city goes behind their fixed numbers of expulsion. If he is not it will be a dream in itself if he servives this winter in that little shelter ...

On education: Evaluation system and politics in secondry education

2009-04-07T06:07:00.000-07:00

In this blog I intend to cover following topics:
1. An alternative evaluation system
2. Few suggestions in secondary education

In the modern times education is becoming over competitive. The process requires us to compete with each other and out do each other. And this aspect of doing better than other instead of exploring our own competitive eadge has often been disturbing for me. And I often think what can be alternative to the evaluation system which most of univesities follow at the moment. Following line from the speech forwarded to me by one of my friend gave me my Eurka moment:

"You should never try to be better then some one else"

Thats what the evaluation process in our colleges and schools teaches us today. We are always asked to work hard to get better marks then others to achieve higher grades. Its difficult for me to believe how two different people with different personalities can be judged thoroughly in this system.

In the common platform of grading, we are pushed to better the others then to achieve our best. Also, I believe the common platform prompt us to look at the best and they way she/he does, instead of how I would like do to, till what extend I would like to achieve. I mean in common platform "sucess" could be till the best not till you want it to be.

If at the end of the day I judge myself with myself at the begining of the day, it would be a better evaluation of my performance at the end of the day. Like in our education if for a samester of 4 months I take 4 exams each new exam consisting of questions from previous exams + some more questions. We can do evaluation something like following, I have not put any calculation but a system can be evolved where a person is judged completely on its own performance over the time.

1: 10 10 10 10 : AA
2: 10 8 7 6 : BB
3: 6 7 8 10 : AA
4: 7 7 7 7 : BB
5: 10 6 10 8 : AB

Above a person whoes performance is dipped over the time ended up is getting lower grade then the one whose performance is increased even if sum total is same. And person whoes perfomance has improved over the time is the most benificial.

I had written before on education changes we would need mostly in primary and secondry. I have one more point to add.

An obligatory course on political structure of country. Which should cover the political history of India, the history of political parties till present and different political thoughts in country and world. Why it is important to have this course? Since the age of voting is 18 year which is the age when we come out of school. At this point in the absence of any significant exposure to political structure, our thoughts are completely biased by the family and parents. Which can be harmfull for a successful democracy. Alternate to this voting age can be made to 20 or 21 years.

Fire: Men, Women, Swamiji and Sexual abstention

2009-03-23T01:37:00.000-07:00

I saw movie "Fire" last night. Movie is not that bad but nothing so impressive, some of the characters were interesting. Which prompted me to write.

One might think that the center characters of the movie are Radha and Sita. But me, I think that center character of the movie was Mr. Swamaji. In the modern Indian society in last 5 years number of swamiji's have gone up like GDP or sensex before crisis and have become the center characters of Indian families. Though I dont see it as big problem because I beleive all these swamijis are not taking India backward in the sense that they dont teach women to stay home, do their duties and any kind of orthodoxy. What surprises me most is their theory of sexual abstention in the name of religion. I believe hinduism is a religious which has most openly talked about sex. Most of the swamijis recite Ramayana and talks about purshottam Ram and pure Sita. Well I must say Ram and Sita had happy marriade life until the dramatic turn around of events and even had 2 kids, Lav and Kush. If I think about other God, Kirshna doesnt even fit in this theory, he is one the few God on the planet who is worshipped with his girl friend, Radha and not with his wife(s). Shiva was married to Parvathi and had a son Ganesha. Many such examples can be given where Indian dieties never believed in sexual abstention but I will stop here, just think of a great mighty character of Indian mythology and related stories around him. Only Guatam Budha was the one who left his wife behind to practice maditation but here we are talking about Hinduism not Budhism. This teaching of sexual abstention makes me worried sometime. India, the modern India is known for its huge youth population, the great grand middle class which is carrier of modern India, we have at times mocked the ever decreasing population of west and have show sigh of worries of ageing population of China. I wonder if more and more people start following these false theories of Swamijis, were would it lead to us? Though population explosion is a problem but complete sexual abstention could lead to a problem of its own. And why don't kill the desire by doing it exessively ?

Other characters which can be taken as center are Radha, Sita and Julie. Radha and Sita, married to strange guys and put/forced in the family of in laws. Though my hatred towards arrange marriages has been considerably reduced but I still find it difficult to accept how a woman expted to go and live in between few strange individual, in a strange new environment. Though we are becoming more libral with our process of arrange marriages in the sense that we let couple meet alone, let them talk, discuss, if needed be in contact for longer period of time before saying yes or no. But still we do not find it important to ask a woman if she wants to live in this new family or wants to live saperately with her husband? If she wants to shift where her husband is living or if she expect her husband to shift somewhere else with her? Answer of all these quetion are by default forced on woman. She is expected to follow her husband and his family traditions.

Another character is Jatin, a weak modern thinker young stucked in Orthodox family. He was able to persuade his family for Julie but did not have courage to ask tell them that "he would like to live saperatly". Well these kind of weak youths of our society are most harmful character. In the time when youth are considered to be taking modern India forward, these timid, weak youth continues to be submisive in front of older generation. Instead of bridging the gap between older newer generation, they are like those bridges which has been broken by older, orthodox generation. Instead of pulling the previous generation with them, they have been pulled by previous generation.

Another character is Biji. A woman, a submissive woman, who has helped male chauvinism to grow. Who forces the young weak individuals to follow redicoulous traditional. An older generation who is stopping youngers to grow. Though I am not the idea, that we completely ignore the older generation but I also not of the idea that we should not oppose this older generation at all just because they are old and stubborn. They are ones who needs to be pull forward.

BJP's Khichadi

2009-02-18T02:15:00.000-08:00

Ram Mandir seems to have become Birbal ki Khichadi for BJP. They have successfully burned the fire on ground for this Khichadi to cook and they have successfully climbed the tree to tie the Handi on one of the stem of the tree. But now for almost 16 years they are trying to cook this Khichadi. Recently Advani again put forward the idea of this Khichadi.
Whenever I think about BJP, it reminds me of a busses of Culcutta. They have a look which seems like they have not been changed ever since they have been put on the road may be since indipendence or pre indipendence time. The interior is same, seats are like wodden benches you can find in nearby chai dhabbas. Only conductor and driver changes. With BJP that doesnt seems to be a case nither. Nither conductor changes, nither driver changes nor interior.
Now that Ram Mandir doesnt have enough spark left what can BJP be do with this brigade of old comarades to burn this fire strongly. Well I have a suggestion. They should make a team with Shri Ram Sena, Bajrang Dal, RSS, Shiv Sena and etc, take a nationwide Rath Yatra towards Khajuraho on the way burning all the copies of Kamasutra wherever found. With Modi, best spark generator of the modern indian, leading the yatra and Muthalik be the ruth bearer. BJP combined with all these forces would surely give a new dimnesion to modern indian idea/identity/politics, as they have done before in 1992 and 2002.

United we stand ?

2008-12-02T02:54:00.000-08:00

United we stand ...how ?

United as a nation or Hindu united forgetting their cast and regional differences and muslims united forgetting their differences as well.

I grew up in Ghaziabad, one of the biggest industrial town of U.P. in an upper class sarrounding. There were areas where muslims they used to live. My coming to my own senses also co-insided with the nation wide Ratha Yatra of Advani. And hence rise of BJP in UP. We were told not to go to certain areas and we were told you could be even killed in these areas for showing support for BJP. As kids we enjoyed the flamatory speaches made by Uma Bharati, the concept of kar sevak, the ugly scence of voilence that we saw on TV with all of our elders and apreciation of Bal Thakeray on how he controlled Bombay and kept muslims quite and out of the city's progress. And we noded with our elders for the fact that Indian Muslims they do no support India for matches and stuff like that without ever observing such thing or without even knowing a single muslims. I find it difficult to accept today that I dont remeber a single person who dint enjoy above stuff in this residential area of Ghaziabad. I do not remember nither a single person stopping the kids from getting biased. And today I find it even more difficult to accept that same person who can be held responsible for one the biggest events of modern India for taking it 10 steps back is in a prospect of becoming the next PM. I find it even more difficult to accept the person who is stronger net to him in this party is another person who took us 20 years back and left us divided like never before. United We Stand, can we stop these two now, what we failed to do in past?

I believe ever since independence muslims have been ghettoized. And the process fueled up after demolition of Babri Masjid and 2002 communal violence of Gujrath. Today we are more divided then ever before. At certain places I tried looking for a flat to rent, the first and the foremost question being asked is my full name. Then I was reminded why my full name was asked, first to check if I am muslims as landowners doesnt allow their houses to rent to mulims. Also to check my cast, it makes a difference. Also, security is becoming a big concern for muslims. Events of 92 and 2002 have seen big spatial changes and observe movements of communities.

Another dissappointing aspects for muslims is that they do not have a political leader some one like Mayawati, Late Kanshi Ram, in UP, some tamilian leaders, Lalu Yadav in Bihar, who are/were representative of lower class or classes which are being neglected in our democracy. And have played an important role to bring about social changes.

What we need to do today to really make a statement "Stand we united". There is a need to bring about a huge social change and there is a need to reverse the process of seperation that began back in 1947. Something we tried to achieve by reservation to bring up lower cast.

The first and foremost is the change in reservation policy which should not be caste based but should depend on financial condition of an individual. Or if that is not possible reservation for financially week muslims.

There should be laws that would encourange coming together of families of different religion and caste. Like marriages can do miracles in India. There should be a law which would provide heavy incentives like life time social security and educational subsidies, housing, etc for every marriage between hindu and muslim. With all the benefits it will have power to bring together two families of different culture together. And millions financially back ward would find it lucrative to reject the idea, which at the moment is a big taboo and kind of difficult.

There should be a law to protect the rights of renter/buyer. If a person or family has police verification done, it should be made mandatory for a lanlord to engage in talks with the person who wants to rent or buy an house.

I remembre my friend telling me about a Muslims journalist who asked a question "how many pple who critisize mulims knows even a single muslims good enough to call him a friend and stay in his house?"

Yeah for all the people who talks of "United We Stand" and who talks of solidarity, time has come to think in what way we would want to stand united ?

Obama effect ...

2008-11-16T10:16:00.000-08:00

Recently I met a guy from Republic of Central Africa. And obviously we happened to talk about Obama and Obviously being a black he was very happy. For me Obama is the least bad, majority of the people are very happy just because he is black, even if they wont agree to many of his policies one being unconitional support to Isreal. Many would find that America has come up the age and Obama victories shows their triumph over racism. Well I believe one guy getting the highest honour doesnt define the progress of the community. But its true American has triumphed in shedding their bias to elect a black a man as the head of the state.
So I had discussion with this guy from Central Africa. And he told me in a country like France where you will never see a black man at the top most post, it could mark a difference. You can find a black hosting shows in TV, holding a post in Germany, in USA but never in France. And he hoped that this victory of Obama could help change the image of a black in this country.
I personally found this observation interesting. And it could be true as American election has been the most publicised and seen across the planet. I hope not only French but many countries including India could generate a this positive fact out of this over hyped over publicised election.

Oil, Dollar and Comon man ...

2008-10-14T06:13:00.000-07:00

Yestrday dollar touched a new high in recent years and moved to 48+ Rs. And at the same time oil touched a new low in recent years some 82§/barrel. I have been observing that for some days as the dollar rate fluctuate oil rates fluctutes in opposite direction. Few months back when Oil touched all time high 147§/barrel dollar was at its lowest rate in the recent years. As per different economist as oil is evaluated in dollars as dollar goes down few individual/institution holding currencies other than dollar invest in oil which makes it fluctate. Now this observation is interesting, very confusion and highly disturbing at the same time.

Its interesting as oil doesnt seems to be following usual supply and demand theory. May be supply and demand ratio has not fluctuated as much as publicised. Its dependent on American dollar which is dependent on Amrican government policies. Like at the moment due to all the bailouts the scarcity of dollar in the market making it costly. Before it was very low apparently due to low interest rates and other policies of government which let people consume more and more(i am completely sure of exact reasons).

Its confusing at the same time, as I am unable to understand how come oil doesn't follow normal supply or demand theory ? How come oil bought on papers by few individual/institutions holding currencies other than dollar determined the market cost of Oil. Its like saying if share of Britania Group goes up the cost of biscuits rise. Well I am not economist and I still find myself completely confused.

Now, its highly disturbing. Few individuals determine the market cost of the oil and it effects badly the common man. Its only few month when we were going through one of the worst crisis oil rise, food cost, etc. All the presidents/U.N. etc, etc came together, gave assurance and now we have all forgotten it. It seems to be the thing of past. I feel as if we were made fool, just for some profit makers.
May be to come out of this new financial crisis we need another big crisis of something else.

Market Economy !!

2008-09-17T04:13:00.000-07:00

I am unable to understand what kind of market economy is it. Every now and then a firm becomes bankrupt and US government comes out to help them. Recent rescue of the AIG makes it to §900 billion from tax payers money. Isn't market supposed to be resolving the issue of this economic crisis?
I am not economist, so I dont have an explaination, I just have an question. Let see how many more comes ...

Georgia

2008-08-12T04:24:00.000-07:00

Russian has done it. Russian wanted to do it. Russia was waiting to do it. They might have just put a trap around Georgia to show its strength. They have sent a strong singnal across its other neighbours, across the world. A provocation from Georgia and Russia pounded on it.

That seems to be the destination of small countries in stretagic location or full of natural resources oil or gas. U.S. is doing it in Iraq, Isreal showed that in Lebanon, Iraq tried in Kuwait, NATO's entry in Serbia , Independene of Kosovo, Nigeria, Somalia et all. You follow the big brother or ready to get doomed. May be like Saudis they do. They maintain a good relationship with U.S. with all chaos around them and no democracy talk for them. The king remains the biggest monarch.

Georgia is one such country. Got independence after fall of USSR, and got pro-western government followed by all kind of colour revolution in that region. European countries are heavily dependent on Georgian oil an natural gas reserves. And U.S. has a special interested here including Ukrain, Azerbaijan because of their location and oil reserves. Colour revolutions, Kosovo's declaration of independence(Serbia being ally of Russia), Georgia, Ukrain and Azerbaijan dream to be in NATO dint go well with Russia. Obviously they see it western movement towards east. Russia had a point to prove. And they did it at the cost of some 2000 civilian life. Its like you slap me and I will kill you. Like Isreal in Lebanon. Dont poke your big brother. Dont undermine their power.

Russia showed its resurgent and west is left worried. In one of the article in New York times the editor argues that west should tell russia that it doesnt need furthur split in European map. Such a rediculous statement after what heppened in Kosovo with western support (U.S. has biggest military base in Kosovo, Camp Bond Steal I believe). Russia is out to do same in a pro-western country. South Ossetia and Abhkazia are two break away region from Georgia, rejected pro-western government. Many citizens hold Russian passports. Georgia has a dream of killing these seperatist movement and bring back these region in Grogia. Russia showed it wont be posible and they might just go Kosovo way.

What happened was what always happens when a state possessing great military strength enters into relations with primitive, small peoples living their independent lives. Either on the pretext of self-defence, even though any attacks are always provoked by the offences of the strong neighbour, or on the pretext of bringing civilization to a wild people, even though this wild people lives incomparably better and more peacefully than its civilizers . . . the servants of large military states commit all sorts of villainy against small nations, insisting that it is impossible to deal with them in any other way.

Leo Tolstoy, 1902 draft of Hadji Murat

Western Media !!

2008-07-28T23:05:00.000-07:00

The topic tells, it must be something like biased nature of media in the west. It is indeed but more about the influce on the people of the world. Three issues in the recent time has taken my attention. First the oil price issue, second the tibet issue and whole olympic drama, third the prisoner swap between Lebanon and Isreal.

Firstly the oil issue. U.S. president held India and China reponsible for rise in oil price and influential media made people believe in that. In U.S. and Europe you can find people critisizing eastern countries while filling their car tank. Well, I am not going to create any opinion here but some points are worth noting.

1. 1 barrel is almost 160 litres
2. With the dollar loosing its strength, stock tumbling all over, the gold prize have shot up in last year. Well, demand has not really increased, I wonder it may have decreased and have been replaced by diamond which are easiy available and are more sought after. But the price continue to show upward trend.
3. The news always says "The OIL price reached a new high". And on reading news in detail you are told its in London or New York. These are the two cities from were per berrel price makes headline in media, none are producer or exporter of oil.
4. Per barrel prices have doubled in last year, I wonder if demand is doubled that much.

Secondly tibet issue which is even more disturbing. U.S. media raised a hue and cry about the issue. Solidiratory towards tibet, bycot olympics, distrubance in olympic relay, etc ,etc. And so called "intelectual" have joined hands for the cause of tibet. But do we really know what is this issue about tibet ? Are Amir Khan, Saif Ali Khan aware of the issue or are just influeced ? I can bet 90% of the people involved in all this tibet solidarity issue, wont be able to talk even 4 lines on the actual issue. How come "intelectual" west, which is very critical about religious pratices in south and middle east asia, be spportive to a religious leader? How come people people support the demand of a state which is completely based on religion. Some news paper thinks its about fashion towards budhism? Well western media influence certainly is at the top specially against "communist" China. Well fashion could have helped to generate so much supports towards so called tibet cause. I have met westners in Sikkim, travelling so far just to visit all the monastry of the state. I wont be surprised if one day a hippy sadhu raise a demand for seperate Pushkar or Varanasi and half of the west would rise in support of him. The stand of Indian government is appreciable on this issue.

Third recent event, very important one, in the middle, the prisoner swap between Hezbollah and Isreal. I read BBC and the headline says "Isreal mourns two dead soldiers", whose bodies were returned by Hizbollah. And the news followed with a photo of crying widows and the whole lot of sympathy towards them. You are influenced against hezbollah and made to think how Isreal is troubled by all his neighbours. I turned to aljazeera and the headline says "Lebanon mourns 200 soldiers"...

“Whoever controls the media, controls the mind”: Jim Morrison

Pitameh Rivisited!!

2008-05-13T00:13:00.000-07:00

Arjun Singh recent reconfimation of his loyality towards Gandhi family reminded me of Bhishm Pitameh. No matter what stature you are at, you continue to be loyal to "the king and his family".
Be it leads to disaster.

2008-05-05T11:43:00.000-07:00

"I want this city and the entire state to develop like a metro.I want to see every young boy and girl walking to malls or catching a movie at a multiplex": Vasundhra Raje

Its kind a weird malls and multiplexes are projected as the sign of progressive and modern society. Delhi, Bombay, Kolkatta, Bangalore, Chennai with all their cultural activities are so much more than malls and multiplexes.
I believe Vasundhra Raje is looking to make another Gurgaon or Noida in Jaipur.

2008-04-28T22:12:00.000-07:00

Mujhe kadam kadam per
chaurahe milte hai
bahen phelaye

ek kadam rakhta hun,
ki 100 rahe phot ti hai
vai main un sab per se gujar jana chahta hun ...

--Mukti Bodh

This is the best of the times, this is the worst of the time ...

-Charles Dickensons

Oh! Lord !!

2008-03-31T18:46:00.000-07:00

Oh! Lord Rama, the man of great characters. I read something about you today and I felt disturbed. I need answer from you.
I read you did Ashwamegh Yagya, so that you could become liberated from the sins of killing Brahmans. And you ordered you soldiers, if any one comes or stops your horse should meet with ruthless punishment. This "ruthless punishment" here disturbs me. History has attached such adjectives with the likes of Chengiz Khan or Hitler who were ruthless to whoever came in between their path of conquering the world. Your name was hung around the neck of the horse. Was that to terrify others so that no one would touch your horse or just to make aware that it belongs to your beloved Rama let him go. But if letter is the case then why thousands of soldiers followed it ? Did people worshiped you and continue to worship because they were [are] terrified of you ?
I further read and felt even more disturbed. Luv and Kush, most probably little innocent kid around that time stop your horse. And your army of thousands soldiers, mighty Hanuman, Pushkal, Shatrughan fought with Luv who was alone and a little kid. Did you have an insensitive army ? For the hunger of victory they even decided to kill little kids ? Well may be thats what you instructed, kill whoever obstruct the movement of your horse ?How come to get rid of sins of killing Brahman you decided to kill others ? Is the story of Shambuk I heard is true ? Were you also biased towards caste ?
I further read and came to know that they were your own son. I wonder why instead of enlightening the orthodox fisherman you choose to exile your wife ? Why you favored some one who was utterly wrong over some one who was so devoted to you and followed you, supported you even in the worst of your time ?
Oh! Lord! Enlighten me! I belong to a country which is blindly into religion. Which is divided on the name of cast at every step of life. A male chauvinistic country, where women are being oppressed. Is it because we continue to worship you?

The asymmetric war!!

2008-03-06T19:17:00.000-08:00

Eight people have been killed and nine wounded by a Palestinian gunman who infiltrated a Jewish seminary in West Jerusalem, Israeli officials say.

Now Israel will retaliate, put more severe blockades, stop supplies and kill 800 Palestinian. Hammas, Syria, Iran, Hezbolla will hail this event of killing. West will show extreme shock and anger at the event. International media will project Ismail Heniyeh as the biggest threat to peace.

And human kind will continue to suffer under religious zeal.

Randomness !!

2008-03-01T03:12:00.001-08:00

Money for a better arrange[ment]

2008-02-27T04:48:00.000-08:00

My maid she comes from Bengal and she is in debt, on asking her why?

She says "Sir, I decided to marry my daughter in a good family. The whole thing cost me a bit more."

My mom she has similar ideas like you put more money and you get good husband. Such an irony ...no. You are paying more to get better. I mean the guys who is asking for more money is good.

Its becoming such a market. You give gift to the in-laws of your daughters or you are expected to gift when she gets a baby, she enters into a new house and in all sorts of festival. And these same people then criticize those who are killing their unborn daughters.
And our daughters what they do?They don't appose. And they continue to live with the same kind of people because they are family members of the husband. isn't weird you marry a girl and put her in between atleast two strangers. She is expected to adapt according to their ideas, their way of living, their habits. And if she adapt to that sort of arrangement it becomes very successful.

“STILL LIFE” by A.K.Ramanujan

2008-02-11T20:58:00.001-08:00

When she left me
after lunch,I read
for a while.
But I suddenly wanted
to look again
and I saw the half-eaten
sandwich,
bread,
lettuce and salami,
all carrying the shape
of her bite.

http://indianpoetry.wordpress.com/

Mosiac of Colours !!

2007-01-23T02:30:00.000-08:00

I like playing with colours and I love mosiacs !!

Few Shocking Incidences !!

2006-08-11T01:20:00.000-07:00

Sometimes back there was a power cut in my street. Some wire in the transformer got tripped. So we had to call workers from electricity department. Four guys came, all in sleepers or some kind of old shoe. It was night around 8PM and it was absolutely dark, some moon light was there. They came on cycle/scooter mostly personal, they had one torch with them. I guess they also had gloves. They were carrying some kind rope that you can loop rope around ur body and pole and then easily climb up. So 2 guys went up the poll with the help of ropes, I was showing the torch one other guy went up to transformer to made some connections (he had no gloves of light).

I was coming back from my friends place, again it was dark and 4 pple were working on electric/telephone pole but this time something was happening underground. They dug up the land around the pole and light up a candle to have visibility and started their work.

Me and my friend we were walking down for our dinner again 2 guys working on electric pole one was on the ground showing torch to the guy on the pole, no ladder or trolley that takes you up, no good shoes, no good gloves, no helmet, they are just relying on the fact that power is off from the mains and they are very professional climbing up the poles with the help of ropes.

All three events I observed within a span of a week and all took place in Noida. One of important economic region of Noida. I wonder if government has define any security measure for all such kind of work. If they have really made provision to provide a small vehicle having some kind trolley that can move up and down, if the gloves they wear, sometimes are good and new everytime they go to new place. They have good shoes for such kind of working condition and helmet to save head and provide good light. In my whole life in India I have never seen a labor working on mending public properties like electric pole is provided with such facilities which can ensure complete safety.
For me working like this would be a complete risk to the life. And I salute to all these labors who work for us risking their own life.

When India will have a Buffet ?

2006-07-22T00:44:00.000-07:00

I read this question asked by some editor in certain editorial. I dont know exactly when ?
I was going to Delhi in auto rickshaw last night. Since it is monsoon time, Shiva Ratri is comming soon, I saw lot of pple, mostly guys wearing orange dresses traveling with Kavad on their shoulder. I saw almost after every KM there is kind-of-camp (highyl decorated with lights) for theses pple and they are given best of the treatment. From Haridwar to almost every direction all major roads are usually blocked to give thm smooth walk. Ever KM there are resting places where they are served best of the food they are given money by pple, mostly industrialist and massage as well. In 10 days total of 13 carore pple are expected to take holy Ganga water from Haridwar and start a walk back home. They are given free bus and train tickets from to home to reach Haridwar.
Its tough to expect a philanthorpist from India till we are so much digged up into religious habbits. We are always ready to donate for religion cause but when it comes to social cause, a very less name will be heard. We have birla temples, we have gigantic stupendous Akshardham temple erected in every major city, delhi gives the worst example, we have tirupati richest in the world. I remeber in south a rajasthani family donated some 2 carore to a temple to give holy bath to Budha or Mahavira. Industrialists, politicians, stars will be heard of visiting Tirupati, Vaishnodevi, Amarnath, giving donation for temples, for status of their beloved in public places. But where is Buffet in India ? God knows !!

Politics, Economy, Power ...Interesting changes

2006-06-29T20:26:00.000-07:00

And the times they are a changing !!
There was a time in 16th century when Muslim rulers ruled all over the world, the Ottomans under Suleiman the Magnificent, Safavid Persia under Shah Abbas the Great, and Mogul India under Akbar the Great. After 10th century till some 16th they ruled all over, from Russia to Spain from India to China, Africa, middle east. They fall, and riding on the back of industrialization, technology, advancements it was Europe which came up after 16th century, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal they ruled all over Latin America, Africa, most of Asia. Even the tiny country like Portugal showed the power of technology and industrial revolution when it ruled over countries like Brazil which is almost 4 times the size of India.

19th century can be called as one of the most volatile in all. It witnessed the rise of America and fall of Europe. America becoming the political, economical, cultural and military superpower. On the back of Capitalism, liberalism, globalization, they ruled the mind of the ppl. Suddenly Hollywood, Mcdonalds, Coca Cola, Microsoft, Google, Pizza Hut, Jeans, English started to become the part of common man life. With fall of Russian influence they started dictating the order of the world and got involved in internal affairs of any country they wanted. On the other hand Europe saw significant fall in economic, social, cultural structure. French President's walk off from the meeting after Austrian counter part started speaking in English, gives an example of how they are struggling to search their identity. Once overtly rich Europe, culturally, morally supreme Europe is struggling in every department. Government corruption is high as seen in France, Italy and Britain. Italy with a budget deficit of 100%GDP struggling to keep itself at par with EU norms, they have stopped/postponed their infrastructure projects due to the lack of money. France, Nethreland, Spain, Italy, Germany seems to have never ending immigrant, racism and unemployment problems which is as high as 40% at certain places.

In 19th century it was communism first, then came capitalism and now the wave of socialism is on rise. Latin America, Russia and China are the good examples, the have struggled with some of bloodiest dictatorship era. 1990s brought the wave of capitalism and witnessed economic crisis in most of Latin America, Russia, and can be seen as utter failure in these part of world. India and China have been more cautious in there approach, grow on the back of America and dont open themself too much. And the fruitful results are visible. The recently philanthropists development in America with Bill Gate taking off for 2 years, Buffet giving his 85% wealth for charity are an interesting development. After 1990s economic crisis almost all Latin America government are left oriented but private companies are welcomed. Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Russia etc have shown consistent growth in Economy.
So are we observing now fall of American influence ?
Where Iraq represent the complete failure of American approach. Iran, Venezuela, Bolivia have raised question on American hegemony. Central issue which is evolving as another strategic territory, has seen American influence diminishing whereas the role of America in Ukarain's Orange and Georgia's Rose movement is evident and has been criticisms, Uzbekistan has asked US to remove their military base while Kyrgystan has asked to increase the charges by 100% if US wants to continue its military base their. As quoted in Indian Express/Hindu "the fairytell which US started in central Asia, doesn't seems to be meeting its desired end".

The rise of SCO with Russia, China, Uzbekistan, Kyrgystan, Tazikystan, Kajakistan as members, rather successful summit this year with Iran, Pakistan, India and Mongolia as observer and the new dimension in Sino-Russia relationship has raised eyebrows of many. On another note where Sari, Bollywood, Yoga, IT has emerged as the soft power for India. Chine is way ahead leaving his remark, with more and more pple learning mandarin, Zen, food ,etc, etc.

So lets wait and watch, who rises, who falls, who controls, ...

Reservation Blues !!

2006-05-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

So its back again,this time for OBCs and country is divided again into pro-anti-reservation stand. That's true Dalits have been oppressed to inhuman conditions for ages in this country and even the greatest of greatest Gandhi and his movements failed to bring them up in the society. And they are continued to be humiliated or neglected in different parts of the country And the recent addition are the incidences in Harayana which exposed the mentality of upper cast Hindus in rather suburb places. And also I remember visiting a village in Kerala which was looking quit prosperous till I reached the other part of the village, where 40 Dalits families were living, separated from rest of the village. They were given some 40 houses of one room each, as compared to nice big houses in other part of the village. But alas! Communication gap could not let me talk to them.
So reservation has been proposed as the easiest solution to raise the socio-economic condition of such classes. But the big question is, does it really reach the class which is really suffering? Majority of the population which is suffering belongs the lower class (economically), poor, very poor. My experience from college is that mostly middle or upper classes are getting benefited from reservation politics, who to a greater extent doesn't really deserve that much. So what's the solution ?
As suggested in almost every anti-reservation articles that there is a need to improve primary education or I would rather say fractured primary education. I will take you to Uttar Pradesh, where cast politics is rather complex, and our primary education is a big failure.
Every state has CBSE, ICSE and State board(UP board in UP). ICSE and CBSE are confined till private schools, so obviously are not in the reach of lower class people, whereas UP Board run by state government are highly subsidized and most of the poor class study there. Now this creates the first big difference, where a student in ICSE or CBSE can easily manage 80-85% average, for student of UP Board to score even 70% is a tough task. So it becomes rather tough for the students of UP board to get into good graduation colleges where admition are based mostly upon marks obtained in 12th std. First things that needs to be done is to implement same form of primary education all over the country. So that every student from all classes stands equal chances.
Now state colleges are run in rather bad conditions, professors doesn't come, no one cares for attendance, I my self dint attend my classes continuously for 4,5 months and no one was bothered about it. You are forced to take tuition from professors other wise it is a tough task to clear exams (other thn board exams). So only government will can change this condition of colleges.
And the third biggest problem in our education system is, it is based on tough examination system which assess the ability of students. In UP Board on an average 40% students are not able to clear high school exams and around 30% get stuck in 12th Std. Out of this 30% a huge population comprises of students whose socio-economical condition doesn't really allow them to concentrate. Imagine a stundent swiftly clearing all exams and is in some graduation college where he is meeting a larger part of community and more matured pple and other student who is stuck in high school and keep being the part of that immature, teenage group. To me education is important but awareness is the key. And also if a student is stuck in high school or 12th std how is she/he going to get the benefit of reservation. With such socio-economic condition it is a high probability that she/he may just give up and start earning for the family. The biggest change that we need to implement on education system is to remove this marks based system and make sure that not a single student is goin to be stuck in any class. I believe implementing such measures in our primary education system can greatly reduce the need of reservation on cast based.

Caution: Faith/Religion/God is injurious to the health of society

2006-05-10T04:08:00.000-07:00

"Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue with that; I'm right and I will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first - rock and roll or Christianity."
John Lennon

Shall I say /Faith/Religion/God has evolved as the biggest enemy to humanity. From the 10th century crusades (even earlier) to the middle east crises, from Shakesper's Shylock to Germany's Hitler, from Congo to Bosnia to Rwanda to Darfur, from Kashmir to Vadodra, from John Lennon to Danish news paper millions and billions of pple have been slauthered to death, molested, insulted or isolated on the name of blind faith, religion or god.

Jews have problem with Palestine, Arabs have problem with Jews, different ethnic groups in Africa has problem with each other, Hindus have problem with Muslims, Dravidian doesnt like Aryans, Europeans have problem with African Arabs, Americans doesnt like black afro-Americans, sunni's have problem with shia's.
Looking into this century itself ...
Germany, Hitler had problem with Jews, parts of the Europe were favoring him and some 30 lacs jews were slauthered to death in a span of 13 months and then displaced to Middle east, which has seen thousands of pple dead since then in an arab-jew-Palestine conflict. And millions of Germans followed Hitler blindly. In Africa situation is even worst, in recent Darfur conflict already estimated 3 lacs pple have been killed so far in a conflict between arabs and non-arabs. In current Congo war estimated 3.8 million pple died from 1998 to 2004 and in Rwanda almost 8 lac slaughter in a span of 100 days in a conflict that involved hutus and tutsi community. In Bosnia Croatia conflict on the name of "ethnic cleansing" almost 2.5 lacs pple died from 1992 to 1995 etc, etc ...the more you dig in the more dirt you find.

In a recent conflict a Danish cartoonist paints some caricature and there was hue and cry all over Muslim nations. Many of the pple haven't even seen the cartoon or cartoonist. A Muslim leader from India announces a ransom of 50 crore to kill the cartoonist and thousands of pple starts supporting him. A few 10 pple died in the whole issue, where pple were just following some blind faith.The number of pple who are left homeless, women raped, children dies of startvation and pple who are still suffering is humongous.

Terrorist attacks in Madrid, London, USA, regular attacks in Egypt, Jordan, frequent bomb blast in India is the result of the same blind faith on the name of the God.

In one his lecture Vivekanand said "India is a poor, weak and insecure country so it can never be separated from God or Religion". God or religion is the manifestation of weak pple, community, who are scared, ashamed of their own acts and then search for god to cleanse themself.I remeber in my college days pple would never go to temple but as soon as some exam, interview and some pressures situation they had to face they would run to temple. It is this fear which has in it the foundation of the concept God.
Beware: Some fanatic, fearful follower of the God might be lurking somewhere around you !!

The Castology ....

2006-05-03T03:21:00.000-07:00

Dravidian, Aryan,
Shudra, Vaishya, Kshatriya, Birahmin,
Marwari, Maheshawri, Kayasth, Jain, Reddy,
Meena, Yadav, Telgi, Khandelwal, Aggarwal, Goal, Shriwastav, Maheshwari, Tiwari, Sharma etc, etc, etc

So this is how we are developing in India with time. For more elaborated picture please refer to any of the matrimonial pages in Indian news papers. And we continue to develop and keep adding new branches. What could be the main the reason for such an achievement. I will try to point out some here.

1. Our system of arrange marriages (which is mostly always cast based).
2. Submissive youth, melodramatic parents, interfering society, utilitarian
3. Cast base politics
4. Our education system and reservation game

I have always believe marriages among different communities can reduce the differences.
But our arrange marriage system has evolved as a biggest curse to society. Well an essay can written on the evils of arrange marriages but I will restrict myself to its effect on cast equation. We have rather stiff rules in marriage system and we like to look for person who belongs to the same cast only. Same cast doesnt mean Vaishya go for Vaishya but Khandelwal will look for Khandelwal not even Aggarwal/Jain/something else. Recently I met an old lady she says we have no problem where every you guys marry but "I doesnt want anyone from Muslims, Kayasth, Yadav et all, etc etc ..". Arrange marriage is a system where family and society (aggarwal, shamra, tiwari ...)decides about the future. And the big men of our so called society give their best to find out a same cast bride/groom.

A "birahmin" girl fall in love with a "baniya" guy. They were all set to marry. Family of guy had no problem or rather I would say had no choice but to say yes. The family of girl became overtly melodramatic, "beta tum hamein samajh main badnam karogi". Software engineer brother of the girl "if I was doing this thn it was ok, but since girls are the mirror of the family in society you shouldnt be doing all this".And then followed all kind of melodrama, to the extent of suicidal threats. And our much submissive youth surrendered, because we cant hurt our parents by going against them, by raising voice against them even if they are wrong. So a year long love affair met a tame end. And this happens in every second home, you talk about love marriage and the very first question comes up "does your parents knows" or "are they ready for the marriage" "is intercast ok with them"? A Muslims doesnt flirt around with hindu or vics versa, because they are scared of parents and society. North doesnt want to go with South, so called cultural differences.

Politics its redundant nothing to talk about, every one knows. Politics doesnt care of social structure, all they want is vote. Its just a disappointing fact that political parties like BJP after 1992 babri masjit campaign rose to power and Modi won in Gujarat after 2002 communal violence. BJP is worried about hindu, most of the regional parties about minorities around them and best exampel is UP.

Our primary education system is another disappoint, a failure I would say. We want a person to clear each and every exam and that is our criterion of personality growth. And in UP board that sees almost 40-50 % students stuck in std 10th and around 30% in std 12th. A huge population belongs to minority and mostly from poor class. Most of the pple then doesnt get chance to step in college for higher degree and thats where our reservation comes. Which effects mostly financially good SCs/STs, and they take all the benefits even if they dont deserve. And then they become problematic to many eyes of upper cast pple and are bieng cursed on their back, well this what I have observed and heard pple saying at universities "salla SC/ST hai, hona hi tha", the gap widens in subconsciously.

Well I believe in India marriages plays a key role. Most of Indian fall in the trap of that. So cant we just go ahead and tell our parents ok I doesnt want to marry a girl in my cast.

Well government should also campaign for that my suggestion would be to give prize money to the couple who doing intercast/community/religion marriage.

Like hindu-muslim couple should be given say 10 lacs prize money and some kind of life long social security. Similarly for an upper cast lower cast couple. And some prize money for intercast marriages.

Like Dharamvir Bharati very nicely pointed out in his book "Suraj Ka Satwan Ghoda", that how our society revolves around marriages and how it can effect our social structure.

Tanuj

OH! MEDIA ...

2006-04-20T04:24:00.000-07:00

Whoever controls the media, controls the mind.
-- Jim Morrison

Oh! no not again ...give me something new.
It seems media has nothing but Isreal, Palastien, Iraq and now Iran. The whole issue has becoming so boring now. Bush barks, Ahmadinejad bark. One has ego of being the head of most powerful country but dilemma of past experiances is there. Other has ego of oil and natural gas resources and patriotism trigered by USA, Isreal. One wants to control everything, other wants to prove himself ...

And media seems to me like a director of bollywood/hollywood, in the whole issue a lot of imaginative creation. Recently I learnt from a big media personality the whole protest against Saddam and Celebration after his defeat in Iraq was fabricated by CNN, few protesters and whole lot of cameras. They always seems to me are creating a certain bais or emotions. Palestine attack on Isreal becomes a big issue and Isreal atrociousness is safely ignored. Media holds the key of the world. Mostly governed by single entity.

Like in Southern part of India, a TV channel by Jayalalitha shows something in certain perspective and TV channel of Karunanidhi shows the same thing in completely different perspective (this is what I have heard, I dont know Tamil myself). But good thing here we have is the two competing party have there own channel, so we get to see both sides of the moon. Similar thing happend in Italian elections recently, one of condidate controls the whole media and a lot of resource and he almost won the election even when his rating and chances of victory was very low .

So when media is governed by a single person, when all the products come out of the same factory the whole issues lost its signifance becuase its almost always biased. Palestine will continue to be led by terrorist. Saddam will reamin villain to this world. Islamist will continue to be the extrimist fundamentist and threat to the world. Abhu Gharaib, Guatenama will continue to remain hidden even after huge protest. And this world will continue to be ruled by the person who holds the key ...THE MEDIA.

beware mediocre are coming ...

2006-04-12T01:02:00.000-07:00

So another dirty move by politics, to give 27% quota to OBC in all premier colleges of India. And the debate starts again, what would happen to the institute like IITs and IIMs if all the
midocre students start comng in such a huge number.

Sometimes I wonder what makes IIT one of the best undergrad insitute, is it the tough, very competative entrance exam which we all proudly call JEE, which no midocre can pass or the insitute itself like the faculty, infrastucture, academic structure, etc, etc ...IITs still doesnt stand anywhere in Post Grad studies

There is no doubt IITs have some of the best infrastructure, 24 hours internet available even in hostels, good sports facilities, lot of money is pouring in IIT, everyone is accomodated well in the hostels, professors are quit commited to there jobs. IITs has some of the best administration among engineering institutes in India. Still a whole lot of mediocre phobia exist in IITs. Whenever HRD desides to make entrance exams a bit easier at par with 12th Std it sends panic among everyone related to IITs, whenever HRD decide to increase seats or open up a new IIT it sends insecurity among all who are related to IITs.

Now the question arises is, is the academics structure/ staffs of IITs motivating enough equally to everyone genius/average/below par ? Or faculty itself is scared of taking any mdeiocre students. And is it right attitude to look for only academically genius guys. Or structure is such that the mediocre student just cant survive in environment ?

And its getting worst with time ...

2006-03-29T02:05:00.000-08:00

I was in Jaipur, and had a conversation with my sis about the female foeticide in India.
She is gaeneocologist in a rather small town near Jaipur.

Me: So jiji is it true that people really come for female foeticide and doctors really do that.
She: Yeah this practice is common, I can tell you all the big names who does that and every one knows

Me: Why doctors are not getting caught, even when sex determination a crime now.
She: Doctors does it for money. XYZ, who is big shot in the city does it, every one knows it. But nothing can be done to him. He can transfer anyone to anywhere. Who will dare to do ? and who will listen to us.

Me: siggggggggh pity

She: And who will do, who will catch him, I can tell you the IAS people who wants this. The policemen itself want it to be done. Educated doctors wants it ...who will oppose and who will catch ?

She: Its seen more in Rich and educated pple. Becuase a poor/uneducated guy would keep on doing girl till he doesnt get a boy. A rich would simply get the sex determination done and kill the foetus in the womb if it is a girl again.

And I accept all these fact, because recent census shows places like South Delhi, Malabar hills at par with villages in India.

All the study and conclusion to it lead to a very dirty picture.
First reason is obvious "Ladka Chand Ka Tukda hai", "Budhape ki lathi" and "ladki parya dhan" still exist in our mantility, our parents just cant live without "ladka", even when "ladki" is also there in the house. I dont why suddenly "ladki" become so "parayi" that they dont even want to eat food of her house.
Secondly, increasing demand of dowry (more as people are getting more educated)and evils of arrange marriages. IIT guys "creame de la cream" are available for 25 lacs, no metter how educated girly is if you offer less then that than chances of arrange marriage with this guy is bleak. IAS can range upto 1 crore. Oh my god, so, tough to have a daughter in the family, such a costly bussiness.
What can be done ?
Certain add comes on doordarshan against it ...
"During sonography, girls shouts from the womb, "papa main nahi marna chahti" and papa suddenly decides that he is doing the mistake, and he wants this kid. Decision made girl is saved."
But that addvertisement itself has a basic mistake. Why papa always decide, why mum never have a say. Still male chauvanism prevails everywhere.

Educate uneducated people and make aware educated people. ..
For me to be aware is the key ...